6 Charles William Wallace 



The documents as reprinted below/ with some unimportant 

 typographical corrections, are believed to be accurate. The pres- 

 ent writer is personally responsible for the transcripts. There 

 is no spacing, in the documents, under the marks of abbreviation 

 (", ') used. It is not always certain whether the writer of the 

 Bill means an initial for capital or small letter. Often the dif- 

 ference seems a matter of mere gradation. In many cases, and 

 particularly with reference to the interlineations, the officials in 

 charge of the Legal Room rendered expert assistance. No sig- 

 nihcance, of course, attaches to the interlineations. They are 

 such as are found in almost every legal document of any length. 

 Th^ original of Shakespeare's wiU, for example, at Somerset 

 House, shows fourteen. It suffices in the present case that the 

 interlineations were made by the original hand and were there 

 when the Bill was filed in court, April 26, 161 5. This is suffi- 

 ciently shown by the fact that tire defendant's answer thereto 

 contains the names in the same order but with no interlineations. 



The documents are the property of the English government, 

 and are preserved at the Public Record Office. The Bill and 

 Answer, like all such records, are on parchment and are fas- 

 tened together at one corner. The decree is in a ponderous 

 volume about fifteen inches thick. .At the head of their respective 

 texts are given the index of suit and decree, by which the orig- 

 inals can at any time be looked up and examined. 



Chancery Proceedings, Bills and 

 Answers, James I., Bundle B 11, No 9. 



I. Bill of Complaint 

 XX vj*^" die Aprilis 1615 



Saunders To the Right Honorable S'' 



Thonfs EgertCkH knight Lord 

 Ellesmcre and Lord Chancellc*" 

 of England 



Humblie Complayninge sheweth Vnto yo^ Honorable LoP yo^ 

 Daylie Orato^'^^ S'' Thonfs Bendish Baronet Edward Newport and 

 Wiilyam Thoresbie Esq'^ Rob*^ Dormer Esquio^ and Marie his wife 

 Willyam Shakespere gent^ and Richard Bacon Citezen of London 



^ First published with a column introduction in The Standard, London, 

 October 18, 1005, p. 5. 



2 The words "and Marie his wife Willyam Shakespere gent" are inter- 

 lined, 



