Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 8.djvu/159

 12 s. vin. FEB. 12, 1021.] NOTES AND QUERIES. 125 Hall, a kinswoman of John Shakespeare's wife, Mary Arden. These events were in the future. At present, 1559, we will note that John Arden, prebendary of Worcester, and a determined Catholic, was probably a relative of Mary Arden. The care of his father at Snitterfield may have added to the growing responsibilities of John Shakespeare. On May 21, 1560, Robert Arden's widow, Agnes nee Webbe, leased her late husband's property at Snitter- field to her brother, Alexander Webbe of Bearley, husband of her step-daughter, Margaret Arden. It consisted of "two messuages with a cottage, in the occupation of Richard Shakespeare, John Henley and John Hargreave." The lease was for forty years from Mar. 25, 1561, or so long as Agnes Arden should live, at the rental of 40s. per annum. There was probably no intention of disturbing Richard Shakespeare. In view of the fact that he died before Mar. 25, 1561, it is likely that he was infirm and unwilling to renew his lease in May, 1560. He may have contemplated removal to Ingon with his so*?- Henry, or even to Stratford, to join the household of his son John in Henley Street. On June 1, 1560, he and William Bott and others valued the goods of Henry Cole the blacksmith. We get a glimpse of Henry Cole in an entry in the Churchwardens' Account of St. Nicholas, Warwick, for the year 1554: "to Coles of Snit'field for his painstaking to come into the parish to give counsel to the filing of the third quarter bell, and spent on him and upon one that did fetch him, 7cL" His daughter married Thomas Eggleston of St. Nicholas' parish, probably the son of the late vicar of St. Nicholas, Master John Eggleston. His son, Edward Cole, was partner with him in the smithy. Edward died before his father, on or shortly after Sept. 22, 1558, when he made his will. He died a Catholic, bequeathing his soul to Almighty God, the Blessed Virgin and the Holy Company of Heaven, 12c?. to Snitterfield Church, 4rf. to the Mother Church of Worcester and 12c7. to the Vicar of Snitterfield, William Burton. The Vicar witnessed and probably wrote the will, and acted as overseer with Richard Wllmore of the Heath. To his brother-in-law, Thomas Eggleston, who was not yet nineteen, Edward Cole left his russet coat of frieze. His young widow died almost immediately. His goods were valued on Jan. 22, 1559, by Robert Pardy, Robert Nicholson, Henry Burgess and William Perks, but her small possessions were appraised some time pre- viously by Nicholson, Burgess and Perks with the help of Richard Shakespeare. Ad- ministration was granted on Mar. 23, the widow having "died before the will was proved." Henry Cole the father made his will probably before the decease of Queen Mary on Nov. 17, 1558. He also died a Romanist. He bequeathed 4d. to the Mother Church of Worcester, a strike of wheat to the Church of Wolverton, 4cL towards the reparations of the Church of Norton Linsey, and to Snitterfield Church "two strike of wheat and a stall of been to help to maintain two tapers, one before the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar and the other before the image of Our Lady of a pound and a quarter apiece." Most of his little property he left to bis son's children, Edward and Anne, and to his son-in-law, Thomas Eggleston, the executor. Queen Elizabeth had come to the throne, the Prayer- Book had been re-introduced, tapers and images and the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar were abolished and supposed to be all gone when he signed this will unrevised oiv Jan. 23, 1560, in the presence of William Burton the vicar, Robert Pardy and John Hargreave, the day after the making of the inventory of the goods and chattels of his son. It is possible that the vicar and his churchwardens had not carried out the Injunctions. William Burton, who was Sir William, a graduate of Oxford (supplicated for B.A. June 9, 1527, determined 15*8), was deprived before Sept. 26, 1561, when the Puritan, John Pedder, a Marian exile, was instituted in his room. The valuation of Henry Coles' goods on June 1, 1560, by William Bott, Richard Shakespeare, William Perks, Henry Burgess alias Parsons, and John Hargreave, amounted to 16Z. 0,9. 6d. r1 Richard Shakespeare helped to appraise the goods of his old neighbour, Richard Maids, on Sept. 13, 1560. None stood higher in the regard of his fellow -villagers than Richard Maids. His name appears con- tinually in the local wills and inventories. He witnessed the release by John Palmer of his tenement to Master Arden Oct. 1, 1529, was fined with Richard Shakespeare for overburdening the Common pasture Oct. l r 1535, was executor of the will of Sir John Bonne, vicar, Feb. 1, 1541, 'praised the goods of William Mayowe and Thomasin Palmer (whose will he witnessed) in 1551, and the goods of Hugh Greene on Mar. 27, 1553, was overseer of the will of Hugh Porter Jan. 31, 1554, 'praised with Richard Shakespeare the