Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 8.djvu/61

 12 s. viii. JAN. 15, 1921.] NOTES AND QUERIES. 45 I shall further lay before Your Lordship 2 Couplets which I met with in the Church, among many Other of less Note, that relates to the particular occasion of the Jubile. It was writ under a Passage of S l John in the last Chapter of his Gospel, where He Speaks of the vast number of Miracles more, that were done by Christ, than what he had related. It was in these words, viz, Tot sacra fortasse stupes vi pignoris acta prodigia, haud uno dinumeranda Die ; Sed mage, qucd Species (minim super omnia) sacrae Post medium maneant, et tria Saecla, stupes. NB. It was 350 years ago the miracle happened of ye Hosts bleeding which very host yet remains. I L>ave Your Lordship to make your Reflection on it ; and shall intrench on your precious Time no longer than whilst I acquaint You that I came from Rotterdam through Antwerp and Mechlin to Brussels : That after I spent a week in this latter place, I came through Ghent and Bruges, to this Place ; whither I came this Day at Noon, and shall proceed to morrow for Newport (whither the Curiosity of visiting a Monastery of English Carthusians onely draws Me) to Dun- kirk, S l Orner, Ipre, Meriin, Lisle, Tournay & Mons <fc so to Brussels. Whether I shall go from thence to Namur & so down y e Maes to Ltrecht or directly thro' Louvain to Holland I have not yet Determin'd. But the Inclination I have to be at Hanover as soon as possible will I beleive determine Me for the Latter. Just on my Departure from Rotterdam I had the Good Fortune to fall into the Company of Admiral Norris's Son who with his Tutour was coming into these Countrys, with the very same Intent as my Self ; as y e latter has travelled here before, and is a very learned Gentle- man I reap great advantages by it. My Lord, Wherever I am, it is a sensible Pleasure to Me to think I have Your Lordship for my Friend ; and tnat You are pleas'd in any Manner to Interest Your Self in my Welfare. I have no greater Passion than to recommend My Self to Your Esteem : and I shall be ever ambi- tious of shewing My Self in what Degree I am My Lord, Your Lordships most obedient, and most faithfull humble Servant ROBERT WHATLEY. C. S. B. BUCKLAND. (To be continued.) AMONG THE SHAKESPEARE ARCHIVES. (See ante, p. 23.) 95 RICHARD SHAKESPEARE'S NEIGHBOURS. 4. Henry Walker, Thomas Palmer and John Sambridge. RICHARD SHAKESPEARE was in request among his friends in the last months of Queen Mary and the first of Queen Elizabeth He witnessed the will of one Henry Walker on Aug. 31, 1558, tenant of a leasehold-farm in Snitterfield, who died, apparently, a widower, leaving twelve children in the care 01 his eldest son John. The farm was well stocked with 29 beasts (oxen, kine, calves and horses), 5 great hogs and 6 store hogs, 4 geese, 6 hens and a cock, 2 pullets, 6 stalls of bees. There was corn in the barn and in the field, malt and hay, and 3 flitches of bacon in the roof. But if there was enough to eat the sleeping accommodation was limited, and the four bedsteads (some of them with "painted cloths about them ") must have been put-to -it to contain ther family, which included moreover a boy- boarder entrusted to the father's care by Master Bushell of Cleve at the rate of lid. a week. Among the testator's assets wa* a debt from Richard Shakespeare for 65. Sd. Thomas Palmer belonged to a family much respected in Snitterfield and next- door neighbours of Richard Shakespeare, His father and his uncle had been decennaru- (tithing men) under the lord of the manor, and in performance of their duty had reported Richard Shakespeare for non suit of Court or neglect of his hedges. Such presentments made little difference in friend- ship, and when Thomas Palmer died leaving seven young children and debts which swallowed up more than a third of his small property, Richard Sljakespeere made the inventory, on Jan. 3, 1560. pricing his four oxen, two cows, four calves, one steer, two- mares and a weaning-colt, corn and hay in the barn, brass and pewter and linen. John Sambridge made his will on Sept. 18,. 1558, and Richard Shakespeare 'praised his goods and cattle on May 7 following. He was a humble person with little to be- 'praised. He left a widow and a son by a former wife. There were difficulties to face between the son and his step-mother. This memorandum appears in the will : " That Thomas Sambridge, the son of John Sam- bridgof Snitterfield, hath granted to his mother- in-law, Eleanor Sambridge, to have twelve years in the house that he hath right to have after the death of his father, John Sambridge; the said Eleanor permitting him to have two lands within the fields of Snitterfield yearly, and the said Thomas to find cider at his own cost and charges, and Eleanor to wash the suits of Thomas during the said time." The goods which Richard Shakespeare inventoried included 12 pewter platters and dishes and saucers, 4 brass pots and 2 pans,