Page:Shakespeare of Stratford (1926) Yale.djvu/76

60 tion toward Barker’s rent, and the same amount is charged against the other half-portion of Shakespeare’s particular tithes held by the Combe family, and to which Thomas Greene has a reversionary title that will become effective in 1618; but the Combes decline to pay. In the cases of the other three dozen-odd persons concerned no agreement concerning the quota to be paid by each toward Barker’s rent has been arrived at, and certain lawless spirits among them—notably Lord Carewe of Clopton—use their influence to dissuade anyone from paying at all.]

''So as your orators their said respective estates and interests of and in their said several premises aforesaid, and the estates of divers of the said parties, which would gladly pay a reasonable part towards the said rent, but do now refuse to join with your said orators in this their said suit for fear of some other of the said parties which do so refuse to contribute, do remain and stand subject to be forfeited by the negligence or wilfulness of divers or any other of the said parties, which many times will pay nothing, whenas your orators Richard Lane and William Shackspeare, and some few others of the said parties, are wholly and against all equity and good conscience usually driven to pay the same for preservation of their estates of and in the parts of the premises belonging unto them; and albeit your said orators have taken great pains and travail in entreating and endeavoring to bring the said parties of their own accords and without suit of law to agree every one to a reasonable contribution toward the same residue of the said rent of xxvij li. xiij s. iiij d., according to the value of such of the premises as they enjoy yet have they refused and denied, and still do refuse and deny, to be per''-