Page:Shakespeare of Stratford (1926) Yale.djvu/95

Shakespeare of Stratford produce the old papers necessary to the establishment of their respective titles. (Public Record Office, London.)

''xxvjto die Aprilis, 1615. To the Right Honorable Sir Thomas Egerton, Knight, Lord Ellesmere and Lord Chancellor of England. Humbly complaining showeth unto your honorable Lordship your daily orators, Sir Thomas Bendish, Baronet, Edward Newport and William Thoresbie, Esq., Robert Dormer, Esq., and Mary his wife, William Shakespere, Gent., and Richard Bacon, citizen of London, that whereas your orators be and are severally lawfully seised in their demesne as of fee [in various specified pieces of real estate] all which messuages, tenements, and premises aforesaid be lying within the precinct of Blackfriars in the city of London. Unto which foresaid capital messuages, tenements, and premises aforesaid several deeds, charters, letters patents, evidences, muniments, and writings be and are belonging and appertaining, and do belong unto your orators, and do serve for the proving of your orators’ lawful right, title, interest, and estate into and unto the foresaid messuages and premises: all which foresaid letters patents, deeds, evidences, charters, muniments, and writings aforesaid were left in trust with Ann Bacon, deceased, for and unto the use and behoof of your orators.''

The document proceeds to declare that on Ann Bacon’s death the papers in question passed into the possession of Matthew Bacon, her sole executor, and begs that the said Matthew be required to appear before your Lordship in his Majesty’s high court of chancery, then and there for to make answer unto the