viii. 501.

[216] _Ibid._, Sixth Series, xii. 424.

[217] April 17, 1616.

[218] P. 296.

[219] See "Descent of Hallen and Shakespeare."

CHAPTER XI

COUSINS AND CONNECTIONS

It is certain that Shakespeare had many cousins on the Arden side. A
notice of the Stringers, the Lamberts, the Edkins, and the Webbes has
been already given. The Hart family, as has also been noticed, provided
a large number of relatives not of the name.

On the Shakespeare side the poet _may_ have had cousins, though we are
not able to prove their descent from records at present in hand. More
than one family claim to have descended from cousins, and presumably
from Shakespeare's grandfather Richard. But we must not forget there
were other Richards at his time. The Richard of Wroxall, Mr. Yeatman
insists, must be the same as the Richard of Snitterfield, though it
seems hardly possible, seeing we find the one officially associated with
the Priory of Wroxall 26 Henry VIII., 1535,[220] and the other presented
for non-suit of court at Snitterfield 20 and 22 Henry VIII.; for
infringing the rights of pasture there, October 1, 1535; and receiving a
legacy from a friend that suggested continued residence: "Unto Richard
Shakespere of Snytfield my foure oxen which are now in his keeping"
(will of Thomas Atwode, _alias_ Tailor, of Stratford-on-Avon, 1543).
Three successive Richards lived in Rowington. One, "Richard Shakysspere,
of Rowington, Weyver," died in 1560, and mentioned his sons William and
Richard in his will drawn up the year before, on June 15, and proved on
June 30 (goods prised by John Shakspere and Richard Sanders). Another
Richard of the same place made a will in 1591 and died in 1592, whose
children were John, Roger, Thomas, William, and Dorothy Jenkes; his
wife's name was Joan. There was also a grandson, Thomas, son of
John.[221] Another Richard died in 1614,[222] whose eldest son was
William. But each of these Richards, from his family and connections,
can be proved to be a different man from the Richard of Snitterfield. We
are reasonably sure that our John was the son of the latter, if he
administered his goods after his death in 1560-61[223]; and if so, we
are sure that Henry also was his son, as Henry was the brother of John.
This is mentioned in the Declaration of 1587,[224] when Nicholas Lane
proceeded against John as surety for his impecunious brother Henry.
Henry was also summoned with John to appear as witness in