315.-Framed engraved composite portrait of

Shakespeare.

Presented by the engraver, C. W. SHERBORN, R.E.
London, 1893.

316.-The Birthplace Library Bookplate, designed and engraved by C. W. Sherborn, R.Ê. Reproduced on the back cover of this catalogue.

317.--Engraved portrait of Shakespeare by William Marshall, prefixed to Shakespeare's Poems, 1640.

A facsimile, from Wivell's Inquiry into the Shakespeare Portraits, 1827. Marshall followed the "Droeshout" engraving in the First Folio of 1623.

318.—A LETTER ADDRESSED TO SHAKESPEARE BY A STRATFORD FRIEND.—Original letter from Richard Quyney to his "Loveinge good Frend and contreymaun mr. Wm. Shackespere," requesting a loan of £30; dated "From the Bell in Carter Lane (London) the 25th October, 1598."

This is the only letter addressed to Shakespeare known to be in existence.

The writer, Richard Quiney, a close friend of the dramatist, was twice chosen Bailiff of Stratford, in 1592 and in 1601; he died during his second term of office. His elder son, Thomas, married the poet's younger daughter, Judith, on 10 February, 1616.

Literal transcript.

"Loveinge Contreyman I am bolde of yow as of a ffrende, craveinge your helpe wth xxxll vppon m' Bushells and my securytee or mr Myttons wth me mr Rosswell is nott come to London as yeate & I have especiall cawse, yow shall ffrende me muche in helpeinge me out of all the debettes I owe in London I thancke god & muche quiet my mynde wch wolde nott be indebeted I am nowe towardes the Cowrte in hope of answer for the dispatche of my Buysenes yow shall nether loase creddytt nor monney by me the Lorde wyllinge & nowe butt perswade yourselfe soe as I hope & yow shall nott need to feare butt wth all hartie

thanckefullenes I wyll holde my tyme & content yowr ffrende & yf we Bargaine farther yow shalbe the paie mr yowrself, my tyme biddes me hasten to an ende & soe I committ thys [to] your care & hope of your helpe I feare I shall nott be backe thys night ffrom the Cowrte,--haste, the Lorde be wth yow & wth vs all amen. ffrom the Bell in Carter Lane the 25 octobr 1598.

yowrs in all kyndenes

Ryc. Quyney.

(Addressed.)

To my Loveinge good ffrend

& contreymann mr wm

Shackespere dlr. thees

Armorial seal. On a bend three trefoils slipped.

Presented by MISS ANNE WHELER.

319.-Petition for relief from taxation from the Borough Town of Stratford-upon-Avon to the Court of Exchequer, 1598.

(1598). Draft of the petition taken by Richard Quiney on behalf of the Baileefe, Aldermen and Burgesses of hyr maties Borrowghe Towne of Stratforde-vppon-Avon to the Court of Exchequer, for relief "in regarde of the darthe of corne, wch by the Lordes hand is layed vppon or lande and vppon or cowntye mor then manye others;" the commandment "to restrayne malte makeing generaly," which the inhabitants "arr not hable to indwer in that or towne hath noe other especiall trade, havinge therbye onlye tyme beyownde mans memorye lyved by excersyseng the same, or howses fytted to no other vses, manye servantes

66

amonge vs hyered onlye to that purpose"; or towne wanting the helpe of commons to keepe any cattle towardes or sustenance and besydes thatt we have enduered greate losses by twoe extreeme fiers wch hathe mightely decayed or sayed towne haveing Burnt in the 36 and 37 of hyr hig: raigne 120 dwellinge howses and consumed 12000 & vppwardes in goodes, be meanes whereof we have 400 poore people that lyve onlye vppon releeve att or doores in thatt or habilytes cannot better provyde for them;" finally it is asked "thatt in consyderation hereof hitt might please your Ho: to enlarge vs wth some Toleration to your ho: best beseeminge & to Leav the allowance vnto vs adioyninge Sr Ed: Grevyle wth vs thatt it may the better appeare we desyer to satisfie thatt beseemeth or dweties to yow & or contrey & savegarde of or poore neighbors estates wherevnto we are allsoe bownde, & thatt it might please yow allsoe to geve order to or Justices for the cowntie to restraine all farmers & husbandemen inhabitinge in or cowntrye nott to converte ther owne Barley into mawlte as they have done & doe to the greate hyndrance of all or markettes & the vtter spoyle of or towne."

The Draft is in Richard Quiney's handwriting. For an account of the writer see note on No. 318.

In the Wheler Papers, vol 1, No. 44, is a contemporary Copy of the Warrant of Queen Elizabeth, dated at Westminster, 27 Jan. Ao. 41 (1599), releasing the inhabitants of the "ancient Borrough " of Stratford-upon-Avon, from the payment of six fifteenths and tenths and of three subsidies granted her by parliament in 1597-8.

320.-Transcript and translation of a letter, written, in Latin, by Richard Quiney the younger to his father, Richard Quiney, circâ 1598.

"Patri suo amantissimo Mro. Richardo Quinye
Richardus Quinye filius S.P.D.

The signature at the end is:

Filiolus tuus tibi obedientissimus

Richardus Quinye."

The letter runs in English thus:

"To his most loving father, Mr. Richard Quinye,
Richard Quinye his son bids much health.

With every respect and rather affection towards you (my father) I give you thanks for all those benefits which you have conferred upon me; also I pray and beseech you that you would provide for my brother and me two paper books, which we very much want at this present time, for if we had them, we should

truly have very much use for them: And moreover I give you thanks that from infancy, as they say, up to this day, you have instructed me in studies of sacred doctrine; Far be even vain suspicion of flattery in my words, for I deem not any one of my friends to be dearer, or more loving of me, than you, and earnestly I pray that this your singular love may always remain as ever hitherto, and although I cannot requite your kindnesses, nevertheless, I shall heartily, from my inmost breast, wish you all health. Farewell.

Your most obedient little son,

Richard Quinye."

This letter illustrates the familiarity with the Latin language which was common among Stratford-upon-Avon school boys in Shakespeare's day, although the style of the epistle suggests that the writer's schoolmaster had a hand in the composition. The document was printed from the manuscript for the first time by Edmund Malone, in his "Life of Shakespeare" (Variorum Edition, 1821, Vol. ii. p. 564), but the original letter cannot at present be traced. Richard Quiney, the boy writer, was second son of Richard Quiney, the author of the letter to Shakespeare noticed above (No. 318). The boy was baptised in Stratford-uponAvon Church, on 8 October, 1587, and was doubtless just eleven years of age at the time of writing. The present letter which is undated, was probably addressed by the son to his father in October, 1598, when the elder Quiney was in London, transacting business in behalf of the Corporation of Stratford-upon-Avon. The writer subsequently became a citizen and grocer of London but maintained relations with Stratford, where he married 27 August, 1618, Elianor, daughter of John Sadler. He joined a brother-in-law, also John Sadler, who was like himself a citizen and grocer of London, in presenting to the Corporation of Stratford 22 August, 1632, "two fayre gilte maces" which are still in use.

321-3-Photographic facsimiles of entries in Stratford-upon-Avon Parish Register, respecting Shakespeare's friend, Richard Quiney (who died bailiff of the town in 1602) and his two sons, Richard and Thomas.

(321). The Baptism of "Richard sonne to Richard Queeny." 8th October, 1587. See No. 320.

(322).-The Burial of "Mr. Richard Quiney, See No. 318.

Bailey of Stretford," 31 May, 1602.