is willing to disburse some money upon some odd yardland[1] or other at Shottery or near about us. He thinketh it a very fit pattern to move him to deal in the matter of our tithes. By the instructions you can give him thereof, and by the friends he can make therefor, we think it a fair mark for him to shoot at, and not unpossible to hit. It obtained would advance him indeed, and would do us much good. Hoc movere et, quantum in te est, permovere ne negligas: hoc enim et sibi et nobis maximi erit momenti. Hic labor, hic opus esset eximie et gloriae et laudis sibi.[2]
You shall understand, brother, that our neighbors are grown, with the wants they feel through the dearness of corn, which here is beyond all other countries[3] that I can hear of dear and over-dear, malcontent. They have assembled together in a great number, and travelled to Sir Thomas Lucy on Friday last to complain of our maltsters; on Sunday to Sir Fulke Greville and Sir John Conway. I should have said on Wednesday to Sir Edward Greville first. There is a meeting here expected to-morrow. The Lord knoweth to what end it will sort.[4]
Note. Richard Quyny, to whom this letter is addressed, is the writer of the only extant letter addressed to Shakespeare (see document XXI). His life has been written by E. I. Fripp: Master Richard Quyny, Bailiff of Stratford-upon-Avon and Friend of William Shakespeare (1924). Abraham Sturley had been a student at Queens’ College, Cambridge, had
- ↑ A yardland was a section of about thirty acres.
- ↑ ‘Do not fail to urge this and, as far as you can, to urge it thoroughly; for this will be of the greatest consequence both to him and to us. This would be a labor, this a work, of surpassing honor and credit to him [i.e. Shakespeare].’
- ↑ I.e. districts, counties.
- ↑ In connection with this paragraph of Sturley’s letter see the next document.
