Thomas Greene’s notes on the progress of the proposed enclosures at Welcombe include five references to William Shakespeare’s involvement

[BRU 15/13/26a recto]

Martis 15 November <1614> M^r I asking M^r Manneryng how they did meane to deale with me about my part interest of tythes where they ment to enclose. he told me I should haue no wrong & that I should rather gett a peny than a half penny & then agayne I should rather gett ii^d then loose a penny & sayd he was desirous to buy my whole interest of my Tythes, I asked him whether he hadd ever thought with himself what they were worth & he being in haste to goe vpp ito into the Court of Chancery sayd he must be gone he would speak with me soone or send M^r Replyngham. Nathaniel was with me.
Agaynst Whitehall Wall I mett with M^r Replingham whoe promised to come to me at aftir noone saying he I should be satisfyed & as for the towne I askynge him howe the Towne should be satisfyed he sayd he cared not for their consents.

Received 16 November 1614 at 4 clock aftirnoone a Lettere from M^r Bayly & M^r Alderman dated 12 November 1614 touching the Inclosure busynes: & sent Nathaniel to see yf M^r William Combe were in Towne & he returned to me & [in] M^r Wyatts presence sayd he was not in Towne.

Jovis 17 November as my Cosen Shakspeare has commyng yesterday to towne I went to see him howe he did he told me that they assured him they ment to inclose noe further then to gospell bushe & so vpp straight (leavyng out part of the dyngles to the ffield) to the gate in Clopton hedge & take in Salisburyes peece: & that they meane in Aprill to servey the Land & then to gyve satisfaccion & not before & he & M^r Hall say they think there will be nothyng done at all.
This mornyng I did send to speake with see yf M^r Thomas Combe were in Towne & Nathaniel returned me answere that he went forth of the Towne yesterday.
M^r Wyatt aftirnoone told me that M^r Wryght hadd told M^r Combe that the enclosure would not be & that yt was end at an end. I sayd I was susp the more suspicious for those might be words used to make vs careles. I willed him to learne what I [sic] could and I told him soe would I.
At night I drew the peticion and gave yt Edmund to wryte fair that John Greene & M^r Wyatt might see yt before yt were pre wrytten to be presented to the Lords.

18. November I in the mornyng I gave yt Edmund to shew yt to John Greene that he might mak consider of yt & acq come amongst vs to acquaynt M^r Wyatt with yt, John Greene being shewed yt, aftir noone sent mee word he lyked not of yt but would talke with me of yt.
About 3 of the clock aftir noone I sent Edmund to R Wyrlye he told (as I s Edmund sayes from him) M^r Replingham that seying myself to plan for myne owne interest I would be ruled by Sir Henry Raynsford & M^r Barnes & he answered none better & that I should have a peny for a peny. And sayd they howe M^r Replingham assured him they ment to inclose but to gost gospell bushe & noe further.
The same day Nathaniel was answered that Sir Richard Verny was come to the Towne but was not to be spoken with vntill the morow mornyng.

19 in the mornyng I went to him & desired him if he cold not procure Sir ffrancis Smyth to exchange & then he that he would be pleased to confyrme him in his promise that he would not part with yt to any. & he sayd he would & that he would be in the Country & would be contented yf he were named with Sir Henry Raynsford & the rest he would do the towne the best good he could.
The same mornyng I tooke with the mee the peticion to Westminster to shewe yt my Cosen graves & [sic] but could not fynd him.

21. in the mornyng John Greene sayd that at night he would come & present the peticion with me the same day at afternoone: he drew me asyd in my chamber & told me that J Rednall this day in the mornyng willed him to tell me that some body from M^r Manneryng hadd bene with Sir ffrancis Smyth & that Sir ffrancis Smyth hadd answered him as he hadd answered viz that he would keepe his Land himselfe.

22 . M^r Henry Smyth told me that M^r Wright told him that my Lord Carew would oppose not agree to furder any Inclosure at Stratford but would rather hynder yt if he could. The same day Edmund told me at that R. Wyrley within halfe an houre told him that I was much excepted vnto for makeing such mighty opposicion agaynst the Inclosure & that M^r Manneryng & M^r Replingham would be with him to the aftir noone.
I also asked my brother Nevile after my Cosen Graves xptian name that wee might (yf as I thought we should) imploy him in a busynes at the Counsell table.