premisses and also to bring with him the said letters patents, deeds, evidences, charters, and writings into this honorable court and to stand to and abide such further orders therein as to your honorable Lordship shall be thought fit. . . .
(B) 5 Maij, 1615. The answer of Mathy Bacon, gent., defendant, to the bill of complaint of Sir Thomas Bendish, Baronet, Edward Newport, Esq., William Thoresby, Esq., Robert Dormer, Esq., and Mary his wife, William Shakespeare, gent., and Richard Bacon, citizen of London, complainants.
Matthew Bacon answers that he thinks the statements of the complainants to be true, and that he does not himself claim any title to their respective properties, but that he does not certainly know whether the documents demanded belong exclusively to the complainants or whether other persons may have a claim to them. Provided he may be relieved of all future responsibility regarding the papers in his possession, he is ready to deliver them to such person or persons and in such sort as the court shall order.
(C) The court’s decree. xxij die Maii. After briefly recapitulating the statements in the two preceding papers, It is thereupon ordered that the said defendant shall bring into this court all the said letters patents, deeds, evidences, writings, and muniments so by him confessed to be in his custody or possession upon his oath, here to remain to be disposed of as shall be meet, and for that purpose the plaintiffs may take process against the defendant if they will.
Note. These papers were discovered by Professor C. W. Wallace, and printed in University Studies of
