20 MASTER SKYLARK

“ Ay, that he is,” nodded Robin; “and for his boldness
Sir Thomas straightway demanded that the High Bailiff
refuse the company license to play in Stratford.”

“Refuse the Lord High Admiral’s players?”

“Marry, no one else. And then Master John Shakspere.
wroth at what Sir Thomas had said of his son Will, vowed
that he would send a letter down to London town, and lay
the whole coil before the Lord High Admiral himself.
For ever since that he was High Bailiff, the best compa-
nies of England had always been bidden to play in Strat-
ford, and it would be an ill thing now to refuse the Lord
Admiral’s company after granting licenses to both my
Lord Pembroke’s and the High Chamberlain’s.”

“ And so it would,” spoke up Walter Roche; “for there
are our own townsmen, Richard and Cuthbert Burbage,
who are cousins of mine, and John Hemynge and Thomas
Greene, besides Will Shakspere and his brother Edmund,
all playing in the Lord Chamberlain’s company in London
before the Queen. It would be a black score against them
all with the Lord Admiral—I doubt not he would pay
them out.”

“That he would,” said Robin, “and so said my father
and Alderman Henry Walker, who, y’ know, is Will
Shakspere’s own friend. And some of the burgesses who
cared not a rap for that were afeard of offending the
Lord Admiral. But Sir Thomas vowed that my Lord
Howard was at Cadiz with Walter Raleigh and the young
Earl of Sussex, and would by no means hear of it. So
Master Bailiff Stubbes, who, ’t is said, doth owe Sir Thomas