Shakespeare of Stratford/The Biographical Facts/Fact 17
XVII. SHAKESPEARE LISTED AMONG THE CHIEF HOLDERS OF CORN AND MALT IN STRATFORD (1598).
Stratford Corporation Records.
Stratford Borough, Warwick. The note of corn and malt taken the iiijth of February, 1597 [i.e. 1598], in the xlth year of the reign of our most gracious sovereign lady, Queen Elizabeth, &c. Chapel Street Ward. . . . Wm. Shackespere, x quarters.
Note. The occasion of this inventory was a shortage of grain and its object was to prevent hoarding. Chapel Street Ward is the one in which New Place was situated. Ten quarters is eighty bushels; only two residents of the ward are credited with a larger amount than Shakespeare. It is noted that Sir Thomas Lucy had sixteen quarters in the custody of Richard Dixon and twelve and a half quarters in that of Abraham Sturley.