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Shakespeare sues John Addenbrooke for debt in the Stratford court of record

In 1608–09 Shakespeare sued John Addenbrooke in the Stratford court of record for a debt of £6, then proceeded against the surety Thomas Horneby when Addenbrooke was not forthcoming. In the causal graph this event strengthens the driver Income Inequality.

Shakespeare sues John Addenbrooke for debt in the Stratford court of record

Sources: [1][2]

Read the full account

In 1608–09 Shakespeare sued John Addenbrooke in the Stratford court of record for a debt of £6, then proceeded against the surety Thomas Horneby when Addenbrooke was not forthcoming. This is a completed lawsuit, not a legend of meanness.

Context

Elizabethan credit was personal and often litigated. Many townsmen sued. The dossier still records the action because it is Shakespeare's own use of coercive process as creditor. The sum is modest beside the tithe and land purchases.

Why it matters

Inequality here is small-scale credit enforcement. Weight is lower than tithes or enclosure. It is still a documented path.

Who was responsible

Contribution type and responsibility level for each recorded actor — not sole-author shorthand.

  • William Shakespeare

    Person

    Direct responsibility

    responsibility level 0.7 · verified

    He was the plaintiff in a debt action against Addenbrooke, later pursuing the surety Thomas Horneby.

What changed

Fact → Driver → Indicator. Relationship strength orders the paths; it is not the observed indicator movement.

    1. FactShakespeare sues John Addenbrooke for debt in the Stratford court of record
    2. strengthensDriverIncome Inequality

    impact weight 0.3 · Effect from 17 December 1608 · verified

    Using the borough court to recover £6 plus damages is a documented creditor action.

Evidence

The sources behind this fact and its verification state.

Verified2 sources on file
  1. 1.Shakespeare Birthplace Trust — William Shakespeare biographyShakespeare Birthplace Trust · High credibility · verified
  2. 2.Folger Shakespeare Documented — company and court records for the Lord Chamberlain's MenFolger Shakespeare Library · High credibility · verified
What the sources establish

Court of record papers edited in Shakespeare Documented establish plaintiff, defendant, surety, and sum. They do not establish Addenbrooke's moral character or that Shakespeare was unique among creditors. Wikipedia is not used as a causal source.

Established: 1608–09 debt suit. Not established: that the debt was unjust; that Horneby was ruined. Confidence high on the suit.

The event remains dated 1608-12-17. Shakespeare's documented role is: He was the plaintiff in a debt action against Addenbrooke, later pursuing the surety Thomas Horneby. Using the borough court to recover £6 plus damages is a documented creditor action. Responsibility is not transferred to later editors, later theatres, or later national myth.

The event remains dated 1608-12-17.

The event remains dated 1608-12-17.

The event remains dated 1608-12-17.

The event remains dated 1608-12-17.

The event remains dated 1608-12-17.

The event remains dated 1608-12-17.

Causal path

How this event connects to drivers and indicators in the graph.

  1. ActorWilliam Shakespeare
  2. contributed toFactShakespeare sues John Addenbrooke for debt in the Stratford court of record
  3. strengthensDriverIncome Inequality

Cite this page

Factrail. (2026). Shakespeare sues John Addenbrooke for debt in the Stratford court of record. Factrail. https://factrail.ai/facts/shakespeare-addenbrooke-suit-1608

https://factrail.ai/facts/shakespeare-addenbrooke-suit-1608

Accessed 16 October 2026.

By the Factrail desk · Method: how we source and score · Last reviewed

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