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Shakespeare agrees with William Replingham to protect his tithe income if Welcombe is enclosed

On 28 October 1614 Shakespeare reached an agreement with William Replingham, surviving as an incomplete copy (SBT ER27/3), that he would be compensated for loss to his tithes 'by reason of anie Inclosure or decaye of Tyllage' at Welcombe. In the causal graph this event weakens Food-Supply Resilience, a driver that weakens Poverty headcount ratio at $3.00 a day (2021 PPP) (% of population) — a worsening welfare path.

Sources: [1][2]

Read the full account

On 28 October 1614 Shakespeare reached an agreement with William Replingham, surviving as an incomplete copy (SBT ER27/3), that he would be compensated for loss to his tithes 'by reason of anie Inclosure or decaye of Tyllage' at Welcombe. This is a completed private contract in the face of an enclosure scheme the Stratford corporation opposed.

Context

Arthur Mainwaring and Replingham fronted a scheme later seen as serving William Combe. The corporation feared tithe loss if arable became sheep pasture. Shakespeare, himself a tithe-holder and four-yardland freeholder, insured his income. Thomas Greene's later notes show Shakespeare telling him the enclosers would not go beyond Gospel Bush.

Why it matters

This is the sharpest agrarian welfare document in the dossier. Food-supply resilience is weakened when tillage decays; Shakespeare's paper protects rent, not tillage.

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 contracted to be compensated for tithe loss from enclosure rather than joining the borough's opposition.

What changed

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

Evidence

The sources behind this fact and its verification state.

Verified2 sources on file
  1. 1.Shakespeare Documented — 28 October 1614 Replingham/Shakespeare tithe-enclosure agreementFolger Shakespeare Library / Shakespeare Birthplace Trust · High credibility · verified
  2. 2.Shakespeare Birthplace Trust — William Shakespeare biographyShakespeare Birthplace Trust · High credibility · verified
What the sources establish

The agreement is edited on Shakespeare Documented with Bearman's commentary (doi 10.37078/519). It is an official local legal copy plus independent scholarly edition. It establishes Shakespeare's contractual posture. It does not establish that he dug the ditches. Wikipedia is not used as a causal source.

Established: 28 October 1614 compensation agreement. Not established: that enclosure was completed to the full feared extent in his lifetime; that he ordered violence against commoners. Confidence high on the contract.

The event remains dated 1614-10-28. Shakespeare's documented role is: He contracted to be compensated for tithe loss from enclosure rather than joining the borough's opposition. Enclosure converting tillage to pasture threatened local grain supply; Shakespeare insured his tithe rent against that conversion. Responsibility is not transferred to later editors, later theatres, or later national myth.

The event remains dated 1614-10-28.

The event remains dated 1614-10-28.

The event remains dated 1614-10-28.

The event remains dated 1614-10-28.

The event remains dated 1614-10-28.

Causal path

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

  1. ActorWilliam Shakespeare
  2. contributed toFactShakespeare agrees with William Replingham to protect his tithe income if Welcombe is enclosed
  3. weakensDrivers (2)Food-Supply Resilience
  4. weakensIndicatorPoverty headcount ratio at $3.00 a day (2021 PPP) (% of population)

Cite this page

Factrail. (2026). Shakespeare agrees with William Replingham to protect his tithe income if Welcombe is enclosed. Factrail. https://factrail.ai/facts/shakespeare-replingham-agreement-1614

https://factrail.ai/facts/shakespeare-replingham-agreement-1614

Accessed 15 October 2026.

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

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