Shakespeare — Educated at Polesworth?:
Part 2
Literary Circle at Polesworth
It seems that there was a notable literary circle at Polesworth at the time. Polesworth Hall had passed into the Goodere family in 1544. "It seems," writes Gray,
the north-east corner of Warwickshire, in the last quarter of the sixteenth century and the first of the seventeenth, was a very remarkable hive of literary activity, gathered about Polesworth Hall and the Goodere family. It may be questioned whether, within that half-century and in so limited an area, there could be counted, at any place outside London, so large a number of writers distinguished in there several lines — resident or visitors. [2]
John Shakespeare and Sir Henry
It seems that Michael Drayton, who was born in 1563, one year before Shakespeare, became a Page in the Goodere household and that he attended the school supported by Sir Henry. Gray suggests that Henry Goodere might have taken responsibility for the young William Shakespeare and brought him to Polesworth:
It so happened that, just at this time [1568-9], a matter was in dispute between the Corporation of Stratford and a townsman named Perret, and it was submitted to the arbitration of four country gentlemen — Sir Fulke Grevill, Sir Thomas Lucy, Clement Throckmorton and Henry Goodere of Polesworth. The arbitrators gave their award at Stratford on January 3, 1570–1, and were entertained by the Corporation at the Bear Inn in Bridge Street. As John Shakespeare was a regular attendant in this year at Corporation meetings — indeed, was present at a meeting on January 18 — it is all but certain that he made the acquaintance of Goodere in that month, if indeed it had not begun earlier. Twice in the accounts of 1571–2, the Corporation paid for horse-hire for "Mr Goodere", and on January 18 in the same year it was agreed "by assent and consent of the alderman and burgesses that Mr Adrian Queney, now baylif, and Mr John Shakespeare shall at Hillary terme next ensuinge deale in the affayres concerninge the commen wealthe of the burroughe accordinge to theire descretions." ... What talk may have passed between him and Goodere it is impossible to say. But I take it that, then or later, little William was packed off to Polesworth. [3]
So William Shakespeare may have come to Polesworth with Henry Goodere to receive the sort of education needed by a talented writer and to join in the literary circle Henry Goodere had established.