Febr. 1601.
Feb. 2.
At our feast wee had a play called "Twelue Night, or What you Will," much like the Commedy of Errores, or Menechmi in Plautus, but most like and neere to that in Italian called Inganni[47]. A good practise in it to make the Steward beleeve his Lady widdowe was in love with him, by counterfeyting a letter as from his Lady in generall termes, telling him what shee liked best in him, and prescribing his gesture in smiling, his apparaile, &c., and then when he came to practise making him beleeue they tooke him to be mad.
12.
Quæ mala cum multis patimur læviora putantur.
11.
Cosen Norton was arrested in London.
fo. 13.
Febr. 1601.He put up a supplicacion to Sir Robt. Cecile presented by his wife, whome he tooke notice of the next day, which remembring [was?] with out being remembred what he had done in it. The effect of this petition was, that, whereas Copping had their goods forth of Mr. Cranmers hand (whoe had dealt but to honestly for such vnthankefull persons), and they should have a certaine summe yearely, they could neither gett payment, nor haue him account; he said twenty pounds were enough to keepe the Lunatike their mother, when Cranmer had the goodes; nowe he deductes 50l. for hir, and yett keepes hir far more basely. And therefor humbly desyre Copping might be brought to some order. Norton tels me this Copping is a notable riche practiser, &c.
Mr. Cokayne of Hertfordshire gott his brother H. Norton by a wile to his house, and their married him upon a pushe to a kinswoman of his, and made a serveingman serve the purpose insted of a preist.