William Shakespeare to Mrs Anne , Regular Servant to the Revd Mr Precentor of York Gray, Thomas, 1716-1771 Alexander Huber Editor Göttingen State and University Library, University of Göttingen
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Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Gray's letter to Mason, July 1765

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Spelling has been modernized throughout, except in case of conscious archaisms. Contractions, italics and initial capitalization have been largely eliminated, except where of real import. Obvious errors have been silently corrected, punctuation has been supplied. The editor would like to express his gratitude to the library staff of the Göttingen State and University Library (SUB Göttingen) for their invaluable assistance.

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William Shakespeare to Mrs Anne , Regular Servant to the Revd Mr Precentor of York A moment's patience , gentle Mistress Anne ! ( But stint your clack for sweet St Charitie ) 'Tis Willy begs , once a right proper man , Though now a book and interleaved , you see . Much have I borne from cankered critic's spite , From fumbling baronets and poets small , Pert barristers and parsons nothing bright : But what awaits me now is worst of all . 'Tis true , our master's temper natural Was fashioned fair in meek and dovelike guise ; But may not honey's self be turned to gall By residence , by marriage , and sore eyes ? If then he wreak on me his wicked will , Steal to his closet at the hour of prayer , And ( when thou hear'st the organ piping shrill ) Grease his best pen , and all he scribbles , tear . Better to bottom tarts and cheesecakes nice , Better the roast meat from the fire to save , Better be twisted into caps for spice , Than thus be patched and cobbled in one's grave . So York shall taste what Clouët never knew , So from our works sublimer fumes shall rise : While Nancy earns the praise to Shakespeare due For glorious puddings and immortal pies .