MOST of Christopher Marlowe’s biographers have written about William Corkyn’s 1592 suit against the dramatist for assault in Canterbury. Recently I was searching through the Canterbury Archives for further information regarding Corkyn and discovered that six months after he brought this charge of assault against Marlowe, he was charged with assault by one Reginald Digges: Indictment of William Corkyn, Canterbury, tailor for assaulting Reginald Digges, gent in St Mary Breadman parish, Westgate ward 30 June 1592. Placed himself at the mercy of the court by pledge of Giles Wynston and evidently amerced 3s 4d.1 Further exploration of the Canterbury Archives led to the discovery that William Corkyn, tailor, was in court a total of fifteen times during the span of eight years. He had one indictment for assault, was the Plaintiff in nine cases, the Defendant in five. We know that Corkyn did not contest Digges charges, which fairly tells us he was guilty of the assault. We can also fairly ascertain from these newly discovered Corkyn documents that he was not shy when it came to using the court system and that many other men in Canterbury had difficulty with this tailor. The recent discovery of Digges v. Corkyn and Corkyn’s numerous visits to court raises several new questions. We are now able to ask, ‘Was Corkyn a man whose feathers were easily ruffled?’ As for his numerous court visits, we can ask, ‘Was Corkyn a man who went to court over trifles?’ and, ‘Was his taking Marlowe to court making a mountain out of a molehill?’ We can also ask, ‘Was Corkyn in court suing to get paid for the garments he made those eight times he was the Plaintiff? Was he being sued by the people who were to wear the garments those five times he was the Defendant?’ With these newly discovered Corkyn documents in hand we are now able to speculate whether or not Corkyn had difficulty communicating with others, not to mention whether or not he was the best of tailors.

(1984). Some thoughts on once-weekly psychotherapy in the national health service: The hulk, the gorilla and the baby. Journal of Child Psychotherapy: Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 187-197.