Read Ebook: Shakespeare's Family by Stopes C C Charlotte Carmichael

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Ebook has 1291 lines and 21394 words, and 26 pages

"Receyved of Mr. Arden for a payer of wheels and the hedd of an old pageant, 2s. 8d. 1504." "Payd. For the charges of brenning Mrs. Arden, and the execution of George Bradshaw, 43s."--Chamberlain's Accounts, City of Canterbury, 1550-1.

Burke's "General Armory."

Wills of the Court of Hustings, ii., p. 63.

Commissary Court Admins., 1508.

Chester's "Marriage Licenses of Bishop of London."

State Papers, Dom. Ser., Eliz., cxx. 34.

Brit. Mus., Add. MS., 34,729.

Registers of St. Saviour's, Southwark.

"Marriage Licenses of Dean of Westminster," Harl. Publ.

"Marriage Licenses of Dean of Westminster," Harl. Pub.

Chester's "Marriage Licenses."

Administrations, 1639, f. 36, Somerset House.

See Index Library .

TERMINAL NOTES.

Page 27.--The pedigrees of those associated with the Ardens are worth noting, and their wills might suggest connections.

Page 32.--It would be interesting to find and group the Warwickshire Ardens who bore the three cross-crosslets and the chief or, for it has never been done.

Page 35.--Thomas Arden was presented for owing suit of Court in 1526, 1529, 1531.

Page 36.--Thomas and Robert Arden's purchase at Snitterfield had been witnessed by John Wagstaff, Richard Rushby, of Snitterfield, Richard Atkins, of Wilmecote, John Alcokkes, of Newenham. The overseers of Robert Arden's will were Adam Palmer, of Wilmecote, Hugh Porter, of Snitterfield, and John Skerlett, of Wilmecote; the witnesses, Sir William Bouton Curett, Adam Palmer, John Scarlet, Thomas Jenkes, William Pitt. Adam Palmer was overseer of Mrs. Agnes Arden's will, in conjunction with George Gibbes, who had, later, the lease of Asbies from the Shakespeares at the time of its mortgage to Lambert.

Page 45.--A Thomas Mayo had a seat in the Church of St. Nicholas, Warwick, 1595; an Elizabeth Mayo was buried there in 1596; and Henry Maio in 1601. The Webbes of Snitterfield appear among the gentry of the country in 1580 .

Page 51.--It is difficult to imagine John Shakespeare making up the bills for the other Chamberlains, or conducting so many financial responsibilities, if he was unable to read and write, as well as reckon well--as Halliwell-Phillipps says he was.

Page 52.--The goods of Richard Shakespeare were prised at ?35 17s., and the bond for their just administration entered into by John Shakespeare and Thomas Nicols, of ?100, seems disproportionably large, unless there were some unusually heavy responsibilities attached. John Shakespeare may very well have been termed a farmer if he had been brought up as one, and if he had been superintending his father's farm at the time of his death. In the description of a neighbouring farm, Ingon is mentioned as "now or late in the occupation of John Shaxspere or his assignes." It is quite possible that he was the responsible farmer, and that Henry his brother was his "assigne." Ingon, though in the parish of Hampton-on-Avon, was very near Snitterfield.

Page 56.--Henry Shakespeare probably quarrelled with Mr. Cornwall, the second husband of Margaret Arden, about the resettlement of Snitterfield farm, and went to reside at Ingon, though taken in his brother's name. The Court Rolls show that he was "contumaceous" in not paying tithes, May 22, 1582, and was "excommunicated." "Of Henry Shaxper, for not labouring with teems for the amending of the Queen's Highway, 2/6." "Of Henry Shaxper for having a dich between Redd Hill and Burmans in decay for want of repair, Oct. 22nd, 1596." Probably the man was ill and dying then. He was buried two months later.

Page 58.--The petition of the burgesses of Stratford-on-Avon for relief of burdens shows that the borough had fallen into decay through the decline in the wool trade. From this general depression John Shakespeare probably suffered.

Page 61.--"The Book of John Fisher of Warwick" shows that the master of the Grammar School there had a salary of ?10 a year. Seeing that the master of Stratford-on-Avon Grammar School had ?20 a year, it is probable that the burgesses had a better selection of scholars as candidates.

Page 62.--It is too often forgotten that Anne Hathaway lost her father in the summer of 1582. It is probable that the betrothal would therefore be a quiet one. It is also more than likely that she went to reside with a friend or relative after her father's death, and that this caused the confusion in the address in the marriage bond. The bridegroom in general only required one guarantee for a bond of the kind; but Shakespeare being under age, the one became his representative, and the other guarantor for that representative.

Page 77.--In John Combe's will there is mentioned a field in Ingon Lane, called Parson's Close, or Shakespeare's Close. This may have been one of the poet's minor purchases, or merely a name come down from Henry's time.

Page 78.--A petition was sent up to the Lord Chief Justice from the Corporation of Stratford-on-Avon, to restrain William Combe, Esq., son and heir of John Combe, March 27, 1616. He overthrew the Aldermen who came peaceably to hinder his digging, whereof great tumult arose. In spite of orders to the contrary, he continued his enclosures, and another petition was addressed to the Privy Council, describing "Mr. Combe of so unbridled a disposition," etc. On February 14, 1618, a reply came signed, "Francis Verulam," "Pembroke," "Naunton," "Fulke Greville" .

Page 82.--From the town clerk's account of what took place at the Halls during Shakespeare's lifetime, we are sure that his position must have been anomalous.

"The Halle, 17 Dec., 45 Eliz. Plays. At this Halle yt ys ordered that there shalbe no plays or enterludes played in the Chamber, the Guild Halle, nor in any parte of the House or Courte, from hensforward, upon payne that whosoever of the Baylif, Aldermen, and burgisses of this boroughe shall give leave or licence thereunto shall forfeit for everie offence 10s.

"7 Feb., 1611-12, 45 Eliz."

"... The inconvenience of plaies being verie seriouslie considered of, with their unlawfulness, and how contrarie the sufferance of them is against the orders heretofore made, and against the examples of other well-governed cities and burrowes the Compaine here are contented, and they conclude that the penaltie of 10s. imposed in Mr. Baker's year, for breaking of the order shall from henceforth be ?10 upon breakers of that order, and this to holde until the next common council, and from henceforth for ever, excepted that be then finally revoked and made void." This was the period of Shakespeare's retirement to Stratford-on-Avon.

Page 84.--It may be noted as a coincidence that the plays were published in folio the year of Mrs. Shakespeare's death. Some change among the leases, or the termination of the connection with his family through the death of his widow, may have suggested this.

Page 93.--A Robert Hall rented the old School House in Stratford-on-Avon, and paved the Guild Hall, 1568. A Richard Hall was churchwarden of St. Nicholas, Warwick, in 1552, who died in 1558, and among the churchwarden's accounts are notices of Richard Hall the younger, Nicholas Hall, John, Alice, Simon and "Eme Hall." "Received of Ric. Hawle the younger for the benevolence that Richard Hawle gave unto the poor out of his lands in Church Street, World without end," 1566-67. Richard Hall was churchwarden in 1600 and in 1606 .

Page 99.--Michael Drayton frequently visited Sir Henry Rainsford at the Manor House, Clifford Chambers. This gentleman had married Anne Goodyere of Polesworth, whose parents were Drayton's patrons. She was the "Idea" of his sonnets.

Page 103.--Susanna Hall's signature appears on the settlements of 1639, and on that of 1647, in which her daughter joined.

Page 104.--"15th Dec., 1648. Tithes: Mrs. Elizabeth Nashe for Shottery Corne Tithes, being of the yearly value of one hundred pounds, ?5." "28th June, 1650. Mrs. Elizabeth Barnard for Shotterie Corn tythes of the yearly value of one hundred and twentie pounds, ?6."

Page 112.--William Hart, the hatter, died a week before his brother-in-law, probably of the same epidemic. Joan Hart, his widow, survived till November 4, 1646. Their eldest son William was an actor. In William Hewitt's "Visits to Remarkable Places," 1839, he mentions Stratford and a boy whom he had noticed from his likeness to the poet. He turned out to be a descendant of his sister Joan Hart, and was called William Shakespeare Smith . Probably the same referred to on page 109.

Page 116.--Thomas Shakespeare seemed to have been somewhat like Henry in character. He was entered on the Court Roll at a rental of ?4 in 1563. "At the Court 31st March, 23 Eliz., he incurred a penalty of 4d. for not having and exercising bows; for not wearing cappes 4d.; for leaving his swine unringed in the fields 12d." He appears also as a juror several times in court.

Page 121.--Mr. Rylands' "Records of Rowington" supply many details, as, for instance:

"In 1576, a lease by feoffees, among whom was Thomas Shakespeare, was granted Richard Shakespeare of Rowington, weaver of the 'Tyinges.'"

In the same year a lease of "the Harveys" was granted to "Elenor Shakespeare, widow, of Rowington," 20 Feb., 18 Eliz.

The customary rent of Rowington, 1605, mentions "Thomas Shakespeare, one close, 2/; one tofte and 16 acres, 13/4; one messuage, etc., 10/4."

"George Shakespeare, one cottage and 2 acres, 2/."

"Richard Shakespere, one messuage, half a yd land , 14/."

"John Shakespeare, one cottage and one quarter yd land , 6/8."

The Court Rolls, 1633, give:

"Imprimis of Jane Shaxper for default of sute of court fined, 4d."

"Thomas Shaxper, vitler, for breaking assize of ale and beer, 4d."

"1634, Richard Shaxper, for encroaching on common, 2d."

"1647, fine of admittance to land, Thomas Shaxper, 6/8."

"Exchequer lay subsidies," Thomas in 1595, 1598, 1599, "assessed on goods valued ?4,8/."

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