Shakespeare's family
[98] Note of the fine (Halliwell-Phillipps' "Outlines," ii., 11 and
202).
[99] _Notes and Queries_, 8th Series, vol. v., pp. 127, 296, 498.
[100] West's "Symboleography Concords," pp. 10, 11.
[101] Halliwell-Phillipps, "Outlines," ii. 202. Wilmcote Fines, Hilary
term, 21 Eliz.
[102] Halliwell-Phillipps points out that it is for L4, which is an
evident error ("Outlines," ii. 179).
[103] _Ibid._, p. 179.
[104] "Sealed in the presence of Nycholas Knooles, Vicar of Auston."
[105] Halliwell-Phillipps, "Outlines," ii. 182. Dugdale, Alveston.
[106] _Ibid._, ii. 176.
[107] Warr. Fines. "In onere Georgii Digbie Armigeri Vicecomitis
comitatu praedicti de anno vicesimo tercio Regine Elizabethe, fines de
Banco anno vicesimo secundo Regine Elizabethe pro termino Pasche," etc.
"Recepta per me Johannem Cowper sub vice comitem."
[108] Halliwell-Phillipps, "Outlines," ii. 179.
[109] Stratford-on-Avon Miscellaneous Documents.
[110] _Ibid._
[111] Stratford Miscellaneous Papers.
[112] _Ibid._
[113] Court of Chancery Records.
[114] French, "Genealogica Shakespeareana," p. 484.
[115] Coram Rege Rolls, Term Mich., 31 and 32 Elizabeth; also
Halliwell-Phillipps, ii. 11.
[116] Chancery Cases, 40-41 Elizabeth, S.s. 24 (21), Stratford, P. R.
O.; also Halliwell-Phillipps, ii. 14.
[117] Chancery Papers, S.s. 24 (21), Stratford, _in dorso_, "40-41
Eliz."; Halliwell-Phillipps, ii. 204.
[118] _Notes and Queries_, 8th Series, v. 127, 296, 478.
[119] Halliwell-Phillipps, ii. 205.
CHAPTER VII
JOHN SHAKESPEARE
Richard Shakespeare was in tenure of the property at Snitterfield, which
Robert Arden settled on his wife and daughters July 17, 4 Edward VI.,
Adam Palmer and Hugh Porter being trustees. On November 26, 1557, he,
along with the executors of Robert Arden and Thomas Stringer, was
returned as indebted to the late Hugh Porter of Snitterfield. On
September 13 he prised the goods of Richard Maydes, and on June 1, 1560,
of Henry Cole, of Snitterfield. He is believed to have been the father
of John, Henry, and possibly of Thomas Shakespeare.
John Shakespeare must have come to Stratford-on-Avon, probably from
Snitterfield, some time before 1552, for in that year he is described as
a resident in Henley Street, and fined for a breach of the municipal
sanitary regulations, along with Humphrey Reynolds and Adrian Quyney,
twelvepence a piece.[120] This relatively large sum implies that he must
have been even then a _substantial_ householder. The determination of
the house he then dwelt in becomes interesting in its bearing on the
tradition as to the poet's birthplace. Nothing is recorded of John for
the next few years, but he seems to have prospered in business, trading
in farmers' produce. In a law-suit of 1556, with Thomas Siche of Arscot,
Worcester, he was styled a "glover." In that year he bought from George
Turner a freehold tenement in Greenhill Street, with garden and croft,
which is not mentioned in any of his later transactions, and from Edward
West a freehold tenement and garden in Henley Street, the eastern half
of the birthplace messuage. Each of these was held by the payment of
sixpence a year to the lord of the manor and suit of court. Whether he
had previously lived in this eastern tenement, or in the western half,
as a tenant has not been absolutely decided.
He was summoned on the Court of Record Jury this year, and was party to
several small suits, in all of which he was successful. In 1557 he was
elected ale-taster, and curiously enough he was amerced for not keeping
his gutters clean, in company with Francis Harbage, Chief Bailiff,
Adrian Quyney, Mr. Hall, and Mr. Clopton. He is believed to have married
Mary Arden in 1557. The registers of Aston Cantlow, where it is likely
that Mary was married, do not begin so early. She was single at the time
of her father's death in 1556, and on September 15, 1558, "Jone[121]
Shakespeare, daughter to John Shakespeare, was christened at Stratford
by Roger Divos, minister." In 1558 John Shakespeare was elected one of
the four Constables of the town,[122] and, in 1559, one of the affeerors
or officers appointed to determine the imposition of small arbitrary
fines. In 1561 he was elected one of the Chamberlains, as well as one of
the affeerors. He remained Chamberlain for two years, and apparently so
well did he discharge his financial duties in that office that he was
called on to assist later Chamberlains in making up their accounts. It
is generally supposed that he could not write, because in attesting
documents he made his mark. But I am not sure that this habit is a
certain sign of his ignorance of the art. Camden himself chose a _mark_
as a signature based on his horoscope. (See his letter to Ortelius,
Sept. 14, 1577.)
In 1561 Richard Shakespeare of Snitterfield died, and his goods were
administered by his son, "John Shakespeare, _Agricola_, of
Snitterfield," Feb. 10, 1561-62.[123] Many doubt that, even if he had
any interest in Richard's property, such a description would have been
given of the Chamberlain of Stratford-on-Avon. It must not be forgotten
that there had been a John Shakespeare presented and fined twelvepence
on October 1, 1561, in Snitterfield Court, but he may have been the
Stratford John. In the description of a neighbouring property in 1570,
we learn that there was a "John Shakespeare of Ingon," a farm in the
neighbourhood of Snitterfield; and John Shakespeare of Ingon was buried
September 25, 1589, according to Mr. Halliwell-Phillipps.[124] Hence
arose reasonable doubts of the identity of John of Stratford with John,
the heir of Richard Shakespeare of Snitterfield. Still, the evidence is
much stronger in support of his identity than against it.
On December 2, 1562, the Stratford baptismal register records the
christening of "Margaret, daughter of John Shakspere." At the making up
of the Chamberlain's accounts for 1562-63 in January, 1563-64, the
Chamber was found in debt to John Shakespeare 25s. 8d., as if he had
been the finance Chamberlain of the two. Both of his daughters were dead
when, on April 26, he christened his firstborn son William. That summer
the plague raged in Stratford; the Council meetings were held in the
garden, to avoid infection, and collections were made among the
burgesses for the relief of the poor, to each of which John Shakespeare
contributed.
In 1565 he was chosen alderman, and not only rendered the Chamberlain's
accounts, but seems to have borne their financial liabilities, as in the
accounts for the year is noted, "Item, payd to Shakspeyr for a rest of
old det L3, 2, 7-1/2," the sum which was really entered as a debt in
favour of the acting Chamberlains. The following year he again made up
the accounts for the Chamberlains, and the Chamber was found to be in
debt to him 6s. 8d., a sum that was not repaid until January, 1568.
From the number of petty actions for debt in which he appeared, either
as plaintiff or defendant, one would believe that the business men of
Stratford did not care to pay up until they were obliged to do so. In
1566 there occurs an interesting suit, which shows that John Shakespeare
was even then acquainted with the Hathaways. In two actions against
Richard Hathaway--one for L8, and one for L11--John Shakespeare had been
security, and his name was substituted in the later proceedings for that
of the defendant.
On October 13, 1566, his son Gilbert was christened.
In 1567 he was assessed on goods to the value of L4[125] for the subsidy
3s. 4d.; and in another entry on L3, 2s. 6d. This was not at all a small
entry for a tradesman of the time. Everyone tried to make his estimate
as small as possible, as men do to-day, when taxes depend on it. He was
nominated that year, though not elected, to the post of High Bailiff, to
which office, however, he was elected on September 4, 1568. In the
precepts that he issued he is styled "Justice of the peace and Bailiff
of the Town."[126] In the Chamberlain's accounts of January 26, 1568-69,
there is mentioned, "Item to Mr. Balyf that now is 14/-," a sum not
explained or accounted for; and in 1570 the Chamberlains "praye
allowance of money delivered to Mr. Shaxpere at sundry times L6," during
their year 1569-70, as if he had been doing work for the town.[127] On
April 15, 1569, another daughter Joan was christened; and on September
28, 1571, his daughter Anna. After his year of office, John Shakespeare
was always called "Master," a point to be remembered in determining the
meaning of various little records in a town where others of the name
came to reside. In 1571 he was elected Chief Alderman, and in 1572 he
attained what may really be considered as his chief honour. "At this
Hall yt is agreed by the asent and consent of the Aldermen and burgeses
aforesaid, that Mr. Adrian Queney now bailif and Mr. John Shakespeare,
shall at Hilary term next ensuing deale in the affairs concerninge the
commen wealthe of the Borroughe according to their discrecions." This
was an important consideration to devolve on the shoulders of a man if
he could not read or write, and it very probably involved a visit to
London.[128] In 1574, March 11, his son Richard was born; and in 1575 we
find the locality of his house in Henley Street determined by William
Wedgewood's sale, September 20, to Edward Willis for L44, of his two
tenements "betwyne the tenement of Richard Hornbee on the east part, and
the tenement of 'John Shakesper yeoman' on the weste part"--the street
on the south, and the waste ground called Gilpittes on the north. This
shows, therefore, that the east tenement of the birthplace was then in
his occupation, and that somehow he was entitled yeoman. But in October
he himself also bought two houses for L40 from Edmund and Emma Hall, the
locality not specified. One of these has been supposed by some to have
been the birthplace, or perhaps both, seeing that later entries make
John Shakespeare responsible to the lord of the manor for 13d. for his
western tenement, and the garden or toft to the west of it, as against
the 6d. due for his eastern tenement.
We must then face the question, either John Shakespeare owned the
birthplace in 1552, and resided in it until he added the wool-shop in
1556; or he rented the wool-shop in 1552, which he purchased in 1556; or
he rented the birthplace in 1552, which he purchased in 1575 from the
Halls. Under whatever circumstances he secured these, both remained free
to him during all his financial difficulties, and descended to his son.
But these uncertainties create the doubt that remains in the mind of
some, _Was the poet really born in the birthplace which tradition has
assigned to him, or not?_ To me it seems that the balance of all
considerations remains in favour of the birthplace. It is hard to
account for a purchase in 1575 (that evidently galled him) of any other
premises save those in which he resided. Little is known of John
Shakespeare or his family during 1576 and 1577, but in 1578 begin the
records of his temporary poverty, which I have noted under the account
of his relations to his wife's relatives. For the Town Council,
doubtless in consideration of his past services, excused him paying 3s.
4d., as his share of "the furniture of the pikemen," etc.; and, along
with Mr. Robert Bratt (the poorest member of the Corporation), he was
excused the 4d. a week imposed on the aldermen for relief of the poor.
Then came the mortgage of Asbies in 1578-79.[129] The following year he
again left unpaid his share of the levy for armour--3s. 4d.; and he
began, probably through shamefacedness, not to show himself at the
Halls, though the State Papers still enter him among the gentlemen and