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January 10,
1564

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Document-specific information
Title:  Council Book A 1555-1594
Date: January 10, 1564
Repository: The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Stratford-upon-Avon, UK
Call number and opening: BRU2/1, pp. 1-3
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Item Title
Council Book A 1555-1594
Item Date
January 10, 1564
Repository
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
Call Number
BRU2/1 p.1r

BRU2/1 page 1 verso

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Institution Rights and Document Citation

 

Reproduced by permission of Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

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The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust has graciously contributed images under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommerical ShareAlike 4.0 International license.  Visitors may download, link to and cite the images for personal research only. Any further use, including, but not limited to, unauthorized downloading or distribution of the images, commercial or third party use, is strictly prohibited. Visitors must contact the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust to request additional use, at: images.scla@shakespeare.org.uk

Document-specific information
Title:  Council Book A 1555-1594
Date: January 10, 1564
Repository: The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Stratford-upon-Avon, UK
Call number and opening: BRU2/1, pp. 1-3
View online bibliographic record

Item Title
Council Book A 1555-1594
Item Date
January 10, 1564
Repository
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
Call Number
BRU2/1 p.1v

BRU2/1 page 3 recto

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Institution Rights and Document Citation

 

Reproduced by permission of Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

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The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust has graciously contributed images under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommerical ShareAlike 4.0 International license.  Visitors may download, link to and cite the images for personal research only. Any further use, including, but not limited to, unauthorized downloading or distribution of the images, commercial or third party use, is strictly prohibited. Visitors must contact the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust to request additional use, at: images.scla@shakespeare.org.uk

Document-specific information
Title:  Council Book A 1555-1594
Date: January 10, 1564
Repository: The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Stratford-upon-Avon, UK
Call number and opening: BRU2/1, pp. 1-3
View online bibliographic record

Item Title
Council Book A 1555-1594
Item Date
January 10, 1564
Repository
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
Call Number
BRU2/1 p.3r

BRU2/1 page 1 recto detail

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Institution Rights and Document Citation

 

Reproduced by permission of Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

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The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust has graciously contributed images under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommerical ShareAlike 4.0 International license.  Visitors may download, link to and cite the images for personal research only. Any further use, including, but not limited to, unauthorized downloading or distribution of the images, commercial or third party use, is strictly prohibited. Visitors must contact the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust to request additional use, at: images.scla@shakespeare.org.uk

Document-specific information
Title:  Council Book A 1555-1594
Date: January 10, 1564
Repository: The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Stratford-upon-Avon, UK
Call number and opening: BRU2/1, pp. 1-3
View online bibliographic record

Item Title
Council Book A 1555-1594
Item Date
January 10, 1564
Repository
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
Call Number
BRU2/1 p.1r

BRU2/1 page 1 verso detail

View Image Assets
BRU2/1 page 1 verso detail
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Institution Rights and Document Citation

 

Reproduced by permission of Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

Terms of use
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust has graciously contributed images under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommerical ShareAlike 4.0 International license.  Visitors may download, link to and cite the images for personal research only. Any further use, including, but not limited to, unauthorized downloading or distribution of the images, commercial or third party use, is strictly prohibited. Visitors must contact the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust to request additional use, at: images.scla@shakespeare.org.uk

Document-specific information
Title:  Council Book A 1555-1594
Date: January 10, 1564
Repository: The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Stratford-upon-Avon, UK
Call number and opening: BRU2/1, pp. 1-3
View online bibliographic record

Item Title
Council Book A 1555-1594
Item Date
January 10, 1564
Repository
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
Call Number
BRU2/1 p.1v

Institution Rights and Document Citation

 

Reproduced by permission of Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

Terms of use
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust has graciously contributed images under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommerical ShareAlike 4.0 International license.  Visitors may download, link to and cite the images for personal research only. Any further use, including, but not limited to, unauthorized downloading or distribution of the images, commercial or third party use, is strictly prohibited. Visitors must contact the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust to request additional use, at: images.scla@shakespeare.org.uk

Document-specific information
Title:  Council Book A 1555-1594
Date: January 10, 1564
Repository: The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Stratford-upon-Avon, UK
Call number and opening: BRU2/1, pp. 1-3
View online bibliographic record

Robert Bearman, "The account of John Taylor and John Shakespeare, chamberlains of the Stratford-upon-Avon Corporation, submitted for the year Michaelmas 1562 to Michaelmas 1563," Shakespeare Documented, https://doi.org/10.37078/480.

Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, BRU2/1 page 1 recto. See Shakespeare Documentedhttps://doi.org/10.37078/480.

The Corporation elected two chamberlains in September or October each year to manage its financial affairs. One chamberlain was responsible for drawing up the account for the following twelve months, while the other checked it. The same two chamberlains were then re-elected for the following year, but with their roles reversed. This is the second account submitted by John Taylor and John Shakespeare, the chamberlains appointed in the autumn of 1561. As the first of these accounts, submitted in January 1563, was probably drawn up primarily under Taylor’s supervision, it is likely that John Shakespeare was responsible for this one, though again it was actually written up by Richard Symons, the town’s steward. The account was again in surplus, the chamberlains handing over 5s. 9d. to the new chamberlains.
       
This account contains the well-known expenditure of two shillings “for defaysing ymages in the chappell” in compliance with Queen Elizabeth I’s proclamation of 1558 to purge places of worship of their Catholic associations.

The chapel referred to was once used by the Guild of the Holy Cross, suppressed during King Edward VI’s reign. In 1553, the building, together with the Guild’s other property, was given to the Stratford Corporation. After the accession of Elizabeth I, it fell into disuse. In 1561, on the appointment of John Bretchgirdle as vicar, the Corporation agreed to allow the chapel to be used by visiting preachers, hence the need to render it suitable for Protestant worship. The phrase “defaysing the ymages” has generally been taken to refer to the chapel’s elaborate wall paintings which in 1804 were discovered under a covering of whitewash. In its more usual meaning, however, it would have been understood to apply to statues and other furnishings depicting sacred figures.

BRU 2/1, pp. 1-3, in the handwriting of the steward, Richard Symons

Semi-diplomatic transcription

[p. 1]

Anno Domini millesimo Quingentesimo Sexagesimo tertio.

Thaccompt of Iohn tayler & Iohn Shakspeyr chamburlens made the xtb day of January in the sixt
yere of the Reigne of our Souereigne lady elyzabethe by the grace of god quene of
englond fraunce & Irelond defendor of the feythe &c. vt sequitur

Money Receyved

Inprimis Sum of the Roll                                                    
lli     vs        jd       ob
Item a rest behynd as yt appereth in the last accompt              
iiijs       ixd       ob
Item of thomas barbur for v trees                                            
xxs
Item of Ric. Hyll for ij elmys                                                    
vs
Item of Roger London                                                              
vjs     viijd
Item of Richard lyghtfot                                                            
vjs     viijd
Item of Raf downey fyne for hys hous                                      
xls
Item of mother elen for hyr Chambur                                        
ijs        vjd
Item of Roger london for hys chambur                                      
ijs        vjd
Item of Richard Sponer for a chambur                                                
viijd
Item of mr Vycar                                                                      
xls
Item of medydyne wyf comyng into the almyshous                
iiijs
Item of thomas sharp rent for hys hous                                    
vijs
Item of Iohn Sadler                                                                              
iiijd
Item of Sponer for the fyne of hous                                        
xxs
Item of george gylbert for ij burdes                                                    
xvjd
Item of Robert [blank] for hys chambur                                  
iijs       iiijd

Sum payd
& le
Recevyd                            
lviijli    ixs        xjd

[p. 2]

Anno predicto

Money payd uppon Receyt

Inprimis payd ffor fallyng treez                                                          
vjd
Item payd for makyng yroans for the gret bell                        
ijs
Item payd for makyng the gret bell clapper                        
xxvjs      viijd
Item payd for a hors lok for the Chappell door                                    
xd
Item payd for fallyng & Squaryng trees                                  
vjs
Item payd for Carryenge chyppes                                                        
vjd
Item payd to gatclyf for Squaryng iiij treez                            
iijs       iiijd
Item payd for drawyng tymbur in the old toune                    
iijs       iiijd
Item payd for a key for the chest                                                        
iiijd
Item payd for a rop for the Clok                                                        
xijd
Item payd to fen for carryeng sond & cley                            
iijs
Item payd to shakspeyr for a pece tymbur                        
iijs
Item payd to hall for makyng the vycars chymney              
xvijs
Item payd to franche for reparyng the vicars hous              
liiijs      iiijd
Item payd to Iohn tylar for tylyng                                            
xs
Item payd to marten the Carpenter                                          
vs     xd
Item payd Rent for the vicars hous                                    
xxiiijs
Item payd the Scoll mr                                            
xvjli
Item payd to Symons hys fee                                                  
xs
Item payd for Chef rent                                                          
iis     vd
Item payd to the almysfolk                                        
xxli     xvis
Item payd for Sawyng tymbur                                              
viijs
Item payd for defasyng ymages in the chappell                      
ijs
Item payd for mendyng the bell rop                                                  
viijd
Item payd for a quord for the ballans                                                  
ijd
Item payd for a lok to the hall door                                        
ijs        vjd
Item payd for carryeng tymber to the pynfold                                  
viijd
Item payd for a door &c ... for the pynfold                            
ijs
Item payd for a belrop                                                                        
vjd
Item payd for kepyng the Clokkes                                        
xvjs

[p. 3]

Anno predicto

          Item payd to alen for techyng the chylder                                
             
iiijli
-----> Item payd the Steward for kepyng the Courtes                       
          iijli    vjs      viijd
          Item payd for reparyng mother gyles hous                                                  
          viijd
          Item payd to Robert Hall for woorkyng at the vicars hous                          
          xijd
          Item payd to the almysfold for standyng of the pynfold                            
          viijd

Alowances

Inprimis for William Smyth Shop                                                    
vjs      viijd
Item for burford hous                                                                      
xvjs
Item for mr Combes housses in Churche Stret                              
xiijs      iiijd
Item for Chef rent for John Sadler hous                                                      
xijd
Item for pages muchyll                                                                              
viijd
Item the Chamburlens ffee                                                              
xxs
Item for the Chappell gardyn half yere rent                                  
xiijs      iiijd
Item payd to the sergentes                                                                         
xvjd
Item payd for an other od Riconyng                                                
ijs       iijd
    Sum payd & leyd out with the alowances                       
    lviijli   iiijs    iijd

Sic Remaynythe vs ixd whuche ys delyuerd
into the handes of William Tylar & William Smythe newe chamburlens
So that they befor namyd Iohn tayler & Iohn Shakspeyr have made
a trw & lawfull accompt for ther tyme  beyng Chamburlens            
vs     ixd

Et sic quieti sunt
Iohannes tayler et 
Iohannes Shakspeyr

Memorandum that at this accompt the chardges of the Reparacions of the
vycars hous commythe to          vjli      xvs       vd

 

Written by Robert Bearman

Last updated May 14, 2020