Shakespeare purchases New Place: 1597 note of fine (draft of final concord)

In May 1597, the freehold title to New Place passed from William Underhill to William Shakespeare. This would normally have been recorded in a formal deed of conveyance, signed by both parties. This deed no longer survives, but we do have good documentation of a ritualized process in the central Court of Common Pleas, known as a final concord, whereby the change in title was “registered” as a form of security should a dispute later arise.

The first stage in the process had been the concord, whereby the justices authorised the drawing up of further documentation and the wording to be used. The next stage was to prepare a more consolidated version, known as the the note of fine, shown here, bringing together the description of the property and incorporating the required legal formula. This had been specified by the Lord Chief Justice, Edmund Anderson, at the concord stage, and his name therefore occurs in the left margin. The wording below the main paragraph would be formally incorporated at the final stage to date the agreement. This was expressed by the archaic use of the court’s “return days,” i.e. to the fifth week of the Easter term. In 1597, the fifth week of Easter term was May 2 to 9, corresponding with the date of May 8 given on the concord.  

For further details about the 1597 note of fine, see the general essay for Shakespeare's purchase of New Place.