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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
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 Documented, https://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
[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 Recevyd
& le
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