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Document-specific information
Title: Stratford-upon-Avon Borough: Minute books: Council Book A, 1555-1594
Date: February 15, 1566
Repository: The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Stratford-upon-Avon, UK
Call number and opening: BRU2/1, pp. 11, 11v, 13, 13v
View online bibliographic record
Robert Bearman, "Chamberlain’s account for the year Michaelmas 1564 to Michaelmas 1565, made by John Shakespeare on behalf of William Tyler and William Smith," Shakespeare Documented, https://doi.org/10.37078/506.
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, BRU2/1 Council Book A 1555-1594, p.11. See Shakespeare Documented, https://doi.org/10.37078/506.
In the autumn of 1563, John Taylor and John Shakespeare completed their two-year term of office as chamberlains. William Tyler and William Smith, haberdasher, were appointed to take their place. Tyler and Smith should then have submitted an account, as was customary, at the January meeting in 1565 for the year Michaelmas 1563–Michaelmas 1564, and another account at the January meeting in 1566 for the year Michaelmas 1564–Michaelmas 1565. However, things did not go according to plan. The accounts for 1563–4 were not submitted until March, 1565 (Minutes and Accounts, i, p. 137), and those for 1564–5 were similarly delayed, as shown here, until February 1566.
Moreover, although the accounts were presented in the names of the new chamberlains (“Thaccompt of William Tyler & William smythe chamburlens") they were said in 1565 to be “made by John Shakspeyr & John Tayler,” and in 1566, as shown here, “by John Shakspeyr” alone. Since the outbreak of plague in 1564, both record keeping and attendance at Corporation meetings had been very poor and this may have been the reason why John Shakespeare and John Taylor agreed effectively to remain in post. The accounts showed a deficit of 7s. 3d, which John Shakespeare was responsible for paying out of pocket. As shown on the final image above, the 1566 account originally included an order to the new chamberlains to repay him this sum, but it was struck out, followed by a note in a later hand that the debt had been repaid on January 12, 1568.
As before, the accounts for both years are in the hand of the steward, Richard Symons.
[p. 11]
William Tyler & William Smythe chamburlens
Thaccompt of William Tyler & William Smythe Chamburlens made by Iohn
Shakspeyr the xvth day of February in the eight yere of the raigne of our
Souereigne lady elyzabeth by the grace of god of englond fraunce and
Irelond quene defendor of the feithe &c for one yere endyng at
the feest of sent mychell tharchaungell now last past (vt sequitur)
Receyttes
In primis Sum of the rentroll
1li vs jd ob
Item received. of mr Wheler
ijli xs
Item received of mr Smyth
vli
Item received the tuthe of wylmecot
ijli xiijs iiijd
Item received of mededyns wyf
vjs viijd
Item received of margere tompson
vjs viijd
Item received of thomas Richardson
vs
Item savyd out of the almyshous
ijs viijd
Item received of basell burdet
vijs
Summa totalis received vixxjli xvjs vd ob
money payd vppon receyt & alowaunces vt sequetur
In primis for burford hous
xvjs
Item for mr Combes iij tenementes
xiijs iiijd
Item for the Chere in shombulles
ijd
Item for a mukhyll
viijd
Item for the chappell orchard
xiijs iiijd
Summa ijli iijs vjd
[p. 11v]
money payd vppon receyt
payd for vc tyell
vijs vjd
Item payd for a thousond lathe nayles
xxd
Item payd for vij crestes & ij gutter tyelles
xviijd
Item for dimidium a thousond lathe naylles
xd
Item for jc tyell
xviijd
Item for naylles
jd
Item for iiic tyelles
iiijs vjd
Item for a thousond lathe nayll
xxd
Item for dimidium a thousond lathe naylles
xd
Item for iijc tyelles
iiijs vjd
Item for dimidium a thousond lathe naylles
xd
Item for jc tylles
xviijd
Item for iijc tyelles
iiijs vjd
Item for dimidium a thousond lathe naylles
xd
Item for a thousond lathe naylles
xxd
Item for dimidium a thousond lathe naylles
xd
Item for xl tyelles
vijd
Item for viij strykes lyme
iiijs
Item for dimidium hundred lathe
iijd
Item for carryeing iiij lodes tymber
ijs viijd
Item for ij keys for the Chappell door
xijd
Item payd to peter start for work in the Chapell & the scoll .
xxjs
Item payd to Iohn tylar for tylyng the scole mr hous
iijs
Item to Thomas tylar for tylyng the scole mr hous
vs
Item payd to shakspeyr for a rest of old det
iijli ijs vijd ob
Summa vjli xiiijs xd
Item payd to mr brechegyrdyll for a bord
ijs vjd
Item payd to Iohn tylor
vs
Item payd for Sand
ijs
Item payd to rodman
vjs viijd
Item to the Vycar in the abcence of the assystant
vjs viijd
Item payd to mr geffereys
viijs
[p. 13]
Item payd to mr quyny
xxvijs viijd
Item payd to mr perot
ijs ijd
Item payd to mr brounsword
ijs
Item Richard sharp
xxijd
Item to grantam
xs
Item to Richard sharp hys fee
xxs
Item to loke
iiijs
Item for a pece of tymber
ijs
Item for workemanshyp at the burge
viijd
Item payd basell for work at the burg
xijd
Item for carryag of tymber to the burg
ijd
Item to Richard Symons
xs
Item payd to butlar
xxs
Item payd to mr woodward
xxiiijs
Item to peter start for a thell
xvjd
Item payd hygges
xs viijd
Item payd to the Chamburlens
xxs
Item payd for kepyng the Clokkes
xvjs
Item for the pynfold
viijd
Item payd the stewardes fee
iijli vjs viijd
Item payd to the serjeauntes
xvjd
Summa xiijli xiijs
Item payd for a. bell rop
ijs vjd
Item payd the scollmaster
xli
Item payd the almysfolk
xxli xvjs
Item payd master smart
vjli
Item payd for iijC lathes
vjs vjd
Item payd for lyme
xiijs
Item payd for lyme
xviijd
Item payd for jC lathes
vjd
Item payd for Sclat pyns
xijd
Item payd for iiij eves polles
iiijd
[p.13v]
Item payd the tylar & hys man
for xxij days woorke
xxixs viijd
Item payd to the tylar for ij days worke
xxd
Summa xxxixli xijs iiijd
Summa totalis payd iiixxijli iijs viijd
Summa totalis receved iiixxj1i xvjs vd ob
In this accompt the Chambur ys in det vnto
John shakspeyr to be payd vnto hymn by the next
Chamburlenesvijs iijd
[added later]
Which is payd the xijth of Ianuari Anno 10 Elizabethe Regine
Et sic quieti Sunt Willelmus tylor & Willelmus smythe pro duobus annis inde vltimis preteritis
At this Sayd accompt William Smyth farmer of the late coleg
of stratford dyssolved hathe made a Just & trw accompt of for
& concernyng the rentes of the tythes of old stratford busshopston
& welcum & hathe delyuered the arrerage or ouer plus of hys rentes that ys
to say xls to the handes of William brace now chamburlen &
he to <be> Countable therefor in the next accompt
Et sic quyetus est
William Smyth
Written by Robert Bearman
Last updated May 14, 2020