Shakespeare purchases New Place: 1602 buyer and vendor copies of final concord

These two documents are the buyer's and vendor's copies of the 1602 final concord for Shakespeare's purchase of New Place. Shakespeare purchased New Place, one of the largest houses in Stratford-upon-Avon, from William Underhill in 1597. Shortly after the sale, Underhill died, apparently poisoned by his eldest son, Fulke, who was prosecuted for the crime and hanged in 1599. Fulke's other estates reverted to the crown until his younger brother, Hercules, came of legal age in 1602. In that year, Hercules confirmed the sale of New Place to Shakespeare, probably arising out of Shakespeare's concern to protect his investment. 

Most legal documents that transferred property consisted of three copies: one for the buyer, one for the vendor, and one for the court. For final concords such as this one, the agreement was copied out three times on a single membrane of parchment, which was then “indented,” or cut apart along wavy lines. In case of future disputes, they could be fitted together again to prove their authenticity.

The court’s copy, known as the foot of fine, has been filed with other “feet” among the records of the Court of Common Pleas since 1602. Archivists believe that Shakespeare retained both of the other two copies himself, since they have remained together over the years.

Marsden J. Perry, a prolific collector of rare Shakespeare materials, obtained the two copies of this engrossed triplicate of the final concord when he bought the collections of the well-known Shakespeare scholar J.O. Halliwell-Phillipps in the late 19th century. In 1908, Henry Clay Folger approached Perry privately about purchasing the entirety of the “J.O. Halliwell-Phillipps Collection,” ultimately succeeding for the sum of $69,000 (nearly $1.8 million in today’s currency). 

See Shakespeare purchases New Place for further details about the 1597 and 1602 final concords.