ShakespeaRe’s Money by Robert Bearman

Author:Robert Bearman [Bearman, Robert]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780198759249
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Published: 2016-02-04T00:00:00+00:00

Further investment, 1602–1605

Later in 1602 Shakespeare made an addition to his Stratford property holdings by securing possession of a copyhold cottage with a quarter-acre garden on the south side of Chapel Lane, opposite the gardens running back behind his main residence, New Place, in Chapel Street. We do not know whether he acquired it with a particular purpose in mind or merely snapped it up when it became available. It has been plausibly suggested that it might have been acquired as service quarters, with the quarter acre of land serving as a kitchen garden.153

The cottage, together with another small property in Church Street, still formed part of the manor of Rowington, some eight miles north of Stratford.154 When the tenancy of such a piece of land changed hands it was usual for the outgoing tenant, or his legal representative, to appear in the manor court to surrender his holding into the lord’s hands and for the new tenant, usually at the same court, to receive it back. This transaction would be duly recorded on the manor rolls as part of that court’s proceedings and a copy made of the relevant passage, which was then handed to the new tenant. His title was thus secured by copy of court roll, hence the term ‘copyhold’.

By 1602 the lordship of the manor of Rowington had passed to Ann widow of Ambrose earl of Warwick and the copyholder of the Chapel Lane property was Walter Getley, an otherwise elusive character.155 Shakespeare had evidently negotiated for a transfer of the property in question and on 28 September Getley’s attorney appeared at the manor court and surrendered the cottage into the lord’s hands to Shakespeare’s use. If the transaction had followed its normal course, Shakespeare, or his attorney, would then have appeared and have been granted possession. In fact, this did not happen. Shakespeare, probably in London, failed to make arrangements for anyone to act for him and the court roll merely recorded that the land would be held by the lord of the manor until Shakespeare came to take possession. A copy of this transaction, though incomplete, was still made and duly became Shakespeare’s title deed. It survives to this day and, because the original manor rolls are no longer extant, provides us with our only knowledge of the deal.156

There is no doubt that Shakespeare’s title to this property was regarded as valid, even though there is no evidence that he ever formally appeared at the manor court to receive the land out of the lord’s hands and thus complete the formalities. For instance, in 1604, a survey records him as holding the property at an annual rent of 2s. 6d. and it is also one of the properties mentioned in his will.157 Nevertheless, when in 1606 another major survey of the manor was carried out, the compiler was aware of an irregularity. For although he duly entered Shakespeare as the tenant, he was unable to find the date of the court at which Shakespeare was admitted and so left a blank space.

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