Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 8.djvu/326

 264 NOTES AND QUERIES. [i2s.viji. APRIL 2 1921. miller of Henley Street, perilously near the Shakespeares ; four in the household of Robert Bidington, four in that of John Gorman, five in that of Richard Cotterell (of Shottery probably), five in that of Hamlet Hassall of Tiddington (his wife and all his children) ; six in that of Richard Yate, three in that of William Braithway, three in that of William Wilson (who lost P. son also in March previous), two in that of 'Thomas Mountford, the friend of the late Master Edward Alcock (including the girl Elizabeth to whom Alcock left household goods and a cow) ; three in the household of Richard Wagstaffe, fuller, and two in that of his tenant, William Rogers, in Cl ,uroh Street ; five in that of Richard Wood (the entire family), and no less than eleven in the connected households of Humfrey, Edward and Thomas Holmes. The Swan Inn was attacked in Middle Row (where ministers lodged who were called in to assist the Vicar). Thomas Dickson alias Waterman buried two of his step -daughters Alice Burbage on Nov. 9 and Joyce Burbage en Dec. 8. John Bretchgirdle had a terrible time, and John Shakespeare's hands as acting- Chamberlain were very full. The Vicar buried a sister, Cicely Bretchgirdle, on Mar. 14, 1564, shortly before the Plague appeared. Rafe Hilton his curate lost three children in October and November. Bretchgirdle was over-worked, probably himself ill, and without a curate. John 'Shakespeare again and again paid for clerical assistance. His Account, presented late (probably because of the pestilence) on Mar. 21, 1565, shows the following items : " Paid to Master Vicar 1. 7. 0, paid for a priest's hoard and his drinkings at the 'Swan,' 11*. Qd., paid to the preacher 2. 10. 0, paid to the same preacher 1, paid to Master Vicar 6s. Sd., paid to Thomas Waterman [alias Dickson, of the riwan] 2. 13. 4.' Perhaps through the clergy who stayed at the Swan, by people who sought their services or charity, the plague seized upon the family there in November. Other entries in John Shakespeare's Account are to be noted : " Received of Master Smith 2. 10. 0, more of Master Smith 2. 10 0, more of Master Smith 2. 10. ; received of Master Walford 4. o. 0, of Master Walford for Wilmecote [tithe] 1. 6. 8." This was tithe money, which the energetic Chamberlain was properly getting into his hends. Master Smith, the Alderman, farmer of the College tithes, buried his sister- in-law in the Plague time, on Sept. 3, Mistress Elizabeth Watson, sister to John Watson, the future Bishop of Winchester, now Master of the Holy Cross. Her decease, apparently, was not due to the pestilence, for the Smith household was a large one and no other member died. At election time in September, when the Plague was -at its height there was difficulty, as we may understand, in getting a Bailiff. Nominations were made on the 6th John Wheeler for Bailiff, Lewis ap Williams for Head Alderman, William Smith, haber- dasher, and William Tyler for Chamberlains. John Shakespeare, to his great credit, again undertook the duties, which were strenuous and perilous, of the Chamberlainship. John Wheeler felt unequal to the position of chief officer and magistrate of the borough at that time and declined to serve. His name, nevertheless, was sent to the Earl of Warwick and was by him approved. On Wednesday, Sept. 27, a resolution was passed by the Chamber that : " forsomuch as John Wheeler, one of the Alder- men of the Borough, is orderly elected, and by the Right Honourable the Earl of Warwick pricked to be Bailiff, he shall personally appear in the Common Hall upon Friday next ensuing being the 29th of this present September by of the clock the same morning there to confer and consider with the rest of the Masters and Brethren of the said Borough upon such matters as be meet for the service of the Q,ueen's Majesty and the commonwealth of the said Borough under the pain of 20 ; and further shall per- sonally appear at the same place upon Wednesday the 4th day of October by 9 of the clock in the morning for the taking of his oath upon the Holy Evangelist under the pain of 10." A most interesting list of signatures and marks was appended to the resolution in the minutes (not in Symons' handwriting). Six wrote their names : Aldermen William Smith, Humfrey Plymley, William Bott, Richard Hill and Principal Burgesses Wil- liam Smith, haberdasher (William Shake- speare's godfather, as we have supposed), and William Brace. The rest made their marks, George What el ey (retiring Bailiff) an alpha A; Roger Sadler (retiring High Alder- man) a cross ; Adrian Quyny (though he could write), a sigma reversed (?); Rafe Cawdrey a standard (?), ; Lewis ap Wil- liams, his churchgable; John Shakespeare his compasses (the simple pair) ; Thomas Dickson alias Waterman an omega (?) ; John Lewis a small circle ; William Tyler a nautilus or creature with ten- ticles(?); John Tayler (a what?); and John Bell, John Sadler and Thomas Dyer (Gilbert) a cross. John Wheeler duly