England: Age of ShakespeareAct I, Scene 1, 1564

Windsor Castle, depicted in 1670North Terrace (left) built by Elizabeth

Beginningsof a Golden AgeBirth of a writerBirth of a reign

When we are born we cry that we are come.. to this great stage of

fools.

Lear

At first the infant,Mewling and puking in the nurse's

arms.

As You Like It

New Year's Gifts for Queen Elizabeth: 1564-1565

By the said mary Graye a Spone and Fforke of siluer guilte poz 1 oz

By the Lady Margerett Straunge a Hatte of vellat enbrauderid with golde and siluer wth a ffether and a Skarfe of sipers with a frenge of venice golde and siluer

More Gifts

Busshoppes

By the Archebusshoppe of Canterburye in a purse of crymsen taphata in dimy SoueraignesBy the Archebusshoppe of Yorke in a purse of crymsen Satten in Dimy Soueraignes

Gentlewomen

By Mrs Asteley cheif gentilwoman of the preuyChamber A Smocke wrought with blacke silkeonely with a square coller

From staff (Gentlemen and Gentlewomen)

By George Webster Master Cooke a Marchepane

By John Bettes Srgaunte of the Pastry a pye of Quinces

By Lewis Stockwell Surveior of the Works one table paynted of the Tombe for King Henry Theight

By Mrs Smythson Launderis one night Raylewrought wth blake silke

Possible gift from Elizabeth

Stratford-on-Avon

• 16th century population 1500-2000

– 13% die in 1564 from plague

• 1269 Predecessor of Guild of the Holy Cross founded;

• Market town

Stratford-on-Avon Government

• Founded by the bishop of Worcester and overseen by the bishop’s manor court

– Governed through Stratford College

• Guild of the Holy Cross becomes semi-official governing body

– Major property owner

• Edward VI

Edward VI and Stratford

• College abolished (process begun under Henry VIII

• 1553 Incorporated by Edward VI

– Grammar school refounded as King Edward’s School

– Government replaced by Stratford Council

Sheldon Tapestry, Warwickshire

Sheldon Tapestry, detail, Stratford and Snitterfeld

Stratford Area and Shakespeare’s family

Walter de Arden, of Park Hall

(~1435-1502)

John Arden (1467-1526)

William Arden(1509-1545

Edward Arden(1542-1583)

Thomas Arden of Wilmcote (1469-

1546)

Robert Arden(?-1556)

Mary Arden(1537-1608)

The Ardens

?

Robert Arden

1501 Named in a property trust by his father, Thomas

1517-18 Member of the Guild of the Holy Cross

• Marriage to ?

– Eight daughters, no sons

1548 Second marriage to Agnes Hill

– 2 step-daughters and 2 step-sons

Alcock, N. W., and Robert Bearman. "Discovering Mary Arden's House: Property and Society in Wilmcote, Warwickshire." Shakespeare Quarterly 53.1 (2002): 53-82

Glebe Farm, reconstructionMary Arden’s House

Estate of Robert Arden1556

Glebe Hall based on probate records

Palmer’s Farm, 1871

Palmer’s Farm, formerly identified as Mary Arden’s

House at Wilmcote, identified as Robert Arden’s

Palmer’s Farm, formerly identified as Arden House

PaintedCloths

Quickly: I must be fain to pawn both my plate and the tapestry of my dining-chambers.

Falstaff Glasses, glasses is the only drinking: and for thy walls, a pretty slight drollery, or the story of the Prodigal, or the German hunting in water-work, is worth a thousand of these bedhangings and these fly-bitten tapestries.

Henry IV. II.1. 157-63

Painted Cloths

• Insulation

• Add color to bare walls

• Middle and lower class equivalent to tapestries

• Moral sayings and emblems

• Guilds – Combined in 16th century– Painters painting in oil and size upon timber,

stone, iron and such like,

– Staynors for cloth, silk and such like.

Painted cloths, examples

The Shakespeares

Richard Shakespeare

Henry(-1596)

John(1531-1601)

1528 Richard leases land at Snitterfeldfrom Robert Arden

Henry remains a tenant farmer in Snitterfeld

John leaves the farm and moves to Stratford

Guild of the Holy Cross - buildings

Guild Hall, South WingCounting House (lower); Council Chamber (upper)

Chapel, Guild of the Holy Cross1563 Paintings whitewashed under the supervision of Richard Shakespeare; 1804 Rediscovered and drawn

Doom E. W. Tristram, 1929

Guild Chapel Last Judgment

Decapitation of the pagan King of Persia by the Christian King Heraclius

John Shakespeare

~1551 Moves to Stratford working as a glover

1556 Buys Henley Street House

– Fined for having a dung heap in front of his house

1556 Buys house on Greenhill Street

1556 and 1565 Involved in 17 civil cases; plaintiff in 11 and defendant in 6

1557 Marries Mary Arden

– Purchases house adjacent to Henley St. house

34

John Shakespeare, civic leader

1557 Appointed ale-taster

1562 Elected Chamberlain of Stratford

1565 Elected Alderman

1568 Elected Bailiff

1570 Elected Chief Alderman

John & Mary Shakespeare’s family

1558 Joan, dies of plague

1562 Margaret, dies 1563

1564 William Shakespeare baptized

John and Mary Shakespeare

1566 Gilbert

1569 Joan

1571 Anne

1574 Richard

1579 Daughter, Anne, dies

1580 Edmund

John Shakespeare – Decline in fortune

• 1569 Applies for a coat of arms

– Denied

• 1570s Cases involving lending and sale of wool

• 1576 Stops attending Stratford Council meetings

– 1586 Removed for non attendance

Financial problems

• Began selling property to a cousin of Mary Arden

• Part of home leased as an inn

• Court cases for debt

• Charges for illegal dealing in wool?

• No known problemsafter 1593

Birth Practices of the period

Many condemned by reformers

• Wrap girdle around church bell; holy girdles

• Praying to saints

• Using charms

A birthing scene and birthing stool (after Rueff).

Dunn P M Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed 2001;85:F222-

F224

Copyright © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd & Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. All rights reserved.

Jakob Rueff De Conceptu 1554Translated as The expert Midwife, 1637