Shakespeare of Stratford/The Biographical Facts/Fact 26

by Tucker Brooke

Layout 2

 

XXVI. CONFIRMATION AND EXTENSION OF HERALDIC HONORS TO JOHN SHAKESPEARE (1599).

Draft, prepared jointly by the two heralds, William Dethick and William Camden, confirming John Shakespeare’s right to the arms previously granted and authorizing him to impale the Arden arms. (Heralds’ College, London.)

To all and singular, noble and gentlemen, of all estates and degrees bearing arms, to whom these presents shall come, William Dethick, Garter-principal King of Arms of England, and William Camden, als [alias] Clarentieulx, King of Arms for the south, east, and west parts of this realm, sendeth greetings. Know ye that in all nations and kingdoms the record and remembrances of the valiant facts and virtuous dispositions of worthy men have been made known and divulged by certain shields of arms and tokens of chivalry, the grant and testimony whereof appertaineth unto us by virtue of our offices from the Queen’s most excellent majesty and her Highness’ most noble and victorious progenitors. Wherefore being solicited and by credible report informed that John Shakespere, now of Stratford-upon-Avon in the county of Warwick, gent., whose parent, great-grandfather, and late antecessor for his faithful and approved service to the late most prudent prince King H. 7. of famous memory was advanced and rewarded with lands and tenements given to him in those parts of Warwickshire, where they have continued by some descents in good reputation and credit; and for that the said John Shakespere having married the daughter and one of the heirs of Robert Arden of Wellingcote in the said county and also produced this his ancient coat of arms heretofore assigned to him whilst he was her Majesty’s officer and bailiff of that town:—In consideration of the premisses and for the encouragement of his posterity, unto whom such blazon of arms and achievements of inheritance from their said mother by the ancient custom and laws of arms may lawfully descend, we the said Garter and Clarentieulx have assigned, granted, and confirmed, and by these presents exemplified, unto the said John Shakespere and to his posterity, that shield and coat of arms, viz., in a field of gold upon a bend sables a spear of the first, the point upward headed, argent; and for his crest or cognizance a falcon with his wings displayed, standing on a wreath of his colors, supporting a spear headed or and steeled silver, fived upon a helmet with mantels and tassels as more plainly may appear depicted on this margent. And we have likewise upon another escutcheon impaled the same with the ancient arms of the said Arden of Wellingcote, signifying thereby that it may and shall be lawful for the said John Shakespere, gent. to bear and use the same shields of arms, single or impaled as aforesaid, during his natural life, and that it shall be lawful for his children, issue, and posterity (lawfully begotten) to bear, use, and quarter, and show forth the same with their due differences in all lawful warlike facts and civil use or exercises, according to the laws of arms and custom that to gent[lemen] belongeth, without let or interruption of any person or persons for use or per^[1] bearing the same. In witness and testimony whereof we have subscribed our names and fastened the seals of our offices. Given at the Office of Arms, London, the .^[2] . . in the xlii^to year of the reign of our most gracious Sovereign, Elizabeth by the grace of God [Queen of England, France] and Ireland, Defender of the faith, &c. 1599.

Note. See document XIII for Dethick’s earlier grant of arms to John Shakespeare. William Camden, the famous antiquary, who is associated with Dethick in the present document, had been made Clarenceux herald in 1597, after the date of Dethick’s first drafts.

1. The manuscript has ‘per bearing,’ which may, however, be a slip for ‘forbearing.’
2. The precise date of the present paper is uncertain because of a tear in the paper at this point; but as Elizabeth’s 42d regnal year did not begin till November 17, 1599, it was evidently late in the calendar year, 1599, or in the period, Jan. 1–Mar. 24, 1600.