Among the usual records of fornication, adultery, playing cards during service times, marrying without having the banns read properly and similar infringements, the Archbishop of York’s Visitation Book for 1615 has a most intriguing entry1: This is kind of entry REED editors trawl Visitation books in the hope of finding, but what can we make of it? […]
REED Yorkshire West Riding co-editor Sylvia Thomas is proud to announce the launch of ‘pre-pub’ records from the accounts of the Ingram family of Temple Newsam.* Sir Arthur Ingram (before 1571-1642), financier and politician, was born in London, son of Hugh Ingram, a tallow chandler of Yorkshire origin and his wife Anne, daughter of Richard […]
The Records of Early English Drama North-East team is pleased to announce the release of several new Records this week, starting with those from the tiny village of Fewston in the West Riding of Yorkshire. The West Riding co-editor Ted McGee writes: ‘The records of performance activity in the small village of Fewston arose from […]
Some of the earliest records of performance in the West Riding provide evidence of the dragon of Ripon Minster. In the accounts of 1439-40, the Chamberlains of this Benedictine monastery note the stipend paid to the man ‘who carried the dragon in processions on the feast of the Ascension and the three Rogation days leading […]
Ted McGee, co-editor of the Yorkshire, West Riding REED material (with Sylvia Thomas) has made available some new records* for West Yorkshire, relating to performance in the ancient village of Methley and nearby Methley Manor, and in the accounts of Sir Leonard Beckwith of Selby (c.1520-1555). You can access all of the current West Riding […]
A standard search of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography for “John Harrison” produces twelve results. Among scientists, artists, a horologist, a naval officer, clergymen, conspirators, one man is identified simply as “benefactor”—John Harrison (1579-1656) of Leeds. The only son and namesake of a successful clothier of the borough, Harrison inherited his father’s business in […]
The Devil of Doncaster In 1614, Brian Cooke, ‘gentleman’ of Doncaster, complained to the Court of Star Chamber that Thomas Bevett, Original Bellamy, and twelve others, ten of them musicians, had defamed him. Motivated by “a long conceived and undeserved mallice” against him, the defendants, Cook claimed, conspired together to bring him into “disgrace, shame […]
The East Yorkshire port of Kingston upon Hull – though now gearing up to be UK City of Culture for 2017 – is probably not thought of as an avant-garde cultural centre in the medieval and early modern periods. It was bought from Meaux Abbey by Edward I for the specific purpose of establishing a […]
The “lusty dauncinge prest” of Rufforth In July 1581, Sir Tristram Tildsley, vicar of Rufforth and Marston, faced allegations in a diocesan court of the Archbishop that his behaviour on many occasions during the preceding four years had been “most contrarie to his vocation.”* According to those who complained, he had comported himself in ways […]
A sad tale from the commonplace and account book of Francis Stringer of Sharlston, near Wakefield in the West Riding of Yorkshire: Francis Stringer (1565-1637) lived at Sharlston, and was twice married. His first wife having died, he married Dorothy, the widow of Cuthbert Fleming of Sharlston Hall, and the Stringers subsequently lived at the […]