Berkshire, Reading, 1624

Corporation Diaries

BRO: R/AC1/1/2

p 77 (20 February)

...

as touchinge the musicions it is agreed that they shall hold the former order/

...

p 81 (22 March)

...

at this daye the musicions complayned videlicet

Iames Shiler
Phillip Shiler
Iohn Ierrard

against Iames Belgrove/ fore keepinge ij boyes/ & vsing his qua<...>in towne

Iames Belgrove/ saith that his Share: amongest them will not keepe him & his child

Agreed in this manner. videlicet: Iames Belgrove shall hencefourth haue as good a share with and amongest them/ for himself & his boy: As any of them shall haue/ & keepinge Company with them/ and putting awaye one of his boyes:

Iames Shiler and his boy
Phillip Shiler and his boy
Iohn Iarrard and his boy
Iames Belgrove & his boy

euery of them sh<...>
haue equall shar<.>
of all gaynes/ a<.>
home & abroad

William Costyn
Richard Burren

And the iiij^or master<.>
‸⸢first named⸣ shall yerely paye to
William Costyn over and
aboue his share 26 s. 8d.

	Iames Shiler	Iames Belgro<..>
	Phillip Shiler	(signed) Iohn Gerrard

Footnotes
- Iames...Ierrard: encompassed by brace pointing to the right
- qua<...>: letters lost to wear at edge of leaf; Guilding, Reading Records, vol 2, p 179, has quality
- child: letters likely lost to wear at edge of leaf; Guilding, Reading Records, vol 2, p 179, has children
- Iames...boy: encompassed by brace pointing to the right
- sh<...>: sh smudged; Guilding, Reading Records, vol 2, p 179, has shall
- William...Burren: encompassed by brace pointing to the right
- Iames: followed by James Shiler's personal mark
- Iames: preceeded by Belgrove's personal mark
- Belgro<..>: letters lost to wear at edge of leaf
- Phillip: followed by Phillip Shiler's personal mark
Endnote

In 'Reading's Musical History,' an unpublished manuscript written in 1929 and available only through the Reading Public Library system, S.T. Chamberlain discusses the whole matter of the right to pursue the craft of musician within Reading and assumes that the 'former order' is that issued 29 October 1622–3 (pp 81–5). The arrangement proved unsatisfactory since a new agreement was drawn up a month later.

The page is fragmentary at the right edge. The agreement is signed with the personal marks of three of the parties concerned with their names written against the marks in the hand of the town clerk. Only Gerrard signed for himself.
Document Description

Record title: Corporation Diaries
Repository: BRO
Shelfmark: R/AC1/1/2
Repository location: Reading

R/AC1/1/2–4 are not elegant books. The writing is hurried and the jottings often seem to have been made at random.

Oct 1622–Oct 1628; English; paper; ii + 183 + ii; modern foliation and pagination; 320mm x 220mm; heavily damaged from damp and repaired; bound in boards covered with white imitation parchment, title on front cover: 'Borough of Reading | Corporation Diary | commencing | October 1622 | ending | October 1628 | No | 1.'

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