Gilbert Katherens' Contract with Philip Henslowe and Jacob Meade for Rebuilding the Bear Garden

single membrane (29 August)

Articles Covenauntes grauntes and agreementes Concluded and agreed vppon this Nyne and Twenteithe daie of Auguste Anno domini 1613 Betwene Phillipe Henslowe of the parishe of St Saviour in sowthworke within the countye of Surrey Esquire, and Iacobe Maide of the parishe of St Olaves in sowthworke aforesaide waterman of thone partie, And Gilbert Katherens of the saide parishe of St Saviour in sowthworke Carpenter on thother partie, As followeth That is to saie

Inprimis the saide Gilbert Katherens for him his executors administratours and assignes dothe convenaunt promise and graunt to and with the saide Phillipe Henslow and Iacobe Maide and either of them thexecutors administrators & assignes of them and either of them by theise presentes in manner and forme followinge That he the saied Gilbert Katherens his executours administrators assignes shall and will at his or theire owne proper costes and charges vppon or before the last daie of November next ensuinge the daie of the date of the date of theise presentes above written, not onlie take downe or pull downe all that Game place or house wherein Beares and Bulls haue been heretofore vsuallie bayted, And also one other house or staple wherin Bulls and horsses did vsuallie stande, Sett lyinge and beinge vppon or neere the Banksyde in the saide parishe of St Saviour in sowthworke Comonlie Called or knowne by the name of the Beare garden/ But shall also at his or theire owne proper costes and Charges vppon or before the saide laste daie of November newly erect, builde and sett vpp one other Game place or Plaiehouse fitt & convenient in all thinges, bothe for players to playe In, And for the game of Beares and Bulls to be bayted in the same, And also A fitt and convenient Tyre house and a stage to be carryed or taken awaie, and to stande vppon tressells good ‸⸢ substanciall⸣ and sufficient for the carryinge and bearinge of suche a stage, And shall new builde erect and sett vp againe the saide plaie house or game place neere or vppon the saide place, where the saide game place did heretofore stande, And to builde the same of suche large compasse, fforme, widenes, and height as the Plaie house Called the Swane in the libertie of Parris garden in the saide parishe of St Saviour, now is/ And shall also builde two stearecasses without and adioyninge to the saide Playe house in suche convenient places as shalbe moste fitt and convenient for the ⸢them⸣ wi to stande vppon, and of such largnes and height as the stearecasses of the saide playehouse called the Swan, nowe are or bee / And shall also builde the Heavens all over the saide stage to be borne or carryed without any postes or supporters to be fixed or sett vppon the saide stage, And all gutters of leade needfull for the carryage of all suche Raine water as shall fall vppon the same, And shall also make Two Boxes in the lowermost storie fitt and decent for gentlemen to sitt in/ And shall make the particions betwne the Rommes as they are at the saide Plaie house called the Swan/ And to make Turned Cullumes vppon and over the stage/ And shall make the Principalls and fore fronte of the saide Plaie house of good and sufficient oken Tymber, And no fair tymber to be putt or vsed in the lower most, or midell stories, excepte the vpright postes on the backparte of the saide stories/ All the Byndinge Ioystes to be of oken tymber, The Inner principall postes of the first storie to be Twelve footes in height and Tenn ynches square, the Inner principall postes in the midell storie to be eight ynches square The Inner most postes in the vpper storie to be seaven ynches square/ The Prickpostes in the first storie to be eight ynches square, in the seconde storie seaven ynches square, and in the vpper most storie six ynches square/ Also the Brest sommers in the lower moste storie to be nyne ynches depe, and seaven ynches in thicknes, and in the midell storie to be eight ynches depe and six ynches in thicknes/ The Byndinge Iostes of the firste storie to be nyne and Eight ynches in depthe and thicknes and in the midell storie to be viij and vij ynches in depthe and thicknes/ Item to make a good, sure, and sufficient foundacion of Brickes for the saide Playhouse or game place and to make it xiij <...> ynches at the leaste above the grounde Item to new builde, erect, and sett vpp the saide Bull house and stable with good and <...>ficient scantlinge tymber plankes and bordes and particions of that largnes and fittnes as shalbe sufficient to kepe and holde six <...> and Three horsses or geldinges, with Rackes and mangers to the same, And ‸⸢also⸣ a lofte or storie over the saide house as nowe it is/ And shall also at his & theire owne proper costes and charges new tyle with Englishe tyles all the vpper Rooffe of the saide Plaie house game place and Bull house or stable, And ther shall fynde and paie for at his like proper costes and charges for all the lyme, heare, sande, Brickes, tyles, laths nayles, worke manshipe and all other thinges needfull and necessarie for the full finishinge of the saide Plaie house Bull house and stable/ And the saide Plaiehouse or game place to be made in althinges and in suche ‸⸢forme and⸣ fashion, as the saide plaie house called the swan, the scantling of the tymbers, tyles, and foundacion as ys aforesaide without fraude or coven/ And the saide Phillipe Henslow and Iacobe maide and either of them for them, thexecutors administratours and assignes of them and either of them doe covenaunt and graunt to and with the saide Gilbert Katherens his executors administratours and assignes in manner and forme followinge (That is to saie) That he the saide Gilbert or his assignes shall or maie haue, and take to his or theire vse and behoofe not onlie all the tymber benches seates, slates, tyles Brickes and all other thinges belonginge to the saide Game place & Bull house or stable, And also all suche olde tymber whiche the saide Phillipe Henslow hathe latlie bought beinge of an old house in Thames street, London, whereof moste parte is now lyinge in the Yarde or Backsyde of the said Beare garden And also to satisfie and paie vnto the saide Gilbert Katherens his executors administratours or assignes for the doinge and finishinges of the Workes and buildinges aforesaid the somme of Three Hundered and three score poundes of good and lawffull monie of England in manner and forme followinge (That is to saie) In hande at thensealinge and deliuery hereof, Three score pounds which the saide Gilbert acknowlegeth himselfe by theise presentes to haue Receaved, And more over to paie every Weeke weeklie duringe the ‸⸢firste⸣ Six weekes vnto the saide Gilbert or his assignes when he shall sett workemen to worke vppon or about the buildinge of the premisses the somme of Tenn pounds of lawffull monie of Englande to paie them there Wages yf theire wages dothe amount vnto somuche monie, And when the saide plaie house Bull house and stable are Reared then to make vpp the saide wages one hundered pounds of lawffull monie of England, and to be paide to the saide Gilbert or his assignes, And when the saide Plaie house Bull house and stable are Reared tyled walled, then to paie vnto the saide Gilbert Katherens or his assignes, One other hundered poundes of lawffull monie of England And when the saide Plaiehouse, Bull house and stable are fullie finished builded and done in manner and forme aforesaide, Then to paie vnto the saide Gilbert Katherens or his assignes, One other hundered Poundes of Lawffull monie of England in full satisfacion and payment of the saide somme of CCClx li. And to all and singuler the Covenauntes grauntes Articles and agreementes above in theise presentes Contayned whiche on the parte and behalfe of the saide Gilbert Katherens his executours administrators or assignes are ought to be observed performed fulfilled and done, the saide Gilberte Katherens byndeth himselfe his executours administrators and assignes, vnto the saide Phillipe Henslowe and Iacob Maide and to either of them thexecutours administratours and assignes of them or either of them by theise presentes In witnes whereof the saide Gilbert Katherens hath herevnto sett his hande and seale the daie and yere firste above written

the mark GK of Gilbert Katherens