The Town Waits of Norwich and Chester
| Artifact Summary | |
|---|---|
| Artifact type | |
| Creator/author | |
| Date | 1576-90 |
| Period | |
| City and country of origin | |
| Abstract | |
Entry
[Records of the City of Norwich, ed. W. Hudson and J. T. Tingey, Vol. II. , pp. 186, 195, and R. H. Morris, Chester in the Plantagenet and Tudor Reigns, p. 348.]
[Norwich, Court on 4 Feb., 1576.] The hole company of the waytes of this cittie did come here into this courte and craved that they myght haue leve to playe commodies and upon interlutes and souch other places [plays] and tragedes which shall seme to them mete ; which peticion by the whole concent of this courte is graunted to them so farre as they do not playe in the tyme of devine service and sermonnes.
[Norwich, Court on 25 Jan., 1589.] This daye was redd 15Eliz. c. 5, s. xxv.
in court a letter sent to Mr Maiour and his brethren from Sir Frauncys Drake wherby he desyreth that the waytes of this citie may bee sent to hym to go the new intendid voyage,¹ wherunto the waytes beeyng here called doo all assent. Wherupon it is agreed that they shall haue vj cloakes of stamell cloath made them redy before they go. And that a wagon shalbe provided to carry them and their instrumentes, and that they shall haue iiij li. to buye them three new howboyes and one treble recordour and xli. to beare their chardgys. And that the citie shall hyer the wagon and paye for it. Also that the Chamberleyn shall paye Peter Spratt xs. for a saquebutt case, and the waytes to delyuer to the Chamberleyn before they go the cities cheanes.
[Chester, 28 May, 1590.]
Coram William Massy, maiore.
At which day matter was in question betwene Ales Williams late wief of Thomas Williams, late one of the Waytsmen of the said citie upon thone part, and Christofer Burton and William Madock the other waitesmen of the said citie, for and concerninge their instruments of musick, viz., the howboies, the Recorders, the Cornets and Violens, whereof the said Ales claymeth a parte as to her said late husband in his lief tyme belonginge, which they deny to yeld unto : But are contented and soe are now agreed, and it is now fully ordered by assent that the said instruments shall from hensfforth for ever re- mayne continue and bee the owne proper goods of the said Waitesmen and of the survivors of them, and of William Williams late sonne of the said Thomas Williams, and of Henry Burton, sonne of the said Christofer, when they shall have served out their yeres and apprentices to the said exercise and to the survivour of them, and the survivour of every of them experienced or to be experienced in the citie, or els to remayne forever to the said citie At the Appoyntment and Admittance of the maior of the said citie for the tyme beinge. 1The Portuguese voyage.
