Mr. Fowler gave me an interesting note which may come in here, as it may have some bearing on the reality of Shakespeare’s Boar’s Head Inn. It is from Chancery Inquisitions, Post Mort., Vol. 151, No. 72. London, 1568-9.
Robert Harding held land in the city, including: “... one messuage, tenement, or tavern, called ‘Le Boares Heade,’ situated and lying in Eastcheap in the parish of St. Michael in Crooked Lane ... formerly in the tenure and occupation of John Broke and now of Edward Beltam. He it was held it of the Lady the Queen ‘in libero Burgagio ciuitatis London ... et valet per annum ... decem Libri.’”
FOOTNOTES:
[99] In Harl. MS. 6388: “The King Sent Process to the Sheriffes that they should choose no Burgesses nor Knights that had any Knowledge of the laws of the Realm by reason whereof it was called The Layman’s Parliament.”
[100] In the same MS., f. 15, there is a transcript of a similar text with notable differences: “John Hornby arrested the Prince in the Priory.” (Date a year earlier.) Also Add. MS. 11364.
[101] Referring to the popular risings which commenced at that date.
[102] I noted this name because Francis Collins of Warwick became Shakespeare’s lawyer, and town clerk of Stratford-upon-Avon after Thomas Green.
[103] The first note is of Canute’s time and St. Nicholas Church. The annals proper begin in 1348 with John Ward, Jordan Sheppy, Nicholas Michell, Richard Freeborne, “William Horne. 1352-3 a drie Summer, rained not from March till July, and there was a dearth.”