f 56 (2 April)
...
This daie Stephen Chaplyn is admitted to bee One
of the musitians of this Towne in the place of William Tompson. And the
said Stephen Chaplyn is to furnishe the Companie with him self and Two others: and
William Greene one other the Compan saide musitians is to
furnishe the Companie with himselfe and one other/ And the saide Stephen
Chaplyn doth hereby Covenante & promisse to & with the
sa mayor Bayliffes and Burgesss of the said Towne of
Southampton
to delyuer or and their Successors To redelyuer or
cause to be redelyuered vnto the said
⸢said⸣ Mayor Bayliffes & Burgesss ‸⸢of this towne⸣ their Successors or assigns.
One of the Cognizaunces or Badges above mencioned (which
he is presentlie to receave) at any tyme or tymes when he shall be therevnto
required
(signed) Steven chaplen (signed) William greene
The reference to the badges being mentioned above is to the memorandum of 11 December 1607 which first established Greene and Tompson as the city musicians, when they were given the silver badges.
Record title: Assembly Book
Repository: Southampton City Archives
Shelfmark: SC2/1/6
Repository location: Southampton
The assembly book is a minute or act book of the town council, recording its decisions on a variety of matters, including taxes and customs duties, poor relief, enrolling of freemen and burgesses, the election and duties of town officials (including the musicians), and offences such as selling goods or keeping an alehouse without a proper licence. The council met roughly once a week, normally on Friday. The date of the meeting heads each group of minutes or memoranda and the names of the mayor and aldermen present appear in the left margin. Frequently rubrics identifying each action occur just above or to the left of the main entries.
12 March 1603/4–7 October 1642; English; paper; 331 leaves; 418mm x 281mm; modern pencil foliation followed here (original ink foliation begins on f 7 and leaves out f 9, then begins again with f 2 at the pencil f 18); good condition, first 16 folios damaged and repaired; heavy parchment cover with leather straps, no original title, '1602 to 1642' inked in same hand that has titled so many of the Southampton muniments.
