Richard and Cuthbert Burbage, and the remaining half-interest divided equally among five actors of the Chamberlain’s Company: Shakespeare, Kempe, Pope, Phillips, and Heminge. Shakespeare, therefore, had at the start a one-tenth share in the theatre. The mathematical proportion of his interest to the entire property varied in later years as some of his fellow-sharers retired and new ones came in.
A later inventory of the Brend estate, in 1601, names the tenants of the playhouse as ‘Richard Burbage and William Shackespeare, Gent.’—mentioning, that is, simply the two most famous of the sharers.
XXVI. CONFIRMATION AND EXTENSION OF HERALDIC HONORS TO JOHN SHAKESPEARE (1599).
Draft, prepared jointly by the two heralds, William Dethick and William Camden, confirming John Shakespeare’s right to the arms previously granted and authorizing him to impale the Arden arms. (Heralds’ College, London.)
To all and singular, noble and gentlemen, of all estates and degrees bearing arms, to whom these presents shall come, William Dethick, Garter-principal King of Arms of England, and William Camden, als [alias] Clarentieulx, King of Arms for the south, east, and west parts of this realm, sendeth greetings. Know ye that in all nations and kingdoms the record and remembrances of the valiant facts and virtuous dispositions of worthy men have been made known and divulged by certain shields of arms and tokens of chivalry, the grant and testimony whereof appertaineth unto us by virtue of our offices from the Queen’s
