How Nashe's kinsman lived William Blancher was the shoemaker husband of Nashe's cousin Elizabeth. The following is an inventory and valuation of his goods, taken after his death in 1602. The document indicates Blancher lived in the usual house of the time, comprising a hall (i.e. living room), shop and kitchen on the ground floor, with two chambers above - all of them crammed with the considerable paraphernalia of household and trade. One has the feeling William Blancher was a respectable tradesman, but nothing more genteel. He ate off pewter and wood, and though he seems to have been well off for beds, having two fourposters, two trundle beds and a featherbed in all, his bedlinen is rather meagre. Perhaps one of his "Twoo paire of sheets" was that given to his wife by Margaret Nashe in her will 13 years earlier? The modest list of his apparel does not suggest a snappy dresser, the only book he owned was a bible and his only luxury items are two drinking glasses and the "Danske Chyste" (Danish chest) kept in his bedchamber. The weapons listed - a watch bill, a poleaxe and four bow staves - suggest former civic duties; there's no mention of the gentlemanly sword. One of the reasons I think it's worthwhile presenting this little piece of background to Nashe's social origins is because, too often, amateurs are left with the impression that Elizabethan writers moved in high circles and constantly hobnobbed with earls. Most were of humble middle class origins, though they sometimes travelled far from them. Jonson began life as a bricklayer, Drayton had been a servant and Shakespeare's father built up a business as a glover. But like Christopher Marlowe (the son of a Canterbury shoemaker), Nashe said goodbye to a life of humdrum respectability when he left to become a scholar at Cambridge. In his short career he would see a great deal more pomp and glory than his kinsman William Blancher the cordwainer, but perhaps have less to show for it. It's very likely that any postmortem inventory of Nashe's goods would have been much briefer than the one below. Note:The document from which this copy was taken is available from Norfolk Record Office, INV 18/57. I would like to thank Mr David Butcher who kindly supplied the transcription from which this page was made. He did this as I was having great difficulty reading my photocopy from the NRO, and he did it in no time at all - though I believe the photocopy he worked from was actually poorer in quality, and missing a few lines here and there. Where I have used my copy to supplement Mr Butcher's transcription, and made my own best guesses, I've put the text into red to indicate it's less reliable. Any errors or mistypings are the fault of the webmaster. |
| A trewe and pfight Inventorie of the goods and Chattalls of William Blancher Late of Lowestofte in the Countie of Suff Cordiner Deceasd made xxiiiith daie of Aprill 1602 and prised by Edward Depden Anthony Mighell Edmund Hill Symond Page & Robart Little
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| In the hall |
| Inprimis on posted bedstead wth a Flockbead Three pillows a Coverlett a strawsack a bolster wth a natte and Corde | }xxiis |
| Itm one olde Framed Table one Longe forme Two great Joyned stooles & ii smale stooles | }viiis |
| Itm one Cubberde wth a Cubbord cloth | xvs |
| Itm ii pewter platters and ii pt water dishes xviiid iii porringers & one saucer iiiid One dubble salt vid & ii Candlestickes xxd And ii Olde Cuppes iiiid | }viiis |
| Itm ii Chaires Itm iiii Cusshings Itm vi smale Chaires Itm ii Coffers Itm a paire of Tongs Itm a paire of Andierns Itm ii Rost Irons Itm a Iron Candlesticke Itm ii peces of olde Iron Itm iiii smale Tables Itm one pitchforcke Itm one old stoole Itm ii Racks | iis iis viiid iiiis iis vid viiid viiid xiid xiid iid iid ixs vid vid |
In the Chamber |
| Itm one posted bedsteede a Featherbed a Coverled a blankett a Bolster a pillow a natt and Corde | }xxs |
| Itm a Trindle bedsted a Flockbed a strawe sacke a Feather pillowe And an olde Coverlett | } xs |
| Itm one other Trindle bedstede & a strawe sacke | } iiis |
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Itm on woodden Candlesticke Itm a Danske Chyste Itm Twoo Drinkinge glasses Itm one Framed Table Itm one Hogside Itm a pack sadle Fower Bowe staves One olde saddle and other triflinge things Itm a Barrell and hogside with shredds Itm a watch Bill Itm a Busshell and haulf of wheate | iiiid vis iis iiiis iiis iiiid }iis iis viiid iiiis ixd |
In the shoppe |
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