Marriage Thomas Quiney

holy trinity church, stratford upon avon, thomas married. view opposite bank of river avon.

on 10 february 1616, thomas quiney married judith shakespeare, william shakespeare s daughter, in holy trinity church. assistant vicar, richard watts, later married quiney s sister mary, officiated. wedding took place during lenten season, prohibited. in 1616 lent started on 23 january, septuagesima sunday, , ended on 7 april, sunday after easter. marriage therefore required special licence, issued bishop of worcester, couple had failed obtain. walter wright of stratford cited marrying without either banns or licence, since quiney cited marrying without required licence presumed had posted banns in church. infraction minor one, apparently caused minister, 3 other couples wed february. quiney nevertheless summoned walter nixon appear before consistory court in worcester. (this same walter nixon later involved in star chamber case , found guilty of forging signatures , taking bribes). quiney failed appear required date. register recorded judgement, excommunication, on or 12 march 1616. unknown if judith excommunicated, in case punishment did not last long. in november of same year in church baptism of firstborn child.

the marriage did not begin well: quiney had impregnated woman, margaret wheeler, die in childbirth along child , buried on 15 march 1616. on 26 march 1616, quiney appeared before bawdy court, dealt, among other things, whoredom , uncleanliness . confessing in open court carnal copulation margaret wheeler, submitted himself correction. sentenced open penance in white sheet (according custom) before congregation on 3 sundays. had admit crime, time wearing ordinary clothes, before minister of bishopton in warwickshire. first part of sentence remitted, letting him off five-shilling fine given parish s poor. since bishopton had chapel, spared public humiliation.