Viewing Event Record: Requests, Woodford vs Holland: Woodford states his case

Abstract

Thomas Woodford makes his complaint in his 1619 suit against Aaron Holland in the Court of Requests over the disagreement concerning the share of profits in the Red Bull. Woodford says that Holland built the Red Bull after obtaining a lease from Anne Bedingfield, widow of Christopher Bedingfield. According to Woodford, Holland then granted one-seventh of the profits of the playhouse and galleries to Thomas Swinnerton. Swinnerton then sold his share in 1608 to Philip Stone for £50 pounds, of which he would lend £20 to Holland interest free for one year. The rent for the share would be 50s, but Woodford says that Holland and Swinnerton colluded to defraud Stone, "a simple and ignorant man," with a lease that did not include all the conditions promised. Stone, running into financial trouble, then sold Woodford this misrepresented lease for £50 in 1612. Woodford collected the profits for one quarter of the year, then left London, deputizing his servant Anthony Payne to pay the rent and collect the profits during Woodford's absence. Woodford accuses Holland of refusing to accept payment from Payne, promising that no harm would come to Woodford's interest, and then cancelling the agreement upon Woodford's return. Woodford then details the progress of his previous suits to regain his share of the profits in the Red Bull. He accuses Holland of pretending to be illiterate in order to avoid granting a new lease as directed by the court, and colluding with his lawyer Ralph Wormleighton to avoid performing the court's orders when in Woodford's favour. Woodford also accuses Holland of using Mary Phillips to collude with Phillip Stone, offering him money to release him from any suits undertaking in Stone's name after Woodford had initiated such a suit in Stone's name. Woodford finally admits that he does not have a copy of the agreement between Holland and Stone because they have connived to gather up all copies and deliberately hide them from Woodford.

Date Event Recorded

Date

From: 31 March 1619 (Source of claim: transcription)

Date Event Happened

Date

From: 1604 To: 1614 (Source of claim: transcription)

Venues

Name

Red Bull

Troupes

Name

Queen Anne's Men

People