John Shaw

Also known as: Iohn Shaw / Shaw / doctor Shaw · Family: Church · Role: clerk and preacher · First appears: Edward V 13

Life events

• c. 1483 · John Shaw joined the council supporting the protector's design.(Edward V 13)
  • “Among these had they Iohn Shaw clearke brother to the maior”
• c. 1483 · Shaw preached that Edward IV was Elizabeth Lucie's husband, making his children bastards.(Edward V 15 · 📍 Paules crosse)
  • With: Edward IV Elizabeth Lucy
  • “According to this deuise doctor Shaw the sundaie after, at Paules crosse in a great audience (as alwaie assembled great number to his preaching) he tooke for his theame; Spuria vitilamina non agent radices altas, that is to saie; Bastard slippes shall neuer take déepe root.”
• c. 1483 · Shaw preached that Richard III alone was Richard Plantagenet's lawful heir to the crown.(Edward V 15 · 📍 Paules crosse)
  • With: Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York Richard III
  • “Then began he to descend into the praise of the lord Richard late duke of Yorke, calling him father to the lord protector, and declared the title of his heires vnto the crowne, to whome it was (after the death of king Henrie the sixt) intailed by authoritie of parlement. Then shewed he that his verie right heire of his bodie lawfullie begotten was onelie the lord protector.”
• c. 1483 · A planned public acclamation of Richard III failed during Shaw's sermon.(Edward V 15 · 📍 Paules crosse)
  • With: Richard III
  • “Now was it before deuised, that in the speaking of these words, the protector should haue comen in among the people to the sermon ward, to the end that those words méeting with his presence, might haue béen taken among the hearers, as though the Holie-ghost had put them in the preachers mouth, & should haue mooued the people euen there to crie; King Richard, king Richard: that it might haue béene after said, that he was speciallie chosen by God, and in maner by miracle. But this deuise quailed”
• c. 1483 · Shaw withdrew from public view and withered away after the sermon brought him shame.(Edward V 15)
  • “After which once ended, the preacher gat him home, and neuer after durst looke out for shame, but kept him out of sight like an owle. And when he once asked one that had béene his old friend what the people talked of him, all were it that his owne conscience well shewed him that they talked no good; yet when the tother answered him, that there was in euerie mans mouth spoken of him much shame, it so strake him to the heart, that within few daies after he withered and consumed awaie”

Edward V 13

• siblings with Edmund Shaw (John Shaw is explicitly identified as Edmund Shaw's brother.) “Among whome they made of councell Edmund Shaw knight then maior of London, which vpon trust of his owne aduancement, whereof he was of a proud heart highlie desirous, should frame the citie to their appetite. Of spirituall men they tooke such as had wit, and were in authentic among the people for opinion of their learning, and had no scrupulous conscience. Among these had they Iohn Shaw clearke brother to the maior”

Edward V 15

• with Richard III (Richard III and his council commissioned Shaw to deliver the sermon.) “it was by the protector and his councell concluded, that this doctor Shaw should in a sermon at Pauls crosse signifie to the people”
• with Edward IV (Shaw publicly alleged that Edward was illegitimate.) “According to this deuise doctor Shaw the sundaie after, at Paules crosse in a great audience (as alwaie assembled great number to his preaching) he tooke for his theame; Spuria vitilamina non agent radices altas, that is to saie; Bastard slippes shall neuer take déepe root. Therevpon when he had shewed the great grace that God giueth, and secretlie insundeth in right generation after the lawes of matrimonie, then declared he, that commonlie those children lacked that grace, and for the punishment of their parents were (for the more part) vnhappie, which were gotten in base, and speciallie in adulterie. Of which, though some, by the ignorance of the world and the truth hid from knowledge, inherited for the season other mens lands, yet God alwaie so prouideth, that it continueth not in their bloud long: but the truth comming to light, the rightfull inheritors be restored, and the bastard slip pulled vp yer it can be rooted déepe. And so he did laie for the proofe and confirmation of this sentence certeine insamples taken out of the old testament, and other ancient histories. Then began he to descend into the praise of the lord Richard late duke of Yorke, calling him father to the lord protector, and declared the title of his heires vnto the crowne, to whome it was (after the death of king Henrie the sixt) intailed by authoritie of parlement. Then shewed he that his verie right heire of his bodie lawfullie begotten was onelie the lord protector. For he declared then, that king Edward was neuer lawfullie married vnto the quéene, but was before God husband vnto dame Elizabeth Lucie, and so his children bastards.”

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Extracted from the original text of Holinshed's Chronicles — the reigns Shakespeare dramatized. Made with Rho MD.