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John Trundle, the "sonne of John Trundell late of Barnet in the county of Hertford yoman Deceased," was apprenticed to Ralph Hancock, stationer, for a period of eight years from 24 June 1589, the contract being recorded on 26 March 1590.[2] This delay in recording the apprenticeship evidently got Hancock into trouble, for on this same date he was fined three shillings, four pence, "for kepinge a prentise vnpresented, contrary to order" (Arber, 2:862). If Trundle was at the usual age of twenty-four when he became a freeman in 1597, he must have been born about 1573. The parish register of Chipping Barnet, held at the Hertfordshire County Hall, Hertford, contains no baptismal records earlier than 1603, and, though some transcripts do survive, there is a gap between 1570-1574. The original register, however, does record the marriage of a John Trundle and a Joan (last name unrecorded) on 7 October 1565. This John Trundle was buried on 27 March 1577, after which his widow, Joan Trundle, remarried a Robert Law on 7 October 1577. The inventory of the goods and chattels of this John Trundle shows that he was not a wealthy man. The total worth of his estate amounted to thirteen pounds, eleven shillings. He must have been a trader in livestock and/or cured meat, for prominent in the inventory are "fyve kyne" valued at six pounds, a "weaninge calfe" at six shillings, a "nagge" at sixteen shillings, and twenty-four "flitches of bacon" at four pounds. Joan Trundle made her mark at the foot of this document (Hertforshire County Hall, Ms A25/881).
Trundle, presented by Hancock, took up his freedom on 29 October 1597 (Arber, 2:720). He had married Margery Parton some two years earlier, on 4 September 1595, in the parish of St. Giles, Cripplegate, where Hancock's
In 1624 Trundle rented space from St. Bartholomew's Hospital, in the area known as West Smithfield, just outside the Hospital Gate, for which he paid a fee of three pounds. The General Accounts Ledger of the hospital notes this payment annually through 1628. The parish register of St. Bartholomew's the Less, however, records the burial of "John Trundle London Stationer" on 12 December 1626. The administration of his goods and chattels, by his widow Margery, was recorded in January 1627 (Guildhall Library, Ms 9050/6, folio 22). I was unfortunately unable to find an inventory of his property.
Margery Trundle carried on the business from the Smithfield address for the next two years, which explains the continued payment of the rent. The parish register records her burial on 9 April 1629. The business evidently did not prosper in her hands. The Churchwarden's Account Book records a charitable payment of twelve shillings to her in 1629, and she died indebted to the English Stock. On 4 May 1629 the Court of the Stationers' Company allowed the ballad partners to pay this debt in return for the rights to her copies (Jackson, p. 210). On 1 June 1629 the Register records the payment of four pounds, seventeen shillings, eight pence, in return for six books and twenty-four ballads "Together with all other Booke and Ballades. that belonged of Right to the said Marg. Trundle" (Arber, 4:213).
Given the nature of Trundle's business, it is not surprising that he did not distinguish himself in the Company. He was apparently never elected to the Livery, nor did he serve in any official capacity. On the other hand, he was a relatively law-abiding member. He was fined only three times: in 1605, for keeping an apprentice past the normal term (Jackson, p. 438. The apprentice was apparently "Willm Butler"; see McKenzie, p. 128); in 1614 for printing a book without entrance (Jackson, p. 68 and p. 455); and in 1619 "for being absent the last qr day" (Jackson, p. 464). His name also appears in
In 1603 Trundle set up shop "in Barbican, neere Long lane end" (imprint in STC 16743.3). In 1606, coincidental with his entrance of "The picture of No bodye" (Arber, 3:308) and his publication of the play Nobody and Somebody, he introduced the "signe of No-body" to distinguish his shop in Barbican (BEPD, #229). According to imprints, he remained at this location through 1620 (STC 13507, 1613; STC 11089 and 17386.5, 1615; STC 20744, 1616; STC 25292, 1620). In 1623 his address is also given as "att the nobodye in Barbican" in the bill filed by Gervase Markham against a number of defendants who had allegedly reneged on their subscription to him (quoted in Bentley, 2:682-3). In 1624, as described above, Trundle moved to Smithfield, at the Hospital Gate (imprints in STC 17308.5, 1624; STC 6520 and 20823, 1625; STC 19529, 1626. STC 10412, 23239, and 19278 are undated but bear this imprint or variations of it). The sign of Nobody was, however, still associated with Trundle after 1624. The anonymous authors of The Run-awyaes [sic] Answer (STC 24562, 1625), in their preface, "intreate Some-Body to step to No-Body in Smithfield, neere the Hospitall Gate. . ." (A3).[4] Many of the publications in which Trundle had a part were, however, not sold at his shop but at those of his associates, as will be described below.
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