John Manningham facts for kids

John Manningham (born in the 1570s – died 1622) was an English lawyer and a person who kept a diary. His diary is a great source of information about life in England during the time of Queen Elizabeth I and King James I. It also tells us about the exciting world of plays in London, including famous people like William Shakespeare.

Life Story

John Manningham was the son of Robert Manningham from Fen Drayton, Cambridgeshire. His mother was Joan, whose father was John Fisher from Bledlow, Buckinghamshire.

He started studying at Magdalene College, Cambridge around 1592. He earned his first degree in 1596. On March 16, 1598, he began studying to become a lawyer at the Middle Temple in London. By June 7, 1605, he became an "utter barrister." This meant he was a qualified lawyer who could argue cases in court.

A fellow student named Edward Curll helped John Manningham get a job. He became an auditor for the Court of Wards. An auditor checks financial records. John was also helped by a distant relative, Richard Manningham. Richard was born in St Albans in 1539. He became very rich as a cloth merchant in London. When he was older, Richard moved to Bradbourne, near Maidstone. Richard Manningham passed away on April 25, 1611. He was buried in East Malling Church. John Manningham put up a special stone to remember him there. Richard left his house and land in Kent to John, who was the only person in charge of his will.

His Diary

John Manningham wrote a diary that is still kept today. It is part of the Harleian Manuscripts in the British Library. This diary was first printed in 1868. It covers the time from January 1602 to April 1603. During this time, John was a student at the Middle Temple.

His diary is a mix of many things. It has fun stories about life in London. It also shares political news and notes from church sermons. He even wrote down details about his travels. John wrote a lot about Queen Elizabeth's health and her death. He also described how King James I became king. Manningham often shared his thoughts on the main lawyers and preachers of his time.

His diary also includes an important note about William Shakespeare. On February 2, 1602, he wrote about seeing Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night. This play was performed in the Middle Temple Hall. He also mentioned the Harefield Entertainment from August of that year.

A scholar named John Payne Collier first drew attention to Manningham's diary. The diary has a famous story about Shakespeare. On March 13, 1602, Manningham wrote about Shakespeare's clever reply to an actor named Richard Burbage. Shakespeare supposedly said, "William the Conqueror was before Richard III." This was a witty way to win an argument. Other famous people mentioned in the diary include Sir Thomas Bodley, John Stow, Sir Thomas Overbury, and Barbara Ruthven.

His Family

Around 1607, John Manningham married Ann. She was the sister of his friend, Edward Curll. John and Ann had three sons and three daughters. Ann's brother, Walter Curll, left gifts in his will to his sister Ann Manningham. He also left gifts to her son, Walter, who was his godson.