Privy Council, and (2) Answer of the Corporation of London
enclosing the Act of Common Council of 6 Dec. 1574 (No. xxxii),
printed _M. S. C._ i. 168, from _Lansd. MS._ 20, f. 23; also
in part by Strype in his edition of Stowe’s _Survey_ (1720),
i. 292; Collier, i. 208; Hazlitt, _E. D. S._ 27. The documents
are bound up out of order in the Lansdowne volume, the Act of
1574 being Art. 10 and (1) being inserted as Art. 12 between
the two parts of (2) which are the reply to it. Each article is
officially endorsed in pencil with the date 1575, and the same
date is assigned by the printed _Catalogue of the Lansdowne
Manuscripts_ (1819) to Arts. 10, 12, and 13. This has misled
Collier and nearly all subsequent historians of the stage into
a belief that players were expelled from the City more or less
permanently in 1575, and that this expulsion led to the building
of the Theatre and the Curtain in 1576. The difficulty due to
the description of the petitioners as the Queen’s men is met by
Collier with a suggestion that ‘perhaps the Earl of Leicester’s
servants might so call themselves after the grant of the patent
in May 1574’, and by Fleay, 46, with an assertion that ‘the
whole body of then existing men actors who were going to perform
at Court at Christmas (Warwick’s, Leicester’s, Howard’s)’ were
meant. I called attention to the true bearing of the documents
in a review of T. F. Ordish, _Early London Theatres_ in the
_Academy_ for 24 Aug. 1895, but the misconception still exists;
it is found, for instance, in Thompson, 41. The facts, however,
are correctly given in Gildersleeve, 171. It is clear from
that part of the Corporation’s Answer which Collier suppressed
that the real date of the Lansdowne documents is later than
the ‘ruine at Parise garden’, which was on 13 Jan. 1583 (cf.
No. lxiv), and it must also be later than the establishment of
the Queen’s men in March 1583, and their first performances at
court in the winter of 1583–4. The petition was, on the face of
it, written at the beginning of a winter, and the most natural
interpretation would place it in the winter of 1584. It might
conceivably be 1585. There is no reference to it in the Acts of
the Privy Council, and it probably belongs to the period of the
missing register between June 1582 and Feb. 1586. Unfortunately,
the _Remembrancia_ also have a gap between March 1584 and Jan.
1587. It will be observed that the Lansdowne papers are not, as
they stand, complete, since they lack the Articles sent with the
players’ Petition, and also the printed Act of Common Council
sent by the Corporation (No. lxiii). Strype says that the
proposed Remedies were adopted, but it is doubtful whether he
had any evidence other than the Lansdowne MS. itself.]
(1)
To the Right Honorable the Lordes of her Maiesties
Privie Counsell:
In most humble manner beseche your LLp. your dutifull and daylie
Orators the Queenes Maiesties poore Players. Wheras the tyme of our
service draweth verie neere, so that of necessitie wee must needes haue
excercise to enable vs the better for the same, and also for our better
helpe and relief in our poore lyvinge, the season of the yere beynge
past to playe att anye of the houses without the Cittye of London, as
in our articles annexed to this our Supplicacion maye more att large
appeere vnto your LLp: Our most humble peticion ys thatt yt maye
please your LLp. to vowchsaffe the readinge of these few Articles, and
in tender Consideracion of the matters therin mentioned, contayninge
the verie staye and good state of our Lyvinge, to graunt vnto vs the
Confirmacion of the same, or of as manye or as much of them as shalbe
to your Honors good Lykinge, And therwith all your LLp: favorable
letters vnto the L. Mayor of London to permitt vs to excercise within
the Cittye accordinge to the articles, and also thatt the said lettres
maye contayne some order to the Justices of Middlesex as in the same
ys mentioned, wherbie as wee shall cease the Continewall troublinge of
your LLp. for your often lettres in the premisses. So shall wee daylie
be bownden to praye for the prosperous preservation of your LLp. in
honor helth and happines long to Continew.
Your LLp: most humblie bownden and daylie Orators,
her Maiesties poore Players.
[Endorsed] Queens Players their Petition.
(2) (_a_)
It may please your good Lp.
The orders in London whereunto the players referr them are
misconceaued, as may appeare by the two actes of comon Counsell which I
send yow with note [pointing finger] directing to the place.
The first of these actes of Comon counsell was made in the maraltie
of Hawes xvij^o Regine, and sheweth a maner how plaies were to be
tollerated and vsed, althoughe it were rather wished that they were
wholly discontinued for the causes appearing in the preamble; which is
for that reason somewhat the longer.
Where the players reporte the order to be that they shold not play till
after seruice time, the boke [‘fo. 8^o’ added in margin] is otherwise;
for it is that they shal not onely not play in seruice time, but also
shal not receue any in seruice time to se the same; for thoughe they
did forbeare beginning to play till seruice were done, yet all the time
of seruice they did take in people; which was the great mischef in
withdrawing the people from seruice.
Afterward when these orders were not obserued, and the lewd maters of
playes encreasced, and in the haunt vnto them were found many dangers,
bothe for religion, state, honestie of manners, vnthriftinesse of the
poore, and danger of infection &c, and the preachers dayly cryeng
against the L. maiour and his bretheren, in an Act of Common Counsel
for releafe of the poore which I send yowe printed, in the Article
62 the last leafe, is enacted as there appeareth, by which there are
no enterludes allowed in London in open spectacle, but in priuate
howses onely at marriages or such like, which may suffise, and sute
is apointed to be made that they may be likewise banished in places
adioyning.
Since that time and namely upon the ruine at Parise garden, sute was
made to my LLs. to banishe playes wholly in the places nere London,
according to the said lawe. Letters were obtained from my LLs. to
banishe them on the sabbat Daies.
(_b_)
Now touching their petition and articles
Where they pretend that they must haue exercise to enable them in their
seruice before her maiestie:
It is to be noted that it is not conuenient that they present before
her maiestie such playes as haue ben before commonly played in open
stages before all the basest assemblies in London and Middlesex, and
therfore sufficent for their exercise and more comely for the place
that (as it is permitted by the sayd lawes of common counsell) they
make their exercise of playeng only in priuate houses.
Also it lyeth within the dutiefull care for her Maiesties royal
persone, that they be not suffred, from playeing in the throng of a
multitude and of some infected, to presse so nere to the presence of
her maiestie.
Where they pretend the mater of stay of their lyuing:
It hath not ben vsed nor thought meete heretofore that players haue
or shold make their lyuing on the art of playeng, but men for their
lyuings vsing other honest and lawfull artes, or reteyned in honest
seruices, haue by companies learned some enterludes for some encreasce
to their profit by other mens pleasures in vacant time of recreation.
Where in the first article they require the L. Maiors order to continue
for the times of playeing on hollydaies:
They missreport the order. For all those former orders of toleration
are expired by the last printed act of common Counsell.
Also if the toleration were not expired, they do cautelously omitt the
prohibition to receiue any auditoire before common prayer be ended. And
it may be noted how vncomely it is for youth to runne streight from
prayer to playes, from Gods seruice to the Deuells.
To the second article.
If in winter the dark do cary inconuenience, and the short time of day
after euening prayer do leaue them no leysure, and fowlenesse of season
do hinder the passage into the feldes to playes, the remedie is ill
conceyued to bring them into London, but the true remedie is to leaue
of that vnnecessarie expense of time, wherunto God himself geueth so
many impediments.
To the third.
To play in plagetime is to encreasce the plage by infection: to play
out of plagetime is to draw the plage by offendinges of God vpon
occasion of such playes.
But touching the permission of playes vpon the fewnesse of those that
dye in any weke, it may please you to remember one special thing. In
the report of the plage we report only those that dye, and we make no
report of those that recouer and cary infection about them either in
their sores running or in their garmentes, which sort are the most
dangerous. Now, my Lord, when the number of those that dye groweth
fewest, the number of those that goe abrode with sores is greatest, the
violence of the disease to kill being abated. And therfore while any
plage is, though the number reported of them that dye be small, the
number infectious is so great that playes are not to be permitted.
Also in our report, none are noted as dyeing of the plage except
they haue tokens, but many dye of the plage that haue no tokens, and
sometime fraude of the searchers may deceiue. Therfore it is not reason
to reduce their toleration to any number reported to dye of the plage.
But it is an vncharitable demaund against the safetie of the Quenes
subiectes, and per consequens of her persone, for the gaine of a few,
whoe if they were not her maiesties seruants shold by their profession
be rogues, to esteme fifty a weke so small a number as to be cause of
tolerating the aduenture of infection.
If your Lp. shal think resonable to permit them in respect of the
fewnesse of such as dye, this were a better way. The ordinarie deaths
in London, when there is no plage, is betwene xl. and l. and commonly
vnder xl., as our bokes do shew. The residue or more in plage time is
to be thought to be the plage. Now it may be enough if it be permitted,
that when the whole death of all diseases in London shal by ij or iij
wekes together be vnder l. a weke, they may play (_obseruatis alioqui
obseruandis_) during such time of death vnder l. a weke.
Where they require that only her maiesties servants be permitted to
play:
It is lesse eiuell than to grannt moe. But herin if your Lp. will so
allow them, it may please you to know that the last yere when such
toleration was of the Quenes players only, all the places of playeing
were filled with men calling themselues the Quenes players. Your
Ls. may do well in your lettres or warrants for their toleration to
expresse the number of the Quenes players and particularly all their
names.
The remedies.
That they hold them content with playeing in priuate houses at weddings
etc. without publike assemblies.
If more be thought good to be tolerated: that then they be restrained
to the orders in the act of common Counsell tempore Hawes.
That they play not openly till the whole death in London haue ben by xx
daies under 50 a weke, nor longer than it shal so continue.
That no playes be on the sabbat.
That no playeing be on holydaies but after euening prayer: nor any
receiued into the auditorie till after euening prayer.
That no playeing be in the dark, nor continue any such time but as any
of the auditorie may returne to their dwellings in London before sonne
set, or at least before it be dark.
That the Quenes players only be tolerated, and of them their number and
certaine names to be notified in your Lps. lettres to the L. Maior and
to the Iustices of Middlesex and Surrey. And those her players not to
diuide themselues into seueral companies.
That for breaking any of the orders, their toleration cesse.
lxxvi.
[1586, May 11. Minutes of Privy Council, printed from Register
in Dasent, xiv. 99, 102.]
A letter to the Justices of Surrey that according to suche direction as
hath ben geven by their Lordships to the Lord Maior to restraine and
inhibite the use of plaies and interludes in publique places in and
about the Cittie of London, in respect of the heat of the yeere now
drawing on, for th’avoyding of the infection like to grow and increase
by th’ordinarie assemblies of the people to those places, they ar also
required in like sorte to take order that the playes and assemblies
of the people at the theater or anie other places about Newington be
forthwith restrained and forborne as aforesaid, &c.
A letter to the Lord Maiour; his Lordship is desired, according to his
request made to their Lordships by his letters of the vijth of this
present, to geve order for the restrayning of playes and interludes
within and about the Cittie of London, for th’avoyding of infection
feared to grow and increase this time of sommer by the comon assemblies
of people at those places, and that their Lordships have taken the
like order for the prohibiting of the use of playes at the theater and
th’other places about Newington out of his charge.
lxxvii.
[1586, June 23. Extract from _The newe Decrees of the Starre
Chamber for orders in printinge_, printed by Arber, ii. 807,
from _S. P. D. Eliz._ cxc. 48.]
4. _Item_ that no person or persons shall ymprynt or cawse to be
ymprinted, or suffer by any meanes to his knowledge his presse,
letters, or other Instrumentes to be occupyed in pryntinge of any
booke, work, coppye, matter, or thinge whatsoever, Except the same
book, woork, coppye, matter, or any other thinge, hath been heeretofore
allowed, or hereafter shall be allowed before the ymprintinge thereof,
accordinge to thorder appoynted by the Queenes maiesties _Iniunctyons_,
And been first seen and pervsed by the Archbishop of Canterbury and
Bishop of London for the tyme beinge or any one of them (The Queenes
maiesties Prynter for somme speciall service by her maiestie, or by
somme of her highnes pryvie Councell therevnto appoynted, and such as
are or shalbe pryviledged to prynte the bookes of the _Common Lawe_ of
this Realme, for such of the same bookes as shalbe allowed of by the
Twoo Chief Justices, and Chief Baron for the tyme beinge, or any twoo
of them onely excepted). Nor shall ymprynt or cause to be ymprinted any
book, work or coppie against the fourme and meaninge of any Restraynt
or ordonnaunce conteyned or to be conteyned in any statute or lawes of
this Realme, or in any Iniunctyon made, or sett foorth by her maiestie,
or her highnes pryvye Councell, or against the true intent and meaninge
of any Letters patentes, Commissions or prohibicons vnder the great
seale of England, or contrary to any allowyd ordynaunce sett Downe for
the good governaunce of the Cumpany of Staconers within the Cyttie of
London, vppon payne to haue all such presses, letters, and instrumentes
as in or about the pryntinge of any such bookes or copyes shalbe
employed or vsed, to be defaced and made vnserviceable for ymprintinge
forever. And vppon payne also that euery offendour and offendours
contrarye to this present Artycle or ordynaunce shalbe dishabled
(after any such offence) to vse or exercise or take benefytt by vsinge
or exercisinge of the art or feat of ympryntinge. And shall moreover
sustayne ymprysonment Six moneths without Bayle or mayneprise.
Clause 6 empowers the Stationers Company to seize offending books
and bring offenders before the ‘highe Comissioners in causes
Ecclesyastycall or some three or more of them, whereof the sayd
Archbishop of Canterbury or Bishop of London for the tyme beinge to be
one’.
lxxviii.
[1587, Jan. 25. Anon. to Secretary Sir Francis Walsingham,
printed from _Harl. MS._ 286, f. 102, in Collier, i. 257. A
partial copy by T. Birch is in _Addl. MS._ 4160, No. 53.]
The daylie abuse of Stage Playes is such an offence to the godly, and
so great a hinderance to the gospell, as the papists do exceedingly
rejoyce at the bleamysh thearof, and not without cause; for every day
in the weake the players billes are sett up in sondry places of the
cittie, some in the name of her Majesties menne, some the Earl of
Leic^r, some the E. of Oxford, the Lo. Admyralles, and dyvers others;
so that when the belles tole to the Lectorer, the trumpetts sound to
the Stages, whereat the wicked faction of Rome lawgheth for joy, while
the godly weepe for sorrowe. Woe is me! the play howses are pestered,
when churches are naked; at the one it is not possible to gett a place,
at the other voyde seates are plentie. The profaning of the Sabaoth
is redressed, but as badde a custome entertayned, and yet still our
long suffering God forbayreth to punishe. Yt is a wofull sight to see
two hundred proude players jett in their silkes, wheare five hundred
pore people sterve in the streets. But yf needes this mischief must
be tollerated, whereat (no doubt) the highest frownith, yet for God’s
sake (Sir) lett every Stage in London pay a weekly pention to the pore,
that _ex hoc malo proveniat aliquod bonum_: but it weare rather
to be wisshed that players might be used, as Apollo did his lawghing,
_semel in anno_.... Nowe, mee thinks, I see your honor smyle, and
saye to your self, theise things are fitter for the pullpit, then a
souldiers penne; but God (who searcheth the hart and reynes) knoweth
that I write not hipocritically, but from the veary sorrowe of my soule.
lxxix.
[1587, May 7. Minute of Privy Council, printed from Register in
Dasent, xv. 70.]
A letter to the Lord Maiour of the Citie of London that whereas their
Lordships were given to understand that certaine outrages and disorders
were of late committed in certaine places and theaters erected within
that Citie of London or the suburbes of the same, where enterludes and
comedies were usuallie plaied, and for that the season of the yeare
grew hotter and hotter, it was to be doubted least by reason of the
concorse of people to such places of common assemblies there might some
danger of infeccion happen in the Citie, their Lordships thought it
expedient to have the use of the said interludes inhibited both at the
theaters and in all other places within his jurisdiccion, and therefore
required him accordinglie to take presente order for the stayinge of
the same, charginge the plaiers and actors to cease and forbeare the
use of the said places for the purpose of playinge or shewinge of anie
such enterludes or comedies untill after Bartholomew tide next ensuinge.
A like letter to the same effecte to the Master of the Rolles.
A like letter to the like effecte to the Justices of Surrie.
lxxx.
[1587, Oct. 29. Minute of Privy Council, printed from Register
in Dasent, xv. 271.]
A letter to the Justices of Surry that whereas thinhabitauntes of
Southwark had complained unto their Lordships declaring that th’order
by their Lordships sett downe for the restrayning of plaies and
enterludes within that countie on the Saboath Daies is not observed,
and especiallie within the Libertie of the Clincke and in the parish
of St. Savours in Southwarke, which disorder is to be ascribed to the
negligence of some of the Justices of Peace in that countie; they
are required to take suche stricte order for the staying of the said
disorder as is allreadie taken by the Lord Maiour within the Liberties
of the Cittie, so as the same be not hereafter suffred at the times
forbidden in any place of that countie.
A letter to the Justices of Middlesex that forasmuch as order is
taken by the Lord Maiour within the precinctes of the Cittie for the
restrayninge of plaies and interludes on the Saboath Daie, according to
such direccion as hath been heretofore given by their Lordships in that
behalfe, they are required to see the like observed and kept within
that countie, aswell in anie places priviledged as otherwise.
lxxxi.
[1587, Nov. 23. Minute of City Court of Aldermen, printed in
Harrison, iv. 322, from _Repertory_, xxi, f. 503^v.]
Item yt is ordered that Sir Rowland Haywarde, Sir George Barne, Knight,
Mr. Martyn, Mr. Harte, Mr. Allott, Aldermen, shall repayre to the right
honorable the LL. and others of her Maiesties most honorble Pryuye
Councell & to move theyre honours for the suppressinge of playes and
interludes within this Cittye and the libertyes of the same.
lxxxii.
[1589, Nov. 6. Sir John Harte, Lord Mayor, to Lord Burghley,
printed _M. S. C._ i. 180, from _Lansd. MS._ 60, f. 47; also in
Collier, i. 265; Hazlitt, _E. D. S._ 34.]
My very honourable good L. Where by a lettre of your Lps. directed
to mr. Yonge it appered vnto me, that it was your honours pleasure I
sholde geue order for the staie of all playes within the Cittie, in
that mr. Tilney did vtterly mislike the same. According to which your
Lps. good pleasure, I presentlye sente for suche players as I coulde
here of, so as there appered yesterday before me the L. Admeralles and
the L. Straunges players, to whome I speciallie gaue in Charge and
required them in her Maiesties name to forbere playinge, vntill further
order mighte be geuen for theire allowance in that respecte: Whereupon
the L. Admeralles players very dutifullie obeyed, but the others in
very Contemptuous manner departing from me, went to the Crosse keys
and played that afternoon, to the greate offence of the better sorte
that knewe they were prohibited by order from your L. Which as I might
not suffer, so I sent for the said Contemptuous persons, who haueing
no reason to alleadge for theire Contempt, I coulde do no lesse but
this evening Comitt some of them to one of the Compters, and do meane
according to your Lps. direction to prohibite all playing, vntill your
Lps. pleasure therein be further knowen. And thus resting further to
trouble your L., I moste humblie take my leaue. At London the Sixte of
Nouember 1589.
Your Lps. moste humble,
John Harte, maior.
To the righte honorable my very good Lorde, the Lorde highe Tresaurer
of Englande.
lxxxiii.
[1589, Nov. 12. Minute of Privy Council, printed from Register
in Dasent, xviii. 214.]
At the Starre Chamber 12^o Novembris, 1589.
A letter to the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury that whereas there bathe
growne some inconvenience by comon playes and enterludes in and about
the Cyttie of London, in [that] the players take upon themselves to
handle in their plaies certen matters of Divinytie and of State unfitt
to be suffred, for redresse whereof their Lordships have thought good
to appointe some persones of judgement and understanding to viewe
and examine their playes before they be permitted to present them
publickly. His Lordship is desired that some fytt persone well learned
in Divinity be appointed by him to joyne with the Master of the Revells
and one other to be nominated by the Lord Mayour, and they joyntly with
some spede to viewe and consider of suche comedyes and tragedyes as are
and shalbe publickly played by the companies of players in and aboute
the Cyttie of London, and they to geve allowance of suche as they shall
thincke meete to be plaied and to forbydd the rest.
A letter to the Lord Mayour of London that whereas their Lordships have
already signified unto him to appointe a sufficient persone learned
and of judgement for the Cyttie of London to joyne with the Master of
the Revelles and with a divine to be nominated by the Lord Archebishop
of Canterbury for the reforming of the plaies daylie exercised and
presented publickly in and about the Cyttie of London, wherein the
players take uppon them without judgement or decorum to handle matters
of Divinitye and State; he is required if he have not as yet made
choice of suche a persone, that he will so doe forthwith, and thereof
geve knowledge to the Lord Archebishop and the Master of the Revells,
that they may all meet accordingly.
A letter to the Master of the Revelles requiring him [to join] with two
others, the one to be appointed by the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury
and the other by the Lord Mayour of London, to be men of learning and
judgement, and to call before them the severall companies of players
(whose servauntes soever they be) and to require them by authorytie
hereof to delyver unto them their bookes, that they maye consider of
the matters of their comedyes and tragedyes, and thereuppon to stryke
oute or reforme suche partes and matters as they shall fynd unfytt
and undecent to be handled in playes, bothe for Divinitie and State,
comaunding the said companies of players, in her Majesties name, that
they forbeare to present and playe publickly anie comedy or tragedy
other then suche as they three shall have seene and allowed, which if
they shall not observe, they shall then knowe from their Lordships that
they shalbe not onely sevearely punished, but made [in]capable of the
exercise of their profession forever hereafter.
lxxxiv.
[1591, July 25. Minute of Privy Council, printed from Register
in Dasent, xxi. 324.]
A letter to the Lord Maiour of the Cyttie of London and the Justices of
Midlesex and Surrey. Whereas heretofore there hathe ben order taken to
restraine the playinge of enterludes and playes on the Sabothe Daie,
notwithstandinge the which (as wee are enformed) the same ys neglected
to the prophanacion of this daie, and all other daies of the weeke
in divers places the players doe use to recyte theire plaies to the
greate hurte and destruction of the game of beare baytinge and lyke
pastymes, which are maynteyned for her Majesty’s pleasure yf occacion
require. These shalbe therefore to require you not onlie to take order
hereafter that there maie no plaies, interludes or commodyes be used or
publicklie made and shewed either on the Sondaie or on the Thursdaies,
because on the Thursdayes those other games usuallie have ben allwayes
accustomed and practized. Whereof see you faile not hereafter to see
this our order dulie observed for the avoydinge of the inconveniences
aforesaid.
lxxxv.
[1592, Feb. 25. The Lord Mayor to John Whitgift, Archbishop of
Canterbury, printed _M. S. C._ i. 68, from _Remembrancia_, i.
635.]