S. C._ i. 74, from _Remembrancia_, ii. 73. The theatre was
doubtless the Swan.]
[Sidenote: Langley intending to erect a niew stage on the Banckside &
against playes.]
My humble duetie remembred to your good L. I vnderstand that one
Francis Langley, one of the Alneagers for sealing of cloth, intendeth
to erect a niew stage or Theater (as they call it) for thexercising
of playes vpon the Banck side. And forasmuch as wee fynd by daily
experience the great inconuenience that groweth to this Citie & the
government thearof by the sayed playes, I haue embouldened my self to
bee an humble suiter to your good L. to bee a means for vs rather to
suppresse all such places built for that kynd of exercise, then to
erect any more of the same sort. I am not ignorant (my very good L.)
what is alleadged by soom for defence of these playes, that the people
must haue soom kynd of recreation, & that policie requireth to divert
idle heads & other ill disposed from other woorse practize by this kynd
of exercize. Whearto may bee answeared (which your good L. for your
godly wisedom can far best iudge of) that as honest recreation is a
thing very meet for all sorts of men, so no kynd of exercise, beeing
of itself corrupt & prophane, can well stand with the good policie
of a Christian Common Wealth. And that the sayed playes (as they are
handled) ar of that sort, and woork that effect in such as ar present
and frequent the same, may soon bee decerned by all that haue any
godly vnderstanding & that obserue the fruites & effects of the same,
conteining nothing ells but vnchast fables, lascivious divises, shifts
of cozenage, & matters of lyke sort, which ar so framed & represented
by them, that such as resort to see & hear the same, beeing of the base
& refuse sort of people or such yoong gentlemen as haue small regard
of credit or conscience, draue the same into example of imitation &
not of avoyding the sayed lewd offences. Which may better appear by
the qualitie of such as frequent the sayed playes, beeing the ordinary
places of meeting for all vagrant persons & maisterles men that hang
about the Citie, theeues, horsestealers, whoremoongers, coozeners,
conny-catching persones, practizers of treason, & such other lyke,
whear they consort and make their matches to the great displeasure of
Almightie God & the hurt and annoyance of hir Maiesties people, both
in this Citie & other places about, which cannot be clensed of this
vngodly sort (which by experience wee fynd to bee the very sinck &
contagion not only of this Citie but of this whole Realm), so long as
these playes & places of resort ar by authoritie permitted. I omit
to trouble your L. with any farther matter how our apprentices and
servants ar by this means corrupted & induced hear by to defraud their
Maisters, to maintein their vain & prodigall expenses occasioned by
such evill and riotous companie, whearinto they fall by these kynd of
meetings, to the great hinderance of the trades & traders inhabiting
this Citie, and how people of all sorts ar withdrawen thearby from
their resort vnto sermons & other Christian exercise, to the great
sclaunder of the ghospell & prophanation of the good & godly religion
established within this Realm. All which disorders hauing observed &
found to bee true, I thought it my duetie, beeing now called to this
publique place, to infourm your good L., whome I know to bee a patrone
of religion & lover of virtue & an honourable a friend to the State
of this Citie, humbly beeseaching you to voutchsafe mee your help for
the stay & suppressing, not only of this which is now intended, by
directing your lettres to the Iustices of peace of Middlesex & Surrey,
but of all other places, if possibly it may bee, whear the sayed playes
ar shewed & frequented. And thus crauing pardon for this ouer much
length I humbly take my leaue. From London the 3. of November. 1594.
Your L. most humble.
To the right honourable my very good L. the L. high Treasurer of
England.
ciii.
[1595, Sept. 13. The Lord Mayor and Aldermen to the Privy
Council, printed _M. S. C._ i. 76, from _Remembrancia_, ii. 103.]
[Sidenote: Toutching the putting doune of the plaies at the Theater &
Bankside which is a great cause of disorder in the Citie:]
Our humble duty remembred to your good LL. & the rest. Wee haue been
bold heartofore to signify to your HH: the great inconvenyence that
groweth to this Cytie by the common exercise of Stage Plaies, whear in
wee presumed to be the more often & earnest suters to your HH: for the
suppressing of the said Stage Plaies, aswell in respect of the good
government of this Cytie, (which wee desire to be such as her Highnes &
your HH: might be pleased thearwithall), as for conscience sake being
perswaded (vnder correccion of your HH. Iudgment) that neither in
policye nor in religion they ar to be permitted in a Christian Common
wealthe, specially being of that frame & making as vsually they are, &
conteyning nothing but profane fables, Lasciuious matters, cozonning
devizes, & other vnseemly & scurrilous behaviours, which ar so sett
forthe, as that they move wholy to imitacion & not to the avoyding of
those vyces which they represent, which wee verely think to bee the
cheef cause, aswell of many other disorders & lewd demeanors which
appeer of late in young people of all degrees, as of the late stirr &
mutinous attempt of those fiew apprentices and other servantes, who
wee doubt not driew their infection from these & like places. Among
other inconveniences it is not the least that the refuse sort of evill
disposed & vngodly people about this Cytie haue oportunitie hearby
to assemble together & to make their matches for all their lewd &
vngodly practizes: being also the ordinary places for all maisterles
men & vagabond persons that haunt the high waies to meet together & to
recreate themselfes. Whearof wee begin to haue experienc again within
these fiew daies, since it pleased her highnes to revoke her Comission
graunted forthe to the Provost Marshall, for fear of whome they retired
themselfes for the time into other partes out of his precinct, but
ar now retorned to their old haunt & frequent the Plaies (as their
manner is) that ar daily shewed at the Theator & Bankside: Whearof will
follow the same inconveniences whearof wee haue had to much experienc
heartofore, ffor preventing whearof wee ar humble suters to your good
LL: & the rest to direct your lettres to the Iustices of peac of Surrey
& Middlesex for the present stay & finall suppressing of the said
Plaies, aswell at the Theator & Bankside as in all other places about
the Cytie. Whearby wee doubt not but, the oportunytie & very cause
of so great disorders being taken away, wee shalbe able to keepe the
people of this Cytie in such good order & due obedienc, as that her
highnes & your HH: shalbe well pleased & content thearwithall. And so
most humbly wee take our Leaue. From London the xiijth of September.
1595.
Your HH: most humble.
To the right honourable the LL: & others of her Maiesties most
honourable privy Counsell.
civ.
[1596, July 22. Privy Council Minute, printed Dasent, xxvi. 38.]
Letters to the Justices of Middlesex and Surrey to restrayne the
players from shewing or using anie plaies or interludes in the places
usuall about the citty of London, for that by drawing of muche people
together increase of sicknes is feared.
cv.
[1596, _c._ Sept. Extract from letter of T. Nashe to William
Cotton, printed with facsimile by McKerrow, _Nashe_, v. 194,
from _Cotton MS. Julius_, C. iii, f. 280. Internal evidence
bears out the ‘T. Nashe’ subscribed in a nineteenth-century
hand. The original signature has gone, but the top of ‘N’ was
declared to be visible by Collier, who printed the letter in _H.
E. D. P._ (1831), i. 303; it is also in Grosart, _Nashe_, i.
lxi. The date is suggested by an allusion to the return of Essex
from Cadiz on 10 Aug. 1596, and the beginning of term on 9 Oct.
1596. Allusions to Harington’s _Metamorphosis of Ajax_ (S. R. 30
Oct. 1596) might point to a rather later date, but Harington’s
dedication is dated 3 Aug. 1596, and the first issue may not
have been registered.]
Sir this tedious dead vacation is to mee as vnfortunate as a terme at
Hertford or St. Albons to poore cuntry clients or Iack Cades rebellion
to the lawyers, wherein they hanged vp the L. cheife iustice. In towne
I stayd (being earnestly inuited elsewhere) vpon had I wist hopes, &
an after harvest I expected by writing for the stage & for the presse,
when now the players as if they had writt another Christs tears, ar
piteously persecuted by the L. Maior & the aldermen, & howeuer in there
old Lords tyme they thought there state setled, it is now so vncertayne
they cannot build vpon it.
cvi.
[1596, Nov. Petition by Inhabitants of Blackfriars to Privy
Council, printed by Halliwell-Phillipps, i. 304, from undated
copy assignable by the handwriting to c. 1631 in _S. P. D.
Eliz._ cclx. 116. The date is given by No. cvii; cf. Bk. iv,
s.v. Blackfriars. The document has been suspected as a forgery,
but is probably genuine, although it is odd to find Lord Hunsdon
as a signatory, since one would have supposed that he could
influence James Burbage through his son Richard, who was one of
Hunsdon’s players. Collier, who first produced it, misdated it
1576, and used it to support a theory that the Blackfriars was
built in 1576 (i. 219). Curiously enough, he used it again for
1596 (i. 287), and added to it an alleged counter-petition by
the Chamberlain’s men, now in _S. P. D. Eliz._ cclx. 117, which
is certainly a forgery. Hunsdon was not Chamberlain in Nov.
1596.]
To the right honorable the Lords and others of her Majesties most
honorable Privy Councell,--Humbly shewing and beseeching your honors,
the inhabitants of the precinct of the Blackfryers, London, that
whereas one Burbage hath lately bought certaine roomes in the same
precinct neere adjoyning unto the dwelling houses of the right
honorable the Lord Chamberlaine and the Lord of Hunsdon, which romes
the said Burbage is now altering and meaneth very shortly to convert
and turne the same into a comon playhouse, which will grow to be a
very great annoyance and trouble, not only to all the noblemen and
gentlemen thereabout inhabiting but allso a generall inconvenience
to all the inhabitants of the same precinct, both by reason of the
great resort and gathering togeather of all manner of vagrant and
lewde persons that, under cullor of resorting to the playes, will come
thither and worke all manner of mischeefe, and allso to the great
pestring and filling up of the same precinct, yf it should please
God to send any visitation of sicknesse as heretofore hath been, for
that the same precinct is allready growne very populous; and besides,
that the same playhouse is so neere the Church that the noyse of
the drummes and trumpetts will greatly disturbe and hinder both the
ministers and parishioners in tyme of devine service and sermons;--In
tender consideracion wherof, as allso for that there hath not at
any tyme heretofore been used any comon playhouse within the same
precinct, but that now all players being banished by the Lord Mayor
from playing within the Cittie by reason of the great inconveniences
and ill rule that followeth them, they now thincke to plant them
selves in liberties;--That therefore it would please your honors to
take order that the same roomes may be converted to some other use,
and that no playhouse may be used or kept there; and your suppliants
as most bounden shall and will dayly pray for your Lordships in all
honor and happines long to live. Elizabeth Russell, dowager; G.
Hunsdon; Henry Bowes; Thomas Browne; John Crooke; William Meredith;
Stephen Egerton; Richard Lee; ... Smith; William Paddy; William de
Lavine; Francis Hinson; John Edwards; Andrew Lyons; Thomas Nayle; Owen
Lochard; John Robbinson; Thomas Homes; Richard Feild; William Watts;
Henry Boice; Edward Ley; John Clarke; William Bispham; Robert Baheire;
Ezechiell Major; Harman Buckholt; John Le Mere; John Dollin; Ascanio de
Renialmire; John Wharton.
cvii.
[1596, Nov. Extract from Petition of _c._ Jan. 1619 from
Constables and Inhabitants of Blackfriars to Lord Mayor and
Aldermen, printed in _M. S. C._ i. 90, from _Remembrancia_, v.
28; cf. Bk. iv, s.v. Blackfriars.]
Sheweth That whereas in Nouember 1596, diuers both honorable persons
and others then inhabitinge the said precinct, made knowne to the
Lordes and others of the privie Counsell, what inconveniencies
where likelie to fall vpon them, by a common Playhouse which was
then preparinge to bee erected there, wherevpon their Honours then
forbadd the vse of the said howse, for playes, as by the peticion and
indorsemente in aunswere thereof may appeare.
cviii.
[1597, May 6. Privy Council Minute, printed Dasent, xxvii. 97.]
A letter to the High Sheriff of Suffolk, William Foorth, John Gurdall
and ---- Clopton, esquires. We do understand by your letter of the third
of this instant of a purpose in the towne of Hadley to make certaine
stage playes at this time of the Whitson holydaies next ensuinge, and
thether to draw a concourse of people out of the country thereaboutes,
pretending heerein the benefit of the towne, which purpose we do
utterly mislike, doubting what inconveniences may follow thereon,
especially at this tyme of scarcety, when disordred people of the comon
sort wilbe apt to misdemeane themselves. We do therefore require you
straightly to prohibite the officers and all others in the towne of
Hadley not (_sic_) to goe forward with the sayd playes and to
cause the stage prepared for them to be plucked downe, letting them
know that they are to obey this our order as they will answere it at
their perill. We thanck you for the care you take to keepe the country
in good order. And so, &c.
cix.
[1597, July 28. The Lord Mayor and Aldermen to the Privy
Council, printed _M. S. C._ i. 78, from _Remembrancia_, ii. 171.]
[Sidenote: To the Lords against Stage playes.]
Our humble dutyes remembred to your good LL. & the rest. Wee haue
signifyed to your HH. many tymes heartofore the great inconvenience
which wee fynd to grow by the Common exercise of Stage Playes. Wee
presumed to doo, aswell in respect of the dutie wee beare towardes her
highnes for the good gouernment of this her Citie, as for conscience
sake, beinge perswaded (vnder correction of your HH. iudgment) that
neither in politie nor in religion they are to be suffered in a
Christian Commonwealth, specially beinge of that frame & matter as
vsually they are, conteining nothinge but prophane fables, lascivious
matters, cozeninge devises, & scurrilus beehaviours, which are so set
forth as that they move wholie to imitation & not to the auoydinge of
those faults & vices which they represent. Amonge other inconveniences
it is not the least that they give opportunity to the refuze sort of
euill disposed & vngodly people, that are within and abowte this Cytie,
to assemble themselves & to make their matches for all their lewd &
vngodly practices; being as heartofore wee haue fownd by th’examinaton
of divers apprentices & other seruantes whoe have confessed vnto vs
that the said Staige playes were the very places of theire Randevous
appoynted by them to meete with such otheir as wear to ioigne with them
in theire designes & mutinus attemptes, beeinge allso the ordinarye
places for maisterles men to come together & to recreate themselves.
For avoyding wheareof wee are now againe most humble & earnest sutours
to your honours to dirrect your lettres aswell to our selves as to the
Iustices of peace of Surrey & Midlesex for the present staie & fynall
suppressinge of the saide Stage playes, aswell at the Theatre, Curten,
and banckside, as in all other places in and abowt the Citie, Wheareby
wee doubt not but, th’opportunitie & the very cause of many disorders
beinge taken away, wee shalbee more able to keepe the worse sort of
such evell & disordered people in better order then heartofore wee haue
been. And so most humbly wee take our leaves. From London the xxviijth
of Iulie. 1597.
Your HH most humble.
[Sidenote: The inconueniences that grow by Stage playes abowt the Citie
of London.]
1. They are a speaciall cause of corrupting their Youth, conteninge
nothinge but vnchast matters, lascivious devices, shiftes of Coozenage,
& other lewd & vngodly practizes, being so as that they impresse the
very qualitie & corruption of manners which they represent, Contrary to
the rules & art prescribed for the makinge of Comedies eaven amonge the
Heathen, who vsed them seldom & at certen sett tymes, and not all the
year longe as our manner is. Whearby such as frequent them, beinge of
the base & refuze sort of people or such young gentlemen as haue small
regard of credit or conscience, drawe the same into imitacion and not
to the avoidinge the like vices which they represent.
2. They are the ordinary places for vagrant persons, Maisterles men,
thieves, horse stealers, whoremongers, Coozeners, Conycatchers,
contrivers of treason, and other idele and daungerous persons to meet
together & to make theire matches to the great displeasure of Almightie
God & the hurt & annoyance of her Maiesties people, which cannot be
prevented nor discovered by the Gouernours of the Citie for that they
are owt of the Citiees iurisdiction.
3. They maintaine idlenes in such persons as haue no vocation & draw
apprentices and other seruantes from theire ordinary workes and all
sortes of people from the resort vnto sermons and other Christian
exercises, to the great hinderance of traides & prophanation of
religion established by her highnes within this Realm.
4. In the time of sicknes it is fownd by experience, that many hauing
sores and yet not hart sicke take occasion hearby to walk abroad & to
recreat themselves by heareinge a play. Whearby others are infected,
and them selves also many things miscarry.
cx.
[1597, July 28. Privy Council Minute, printed Dasent, xxvii.
313.]
A letter to Robert Wrothe, William Fleetwood, John Barne, Thomas
Fowler and Richard Skevington, esquires, and the rest of the Justices
of Middlesex nerest to London. Her Majestie being informed that there
are verie greate disorders committed in the common playhouses both
by lewd matters that are handled on the stages and by resorte and
confluence of bad people, hathe given direction that not onlie no
plaies shalbe used within London or about the citty or in any publique
place during this tyme of sommer, but that also those play houses that
are erected and built only for suche purposes shalbe plucked downe,
namelie the Curtayne and the Theatre nere to Shorditch or any other
within that county. Theis are therfore in her Majesty’s name to chardge
and commaund you that you take present order there be no more plaies
used in any publique place within three myles of the citty untill
Alhalloutide next, and likewyse that you do send for the owners of the
Curtayne Theatre or anie other common playhouse and injoyne them by
vertue hereof forthwith to plucke downe quite the stages, gallories
and roomes that are made for people to stand in, and so to deface the
same as they maie not be ymploied agayne to suche use, which yf they
shall not speedely perform you shall advertyse us, that order maie
be taken to see the same don according to her Majesty’s pleasure and
commaundment. And hereof praying you not to faile, we, &c.
The like to Mr. Bowier, William Gardyner and Bartholomew Scott,
esquires, and the rest of the Justices of Surrey, requiring them to
take the like order for the playhouses in the Banckside, in Southwarke
or elswhere in the said county within iij^e miles of London.
cxi.
[1597, Aug. 15. Privy Council Minute, printed Dasent, xxvii.
338.]
A letter to Richard Topclyfe, Thomas Fowler and Richard Skevington,
esquires, Doctour Fletcher and Mr. Wilbraham. Uppon informacion given
us of a lewd plaie that was plaied in one of the plaiehowses on the
Bancke Side, contanynge very seditious and sclanderous matter, wee
caused some of the players to be apprehended and comytted to pryson,
whereof one of them was not only an actor but a maker of parte of the
said plaie. For as moche as yt ys thought meete that the rest of the
players or actors in that matter shalbe apprehended to receave soche
punyshment as theire leude and mutynous behavior doth deserve, these
shalbe therefore to require you to examine those of the plaiers that
are comytted, whose names are knowne to you, Mr. Topclyfe, what ys
become of the rest of theire fellowes that either had theire partes in
the devysinge of that sedytious matter or that were actors or plaiers
in the same, what copies they have given forth of the said playe and
to whome, and soch other pointes as you shall thincke meete to be
demaunded of them, wherein you shall require them to deale trulie as
they will looke to receave anie favour. Wee praie you also to peruse
soch papers as were fownde in Nash his lodgings, which Ferrys, a
Messenger of the Chamber, shall delyver unto you, and to certyfie us
th’examynacions you take. So, &c.
cxii.
[1597, Oct. 8. Privy Council Minute, printed Dasent, xxviii. 33.
A note dates the actual signing of the warrants on Oct. 3.]
A warrant to the Keeper of the Marshalsea to release Gabriell Spencer
and Robert Shaa, stage-players, out of prison, who were of lat comitted
to his custodie.
The like warrant for the releasing of Benjamin Johnson.
cxiii.
[1598, Feb. 9. Extract from _An Acte for punyshment of Rogues
Vagabondes and Sturdy Beggars_ (_39 Eliz._ c. 4, printed in
_Statutes_, iv. 899). The Act was continued, subject as regards
John Dutton to legal proof of his claim, by _43 Eliz._ c. 9, in
1601 (_St._ iv. 973).]
[§ 1.] From and after the Feaste of Easter next comminge [16 April
1598], all Statutes heretofore made for the punyshment of Rogues
Vagabondes or Sturdy Beggers ... shall ... be utterly repealed....
[§ 2.] All Fencers Bearewardes common Players of Enterludes and
Minstrelles wandring abroade (other than Players of Enterludes
belonging to any Baron of this Realme, or any other honorable Personage
of greater Degree, to be auctoryzed to play, under the Hand and Seale
of Armes of such Baron or Personage) ... shalbe taken adjudged and
deemed Rogues Vagabondes and Sturdy Beggers, and shall susteyne such
Payne and Punyshment as by this Acte is in that behalfe appointed.
[§ 3.] Every person which is by this presente Acte declared to be
a Rogue Vagabonde or Sturdy Begger, which shalbe ... taken begging
vagrant wandering or mysordering themselves in any part of this Realme
..., shall uppon their apprehension by thappoyntment of any Justice of
the Peace Constable Hedborough or Tythingman of the same County Hundred
Parish or Tything where suche person shalbe taken, the Tythingman or
Headborow being assisted therein with thadvise of the Minister and one
other of that Parrish, be stripped naked from the middle upwardes and
shall be openly whipped untill his or her body be bloudye, and shalbe
forthwith sent from Parish to Parish by the Officers of every the same,
the nexte streighte way to the Parish where he was borne, if the same
may be knowen by the Partyes confession or otherwyse; and yf the same
be not knowen, then to the Parish where he or she last dwelte before
the same Punyshment by the space of one whole yeare, there to put him
or her selfe to labour as a true Subject ought to do; or not being
knowen where he or she was borne or last dwelte, then to the Parish
through which he or she last passed without Punyshment.