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261

ANNALS OF THE STAGE,

FROM THE YEAR 1585 TO THE YEAR 1599.

IN the year 1585 a licence of some kind (for the nature of it is not mentioned, nor the parties A. D. by, nor to whom it was given) had been 1585. granted for the exhibition of certain games; and it is to be gathered from a long letter by Fleetwood to Lord Burghley, that the latter had asked his opinion, as a lawyer, upon the legality of the instrument *. The Recorder's reply is dated 13th November, 1585, and in it he says, that the licence had a great shewe ' of lawful and reasonable games, that at the first 'face would seem to be sufferable; but in the end of 'the resytall there is a clawse-the which, by gene' rallitie of the words, doth geve lycence to practyse ' all manner of playes and unlawfull games,' and that, too, as he proceeds to shew, by the party obtaining the licence or by his deputy, on the Sabbath day. The kind of games or playes' intended is not specified, but Fleetwood gives it as his opinion that such a licence is illegal, and adds that no licence can be legally granted for a malum naturaliter de se.

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Lansdown MSS. No. 41.

Secretary Walsingham* had also intelligencers, or spies, in London in his pay, who dispatched news to

*After entertaining Queen Elizabeth at Barn Elms in 1589, Sir Francis Walsingham died so poor, in April, 1590, that his effects would not pay the expense of a funeral suitable to his rank. Thomas Watson's elegant tribute to his memory on the occasion, was therefore disinterested, at least as far as regards any pecuniary consideration for it. It was written originally in Latin, but the author himself translated it into English, and printed it in the same year. This translation is a production of the utmost rarity, and the only copy known is in the King's Library: it is entitled An Eglogue upon the Death of the Right Honorable Sir Francis Walsingham, late Principall Secretarie to her Majestie, &c., and it was printed by Robert Robinson in 1590. It is dedicated to Lady Frances Sydney, and in the course of the pastoral Watson takes occasion to advert to the services and untimely death of Sir Philip Sydney. The latter part of the poem is most interesting, particularly from the mention it makes of Spenser, calling upon him to perform a task to which he (Watson) felt himself unequal. As I have never seen it quoted, I cannot refrain from inserting this portion of the poem as it stands in the original. Watson figures Queen Elizabeth under the name of Diana, and then proceeds.

'Yet lest my homespun verse obscure hir worth,
'Sweet Spencer let me leave this task to thee,
'Whose neverstooping quill can best set forth
'such things of state, as passe my Muse and me.
'Thou, Spencer, art the alderliefest swaine,

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or haply if that word be all to base,
'Thou art Apollo, whose sweet hunnie vaine

' amongst the Muses hath a chiefest place.
Therefore, in fulnes of thy duties love,
'calme thou the tempest of Diana's brest,
'Whilst shee for Melibæus late remove

' afflicts her mind with overlong unrest.
'Till hir forthwith (for well shee likes thy vaine)

'that though great Melibæus be awaie,
'Yet like to him there manie still remaine,
'which will uphold hir countrie from decaie.

him from time to time: one of these, who states himself to be a soldier, and who does not sign his name, on the 25th January, 1586, sent him a communica- A. D. tion, in which, with information and conjectures 1586. respecting the designs of France and Scotland, he mixes up the following interesting particulars regarding the stage; shewing the great number of actors at that time performing in the city, and that they then played every day in the week, Sunday excepted.

'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

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theareof, and not without cause; for every day in the

'First name Damotas, flowre of Arcadie,

'whose thoughts are prudent & speech vertuous,
'Whose looks have mildness joind with majestie,
'whose hand is liberal and valorous:

"He is Damotas, who is wont to blame
'extreamest justice voide of equitie :
'Diana terms him by an other name,
'Hatton, unless I faile in memorie.

'Then name old Damon, whom shee knows of old,
'for such a Nestor was to Græcians guide;
'Worth ten of Ajax, worth all Crœssus gold,

'if his deserts in ballance could be tride.

‹ Damon is he, that counsels all aright,

' and heedfullie preserves Dianaes store;
'And wakes when others rest themselvs by night:
6 we Arcads call him Cecill heretofore.

'Then name brave Ægon, that with ships defence,
' about our coast orespreds the Ocean plaines,
'To keepe fell monsters of the sea from hence:

we cleape him Howard that are countrie swaines.
'Name Mopsus, Daphnis, Faustus and the rest,

'whose severall gifts thy singing can expresse. 'When thou shalt tell how shee in them is blest, 'their verie names will comfort her distresse.

weake the players billes are sett up in sondry places of the cittie, some in the name of her Majesties 6 menne, some the Earl of Leic', 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, wheareat 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

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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 tol'lerated, 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

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penne; but God (who searchith the hart & reynes) ⚫ knoweth that I write not hipocritically, but from the veary sorrowe of my soule*.'

In 1586, Elizabeth, following the arbitrary precedent set as long ago as the reign of Richard III.,

* Harleian MSS., No, 286,

issued a warrant under her sign manual, authorising Thomas Gyles, Master of the Children of Paul's, to take up any boys in Cathedrals or Collegiate Churches in order to be instructed for the entertainment of the Court. Mr. Nichols (Progr. Eliz., ii., 432) states, that this document was issued in the 26th of Eliz. ; but, had he referred to the original, a copy of which I have subjoined in a note*, he would have seen that it bears date in the 27th of Eliz.

'Elizabeth R.

*BY THE QUEENE.

'Whereas we have authoryzed our servaunte Thomas Gyles, 'Mr of the Children of the Cathedrall Churche of St. Paule, within our 'Cittie of London, to take upp suche apte and meete children, as are 'most fitt to be instructed and framed in the arte and science of 'musicke and singing, as may be had and founde out within anie 'place of this our Realme of England or Wales, to be by his education ' and bringing up made meete and hable to serve us in that behalf, 'when our pleasure is to call for them. We, therefore, by the tenor of 'these presents, will and require you, that ye permitt and suffer from 'henceforthe our saide servaunte Thomas Gyles, and his deputy or 'deputies, and every of them, to take upp in anye Cathedrall or Col'legiate Churche or Churches, and in everye other place or places of this our Realme of England and Wales, such Childe or Children, as he or they or anye of them shall finde and like of; and the same 'Childe and Children, by vertue hereof, for the use and service afore'saide, with them or anye of them to bringe awaye, without anye your 'letts, contradictions, staye or interruption, to the contrarye. Charginge ' and commaundinge you, and everie of you, to be aydinge helpinge and 'assistinge unto the abovenamed Thomas Gyles, and his deputie & 'deputies, in and about the due execution of the premisses, for the more spedie effectuall and bettar accomplisshing thereof from tyme to 'tyme, as you and everie of you doe tendar our will & pleasure, and ' will aunswere for doinge the contrarye at your perills. Yoven under

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