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ANNALS OF THE STAGE,

FROM THE YEAR 1599 TO THE END OF THE
REIGN OF ELIZABETH.

THE building of the Fortune play-house in Goldinglane, which was undertaken in 1599 by the celebrated Edward Alleyn, in conjunction with Philip Henslowe, seems to have given fresh alarm to the enemies of theatrical performances, and fresh vigour to their representations against them. Complaints were exhibited upon the subject to the Privy Council, and the result was an order, which if it had been literally carried into execution, would have operated as a most severe restriction: it is one of the most important documents connected with the stage contained in the Council Registers, from which so many curious particulars have been gleaned. We have before seen, that the number of companies allowed to perform in Feb. 1597-8, were only two, and the order to which I am now referring limits the theatres to two also, viz. the Globe, on the Bankside, Surrey, and the Fortune in Golding-lane, Middlesex, then in a course of construction. The Globe was to be occupied by the players of the Lord Chamberlain, and the Fortune by those of the Lord Admiral, at the head of whom was Edward Alleyn: each was allowed to be open twice in the week, but not at all on Sundays, nor during Lent.

The document itself, the particular wording of which deserves attention, is inserted in a note below*.

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*From the Council Register of 22d of June, 1600, quoted by Chalmers, Apology, p. 406.

'Whereas divers complaints have been heretofore made unto the 'Lords, and others of her Majesty's privy council, of the manifold 'abuses and disorders, that have grown and do continue by occasion of many houses, erected, and employed in, & about, the city of London, 'for common stage plays: and now very lately, by reason of some complaints exhibited by sundry persons against the building of the like house in or near Golding-lane, by one Edward Allen, a servant ' of the right honble the Lord Admiral, the matter as well in generalty C touching all the said houses for stage plays, and the use of playing, 'as in particular concerning the said house now in hand to be built in or near Golding-lane, hath been brought into question and consulta'tion among their Lordships. Forasmuch as it is manifestly known, ' and granted that the multitude of the said houses, and the misgo'vernment of them hath been, and is daily occasion of the idle, ' riotous and dissolute living of great numbers of people, that leaving 'all such honest and painful course of life as they should follow, do meet " and assemble there, and of many particular abuses and disorders that 'do thereupon ensue. And yet nevertheless it is considered, that the use ' and exercise of such plays (not being evil in itself) may, with a good 'order and moderation, be suffered in a well-governed state; and ' that her Majesty being pleased sometimes to take delight and recrea❝tion in the sight & hearing of them, some order is fit to be taken, for the allowance and maintenance of such persons, as are thought 'meetest in that kind to yield her Majesty recreation and delight, & <consequently of the houses that must serve for public playing to keep them in exercise. To the end, therefore, that both the great 'abuses of the plays and playing-houses may be redressed, & yet the 'aforesaid use & moderation of them retained, the Lords and the ' rest of her Majesty's privy council, with one & full consent, have ' ordered in manner & form as followeth :

'First: That there shall be about the city two houses, and no more, allowed to serve for the use of the common stage plays; of the

In May, 1601, the Lord Admiral's servants had quitted the Curtain theatre for the new house called the Fortune; but we find, notwithstanding, by a

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'which houses, one shall be in Surrey, in that place which is commonly 'called The Bankside, or thereabouts, and the other in Middlesex. And 'for as much as their Lordships have been informed by Edmund Tilney, Esq. her Majesty's servant & Master of the Revels, that the 'house now in hand to be built by the said Edward Allen, is not 'intended to increase the number of the play-houses, but to be instead ' of another (namely the Curtain) which is either to be ruined, and 'plucked down, or to be put to some other good use, as also that the 'situation thereof is meet and convenient for that purpose; it is like'wise ordered, that the said house of Allen shall be allowed to be one of the two houses, and namely for the house to be allowed ' in Middlesex for the company of players belonging to the Lord " Admiral, so as the house called the Curtain be (as it is pretended) ' either ruinated or applied to some other good use. And for the ' other house to be allowed on the Surrey side, whereas their Lordships are pleased to permit, to the company of players, that shall play there, to make their own choice, which they will have, of divers 'houses that are there, choosing one of them and no more. And the 'said company of players, being the servants of the Lord Chamberlain 'that are to play there, have made choice of the house called The Globe; 'it is ordered that the said house, and none other, shall be there 'allowed: and especially it is forbidden, that any stage plays shall be 'played (as sometimes they have been) in any common inn for public 'assembly in, or near about the city.

'Secondly, Forasmuch as these stage plays, by the multitude of 'houses & company of players, have been so frequent, not serving for ' recreation, but inviting & calling the people daily from their trade & 'work to mispend their time; it is likewise ordered, that the two 'several companies of players assigned unto the two houses allowed, may play each of them in their several houses twice a week, & no oftener and especially they shall refrain to play on the Sabbath day, upon pain of imprisonment & further penalty. And that they shall 'forbear altogether in the time of Lent, and likewise at such time and

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letter addressed from the Privy Council to certain Justices of the Peace of the county of Middlesex,' dated on the 10th May, 1601, that the Curtain still continued open for the representation of plays, the Lords being ignorant by what company of actors it was occupied. We learn also from the same communication, that the actors had even ventured to bring upon the stage living characters, in consequence of which the Magistrates were directed to forbid their playing the objectionable piece, and, if necessary, to take bond of them to answer for their misconduct. Nothing is said, however, regarding the suppression of the company, though it belonged neither to the Lord Chamberlain, nor to the Lord Admiral *.

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times as any extraordinary sickness, or infection of disease, shall appear to be in or about the city.

'Thirdly. Because the orders will be of little force and effect, unless ( they be duly put in execution by those unto whom it appertaineth 'to see them executed; it is ordered, that several copies of these orders 'shall be sent to the Lord Mayor of London, and to the justices of the 6 peace in the counties of Middlesex and Surrey, and that letters shall 'be written unto them from their Lordships, strictly charging them to ( see to the execution of the same, as well by committing to prison any ' owners of playhouses, and players, as shall disobey and resist these orders, as by any other good and lawful means, that in their discre'tion they shall find expedient, and to certify their Lordships from ' time to time, as they shall see cause, of their proceedings herein.' *The letter is in the following form :

'10 May, 1601.

'We do understand, that certaine players, that use to recyte their 'playes at the Curtaine in Moorefields, do represent upon the stage in 'their interludes the persons of some gent. of good desert and quality,

Although the order of the Privy Council of the 22d June, 1600, was enclosed to the Lord Mayor and the Justices of Middlesex and Surrey, with directions that it should be enforced, it is singular, as far as we can now learn, that not a single step was taken to carry it into execution; as if, while the Court was disposed to restrain the immoderate use of plays, the Lord Mayor and his brethren, as well as the other magistrates, had entirely changed their sentiments, and now thought it a hardship upon the players, that the Privy Council should listen to the representations of the Puritans against them. The evil, such as it was, accordingly increased, in the multitude of play'houses and stage-plays in and about the city of London.' This fact is asserted in two letters, of the same tenor, to the Justices of Middlesex and Surrey, dated 31st December, 1601, in which severe blame is

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'that are yet alive, under obscure manner, but yet in such sorte as all 'the hearers may take notice both of the matter, and the persons that are meant thereby. This being a thing very unfitte, offensive, & 'contrary to such directions as have bin heretofore taken, that no 'playes should be openly shewed, but such as were first perused & allowed, & that might minister no occasion of offence or scandall, wee do hereby require you, that you do forthwith forbidd those 'players, to whomsoever they appertaine, that do play at the Courtaine ' in Moorefieldes, to represent any such play, & that you will examine 'them who made that play, & to shew the same unto you, and as you ' in your discretions shall thinke the same unfitte to be publiquely 'shewed to forbidd them from henceforth to play the same, eyther 'privately or publiquely. And if upon viewe of the said play, you 'shall find the subject so odious and inconvenient as is informed, we ' require you to take bond of the cheafest of them to aunswere their rashe & indiscreete dealing before us, &c.

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