Mr. Hunter's Hallamshire, fol. 1819, p. 59, I find a mention of Wilson as quidam Leycestrii comitis servus. The letter relates to theatrical entertainments before the Earl of Shrewsbury at Sheffield Castle. I have elsewhere mentioned Henslowe's entry regarding the play of Catiline's Conspiracy by Wilson and others, and I will here quote the whole of what Lodge says, in his Defence of Plays, regarding the production by Wilson upon the same subject prior to 1579, anterior to which year Stephen Gosson (whom Lodge is answering) had also written a play named Catiline's Conspiracies. Part of it I have before cited, but I accidentally omitted what relates to Wilson Tell me, Gosson, (says Lodge,) was all your own you • wrote there? [i.e., in his Catiline's Conspiracies.] Did you 'borrow nothing of your neighbours? Out of what booke patched you out Cicero's oration? Whence fet you Catalin's ' invective? Thys is one thing-alienam olet lucerna non tuam, so that your helper may wisely reply upon you with Virgil"Hos ego versiculos feci, tulit alter honores." "I made these verses-other bear the name." Believe me, I should preferr Wilson's shorte and sweete, if I were a judge—a peece surely worthy prayse, the practise of a ' good scholler: would the wiser would overlooke that, they I may perhaps cull some wisedome out of a player's toye. Well, as it is wisedome to commend where the cause requireth, so it is a poynt of folly to praise without desert.' CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME. ANNALS OF THE STAGE From the earliest time to Henry VIII.. FITZSTEPHEN and Matthew Paris. Miracle-play of St. Katherine, 1119. Feast of Corpus Christi, 1264. Minstrels, and their rewards, 1333. Miracle-plays in London, 1378. Miracle-plays of St. George in 1416. Minstrels of Henry VI. in 1445. Players of interludes in 3 and 4 Edw. IV. Players, &c. of Richard III., and of the Children of the chapel, 1467 and 1482. Players of interludes, &c. of Henry VII. Players of the Prince and the Queen. The King's and Queen's Minstrels, 1494. Disguisings and revels temp. Hen. VII. Sir Henry Guildford, temporary Master R. Gibson, J. English, H. Medwall, and The King's old and new players. The King's books of payments to 1521. The King's minstrels, and their wages. William Peeres interlude-maker to the Comedy of Plautus before Henry VIII. Revels before Princess Mary, 1522. William Crane, Master of tne Chapel. The Duke of Richmond's rewards, 152 Revels under Sir Henry Guildford an Play at Gray's Inn before Wolsey, 152 Luther brought upon the stage. Robert of Cicily played at Chester, 15 John Heywood's Interludes, 1530, Proclamation against Interludes, 1533. Sir David Lindsay's Three Estaitis, 1539 Players committed to the Counter, 1543. Stat. 34 & 35 Henry VIII., c. i. Thomas Wylley's letter to Cromwell. d The King's musicians and players, 1547. Will Somers, jester to Henry VIII. and Proclamation against plays, &c., 1549. ters, 1552. The play of Æsop's Crow, by G. Ferrers. William Baldwin and his play, 1553. Proclamation by Queen Mary against interludes, 1553. Plays suppressed for two years. A Sack full of News. Plays and players in London, 1557. Mask and feats of activity, before the Miracle-plays in London, in 1557. Proclamation against plays, 1558. Children of the Chapel of Windsor. The Queen's musicians and players, 1562. Ferrex and Porrex, and Julius Cæsar. Masks, &c. for the meeting of Elizabeth and Mary Queen of Scots, 1562. Grindall's hostility to plays and players, Edwards's tragedy, &c. before the Queen. Palamon and Arcyte, by Richard Ed- Gray's-Inn Plays and court revels. Stat. 14 Eliz. c. 5, against the players of Plays before the French ambassadors, Thomas Blagrave, chief officer of the Patent to James Burbadge and others, From the year 1575 to the year 1585.. Lord Mayor and Corporation of London opposed to theatrical performances. Petition of the Queen's players. Remedies for the evil of plays, 1576. Players expelled from the City. Building of Blackfriars play-house by James Burbadge and others, 1576. The Theatre and Curtain in Moorfields. ham. Sir Jerome Bowes and his theatrical Shews, &c. at Kenilworth Castle. William Hunnis's interludes. Edmund Tylney, Master of the Revels, John Lyly's petition for the office. John Smith, an interlude player, 1581. Renewed hostility of the City to plays. Observation of the Sabbath, 1582. Accident at Paris Garden, 1583. John Field's letter to Lord Leicester. Recorder Fleetwood's reports to Lord Sir Francis Walsingham's Intelligencer's Warrant to Thomas Gyles, master of the Plays by the gentlemen of Gray's Inn. Lord Bacon's letter to Lord Burghley, Mask given by Elizabeth to James VI. Players silenced for bringing Martin Marprelate on the stage, 1589. George Peele's verses to the Queen at Theatrical performances near Cam- bridge and in the University, 1593. Repair of Blackfriars theatre in 1596. Petition by William Shakespeare, Rich- ard Burbage, and others to the Debts of the Queen's office of the revels. Personalities in Plays at the Curtain,1601. Disputes between the court and city. The Queen's players dissolved. The Lord Chamberlain's, Lord Pem- broke's, Lord Derby's, and Lord Diary of a Barrister in 1601, 1602, and Song in a mask before Elizabeth, 1602. The Queen entertained at Sir R. Cecill's Anecdote of Shakespeare and Richard Anecdotes of Ben Jonson, John Mars- Death of Queen Elizabeth, 1603. The Earl of Essex and the Queen's ring. Play concerning the Marquis d'Ancre, Plays during the King's progress, 1618. The Queen's Servants of her royal The King's Declaration regarding sports Blackfriars theatre, 1619. Patent in 1619 to the King's players at Sir John Astley, Master of the Revels. King's letter to cancel the patent. of some of his chief parts, 1620. Sir Henry Herbert, Deputy Master of the Revels, 1622. Plays licensed by Sir George Buc. Fatal accident at the Blackfriars, 1623. |