Holywell,' in the title of a b. 1. ballad, which was sung there, and is preserved in the Pepysian Library: it is without date, and called The Man in the Moon drinks Claret.'

6

p. 313.

Alleyn had certainly retired from the stage before 1612.] He seems to have had some concern in the Blackfriars theatre, by the subsequent entry in his Journal, called The Founder's Book of Accounts,' formerly preserved at Dulwich College. It extends from 1617 to 1622. 'Oct. 22, 1617. Pd. Mr. Travise rent for the Black Fryars, • 401. Os. Od.

He had also an interest in the Red Bull, as appears by the following:

'Oct. 3. 1617. I went to the Red Bull and rd [received] for the Younger Brother, but 3l. 68. 4d.'

The subsequent items relate to the rebuilding of the Fortune in 1622.

· April 16, 1622. Dinner at the Hart in Smithfield, wth the builders off the Fortune, 3s.

May 14. Paid the first payment for the Fortune building, 251. spent 1s. 6d.'

:

p. 321.

For Vennor read Vennard.

p. 324.

The Red Bull Theatre.'] The frontispiece to The Wits, or Sport upon Sport,' printed for Henry Marsh, 1662, represents the interior of the Red Bull Theatre, supposed to be taken from the front of the stage, the point of sight being on a level with the foot-lights. The spectators are also ranged along the sides of the stage, on which stand Falstaff and the Hostess, Claus, the French DancingMaster, the Changeling, and Simpleton the Smith, while

ANNALS OF THE STAGE,

FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES TO THE
REIGN OF HENRY VIII.

No country of Europe, since the revival of letters, has been able to produce any notice of theatrical performances of so early a date as England *. That notice was first published by Stow in his Survey of London, 1599, who discovered it in the Vita Sancti Thoma Archiepiscopi et Martyris, by William Fitzstephen. In that work the author inserts a description nobilissimæ civitatis Lundonie, which contains the following passage: Lundonia pro spectaculis theatralibus, pro ludis scenicis, ludos habet sanctiores, representationes miraculorum qua sancti confessores operati sunt, seu representationes passionum quibus claruit constantia martyrumt.

*The plays of Roswitha, a nun of Gandersheim, in Lower Saxony, who wrote at the close of the tenth century, and which are mentioned in a note by the Editor of the last edition of Warton's Hist. Eng. Poet., ii. 68, were not represented.

There is a slight difference in the mode in which these words have been translated into English. Stow gives them thus: London, 'for the shews upon theaters, and comical pastimes, hath holy playes, ' representations of miracles, which holy confessors have wrought; 'or representations of tormentes, wherein the constancie of martirs appeared.' (Survey, 1599, p. 68.) Warton renders them compenVOL. I.

B

It is probable that Fitzstephen wrote before the year 1182; and as Thomas à Becket was not killed until 1170, the author of his Life is speaking of theatrical performances in London, during the twelve years between those dates; which is bringing it to as near a point as we can expect to arrive at. Warton thought, from the mention of Henry III. in it, that Fitzstephen Idid not write his Life of Thomas à Becket until after 1216, when that King came to the throne; but Ritson has shewn that the Henry III. there spoken of was Henry the younger, son of Henry II., and grand'son of the Empress Matilda, who was crowned king in the life-time of his father*,' and who died in 1182+. If Fitzstephen, in his Description of Lon

words pro ludis scenicis: holy plays, or the repreand of the sufferings of

diously as follows, omitting to notice the 'London, for its theatrical exhibitions, has 'sentation of miracles wrought by confessors, 'martyrs.' He adds in a note, that he has construed sanctiores in a positive sense,' without stating his reason for so doing. (Hist. Eng. Poet., ii. 69, edit. 8vo.) Malone elsewhere follows Warton, but calls the representations religious plays.' (Shakespeare by Boswell, iii. 9.) The Rev. S. Pegge, who published the Description of London by Fitzstephen in 1772, translates sanctiores in a comparative sense :'London, in lieu of the ancient shews of the theatre, and the entertain'ments of the scene, has exhibitions of a more devout kind; either re'presentations of those miracles which were wrought by the holy con'fessors, or those passions and sufferings in which the martyrs so ' signally displayed their fortitude.' Fitzstephen has just before referred to the state of Rome in this respect, and seems to be drawing a comparison between the public amusements there and in London.

* Ritson's note in Warton's Hist. Eng. Poet., ii. 69, edit. 8vo.

This point is rendered still clearer by the circumstance, that

don, allude to Henry III. as still living, it would establish that he produced that part of his work prior to A. D. 1182.

It is to be inferred that these spectacula theatralia were then established performances; and it is known that, prior to 1119, the Miracle-play of St. Katherine had been represented at Dunstaple. This fact is proved by Matthew Paris and Bulæus: the former wrote his Vita Abbatum, &c. as early as 1240; where we are told, that while Geoffrey, afterwards Abbot of St. Albans, was yet a secular person, he was invited from Normandy by Richard, the then Abbot of St. Albans, to teach the school established there; that, in consequence of some delay, when Geoffrey arrived the vacant office had been filled, and that he, therefore, took up his residence at Dunstaple, and brought out the Miracle-play of St. Katherine:-Legit igitur apud Dunestaplium, expectans scholam S. Albani sibi repromissam; ubi quendam ludum de S. Katerina, (quem Miracula vulgariter appellamus) fecit; ad quæ decoranda petiit a Sacrista S. Albani, ut sibi capœ chorales accommodarentur, et obtinuit *.

Matthew

Fitzstephen states that the Henry III. whom he mentions was born in London: Prince Henry, the son of Henry II., was born in London, but Henry III., who succeeded in 1216, was born at Winchester. The double reign of Henry II. and his son is noticed in the old comedy called Looke about You, 1600, where we meet with the following stage direction: Sound trumpets, enter with a herald on one side, Henry 'the Second crowned, &c. On the other part, K. Henry, the son, crowned,' &c.

* Vit, Abb, ad calc. Histor. Major. Edit. 1640, tom. i. p. 56.

Paris proceeds to relate, that on the following night Geoffrey's house was burnt, together with the capa chorales; and considering it a judgment of heaven, 'he made himself a holocaust,' assumed the habitum religionis, and subsequently became Abbot of St. Albans.

The testimony of Bulæus, in his Historia Universitatis Parisiensis, is important in fixing the date of the representation of the play of St. Katherine. He informs us, that Geoffrey was a member of the University of Paris, and that he died in 1146, having

A. D. been raised to the dignity of Abbot of St. 1119. Albans, in 1119*. It is undoubted, that he brought out the play while he was yet at Dunstaple, and before he had assumed the religious habit; so that 1119, when he became Abbot, is the nearest date which can be fixed with certainty. Warton conjectured, that the Miracle-play of St. Katherine was represented by the scholars of Geoffrey about the year 1110 † ;' but, perhaps, it was performed even earlier, as that date would leave only nine years between his taking orders (in consequence of the fire the day after the exhibition, according to Matthew Paris) and his attainment of the highest dignity in the Monastery of St. Albans.

*Vol. ii. p. 225. Paris, 1665.

+ Hist. Eng. Poet., ii. 68. edit. 8vo. Malone, (Shakespeare, by Boswell, iii. 9,) professing to follow Warton, asserts without qualification, that the play was performed in the year 1110,' and he refers to Dr. Percy in confirmation, whose words on the contrary are, this was probably within the eleventh century.' Reliques, i. 138, edit. 1812.