We have no positive evidence as to the result of this contest between the Court and City, but it is to

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'corruptions of youthe, and other enormyties; besydes that allso soun

drye slaughters and mayeminges of the Quenes Subjectes have hap 'pened by ruines of Skaffoldes, fframes and Stagies, and by engynes, weapons and powder used in plaies. And whear in tyme of Goddes visitacion by the plaigue suche assemblies of the people in thronge and presse have beene verye daungerous for spreadinge of Infection, 6 and for the same, and other greate cawses, by the authoritie of the 'honorable ld. maiors of this Cyttie and thaldermen their brethern, ' and speciallye vppon the severe and earneste admonition of the ls. of 'the moste honorable Councell, wth signifyenge of her Maties expresse 'pleasure and comaundemente in that behalfe, suche vse of playes, "Interludes and shewes hathe beene duringe this tyme of syckenes 'forbydden and restrayned. And for that the lorde Maior and his bretheren thaldermen, together wth the grave and discrete Citizens in the Comen Councell assemblyd, doo doughte and feare leaste vppon 'Goddes mercyfull wthdrawinge his hand of syckenes from vs (wch 'God graunte) the people, speciallye the meaner and moste vnrewlye 6 sorte, should wth sodayne forgettinge of his visytacion, wthowte feare ' of goddes wrathe, and whowte deowe respecte of the good and politique meanes, that he hathe ordeyned for the preservacon of comen weales ' and peoples in healthe and good order, retourne to the vndewe vse of 6 suche enormyties, to the greate offence of God, the Qeeenes maties co'maundemets and good governance. Nowe therefore to the intent that 'suche perilles maie be avoyded, and the lawfull, honest, and comelye of plaies, pastymes, and recreacons in good sorte onelye pmitted, ' and good pvision hadd for the saiftie and well orderynge of the people 'thear assemblydd: Be yt enacted by the Authoritie of this Comen 6 Counsell, that from henceforthe no playe, comodye, tragidie enter'lude, nor publycke shewe shalbe openlye played or shewed wthin the 'liberties of the Cittie, whearin shalbe vttered anie wourdes, examples, 'or doynges of anie vnchastitie, sedicion, nor suche lyke vnfytt, and 'yncomelye matter, vppon paine of imprisonment by the space of 'xiiijten daies of all psons offendinge in anie suche open playinge, or

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vse

:

be doubted, whether players at any period obtained a positive, and an unresisted settlement within the

'shewinges, and v1i. for evrie suche offence. And that no Inkeper Ta'vernkeper, nor other pson whatsoevr wthin the liberties of thys Cittie 'shall openlye shewe, or playe, nor cawse or suffer to be openlye shewed or played wthin the hous yarde or anie other place wthin the liberties of 'this Cyttie, anie playe enterlude comodye, tragidie, matter, or shewe 'wch shall not be firste perused, and allowed in suche order and fourme, and by suche psons as by the Lorde Maior and courte of Aldermen 'for the tyme being shalbe appoynted, nor shalle suffer to be enterlaced, ‹ added, mynglydd, or vttered in anie suche playe, enterlude, comodye, tragidie or shewe, anie other matter then suche as shalbe firste perused ' and allowed, as ys abovesaid. And that no pson shall suffer anie 'plays, enterludes, comodyes, tragidies or shewes to be played or 'shewed in his hous, yarde, or other place, wheareof he then shall have 'rule or power, but onelye suche psons, and in suche places, as apon good and reasonable consideracions shewed, shalbe thearvnto permitted ' and allowed by the lord maior and Aldermen for the tyme being: 'neither shall take or vse anie benifitt, or advantage of suche permission or allowaunces, before or vntill suche pson be bound 'to the Chamberlaine of London for the tyme beinge wth suche suerties, and in suche Sume, and suche fourme for the keepinge 'of good order, and avoydinge of the discordes and inconvenyences ' abovesaid, as by the Lorde Maior and Courte of Aldermen for the " tyme beinge shall seeme convenyent; neither shall vse or execute anie 'suche lycence, or permission at or in anie tymes in wch the same for 'anie reasonable consideracon of sycknes or otherwise, shalbe by the

lorde Maior and aldermen, by publique pelamacion or by pcept to 'suche psons, restrayned or comaunded to staye and cease; nor in anie 'vsuall tyme of Dyvyne Service in the soundaie or hollydaie, nor " receyve anie to that purpose in tyme of Service to se the same, apon payne to forfecte for evrie offence vli. And be yt enacted, that evrie pson so to be lycensed or pmitted shall during the tyme of suche con'tynuaunce of suche lycens or pmission, paye or cawse to be paid, to the vse of the poore in hospitalles of the Cyttie, or of the poore of the Cyttie visyted wth sycknes, by the dyscretion of the said lorde Maior ·

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bounds of the authority of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen; and shortly after Dec., 1575, we meet with

' and Aldermen, suche somes and paymentes, and in suche forme as 'betwen the lord Maior and Aldermen for the tyme beinge, on th❜onne 6 partie, and suche pson so to be lycensed or pmitted, on thother partie, 'shalbe agreed, apon payne that in waunte of everie suche paymente, or if suche pson shall not firste be bound with good suerties to the Chamberlayne of London for the tyme beinge for the trewe payment ' of such Somes to the poore, that then everye suche lycence or pmission 'shalbe vtterlye voide, and everie doinge by force or cullor of suche lycence or pmission, shalbe adjudged an offence againste this acte in 'suche manner as if no suche lycence or pmission hadd benne hadd, nor made, aine suche lycence or pmission to the contrarye notwth. standinge. And be yt lykewise enacted, that all somes and forfey'tures to be incurrydd for anie offence against this Acte, and all forfeytures of bondes to be taken by force, meane, or occasyon of this 'Acte, shalbe ymployed to the reliefe of the poore in the hospitalles of 'this Cittie, or the poore infected or diseased in this Cittie of London, 6 as the Lorde Maior and Courte of Aldermen for the tyme beinge 'shall adjudge meete to be distributed: and that the Chamberlayne of 'London shall have and recover the same to the purpozies aforesaid ' by Bill, Plainte, Acion of debt, or ynformacon to be comenced and 'pursewed in his owne name in the Courte of the vtter Chamber of the ' Guildhall of London, called the Maiors Courte, in wch sute no essoine nor wager of law for the Defendaunte shalbe admittyd or allowed. 6 Provydid allwaie that this Acte (otherwise then touchinge the publishing of unchaste, sedycious, and vnmete matters) shall not extend 'to anie plaies Enterludes Comodies, Tragidies or shewes to be played or shewed in the pryvate hous, dwellinge, or lodginge of anie nobleman, citizen, or gentleman, wch shall or will then have the same thear

6

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so played or shewed in his presence, for the festyvitie of anie marriage, assemblye of ffiendes, or otherlyke cawse, whowte publique or comen 'collection of money of the auditoric, or behoulders theareof; referringe alwaie to the Lorde Maior and Aldermen for the tyme beinge the 'Judgement, and construction accordinge to equitie, what shalbe counted

a set of printed Orders appointed to be executed in ⚫ the Cittie of London,' one of which refers directly to the matter at issue, and looks as if the perseverance of the authorities there, in their hostility to plays and players, had, for a time at least, been successful. One of them is in the following terms:

For as much as the playing of enterludes, and the resort to the same, are very daungerous for the infec❝tion of the plague, wherby infinite burdens and losses to the Citty may increase, and are very hurtfull in 6 corruption of youth with incontinence and lewdnes, and also great wasting both of the time and thrift ' of many poore people, and great provoking of the wrath of God, the ground of all plagues, great withdrawing of the people from publique prayer, and from the service of God, and daily cried out against 'by the preachers of the word of God; therefore it is ordered, that all such enterludes in publique places, and the resort to the same, shall wholy be prohibited as ungodly, and humble sute made to the Lords, that lyke prohibition be in places neere unto the Cittie *' This order is in the very spirit of the Act of Common Council,' and almost follows it in some of its terms: it treats the matter, as if the Lords of the Privy

6

'such a playenge or shewing in a pryvate place, anie thinge in this 'Acte to the contrarie notwthstanding.'

From Orders appointed to be executed in the Cittie of London 'for setting roges and idle persons to worke, and for the releefe of the 'poore.'-' At London, printed by Hugh Singleton, dwelling in Smith 'fielde at the signe of the Golden Tunne.' n. d.

Council had no power to interfere with the regulations of the city, and as if the Lord Mayor and Aldermen had a right to call upon their Lordships to second their views by abolishing plays in the suburbs.

The same volume of MSS. which contains the 'Act of Common Council' of 1575* also contains a petition from the Queen's Players to the Privy Council, indorsed with the date of the same year: it was, doubtless, presented in that year, and has immediate reference to the refusal of the Lord Mayor to allow them to perform within the city. It appears on the same authority, that the Justices of Middlesex had also interposed with a similar view, as respected places within their jurisdiction. The petition, which I subjoin, and an extract only from which is given by Strype, makes mention of certain articles' which accompanied it, which are now lost :

To the Right Honorable the Lordes of her

'Maties Privie Counsell.'

In most humble manner beseche yo' Lls yo' dutifull ' and daylie Orators the Queenes Maties poore Players. 'Whereas the tyme of our service draweth verie neere, so that of necessitie wee must needes have exercise to enable us the better for the same, and also for our ❝ better helpe and relief in our poore lyvinge, the ceason of the yere beynge past to playe att anye of the 'houses wthout the Cittye of London† as in our articles

*Lansdown MSS. No. 20.

Hence we may decide that this petition, which is without date, was sent to the Privy Council on the approach of winter, the Queen's