others, from consulting only later impressions, have confounded the Theatre' with the play-house in Blackfriars. Recorder Fleetwood, fifteen years before Stow's Survey was published, in a letter to Lord Burghley (cited in the preceding Annals of the Stage, under the transactions of 1584), also speaks of a circumstance that had occurred 'very near the Theatre or Curtain,' as if they were contiguous. The Theatre' was called so emphatically, as a place devoted to the exhibition of dramatic representations; and the Curtain' was so named, probably, on account of the sign there hung out, indicative of the nature of the performances within.

The Blackfriars Theatre was erected in 1576, by James Burbadge and others, who had obtained the patent for playing in 1574. They commenced this undertaking in the liberties, in consequence of the Orders of the Lord Mayor and Common Council of the city in 1575, excluding players from all places within their jurisdiction. It is not mentioned by John Northbrooke, either because it was not finished when he wrote, or because it was a private house, and not so liable to objection as the two theatres he names. Stephen Gosson speaks of the Blackfriars in his Playes confuted in five Actions, printed about 1581. It continued in its original state until 1596, when it was in the hands of Richard Burbadge, Shakespeare, and others, and when it was enlarged and repaired, if not entirely rebuilt.

A theatre also existed at an early date in the liberty

of the Whitefriars, and perhaps it owed its origin to the same cause as the Blackfriars, although we have no trace of it at that period. Malone cites Richard Reulidge's Monster lately found out and discovered, printed in 1628, to show that the Whitefriars theatre was in being in 1580, but that author speaks very loosely and uncertainly on the point. The probability is, that it was built in 1576.

Paris Garden was used for the baiting of bears, and other animals, in the reign of Henry VIII., but we can only conjecture as to the date when it began to be employed also as a building for the exhibition of plays. Thomas Nash in his Strange Newes, &c. printed in 1592, mentions the performance of puppets there; and Dekker, in his Satiromastix, 1602, asserts that Ben Jonson had acted there.

As early as 1586, there was a playhouse at Newington Butts, for the amusement of the citizens who went thither in the summer; and we find from Henslowe's papers, that many popular plays were represented at that theatre in 1594.

The Rose theatre on the Bankside, not far west of the foot of London Bridge, was probably constructed prior to 1587. It was repaired extensively by Philip Henslowe in 1591, and was in the possession of the Lord Admiral's company of players in 1593.

The Hope theatre, near the same situation, was possibly constructed about the same time, but the information regarding it is still more scanty and inconclusive,

The Globe on the Bankside, which also belonged to the Blackfriars' Company (the first being used as their summer, and the last as their winter house), was built in 1594 at least, we may pretty safely infer that such was the date of its origin, by the discovery of a bond, dated 22nd of December, 1593, given by Richard Burbadge, for the due performance of covenants, on his part, connected with its construction. Here, and at the Blackfriars Theatre, all Shakespeare's plays were first performed.

It seems probable, that the Swan was not built until after the Globe: theatrical representations took place there in 1598.

The last theatre erected while Elizabeth was upon the throne was the Fortune in Golding-Lane, Whitecross-Street. It was projected by Philip Henslowe and Edward Alleyn in 1599, and it was finished before the close of the year 1600.

The foundation of these theatres can be certainly traced prior to the year 1600; and we hear of others early in the reign of James I., which, possibly, were erected before the demise of Elizabeth, although we are without any conclusive evidence upon the point. The children of St. Paul's also, at an early date, acted plays in the room appropriated to their education ; but, independent of this, and some other infant companies, (the rise of which is noticed under the proper head hereafter,) it appears certain, that between about 1570 and 1600, no less than eleven places had been

constructed for, or were applied to, the purpose of

dramatic exhibitions. They were these:

Although an attempt was made, on the building of the Fortune in 1599, to limit theatres to only two, it seems to have entirely failed; and at the death of Elizabeth, most, if not all the theatres above enumerated, were open. The employment of inn-yards for the performance of plays was discontinued, as regular houses of the kind were established.

344

ANNALS OF THE STAGE,

FROM THE YEAR 1603 TO THE YEAR 1617.

JAMES I. evinced his strong disposition to favour theatrical amusements some years before he succeeded to the English throne: he was a poet himself, or at least had royal pretensions to that distinction; and whatever posterity may have thought of his productions, his contemporaries placed him in the first rank, as a matter of course and courtesy*.

Towards the close of the year 1599, a company of A. D. English players arrived in Edinburgh†; whe1599. ther they had, or had not, come by invitation, is not apparent, but it is undoubted, that the King gave them every encouragement, and immediately granted them his licence to perform within the Burgh. This proceeding (according to Archbishop Spottis

* See Henry Constable's, W. Fouler's, and Henry Lok's Sonnets, before His Majesties Poeticall Exercises,' printed by R. Waldegrave, about 1591.

It has been supposed by some that Shakespeare was a member of this company, and that he even took his description of Macbeth's castle from local observation. No evidence can be produced either way, excepting Malone's conjecture, that Shakespeare could not have left London in 1599, in consequence of the production of his Henry V. in that year. Shakespeare by Boswell, ii. 416.