'ings beads,' at Greenwich, which he and his courtiers were in the habit of wearing. None of his other property, excepting perhaps musical instruments, was even remotely connected with the subject of the present investigation. His books are always numbered, and not named, by the parties making out the account, with the following four exceptions, two of which are curious.

Item, a square coffer with tilles, &c. with a boke 'conteyning the ymage of both churches *.

Item, a case of lether, conteyninge patentes concernynge Quene Jane.

Item, a booke of Kynge Henry VII., his founda'tion of the Chappell at Westminster.

Item, a boke wrytten in parchement of the Processe betwere King Henry theight and the Ladye Katheryne Dowager.'

It does not appear that there was any production of a dramatic kind in the King's private library, unless it were included among 'sundry bookes,' the titles and contents of which are not given.

By John Bale. I am not aware of any printed edition of this work prior to 1550.

138

ANNALS OF THE STAGE,

during the rÈIGNS OF EDWARD VI.
AND MARY.

·

IMMEDIATELY after the demise of Henry VIII., the A. D. Duke of Somerset introduced various econo1547. mical reforms into the royal household: many of the officers were dismissed, and a considerable reduction took place in the establishment of Musicians and Players. A MS. in the Royal Collection in the British Museum *, makes this point quite clear: one division of it is headed, the names of such officers in ordynary of the chamber of the late Kynges Majestie 'now discharged;' but it is much decayed, and although the word Players' yet remains, the names of those who were dismissed, originally subjoined, are wanting. The other division of the MS., entitled, the names of such of the Kynges Majesties servaunts as are 'nuely in ordinary of the chamber,' is in a perfect · state, and exhibits not only the numbers, but the names of the Musicians' and Players' retained by the Protector: they are the following.

6

'MUSICIANS, Hugh Pollard, Edward Lak,

*Royal MSS. 7 C. xvi.

Thomas Lee,

Thomas Curzon,
Allwyn Robson,
Robert Mey,

Thomas Pagington.
PLAYERS,
Richard Cok,
John Birch *,

Henry Heryet,

John Smyth.'

Here we observe several names, for the first time, included in the list of royal performers of interludes; and we may infer that, among those who were discharged, were Hinstocke, Slye, Parlowe, and Young, the mention of whom occurs late in the reign of Henry VIII. If, therefore, what is supposed to have been the Household-book of Edward VI., among the Harleian MSS., without a date, apply, in fact, to the reign of that King, it probably belongs to the period after the death of the Duke of Somerset ; for there we find an entry of eight Players of Interludes,' each of whom received a fee of 31. 6s. 8d. annually†.

* If this be the same player who is mentioned in the account-books of the reign of Henry VIII., his Christian name has been mistaken,it was George. John was, perhaps, his son.

The following is the form of the entry of the department of

It is not at all unlikely, that on the accession of Edward VI., the Protector, who assumed all the authority of King, took into his pay at least some of the discharged players of Henry VIII.; and it is an undisputable fact, that the Duke of Somerset entertained a company of theatrical servants: the name of one of his performers has survived, Myles*; and, although it does not occur among those of Henry VIII., at any former period, some of his fellows might have been selected from the older theatrical retainers of the crown.

The young Prince succeeded his father on the 28th of January, 1547; and, according to the Register of the Council, on the 12th of January, a warrant had

The names of the King's minstrels are extant in the register of the Privy Council, as quoted by Chalmers (Apology, p. 348), viz., Hugh Woudehous, Marshal, John Abbes, Robert Stouchey, Hugh Grene, and Robert Norman. Their salaries were 50 marks a-year (Harl. MSS., No. 240). Hugh Woudehous, or Woodhouse, received his appointment of Marshal of the Minstrells as early as 7th May, 1529, when Henry VIII. him gave wages of 44d. per day, and an annual salary of 10 marks, as Marescallus Ministrallorum nostrorum. Vide Rymer's Fod., vi., pt. 2. It is stated in the instrument, that he succeeded John Gylmyn in that office.

It occurs in a work with the following title, 'A Booke of the nature and properties, as well of the bathes in England, as of other 'bathes in Germanye:' the writer says; for they [the waters of Bath] drye up wounderfullye, and heale the goute excellentlye (and that in a short tyme), as with diverse other, one Myles, one of my Lord of 'Summersettes players, can beare witnesse.' It was printed in folio, ' at Collen, by Arnold Birckman,' in 1568; but the preface is dated in 1557. The Duke of Somerset was beheaded on the 22d Jan., 1551-2.

been given to Sir Thomas Darcy for 60l. 8s. 10d. for pikes, lances, and other necessaries, for jousts and triumph at Shrovetide, when, as was not unusual on such occasions, the performance of plays might form part of the revels: they would not come within the province of Sir Thomas Darcy, and are, therefore, perhaps, not mentioned in the warrant he obtained.

During the reign of Henry VIII., the apparel and furniture for the revels and masks at court were kept at Warwick Inn; but, when Edward VI. came to the throne, they were removed to the Blackfriars*. That dissolved monastery was valued at 104l. 15s. 5d.; and, on the 12th of November, 30 Henry VIII., it was surrendered to the Crown. Four years after it had been made the depositary of the dresses, &c., for court entertainments, viz., on the 12th of May, 1551, Edward VI. granted to Sir Thomas Cawarden, Master of the Revels, the whole house, scite, or circuit, compass, and precinct of the Blackfriarst.' At this date, a person of the name of John Holte was Yeoman of the Revels, and had the custody omnium apparell: trap

* See a paper by Mr. Bray, in vol. xviii. of the Archæologia, which contains some valuable information regarding the Lord of Misrule and Court entertainments.

Stow's Survey by Strype, b. iii. p. 177, &c. The Black and White Friars were out of the jurisdiction of the City; and in 1586, a contest arose between the Corporation and the inhabitants, as to the right of the former to enter and arrest malefactors who took shelter in the precincts. The privileges were confirmed, and the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen defeated of their claim,