LONDON AND THE ARMADA (1587).
The threatened invasion by the "Grand Fleet" of Philip of Spain was the occasion of a splendid manifestation of loyalty throughout the kingdom. The royal fleet contained only thirty-four ships, but every seaport made its contribution, and every man between the ages of eighteen and sixty was enrolled for defence, in the event of the successful landing of the enemy. The instructions conveyed in the Queen's letter to the citizens of London are an indication of the friendly relations between the City and the Sovereign, and serve also to show the wealth and power which London possessed at the time.
Source.—Document quoted by Maitland, vol. i., p. 272.
Trusty and well-beloved, we greet you well.
Whereas upon information given unto us of great preparations made in foreign parts with an intent to attempt somewhat against this our realm, we gave present order that our said realm should be put in order of defence; which we have caused to be performed in all parts accordingly, saving in the City of London.
We therefore knowing your readiness, by former experience, to perform any service that well-affected subjects ought to yield to their Prince and Sovereign, do let you understand, that within our said City our pleasure is, that there be forthwith put in a readiness to serve for defence of our own person, upon such occasions as may fall out, the number of ten thousand able men, furnished with armour and weapons convenient; of which number, our meaning is, that six thousand be enrolled under Captains and Ensigns, and to be trained at times convenient, according to such further direction as you shall receive from our Privy Council, under six of their hands, which our pleasure is you do follow from time to time in the ordering and training of the said numbers of men.
And these our letters shall be your sufficient warrant for the doing of the same.
Given under our Signet at our Manor of Greenwich, the 8th of March, 1587, in the thirtieth year of our Reign.
THE CITY'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE STAGE
(1592).
The drama experienced an extraordinary development during the latter half of the sixteenth century, and its growth was altogether irresistible. In spite of the opposition of moralists and preachers the theatre flourished more and more; and the mayors and aldermen of London were faced with a somewhat serious problem. They looked upon the play with disfavour; the actors were men of no trade or position, they were merely vagabonds. All the idlers in the town would assemble to see a play, and where there was a crowd there was danger to peace and order. Brawls and disorders would frequently arise, and the thieves and rogues of the city would take every advantage of the throng. Urged partly by fear of disorder, partly by the spirit of Puritanism which was rapidly gaining ground, the city officials did their best to drive out plays and players from their boundaries; and the theatres had at first to be set up outside the city jurisdiction. The ordinances of 1574 set forth in lurid terms the evils which theatres were alleged to bring in their train, and strict regulations were made, providing that only properly licensed players should act, in such places as might be approved. The following documents show how the trouble still continued, and was the source of great anxiety.
Source.—Malone Society, Collections, 1., i., xviii, xxvi:
(a) The Lord Mayor to Archbishop Whitgift (1592);
(b) An Order of the Privy Council (1600).
(a) Our most humble duties to your Grace. Whereas by the daily and disorderly exercise of a number of players and playing houses erected within this City, the youth thereof is greatly corrupted and their manners infected with many evil and ungodly qualities, by reason of the wanton and profane devices represented on the stages by the said players, the prentices and servants withdrawn from their works and all sorts in general from the daily resort unto sermons and other Christian exercises, to the great hindrance of the trades and traders of this City, and profanation of the good and godly religions established among us. To which places also do resort great numbers of light and lewd disposed persons as cutpurses, cozeners, pilferers and such like, and there under the colour of resort to those places to hear the plays devise divers evil and ungodly matches, confederacies, and conspiracies, which by means of the opportunity of the place cannot be prevented nor discovered, as otherwise they might be. In consideration whereof we most humbly beseech your Grace for your godly care for the reforming of so great abuses tending to the offence of Almighty God, the profanation and slander of his true religion, and the corrupting of our youth, which are the seed of the Church of God and the common wealth among us, to vouchsafe us your good favour and help for the reforming and banishing of so great evil out of this city, which ourselves of long time though to small purpose have so earnestly desired and endeavoured by all means that possibly we could. And because we understand that the Queen's Majesty is and must be served at certain times by this sort of people, for which purpose she hath granted her Letters Patent to Mr. Tilney, Master of her Revels, by virtue whereof he being authorised to reform, exercise, or suppress all manner of players, plays and playing-houses whatsoever, did first license the said playing-houses within the city for Her Majesty's said service, which before that time lay open to all the statutes for the punishing of these and such like disorders. We are most humbly and earnestly to beseech your Grace to call unto you the said Master of Her Majesty's Revels, with whom also we have conferred of late to that purpose, and to treat with him, if by any means it may be devised that Her Majesty may be served with these recreations as hath been accustomed, which in our opinions may easily be done by the private exercise of Her Majesty's own players in convenient place, and the city freed from these continual disorders, which thereby do grow and increase daily among us. Whereby your Grace shall not only benefit and bind unto you the politic state and government of this city, which by no one thing is so greatly annoyed and disquieted as by players and plays and the disorders which follow thereon, but also to take away a great offence from the Church of God and hindrance to His gospel, to the great contentment of all good Christians, specially the preachers and ministers of the Word of God about this city, who have long time and yet do make their earnest continual complaint unto us for the redress hereof. And thus recommending our most humble duties and service to your Grace we commit the same to the grace of the Almighty.
(b) An order set down by the Lords and others of Her Majesty's Privy Council, the 22 of June 1600 to restrain the excessive number of play-houses and the immoderate use of stage plays in and about the city.
Whereas divers complaints have been heretofore made unto the Lords and others of Her Majesty's Council of the manifold abuses and disorders that have grown and do continue by occasion of many houses erected and employed in and about the city of London for common stage plays; and now very lately by reason of some complaint exhibited by sundry persons against the building of the like house in or near Golding Lane by one Edward Allen, a servant of the right honourable the Lord Admiral, the matter as well in generality touching all the said houses for stage plays and the use of playing as in particular concerning the said house now in hand to be built in or near Golding Lane hath been brought into question and consultation among their Lordships; forasmuch as it is manifestly known and granted that the multitude of the said houses and the misgovernment of them hath been made and is daily occasion of the idle, riotous and dissolute living of great numbers of people, who, leaving all such honest and painful course of life as they should follow, do meet and assemble there; and of many particular abuses and disorders that do thereupon ensue. And yet nevertheless it is considered that the use and exercise of such plays not being evil in itself may with a good order and moderation be suffered in a well-governed estate, and that Her Majesty being pleased at some times to take delight and recreation in the sight and hearing of them, some order is fit to be taken for the allowance and maintenance, of such persons as are thought meetest in that kind, to yield Her Majesty recreation and delight, and consequently of the houses that must serve for public playing to keep them in exercise. To the end therefore that both the greatest abuses of the plays and playing houses may be redressed and the use and moderation of them retained, the Lords and the rest of Her Majesty's Privy Council have ordered in manner and form as followeth.
First, that there shall be about the city two houses and no more allowed to serve for the use of the common stage plays; of the which houses one shall be in Surrey, in that place which is commonly called the Bankside, or thereabouts, and the other in Middlesex.... It is likewise ordered that the house of Allen shall be allowed to be one of the two houses, and namely for the house to be allowed in Middlesex. And for the other, allowed to be on Surrey side, their Lordships are pleased to permit to the company of players that shall play there, to make their own choice which they will have, choosing one of them and no more. And especially is it forbidden that any stage plays shall be played (as sometimes they have been) in any common inn for public assembly in or near about the city.
Secondly, forasmuch as these stage plays by the multitude of houses and company of players have been too frequent, not serving for recreation, but inviting and calling the people daily from their trade and work to misspend their time; it is likewise ordered that the two several companies of players, assigned unto the two houses allowed, may play each of them in their several house twice a week and no oftener; and especially that they shall refrain to play on the sabbath day, upon pain of imprisonment and further penalty; and that they shall forbear altogether in the time of Lent and likewise at such time and times as any extraordinary sickness or infection of disease shall appear to be in or about the city.
Thirdly, because these orders will be of little force and effect unless they be duly put into execution, it is ordered that several copies shall be sent to the Lord Mayor of London and to the Justices of the Peace of the counties of Middlesex and Surrey, and that letters should be written to them straightly charging them to see the execution of the same by committing to prison the owners of playhouses and players who shall disobey and resist these orders.