NICHOLAS TROTTE (c. 1588).
A Gray’s Inn lawyer, who wrote an ‘Introduction’ for the Misfortunes of Arthur of Thomas Hughes (q.v.) in 1588.
RICHARD VENNAR (c. 1555–1615?).
Vennar (Vennard), who has often been confused with William Fennor, a popular rhymer, was of Balliol and Lincoln’s Inn, and lived a shifty life, which ended about 1615 in a debtor’s prison. Its outstanding feature was the affair of England’s Joy, but in 1606 he is said (D. N. B.) to have been in trouble for an attempt to defraud Sir John Spencer of £500 towards the preparation of an imaginary mask under the patronage of Sir John Watts, the Lord Mayor.
England’s Joy. 1602
[Broadsheet] The Plot of the Play, called England’s Joy. To be Played at the Swan this 6 of Nouember, 1602. [No. 98 in collection of Society of Antiquaries.]
Reprints by W. Park in Harleian Miscellany (1813), x. 198; S. Lee (1887, vide infra); W. Martin (1913, vide infra); W. J. Lawrence (1913, vide infra).—Dissertations: S. Lee, The Topical Side of the Elizabethan Drama (N. S. S. Trans. 1887–92, 1); T. S. Graves, A Note on the Swan Theatre (1912, M. P. ix. 431), Tricks of Elizabethan Showmen (South Atlantic Quarterly, April 1915); W. Martin, An Elizabethan Theatre Programme (1913, Selborne Magazine, xxiv. 16); W. J. Lawrence (ii. 57), The Origin of the Theatre Programme.
The document appears to be a ‘bill’. It is 12¾ by 7¾ inches, and contains a synopsis under nine heads, beginning with the civil wars from Edward III to Mary ‘induct by shew and in Action’, and continuing with episodes from the reign of Elizabeth, who is England’s Joy. In sc. viii ‘a great triumph is made with fighting of twelue Gentlemen at Barriers’, and in sc. ix Elizabeth ‘is taken vp into Heauen, when presently appeares, a Throne of blessed Soules, and beneath vnder the Stage set forth with strange fireworkes, diuers blacke and damned Soules, wonderfully discribed in their seuerall torments’. Apart from the bill, Vennar must have given it out that the performers were to be amateurs. Chamberlain, 163, writes to Carleton on 19 Nov. 1602:
‘And, now we are in mirth, I must not forget to tell you of a cousening prancke of one Venner, of Lincolns Inne, that gave out bills of a famous play on Satterday was sevenight on the Banckeside, to be acted only by certain gentlemen and gentlewomen of account. The price at cumming in was two shillings or eighteen pence at least; and when he had gotten most part of the mony into his hands, he wold have shewed them a faire paire of heeles, but he was not so nimble to get up on horse-backe, but that he was faine to forsake that course, and betake himselfe to the water, where he was pursued and taken, and brought before the Lord Chiefe Justice, who wold make nothing of it but a jest and a merriment, and bounde him over in five pound to appeare at the sessions. In the meane time the common people, when they saw themselves deluded, revenged themselves upon the hangings, curtains, chairs, stooles, walles, and whatsoever came in theire way, very outragiously, and made great spoile; there was great store of good companie, and many noblemen.’
Similarly John Manningham in his Diary, 82, 93, notes in Nov. 1602, how