The more Sathan rageth, the more valianter be you under the standert of him who will not be foyled. And I humblie beseech your honor to take heede howe you gyve your hande, either in evill causes, or in the behalfe of evill men, as of late you did for players to the great greife of all the godly; but as you have shewed your forwardnes for the Ministery of the Gospel, so followe that course still. Our Cyttie hath bene well eased of the pester of those wickednesses, and abuses, that were wonte to be nourished by those impure interludes and playes that were in use—surely the schooles of as greate wickednesses as can be. I truste your honor will herein joyne with them that have longe, owt of the word, cryed out against them; and I am persuaded that if your honor knewe what sincks of synne they are, you woulde never looke once towards them. The lord Jesus blesse you. Nov. 25, 1581.
Your good lordshippes most bounden
Jo Feilde.
lv.
[1581, Dec. 3. Minute of Privy Council, printed from Register in Dasent, xiii. 269.]
Whereas certayne companyes of players hertofore usinge their common excersice of playing within and aboute the Cittie of London have of late in respect of the generail infection within the Cittie ben restrayned by their Lordships’ commaundement from playing, the said players this daye exhibited a peticion unto their Lordships, humblie desiring that as well in respecte of their pore estates, having noe other meanes to sustayne them, their wyves and children but their exercise of playing, and were only brought up from their youthe in the practise and profession of musicke and playeng, as for that the sicknes within the Cittie was well slaked, so as noe danger of infection could followe by the assemblyes of people at their playes, yt would please their Lordships therfore to grante them licence to use their sayd exercise of playeng as heretofore they had don; their Lordships their upon for the consyderations aforesaid as also for that they are to present certayne playes before the Quenes Majestie for her solace in the Christmas tyme nowe following, were contented to yeld unto their said humble peticion, and ordered that the Lord Mayor of the Cittie of London should suffer and permitt them to use and exercise their trade of playing in and about the Cittie as they have hertofore accustomed upon the weeke dayes only, being holy dayes or other dayes, so as they doe forbeare wholye to playe on the Sabothe Daye, either in the forenone or afternone, which to doe they are by this their Lordships’ order expressely denyed and forbidden.
lvi.
[1581, Dec. 24. Patent of Commission for Edmund Tilney as Master of the Revels, printed by Feuillerat, Eliz. 51, from Patent Rolls, 1606 (Watson’s Rolls), m. 34, No. 46; also by T. E. Tomlins in Sh. Soc. Papers, iii (1847), 1; Collier, i. 247, who supposed the document to refer to the formation of the Queen’s men in 1583; and Halliwell-Phillipps, Illustrations, 114; cf. ch. iii and Tudor Revels, 62, 72.]
De Commissione speciali pro Edmundo Tylney Armigero Magistro Revellorum.
Elizabeth by the grace of God &c. To all manner our Iustices, Maiors, Sheriffes, Bayliffes, Constables, and all other our officers, ministers, true liege men, and subiectes, and to euery of them greetinge. We lett you witt that we haue aucthorised licensed and commaunded and by these presentes do aucthorise licence and commaunde our welbeloved Edmunde Tylney Esquire Maister of our Revells, aswell to take and retaine for vs and in our name at all tymes from hensforth and in all places within this our Realme of England, aswell within ffrancheses and liberties as without, at competent wages aswell all suche and as many painters, imbroderers, taylors, cappers, haberdashers, joyners, carders, glasiers, armorers, basketmakers, skinners, sadlers, waggen makers, plaisterers, fethermakers, as all other propertie makers and conninge artificers and laborers whatsoever as our said Servant or his assigne bearers hereof shall thinke necessarie and requisite for the speedie workinge and fynisheinge of any exploite workmanshippe or peece of seruice that shall at any tyme hereafter belong to our saide office of the Revells, As also to take at price reasonable in all places within our said Realme of England aswell within ffrancheses and liberties as without any kinde or kindes of stuffe, ware or marchandise, woode or coale or other fewell, tymber, wainscott, boarde, lathe, nailes, brick, tile, leade, iron, wier, and all other necessaries for our said workes of the said office of our Revells as he the said Edmunde or his assigne shall thinke behoofefull and expedient from tyme to tyme for our said seruice in the said office of the Revells together with all carriages for the same both by land and by water as the case shall require. And furthermore we haue by these presentes aucthorised and commaunded the said Edmunde Tylney that in case any person or persons, whatsoever they be, will obstinatelie disobey and refuse from hensforth to accomplishe and obey our commaundement and pleasure in that behalfe, or withdrawe themselues from any of our said workes vpon warninge to them or any of them given by the saide Edmunde Tylney, or by his sufficient deputie in that behalfe to be named, appointed for their diligent attendance and workmanship vpon the said workes or devises as to their naturall dutie and alleigeance apperteineth, that then it shalbe lawfull vnto the same Edmund Tilney or his deputie for the tyme beinge to attache the partie or parties so offendinge and him or them to commytt to warde, there to remaine without baile or mainprise vntill suche tyme as the saide Edmunde or his deputie shall thinke the tyme of his or their imprisonment to be punnishment sufficient for his or their saide offences in that behalfe, and that done to enlarge him or them so beinge imprisoned at their full libertie without any losse, penaltie, forfaiture or other damage in that behalfe to be susteined or borne by the said Edmunde Tilney or his saide deputie. And also if any person or persons beinge taken into our said workes of the said office of our Revells beinge arrested comminge or goinge to or from our saide workes of our said office of our Revells at the sute of any person or persons, then the said Edmunde Tilney by vertue and aucthoritie hereof to enlarge him or them as by our speciall proteccion during the tyme of our said workes. And also if any person or persons beinge reteyned in our said workes of our said office of Revells haue taken any manner of taske worke, beinge bound to finishe the same by a certen day, shall not runne into any manner of forfeiture or penaltie for breakinge of his day, so that he or they ymediatly after the fynishinge of our said workes indevor him or themselues to fynishe the saide taske worke. And furthermore also we haue and doe by these presentes aucthorise and commaunde our said Servant Edmunde Tilney Maister of our said Revells by himselfe or his sufficient deputie or deputies to warne commaunde and appointe in all places within this our Realme of England, aswell within francheses and liberties as without, all and euery plaier or plaiers with their playmakers, either belonginge to any noble man or otherwise, bearinge the name or names of vsinge the facultie of playmakers or plaiers of Comedies, Tragedies, Enterludes or what other showes soever, from tyme to tyme and at all tymes to appeare before him with all suche plaies, Tragedies, Comedies or showes as they shall haue in readines or meane to sett forth, and them to presente and recite before our said Servant or his sufficient deputie, whom wee ordeyne appointe and aucthorise by these presentes of all suche showes, plaies, plaiers and playmakers, together with their playing places, to order and reforme, auctorise and put downe, as shalbe thought meete or vnmeete vnto himselfe or his said deputie in that behalfe. And also likewise we haue by these presentes aucthorised and commaunded the said Edmunde Tylney that in case if any of them, whatsoever they bee, will obstinatelie refuse, vpon warninge vnto them given by the said Edmunde or his sufficient deputie, to accomplishe and obey our commaundement in this behalfe, then it shalbe lawful to the said Edmunde or his sufficient deputie to attache the partie or parties so offendinge, and him or them to commytt to warde, to remaine without bayle or mayneprise vntill suche tyme as the same Edmunde Tylney or his sufficient deputie shall thinke the tyme of his or theire ymprisonment to be punishement sufficient for his or their said offences in that behalfe, and that done to inlarge him or them so beinge imprisoned at their plaine libertie, without any losse, penaltie, forfeiture or other daunger in this behalfe to be susteyned or borne by the said Edmunde Tylney or his deputie, Any Acte Statute Ordynance or prouision heretofore had or made to the contrarie hereof in any wise notwithstandinge. Wherefore we will and commaunde you and euery of you that vnto the said Edmunde Tylney or his sufficient deputie bearer hereof in the due execution of this our aucthoritie and commaundement ye be aydinge, supportinge and assistinge from tyme to tyme as the case shall require, as you and euery of you tender our pleasure and will answer to the contrarie at your vttermost perills. In witnesse whereof &c., witnes our selfe at Westminster the xxiiijth day of December in the xxiiijth yere of our raigne.