per breve de priuato sigillo.
lvii.
[1582, April 3. Precept by Lord Mayor, printed in Nicholl, Ironmongers, 128.]
By the Maior.
These shalbe straightlie to charge and command you, that forthwithe uppon the receit hereof you call before you all the freemen of your said companie, and give to everie one of them straightlie charge and commandement that they or anie of them do at annye time hereafter suffer any of ther sarvants, apprentices, journemen, or children, to repare or goe to annye playes, peices, or enterludes, either within the cittie or suburbs thereof, or to annye place witheout the same, uppon payne of everie servant so offendinge, or master so sufferinge, to be punyshed at the dyscretion of me and my brethren. Fayle you not hereof, as you will answer the contrarie at your perill. Geven at the Guildhall, the iij daie of April, 1582.
Sebright [Town Clerk].
lviii.
[1582, April 11. The Privy Council to the Lord Mayor, printed M. S. C. i. 52, from Remembrancia, i. 317. The minute of the letter, undated and bound up before a minute of April 13 as f. 691 of the manuscript Register among minutes of May 1582, is in Dasent, xiii, 404.]
After our hartie comendacons. Whereas heretofore for sundry good causes and consideracons, as yow know, we haue oftentimes geuen order for the restraint of plaies, in and about the Citie of London: and neuerthelesse of late for honest recreation sake, in respecte that her maiestie sometimes taketh delight in those pastimes, we thought it not vnfitt, hauing regard vnto the season of the yere and the Clerenes of the Citie from infection, to allowe of certaine companies of plaiers to exercise their playeng in London, partly to the ende they might thereby attaine to the more dexteritie and perfection in that profession, the better to content her maiestie, whereupon we permitted the said players to vse their playeng vntill we shold se cause to the contrary, and foreseing that the same might be done without impeachment of the seruice of God whereof we haue a speciall care, we restrained them from playeng on the sabothe daye: and forasmucheas we suppose that their honest exercise of recreation in playeng, to be vsed on the ordinarie S. Hollydaies after euening prayer, as long as the season of the yere may permitt and may be without daunger of the infection, will not be offensiue, so that if care be had that their comodies and enterludes be looked into, and that those which do containe mater that may bread corruption of maners and conuersacion among the people (which we desire in any case to haue auoided) be forbidden, whereunto we wishe yow did appointe some fitt persones whoe maie consider and allowe of suche playes onely as be fitt to yeld honest recreacion and no example of euell: We haue therefore thought good to pray your Lp. to reuoke your late inhibition against their playeng on the said hollydaies after euening prayer, onely forbearing the Sabothe daie whollie according to our former order. And when yow shall finde that the continuance of the same their excercise by the increase of the sicknes and infection shalbe dangerous, we praye your Lp. therin to geue vs knowlege & thereupon we will presentely take order for their restrainte accordinglie: Soe fare yowe hartelie well from the Court at Grenewich the xjth of Aprill 1582.
Your louing frendes,