The Elizabethan Stage, Vol. 4

by E. K. Chambers

Two letters of one tenour to the Justices of Middlesex and Surrey. It is in vaine for us to take knowledg of great abuses and disorders complayned of and to give order for redresse, if our directions finde no better execution and observation then it seemeth they do, and wee must needes impute the fault and blame thereof to you or some of you, the Justices of the Peace, that are put in trust to see them executed and perfourmed, whereof wee may give you a plaine instance in the great abuse contynued or rather encreased in the multitude of plaie howses and stage plaies in and about the cittie of London.

For whereas about a yeare and a half since (upon knowledge taken of the great enormities and disorders by the overmuch frequentinge of plaies) wee did carefullie sett downe and prescribe an order to be observed concerninge the number of playhowses and the use and exercise of stage plaies, with lymytacion of tymes and places for the same (namely that there should be but two howses allowed for that use, one in Middlesex called the Fortune and the other in Surrey called the Globe, and the same with observacion of certaine daies and times as in the said order is particularly expressed), in such sorte as a moderate practice of them for honest recreation might be contynued, and yet the inordinate concourse of dissolute and idle people be restrayned, wee do now understande that our said order hath bin so farr from takinge dew effect, as in steede of restrainte and redresse of the former disorders the multitude of play howses is much encreased, and that no daie passeth over without many stage plaies in one place or other within and about the cittie publiquelie made.

The default of perfourmance of which our said order we must in greate parte the rather impute to the Justices of the Peace, because at the same tyme wee gave earnest direction unto you to see it streightly executed, and to certifie us of the execution, and yet we have neither understoode of any redresse made by you, nor receaved any certificate at all of your proceedinges therein, which default or omission wee do now pray and require you foorthwith to amende, and to cause our said former order to be putt duely in execution, and especiallie to call before you the owners of all the other play howses (excepting the two howses in Middlesex and Surrey aforementioned), and to take good and sufficient bondes of them not to exercise, use or practise, nor to suffer from henceforth to be exercised, used or practized any stage playinge in their howses, and if they shall refuse to enter into such bondes, then to comitt them to prison untill they shall conforme themselves. And so, &c.

cxxix.

[1601, Dec. 31. Minute of letter from Privy Council to Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London, printed by Dasent, xxxii. 468, and Halliwell-Phillipps, i. 308, from Council Register; also in M. S. C. i. 83, from letter-book copy in Remembrancia, ii. 187.]

A letter to the Lord Maiour and Aldermen of London. Wee have receaved a letter from you renewing a complaint of the great abuse and disorder within and about the cittie of London by reason of the multitude of play howses and the inordinate resort and concourse of dissolute and idle people daielie unto publique stage plaies, for the which information, as wee do commende your Lordship because it betokeneth your care and desire to reforme the disorders of the cittie, so wee must lett you know that wee did muche rather expect to understand that our order (sett downe and prescribed about a yeare and a half since for reformation of the said disorders upon the like complaint at that tyme) had bin duelie executed, then to finde the same disorders and abuses so muche encreased as they are. The blame whereof, as wee cannot but impute in great part to the Justices of the Peace or somme of them in the counties of Middlesex and Surrey, who had speciall direction and charge from us to see our said order executed for the confines of the cittie, wherein the most part of those play howses are scituate, so wee do wishe that it might appeare unto us that any thinge hath bin endeavoured by the predecessours of you, the Lord Maiour, and by you, the Aldermen, for the redresse of the said enormities, and for observation and execution of our said order within the cittie.

Wee do therefore once againe renew heereby our direction unto you (as wee have donne by our letters to the Justices of Middlesex and Surrey) concerninge the observation of our former order, which wee do praie and require you to cause duelie and dilligentlie to be put in execution for all poyntes thereof, and especiallie for th’expresse and streight prohibition of any more play howses then those two that are mentioned and allowed in the said order, charging and streightlie comaunding all suche persons, as are the owners of any the howses used for stage plaies within the cittie, not to permitt any more publique plaies to be used, exercised or shewed from hencefoorth in their said howses, and to take bondes of them (if you shall finde it needefull) for the perfourmaunce thereof, or if they shall refuse to enter into bonde or to observe our said order, then to committ them to prison untill they shall conforme themselves thereunto. And so praying you, as your self do make the complaint and finde the ennormitie, so to applie your best endeavour to the remedie of the abuse, wee bidd, &c.

cxxx.

[1602, March 31. The Privy Council to the Lord Mayor, printed M.S.C. i. 85, from Remembrancia, ii. 189.]

A lettre to the L. Maior for the Bores head to be licensed for the plaiers.