To play the second part of ‘England’s Joy,’
And poor old Venner that plain-dealing man,
Who acted ‘England’s Joy’ first at the Swan,
Paid eight crowns for the writing of these things,
Besides the covers and the silken strings.”
The original play-bill announcing this performance has the following title: ...
“The plot of the play called ‘England’s Joy,’
To be played at the Swan this 6 of March, 1602.”
This document being of such extreme interest, a photograph will be found on the opposite page. One can see by the smallness of the print that it was not intended for a poster, but to be distributed either amongst the assembled audience or delivered at the houses of the gentry or handed to passers-by in the street. The original of this broad sheet is preserved in the collection of the Society of Antiquaries. By the courtesy of the Secretary of the Society of Antiquaries I was accorded the privilege of inspecting this most interesting document, and further, allowed the favour of having the original photographed especially for this book. Although, as stated above, the print is too small for a poster, yet it is quite legible, almost the size of the type of this page.
THE PLOT OF THE PLAY, CALLED
ENGLANDS JOY.