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1595.
The bare enumeration of three performances at Court in the last days of December is all that is known of this company’s engagements during the year 1595. What a contrast to these days, when every stage event, however trivial, is fully chronicled by our daily and weekly press. Let us survey now the Elizabethan period: you will find no word of praise recorded to the greatest masterpieces of all time, although hundreds of books and pamphlets referring to current events were constantly being published at this time. The company was now under the patronage of Lord Hunsdon, who held the office of Lord Chamberlain, the actors being henceforth known until his death as the Lord Chamberlain’s servants. A document is still extant which proves that this company received a reward for playing at Greenwich on St. Stephen’s Day and Innocents’ Day. This entry is of great interest, as among those receiving payment is the name of Will Shakespeare. This is the first authentic record of Shakespeare being a member of this company.
Another document, dated December, 1596, refers to payments made in 1595, in which a reward was given to this company for acting five plays; three were given respectively on St. Stephen’s Day, St. John’s Day, and Innocents’ Day. Shakespeare’s name is not mentioned in this document, which states that the actors were the servants of the late Lord Chamberlain, and are now the servants of George Carey, second Baron Hunsdon. This second Baron did not immediately succeed his father as Lord Chamberlain, but held that office on the death of Lord Cobham, who had been elected to this high official position on the death of the first Lord Hunsdon. Lord Cobham died in 1596, and then the second Lord Hunsdon became Lord Chamberlain.
1596.
The Lord Chamberlain’s men acted twice at Court, namely, on Twelfth Night and again at Candlemas Day, at night; the reward was paid to John Hemings and George Bryan as representing the servants of the late Lord Chamberlain. Baron Hunsdon having died on July 22nd of this year. The Company again acted at Court at the end of the year, giving performances during the Christmas holidays. John Hemings and Thomas Pope received £60 as reward for the company’s services. Both Shakespeare’s and Burbage’s names are omitted in these documents. In former lists their names are mentioned; why their names were omitted is a rather perplexing problem. At this period they played a prominent part in the management of the company’s affairs, which makes the matter all the more mysterious. During the summer the company travelled in the provinces, but only once at Faversham can their destination be placed; at this town they are entered in the municipal records as the players of Lord Hunsdon. The London season of this company is quite unknown, with the exception of the Court performances. A vague reference to a performance of “Hamlet” at the theatre in Shoreditch connects them with this place of entertainment; the old “Hamlet” play which is lost was included in the repertoire of the Lord Chamberlain’s Servants. The paragraph alluding to the old “Hamlet” play occurs in a pamphlet written by Thomas Lodge, entitled, “Wits miserie and the World’s madness discovering the Devils incarnate of this Age.” One of the Devils is Hate-Vertue, or sorrow for another man’s good success, who says that he is a foul lubber and looks as pale as the vizard of the ghost which cried so miserably at the Theatre like an oyster-wife “‘Hamlet’ revenge.” This play is generally assigned to Thomas Kyd, the dramatist, and it is almost certain that from this tragedy Shakespeare founded his own play of “Hamlet.”