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The first record connecting this company with a London theatre then, under the patronage of Robert Radclyffe, is found in Henslowe’s Diary, 1594: “In the name of God Amen, beginning the 27th of December, 1593, the Earl of Sussex his men.”
They acted without intermission until the 23rd of January, between the last date and the sixth of February; but only five performances are placed to their credit. The next entry in the Diary occurs at Easter: “In the name of God Amen, beginning at Easter, 1593. The Queen’s men and my Lord of Sussex together.”
The two companies gave in all eight performances, acting on alternate days. Three out of the eight performances can be traced to the Sussex men, as on these occasions they acted in plays which are recorded in their first appearance at the Rose, namely, “The Jew of Malta” and the “Fair Maid of Italy.”
It must be borne in mind that the Easter holidays following Christmas were both notified as occurring in the same year. The reason being that in Elizabeth’s time, and long after, the ordinary year commenced on the 25th of March. Although the legal year commenced on the first of January. Even the names of the months in use to-day, such as September, October, November, December, are a reminiscence of this style of reckoning, the above months bearing in Latin their English equivalents of seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth.
THE
VVEAKEST
goeth to the VVall.