Arundell James Kennedy Esdaile

Source.—The Princely Pleasures at the Courte at Kenelwoorth. Imprinted at London by Richard Jhones, 1576. Reprinted in Nichols’ Progresses of Queen Elizabeth, vol. i. These revels were also described, more vividly, but at greater length, in West Country dialect, by Laneham in his Letter, reprinted by Nichols and also by the Early English Text Society.

A brief Rehearsal, or rather, a true Copy of as much as was presented before her Majesty at Kenilworth during her last abode there, as followeth:

Her Majesty came thither, as I remember, on Saturday, being the ninth of June last past: On which day there met her on the way, somewhat near the Castle, Sibylla, who prophesied unto Her Highness the prosperous reign that she should continue, according to the happy beginning of the same. The order thereof was this: Sibylla being placed in an arbour in the park, near the highway where the Queen’s Majesty came, did step out, and pronounced as followeth:

This device was invented, and the verses also written, by Mr. Hunnis, Master of her Majesty’s Chapel.

Her Majesty passing on to the first gate, there stood in the leads and battlements thereof six trumpeters hugely advanced[66] much exceeding the common stature of men in this age, who had likewise huge and monstrous trumpets counterfeited, wherein they seemed to sound: and behind them were placed certain trumpeters, who sounded indeed at Her Majesty’s entry. And by this dumb show it was meant that in the days and reign of King Arthur men were of that stature; so that the Castle of Kenilworth should seem still to be kept by Arthur’s heirs and their servants. And when her Majesty entered the gate, there stood Hercules for Porter who, seeming[67] to be amazed at such a presence upon such a sudden, proffered to stay them. And yet at last, being overcome by view of the rare beauty and princely countenance of Her Majesty, yielded himself and his charge, presenting the keys unto her Highness, with these words: [Verses.]

These verses were devised and pronounced by Master Badger of Oxenford, Master of Art and Bedell in the same University.

When Her Majesty was entered the gate, and come into the base court, there came unto her a Lady attended with two Nymphs, who came all over the pool, being so conveyed that it seemed she had gone upon the water. This Lady named herself the Lady of the Lake, who spake to her Highness as followeth: [Verses, ending:]

These verses were devised and penned by M. Ferrers, sometime Lord of Misrule in the Court.

Her Majesty, proceeding towards the inward court, passed on a bridge, the which was railed in on both sides. And in the tops of the posts thereof were set sundry presents and gifts of provision, as wine, corn, fruits, fishes, fowls, instruments of music and weapons for martial defence. All which were expounded by an Actor, clad like a Poet, who pronounced these verses in Latin: [Hexameters.]

These verses were devised by Master Muncaster.[68] ... This speech being ended, she was received into the inner court with sweet music. And so alighting from her horse, the drums, fifes and trumpets sounded: wherewith she mounted the stairs and went to her lodging.

On the next day, being Sunday, there was nothing done until the evening, at which time there were fireworks shewed upon the water, the which were both strange and well executed: as sometimes, passing under the water a long space, when all men had thought they had been quenched, they would rise and mount out of the water again, and burn very furiously until they were utterly consumed.

And to make some plainer declaration and rehearsal of all these things before Her Majesty, on the 10 of July there met her in the Forest, as she came from hunting, one clad like a Savage man, all in ivy, who, seeming to wonder at such a presence, fell to quarrelling with Jupiter, as followeth: [Dialogue in verse with Echo. The wild man inquires what the reason for all the strange shews he sees may be, and being informed, answers, that he will “make glee with sundry gladsome games” on Thursday.]

These verses were devised, penned and pronounced by Master Gascoigne,[69] and that (as I have heard credibly reported), upon a very great sudden.

The next thing that was presented before Her Majesty was the delivery of the Lady of the Lake; whereof the Sum was this. Triton, in likeness of a mermaid, came towards the Queen’s Majesty as she passed over the bridge, returning from hunting, and to her declared that Neptune had sent him to her Highness, to declare the woful distress wherein the poor Lady of the Lake did remain; the cause whereof was this. Sir Bruse sauns pitie, in revenge of his cousin Merlin the prophet, whom for his inordinate lust she had enclosed in a rock, did continually pursue the Lady of the Lake, and had long sithens surprised her, but that Neptune, pitying her distress, had environed her with waves. Whereupon she was enforced to live always in that pool, and was thereby called the Lady of the Lake. Furthermore affirming that by Merlin’s prophecy it seemed she could never be delivered but by the presence of a better maid than herself. Wherefore Neptune had sent him right humbly to beseech Her Majesty, that she would no more but shew herself, and it should be sufficient to make Sir Bruse withdraw his forces. Furthermore commanding both the waves to be calm and the Fishes to give their attendance. And this he expressed in verse as followeth: [Verses by Triton and the Lady of the Lake.]

From thence Her Majesty passing yet further on the bridge, Proteus appeared, sitting on a dolphin’s back. And the dolphin was conveyed upon a boat, so that the oars seemed to be his fins. Within the which dolphin a concert of music was secretly placed, the which sounded: and Proteus, clearing his voice, sang this song of congratulation.... [Verses.]

This song being ended, Proteus told the Queen’s Majesty a pleasant tale of his delivery, and the fishes which he had in charge. The device of the Lady of the Lake was also Master Hunnis’....

And now you have as much as I could recover hitherto of the devices executed there; the country shews excepted and the merry marriage, the which were so plain as needeth no further explication. To proceed then: there was prepared a show to have been presented before Her Majesty in the Forest; the argument whereof was this:

Diana, passing in chase with her nymphs, taketh knowledge of the country, and thereby calleth to mind how, near seventeen years past, she lost in those coasts one of the best beloved nymphs, named Zabeta.[70] She describeth the rare virtues of Zabeta. One of her nymphs confirmeth the remembrance therof, and seemeth to doubt that dame Juno hath won Zabeta to be a follower of hers. Diana confirmeth the suspicion; but yet, affirming herself much in Zabeta’s constancy, giveth charge to her Nymphs that they diligently hearken and espy in all places to find or hear news of Zabeta: and so passeth on.

To entertain intervallum temporis, a man clad all in moss cometh in lamenting, and declaring that he is the wild man’s son, which not long before had presented himself before Her Majesty; and that his father (upon such words as her Highness did then use to him) lay languishing like a blind man, until it might please her Highness to take the film from his eyes.

The Nymphs return one after another in quest of Zabeta; at last Diana herself, returning and hearing no news of her, invoketh the help of her father Jupiter. Mercury cometh down in a cloud, sent by Jupiter, to recomfort Diana, and bringeth her unto Zabeta. Diana rejoiceth, and after much friendly discourse departeth: affying herself in Zabeta’s prudence and policy. She and Mercury being departed, Iris cometh down from the rainbow, sent by Juno; persuading the Queen’s Majesty that she be not carried away by Mercury’s filed[71] speech nor Diana’s fair words; but that she consider all things by proof, and then she shall find much greater cause to follow Juno than Diana. [The text of the Shew, in two Acts.]

This Shew was devised and penned by M. Gascoigne; and being prepared and ready (every Actor in his garment) two or three days together, yet never came to execution. The cause whereof I cannot attribute to any other thing than to lack of opportunity and seasonable weather.[72]

The Queen’s Majesty hasting her departure from thence, the Earl commanded Master Gascoigne to devise some farewell worth the presenting; whereupon he himself, clad like unto Silvanus, God of the Woods, and meeting her as she went on hunting, spake ex tempore as followeth: [Prose Allegory, with songs, ending:]

“Whereat your Highness may rest assured, that heaven will smile, the earth will quake, men will clap their hands, and I will always continue an humble beseecher for the flourishing estate of your royal person, whom God now and ever preserve, to his good pleasure and our great comfort. Amen.”

LONDON IN THE PLAGUE (about 1593).

Source.—Lansdowne MSS., Malone Society, Collections. I. ii., p. 206.

London. Orders to be sett downe by the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London for taking awaie such enormities as be meanes not only to continue but increase the plague and disorders of the Citie; being taken out of the proclamations set out by the Citie and the articles sett downe for providing for the poor and setting them to work.

Aldermen or their Deputies.

1. To give charge to Churchwardens, Constables, Parish Clerks and Bedells to enquire what houses be infected.

2. To visit the ward often to see orders observed, especially touching cleanness in the streets.

3. The Aldermen or their deputies in their own persons to appoint Surveyors monthly in every parishe.

4. To appoint that certificate may be made to them what houses be infected.

5. To give charge to all teachers of children that (as nere as they can) they permit no children to come to their scoles from infected houses, especiallie till such houses have bene clere by the space of 28 daies, and that none kepe a greater number than their Roomes shall be thought fit by the Aldermen or their deputies to conteyne.

Surveyours.

1. To see the orders for the sick executed daylie and diligentlie, upon knowledge from the Aldermen what houses be infected.

2. To appoint purveyours of necessaries for infected houses (being of the same houses), and deliver them reed rods to carry, and see that none other resort to their houses.

Constables.

1. To bring every daie notice in writing to the Aldermen or their deputies what houses be infected.

Constable and Churchwarden.

1. To provyde to have in readiness women to be providers and deliverers of necessaries to infected houses, and to attend the infected persons, and they to bear reed wandes, so that the sicke maie be kept from the whole, as nere as maie be, nedefull attendance weighed.

Constable and Bedell.

1. To inquire what houses be infected.

2. To view dailie that papers remaine upon doors xxviii daies or to place newe.

Clarkes and Sextons.

1. To understand what houses be infected.

2. To see bills set upon the doors of houses infected.

3. To suffer no corpses infected to be buried or remain in the churche during prayer or sermon, and to keep children from coming nere them.

Scavengers and Rakers.

1. To see the streets made cleane every daie saving Sunday and the soile to be carried away.

2. To warn all inhabitants, against their houses to keep channels clere from fylth (by only turning it aside) that the water maie have passage.

Common Hunt.

1. To kyll dogs, etc., or to lose his place.

Householders and Houses.

1. Houses having some sicke though none die, or from whence some sicke have bene removed, are infected houses, and such are to be shut up for a month.

2. The whole familie to tarry in xxviii days.

3. To keep shut the lower rooms for the like space.

4. One licensed to go for provision, etc.

5. No clothes hanged into the streets.

6. Such as have wells or pumpes, every morning by six and every evening after eight a clocke, shall cause ten bucketts full to run into the streets.

7. Every evening at that hour the streets and channells to be made cleane, the water not swept out of the channell, nor the streets overwett but sprinkled, etc.

8. The houses infected and things in them to be aired in the xxviii days and no clothes or things about the infected persons to be given awaie or sold but either destroyed or sufficientlie purified.

9. Owners of houses infected with their familie, may within the month depart to any their houses in the countrye, or to any other house in the Cyttye without being shut up, so that they abstain from returning to the Cyttye, or from going abroad out of house in the Cyttye, for a month.

10. None shall keep dogg or bitche abroad unled nor within howling or disturbing of their neighbours.

11. To have no assembly at funeral dynners or usual meeting in houses infected.

12. None shall for a month come into infected houses but such as be of the house and licensed to do service abroad.

13. No donghills out of stables, Bearhouses or other places to be made in the strete.

14. To have double time of Restraint for consenting to pull down bills, and the taker awaie to suffer imprisonement for viii. days.

Two Viewers of dead bodies,
Two Viewers of sick suspected,

Shall be appointed and sworne.

These viewers to report to the Constable, he to the Clarke, and he to the chief of Clarkes, all upon pain of imprisonment. A pain of standing on the pillorye for false reports by the viewers. A loss of pension to such as shall refuse.

Mendinge of Pavements.

That diligent care be had, that pavements be amended where nede is, and that principall paviers be appointed to survey the wants of paving, especiallie in Channels, and that the dwellers against such may be forced to amend them.

Interludes and Plaies.

If the increase of the sicknes be feared, that Interludes and plaies be restrained within the libertyes of the Cyttye.

Phisicions and Surgeons.

That skilful and learned physicions and surgeons may be provided to minister to the sicke.

Vagrant, Masterless, and poore people.

1. That all such as be diseased be sent to St. Thomas or St. Bartylmewes hospitall, there to be first cured and made cleane, and afterwards those which be not of the Cyttye to be sent awaie according to the statute in that case provided, and the other to be sett to worke, in such trades as are least used by the Inhabitants of the Cyttye, for the avoyding[73] of all such vagrant persons, as well children male and female, soldiers lame and maymed, as other idle and loytering persons that swarme in the streets and wander up and downe begging, to the great daunger and infecting of the Cyttye for th’increase of the plague and annoyance to the same.

2. That all maisterlesse men who live idlie in the Cyttye without any lawfull calling, frequenting places of common assemblies, as Interludes, gaming houses, cockpitts, bowling allies, and such other places, may be banished the Cyttye according to the laws in that case provyded.

* * * * *

All which orders aforesaid the Aldermen and their deputies are every one in their place to see performed, both in themselves and others, and in cases of doubt to yield their opinions and gyve directions.

(Endorsed) Orders to be set down of the Lord Mayor.

For repressing of disorders and relief of the poor.

A PESSIMIST ON THE AGE.

Source.—Roger Ascham: The Scholemaster, 1570. Ed. Mayor.

Italianate Englishmen.

But I am affraide, that over many of our travelers into Italie, do not eschewe the way to Circes Court: but go, and ryde, and runne, and flie thether, they make great hast to cum to her: they make great sute to serve her: yea, I could point out some with my finger, that never had gone out of England, but onelie to serve Circes in Italie. Vanitie and vice, and any licence to ill living in England was counted stale and rude unto them. And so, beying Mules and Horses before they went, returned verie Swyne and Asses home agayne: yet every where verie Foxes with subtle and busie heades: and where they may, verie wolves, with cruell malicious hartes. A mervelous monster, which, for filthines of livyng, for dulnes to learning him selfe, for wilinesse in dealing with others, for malice in hurting without cause, should carie at once in one bodie, the belie of a Swyne, the head of an Asse, the brayne of a Foxe, the wombe of a wolfe. If you thinke, we judge amisse, and write too sore against you, heare, what the Italian sayth of the English man, what the master reporteth of the scholer: who uttereth playnlie, what is taught by him, and what is learned by you, saying, Englese Italianato, e un diabolo incarnato, that is to say, you remaine men in shape and facion, but becum devils in life and condition....

I was once in Italie my selfe: but I thanke God, my abode there, was but ix. dayes: And yet I sawe in that litle tyme, in one Citie, more libertie to sinne, than ever I hard tell of in our noble Citie of London in ix. yeare. I sawe, it was there as free to sinne, not onelie without all punishment, but also without any mans marking, as it is free in the Citie of London, to chose, without all blame, whether a man lust to weare Shoo or pantocle.[74]

* * * * *

Novels and Romances.

These be the inchantementes of Circes, brought out of Italie, to marre mens maners in England: much, by example of ill life, but more by preceptes of fonde bookes, of late translated out of Italian into English, sold in every shop in London, commended by honest titles the soner to corrupt honest maners: dedicated over boldlie to vertuous and honorable personages, the easielier to beguile simple and innocent wittes. It is pitie, that those which have authoritie and charge to allow and disalow bookes to be printed, be no more circumspect herein than they are. Ten Sermons at Paules Crosse do not so moch good for movying men to trewe doctrine, as one of those bookes do harme with inticing men to ill living. Yea, I say farder, those bookes tend not so much to corrupt honest livyng, as they do to subvert trewe Religion. Mo Papistes be made, by your mery bookes of Italie, than by your earnest bookes of Lovain....

In our forefathers tyme, when Papistrie, as a standyng poole, covered and overflowed all England, fewe bookes were read in our tong, savyng certaine bookes of Chevalrie, as they sayd, for pastime and pleasure, which, as some say, were made in Monasteries, by idle Monkes, or wanton Canons: as one for example, Morte Arthure: the whole pleasure of which booke standeth in two speciall poyntes, in open mans slaughter, and bold bawdrye: In which booke those be counted the noblest Knightes, that do kill most men without any quarell, and commit fowlest advoulteres[75] by sutlest shiftes.... This is good stuffe for wise men to laughe at or honest men to take pleasure at. Yet I know, when Gods Bible was banished the Court, and Morte Arthure received into the Princes chamber. What toyes, the dayly readyng of such a booke may worke in the will of a yong gentleman, or a yong mayde, that liveth welthelie and idlelie, wise men can judge, and honest men do pitie. And yet ten Morte Arthures do not the tenth part of so much harme, as one of these bookes made in Italie, and translated in England....

* * * * *

New-fangled Dress.

If some Smithfeild ruffian take up some strange going, some new mowing with the mouth: some wrenchyng with the shoulder, some brave proverbe: some fresh new othe, that is not stale but will run round in the mouth: some new disguised garment, or desperate hat, fond in facion, or garish in colour, what soever it cost, how small soever his living be, by what shift soever it be gotten, gotten must it be, and used with the first, or els the grace of it is stale and gone.

* * * * *

Contempt for Learning.

If a father have foure sonnes, three faire and well formed both mynde and bodie, the fourth, wretched, lame, and deformed, his choice shalbe, to put the worst to learning, as one good enoughe to becum a scholer. I have spent the most parte of my life in the Universitie, and therfore I can beare good witnes that many fathers commonlie do thus: wherof, I have heard many wise, learned, and as good men as ever I knew, make great, and oft complainte: a good horseman will choose no soch colte, neither for his own, nor yet for his master’s sadle.

* * * * *

How to attract the Scholar.

Young men, by any meanes, losing the love of learning, when by tyme they cum to their owne rule, they carie commonlie from the schole with them a perpetuall hatred of their master, and a continuall contempt of learning. If ten gentlemen be asked why they forget so sone in court that which they were learning so long in schole, eight of them (or let me be blamed) will laie the fault on their ill handling by their scholemasters....

Yet, some will say, that children of nature love pastime and mislike learning: bicause, in their kinde, the one is easie and pleasant, the other hard and werisom: which is an opinion not so trewe, as some men weene: For, the matter lieth not so much in the disposition of them that be yong, as in the order and maner of bringing up by them that be old, nor yet in the difference of learnyng and pastime. For, beate a child if he daunce not well, and cherish him though he learne not well, ye shall have him unwilling to go to daunce and glad to go to his booke. Knocke him alwaies, when he draweth his shaft ill, and favor him againe, though he faut[76] at his booke, ye shall have hym verie loth to be in the field, and verie willing to be in the schole.[77]

PURITANISM ON DRESS.

Source.—Philip Stubbes: Anatomy of Abuses, 1583 (Ed. New Shakspere Society). Part i., pp. 51-52, 71-73.

But wot you what? The devil, as he is in the fulness of his malice, first invented these great ruffes, so hath he now found out also two great stayes to beare up and maintaine that his kingdome of great ruffes (for the devil is king and prince over all the children of pride): the one arch or piller whereby his kingdome of great ruffes is underpropped, is a certain kind of liquide matter which they call Starch, wherein the devil hath willed them to wash and dive[78] his ruffes wel, which, when they be dry, wil then stand stiffe and inflexible about their necks. The other piller is a certain device made of wires, crested for the purpose, whipped over either with gold, thread, silver or silk, and this he calleth a supportasse, or underpropper. This is to be applyed round about their necks under the ruffe, upon the outside of the band, to beare up the whole frame and body of the ruffe from falling and hanging down.

* * * * *

And amongst many other fearfull examples of God’s wrathe against Pride, to sett before their eyes, the fearfull Judgement of God, shewed upon a gentlewoman of Eprautna[79] of late, even the 27 of May 1582, the fearfull sound whereof is blown through all the worlde, and is yet fresh in every man’s memory. This gentlewoman being a very rich merchant man’s daughter: upon a time was invited to a Bridall or Weddyng, which was solemnised in that Town, against which day she made great preparation, for the pluming of herself in gorgeous array, that as her bodie was most beautifull, fair and proper, so her attire in every respect might be correspondent to the same. For the accomplishment whereof she curled her hair, she died her locks, and laid them out after the best manner, she coloured her face with water and Ointments: But in no case could she get any (so curious and dainty she was) that could starch and sett her Ruffes and Neckerchers to her Minde: wherefore she sent for a couple of Laundresses, who did the best they could to please her humors, but in any wise they could not. Then fell she to sweare and teare, to curse and ban, casting the Ruffes under feet, and wishing that the Devil might take her when she wear any of those Neckerchers again. In the meantime (through the sufferance of God) the Devil, transforming himself into the forme of a young man, as brave and proper as she in every point in outward appearance, came in, feigning himself to be a wooer or suiter unto her. And seeing her thus agonised, and in such a pelting chafe, he demanded of her the cause thereof, who straightway told him (as women can conceal nothing that lyeth upon their stomackes) how she was abused[80] in the setting of her Ruffes; which thynge being heard of him, he promised to please her minde, and thereto took in hand the setting of her Ruffes, which he performed to her great contentation and likyng, insomuch as she lookyng herselfe in a glass (as the Devil had her) became greatly enamoured with hym. This done the young man kissed her, in the doing whereof, he writhe her neck in sunder, so she died miserably, her body being metamorphosed into blacke and blue colours, most ugglesome to behold, and her face (which before was so amorous) became moste deformed and fearfull to look upon. This being known, preparation was made for her buriall, a rich coffin was provided and her fearfull bodie was laid therein, and it covered very sumptuously. Four men immediately essaied to lift up the corpse, but could not move it, then six attempted the like, but could not once stir it from the place where it stood. Whereat the standers by marvelling, caused the coffin to be opened to see the cause thereof. Where they found the body to be taken away and a black Catte very lean and deformed sitting in the coffin, setting of great Ruffes and frizzling of haire, to the great fear and wonder of all the beholders. This woeful spectacle have I offered to their view, that by looking into it, instead of their other looking Glasses they might see their own filthiness and avoid the like offence, for fear of the same or worser judgment: whiche God grant they mai do.

PURITANISM ON SPORT.

Source.—Philip Stubbes: Anatomy of Abuses, 1583 (Ed. New Shakspere Society), Part i., p. 184.

For as concerning football playing I protest unto you it may rather be called a friendly kind of fight than a play or recreation: a bloody and murthering practice, than a fellowly sport or pastime. For doth not every one lie in wait for his adversary, seeking to overthrow him and to pick him on his nose, though it be upon hard stones? in ditch or dale, in valley or hill, or what place soever it be, he careth not so he have him down. And he that can serve the most of this fashion, he is counted the only fellow, and who but he? so that by this means sometimes their necks are broken, sometimes their backs, sometime their legs, sometime their arms: sometime one part thrust out of joint, sometime another: sometime the noses gush out with blood, sometime their eyes start out; and sometimes hurt in one place, sometimes in another. But whosoever scapeth away the best, goeth not scot free, but is either sore wounded, craised[81] and bruised, so he dieth of it, or else scapeth very hardly, and no marvel, for they have the sleights to meet one betwixt two, to dash him against the heart with their elbows, to hit him under the short ribs with their gripped fists, and with their knees to catch him upon the hip, and to pick him on his neck, with a hundred such murdering devices; and hereof groweth envy, malice, rancour, choler, hatred, displeasure, enmity, and what not else: and sometimes fighting, brawling, contention, quarrel picking, murder, homicide, and great effusion of blood, as experience daily teacheth.

Is this murthering play, now, an exercise for the Sabaoth day? Is this a Christian dealing, for one brother to maim and hurt another, and that upon prepensed malice or set purpose? is this to do with another as we would another to do with us? God make us more careful over the bodies of our Brethren!

PURITANISM AND THE STAGE: THE ATTITUDE OF THE CITY OF LONDON TOWARDS THE THEATRES.

Source.—Remembrancia (Archives of the City of London), Malone Society, Collections, I., i., p. 68; ii., p. 164.

I.

Our most humble duties to your Grace remembred. Whereas by the daily and disorderlie exercise of a number of players and playing houses erected within this Citie, the youth thereof is greatly corrupted and their manners infected with many evill and ungodly qualities by reason of the wanton and prophane devises represented on the stages by the said players, the prentices and servants withdrawen from their works and all sorts in generall from the daylie resort unto sermons and other Christian exercises to the great hinderance of the trades and traders of this Citie and prophanation of the good and godly religion established amongst us. To which places also do usually resort great numbers of light and lewd disposed persons as harlotts, cutpurses, coseners, pilferers and such like and there under the colour of resort to those places to hear the playes devise divers evill and ungodly matches, confederacies and conspiracies, which by means of the oppotunitie of the place cannot bee prevented nor discovered, as otherwise they might bee. In consideration whereof we most humbly beseach your Grace for your godly care for the refourming of so great abuses tending to the offence of Almightie God, the prophanation and sclaunder of his true religion and the corrupting of our youth, which are the seed of the Church of God and the common wealth among us, to vouchsafe us your good favour and help for the refourming and banishing of so great evill out of this Citie, which ourselves of long time though to small purpose have so earnestly desired and endeavoured by all means that possibly wee could. And bycause we understand that the Queen’s Majestie is and must bee served at certen times by this sort of people, for which purpose she hath graunted her letters Patents to Mr. Tilney, Master of her Revells, by virtue whereof he beeing authorised to refourm exercise or suppresse all manner of players, playes and playing houses whatsoever, did first license the said playing houses within this Citie for her Majesty’s said service, which before that time lay open to all the statutes for the punishing of these and such lyke disorders. We ar most humbly and earnestly to beseech your Grace to call unto you the said Master of her Majesty’s Revells, with whom also we have conferred of late to that purpose, and to treat with him, if by any means it may be devised that her Majesty may be served with these recreations as hath been accustomed, which in our opinions may easily be done by the private exercise of her Majesty’s own players in convenient place and the Citie freed from these continuall disorders, which thereby do grow and increase daily among us. Whereby your Grace shall not only benefit and bind unto you the politic state and government of this Citie, which by no one thing is so greatly annoyed and disquieted as by players and playes and the disorders which follow thereupon, but allso take away a great offence from the Church of God and hinderance to his gospell, to the great contentment of all good Christians, specially the preachers and ministers of the Word of God about this Citie, who have long time and yet do make their earnest continuall complaint unto us for the redresse hereof. And thus recommending our most humble duties and service to your Grace we commit the same to the grace of the Almightie. From London the 25th of February, 1591.

Your Graces most humble.

To the right reverend father in God my L. the Archbisshop of Canturbury his Grace.

II.

That night I returned to London and found all the wardes full of watchers; the cause thereof was for that very nere the Theatre or Curtain at the tyme of the Plays there laye a prentice sleeping upon the grasse, and one Challes at Grostock did turn upon the toe upon the belly of the same prentice; whereupon the apprentice start up and after words they fell to playne blowes. The companie increased of both sides to the number of 500 at the least. This Challes exclaimed and said that he was a gentelman and that the apprentice was but a rascall, and some there were little better than rogues that tooke upon them the name of gentlemen, and said the prentices were but the scum of the world. Upon these troubles the prentices began the next daye being Tuesday to make mutinies and assemblies and dyd conspire to have broken the prisons and to have taken forth the prentices that were imprisoned, but my lord and I having intelligence thereof apprensed[82] four or five of the chief conspirators who are in Newgate and stand indicted of their lewd demeanors....

Upon the same Wednesday at night two companions, one being a tailor and the other a clerk of the common pleas, both of the duchy and both very lewd fellows, fell out about a harlott, and the tailor raised the prentices and other light persons, and thinking that the clerk was run in to Lyons Inn came to the house with 300 at the least, brake down the wyndowes of the house and struck at the gentlemen; during which broil one Reynolds a bakers sonne came into Fleet Street and there made solemn proclamation for clubs. The street rose and took him and brought him unto me and the next day we indicted him also for this misdemenour with many other more....

Upon Sunday my lord sent two Aldermen to the Court for the suppressing and pulling downe of the Theatre and Curtain. All the Lords agreed thereunto saving my Lord Chamberlain ... but we obtained a letter to suppresse them all. Upon the same night I sent for the quene’s players and my lord of Arundel his players, and they all willinglie obeyed the Lords’ letters. The chiefest of her Highness’s players advised me to send for the owner of the Theatre[83] who was a stubborn fellow and to bind him. I dyd so. He sent me word that he was my Lord of Hunsdon’s man and that he would not come at me but he would in the morning ride to my lord. Then I sent the under-sheriff for him and he brought him to me, and at his coming he stouted me out very hasty, and in the end I showed him my lord his master’s hand, and then he was more quiet, but to die for it he would not be bound.

Source.—Lyly: Euphues, the Anatomy of Wit, 1578, beginning.

There dwelt in Athens[84] a young gentleman of great patrimony, and of so comely a personage, that it was doubted whether he were more bound to Nature for the lineaments of his person, or to Fortune for the increase of his possessions. But Nature, impatient of comparisons, and as it were disdaining a companion or copartner in her working, added to this comeliness of his body such a sharp capacity of mind, that not only she proved Fortune counterfeit, but was half of that opinion that she herself was only current. This young gallant, of more wit than wealth, and yet of more wealth than wisdom, seeing himself inferior to none in pleasant conceits, thought himself superior to all his honest conditions, insomuch that he thought himself so apt to all things that he gave himself almost to nothing but practising of those things commonly which are incident to these sharp wits, fine phrases, smooth quips, merry taunts, using jesting without mean and abusing mirth without measure. As therefore the sweetest Rose hath his prickle, the finest velvet his brack,[85] the fairest flower his bran, so the sharpest wit hath his wanton will, and the holiest head his wicked way. And true it is that some men write and most men believe, that in all perfect shapes a blemish bringeth rather a liking every way to the eyes than a loathing any way to the mind. Venus had her mole in her cheek which made her more amiable. Helen her scar in her chin, which Paris called Cos amoris, the whetstone of love, Aristippus his wart, Lycurgus his wen: so likewise in the disposition of the mind, either virtue is overshadowed with some vice, or vice is overcast with some virtue. Alexander valiant in war, yet given to wine. Tully eloquent in his gloses,[86] yet vainglorious. Solomon wise, yet too wanton. David holy, but yet an homicide. None more witty than Euphues, yet at the first none more wicked. The freshest colours soonest fade, the teenest[87] razor soonest turneth his edge, the finest cloth is soonest eaten with moths, and the cambric sooner stained than the coarse canvas: which appeared well in this Euphues, whose wit being like wax, apt to receive any impression, and bearing the head in his own hand either to use the rein or the spur, disdaining counsel, leaving his country, loathing his old acquaintance, thought either by wit to obtain some conquest, or by shame to abide some conflict, who preferring fancy before friends, and his present humour before honour to come, laid reason in water being too salt for his taste, and followed unbridled affection, most pleasant for his tooth. When parents have more care how to leave their children wealthy than wise, and are more desirous to have them maintain the name than the nature of a gentleman, when they put gold into the hands of youth, where they should put a rod under their girdle, when instead of awe they make them past grace, and leave them rich executors of goods, and poor executors of godliness, then is it no marvel that the son, being left rich by his father’s will, becomes retchless by his own will. But it hath been an old said saw, that wit is the better if it be the dearer bought: as in the sequel of this history shall most manifestly appear.

It happened this young imp to arrive at Naples[88] (a place of more pleasure than profit, and yet of more profit than piety) the very walls and windows whereof shewed it rather to be the Tabernacle of Venus than the Temple of Vesta. There was all things necessary and in readiness, that might either allure the mind to lust or entice the heart to folly: a court more meet for an Atheist, than for one of Athens, for Ovid, than for Aristotle, for a graceless lover, than for a godly liver, more fitter for Paris than Hector, and meeter for Flora than Diana. Here my youth (whether for weariness he could not, or for wantonness would not go any farther) determined to make his abode, whereby it is evidently seen that the fleetest fish swalloweth the delicatest bait, that the highest soaring hawk traineth to the lure, and that the wittiest brain is inveigled with the sudden view of alluring vanities. Here he wanted no companions, which courted him continually with sundry kinds of devices, whereby they might either soak his purse to reap commodity, or sooth his person to win credit: for he had guests and companions of all sorts.