Honest Old Cavalier! well met, 'faith I'm glad to see thee.

Have a care what you call me. Old, is a Word of Disgrace among the Ladies; to be Honest is to be Poor and Foolish, (as some think) and Cavalier is a Word as much out of Fashion as any of 'em.

The more's the pity: But what said the Fortune-Teller in Ben. Johnson's Mask of Gypsies, to the then Lord Privy Seal,

Ben. Johnson? How dare you name Ben. Johnson in these times? When we have such a crowd of Poets of a quite different Genius; the least of which thinks himself as well able to correct Ben. Johnson, as he could a Country School Mistress that taught to Spell.

We have indeed, Poets of a different Genius; so are the Plays: But in my Opinion, they are all of 'em (some few excepted) as much inferior to those of former Times, as the Actors now in being (generally speaking) are, compared to Hart, Mohun, Burt, Lacy, Clun, and Shatterel; for I can reach no farther backward.

I can; and dare assure you, if my Fancy and Memory are not partial (for Men of my Age are apt to be over indulgent to the thoughts of their youthful Days) I say the Actors that I have seen before the Wars, Lowin, Tayler, Pollard, and some others, were almost as far beyond Hart and his Company, as those were beyond these now in being.

I am willing to believe it, but can­not readily; because I have been told, That those whom I mention'd, were Bred up under the others of your Acquaintance, and follow'd their manner of Action, which is now lost. So far, that when the Question has been askt, Why these Players do not receive the Silent Wo­man, and some other of Johnson's Plays, (once of highest esteem) they have answer'd, truly, Because there are none now Living who can [Page 3] rightly Humour those Parts, for all who re­lated to the Black-friers (where they were Acted in perfection) are now Dead, and al­most forgotten.

'Tis very true, Hart and Clun, were bred up Boys at the Blackfriers; and Acted Womens Parts, Hart was Robinson's Boy or Apprentice: He Acted the Dutchess in the Tragedy of the Cardinal, which was the first Part that gave him Reputation. Cartwright, and Wintershal belong'd to the private House in Salisbury-Court, Burt was a Boy first under Shank at the Black-friers, then under Beeston at the Cockpit; and Mohun, and Shatterel were in the same Condition with him, at the last Place. There Burt used to Play the principal Women's Parts, in particular Clariana in Love's Cruelty; and at the same time Mohun Acted Bella­mente, which Part he retain'd after the Restau­ration.

That I have seen, and can well re­member. I wish they had Printed in the last Age (so I call the times before the Rebellion) the Actors Names over against the Parts they Acted, as they have done since the Restaurati­on. And thus one might have guest at the Action of the Men, by the Parts which we now Read in the Old Plays.

It was not the Custome and Usage of those Days, as it hath been since. Yet some few Old Plays there are that have the Names set against the Parts, as, The Dutchess [Page 4] of Malfy; [...] Picture; the Roman Actor; the de­serving P [...]urite, the Wild Goose Chace, (at the Black-friers) the Wedding; the Renegado; the fair Maid of the VVest; Hannibal and Scipio; King John and Matilda; (at the Cockpit) and Holland's Leaguer, (at Salisbury Court.)

These are but few indeed: But pray Sir, what Master Parts can you remember the Old Black-friers Men to Act, in Johnson, Shakespear, and Fletcher's Plays.

What I can at present recollect I'll tell you; Shakespear, (who as I have heard, was a much better Poet, than Player) Burbadge, Hemmings, and others of the Older sort, were Dead before I knew the Town; but in my time, before the Wars, Lowin used to Act, with mighty Applause, Flastaffe, Morose, Vul­pone, and Mammon in the Alchymist; Melan­cius in the Maid's Tragedy, and at the same time Amyntor was Play'd by Stephen Hammerton, (who was at first a most noted and beautiful Woman Actor, but afterwards he acted with equal Grace and Applause, a Young Lo­ver's Part) Tayler Acted Hamlet incomparably well, Jago, Truewit in the Silent Woman, and Face in the Alchymist; Swanston used to Play Othello: Pollard, and Robinson were Comedi­ans, so was Shank who used to Act Sir Roger, in the Scornful Lady. These were of the Black­friers. Those of principal Note at the Cockpit, were, Perkins, Michael Bowyer, Sumner, Wil­liam Allen, and Bird, eminent Actors. and Ro­bins [Page 5] a Comedian. Of the other Companies I took little notice.

Were there so many Companies?

Before the Wars, there were in be­ing all these Play-houses at the same time. The Black-friers, and Globe on the Bankside, a Win­ter and Summer House, belonging to the same Company called the King's Servants; the Cock­pit or Phaenix, in Drury-lane, called the Queen's Servants; the private House in Salisbury court, called the Prince's Servants; the Fortune near White-cross-street, and the Red Bull at the up­per end of St. John's-street: The two last were mostly frequented by Citizens, and the mean­er sort of People. All these Companies got Mo­ney, and Liv'd in Reputation, especially those of the Blackfriers, who were Men of grave and sober Behaviour.

Which I admire at; That the Town much less than at present, could then maintain Five Companies, and yet now Two can hard­ly Subsist.

Do not wonder, but consider, That tho' the Town was then, perhaps, not much more than half so Populous as now, yet then the Prices were small (there being no Scenes) and better order kept among the Company that came; which made very good People think a Play an Innocent Diversion for an idle Hour or two, the Plays themselves being then, for the most part, more Instructive and Moral. Whereas of late, the Play-houses are so extreamly [Page 6] pestered with Vizard-masks and their Trade, (occasioning continual Quarrels and Abuses) that many of the more Civilized Part of the Town are uneasy in the Company, and shun the Theater as they would a House of Scan­dal. It is an Argument of the worth of the Plays and Actors, of the last Age, and easily inferr'd, that they were much beyond ours in this, to consider that they cou'd support themselves meerly from their own Merit; the weight of the Matter, and goodness of the Action, with­out Scenes and Machines: Whereas the pre­sent Plays with all that shew, can hardly draw an Audience, unless there be the addi­tional Invitation of a Signior Fideli, a Monsi­eur L'abbe, or some such Foreign Regale ex­prest in the bottom of the Bill.

To wave this Digression, I have Read of one Edward Allin, a Man so famed for ex­cellent Action, that among Ben. Johnson's Epi­grams, I find one directed to him, full of En­comium, and concluding thus

Was he one of the Black-friers?

Never, as I have heard; (for he was Dead before my time.) He was Master of a Company of his own, for whom he Built the Fortune Play-house from the Ground, a large, round Brick Building. This is he that grew so [Page 7] Rich that he purchased a great Estate in Sur­rey and elsewhere; and having no Issue, he Built and largely endow'd Dulwich College, in the Year 1619, for a Master, a Warden, Four Fellows, Twelve aged poor People, and Twelve poor Boys, &c. A noble Charity.

What kind of Playhouses had they before the Wars?

The Black-friers, Cockpit, and Salis­bury-court, were called Private Houses, and were very small to what we see now. The Cockpit was standing since the Restauration, and Rhode's Company Acted there for some time.

I have seen that.

Then you have seen the other two, in effect; for they were all three Built almost exactly alike, for Form and Bigness. Here they had Pits for the Gentry, and Acted by Candle-light. The Globe, Fortune and Bull, were large Houses, and lay partly open to the Weather, and there they alwaies Acted by Daylight.

But prithee, Truman, what became of these Players when the Stage was put down, and the Rebellion raised?

Most of 'em, except Lowin, Tayler and Pollard, (who were superannuated) went into the King's Army, and like good Men and true, Serv'd their Old Master, tho' in a different, yet more honourable, Capacity. Ro­binson was Kill'd at the Taking of a Place (I [Page 8] think Basing House) by Harrison, he that was after Hang'd at Charing-cross, who refused him Quarter, and Shot him in the Head when he had laid down his Arms; abusing Scrip­ture at the same time, in saying, Cursed is he that doth the Work of the Lord negligently. Mohun was a Captain, (and after the Wars were ended here, served in Flanders, where he received Pay as a Major) Hart was a Lieute­nant of Horse under Sir Thomas Dallison, in Prince Rupert's, Regiment, Burt was Cornet in the same Troop, and Shatterel Quarter-mas­ter. Allen of the Cockpit, was a Major, and Quar­ter Master General at Oxford. I have not heard of one of these Players of any Note that sided with the other Party, but only Swanston, and he profest himself a Presbyterian, took up the Trade of a Jeweller, and liv'd in Alderman­bury, within the Territory of Father Calamy. The rest either Lost, or expos'd their Lives for their King. When the Wars were over, and the Royalists totally Subdued; most of 'em who were left alive gather'd to London, and for a Subsistence endeavour'd to revive their Old Trade, privately. They made up one Company out of all the Scatter'd Mem­bers of Several; and in the Winter before the King's Murder, 1648, They ventured to Act some Plays with as much caution and privacy as cou'd be, at the Cockpit. They con­tinu'd undisturbed for three or four Days; but at last as they were presenting the Tra­gedy [Page 9] of the Bloudy Brother, (in which Lowin Acted Aubrey, Tayler Rollo, Pollard the Cook, Burt Latorch, and I think Hart Otto) a Par­ty of Foot Souldiers beset the House, surprized 'em about the midle of the Play, and carried 'em away in their habits, not admitting them to Shift, to Hatton-house then a Prison, where having detain'd them sometime, they Plunder'd them of their Cloths and let 'em loose again. Afterwards in Oliver's time, they used to Act privately, three or four Miles, or more, out of Town, now here, now there, some­times in Noblemens Houses, in particular Holland-house at Kensington, where the Nobi­lity and Gentry who met (but in no great Numbers) used to make a Sum for them, each giving a broad Peice, or the like. And Alexander Goffe, the Woman Actor at Black­friers, (who had made himself known to Per­sons of Quality) used to be the Jackal and give notice of Time and Place. At Christmass, and Bartlemew-fair, they used to Bribe the Officer who Commanded the Guard at White­hall, and were thereupon connived at to Act for a few Days, at the Red Bull; but were sometimes notwithstanding Disturb'd by Sol­diers. Some pickt up a little Money by pub­lishing the Copies of Plays never before Prin­ted, but kept up in Manuscript. For instance, in the Year 1652, Beaumont and Fletcher's Wild Goose Chace was Printed in Folio, for the Pub­lick use of all the Ingenious, (as the Title-page [Page 10] says) and private Benefit of John Lowin and Joseph Tayler, Servants to his late Ma­jesty; and by them Dedicated To the Honour'd few Lovers of Dramatick Poesy: Wherein they modestly intimate their Wants. And that with sufficient Cause; for whatever they were be­fore the Wars, they were, after, reduced to a necessitous Condition. Lowin in his latter Days, kept an Inn (the three Pidgions) at Brent­ford, where he Dyed very Old, (for he was an Actor of eminent Note in the Reign of K. James the first) and his Poverty was as great as his Age. Tayler Dyed at Richmond and was there Buried. Pollard who Lived Single, and had a Competent Estate; Retired to some Relations he had in the Country, and there ended his Life. Perkins and Sumner of the Cockpit, kept House together at Clerkenwel, and were there Buried. These all Dyed some Years before the Restauration. What follow'd after, I need not tell you: You can easily Remem­ber.

Yes, presently after the Restaurati­on, the King's Players Acted publickly at the Red Bull for some time, and then Removed to a New-built Playhouse in Vere-street by Claremarket. There they continued for a Year or two, and then removed to the Theater Roy­al in Drury-lane, where they first made use of Scenes, which had been a little before in­troduced upon the publick Stage by Sir Wil­liam Davenant at the Duke's Old Theater in [Page 11] Lincolns-Inn-fields, but afterwards very much improved, with the Addition of curious Ma­chines by Mr. Betterton at the New Theater in Dorset-Garden, to the great Expence and continual Charge of the Players. This much impair'd their Profit o'er what it was before; for I have been inform'd, (by one of 'em) That for several Years next after the Restaur­ation, every whole Sharer in Mr. Hart's Com­pany, got 1000 l. per an. About the same time that Scenes first enter'd upon the Stage at London, Women were taught to Act thei [...] own Parts; since when, we have seen at both Houses several excellent Actresses, justly famed as well for Beauty, as perfect good Action. And some Plays (in particular The Parson's Wedding) have been Presented all by Women, as formerly all by Men. Thus it continued for about 20 Years, when Mr. Hart and some of the Old Men began to grow weary, and were minded to leave off; then the two Companies thought fit to Unite; hut of late, you see, they have thought it no less fit to Di­vide again, though both Companies keep the same Name of his Majesty's Servants. All this while the Play-house Musick improved Yearly, and is now arrived to greater Per­fection than ever I knew it. Yet for all these Advantages, the Reputation of the Stage, and Peoples Affection to it, are much Decay'd. Some were lately severe against it, and would [Page 12] hardly allow Stage-Plays fit to be longer permitted. Have you seen Mr. Collier's Book?

Yes, and his Opposer's.

And what think you?

In my mind Mr. Collier's Reflections are Pertinent, and True, in the Main; the Book ingeniously Writ, and well Intended: But he has overshot himself in some Places; and his Respondents, perhaps, in more. My af­fection inclines me not to Engage on either side, but rather Mediate. If there be Abuses relat [...]ng to the Stage; (which I think is too apparent) Let the Abuse be reformed, and not the use, for that Reason only, Abolish'd. 'Twas an Old saying when I was a Boy, ‘Absit Abusus non desit totaliter Vsus.’

I shall not run through Mr. Collier's Book; I will only touch a little on two or three general Notions, in which, I think he may be mista­ken. What he urges out of the Primitive Councils, and Fathers of the Church, seems to me to be directed against the Heathen Plays, which were a sort of Religious Worship with them, to the Honour of Ceres, Flora, or some of their false Deities; they had always a little Altar on their Stages, as appears plain enough from some places in Plautus. And Mr. Collier himself p. 235. tells us out of Livy, that Plays were brought in upon the Score [Page 13] of Religion, to pacify the Gods. No wonder then, they forbid Christans to be present at them, for it was almost the same as to be present at their Sacrifices. We must also ob­serve that this was in the Infancy of Christi­anity, when the Church was under severe, and almost continual Persecutions, and when all its true Members were of most strict and exemplary Lives, not knowing when they should be call'd to the Stake, or thrown to Wild-Beasts. They communicated Daily, and expected Death hourly; their thoughts were intent upon the next World, they abstain'd al­most wholy from all Diversions and pleasures (though lawfull and Innocent) in this. Af­terwards when Persecution ceased, and the Church flourisht, Christians being then freed from their former Terrors, allow'd themselves, at proper times, the lawfull Recreations of Conversation, and among other (no doubt) this of Shewes and Representations. After this time, the Censures of the Church indeed, might be continued, or revived, upon occasion, against Plays and Players, tho' (in my Opi­nion) it can not be understood generally, but only against such Players who were of Vicious and Licencious Lives, and represented profane Subjects, inconsistant with the Morals and probity of Manners requisite to Christi­ans; and frequented chiefly by such loose and Debaucht People as were much more apt to Corrupt than Divert those who associated with [Page 14] them. I say, I can not think the Canons and Censures of the Fathers can be applyed to all Players, quatenus Players; for if so how could Plays be continued among the Christians, as they were, of Divine Subject, and Scriptu­ral Stories? A late French Author Speaking of the Original of the Hotel De Bourgogne (a Play-house in Paris) says that the ancient Dukes of that Name gave it to the Brother­hood of the Passion, established in the Church of Trinity-Hospital in the Rue S. Denis, on condition that they should represent here In­terludes of Devotion: And adds that there have been publick Shews in this Place 600 Years ago. The Spanish and Portuguize con­tinue still to have, for the most part, such Ecclesiastical Stories, for the Subject of their Plays: And if we may beleive Gage, they are Acted in their Churches in Mexico, and the Spanish West-Indies.

That's a great way off, Truman; I had rather you would come nearer Home, and confine your discourse to Old England.

So I intend. The same has been done here in England; for otherwise how comes it to be prohibited in the 88th Canon, among those past in Convocation, 1603. Certain it is that our ancient Plays were of Religious Sub­jects, and had for their Actors, (if not Priests) yet Men relating to the Church.

How does that appear?

Nothing clearer. Stow in his Survey of London, had one Chapter of the Sports and Pastimes of old time used in this City, and there he tells us, That in the Year 1391 (which was 15 R. 2.) a Stage-Play was play'd by the Parish-Clerks of London, at the Skinner's-well beside Smithfield, which Play continued three Days together, the King, Queen, and Nobles of the Realm being present. And another was play'd in the Year 1409 (11 H. 4.) which lasted eight Days, and was of Matter from the Creation of the World; whereat was present most part of the Nobility and Gentry of England. Sir Wil­liam Dugdale in his Antiquities of Warwickshire, p. 116, speaking of the Gray-Friers (or Fran­ciscans) at Coventry, says, Before the suppres­sion of the Monasteries, this City was very famous for the Pageants that were play'd there­in upon Corpus-Christi Day; which Pageants being acted with mighty State and Reverence by the Friers of this House, had Theatres for the several Scenes very large and high, plac'd upon Wheels, and drawn to all the eminent Parts of the City, for the better advantage of the Spectators; and contain'd the Story of the New Testament, composed in old English Rhime. An ancient Manuscript of the same is now to be seen in the Cottonian Library, Sub Effig. Vespat. D. 8. Since the Reformation, in Queen Elizabeth's time, Plays were frequently acted by Quiristers and Singing Boys; and se­veral of our old Comedies have printed in the [Page 16] Title Page, Acted by the Children of Paul' [...], (not the School, but the Church) others, By the Chil­dren of her Majesty's Chappel; in particular, Cin­thias Revels, and the Poetaster were play'd by them; who were at that time famous for good Action. Among Ben. Johnson's Epigrams you may find An Epitaph on S. P. (Sal. Pavy) one of the Children of Queen Elizabeth' s Chappel; part of which runs thus,

Some of these Chappel Boys, when they grew Men, became Actors at the Black-friers; such were Nathan Feild, and John Ʋnderwood. Now I can hardly imagine that such Plays and Players as these, are included in the severe Censure of the Councils and Fathers; but such only who are truly within the Character given by Didacus de Tapia, cited by Mr. Collier, p. 276, viz. The infamous Playhouse; a place of contradiction to the strictness and sobriety of Religion; a place hated by God, and haunted by the Devil. And for such I have as great an abhorrance as any Man.

Can you guess of what Antiquity the representing of Religious Matters, on the Stage, hath been in England?

How long before the Conquest I know not, but that it was used in London not long af­ter, appears by Fitz-Stevens, an Author who wrote in the Reign of King Henry the Second. His Words are, Londonia pro spectaculis the­atralibus, pro ludis scenicis, ludos habet sanctiores, Representationes miraculorum, quae sancti Confesso­res operati sunt, seu Representationes passionum quibus claruit constantia Martyrum. Of this, the Manuscript which I lately mention'd, in the Cottonian Library, is a notable instance. Sir William Dugdale cites this Manuscript, by the Title of Ludus Coventriae; but in the printed Catalogue of that Library, p. 113, it is named thus, A Collection of Plays in old English Metre. h. e. Dramata sacra in quibus exhibentur historiae veteris & N. Testamenti, introductis quasi in Scenam personis illic memoratis, quas secum invi­cem colloquentes pro ingenio fingit Poeta. Videntur olim coram populo, sive ad instruendum sive ad pla­cendum, a fratibus mendicantibus repraesentata. It appears by the latter end of the Prologue, that these Plays or Interludes, were not only play'd at Coventry, but in other Towns and Places upon occasion. And possibly this may be the same Play which Stow tells us was play'd in the Reign of King Henry IV, which lasted for Eight Days. The Book seems by the Cha­racter and Language to be at least 300 Years [Page 18] old. It begins with a general Prologue, giving the Arguments of 40 Pageants or Gesticulations (which were as so many several Acts or Scenes) representing all the Histories of both Testaments from the Creation, to the choosing of St. Mathias to be an Apostle. The Stories of the New Te­stament are more largely exprest, viz. The An­nunciation, Nativity, Visitation; but more es­pecially all Matters relating to the Passion very particularly, the Resurrection, Ascention, the choice of St. Mathias: After which is also re­presented the Assumption, and last Judgment. All these things were treated of in a very home­ly Style, (as we now think) infinitely below the Dignity of the Subject: But it seems the Gust of that Age was not so nice and delicate in these Matters; the plain and incurious Judg­ment of our Ancestors, being prepared with fa­vour, and taking every thing by the right and easiest Handle: For example, in the Scene rela­ting to the Visitation.

A little before the Resurrection.

The last Scene or Pageant, which represents the Day of Judgment, begins thus.

These and such like, were the Plays which in former Ages were presented publickly: Whe­ther they had any settled and constant Houses, for that purpose, does not appear; I suppose not. But it is notorious. that in former times there was hardly ever any Solemn Reception of Princes, or Noble Persons, but Pageants (that is Stages Erected in the open Street) were part of the Entertainment. On which there were Speeches by one or more Persons, in the nature of Scenes; and besure one of the Speakers must be some Saint of the same Name with the Party to whom the Honour is intended. For instance, there is an ancient Manuscript at Coventry, call'd the Old Leet Book, wherein is set down in a very particular manner, (fo. 168) the Re­ception of Queen Margaret, Wife of H. 6, who came to Coventry (and I think, with her, her young Son Prince Edward) on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy-Cross, 35. H. 6. (1456) Many Pageants and Speeches were made for her Welcome; out of all which, I shall observe but two or three, in the Old English, as it is Recorded.

In the next Reign (as appears in the same Book, so. 221) an other Prince Edward, Son [Page 22] of King Edward the 4, came to Coventry on the 28 of April, 14 E. 4, (1474) and was entertain'd with many Pageants and Speeches, among which I shall observe only two; one was of St. Edward again, who was then made to speak thus,

The other Speech was from St. George; and thus saith the Book.

I perceive these holy Matters consist­ed very much of Praying; but I pitty poor St. Edward the Confessor, who in the compass of a [Page 23] few Years, was made to promise his favour and assistance to two young Princes of the same Name indeed, but of as different and opposite Interests as the two Poles. I know not how he could perform to both.

Alas! they were both unhappy, not­withstanding these fine Shews and seeming cares­ses of Fortune, being both murder'd, one by the Hand, the other by the procurement of Rich. Duke of Glocester. I will produce but one Ex­ample more of this sort of Action, or Repre­sentations, and that is of later time, and an In­stance of much higher Nature than any yet mentioned, It was at the marriage of Prince Arthur, eldest Son of King Henry 7. to the Princess Catherine of Spain, An. 1501. Her pas­sage through London was very magnificent, as I have read it described in an old M. S. Chronicle of that time. The Pageants and Speeches were many; the Persons represented St. Catherine, St. Ʋrsula, a Senator, Noblesse, Virtue, an Angel, King Alphonse, Job, Boetius, &c. among others one is thus described,

This would be censured now a days as profane to the higest degree.

No doubt on't: Yet you see there was a time when People were not so nicely censorious in these Matters, but were willing to take things in the best sence; and then this was thought a noble Entertainment for the greatest King in Europe (such I esteem King H. 7. at that time) and proper for that Day of mighty Joy and Triumph. And I must farther observe out of the Lord Bacon's History of H. 7. that the chief Man who had the care of that Days Proceedings was Bishop Fox, a grave Coun­celor for War or Peace, and also a good Surveyor of Works, and a good Master of Cerimonies. and it seems he approv'd it. The said Lord Bacon tells us farther, That whosoever had those Toys in compiling, they were not altoge­ther Pedantical.

These things however are far from that which we understand by the name of a Play.

It may be so; but these were the Plays of those times. Afterwards in the Reign of K. H. 8. both the Subject and Form of these Plays began to alter, and have since varied more and [Page 26] more. I have by me, a thing called A merry Play betwene the Pardoner and the Frere, the Curate and Neybour Pratte. Printed the 5 of April 1533. which was 24 H. 8. (a few Years before the Dissolution of Monasteries) The design of this Play was to redicule Friers and Pardoners. Of which I'll give you a taste. To begin it, the Fryer enters with these Words,

After a long Preamble, he adresses himself to Preach, when the Pardoner enters with these Words,

And makes a long Speech, shewing his Bulls and his Reliques, in order to sell his Pardons for the raising some Money towards the rebuild­ing,

Both these speaking together, with continual interruption, at last they fall together by the Ears. Here the Curate enters (for you must know the Scene lies in the Church)

Here he calls his Neighbour Prat the Consta­ble, with design to apprehend 'em, and set 'em in the Stocks. But the Frier and Pardoner prove sturdy, and will not be stockt, but fall up­on the poor Parson and Constable, and bang 'em both so well-favour'dly, that at last they are glad to let 'em go at liberty: And so the Farce ends with a drawn Battail. Such as this were the Plays of that Age, acted in Gentle­mens [Page 28] Halls at Christmass, or such like festival times, by the Servants of the Family, or Strowlers who went about and made it a Trade. It is not unlikely that Till the 25 Year of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen had not any Players; but in that Year 12 of the best of all those who belong­ed to several Lords, where chosen & sworn her Servants, as Grooms of the Cham­ber. Stow's Annals, p. 698. Lords in those days, and Persons of eminent Qua­lity, had their several Gangs of Players, as some have now of Fidlers, to whom they give Cloaks and Badges. The first Comedy that I have seen that looks like regular, is Gammer Gurton's Needle, writ I think in the reign of King Edward 6. This is composed of five Acts, the Scenes un­broken, and the unities of Time and Place duly observed. It was acted at Christ Colledge in Cambridge; there not being as yet any settled and publick Theaters.

I observe, Truman, from what you have said, that Plays in England had a beginning much like those of Greece, the Monologues and the Pageants drawn from place to place on Wheels; answer exactly to the Cart of Thespis, and the Improvements have been by such little steps and degrees as among the Ancients, till at last, to use the Words of Sir George Back (in his Third Ʋniversity of England) Dramatick Poesy is so lively exprest and represented upon the publick Stages and Theatres of this City, as Rome in the Auge (the highest pitch) of her Pomp and Glory, never saw it better perform'd, I mean (says he) in [Page 29] respect of the Action and Art, and not of the Cost and Sumptiousness. This he writ about the Year 1631. But can you inform me Truman, when publick Theaters were first erected for this purpose in London?

Not certainly; but I presume about the beginning of Queen Elizabeths Reign. For Stow in his Survey of London (which Book was first printed in the Year 1598) says, Of late Years in place of these Stage-plays (i. e. those of Religi­ous Matters) have been used Comedies, Trage­dies, Interludes, and Histories, both true and feign­ed; for the acting whereof certain publick Places, as the Theatre, the Curtine, &c. have been erect­ed. And the continuator of Stows Annals, p. 1004, says, That in Sixty Years before the publication of that Book (which was An. Dom. 1629) no less than 17 publick Stages, or common Playhouses, had been built in and about London. In which number he reckons five Inns or Common Oste­ries, to have been in his time turned into Play­houses, one Cock-pit, St. Paul's singing School, one in the Blackfriers, one in the Whitefriers, and one in former time at Newington Buts; and adds, before the space of 60 Years past, I never knew, heard, or read, of any such Theaters, set Stages, or Playhouses, as have been purpose­ly built within Man's Memory.

After all, I have been told, that Stage-Plays are inconsistant with the Laws of this Kingdom, and Players made Rogues by Sta­tute.

He that told you so strain'd a point of Truth. I never met with any Law wholly to suppress them: Sometimes indeed they have been prohibited for a Season; as in times of Lent, general Mourning or publick Calamities, or upon other occasions, when the Govern­ment saw fit. Thus by Proclamation, 7 of April, in the first Year of Queen Elizabeth, Plays and Interludes were forbid till Alhallow-tide next following. Hollinshed, p. 1184. Some Statutes have been made for their Regulation or Refor­mation, not general suppression. By the Stat. 39 Eliz. c. 4. (which was made for the suppres­sing of Rogues, Vagabonds and sturdy Beggars) it is enacted, S. 2, ‘That all persons that be, or ut­ter themselves to be, Proctors, Procurers, Pa­tent gatherers, or Collectors for Goals, Prisons or Hospitals, or Fencers, Barewards, common players of Interludes and Ministrels, wand­ring abroad, (other than Players of Interludes belonging to any Baron of this Realm, or any o­ther honourable Personage of greater Degree, to be authorized to play under the Hand and Seal of Arms of such Baron or Personage) All Iug­lers, Tinkers, Pedlers and Petty chapmen, wandering abroad, all wandring Persons, &c. able in Body, using loytering, and refusing to work for such reasonable Wages as is commonly given, &c. These shall he ajudged and deemed Rogues, Vagabonds and sturdy Beggars, and punished as such.’

But this priviledge of Authorising or Licensing, is taken away by the Stat. 1 Ja. 1. ch. 7. S. 1. and therefore all of them (as Mr. Col­lier [Page 31] ⟨says) are without distinction brought under⟩ the foresaid ⟨Penalty.⟩

If he me ⟨ans all Players without distin­⟩tion, 'tis a great Mista ⟨ke. For the 39 ^th of the⟩ Queens Statute extends only to ⟨Wandering Player [...],⟩ and not to such as are the King or Queen's Servants, and establisht in settled Houses by Royal Authority. On such, the ill Character of vagrant Players (or as they are now called, Strolers) can cast no more aspersion, than the wandring Proctors, in the same Statute mention­ed, on those of Doctors-Commons. By a Stat. made 3. Ja. 1. ch. 21. It was enacted, ‘That if any person shall in any Stage-play, Enter­lude, Shew, Maygame or Pageant, jestingly or prophanely speak or use the holy name of God, Christ Iesus, the holy Ghost, or of the Trinity, he shall forfeit for every such offence, 10 l.’ The Stat. 1. Char. 1. ch. 1. enacts, ‘That no Meet­ings, Assemblies, or concourse of People shall be out of their own Parishes, on the Lords day, for any Sports or Pastimes whatsoever, nor any Bear-bating, Bull-bating, Enterludes, Com­mon Plays, or other unlawful Exercises and Pastimes used by any person or persons within their own Parishes.’ These are all the Statutes that I can think of relating to the Stage and Players; but nothing to suppress them totally, till the two Ordinances of the Long Parlia­ment, one of the 22 of October 1647, the other of the 11 of Feb. 1647. By which all Stage-Plays and Interludes are absolutely forbid; the Stages, Seats, Galleries, &c. to be pulled down; all Players tho' calling themselves the King or [Page 32] ⟨Queens servants, and as such Ac [...]⟩ [...]ing within ⟨this Realm, all of them on⟩ Conviction, to be ⟨punished and fin'd accor⟩ding to Law; the ⟨money forfeited by⟩ them to go to the Poor of the Parish; and every Spectator to Pay 5 s. to the use of the Poor. Also Cock-fighting was prohibited by one of Oliver's Acts of 31 Mar. 1654. But I suppose no body pretends these things to be Laws; I could say more on this Subject, but I must break off here, and leave you, Lovewit; my Occasions require it.

Love. Farewel, Old Cavalier.

'Tis properly said; we are almost all of us, now, gone and forgoten.