account of the plays exhibited at court every year. Such, however, as he has given, I fhall now fubjoin, together with a few anecdotes which he has preferved, relative to fome of the works of our poet and the dramatick writers who immediately fucceeded him. "For the king's players. An olde playe called Winters Tale, formerly allowed of by Sir George Bucke, and likewyfe by mee on Mr. Hemmings his worde that there was nothing prophane added or reformed, thogh the allowed booke was miffinge; and therefore I returned itt without a fee, this 19 of August, 1623. "For the king's company. The Hifiorye of Henry the First', written by Damport [Davenport]; this 10 April, 1624,-.1. o. o. "For the king's company. An olde play called The Honeft Mans Fortune, the originall being loft, was reallowed by mee at Mr. Taylor's intreaty, and on condition to give mee a booke [The Arcadia], this & Februa. 1624." The manufcript copy of the Honeft Man's Fortune is now before me, and is dated 1613. It was therefore probably the joint production of Beaumont and Fletcher. This piece was acted at the Globe, and the copy which had been licenfed by Sir George Buc, was without doubt destroyed by the fire which confumed that theatre in the year 1613. The allowed copy of The Winter's Tale was probably deftroyed at the fame time. 17 July, 1626. [Received] from Mr. Hemmings for a courtefie done him about their Blackfriers hous, £.3. 0. 0. [Received] from Mr. Hemming, in their com pany's name, to forbid the playing of Shakespeares plays, to the Red Bull Company, this 11 of Aprill, 1627, £.5. 0. O. This day, being the 11 of Janu. 1630, I did refufe to allow of a play of Meffinger's 2, because itt did contain This play in a late entry on the Stationers' books was afcribed by a fraudulent bookfeller to Shakspeare. 2 Maflinger's Duke of Millaine and Virgin Martyr were printed in 1623. It appears from the office-book of Sir Henry Herbert that his other plays were produced in the following order: The contain dangerous matter, as the depofing of Sebaftian king of Portugal, by Phillip the [Second,] and ther being a peace The Bondman, Dec. 3, 1623. Acted at the Cockpit in Drury Lane. The Renegado, or the Gentleman of Venice, April 17, 1624. Acted at the Cockpitt. The Parliament of Love, Nov. 3, 1624. Afted at the Cockpit. Of this play the last four acts are yet extant in manufcript. The Spanish Viceroy, acted in 1624. This play is loft. The Roman Actor, October 11, 1626. Acted by the king's company. The Judge, June 6, 1627. Acted by the king's company. This play is loft. The Great Duke was licenfed for the Queen's Servants, July 5, 1627. This was, I apprehend, the Great Duke of Florence, which was acted by that company. The Honour of Women was licenfed May 6, 1628. I fufpect that this was the original name of The Maid of Honour, which was printed in 1631, though not entered for the ftage in Sir Henry Herbert's book. The Picture, June 8, 1629. Acted by the king's company. Minerva's Sacrifice, Nov. 3, 1629. Afted by the king's company. This play is loft. The Emperor of the Eaft, March 11, company. Believe as you lift, May 7, 1631. This play is loft. 1630-31. Acted by the king's Acted by the king's company. The Unfortunate Piety, June 13, 1631. Acted by the king's com pany. This play is loft. The Fatal Dowry does not appear to have been licensed for the Aage under that title, but was printed in 1632. It was acted by the king's company. The City Madam, May 25, 1632. Acted by the king's company. A new way to pay old debts does not appear to have been licenfed for the stage, but was printed in Nov. 1632. The Guardian was licensed, Octob. 31, 1633. Acted by the king's company. The Tragedy of Cleander, May 7, 1634. Acted by the king's com pany. This play is loft. A Very Woman, June 6, 1634. The Orator, Jan. 10, 1634-5. This play is loft. Acted by the king's company. The Bashful Lover, May 9, 1636. Acted by the king's company. The King and the Subje&, June 5, 1638. Acted by the fame company. This title, Sir Henry Herbert fays, was changed. I suspect it was new named The Tyrant. The play is loft. Q2 Several a peace fworen twixte the kings of England and Spayne. I had my fee notwithstandinge, which belongs to me for the reading itt over, and ought to be brought always with the booke. "Received of Knight3, for allowing of Ben Johnsons play called Humours reconcil'd, or the Magnetick Lady, to bee acted, this 12th of Octob. 1632, £.2. 0. o. 18 Nov. 1632. In the play of The Ball, written by Sherley, and acted by the Queens players, ther were divers Alexius, or the Chafte Lover, Sept. 25, 1639. Acted by the king's company. The Fair Anchorefs of Paufilippo, Jan. 26, 1639-40. Acted by the king's company. Several other pieces by this author were formerly in poffeffion of John Warburton, Efq. Somerfet Herald, but I know not when they were written. Their titles are, Antonio and Vallia, The Woman's Plot, Pbilenzo and Hippolita, Tofte and Welcome. 3 The book-keeper of Blackfriars' playhoufe. The date of this piece of Ben Jonfon has hitherto been unafcertained. Immediately after this entry is another, which accounts for the defect of feveral leaves in the edition of Lord Brooke's Poems, 1633: "Received from Henry Seyle for allowinge a booke of verfes of my lord Brooks, entitled Re ligion, Humane Learning, Warr, and Honor, this 17 of October 1632, in mony, . 1. o. o: in books to the value of £. 1. 4. o."-In all the published copies twenty leaves on the fubject of Religion, are wanting, having been cancelled, probably by the order of Archbishop Laud. The fubfequent entry afcertains the date of Cowley's earliest production: "More of Seyle, for allowinge of two other fmall peeces of verfes for the prefs, done by a boy of this town called CoWLEY, at the fame time, £.0. 10. O." 4 Such of the plays of Shirley as were registered by Sir Henry Her bert, were licenfed in the following order: Love Tricks, with Complements, Feb. 10, 1624-5. Mayds Revenge, Feb. 9, 1625-6. The Brothers, Nov. 4, 1626. The Witty Fair one, Octob. 3, 1628. The Faithful Servant, Nov. 3, 16296 The Duki, May 17, 1631. The divers perfonated fo naturally, both of lords and others of the court, that I took it ill, and would have forbidden the play, but that Bifton [Chriftopher Beefton] promifte many things which I found faulte withall fhould be left out, and that he would not fuffer it to be done by the poett any more, who deferves to be punifht; and the first that offends in this kind, of poets or players, fhall be fure of publique punishment. "R. for allowinge of The Tale of the Tubb, Vitru Hoop's parte wholly ftrucke out, and the motion of the tubb, by commande from my lord chamberlin; exceptions being taken against it by Inigo Jones, furveyor of the kings workes, as a perfonal injury unto him. May 7, 1633,-. 2. o. 0." In this piece, of which the precife date was hitherto unknown, Vitru Hoop, i. e. Vitruvius Hoop, undoubtedly was intended to reprefent Inigo Jones. "The comedy called The Yonge Admirall, being free from oaths, prophanefs, or obfceanes, hath given mee much delight and fatisfaction in the readinge, and may ferve for a patterne to other poetts, not only for the bettring of maners and language, but for the improvement of the quality, which hath received fome brufhings of late. "When Mr. Sherley hath read this approbation, I know it will encourage him to pursue this beneficial and cleanly way of poetry, and when other poetts heare and fee his good fuccefs, I am confident they will imitate The Young Admiral, July 3, 1633. The Opportunity, Nov. 29, 1634• The Coronation, Feb. 6, 1634-5. Chabot, Admiral of France, April 29, 1635. The Lady of Pleafure, O&ob. 15, 1635. The Dukes Miftrefs, Jan. 18, 1635-6. The Royal Mafter, April 23, 1638. The Gentleman of Venife, 30 Octob. 1639. The Impoftor, Nov. 10, 1640. The Politique Father, May 26, 16414 The Sifters, April 26, 1642. Q 3 the the original for their own credit, and make fuch copies in this harmless way, as shall speak them masters in their art, at the first fight, to all judicious fpectators. It may be acted this 3 July, 1633. "I have entered this allowance, for direction to my fucceffor, and for example to all poetts, that fhall write after the date hereof. "Received of Bifton, for an ould play called Hymens Holliday, newly revived at their houfe, being a play given unto him for my ufe, this 15 Aug. 1633. £. 3. 0. o. Received of him for fome alterations in it, £. 1. O. O. Meetinge with him at the ould exchange, he gave my wife a payre of gloves, that cost him at least twenty Shillings. Upon a fecond petition of the players to the High Commiffion court, wherein they did mee right in my care to purge their plays of all offenfe, my lords Grace of Canterbury bestowed many words upon mee, and discharged mee of any blame, and layd the whole fault of their play called The Magnetick Lady, upon the players. This happened the 24 of O&ob. 1633, at Lambeth. In their first petition they would have excufed themfelves on mee and the poett." "On Saterday the 17th of Novemb. ", being the Queens birth day, Richard the Thirde was acted by the K. players at St. James, wher the king and queene were prefent, it being the first play the queene fawe fince her M.tys delivery of the Duke of York. 1633. "On tufday the 19th of November, being the king's birth-day, The Yong Admirall was acted at St. James by the queen's players, and likt by the K. and Queen. The Kings players fent mee an ould booke of Fletchers called The Loyal Subject, formerly allowed by Sir George Bucke, 16 Novemb. 1618, which according to their defire and agreement I did peruse, and with fome 5 This is a mistake. It should be the 16th of November. She was born Nov. 16, 1609. reformations |