Pd. unto Thomas Hewode, the 20 of feptember, [1602] for the new adycions of Cutting Dick, the fome.of XX s. The following curious notices occur, relative to our poet's old antagonist, Ben Jonfon; the laft two of which furnish a proof of what I have juft obferved with refpect to Titus Andronicus, and the First Part of King Henry VI.; and the laft article afcertains that he had the audacity to write a play, after our author, on the fubject of K. Richard III. Lent unto Bengemen Johnfon, player, the 22 of July, 1597, in redy mony, the fome of fower poundes, to be payd yt again whenfoever ether I or my fonne [Edw. Alleyn] fhall demand yt. I faye iiij lb. Witness E. Alleyn, & John Synger." "Lent unto Bengemen Johnfone, the 3 of defember,. 1597, upon a booke which he was to writte for us before cryfmas next after the date hereof, which he showed the plotte unto the company: i faye, lent in redy mony unto hime the fome of xx s. "Lent Bengemyn Johnfan, the 5 of Jenewary, 1597, [1597-8] in redy mony, the fome of v s. "Lent unto the company, the 18 of agust, 1598, to bye a boocke called Hoate anger fone could, of Mr. Porter, Mr. Cheattell, & Bengemen Johnfon, in full payment, the fome of vi lb. "Lent unto Robart Shawe, & Jewbey, the 23 of octob. 1598, to lend unto Mr. Chapman, one [on] his playe boocke, & ij actes of a tragedie of Bengemen's plott, the fome of iij lb. Lent unto Wm. Borne, alias Birde, the 10 of aguft, 1599, to lend unto Bengemyn Johnfon and Thomas Dekker, in earnest of ther booke which they are a writing, called Pagge of Plim', the fome of xxxx s. "Lent 7 Thefe three words are fo blotted, that they can only be gueffed at. I find in the next page Lent unto Mr. Birde, Thomas Downton, and William Jube, the 2 of September 1599, to paye in full payment for a boocke called the lamentable tragedie of Pagge of PlyVOL. I. PART II, Y mousky "Lent unto Thomas Downton, the 3 of feptember, 1599, to lend unto Thomas Deckers, Bengemen Johnson, Harey Cheattell, and other jentellmen, in earneft of a playe called Robart the second kinge of Scottes tragedie, the fome of xxxx s. Lent unto Wm. Borne, the 23 of feptember, 1599, to lend unto Bengemen Johnfone, in earnest of a boocke called the fcottes tragedie, the fome of xx s. "Lent unto Mr. Alleyn, the 25 of feptember, 1601, to lend unto Bengemen Johnfon, upon his writing of his adycians in Jeronymo, xxxx s. "Lent unto Bengemy Johnfone, at the apoyntment of E. Alleyn, and Wm. Birde, the 22 of June, 1602, in earnest of a boocke called Richard Crook-back, and for new adycions for Jeronymo, the fome of x lb." I infert the following letter, which has been lately found at Dulwich College, as a literary curiofity. It fhews how very highly Alleyn the player was eftimated. What the wager alluded to was, it is now impoffible to afcertain. It probably was, that Alleyn would equal his predeceffors Knell and Bently, in fome part which they had performed, and in which his contemporary, George Peel, had likewife been admired. * Your answer the other night fo well pleased the gentlemen, as I was fatisfied therewith, though to the hazarde of the wager: and yet my meaning was not to mouth, the fome of vilb."; which should feem to be the fame play; but fix pounds was the full price of a play, and the authors are different.-Bird, Downton, and Jubey, were all actors. 8 The Spanish Tragedy, written by Thomas Kyd, is meant, which was frequently called Feronymo, though the former part of this play exprefsly bore that name. See the title-page to the edition of the Spanish Tragedy in 1610, where thefe new additions are particularly mentioned. Jonfon himfelf alludes to them in his Cynthia's Revels, 1602: "Another fwears down all that are about him, that the old Hieronymo, as it was at firft acted, was the only best and judicioufly penned play in Europe."-Mr. Hawkins, when he republished this piece in 1773, printed moft of Jonfon's additions to it, at the bottom of the page, as "roifted in by the players." prejudice prejudice Peele's credit, neither wolde it, though it pleafed you fo to excufe it. But beinge now growen farther in queftion, the partie affected to Bently fcornynge to win the wager by your deniall, hath now given you libertie to make choyce of any one play that either Bently or Knell plaide; and leaft this advantage agree not with your mind, he is contented both the plaie and the tyme halbe referred to the gentlemen here prefent. I fee not how you canne any waie hurt your credit by this action for if you excell them, you will then be famous; if equall them, you win both the wager and credit; if short of them, wee must and will faie, NED ALLEN STILL. Your friend to his power, W. P. "Deny mee not, fweet Ned; the wager's downe, "And twice as muche commaunde of me or myne; "And if you wynne, I fwear the half is thine, "And for an overplus an English crowne: Appoint the tyme, and ftint it as you pleas, Your labor's gaine, and that will prove it ease." The two following letters, which were found among Mr. Henflowe's papers, afcertain the low ftate of the dramatick poets in his time. From the former of them it fhould feem, that in a few years after the acceffion of James the First, the price of a play had confiderably rifen. Neither of them are dated, but I imagine they were written fome time between the years 1612 and 1615. Mr. Henflowe died about the 8th of January, 1615-16. "Mr. Hinchlow, "I have ever fince I faw you kept my bed, being fo lame that I cannot ftand. I pray, Sir, goe forward with that reasonable bargayn for The Bellman. We will have but twelve pounds, and the overplus of the fecond day; whereof I have had ten fhillings, and defyre but twenty fhillings more, till you have three fheets of my papers. Y 2 Good Good Sir, confider how for your fake I have put myself out of the affured way to get money, and from twenty pounds a play am come to twelve. Thearfor in my extremity fortake me not, as you fhall ever comand me. My wife can aquaint you how infinit great my occafion is, and this thall be fufficient for the receipt, till I come to fet my hand to the booke. Yours at comand, ROBERT DABORNE." At the bottom of this letter Mr. Henflowe has written the following memorandum : "Lent Mr. Daborne upon this note, the 23 of agust, in earnest of a play called The Bellman of London, xxs." "To our most loving friend, Mr. Phillip Hinchlow, "Mr. Hinchlow, many "You understand our unfortunate extremitie, and 1 doe not thincke you fo void of chriftianitie but that you would throw fo much money into the Thames as wee request now of you, rather then endanger fo innocent lives. You know there is x'. more at least to be receaved of you for the play. We defire you to lend us vl. of that; which fhall be allowed to you; without which wee cannot be bayled, nor I play any more till this be dispatch'd. It will lofe you xx. ere the end of the next weeke, befide the hinderance of the next new play. Pray, Sir, confider our cafes with humanity, and now give us caufe to acknowledge you our true freind in time of neede. Wee have entreated Mr. Davifon to deliver this note, as well to witneffe your love as our promifes, and alwayes acknowledgment to be ever Your moft thanckfull and loving freinds, NAT. FIELD. "The money fhall be abated out of the money re mayns for the play of Mr. Fletcher and ours. ROB. DABORNE." << I have ever found you a true loving freind to mee, and in foe fmall a fuite, it beeinge honeft, I hope you will not faile us. Indorfed: PHILIP MASSINGER." Received by mee Robert Davifon of Mr. Hinchlow, for the ufe of Mr. Daboerne, Mr. Feeld, Mr. Meffenger, the fome of vl. ROBERT DAVISON." The dimenfions and plan of the Globe Playhouse, as well as the time when it was built, are afcertained by the following paper. I had conjectured that it was not built before 1596; and we have here a confirmation of that conjecture. THIS INDENTURE made the eighte day of Januarye, 1599, and in the two and fortyth yeare of the reigne of our fovereigne ladie Elizabeth, by the grace of God Queene of England, Fraunce and Ireland, defender of the fayth, &c. Between Phillipp Henflowe and Edward Allen of the parifhe of St. Saviours in Southwark, in the countie of Surry, gentlemen, on thone parte, and Peter Streete, citizen and carpenter of London, on thother parte, Witneffeth; that whereas the faid Phillipp Henflowe and Edward Allen the day of the date hereof have bargained, compounded, and agreed with the faid Peter Streete for the erectinge, buildinge, and fetting up of a new House and Stage for a playhowfe, in and uppon a certeine plott or peece of grounde appoynted oute for that purpofe, fcituate and beinge near Goldinge lane in the parish of Saint Giles without Cripplegate of London; to be by him the faid Peter Streete or fome other fufficient workmen of his providing and appoyntment, and att his propper coftes and chardges, (for the confideration hereafter in these prefents expreffed) made, builded, and fett upp, in manner and form following: that is to faie, the frame of the faide howse to be fett fquare, and to conteine fowerscore foote of lawful aflize everye waie fquare, without, and Y 3 fiftie |