[1604, April 9. Privy Council to Lord Mayor of London and Justices of Middlesex and Surrey, printed by W. W. Greg, Henslowe Papers, 61, from contemporary copy in Dulwich MS. i. 39; also in Collier, Alleyn Memoirs, 66; Halliwell-Phillipps, Illustrations, 115, Outlines, i. 310. The abstract of the lost Council Register in Addl. MS. 11402 has the note (f. 93^v) '9 Ap. 1604 A lettre to the lo: Mayor & the Iustices of Surrey & Middlesex to suffer the players to playe againe Lent being past &c' (Dasent, xxxii. 511; M. S. C. i. 371).]
After our hart[ie commendations] to your [Lo.] Wheras the kings
maiesties Plaiers have given ty[] hyghnes good
service in ther Quallitie of Playinge, and for as much Lickwise as
they are at all times to be emploied in that Service, whensoever they
shalbe Comaunded, we thinke it therfore fitt, the time of Lent being
now Passt, that your L. doe Permitt and suffer the three Companies
of Plaiers to the King, Queene, and Prince publicklie to Exercise
ther Plaies in ther severall and vsuall howses for that Purpose, and
noe other, viz. The Globe scituate in Maiden lane on the Banckside
in the Countie of Surrey, the Fortun in Golding Lane, and the Curtaine
in Hollywell in the Cowntie of Midlesex, without any lett or interupption
in respect of any former Lettres of Prohibition heertofore written
by vs to your Lo. Except there shall happen weeklie to die of the
Plague Aboue the Number of thirtie within the Cittie of London and
the Liberties therof. Att which time we thinke it fitt they shall
Cease and forbeare any further Publicklie to Playe, vntill the Sicknes
be again decreaced to the saide Number. And so we bid your Lo.
hartilie farewell. From the Court at Whitehalle the ixth of Aprille,
1604.
Your very Loving ffrends
Nottingham
Suffock
Gill Shrowsberie
Ed Worster
W: Knowles
J: Stanhopp
To our verie good L. the Lord Maior of the Cittie of London and to the Justices of the Peace of the Counties of Midlesex and Surrey. L. Maiore.
cxxxvi.
[1604, July 7. Extracts from An Acte for the Continuance and Explanation
of the Statute made in the 39 yeere of the Raigne of our late Queene
Elizabeth, intituled An Acte for Punishmente of Rogues, Vagabondes and
Sturdie Beggers (1 Jac. I, c. 7), printed in Statutes, iv. 1024. The Act
was amended in detail by 7 Jac. I, c. 4, in 1610 (St. iv. 1159).]
[§ 1.] Whereas by [39 Eliz. c. 4] . . . it was enacted, That all
persons callinge themselves Scholers goinge aboute begginge, all Sea-*faringe
men pretending losse of their Shippes or Goods on the Sea,
goinge aboute the Countrie begginge, all idle persons goinge aboute
in any Countrie, either begginge, or usinge any subtile Crafte or
