Associates to vse and exercise the arte and facultie of playing Commedies, Tragedies, Histories, Enterludes, Moralls, Pastoralls, Stageplayes, and such other like as they haue alreadie studied or hereafter shall vse or studie, aswell for the recreacion of our loving subiectes, as for our solace and pleasure when wee shall thincke good to see them, during our pleasure, And the said Commedies, Tragedies, histories, Enterludes, Moralls, pastoralls, stageplaies, and suche like to shewe and exercise publiquelie to their best Commoditie, aswell within theire nowe vsuall house called the Fortune within our Countie of Middlesex, as alsoe within anie Towne halls or Moutehalls or other convenient places within the libertie and ffredome of anie other Cittie, vniversitie, Towne, or Boroughe whatsoever, within our Realmes and Domynions, willing and Commaunding you and everie of you, as you tender our pleasure, not onelie to permitt and suffer them herein without anie your lettes, hindraunces, or molestacions during our saide pleasure, but alsoe to be aiding and assisting vnto them yf anie wrong be to them offered, And to allowe them such former curtesies as hath been given to men of theire place and quallitie, And alsoe what further favour you shall shewe vnto them for our sake wee shall take kindelie at your handes. Prouided alwaies, and our will and pleasure ys, that all auctoritie, power, priuiledges, and profittes whatsoever belonging and properlie appertaining to the Maister of our Revells in respecte of his office, and everie Clause, article, or graunte conteined within the letteres patentes or Commission, which haue heretofore been graunted or directed by the late Queene Elizabeth our deere Sister, or by our selves, to our welbeloued servantes Edmonde Tilney, Maister of the office of our said Revells, or to Sir George Bucke knighte, or to either of them in possession or reversion, shall be remayne and abide entire, and in full force estate and vertue, and in as ample sorte as yf this our Commission had never been made. In witnesse whereof etc. Witnesse our selfe at Westminster the Thirtith daie of Aprill. per breve de priuato sigillo.
Between 1606 and 1610 it seems to have been thought
desirable to strengthen the composition of the company by
the introduction of new blood. A list of 'Comedyanes and
Playores', included in the establishment book drawn up
when Henry formed his own Household as Prince of Wales
in 1610, contains six names in addition to the eight of the
patent.[1] They are 'Edward Colbrande, Wm. Parre, Rychard
Pryore, William Stratford, Frauncys Grace, and John Shanke'.
Of these William Parr, who is in the plot of 1 Tamar Cham in
1602, is alone traceable in the earlier records of the company.
Shank had been of Pembroke's and Queen Elizabeth's men.
Henslowe entered two more advances in his diary, one for 'facynge of a blacke grogren clocke with taffytye', the other
- ↑ Birch, Life of Henry, 455; Greg, Gentleman's Magazine, ccc. 67, from Harl. MS. 252, f. 5, dated 1610.
