from the boundaries described, as compared with those in a temporary assignment by Alleyn of the lease, that the property dealt with in 1584 and in 1610 was the same, and it is natural to conclude that Alleyn had himself added to the number of tenements.[1] This is confirmed by a note of Alleyn's that, in addition to building the play-house, he spent £120 'for other priuat buildings of myn owne'. One such building adjoined the south side of the play-house in 1601.[2] Alleyn's note gives the cost of the play-house itself as £520, making up with the private buildings and the purchase of leasehold, reversion, and freehold, a total expenditure of £1,320.[3] The contract for building the framework was taken by Peter Street, carpenter, at £440, which presumably left Alleyn £80 for the painting and other decorative work excluded from the contract. The following is the text of the contract, which is preserved at Dulwich:[4]
'This Indenture made the Eighte daie of Januarye 1599, and in the
Twoe and Fortyth yeare of the Reigne of our sovereigne Ladie Elizabeth,
by the grace of god Queene of Englande, Fraunce and Irelande, defender
of the Faythe, &c. betwene Phillipp Henslowe and Edwarde Allen of
the parishe of S^{te} Saviours in Southwark in the Countie of Surrey,
gentlemen, on thone parte, and Peeter Streete, Cittizen and Carpenter
of London, on thother parte witnesseth That whereas the saide Phillipp
Henslowe & Edward Allen, the daie of the date hereof, haue bargayned,
compounded & agreed with the saide Peter Streete ffor the
erectinge, buildinge & settinge upp of a new howse and Stadge for a
Plaiehouse in and vppon a certeine plott or parcell of grounde appoynted
oute for that purpose, scytuate and beinge nere Goldinge lane in the
parishe of S^{te} Giles withoute Cripplegate of London, to be by him the
saide Peeter Streete or somme other sufficyent woorkmen of his provideinge
and appoyntemente and att his propper costes & chardges,
for the consideracion hereafter in theis presentes expressed, made,
erected, builded and sett upp in manner & forme followinge (that is to
saie); The frame of the saide howse to be sett square and to conteine
ffowerscore foote of lawfull assize everye waie square withoutt and
fiftie fiue foote of like assize square everye waie within, with a good
suer and stronge foundacion of pyles, brick, lyme and sand bothe
without & within, to be wroughte one foote of assize att the leiste
aboue the grounde; And the saide fframe to conteine three Stories
in heighth, the first or lower Storie to conteine Twelue foote of lawfull
assize in heighth, the second Storie Eleaven foote of lawfull assize in
heigth, and the third or vpper Storie to conteine Nyne foote of lawfull
assize in height; All which Stories shall conteine Twelue foote and a
