The accident of litigation brings into light a company of boys, who appear to have acted for a brief and troubled period, which probably ended in 1608 or early in 1609. The story is told by one George Androwes a silk-weaver of London, and begins in February 1608. At that date a part of the dissolved Whitefriars monastery was held, in contemplation of a lease from Lord Buckhurst, by Michael Drayton and Thomas Woodford. The lease was actually executed about the following March, and was for six years, eight months, and twenty days, at a rent of £50. Woodford had assigned his interest to one Lording Barry; and Barry in turn persuaded Androwes to take over a third of it, and to join a syndicate, of which the active manager was Martin Slater, who is described as a citizen and ironmonger of London, but is, of course, well known as an actor in the Admiral's and other companies. The bill incorporates the terms of Articles of Agreement entered into on 10 March 1608 by Slater on the one hand and Barry, Androwes, and Drayton, together with William Trevell, William Cooke, Edward Sibthorpe, and John Mason, all of London, gentlemen, on the other. They throw a good deal of light upon the business organization of a theatrical enterprise. Slater is to have a sixth part of the net profits of 'any playes, showes, interludes, musique, or such like exercises' in the Whitefriars playhouse or elsewhere, together with lodging for himself and his family on the premises, and any profits that can be made in the house 'either by wine, beere, ale, tobacco, wood, coales, or any such commoditie'. When the 'pattent for playinge' shall be renewed, Slater's name is to be joined in it with Drayton's, because 'if any restrainte of their playinge shall happen by reason of the plague or other wise, it shalbe for more creditt of the whole company that the said Martyn shall travel with the children, and acquainte the magistrates with their busines'. During any such travel his allowance is to be increased to a share and a half, no apparel, books, or other property of the company is to be removed without the consent of the sharers, and none of them is to print any of the play-books, 'except the booke of Torrismount, and that playe not to be printed by any before twelve monthes be fully expired'. In order to avoid debt, a sixth part is to be taken up each day of the 'chardges of the howse' for the week, including 'the gatherers, the wages, the childrens bourd, musique, booke keeper, tyreman, tyrewoman, lights, the Maister of the revells' duties, and all other things needefull and necessary'. The children are to be 'bound' for three years to Slater, who undertakes
