arrangement with the prelates, by the Master of the Revels.[1] Henceforward and to the end of Buck's mastership, nearly all play entries are under the hands not only of the wardens, but of the Master or of a deputy acting on his behalf. Meanwhile, for books other than plays, the ecclesiastical authority succeeded more and more in establishing itself, although even up to the time of the Commonwealth the wardens never altogether ceased to enter ballads and such small deer on their own responsibility.
A little more may be gleaned from the 'Fynes for breakinge of good orders', which like the book entries were recorded by the wardens in their annual accounts up to 1571 and by the clerk in his register from 1576 to 1605.[2] But many of these were for irregularities in apprenticeship and the like, and where a particular book was concerned, the book is more often named than the precise offence committed in relation to it. The fine is for printing 'contrary to the orders of this howse', 'contrary to our ordenaunces', or merely 'disorderly'. Trade defects, such as 'stechyng' of books, are sometimes in question, and sometimes the infringement of other men's copies.[3] But the character of the books concerned suggests that some at least of the fines for printing 'without lycense', 'without aucthoritie', 'without alowance', 'without entrance', 'before the wardyns handes were to yt' were due to breaches of the regulations for censorship, and in a few instances the information is specific.[4] The book is a 'lewde' book, or 'not tolerable', or has already been condemned to be burnt, or the printing is contrary to 'her maiesties prohibicon' or 'the decrees of the star chamber'.[5] More rarely a fine was accompanied by the sequestration of the offending books, or the breaking up of a press, or even imprisonment. In these cases the company may have been acting under stimulus
- ↑ Buck's hand first appears to Claudius Tiberius Nero (10 Mar. 1607), and thereafter to all London (but not University) plays up to his madness in 1622, except Cupid's Whirligig (29 June 1607), which has Tilney's, Yorkshire Tragedy (2 May 1608), which has Wilson's, some of those between 4 Oct. 1608 and 10 March 1609, which have Segar's, who is described as Buck's deputy, and Honest Lawyer (14 Aug. 1615), which has Taverner's.
- ↑ i. 45, 69, 93, 100, &c.; ii. 821, 843. In 1558-9, only, the heading is 'Fynes for defautes for Pryntynge withoute lycense'.
- ↑ See the case of Jeffes and White in 1593 given in ch. xxiii, s.v. Kyd, Spanish Tragedy.
- ↑ i. 93, 100; ii. 853 (21 Jan. 1583), 'This daye, Ric. Jones is awarded to paie x^s for a fine for printinge a thinge of the fall of the gallories at Paris Garden without licence and against commandement of the Wardens. And the said Jones and Bartlet to be committed to prison viz Bartlet for printing it and Jones for sufferinge it to be printed in his house'.
- ↑ ii. 824, 826, 832, 837, 849, 851.
