Page:The Elizabethan stage (Volume 1).pdf/126

This page needs to be proofread.

Constitucions howe the King's Revells ought to be usyd:

Fyrst, an Invyntory to be made by the Clarke controwler and Clarke, by the Survey and apowentinge of the mastyr of the Revells, Aswell of all and singular masking garments with all thear furnyture, as allso of all bards for horsis, coveryng of bards and bassis of all kynds, with all and singular the appurtenances, which Invytory, subscribyd by the yoman and clarke, ought to remayne in the custody of the Master of the Offyces and the goodes for the saeffe kepyng.

Item, that no kynd of stuff be bowght, but at the apowyentment of the Master or his depute Clarke controwler, being counsell therin, and that he make mencion therof, in his booke of recept which ought to be subscribyd as afforseyd by the Master.

Item, that the Clarke be privey to the cutting of all kynds of garments, and that he make mencion in his booke of thyssuing owt howe moche it takyth of all kynds to every maske, revelle, or tryumph, which boke ought to be subscrybyd as afforseyd by the Master.

Item, that the Clarke kepe check of all daye men working on the premisses, and to make two lyger boks of all wags and provisions of all kynd whate so ever, the one for the paye master and the other for the Master.

Item, that no garments forseyd, bards, coverying of bards, bassis, or suche lyck, be lent to no man without a specyall comaundment, warrant, or tokyn, from the Kyng's Maiestie, but that all be leyd up in feyr stonderds or pressis, and every presse or stonderd to have two locks a pece, with severall wards, with two keys, the one for the Master or Clarke, and the other for the yoman, so that non of them cum to the stuff without the other.


In Farlyon's time the Revels stuff had been housed at the royal mansion of Warwick Inn in the City.[1] Cawarden moved it in 1547 to the Blackfriars, where various parts of the old Priory buildings served at different times as store-rooms and work-rooms or as residences for the officers.[2] Much material bearing upon the activities of the Revels during 1544-59 is preserved at Loseley Hall, amongst the papers of Cawarden's executor, Sir William More, who also acquired his interest in the Blackfriars. Cawarden lived just long enough to superintend the festivities at Elizabeth's coronation. After his death on 29 August 1559, his offices were distributed.[3] The Mastership of the Tents was given to Henry Sackford of the Privy Chamber. Banqueting houses, however, which had originally been the concern of the Tents, seem now to have

  1. Brewer, i. 636, 757; ii. 179; xvi. 603.
  2. Feuillerat, Edw. and M. 3; cf. ch. xvii (Blackfriars).
  3. Tudor Revels, 3, from memorandum of 1573. An account of Cawarden's life by T. Craib is in Surrey Arch. Colls. xxviii. 7 (1915). There is a doubt as to the exact date of his death. The i.p.m. gives 29 Aug.; his epitaph 25 Aug. Similarly the Blechingley register gives 29 Aug. for his funeral; Machyn, 208, gives 5 Sept.