Either the death of their patron in June 1583, or possibly the formation of the Queen's men in the previous March, eclipsed them, but in 1585 they reappear as a provincial company, visiting Dover on 15 May, Bath on 22 July and in May 1586, Coventry twice in 1585-6, Ipswich in 1586-7, York in 1587, Leicester before Michaelmas of the same year, and Coventry in September. Here they were playing under the name of the Countess of Sussex. In 1587-8 they were at Coventry and Bath, on 18 April 1588 at Ipswich, on 17 February 1589 at Leicester, on 1 March at Ipswich, on 19 November at Leicester again, in the course of 1589 at Faversham, and in 1588-9 at Aldeburgh. On 17 February 1590 they were at Ipswich. In the spring of 1591 they appear to have made a temporary amalgamation with a group of the Queen's men (q.v.) and appeared with them on 14 February at Southampton, on 24 March at Coventry, and during 1590-1 at Gloucester. This arrangement probably terminated in May, and on 11 August Sussex's were alone at Leicester.[1]
They enter the charmed London circle again with a Court performance on 2 January 1592.[2] It is possible that they had attracted the services of Marlowe, for Kyd in a letter, probably to be dated in 1593, speaks of himself as having been in the service of a lord for whose players Marlowe was writing, and there are some traces of connexion between Kyd and the house of Radcliffe. During the plague of 1593 the company were obliged to travel again, and on 29 April the Privy Council Register records the issue of
'an open warrant for the plaiers, servantes to the Erle of Sussex, authorysinge
them to exercyse theire qualitie of playinge comedies and
tragedies in any county, cittie, towne or corporacion not being within
vij^{en} miles of London, where the infection is not, and in places convenient
and tymes fitt.'[3]
The company were at Ipswich, Newcastle, and York in
1592-3. They were at Winchester on 7 December 1593; then
came to London under the patronage of the fifth Earl, and,
although not at Court, had a season of about six weeks,
beginning on 26 December and ending on 6 February, with
Henslowe, probably at the Rose. The names and dates of
their plays and sums received at each, probably by himself
as owner of the theatre, are noted by Henslowe in his diary.
The company performed on thirty nights, in twelve plays.
