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the 1610 patent.[1] An undated letter from Pallant, Rowley, Taylor, Newton, Hamlen, Attwell, and Smith to Alleyn, which may belong to some time in 1616 or 1617, shows that, in spite of the easy terms which the company seem to have received by the agreement, the subsequent relations were not altogether smooth. They write to excuse their removal from the Bankside, where they had stood the intemperate weather, until 'more intemperate Mr. Meade thrust vs over, taking the day from vs w^{ch} by course was ours'. They ask Alleyn to find them a house and in the meantime to lend them £40, on the security that 'we haue to receiue from the court (w^{ch} after Shrouetide wee meane to pursue w^{th} best speede) a great summe of monie', amounting to more than twice the loan desired.[2] It is to be presumed that the 'course' to which they refer was some distribution of days between playing and bear-baiting. In 1619 the company was joined by Christopher Beeston, formerly of the Queen's, and his house of the Cockpit became available for their use.


xxiv. THE LADY ELIZABETH'S MEN


Elizabeth, e. d. of James I; nat. c. 19 Aug. 1596; m. Frederick V, Elector Palatine (Palsgrave), 14 Feb. 1613; Queen of Bohemia, 7 Nov. 1619; known as Queen of Hearts; ob. 13 Feb. 1662.

[Bibliographical Note.—Nearly all the material is to be found among the extracts from the Dulwich MSS. printed by W. W. Greg in Henslowe Papers (1907) and summarized in Henslowe, ii. 137.]


This company seems to have come into existence in 1611 under the following patent of 27 March:[3]

De licencia speciali pro Iohanne Townsend & Iosepho Moore & aliis. Iames by the grace of god &c. To all Iustices, Maiors, Sheriffes, Bailiffes, Constables hedborroughes, and other our lovinge Subiectes and officers greetinge. Knowe ye that wee of our especiall grace, certayne knowledge, and meere mocon have licenced and authorised, and by these presente do licence and authorize Iohn Townsend and Joseph Moore, sworne servantes to our deere daughter the ladie Elizabeth, with the rest of theire Companie, to vse and exercise the Arte and qualitie of playinge Comedies, histories, Enterludes, Morralls, pastoralls, stage playes, and such other like as they haue alreadie studied or hereafter shall studie or vse, aswell for the recreacion of our lovinge Subiectes, as for our solace and pleasure when wee shall thinke good to see them, And the said enterludes or other to shewe and exercise publiquelie to their best commoditie in and about our Cittie of London in such vsuall howses as themselues

  1. App. D, No. clviii.
  2. Henslowe Papers, 93.
  3. M. S. C. i. 274, from P. R. 9 Jac. I, p. 20.