in 1576 taken a step in the direction of professionalism, by transferring their performances to Farrant's newly opened theatre at the Blackfriars. Here, if the rather difficult evidence can be trusted, the Paul's boys appear to have joined them, and to have formed part of a composite company, to which Lord Oxford's boys also contributed, and which produced the Campaspe and Sapho and Phao of the earl's follower John Lyly. Lyly took these plays to Court on 1 January and 3 March 1584, and Henry Evans, who was also associated with the enterprise, took a play called Agamemnon and Ulysses on 27 December. On all three occasions the official patron of the company was the Earl of Oxford. In Agamemnon and Ulysses it must be doubtful whether the Paul's boys had any share, for in the spring of 1584 the Blackfriars theatre ceased to be available, and the combination probably broke up.[1] This, however, was far from being the end of Lyly's connexion with the boys, for the title-pages of no less than five of his later plays acknowledge them as the presenters. They had, indeed, a four years' period of renewed activity at Court, under the mastership of Thomas Giles, who, being already almoner, became Master of the Song School on 22 May 1584, and in the following year received a royal commission to 'take up' boys for the choir, analogous to that ordinarily granted to masters of the Chapel Children.[2] There is no specific mention of plays in*
- ↑ Cf. infra (Chapel, Oxford's); ch. xvii (Blackfriars).
- ↑ R. Churton, Life of Alexander Nowell, 190, from Reg. Nowell, ii, f. 189;
Nichols, Eliz. ii. 432; Collier, i. 258; Hazlitt, 33; Wallace, ii. 67, from
original warrant under the Signet in Sloane MS. 2035^b, f. 73:
'By the Queene,
Elizabeth.'Whereas we haue authorysed our servaunte Thomas Gyles M^r. of the children of the Cathedrall Churche of S^t. Pauls within our Cittie of London to take vpp suche apte and meete Children as are most fitt to be instructed and framed in the arte and science of musicke and singinge as may be had and founde out within anie place of this our Realme of England or Wales, to be by his education and bringinge vp made meete and hable to serve vs in that behalf when our pleasure is to call for them. Wee therefore by the tenour of these presentes will and require you that ye permitt and suffer from henceforthe our saide servaunte Thomas Gyles and his deputie or deputies and every of them to take vp in anye Cathedral or Collegiate Churche or Churches and in everye other place or places of this our Realme of England and Wales, suche Childe and Children as he or they or anye of them shall finde and like of and the same Childe and Children by vertue hereof for the vse and service afouresaide, with them or anye of them to bringe awaye, withoute anye your lettes contradiccions staye or interruptions to the contrarie Charginge and commaundinge you and everie of you to be aydinge helpinge and assisting vnto the aboue named Thomas Gyles and his deputie and deputies in and aboute the due execucion of the premisses for the more spedie effectuall & bettar
