in material, for which he overcharged at the rate of sixpence for a groat's worth. When funds ran short, Brayne and his wife worked as labourers on the structure, while Burbadge, if he set his hand to a job, took the regular rate of wages for it. And there is some corroboration of a more serious charge of 'indyrect dealing', after the house was opened, about the 'collecting of the money for the gallories'.[1] Miles alleged that during a space of two years Burbadge used a secret key made by one Braye, a smith in Shoreditch, to filch from 'the commen box where the money gathered at the said playes was putt in', thus cheating 'his fellowes the players' as well as Brayne. He would also 'thrust some of the money devident betwene him and his said ffellowes in his bosome or other where about his bodye'. The Theatre was in use by 1 August 1577, as it is mentioned by name in the Privy Council inhibition of that date.[2] But it was opened before the work was completed, and the last stages were paid for out of the profits.[3] Moreover, in addition to what Brayne and Burbadge could find, money had to be raised on mortgage, with the result that Brayne never got full security for his interest in the undertaking. He was not a party to the original lease, thinking that if a joint lease were entered into, the survivor would take all.[4] When a draft assurance of a moiety of the profits to him was prepared on 9 August 1577, it could not be executed because the lease was at pawn, and ultimately, on 22 May 1578, Burbadge gave him a bond of £400 to assure in due course.[5] An assurance was, however, never made. The friction between the partners led to violent disputes. On one occasion, after high words in a scrivener's shop, 'Burbage did there strike him with his fist and so they went together by the eares in somuch that this deponent could herdly part them'.[6] On 12 July 1578 they submitted their differences to arbitrators, who decided that, with the exception of 10s. weekly for Brayne's housekeeping and 8s. for Burbadge's out of the profits of 'such playes as should be playd there vpon Sundaies', the first charge upon the rents and profits of the property should be the repayment of debts due upon the theatre. Thereafter Brayne should take them 'till he shuld be answered suche somes of money which he had lade out for and vpon the same Theatre more then the said Burbage had done'. And when this claim too was discharged, the rents and profits should 'go in devydent equallye betwene them'. Should it be necessary to raise
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