behoulders theareof'; and though I do not suggest that the extension of this principle to Paul's or the Blackfriars fell within the intention of the order, the evasion may have been allowed, within the gates of Paul's or in a liberty, and for a well-conducted house attended by a well-to-do audience, to hold.[1] If so, it is probable that Paul's from the beginning and the earlier Blackfriars were in effect private houses. But the actual terminology does not emerge before the revival of the boy companies in 1599 and 1600. For some years past the title-pages of plays had vaunted them as 'publikely acted'.[2] A corresponding 'priuately acted' appears for Blackfriars in Jonson's Cynthia's Revels (1601) and Poetaster (1602), and for Paul's in Middleton's Blurt Master Constable (1602), while the antithesis is complete in Dekker's Satiromastix (1602), which was presented 'publikely' by the Chamberlain's and 'priuately' by Paul's. Somewhat later we find Field's Woman a Weathercock (1612) acted 'priuately', and Chapman's Revenge of Bussy D'Ambois (1613) 'at the priuate Playhouse' in the Whitefriars.[3] But by this time the distinction may be taken for granted as well established in general use.[4]
From the point of view, however, of stage arrangements, the technical differentia of a private house is less important than certain subsidiary characteristics.[5] The private houses were all in closed buildings, were occupied by boys, and charged higher prices than the ordinary theatres. These facts entailed variations of structure and method, which will require attention at more than one point. They naturally became less fundamental, but did not entirely disappear, after the transfer of the Blackfriars to the King's men in
- ↑ Lawrence, i. 230; cf. App. D, No. xxxii.
- ↑ The earliest example is The Troublesome Reign of King John (1591).
- ↑ But 'priuately' is also used of strictly private performances on the title-pages of Caesar's Revenge (1607) acted at Trinity College, Oxford, and, later, W. Montague's Shepherd's Paradise (1659) acted by amateurs at Court.
- ↑ T. M., Black Book (1604), in Bullen, Middleton, viii. 42, 'arch tobacco-*taker of England . . . upon stages both common and private'; Malcontent (1604), ind., 'we may sit upon the stage at the private house'; Sophonisba (1606), ad fin., 'it is printed only as it was represented by youths, and after the fashion of the private stage'; Dekker, Gull's Horn Book (cf. App. H), 'Whether therefore the gatherers of the publique or priuate Play-house stand to receiue the afternoones rent'; Dekker, Seven Deadly Sins (1606, Works, ii. 41), 'All the Citty lookt like a priuate Play-house, when the windowes are clapt downe'; Roaring Girl (1611), ii. 1, 'the private stage's audience, the twelve-penny stool gentlemen'; Daborne to Henslowe (1613, Henslowe Papers, 79), 'as good a play for your publique howse as ever was playd'.
- ↑ Cf. Wright (App. I).
