[1572. Extract from MS. Chronologie of William Harrison, s.a. 1572, printed in Harrison, i. liv. The entries continue to 1593, and this one was probably written after the building of the Theatre and Curtain in 1576.]
1572. Plaies are banished for a time out of London, lest the resort
vnto them should ingender a plague, or rather disperse it, being alredy
begonne. Would to god these comon plaies were exiled for altogether,
as semenaries of impiety, & their theaters pulled downe, as no better
then houses of baudrie. It is an euident token of a wicked time when
plaiers wexe so riche that they can build suche houses. As moche
I wish also to our comon beare baitinges vsed on the Sabaothe daies.
xxiii.
[1572, May 20. Minute of City Court of Aldermen, printed in Harrison,
iv. 318, from Repertory, xvii, f. 316.]
The Counsells
Lettres for Plaies
& Commodies.
Intratur.
Item, this daie, after the readyng of the Lordes of the Quenes Maiesties most honorable Counselles Letters, written in the favor of certein persones to haue in there howses, yardes, or back sydes, being overt & open places, such playes, enterludes, commedies, & tragedies as maye tende to represse vyce & extoll vertwe, for the recreacion of the people, & therby to drawe them from sundrye worser exercyses, The matter theerof being first examyned, sene & allowed, by such discrete person or persones as shalbe by the Lord Maiour thervnto appoynted, and takyng bondes of the said houskeapars not to suffer the same playes to be in the tyme of devyne service, & vpon other condicions in the same Letters specified:
Item, it was agreed that Master Townclark shall devyse a letter for answer of thother, to be sent vnto my Lord Burleighe, signifiing to his honour, that it is thought very perillous (considering the tyme of the yere & the heat of the weather) to haue such conventicles of people by such meanes called together, wherof the greatest number are of the meanest sorte, beseching his honour, yf it maye so seame him good, to be a meane wherby the same, for a tyme, may be forborne.
xxiv.
[1572, June 29. Extract from An Acte for the punishement of Vacabondes
and for Releif of the Poore & Impotent (14 Eliz. c. 5), printed in Statutes,
iv. 590. The Act was continued and amended in detail by 18 Eliz. c. 3
in 1576 (St. iv. 610) and continued by 37 Eliz. c. 11 in 1584-5 (St. iv. 718).]
[§ 2.] . . . All & every person and persons whatsoever they bee, being
above thage of fourtene yeres, being hereafter sett foorth by this Acte
of Parliament to bee Roges Vacabonds or Sturdy Beggers, and bee
at any tyme after the Feaste of Sainte Bartholomewe the Apostle
next comming [24 Aug.] taken begging in any parte of this Realme,
or taken vagrant wandring and misordering themselves contrary to
the purport of this present Acte of Parliament in any part of the
same, shall uppon their Apprehention be brought before one of the
