me cause to iudge my self hardly befrended and regarded, that a light suggestion of a Companie of lewde verlettes could so sodainely and easely carry yow awaye from a good frende to my mans great losse and discredit, and in some sort to myne owne impeachement. Yf yow be resolued that it standeth most behouefull for the good gouerment of the Citie to haue those exercises vtterly put downe and none allowed hereafter to deale in these kinde of prises, my man shall rest him self without further sute, (albeit the first and last to whome disgrace hath ben offered in this sorte:) But if others be suffered to proceade as heretofore, and they not restrained, aswell as my man, I must nedes iuge it no frendely nor indifferent maner of dealing. I pray therefore, vnlesse there be cause to the contrary and greater mater of exception, than lewde suggestions of badd persones; (because my man refused to yealde to their disorder, and abvse of exaction) giue my man such ordinarie and indifferent fauor, that he may forthwith haue his daie and place as others of his profession. Or ells I shall haue more iust cause of vnkindnesse offered me. From the Court this xxiijth of Iuly 1582.
Your Lps. very louing frende,
Ambrose: Warwike.
To my very louing frende the Lord Maiour of London: ffrom the Courte.
lxii.
[1582, July 24. The Lord Mayor to Ambrose, Earl of Warwick, printed
M.S.C. i. 57, from Remembrancia, i. 384.]
My dutie humblie done to your Lp. I ame sorry that your Lp.
taketh my dealinges toward your seruant in such part, as I perceaue
by your letters yow are informed. Albeit the lawe in case of fensers
haue some hard exposition in some mens iugement, yet the truthe
is that I did not expulse your seruant from playeng his prise, but
for your sake I did geue him licence. Onely I did restraine him from
playeng in an Inne which was somewhat to close for infection, and
appointed him to playe in an open place of the leaden hall more fre
from danger and more for his Comoditie, which licence I gaue him
in open Courte, and he might well haue vsed it before increace of
peril by heate of the yere. But about xiiijtene daies afterward, when
I thought he had taken the benefitt and effecte of my graunte, the
infection growing, whereof your Lp. knoweth what earnest care
I ought to haue, and how seriously bothe her maiestie and your Lp.
with the rest of the most honorable haue often charged me, and for
some other reasonable respectes touching my dutie, I was indede
inforced to restraine him from gathering publik assemblie of people
to his play within the Citie, and neuerthelesse did allowe him in the
open feildes where the peril might not be so great: But verely my
good Lord, whoesoeuer hath Informed yow that I haue forbidden
your man and licenced other to your seruantes disgrace he doth me
great wrong, for I neither haue nor intende so to doe. For bothe
your Lp. and my Lord of Leycester your brother haue euer ben my
