Commons found it necessary to appoint a provost marshall, whose duty it was to seize all ballad-singers and to suppress all stage-plays. However even the Provost Marshall could not prevent all performances, and history tells us that the company at Salisbury Court Theatre was disturbed during a play in De cember, 1648, by the military who took the players of the fool and of the king to White hall in their dresses, insulting his august majesty by taking off and putting on his crown repeatedly as they proceeded through the street* But the Muses were not to be suppressed, and even in Oliver's time plays were per formed in private houses. The City Council and authorities in Lon don never took kindly to the theatres in the days of the Tudors and the Stuarts. As early as 1 543 the corporation had adopted regulations for the suppression of stage-plays within the boundary of the city, and it is re corded that some who broke the orders were committed to the Counter. In 1574 the Privy Council granted a special license to the players of the Earl of Leicester to go to London; the next year the Common Council published a counter-blast: in the preamble it alludes to the disorders and inconveniences caused in the city " by the inordynate hauntynge of greate multitudes of people, speciallye youthe, to plays, interludes and shewes : namelycoccasyon of frayes and quarrelles, eavell practizes of incontineneye in great Inncs, having chambers and secrete places adjoyningc to their open stages and gallyries; invciglynge and allurynge of maides, speciallye orphancs and good cityzens children under age, to previe and unmete contractes; the publishynges of un chaste, uncomelye and unshamefaste speeches and doynges, withdrawynge of the Queenes Majesties subjectes from dyvyne service on Soundaies and holydaies, at which times such playcs weare chefely used; unthriftyc waste of the moneye of the poore and fonde
persons; sondrye robberies by pyckinge and cuttynge of purses, utterynge of popular, busye and sedycious matters and manie other corruptions of youthe and other enormities; besydes that allso soundrye slaughters and mayenynges of the Queenes subjectes have happened by ruines of skaffoldes, fframes and stages, and by engynes, weapons and powders used in plaies : and whear in tyme of Goddes visitacion by the plaigue suche assemblies of the people, in thronge and presse have been very danger ous for spreadynge of Infection." And for these and other great causes the Council enacted, under pain of fine and imprison ment, that no play should be performed "wherein should be uttered any words, examples or doings of any unchastity, sedi tion or such like unfit and uncomely matter," or without being first perused and allowed by persons duly appointed; that the license of the Lord Mayor should be necessary be fore every public exhibition; that part of the money taken should be applied to charit able uses, and that no play should be per formed "in anie usual tyme of Dyvyne service in the Soundaie or hollydaie." (Collier's Annals, vol. I., p. 203.) The City seems to have won the day and for a time drove the players beyond its jurisdiction. But only for a time; however, in 1583, the Privy Council forbade all Sunday perform ances. In 1620 the Lord Mayor took upon himself to suppress the Blackfriars' Theatre. Then came the ordinances of the Puritans. Scotland in the days of its " home-rule" passed some laws to regulate players and actors; even in Queen Mary's days such people were discountenanced, for we find that, in 1855, " it is statute and ordained that in all times dimming, no manner of person be chosen Robert Hude, Abbott of Unreason, Queenis of Maij, nor otherwise, neither in Burgh nor to Landward, in onie time to come, and gif ony Prevost, Bailies, Council and Communitie, chuse sik anc Personage
