XI. 4 Collection of Papers relating to Shares and Sharers in the Globe and Blackfriars Theatres, 1635; from contemporary transcripts formerly preserved amongst the official manuscripts of the Lord Chamberlain of the Household at St. James's Palace. These documents have lately been transferred to our national Record Office.

(a) To the Right Honorable Philip Earle of Pembroke and Montgomery, Lord Chamberlaine of His Majesties houshold, Robert Benefield, Heliard Swanston and Thomas Pollard humbly represent these their grievances, ymploring his Lordships noble favor towardes them for their reliefe. That the petitioners have a long time with much patience expected to bee admitted sharers in the playhouses of the Globe and the Black friers, wherby they might reape some better fruit of their labours then hitherto they have done, and bee encouraged to proceed therin with cheerfulnes. That those few interested in the houses have, without any defalcacion or abatement at all, a full moyety of the whole gaines ariseing therby, excepting the outer dores, and such of the sayd houskeepers as bee actors doe likewise equally share with all the rest of the actors both in th'other moiety and in the sayd outer dores also.-That out of the actors moiety there is notwithstanding defrayed all wages to hired men, apparell, poetes, lightes and other charges of the houses whatsoever, soe that, betweene the gaynes of the actors, and of those few interessed as houskeepers, there is an unreasonable inequality.-That the house of the Globe was formerly divided into sixteen partes, wherof Mr. Cutbert Burbidge and his sisters had eight, Mrs. Condall four and Mr. Hemings four.-That Mr. Tailor and Mr. Lowen were long since admitted to purchase four partes betwixt them from the rest, vizt., one part from Mr. Hemings, two partes from Mrs. Condall, and halfe a part a peece from Mr. Burbidge and his sister. That the three partes remaining to Mr. Hemings were afterwardes by Mr. Shankes surreptitiously purchased from him, contrary to the petitioners expectation, who hoped that, when any partes had beene to bee sold, they should have beene admitted to have bought and divided the same amongst themselves for their better livelyhood.—That the petitioners desire not to purchase or diminish any part of Mr. Taylors or Mr. Lowens shares, whose deserveings they must acknowledge to bee well worthy of their gaines, but in regard the petitioners labours, according to their severall wayes and abilityes, are equall to some of the rest, and for that others of the sayd houskeepers are neither actors, nor his Majesties servantes, and yet the petitioners profit and meanes of livelyhood soe much inferior and unequal to theires, as appeares before, they therfore desire that they may bee admitted to purchase for their moneys, at such rates as have beene formerly given, single partes a peece onely from those that have the greatest shares and may best spare them, vizt., that Mr. Burbadge and his sister, haveing three partes and a halfe a peece, may sell them two partes, and reserve two and a halfe a peece to themselves. And that Mr. Shankes, haveing three, may sell them one and reserve two, wherin they hope your Lordship will conceave their desires to bee just and modest; the rather for that the petitioners, not doubting of beeing admitted sharers in the sayd house the Globe, suffered lately the sayd houskeepers, in the name of his Majesties servantes, to sue and obtaine a decree in the Court of Requestes against Sir Mathew Brand for confirmation unto them of a lease paroll for about nine or ten yeeres yet to come, which they could otherwise have prevented untill themselves had beene made parties.-That for the house in the Blackfriers, it beeing divided into eight partes amongst the aforenamed housekeepers, and Mr. Shankes haveing two partes therof, Mr. Lowen, Mr. Taylor and each of the rest haveing but one part a peece, which two partes were by the sayd Mr. Shankes purchased of Mr. Heming, together with those three of the Globe as before, the petitioners desire and hope that your Lordship will conceave it likewise reasonable that the sayd Mr. Shankes may assigne over one of the sayd partes amongst them three, they giveing him such satisfaccion for the same as that hee bee noe looser therby. —Lastly, that your Lordship would to that purpose bee nobly pleased, as their

onely gracious refuge and protector, to call all the sayd houskeepers before you, and to use your Lordships power with them to conforme themselves therunto; the rather considering that some of the sayd housekeepers, who have the greatest shares, are neither actors nor his Majesties servantes as aforesayd, and yet reape most or the chiefest benefitt of the sweat of their browes, and live upon the bread of their labours, without takeing any paynes themselves. For which your petitioners shall have just cause to blesse your Lordship, as however they are dayly bound to doe with the devotions of most humble and obliged beadsmen.

Blackfryers.-Shankes, 2. Burbadge, I. Robinson, 1. Taylor, 1. Lowen, I. Condall, 1. Underwood, 1.

(b) Court at Theoballes, 12 July, 1635.-Haveing considered this petition and the several answeres and replyes of the parties, the merites of the petitioners, the disproportion of their shares, and the interest of his Majesties service, I have thought fitt and doe accordingly order that the petitioners, Robert Benefield, Eyllærdt Swanston and Thomas Pollard, bee each of them admitted to the purchase of the shares desired of the severall persons mentioned in the petition for the fower yeeres remayning of the lease of the house in Black friers, and for five yeeres in that of the Globe, at the usuall and accustomed rates, and according to the proportion of the time and benefitt they are to injoy. And heerof I desire the houskeepers, and all others whome it may concerne, to take notice and to conforme themselves therin accordingly. The which if they or any of them refuse or delay to performe, if they are actors and his Majesties servantes, I doe suspend them from the stage and all the benefitt therof; and if they are onely interessed in the houses, I desire my Lord Privy Seale to take order that they may bee left out of the lease which is to bee made upon the decree in the Court of Requestes.-P. AND M.

(c) Robert Benefield, Eyllardt Swanston, and Thomas Follard doe further humbly represent unto your Lordship.-That the houskeepers beeing but six in number, vizt., Mr. Cutbert Burbage, Mrs. Condall, Mr. Shankes, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Lowen and Mr. Robinson (in the right of his wife), have amongst them the full moyety of all the galleries and boxes in both houses, and of the tireing-house dore at the Globe.-That the actors have the other moyety, with the outer dores; but in regard the actors are halfe as many more, vizt., nine in number, their shares fall shorter and are a great deale lesse then the houskeepers; and yet, notwithstanding out of those lesser shares the sayd actors defray all charges of the house whatsoever, vizt., wages to hired men and boyes, musicke, lightes, &c., amounting to 900 or 1000 li. per annum or theraboutes, beeing 3 li. a day one day with another; besides the extraordinary charge which the sayd actors are wholly at for apparell and poetes, &c.- Wheras the sayd houskeepers out of all their gaines have not till our Lady Day last payd above 65 li. per annum rent for both houses, towardes which they rayse betweene 20 and 30 li. per annum from the tap-howses and a tenement and a garden belonging to the premisses, &c., and are at noe other charges whatsoever, excepting the ordinary reparations of the houses.-Soe that upon a medium made of the gaynes of the howskeepers and those of the actors one day with another throughout the yeere, the petitioners will make it apparent that when some of the houskepers share 12 s. a day at the Globe, the actors share not above 3s. And then what those gaine that are both actors and houskeepers, and have their shares in both, your Lordship will easily judge, and therby finde the modesty of the petitioners suite, who desire onely to buy for their money one part a

peece from such three of the sayd houskepers as are fittest to spare them, both in respect of desert and otherwise, vizt., Mr. Shankes one part of his three; Mr. Robinson and his wife, one part of their three and a halfe; and Mr. Cutbert Burbidge the like. And for the house of the Blackfriers, that Mr. Shankes, who now injoyes two partes there, may sell them likewise one, to bee divided amongst them three.— Humbly beseeching your Lordship to consider their long sufferings, and not to permitt the sayd howskeepers any longer to delay them, but to put an end to and settle the sayd busines, that your petitioners may not bee any further troublesome or importunate to your Lordship, but may proceed to doe their duty with cheerfullnes and alacritye. -Or otherwise in case of their refusall to conforme themselves, that your Lordship would bee pleased to consider whether it bee not reasonable and equitable that the actors in generall may injoy the benefitt of both houses to themselves, paying the sayd howskeepers such a valuable rent for the same as your Lordship shall thinke just and indifferent. And your petitioners shall continue their dayly prayers for your Lordships prosperity and happines.

(d) The answere of John Shankes to the petition of Robert Benefield, Eyllardt Swanston and Thomas Pollard, lately exhibited to the Right Honorable Philip, Earle of Pembroke and Montgomery, Lord Chamberlin of his Majesties houshold,-Humbly sheweth,-That, about allmost two yeeres since, your suppliant, upon offer to him made by William Hemings, did buy of him one part hee had in the Black friers for about six yeeres then to come at the yeerly rent of 6 li. 5 s., and another part hee then had in the Globe for about two yeeres to come, and payd him for the same two partes in ready moneys 156 li., which sayd partes were offered to your suppliant, and were as free then for any other to buy as for your suppliant.—That about eleven months since, the sayd William Hemings, offering to sell unto your suppliant the remaining partes hee then had, viz., one in the Blackfriers, wherin hee had then about five yeeres to come, and two in the Globe, wherin hee had then but one yeere to come, your suppliant likewise bought the same, and payd for them in ready moneys more 350 li., all which moneys soe disbursed by your suppliant amount to 506 li., the greatest part wherof your suppliant was constrained to take up at interest, and your suppliant hath besides disbursed to the sayd William Hemings diverse other small summes of money since hee was in prison.—That your suppliant did neither fraudulently nor surreptitiously defeat any of the petitioners in their hope of buying the sayd partes, neither would the sayd William Hemings have sold the same to any of the petitioners, for that they would not have given him any such price for the same, but would, as now they endeavour to doe, have had the same against his will, and at what rates they pleased. That your suppliant, beeing an old man in this quality, who in his youth first served your noble father, and after that, the late Queene Elizabeth, then King James, and now his royall Majestye, and haveing in this long time made noe provision for himselfe in his age, nor for his wife, children and grandchild, for his and their better livelyhood, haveing this opor tunity, did at deere rates purchase these partes, and hath for a very small time as yet receaved the profites therof, and hath but a short time in them, and is without any hope to renew the same when the termes bee out; hee therfore hopeth hee shall not bee hindred in the injoying the profitt therof, especially whenas the same are thinges very casuall and subject to bee discontinued, and lost by sicknes and diverse other wayes, and to yield noe proffitt at all.-That wheras the petitioners in their complaint say that they have not meanes to subsist, it shall by oath, if need bee, bee made apparent that every one of the three petitioners for his owne particular hath gotten and receaved this yeere last past of the sunime of 180 li., which, as your suppliant conceaveth, is a very sufficient meanes to satisfie and answere their long and patient expectation, and is more by above the one halfe then any of them ever gott, or were capable of elswhere, besides what Mr. Swanston, one of them who is most violent in this busines, who hath further had and receaved this last ycere above 34 . for the profitt of a third part of

315

one part in the Black friers which hee bought for 20 li., and yet hath injoyed the same two or three yeeres allready, and hath still as long time in the same as your suppliant hath in his, who for soe much as Mr. Swanston bought for 20 li. your suppliant payd 60 li.-That when your suppliant purchased his partes, hee had noe certainty therof more then for one yeere in the Globe, and there was a chargeable suit then depending in the Court of Requestes betweene Sir Mathew Brend, knight, and the lessees of the Globe and their assignes, for the adding of nine yeeres to their lease in consideration that they and their predecessors had formerly beene at the charge of 1400 li. in building of the sayd house upon the burning downe of the former, wherin, if they should miscarry, for as yet they have not the assurance perfected by Sir Mathew Brend, your suppliant shall lay out his money to such a losse as the petitioners will never bee partners with him therin.—That your suppliant and other the lessees in the Globe and in the Blackfriers are chargeable with the payment of 100 li. yeerly rent, besides reparacions, which is dayly very chargeable unto them, all which they must pay and beare, whether they make any proffitt or nott, and soe reckoning their charge in building and fitting the sayd houses, yeerly rent and reparations, noe wise man will adventure his estate in such a course, considering their dealing with whome they have to doe, and the many casualtyes and dayly troubles therwith. That in all the affayres and dealinges in this world betweene man and man, it was and is ever held an inviolable principle that in what thing soever any man hath a lawful interest and property hee is not to bee compelled to depart with the same against his will, which the complainantes endeavour.--And wheras John Heminges, the father of William Hemings, of whome your suppliant made purchase of the sayd partes, injoyed the same thirty yeeres without any molestacion, beeing the most of the sayd yeeres both player and houskeeper, and after hee gave over playing diverse yeeres; and his sonne, William Hemings, fower yeers after, though hee never had anything to doe with the sayd stage, injoyed the same without any trouble; notwithstanding, the complainantes would violently take from your petitioners the sayd partes, who hath still of his owne purse supplyed the company for the service of his Majesty with boyes, as Thomas Pollard, John Thompson deceased (for whome hee payed 40 li.), your suppliant haveing payd his part of 200 li. for other boyes since his comming to the company, John Honiman, Thomas Holcome and diverse others, and at this time maintaines three more for the sayd service. Neither lyeth it in the power of your suppliant to satisfie the unreasonable demandes of the complainantes, hee beeing forced to make over the sayd partes, for security of moneys taken up as aforesayd of Robert Morecroft of Lincolne, his wifes uncle, for the purchase of the sayd partes, untill hee hath made payment of the sayd moneys, which hee is not able to doe unlesse hee bee suffered to injoy the sayd partes during the small time of his lease, and is like to bee undone if they are taken from him.-All which beeing considered, your suppliant hopeth that your Lordship will not inforce your suppliant against his will to depart with what is his owne, and what hee hath deerly payd for, unto them that can claime noe lawfull interest therunto. And your suppliant, under your Lordships favour, doth conceave that if the petitioners, by those their violent courses, may obtaine their desires, your Lordship will never bee at quiet for their dayly complaintes, and it will bee such a president to all young men that shall follow heeraster, that they shall allwayes refuse to doe his Majesty service unlesse they may have whatsoever they will, though it bee other mens estates. And soe that which they pretend shall tend to the better gouvernment of the company, and inabling them to doe his Majesty service, the same will bee rather to the destruction of the company, and disabling of them to doe service to his Majestye; and besides, the benefitt and profitt which the petitioners doe yeerly make without any charge at all is soe good, that they may account themselves to bee well recompenced for their labour and paines, and yet when any partes are to bee sould, they may buy the same if they can gett the bargaine therof, paying for the same as others doe. --The humble