p 440 (25 July) (Greenwich)
A Lettre to the Lord maior of the Cyttie of London, and the Iustices of midlesex and Surrey. Whereas heretofore there hathe ben order taken to restraine the playinge of Enterludes and playes on the Sabothe daie, Notwithstandinge the which (as wee are enformed), the same ys neglected to the prophanacion of this daie, and all other daies of the weeke in divers places the players doe vse to Recyte theire plaies to the great hurt and destruction of the game of Beare Baytinge and lyke pastymes which are maynteyned for her maiestes pleasure yf occacion require: These shalbe therefore to Requiere yow not onlie to take order hereafter that there maie no plaies Interludes or Commodyes be vsed or publicklie made and shewed either on the Sondaie or on the Thursdaies, because on the Thursdayes those other games vsuallie haue ben allwayes accustomed and practized. Whereof see yow faile not hereafter to see this our order dulie observed for the avoydinge of the Inconveniences aforesaid./
Although authorities in London and Middlesex were also addressed here, this letter provides evidence that the proximity – and competition – offered to the long-standing Bear Garden in Southwark by Henslowe's Rose and the Lord Strange's Men, likely resident there by this time, was of growing concern.
Record title: Privy Council Letter to the Lord Mayor and JPs of Middlesex and Surrey
Repository:
TNA
Shelfmark: PC 2/18
Repository location: Kew
For an abstract of the document and details of its transcription history, see the related EMLoT event record.
20 December 1590–30 September 1591; English; paper; ii + 314 + ii; 350mm x 240mm; ink pagination 1–558 (some numbers covered by repairs), followed by unpaginated index in a different hand (35 leaves); some leaves repaired along outside edge; bound in maroon leather over boards, tooled, gold-stamped title on spine: 'ELIZABETH. | VOL. IX. | COUNCIL | REGISTER. | 20. DEC.1590. | TO | 30.SEP. 1591.'
The National Archives of the UK, PC 2/18