f 5v (3 February) (Hampton Court)
After our very hartie commendations to your Lordship Whearas certein infourmation is given that very great multitudes of all sorts of people do daylie frequent & resort to common playes lately again set vp in & about London. whearby it is vpon good cause feared that the dangerous infection of the plague, by Gods great mercy and goodnes well slaked, may again very dangerously encrease and break foorth to the great losse and preiudice of hir Maiestes Subiects in generall & especially to those of that Citie of whose safetie & well doing hir Highnes hath alwayes had an especiall regard as by the last ‸⸢years⸣ experience by lyke occasions & resort to playes it soddainly encreased from a very little number to that greatnes of mortallitie which ensued. Wee thearfore thought it very expedient to require your Lordship foorthwith to take strait order that thear bee no more publique playes or enterludes exercised by any Companie whatsoever within the compas of five miles distance from London till vpon better lykelyhood and assurance of health farther direction may bee given from vs to the contrary. So wee bid your Lordship very hartily farewell. ffrom the Court at Hampton. the 3. of February. 1593.
Your Lordships very loving friend.
| Iohn Cantuar | Iohn Puckering. | Charles Howard |
| Thomas Buckhurst. | Robert Cecyll. | Iohn Fortescue |
To our very good Lord Mr Alderman
Buckle
Lord Maior of the Citie of London.
For restraint of
playes.
f 5v (3 February) (Hampton Court)
After our very hearty commendations to your lordship.
Whereas certain information is given that very great multitudes of all sorts of
people do daily frequent and resort to common plays lately again set up in and about
London, whereby it is upon good cause feared that the dangerous infection of the
plague, by God’s great mercy and goodness well-slaked, may again very dangerously
increase and break forth, to the great loss and prejudice of her majesty’s subjects
in general, and especially to those of the city of whose safety and well-doing her
highness has always had a special regard, as by the last year’s experience by like
occasions and resort to plays it suddenly increased from a very little number to
that greatness of mortality which ensued; we therefore thought it very expedient to
require your Lordship forthwith to take straight order that there be no more public
plays or interludes exercised by any company whatsoever within the compass of five
miles distance from London, until upon better likelihood and assurance of health
further direction may be given from us to the contrary. So we bid your lordship very
heartily farewell. From the court at Hampton, 3 February 1593.
Your lordship’s very loving friend,
| John of Canterbury | John Puckering | Charles Howard |
| Thomas Buckhurst | Robert Cecil | John Fortescue |
To our very good Lord, Mr Alderman Buckle
Lord Mayor of the
City of London.
The privy council here revives the restraint of plays for fear of plague. Henslowe's diary shows that performances at the Rose had resumed, with Sussex's Men in residence by 27 December 1593, but there was a break between 6 February, shortly after this order, until the Queen's Men in company with Sussex's Men began another run on 1 April (DC: MS VII, ff 8v–9); see the Henslowe-Alleyn Digitisation Project, MS 7, ff 8v and 9.
The privy councillors signing the letter and present at the meeting were John Whitgift (c 1530-1604), archbishop of Canterbury, 1583–1604; Thomas Sackville (c 1536–1608), first Baron Buckhurst; Sir John Puckering (c 1543–96), lord keeper of the Great Seal, 1592–6; Sir Robert Cecil (1563–1612); Charles Howard (c 1536–1624), lord admiral, 1585–1618/19; and Sir John Fortescue (1533–1607).
For an abstract of the document and details of its transcription history, see the related EMLoT event record.
Record title: Privy Council Letter to the Lord Mayor
Repository:
LMA
Shelfmark: COL/RMD/PA/01/002
Repository location: London
This letter from the privy council to Sir Cuthbert Buckle, Lord Mayor of London, is only preserved in the city's Remembrancia, f 5v.
January 1593/4–October 1609; English; paper; 178 leaves; 330mm x 230mm; modern pencil foliation (used here) over ink foliation 1A, 1B–119 (with later entry numbers); some pages repaired; bound in white vellum on boards with tooled heraldic shield, title on spine in black ink (first word written sideways): 'Remembrancia. | II | 1593 | 35 Eliz. | 1609 | 7. Jacob.' Entries individually numbered in later pencil: the relevant entry is numbered 6.
© London Metropolitan Archives (City of London), COL/RMD/PA/01/002