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The Licence for acting, granted by James the First to the Company at the Globe, extracted from Rymer's Fœdera.

Pro LAURENTIO FLETCHER & WILLIELMO SHAKESPEARE & aliis.

A. D. 1603. Pat. *.

1. Jac. P. 2. m 4. James by the grace of God, &c. to all justices, maiors, fheriffs, conftables, headboroughs, and other

Among the unpublifhed collections of Rymer which are now in the British Mufeum, is the following patent granted in the 16th year of Q. Elizabeth, (viz. 1574). See MSS. Rymer, vol. I. The James Burbage mentioned therein, was in all probability father to Richard Burbage the contemporary of Shakespeare, and chief performer in his plays. I have printed it, because perhaps it is the first regular licence ever granted to players.

"Pro Jacobo Burbage et aliis, de licentia fpeciali

Elizabeth by the grace of God, quene of England, &c. To all juftices, mayors, fheriffes, baylyffes, head conftables, under conftables, and all other oure officers and mynifters gretinge.

Know ye, that we of our efpeciall grace, certen knowledge, and mere motion have licensed and auctorised, and by these presents do lycence and auctorife oure lovinge fubjectes James Burbage, John Perkyn, John Lanham, William Johnfon, and Robert Wilfon, fervaunts to our truftie and well beloved cofen and counfeyllour the Earle of Leycefter, to ufe, exercyfe and occupie the arte and facultye of playenge commedies, tragedies, enterludes, ftageplayes, and fuche other like as they have alredie ufed and studied, or hereafter fhall use and ftudie, as well for the recreation of oure lovinge fubjectes as for oure folace and pleasure when we shall thinke good to fee them, as alfo to use and occupie all fuche inftrumentes as they have alredie practifed or hereafter shall prac tife for and duringe our pleafure; and the faid commedies, tragedies, enterludes, and ftage-plaies, together with their muficke, to fhew, publishe, exercife and occupie to their best commoditie, during all the terme aforefaide, as well within the liberties and freedomes of anye our cities, townes, bouroughs, &c. whatsoever, VOL. I. [N]

other our officers and loving fubjects, greeting. Know you that wee, of our special grace, certaine knowledge and meer motion, have licensed and authorized, and by these prefentes doe licence and authorize theife our fervaunts Laurence Fletcher, William Shakespeare, Richard Burbage, Auguftine Philippes, John Hemings, Henrie Condel, William Sly, Robert Armin, Richard Cowly, and the rest of their affociates, freely to use and exercife the arte and faculty of playing comedies, tragedies, hiftories, interludes, morals, paftorals, ftage-plaies, and fuch like others as theie have alreadie ftudied or hereafter fhall use or ftudie, as well for the recreation of our lovinge fubjects, as well as for our folace and pleasure when we fhall thincke good to see them, during our pleafure: and the faid comedies, tragedies, hiftories, enterludes, morals, paftorals, ftage-plaies, and fuch like, to fhew and exercife publiquely to their beft commoditie, when the infection of the plague fhall decreafe, as well within theire nowe ufuall houfe called the Globe, within our county of Surrey, as alfo within anie toune halls or moute halls, or other convenient places within the liberties and freedom of any other citie, univerfitie, toun, or boroughe whatsoever within our faid realmes and dominions. Willing and commanding you and everie of you, as you tender our pleafure, not onlie to permit and fuffer them herein, without anie your letts, hindrances, or mo

as without the fame, thoroughoute oure realme of England. Wyllinge and commaundinge yowe and every of you as ye tender oure pleasure to permitt and fuffer them herein withoute anye lettes, hynderaunce or moleftation duringe the terme aforefaide, any acte, ftatute, or proclamation or commaundement heretofore made or hereafter to be made notwythstandynge; provyded that the faide commedies, tragedies, enterludes and ftage-playes be by the mafter of our revells for the tyme beyinge before fene and allowed; and that the fame be not publifhed or fhewen in the tyme of common prayer or in the tyme of greate and common plague in our faide citye of London.

In wytnes whereof, &c.

Wytnes our felfe at Westminster the 10th daye of Maye.

Per breve de privato figillo."

Mr. Dodfley in the preface to his collection of old plays 1744, p. 21. fays that the firit company of players we have any account of in hiftory, are the children of Pauls' in 1578.

STEEVENS.

lestations,

leftations, during our faid pleasure, but alfo to be aiding or affiftinge to them if any wrong be to them offered, and to allow them fuch former curtefies as hathe bene given to men of their place and quallitie; and alfo what further fafhall fhew to theife our fervaunts for our fake, we vour you handes. fhall take kindlie at your

In witness whereof, &c.

Witness our felfe at Westminster, the nynteenth daye of Maye. Per Breve de Privato Sigillo.

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Extracted from the Regiftry of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Vicefimo quinto die Martii Anno Regni Domini noftri Jacobi nunc Regis Angliæ, &c. decimo quarto & Scotia quadragefimo nono. Anno Domini 1616.

IN

'N the name of God, Amen. I William Shakespeare of Stratford upon Avon, in the county of Warwick, gent. in perfect health and memory (God be praifed) do make and ordain this my laft will and testament in manner and form following; that is to fay:

First, I commend my foul into the hands of God my creator, hoping, and affuredly believing, through the only merits of Jefus Chrift my Saviour, to be made partaker of life everlasting; and my body to the earth whereof that is made.

Item, I give and bequeath unto my daughter Judith one hundred and fifty pounds of lawful English money, to be paid unto her in manner and form following; that is to fay, one hundred pounds in discharge of her marriage portion within one year after my deceafe, with confiderations after the rate of two fhillings in the pound for fo long time as the fame fhall be unpaid unto her after my deceafe; and the fifty pounds refidue thereof, upon her furrendering of or giving of fuch fufficient fecurity as the overfeers of this my will hall like of, to furrender or grant all her eftate and right that fhall defcend or come unto her after my decease, or that the now hath of, in, or to, one copyhold tenement, with the appurtenances, lying and being in Stratford upon Avon aforefaid, in the faid county of Warwick, being parcel or holden of the manor of Rowington, unto my daughter Sufannah Hall, and her heirs for ever.

Item, I give and bequeath unto my faid daughter Judith one hundred and fifty pounds more, if fhe, or any iffue of her body, be living at the end of three years next enfuing the day of the date of this my will, during which time my executors to pay her confideration from my decease accord

To Face the First Page No 3 of Shakespeares Will.

This Shadowe is renowned Shakespear's? Soule of th'age The applaufe delight? the wonder of the Stage. Nature her selfe, was proud of his defignes And joy'd to weare the dressing of his lines; The learned will Confefs, his works are fuch, As neither man, nor Mufe, can prayfe to much. For ever live thy fame, the world to tell, Thy like, no age, shall ever paralell.

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