Articles of Agreement between Edward Alleyn, Jacob Meade and Players at the Hope

single sheet (20 March)

Articles of Agreament Indented had made concluded & agreed vppon the Twentith daye of Marche Anno domini 1615. Betwene Edward Allen esquire and Iacob Meade of the one partie And William Rowley Robt Pallant Iosephe Taylor Robert Hamlett. Iohn Newton Hugh Attewell William ‸⸢Backsted⸣ Basted Thomas Hobbes Antony Smyth ‸⸢ & William⸣ Penn gentleman of thothepartie as followeth viz./

Wheare they the said William Rowley Robert Pallant Ioseph Taylor Robert Hamlett Iohn Newton Hugh Ottewell, William Basted Backsted Thomas Hobbes Antony Smyth and William Penn togeather with others aswell for diuers sommes of monnye lent them by Phillip Henshlowe esquire deceassed, as for a stock of apparell vsed for playinge apparell to the valew <.>f 400 poundes heretofore deliuered vnto them by the said Phillipp, are & doe stand ioyntlye & severally bound vnto the said Phillipp and to the said Iacob Meade or one of them in and by diuers and sundry obligacions of greate sommes of monnye with condicions aswell to the somme of 400 li. and vpwardes As allso for perform<.>nce of certen Articles of agreament on their the said william Rowley Robert Pallant Ioseph Taylor Robert Hamlett Iohn Newton Hugh Ottewell William Backsted Thomas Hobbes Antony Smyth & William Penn & others their partes & behalfe to be observed performed & kept As in and by the same obligacions condicions and Articles of agreament more at large it doth & maye appeare./ Item wheare there is at the speciall intreatye of of them the said William Rowley Robert Pallant Ioseph Taylor Robert Hamlett Iohn Newton Hugh Ottewell William Backsted Thomas Hobbes Antony Smyth & William Penn the daie of the date hereof a quiet & peaceable agreement had & made by and betwene all the said parties to these presentes. And yat he the said Edward Allen is contented & pleased to take of them the said William Rowley, Robert Pallant Ioseph Taylor Robert Hamlett Iohn Newton and other the said parties to these presentes the somme of twoe hundred poundes only to be paid in manner & forme herein after mencioned.

ffirst therefore the said William Rowley Robert Pallant Ioseph Taylor Robert Hamlett Iohn Newton Hugh Ottewell William Backsted Thomas Hobbes Antony Smyth & William Penn for themselves ioyntlye & everye of them severallye their severall executors & administrators, doe covenaunt promis & agree to and with the said Edward Allen and Iacob their executors and administrators by these presentes That they the said William Rowley Robert Pallant Ioseph Taylor, Robert Hamlett Iohn Newton Hugh Ottewell William Backsted Thomas Hobbes Antony Smyth & William Penn their executors & administrators shall & will dayly & everye daye well & truly satisfye content & paye vnto the said Edward Allen his executors administrators and assignes the fowerth parte of all suche somme & sommes of monny proffit & gayne as shalbe gathered or taken by playinge or otherwise out of & for the whole galleryes of the playehouse comonly called the Hope scituate in the parishe of St Saviors in the countye of Surrey or in anye other house, private or publique wherein they shall playe as the same shalbe dayly gathered or taken accordinge to the full rate & proporcion of the gayne and proffitt of the fowerth parte of the said galleryes vntill the said somme of 200 li. shalbe there with fully satisfied & paid. And that they shall and will at all tymes from and after the sealinge hereof well and truly observe performe fullfill & kepe all and every the said Articles of agreament heretofore made with the said Phillipp & Iacob or eyther of them on their or any of th<..>r partes hereafter to be observed performed or kept. And that they the said William Rowley Robert Pallant Ioseph Taylor Robert Hamlett Iohn Newton Hugh Ottewell William Backsted Tho Hobbes A<...>ny Smyth & William Penn shall and will playe at the said Howse called the Hope, or elswheare with the likinge of the said Edward & Iacob accordinge to the former Articles of Agreament had & made with the said Phillipp & Iacob or eyther of them and their late promis synce in that behalfe made with the said Edward & Iacob.

Item the said Edward & Iacob for them their executors & administrators doe promis & agree to and with them the said William Rowley Robert Pallant Ioseph Taylor Robert Hamlett Iohn Newton Hugh Attewell William Backsted Thomas Hobbes Antony Smyth & William Penn their executors & administrators by these presentes. That all and every the bondes writinges obligacions & articles of Agreament wherein & whereby they or anye of them or anye other with them or anye of them stand bound or by which they doe owe to them the said Phillipp & Iacob or eyther of them anye somme of monney (except suche bondes bills & writings by which they or anye of them stand bound to the said Phillipp & Iacob or eyther of them for anye pryvate dett borrowed of the said Phillipp to or for his or their owne particuler use,) shall, from & after for full payment of the said somme of 200 li. in forme aforesaid And performance of the said Articles of Agreament aswell heretofore made as herein and hereby promised to be kept. hereafter on their partes to be observed performed & kept, be vtterly voide frustrate & of none effect only against them the said William Rowley Robert Pallant Ioseph Taylor Robert Hamlett Iohn Newton Hugh Ottewell William Backsted Tho Hobbes Antony Smyth & William Penn & their executors & administrators And that then they shall or maye have to their own vse all such stock of apparell as they or anye of them ‸⸢ had⸣ or receaved of or from the said Phillip Edward & Iacob or anye of them Provided yat yf the said William Rowley Robert Pallant Ioseph Taylor Robert Hamlett Iohn Newton Hugh Ottewell William Backsted Tho Hobbes Antony Smyth & William Penn their executors a& administrators & everye of them shall not well & trulye paie the said somme of 200 li. as before the same is herein lymitted tobe paid. And performe the said Articles of agreement aswell heretofore as by these presentes promised tobe performed as aforesaid That then the said Edward & Iacob their executors & administrators shalbe at free libertye to have and take all advantage in lawe against them the said William Rowley Robert Pallant Iosephe Taylor Robert Hamlett Iohn Newton and all other the said parties their executors & administrators & every or anye of them vppon all & every such bondes writinges obligacions & articles of agreament and every or anye of them by which they or anye of them by them selves or with others are & doe stand bound or doe owe vnto the said Phillip & Iacob or eyther of them anye somme of monnye: And also have full power and lawful

aucthoretye to take & seize into their or somme or one of their handes & possession all suche stock of playinge apparrell as they or anye of them now have or shall have & the same detayne & kepe for and towardes the payment of the sommes of monnye in the said bondes and obligacions & every or anye of them mencioned vntill they shalbe thereof fully satisfyed & paid As yf this present agreament had never byn had nor made./

Lastlye it is agreed betwene all the said parties to these presentes That they the said Edward and Iacob their executors & administrators shall and maye at all tymes hereafter have and take to their owne vse all advantage & benefitt vppon the said bondes obligacions & Articles of Agreament & every or anye of them against anye person or persons their executors & administrators named in the said bondes obligacions & articles of agreament or anye of them not beinge parties to these presentes./ In Witnes whereof the parties aforesaid to these presentes enterchangeablye have sett their handes & seales the daie & yeare first aboue Written./

Sealed & deliuered in the presence of/
(signed) Robert Daborne
(signed) Thomas ffoster (signed) Edward Knight:/

(signed) william Rowley (signed) Robert Pallant (signed) Ioseph Taylor (signed) Robert Hamlett (signed) Iohn Newton (signed) Hugh Atwell (signed) William Barksted (signed) Anthony Smith (signed) T Hobbs (signed) william Penn