Petition of Philip Henslowe and Edward Alleyn to James I

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To the kinges moste exsellent magestie
The humble p<.>tticion of phillipe henslow
and Edward alleyn your Maiesties servantes

Wheras it pleassed your Maiestie moste exselent Maiestie after the deathe of Sir Iohn Dorington to grant the offes of Master of your game of beares bulles and doges with the fee of xvj d. per dium vnto Sir william steward knight at which tyme the howse and beares beinge your Maiesties petticiners but we not licensed to bayte them & sir wiliam steward refusynge to tacke them at our handes vpon any resonable termes we weare therfore inforsed to bye of hime the said office pastime & fee at a very highe Ratte and wheras in respecte of the great charge that the kepinge of the saide game contenewally Requirethe and also the smalnes of the fee in the late quenes tyme fre libertie was permited with owt restrainte to bayght them which now is tacken a way frome vs especiallye one the sondayes in the after none after devine service which was the cheffest meanes and benyfite to the place and in the tyme of the sicknes we haue bene restrayned many tymes one the workeydayes thes hinderances in generalle with the losse of diuers of thes beastes as before the kinge of denmarke which loste a ‸⸢goodlye⸣ beare called gorge stone and at our bayghtinge laste beinge before your maiestie weare kylled iiij of our beaste beares which in your kingdom are not the licke to be hade ‸⸢all⸣ which weare in valley worth 3 C li. and also our ordenary charges amownteth yearly vnto ij C ⸢li.⸣ & beatter thes losses and charges are so heavey vpon your petticiners that wheras formerly th<.> we cowld haue | Leatten it forth for 100 ⸢li.⸣ a yeare now none will tacke it gratis to beare the charges which is your pore servantes vndoinge vnles your maiestie of your gratious clemensey haue consideration of vs

Thes cawsses do in forse vs moste humblie to become sewters to your maiestie that in respecte of the promesies & ⸢for⸣ that we haue ever sence your gratious ‸⸢enterance⸣ into this kingdom done your maaiestie service with all dewtie and observance it wold pleasse your maiestie in your moste Rialle bowntie now so to Releue vs as we maye be able to contenew our service vnto your maiestie as hereto fore we haue done and to that eand to grant vnto vs free libertie as we ‸haue ⸢hath byn geauen vs⸣ in the late quenes tyme & ⸢also⸣ in respecte of our great and dayle charge to ade vnto our sayd fee ij s. viij d. beinge never as yet incresed sence the firste fowndation of the office

and wheras ther ar diuers vagrantes and persones of losse and Idell liffe that vsalley wandreth throwgh the contreyes with beares and bulles withowt any lycence and for owght we know servinge noman spoyllinge and kyllinge doges for that game so that your maiestie cane not be served but by great charges to vs fetchinge them very fare <.> which is derectly contrary to a statute made in that behallfe for the Restraynynge of suche your maiestie wold be pleassed in your moste gratious favouer to Renew vnto your pettitinou<.>s our pattyne and to grant vs and our deputies power and atoretie to apprehend suche vagrantes & to ⸢convent⸣ <.....> them before the next Iustice of pece therto be bownd with suerties to forfet his said beares & bulles to your maiestie vsse ‸⸢yf he shalbe tacken⸣ n<..> to go abowt with any suche game contrary to the Lawes of this your maiesties Realme & your pore servantes will dayle praye for your maiesties Longe and hapey Rayne