Warrant from the Privy Council

Dulwich College: MS I, box C

single sheet (8 April) (Richmond)

After our hartie comendacions. Whereas her Ma{ies}tie (haveinge been well pleased heertofore at tymes of recreacion with the services of Edward Allen and his Companie Servantes to me the Earle of Nottingham wheareof, of late he hath made discontynuance) Hath sondrye tymes signified her pleasuer, that he should revive the same agayne: fforasmuche as he hath bestowed a greate some of money, not onelie for the Title of a plott of grounde, scituat in averie remote and exempt place neere Goulding Lane, theare to Erect a Newe house but alsoe is in good forwardnes aboute the frame and warkmanshipp theareof. The conveniencie of which place. for that purpose ys testified vnto vs; vnder the handes of manie of the Inhabitantes of the Libertie of fynisbury wheare it is and recomended by some of the Iustices them selves. Wee thearfore haveinge informed her Maiestie lykewise of the decaye of the howse, wherein this Companye Latelie plaied scituate vppon the Bancke verie Noysome, for the resorte of people in the Wynter tyme. haue receaued order to requier yow to Tollerate the proceedinge of the saide Newhowse neere Goulding lane. And doe heerbye requier you and everie of yow. To permitt and suffer the saied Edward Allen to proceede in theffectinge and finishinge of the same Newehowse, without anie your Lett or interrupcion, towardes him, or anye of his woorkmen the rather because an other howse is pulled downe, insteade of yt. And soe not doubtinge of your conformitye heerein. Wee comitt yow to God, frome the Courte at Richmond the viijth of Aprill 1600.

Your Loveinge freindes/

(signed) Notingham

(signed) G Hunsdon

(signed) Robert Cecyll

  • Footnotes
    • After: A in display script
    • ys: y written over another letter
    • the howse: the Rose playhouse
    • an other howse: the Curtain in Shoreditch, not pulled down in the end
    • 1600: underlined
  • Modernized Text

    single sheet (8 April) (Richmond)


    After our hearty commendations. Whereas her majesty (having been well pleased heretofore at times of recreation with the services of Edward Alleyn and his company, servants to me, the earl of Nottingham, whereof of late he has made discontinuance) has sundry times signified her pleasure, that he should revive the same again: forasmuch as he has bestowed a great sum of money, not only for the title of a plot of ground, situated in a very remote and exempt place near Golding Lane, there to erect a new house, but also is in good forwardness about the frame and workmanship thereof. The convenience of which place for that purpose is testified unto us under the hands of many of the inhabitants of the liberty of Finsbury, where it is, and recommended by some of the justices themselves. We therefore having informed her majesty likewise of the decay of the house wherein this company lately played, situate upon the Bank, very noisome for the resort of people in the winter time, have received order to require you to tolerate the proceeding of the said new house near Golding Lane, and do hereby require you and every of you to permit and suffer the said Edward Alleyn to proceed in the effecting and finishing of the same new house, without any your let or interruption towards him or any of his workmen, the rather because an other house is pulled down instead of it. And so not doubting of your conformity herein, we commit you to God. From the court at Richmond, the 8th of April 1600.

    Your loving friends
    (signed) Nottingham

    (signed) G. Hunsdon

    (signed) Robert Cecil

  • Endnote

    For an image of the original manuscript, see the Henslowe-Alleyn Digitisation Project, MS 1, article 29.

    As Wickham et al note, the letter indicates that Alleyn, having retired from the stage in 1597, may have offered to return to perform again with the Admiral's Men at his new theatre if permission to proceed was granted; see English Professional Theatre, p 539.

    The signatories to the letter were three influential members of the privy council: Edward Alleyn's patron, Charles Howard (c 1536–1624), tenth earl of Nottingham and lord admiral, 1585–1618/19; George Carey (1547–1603), second Baron Hunsdon and lord chamberlain of the Household, 1597–1603; and Sir Robert Cecil (1563–1612), lord secretary, 1596–1612.

    For an abstract of the document and details of its transcription history, see the related EMLoT event record.

  • Event Entity Pages
  • Document Description

    Record title: Warrant from the Privy Council
    Repository: Dulwich College
    Shelfmark: MS I, box C
    Repository location: Dulwich

    Members of the Privy Council are responding here to a letter of objection sent to the Privy Council by Lord Willoughby and other residents in the Finsbury neighbourhood regarding the proposed new Fortune playhouse on 9 March 1599/1600 (TNA: PC 2/25, p 78). For further discussion and partial transcriptions of these documents, see also Wickham et al, English Professional Theatre, pp 534–9.

    8 April 1600; English; paper; single sheet; 305mm x 204mm; no original foliation; endorsed on the bottom left panel after sheet folded once vertically and thrice horizontally: 'To the Iustices of Peace of ye Countye of Middlesex | especially of St Gyles without Creplegate | And to all others. whome it shall | Concerne.' Article 29 in Warner's Catalogue; foliated 43 in later pencil, formerly bound in MS I but now mounted separately on acid-free paper with other documents of similar size in fascicule 3, box C.

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