f 61v (8 July)
...
Iuratores pro domino Rege super Sacramentum suum presentant quod Ricardus dawson de Stokesley in Le Northriding Comitatus Eboraci Tanner Constabularius eiusdem ville de Stokesley tunc existens et sciens Robertum Simpson de Staythes in dicto Northridding Comitatus predicti shomaker Ricardum hudson de hutton bushell in dicto Northriding Comitatus Eboraci weaver Edwardum Lister de Allerston in dicto Northriding dicti Comitatus Eboraci weaver esse communes histriones multis in Locis, hac illac passim vagantes, Ludicra Ludentes, anglice Common players of Interludes wandering vp & downe in many places playing of Interludes Et quod ipsi Robertus Simpson Ricardus Hudson Edwardus Lister cum multis alijs ignotis ludicra ludebant apud Stokesley predictum in Northridding Comitatus predicti vicesimo quinto die ffebruarij Anno regni domini nostri Iacobi dei gracia Anglie ffrancie et hibernie Regis fidei defensoris &c. Nono et Scotie xlvto. eosdem Robertum Simpson Ricardum Hudson Edwardum Lister effugere sinebat sine deprehencione sive supplicio in Contemptu dicti domini Regis et contra formam diuersorum Statutorum inde provisorum et editorum./
per homagium
Iuratores pro Domino Rege presentant quod Christoferus Simpson nuper de Egton in Northriding Comitatus Eboraci shoemaker est communis histrio multis in Locis, hac, illac, passim vagans Ludicra Ludens anglice a common player of Interludes wandring vpp and downe in many paces playing of Interludes Et quod apud Stokesley in dicto Northridding dicti Comitatus Eboraci xxvto. die ffebruarij Anno regni domini nostri Iacobi dei gracia Anglie ffrancie et hibernie Regis fidei defensoris &c. Nono et Scotie xlvto. predictus Christoferus Simpson vagatus fuit et cum multis alijs ignotis hac, illac, passim vagatus fuit cum multis alijs ignotis et Ludicra Ludebat contra pacem dicti domini Regis et contra formam diuersorum Statutorum inde editorum et prouisorum Et quodRicardus dawson de Stokesley predicta in Northridding Comitatus predicti Tanner Constabularius eiusdem ville de Stokesley tunc existens et sciens predictum Cristoferum Simpson esse Communem histrionem hac, illac, passim vagantem Ludicra ludentem, eundem Christoferum Simpson dicto xxvto: die ffebruarij Anno supradicto effugere sinebat sine deprehencione sive supplicio in Contemptu dicti domini Regis et contra formam diuersorum Statutorum inde provisorum et editorum./
per homagium
...
Ricardus
Dawson[Footnotes: Ricardus … Lister: 2 names joined by right bracket; Ricardus … Lister: all names in display script]
Christoferus Simpson[Footnote: Christoferus Simpson: in display script]
Ricardus dawson. Richard Dawson Christopher Simpson
Richard
Dawson f 61v (8 July)
...
Jurors for the lord king present on their oath that Richard Dawson of Stokesley in the North Riding of Yorkshire, tanner, being at that time constable of the same town of Stokesley and knowing Robert Simpson of Staythes in the said North Riding of the aforesaid county, shoemaker, Richard Hudson of Hutton Buscel in the said North Riding of Yorkshire, weaver, (and) Edward Lister of Allerston in the said North Riding of the said Yorkshire to be common entertainers wandering into many places, here, there, (and) everywhere playing interludes, in English 'common players of interludes wandering up and down in many places playing of interludes,' and that they, Robert Simpson, Richard Hudson, Edward Lister with many others unknown played interludes in Stokesley aforesaid in the North Riding of the aforesaid county on 25 February, in the ninth year of the reign of our lord James, by the grace of God, king of England, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, etc, and the forty-fifth (year of his reign) of Scotland, allowed the same Robert Simpson, Richard Hudson, Edward Lister to flee without detention or punishment in contempt of the said lord king and contrary to the form of various statutes established and ordained concerning that (sort of thing).
by the homage
Jurors for the lord king present that Christopher Simpson, recently of Egtonin the North Riding of Yorkshire, shoemaker, is a common entertainer wandering here, there, (and) everywhere playing interludes, in English 'a common player of interludes, wandering up and down in many places playing of interludes,' and that at Stokesley in the said North Riding of the said Yorkshire, on 25 February, in the ninth year of the reign our lord James, by the grace of God, king of England, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, etc, and forty-fifth (year of his reign) of Scotland, the aforesaid Christopher Simpson wandered here, there, (and) everywhere and with many others unknown played interludes contrary to the peace of the said lord king and against the form of various statutes established and ordained concerning that (sort of thing). And that Richard Dawson of Stokesley aforesaid in the North Riding of the aforesaid county, tanner, being at that time constable of the same town of Stokesley and knowing the aforesaid Christopher Simpson to be a common entertainer, wandering here, there, (and) everywhere, playing interludes, on the said 25 February in the year abovesaid allowed the same Christopher Simpson to flee without detention or punishment in contempt of the said lord king and contrary to the form of various statutes established and ordained concerning that (sort of thing).
by the homage
Record title: Quarter Sessions Records
Repository:
NYCRO
Shelfmark: QSM 2/2
Repository location: Northallerton
Itinerant performers in the North Riding ranged from individual pipers, fiddlers, jugglers, and others living close to or below the poverty line, to organized companies of travelling players. Most of these did not play under gentry patronage and so were vulnerable to arrest and punishment under the Elizabethan and Stuart poor laws governing 'rogues, vagabonds, and sturdy beggars' (see the Introduction and 39 Eliz c4; Great Britain, Statutes of the Realm, vol 4, pt 2 (London, 1819; rpt 1963), 899–902). When these companies were apprehended, the court normally recorded not only the names of all the members but also prosecuted those who provided lodging and performance space for them, allowing us to map their touring routes. The Simpson company of Egton (North Riding) appeared before the court on several occasions (see the Quarter Session Records). These appearances give us considerable information on their local organization. Notably, however, Gouthwaite Hall – the site of their best-known performance on 2 February 1608/9 – was in the West Riding until 1974, when the county boundaries were redrawn. That performance brought their host, Sir John Yorke, before the court of Star Chamber; the documentation of that case will appear in the forthcoming Yorkshire West Riding collection. Documents presented here concern the local organization of the company, with special reference to the position of boy players.
17 April 1610–12 January 1615/16; English and Latin; paper; iv + 254 + iv ; 300mm x 180mm; contemporary foliation 1–221 (ff [4, 6, 12, 19, 22, 27–33] blank, ff 216–21 also blank); contemporary calfskin binding, 2 leather labels on spine, upper red, lower black, with gold lettering, respectively 'Minutes | and | Orders' and '1610 | to | 1615.'