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This company must not be confused with the former Princes' (Henry's and Charles I.) any more than the two Chamberlain's companies above noticed, or Queen Henrietta's with Queen Anne's or Queen Elizabeth's. The new Prince's company had not one actor in common with the old one. In 1637 another company (Beeston's boys) was established, and in 1640, under the same manager, the " King's-and-Queen's" was incorporated. This concludes our enumeration of changes till 1642, when the theatres were closed.

It will be found easy to follow these complicated alterations, if constant reference be made to the chronological tables of theatres and companies at the end of this chapter. They have been carefully compiled, and although they are contradictory to many received notions, may be depended on as accurately giving all information at present attainable.

In the annexed Table the top line gives dates at intervals of two years; a line, thus indicates the period during which the company whose name is over it is known to have existed; changes of name are indicated by printing the names in succession over a line broken at the date of change, thus Chamb. King's; union of two companies to form a third, by a brace, thus

L. Strange
L. Hunsden S

Lord Chamberlain; absorption of a company into another by an arrow,

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If from the small scale of the Table any date appear doubtful refer to pp. 76-80.

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CHAPTER VIII.

ACCOUNT OF THE THEATRES FROM 1576 TO 1642.

THE earliest theatres of which we have record were the Curtain (1576), the Theater (1576), and the private room belonging to the Children of Paul's (1574). The two former theatres were both public, and occupied by various companies, the Queen's, the Admiral's, Lord Strange's, the Earl of Sussex's, the Earl of Pembroke's, &c., of whose occupancy we have no precise records. The Queen's Company (under Tarleton) also acted at the Red Bull. Henslow opened the Rose theatre in 1592, where the following companies played successively :

Lord Strange's, beginning 19 February, 1592.

Earl Sussex's, 27 December, 1593.

Sussex's and the Queen's, 2 April, 1594.

Admiral's, 14 May, 1594.

Admiral's and Chamberlain's, 3 June, 1594.

Admiral's, 27 October, 1596.

In 1596 Blackfriars was adapted for theatrical purposes by J. Burbage, and let out to the Children of the Chapel, who occupied it till 1601. They were then possibly succeeded by the Children of Paul's, who had been suspended in 1591, and who, in 1605, gave place in like manner to the Children of the Revels.

Meanwhile, in 1599, J. Burbage pulled down the Theater, where the Chamberlain's company had settled about 1595-6, and built the Globe. To this new building that company moved in 1599-1600, and occupied it till 1642, except during the short time of its

rebuilding after the fire of 1613. They took possession of the Blackfriars theatre in 1613, and used it as well as the Globe till 1642.

In 1600, Alleyn built the Fortune theatre, to which the Admiral's company moved from the Rose and continued there until 1621, when the Fortune was burnt down. In that year the same company (then called the Prince's) left the Fortune for the Curtain, where they remained two or three years, the new company (the Palsgrave's) taking their place at the Fortune in 1622, on its rebuilding. This company died out in 1624; and the Company occupying this house was called the Fortune company simply: it remained there till 1640, when it exchanged with the Prince's (Charles II.) and went to the Bull.

When the Children of the Revels were turned out of Blackfriars in 1612 they went to Whitefriars, and remained there till 1613. In that year they ceased to exist as a children's company, and the company of the Revels was formed out of them and the Queen's company (formerly the Earl of Worcester's), who had occupied the Red Bull and the Curtain since 1599. The Revels company occupied the same two houses from 1613 to 1622, when the Prince's came there. As the Prince became King in 1625, this company ceased to exist, and the Curtain was abandoned. The Bull was still kept in action, (the company playing there being simply called the Bull Company) till 1637, when the Salisbury Court company (Prince's or Revels) came to the Bull and played there as the Prince's company till 1640, when they exchanged with the Fortune.

The Curtain theatre followed the Red Bull in all its changes.

In 1619, the Cockpit (Phoenix), which had been destroyed, was rebuilt and occupied by the company of the Lady Elizabeth (afterwards Queen of Bohemia) which had previously performed some time at the Swan: this company lasted till 1624. In 1625, the Queen's (Henrietta's) actors set up at this house. In 1637, William Beeston's boys succeeded the Queen's, who went to Salisbury Court, where the Prince's (Charles II.) or Revels company had acted previously. They had at first been called the Revels Company, but on the birth of Charles (1630) took the name of the Prince's. Salisbury Court was built in Whitefriars in 1629. In 1640, Beeston's boys were formed, with new recruits, into the King-and-Queen's company.

We have now gone through the history of the principal theatres in detail: omitting nothing but a few occasional changes of a very temporary kind (probably only for a night or two). The facts here stated differ in many details from those in any previously published account of our theatres; but for every statement made I have positive evidence which I hope some day to give in full. It would be out of place in so small a work to enter into minute particulars.

In the annexed Table the names of the principal theatres are given in the left-hand column: dates (at intervals of two years) are printed along the top line: the line under these dates

opposite the name of a theatre shows the years during which performances were exhibited in it: wherever dates can be ascertained the companies who occupied the theatre are printed over the line. Thus, the Red Bull was successively occupied by the Queen's company (Elizabeth's); the Earl of Worcester's (afterwards Queen Anne's); then by the Revels company: then by the Prince's, &c. ; this is plain at a glance. In like manner we can see that the Revels Children on leaving Blackfriars went to Whitefriars, and were afterwards incorporated with the Queen's into the Revels company, &c., &c. If from the small scale of the table any doubt as to a date arises, reference should be made to pp. 82-84.

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