Their Majesties' Servants. Annals of the English Stage (Volume 1 of 3)

We are better acquainted with the fate of the last of Scum's fair favourites, the pretty Mrs. Price of Drury Lane. This Ariadne was not disconsolate for her Theseus. She married "Charles, Lord Banbury," who was not Lord Banbury, for the House of Peers denied his claim to the title; and he was not Mrs. Price's husband, as he was already married to a living lady, Mrs. Lester. Of this confusion in social arrangements the world made small account, although the law did pronounce in favour of Mrs. Lester, without troubling itself to punish "my lord." The Judges pronounced for the latter lady, solely on the ground that she had had children, and the actress none.

Joseph Haines! "Joe" with his familiars, "Count Haines" with those who affected great respect, was a rogue in his way, – a merry rogue, a ready wit, and an admirable low comedian, from 1672 to 1701. We first hear of him as a quickwitted lad at a school in St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, whence he was sent, through the liberality of some gentlemen who had remarked his talents, to Queen's College, Oxford. There Haines met with Williamson, the Sir Joseph of after days, distinguished alike for his scholarship, his abilities as a statesman, the important offices he held, and the liberality with which he dispensed the fortune which he honourably acquired.

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1

Professor Ward says: "The entrance-money was from the time of Pericles provided out of the public treasury."

2

Geoffrey was made Abbot of St. Albans in 1119. The play, of course, was many years earlier.

3

It would appear that noblemen's players were prohibited from acting, even before their masters, without leave from the Privy Council.

4

The patent was dated 1574, and does not specify any particular building or locality.

5

1579 (2d edition).

6

Should be 1574. It is dated 7th May 1574.

7

These quotations are both from the same sermon.

8

Or, Prince Palatine.

9

The owners seem to have been Cuthbert and William Burbage, uncle and nephew.

10

The year of its destruction seems uncertain.

11

It was standing in 1661; in which year it was advertised for sale, with the ground belonging to it.

12

Should be 1579. Stephen Gosson's Schoole of Abuse was entered at Stationers' Hall, July 22, 1579. Dr. Doran corrects this in the second edition.

13

Gosson was not made rector of St. Botolph till 1600.

14

February 1647-48: that is, February 1648. This act succeeded the one mentioned in the next paragraph.

15

The second and final patents were dated – Killigrew's, 25th April 1662; Davenant's, 15th January 1663.

16

April (2d edition). The exact date is 8th April, as given by Downes.

17

Killigrew died after, not before, the union of the two companies. Chalmers expressly says that he lived to see them united, and gives March 1683 as the time of his death.

18

Davenant performed "The Siege of Rhodes" two years before Cromwell's death, namely, in 1656. [See Mr. Joseph Knight's Preface to his recent edition of the "Roscius Anglicanus."] Cromwell also permitted the entertainment named "The Cruelty of the Spaniards in Peru" to be represented, from political motives.

19

Mr. Knight, in the Preface before mentioned, quotes some lines from the Prologue to this performance, showing that it was a public performance for money. This being so settles the question in the next paragraph as to the identity of the first professional actress.

20

Very questionable. Langbaine (1691) says, "This play is still in vogue on the stage, and always presented with success."

21

Dr. Doran misreads Pepys, who gives the date as 31st January 1669.

22

I doubt whether James Nokes ever played the part. Genest evidently approves of Davies's suggestion that Robert Nokes was the actor of it.

23

This should be grandson.

24

Or Eleanor.

25

She was absent only about six weeks; Pepys chronicles her departure under July 13, 1667, and her return under August 22, 1667.

26

Peter Cunningham says, "1400 guineas, or £5000 at least of our present money."

27

Should be Intrigo, which Lacy really played.