On the first day of exhibiting a new play, the prices of admiffion appear to have been raised,* fometimes to double, fometimes to treble, prices;" and this feems to have been occafionally practised Two years before, however, (1719) Southerne, who feems to have understood author-craft better than any of his contemporaries, fold his Spartan Dame for the extraordinary fum of 1201.; and in 1726 Lintot paid the celebrated plagiary, James Moore Smyth, one hundred guineas for a comedy entitled The Rival Modes. From that time, this appears to have been the customary price for feveral years; but of late, (though rarely) one hundred and fifty pounds have been given for a new play. The finest tragick poet of the prefent age, MR. JEPHSON, received that price for two of his admirable tragedies. 6 See the preface to the quarto edition of Troilus and Creffida, 1609: "Had I time, I would comment upon it, though it needs not, for fo much as will make you think your tefterne well beftowed, but for fo much worth as even poor I know to be stuft in it," &c. See alfo the preface to Randolph's Jealous Lovers, a comedy, 1632: "Courteous reader, I beg thy pardon, if I put thee to the expence of a fixpence, and the lofs of half an hour." 7" I did determine not to have dedicated my play to any body, becaufe forty fillings I care not for; and above, few or none will beftow on thefe matters." Dedication to A Woman's a Weathercock, a comedy, by N. Field, 1612. See alfo the Author's Epiftle popular, prefixed to Cynthia's Revenge, 1613: "Thus do our pic-bald naturalifts depend upon poor wages, gape after the drunken harveft of forty fillings, and fhame the worthy benefactors of Helicon." Soon after the Revolution, five, and fometimes ten, guincas feems to have been the customary prefent on these occafions. In the time of George the Firft, it appears from one of Swift's Letters that twenty guincas were ufually prefented to an author for this piece of flattery. 8 This may be collected from the following verfes by J. Mayne, to the memory of Ben Jonfon: "He that writes well, writes quick, fince the rule's true, Nothing is flowly done, that's always new; "So when thy Fox had ten times acted been, "Each day was firft, but that 'twas cheaper feen." 9 See the laft line of the Prologue to Tunbridge Wells, 1672, quoted in p. 206, n. g. on the benefit-nights of authors, and on the reprefentation of expenfive plays, to the year 1726 in the prefent century.* Dramatick poets in ancient times, as at prefent, were admitted gratis into the theatre.' Downes, fpeaking of The Squire of Alfatia, acted in 1688, fays, "the poet received for his third day in the house in Drury Lane at fingle prices, 130l. which was the greatest receipt they ever had at fingle prices." Hence it appears that the prices were fometimes raifed; and after the Restoration the additional prices were, I believe, demanded during what is called in the language of the theatre the first run of a new piece. At least this was the cafe in the prefent century. See the Epilogue to Hecuba, a tragedy, 1726: "What, a new play, without new scenes and cloaths! " "Twas on the bills put up at common prices." See alfo the Epilogue to Love at first fight: "Wax tapers, gawdy cloaths, rais'd prices too, "Yet even the play thus garnish'd would not do." In 1702 the prices of admiffion were in a fluctuating ftate, "The people," fays Gildon," never were in a better humour for plays, nor were the houses ever fo crowded, though the rates have run very high, fometimes to a scandalous excefs; never did printed plays rife to fuch a price,-never were fo many poets preferred as in the laft ten years." Comparison between the two flages, 1702, The price of a printed play about that time rofe to eighteenpence. 3 See Verfes by J. Stephens," to his worthy friend," H. FitzJeoffery, on his Notes from Black-fryers, 1617: Í muft, "Though it be a player's vice to be unjust "To verse not yielding coyne, let players know, They cannot recompence your labour, though They grace you with a chayre upon the stage, "And take no money of you nor your page." So, in The Play-houfe to be let, by Sir W. D'Avenant: "Poet. Do you fet up for yourselves, and profefs wit, "Without help of your authors? Take heed, firs, "You'll get few customers. "Houfekeeper. Yes, we shall have the poets. "Poet. 'Tis because they pay nothing for their entrance." It appears from Sir Henry Herbert's Office-book that the king's company between the years 1622 and 1641 produced either at Blackfriars or the Globe at least four new plays every year. Every play, before it was reprefented on the stage, was licensed by the Master of the Revels, for which he received in the time of Queen Elizabeth but a noble, though at a fubfequent period the ftated fe on this occafion rofe to two pounds. Neither Queen Elizabeth, nor King James the First, nor Charles the Firft, I believe, ever went to the publick theatre; but they frequently ordered plays to be performed at court, which were reprefented in the royal theatre called the Cockpit, in Whitehall: and the actors of the king's company were fometimes commanded to attend his majefty in his fummer's progrefs, to perform before him in the country. Queen Henrietta Maria, however, went fometimes to the publick theatre at Black 4" Whereas William Pen, Thomas Hobbes, William Trigg, William Patrick, Richard Baxter, Alexander Gough, William Hart, and Richard Hawley, together with ten more or thereabouts of their fellows, his majefties comedians, and of the regular company of players in the Black fryers, London, are commaunded to attend his majeftie, and be nigh about the court this fummer progrefs, in readiness, when they fhall be called upon to act before his majestie: for the better enabling and encouraging them whereunto, his majefty is gracioufly pleafed that they fhall, as well before his majefties fetting forth on his maine progreffe, as in all that time, and after, till they fhall have occafion to returne homewards, have all freedome and liberty to repayre unto all towns corporate, mercate townes, and other, where they fhall thinke fitt, and there in their common halls, mootehalls, fchool-houfes or other convenient roomes, act playes, comedyes, and interludes, without any lett, hinderance, or moleftation whatsoever, (behaving themselves civilly). And herein it is his majefties pleasure, and he docs expect, that in all places where they come, they be treated and entertayned with fuch due refpect and courtefie as may become his majefties loyal and loving fubjects towards his fervants. In friars. I find from the Council-books that in the time of Elizabeth ten pounds was the payment for a play performed before her; that is, twenty nobles, or fix pounds, thirteen fhillings, and four-pence, as the regular and ftated fee; and three pounds, fix fhillings, and eight-pence, by way of bounty or teftimony whereof I have hereunto fet my hand and feale at arms. Dated at Whitehall, the 17th of May, 1636. "To all Mayors, &c. P. and M.” MS. in the Lord Chamberlain's office. This is entitled in the margin-A Player's Pafs. William Hart, whofe name occurs in the foregoing lift, and who undoubtedly was the eldeft fon of Joan Hart, our poet's fifter, is mentioned in another warrant, with ten others, as a dependant on the players," employed by his Majefties fervants of the Blackfryers, and of fpecial ufe unto them, both on the ftage and otherwife." This paper having efcaped my memory, when a former part of this work was printing, I fuggefted that Michael Hart, our poet's youngest nephew, was probably the father of Charles Hart, the celebrated tragedian; but without doubt his father was William, (the elder brother of Michael,) who, we find, fettled in London, and was an actor. It is highly probable that he left Stratford before his uncle Shakspeare's death, at which time he was fixteen years old; and in confequence of that connexion found an eafy introduction to the ftage. He probably married in the year 1625, and his fon Charles was, I fuppofe born in 1626. Before the acceffion of Charles the Firft, the chriftian name of Charles was fo uncommon, that it fcarcely ever occurs in our early parish-registers. Charles Hart was a lieutenant under Sir Thomas Dallifon in Prince Rupert's regiment, and fought at the battle of Edgehill, at which time, according to my fuppofition, he was but feventeen years old; but fuch early exertions were not at that time uncommon. William Hart, who has given occafion to the prefent note, died in 1639, and was buried at his native town of Stratford on the 28th of March in that year. 5" The 13 May, 1634, the Queene was at Blackfryers, to fee Meffengers playe."-The play which her majefty honoured with her prefence was The Tragedy of Cleander, which had been produced on the 7th of the fame month, and is now loft, with many other pieces of the fame writer. *See Vol. I. P. I. p. 162, n. 8, and p. 179, n. 1, of Mr. Malone's edition. reward. The fame fum, as I learn from the manufcript notes of lord Stanhope, Treasurer of the Chamber to King James the First, continued to be paid during his reign: and this was the ftated payment during the reign of his fucceffor alfo. Plays at court were ufually performed at night, by which means they did not interfere with the regular exhibition at the publick theatres, which was early in the afternoon; and thus the royal bounty was for fo much a clear profit to the company: but when a play was commanded to be performed at any of the royal palaces in the neighbourhood of London, by which the actors were prevented from deriving any profit from a publick exhibition on the fame day, the fee, as appears from a manufcript in the Lord Chamberlain's office, was, in the year 1630, and probably in Shakspeare's time alfo, twenty pounds; and this circumftance I formerly stated, 6" Whereas by virtue of his majefties letters patent, bearing date the 16th of June, 1625, made and graunted in confirmation of diverse warrants and privy feales unto you formerly directed in the time of our late foveraigne King James, you are authorized (amongst other things) to make payment for playes acted before his majesty and the queene. Theis are to pray and require you, out of his majefties treafure in your charge, to pay or caufe to be payed unto John Lowing, in the behalfe of himfelfe and the rest of the company his majefties players, the fum of two hundred and fixty pounds; that is to fay, twenty pounds apiece for four playes acted at Hampton Court, in refpect and confideration of the travaile and expence of the whole company in dyet and lodging during the time of their attendance there; and the like fomme of twenty pounds for one other play which was afted in the day-time at Whitehall, by meanes whereof the players loft the benefit of their houfe for that day; and ten pounds apiece for fixteen other playes acted before his majefty at Whitehall: amounting in all unto the fum of two hundred and fixty pounds for one and twenty playes his majesties fervaunts acted before his majeftie and the queene at feverall times, between the 30th of Sept. and 21ft of Feb. laft aft. As it may appeare by the annexed schedule. "And theis, ac. March 17, 1630-1." MS. in the Lord Chamberlain's office. |