The Sun.
London, England, 1809-11-18 00:00:00

The 'old House liad long been playing to empty
This petition states, that in consequerice of an un- 1
benches, and •Vi(fleagain under the necessity of re- happy ciflerence with the Pateliteis and Managers,r i
trenching they expenses, which they attempted by the Lord Chamberlain, on the Gtb of June, t 707, ,
; paying the Aelors only a Fart of their nominal seta- issued' an order for discontinuing their further aeting
Vie'following curioes account of an interesting
r feet te :ea, lliitish stage, has been drawn up from 1_ ries,leaving the balance to be paid in mote pro-Tereus. in that Theatre ; . that the Pertintnet 5, in conse-
.1-;44pe-ri whicl) belonged to the family of one of the times Next season, 1696, this notable exPedient quence, ‘vere depriveil. of the weans of supporting
original patentees, 11c1 Abstracts from some of the 'was ialialted by the, Managers of the new Honse; themselves. end families; that they l,ad thriee pe-
principal papers in the collection are subjoined. t which they continued till 1706, when they dissolved tioued the Lord Chamberlain to-permit their per-
.
s . their partnership he inutual consent, when they i forming, as it %vas the conduct o:. the Nianagers alone
threw themselves upon the protedion of Sir John t .which offended his Lordship; and as they could not
'King Charles the Secondn the 15th elf January,
tetie, 'greeted his letters patent to Sir Williarti Da- i Vanburgle, and they obtained a new and- large engage elsew here without being liable to an atetion at
~,,,,,e ; met oft itte-2,501 of April todowiug, the Theatre in the Haysmarliet, which was then built;. the suit of the Managers for a breach ofe contras-a;
sere; Men arch grauted similar Authority to Sir Tho- ' but here they did not succeed, as the building was •.humbly praying her Majesty to nrder that Theatre:to
'Mai Kiihgrew to build two new theatres tespec- ~ then thought too extensive and ill-donstrueted, for be re-opened. •
tively ; the management to remain in their heirs and i the audience hearing the Plays. , 4. Wherees, open Mr. Drydeu's binding himself
Heys a yearohe said Mr. 1). was. ad-
ssetis for ever. They. were to ere& their theatres 1 In the year 1707, this new Theatre. was appro- ato write three
in the eitie of London or Westminster, and to hire e iated to Oitera entirely, and the tevo companies of. milted, and continued as it Sharer in the King's
adore who wete ervants of the King 'and Queens I Aaors again united in Drury-lane ; but they were
~ Playhouse for diVers,years, and, received for 'hie share
and of the- peke of Yovk. In consequene. thereof:. ' not long re-united, water Mr. Rich, the Patentee, • and a quarter 3 or, 4001. communibus.annie ; but
S;r ''.l. Riii,grew Sir ernes Hoe-void: Charles ; income-in :iioir with the other share-boiclers, again' though heeeceieedthe monies, we received not she
Hart, Theopitilus RA, e. 'hael M-' ii-i, Nicholas ' not telly stopped part of their salaries, but finding: Plays, not one in a year. . After which the .Hotise
irt, Rein Lacy, Robert Sit -ell, ‘ei .. r Olunete ]that the Actors dre., greater audiences on the eights 'being burnt, ~the Company in building another core
Wm. 'Carte rint, `Wiiiiam 'te ersell, e. :, „a la f thter 0 elatiei titan other nights, they resolved,, treded greet debts, so that the Shares fell mech short
Hewitt, and Robert Clayton, oheeeede-. from the lie; ae eeey btopped one.third .of each Adar's re-. of ,ellae.tlley were, formerly ; whereupon. Mr; D.
Eeri of Eietitord, a lease for'4l years of im pi,::,ce of ctipts on Such benefits: The Actors, in consequence,
• complaining to the. Company of his, weet of profit,. ;
li-ewe!, ply ins; in the earisees of Ste Martin in the laid their ease belere:the Lord Chautherlain,. who- the Company was-so kind to him, that they not ooty.
Fiel('.s, and St. Paul'js, G.,:e,:t-Lat'deri,'knoWn by : ordered .Rich
:to satisfy flee demands of the ;Ader'se
,diO rot press• him tire the Plays wflieh he so engaged
the-reline ot. the Reliiig Yarli'' ' \'' ' .'`--f(D111.1-",y built -but t!e: hiker declined eornOyieg vv lib ,his Lord-: 10 svelte for them, and .for. Which be-was' paid before
2 tut:, and eonuUeneed perionnin all sorts of , ship's request.' Ai last, on.' the 6th of September, . hand, but they '&cl'also at his earnest .request gave
pee, s, ~cordit-p: ter -the tel et the patent.. r ; 17c19, her' Majesty, 'que.en Ann', order-.d the: 4114. a third day' for his last new. Play, called ~ All
rflioner, Keligrew 'assii;neel different shares of hisi' Theltre to be cloyed, and to continue closed tell fur-. : for Love, ' at:4 at the receipt ofMoney of the
patent to the other L'esSees. for certain cOnsiderations, 'they orders. . . said third clay he acknowledged tit a gilt, and a parti-
• .
gild .;:oil eCl!=iiil COilditiODS, and they weretotipar,
to par. We shail here present our treaders with an ..A.b- ! miler kindpess,6l eheeeempany ; yei,:notwithstand-
ticie.e.e in ill= prOilt or losa, in proporthm to their . straw of some of th., Manuscripts to which we helve' mg that kind proceeding, Mr. D. has now jointly
• A,
res r ,•,,',li V e intere,rs. The the re was 112 feet in i aluded, and which tend tO.eluctuate the Tneatfical .with Mr... Lee
,(who-waS in ;pension with us to the
lerivi it row East to—WeSi, al,,i; 59 feet' in breadthi I -I:ltStory of the period. .•. . . . - last day of our playing, and shall continue), written
~., a Play, called ,' ipus" and given into the Duke's
from Nuttli to South. The les:);:es, according to a; • No. I .—A Keition to the Oneed,•Signed by the
company, contrary to his said agreement, his pro-
condition of the le A;;e, 'eXpendeli 1,5091.',in erealing. : Right Honotirable Lord Guilford: the Right Plon.:
it, and were to pay a rent ot out ter the ground. Loro Jahn Harvey , Dante :'dice 13rewnlow,WidoW,. 'mine, and all
_gratitude, to the great prejudice and
almost undeing of the company, they being. the on-:
Sir Weiliaie Davenant, jointly with ditierelit per- Ana Shadweil, Widow, Sir EeivvarclSteith Bert. Sir
ly Poets remainieg to-us, Mr. Crow ne.being on=
bons, to whom lie hat ass,ned certain shari's of his Thomas ,Skipwitli, Bart. George Sayer, Charles Kil- .
der the like agreement
patent, ere= a they
is Dorset Gardense, where legrew, and. Christopher inch, Esquires, Charleswith the Drike"s Houseeerote
ae)oreas . a Play, palled "The DestruCtion of Jerusalem," and
he engaged the servants Of the Duke of York to Davenant, Pciaor of Laws; John. Metcaif,
txrfore; Sirpieii pieces to those wint..:l; were per- G,,,i,ii, Asebo-riihmn rroil,
,Ashburribam Trowel, being forced by their refusal of it to bring it to us,
;the said Company compelled us, after the studeing.-
formed by the King's servants at the other theatre. 'William East, Richard Midcilemore, Robert Gower,
Ten of the lame well allowed a stilt of laced scar 7 and.william Collier, Esquires, and several other of it, and a vast expellee in- scenes and clothes, to
buy up. their claims, by- paying all the•pensieris be
let by the King, and were on thelionsenold eSta- persons cleirnipg under the Patents of the Theatres.
'had received from there, amounting to 1.121. paid by
blia.beleant , lout whether the Duke's servants re- The petition states, the particulars of the patents
the King's Company, besides near 401. he the said
cei:eKl any emolument trom their patron i; !ronbtful. greeted to Thomas Killegrew, Esq. and Sir William .
Mr, Crowne paid out of his own
The King and rife Duke took considerable' interest . Dar-client. That the Patentees did build two play- pocket..
in tee success of their respeetive-coinpanies, and houses upon several pieces of ground purchased byThese things considered, if Mr. D.'s said agree-
even persotia.ay adjusted ti.eir differences • upon se- them respectively, the one in Covent Garden, and "moot; promise, and works freely giten him fo'r his
veral occasions. All other pet suns were prohibited by . the other in . Salisbury-court. which cost tfietu raid last new Play, and the many/Aides we have to
the Court trent: perforeii.•e Plays or Operas in the et- 10,0001. 'and upwards, and the house irt Covent , his writings, this Play .be purchased eway from us,
ties ot London or Westminster, or the sueurbs, that ' Garden, having been accidentally burnt down and we must submit.
the two Itoyel Theatres eligle pusses the exclusive afterwards rebuilt, cost near 40001.. more e and CHARLES KILLIGREW.
and
supeert of the inhabi .4)16 of' the. Metropolis; that the Patentees did, at their own costs, maintain CHARLES HART.
that the' one theatre rnigilL obtaih as little advantage indinstrutt people for the stage. That the Paten- Nrcu. Boa T..
p, osible over the 00 et, i" patentees were re= tees were united. in 1682, and the then Patentees,
. CARDELL9O9nIsI
strieted from COM pt tirig with Lech other in pertorm- for great sums of money, assigned their shares or in- :the Mon t•TN•
limb the. same plays; and therefore they divided i tercets- (now vested in the Petitoners). That the Pee —......
that
and a
equally all the uest traysw that were then extant, so titiOners, in confidence of such Letters Patent, bad tlii.• TheatreMem
that, frog their never acting the same plays, the been at :further expellee, at several times, in ap,.! yer
public wire precluded from ascertaining with 'acct. parel and other necessaries for the Theatre, to the the management
l'ac'y the respeetive merits eat the twee companies.— extent of twenty thousand pounds. That the Petie ears
fro
and Se
m a 'tenor
IJridt-r these advautages, both houses were very : tioners.after paying all the necessary expences (.•'' the Attorney
prosperous for some years ; but when. they bad establishm‘t,derived au annual profitof allover% thou- epointed by an 0
exhausted their sock of playse the public gave tee
' sand pounds from the concern, until,Liedy 'Day 16ee, e, to enquire in
'
preterenc, to the atting of the King's ..,onarpany, • siticewhich time they became considet able yearly lo- ere.
v. hich induced Sir William Davenant •to introduce rietsabat they were at last, with the.greatestrelurAance aced New. a, 1"
novelty into his performances; iind I.e therefore 1.3 - conipelled to trouble her Majesty with an applica- ,ny, to her Ma'
Operas thereby addine •ite enquiry iu!
'gall to perform thatuatie Oyer . lion, toprevent their being, '
*
Music and seeelactie, at a considerable expence,, to , hieing
their
whole estates hi the said premises; but icy - recite the
the. entertainments which the town lied heen- ac- ! they 'loped that, in a reign so glolious as that of her a to state win.
Majesty,. for preserving the rights of the people, they id stopped orif
' - should not tie disturbed. in the management of their :ir beitente, a'
concern. That her Majesty's 'Lord Chamberlain had , dedueted, t'
sent several-orders to -the Patentees and-their Mena- h ardered that
wee; Players, and Performers,- aid in pariiCtiler du- alleged, r
ring" the Months of November and Decetnber 170 e, rs were mid
relating to the estabVishiog of anotber, stink.Play-honse, ti him, whe
and-restraining the Pt:intoner', power. to treat with
.ber prope,
such Actors as thee should bunk necessary, for their lain,
the
bt-
business. Other orders wereeeet them io Decete- ned d
to h
•in
ber and January -1107 e for' restraining the Petitioners 26tC
from eCt ing. any Operas, and; from etup ,tinned loyitig such ,use, and
persons as theyeonceivedht for dancing and singing, ether, t(
under the penalty or silencinge On the 30th of 17f
- . .
April -:1709, the Petitioners Treasurer was ordered ill a col
to pay money'' to their Actors; Without- their consent. and 'ne
Or agrebeient ; and on the Gth-of June last, the Pe-, r broke
titorters and A&ors were silenced for not so doing.— xi':
,'C
That such orders were not only extraordinary and rnselt,
contradictory in themselves, but Made without call- ae tiler
ing the Petitioners before his Lordship, or hearing aluer)
n,
them upon the subject, and, as they, the Petitioners, Aue
-Were advised, contrary-to thee rights and privileges !es tlif
conveyed by the Patents, and tended to subvert the ang c
same,and destroy the property of those claiming ue- oceerf
der them 'e and as the Petitioners Were- refused re- inner
dress by the'Ldra Chamberlain, although they fre- 6'l*;
quently applied for the same,, they at last had re- Al'
course to nee Majesty's great justice and goodness. Kit'
They therefore prayed her Majesty for relief against he
the said -orders, and to restore them to that pro- ' 0
tedion which they enjoyed under her Royal Prede- • '
cessors. • i • .
' No. 2.—A Petition presented to her Majesty by
, Mr. Charles Killegrew, stating, that his tattler's
right of the Patent had been vested in him for the
last twenty-seven years. That for the greatest part
of the time sibee the two houses were united, Dr.
Devenant, or those claiMing under him, took upon
themselves the management ot the two Theatres,
and the Company of Adors, and received the pro-
fits arising from tha concern, whic,h ought to have
been divided into twenty equal shares, three parts of
Which belonged to - the Petitioner. That, as bit
share of the Property. was at the .time.' of his mar"
.riage looked upon to be of considerable. value; it
formeda part ot the settlement made upon his wife
and their issues. He therefore hoped,, that, as he
had. 'not interfered .with the management -of the
Theatre for the last fourteen years, that her Majesty
would not allow. his family to suffer through the use
of the Patent being suspended.
3.—A Petition to Queen Anne, signed by B.
BoOth, Theo. Keene; Jno. Richerstatfe, Fran. Leigh,,
Hen. Fairbank, Ja. Carnaby, Jo. Dowries, Geo..
.Powell, .George Park, John Cowdy, -Thomas -Bar
men, -Mae. Burkhead, Fran. M, Knight, M.. Bick-
nell, Henrietta Moore, Kat. Finch, Susannah Cox.,
L, .13radsliaw, Mary Powell, Eli. Leigh, Elis. Willis,
M. Kent, Cath. Baker, all Performers at Drury-lane,
Theatre.

site- upon winGh the late Drury.laneTheatre stood.
-t Satisodr \--,square. '
No pode's ,aiti.),dotireWaiehouse,in Portugal-street

. .
LONDON t Printed b RICHARD HARRIS, of No. 4, Martiett..cc•trt, Bow-street ; and
At the SuN-OFFIcE3 NO. 112-a Strand; where Advertisements, Orders I

Publisbid by WILLIAM AR MlGl:it SCRIPPS. South Molton.treet, G UPV6.IC ;itquace.
or the Paper, Letters for the Etlitur, &c, (p)t-paict), must b 3 addressed.