The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-31

its surrounding galleries, was the first
home of the popular romantic drama and
the model of the earliest English the
aters.
1t was not only on their travels through
the provinces that the actors made use
of these inn eourtyards. Even in London
az late as 1875 all public dramatic per-
formances appear to have been given In
such places and the names OF several of
these inns have been preserved for us
the Cross Keys. in Gracious street; the
Bull, In Bishopgate street. and the Bell
Savage, on Lpdgate hill. But In that
year the growing hostility OF the munich
pal authorities came to head In an order
forbidding all plays within the city iim-
It's. 1t was not altogether a purtanic
hatred OF art and pleasure that prompted
the mayor and aldermen to such step.
The public performances OF the players
undoubtedly drew together the most dis
orderly elements In the city. Pfekpockets
piled their profession In the crowded
yard. courtesans thronged the galleries.
and the wild apprentices In London not
tnfrequently stormed the stage itself
Worst of all. the plague hung like pail
over the city. its cause unknown, but It's
effects too terribly seen IN the closed
houses and the swollen death list. And
the, plague was thought to have an inti-
mate connection with the performances
of plays. As preacher OF the day aptiy
put It; THE cause OF plaques Is SHINE,
and the cause OF SHINE are plays; there
fore the cause OF plaques are plays.
Quidquid est eansa eausae est causa
causati." No doubt In plague time--and
there were five great epidemies In Lon
don, not 10 speak OF minor attacks during
Shakespeares fife-the concourse of peo-
pie at tho plays contributed To the spread
of Infection: one OF the first precautions
taken on All outburst of the pestiienee
was not suppress not only plays, but all
similar public assemblies, until .hs death
mark. hut the grave magistrates of the
city desired something more than the
mere restriction of dramatic perform
ances To play IN plague time. they
argued. IL to increase the plague by tn
lection; 20 play out Of plague time u TO
draw the plague by offending God. Ergo
ssse 'e sSe orsT Of 'i ISIS
public performances OF the drama within
the walls OF London,
The Theater.
But the pleasure.lovIng LondoneFs were
by no means ready TO abandon their fa-
vosite amusement at the bidding Of city
magistrate or puritan preacher. Plays
they would have, II not within the city.
then Just across the llne. and an oppof~
nanity was soon afforded them IL seeing
plays In better fashion thar ever b.
fore. James BurbaSe. duick-wittei and
versatile man. an actor in Lord Lcices-
ter's company. and the proprietor af a
tavern and livery stable outside Of the
city walls. conserved the original idea u
building a house which should be Do
voted wholly to popular amusemcutE.
tambsing. repe-dAnctng. fencing and piays
He secured the lease * bit ~ ground
opening on Finsppry fields, hale a mile
OF 90 north Of The ctsy wall, borrowed
sufficient money from hls father in~isw.
and tn 1876 built tbs Th~ateF" himself
being among his ether occupations
tasHer, or caFpsntef. Here for the fret
time an Admission zee wss charged. the
old appeal to thQ liberaiity u he audi
enco wsS abandoned is favor OF tbs s1rar
ana more pruGtAhle uaathod- A certain
system % profit sharing between the
owner Of tina theRter, on the cpe hard.
and the actors, on the other, aas adept
ed along with this inncvatlea. wlts our
sssan'y knewisdse % details !, ! imp :.
we know that all ta@ great &l9xshethap
actors Eaads handsome fssgtGna@-@ fast
which could b pgedlcassa o. 30 Eliza
bet han to~t az such
In BaFeage's comgany varsauslw known
az Lord I~8cssfexsN. faos6 stsAnR~s and
this Lord CharshwFlains H1eu. we SnA 10
war8 fhR elnee of 1888 tbs f-aas ~ Will
lam Shakespeare, itis mode ~ entrance
to the ecsnpanY ia probably explained ~
ghe ais tradition th&t he began life ia
London nS hNlsiaE horses "a frost II
"
un to London. ard bis ttrSS step su RgrtV.
ing al the rlfy wuala have been 20 sell
MS haFee Re mAy very m@Il have DIS
soasd cg Il 90 BgFt4ge. tae TIM keeper
and glVeFyman. ans. wh*u the money was
srmrt. have xccepe@s an offer from nsF~
hareS IN Ais caYaritF ef fheate~-GwHeg.
70 iesk Aftar The horses ea which the
gentlemen s@trpns 81 his p3syhn to1s
thrsAxn the Msiis - rs deaT, TIE sfHg
from holding horses without 60 W<lrg
oa The actors Within wss vFenasig Sson
made Shakespeare gentle r1anHeFs,
reAisy wit and adAgssssiisy mast seen
have aitractr9 shatr noties he teiged
the csenapAnE. tFa&ition tells Us, as =
'sNrvitor~ perhaps y pr suptezs attend
am or sRih-noy. bat N3tasa few years
We fsad him a lsMEtRx fneFnh@T ~ s7e
company playing wfth Richard BGTbags
son 81 James ard the gr@6tesl tFeEeG an
OF MS day, ana Kemp she faEapus clown,
before Queen Elizabeth. AZ Greenwich.
Safae az least 81 Sha keNpsHrw's early
pizys must have been brought qua At the
theAIer 6uE we have NJ record nf the
fact. Two plays we know ware gsyes
there that rgss have nean ~ great in-
tereSt Ia hsus. The old Hamlet, on ~hlca
he WAS 70 found the most wapd@Ffui III
all tragedies. and the sap@rb play 81 "nr.
x~,,t