Inns of Court
The Inns of Court are referred to as the third university of England. Inns of Court were where practicing lawyers and law students gathered to eat, socialize, gain legal education, board, and be entertained. There were four of these Inns of Court: Gray's Inn, Inner Temple, Lincoln's Inn, and Middle Temple. In contrast to Cambridge and Oxford, who produced theatre as a literary study, the London Inns of Court produced theatre as a means of entertainment. Beginning around 1587, the Inns of Court produced masques and revels, yet another contrast from the Oxford and Cambridge plays. Until the end of the 17th century, these performances typically took the form of masques written by law students at the Inns of Court. Once the Inns of Court transitioned from masques to plays, the so-called third university served as a cradle for classical English drama. Eventually, by the early 17th century, writers such as Ben Jonson and William Shakespeare began producing English comedies at the Inns of Court, thus expanding the range of materials performed. After 1614, the masques were written and designed by professionals; simultaneously the new emerging dramas were written and performed by professional theatre practitioners. Due to the close proximity to the English court, nobility frequently attended the performances at the Inns of Court.