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It is probable that on his arrival in London, Shakespeare at 
once obtained employment at one of the theatres, and the tale of 
his gaining a living by holding play-goers’ horses at the doors of 
theatres may be dismissed as highly improbable. The time of 
his coming to London was opportune : Good Queen Bess loved to 
be amused, as is evident by the revels at Court and other costly 
entertainments, of which records have been preserved. The 
chief amusements of the populace consisted of bull-baiting, 
wrestling, boxing, and other out-door recreations; and the ap- 
pearance of a theatre, with regular plays, would be hailed by them 
with delight. 
The earliest London play-house was named ‘“ The Theatre,”’ 
and was built in 1576, at the cost of about £700, by John Burbage, 
a joiner, and also an actor amongst the Karl of Leicester’s 
players, Between the Lord Mayor and the Clerkenwell Sessions, 
the proprietor of this early theatre fared but badly, but the Queen 
and her Court stood by the players. ‘The Theatre’’ was pulled 
down in 1599. Another theatre built in close proximity to the 
first, was known as ‘‘ The Curtain,’ and remained in existence 
until 1642, when London theatres were suppressed. Before the 
end of the century other theatres were built, including the famous 
*‘ Globe,” on the Surrey side, and Blackfriars Theatre, which in 
1597 was leased to William Shakespeare and others, for twenty- 
one years. This building would hold two thousand persons ; the 
prices of admission varied from twopence to two shillings and 
sixpence; the receipts would be about £25 a performance. 
Shakespeare’s share of the annual profits is said to have been 
£500—no small sum in those days. He also had a share in the 
“Globe.” Many of Shakespeare’s plays were, no doubt, performed 
in all the early London theatres, and he himself took one of the 
characters. 
In 1592, the first part of ‘‘ Henry VI.’ was performed, and 
called forth the jealousy of a contemporary dramatist, Robert 
Greene. The “‘ Comedy of Errors’’ was acted before the Queen 
_ at Greenwich, and it is believed Shakespeare performed in it. In 
1598 he acted as one of the principal comedians in ‘‘ Every Man 
in His Humour.” In 1599, ‘‘ Henry V.’’ was performed at ‘‘ The 
Curtain” by the Burbage and Shakespeare Company. 
James I., like his predecessor, was a patron of the stage: and 
the players at the ‘‘Globe’’ and Blackfriars were appointed the 
King’s Company, while those at the ‘‘ Curtain ” were the Queen’s 
Company. In the account of the ‘Court Revels” of 1604-5, 
we find the King’s players performed several Shakespearian plays, 
before the King, in the Banqueting Hall at Whitehall, 
