[ 8; ] 



' defpifing of the fame booke, or of any thing therein conteyned, 



' or any part thereof, lliall forfeit to the Oueene our Sove- 



' raigne Lady, her heyres and fucceffors, for the firft offence 



' an hundred markes ; and if any perfon or perfons being 



' once convid of any fuch offence, eftfoones offend againfl 



' any of the faid recited offences, and fhall in forme afore-' 



' faid be thereof lawfully convid, that then the fame perfon 



' fo offending and convid, fhall for the fecond offence forfeit 



' to the Oueene our Soveraigne Lady, her heyres and fucceffors, 



' foure hundred marks ; and if any perfon after he in forme 



'• aforefaid, fhall have been twife convidt of any offence, con- 



' cerning any of the lafl recited offences, Ihall offend the third 



' time, and be thereof in forme aforefaid lawfully convi6l, that 



' then every perfon fo offending and convidt, fhall for his 



' third offence forfeit to our Soveraigne Lady the Q_aeene, 



' all his goods and cattels, and fiiall fuffer imprifonment during 



' his life." 



From the reign of Elizabeth to that of Charles I. a dark 

 cloud obfcures the hiflory of the Irifh Stage. Yet Dramatic ex- 

 hibitions had not ceafed ; for in the tenth and eleventh years 

 of the reign of Charles I. an a6t was paffed for the erect- 

 ing OF HOUSES OF CORRECTION, AND FOR THE PUNISH- 

 MENT O F ROGUES, VAGABONDS, Stub bY Beggars and other 

 LEWD and idle persons, in which all Juffices of the 

 Peace of the different counties wherein they mighL-^e found, 

 are directed to fend to the houfes of corredion all Fencers, 



( Z ) Bear- 



