The First London Theatre 15 
she owed him more than all she possessed and expressed her life- 
long gratitude to him. 
After the death of her husband, Margaret Brayne made life at 
the Theatre during the rest of her existence more exciting than 
profitable. She received her share from the Curtain for a time, 
and also from the Theatre for a while. When she had about 301. 
from the Theatre, Burbage suddenly cut her off from further 
income in the business, say John Allen, Ralph Miles, John Hyde, 
and others who took sides later against Burbage. Also, shortly 
after Brayne’s death, the mortgagee, John Hyde, and his father- 
in-law George Clough, tried to oust Burbage from the Theatre, 
and put in Clough. But by something in the agreement with 
Burbage they could not—even when they falsely represented, as 
Hyde admits, that Hyde had sold Clough the forfeited lease, and 
Clough brought or threatened suit against Burbage for possession. 
Then in the early part of 1587 began a long series of litigations 
between the widow Brayne and James Burbage. Miles backed 
her with money, and threatened to spend all he had, if need be, 
in order to win against Burbage. Also, in 1587, John Gardner 
died, to whom Brayne had made over some of his property by 
deed of gift, and the executors likewise sued Burbage. Still he 
held the fort. In 1588, he in turn sued the widow. And so for 
the next ten years the contest raged between :them—always with 
Burbage as victor, supported by the decisions of the Court. 
Both Burbage and the widow Brayne went to see Hyde again 
and again in the matter of assigning them the lease. Each wanted 
it, but Hyde assured them that he would deliver it, not to one of 
them only, but to both of them, whenever they paid him the rest 
of the 125/. he had loaned on the Theatre, together with interest. 
Finally, he said he would wait no longer, and would deliver it to 
the one who should first pay him. Hyde says that Burbage 
sundry times wanted him to convey the lease to his son Cuthbert, 
but Hyde was loth to do it, without the widow’s consent. Yet 
meanwhile Hyde was, as he admits, planning to sell the lease to 
his father-in-law Clough and one Middlemore. 
In June, 1589, Burbage and his son Cuthbert appealed to 
Walter Cope in the matter. Cope was gentleman usher to the 
15 
