Vili PREFACE 
each other, I was surprised to discover that they explained finally 
matters outside the direct line of the history of the children. For 
example, the chronology of plays having been established, chiefly 
on external evidences, I found the surprising feature, already 
mentioned, of the masque within the play originating in and run- 
ning through the Elizabethan régime at Blackfriars, stopping 
short with the Queen’s death in 1603. Not more than two Black- 
friars plays prior to her death lack this feature, while under 
James all lack it but two. Similarly, historical evidence served 
to fix the succession of incidents in the quarrel between Jonson 
and the so-called poetasters. The Queen’s relations to Blackfriars 
led to an examination of all official orders and other external his- 
torical data, clearing up finally, as just said, the unique muddle 
of opposing royal, municipal, and theatrical conditions of 1597— 
1603. The same relations led to the collection of all evidences: 
touching the custom of sitting on the stage, with surprising re- 
sults. Indeed, the whole course of theatrical and dramatic his- 
tory of the Elizabethan-Jacobean period turns out to be related 
as either cause or effect, and no feature consequently can be 
treated as quite isolated. I have found it necessary to take into 
account every theatre, company, and drama of the period, for the 
children-theatres are related to all. 
As the present work is based wholly upon original sources, the 
chief weight of reference is given to archives and documents, 
rather than to interpretative and critical publications. In the 
course of investigation it has been within my purpose to consult 
the contributive publications of Europe and America touching 
upon the field of Elizabethan-Jacobean dramatic literature, crit- 
icism, and history,—a library of considerable proportions in itself. 
Yet I have doubtless overlooked some. Few have yielded mate- 
rials for this work. Books and articles merely reworking old 
knowledge or old conclusions,—the main bulk, unfortunately, in 
this field_—have not been taken account of. Such works as I 
have had occasion to refer to are sufficiently indicated in the foot- 
notes. They are mainly publications containing original docu- 
ments. To collect these into a list would in this modern day of 
special bibliographies be a gratuity by no means complimentary 
to that select circle for which the work is prepared, and would 
IIo 
