70 CHILDREN OF THE CHAPEL AT BLACKFRIARS 
and the Chapel Royal had under Elizabeth likewise often been 
used in play-acting, although this function was not specified in the 
commissions.’ It accorded however with the Queen’s pleasure. 
The above comparative view of the commission to Gyles and its 
precedents shows that the commission to Gyles, out of which arises 
much of.the history of the Children of the Chapel at Blackfriars, 
instead of being peculiar in its provisions differs in no essential 
features from its immediate precedents, and is even word for 
word identical with the commission to Hunnis. Whether the 
commission to Hunnis or the modei of it to Edwards was read 
two ways or not, each at least couid have been if occasion had 
arisen. The only difference between these precedents and the 
commission to Gyles seems to be that under Gyles’s régime occa- 
sion did arise, and his commission consequently was given in 
practice a double interpretation. 
The commission to Gyles can be read and was read two ways, 
each with perfect consistency. Henry Clifton in his complaint 
to the Queen, as we shall see, read it in the strictest sense as a 
direct provision for supplying the Chapel with choristers. Gyles 
tead it thus, and also very differently. "We are forced to con- 
clude from events that the Queen and her Court of Star Chamber 
with the Children of the Chappell, 
ity rewarde.. ch cadens Vir sociedad 
—From the Household Book of Ed- 
ward VI, 1547-[48], in The Tre- 
velyan Papers (ed. Collier, for The 
Camden Society, 1857), 201. 
Item to Richard Bower, M* of 
the Children of the Kinges Chap- 
pell, for playinge before the Kinges 
Majestie with the saied Children 
Fee wae eat eae re ab vj! xiij® iiij? 
—From The Kinges Booke of Re- 
ceyptes and Paymentes, in The 
Trevelyan Papers (ed. Collier, for 
The Camden Society, 1863), II, 20. 
Under. date of New Year’s day, 
1547-[48]. 
*Examples of this practice under 
Elizabeth prior to her action in es- 
tablishing the Children of the 
Chapel at Blackfriars in 1597 are 
too voluminous to quote in the 
present small work. J. P. Collier, 
op. cit. (1831, 1879"), I, passem, 
assembled some materials. A. Al- 
brecht, Das Englische Kinderthea- 
ter (Diss. Halle, 1883), makes a 
very brief presentation. F. G. 
Fleay, A Chronicle History of the 
London Stage, &c. (1890), gives 
a superficial general view, and is 
followed by Hermann Maas, Die 
Kindertruppen (Diss. Gdttingen, 
1901), in a few sketchy paragraphs. 
The field widens with investigation 
and includes, besides the Children 
of the Chapel, Windsor choir, and - 
Paul’s boys, also several schools for 
boys,—as Westminster, Merchant 
Taylors, Oxford, Eton, &c. Not 
all of these of course provided 
Court-entertainments, but they were 
used at least in private theatricals. 
No thorough treatment has ever yet 
been made. The field, though not 
richly promising, awaits an investi- 
gator. Certain pertinent materials, 
old and new, will be included in 
my succeeding complete work. 
184 
: 
‘ 
4 
; 
% 
“9 
7 
