DATING EVENTS—NEW MANAGEMENT 93 
_ Another minor item affecting the management now becomes 
_ clear and at the same time has contributive value in showing that 
_ the Queen’s Court of Star Chamber had aimed its judgment 
- solely at Evans, in no way interfering with the theatre as such, 
_ but rather protecting it. 
Evans was forced to “departe into the Countrye’! within a 
month after signing the Obligation and Articles. This compul- 
sory departure shows a close connection with the Decree. Evans 
says he had to leave because of evidence given by his new part- 
ners. Doubtless upon the Lord Chamberlain’s investigation as 
_ to whether the Court’s order was being obeyed or not, these men 
| gave testimony of the new arrangement showing Evans retained 
at least half proprietary interest. 
| But by the Decree, Evans could not enjoy half the privileges 
from the Queen’s Children any more than he could enjoy all. 
The theatre however was to be continued, but not by him. Hence 
Lord Hunsdon’s peremptory order to “avoid and leave the same.”’ 
Open contempt of this order would have meant summary pun- 
ishment. So Evans made another shift. Just as previously in 
anticipation of danger in the suit of Clifton he had put his prop- 
erty opportunely out of his hands to save it, so now to escape 
the penalty imposed and make it appear he was obeying abso- 
_ lutely, he turned over his share of the active management also to 
Hawkins, who was in fact, as the documents show, merely to act 
for him, and got himself safely out of London. How tong he 
remained away does not affect the history of the company. His 
claim of losing 300/. by his enforced absence is an undoubted 
- fiction, as his son-in-laws seems fully to have guarded his interests. 
protytt together with them the said 
William Edward and Thomas their 
executors Administrators and As- 
signs and euerie of them of and in 
the saide greate hall and premisses 
without their or any of their lettes 
troubles and interrupcions That 
~ then the present obligacion to be 
voide and of none effect or els it to 
- stand in full force and vertue. 
For document in extenso from 
which this is taken, see complete 
work, vol. III. 
*Evans vs. Kirkham, Bill of 
Complaint, G.-F., 212c-213a. 
/ 
*“And the Compl* further for 
Replicacion saith that he was, by the 
def* and his said Associates vpon 
false informacion made to the late 
Lord Hunsdon, late Lord Cham- 
berlain, against this Compl‘, com- 
aunded by his Lo? to avoyd and 
leave the same, for fear of whose 
displeasure the Compl* was forced 
to leaue the Country, and lost in 
want of not looking to his proffitt 
there and Charge otherwise neere 
three hundred pounds,” &c.—Evans 
vs. Kirkham, Evans’s Replication, 
G.-F., 220c. 
207 
