152 CHILDREN OF THE CHAPEL AT BLACKFRIARS 
The beginning of the Queen’s reformatory purpose shows itself 
during Burbage’s remodeling of the Blackfriars Priory-house 
into a theatre, in the latter part of 1596. Whether she intended 
then to have the Children of the Chapel established there, or 
whether Burbage purposed to use it in place of the Theatre, the 
lease of which was just expiring, does not affect the present con- — 
sideration. The new establishment was at least to be in a most 
aristocratic neighborhood, and its exclusiveness and privacy were 
assured. Hence, when certain petitioners in November, 1596,* 
appealed to her through the Privy Council to suppress Burbage’s 
project, the request was ignored.’ 
‘The next appearance of definite plans was in the wholesome 
lopping off of the nuisance of unlicensed strolling players by the 
sharply restrictive law of 1597 reducing and confining the num- 
ber of companies to those under noble patronage.* 
Act now succeeds act along the line of one clear purpose. 
Whatever may have been the original plan or expectation in build- 
ing the Blackfriars theatre, the Commission for taking up children 
issued to Nathaniel Gyles,* the operations of which we have seen,® 
settles the question as to what determination the Queen had 
reached by July 3, 1597, the date of the Privy Seal.* It is not 
likely that Gyles lost any time in collecting a company of chil- 
dren, nor that the City authorities and the public theatres were 
unaware of the new state of affairs. 
July 28, 1597, within a month after the Privy Seal, and two 
weeks after the Patent,’ doubtless while Gyles and Evans were 
collecting and organizing the new children-actors, the Lord Mayor 
asked the Privy Council for orders to suppress plays “‘as well at 
the Theatre, Curten, and Bankside, as in all other places in and 
about the Citie.’® 
1 Supra, 17°. hand and seale of arms of such 
* Supra, 18°, 53, 153-547, 1617. baron or personage, shall be ad- 
®The statute of 39 Elizabeth judged and deemed rogues and vag- 
(1597) declares that “all common  abonds.” 
players of interludes wandering * Supra, 60°. 
abroad, other than players of inter- °Supra, 70-72, et sqq. 
ludes belonging to anie baron of * Supra, 60°. 
this realme, or anie other honour- 7 Supra, ibid. 
able personage of greater degree, *See letter in J. O. Halliwell- 
to be authorized to play under the Phillips, op. cit., I, 356-57. 
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