Shakespeare and Jiis London Associates 83 



Cuthbert Burbage, John Hemminges, Henrye Condell and others, 

 have entred in and vpon the said playe howse, and all the said 

 goodes, apparell and premisses and have soe Continewed in the 

 possession for a longe tyme and made proffitt theirof to them- 

 selves to the full valewe at the leaste of fifteene hundred poundes, 

 a full Sixt parte wheirof in all equitye and Conscyence doth of 

 right belonge vnto y r Suppl/a/;t, but being vniustlie kept out of 

 possession hath not beene by them nor anye of them permitted 

 to doe or performe that w ch for his ratable parte he ought and was 

 moste readye and willinge to have done : In tender consideraa'on 

 wheirof and because they the said Evans, Richard, and Cuthbert 

 Burbage, John Hemminges, Henrye Condell and divers others doe 

 well knowe that y r said Suppl/a/zt did pave his said one hundred 

 pounde to noe other end but to have had & enioyed his said Bar- 

 gaine, and that he hath noe meanes to recover the same againste 

 anye bodye but such as have vniustlie defrauded him, and that 

 they onlie are the said party es and noe other, and because y r said 

 poore Suppl/'a/zt in hope to have enioyed his said Bargaine hath 

 kept boyes theise Two yeares to his exceedinge Charge of purpose 

 to have Continewed playes in the said howse vpon the ceasing of 

 the generall sicknes, and hath disbursed by that meanes and by 

 makeinge provision in the said howse for the purpose afforesaid 

 five hundred pounde, and because all the said partyes vpon the 

 repaire of y r Suppl/a;/t vnto them and acquaintinge them w th that 

 w ch he had in purpose to doe, and w th that w ch had beene 

 runu//ored abroade Concerninge their intention to doe him 

 wronge in the premisses and his earnest request vnto them not to 

 pmudize him theirin did faithfullie promisse y r Supph'ant not 

 to ioyne in any act to the hinderaunce of anye man vntill all men 

 interessed theirin had satisfac/on, and that vpon the said faithfull 

 promise y r Suppl/az/t did conclude and paye his said hundred 

 pounde, and because if remwedye be not had in this honorable 

 Courte for y r Supph'a//te.y enioyinge the said full Sixt parte of the 

 said goodes, apparell and the premisses w th a full Sixt parte of all 

 the proffitt made in this meane tyme, that then y r Suppl«mt shall 

 loose his said hundred pounde soe longe forborne and all the 



343 



