Shakespeare and his London Associates 87 



profitable vnto the said Evans but allso ramie farre into decay for 

 want of reparacions done in and vppon the premisses they the said 

 defendants or some of them entred into Communicacion with 

 the said Henry Evans aswell for satisfaction of the said bond & 

 Couenants then forfeited vnto the said Richard Burbage as for 

 the repairinge of the premisses & soe mayneteynynge the same 

 for & duringe the tyme to come vnexpired demised in and by the 

 said lease in due and necessarie reparacions which he the said 

 Henry Evans fyndynge himselfe as these defendants are verely 

 perswaded vnable to performe and beinge vnwillinge any longer 

 to charge himselfe with so great and vnnecessary a burthen he 

 the said Evans began to treate with the said Richard "Burbage 

 about a surrender of the said Evans his said lease which fynally 

 for and in regarde of some Competent Consideracion giuen him 

 in recompence of his the said Evans his Charge formerly be- 

 stowed in buildings in & about the premissed was accomplished 

 and the said Evans his whole estate of in & to the premisses was 

 surrendred by the said Evans vnto the said Burbage who ac- 

 cepted the same surrender accordingly (without knowinge of or 

 intendinge to preiudice the estate of the said Marston or the Com- 

 playnant or eyther of them,) as he hopeth it law full was for him 

 to doe especially the premisses beinge in such decay for want of 

 reparacions as then they were, & the said defendants Confesse 

 that true it is that sithens the said surrender made by the said 

 Evans to the said Richard Burbage as aforesaid which was about 

 the tenth of August last past they the said defendants have 

 entred into occupied & enioyed the said great hall or play house & 

 taken the benefytt & profytt thereof & have reiected the said Com- 

 playnant from intermedlinge with them in any sort as they hope 

 vnder fauor of this honorable Court it law full was & is for them 

 to doe, but they the said defendants & euery of them for him- 

 selfe doe vtterly deny that they or any of them haue at any time 

 intermedled with had enioyed or received any the goods or 

 apparell mencioned in the said bill of Complaynt or have at any 

 time converted them or any of them to theire or any of theire 

 owne vse vses benefitt or behoofe without that that to the knowl- 



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