emblies of the people at the theatre or any other places
about Newington be forthwith restrained and forborn as
aforesaid, &c.[203]

[Footnote 201: _Apology_, p. 403.]

[Footnote 202: _History of English Dramatic Poetry_ (1879), III, 131.]

[Footnote 203: Dasent, _Acts of the Privy Council_, XIV, 99.]

The phrase, "the theatre or any other places about Newington," when
addressed to the "Justices of the Peace of Surrey" could refer only to
the Newington Butts Playhouse.

On June 23, 1592, because of a riot in Southwark, the Privy Council
closed all the playhouses in and about London.[204] Shortly after this
the Lord Strange's Men, who were then occupying the Rose, petitioned
the Council to be allowed to resume acting in their playhouse. The
Council granted them instead permission to act three times a week at
Newington Butts; but the players, not relishing this proposal, chose
rather to travel in the provinces. Soon finding that they could not
make their expenses in the country, they returned to London, and again
appealed to the Privy Council to be allowed to perform at the
Rose.[205] The warrant issued by the Council in reply to this second
petition tells us for the first time something definite about the
Newington Butts Theatre:

To the Justices, Bailiffs, Constables, and Others to Whom it
Shall Appertain:

Whereas not long since, upon some considerations, we did
restrain the Lord Strange his servants from playing at the
Rose on the Bankside, and enjoyned them to play three days
[a week] at Newington Butts; now forasmuch as we are
satisfied that by reason of the tediousness of the way, and
that of long time plays have not there been used on working
days, and for that a number of poor watermen are thereby
relieved, you shall permit and suffer them, or any other,
there [at the Rose] to exercise themselves in such sort as
they have done heretofore, and that the Rose may be at
liberty without any restraint so long as it shall be free
from infection, any commandment from us heretofore to the
contrary notwithstanding.[206]

[Footnote 204: Greg, _Henslowe's Diary_, II, 50, 73.]

[Footnote 205: Greg, _Henslowe Papers_, p. 42.]

[Footnote 206: _Ibid._, pp. 43-44.]

From this warrant we learn that so early as 1592 the Newington house
was almost deserted, and that "of long time" plays had been given
there only occasionally.

Two y