or most of them, trained up
in that service in the reign of the late Queen Elizabeth for ten years
together."[533] And to these, as I have pointed out, it seems likely
that the best members of the bankrupt Children of His Majesty's Revels
had been added. The chief actor of the new organization was
Nathaniel Field, whose histrionic ability placed him beside Edward
Alleyn and Richard Burbage. One of the first plays he was called upon
to act in his new theatre was Jonson's brilliant comedy, _Epicoene_,
in which he took the leading role.

[Footnote 533: _Ibid._, p. 90.]

[Illustration: THE SITES OF THE WHITEFRIARS AND THE SALISBURY COURT
PLAYHOUSES

The Whitefriars Playhouse was just north of "K. 46"; the Salisbury
Court Playhouse was just south of the court of that name. (From Ogilby
and Morgan's _Map of London_, 1677.)]

The idea then occurred to Rosseter to secure a monopoly on
child-acting and on private playhouses. The Children of His Majesty's
Revels had ceased to exist. The Blackfriars Playhouse had been closed
by royal command, and its lease had been surrendered to its owner,
Richard Burbage. The only rival to the Children at Whitefriars was the
troupe of Paul's Boys acting in their singing-school behind the
Cathedral. How Rosseter attempted to buy them off is thus recorded by
Richard Burbage and John Heminges:

There being, as these defendants verily think, but only
three private playhouses in the city of London, the one of
which being in the Blackfriars and in the hands of these
defendants or of their assigns, one other being in the
Whitefriars in the hands or occupation of the said
complainant himself [Keysar], his partners [Rosseter, _et
al._], or assigns, and the third near St. Paul's Church,
then being in the hands of one Mr. Pierce, but then unused
for a playhouse. One Mr. Rosseter, a partner of the said
complainant [Keysar] dealt for and compounded with the said
Mr. Pierce [Master of the Paul's Boys] to the only benefit
of him, the said Rosseter, the now complainant [Keysar], the
rest of their partners and company, and without the privity,
knowledge, or consent of these defendants [the King's
Company], or any of them, and that thereby they, the said
complainant [Keysar] and the said Rosseter and their
partners and company might advance their gains and profit to
be had and made in their said house in Whitefriars,