Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	francis_n	sir_n	walsingham_n	161,043	5	19.1498	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41298	A Defence of dramatick poetry being a review of Mr. Collier's View of the immorality and profaneness of the stage.	Filmer, Edward, b. ca. 1657.; Settle, Elkanah, 1648-1724.; Rymer, Thomas, 1641-1713.; Vanbrugh, John, Sir, 1664-1726.	1698 (1698)	Wing F905; ESTC R16098	47,476	128

Abuse of the Country but to the very Scandal of the Government when the most Pious Royal Acts of Grace shall be thus fraudulently perverted to the carrying on so notorious a Cheat And therefore the Patent-gatherer or Collector Unlicens'd was thus branded c. And undobtedly 't was much upon the same scandalous Account that the Unlicens'd Players of Interludes are here herded among all those Rascally Companions For why should not the Government with all Reason surmize an equal Danger to the Publick from such Unqualify'd Players and accordingly provide against them as being Persons who under no Warrant of Authority nor Honourable Patron to vouch for their Integrity might be as justly suspected of Roguery Cheating or Pilfering as any other of their Brethren in Iniquity mention'd in the Act Nor can this particular Brand upon the Offenders here mentioned bear any shadow of Construction to Asperse Taint or Scandalize the Profession of Playing it self and the Publick Theatres supported by Royal Patents c. any more than the same Brand upon the Scholar the Proctor the Collector c. under the formentioned Corruption should be interpreted a Reflection upon Religion Law Learning or Charity Nor are His Majesty's Servants the present Authorized Actors any more concerned at the Common mistaken Cry of Fools from starting this Statute against them than any honest Reader of the Ingenious Mr. Collier with a Talent of Common Sense ought to be convinced That this Opinion of the State concerning the Stage here Quoted makes any thing for his Cause About the Year 1580. there was a Petition made to Queen Elizabeth for suppressing of Play-houses 'T is somewhat remarkable and therfore I shall describe some part of the Relation Many Godly Citizens and other well disposed Gentlemen of London considering that Play-houses and Dicing-houses were Traps for Young Gentlemen and others and perceiving the many Inconveniencies and great Damage that would ensue upon the long-suffering of the same not only to particular Persons but to the whole City and that it would be a great Disparagement to the Governours and a Dishonour to the Government of this Honourable City if they should any longer continue acquainted some Pious Magistrates therewith desiring them to take some Course for the Suppression of Common Play-houses Dicing-houses c. within the City of London and Liberties thereof who thereupon made humble Suit to Queen Elizabeth and her Privy-Council and obtain'd Leave of her Majesty to thrust the Players out of the City and to pull down all Play-houses and Dicing-houses within their Liberties which accordingly was effected And the Play-houses in Grace-Church-Street c. were quite put down and suppress'd Rawlidge his Monster lately found out c. p. 2 3 4. The Name of this Author that Mr. Collier has here Quoted being utterly a Stranger to all the great Scholars in Title-page Learning through St. Paul's Church-yard or Little Britain I am sorry I am so much in the Dark that neither Stow Baker Cambden nor Holinshed make any mention of this Revolution in or about the Year 1580 viz. this Abdication of the Publick Play-houses by Queen Elizbeth however not to dispute the Veracity of an Affirmative in Verbo Sacerdotis but take it as an Orthodox Record I cannot but stand a little amaz'd to think what wondrous State-opinion he has here discover'd First 't is here observable that the foremention'd Grievances alleged against Play-houses were so far from a publick Censur of the State that they were only a private Complaint of some Godly Citizens c. who therewith acquainted some Magistrates the Magistrates themselves were not the first Complainants The Foundation of and Arguments against this Grievance was only on the score of Inconvenience and Damage that their Continuance and Sufferance on that Account would be a Dishonour to the Government of the City not of the State nor Church For her were no Suggestions either of Immorality Lewdness Corruption of Manners or Vanity or any Religious charge against them as Godly Men as the Complainants are here presented whilst on the contrary the whole Accusation against them and the whole Godly Fear was founded expresly on no other danger then the entrapping the Youth of the City whether Gentle or Simple whether Gentlemens Sons or Citizens Pretences or Servants undoubtedly to the squandering away their Parents or Masters Money and therefore if too long suffer'd a publick Inconvenience or Damage would ensue to the whole City Hereupon these Complainants Petition'd the Magistracy and the Magistracy the Queen and her Gracious Royal Grant was this That that Eye-sore a Play-house in Grace-Church-Street in the Heart of the Metropolis should be supprest and the Players thrust out of the City of London and possibly banish'd as far as to Westminster And what makes the whole Grievance without Ralleay very remarkable Here are Play-houses and Dicing-houses both joyn'd in one Sentence of City Excommunication the Dicing-houses of the two so much the more dangerous Inhabitants within the Walls That the Youth of the City viz. Sons Servants Prentices or Cash-keepers from so fatal a Temptation and Snare might be truly Trapt into the Loss of those Extravagant Sums perhaps purloin'd or embezell'd from Parents or Masters to a very dangerous Consequene to the whole City indeed whilst on the other side the small Figure the Low-priz'd Play-houses made in those Days rendred them so little Threatners of any such Capital Danger that both Dice-house and Play-house are here Sentenced to Banishment together the one for Suspicion of Robbery and the other of Petty Larceny Now these two Authorities being all he says upon that Head viz. The Opinion of the State concerning the Stage I have Quoted them verbatim at full length that the Reader may guess the strength of this Learned Argumentator by this first Sample we have given of him Ex pede Herculem But to match him with an Opinion of the State concerning the Stage out of Stow's Chronicle Anno 1583. not above three Years after the said Abidication Stow 23d Eliz. Comedians and Stage-players of former Time were very poor and ignorant in respect of these in this Time but being now grown very skilful and exquisite Actors for all Matters they were entertain'd into the Service of divers Great Lords out of which Companies there were Twelve of the Best chosen at the request of Sir Francis Walsingham they were Sworn the Queens Servants and were allow'd Wages and Livery 's as Grooms of the Chamber and until that Year 1583 the Queen had no Players Amongst those Twelve Players were Two rare Men viz. Thomas Wilson for a quick delicate refin'd extemporal Wit and Richard Tareletion for a wonderous plentiful pleasant extemporal Wit He was the wonder of his Time He lyeth Buried in Shoreditch Now from this Authority of Mr. Stow which we may venture to call Authentick it looks a little odly that this Chronicle should take such particular notice of the Exalted Court Favours that smiled upon these Darling