February, 1647/8
[11 February, 1647/8.]
Stage-Players declared to be Rogues.
Whereas the Acts of Stage-Playes, Interludes, and common
Playes, condemned by ancient Heathens, and much less to be
tolerated amongst Professors of the Christian Religion is
the occasion of many and sundry great vices and disorders,
tending to the high provocation of Gods wrath and displeasure,
which lies heavy upon this Kingdom, and to the disturbance of
the peace thereof; in regard whereof the same hath been
prohibited by Ordinance of this present Parliament, and yet is
presumed to be practised by divers in contempt thereof.
Therefore for the better suppression of the said Stage-playes,
Interludes, and common Players, It is ordered and ordained
by the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament
Assembled, and by Authority of the same, That all Stage-players
and Players of Interludes and common Playes, are hereby
declared to be, and are, and shall be taken to be Rogues, and
punishable, within the Statutes of the thirty ninth year of the
Reign of Queen Elizabeth, and the seventh year of the Reign of
King James, and liable unto the pains and penalties therein
contained, and proceeded against according to the said Statutes,
whether they be wanderers or no, and notwithstanding any
License whatsoever from the King or any person or persons to
that purpose.
Stagegalleries Seats and Boxes to be pulled down.; How Players shall be dealt with.
And it is further ordered and ordained by the Authority
aforesaid, That the Lord Mayor, Justices of the Peace, and
Sheriffs of the City of London and Westminster, and of the
Counties of Middlesex and Surrey, or any two, or more of them,
shall, and may, and are hereby authorized and required, to pull
down and demolish, or cause or procure to be pulled down and
demolished all Stage-Galleries, Seats, and Boxes, erected or used,
or which shall be erected and used for the acting, or playing, or
seeing acted or plaid, such Stage-Playes, Interludes, and Playes
aforesaid, within the said City of London and Liberties thereof,
and other places within their respective jurisdictions; and all
such common Players, and Actors of such Playes and Interludes,
as upon view of them or any one of them, or by Oath of two
Witnesses (which they are hereby authorized to administer)
shall be proved before them, or any two of them, to have Acted,
or played such Playes and Interludes as aforesaid at any time
hereafter, or within the space of two Moneths before the time of
the said Conviction, by their Warrant or Warrants under their
hands and seals, to cause to be apprehended, and openly and
publiquely whipt in some Market Town within their several
Jurisdictions during the time of the said Market, and, also to
cause such Offender and Offenders to enter into Recognizance or
Recognizances, with two sufficient Sureties never to Act or play
any Playes or Interludes any more, and shall return in the said
Recognizance, or Recognizances into the Assizes or Sessions to be
then next holden for the said Counties and Cities respectively;
and to commit to the common Gaol any such person and persons
as aforesaid, as shall refuse to be bound, and finde such Sureties as
aforesaid, until he or they shall so become bound. And in case any
such person or persons so Convicted of the said offence, shall after
again offend in the same kinde, that then the said person or
persons so offending, shall be, and is hereby Declared to be, and
be taken as an incorrigible Rogue, and shall be punisht and dealt
with as an incorrigible Rogue ought to be by the said Statutes.
Moneys gathered of persons coming to see Stageplayes shall be forfeited and be paid to the Churchwardens for the poor.
And it is hereby further ordered and ordained, That all and
every sum and sums of Money gathered, Collected, and taken by
any person or persons, of such persons as shall come to see, and
be Spectators of the said Stage-Playes, and Interludes, shall be
forfeited and paid unto the Church-wardens of the Church or
Parish where the said sums shall be so Collected and taken, to
be disposed of to the use of the poor of the said Parish and shall
from time to time be levied by the said Church-wardens, and
Constables of the said Parish, by Warrant under the hands and
seals of any two of the Justices of the Peace of the County, City,
or Town Corporate where the said sums are so taken and
Collected, upon complaint thereof to them made, on the Goods
and Chattels of the person or persons collecting the same, or of
the person and persons to whom the same shall be paid by them
that Collect the same, by Distress, and sale of their Goods and
Chattels, rendring to them the overplus, upon examination of
the said persons, or proof made upon Oath before the said
Justices of the sum or sums so Collected and received, which the
said Justices are hereby authorized to take and examine.
Spectators of Stage-playes shall pay for every offence 5s.
And it is hereby further ordered and ordained, That every person or persons which shall be present and a Spectator at any such
Stage-play, or Interlude, hereby prohibited, shall for every time
he shall be so present, forfeit and pay the sum of five shillings to
the use of the poor of the Parish, where the said person or
persons shall at that time dwell or sojourn, being convicted
thereof by his own confession, or proof of any one Witness upon
Oath, before any one Justice of Peace of the County, City, or
Town Corporate where the said offence is committed (who is
hereby authorized to take the same Oath) to be levied by the
Church-wardens or Constables of the said Parish, by warrant of
the said Justice of Peace, by distress and sale of the Goods of the
said person offending, rendring to him the overplus.
And it is hereby further ordered and ordained, That all Mayors,
Bayliffs, Constables, and other Officers, Souldiers, and other
persons being thereunto required, shall be from time to time, and
all times hereafter, aiding and assisting unto the said Lord Mayor,
Justices of the Peace, and Sheriffs, in the due execution of this
Ordinance, upon pain to be fined for their contempt in their
neglect or refusal thereof.