*  Look  but  upon  the  common  plays  in  London,'  exclaims
the  preacher,  '  and  see  the  multitude  that  flocketh  to
them  and  followeth  them !  Behold  the  sumptuous
Theatre  houses,  a  continual  monument  of  London's
prodigality  and  folly ! '  What,  he  argues,  is  the  sense
of  closing  them  in  times  of  sickness  ?  '  The  cause  of
plagues  is  sin  ;  and  the  cause  of  sin  are  plays  ;  there-
fore the  cause  of  plagues  are  plays.'  A  triumphant
syllogism,  if  the  premisses  be  granted  '

The  voices  of  preachers  and  Puritan  pamphleteers
were  daily  raised  against  playhouses.  Yet  the  Court
would  not  abandon  its  amusements,  and  the  public
grew  daily  more  attached  to  the  Drama.  Elizabeth,
about  this  period,  ratified  her  patronage  of  the  Drama
by  selecting  twelve  actors  from  the  servants  of  her
nobles,  and  calling  them  the  Queen's  Players.  In
1582  the  contest  between  the  Privy  Council  and  the
Corporation  was  renewed,  and  the  old  arguments  were
employed  to  silence  the  scruples  of  the  citizens.
■  Playgoing  is  an  '  honest  recreation,'  and  players  must
have  practice  in  order  to  '  attain  to  the  more  perfection
and  dexterity'  when  they  appear  at  Court.  At  the
same  time,  the  Lords  of  Council  were  desirous  that
the  Drama  should  be  placed  under  proper  restrictions.
Acting  upon  Sundays,  in  Lent,  or  during  service  time
on    holydays,    was    strictly    forbidden — a   prohibition

'    Query  :  Was  Blackfriars  rebuilt  or  built  for  the  first  time  in  1596?     -f.
28o  SHAKSPERE'S  PREDECESSORS.
