reene and Peele; it will also suggest a
reason for his liberal introduction of songs.

Court performances, however, were also given by young men of rank for
amusement or to honour the queen. _Gorboduc_ was presented before
Elizabeth by 'the gentlemen of the Inner Temple'. 'The Gentlemen of
Gray's Inn' performed _The Misfortunes of Arthur_ at the Court at
Greenwich; Francis Bacon was one of the actors. In the latter part of
the reign the queen's own 'company' consisted of the best London
professional actors, and these were summoned every Christmas to
entertain Her Majesty with the latest plays. At Oxford and Cambridge
many plays were staged, the preference for some time apparently lying
with classical representation in the original tongue.

On these Court and University performances large sums of money were
spent. It may be assumed therefore that considerable attention was paid
to the mounting and staging of a play. Possibly painted scenery and even
the luxury of a completely curtained-off stage were provided. Every
advantageous adjunct to the dramatist's art known in that day would be
at the service of Lyly. But it was otherwise with Marlowe and those who
wrote for the public stage. It is this last which we must consider.

In Exeter at least, and possibly in other towns, a playhouse was built
long before such a thing was known in the vicinity of London. We shall
probably be right, however, in judging the major portion of the country
by its metropolis and assuming that, until 1572 or thereabouts, actors
and audiences had to manage without buildings specially designed for
their purpose. Very probably the old 'pageants' (or 'pagonds') were
refurbished and brought to light when the need arose; and in this case
the actors would have the spectators in a circle around them. Inn-yards,
however--those of that day were constructed with galleries along three
sides--proved to be more convenient for the audience, inasmuch as the
galleries provided comfortable seats above the rabble for those who
cared to pay for them. The stage was then erected either in the midst or
at the fourth side, projecting out into the yard. In such surroundings
the popular Morality-Interludes and Interludes proper were performed.

In the midst of the wide popularity of the drama arose Puritanism, full
of condemnation. Keeping our attention upon London as the centre of
things, we see this new enemy waging a fierce battle with the supporters
of the stage.