Note 158 — BOOK III THE COMPANIES (continued 2)

Cf. M. L. R. iv. 159. The t.p. of Sophonisba only specifies performance ‘at the Blackfriars’; those of The Fleir and The Isle of Gulls ‘by the Children of the Revels at the Blackfriars’. Probably the ‘Children of the Revels’ of the t.p. of Day’s Law Tricks (1608) is also the Blackfriars company. No theatre is named, but the play is too early for the King’s Revels, who, moreover, do not seem to be described on other t.ps. as ‘Children of the Revels’ pure and simple. I take it that these t.p. descriptions follow the designations of the companies in use when the plays were last on the stage before publication, rather than those in use at the times of first production.