Note 1051 — BOOK IV THE PLAY-HOUSES

Cf. ch. x. Fynes Moryson says in his Itinerary, iii. 2. 2 (c. 1605–17), ‘The Theaters at London in England for Stage-plaies are more remarkeable for the number, and for the capacity, than for the building,’ and in the continuation (c. 1609–26, C. Hughes, Shakespeare’s Europe, 476), ‘The Citty of London alone hath foure or fiue Companyes of players with their peculiar Theaters capable of many thousands, wherein they all play euery day in the weeke but Sunday.... As there be, in my opinion, more Playes in London than in all the partes of the worlde I haue seene, so doe these players or Comedians excell all other in the worlde.’