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 with an undisputed field. Advantage was taken of the predilection of the younger members of the royal family for the drama, and patents were obtained, in 1610 for a Duke of York's company, and in 1611 for a Lady Elizabeth's company. These also had but a frail life. In 1613 the Lady Elizabeth's and the Queen's Revels coalesced under the dangerous wardenship of Henslowe. In 1615 the Duke of York's, now Prince Charles's, men joined the combination. And finally in 1616 the Prince's men were left alone to make up the tale of four London companies, and the Lady Elizabeth's and the Queen's Revels disappeared into the provinces. The list of men summoned before the Privy Council in March 1615 to account for playing in Lent contains the names of the leaders of the four companies, the King's, the Queen's, the Palsgrave's, and the Prince's. The King's played at the Globe and Blackfriars, the Queen's at the Red Bull, whence they moved in 1617 to the Cockpit, the Palsgrave's at the Fortune, and the Prince's at the Hope. The supremacy of the King's men during 1603-16 was undisputed. Of two hundred and ninety-nine plays rewarded at Court for that period, they gave one hundred and seventy-seven, the Prince's men forty-seven, the Queen's men twenty-eight, the Duke of York's men twenty, the Lady Elizabeth's men nine, the Queen's Revels boys fifteen, and the Paul's boys three. Their plays, moreover, were those usually selected for performance before James himself. It is possible, however, that the Red Bull and the Fortune were better able to hold their own against the Globe when it came to attracting a popular audience.

B. THE BOY COMPANIES

i. Children of Paul's. ii. Children of the Chapel and Queen's Revels. iii. Children of Windsor. iv. Children of the King's Revels. v. Children of Bristol. vi. Westminster School. vii. Eton College. viii. Merchant Taylors School. ix. Earl of Leicester's Boys. x. Earl of Oxford's Boys. xi. Mr. Stanley's Boys.

i. THE CHILDREN OF PAUL'S

High Masters of Grammar School:—William Lily (1509-22); John Ritwise (1522-32); Richard Jones (1532-49); Thomas Freeman