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 NILL, JOHN. A 'player' whose daughter Alice was baptized at St. Saviour's on 13 August 1601 (Bodl.). NORWOOD. Paul's, 1599. NYCOWLLES, ROBERT. A 'player' who witnessed a loan to Francis Henslowe on 1 June 1595 (H. i. 6). OFFLEY, THOMAS. Paul's, c. 1522. OSTLER, WILLIAM, began his career as a boy actor in the Chapel company. He took a part in Jonson's Poetaster in 1601. From the Sharers Papers we learn that on growing up he was, like Field and Underwood, 'taken to strengthen the King's service'. He first appears amongst the King's men in the cast of Jonson's The Alchemist in 1610, and played also in Catiline, The Captain, The Duchess of Malfi, in which he took the part of Antonio, Valentinian, and Bonduca. The following epigram in John Davies, Scourge of Folly (c. 1611), attests his fame and his participation in some forgotten brawl: To the Roscius of these Times, Mr. W. Ostler.

Ostler, thou took'st a knock thou would'st have giv'n, Neere sent thee to thy latest home: but O! Where was thine action, when thy crown was riv'n,  Sole King of Actors! then wast idle? No: Thou hadst it, for thou would'st bee doing? Thus Good actors deeds are oft most dangerous; But if thou plaist thy dying part as well As thy stage parts, thou hast no part in hell.

Ostler married Thomasine, daughter of John Heminges, in 1611. His son Beaumont was baptized at St. Mary's, Aldermanbury, on 18 May 1612. He acquired shares in the Blackfriars on 20 May 1611, and the Globe on 20 February 1612, and died on 16 December 1614, leaving his shares a subject for litigation between his widow and Heminges (q.v.).

PAGE, OLIVER. A London player in 1550 (App. D, No. v).

PALLANT, ROBERT. Strange's (?), 1590-1; Worcester's-Anne's, 1602-19; Lady Elizabeth's, 1614; Charles's, 1616; King's, 1619, unless, indeed, the R. Pallant who played the female part of Cariola in Duchess of Malfi was of a younger generation. This is not unlikely, for while the St. Saviour's registers record the burial of Robert Pallant, 'a man,' on 4 September 1619, the token-books give the name in 1621 as well as in 1612 and 1616. Ephraim and Hanburye, sons of Robert Pallant 'player', were baptized there on 1 January 1611 and 3 July 1614 respectively. There were others earlier. Pallant wrote commendatory verses for Heywood's Apology (1612), and is noted as visiting Henslowe on his death-bed on 6 January 1616 (H. ii. 20, 300; Bodl.).

PANT, THOMAS. Unlicensed player, 1607-10 (cf. ch. ix, p. 304).

PARR, WILLIAM. Admiral's-Henry's-Palsgrave's, 1602-20.

PARROWE (PARLOWE), RICHARD. Interluders, 1538-45.

PARSELEY, RICHARD. A London player in 1550 (cf. App. D, No. v).