The Privy Council writes to the King's secretary concerning the Globe's production of Thomas Middleton's 'A Game at Chess.' The privy council has called the actors before them and demanded on what authority they performed the play, in response to which they have produced the original book, as licensed by Sir Henry Herbert, the Master of Revels. They assure the Privy Council that they have not since altered the text of the play. The Privy Council notes that the poet responsible for the play is Thomas Middleton; they have issued a warrant for his arrest. The actors have been reproved and charged neither to perform the play again, nor any other 'until His Majesty's pleasure be further known.' They have bound the actors to attend upon the Board whenever they should be called. They send the book to the King's secretary so that the King may peruse it at his leisure, and call the Master of Revels before him, should he see fit. N. B. The document appears to exist in two different manuscripts: one, transcribed in Wickham and MSC, 1.4-5, in the Privy Council Register; the second, transcribed in Bawcutt, among the State Papers, Domestic, James I. Both Wickham and Bawcutt, however, cite MSC, I.4-5 as an alternate source for the transcription, while MSC, I.4-5 cites Chalmers, but notes that he relies on the the SPD and not the PRC version.
| Name | Event Role(s) | Document Role(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Stuart, James I | King | |
| Herbert, Henry | Master of the Revels | |
| Conway, Edward | correspondent | |
| Middleton, Thomas | playwright |