Viewing Event Record: Chancery, Brayne v Burbage: Ralph Miles deposes

Abstract

Margaret Brayne sues James and Cuthbert Burbage in Chancery court over her share of the Theatre playhouse profits. Ralph Miles testifies 26 April 1592. His testimony furnishes details of the dealings between James Burbage and John Brayne, and of Margaret Brayne's share in the Theatre and its profits. Miles testifies that he has seen and read the arbitrament ordered by Turner and Hill between James Burbage and John Brayne, which he says awarded Brayne a moiety of the rents and profits of the Theatre. The arbiters had further determined that until the debt on the Theatre property was settled, neither Brayne nor Burbage should have any profits for their own use. They allowed Brayne 10s a week 'for & towardes his house keeping' and Burbage 8s, 'of the profittes of such playes as shuld be playd there upon sundais.' Once the debt was discharged, Brayne was to receive all the rents and profits on the property until he was reimbursed for the money he had laid out in excess of Burbage's expenditure. Miles rehearses the details of the mortgage and forfeiture of the Theatre lease to John Hyde and affirms that Margaret Brayne would have helped Burbage redeem the lease if he had revealed his intentions to her, and if he had paid her the moiety due from the Theatre profits. Miles then recounts the attempt by Margaret Brayne and her allies to recover her profits from the Burbages according to the Chancery court order [of 13 November 1590] and the violent response to that attempt by the Burbages. Miles then insists that neither he nor his father expect to gain any title to the Theatre through their support of Margaret Brayne's suit against the Burbages and specifically dismisses Henry Bett's story to this effect.

Date Event Recorded

Date

From: 26 April 1592 (Source of claim: original)

Date Event Happened

Date

From: 26 April 1592 (Source of claim: original)

Venues

Name

Theatre

People