Cuthbert Burbage sues Giles Allen in Requests court over the Theatre playhouse property. Ralph Miles deposes 1 October 1600. Miles says that James Burbage did draw up a renewal of the lease, but he does not know whether Allen signed it or not; he can say no more since there is no copy of the lease to review. Miles affirms that he has heard that James did spend much money improving the property, but he does not know how much. He knows James Burbage kept the property in good repair, but he has not seen the property recently. Miles agrees that Ellen Burbage is a poor woman, but cannot confirm Allen's theory that Cuthbert and Richard Burbage assumed most of James' goods, but made their mother Ellen the executrix of James' estate in order to disappoint creditors. Miles affirms that John Brayne provided half the cost of the Theatre, and has seen the bond agreed to by Burbage and Brayne. Miles estimates the Burbages have made at least a thousand marks on the Theatre. Miles says he has heard Allen complain that James was a bad tenant, but only since the attempt to renew the lease at the George in Shoreditch, and that he has not heard Allen complain that the property was kept in bad repair. He also affirms that James did assign an interest in the lease to John Hyde, but cannot remember how long ago that was.
| Name | Event Role(s) | Document Role(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Burbage, Richard | brother | |
| Allen, Giles | defendant | gentleman, lessor |
| Miles, Ralph | deponent | |
| Burbage, James | leaseholder | father, playhouse owner |
| Hyde, John | leaseholder | |
| Burbage, Cuthbert | plaintiff | gentleman, leaseholder, playhouse owner |
| Brayne, John | playhouse sharer | |
| Burbage, Ellen | widow |