An undated and unsigned letter, likely written by assistant archpriest of England Thomas Colleton, justifies the prohibition of playgoing for secular priests of England and rebukes the protestation of the prohibition by the imprisoned priest Thomas Leke. The letter condemns the attendance of public playhouses because they are places where 'many a fowl sinn is committed,' but allows for the viewing of private plays at such venues as the Inns of Court or at private houses because such plays are not produced for profit. Because public plays must appeal to the tastes of the 'young gallants, and Protestants' that attend them, the letter insists that they cannot be of entirely wholesome quality, and that priests attending them will appear in 'unpriestlike carriage' and thus compromise their ability to lead a spiritual community. Despite these claims, the letter withdraws the prohibition against playgoing to prevent further dispute among England's endangered clerics.
| Name | Event Role(s) | Document Role(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Harrison, William | archpriest of England | |
| Colleton, John | assistant | priest |
| Leke, Thomas | priest |