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State Papers Domestic, Elizabeth I
February 18,
1601

SP 12/278, folio 85 recto

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SP 12/278, folio 85 recto
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Images reproduced by permission of The National Archives, London, England.

Terms of use
The National Archives give no warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or fitness for the purpose of the information provided.
Images may be used only for purposes of research, private study or education.  Applications for any other use should be made to The National Archives Image Library, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU, Tel: 020 8392 5225   Fax: 020 8392 5266.

Document-specific information
Creator: Secretaries of State
Title: State Papers Domestic, Elizabeth I
Date: February 18, 1601
Repository: The National Archives, Kew, UK
Call number and opening: SP 12/278, fols. 85r-86v
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Item Creator
Secretaries of State
Item Title
State Papers Domestic, Elizabeth I
Item Date
February 18, 1601
Repository
The National Archives, Kew, UK
Call Number
SP 12/278, fol. 85r

SP 12/278, folio 85 verso

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SP 12/278, folio 85 verso
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Institution Rights and Document Citation

 

Images reproduced by permission of The National Archives, London, England.

Terms of use
The National Archives give no warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or fitness for the purpose of the information provided.
Images may be used only for purposes of research, private study or education.  Applications for any other use should be made to The National Archives Image Library, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU, Tel: 020 8392 5225   Fax: 020 8392 5266.

Document-specific information
Creator: Secretaries of State
Title: State Papers Domestic, Elizabeth I
Date: February 18, 1601
Repository: The National Archives, Kew, UK
Call number and opening: SP 12/278, fols. 85r-86v
View online bibliographic record

 

Item Creator
Secretaries of State
Item Title
State Papers Domestic, Elizabeth I
Item Date
February 18, 1601
Repository
The National Archives, Kew, UK
Call Number
SP 12/278, fol. 85v

SP 12/278, folio 86 recto

View Image Assets
SP 12/278, folio 86 recto
Click image to enlarge

Institution Rights and Document Citation

 

Images reproduced by permission of The National Archives, London, England.

Terms of use
The National Archives give no warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or fitness for the purpose of the information provided.
Images may be used only for purposes of research, private study or education.  Applications for any other use should be made to The National Archives Image Library, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU, Tel: 020 8392 5225   Fax: 020 8392 5266.

Document-specific information
Creator: Secretaries of State
Title: State Papers Domestic, Elizabeth I
Date: February 18, 1601
Repository: The National Archives, Kew, UK
Call number and opening: SP 12/278, fols. 85r-86v
View online bibliographic record

 

Item Creator
Secretaries of State
Item Title
State Papers Domestic, Elizabeth I
Item Date
February 18, 1601
Repository
The National Archives, Kew, UK
Call Number
SP 12/278, fol. 86r

SP 12/278, folio 86 verso

View Image Assets
SP 12/278, folio 86 verso
Click image to enlarge

Institution Rights and Document Citation

 

Images reproduced by permission of The National Archives, London, England.

Terms of use
The National Archives give no warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or fitness for the purpose of the information provided.
Images may be used only for purposes of research, private study or education.  Applications for any other use should be made to The National Archives Image Library, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU, Tel: 020 8392 5225   Fax: 020 8392 5266.

Document-specific information
Creator: Secretaries of State
Title: State Papers Domestic, Elizabeth I
Date: February 18, 1601
Repository: The National Archives, Kew, UK
Call number and opening: SP 12/278, fols. 85r-86v
View online bibliographic record

 

Item Creator
Secretaries of State
Item Title
State Papers Domestic, Elizabeth I
Item Date
February 18, 1601
Repository
The National Archives, Kew, UK
Call Number
SP 12/278, fol. 86v

Institution Rights and Document Citation

 

Images reproduced by permission of The National Archives, London, England.

Terms of use
The National Archives give no warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or fitness for the purpose of the information provided.
Images may be used only for purposes of research, private study or education.  Applications for any other use should be made to The National Archives Image Library, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU, Tel: 020 8392 5225   Fax: 020 8392 5266.

Document-specific information
Creator: Secretaries of State
Title: State Papers Domestic, Elizabeth I
Date: February 18, 1601
Repository: The National Archives, Kew, UK
Call number and opening: SP 12/278, fols. 85r-86v
View online bibliographic record

 

Alan H. Nelson, "Examination of Augustine Phillips," Shakespeare Documented, https://doi.org/10.37078/341.

The National Archives, SP 12/278. See Shakespeare Documentedhttps://doi.org/10.37078/341.

In early 1601, Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, led a rebellion which was over almost as soon as it began. In the lead-up to the action, the Lord Chamberlain’s players, William Shakespeare’s company, was paid to perform Richard II, in which the king is imprisoned, deposed, and eventually killed by, or at the command of, Henry Bolingbroke, the future Henry IV. Among those examined in the aftermath of the rebellion were Augustine Phillips, a senior member of Shakespeare’s company, and Sir Gelly Meyrick, a participant in the rebellion.

In his examination on February 18, 1601, Augustine Phillips reported that Sir Charles and Sir Joslyne Percy, Lord Mounteagle, and “som thre more” offered the players 40s more than their usual charge to perform “the deposyng and kyllyng of Kyng Rychard the Second.” Phillips and his fellows proposed an alternative play, but after negotiation were finally “content” to play as requested.

Although scholars have proposed alternative explanations, the combined testimony of Augustine Phillips and Sir Gelly Meyrick suggests that Phillips and his fellow members of the Lord Chamberlain’s men performed William Shakespeare’s Richard II prior to the Essex rebellion.

After his interview, Augustine Phillips was let go without further consequence for himself or his fellow players, while Sir Gelly Meyrick was eventually hanged at Tyburn.

Semi-diplomatic transcription

[This transcription is pending final vetting]

[Image 1: fol. 85r]

The exam[ination] of Augustyne Phillypps servant vnto the L[ord] Chamberlyne and one of hys players taken the xviijth of ffebruarij 1600 vpon hys oth

He sayeth that on ffryday last was sennyght or Thursday, Sir Charles Percy S[i]r Jostlyne Percy and the L[ord] Monteigle with some thre more spake to some of the players in the presens of this exam[inant] to have the play of the deposyng and kyllyng of Kyng Rychard the Second to be played the next Satedy day next promysyng to geve them xls more then theire ordynary to play yt. Wher thys exam[inant] and hys fellowes were determyned to have playd some other play holdyng that play of Kyng Rychard to be so old & so long out of vse as that they shold have small or no company at yt/ But at their request this exam[inant] and hys fellowes were content to play yt the Saterday and hadd their xls. more then theire ordynary for yt / and so played yt accordyngly
(signed) Augustine Phillipps

examinatum per
(signed) Jo[hn] Popham
(signed) Edmund Anderson
(signed) Edward Fenner

To learn more, read Alan H. Nelson's essay on the use of "Fellow" as a title in Shakespeare's England

Written by Alan H. Nelson

Source
David Thomas, Shakespeare in the Public Records (London: H.M.S.O., 1985), 13.

Last updated February 1, 2020