ABSTRACT
Capacity in the Practice of Acting and Stage-Playing, whose Excellencies stand recorded in a particular Manner by the grave Author of the Chronicle of England among the Heroes and distinguish'd Men of that Age, and were likewise in so great Esteem with that Learned Man Sir Francis Walsinghal1l that he procured Her Majesty to entertain Twelve of them as her Comedians and Servants, and establish'd them in Sallaries accordingly. (12-I6) [The author then gives biographies, with contemporary tributes, of Alleyne, Armin, Burbage, Field, Kempe and other actors.]
HEMINGE and CONDELL. These two PLAYERS were Shakespeare's EDITORS, and made consider-
able Figures according to their several Capacities in the Profession. There is scarce one Drama of those Days without their Names. They were of the chief Rank of Performers in Jonson's, Massinger's, and Shakespeare's Plays; and, as I think, Condell was a Comedian and Heminge a Tragedian. The last in his later Years became Master or Manager of the Playhouse he belong'd to, as appears by a Speech in one of BEN'S Plays. And besides their Acting they both follow'd Printing.
