Mastering the revels: the regulation and censorship of early modern drama

Introduction: Through a glass, darkly. Thinking about censorship ; Sejanus : an object lesson ; The records of the masters of the revels

1. Country and court : a system of control emerges, 1549-1579. Edward VI and Queen Mary ; Elizabeth I ; An act for the punishment of vagabonds, 1572 ; Battle lines drawn ; Masters of the revels

2. Tilney, patronage, and profit, 1579-1589. Edmund Tilney's special commission, 1581 ; Literary skills of masters of the revels ; Tilney at work ; John Lyly ; Robert Wilson ; The sponsorship of plays by people of consequence

3. 1586-1592 : decrees for orders in printing; 'Martin Marprelate'; Tilney reappears; Christopher Marlowe. Decrees for orders in printing, 1586 ; 'Martin Marprelate' ; Tilney's limited authority ; Christopher Marlowe

4. 1592-1602 : the theatrical world reassembles; Tilney's position consolidated. 1592-1598 ; Falstaff ; The isle of dogs ; The 'duopoly' acknowledged ; Tilney's authority and income, with some licensing issues ; Tilney's censorship : (a) Richard II ; Tilney's censorship : (b) The book of Sir Thomas More ; Late Elizabethan Jonson

5a. Transition and transgression : from Tilney to Buc, 1603-1610. Who controlled what, and when? ; Buc and the Children of the Blackfriars ; Wider issues arising ; Other theatrical changes

5b. The 'little eyases' and the early years of James's reign. Philotas ; Gowrie ; The malcontent and The Dutch courtesan ; Eastward ho! ; Sejanus ; The Isle of Gulls ; The Byron and Scottish mines plays ; The winding up of the Blackfriars boys ; Libel

6. Sir George Buc, 1610-1622, and topical readings. The second maiden's tragedy ; Sir John Van Olden Barnavelt ; Theatrical control during Buc's tenure of office

7. From Astley to Herbert : the contest for office, 1622-1623. Astley ; Astley to Herbert

8. 1623-1642 : Sir Henry Herbert, a master at work. Getting his feet under the table ; Turning authority into money ; Share owner and arbitrator ; Censorship and non-censorship ; Closer to home ; Philip, Earl of Pembroke and the Duke of Buckingham : the uses of drama ; 1632-1634 ; 1634-1642

Conclusions: The king and the subject.