‘HOME-BRED MIRTH’ AND THE URBAN LOCATIONS OF LAW: ‘RAM ALLEY’

Edward Heath, a young student at the Inner Temple between 1626 and 1631, listed his expenses in a little notebook. He spent most of his money on playgoing, and certainly more time at the theatre than at Westminster sessions. He mentions ‘goeing to a play’ forty-nine times in his eleven-page diary; each visit cost between 1s. and 2s. He even appends a separate list, ‘A note of All the Playes which I have seene’, quarter by quarter. ‘For goeing over to the beare garden’ on one occasion, he spent 1s. 6d. The combined pleasures of the other bank made the boat-ride worth the price. ‘Goeing by water’ nine times cost him £2. 3s. In his more virtuous hours, Edward also paid ‘for goeing by water and seate at the Starchamber’, and spent between 1s. and 1s. 6d. on a seat each of the six times mentioned. But neither these sessions, nor paying 6d. ‘for a seate at the Crosse’ several times, excluded less pious entertainment. He bought ‘10 playbooks’ on a saunter around ‘Pauls Crosse’, but no law books! Edward's other expenses certainly give us a sense of his priorities, often endearingly appropriate for a boy of sixteen.