Matthew Brend facts for kids

Sir Matthew Brend (born 1600 – died 1659) was an important figure in the history of the famous Globe Theatre in London. He inherited the land where both the first and second Globe Theatres were built from his father, Nicholas Brend. His father had leased this land in 1599 to a group of actors, including famous names like William Shakespeare. For much of his early life, Matthew Brend was too young to manage his own properties, so others looked after them for him. Later, he faced legal challenges over the Globe Theatre's lease.

His Life and Family

Early Years

Matthew Brend was born on 6 February 1600 and baptized on 6 March 1600 in London. He was the older son of Nicholas Brend and Margaret Strelley. He had a younger brother named John and three sisters: Jane, Mercy, and Frances.

Family Changes

Matthew's father, Nicholas Brend, died when Matthew was very young, in 1601. Nicholas left behind many debts. To help his family, he made special agreements with his half-brother, John Bodley, and friends, John Collet and Sir Matthew Browne. These men became trustees, meaning they managed Nicholas's properties, including the land where the Globe Theatre stood.

Around 1605, Matthew's mother, Margaret, remarried Sir Sigismund Zinzan. Sir Sigismund was an equerry (a horse attendant) for Queen Elizabeth. Matthew gained several stepbrothers and stepsisters from this marriage.

The Globe Theatre and Legal Battles

The First Lease

Before Matthew was born, his father, Nicholas Brend, had leased part of his land in Southwark for 31 years. This land was rented to a group of actors, including Cuthbert Burbage, Richard Burbage, William Shakespeare, and John Heminges. This is where the first Globe Theatre was built. The lease started in late 1598 and was set to end in 1629.

Rebuilding the Globe

In June 1613, the first Globe Theatre tragically burned down. The lease agreement said that the actors had to rebuild it. Before they spent a lot of money, the actors talked to John Bodley, who was managing the property at the time. In October 1613, Bodley agreed to extend their lease by six years.

Since Bodley only gave them a short extension, the actors visited Matthew Brend in 1614. Matthew was still underage, so he couldn't sign a binding contract. However, he signed a document promising that when he turned 21, he would agree to a 15-year lease extension.

Taking Control of His Property

When Matthew Brend turned 21 in 1621, he went to court to get his properties back from John Bodley. The court ruled that the properties, including the Globe, should be returned to Matthew after he paid Bodley some money.

In 1623, Matthew Brend transferred the Globe Theatre property to his wife, Frances Smith, as part of her jointure (property set aside for a wife). This meant that after his mother's death, Frances would become the owner of the Globe land.

Fighting for the Lease

After Matthew Brend became an adult, he never officially agreed to the 15-year lease extension he had promised the actors in 1614. In 1631, when the original lease was almost over, the actors asked him to confirm the extension. Brend refused. He claimed that he could have earned more money if houses had been built on the land instead of a theatre.

Because of this, in January 1632, the actors, including Cuthbert Burbage, filed a lawsuit against Brend in the Court of Requests. They wanted the court to force him to honor his promise.

The Lawsuit's Outcome

The lawsuit was finally settled in November 1634. Matthew Brend agreed to create a new lease that would extend the actors' use of the Globe for nine more years, starting from December 1635. The actors also agreed to pay a higher rent of £40 per year and promised to keep the theatre in good repair.

However, Brend did not immediately create the new lease. For a couple of years, he received no rent, even though the actors were still using the Globe. Eventually, Brend drew up the new lease, but the actors argued about the start date and how much back rent they owed. The court had to step in again to settle these disagreements.

The actors seemed secure in their possession of the Globe until December 1644. But before that date, the English Civil War began in 1642. All playhouses, including the Globe, were closed down. This made the last two years of the lease unimportant.

Some people believed that Sir Matthew Brend took possession of the Globe and had it torn down in 1644. However, records show the lease was supposed to end later that year, and the document claiming he tore it down is now thought to be a fake.

Marriage and Children

In late 1623 or early 1624, Matthew Brend married Frances Smith. She was the daughter of Sir William Smith. Matthew and Frances had two sons, Thomas and Francis.