Oxford's Men

The Earl of Oxford’s Men, alternatively Oxford’s Players, were acting companies in late Medieval and Renaissance England patronised by the Earls of Oxford. The name was also sometimes used to refer to tumblers, musicians, and animal acts that were under the patronage of the Earls or hired by them. The most notable troupe of this name was the acting company of the Elizabethan era patronised by Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford (1550-1604), that originally derived from an earlier company, the Earl of Warwick’s Men, and was active from 1580 to 1587. It was revived probably in the late 1590s and ultimately was absorbed by yet another troupe, Worcester's Men, in late 1602.

The Earl of Oxford’s Entertainers, a troupe patronised by John de Vere, 7th Earl of Oxford (1312 – 1360), was paid 6 shillings, 8 pence for a performance in Canterbury, Kent, on 29 September 1353 or 1354, the earliest record for an Oxford company. Records exist for 57 provincial performances of various animal acts, minstrels, musicians, and tumblers, including five performances by two playing companies, sponsored by the 13th earl (1442 – 1513) from 1565 to 1513, as well as two performances at the court of Henry VII. The 14th Earl (1499 – 1526) patronised animal acts and a minstrel company.

John de Vere, 15th Earl of Oxford (<1490 – 1540), kept a playing company and also employed John Bale to write six plays for them from 1534-6. A favourite of Henry VIII, after 1536 Oxford directed Bale to Richard Morison for his campaign against the Pope to write anti-Catholic propaganda plays.

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