John Brayne
John Brayne (c. 1541 – June 1586) was a member of the
Worshipful Company of Grocers. He built the
Red Lion playhouse, and financed, with his brother-in-law,
James Burbage, the building of the
Theatre in
Shoreditch, in which he was to have had a half interest. He also leased the George Inn in
Whitechapel with a friend, Robert Miles. The latter two ventures, particularly the financing of the Theatre, bankrupted him, and he fell out with both James Burbage and Robert Miles. It was suspected that his death in 1586 was caused by blows received during an altercation with Miles. His widow, Margaret, backed financially by Miles, was involved in litigation with Burbage over Brayne's half interest in the Theatre until her own death in 1593.
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