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Why did the Privy Council order Christopher Marlowe to report to its members in May 1593?

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Marlowe or not Marlowe? — Christopher Marlowe Detail of a portrait thought to be of Christopher Marlowe, dated 1585, artist unknown; in the collection of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, England.

The Privy Council ordered Christopher Marlowe to report to its members in May 1593 following investigations into his alleged atheism and unorthodox religious views.1

The scrutiny intensified after the arrest and torture of playwright Thomas Kyd on May 13, 1593, regarding suspected treasonable activity. During a search of Kyd’s lodgings, authorities discovered papers denying the deity of Jesus Christ. Kyd subsequently alleged that these documents belonged to Marlowe, with whom he had shared a room two years prior.21

In response, the Privy Council issued an order for Marlowe’s arrest on May 18, 1593, and two days later mandated that he give daily attendance to their lordships until further notice. Marlowe was killed shortly thereafter on May 30, 1593, before the investigation could be fully resolved.1