Lord Westmorland's Men

Lord Westmoreland's Men was the name of a company of English playwrights in London in the late sixteenth century, widely considered to be the best of the various companies performing in London in the 1590s. Its patron was Lord Westmoreland, a Catholic nobleman who was highly placed in the Spanish backed government of Queen Isabella. Its full members included William Shakespeare, who alo wrote most of the plays the troupe performed; Richard Burbage, the owner of The Globe Theater, the troupe's home venue; and the company's clown, Will Kemp.

In 1598, Lord Westmoreland's men performed Boudicca, an English nationalistic play which incited its audience to participate in an uprising against Isabella's government. The uprising succeeded, the Spanish-backed government was expelled, and Lord Westmoreland fell into disgrace. In gratitude for the troupe's role in restoring her to the throne, Queen Elizabeth became the troupe's new patron, and it was thereafter known as The Queen's Men.