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(i;»tr.t Scric.?, lxxxvii. 1902.
BERLIN : ASHER k CO., 13, UNTER DEN LINDEN.
NEW YORK : C. SCRIBNER k CO. ; LEYI'OLDT k HOLT.
PHILADELPHIA : J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.
(|j)ucntii!| Coijjiiif) Clu[td piap:
1. THE SHEARMEN AND TAYLORS' PAGEANT,
RE-EDITED FROM THE EDITION OF THOMAS SHARP, 1825 ;
AND
2. THE WEAVERS' PAGEANT,
RE-EDITED FROM THE MANUSCRIPT OF ROBERT OROO, 1534;
WITH A PLAN OF COVENTKY, AND APPENDIXES
CONTAINING THE CHIEF EECOEDS OF
THE COVENTRY PLAYS.
BY
HARDIN CRAIG, Ph.D.,
INSTRUCTOR IN ENGLISH IN PRINCETON UNIVERSITY.
LONDON : PUBLISHED FOR THE EARLY ENGLISH TEXT SOCIETY
By KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRUBNER & CO., LIMITED,
DRYDEN HOUSE, 43, GERRARD STREET, SOHO, W. 1902
l\\3
TO
professor l^obn HlattbclDS !llan(n.
€xUit Strits, Lxxxvii.
HICIIARP CI.AV & SONS, LIMITEP, LONDON AND IIINOAV.
PREFACE.
The appearance of this volume has been delayed first by the addition of appendixes not at first contemplated, but on second thought considered advisable owing to the peculiar value which has been given Sharp's Dissertation by the destruction of most of his sources in the burning of the Free Eeference Library at Birmingham in 1879; then again by finding, when the work was almost com- pleted, the manuscript of the Weavers' pageant in the possession of its owners the Clothiers and Broad "Weavers' Company of Coventry. In issuing this book I wish to thank Prof. John Matthews Manly, to whom I have dedicated the volume without meaning to involve him in any share of its faults, for invaluable instruction when I was beginning the study of these plays, and for his kind permission to print from his text of the Shearmen and Taylors' pageant, I have also to thank Prof. T. W. Hunt and others of my teachers and colleagues at Princeton for kindnesses more or less closely connected with this work. Acknowledgments are due in particular to Miss M. Dormer Harris, who has been good enough to help me with the Coventry manuscripts ; Mr. Beard, formerly Town Clerk of Coventry; Mr. Seymour, secretary of the Clothiers and Broad Weavers' Company, and Mr. Brown, at the Free Public Library, have been extremely kind, as has been of course, beautifully and inevitably, Dr. Furnivall.
Vll
CONTENTS.
Introduction ...
The Shearmen and Taylors' Pageant
The Weavers' Pageant
Appendix I. Extracts from Coventry Leet Book
Appendix II. Eecords op the Pageants from Sharp's
Dissertation
Appendix III. Pageants on Special Occasions ...
Appendix IV. Fragments of another Version of the Weavers' Pageant
Glossary
Index of oS'ames and Matters
PAGE
ix
1
33
72
82 109
119 123 128
IX
INTRODUCTION.
MANUSCRIPTS AND EDITIONS.
Thomas Sharp's first publication of . matter relating to the Coventry pageants was in 1817. The thin volume of 28 + 14 pages, large octavo, of which only 12 copies Avere issued, has the following title-page : Tlie Pageant of ihe Sheremen and Taylors, in Cooentry, as performed by them on the festival of Corpus Christi ; -together with other pageants, exhibited on occasion of several royal visits to that city; and two specimens of ancient local ptoetry. Coventry — printed by W. Reader, 1817. The text of the pageant differs but little from that of the better known edition of 1825, which was evidently printed from the same transcript. All variations except in the spelling of insignificant words have been noted in the text of the pageant in the present volume. The remainder of Sharp's book is taken from the Leet Book} and is contained in Appendix III., except the two pieces of doggerel which relate to Laurence Saunders.
In 1825 Sliarp published his well-known Dissertation on the Pageants or Dramatic Mysteries, Anciently performed at Coventry, by the Trading Companies of that City. His book shows that he had before him at that time, besides the Leet Boole and tlie manuscript of the Shearmen and Taylors' pageant, the accounts of the cappers, dyers, smiths, and of Trinity and Corpus Christi Guilds, and other less important manuscripts. Sharp's method was the selection of interesting illustrative details and his object a general presentation of the subject of pageants and " dramatic mysteries." He drew for comparison upon almost everything available Avhich concerned English or continental religious drama, though his chief attention was to "the vehicle, characters, and dresses of the Actors." He published, here a second edition of the Shearmen and Taylors' pageant, and added also sections relating to Hox Tuesday Play, the pageants exldbited on the occasion of roj'al visits to Coventry, tlie 1 Coventry Corp. MS. A 3.
X iNTHonurriDX.
processions on Covims Cliristi day and ■Midsunnnei's and St. Peter's eves, and on minstrels and waits. The matters wliich relate to the Corpus Christi play are made up for the most part of citations from the account books to which Sharp had access. They have been reprinted in Appeiitlix II. of this volume. Sharp's arrangement has been followed and his own words (luoted freely wherever he seems to possess information not directly derivable from entries quoted.
In 1836 Sharp edited for the Abbotsford Club Tlte Presentation in the Temple, a Pageant, as oriijinaUij represented li// tlie Coriiorution of Weaxers in Coventry. The manuscript of this Weaver-s' pageant had, he tells us, been uuoxpectedly discovered in 1832. To it he prefixed a prefatory notice based upon entries in an apparently newly-discovered book of accounts of the "Weavers' Comjiany. He follows the same plan as in the Dissertation, and he had gained further information about the location and ownership of pageant- houses which he also includes in the preface. His comments here are also of little value, but all actual information has been included in Ajipendix II.
The Coventry maniiscri{)ts which Sharp used for the Dissertation passed into the Staunton Collection at Longbridge Hou.se. Tiiere Halliwell-Phillips in his Outlines of the Life of Shakespeare made a few additional excerpts from them, which I have also copied into Ajipendix II. Later the manuscripts came into the Free Ileference Library at Birmingham, where in 1879 they were destroyed by fire. The last Library catalogue issued before the fire, 1875-7, shows a full list of Manusrrijits relating to Coventry : this includes, besides those mentioned above, a good many valuable documents, transcripts, and collections, but not the Weavers' pageant or account-book. It seems to have been taken for granted by students of English miracle i)lays that the manuscript of tlu' Weavers' pageant was in this collection; but HalliwcU-Pliilliiis nowhere shows that he knew cviii of the existence of a Weavers' pageant and makes no mention of the weavers' account-book. William Peader's manuscript history of the (iuilds of Coventry, now at the Free Public Library in that city, and other <lncumnnts there, enabled me to find out that the Weavers' Company still exists under the name of the Clothiers and Broad Weavers' Company. The Manuscript was accordingly found in jiosscssion of Mr. A. Seymour, the secretary of this company.^ It is a codex on ' The M.S. is to Ije j>laceil among tlic Corporation MSS. in St. Mary's Hall.
THE CYCLE. XI
parchment in octavo, consisting of 17 folios, one missing, written by- Robert Croo in 1534. It is in fair condition, Avith ancient binding, boards and leather; the names of the speakers, stage-directions (which in this play are of great interest), ornamental connecting lines between verses, are in red ink. Along with this Manuscript were two loose leaves in what seems to be a sixteenth-century hand, contemporary with Croo's writing, on paper, torn, illegible in places, but certainly fragments of a purer and presumably an earlier version than Croo's. The account-book used by Sharp (though there was one there from 1636 to 1735, and others later, and a book of rules from 31 H. VI.) was not to be discovered. The fire at Birmingham has made Sharp's books more valuable than they could ever have been had the manuscripts remained ; it has therefore seemed worth while, owing to the extent and importance of the information contained in them, to collect in the appendixes of this volume all matter relating to the Coventrj'- Corpus Christi play.
Besides Sharp's two editions of tlie Shearmen and Taylors' pageant, there is one in \YiUiam Marriott's Collection of English Mirade-Plays or Mysteries (Basel, 1838); this is an exact reprint of Sharp's text. The pageant is also included in the first volume of Prof. John j\Iatthews Manly's Specimens of the Pre-Shakspearian Drama (Boston, 1897), where a great deal has been done to rectify the text and metre. Prof. Manly's edition has been the basis of the text in this volume, though it has been carefully compared with the editions of Thomas Sharp. The Weavers' pageant has been published only once since the Abbotsford Club edition ; that is, in Anglia, Bd. XIII. N.P., pp. 209-50, under the editorship of Prof. F. Holthausen.^ Prof. Holthausen's edition attempts to rectify the text and metre of the pageant without the aid of the manuscript, at the time of publication not re-discovered.
THE CYCLE.
The number of Coventry crafts which supported pageants was smaller than at most places, and combinauion of crafts and union of pageants seem to have characterized the movement. The following act of the Coventry leet was passed in 1445 to determine the order in which the trading companies should ride in the procession on the morning of Corpus Christi day ; and it shows the whole nunrber of companies taken into account to have been 17 : " Pur le ridyng on ^ See also Beihlalt zur Anglia, Bd. XIV., p. 65 ff.
Xn INTRODUCTION.
Corpus* xpi day and for watche on inidsomer even : The finst craft, fysshers and cokes ; baxters and milners ; bochers ; whittawers and glovers ; pynners, tylers, and wrights ; skynners ; barkers ; corvysers ; sniythes ; wevers ; wirdrawers ; cardemakers, sadelers, peyntours, and masons ; gurdelers ; tayloiu's, walkers, and sherinan ; deysters ; drapers; mercers." — Leet Booh; f. 122. This was doubtless for the most part an order of precedence already long fallowed ; it is repeated ill 1447 in this form: Et quod le ruydyng in festo Corporis Cliridi fiat prouf ex antiquo tempore comerverint. The fullers were made a separate craft in 1447,^ and there were doubtless other changes ; but the number was never very large. ^ An order of leet passed in 1449 enumerating the companies {Leet Book, 143 a. If.) shows a slightly different list : mercers, drapers, dyers, girdlers, tailors and shearmen, walkers, wiredrawers, corvisers, smiths, lishmongers, whittawers, butchers, sadlers, cardmakers, masons, skinners, pinners and tilers, bakers, barbers, wrights, barkers, cooks. Of course a company usually included seveml minor crafts whose occupation was more or less closely connected. The full list of the smiths' fellowship was smiths, goldsmiths, pewterers, cutlers, and wiredrawers. Something of the size and nature of the Mercers' Company can be told from the following memorandum at the end of their book of accounts beginning in 1.578, quoted by Eeader^ with the date 1566 : "For as much as heretofore every one of the company sold generally com- modities belonging to the mystery of mercers, linen-drapers, haber- dashers, grocers, and salters, the charge of which was such that few or none could furnish the trade ; in consequence whereof the company is of late greatly decayed. It is enacted that the company shall be divided into five parts, viz. : — Mercers, 1.; linen-drapers, 2.; haber- dashers, and all kinds of small silk wares, 3. ; grocers and salters, 4. ; all kinds of hats and caps and trimming thereunto, .")."
The cardmakers, sadlers, and ironmcmgers, and painters (after 1436), and ma.sons (after 1443) were one company; so also whit- tawers, glovers, fellmongers, and parchment makers.
Of the companies enumerated above, only ten can be shown to
' May 3, 1447. It is also enacted that the walkers of this citie shall liens- furthe be a felisliijiji of tlieiiiselfs, and have libertie to electe and elioose niaisters of their coinitany for the good order of tlie same and mayntenyng of true clothyng. — A«:/7 'ji,H,k, f. 400.
'•' W. G. Kntton, Mnn. of Fullers' Guild, Transactions Birni. and Midi. Inst. 1.S77, gives it as fw.'iity-tlirec.
' History of the Guilds, one of the valuable and little known MSS. by Win. Reader at the Free Public Library, Coventry.
THE CYCLE. XIU
have supported pageants ; the others weve contributory to companies so charged, or in a few cases were able to evade the duty altogether, or for long periods at a time. In the list quoted above from the Leet Booli, f. 122, the tishers and cooks were contributory to the smiths' pageant ; the baxsters and milners, to the smiths' ; the butchers, to the whittawers' ; the whittawers and glovers supported a pageant ; so did the pinners, tylers and Wrights ; the skinners contributed to the weavers' pageant ; the barkers supported a pageant, to Avhich the corvisors contributed ; the smiths had a pageant, as did the weavers ; the wiredrawers contributed to the smiths ; the cardmakers, sadlers, painters, and masons had a pageant; as did the girdlers ; and the tailors, walkers and shearmen ; the drapers ; and the mercers. The dyers seem always to have evaded the duty of supporting a pageant in spite of several acts of leet ^ designed to make all crafts contribute equally. Only ten pageants are mentioned in the Leet Book or any other record, and these ten are mentioned repeatedly.- Another piece of evidence to show that the pageants were ten in number is found in the fact that, upon the reception of Queen Margaret in 1456,^ t6n pageants are mentionecL Xow in the Leet Book, ' pageant ' means the vehicle on which the plays were acted; and ten vehicles were used. Nine were needed for the Nine Worthies, and one was left over, and stood within the gate at the east end of Bablake Church.
It seems then certain that there were ten Coventry pageants. There were also ten original wards in the city ; ^ namely, Gosfonl Street, Jordan WeU, Much Park Street, Bay ley Lane, Earl Street, Broad Gate, Smithford Street, Spon Street, Cross Cheaping, and Bishop Street. A good many stations where the plays were acted are mentioned in the records, and these stations seem all to be in different wards ; so it seems probable that the ten pageants were Avont to be acted at ten stations, one station in each of the ten wards. Gosford Street Avas the first ward in point of precedence,
1 The act printed on pages 75 and 76 mentions the dyers, skinners, fish- mongers, capj)ers, corvisers, and butchers as not bearing their dxie share of tlie charges of maintaining the pageants.
^ Most of the pageant-houses, too, can be located. Ecader places the whit- tawers' pageant-house in Hill Street, and the mercers' and drapers' in Gosford Street. The weavers had a pageant-house in Mill Lane, as did the shearmen and taylors (see p. 108) and the cappers (p. 98).
^ See Appendix III.
■* This was sometimes increased to eleven (once twelve) wards in town representation caused by the splitting up of one ward or another into two.
XIV INTRODUCTION*.
and it is known to liave been the first station of tliesniitlis' pageant.^ Jordan WoU ward pruliably had its station at Jordan Well ; for upon the visit of Henry VIII.^ a pageant was set at Jordan "Well •with nine orders of angels. Much Park Street ward seems to have liail a station at New CJate ; ^[ucli Park Street end is also mentioned, but New Gate stood at one end of iSIuch Park Street.^ If there was a station in Bay ley Lane ward, it was probably somewhere near St. Michael's Ciuirch. Earl Street ward had a station at Little Park Street end, on Earl Street, as there are two mentions of the house of Eichard "Woods, a grocer who lived in Earl Street. Queen Margaret lodged there and saw the plays, and the smiths' accounts show an expenditure for ale " at Richard Woodes dur." * Broad Gate ward probably had a station at Grey Friars' Church; Henry VIL saw the pageants there in 1492.^ The most probable place for a station in Smithford Street ward is the conduit whicli at the reception of Queen Margaret was well arrayed and showed four speeches of four cardinal virtues.^ Spon Street ward had its station probably at Bablake Gate (St. John's Church). Cross Cheaping ward had its station certainly at the cross in Cross Cheaping. And Bishop's Street ward (called also "Well Street ward) may have liad a station near the ancient hospital of St. John the Evangelist.
The pageants were few in number as compared to other known cycles, and each pageant seems to have had a whole group of subjects. The two Avhich have been preservcil and are published here show this, as do the accounts of the smiths* and cappers' companies published in Appendix II. This grouping of subjects l)robably characterized the whole cycle. In the following table I have attempted in a general way to restore the cycle. In making up the list of probable subjects I have been guided on grounds of general relationship by the York (Beveiley) and Towneley Cycles and the Hereford list of pageants in the Corpus Christi procession ; " rather than by Chester or Ludiis Voventriac. Eor reasons which will appear later only New Testament subjects are cousidei-ed :
' See pp. 84-5. - See MS. Annals below. •"' See \\\\. 84-5.
■• At the visit of Queen Klizal)Cili (see MS. Annals below) (lio smitlis' pageant stood at Little I'aik Street end ; see also pp. 74 and 84-r>. ' f.>)/. 1493. « See p. 111.
' liist. MSS. Comm. LSth Rep. pt. iv., p. 288.
THE CYCLE.
Subjects.
Annunciation. Visit to Elizabeth. Joscpli's Troable. Journey to Betlileliem and
Nativity. Shepherds. Kings of Cologne. Flight into Egypt. Slaughter of Innjcents.
Purification. Doctors.
Baptism of Christ. ■ Temptation. Raising of Lazarus. Entry into Jerusalem,
C'onsj^iracy of the Jews. Bargain with Judas. Last Supper. Agony in the Garden. Betrayal and Capture.
Before High Priest.
Denial.
Before Pilate.
Pilate's Wife.
Before Herod.
Second trial before Pilate.
Repentance of Judas.^
Way to Calvary.
Parting of Garments.
Crucifixion.
Mortificatio Christi (?). Burial.
Descent into Hell.
Setting the Watch.
Resurrection.
Amazement of Soldiers, cic.
Peter and John before Tomb (?).
Appearance to Mary Mag- dalen.
Appearance to Travellers. -
Appearance to Disciples. Doubting Thomas. Ascension. Pentecost.
Death and Assumption of
Mary. Appearance of ]Mary to
Thomas.
Doomsday.
Crafts.
Shearmen and Taylors (and walkers until 1447).
Weavers. (?)
(?)
contribdtory and Associated Crafts.
Skinners, walkers.
Smiths.
Pinners and Needlers.
Cappers (cardmakers until 1531).
(?)
Mercers.
Drapers.
Cooks and fishers, bakers, millers, chandlers, and wire-drav>-ers.
Tylers, wrights, cowpers, carpenters ; bowyers and fletchers.
Painters and masons : walkers, skinners,
joiners, cardmakers.
Cappers.
' See page C. C. PLAYS.
' See page 94.
XVI INTRODUCTION.
The subjects of the smiths', capiiers', and drapers' pagt-auts can be told from tlio records preserved in Sharp ; the pinners' from a document (pioted by him, tlie ruk-s and orders of the company, wliich speak of their pageant called the "Taking down of God from the Cross." ^ One of the reasons for assigning the Assumption group of subjects to the mercers is, besides the imi)ortance of the subject '^ and the priority of that craft, the fact that when the Princess ^lary came to Coventry in 1525 she saw "the mercers' pageant play being finely drest in the Cross Cheeping." ^ This, although a mere agree- ment of names,' carries some weight when we compare it with the special exhibitions provided for the entertainment of ^Margaret, Edward, and Arthur. Besides this, and more im^iortant, is the fact that the mercers' seems to have been a fraternity in honour of the Assumption. Their arms, the same as those of the Mercers' Company in London, which may still be seen painted on a wall in the mercers' room in St. Mary's Hall, Coventry, are — gules, a demy Virgin Mary with her hair disheveled crowned, rising out and within an orb of clouds, all proper; motto. Honor Deo. St. ]\Iary's Guild, or the Merchants' Guild, founded in 1340, had annual meetings in St. Mary's Hall, at the feast of the Assumption. St. Mary's, St. John Baptist's, St. Katharine's, and Trinity Guild were formally united in 1392; and they seem, with the Guild of Corpus Christi, always closel}' associated and finally united with the amalgamated guild in 1534, to have been from the beginning in control of the mercers and drapers.'* After the union of guilds there appear in 1539 in the Corpus Christi accounts ■' entries of exi)cnses on Corpus Christi day and evening which indicate a pageant of the Assumption in the Corpus Christi procession. The entries are : first, among several entries for iooA, lieiuj hre<l for fhe apostelh rj.d., heif for the ajypostles riij. d. ; then, to the Marie for hir (jloves and warjes ij. s.,for heryng the crosse and candehtidcs the even and the day viij. d., to the Mr. to offer xij. d., the Marie to offer j. d., Katharine and Margaret iiij, d., viij. virf/ijns viij. d., to Gidiriell for heri/n(/ the liUij iiij. d., to James:
» See ApjK;ndix II., p. 103.
" There is every evidence of a devoted worship of the Virgin at Coventry ; St. Mary's Hall and the Cathedral were hoth named in her honour.
^ If this was, as seems [)robable, a pn-seiitation of the regular nicreers" play, it is also possible that in the four pageants set forth in honour of (Jueen Elizabeth the regular i)lays of the crafts were enacted, since nothing is said in the Annals to indicate that these pageants had anything else set upon them ; see MS. Annals below.
* M. D. Harris, Life in nn Old Englusft Toirn (Lend. 1898), Chs. 7 and 13.
" t^)uoted by Sharj-, p. 162; Corcntiij Corp. MS., A. 6.
THE CYOLE. XV 11
and Thomas of Inde viij. d., to .>•. oflter apogfells xx. d. (1541, xij. torches of ica.c for the apostles). With these entries are also to be connected the following items from an inventory of jewels 1493 in the same MS. (f. 53) : a girdidl of blue silk harnest with silver and gilt weijng cord and all iiij. unc. et dim., a girdidl of rede silk harnest with silver and gilt iveying cord and cdl vi. unc. Hi. qrf. These last entries and several others about payments and properties for the Mary on Corpus Christi day prior to 1534 seem to indicate that the presentation of the Assumption in tlie Corpus Christi procession had been controlled by the Corpus Christi guild even before the union of the guilds ; but the connection Avith the mercers' company would not in any way be affected .
Two other facts are also to be brought into this connection : The Smiths provided that Herod, the chief character in their pageant, should ride in 'the Corpus Christi procession, a circum- stance which may indicate that other companies did a similar thing. Then it is to be remembered that the Shearmen and Taylors', as the guild of the Nativity, presented an appropriate subject. More will be said about their relation to the fullers later ; at present it may be noted that their seal, impressions of which are still in existence, was (according to Fretton) round, about an inch and a half in diameter, of brass, representing the Virgin Mary seated and crowned with the infant Christ in her lap, receiving gifts of the three Kings of Cologne. These two circumstances might offer clues for the determination of the names of other })ageants, if more were known about the Corpus Christi procession, 'and more of the patron sinnts of the dift'erent companies could be determined.
At any rate, we see that, out of ten pageants, the subjects of six can be told with certainty, and of another, the mercers', with some probability. This leaves three companies, tanners, whittawers and giidlers, the subjects of whose pageants are unknown. An examina- tion of the table will show, however, three important groups of subjects unprovided for. First, there is John the P>aptist. The popularity of this saint in Coventry was such that it may be taken as certain that there was a play upon this subject in the Coventry cycle. What other subjects may have been grouped with it is still more a matter of guess ; but the four, or some of them, which succeed it in the list are the more prol)able. It is perhaps too slight a thread to connect the tanners with the subject, because their pageant stood before the Church of St, John tlie Ea]itist, and perhaps performed
XYlll INTRODUCTION.
tlie ciiiil i)lay tlieie, Nvlieu (^kit-eu Klizabctli visiu-il llic city. Secomlly, the Last Supper is a most probable subject, inasmuch as no known cycle of plays is without it. It could hardly have been a part of the already over-crowded smiths' pageant, and it would certaiidy have been a part of any Corpus Christi cycle. Then, linally, there is a group of subjects centering in the Ascension, which is also of universal occurrence and would hardly have failed to ajipear at Coventry.
It will be noticed that this leaves no room for any Old Testament plays at Coventry, a characteristic Avhich would be exceptional. Of foiirse one of the unknown pageants may have been upon such a subject; but one hardly sees in the ciicumstances how it could have been. The following explanation may solve the difficulty. The Coventry plays in existence, excej)! the Doctors' ]>lay, evidently grew up bit by bit with little influence from the outside. The Shearmen and Taylors' pageant and the first part of the Weavers' jiageant, the Purification, are mosaics of different metres and hands, and sliow evidence of having undergone a course of amplification extending through a long period of lime. It is still possible, as we shall see later, to discover in each of the three stories the traces of an earlier form, a complete outline, with all essential features, of a very early play. The peculiarity which may account for the absence of Old Testament plays is that the prophet plays and prologues in the two pageants preserved, which are probably the first two in the cycle, contain the outline of a Processus Prophetarum. Isaiali is the prologue to the Shearmen and Taylors' pageant, and two other prophets enter at line 332 between the parts of the play.^ There is no way of identifying tliese prophet.«, but the allusions in their speeches correspond in a rough way to the parts usually given to Moses, and there is a reference to iJavitl (1. 396) and to Haliakkuk (11. 4G0-2).2 -. The Weavers' pageant is also introduced by a projOiet play, and liere we have to do with IJalaam, Jeremiah, and !Malachi (11. 23, 58, 08). Finally, Simeon refers to the Sibyl (1. 197) and to Daniel (11, 204, 24-i). In other words, those familiar Latin quotations, ultimately derived from the Augustiuian sermon ■' which is the basis of the Processus Prophetarum, appear or are alluded to in the two plays preserved. Besides that other lost plays appear from the
' See below.
" Note also the reference to Adam, line 20 tf.
' Sepet, Les pro}i?ictcs (hi Christ, Paris, 1878.
DUGDALE AND THE MS. ANNALS. XIX
records to liave had prologues and prophets.^ It looks very much as if the Processus Prophetariim had never heen developed at Coventry, so that the prophets did not make their formal speeches by name as at other places. At York, it became the basis for many other plays (I-XI), and liad enough left over for a prologue to the Nativity (XII). In the Towneley cycle, there are several Old Testament plays, some of which may be native to Wakefield and derived from the prophet-play — the remainder, probal)ly incomplete as preserved, 2 was an independent play. The fifth Chester play shows tlie Processus Projohetarum in a transition stage, with the Balaam and Balak play formed in the midst of it.^ The prophecies 'of Octavian and the Sibyl occur in the midst of the Nativity play (VI), a thing which still further bears out the theory of the origin ; since Zachariah and Elizabeth, the proper node for the growth of the Annunciation and the Visit of Mary to Elizabeth, occur in the regular scheme of the prophet-play before the Sibyl and Caesar Augustus. There is nothing, then, inconsistent in believing, since at other places there are such wide differences, that at Coventry the Old Testament plays never developed at all.
DUGDALE AND THE MANUSCRIPT ANNALS.
Dugdale is the earliest authoritj' for the belief that the Coventry Corpus Christi play told the story of both Old and New Testaments. In order to understand his error it is necessary to consider first a reference to the plays in several more or less trustworthy lists of Coventry mayors with annals, some of them btill in manuscript. The annals have some bearing on the plays in general, so it is well to transcril:>e all of the references which they contain to the Corpus Christi play.
There are at least four of these books of annals still to be found in manuscri[)t. Two, A. 26 and A. 43, are among the Corporation Manuscripts at Co\-entry. Neither is of very great ago, and both contain pretty much the same matter. A. 26 has more references to pageants, and it, with Harl. 6388, have been used as a basis for the
^ Adam ami Eve and jirobaldy other Old Testament characters were in the cappers' jiageaut and would appear always in the Descent into Hell ; what use was made of the three patriarchs in Doomsday is more puzzling. See Appendix II., where the three patriarchs, Jacob's twelve sons and the Children of Israel are seen to have been r(?])resented at the reception of Prince Edward.
'- Toimvdey Plajis, p. 64.
" See J. M. Jlanly, Spcciinens Fre-Shak. Drama, voL i., introcuction, p. xxvii ff.
XX INTRODUCTION.
folloNving cullatiuii. Tlicrc are two also at tlie Britisli Museum, Hail. G388, and an octavo manuscript, presented Ijy Mr. Joseph Gibbs, 11346 Plut. CXLII. A., -vvhich is of no great value as regards the pageants, llarl. G388 was -written by Humfrey Wanley, and bears the date Dec. ITtli, 1090. lie says: "This book was taken out of manuscript*:, tlie one written by Mr. Cristofer Owen Mayor of this citty which contains the charter of Walter de Coventre con- cerning the commons *-fc. to Godfrey Leg Mayor 1637, the other beginning at the 36 mayor of this citty and continued by several hands and lately by Edmund Palmer late of this citty, Counsellor,
till Mr. Yardly late Mayor- -ir-ar! i^inl another written by Mr. Ikd-
ford and collected out of <livers others and continueil to Mr. Septimius Lott. And two other collected by Tho. Potter and con- tinued to Mr. Eobert Bhxke, and another Avritten by ^i\\ Francis Barnett, to the first year of Mr. Jelliffs Majoralty, and another written by !Mr. Abraham Astley, and continued to !Mr. Sept. B^tt, and another written by "Mx. Abraham Boune to Humfrey "NVrightwick, 1607." Wanley dates his list one year too late. In Dugdale's Warwidisldre (1656) there is also a list of Mayors of Coventry; in the second edition, revised by "William Thomas (1730), pp. 147-.54, it appears with the following heading, the parts in square brackets being by Thomas : "I will here subjoin a catalogue (Ex Catal. ^rajorum penes praefat. Joh. Hale-<) of tlie ^Mayors thereof [whicli I have carefully com- pared with another Manuscript Catalogue of tliem which is wrought in a brown leather cover, penes, and with that lately published by !Mr. Hearne at the End of his Edition of Eordun's Scotichronicon which was printed from a Manuscript communicated to him by Mr. Tho. Jenson, A. M. et Aed. Christi apud Oxon. Cap]." Sharp quotes MS. Annals and Codax HaJ>;.<, and there was at least one copy of annals in the Birmingham Free Reference Library at the time of the fire, so that Sharp may represent an original. In Poole's Coventry (London, 1870) there is a list of mayors without annals. Many of the annals are contradictory in date ; in the following list the dates are from Dugdale, who seems to be fairly correct : —
S. p. 8 : MS. Ann., Anno 1416 4. Hen. Y. The Pageants and Hox tuesday invented, wherein the King and Xoblcs took great delight.
Harl. 6388: Sir Bobert Onley, merchant, Mayor, 1485[4]. At AVhitsontide King Eichard the 3d came to Kenilwortli and at Corpus Christi came to Coventre to .see the plaies.
DUGDALE AND THE MS. AXXALS. XXI
Gov. Corp. MS., A. 26 : TIios. Bailey, Mayor, 1486. The King [Henry VII.] came to Coventry to see our plays, and lodged at Eob. Onely's house in Smithford Street before the conduit. ^
Corp. MS., A. 26 : John Wigston, Mayor, 1490. This year was the play of St. Katharine in the Little Park.
Corp. MS., A. 26 : Thomas Churchman, bucklemaker, Mayor, 1492.2 ^yg ygar the King and Queen came to Kenil worth; from thence they came to Coventry to see our plays at Corpus Christitide and gave them great cominendation.^ Harl. 6388 : The King and Queen came to see the playes at the greyfriers and much commended them. Dugdale : In his ]\rayoralty K. H. 7. came to see the plays •acted by the Grey Frier-s, and much commended them.^
Corp. MS., A. 26 : John Dadsbury, Mayor, 1504. In his year was the play of St. Christian^ played in the Little Park.
Harl. 6.388: Richard Smith, merchant, Mayor, 1508[7]. He made the bakers pay to the smiths 13s. 4(1. towards prest and pageants.
Corp. MS., A. 26 : John Strong, mercer, Mayor, 1510[l]. In this year King Henry [VIII.] and the Queen came to Coventry. . . . Then were 3 pageants set forth, one at Jordan Well with 9 orders of Angells, another at Broad gate with divers beautifull dam sells, another at the Cross Cheeping with a goodly stage play.'^
S. p. 11 : MS. Ann., 1519. jSTew Plays at Corpus xjDityde which were greatly commended. S. p. 11 : id. Code.c Hales, 1519- 20. In that year was new playes at Corpus Christityd which playes were greatly commended.''
Corp. MS., A. 26 : Henry Wall, weaver. Mayor, 1526.^ The Princess Mary came to Coventry and was presented Avith an 100 marks and a kercher, and see the mercers pageant play being finely drest in the Cro.^s Cheeping and lay at the Priory.^
S. p. 11 : MS. Annah, 1561. This year Avas Hox tuesday put down.
Corp. MS., A. 26 : Edmund Brownell, Mayor, 1567. The Queen came to this city. Tlie tanners pageant stood at St. Johns Church,
1 In Harl. 6388 and A. 43. - Qy. 1493.
••' So A. 43. * So 11364 Plut. CXLII. A.
•'"' S. St. Crytyan. P.oth evidently mistakes for St. Katliarine.
•* All sources have this entry.
^ S. says tliat he found notliing in the accounts to corroborate this. The entries probablv refer to the same year. " Dugdale, 152.5.
'■> 11364, Plut. CXLII. A. agrees with this. Harl. 6388 has, the Mercers (')najors) Pageant was gallantly trimmed, etc. S. agrees with Harl. 6388.
XXll IKTRODUCTION.
the Drapers pageant at the cross, tlie smiths pageant at Little Park Street end, and the "Weavers pageant at Mucli Park Street.^
Harl. G388 : Henry Kerwiu, mercer, jNIayor, 1568[7]. The Pageants and Hox Tewsday played.
S. p. 12: ^fS. Axnah, l.'iTo. Tliis year the Pageants or Hox tuesday that had been laid down 8 years were played again.
Harl. 6388 : Thomas Saunders, butcher, Mayor, 1580[79]. The pageants laid down.-
The item for the year 1492 gave rise to tlie impression in Sharp's mind, and in Dugdale's too in all probability, that there were plays in Coventry acted by the grey friars. The idea of plays acted by a religious brotherhood at so late a time, if ever, would probably have to be given up upon other grounds ; but in this case it is easy to see that we have to do Avith a misunderstanding. " B}' the grey-friers" need not mean agency ; but may mean " at the Grey-friars' Church," the grey-friers being the common way of indicating the cliurch. At any rate "Wanley says, in Harl. C388, "to see the playes at the grey- friers," which, seeing the list of manuscripts from which he compiled, is more apt to be an ancient reading than the other which Sharp speaks of as a " solitary mention in one j\IS. (not older than the beginning of Cha. I.'s reign)." Dugdale probably had this entry to start him wrong, and the manuscript of Ludus Coveidriae to confirm the error, the information gathered from " old people " being too vague to bo definite as to who the actors were. Dugdale, writing of the Gray Friers of Coventry, says : •' " Before the suppression of the ^lonas- teries, this City was very famous for the Pageants that were played therein, upon Corpus Ghrlsti day ; which occasioning very great confluence of people thither from far and near, was of no small benefit thereto ; which Pageants being acted with mighty state and reverence by the Friers of this House, had Theaters for tlie severall Scenes, very large and high, placed upon wheels, and drawn to all the eminent parts of the City, for the better advantage of Spectators : And contain'd the story of the [Old and] ^ New Testament, composed into old English Eithme, a-! appeareth by an antieiit J/.S. (In r>ibl.
' So A. 43 ; quoted also in S. ami in Foidmi's Scoticltronicon. S. mentions a charge in the books of the Smiths' Company for painting and gilding many pageant vehicles on the nrrasion of the Queen's visit.
2 So ll:jt54 Pint. CXLII. A. S. has, n'jnin Inhl dou-ii.
' Aiitii]. of Jl'nnricks/tirc, bv Sir William Dugdale, 2ii'l Ed. rev. cic. \>y "William Thomas, D.D. London: 1730, vol. i. p. 183.
* Not braeketed in fust edition (1650). The passages do not differ otherwise in 1st and 2nd eds.
THE NATIVITY, THE THREE KIXGS, AN'D THE PRESENTATION. XXlli
Cotton, sub effigie Yesp. J). 9 (8).) intituled Ludiis Cori)ons Christ!, or Luihis Covenfriae.
" I have been told by some old people, who in their younger years were eye witnesses of these Far/eanfi' so acted, that the yearly confluence of people to see that show was extraordinary great, and yielded no small advantage to this City."
There would certainly have been a station where the pageants Avere acted at the Grey Friars Church, and there King Henry VII. and his Queen saw the pageants, just as Queen INIargaret had seen them at a station in Earl Street. Reference has already been made to the performance of "the Mercers pageant play" in honour of 'Princess Mary, and tlie only otlier important entry is the one about the reception of Queen Elizabeth in 1567. It seems possible that the pageants put forth then had their own plays, or something connected Avith them, since no mention is made of any special pageant.
THE NATIVITY, THE THREE KINGS OF COLOGNE, AND THE PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE.
The Shearmen and Taylors' pageant is made up of two very well develoj)ed plays. The subject of the first is the Annunciation, the Nativity, and the Shepherds; it ends with line 331. Then comes a dialogue between three Prophets which belongs rather to the succeeding play than to the one before, if one may judge by the very similar dialogue prefixed to the Weavers' pageant ; since there the dialogue rehearses the events of the Visit of the Kings which imme- diately precedes it in the cycle just as this reviews the Shepherds' play which it follows here. The second play, which begins at line 475, treats of the Visit of the Kings, the Flight into Egypt, and the Slaughter of the Innocents. The second is longer and more elaborately developed than the first, a thing no doubt resulting from the evident popularity of its subject at Coventry. Two crafts have apparently been united and their pageants acted one after another. There is no direct evidence for such a union in any of the records ; but at the very first there may be a trace of it. The Shearmen and Taylors' Guild, the Guild of the Nativity, called also St. George's Guild, was established by licence in the reign of liichard II. lu 1392 there is a mention of the "tailour pageant howse", and before the formation of the Shearmen and Taylors' Guild, the tailors and the shearmen, whose occupation was not at that time separate from
XXIV INTRODUCTION.
tliat (Jf the fullers, may each have luul a jjageaut of their own. More than this, tliere is reason to connect the sheannen (and fullers), but not the tailors, in particular with the visit of the Kings; for when fulling had become a separate occupation from cloth-shearing, and the fullers had formed a company of their own, the fullers were granted in 1439 the privilege of using a common seal with the shear- men.^ This seal before referred to may perhaps be taken to be the original property of the shearmen.- It represented the Virgin Mary seated and crowned with the infant Christ in her lap, receiving gifts from the ]\Iagi. The inscription in capital letters round the margin, according to Fretton,^ is, si'jillu' co'e scissor '^ fuUonii' fraf ait af gilde naiPaiaf d'ni de Coventry.
The Shearmen and Taylors' pageant was probably very old at Coventry, and in its earlier stages was of course very much shorter and simpler than it is now. Its variety of metres and its mixed character generally are due to many additions and revisions, made during the two hundred years or more preceding the final " correction'"' by Kobert Croo in 1534. It is possible to see in it a very much earlier stage in the development of pageants than at first sight it would seem to represent. The substance of the pageant (most of what is essential to the story and, presumably, oldest) is contained in the octosyllabic quatrains scattered throughout the play ; these quatrains, it will also be noticed, contain a great many archaic words. Some of the quatrains are doubtless late, and some of the parts of the original story are now told in other metres, but in general this is not the case. The Presentation in the Temple (Weavers' Pageant (WCo), 11. 1-721), which is also probably an original Coventry play, shows also the bare outline of a story in <]uatrains, a fact which bears further testimony to the existence of an early cycle, or part of a cycle, in this form.
The Nativity (Shearmen and Taylors' Pageant (STCo), II. 2- 331) has the following passages in quatrains: II. 47-54, 55-8 (?), G8-99, 168-203, 278-81, 293-6, 303-6, 321-4.
' W. G. Frctton, Memorials of Fullers' Guild, Coventry, Biiiii. and Midi. Inst. Tian.sactions, 1877.
" The arn».s of tlie Sheannen and Taylors' Compan}', which would be api)ro- priate, though tliey may or may not be the on<,nnal tailors' arms, are, as given by Reader: Argent tent royal, between two parliament robes gules, line<l ermine, on a chief azure a lion of England. Ciest a holy lamb in glory proper holding a flag. Supi)orters, two camels or. Motto: Concordia pnrvac res crcsamt.
^ Loc. eit. p. 44.
* Seissor seems to have iiicant shearman, I'li. Du Cange, Glox. Med. et Inf. Lilt, sub scissor.
THE NATIVITY, THE THREE KINGS, AND THE PRESEXTATKJN. XXV
The Three Kings of Cologne (STCo, 11. 475-900) : 521-4, 529- 32, 540-7, 548-51 (?), 558-73," 582-9, 632-43, 652-5, 670-3, 680-4, 699-704 (]), 705-24, 733-44, 793-800, 802-13, 818-21 0), 826-46, 884-91.
The Presentation in the Temple (WCo, 11. 177-721) : 314-7 (1), 367-70,1 383-6, 387-90 (]), 459-462, 479-82, 506-21,2 546-9, 557-64, 581-84, 593-602 (?), 611-4, 615-8 (?), 621-40, 641-4 (?), 657-60, 661-4, 670-3 (?), 695-7, 705-8, 709-12 (?).
The next most significant metre in these plays, tliough not necessarily older than the seven-line strophe of the longer speeches spoken of later, is a more or less successful attempt to conform to the riming scheme of the familiar eight-line stanza much used in the Chester Whitsun Plays. -^ It rimes aaahaaah, or aaahccch, and has four accents to the line, except the fourth and eighth, which have three. Throughout the plays tlie passages written in Chester metre offer in general clear readings, and although this metrical scheme is used to corrupt every other variety of metre used, the passages written in it seem to he frequently uninterrupted. Moreover it is interesting to note that many of the most humorous parts of the plays, including most of the Shepherds' play, some of the Visit of the Kings, and nearly all of the dove episode in the Presentation in the Temple, besides a majority of the excrescences of story, the incidents and inessential speeches, are either in pure or approximate Chester metre. The natural inference is that one of the most thorough redactions these plays have ever had, and it must be added the only one of any spirit or excellence, was characterized by the use of the eight-line stanza, or an approximation to it in the use of the linking rimes. The passages which are written in this metre, or vrhich show the influence of it, are :
The ^^ativity: 11. 17-36, 100-55, 160-7, 204-77, 297-302 (?), 325-31 (]).
The Three Kings of Cologne: 11. 574-81, 603-9, 611-21 (?), 622-31, 656-704, 725-32, 750-92, 818-25 (]), 847-69, 892- 900 (?).
The Presentation in the Temple: 11 314-34, 342-66,371-82, 397-478, 481-505, 522-45, 565-80, 585-610,^ 641-56, 661-94, 698-721.
The third metrical form is a seven-line stanza riming ahahhcc*
' Borrowed from STCo, 47-50. - Mauifestlj' new.
=* Schipper, Eag.Md. I., § 154. ■" Schipper, loc. cit., § 171.
XXVI INTRODUCTION'.
Thi^ is of two sorts. The first, rime royal, has five beats to the line, niul is used for the opening speeches of Isaiah (STCo, 11. 1-H), Herod {hi, 11. 486-r)20), Simeon (WCo, 11. 177-204, 205-18 (?)> and Anna (a/., 11. 219-32). ^ The other seven-line stanza has the same riming sclieme, but has usually only four beats to the line. In both, the rime of the final couplet is continued in the first and third lines of the succeeding strophe ; three riming lines arc thus thrown together, a circumstance which has no doubt rendered the metre liable to misunderstanding and corruption. The second variety of seven-line stanza has been very extensively used in the I'resenta- tion in the Temple and in the Doctors' Play which succeeds it, and rather scantily in STCo. It seems to have been corrupted in places by the Chester metre, which may indicate that it is older in the cycle than the passages in the Chester form."-* It is noticeable that the Chester metro set-ms to make its appearance in tlie fragments of another probably earlier version of WCo.-' The parts of the plays remaining in the seven-line stanza of four beats, though traces of it no doubt appear at other places, are :
The Nativity : 11. 307-20.
The Three Kings of Cologne : II. 533-9, 870-83.
The Presentation in the Temple: 11. 233-60, 272-313, 335-41, 550-6.
THE PROPHET PLAYS ANH THE DOCTORS' PLAY.
It is impossible to make out anything like a consistent scheme in the metre of tlie Prophet play in STCo (11. 332-474). Prof. Manly has broken up the long lines in Sharp, doubtless copied from Croo, since Sharp follows Croo very closely in transcribing WCo, into the short doggerel lines in which it was probably composed. The octosyllabic seven-line stanza was the original form of the Prophet play in WCo (II. 1-176) ; but it is doubtful if some of the speeches of the second prophet (11. 15-18, 46-9 {X), 75-8, 106-9), who is at first a sort of interlocutor, were ever in the regular strophe. The corruption which appears at 11. 46-50 is perhaps an attempt to conform to the Chester strophe. This metre makes its unmistakable appearance in 11. 110-76; the passage is evidently newer matter, telling as it does about the wonderful star upon the hill of Wawse,*
' The fraginpiits sliow more of it ; see bt-luw.
'^ See below. =■ See Appcn.Iix IV., II. 4G-53.
* S.'B Thf Three King.i of Colonvr, HE.T.S., Orij;. Ser. No. 85, \^\<. C ir, 213 II.
THE PKOPHET PLAYS AND THE DOCTORS PLAY. XXVll
and rehearsing the events of tlie Visit of the Kings which it followed in tlie cycle. This passage, besides being a parallel to the Prophet play in STCo, Avhicli tells the events of its preceding Shepherds' play, is also very irregular in metre and falls into the same doggerel which characterizes the Prophet play in STCo.^ Tliis part and that play I should take to be from the same hand.
The Doctors' play (WCo, 11. 722-1192) also shows a mixture of metres. The iirst three stanzas (11. 722—15) are double (piatrains perhaps composed in imitation of the first eight lines of the York twelve-line strophe in which the body of the play was com} osed, if not originally a part of the parent play. Tlien comes one suspici- xDusly modern sounding seven-line strophe (11. 747-53), followed by a characteristic comic passage in Chester metre extending to line 815, where the parallel with the other Doctors' plays begins.- Prom this point the play is in octosyllabic alternately riming stanzas of four to eight lines, based upon the nortliern twelve-line stroi)he, the hexasyllabic caudae having been lengthened throughout to four feet, except line 964. The discourse of the doctors (11. 857- 84) is in the seven-line strophe and is similar in kind to the Prophet play and other passages earlier in the plays. There are some metrical irregularities in the recital of the commandments, but its basis seems to be the northern strophe as is the case with the body of the play. This is interesting because the other versions of the Doctors' play show still greater irregularity at this point. The expanded leave-taking scene (11. 1089-1145) is in Chester metre, which also appears in the final dialogue of the doctors (11. 1146-92) probably originally composed in the seven-line form. The importation of the Doctors' play cannot have been a very recent thing since both metres, the Chester metre and the seven-line strophe, appear in it.
The fact that the Chester metre seems always to be the dis- rupting, interpolating element has led me to think that the passages written in it are probably more recent than those written in the seven-line strophe, a conclusion somewhat strengthened by the fact that the parts in the latter variety are more dignified, conventional and pedantic, and therefore probably older. Eoth metres were, however, in common use in the fifteenth century, and the statement that the seven-line stanza is the older would probably be true only of the bulk of the matter in each form.''^
1 See 11. 128-46. - See below.
* Note the use of the seven-line stanza and the conventional style in the Pageants on Special Occasions published in Appendix III.
XXVlll INTlioUL'CTION.
* THE FOLK rAKAI.LKL VERSIONS OF THE DOCTORS' PLAY.
Tlic Disputation in tho Tuniple (AVCu), vliicli begins uith line 722, is particularly interesting because the same play occurs with variations in the York Corpus Christi Cycle ' XX (Y), in the Towneley Plays- XVIII (T), and in the Cliester AMiitsun Cycle ^ XI (Ch).
This agreeinent is mentioned by ten Brink/ and is the subject of a letter by Dr. Chas. Davidson to Modern Language Notes,-' and of a chapter in his Studies in the Enrjlish Mijutery PlaijsS'
Dr. A. R. Hohlfeld," Dr. Charles Davidson,s and A. AV. Pollard, Esq.,^ agree -with ten Erink that the original doctors' play was of Iforthumberland origin, and probably grew up at York. It is CA^ident for many reasons, corruptions, dialect, etc., that neither Ch nor WCo could have been the original for Y and T. ^Moreover, Y in its present form cannot have been copied ; for in many cases T and one of the other plays preserve better readings than those of Y. On the other hand, Y is often nearer the original than T is ; hence an earlier play than either Y or T, as they now exist, must have been copied by Ch and WCo. Dr. Hohlfeld ^^ found the facts derived from a comparison of Y, T and Ch insufficient to indicate definitely the source of Ch ; but he saw, other agreements between the cycles taken into consideration, probability of closer kinship between Ch and T than between Ch and Y. Davidson,ii whose study was of all four of the texts, was of the opinion that Ch was borrowed from the Coventry cycle. The questions, then, which a further study may help to solve are : Is "WCo more closely related to Y or to Tl and are, as Dr. Davidson stated, Ch and AVCo inter- dependent %
The Disputation in the Temple in AVCo is much longer and more detailed in story than is any other version of the play. It l)egius (1. 722) with the preparation by Joseph and ^Mar}- for the trip to Jerusalem and not with Mary's discovery that Jesus is
' York Mi/slerij Plays, ed. Lucy Toulmiu Smith, O.xford, 1885. * - Tlic Tou-nchv Plnys, pub. E.E.T.S., Loud. 1897.
■' Tin: C/irs/rr'riat/s, I't. I., pub. E.E.T.S., bond. 1892; Chester Mystcrks, td. Tho.s. Wiight foiShak. Soc, 1843-7.
* Hi-it. Eixij. Lit. En<,'. Ed. vol. ii. p. 281.
f' Vol. vii. p. 92-3. See also id. (A. R. Hohlfeld), pp. 154-5.
« Doct. Dis.s. Yale, 1892.
" J)ie (dtcn(ilisi-hfii KaUckliv-'niislerien, etc., Anglia, vol. xi. pp. 219-310.
* Loc. cit. p. 281. " Tmimchy Plays, Introduction, pp. xv,-xxi. '" Kolkktiv-mist. loc. cit. pp. 260-7. " Loc. cit. p. 167.
FOUR VERSIONS OF THE DOCTORS PLAY. XXIX
missing, as do Y and Cli.^ After the preparation for the trip to Jerusalem and the journey itself (722-814) have been represented in the play, the parallel with Y and Ch begins with a speech of Joseph (1. 815) ; the agreement, however, is almost never Avord for word. In the foUoAving list of correspondences the comment refers in each case to the agreement last cited :
WCo 817-18, Y 3-4, Ch 219-20.
Y reads, Of solernpne sigldis that v:e lame sene / In that cite icere we come froo ; W^Co in substantial agreement has, With these solam sycjhtijs thatt we heme neyne / In yondur temjAill thcd ice cam froo ; Ch perhaps introduces the first of its references to experiences and dangers of travel in the words, cf fearhj sir/htes that ire have sene, / slth ice came the Cttie froe.
WCo 819, Y 5, Ch 221. „ 820, „ 6. „ 821-2, „ 7-8. „ 823, „ 9, Ch 223, 228.
Ch 221-8, which corresponds to Y 5-12 and WCo 819-2G, is very much confused as to order, etc. On tliis and similar instances, see Hohlfeld, Kollektiv-mist. loc. cit. pp. 264-5. Y 9, Hamicard I rede loe hye becomes in WCo 823, Then homiraixle, Mare, tett rs goo. Goo is substituted for the northern word hije, which the rime ciimpany (1. 825) shows was original. Ch repeats this line, on Avhich see Hohlfeld as above, where the repetition is accounted for by oral borrowing.
WCo 824-8, Y 10-4, Ch 225-7.
Ch here shows a decided divergence in story. WCo has expanded the idea in Y that company upon the journey is desirable, but Ch has gone far in the other direction. Instead of having Joseph urge Mary to make liaste in order that the way may be shortened with good company, as he does in Y and WCo, Ch has (11. 225-8), [Maria.] In aU the might euer ice may j for dread of loich-ed company / lest ante tis mete upon the way, I Homeward therefore, I red we hye.
|
rCo 830-6, |
Y 20-6. |
|
„ • 837, |
» 37. |
|
„ 840-2, |
„ 30-2. |
|
„ 844-8, |
„ 40-4. |
|
„ 852, |
„ 39. |
|
„ 857-84, |
„ 49-72, |
T l-i8.
' On the defect iu T, see Holhfeld, Kollektiv-mist. loc. cit. p. :^5S, and subsequent references in that article.
XXX INTRODUCTION.
It is lierc simply to be olt-serveil tluiL the clij-eourse of tlie doctors occupies similar places in WCo, Y, and T, aud that in Ch a colloquy of the doctors is implied ; for P/i'mus Doctor says before Jesus has spoken, Heare our reason riijld on a row., / you claries that be of If real coniwi ; / me thinke this chih.le learne our Iau\ / he taketh r/reat tent to our taJIciitij. In these passages the other texts sliow slight agreements with Y: Ch with confusion in speeches preserves practi- cally one whole line and parts of others (Y 50, Ch 222 ; Y 49, 65-6, Ch 233-4, 236) ; WCo bears resemblance to Y all through this passage, but is in a different metre (WCo 857-8, Y 48, 63; WCo 870, Y 53 ; WCo 875-6, Y 63-5 ; WCo 878, Y 69 ; AVCo 882, Y 59-60) ; even in the part of the colloquy preserved in T there is at least one slight agreement (Y Gl-2, T 9-10).
WCo 885-94, Y 73-82, T 49-57.
WCo 890, and Y 78, warne; T 54, tell.
(WCo 899, Y91, T 65, Ch 243.)
WCo 900-1, Y 87-8, T 61-2, Ch 233-40.
WCo 902-5, Y 89-92, T 63-66, Ch 241-4.
Y 90, He wenes he hens more titan ire Jaiaires; T 64, he icenys he kens more than he hiawys ; Ch 242, he icenes he hennes more than he knoices ; AVCo d03, All serndtis sarely he thynlcitli he knots. T, Ch and WCo here represent evidently the same reading, one which makes sense too ; but in Y the sense seems somewhat more original and knawes is perhaps a northern plural.^ WCo 905 clere, Y 92 yltt, T 66 yit, Ch 244 deane. Claryy clere (Y 54, WCo 870) is indicated by alliteration.
WCo 911-7, Y 94-100, T 67-72.
„ 918-21, Y 101-4, ,, 73-6, Ch 253-6.
„ 922-34 „ 105-16, ,, 77-88.
WCq 932 and T alter 86 have the Latin (^notation, Kc ore infancium, etc. ; it does not occur in Y. In WCo 922-34 the paraphrase is exceedingly free.
WCo 937-56, Y 117-36, T 89-108.-
WCo 957-64, Y 137-44, T 109-16, Ch 273-6.
In Ch it is Jesus who asks for the first commandment ; in Y and T, the third doctor; in WCo, the first doctor. Ch 140, which is a part of the first doctor's answer, agrees with Y 140, T 112, WCo 960, where it is the second line of the question.
' See, Ljwevcr, Ynrlc .VLst. Plays, p. Ixxii. - See also Ch 268, 271-2.
FOUR VERSIOXS OF THE DOCTOKS PLAY.
Ch 277-80.
|
WCo 965-68, |
Y 145-8, |
T 117-20, |
|
„ 969-70, |
„ 155-6, |
„ 127-8. |
|
„ 971-2, |
„ 151-2, |
,, 123-4. |
|
„ 973-4, |
„ 159-60, |
,, 132-3. |
|
„ 975-6, |
„ 169-70, |
,, 141-2. |
|
„ 977-84, |
„ 143-52. |
Before cousideriug this important correspondence of WCo and T, tlie following minor agreements might be pointed out; Y 171-2, T 143-4 ; WCo 985-6, Y 175-6 ; WCo 989-90, Y 181-2. The corresponding passages are : AVCo 977-84. Tlie thryd heddith the, in any ivey, / Tliatt of thy lahur tliow schuldyst rests, j And truly Jcepe thy Sabett day, j Thyself e, thi servande and thy best. / The forthe hydithe the do thy best j Thy fathur and mothur for to honowre ; j And lohen ther goodis are dearest, j With all thy myght thoio shiddist them succure. T 143-52, The thyrd bydys, "where so ye yo, / That he shall halow the holy day ; jj ffrom bodely ivark ye take youre rest ; / youre household, look the same thay do, / Both loyfe, chyld, seruande, and beest," jj The fourt is then in iceyll and 100 II " Thi fader, thi rnoder, thou shall honoxcre, 1 1 not only icith thi reuerence, 1 1 Bot in thare nede tliou thaym socoure, / And kepe ay good obedyencey The Avriter or reviser of WCo was perhaps trying to make an eight-line strophe which would have prevented a closer agreement than exists, or, as is more likely, the difference has been increased by the rewriting of T. In any case, the diversity among the plays in their recitals of the commandments, and the metrical regularity and almost entire independence of Y being taken into consideration, the conclusion is almost unavoidable that WCo and T preserve here parts of the same original.
WCo 1001-10, Y 193-202, T 181-90, Ch 257-66.
The placing of these speeches in Ch before the recital of the commandments was certainly accidental, the result of unskilful borrowing.
WCo 1011-26, Y 203-18, T 191-206.
WCo 1022 and T 202, amend; Y 214 mende.
WCo 1027-40, Y 219-32, T 207-20, Ch 305-16.
The order in which lines of Y and T are reproduced in Ch is : 223,224, 221 and 219, 222; 225 and 226; 231, 230, 229, 232. Ch omits the idea of hurrying home on account of the lateness of the liour (Y 227-8) and puts in (Ch 311-2), thatt sitteth vifh yonder Doctors gay ; I for ice haue had of hym great care. WCo follows
C. C. PLAYS. c
XXXU I.NTl{OI>UCTION.
V ami T clostl}- in sonsc ami oi«1it of lines cxoipt in 11. 1037-40, Avliere the aiTaiigement is that of Ch. This is the most important of the resemblances between Ch ami AVCo ; it can be easily seen how it came about. The passages are: Ch 313-6, Mary, idfc, thou wottes r'tijht well J that J ini/Kt all my tracayh' tccni;, j With rih-n of )iii(/ht I ca7i not mell, j that .^ittes .^o gay in furres fyne. WCo 1037-40, Ky ! Mare, vyff, ye kno ryijht well, j Asse I haue tohle you many a tyme, / With men of myyht durst I neyuer mell. I Loo I dame, how the sytt in there fur is fyn ! Y 229-32, With men of myijht can I not mell, j Than all my trayvale mon I tyne, j I can noght tcith them, this wate thou wele, / They are so gay in furres fyne. ' T follows Y. Ch differs from Y and T in its displacement of genuine lines ; but "WCo differs from them only because of the exigencies of paraphrasing the archaic words in Y 230 (Ch 314).
WCo 1041-64, Y 233-56, T 221-44, (Ch 317-20).
"WCo 1043 haue reygardid you, Y 235 will take rewarde to you, T 223 will take hede to you. WCo 1044 this wott I well, Y 236 this icate ye wele, T 224 this loote I iceyll. !Mary's speech to Jesus Ch 317-20, follows Y and T in the use of the word deare and in the idea of the search for Jesus, but differs from them in having no reference to the distress of Joseph and Mary ; it expresses their joy at having found him. WCo, on the contrary, uses the word swete, omits all reference to tlie search and dwells upon the grief which Joseph and Mary have felt during the three days of Jesus's absence.
WCo 1065-72, Y 257-64, T 245-52, Ch 221-8.
Y 257 (T 245, AVCo 1065) Wherlo shulde ye sfke me soo? does not appear in Ch, where the stanza begins with (321), Mother, full oft I toidd you till (Y 258), and cuds with (324), that niuH I needes doe, or I goe, which is a special line composed to go with the three which had been borrowed. Ch 328, atul found to do that thvy com- maund, diverges slightly from Y 264 (T 252), To ffonde what is folowand ; WCo 1072, Ys were glade I haue t/ie fonde, uses instead of the northern word found, attempt, the past participle of lind, discover, wliich may have been suggested by the former word.
In connection with this passage arises also the question of the supposed interchange of speeches between Josei)h and !Mary. Dr. Chas. Davidson 1 says (referring to WCo 1057-64, Y 249-56, T 237-44, Cli 317-28): "Mary addresses Jesus. — Agreement of Y
' Loc. cit. p. 177. See also Review by Ungernach, Jnglia Bciblatf, iv. , pp. 258-9.
B'OUR VERSIONS OF THE DOCTORS PLAY. XXXlll
and W (T). Immaterial changes in W of Co, speech reduced to four verses of free paraphrase in Ch . . . Jesus replies. — Agreement among W of Co, Ch, and Y. W (T) adds verses after the manner of W (T) in the 'Harrowing of Hell.' Joseph addresses Jesus in Y and W (T), but Mary addresses Jesus in W of Co and Ch. This is a significant difference." Further on, " Ch . . . because of arTee- ment with W of Co in Mary's speech, when Joseph speaks in the other plays, is without much doubt a borrowing from Coventry before the days of Kobert Croo, i. e. before 15 — ." This conclusion rests upon a mistake, as will be seen by an examination of the texts. T 249-.52 is the only case where there is any material difference in the plays as to speakers. In Y 261-4, IMary, and not Joseph as asserted by Dr. Davidson, addresses Jesus. Moreover, Mary's speech occurs in T in an exactly similar place to the one it has in the other plays. The mistake was due to the fact that Mary's speech is given in T to Jesus, who speaks immediately before her.^ The Towneley editor points out that the speech must have belonged to Mary by referring to Luke ii. (misprinted iii.), 51. These verses are not extraneous as Dr. Davidson implies, but hold their proper place as the conclusion of a twelve-line stanza. In WCo Joseph makes his own speech, but not until 11. 1122-4.
Ch ends at this point ^ and WCo expands into an extensive leave-taking scene ; some correspondences can be discovered :
WCo 1073-4, Y 273-4, T 261-2.
„ 1081-2, „ 269-70, „ 257-8.
„ 1085-88, „ 271-2, 279-80; ,, 259-60, 267-8.
„ 1113-4, „ 275-6, „ 263-4.
„ 1222-4, ,,267-8, ,,255-6.
Tliere is no parallel in any play for the dialogue of the doctors with which WCo comes to an end.
Except for T 1-48 and Y 1-73, and T 145-78 and Y 173-90, Y and T are practically the same throughout. Ch and WCo are related to them in very different ways. Ch usually corresponds closely in language and rime, when it agrees at all ; strophes and verses are often out of their original order ; parts of lines are pieced together; and the story, where it is deficient, is filled out with matter in many cases peculiar to Ch. It is an imperfect version, just such
^ It must have been spoken by Jesus when the present version of T was written, for not has been chant^ed to well. - See Hohlfekl, loc. cit. p. 260.
X.WIV INTRODUOTIOX.
as wbulil have resulted from oral transmisi^ion. AVCo is also coninit but in a different way. In story it seldom departs fiom Y and T except to interpolate and expand or to paraphrase into later English. As we have seen, AVCo and Ch never coincide in their deviations in story. The few cases in which WCo and Ch have in common read- ings which differ from Y and T are insufficient to indicate int^r- dependi-'Hce. Indeed, from agreements in text of AVCo with any other play, very little can usually be told ; so much has WCo been altered in revision and transmission. This applies also to the relation of WCo to Y and T, as concerns its derivation from one or the other. The best piece of evidence, the agreement in the third and fourth commandments, is in favour of its derivation from T. Several smaller agreements point in the same direction.^
A fact, which adds to the presumption in favour of T as the original of WCo, is that in the Towneley cycle the Doctors' play stands next after the Purification ; but in the York Cycle the corre- sponding play came between the Massacre of the Innocents and the Baptism of Jesus.- The order of plays in the lost Beverley Cycle was virtually the same as in York : . . . Fyshers, Symeon. Cowpers, fleynge to Egippe. Shomakers, children of Israel. Scryvners, dis- putacion in the temple. Barbours, sent John baptyste, etc.^
In light of the whole matter, therefore, it seems probable that some Northumbrian nucleus of craft or church plays ^ was in i)os- session of this Doctors' play, and, since the subject was unusually attractive, the play spread to the south and west. On its way to Coventry it perhaps fell under the inllucnie of T, or uJider infinence which also affected T. This was probably also the case in its journey to Chester ; but there is no reason whatever to think that the Play of the Doctors passed from Coventry to Chester or that Ch ami WCo in any way intrrdcpciid.
' HohUeld, loc. cif. ]>j>. 265 7 ; ami Intro. TowneK'V Plays, pp. xix-xx.
- If Townelej' XVII and XVIII lnul j)ossilily lieeii coiiiliineil into one like Ch and VCt'o, the play wuiild not liavc been inordinately long. There is a gap in the MS. bftween tlie plays; see Townrlrtj Plui/s, ]>. ]8.'>.
=' J.nns,l<,irn MS. 896, fos. 133, 139-40 ; Scnam's JJrvrrhir, by Geo. roiilson. Esq., Loud. 1829, p. 272; the li.st, taken from licvcrhic, has been conectc<l from beach ; see below, note 4.
* See "Fragments of Liturgical Plays" and the editor's headnotc in SjKcivicriK of Pre-Shak. Drama, ed. Dr. .1. M. Manly, Boston, 1897, vol. i. pp. xxvii-xxxvii ; Davidson, Inc.. cit. pp. 83 fF. ; ten Prink, J(tc. cif., jip. 281-2. See also article on the Peverley jday by Arlhur Leach, Ksii., in Jn Ev<i. MUicrllanii, I'rcsenlid to Dr. Fiiruirull in Honour of his Seven! y-ffLh Uirlhdaij (Oxford, 1901), pp. 205-304.
FRAGMENTS OF ANOTHER VERSION OF THE WEAVERS PLAY. XXXV
NOTES ON THE FRAGMENTS OF ANOTHER VERSION OF THE WEAVERS*
PLAY.^
Fragment I. is a variant of "NVCo 11. 1-58 ; Abbotsford Club print, pp. 31— i. The following are the significant variations and readings. MS. indicates the principal manuscript, MS. b. the frag- ments, S. the Abbotsford Club print, H. the edition of Prof F. Holthausen, Anglia, N. F. XIII., 209-50.
1. Yer/ret, MS. Ef grett (cp. WCo, \. 864), S. rjrett.—2. With youre, S. Youre, H. ye. — 3. aspect, MS. reyspecte. — 4. fracis, MS. sey7ig. — 7. MS. Ajyon the hyll of Wawse. This seems to me to indicate a later origin of MS. than of MS. b. Croo was probably familiar with the play, and repeated in line 7 the reference to the Hill of Wawse from line 115, wdiere it belongs. In that place is an account, derived from the Legend of the Three Kings, of the appearance of the star of prophecy upon tlie Hill of Vans. See Tlie Three Kings of Cologne, E.E.T.S., Orig. Ser. No. 85, pp. 6 fF., and the Latin version by John of Hildesheim in the same volume, pp. 213 ff. — 9. makis, MS. maliyth, S. in ivyth. No other instance of the plural in s. occurs. — 10. For, in MS., is at the beginning of 1. 9 ; MS. b, has the better reading. — 15. furtlier-more, MS. Yet further, I jva you for my laming. — 15-8. In MS. there is a request; in MS. b., a mere pro- position.— 19. demonstracion, MS. aftur a strange deformacion. This is a characteristic mistake on the part of Croo. — 25. Orreetur . . . Jacob . . . exurge, etc., j\IS. Orietur . . . Jacobo . . . exsurget, etc. — 32-4. i\IS. Of this nohuU prince of soo hi degree, / The wyclie of all men, shall Jtaue denieiieoji, / Vndur ivhat maner home lie sclndd he. MS. b. has the better and more metrical reading. — 35. Wort/tele, MS. iconderfulle, S. wondcrfull, corr. emend, by H. ; MS. b. has the better reading. — 39. MS. Before j^foffnostejide this to he done. — 41. . . con- sepith aparet, fillium, MS. . . . coucipiet pariet filium ; the Latin is much more correct in IMS. — 43. schuld he reysed, MS. spryng ; MS. b. is nearer the original. — 45. MS. vocabitur, better than vocatur of MS. b.— 46-9. MS. Yett haue I grett marveU, / How that men schuld tell j Off such strangis hefore the fell, j And man heyng here hut a mortcdl creature. Note that here and in the neighbouring strophes, Avhich are very obscure in MS., ^IS. b., though slightly more archaic, is entirely clear and is metrical. 52. espret, MS. sprete.
Fragment II. offers a variant of WCo, 11. 182-233 circa, S.
^ See Appendix IV.
XXXVl INTRODUCTION.
pp. 39-41. It is a portion of the Presentation in tlie Temple, beginning with the sixth line of Simeon's opening soliloipiy and including everything to the entrance and first speech of Anna. Tlic reply of Simeon is broken off after the fourth line. This is prob- ably the fourth page of the original :
^IS. b. 18:5, Under man . . . i/iere, MS. Vrnhir /m.>- . . . f/ip. — 184. anceanf, MS. formere. — 186, ahon-ndant His, MS. From the hi/ j^ales and. — 187. Dovn . . . vinndaU, IMS. Downe into this mde and yaeserahull invndall. MS. b. has the better reading, whatever 7Hr//rZ«7Z may mean ; it probably refers to the world. — 188-90. MS. For fhe wijche transip'ession all ice ar now mortall, / Thatt before icasse infynite for eyuer to remayne / And now schall tahe yend he deytli and cruell jyayne. The passages are much at variance ; MS. is a i)araphrase of ^IS. b. — 191. ded viotit dolorus, MS. Wyche grevoise sorro. — 192. bytturle, !MS. byttur teyris. — 195. MS. syence; this prol)ably indicates that sends is written for sieiicis. — 196. MS. hi there awtiirs aperith to hus right manefestly. — 197. Sebbelis, MS. Sebbellam, a mistake of Croo's which would not have been cor- rected when onco made. — 198. ^IS. In hart heseke I the. — 202. This line omitted in MS. — 203-4. MS. The wyche be reydemcion schall hus all regies, / At ichose cumijng the tru ovncion of Juda schall seyse. ^IS. b. has here the more literal translation of the Latin words usually given to Daniel in the Processus Propheterum ; ^ these words also occur in STCo, 11. 6 and 7. — 206. ^18. For age draith me fast apon. 208. from, .MS. //u— 209-25. MS. 209-18 shows a curious abridgment :
Now, Lorde, ase thoio are iij in won. Grant me grace, yff thatt thy wyl be, In my nold age that syght for to see!
- Ham at ilty vyll, Lorde, fayne wold I he, Yff thoio sochf grace looldist mo sende, To loove the, Lorde, with all rmelyte.
And soo of my lyff then to make an ende ! Yett, Lorde, t/ii grace to me now ejctende, Suffer me ratlnir yett to lyre in peyne Thru to dy, or thatt I ttadt solani syght haue sfgni' !
How to act.'iMint for tliis is not very easy. At lirst sight it looks as if lines 209-18 had been overlooked by Croo in his rcilaction. He may simply have composed lines 209-11 from the ordinary
' Seo Towncley Plays, VII, JIG f.
FRAGMENTS OF ANOTHER VERSION OF THE WEAVERS PLAY. XXXvil
jargon of the first part of the play to complete the stanza, taking up the earlier version again at lines 219-25 (MS. b.), which agree fairly well with 212-8 (MS.) above. It might have been accidental, as omissions of lines and even stanzas often occur in this way. It seems, however, much more jH-obable that Croo Avas rewriting the play witli a rather free hand, and that he had already put the substance of lines 209-17 (MS. b.) into the speech of the first Prophet, lines 61-74 (MS.); and since he had used it tliere^ omitted it here. MS. Cl-74 :
WycJie caws id Isaee to cast up his iees
Toioard heijvin loith all his inward syglit, Seying, " Good Lord, af arming thy pi'omes,
Send downs to hus this wonly sun off myghf,
Huse to reystore vnto oicre right ! Owt of deserte, from the hard stone, Reycomfordying thi doghtur dwylling in Sion ! " GT
Also Jaramo, thatt lolwlle mon,
Seyd in heyvin God sehuld make seede, A greyne off' Davitli, thatt now ys cum,
Wyche eyuer in gracys shall spring and speyde
And kepe JuJa owt of drede And also Isaraell sett in surenes, And he schall makejngementis of rigid wesenes. 74
These lines are probaljly in place in the prophet play for two very slight reasons : Because of the use of the names of Isaiah and Jeremiah, and because of the number of lines. Of the original manuscript b., Ave have probably pages 1 and 4. Page 1 has 58 lines, page 4 has 61 lines. The lacuna, judging by MS. a., is about 120 lines. On the other hand, these speeches of Isaiah and Jeremiah are very puzzling. It is difficult to find a source for them; there is nothing in the original Processics Prophetarvm from which they may be derived. The supposition that Croo substituted parts of the original speech of Simeon for earlier and more customary speeches of Isaiah and Jeremiah would clear up the difficulty. All of this is on the supposition that MS. b. is earlier than MS. It must be admitted, however, that almost nothing can be determined for or against the idea of a greater age for MS. b. from the handwritings. But it should be remembered that after the preparation of liobert Croo's codex there would have been no necessity for another " original " ; and MS. b. is to be regarded as the fragments of a complete version and not as players' copies. Sharp seems to
XXXVUl INTRODUCTION'.
have*found no entries in tlie account-book whicli pointed to the making of anotlier play-book after Croo's or even parts of another.
The agreement of the versions practically ends with the first strophe of Anna's speech (1. 226), and is not very close there. MS. b. represents, I think, no very early form of the pageant; but it seems to be somewhat nearer the source (S. Luke ii. 22-39) in these speeches of Simeon and Anna, than is MS. ; see 11. 224-5, 233-6. It may be too much to suppose that 11. 233-43 show any evidence of having been once in tlie form of quatrains, in which I am disposed to think the body of the play was originally com- posed. They are, at any rate, simpler and more essential to the play of the Presentation in the Temple than the corresponding lines in ]\rS.
In all respects, except the correctness of the Latin quotations, MS. b. is better than MS. — spelling, readings, metrical regularity, strophe-form, sense, and style. It is probably the version which Eobert Croo " translated ", or a transcript of it.
KEY TO MAP.
This section of Bradford's map shows iutraniural Covcjitiy in ITTiO.
Stations of pageants, some known, some conjectural [c. Introd. xiii-xiv], arc, one in each of the ten wards of tlie city, beginning from the east of the central thoroughfare. (1) In Gosford Street. (2) In Jordan Well, a continuation of the thoroughfare ; or possibly at the junction of New Street and Mill Lane, as a prolongation of New Street, not marked in this map, was anciently called Corjms (Jhristi Lane. To the south of the thoroughfare in Mucli Park Street on the London Koad is i'3) New Gate. (4) Little Park Street ends in Earl Strict. To the nortli of the thoroughfare in Payley Lane ward is (5) S. Michael's Churcliyard [picture of churcli in map]. In the centre of the city in Cross Cheaping ward is (6) The Cross [picture in map]. Further north, near Bishop Street, i.s (7) S. John's Hospital [Free School and Library in map]. To the south of tlie thoroughfare again in Broad Gate ward is (8) Grey Friars' Church [])ictuie of steeple in map]. Continuing tlio tlioroughfare along Sniithford Street we arrive at (9) Tlie Conduit [just hgible in niai) ojiposite tlie "Bull" and "Green Dragon" inns]. Furlhei on, close to Spon Street Gate is (10) S. Jolin's or Bablake Churcli [picture in map].
Pageant liouses were in Hill Street by Bablake Church, and in Mill Lane, which runs at right angles to Jordan Well.
^Ije ^^igeimt of tlje Sljeiirmcii iiiitr Cnglors/
[Dramatis Personae.
Isaiah as Prologue (LI. 1-46).
1
In the Anmmcia- i tioii and iLe Na-
tivity 831).
(LI. 47-
Gahriel
Mary
Joseph
i. Angel
i. Pastor
ii. Pastor
Hi. Pastor
ii. Angel
i. Profeta ^ Participants in
ii. Profeta \ learned dialoj
Hi. Profeta
/
a
ogue (LL 332-474).
Nxmci^is Herod i. Rex ii. Rex I
Hi. Rex Mary j
Angelus !- i. Miles I ii. Miles I Joseph I
i. IVoman ii. IVoman \ Hi. Woman J
In the Adoration of the Kings and the Slaughter of theInnoceuts(Ll. 475-900). ]
[Enter Isaiah as prologue.]
IsAYE. Tlie Sofferent tlialt seithe evere seycrette, (83) He sane you all and make you pa?"fett and stronge,^
And geve us^ grace yvith his marce forto mete !
For now in grett mesere mankynd ys boAvnd ; The sarpent liathe gevin vs soo mortall a "woiide
That no creature ys abull vs forto reyles
Tyli thye right vncion of Jvda dothe seyse. 7
" — A Then schall moclie myrthe and joie in-cresse ; >
And the rigid rote in Isaraell sprynge, Thatt schall bryng fortlie the greyne off whollenes ;
And owt of danger he schall vs bryng
In-to thatt reygeon where he ys kyng Wyche abowe all othur far dothe a-bownde, And thatt cruell Sathan he schall confownde. 14
^ Reprinted from A Dissertation on the Pageants or Dramatic Mystc) ies Anciently Performed at Coventry ... by Thomas Sharp. Coventry, 1825. In most matters I have followed by permission the edition of Prol'e.ssor Jolin Wattliews Jlanly in his Spceimens of the Pre-Shakspearian Drama, Boston, 1897, vol. i, pj). 120-52. His treatment of lines and strophes has not been altered ; stage- directions, punctuation, and text but seldom. J\I. in the notes indicates this edition ; S., the edition of Thomas Sharp above referred to. The MS. was destroyed in tlie liurning of the Free Reference Library at Birmingham in 1879. Numl.^ers in parentheses are np. in S.
- M. Qy. soundc. C'p. U. 222-4. ^ S. gcvenus, emend, by M. C. C. PLAVS. B
Isaiah prays God to release mankind flora misery.
Isa. xi. 1.
Then linlincss sliall Honrisli and Satan be confounded.
TWO COVENTRY CORPUS CIIRISTI ri.AYS.
Tlierc is a com fort in spite of Ailam's full.
Wlierc-forc I cnm lierc apon tliis growndo (84)
To comfonle eyuere^ creature ofE hirthc; For I, Isayc tlic profet, liatlie fowiule
Many swete matters wlicreof wc lua make iiiyrtli
On this same wysc ; 19
For, tliogh tliat Adam be demid to dcytlie Wii/i all his childur, assc Abcll a7ul Seytlie, Yt'tt IJcce virgo- consepeet, —
Loo, where a reyraede schall ryse ! 23
Tlic cl.iM of H virgin shall restore us to grace
ami rcileem Adam from bondage ;
the ileoJ slinll soon be done.
Be-liolde, a mayde scliall conseyve a cliilde
And gett vs more g?"ace then eyue?' men had, And hir meydin-[h]od^ nothing defylid,
Sclie ys deputy(.l to bearc the Sun, Alniyghte God.
Loo ! sufterntis, now ma you be glad, 28
For of this meydin all we ma be fayne ;
For Adam, that now lyis in sorrois full sade, II ir gloroose birth schall rcydemo liym ageyn
From bondage and thrall. 32
Now bo myrre eyuere mofi
For this dede bryflly in Isaraell schalbe done,
And before the Fathur in tronc,
Thatt scliall glade vs all. 36
More of this matter fayne wolde I meve,
But lengur tyinc I haue not here for to dwi-ll. Benediction, That Lorde that ys mrt7"cefull liis m'/?'ce soo in vs nin p?rve For to sawe owre sollis from the darkncs of licll ; 40 And to his blys
lie vs bryiig, Asse he ys
IJothe lord aritl kyiig,
And schalbe"' eyuerlastyng,
In necula seruIoTum, amen !^ IH
' S. OJf nir, rnrr. lij M.
' The sifjn for cr is used for ir, ri, ar (inarcc), e (under), as ivcll as for cr aiul ro. ^ Correct, by M.
* .SV, S.. M. shall be. ■^ LiTics 41-46 as lioo in S., the first ciuting with kyng.
0jt^>.^ Wrt
PAGEANT OF THE SHEARMEN AND TAYLORS. [Exit Isaiah ; enter Gabriel to iVary.]
Gaberell. Haylc, Mare, full of grace !
Owre Lord God ys wiUi the ;^ Aboiie all wemen that eyner Avasse,
Lade, blesside mote thow be ! 50
Mare. All-myght Fathur and King of blys,
From all dysses thon sane nie now ! For inwarelely my spretis trubbuld ys,
Thatt I am amacid cmd kno nott how. (85) 51
Luke i. 2G-46.
Snlut.itioii of Mary.
She is troubled.
Gaberell. Dred the nothyng, meydin, of this ;
From hey \' in a-bo\ve hyddur am I sent Of anibassage from that Kyng of blys
Unto the, lade and virgin reyiierent !
Salutyng the hero asse inost exselent, Whose v/rtu aboue all othiir dothe abownde. AVherefore in the g?'ace schalbe fowiule ; For thow schalt conseyve apon Mi's grownd 62 s"
The Second Persone of God in trone ;
He wylbe borne of the alone ;
AV/t7<-owt sin thou, schalt hy?n see.^
Thy grace and thi goodnes wyl neyuer be gone,
But eyuer to lyve in Vi'rgenetc. 67
Mare. I niarvell soore how thatt mabo.
]\[ants2 cu?Hpany knev I neyuer yett, Nor neyuer to do, least I me,
Whyle thatt owre Lord sendith me my wytt. 71
Gaberell, The Wholle Gost in the schall lyght.
And schado thy soil soo with virtu. From the Fathur thatt ys on hyght.
These wordis, turtill, the^ be full tru. 75
This chylde that of the schalbe borne
Ys the Second Pe?'sone in Trenete ; lie schall saue that wase forlorue
And the fyndis powar dystroic schall he. 79
' This and the preceding line as one in S.
* The contraction here is for us, and is used to represent the genitive ami the 2)lural throughout. It has been written i.s, the cuHtomarg spelling in S. » M. here ami throughout prints th'c[y].
' Fear not ;
thou Bll.'llt
conceive the Second Person of the Trinity.'
' How may tliis be ? *
Tlic Holy Ghost shiiU light in her.
Her son a saviour.
TWO COVENTRY CORPUS CHRISTI PLAYS.
Her kins- woman Ulixubeth.
Notliinf; impossible to God.
His liaiid- muid.
Gabriel's blessiii);
and farewell.
vV-W^ W>
These wordis, lade, full tru the bene,
A7i(l furtlmr, lade, here in thy noone lenago
Be-holde Eylesaheth, thy cosyn clene,
The wychc wa.sse barren and past all age,
And now with chyld sche hath bone
Syx monethis and more, asse schalbe sene ;
Whcre-for, discomforde the not. Mare !
For to God onpossibull nothyng mabe.
Mare. JS'ow, and yt be thatt Lordis wyll (86)
Of my bodde to be borne and forto be,
Hys by pleysuris forto full-fyll
Asse his one handc-mayde I sulimyt me.
Gaberell. Now blessid be the tyme sett That thon wast borne in tliy dogre !
For now ys tbe knott surely knytt. And God conseyvide in Trenete.
Now fare-well, lade off myghtis most !
Ynto the God-hed I the be-teyche. Mare. Thatt Lorde the gyde in eyuere cost,
And looly he leyde me a7id be my leyche !
83
87
91
95
99
CI
Malt. i. 18-
25. /
Pteudo- / Match. X, ti.
Here the angcll dep&vtylh, and Joscff cuvayth in and seyth :
• Wlio Imll.
IxH'll Willi
llice r ■
JosoFF. Mare, my wyff soo dere. How doo ye, dame, and whatt chere
Ys wiUi you this tyde 1 Maee. Truly, husebonde, I am here
Owre Lordis wyll forto abyde.
.TosoFF. Whatt ! I tioo thatt we be all schent ! Sey, womou ; who hath byn here sith I went.
To rage wyth thee 1 ]\Iare. Syr, here Avas nolhur man nor mans cyvin,
104
— ^ ' The mesucn- But only the sond of owre Lordo God in licyvin.
r. -^ K^t ol God.' *' r , 1 1 ,
*^-^ JosoFF. Sey not soo, womon; for schamc,ley be!
109
He dis-
Ix'llcVCB.
Ye be yvith chyld soo wondurs grelt, Ye nede no more thcvoi to tret Agcnse all right.
PAGEANT OF THE SHEARMEN AND TAYLORS. ♦^
For-sothe, tliis cliylde, dame, ys not myne.
Alas, that eyuer with my nynee ^^m, (^ ] i r
I suld see this syght ! y#^ ^ , 116
Tell me, woraon ; whose ys this chyld 1 (87) 'wiioseis
Mare. Xon but youris, husebond soo myld.
And thatt sclialbe seyne, [y wis].^ JosoFP. But myne 1 alias ! alas ! Avhy sey ye soo? Wele-awey ! womon, now may I goo,
Be-gyld as many a-nothur ys. 122
Mare. Na, truly, sir, ye be not be-gylde, s)ie declares
JNor yet with spott of syn I am not deiylde ; cence.
Trust yt well, huse-bonde.
JosoFF. Huse-bond, in feytlie ! a7i<I that acold ! she is false lu
spite of Iiis
A ! weylle-awey, Josoff, as thow ar olde ! kindness to
Lyke a fole now ma I stand 128 ^'n-
And truse.2 But, in feyth, Mare, fJwn art in syn ; Soo moche ase I haue cheyrischyd the, dame, and all thi kyn, Be-hynd my bake to sej-ve me thus ! 132
All olde men, insampull take be me, — Let nil old
XT X 1 Til '"^" ^'^^^
How i am be-gyJid here may vou see ! — example
^•^ -^ "^ from him.
To wed soo yong a chyld. Now fare-Avell, Mare, I leyve the here alone, — He leaves
[Wo]i worthe the, dam, and thy warkis ycheone ! —
For I well noo-more be be-gylid ^ 138
For frynd nor fooe.^ ISTow of this ded I am soo dull. And off my lyff I am soo full,
No farthur ma I goo.^ 142
[Lies doivii to sleep ; to him enters an angel.]
I. Angell.* Aryse up, Josoff, a?«f? goo Avhom ageyne ' Arise, po
Vnto Mare, thy wyff, that ys soo^ fre. ui.totiiy"
To comford hir loke that thow be fayne.
For, Josoff, a cleyne meydin ys schee : 146
^ Emend, by M. ^ This and the preceding line as one in S. ' S. be gylid be, emend, by M.
* S. Angei.l j ; so below for angels, shepherds, kings, knights, and v-'omen, alteration by M. " M. so.
wife.
TWO COVENTIIY CORPUS CnRISTI PLAYS.
?l
Tlie ohiM is Jesus,'
He will y:o home ill hurtle.
^>
he has mis- named her.
Sclie liath con.soyviil wiUi-owt any trayiie
Tlie Scycoiul Person in Trenete ; Jeans'^ schalbe hys name, savtnn,
And all thys world sawe scliall he; (S8) l^O
15e not agast.- JoSOFF. !No\v, Lonle, I tlianke the wiih hart full .sad, For of these tythyngis I am soo glad
Tluitt^ all my care awcy y.s cast;
"Wherefore to ]\[are I woU in hast. 155
[Returns to Mare.]
He begs for- A ! ISIare, IMare, I knelo full loo ;
giveliess;
Forgevo me, swete wyff, here in tliU loud I Marce, Mare ! for now I kno
Of youre good gouf ?-nance and how y t doth stond . 159
Thogh* thatt I dyd the mys-nauie, Marce, T\Iare ! "NVhyle I levo AVyll I noyue?-, swet wyff, the greve
In ernyst nor in game.^ 163
I\r.\i{E. Kow, thatt^ Lord in heyvin, sir, ho you for- gyve ! And I do for-geve yow in hy.s name For euej'more.'^ JosoFF, Now truly, swete wylT, to you I soy the
same. 1G7
But )iow to Bodlem must 1 wyndo
And scho my-self, soo full of care ; And^ I to loyve you, this grett, hehynd, —
God wolt, the whyle, dame, how you sclnild fare. 171
Mare. Xa, hardoly, husebond, dred ye nothyng ;
For I woll walke wilh you on the wey. I trust in God, all-myghte kyng.
To spede riglit woll in owre jurney. 175
JosoFF. Now I thanko you, Mare, of yourc*^ goodnes Thatt 5 ye my wordis woll nott blame ;
And syth that to Bedlom we schall vs dresse.
Goo wo to-gedur in Goddis whoUe name. 179
' S. Jim Jicrc and throughout.
- Thin ami the preceding line as one in S. ^ M. That.
' Ho M., S. has Tliogbt. » Qi/. Am. « M. your.
He must ga to Uetblehem.
• I will walk with you.'
TAGEANT OF THE SHEARMEN AND TAYLORS. /
[They set out and travel a while.] Luke ii. 4-7.
Now to liedlem liaue we leygis three ; Tiu-ee leagues
Tlie day ys ny spent, yt drawyth toward uj^glit ;
Fayiie at your es, dame, I wold that ye schulde be,
For you groue^ all werely, yt semyth in my syght. 183
Mare. Godhauemarcy, Josoffe, my spowse soodere; (89) The time All p7*ofettis lierto dotlie beyre wyttnes, draws nem-.
The were tyme now draith uere
Thalt^ my chyld wolbe borno, wyche ys Kyng of blis. 187
Ynto sivn place, Josoff, liyndlv me lej'de, 'Lead me to
a place where
Thatt I moght rest me with grace in tliis tyde. i may rest.'
The lyght of the Fathur oue?- lius both spreyde,
And tlie g?-ace of my sun w/t7i vs here a-byde ! 191
JosoFF, Loo ! blessid Mare, here schall ye lend, 'siuyiiore:
Cheff chosyn of owre Lorde aiid cleynist in degre ; And I for help to towne woU ^ wende. i so to the
town for
Ys nott this the jest, dame"? wdiatt sey ye 1 195 ''«''•'
Mare. God haue marce, Josoff, my huse-bond soo meke ! Aiitl hartely I pra you, goo now fro me. Josoff. Tliatt schalbe done in hast, Mare soo^ swete! The comford of the Wholle Gost leyve I with the. 199
Now to Bedlem streyght woll I wynd
To gett som helpe for Mare soo free. Sum helpe of weiiien'* God may me send,
Thatt^ Mare, full off grace, pleysid ma be. 203
[hi another part of tJic place a shepherd begins to speak.] Luke ii. 8-20.
1. Pastor. Now God, that art in Trenete, 'Myfeiiows
r,., n ^^ ■ ^ , mid my sheep
lliow sawe my leilois and me ! are lust.'
Fur 1 kno nott wheyre my scheepe nor the be,
Thys nyght yt ys soo colde. 207
'^ II. changes to grone, but suggests that it may be for growe. - J\I. That. 3 j^j_ yo_ 4 ii_ wuniwien.
TWO COVENTHY CORPUS CHRISTI PLAYS.
Ho will call tliein.
K'ow ys yt, iiygli tlie iiiyddis of llie nyglit ; These weduis ar dai^e and dym of lyglit, Tliatt of them can liy liaue noo syght, Standyng here on this wold.
But now to make there liartis lyght,
Kow Avyll I full right
Stand apou this looe,^
And to them cry wiUi all niy myght, — Full well my voiso the Icno : "Wliat hoo ! fellois ! hoo ! hooe ! hoo !
211
217
Anotlier shepliurd hears mill ieco/;iiize8 his vuice.
The first sla'phonl exiiliiiuB.
[Two other shepherds ajjpear (in the street).] II. Pastor. Hark, Syin, harke ! I here owre brother
on the looe ; This ys hys woiso, right well I knoo ; There-fore toward hym lett vs goo,
And folio hiri wuise a-right. See, 8ym, se, where he doth stond ] I am ryght glad we hane hym lonvl ! Brothur, where hast thow hyn soo long,
And hit ys soo cold this uyghtl^
(90)
221
225
I. Pastor. E ! fryndis, ther cam a pyrie of wynd
wi't/j a myst suddenly, Thatt^ forth ofE my weyis went I And grett hey venes then * made I
And wase full sore afryght.-'' 229
Then forto goo wyst I nott whyddur, But trawellid on this loo hyddur aiid thyddur ; I wasse so were of this cold wetldur
Thatt nere past wasse my might. 233
•It is nearly III. Pastoii. Brelluir, HOW wc he past thai fryglit, "^' And hit ys far wn/zin the nyght,
Full sone woU spryiig the day-lyght.
Hit drawilh full nere the tyde. 237
' This and the jyrcccding line as one in S.
"^ S. And this nyght hit ys soo cold, corr. by M.
* S. in, corr. by M. * S. afrnyde, emend, bij M.
M. Tl.iit.
PAGEANT OF THE SHEARMEN AND TAYLORS.
Here awhyle lett vs rest,
And repast o^yreself of the best ;
Tyll tliatt the sun ryse in the est
Let vs all here ahjde. 241
There the scheppavdis drawys furth there meyte and doth eyte and drynk ; mid asse the drynk, thefynd the star, and sey thus :
III. Pastor. Brethur, loke vp and behold !
Whatt thyng ys yondur thatt schynith soo bryght 1 Asse long ase eyuer I haue wachid my fold,] Yett sawe I neyuer soche a syght
In fyld.i 246
A ha ! now ys cu?;i the tyme that old fatlmrs hath
told, Thatt in the wyntiirs nyght soo cold A chyld of meydyii borne be he wold
In Avhom all p?'ofeciys schalbe fullfyld. 250
I. Pastor. Truth yt ys wzt7i-owt naye, (91) Soo seyd the profett Isaye, .
Thatt a 2 chylde schuld be borne of a made soo bryght In wentur ny the schortist dey
Or elis in the myddis of the nyglit. 255
II. Pastor. Loovid be God, most off myght. That owre g?'ace ys to see thatt syght ;
Pray we to hyrn, ase hit ys right,
Yff thatt his wyll yt be, 259
Thatt 3 we ma haue knoleyge of this syngnefocacion And why hit aperith on this fassion ; And eyuer to hym lett vs geve lawdacion,
In yerthe whyle thatt we be. 263
There the dngelis syng " Glorea in exselsis Deo."
III. Pastor. Harke ! the syng abowe in the clowdis
clere ! Hard I neyuer of soo myrre a quere.
^ This and the preceding line as one in S. - S. has I. Emend, by M. ^ M. That.
let us refresli ourselves.'
He sees a star, anil at once t;uesses tliat it is the star of pi-Dphecy.
' Yes ; for it is nifjh tlie shortest d.iy.'
Thanks giving.
A merry choir !
14-
10 TWO COVENTRY COUPUS CHRISTI PLAYS.
Now, geutyll bretlmr, draw wo ikto
To here there armony.^ 2G7
1. Pastor. ]>rothur, niyrth and sohis y.s cu?/i Inis
among ; For bo the swettncs of thev songe, GodJis Sun ys c\wi, whom we haue lokid for lung,
Asse syngnefyitli thys star tliai we do see. 271
Tiio shop- II. l^ASToii. " Glare, tilorea in exi>elsis," that wase
lu-rd-. recall ' ^ '
ii'e aoii-. fhcT songe ;
How soy ye, fellois, seyd tlie not tlius 1 273
. I. Pastor. Thatt ys m'oI seyd ; - now goo we hence To worschipe tluvtt chyld of hy nianyfPecence, And that we ma .syng iu liis jvY^sonce
^^ Et-in tnrra pax vniynibus." 277
Thefe the sch^ppardis synyis " Jsc I owt Ilvdd''"^ ami (92) Josoff sctjth :
JosoFF. Xow, Lordo, this noise thai I do hero,
AVit/i this grett solomnetc, Cirotly amondid liatli my chore;
I trust hy nevis schortly Avolbe. 281
e/ .,
'here the angcllis syng " Gloria in exscUsis" agrync.
Mary nn- !Mare. A ! dosoff, liiisebond, cuDi lu'ddur anoii :
iioiiiK-cs llie
^:'\'"i"'a My chylde ys borne that ys Kyng of blys.
JosoFFK. Now wolciuH to mc, the Makar of mon, W/t/i all the oniagi; thatt I con ;
Tby swote motlie bore woll I kys. 286
Mare. A ! Jusoll', husobond, my chyld waxith cold, AuJ wo haue uoo fyre to warme hym w/t/(. Warmed by JosoFF. Now in mv naruiys I schall bvm fohl,
ll.c brcalliiin; , . J >
of iiif buobts. I'iyiig of all kyiigis be fyld and be fiylb ;
He myght baue had l)ettur, and liym-selfe^ wold,
Then the breytliyng of tliese bestis to warme hym with. 2 'J 2
' M. .ii;in)iiyi'. ^ .'^. wclseyil.
77i • sniKj (I.) in at //((■ luid of lite pagcnnt. ' M. hyiii.-xifu.
PAGEANT OF THE SHEARMEN AND TAYLOUS.
11
"C.
-i^-
IMare. Now, Josoff, my liusbond, fet heddur my chyld, The ]\Iaker off man and liy Kyng of blys. Josoff. Tliat sclialbe done anon, Mare soo myld, For tlie brethyng of these bestis liath warmyd [hyni]^ Avell, i-wys. .. 296
[Angels appear to the shepherds,}
I, Anqell. Hyrd-men hynd, Drede ye nothyng ^
Off thys star thatt ye do se ; For tliys same mome Godis Sun ys borne ^ ^,
In Bedlem of a meydin fre.
II. Angell, Hy you thyddur in hast ; (93)
Yt ys hys wyll ye schall hym see Lyinge in a crybbe ^ of pore reypaste, Yett of Davithis lyne cu?7!on ys hoe.
302
30G
f iZS
but liasteii to see liiin.'
[The shepiherds approach and ivorship the Babe.]
I. Pastor. Hayle, mayde-modur * and vvyff soo myld
Asse the angell seyd, soo haue we fonde. I haue nothyng to present with thi chylde
But my pype ; hold, hold, take yt in thy hond ;
Where-in moche pleysure that I haue fond ; And now, to oonowre thy gloreose byrthe, Thow schallt yt haue to make the myrthe. 313
II. PAbTOR. ISTow, hayle be thow, chyld, a7ul thy
dame !
For in a pore^ loggyii liere art thow leyde, Soo the angell seyde and tolde vs thy name ;
llolde, take thow here my hat on thy hcdde !
And now off won thyng thow art well sped, For weddur thow hast noo ncde to complayno. For wynd, ne sun, hayle, snoo and rayne. 320
' Suppl. by M. ' Tliis and the preceding line as one in S. ^ M. cribhe. ^ Jl. inothur. ^ S. aporo, corr. by M.
A ffreetiiig to Mary,
and a present to Jesus; lie t^ivt'S liis pipe.
' Tiikc my liut on tliy liead 1 '
12 TWO COVENTRY CORPUS CHRISTI PLAYS.
III. Pastor, llaylo he tliow, Lorde ouer watur ami lanJis ! For tliy cuwiyng all ^ve ma make myrtho. 'ii-roarc Ilauo licic iiiv iiiytteiis to pytt on t/d liondis,
ii.y inittfiH . '' "^ '"'
t>. put on ihy Otliur trevsuro liaue I non to iiresent the wiUi. 324:
luuuU!' '' '■
Mare. K'o^v, lierdmefi hyiul, For youre comyng ^ She will pray To uiv clivld scliall I prae, 327
lor them. A i 1 • 1
Asse he ys heyvin kyng, To grant you his blessyng,^ And to liys blys that ye may wynd
At your last day.^ 331
There the schepp&Tdis syiigith^ ageyne and goth forlhe of the place ; and the ij pro/ettis cumyth in and seylh th us :
Wonderful I. PyjoFETA. Novellis, novellis
tidings !
Of wonderfull marvellys,^
"Were liy and defucc v)ito the heryng ! Asse scripture tellis, These strange novellis
To you I bryng.3 337
II. Py^oFETA. Kow hartely, sir, I desyre to kuoo, (94) Yff liytt wolde pleyse you forto schoo, Of Avhatt uianer a thyng. The nntiviiy 1. P/iOFETA. Were luystccall viito youre her-
Of the natevete off a kyng. 342
II, PiiOFETA. Of a kyng? Whence schulil he cn?>j ?
I. PyjOFETA. From thatt reygend ryall and mighty manciuii, Tlie scde seylesteall and heyvinly vysedome,
The Seycond'' P<'/-son and Godis one Sun, For owre sake now ys man hc-cuiTi. 347
This godly spere, Desendid here ^
' This and the preceding line as one in S. - The song (III. ) is at the end of the jutgeanl. ' Liius 335-7 as one in S. * M. JSecoud.
PAGEANT OF THE SHEARMEN AND TAYLORS.
13
In-to a v/rgin clere,^
Sche on-defyld ; ^ Be whose warke obskevre Owre frayle nature
Ys 210W begilde.2 II. P/.'OFETA. Why, hath sche a chyld 1
born of a virgin uii- defileil.
355
I. Pi:oFETA, E ! trust hyt well ;
And neuer the las ^
Yet ys sche a mayde evin asse sche wasse, And hir sun the king of Isaraell.
359
II. PifOFETA. A wondur-full marvell
How thatt ma be,^ And far dothe exsell
All owre capasete : ^ How thatt the Trenete,
Of soo hy regallete,2 Schuld jonyd be ^
Ynto owre mortallete ! ^
Truly mar- vellous !
363
367
I. PyjoFETA. Of his one grett marce, As ye shall se the exposyssion,^
Throgli whose vmanyte
All Adann's p?'ogene ^
Eeydemyd schalbe owt of penlyssion.
Adam's progeny shall be redeemeil.
372
Syth man did offend, Who schuld amend 2
But the seyd moil and no nothurl For the wyche cawse he Incarnate wold be ^
And lyve in mesere asse manis one brothur.
Man must redeem man.
378
II. Pi?OFETA. Syr, vnto the Deyite, I beleve parfettle,^
Onpossibull to be there ys nothyng ;
(95)
^ M. p7i(s a period here and a comma after Sche ; he suggests that a liiie is omitted after 351.
" This and the preceding line as one in S. ■* S be jonyd, emnul. by M.
It
TWO COVENTnY COUPUS CHUISTI PLAYS.
The folly of doubting.
Tlioliiicrige of Mury.
How be yt tliis warko Viito iiic ys ilarke ^
III the oppe/'acion or wyrkyng, 384
I. IVi'OFET.v. "Whatt more reypriff Ys vuto l)L'lyft"
Thou to Lo ilowtyng ] 2 387
II. P/.OFETA. Yet Jowtis oftymzs hathe derevacion. I. P/foFETA. Tliatt ys be tha mej'nes of comenecaciuu Of trawthis to haue a dev probacion
Be tliQ same dowts reysoniiig.
II. Pii'OFETA. Then to you tliis won tliyng : Of wliatt iiobull and by lenage ys sclieo Tbatt mygbt iliu wrabuU ^ p?7ucis modur be % 394
I. P/;oFETA. Oiulowtid sclio ys ciun of by parrage, Of tbe liowse of Davith and Sahiinou tlie sage ; Ami won o£E tbc same lyne joyiiid to bir bo mareagc ;
Of wbose try be We do snbscrybe •* Tbis cliy[l]dis5 lenage.« 400
II. PiJOFETA. And wliy in tbatt wysse 1 I. PiiOFETA. For yt wassc tbe gysse
To contc tbe parant on tbe manys lyue, And nott on tbo feymyiic/
Amonst vs bere in Isaraelb 405
IT. PiiOFETA. Yett can I nott aspy be noo wysso How tbys cliyklo borne sclmklbe wit/(-ow[t]^ naturis p?-ejuelyse. Godmnynct I. P;;(;FETA. Nay, no projvdyso vnto nature, I dare
contrary
to nature; uell Sey ;
For tbe kyng of nature may
Hawe all at bis one wyU.^ 410
])yd not the powar of God
Make Aronis rod Jicyre frute in on dayl" 113
consider Anrim's rod,
' This and the preccdinff line as one in S.
' Lines 385-7 as one in S.
* M. (Jy. reliable. ■• S. subscryve, eorr. by M.
» Corr. by S. ® Lilies 398-400 as one in S.
' M. prints f<vniy[ny]nc. ** Livrs 111-3 n^ one in S.
PAGEANT OF THE SHEARMEN AND TAYLORS.
15
II. P/JOFETA. Truth yfc ys in-ded.
I. P/;OFETA. Then loke you and rede.
II. Pa'Ofeta. a ! I perseyve the sede
Where apon thatt you spake. ^ Yt "wasse for owre nede
Thai he frayle nature did take,^ And his blod he schukl schede
A mens forto make ^
For owre transegression ;
Ase yt ys seyd in profece
Thai of the lyne of Jude ^
Schukl spryng a right Messe,
Ee whom all wee
Schall - haue reydemcion.^
(96)
417
The ?ecoiul propliet now understands the plan of redemption.
422
427
I. PiJOFETA. Sir, now ys the tymo cu?», And the date there-of run,
Off his ISTatevete.
II. P/;ofeta. Yett I beseke you hartele
Thai ye wold schoo me how ^
Thatt this strange nowelte "Were broght vnto you.
Tlie time is come.
434
I. PiJOFETA. This othur nyght soo cold Hereby apon a wolde Scheppa?*dis wachyng there fold,
In the nyght soo far
To them aperid a star,
And^ eyue?- yt drev them nar; "VVyche star the did behold Bryghte?-, tlia sey, i\I folde
Then the sun so clere
In his mydday spere. And the these tythyngis toldo.
Tlie shep- herds have seen his st:ir,
440
1000 times brighter than the noonday sun.
445
II. PiJOFETA. "\Vhatt, seycretly ] I. PiJOFETA. Na, na, hardcly ; The made there-of no conseil
1 This and the 2)rcc(!din// line as one in S.
2 So M.; S. scluilkl; Qy. sclmlld. ^ M. And.
16
TWO COVENTRY CORPUS CHRISTI PLAYS.
' In wliftt it?*
' III no such place;
between two bi'iists ac- pordin^; to proplioi'i'.' Huh. iii. 2 (Sept.).
The shc))- herds went forth re- joicing,
Binsinu a Cliristiniui song.
For the song ase lowdo Ase eyuer the cowde
Piesyng the kyiig of Isaraell. 451
II. PiJOFfiTA. Yott do I uiarvell ('J7)
In whatt pyle ^ or castell
These herdnieu dyd liym see. 454
I. P/,OFETA. Notluii' in hallis nor yett in bowiis
Born wold he not be, Xotlier in castellis nor yet in towns
Thai scmly were to se ; 458
But att hys Fathurs wyll, The profeci to fuU-fyll,
Be-twyxt an ox and ^ an as
Josu6', this, kyng, borne lie was. Ileyvin he bryng us tyll ! 463
II. Pa'OFETA. Sn-, a ! but when these schepprtnlis^
had seyne hym there, In-to whatt place did the repeyrel I. PyjOFETA. Forthe the wunt and glad iho. were,
Going /7/e did syng ; Wtt// myrthe and solas Iha made good chcre
For joie of tliai new tything ; 469
And aftur, asse 1 hard the[m]^ tell, He reywavdid them full well : He graunt them hevyn ihex-in to dwell ; In ar the gon wiili joie and myrtho. And there souge hit ys " Neowull." 474
There the pro/cHis gothe farlhe and Erod cumyth in, and the inessetKjcr.
NoNCEOSE.^ Faytes pais, dnyis,^ baronys dc grande reynowne !
' 1S17 cA. i)allay.s. - llfpi'alM in M.
•• M. slie]>i>»^»/'<li.s. * So M.
» Slielilon Hiujiicsts that this is thr. pi. ';/" O.F. daiiK-, daniuo, influnicrd by the sprUimj of some form o/"Lat. doiiiiinis.
« In his note Prof. Mnnly says: "In rcadiii'? this pioclamaliou I liavc liad tlic aid of both I'rof. Kiltretlgf and Prof. Slu Idon. As tliia aid, however, was given a year or two ago in the form of a
PAGEANT OF THE SHEARMEN AND TAYLORS. 17
Payis, seneoris, sclievaleris de nooble posauce l^
Pays, gentis liomos,"-^ co??jpaiieoiiys petis egrance ! ^
Je vos com??iand dngard treytus * sylance.
Payis, taiinue vottur iiooble Roie syre ese presance ! ^ 479 commmuis
■^ „ , ™ evervlKjily to
Que nollis*^ pe;'Sone ese nou iawis perwyut ' dudiier- be siiem,
auce, Nese ^ harde de frappas ; ^ niayis gardus to to ^'^ patient :iiid
^'^ ' JO reverential in
paceance, presence of
^ king Herod.
Mayis gardus ^^ voter seneor to cor ^^ reyueraiice ; (98)
Car elat vottur Roie to to puysance.^^
Anon de leo,^'* pase tos ! je vose cum??iande,
E lay Eoie erott la grandeaboly vos vmport.^^ 485
Erode. Qui statis'^^ in Jude et Eex Iseraell,
And the myglittyst conquerowre ^'^ that eyuer Hero.i ma.ie
lieaven and
walkid on grownd ; '■' beii.
For I am evyn lie thatt made botlie lievin and hell, And of my myghte powar holdith vp this world
rownd. Magog and Madroke, bothe ///e[in]^s did I con- defeited
. , Magos and
lOWndC, Madrolie,
And with this bryght bronde there bonis I brak on-
sunder, Thatt all the wyde worlde on those rappis did wonder. 492
pretty lively oral discussion of the most jierplexing of the difficulties, and as I unfortunately neglected to take any notes at the time, I find myself unable, excejjt in one or two cases, to reinemljer to which of the two each suggestion belongs. Of course they are not responsible for any mistakes that may appear lu'rc. I have printed the text with no change except in punctuation." All of the notes upon this pccsscuje are taken directly from M.
* puissance.
^ The second o is probably only a careless forvi of e. ^ ct grands. * de garder tivstous.
* roi seit ici present. * niillo.
'' Kittrcdge ; ici non fasse point. * Ne se. " frapper. ^'^ gardez tote.
" A preposition before the indirect objcc' seems icnncc&isary.
'^ tote. ^-^ Sheldon : Car il est votre roi tout jiuissant.
'^ A ( = au) nom de lui (Sheldon suggests loi instead o/lui).
'' Sheldon suggests that the lin/i properly ends icith grand {modify- ing Erott and rhy>ning ivith 484), — diablo vos emporte ! being merely an unattaclicd jdeasantry addressed to the audience,
'® Qui statis is in red in S.
"-17 M. that . . . ground. '« i>n U.
C. C, PLAYS. 0
18 TWO COVENTRY CORPUS CDRISTI PLAYS.
the cause of I am the cawse of tliis <rrett Iv-rlit and tliuiulfr :
liBlit and ^ , ,
thunder Ytt ys tlirogii my lure f/icii tiie soche noyse dothe
make. My feyref ull contenance fhc clowdis so doth iucn?»hur That oftym/6" for drede tJicv-oi the vcrre yerth and caitii- doth qiiake.
qilitkes ; '■
Loke, wlien I with males this Lryght broiul doth schake, All the whole world from the north to the sowthe I ma them dystroie with won worde of my mowthe ! 499
To reycownt vnto you myn innevmerahull suljstance, — Thatt were to moclie for any tong to tell ; lie is prince Yov all the whole Orent ys under myn oLheydeance,
of inirfTiitory '' j j 7
of heu''""'" -^'"^ prynce am I of purgatorre aiuJ cheff capten
of hell ; And those tyraueos trayturs be force ma I coiTipell and could !Myno enmyis to vanquese and evyn to dust them
aiiiLiliiliilo I118 J ^ 1. J
eneniifs l|y diyve,
battnig Ins *' '
^y"- And wtt/i a twynke of myn iec not won to ho lafte
alyve. 506
Behold my contenance and my colur,
Eryglitur then the suu iu the meddis of the dey. To look at Where can you haue a more grettur succur
liiui is better '' "
ihan Miciit or Tlicn to bchold my pe?-son tliat ys soo gaye 1
!My fawcun ajid my fassioUjWjt// my gorgis araye, — lie thatt had the grace all-wey ther-on to thynke, Lyve the^ "lyght all-wey wit/i-owt othur meyte or
dryidce. 513
And thys my tryomfando fame most liylist dothe a- bowiidc Throgh-owt this world in all reygeons abrod, He ro«emi.i s Reysemclyng the faue?* of thatt most myglit Mahownd ;
Malwnnct is
descended Ffom Jubytor be desent and cosyn to the giett
from Jnniter ^ o
n-lina God, (99)
ciMmin to \ '
the Ucity. ^\,„| namyd the most reydowndid kyng^ Eyrodde,
AV^'cIk! thatt all jjryncis hath und(T snlycccion And all there whole powar vndur my p/v/tcccion. 520
M. cmcnd.i to \\<: '.'/>. II. 685-8. - M. kinj,'.
PAGEANT OF THE SHEARMEN AND TAYLORS.
19
And therefore, my liareoJe here, callid Calcas,
Warne thow eyuere ^ porte thatt noo schyppis a-ryve, 'Not also aleond stranger throg my realme pas,
But the for there truage do pay markis fyve. 524
Ifow spede the forth has tele, For the thatt wyll the contrare Apon a galowse hangid schalbe, A7ul, he Mahowiide, of me the gett noo grace ! 528
I^ONCios. Now, lord and mastur, in all the hast Thy worethe wyll ytt schall be wroght,
A?ul thy ryall cuntreyis schalbe past
In asse schort tyme ase can be thoght. 532
Erode. I^ow schall owre regeons tlirogh-owt be soght
In ejuere ^ place bothe est and west ; Yff any katyffis to me he broght,
Yt schalbe nothyng for there best.
And the wliyle thatt I do resst, Trompettis, viallis, and othur armone Schall bles the wakyng of my maieste. 539
His lierald Calchas must amiouiLce a tax of five marks on foieigiiers.
Calohas will do it.
A searcli for aliens oiilered.
Here Erod rjoth awaj and the iij kijngis speykyth in the st7-ete.
I. Eex. Now blessid be God of his swet sonde, For yondur a feyre bryght star I do see !
Now ys he conion, vs a-monge,
Asse the profet ^ seyd thatt yt schuld be. 543
A seyd ^ there schuld a babe he borne,
Comyng of the rote of Jesse, To sawe mankynd that wasse for-lorne ;
And truly come?i now ys he. 547
Eeyue?*ence and worschip to hym woll I do (100) Asse God and man, thatt all made of noght.
All the profettis acordid and seyd evyn soo.
That with hys presseos blod n:ankynd schuld be boght. 551
^ ContrcKtion for er. - S. profettis, emciid. by M. ' S. Asoyd, corr. by M. Qy. A seyd = they said.
Matt. ii. 1-12.
The first king sees tlie star
and remem- bers the propliecy, Imi, ix. 1.
20
TWO COVENTHY CORPUS CIIRISTI PLAYS.
lie prnya thill he limy st'c Ihe Loi'U's luce.
Tlic secoiiil King hue lost his way.
sees the star of prophecy,
will worship the child.
He sees the other King.
Tliey con- verse.
The third KlnK is aUo lost.
llo grant me grace,
Ee yonder star that I ace,^ And in-to tliatt place
Bryng me ^
Thatt I ma hyin worscliipe \v/t/t umellete And so liy? gloreosc face.
II. Rex. Owt of my woy I deme tliatt I am, For toocuns of thys cuntrey can I uon see ;
Xow, God, tliatt on yoitli madist man,
Send me su??i knoleyge where tliatt I be !
5G1
Yondur, me tliynko, a feyre, bryglit star I see. The wyclie be-tociinyth the byrtli of a chyld
Thatt hedur ys cn?« to make man fre ;
He boine of a mayde,' and sclie nothyng defyld. 565
To worschip tliatt chyld ys myn in-tont ;
Forth now wyll I take my wcy. I trust sum cu?«pany God liathe me sent.
For yonder I se a kyiig labur on the wey ; 5G9
To-warde hym now woU I ryde.
Harke ! cn?/dy kyng, I you pray, In-to whatt cost wyll ye thys tyde,
Or weddur lyis yourc jurney ] 573
I. Eex. To seke a chylde ys myne in-tent Of whom the p>'ofelis liathe ment ;
The tyme ys cu?«, now ys he sent,
lie yondur star here ma [you]^ see. 577
II. Eex. Sir, I prey you, with your lysence. To ryde with you vnto his presence ;
To hym wyll I ofEur frank-in-sence.
For the hed of all Whole Churche schall he be. 581
III. Rex. I ryde wanderyng in veyis wydo, (101)
Oner montens and dalis ; I wot not where 1 am. Kow, Kyng off all kyngis, send me soclic gyde
Thatt I myght liaue knoleyge of thys cuntrcys name. 585
' This and tin preceding line as one iti S. - S. ainayde, con: In/ M. * Supplied by S.
PAGEANT OF THE SHEARMEN AND TAYLORS. 21
A ! yondnr I se a syght, be-semyng all afar, and also sees
The wyclie be-tocuns sum nevis, ase I tree ; Asse me tliynke, a cliyld peryng in a stare.
I trust he be cwn that schall defend vs from woo. 589
To kyngis yondur I see, Tiie Kings
J '^ J ' meet,
And to them avoII I ryde^ Forto liaue there cu??ipane ;
I trust the wyll me abyde.^ 593
Hayle, cu;?dy kyngis augent ! ^
.Good surs, I pray you, whedder ar ye ment]
I. Eex. To seke a chylde ys owre in-tent,
Wyche be-tocuns yonder star, asse ye ma see. 597
II. Eex. To hyni I purpose thys present.
III. Eex. Surs, I pray you, and thatt ryght
vmblee, W/t/i you thatt I ma ryde in cu7??pane. andmiein
"^ ^ i company.
[1 All.] 3 To all-myghte God now prey Ave
Thatt hys pressiose persone we ma se. 602
Here Erode cumyth in ageyne and the messengere seyth: Nuncios. Hayle, lorde most off myght ! Herod leanis
•^ ' •'° ofthekinsjs
Thy com?nandement ys rioht : andtii.ir
In-to thy land ys comyn thi^ nyght
iij kyngis and w^t7t them a grett cu?«pany. GOG
Erod. Whatt make those kyngis in this cuntrey ?
NoNCios. To seke a kyng and a chyld, the sey. Erode. Of whatt age schuld he bee 1 NoNCios. Skant twellve deyis old fulle. GIO
Erod. And wasse he soo late borne? (102)
]S"oNCios. E ! syr, soo the schode me, thys same dey
in the morne. Erod. ]S^ow, in payne of dcyth, bryng them me 'Bi-instiiem
before ine
beiorne ; on piiin of
And there-fore, harrode, now hy the in hast, Gl-i
In all spede thatt thow^ were dyght
Or thatt those kyngis the cuntrey be past ;
Loke tliow bryng them all iij before my syght; G17
' This and the preceding line as one in S.
- M. Qy. and gent. » Suggested by A[. •* JI. tliou.
(leatli.
22 TWO COVENTRY CORPUS CIIRISTI PLATS.
Ami in Jerusalem^ inquere more of that cliykl. Maku fur- IJut I wume the that thy wordis be niykle, ciuirics.' For tliere nuist^ tliow hede and crafte ■vvey[lde]'
How to for-do his powere ; and those iij kyngis slialho i
begiM. G21 '
KoNClOS. Lurdo, I am ledde att yourc byddyiig
To sarve the ase my lord and kyng ;
For joye there-of, loo, how I spryiig .
AV/t/t lyght hart cmd freschc gamboldyng I
Alofte here on this molde ! 626
Erode. Then si)ed the forthe hastely, And loke that thow boyre the ey vinly ; And also I pray the hartely Thatt thow doo coniand me
Bothe to yong and okle.^ 631
[The messenger goes to the kings.'\ • Kiiift iierod KuNCios. Hayle, syr kyngis, in youre degre ;
desires to
»i)eiik with Erood, kyng of these cuntreyis wyde,
Desyrith to sjjeyke wiili you all thre,
And for youre comyng he dothe abj'de, 635
I. Eex. Syr, att his Avyll we be ryght bayne.
Hy us, bretliur, vnto thatt lordis place ; To spcyke wiih hym we wold be fayne ;
Thatt chyld thatt we seke, he grant us of his grace ! G39
[ They go to Herod. ]
Nuncios. Hayle, lorde w?t/;-owt perc ! These iij kyngis here have we broght. •no not bo Erode. Now welcu?», syr kjMigis, all in fere ; (103)
disconcerted i i i
by my jJiit of uiv brvght ble, 9urs, bassche ye noght ! GI3
bcnuly!' J .'o J > Jo
S/r kyngis, ase I vndur.stand,
A star hathe gydid you into my land,
"NVhore-in grett haric ^ ye haue fonde
]5e reysun of Idr bey mis bryght, 647
' S. Jenisiilen, ccrr. hy M.
- S. mast, corr. hy M. '' Emend, by M.
* JAncn G29-631 «,s tu-o in S., the first ending with doo.
* M. ehangcs lo hartiiig.
I
PAGEANT OF THE SHEARMEN AND TAYLORS.
23
Wherefore I pray you liartely
Tlie vere truthe tliatt ye wold sertefy,
How long yt ys surely
Syn of that star you had f urst syght.
He inquires about tho
star.
651
I, Rex, Sa- kynge, the vere truthe to sey And forto schoo you ase hit ys best,
This same ys evin the xij"' dey
Syth yt aperid to vs to be west.^
G55
Erode. Brethur, then ys there no more to sey, But \ii\.h hart and wyll kepe ye your jurney And cu»i whom by me this same wey.
Of your nevis thatt I myght knoo. 659
You schall tryomfe in this cuntre And wtt/i grett conquorde bankett wz't/i me, And thatt chyld myself then woll I see
And honor hym also. 663
' Come home tliis way and baiiciuet Willi nie.'
II. Eex. Sir, youre com??2anderaent we woll fuUfyll And humbly abaye owreself there-tyll.^ He thatt weldith all thyng at wyll
The redde way hus teyche,^ S/r kyng, thatt we ma passe your land in pes ! Erode. Yes, and walke softely eyvin at your one es; 669
Tliey agree.
Youre pase-porte for a C deyis
Here schall you haue of clere cum?>«and, Owre reme to labur any weyis
Here schall you haue be spesschall grante.
and receive a passport.
673
III. Eex. Kow fare-well, kyng of hy degre, (104)
Humbly of you owre leyve we take. Erode. Then adev, su kyngis all thre ; And whyle I lyve, be bold of me ! There ys nothyng in this cuntre
But for youre one ye schall yt take. 679
* 1817 Ed. has to us be west, which is prohahhj t/ie original reading. 2 M. Qy. there-to, ^ M. Qi/. show.
24 TWO COVENTRY CORPUS CHRISTI PLAYS,
[ExeiDit the three kiiu/s.'] Horod niii Now tliesG iij kviicris are "on on fJier wev ;
put tliem to J J ^ o J J
.leiiiii wiuii Oii-wysely niitl oii-wyttelv liaue tlie all wroylite.
they return. ,, ^ J o
"When the cum^ ageyne, the schall dy thai same dey, And thus thess vylc wreychis to dcyth the schalbe Ijroght, — Soche ys my lykyng. 684
He that agenst my lawis wyll hold, Be he kyng or keysar neyue/* soo bold, I schall them cast in-to caris cold
And to dej'th I schall them bryng, G88
Tfiere Erode goth his weyis and tlie iij kynyis cum in ageyne.
The kings I. Rex. 0 blessid God, moclic ys thy myglit !
cui.huice aiu\ AVlioro vs tliis star thatt gawo vs lyght? 690
star.
II. liEX. Now knole we downe here in this presence, Be-sekyiig that Lord of liy mangnefecens ^
That we ma see his hy exselleiice
Yff thatt liis swot wyll be ? » 694
III. Eex. Yondur, brothur, I see the star, Where-by I kno he ys nott far ; Therefore, lordis, goo v.'e nar
Into thU pore place. 698
There the iij kynjis gois in-to the jcscn, to Mare and Air child.
Tiic first I. Rex. Hayle, Lorde thatt all this worlde hatlie
briiijjs gold;
wroght ! Hale, God and man to-godur in fere ! (lOf))
For thow liast made all thyng of noght,
Albe-yt thatt thow lyist porely here ;
A cupc-fnll [of]-* goldc here I haiie the broght,
ihesocoii.i. In toconyng thow art w^'t7i-ollt pere. 704
ineeiis« ; . o
II. 1\EX. Hayle bo thow, Lorde of hymangnyffccens!^ In toconyng of pi-csto[h](>d'' ami dyngncte of ofl'i'ce,
' M. rimi. - S. niaugiU'fpccn.s, corr. hy M. ' S. wylbr, cntr. hy M. * Corr. by S. * S. niawgnyfTi-cons, corr. hy M. " .So M.
PAGEANT OF THE SIIEARMEX AND TAYLORS. 25
To the I offur a cui>e-full off in-sence,
For yt Le-hovith the to haue soche sacrefyce. 708
tii. Rex. Hayle he thow, Lorde loiige iokid fore !
I haue hroght the inyre for niortalete, wyn'h.''''
In to-cunyng thow schalt niaiikynd restore
To lytf be thy deyth apon a tre. 712
Mare. God haue mrtrce, hyngis, of yowre goodnes ; Mary Uesses
Be the gydyng of the godhed hidder ar ye sent ; The provyssion^ off my swete sun your weyis Avhoiii
reydres, And gostely reywarde you for youre present ! 716
[As tJie kings go away, they say ;]
I. Eex. Syr kvnms, aftur owre promes Tiieyave
J J o ^ J. going liome
"Whome he Erode I nivst nedis goo. otHem.i
II. Eex. Now truly, hrethur,2 ^y^ can noo las, I'd re'st"''^
But I am soo for-wachid^ I wott not wat to do. 720
III. Rex. Right soo am I ; where-fore I you pray,
Lett all vs rest vs awhyle upon this grownd. I. Rex. Brethur, your* seying ys right well vnto my pay. The grace of tliatt swet chylde saue vs all sownde! 724
[They lie down, and while they sleep, an angel aj'p^ars.] Angellto. Kyng of Tawrus, Sa- Jcsix^rr, Anangei
greets them
Kvng of Arrahy, Siv Balthasar, and warns
Melchor, Kyng of Aginare,
To you now am I sent. (lOG) 728
For drede of Eyrode, goo you west whom ; In-to those parties when ye cnm downe. Ye schalbe byrrid with gret reynowne ;
The Whqllc Gost thys'"* knole^'gc hath sent. [Exit.] 732
I. Rkx. Awake, s?'r kyngis, I you praye, They talk it
For the voise of an angell I hard in my dreyme.
II. Rkx. Thatt ys full tru thatt ye do sey,
Fin- he reyherssid owre names playne. 736
' 1817 Ed. puyssion. - S. bertliur, corr. by M.
^ S. fur wacliid, corr. by ]\I. * Conlr.for er. * S., M. thus.
over.
26
TWO COVENTRY COUrUS CIIRISTI PLAYS.
Tlie first kiiii; siivs farewell.
the second kiii^' iilsu,
III. Rex. He bad tliatt we scluild goo downe be west For drede of Eyrodis fawls be-traye.
I. Eex. Soo forto do, yt ys the best ; Tlie Child tliat we haue soght, gyde vs the wcy ! 740
Now fare-well, the feyrist of schapp so swete !
And thankid be Jcsns of his sonde, Thatt^ we iij to-geder soo suddenly schuld mete,
Tliatt dwell soo Avyde cmd in straunge lond, 744
And here make owre presentacion
Ynto this kyngis son clensid soo cleync
And to his modtT for ovre saluacion ;
Of moche myrth now ma we meyne,
Thatt we soo well hath done this obblacion. 749
II. Rex. Kow farewell, Sir Jaspar, brothur, to yoeu, Kyng of Tawrns the most worthe;
Sir IJalthasar, also to you I bow ;
And I thanke you bothe of youre good cu»ipany
Thatt we togeddur haue had. 754
lie thatt made vs to mete on hyll, I thanke hym now and eyuer I wyll ; For now may we goo wtt/i-owt yll,
And off owre offerynge be full glad.^ 758
d m. Rex. Now syth thatt we mvst nedly goo (107) For drede of Erode thatt ys soo wrothe, Now fare-well brothur, and brothur also, I tike my leve here at you bothe
This dey on fete.^ 7G3
Now lie thatt made vs to mete on plaync And offur^ to Mare in hir jeseyue, lie geve vs grace in heyvin a-gayne
All to-gey dcr to mete ! 767
[They go out, and Herod and hi^ train occupy the pageant.]
'Hail! Main- Nu.YCios. llayle, kyu^'o,'' most worthist in wede ! courtesy I llayle, nianteinar of curtesc throgh all this world
wyde !
> M. That. ^ S. favne, corr. by ^r. ^ s. fotc, corr. by M. * 6. oirurde, corr. by M. * M. kyiig.
nnd tlio thir king.
PAGEANT OF THE SHEARMEN AND TAYLORS. 27
H;iyle, the most mj'glityst that ejuer bestrod a stede ! Ha[y]ll,^ most monfullist mou iu armor mau to abyde ! Hayle, in thyne hoonowre ! 772
Thesso iii kyngis that forthe were sent T''e t'"ee
J J o kni<<s went
And schuld haue cn?n ageyue before the here h.m,e auoiuer
present, Anothiir wey, lorde, Avhom the went,
Contrare to thyn honowre. 77G
Erode. A-nothur wey 1 owt ! owt ! owtt ! Herod rages.
Hath those fawls traytvrs done me this ded? I stampe ! I stare ! I loke all abowtt !
Myght I them take, I schuld them bren at a glede ! I rent ! I rawe ! cmd now run I wode ! A! thatt these velen trayturs hatli mard thh my mode !
The schalbe hangid yf I ma cum them to ! 783
Here Erode rayis in t\\e pagoncl and in the strete also. E I and thatt kerne of Bedlem, he schalbe ded "e wiii slay
' tlie Child.
And thus schall I for-do his p?-cyfece.2 785 natt.WM-m.
How sey you, s/r knyghtis? ys not this the best red, Thatt all yong chyldur for this schuld be dede,
Wyth sworde to be slaynel (108) 788
Then schall I, Erod, lyve iu lede, And all folke me dowt and drede. And offur to me bothe gold, rychesse, and mede ;
Thereto wyll the be full fayne. 792
I. IMtles. ]\ry lorde, kyng Erode be name, Thesowiers
J ' J o ' wouM rather
Thy wordis agenst my wyll schalbe ; "°'-
To see soo ma?iy yong chylder dy ys schame,
Therefore consell thev-io gettis thou non of me. 796
II. jNIyles. Well seyd, fello, my trawth I plyght.
Sir kyng, pej'seyve right well you may, Soo grett a morder to see of yong frute
Wyll nuxke a rysyng in thi noone cuntrey. 800
Ekoue. a rysyng! Owt! owt! owt! 801
^ Corr. hy S. - Qy. his profeoe for-do.
28 TWO COVENTRY CORPUS CHRISTI PLAYS.
There Uroife ragis ageyne and then scyth thus : Herod threat- Owt ! veloii wrvcliis, har apon you I cry !
ens to h.iiig J J 1 J J
i''«"- My wyll vtturly loko that yt bo wroglit,
Or apon a gallowse botlie you schall dy,
Bo ^Maliownde most myglityste, that me doro hath boglit ! 805
I. MvLKS. Now, cruell Erode, syth we schall do this dode !
Your wyll nedefuUy in this realme mvste be wroght ; All the chyldfr of that age dy the mvst nede ;
Xow w/t/( all my myght the schall be v[)S0ght. 809
Tiicy swear n. Myles. And I woll sweyre here apon your brvfrht
obt-aioiice. '' I J JO
sworde,^ All the chjdder thatt I fynd, sclayne tha schalbe ; Tliatt make many a moder to wepe and be full sore af erde - In owre armor bryght when the hus sec. (109) 813
Erode. Xow you have sworne, forth tJiat ye goo, And my wyll (hatt ye wyrke bothe be dey arid
if.> trips like And then wyll I for fa3'nc trypp lyke a doo.
a doe.
But whan tlie be ded I Avarne you bryng ham^ be-fore my syght. 817
j/.i«.ii. 13-15. [Ilerod and his train go away, and Joseph and Mai-y are,
while asleejt, addressed by an angel.]
Angellc'S. ISImc and Josoff, to you I sey,
.Swetc word from the Fathur I bryng you full ryght: 'Oo forth Owt of Budlem in-to Eygype forth goo ye the wcy
into Egypt I * ' ^ ,
And with you take the King, full of myght,
For drcde of Eroddis rede ! 822
JosoFF, A-ryse up, Mare, hastely and sone ;
Owre Lordis wyll nedys mvst be done,
Lyke ase the angell vs bad. 825
' M . changes to swcrde.
- Th is fin'7 as two in S. , the first ending uith wcjie.
^ M. prints [tjliaui.
PAGEANT OF THE SHEARMEN AND TAYLORS, 29
Mare. IMekelv, Josoff, my none sT)Owse, 'Meekly let
us go ! '
Towarde that cuntrey let vs reypeyre ; Att Eygyp ^to sum cun off^ liowse,
God grant hus grace saff to ciwi there ! ' 829
Here the wevien"^ citm in wijthe there chyldur, syngyng'^ ' them ; and Mare and Josoff goth aivey cleyne.
I. "\YoMON. I lolle my chylde Avondursly swete, The moti.evs And in my narmts I do hyt kepe, babes.
Be-cawse thatt yt schuld not crye.
II. ^VoMAN. Thatt babe thatt ys borne in Bedlem,
so meke, He saue my chykl and me from velany ! 834
III. "Woman. Be sty 11, be styll, my lyttull chylde !
That Lorde of lordis saue bothe the and me ! (110) For Erode hath sworne with wordis Avyld
Thatt all yong chyldur sclayne the schalbe. 838
I. Myles. Sey ye, wyddurde wy vis, whydder ar ye The soldiers
will obey a-Wey 1 Herod's
commands.
What beyre you in youre armz's nedis mvst we se. yff the be maii-chyldur, dy the mvst this dey,
For at Eroddis wyll all thyng mvst be. 842
II. Myles. And I in handis wonys them hent,
Them forto sley noght woll I spare ; "We mvst full-fyll Erodis com??;andement,
Elis be we asse trayturs and cast all in care, 846
I. "Woman. Su- knyghtis, of youre curtessce, 'Desist, for
shame ! ' says
Thys dej"- schame not youre clievaldre, the first.
But on my child- haue pytte
For my salce in this styde ; 850
For a sympull sclaghtur yt Avere to sloo Or to wyrke soche a chykP woo, Hiat can noder speyke nor goo,
Nor neuer barme did. 854
^— ^ M. introduces this emend, by Kittrodge; S. su?;i tocuii oil'. '^ M. wemen, ^ The song (II.) is at the end of tlw pageant. * M. chyld. 5 ^[ eliylde.
30 TWO COVEN'TRY CORPUS CilUISTI PI. AYS.
TiiosccoM.i H. "WoMOX.^ lie tliatt sleyis niv cliyM in syprlit,
will ilili-na . . J .' J JO >
hcrciiiid. \ft tliatt my stiukis on liym ma lyglit, 1)0 he skwyar or kiiyglit,
I lioUl hym but lo.st. 858
Sc, thow fa whs lo-syiigere, A stroke sclialt thow boyre mo liore^
And spare for no cost. 861
Aihiriiwiii III. AVoMAN. Sytt lie noyuer soo Ly in saildull,
lii.v nil wall .' J J '
apotiiuiie. J lilt I ^cliall make liis braynis addull, And hero wiili my pott-Iadull
W/t/t liym woll I fyght. (111)865
I schall ley on hym, a[s] tliogh^ I wode wore, Vsiih tliys same womanly geyre; There schall uoo man steyre,
Wheddiir thatt he be kyng or knyght. 869
\_IIcre they kill the children.']
'Didyou I. ]\Iyle!S. "Wlio luud oyuer sochc a cry
ever hear "' "^
eucbacry?' Of wemcn tliatt there chyldur haue lost,
And grettly reybukyng chewaldry
Throgh-owt this reme in ej'iicro'* cost, "NVycho many a mans lyff ys lyke to cost 1 For thys grett wreycho that here ys done I feyre moche wengance fher-oK woll cu?«. 876
II. ^fvLES. E! brothur, .soche talis may we not tell; \Vhore-foro to the kyng lett vs goo, The King For he ys lyke to beyre the perell, tbcbiiuiic. AVyclie wasse the cawsor that we did soo.
Yett must the all be broglit hym to WA7t waynis and waggyns fully fryght ; I tro there wolbo a carefull syght. [They goto ITcrod.] 883
Tiicy report. I. i^Iyi.es. Loo ! Eyrodc, kyiig, Ijoic luast tliow SOO How many ^I' thatt we liauc .slaync. II. .Mvi.i:.^. And nedi.s thy wyll full-fyllid must be;
There ma no mon scy there-agcjne. 887
' ]\I. Wo.MAN. "^ Conlr./orcT.
' S. athog, con: by M. * Su M., S. oyuecr.
PAGEANT OF THE SHEARMEN AND TAYLORS. 31
[Enter ]\^itniius.] Nu.vcios. Eyrode, kyng, I scLall the tell, ^aoE^Jpt
All thy dedis ys cum to noght ; '"^'i^ i"'"^^"-
This chyld ys gone in-to Eygipte to dwell.
Loo ! sir, in thy none laud what woudiu-s byn wroght! 891
Erod. Into Eygipte ? alas, for woo ! (112) "terti'e'^**
Lengur in lande here I canot ahyde ; fugitives.
Saddull my palfrey, for in hast wyll I goo, Aftur youdur trayturs now wyll I ryde,
Them for to sloe. ri f^^l-OZ 896
ITow all menus' hy fast
In-to Eygipt^ in hast !
All thatt cmitrey woU I tast,
Tyll lima cum them to. 900 ■-, .
Fynes lude de taylars and scharmen. '
Tys^ matter / nevly correcte he Rohart Croo / the xiiij*'^ dey of marche / fenysschid in the yere of owre Lorde God / M CCCCC & xxxiiij*^*^. / then heyng mayre mastur Palmar / also mastris of the seyd fellyschipp Hev Cor- bett / Eandull Pynkard and / John Baggeley.
AS f*,\OZ 896
f i2^
Theise songes (113) / belonge to / the Taylors and Shearcmens Pagant. / The first and the laste the shephcards singe / and the secoiid or middlemost the ivomen singe.
Thomas Mawdycke
Die decimo tertio Maij anno do?»mi millessimo quin- gentesimo iionagesimo prinio. / Praetor fuit ciuitatis Couentriae D. Mathaexis^ Richardson, tunc Co:isules / Johanes Whitehead et Tliomas Grauener.^
Song I. As I out rode this endcres night, Of thro iuli shei)pardes I saw a sight, And all a-bowte there fold a star shone bright ; They samje terll ferlow ;
So mereli the sheppards ther pipes can blow. 5 ' S. T[li]ys. - S. Mathaeiis. corr. by M. * M. Craucnei-.
32 TWO COVENTRY CORrUS CnUISTl PLAYS.
Song II. Lulhj, lulla, ihow UHell tine child, By hi/, luUij Jullaij, i\\ow littell tyne child. By by, lully I all ay !
0 sisters too, How may we do^
For to preserve this, day This pore yongling For whom we do singe ^
By by, lully luUay ] 6
Herod, the king, (HI)
In his raging,^
Chargid he hath this day
His men of might In his owne sight ^
All yonge children to slay, — 12
That wo is me. Pore child, for thee,^
And ever morne and may^ For thi parting Nether say nor singc,^
J^.y by, lully lullay. 18
Song IIL Doune from heave;?, from heave?i so hie, Of angeles //<er came a great coiiipanie, 'Willi mirthe and icy and great solemnitye.
The sange terly terloic ;
So mereli the sheppards i\\er pipes caw blow. 5
^ Tins and the preceding line as one in S. ' S. say; M. attrib. con: to Kittiedge.
53
\viQtm\t d tlje WicuiitxB.
[Dramatis Persons.
i. Prof eta 1
ii. Profda Vin the Prophet Play (LI. 1-176).
Hi. Prof eta]
Simeon
Anna
i. Angel
ii. Angel
Clarccus
Gabriel
Mary
Joseph
Joseph
Marij
Jesus
i. Doctor
ii. Doctor
\
Hi. Doctor J
In the Purification (LI. 177-721).
I In the Disputation in the Temjile r (LI. 722-1191).]
Propeta VRiiius. Ye grett^ astronemars^ now awake, (31) 'strange
news ! A star Ims appeared in'
"Wiili youre * famws fatheres of felosefy And in-to the oreient reyspecte ^ ye take,
AVhere nevis and strangis be cmn of lately,
Affermyng the seyng of old profecie, Thatt a star ^ schuld apere Apon the hyll of Wawse among hus here !
II. Profeta.''' Ye brethur aU, then be of good chere, For those tythings makyth ^ my hart ful lyght !
We haue desirid many a yere
Of thatt star to haue a syglit,
And spesschalli of that kyng of myght
^ Reprinted from Tlic Presentation in the Temple, A Pageant, as originally re2)resented by the Corporation of Weavers in Coventry. Edinburgh : Printed for the Abbotsford Club, 1836. The editor of this was Thomas Sharp. In the footnotes, S. indi-,ates this edition, H. indicates the edition by Professor F. Holthausen in Anglia, N. F. XIII., 209-50. The MS., with which this text has been collated, belongs to the Clothiers and Broad Weavers' Company of Coventry, and is to be placed among the Corp. MSS. MS. b refers to the fragments of another version printed for the first time in Appendix IV.
- MS. b. Ye gret, MS. E ! grett (?), S. Grett.
' H. emcTuls to astronomars, many similar changes beloiv.
* S. youre, H. ye. » MS. b. aspecte. « H. inserts [of Jacob].
'' S. I'liOFETA II; SO below for prophets, angels, and doctors.
8 S. in wyth, corr. emend, by H.
C, C. PLAYS. D
the east,'
'It is the star of prophecy,'
34
TWO COVENTRY CORPUS CUHISTI Pl.AV.S.
The Becond pniplii't wixlies to know more of it.
'It !<ii;iiific8 tlie Nativity,
according to till' propiict Dnloani.' Xum. xxiv. 17.
The mnnner of his birtli.
laainh tlic ntitlioritv. /«i. vii.'U.
Of whose ciu«yng we haue playne warnyng
Be tliis same star aftur profettis (leseinyug.^ (32) H
Yet furtliur, I pm- you for my larnyng,
Lett hus liawe^ snm comenecaciou Of tliis star be okld pro^nostelying'*
IIow hit aperitl^ and under whatt fassion. 18
I. Profeta. Sir, aftur a strange deformacion'^ As bo atorite reyherse I can ;
For this same star be interpretacion Syngnefyth'^ the natevete of a man ; 22
As the p)-ofett Balam
In his text afarniyth right well,
Seying : " Orietur stella ex Jacoho, ct exsurget homo de Israel." 2r>
He seyd of lacobe a star sclinld springe, "Wyche syngnefyith only this same kyngc
Thatt amongist vs now ys cnm. And as towchyng tlie letter foUoyng :
Et ip&e domiaabitur omni genevacione. 30
II. Profeta. Sir, here ma be movid a quosteou
Of this nobuU prince of soo lii degree, Tlie wyche of all men schall haiie domeneon,
Vndur what manor borne he schuld be.
I. Puofkta. Ase ye schall here right wonder- ful le* Be dovine powar of a virgene pure, Afarmyng the profeci agenst all nature. (3^) .37
II. Profeta. "Where fynde you t/tat in wholle scrip- ture Before pro^/nosteiide' this to be donel
I. Profeta. Isaee the profett wrytith full sure,
Erce virgo concipiet,^ pariet filium ! [f- 1 «]
Balam seyng of the heyvinly wyssedome^^
' H. changes to desarnyng ; many similar alterations throughout. - H. lorilcs pj'rt[y], similarly below in numerous othrr cases. •' H. cluingcs w to v ; so belou- in other similar words.
* Contraciion /or \)ro. ' S. aperie. * MS. 1). <lpmonstiMninii.
* S. SynKiiefyii, MS. illegible, M.'^. b. singnefitli. * S. woiulerfull. "•' II. iii.tcrts [ct]. '" H. puts this lim' in the foot-iwlcs.
PAGEANT OF THE WEAVERS.
35
A man scliuld spryng here in Isaraell,
The ^ seyd Isayee answeyring to that questeon : ^ Et vocabituv nomen eius Emanvel.
45
II. Profeta. Yett liaue I grett marvel],
How thatt men schuld tell ^
Off such strangis before the fell,
And man beyng here but a mortall creature.^ 49
I. Profeta. Be devine powar, I make you sure,
The sprete of profece to them was sent, Soo to subscrybe in whoUe scripture,^
And yett them-selfe wyst not watt yt ment. 53
II. Profeta. Now laude be vnto hym that soche knoleyge sent
Vnto hus wreychis of pore symplecete. Where* he ys Lord and God omnipotent, (34)
In this hys wyll to make hus preve !
I. Profeta. Did nott that pj-ofett man Malache Kesite vnto hus on this same wyse Thatt the sun of lyff schall spring and arise % 60
AVyche cawsid Isaee to cast up his iees
Toward heyvin w/t/i all his inward syght,
Seying, " Good Lord, afarmyng thy promes.
Send downe to hus this wonly sun off myght, Huse to reystore vnto owre right !
Owt of deserte, from the liard stone,
Keycomfordyng tlii doghtur dwyllyng in Sion ! " 67
Also Jaramo,^ thatt wholle mon,
Seyd in heyvin God schuld make seede,
A greyiie off Davith, thatt now ys cu?«,
AVyche eyuer in gracys shall spring and spreyde And kepe Juda owt off drede
And also Isaraell sett in surenes,
And he schall make jugenicntis of rightwescncs.
^ H. emends The[ii].
2 This and the preceding line inverted in H.
^ This and the preceding line as one in H.
* H. h'ls Where[as]. » H. niters to Jarcnie.
' How could such a pro- phecy be made?' ,
The prophecy of Malachi. 3Ial. iv. 2.
Isaiah's prayer.
Jeremiali's prophecy.
Jer. xxxiii. ■ii. (?)
36
'TWO COVENTKY cOHPUS CHIUSTI PLAYS.
Tlio spooml Prophet is imtoiiiulivil.
More about tlie ogiiiiiii; of tliv Messiah.
Kurtlicr i|iieslisn al)uut Uie star.
Dsscription ul' llic vision.
II. l'i{(n''i;TA. I wondre to liere you tliis cxpres,
l>c actons hi, this wortlie niystere, And si>esschalle of this \irt\i rightwessenes,
Where liit schalbo vsid aiul in whatt parte. 78
I. PuoFETA. Apon tlie yarthe bothe with liy and loo
Jegre ; And rightwessenes men scliall liym call, (3'))
When he schall ciu/( to sit in the see [f. 2]
Of King Davit, t/mt most riall stall ; ^ And fher schall he Ijefore the ^iristis all
Of Juda and Leyve be his powar device,
With nev - insence to do sacrefyce. 85
To God aboue for the grett offence
Of the peple and for ^ yngnorance/ With tlicre offeringe to make reycompence
For the lenage of Adanu* p/-ogeny.
This schall this childe by theyni free From all the offencis thatt the haue done Be cruell deyth and bytte/' passion. 92
II. Profeta. Good ^ su', yett under pjvxlustacion''
Owre foyth thereby for to iucresse,
Of tliis star lett lius haue reylacion,
How hit aperid and vndur whatt fassion,
Yff hit wold pleyse you for to expressed I. PuuKETA. With tliucrs stToymis of grett biightn.'s, 98
,\. cliild thorm of Uagrant swetnes,
Wyche apon his bake a crosse did beyre,
And of an eyguU hit bare tlie lykenes, Beytyng his wyngis into the eyre ; A woise there-iu oil" lange feyre'^
Thatt wasse hard throgh-owt the cuntrey,
Seyinge : '^Naiii-i est nohin oddie rex Judeonim — et
sefhrre."^ (30) lOf)
> S. of all. H. omits of a.\\. •' II. chauf/cs V to \v ; so below in similar words, •' H. i'/wris [their]. * H. inserts [hi]. ■'' II. Ood. " H. chiinrfcs to i)r')testacion.
" H. inverts this niui tlir prcccdin(j linr. ** S. laiigc fej'fc ;
II. Juix li»iif^ag]f fcyrc. ■' II. <:orr. {\\]oilic . . . rctrra.
PAGEANT OF THE WEAVERS. 37'
II. Profeta. Of a farthur declaracion I wold you praye, Further
"Whatt trybus the Avere and in whatt parte, The were date, and whatt iiianer a Avey
They haiie made p?'obate of this profece. 109
I. Profeta. And thatt schall I scho yon right Twelve lords
eyvedently. kept watch
•' '' anoyeaislor ,
The grett lordis of the land of Caldy f'e star,
Fowndid twelve masturs of asestroneniy
For to SB this star apere ; And when these masturs were eylecte. On the hill of Wawse tlier wache the kepte And the all togedder neuer sclepte
Abowe ix'^ yeve. 117
II, Profeta. And dide the soo longe wache^ that
hiin [r.2«]
I, Profeta, Ye truly, tyll !'7;at hit was this kynfjis whichwnsa
'' ■^ -^ ° guide for the
■\vill three Kings.
This seyd profece for to fullfyll, Thatt strange star to send them till,^
"Whereof the had intellegence ; 122
That aftur the darkeues of the nyght In the day hit schone soo bright, Thatt when the sun and the stare In the yeyre togeythur warre, (37)
Eetwyxt them wasse lyttull or non indyfference. 127
And soo this stare wasse a serveture Matt. w. o.
And vnto iij kyngis a playn cundeture
Vnto the mancion of a vw'gin pure. 130
II. Profeta. But ar you sure for whatt intent 1
1. Profeta. Forsothe to Bedlem strevtcht the went. The ofTcrin-.s
ot the KiiiKs.
WJiereasse the offurd to tliis cliilde reuerent
'SSfiXit grett omage a fam»,s present. 134
The furst wasse gold, as most myghte kyng ;
The seycond wasse myr, asse prist of pristis boyng ;
The thryd wasse insence, in tokyning of byrring.'' 137
' H. inserts [on]. - H. changes to tlieru.
■' II. ckaiiijes to bvriin.i;.
38 TWO COVEKTRY CORPUS CHRISTI PLATS.
II. Profet.\. Yet wold I kno the cawse spesschally,
AVhatt movicl these kyngis to cum so hastelj',
And whedur the cam oopun or prevy. 140
I. Profeta. Tlio star hroght them throgh eyuere cunlre ; And eyni9r as the cam oopunly,
The dide intpiere of those nevis ; 'Where is Evuey the axid, " Where vs he
Hell.HtU , , r ,
VHirii Kinifor Xliatt VS borne for to be
the Je\Tfl ? *
ii'ttt. ii. i. The kyng of Juys 1" ^ 146
•L«t«g Therefore Ictt 1ms wit/( all delegence
depart to pay
our .k'votion" Vnto that clivld "cve honowre a)nl revuerence, (38)
to the child.' Jo ^ j > \ /
And thatt we ma cum vnto his presence
To haue fruyssion of his hi deyit[e]. 150
And, hrothur, I thanke you of youre pacyence ;
For now att thys tyme departe wyll wee. ExccfU.^
II. Profeta. Now, hrothur, for youre swete sentence, Att all tynn's welcu»^ to me — 154
Tiiey pr.->ise Lqo ! fryiulis,^ there mav you see
Ood for tlieir j ' ^ j
i>..rtioiiiar How God in iiiau workitli alwev.
eiiliK><ten- J
iiifiit, Now all we fliat bis servandis be [f. .s]
Ilathe grett cawse in hym to joie, AVyche sendyth bus knoleyge the truth to sey ; And he soo meraculosly Avyrkyng fherwith Thatt of all seycrettis we wryte* the were pyth ; IGl
Wherefore moche cawse haue we to make myrth, When we reyme»?bur the gloreose birthe
Of this viVgyns sun. lie the Seconde Person in the Trenete Eyipiall w/tA his Fathur in deyite And'' unih'r the curteyne of owre vmanete,
For bus wold man becu/». IGS
mid exhort "Whercfoi'o, here I cxsorte von all,
That in this place here aseinbulde be, Vnto this chylde for incrcc cawll,
' This mid preceding line as one in S., corr. by H. "^ Slngc-dirrdioH omiltcd in S. Speech of second jirophct begins at line 15.') in S. " H. inserts [derc].
* H. changes to wyte. * H. oinit^ And.
PAGEANT OF THE WEAVERS.
39
Luke ii. 25-35.
Simeon's prayer.
Adam's fall and mail's mortality.
Wyche scliall roydeme vs apon a tre. 1/2 to pray for
redemption.
And tliatt gloreose blys tliatt we ma see,
Wyche li« liatlie ovdenide for all men In bis selesteall place to be (39)
In secula secidoTuni, amen ! 176
Here Semeon iivtrythe ami the last pvofelt gothe oictt. Semeon. The seylesteall Soferent, owre by Gode eternall ! Wyche of this mervelus world ys tlio. fowndatur, And create^ the by beyvius bis one see enipfrell
W<t// sun, nione and staris, yortbe,^ sky and
wattur-^ — - And al for the sustenance of owre vmayne nature — W^'tA fysche, fowle, best, and eyuere othur tbyng, Vndur bus to baue tM naturall cowrs and beyng. 183
Yett owre forniere parence at the begynnyng
Throgh dj^ssobeydence bad a grevose fawll From the by pales a}id blys eyue?'lastyng
Downe into tbis^ wale^ off "^ meserabull mvndall ; For the wyche transgression all we ar now mortall, Thatt before wasse infynite for eyue?" to reinayne And now schall take yend' be deyth and cruell
payne. 190
Wyche grevoise sorro ofte dothe me constrayne Inwardly to syghe and byttur teyris to wepe,
Tyll thatt I reyme7?ibur the grett coraforde ageyne
Of anceant profettis w^t/t thev sentens swete, [f. 3u] Whose fructu?<s .syence of p?'ofownde larnyng depe
In there awturs aperith to bus right manefestly,
Of Isaee, Sebbellam,*^ Balani, and Malache. 197
0 Lorde of lordis ! In hart beseke I the,
Of this infinite worke to send me the tru lyght. He prays
' H. omits And and writes Create[d].
^ S. ^Aortlie. H. chanties to for the. ^ S. matter.
■* Omitted ill S. '^ H. rhancjes to vile. ^ So IMS. b., MS. and.
' S. thand. =* MS. b. has the Sebellis.
Simeon's sighs and tears.
40 TWO COVENTRY CORPUS CHRISTI PLAYS.
fnrnsieht Trulv to cxpownde this sovdo wholle profece :
of llm lie- '' ' ■' ^ '
dwiiier, Anil also of that kyng that I ma liaue a syglit, (40) 201
And that we ma walke in his weyis ujtpri^dit,^ The wycho he reydi'inoidu schall hus all reyh'S, At whose cu;»yng the tru ovnciuii of Juda schall
seyse, 204
for lie is Xow, Lord, fullfyll thatt liy tyme of pes!
({rowing old.
For age draith me fast ajion. Fayne wold I see thatt wholle of whollenes,
Or this mortall lyff fro me were gone.
Xow, Lorde, ase thow art iij in won, Grant me grace, yff thatt thy wyl^ he, In my nold age that syght for to see ! 211
Hewouiii Then at tliy wyll, Lordo, fayne wolde I be, in ptace." Yff thow soclic grace wuldist me sende,
To loove the, Lordo, with all vmclyte,
And soo of my lyff then to make an ende ! Yett, Lordi', thi grace to me now extende, iSiiffur me rathur yett to lyve in peyne Then to dy, or thatt 1 thatt solam syght haue seyne ! 218
ZiiAe ii. 36-S8. Here Ane ciirayth in to Scmcon and scytJu :
Anna asks AxE. 0 sufferent Someon ! 'WiUi all soleranete, iK-Tert ill his Thatt of owre gloreose tempuU hath the gouern-
ance, 'With all dev rouc?*ance here beseke I the
Thi^ olde frynde in Godo to haue in reyme?«bur-
ancc, The w^'che hathe tavrid be a long coutonvance For the comyng of the right Messce, "NVyche hathe byn promysid viito hus be profece. 22.")
O Lordo ! thogh that I be nothyngo wortho
To see the fassion of fhi most presseoso pyctorc, Yctt, Lordo, acsopie me of thi grctt marce, (41)
' T/iis line supplied from JIS. b.
- II. inserts [h\i]. ^ II. writes iAi[n]-
prayer.
PAGEANT OF THE WEAVERS.
41
Asse tliy pore serwand and feythfull creature.
To SB the, Lorde, yff thai I myght be sure, No lenger on ^-ownd wold I reyquere In this mortall lyff to coutenev here. [f- *]
SiMEO-V. 0 feythefuU frynde and louer dere !
To you this text ofte haue I tolde. That the lyght of Leyve amonge vs here
In Isaraell schuld be boght and sokl ;
Asse avnceant pj'ofettis hereof hathe told, That in this lande here he schuld make surenes, And he to be cawlid the Kyng of Pes.
Asse Isaee hymselfe herein to wyttnes,
" In facie populomm," this did he sey, "Cwm venerit sanctus sanctorum, cessahit undio vestra." And soo when owre ryglit blod schall seyse, IMoche viVtu and grace then schall incresse With hy jugeme?itis of right wessenes
Amongest hus evyn here in Isaraell.
Ane. Yff tliatt I niyght abyde that dey, Tliatt wholle off wholleis for to see
Wyche thatt I haue desyrid allwey, In this worlde^ well were me. Now, Lord, and yff thy wyll hit be,
Grant me my hoope, longe lokid fore ;
Then joie nor welthe kepe I no more.
SiMEoy. Now, Ane, systur and dere frynde, Lett hus botlie with a Avhole intent
In thys tru feyth owre lyvis yend,
Lawdyng tliatt Lorde wyche ys o?unipotent ; Wherefore I thynke hyt full expcydente-
In conteniall preyar for to indure,
To kno fherhy his graceose plesure.
Ane. 0 sofferent Semeon ! Thi fara?e,s consell
Inwardely gladyth me in my hart. No-tliyng coutentytli my mynd soo well.
Wherefore at this tyme woll we dcparte.
232
She Wduld also die gladly if she coiiUI see the Lord.
He (juotes prophecy.
239
246
(42) 253
Dan. ix. 21.
Anna prays that she may abide until the c-oraiii<'.
They must endure in continual prayer.
260
264
Anna is eu- couriiged.
^ H. inserts [so].
- S. expeydeut. H. cfianges to expetlyeiit ; so oilier similar ivords.
42 TWO COVENTRY CORPUS CIIRISTI PLAYS.
•TiieT.ord ijo Simkox. K'ow, Aiio, svtli that vo wol heiicc ncdt'^
thy KiiiJe : ■ ^ ' » ., J
Vnto tlie toiupuU ^ylth all spede [f. ><i]
Owre Lonlis wyll for to aljydp, That Lord of lordis be thy gyde
And sende the that wyche tliow lovist most ; Bothe lieyle- awJ bote for the i);'ovule,
AVhere-eyuc/- thow goo in any cost ! 271
A)i€ ijocs out. Simeon I'lyndis, now vs liit tynie to prey.
ahvavM pravH ^ > j o i ..
'"""■"••f '"? " Before that I my rest do take,
goes to rest. •' '
^ly custome liathe yt byn ahvcy,
Asse long ase eyiier I am awake, (43)
Intersession vnto that Lorde to make
Of hym to obteyne all my reyquest,
And then full jieysable to take my rest,^ 278
Jiis prayer. Now, Lordc, that madist all thyng of noght,
Both hevyn aivl hell and eyuere creature,
Asse thow knoist myn iuwarde thoght,
Reycomforde [mo]'* when hit ys thy plesure ; For I do covett no more treysure
Then the tyme of thy natevete
W/t/i my mortall yeeis thatt I myght sc. 285
But asse thow wolt, Lorde, all thyng mvst be,
And reysun hit ys thatt hit be soo ; !My wyll therio schall eyuer agre.
My wholle desyre now dost thow kno.
Or thatt I vnto slepe do goo, I rom»<ytt my Avarkis with all the sercumstancc AVholly vnto thy lawis ami ordonance. 292
Tlu^re Scvieon settya. hym doiuie to rest, asc hit were, and tlu: Angell seythe to hym:
aiiiiouiicc*
Aiinneci I. Angkll. Scuieon, of thy rost awakc ;
Owre Lordo in hcyvin he sendyth'' the gretyng < >f my message, Wi'tZi the for to make,
^ S. 7/cde. H. chaiiges to rede ami inserts [I] before it.
- Changed by a later hand to heylth. ^ OviiUal in S.
* Supplied by H. ' ,Vo H', S. semlyght.
PAGEANT OF THE WEAVERS.
43
V^iUi the, hys frind, a solame nietyiig ; [f-s]
Hys hlessid bode viito tlii kcpyng "WttZ/in schort tyme schal be brogbt, And here in thy tempull thow schalte be soght. 299
Semeoa'. Lorde, whence cam this solani noyse (44)
That awoke me here soo suddenly 1 My spretis therwith did soo reyjoyse,
Thatt no lenger slepe cowlde I.
Me-tlioght he seyde right pez'fettly, . Thatt solam Siifferent thatt I scliukle see And haue hym here in my custode. 306
II, AxGELL. Semeon, thatt Lorde in Trenete
"Whom thow hast desirid to see alwey At thy tempull offurde schal be
Vnto thy honde tJiis same day.;
Theriove spede in all tliatt thow may, That the tempull in ordur be This pry nee to reyseyve with all vmelete. 313
tlint Clirist is siioiUy to be Uiuiiglit to the temple.
' Spped tliat tliy temple be in order.'
[Exeunt the two aiigels.]
Simeon. Xow, Lorde of lordis, thankis be to the !
These gloreose tythyngis that here be tolde In my liart soo gladith me
Thatt I am lyghtar a M folde
Then eyu^r I wasse before. Therefore wyll I^ with al my myght To se my tempull soo presseoosly pyght In gorgis araye thatt hyt be dyglit This prynce for to OAvnowre.-
Sinieon rcgoices.
318
322
There Semeon gothe to his Claries and scyth:
Kow, frj'ndis all, be of good chere. And to owre tempull draw we nere ; Soche solam nevis now I here,
I'hatt all my spretis dothe glade. Thatt babe ys borne of dyngnetc Thatt we soo long hathe desirid to see,
(45)
nnd informs liis ^•le^k^.
326
' II. inserts [specie].
II. has [hjoiiowre, siinilarhj hclow.
u
TWO COVKNTRY CORPUS CIIRISTI I'LAYS.
Oure Lord mid Kyng^ most myglite,
Thatt all this world 2 made. CiiARECt/'.s. Xow Idessid mot that lordc ^ he. Thatt (ley ami owre thatt we schall see His gloreose hodde in Trenete,
Thatt flowre that neutv schall fade !
330
.334
Ho i.i.u tiioin Semeon. No leugcr, Surs, lett vs ahyde,
l»rt'p:ire to
raceivetiie ]Jut to the teiiiindl witli all spedc
Lord. , ^ . '
To reyseve the Saiieowre of this world wyde [f. 5a] And hym to serve with lowe and drede ! Xow, Sirs, loke thatt 3'e take good hede
To wayte (Oid serve wilJi all dolegence,
His grace to ownowre wilh liuniljle reuerence ! 3-il
A clerk asks Clarect-v. To Si?/'iie a prvncc of soche majjneffecens,
f.r i.istnic- r. . T ,
ti. .118 about iiir, 1 wasse ncuer wont there-to.
the sacrifice.
Sythe ye t/terin hatha more intellegence,
Instnicte me, StV, how that I schiild do.
Lest thatt I do offende ; (4G) 34G
For rathur then I wolde hym greive, Thatt Lord on whom I do beleve, — Yett had I leyue/" my-self reymeve
Yiito the worldis yendc. 350
IIiiw it U to be i>errunne(I.
Semeox. Sith thatt ye for knoleyge dothe make sute. Your wyttis the l)ettur do I reyinite.
With humble hartis and^ meke, 353
"Won of hus must holde the lyght
Audc the othur the sacrefyce ; And I on kneis, asse hyt ys right, Tlie ollece to exsersyse
Vnto thatt l)abe soo swettc. 358
Ci.AREcr.s. 'I'lii'ii hast we this alter to araye And clothis iiir (luowre f heron to Irtyc Ande the grownde straw we with (lowris gay Tiiatt of oddur swctely sincllif:.
> H. inserts \(fi^t]. ' 11. /icw lord[iiig]L.
- H. iiutcrt.s [liiilli]. Ml. huicrLs [fill].
3(J2
PAGEANT OF THE WEAVERS. 45
Semeon. And when he aprochis nere this place,
Syng then -with me thatt conyug hasse They sing.
And the othur the meyne space
For joie rynge ye the belHs. Cantant} 3G6
There Semeon aiid his Claries rjothe vp to the temindl aiul Gaberell cumyth to the tempull dore and seyth : [Mary ami Joseph with the child have occupied the front part £«A:eii. 22-25.
of the pageant. ]
Gabereel. Havle, Mare, meke and mvkl ! (47) Gabriel greets
'' " ^ ' Mary aiiil tlie
The viVtu in the schall neyuer fade. chiia.
Hayle, meydyn, and thy chylde,
Thatt all this world ^ made ! 370
Thy seylestoall Fadur wyche ys omnipotent He bids iicr
Of his 2 ambassaye hethur hathe me sent inthetemiiie.
Vnto the, lade and v/rgyn reynerent,
WitJt thy sun, owre heyvin Kynge ! 374
Unto the tempull thatt thon schuldist goo, [f. g]
And to Avhyt turtuls with the also, And present the chyld and them to,
All iij of them in offeryng. 378
Spede you forth thatt ye were gone !
But ley ve nott ye ^ wold Josoff at whome ; Joseph must
For nedely, lade, he mvste be won iier.
In this sacrefyce doyng. 382
Mare. With hart and wyll hit schal be done Mary win
obey.
In pleysing of that fathur of myght. Thyddur Avyll I bothe hastely and sone
And take [wath] ^ me my child soo bryght. 386
Gaberell. Theti to Josoff goo ye full right, Gabriel ae-
And make hym preve of this case. Byd hym hast that he were dyght
To gyd you theddur into tliat place.
Now rest well, Mare, witii moche solas ! (48)
For I mvst thiddur asse I cam froo. 392
[Gabriel goes otit.]
* This soufj [1.) is at the Old of the pageant. - II. t/jstv^s [liath]. ■' S. this. ■* H. changes to the. '' So II.
46 TWO COVENTRY CORPUS CIIRISTI TLAVS.
Mare, lie tluitt ys aiulo cyuer wasse Be thy gyde where-eue/- thow goo, And send bus alP of his grace !
I pray here kuelyiige hit ma be soo. 39G
[Addresses Jesus.] She adaicsses Xow, cu?u heddur to me, my darlyng derc, My myrthc, my joie, and al my chere ! Swetter then eyuer wasse blossuwi^ qu brere !
Thy swete mowthe now wyll I kis. 400
Kow, Lorde of lordis, be owre gide, Where-eyue?' we walke iu cuiitreyis wydc, And tliese to turtuls for bus jDrovide
OS. them tliatt we do nott mys ! 404
Here Mare goth to Josoff and scyis : ami tolls i^est well, Josoff, my spouse soo free !
Joseph of the > J I
comuiatid. Josoff. Now welciuu. Mare ! Dame, wbatt sey yeol ^Iare. Swet nevis, husebond, I bring to thee ; The angell of God wt't/i me hath be
To geve bus bothe warnyng, 409
Thatt you and I wit/< a whoUe intent, Aftur the law thatt here ys ment, Schuld in the tempull owre chyld present
In Jerusalem, titer to make offeryng. (49) 413
He is ready JosOFP. Now, Mare, thatt woll I neuG?' deny: [f. uu]
to go, ' ' J ) •■ ■•
But aftur my powar for to apply
And thatt you kno, dame, asse well asse [I]^ ;
You neuer cawll but I am roddy. 4 1 7
Mare. Now, husebond, ye speyke full gentylle ; Therl'ove loke, Josoff, ami ye cold spy Will he pro- Xo turtvll dowis, how thatt we myght cu?« ny :
cure two J ' JO J
''"'■■e*-' For nedely turtullis offer mvst Ave;
Thatt offeryng fawlytli for owre degre. ■i-22
Josoff. Nay, nay. Mare, tbatt wol not be. iii.iee.1 lit- ^Ivne a''e ys .soche, I ma not well see ;
will not. .;.?.; j
There schall noo duffus^ be soght for me, 4l'5
Also God me sauo ! ^
1 H. tJi.'i.rfo [the gift].
- MS. (?) bl.issoiii. It is often dijHcitlt to differentiate the scribe's c'" tnnl o's, firul o's and a's. ' Supplied by S.
■* CviUraclioii/or us. ^ H. oilds [so frc].
PAGEANT OF THE WEAVERS.
47
Mare. Swette Josoff, fiillfyll ye owre Lonlis liestes. JosoFF. Why ajid woklist tli[o]u liaue me to hunt
bridis nestis ] I pray tlie hartely, dame, leve thosse jestis
And talke of thatt wol be. 430
For, dame, well I newer vast my wyttis,
To wayte or pry whe?-e the wodkoce syttis ; (50)
ISTor to jubbard among the merle pyttis,
•---. For thatt wasse neyuer my gyse. 434
Now am I wold and ma not well goo : A small twyge wold me ouerthroo ; And yche were wons lyggyd aloo,
Full yll then schulde I ryse. 438
Mare. Ye hardely, Josoff, do nott drede ! Owre Lorde wyll quyte right well youre mede, And att all tjmis be youre spede,
And further you in youre viage. 442
Josoff. Ey ! dame, ey ! God helpe hiis all ! Me-thyuke youre raeymorre were^ small, On me soo Avhomly eyuer to call ;
You mynde nothynge myne age 446
But the weykist gothe eyue?- to the walle ; Therefore go thyself, dame ; for me thow schall,^
Ye, or ellis get the a nev page. 449
jMare. Husebande, these be no woraens dedis ; Therefore, Josoff, ye must forthe nedis ;
For surely there ys no reynicdy. 452
Josoff. Noo remedy then but I nivst goo ? [f. 7]
Xow be my trowthe,^ I ma tell you, (51)
Thosse tythingis ar but cold. 455
Then nedis mvste thatt nedis schall ; And now he thatt ma worst of all
The candyll ys lyke to holde. 458
Mare. Now, gentyll Josoff, when Avyll ye goo To make an endc of this owre jurnej'^l
^ H. lorites vere. - H. supposes that a line is here omitted. ^ See note on line 399.
He cannot be limiting birds' nests,
The Lord will help him.
She imposes on iige and weakness.
He submits ungraciously.
48 TWO COVENTRY CORPUS CHRISTI PLAYS.
coinpininini? JosoFF. That shal l)e 01' I liave any lust thereto *
of Ills lut in *'
i.nviii« inar- Aiul tliutt iluro I boldelv scv. 462
rit')! :i yuuiig "^ ■'
thing."
llow sey ye all this ciu/qiaiiy Thatt be wcddid asse well asse I ?
I Avcne thai ye sutlur moclie avoo ; 465
For lie thatt weddyth a yonge thyiig ]\Ivst fullfyll all hir byddyng, Or els ma he his handis wryng, Or watnr his iis ■when he wold syng ;
And thatt all you do knoo. 470
!>rARE. Why sey ye soo, sir 1 Ye be to blame. All the com- JosoFF. Dame, all this cu?»pany wyll sey the same.
l)ahy know ' L j n j
to muld' 'our ^'^^ '^^^ ^°*' ^^^ "^ Speykc, men, for schanie !
'*'^*- Tell you the troths ase you Avell con ! 474
For the thai woll nott there wyffis plese (52)
Ofte-tymw scliall sulfur moche dysees ;
Therefore I holde hym well at es
Thatt hathe to doo wtt^ non. 478
!Mare. Ley ve of these gawdis for my lowe ;
And goo for these I'owlys, S/r, I you pray. The Fadur of heyvin thatt ys abowe
Wyll spede you well in youre jurney. 482
JosoFF. Xo reyinede but I nivst fortlie nede. Tiie Loni Xow owrc Lord grant me well for to siiedc !
senil luin fair o i
iw'bird".'* Loo ! feyre wordis full 2 of te doth leyde
^XiciT ^^t^" cleyne agen there mynd. 486
Is^ow, Lorde God, thow sende me feyre weddui-, And thatt I ma fynd those fowlis togeddur, "Whytt or blake, 1 care nott wheddur,
8o thatt I ma them^ fynde ! 490
Make. Full wt.U schall you spede hanlely,
Yir thatt ye goo abowt hytt wyllyngly.
JosoFF. Then I woll goo by a«(/ by, [f. 7a]
Thogli ■• liit be not full hastely.
"WttA all my hart I wol goo spy, 495
1 So H., S. thcrcta. = MS. and S. Iliill. ■' ilS. then. * S. Tlioght.
PAGEANT OF THE WEAVERS. 49
He will find anv tliat
Ylf any be in my wey, (53)
I wyll tliem fynd ami I may,^ ':'.•.''!'' "' ""^^
Or tliatt I make an ende, 498
Mare. ^Now that Lorde, tliatt best^ may, He be your spede in youre jurney,
Ande good tythyngis of you me send ! 501
JosoFF. Yea, he thatt hatth soche on on hyni to crawe He sclial be sure, asse God me sawe, Eyue?' the worse yend of the staff to haue,^
Att the lattur yend. 505
Here Josoff gothefrom Mare* and seyth : I wandur abowt myself alone, He wanders
about,
Turtulis or dowis can I non see. Now, Kyng of hey vin, thow amend my mone ;
For I tro I seke nott where the be ! 509
My myght, my streuth ys worne fro me ; ^
Yov age I am waxun ahnost blynd. Those fowlys the ar full fur fro me the fowu are
'' _ evil to find.
And werie yvill for me to fynde. 513
I loke fast and neue?' the nere ;
My wynd for feynt ys allmost gone. Lord, henedissete I ^VHiatt make I here
Among these heggis myself alone 1 517
For-were I ma no lengur stond ; »'"' ''eis
" ' weary.
These buskis the teyre me ou eyuere syde. Here woll I sytt apon this londe,
Oure Lordis Avyll for to abyde. 521
I. Angell. Aryse vp, Josoff, and take no thoglit (54)
For these to fowlys tliatt thow hast sor'ht. An angei
,,,-., brings tlieiu
FiVyn to tliy hond I haue them broght, to lum.
And therefore be off good cliere. 525
Take them here bothe to And ageyne to Mare thy wyff thow goo Yn all the hast thatt hit be doo ;
Thow tarre uoo luugur hero ! 529
^ This and the preceding line as one in S. and MS.
^ H. inserts [so]. ^ H. prints to have ivith the following line.
* Qy. iuto the stiuot. ^ Ho II., IS. [iiic] frome.
C. C. I'LAYS. E
50
TWO COVENTUV COUI'US CHRISTI I'LAYS.
lie rejoices :iik1 I'etiinis.
Ho delivcrfl the (iovc!) to Jliiry.
' Let \19 make speed to tlie temple ! '
Joseph would like to 'blow awhile.'
'Go tliysoiri
She cnnnot t;o aloiic.
JosoFF. U ! lawile be vnto tliixtt Lonlo soo exsellent
For those to fowlis thatt I haue Sdght ! Fullfyllid now ys niyn intent; [f.«]
!My hart ys evyn asse yt oglit,^
All care fro me ys past, 531
Now thatt ^rare my wyff tliese birchlis had ! - For to make hir hart asse ghid ^
To hir wyll I in hast. [Returns to Mary.] f)37
Now rest well, Mare, my none darlyng ! Loo ! dame, I haue done tliy byddyng And broght these dowis for oiire otferyng ;
Here be the bothe aly ve. 5 1 1
Womon, haue them in thy honde, I am full glade I haue them'* fond. Am nott I a good husbonde ?
Ye ! dame, soo mot I thryve ! 545
!Mark. Now, the Fathur of lieyvin tliat ys abowe, He <iuyt you, Josoff, for this dede ; (55)
And furthur I pray you for my lowe,
Vnto the tempull lett vs make spede ! 549
Josoff. Ey ! bloo a whyle, dame, I tlie pray !
For soft ((71(1 essele men goo far. I haue laburde all this dey ;
Yett am I vere lyttuU the nar.
I tro thatt I scliall neyuer be war. Soo full of feyre wordis these wemeu be, Thatt men thereto must nedis agre ; 556
And tlicrefore, dame, alsoo mote I the.
Aftur my labur fayne wolde I rest ; Therefore goo tliysclfe thow schalt for mo.
Or tarre att wlioine wheddur ilion thynkist bcste. 5C0
Mare. Na, swet husebond, ye do well kiio
To goo alone ys not for me ; "Wherefore, good sir, I pray you soo
Thatt I ma haue your cu?«pany. 5G4
' Manly's suggestion. S. and MS. have wold he; H. luis wol.l be [thoKl.t].
■^ As tico lilies in 1\., first cndiiuj vnlh wyfT; lie adds the words [tin fast]. •' H. substitutes blith. * Bracketed in H.
PAGEANT OF THE WEAVERS. 51
JosoFF. Loo! frvnclis,^ here ma YOU knoo The hardship
"^ ■' ot having a
The manor of my wytf ys soo, "'f*-
Tliatfc wit/i hyr iiedis mvst I goo,
Whcddur I wyll or nyll. 568
Now ys nott this a cu»iburs'-^ lyff ] Loo ! sirs, whatt ytt ys to haue a wyff ! (56)
Yett had I^ leyue?-, nor to live in strylf,
Apply evyn to hir wyll. 572
For syth tliat here ys no remede, xiiey depart.
Take vp youre chylde, I sey, ]\Iare, And walke we togedur feyre and essele
And soo to stynt all strywe ; And'* I woll trusse vp thys gere, [f. sa]
For I se well I mvst hit Leyre. At Jerusalem I wold all ye^ were,
Also^ mote I thryve.'^ 580
Mare. There sohall we be when God wyll,
For at his plesure all thyng mvst be. JosoFF. Dame, and thatt ys bothe reysun and skill ;
Sett forward then and lett me see. 584
[They co?iiimt,e in the front part of the pageant as if making a journey. A n angel appears in the temple. ]
II. Angell. Awake, Semeon, and drede the noght ! An angei
arouses
In all the hast thatt eyuer ma be, simeon from
slumber.
And reyseyve that Lord tliatt all hathe wroght,
Wit/i hym his modur Mare. 588
Make spede, Semeon, that thow were dyght
To reyseyve thatt chyld vfiih all thy myght
Now schalt thow see the blessidist syght
Thatt eyue/- thow didist see. 592
Semeon. 0 Lord of lordis ! this solam noyse (57) Heisde-
From the Maker of heyvin and hell, iigi»ted.
My hart therewzt/j soo dide reyjoise,
Tliatt the myrthe fJiero^ can noo tong tell. Nor hand with pen subscrybe.
^ H. inserts [deie]. ^ H. writes cmuhnis ; so similar words helow. ^ S. omits; H. writes [I]. ■* H. omits Aud.
^ H. changes to we. ^ S. Alse.
^ Line in later hand, Also well tliat ye thrive ; line as printed by S. canceled hut legible.
52 TWO COVENTRY CORPUS CIIRISTI PLAYS.
ami thfiiikB I tliaiikc fhat Lorilc and K}'ng of iiiyght,
Uixl.
Tliogli all my lust throgli age be wonie, Tliatt I schall see this gloreose syglit.
Blessid be tbe owre thatt tliow wast borne,
This dey thai eyuey I do abide. G02
Now to reyseve this Kyng of pes Thatt owt of dangyr schall hus reles. Owre hy merrettis schall he incres
In joiye abundantly ; 606
For here kepe I no more blis, But thatt he ma?'ke me^ for won of hi^, And then whan his swete wyll^ ys,
Am I evyn redde to dy. 610
He calls upon Xow, Clarkis, cwm forth and do your olTes,
Ills clerks. ' ' j >
And this awter hastely thai yo aray ; For here schal be the solamyst sacrefyce
Thatt eyue?' wasse seyne in Juda. 614
Make sure, fryndis, and^ all thatt ye may Thatt ordur be hade in eyuere place.
Clarecc/s. Now thai Lord of lordis thatt best may To do oure devties he grant vs g?-acc !
And for to plese hym to his paye (58)
Sey al you Deo jrarias. 620
'Aiiisready.' Loo ! mastur,'' bothc man a?i(7 place [f.o]
Be all redde at your byddyng. b"ii"^'"'° Semeon. Then, surs, cwm forthe^ apaso
And myrrele the bellis ryng. 621
Ane, systur, goo ye** wiih me
For to reysey ve that p/"ince of onowrc
And hym to welcu?« reu(>rcntly,
Ase of this world lorde awl goucj-nowro. 628
Anna comes Ane. Now, fatliui Semeon, I am obeydentt,
with liiin. ' > J '
Youre g?-aceose pleysure for to obbey. To serve thatt Lorde wyche ys om?npotent,
Lett vs goo mete hym on the woy. 632
' II. brackrts me and pnLt it before murko. - H. inserts [hit]. ' H. changes to in. ■• II. inserts [now]. * H. J Hfcr/.f [with nn'\ '' II. 2H.sc//.'' [iilsc].
PAGEANT OF THE WEAVERS.
53
Clarecus. Mastur, now ar the bellis rong And redde att hond ys eyuere tliyng. Se.meon. Then lett me see with hart and tonge. How nij'rrely thatt ye can syng. Cantant.
G36
Here the cum. doionc xv'itli pressession^ to mete them:
JMare. Heyle, suffurent Semeon so good !
My semely sun here I bryng to the (59)
To offur liym vp in flesche and blode,
Ase be the law he oght to be. 640
Semeon. Now, wholle Mare and Josoff also,
Ye be ryght welcuHi vnto this place ; For off God ar ye blessid bothe to
Thatt hath you grondid in soche grace :
And ye, Josoff, of soo grett age 645
Thatt soche a babe forth can bryng, In whom all owre reydeniciou dothe hyng, And off this worlde ys lorde and kyng ;
This- wase a graceose mareage. 649
Josoff. Now gentill bysschope, I the pray, Evyn the verre truth thow woldist me sey, Ys nott this a prette bewey
Asse eyue;' thow hast knone? 653
Now, be hym tliai made both heyvin and hell, This lyttull myte I lowe as well,
Asse thogh he were myn oone ! 656
Mare. Reyseyve [him],^ Semeon, wit/i good chere;
The law^ wyll hit schall so be. For wyclie cawse I bryng hym here ;
Here in thi hondis take hym the. [f. oa] 660
Semeon. Now welcu??i. Lord ^ of honowr ! ^ (60)
Now welcu»i, Prince, vnto this place ! ^ Welcu??i, owre suffercnt Saweowre ! "
Mary greets Simeon.
He bids them welcome.
Josepli praises the Child.
Mary brings him accord- ing to the luw.
Simeon's welcome.
^ H. writes prossession. - S. ami MS. Thus. ^ >So H.
* H. inserts [hit].
^— ^ R. prints vnto my hand, which is written on an erasure; a smudged ami obliterated termination of the line has ivlmt looks like of ho7io\vr.
" S. omits of honowr from end of this line; it is in different ink and above. ^ H. inverts sufferent and Saweowre.
54
TWO COVEXTRV COUrUS CURISTI PLATS.
Anna's wel- come.
The clerk's vrelcoine.
Simeon re- ceives t)ie Cliild and begins liis prayer.
Welciim, the Growndr of owro grace !
"\Velcu?/i, owra joie ! welcum,^ owre myitlio ! Welcu/«, owre g/vtceose Gouc/'iiowre ! "NVelcum to huse, thatt heyviiily llowre ! Xow, blossid he the dey and owre
- Of thy gloreose byrtlie !
Ane. Now welcu?«, Kyiig of kingis all !
Now welcu/«, Maker of all mankynd ! "W(jlciw/t to hus, bothe grett and small !
Good Lord, thy sarvandis now haue in niynd
Thatt longe hath levid here, In clones pure yvithowt offence, 'With grett desyris for to be hence ; But now the syght of thy presence Hath amendid all owre chere.
Clareci'5. Now welcu?»., Lord, vnto all hus, Tin none tni se/wandis, as reysun ys ! ^ Wclcu?«, owre God and Kyng of blys,
Owre Lorde, longe lokid fore ! All the profettis thatt of the spake Seyd thow schuldist, for owre sake, Fleysche and blod of a meydyu take (GI)
Owre joys to reystore.
Semeon. On, on with nie, my fryndis dere. With this chylde thatt we haue hero, Of this worldo the lantfj-ne clore
Of whom all lyght schall spryng ! With hoole hartis, now lett hus pcaee ! , Thatt owre and tyme now blesse we may That eyuer we abode the dey
Of this chyldis coraynge. Cantanl.^
Here Semeon goth to tlie awtcre with the chyld in hys nr vi\s and scyth:
^Now art thow cum, Lorde, to my hondc,
Thogh thatt I onwurtlio wore ; Yett, Lorde, forgeve th\. pore serwaude''' —
GG5
GG9
G74
G78
682
G8G
GOO
G94
G97
' MS. velciWH; U. omits this word. - II. here inserts [ChWii],.
* H. suppaics tluU a line is omitted here. * Qy. [Souj; II.]
* MS. rei^cats Semeon. " Folio 10 is missing.
PAGEANT OF THE WEAVERS. 55
[Mare.] Whyle'^ the weddur ys soo f eyre ; [f. ii] Mary and And I woU cnm aftur asse I may, .jomney
■^ lioinewanis.
For now att whome I wolde we weyre. 700 i«''« "• ^a.
JosoFFE. To^ goo before now I woll asaye, Thogh thatt my fetemanscipe^ be not full gaye. I pray God spede vs in oure jurney ; (62)
For I scliall be Avere or thatt I cnm there. 704
There Mare and Josoff departis owt of the vpper parte of the pagand.
Semeox. Loo ! fryndis, how God for vs hathe wroght,
And schode hymself here at this tyde ! Blessid mot he be in word and tlioght, Simeon
^Myghtefull Maker of thy [s]-* world wyde ! 708 Lord;
I wasse lame of fote and hand, iie was lame
in foot and
And now am whole ase ye ma see. iiand and is
now wliole.
I thanke thatt^ Lord of his sond,
And eyuer his servande wyll I be,
Thatt Lorde soo moche of myght. 713
Now, Lorde of lordis that hath no pere,. Wyche att this tyme wase offurd here, Sende you all the fruysso?i clere
Of his lieyvinly mancion soo bryght ! 717
Clarecc/s. And of owre mys he amend vs, And from owre foys^ defend vs, And" his hy trone he send vs,
In secula sectdovmn, amen ! 721
Here gothe Semeon and his Clarkis out of the tewpull.^ Luke w.i^-ii.
*********
[Mary and Joscjjh enter the lower front-part of tfie pageajit.]
JosoFP. Now, Mare, my wyff here present,
Vnto [God]^ myche bondon, dame, ar Ave (63)
Thatt soo goodly a childe here hath vs sent ;
In this world a fey rear fher canott be. 725
Mare. I thanke that Lord om7iipotent, .loscpii an.t
Mary det-ide
For yt dotlie me good hym for to see ;
1 Repeated in MS. ^ II. changes to fote-.
^ H. inserts [Tlie]. "* Ememl. hj S. * H. inserts [hi].
" H. inserts [lie]. " II. inserts [to].
^ Presuntatioii in the Tein2)lc ends and Doctors' Play begins.
'* Emend, hy H.
56 TWO COVENTRY COfirUS CHRISTI PLAYS.
tot-.koJe.u8 'Wherefore, Josoff, I wold lie went
to Jertiiiileiii. ' '
Viito Jerusalem wiili j'ou and me. 729
He is twelve l^or HOW lie ys xij yere of age,
I'ull well reyconid yt ma be, Of lyniys he waxitli fey re aJi/l large,
And moclie he desyrith cu?«pane. 733
Josoff. Now, dame, he ys a prette page [f. n<i]
And, as ye sey, full well cu??i on. I kno non soche on of liys age ;
I pr« God make hym a right good mon. 737
I\Iaue. Now, Je5u^(,^ my son, with 3'ou whatt chore 1
Whatt m[y]rthe2 make ye, chyld, this deyl Thow art he thatt I love most dere,
My joie, my myrthe and all my pley ! ^ 741
Jesus is will- IesU5. I tliauke vou, my modur, in all thatt I may ;
lug to go. J ' J ' J >
And at youre hand, I am hero To do you serves, hothe nyght and dey, (G4)
And redde alwey to make you chere. 745
Now, Gods blyssyng haue you (nid myne ! ■• 746
.Tosepii tells Josoff. Loo ! fryntlis,-^ hero doth apcre,
the ortinpiiriy
i..)w oiHjiiieut Yt ys evrly scliarp thatt wol ho thornc.
.Tesiis hii8 J J J ^ L
always been. How glad he ys lus modr to pleyse !
And eyuer hathe byn syth he wasse borne.
Thogh thatt my vthe frome me be worne, Yet in his dedis I have moche joio ; For, in foytho, ho woU prevo evin*^ a prette bwey. 753
Cnm, my sun, well mot thou thee ! "^ Thow schalt to Jerusalem with tin modur and mo, Su??i goodly syghtis, sun, for to see Apon this owre festefawll dey. 757
Mary wishes Maue. Now truly, Josoff, as yo sey, or company. ^^^^^ merely for to paso forthe fhc wey,
SniH V('/'tuos ciw/ipany I wold wo had.
' S. Jhu lure and hclou: ^ Con: by S.
^ Deleted in MS. ; gleo suhstiltUed in later hand, Mawdycke's (?). * This linr in parciUhcscs in S. ; in footnotes in II. ; in C4ynlcmjm- rancoiM h'uul hut different ink and in margin in M.S. ^ H. inserts [ilorc]. " H. omils evin.
' S. tbriv thee ; H. changes to yce.
PAGEANT OF THE WEAVERS.
JosoFF. Ye, dame. God slial be owre gyde.^ 761
Dame, I kepe noo moo but evyn this lad ; For you nor I canot be sade
Thatt dey thai we \\ym see. 701
Mary, you kno thatt I am olde, Ami in cu?upany canot be soo bolde,
Asse I wasse wont to be ; (65) 767
Therefore, Mare, leyde ye the wey
And essely lett vs togeddr goo ; Thogli yt be far furth on the dey, Yett all be owre fryndis I dare wel sey,
And neue;- a won owre foo. Mare, Now, God liold'^ tliatt wyche best may;^
And, gentyll JosofP, lett vs goo ! 774
Be the hand the chylde wyll I leyde; I trust the bettur for to spede,
Ande ye,* Josoff, alsoo.
JosoFF. Ye dame, lett hym goo before ye and me,^
And^ be nothyng afrayde ! 779
For the best foteman of hus thre, [f. 12]
In good feyth, dame, thatt ys hee, Yff he were well asayde.
57
Mary will le;id Jesus by the hand,
but Joseph sjiys Jesus is 782 f'e ''est
wiilUer of the tliiee.
Jesus. I am full redde viiili you to goo At your bydding in weyle and woo, And to do you serves bothe to.
In hart wiih all mekenes. 78G
Cu7H on, my mothur, and dred ye noght ; And on your jurney, ase you oght, The Fadur of heyvin that all hat[h]'' wroght.
He kepe you from dystres ! (66) 790
JosoFF. Now, thys ys.wyttelc sayde and wyll ! ^
791 Joseph specu- lates upuu
^ Tills line, in parentheses in S. ; in footnotes in H. ; as 746 in MS.
^ H. chaiKjcs to wold. •* H. inserts [rede]. * So H., S. yo.
* S. ends line with goo and retains liardely after Ye ; H. adds [fre] ; MS. has in maryin as 746 : Yc, dame, let liyiii goo before ye and me. ® H. inserts [Mare]. ■^ Curr. by S.
=* H. cJuinges to wall ; line in manjin as 746.
58
TWO COVENTRY COUrUS CIIUISTI PLAYS.
the prtcoclty No\V, Loid, wllL'U I tO IliyildL' do Call of tliilJrcn. t i i t ii
lu vtlio wlien 1 was werre small, ]\raiiy wynturs agone, —
Lord God, henc'dicete !
Yong chyldur uow more wyser be, Nor wase then an olde men.
The journey.
Jofieph )>r:iisea tlic service.
■9;
Liihc ii. ^-jX.
They rejoice in liie Hdli'inii hIkIiIk niiii tlial Jeaus liaii iieull thuiil.
{They set out and travel a while.]
Mare. Now welcu»j be owre Lordis sond ! Therefore cu?;i on, gentyll Imsbond, The sytte ys evyn at owre honde ;
Good cu?«pany there ma we fynd. 801
JosoFF, Ey ! ey ! dame, in feyth, I can noo more ; My leggis byn were, my fete be soore. That man thatt canot goo before
Nedis mvst cu?u behynd. 805
Th^re the all goo vp to the awtcr and Icsus before. The gyng an antem.
Now, Mare, my wylf, cii»t liethur to me !
(Now, Mare, harke what I .shall say !)^ All thyng ys done ase yt sclmld be And serves song full sollamle
For this owre festefawll dey. 810
Mare. Now, huseband, then lett vs iij (67)
^lake the hast thai- ma be AVhom to goo wiih cu??ipane
To bryng vs on the wey ! 814
There the goo done into the for pngond and lesus steylyth awey.
JosoFF. ^lare, my spretis be ravisschid cleyne,
And clcrely cast owt off all woo VCiUi tlie.se sulam syghtys thatt we haue seyne
In yondur tempull thai we cam froo. 818
\Mari:. Now, serten, Josolf, you wold not wcne [i. ijj
Wliatt inyrthe I make wttAowt* woo, Thatt my chylde wi\h lius bathe bene
And tho.se solam syghtis seync alsoo, 822
' r/(i» line is entirely omitted in H.; in margin as 740. ' H. inserts [made]. '' H. writes \vjt/Mnvt[en].
PAGEANT OF THE WEAVERS. 59
JosoFF. Tlien whomwarde,^ Mare, lett vs goo - josepii
speaks of
"Whyle thatt we haue the lyglit oif tJiQ day ; i'"lT'"^ °"
For you haue eyue?' lovid cu?7ipany,
For yt dothe schorttun well youre wey. 826
tlie way.
Yett in good owre we ma bothe sey, For otliur did we neyue;- fynde.
Mare. Alas ! Josoff, and well-awey ! M•^'^v "I'^ses
Now haue we lefte owre chyld behynd. (68) 830
Josoff. Whatt ! Mare, I sey amend thy chere ! Pa?'dy ! dame, he dothe but as othur done ; Chyldur togedur woll draw nere, ' He wiu
'' ° overtake us
He woll I warrand ouertake vs sone. 834 soon.'
Mare. Ouc rtake vs sone ? quotlisi nay ! se?-tes na !
Whatt nede you me soche talis to tell % He ys gon su?u othur wey,
Or serten, Josoff, he ys not well. 838
Josoff. Dame, he ys nott far awey.
From vs no man wyll hym wyle. Mare. Hyt helpyth not, Josoff, soche wordis to sey; she is ineon-
sulaLile,
My chylde ys gone, alas the whyle ! 842
Josoff. "We schall haue [hym],^ dame, or hit be longe,
Yff we serche well yondur sytte ; Su?H chyldur there he ys amonge.
Or elis surely whomwarde ys he. Mare. Off sorro now schal be my songe.
My chylde ageyne tyll I ma see. (69) 848
Josoff. Dame, of his welfare I wold be glade,
And of the othur I wolde be woo ; Therefore, Mare, no more be sade, TUoy win
' ' retiu-ii lu the
But agene to the sytte lett vs goo. 852 "^'^y-
Mare.^ Make hast, Josoff, thatt Ave were there ;
For had I neuer more lust thereto. Bake agane lett vs reypeyre ;
For thatt 3's best for vs to do. 856
Here Mare and Josoff goth downc into the tempull-\vardc. [f. i:j]
^ S. liomwavde. " H. substitiUes the original ivord [liye].
^ Supplied by S. ^ So II., S. JosoKF, marg. in MS.
60
TWO COVENTRY t'ORrUS CIIRISTI I'LAYS.
A doctor I10I.U fortli ii|iiiM the |ifii:illie8 of tliu lUNV.
Tlicy nre
lioliiiiiK dis- }iututiuii8.
I. J)ocTuR.. Xow, lordyiigis, lystuii to me a wliyk-,
Wyclie hatlie the lawis vndur lionde, And tliatt iiu mail fawU in soclie perell
Ageiist any artyccuU for to stand ;
For tlie come7i statute of tliis lande AVoll tliat all soche pt^rsonys schulde be tanc And in the face of^ peple oopoiily slayne, 803
II. Doctor. E ! and the othur wholle decryis ageyno,
AVyche vnto ;^^oyses wonly wasse sent
lu tabulis of ston only to reymayne
Vndur an hy and streyte cu?»inaiidemcnt, "Wyche at tliys tyiiie we tliynke cunvenent (70)
There-apou to holde dyssepyssioiis^ here
Be polatike syence of clarge clere. 870
Let every III, DocTOR. Wherefore, all peiile, now draw nere
oiienltend; . . j i i '
fortiieyure Aiul ill tilis iilacc gowe vour ateiideiice.
doctors of I o J
liisb degree. IIow ve scliuld lyve, here ma you lere Acurdyng vnto your aleygence ; For yt ys well kiioiie vnto thys presence
Thatt doctoris we ar cmd of liy degre,
And haue the lawis in custode.
877
The law of Muses.
I. ] )0CT0R. Ley forth youre reysonis ; now lett me see IIow lawe^ of leygence oglit to be lade,
Wyche of the Eljruys subscn'hyd be
Wi't/i olliur of Mo^'ses thatt now ys hade. To contend herein I wold be glade
Amowge the i)eple here manefestly,
And the truthe expuwiid^ to them oopinly.
[Jesus comes in.]
Lordis, mnche lowe with you be lent,
• Pence lie Ie5US,
iiiiKiiiK this All
coiiipuiiy ! • And pes be anionge this cum})aiiy !
Doctor
' Run away ! ' J II.
Sun, awe I wold thow went, For othur haft'' in haml luuie we.
884
888
' II. iiisciis [thv],
* H. //^M (lys.si!|Mi[ta]ssion8; similarhf hclow. ■' 11. /wts lii\vc'[.s].
* S. cxpoiindid, li. cmciuls [waiii] expi undid.
* So II., S. and MS. liast.
PAGEANT OF THE WEAVERS. 61
Doctor. ChylJe, Avho-soo-eyue/- tlie hyddur 'Wecfiiinot
with chil-
dren.'
sent, (71)
The were not wyse thus warnc I the ; For we haue othur talis to tent,
Then w/t/i chyldur bordyng to bee. 892
I. Doctor. Good sun, thow art to yonge to larne T,'"""!"""
The liy mystere of Mosees law ; j^;;;;.'"""^^*'
Thy reysun canot yt deserne,
For thy wytt ys ^ not worthe a straAve ;
And no marvell thogh thow schulilist be rawe, In soche hy poyntis for to be reysonyng For of age art thow a vere yonglyng. [f- is «] 899
Iesu5. E! Surs, whatt-soo-eyuer to me you sey, Ho does not
Me nedith not of you to lerne nothyng. 901 of tuem;
II. Doctor. This besse bweye ^ of his tong
All secrettis surely he thynkith he knois.
III. Doctor. Kay, serten, sun, thow art to yonge
Be clarge clere to kno owre lawis. 905
Jesus. Ye doctoris all, thatt be present, he knows
' ^ ' their law
Suffyce a7id mvse no more off me ; (72) already.
For off your lawis the wholl intent,
No-thyng thero^ ys hyde froo me ; 909
For in those placis haue I be Where all owre lawis furst were wroght.
I. Doctor.^ Cum, sett the here and we schall They invito
liim to sit ggg 1 among them.
For sarten, sun, soo semys yt noglit. 913
There the Doctoris settyth Cryst among them.
!Now were yt nott a wondurs thyng,
Thys chylde owre reysuns thai he schuld rcyche '? And yctt he seyth he hath a felyng
Owre lawis truly for to teyche. 917
Iesu.s. Suris,* the whoole goste in mc hath lyght,
Thatt my powar ys to preychc; And of the Godhed most of myght
Most perfettly here ma I teyche. 921
^ S. wyttys, H. inserts [ar]. - H. inserts [proud].
^ II. [Doctor II.], S. [Doctors]. * S. Syiis.
62
TWO COVENTRY CORPUS CIIRISTI TLAV.S.
' Wlioncc ciiiiic IhiH cliiUf '
The first ilDctor re- meinljurs tlie piopliecy about bnbes and suck- lings. Pt. viii. 2.
Yet JesHB ]iiiil spoken too freely ;
he cannot know ihelr
lUH',
Jesus will
not debar the
trutli
by silence.
Astonish- ment.
III. Doctor. Wlieuse cam tliys chylde, I iua/'V(.ll score,
Tliatt .speykytli to vs this mystecawlly 1 Ie.su.->. .Surs, I wa.sse all you before
And aftur you ageu schal be. 925
I. Doctor.^ Surs, ys nott this a wondurs tliyiig, (73)
And also a moche more meyvell ] How-be-yt, surely, in his workyng.
The actis thereof ma folio right well ;
For ase Dauith in his salme dotlie tell, Be chyldur yong, seyng of theiu, Ex ore infanciwa ^ ef ladaiwium pavfecisti laudem. 932
Of chyldurs mothis, ye kno right well, God hath performyde^ loving ;
But of such on hard I neuer tell, lie beyng but soo yong a tliyng. [f. \x] 93G
Yett, sun, su»i-whatt thow schuldest hauc let
In this place here to speyke so large ; Where nobuU doctors togeddur are met.
There chyldurs wordis ar at no charge. 9iO
For sure, yff thow woldist neue;* so fayne,
Labur tin wyttis to lerne owre lawe ; Yett art thow nodur of myght nor mayne
To perseyve thatt ase a dark ma knoe. 944
Ie.su.s. ]\Iy wordis in noo wyse wole I reyfraync,
The trawthe thereby for to debarre ; I woll them prove both platt and playne
Bo youre one lawis, and wQwr arrc. 948
II. Doctor. !Mastur[s] •* all, whatt ma this meyne ?
I wondur soore how this can be ; (74)
Soo yong a chylde baui- I nott seyne
Wft/i clarkis to talke soo con3'ngle. 952
III. Doctor. Ase wydo in wor[l]deasseeyut/- I wont,
Saw I neyuer noii soche before ; But I troo amonst vs he be sent
To be the salue/- of owre sore. 95G
' Later liaiul )iuts iij. •' ]I. inscrUi [him].
'-' MS. iiifaiiciuui. •* Corr. hi S.
PAGEANT OF THE WEAVERS.
63
Ie.sus. Suris, I woll p/-ove be actons evedent Har mystereis than eyner you red or saw.
I. Doctor. Sey, sun, wyche -wasse the furst com- maiidement Tliatt wasse subscribyd in Moses la we 1 9 GO
Ie.sus. Sythe all you masturs togethur be sett And youre bokys here leyde on breyde,
Ley fertile youre reysunis and do nott lett
How right thatt ye can rede. 964
ii. Doctor. I rede this in^ the furst byddyng,
Wyche Moses dyd rede^ vs vntill, Furst honor God aboue all thyng
With all thy hartt and all thy wyll, And asse thy-self love thy neybur (75)
And in noo wyse to do hym yll. 970
Iesu5. Ye nede noo nodur bokis to bryng ;
But these to pwyntis for to insev, In whome the whole afecte^ doth hynge
Of all owre'* lawis bothe olde mid nev. 974
' Which is tlie first com- inaiulmeiit?'
' Honour God anil love thy neiglibour as thyself.'
III. Doctor. Syth he these to, son, hath the schoide,
Tell me the othur, chylde, I the p?'a.
Ie5US. The thryd beddith the, in any wey, [f. iia] Thatt of thy labur thow schuldyst reste,
And truly kepe thy Sabett day, Thy-selfe, thi serwande, atid thy best. 980
The forthe bydithe the do thy best^
Thy fathur and niothur for to honowre ;
And when ther goodis are decrest,
With all thy myght thow schuldist them succure.
Jesus recites the other commniid- lueiilij.
The fyfte cu??tmandythe for any reygur
Man nor woman that fhou schuldist kyll.
To fle advltre ys anothure,*"'
And all thatt towchis any yll.
984
988
H. changes to is. H. has [yjowre. S. another.
^ - II. changes to tuclic. ^ H. has ef[f]ecte. ■' H. hcai [The I'oui-the buddith, the aUlerbest].
64 TWO COVENTRV CORPUS CHRISTI PLAYS.
The vij^'' seyis tliow schuldyst nott stoyle
Thy neyburis goodis, more nor les. The viij*'' forljyddytli the to cownsaylo
Or to bare any fawls wyttines. (7G) 092
The ix"' forbyddytli otliys grett,
In any wise tho\i schuldist nott sweyre. The last wold /7iOU schuldist no[t]' covett
Thy neyburs goodis, hyni to apere j^ 1)90
And this Mosees, amonge vs here,^ Ilathe denlarid amonge all men,
Aftur sc?-ipture that we schulde lere,'* How to kepe these commandementis X. 1000
The doctors I. DocTOR. Beholde, owre lawis how he dutlic
express llieir
«">i»i8e- expownde,
Thatt neue;- lai'ny[d] '' on boke to rede ! Then all we, he ys moche more profownde
In all trawthis, yff we take hede. 1004
II. Doctor. Brother, lett hym goo his weyis ;
For yff tins abrode were knone perfettly, The peple wolde geve him more press
Then we'' docturs for all owre clarge. 1008
III. Doctor. Ye fryndis bothe, syth yt is soo,
lie knois no " farthur of owre lore ; But asse he cnm soo let hym goo,
For with vs he schall medyll no more. 1012
There cwiiyth Josoffa.ud Marc sckyng the chylde ami Marc
scijlh :
Mnry in great Mare. A ! dcrc Josoff, wluvtt ys youro rcdde ]
Krief;
»i.o im« spent Qf my grett dolor noo bote ma be : (77)
three iliiys >' '^ J \ /
My chylde ageyno tyll I ma see. [f. isj 101 G
"We liaue hym soght in many a stedc,
Vp and downe these deyis iij ; And wheythur that he bo qiiykc or ded,
I do not kno thatt ; woo ys mee ! 1020
' Corr. by H. ^ H. diangrs to iitiperc. • S. omits Ivo half
lines : amoiigo all men, / Aftur scrii>turc. ■• H. changes to k<n.
^ So H. " H. writes us. " H. changes to mo.
PAGEANT OF THE WEAVERS. 65
JosoFF. Ill soiTO wasse there neyuer man more, jrsepii
Eut mornyiii? ma nott y tt amend ; '"-'y ^^ "''""t
Jo J > the teiiip.e.
ISrare, wyff, lett vs therefore
Take the gyace that God woll send. 1024
Yff chyklurs cuwipany he haue coght,
Ahowt yondur tempull lie ys full light.
[They turn tmvard the temple.] ]\Iare. a ! Josoff, I see that I haue soght ! ^^»r.v sees
In this worlde wasse newer soche a syght. 1028
See, husebond, wliere he syttyth aloft
Amonge yondur masturs soo moche off rayght. Josoff. Xow blessid be hym ^ thatt hethur vs broght,
For now in hart I am full lyght ! 1032
Mare. Josoff, ye kno the ordur well, •Goandiet.h
' -^ ' our child !
Goo ye and feyche youre chylde cmd myne. Now I see hym owt of all peryll, (78)
Whom he schall with vs ageyne.^ 1036
Josoff. Ev ! Mare, wyff, ye kno ry^ht well, Jcsei.ii dares
J J J y J JO ' ,„it ;,j)pear
Asse I haue tolde you many a tyme, do'ams''^
"SYith men of myght durst I lieyue;- mell.
Loo ! dame, how the sytt in there furis fyn ! 1040
Mare. To them youre arand for to sey,
Therein, Josoff, fher ys no perell ; The haue reygardid you alwey
Because of age, this wott I Avell. 1044
Josoff. To them, wyff, whatt schulde I sey 1
In feythe, I do nott knoo full wele. Surely, I schall be schamyde to-dey ;
For I cane nothur croke ^ nor knele. 1048
Mare. Then goo we theddur bothe to
To them that sytt soo wortho in Avede : siieRoes
'' ' with liiiii.
Yff ye woU not the arrande doo.
No reymedy but I mvst nede. 1052
^ H. changes to he. - H. substitutes go liyiic.
•* S. troke, corr. cviciid. by H.
C. C. PLAYS. p
GG
TWO COVEKTRY CORPUS CHRISTI PLAYS.
Mary re- nroaclu'8
He must t'lilfll Ilia Katliur'a will.
Slie (Iocs not uiiili-rHtaiul, but 8lie is very n'ail to have found him.
Joauis hills faroivi'll to tlic iloL'lurs,
-lo.soFF. E ! diuue, goo tell them tld tale fiiist ;
For lyke fhow art to do thatt dedo. (7i))
I wold tell iiiyiie and I duist,
(I come be-hynde] also God me spede.^ l^»r)G
[They go up toward the altar. '^
I\1are. a ! lesu.s', Icjfus, my sun soo swcte, [i. isu]
Thy gooyng froo me soo suddenly llathe cawsid vs bothe for to wepe
WitTi byttur teyris abuiulaiitly. lOGO
Thyn olde fatliur here and I
For thy sake, sun, hathe lykyd full yll. Owre yis the were but seldum ilry.
But now thatt we ar cwin the tyll. Ie5U5. Modur, Avhy did j'ou seek me sool 1065
Hyt hatlie byn oft seyde vnto you,"'^ My Fathurs wyll I nivst fuUfyll
In eyuere^ pwynt, for well or woo.-* 106S
Mare. Sun, these talis thatt you me tell
Ase yet I canot viidurstand ; But my hart, this kiio I well,
Ys were glade I haue the fonde. 1072
I. DucTOE, Now truly, dame, no me/-vell ys
Thogh thow in hart were full woo To lose soche a chylde asse this. (80)
How long, wyff, hathe he byn thee froo 1 1076
^Iark. 8yr, yt ys now these dayis iij, SyLh thai he departid furst fro me ; I am full [glade] ^ here hym to see
Alyve wit//owt^ woo. loSO
Ie6US. Xow farewell, naasturs of myght and mayne !
For w/t^ my modur now must I nede For to rcycomford hyr agoyne,
Wyche soo longc for me hath Icvid in dritU-. 1084
' Brackciiid words supplial from Y 218; following this line in MS. is a line erased and illegible: My place . . . this tyme . . . bcliynd.
- II. iorUes you uiitill. * Conlraclion for er.
* II. rearraiujcji aceording to Y and T : My fatlmrs wyll for well or woo / III eyucr[y] pwynt I inu.st fulllyll.
■' t'orr. by S. '' H. writes wjtAowt[L'ii].
PAGEANT OF THE WEAVERS. 67
I. Doctor. I^ow thatt Lorde of lordis be thy speJe, They invite
liim to stay.
\\ here-eyuer tliow goo m any quost ! ^ But yff thow wolt tarre, tliow schalt^ not nede Any more to put thy fryiidis to cost.'^ 1088
III. Doctor. How seyhst thow, fathur, for thy
goo[dj4 wyll, Wolt thow grant thi help thyre-tyll, [f- le]
AAvey thatt he do not goo 1, 1091
JOSOFF. Noo, SiV, in good feyth, thai I nyll, Joseph and
' ' ° 1 Mary object.
N.or neyue/- forgoo hyni be my wyll,
Nodur for frynde nor foo. (81) 1094
A long whyle Ave have hym myst. And gone he wasse, or thatt I wyst j But hade I hym wonis be the fyst,
He schall noo more doo soo ! 1098
Mare. Now, lordyngis, of your curtesse, Do^ ye nott wyll my chylde fro me ; For w/t/; my wyll yt schall nott be,
Whyle thatt owre lyvis last. 1102
I. Doctor. Then yt is noo bote for to intreyte, Ji^'e fuie-
■^ "^ ' wella.
Thy chylde I see I canot gete ; I tro yt be but wast to speyke,
Thatt tyme I thynke ys past. 1106
Ie.?us. Now lordyngis all, \fiih youre lysence. Good tyme yt ys thatt we were hence ; I thanke [you]*' of youre hy sapence
Thatt I yviili you haue hade. 1110
II. Doctor. Now, sun, when-eyue/- thow cu??iyst thin invitation to
come again.
wey, Be bold of hus, I the praye.'^ Yff thow to age lyve may,
Thy fryndis ma be full glade. 1114
Mare. Now farewell, lordis of hy degre ! (82)
I take my ley ve at you all three ; Thatt Lorde thatt ys in Trenete,
,He kepe you all from care ! 1118
^ H. alters to chest. "^ So H., S. scliult; MS. vowel illccjiblc. 3 H. alters to quest. * Corr. by S. » ^^ n^ g_ d^, " Supplied by S. ^ Contraction for ra.
68 * TWO COVENTRY CORPUS CHRI.STI I'LAYS.
JOSOFF. And for tlie f3'ndyiig of tliis ouro siiii,^
In lioyvj'iiis blysse thatt we- ma wone,^
AikI geve you well to fare. 1121
The weather I^ow, cwn on, Mare, with myrre cliere,
i« fair and > > » J >
they .lopart Aiid bryiii'c youre cliykl with you here ;
for Nuzaretli, J o J J J )
At Nazaretlie now I wold wee weyre.
Maue. Str, in good tynie wee schall cwm there ;
The wey and weddur and all ys feyre,
Whereoir am I right fayne. 1127
JosoFFE. In this place whyle we ar here, [f. isu]
Loke thatt we haue all owro gere,
Thatt we cuw nott agayne. 1130
flrst takinf; leave ol the coinpuny.
^Iare. Josoffe, husebonde, we myse notliyiig ; "* But at youre Avyll lett vs be gooyng
Asse fast ase eyuer we can. 1133
Ande now att all this cu??ipany, My ley vo I take and thai full humbly ; (83)
Vnto thatt Lorde most myghty
Now I betake you eyuere mon. 1137
Josoffe. Now farewell, my fryndis all ! For I mvst goo whatt-eyuer befall ; Nedis mvst that nedis schall,
Be me here may you kno. 1141
A ! thatt all you ma vse tliatt weyis, At all tymt's youre wyvis to pleyse; Then schall you aw(jide moche dysees.
God grant tliatt you ma do soo! 1145
[They (JO out.]
Thoiioctora I. DoCTOR. Xow, ye lordis thatt bathe the lawis to
comment . .
leyde, Marko well the wordis thatt bathe byn seyde
Bo yondur chylde of wysedome grett, 1148
' A line semis here to be omitted. - II. ch/ine/es to ye,
^ H. supjwscs the liiie ami/fed here.
* II. suj'i/osrs that a line is licrc oinitled.
PAGEANT OF THE WEAVERS.
69
Wyche at this tyme amonge vs here Declarid owre lawis be clarge clere, Wyche be his actis dothe apere,
Thatt of God he ys eylecte ! 1152
II. Doctor. Now surely yt can no nothur be, For be ys nott levyng tha\^ eyue?- see Soch by knoleyge of exselence
In soo tendur vthe ; 1156
For in owre moste hyist dysspecionis/ To them he gawe tru solyssionys, (84)
And also made exposysionis
Acordyng to the truthe. 1160
III.' Doctor. Ys not thys a wondiirs case, Thatt this yonge cbylde soche knolege base 1 Now surely he hath asposschall ^ grace,
Soo by dowtis dese?'nyng ; 1164
Tliatt Ave wyche nobull docturs be, And gradudis gret of old^ antequete, And'* now on this 2)lace wiili yonge ^ infance [f- n]
Ageyne ar sett to larnyng. 1168
I. Doctor. Now, bredur^ bothe, be my consell
These myghtte matters you sett on syde. And in avoidyng of more perell
Tbatt here-apon myght betyde ;
Therefore lett vs no lengur abyde In these cawsis for to contende, For this dey ys almost at an yende. 1175
II. Doctor. Now, brethur bothe, syth yt ys soo,
Ase vere nature dothe me compell, Here my trowthe I plj^ght you to
In hart for eyuer \\iih you to dwell. 1179
upon the wisdom of tlie Child.
Tliev 8et the mighty mut- ters aside until another time; ,
III. Doctor. Now, masturs all, be won assent,
All owre matters reyjurnyd be, Tyll thatt a dey of argument
(85)
^ H. writes dy.ss]>u[ta]cionis. - H. writea a -spesscliall. ^ H. omits old. ■* II. o«u/.s And. * II. oiaits yoiigc.
•* S. brodur.
70
Iho commoii- nlty are invited to be present tlieii.
TWO COVENTRY CORPUS CIIRISTl TLAYS.
^ra bo apwyntyd iiulyfforeutlo ;
Where ain you,- the conic?talte, You ma departe on this coedyssion, Thatt ye atende at the next nionyssion.
118G
I. Doctor, ^o\v, f ryndis, tochyng owre festefall dey, Ys there oght els that I ma sey 1
II. Doctor. Xo more now, bute evyu awoj'',
For the nyght drawis fast apon. 1190
III. Doctor. And of youre cu?Hpany I wold you \va.
And here I take my leve at eyue^-e mun. 1192
Tys matter nevly translate be Robert Croo in the yere of oure Lord God M'v'^xxxiiij*^, then beyng meyre Mastur Palmar, beddar ; and Kychard Sinythe an[dJ8 [Ilerre]'* Pyxley masturs of the "Weywars ; thys boke yendide the seycond day of Marche in^ yere above seyde.
[SOXQ I.]*' [f.l7a]
Thomas ^[awdycke. (86) Rojoyce, rejoyce, all that here be !
The Angell these tythyng[s]3 hatli browglit, That Simion, before he dye,
Shalle se the Lorde which all hatha wroAVglit ;
Wherefore now let vs all prepare
Owre temple that yn order be ! For he bathe put awoy owre care,
The Seconde Persone in Trinitye. Eychard.
[SoxG ii.y
Beholde, now^ hit ys come to pase,
That manye yeres before was tolde,
How ///at (,'lirist, owre ryght Messyas,
r>y -Iwdiis scholde 1)C bowght and soldo !
' H. t.raius/)osej> all inirl you.
- H. inserts [teche] and ends sentence with this line. "
^ Supplied bxj S. '' H. inserts [tho]. " In late hand
'• In c'jntcmjwrancojcs liaiui, but unlike MS. " S. how.
SoW.
PAGEANT OF THE WEAVERS. 71
For owre offence he man became,
His fathers wrathe to pacyfye, And after, mekely as a lamb,
Vpon the crose there dyd he dye. 8
0 Lorde ! as thou, hast bowght vs^ all,
And suffryd at Mownt Callverye, Recownfort vs"^ bothe gret mid small,
That yn thy trcAvth \vc lyve and dye! 12
James Hewyt. 1 Contraction for us.
i'L
Extracts from the Covaiitry Leet Book}
1424 (Oct. 25). "Wevers . . . Item. ArLitrati sunt et onlina- verunt quod ilicti jorneyineii et eomm qiiilibet solvet dictis ma<;i.stris aiinuatiin in future quatuor denarios ad opus de le pagent eorundeni, et quod ipsi le jorneynien liabeaut cum mapis- tris suis potacionem sive collectionem [sicut] antea consuerunt, etc. 5 — f. 27.
1427-8 (Conv. St. Paul). Hit is to liaue in mynde that at a lete liolden atte fest seynt Mich, the ;yer off kyng Herre the sixt the vij the smythes of Coventre put up a bille foloweng in thes wordes : To you full wursliipfull meir, recoidour, hayles, and to 10 all your discrete counsell sliewen to you the craft of smythes how thei were discharged of tiie cotelers pacliand he a lete in the tyme of John Gote then meire, and quytances made be-twene the for- seid craftes eder to oder, lik as hit is well knowen and redy for to shewe, and nowe late Giles AUesley in his office of meyralte preyed 15 the forseid craft of Smytlies to tak the governaunce of the seid jjachand as for his tyme and no forther. And the seid craft did hit wilfully to his plesaunco for the whiche cause the forseid pachand is yete put to the forseid craft, and thei han no nianer of duto to tak hit to hem ; wyche thei beseche that ye of your grete 20 goodnes discharge the forseid craft of smythes of the pachand atte reuerence of God and of truthe, and orden hit elles where ye bon better avised be your good discression.
Tlie whiche bill- be the avise of all the wurthy of the seid lete and all oder upon the same lete beeng Avas onsuereil and endo[r]sed 25 in this wise : Hit is ordeyned that the smythes shall ^ ocupie the seid pachand forthe euery yere apon the payne of x'' to be juiyd at euery defaute to tlie use of the chambur. — f. 45 I).
1434 (E.). The orden that the sadelers and the peyntours of the city of Coventre be fro this tyme forward contrebetory unto 30 the paiont of the cardemakci's ; and that they paye as the carde-
' A Calendar of Bunks, Cluirlcrs, etc., i;i the Muniment-room of SI. Mnrifs Hall, Cov-ntri/, J. C. JeaHVusoii. Coventry, 1896. A 3. Lccl Books (a) 8 Hen. V. — 1 and 2 I'liilip ainl Mary. Most of flu: following rxlrad-s arc ijiven or referred to in ,Shnr/is Dis.scrlation, \iy. 4, 8-11, 43-5. Insignijicant raridlinni from Sharp's Ixxt have not luxn noted. (E. ) Easter Leet, (M.) Michfitlmit.'i Lcel.
' MS. bull. ' MS. ^hnU.
APPENDIX I.
73
.nakers don yerly uppon the peyne of C s to be payd to the use
''' ""u^f"^^^^ thecavpynters be associate unto U.e
taerst:^^ P nners to maynten her pagent and ^-^ y-T^^Xs
5 is ; and that the maior call the substance of the crafte of caipynters
fiiul =iPtt, hem to-^ether as one felawshipe.— t. b- '^- ^ ,.•
utl (E Ordinatum est quod Eobertus Greene et omnes ahi
„ui udunt n festo Corporis Xpisti bene et suficienter ludant ita
od Ximpedicio hat in aliquo ioco sub pena xx s cumslibet
lOdetieniis ad'usus muros levanda per majorem et can.aranos,
'^'' U43-?(C S P ) For-alsomoche as the crafte of cardemakers,
sadelers ma mi?' and peyntours of the cite of Coventre be long
™ ^pa 1 au byn L oone fellauship in beryng costys charges
15 aid a?l Ser duetie\ of old tyn.e to ther pagent ami to the sa d
hd'uishiD loncTiig. And now late that is to say in the tyme oi
K ri^a'ytoft^ma'ior of the said cite, the said felauslup or cer en
cau;es amon^ hem movyd wer lyke to departe and to breke e
ekuthrwherforcerten persons of^ thesaid cx^ftes, shewyng to the
20 mluoi the causes of ther grevance, besought ^y^^^^^^^^^
:tf;^m-^^;sc^^s:^.s:t^p~^^
ll J r;^::d L couLeU, lut is ordeynyd that tlie s^., ^ shalbe oone felauship beryng costes charges, and f « ^/'^ J^^^^^^^^^ to her pa-ent and to ther felauship longyng. And that thei sliaii
30 er^; chose new masturs a-pon saynt Thomas ^ay - Xpmas^^^^^^^^^^
n the forme and maner folowyng : Tha is to ^^Y' ^^^^ f ^^^^
every of the said craftys iij men m a place consuette within the
aS'e ite ; ami ther in d the fest of Saynt Thomas thai ^haU cho^
of every of the said iiij craftes oone master for the ye folo^^3lV
35 And /so be that any of the said craftes a -onetl. a ore tlie .ml f . be reasonable cause unfayned may excuse hyine that Uie nay not 1.0 .it that eleccion of the masturs at the said feste. That then tne c^ft t the ciXs that may nott be ther shall bryng m i, menys names of the crafte that may not be ther at the eleccion and ^^hat-
40 soe^e the iij personnes with other that shalbe a-pon the elecc on doo! thei tha ben awey to agre therto, and also sone as the ma' turs be chosen that same day or tliei departe the new masturs To losen shall take that consuett othe. And allso every person o thesaid craftys shall pay yerely to the mas urs xijd and al other
45 dueties, customes, and lanfull cliarges that long o the pageu and to the said felauship and all money that shalbe rer>d [b] toi
1 MS. of of.
li APPENDIX 1.
niak3'-ngof new bretliren or els in ntlier wais to tlie craftes reuued, ;i.s hit is gadred hit shallte put in a comen box tlier to he kepte to the nse of the said fehiuship and to the warship of this cite. AUso ever}' mastur of the seid iiij craftes sliall haue due correc- cion of of liis own crafte of all the priue poynts that long to his 5 crafte, without niedalyng or entermettyng of any vther craftys. AUso that ther shall no man of the said iiij craftes play in no pageut on Corpus Xpi. day save onely in the pagent of his own crafte, without he have lycence of the maior that sliallie for the yer. AU- so that every man that hath any money of forfeits that have byn 10 made or els money for makyng of In'edren afore this tyme in the said craftes that hit be brought in be-twen this and the fest of All Saynts next comyng, and that to the niaior. And also that all the masturs of the said felauship that have not accompted a-fore this tynie that thay nuik ther acoiupte be-twene this and the fest 15 of All Saynts next comyng and all tlie arereage, if any be, that hit be brought in the same day and delyveryd unto the comen box. And allso that all masturs that now byn and all the masturs of the said felauship that shalbe herafter yerle, shall make ther acompte, every mastur for his tynie at the fest of 20 Esiur, Provyded allwey that the crafte of masons, ne none of hem, shall not be charged to com to noo buryeng, weddyng, ne oll^yng of the said crafts on workedais. AtuI who of the said felliship disobeith this ordynaunce, or forefettyth in any of them, shall pay at every forfett x li to the niaior of tlie cite of Covcntre, 25 that tyme beyng witlu.niten any grace.
iS^omina consilij maioris in hoc casu : {list). — f. 109 a and !>.
14:57. {IVie king came to Coventry on) In-yday the xj of Fevyere the yere reynyng of kyng Herr^' the sixt the xxxv'' . . . The queue {margin). On Corpus Xpisti j-even at nyght then 30 next suyng came the queue (Margaret) from Kelyngworth to Coveutre; at which tyme she wold not be met, but came prively to se the play there on the morowe ; and she sygh then alle the ]i:igente3 ployde save domes-day, which myght not be pleydc for lak of day. And she was loged at Kichard AVodes tlie grocer, 35 where Ivic. Sharp some-tyme dwelled; and there all the pleys were furst pleydc. At which tyme the meyre and his bretheni sende unto her a present which was sicli as here suyth : That is to wit, ccc paynemaynes, a pipe of rede wyne, a dosyn capons of liaut grece, a dosyn of grete fat pykes, a grcte pauyer full of pes- 40 codes and another panyer full of pipyns and orynges and ij cofyns of connfetys and a pot of grene gynger. And there were wilh her then these lordes and ladyes that here folowen : That is to .sey, the duke of Ijukkyngham and my lady Jiis wyff and all ther childern, the lord Kevers and my lady hys wyf, the lady of 45 Shrowcsbery the elder, and the lady of Shrowesbery the younger, with other mony moo lordes and ladyes. And the Friday then next suyng she rcmcved to ColshuU tu her mete and so to Eculsale
APPENDIX I. ' ^
to the prynce; at wlucli tyme the seid meirc and his hrctheru with ri4t a good feliship of the seid cite, which plesid her higlmes ricrht well, brought her to the utmast syde of theyre fraunchise where hit plesyd her to gyff them grete thank hothe for theyre 5 present and theyre gentyll attendaunce.— f. 1 - 3 ^.
1460 (E ). Also hit is ordeyned that every craft that hat i
pacrant to pley in, that the pagant be made redy and ln;oiight furth
to pley, nppon the peyn of C s to be reased of luj maisters of the
crafts that so offend.— f. 182. , , ^i ^ n^
10 147 4 (E ). Hit is ordened at this present leete that every cratte
with-in this cite com with their pageaunts accordyng as hit haith
bvn of oldctyme, and to com with their processions and ridyngs
also, when the byn required by the meir f or the worship of this
cite [upon the] peyne of xli. at every defalte.— i. 227 h
1 5 1493 ( Ipr ). Also hit was ordeyned at this present lete that
the tallowe chaundelers shuld be unyed unto the craft of smythes,
accordyng as hit hath be ordeyned be lete aforetyme, which they
nowe conferme uppon the peyn of every singler persons of the
seid tallowe chaundelers that refuse this order nowe confermed to
20 lese C s to this city, and his body to prison till he so will do.— t.
1493 (Oct ) It. They ordeyned at this lete that the chaunde- lers shuld pay 7^erely to the smythes ij s towards their paicnt.—
f '^71
25 ' "1494 (Apr). Also hit is ordeyned, as hath be ordeyned and en- acted be dyvers letes in tymes past, that the chaundelers and cooks of this cite shall be contributory to the smythes of this cite and to 13av verely towards the charge of ther preste and pageant, every chaundeler and cooke ij s ; every man faylyng ot such payement
30 to lese at every tyme xl s and to have enprisonment till he paye the seid ii s with the arrerages in that partie, if eny be, and the seid peyed ; the mair for the tyme beyng to bane a nob e thereof, and the craft of smythes another noble, and luj nobles to the wardeyns of the cite to the use of the cite. Trovided that no
35 such persone which their wyfe occupie making and sellyng ot candell be coustrayned to be master or keper with the smythes 111
no wyse. — f. 272 b. . r ni u
1494 (Apr ). Eor-asmoche as the unyte and amyte of all citees and comeiialtees is principully attcyned and contynued l>e due
40 ministration o/f justice and pollytyk guydyng of the same ; lov- seyng that no persone be apprised nor put to forther charge than he convenyntly may here and that every persone withoute favor be contributory after his substance and facultees that he usetli to every charge had and growyng for the welth and worship of the
45 hole city ; and whereso it is in this cite of Coventre that divers charcres have be continued tyme oute of niynde for the worship ot the "same, as pagants and such other, whcch have be born be dyvers crafts whech crafts at the begynnyng of such charges were
( 0 APPENDIX I.
more woltliy, rich, and moo in nonibrc tlicn nowc be, as openly apperetli ; for whccli cause they nowe be not of power to continue tlie seid charges without relief and comfort be shewed to them in that partie ; and inasmoch as there be dj'vers crafts in this cite that be jiot charged with like charges ; as dyers, skynnors, fysshe- 5 mongers, cappers, corvisers, l)ochers,and dyvers other, Therfor hit is ordeyned be this present lete that the mayre and viij of his counceill have auctorite to call all the seid crafts and other that Ite not charged for the seid charges and them to adioyn to such crafts as be ouercharged with the forseid pngants uppon peynes be 10 hym and his seid counceill to be sette. And if eny jiorsone refuse such unyon and contribucions, or such resonable measne to be taken be the discrescion of the seid mayre and his counceill, such persona so refusing to forfet and ]iaye such peyn in that partie so to be sette be the seid mayre and his counceill. And that such 15 resonable measne in the premisses so to be taken be tlie seid mayre and his counceill to be of like force and effect as yf it had be made at the present lete. — f. 273.
1494: (M.). "Where hit was ordeyned at the laste lete that such crafts that were not contributory to the crafts as here //erely 20 charge in this cite to the worship of the same shuld be unyed and adioyned to the crafts so charged be the discrescion of the juaire and his counceill, which ordenaunce hath not be put in execucion caused be dyvers self-willed persones Avhech be their willes Avoid obbeye no other rule ne onlre but after their owne 25 willes grounded without reason, which may not be suffred yf this cite shulde prosper and contynue in welth. Hit is tlierfore ordeyned at this present lete that all maner crafts and persones occupying eny crafte within this cite not beying charged to eny yerely charge that is had and made in this cite for tlie worship 30 of the same, as paiants and such other, that they, betwixt this and the fest of Seynt Martyn next comyng, of their toward-lovyng disj)(»sicioii applye them-self to joyn and unye themself or to bo contributory to other craft that is charged, as is aforseid, in relief of their charge ; which their so doyng shall principally please 35 (iod and contynue the gode name antl fame tliat this cite hath had in tymes past. And that every craft and persone that well not of their goode willes be the seid fest applye them to such unyon as is aforereherscil, that then such persone and crafte that rei'us- yng obbeye, stand, and performe such order and direccion of the 40 maireand liis counceill in that partie to be oVdredand made, upjion the peyn of every i»ersone and craft that disobeieth to lose at the first rt-fusell C s, at the ij''" x li, and at the iij***-' xx marc. — f. 273 //.
1494 (^L). Also it is ordeyned, at the same lete, at the 45 request of the inhabitaunts dwellyng in Gosseford strete, that the l).igeant3 .yerely frohenslurth be sette and stande at the place there of olde tyme used and lyiiiyt app<iynted, uj)pi>n payn of
APPENDIX I. 77
every craft that doth to the contrary to lese at every defalt vj s viij d to the use of the cite, to be levyed and paide. — f. 273 h.
1494-5 (Jan. 12). Memorandum. That the felisliip and mys- 5 terye of bochers in Coventre, remembrj^ng the ordenaunce lately made be auctorite of lete for contribucion to be had and made be such crafts as be not charged to such ordinary charges and costs as be ?/erely made and boren for the Avorship of this cite, callyng also to tlieyr mynde the olde acqueyntannce and amyte that of
10 long tyme hath be and contynued, be measne of entercours and of bying and sellyng, betwixt them and tlie feliship of whittawers, "whech be overcharged to the charges above relaersed ; and for their relief in the premisses, at Coventre aforeseid the xij"^ day of Januare the x**^ yere of the reign of our soveraign lord king
15 Henre vij*^^ in the presence of Eobt. Grene then beyng maire, Avere agreable and ther graunted to here and pay ?/erely frothens- furth to the said feliship of Avhittawers towards the ?/erely charge of their paiant as long as they there shalbe charged Avith the said paiant xvj s viij d be the hands of the keper and maisters of the
20 seid feliship of bochers to be paide to the kepers and masters of the seid feliship of Avhittawers yerely iiij s in the vigill of the Holy Trinite Avithoute ferther delaye, Avithout eny other or ferther charge or besyness be tliem to be made or doon to the seid feliship of AvhittaAvers. — f. 273 h.
25 1495 (Apr.). Also hit is ordeyned at the peticion and desire of the craft of cardmakers tOAvards their charge that they //erely here in kepyng their pageant that the crafts of skynners and barkers shall yerely frohensfurth here and pay to the seid craft of cardmakers xiij [s] iiij d in the forme suyng : That is to sey, the maisters of
30 the crafte of skynners and the maisters of the barkers shall yerely in the vigill of the Holy Trinite pay unto the maisters of tlie card- makers, either of them, vj s viij d, and yf eyther of tlie seid crafts fayle of payement at that day, they and every singler persone of either of the seid crafts, that payement denying, to lese at every
35 default vj s viij d, and in default of payement, tlieir bodies so for- fetyng to be commyte to prison their to remayn unto the tyme they have paide that fyn and over that to fynde suerte that eft- sones he shall not defende in that partie. — f. 275.
1495 (Apr.). Also hit is ordeyned, etc., at the peticion of the
40 crafte of Avrights and tylers and pynners that these pcrsones whos names here foUoAven shalbe ioyned and contributory to the crafte of Wrights frohensfurth for ever, and to pay and here yerely after their pocion as other Avrights doo towards the charge of their pageant, uppon the peyn of every person doyng the contrarie to
45 lese at every defalt a^j s viij d, and in defalt of jiayement of that peyn, their bodies to prison till they have paido hit and over that fyndi! suertee that he eftsones oifende not in that partie. These be the names : John Okley kerver, IJich. Percy Avriglit, John
78 Ai'Picjfoix I.
Cokkos wriglit, Xichohis Slougli cartwriglit, Jolin Norton whele- wiiglit, and Jolm Knyj^ht wliolewriglit. — f. 275 h.
1495 (Apr.). Also whore hit was shewed at tliis present lete bo bill put in be the girdelers that the crafte of caj)per.s and fullers of their goode will were agreable to paye in the fest of the vigill of 5 the Holy Trinite to the masters of the crafte of girdelers //erely xiij s iiij d towards the charge of their preste and pageant etc. Hit was ordeyned and stablisshed be auctorite of this present lete that that agreinent and acorde shuld stande stable and to be per- formed & kept for frohensfurth for ever, with more that yf paye- 10 ment yerely be not made in this seid vigill then every person that denyeth such payement to lese at every defalt vj s. viij d with imprisonment, as is aljoveseid in the crafte of carpenters. — f. 275 h.
1507 (Apr.). ^lemorandum. That it is ordeyned at this lete that the craft and feliship of bakers shalbe contributories and 15 charged from hensforth with the craft and feliship of smythes and to pay yerely to them toward theyre pagent at Corpus Xpisti tyde xiij 3 iiij d, and so to continewe from hensforth yerely. — f. 297 h.
Itm. It is ordened at this present lete that the felisship of corvesers shalbe contributory and chargeable with the crafte of 20 tanners yerly from hensforth and to pay xiij s iiij d, and to begyu theyre i)ayment of the hole at Corpus Xpisti tyde next comyng, and so forth yerly at every Corpus Xpisti tyde to pay xiij s iiij d. — f. 297 b.
It. It is ordened and agreed that from hensforth the feliship 25 and crafte of bocliers shalbe yerly contributorye to the felyship of whittawers toward ther pagent at Corpus Xpisti tyde xvj s viij d, and so to continue yerly forthlyke as they dydde afore, etc. — f. 297 b.
1524 (Apr. 12). Item. It is enacted that so long as the crafte 30 of shomakers fynde and keip ther priest, they shall reteyne and keipe in ther hands to ther own use yeirelie the mark of money whichu they were wont to paye yeirely by act of leete to the craft of tanners, and provided alwayes that the said craft of shomakers shall pay unto the said tanners at Corpus Xpisti tyde next ensuyng 35 vj s viij d.— f. 339.
1526. Item. It is enacted that all carvers within this citie frome hensfurth shalbe associat with the craft of peyntors and that every carver shall pay yeirelie to the peyntors towards the charges of their pagiaunt xij d without contradiction upon 40 peyn for every defaut to forfett vj s viij d to the seid craft of peyntors, and that the said carvers fromo hensfurth shalbe dis- myssed and discharged frome the craft of carpenters, and that Kichard Tentvyntor shall pay such arrearages to the carpenters as he oweth theme for the xij d which he shuld haue payed theme 45 yeirelie in tynies past. — f. 344 b.
1529 (Apr. 8). Itm. It is enacted at this lete that the crafte of cappcra of this citie frome hensfurth shalbe owners of the wey vers
APPENDIX I. 79
pagiaimt with all the implements and apparell helongynq to tlio same pagiaunt, and that the seid craft of weyvers sliall yoirelie frome hensfurthe pay unto the master of the seid crafte of capjjers vj s viij d ; and so the seid craft of weyvers frome liensfurtli to he 5 clerlie discharged of the seid pagiaunt and of tlie name therof. — f. 350 b.
1531 (Oct. 2). It. Wher as the company, feliship, and craft of cardemakers and sadelers of this citie meny yeires and of longe continuaunce have hadd and yet haue the cheif rule governaunce
10 repairyng and meyntenaunce, as well of a chappell within the parishe churche of Seynt Michells in the seid citie, named Seynt Thomas Cappell, and of the ornamentes, juells, and lightes of the same, as also of a pagiaunt with the pagiaunt house and pleyng geire with other appertenaunces and apparells helongyng to the
15 same pagiaunt. The meyntenaunce and reparacion wlierof haithe been and is yeirelie to the greit charge, cost, and expenses of the seid company and crafte, beyng now but a fewe persones in nomhcr and havyng but smale eyde of eny other craft for the same. So that ther said charge is and like to be more ponderouse and
20 chargeable to theme then they may convenyentlie here or susteyu in shorts tyme to come, oneles provision for a remedy may be spedilie hadd. In consideracion wherof and for-asmoch as the com- pany, feliship, and craft of cappers within this citie, now beyng in noniber meny welthy and honest persones, and have maid dyvers
25 tymes sute and request unto the meire and his brethern the alder- men of this citie to have a certeyn place to theme assigned and lymyted, as dyvers other crafts have, to sitt to-gether in ther seid parishe churche to here ther dy vyne service and here suche charges for the same as by master meire and his brethern tlie aldermeir
30 slialbe assigned ; it is therefor by the mediacion of Mr. Eichard Rice now meire of this citie and of his seid brethern the alder- men at this present lete assembled and by auctoritie of the same with the agrement, consent, and assent of all the seid parties, com- panyes, and crafts, enacted, ordeyned, and constituted that the
35 seid company and craft of cappers frome hensforthe shalbe associat, joyned, and accompanyed with the seid crafts of cardemakers and sadelers in the governaunce, reparyng, and meynteynyng, as well of and in the seid Chappell, named Seynt Thomas chappell, and of the ornaments and lights of the same, as of and in the seid pagy-
40 aunt [b] and pagiaunt house with the implements, api)ertenaunces, pleaers, reherces, and pleyng geire accustumed, belongyng and necessarie to and for the same, after suche maner or better as it haithe been used and accustumed before tyme. And that every housholder or shop-keper of every of the seid companyes and
45 crafts toward and for the cliarges and exspenses aboveseid shall not onelie pay yeirelie to the niaisters and kepers of the seid crafts at such tyme and day as the seid crafts shall appoynt xij d ; and upon Seynt Thomas day, named the Translacion of Seynt
80 Al'PKNKIX I.
Tliomas, sliall also offere yeirelic every of tliemo j d at the liii;!! masse seiil in the seid chappell. But also the seid maisters, com- pany, and crafts fromehensfurthe shall applie and bestowe to and upon the seid reparacions and charges all the revenues, rents, and jirolitts of all soche lands, houses, and tenements as they or eny of 5 theme now have or herafter shall have to the use and behove of tlie seid companyes and crafts ; and the viij s of yerelie pencion Avhich is yeirolie payed by the peynters and carvers unto the seid ctiarges sliull yeirelie be payed and go to the same charges. And that the seid maisters now electe and hereafter to be electe maisters 10 of the seid crafts shall yeirelie, upon suclie a day as the seid maisters shall appi>int and agre accompeny theme-selfs to-gethers and bryng in and make a true and a full accompt every of theme to the otlier of all ther seid receites, revenues, and profittes. And the seid charges and the charges of tlie kepyng of harnes belong- 15 yng to tlie seid crafts with the weiryng of the same in the watches and other necessarie charges and busynes for the seid crafts allowed, payed, and performed, the overpluse of the seid money of the seid revenues, proHtts, and money shalbe bestowed and put in a box with two locks ami two keyes, the on key to remoyne with 20 the masters of the craft of cardmakers and sadelers, and the other key to remeyn with the maistei-s of the craft of cappers, sauelie to keip the seid money in the seiil box untill tliey have ncde to bestow it upon the seid charges or otherwise, as they shall tliynk convenyent; and the seid box to remeyn in the said chappell 2o fastoned with a cheyne.
Also it is enacted by the auctoritio and consent aforseid that the maisters and compeny of the craft of cappers shall fromehens- furthe femyliarlie and lovynglie accompeny and sitt togethers in the seid chappell with the seid compeny and craft of carde- 30 makers and sadelers to here ther divyne service, and also shall go togetliers in ther processions and watches too and too togethers; and that the seid compeny antl craft of cardmakers and sadelers sliall haue tlie preemynence and overhande in tlier sittyngs and goyng together oon yeire, and the seid craft and compeny of 35 cap[)ers sliall lykewyse haue the preemynence and overhande in ther sittyng and goyng the other yeire, and so continue frome yeire to yeire lovynglie fromehensfurthe ; so that the seid carde- makers ami sadelers shall not lack ther rome nor sittyng in the soid chappelL — f. 357 a and h. 40
1531 (Oct. 2). Itm. It is enacted also that the company and craft of barbars of this citie shall yeirelie fromehensfurthe pay unto the company and craft of gurdelers of this citio vj s viij d toward ther charges of the pagyant and processions at suche day and tymo as they wore wont to yny the seid some unto 45 the craft of cardmakers, upon pcyn every of theme to forfeit for ther dcfaut xij d to be levyed by distressc to the use of the citie. — f. 356.
APPENDIX I, 81
Itm. It is also enacted that the compeny and craft of walkers of this citie shall yeirelie pay unto the company and craft of wey vers vj s \'iij d towards the charges of ther pagyant at such day and tyme as it hathe be wont to be payed. And that the company and 5 craft of skynners shall likewise pay unto the seid craft of weyvers yeirelie v s towards ther seid charges. — f. 358.
1532 (May 14). Itm. It is enacted tliat the craft of peynters shall pay yeirelie fromehensfurth iiij s of the viij s that they wer wont to pay to a pagiaunt unto tlie craft of gurdelers and the other
10 iiij s of the seid viij s unto the craft of cardemakers. — f. 359 h.
1533 (May 6). Also it is enacted, that such persones as be not associat or assistant to eny craft wliich is charged with eny pagiant of this citie, as fishemongers, bowyers, flechers, and suche other, shall now be associat and assistaunt to such crafts as the Mr.
15 Meire shall assigne and appoynt theme. — f. 361.
1537 (Apr. 24). Item. Wher as the meire, aldermen, beileffs, and cominaltie of this citie by ther wrytyng indented and sealled with ther comen seall have gr-aunted, given, and dymysed unto the master, kepers, fraternitie, and company of the craft of cappers of
20 this citie the chappell, pagyaunt, and pagyaunt house which was latelie surrendered and given upp by wrytyng to theme by the fraternitie and company of cardemakers and sadelers. It is nowe enacted by auctoritie of this lete that the seid fraternitie and company of cappers shall enjoy the seid pagia\;nt, pagiaunt house,
25 and chappell accordyng to the tenour of the seid wrytyng indented, ctc.—i. 368 b.
1547 (May 3). Item. It is also enacted that the cowpers of this citie shall fromehensfurth be associat with the tilers and pynners and here suche charges as thei haue doon in tymes past;
30 and that the cowpers shalbe the hedd and cheffest of theim and stand charged with the pagyaunt. — f. 400.
C. C. PLATS.
^ppcntiiv ||.
Records and accounts of the trading companies of Coventry referrimj to the Corpus Christi Play.^
Smiths' Company.^
(13) Characters.^ God (Jesus), Caiaplias, Herod, Piocula (Pilate's -wife), beadle (or porter), the Devil, Judas, Peter and ^Nlal- chus, Anna (or Annas), Pilate, Pilate's Son, two knights, four tormentors, two princes.
(14) Machinery, dresses, etc;^ The cross with a rope to draw 5 it up and a curtain hanging before it, two pair of gallows, four scourges and a pillar, gilding the piUar and the cross, scaffold, fanes to the pageant, mending of imagery (l-iG9),a standard of red buckram ; two red pensils of cloth painted and silk fringe, iron to hold up the streamer ; four gowns and four hoods for the ] 0 tormentors (afterwards described as jackets of black buckram with nails and dice upon them), other four gowns with damask llowers, also two jackets party red and black, two mitres (for Caiaplias and Annas), a rochet for one f?f the bishops, God's coat
of white leather (six skins), a statf for the demon, two spears, 15 gloves (twelve pair at once), Herod's crest of iron, scarlet hoods and a tabard, hats and caps — straw hats, cheverel (chevelure, peruke) for God, three cheverels and a beard, two chev^erels gilt for Jesus and Peter, faulchion for Herod (gilt), scarlet gown, maces, gii'dle for God, a newe sudere to God vij d, a seldall for 20 God xijd., sceptres for Herod and his son, poll-axe for Pilate's son, (15) blue buckram 5 yds. and G| yds. sattin purchased in 1501 ■*; velvet hose were sold in 1590 at the breaking up of tlic pageant. Music. 1584 (only), trumpet and bagpipe; minstrels is a common entry, and the waits are paid for " piping." 25
' Mainhj reprinted from Sharp's Dissertation on the Coventry Mysteries fiiul from the introduction to the Abhotsford Club edition of the Weavers' Pageant. Xninbers in parentheses refer to pages in Sharp's Dissertation ; ir/un preceded by A., to the Abbotsford Club edition. H.-P. refers to Hall iicell •Phillips, Outlines of the Life of Shakespeare, 7tli edition, fi-om ichich some records have been quoted. Graphie signs have been put in ordinary letters. Direct quotations from Sharp are preceded by Sh.
■•* Sh. The afcounts of tliis company commence in 1449. . . 15S5 [was] the last year of their e.xliihiting.
^ Sharp's list.
* Sh. . . . the latter ajtpears to have been used for Herod's gown, and most probably the buckram also.
APPENDIX II. 83
(15) Agreement} 1452-3. These men above •writen wer acordid and agreed on ]\Iunday next befor Palme Sonday, anno // H. (6tb) xxxj., that Thomas Colclow, skynner, fro this day forth shnll have the rewle of the pajaunt unto the end of xij yers next
5 folowing, he for to find tlie pleyers and all that longeth therto all the seide terme ; save the kepers of the craft shall let bring forth the pajant and find clothys tliat gon abowte the pajant and find russhes therto. And every "Wytson-weke \\\\o that be kepers of the crafte shall dyne "svitli Colchow and every master ley down
10 iiij d., and Colchow shall have jerely for his labor xlvj s viij d and he to bring in to the master on Sonda}' next after Corpus ^ Xpisti day the originall and fech his vij nobulle3 ; and Colchow must bring in at tlie latter end of the termes all the garments that longen to the pajant as good as tliey wer delyvered to hym.
15 This was ordeyned in the time of Will. Melody, Th. Warner, and Will. Byngley, then kepers of the crafte.
Specimen of Pageant Expenses, Entry for 1490. Tliis is the expens of the furste reherse of oiir players in Ester weke ; inprimis in brede iiij d, it.^ in ale viij d, it. in kechyn xiij d, it. in
20 vynegre j d ; sum ma ^ ij [s] ij d.
(16) It. payd at the second reherse in Whyttson-weke in brede, ale, and kechyn ij s iiij d. — Inprimis for drynkynge at the pagent in havinge forthe in wyne and ale vij d ob, it. in the mornynge at diner and at sopper in costs in brede vij d ob, it. for ix galons of
25 ale xviij d, it. for a rybbe of befe and j gose vj d, it. for kechyn to denner and sopper ij s ij d, it. for a rybbe of befe iij d, it. for a quarte of wyne ij d ob, it. for an-other quarte for heyrynge of Procula is gowne ij d ob, it. for gloves ij s vj d, it. spend at the reparellynge of the pagantte and the expences of havjmg it in and
30 furthe xiiij d, it. in paper ob. ; Summa xij s j d ob.
Mem.* payd to the players players for Corpus Xpisti daye ; inprimis to God ij s, it. to Cayphas iij s iiij d, it. to Heroude iij s iiij d, it. to Pilatt is wyffe ij s, it. to the bedull iiij d, it. to one of the knights ij s, it. to the devyll and to Judas xviij d, it. to
35 Peter and Malkus xvj d, it. to Anna ij s ijd, to Pilatte iiij s, it. to Pilatte is sonne iiij d, it. to an-other knighte ij s ; Summa xxviij s ; the mynstrell xiiij d.
Mem. that these bene the garments that wer newe reparellyd a-gaynste Corpus Xpisti daye ; inprimis iiij jakketts of blake
40 bokeram for the tormentors with nayles and dysse upon them, it. other iiij for tormentors of an-other suett wythe damaske flowers, it. ij of bokeram witli liamers crowned,'' it. ij party jakketts of rede and l)lake, it. a cloke for Pilatte, (17) it. a gowne for Pilattes sone,
^ Sh. A similar agreement was made iu 1481 with Sewall and Ryngald.
- itm and below, sometimes it'.
^ Siiia and below.
* Md and bcloic.
^ Sh. Tlie arms of the smiths' company is tluee hammers crowned.
84 APPENDIX 14;.
a gowne for the beJull, it. a hode for the bedull, it, twoo burletti:*,* it. a creste for Heroiule, it. a fawchon for Heroude, a IVatt (or Pilatte, a hatt for pilatt^! sono, it. ij niyters for the bysschoppis, it. ij hatts for ij princes, it. iiij liatts for tlie tormentors, it. other ij hatts for the tormentors, it. a poll-ax for Pilatts s^jjie, it. a 5 septur for Heroude, it. a masse, it. a sei)tur for Pilatts sonne, it. iiij scorges and a piller, it. ij cheverels gyld for Jhe and Petur, it. the devyls hede ; the somme of all the costes and workemanschyp and colours drawyth to xv s.
(18) Tlie Pageayif.^ 1578. ij new berars of yron for the seyt 10 in the padgand. (19) 1440, it. p. cloth to lap abowt the pajent, payutyng and all iij s vj d ob.-
1471, expeus for burneyssliyng and payntyng of the fanes to the pageant xx d ; 1553,^ it. payd for payntyng of the pagent tope xxij d.* 15
(20) Scaffolds for spedaiors. Making of a new post to the scaffold, tryndyll and thealto ditto, two new scaffold wheels -^ 6s. 8d., iron pins and colters to the scaffold wheels, boards aliout the scaffold, three boards and a ledge for the scaffold, clamps and iron-Avork, setting in of the pageant and scaffolds, driving the 20 pageant and scaffolds.^
Moving of the jyageant, Stations/' 1450, spend to bryng the
^ Sh. . . . we may form some idea of tlie ajipearance presented by the smiths' pageant by a consideration of the following items : thus, the cross was painted and gilt; there is a charge for setting np the "mortys of the crosse" and for a piece of timber to it ; also a roi)e to draw up the cross, and the cloth that hangs before it. The pillar to which Christ was tied when scourged was also painted and gilt.
^ Sh. These cloths were obviously hung round the pageant vehicle, so as to conceal from the eyes of the spectators the lower room in which the performers "apparelled themselves," as well as the machinery underneath the " rowme," or stage of action ; sucli as the hogsheads in tlie new pageant of this company, the windlass which in the cappers' pageant had tliree men to attend on it and in the .lrai)ers' had a rope three fathom long, the apparatus for representing the eartlnpiake in the drapers' pageant, and hell- inouth, etc. There are constant charges for nails, tenterhooks, rings, wire, thread, small cord, and similar artirlcs, which of course were used for the curtains and in the machinery and dresses. See also H.-P. II., 289 ; 1569, " halfe a yard of Kede Sea " t!7 ; 1565, ("theatrical appliances of another company ") three paynted olotlus to hang abowto the pageant ; (2 Kdw. VI.), payd for makyng of the hooke to hang the ourten on iiij. d. Some of the pageant accounts include payments " for curten rvngus."
^ H.-P. 1554.
* Sh. . . . the use of pencils or streamers, or both, may be discovered in all the remaining accounts. They irerc also iiscd in proce^io)is.
' Sh. . . . the usual charges are for having out of the pageant, .setting the scaffolds ; and setting in of the p.ageant and scaffolds to the pageant- hon.se after tlie performance was over.
' Sh. The smiths' was usually " dry ven " by a number of men not specified. It appears that the frsl station of this p.ageant was in Gosford street, and as that is the first ward in jioint of precedency, it seems very probable tliat all the pageants commenced playing there ; another was at Much Park street end, most likely the corner of Jordan ^Vell, in which ca.se a third was at New Gate. See Inlroilu<iioii,
APPEXDIX II. S5
pagent in-to Gosforcl stret ; 1471, expens at Mikelparke strete ende for ale to tlie ployers x d, it. at Eichard Woodes dur for ale to the pleyers vd; 1486, it. for ale at the New ^ate j d ob ; 1497, it. for the horssyng of the padgeant xij d ; 1498, it. payd for ij 5 cords for the draught of the paygaimt jd; 1562, it. for settyng the i^adgando yn the first place vj d.
(21) Eehearsals} 1466, it. in expense at the rehers in the parke iij d ; 1576, pd for Sent JNIarye hall to reherse there ij d, spent on the comyanye after we had hard the second reherse ij d,
10 1579, pd to the plears rehersyng in the Palys- xij d ; 1584, payde the players at the lust reherse in Seint ^N'icholas hall iij d.^
Dresser.^ 1474, pd for sweepyng the pagent and dressyng ■ vij d.
Ale and urne^ 1450, it. payd for a pynt of wyne for Pilatt 15 jd; 1480, pd for a quart red wyn for Pilat i j d ; 1494, it. in expence on the pleares for niakyng them to drynke and hete at every reste iij d.
Men almit the pageant. 1469, it. for iiij jaked men about the pagent iiij d ; 1564, pd for a chassyng stafhed 6 d.^ 20 The oath of the masters of the company : They swear to " kepe unto the uttermasse all suche laudable customs as pagans, quart- rage, weddings, burings, and such other like thinge as hathe be in timis past usyd and customyd."
(22) Annual pageant penceS' 6. Edw. YI., resey ved of the craft 25 for pagent pencys iij s iiij d.
Journeymen. 13. Hen. YII., Rules of the Smiths' Compan)j : Also that they wate upon the hede mayster upon Corpus Xpisti daye to goo upon prossessiou, also to wate upon the maysters and attende upon the pageaunt to the worsshipe of this cite and
30 the crafte ; in like Avyse to wate upon the maisters of the crafte and so likewise to goo upon wache on Myssomer ny3ht and Santte Peter ny^ght.
(26) Characters. God. 1451, it. payed for vj skynnys of whit leder to Godds garment xviij d, it. payed for makyng of the
35 same garment xd; 1490, it. a cheverel gyld for Ihe ; 1498, it. payd for mendyng a cheverel for God and for sowyng of Gods Icote of leddur and for makyng of the hands to the same kote
1 ,S7(. Annual rehearsals (usually two in number) took place before the respective companies.
2 Sh. The " palys " was the bishop's palace, part of which was rented by^ the company for their quarterly and occasional meetings. The smiths.' company had their annual dinner on St. Loy's day in St. Nicholas HalU
•* ,S7i. A person was appointed dresser of each pageant. ■* »S7t. . . . ale was given both to the players and drivers. Pilate being the principal character in the smiths' pageant, the performer was allowed wine.
5 Sh. conjectures that these entries refer to officials stationed in the street to prevent intrusion by the spectators. He says that no such charge ocmtrs in th& accounts of the other comjianics.
6 Sh. This varied from 2s. 2d. to Ss. 4d. and sometimes more.
86 APPENDIX II.
xij d ; 1501, it. pd for a uewe sudere for God vij d ; 1553, it. payd for v schepskcns for Gods coot and for niakyng iij s; 1560, it.'for a selldall for God xij d ; 1565, pd for payntyng and gyldyng (inter alia) Gods cote, pd for a gyrdyll for God iij d.
Caiai>Jia.< and Aiwcu^. 1480, it. for a tabarde and an lioode 5 [the liire of] iiij d ; (28) U87, it. paid for liyryng otl" a skarlet hood^ and a raygete- for on oil" tlie bisslioppis vd; 1499, it. payde for coloin-s and gold foyle and sylver foyle for ij niyttyrs ; 1544, payd for a bysscliops taberd of scarlet tliat we bowglit in the Trenete Clmrch x s. 10
(28-9) IleroiV 1477, it. to a peynter-* for peyntyng the fauchon and Herods^ face x d. It. for assadyn, -silver papur and gold paper, gold foyle and grene foyle i j s j d, it. for redd Avax ij d, it. payd to Thomas Suker for makyng the crests xxijd;'^ 1478, it. for as?aden for the harnes xd; 1480, expense for a slop 15 for Ilerod {inter alia), pd for peyntyng and dressyng Heruds .stuf ijd; 1487, it. for mendyng of Arrodes crast xij d ; " 1489,^ it. paid for a gowen to Arrode vij s iiij d, it. paid for peyntyng and steynyng''^ ther-off vj s iiij d, it. i>ayd for Arroddes garment peynttyng that lie went a prossasyon in xx d^" ; 1490, a fawchon, 20 a septur, and a creste for Heroude repaired; 1494,^^ it. payd for iij platis to Heroddis crest of iron vj d, it. j'ayd for a paper of aresdyke xij d, it. payd to Hatfield for dressyng of Herods creste xiiij d ; 1499, it. payd to John Hatfelde for colours and gold foyle and sylver foyle for the crest and for the fawchen (inter alia); 25 1501, it. for vj ^ards satteu iij quarters xvj s xd, it. for v jardus of blowe bokeram ij s xj d, it. pd for makyng of Herodus gone XV d^- ; 1516, it. payd to a peynter for peyntyng and mendyng of Herodes heed iiij d ; 1547, pd to John Croo for niemlyng of Herrodsi3 hed and a myter^^and other thyngs ij s; (H.-P. II. 290) 30 1554, payd to John Hewet payntter for dressyng of Erod hed and the fayclion ij s.
' Sh. wood [hood]. - Sh. adds [rochet].
■'' Sh. points out that the smiths' parfcant foUou-cd 8. Luke "23. 6 ff.
* H.-P. i)eyutour. ' H.-P. Herodes.
•^ Sh. Tlie (last three) items anno 1477 follow each other iu the acoount book. They relate to the ornamenting of crests, of whicli most likely Herod's was one ; no other instances of crests occur iu the smiths' jiageaut accounts. Two would therefore iiroliiiblj' belong to the knights, who would be clad in armour, of which the comiiany had three suits.
' Sh. Many similar entries occur in subsequent ^'ears.
•• H.-P. 1490.
" H.-P. ]ieyn{tyng and stenyng.
'" Sh. (164). IJy this and the preceding item (1476, it. for hors hyre to Herod iijd), it appears that the cliaracter of Herod . . . joined the (Corpus Christi) procession, being the only instance of this natuie that has been observed.
" H.-P. 1495.
'• Sh. (30). A satin gown (probably) blue was provided for this character, whereas in other instances a jiainted dress sufficed.
'* H.-P. menddyng of Hcrrode. ^* H.-P. my tor.
APPENDIX ir. 87
Additiomd items conceniing Herod.^ 1490, item paid for
mendyng off Arrodes gauen to a taillour viij. d ; item paid for
mendyng off hattes, cappus, and Arreddes creste with other smale
geyr belongyng iij. *' : 1508, item paid for colour and coloryng of
5 Arade iiij. d.
(30) Pilate's wife Pronda.'^ 1477, it. for sowyng of dame Procula wyff shevys iij d; 1478, it. for mendyng of dame Procula garments vijd; 1487, it. to reward to Maisturres Grymesby for lendyng off her geir for Pylatts wyfe xij d ; 1490, it. for a
10 quarte of wyne for heyrynge of Procula is gowue i j d ob ; 1495, Ryngold's man Thomas thatt playtt Pylatts Avyff ; 1498, it. paid to Pylatts wylfe for his wages ij s.
Beadle or porter.^ 1480, expense for a jaket for the bydull {inter alia) ; 1490, it. a gowne for the bedull, it. a hode for the
15 bedull, repaired.
(31) Two Jaiights.'^ 1449, it. ij spears iiij s iij d.
The defilJ' 1451, it. payd for the demons garment makyng and the stof v s iij d ob, it. payd for collyryng of the same garment viij d; 1477, it. for mendyng the demons garment {mter
20 alia), it. for newe ledder to the same garment xxij d ; 1490, it. the devyls hede (repaired); 1494, it. paid to Wattis for dressy ng of the devells hede viij d ; 1498, it. paid for peynttyng of the demones hede (ijiter alia); 1567, it. payd for a stafe for the demon iiij d.
25 Juda^.''^ 1572, pd for canvys for Judas coote ij s, pd for the makyng of hit xd.
(32) Peters 1490, it. a cheverel gyld for Petur.^ Mai elms. 1477, the performer received 4d.
Pilate.^ 1480, pd for mendyng Pilats hat iiij d ; 1490, it.
1 H..P. II. 290.
~ Sh. Few traces of her dress are to be discovered ; and it appears to have been considered of little importance, as not one new article of apparel belonging to her has been noticed.
^ :Sh. Only two items occnr appl3ang to his dress.
■* Sh. conjectures that the knights wore armour with ichich of co^irse the smiths were icell provided. As two or three suits were used at the Mid- sumrner-eve processiotis, the expenses of cleaning and repairing it might occur in that connection rather than here. He appropriates to them also two crests and the two spears of the entry.
^ Sh. The devil in the Smiths' pageant had a dress made of leather and coloured in all probability black ; he had also a painted vizor, which was frequently repaired or new painted, and a staff.
'' Sh. The following (c)i<;'(//o'/' 1572) is all that appears respecting his dress. In conformity with the well-known popular belief that Judas had red hair and beard, there can be little doubt of this character being so represented in the mysteries. In the enumeration of articles belonging to the pageant, we find " 3 cheverels and a beard," besides those for Jesus and Peter, which were gilt.
' Sh. A single entry decisively belonging to this character is all that occurs. Sh. remarks that id. teas paid to the performer in 1477.
** Sh. conjectures that Peter also wore a goivn and a beard.
" Sh. Few traces of liis dress are discoverable. The performer was. paid
88 APPENDIX 11.
a cloke for Pilatte, it. a liatt for Pilatte (ropairoil) ; 14'J4: it. paid for brabaiul to Pylatts hate vd and for canvas ij «l ob.
(33) Pilafe's son. 1490, it. a gowne for Pilatts sonc, it. a halt for Pilatts sone, it. a i)oll-ax for Pilatts sonne, it. a septur for Pilatts sonne. 5
Tormentors. 1451, it. payed for niakyng of iiij gownnys and iiij liodds to the tormentors and the stof that went therto xxiiij s X d ob ; 1490. Mem. that these bene the garments that ver new reparelleyd a-gaynste Corjms Xpisti daye : inpriniis iiij jakketts of blake bokeram for the tormentors with nnyles and 10 dysse upon them, it. other iiij for tormentors of another suett wythe damaske flowers, it. ij of bokeram with hamers croAvned,- it. ij party jakketts of rede and l)lake ; 1501, it. for makyng oft" iiij jaketes ij s, it. for iiij ellne cloth for the jakkets and the hatts xviijd, it. pd to the paynter for hys 15 warkemonchipe xxj s vij d.-*
(34) Tiro Princes. 1490,-* it. ij hatts for ij princes (repaired).
(35) Miscellaneons. 14^9, mendyng of hatts, cappis, with other smale geyr iij s ; 1490, it. twoo burlettis (repaired); 1494,
it. paid for a strawen hate ob, a leffe of roche clere jd; 1497, '20 payntyng of the players harnys xx s ; 1499, it. for colours and gold foyle and sylver foyle for iiij capps {inter oJio); 1501, it. for borro;''yng off a skerlet gone and a cloke ij d, mendyng the massus ; 1564, it. payd for iij cheverels and a berde xij d ; 1584, it. payd for ij beards vj d. "25
Gloves. 1477, it. xij peyr glovej to the pleyers xviijd, (under the head soluciones ad le pleyers) inprimis to Jh's for gloves and all xxijd' ; 1505, pd for a dos' oft' whyght gloves xij d, pd for ij payr oft' reed gloves viij d.
Pat ntin(j faces. 1498, it. paid to the peynter for peyntyng of 30 ther fasses viij d.''
Music' 1451, it. payed to the mynstrells viijs,^ it. spend on mynstrells dinner and their soper on Corpus xpisti day xxd; 1471, it. paid to the waytes for mynstrelship v j s ; 1477, it. paid
3s. 4d. in 1477 ; aftunvanls it was advanced to 4s. l>eing the highest sum paid in this pageant.
'^ .S7(. Perliaps these dresses might be appropriated with more proba- Vnlity to the two princes.
•• Sh. reutarks that these charges are relatively vcnj great referring to tlic vii.icflhniroK.i mitri/ for 1497.
* Sh. , . . this is the only . . . occurrence.
' Sh. points out that thf garment worn by that character had gloves of thf same material attarhcd to the slcei'cs.
' Sh. It is evident that those characters which were not played in ma-sks or vLsors, as was the case with Herod and the devil, were represented with the faces of the performers painted. Indeed many other similar entries occur.
" Sh. In general the entries of this portion of expenditure are confined to the following items (1451, 1471, and 1477).
*■ Sh. Two And sometimes three are specified as the number of minstrels.
APPENDIX 11. 80
to the wayts for pypyng vs; 1549, it. payd to the waytes for the pagent ij s viij d ; 1554 (164), pd to the raynstrells for prosessyon ij d and pageants ij s yj d.
(36) TJie p^ay-hooTi. 1494, it. paid to John Harryes for beryng
5 of the or3'gynall that day vjdi; 1495, payd for copyyng of the
ij knyghts partes and demons ; 1506 (15), resevyd amonge bredren
and other good felowj-s toward the orj'gynall i j s ixd-; 1563, it.
to Eobart Croo for ij leves of ore j)Iey boke viij d.
Additional items referring to the imriennt, dress, etc.^ 1462,
10 item expende at the fest of Corpus Christi yn reparacion of the pagent, that is to say, a peyre of new Avhelj's the pryco viij. s, item for naylys and ij. liokys for the sayde pagent ij. d, item for to have the pagent ynto Gosford strete xij. d ; 1467, item in met and drynk on niynstrelles and on men to drawe the pagent xxij. d ;
15 1470, item rysshes to the pagent ij.'Z, item clampys of iron for the pagent viij. d, item ij. legges to the pagent and the warkemanship Avithall vj. rZ; 1471, ex])enses to brynge np the pagent into Gos- ford strete amonge the feliship viij. d, expenses for burneysshyng and peyntj'ng of the fanes to the pagent xx. d, item cdoutnayle and
20 other nayle and talowe to the pagent and for waysshyng of the seid pagent and ruysshes vj. d ob, item at bryngyng the pagent owt of the liouse ij. d, item nayles and other iron gere to the pagent viij. d oh, expenses to a joyner for workemanshipp to the pagent y'\]. d ; 1480, item for havyng furth the pagent on the
25 Wedousday iij. d, item paid for ij. peyre newe whelis viij. .y, expenses at the settyng on of hem vij d, item for byndyng of thame viij f?, paid to a carpenter for the pagent rowf Y]d; 1498, item for the liorssyng of the padgeantt and the axyll tree to the same xvj. d, item for the hawyng of the padgeantt in and out and
30 wasshyng it viij. d.; 1499, item paid for ij. cordes for the draught of the paygaunt j. (7, item paid for shope and gresse to the wliyles j. d, item paid for havyng oute of the paygant and swepyng therof and havyng in and for naylles and ij. claspes of iron and for mendyng of a claspe that was brokon and for coterellis and for a
35 bordur to the pagaunte xix. r7 ; 1547, paid for dryvyng of the pagent iiij. s iiij '/, paid for russys and scop ij. d ; 1554, item pajal to payntter for payntyng of the pagent tope xxij. d ; 1570, paid for laburrars for horssyng the padgang xvj. (/, spent abowt the same bessynes xvj. d, for takyng of the yron of the olde whele
40 X. d, paid for poyntes and paper iij. d ; 1572, paid for canvys for Jwdas coote ij. s, paid for the makyng of hit x. d, paid to too damsselles xij d, paid for a poollye and an yron hoke and mend- ynge the padgand xvj, d, paid for cowntters and a lase and pwyntes for Jwdas iiyd; 1573 {new play), paid for pleyug
1 Sh. Ill 1491, a certain \viitin,i( is called in their accounts "the new rygenale."
- Sh. adds in suras of Id. and 2d. each.
- H.-P. I. 338-41.
90 APPEXDIX II.
of Pt'tur xvj il, paid for .Iwilas parte ix </, paid for ij. damsylles xij <7, paid to the deman vj. '?, paid to iiij. men tliat bryng yn Herod viij. <1, paid to Fastouu for liangyng Jwdas iiij. <J, paid to Fawstou for coc-croyng iiij. d, paid for Mr. Wygsons gowne viij.'/; 1574, Paid for pleynge of Petur xvj. d, paid for Jwdas 5 ix. <7, paid for ij. damselles xij. '7, paid to the deman vj. '7, paid to iiij. men to bryng yn Herode viij. d, paid to Fawston for liangyng Jwdas and coc-croyng viij. d, paid for Herodes gowne viij. '7; 1576, a payment of 18 d. "for tlie gybbyt of Jezie"; 1577 {new phiij), "for a lase for Jwdas and a corde" 3d.; (old 10 pageant) paid to the plears at tlie fyrst reherse ij. *' vj. </, pai<l for ale iiij. '7, paid for Sent Marye Hall to reherse there ij. d, paid for mendyng tlie padgand howse dore xx. d, paid for too postes for thii dore to stand upon iiij. d, paid to the carpyntiir for his labur iiij. ^7, paid to James Beseley for ij. plattes on the 15 post endes vj. d, for great nay lies to nayle on the hynge ij. d, paid to vj. men to helpe up with the dore vj.f7; 1578, {ne)v plau) paid for the cokcroing iiij. d, paid to Thomas Massy for a trwse for Judas ij. ;>■ viij. (7, paid for a new hoke to hange Judas vj. d, paid for ij. new berars of yron for the new seyt in the padgand 20 vij (7.; 1502,^ item paid for gloves to the pleyares xixd, item paid for pyntyng off ther fasus ij d ; 15-i8, payd to the paynter f n- payntyng the players facys iiij d.
Smiths' New Pla>jr 1573, pd for pleyng of Petur xvj d, pd for Judas parte ix d, pd for ij damsylls xij d, pd to the deman 25 vj d, pd to iiij mcTi that bryng yn Herod viij d, pd to Fawston lor liangyng Judas iiij d, pd to Fawston for coc croyng iiij d, pd for Mr. Wygson's gowne viijd^; 1576, for the gybbyt of Jezie xviij d ; (37) 1577, for a lase for Judas and a corde iij d; 1578, pd for a trwse for Judas i j s viij d ; pd for a new hoke 30 to hange Judas v j d ; 1579,'* pd for a goAvne to the tayllers and sheremen x d.
Destruction of Jerusalem, a new pageant performed 1584.^ Items from the chanjes attending/ the rehearsals : It. payd to Cockram in earnest for to playe on his bagpypes iiij d, it. payd to 3-5
' H.-P. II. 290.
-' SJi. In 1573, after the usual entry of payments to performers ami other expences of tlie pageant as lieietoforc, a sliort break occurs, and in the inarj,'in is written " New ploy," after which follow these items. Most of these ilrtiis arc given in the preceding jmra'jraph a/so.
* Sh. This was a gown belonging to Sir William Wigston, as appears by other entries, and was fieijm-ntly borrowed by the smiths for their I>ageant. The idiarge of 8d. is for wine given in return for the use of the gown, whicli was worn by Herod.
* Sh. Tliis new performance was continued (except in 157.'> wliea no play was exhibited) until l.')80, and seems to have been acted after the old page.int. During the years l.'')80-3, the smiths did not exhibit their pageant.
'' .S7(. No less than six rehearsals took place previous to the public exhibition of tliis new pageant.
APPENDIX II. 91
a trumpeter in earnest at Seynt Kycliolas liall iiij d, it. payde to John Deane ^ for takynge paynes abowte the pageant ij s ij d.
Literal copy of the entry of expenses : Expencys and pay- nientes for the pagente : Inpriiuis payd to the players for a 5 reherse ij s vj d, it. payde to Jhon Grene for wrytynge of the playe-boke v s, it. payde to the trumpeter for soundjmge in the pagent v s, it. payde to hym that playde on the flute ij s vj d, it. payde to Jhon Foxall for the hyer of Irysshe mantylls viij d, (38) it. gyvyn to the dryvers of the pagent to drynke iiij d, it. payde
10 for sope for the pagent wheles iiij d, it. payde to Cookeson for makynge of a whele to the skaiSolde viij d, it, payde for a iron pynne and a cotter for the skaffolde whele iiij d, it. spent on the companye on the pley even ij s viij d, it. payde to Will'ms for makynge of ij payre of galleys ij s (Under the head other
15 2)aimentes and e.rsj^ences ... it. payde for lace for the ij payre of galleys xv d,^), it. pd for the masters breakfast on the playe daye xx d, it. pd for the players drynke to tlie pagent ij s, it. pd for starche to make the storme in the pagente vj d, it. pd for carryenge of our apparaill from pagent to pagente vj d, it. pd for
20 drynke for the mu^i^ions ij d, it. pd to Hewette for fetchynge of the hogges-headds vj d, it. pd to the souldyers for waytynge on the captaynes ij s, it. pd for a pottell of wyne to the pagente x d, it. pd to the mu^icions for playeuge on theyre instruments in the pagente v d, it. pd for the Islastev and the players sowper viij s vj d,^
25 it. pd to Jhon Deane for hys^TTj'ner sowper and drynkyuge xij d, it. pd for russhes packthryd and tenter hookes viij d, it. pd to ij drumme players x d, it. pd to the dryvers of the pagente iij d, it. pd to Hewet for his paynes ix d, it. pd to Eeignolde Headley for playenge of Symoii and Phynea v s, it. pd to Gabryel Foster for
30 playenge of Justus Ananus Eliajar and the chorus vj s viij d,
it. pd to Jhon Bonde for playenge of the capteyne Jhoannes and
and the chorus vj s viij d, it. pd to AVilliTi Longe for playenge of
Msyers Jacobus Hippenus and the chorus vj s viij d, it. pd to
_ Jhon Hoppers for playenge of Jesus and Zacharyas iij s, it. pd to
35 Henry Chamberleyne for playenge of Pristus, a pece'* of Ananus, and Zilla iij s iiij d, it. pd to Jhon Grene for playenge of Mathias and Esrou ij s, it. pd to Jhon Copestake for playenge of Esron his parte xx d, (39) it. pd to Lewes Pryce for playenge of Niger his parte xvj d, it. pd to Frauncys Coccks for playenge of Solome
"iO xij d, it. pd to KiclK/rd Fitjharbert and Edward Platte for playenge chyldren to Solome xij, it. pd to Xpofer r)ygbye for his ij drummers vj s viij d, it. pd to the awyntyente berer xij d, it. pd to Eobert Lawton for kepyuge of the booke ij s, it. pd to
»S7(, John Deaiie was the company's sumner.
Sh. suggests these icere merely trcssels to siipport the pagca-'t fioor.
Sh. s.
,S?i. apecc.
92 APPEXDIX 11.
Edmuiul DiuranL fur payntyugo ij s, it. pil to Thorn's Massye for the temple and for his heardes iij s ; Soju is vli iij .1 vij d.^
Pafieuuf and jiaijmnt-Jtoiise sold. 1586, it. reed of Mr. Pyle for the pa^eante howse xx .«, it. reed of Henry Baukes for the pageant xl s. . 5
In 15'J1 the smiths paid instead 0/ per/ormin'j. 1591, it. payd to Mr. ^layor towards the playes of tlie pageantos xx s.
Additional Items- concerniiui the Par/eant- House. 1571, paid for a lode of cley for the padgyn howse vj. d^ paid for iij. sparis for the same howse vj. it, paid to tlie dawbor and liis man 10 xiiij. d^ paid to the carpyntur for his worke iiij. d, paid for a Ininche and halfe of latlie ix.'/, paid for vj. pennye naiylles \].d; 1576, spent at !Mr. Sewelles of the company about the pavynge of the pajen house vi. J, payd for the pavynge of the jxagen house xxij. //, payd for a lode of pybeles xij. d, for a lode sande vj. d;\^ 1586, item paide to James Bradshawe for mendynge the pageaut- howse doores iiij. d, item to Christofer Burne for a key and set- tynge on the locke on the doore v. d, item paide to Baylyffe Emerson for halfc yeres rente of tlie pageant-liowse ij. <<. vj. d, item gyven to Bryan a sharman for his good wyll of the pageante- 20 howse X. (/.
The puttii)(j ddvn of the parieants."^ 1580, (MS. Annals) The pageants were again laid down.'* 1584, (/'/.) This year the new play of the Destruction of Jerusalem was tirst played."'
(40) Citi/ Accounts : Paid to Mr Smythc of Oxford the xvth 25 daye of Aprill 1584 for his paynes for writing of the tragedye xiij 11 vjs viijd. 1591,"' (12) At\a Council House held 19th" May : It is agreed by the whole consent of this house that the Destruc- tion of Jerusalem, the Conquest of the Danes, or the historic of K[ing] E[dward] the X., at the request of the Comons of this cittie 30 shalbe plaied on the pagens on Midsonier daye and 8t. Peters
' Josephus, Thcleicish War, iv. - H.-P. I. 337-8.
^ Sh. (37, 39) says tliut no company tvhosc aoMunts hove been preserved (smiths, calipers, ihapcrs, and weavers) exhibited a parjeant during tlie years 1580-3, and attribvti's the discontinuance to the indnencc of the Protestant religion. He sfiys, "Tlie ^rood men of Coventry, who in 1574 amused Queen Elizabitli at Kenihvoith castle with their Ho.x Tuesday iM'rforinance, com- plaint'd th;it although there was no paiii.stry or suin-rstition in it, yet owing to the zeal of certain of their iireachers, it had been of late laid down."
.- ■* .S7i. says that the pageants generally are here alluded to, and that ' ' again " is used in consequence of the JIox Tnesdny shmcs having been put dou-n in 1561. 1561, (.V.S'. Jnnals) This yoar was Hox Tuesday put down ; cp. also 1575, {Id.) This year the pageants or Hox Tuesday that had been laid down 8 years were played again.
* Sh. All of the companies (exhibiting pageants) whose records of the period exist, performed this new one, whence it may be inferred that appli- cation was made for a revival of the pageants, and that tliey were willing to gratify tlie people in their favourite amusement ; also at considerable charge, provided them with a new subject, free from the objections raised against their former representations. ' Sh. This elaborate perfoimance was not repeated until 1591.
APPENDIX II.
93
daye next in this cittie and noii other playes. And that all the niey-poles that nowe are standing in this citie shalbe taken downe before Whit-sonday next and non hereafter to be sett up in this cittie. — Com. Council Bool-.
The Cappers' Compaxy. 5 (42) History. Sh. speaks of a very curious book of accounts belonging to the cappers' company which commenced in 1485. The first charge for exhibiting their pageant occurred in 1534. (43-5) Until 1530 they had been contributory to the girdlers' pageant. In 1529 also by act of leet, the cappers had been authorised to 10 possess the weavers' pageant; the weavers' accounts sliow how- ever that the order was not carried out. In 1531, an act of deet associates the "cappers with the cardmakers and sadlers in chapel and pageant.i xjie first time the cappers' company exhibited their ne'vly acquired pageant was in 1534, when it appears that 15 31s. 5id. was expended in " reparacions made of the pageant and players ger," and 30s. 4d. for rehearsals and charges of playing. From this period until 1580 the pageant was regularly exhibited; a pause then ensues until 1584, when in conjunction with the sheremen and taylors, a new pageant, the Destruction of Jerusa- 20 lem, was performed. In 1591 they played once more " at the mayors commandment."
Conirihidory parieantry. (43 ) 1 532, payd for dy vers besynesse
- aboute the cardemakers lijs xjd; 2nd quarter, idem vij s. In
1574 and for subsequent years the cardmakers and sadlers con-
25 tributed 13s. 4d. annually to the cappers towards their pageant,
likewise the company of walkers 6s., skinners 4s., painters and
joyners 3s. 4d.
(47) MacJiinerij, Dresses, etc."- Wind lope and a locker to
the wind, requiring a man sometimes three men to " tend " it ;
30 hell-mouth ; boards about the sepulchre side of the pageant ;
apple-tree ; two ledges for the pageant, two standers for the same,
charges for " setting up " the fore part of the pageant and timber
to bear the side of it. Cloak for Pilate, coat for Mary ^lagdalen,
coat made of buckram for the spirit of God, coat for the demon,
35 surplices or albs for tlie angels, gowns for the bishops, hoods and
mitres for ditto, " roles " for the Maries, gloves, stars, diadems,
censers, our Ladies crown, the Marie's crowns, flowered, maU or
club for Pilate, balls for Pilate, mail or club for the demon, the
demon's head (or vizor), rattle, spade, two crosses, poleaxe, bow,
40 four white harness, two streamers and pensells, thread, cord,
wire, " white incoll," nails, tenter hooks, rings, points, rushes.
The pageant. (Inventory of ornaments, jewels, goods, etc. be-
1 iih. In January 1536, the cardmakers and sadlers conveyed the afore- named chapel and pageant to the mayor, aldermen, etc., and in the same month they were re-conveyed to tlie cappers.
2 Sh.'s list.
94 APPENDIX II.
longing to the cappers' chapel) 28 Henry VIII. (153G, 1537): it. ij pajiont clothes of tlie passion ; Ai-couut!< (no date), it. pil for lynen clothe to paynt v s, it. pd to Horseley the paynter xxxiij s iiijd.i_
1")97. Itirenfor;/ of ijootls Jielomjinii to fhe cappers' compan;/- 5 includes ij. pawles, sixe cressittes, ij. streaiuars and the poles, ij. bisshopes niyters, Pylates diiblit, ij. curtaynes, Pylates head, fyve Maries heades, one cc)ylf, INIaiy Maudlyns gowne, iij. beardes, sixe pensils, iiij. rolles, iij. Marye boxes, one play-boke, the giaudes head and clubbe, Pylates clubbe, hell-mowth, Adams spade, Eves 10 dcstaffe.
(4:8) Play-bool'S. Pd for making of the iiew^ plea book vs; 1540, pd for the matter of the Castell of Emaus xiij d * ; pd for ■vvrityiig a parte for Herre Person j d,
Vsiial e:q)e7ise>i of 2>erformin'j.^ Dressing the pageant Gd. ; a 15 l^erson going with it 10 d.; the clerk for bearhig the book or " the keeper of the playe-book " 12 d.** ; spent at the hrst rehearsal, to the players 18 d., on tlie company 7 s. -4 d. ; spent at the second rehearsal to the players 18 d, on the company 7 s. : phi3'ers' supper 2 s. ; drink to the drivers of the pageant 12 d. ; twelve (sometimes 20 eight or ten) men driving it 2 s. ; drink to the players between the play times 13 d. ; pd Pilate, the bishops and knights to drink between the " stages " 9 d. The annual charge for playing the pageant was about 35 s, until 1550, afterwards 45 s. to 50 s.
(49) niudrative C/iarr/es. Payd for the players drynkynge at 25 the Swanne dore ij s viij d ; p'd for our supper on the play day for ourselves, goodman ^lawpas, the minstruU, the dresser of the pagent, and tlie somner and his wyfe iiij s ; p'd for havyng the pagent in and out xij d ; p'd for four whit harnesse xvj d ; p'd for V dossaii poyntes iiij d ; p'd for rysshes j d ; p'd for sope and 30 gres ij d. ; 1553, pd to the carpenter' for toiidyng on the pageant xij d; 1554, pd the carpenter for tendyng the pageant (and some repairs) xvj d.
Entire entrij fur 1565. Costes and cliarges of the pagyande : it. payd to Pylate iiij s, it. payd to the iiij knyghts iiij s viij d, it. 35 l»ayd to the ij. bysshopes ij s, it. payd to God xxd, it. paide to tlie sprytt of God xvj d, it. payd to the ij angelles viij d, it. payd to the iij Maryes ij s, it. payd to the demon xvj d, it. payd to the mynstrell viij d, it. payd for ^ j dossyn of poyntes xij d, it. payd
' Ujion the basis of these entries and the relatively larye sums paid, Sh. conjcclurcs that these cloths were displayed on the vehicle, or used/or covering the lower roohx at the time of representation. He points out that a pai)Uing of the jKission uoiild agree vHh the subject of the cappers' pageant.
■■* JI.P. I. 342. => Sh. newo/th':
* Sh. conjectures that the Ajipearauce to the Travelers was added to the capjHrrs' pageant this year, the parts of Caiaplms and Luke being t.akcn by jKTformcrs playing other 2>arts earlier in the pageant,
'■' Hh.'a list'.
' Sh. points otit that this was probably the prompter.
' Sh. says that it iras not unusual to have a carpenter in attendance.
APPENDIX II. 95
for rep[a]rasyons of the pagyancl tymber nayles and ireii vij s viij d, it. p'd for the hyer of iiij harnes and scorrynge of our harnes iiij s, it. p'd for dresynge and colorynge the bysshoppes hodes ij s, it. p'd for makynge the hoodes and niendynge Maudlyu coate xij d, 5 it. spent at tavern xij d, it. payd for a hoke of iren xvj d, it. payd for one whelle ij s ij d ; soiTi xij s x d. (50) More charges of the pagyand : it. spent at the first rehearse at the brekefast of the companye v s vij d, it. spent at the second reherse vj s ij d, it. payd to the players at the second reherse iij s, it. payd at the havynge
10 out and settyuge in of the pageand xij d, it. payd for dressynge the pagiand and kepynge the wynde xij d, it. payde to the dryvers iiij s, it. payde to the dryvers in drynke viij d, it. payde to the players betwene the stages viij d, it. payd for the players sopper ij s viij d, it. payd for rosshes and small corde iij d, it. payd for
15 balles xd, it. payd for iij gawnes of ale in the pagiand xij d, it. payd to the syngers xvj d, it. payd for a payre of gloves for Pylate iiij d, it. payd for grece iij d, it. payd for our sopper at nyght iij s, it. payd for furrynge of the hoodes viij s ; som xxix s x d.
Other entries. (37) 1543, pd for a lace of jorne to compas the
20 beanie xjd; (48) 1548, rec'd. from the whittawers for the "hyer of our pageand" 3 s. 4 d. ; (22) 1562, rec' of the fellowship for pageant xxxij s iiij d^; (20) 1565, it. spent at the first rehearse at the brekefast of the companye v s viij d, it. spent at the second reherse at the brekefast of the company v j s ijd; 1584, pd the
25 dresser of the pagent; (21) (no date) payd for dressynge the pagyn ; (no date) pd for drynkyug for the playars betwen the play tynies xiiij d (sometimes betwen tlie stages), pd for drynk in the pagent, drynkynge at the Swanne dore ij [s] viij d. (66) 1544, payde for drynk in the pageant for the plears for bothe days viij d.-
30 Additional items concerninrj the ixujeant'^ 1562, item spent on the craft when the overloked the pagyand ij. s, item payd for iiij. harneses hyrynge iij. s, item payd to the players betwene the stages viij. d, item payd for dressynge the pagyand vj. d, item payd for kepynge the wynd vj. d, item payd for dryvyng the
35 pagyand iiij.s, item payd to the dryvers in drynke viij. (f^ item payd for balls vj d, item payd to the mynstrell viij.ri; 1568, item paid for a ledge to the scafolde vj. d, item paid for ij. ledges to the pagiand viij. d, item paid for grett naylles vj. (/, item for makynge clene the pagiand house ij, d, item paid for washenge
40 the pagiand clothes ij. d, item for dr^'vinge the pagiand vij. .s' vj. d, item paid to the players at the second stage viij. it.
1567,* item payd for a cloutt to the pagiand whelle ij. (/, item payd for a ponde of sope to the pagiand iij. d^ item payd to the players at the second stage viij. d, item payd for balles
45 viij. d, item payd to the mynstrell viij. d, item payd to Pilat for
^ Hli. No other entry of a like nature has been observed. - Sh. supiwses from this item that tlie imgcants ivcrc occasionally exhibited for two days. » if. -P. I. 33-40. •• I. 340.
96 ArrENDix n.
his^'lovcs ij, (1, item p.iyd for assyden for Pilat head ij. d, item jiayd to Jorge Loe for spekyng the prologue ij. d ; 1568, item paid for balles viij. d, item paid for I'ylatt gloves iiij. d, item paiil for the spekynge of tlie prologe ij. <f, item paid for prikyiige the songes xij. d, item paid for makynge and coloringe the ij. myters 5 ij. .S-. iiij. <^ item paid for makynge of ;helliaothe new xxj d; 1571, item paid for mondynge the pagiand geyre iij. d, item paid for a yard of bokeram xij. d, item paitl for payntynge of the demons mall and the Maris rolles vj. d, item for makynge the roles ij. d, item paid to the players att the second stage viij. d. 10
The chamders. Pilate. (50) Item for ' ' a skeane of grene silke" to mend Pilate's cloak, and the " mendyng " 6 d.^ ; makyug of Pylatts malle xxij d- ; A new malle xx d ; ditto ij s j d ; pd liichard Hall for makyng Pylates clubbe xiij d ; pd for ij pounde and halfe of woole for the same clubbe x d ; pd for mendyng of Pylatts 15 malle iij d.^ ; pd for balles for Pylatt iij d, lether for balles ij d, balls iiij d — xij d ; pd for makyng of xvj balls and for ij skyns of lether v d ; jxl for a skyn for balls for makyng and sowyng v d ; pd for balls and for mendyng of Pylatts cloobe iiij d ; (51) p'd for a i>ayre of gloves for Pylate iiij d ; p'd for assyden for Pilat head 20 ij d ; p'd for canvas vj d and the makyng of Pylats dijblet xvj d — xxij il.
God.^^ (53) There is a charge for painting inter alia the rattol, the spade, and ij crossys, and hell mowthe and also an item of exjienses for boards used about the sepulchre side of the pageant. 25
Mother of Death. (54) »S7/. gives no information.
Funr Kvi'/Jtts. SJi. For these characters four suits of white (or bright) armour were procured for which a regular entry of 16d. occurs, being the sum paid for the use of them.
Spirit of God. It. payd for the spret of Gods cote ij s, it. 30 payd for the makyng of tlie same cote viij d, it. paj'd for ij yardes and halfe off bockram to make the spirits cote ij s j d, it. payd for makynge the same cote viij d.^
(.hir Lady. (55) It. paide for mendyng our ladys crowne.
TiCd hhluips.^ It. paide for makyug the ij byschoppes gownse 35 xx j d, it. p'd for furrying the sayd gownse i j s iiij d, it. payd to Mr Warynge for the rest of the bysshoppes gownse vij d, it. an iA\ of bockram for one of the bysshoppes xiij d, it. pel for makyng
' Sli. .ntpjtoscs from this that Pilate's cloak «•«« green,
■■' Sh. (51) stfitai that about 1790 iu an antique chest xcithin the caj'pers' chajKl hc/oi'Tul {toijdhfr with an iron cresset and sonic fra'jmcnts of armour) a. club or mall stuffed villi wool, the covering of xcltich was leather ; the handle, then broken off, had evidently }>ccn of wood.
•• Hh. There is a cliarge for i)ainting the mall.
* Sh. No article of dress explicitly intended for this character appears in the account.
'" Sh. Very many instances of painted buckram dresses occur in these accounts.
* Sh. conjectures that the two bishops iccrc Jewish priests, probably C'ain)>has and Annas as in the smiths' pageant.
APPENDIX II. yi
a AvhoJ for on of the byscliopps iiij d, it. payd for dressynge and colorynge the bysshoppes hodes ij s, it. payd for furrynge of the hoodes viij[d], it. paide for makynge and colorynge the ij myters ij s iiij d, it. payd for payntyng the hisshoppes myters ; likewise a 5 charge of 6 d. " for mendyng of ij senssars."
Two ainjeh. It. payd for waschyng the angells albs ij [d], (56) it. pd for raendynge tlie angells snrplisses and wasshyng iij d.^.
The three Manes. It. p'd for mendynge Mandlyns cote iiij d,
it. payd for skowryng of Maryes crowns j d, it. for payntynge the
10 Maries rolles iiij d, it p'd for a yard of bokeram xij d, it. p'd for
niakynge the roles ij d, it. p'd for mendyng the Maries rolles ij d,
paid for mendyng the Maries heare viij d.
The demo7i and heIl-)uoutJt.- It. payde for mendynge the
devells cote and makyug the devells heade iiij s vjd, it. payd to
15 Harrye Benett for mendynge the demons cote and makyng the
liead V s, it. pd for making the demons head xviij d, it. payd for
a yard of canvas for the devells malle and for makyng viij d, it.
payd for payntyng the devells clnbbe (several entries). (57) Sh.
"selects" the following entries referring to hell-mouth: It. p'd
20 for mendyng hellmowthe ij d, it. payd for payntyng of hell-
mought iij d, it. payd for makynge of hell-mothe new xxj d, it.
paide to Horsley {inter alia) for pentyng hell-mowthe.
Deadman. Entries in 1574 and 1576 only.^
Prologue.'^ It. p'd for the spekynge of the prologe ij d, it. paid
25 to Jorge Loe for spekynge the prologue ij d; in 1 573 4 d. is paid for
speaking the preface, and the same sum in 1574 for the prologue.
Singers and minstrelsJ-' Sh. (48) A customary charge is "paid
to the miustrell " usually 8d. There also occur these items : " for
makinge the songe " and " for prikynge the songes xvj d." It. p'd
30 to the singyngmen xvj d, it. p'd to the singeis and makyng the
songe ij s iiij d.
Miscellaneous entries. (64) It. p'd for vj payr of gloves iij s iiij d, it. a staf for a polax ij d, it. payd for mendynge of the bowe iij d., it. p'd for halfe a yard of rede sea vj d ; (46) it. pd for a pece of tymber 35 for an apeltrie ij s iij d, it. pd for ij cloutes, a clamp and other yron work about the apeltre xij d** ; (16) mendyng the players reparell. 1569, payd Thomas Nyclys for prikinge the songes xij d.
^ Sh. suggests that "ij starrs " 12d. and "a ilyadem," 4d. (sic) he ajtpro- priatcd to these characters.
- »S7(. This character (the demon) was furnished with a vizor or mask, and a club made of buckram and painted.
•' Sli. suggests that it was a person delivered from hell.
* Sh. Preface or more frequently prologue.
^ Sh. Singers and singing men is an article of regular entry after the term "minstrell" is discontinued. 6d. and 8d. was the accustomed fej to the minstrell.
" Sh. Adam and Eve, though not particularized in the list of performers in the cappers' pageant (in conseipience probably of these parts beuig taken by persons who had played other characters in an earlier portion of the pageant) were nevertlieless indispensable recpiisites, and the introduction of this a2)propiiate and distinguishing symbol is thus readily accounted for. C. C. PLAYS. II
98 APPENDIX II.
The Destruction of Jerusalem. Sh. gives the following as an exact copy of the entry for the pageant of the Destruction of Jerusalem in 1584, when the cai^pei-s were at joint expense with tlie shearmen and taylors :
1584. Paymeiites for our partes for the pagyn and acte : Payd 5 for fyve reherses vs; spcnte at the same reherses xxs; spente at Thomas ]{ol)ynsons hytymes at the apponiting otF thinges x d ; paide for our partes at the settinge and drivinge of the pagyn and skafToldes ij s v j d ; payd for dressynge the pagyn vj d ; paide towards the hyre of a drum xij d ; payde for playinge of the same 10 drum iij d ; payde for mendynge of the skaffolds vij d ; pa^'de fur iij heardes ij s v j d ; paide sixe musicissions ; payd for the hyre of a trumpet vj d ; payd for mendynge of the players reparrell vj d ; paide towardes the players breakfast and drynke in the pagyii and a-nj'ght^ when the had played vs vj d ; paide for more- ale that 15 was droucke at the settinge in of the pagyn and skaffolds iiij d ; payde for makinge in of oure pagyn dores and small cordes iiij d ; (65) payde for oure suppers and the iiij' masters of the sharmen and tayllers and the clarkes and sumners iiij s ; the some is xxviij s ix d. Paymentes to the players : Payde to Owton v s, payde to Thomas 20 Symcoxe v s, payde to the barber iij s vj d, payde to the butler iij s vj (1, payde to llollande iij s vj d, paide XpoUere Tayller ij s x d, payde to llawkes xvj d, payde to ^lathewe ij s iiij d, payile to Hawmon xvj d, payde to ^Ir Myles soune xvj, payde to Holbage xvj d, payde to Jhon Shewels man viij d, payde to the captaynes 25 lackies xij d, payde to xij souldyars to were red cotes ij s, payde for iij garlande made of bayes vj d, payde for the temple xij d, payde to Jhon Grene for makynge the booke vs^; payde for the kepynge the boke xij d ; the some is xliiij s ij d ; the some of our parte is xxij s j d. -50
Last records. 1591, payd to Thomas ]\Iassey towards the playes xxs.^ In 1589, the company had sold the lead and tile off their pageant house; in 1596, " f urrs of players gowns" were sold for 14 d., also rd of liic. Dabson for byshopps liodds viij s.^
The pa;/ea7it-/ioiise. Sh. mentions numerous items for repair- 35 ing the i)ageaiit-house and for securing the doors, and states that it was situated in MilMane.
Drapers' Company.*^
The Pof/eant -house. In 1392-3 (16 Richard II.), a tenement in Little Park street {Cartulanj af St. Marifs, leaf So b) is descril)ed
' Sh. anyght. - Sh. more ffor.
' Sh. Ht; furnished copies of tlie play to tlie sinitlis' ami mercers' com- panies on the same terms.
* Sh. says that the capjwrs lent their pageant, dresses, and olh^r aj)paratiis, COiUmcling uilh Massrii fur the c.rhibition.
* Sh. sails (66) this is tlie last trace of the pageant history of the cappers' company. " Sh. The oldest hook of accounts of this company now to be found commences in 1534.
APPENDIX II. 99
as intQX ^ewementum ^Jr^■orum et conventus ex parte una et domnm. pro le pagent jKinnciTum. Goventre ex aUera.^
In 1520, the Trinity Guild sold to this company timber "to make their pageant" value 7s. 7d. ; 1534, an entry occurs in their 5 accounts of 4s. received for the rent of " the old pagent howse," the new one being also mentioned in the same account. The orders and rules of the company "gathered owt off oulld and anssyent boukes" in 1534 contain an order that the masters shall " se the prossecyon kept on Corpus Cristy daye, the pageond and 10 play well broughte forth with harnessyng of men and the watche kept at Mydsomer on Seynt Peters nyght with oder and good custumes usyd in old tyme to the lawde and prays of God and the worschypp of thys cytte " (160).
Characters." God, two demons, three white (sometimes saved) 15 souls, three black (sometimes damned) souls, (67) two spirits, four angels, three patriarchs, two worms of conscience, prologue, two clarks for singing, one to sing the basse, Pharisee.
Machineri/,'^ etc. Hell-mouth — a fire kept at it ; windlass and
three fathom of cord ; earthquake, barrell for the same, a pillar
20 for the words of the barrel painted ; three worlds painted and a
piece that bears them ; a link to set the world on fire ^ ; pulpits
for the angels ; cross, rosin, a ladder.
Dresses." God's coat of leather, red sendal for God; demon's bead (or vizor) ; coats, hose, and points for the demon ; coats for 25 the white and black souls, hose and points for them ; suit for angels — gold skins, wings for angels ; three cheverels and a beard ; four diadems ; black, red , and yellow buckram ; hair 3 lb. for the demon's coat and hose ; hat for the Pharisee.
Music, etc.- Trumpets, organ, regalls. 1566, payd to Thomas 30 Nycles for settyng a songe xij d.
Plaij-hooks. 1557, paid to Robart Crowe for makyng of the boke for the paggen xx s.
Pageant. 1540, it. for mendyng the bateling yn the toppe of the pagent viij d ; 1567, payd for carvyng bords and crest for the 35 toppe of the padgen iij s; (68) 1561, pageant driven by ten men who received 2s. 6d.
Miscellaneotis items (77). 1538, p'd to hym that drove the
pagent ijd, it. for pakke thrydde and sope ijd ob ; 1556, payd for
nayllys, ressys and rosyn vj d ; 1557, payd to the plears when the
40 fyrste paggen was pleyd to drynke ij s ; 15 09, payd for alle at
the Swanne dore ij s.
Tlie charges of joerforming vary from 21s. to £4 8s. 6d.
Payments to Performers."^ 1538, it. payd to hym that
^ Sh. It may be remarked that this is the first instance of pageants in Coventry that has been discovered. - Sharp's list.
^ Sh. The worlds were provided annually, and the number three seems to indicate that the performance was limited to as many representations on Corpus Christi day.
■* Sh. The character of God commences the list in payments to performers.
100 . APPENDIX II.
playeth goddes parte iij s iiij d, it. iia3'd to iiij angelcs xvj d, it. payd to iij patriaiohes xij d, it. pa3'd to iij white soules xviij d, it. payd to iij blakke ."ouls ij s, it. payd to ij demons iij s, it. payd for kepyng the -wyiule yj d ; 1556, it. payd to God iij s iiij d, it. payd to ij demons iij s, it. payd to iij wliyte solly.s (15G5, savyd 5 sowlcs) V.S, it. payd to iij blake solly.s (1565, dainpnyd sowles) vs, it. to ij spryttys xvj d, it. payd for the prolouge viij d, it. payd to iiij angellys ij s, it. i)ayd to iij pattryarkys xviij d, it. payd to ij clarky.s for syngyng ij s, it. payd to the trompyttar iij s iiij d (afterwards 5 s.), it. payd for playng on tlie reygalles vj d ; 1557, 10 it. payde to Jhou to synge tlie basse iiij d ; 1566, it. paj'^d to the pageant players for their songs iiij d ; 1560, it. payd to Kobert Cro for pleayng God iij s iiij d ; 1561, it. payd for playeing of the protestacyon viij d, it. payd to ij worraes of conscience xvj d ; 1562, it. payd to ij worraes of conscyence xvj d ; 1569, prl for alle 15 when tlici (tlie players) drese them iiij d.
(69) TIf rharacfers. God. 1556, payde for vij skyunes^ for Godys cote {inter alia); 1557, paid for a peyre of gloves for God ij d ; 1562, payd for a cote for God and for a pajTe of gloves iij s ; 1565, p'd for iij yards of redde sendall for 20 God XX d.
Demons. 1536, it. for mend3'ng the demones heed vj d ; 1540, it. for ])eyntyng and makyng wqw ij damons heds (infer alia) ; 1556, payd for a demons face ij s ; 1560, payd to Cro for mend- yng the dovells cottes xxd; 1568, payd for makyng the devells 25 hose viij d, payd for poynts for the demon (inter alia), payd for canvas for one of the devells hose xj d, payd for makyng the ij devells facys x s, payd for makj'ng a payre of hose with heare xxij d, paid for iij li, of heare ij s vj d ; 1572, it. pd for ij pound of heare for the demons cotts anil hose and inendyng. 30
White amJ Mark souls. (70) 1536, for mendyng the white and the l)lake soules cotes viij d ; 1537, it. for v elnes of canvas for shyrts and hose for the blakke soules at v d the elne ij s j d, it. for coloryng and makyng the same cots ix d, it. for makyng and mendynge of the blakke soules hose vj d, it. for a payre of newe 35 hose and mendyng of olde for the whyte soules xviij d ; 1543, it. p'd for the mendyng of the whytt soils kotts with the ij skyns that went to them xvj d ; 1553, payde for a dossyne of skyns for the solly.s cottys iiij s vj d, p'd for makyng the soUys cottys iij s ; 1556, p'd f<n- canvas for the sollys cottys xix ellys xiiij s iij d, 40 l»'d for ix elys of canvas made yellow xij d, pd for x elys of canvas madi- blaeke xd, payil for ij pe.s.sys of yallow bokeram vij s vj d, payd for iiij yards of rede bokaram ij s viij d, payd for makyng the sollys cotts vj s viij d, p'd for blakyng the sullys fa.ssys (ijifer alin); 1565, p'd for ix yanls and a halfe of bukram for 45 the sowles coates vij s ; 1566, p'd for the poynts for tlie souls (/;///,• 111 in): 1567, p'd for iij elnes of yelloo canvas ij s xd, ' .S7i. refers to 8initli.s' accouuts, pp. 85-6.
APPENDIX II. 101
it. for collering the solles cotts yellow xvj d, p'd for a solles cote xij d.^
(71) Tico spirits.'^ 1556, payd for iij elys of lynyne cloth for the playars gownys iij s viij d, payd for makyng of iij gownys and
5 a cotte vj s.^
Four angels. 1538, it. for makyng an angells scytte xij d ; 1540, it. for peyntyng and makyng new iiij peire of angells \\^ug& {inter alia) ; 1556, payd for iiij pere of angyllys wyngys ij s viij d ; payd for iiij dyadymes ij s vij d, payd for vj goldyn 10 skynnes ; 1565, payd for iiij yards of boorde to make pulpytts for the angells viij d, payd for a pece of "wode to make feete for them iiij d, payd to the carpenters for makyng ij pulpytts etc. iiij s.*
(72) Three jMtriarchs. 1556, payd for iij chefterellys and a berde of here iij s x d.^
15 Two worms of conscience. Introduced in 1561.^
Prologue.'^ 1561 (only), it. payd for playeing of the protesta- cyon viij d.^
Pharisee. 1562, it. payde Eobert Croo for a hat for the Phaiysye vij d.^
20 Machinery, Qic. Windlace. 1538, it. for mendyng a rope to the pagent thre fedom longe vd ; 1543, payd for a new roppe for the wynd xviij d ; 1556, payd for dryvyng of the pagand kepyng the "wynde iiij s ; (73) 1568, payd for a cord for the Avynde ij s vj d, payd for mendyng the wynde ij d.
25 Hell-mouth (61). 1537, it. paide for payntyng and makyng newe hell-hede xij d ; 1538, it. payd for mendyng of hell-hede vj d ; 1542, payde for makyng helle-hede viij s ij d ; 1554, it. payd for payntyng hell-hede newe xxd; 1556, payde for kepynge hell- hede viij d ; 1557, it. payd for kepyng of fyer at hell-mothe
30 iiij d ; 1565, p'd to Jhon Huyt for payntyng of hell-niowthe xvj d ; 1567, p'd for makyng hell-mowth and cloth for hyt iiij s,
^ Sh. suggests that the damned souls ivore a parti-coloured dress which represented flames.
'^ Sh. says that the ttuo spirits were first introduced in 1556 in which year iiuiny new dresses ami properties were acquired.
^ Sh. assigns these entries to the two spirits because of the linen material.
"* Sh. appropriates for general reasons the diadems and the six golden skins to the angels ; the latter item he says immediately follows the former in the origitml entry. Sh. (77). lu 15t55, Aug. 17, Queen Elizabeth visited Coventry ; on which occasion the drapers' j)ageaut stood at the cross ; it appears from their accounts that pulpits for the angels and other special preparations were made for that exhibition.
^ This also is Sh.'s assignment.
•> Sh. There is no entry of dress or apparatus that can be applied to them.
^ ;S7;. This was amongst the additions made in 1556.
* Sh. This might probably (as well as the prologue, for both were intro- duced subsequently to the Reformation,) be simken for the purpose of pro- testing against any papistical notions, notwithstanding they played the pageant as it had been accustomed.
^ Sh. In the payments to performers no such character appears, and besides the above there is only one other notice of it.
102 ^ APPENDIX II.
Eartlujuahe} 1556, payd for the baryll for the yorthei[\iake {'niter alin), payd for the pyllar for the wordys of tlie baryll iij s iiij d, payil for payntyng the pyllur (/»/e;* «/iV() ; 1557, payd for kepyng the baryll {infer alia), it. payd for tyiit3'ng the yerthe- quake iiij ; 1556, payd for keveryng the erthe(iuake to porter ij s. 5
T/iree tcorhh. 1556, payd to Crowe for makyng of iij woiidys ij s, payd him more for same iij s viij d ; 1560, paid to liim for the worlds 3s. 8d. ; (7-i) 1558, payd for iij worldys iij s viij d, payd for payntyng of the worldys {infer alia), payd for settyng the world of fyer vd, payd for kepyng fyre {infer alia). 10
Cross. 1537, it. for makyng of the crosse and coloryng yt ij d.
Ladder. 1557, payd for a larthar iiij d ; 1566, payde for fetchyng and kepyng tlie ladder ij d.
Music. 153S, it. payd for mendyng the trunipetts vij d ; 1557, it. to the trumppeter iij s iiij d, payd for fechj-ng a pere of horgens 15 and the carrege of them whoume ij s ; 1558, p'd for ber3'ng of the orgens vj d ; 1556, it. payd for playng on the reygalles vj d ; 1565, it. payd to James Iluyt for the rygalls xij d.
E.dra enfry 1572, *S7;. After the nsual entry of particulars of the pageant charges for 1572 occurs the following : The chargys 20 of iiij new gowues and iiij surplesses ; payd to "Wyllm "Walden for stufe xliiij s j d, payd to John Grene for canvas Ij s iiij d, payd to John Gosnell for furrjnig the gowns xx s, payd for makyng tlie gownes xs, payd for makyng the surplesses xvj d, payd for wryt- tynge the booke x s ; sma yj li xvj s ix d.^ 25
Destruction of Jerusalem. 1584;, cost of <£6 4s. 9d.^
Last entries. 1591, payd Thomas Massye* for the pagent xls, payd for corde and horssyng the pagen vj d,^ 1595, liecd. for the hyer of our players clokes Avith other such stufe iiij s.
Mercers' Pageant.*'
(77) 1579, Charges of the pagan te : Paide for olde ordinarye 30 charges aboute the pagante for plaieres wages and all other thinges the some of iij li vij s viij d.
* Sh. The representation of an eavtlnpiake was first introduced in ir>56 ; all the items are given.
- Sh. Kurjfjifyfn (hut thht ma}/ hare been a supphmcntary pageant, hut viclincs to think- it (I play p>'rformed before the company at their dinner. ' Sh. Not particularized, only a general entry.
* Sh. Massyc soems to have l)cen a general contractor for managing the pageants tliat year ; the cajipors and mercers as well as the drajiers agreed witii him. It will be seen Ity referring to the accounts of l.')84 that he furnished the "temple & beards" to the .sniitlis' company, and probably did tlie like .as to the " temple" for the cappers, lie was certainly paid 16d. for .services toward the mercers' jiageant in 1581.
" Sh. One instance only occurs of horses in the drapere' p.agcant, viz. LOOl, the very last time of their jierforming (20).
" The oldest account book of the mercers' company now remaining coni- ra.!nce3 in 1579, the last year of a regular performance of the pageants.
APPENDIX II. 103
Trinity Guild accounts. 1473 (13 Edward IV.), R' Joh'e
Trumpton et Thoma Colyns custodihus de mercers pro redditu de
pagerd house lij s vj d.^ MS. annals. 1525, The mercers' pageant
gallantly trimmed stood in the Cross Cheaping this year, when
5 the Lady Mary came to Coventry.
(78) Destruction of Jerusalem.'^ 1584, Charges of the pagante and the playe^ : Pd for hieringe apparell for the playeres and for carrig xxxiij s, p'd for makinge ij greene cloks x s ij d, p'd Green for the playe booke v s, p'd for mendynge the skaffolde iiij s
lOiiijd, p'd Digbjai for dromminge vij s, p'd iij boyes that plaied xvj d, p'd for mussike v s iiij d — p'd the trumppeter iij s iiij d — yiij s viij d, p'd the painter iij s, p'd 12 souldiours iiij s iiij d — p'd a standard bearer xij d — v s iiij d, p'd for drivinge the pagante and skaif olds v s iiij d, p'd for settinge up the pagant viij d. One 15 performer received 6s. 8d.; others 5s., 4s., and 3s. each.
1588, "pagante stufe " sold to the amount of 59s. 8d.; the only article specified " a copper chayne " produced 2s. 4d.
1591, p'd Thomas Masseye towards plainge the pagants xxxiij s iiij d."*
20 Pinners' and Xeedleus', Tilers', and Coopers' Pageant.^
Harl. 3ISS. 6466, the Tilers' Book of Utiles and Orders, copied hy H. Wa?dey.
(79) 1453 (Eich. Wood Mayor). Also yt ys ordeyiiyd bye a general counsel of all the crafte and craftes*^ that the wryghtes craft of Coventre schall paye to the pageant x s upjjon Whytsonday or else by Corpus Christi daye uppon the payne of xx s halfe to the
25 mayor and halfe to the crafte and by cause they to haue no more to do wythe the pageant but payeyng there x s. — f. 5.
Be hyt knone to all men be thys writeng in the tyme of Eichard Jacksson then beyng meire of Coventre be a woUe concell
^ S'h. a like payment occurs so late as 1516.
"^ Sli. gives the sum of the expenditure as £8 9s. 6cl. to which the girdlers contributed 52s. 2d.
^ Sh. speaks of these charges as a selection from, the entry.
* Sh. suggests that this was contributed in aid of a pageant exhibited by some other compiany.
5 Sh. (78) The rules and orders of the company of pynners and nedelers, agreed upon 2 Heniy V. (1414) before Laurence Cook then mayor of Coventry and others, "evermore for to stonden and to lasten," recite inter alia, that tlie said craft are to bear the charges and reparations of "her pagent callyd the takyug down of God fro the cros for evermore amongs hem ;" and to eschew faults and mischiefs of false men of tlie same craft, they agree that they shall be clothed in one livery against Corpus Christi day, from year to year, and ride on tliat day with the mayor and bailiffs, " all in asute in worshep of the citce on pain of 2s. each, and every member of the companj'^ who intends having a livery against Corpus Christi feast, to bring 40d. to the master on the 25th of March, and the remainder when he fetclies his liverj', and if he has an hood, then to bring 6d. more on the 25tli of March and the remainder when he takes his livery.
* MS. and also that.
104 APPENDIX II,
made at a let that all the tyllo-inakers of Stoke soliall pay to crafts of ]>imiar!5, tyllars, and caj>pais of Coveutre every yere,^ 8d a luan,^ how many so euer ^ be, and hyt to be payd apone Corpus Christ! day, apone the pene of 20shalff to tlie mere and lialffe to the crafte and thys ordeynd'* and grauntyd in the tyme of Iiycherd 5 Cokke then beyng merre of Coventre, tyn beyng kei)per of the seyd crafts Thomas Thcncll, Jolin More; Henry [ ], wittenes therof.— f. 6.
1501 (R'd Jackson mayor). Also yt is ordeynd and agred by the whoU body of the craft of the bowyevs^ and iletchers of the 10 citie of Coventre in this behalfe and by ther on will that wliat stranger tliat is mad brother to them after ther ordonaunce afor- seid, that 6s 8d of his brotherliode to remayn to tlie cost and repara- cion of the pagent of the pynners, tyllers, and coupers of Coventre in payne of 20s halfe to the maire and lialfe to the crafto, — f. 7. 15
Also hit is ordeynd and agred by the woU body of the craft of bowyers & fletchers of Coventre iu the tyme of John Diiddesbury beynge nieyre of the citie of Coventre and by tlie wholl councell of the same at Estur lett ther holden, that the kei)cris of the craft aforseid shall pay to the maisters of the pynners, t3'llers, and cowperis 20 of Coventre for tlie yere beyng, and to ther successours for ever yerely, the 12"' day aftnr the fest of Corpus Christi 3s 4d, apone the pene of 20 s half to the meyre and halfe to the craft of pynners, tyllers, and cowpers a-fur-seid ; and nior-over the wholl body of the craft of pynners, and tyllers, and coupers of Coventre graunteth that 25 the wholl body of the craft of bowyers and fletchers of Coventre be at ther liberte not to come amonge them, nother to weddyngs, nor byrryngs, nor to wache, nor to no other costoni, but be at ther liberte for ever. — f. 7.
1502. Also hit is ordeyned and a-grede by the wholl body of 30 the craft of the tylmakers of Stoke in the tyme of Richard Jack- son beynge meyre of the cittie of Coventre and be the wholl councell of the same at Estur lett then holden, that the maisters for the yere beyng of the tyl-makers shall pay to the craft of the pynners, tylers, and cowpers at Coventre and to ther successours for 35 ever 5 s, ther to be delyverd to the maisters of the craft for the yere beynge apon Corpus Christi daye, appon the peyn of 20 s, halfe to the meyre and halfe to tlie craft, and this ordinance was confermyde afor master Kiehard Cooke in hys meyralte and aU<v other of his worshippfuU biethurnn. — f, 8. -10
1504 (John Duddersbury mayor). Also hit is ordeynde and a-grede by the wol body of the craft of the tylmakers of Stoke by ther one will that what stranger that is made brother with them after ther ordinuunce, that Gs. 8d. of his brotherliode to remayn to the cost and reperacion of the payaut of the pynners, and ^'*
' MS. lierre. - MS. in one. '•' MS. money to cverj'.
•* MS. oiirvii. ■' MS. err. Cottyers, here aiul througlunit ; so Sh.
APPENDIX II. 105
tyllers, aud coiipers of Coventre iu payne of 20 s, lialfe to tlie major and lialfe to the crafte. — f. 8,
Carpenters confributuri/. 1448, it. sohitum ad le jjinneros pro le pagent x s. 1461, payd to pynners and tylers for the pagent x s. 5 Similar regular entries occur iu their BooTi of Accounts now in the Muniment-room in St. Mary's Hall.
Tanners' Pageant.^
1517. ^7*. (80) AVm, Pisford of Coventry by a will dated this year gives to the tanners' company his scarlet gown aud his crimson gown to make use of at the time of their plays. Also to ■10 the craft of tanners and to every other craft linding priest or pageant, to the augmentation of the service of God and upholding of the laudable custom of the city 3s. 4d. each.
Other Pageants.
Other pageants considered by Sh. (80-2) are : Girdlers' Pageant, ^o information except that derived from 15 the Leet Book.
Whittawers' Pagearit. 1548, the cappers " receved of the crafte of the whittawers for the hyer of our pageand iij s iiij d." The butchers were contributor}' and SJi. gives these entries from their account book: 1562, paid to the whittawers towards theyr 20 pagand xiij s xiij d.^ 1591, it. pd at Mr ^Nlaj'ors commaundement towards the pageants xxij s iiij d.
Painters' Pageant. The authority for supposing that the painters had a pageant is the order of leet 1-526 requiiing the carvers to contribute 12d. each to the painters' pageant. But in 25 1532 another order commands the painters to contribute 4s, yearly to the girdlers. The 1526 order refers to the cardmakers' pageant in which the painters were associated.
Cardmal-ers Pageant. Various orders of leet are the only records preserved. In 1537 their pageant passed into the hands 30 of the cappers.
Shearmen and Taylors' Pageant. Sfi. (66) A deed 19 Hen. VII. (1503) describes the pageant house belonging to the shear- men and taylors as situated there (in ]\Iill-lane) betwixt the pageant houses of the pinners' and weavers' companies. ^ In 1579 the 35 smiths hired a gown of the shearmen and taylors for the use of their pageant.
1 Sh. states that the account books ami other documents belonging to the company have been dcstroycel.
'^ Sh. This iiayment was ref^iilarly made, with the exceptions of the years 1566, 1580-3, until 1584 when tliey paid 20s.
■* See also account o^ weavers' ixujcunt-house below.
106 APPENDIX n.
The Weaveus' Pageaxt.^
1453. Also it is orJenytl that the joiiieymen of the sej-J crafte schall haue yeroly vj..-? viij.^/ and for that they schall have owte tlie pagi^ent and on Corpus Christi day to dryve it from jjlace to l)h\ce tlier as it schal be pleyd and then for to biynge it agcyn into 5 the paggent howse Avithout ony hurte nytlier defawte and they for to put the master to no more coste. — Ordinances of the Company of Weaver sr
1523, spend on Corpus Christi-' day xxij s viij d ob'* ; 1525, same item xxx s viij d ob. 10
Entry for 1525. Expencys on Corpus Christi day : It.^ p«iyd for met and tlryidc for the players ij s x d, it. payd to Symyon for hys wagys ij s iiij d, it. pa3'd to Joseph xiiij d, it. payd to !Mare xd, it. payd to Sodden for Ane xd, it. payd to Symyons dark x d, it. payd to Jhu xxd, it. paj'd to the angles 15 XX d, it. payd for glovys viij d, (A. 20) it. payd to the synggei-s xvj d, it. payd Homon for dry viug of the pagent v s iiij d.^ Under the head of receipts occurs for this year only : It. res." of the masters for the pagynt money xvj s iiij d.
Subsequent History. S/i. No other than general entries occur 20 until 154:1. The charges for Corpus Christi day regularly occur in the accounts from their commencement in 1523 to 1533 inclusive ; after which no payment is found until 1537. From 1537 the weavers' pageant was regularly performed until 1579. 1566, (Queen Elizabeth's visit), weavers' pageant at jNIuch Park street 25 end.s (A 21) 1587, r.^ of John Showell for the padgant xls, payd at James EUidges when we sold our padgent xiij s, payd at Pyriuges when we sold tlie i)ayntynge of the . . . xvj d ; 1591, it. payd to j\rr. Mayor for the padgantes xx s ; 1593, it. ])ayd when we reseved the n\oneye for tlie players aparell xij d ; 1606, it. {vt. 30 at Pyringes when we hired our aparel to Thomas Masie xvj d ; 1607, it. p(?. when we lente our players aparell ij d.
(A, 22) Players. 1544, it. pd to Symyon iij s iiij d, it. payd to Joseph ij s iiij d, it. pd to Mare xx d, it. payd to Jhu xx d, it. payd to Symyons dark xx d, it. payd to Ane xx d, payd to the ij angells 35 viij d, payd to the synggers xviij (1550, synggers for the pagent); 1551, it. payd to tlie woman for her cliyhl iiij d ; 1553, it. jiayd to the letell chylde iiij d. S/i. remarks that in 1523 live performers became love-members of the weavers' company and paid on admis-
' Sh. The most ancient account-book of the weavers' now callcl the clothiers' coiniiauy coniinunees in 1.^23. In a footnote in which SIi. explains thnt the weavers vmst have hwl a pageant long Ixforc that, he refers to an agreement between the viasters ami journeifnien wherein it is stipulated that every jounicynmn shall annualbj contriljutc id. ad opus de le pagent. All references to Sh. in the account of this pageant refer to Ahbotsford Club edition 183t5 (A.). ^ jj .p, i 333, a .^A. corpjw xpi and below.
* .Sh. », d, oh, and below. * Sh. Itm and below.
" Sh. Fourleavesnreherc wanting in the account-book; so that the entry is not completed. " Sh. res and below. " A. 27. " Sh. R~ ami below.
APPENDIX II. 107
sion lOd. each: 1523, res. of Symons clarke xd, res. of Jochop X d, res. of Our Lady x d, res. of Jhu x d, res. of Anne x d.
Fines. 1450, r. of Hary Bowater of hys fynys beyng Symeons clerke x d, r. of Crystover Dale playing Jhu of liys fyne x d, r. of 5 Hew Heyns pleynge Anne for hys fyne vj d.
Pageant Dresses. 1523, it. pd for makyng of a whyt ford prelatt for JSe viij d ; 1541, payd for a amys for Symyon ijd; 1542, payd for makyng of Syraonys mytor viij d ; 1543, it. payd for hyre of the grey ames iiij d ; 1570, it. paid for the hyer of ij
10 beards to Hary Benet ijd; (A. 23) 1576, it. payd for ij beards and a cappe vj d ; 1578, it. payd for mendyng of the two angelis crownes ij d.
Music. 1536, payd to the niynstrell for Corpus Crysty day and myssomer ny^ght ij s ; 1554, payd to James He wet for hys
15 reyggals viij d ; 1556, payd to James Hewett for playing of hys rygols in the paygent viij d ; 1561, it. payd James Hewett for his rygols and synggyn iij s iiij d ; 1586, payd to Mr. Goleston for mendyng our instruments xvij d.
Play-hook. 1535, it. payd for makyng of the playe-boke vs.
20 Pageant Veliide. 1535, paid to the wryght for mendyng the pagent iiij s ij d, payd to Eychard Walker for a theyll vd, payd for smale pesys of tyniber v d, payd to the whylwryght for mendyng the whyle vij d, payd for iron worke to the pagent x d (1542, xij d), payd for gret naylys to the whells iiij d, payd for v pene nayle
25 and vj pene nayle viij d, payd for bordys to the pagent xijd; 1542, payd to the wryght for makynge the ij lytyll whellys iijd; 1563, payd for payntyng of the vane iiijd ; 1569, it. payd for smythy worke belougyng to our pagent xxd, it. payd for hangyng up our pagyent doore vijd; 1570, it. paid for mendyng of a
30 pre?ityse broken with the pagyent xd.
(A. 24) Sundries. 1535, payd for russys pynnys and frankyn- sence ij d {Sli. sometimes 4d. — and soap is occasionally added) ; 1546, it. pd for rosshes and pake thread ijd (tenterhooks some- times); 1556, it. pd for the wast of ij tapars iijd; 1558, it. pd
35 for the wast of ij tapars and insence ijd; 1570, it. paid to John Hoppers for ij rehersys in the halle iiij d. Sh. says that charges for rehearsals were of regular occurrence, and that "there is good reason to believe" that the hall here referred to was St. Nicholas' hall which the company usually attended.
40 Specimen Entry. 1563, in primis for ij rehersys ij s, it. payd for the dryving of the pagente vd, it. paid to Symeon iij s iiij d, it. paid to Josephe ij s iiijd, it. paid to Jesus xxd, it paid to Mary xx d, it. paid to Anne xx d, it. paid to Symeons clarke xx d, it. paid to the ij angelis viij d, it. paid to the chylde iiij d, it. paid
45 for russhes packthryd and nayls iiij d, it. paid to James Hewete for his rygoles xx d, it. paid for syngyng xvj d, it. paid for gloves ij s ijd, it. paide for meate in the bocheryc xs ix d, it. paid for bread and ale vij s viij d ; su?nme xliiij s iij d.
108 APPENDIX 11.
(A. 25) Puijeant hoii^e. Sli. From deetls lielonginf; to the now Clothiers' coinpai'y it ai>i)ears that, so early as 13th Hen. YF., 1435, a parcel of land in Mill Lane, ailjuining the " tailour paiont," being 30A feet wide autl 7tH long, was granted and let for 80 years to John Hampton and 7 others, paying 3.s. 8d. rent, and covenant- 5 ing to erect thereupon during that term " unam domum vocafur a paiont hows" and to keep the same in good repair during the said term. By another deed dated 12th May, 17th Hen. VI., 1439, Kichard Molle, weaver, and others, deniise to Wm. Gale and Wm. Flowter masters of the Cardmakers' company, Itichard Twig master 10 of the company of Saddlers, John AVard master of the Painters' company, and Henry Stevons and Henry Clerk masters of the Freemasons' company, and their successors, a void piece of ground in Mill Lane, adjoining certain land held hy the master of the weavers, for 101 years, paying 4s. rent during the life of Thomas 15 ^Vutton and 2s. afterwards during the lives of tlie granters, covenanting also to keep in repair any building erected thereon. (3n the 6th (Jctober 1455 the same parties convey to Eichard Cokkes Hind 5 other.^, weavers, in fee, " a place of land, built upon, called wevers' pagent-liowse in Mill Lane," reserving Id. 20 yearly rent to the master and bretliren of St. Jolm's Hospital. On the 10th of the same month the above-named Cokkes and others grant a rent charge of 4s., during his life, to Thomas Wutton, payable out of the weavers' pageant house ; and on the Gth June 1458 Cokkes and Pace release their intei-est in the 25 same to John Tcbbes and 3 other cofeoffees. On the 18th Dec. 14G6 the surviving feofees grant the pageant house to Wm. Junes and Laur. Hyrun, weavers, in fee.
(A. 26) Rt'iiairs, etc., to paneant house. 1531, payd for mendyng of the pagent-howse wyndo i j s ; 1537, pd for makyng 30 of a hynge to the pagent-howse dore viij d.
Xciv builduKj on f/ie site of pageant house. 1587, r. for the journe of the padgent house x s v j d ; paymentes for bulding of the paygente house in the Myl Lane : Item in pryiuis payd at takingft doune of the house and the lilies, for hieryng of a rope 35 and caryinge the leade to the store house, and for drynk to the worke-men that same day i j s xd, it. payd to carpenters for ther wages iij li iiijs iiij d, it. payd to the masones for ther wages viij s iiij tl, it. i>ayd to tlie tilers for tihng and daubing xvij s viij d, it. payd for stone and for carying of stone xij s, it. payd for sand 40 and clayo v s ij d, it. payd lor lyme and for hearo to make mortar ixs viijd, tiles Os. 6d., timber 30[25]s. 8d., spars and stoods lis. 8d., it. payd for a hundred antl halfo of bryckes i j s ij d, it. payd at the rcaryng of the house and on the nyght bcfor xs \\ d ; Su//tme is xj li xvij s x d, ^'^
Pwieant. 1535, payd to the journeymen for dryvyng the pagent iiijs ij d, spend between tlie plays v j d ; (A. 27) 1564, it, lor mendyng of tlie pagyon viij d, it. for payntyng of the vane
APPENDIX III. 109
iiij d, it. pd for nayls for the pagente v d, it. paid for iij carte nay Is for the whells iiij d ; 1566, it. payd for a whele for the pagente iiij s, it. payd for byndyng the whele and for carte nayles and other workemanshype that belongyth unto hym iij s iiij d, it. 5 payd for a spoke ^ for the whele xij d, it. payd for naylls and sope and a clowte for the axetre xijd; 1568, it. paid for greate nayles for the pagent wheles ij s, it. payd for niakyng of iij trestles and niendyng the pagent xiiij d ; 1570, it paid for niakyng an exaltre for the pagyante xij d, it. paid for a trendell for the scaffold and
10 the makyng iij d ; 1572, it. pd for a trendyll for the scaffoll iiij d; 1573, it. paide for mendinge the pageand xd.
(A. 27) Miscellaneous. 1564, it. paid for settynge one "of Jhesus sleues ij d, it. i)aid for payntyng of Jesus heade viij d, it. paid for solyng of Jesus hose j d, it. paid to John Dowley to
15 make oute the money for his gowne viij d ; 1566, it. payd for mendyng of ij poleaxes viij d.
(A. 21) Destruction of Jerusalem. 1584, item paide for rehearses ij s, item paide at the settinge out of the pagion vj d, item paide on the pagion daye for bread and drincke iij s viij d,
20 item paide for nayles and rushes vj d, item paide to John Smythe xvj s, item paide for driviiige of the pagion v s, item paide to Robert Baggesley for mending of the pagion vj d ; rentgatherer's account : payd for that whych belongeth to the pagyauute xij s, payd for nayles and mendyng of the pagyent iij d.
\% M%*
Pageants on Special Occasions. Extracts from the Cerent ry Leet Book.
25 Reception of Queen Margaret in 1456.^ Md.^ That the Thursday next aftur the fest of seynt Bartholomewe the [lostyll, the yere reynyng of Kyng Herry the sixt aftur the Conquest xxxiiij, Richard Braytoft tliQU beyng meyre, was made assemble yn seynt Mary llalle, of worshipful! persons, whos names
30 folowen : — {List of 20 jJersons.)
The whcche persones aboven rehersyd then ordynod and provyded, that thev shold a C marke be levyed by the wardos yn Coventre, wherof L marke to be //even to oure soue/-ayne lady the
1 Sh. stroke. ^ jr^g^ 2?(;o^', ff. 168-170 b. Sh. Diss. pp. 145-151. ^ f. 168.
110 AITKNUIX 111.
cjuene aii'i othor L inarke to the prynce, at bor next comyng to (Joventre.
Aftur\vai\l, that ys for to soy at the fest of the Holy Crosse the XXXV yere of Kyiig Kerry the sixt, at Covontre, L marke was //even to our<; sovt'/-ayn lady the queue; and the xx day of 5 January then next folowyng, he the seyde lueyre and his couusell, the otiier L marke of the soyd C marke, was relivered to the collectours of every Avarde after the rate, as hit be endenturos severally made be-tAvix the seyde meyre and the collectours apereth, savely to kepe to the use of the prynce, when he comes 10 to Covcntre.
Md. That the deniene awl rule that was made au'l shewed uu-to oure sove/'ayn lady the quene, at Coventre, was thus as it foloweth yn wrytyng ; that is for to sey, furst at Bablake there Avas made a Jesse over the ?/ate right well [arayed], and there were 15 shewed too speches, as foloweth :
YsAY. Princes most excellent, Ijorn of blode riall,^ Chosen queue of this region, conforte to all bus,
I, Ysay, replete wtt/< the sjiirite propheticall,
AVordes to yotcr magnificons woU I say thus : - 20
Like as mankynde was gladdid by the birgbt of Jh^nis,
So shall this empyre joy the birthe of your bodye ;
The knyghtly curage of prnice Edward all men shall joy to se.
Jeremy. Emprece, quene, prmces excellent, in on person all iij,
I, Jeremy the prophete trevv, t/iais wordos of 3^ou wyll say : 25 This reme shall joye the Ijlessyd tyme of yo«r nativyte ;
The mellyfiue mekenes of yotir pe/'son shall put all wo
away. Unto the rote of Jesse ^ likken you well I may ; The fragi'ante iloure sprougon of you shall so encrece a)itl spredde, 30 That all the world yn ich party shall cherisshe hyni, love and drede.
Afturward with inue the //ate at the est yende of the chirche, was a pagent right well arayed and therm was shewed a spoche of seynt Edward and an-other of scynt John the Y.\ann<^elixf, 35 as foloweth :
*.S. Edwaiid. Modcr of mekenes, dame M«rgarete, p?'/nces most excellent, I, kyng Edward, welcu//( y<ni with atioccion righ[t] cordiall, Certefying to your highn(\s mekely myn outent. 40
For tiie wele of the kyng and you hcrtely pray I shall. And for p/-ince Edward, my gostly chylde, whom I love prmcipall,
' f. 16S b. - T/iis ami the preceding line inverted in MS. ^ MS. rote of Jesse rote. ■* f. 109.
APPENDIX III. Ill
Praying the, John evangelist, my helpe therm to be ; On that condicion riglit humbly I gif this ryng to the.
John EvANGEWsr. Holy Edward, crownyd kyng, brother in virginyte, 5 My power playnly I wyll p/'efer thi wyll to amplifye.
Most excellent p?'inces of weymen mortall, yo?«' bedeman wyll I be. I knowe jour lyf so vertuus that God is plesyd therby ; The birth of you un-to this reme shall cause grete melody. 10 The vertu?<s voyce of pr/nce Edward shall dayly well encrese ; Seynt Edward, his godfader, and I shall p/"ay therlove dowtelesse.
Afturward the cundit yn Smythforde strete was right well arayed a?id there was shewed iiij speches of iiij cardyuall vertues, as foloweth :
15 Eigh[t]wesnes. I, Eigh[t]wesenes, that causeth treuth to be had, Mekely as a maydyn my langage wyll I make, And weIcu??^ you, praices right cherefuU and glad ;
With you wyll I be dwellyng and never you forsake.
20 Tempsz?auncb. I, Temperaunce, to plese you warly wyll wake. And welcome you as most worthy to my power, Besechyng youre highnes this langage to take ;
I wyll feythfully defende you from all mamier daunger.
Strengh. I, Strengh the iij'' vertewe, wyll playnly appere, 2.5 Clerely to conseyve yo yn jour estate most riall.
And welcu?u yowe, prmces, gladly with chere ;
For to do that mowe piece you, aray ws we shall.
PiJD'DENCE. I, Prwdence, of the iiij vertewes highest in degre, Welcu??i you, dame Margarete, queue crowned of this 30 lande.
The blessyd babe YA at ye have born, prynce Edward is he,
Thurrowe whom pece a7id tranquilite shall take this reme
on hand ; We shall endowe both you and hyni clerely to understonde ; .3.5 We shall p?"eserve you personally and never fro you dissever. Doute not, praices most excellent, we iiij shall do our dever.
1 Afturward at the crosse yn the Croschepyng, there were ordeyned diverse angels sensyng a-high on the crosse, and there ranne out wyne at mony places a long while. 40 Afturward betwix the sej^de crosse and the cundit bene/7?e that, were sette ix pagentes right well arayed and yu every pagent was shewed a speche of tlicj ix conqueroures ; yn the furst was shcAved of Hector, as foloweth :
1 f. 169 li.
112 ^ APPENDIX III.
llECTon. Most ploasaunt prnicos rccordid thai may be, I, Hector of Troy, thai am cliefe conqncrour,
Lowly wyll obey yowe ami kuele on my kne,
And ivelcum yowe tendurly to your hoiioure
To this cOnaliull cite, tlie py/nces chambuv ; 5
Whome ye bare yn youre bosom, joy to ///is lande,
Thro whome in prosperite ///is enipyre shall stand.
In the secunde pagent was shewed a speche of AXaxawler, as foloweth :
AuE^AKDER. I, Alexander, fJini for chyvalry berith tha balle, lU
Most cwra'/xnos'^ in conquest, thro /Ae world am y-named, "WelcujH yowe, prnices, as quene p?v'ncipall.
But I hayls you ryght hendly, I wer Avorthy to be blamyd ; The noblest p?7'nce that is born, whome fortune hath famyd, 15
Is your sovereyn lorde Herry, cm\)erour awl. kyng ; Unto whom mekely I wyll be obeying.
In the thridde pagent was shewed of Josue as foloweth :
JosuE. I, Josue, fhai in Hebrewe reyn p)-mcipall,
To whome that all Egipte was fayn to inclyue, 20
Wyll abey to your plesur, prnices most riall,
As to the heghest laily tliai I can ymagyne.
To the plesure of yoi(r pi^rsone, I wyll put me to pyne,
As, a knyght for his lady boldly to fight,
Yf any man of curage wold bid you unright. ii)
In the fourthe pagent was shewed of David, as followeth :
David. I, David, thai in deynte- have led all my dayes, That slowe tlic lyon and Goly thorowe Goddys myght,
"Will obey to you, lady, youre persone prayse
And wolcum you curtesly as a kynd knyght, 30
For the love of your lege lorde, Herry that hight,
And yqur laudabuU lyfe that vertuus ew/" hath be ;
Lady most luHy, ye be welcu??t to ///is cite !
3 In the fyth pa'^'ont was .shewed a speche of Judas, as foloweth : 3.")
Judas. I, Jmlas, thai yn Jure am callid the belle, In knyghthode ami conquest have I no perc,
Wyll obey to you, princes, elles did I not well And tendurly welcu??< you yn my manere. Xonr own soverayn lorde anil kynge is present here, 40
"Whome God for liis godenes p>rserve in good helthe.
And ende you w/t// worship to this landys welthe !
' M.'^. curii/.'!. - .^. iloyntes, MS. ilcyntes. ■' I". 170.
APPENDIX III. 113
In the sixt pagent was shewed a speche of Arthur,^ as foloweth :
Arthur. I, Arthur, kynge crownyd and conquerour,
That yn this lande reyned right rially ; 5 "With dedes of amies I slowe the empe?'o?i/' ;
The tribute of this ryche reme I made downe to ly —
Ihit unto [you], lady, obey I mekely, As youre sure se?"vande ; plesur to your highnesse, For the most plesaunt p/^Vzces mortal that es !
10 In the vij pagent was shewed a speche of Charles, as foloweth :
Charles. I, Charles, chefe chef tan of tliQ reme of r?'aunce
And empe;'o?«- of grete Eome, made by eleccion. Which put mony paynyms to pyne and penaunce ; The holy relikes of Criste I had in possession — 15 Ihit, lady, to yo?/r highnes to cause dieu refeccion,
AVorshipfuIly I welcu)?i you after your magnificens ; Yf my service mowe plese you, I wyll put to my diligence.
In the viij pagent was shewed a speche of Julius, as foloweth : Julius. I, Julius Cesar, sovez-aj^n of knyghthode 20 And empe?-o«?- of mortall men, most hegh and myghty,
Welcu?n you, pmices most benynge and gode ;
Of queues that byn crowned so high non knowe I. The same blessyd blossom, that spronge of yo2/r body. Shall succede me in worship, I wyll it be so ; 25 All the landis olyve shall obey hym un-to.
In the ix pagent was shewed a speche of Godfride, as foloweth : GoDFRiDE. I, Godfride of Bollayn, kynge of Jerusalem,
Weryng the, thorny crowne yn worshyp of Jhesu, Which in battayle have no pere under the sone heme ; 30 Yhit, lady, right lowely I loute unto yowe.
So excellent a p?7nces, stedefast and trewe, Knowe I none cnstened as you in your estate ; Jhesu for hys merci incresse and not abate ! 2 Afturward and last the cundit yn the Crossechepyng was 35 arayed riglit well with as mony virgyns as rayght be ^/^eruppon, and there was made a grete dragon and seynt Marga?-et sleyng hym be myracull, and there Avas shewed full well this speche that foloweth :
S. Margaret. Most notabull p?7nces of weymen erthle, 40 Dame ]\Iargarete the chefe myrth of this empyre,
Ye be hertely welcu/?? to this, cyte.
^ Smiths' Accounts, 1455(6), Item. To have owglit the pai^ent at the comyng of the quene, that ys the parell to the pagent and liai neste men and the hai-nes to [harnes] hem wyth and a cote armyr for Arture and a creste with iij grevyes, xvijs xi d oh.—Sh. loc. cit. p. 149. - f. 170 b.
C. C. PLAYS. I
114 APPENDIX III.
To the i)lesure of your liiglmes, I wyll sette my Jesyre ;
Botlie nature and gentilnes doth me require, Seth we be both of one name, to shewe you kyndnes ; "Wherefore by my power ye shall have no Jistresse,
I shall Y>ray to "the P/-mce that is endoles 5
To socour you with solas of his high g/"«ce. He wyll here my peticiou this is doutles,
For I wrought all my lylf that his wyll wase ;
Therfore, lady, when ye be yn any dredefuU cace Calle on me boldly, ther-oi I pray you, 10
And trist to me feythefully, I woll do thai may pay yow.
!Md. Payde to John Wedurby of Leyces^e;* for the p?vAicion and makyng of these py^misses of the welcomyng of our sove;/"ayn lady the queue, and for his laboure iune and out xxv s.
Itm. payde for a tonne of wyne that was //even to our 15 sov«'ayn lorde the kynge viij li iiij d ; itm. for ij gilt cuppes, of the which on was //even to our soverayn lady the queue and the other is kepte for our lorde the p/'/nce unto his comyng, the whiche cuppes weyen xliiij oz. qrt, aiul dr., p/7'ce le oz. iiij s viij d, sma. X li vij s jd, and oxer that, for giltyng of the fete of tha seid 20 cuppes with-inne iij s, sma. tot. x li x s j d ; itm. the meyre //afe by the avyse of his couusell to diverse pe?'sones of the kynges house XX s ; itm. he payde for a glase of rose-water that my lord Ey vers had ij s.
Reception of Edward IV. in 14G0.^ One hundred pounds 25 and a cup was given by the city to Edward lY. " to his welcome to his cite of Coventre from the ftdde yn the north." -
Receai-i/7ige Pri/nce Edivarde [171 1474].2 Memorandz^^?. That the xxviij. day of the moneth of April! cam oure lorde prince Edward out of AValys so by Warrewik to Coventre and the meire 30 and his brethern with the divers of cominalte of the seide citie, clothed in greiie and blewe, metyng oure seid lorde prince, upon horsbake by-yonde the Xewe Crosse, in a chare, beyng of age of iij yere, ther welcomyng hym to his chaumber and //eyving hym ther a C mark in a gilt coppe of xv ounces witti a kerchylf of 35 plesaunce upon the seid coppe ; and then comyng in-to [the] citie. And at liabulake //ate ther ordeyned a stacion, therin beyng Kyng liichard wiUi xiij other arrayed lyke as dukes, mark/ses, erles, vicouns, and barons, anj/ lordis with mynstrallcy of the wayts of the cite, and Kyng Kiciiard thor havyng this speche her I'olowyng : 40
1 Led Book; f. 1S4 b. Sh. loc. cit. p. 151.
2 Smiths' Accounts, 1460, Item for tlie hnvyiif^ o\Vf;htof the I'agent, when the pryns came, yn brcdo and ale, and to Samson wythe liis iij knyghtys, and to an harjier iij s vj d ; it. for golde for Samsons garments ami poyntys iijd. — .S7(. Inc. cit. p. 1.V2.
3 Lcct book, ft". 222, 222 b. .S7(. loc. cit. pp. 152-154.
APPENDIX III. 115
Rex 'RicHABDVS. Welcom, full high and nobull prince, to us right speciall, To this your chaumber, so called of antiquite ! The presens of your noble person reioyseth our^ harts all ; 5 We all mowe blesse the tyme of your nativite.
The right lyne of the royall blode ys now as itt schulde be ; Wherfore God of his goodnes -preserve you in bodily helth, To us and your tenauntes here, pe?'petuall ioy ; and to all londis, welth !
10 Also at the Condite afore Eichard Braytoft the elder, a-nother stacion with iij po^riarkes ther stondyng upon the seid Condite, with Jacobus xij sonnes ^Y^th niynstralcy of harpe and dowse- meris, a7id ther rennyng wyne in on place • and there on of the seid pat?'iarkes havyng this speche writtyn :
15 [Patriarch.] 0 God most glorious ! Grounder and Gyver of all grace ! To us iij pa^riarkes thou p?'omysed, as scriptur maketh rehersall, That of our stok lynially schuld precede and passe 20 A prynce of most nobull blode and kyngs sonne impe?'iall ;
The Avich was full-fylled in God. And nowe referre itt we schall Unto this nobull prynce that is here present, Wich entreth to this his chaumbe/', as prynce full reverent.
25 Also at the Bvodeyate a pagiont ; and seint Edward beyng therin with x a-states with hym, witJi mynstralcy of harpe and lute, and Kyng Edward havyng this speche next foloyng :
[King Edward.] N'obuU prynce Edward, my cossyn a7id my knyght, 30 And very prynce of our lyne com yn - dissent !
^ I, seint Edward, have pursued for yoicr faders imperiall right, Wherof he was excludid by fuU furiows intent. Unto this your chaumber, as prynce full excellent. Ye be right welcom ; thanked be Crist of his sonde ! 35 Eor that that was oures is nowe in your faders hande.
Also at the Crosse in the Croschepyng, were iij p?-ophets stand- yng at the crosse seynsyng, and upon the crosse a-boven, were Childer of Issarell syngyng and castyng out Avhete obles and fioures, and iiij pypis rennyng wyne. 40 Also in the Croschepyng a-fore the Pauyer, a pagent* and iij Kyngs of Colen therein with other dive/'s arraied and ij knyghts
^ MS. yowr. - MS. comyn. » f. 222 b.
* This was perhaps the shearmen and tay lor s' pageant. Smithi' Accounts, 1474, Expeusc for bryngyng furth the pagent a-?/enst the comyng of the quene and the prince vj d. — Sh. loc. cit. 154. The shearmen and taylors would have the 'necessary costumes for the kings.
116 , APPEN'DIX III.
armed with mynstralsy of small pypis, and one of the Kyngs havyng this spechc under writtyn :
[A King of Cologne.] O splendent Creator! In all our speculacion, More brygliter then Phebus, excedent all lyjlit ! 5
"We thre kyngs bcseche the, with meke mediacion,
Specially to preserve this nobuU prynce, th'i knyght, Wich by influens of thy grace procedeth a-right.
Of on of us thre lynnyally, we fynde,
His nobull moder, queue Elizabetli, ys comyn of that kynde. 10
Also upon the Condite in the Croschepyng, was seint George armed ; and a kynges doughte?* knelyng a-fore hym with a lambe ; and the fader and the moder, beyng in a toure a-boven, beholdyng seint George savyng their doughter from the dragon ; and the Condite rennyng wyne in iiij places, and mynstralcy of 15 orgonployiiige, and seint George havyng this speche under wryttyn :
[Saint George.] 0 myghty God! Our all Socour celestiall !
Wich this reynie hast geven to dower To thi moder, and to me, George, proteccion perpetual!, 20
Hit to defende from enimies fere and nere ;
And as this mayden defeniled was here, Bi thy grace, from this dragon devour, So, Lorde, preserve this noble prynce, and ever be his socour !
1 Reception of Prince Arthur in 1498.2 Md. That this //er the 25 "Wensday the xvij day of October Aimo xiiij" R. H. vij, prmce Arthur, the tirst begoton son of kyng Henre tlie vij"\ then beNiig of thQ age of xij //ers and mor, cam first to Coventre and ther lay in tha priory fro Wensday unto the, Munday next suying, at which tyme he removed towards London. A?/enst whos comyng 30 wa3 the. Sponstrete //ayte garnysslied with the ix worthy[s], and kyng Arthur then havyng this spech, as folowetli :
[King Arthur.] Hayle, prynce roiall, most aniyable in sight ! Whom the Court eternall, thurgh prudent governaunce.
Hath chosen to be egall oiis to me in myght, 35
To sprede our name, Arthur, and acts to avawnce, And of meanys victorious to have such habundaunce.
That no fals tvoxtotir, ne cruoll tirrant,
Shall in eny wyse make profer to your lande
And rebi^Iles all falce (jiiarels schall eschewe, 40
Thurgli Me fere of Pallas, that favoreth yo?^r lynage
And all outward enmyes laboreth to subdue,
To make the;» to do to yewe as to me dyd homage. Welcorae therfor, the solace ami comfort of my olde age,
' f. 281 b. " Leet Book, ff. 281-282. Sh. loc. cit. pp. 154-157.
APPENDIX III. 117
Prince pereless, Arthur, icome of noble p?"ogeny,
To me and to your chambe/-, with all ^/as hole companye !
And at the turnyng into the Crosschepyng befor Mr. Thru?/jp- ton's durr, stode tJiQ barkers paiant well appareld, in which was 5 the Quene of Fortune with dyvers other virgyns, which quene has tins, spech folowyng :
[Queen of Fortune.] I am dame Fortune, quene called, full expedient To emprours and princes, prelats, with other moo ; 10 As Cesar, Hectowr, and Fabius, most excellent,
Scipio, exalted Nausica, and. Emilianus also, Valerius, also Marchus, with sapient Cicero. E and noble men, brevely the truth to conclude all, My favowr verily had, as storys maketh rehersall ;
15 "With-oute whom, sithen non playnly can prosper-, That in this, muitable lyfe ar nowe procedyng, I am come thurgh love. Trust me intiere
To be with yewe and yours evirmor enduryng, Prynce, most unto my pleasure of all thai ar nowe reynyng; 20 Wherfor, my nowne hert and best beloved treasur,
Welcome to //as your chaumber of whom ye be inhabitur.
And the Crosse in the Croschepyng was garnysshed, and
"wyne ther rennyng, and angels sensyng and syngyng, with
orgayns and other melody etc.^ And at thQ Cundyt, ther was
25 seynt George kyllyng the dragon, and seynt George had this
speche folowyng :
[Saint George.] 0 most soveraign lorde, be divyne p?"ovision to be The ruler of cruell Mars and kyng insuperable ! 30 Ye reioyce my corage, trustyng hit to se,
That named am George, your patron favorable ; To whom ye are and e\er shalbe so acceptable, That in felde, or cite, wher-so-ever ye rayne Shall I nevey fayle yewe, thus is my purpose playne.
35 To protect your magnyficence myself I shall endever, In all thyngs that jour highnes shall concerne, Mor tenderly then I ^it did ever ;
Kyng, duke, yerle, lorde, also berne. As ye be myn assistence in p?-ocesse shall lerne, 40 Which thurgh your vertue, most amorous knyght, I owe to your presence be due and very right.
^ Chamherlains' Accounts, made up anno 1499, It. pd. for settyng of the posts in thet Croschepyng, when the kyng was here, in gret ij s ; it. for takyng down of tliQ same posts a-geyn xd ; it. for pavyng in th^ Cros-chepyng ther as the posts stode, of viij yards viij d. — Sh, loc. cit. p. 156.
118 APPENDIX III,
Like-wyse as I //'<is lady lie grace I defended,
That thurgh inyschauuce chosen was to dye, Fro tbys foule serjient whom I sor wouded ;
So ye in distresse pyeserve ever woU I
Fro all parell and wyked veleny, 5
That shuld your noble persone in eny wyse distrayn, Which welcome is to thin your chamber and to me right fayn
And this balot was song at the Crosse :
Ryall p?-/nce Arthur, "j
Welcome newc tresur, - to this your cite ! 10
"WiUi all our hole curj
• Sithen in vertue der, ] Lorde, ye have no per, - as all we may see. Of your age tender ; j
Cunyng requyred, ] 15
All hath contrived, \- yoiir intelligence. And so recej'^ved — J
That Yngland, all playn, "j
!Maye nowe be right fayn - to their extollence.
Yewe long to remayn, j 20
Syng we fheriov all ;]
Also let us call j- that he yewe defend !
To God immortall j
In this breve beyng "j
Your astate supportyng, V to yo?^r lyfes yend ! 25
And vertue ay spredyng, J
119
3.pciit)i^^ I©/
Fragments of another version of the Weavers^ Pageant.
I. PiJOFETA. Ye gret astronemarris now awake,
With youre iaxaus fadurs of phelossefee
Into the orrent aspecte you take,
Wlierre in nevis a?id strangis aperid latele, Ase towching the fracis ofE the wholle p?*ofesse,
Afirmyng that a star schuld appere
Evin in Yseraell amongist vs here ! 7
II. Pi?oFETA. Bredur all, then be off good chere,
Those tythingis makis my hart ful light ! For we haue desirid many a yere
Of that star to haue a sight,
And speschalle off that king off myght Off Avhose cu??iyng we haue had Avarnyng Be the seyd star of p?-ofettis dese?'nyng. 14
Yet furthurmore for owre larnyng.
Let us naue swm com??ienecasion Of this seyd star be old pror/nostefying
How hyt apperud atid vudur what fassion. 18
I. P^oFETA. Aftur a wondurfuU strange demonstracion
Ase be the experence prove yt I con ; For this star be interpretacion
Singnefith the natevete of a mon ; 22
Ase the profet [Balam] "^ Be the sprat off God affirmithe well Orreetur stella ex Jacob, et exurge homo de Yseraell. 25
He seyd of Jacob a star schuld spryng,
Wyche singnefis only this same king Wyche amonst vs now ys cmn
And ase towching the lettur folloing,
Et q-)se doviinahitur omm gen&cadone. 30
1 See Introduction, pp. xxxv. ff. - Obliterated in MS.
120 APPENDIX IV.
11, P^wFETA. Here be your iavour wuld I move a. questeon
Of tliis princis liigli geneloge, Wyche ouer the gciitilis scliulJ liaue domeneon,
^Vliere and oil" wliat sort Vioni be sclmkl be.
I. PiJOFETA. Ase ye schall here riglit worthele He devin powar off a vz'rgin pure, Affirmyng the j)/*ofettis agenst all nature. 37
II. PiJOFETA. Where fynd you iliat iu wliolle scripture Of any right awter wyche that woll mencion?
I. Paofeta. Isae the profet wrytitli full sure,
Ecce vhgo conrejnth aparet jilUum .' Balani seying of tliQ heyvinle wysedom
A man schuld be reysid here in Yseraell, In confirmyng the seyd questeon
Et vocatur nomen eius EmanevelL 45-
II, P/.oFETA. Yet to me yt ys moche marvel),
Vndur whatt sort //*at men schuld tell Soche high mysteres before the fell.
He being but a mortall creature. 49
I. PifOFETA. Be Godis provedence ye ma be sure
The espret of God to them was sent, And lafft to vs in wholle scripture
And tliem-selvis not knoyng what hit nient. b'i
II. Pa'OFETa. Presid be to liym wyche that espret sent
Vnto vs pore wrechis of loo symplessete. lie beying the lord owre God omnipotent In this Ills workis to make vs preve ! I. Pa'OFETa. Did not tliat profett man callid >ralache 58
[Semeon] ^
"With fysche, fowle, and best and cwere odur thing, Vndur man to haue tliere naturall curse a7id being. 18S
Yet owre anccant ])arence at the boginnyng
Through //ns dissabeydence had a grevas fall From the abowndant blis euerkisting
^ Sec WCo, line 1S2.
APPENDIX IV. 121
Down into the vale off this mezerabull mumlall ;
Owre nature creatid be hym to be inmortall, A7id now throgli syu fallin into ^ mortallete And vtturle distroid withowt the gret marce 190
This ded most doloriis ofte doth me constreyne Inwardle to sigh mid bytturle to weepe,
Tyll ^7^at I reme??ibur the gret cowford agein
Off anceant p/-ofetis -with the sentencis swete, Whose fructuos sencis off profonde larnyng depe
Wyche apon anceant awters grondid constantle,
Off I^ae, the Sebbelis, Balam a7id Maleche. 197
0 Lord off lordis ! yff thy swet wylbe
Off this thi infynit worke send me the tru light,
Justle to expond this thy whole mystere,
And that I wonse ma se that only king of myght, And thatt we ma walke in his weyis uppright
At whose cu?nyng ase the profettis do expres
The right nngcion off Juda schall seyse. 204:
Oh Lord, fullfyll tJiat hy tyme off pes !
For my crokid age dravys fast apon. Fane wold I see thatt wholle off whollenes,
Or this mortall lyff horn me were gon.
0 Lord, reme?/tbur thy doghtur Syon, Eeleve hir, Lord, in this liir mezere Eeyleysche hyr graceose God off hir callamete 211
Oh Lord, at thi wyll all thing mvst be,
Yet, Lord, thy grace to vs do exstend The to serve wi^7^ all vmyllete.
And wi/7i thy grace huse rule and defende ;
Owre solis and bodeis to the we com??iend Ernystle loking for thy wholle pj-omes Owt off danger Yseraell and Jvda to reles. 218
Oh Lord, reylev owre inbesyllete
Ajid thy only sun off lyff to us do send Hym to reseyve with all vmyllete
And off this mortall lyff thou to make amend.
^ MS. to inmortallete.
122 APPENDIX IV.
0 Lord, thy iiuwar no man ma co»)prehend, Yet grant me my peytission to obteyne Not to dy till that I tliatt solam sight have seyne. 22.')
Axe. Oh suffrent Semeon, wifli all vmylete, Wyche art owre gide in gostle goucrnance,
'With all line reverence besoche I the
Thy hnnible obedient oft' loiige contenevans Yet haue me, Semeon, in thy rememburrans.
When it schall plese tliat hy Messe
Ynto Yseraell and Juda reveylid to be. 232
Amongst the othur remembur me
Wyche this iiij skore yeris and more
In this tempull contenevalle
Thatt lord owre God euer loking fore "\\''yche Yseraell a7id Juda schall restore
From dredfull bonde vnto lyberte
As well apperis be anceant profece 239
Semeon. Systur An, welc?mi to me !
Youre hoope ryght hyle I do com???end M'ych wyll appere ondowtedle
When thatt Lord the tyme doth send 243
cetera desunt.
123
GLOSSARY.
A, 19/544, he.
accompted, 74/i4, rendered an
account, actoris, 86/76, authors, adioyn, 76/9, J'J''^ to, unite ; pp.
76/22. afecte, 68/973, effect, aferde, 28/8 12, afraid, aleonde, I9/523, alien, all-myght, 8/51, almighty, aniacid, 8/54, amozed. ames, 107/9 ! ^""ys, 107/7, amice, anssyent, 99/8, ancient, old. antem, 68/805 f., anthem, apere, 64/996, for apair, impair, asaye, 55/ 701, essay, attempt, aspecte, 119/3, consideration, view, asposschall, 69/1163, especial, assadyn, 86/12 ; assaden, 86/15,
etc. ; aresdyke, 86/23, arsedine,
gold coloured alloy, associat, 78/38, 79/35, associated, augent, 2I/594, profe. for and gent
(noble), or for argent (white) ;
third king ivas a black-amoor. awe, 6O/887, away, awter, I2O/39, 121/196, author, awyntyente, 9I/42, ancient, flag.
Bassche, 22/643, shrink back
abashed, bayles, 72/io, bailiffs, bayne, 22/636, ready, inclined, beforne, 2I/613, before, bedull, 83/33, *^-i/i> beadle, crier (?). berars, 84/ 10, bars, berne, 11 7/38, baron, besse, 6I/902, busy, betake, 68/1 137, commend, commit, be-teyche, 4/97, commit, be-traye, 26/738, betrayal, bewey, 68/652, boy. ble, 22/643, complexion, bloo, 50/550, blow, to take breath
and rest, bokeram, 88/42, efc, buckram.
bordyng, 6I/892, jesting, trifling, bote, 64/1014, ^7/1103, boot, remedy,
profit, braband, 88/2, brow-band, brere, 46/399, brier, brethur, 22/637, etc., brethren, breyde, on breyde, 68/962, (open)
widely, bronde, I7/491 ; brund, I8/497,
brand, sword, burlettis, 88/19, padded rolls of cloth
for head or ruff, bwey, 66/753 ; bweye, 6I/902, boy. byd<lyug, 68/965, commandment, bydull, 87/13, beadle, byrryngs, IO4/28, buryings.
Can, 25/719, can do.
charge, 62/940, import, value.
chassyng, 86/19, chasing, hunting.
chefferellys, IOI/13, chevelures, wigs.
cheverels, 84/7, /or chevelures.
childur, 2/21, etc., children; man- chyldur, 29/841.
clarge, 6O/870, 6I/905, etc., know- ledge, learning.
clowte, 109/6, clout, iron plate.
cofyns, 74/42, boxes, cases.
colters, 84/ 1 8, /or cotters, bolts.
comenalte, 7O/1184; cominalte, 114/31, commonalty.
comon, 19/542; conien, I9/547 ; comyn, 2I/605, jjp. come.
compromytted, 78/25, bound them- selves nuitually,
conabull, II2/5, convenient, suit- able.
connfetys, 74/42, comfits, sweet- meats.
consuett, 73/43 > consuette, 78/32, accustomed.
cost, 20/572, 8O/873, etc., coast, region.
cost, 4/98, way.
coterellis, 89/34, cotters, bolts.
124
GLOSSARY.
cowntters, 89 43, counters, things
used in reckoning-, coyff, 94,8, coif, head-dress, cun, 29 828, sort, kind, cundcture, 37/1 29, conductor, guide, cundit, 111 12, 40, conduit, cur, 118 1 1, heart, customyd, 85/23, Jiccustonied, wont.
Decryis, 6O/864, decrees.
defende, 77/38, appear in court (?).
defonnucion, 34/19, iijnorantbj nsed
to mean form, deme, '20558, deem, judge; pp.
2/20. deserte, 35/66, desert or wilder- ness (?). dever, III/36, duty, deynte.l 12/2 7,/y»- dainty, honour (?). dissent, 115/ 30, descent, dowsemeris, 11.t'i2, dulcimers, dresse, 6/178, direct one's steps, dresser, 95/24, person wljo prepared
or tended tlie pageant, dressy ng, 86/31, etc., making ready,
preparin^r. dygiit, 2I/615, 43/321, etc., diglit,
ready, dyssepyssions, 00/869 » dysspeci-
onis, 69/n57, for disputisouns,
disputations, dysse, 88/11, dice, ornamental
beads (?).
E ! 6O/864, 6I/900, e^-., ay ! alas !
eder, 72/ 14, either.
eftsones, 77/37, again, a second
time, ellne, 88/14 ; elnes, IOO/32, ells, enderes, cnderes night, 31 /l, night
recently past, entennettyii}-'', 74/6, intermeddling, espret, 120 51, 54, spirit, eyvin, 4/ 108, </i(«jj' sb. equal or
like.
Fanes, 82/8, 84/13, <^'''-' vanes, fawchon, 84,2; faiichon, 80 12 ;
faychon, 8C/32; fawcun, 18/
51 1 (V), <>/<•., falchion, sword, fayne, 2/29. 5,' 145, etc., fain, glad ;
28^816, .f^i. gladness, fcdom, 101 /2 1, fathoms, fere, in fere, 22 642, 24/700, in
company.
fet, 11,293, fetch.
fetemauscipe, 5.'»/702, footmanshid,
action of walking, feyrear, 56/725, fairer, feymyne, 14 404, ftininine. for-alsomoche, 73 12, forasmuch, ford, 107 6, furred, for-do, 27 785, undo, ruin, for-wacliid, 25/720, weary with
watching, for-were, 49/518, tired out. fotenian, 57 780, traveller on foot, fowndatur, 39 178, founder, fracis, 119,5, phrases (?). frute, 27/799. fruit, ofispring. fryght, 30/882, freighted, fryth, 10 290, frith, wooded countrj';
assoc. w. tield. fyndis, 3/79, tiend's.
Gawd is, 48 479, gauds, jests.
gawnes, 95/15, gallons.
gere, 68/1129, etc. \ geire, 79/41; geir, 87,9; geyre, 90,'7, etc., gear, goods, apparel, properties.
giandes, 94 9, giant's.
glede. 27 780, fire.
gostely, 25 716, spiritually.
gradudis, 69/ii66, graduates.
grece, haut grece, 74/40, fat, well- fed.
groue, 7/1 S3, grue or shudder (?).
gysse, 14 402, guise, custon).
Haft, GO 888, business.
har, 28 802, harrow, denunciation.
liar, 63/958. higher.
hareode, I9/521 ; harrode, 21 614,
herald, haric, 22/646, S. connects, ir. harry,
distress, hay Is, 112; 13, greet, salute. he<ldnr, II/293, etc., hitlier. hell-hede, 101 26-8, hell-mouth, hem. 72,'20 ; ham, 28/8l7 ; hyme,
73 36, etc., them, hendly, 1 12/ 13, gently, hciit, 29 843, seize, heyrynge. H3,'27, etc., hiring, horgens, 102/ 15, organs, hy, 21/614. hie, go. hyle, 122,241. highly, hight. 112 30, hight, is (ailed, hyght. on liyglit, 3 74. on high, hylist, 18/5 14. "'O^' mighty (V).
GLOSSARY.
125
hynd, II/297, etc., gentle, kind, hyndly, 7/ 188, kindly.
Ihit, 113/7, 15, yet. incoll, 1)3/41, inkle, tape, in-fere, 22/642, see fere, insampull, 5/133, example.
Jeseyne, 26/765 ; jesen, 24/698 f.,
gesine, childbed. Jesse, 110/15, Jesse, genealogical
tree of Christ, jubbarb, 47/433, jeopard, risk
danger, journe, IO8/33, journey, day's work.
Kast, 3/70, cast, form a purpose.
katyffis, 19/535, captives.
kerne, 27/784, vagabond, term of
contempt, keveryng, IO2/5, covering, knytt, 4/94, tied.
Lange, 86/103, language.
large, 62/938, freely.
larthar, 102/i2, ladder.
lede, 27/789, S. fame, popularity.
lere, 6O/873, learn.
leyche, 4/99, leech, saviour.
leygence, 6O/879, ligeance, alle- giance.
leygis, 7/180, leagues.
lend, 7/192, remain.
link, 99/21, link, torch.
loggyn, 11/315, lodging.
londe, 49/520, plough furrow in pasture land, Warw. j^rov.
looe, 8/214, 218, hill.
losyngere, 3O/859, flatterer, de- ceiver.
lett, 63/963, desist, forbear; j^P- 62/937-
Make, 21 '607, do.
males, I8/497, malice.
markisys, II4/38, marquises.
mede, 47/440, meed, merit.
mell, 65/1039, mix, meddle.
mellyflue, IIO/27, mellifluous.
merle, 47/433, marl.
mete, 74/48, meeting or assembly (?).
meyne, 26/748, be disposed.
meve, 2/37, move.
moght, 7/189, flight.
molde, 22/626, the ea,rth, the ground.
mon, 2/33, man, one.
monyssion, 70/ 11 86, monition, sum- mons.
moo, 57/762, etc., more.
mote, 3/50, etc., may, must.
mowe, 111/27, eic, may.
mvndall, 39/187 ; mundall, I2I/187, the world (?).
mvse, 6I/907, consider, or wonder at(?).
mj'ddis, 8/208 ; meddis, I8/508, midst,
myght, 18/5 16, mighty.
myttens, I2/323, mittens, gloves.
myre, 25/710, myrrh.
Xar, 50/553, nearer.
ne, 74/21, 76/25, nor.
Neowell, 1 6/474, Noel, Christmas.
nothur, 4/io8,- nodur, 67/1094, neither.
novellis, I2/332, 336, news, tid- ings.
Obles, 115/38, obleys, little cakes of bread.
obskevre, 13/3 52, obscure.
occupie, 75/35, follow a business.
Oder, 72/14; odur, I2O/182, other.
oddur, 44/362, odor, perfume.
olyve, 113/25, olive.
onpossibull, 4/87, 1^/38 1, impos- sible,
on-sunder, I7/491, asunder.
or, 21/616, etc., ere, before.
original), 83/i2; orygynall, 89/5, 7> play-book.
Page, 56/734, boy.
pardy, 59/832, parde, verily.
parfettle, 1 3/380, perfectly.
parrage, I4/395, family, descent.
parties, 25/730, parts, regions.
pay, 25/723, content, satisfaction,
paynemaynes, 74/39, paindeniaines, white bread.
paynyms, II3/13, pagans.
pensils, 82/9 ; penselis, 93/40, pen- eels, streamers.
pipyns, 74/41, apples.
platt, 62/947, plain, clear.
poollye, HD/42, pulley.
pottell, 91/22, pottle, measure.
postyll, 109 26, apostle.
prelatt, 107/7, a garment (?)-
126
GLOSSARY.
preii^iBes, 114 13, what lias been stated above.
prentyse, 107 30, /or prentice, pent- house.
preve, 2/39, prove.
j>rikynge, 96/4, 1*7/29, setting to iniisii; (?).
probate, 37/ 1 09, proof.
jiroilustacion, 36 93, protestation.
prognostefying, 34 17, II9/17, pro- phesying; pp. 34/39.
protestaeyon, 100/ 14, protestation, declaration of dissent (?).
pyle, 16/453, edifice; pallays, j[>ro?». better reading.
pyue, 112/23, 113/13, piiiii, torment.
l>yrie, 8/226, gust of wind.
jiwynt, 66 1068, point; plu. 63/ 972.
pwyntis, 89/44, points, laces.
pyght, 43/320, arranged, set in order.
pytt, 12/323, put.
Quere, 9 265. choir.
quost, 67/10S6, quest, search.
(piyke, 64/1019, quick, alive.
Raygete, 86/7, rochet, garment,
worn by bishop, recownfort, 71/ii, recomfort. rede sea. 97/34, clotli (?). rede, 68/965, 966, interpret, or re- cite, red, 27/7S6; rede, 28/822; redde,
64/1013, rede, plan, counsel, relierces, 79/41; reherse, 85/8, etc.,
reliearsal. reycomfordo, 42/282, etc., recomfort,
give new strcngtli to. reygalles, 100/ 10, etc. ; rygols, 107/
16, rigolls, musical instruments, reygend, 1 2/344, region, reygur, 63/985, rigor, violence, fury, reyjuniid, 69, 1 181, adjourned, reyleyslie, 121/211, release, rcymeve, 44/349, remove, repart'llyd, 83/38, e^c, repaired ;
prcs. jHtrt. 83/29. reryd, 73 46, raised, contril>uted. rovpriff, 14 385,/or reprief, reproof, roclii-, 88/20, rock (V). ryssiies, 89/15; rt'ysshes, 89/21;
rosshes, 96/14; ressys, 99/3, etc..
Sabett, 6.S/979, Sabbath, saluer, 62 956, liealer. sapence, 67/ i 109, sapience, scliapp, ]>lii.{y) 26741, shape,
ligure. scyttc, lul,6, y. suit (?). sede, 12/345, seed (V). seldall, 82 20, 86/3, settle or seat (?). sendal, 99/23, IOO/20, sendal, silken
material, senssars, 97/5, censers, sertes, 59/835, certes, in truth, serviture, 37/128, servitor, seynsyng, II5/37 ; sensyng, 111,38,
etc., burning incense in censers, shevys, 87/7, sboes. shope, 89/31, soap, singler, 75/i8, etc., single, sith, 4/106, etc., since, sithen, II7/15, etc., since, because, slop, 86/15, ''" outer garment, soferent, 39/177, sovereign; jdn.
sufferntis, 2/28. sond, 4/109; sonde, I9/540, etc.,
messenger ; message, sparis, 92/9, spars, pieces of timber, spede, 43/31 1, make haste, spere, 12/348, spear ; cp. holy lance. spret, 119/24, spirit, spretis, 8/53 ; spryttys, IOO/7,
spirits, stablisshed, 78 8, established, stoods, 108,42, studs, posts, joists, strangis, 3,")/49, s/>. news, styde, 29 850, stead place, stynt, 51/576, stop, sudere, 82/20, 86/1, sudary, hand- kerchief, suyng, 77/29, 116/29, following, syn, 23/651, since, syth, 6/178, etc., since. • syngnefocacion, 9/260, signification,
manifestation.
Tabarde, 86/5 ; taberd, 86/9; tabard,
tunic or mantel, tabulis, 60/866, tables, tane, 6O/862, taken, tast, 31 '899, exi)lore, examine, tent, 6I/891, heed, attend to. theal, 84/17 ; theyll, 107/21, etc.,
thill, shaft, thee, 50 557, thrive, prosper, this, 36/90, thus, thrall, 2 32, bondage.
GLOSSARY.
127
thj'ddur, 8/231, etc., thither, thynke, me thynke, 2O/562, etc.,
methinks. thyre-tyll, 67/1090, thereto, till, 37/121, etc., to, unto, toocuns, 20/559, landmarks, toward-lovyng, 76/32, docile, translate, 70, revised, presented
in a new form, trayne, 6/147, treachery, deceit, trendell, 109/9; trendyll, 109/io;
tryndyll, 84/ 17 ; trindle, small
wheel, trone, in trone, 2/35, 8/63, on throne, troo, 4/105, ^^<^- j tro, 30/883, trow,
believe, truage, I9/524, tribute, truse, 5/129; 51/577> truss, bind
up; trwse, sb. 90/ 120. turtill, 3/75, turtle, term of endear- ment, turtuls, 45/376; turtillis, 46/421,
etc., turtledoves, twynke, 1 8/506, wink, tyll, 66/1064, to, unto, tyntyng, IO2/4, attending to.
Umellete, 20/5 56, humility, until], 63/966, unto, unye, 76/33, unite ; pp. unyed, 75/ 16, etc.
Velen, 28/8o2, villainous, servile. verabuU, I4/394, /or venerable (?) ; S. valuable ; M. suggests renable. viallis, 19/538, viols, vpsoght, 28/809, sought out (?). vthe, 56/751, etc., youth.
Warly, III/20, cautiously, warily, waxun, 49/511, waxed, grown, waynis, 30/882, wains, wagons, wede, in wede, 26/768, costume, wedurs, 8/209, skies (?), clouds (?). well-awey, 59/829, welaway, alas ! wene, 68/819, ween, think, were, I2/341, etc.; werie, 49/513;
werre, 68/793, very, wheddur, 6O/560, whether, which
of two. whyddur, 8/230 ; whedder, 2I/595,
etc., wliither. where, 76/19, whereas, whomly, 47/445, homely, rudely, wode, 30/866, mad. wodkoce, 47/432, woodcock, wone, 68/1120, dwell, abide, worthe, 6/137, betide, wott, 66/1044, know, wyddurde, 29/839, widowed (?), or
withei-ed (?) ; %Domen would he
bending over as if old to concecd
the children they were carrying. wyle, 69/840; wyll, 67/iioo, wile,
allure, wynde, 6/168; wynd, 7/200, etc.,
go. wynd, 101/22 ; wynde, IOO/4, etc-,
windlace,
Yche, 47/437, I. ycheone, 0/137, each one, yhit, 113/30, yet. yeyre, 37/126, air, yonglyng, 6I/899, youth, yorth, 20/560 ; yarthe, 86/79, ^^''i earth.
128
INDKX OF XAMKS AND MATTERS.
I^OTE : — The characters in the paj^eants are referred to only at their tirst appearances. Insignificant names of craftsmen and places, also names used for dating, are not included at all. Names are in ordinary spelling except where there would be diHi>'ulty in recognising tlie word. t.'ap. signifies Cappers' Accounts; Dr., Drapers'; Mer., Mercers'; Sm., Smiths'; W., Weavers'.
Anron, 14'4I2.
Abel, 2/21.
Adam, 2/30, 86/89, 94/ ro.
Aginare, 20/727 : Leg. Three Kings
gives insula Egriseula in. conn. w.
Jasper. Ale and Wine, see Meat and Drink. Alexander, char, in Spec. Pag., 112,
10. Angel, I., char, in STCo, 6/143 ; i"
WCo, 42/293. Angel, II., char, in STCo, II/303;
in WCo, 43/307. Angels: Cap., y7/7-8 : Dr., 99/
15-6, 26; lOO/i, 8; 101/6-12:
STCo, 9-10. Anna, char, in WCo, 40/2 19; Frags.,
122/226: w., 106/14, 35, 107/2,
5,43- Annals, see Diigdale, etc. Annas; Sm.. 82 ; 88/35, 8f)/5-io. Aimunciation. The, 8-4. Arraby, Arabia, 26/726. Arthur, Reception of Prince, 116/
25 ff. Arthur, char, in Spec. Pageants,
113/3. 116 3oflf. As out I rode, song of fihephfrds,
10/277 f-
Rablake, 110/14. 114/37.
B ikers, contrib. to Snjiths, 78/14-8.
Balaam, 84/23. 4-- 39/i97. 119/23,
121/197. Balthasnr, king of Arabia (»mw.
Chaldea), 26 726, 26,752. Barbers, released from Cardmnkers
and contrib. to Girdlers, 80,
41 S.
Barkers, see Tanners.
Beadle; Sm., 82; 88,33, ^4 i, 87/
13-5- Bedlem, Bethlehem, 6/168, 178, 7/
180.27 784, 29,833. 37/132. Behold, hotr it i',s come to pass, 8ong
in WCo, 70-1. Bishop-s: Cap., 95/3, 96/35, 97/4:
Sm., 84/3 ; see Caiaphas, and
Annas. Black Souls, see Souls. Bowyers ami Fletchers, 81 13: con- trib. to Piimers, IO4/9-29. Bravtoft, Richard, Mayor, 78/17.
109 28; 116 10. Broadgate, II6/25. Butcher.'', 76/6; contrib. to Whit-
tawers, 77/4-24, 78/25-9. 105/
20-3.
Caesar, char, in Spec. Pag., II3/19; 117'io.
Caiaphas; Sm., 82, 88/32, 86/5-10.
Calohas, I9/521.
Caldy, Ciialdca, 87 i i i.
Calvary, 71/ 10.
Cappers ; accounts, 98-8 ; assoc. w. Cardmakers, 79 7-8O/40 ; possess Cardmakers' pageant, etc., 8I/16- 26 ; contrib. to Girdlers, 78/3-13 ; history of pageant, 98/5-21 ; to possess Weavers' pageant, 78,47- 79 6; contrib. crafts, 98 22-7.
Cardinal Virtues, 111/ 12 fl".
Cardmakers; arbitration w. assoc. crafts, 78/12-74/26; assoc. w. Cappers, 79 7-80,'4o; pageant made over to Cappers. 8I/16-26; pageant, 10.'> 28-9.
INDEX OF NAMES AND MATTERS.
129
Carpenters, assoc. w. Tilers and Pinners, 73/3-6, IO5/3-6.
Carvers, dismissed from Carpenters and assoc. w. Painters, 78/37-46.
Chandlers, united with Smiths, 75/
15-37- Characters; Cap., 96/ 11 ff . ; Dr.,
99/14-7, 100/17 ff.; Sm., 82/1-4,
85/33 tf- Charles, Charlemagne, char, in Spec.
Pag., 113/11. Christ, see Jesus. Cicero, 11 7/ 12. Clarecus, char, in WCo, 'I4/331; W.,
106/15,35,107/1,4,43. Clarks and Sumners, 98/19. Clothing, see Dresses. Colclow, Thomas, 83/i-i6. Cologne, see Kings of Cologne. Commandments, Ten, 63/959-64/
1000. Conquerors, The Nine, III/40 ff. Coopers, assoc. w. Tilers and Pin- ners, 8I/27, 103/20; see Pinners. Corvisers, 76/6 ; contrib. to Tanners,
78/19-24, 30-6. Costumes, see Dresses. Crafts, see Cycle. Croo, Eobert, writer of MS. of STCo,
31; of WCo, 70; 89/8, 99/31,
100/12-3, (?) 100/24, 101/18, (?)
102/6. Cross, Dr., 102/ii; Pinners, 103,
note 5. Cross Chenping, 103/4, 111/37, 116/
40, II6/11, 117/3, 22. Cutlers, 72/12. Cycle, The, xi ff.
Danes, Conquest of, 92/29.
David, 11/306, U/396, 35/70, 36/
82, 62/930; char, in Spec. Pag.,
112/27. Deadman, Cap., 97/23. Demons, see Devils. Destruction of Jerusalem ; Cap., 93/
19, 98; Dr., IO2/26-8; Mer., 103/
6-15; Sm., 90/33-92/2, 92/28;
W., 109/17-24; 92/23-4. Devils; Cap., 93/39, 97/13-8 ; ^r.,
99/14, 24, 28; 100/3, 5. 20-30;
Sm., 82, 83/34, 84/8, 87/17-23;
90/2, 6. Doctor, I., char, in WCo, 6O/857. Doctor, II., char, in WCo, 6O/864. C. C. PLAYS.
Doctor, III., char, in WCo, 60/
871. Doctors' Play, 55-70. Doves, Episode of the, 46-50. Down from heaven^ second song of
shepherds, 32. Drapers, Accounts, 98 ff. Dresser; Cap., 94/27, 95/24-5, 33;
Sm., 85/12-3. Dresses; Cap., 9.S/28-41, 94/6-9,
95/3-18, 97/32, 36; Dr., 99/23-8,
103/7, 8; Sm., 82, 83/38-84/9,
89/40-4, 91/8; W., 107/6-12, 109/
12-5. Drink, see Meat and Drink. Dugdale and the Manuscript Annals,
xix ft'. Dyers, xiii, 76/5.
Earthquake, Dr., IO2/1-5.
Ebriiys, see Hebrews.
Edward, Confessor, 92/30 ; char, in Spec. Pageants, IIO/37, 115/25ff.
Edward IV., Reception of, II4/25-7.
Edward, Prince, see Margaret, Re- ception of Queen.
Edward, Receiving of Prince, 114/ 28 ff.
Egypt, 28/820, 29/828, 31/890, 892, 898, 112/20.
Elizabeth, mother of Prince Edward, II6/10.
Elizabeth, Queen, xxi; 92, note 3; 101, note 4; IO6/25.
Elizabeth, w'fe of Zacharias, 4/82.
Emanuel, 35/45, 1-0 /45.
Emilianus, 117/1 1.
Erode, see Herod.
Eve, see Adam.
Eygyp, see Egypt.
Eyrodde, see Herod.
Fabius, 117/10. Fines; W., IO7/3-5. Fishmongers, 7l3/5, 8I/13. Fliglit into Egypt, 28-9. Fortune, Queen of, char, in Spec.
Pag., 117/3 ff Fragments of another Version of
Weavers' Pageant, 119-22. French, Proclamation in, I6-17. Fullers, see Walkers.
Gabriel, char, in STCc, 3/47 ; in WCo, 45/367.
1 :50
INDKX OK NAMKS AND MATTERS.
George, S., ch:ir. iu Spec. Pageants, llG/iiff., 11 7/24 ff.
Ginilers' rageaiit, 103, note 2, 105/ 16.
Gloria in Excelsis, 9/264 f-
Gloves, Sni., 88/26-9; see Dresses.
God, see Jesus ; Cap., i'4/36, 37, 1(6/ 23-5; l^r., '.t'.t/i4, 23, lOO/i, 4, 13, 17-20; PiiiMors, 103, note 5; Sm., 82, 83/32, 85,33-Kf, 4.
Godfrey of Bouillon, char, in Spec. Pag., 113/27.
Goly, Goliatli, 112/28.
Gosford Street, pageants to play in, 76/45-77/3, 85/1, 89/13, I7-
Greene, Pobertiis, Ordinance con- cerning, 73/7, 1 1.
Hebrews, GO, 880.
Hector, char, in Si>ec. Pag., 112;l,
117/10. Hell-mouth, Cap., 97/i8-22 ; Dr.,
101/ 2 5-3 1. Herod, char, in STCo, I7/486; Sm.,
82,^3/32,84/2, H6/1 1-87/5, 90/3,
7, 8, 26. Hewyt, James, name written after
second song in WCo, 71, 102/i8,
107/14-6, 45- Hiring of Pageants and Properties,
Cap., 90/31, 95/20, 32; Dr., 102/
28, 29; Mer. 103/7, 8; IO5/18-9;
Sm., 83/25, 26; W., IO6/31-2,
107/8-9.
Hliistrative Charges, see Specimen
Entries. Inventories of Goods, Cap., 94/5-1 1 ;
,\vi-xvii. Isaiah, char, in STCo, l/i, 34/40,
39 197 ; char, in Spec. Pag., 110/
17; i'^^M?.
Israel, I/9. 2/34, IO/451, 17/486,35/ 43,73.1197,25, 12043.122/232, 237 : Children of, 11 5/38.
Iiae, see Isaiah.
Jesus. 0 149, 10/462, 26/742 ; char. in WCo. .'>G 742; 70'3. 110/21, 113/ 14,28,33.115/34: Sn... 84/7, 8H/ 27; W., lOG 15, 34, 107/4, 42, 109/12-5.
John Kvangelist, char, in Spec. Pag., 111/3.
Joiners, 93/27.
Joseph, char, in STCo, 4/ioo; in
WCo, 46/406; W.,10G/i3; 107/ 1,
42. Joseph's Troul>le about Mary, 4-6. Jostle, Joshua, char, in Spec. Pag.,
112/19. Journey to Bethleliem and Nativitv,
6-11. Journeymen ; Sm., 85/26 ff. ; W.,
72/1-6, 106/ 1-8, IO8/46-7. Jubytor. Jupiter, 18 517. Juda, 1/7, 15/424, n.486, 3.V72, 3G/
84, 40/204, I2I/204, 218, 122,232,
237- Judas, 70/4 1 Sm., 82 ; 83/34, 87/
25-6, 89/41, 44, 90/1, 3, 5. 19, 27,
29-31. Judas (Maccabaeus), char, in Spec.
Pag., 112/36. Jure, Jewry, II2/36.
Kings of Cologne, The Three, xxiii ff. ; Adoration of, 24-6 ; Coming of, 19-23 ; chars, in Spec. Pag., 1 15/40 ff.
Knights; Cap., 9627-9; Sm., 82 ; 83/34, 36, 84/4, 87/16,88/17.
Ladder, Dr., I02/12-3.
Last Performance; Cap., 98/31-2; Dr., 102/27-8; Mer., 103,18-9: Sm., 92/6-7 : ^V., lOG 28-9.
Lending of Properties; Sm., 90 4, 28; W., IOG32.
Leyve, Levi, 36 84.
Little Park Street, xxii, 98/40.
Love members, \\., IOG/38-IO7/2.
Lull]/, hillay, song of women, 32.
Machinery, .see MiscellancDUS Pro- perties'; Cap., 9.3/28-41 ; Dr., 99/ 18-22; 101/20 ff.; Sm., 82; 89/ 9ff.
Madroke, coupled n\ Magog, 1 7/490.
Magog, giant. 17 490.
Mahownd, Mahomet, 18/5 16. 28/805.
M.alacbi, 35/58, 39/197, I2O/58, 121/ 197.
Malchus; Sm., 82 ; 8.3/35,87/28.
Managers of Pageants; Caj'., 98/ 31-2; Dr., 102/27; Mer., 103/ 18-9; Sm., 83/1-16; Spec. Pag., 114/12-4. . ^
Manuscript atid Editions, ix fr.
Marcus (Antonius), 117/12.
INDEX OF NAMES AND MATTERS.
131
Margaret, Queen, 74 28 ff. ; Recep- tion of, 109/25 ff-
Margaret, S., char, in Spec. Pag., 113/39.
Mars, 117/29.
Maries ; Cap., 93/36-7, 94/8, 9, 38.
Mary, char, in STCo, 3/51 ; in WCo, 45/383; W., IO6/14, 34, 107/2.
Mary, Lady, xxi, IO3/5.
Mary Magdalen ; Cap., 93/33, 94/8, 95/4; 97/8._
Masons, see Pinners.
Massej", Thomas, see Pageant Man- agers, and Last Performance.
Mawdycke, Thomas, name before songs in STCo, 31 ; in WCo, 70.
Meat and Drink; Cap., 94, 96/7-17, 22-9, 35, 98/14-9; Dr., 99/39-41, 100/15-6; SiTi., 85/14-7, ''1/9-
25; w., 106/11-9, 109/19.
Melclior, Melchoir king of Aginare
{it.su. Nubia), 25/727. Mercers, Accounts, 102 ff. Miles, I., char, in STCo, 27/793. Miles, II., char, in STCo, 27/797. Mikelpiirke, see Much Park. Mill Lane, 98/37, IO8/3, 20, 34. Minstrels, see Music. Miscellaneous Properties ; Cap. 93/
28-41, 94/5-1 1, 97/32-6, 98/26-7;
Dr., 99/38-9, 101/9-12; Mer.,
103/17; Sm., 88/18-22, 89/9 ff.;
91/8-26 ; W., 107/31-5, 109/12-6. Moses, 6O/865, 881, 61/ 894, 63/960,
64/997. Mother of Death ; Cap., 96/26. JVIoving of Pageants ; Cap., 95/9-13,
26, 34-5, 44, 98/8, 9, 15, 16; Dr.,
99/35-8, 10.3/13-4; Sm., 84/22-
85/6,88/12-37,91/9, 19,27; W.,
IO6/17, 107/41, 109/21. Much Park Street, 85/ 1, IO6/25. Music; Cap., 94/27, 38-9, 97/27-31,
36, 98/12; Dr., 99/i6-7, 29-30;
100/9-12, 102/14-8, 10.3/10-30;
Sm.', 82/24-5, 88/32-3, 89/2-3, 90/
34-5,91/23-4,41-2; W., IO6/16,
36, 107/13-8.
Nativity, Play of the, xxiii ff., 6-11.
Nausicaa, 117/ii.
New Gate, 86/3.
New Plays ; Cap.,94/i2-4; Dr., 102/ 19-25; Sm., 89-90; see Destruc- tion of Jerusalem.
Nonceose, Nuntius, char, in STCo, 16/475-
Oath of masters of Smiths' company,
86/20-3. Original, see Play-books. Our Lady, see Mary.
Pageant ; Sm., Men about the, 86/ 18-9.
Pageant Houses ; Cap., 98/32-7 ; Dr., 98/40-99/6; Pinners, 105/ 36 ; Shearmen and Taylors, 105/ 31-6; Sm., 92/3-4, 8-12; W., 105/36, IO8/1-45.
Pageant Pence ; Cap., 95/2 1 ; Sm., 86/24-5; W., IO6/18-9.
Pageant Vehicles; Cap., 93/42-94/ 4, 95, 98/17 ; Dr., 99/33-6 ; Sm., 84/10-5,91/10, 92/3-5; W., 107/ 20-30, IO8/46-IO9/11.
Pageants, see variotis companies ; Ordinance relating to, 76/10-14; Ordinances requiring all crafts to contribute, 75/38-76/44; pageants to be on time, 75/6-9; putting down of, Cap., 98/31-4; Dr., 102/ 26-9; Sm., 92/22-4; W., IO6/20-
32-
Painters, contrib. to Girdlers, and to Cardmakers, 72/29-73/2, 8I/7- 10; 93/26; 105/24-9; ^'^^ Card- makers.
Painting of Faces ; Sm., 88/30-1.
Palmar, Mayor, 70.
Pastor, I., ciiar. in STCo, 7/204.
Pastor, II., char, in STCo., 8/218.
Pastor, III., char, in STCo., 8/234.
Patriarchs; Dr., 99/i6, IO6/2, 8, 101/13-4; chars, in Spec. Pag., 115/1 iff.
Payments to Performers ; Cap., 94/ 34-9, 9S/20-6; Dr., 99/43-IOO/ 16; Mer., 103/12-5 ; Sm., 88/31 - 7, 91/28-42; W., IO6/12-16,
33-8-
Pence, see Pageant Pence.
Performers, see Payments to Per- formers.
Peter ; Sm., 82, 88/35, 84/7, 87/26- 7, 90/1, 5.
Pharisee; Dr., 99/i7, 28, IOI/19.
Phoebus, II6/5.
Pilate; Cap., 93/33, 38, O4/7, 10, 22, 35, 96/i, 3, 11-22; Sm., 82,
13:
INDKX OF NAMKS AND MATTEnS.
83/55, 43, «-i/3. 85/14. 15. 88/
1-2. rilati-'s Son ; Sin., 82, 83/36, 43,
84/3, 5. 6, 88/3-5. Piliiti-'s Wile, see Prociila. Pinners and Needlers, Pageant, 103/
20 ir. Pisfonl, Wni., 105/8. Plav-books; Clip., 94/12-4,98/28-9;
Dr.. 99/31-2, 103/9; Sin., 89/4-8,
91/5-6, 43. i'2/2 5-7; W., 107/19. Prtsontation in tlie Temple, xxiii
ft'., 39-55. Priiu'cs, Two, see Kniglit.s. Proclamation in French, see Frencli. Procnia; Sm., 82, 83/28, 33, 87/
6-12. Prologue, Isaiali in STCo, 1-2
Simeon in WCo, 39-40; Cap
96/2, 4, 97/24-6; Dr., 99/16
100/7, 14, 101/16-7. Propliet, I., char, in STCo, I2/332
in WCo, 33 I ; Frags., 119/i. Pruphet. II., char, iti STCo, I2/338
in WCo, 33/8; Frags., 119/8. Prophet Play iu STCo, 12-16; in
WCo, 3.3-9. Prndence, char, in Spec. Pag.,
111/28. Piirilicatinii, The, aee Presentation
in the Temple.
Rehearsftls; Cap., 94-5, 98/5-6;
Sm., 83/17-30, 91/4-5 ; '^^'•, 107/
35-9, 109/17-8. Rejoice, rejoice, song in tlio Temple,
70. Ilex, I., clinr. in STCo, I9/540. II X, 11., char, in STCo, 2O/558. Hex, HI., char, in STCo, 20/582. l{icc, Kichard, Mayor, 79/30. Ilichard, King, char, in Spec. Pag.,
115/1. Ilichanlson, D. Matliaeus, Mayor,
31. Righteousness, char, in Spec. Pag-,
lll/i;. Hychard, name written after first
Hung in WCo, 7M. Rules; Dr., 99 6-13; ^'"•. 85/26-
32,92/25-93/4; Tilers, 103/21 IF.;
W., xi, 106/1-8.
Sadlers, see Cardmakcrs ; contrib. to Cardmakers, 72,29-73/2.
Satan, I/14.
Scaffolds; Cap., 98/8-II, 16 ; Dr.,
103/9; Sm., 84/16-21, 91/10-2;
W., 109/y-io. Scipio, 117 1 1. Sebellam, Stbhelis, see Sibyl. Selling of Pageants and Properties ;
Cap., 9H/32-4; Dr., 103,16-7;
Sm., 92/3-5 ; ^^'m 10*' -9-30- Seythe, Seth, 2/21. Sharp, Ric, 74/36. Shearmen and Tavlors, Pageant,
1-32, 90/31,105/33-8. Shepiierds' I'lay, 7-12. Shoemakers, see Corvisers. Sibyl, 39/197, 121/197. Simeon, char, in WCo, 39 177 ;
Frags., 120/182 ; W., IO6/12, 15,
.33. 35, 107/1.7, 8, 41,43- Singers, see Music. Sion, see Zion.
Skinners, 76/5 J contrib. lo Card- makers, 77/25-38 ; contrib. to
Weavers, 8I/4-7, 93/26. Slanghter of the Iimocents, 26-31. Smiths, Accounts, 82-93 ; New
Play, 90; Peticion to be released,
72/7-23, 105,'36-S. Solomon, 14,^396. Songs, in STCo, 31-2 ; in WCo,
70-1. Souls, White and RIack, Dr., 99/
14-5, 24-5, 100,2, 3, 5, 6, 100/
29-101/2. Special Occasions, Pageants on,
109 ff. Specimen Entries; Cap., 94/15-
9529; Sm., 83/17 ff. ; W., 106/
9-19, 107 40-8. Spirit of God, Cap., 96/30-3. Spirits, Two; Dr., 99 15, IOO/7,
101/3-5- Spon Street, 11 6/31.
St. Mary's Hall, H5/8. 9012.
St. Nicholas Hall, 85, 11.
Stations, see Moving of I'ngeanls.
Strength, char, in Spec. Pag., 111/ 24.
Sundries, see Miscellaneous Pro- perties.
Swan door, 95/28.
Svm, name of first Shepherd, 8/218, 222.
Syon, see Zion,
INDEX OF NAMES AND MATTERS.
133
Tanners, contrib. to Cardmakers,
77/25-38; Pageant of, IO5/7-13,
117/4. Tawrus, Tarshisli, 25/725, 2(') 751. Temperance, char, in Spec. Pag.,
111/20. Tilers, see Pinners ; assoc. \v.
Pinners, 103/2O, IO3/29- 104/8,
104/30-105/2. Tormentors, Four, Sm., 82, 84/4,
5, 88/6-16. Trinity Guild, xvi, 99/3, 103/i. Troy, 112/2.
Usual Expenses, see Specimen Entries.
Valerius, 117/i2.
Vehicles, see Pageant Vehicles.
Walkers, contrib. to Girdlers, 78/
3-13 ; to Weavers, 8I/1-4, 93/
26. Wawse, Vans, Hill of Victory, in
Legend of Three Kings, 33/7,
37/115. Weavers, Accounts, 106 ff. ;
Arbitration w. Journeymen, 72/
1-6 ; Journeymen to have out Pageant, IO6/1-8, IO8/46 ; Page- ant of, 33-71, 106/2off.; Frag- ments of another Version, 119-22.
Wedurby, John, of Leicester, 114/ 12-4.
White Souls, see Souls.
Whittawers, Pageant, IO5/18-23.
Windlace; Cap., 95/34; Dr., 100/ 3-4, 101/20-4.
Wodes, Richard, grocer, 74/35, 85/2.
Woman, L, char, in STCo, 29/830.
Woman, II., char, in STCo, 29/
833- Woman, III., char, in STCo, 29/
835- Worlds, Three; Dr., 102/6-IO. Worms of Conscience; Dr., 99/i6,
100/14-5,101/15. Wrights, see Pinners, 77/39-78/2,
103/24.
Yngland, England, II8/18. Ysay, see Isaiah. Yscraell, see Israel.
Zion, 35/67, 121/209.
RicHARn Clat * Sons, LiMiXKn,
BREAD STREET HILL, E.C., AND BUNOAY, SLKFOI.K.
PR 1119
E5 no. 87
Early English Text Society
cPubli cations-, Extra series
PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE CARDS OR SLIPS FROM THIS POCKET
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO LIBRARY
mcVLATE AS MONOGRAPH
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