is found by Perseverance and Contemplacion, who set him at liberty, and advise him to go in search of the delinquents. As soon as he is gone, Frewill appears again; and after relating in a very comic manner some of his rogueries and escapes from justice, is rebuked by the two holy men, who, after a long altercation, at length convert him and his libertine companion Imaginacioun from their vicious course of life and then the play ends with a few verses from Perseverance by way of Epilogue. This and every morality I have seen conclude with a solemn prayer. They are all of them in rhyme; in a kind of loose stanza, intermixed with distichs.

It would be needless to point out the absurdities in the plan and conduct of the foregoing play: they are evidently great. It is sufficient to observe, that, bating the moral and religious reflection of pity, etc., the piece is of a comic cast, and contains a humorous display of some of the vices of the age. Indeed, the author has generally been so little attentive to the allegory, that we need only substitute other names to his personages, and we have real characters and living manners.

We see then that the writers of these moralities were upon the very threshold of real tragedy and comedy: and therefore we are not to wonder that tragedies and comedies in form soon after took place, especially as the revival of learning about this time brought them acquainted with the Roman and Grecian models.

II. At what period of time the moralities had their rise here, it is difficult to discover. But plays of miracles appear to have been exhibited in England soon after the Conquest. Matthew Paris tells us that Geoffrey, afterwards Abbot of St. Albans, a Norman, who had been sent for over by Abbot Richard to take upon him the direction of the school of that monastery, coming too late, went to Dunstable, and taught in the abbey there; where he caused to be acted (probably by his scholars) a miracle play of St. Catherine, composed by himself. This was long before the year 1119, and probably within the eleventh century. The above play of St. Catherine was, for aught that appears, the first spectacle of this sort that was exhibited in these kingdoms: and an eminent French writer thinks it was even the first attempt towards the revival of dramatic entertainments in all Europe; being long before the representations of mysteries in France, for these did not begin till about the year 1398.*

But whether they derived their origin from the above exhibition or not, it is certain that holy plays, representing the miracles and sufferings of the saints, were become common in the reign of Henry II.; and a lighter sort of interludes appear not to have been then unknown.† In the subsequent age of Chaucer, "Plays of Miracles in Lent were the common resort of idle gossips.‡

They do not appear to have been so prevalent on the Continent, for the learned

*See Abregé Chron. de l'Hist. de France by M. Henault, 1179.

† See Fitzstephen's description of London, preserved by Stow (and reprinted with notes, etc., by the Rev. Mr. Pegge, in 1774, 4to), Londonia pro spectaculis theatralibus, pro ludis scenicis, ludos habet sanctiores, representationes miraculorum, etc. He is thought to have written in the reign of Henry II., and to have died in that of Richard I. It is true, at the end cf this book we find mentioned Henricum regem tertium; but this is doubtless Henry the Second's son, who was crowned during the life of his father, in 1170, and is generally distinguished as Rex juvenis, Rex filius, and sometimes they were jointly named Reges Angliæ. From a passage in his chapter De Religione, it should seem that the body of St. Thomas Becke was just then a new acquisition to the Church of Canterbury.

See Chaucer, Prologue to Wife of Bath's Tale.

historian of the Council of Constance, M. l'Enfant, ascribes to the English the introduction of plays into Germany. He tells us that the emperor, having been absent from the council for some time, was at his return received with great rejoicings, and that the English fathers in particular did, upon that occasion, cause a sacred comedy to be acted before him on Sunday, Jan. 31, 1417, the subjects of which were: The Nativity of our Saviour; the Arrival of the Eastern Magi; and the Massacre by Herod. Thence it appears, says this writer, that the Germans are obliged to the English for the invention of this sort of spectacles, unknown to them before that period.

The fondness of our ancestors for dramatic exhibitions of this kind, and some curious particulars relating to this subject, will appear from the Household Book of the Fifth Earl of Northumberland, A.D. 1512;* whence I shall select a few extracts, which show that the exhibiting Scripture dramas on the great festivals entered into the regular establishment, and formed part of the domestic regulations of our ancient nobility; and, what is more remarkable, that it was as much the business of the chaplain in those days to compose plays for the family, as it is now for him to make sermons :'My lordes chapleyns in household vj. viz. the almonar, and if he be a maker of interludys, than he to have a servaunt to the intent for writynge of the parts; and ells to have non. The maister of gramer," etc.-Sect. v. p. 44.

"

Item, my lorde usith and accustomyth to gyf yerely if is lordship kepe a chapell and be at home, them of his lordschipes chapell, if they doo play the play of the Nativite uppon Cristynmes day in the mornnynge in my lords chapell befor his lordship-xxs."-Sect. xliv. p. 343.

Item, . . . to them of his lordship chappell and other his lordshipis servaunts that doith play the play befor his lordship uppon Shrof-Tewsday at night, yerely in reward-xs."-Ibid. p. 345.

...

"Item, to them... that playth the play of Resurrection upon Estur day in the mornnynge in my lordis 'chapell befor his lordshipe-xxs."—Ibid.

"Item, my lorde useth and accustomyth yerly to gyf hym which is ordynede to be the master of the revells yerly in my lordis hous in Cristmas for the overseyinge and orderinge of his lordschips playes, interludes, and dresinge, that is plaid befor his lordship in his hous in the xijth dayes of Cristenmas, and they to have in rewarde for that caus yerly-xxs."-Ibid. p. 346.

“Item, my lorde useth and accustomyth to gyf every of the iiij parsones that his lordschip admyted as his players to com to his lordship yerly at Cristynmes ande at all other such tymes as his lordship shall comande them for playing of playe and interludes affor his lordship in his lordshipis hous for every of their fees for an hole yere " -Ibid. p. 351.

"Item, to be payd . . . for rewards to players for playes playd at Christynmas by stranegeres in my house after xxd. † every play, by estimacion somme-xxxiijs. iiij."‡ -Sect. i. p. 22.

*The Regulations and Establishments of the Household of Hen. Alg. Percy, Fifth Earl of Northumb., Lond. 1770, 8vo. A small impression was printed by order of the then Duke of Northumberland, to bestow in presents to his friends.

This was not so small a sum then as it may now appear; for in another part of this MS. the price ordered to be given for a fat ox is but 13o. 4d. and for a lean one 8s.

At this rate the number of plays acted must have been twenty,

Item, my lorde usith, and accustometh to gif yerely when his lordshipp is at home, to every erlis players that comes to his lordshipe betwixt Cristynmas ande Candelmas, if he be his special lorde and frende and kynsman-xxs."-Sect. xliiii. P. 340.

Item, my lorde usith and accustomyth to gyf yerely, when his lordship is at home to every lordis players, that comyth to his lordshipe betwixt Crystynmas and Candilmas-xs."-Ibid.

The reader will observe the great difference in the rewards here given to such players as were retainers of noble personages, and such as are styled strangers, or, as we may suppose, only strollers.

The profession of a common player was about this time held by some in low estimation. In an old satire, entitled Jock Lorreles Note,* the author, enumerating the most common trades or callings, as "carpenters, coopers, joyners," etc., mentions

"Players, purse-cutters, money-batterers,
Golde-washers, tomblers, jogelers,
Pardoners," etc.-Sign. B. vj.

III. It hath been observed already, that plays of miracles, or Mysteries, as they were called, led to the introduction of moral plays, or Moralities, which prevailed so early, and became so common, that towards the latter end of King Henry the Seventh's reign, John Rastel, brother-in-law to Sir Thomas More, conceived a design of making them the vehicle of science and natural philosophy. With this view he published ¶ A new interlude and a mery of the nature of the iiii elements declarynge many proper points of philosophy naturall, and of dyvers straynge landys,† etc. It is observable that the poet speaks of the discovery of America as then recent:

"Within this xx yere

Westwarde be founde new landes

That we never harde tell of before this," etc.

The West Indies were discovered by Columbus in 1492, which fixes the writing of this play to about 1510 (two years before the date of the above Household Book). The play of Hick Scorner was probably somewhat more ancient, as he still more imperfectly alludes to the American discoveries, under the name of "the Newe founde Ilonde."-Sign. A. vij.

It is observable that in the older Moralities, as in that last mentioned, Every Man, etc., is printed no kind of stage direction for the exits and entrances of the person

* Printed at the Sun in Fleet Street by W. de Worde, no date, b. 1. 4to.

+ Mr. Garrick has an imperfect copy (Old Plays, i. vol. iii.). The dramatis persona are"The Messenger [or Prologue]. Nature naturate. Humanyte. Studyous Desire. Sensuall Appetyte. The Taverner. Experyence. Ygnoraunce. (Also yf ye lyste ye may brynge in a dysgysynge.)" Afterwards follows a table of the matters handled in the interlude; among which are, -"Of certeyn conclusions prouvynge the yerthe must nedes be rounde, and that yt is in circumference above xxi M. myle."-"Of certeyne points of cosmographye-and of dyvers straun re regyo is, and of the new founde landys and the maner of the people." This part is extremely curious, as it shows what notions were entertained of the new American discoveries by our own countrymen.

ages, no division of acts and scenes.

But in the moral interlude of Lusty Juventus, * written under Edward VI., the exits and entrances begin to be noted in the margin:† at length in Queen Elizabeth's reign Moralities appeared formally divided into acts and scenes, with a regular Prologue, etc. One of these is reprinted by Dodsley.

Before we quit this subject of the very early printed plays, it may just be observed, that, although so few are now extant, it should seem many were printed before the time of Elizabeth, as at the beginning of her reign, her injunctions in 1559 are particularly directed to the suppressing of "many pamphlets, playes, and ballads; that no manner of person shall enterprize to print any such," etc., but under certain restrictions. Vid. sect. v.

In the time of Henry VIII., one or two dramatic pieces had been published under the classical names of Comedy and Tragedy,‡ but they appear not to have been intended for popular use: it was not till the religious ferments had subsided that the public had leisure to attend to dramatic poetry. In the reign of Elizabeth, tragedies and comedies began to appear in form, and could the poets have persevered, the first models were good. Gorboduc, a regular tragedy, was acted in 1561; § and Gascoigne, in 1566, exhibited Jocasta, a translation from Euripides, as also The Jupposes, a regular comedy from Ariosto: near thirty years before any of Shakespeare's were printed.

The people, however, still retained a relish for their old Mysteries and Moralities,|| and the popular dramatic poets seem to have made them their models. From the graver sort of Moralities our modern Tragedy appears to have derived its origin, as our Comedy evidently took its rise from the lighter interludes of that kind. And as most of these pieces contain an absurd mixture of religion and buffoonery, an eminent critic has well deduced from thence the origin of our unnatural Tragi-comedies. Even after the people had been accustomed to Tragedies and Comedies, Moralities still kept their ground: one of them, entitled The New Custom,** was printed so late as 1573: at length they assumed the name of Masques,++ and, with some classical improvements, became in the two following reigns the favourite entertainments of the court.

* Described in vol. ii. Preface to Book ii. The dramatis persona of this piece are,"Messenger, Lusty Juventus, Good Counsaii, Knowledge, Sathan the Devyll, Hypocrisie, Fellowship, Abominable Lyving [an Harlot], God's Merciful Promises."

† I have also discovered some few "Exeats" and "Intrats" in the very old interlude of the Four Elements.

Bishop Bale had applied the name of Tragedy to his Mystery of God's Promises, in 1538. In 1540, John Palsgrave, B.D., had republished a Latin comedy called Acolastus, with an English version. Holingshed tells us (vol. iii. p. 850), that so early as 1520 the king had "a good comedie of Plautus plaied" before him at Greenwich; but this was in Latin, as Mr. Farmer informs us in his curious Essay on the Learning of Shakespeare, 8vo, p. 31.

§ See Ames, p. 316 This play appears to have been first printed under the name of Gorboduc, then under the name of Ferrer and Porrer in 1569, and again under Gorboduc, 1550. Ames calls the first edition, quarto; Langbaine, octavo; and Tanner, 12m0.

The general reception which the old Moralities had upon the stage, will account for the fondness of all our first poets for allegory. Subjects of this kind were familiar with every one. ¶ Bishop Warburton, Skakespeare, vol. v.

** Reprinted among Dodsley's Old Plays, vol. i.

tt In some of these appeared characters full as extraordinary as in any of the old Moralities. In Ben Jonson's masque of Christmas, 1616, one of the personages is Minced Pye,

IV. The old Mysteries, which ceased to be acted after the Reformation, appear to have given birth to a third species of stage exhibition, which, though now confounded with tragedy and comedy, were by our first dramatic writers considered as quite distinct from them both these were historical plays, or Histories, a species of dramatic writing which resembled the old Mysteries in representing a series of historical events simply in the order of time in which they happened, without any regard to the three great unities. These pieces seem to differ from tragedies, just as much as historical poems do from epic as Lucanes Pharsalia does from the Eneid of Virgil.

What might contribute to make dramatic poetry take this form was, that soon after the Mysteries ceased to be exhibited, was published a large collection of poetical narratives, called The Mirrour for Magistrates,* wherein a great number of the most eminent characters in English history are drawn relating their own misfortunes. This book was popular, and of a dramatic cast; and therefore, as an elegant writer† has well observed, might have its influence in producing historical plays. These narratives probably furnished the subjects, and the ancient Mysteries suggested the plan.

There appears, indeed, to have been one instance of an attempt at an historical play itself, which was perhaps as early as any Mystery on a religious subject; for such, I think, we may pronounce the representation of a memorable event in English history, that was expressed in actions and rhymes. This was the old Coventry play of Hock Tuesday, founded on the story of the massacre of the Danes, as it happened on St. Brice's night, November 13, 1002.§ The play in question was performed by certain men of Coventry, among the other shows and entertainments at Kenilworth Castle, in July 1575, prepared for Queen Elizabeth, and this the rather "because the matter mentioneth how valiantly our English women, for the love of their country, behaved themselves." The writer, whose words are here quoted, hath given a short description of the performance, which seems on that occasion to have been without recitation or rhymes, and reduced to mere dumb-show: consisting of violent skirmishes and encounters, first between Danish and English "lance knights on horseback," armed with spear and shield; and afterwards between "hosts" of footmen: which at length ended in the Danes being "beaten down, overcome, and many led captive by our English women."

*The first part of which was printed in 1559.

+ Catalogue of Royal and Noble Authors, vol. i. pp. 166, 167.

This must not be confounded with the Mysteries acted on Corpus Christi day by the Franciscans at Coventry, which were also called Coventry plays, and of which an account is given from T. Warton's History of English Poetry, etc., in Malone's Shakespeare, vol. ii. Part ii. pp. 13, 14.

§ Not 1012, as printed in Laneham's Letter, mentioned below.

Ro. Laneham, whose Letter, containing a full description of the shows, etc., is reprinted at large in Nichols' Progresses of Queen Elizabeth, etc., vol. i. 4to, 1788. That writer's orthography, being peculiar and affected, is not here followed. Laneham describes this play of Hock Tuesday, which was "presented in an historical cue by certain good-hearted men of Coventry" (p. 32), and which was "wont to be play'd in their citie yearly" (p. 33), as if it were peculiar to them, terming it "their old storial show" (p. 32). And so it might be as represented and expressed by them "after their manner (p. 33); although we are also told by Bevil Higgons, that St. Brice's Eve was still celebrated by the Northern English in commemoration of this massacre of the Danes, the women beating brass instruments, and singing old rhymes, in praise of their cruel ancestors, See his Short View of English History, 8vo, p. 17. (The Preface is dated 1734.)

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