of an inferior nature, may be enumerated. I have before mentioned the play of ROBIN and MARIAN, performed, according to an annual custom, by the school-boys of Angiers in France, in the year 1392m. But I do not mean to go abroad for illustrations of this part of our present inquiry. Among the writings of Udal, a celebrated master of Eton, about the year 1540, are recited Plures Comedia, and a tragedy de Papatu, on the papacy: written probably to be acted by his scholars. An extract from one of his comedies may be seen in Wilson's LOGIKE". In the antient CONSUETUDINARY, as it is called, of Eton-School, the following passage occurs. "Circa festum divi Andreæ, ludimagister eligere solet, pro suo arbitrio, SCENICAs fabulas optimas et accommodatissimas, quas Pueri feriis Natalitiis subsequentibus, non sine LUDORUM ELEGANTIA, populo spectante, publice aliquando peragant.—Interdum etiam exhibet Anglico sermone contextas fabulas, siquæ habeant acumen et leporem"." That is, about the feast of saint Andrew, the thirtieth day of November, the master is accustomed to chuse, according to his own discretion, such Latin stage-plays as are most excellent and convenient; which the boys are to act in the following Christmas holidays, before a public audience, and with all the elegance of scenery and ornaments usual at the performance of a play. Yet he may sometimes order English plays; such, at least, as are smart and witty. In the year 1538, Ralph Radcliffe, a polite scholar, and a lover of graceful elocution, opening a school at Hitchin in Hertfordshire, obtained a grant of the dissolved friery of the Carmelites in that town: and converting the refectory into a theatre, wrote several plays, both in Latin and English, which were exhibited by his pupils. Among his comedies were Dives and Lazarus, Boccacio's Patient Grisilde, Titus and Gesippus P, and Chaucer's Melibeus: his tragedies were, the Delivery of Susannah, the Burning of John Huss, Job's Sufferings, the Burning of Sodom, Jonas, and pu the Fortitude of Judith. These pieces were seen by the biographer Bale in the author's library, but are now lost. It is scarcely necessary to remind the reader, that this very liberal exercise is yet preserved, and in the spirit of true classical rity, at the college of Westminster. I believe, the frequency of these school-plays suggested to Shakespeare the names of Seneca and Plautus as dramatic authors; where Hamlet, speaking of a variety of theatrical performances, says, "Seneca cannot be too heavy, nor Plautus too light." Jonson, in his comedy of THE STAPLE OF NEWES, has a satirical allusion to this practice, yet ironically applied: where CENSURE says, "For my part, I beleeve it, and there were no wiser than I, I would have neer a cunning schoole-master in England: I mean a Cunning-man a schoole-master; that is, a conjurour, or a poet, or that had any acquaintance with a poet. They make all their schollers Play-boyes! Is't not a fine sight to see all our children made Enterluders? Doe we pay our money for this? Wee send them to learne their grammar and their Terence, and they learne their play-bookes. Well, they talk 4 Bale, viii. 98. ATH. OXON. i. 73. I have seen an anonymous comedy, APOLLO SHROVING, composed by the Master of Hadleigh-school, in Suffolk, and acted by his scholars, on Shrovetuesday, Feb. 7. 1626. printed 1627. 8vo. Published, as it seems, by E. W. Shrove-tuesday, as the day immediately preceding Lent, was always a day of extraordinary sport and feasting. So in the song of Justice Silence in Shakespeare, See P. IIENRY IV. A. v. S. 4. Tis merry in hall when beards wag all, And welcome MERRY SHROVETIDE. In the Romish church there was antiently a feast immediately preceding Lent, which lasted many days, called CARNISCAPIUM. See Carpentier, in V, SUPPL. LAT. GL. Du Cang. tom. i. p. 831. In some cities of France an officer was annually chosen, called LE PRINCE D'AMOUREUX, who presided over the sports of the youth for six days before Ash-wednesday. Ibid. V. AMOratus, p. 195. and V. CARDINALIS. p. 818. also V. SPINETUM, tom. iii. p. 848. Some traces of these festivities still remain in our universities. In the PERCY HOUSHOLD-BOOK, 1512, it appears that the clergy and oflicers of lord Percy's chapel performed a play "before his lordship upon Shrowftewesday at night."pag. 345. It appears antiently to have been an exercise for youth, not only to act but to write interludes. Erasmus says, that sir Thomas More, "adolescens COMOEDIOLAS et scripsit et egit." EPISTOL. 447. But see what I have said of More's PAGEAUNTS, Observat. on Spens. ii. 47. And we are told, that More, while he lived a Page with archbishop Moreton, as the plays were going on in the palace during the christmas holidays, would often step upon the stage without previous notice, and exhibit a part of his own, which gave much more satisfaction than the whole performance besides. Roper's LIFE AND DEATH OF MORE, p. 27. edit. 1731. 8vo. Acr ii. Sc. 7. we shall have no more parliaments, god blesse us! But an wee have, I hope Zeale of the Land Buzzy, and my gossip Rabby Trouble-truth, will start up, and see we have painfull good ministers to keepe schoole, and catechise our youth; and not teach em to speake Playes, and act fables of false newes," &c." In tracing the history of our stage, this carly practice of performing plays in schools and universities has never been considered as a circumstance instrumental to the growth and improvement of the drama. While the people were amused with Skelton's TRIAL OF SIMONY, Bale's GOD'S PROMISES, and CHRIST'S DESCENT INTO HELL, the scholars of the times were composing and acting plays on historical subjects, and in imitation of Plautus and Terence. Hence ideas of a legitimate fable must have been imperceptibly derived to the popular and vernacular drama. And we may add, while no settled or public theatres were known, and plays were chiefly acted by itinerant minstrels in the halls of the nobility at Christmas, these literary societies supported some idea of a stage: they afforded the best accommodations for theatrical exhibition, and were almost the only, certainly the most rational, companies of players that existed. But I mean yet to trespass on my reader's patience, by pursuing this inquiry still further; which, for the sake of comprehension and connection, has already exceeded the limits of a digression. It is perhaps on this principle, that we are to account for plays being acted by singing-boys: although they perhaps acquired a turn for theatrical representation and the spectacular arts, from their annual exhibition of the ceremonies of the boy-bishop; which seem to have been common in almost every religious community that was capable of supporting a choir". I have before given an instance of the singing-boys Acr iii. p. 50. edit. fol. 1631. This play was first acted in the year 1625. In a small college, for only one provost, five fellows, and six choristers, founded by archbishop Rotheram in 1481, in the obscure village of Rotheram in Yorkshire, this piece of mummery was not omitted. The founder leaves by will, among other bequests to the college, "A Myter for the barne-bishop of cloth of gold, with two knopps of silver, gilt and enamelled." Hearne's LIB. NIG. SCACC. APPEND. p. 674. 686. This establishment, but with a far greater de of Hyde abbey and saint Swithin's priory at Winchester, performing a MORALITY before king Henry the Seventh at Winchester castle, on a Sunday, in the year 1487. In the accompts of Maxtoke priory near Coventry, in the year 1430, it appears, that the eleemosynary boys, or choristers, of that monastery, acted a play, perhaps every year, on the feast of the Purification, in the hall of the neighbouring castle belonging to lord Clinton: and it is specified, that the cellarer took no money for their attendance, because his lordship's minstrels had often assisted this year at several festivals in the refectory of the convent, and in the hall of the prior, without fee or gratuity. I will give the article, which is very circumstantial, at length: "Projentaculis puerorum eleemosync exeuntium ad aulam in castro ut ibi LUDUM peragerent in die Purificationis, xivd. Unde nihil a domini [Clinton] thesaurario, quia sæpius hoc anno ministralli castri fecerunt ministralsiam in aula conventus et gree of buffoonery, was common in the One of the pieces of humour in this last- He expressly orders that his scholars "shall every Childermas [Innocents] daye come to Paulis churche, Prioris ad festa plurima sine ullo regardo"." That is, For the extraordinary breakfast of the children of the almonry, or singing-boys of the convent, when they went to the hall in the castle, to perform the PLAY on the feast of the Purification, fourteenpence. In consideration of which performance, we received nothing in return from the treasurer of the lord Clinton, because the minstrels of the castle had often this year plaid at many festivals, both in the hall of the convent and in the prior's hall, without reward. So early as the year 1378, the scholars, or choristers, of saint Paul's cathedral in London, presented a petition to king Richard the Second, that his majesty would prohibit some ignorant and unexperienced persons from acting the HISTORY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT, to the great prejudice of the clergy of the church, who had expended considerable sums for preparing a public presentation of that play at the ensuing Christmas*. From MYSTERIES this young fraternity proceeded to more regular dramas: and at the commencement of a theatre, were the best and almost only comedians. They and hear the CHILDE-BYSHOP'S [of S. Paul's cathedral] sermon. And after, be at the hygh masse; and each of them offer a penny to the CHILDE-BYSHOP, and with them the maisters and surveyors of the scole." Knight's LIFE OF COLET, (MISCELL. Num. V. APPEND.) p. 362. [See also Mr. Strutt's Sports and Pastimes of the People of England. -EDIT.] I take this opportunity of observing, that the anniversary custom at Eton of going ad Montem, originated from the antient and popular practice of these theatrical processions in collegiate bodies. In the statutes of New college in Oxford, founded about the year 1380, there is the following remarkable passage. "Ac etiam illum LUDUM vilissimum et horribilem RADENDI BARBAS, qui fieri solet in nocte præcedente Inceptionis Magistradorum in Artibus, infra collegium nostrum prædictum, vel alibi in Universitate prædicta, ubicunque, ipsis [sociis et scolaribus] penitus interdicimus, ac etiam prohibemus expresse." RUBR. XXV. Hearne endeavours to explain this injunction, by supposing that it was made in opposition to the Wic cliffites, who disregarded the laws of Scripture; and, in this particular instance, violated the following text in LEVITICUS, where this custom is expressly forbidden. xix. 27. "Neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard." Nor. ad Joh. Trokelowe. p. 393. Nothing can be more unfortunate than this elucidation of our antiquary. The direct con. trary was the case: for the Wickliffites entirely grounded their ideas of reformation both in morals and doctrine on scriptural proofs, and often committed absurdities in too precise and literal an acceptation of texts. And, to say no more, the custom, from the words of the statute, seems to have been long preserved in the university, as a mock-ceremony on the night preceding the solemn Act of Magistration. It is styled LUDUS, a Play: and I am of opinion, that it is to be ranked among the other ecclesiastic mummeries of that age; and that it has some connection with the exhibition mentioned above of shaving the Precentor in public. Penes me. supr. citat. * See RISE AND PROGRESS, &c. CIBB, L. vol. ii. p. 118. |