tions of the Christian virtues, were not calculated to make so quick and easy a transition to the representations of real life and rational action. In the year 1501, when the princess Catharine of Spain came to London, to be married to prince Arthur, her procession through the city was very magnificent. The pageants were numerous, and superbly furnished; in which the principal actors, or speakers, were not only God the father, saint Catharine, and saint Ursula, but king Alphonsus the astronomer and an ancestor of the princess, a Senator, an Angel, Job, Boethius, Nobility, and Virtue. These personages sustained a sort of action, at least of dialogue. The lady was compared to Hesperus, and the prince to Arcturus; and Alphonsus, from his skill in the stars, was introduced to be the fortuneteller of the match. These machineries were contrived and directed by an ecclesiastic of great eminence, bishop Fox; who, says Bacon, "was not only a grave counsellor for war or peace, but also a good surveyor of works, and a good master of ceremonies, and any thing else that was fit for the active part, belonging to the service of court, or state of a great king." It is probable, that this prelate's dexterity and address in the conduct of a court-rareeshow procured him more interest, than the gravity of his counsels, and the depth of his political knowledge at least his employment in this business presents a striking picture of the importance of those popular talents, which even in an age of blind devotion, and in the reign of a superstitious monarch, were instrumental in paving the way to the most opulent dignities of the church. "Whosoever," adds the same penetrating historian, "had these toys in compiling, they were not altogether PEDANTICAL"." About the About the year 1487, Henry the Seventh went a progress into the north; and at every place of distinction was received with a pageant; in which he was saluted, in a poetical oration, not always religious, as, at York by Ebranck, a British king and the founder of the Bacon's HENRY THE SEVENTH. Compl. Hist. Eng. vol.i.p.628. city, as well as by the holy virgin, and king David: at Worcester by Henry the Sixth his uncle: at Hereford by saint George, and king Ethelbert, at entering the cathedral there : at Bristol, by king Bremmius, Prudence, and Justice. The two latter characters were personated by young girls. In the mean time it is to be granted, that profane characters were personated in our pageants, before the close of the fourteenth century. Stowe relates, that in the year 1377, for the entertainment of the young prince Richard, son of Edward the black prince, one hundred and thirty citizens rode disguised from Newgate to Kennington where the court resided, attended with an innumerable multitude of waxen torches, and various instruments of music, in the evening of the Sunday preceding Candlemas-day. In the first rank were forty-eight, habited like esquires, with visors; and in the second the same number, in the character of knights. "Then followed one richly arrayed like an EMPEROR, and after him, at some distance, one statelytyred like a POPE, whom followed twenty-four CARDINALLS, and after them eyght or tenne with blacke visors not amiable, as if they had been LEGATES from some forrain princes." But this parade was nothing more than a DUMB SHEW, unaccompanied with any kind of interlocution. This appears from what follows. For our chronicler adds, that when they entered the hall of the palace, they were met by the prince, the queen, and the lords; "whom the said mummers did salute, shewing by a pair of dice their desire to play with the prince," which they managed with so much complaisance and skill, that the prince won of them a bowl, a cup, and a ring of gold, and the queen and lords, each, a ring of gold. Afterwards, having been feasted with a sumptuous banquet, they had the honour of dancing with the young prince and the nobility, and so the ceremony was concluded'. Matthew Paris informs us, that ⚫ From a manuscript in the Cotton library, printed in Leland. COLLECTAN. ad calc. vol. iii. p. 185. t Stowe's SURY. LOND. pag. 71. edit. 1599. 4to. It will perhaps be said, that this shew was not properly a PAGEANT but a MUMMERY. But these are frivolous distinctions: and, taken in a ge. neral view, this account preserves a curious specimen of early PERSONATION, and proves at least that the practice was not then in its infancy. (The most at the magnificent marriage of Henry the Third with Eleanor of Provence, in the year 1236, certain strange pageants, and wonderful devises, were displayed in the city of London; and that the number of HISTRIONES on this occasion was infinite". splendid spectacle of this sort which occurs in history, at least so early as the fourteenth century, is described by Froissart, who was one of the spectators. It was one of the shews at the magnificent entrance of queen Isabell into Paris, in the year 1389. The story is from the crusade against Saladin. I will give the passage from lord Berners's Translation, printed by Pinson in 1523. "Than after, under the mynster of the Trinyte, in the strete, there was a stage, and therupon a castell. And along on the stage there was ordeyned the PASSE OF KYNG SALHADYN, and all their dedes in Personages: the cristen men on the one parte, and the Sarazins on the other parte. And there was, in Personages, all the lordes of name that of olde tyme hadde ben armed, and had done any feates of armes at the PASSE OF SALHADYNE, and were armed with suche armure as they than used. And thanne, a lyttel above them, there was in Personages the Frenche kynge and the twelve Peeres of Fraunce armed, with the blason of their armes. And whan the Frenche quenes lytter was come before this stage, she rested there a season. Thenne the Personages on the stage of kynge Rychard departed fro his company, and wente to the Frenche kynge, and demaunded lycence to go and assayle the Sarazins; and the kynge gave hym [them] leave. Thanne kynge Rycharde retourned to his twelve companyons. Thanne they all sette them in order, and incontynente wente and assayled Salhadyne and the Sarazins. Then in sporte there seemed a great bataile, and it endured a good space. This pageaunt was well regarded." CRON. tom. ii. c. 56. fol. clxxii. col. 1. By the two kings, he means Philip of France, and our king Richard the First, who were jointly engaged in this expedition. It is observable, that the superiority is here given to the king of France.ADDITIONS.] "I will cite the passage more at large, and in the words of the original. "Con venerunt autem vocata ad convivium nuptiale tanta nobilium multitudo utriusque sexus, tanta religiosorum numerositas, tanta plebium populositas, tanta HISTRIONUM Varietas, quod vix eos civitas Londoniarum sinu suo capaci comprehenderet. Ornata est igitur civitas tota olosericis, et vexillis, coronis, et palliis, cereis et lampadibus, et quibusdam prodigiosis ingenüs et portentis," &e. HIST. p. 406. edit. Tig. 1589. sub HENRICO III. Here, by the way, the expres sion' Varietas histrionum' plainly implies the comprehensive and general meaning of the word HISTRIO; and the multifarious performances of that order of men. Yet in the Injunctions given by the Barons to the religious houses, in the year 1258, there is an article which seems to shew, that the Histriones' were sometimes a particular species of public entertainers. "HISTRIONUM LUDI non videantur vel audiantur, vel permittantur fieri, coram abbate vel monasticis." Annal. Burton. p. 437. Oxon. 1684. Whereas minstrels, harpers, and juglers, were notoriously permitted in the monasteries. We cannot ascertain whether LUDI here means plays, then only religious: LUDI theatrales in churches and church-yards, on vigils and festivals, are forbidden in the Synod of Exeter, dat. 1287. cap. xiii. CONCIL. MAG. BRIT. per Wilkins.tom.ii. p. 140. col. 2. edit. 1737. fol. I cannot omit the opportunity of adding a striking instance of the extraordinary freedom of speech, permitted to these people, at the most solemn celebrities. About the year 1250, king Henry the Third, passing some time in France, held a most magnificent feast in the great hall of the knights-templars at Paris; at which, beside his own suite, were present the kings of France and Navarre, and all the nobility of France. The walls of the hall were hung all over with shields, among which was that of our king Richard the First. Just before the feast began, a JOCULATOR, Or minstrel, accosted king Henry thus. "My lord, why did you invite so many But the word HISTRIO, in the Latin writers of the barbarous ages", generally comprehends the numerous tribe of mimics, juglers, dancers, tumblers, musicians, minstrels, and the like public practitioners of the recreative arts, with which those ages abounded: nor do I recollect a single instance in which it precisely bears the restrained modern interpretation. As our thoughts are here incidentally turned to the rudi Frenchmen to feast with you in this hall? Behold, there is the shield of Richard, the magnanimous king of England! All the Frenchmen present will eat their dinner in fear and trembling!" Matt. Paris. p. 871. sub HENR. III. edit. Tigur. 1589. fol. Whether this was a preconcerted compliment, previously suggested by the king of France, or not, it is equally a proof of the familiarity with which the minstrels were allowed to address the most eminent personages. There is a passage in John of Salisbury much to our purpose, which I am obliged to give in Latin, " At eam [desidiam] nostris prorogant HISTRiones. Admissa sunt ergo SPECTACULA, et infinita lenocinia vanitatis.-Hinc mimi, salii vel saliares, balatrones, æmiliani, gladiatores, palæstritæ, gignadi, præstigiatores, malefici quoque multi, et tota JoCULATORUM SCENA procedit. Quorum adeo error invaluit, ut a præclaris domibus non arceantur etiam illi, qui obscanis partibus corporis, oculis omnium eam ingerunt turpitudinem, quam erubescet videre vel cynicus. Quodque magis mirere, nec tunc ejiciuntur, quando TUMULTUANTES INFERIUS crebro sonitu aerem fædant, et turpiter inclusum turpius produnt. Veruntamen quid in singulis possit aut deceat, animus sapientis advertit, nec APOLOGOS refugit, aut NARRATIONES, aut quæcunque SPECTACULA, dum virtutis," &c. POLYCRAT. lib. i. cap. viii. p. 28. edit. Lugd. Bat. 1595. Here, GIGNADII, a word unexplained by Du Cange, signifies wrestlers, or the performers of athletic exercises: for gignasium was used for gymnasium in the barbarous Latinity. By apologos, we are perhaps to understand an allegorical story or fable, such as were common in the Provencial poetry; and by narrationes, tales of chivalry: both which were recited at festivals by these HISTRIONES. Spectacula I need not explain; but here seems to be pointed out the whole system of antient exhibition or entertainment. I must add another pertinent passage from this writer, whom the reader will recollect to have flourished about the year 1140. "Non facile tamen crediderim ad hoc quemquam impelli posse litteratorem, ut HISTRIONEM profiteatur, GESTUS siquidem EXPRIMUNT, rerum utilitate deducta." Ibid. lib. viii. cap. xii. p. 514. [Compare Blount's ANT. TENURES, p. 11. HEMINGSTON.] With regard to APOLOGI, mentioned above, I have farther to observe, that the Latin metrical apologues of the dark ages, are probably translations from the Provencial poetry. Of this kind is Wircker's SPECULUM STULTORUM, or BURNELL's Ass. See supr. vol. ii. p. 254. And the ASINUS PENITENTIARIUS, in which an ass, wolf, and fox, are introduced, confessing their sins, &c. See Matt. Flacius, Catal. Test. Verit. p. 903. edit. 1556. In the British Museum there is an antient thin folio volume on vellum, containing upwards of two hundred short moral tales in Latin prose, which I also class under the APOLOGI here mentioned by John of Salisbury. Some are legendary, others romantic, and others allegorical. Many of them I believe to be translations from the Provencial poetry. Several of the Esopian fables are intermixed. In this collection is Parnell's HERMIT, De ANGELO' et Heremita Peregrinum occisum sepelientibus, Rubr. 32. fol. 7. And a tale, I think in Fontaine, of the king's son who never saw a woman. Rubr. 8. fol. 2. The stories seem to have been collected by an Englishman, at least in England: for there is, the tale of one Godfrey, a priest of Sussex. Rubr. 40. fol. 8. MSS. Harl. 463. The story of Parnell's HERMIT is in Gesto Romanorum, MSS. Harl. 2270. ch. lxxxx. ments of the English stage, I must not omit an anecdote, entirely new, with regard to the mode of playing the MYSTERIES at this period, which yet is perhaps of much higher antiquity. In the year 1487, while Henry the Seventh kept his residence at the castle at Winchester, on occasion of the birth of prince Arthur, on a sunday, during the time of dinner, he was entertained with a religious drama called CHRISTI DESCENSUS AD INFEROS, or Christ's descent into hell. It was represented by the PUERI ELEEMOSYNARII, or choir-boys, of Hyde abbey, and saint Swithin's priory, two large monasteries at Winchester. This is the only proof I have ever seen of choir-boys acting in the old MYSTERIES: nor do I recollect any other instance of a royal dinner, even on a festival, accompanied with this species of diversion. The story of this interlude, in which the chief characters were Christ, Adam, Eve, Abraham, and John the Baptist, was not uncommon in the antient religious drama, and I believe made a part of what is called the LUDUS PASCHALIS, or Easter Play". It occurs in the Coventry plays acted on Corpus Christi day; and in the Whitsun-plays at Chester, where it is called the HARROWING OF HELL, The representation is Christ entering hell triumphantly, delivering our first parents, and the most sacred characters of the Old and New Testaments, from the dominion of Satan, and conveying them into Paradise. There is an ancient poem, perhaps an interlude, on the same subject, among the Harleian manuscripts; containing our Saviour's dialogues in hell with Sathanas, the Janitor, or porter of hell, Adam, |