concerned, was enlivened by the admiffion of new characters, drawn either from profane hiftory, or from profane allegory, in the application of which, fome degree of learning and invention appeared. I have observed in a former work, and it is a topic which: will again be confidered in its proper place, that the frequent and familiar use of allegoric perfonifications in the public: pageants, I mean the general use of them, greatly contributed to form the school of Spenser ". But moreover from what is here faid, it feems probable, that the PAGEAUNTS, which being fhewn on civil occafions, derived great part of their decorations and actors from hiftorical fact, and confequently made profane characters the subject of public exhibition, dictated ideas of a regular drama, much fooner than the MYSTERIES: which being confined to scripture ftories, or rather the legendary miracles of fainted martyrs, and the no less ideal perfonifications of the christian virtues, were not calculated to make so quick and easy a tranfition 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 proceffion through the city was very magnificent. The pageants were numerous, and fuperbly furnished; in which the principal actors, or fpeakers, were not only God the father, faint Catharine, and faint Urfula, but king Alphonfus the astronomer and an ancestor of the princess, a Senator, an Angel, Job, Boethius, Nobility, and Virtue. These perfonages sustained a sort of action, at least of dialogue. The Profane allegory, however, had been applied in pageants, fomewhat earlier. In the pageants, abovementioned, presented to Henry the fixth, the feven liberal sciences perfonified are introduced, in a tabernacle of curious worke, from which their queen dame Sapience fpeaks verses. At entering the city he is met, and faluted in metre by three ladies, richly cladde in golde and filkes with coronets, who fuddenly iffue from a stately tower hung with the most splendid arras. Thefe are the Dames, NATURE, GRACE, and FORTUNE. Fabyan, ut fupr. fol. 382. feq. But this is a rare inftance fo early. P See Obf. FAIRY QUEEN. ii. 90. lady lady was compared to Hefperus, and the prince to Arcturus; and Alphonfus, from his skill in the stars, was introduced to be the fortune-teller of the match, Thefe machineries were contrived and directed by an ecclefiaftic of great eminence, bishop Fox; who, fays Bacon, "was not only a grave coun"fellor 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 addrefs in the conduct of a courtrareeshow procured him more interest, than the gravity of his counfels, 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 superftitious monarch, were instrumental in paving the way to the most opulent dignities of the church. "Whofoever, adds the fame penetrating historian, had these toys in compiling, they were "not altogether PEDANTICAL '.' 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 faluted, in a poetical oration, not always religious, as, at York by Ebranck, a British king and the founder of the city, as well as by the holy virgin, and king David at Worcester by Henry the fixth his uncle: at Hereford by faint George, and king Ethelbert, at entering the cathedral there: at Bristol, by king Bremmius, Prudence, and Juftice. The two latter characters were perfonated by young girls'. In the mean time it is to be granted, that profane characters were perfonated in our pageants, before the clofe of the fourteenth century. Stowe relates, that in the year 1377, for the entertainment of the young prince Richard, fon of Edward the black prince, one hundred and thirty citizens rode disguised from Newgate to Kennington where the court refided, attended with an innumerable multitude of waxen torches, and various inftruments of mufic, in the evening of the Sunday preceding Candlemas-day. In the first rank were forty-eight, habited like efquires, with visors; and in the fecond the fame number, in the character of knights. Then followed one richly arrayed like an EM PEROR, and after him, at some distance, one stately-tyred "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 fome 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 faid mum"mers did falute, fhewing by a pair of dice their defire to play *" with the prince," which they managed with so much complaifance and fkill, 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 fo the ceremony was concluded. Matthew Paris informs us, that at the magnificent marriage of Henry the third with Eleanor of Provence, in the year 1236, certain ftrange pageants, and wonderful devifes, were displayed in the city of London; and that the number of HISTRIONES on this occafion was in Stowe's SURV. LOND. pag. 71. edit. 1599 4to. It will perhaps be faid, that this fhew was not properly a PAGEANT but a MUMMERY. But these are frivolous diftinctions and, taken in a general view, this account preserves a curious specimen of early PERSONATION, and proves at least that the practice was not then in its infancy. finite. 1 finite". But the word HISTRIO, in the Latin writers of the barbarous ages", generally comprehends the numerous tribe ■ I will cite the paffage more at large, and in the words of the original. "Con"venerunt autem vocata ad convivium 66 nuptiale tanta nobilium multitudo utriufque fexus, tanta religioforum nume"rofitas, tanta plebium populofitas, tanta HISTRIONUM Varietas, quod vix eos "civitas Londoniarum finu fuo capaci "comprehenderet. Ornata eft igitur ci"vitas tota olofericis, et vexillis, coronis, et palliis, cereis et lampadibus, et qui"bufdam prodigiofis ingeniis et portentis, "." HIST. p. 406. edit. Tig. 1589. fub HENRICO iii. Here, by the way, the expreffion Varietas hiftrionum plainly implies the comprehenfive 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 houfes, in the year 1258, there is an article which feems to fhew, that the Hiftriones were fometimes a particular fpecies of public entertainers. "HISTRIONUM LUDI non videantur vel "audiantur, vel permittantur fieri, coram "abbate vel monafticis." Annal. Burton. p. 437. Oxon. 1684. Whereas minstrels, harpers, and juglers, were notoriously permitted in the monafteries. We cannot afcertain whether LUDI here means plays, then only religious: LUDI theatrales in churches and church-yards, on vigils and feftivals, are forbidden in the Synod of Exeter, dat. 1287. cap. xiii. CONCIL. MAGN. BRIT. per Wilkins. tom. ii. p. 140. col. 2. edit. 1737. fol. I cannot omit the opportunity of adding a ftriking inftance of the extraordinary freedom of speech, permitted to these people, at the most folemn celebrities. About the year 1250, king Henry the third, paffing fome time in France, held a most magnificent feaft in the great hall of the knights-templars at Paris; at which, befide his own fuite, were prefent the kings of France and Navarre, and all the nobility of France. The walls of the hall were hung all over with fhields, among which was that of our king Richard the first. Juft before the feaft began, a JOCULATOR, or minstrel, accofted king Henry thus. My lord, why did you invite fo many "Frenchmen to feaft with you in this "hall? Behold, there is the shield of "Richard, the magnanimous king of Eng"land!-All the Frenchmen prefent will "eat their dinner in fear and trembling!" Matt. Paris. p. 871. fub. HENR. iii. edit. Tigur. 1589. fol. Whether this was a preconcerted compliment, previously fuggefted by the king of France, or not, it is equally a proof of the familiarity with which the minstrels were allowed to addrefs the most eminent perfonages. w There is a paffage in John of Salif bury much to our purpose, which I am obliged to give in Latin, "At eam [defi 66 diam] noftris prorogant HISTRIONES. "Admiffa funt ergo SPECTACULA, et in"finita lenocinia vanitatis.-Hinc mimi, falii vel faliares, balatrones, amiliani, gladiatores, palafritæ, gignadii, præftigiatores, malefici quoque multi, et tota JOCULATORUM SCENA procedit. Quo rum adeo error invaluit, ut a præclaris "domibus non arceantur etiam illi, qui "obfcænis partibus corporis, oculis omnium eam ingerunt turpitudinem, quam eru"befcet videre vel cynicus. Quodque magis mirere, nec tunc ejiciuntur, quan"do TUMULTUANTES INFERIUS crebro fonitu aerem fædant, et turpiter inclu"fum turpius produnt. Veruntamen quid in fingulis poffit aut deceat, animus fapien"tis 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, fignifies wrestlers, or the performers of athletic exercises: for gignafium was used for gymnafium in the barbarous Latinity. By apologos, we are perhaps to understand an allegorical story or fable, fuch as were common in the Provencial poetry; and by narrationes, tales of chivalry both which were recited at feftivals by thefe HISTRIONES. Spectacula I need of mimics, juglers, dancers, tumblers, muficians, minstrels, and the like public practitioners of the recreative arts, with which those ages abounded: nor do I recollect a fingle instance in which it precisely bears the restrained modern interpretation. As our thoughts are here incidentally turned to the rudiments 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 refidence at the castle at Winchester, on occafion of the birth of prince Arthur, on a funday, during the time of dinner, he was entertained with a religious drama called CHRISTI DESCENSUS AD INFEROS, or Chrift's defcent into bell'. It was represented by the PUERI ELEEMOSYNARII, or choirboys, of Hyde abbey, and faint Swithin's priory, two large monasteries at Winchefter. This is the only proof I have ever seen of choir-boys acting in the old MYSTERIES: nor need not explain: but here seems to be pointed out the whole fyftem of antient exhibition or entertainment. I must add another pertinent paffage from this writer, whom the reader will recollect to have flourished about the year 1140. "Non "facile tamen crediderim ad hoc quem 66 quam impelli poffe litteratorem, ut HISTRIONEM profiteatur. GESTUS fiquidem 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 obferve, that the Latin metrical apologues of the dark ages, are probably translations from the Provencial poetry. Of this kind is Wircker's SPECULUM STULTORUM, OF BURNELL'S Ass, See fupr. vol. i. p. 419. And the ASINUS PENITENTIARIUS, in which an afs, wolf, and fox, are introduced, confeffing their fins, &c. See Matt. Flacius, Catal. Test. Verit. pag. 903. edit. 1556. In the British mufeum there is an antient In thin folio volume on vellum, contain- * See fupr. vol. i. p. 236. feq. y Registr. Priorat. S. Swithin. Winton. MS. ut fupr. do |