nople by the Italians; who framed, in the depth of the dark ages, on this foundation, that barbarous species of theatrical representation called MYSTERIES, or facred comedies, and which were foon after received in France. This opinion will acquire probability, if we confider the early commercial intercourse between Italy and Conftantinople: and although the Italians, at the time when they may be supposed to have imported plays of this nature, did not understand the Greek language, yet they could understand, and confequently could imitate, what they saw." In defence of Voltaire's hypothefis, it may be further observed, that The feast of Tools, and of the Afs, with other religious farces of that fort, fo common in Europe, originated at Conftantinople. They were inftituted, although perhaps under other names, in the Greek Church, about the year 990, by Theophylact, patriarch of Constantinople, probably with a better design than is imagined by the ecclefiaftical annalists; that of weaning the minds of the people from the pagan ceremonies, by the fubftitution of chriftian spectacles partaking of the same spirit of licentiousness.-To those who are accustomed to contemplate the great picture of human follies, which the unpolished ages of Europe hold up to our view, it will not appear surprising, that the people who were forbidden to read the events of the facred history in the Bible, in which they were faithfully and beautifully related, should at the fame time be permitted to fee them reprefented on the stage, disgraced with the groffeft improprieties, corrupted with inventions and additions of the most ridiculous kind, fullied with impurities, and expressed in the language of the lowest farce." 3 "On the whole, the Mysteries appear to have originated among the ecclefiafticks; and were most probably first acted with any degree of form by the monks. This was certainly the cafe in the English monasteries. I have already mentioned the play of Saint Catharine, performed at Dunstable Abbey, by the novices in the eleventh century, under the fuperintendance of Geoffrey a Parifian ecclefiaftick: and the exhibition of the Paffion by the mendicant friers of Coventry and other places. Instances have been given of the like practice among the French. The only persons who could now read were in the religious focieties; and various circumstances, peculiarly arifing from their situation, profeffion, and institution, enabled the monks to be the fole performers of thefe representations." "As learning encreafed, and was more widely disseminated, from the monafteries, by a natural and eafy tranfition, the practice migrated to schools and univerfities, which were formed on the monastick plan, and in many respects resembled the ecclefiaftical bodies." 4 Candlemas-Day, or The Slaughter of the Innocents, written by Ihan Parfre, in 1512, Mary Magdalene, produced in the fame year, and The Promises of 3" In some regulations given by Cardinal Wolfey to the monafteries of the Canons regular of St. Auftin, in the year 1519, the brothers are forbidden to be lufores aut mimici, players or mimicks. But the prohibition means that the monks should not go abroad to exercise these arts in a fecular and mercenary capacity. See Annal. Burtonenfes, p. 437." In 1589, however, an injunction made in the MEXICAN COUNCIL was ratified at Rome, to prohibit all clerks from playing in the Mysteries, even on Corpus Chrifti day. See History of Eng. Poetry, Vol. II. p. 201. 4 Warton's Hiftory of English Poetry, Vol. II. pp. 366, et feq. 5 MSS. Digby, 133, Bibl. Bodl. God, written by John Bale, and printed in 1538, are curious specimens of this early species of drama. But the most ancient as well as most complete collection of this kind is, The Chester Myfteries, which were written by Ralph Higden, a monk of the Abbey of Chester, about the year 1328,6 6 MSS. Harl. 2013, &c. "Exhibited at Chefter in the year 1327, at the expence of the different trading companies of that city. The Fall of Lucifer, by the Tanners. The Creation, by the Drapers. The Deluge, by the Dyers. Abraham, Melchifedech, and Lot, by the Barbers. Mofes, Balak, and Balaam, by the Cappers. The Salutation and Nativity, by the Wrightes. The Shepherds feeding their Flocks by Night, by the Painters and Glaziers. The three Kings, by the Vintners. The Oblation of the three Kings, by the Mercers. The killing of the Innocents, by the Goldsmiths. The Purification, by the Blacksmiths. The Temptation, by the Butchers. The last Supper, by the Bakers. The blind Men and Lazarus, by the Glovers. Jejus and the Lepers, by the Corvefarys. Chrift's Paffion, by the Bowyers, Fletchers, and Ironmongers. Defcent into Hell, by the Cooks and Innkeepers. The Refurrection, by the Skinners. The Afcenfion, by the Taylors. The Election of S. Mathias, fending of the Holy Ghost, &c. by the Fishmongers. Antichrist, by the Clothiers. Day of Judgement, by the Websters. The reader will perhaps smile at some of these combinations. This is the substance and order of the former part of the play. God enters creating the world; he breathes life into Adam, leads him into Paradife, and opens his fide while sleeping. Adam and Eve appear naked, and not ashamed, and the old ferpent enters lamenting his fall. He converses with Eve. She eats of the forbidden fruit, and gives part to Adam. They propose, according to the stage-direction, to make themselves fubligacula a foliis quibus tegamus pudenda. Cover their nakedness with leaves, and converse with God. God's curse. The ferpent exit hiffing. They are driven from Paradise by four angels and the cherubim with a flaming sword. Adam appears digging the ground, and Eve spinning. Their children Cain and Abel enter: the former kills his brother. Adam's lamentation. Cain is banished," &c. Warton's History of English Poetry, Vol. L. P. 243. Mr. Warton observes in a note in his second volume, p. 180, that " if it be true that these Mysteries were composed in the year 1328, and there was fo much difficulty in obtaining the Pope's permitiion that they might be presented in English, a presumptive proof arifes, of which a particular account will be found below. I am tempted to transcribe a few lines from the third of these pageants, The Deluge, as a specimen of the ancient Mysteries. The first scenical direction is," Et primo in aliquo fupremo loco, five in nubibus, fi fieri poterat, loquatur Deus ad Noe, extra archam existente cum tota familia fua." Then the ALMIGHTY, after expatiating on the fins of mankind, is made to say: "Man that I made I will destroye, "The folke that are herone. "That ever I made man. "To anoynte yt through all thy mighte," &c. After some dialogue between Noah, Sem, Ham, Japhet, and their wives, we find the following stage direction: "Then Noe with all his family shall make a signe as though the wrought uppon that all our Mysteries before that period were in Latin. These plays will therefore have the merit of being the first English interludes." Polydore Virgil mentions in his book de Rerum Inventoribus, Lib. V. c. ii. that the Mysteries were in his time in English. "Solemus vel more prifcorum spectacula edere populo, ut ludos, venationes, recitare comædias, item in templis vitas divorum ac martyria repræfentare, in quibus, ut cunctis par fit voluptas, qui recitant, vernaculam linguam tantum ufurpant." The first three books of Polydore's work were published in 1499; in 1517, at which time he was in England, he added five more. the shippe with divers instruments, and after that God shall speake to Noe: "Noe, take thou thy meanye, " By live in that thou bring," &c. " Then Noe shall go into the arke with all his familye, his wife excepte. The arke must be boarded round aboute, and uppon the bordes all the beaftes and fowles hereafter rehearsed must be painted, that there wordes maye agree with the pictures." "Sem. Sier, here are lions, libardes, in, "Horses, mares, oxen and swyne, "Neates, calves, sheepe and kyne, "Here fitten thou maye fee," &c. After all the beasts and fowls have been described, Noah thus addresses his wife: "Noe. Wife, come in, why standes thou there? "W " I will not oute of this toune; "And I may fave ther life. |