Historic%20Yorkshire
Historic%20Yorkshire
Historic%20Yorkshire
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
MYSTERY PLAYS IN YORKSHIRE. 37<br />
represented by the type of whale's open jaws, behind<br />
which a fire waslighted in such a manner as not to injure<br />
thedamned whohad to pass through this gaping mouth,<br />
or the persons sustaining the character of the demons<br />
inside. It is said that these latter actors sometimes gave<br />
offence by walking among the spectators who were<br />
witnessing the performance. So much for the general<br />
stage management. We now propose to deal with the<br />
subject so far as it relates to Yorkshire from the earliest<br />
introduction of the plays into this county, which was<br />
probably during the 13th century. This we learn from<br />
the formation of a guild at York, to organise such performances,<br />
which was done in the year 1250, under the<br />
title of the Corpus Christi Guild. Under its auspices as<br />
many as fifty-six plays were there enacted at different<br />
times, opening with a play entitled the "Creation," and<br />
closing with that called " Doomsday," betweenwhichtwo<br />
events all the chief occurrences narratedinthe Bible were<br />
included. The plays were exhibited in the principal<br />
streets, and were so performed as to follow in proper<br />
succession. After the Creation had been performed in<br />
one street it was reproduced in another, and so on,until<br />
the wholefifty-six had been shown in each of the streets.<br />
We read that the Mayor, WilliamBowes, on the 7th of<br />
June, 1417, ordered that the plays should be shown in the<br />
following order: — First, in Micklegate, at the gates of<br />
the Holy Trinity Prior)*; then at the door of Robert<br />
Harpham; after this at the door of the late John Gyseburn;<br />
next at " Skelder-gate-hend" and " North-stretehend;"<br />
then at the end of " Conyng-strete," towards<br />
" Castel-gate;" afterwards at the end of " Jubir-gate;"<br />
then at the door of " Henry Wyman, deceased, in<br />
Conyng-strete;" next at the Common-hall at the end of<br />
Conyng-strete; next at the door of Abraham del Brig,<br />
deceased,in " Stayne-gate;" next at the end of Staynegate,<br />
at the Minster-gates; next at the end of " Girdlergate,"<br />
in Peter-gate; and,last of all, upon thePavement,<br />
making in all twelve representations. The object of this