Historic%20Yorkshire

MYSTERY PLAYS IN YORKSHIRE.
town, they proceeded to the Holy Trinity Church, where,
for their entertainment and instruction,the Mystery Play
was performed.
There are some very curious entriesin the HullTrinity
House books respecting the fees paid to the actors, etc.
The following are extracts: —
Item for a payrofnew mytens to Noye 4d.
amendingNoye Pyleh 4d.
payd to Nicholas Helpby for wrytg theplay .. yd.
for arope tohyng the shipp in ye Kyrk 2d.
payd for drink to Noe
ix galons of ale 13d.
for taking down shype,andhyngyng up agayn.. 2s.
for wyr when the shype went about 2d.
In 1421 a new " shype " was required, and it cost £__ 8s. 4d.
In 1447 the wages ofRobert Brown, who represented God,
were 6d.
And so continueduntil 1484, when Thomas Sawers played
the part, andwas paid 8d.
Which, in 1487, was increased to iod.
In1520 the payment went up to is.
Andso continueduntil 1529.
In 1469 the wagesof Noye and his wyffwere 2id.
In 1470 the wagesof Noye and his wyffwere 23d.
In1485 the payments were separated and also reduced, to
Noye I2d.
To Noye's whyff 8d.
In1520 the payment had beenincreased to Noe 2s.
Noe's whyff i8d.
In other towns we hear of quaint Mystery items which
add to the interest of the somewhat similar records of
this relic of mediæval religion. We read of payment
being made for such pyrotechnic feats as " setting the
world on syer," A strangeitem is that, too,which states
that ten shillings was " payd for making the ij devells'
facys," or that there was " payd to Crowe for makyng
of iij worldys, ijs." Demons seem to have been a better
paidclass than angels,probablybecause their duties were
heavier, or there may have been some difficulty in procuring
persons willingto assume the outward semblance
43