Historic%20Yorkshire
Historic%20Yorkshire
Historic%20Yorkshire
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MYSTERY PLAYS IN YORKSHIRE.<br />
town, they proceeded to the Holy Trinity Church, where,<br />
for their entertainment and instruction,the Mystery Play<br />
was performed.<br />
There are some very curious entriesin the HullTrinity<br />
House books respecting the fees paid to the actors, etc.<br />
The following are extracts: —<br />
Item for a payrofnew mytens to Noye 4d.<br />
amendingNoye Pyleh 4d.<br />
payd to Nicholas Helpby for wrytg theplay .. yd.<br />
for arope tohyng the shipp in ye Kyrk 2d.<br />
payd for drink to Noe<br />
ix galons of ale 13d.<br />
for taking down shype,andhyngyng up agayn.. 2s.<br />
for wyr when the shype went about 2d.<br />
In 1421 a new " shype " was required, and it cost £__ 8s. 4d.<br />
In 1447 the wages ofRobert Brown, who represented God,<br />
were 6d.<br />
And so continueduntil 1484, when Thomas Sawers played<br />
the part, andwas paid 8d.<br />
Which, in 1487, was increased to iod.<br />
In1520 the payment went up to is.<br />
Andso continueduntil 1529.<br />
In 1469 the wagesof Noye and his wyffwere 2id.<br />
In 1470 the wagesof Noye and his wyffwere 23d.<br />
In1485 the payments were separated and also reduced, to<br />
Noye I2d.<br />
To Noye's whyff 8d.<br />
In1520 the payment had beenincreased to Noe 2s.<br />
Noe's whyff i8d.<br />
In other towns we hear of quaint Mystery items which<br />
add to the interest of the somewhat similar records of<br />
this relic of mediæval religion. We read of payment<br />
being made for such pyrotechnic feats as " setting the<br />
world on syer," A strangeitem is that, too,which states<br />
that ten shillings was " payd for making the ij devells'<br />
facys," or that there was " payd to Crowe for makyng<br />
of iij worldys, ijs." Demons seem to have been a better<br />
paidclass than angels,probablybecause their duties were<br />
heavier, or there may have been some difficulty in procuring<br />
persons willingto assume the outward semblance<br />
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