Rambles in an Old City Part 10

. . . that women ben crabbed be, And not are meek, I dare well say.

That is well seen by me to-day, In witness of yet, eiehone.

Good wife, let be all this beare, That thou mak'st in this place here, For all they wene thou art master, And soe thou art by St. John.

Further rebellion on the part of the spouse compels Noah to carry out the threat,

Bot as I have blys, I shall chastyse this.

To which she replies:-

"Yet may ye mys Nicholle Nedy."

He stops beating her, for the reason,

"That my bak is nere in two."

To which she adds:-

"And I am bet so blo-"

The sixth pageant was Abraham and Isaac. Of the details of this, and the seventh and eighth, no records have been found.

The ninth-the birth of Christ, with shepherds, and the three kings of Colen,-was a very common subject. The scenes were, usually:-1st, Mary, Joseph, the child, an ox and an a.s.s, and angels speaking to shepherds.-2nd, The shepherds speaking by turns, the star, an angel giving joy to the shepherds.-3rd, The three kings coming from the East, Herod asking about the child, with the son of Herod, two counsellors, and a messenger.-4th, Mary, with the child and star above, and the kings offering gifts.

In the Townley and Coventry Mysteries, the play commences with a ranting speech of King Herod, one of those which gave rise to Shakespeare's saying of "out-heroding Herod." In the fifth volume of the Paston Letters, J. Wheatley writes to Sir J. Paston, "and as for Haylesdon, my lord of Suffolk was there on Wednesday; at his being there that day, there was never no man that played _Herod_ in Corpus Christi better, and more agreeable to his pageant, than he."

Most of these pageants were founded upon scripture narrative; while of those of Coventry several are founded on legendary history.

The tenth pageant, having for its object the "Baptism of Christ," was exhibited by the Barbers, &c.

The eleventh pageant was the "Resurrection," brought forward by the Butchers, &c.

The twelfth and last pageant was the "Holy Ghost," and exhibited the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles.

In the well-known mystery, ent.i.tled _Corpus Christi_, or the Coventry play, the prologue is delivered by three persons, who speak alternately, and are called _vexillators_; it contains the arguments of the several _pageants_ or _acts_ that const.i.tute the piece, and they amount to no less than forty, every one of which consists of a detached subject from scripture, beginning with the Creation of the Universe, and concluding with the "Last Judgment." In the first pageant or act, the Deity is represented seated on a throne by himself; after a speech of some length, the angels enter, singing from the church service portions of the Te Deum. Lucifer then appears, and desires to know if the hymn was in honour of G.o.d or himself, when a difference arises among the angels, and the evil ones are with Lucifer expelled by force.

The Reformation had not the effect of annihilating these observances in many places; the Corpus Christi procession was kept up for years after, as in Norwich; and it was not until the beginning of the reign of James I. that they were finally suppressed in all the towns of the kingdom.

John Bale, of the Carmelite Monastery, of Whitefriars, Norwich, afterwards a convert to Protestantism, and made successively Bishop of Ossory, Archbishop of Dublin, also a prebend of Canterbury, was a great writer of mysteries; one of his compositions was ent.i.tled "The Chief Promises of G.o.d to Man," its princ.i.p.al characters being G.o.d, Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, and John Baptist.

Moralities were of later date than mysteries, and differed from them, as consisting of dramatic allegories, in which the vices and virtues were personified; the province of exciting laughter descended from the devil in the _mystery_, to _vice_ or _iniquity_ in the _morality_, and was personified by _pride_ or _gluttony_, or any other evil propensity; and even when regular tragedies and comedies came upon the stage, we may trace the descendants of this line in the clowns and fools who undertook this portion of the entertainment, to the no small detriment of the more serious parts of the best tragedies. In Hamlet's direction to the players, allusion is made distinctly to this. The secular plays which existed before mysteries were invented, differed very materially from either them or moralities, and were far inferior to them in refinement and delicacy; they retained their popularity, however, notwithstanding their clerical rivals, and the efforts that were diligently made to do away with them.

_Interludes_ were a variety of these secular plays, and probably gave birth to the _farce_ of later times; they were facetious or satirical dialogues, calculated to promote mirth. A representation of this character before Henry the Eighth, at Greenwich, is thus related by Hall:-"Two persons played a dialogue, the effect whereof was to declare whether riches were better than love; and when they could not agree upon a conclusion, each knight called in three knights well armed; three of them would have entered the gate of the arch in the middle of the chamber, and the other three resisted; and suddenly between the six knights, out of the arch fell down a bar all gilt, for the which bar the six knights did battle, and then they departed; then came in an old man with a silver beard, and he concluded that love and riches both be necessary for princes; that is to say, by love to be obeyed and served, and with riches to reward his lovers and friends."

Another is described by the same author as performed at Windsor, when "the Emperor Maximilian and King Henry, being present, there was a disguising or play; the effect of it was, that there was a proud horse, which would not be tamed or bridled; but _Amity_ sent _Prudence_ and _Policy_, which tamed him, and _Force_ and _Puissance_ bridled him. The horse was the French king, Amity the king of England, and the emperor and other persons were their counsel and power."

When regular plays became established, these motley exhibitions lost their charm for all, save the vulgar; the law set its face against them, performers were stigmatised as rogues and vagabonds, and it is highly probable that necessity suggested to the _tragitour_ or juggler, who was reduced to one solitary companion, the jester or jackpudding, to make up his "company," the idea of subst.i.tuting puppets to supply the place of other living characters. The drama was in much the same state of progress throughout the civilized portions of Europe; and to the Italians and Spaniards the ingenuity of "Punchinello" has been attributed. In England these wooden performers were called _motions_; and Mr. Punch took among them the rank of _mirth-maker_. If there yet lives a being who has not at some moment of his life felt a thrill of delight at the prospect of a half-hour's exhibition of this gentleman's performance in his miniature theatre, we pity him most heartily.

The oratorio is a mystery or morality in music. The Oratorio commenced with the priests of the Oratory, a brotherhood founded at Rome, 1540, by St. Philip Neri, who, in order to attract the youthful and pleasure-loving to church, had hymns, psalms, or spiritual songs, or cantatas sung either in chorus or by a single favourite voice. These pieces were divided into two parts, one sung before the other, after the sermon. Sacred stories or events from Scripture, written in verse, and, by way of dialogue, were set to music, and the first part being performed, the sermon succeeded, which people were inclined to remain to hear, that they might also hear the conclusion of the musical performance. This ingenious device precluded the necessity, we presume, of locking the doors to prevent the egress of the congregation after prayers, and before the sermon, that has in some places since been resorted to.

The inst.i.tutions of the Oratory required that corporal punishments should be mingled with their religious harmony; and the custom would seem to have been, that at certain seasons, of frequent occurrence, the brethren went through severe castigation from their own hands, upon their own bodies, with whips of small cords, delivered to them by officers appointed for the purpose. This ceremony was performed in the dark, while a priest recited the Miserere and De Profundis with several prayers; after which, in silence and gloom, they were permitted to resume their attire, and refrain from their self-inflictions.

Mysteries and moralities ceased altogether about the year 1758 in this country; a comedy by Lupton, bearing that date, being about the last trace of the old school of dramatic writing. The same year is memorable in this city for the gorgeous pageantries that marked the progress of England's famous queen through its streets, on the occasion of her visit to this then thriving metropolis of wealth and commerce; and a sketch of the amus.e.m.e.nts provided for her entertainment, and the talents put into requisition to do honour to her august presence, may not be out of place here, containing, as they do, perhaps some of the latest specimens of the allegorical dramatic writing that exist. They bear strong evidence of the encouragement given to literature by Elizabeth, which had created the fashion for cla.s.sical allusion upon every possible occasion; and her admiration of the compliment so conveyed, caused the mythology of ancient learning to be introduced into the various shows and spectacles set forth in her honour, until almost every pageant became a pantheon.

But now for the royal visit, whose glorious memory has shed a halo over worsted weaving, and bombazines, and stocking manufactures, and is now enshrined in the magisterial closet of the Guildhall where the little silver sceptre then bequeathed to the honoured city lingers as a memento of the great event.

It was in the year 1578, that her Most Gracious Majesty, by the grace of G.o.d, Queen of England, France, and Ireland, was pleased to honour the city by her royal presence for the s.p.a.ce of six days and nights, during which period the gaiety and magnificence of the doings would appear to have surpa.s.sed all previous or subsequent experience. The civic functionaries held preliminary meetings to 'determine the order of the procession that should welcome her Majesty, and to decree what preparations should be made for the event. Great excitement prevailed throughout the city; streets were cleaned, dirt heaps removed, boats converted into state barges, velvets and satins, and gold and silver laces bought up to an immense extent, and, what we would appreciate more highly still, a decree was pa.s.sed, banishing for the time being from the city streets all candle makers and scoutherers, who used unodoriferous washes that might offend the olfactory nerves of royalty. This delicate attention we do esteem most creditable to the good sense of the august body whose care it was to provide for the comfort of the fair maiden queen. Another generous resolution was pa.s.sed by these same gentlemen, that none of the attendants that might form the retinue of their sovereign should be unfeasted, or unbidden to dinner and supper during the whole period of the six days. A devisor, a sort of lord of misrule, we presume, was chosen to devote himself exclusively to the gettings up of pageants for the amus.e.m.e.nt of the visitors and public; and to his wit and ingenuity we fancy her majesty was mainly indebted for the enlivenment of her visit.

The auspicious day arrived, and a gay procession started forth to meet the royal party. First came in rank, two by two, three score comely youths of the school of bachelors, arrayed in doublets of black satin, black hose, black taffeta hats with yellow bands, and then, as livery, a mandelin of purple taffeta, trimmed with silver lace. These were followed by a figure fancifully attired with armour, and velvet hat and plume, intended to represent King Gurgunt, the reputed founder of the castle. This personage was attended by three henchmen, bearing his helmet, staff, and target, and gaily decked out in livery of white and green, all richly mounted. Next followed the n.o.ble company of gentlemen and wealthy citizens, in velvet coats and other costly apparel. Then came the officers of the city, every one in his place; then the sword-bearer, with the sword and cap of maintenance, next the mayor in full scarlet robes, lined and trimmed with fur, the aldermen in their scarlet gowns, and those of them that had been mayors in cloaks also; next came those who had been sheriffs, in violet gowns and satin tippets; and lastly, the notorious whifflers, poising and throwing up their weapons with dexterity, just sufficient to impart fear and maintain order without doing mischief. Thus they proceeded some two miles forward on the road to meet her majesty, King Gurgunt only excepted, who remained behind, to welcome her majesty at her first view of his redoubted castle.

Then followed all the shouting and rejoicing usual on such occasions; and when the royal train arrived, the exchanging of compliments in flowers of speech, and more substantial coins of gold. The mayor presented a vase of silver gilt, containing one hundred pounds of money, as a tribute of loyalty to his sovereign liege, upon which her majesty exclaimed to her footman, "Look to it! there is one hundred pounds;" and in return, the city was presented with a mace or sceptre richly gemmed, so that on this occasion, if history tells us true, her majesty made some return for value received, as was not always her custom to do. Then followed the speechifyings; first the mayor's and its answer, and afterwards King Gurgunt's that _was to have been_, but fortunately we must think for her majesty this forty-two lined specimen of poetry was deferred, in consequence of an April shower. Triumphal arches welcomed her to the city walls, and pageants met her eye at every turn. The first pageant was upon a stage forty feet long and eight broad, with a wall at the back, upon which was written divers sentences, viz. "The causes of the Commonwealth are G.o.d truly preached;" "Justice truly executed;" "The People obedient;" "Idleness expelled;" "Labour cherished;" "and universal Concord preserved." In the front below, it was painted with representations of various looms, with weavers working at them,-over each the name of the loom, Worsted, Russels, Darnix, Mochado, Lace, Caffa, Fringe. Another painting of a matron and several children, over whom was written, "Good nurture changeth qualities." Upon the stage, at one end, stood six little girls spinning worsted yarn, at the other end the same number knitting worsted hose; in the centre stood a little boy, gaily dressed, who represented the "COMMONWEALTH of the city," who made a lengthened speech, commencing-

"Most gracious prince, undoubted sovereign queen, Our only joy next G.o.d and chief defence; In this small shew our whole estate is seen, The wealth we have we find proceed from thence; The idle hand hath here no place to feed, The painsful wight hath still to serve his need; Again our seat denies our traffick here, The sea too near divides us from the rest.

So weak we were within this dozen year, As care did quench the courage of the best; But good advice hath taught these little hands To rend in twain the force of pining bands.

From combed wool we draw the slender thread, From thence the looms have dealing with the same, And thence again in order do proceed, These several works which skilful art doth frame, And all to drive dame _Need_ into her cave Our heads and hands together laboured have.

We bought before the things that now we sell.

These slender imps, their works do pa.s.s the waves, Of every mouth the hands the charges saves, Thus through thy help, and aid of power divine, Doth Norwich live, whose hearts and goods are thine.'"

This device gave her majesty much pleasure.

Another very magnificent affair, with gates of jasper and marble, was placed across the market-place, five female figures on the stage above representing the _City_, _Deborah_, _Judith_, _Hester_, and _Martia_ (a queen); whose chief, the _City_, was spokeswoman first, and was succeeded by the others each in turn. All that they said we dare not tarry to repeat; the City expressed herself in some hundred lines of poetry, the rest rather more briefly. "Whom fame resounds with thundering trump;"

"Flower of Grace, Prince of G.o.d's Elect;" "Mighty Queen, finger of the Lord," and such like hyperbole, made up the substance of their flattery.

We know the good Queen Bess was somewhat fond of such food, but we think even her taste must have been somewhat palled with the specimens offered on this occasion. Others of a similar character were scattered along her pathway to the cathedral. After service she retired to her quarters at the palace of the bishop. On the Monday the deviser planned a scheme by which her majesty was enticed abroad by the invitation of Mercury, who was sent in a coach covered with birds and little angels in the air and clouds, a tower in the middle, decked with gold and jewels, topped by a plume of feathers, spangled and trimmed most gorgeously; Mercury himself in blue satin, lined with cloth of gold, with garments cut and slashed according to the most approved fashion of the day, a peaked hat, made to "_cut the wind_," a pair of wings on his head and his _heels_; in his hand a golden rod with another pair of wings. The horses of his coach were painted and furnished each with wings, and made to "drive with speed that might resemble flying;" and in this guise did Mercury present himself before the window at the palace, and tripping from his throne, made his most humble obeisance and lengthy speech, all which most graciously was received by her majesty. Thus ended this day's sport.

On Tuesday, as her majesty proceeded to Cossey Park, for the purpose of enjoying a day's hunt, another pageant was got up by the industrious devisor, the subject of which was, Cupid in Search of a Home-not, however, much worth detailing. Wednesday her majesty dined at Surrey House with Lord Surrey, at which banquet the French amba.s.sadors are said to have been present; and a pageant was prepared for the occasion, but the rooms seem to have been rather too small to admit the company of performers, so it was of necessity deferred. On her road home, the master of the grammar-school stayed the procession to deliver a lengthened speech before the gates of the hospital for old men, to which the queen graciously replied in flattering terms, presenting her hand to be kissed. Thursday was marked by divers pageantries, prepared by order of the Lord Chamberlain, by the devisor. The morning display, which was to enliven her majesty's riding excursion, was made up of nymphs playing in water, the s.p.a.ce occupied for the same being a square of sixty feet, with a deep hole four feet square in some part of it, to answer for a cave. The ground was covered with canvas, painted like gra.s.s, with running cords through the rings attached to its sides, which obeyed another small cord in the centre, by which machinery, with two holes on the ground, the earth was made to appear to open and shut. In the cave, in the centre, was music, and the twelve water-nymphs, dressed in white silk with green sedges, so cunningly st.i.tched on them, that nothing else could be seen. Each carried in her hand a bundle of bulrushes, and on her head a garland of ivy and a crop of moss, from whence streamed their long golden tresses over their shoulders. Four nymphs were to come forth successively and salute her majesty with a speech, then all twelve were to issue forth and dance with timbrels.

The show of _Manhood and Desert_, designed for the entertainment at Lord Surrey's, was also placed close by. _Manhood_, _Favour_, _Desert_, striving for a boy called _Beauty_, who, however, was to fall to the share of _Good fortune_. A battle should have followed, between six gentlemen on either side, in which _Fortune_ was to be victorious; _during the combat_, _legs and arms of men_ "_well and lively wrought_", _were to be let __fall in numbers on the ground_ "_as b.l.o.o.d.y as might be_." _Fortune_ marcheth off a conqueror, and a song for the death of _Manhood_, _Favour_, and _Desert_, concluded the programme. But, alas!

all this preparation was rendered of no avail, by reason of a drenching thunder-shower, which so "dashed and washed performers and spectators, that the pastime was reduced to the display of a dripping mult.i.tude, looking like half-drowned rats; and velvets, silks, tinsels, and cloth of gold, to no end of an amount, fell a sacrifice to this caprice of the weather."

The evening entertainment at the guildhall was more successful, the casualties of rain and wind having no power there, to disturb the arrangements got up with so much labour and cost. After a magnificent banquet in the common council chamber, above the a.s.size court, a princely masque of G.o.ds and G.o.ddesses, richly apparelled, was presented before her majesty.

_Mercury_ entered first, followed by two torch-bearers, in purple taffeta mandillions, laid with silver lace; then the musicians, dressed in long vestures of white silk girded about them, and garlands on their heads; next came _Jupiter and Juno_, _Mars and Venus_, _Apollo and Pallas_, _Neptune and Diana_, and lastly _Cupid_, between each couple two torch-bearers. Thus they marched round the chamber, and Mercury delivered his message to the queen.

"The good-meaning mayor and all his brethren, with the rest, have not rested from praying to the G.o.ds, to prosper thy coming hither; and the G.o.ds themselves, moved by their unfeigned prayers, are ready in person to bid thee welcome; and I, Mercury, the G.o.d of merchants and merchandise, and therefore a favourer of the citizens, being thought meetest am chosen fittest to signify the same. G.o.ds there be, also, which cannot come, being tied by the time of the year, as Ceres in harvest, Bacchus in wines, Pomona in orchards. Only Hymeneus denieth his good-will either in presence or in person; notwithstanding Diana hast so counter-checked him, therefore, as he shall hereafter be at your commandment. For my part, as I am a rejoicer at your coming, so am I furtherer of your welcome hither, and for this time I bid you farewell."

All then marched about again, at the close of each circuit, stopping for the G.o.ds to present each a gift to her majesty; Jupiter, a riding wand of whalebone, curiously wrought; Mars, a _fair pair of knives_; Venus, a white dove; Apollo, a musical instrument, called a bandonet; Pallas, a book of _wisdom_; Neptune, a fish; Diana, a bow and arrows, of silver; Cupid, an arrow of gold, with these lines on the shaft-

"My colour _joy_, my substance _pure_, My _virtue_ such as shall endure."

The queen received the gifts with gracious condescension, listening the while to the verses recited by the G.o.ds as accompaniments.

On Friday, being the day fixed for her majesty's departure, the devisor prepared one last grand spectacle, water spirits, to the sound of whose timbrels was spoken "her majesty's farewell to Norwich;" and thus terminated this season of rejoicing, but not with it the results of the royal visitation.

The train of gay carriages that had formed the retinue of the fair queen, were said to have left behind them the infection of the plague; and scarcely had the last echoes of merriment and joy faded upon the ear, when the deep thrilling notes of wailing and lamentation broke forth from crushed hearts. Death held his reign of terror, threw his black mantle of gloom over the stricken city, and wrapped its folds around each hearth and home, and banquet chamber-sunshine was followed by clouds and storm, and thunders of wrath-feast-makers, devisors, and players-Gurgunt, Mercury, Cupid, and Apollo, laid down their trappings, and in their stricken houses died alone. The finger-writing upon the door-posts marked each smitten home with the touching prayer, "The Lord have mercy upon us!" The insignia of the white wand borne by the infected ones, who issued forth into the streets from their tainted atmospheres, warned off communion with their fellow men, and sorrow filled all hearts;-a year of sadness and gloom followed-men's hearts failing them for fear. Scarcely had the plague lifted its hand from oppressing the people, ere the benumbed faculties of the woe-begone mourners were roused to fresh terror, by the grumbling murmurs of an earthquake;-storms, lightnings, hailstones, and tempests spread desolation in their course through all parts of the country in quick succession-a very age of trouble.

But turning from dark scenes of history once more to the sports and pastimes that gladdened the hearts and eyes of the good old citizens of yore, we must not fail to chronicle the famous visit of Will Kempe, the morris dancer, whose "nine days' wonder," or dance from London to Norwich in nine days, has been recorded by himself in a merry little pamphlet bearing internal evidence of a lightness of heart rivalling the lightness of toe that gained for him his Terpsich.o.r.ean fame. His name receives a fresh halo of interest from its a.s.sociation with that of one of the great ones of the earth, Will Shakespeare, in whose company of players at the Globe, Blackfriars, he was a comedian; and his signature and that of the dramatist's stand together at the foot of a counter pet.i.tion presented at the same time with one got up by the inhabitants of the neighbourhood against the continuance of plays in that house. Kempe played Peter and Dogberry in "Romeo and Juliet," and "Much Ado about Nothing;" also, Launce, Touchstone, Gravedigger, Justice Shallow, and Launcelot. One feels that the morris dancer has a fresh claim upon our interest by such a.s.sociations, and we look into the merry book dedicated to Mistress Anne Fitton, maid of honour to England's maiden queen, prepared to relish heartily the frolicsome account of how he tript it merrily to the music of Thomas Slye, his taberer, gaining every where the admiration of the wondering townsfolk and villagers upon his road, receiving, and occasionally of necessity refusing, their profusely proffered hospitalities, and now and then accepting their offers to tread a measure with him at his pace, a feat that one brave and buxom la.s.s alone was found equal to perform-one can appreciate the quiet fun in which he permits himself to indulge at the discomfiture of the followers who track his flying steps, when their running accompaniment is interrupted by the mud and mire of the unmacadamized mediaeval subst.i.tutes for turnpike roads, where occasionally he dances on, leaving the volunteer corps up to their necks in some slough of despond. Such a picture of the highways in the good old times, is consolatory to the unfortunate generation of the nineteenth century, who, among their many burdens and oppressions, can at least congratulate themselves that in respect to locomotion, the lines have fallen to them in pleasanter places.

The morris dance in its original glory was most frequently joined to processions and pageants, especially to those appropriated to the celebration of the May games. The chief dancer was more superbly dressed than his comrades, and on these occasions was presumed to personate Robin Hood; the maid Marian, and others supposed to have been the outlaw's companions, were the characters supported by the rest; and the hobby-horse, or a dragon, sometimes both, made a part of the display.

It was by some supposed to have been imported from the Moors, and was probably a kind of Pyrrhic or military dance, usually performed with staves and bells attached to the feet, each of which had its several tone and name; the men who danced it, when in full character, were accompanied by a boy dressed as a girl, and styled the maid _Marion_ (or Morian, possibly from the Italian Moriane, a head piece, because his head was generally gaily decked out).