APPENDIX II 



ENGLISH SIXTEENTH-CENTURY CHURCH-PLAYS 



THERE is probably much still to be gleaned concerning the religious 

 drama in England even as late as the sixteenth century. The chief 

 sources of information will be the churchwardens' accounts in rural 

 parishes. As illustration of this, I print in this appendix most in- 

 teresting entries from the accounts for two small Essex towns, copies 

 of which I owe to the courtesy of Mrs. Sydney Courtauld, of Bocking 

 Place, Braintree, and Mr. Fred. Chancellor, Mayor of Chelmsford. 



A. Extracts from a copy of the Accounts of the Church of 

 St. Michael, Braintree. 



Anno 1523. A Play of S* Swythyn, acted in the Church on a Wednes- 

 day, for which was gathered 6:14:11^; P d at the said Play, 3:1:4; 

 due to the Church, 3 : 1 3 : 7. 



Anno 1525. There was a Play of S* Andrew acted in the Church the 

 Sunday before Relique Sunday ; Rc d , 8:9:6; P d , 4 : 9 : 9 ; Due to the 

 Church, 3:19 : 8. 



Anno 1529. A Play in Halstead Church. 



Ann. 23 H viii. Jn Payne, Ld. of Misrule, and his company. A 

 guile of S* John. 



Anno 1534. 1 A play of Placy Dacy alias S r Ewe Stacy. R d , 

 14 : 17 : 6| ; P d , 6 : 13 : 7| ; due, 8 : 2 : 8j. 



Anno 1567. R d of the Play money, 5:0:0. 



Anno 1570. Rec d of the Play money, 9:7:7; and for letting the 

 Playing garments, 0:1 : 8. 



Anno 1571. Rc d for a Playbook, 20 d ; and for lending the Play gere, 

 8 : 7 d . This year the Plague in Braintree. 



Anno 1579. Sold 3 curtains for 6 : 4 ; and for the Players Apparel, 

 50 s . 



These extracts show us that plays were given in the Essex 

 churches up to 1525, and in connection with them, and most 



1 From 1533 to 1537 the well - known Nicholas Udall, author of the play 

 of Roister Doister, was vicar of Braintree. 



