278 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters. 
William Smith about 1623, which is mentioned by Warburton, 
and was unfortunately burned with other manuscripts by War- 
burton’s cook. The title was St. George for England, and it 
seems to have followed the story of St. George’s life rather 
closely. 1 This is true of the description of Cbllier’s cake, 
which seems to have represented the chief events in the saint’s 
life. 
Ten Brink says: 2 “The play of St. George was widely 
spread in Eingland, and was usually performed on St. John’s 
Day, when a solemn procession was formed. In many places 
this drama may have absorbed the remains of native traditions 
of a very early date.” 
The processions, or “ridings,” spoken of by ten Brink, are 
well attested by records. For instance, in 1536 we find at 
Leicester the guild was paid four shillings “for dressing the 
dragon.” 3 
Chambers gives references to others 4 —to Norwich, Coventry 
(1474, 1498), Stratford, Chester, York-and Dublin, as well 
as to Lydd and Bassingbourne (1577, on St. Margaret’s D'ay). 
We know that a play on the subject of St. George was given 
in the fifteenth century in Germany, 5 and that one on St. 
George and St. John was presented in 1497—1498. 6 A St. 
George play was also given in Turin in 1427. 7 A similar play 
was given in Paris about 1422, and another at Nevers in 
1428. 8 In all these instances the play deals with the saint as 
he is known in the later hagiological writings. 
Thus, while we know a good deal regarding the St. George 
“ridings,” our knowledge of the dramas on the subject of St. 
George is extremely meagre; but it is certain that the life of 
1 Fleay, “Chronicle of the English Drama,” vol. 2, p. 251. 
2 “English Literature,” vol. 2, p. 293. 
s Billson, “Leicestershire Folk-Lore,” p. 110. 
4 “The Mediaeval Stage,” chap. 10. 
s Keller, “Fastnachts’spiele,” nos. 125-126. 
e W. Creiznach, “G-eschichte des neueren Dramas,” vol. 1, p. 231. 
7 Creiznach, vol. 1, p. 231; D’Ancona, “Storia della Litteratura Itali- 
ana,” p. 104. 
s Petit de Julleville, “Les Mysteres,” vol. 2, pp. 10, 644. 
