esday, and
Wenseday in Whitson weake. The maner of these playes weare every company
had his pagiant, or parte, which pagiants weare a high scafolde with 2
rowmes, a higher and a lower, upon 4 wheeles. In the lower they
apparelled themselves, and in the higher rowme they played, being all
open on the tope, that all behoulders might heare and see them. The
places where they played them was in every streete. They begane first at
the abay gates, and when the first pagiante was played, it was wheeled
to the high crosse before the mayor, and soe to every streete; and soe
every streete had a pagiant playinge before them at one time, till all
the pagiantes for the daye appoynted weare played, and when one pagiant
was neere ended, word was broughte from streete to streete that soe they
mighte come in place thereof exceedinge orderlye, and all the streetes
have their pagiantes afore them all at one time playeinge togeather; to
se which playes was greate resorte, and also scafoldes and stages made
in the streetes in those places where they determined to playe their
pagiantes."

Strutt has the following description of the Mystery plays:--"In the
early dawn of literature, and when the sacred Mysteries were the only
theatrical performances, what is now called the stage did then consist
of three several platforms or stages, raised one above another; on the
uppermost sat the _Pater Caelestis_, surrounded with his angels; on the
second appeared the holy saints and glorified men; and the last and
lowest were occupied by mere men who had not passed through this life to
the regions of eternity. On one side of this lowest platform was the
resemblance of a dark pitchy cavern, from whence issued appearance of
fire and flames; and when it was necessary the audience were treated
with hideous yellings and noises, as imitations of the howlings and
cries of the wretched souls tormented by the relentless demons. From
this yawning cave the devils themselves constantly ascended, to delight
and instruct the spectators; to delight because they were usually the
greatest jesters and buffoons that then appeared; and to instruct for
that they treated the wretched mortals who were delivered to them with
the utmost cruelty, warning thereby all men carefully to avoid the
falling into the clutches of such hardened and relentless spirits."

It is interesting to note that Hell was imitated by a whale's open jaws,
behind which a fire was lighted, in such a way,