skill was required to accomplish this
surely and gracefully. Ascham, a writer in the sixteenth century,
tells us what accomplishments were required from the complete
English gentleman of the period. "To ride comely, to run fair at the
tilt or ring, to play at all weapons, to shoot fair in bow, or
surely in gun; to vault lustily, to run, to leap, to wrestle, to
swim, to dance comely, to sing, and play of instruments cunningly;
to hawk, to hunt, to play at tennis, and all pastimes generally
which be joined to labour, containing either some fit exercises for
war, or some pleasant pastime for peace--these be not only comely
and decent, but also very necessary for a courtly gentleman to use."
The courtly gentleman must have been very industrious to acquire all
these numerous accomplishments!

There was another form of spectacle which gave great pleasure to our
ancestors; and often in the market-places of old towns, or in open
fields, at the bottom of natural amphitheatres near some of the
ancient monasteries, were Scriptural plays performed, which were
called _Miracles_, or _Mysteries_, because they treated of scenes
taken from the Old or New Testament, or from the lives of saints and
martyrs. The performances were very simple and often grotesque, but
the plays were regarded by the monks, who assisted in these
representations, as a means of teaching the people sacred truths.
The miracle play of Norman and mediaeval times was a long,
disconnected performance, which often lasted many days. In the reign
of Henry IV. there was a play which lasted eight days, and,
beginning with the creation of the world, contained the greater part
of the history of the Old and the New Testament. The words of the
play seem to us strange, and sometimes profane; but they were not
thought to be so by those who listened to them. The _Mystery_ play
only lasted one day, and consisted of one subject, such as _The
Conversion of St. Paul_. _Noah and the Flood_ was a very popular
piece. His wife is represented as being much opposed to the perilous
voyage in the ark, and abuses Noah very severely for compelling her
to go. Sometimes the authors thought it necessary to introduce a
comic character to enliven the dullness of the performance. But, in
spite of humorous demons, these mysteries ceased to attract, and
plays called _Moralities_ were introduced, in which the actors
assumed the parts of personified virtues, &c., and you might have
heard "Faith" prea