ching to "Prudence," or "Death" lecturing "Beauty"
and "Pride." The first miracle play performed in England was that of
_St. Catherine_, which was acted at Dunstable, 1110 A.D.; and
another early piece was the play called _The Image of St. Nicholas_.
These were of a religious nature and were performed in church during
Divine service. The following is an outline of the plot of the
latter: instead of the image of St. Nicholas, which adorned his
shrine, a man stood in the garb of the saint whom he represented.
The service is divided into two portions, and the play is produced
during the interval. A stranger appears at the west door, who is
evidently a rich heathen, and lays down his treasures before the
image of the saint and beseeches him to take care of them. A band of
thieves enter and steal the treasures, and when the heathen returns,
he is so enraged that he proceeds to chastise the image of the
saint; when lo! the figure descends, marches out of the church, and
convinces the thieves of their wickedness. Struck with fear on
account of the miracle, they restore the treasures, the Pagan sings
a song of joy, and St. Nicholas tells him to worship God, and to
praise Christ. Then, after an act of adoration to the Almighty, the
service is resumed.[15]

There were also strolling companies of minstrels, jugglers, and
jesters, who went about the country, and acted secular pieces
composed of comic stories, jokes, and dialogues, interspersed with
dancing and tumbling. The whole performance was very absurd and
often indecent, and the clergy did their utmost to suppress these
strolling companies.

The stage upon which the _Mysteries_ were played was built on
wheels, in order that it might be drawn to different parts of the
town. Sometimes religious plays were acted in churches before the
Reformation; but in Cornwall the people formed an earthen
amphitheatre in some open field, and as the players did not learn
their parts very well, a prompter used to follow them about with a
book and tell them what to say. Coventry, York, Wakefield, Reading,
Hull, and Leicester were famous for their plays, and in the
churchwardens' accounts we find many entries referring to the
performances.

1469.--_e.g._ Item paid to Noah and his wife ... ... xxi^d.
" " for a rope to hang the ship in the church ... ii^d.

These performances would probably seem very foolish and childish to
a modern audience, but they helped to enliven and diver