e themselves responsible for the production of the plays. While
delegating all the hard work to the trade guilds, as being the chief
gainers from the invasion, they maintained central control, authorizing
the text of the play, distributing the scenes amongst those responsible
for their presentation, and visiting any slackness with proper pains and
penalties. Under able public management Miracle Plays soon became a
yearly affair in every English town.

When the time came round for the festival to be held--Corpus Christi Day
being a general favourite, though Whitsuntide also had its adherents,
and for some Easter was apparently not too cold--the manuscript of the
play was brought forth from the archives, the probable cost and
difficulties of each scene were considered, the strength or poverty of
the various guilds was carefully weighed, and finally as just an
allocation was made as circumstances would permit. If two guilds were
very poor they were allowed to share the production of one scene. If a
guild were wealthy it might be required to manage two scenes, and those
costly ones. For scenes differed considerably in expense: such
personages as God and Herod, and such places as Heaven or the Temple,
were a much heavier drain on the purse than, say, Joseph and Mary on
their visit to Elizabeth. Where there was no difficulty on the score of
finance, a guild might be entrusted with a scene--if there was a
suitable one--which made special demands on its own craft. Thus, from
the York records we learn that the Tanners were given the Overthrow of
Lucifer and his fellow devils (who would be dressed in brown leather);
the Shipwrights, the Building of the Ark; the Fishmongers and Mariners
jointly, the scene of Noah and his family in the Ark; the Goldsmiths,
the Magi (richly oriental); the Shoers of Horses, the Flight into Egypt;
the Barbers, the Baptism by John the Baptist (in camel's hair); the
Vintners, the Marriage at Cana; the Bakers, the Last Supper; the
Butchers and Poulterers, the Crucifixion.

As soon as a Guild had been allotted its scene it appointed a manager to
carry the matter through. The individual expense was not great,
somewhere between a penny and fourpence for each member. Out of the sum
thus raised had to be paid the cost of dresses and stage-scenery, and
the actors' remunerations (which included food during the period of
rehearsals as well as on the actual playing days). No such crude
simplicity as is made fun