nite Sonday at the Churche ale at Bawnton
[Bampton] for John Skynner ... xjd." (1565). Mere Acc'ts (_Wilts Arch.
Mag_.), 60: "Item paied for bread and drink to make the Sum[m]er Lord
of Gillingham Drink ... ijs. vjd." (1578-9). T. Nash, _Hist. and
Antiq. of Worcestershire_, ii, appen., p. xxix (Halesowen Acc'ts:
"Paid when we went to Frankley to the church ale 20d.").

[263] See the precedents given for the Western Circuit in Prynne,
_Canterburies' Doome_, 152. Cf. also, _ibid_., 128 ff. That these ales
died hard in Devon and Somerset is seen by the repeated judicial
orders. See also J.W. Willis Bund, _Social Life in Worcestershire
illustrated by the Quarter Sess. Rec_. in _Assoc. Archit. Soc_.,
xxiii, Pt. ii (1897), 373-4 (1617). A.H. Hamilton, _Quarter Sessions
from Elisabeth to Anne_ (1878), 28-9. Harrison, _Descrip. of Engl_.,
Bk. ii, New Shak. Soc., 32. Saml. Barfield, _Thatcham, Berks, and its
Manors_, ii, 105 (Wardens Acc'ts 1598-9: "Item wee were bounde over by
Mr. Dolman, Justice, to appeare at Reading Assizes, where it cost T..
L.. and R.. C.. conserning our business wee kept at Whitsuntide xvs.
apece, somme xxxs.")

[264] Hale, _Crim. Prec_., 149 (Hornchurch wardens bringing players
into church. 1566). _Ibid_., 156 ("Tromperie" and "paynted stuff for
playes in the chefe parte of the [Rayleigh] church." 1574). _Ibid_.,
158 (Two plays in Romford Chapel by "comon players." Wardens plead in
extenuation that proceeds went to "a poore man in decay." 1577).
Leverton, Lincolnshire, Acc'ts, _Archaeologia_, xli, 333 ff. (Several
examples of plays in the church. 1579-95).

[265] In the Chelmsford Acc'ts, _Essex Arch. Soc_., ii, 225-6 (1562),
is a most interesting inventory showing an elaborate stage outfit.
That it was used for miracle plays is seen on p. 227 (" Cotte of
lether for Christe," and "lyne for the clowdes," etc.). From various
towns the Chelmsford men received in 1563, and subsequently, large
sums for the hire of these properties, e.g., L3 6s. 8d. from
"Starford" (Bishop Stortford?); 43s. 4d. from Colchester.

[266] Examples are Thos. North, _St. Martin's, Leicester, Acc'ts_
(1884), 80 (Children's morris-dance. 1558-9). Ibid., 85 (Robin Hood
play). St. Helen, Abingdon, Acc'ts, _Archaeologia_, i (2d ed.), 15
(1560). J.H. Baker, _Notes on St. Martin's_ (Salisbury) _Church and
Parish_ (1906), Wardens Acc'ts, 153 (Whitsun dance in 1588 yielding
13s. 4d.). _St. Edmund and St. Thomas, Sarum, Acc'ts_, introd.,