iar with the character, speaks of out-Heroding Herod.
The Devil also frequently jumped from the stage and availed himself of
his license to play pranks among the audience.

Much of the acting was undoubtedly excellent. In 1476 the council at
York ordained that four of the best players in the city should examine
with regard to fitness all who wished to take part in the plays. So
many were desirous of acting that it was much trouble to get rid of
incompetents. The ordinance ran: "All such as they shall find
sufficient in person and cunning, to the honor of the City and worship
of the said Crafts, for to admit and able; and all other insufficient
persons, either in cunning, voice, or person, to discharge, ammove and
avoid." A critic says that this ordinance is "one of the steps on
which the greatness of the Elizabethan stage was built, and through
which its actors grew up."[10]

Introduction of the Comic Element in the Miracle Plays.--While the
old drama generally confined itself to religious subjects, the comic
element occasionally crept in, made its power felt, and disclosed a
new path for future playwrights. In the _Play of Noah's Flood_, when
the time for the flood has come, Noah's wife refuses to enter the ark
and a domestic quarrel ensues. Finally her children pull and shove her
into the ark. When she is safe on board, Noah bids her welcome. His
enraged wife deals him resounding blows until he calls to her to stop,
because his back is nearly broken.

The _Play of the Shepherds_ includes a genuine comedy, the first
comedy worthy of the name to appear in England. While watching their
flocks on Christmas Eve, the shepherds are joined by Mak, a neighbor
whose reputation for honesty is not good. Before they go to sleep,
they make him lie down within their circle; but he rises when he hears
them begin to snore, steals a sheep, and hastens home. His wife is
alarmed, because in that day the theft of a sheep was punishable by
death. She finally concludes that the best plan will be to wrap the
animal in swaddling clothes and put it in the cradle. If the shepherds
come to search the house, she will pretend that she has a child; and,
if they approach the cradle, she will caution them against touching it
for fear of waking the child and causing him to fill the house with
his cries. She speedily hurries Mak away to resume his slumbers among
the shepherds. When they wake, they miss the sheep, suspect Mak, and
go to search his ho