e Fuller Worthies Library_, vol. i., 1870), and _A brefe
Comedy or Enterlude of Johan Baptystes preachynge in the Wyldernesse, &c._
(_Harl. Misc._ vol. i.) were all written in 1538. His plays are doggerel,
but he is a figure of some dramatic importance as the author of _Kynge
Johan_ (_c._ 1548), which marks the transition between the old morality
play and the English historical drama. It does not appear to have directly
influenced the creators of the chronicle histories. To the authors of the
_Troublesome Raigne of King John_ (1591) it was apparently unknown, but it
is noteworthy that an attempt, however feeble, at historical drama was made
fourteen years before the production of _Gorboduc_. _Kynge Johan_ (ed.
J. P. Collier, Camden Soc. 1838) is itself a polemic against the Roman
Catholic Church. King John is represented as the champion of English rites
against the Roman see:--

"This noble Kynge Johan, as a faythfull Moses
Withstode proude Pharao for his poore Israel."

But the English people remained in the bondage of Rome,--

"Tyll that duke Josue, whych was our late Kynge Henrye,
Clerely brought us out in to the lande of mylke and honye."

Elsewhere John is called a Lollard and accused of "heretycall langage," and
he is finally poisoned by a monk of Swinestead. Allegorical characters are
mixed with the real persons. Ynglonde _vidua_, represents the nation, and
the jocular element is provided by Sedwyson (sedition), who would have been
the Vice in a pure morality play. One actor was obviously intended to play
many parts, for stage directions such as "Go out Ynglond, and dress for
Clargy" are by no means uncommon. The MS. of _Kynge Johan_ was discovered
between 1831 and 1838 among the corporation papers at Ipswich, where it was
probably performed, for there are references to charitable foundations by
King John in the town and neighbourhood. It is described at the end of the
MS. as two plays, but there is no obvious division, the end of the first
act alone being noted. The first part is corrected by Bale and the latter
half is in his handwriting, but his name nowhere occurs. In the list of his
works, however, he gives a play _De Joanne Anglorum Rege_, written _in
idiomate materno_.

But Bale's most important work is _Illustrium majoris Britanniae
scriptorum, hoc est, Angliae, Cambriae, ac Scotiae Summarium ..._ (Ipswich
and Wesel, for John Overton, 1548, 1549). This contained five centuries,
but another editi