pense of the different
trading companies of that city. "The Fall of Lucifer," by the tanners;
"The Creation," by the drapers; "The Deluge," by the dyers; "Abraham,
Melchizedeck and Lot," by the barbers; "Moses, Balak and Balaam," by the
cappers; "The Salutation and the Nativity," by the wrights (carpenters);
"The Shepherds feeding the Flocks by Night," by the painters and
glaziers; "The Three Kings," by the vintners; "The oblation of the Three
Kings," by the mercers; "The Killing of the Holy Innocents," by the
goldsmiths; "The Purification," by the blacksmiths; "The Temptations,"
by the butchers; "The Blindmen and Lazarus," by the glovers; "Jesus and
the Lepers," by the cowesarys; "Christ's Passion," by the bowyers,
fletchers and ironmongers; "Descent into Hell," by the cooks and
inn-keepers; "Resurrection," by the skinners; "Ascension," by the
taylors; "The Election of St. Matthias," "Sending of the Holy Ghost,"
etc., by the fishmongers; "Anti-christ," by the clothiers; and "The Day
of Judgment," by the websters (weavers). The reader will perhaps smile
at some of these combinations. This is the substance and order of the
former part of the play. God enters, creating the world, he breathes
life into Adam, leads him into Paradise, and opens his side while
sleeping. Adam and Eve appear _naked_, and _not ashamed_; and the old
Serpent enters, lamenting his fall. He converses with Eve. She eats part
of the forbidden fruit, and gives part to Adam. They propose, according
to the stage directions, to make themselves, _subligacula a folis
quibus tegamus pudenda_, cover their nakedness with leaves and converse
with God. God's curse. The Serpent exits, hissing. They are driven from
Paradise by four angels, and the Cherubim with a flaming sword. Adam
appears digging the ground, and Eve spinning. Their children, Cain and
Abel, enter, the former kills his brother. Adam's lamentation. Cain is
banished, etc., etc.

Adam and Eve, in the "altogether," so to speak, were acted like this as
late as the sixteenth century. In a play called "The Travails of the
Three English Brothers," acted in 1607, there occurs this:--

"Many idle toyes, but the old play _that Adam and Eve acted in bare
action under the figge tree draws most of the gentlemen_."

An Account of the Proclamation of the Mystery plays, acted in "Ye Citye
on ye Dee," may prove of interest, and the copy of which I subjoin is
taken from the Harleian M.S. No. 2013.

"The proclama