tion for Whitsone playes made by Wm. Newell, Clarke of the
Pendice, 24 Hen. 8. Wm. Snead 2nd yere Maior."

"For as much as auld tyme, not only for the augmentation and increese of
the holy and catholick faith of our Saviour Jesu Christ, and to exort
the mindes of comon people to good devotion and holsome doctrine
thereof, but also for the comonwelth and prosperity of this citty, a
play and declaration of divers storyes of Bible beginning with the
Creation and fall of Lucifer, and ending with the generall Judgment of
the world, to be declared and played in Whitsonne weeke, was devised and
made by one Sir Henry Frances, sometyme moonck of this monastrey
disolved, who obtayning and gat of Clemant, then Bushop of Rome, a 1000
dayes of pardon, and of the Bushop of Chester at that tyme 40 dayes of
pardon, graunted from thensforth to every person resorting, in peaceable
manner with good devotion, to heare and see the sayd playes, from time
to time as oft as they shall be played within the said citty (and that
every person or persons disturbing the sayd playes in the maner wise to
be acused by the authority of the sayd pope Clemant's bulls, untill such
tyme as he or they be absolved thereof) which playes were devised to the
honor of God by John Arnway, then maior of this citty of Chester, his
brethren and whole cominalty thereof, to be brought forth, declared, and
played, at the cost and charges of the craftesman and occupations of the
sayd citty, which hitherto have from tyme to tyme used and performed the
same accordingly.

"Wherefore Mr. maior, in the King's name, stratly chargeth and
commandeth that every person and persons of what estate, degree, or
condition so ever he or they be resorting to the sayd playes, do use
themselves peaciblie, without making any assault, affray, or other
disturbance, whereby the same playes shall be disturbed, and that no
manner of person or persons, whiche so ever he or they be, do use or
wear any unlawfull weapons within the precinct of the sayd citty during
the tyme of the sayd playes (not only upon payn of cursing by authority
of the sayd Pope Clemant's bulls but also) upon payn of imprisonment of
their bodyes, and making fine to the King at Mr. maior's pleasure."

Archdeacon Rogers, who died in 1595, and saw the Whitsuntide plays
performed at Chester in the preceding year, gives the following account
of the mode of exhibition:--

"The time of the yeare they were played was on Monday, Tu