of
nuns, founded by a previous Lady Scales; west of them, at three miles'
distance, bristling with the architecture of the Middle Ages in all
its bloom and beauty, before religious disunion had defaced it,
prosperous in its self-government, stood the town of Lynn.

"The mayor and council had organised a play to be acted on Christmas
Day, 1445, before the Lord Scales at Middleton, representing scenes
from the Nativity of our Lord. Large sums were paid by order of the
mayor for the requisite dresses, ornaments, and scenery, some of which
were supplied by the 'Nathan' of Lynn, and others prepared and bought
expressly. 'John Clerk' performed the angel Gabriel, and a lady of the
name of Gilbert the Virgin Mary. Their parts were to be sung. Four
other performers were also paid for their services, and the whole
party, headed by the mayor, set off with their paraphernalia in a
cart, harnessed to four or more horses, for Middleton on Christmas
morning. The breakfast of the carters was paid for at the inn by the
town, but the magnates from Lynn and the actors were entertained at
the castle.[30]

"It was in the courtyard that this quaint representation took place;
the musical dialogues, the songs and hymns, the profusion of
ornaments, personal and otherwise, recorded as pressed on to the
stage, the grotesque angel and virgin, must have furnished a lively
hour under the castle walls on that long-ago Christmas Day."

THE WARS OF THE ROSES.

During the destructive wars of York and Lancaster the festivities of
Christmas were frequently interrupted by hostilities, for some of the
most bloody encounters (as, for example, the terrible battle of
Wakefield) occurred at Christmastide. The wars of the contending
factions continued throughout the reign of Henry VI., whose personal
weakness left the House of Lancaster at the mercy of the Parliament,
in which the voice of the Barons was paramount. That the country was
in a state of shameful misgovernment was shown by the attitude of the
commercial class and the insurrection under John Cade; yet Henry could
find time for amusement. "Under pretence of change of air the court
removed to Coventry that the king might enjoy the sports of the
field."[31]

The Christmases of Henry were not kept with the splendour which
characterised those of his rival and successor, Edward IV. Henry's
habits were religious, and his house expenses parsimonious--sometimes
necessarily so, for he was short of mone