1528-9. "ix^s ix^d for painting cloth for the players and making their tunics, and for 'chequery' for making tunics for the aforesaid players, and for making staves for them, and crests upon their heads for the festival of Corpus Christi." 1533-4. "ij^d rewardyd and alowyd to the pleers of Cryssmas game, that pleyd in the said churche." 1537-8. "j^d for a pair of silk garments (_seroticarum_) for King Herod on Corpus Christi day." 1542-3. "ij^s i^d ij devils' heads (_capit. diabol._) and necessary things in the clothes for the players." 1547-8. "ij^s to the players on Corpus Christi day." (During the reign of Edward VI. the plays were discontinued, to be revived in that of his successor.) 1555-6. "ij^d payd for a payr of glouys for hym that played God Almighty at Corpus X^pi daye." "vj^d payd for wyne for hym that played Saynt Resinent." 1558-9. "ij^d for a payr of glouys to him that played Christ on Corpus X^pi daye." ST. MARTIN'S, LEICESTER 1546-7. "Item p^d for makynge of a sworde & payntynge of the same for Harroode viij^d." In the Corporation MSS. of Rye, Sussex, are the following entries: 1474. "Payed to the players of Romeney, the which pleyed in the churche 16^d" 1476. "Payed to the pleyers of Winchilse, the whiche pleyed in the churche yerde, vppone the day of the Purification of our Laday 16^d" The performance of the York miracle plays went on until 1579. The Newcastle celebration outlasted them by about ten years. The Chester plays were acted till the end of the sixteenth century, and those of Beverley till 1604. What killed the Miracle Play? This is a deeply interesting speculation, but one with regard to which it is difficult to form a conclusion owing to the co-existence of rival influences, the relative strength of which cannot well be estimated. We have seen that Puritan opinion suspended the miracle play at Ashburton during the reign of Edward VI., and it would be natural to look for the same result from the accession of Elizabeth, whereas, at Beverley it was maintained all through the period of her rule. It is quite possible, however, that all this time efforts were being made by extreme Reformers to bring about its abolition, and that ultimately they were successful. Meanwhile the growth of the secular drama, which was hardly more to the liking of the Puritans, must have proved a powerful counter-attraction, and possibly it is to this rather than religious opposition that the extinction of the Miracle Play was actually due. At any rate, we need feel no surprise that with two such antagonistic forces at work the ancient and pious custom vanished from the land. ACADEMIC CHAPTER VII ALMS AND LOANS