CAMBRIDGE, CAMBRIDGESHIRE. William de Lenne and Isabel his wife, joining the guild of Corpus Christi (†1350), spent half a mark ‘_in ludo Filiorum Israelis_[769].’ Warton says:— ‘The oldest notice I can recover of this sort of spectacle [Latin plays] in an English University is in the fragment of an ancient accompt-roll of the dissolved college of Michael-House in Cambridge; in which, under 1386, the following expense is entered: ‘Pro ly pallio brusdato et pro sex larvis et barbis in comedia[770].’ CANTERBURY, KENT. A Burghmote order (†1500) directed ‘a play called Corpus Christi play ... maintained and played at the costs of the Crafts and Mysteries,’ although ‘of late days it hath been left and laid apart,’ to be revived at Michaelmas[771]. A book of the play of Abraham and Isaac, belonging to the ‘schaft’ or parochial guild of St. Dunstan’s, lay in the keeping of the churchwardens of that church from 1491 to 1520[772]. On Jan. 6, 1503, the corporation paid for a play of the _Three Kyngs of Coleyn_ in the guildhall. The account mentions three ‘bests’ made of hoops and laths and painted canvas, ‘heddyng of the Hensshemen,’ a castle in the courthall, and a gilt star. Annual accounts for ‘the pagent of St. Thomas’ on the day of his martyrdom (Dec. 29), appear amongst the financial records of the corporation from 1504-5 until ‘far on in the reign of Queen Elizabeth.’ I select some items:— ‘1504-5. Paied to Sampson Carpenter and hys man hewyng and squeryng of tymber for the Pagent. For makyng Sᵗ Thomas Carte with a peyer of whyles. To iiij men to helpe to cary the Pagent. For a newe myghter. For two bagges of leder. For payntyng of the awbe and the hedde. For gunpowder. For lynnen cloth bought for Sᵗ Thomas garment. For forgyng and makyng the knyghts harnes. For the hyre of a sworde. For wasshynge of an albe and an amys.’ _In later years._ ‘Pro le yettyng sanguynem. Pro le payntyng capitis Sci Thomae. For them that holpe to dress the Pagent and for standyng of the same in the barne. For a payer of new gloves for Seynt Thomas. For payntyng of the hede and the Aungell of the pagent. Paied to hym that turned the vyce. Paied for wyre for the vyce of the Angell. For 1 quarter of lambe and brede and drynke gevyn to the children that played the knyghtes, and for them that holpe to convey the Pagent abowte. For a new leder bag for the blode. For wasshyng of the albe and other clothys abowte the Auter, and settyng on agayn the apparell.’ Until 1529 the pageant stood in the barn of St. Sepulchre’s convent; thenceforward in the archbishop’s palace. In 1536-7 ‘Seynt Thomas’ became ‘Bysshop Bekket,’ and the show was suppressed, to be revived with some added ‘gyaunts’ under Mary[773]. This pageant was probably a dumb-show of the martyrdom of Becket. CHELMSFORD, ESSEX.