The Earl of Surrey rewarded the players of ‘Chemsford’ on Dec. 27, 1490 (Appendix E, vii). The churchwardens’ accounts give minute details of a play held in 1562 and 1563. The following are the chief items:— ‘Inprms paid unto the Mynstrolls for the Show day and for the play day. Unto Willm. Hewet for makinge the vices coote, a fornet of borders, and a Jerken of borders. To John Lockyer for making iiij shep hoks and for iron work that Burle occupied for the hell. Item paide to Robᵗ Mathews for a pair of wombes. to Lawrence for watching in the Churche when the temple was a-dryenge. for carrying of plonk for the stages. for ... the scaffold. to M. Browne for the waightes of Bristowe. for makyng the conysants. forty Mynstrells meate and drinke. to William Withers for making the frame for the heaven stage and tymber for the same. for writtinge. to William Withers for makynge the last temple, the waies, and his paynnes. to John Wryght for makynge a cotte of lether for Christ. to Solomon of Hatfild for parchmente. to Mother Dale and her company for reaping flagges for the scaffold. to Polter and Rosse for watching in the pightell on the play show. for fyftie fadam of lyne for the cloudes. for tenn men to beare the pagiante. to Browne for keapinge the cornehill on the showe daye. to Roistone for payntenge the Jeiants, the pagiante, and writing the plaiers names. for paper to wright the Bookes.’ There are many other payments to workmen and for refreshments, and large sums to various people ‘for suinge the play.’ Is this ‘showing,’ ‘stage-managing’? One Burles, who was twice paid for ‘suinge,’ was also boarded with his boy for three weeks. An inventory of garments made in February, 1564, includes, with many velvet gowns and jerkins, &c.:— ‘ij vyces coates, and ij scalpes, ij daggers (j dagger wanted). v prophets cappes (one wantinge). iij flappes for devils. iiij shepehoks, iiij whyppes (but one gone).’ I infer that the play was a cyclical one, extending at least from Creation to Crucifixion. The temple, which required renewing, was probably rent in twain. There were heaven, hell, _Prophetae_, _Pastores_. The performance was not in the church, although the temple was put to dry there, but in a ‘pightell’ or enclosure, upon a scaffold, with stages for the spectators. It was held in connexion with a ‘showe,’ which was on Cornhill, and to which I assign the ‘pagiante’ and ‘jeiantes.’ The time was therefore probably Midsummer. The accounts seem to cover two years and at least four performances. In 1562, Midsummer day with its show fell on a Saturday. The play was on Monday. On Tuesday it was repeated at Braintree, and later on at Malden, and possibly elsewhere. Then in 1563 it was again given in Chelmsford at Midsummer.