simply to signify beams, and there was doubtlessly some contrivance to represent them on the stage.
P. 117. Joseph's Return.] This pageant is founded upon the apochryphal gospel of the Birth of Mary.
P. 124. The Visit to Elizabeth.] This pageant is founded upon the Protevangelion of James.
P. 130, l. 12. Leve.] Dele the semicolon after this word.
P. 131. The Trial of Joseph and Mary.] This pageant is likewise founded upon the narrative in the Protevangelion of James.
P. 131, l. 6. Alle the rowte.] The subsequent enumeration of names was obviously inserted, observes Mr. Collier, "for the sake of producing merriment among the spectators." A somewhat similar list of names occurs in Cocke Lorelles Bote, among which I find two, viz., Pers Potter and Phyllyp Fletcher, that are also in this list. Hone, Marriott, and Collier, who have quoted this very singular part of these mysteries, place it at the end of the preceding pageant, but the reason for the change I have made will be sufficiently obvious on perusal.
P. 131, l. 25. And loke ye rynge wele in your purs.] This is important, as showing that money was collected for the performances. The author of a very curious sermon against miracle-plays generally, in a MS. of the fourteenth century, preserved in the parish library of St. Martin's in the Fields, expressly complains of the money that was spent in this manner:—"So this myraclis pleyinge is verré witnesse of mennus averice and coveytise byfore, that is maumetrie, as seith the apostele, for that that thei shulden spendyn upon the nedis of ther neyeboris, thei spenden upon the pleyis, and to peyen ther rente and ther dette thei wolen grucche, and to spende two so myche upon ther pley thei wolen nothinge grucche. Also to gideren men togidere to bien the derre ther vetailis, and to stiren men to glotonye, and to pride and boost, thei pleyn thes myraclis, and also to han wherof to spenden on these myraclis, and to holde felawschipe of glotonye and lecherie in sich dayes of myraclis pleyinge, thei bisien hem beforn to more gredily bygilen ther neybors, in byinge and in sellyng; and so this pleyinge of myraclis now on dayes is werré witnesse of hideous coveytise, that is maumetrie."—Reliquæ Antiquæ, vol. ii., p. 54.
