The city guilds at play.

**

CHAP VII**

Of the interludes and plays antiently represented on the stage by the several corporations of the city of Dublin.

The city of Dublin antiently consisted of 20 corporations, to which five have been in latter times added. Of these we shall be more particular when we come to treat of the political state and division of the city; it being sufficient for our present purpose barely to hint their numbers.

An antient custom prevailed for a long time in the city of Dublin always against the great festivals of the year to invite the lord deputy, the nobility, and other persons of quality and rank to an entertainment, in which they first diverted them with stage plays and then regaled them with a splendid banquet. The several corporations also on their patrols days, held themselves obliged to the like observances which were for a long time very strictly kept up and practised,

We are told from a writer (Robert Ware, MS), (to whom in other respects we are much obliged) “that Thomas Fitzgerald, earl of Kildare, and lord lieutenant of Ireland, in the year 1528, was invited to a new play every day in Christmas, Arland Usher being then mayor, and Francis Herbert and John Squire bayliffs, wherein the taylors acted the part of Adam and Eve, the shoemakers represented the story of Crispin and Crispianus, the carpenters that of Joseph and Mary; Vulcan, and what related to him, was acted by the smiths, and the comedy of Ceres, the goddess of corn, by the bakers. Their stage was erected on Hoggin-green, now called College-green, and on it the priors of St. John of Jerusalem, of the blessed Trinity, and of All-hallows, caused two plays to be acted, the one representing the passion of our Saviour, and the other the several deaths which the apostles suffered. ”

This account may probably in its material parts be true; but in circumstances the author of it undoubtedly errs. For Pierce Butler, earl of Ossory, was lord deputy of Ireland from the 13th of May 1528 to the 22nd of June 1529, and from the intervening Michaelmas the persons mentioned administered the offices of mayor and bayliffs. Thomas Fitz-gerald was indeed lord deputy for a very short time to his father Gerald in 1534; but then Robert Stillingforth was mayor, and Henry Plunket and William White bayliffs: so that we are under a necessity of appropriating these entertainments to the earl of Ossory.

Something upon this subject is to be met with in a manuscript in the college library, where it is said, “that in the parliament of 1541, wherein Henry VIII. was declared king of Ireland, there were present the earls of Ormond and Desmond, the lord Barry, Mac-Gilla-Phadrig, Chieftane of Ossory, the sons of O-Bryan, Mac-Carthy-Mor, with many Irish lords, and on Corpus Christi day they rode about the streets with the procession in their parliament robes, and the Nine Worthies was played, and the mayor bore the mace before the deputy on horse-back. The Sunday following king Henry was proclaimed king of Ireland in St. Patrick’s church, and the next Sunday they had tournaments on horse-back, and running at the ring with spears on horse-back. ” Sir James Ware hints (Annal. Hen. VIII ad an 1541) at the same thing in a few words. “Epulas, Comoedias, et certamina ludicra, quae sequebantur, quid attinct dicere? It is needless (says he) to relate, what feastings, comedies, and sport followed.”

It is said also in the college manuscript before cited, “that in an expedition made against James Mac-Connell by the lord deputy Sussex in 1557, he was attended by John Ussher captain, and Patrick Bulkely petty-captain, with 60 of the city trained-bands, and upon their return the Six Worthies was played by the city, and the mayor gave the publick a goodly entertainment upon the occasion, found four trumpeters horses for the solemnity, and gave them 20s. in money. ”

Among other days of solemnity, the festival of St. George was celebrated with high veneration. In the chain book of the city of Dublin are several entries to that purpose.

1. It was ordered in maintenance of the pageant of St. George, that the mayor of the foregoing year should find the emperor and empress with their train and followers well apparelled, and accoutered, that is to say, the emperor attended with two doctors, and the empress with two knights, and two maidens richly apparelled to bear up the train of her gown.

Item. 2dly, The mayor for the time being was to find St. George a horse, and the wardens to pay 3s. 4d. for the time being were to find four horses, with men mounted on them well apparelled to bear the pole-ax, the standard, and the several swords of the emperor, and St. George.

Item. 3dly. The elder master of the guild was to find a maiden well attired to lead the dragon, and the clerk of the market was to find a golden line for the dragon.

Item. 4thly, The elder warden was to find for St. George four trumpets; but St. George himself was to pay their wages.

Item 5thly, The younger warden was obliged to find the king of Dele and the queen of Dele, as also two knights to lead the queen of Dele, and two maidens to bear the train of her gown. Moreover, he was to cause St. George’s chapel to be well hung in black, and completely apparelled to every purpose, and was to provide it with cushions, rushes, and other necessaries for the festivity of that day.

No less was the preparation of pageants for the procession of Corpus Christi day, on which the glovers were to represent Adam and Eve, with an angel bearing a sword before them.

The Corrifees (perhaps curriers) were to represent Cain and Abel, with an altar, and their offering.

Mariners and vintners, Noah, and the persons in his ark, apparelled in the habits of carpenters and salmon-takers.

The weavers personated Abraham and Isaac, with their offering and altar.

The smiths represented Pharaoh, with his host.

The skinners, the camell with the children of Israel.

The goldsmiths were to find the king of Cullen.

The hoopers were to find the shepherds, with an angel singing, Gloria in excelcis deo.

Corpus Christi guild was to find Christ in his passion, with the Marys and angels.

The taylors were to find Pilate with his fellowship, and his wife cloathed accordingly.

The barbers, Anna and Caiaphas.

The fishers, the apostles.

The merchants, the prophets.

And the butchers, the tormenters.

These interludes and representations carried with them the appearance of the superstition of the times, which John Bale, bishop of Ossory, afterwards laboured to reform, by writing with more sobriety several comedies and tragedies in the reign of king Edward VI and, during his banishment, in that of queen Mary, upon religious subjects. Several of those pieces are yet extant printed in the black letter; and through they shew the taste of that age, they would by no means please the present. Such plays and interludes gradually went into disuse as the reformation gained ground, and were at length totally banished by the improvements of the theatre, and the excellencies of those who peculiar profession it was to entertain the publish on the stage; between whose performances and those antient ones, no unapt comparison may be drawn from the distant ages of Thespis and Roscius.

Other diversions have been substituted in the room of those that were laid aside. On several days during Christmas, the lord mayor entertains the citizens with musick and balls, and many of the corporations on their respective patron days walk in procession about the street, dressed out in the several colours and emblems belonging to their trades; from whence they retire to church to hear the word of God and from thence to an entertainment provided at the charge of their corporations.

To Chapter VIII. Harris Contents.