Proemium

The readinge of the Banes, 1600.


The Banes which are reade beefore the beginninge of the playes of Chester, 4 June, 1600.


Reverende lordes and ladyes all,
That at this tyme here assembled bee,
By this messauge understande you shall
That some tymes there was mayor of this citie
Sir John Arnway, knighte, who moste worthilye
Contented hymselfe to sett out in playe6
The devise of one Done Rondall, moonke of Chester Abbey.
This moonke, moonke-like, in Scriptures well seene,
In storyes travilled with the beste sorte,
In pagentes set fourth apparently to all eyne
The olde and newe testament, with livelye comforth,
Interminglinge therewith, onely to make sporte,
Some thinges not warranted by any writt,
Which to gladd the hearers he woulde men to take yt.
This matter he abrevited into playes twenty-foure,15
And every playe of the matter gave but a taste,
Leavinge for better learninge the scircumstance to accomplishe;
For all his proceedinges maye appeare to be in haste,
Yet all together unprofitable his labour he did not waste;
For at this daye and ever he deserveth the fame
Which all monkes deserves, professinge that name.21
These storyes of the Testamente at this tyme, you knowe,
In a common Englishe tongue never read nor harde;
Yet therof in these pagentes to make open shewe,
This moonke and moonke was nothinge afreayde
With feare of hanginge, breninge, or cuttinge off heade,
To sett out, that all maye disserne and see
And parte good be lefte, beleeve you mee.28
As in this citie divers yeares the have bene set out,
Soe at this tyme of Penticoste, called Whitsontyde,
Allthough to all the citie followe labour and coste,
Yet God guiving leave that tyme shall you, in playe,
For three dayes together, begyninge one Mondaye,
See these pagentes played to the beste of theire skill;
Wher to supplye all wantes shalbe noe wantes of good will.
As all that shall see them shall moste welcome be,36
Soe all that here them wee moste humble praye
Not to compare this matter or storie
With the age or tyme wherin we presentlye staye,
But in the tyme of ignorance, wherin we did straye;
Then doe I compare that this lande throughout
Non had the like, nor the like dose sett out.42
If the same be likeinge to the comens all,43
Then our desier is to satisfie, for that is all our game;
Yf noe matter or shewe therof speciall
Doe not please, but misslike the most of the trayne,
Goe backe, I saye, to the firste tyme againe;
Then shall you fynde the fyne witt at this day aboundinge,
At that day and that age had verye small beinge.49
Condempne not our matter where grosse wordes you here,
Which ymporte at this day small sence or understandinge,
As some tyme postie lewtie, in good manner, or in feare,
With such like, wilbe uttered in there speeches speakeinge.
At this tyme those speeches carried good likeinge,
Tho at this tyme you take them spoken at that tyme;
As well matter and wordes, then, is all well and fyne.
This worthy knighte, Arnway, then mayor of this citie,
This order toke, as declare to you I shall,
That by twentye-fower occupations, artes, craftes, or misterie,
These pagentes shoulde be played, after breeffe rehearsall;
For everye pagente a cariage to be provyded withall;
In which sorte we porpose, this Whitsontyde,
Our pageantes into three partes to devyde.63
1.   Worshll tanners64
Nowe, you worshippfull tanners, that of custome olde
The fall of Lucifer did set out,
Some writers awarrante your matter, theirfore be boulde,
Erstelye to playe the same to all the rowtte;
And yf any therof stande in any doubte,
Your authour his auther hath, your shewe let bee70
Good speech, fyne players, with apparrill comelye.
2.   Drapers72
Of the drapers you the wealthy companye,
The creation of the worlde, Adam and Eve,
Accordinge to your wealth, set out wealthilye,
And howe Cayne his brother Abell his life did bereave.
3.   Water-leaders. Drawers in Dee
The good symple water-leaders and drawers of Deey,
See that your arke in all poyntes be prepared;
Of Noy and his children the wholl storye,
And of the universal! floude, by you shalbe played.
4.   Barbers. Wax chaundlers82
The sacrifice that faythfull Abraham to his sonne should make,
You, barbers and waxe chaundlers of aunciente tyme,
In the fourth pageante with paines you doe take,
In decente sorte set out; the storie is ffine;
The offeringe of Melchesedecke of breade and wine,
And the preservation therof, set in your playe,88
Suffer you not in any poynte the storye to take awaye.
5.   Cappers. Linen drapers90
Cappers and lynnen drapers, see that you fourth bringe,
In well decked order, that worthy storie
Of Balaam and his asse, and of Balacke the kinge;
Make the asse to speake, and sett yt out livelye.
6.   Wrightes. Slaters95
Of Octavion the emperour, that coulde not well alowe
The prophesye of auncient Sibell the sage,
You wrightes and sklaters, with good players in showe,
Lustelye bringe fourth your well decked carriage:
The beirth of Christe shall all see in that stage:
Yf the Scriptures awarrant not of the mydwyfes reporte,
The authour telleth his authour, then take it in sporte.
7.   Painters. Glassiers103
The appearinge angell and starr upon Christes beirth
To sheapeardes poore, of base and lowe degree,
You painters and glasiors decke out with all meirth,
And see that Gloria in excelsis be songe merelye.
Fewe wordes in that pageante makes meirth truely,
For all that the alter had to stande uppon,109
Was glorye to God above, and peace one earth to man.
8.   Merchants vintners111
And you, worthy marchantes vintners, that nowe have plenty of wine,
Amplifye the storie of those wise kinges three,
That through Herodes lande and realme, by the starre that did shine,
Sought the sighte of the saviour that then borne shoulde bee.
9.   Worll. Mercers116
And you, worshippfull mercers, though costely and fyne,
Yee tryme up your cariage as custome ever was;
Yet in a stable was he borne, that mighty kinge devyne,
Poorely in a stable, betwixte an oxe and an asse.
10.   Goldsmiths121
You, gouldesmythes and masons, make comely shewe,
Howe Herode did rage at the retorne of those kinges,
And how he slewe the small tender male babes,
Beinge under two yeares of age.
11.   Smiths126
You, smythes, honest men and of honest arte,
Howe Christe amonge the docters in the temple did dispute,
To set out in playe comely yt shalbe your parte,
Get mynstrills to that shewe, pipe, tabarte, and flute.
12.   Buchers131
And nexte to this you, bowchers of this citie,
The storie of Sathan, that Christe woulde needes tempte,
Set out as accostamablie have yee,
The devill in his fethers all ragger and rente.
13.   Glovers136
The death of Lazarus and his riseinge againe,
You, of glovers the wholl occupation,
In pagente with players orderly, let yt not be paine
Finely to advaunce after the beste fashion.
14.   Corvisors141
The storye howe that to Jerusalem our Saviour toke the waye,
You, corvisors, that in nomber manye bee,
With your Jerusalem carriage shall set out in playe;
A commendable true storye and worthy memorye.
15.   Bakers146
And howe Christe, our Savyour, at his last super
Gave his bodye and his bloude for redemption of us all,
You, bakers, see that with the same wordes you utter,
As Christ hym selfe spake them, to be a memoriall
Of that death and passion which in playe ensue after shall.
The worste of these stories doe not fall to your parte;
Therefore, caste god looves abroade with a cheerfull harte.
16.   fflechers. Bowyers. Coopers. Stringers. Ironmongers
You, ffletchers, boweyers, cowpers, stringers, and iremongers,
See soberly ye make of Christes dolefull death,
His scourginge, his whippinge, his bloude shedde and passion,
And all the paines he suffered till the last of his breath:
Lordinges, in this storye consisteth our cheeffe ffayth.
17.   Cookes160
As our beleeffe is that Christe, after his passion,
Descended into hell, but what he did in that place,
Though our authour sett fourth after his opinion,
Yet creditt you the best learned, those doth he not disgrace:
We wishe that of all sortes the beste you ymbrace;
You, cookes, with your carriage see that you doe well
In pagente sett out the harrowinge of hell.
18.   Skinners168
The skynners before you after shall playe
The storye of the resurrection,
Howe Christe from death rose the thirde daye,
Not altered in many poyntes from the olde fashion.
19.   Sadlers. ffusterers173
The saddlers and ffusterers shoulde in theire pagent declare
The appearances of Christe his travayle to Emaus,
His often speach to the women and to his disciples deere,
To make his riseinge againe to all the worlde notorious.
20.   Taylours178
Then see that you, telers, with cariage decente
The storye of the Assention formablye doe frame,
Wherby that glory ous body in cloudes most orient
Is taken up to the heavens with perpetuall fame.
21.   ffishmongers183
This of the olde and newe Testament to ende all the storye
Which our aulter meaneth at this tyme to have in pleaye,
You, ffishemongers, to the peagent of the holy ghoste well see,
That in good order yt be donne, as hath bene all waye.
22.   Shermen188
And after those ended yt doth not the storye staye,
But by prophettes sheweth fourth howe Antichrist should rise;
Which you, shermen, sett out in moste comely wise.
23.   Diers. Hewsters192
And then you, diers and hewsters, Antechrist bringe out,
First with his docter that godlye maye expounde,
Who be Antechristes the worlde rounde aboute,
And Enocke and hely persons walkinge one grounde,
In partes set you well out the wicked to confounde;
Which beinge understanded Christes worde for to bee,
Confoundeth all Antechristes and sextes of that degree.
24.   Wavers200
The cominge of Christe to geve eternall judgement,
You, weavers, last of all your parte is for to playe;
Domesday we call yt, when the Omnipotente
Shall make ende of this worlde by sentence, I saye.
One his righte hande to stande God grante us that daye,
And to have that sweete worde in melodye,206
‘Come hether, come hether, venite benedicti
To which rest of wayes and selestiall habitation208
Grante us free passage, that all together wee,
Accompanied with angells and endlesse delectation,
Maye contynually laude God and prayse that kinge of glorye.

Amen, finis. Deo gracias. per me Georgium Bellin, 1600,




2023 Sep 26  11:45:55