Ancient Mysteries DescribedBefore theater was standard entertainment, before it was even legal in some countries, there were liturgical plays performed both inside and outside churches to dramatize the stories of the New Testament. These plays developed from lavish church ceremonies and became yearly events, being performed at the appropriate time during the ecclesiastical year. In Ancient Mysteries Described, William Hone reprints and annotates plays that were developed as additions to the liturgical plays, telling stories beyond the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ. Some of these plays include the early life of Mary and God's conversation with himself over incarnating as Jesus. English satirist and free-speech pioneer WILLIAM HONE (1780-1842) was brought up on charges for his political satires exposing the excesses of royalty and clergy, but was acquitted on all counts. He is remembered for The Political House That Jack Built (1819) and Apocryphal New Testament (1820). |
Contents
| 12 | |
The Miraculous Birth and the Midwives | 67 |
Illustrations and Additions | 73 |
The Brethren of the Holy Trinity of St Botolph | 87 |
Engravings of Apocryphal New Testament Subjects | 107 |
The Descent into Hell | 120 |
Hearnes Print of the Descent into Hell | 138 |
Origin of MysteriesFeast of FoolsFeast of | 163 |
The Boy BishopEnglish Mysteries | 193 |
Pageants | 232 |
Addenda | 277 |
Glossary | 289 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Adam and Eve altar ancient angels Anne Apoc appears arougt blessed body Boy Bishop called ceremony child Christ Christians Christmas Carols church chylde clene clergy Clusium Coventry dæmon dede descent devil England engraving evyr exhibited father feast festival ffor gate giants goddys Gogmagog gold Golden Legend Gospel of Nicodemus Gregory Nazianzen gret Guildhall hand hath haue Hearne's heaven hell Henry VIII Hist Holy Ghost honour ISSACHAR Jesus Joachim Joseph king Lady levyn London Lord Mayor Lord Mayor's Show manner mayd mercy modyr Moses Mysteries nevyr pageants Paris Passages paralleled performed persons play Pope pray prayers present priest printed procession queen religious representation represented ryght saints Satan says schal sche scripture seyd shal shew shulde singing solemn soul sung temple Testament thee ther thou tion Trinity Virgin Mary Warton wolde wole words wyff
Popular passages
Page vi - ... heare and see them. The places where they played them was in every streete. They begane first at the Abay gates, and when the first pagiante was played, it was wheeled to the highe crosse before the Mayor, and so to every streete...