There’s snow outside and I am sitting at my comfy desk, in my comfy room researching medieval ‘theatre’ – such as it was – when I stumble upon an inventory for a performance during the reign of Edward III. I cannot leave my gilded cage to look at the original record and view the reference in context, so all I can do is present the items in the inventory as I have found them. Some of you might be able to provide further information about the following before I can:
‘Mr. Warton has quoted the account from the Wardrobe rolls of 1348, v. 2. p. 71-2. These state, that in these *Ludi were expended 80 tunics of buckram of various colours; 14 vizors of female faces; 14 of men with beards; and 14 of heads of angels, made with silver; 28 crests; 14 mantles, embroidered with heads of dragons; 14 white tunics, wrought with heads and wings of peacocks; 14 heads of swans with wings; 14 tunics painted with peacocks’ eyes; 14 tunics of painted English linen, end others embroidered with stars of gold and silver. Warton, v. 2. p. 7.’
The inventory is from a footnote in a book entitled, ‘The History of England: The history of England: middle ages. In five volumes …‘ By Sharon Turner and the keywords I used on Google were ‘St Catherine Dunstable 1110′; unfortunately the book told me very little about the earliest known performance of a play in England, but I was introduced to ’14 vizors of female faces’ and at least that has got me thinking. I am dying to find out more.
*OED – Scenic games = Latin ludi scenici (dramatic entertainments, as distinguished from athletic sports).
MJ Holman @mishjholman
