Ancient Mysteries Described,: Especially the English Miracle Plays, Founded on Apocryphal New Testament Story, Extant Among the Unpublished Manuscripts in the British Museum; Including Notices of Ecclesiastical Shows, the Festivals of Fools and Asses, the English Boy-bishop, the Descent Into Hell, the Lord Mayor's Show, the Guildhall Giants, Christmas Carols, &c

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William Hone, 45, Ludgate Hill. By J. M'Creery, Tooks Court., 1823 - English drama - 300 pages

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Page 160 - English, determined upon, viz., that the temples of the idols in that nation ought not to be destroyed; but let the idols that are in them be destroyed; let holy water be made and sprinkled in the said temples, let altars be erected, and relics placed. For if those temples are well built, it is requisite that they be converted from the worship of devils to the service of the true God...
Page 134 - Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
Page 93 - This night shall be born Our Heavenly King ; " He neither shall be born In housen nor in hall, Nor in the place of Paradise, But in an ox's stall ; " He neither shall be clothed In purple nor in pall, But all in fair linen As were babies all. " He neither shall be rocked In silver nor in gold, But in a wooden cradle That rocks on the mould. " He neither shall be christened In white wine nor red, But with fair spring water With which we were christened.
Page 284 - But far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Page 69 - Then a bright cloud over-shadowed the cave, and the mid-wife said, This day my soul is magnified, for mine eyes have seen surprising things, and salvation is brought forth to Israel.
Page 158 - Theophylact introduced the practice, which prevails even to this day, of scandalizing God, and the memory of his saints, on the most splendid and popular festivals, by indecent and ridiculous songs, and enormous shoutings, even in the midst of those sacred hymns which we ought to offer to the divine grace with compunction of heart, for the salvation of our souls.
Page 43 - And he shall be called the Son of the Highest ; for he who is born in a mean state on earth, reigns in an exalted one in heaven.
Page v - They began first at the Abbey gates, and when the first pageant was played it was wheeled to the high cross before the mayor, and so to every street; and so every street had a pageant playing before them at one time, till all the pageants for the day appointed were played...
Page 206 - to prohibit some unexpert people from presenting the history of the Old Testament, to the great prejudice of the said clergy, who have been at great expense in order to represent it publicly at Christmas.
Page 230 - Flood; also several fountains playing water during the time of the play. The last scene does present Noah and his family coming out of the ark, with all the beasts two by two, and all the fowls of the air seen in a prospect sitting upon trees; likewise over the ark is seen the sun rising in a glorious manner; moreover a multitude of angels will be seen in a double rank, which presents a double prospect, one for the sun the other for a palace, where will be seen six angels ringing of bells.

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