Chapter XV

. in so far as it dealt with the Corpus Christi plays--a task the labours of Dr Hardin Craig have rendered comparatively light--I have been able to add one hitherto unpublished item to the subject of the mediæval dramatic history of Coventry (p. 296), and dispel the idea that the name "S. Crytyan" given to a play acted in 1505 is a misreading for S. Catherine. For permission to publish this item I am indebted to the kindness of Mr William Page, F.S.A., editor of the _Victoria County History_. Another point remotely bearing upon the pageants is the chronology of royal visits to Coventry (p. 288), which I have endeavoured to clear up as far as I could, Sharp's _Dissertation on the Coventry Mysteries_, the usual guide in these matters, being extremely faulty in this respect on account of the confusion which prevails in the MS. annals or mayor-lists, on which he depended for dates. Of these extant lists, both in print and in MS., I have given a detailed account (p. 106) in connection with the entry concerning Prince Henry's supposed arrest by Mayor Hornby, a matter which, in view of the Shakespearean interest involved, is more fully treated of here than in my previous book.

My thanks are due to Mr J. Munro and the Early English Text Society for the kind permission to print extracts from Dr Craig's _Two Corpus Christi Plays_ and from my own edition of the _Leet Book_. To Mr George Sutton, Town Clerk of Coventry, and all the unfailing courteous officials with whom I so constantly came in contact during my work, I must (not for the first time) express my gratitude. My obligations to Messrs Longmans and the Society of Antiquaries for permission to print portions of Chapters XII. and XIII. respectively have been acknowledged in my previous work.

MARY DORMER HARRIS

Leamington, _Aug. 7, 1911_.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION PAGE

_The Three Spires and Coventry_ 1

## CHAPTER I _Leofric and Godiva_ 14

## CHAPTER II _The Benedictine Monastery_ 24

## CHAPTER III _The Chester Lordship_ 37

## CHAPTER IV _Beginnings of Municipal Government_ 45

## CHAPTER V _Prior's-half and Earl's-half_ 56

## CHAPTER VI _The Seigniory of the Prior and Queen Isabella_ 66

## CHAPTER VII _The Corporation and the Guilds_ 73

## CHAPTER VIII _The Mayor, Bailiffs, and Community_ 84

## CHAPTER IX _Coventry and the Kingdom of England_ 95

## CHAPTER X _The Red and White Rose_ 112

## CHAPTER XI _The Last Struggle of York and Lancaster--the Tudors and Stuarts_ 135

## CHAPTER XII _The Lammas Lands_ 169

## CHAPTER XIII _The Companies of the Crafts_ 212

## CHAPTER XIV _Daily Life in the Town--the Merchants and the Market_ 233

## CHAPTER XV _Daily Life in the Town (continued)--Religion and Amusements of the Townsfolk_ 269

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