The Story of Coventry
Henry VI.
from the painting in the National Portrait Gallery.
The Story of Coventry
by Mary Dormer Harris
Illustrated by Albert Chanler
London: J.M. Dent & Sons, Ltd.
Aldine House Bedford Street
Covent Garden W.C. 1911
All rights reserved
AD MATREM
PREFACE
In preparing this volume for the press I have omitted some of thematter in Life in an Old English Town, which did not seem suitablefor this series, and added fresh material likely to be useful tothose who wished to identify the historic sites, and see the historicbuildings of Coventry. In expanding Chapter XV. in so far as it dealtwith the Corpus Christi plays—a task the labours of Dr Hardin Craighave rendered comparatively light—I have been able to add one hithertounpublished item to the subject of the mediæval dramatic history ofCoventry (p. 296), and dispel the idea that the name "S. Crytyan"given to a play acted in 1505 is a misreading for S. Catherine. Forpermission to publish this item I am indebted to the kindness of MrWilliam Page, F.S.A., editor of the Victoria County History. Anotherpoint remotely bearing upon the pageants is the chronology of royalvisits to Coventry (p. 288), which I have endeavoured to clear up asfar as I could, Sharp's Dissertation on the Coventry Mysteries, theusual guide in these matters, being extremely faulty in this respecton account of the confusion which prevails in the MS. annals ormayor-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) inconnection with the entry concerning Prince Henry's supposed arrestby Mayor Hornby, a matter which, in view of the Shakespearean interestinvolved, is more fully treated of here than in my previous book.
My thanks are due to Mr J. Munro and the Early English Text Societyfor the kind permission to print extracts from Dr Craig's Two CorpusChristi Plays and from my own edition of the Leet Book. To MrGeorge Sutton, Town Clerk of Coventry, and all the unfailing courteousofficials with whom I so constantly came in contact during my work, Imust (not for the first time) express my gratitude. My obligations toMessrs Longmans and the Society of Antiquaries for permission to printportions of Chapters XII. and XIII. respectively have been acknowledgedin my previous work.
MARY DORMER HARRIS
Leamington, Aug. 7, 1911.
CONTENTS
| INTRODUCTION | |
| The Three Spires and Coventry | 1 |
| CHAPTER I | |