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PREFACE. ili
prefent. 'TIs true, the Myjieries o( Re/igio?? were foon af-
ter this Period made very i'ree with all QvevF?.i/ojji:, being
reprefented in fo llupid and ridiculous a nunner, that
the Stories of the Ne^ T.tjiumint in particular, were
thought to encourage Libertinifm and Infideiity. In all
Probability therefore the Adors iaft mentioned were of
that Species called M»z^wfr/ J thefe were wont to flroll
about the Country drefs'd in an antick Manner, danc-
ing, mimicking, and (hewing Poftures, This Cuflom
is ftill continued in many Parts of £k^/^W; but it was
formerly fo general, and drew the common People fa
much from their Bufmefs, that it was. deemed a very
pernicious Cuftom : And as thefe Mummers always,
went mafked and difguifed, they but too frequently
encouraged themfelves to commit violent Outrages, and
were guilty of many lewd Diforders. However, as bad
as they were, they feem ta be the true original Comedi-
ans q{ England; and theirExcellence altogether confifted,
a-s that of their Succeflbrs does in part flill, in Miniitk-
ry and Humour.
In an hdi of Parliament made the 4th Year o{ Henry
IV. mention is made of certain Wajiors, Mafur-Ri--
msursf Minftrels, and other Vagabonds, who infefted
the Land of I'Fales ; And it is enacted, that no Mailer-
. Rimour, Minilrel, or other Vagabond^ he in any ixnfe^
fujiained in the Land of Wales, to make Commoiths or
Gatherings upon the People there. What thefe Mafter-Rl-'
mours were, which were fo troublefome vsxWaks in parti-
cular, we cannot tell ; poffibly they might be the degene«
rate Deicendants of the antient Bards. It is alfo difficult
to determine what is meant by their m.aking Ccmmoiihs.
The Wordfigniftes, h\ Welch, any Diflridi, or Pait of
a Hundred or Cantred, containing about one Half of
it ; that is, 50 Villages j and might pofBbiy be made^
Ufe of by thefe Majler-Rimours when they had fixed
upon a Place to aft in, and gave Intimation thereof
for ten or twelve Miles round, . which is a Circuit-
that will take in about 50 Villages. And that this
was commonly done, appears from G./yw's Survey
aiCorti^^all, which was wrote in Queen Elizabeth''^
A ^ tima»