the peace attempted in some shires to put them down on various
occasions.[263] More effective, perhaps, in doing away with them was
the gradual growth of Puritanism.

In conclusion it should be remarked that church-ales seem to have
obtained only in Central and Southern England. The huge and thinly
populated parishes of the North did not favor the development of an
institution so essentially social in its character.

_Church Plays, Games_ and _Dances_ were allied in a measure with
church-ales, partly because they were sometimes held concurrently with
them, partly because they served as a substitute for the ales when
these fell into disrepute. Miracle plays and other pageants were given
by certain parishes from time to time, too frequently in the churches
themselves, in which case the wrath of the ordinary was called down
upon the parish if he heard of them.[264] Some parishes kept various
costumes and stage properties, which were hired out to other parishes
when not in use.[265] May games, Robin Hood plays or bowers, Hocktide
sports and forfeits, morris-dances and children's dances were all
turned to the profit of the church, collections being taken up at
them.[266] Morris coats, caps, bells and feathers were frequently
loaned out for a consideration by wardens to other parishes.[267]

_Church-house_. Here were the brewing kettles and the spits, and here
was stored church grain or malt for beer making.[268] Here, too,
presumably, the pewter ale pots, trenchers, spoons, etc., which figure
in the accounts, were kept. These were hired out to other parishes for
their ales.[269] While ale was brewed and drunk in the church-house
for the benefit of the parish, and that apparently on other occasions
than church-ales, it does not seem probable that the place was often