Reference to the quotation from the _Wakefield Play_ will discover in
the north country author an even greater propensity to rhyme.

There remains to be discussed the method of production of these plays.
Fortunately we have records to guide us in our suppositions. These date
from the time when the complete Miracle Play was a fully established
annual institution. It is of that period that we shall speak.

Plays had from the first been under official management. When,
therefore, the Church surrendered control it was only natural that
secular officialdom should extend its protection and guidance. Local
corporations, recognizing the commercial advantages of an attraction
which could annually draw crowds of country customers into the towns,
made themselves responsible for the production of the plays. While
delegating all the hard work to the trade guilds, as being the chief
gainers from the invasion, they maintained central control, authorizing
the text of the play, distributing the scenes amongst those responsible
for their presentation, and visiting any slackness with proper pains and
penalties. Under able public management Miracle Plays soon became a
yearly affair in every English town.

When the time came round for the festival to be held--Corpus Christi Day
being a general favourite, though Whitsuntide also had its adherents,
and for some Easter was apparently not too cold--the manuscript of the
play was brought forth from the archives, the probable cost and
difficulties of each scene were considered, the strength or poverty of
the various guilds was carefully weighed, and finally as just an
allocation was made as circumstances would permit. If two guilds were
very poor they were allowed to share the production of one scene. If a