The Truro cordwainers' play: a "new" eighteenth-century Christmas play - Research article: focus on traditional drama

[3] The sheets were folded in half for writing. This is evidenced by the word "sum" [sic] in speech number five that appears in the top right of its sheet. Because the rough corner of the deckle edge is incomplete, the "m" was written on the sheet below, which in this case is the sheet with unnumbered speeches. When working on the latter sheet, the scribe evidently felt that the "m" was an error or blemish and crossed it out. However, with the sheet folded, the original word can still be clearly recognised.

[4] The paper has laid markings, with watermarks in the centre of each half of the folded sheet. The main watermark is a crowned insignia showing Britannia seated above a crossed shield, holding out an olive branch in one hand and with a trident or spear inclined over her other arm. She sits within an inner circle 2 and 1/4 inches in diameter, and an outer double circle 3 and 3/16 inches in diameter. The space between the circles is void, apart from the letter "H" above Britannia's head. The crown resting on the top of the circular badge is 1 and 1/8 inches tall, including the cross, and about 1 and 3/4 inches wide. The countermark is a smaller circle 1 and 1/2 inches in diameter, containing either a decoration or an emblem. Its nature is not totally clear. It may be the flower head of an iris or flag. Alternatively, it may be inverted relative to the figure of Britannia, in which case it could be a representation of three feathers, or possibly a fleur-de-lys. If it does show three feathers, they could represent George IV when he was Prince of Wales (born 1762) and/or Prince Regent (from 1811 to 1820).

[5] Three Cornish sources refer to age of the performers. First, Fortescue Hitchins and Samuel Drew wrote in 1824: "... the practice of these dramatic exhibitions is almost wholly confined to children, or very young persons" (Hitchins and Drew 1824, 1:718). Second, soon afterwards, "J. S. jun" referred to the actors of an unlocated Cornish play as "boys" and "urchins" in a florid letter written to William Hone for his Every-Day Book (Hone 1826, 2:74-5). Third, William Sandys, writing in 1833, stated that in the West of Cornwall the plays were performed "only by persons of the lower order, chiefly young persons ..." (Sandys 1833, cx). It is also worth noting that a small loose leaf at the very end of the Enys Memoranda (n.d.) has the following quotation from Polsue's volume of Parochial Records of Cornwall, which relates to Penryn: "Christmas plays have been continued in this town from time immemorial; but the performance of these dramatic representations are now almost wholly confined to very young persons and boys" (Polsue 1868, 2:92). The wording of the latter half of this sentence seems to paraphrase the wording in Hitchins and Drew.

[6] The family names do not feature as property owners or occupiers in a book on Kenwyn Churchtown and vicinity (Palmer 1996), which suggests that they lived elsewhere in Kenwyn parish, most probably in the built-up area abutting the Borough of Truro.