The San Francisco call., 1905-05-28

did. by Gods grace" he says, .ye
shall find William the Norman hath
swift hand to seize and a strong hand
to hold" Then he goes on to declare that
Sherborne is no longer a see, the church
no longer a cathedral and the town no
longer the chief city of Wessex. He
transfers the Bishopric to Sarum and
"exeunts'' attended by his knights on
horseback and followed by the Bishop.
whom he compels to trudge after him
afoot to his new billet.
FIRING OF THE ABBEY.
The next episode shows Roger Of
Caen, the chief minister of Henry /, lay
ing the foundations Of the castle whose
ruins supply the stage on which the folk
play is performed. The episode which
follows, the seventh. presents a striking
contrast to those which precede 1t and
is carried out in the Dorset dialect 1t
portrays a dispute between the parish
toner's and the monks which starts in q
controversy concerning the erection of q
font in the parish church, and ends with
the firing of the Abbey by the parish
Robin Hood, Maid Marian, Friar Tuck.
Little John and their retinue are intro
duced and give a morris dance. 1t will
be danced to the original tune, too.
| The foundation of the almshouse, still
a f1ourishing institution in Sherborne, by
Sir Humphry Stafford and others in the
year 1437 forms the subject of the eighth
episode. The ninth shows the expulsion
of the monks at the dissolution of the
monastery by King Henry and the sale
of the abbey church The next illustrates
the refounding Of the famous Sherborne
school and the receipt of its charter from
King Edward VI in 1850.
The last of the episodes introduces one
of the most heroic and tragic figures of
English history, Sir Walter Raleigh,
whose association with Sherborne is ac-
counted not the least Of its claims to dis
tinction. 1t depicts his homecoming with
his wife to the castle which had been
granted him by Queen Elizabeth. Sir
Walter makes some pretty and gallant
speeches to his wife, which puts her in
such good humor that she fills his pipe
for him and leaves him to the enjoyment
of the "yirginian weed" which he is
supposed to have first introduced into
England. Then occurs that humoruos in
cident with which every smoker IL fa-
miliar. A servant comes ins and imagin-
ing his master Is on fire souses him with
jug of ale.
WILL INTEREST VISITORS.
The performance will conclude with q
final tableau emblematic Of the present
and past greatness of Sherborne. in which
all the principal figures that have ap
peared in the previous pageants viii par
ticipate. Sherborne will be symbolized by
q stately female figure with long. loose
hair surmounted by castellated crown
and bearing in her right hand model OF
Sherborne Abbey. On her right hand will
stand another female figure typifying her
American daughter, who dropped the
final ..e' from her name when she set
tied in Massachusetts. She will wear
diadem of stars on her head; her left
hand will rest on the arms Of the State
of Massachusetts,, and in her right hand
she will bear model OF a caravel 1t
strikes one that a model Of the reform
atory for which the town is so famous
might be more appropriate. but that Is
an unimportant detail.
1t is hoped that the American Sher-
born will send delegation to the cele-
bration. The folk play will be given on
four consecutive days. beginning on June
u. Apart from that the quaint old town.
with its narrow streets and half-timbered
houses. and the neighborhood round
about will be full Of interest to American
visitors