In her book London Civic Theatre, Anne Lancashire explains that the Midsummer Watch was "The largest and most important annual or near-annual civic spectacle in London, in the first part of the sixteenth century". (153) She continues to say that the Watch had grown into an extravagant procession that included "men in armour, musicians, cresset-bearers, giants, wildmen, morris dancers, swordsmen, and a varying number of 'pageants,' i.e., of wood and canvas constructions, carried through the streets by porters, depicting characters and events largely from the Bible, much less frequently from English history, and from classical mythology and allegory". (Lancashire Civic 153) The Watch was a near-epic display of all things rich and luxurious, with a hint of religious fervour.
In City and Spectacle in Medieval Europe, Sheila Lindenbaum argues that the primary function of the Watch was not "'Ceremony and the Citizen,' with its associations of social wholeness and democracy," but rather that it was a celebration of "Ceremony and Oligarchy". (172) Although the Midsummer Watch could be seen as a celebration of the city of London, it seems that its primary function is to demonstrate the power of the mayor and the Twelve Great Companies. Lancashire echoes this thought, saying, "Pageant display in the annual Midsummer Watch was both a responsibility and an opportunity for the companies: a responsibility to the civic government and to the city at large; an opportunity for formal display of individual company power and prestige through elaborate public spectacle". (Lancashire Civic 153) The livery companies of London had to produce in order to gain the loyalty and respect of the citizens of the city.
The Midsummer Watch began simply as a watch, a surveillance of the inhabitants of London. The procession through the streets allowed the mayor's men to oversee the city and the stationary watches that went along with the procession (i.e. at pageant stations) gave the men the ability to supervise particular neighbourhoods. Lindenbaum explains that "the Midsummer Watch was closely akin to the extensive emergency watches ordered by the mayor when the city was threatened by foreign invaders, rebels, or rioters from within the walls." (174) The Midsummer Watch subliminally solidified the mayor's role as the authority of the city.
There had to be more to the Midsummer Watch than simply a means to oversee the people of London. Lancashire explains that there is very little information about the rise and fall of the Midsummer Watch. By the 1470s there were two different types of watches: the "regular watch" and a "greater watch". (Lancashire Civic 155) The greater watch involved more spectacle and display and gradually became more elaborate, edging on the point of decadence. The Midsummer Watch also increasingly used pageantry and eventually included stationary pageants as well as the processional ones. Lancashire says of the pageants that they "cannot have all been large wood and canvas constructions, some must have been simply elaborate banners or images". (Lancashire Civic 156) It is easy to imagine the reasons for the popularity of the Midsummer Watch amongst the citizens of London. Twelve large livery companies trying to out-do each other. A lavish procession that takes over the city. It was perhaps a welcome distraction from every day life. The Midsummer Watch provided an opportunity to honour both the city and the King, to show devotion to Christ and to prove loyalty to the mayor.
Lancashire's next question then is "When did London's Midsummer Watch end, and why?" (Lancashire Civic 157) There are two distinct theories regarding the end of the Midsummer Watch: Henry VIII shut it down himself or the city did for religious reasons or that it was snuffed out in favour of another public display for financial gain. (160) Or it could have been a combination of these two. Lancashire explains that "These theories are partly grounded in historical facts. The early 1530s did indeed bring the Reformation - with its growing hostility towards images and saints - to England; the Midsummer Watch, with portable pageants on religious subject matter including saints, traditionally took place on the eves to mornings of major saints' festivals; Henry VIII did indeed, as Stow tells us, cancel the Watch in 1539; and a 'pageant,' provided by a livery company, is first recorded as carried in a mayoral 29 October swearing-in procession (the Lord Mayor's Show, as theatre historians call it from this date) in 1535 and again in 1540." (Lancashire Civic 160) Lancashire, however, does not believe that these facts reveal the truth about the end of the Midsummer Watch. Although there was a religious overtone to the Watch, the foundation of the procession was not based in the church. So, the subject matter of the pageants could have changed with the coming of the Reformation. The cancellation of the Watch in 1539 was "as least ostensible not for religious reasons but for financial ones". (Lancashire Civic 161) The beginning of the Lord Mayor's Shows did not necessarily require the end of the Midsummer Watch. Lancashire concludes that "Whatever the full slate of reasons, however, it appears that wars and money, perhaps together with concerns about potential disorders attendant upon the king's military activities in the 1540s - and not the Reformation or oligarchic manipulation - were the major factors in the civic-pageant Watch's 1540s demise". (Lancashire Civic 170) Civil and religious unrest throughout the country could have caused the end of the Midsummer Watch, but unless new material is uncovered, this question may never truly be answered.
In City and Spectacle in Medieval Europe, Sheila Lindenbaum argues that the primary function of the Watch was not "'Ceremony and the Citizen,' with its associations of social wholeness and democracy," but rather that it was a celebration of "Ceremony and Oligarchy". (172) Although the Midsummer Watch could be seen as a celebration of the city of London, it seems that its primary function is to demonstrate the power of the mayor and the Twelve Great Companies. Lancashire echoes this thought, saying, "Pageant display in the annual Midsummer Watch was both a responsibility and an opportunity for the companies: a responsibility to the civic government and to the city at large; an opportunity for formal display of individual company power and prestige through elaborate public spectacle". (Lancashire Civic 153) The livery companies of London had to produce in order to gain the loyalty and respect of the citizens of the city.
The Midsummer Watch began simply as a watch, a surveillance of the inhabitants of London. The procession through the streets allowed the mayor's men to oversee the city and the stationary watches that went along with the procession (i.e. at pageant stations) gave the men the ability to supervise particular neighbourhoods. Lindenbaum explains that "the Midsummer Watch was closely akin to the extensive emergency watches ordered by the mayor when the city was threatened by foreign invaders, rebels, or rioters from within the walls." (174) The Midsummer Watch subliminally solidified the mayor's role as the authority of the city.
There had to be more to the Midsummer Watch than simply a means to oversee the people of London. Lancashire explains that there is very little information about the rise and fall of the Midsummer Watch. By the 1470s there were two different types of watches: the "regular watch" and a "greater watch". (Lancashire Civic 155) The greater watch involved more spectacle and display and gradually became more elaborate, edging on the point of decadence. The Midsummer Watch also increasingly used pageantry and eventually included stationary pageants as well as the processional ones. Lancashire says of the pageants that they "cannot have all been large wood and canvas constructions, some must have been simply elaborate banners or images". (Lancashire Civic 156) It is easy to imagine the reasons for the popularity of the Midsummer Watch amongst the citizens of London. Twelve large livery companies trying to out-do each other. A lavish procession that takes over the city. It was perhaps a welcome distraction from every day life. The Midsummer Watch provided an opportunity to honour both the city and the King, to show devotion to Christ and to prove loyalty to the mayor.
Lancashire's next question then is "When did London's Midsummer Watch end, and why?" (Lancashire Civic 157) There are two distinct theories regarding the end of the Midsummer Watch: Henry VIII shut it down himself or the city did for religious reasons or that it was snuffed out in favour of another public display for financial gain. (160) Or it could have been a combination of these two. Lancashire explains that "These theories are partly grounded in historical facts. The early 1530s did indeed bring the Reformation - with its growing hostility towards images and saints - to England; the Midsummer Watch, with portable pageants on religious subject matter including saints, traditionally took place on the eves to mornings of major saints' festivals; Henry VIII did indeed, as Stow tells us, cancel the Watch in 1539; and a 'pageant,' provided by a livery company, is first recorded as carried in a mayoral 29 October swearing-in procession (the Lord Mayor's Show, as theatre historians call it from this date) in 1535 and again in 1540." (Lancashire Civic 160) Lancashire, however, does not believe that these facts reveal the truth about the end of the Midsummer Watch. Although there was a religious overtone to the Watch, the foundation of the procession was not based in the church. So, the subject matter of the pageants could have changed with the coming of the Reformation. The cancellation of the Watch in 1539 was "as least ostensible not for religious reasons but for financial ones". (Lancashire Civic 161) The beginning of the Lord Mayor's Shows did not necessarily require the end of the Midsummer Watch. Lancashire concludes that "Whatever the full slate of reasons, however, it appears that wars and money, perhaps together with concerns about potential disorders attendant upon the king's military activities in the 1540s - and not the Reformation or oligarchic manipulation - were the major factors in the civic-pageant Watch's 1540s demise". (Lancashire Civic 170) Civil and religious unrest throughout the country could have caused the end of the Midsummer Watch, but unless new material is uncovered, this question may never truly be answered.
John Stow's 1598 Survey of the City of London with mention of the Midsummer Watch
(it is a large document, hence why it is available for download in order to view)
stow_john_survay.pdf | |
File Size: | 68334 kb |
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