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 the principal character was Genus Humanum. This had been originally planned for the coronation on the previous 1 October, and as a warrant then issued states that a coronation play had customarily been given 'by the gentlemen of the chappell of our progenitoures', it may perhaps be inferred that Edward VI's coronation play of 'the story of Orpheus' on 22 February 1547 was also by the Gentlemen. In the meantime the regular series of Chapel plays at Court had been broken after 1512, and when it was taken up again in 1517 it was not by the Gentlemen, but by the Children. This is, of course, characteristic of the Renaissance. But an immediate cause is probably to be found in the personality of William Cornish, a talented and energetic Master of the Children, who succeeded William Newark in the autumn of 1509, and held office until his death in 1523. Cornish appears to have come of a musical family. He took part*