the "auto sacramental" was always presented in the streets in connection with the celebration of the feast of corpus christi. it was preceded by a solemn procession through the principal streets of the city, the houses along the route being decorated in honor of the occasion. in the procession appeared the priests bearing the host under a splendid canopy, followed by a devout throng, in which, in madrid, often appeared the king and his court without distinction of rank, and last of all, in beautiful cars, came the actors from the public theatres who were to take part in the performance. the procession usually halted before the house of some dignitary while the priests performed certain religious ceremonies, the multitude kneeling meanwhile as if in church. at the conclusion of these, the auto was given. these performances, and the procession as well, were given with much splendor and at great expense, being limited only by the resources of the particular town in which they took place.