Masefield did write a very large number of dramatical pieces, many of them were produced by other theatre groups. Most of his dramas were based on themes of Christianity, and in 1928, his "The Coming of Christ" was the first play to be performed in an English Cathedral (This play was in fact performed in Canterbury Cathedral) since the middle ages. Although a great deal of Masefield's works did seem to have a spiritual theme, it is doubtful that he himself accepted orthodox Christian doctrine as taught by the Church of England, the denomination he grew up in as a boy.

The Office of Poet Laureate officially was instituted in the early part of the 17^th century. The duties of one appointed to the official King�s court poet were to compose verse in honor of the King�s birthday and then on other state occasions. The payment for this was to be 200 Pounds per year, along with a Butt of Sack. Chaucer, Skelton, and Spenser have been called poet laureates, however it is more correct to use the title Versificator Regis, which was an occasional post prior to Ben Jonson�s appointment as the first official Poet Laureate in 1619. There was an ancient custom of presenting a laurel wreath to university graduates of rhetoric and poetry, hence the name of the office. The office was held by such notables as Wordsworth, Tennyson and Robert Southey.