THE PERFORMERS IN THE PASSION-PLAY 367 



in more than one scene. In the Frankfurt Play of 1498, 

 Christ was played by no less than five different actors. 

 Perhaps on this account, perhaps because each guild liked 

 to emphasise the size and magnificence of its pageant, we 

 find the number of actors immensely increased. The 

 sixteenth-century stage-direction, " as many angels as 

 possible," was amply fulfilled. 1 In Krliger's passion-play 

 we find 46 needful parts ; the Alsfelder play requires 

 more than 100 actors; the Frankfurter play of 1498 

 some 265, while a Luzern play of 1597 demands upwards 

 of 300 actors. 2 With such numbers it is clear that, if 

 the play was not processional, the stage must be very 

 large ; the more so as the actors having taken up 

 their proper positions upon it, in most cases never 

 left it during the day's performance. 3 The Virgin Mary, 

 having gone through her lamentations at the foot of 

 the cross, must return to her allotted place and cease 

 to lament. Pilate, having given his judgment, must 

 sit still in his house while the cross was borne to the 

 Calvary. 



The expenses in the case of such a multitude of actors 

 must have been considerable. But it may be doubted 

 whether the actors in Germany received any other pay 

 than a good meal. On the other hand, in England we 

 find pretty full records of the payments to the actors in 

 the Coventry Mysteries (see Marriott, English Miracle- 

 Plays, 1838) about 1500. Thus we note Imprimis to 



1 See H, vol. ii. p. 9. 



2 See S, vol. iii. p. 133 ; H, vol. ii. p. 9 ; L, vol. ii. p. 244 ; and compare 

 Jubinal, Mysteres intdits, vol. i. p. 48 (200 actors). 



3 E, p. 1 (opening stage-directions). This arrangement is very obvious in 

 the Frankfurter Spiel (S, p. 138) ; thus we read : Jhcsus surgat a loco suo, and 

 again (p. 141), Jhesus quoque recipiat se in loco donee ordo eum iterum tangat. 



