THE CONTENTS OF THE PASSION-PLA Y 373 



watch by night, and the adoration of the shepherds. 1 

 Close upon their heels come the three Magi, who have 

 seen the star from Mbns Victorialis, and who narrate 

 the wonders that have brought them to Judea. 2 A 

 messenger announces their arrival and purpose to Herod, 

 who curses the messenger, but entertains the Magi, while 

 his wise men and astrologers are consulted. The three 

 kings then depart for Bethlehem, where, before the 

 Adoration, a curious incident is generally given. The 

 youngest king desires eagerly to be the first to salute 

 Jesus, and accordingly he becomes grey and aged, God 

 has listened to his prayer and transformed him into the 

 eldest. 3 In the Erlauer Play the eldest, Caspar, naively 

 takes off his grey beard and gives it to the youngest. 

 The angel Uriel warns the Magi that, to avoid the plots 

 of Herod and his wise men, who desire to know where 

 Christ is, they should go back ' by another way ' to their 

 places, an incident which occurs in the Church ritual. 

 We have then the Flight into Egypt, followed by the 

 Massacre of the Innocents. Comic or folk-elements are 

 introduced in Herod's messenger or fool, and again in 



1 We have already seen that the shepherds formed the subject of an Advent 

 scenic ritual ; we have noted the ' solemnis ad praesepe retro altare praeparatum 

 processio ' at Rouen (see pp. 290 et seq. ) ; and other rituals will be found in Martene, 

 Liber iv. cap. 10. to cap. 12. (De adventu Domini, De vigilia natalis Domini and 

 Defesto natalis Domini}. 



2 To the Three Kings plays I have already mentioned may be added the 

 Oblacio Magorum, Touniley Mysteries, p. 120, and Le Jeu des trois Roys, Jubinal, 

 Mysteres inedits, vol. ii. p. 84. In the Egerer Play the three kings mount three 

 hills to see the wonderful star which contains the mother and 1 child (11. 1738, 

 1779, 1819, 1905). Hans Memling, in his Seven Joys of the Virgin (Munich, 

 Pinakothek, No. 655), has painted the three kings kneeling on three mountain- 

 tops and looking for the miraculous star. See also Wright, Chester Plays, pp. 

 276, 284. 



3 This ancient legendary feature has been preserved in the modern peasant- 

 plays (see E, p. 183 footnote and text). 



