380 THE GERMAN PASSION-PLA Y 



appear bearing a cup or cross, 1 sometimes a series of 

 angels pass by bearing the symbols of the passion. 2 

 The actor who performs the Salvator is to remain 

 stretched on the ground crosswise, " a good paternoster 

 long." 3 On the arrival of Judas, we have the kiss of 

 betrayal, to distinguish Jesus from the disciple James, 

 who is very like him in figure. 4 Then follows the 

 thrice-repeated question of Jesus, and the thrice-repeated 

 falling upon their backs of the soldiers ; this is to illus- 

 trate the voluntary character of the sacrifice. We have 

 next the valiant deed of Peter ; Malchus on recovering 

 his ear only bids the crowd look at the magician, the 

 juggler who has restored it to him, and then, as we have 

 before noticed, becomes the leader of the gang of ruffians 

 who are represented with the utmost extravagance as 

 striking, hustling, and scoffing the bound prophet of 

 Galilee. In such fashion ' the Jews ' corizando et 

 cantando canticum aliquod (as* Jesus the deceiver') 

 lead off their Christ to Annas. 5 



While a considerable amount of horse-play is being 

 practised on the prisoner, the denial of Peter takes 

 place. The mediaeval conception of Peter the heavenly 

 gate-keeper was not very complimentary, and he is 

 occasionally treated in folk -tale and Mdrchen with the 



1 Always in the pictures and woodcuts. See F, p. 157 ; B, vol. ii. p. 263 ; 

 K, p. 36 ; and D, p. 23. Further note La Passion de nostre Seigneur in Jubinal, 

 Mysteres inddits, p. 183 ; Townley Mysteries, p. 184, where the Trinity (sic!) 

 comforts Jesus ; and Coventry Mysteries, p. 282. 



2 This conception was revived in the Brixlegg play. In a woodcut of the 

 Hortulus Animae (High German version, Dillingen, 1560) the angel bears a cross 

 (folio 198 reverso), while in the Schatzbehalter (Figure 52) a cross placed in a cup 

 appears on the top of the rock. 3 See B, vol. ii. p. 265. 



4 Compare Ludus de ascensione Domini (ed. Pichler, p. 9) with C, p. 102. 



5 See C, p. 109. 



