1Y2 Charles Davidson — English Mystery Plays. 



and gives a more dramatic form than that of O, since in O the Third 

 Magus is silent. This is one point in evidence that O, if derived 

 from R, must be derived from an older form of R. The kiss of 

 peace is found in O alone. The Herod episodes in F and O show 

 such striking agreement in parts as to preclude the supposition of 

 absolutely independent construction ; still there are such transposi- 

 tions and developments of detail as render it equally incredible that 

 either was taken directly from the other. 



It would carry me too far from the direct course of this investiga- 

 tion to trace these developments to their sources, if, indeed, it 

 would prove possible with the material extant. It may be profitable 

 to state briefly the characteristics here presented, and leave it for 

 others to modify the statements through comparison with other plays. ^ 



1. The Herod play in F and in O is developed from a common 

 original. 



2. The Herod play was introduced to supersede the procession, 

 possibly because the play was taken out of the service in obedience 

 to some reforming impulse, and played, like the Orleans play, " ad 

 januas monasterii." 



3. Herod has already his conventional anger and brusqueness, but 

 not his later bombast. 



4. The son's part is defined in O, and the action of the scribes in 

 both F and O. 



5. F plainly points to the succeeding play of the Slaughter of the 

 Innocents, yet strangely enough puts into the mouth of the soldier 

 in " Discerne, domine," the words of the Interfectio Puerorum of the 

 Orleans MS. instead of those of the Ordo Rachelis, though the Ordo 

 Rachelis appears to belong to the same section as F. 



6. The King uses in all three plays, viz : F, Interfectio Puerorum, 

 and Ordo Rachelis, the much-mentioned Sallust tag, " Incendium 

 meum ruina extinguam." 



Many minor points of interest will be briefly indicated in the 

 notes accompanying the plaj^s. I cannot refrain, in passing, from 

 the remark that an investigation confined to the steps of develop- 

 ment and relationship among the early plays of the Christmas time 

 would probably yield rich results, if all the extant material were at 

 command. 



I Important agreements with F and O are shown by a play upon the same subject in 

 Carmina Bui-ana, Stuttgart, 1847 ; cp. Weinhold, p. 57. 



