192 Charles Davidson — English Mystery Plays. 



The traveling students approach, converse, enter, dine, and go to sleep. Their death 

 is planned and in some way, probably by dumb show, represented. St. Nicholas applies 

 for admission, enters, in dining- brings conviction to Senex bj' his words, prays that the 

 students may be restored to life, and students and all join in the closing- ' Te Deum 

 laudamus.'i 



In the ' Qnartum Miraculum Sancti Nicholai,' of the same MS.,' 

 the stations have grown to three. On one side Rex Marmorinus sits 

 enthroned, with armed guards ; on the other side Rex Getron with 

 Avife, son, and attendants ; in the centre stands the church of St. 

 Nicholas. The action is carried on principally by messengers, is 

 brief, and illustrates the use of fixed stations. 



The attendants salute Rex Marmorinus : " Salve, princeps, salve, rex optime I" The 

 king orders them to go forth, subjugate the world, and slaj' those resisting them. 



Getron with wife, son, and priests goes to the church as to some church festival. At 

 the sight of the guards of Marmorinus, who are carrying out their lord's mandates by 

 an advance upon the church, Getron flees, leaving the boy behind, who is led in triumph 

 by the soldiers to their king, to whom they announce : " Quod jussisti, rex bone, feci- 

 mus." 



The king ascribes praise to Apollo and inquires of the boy his parentage. This ques- 

 tion gives occasion for six quatrains, rhyming in couplets, in which the king affirms: 

 "Deus meus Apollo Deus est," and the boj' stoutly maintains : " Deus tuus mendax et 

 mains est." 



Meanwhile, Getron's wife, discovering her loss, returns to the church in search for 

 her son, and now bursts forth into lamentations. Her attendants seek to comfort her, 

 and she prays to Nicholas for the return of her son : 



NicholEe, pater sanctissime, 



:}; :H ♦ * * 5JJ 



Fac ut meus redeat Alius, 



It seems that she then returns home, although the stage direction is lacking, and her 

 husband in four quatrains, rhyming in couplets, advises dependence upon Nicholas. 

 They then arise, go to the church, and she again prays to St. Nicholas. Afterwards 

 they return home, and the table is spread with bread and wine, of which the clergy and 

 beggars partake,— possibly a hint to the lookers-on of the proper treatment of the stu- 

 dent actors. 



About this time. Rex Marmorinus decides that he is hungry, and calls for food, which 

 his attendants bring. Water also is brought ; the king washes his hands, and eats. 

 He is thirsty, and bids the son of Getron bring wine. The boy sighs heavily, the king 

 demands the cause, and emphasizes the impossibility of rescue. Incidentallj', the boy 

 states that he has been prisoner a year. Now enters *■' aliquis in similitudine Nicholai," 

 and leads the boy out of the king's house. This, in spite of the attention centered upon 

 the boj', no one discovers ! 



A citizen of Getron's dominions, who for unexplained reasons is in hostile territory, 

 asks the lad's name, and runs to Getron with the news : 



Gaude, Getron, nee fleas amplius; 

 Extra fores stat tuus Alius. 

 Nicholai laudat magnalia, 

 Cujus eum reduxit gratia. 



The mother hurries to her son, kisses him repeatedly and praises God and St. Nicholas. 

 The play ends, "Chorus Omnis." 



1 The Salisbury Missal of 1534 has a picture of St. Nicholas, with the children rising 

 from a tub, where their members have been placed in pickle by the inn-keeper.— Hone's 

 Ancient Mysteries, p. 191. 2 Wright. 



