202 Charles Davidson — English Mystery Plays, 



Spanish church as early as the thirteenth century is proved by the 

 code of Alfonso the Tenth, of about 1260, which, while forbidding 

 buffoonery plays, expressly states that " Exhibitions there be, that 

 clergymen may make, such as that of the birth of our Lord Jesus 

 Christ, which shows how the angel came to the shepherds and how 

 he told them that Jesus Christ was born, and, moreover, of his 

 appearance when the Three Kings came to visit him, and of his 

 resurrection, which shows how he was crucified and rose the third 

 day."^ It adds, however, that these should be in the cities under 

 the eye of the bishop or archbishop, not in the villages, nor to gain 

 money thereby. 



But in Spain, through adverse circumstances, the development of 

 the play was arrested, and when at last, in 1496, the early dramatic 

 type for Spain was set by the Representaciones of Enzina,'' its direct 

 inspiration was the Latin pastoral rather than the liturgical drama. 



In Italy, on the contrary, the influences were favorable. Com- 

 mercial cities and wealthy patrons fostered literature. 31onasteries 

 and religious brotherhoods lavished wealth upon their Rappresenta- 

 zioni, in some respects, it must be confessed, to the injury of the 

 plays, since their prodigal expenditure encouraged spectacular effects 

 to the detriment of dramatic power. 



In brief, then, as we turn to the more specific problem of the 

 English plays, we shall look to Spain for little assistance, to Italy 

 for much ; but our most important aids will be found in Germany 

 and France. The French church plays furnished the models for the 

 liturgical plays of England. The German plays will afford most 

 instructive illustrations of the gradual intrusion of the Teutonic 

 humor, so evident in the York and Woodkirk Plays. 



The universality of tradition in ecclesiastical literature gave rise 

 to uniformity of treatment, and to the choice of similar, oftentimes 

 of the same, literary motives, throughout the Roman church. The 

 result may be monotonous as literature, but is invaluable as supplying 

 a common starting point for national literatures. Upon this material 

 the folk-spirit impressed its individuality. In the changing treat- 

 ment and interpretation we detect the compelling influence of suc- 

 cessive phases of thought. From this vast store-house, as from a 

 quarry, the later generations have selected according to their needs 

 and fashioned according to their taste. Here the students of mod- 

 ern literature stand on common ground, and, viewing each several 

 stream on its divergent course, can take note of each deflection due 



1 Ticknor, vol. 1, p. 230. 2 Ticknor, vol. 1, p. 245. 



