256 Charles Davidson — English 3Iystery Plays. 



Second 1}', if the tradition was preserved through acted church 

 plays rather than through the importation and re-casting of texts, 

 the agreement between plays will be different in kind. The corres- 

 pondence arising through the remodeling of pla^^s we can study in 

 the Woodkirk cycle, when compared with the York. They are 

 found throughout the body of the text, usually in Avhole stanzas or 

 in considerable portions of stanzas, wherever the thought seemed 

 pleasing to the compiler. The agreements, arising from the recollec- 

 tion of the play as acted, will lie in certain notable actions that are 

 conventionally present in every church pla}^, and in the appropriate 

 speech that goes with such action. 



A few examples, drawn from French and Italian sources, and 

 placed in comparison wath the English plays, will illustrate my posi- 

 tion. 



In J,^ p. 5, Dieu takes Adam and Eve by the hand and tells them 

 of the tree. 



In Y T,^ vol. 1, p. 34, Dieu takes Adam and Eve by the band, 

 pronounces benediction of marriage, and shows them the tree. 



In W, p. 6, Cherubyn takes Adam by the hand and the Lord 

 speaks about the tree. 



In Ch, vol. 1, p. 24, God takes Adam by the hand after the dis- 

 course and causes him to lie down.^ 



Eve's address to Adam when offering him the apple — 

 In J, p. 8, Adam, chier compains et amis. 

 In Ch, vol. 1, p. 28, Adam, husbande, life and deare. 

 In Co, p. 28, My semely spouse and good husband. 

 In W the play is lost. 



Adam eats — exclaims, then a) accuses Eve, or h) perceives naked- 

 ness, or c) combines the two. 



In J, p. 9, Ha hay ! je suy mal avoiez. 



Ce morcel ne puis avaler. 

 In Y T I, p. 49, O vray Dieu, de moy te souvienne ! 



Poore raaleureux, que ay je fait? 

 In Y, p. 25, Alias ! what haue I done, for shame ! 



Ille counsaille woo worthe the ! 



A ! Eve, J'ou art to blame. 



1 J stands for Mystei-es inedits par Achille Jubinal. 



2 V T stands for Viel Testament. 



3 A similarity here with V T leads to the supposition tbat God also led Adam into 

 Paradise and showed him the tree. 



