Charles Damdson — English Mystery Plays. 273 



Moyses.— Beis noght aferde, god is youre frende, 



Fro alle oure fooes he will vs fende. 



T?arfore comes furthe with me, 



Haves done, and drede you noght. 

 ii. puer,— My lorde, loved mott ]?ou bee, 



Ijat })us fro bale has brought. 



W,— Com furthe, now salle ye weynd 

 To land of lykyng you to pay. 

 Primus Puer.— Bot kyng Pharao, that fals feynd, 

 He will us eft betray ; 

 Fulle soyn he wille shape us to sheynd, 

 And after us send his garray. 

 Moyses.— Be not abast, God is our freynd, 

 And alle oure foes wille slay ; 

 Therfor com on with me, 

 Have done and drede you noght. 

 Secundus Puer.— That Lord blyst might he be. 



That us from baylle has broght. 



Certain expressions and substitutions of words for differences in 

 dialects are worthy a passing notice. A favorite oath in W — * the 

 ragyd dwylle,' 1. 251, 325', 403. 



' in mynde ' for ' haue I mende,' W, 121. Misunderstood. 



'way ' for ' wothis,' W. 138. wothis = harm. Misunderstood. 



' lepra ' for ' serpent,' W, 154. Criticism of his text. 



'socoure' for 'belde,' W, 180. Dialectal change. 



' Brethere ' for ' Beeths ' (?), W, 197. 



' wyle ' for ' wynne,' W, 220. 



'loselle' for 'lurdayne,' W, 229. 



' wyth ' for ' Hopp,' W, 245. Dialectal change. 



' trow ' for ' hopp,' W, 275 (?). 



'lang' for 'lande,' W, 282. 



'bond' for 'garre teste,' W, 308. Dialectal change. 



' myst ' for ' myrke,' W, 344. Dialectal change. 



' fals' for 'felowns,' W. 363 (?). 



These changes for dialectal reasons probably mark not alone a 

 difference of vocabulary in the two districts, but also a change of 

 obsolescent words for those of accepted currency. This is another 

 proof that the compilation of the Woodkirk cycle is considerably 

 later than the date of the parent cycle of York. 



W ' Oblacio Magorum,' to which Y XVII corresponds, shows but 

 slight indebtedness to the York play. The greater portion of the 

 play is in the stanze a a a b a b. This was a favorite stanza for 

 church poetry. The play was universally given in connection with 

 the Christmas service. It is probable that the compiler incorporated 

 a church play into his cycle. One of two alternatives is certain, 

 either he had the York play before him, or at a later date the York 

 introduction of the angel displaced the original message. 



From the compiler's known method of work, I judge that he com- 

 pared the church play with the York. 



