274 Charles Davidson — English Mystery Plays, 



The *Nuncius' enters with the York introduction, "Mi lorde ser 

 Herode." Mary salutes the Magi with the same words as in York, 

 "Sir kynges." These agreements, however, do not necessarily argue 

 a borrowing from York. They may be conventional entrances 

 widely adopted in church plays. ^ Many other characteristics agree 

 in general treatment, as might be expected with common clerical 

 traditions of more than a century's acceptance. 



In some points, however, these plays follow different traditions. 

 We know, for example, from the Latin plays extant, that the intro- 

 duction of the Doctors with their books,^ was common,' and that 

 sometimes the kings were summoned'^ by a messenger, sometimes 

 appeared unannounced. In these particulars W and Y follow differ- 

 ent models. This would seem to argue that the play in question was 

 used in some church not in close affiliation with York, possibly in the 

 Midland district. 



The direct appropriation of material fr6m the York play is con- 

 fined to one stanza, stanza 27 of the York play.* This is taken with- 

 out change other than a re-arrangement of the cauda by the transpo. 

 sition of a verse. The original rime a b a b becomes abba in the 

 Woodkirk play. 



Y XX=W ' Pagina Doctorum,' true Co 'The Weavers' Pageant, 

 Ch 'The Purification,' so-called Co 'Christ Disputing in the Tem- 

 ple.' The relationships here are so significant, and the results flow- 

 ing from them so important, that a separate chapter will be given to 

 this play. 



Y XXXVII was made the basis for W 'Extractio Animarum,' and 

 some unknown play was used to supplement it. This play, therefore, 

 illustrates the reverse of the method pursued in ' Oblacio Magorum,' 

 but agrees with 'Pharao.' 



The first eight verses of Y, twelve of W, are different. In the W 

 verses I seem to detect a lyric, carol-like quality, such as seems pres- 

 ent in portions of W ' Conspiracio et Captio.' 



W adds the following passages. Before stanza 5 Isaias speaks 

 eight verses — 



Isaias. Adam, thrugh thy syn 



Hex'e were we put to dwelle 

 This wykyd place within, 

 The name of It is helle ; 

 Here paynes shalle never blyn 

 That wykyd ar and felle, 

 Loue that lord withe wyn 

 His lyfe for vs wold selle. 



1 See p. 258. 



2 So in the play of the twelfth centurj' at Nevers, Romania, vol. 4, p. 4. Also cp. 

 Freisinff and Orleans plays, p. 83. 3 Not so in Jubinal, Myst^res inedits, vol. 2, p. 95. 



4 This Avas discovered by Herttrich, p. 4. 



