282 



Charles Davidson-^— English JSIystery Plays. 



To T. 11. Good Lord, have on man pyte, 



Have mende of the prayour said by Tsaie. 

 The Virtues plead and the Son resolves to go. 

 Deus commands Gabriel to go. 

 S & T. Prologue by Isayc.— A general prologue. 

 Ch. Has no prologue. 



The sequence of thought between W and Y is too marked for 

 accident. The passage in W is in couplets. I think that we must 

 conclude that the compiler of W was dissatisfied with the long non- 

 dramatic prologue of Y, re-wrote the first stanza, following closely 

 the sequence of thought, and added what he considered more appro- 

 priate matter. The use made by Y of Latin passages with English 

 exposition, as in his 'Harrowing of Hell,' was in accordance with 

 the traditions of church plays. 



Xo sign of any knowledge of the York Prologue is shown by the 

 writers of the other plays. 



We proceed to examine the play itself, and here we add the 

 correspondent passages from the Bible. 



Y, 145, Ang, 



S T. GabereD. 



Ch. Gabriell. 



W. Gabrielle. 



Hayle I ^larie I full of grace and blysse, 



Oure lord god is with he, 



And has chosen l?e for his, 



Of all women blist mot "bou be. 



Hayle mai'e full of grace owre lord god ys with the 



Aboue all women T?at evur wasse 



Lade blesside mote thou be. 



Heale be thou, Marye, mother flree, 



Full of gi'ace, God is with thee, 



Amonge all wemen blessed thou be, 



And the frute of thy bodye. 



Haylle Mary, gracyouse, 



Haylle madyn and Godes spouse. 



Co. Gabriel. 



Luke 1, ^8. 

 42. 



Y 149-52. 



S&T. 



Ch. 



W. Marie. 



Co. 



Luke 1, 29. 



Y 1.53. 

 S&T. 



Co. 



W. 



Ch. 

 Luke 1, 30. 



Of alle vyrgyns thou art qwene. 



3 lines. 

 My lord of heven is wyth the. 

 Heyl, flul of grace, God is with the. 

 Amonge alle women blyssyd art thu. 

 Ave, gratia plena: Dominus tecum: 

 benedictus fructus ventris tui. 



Benedicte tu in mulieribus, et 



Marj' expi'esses surprise. 

 Mary expresses amazement and trouble. 

 Mary expresses amazement and trouble. 

 What is thi name? 

 Mary marvels at the greeting. 



Quifi cum audisset, turbata est in sermone ejus, et cogitabat quails 

 esset ista salutatio. 



Xe drede J?e nought, Jjou mylde marie. 

 Dred the nbthyng meydin of this. 

 Mary, in this take ye no drede. 

 Goodlj' ladj', have thou no drede. 

 Marye, ney dreed thee naughte this casse. 

 Ne timeas, Maria. 



