Young—The Harrowing of Hell . 
947 
gladly summarize this chapter of dramatic origins in some 
•definite fashion. At present, however, such a summary is, I 
think, impossible, for it would presume something like a com¬ 
plete collection of the dramatic liturgical texts bearing upon 
this subject,—a collection that has as yet scarcely been be¬ 
gun. From the meagre materials now accessible one would 
infer that the Descent theme developed into true liturgical 
drama at a comparatively late date. The earliest true liturgi¬ 
cal play on this subject as yet published (printed above from 
University College MS. 169), arising from the period 1363- 
1376, is antedated by a very considerable development of the 
theme in vernacular drama, and one is tempted to conclude 
that in this instance liturgical drama may be an adaptation 
from vernacular drama. But at the present moment such a 
conclusion would be hazardous, for it is more than likely that 
when a really thorough-going search shall be made, earlier 
liturgical plays on this subject will be discovered, and that the 
vernacular plays concerning the Descent, like the vernacular 
plays of Christmas, of Epiphany, and of Easter will be found 
to rest upon a firm basis of liturgical drama. 
