Young—Officium Pastorum. 
339 
the Prcesepe is mentioned as the mise en scene in texts of the 
twelfth, 1 thirteenth, 2 fourteenth, 3 and fifteenth 4 centuries. We 
find the Officium Stellce definitely associated with the Prcesepe 
in texts of the eleventh, 5 twelfth, 6 thirteenth, 7 fourteenth, 8 and 
fifteenth 9 centuries. The same structure is mentioned in texts 
of the Or do Bachelis from the eleventh 10 and thirteenth 11 cen¬ 
turies, and in the Benedictheuern Christmas play of the thir¬ 
teenth century. 12 
In information as to the actual nature of the Prcesepe these 
dramatic texts are not generous. .From the Offcium Pas¬ 
torum of Rouen we learn that the structure, erected behind 
the altar, 13 was large enough for the two Obstetrices to stand in 
it. 14 * It was provided with figures representing Mfary and the 
Child, 10 which were hidden, until the fitting moment, by a cur¬ 
tain. 16 The further equipment of the Crib we can only con- 
1 Montpellier, MS. H. 304, Miscellanea saec. xii. See Modern Phil¬ 
ology, Vol. VI (1908), p. 207. 
2 Paris, Bibl. Nat., MS. lat. 904, Graduale Rothomagense saec. xiii. 
See' above, p. 326. 
3 Rouen, MS. 384 (Y. 110), Ordinariuin Rothomagense saec. xiv. 
See above, p. 330. 
* Rouen, MS. 382 (Y. 108); Paris, Bibl Nat., MS. lat. 1213,—Or- 
diniharia Rothomagensia sae'c. xv. See below, pp. 387 ff. 
5 Paris, Bibl. Mazarine, MS. 1708, Liber Responsalis Nivernensis (?) 
saec. XI. See Publications of the Modern Language Association of 
America, Vol. XXIV (1909), pp. 296-297. The words custodes and 
imagine/m of the rubrics seem to indicate an actual Pra’sepe. 
6 Montpellier, MS. H. 304, saec. xii. See Modern Philology, Vol. 
VI (1908), p. 210. 
• Paris, Bibl. Nat. MS. lat. 904, saec. xiii; see Coussemaker, p. 248; 
Orleans, MS. 201 (. olim 178), Miscellanea saec. xiii: see Du Meril, 
p. 163; Laon, MS. 263, Troparium Laudunense saec. xiii; see U. 
Chevalier, Ordinaires de V Eglise Cathedrale de Laon, Paris, 1897, 
p. 392. 
3 Rouen, MS. 38L (Y. 110). See Gaste, pp. 50-51. 
9 Paris, Bibl. Nat., MS. lat. 1213. See Modern Philology, Vol. VI 
(1908), pp. 220-221. 
10 Munich, Staatsbibliothek, Cod. lat. 6264, Miscellanea Frisingensia 
saec. xi. See Du Meril, p. 172. 
11 Orleans, MS. 201 (olim, 178). See Du Meril, p. 176. 
12 Munich, Staatsbibliothek, Cod. lat. 4660, Carmina Burana, saec. 
xiii. See Du Meiril, p. 204. 
13 Presepe sit paratum retro altare, Rouen, MS 384 (Y. 110), above, 
p. 330. 
14 Duo clerici in Presepe, Paris, Bibl. Nat., lat. 904, above, p. 326. 
16 Ym^ago Sancte Marie sit in eo posita . . . Puerum demon- 
strent . . . Ostendant Matrem Pueri, Rouen, MS.384 (Y. 110), 
above p. 330 ff. 
16 Obstetrices cortinam aperient.es, Paris, Bibl. Nat., MS., lat. 904, and 
Rouen, MS, 384 (Y. 110) above, pp. 326, 331. 
