the christmas miracle plays (concluded)

Irish Jesuit Province

The Christmas Miracle Plays (Concluded)Author(s): H. Macaulay FitzgibbonSource: The Irish Monthly, Vol. 58, No. 679 (Jan., 1930), pp. 43-50Published by: Irish Jesuit ProvinceStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20518678 .

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43

THE CHRISTMAS MIRACLE PLAYS. (Concluded.)

IN LAST month's number I described these plays up to, and including, the birth of Our Lord; I now deal with the remaining plays relatinig to this

season of the Christian year comprised in the four great cycles of Coventry, Wakefield, Chester and York.

Of all these miracle plays the most interestingc to modern readers are those depicting the homely, rustic Shepherds, which throw muclh light on the customs, manners, and naive speech of the English rural classes in the 15th century. Thtis is especially so in the Wake field and Chester cycles, the former of which contains two alternative Shepherd's plays. One of these may be termed the earliest farce in the English drama. Two shepherds watching over their flocks on the first Christ

mas Eve, complain that the weather is cold and they are

ill-happed, their legs they fold and their fingers are chapped; they grumble about their treatment by their

masters, their low wages irregularly paid, and their shrewish wives. A third shepherd, lDaw, now eniters. In the darkness lie mistakes the others for thieves and flees from them, When overtaken, he pleads his poverty and asks for a drink anid some dinner. They then sing a catch, taking the "' tenory," the "treble so high " anid

the "s mean "1 respectively. Mak, a notorious sheep stealer (as they iinform hiim) now appears, and tries to

disguiise hiis Nortlhern accent, but is recognised by the shepherds, who tell hiim to " take otut that Southern

tooth.>" They then all lie down to sleep, carefully putting Mak in the middle, who prays thus:

"From my top to my toe Manus tuas commendo; Pontio Pilato, Christ's Cross me speed."

Havincg drawn an imaginary magic circle rotund the

shepherds to cause them to sleep heavily, whilst they snore loudly, Mak "b borrows "1 a fat sheep and brings

it home to Gill, his wife. who tells him that though he



44 T HE IRISH MONTHLY

has escaped before, this time " by the naked neck art thou like for to hang." . . So " long goes the pot to the

wrater, men says at last comes it home broken." They plan to hide the sheep in the cradle, pretending it is a newly-born baby. iTak returns to the still sleeping shepherds and, preteiding to be asleep, requires much shaking to awaken him, complaining he has got a, crick in his neck from lying so lo-ng in one position. He then requests them to search him and see he has not stolen anything. He then hurries home, and the shepherds,

missing the sheep, follow him, calling: "M Mak, undo your door." He replies: " Speak soft o'er a sick woman's head," and explains the situation; dabLy assisted by groans from his wife, who is in bed, and protests that if ever she beguziled them, "may I eat this child that lies in the cradle.' Mak offers them a drink. The shepherds search the hotuse, and finding nothing, iniquire who are to be the child's sponsors; Parkini and

Gibbon Waller, and gentle John Horn, says Mak, pre tending to be indignant at having his house searched.

The shepherds, rather asha'med, depart; but one of them, to soothe Mak's feelings, returns to give sixpence to the Infant. Mak endeavours to prevent him going 'to the cradle: "He sleeps, when he wakens he weeps." The shepherd, wanting to kiss the infant, lifts the cloth covering the sheep's face, and exclaims: "What the devil is this: He has a long snbut."l The sheep being unrolled on the floor as " Mak'ls heir," Gill tries to brazen it out, saying:

"A pretty child is he As sittis on a womaan's knee; A dylly-downe, perde, To gar [i.e., make] a man laugh."

When the shepherds identify their sheep by his ear mark, she pretends that the sheep was a changeling put i:n place of the child

"He was taken by an elf; I saw it myself,

When the clock struclk twelve Was he forsha pen [i.e., transformed].."



THE CHRISTMA S MIRACLE PLAYS 45

The shepherds toss Mak in a blanket, declaring he weighs as heavy as a sheep of seven score pouinds. The-y depart, lie down to sleep, and are awakened by the angel singing Gloria in excelsis, and telling them of the Saviour's birth. They allso see the Star. Thev then discuss the angel's song: "; Heard ye hiow he cracked it [i.e., sang loudlv]; three breves [i.e., short notes] to

a long [note]." "Yes, marry he hakt [i.e., mastered] it, was no crochet wrong." One shepherd says he could sing as well (so too in the York version), to which

another replies: " Let's see how ye croon; can ye bark at the moon?" Though wet and weary they set ouit for Bethlehem, the second shepherd quoting David and Isaiah, vii. 14, in Latin, from the Vulgate, Ecce virgo concipiet, which he declares is "c as truie as steel." Ar rived at the stable, they worship the Babe, terming hinm C9 my sweeting " and "1 a little tiny mop [i.e., young

creature "] and depart, hlaving given him "1 a bob of

cherries a tennis blall and a bird. Their gifts in the various versions, include two cob-nuts on a ribbon, a brooch with a tin bell, a horn porridge spoon that will hold 40 pease, a hood, a shepherd's flute, a cap, a

leathern bottle (which, though the stopper is lost, will hold a good drink), a little spruse copper, a pair of mit

tens, and a mit-hook

"I know that in thy childhood Thou wilt for sweet meat look; To pull down apples, pears and plums Ouild Joseph shall not need to hurt his thumbs."

They advise young men to "be well ware of wedding, and think in your thought, 'Had I wist' is a thing it serves of nought."

In the Chester play there are four shepherds and four boys, with English names: Harvey (who is darning a stocking), the black-bearded Haneken (who is cro, being hen-pecked by his wife), Tudde (who is scouring an old tin pan), etc. They take their supper, which, as

mentioned in the various versions, includes black pud dings, a pig's foot, oat cakes, ox tail, a goose's leg, a

sheep's head sauced in ale, a tart, green cheese, Halton



46 THE IRISH MONTHLY

ale, etc. Great fun is made out of the long pull at the bottle taken by one of them. They wrestle with the bay Trowle, who has a dog called Dottinoule, and he throws them all. They are frightened at the appearance of the

Star, and the song of the Angel, whiose voice they say was better than theirs, or Sis or Merry Maud. 'They wrangle abouit the words of the Gloria in Excelsi: ---

"It was glore, glare with a, glee "Nay, it was glory, glory, with a glol

And much of cellsis was thereto; Muich he spake of glass,"I and so on.

They even suspect the Angel was some spy come to steal their sheep. They sing, "' Trolly. lolly loe," one shep lherd declaring he is hoarse and has " cracked his throat." Arrived at Bethlehem, having joked about Joseph's white hair and beard-" like a bush of briars, witlh a pound of hair about his mouth"-and worshipped the Babe, they depart declaring they will become preachers, pilgrims, and anchorlites, and kiss each other. This play contains local allusions to "comely Conway,") etc.

The other Wakefield Shepherds play considerably re sembles the Chester play. The characters are rough

Yorkshire men-Gyp, John Horn (who misquotes Virgil's, Eclogue iv., 6, 7, as one of the prophets: a dis play of learning which annoys the other shepherds, who jeeringly say, "1 He has learned his Cato ") Slow-Pace, and Jak Garcio (as servant-boy) who arrives on horse back and conmpares the others to " the fools of Gotham."

Having supped, they say their prayers: " Jesus o'

Nazorus, Crucyefixus, Marcus Anidreas." They try witlh cracked voices to imitate the Angel's song a-s in the Chester play.

The York play is very short, only 130 lines. It wa's

acted by the Chandlers' Guild. [In the Dublin cycle no longer in existence, unfortunately-the Shepherd's play was presented by the Hoopers, and " Joseph and

Mary "was played by the Carpenters] . It is distinctly religious in tone. When the Angel appears and sings, a shepherd exclaims: " W ! hudde ! howe,! hark ! golly U'



THE CHRISTMAS MIRACLE PLAYS 47

This cycle contains some of the few existing scraps of the music performed at these plays. The Coventry ver sion is serious throughout, no comic element being initroduced. Though the versification is above the aver age, it is rather dull, and consists chiefly of prophecies of the Nativity, quoted by the very learned shepherds, 3Manufras and Boosras who do not present any gifts to the Infant Saviour. It is quite obvious that the authors of these various versions occasionally ; borrowed ideas and incidents from each other.

The Adoration of the Magi is very fully treated, and is divided into two parts in the Chester and York cycles. The three Kings, Balthasar of Saba, Melchior of Araby, and Jasper of Tars, ride separately along the street and

meet on mounting the sta-ge. They pray for a sign that

Balaam's prophecy is fulfilled, so they clearly are not heathens. They speak some scraps of French (as do

also Qesar, Pilate and Herod, it being the Court lan guage). They follow the Star on "drombedaries

Which go lightly 100 miles a day. Meeting a messenger sent out by Herod to bring before him all who do not believe in his cousin, St. Mahomet, they inform him that they seek the Infant King to worship Him whereon the

messenger warns them that Herod, if he heard that, would A fly out of his skin wI ith rage. The character of Herod is mlore fully drawn (especially in the York

and Coventry cycles) thana any other in these plays. It

-took t-he popular fancy and became proverbial: it is re

ferred to in Chaucer's Miller's Tale, and several times by Shakespeare, who very possibly may have witnessed the Coventry performa:nces (Hamlet, iii, 2; Merry

Wites, ii, 1; Ant. and Oleo., iii, 3). He is represented always as a cruel, proud, vain-glorious braggart,: before whom all men bow: c" If the fiend were my foe, him should I fell," "I am fairer than glorious gulls that gayer are than gold." He becomes very alliterative and rolls his rfs when angry. Attended by trumpeters and

mWistrels he wore a gorgeous Saracen dress of blue satia and red gloves, and carried a crooked gilt falehion which he constantly flourished about. Hle has a vile temper?



48 THE IRISH MONTHLY

and keeps a boy to buffet him with a bladder on a stick to prevent his anger flagging (Cov.). Ete enters on horse back from the street. The three Kings having arrived at his castle, "where wits deafen and heads cleave," EHerod, dressed in "; a kirtle of Cammaka"2 and feeling "11jollier thaan the jay "1-having soundly rated his mes senger as 'a "vile, stinking lad and a lourdain [i.e., sluggard] for being so long a.way-interviews his "belles amies " the Kings, who tell him of that " Babe born best." lierod terms the Scripture prophecies cited by them' all dreams,"s says such speeches were un known in his kingdom, and rages up and down the stage, flinging about his sword, staff and mantle. By the advice of an old.counsellor, he lays "' a subtle train for that young swaiin," promising the Klings-that if they return and tell him the whereabouts of this "young leech-" he will richly reward them with furs, etc. In the Chester play he informs the audience that the Devil

will cast a thick mist before their eyes and cause them to lose their way; they accordingly lose the light of the

Star but, having dismounted. and prayed, it reappears and guides them. The Kings having arrived at the stable in Bethlehem, the door i's opened by Ancilla, a

maid (Y.) and they offer their gifts, which are the same in all cycles, viz. :-Red gold, because it is precious and to help his parents (Ch.); Incense, because he shall be the root of all priests (Cov.) or 1in token of his being very God (W.), or to remove the smell of the stable (Oh^.);

Myrrh, "c a bitter liquor veramont for he shall suffer 'bitterest blow " (Cov.) or to anoint the Infant (Ch.) or

since he shall be dead (W.) or for burial (Y.). The .Kings foretell the Crucifixion and Resurrection, and ,being warned in sleep by an angel that ilerod would-ki1l

them if they returned to him, "c flit stralight home." In one version they declare they will become priests.

T?he ne:xt play, "The Purification," deals with the visit to the Temple. Mary, regretting that they have no lamb to offer, Joseph says: "The Babe Jesus is our Lamb." Old Simeon, who is praying, is told by the Angel to " leave off his noise (Cov.) On seeing the



THE CHRISTMAS MIRACLE PLAYS 49

Infant he exclaims: "Now am I as light as leaf on tree," and plays with the Babe whilst- the Nunc

Dimittis is sung, each of the characters offering up a -candle on the altar. The Chester play relates that Simeon, having altered the word '" Virgin" I in the prophecies of Our Lord's birth into "a good woman," the original word reappeared in red and gold letters.

The York and Wa.kefield cycles include a, play on "; The Flight into Egyp,t"J Joseph is told by the Angel to "pack up his gear " and fly. He objects saying he is "a sick man and a sore, and all unwell; his bones are burst and bare." Moreover, he does not like to leave hits customers in the lurch. Having bid good-bye to the audience, he tells Mary they must fly, but she dreads to make " any short trip." Joseph orders her to "1 leave her din and pack up our gear and such small harness as we have." When told by Joseph they are going to Egypt (" I told you long ago "), Mary asks: "Where is Egypt?" and Joseph replies that he doesn'It kow. He carries the Infant to ease her arm. She irritates the old man with her injunctions to be careful so that he says: "Let me and Him alone, and if thou can'st ill ide, have and hold thee fast by the mane [of the ass] '; the

Mother's reply is touchingly natural: "An' he should die, and I have but Him alone !"

In: the play of the Massacre of the Innocents, erod again figures largely. The messenger, whom Herod reproves for talking too fast, tells him that the kings have gone home and "that da-nce is done." At this he is furious, becomes incoherent (Cov.), -and rages in the street: " Ah, dogs, the devil speed you !" He vents his anger on the messenger, who runs away. In the Chester version he talks of "I that marmoset that thinks to miar me" (?) an intentional pun. He consults his counsellors: "What the devil is best to do now, that shrew with shame to schend??" The doctors enrage him by citing a prophecy from Isaiah, whereupon he calls them dotty-polls losels, liars and lourdains. Never theless he follows their advice, and commands his "bachelors "-Sir Grymbalde and Sir Lansler-to slay all male children under two years old; they are to be



50 THE IRIISH MONTHLY

given the post of Pope for so doing! These doughty men reluctantly consent to do his bidding. A cowardly officer in command of three soldiers furnishes comic relief by suggesting,to run away from the bereaved and infuriated mothers (W.). This play, in all cycles (except the Coventry) contains considerable pathos-a

quality rarely occurring in the Miracle plays-and the grief of these " queans "1 at the slaughter of their chil

dren before their eyes is vividly depicted. In the Chester play Herod's own son, who resembles his father in disposition, is accidentally slain [as related by

Macrobius]. The women jeer at the soldiers, declaring that they will never find Him whom they seek. Ilerod, learning that "c this gomm "1 has escaped, is excessively angry and declares that " until he be slain I shall never bide in bed" (Y.). Both the Coventry and Chester plays conclude with Herod's death. The former drama tically describes the return of the two knights, who are rewarded with ?100,000; they having preferred cash to steeds lands or ladies. Herod entertains them at a banquet, ordering " the best meats and plenty of the worthiest wines, though a little pint should cost ?1,000." Presently Death with worms knawing him all about," enters and announces at great length that he has come to slay " Yon lordly caitiff." The company pay no heed, make merry and boast of their cruel deeds, whilst the minstrels play. Suddenly Death slays them all, and, whilst their corpses are carried of by devils he announces Herod's fate: -

"Worms meat is his body, H1is soul in hell full painfully Of devils is all to-torn."

The Chester version briefly describes how Herod is taken suddenly ill and sees swarms of devils, one of whom carries him off to Lucifer, warning the audience that anyone who sins like Herod will share his fate. The Angel tells Joseph in Egypt that his enemy is now dead and that he and his "' dear heart-root " may return to Judea. Thus peacefully conclude these rude and realistic presentations in bodily form of the Gospel stor of the first Christmas-tide. H. MAcATJLAY FITZGIBBON.



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