Of the first, or more religious sort, his “Birth of Christ” may be taken as a specimen.[369] It is divided into three acts, and begins in Paradise, immediately after the creation. The first scene introduces Satan, Pride, Beauty, and Envy;--Satan appearing with “dragon’s wings, a bushy wig, and above it a serpent’s head”; and Envy carrying a heart in her hand and wearing snakes in her hair. After some discussion about the creation, Adam and Eve approach in the characters of King and Queen. Innocence, who is the clown and wit of the piece, and Grace, who is dressed in white, come in at the same time, and, while Satan and his friends are hidden in the thicket, hold the following dialogue, which may be regarded as characteristic, not only of this particular drama, but of the whole class to which it belongs:-- [369] Comedias, Tom. XXIV., Zaragoza, 1641, ff. 110, etc. Such plays were often acted at Christmas, and went under the name of _Nacimientos_;--a relique of the old dramas mentioned in the “Partidas,” and written in various forms after the time of Juan de la Enzina and Gil Vicente. They seem, from hints in the “Viage” of Roxas, 1602, and elsewhere, to have been acted in private houses, in the churches, on the public stage, and in the streets, as they happened to be asked for. They were not exactly _autos_, but very like them, as may be seen from the “Nacimiento de Christo” by Lope de Vega, (in a curious volume entitled “Navidad y Corpus Christi Festejados,” Madrid, 1664, 4to, f. 346),--a drama quite different from this one, though bearing the same name; and quite different from another _Nacimiento de Christo_, in the same volume, (f. 93), attributed to Lope, and called “_Auto_ del Nacimiento de Christo Nuestro Señor.” There are besides, in this volume, _Nacimientos_ attributed to Cubillo, (f. 375), and Valdivielso, f. 369. _Adam._ Here, Lady Queen, upon this couch of grass and flowers Sit down. _Innocence._ Well, that’s good, i’ faith; He calls her Lady Queen. _Grace._ And don’t you see She is his wife; flesh of his flesh indeed, And of his bone the bone? _Innocence._ That’s just as if You said, She, through his being, being hath.-- What dainty compliments they pay each other! _Grace._ Two persons are they, yet one flesh they are. _Innocence._ And may their union last a thousand years, And in sweet peace continue evermore! _Grace._ The king his father and his mother leaves For his fair queen.