Ludus Coventriæ : $b A collection of mysteries, formerly represented at Coventry on the feast of Corpus Christi
General
Ludus Coventriæ : $b A collection of mysteries, formerly represented at Coventry on the feast of Corpus Christi
English drama -- To 1500; English language -- Middle English, 1100-1500 -- Glossaries, vocabularies, etc.; Mysteries and miracle-plays, English
P. 113, l. 17. But I aske it xal be do.] The word _how_ has probably been
omitted after _aske_.
P. 114, l. 31. Bemys.] Mr. Collier, Hist. Dram. Poet. ii. 176, writes
_bennys_, and considers that the word means _benedicites_. I confess I do
not see the necessity of such an explanation, for it appears simply to
signify _beams_, and there was doubtlessly some contrivance to represent
them on the stage.
P. 117. JOSEPH’S RETURN.] This pageant is founded upon the apochryphal
gospel of the Birth of Mary.
P. 124. THE VISIT TO ELIZABETH.] This pageant is founded upon the
Protevangelion of James.
P. 130, l. 12. Leve.] Dele the semicolon after this word.
P. 131. THE TRIAL OF JOSEPH AND MARY.] This pageant is likewise founded
upon the narrative in the Protevangelion of James.
P. 131, l. 6. Alle the rowte.] The subsequent enumeration of names was
obviously inserted, observes Mr. Collier, “for the sake of producing
merriment among the spectators.” A somewhat similar list of names occurs
in _Cocke Lorelles Bote_, among which I find two, viz., Pers Potter
and Phyllyp Fletcher, that are also in this list. Hone, Marriott, and
Collier, who have quoted this very singular part of these mysteries,
place it at the end of the preceding pageant, but the reason for the
change I have made will be sufficiently obvious on perusal.
P. 131, l. 25. And loke ye rynge wele in your purs.] This is important,
as showing that money was collected for the performances. The author
of a very curious sermon against miracle-plays generally, in a MS. of
the fourteenth century, preserved in the parish library of St. Martin’s
in the Fields, expressly complains of the money that was spent in this
manner:—“So this myraclis pleyinge is verré witnesse of mennus averice
and coveytise byfore, that is maumetrie, as seith the apostele, for that
that thei shulden spendyn upon the nedis of ther neyeboris, thei spenden
upon the pleyis, and to peyen ther rente and ther dette thei wolen
grucche, and to spende two so myche upon ther pley thei wolen nothinge
grucche. Also to gideren men togidere to bien the derre ther vetailis,
and to stiren men to glotonye, and to pride and boost, thei pleyn thes
myraclis, and also to han wherof to spenden on these myraclis, and to
holde felawschipe of glotonye and lecherie in sich dayes of myraclis
pleyinge, thei bisien hem beforn to more gredily bygilen ther neybors,
in byinge and in sellyng; and so this pleyinge of myraclis now on dayes
is werré witnesse of hideous coveytise, that is maumetrie.”—_Reliquiæ
Antiquæ_, vol. ii., p. 54.
P. 135, l. 13. To set a cokewolde on the hye benche.] This appears to
be an allusion to the old ballad of _The Cokwoldes Daunce_, or similar
production. King Arthur was represent as giving the first place at table,
or a seat on the high bench on the daïs, to men of this order—
“Than seyd thei all at a word,
That cokwoldes schuld begynne the bord,
And sytt hyest in the halle.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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