Page:Ludus Coventriae (1841).djvu/437

 theme, the principal authority for which is the gospel of Nicodemus. It is related in Piers Ploughman, ed. Wright, p. 385-393.

The print of Christ harrowing hell, published by Hearne, and the unique illustration which it affords to two passages in Shakespeare, are too well known to require a more particular notice.

P. 338. ] The writer of the sermon against mysteries before quoted is very severe on the performance of so sacred a subject as the present. "In the dayes of ceremonial religion," says Lambarde, "they used at Wytney to set foorthe yearly in manner of a shew or interlude, the Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Chryste, partly of purpose to draw thyther some concourse of people that might spend their money in the towne, but chiefly to allure by pleasant spectacle the comon sort to the likinge of Popish maumetrie; for the which purpose, and the more lyvely thearby to exhibite to the eye the hole action of the Resurrection, the pristes garnished out certein smalle puppets, representinge the persons of Christe, the watchmen, Marie, and others, amongest the which one bare the parte of a wakinge watcheman, who, espiinge Christ to arise, made a continual noyce, like to the sound that is caused by the metinge of two styckes, and was thereof comonly called Jack Snacker of Wytney."—Dictionarium Angliæ Topographicum et Historicum, Lond. 1730, p. 459.

P. 346, l. 11, 12. Harde gatys have I gon, And peynes sofryd many on.

These lines bear a very remarkable resemblance to two others in the early mystery of the Harrowing of Hell, recently printed, and would lead us to think that the author of the Coventry play had had the other in his recollection:—

"Hard gates havy gon, Sorewen soffred mony on."—p. 15.

P. 361, l. 27. To stey to my fadyr.] "Touche me not yet, for for I have not yet stied up to my fadir; but go to my brethren and seie to them, I stie to my fadir and to youre fadir, to my God and to youre God."—John, xx. Wickliffe's translation.

P. 362, l. 21. But now in herte.] This and the following twenty-one lines are repeated in the MS. in a different hand.

P. 383. The whole of this