The Towneley Plays.

mil"- 

Presented 
to 
the Centre for 
REFORMATION 
anc 
RENAISSANCE 
STUDIES 

VICTORIA 
UNIVERSITY 

by F. David Hoeniger 

0 

International 
University 
Booksellers Ltd. 
o+g Gower Strcct 
I 



tra tfits, Iço. LXXX. 
1897 (ve]ried 1907, 1925). 



RE EDITED FROM THE UNIQUE MS. 
GE(}R(4E ENGLAND 

WITH SIDE-bTOTES AND INTRODUCTION 
ALFRED W. POLLAR) 

LONDON : 
PUBLIStED FOR THE EARLY ENGLISH TEXT SOO[ETY 
B HUMPHREY ]IILlrOR1), OXFORD UIIVERSITY FRESS. 
AMEN HOUS, E.C. 4. 
1897. 
[pri«d 1907, 1925. ] 



ra eria, ]gO. LX'rI. 



NO. 

CONTENTS. 

I.TaOVUCTIOt¢ ............... 
APPENDIX (The ,qe,'un,la P, tstcrum and Arc.hic .-rlll l 
strang's Aith) ........ 
Io THE CaE^TION. 1 (The Barkers. \Vakefeld} .. 
 .2l.taAc.tclo .SrL. (The Glovers) ........ 

" iii. PROCESSUS NOE CUM Fil IlS. 

(Wakefeid) 

IV. ABRAIIAM 2 ...... 
VL IACOB ........ 
VIL PROCESSUS PROPHETAUM. [Ineovq,lete] ... 

VIII. PH^R^O. (The Litsters or Dyers) [York xi] 
x. CrS^R ^OSTS ...... 
X. ANNUNCIA('IO ... 
XI. SALUTCIO ELEZABEFH ......... 
XII. t'HA PAGINA PASTORUM. (Prima) ... 
Xill. ALIA EORUNDEM. Secuu,la) 
XIV. OBLACIO MAGoRUI ...... 
XV, FUG&CIO JOSEP t M kRIE IN E«I PTItI l ] " 
t. AçVS Hr:OWS ............ 
Vn. rU[rlCSC[O .t,l. [lncomplete at end] ...... 
xwu. .çn oco. Ine,mpleatboginning. Yorkii] 

xx\i 
23 
52 
78 
Sri 
10 
116 
10 
160 
166 
181 

t After this play the MS. has lost 12 leaves, contMning no doubt the 
Temptatiou of Eve and the expulsion of ber and Ad3m from Paradise. 
: Incomplete: 2 leaves of the MS. w3nting, which contained the end of 
" Abraham" and the beginning of " Isac." 



,iii Cnt«nts. 

XIX. Ioli ,NXE8 BXPTIgrA ............ ] 
XX. CNSPIRA('IO lET 
I. COI II'IIIZACIO ............... 
XXII. FFI,.tflLL.. çl ............ 
xx,u. r,,«-rssus eauels [E caUelVlX,,] ...... 258 
XXIV. PROCESSUS TAI.EXF,,t 1 ...... 279 
xxv. XTaCC,O I[.a'. [York xxxvii] ...... 293 
XXII. RFSURREOçD, De'MINI. ['«'I'! Xxxviii] ...... 306 
XXVIL PERE:ItIXI. (The Fishers) ......... 325 
XXçIIL TlIOblt8 INDIE lET RESURRECCI«t D,,IINI] ...... 337 
XXIX. ASçE«'IO OMlh'l 1 ............ 353 
xxx. tUWtCM. [York xlviii] ......... 397 
xxx. L.«z&es ............ 387 
xxxtL sçsrrs«', rue. [Ineoml,h.te ] ......... 393 

 lncnml,lcte. Twelve leaves are out of the .'ILS. between tl,is I,lay and 
the ext. 



INT[ODUCTION. 

Tn Towneley Plays were printed for the first ime by the Surtees 
Soeiety in 1836, with an introduction which is variously assigne,l t,» 
Ihe Soeiety's seeltar, James Ruine, and fo J. Hunter. The text of 
the l,la.vs as p|-i||ted in this Surtees editir, n is, on the whole, very 
erdiably aeeurate, and is eertainly fxr more f,'ee from serious 
bhmdcrs thau that of the so-ealled 'Coventry' Plays, edited by 
Italliwell-Phillipps for the Shakespeare Soeiety, or even han that 
of the Chest,.r l'la's, as edited by Thomas Wright It was no, 
however, a transcril,t with whieh students of the present day eou|,l 
be content ilt the case of a unique manuscript, the u]tima{e destina- 
tion of which i still, unhappily, uncertain. Under Ir. Fm'niva|l's 
SUl,eritttendence a new transcril,t was, therefore, marie by Mr. George 
Egland, who, by the great kinduess ald liberality of Mr. Quaritch. 
the present owner of the manuscript, aftcr the book had been I,laccd 
af his disposal for some wê«.ks af the British Museum, was allowt0,1 
the use of ita second rime af 15 Piccadiily to correct his proofs 
by the original. 
To the text thus produced Dr. Fm'nivall himself added notes of 
the metres, att, lat his request the present writer SUpl,lied the usual 
sidenotes, an interêsting and pleasant task in the case of a work of 
so great variety and literary value. I}r. F(trnivall's further com- 
mands for the supl,ly of an Introduction w,re ftr lcss agreeable. 
The Towneley :Plays present many problems, more especially as to 
their lang'aage, which deserve to be d.alt with by some lcarned 
professer, or at any rate by an editor of really wi,le readiug and 
experience. The learned professor, however, could not be obqined. 
The difficulty of procuring an introducer threatened to postpone 
indefinitely the appearance of the new text (a consideration ail the 
more serious since thc Surtees edition bas l,ug been difficuit fo 
procure); and as texts are far more important than introductions, 
it seemed better to be content to draw attention to a few poiuts 
of interest rathcr than further to delay publication. 
Short as is the preface to the Surtees edition, it conlains ranch 



tt;.t'y of tl Towneley MS. 

that is of real value, as ],eing written by a local antiquary to vhom 
the history and topography of the district to which tho plays are 
assi,med were thoroughly fami]iar. I caunot, therefore, mako a 
I,t-tter benning than by quoting [he most essential pasages of 
what was written in 1836, since it has n,,t yet been superseded :-- 
" ïhe Manuscrit,t Vohlme in which these Mysteries bave been 
preserved f,,'med i,t of the liLmry at Townley Hall, in Lanca- 
shire, c«,llcc!e,l tff the family of Towneley ; a family which, in the 
tw,» last centuries, produced several remal-kable men, thrvugh whom 
it becomes connectcd with the arts, with literature, and with science. 
The Iii,tory was dislœerse,l in two sal«,s by auc[ion, at Evans' Iooms, 
in Pall M:dl, the fit in 114, when there were seven day' sale; 
the con01 in l 15, whcn the sale lasted ten days." 
" This manuscript, .s well a« th«. famous T,,wneley Homer, was in 
the first le. It was bought hy .lohn Louis Goldsmid, Esq. FrOln 
his possessi¢,n it very soon pase01 t) Mr. North, ],ut hefore 1822 it 
had returned to thc family in vhose liLrary it had f,r so many years 
round protecti«n." 
'" l;y what mean the Town,.lcy family became possessed of it, or 
at what t,eriod is hot kn,»wn. Thcre is nothing known with cer- 
tainty respecting any previous ownrship. When, h«,wever, the 
ogue of the Townrly I)oos and manuscrit,ts w prel,are, l 
for the sal,. in l14, Mr. D,,uce w reqmested to w»[e a short 
notice, fer inseltk,n i it. ]l thi n«,tice, after assigning the com- 
position of th Mysteris to he reign of llenry VI. or ward IV.,  
lit. say8 of the v,,lumo it-elf, that it is SU]T,)oed fo have fvrmerly 
' I».l,,ng,l to the Al»be)- -f Widkirk, near Wakefi,ld.  the County 
of Y,,rk.' " 

a There is a passage in the ludicium uhich may assist in determining the 
petiod a' 'hich it was written. Tntivillu% in describing a fa»hionable female, 
tell his brother demons "she is hornyd like a kowe " (p. 312 [Surtees; p. 375, 
!. 267 in preseut editiou]), fie appears to allude to the saine description of 
head dress which Stowe thus records: " 1388, King Richard (the second) 
marrie4 Arme, daughtr of Veslaus, Kiug of Bolem. In ber dayes, oble 
women nsed high attire ou their heads, piked like bornes, uith long trained 
gownes. "--,$'u rtees A'ote. 
 Afer retuaaing into the possession of the Towne]ey family, as narrated 
above, the Plays were again sol01, with the rest of the Towneley MSS., at 
Sotheby's, on June 27, 28, 1883. The descriitiiu of the lot was as follows : 
202. TOWELE," MSEIFS. A nost valuable collection of early 
Eng]ish MysteJe, suppos¢d to have Leen written at Woodkirk in 
the Cel] there of Augustinian or Black Canons, for the Amusement 



The Towneley MS. belonged to lVoodl,'irk Abbey. xi 
"This suppositi,n, however, he appars fo have subsequ,«tly con- 
sidered as hot wot'thy of much regard ; f-r when Mr. Peregrine 
Edward Towneh.y, in ls22, printed, fr,m this manuscript, the 
Imlieium, as his contribution to the Roxbugh Club, an introduction 
was written hy Mr. Douoe, in which he says that the volume is 
'supposed to bave belonge,l  the Abhey of Whalley,' and to 
have passed at the dissolution in the library of the neighluring 
family of Towneley." 
"On what f,,un, lation either of these sui,positions rests we are hot 
inf-rmed. he first, however, is that which has heen most gener, mlly 
aoeepmd, and the three pt.incil,al colloetions of 5Iysteries now known 
have been usualy quod or .f,.rred to  th,,se of Chester, Coventry, 
and Widkirk." 
" In the absence of precise information, we may assmne that the 
supposition of its hang formerly bel,,nged to ' the Abbey of Wid- 
kirk' was the Towtwley traditiot respeeting it ; and pmviously to 
any investigation it may be sumed, that if we are to trace the 
possession of such a volume as this itt a l..riod before the R,.f, rma- 
tion, next porhaps to the archives c,f some guild or other corporation 
in one of the cities or towns of Èngl«md, we may expect t, final if in 
the possession of some Conventual soci,.ty. The qu,stion of that 
early possession is, iii fact, the question of the COml, osition of th,.m 
Mysteries, as o the place and people. We shall now endeavour fo 
determine it." 
" The supposition that this hook belongc,l ' to the Abl.y -f Wid- 
kirk, near Wakefiehl,' bas upon it remarkably the chamcteristit-s of 
a gcnuine trmlition. There is no distinct enunciation of the fa,'t 
which the traditioa proposes to exhibit, and yet out of the words 
of the supposition we may ,lisively an,[ easily extmct what the 
fact  it originally was. There is no l)lace call,',l Wi,lkirk in the 

and E,lification of Persons attending these Pageants. M, tnuscript on 
i'ell«m, written circa 1388, in a bold ltand, with initial Legters orna- 
nented witlt te Peu, Iat, iny te stweches saratcd by lines of red 
olive morocco era, gold-tooling, tooled leatltcr jaiMs and gilt edg,'s, by 
O. Lewis, bavl" broken. SAEC. XlV. 
The I,,t was k,,ocked down to Mr. Quaritch, in whose possession the manu- 
script has ever since remained. The date assigned to the plays by the 
cataloguer is clvarly derived from the Surtees foot-note on the oman's head- 
gear stirized by Tutivillus ; for a discussion of this, sec p. xxiv. Whethr the 
date given Io the Plays is right or rrong, that assigned to the MS. is certainly 
three-quarters of a centnry too ea,ly. 



xii ]'he Cdl of Canotts st ll'oodkirk. 
neighhourhoo,1 of SVakefi0.hl, and noithe,r t]lere nor in any part of 
]':nglmd w.s there ever an Abbey of Widkil'k. ]lut there is a place 
talle01 Woodkirk in thag neighbourhood, and sg Woodkirk there was 
a cell of Agustinian or :Black Can,)n, a depen,lence on the grcat 
house of St. Oswahl, af Nostel. Whatever weighL there may be 
atta.-hed te, the supposition or tradili«,n respecting the origiaal pos- 
session, mu.t, theref,re, be given fo the claire of flis Cell of Canons 
st Woodkirk." 
" Woodkirk is about four mlles fo ghe north of Wakofiehl. A 
small r,.ligious commuaiy was estahli.hed there in the first half 
century af ter Lle C«n,lmst , hy the Earls Walwen, to whom the great 
L,,rd.hil of Wake£hI belong«d, sud th.y were placed in subjection 
t, the h,,use of N«»sel. Kiug Iinry I. granted to the Canons of 
N,stel, a eharter, f,»r tvo faits, fo be held st Woodkirk, one st the 
Ft-ast of the Assumption, the other at the Feasg of the Nativity of 
the Blessed Mary. This grant was confirmed by King Stel, hen. 
These fairs, iii a rural district, continued to attract a concours,, of 
1,-Ol»le to the rime of the l:ef,«'mation. In the ldor of King 
llcnry VIII. the 1,rofit of the tolls and stallage was returned af 
£13 6s. Bd., whieh was nmrc than one-fourth of the ye:rly revenue 
of the h,,use. The huildings in which the few Canons residc,1 
bave gra, lually disapt,earcd. Some p,»rtions of the Cloisters were 
r,«naiaing uot long ago. The Chureh still exists, on a retired and 
elevacd si0", an,1 r,.mains of large reservoirs for the Canons' fish lu 
the val,: bel0,w are still very con«l)icuous. (Loidis and EImete, 
I" 2.10.)" 

The writ,.r of the Iatroduction inserts here a few paragTaphs of no 
great value, pointing out reseml,1.'tnces betweea the langnage of the 
l,l:ys and the dialect spoken la his own day in the West Pdding 
oï Yorkshire. We may take advant.xge of his pause fo note, th:t 
Professor Skeat, in a terrer fo the .Atlena,m of D,.cember , 1890, 
t, rovcd decisively that the difficulty as to the place called Widkirk, 
of whose existence the writer of the prcface could find no trace, is 
ouly an instance of a variation of spelling, Widkirk being merely 
an older forra of Woodkirk, and one which still survives in the 
moufles of the couatry peol,le (ep. the parallel forms Wydeville and 
Woodvillc, for the naine of the Queen of King Edward IV.). 
Al'ter the philological r,marks the Introduction proceeds : 
" Pcrhaps tbe spp«,iti»n in the Towneley family, on whatever it 



Allusions in the Plays to Woodkirk and Wafield xiii 
reay have been founded, and the atriking resereblance which there is 
between the language o several of these pieces and the language of 
tle saine class of society as it may stil! be heard on the hills and in 
the plains of ¥orkshire, may be suflicient to tender it at least a 
point of probability that the coreposition of these Mysteries, and the 
original possession of this volume, are to be attributed to the Canons 
of Woodkirk ; or that the possession is to be traced to them, and the 
composition, perhaps, fo some one of the Canons in the far larger 
fraternity at/ostel. ],ht tbe reanusc'ipt itself contains that which 
connects it with SVakefield ; and there are topogral,hical allusions in 
one of the pieces, the Secund« Pastorure, which bvlong to the 
country ncar SVakefield and Woodktm'k. 
" Thus, at the beginning of the first is written in a large hand 
' Wakcfelde' and ' Berkers,' lhe meaning of which seems to be, that 
on some occasion this Mystery was represented at the town of 
Wakefield by the company or fellowship of the Barkers or Tanners. 
To the second la prefixed ' Glo'cr Pag...' without the word 
Wakefield. The impcrfect word la ' Pagina,' which appears to bave 
been used as the Latin tcrm for thcse kinds of exhibitions or 
pageants. The meaning alTears to be that this was exhibiteil by 
the Glovers. At the hcad of the third, howcver, we fi]»l ' SVake- 
ficld' again, without the naine of any tra,le. These are the only 
notices of the kind, except that at the head of the ' Pereffrini,' the 
words ' Fyssher Pagent'  occur." 2 
" It la in thc Secunda Pastorum, which is truly described by ]Ir. 
Collier as ' the most singular piece in the whole collection,' that the 
l_ocal allusions occur which tend so strongly to corroborate the claire 
of Woodkirk and ifs Canons to the production of these Mysteries. 
Intended in the first instance for thc edification or the amusement 
of the persons in the immediate vicinity of the places in which these 
Pageants were to be exhibited, we reay expect to find that the'e will 
be, when the subject fairly admitted of it, attempts to aTest their 
attention, and to interest their minds, by such a simple artifice as the 
introduction of the names of places with which th«y were familiar. 
Thus, in the Chester Mysteries, the River Conway is spoken of, and 

a l[r. Euglaud notes that thee words are in a later haud.--£. W. P. 
a The words Lytster Play occur at the head of the Pharao. They were 
overlooked by the coI)yist, but the mistale fs noticed in the errata.--.'ur[e 
Arot. 



xiv Hwrbury Scoggs and tv SheThed's Thorn. 
Bougltton is meatioaed, a kind of «uburb te Chester. In the 
Secunda Pastorum. 
Secund Pastor. Who shuld de us that skorne ! that were a fowlle spott. 
Pr/mus Pastor. Some shrewe. 
I bave soght with my dog 
Ail Horbery shrogeo 
Ad of XV hoges 
Fond I bot oone ewe. 
" H0,rl,ury is the naine of a village about two or three mlles south- 
west ïrom Wakeficld. Shroges or Scroggs is a northcrn term applied 
te any piece of rough uninclosed ground more or less covered with 
low brashwood." 
"The other local allusion is less decLve than this. When the 
two Shepherds appoitt te meet, thc place which they appoint is ' the 
crokyd thoe.' lqow, though it canner, perhaps, be shown that 
there was any place or tree then precisely se dcnominated, yet it can 
be shown that, at no great distance frein Horbury, there was at that 
rime a remarkable thora tree which was known by the name of the 
Slteplmr4's T[orn. It stood in Mapplewell, near tlte bordera of rite 
two manors of N,,tton and Darton. A jury in thc 2(th of Edward 
IV., on a question between James Strangeways of lIarlsey, and the 
Prier of Bretton, foun,1 that the ,h,Therd's Thorn ' was in Darton' ; 
and in the rime of Charles I., one John Webster of Kexborough, 
then aged 7, deposed that the inhabitants of Mapplewell and 
Darton had bcen accustomed te turn thcir sheep on the moor st ail 
times, and that it extemled southward te a ploEce called ' The Shcp- 
herd's Thorn,' wlwre a thorn tree stood. There must be here more 
that au accidcntal coincidence." 

Since the pul,lication of the Surtees Society edition of the 
Towneley Plays in 1836, all the three other great cycles of 
English Miracle Plays have been printed, the so-called ' Coventry' 
cycle in 1841, the Chester in 184:3, and the York Plays, admirably 
edited by Miss Toulmin Smith, in 1885. The publication of 
this last cycle revealed the fact that rive of the York Plays 
were based, in whole or in part, on the saine orinals as rive 
of the Towneley. The importance of this discovery for the study 
of Miracle Plays and of the conditions undcr which they were 
produced, is hardly te be over-estimated. There is no reason te 
believe that it is by a mere chauce, some peculiarly malicious freak of 



The Miracle t)lays anonymous. The York Cycle. xv 
the arch-enemy Time, that, as far as I ara aware, in no sing]e case are 
there two early copies extant of any miracle play. Human nature, 
we may presume, was much the saine in the fourteenth and fi|'teenth 
centuries as in out own, and the ordinary author, when he had 
written a poem or a chronicle, no doubt did everything in his power 
to multiply copies of if, since every fresh copy would iucrease his 
chance of obtaining the patronage or preferment which constituted 
the rewar«ls of authorship in those days. But in the case of plays we 
can easily see that a wholly diffcrent motive would corne into action. 
With the highly doubtful exception of the Chester cycle, not a single 
Miracle Play bas the naine of any author counected with it. The 
author's personality is wholly lost in that of the actors and their pay- 
masters ; and in the absence of any law of copyright or eustom as to 
' acting rights,' if was to the interest of these jealously to guard their 
book of the wor01s, lest the popularity of their entertainment shuld 
surfer from unauthorized rivalry. Since many of the players probably 
could not read, even the multiplication of 'actors' parts' would bu 
very limited, and fresh copies would only he ruade when the plays 
underwent revision. The apparent exception to this theory, the rive 
copies extant of the Chester cycle, really only coufirm it, for ail of 
these were ruade between 1590 and 1607, and must owe their exist- 
ence fo the desire of literary antiquaries either simply for their pre- 
servation or, more probably, for their revival, ata rime when miracle 
plays were almost gone out of fashion. 
For the reason thus hazarded, opportunities for the stu,ly of the 
genesis of any given cycle of plays are extremely small. We know 
that a fragment of the old poem of the Harrowing of Hell, beginning, 
' Harde gatys haue I gon,' is round imbedded in the ' Coventry' Play 
of the Resurrection, and, thanks once more to the industry of Miss 
Touhnin Smith, in the Brome 'Common-Place Book' we can now 
study a version of the Sacrifice of Isaac closely similar to that in the 
Chester cycle. ]ut the relations of the rive plays in the York and 
Towneley cycles are much more interesting and important than these, 
and it vill be worth while to examine them with some miuuteness. 
The first of these rive plays is that called by Miss Smith, ' the 
Dcpartttre of the Isroelites from Egypt,' No. x. in the York Cycle,  
acted by the ' Hoseers,' No. vin. in the Towneley Cycle, where itis 
 Printed, with the generous addition of the Towneley text at be foot 
of the page, on pp. 689 of Miss Smith's edition (YorI- Play». Edited by 
Lttcy Toulmin Smith. O.ford a2 the OEarendan Pre$s, 1885}. 



xv  Toumeley and ]'ork Plays of Pharaoh. 
ealled Plmrao, and wbere also tbe 8idenote ' Litsters Pagonn ' inform8 
u that itis one of the plays aetd by the Craft-Gilds of Wakefield. 
In eomparing be vo exts, the firsl poinl, we noiee is, tha 
whi]e the York Phy eoni of 408  , divided with unbroken 
reafiy ino 34 hvelve-line sans, the metrieal seheme o he 
Towneley Play is far ls orderly. t he ouïeS, indeed, 
eviden ha he Wakefiehl reviser misook h« meure, for by 
addition of a quatrain of mere rpluge, he h urned the tiret 1 
line sn into two oete. Afer even long snz (divided in 
th tex into oeet and quatrains, 316), we find simil diion 
in ll. 113--11 and 12133, uming wo 12-line anz into four 
oeet. Everyhing then pmeeeds garly t we eome  Towneley 
stanm 49, wJen we d a lin 
s wele on myddyng als on more 
misg aer 1. 308. 
Again  snza 55 the two fines 
Lorde, w they ente than walde it 
So huld we ve vs and oe eede 
--are omitted fter ]. 340. 
Iu stanz 57, 58, H. 355--359 appear in the Towneley IS. 
Prim Mlle. A, my lord  
Phare. hagh  
ij Mi. Grete pestilence la com ; 
It i8 le f long  last. 
Pr. I th dwilys ame  
thon is oe pride ouer past. 
in place of the reghr York xt (ll. 344348) 
i Eip. Iy lorde, ete stelence 
ls like fui Ige  last. 
. Ow corne that in oe presenee, 
Than is om'e pride al 
Zastly, we fiud that th Towneley text h added, or more pbably 
retained, twelve liu af the end of the play whieh do hot appear 
the York editio 
If now we turn our attention o sngl lines, we shall find 
nurnous instance8 in whieh the Townley gexç exhibi an uameical 
co»ruption of the York. Her  a few 
x umred by bl $mith as 406, but the t couplet h really a quatr, 
and might vith advanhg have oa  



Tha wold my fors clown ell (T. 
Thg wolde aght fnd owre forse to fell (Y. 28) 
That shll eer lst (T. 
They re lik and they lasto (Y. 
I shll sheld the fm shame (T. 
I oedl the ffe ri'oto synne nd shame Y. lî6) 
What, ragyd the dwyll of bel1, alys yo so fo cry (T. 301} 
Wht deuyll ayleç you so o crye (Y. 91) (op. T. $37 aud 15 
Y. t ad 0) 
On Ihc other hand, T. 106 
And euer elyk¢ the Ieyfes are peyn 
--is plainly better than Y. 102- 
And the leues lt ay in like eno 
--and T. 16, 217-- 
God gmunt )+u good weyndyng, 
Ad encrmore with you he 
--botb f,,r their scnse and the l,urity of the rime fo ' kyn' arc better 
tl,m l'. 203, 204-- 
God sentie vs gnde tythingis 
Ad all may with you 
Lastly we may take a pair of lines 
My h.d, hot if this menye may remeve (T. 70} 
Lord, vhills ve [sic] with this menyhe meve (V. 
--in which we may reasonably suspect that both texts are corrupt 
forms of some such original  
My lord, bot if this menye meve. 
The inevitable conclusion from these notes , that the T, wnch.y 
text of Pl«wao is a corrupted and edited vemion of the York play of 
' The Hosee' in a slightly purer form that we lmv it at prescrit. 
I think we may also say that the maj,_,fity of the corruptions i 
Towneley text are of the kind which would most naturaIly arise it 
oral tamsmission, rather than h'om the blunders of a scribe. 
Ttmfing now  the second pay in which the two cycles part]y 
agree, TI«e Pla 2fheoctors (TowneIey xvI.; York 
l,layed by the ' Sporie and rine '), we find that the Towueley 
text, which lacks the opening speech of ' Primus Magister,' begins in 
its l,resent form with twelve quatrains which are quite different 
from the York version, and then follows cloeely the York twelve-line 
stanzas to the end, only inten'upting them to substitute a longer 
T. PLA'S. b 



xviii çowndey «d Yo'k Plays of It«rrowing and 
exposition of lhe Ten Commandments, for which ain quatrains 
used. In seine insnc, as before, the Towneley text is ltr than 
lhe York, bug we ot doubg tha the nearly homogeneous  York] 
play preoents fle original on which tho" Towneley playwrigh 
incorpomd his variafions in a diflçrent mette. 
A comparison «,f the third pair of I,lays--the York play of the 
8adilleres (No. xvm)and "l'«»wneley 'o. xxv.presenting 
lhe Extraecio Animarum or H,oowi»9 qf Hell, 'ields still more 
striking results. The York l,lay, as usual quite gular, eonsists of 
34 twelve-line sLans, and ig is elxr that the Towneley play-wright 
had theoe  his mind ail the way through, though sometimes, lmrhaps 
frein failure of memory on the parg of his informant, he tan de no 
more han imhed  few York lin hlo et7 stan of Iris own, whilo 
elwhere he makes intenti«,nal a, hlifions. 
Summarizing the result of these changes, we find thag the first 
tweny-four lileS of Towneley reproduee gen frein York ; then we bave 
York stan 410 with interpolations beween 4 and 5, 8 and 9, and 
the omission of the last quatrain of 5. 8tanzas 11 and 12 are repre- 
sented by 11. 115-- 147, but only nine lines are preserved. 8Mn 13 
15 are intaeg ; stan 16 is doeked of i first qnatrain ; then we havo 
an interpolation of welve lin; hen he firsg quadn of 17, the 
second an,l third being expanded into twelve lines. 8tanzas 1828 
are only inteul,ted by au interlafion (11. 314--322)begween 23 
and 26. In 29 there is a substitution «,f a new thit quarain 
f,,lr lines in the oct, tbe effect being se goed that x'e may doubt 
whother in this case we have net really a i,ervation of an ohler 
t«xt. Then corne stanzas 30 and 31, ad eight lin of 32, and wiflt 
two substitud ,luatrains the Towneley play reaches i rather ab]pt 
In h« fourfl pair of t,lays, r«ating c,f 'Th« esurreefion' 
(York XVlll. ' The Carpenler«s' : "l'owneley xxv ), fl mblane 
begins four line8 earlier than )Ils8 Tomin 8mih bas nord, T. 
44 answering  Y. 31, 32, 35, 36, while tho 'rybaldys' of T. 
is a beter r«ading han h« York ' rebelles.' In fl« poeeeding 
of l'ilale we ma no how th« Townel« adal»r alered h« York 
metro b lengthening h« 1 lin« of he firs four sana8 fom 
b  hre«. V« find th« m« diffenee in th« add«d 8kanas 
11 (11. 5173), wh« tir« (o tacher oeven) lin eked on  
 The is • slight dnrbane, lu whieh Toeley aees, in York, 



Towndey and York Plays of the l¢,s«rrection, xix 
lait of these are outside thc metrical scheme altogether. Stanzas 
12 and 13 have half their liues as in York and hall nev. 8tanzas 
14--22, though with many corruptions, reprodBtce York 11--22. 
Stanza 23 is added ; 24 (which should bave beeu printed as in four 
lines) agrees with York 20, omitting the two opening liues; 25, 
save in ils third line, is the saine as York 21. In stanza 26 some «J 
the York phrases aro r.taiued, but every line has been «:hanged, and 
the bad rimes 'emang' and 'stand'show the work of a botcher. 
After this, with vafious corruptions, too numerous fo mention, stanzas 
2735 reproduce York 23--31, but there is nothing i the York 
p|ay fo answer fo 11. 214333 (stanzas 36--55). "fhe first ten of 
these 120 lines contiuue the talk «,t the soh|iers, the test is ruade up 
of the monologue ot the risen Christ. The met.re continues regular; 
with a f,.w exoTliotts, the origin of which can easily be seen, the 
la4 line of each stanza remains quu,lrisyllabic, instead of being 
lengthenel as in the addcd stanzas at the begiuuing of the play, aud 
I think th,:re can bc no doubt that this Sl,eech ot Christ once formed 
part of t.|te York Cycle, but was sub-equent|y omitted. Similar 
speeches occur in the 'Coventry' an,l Chester cyc|e.% and in the 
last-naned there are some positive resemblances which, in case they 
havo hot },eea noticed betore, I set f,»rth in a f,«,tnot.e, z 
It will be n,»tieed that this i,l.ty fa||s natura||y into three |,art., 
of which Christ's moao]ogue is the centre ; and il is much casier to 

I Townrley, 11. 226--231. 
Erthly man, that I baae wroght 
Wightly wake, at;d slepe thou noght ! 
With bytter ba)'ll l hatxe the boght, 
To make the fie ; 
lnto this dongeon depe I soght 
And ail for hff of the. 

Il 322--327. 
flot I ara veray l,rynce of pcasse, 
Aud synnes seyr I may releasse, 
And whoso will of synnes seasse 
And merey cry, 

| grauntt theym here a measse 
In brede myn awn body. 

Clwster, vol. 2, p. 89. (Sh. Soc. ed.) 
EifthIy mm thot I bave wrou9hte , 
»eal'¢ ott of thy sle ; 
Eirthly man that I bave 
Of me thou bave no ke. 
Fm hea-en man's soule Iso,9hte 
hto a gi,,n drpe 
My dote It.nmn from ¢ltense I broughte 
Fr ruthe of her I weepe. 
I a«a vereyc prDwe ofp, 
AIId kinge of free mercye ; 
Who will of syn bave rde 
On me the call and 
Ad yf the wHl ofnn 
1 9rau« tm peace trewlye, 
And theno a fntH fich 
]n br tuf  dye. 

The verbal resemblanees here seem almost too close to be exl,lained by a 
eommon original. If there bas beeu direct tr«usmissiou, it must bave beeu 
southwards. 



xx Towaeley and York Piays of Ilesurrectiort and Last ]udgment. 
believe that in some process of amalgama|ing or divhling the different 
parts, this speech was omittcd from tire York manuscript, than 
that 8o important a feature in tbe plays was hot represented in the 
cycle. 
After l. 333 in Toeley, etc., agreement between the two cycles 
is resumed, an,l cotinues, with the usual verbal variatios, to 1. 56 l, 
the agreement of the stanzas b«iug as follows-- 
Towneley. York. Towneley. York. 
56--66 = 32--42 I 88 part|y = 67 
6" = parts of 43, 44 I 89 = 68 
68--85 = 45--62 90--93 = 70--73 
86, 87 = 64, 65 

Stanzas 63, 66 and 69 of York are unrepresented. L. 562 in 
Towncley is extra mctrum, and cuts short the rather wearisome talk 
of l'ilate which la.sts in the York l,lay for another eighteen lines. 
The sccne bctween Christ and S. Mary Magdaleue, which fllows in 
the T,,wneley cycle, f,mns a se,a:atc play (No. XXXLX.) in the York, 
ami rites» are no textual rcSelld,lances. It will be noticed that of 
tire first eight of the eleven stanzas into which it is divi,led, eve3r 
one ltas a diff,.rent metre--a sure sign, I tbiuk, of the hasty work 
ren, lere,l necessary hy an inci, lent which could hot be omitted having 
t 1,ç ta«ked on t a diflbrcnt 1,1ay. 
The case of the last of the rive parallel texts, that of the play 
of the Last Ju,lgment (Towneh T xxx..lu,liciu,t; York xrvm. 
acted by the, ' Mcrceres '), is agaiu very striking aml interesting. Thc 
T0,wneley 1,1ay, unf,,rtunately, lacks some lines (the speech of 
' l'rimu. Malus') at |h,; 1,eginning, an,i the first sixteen lines whicb 
have been i,reserve,1 t,, us, written in two diflhrent inertes, are additions 
to the York text. The next three sanzas, with the exception of the 
last h:df of lire f,,rth, are f,»un,lcd on York stanzas 1921, tben 
we bave au iuserted speech by 'tuartus Malus' (32 lines), tben 
two nmre Y,»rk sbmzoE% thcn the br«_,a,l comedy of the Demons 
(stanzas 16--48, ll. 89--3a), whicb takes the place of a short 
passage in York (ll. 185--228), the greater part of which is occupied 
by the speeches of Christ and the Apostles. Aftcr 1. 385 the bor- 
rowings begin again, and for the whole of the Judglnent-scenc 
proper (Towneley, st. 49--67, ll. 386--531=York, st. 30--47, ll.. 
229--372), the regular 8-line stanzas of the York dramatist are only 
ilterruptcd by a single insertion of four lines (st. 65). But between 



The Tests of a borrau,ed Play. xxi 
the final dooming of the damned and the thanksving of the saved 
(l. 612--620), tho Towneley play-wright insets a long passage in 
which the fiends gloat over their victiras, and this is all his own. 
Where the last stanza was taken from we eanno say. It is quito 
different from the York text, and bears more resemblanee to the 
Towneley ending of the Exh'«ccio A»d»arum (p. 305). 
The foregoing conspectus of the points of agreement and disagree- 
nient between the Towneley and York texts of these rive plays }tas 
probably been round almost as tedious to read as if certainly was fo 
compile. But if was worth whi|e to work it out in full, since rite 
most cursory perusal of it nmst suffice to show that, in the circum- 
stances under which tho borrowings took place, it was pra,:ti«dly 
impossible fo a play to pass from one cycle to anothe without 
showing signs of the process in marked disturbances of ineh'e and 
frequent corruptions both of sense and rhyme. It follows from this 
that wherever we find a play (not merely a fragment) the mette of 
hich is uniform, or la obviously varied only in correspondence with 
the characte of the speakers, while at the saine time the l,ymes aro 
r%mdar and the text good, in the absence of positive evidence to the 
contra T we are hot only entitled, but bound, to assunm that the play 
was compose4 for the place and the cycle to vhich it now belongs. 
A play full of obvious corruptions need hot be a borl'owe, l play, 
because comptions may bave arisen in many other ways ; but a play 
which is creditably free from corruptions can hardly by any 
possibility bave heen borrowed. 
ow if we apply this canon to the Towneley Plays, it will enable 
L to set some limit to the amount of importe,! work which we eau 
safely recognize as existing in the cycle as it haz corne down to us. 
Long before the publication of the York Plays, the composito 
character of the Towneley was recognized by its first editor, though 
the reasons he assigned were less happy than his surmise itself, and 
late writers ha'ce hot failed to enlarge on the point. It thus 
becomes interesting to sec how much of the cycle we can claire on 
sure evidence as composed especially fo if. It is no bad beginning 
to be able to say at once, at least one-fourth, and this the fourth 
hich contains the finest and most original work. The evidence fo 
 . g. He says that there are no Yorkshire£sms in the Pharao, which we 
now know to be mainly borrowed from the York cycle, and remarks "Coesar 
A.ttus is plainly by the saine hand as Pharao. The heroes in both swear by 
• lahuvne ' "---a habit shared by most poteutates in miracle plays. 



xxii The 5 best Tvu,neley Plays by a G«nius. 
this is irresistible. We fin, l the W-',kefield or %o, lkil'k edir inter- 
lating two broa,lly humorous seenes, the one eontainillg 297 lines, 
the other 81, on Ihe imprive York play of the Judgment. Th 
seenes are wl'itn in 
beccb, with central rimes in the fit four lines (I should prefcr 
wri it --etc, w), and we find ts saine metre used with adnir- 
bbl, b 
able remlarity throughout rive long l,lays, viz. 

m. Processus Noe cure filiis 
xii. Prima Pastorum 
x,. Secun,la Pastorum  
x. Magnus ll,.r,.les 
XXL Colil,hiacio 

558 lines 
502 (2 lines lost) 
75 (2 lines lost) 
513 
45O 

lorl including the two psages in the Je,l/tiare, in no less than 3155 
]iues,occupying in this e,_lition ahnost exactly. 100 pages ont of 396. 
If auy vue will read these l,lays together, I think he eannot rail to 
feel that they are ail the work of the s:tne writer, and that this 
writer deserves to be rankedif only we knew his naine !--at least 
as high as Langlmad, and as an exponent of a rather hoisterons kind 
of humour had no eqnal in his own day. We may also be sure that 
the two otlmr plays, Fb«g,,llacio (No. xx,L) and Processus T,d, ntorum 
(N%. xx[v.}, eontain about the saine pr-porlion of his work as does 
the Ju:licium. They are closely akin to the Colil,hlzaclo , and contain 
the one 24, the other 8 of his favonrite stanzas. 
For one other play which it is very tempting to assign to the 
s,me hand, the Mactaeio Abel (No. u.), we lack tho evidenee of 
i0h«dity of metrê ; it fact, the frequent changes .from one metrical form 
fo an«,ther woul,1 make us suspect that we had Item an instance of 
e01iting, if it were hot qnite inwossible fo isolate front the prescrit 
text any nnderlying original. But the extraordinary boldness of the 
play, m»l the character of its hmaonr, make it dilticnlt to dissociate 
it from the work of the author of the Shepherds' Plays, and I eannot 
donbt that this also, st le.st in part, mnst be added to his credit. 
Vhen the work of this man of real genins bas been eliminated, 
the search for anc.,ther Wakcfie],l, or Voodkirk, anthor becomes 
distinctly less interesting. It will be worth while, however, now to 
pass the whole cycle in rêview, adding what notes we eau to each 
t,lay, especially as fo their metres. 
 This play is further stamped as especially composed for the Wakfield 
district by the allusion to ' Horbury' noted above, p. xiv. 



The £ist of the Towneley Plays and their 1h't'es. xxiii 
*. Crcatioa. Coui, lets (aa «) and stanzas, mostly aa«ba«b . Connected 
with Barkers of Wakefield. 
II. Abd. |etres very confused. Apparently a bold rehandling of an 
earlier and simpler play. Connected with [Wakefiehl] Glovers. 
III. ./¥Oah. 9-line stanza  Oddd% . Connected with Wakefield. 
! alam. ababab . Cp. No. xlx. 
llt. [vit.] l'ha»'aoh, ababbab«cdcd , 'ith many cooenl,tions. Co- 
nectcd 'ith Litstcrs of Wakefield. Bas on York 
[ Vil. [vln.] Prs Prophelarum. m«c«'b , lem often aab«b  
Ix. 6'aesar Aust-us. btab . 
 [ Collplets (') and sn 
Ann 
ilndalion. 
,S%dntatn. «b'ee«b , 
xl, l'rime Plorum. g-line stanm,  III. 
XIII. 8ecunda P«'un. As xii. 
xv. M.9i. aaa«ba«bï with fg.r disturbances. Alliterative. 
x. Fli9ht i Egpt. ababbaabacbac . Alliterative. 
xl. ll«rl. 9-line sta.a as III., etc. 
xvn. Purification. abcccb  and  bacc«b . 
XVlll. ocgo#'$. ababahahcdcd a, with corruptions and interpolations. 
tst.d Oll Yok XXlll. 
xx. Jo?tn the Baptist. ababab t. Cp. No. Iv. 
xx'. Conspiracb). abahabah,.dcd . Speech of Pilate l,refixed in 9-line 
xx ». Cacio. Couplets and quatrains (aa  a.d abab ) with interpolations. 
XXL Coliphi:io. 9-line stanza,  In., 
xx.. Fla9«llac. Mixed mctres. Abo.t half th,. play in 9-e sas. 
XXlll. P'ss Cr. Much edited and interpolated, from an ofigal 
basis 
lv. Processus Talents.m. Metres very confused. Much interlmlation. 
v. E.ctraio Anitm. abababedcd s, with additions and coup- 
tions. Bcd on York xxxvn. 
XXVl. csurredn. ba«b e, with many cOul,ti,,ns and inrpolations. 
Based on York xxxvlll. 
XXVll. Peregrini. aq»%tb , with corruptions and i.terpo]ations. 
xxvnL . Tlt. ccb s followed by ababbab . 
xxIx. bçion. lctres very conf.se,l. 
xxx. Jne. Bed ou abtl,ahab  of York XLVIII., with interpola- 
tions of ababab s and 8-line 
Zs. Couplets with sLnzaa in several difl.rent metres. 
8io loEe. Fraent in bb . [Cp. xxvi., vii.] 
In this conspectus, Lides the plays written in the 8-line stana, 
we may note that we bave two fragments (Nos. Iv. and v.) writn in 
couplets on the history of I, and J«cob ; two plays, the Cre«tion 
(No. ].) and Annunciation (No x.), in whiç.h couple are joined with 
a 6-line 8tanza rhyming aabceb 3, or aa4b3aa4b3, and three phy% 



xxiv Prof. T«n-B,'ink on 'Jacob aul Eat; 'Istac mtd Jacob.' 
the P»'ocess P,'ol,bet«rmn (No. vtt. ; it shouhl of cour change 
1,1ac with tho Pb,tr,«,,h, o. vttt.), the C, tesar A»fflw«lus (No. x.) 
and ,çaltdati«»t (No. xt.), written tht'oughout in this stanza, which is 
al enq,loye,! for 1,arts of the plays of the Purification (Ne. XVl.), 
Pt'Ooe88tM Çtt'Uei (N,). XXIII.), and S. TI«omas of «,lia (XXVIII.). 
As fo the two fragmeuts (tv. and v.] the late Profeor Ten-Briak 
w t'ote 1  
".Uut a g«,m.t.:tionbut har, lly nmch momseparates this 
ohlest extant Enlish ,Imma [£ e. the ll«rrowi«g f H«ll, ' comp-sed 
sh«,t.tly after the mi, l,llc of the thirtcenth cetm T'] from the ncxt. 
Thc play of J,c,,b ami ««u, as we t:de the liberty of callin it., 
:Wpeam to have le.ch composed hot far from the mouth of the 
Ihtml,er, and 1,rol,ab}y fo the nolth of the dialect line. The iuflu- 
cime of the Et Mi, llan,ls is seen in the choice of subjeçt, which 
was hot pol,ular ,,n the earlier stage el»ewhere, an,l the luanner of 
treatm,.nt also r,.min,ls us of the districts and the century whi«:h 
l,roduce,I th,. 1,o,.m «,f Gpesia and 
" Iti ,«cob ,tt,1 #s, tu the dramatic art is still of a low standard ; 
the situ:tions are hot lnade lnuch ue f ; th¢ characteristi show littlc 
dl,th or originality. The p,,et is full of l'everence for his subject, 
ami dramatiz-s faithfully what oeem» to him ifs lnost important 
traits, with,,ut putting  it much of his own originMity," etc. 
In his Al,l,cn,lix (vol. Iii. p. 2;), [*rof. Te»Brink suppord this 
view of the l,lay with the f,Al,wing lmte 
" This 1,1ay has bcen hande, l down in the Tovneley C,Alection : 
unfortunately it is lnutilated af the begimdng and also divide,1 iuto 
two parts: l.»tAc and J,«cob. ll,_,wevev, it origiually formcd, an,l, 
fact, still forms, one dralna, which was pro,htce, i indel,endently 
without regard fo any cycle of lnysteries, and indeed earlier than 
lnoet of the others, 1,robal»ly than aH the other parts of the cycle in 
which it was subscquently incorporat,.d. Ail this can easily be 
i,roved I,y meaus now at the disposal of 1,hilology, but this h llOt 
the place for entering int, the suhject. Lcss certain is the l,*cal origin 
,,f the l,iece. Th«. assumption that f,«- ,,f the rhyming wor, ls have 
been altered in their transmission eoul,I, f,,r instance, allow of the 
SUl,positioa that the ,lrama might have been i,rodttced in the north 
of the East-Midl.md territory, rather than in the sonthern districts of 
Northumbria, a sui,position which woul,l coincide very well with 
many other peculiarities of the work." 
I bave quod these passages from Prof. Ten-Brink in full, 
because the opinion of the writer who h produced the only really 
good history of out eafly literature, is a thousand times more import- 
ant thau my own. But my difficulties in accel,ting his theory 
 lItory of Et2lh Literaur¢ (English edition), vol. ii. p. 



'he diffevent Gvous of the Tou'adey Plays. xxv 
ifs entirety arc both numerous and great. Tho H«rrou'in.q of tlell 
ielf seems  mm it has ueemed  my betl before mether a 
dramatic poena than a 5liracle Play properly so oelle,1, aud I cannot 
conceivo on what occasion, or hy whom, an isolate,! play on J,tb 
and Esau coul,i corne fo ho acted in the vernacular. In a cycle, the 
p'cselce of a play on Abmham might easily suggest a conlinuatiou 
dealing with his immediate d,-scen,lan, and its simpler and m«,ro 
amhaic form might be partly accotmted for by the nature of ils 
subjcct. I should prcfer, also,  attributo diflrences of dialcct to 
the removal from one district to another of a play-writing 
rather than fo the acceptance in one district of a play which ha,1 
been coml)ooed for another many yeam befom. It fs obvious, 
hoevcr, that theso two fragments do be]o»g  a period, whether 
l,rae-cydic or cyclic, ai which the narrative and didactic in,test 
of the representation was uppermost, and belote the constautly 
increasing importation of external attractions had produce, l a 
disste for the siml,l,:r and more exclusive]y religious form of 
drama. We know from Chancer's allusions, as well as from the- 
cvi,lence of the York plays, that by the last Taer of the fourteenth 
ccntury Noah and his quarrelsome wife and the ranting Herods and 
Pil:ttes were already stock characrs, and we may thus well belicve 
that the cycle 'of marrer from the beginning of the worl, I ' in its 
simplest forn, must bave been in existetce dm'ing the first hall of 
that century. The iict that this play has dnly corne to us 
fragmets, is probably good evi,lonce that it was con«idered ati- 
quated at the rime ont manuscript was written, au,1 that only a few 
speeches from if were used. 
I must coufess, however, that I canuot fiud auything either in the 
style or the language of these fragments which need compel us to 
separate them ri'oto tbe couplets in the 1,lay of the Crealion and thc 
A»nunchttion ; and I incline strongly to believe lhat in these I, lay., 
a]»l the othem which I hae menfioncd  written whc,lly or 
partly in the aah3ecb a stanza, we possess part of an orig.d di,lacfic 
cycle, of much the saine tone as the Chesr Plays, on fo which 
other plays, mostly written in a more popular style, have en hcked 
from time to time. In any case I do not think it can  doubted 
that the four plays, vL, x., x. and XL, are the work of the saine 
writer, and the rest seem to me to go with them. 
The plays of the Jlctgi (xv.) and of the igbt [nto Egypt (xv.) are 
marke,1 off from this group by thoir much greater u of alhtemtion, 



xxvi GJqs of the Plays. Date of tle helherds' Playts. 
and soem  methough my opinion on questions oI dialeet is worth 
very fittle have been written by an author of somewhat diffent 
8peh. The Abraham and ohn the B,q,tist again are in a tally 
different mets, and may belong to the period when th« York plays 
were being ineorpoted in the cycle. As gards these York l,lays, 
enough bas aiady ten said ; but itis w,,rth noing that the pre- 
dominant inerte of he 6'.piracio (xx.) is the saine  tha of rince 
out of the li.e plays eonneeted with York (the Pharh, Doctor, and 
EMraio Animar««m), and may piliy  based on  lost alternative 
 the exnt York play on this subjec. A imilar gne may be 
haarded   the play of the Peregfini (xxw.), the metre of whieh 
is the saine as thnt of the Resurr«tio (xxw., York xxxvI.), while th 
obvious corruptions an,! inteïpolations of the text may well iend ns to 
d,,ubt its being indigenous. The fragnent of the ,S,«7encio lude, 
i,riuted at the en,l of the cycle, but whieh would natnraily corne 
immedtely before the Remtrrectio, is in the saine mette, and subjeet 
t,, the ame hypothesis. 
As regards the work of the one real genins of the Towneley cycle, 
the author of the two l,lays of the ,çhephevl, and of the others 
written in the saine metre, the eonvene of the arguments of whieh 
we a«hnitted the f«,ree  regards the la«c atd the Jacob, will 
naturaily iead us to assign to them as late a date  possible. 
As note,l by the Surtees editor, the allusion  the Judœeeium 
to the head-gear whieh eouhl make a woman lk ' horned like a 
eow,' enables us to be snre that this play-wright w a young,-r 
eontomporary of Chaueer. We must hot, indeed, like the cataloguer 
of the auotion-ro,_,m, argue that beeanse Stow wries that in the 
days of «nne o[" II,,hemia 'noble women used high attire on their 
heads, piked like h,»rnes,' tlteref,,re the l,lays may be aited 
apl,roximately to rime date of her arrival in England. I imagine 
that  tho days as in t.he the fashions in the Yorkshire country- 
side were at,t  be a little behind those of London ; the ped 
head-gear is found in manuseripts  late  about 1420 (e. 9- Harl. 
2897, f. 188 , and Hari. 4431, f. 2, ndly poind out  me 
by 8if E. [. Thompson),  and the other ailusions of these 
plays, e. 9- the refereuee  tennis (,Sc. Past. 736), the frequent 
 See ao Lyd's 15th century ' Dyté of Womenhis Hoys' in h 
Mi Pot, Percy Soc. p. 46-9, and Harl. iSS. 2255, 2251, e. Hors were 
 fhion in te ]3rb, ]4th, an,l ]Sth cenes ; e Fairholt's Ctu in 
Engla, ed. D]on, 1885, il. 224-5, and Planchës paper thein named.--F. J. F. 



I)ate of ,çqcrds' Plays. Tierce Stages of Townley Plays. xxvii 
and rather leaed talk about music (Sec. Post. 186--89, 65660, 
JMi(.ium 537, 538), and the general alk of Shel,herds and Dcvils 
about the sta of the count --all aee ve well wiih the eady 
years of the fifnth century. In a writer so full of a]lusions, 
the abnce of any relerence to fighting tends, I think,  show 
that the playa were hot written during the war with France, au,I 
thus everything ems to point to the reign of Hem'y IV. as the 
most likely date of their comlsition. The da of out text 
pmbably about half a cetury later, l»ut the example of tie York 
Plays shows us lhat in its own habitat the txt of a play could 
be preserved in tolerable purity f,r a longer period than this. 
Il the drection of popular treatment it was impossible fo any 
edi»l', however nmch dispooed towards tinkering, to thik he could 
improve on t]le play-wright of the 9-line stans, while it is reoeonable 
to presume that the hoh[ of these plays on the Yo-khire audience 
was suciently strong fo resist the intrusion of didactics. 
As regards fle only plays hot yct mentionod in the survey, the 
(xx".), P, vcessus T(dento.um (XXlV.), Ascei (Xxxb.) and Lozaru.», 
therc bas been so much editing and interpolating, and the consequent 
mixture of metres is so grt, that it is dicult to arrive at any clear 
conclusion about them. 2 But, subjcct to such corrections as 
sum'ey of the dia]ect now being undertaken by Dr. Iatthews nmy 
suggest, I think we may tairly regoed this T,wneley cycle as 
up  at let three distinct stages. In the fir»t of thc we find the 
simple religious tone which we naturally assign to the beginning o 
the cyclical eligious dmma, the majoity of them being written in 
one of lhe avourite metres of th fourteenth-centy romances which 
were alady going out of fashi(,n in Chaucer's day. 3 In thç second 
 ote especially the allusions to 'mainnance  in Zt. Pat. l. 35, and 
the claire of Tutivillus to  a 'toaster lollar' in JM. 213. 
u The Lazarus, for shnce, ems to be built up in three layers, the lt 
them the  rim psage on death ing stkigly in the style of some of the 
9-line stanzs. 
a h cuous reminicence of these mmances  l,sev«d in stanza 26 of 
rocessl P'oTh «m : 
  I so y a f ; 
loke in mynd thag ye haue it, 
I rede with my myght ; 
He that maide vs th h wytt, 
Sheld va ail ri'oto hell 
And unt us heuen lyght 
--which might bave corne sght out of a romance. 



xxviii The three Sta#es, and the Home of the Tmt'ncley _Plays. 
stage we bave the introduction by some playwright, vho brought 
the knowledge of them from el.cwhere, of at lea»t five--possibly 
seven or eight--of the plays which were aeted at York, and the 
composition of some others in the saine style. In the third stage 
a writer of genuine dramatic power, whose humour was unchecked 
by any resl,eet for conventionality, wrote, especial]y for this cycle, 
the t,lays in the 9-1iJm stanza which form ils backbone, and added 
],ere an,i there to otl,ers. Taken tgether, lhe threo stages probably 
cover somet],ing ]ike l,alf a eentury, ending about 1410, though 
subsoquent edit,,rs may bave tinkered here and there, as editors will, 
atd much allowance must be ruade for eontitual comption by the 
a«tors. 
It may be as well fo note here that whatever weight wo may be 
dispo.,l to attach to the tradition that the cycle belonged to the 
Wo,dkirk mc»uks and was acted at Woodllirk Fair, itis impossible 
to believo that the l,lays noted in the MS. as connected with 
Wakefield form in any way a group by themselres. The P, arkers' 
p]ay of the Creation, howerer much edited, b,îlongs in its origin t. 
out first stage; the Ph«r«oh, l,]ayed by the Wakefield Litstem, but 
based on York Xl., to out second, to which also I shou]d assign tho 
l'eregrini played by the Fishers, written in the metl'e of the York 
R«no','ectio. Lastly, the ]Voah, against which Wakefield is written, is 
in the 9-1tue sianza of tbe Shepherds' Plays, and the Glovers' p]ay of 
Abel, whether rc-written by the saine author or not, is, in ils pres..nt 
f,,rm, certaildy laie work. With ihe exception of the Fid«ers, wc 
might say, without lmlch exaggeration, that all the three crafts 
nalucd, Dyers, Tanners, and Glovel'S» had some connection with tho 
sheep, their hides and wool, which were probably the chier coin- 
modifies sol01 ai the Woodkirk fait, 1 and so lnight bave taken a 
special interest in any pageant likely to bring custolners to il. Iut 
we are bound to remelnber that the commction with Woodkirk is 
a mere tradition, and that it is quite possible that the whole cycle 
belongs to Wakefield, which is the only place with which il is 
authoritatively connected. 
To bl'ing literary criticism fo bear on a cycle built up, even 
approximately, in tho malmer which I bave suggested, is no easy 
 If the Fishers, as at York, were allied with the Iariners, they too might 
l,e dragged in as concerned with the ex-port trade. If they were aVishers, ' purs 
et simlaIes,' oae i temlated to say that tlaey may laave lent a hand ai play- 
acting for the lack of sutficieat employment in an inland towa ! 



The poctic v,ortk of the T,_nt,nerey Plays. xxix 
task. The plays were no wrien for our rea, ling, bug for he 
edifieation and amusemen of the uncrifical audicttce of fleir own 
day ; and we ean certainly say of fltem tha, whaever effec the 
playwrighg aimed a, he almos always attained, tlf the simply 
devotional plays the Annuncbdlot seems to me the finest. Thc whole 
of thi8 play, indeed, i8 Idl of tenderness ; and them are nches in 
it in which Rossetti, if he knew it, must have delighte,1. The 
reconciliation bctween Joseph and the Ilessed Virgin is delightful ; 
and thc psage in which Josepl de8eribes his enf,»reed nmrriage 
 really poetieally written. One verse is especially quotable : 
What, I ail thts had wed hir thare, 
We au, i my madyns home tan rare, 
That kyns daughters were ; 
Ail roght thay sylk to find Ihem on, 
• ]lar& wrog lmrjll, t t'r 
bot olhere copra acre. 
If this uch hl been entily f the dramafist's own invention he 
must, indeed, have been Itossetfi'a spiritual forbear ; but i$ is needless 
o say flia i com from he al,oCO'l,hal gosl,el of Iay, fiough he 
deserves aH credi$ for bringing $ogther wo widely separaged verses.  
The plays which I have pus into my second group arc on 
whole very dull. The dramatis[ of fie Abrah«m could no[ rail 
athain o me paShos in $1 reamen$ of the a¢ene beSween Iaa¢ 
and his father ; bu flough h avoids $1e mike of the Y««'k 1,1ay- 
xvrigh who represented [aa¢ as a man of thh'y, his haudling of 
s¢ene is dfinctly ferior  ha of 
Chester cycle. The general cliaracSerisçic, indeed, of the gr,_,up is, 
Lha[ tha playwright plols prseveriugly lhrouh his sutit.t , bu 
never rises above he level ¢,f tha h,»nes j,«mwyman. 
Between the duH work and file abounding humour and conan 
 'hap. ri. 7 : «« But the Virn of Ihe Lord, Iary, with seven other rirons 
of Ihe sme ago, who had been ai,pointed to attend her by the [,riest, 
returned to her parent' house  Galeo;" and Chap. iv. 
OEme to pass, in a council of the privsts it ws id, ' t  make a new veil for 
the temple of the Lord.' And the hizh-priest said, 'CaH together to me seven 
tmdefiled virgins of the tribe of Dard.' An the rvants 'ent anti brought 
flem unto the mple of the Lord ; and the gh-pfies said unto them, ' 
lo before me now, who of you shaIl spin tho golden thrd, 'ho the bhe, 'ho 
the soerlet, who the fine linen, and 'ho the te purple.' Then the high-pries 
knew Iry, that she was of the tri of Dard ; 
true [,urI,le fell  ber 1o  spin, and she w¢nt away  ber own hoe." 
(IIone's At»l oda, 1820. ) 



xxx The IVrit«r of the ,hepherds" Plays probahlg a Mb. 
alIusivee ol the author of the plays in the 9-1ine stauza, the 
disnee can vnly  mured by the two words rpectability and 
genius. It is ail the more pleasant fo use the fit  denote the dull 
level from vhich he keeps aloef, in that I lmve a strong suspicion 
that durg his lire the author of our 9-line sn play may 
bave boen eensured for the laek of this very quality. His sympafly 
with poor fvlk, and his dilike of the "gentlery men" xvho Ol,preed 
them, oeem oemething more than eonvenional; and his tim is 
sometimes  grim as. if is free. Flvm his frequent allusions to 
music, his scraps of Latin and allusions to ttin authors, his dislike 
of Lollards, and the daring of some of his I,hmses, whieh seems  
urpass what would have been peitd fo a layman, if is probable 
that be was in «,rders ; aud the vision of the Friar Tuek of Peaeoek's 
M,«bl M, tri«n rioes up befom me s I read his plays. As a dmmatist 
it is ,liflicult to praise him too highly, if we remember the limitations 
under which he worked, and the feeble effor of his conmporaries 
al llCeoE8ors. 
The S««u,l« P,«storum, Oie survival of which "in Archio Arm- 
strang's Aith " Prof. K;lhing has so pleasantly illustrated (oee his 
AITen,lix), is reay perfect as a work of art ; and if in the Prima 
P,«st«r«m our author was only feeling his way, and in the Noah, 
He,,l, etc., was cramped by the narre'al limitation o[ his suhjc¢t, we 
bave the more reason to regret that a writer of su«:h real power had no 
«tler scope for lais afilitics than that oflçred by the cy¢li¢al miracle 
pI;y. Even within these limits, however, he had room  dplay other 
gifts t»esidcs tlm of dramatic construction and humour. The three 
sl)eeches of the Shcl,herds fo the little Jcsus are exquisite in their 
rust  tenderness, and even if we may hot attrihute  him tire really 
terrific picture of corrupti,,n in the Lartaç, there is contrast enough 
bçtween these aud the 4enunciation of tho usurem and extoioners 
in the Jicium. Without his aid, the Towneley cycle would have 
bcen insti»g, but not more interesting than any of i three 
competitom. IIis additions entitle it  be ranked among the great 
works of our rlier literate. 
ALrD W. OLaaD. 



xxxi 

APPE1WDIX. 

THE SECUIDA PA$TOR['M OF THE TOWNELE¥ I)LAY8 (p. 116 ff.)  
RCHIE RMSTI¢ANG'8 AIrH. 
BY PROF. E. K(LBI'G, PmD. 
So far  I know, n«,hody h yet disc,)vcred that the lea, lin 
incident in the Second Play vf the Shel,he  repeated  quite 
another department of English Liratum, viz. in Arc]de Ar»s/,n»]« 
Aih, by te Rev. ffoh Ma»loti, prim:ted in 'Miust-elsy of the 
Scottish Border,' 5th ed. vol. i. Edinb., 1821, p. 41 ff. Achie 
Armstrang w,  we learn from tire Notes of this poem, p. 487 f., 
"a native of Eskdale, and contribud nota little tow«rds the 
raising his clan to that l»reminence vhich it long mainlaiued 
amongst the Border thievcs .... and there distinguished himself 
so much hy zeal and assiduity in his professional duties, that at 
length he ibund if expediunt fo emigrate .... He afterwards 
became a celehmd jesr in the Euglish C,)urt.... He was 
di8missed in disgrace in the year 1637 .... The exploit detailcd 
in l]mis ballad bas been pre.erved, wifl m:ny othcm of the saine 
kiud, by tradition, and is at this rime cul'teur lu Ekdale." 
The sry ru  follows : 
Archie h stolen a sheep, and  pur»ued by the shepherds, but manages to 
reaçh his bouse, where, ith the auistance of his wifc, ho skin the sheep, 
thmws its entrails and bide into the li*'er, aud stuflh the body ito a 
child's cmdle. Then he si down by it and sings a lullaby. At this very 
moment the pumuers enr the bouse aud declare him to  the thie But 
Al'chie protests, wan them to be quiet, becauoe his chfld is dying, and 
swears an oath, that, if he h ever leened the herds of his neighbo, he will 
eat the flesh that is now lying in the cradle. Besides, he ves them leave 
to ranck eve corner of his houæ in order to find the sheep which they say 
he h stolen. So they arch--natuml]y without sult,--an,l the shepherds 
conclude that if w cither the devil himself, that th,»y w running off witl: 
the sheep, or that they mtook the culprit, and that Mae Brown  the ral 
thieL As to Arche, when the shel,herds a gone, ho piqu himlf hot a 
little on h« ability in prenting a nurse ; and, at the saine time, ys that 
nobody  entitled to oell him a rjer, for he really ea up the sheep in the 
cmdl¢ 



mre credile tat this fnny le w çreserved y oral traditions, 
pouilly in a metrioel fo. The lc was fit rvht to the 
CIoEistm st y the athvr of the Tvwneley Play, ad aherward, 
in the oeventeenth centry, trasferd  the famous thie ad jester, 
Archie Armstng. 
Vhether the happy or unhappy end of the story is to  considerd 
as the oginal one, is a question, which, in the want of other 
ma#eials, we shall pcrhaps never be able to solve with any certainty.  
This little Iapcr is englisht from the original in the Zeitschrift 
57r verglei«]ee Littraturgesc]b']de, hcrausgcgebn von 5I. Koch. 
Ncue Folge. Elfter Band, p. 137 ff.--E. K. 
 As "bang went xpence" would bave been the rult of the Sheplaerds 
kig the babe in the cmdle, I sut that Scoh shephes, at any rote, would 
u,.ver bave thought of incurng such an awful liability.--F. J. F. 



THE TOWNELE¥ PLA¥S. 

(I.) 
[267 lines, in tanzas and couplds. ,S'tanza* 12--15 bave 10 
(bab bab), 7 (b ab ab), 5 a 5 (bab) li 
rpcctively, the t 6 (b b).] 
[ Dram Perso. 
D. Attjeli Mali 1 et 2.1 [ en 1 et 1 
Gebyn. Aeli Boni 1 et 2. ] m. 
ifer. Et. ] 
I dei ho,fine amen. 
• ssit P».ineipio, aneta aria, eo. Wakefeld. 
[ScsE I. Heaven.] 

BAIKEPOE. 

12 

15 

18 

[Fol. 1, a.] 
G«»d dcclares 
His nature 
& might. 

Nothing may 
exist with- 
out Him 

* Thcse may be the same. 
T. PLAYS. B 



2 Towneley Piays. I. The Creatou. 
«  A the begynnyn o cre dede 
e wor oç 
crtion, make we heue & erth, on bde, 
e Ist y : 
t»e »i and lyghtys fayre  se, 
of dart 
& light, frOC it is goo«l fo be se ; 
dal'kncs fro light we parte on tri, o, 
In tyme te serue and be. 
(5) 
Darknes we caH the nygh, 
and lith aise the t,righ, 
1 P shaH be as I say ; 
afte¢ my wiH this is fro th bl'oghV, 
Eue and nlorne both af thay wroghV, 
and thus is maid a day. 
(6) 
'rhedday: In medys tbe war, bi oure 
the 
ment vides he new maide the firmamenV, 
u,e -t«. And parte athe » fro othere, 
Water aboue, I-wis ; 
Ene and morne maide is this 
A day, [se was] the tothe. 
(7) 
]he 3rd day : Waters, tha se w)'de be sl,red, 
the dtion 
ot¢m¢h a be gt.dered le geder in te one stede, 
« tha dry the el'th may seyn ; 
thaV aP is dry the er/h shaH be, 
the waters ao I caH the see; 
this warke te me is queme. 
" (S) 
• ,e rt, te OuP oP the erlh herbys sh sl,rynW, 
t, mng ft,r[h 
t,it. "frees te fl,,rish and frute furth brynT, 
thare kynde that iff be kyd. 
This is done after my wiH ; 
Even) & mo maide is t, he  ti 
A day, this is the thry. 
,e4thdar: Son) & moyne set in the heue, 
caon of 
.un & moo. XVith ses, & the planettys seue, 
Te snd  thare dee i 

91 

27 

3O 

33 

36 

39 

42 

48 

51 



Towneley Pl«ys. I. The Creatior. 
The con) to rue the day lyghV, 
The moyne also  rue the nyghV ; 
The fçmrte day slmH th be. 54 
00) 
The war  norish the fysh swymand, 
The erth  nofish bestys creland , 
ThaP fly o go may. 
5Iultiplye in erth, and be 
In my blyssyn, wax now ye ; 
This is the fyfV day. 60 
() 
Cherubyu . Oure lord god in 
Myrth and lovyn be fo the, 
My4h and lovyn ouer al 
ffo  flmu h ruade , with thi bidyn, 64 
Heue, & erth, and aH that is, 
and gifl vs Ioy thaV neuer shaH mys. 
Lord, tho art fu mych oP myght, 
thaç bas maide lucifer so bfight ; 68 
we loue the, lord, bfighV a » 
bot none oP vs so brighV  he : 
He may weH hight lucifcre, 
flb  lufly light thaV he doth ber«. 72 
He is so lufly and so bright 
It is grete ioy to  thaV sight i 
We lofe the, lo, with aH oure thoghç, 
at sich thyn ca make of noght. 76 
hic de vedit à  solio  hcife s«debit in eodem sdio. 
() 
Lër . Ceys, iV is a semely sight» 77 
8yn tbaV we a  aH angels bfight, 
d euer in blis  be ; 
Ifl thaV ye wiH hol me fight 
th mtre longys fo me. 81 
I ara so rare and bright, 
of me commys aH this ghV, 
this  and aH this gle ; 
 Th wor "haa marie" arC n a lato hand, th¢ 
havi en oblirated. 

[FoL I, b.] 
Cherubim 
praie God. 

He hs ruade 
«II of theoe 
brht, 
Lucifer 
brighgest. 

Lucifer 
landes him- 
elf oll hi 
brigh'¢aea & 
strength. 



4 Taumeley Plays. I. The Creation. 
Agans my grete myghV 
 may [no]thyn stand [ne] be. 86 
(13) 
And ye wcH me behold 
I ara a thowsand fold 
brighter then) is the son); 
my 8trengtle raay hot be told, 
my myglit may no thyng' kon i 
Who ahn ha h, heuen, therfor', wit I wold 
above 16m in 
hve, Al,ove ma who shuld won). 93 
(4) 
ffoP I ara lord of blis, 
ouer al this warh, I-wis, 
My myl'th is most of  ait ; 
the[r]f,r  my witt is this, 
inaster  ye shaH me catl. 98 
And ye si,aH se, fuH sone ohone, 
ne i so How that nie emys fo siP in tronc 
tecmly ho 
will take as kyn,« of blis ; 
(}od'a throne 
 »,g or I ara) so semely, blode & bone, 
bhsa. 
my sete shaH be ther  as was his. 103 
(16) 
ïe aeata Say, feIows, h,,w semys nov me 
maelf &) 
k th To sit iii seyte of tr)'nyte ? 
angels how 
,¢ to,ka. I ara so brighP oP ich a lyre) 
I trow me sertie as wett as hyn. 107 
Thebad primus augelus malus. ThotO arP so fayre vnto my 
th* goal syght, 
,,-« hem. thou) semys wett to sytt on) higliP ; 
Sç thynke me that thou doyse. 
primus bonus a»gelus. I rcde ye leyfe that vanys 
royse, 111 
ffo  thaP seyte may non) anget'l semo 
So weH as hym) that  aH shalt deme. 
ectm,lus bonus angelus. I reyde ye sese of that ye sayn), 
flot' w,:H I wote ye carpe in vayne ; 115 
hit semyd hym) nouer, ne nouer shaH, 
So wett as hym) that has maide aH. 
a MS. may thyng' stand thon) be. 



Towndry PI, y. I. The 6'reation. 5 
Secundus malus angelus. Now,and bi (ght that 
angel think 
he semys fuH wett theron) to sytt ; 119 him 
He is so fayre, withoutteW les, 
he semys fuH weH  sytV o des. 
therfod, felow, hold thi peasse, 
and vntbithynke the wbat thoW saye. 123 
he mys  weH to sytt there 
as god hymsel, if he were here. 
Lucifer . l«,yf felow, thyuk the llOP  126 
primus me/us «ngelus. Yee, god wote, so dos othere mo. tL , .] 
l,rimus bwms [Angelu.]. Nay, forsoth, so thye,k lmt vs. 
lucifer ). Now, therof a lcke what rekys vs] 
S)' I my lf ara so bright Lucifer ys 
he will ke 
theoP wiH I take a flygh, l 131 aflight.' 
Tune int demones cl,«m,,,o, & dicit l,rimus, 
[Scs II. H:ll.] 
Trimus de»wn . Alas, alas, and welc-wo ! e devils 
reproh 
hlcifef, whi feH thou so  
We, that were angels so rare, 
and t  hie aboue the ayere, 135 
ow aff we waxel blak as any coy, 
wsxen blaa 
and vgly, tatd us a foyH.  coaL 
WhaV alyd the, lucifer, to fa  
w thoW hot farist o angels aH ? 139 
rightisV, and best, & mosV o lu 
With god hy selt, that syttys ay 
to  «« [ey, ] t ,,' 
thoW arV fouH ««nm fro thi ky ; 143 
thoW arV faile], thaV w the ynd, 
ffro an angeH to a feynd. 
thoW has vs doyn a vyle dispyte, 
and bmglW thi sel to sorow and sit. 147 
Alas, theP is noght eh to y 
bo we af tynV fo now and ay. 149 
cu demon.as, the ioy thaV we were 
haue we IV, fr oum sy. 
 A scribe h misken Lucifer's botf 'ht for h fart. 
One or more snz conining either a sçeech 
and C Plays) or the cxclamaons of the dev  they fart 
{cp. York Pl«gs) mt bave en omitte 

He bas ruade 
nine where 
there were 
ten [i.e. s 
tenth pat 
of each order 
of angels bas 
fallen. Cp. 
n. 256. 



We may 
wicked 
jritle ." " SO 
may ye 
that stmnd 
beaide.'" 

Toemeley Plays. L Tle Creation. 

alas, that  eupr cam pride in thoght , 
flot' it bas broglit vs aH fo noglit. 
We were in myrth and I»y enoglie 
When lucifer to w'/de drogli. 
Alas, we may warrie wikkyd p»qde, 
so may ye aH that  standys be side ; 
We hel, witli hym) thef he saide leasse, 
and therfot  haue we aH vnpcasse. 
Ahs, al, oure Ioye is tynt , 
Ve mon) hae payne that  neer shaH stynt . 

153 

157 

161 

Go,l ro- 
ceeds to 
make man. 

htm know- 
ledge, 
$trength. the 
government 
of the world» 
& paradise 
to dwell in. 

[ScE III. Earth.] 
) 
Deus.--Erthly bestys, that may erepe and go, 
bD'ng ye furtli and wax ye mo, 
I se thaV iV is go ; 
now make we man to oure liknes, 
tlmP shaH b0 keper of more & les, 
o fowles, an, l fys in 
spytc o life I in the blaw, 
go and iH b,»th shaH thoW knaw ; 
fise vp, and sMnd bi me. 
AH thaP is in war or Jan,I, 
IV sbaH bow vnto thi hand, 
and suffcra shaH thou be ; 
09) 
I gi the witP, I gif the strenght, 
«, aH thou sees, of brede & len#he ; 
thou shaH be wonder we. 
Myrt and Ioy fo haue at wiH, 
AH thi likyng to fulfiH, 
and dweH in parise. 
(0) 
Th I make thi wonnyng playce, 
ffuH o mt and of so]ace, 
and I ssse the therin. 
IV is hop g  bo alone, 
to walk here in tlfis wortely wone, 
In aH this weltly wy ; 

164 

Y'/«n(t# eum. 167 

170 

173 

176 

179 

182 

185 



(l) 
therfor , a rib I from k|e take, 
theroO shaH be [maide] thi make, 
And be to thi helpyng-. 
Ye botli to gouerno thaV here 
and euer more   in blis, 
ye wax in my Missyn. 
ye shaH have Ioye & blis therin, 
whils ye wiH kepe yoW out of sy, 
I say without[ten] lese. 
Ryse vp, myn) angeH chrubyn), 
Take and leyd they bot in, 

L TI G'eation. 

188 

19L 

194 
[Foi. '2, b.| 

And ]eyi  them) there in peasse. 197 
Tunc ce_pi# cherubyn  adam per manum, " diciP eis 
donl» 
(3) 
Hefis thou am, and eue thi wife, 
I Iorde you the tre oP lire, 
And I commaund, tha iV be ga, 
Take wbie yo wiH, hop neg hop thaO. 201 
Adam, i thou breko my rede, 
tho shaH dye a dulfuH dede. 
Che«b9n . Oure lord, oure god, thi wiH be dono ; 
I shaH go w&h they fuH one. 205 
flb# soth, my lo, I shaH hot sted 
tiH I haue they thed led. 
we thank the, lord, wit iuH good chere, 
thaO h maide man   oure feero. [Exil Deus.] 209 
Coin furt adam, I shaH the leyd ; 
take tenV  me, I shaH the reyJ. 
I mde the thk how flmu ar wrogt, 
d luf my lo iii aH thi thoght, 213 
Tha bas maide the thrug his wiH, 
angels rdim   fulfiH. 
Many thyngys he lins the #ffeO, 
and maido the mtez 
He h forbeâ the boO a tre 
look that thoW let it be, 

7 

God makes 
wom$m to 
h¢ildng. 

them fo 
l,arads¢. 

Goal forbids 
Adam and 
Eve the 
tree of lire. 

The Angel 
instruets 
Adam. 



8 

Ad».m and 
Eve con- 
he tulte 
mselve8 
& thank 
God. 

Adam bid 
Eve keep 
nway frOIiI 
the Tree of 
lfe. 

The tenth 
order of 
angels is 
fallen. 

Tawneley Plays. Z Te Creation. 
flot' if  thou breke his commaundment, 
thou) skapys not bot thou be shent. 221 
Weynd here in fo paradise, 
and luke now that  ye be wyse, 
And kepe yot0 weH, for' I must go 
vnto my lord, ther' I cam) fro. [Exit Cherubvn).] 225 
A,lam I. Almyghty lord, I thanl it the 
that is, and was, and shaH be, 
Of thi luf  and of  thi grace, 
ffor' now is here a mery place ; 229 
Eue, my îelow, how thyuk the this I 
E«t. A stede me thynk oP Ioye and hlis, 
Thal2 god bas giffen) to the and me ; 
Withoutten) ende blissyd be he. 233 
Adam . Eue, felow, abide me thore, 
ffor' I wiH go to viset more, 
To se what trees that  here been) ; 
here ar' weH moo then) we have seen), 237 
Gresys, and othere smaH fl«,ures, 
thal2 smeH fuH swete, of seyr' coloures. 
Eua. Gla, lly, sir, I wil flH fayue ; 
When) ye haue sene theym), coin) agane. 241 
Adam . ]ot hke wett, eue, my wifc, 
that  thou) negli n.,t the tree ,,P lire ; 
ffof  thou) do he bese itt paide ; 
then be we tyut , as he bas saide. 245 
Eua. Go furth and play the aH aboute, 
I shatt hot  negli it  while thot0 art  oute ; 
ffor' be thou sekyr' I were futt Ioth 
lfor' any thyng that  he were wroth. [Exeunt Adun & Eve.] 
[SCEs IV ltell.] 
Luc;feP. Who wend euer this tyme haue seyn} 
We, that in sich myrth haue beyn), 
That we shuld auffre so mych wo ? 
Who wold euer trow it  shuld be so ? 253 
[ Ten] orders in heuen were 
of  angel.% thal2 had offyce sere ; 
Of ich ortier', in thare degre, 
the [-teynd] parte f.t downe  ith me; 257 
t MS. X.  318. x. 



2"oumele/ Pla/s. II. The Killin 9 o.f Abel. 
ffo thay held with me that  tyde, 
and mantenyd me in my pr/de ; 
Bot herkyns, felows, what I say 
the Ioy that we haue lost for ay, 261 
God has maide man with his hend, 
to haue that  blis withoutten end, 
The  neyn ordre to fulfi9, 
that  afte' vs l,:ft, sicl is his wiH. 265 
And now aP hay in paradise ; 
bot  thens thay shaB, if we be wise. 267 
The HS. has apparenfly lost 12 leaves here, contaiuing (no 
doubt) the Temptation of Eve and the Expulsion of her and Adam 
from Paradise. 

([.) 
actacio abel. Secunda pagina. 
[473 lines in thirb:cn (aob ccccb bdbd, o. I), t.wel ( b 
bdbd, . 3), eleve (b b,  2  b, . 7b, 
nin, eigh (b bobo, no. 6,  b, . 10;  b «, 
. 14), sec (ab b, . 4 ; b  oe, . 16), s, fi 
( bbb, no. 5), fmt (ab ab, . I3), thre a two& ] 
[Drat Pcrso. 
Garce. Capn. bcl. D. ] 
Garcio. (1) Oer P.... 
H hayH, aH hayH, both blithe ad gla, I, 
ffo he coin I, a mery lad ; 
be pese youoe dyn, my s bad, 
O els the dwiH you spede. 4 
Wo ye no I coin belote 1 
Bot who tha Ianglis any_,m0re 
He nms law my blak hoiH bore, 
th behynJ and belote, 
TiH his tethe blede. 9 
ffelows, here I you forde 
To make nother nose ne c ; 
Who so is so hardy to do tha dede 
The dwiH s hang h vp to dry. 13 
] MS. ix. 2 In a hter hand. 
 MS. dewl]l ; the "o" hang been overHned by a later hanoE 

[Fol. $, a.| 

Gexcio 
makes • 
ranting 
q3eecl 



10 

Hia maoEr 

illtoqnarrel 
with. 

Cain calls to 
his mare 

Pull on a bit, 
ou shrew. 

You're the 
wort tu&re 
! ever had 
in plough 

ney 
wrxngle. 

tol. S. b.] 

'owneley Plays. 11. The ltïlling of 4bel. 
(2) 
Gedlynis, I ara a IuHe grete waL 
A good yoman my mste » hat , 
fful4 wel4 ye ait hym kol) ; 16 
Begyn he with you for to stryfe, 
cerf/s, then mon ye neuer thryfe ; 
BoY I t)w, bi god on lire, 
Soin oP you ad his men. 20 
Bot  let 
hadottis, euericli,m ! 
flot if" my mastex  eom, welcmn) hym then). 
ffarewett, foP I ara gone. [Exit Gareio.] 24 
[Enter Cain, ploughing.] 
(3) 
Cayu 
I rawes on 
Ye stand ,as ye were fallen in swyme ; 
Vhat ! wil ye no fol'the , mare 28 
Var ! let  me se how down) witt draw ; 
Yit , shrew, yit 
V(hat  
I say, d/mn Ig, go rare ! 32 
A, ha 
1o ! aow hard site what I sai,lo ; 
now yit  art thou the warst mare 
In plogh that  errer I hai,lo. 36 
How ! pike-harnes, how 
[Enter Garcio.: 
Garcio. I fend, godis f, rbot, tha euer thou thrife 
C,,!ln. SVhat , boy, shal I botli hold and drife  39 
heris thou hot how I cry 
Garcio. Say, mati and stott, witt ye hOt  go] 
LemynU, mo14, white-horne, 
now wiH ye not se how thay hy  43 
(.) 
C«yn ». Gog gif the sorow, boy ; wan of mete if gara. 
Gardo. thare prouand, sir, fo  flfi, [ lay behynd thare ara, 
And tyes them fast bi the 
Witli many stanys in thm hekis. 
Cayn ». That  shalt bi thi fais chek/s. 48 



Towneley Pl«ys. 
Garcio. Aud haue agane as rigtit. 
C«tyn. I ara thi toaster, wilt thou fight ? 
(Jarc;o. ]'ai, with the saine mesure au,l wegtil 
TlmV I b,»ro vitt I qwite. 
6',«yn. We ! now, no thyn-, boy eaH on tyte, 
that we had ployde this laud. 
Garcio. harree, norel-t, iofurth, hyte ! 
and let the plogti stand. 
[Enter Abel.] 
Abel. God, as he botti may and can, 
Spede the, brotheP, & thi man. 
C'ayn. Coin kis myne ars, me list hot ban,  
As welcom stamlis theP oute. 
Thou shuld haue bide til thou were cald ; 
Coin »ar', & other  drife of hald, 
and kys the dwillis toute. 
Go grese thi shepe vnder' the toute, 
flbr thal2 is the moste lofe.  
A bel-t, broder, thef is noue hee aboute 
that  wold the any &q'efe ; 
bot , leif  brother', here my sawe-- 
lV is tlm custom of  oure law, 
Al/thal2 wyrk as the wise 
shaH worship god with sacrifice. 
Oure fader  v,s. bad, oure fade»" vs kend, 
thal2 oure te'nd shuld be brend. 
Co furtli, brothere, and let vs gang 
To worship god ; we dweH fui/lan; 
Gif  we hym parte of oure fee. 
Corne or' cataH, wheder ily be. 
(9) 
Au,! therfor', brotler', let vs weynd, 
And first  clens vs from the feynd 
or' we make sacrifice ; 
Then blis withoutten end 
get we for' oure seruyce, 

II. 7e Killing of Al,ci. 

11 

49 12airt offer 
to flght him. 

The Boy is 
5 quile ready. 

6 

  Abel bid 
them God 
speed. 

60 Cain tells 
him he isn't 
wanted. 

63 

67 

75 

82 



12 

C&in will 
noe of hi 
ermoing. 

leave his 
plough & 
work. God 
him lorrow 

[Fol. 4, s.] 

Abel say. 
their ehlers 
have tld 
them they 
must tithe & 
make burnt- 
offe ing. 

Cain replies 
he is worse 
off each y¢ar. 

Towneley Plays. II. The hïlling of Abel. 
(10) 
Of hym thaV is oure saulis leclie. 83 
C«yn l. How ! leP furtti youre geyse, the fox witt preetie 
t[ow long wilt thou me apiec)i 
With thi sermonyngl 86 
Hold thi tong, yit I aay, 
Euen filer  the good wife strokid the hay 
Or  sit downe in the dwit way, 
Witl thi vayn carpynbo. 90 
(11) 
Shuld I leife Iny plogli & ait Ihyng 
And go with the to make offeryng 
zNay ! thou fyn,lys me noV so mad 
Go to the dwi[t, and say I bad ! 94 
What  gifys god the to rose 'hym so 
me gifys he noghV bot  soro and wo. 96 
02) 
AbeH. Caym, leife this vayn earpyng, 
ffof god giffys the a thi lifyng. 
C«yn . YiV boroed I lmuer a farthyng 99 
oP hym, h,«'e my hen& 
AbeH. Broth&, as elders haue vs kend, 
flimt shuld we tend wlth oure hen,, 
and to his lofy»g' sithen be brend. 103 
(la) 
Cayn I, My farthyng is in the preest haud 
syn last tyme I ,,ffyrd. 
AbeH. leif brother , let 
I wold oure tend were profyrd. 107 
(1) 
Cayn . We ! wheroP shuld I tend, leiP brother 
ffof I ara iei yere wars then cthere, 
here my troutti iV is none othere ; 110 
My wylmyng/s af  bot meyn), 
o wonder if  thaV I be leyn ; 
ffu long til hym I may me meyn), 113 
ffo bi hym that me dere bogit, 
I traw that  he wi leyn na nosit. 115 



Townele Plas. IL The Kdling of Abel. 
Ab&l. Yis, aH the good thou bas in wone 
Ot  godi» graee i bog a 1o»é. 
6'aynL Lenys he me, as eom thrift 
ffo » he has euer yiV beyn my fo ; 119 o 
always been 
fro# had he my freyrld beyn, i toc 
Otl,el » gatis iV had beyn seyn). 
When aH mens corfi was fayre in fel, l His own 
¢orn i the 
Then was myne no wortla a neld  ,''x3J& 123 worst of 
-  anybody's. 
VChen I shuhl saw, & wantyd 
And of corfl had fuH grete n_e_.yde: 
Then gaf  he me none oP his, 
1Vo more wiH I gif hym of  this. 127 
hardely hold me o blame 
hop iP I serue hym of he saine. 
AbeH. LeiP brother', say hop so, 
bo le vs furth togeder go ; 131 
Good brother, let vs weynd sone, 
no longe  here I rede we hone. 
Ct!/n . Yei, yei, flmu Iangyls waste ; 
the dwitt me spede if 
As long as I may liP, h=tetoSv«. 
fo dele my good Ol 
Ather fo god oi e yiV to man), 
oP any good thaV euer I wan) ; 139 
flbl » had I giffen away my goode, If he 
given away 
then nlvglit I go with a l'yfl'en) hood, 
• might go 
And if is better' hold that  I haue wit  ton 
then go fa-oto doore to doore & craue. 143 Better keep. 
than beg. 
AbeH. Brothe¢, coin furtli, in godis naine, 
I ara fuH fer, l that" we get blanm ; 
Hy we fast" that" we were thore. 
C,#yn t. We ! ryn on), in the dwiHs nayme Before ! 147 
Wemay, mail, I hold the mad ! tVot . b. 
 He thinks 
wenys thou now tllat2 [ list gad o   Abel lllaoE 
To gif  away my warlds aght 
thc dwilt hym spede that me so taght ! 151 
what  nede had I my traueH fo lose, 
to wcre my ahoyn & ryfe my hose 
a MS. an eld. 



14 

Ae| doesn't 
without him. 

I see I must 
corne then. 
Go on be- 
lyre. 

Lct us go 
together, 
sns Abri. 

Yoll tithe 
flrst, says 
Cain. 

Tocïeleg Phq/s. IL Thc Killi»g of Abel. 
Abett. Dre brothe¢, hit were grete wonder 
that I & thou shuld go i, sonde , !  
Then wold oure fa.ler haue grete h, rly ; 
Ai » we hot brethe¢, thou & I  
C'a9. . No, bot' cry on, cry, wl,yls the thynk good ; 
][ere my trowt I hold the woode ; 159 
Wheder that' he be blitlie o » wroth 
to dcle my good is me ful lotlie. 
I haue gone oft' on softe¢ ,vise 
thcm » I trowcd soin t,row wold fise. 163 
Bot' weH I se go must' I nede ; 
now weynd belote, iH myght' thou spe,le ! 
syn that' we shaH a|gat/s go. 
AbeH. leif" brothe¢, whi sais thou so  167 
Bot' go we furtli botlï togeder ; 
blisi, l be god we haue titre weder. 
C'ay, . lay dvwne thi trusseH apon this hiH. 
AbeH. flbrsotli broder, so I wiH : 171 
G,»g of" heuc,, take it' to goo& 
C',«yn . Tlmu shaH teud tirst if thou were wood. 
AbH. God tiret` shope boih ertlï and heuet), 
I l,ray to the thou here my stevet, 175 
Ami take in thatmk, if thi wiH be, 
the tend that I offre here to the ; 
fl'o¢ I gif" it' in good entent' 
to the, my lord, tiret aH has sent. 179 
I bren if now, wili stedfast thogrtt, 
In worship of" hym that' al{ bas wroglit. 
C'ayn'. ]rl.yse ! let' me now, syn thou has done ; 
l«_,r,l of" heuen, th,»u hem my boyne ! 183 
And ouïr, godis f,rbot', be to t]le 
thank or » thew to kun me ; 
flb , as browke I thise two shankys, 
It is futt sore, myne vnthankys, 187 
The teynd that' I here gif" fo the, 
of" corn, o » thyng, that' newys me ; 
Bot now begyn wiH I then, 
syn I must' nede my tend fo bren). 191 
Ooue shefe, oone, and this makys two, 
bot' nawder of" thise may I forgo : 



'maeley Plays. 15 
Two, two, now this is thre, 
yci, this also shaH leif  witli me : 195 
flot' I wit chose and best  haue, 
this hold I thrift  of  aH this thr,,fe ; 
Wemo, we.ïo0 route, 1o, here! 
better groved me no this yere. 199 
At  yere tyme I sew fay corn, 
yit wa it sicti when it  was shorne, 
Thystyls & brerys, yei grete plente, 
And aH kyn wed/s that myght be. 
ffoure shcf/s, route, lo, this mak/ fyfe-- 
deytt I fast  thus long o  I thrife-- 
ffyfe and sex, now this is evyn, 
bot  this gettis neuer god of  hcuen ; 
loa  none of  thise route, at  my myght, 
ehaH neuer com in gœeelis sight . 
Sevyn, sevyn, now this is aght , 
Abett. Cain, brothe, thou art  not  god betaght . 211 
C«y. We! therfoP is iV that  I say, 
flot I witt hot  deyle my good away : 
Bot  had I gyffen) hym this to teynd [FoL 
Then wold thou say he were my lrreynd ; 215 s. c.. 
Bot  I thynk hot , bi my hode, 
To departe so lightly fro my goode. 
we ! aght , aght , & neyn, & ten is this, 
we ! this may we best mys. 
G hym that  thal lig/s thore  
IV goyse agans m)a ]aa_ ftlH sol'e. 
(6) 
AH. Cam ! teynd riglat  of  aH bedey*n. 
Cayn. we ! 1o twelve, fyfteyn, sexteyu  
Abett. Caym, thou tendis wran, and t,f 
Cayn . we ! coin nat , and bide re)me ee0 ; tithing 
In the weuyand wist  ye now at last, 226 
of the worsg 
O5 els witt thou that I wynk ! 
then shaH I doy no ong, me thynk. 228 
(7) 
| .V me se now |aow it  is-- 
lo, yit « I hold me paide ; 
I teyndyd wonder weH bi ges, 
And so euen I laide. 32 
 MS. xij, xv, xvL 

II. The ]tllbg of .,41,el. 

He choose« 
& keeps the 
beet for 
grumbling 
aH the rime. 

Cain keeps 
oit courltll3g. 
903 [The repeti- 
tion.of the 
that he 
counts 20 
207 I0. eo asto 
]pay a 20th 
metead of a 
lOtit.] 

219 We mav best 
do witlout 
this one. 
221 



16 

Delsl-l 
meifhege 
ashfmooe. 

I had mnny 
• weary back 
in getting 
this. 

Iever you 
rnind how 
I' m tithing. 

Here are two 
sheaves, and 
that mtmt 
do. 

Cee your 
jangling. 

Tadey Play». II. I7e Killing of Abet. 
(lS) 
AbeH. Came, of  god me thynke thou bas no drede. 
Came. ow and he get more, the dwiH me spede ! 
As mych as oone reel)e, 
ffOl » that cam hym fut} light chepe ; 236 
Not as mekiH, grctc ne sm 
as he myght wipe his ars with aH. 
ff,»]a that , and this that ]yys here, 
haue cost me fuH dere ; 240 
O1' it was shorlm, and broght in stak, 
had I many a wery bak ; 
Therfor' aske me no naore of  this, 
ff,£ I haue giffen that  nly wiH is. 244 
AbeH. Caln, I rcde thou tend right' 
ff, Jt  drede of  hym that  sittis on hight . 
Cay ). How tllat  I tend, tek the neuer a deiH, 
bot  tend thi skabbid shel)e wcle ; 248 
ffod if  thou to iny teynd tenY take, 
IV bese the wars for' thi sake. 
Thou wold I gaf  hym this shefe, or' this sheyfe; 
ha, nawder of  thise [two ai wil I ieife ; 252 
Bot take this, now has he two, 
and for' my sait]'} now mot  iV go, 
BoY it gos sore agans my wit}, 
and shal he like ful-t iH. 256 
Abel-t. Cana, I reyde thou so teyud 
that  god of heuen be thi freynd. 
Cayn ). )Iy freynd $ ha, hot' bot  if  he wit} ! 
I did hyln neucT" yit  bot  skitt. 260 
If  he be neuer so my fo, 
I ara avisi, i gif  hym no mo ; 
Bot  chaunge thi conscience, as I do nayn), 
yit  teynd thou hot  thi naesel syne ? 264 
Abet}. If  thou teynd right thou mon) it fynde. 
Cayn. Yei, kys the dwitis ars behynde ; 
The dwiti hang the bi the nek ! 
how that I teyn,l, neuer thou tek. 268 
WiH thou hot  yit hoid thi peasse  
of  this Ianglyng I reyde thou seasse. 
And teynd I weH, or' tend I iH, 
bere the euen & speke boy skit£ 272 
a MS. ij. 



Towndey Plays. 
Bot new syn thon bas teyndid thyne, 
New wiH I set fy» on myne. 
We ! out  ! haro ! help te blaw ! 
IV wiH net  bren ira » me, I traw ; 
Puf` ! this smoke dos me myc15 shame-- 
new bren, in the dwiRy« naine ! 
A I what  dwiH of hefl is it ? 
Almost had myrte bretli beyn dit . 
had I b]awen) oone blast more 
I had beyn choked righV thore ; 
IV stank like the dwit in heH, 
that longer ther  myg}t I net dweR. 
AbeH. Cam, this is net' wort] oone leke ; 
thy tend shuld bren withoutten) smeke. 
Caym . Cern kys the dwit riglSt in the ars, 
for  the iV brens boy the wars ; 
I wold thaV it were in thi throte, 
ffyr , & shefe, and icli a sprote. 
Deus. Cam, whi art  thon se rebeH 
Ag«ns thi brother' abeH ? 
ïhar  thon nowther' flyte ne chyde, 
if` thon tend riglit  thon gett/s thi mede ; 
And be thon seki », if" thon teynd fais, 

II. t Itïlling of Abel. 17 
[Fol. O, . He ',e tire 
te hia ofer- 
Big. C. 2.] ! ing. 
276 

ing won't 
bu'n, but 
almost 
chokes 
280 with moke. 

284 
Abel ays it 
la no good. 

Cain rvvile 
288  

[ God appears above. ] 
God reprove 
Cain. As he 
292 tithe se 
sl,.l t he 
receive. 

thou bese alowed ff,er' after als. [Ezit ]:)eus.] 296 
(19) 9 
Caym ). Whi, who is thaV hob-ouer-the-wati l 
we I who was thaV thaV piped so smati  
Coin go we hens, fo » perels ali ; 
God is ont  of" bys wit . 300 
Cern furth, abeH, & let  vs weynd ; 
Me thynk that  god is net  my freynd, 
on land then wiH I flyt. 303 
(20) 
Abe. A, Caym, brother , thaV is i done. 
Cayn . :No, boy go we hens sorte ; 
' The writer of MS. bas by mistake continued his line on FoL 
6 a, iustead of fol. 5 b, and bas ruade a note in red ink on top 
of fol. 5 b. as follows ;--" [M]d that' this syde of  the leyfe [sh]uld 
folow the other next  syde [ac]cordyng te the tokyns here maide, 
[an]d then aftz.r al stondys n ordre" 
T. PLATS. 

Csin scoffs 
st Gril. 
"Who is that 
hob-over- 
the-walll"' 

Abel le 
shoeked. 



18 

He ays he 
wfll go to Iris 
beasts. 

Cain stops 
h,m 
sa} stt is 
tmse to pay 
Abe! wlmt 
he owes him. 

Why d|d 
yout tithe 
burn ¬ 
mine ? 

I v. ill take 
your lire fol" 
it with this 
heck hone. 

Abel cries 
for venge- 

If ay one 
thinks he 
did amiss, 
Cain wfll 
make thinga 
worso 

owneley Plays. ll. The Itïll6g of Abl. . 
And iP I may, I shaH ho 
the » as god shaH hot  me see. 307 
AbeH. I)ere brother', I wiH fayre 
on feld ther' oure bestis a¢, 
To looke iP thay bo holglï of fuH. 
Cam'. a, ha, abide, we haue a c.aw fo putt; 
l[ark, speke with me o » thou go ; 
what ! wenys thou fo skape so  
we [ ha .t I aght  the a fowH dispyte, 
and now is tyme that I hit qwite. 315 
Abel. Brothe] », whi aW thou so to me in Ire ] 
Caym . we ! thcyP, whi brend thi tend so shyre ] 
The  myne did bot  smoked 
right  as it wold vs bot.ri hauc choked. 319 
Abel. God/s wiH I trow iV were 
that myn brened so dere  
] IP thyne smoked am I fo wite ? 
C«ym t. we ! yei ! that shal thou sore abite ; 323 
witl cheke bon, of that I blyn, 
shal I the & thi life twyn ; [Cain kills Abel.] 
So lig down ther' and take thi test, 
thus shal-1 shrewes be chastysed best. 327 
Al, eH. Veniance, veniance, lord, I cry 1 
fo  I ara slayn, ¬  gilty. 
Cayn . Yei, ly the » old shrew, ly ther , ly! 330 
And iP any oP you thynk I did amys 
I shal iV amend wars then iV is, 
that  al-t men may it  se : 333 
weH wars then iV is 
right  so shaH it  be. 335 
(23) 
F, ot now, syn he is Broght on Slepe, 
Into Son hole fayn wold I crepe ; 
flot fcrd I qwake and can no rede, 
ffor be I taken, I be bot dede ; 339 
 Originally written "I ara hot to wite" ; "1" and «'no" have 
been struck out with ed ink, and "1" placed after "ara." 

311 



Towneley t'lays 1I. The _hqllin 
here wi}t I lig thise fourty dayes, 
Aud I sfirev lyre that me fyrst rayse. 
Deus. Caym, Caym t [God appears abore.] 
• Cam. 
6'aym. who fs that" that" callis me 
I ara yonder, may thou not" se 343 
Deus. Caym, where fs thi brothca » abcl't ? Where is thy 
brother 
Cttym. wl,at askis thou nm ? I trow at hel't : 
At heH I trow he be tain 
who «o wer ther' theu myght he 
bill or 
Or' somwhere falleu on Mepyng i aMeep. 
wheu wa8 he in my kel,yng'  
D«us. Caym, Caym, thou was wode; 
The voyce of' thi brotheris blode 351 
That' thou lins 81ayn, ou fais wise, 
fronl erth te heuen venyance cryse. 
him. 
And, for' thou bas broght thi brother' downe, 
here I gif" the my malisou. 355 
Ca9 m. Yei, dele aboute the, for' I wiH noue, c.in .-, 
since hc bas 
o  take it the when I ara go»e. 
Syn I haue doue  mekiH syn, dehielf. 
thaV I may ner thi mcy w, 359 
And thou thus dos me fmm thi ace, 
I shaH hyde me fro thi face ; 
And where se any man may fynd me, 
t hym slo me hardely ; 
And where se any man may me mey, 
Aythe  bi sty, or' yiV bi strete ; 

If ny 
flnd him, let 
63 im 
him : and 
bury him 
'° in gude- 
bottre at the 

quarell 
-" ci t  ta head.'" 
367 

A ud hardely, when I ara dede, 
bery me in gudeboure at the quareH hede, 
ffo#, may I pas this place in quarte, 
bi aH meu set I uot a fart. 
Deu.s. Nay, caym, iV bese uot so ; Goa win -or 
let him be 
I witi that  no man othe 
tl;] » he that slo.ys yong or' old 
If hal'l be punyshid 8evenfohl. [Et I)eus.] 
C:tym . No force, I wote w|,eder I shaH; 
Il, heH I wote mon b¢ my staH. 375 cin kws 
that lmll will 
It" is no boyte mercy te craue, b¢ hisplace. 
fier' if I de I mon noue haue ; 3î7 
10pposite this line a later hand bas added in the margin, 
"& that sha de thy boddy der." 



20 Touley Pl«ys. Il. Te Killinç of bel. 
 ,,t te Bot  this cors I xvold xvere hid, 38 
h,de the 
body. ffor som man myght  coin at vngayn, 
' Ie fais shrew,' wold he bid, 
t v,ke- And weyn I had my brothe » slayn. 381 
there they Bot  were pike-harnes, my knafe, here, 
would bury 
it together. WC shuld bery hyra) both in fer°. 
How, pyke-harnea, scape-thryft ! how, pike-harnes, how ! 
Garcio. 5Iaste », maste » ! 385 
cai caww, C«9n . harstow, boy ? thet » is a i,odyn in the pot ; 
Pyke- 
rad take the that, boy, tak the tant! 
hita him Garcio. I shrew thi ball vnde" thi hode, 
If  thou were lny syre of flesh & blode ; 389 
AH the day fo ryn and trott , 
And euer amang thot tD-keand  
Thus ara I comen bofettts to fort.  
to keela hia 
h« i. Cayn . Peas, man, I did it bot to vse my hand ; 393 
tFo. « b.] (24) 
ne tene h BOt Harke, boy, I haue a counscH fo the to Say-- 
he |ma slain 
^bL I slogh my brothe? this sanm day ; 
I pray the, goal boy, alld thou may, 
fo ryn away with the bayn. N-  397 
e boy Garcio. We ! out apon the, thefe ! 
cries eut 
eon h. bas thou thi brothel » slayn  
Ca9m. Peasse, mail, fol » godis payn ! 400 
I saide iV for » a skaunce. 
we en Garcio. Yey, bot  fol » ferde of grevance 
corne off il/ 
if the b&ilies here I the forsake ; 
catch us. 
we mon haue a mekil myschaunce 
and the bayles vs take. 405 
('6) 
cain lro- Caym . A, sir, I cry you mercy ; seasse ! 
mines fo cry 
hie pc« and I shaH make you a releasse. 
Garcio. what , wflt  thou cry my leasse 408 
thruglïout  this lan01  
Cayn . Yey, that  I gif  god a vow, belife. 
Garcio. how wit thou do long o » thou thrife  
Cam . Stand vp, my good boy, belLfe, 
and haym peasse botlï man & [w]ife ; 419. 



Towneley Plys. 

II. The Killing of Abel. 

(28) 
And who  wiH do after' me 
ffuH slpètf thrift  then shal he be. 
Bot  thou must be my good boy, 
and cry oyes, oyes, oy ! 
Garcio. Browes browes, to thi boy. 

Caym i. 
Garcio. 
Caym i. 
Garcio. 

Caym i. 
Garcio. 
(,'aym i. 
(,' a rcio. 
C«ym i. 
Gaccio. 

Caym i. 
Garcio. 
Caym . 
Garcio. 

C«ym . 
Gin'cio. 
Caym i. 
Garcio. 
C«yn.  
aboute. 
(33) 
Byd euery man theym pleasse fo pay. 
Garcio. Yey, gif  don), thyne hors, a wisp of  hay. 
C«ym i. we ! coin downe in tweaty dwit way, 
The dwit I the betake ; 
ffo  bot  iV were abeH, my brothere, 
yit knew I aeuer thi make. 
 This lia should probably be Garcio' 

417 
(29) 
I commaun, l you in the kyag/s nayme, 
And in my masteres, fais Cayme, 
That  no man at  thanw fynd fawt ne blame. 
Yey, cold rost is et my masteres hame. 421 
(30) 
Nowthe  with hym nor' with his knafe, 
What , I hope my toaster fe. ' 
fro? thay af  trew, fufl many fold ; 
My toaster suppys no yle bot ¢olJL 425 
The kyng wryth, you vntitL • '.1 Ii  
Yit  ete I neuer hall my fiH. 427 
(31) -  
The kyng wil-I that thay be sale, I 
Yey, a draght' of" drynke fayne wold I hayfe. 
At' thae awne viH let tharn) wafe ; ,,..,4, u 
My stomak is redy to receyfe. 431 
(3) 
I,oke no man say to theym, on nor' other' ; 
This saine is h« that slo his brothe?. 433 
]3yd euery man thaym luf  and lowv, 
Yey, iH spon) wefV ay cornes foule out. 
long O1J thou get' thi 

oyse and thou go thus 
436 

440 
442 

91 

He bide 

Cein makee 
proclenm- 
tion of 
pardon f«,r 
himself & 
hie boy. 
The boy 
roock him 
In audible 
 asidee." 

the boy. 
e has never 
known his 
equal ronce 
,Abek 
[FoL , a. 



22 

The boy 
wJhes the 
peetator 

Cin makes 
the boy go 
fo the 
plough. 

If he anger 
idm he will 
bang 
OI |t. 

]Iii ow 
ace nmst 
in heli. 

Toumeley _Pl«ys. If. Te ]ïllin 9 of Abel. 
(a4) 
arcio. Now old and yong, o » thaP ye weyml, 443 
The me blissyng withoutu 
AH sain then shaH ye hatle, 445 
ThaP god of heuen my toast" bas giffe ; 
Browke iP weH, whils that ye liffe, 
he vowche i fuH weH fe. 448 
Caym . Coin downe yl in the dwiH/ way, 
And take yond plogh, I say, 
An,l weynd tho furth fas before ; 452 
Ami I shaH, i I may, 
Tech the anothef lofe ; 
I wa the lad, fod ay, 
ffn nov furth, euermore, 
ThaP flou oEeue me noght ; 457 
flb', 1,i Godis sydis, iP thou do, 
I shaH ha»g the apon this plo, 
with this tope, lo, la,I, Io ! 
By hym thaV me dcre boght. 461 
ow fayre wcH, fclows 
flbr I nmst ncdis weynd, 
Aad fo the dwiH be thraH, 
warl,$ withoutten en,. 465 
Ordand thm' is my staH, 
with sathan the feyn,l, 
Eu iH myghV hym befaH 
that ther me commen,, 
Ts tyde. 470 
ffare weE 1, & fe weH more, 
fro? now and euer more, 
I w go me  hyde. 473 
ExTlicit 3lactio AbC. 
$uitur) Noe. 



Towneley Plays. III. -Aroah atd the Ark. 23 

(III.) 
Processus loe cxm flliis. Wakefeld. 
rkt re by bars.] 
[a Perse. 
oe.  Pm flli, l Pi Mul. 
, 8e fili.  Mule. 
V oe. T r filin. Ta Muli. ] 
Noe. (  ) 
yghtfuH go veray / Maker o aH that is, 
Thre psons withoutt,n nay/ 
endhs blis, 
Thou maide both nyght & day / bees, fowle, 
& Iysh, 
AH creatures that fi ny [ wroght thou at thi wish, 
As thou wel myght ; 
The son, the moyne, veramenP, 
Thou maide ; the firmamenP, 
The stern so fnH feruent, 
To shyne thou aide fui brigt. 9 
(2) 
Ange thou mide fui euen / 
To haue the bHs  heuen / this did thou ore & les, 
ffufi meel to neuen / yi was the vnkyndnes, 
More bi foldis seuen ] then I can weH expres 
ffol whi 
O a ange in brightnes 
God ga lucife most lightnes, 
Yit prowdly he flyt his des, " 
And se hym eue hy by. 18 
He thogh hymlP a worthi [  hym that hym ma,le, 
In brightnes,  bewt / therfo he h de,de 
put hym in a low degre ] so af, in a brade," 
hy and aH his enye [ whe he may  gl 
ffor euer. 23 
shaH thay neu wyn away 
henoe vn domysday, 
Bot burne in bayle fo' ay, 
shaH flay neuer dysoeuer. 

27 

[Fol. 7, b.] 

Noah pralsel 
God ['or Hs 
work of 
creatioB. 

He recalls 
themaking 
o! the avgels 

and thefall 
of Lucir. 



]qoa recal]s 
the crest|on 
of Adm & 

and their 
Fa]l. 

{Fol. 8, a. 
big. C, 4.] 

&Il living 
peo/le oW 
sin boldly. 

80 that he 
dreads God's 

Toumeltg Plays. III. Noah and the 
(4) 
Soyne after that gracyous lord ] to his liknee maide 
man), -08 
That place tobe restord ] euen as he began), 
Of" the trinite bi accord ] Adam & eue that wornan), 
To multiplie withut discor@ / In paradise put" he thaym), 
And sithen to botl 32 
Gaf" in commaundement", 
On the tre of" lire to lay no hend ; 
Bot" yit" the fals feyn, l 
Made hym w/th man wrotli, 36 
() 
Entysyd man to glotony / styrd him to syn in pride 
Bot in paradise securly / myght no syn abide, 
And therfoP man fuH hastely / was put out, in that tyde, 
In wo & wandretli for fo be ] lu paynes fuH vnri@ 
To knawe, 41 
ffyrst" in ertli, in sythen in heH 
with feynàis for  to dreH, 
Bot" he his mercy meH 
To those that" wiH hym trawe. 45 
(6) 
Oyle of" mercy he Hus higtit  As I haue liard re, 
To euery lifyng wight" [ that wold luf" hym and dred 
Bot' now belote his sight" ] euery liffyng leyde, 
Most party day and nyght  syn in word and dede 
ffuH bold ; 50 
Soin in pride, Ire, and enuy, 
Soin lu Couet[yse]  & glotyny, 
Soin in slotti and lechery, 
And other  wise many roide. 54 
(7) 
TheffoP I drede lest god ] on vs will take veniance, 
ffo syn is now alod [ w/t/tout any repentance ; 
Sex hundretti yeris & od  haue I, witliout distance, 
In ertti, as any sod  liffyd witIi grete grevance 
AH way ; 59 
i MS. knowe.  I18. Couetous. 



Towneley Plays. III. Noah and the Ark. 
And now I wax old, 
seke, 8ory, and cold, 
As muk apon mold 
I widder away ; 
Bot  yit  wiH I cry ] fo mercy and cat ; 
Noe thi seruant , ara I ] lord ouer at ! 
Therfo me and my f.ry ] shal with me fat4 ; 
• aue from velany ] and bryng to thi hal 
In heuen) ; 
And kepe me from syn, 
This warld within ; 
Comly kyng of  mankyn, 
I pray the here my stevyn) ! [Goà atTears above.] 
(9) 
Deus. Syn I haue maide al] thyng ] that is liffand, 
Duke, emperou, and kyng ] wit/ myne awne hand, 
flot to hue thare likyng ] bi see & bi sand, 
Euery man to my bydyng ] shulO be bowand 
ffuH feruent  ; 77 
That  maide man ich a catoure, 
ffarest  of  favoure, 
Man must luf me paramoure, 
by reson, and repent. 81 
0o) 
Me thoght I shewed man luf/when I ruade hym to be 
AH angels abuf ] like to the trynyte ; 
And now in grete reprufe ] fut] low ]igis he, 
In ertl hymself to stuf  ] witb syn that displeasse me 
Most  of  al] ; 86 
Veniance wit] I take, 
In erth for syn sake, 
My graine thus witt I wake, 
both of grete and smaH. 90 
(1) 
I repente fuH sore / that euer maide I man), 
Bi me he settis no store ] and I ara his soferan ; 
I wit distroy therfoP ] Both beest, man, and woman, 
At shat] perish les and more ] that bargan may thay 
ban, ,, • 

63 

25 
Th him- 
self is old. 

He oel]e t,o 
Ood 

Ood eoldo- 
quizeL HO 
lins ruade ail 
men & they 
should love 
repent 

But they lie 
sunk in sin, 
for which He 
will take 
vengeance. 

He repent* 
He ever 
ruade man. 
[FoL 8, b.] 



26 

full ol' sm. 

God will 
destroy it 
with floods. 

He will 
wam lqoah 
qmckly. 

Goal bids 
_Noah bmld 
a ship 

00 cubit 
lg, 
$0 high. 
50 broud 

'awle/ Plays. 1II. Noah ami tlez 
That iii has done. 95 
In ertti I se righV noghV 
BoY syn that is vnsoght ; 
OP those that wett has wroght 
ffynt I bot a a fone. 99 
(12) 
Therfoi » shaH I fordo / AH this mediH-erd 
witl flood/s that shatt flo / & ryn with hidous rer,] ; 
I haue good cause therto / ffo s me no man i fer,, 
A» [ say shal I do / oP veniance draw my swer, 
And make en,l 104 
of  ail that beris lire, 
Sayf  noe and his vife, 
fro? hay wold neuer stryfe 
With me [ue] me offen,L ts. at.l 108 
(13) 
hym io mekiH wyn / hastly wiH [ go, 
To noe my seand, o » I blyn / fo wa hym of his wo. 
In ertl I se Lot  syn / reynand fo and fro, 
Emang Loti more & myn / ichon other fo ; 
With aH thare entent; 113 
H shaH [ fordo 
with floodis that shall flo, 
wirk shatt I thhym wo, 
That wiH not repent. [God descends  cornes fo 
(14) 
Noe, my freen,i, I thee commaund / from cares the to 
keyle, 118 
A ship that thou ordand / of nayle and bord fui wele. 
Thou was ahvay xvett wixkand / to me trexv as stele, 
To my l,ydyng obediand / frendstiip shal thou fele 
To mede ; 122 
of lenntle thi ship be 
Thre hundretl cubettis, warn I the, 
Of heglt euen thrirte, 
of fyfty als in brede. 126 
(1.) 
Anoynt ti,i slip ith pik and tar' ] without & als within, 
The water out to spaP / this is a noble gyn ; 
s MS. bot. 



Towneley Plays. III. 1Voah and the Ark. 27 
look no man the mar' / thre chese  chambres ben, How thv ark 
is 
Thou must spend many  spm  ] this wark o  thou wyn t. 
Te end fully. 131 
Mtke in thi ship also, 
parlonres oone oP two, 
And bouses of offyce me, 
froc beestis that ther must be. 135 
(6) 
Oone cubite on hight ] A wyndo shal thou nmke ; 
on thc syde a doore with slyghP/be-neyth shal thou hke ; 
With the shal no man IyghP ] n,» » de the no kyn wrake. 
When aH is doyne thus right 
Take in te the ; 1 
ke 
Thi sonnes of good faine, 
Sera, Taphe, and Calne, their 
Tke in also 
Tha wiçis also thre. 144 
(l) 
ff» aH shal be fordone / that li in land bo ye, toeapetM 
tain that 
witl flood@ that from abono / shal fart, & thaV plenM ; mn tast 
40 days. 
It shaH begyn fuH sorte ] te rayn vncessantle, 
Afr dayes seuen be done] and in,luy » dayes fourty, 
w/muttcn fayH. 149 
Take te thi ship aise 
in the arl, 
of ic kynd beestis two, tw best» 
of eve 
MayH & femayH, bot no me, kind, 
O] » thou pull vp thi sayH. 153 
flot thay may the avayH ] when al this thyng is wrogh; an te 
ctual It 
Stu thi ship with vitayB, [ 
nogh ; 
O beestis, feuil, and catayH [ froc thaym haue thou in 
thogt, 
fier thaym is my counsayH ] that soin secoue bo soght, 
In hast ; 158 
Thay must haue cern and hay, 
And ode mete alway ; 
De new  I the say, 
In e naine o tho holy gast. 162 
 MS. "chefo."Compare liC 281. 



9-8 

who it is 
who speaks. 

Ood declsreœ 
[fimself. 

Noah thanks 
Him for 
appearing to 
a mimple 
knave like 
himself, dz 
begs Hm 
hlessing. 

God blesses 
him. 

Noah saym 
he will go 
tell his wife. 

{Fol. 9, b.] 

8be wants to 
know what 
he bas been 
doing. 

Toumeley Plays. III. Noah and the 
09) 
Hoe. A ! benedicite ! ] what art  thou that thus 163 
Tellys afore that  sha8 be ? ] thou art fuit me«velus 
Tel4 me, foP charite ] thi naine so gracius. 
Deus. My naine is of dignyte ] and also fuit glorius 
To knawe.  167 
I ara god most myghty, 
Oone god in tTnyty, 
]Iade the and ich man tobe ; 
To luf me we8 thou awe. 171 
(20) 
2Voe. I thank the, lord, so dere / that wohl vowch sayf  
Thus low to appere ] to a symple knafe ; 
Blis vs, lord, here ] for charite I hit crafc, 
The better may we stere ] the ship that  we sha}t hale, 
CertaynL 176 
Deus. Noe, to the and to tlii fry 
My blyssyng graunt I; 
Ye shaH wax and multiply, 
And fiH the ertl agane, 180 
(-i) 
When ait thise floodis at » pa.st  / and fully gone away. 
Noe. lord, homward wiH I hast  ] as fast as that I may ; 
My [wife] wil4 I frast  / what she wi8 say, [Exit Deus.] 
And I ara agast  ] that we get soin fray 
Betwixt vs botli ; 185 
ffoP she is fuit tethee, I't. 1. 
ffoP litiit oft  angre, 
If any thyng  wrang be, 
Soyne is she wroth. Tunc j)erget ad vxorem . 189 
() 
God spede, dere wife ] how fayre ye 1 
Vxor . hrow, as euer myght I thryfe [ the wars 
I thee see ; 
Do teH me belife ] where has thou thus long be 
To dede may we dryfe ] of lif  foP the, 
ffoP wanV. 194 

 MS. know©. 



Vhen we swete or' swynk, w, 
whlle ]'ou 
thou dos what thou thynk, 
Yit of mete and of  drynk 
haue we vemy skant. 198 
(23) 
/Voe. Vife, we ar' har« sted[ witti tythyng/ nev. oah 
bad ne. 
VxoP. Bot thou were worthi be cled [ In stfford blew ; 
he should be 
ffor' thou art alway adred [ be it fais or' trew ; "dd in 
$tafford 
B,»t god kowes I ara le_l / and that  may I rew, bw." 
ffo I dar' be flai Bomw, 
Thou pekis euer o sorow ; 
God send t|,e onys thi fiH! 207 
(2) 
We women may wary / al iH husbandis ; women may 
ettre '1! iii 
I haue oone,,bi mary ! / that lowsyd me of my bandis ; husbands, 
If" he te_n' l'taust tary / how so euer if tandi, but 
knows how 
to Imy out 
V(itl seymhnd fuH sory, / sryngand botti my hand'» r. 
flot' drede, o. 12 
Bot' yit other whi]e, 
Vhat witi gara & with gyle, 
I shaH smyte and stayle, 
And qvite hym his mede. 216 
(25) 
Noe. We ! hoh thi tong, ram-skyt ] or I shaH the stitt. 
Vxo« I. By my thryft, ifl thou smyte ] I shal turne the 
vntiH. 
Noe. We shaH assay as tyte / haue af the, giH : oah bid$ 
he hold he 
Apon the bone shal if byte. / 
She dates 
Ior . A, so, mary ! thou smytis iH ] . 
]3oi I sui,pose 221 ¢k 
I shal nol in thi delà, She 
fl]yV oP this flett ! 
Take the ther' a langett 
To tye vp thi hose ! 225 
(26) 
Noe. A ' xvilt thou so 1 / raary, thal is myne. e promi. 
• three blows 
Vxor ). tor two. 

Thou shal thre for' two / I swere bi godis pyne. 



3O 

No. pro- 
mises to 
ber bck 

OEhere is no 
wife like ber 
on esrth. 

Noah bids 
ber pray for 
him. 

[Fo]. I0, .] 
Noah begins 
work on the 
ark, 

flrst invok- 
ing the 
Trmity. 

lle gets the 
ark of the 
rght 

Towneleg Plags. III. Noah and the Ark. 
Noe. And I shat qwyte tho tho [ In faytli or » syne. 228 
Vzo a. OuP un the, ho [ 
Noe. Thou ean bot by and whyne, 
with a rer, ; 230 
flbr aH iP she stryke, 
yiP fasç wiH she skryke, 
In fayth I hol« none slyke 
In aH mediH-er ; 234 
Bo I wH kepe chary  ffoP I haue af do. 
Vzo,' Here shal no man ta the 
ffuH weH may we mys the   eu haue I r 
To sp wH I dres me.  
e. We  rare weH, lo 
Bot wffe, 239 
Pray for me besele,  
To eft I coin vnto thc. 
lor. Euen as thou prays f,? me, 
As euer mygh I thrif« [Ezit VxoP.] 243 
(28) 
Noe. I tary fuH Lang / Fro my warke, I traw 
Nov y gere wH I hng / and thederward draw; 
I may fuH i gang  the sot for fo knaw, 
Bot if g,»l he]p amang  I may si downo 
To ke ; . 248 
ow y wiH I 
how I can of writry, 
In nomine pas, & filii, 
Et spiritus sancti, Amen. 252 
(9) 
To begyn of this tree  my nys wiH I bend, 
I traw from the trynyte  cour wiH  senO ; 
It hyr f hyre, thynk me / this wark  my hend ; 
Now blissid  he  that this can amen,. 
lo, he the lenht, 257 
Thre hundret cubettis euenly, 
oP b,ed lo is if fyfty, 
The heg is euen thyry 
Cubet{i« fuH stre»ght. 261 



Toumeley Plays. 31 
(30) 
low my gowne wiH I cast / and wyrk in ray cote, 262 
gown tri 
Make witt I the toast / or  I flyt oone foote, workat 
mas but 
A I my bak, I traw, wiH brast ! / tlnis is a sory note ! n« it 
work for 
hit  is wonder that I last / sich an o1¢ dote o« 
AH dold, d.J/.  .Id 266 
To begyn sich a wark ! 
]Iy bonys ar' so stark, 
lgo wonder if  thay wark, 
flot  I ara fut olcL 270 
(3]) 
The tp and the sayH / both wiH I make, He makea 
top & aail 
The helme and the casteH / also wil I take, l«m & 
To drife ich a nayH / witi I hot forsake, e i 
halls. 
This gere may neuer fayH / that da  I vndertake 
Onone. 275 
This is a nobutt gyn, 
Thise nayles so thay ryn, 
Thoro more and myn, 
Thise bordis ichon ; 279 
(32) 
wyndow and doore / euen as he saide, ne make* 
window & 
"Pnre ches chambre / thay af' weH maide, door, & 
Pyk & 1 " Iul' sure ] ther apon laide, three room&. 
This wiH euer endure / therof  am I paide ; 
ffor why  284 
IV is better wroght 
Then I coude haif  thoght ; 
hym that  maide ati of  noght 
I thank oonly. 288 
(33) 
1Row witt I hy me / and no thyng be leder, ,encome 
to hia wife 
My wife and my meneye [ to bryng eut,0 heder. & bi 
Tent hedir tyde|y / wife, and consider, ,ee. 
hens must vs fie / AH sain togeder' 
In hast. 293 
Vxor . Vhi, syd, what alis you tFL 0, b. 
8he ask 
Who is that asalis you  ],at il 
To fie it avalis you, hi,. 
And ye be agast . 297 

III. 2Toah .d th _dr?c. 



32 Towneley Plays. III. JVoah al tàe Ark. 

oab tella 
hie wife of 
the eom]n 

o (34) 
/Voe. Ther is garfi on the re_y_H ] other', my dame. 298 
Vxor ». Tel] me that icl a deyl] / els get ye .blame. 
/Voe. He that  .cares may keil] I bli.sid be hls naine ! 
he ] for oure sèyH- / t5 ]eld vs fro s]ame, 
And say«t, 302 
Al] this warld abonte 
With floodis so atoute, 
That shaH Tn on a route, 
ShaH be ouerlaide. 306 

(35) 
! are tobe he saide al] shaH be slayn / bot oonely we, 
tbemele,, Oure barnes that  ar' bayn ] and thare wifis thre ; 
their sons, 
and their A ship he bad me ordayn / to sale vs & oure fee, 
• on',i. Ïherfor' with aH oure mayn ] thank we that fre  - 
Beytter oF byH ; 311 
hy vs fast, go we thedir'. 
Vr . I wote neuer whedh , 
s,, i rd I dase and I dedir 
at hi raie. 
flot' ferd of that tayH. 315 

NooEb bide 
help 
together 
their 
They al] 
romJse. 

(36) 
Noe. Be hot af, hane done/ trus sain onre gere, 
That we bo ther' or none / w{thout more dere. 
1rimusfllius. If shal] ho done tu] sone [ brether', help 
to bore. 
Eecundusfilius. ffuH long shatt I hot hoyn_o / to do my 
flevere, , 
Brether sain. 320 
Terciusfllius. without any yelp, 
At my mygtit shaH I help. 
Vxor . Yit for' drede of  a skelp L],, 
help wel] thi data. 324 

']e ex' 
mut t)e got 
into the ark. 

(37) 
e. Now ar' we there / as we shuld bo; 
Do gel in oure gere / ota.e catat and fe, 
In fo this vesse[i here / my chylder fre. 
IZxor . I was neuer bard etc [ As euer myght I the,/- 
In sic]i an oostr_e as this. ,. < o r I,. 329 



'qu, ndey Plays. 
In falh I tan not fynd , wife 
eo lU pL'l.in 
wl,ich is befoe, which is behynd ; 
Bot shaH we here  pynd, 
ii fo fm 
oe,  haue thou blis  333 
«. Dame,  it is ski ] here must vs abide grace ; 
Therfo¢, wife, w/ff, g,,od wiH ] coin into this place. 
Vr). Sir, for Iak nor forgiH ] wiH I tume my face 
Ti8 I haue on this hiH ] spon a space 
on my rok ;k 
reH were he, myght get me, 
ow wi8 I downe set me, 
Yit recale I no man lçt me, 
flbl  drede of a knok. 342 
(3) 
Noe. Behold go the heuen ] the cateractes a, 
the vens 
That are open fuH euen ] goete and smaH, 
And the planett seuen / left h thare staH, ing. 
ffu8 stout,  u 347 
B,,th halles and bowers, 
Casls aud towres ; 
ffuH sharp a? thise showers, 
that nys abou ; 351 
(40) 
TherfoP, wffe, haue donc ] conl into ship fast. 

III. No ami the Ark. 

8he won't go 
In till she 
lins donc 
338 pinnlng. 

[FoL 11, a.] 

Vxor . Yei, noe, go cloute thi shone / tlae better wiH 
thai last. , 
pr'ima roulier . Good moder, com in sone [ flot  aH is ouer Her 
wive 
CSt» entreat her. 

356 

and many wynd blasV 

and bids ner 

Butli the son and the morte. / 
Eecunda roulier . 
ffuH sharp ; 
Thise flood/s so thay ryn, 
Therfor  modes" corne in. 
VzoJ. In fayth yit wiH I spyn ; 
AH in vayn ye carp. 
() 
Tercitt Mulier . 
ship. 
T. PLAYS. 

She says she 
will ai,in on. 
360 

Il  ye like ye may spyn / Moder, in the "w'ar hot 
i,in in 



IL'I 

he wi|1 
• pil «,ut 
spindle on 
the bill 
vhere she iv. 

tkreatens 
ber with the 
whip. 

Bhe defles 
him, 

$4 Tovmeley Plays. III. Noah and the 
Noe. Now is this twyys coin in [ dame, on my_frenship. 
Vxor . SVheder I lose or I wyn ] In fayth, thi felow- 
ship, 
set" I hot at a pyn / this spynditt wiH I slip 
Apon this hiH, 365 
Or » I styr' oone rote. 
2Voe. Pet" ! I trav we dote ; 
without any more note o . o.« n-h  
Corne i, if ye wiH. 3£7 
(42) 
Vxor . Yei, water nyghys so nêre / that I sit noV dzT, 
Into ship with a byF / therfP wiH I hy 
ffo  drede that I drone here. /  
_Noe. dame, securly, 
If bees boght fu] dere / ye abode so long by 
out  of' shil,. 37 
Vxor . I wiH noV, for thi bydyng, 
go from doore to mydyn. 
Noe. In fiD'th, and foc youre long taryyng 
Ye shal hk on the whyp. 378 
(43) 
Vxor . Spare me hot, I pray the [ bot enen as thon 
thynk, 
ïhise grete wordis shaH hot flay me. / 
Noe. Abide, dame, and drynk 
ffo» betyn shaH thou be / with flfis star to thou stynk ; 
Af  strokis good  say me. / 
Vxor . what say ye, wat wynk 
_Noe. speke ! 383 
Cry me mercy, I say ! 
l'xor . Therto say I nay. 
2Voe. Bot thou do, bi this day, 
Thi hde shaH I breke. 387 
were a 
wouldn'tWid°w" She I Vxor. Lord, I were at ese / and hertely fuH hoylle, 
su a iMight I onys haue a measse / of wedows coyH ; 
peny dole 
for hm sou] Iffor thi sauH, witbout lese / shuld I dë]e 13enny doyH, 
then, & seea I - • t.  
other wive 
so wold mo, no f'ee / that I se on this sole 
who think 
te ,.  oP wif/s that af' here, 
t.a- • 39? 
' "oe 



Towneley Piays. III. Noah and the Ark. 35 
ffor the life thst thay leyd, wiveB 
such a bad 
"Wold thare husband/s were dede, 
flot, as euer ete I brede, 
So wold I oure syre wcre. 396 
Noe. Yee men that bas wifis / whyls they ar  yong, ',,ah bids 
hubada 
If  ye luf youre lifis / chastice thare tong : chatise 
Me thynk my hert rfs' boti |ë;l' and long, * 
early. 
To se sich stryfis ./wedmen emong ; 
Bot I, 401 
As hauc I blys, Irol. n, .1 
He will set 
shaH chastyse this. n example. 
Vxor . Yit may ye mys, 
ichol'l nedy ! 405 

Noe. I shatt make le stitt as stone / begynnaa  of 
& beats ber. 
I shaH bete the bak and bone / and breke ait in sondeP. , 
Vxo« ). Out, alas, I ara gone / oute apon the, mans $heerieaoUt 
" & beats 
wonder ! 
Noe. Se how she can grone ] and I lig vnder ; 
Bot, wife, 410 
In this |last let vs ho, I%Ç, 
flot my bak is nere in two. 
VxoP. And I ambetsob.lo kL -. . bî,  ¢ 
That I may hot thryfe. [They enter the Ark.] 414 
(47) 
Primus filiw. A  whi fare ye thus ? [ flader and moder h«ir o 
" relaroach 
both ! them. 
ecundusfilius. Ye shuld hot be so spitus ] standyng ° 
in sich a wot_h, d,-vo. - ¢t ' " ' 
Terciusfilius. Thise aP so hidus / with may a cold cot__, vL, 
Noe. we witt do as ye bid vs ] we wiil no more bo 
,'roth, 
Dere barnes ! 419 
Now to the helme wiH I hent, ,oh 
the hslm. 
And to my ship tent. 
Vxor . [ se on the firmament, 
Me thynk, the seven starnes. 23 



The IIod 

©n Ood. 

Noah bi,ls 
his wife t.ake 
the helm 
wlule he 
sounds. 

The waters 
are I cubits 
above the 
hdls, but 
now they 
w,|l abat, 
afler the 40 
days" tain. 

He souflds 

The wife sees 
the snn 
shining in 
the eaet. 

'owncley Plays. III..Y al  
«. This is a e flood / wife, take he. 424 
V. So me thogbt, a I sde / we al » in gre 
,lredc  
Thise waw3h m » so wode. ] 
Noe. help, god,  this vede  
As thou arP sre-man good [ aud best, as I rede, 
Of aH ; 428 
Thou rewle w in th re, & ;   
As th-u me behete he.  
Vzor . Th is a tlous e : 
hell, , god, when we caH ! 432 
e. Wife, llt the sre-tre  and I shaH ay 
The ,iepnes of the see / tbat we bere, iP I may. 
[,»- Tha shaH I do fui wysely [ now go thi way: 
ffo» apon this flood haue we [ flett many day, 
wi pe. 437 
Noe. 'ow tbe war wiH I sownd : 
A I ig is far fo tbe gwnd ; 
This traueH I expownd 
had I  tyne.  441 
Aboue aH hillys bedeyn [ file water is rysen late 
Cubetti.fftey,  [ bot i a highter 
It may hot be, I weyn / for this wefi I wate, 
Th forty dayes h rayn beyll [ [P wiH fileffo aba 
FuH !el J    - 446 
This water  ht, 
eft wiH I t ; 
ow ara I agit, 
It is wanyd a grete dele. 450 
ow are the wede cest / and catecs ,  [ 
Bot-h the most and the leest. [ 
. Me thynk, bi my wit, 
The son sh  the e«t / lo,  hot yond iP ] 
we shuld haue a good feest [ were the flood' flyt 
So sæ. 455 
 8. xv. 



'oueley Playn. 
Noe. we haue been here, al'[ we, 
lhre hundreth  dayes and fyfty. 
Vxor ). Yei, now wanys the see ; 
lord, weH is vs ! 
(52) 

III. Noah ad the Ar].'. 37 

459 

They Imve 
350 days in 
the ark. 

[Fol. t, ail 

.goah take 
Noe. The hryd tyme wiH ! prufe / wha depnes we 
thi rime, 
bere.  
Vxor . 'ow long shaH thou ! / lay in thy yne there. """ 
Ae. I may tow,.h wth my i] the grownd evyn 
ro. 
l%cr . Then Çylmys fo  [ to vs mery chere 
Bot, husband, 464 
What ownd may thi be  
Noe. The hyilys «,f armonye. 
the hJl] 
lor . ow blissid be he 
Tha thus for vs can or&md  468 
Noe. I see opp o hyllys he ] many at a syglt, 
o thyng   lè / ghe wedil » is so bright. 
Vzor . Thise af o mercy / okyns fuH right. 
Noe. ame, thi conseH me [ wha fovH best 
And Cowtl, 473 
with fligl of wyng 
bryng, withoug taying, 
Of merey soin okynyng 
Athel  bi iolth or soute  477 
(54) 
flot this is the fyrst day [ of the tcnt moyne. 
or . The l'avy», d»rst I lay / wiH coin agalle sorte" 
» t rve. 
As fast as thou may / cas hym furt, haue done, 
e may happyn fo day / coin agane Ol  none 
With th. 482 
oe. I wiH cast out aiso 
Dowfys oone oP/wo : e le Iooae 
Go yom'e way, go, 
God sen« you soin wathe   '  486 
(5)   « 
Now a  thi fowles flone ] Into sey eountre ; 
Pray we fast iehon / eland on out kne, 
 blS. cee. 

lgoah asks 
his wife what 
bird will fly 
away & 
soonest 
bring back 
a token of 



He wrtders 
why they 
tarry so 

He hopes 
umst from 
the dove. 
The wifi sees 
her cming 
v ith an 
vlive-branch 
in ber bill. 

38 Tou,lcy Plays. XII. Noah and the A4". 
To hym that  is alone / worthiest of` degra, 489 
Th«lt he wold send anone [oure fowles soin fêe 
To $lad vs. 491 
1",,». Thai may hot f;lyH ,,f land, 
The watr is su wanand. 
Noe. Thauk we god aH wcldan,l, 
That  lord that ruade vs. 495 
IP is a wonder thyng [ me thynk sotlMe, 
Thai a»  so long taryyng [ the fowles that we 
Cast  out i» the m«,rnyng. / 
| 'oP. Syr , iV may be 
Thai tary to thay bryng. / 
Noe. The ravyn is a hungrye 
AH way ; 500 
He is w/t/tout any reson, 
And he fynd any caryon, 
As peraventure may befon, 
he witt hot away ; 504 
(.) 
The dowfe is more gentiH [ heP trust I 
like vnto the turtiH [ for  she is ay trew. 
l'xor . hence bot a litiH [ she commys, lew, lew 
she bryngys in ber bill / soin nove_ls new; 
Bchal, l ! . ,! 509 
IV is oP an oliP tre 
A branch, thynk!/s me. 
Noe. IV is sotli, perde, 
right  sois iv cal& 513 
[FoL , b.l Doufe, byr01 futi blist [ ffayre myght  the befaH 
xoah blesses Thou art trew foP to trist [ as ston in the watt • 
the dove. 
Futi weti I il wist / thou wold coin to thi hall, 
tr retura Vxo#. A trew tokyn isV / we shatt be sauyd aH : 
Is a true 
token they ffOl  whi ? 518 
shll be 
,ed. The vater, syn she cocu, 
Of" depnos pmw, 
fs fallen a fathom, 
And more harde]y. 



Touraeley Plays. III. Noah and the Ark. 39 

(59) 
Primusfilias. Thise floodis af' gone ] fader, behohL 
exclaim tht 
,Secunduf'dius. Thet » is left light  none ] and that be 
are gone & 
ye bol,, the ark tests 
quietl¥. 
Terciusfilius. tL stiH as a stone / oure ship is stol,l. 
Atoe. Apon land here anone / that we were, faya I wold ; 
My childer dere, 527 
Sera, Jat,het and Cam, 
with g]e and wilh gara, ail together 
ot 
Coin go we ait sanl, ark. 
We wiH no longer abi, le here. 531 

(60) 
l'.r . here haue we byn / noy long elmgh, t 
with try and with teyn / and dreed mekiH woglï.  
Noe. behaid on this gry]'nowder cart  ne piogh 
Is left , as I weyn / now, ler tre thcn bogti, 
Ne other thyng , 536 
Bot ait is away ; 
Many castels, I say, 
Grete t,o.wnes oP aray, 
fllitt bas this flowyng . 540 

(61) 
Thise flood/s hot  aïright / ail this warld so wide 

Vxor . 
has mevid with mygtit / on se and bi side. 
Noe. To de,le a? thai dy$ht  / prowdist of  pryde, 
Euer-icti a wygtit [ that euer was spyde, 
With syl0, 545 
AH af' thai slayn, 
And pu vnto payn. 
|'xor ). ffrom thens agayn 
May thai neuer wyn  549 

The i,roudest 
of lride are 
alain and in 
torment. 

(62) 
Noe. wyn I lin, [-wis ] boy he that myght hase 
Wold myn of  thare mys / & admytte thaym to grace ; never to 
eape 
As he in ha'cil is blis / I pray hym in this space, thence, aave 
 God adroit 
In heven hye with hi / to purvaye va a place, t to 
That we, 554 



4O 

brmg loh 
to heaven 
wth 
rita ! 

ouaehy Plays. IV. Abrahara. 
with his nantit in sigl,t, 
And his a»ge]s brig, 
Iay coin to his light : 
men, for chari. 558 
Explicit processus 5roe, sequitur A bra]am. 

[F,,I. IS, s. 
[ig. D. LI 

Abraham 
i.raya t God 

vn the rate 
of his f.re- 
fathers, 
the t,|qde iii 
Pradse. 

Adam livcd 
aorrow. 

or.) 
Sequitur Abraham. 
[lw.ou,plete. 35 ¢i9ht-liae stan:as, al) ah ab al).] 

 Thou here vs wl,en we to the caR, 
As Il,ou art he that best  may, 
Thou art most socoure and help of 
MightfuH lord ! t«» the [ pray, 
I.«. onys the oyle o mercy fart, 
ShaH I ueuer abide that day, 
Truly yit I h,-,pe I shaH. 
(e) 
M.rcy, lord omipotent  
long syn he this warhi has wmght ; 
Whc,ler af aH oure eldem went 
This muys mekiH in my thoght. 
ffrom adam, vnto eue asseuV, 
Ete oP thaV apl,y8 sparid he n«,ght, 
flot a the wisdom that he menV 
ffu8 dere thaV bargan bas he boghV, 
(3) 
ffron paradise thai d hym ganh"; 
IIe wenV mowrnyng with symph cheoe, 
And after liffyd he here fus lang, 
More then thre bundreth  yem, 

8 

12 

16 

2O 



Taurneley -Plags. IV..Abralam. 
In sorow and in traueH strang, 
And euery da)' he was in were ; 
his ehildre angred hym amang ; 
Cayla slo abet, was hym futi dere. 
Sithea Noe, that was trcw and good, 
his  and his ehyldre thre, 
was saued when al was flood : 
That  was a wonder thyag to se. 28 
And lotti fro sodome when he yode, 2 
Thre cytees brent, yit eschapy« he ; 
Thus, for thai menged my lordis mode, 
he vend syn thrugti his paustè. 32 
when I thynk of oure elders aH, 
And of the mervels that has been), 
o gladnes in my hart may fart, 
M[y] comfort goys away fuH cleyn. 36 
lord, when shaH dede make me his thraH ? 
An hundreth a yeris, eertis, ha«e I seyn) ; 
Ma fa ! sone I hope he shaH, 
ttb » it were right hie tyme I wey. 40 
(6) 
Yit  adam is fo heH gone, 
And ther' has ligen many a day, 
Ald « aH oure elders, eueTchon , 
Thay af gone the saine way, 44 
Vnto god witi here thare mone ; 
Now help, lor«, adonay! 
flot', certis, I can no better wone, 
And thet  is none that better may. 48 
(7) [God appears above.] 
DetoE. I wit help adam and llis kynde, 
Might 1 luf  and lewte fynd ; 
Wold thay to me be trew, aa,i blyz 
Of  thare pride and of  thare syn : 
My seruan,! I witi round & frast, 
Abraham, if  he be trast ; 
 Quory "he."  MS. yede. 
 MS. c. « MS. Awl and. 

41 
C, aln ,lew 
Adam', daz 
• on Abel. 
2 

ved frma 
the Flood 

and Lot 
from 8odom 

Ab,ha,u 
himself is 
sad ai heart. 

[FoL 13, b,] 

hundred 
years ol¢k 
When will 
death take 
hiul ? 

He cau do 
no better. 

God deaires 
go help 
Adam and 
his kind. 
He will 
Abraham's 
faith_ 



42 'owneh'y _Plays. IV. Abraa». 
On certan wiso I wil hym proue, 
If • he to me be trew o louL 
(s) 
o ean Abraham  Ahraham ! 
fo Abram. 
A alam. Who is that  wa » I let me   
I herd oene neveu my naine. 
De. IV is I, take tent to me, 
That fourmed thi fader adam, 
Aa,l euery thyng fit iV degre. 
Abraham. To her« thi wiH, redy I ara, 
Aud to fulfiH, what eu«r iV 
(9) 
lI¢sheard Decà. OP mercy haue I herd thi cry, 
ids pravers. 
 n,w ,« Thi devoute pmyem haue me bm ; 
him ke 
•  c t I th,_,u me luP, look «t thou hy 
"the nd f 
viy«n' a Vnto the land o Visy. ; 
 ¢i" And the thryd day be thel , bi, I, 
fiea m 
And take with the, Isaac, thi son, 
As a beest to sacryfy, 
To slo hym look thou not shon, 
(0) 
Aud hll hym the to thyn offerand. 
a,am Abr«ham. A, lovyd be thou, lord in throno I 
eheerfuy 
v«,,i hohl ,,uer me, lord, thy holy hand, 
• ,denee. flbl  cel't thi bi,lyag shaH be done. 
I¢syd be that lord in eueT land 
wold viset his seruand thus so soyW. 
ffayn wold I this thyng ordand, 
flot it p,'ofettis noghV to hoyne ; 
(l) 
He must This commaundcmenV musV I nedis fulfiH, 
oy God 
uve if Ifi that my hert wax hevy  leyde ; 
costs him, 
een it h  Shuld I offend my lordis wiH  
bidden to 
ytaa hay, t were I leyffea » my ehild were dede. 
c.à. WhaV so he bid,iis me, good o » 
ThaV shaH be done in euery steedo ; 
Both wife and chil,, ifi he bid spiH ; 
I wflle not do agans his rede. 

[Ezit Deus.] 

56 

6O 

64 

68 

72 

76 

8O 

84 



ï'ouraeley Plays. Ir. .Abraham. 3 
(12) 
call |aaac. 
wist Isaac, whe » so he were, 
he wold be abast now, 
how that he is in dangere. 
Isaac, son, he arV thc_,u  92 
Isaac. AH redy, fader, Lo me here 
:Now was I eommyng vnto you- sg" 
I luP you mekiH, fader dere. to 
A bra]«am. And dos thou 
father." 
(3) 
lufl« thou me, son, as thou h saide. 
ls«ac. Yei, fade », witfi aH myn hart, 
More th«.n aH thaV eue was mai, le ; 
{ ,.1 hob me hmg youre lire in quart  lO0 
Abr, t]«a.t. Now, who would not be glad that had Abtaham 
rejoioe* 
A chihl so lufand  lhou ar? is son'* 
Thi lufly chere makis my hert gl.d, 
And many a tyme so has it g:rt. 10 
(4) 
o 1tome, on ; coin soBe agane, a4bi him 
Ami ter thi moder I coin flfl lest; mother ne 
[b ic fraisier [¢aac 
So now god the saif and sayne ! 
Now weH is me tbat he is past  108 
Aie,ne, right here in this playn, 
alone he 
Might I speke to revu hart hrast, ¢,,d speak 
" tiH his hea 
I wo], thaV aH were weH fui fayn, break. 
BoY iV musV n