-1 ID4r 1ltniurrnity nf !linnranta NUMBER 4 STUDIES IN LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE THE LITURGICAL ELEMENT IN THE EARLIEST FORMS OF THE MEDIEVAL DRAMA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE ENGLISH AND GERMAN PLAYS BY PAUL EDWARD ~RETZMANN, Ph.D . ... .: .: !·... .~ :.. ' .. ". ... ..' . MINNEAPOLIS Bulletin of the University of Minnesota December 1916 • COPYRIGHT 1916 BY THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA .... : .... .... .. .. ..,.. .'.• : ·:: •... : : ... : • , o - .. .. .• •• #·: · ~ : ·. ~ :: .• .<) .•••••• ... .. .......' • \I '.• 0 " PREFACE As indicated in t.hc introduction below, the present author is by no means the first to point out liturgical formulae in the religious drama. He has merely gone somewhat farther in t.he application of the idea than has hitherto been attempted. IL is also proper to acknowledge that litur­ gical tags may in many instances have found place in the religious drama by virtue of their having been transferred thither as part of cpical or homiletic source material at a later stage than that of the dramatic office in the church service. There can be no question but that the liturgy also under­ lies a great portion of medieval religious literature and may therefore readily have been a part of secondary sources. During the preparation of this monograph, it was necessary to consult also epical and lyrical poetry of the Middle Ages t.o some extent, and it became evident with increasing clearness that these branches of literature were influenced largely by the liturgy of the church. In the German field the poem "Biblischc geschichte Yon dcr Beschaffunge diser Welt bisz aufs jungst gericht gereymt," and in the English field "The Northern Passion," are cases in point. There is also, no doubt, a certain reactive influence of secular upon re­ ligious literature. The English "Harrowing of Hell" is possibly an in­ stance of this kind. If it were possible to discover more manuscripts of t.his particular work, the difficulty might be solved. Whether the conten­ tion advanced a few years ago that this play may have originated with the work of Cynewulf can ever be sustained by the discovery of sufficient evidence, is more than doubtful. In the case of the great body of plays, except those on apochryphal subjects and from apochryphal sources, the contention of the thesis seems to be borne out by the evidence presented even when due allowance is made for the post-liturgical introduction of liturgical materials. The preparation of the monograph has been a delightful task, not only on account of the interesting material with which it is concerned, but especially on account of the help and inspiration of Professor Hardin Craig, who directed the progress of the work, and to whose unflagging interest and assistance the author freely acknowledges his indebtedness. To all others, also, members of the teaching staff of the University of Minnesota, as well as friends that have assisted with advice or interest, the author wishes to express his grateful appreciation. CONTENTS Preface. iii Chart~of Plays.. 1 Introduction... ...... .. ........................... .. ................ 1-11 Ecclesiastical Writers ............. .. .......... .• .................. General Studies. 2 Writers on Liturgical Sources.. ..... .. 3 Recent Investigators. 6 Historical Summary. 7 Further Liturgical Sources.. 8 Divisions of Church Year. 9 Statement of Thesis............. ................................. 10 The Eschatological or Judgment Plays. 12-22 List of Texts Examined............... .... ....... ..... .......... 12 General Liturgical Survey of Advent... 13 Advent Liturgy of Sarum........................ 14 Liturgical Source of Sponsus. 16 German Ten Virgin Plays. 17 Fifteen Signs of Doom.......... .. .... ..................... .. 18 Antichrist........................... ............... 19 Doomsday Plays. 21 The Prophet Plays.. 23-34 List of Texts Examined............................................ 23 Plays of Transition. 27 German Prophet Plays. 27 English Prophet Plays............. 29 R adix J esse Play. 30 The Annunciation and Visitation Plays............... ......... ........ 35-41 List of Texts Examined.................. .. ...................... 35 Cividale Play. 36 German Plays...... ... .................... ... ................. 38 English Plays. 39 The Play of the Shepherds............................................. 42-51 List of Texts Examined........... ......................... ...... 42 The Christmas Tropes ............ : . 43 Pastores . 45 The Transition Plays.................... ...... .... ..... ... .. 48 The Shepherd Plays......... ....... ..... .. .. ................. 4& vi CONTENTS The Adoration of the Magi and the Rachel Plays ..... ..... · · · · · · · · · · · · · 52-67 List of Texts Examined ........................... · · .. · · · · · · · · · · · · · 52 The Epiphany Liturgy .... .. .. .... ... ........ · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 53 Officium Stellae ................ ... ... .. .. .. .. · . · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 54 Rachel Play ........ ........... ........... ... ........ · · · · · · · · · · 59 The Herod Plays . .... .... .... .. ... ......... .... ... · · · · · · · · · · · · 62 The Play of the Purification or the Presentation .. .... .. ... ..... · · · · · · · · · 68-72 List of Texts Examined .................... ............... · · · · · · · · · 68 Vernacular Purification Plays ... ..... .. ........ .. .. · · · · · · · · 70 Position of the Play in the Cycles . .. ... .. .. ...... ........ · · · · · · · 71 The Play of Christ and the Doctors ....... .... ................. · · · · · · · · 73-75 List of Texts Examined . ........... ..... .. ... .. ... ... .. · · · · · · · · 73 The Old Testament Plays ..... ............... ................... · · · · · 76-88 List of Texts Examined ... .... ............ .. ............... · · · · · · · 76 General Comparison between Liturgy and Cycles ........... .. · · · · · · · 78 Ordo Joseph .... ............................... ........ · · · · · · · 80 Mistere du Viel Testament ..... .. .. ... ... ................. · · · · · · 81 English Old Testament Plays ... .... .. .... .. .. .. ... ... ...... · · · · · · 83 Sporadic Old Testament Plays ..... .. ......................... · · · · 86 The Passion Plays ........ .. ..... ..... .. ......................... 89-106 List of Texts Examined .. .. .... .. ... .... .... .............. ... · · · 89 Latin Passion Plays ...... .. .. .. ... .. .. ........... ..... ..... · · · 91 The Ministry Plays ............... ........ .. ..... ............. · · · 92 Transition Plays .. ............ ...... .... .. ... ................. 97 German Passion Plays.......... ... ........ .. 99 English Passion Plays. 103 The Planctus ...... ......... .. ... .. .................. ... ..... .. ...... 107-115 List of Texts Examined . ......... ....... ...... ...... .. .... ...... 107 Easter Morning Planctus .. ..... .. .... .. ..... .. ........... .. .. 111 German Planctus ................................. ... ............. 112 Mary Magdalen Planctus.. .. ...... ......... ... .... 113 The Harrowing of Hell Play .. ...... ... .. ..... .................. .... 116-133 List of Texts Examined ...... .. .. ............... .................. 116 The Descensus ....................... ..... .. ...... .......... ..... 117 Relation of the Gospel of Nicodemus. .. .... .......... .... .. ... 128 German Descent Plays . 129 English Harrowing of Hell Plays.. 132 The Resurrection Series, including the Ascension and the Pentecost Plays . · . 134-155 List of Texts Examined. 134 Transition Plays. ........... · . · . · · . · . · . · · . · · · · · · . 136 ... ........ ... .... ...... ... ...... ... .. ...... Peregrini ................. ... .... .. .. .. ...... ........ .......... .. 139 -----------~~~---&~ CONTENTS vii Ascension and Pentecost... 144 German Easter Plays...... 145 English Easier Plays ........................................... 148 The Mary Plays-The Barrenness of Anna, Mary's Presentation, I\Iary's Betrothment, Death of Mary, Appearance to Thomas, Assumption (and Coronation) ........................ .................... 156-161 List of Texts Examined.... 156 The I\Iary Plays.... 158 Conclusion ........ .... .. ................ .. .......................... 162-164 Bibliography ......................... .. .. ... .... .. ............. .. ... 165-170 Diagram, PAUL E. KRETZMANN showing development, FROM LITURG MIRACLE PLAY direct and by analogy I. THE DIVISIONS E LITURGICAL YEAR Easter Season Mary Festivals Christmas Festum Infantum Septuagesima Lent Advent Season including Ascension Purification, Febru­ Feria! Services of and to uinquagesima Holy Week First to Fourth Sun­ and Pentecost ary 2 days, inclusive Fourth Advent to Epiphany III Quadrages to Palmaritm St. Anne's Day, July December 27, in­ December 28 26 clusive January 6 Assumption and Octave and others II. LATIN LITURGICAL PLAYS (LITURGICAL AND HOMILETIC INFLUENC CT OR PRIMARY, BY TROPES, ANTIPHONS, RESPONSES, AND LECTIONES) Ludt1s de Passione, (Elevatio Crncis, in­ Sponsus, xi c. Annunciation and Vis- Ordo Rachel, xi c. Ordo Joseph, xiii c. including Planctus cluding Planctus), A ntichristtts, xii c. itatioii, xv c. Ojficium Stellae (Magi), xiv c. Prophetae, xi c. x1 c. Depositio Crucis, xiv c. Ojficium Sepulcri, c., Ojficittm Pastorum, x1 Descensits, xiv c. ix including Hortulanus c. Peregrini, xi c., includ­ ing Appearances, etc. III. SEMI-SECULAR AND VERNACULAR PLAYS (WICAL OR HOMILETIC INFLUENCE SECONDARY) Benediktbeuern Passio Resurrection Plays Purification Ten Virgin Play Prophet Plays Herod and