Play 32, Procession to Calvary; Crucifixion

by: Douglas Sugano (Editor)

from: The N-Town Plays  2007

	[And qwan he is skorgyd, thei put upon hym a cloth of sylk and settyn hym on a stol (stool) and puttyn a krown of thornys on hese hed with forkys (spikes). And the Jewys knelyng to Cryst, takyng hym a septer and skornyng hym. And than thei shal pullyn of (off) the purpyl cloth and don on ageyn his owyn clothis and leyn the crosse in hese necke to berynt (bear it) and drawyn hym forth with ropys. And than shal come to (two) women wepyng and with here (their) handys wryngyn, seyng thus: (see note)
*700 5	MULIER 1 Allas, Jhesus! Allas, Jhesus! Wo is me That thu art thus dyspoylyd! Allas! And yet nevyr defawth was fownd in thee, But evyr thu hast be fole of grace! MULIER 2 A! Here is a rewful syth of Jhesu so good, That he shal thus dye agens the ryth! A! Wykkyd men, ye be more than wood To do that good Lord so gret dyspyte!	(t-note) ill-treated fault full pitiful sight; (t-note) die unjustly insane great shame
	[[Here Jhesus turnyth agen to the women with his crosse, thus seyng:
10 *710 15 20	JHESUS Dowterys of Hierusalem, for me wepyth nowth, But for youreself wepyth, and for youre chyldyr, also. For the days shal come that thei han aftyr sowth Here synne and here blyndnesse shal turne hem to wo. Than shal be sayd: “Blyssyd be the wombys that beryn be, And wo to the tetys tho days that do gevyn sokyng.” And to here faderys, they shul seyn, “Wo to the tyme that thu begat me.” And to here moderys, “Allas, wher shal be oure dwellyng?” Than to the hyllys and mownteynes, they shal crye and calle: “Oppyn and hyde us from the face of hym syttyng in trone, Or ellys ovyrthrowyth, and on us now come falle That we may be hyd from oure sorweful mone.”	Daughters; Jerusalem; not; (see note) children sought after Their; them to woe wombs that are barren teats their mothers throne Or else fall down hidden; lamenting
	[Here Jhesus turnyth fro the women and goth forth, and ther thei metyn with Symonem (Simon of Cyrene) in the place, the Jewys seyng to hym:
*720 25 30 *730 35 40 *740 45	JUDEUS 1 Sere, to thee, a word of good — A man is here thu mayst se Beryth hevy of a rode Whereon he shal hangyd be. Therefore we prey all thee: Thu take the crosse of the man, Bere it with us to Kalvarye, And ryth gret thank thu shalt han. SYMON Serys, I may not in no degré! I have gret errandys for to do; Therfore I pray yow excuse me, And on my herand lete me go! JUDEUS 2 What, harlot? Hast thu skorne To bere the tre whan we thee preye? Thu shalt berynt haddyst thu sworn And yt were ten tyme the weye. SYMON Serys, I prey you, dysplese you nowth! I wole help to bere the tre Into the place it shal be browth Where ye wole comawnde me. [Here Symon takyth the cros of Jhesus and beryth it forth. VERONICA A, ye synful pepyl! Why fare thus? For swet and blood, he may not se! Allas, Holy Prophete, Cryst Jhesus! Careful is myn hert for thee! [And sche wypyth his face with her kerchy (veil). JHESUS Veronyca, thi whipyng doth me ese. My face is clene that was blak to se. I shal them kepe from all mysese That lokyn on thi kercy and remembyr me.	Sir; (t-note) see a heavy cross (t-note) thanks; have Sirs; any; (see note) errands errand scoundrel tree when; ask bear it as if you’d sworn to If; time the distance don’t be displeased will; bear the tree brought will people; are you doing; (see note); (t-note) sweat; see Sorrowful (t-note) wiping; ease; (t-note) see suffering your veil; (t-note)
[CRUCIFIXION]
	[Than shul thei pulle Jhesu out of his clothis and leyn them togedyr. And ther thei shul pullen hym down and leyn hym along on the cros, and after that, naylyn hym theron.
50 *750 55 60 *760 65 70 *770 75 80 *780	JUDEUS 1 Come on, now! Here we shal asay Yf the cros for thee be mete! Cast hym down here in the devyl way! How long shal he standyn on his fete? JUDEUS 2 Pul hym down, evyl mote he the, And gyf me his arm in hast, And anon we shal se Hese good days, thei shal be past. JUDEUS 3 Gef hese other arm to me! Another take hed to hese feet, And anon we shal se Yf the borys be for hym meet. JUDEUS 4 This is mete — take good hede. Pulle out that arm to thee, sore! JUDEUS 3 This is short — the devyl hym sped — Be a large fote and more! JUDEUS 2 Fest on a rop and pulle hym long, And I shal drawe thee ageyn. Spare we not these ropys strong Thow we brest both flesch and veyn. JUDEUS 3 Dryve in the nayl anon! Lete se And loke and the flesche and senues well last. JUDEUS 4 That I graunt, so mote I the. Lo, this nayl is dreve ryth wel and fast! JUDEUS 1 Fest a rop, than, to his feet And drawe him down long anow. JUDEUS 2 Here is a nayl for both good and greet! I shal dryve it thorwe, I make a vow! [Here shule thei leve of and dawncyn abowte the cros shortly. JUDEUS 3 Lo, fela, here a lythe takkyd on a tre! JUDEUS 4 Ya, and I trowe thu art a worthy kyng! JUDEUS 1 A, good sere — telle me now — what helpyth thi prophecy thee? JUDEUS 2 Ya, or any of thi fals prechyng? JUDEUS 3 Serys, set up the cros on the hende That we may loke hym in the face. JUDEUS 4 Ya, and we shal knelyn onto oure kyng so kend, And preyn hym of his gret grace.	shall see; (see note) right devil’s way; (see note) evil may he suffer give; haste soon His Give heed; his soon holes; right right; heed hard devil take him; (see note); (t-note) By more than a foot Fasten; stretch him out; (t-note) pull against break; flesh Let’s see if the sinews will hold so may I suffer driven very; deeply; (t-note) Fasten; then pull; enough long; (t-note) I swear; (t-note) (see note) fellow; light (eminent person) nailed; (see note) think; (t-note) sir on its end look kneel; kind ask; (t-note)
	[Here qwan (when) thei han (have) set hym up, thei shuln gon before hym seyng eche affter other thus:
85	JUDEUS 1 Heyl, kyng of Jewys, yf thu be! JUDEUS 2 Ya, ya, sere, as thu hangyst there, flesche and bonys! JUDEUS 3 Com now down of that tre! JUDEUS 4 And we wole worchepe thee all atonys!	off will; at once
	[Here shul poer comonys (poor commoners) stand and loke upon the Jewys, foure or fyve, and the Jewys shul come to theme and do (make) theme hange the thevys.
90	JUDEUS 1 Come on, ye knavys, and set up thise to crosses ryth And hange up these to thevys anon! JUDEUS 2 Ya, and in the worchip of this worthy knyth On eche syde of hym shal hangyn on.	knaves; two; upright two thieves now; (t-note) knight; (t-note) one
	[Here the sympyl men shul settyn up these to (two) crossys and hangyn up the thevys be the armys (by the arms). And ther whylys shal the Jewys cast dyce for his clothis and fytyn (fight) and stryvyn. And in the menetyme shal oure Lady come with thre Maryes with her and sen (afterward) Johan with hem (them) settyng hem down asyde afore the cros, oure Lady swuonyng and mornyng and be leysere (with deliberation) seyng: (t-note)
*790 95 100	MARIA A! My good Lord, my sone so swete! What hast thu don? Why hangyst now thus here? Is ther non other deth to thee now mete, But the most shamful deth among these thevys fere? A! Out on my hert! Whi brest thu nowth? And thu art maydyn and modyr and seyst thus thi childe spylle. How mayst thu abyde this sorwe and this woful thowth? A, deth, deth, deth! Why wylt thu not me kylle?	proper the company of these thieves why burst you not see; die sorrow; thought
	[Here oure Lady shal swonge (swoon) agen, and our Lord shal seyn thus:
*800 105 110 *811 115 120 *820 125 130 *830 135 140 *840 145 150 *850 155	JHESUS O Fadyr Almythy, makere of man! Forgyff these Jewys that don me wo! Forgeve hem, Fadyr. Forgeve hem than, For thei wete notwh what thei do. JUDEUS 1 Ya, vath! Vath, now! Here is he That bad us dystroye oure tempyl on a day, And withinne days thre, He shulde reysynt agen in good aray! JUDEUS 2 Now, and thu kan do swech a dede Help now thiself yf that thu kan, And we shal belevyn on thee withoutyn drede And seyn thu art a mythty man! JUDEUS 3 Ya, yf thu be Goddys Sone, as thu dedyst teche, From the cros come now down! Than of mercy, we shal thee beseche And seyn thu art a lord of gret renown! JESTES Yf thu be Goddys Sone, as thu dedyst seye, Helpe here now, both thee and us! But I fynde it not al in my feye That thu shuldyst be Cryst, Goddys Sone, Jhesus! DYSMAS Do wey, fool! Why seyst thu so? He is the Sone of God — I beleve it wel! And synne ded he nevyr, lo, That he shuld be put this deth tyl. But we ful mech wrong han wrowth! He ded nevyr thing amys. Now, mercy, good Lord, mercy, and forgete me nowth When thu comyst to thi kyngham and to thi blysse. JHESUS Amen, amen, thu art ful wyse. That thu hast askyd, I grawnt thee. This same day in paradyse With me, thi God, thu shalt ther be. MARIA O, my sone, my sone, my derlyng dere! What? Have I defendyd thee? Thu hast spoke to alle tho that ben here, And not o word thu spekyst to me! To the Jewys thu are ful kende; Thu hast forgove al here mysdede. And the thef thu hast in mende — For onys haskyng mercy, hefne is his mede! A, my Sovereyn Lord, why whylt thu not speke To me that am thi modyr, in peyn for thi wrong? A, hert, hert! Why whylt thu not breke, That I were out of this sorwe so stronge? JHESUS A, woman, woman! Behold ther thi sone, And thu, Jon, take her for thi modyr. I charge thee to kepe her as besyly as thu kone. Thu, a clene mayde, shal kepe another. To take this manhod of thee, Adamys rawnsom to pay. For this is the wyl and my Faderys intent: That I shal thus deye to delyvere man fro the develys pray. Now, syn it is the wyl of my Fadyr, it shuld thus be. Why shuld it dysplese thee, modyr, now my deth so sore? And for to suffre al this for man, I was born of thee, To the blys that man had lost, man agen to restore.	Almighty make me suffer; (see note); (t-note) them; them then know not Yeah! (with contempt); (see note); (t-note) in a day raise [it] again; order if; such a deed believe in; dread say; mighty God’s; did teach Then say God’s; did say But I do not believe it should; God’s Away with you; (t-note) did to this death many wrongs have wrought never did anything wrong; (t-note) not kingdom; bliss What; grant; (see note) darling dear; (t-note) offended those that are one most kind forgiven; their offenses thief; remembered once asking; reward mother, in pain heart; break sorrow (see note) mother diligently; can virgin Adam’s ransom Father’s devil’s prey; (t-note) since; will painful bliss; again
	[Her oure Lady shal ryse and renne (run) and halse (embrace) the crosse. (see note)
160 *860 165	MARIA MAGDALENA A, good lady, why do ye thus? Youre dolfol cher now chevith us sore. And for the peyne of my swete Lord Jhesus, That he seyth in you it peyneth hym more! MARIA VIRGO I pray yow alle, lete me ben here And hang me up here on this tre Be my frend and sone that me is so dere, For ther he is, ther wold I be! JOHANNES Jentyl lady, now leve youre morning And go with us now, we you pray, And comfort oure Lord at hese deparyng, For he is almost redy to go his way.	sorrowful cheer; grieves us; (t-note) pain sees be By where; would mourning we ask you his
	[Here thi shal take our Lady from the crosse. And here shal Pylat come down from his shaffald with Cayphas and Annas and all here mené (their retinue) and shul come and lokyn on Cryst. And Annas and Cayphas shul skornfully seyn: (t-note)
170 *870 175	CAYPHAS Lo, serys, lo! Beheldyth and se! Here hangyth he that halpe many a man! And now, yf he Goddys Sone be, Helpe now hymself, yf that he kan! ANNAS Ya, and yf thu Kyng of Israel be, Come down of the cros among us alle, And lete thi God now delyvere thee, And than oure kyng we wole thee calle!	helped God’s off will
	[Here shal Pylat askyn penne and inke. And a tabyl (tablet) shal be take (taken to) hym, wretyn afore: “Hic est Jhesus Nazarenus, Rex Judeorum”1 And he shal make hym to wryte and than gon up on a leddere and settyn the tabyl (sign) abovyn Crystys hed. And than Cayphas shal makyn hym to redyn and seyn:
180	CAYPHAS Sere Pylat, we merveylyth of this, That ye wryte hym to be Kyng of Jewys. Therfore, we wolde that ye shuld wryte thus, That he namyd hymself Kyng of Jewus! PYLAT That I have wretyn, wretyn it is, And so it shal be for me, iwys.	Sir; marvel at; (t-note) wrote would written indeed
	[And so forth. All thei shal gon agen to the skaffald. And Jhesus shal cryen: (t-note)
*880 185 190 *890 195 200 *900 205 210 *910 215 220 *920 225 230 *930 235 240 *940 245 250 *950 255 260 *960 265	JHESUS Heloy, heloy! Lamazabathany!2 My Fadyr in hevyn on hy! Why dost thu me forsake? The frelté of my mankende With stronge peyn, yt gynnyth to peynde! Ha! Dere Fadyr, have me in mende, And lete deth my sorwe slake! JUDEUS 2 Methynkyth he this doth calle Hely. Lete us go nere and aspy And loke yf he come prevely, From cros hym down to reve! JHESUS So grett a thrust dede nevyr man take As I have, man, now for thi sake. For thrust asundyr my lyppys gyn crake; For drynes, thei do cleve. JUDEUS 3 Youre thrust, Sere Hoberd, for to slake, Eyzil and galle here I thee take. What? Me thinkyth a mowe ye make! Is not this good drynk? To crye for drynke, ye had gret hast, And now, it semyth it is but wast. Is not this drynk of good tast? Now, telle me how ye thynk. JUDEUS 4 On lofte, Sere Hoberd, now ye be sett! We wyl no lenger with you lett. We grete you wel on the newe gett, And make on you a mowe. JUDEUS 1 We grete you wel with a scorn, And pray you bothe evyn and morn — Take good eyd to oure corn And chare awey the crowe! JHESUS In manus tuas, Domine.3 Holy Fadyr, in hefly se, I comende my spyryte to thee, For here now hendyth my fest. I shal go sle the fende, that freke. For now, myn herte begynnth to breke: Wordys mo shal I non speke — Nunc consummatum est.4 MARIA Alas! Alas! I leve to longe To se my swete sone with peynes stronge, As a theff on cros doth honge, And nevyr yet dede he synne! Alas, my dere chyld to deth is dressyd! Now is my care wel more incressyd. A! Myn herte with peyn is pressyd, For sorwe myn hert doth twynne. JOHANNES A, blyssyd mayde, chaunge youre thought, For thow youre sone with sorwe be sought; Yitt by his owyn wyl this werk is wrought, And wylfully, his deth to take. Yow to kepe, he chargyd me here — I am youre servaunt, my lady dere. Wherfore, I pray yow, be of good chere And merthis that ye make. MARIA Thow he had nevyr of me be born, And I sey his flesch thus al totorn — On bak, behyndyn, on brest beforn, Rent with woundys wyde. Nedys I must wonyn in woo To se my frende with many a fo, All to rent from top to too, His flesche withowtyn hyde. JOHANNES A, blyssyd lady, as I yow telle, Had he not deyd, we shuld to helle Amongys fendys ther evyr to dwelle, In peynes that ben smert. He sufferyth deth for oure trespace, And thorwe his deth, we shal have grace To dwelle with hym in hevyn place. Therfore, beth mery in hert. MARIA A, dere frende, weel woot I this That he doth bye us to his blyss. But yitt of myrth evyrmor I mys Whan I se this syght. JOHANNES Now, dere lady, therfore I yow pray Fro this dolful dolour wende we oure way, For whan this syght ye se nought may Youre care may waxe more lyght. MARIA Now sythe I must parte hym fro, Yit lete me kysse or that I go, His blyssyd feyt that sufferyn wo Naylid on this tre. So cruelly with grett dyspyte, Thus shamfully was nevyr man dyghte. Therfore, in peyn myn hert is pyghte, Al joye departyth fro me.	(see note); (t-note) on high; (t-note) (see note); (t-note) frailty; humanity begins to suffer; (see note) in mind sorrow lessen Elijah near; watch if he (Elijah); secretly snatch him away; (t-note) great a thirst did; (see note) thirst; lips begin to crack break open thirst, Sir Hubert; lessen; (see note) Vinegar; give wince haste wasted taste high, Sir Hubert; (t-note) longer; linger fashion; (see note) sneer ask; evening Keep an eye on; grain scare; crows (see note); (t-note) on heavenly throne spirit ends; fast slay the fiend; monster break more; not speak (see note) have lived too long; (see note) see; son; pains thief; hang did put to death increased pain sorrow; heart; split blessed maid though; afflicted Yet; own will mirth of my flesh was see; torn apart back, behind Torn Needs; live; woe foe torn; toe skin died Among fiends are keen through in heavenly heart well know redeem yet; lack see ask you deep pain let us go when; do not see become lighter since Yet; before blessed feet great contempt treated pain; fixed
	[Hic quasi semi-mortua cadat prona in terram et dicit Johannes:5; (t-note)
270 *970 275 280 *980 285	JOHANNES Now, blyssyd mayd, come forth with me! No lengere this syght that ye se. I shal yow gyde in this countré Where that it plesyth yow best. MARIA Now, jentyl Johan, my sonys derlyng, To Goddys temple thu me bring That I may prey God with sore wepynge And mornynge that is prest. JOHANNES All youre desyre shal be wrought. With herty wyll, I werke youre thought. Now, blyssyd mayde, taryeth nowth In the temple that ye ware, For holy prayere may chaunge youre mood And cawse youre chere to be more good. Whan ye se not youre childys blood, The lasse may be youre care.	blessed longer guide gentle; son’s beloved; (see note) God’s pray to deep mourning desires; done hearty will delay not would be better When; see; child’s; (t-note) less
	[Tunc transiet Maria ad templum cum Johanne, et cetera.6
290 *990	MARIA Here in this temple, my lyff I lede And serve my Lord God with hertyly drede. Now shal wepynge me fode and fede. Som comforte tyll God sende, A, my Lord God, I thee pray: Whan my childe ryseth the thrydde day, Comforte, thanne, thyn handmay, My care for to amende.	life; lead heartfelt fear weeping nourish and feed me until third then; handmaiden remedy; (t-note)

Go To Play 33, Harrowing of Hell (1)

Footnotes

Play 32, PROCESSION TO CALVARY; CRUCIFIXION: FOOTNOTES

1 Here is Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews (compare Matthew 27:37, Luke 23:38, John 19:19)

2 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (compare Matthew 27:46)

3 Into your hands, O Lord [I commend my spirit] (compare Luke 23:46)

4 Now it is consummated (compare John 19:30)

5 Here, she falls to the ground as if dead, and John says

6 Then, Maria goes to the temple with John, etc.

Play 32, PROCESSION TO CALVARY; CRUCIFIXION: EXPLANATORY NOTES

Abbreviations: Abbreviations: MED: Middle English Dictionary; PP: Passion Play, ed. Meredith (1990); S: N-Town Play, ed. Spector (1991); s.d.: stage direction; s.n.: stage name.

Before 1, s.d. Spector observes that the forks are used to force the crown onto Jesus’ head (S 2:513).

9–20 Dowterys of Hierusalem. See Luke 23:28–31. This regards the coming destruction of Jerusalem as in Siege of Jerusalem, lines 1015–20 and 1285–96.

29, s.n. SYMON. Simon of Cyrene; compare Matthew 27:32, Mark 15:21, and Luke 23:26.

41–48 For the story of Veronica and her veil, see Jacobus de Voragine’s Golden Legend (trans. Ryan, 1:212). Veronica’s veil also plays a significant role in Siege of Jeru­salem, lines 165–68 and 209–64. There is also a miracle from Pseudo-Matthew in which Jesus has Joseph raise a dead man by placing Joseph’s kerchief on the dead man’s face (chap. 40).

49–132 Compare York Play 35.

51 in the devyl way. This is a clever pun as Judeus 1 is clearly cursing by consigning Christ to the devil or to hell, but in another way, the executioners are ironically putting Christ in a position (on the cross) to impede the devil’s plan.

63–76 As Meredith notes, the stretching of Jesus’s limbs with ropes is depicted in all of the English plays (PP, p. 208n763).

76, s.d. Rastall observes: "The Jews’ dancing about the cross separates the scene of the nailing from that with the raised cross leading to Christ’s death. It seems that the four executioners must dance around the cross after they have raised it — that is, their work is done and they celebrate in this way before taking their ease in mocking Christ. There is little evidence for the kind of dance performed, and none for the kind of music (if any) that accompanies it: perhaps they sing for their own dance" — possibilities for which Rastall describes (Minstrels Playing, pp. 132–33). Dutka and Meredith consider possibilities of an actual dance (Index of Songs, p. 151, and PP, pp. 208–09), citing images of such acti­vities at scourg­ing and crucifixion scenes. See also Rastall, Heaven Singing, pp. 212–15.

77 Lo, fela, here a lythe takkyd on a tre. Several senses are possible here depending on how the actor pronounces lythe. If the phoneme is /lit/, which is the usual pronunciation of that word in the play, the sense would be "light" or "lantern," but also "a signal or sign." Jesus has just told Veronica that her "kercy" will hence­forth be a sign to all who behold it that will protect them from "mysese" (lines 45–48). So, too, will Christ on the Cross be a beacon — "the light of the world" (John 8:12) — to all who behold it, a sign unwittingly prepared by the four hardwork­ing Jews. See MED light 2b, 3a, and 3d. A second possibility would be that Judeus 3, in his mocking of the fellow takkyd on a tre, asks Jesus to here alythe (i.e., jump down). See line 87, where, with the reading which would require a comma after alythe, he repeats his taunt "Com now down of that tre!" and line 114, where Judeus 3 repeats himself a third time. But, if the actor pronounces lythe /lIð/, then the sense might be "Behold, fellow, here a body nailed to a tree." See MED lith n.3b, where the example offered is from Piers Plowman B.16.181 speaks of "þre leodes [persons] in o lith [body]."

102–04 Jesus’ first of seven words on the cross.

105–08 The mocker recalls Jesus’ mysterious assertion in John 2:19–21.

130–32 Jesus’ second utterance from the cross.

145–46 Jesus’ third utterance from the cross.

156, s.d. Meredith observes that Mary Magdalene, not the Virgin Mary, is usually in medieval iconography grasping the foot of the cross (PP, p. 210n854sd).

183–84 This is Jesus’ fourth utterance from the cross. These lines comprise a rhyming couplet.

185–89 A five-line stanza.

187 peynde. This could be any of three possible ME words: 1) pinden: to pierce; 2) pinen: to torture; and 3) peinen: to punish (MED and PP, p. 211n886).

194–97 Jesus’ fifth utterance on the cross.

198 Sere Hoberd. Clearly a term of abuse, possibly "Sir Hubert." Meredith suggests a derivation from "Robert," possibly "robbere," suggesting the fitness of Jesus’ being executed with other thieves (PP, p. 211n897). MED suggests a name for a magpie (noisy bird in a tree?) or a name for the man in the moon (since he is so high up?).

208 newe gett. The "new fashion," i.e., a sneer. Compare 26.80.

214 Here, Jesus’ sixth utterance from the cross, but traditionally enumerated the seventh.

221 Here, Jesus’ seventh utterance from the cross, usually the sixth.

222 ff. Traditionally, this scene delivers Mary’s Planctus. The contrast between Mary’s and John’s lines is striking as Mary reacts as a mother who has just witnessed her son’s death. John, on the other hand, comforts Mary by reminding her of her role in the divine soteriological plan.

274–93 Mary goes to the temple in agreement with the Banns, lines 395–98, but N-Town is the only English play to add this detail about Mary’s whereabouts after the Crucifixion.
274 sonys derlyng. John is considered the "beloved disciple," and this is based largely on his role at the Crucifixion (lines 145–48), the Last Supper, and his self-refer­ences at the end of the John’s Gospel (John 13:23 and John 21:20 and 24).

Play 32, PROCESSION TO CALVARY; CRUCIFIXION: TEXTUAL NOTES

Abbreviations: Bl: Ludus Coventriae, ed. Block (1922); Da: Corpus Christi Play, ed. Davies (1972); H: Ludus Coventriae, ed. Halliwell (1841); PP: Passion Play, ed. Meredith (1990); S: N-Town Play, ed. Spector (1991); s.d.: stage direction; s.n.: stage name.

1–7 MS: large play number 32 in right margin.
1, s.n. MULIER 1. MS: i^us mulier, but should be i^a.

5, s.n. MULIER 2. MS: ij^usmulier, but should be ii^a.

21, s.n. Judeus 1. MS: Jude, remainder cropped.

After 24 therfore we prey written as catchphrase at the bottom of fol. 179v.

41 fare thus. So MS, Bl, S. PP: supplies ye after fare.

44, s.d. MS: squeezed into right margin.

45, s.n. JHESUS. MS: Jh written over Ve.

After 48 Capital T at the bottom of fol. 180r.

63 the. MS: þ written over a d.

65, s.n. MS: John written in another hand near s.n.

72 MS: this line is repeated at the bottom of fol. 180v.

75 greet. MS: g written over r.

76 dryve. MS: r written over y.

78, s.n. JUDEUS 4. MS: Ju, remainder cropped.

84, s.d. hym. MS: hyn.

90 And hange up. MS: repeated below the line in a different hand.

91, s.n. JUDEUS 2. MS: Jud, remainder cropped.

92, s.d. be leysere. So Da, S. MS, Bl, PP: be omitted.

102 wo. MS: wo wo.

105 vath. MS: a letter has been canceled before.

121 Do. So MS, Bl, PP, S. H: Go.

126 He ded. MS: He written in left margin, followed by erasure before ded.

Before 133 MS: fol. 182v marked 180.

152 develys. MS: l written over r.

158 chevith. MS: cheu^t.

168, s.d. seyn. MS: sey, remainder cropped.

177–81 MS: Lines 177, 179, and 181 have capitula.

182, s.d. MS: Jhesus is rubricated as a s.n.; hence no s.n. for next line.

183, s.n. JHESUS. MS: omitted.

184–85 MS: written as one line, separated by punctuation.

185 MS: no capitulum.

193 cros. MS: r written over an o.

206–13 MS: scribe compressed these stanzas, two lines for each line.

214–33.40 MS: fols. 184–185 are interpolated on different paper; Meredith regards them as inserted to accommodate the independent Passion Play 2. This is the last codicological evidence of a pre-existing Passion Play 2.

269, s.d. semi-mortua. So PP, S. MS: seminor tua Bl: semi mortua.

284 not. MS: notʒ.
childys. MS: l childys.

After 293 MS: no break between plays. Large play number 33 written to the right of lines 291–93 and play 33, line 1.