Play 38, Cleophas and Luke; Appearance to Thomas

by: Douglas Sugano (Editor)

from: The N-Town Plays  2007

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[Hic incipit aparicio Cleophe et Luce. CLEOPHAS My brothir, Lucas, I yow pray: My plesynge to yow if that it be, To the castel of Emawus a lytyl way That ye vowchesaf to go with me? LUCAS All redy, brother, I walke with thee To yone castell with ryght good chere. Evyn togedyr, anon go we, Brother Cleophas, we to in fere. CLEOPHAS A, brother Lucas, I am sore mevyd Whan Cryst, oure mayster, comyth in my mynde. Whan that I thynke how he was grevyd, Joye in myn herte kan I non fynde. He was so lowlye, so good, so kynde, Holy of lyf and meke of mood. Alas, the Jewys! Thei were to blynde — Hym for to kylle that was so good! LUCAS Brothyr Cleophas, ye sey ful soth! They were to cursyd and to cruell! And Judas — that traytour — he was to loth, For gold and sylvyr, his mayster to selle; The Jewys were redy, hym for to qwelle, With skorgys, bete out all his blood! Alas, thei wer too fers and felle: Shamfully, thei henge hym on a rood. CLEOPHAS Ya, between to thevys — alas for shame — They henge hym up with body rent! Alas, alas! They were to blame. To cursyd and cruel was ther intent. Whan for thurste he was nere shent, Eyzil and galle thei govyn hym to drynke. Alas, for ruthe, his deth thei bent In a fowle place of horryble stynke. LUCAS Ya, and cawse in hym cowde they non fynde! Alas, for sorwe what was here thought: And he dede helpe bothe lame and blynde, And all seke men that were hym browght. Agens vice alwey he wrought — Synfull ded wold he never do, Yit hym to kylle, thei sparyd nought. Alas, alas! Why dede they so? JHESUS Well ovyrtake, ye serys in same — To walke in felachep with yow, I pray. LUCAS Welcom, sere, in Goddys name — Of good felachep we sey not nay! JHESUS Qwat is youre langage to me ye say That ye have togedyr, ye to? Sory and evysum ye been alway — Youre myrthe is gon. Why is it so? CLEOPHAS Sere, me thynkyth thu art a pore pylgrym Here walkyng be thiselfe alone. And in the ceté of Jerusalem, Thu knowyst ryght lytyl what ther is done, For pylgrymys comyn and gon ryth sone, Ryght lytyl whyle pylgrymes do dwelle. In all Jerusalem, as thu hast gone, I trowe no tydyngys that thu canst telle. JHESUS Why, in Jerusalem, what thynge is wrought? What tydyngys fro thens brynge ye? LUCAS A! Ther have they slayn a man for nought: Gyltles he was, as we telle thee. An holy prophete with God was he, Myghtyly in wurde and eke in dede. Of God he had ryght grett poosté! Amonge the pepyl, his name gan sprede. He hyght Jhesu of Nazareth, A man he was of ryght grett fame. The Jewys hym kylde with cruel deth, Without trespas or any blame. Hym to scorne, they had grett game And naylid hym streyte ontyll a tre. Alas, alas! Methynkyth grett shame — Without cawse that this shulde be. CLEOPHAS Ya, sere, and ryght grett troste in hym we had, All Israel countré, that he shulde save. The thrydde day is this that he was clad In coold cley and leyd in grave. Yitt, woundyrful tydyngys of hym we have Of women that sought hym beforn daylyth. Wethyr they sey truthe or ellys do rave, We cannot telle the trew verdyth. Whan Cryst in grave thei cowde not se, They comyn to us and evyn thus tolde How that an aungell seyd to them thre That he shulde leve with brest ful bolde! Yitt Petyr and Johan preve this wolde: To Crystys grave, they ran thei tweyne, And whan they come to the grave so coolde, They fownde the women ful trewe, sertayne! JHESUS A, ye fonnys and slought of herte! For to beleve in Holy Scrypture, Have not prophetys with wurdys smerte Spoke be tokenys in signifure That Cryste shulde deye for youre valure And syth entre his joye and blys? Why be ye of herte so dure And trust not in God that myghtful is? Bothe Moyses and Aaron and othyr mo In Holy Scrypture, ye may rede it. Of Crystis deth, thei spak also, And how he shuld ryse out of his pitt. Owt of feyth, than, why do ye flitte Whan holy prophetys yow teche so pleyne? Turne youre thought and chaunge youre witte And truste wele that Cryst doth leve ageyne! LUCAS Leve ageyn? Man, be in pes! How shulde a ded man evyr aryse? I cowncell thee such wurdys to ses. For dowte of Pylat, that hygh justyce, He was slayn at the gret asyse Be councell of lordys, many on. Of suche langage — take bettyr avise In every company ther thu dost gon. CHRISTUS Trewth dyd nevyr his maystyr shame. Why shulde I ses, than, trewth to say? Be Jonas, the prophete, I preve the same That was in a whallys body thre nyghtis and thre day: So longe Cryst in his grave lay As Jonas was withinne the se. His grave is brokyn that was of clay: To lyff resyn agen now is he. CLEOPHAS Sey nott so, man! It may not be — Thow thyn exaunple be sumdele good. For Jonas on lyve evyrmore was he, And Cryst was slayn upon a rood. The Jewys on hym, they were so wood That to his herte, a spere they pyght! He bled owt all his herte blood. How shulde he, thanne, ryse with myght? CHRISTUS Take hede at Aaron and his dede styk Which was ded of his nature, And yit he floryschyd with flowrys ful thyk And bare almaundys of grett valure. The ded styk was signifure How Cryst, that shamfully was deed and slayn. As that ded styk bare frute ful pure, So Cryst shuld ryse to lyve ageyn. LUCAS That a deed styk frute shulde bere, I merveyle sore therof, iwys. But yitt hymsylf fro deth to rere And leve ageyn, more woundyr it is! That he doth leve, I trost not this, For he hath bled his blood so red. But yitt of myrthe, evyrmoor I mys Whan I have mende that he is ded. CHRISTUS Why be ye so hard of truste? Ded not Cryst reyse thorwe his owyn myght Lazare, that deed lay undyr the duste And stynkyd ryght foule, as I yow plyght? To lyff Cryst reysid hym agen ful ryght, Out of his grave — this is serteyn. Why may nat Cryste hymself thus qwyght And ryse from deth to leve ageyn? CLEOPHAS Now trewly, sere, youre wurdys ben good. I have in yow ryght grett delyght! I pray yow, sere, with mylde mood To dwelle with us all this nyght. CHRISTUS I must go hens anon ful ryght, For grett massagys I have to do. I wolde abyde yf that I myght, But at this tyme I must hens go. LUCAS Ye shal not gon fro us this nyght! It waxit all derke! Gon is the day! The sonne is downe; lorn is the lyght. Ye shal not gon from us away. CHRISTUS I may not dwelle, as I yow say. I must this nyght go to my frende. Therfore, good bretheryn, I yow pray Lett me not, my wey to wende. CLEOPHAS Trewly from us ye shal not go. Ye shal abyde with us here stylle! Youre goodly dalyaunce plesyth us so, We may nevyr have of yow oure fylle! We pray yow, sere, with herty wylle: All nyght with us abyde and dwelle, More goodly langage to talkyn us tylle And of youre good dalyaunce more for to telle. LUCAS Ya, brothyr Cleophas, be myn assent: Let us hym kepe with strenth and myght. Sett on yowre hand with good entent And pulle hym with us, the wey well ryght. The day is done, sere, and now it is nyght. Why wole ye hens now from us go? Ye shal abyde, as I yow plyght; Ye shal not walke this nyght us fro. CLEOPHAS This nyght fro us ye go not away. We shal yow kepe betwen us tweyne. To us, therfore, ye sey not nay, But walke with us — the wey is pleyne. CHRISTUS Sythyn ye kepe me with myght and mayn, With herty wyll I shal abyde. LUCAS Of youre abydyng we be ful fayn — No man more welkom in this werd wyde. CLEOPHAS Of oure maystyr, Cryst Jhesu — For ye do speke so mech good, I love yow hertyly, trust me trew — He was bothe meke and mylde of mood. Of hym to speke is to me food. If ye had knowe hym, I dare wel say — And in what plyght with hym it stood — Ye wold have thought on hym many a day. LUCAS Many a day, ya, ya, iwys. He was a man of holy levynge Thow he had be the childe of God in blys. Both wyse and woundyrfull was his werkynge. But aftere youre labour and ferre walkynge, Takyth this loff, and etyth sum bred; And than wyl we have more talkynge Of Cryst, oure maystyr, that is now ded. CHRISTUS Beth mery and glad with hert ful fre, For of Cryst Jhesu that was youre frende, Ye shal have tydyngys of game and gle Withinne a whyle, or ye hens wende. With myn hand this bred I blys And breke it here as ye do se. I geve yow parte also of this, This bred to ete, and blythe to be. [Hic subito discedat Christus ab oculis eorum.1 CLEOPHAS A! Mercy, God! What was oure happe? Was not oure hert with love brennynge Whan Cryst, oure mayster, so nere oure lappe Dede sitte and speke such suete talkynge? He is now quyk and man lyvenge That fyrst was slayn and put in grave. Now may we chaunge all oure mornynge, For oure Lord is resyn, his servauntys to save! LUCAS Alas, for sorwe! What hap was this? Whan he dyd walke with us in way He prevyd by scripture ryght wel, iwys, That he was resyn from undyr clay. We trustyd hym not, but evyr seyd nay! Alas, for shame! Why seyd we so? He is resyn to lyve this day Out of his grave oure Lord is go! CLEOPHAS Latt us here no lengere dwelle, But to oure bretheryn the wey we wende. With talys trewe to them we telle That Cryst doth leve, oure mayster and frende. LUCAS I graunt therto with hert ful hende: Let us go walke forthe in oure way. I am ful joyfull in hert and mende That oure Lord levyth that fyrst ded lay. CLEOPHAS Now, was it not goodly don Of Cryst Jhesu, oure mayster dere? He hath with us a large wey gon, And of his uprysyng he ded us lere. Whan he walkyd with us in fere, And we supposyd hym both deed and colde, That he was aresyn from undyr bere — Be Holy Scripture, the trewth he tolde! LUCAS Ryght lovyngely don, forsothe, this was! What myght oure mayster tyl us do more Than us to chere, that forth dede pas? And for his deth, we murnyd ful sore For love of hym, oure myrthe was lore. We were, for hym, ryght hevy in herte, But now, oure myrth he doth restore, For he is resyn bothe heyl and qwert! CLEOPHAS That he is thus resyn, I have grett woundyr: An hevy ston ovyr hym ther lay. How shulde he breke the ston asoundyr That was deed and colde in clay? Every man, this mervayle may And drede that Lorde of mekyl myght, But yit of this, no man sey nay, For we have seyn hym with opyn syght. LUCAS That he doth leve, I woot wel this. He is aresyn with flesch and blood, A levynge man, forsothe he is, That rewly was rent upon a rood. All heyl, dere brothyr, and chaunge youre mood, For Cryst doth levyn and hath his hele! We walkyd in wey with Cryst so good And spak with hym wurdys fele. CLEOPHAS Evyn tyll Emawus, the grett castell, From Jerusalem with hym we went — Syxti furlonge, as we yow telle — We went with hym, evyn passent. He spak with us with good entent; That Cryst shuld leve, he tolde tyll us And previd it be Scripture, verament. Trust me trewe — it is ryght thus! LUCAS Ya, and whan he had longe spokyn us tylle, He wold from us agon his way. With strenght and myght we keptyn hym stylle. And bred we tokyn hym to etyn, in fay. He brak the loff as evyn on tway As ony sharpe knyff shuld kytt breed! Therby, we knew the trewth that day: That Cryst ded leve and was not deed. PETRUS Now trewly, serys, I have grett woundyr Of these grete merveylis that ye us telle. In brekynge of bred ful evyn asoundyr Oure mayster ye knew and Lord ryght well? Ye sey Cryst levith that Jewys dyd qwelle? Tyll us glad tydyngys, this is serteyn! And that oure mayster with yow so longe dede dwelle, It doth well preve that he levith ageyn. A, brother Thomas, we may be ryght glad Of these gode novell that we now have. The grace of oure Lorde God is over us all sprad! Oure Lord is resyn, his servauntys to save! THOMAS Be in pes, Petyr! Thu gynnyst to rave! Thy wurdys be wantowne and ryght unwyse! How shulde a deed man that deed lay in grave With qwyk flesche and blood to lyve ageyn ryse? PETRUS Yis, Thomas, dowte thee not oure maystyr is on lyve. Record of Mawdelyn and of her systerys too? Cleophas and Lucas, the trewthe for to contryve, Fro Jerusalem to Emaws with hym dede they go! THOMAS I may nevyr in hert trust that it is so. He was ded on cros and colde put in pitt, Kept with knyhtys foure — his grave sealyd also. How shulde he levyn ageyn that so streyte was shitt? PETRUS Whan Mawdeleyn dede tell us that Cryst was aresyn, I ran to his grave, and Johan ran with me. In trewth, ther we fownde he lay not in presyn! Gon out of his grave and on lyve than was he! Therfore, dere brother Thomas, I wole rede thee: Stedfastly thu trust that Cryst is not deed. Feythfully beleve a qwyk man that he be, Aresyn from his deth by myght of his Godhed. THOMAS I may nevyr beleve these woundyr merveles Tyl that I have syght of every grett wounde And putt in my fyngyr in place of the nayles. I shal nevyr beleve it ellys for no man on growunde And tyl that myn hand, the sperys pytt hath fowunde Which dede cleve his hert and made hym sprede his blood! I shal nevyr beleve that he is qwyk and sownde, In trewth, whyl I knowe that he was dede on rood. PETRUS Cryst be thi comforte and chawnge thi bad witt: For feyth but thu have, thi sowle is but lorn. With stedfast beleve, God enforme thee yitt. Of a meke mayde, as he was, for us born. CHRISTUS Pees be amonge yow! Beholde how I am torn! Take hede of myn handys, my dere brother Thomas. THOMAS My God and my Lorde! Nyght and every morn I aske mercy, Lorde, for my grett trespas! CHRISTUS Beholde wele, Thomas, my woundys so wyde Which I have sufferyd for all mankynde. Put thin hool hand into my ryght syde, And in myn hert blood, thin hand that thu wynde. So feythffull a frend, were mayst thu fynde? Be stedfast in feyth, beleve wel in me; Be thu not dowtefful of me in thi mynde, But trust that I leve that deed was on a tre. THOMAS My Lord and my God with syght do I se — That thu art now quyk, which henge deed on rode. More feythful than I, ther may no man be, For myn hand have I wasch in thi precyous blode. CHRISTUS For thu hast me seyn — therfor, thi feyth is good; But blyssyd be tho of this that have no syght And beleve in me. They, for here meke mood, Shall com into hefne, my blysse that is so bryght. THOMAS As a ravaschyd man whos witt is all gon, Grett mornynge I make for my dredfful dowte. Alas, I was dowteful that Cryst from undyr ston — Be his owyn grett myght — no wyse myght gone owte. Alas, what mevyd me thus in my thought? My dowtefful beleve ryght sore me avexit! The trewthe do I knowe, that God so hath wrought: Quod mortuus et sepultus nunc resurrexit.2 He that was bothe deed and colde put in grave To lyve is aresyn by his owyn myght! In his dere herte blood myn hand, wasch I have. Where that the sperepoynt was peynfully pyght I take me to feyth, forsakynge all unryght. The dowte that I had ful sore me avexit, For now have I seyn with ful opyn syght: Quod mortuus et sepultus nunc resurrexit. I trustyd no talys that were me tolde Tyll that myn hand dede in his heart blood wade. My dowte doth aprevyn Cryst levynge ful bolde, And is a grett argument in feyth, us to glade! Thu man that seyst this, from feyth nevyr thu fade: My dowte shal evyr chere thee — that sore me avexit. Trust wele in Cryst, that such meracle hath made: Quod mortuus et sepultus nunc resurrexit. The prechynge of Petir myght not converte me Tyll I felyd the wound that the spere dyde cleve. I trustyd nevyr he levyd that deed was on a tre Tyll that his herte blood dede renne in my sleve. Thus be my grett dowte, oure feyth may we preve — Behold my blody hand, to feyth that me avexit; Be syght of this myrroure from feyth not remeve: Quod mortuus et sepultus nunc resurrexit. Thow that Mary Magdalyn in Cryst dede sone beleve, And I was longe dowteful; yit putt me in no blame. For be my grett dowte, oure feyth may we preve Agens all the eretykys that speke of Cryst shame. Truste wel Jhesu Cryst, the Jewys kyllyd the same; The fende hath he feryd, oure feyth that evyr avexit. To hevyn yow brynge, and save yow all in same: That mortuus et sepultus iterum resurrexit.3 Amen.

Here begins the appearance to Cleophas and Luke Luke; (see note); (t-note) Would it please you village of Emmaus; (see note) agree now two together moved harmed heart humble heart too the truth too wicked; too too evil kill scourges fierce; cruel hung; cross two thieves hung; torn Too wicked; their When; nearly dead; (t-note) Vinegar; gave what a shame; carried out (see note) a reason sorrow; their sick Against; acted deeds Yet did caught up; together I ask; (t-note) sir; God’s; (t-note) will not deny What is the topic of you two grieving; heavy; all the while by yourself frequently Briefly I believe has happened from there no reason; (t-note) word; deed power (t-note) is called fault sport onto a cross trust third; covered daylight else real conclusion the three of them; (see note) live would prove Christ’s; both when were truthful, certainly foolish; slow of heart In order sharp words spoken in signs as evidence; (see note) [to redeem] your worth then enter hard-hearted Moses; others read Christ’s; spoke Faithless, then; go teach; plainly mind live be quiet! to cease Out of fear court session; (t-note) By; a one talk; be careful its master; (see note) cease, then By; prove; (see note) whale’s; (t-note) Just as long in the sea life risen again Though your example; somewhat still alive cross insane thrust heart’s then heed; dead stick; (see note) dead; its nature it flourished almonds; value a signifier (foreshadowing) dead dead stick marvel; indeed to raise up live live; (t-note) (t-note) lack; (t-note) When; remember through; (see note) lay dead assure you life not; deliver live sir sir; gracious away right now errands stay hence; (t-note) go from; (see note) grows dark lost remain ask you Don’t hinder me; to go conversation sir; hearty; (t-note) conversation; to us words by Grab him rest of the way sir will; hence stay; assure you from us both Since stay staying; glad world Of; teacher much of heart (see note) danger indeed living Although; been; heaven deeds far loaf; eat then heart; free joy before you go hence bless; (t-note) joyful just happened to us; (see note); (t-note) heart; burning When; close to us Did; sweet alive; living risen happened When; on the way proved; indeed still denied it gone Let go tales live; master I agree; heart; amenable heart; mind lives; lay dead well done long way resurrection; did teach us together dead the grave By lovingly; truly to us did continue on mourned lost before him; heart healthy; whole wonder asunder dead marvel at this great can deny seen him in plain view live; know living; truly pitifully; torn; cross Cheer up health on the way many words; (t-note) Sixty steadily going live; told us proved it by; truly; (see note); (t-note) truly when; to us have gone from leaving gave; in faith broke; loaf; perfectly in half; (see note) any; cut bread; (t-note) did live; dead sirs; wonder; (see note) marvels; (t-note) asunder lives; kill To us did (t-note) good news spread (t-note) Be quiet; (see note) reckless dead living flesh alive Remember; two discover From; did in my heart dead; the cross; a grave Guarded; (t-note) tightly; shut Magdalene did confined; (t-note) alive then would advise living wonderful marvels on earth; (t-note) Unless; spear’s hole; (t-note) heart; spill alive; sound dead on the cross judgment Unless you have faith, your soul is lost belief; teach; yet maiden Peace; wounded; (t-note) sin; (t-note) your; whole lifeblood; your; cover where doubtful live; dead; tree (the cross) alive, who hung dead; cross washed; blood seen those who their meekness heaven ravaged; (see note) mourning By; in no way moved belief; vexes me (see note) (t-note) (t-note) heart’s blood; washed spearpoint; placed unrighteousness vexes me in plain view tales Until; did; heart’s blood; (see note) prove; living faith; to gladden faith never fade vexes me who (see note) Until; I felt; did cut lived; dead; tree Until; heart’s blood; run by; prove vexes me By; remove Though; soon doubtful by; prove heretics; Christ’s; (t-note) devil; made fearful; vexes; (t-note) (see note); (t-note)

Go To Play 39, Ascension; Selection of Matthias

Footnotes

Play 38, CLEOPHAS AND LUKE; APPEARANCE TO THOMAS: FOOTNOTES

1 Here Christ suddenly disappears from their sight

2 He that was dead and buried is now risen (see also lines 368, 376, and 384)

3 He that was dead and buried is risen again

Play 38, CLEOPHAS AND LUKE; APPEARANCE TO THOMAS: EXPLANATORY NOTES

Abbreviations: S: N-Town Play, ed. Spector (1991); s.n.: stage name.

The N-Town Cleophas and Luke Play is but one of many such Continental and English plays, more commonly known as pilgrim plays, for Cleophas and Luke are apparently returning from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. All of these plays are based on Luke 24:13–45, John 20:20–29, and Mark 16:11–14. The N-Town version, like Chester Play 19, combines the pilgrim play with the risen Christ’s appearance to Thomas. York Play 40 and Towneley Play 27 precede separate Thomas plays. What distinguishes N-Town from the others is found in the following observations. Woolf notes the "companionable hospitality" by which Cleophas and Luke compel Christ to stay with them (English Mystery Plays, p. 281). Martin Stevens points out that the effectiveness of this play derives from its reliance upon typological argument (using biblical symbols) and from Jesus’ serving as the expositor of his own resurrection (Mystery Cycles, pp. 238–40).

This play is written entirely in octaves, except for lines 209–16 and 297–304, which are two quatrains. Perhaps these stanzas splice different material, as the Banns describes this play as two separate pageants — Cleophas and Luke and a Thomas play (Banns, lines 464–80).

1 Lucas. None of the Gospel accounts mentions Luke’s name. Only the Gospel of Luke mentions Cleophas, and the other Gospel accounts mention no names. That Luke accompanied Cleophas is possibly passed through Jacobus de Vora­gine’s Golden Legend (trans. Ryan, 2:250), which mentions Gregory’s Moralia and another unnamed church father as sources.

3 castel of Emawus. Spector observes that castellum in the Vulgate is a village, but that in art, Emmaus is depicted as a castle (S 2:524); see the note to the Banns, line 465.

32 a fowle place. Golgotha was Jerusalem’s garbage dump.

83 Spector notes that Cleophas’ account of a single angel agrees with Passion 2, Mat­thew 28:2–5, and Mark 16:5, but contradicts Luke 24:4 and John 20:42 (S 2:524).

92 tokenys in signifure. Jesus is speaking typologically. In this discussion (through line 152), he argues from biblical types and foreshadowing (prophecy). For example, Jonah’s three days and nights in the whale foreshadows (prophesies) Christ’s burial and resurrection. See Biblia Pauperum, pl. g and pl. i for graphic juxtapositions of the texts.

113, s.n. CHRISTUS. In the manuscript, as here, the speaker’s name Jhesus (see line 89) switches to Christus. This appears to be deliberate on the playwright’s (or scribe’s) part, for it is at this point in the play that Jesus the pilgrim is transformed (although not recognized by Cleophas and Luke) into the risen Christ before the audience’s eyes. He speaks as an instructor using exempla that they, if they were good readers, should be able to explicate — the story of Jonah, Aaron and the dry stick, etc. — iconography of Christ which fourteenth-century Christians should be able to “read,” iconography that illuminates in the story of Lazarus, where all was made plain. The pilgrims, Lucas and Cleophas, were not among the disciples, but must, nonetheless, know Christ by faith.
113 Proverbial. See Whiting T510.

115–18 Compare Jonas 2:1, Matthew 12:39, and Luke 11:29–32.

129–42 Compare Numbers 17:8. This play parallels the blooming of Aaron’s rod with Christ’s resurrection (or all Christians’ redemption). See also 10.242–67 and Spector, S 2:524. The Biblia Pauperum juxtaposes Aaron’s blooming rod with the Nativity, pl. b, which in turn anticipates the Resurrection.

146–52 Compare Play 25, Raising of Lazarus.

161–90 Cleophas and Luke spend many lines and much energy convincing Christ to stay with them. Woolf draws parallels with Jacob’s wrestling with the angel (Genesis 32), but this may be beside the point. The point seems to be Christian hospital­ity. While the two pilgrims threaten Christ with bodily restraint, they do so with herty wylle (line 173) and with good entent (line 179). I detect a jocular threat, not wrestling.

197 to me food. This clearly foreshadows the miracle of the loaf in lines 213–16, as the pilgrims share their food. They fulfill Christ’s maxim that if you do kind deeds even to the least of brethren, you do it for Christ (Matthew 25:40).

217–328 While the recounting of the encounter with Christ is repetitious, it does serve a purpose. Martin Stevens notes that “The N-Town playwright thus allows the characters themselves not only to question the truth of Scripture but also the truth of the play” (Mystery Cycles, p. 239). In other words, Peter and Thomas are addressing the audience’s doubts.

279 See textual notes after lines 272, 279–80, and 290. Gibson notes a John Worliche who was a mason in Bury St. Edmunds and a few other possibilities (Theater of Devotion, p. 26 and p. 184n33). There are several Worliches (with many variant spellings) in this area of Norfolk and Suffolk. Another enticing candidate would be a Sir John Wyrlych who was a priest of Hopton, Suffolk, who died in 1503 (NRO, 397 Popy).

285–86 Compare Towneley 28, line 265; Cleanness, lines 1105–08; and the Shrewsbury Fragments, line 75 (S 2:525).

289 It is uncertain at what point Cleophas and Lucas encounter Peter and Thomas and what, exactly, Peter has heard them say. It could be as early as line 241 or as late as line 273. See textual note after 272.

301–08 Compare Towneley Play 28, lines 184, 236–39, and 260–63 and York Play 41, lines 135–38 (S 2:525).

353–92 This lyric is similar to two found in Political, Religious, and Love Poems, ed. Furnivall, pp. 233–42. Note the difference in the final line, line 392.

360 Roughly translated in lines 361–62.

370 ­myn hand dede in his heart blood wade. As Fewer points out, Thomas’ hand serves as “a ‘myrroure’ [38.383] authenticating the miracle of the resurrection and con­firming the faith of the Christian polity” (“‘Fygure,’” p. 136).

377–93 The prechynge of Petir myght not converte me . . . Thow that Mary Magdalyn in Cryst dede sone beleve . . . Amen. Coletti suggests that “Thomas’ speech calls to mind the early Christian tradition that debated rival claims to spiritual authority repre­sented by Peter and Mary Magdalene. . . . The N-Town Resurrection sequence acknowledges the possibility of feminine access to spiritual truth . . . to suggest the parity of their evangelical influence” (Mary Magdalene, p. 97).

393 Amen. See note to 15.321–22 on a response of blessing said by all.

Play 38, CLEOPHAS AND LUKE; APPEARANCE TO THOMAS: TEXTUAL NOTES

Abbreviations: Bl: Ludus Coventriae, ed. Block (1922); S: N-Town Play, ed. Spector (1991); s.n.: stage name.

1–6 MS: large play number 38 in right margin.

29 MS: fol. 202v marked 200.

42 I. MS: p I.

43 sere. MS: serys.

59 Ther. MS: a letter has been canceled before.

64 gan. MS: a written over an r.

109 gret. MS: gre.

116 thre. MS: iii.

141 this. MS: l this.

142 red. MS: d red.

143 myrthe. MS: y written over an r.

160 hens. MS: s correcting another letter.

175 langage. MS: second g written over another letter.

213 MS: lacks capitulum.

217, s.n. CLEOPHAS. So S, noted in Bl. MS: omitted.

After 272 MS: bottom of fol. 206v, Vade Worlych is written. This appears to be a prompt note for an elderly actor playing Petrus to enter.

279–80 MS: in right margin is Vade Worlych, nota worlych in a reviser’s hand. See note above.

286 breed. MS: be breed.

290 MS: in right margin is written nota worlych, and then is canceled.

297–392 MS: these octaves are the only other stanzas (except for the quatrains in lines 209–16) that deviate from the short-line octaves found in this play. Perhaps these stanzas spliced two plays, Emmaus and Thomas. Spector notes that the octaves from 305 to the end of the play (comprising the Thomas Play?) are long-lined octaves (S 2:524).

300 servauntys. So S, noted in Bl. MS: seuauntys.

311 foure. MS: iiij.

315 presyn. MS: reviser altered to preson.

324 growunde. So Bl, S. MS: possibly grownnde.

325 fowunde. So Bl. S: fownnde. MS: either fowunde or fownnde.

333 torn. MS: a letter has been canceled before.

336 aske. MS: ak aske.

361 bothe. MS: b written over a d.

362 myght. MS: w myght.

388 eretykys. MS: second y correcting an i.

390 feyth. MS: feyyth, with deleting dot under first y.

After 393 The rest of fol. 209r is blank; another hand has written that mortuus et se below the line. Fol. 209v is blank except for hic incipit ascencio at the top of the page, in another hand.