New Site Announcement: Over the past several years, the METS team has been building a new website and new digital edition, in collaboration with Cast Iron Coding. This next phase of METS' editions includes improved functionality and accessibility, an increased focus on transparency, and conformity to best practices for open access and digital editions, including TEI markup. We are currently in a "soft launch" phase in which we will monitor the new site for bugs and errors. We encourage you to visit our new site at https://metseditions.org, and we welcome feedback here: https://tinyurl.com/bdmfv282
We will continue to publish all new editions in print and online, but our new online editions will include TEI/XML markup and other features. Over the next two years, we will be working on updating our legacy volumes to conform to our new standards.
Our current site will be available for use until mid-December 2024. After that point, users will be redirected to the new site. We encourage you to update bookmarks and syllabuses over the next few months. If you have questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us at robbins@ur.rochester.edu.
We will continue to publish all new editions in print and online, but our new online editions will include TEI/XML markup and other features. Over the next two years, we will be working on updating our legacy volumes to conform to our new standards.
Our current site will be available for use until mid-December 2024. After that point, users will be redirected to the new site. We encourage you to update bookmarks and syllabuses over the next few months. If you have questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us at robbins@ur.rochester.edu.
Corresponding Material Between N-Town and Other Late Medieval English Plays
Play sequences in bold existed as separate playbooks (Mary Play [MP], Passion Play 1 [PP1], and Passion Play 2 [PP2]) before their introduction into the manuscript. Play numbers for Chester are from Chester Mystery Cycle, ed. Lumiansky and Mills; play numbers for Towneley are from Towneley Plays, ed. Stevens and Cawley; and play numbers for York are from York Plays, ed. Beadle.
| N-Town | Chester | Towneley | York | Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Banns | Banns | — | — |
Play of the Sacrament; Castle of Perseverance |
| 1. Creation of Heaven; Fall of Lucifer | 1 | 1 | 1, 2 | — |
| 2. Creation of the World; Fall of Man | 2a | 2 | 3, 4, 5, 6 | Norwich Grocer’s Play |
| 3. Cain and Abel | 2b | 2 | 7 | — |
| 4. Noah | 3 | 3 | 8, 9 | Newcastle Play |
| 5. Abraham and Isaac | 4b | 5 | 10 | Brome, Northampton Abraham and Isaac Plays |
| 6. Moses | 5a | — | — | — |
| 7. Root of Jesse | — | 7 | — | — |
| 8. Joachim and Anne (MP) | — | — | — | — |
| 9. Presentation of Mary in the Temple (MP) | — | — | — | — |
| 10. Marriage of Mary and Joseph (MP) | — | — | — | — |
| 11. Parliament of Heaven; Salutation and Conception (MP) | 6a | 10 | 12 | Coventry Shearmen and Tailors |
| 12. Joseph’s Doubt | — | — | 13 | Coventry Shearmen and Tailors |
| 13. Visit to Elizabeth (MP) | — | 11 | 12 | — |
| 14. Trial of Mary and Joseph | — | — | — | — |
| 15. Nativity | 6b | — | 14 | — |
| 16. Shepherds | 7 | 12, 13 | 15 | Coventry Shearmen and Tailors |
|
18. Magi [There is no play 17 in the MS.] |
8, 9 | 14 | 16 | Coventry Shearman and Tailors |
| 19. Purification | 11a | 17 | 17 |
Coventry Shearman and Tailors, Digby Killing of Children |
| 20. Slaughter of the Innocents; Death of Herod | 10 | 16 | 19 |
Coventry Shearman and Tailors, Digby Killing of Children |
| 21. Christ and the Doctors | 11b | 18 | 20 | Coventry Shearman and Tailors |
| 22. Baptism | — | 19 | 21 | — |
| 23. Parliament of Hell; Temptation | 12a | — | 22 | — |
| 24. Woman Taken in Adultery | 12b | — | 24a | — |
| 25. Raising of Lazarus | 13b | 31 | 24b | — |
| 26. Conspiracy; Entry into Jerusalem (PP1) | — | 20 | 25, 26 | — |
| 27. Last Supper; Conspiracy with Judas (PP1) | 14a, 14b, 15a | 20 | 23a, 27 | — |
| 28. Betrayal; Procession of Saints (PP1) | 15b | 20 | 28 | — |
| 29. Herod; Trial before Annas and Cayphas (PP2) | 16 | 22 | 29, 31 | — |
| 30. Death of Judas; Trials before Pilate and Herod (PP2) | 16 | 22, 32 | 30a, 30b, 32 | — |
| 31. Satan and Pilate’s Wife; Second Trial before Pilate (PP2) | — | 22 | 30, 33 | — |
| 32. Procession to Calvary; Crucifixion (PP2) | 16a | 23, 24 | 34, 35, 36 | — |
| 33. Harrowing of Hell (1) (PP2) | 17 | 25 | 37 | — |
| 34. Burial; Guarding of the Sepulcher (PP2) | — | — | — | Christ’s Burial (Bodleian e Museo 160) |
| 35. Harrowing of Hell (2); Appearance to Mary; Pilate and Soldiers | 17, 18 | 25 | 37 | — |
| 36. Announcement to the Marys; Peter and John at the Sepulcher | 18 | 26 | 38 | Christ’s Resurrection (Bodleian e Museo 160) |
| 37. Appearance to Mary Magdalene | — | — | 39 | Christ’s Resurrection (Bodleian e Museo 160) |
| 38. Cleophas and Luke; Appearance to Thomas | 19 | 27, 28 | 40, 41 | — |
| 39. Ascension; Selection of Matthias | 20 | 29 | 42 | — |
| 40. Pentecost | 21 | — | 43 | — |
| 41. Assumption of Mary | — | — | 44, 45, 46 | — |
| 42. Judgment Day | 24 | 30 | 47 |
Go To The Banns (Proclamation)
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