Page:The Library, volume 5, series 3.djvu/21

MIRACLE CYCLES. 9 the ' praesepe ' singing. They were met with the ' Quern quaeritis ' by two priests ' quasi obstetrices.' But the Christmas ' Quern quaeritis ' is not very common as an independent play, and the date of its origin is uncertain. More important and perhaps earlier is the ' Stella/ a play that had for its material starting-point a star lit with candles, which at the feast of the Epiphany was hung from the roof of the church. In the simplest form of this play three performers, representing the Magi, enter the choir singing and displaying their gifts. They see the star and follow it to the high altar, where they make their ' offertorium.' A boy, dressed as an angel, announces to them the Birth of Christ, after which they retire. In more elabo- rate versions they, too, are met by the midwives, and a dialogue ensues. Further elaboration includes the appearance of an angel to them in sleep, and the warning to return another way, which in its turn naturally leads to the introduction of a Herod scene and the Massacre of the Innocents. There is some evidence of an independent ' Rachel ' play, so that the appearance of the Massacre in the 'Stella' may be due, not to natural expansion, but to coalescence. Before long the ' Pastores ' and the ' Stella ' themselves coalesced. A drama of considerable dimensions resulted, especially when the flight into Egypt and the deposition of Herod were like- wise included. In some cases we find the play per- formed before a ' rex,' presumably none other than the 'rex fatuorum,' and this 'rex' apparently acting the part of Herod. Chambers makes the interest- ing suggestion that herein we have the origin of the