Ludus Coventriæ: A collection of mysteries, formerly represented at Coventry on the feast of Corpus Christi

About this book

The volume presents the Coventry Mysteries, a complete set of medieval English miracle‑plays once performed on Corpus Christi in the city’s Grey Friars’ precinct. The editor begins with a scholarly overview that situates these dramas among the three principal collections, the Chester, Townley, and Coventry Mysteries, explaining how the manuscript, dated 1468 and now housed in the Cottonian Library, survived through the hands of figures such as Dr Richard James and Robert Hegge. The introductory essay details the manuscript’s provenance, its dialectal features, and the editorial decisions made to preserve the original spelling, errors, and marginal notes. After this extensive preface the work proceeds with a prologue followed by forty‑four pageants that trace biblical events from Creation to the Last Judgment, each accompanied by notes and a glossary to aid readers in navigating the Middle English language.

The text is rendered in a Middle English verse style, marked by the characteristic “x” for the “sh” sound and frequent double‑letter “ff” forms that reflect the regional speech of 15th‑century Coventry. Its language is archaic yet accessible with the supplied glossary, making it a rewarding read for scholars of early English drama, historians of liturgical performance, and anyone fascinated by the linguistic texture of pre‑modern English. Those who enjoy detailed editorial commentary and the chance to hear the cadence of original medieval drama will find this collection especially engaging.

Opening lines

Three complete collections of ancient English mysteries have descended to modern times, or rather are now known to be preserved, which are generally distinguished by the titles of the Chester, the Townley, and the Coventry Mysteries; and, with the exception of a few detached pieces of far inferior importance, we derive nearly all our actual knowledge of the early English drama from these series of plays, which have been long known to every one interested in this class of literary pursuits, as some of the most curious and valuable relics of bygone times; not merely as important records of our early stage, but also as illustrating, in a very interesting manner, the customs, language, and manners of the periods to which they belong. …

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