York Plays: The Plays Performed by the Crafts or Mysteries of York on the Day of Corpus Christi in the 14th, 15th, and 16th Centuries

Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1885. First edition. Cloth. Very Good. 9" by 6". None. An uncommon work containing the York Corpus Christi Plays. A first edition of the York Mystery plays, edited by the Anglo-American antiquarian and librarian Lucy Toulmin Smith. With three folding plates of music notation, collated and complete. The York Mystery plays are a Middle English cycle of 48 plays or pageants portraying sacred history from the creation to the Last Judgement. They were traditionally presented on the feast day of Corpus Christi, and were performed in the city of York between the mid fourteenth century until their suppression in 1569. At the beginning of the volume, Smith discusses the development of the mystery plays and their performance throughout this period. Prior owner's ink inscription to the front pastedown, 'Fieldhouse'. With a sticker from Horsburgh Booksellers to the front pastedown. With a thirty two page catalogue of publisher's adverts to the rear. In the publisher's original red cloth binding. Externally, generally smart. Lightly rubbed to the joints. A little bumped to the head and tail of the spine, with three closed tears in the cloth to the head, and two tears to the tail. The cloth to the spine has discoloured. Lightly bumped to the extremities. Internally, firmly bound. Aside from some light spotting to the front and rear of the volume, pages are generally bright and clean. Very Good