Abstract

All the medieval shepherds plays cover essentially the same Nativity material — the angel announcing the birth of the Christ-child to the shepherds in the field, the star, the journey to the manger, and praise of the Child — but alone among the four English Corpus Christi cycles, the Towneley Cycle has two shepherds plays. The question “Why?” naturally arises. Were both shepherds plays performed in the cycle? Or were they alternatives, either one performed as the civic authorities happened to choose? Or was one a draft and the other a finished work? In short, what is their relationship?