An interesting article with many references is Meg Twycross 'Kissing
Cousins: The Four Daughters of God and the Visitation in the N-Town _Mary
Play_', Medieval English Theatre 18 (1996), 99-141. The 4 daughters debate,
from which it is arguable that the kiss of peace originated (ps 84.11
(Vulgate)) occurs in various late ME texts in addition to N-Town (ed.
Stephen Spector, EETS ss 11-12), including Castle of Perseverance (ed. Mark
Eccles, EETS os 262), Lydgate's Life of Our Lady (ed Joseph A Lauritis et
al, Pittsburg, 1961) and the Middle Dutch Eerste Bliscap van Maria (ed W H
Beuken, Culemborg, 1973). A useful comparative study is Peter Meredith and
Lynette Muir, 'The Trial in Heaven in the 'Eerste Bliscap' and other
European Plays', Dutch Crossing 22 (1984), 84-92.
If anyone out there has - or can lay hands on - a copy of the Bliscappen,
currently out of print, I'd be more than happy to buy it! I am also looking
for a copy of Ragusa and Green translation of MVC (Princeton UP, 1961).
-- --
Penny Granger
23 Chesterton Towers
Cambridge CB4 1DZ
01223 354961
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homepage: http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/town/terrace/rcd95/penny/
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