Talk:York Mystery Plays

The only manuscript?

Just to clarify the recent mild edit battle: the only known manuscript of the York plays is the Ashburnham one, now in the care of the British Museum and currently on display at York Art Gallery. This is the one studied by Lucy Toulmin Smith and Richard Beadle. All modern publications and performances go back to it. It is nearly complete. Of course there is always a theoretical possibility that another manuscript with part or all of the cycle will turn up. That would be very exciting, but there is no reason to expect it. A similar situation could arise with any other ancient document supposed unique. So it is reasonable to speak of "the" manuscript until or unless we are surprised by another. The present form of words will do, I think. SamuelTheGhost (talk) 21:49, 23 May 2010 (UTC)

Yes, wholly agree, perfectly reasonable. Many thanks for the clarification. Martinevans123 (talk) 21:55, 23 May 2010 (UTC)

But how do we know it is only "nearly complete", and what is missing? Thanks. Martinevans123 (talk) 22:00, 23 May 2010 (UTC)

This subject is well covered in the prefaces to the pubished editions, but in brief: there are several other surviving records of the identities of the plays according to the guilds responsible for performing them. Within particular plays there are occasional gaps where it is physically clear that a page or two is missing, or places where the manuscript is illegible (mostly it's very clear), and this will be apparent as a hiatus in the verse and the sense. Editors who have modernised the text have sometimes plugged such gaps with material from other cycles, such as Wakefield, or even from the Bible. SamuelTheGhost (talk) 22:50, 23 May 2010 (UTC)

Thank you again for the clarification. Perhaps a note with some of this information might usefully be added to the article? Martinevans123 (talk) 11:57, 24 May 2010 (UTC)

Guilds

Any suggestions for suitable links to Pinners, Girdlers, Couchers or Water-leaders? Thanks. Martinevans123 (talk) 21:42, 5 March 2012 (UTC)

Water into wire?

This was recently changed with the edit summary "39 - it's wiNe not wiRe". But all the sources I can find have "wire drawers". Is there a source for "winedrawers"? In fact, what are "winedrawers"? Martinevans123 (talk) 18:28, 28 July 2014 (UTC)

• Let's see your sources for wiRe! Here are some for wiNedrawers or wynedrawers: machias.edu, rochester.edu, http://reed.utoronto.ca, dead link] ditto (second copy), yorkguides.co.uk and Google books. I assume winedrawers were tapsters or wine merchants. — RHaworth (talk · contribs) 21:05, 28 July 2014 (UTC)

I don't think I'll bother, thanks. The ones I have found now seem to be unreliable or mirror sources. But curious that Chester, London and Coventry all had "wiredrawers" as a guild alongside the "pinners". I wonder what would you consider as the definitive "original" source for the York Mystery Plays? Perhaps User:SamuelTheGhost could confirm (see above). I'm still a little sceptical that "wine-drawers" were a real guild. Martinevans123 (talk) 21:20, 28 July 2014 (UTC)

Toulmin Smith's version of the original source has "Wynedrawers". Purvis has "Wynedrawers". Beadle and King have "Winedrawers". Elsewhere the word is referred to here and here and here for example. SamuelTheGhost (talk) 22:15, 28 July 2014 (UTC)

Many thanks, SamuelTheGhost. So they were "Someone who worked at a vineyard or taphouse. They drew wine from barrels and were able to taste it and tell its quality, age, and origin." I guess not really accurate to link to vintner? What about viticulture? Or that last source gives: "one who conveyed wine from the riverside to vintners' houses" - so a specialist Drayman really? Martinevans123 (talk) 07:29, 29 July 2014 (UTC)

Verifiability of references

This recent update is supported by a reference which fails to meet WP:V. It should be possible to verify sources, either because they are on-line, or in a book or journal that one can buy or find in a library. If the statement here is John Oxley's view, has he published it somewhere that we can examine and see further detail and the supporting evidence? SamuelTheGhost (talk) 15:08, 3 September 2014 (UTC)

DVDs

The 2010 season (wagon plays) has been recorded and put onto two DVDs.

Unfortunately the amazing 2012 play on stage in the ruins of St Mary's Abbey church was not recorded / is not available for purchase. It was incredibly beautiful as the sun set during the play and night fell. The ruins imparted an ancient atmosphere to the play. I've never seen any play like it and would pay a lot of money for a DVD of it. Lehasa (talk) 13:52, 15 August 2015 (UTC)

Sounds like you'd better make sure you see the 2016 production, in the Minster. Or there's still time for you to volunteer to take partt! SamuelTheGhost (talk) 15:32, 15 August 2015 (UTC)

External links modified

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Commons files used on this page or its Wikidata item have been nominated for deletion

The following Wikimedia Commons files used on this page or its Wikidata item have been nominated for deletion:

• Alan Dobie as Jesus, York Mystery Plays, 1963.png
• Amateur actor as Christ, 1969.png
• Mystery Play Actors, 1966.png

Participate in the deletion discussion at the nomination page. —Community Tech bot (talk) 05:11, 26 January 2023 (UTC)