ntire Church scheme of man's fall the devil's empire,
Christ's descent there, and the victorious sequel is embodied in a
most effective manner. In the priestly theology and in the popular
heart of those times there was no other single particular one
tenth part so prominent and vivid as that of Christ's entrance
after his death into hell to rescue the old saints and break down
Satan's power.41

40 Early Mysteries and Latin Poems of the XII. and XIII.
Centuries, edited by Thomas Wright. See the eloquent sermon on
this subject preached by Luis de Granada in the sixteenth century.
Ticknor's Hist. Spanish Lit., vol. iii. pp. 123-127.

Peter Lombard says, "What did the Redeemer do to the despot who
had us in his bonds? He offered him the cross as a mouse trap, and
put his blood on it as bait." 42 About that scene there was an
incomparable fascination for every believer. Christ laid aside his
Godhead and died. The devil thought he had secured a new victim,
and humanity swooned in grief and despair. But, lo! the Crucified,
descending to the inexorable dungeons, puts on all his Divinity,
and suddenly "The captive world awakt, and founde The pris'ner
loose, the jailer bounde!" 43

A large proportion of the miracle plays, or Mysteries, turned on
this event. In the "Mystery of the Resurrection of Christ" occurs
the following couplet: "This day the angelic King has risen,
Leading the pious from their prison." 44

The title of one of the principal plays in the Towneley Mysteries
is "Extractio Animarum ab Inferno." It describes Christ descending
to the gates of hell to claim his own. Adam sees afar the gleam of
his coming, and with his companions begins to sing for joy. The
infernal porter shouts to the other demons, in alarm, "Since first
that hell was made and I was put therein, Such sorrow never ere I
had, nor heard I such a din. My heart begins to start; my wit it
waxes thin; I am afraid we can't rejoice, these souls must from
us go. Ho, Beelzebub! bind these boys: such noise was never heard
in hell."

Satan vows he will dash Beelzebub's brains out for frightening him
so. Meanwhile, Christ draws near, and says, "Lift up your gates,
ye princes, and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors, and the
King of glory shall come in." The portals fly asunder. Satan
shouts up to his friends, "Dyng the dastard down;" but Beelzebub
replies, "That is easily said." Jesus and the devil soon meet,
face to face. A long colloquy ensues, in t