then retiring into the church. The happy couple are allowed
a brief time in which to demonstrate their joy in the Garden. Then Satan
approaches from Hell and draws Adam into conversation over the barrier.
His attempt to lure Adam to his Fall is vain, nor is he more successful
the first time with Eve. But as a serpent he over-persuades her to eat
of the forbidden fruit, and she gives it to Adam, with the well-known
result. In his guilt Adam now withdraws out of sight, changes his red
tunic for a costume contrived out of leaves, and reappears in great
grief. God enters from the church and, after delivering his judgment
upon the crime, drives Adam and Eve out of Eden. With spade and hoe they
pass under the curse of labour on the second stage, toiling there with
most disappointing results (Satan sows tares in their field) until the
end comes. Let the manuscript speak for itself again:

Then shall come the Devil and three or four devils with him,
carrying in their hands chains and iron fetters, which they shall
put on the necks of Adam and Eve. And some shall push and others
pull them to hell: and hard by hell shall be other devils ready to
meet them, who shall hold high revel at their fall. And certain
other devils shall point them out as they come, and shall snatch
them up and carry them into hell; and there shall they make a great
smoke arise, and call aloud to each other with glee in their hell,
and clash their pots and kettles, that they may be heard without.
And after a little delay the devils shall come out and run about
the stage; but some shall remain in hell.[2]

Immediately after this conclusion comes a shorter play of Cain and Abel,
followed in its turn by another on the Prophets; but in all three the
catastrophe is the same--mocking, exultant devils, and a noisy, smoky
'inferno'.

The most important characteristics of _Adam_ are the venturesome removal
of the play outside the sacred building, the increase in invented
dialogue beyond the limits of the Bible narrative, and the 'by-play'
conceded to popular taste. The last two easily followed from the first.
Within a church there is an atmosphere of sanctity, a spirit of
prohibition, which must, even in the Middle Ages, have had a restrictive
effect upon the elements of innovation and naturalness. The good people
of the Bible, the saints, had to live up to their reputation in every
small word and deed so lon