The Ashmole Fragment is a tiny little scrap left over from a play now lost – dating to around 1500, though it could speak to any play from the medieval period. And it really is blink and you’ll miss it.  It features one character – Secundus Miles (second soldier) – who speaks his loyalty to his Emperor – to defend him from any gedling (rascal) and then to a high priest – offering his dagger to Mahound (or in modern terms Mohammed – a name generally used by ‘bad’ characters – often Herod – in medieval drama as a figure to cry an oath on, treating the name as through it denotes a pagan god).  It isn’t clear what the surrounding play was – something with a tyrant and priests, and whilst Herod springs to mind, there are plenty of other biblical stories that could use the same motif. We have recorded the text for our fragments series, but as of yet haven’t found additional utility in it.

SECUNDUS MILES: Sure Emperor, dread ye no thing!

If there be any fresh gedling [rascal]

That would you grieve with any thing,

In word or in deed,

By the beard I shall him shake

That his skull shall all to crake [crack]

And his soul from him take

And roast him over a glede. [fire]

(To the high priest) O Mahound, thou great God and true,

Lowuely [handsome] and also meek of hue,

Offer to thee I will new

A dagger that is good and fine.

And all else is lost.