The Middle English Harrowing of Hell and Gospel of Nicodemus

Published in 1907, in this book Hulme has attempted to make all the known Middle-English versions of the Harrowing of Hell and the poetical Gospel of Nicodemus accessible to students. The Harrowing of Hell is the Old English and Middle English term for the triumphant descent of Christ into hell (or Hades) between the time of His Crucifixion and His Resurrection, when, according to Christian belief, He brought salvation to the souls held captive there since the beginning of the world. The title Gospel of Nicodemus is of medieval origin. The apocryphon gained wide credit in the Middle Ages, and has considerably affected the legends of our Savior’s Passion.