Balaam and the Ass; hence, the popular designation of the Processus Prophetarum as the Feast of the Ass. The part of Balaam was dissociated, then expanded into an independent drama. The Rouen rubrics direct two messengers sent by King Balaak to bring forth the prophet. Balaam advances riding on a caparisoned ass (a hobby ass, because the rubric hides somebody beneath the trappings, an unenviable position because of the direction to the rider "and let him goad the ass with his spurs"). According to the Chester pageant, the prophet rode on a wooden animal, because the rubric supposes the speaker for the beast is "in asina". During the next the scene, the ass meets the angel to protest the rider. Post-detachment from the foundation, the Festum Asinorum branched in various directions. In the Beauvais 13th-century document, the Feast of Asses is an independent trope with a different date and intent. At Beauvais, the Ass continued his role of enlivening the long procession of Prophets. On the January 14, however, he discharged an important function in that city's festivities. On the feast of the Flight into Egypt, a fertile female carrying a child was on a draped ass, and conducted with great and holy gravity to St Stephen's Church. The Ass was stationed at the altar, and the Mass began. After the Introit, a Latin prose was sung. The first stanza and its French refrain may serve as a specimen of these nine: Orientis partibus Adventavit Asinus Pulcher et fortissimus Sarcinis aptissimus. Hez, Sire Asnes, car chantez, Belle bouche rechignez, Vous aurez du foin assez Et de l'avoine a plantez. (From the Eastern lands, the Ass comes, beautiful and brave, fit to bear burdens. Up! Sir Ass, and sing. Open your pretty mouth. Hay will be yours in plenty, and oats in abundance.) Post-mass, apparently without awakening the least consciousness of its impropriety, this (in Latin) was observed: In fine Missae sacerdos, versus ad populum, vice 'Ite, Missa est', ter hinhannabit: populus vero, vice 'Deo Gratias', ter respondebit, 'Hinham, hinham, hinham.''' (At the end of Mass, the priest turned to the spectators. In lieu of saying the 'Ite missa est', will bray thrice; the people instead of replying 'Deo Gratias', say 'Hinham, hinham, hinham.') This is the solitary example of a service of this nature in connection with the Feast of Ass. The Festum Asinorum was modified into the ceremonies of