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The first reference, which we have to drama at Chester, points back to the year 1422, when the plays of the Cycle were apportioned among the craft guilds. But the five existing manuscripts, dating from 1591 to 1607, are much older than that, and even older than the last performance of the cycle in about 1575. The performance, by the way, did not take place at Corpus Christi Day, but spread over three days at Whitsuntide.

The versification of the Cycle is more homogeneous than that of the other cycles. Predominant is the rime couée eight-line stanza, sometimes at variance with couplets, quatrains and other stanzaic patterns. All in all it is rather a lyrical than a dramatic form of versification, suggesting liturgical influence. The scenes follow the scriptures with little attempt at elaboration and the comic element is not so fully developed as in other cycles.

The most original manuscript (Ms. Harley 2124) contains 24 plays from the fall of Lucifer to Doomsday.