The Iremongeres Playe

Incipit pagina de Crucifixione Christi et de his que fuerunt in eundo versus locum Calvary e; et incipit


Cayphas
Nowe of this seffger we bene seeker,
All againste us boote he not to becker,
Though he flyer, flatter, and flicker,
This fiste shall he not fleey.
Thou, Jesu, woulde be our kinge,
Goe fourth, evell joye thee wringe!
For wrocken on thee at our likin^e
Full sone shall we be.
Gurde on faste and make hym goe;
This frecke that is our elders foe,
For all his wyles, from this woe
Shall no man hym warne.
Annas
Hym seemes wearye on his waye;
Some helpe to gette I will assaye,
For this crosse, in good faye,
So farre he maye not beare.
Come neither, Symon of Surrye,
And take this crosse anon in hye,
Unto the mounte of Calverye,
Helpe that it were borne.
Symon
The devell speed this companye!
For death he is not worthy.
For his sake sickerlye,
I houlde you all forlorne.
To beare no crosse am I intente,
For it was never myne assente
To procure this prophettes judgmente,
Full of the hollye ghoste.
Cayphas
Symon, but thou wilbe shente,
And suffer payne and imprisonmente,
This crosse upon thy backe thou hente,
And let be all thy boste.
Symon
Alas, that ever I neither come!
Woulde God I hade bene at Rome!
When I the waye heither come,
This to be anoyed.
But God I take to wittnes,
That I doe this by destresse;
All i-wysse through your falsnes
I hope wilbe destroyed.
Annas
Have done: bringe fourth these theifes towe,
On ether syde hym the shall goe,
This frecke shalbe handled soe
With fellowshipe in feare.
Primus Judeus
Take them heare bounde faste,
While this whippecorde maye laste;
For the prime of the daye is paste,
Howe longe shall we be heare.

[Tunc Jesum et duos latrones abducent, et venient mulieres, quarum dicat prima]


Prima Maria.
Alas! alas! and woes me!
A dilfull sighte is this to see;
So manye sicke saved has he,
And nowe goeth this awaye.
Secunda Maria.
Sorowfull maye his mother be,
To see thy flecke, so fayer and free,
Nayled fowle upon a tree,
As he mon be to daye.
Jesus
You wemen of Jerusalem,
Weepe not for me, ney make no swene,
But for your owne barne teame
You mon reme tenderly e;
For tyme shall come withouten were
Ye shall blesse bale that never childe bare,
And pape that milke never came nere,
So niche is your anoye.
Cayphas
Hase done, you tormenters, tyte,
And spill hym that hase done us spitte.
Primuz Judeus
Yea, though he bouth grone and skricke,
Out he shalbe shaken.
Be thou wroth, or be thou fayne,
I wilbe thy chamberlayne,
This cotte gettes thou never againe,
And I maye be wacken.
Secundus Judeus
This cotte shalbe myne,
For it is good and fyne,
And seame is non therin
That I can see.
Tercius Judeus
Yea, God geve me pyne,
And that shalbe thyne;
For thou arte ever inclyne
To drawe towardes thee.
Quartus Judeus
Naye, felowe, by this daye,
At the dyce we will playe,
And ther we shall assaye
This weede for to wyne.
Primus Judeus
A! ffelowe, by this daye,
Well can thou saye,
Laye fourth those clothes, laye
On borde, or you blyne.

[Tunc spoliabunl Jesum vestibus, el slabit nudus quousque sortiati sunt.]


Secundus Judeus
Felowes, nowe lettes see,
Here are dyce three,
Which of all we
Shall wyne this ware.
Tercius Judeus
Naye, parted the shalbe,
For that is egallye;
Therfore, as mote I thee,
Or we hense fare.
Quartus Judeus
This cote boute seame
To breake yt were shame,
For in all Jerusalem
Is non suche a garmente.
Primus Judeus
His dame nowe maye dreame,
For her owine barne teame,
For nother ante nor yeme
Gettes this gaye garmente.
Secundus Judeus
His other clothes all
To us fower can fall,
Firste parte them I shall,
And after playe for this.
This kertell myne I call,
Take thou this paulle,
Eich man in this halle
Wottes I do not amisse.
This keirtell take to thee, (ad secundum)
And thou this to thy fee; (ad tercium)
Iche man maye nowe see,
That all we be servede.
Tercius Judeus
Yea, nowe I redde that we
Sitte downe, as mote I thee,
And loke whose this shalbe
That is heare reserved.

[Tunc sedebunt omnes]


Primuz Judeus
Nowe will I begyn
For to caste, or I blyn,
This coote for to wyn,
That is bouth good and fyne.
[Jacet et perdit.]
Secundus Judeus
By my father kyn,
No parte as thou therm I
But or I hethen wyn,
This cote shalbe myne.
Take heare, I dare laye,
Are dublettes, in good faye.
[Jacet et perdit.]
Tercius Judeus
Thou ffayles, felowe, by my faye,
To have this to thy fee,
For here is catter traye;
Therfore goe thou thy waye,
And as well thou maye,
And leeve this with me.
[Jacet et perdit.]
Quartus Judeus
Felowes, veramente,
T reade we be at one assente,
This gave garmente,
That is boute seame,
Nowe geve by judgmente.
For synnes God hath me sente,
Thinke you never so sweyne.
[Jacet et vincit.]
Primus Judeus
As have I good grace,
Well wone it thou haste,
For synnes ther was,
That everye man maye see.
Cayphas
Men, for cockes face!
Howe longe shall Pewdreas
Stande nacked in that place?
Goe nayle hym to the tree.
Secundus Judeus
Anon, maister, anon!
A homer have I one,
As fare as I have gon,
Is non suche another.
Tercius Judeus
And heare are, by my pon!
Nayles good wone,
To nayle hym upon,
And he were my brother.
Quartus Judeus
Goe we to hit faste;
This caitiffe I have caste;
He slialbe wronge wraste,
Or I wende awaye.
Primuz Judeus
Heare is a rope will laste
To drawe hym at the maste.
This popelarde never paste
So parleues a playe.
Secundus Judeus
Layes hym theruppon,
This madde massed man,
And I will drive one
This nayle to the ende.
Tercius Judeus
As brocke I my pon,
Well caste hym I can,
And make hym full wonn,
Or I from hym wende.
Quartus Judeus
Fellowes, will ye see
Howe sleighte I shalbe,
This feiste, or I fleye,
Heare to make faste?
Primus Judeus
Yea, but as mote I thee,
Shorte armed is he,
To the boweringe of this tree
He will not well laste.
Secundus Judeus
And thcrfore care thou naughte;
A slighte I have soughte,
Roopes must be boughte,
To streyne hym with strengthe.
Tercius Judeus
A roope, as beheighte,
You shall have in broughte,
Take it heare well wroughte,
Aud hym in lengthe.

[Tunc ligabunt cordam ad sinistram manum quia dextra erat prius s'pa.]


Quartus Judeus
Drawes, for your father kyn,
Whyle that I dryve in
This same iron pynne,
That I dare laye will laste.
Primus Judeus
As ever have I wynne,
His arme is but a fynne:
Nowe drives one bout dyn,
And we shall drawe faste.
Secundus Judeus
Fellowes, by this daye lighte,
Nowe were his feete dighte,
This gamon wente on righte,
And up he shoulde be raysed.
Tercius Judeus
That shalbe done in hye,
Anon in your sighte;
For by my troth i-plighte,
I serve to be praysed.
Quartus Judeus
Fellowes, will you see
Howe I have streched his knye?
Why prayse you not me
That have so well done?
Primus Judeus
Yea, helpe nowe that he
On highe raysed be,
For, as mote I thee,
Allmoste it is nonne.

Tunc Pilaius habens tabulam in manu dicat.


Pilatus
Come neither thou, I commaund thee,
Goe nayle this table upon the tree,
Seinge he will kinge of Jewes be,
He muste have a cognisens;
Jesus of Nazareth, men maye see,
Kinge of Jewes, howe liketh thee,
Is wrytten theron, for so sayde he
Withouten varyence.
Secundus Judeus
Naye, yf Pilate to us byde,
Kinge is he non, so God me speed!
Therfore thou doste a sorye deed,
This wryttinge manye a man rewes;
Thou shoulde wryte that man mighte read,
Howe he lyes to eich leede,
And toulde over all ther as he yeide
That he was kinge of Jewes.
Pilatus
That that is wrytten I have wrytten.
Tercius Judeus
And in good faith that is fowle wrytten,
For everye man maye well witten,
That wrongh thou haste wroughte.
What the devill! kinge is he non,
But falslye ther as he hath gone
He hath toulde leassinges manye one,
That deare the shoulde be boughte.
[Time omnes crucem exalt abunt.]

Tunc venit Maria lacrimal* s.


Maria
Alas! my love, my life, my lere,
Alas! nowe mourninge, woes me!
Alas! sonne, my boote thou be,
Thy mother that thee bare.
Thinke on my fronte I fostred thee,
And gave thee sucke upon my [knee],
Upon my payne thou have pittie,
Thou feeleste no power.
Alas! why will my life forlorne,
To fynde my sonne heare me beforne,
Toged, lugged, and all to-torne
With traytores nowe this tyde;
With nayles throuste and crowne of thorne;
Therfore T mone even and morne,
To see my byrth that I have borne
This bitter balle to abyde.
Alas! my sorowe when wilte thou slake,
And to these traytors me betake,
To suffer death, sonne, for thy sake,
And do as I thee save?
Alas! theives, why doe you so?
Sleayes me, let my sonne goe,
For hym suffer I woulde this woo,
And let hym wende awaye.
Maria Magdelena.
Alas! howe shoulde my harte be lighte,
To see my semlye lorde in sighte
Dilfullye torne and so dighte,
That did never man greavance!
Marred I am mayne and mighte,
And for hym fayles me to feighte;
But God that rules ever the righte,
Geve you mickell mischaunce.
Maria Jacobi.
Alas! sorowe sittes me sore,
Myrth of thee I gette noe more.
Why wouldeste thou dye, Jesu, therfore,
That to the deade gave liffe?
Helpe me, Jesu, with some thinge,
And out of this bitter bale me bringe,
Or elles slaye me for anye thinge,
And stinte me of this strife.
Maria Salome.
Come downe, Lorde, and breake thy bandes,
Lose and heale thy lovelye handes,
Or tell me, Jesus, for whom thou wonnes,
Seinge thou arte god and man?
Alas! that ever I borne was,
To see thy bodye in suche a case,
My sorowe will never slacke nor cease,
Such sorowe is me upon.
Annas
Nowe this shrewe hoven on heighte
I will see, for all his sleiglite,
For his crowne howe he can feighte,
And farre from us to fleye;
He that hase healed manye one,
Nowe save hym selfe, yf that he can,
And than all we will leeve hym uppon
That it southlye so is.
Jesus
Father of heaven, if thy wilbe,
Forgeve them this the do to me,
For the bene blynde, and maye not see
Howe fowle the done amisse.
Cayphas
Yf thou be of suche postye,
And Godes sonne in magistie,
Come downe, and we will leeve on thee
That it southlye so ys.

The firste theiffe.


Primus latro
Yf thou be Ohriste verreye,
And Godes sonne, nowe, as I saye,
Save us from this death to daye,
And thy selfe alsoe.

The secound theiffe.


Secundus latro
A! man, be still, I thee praye,
Dreade God I reade thee aye,
For foulye thou speakeste in faye,
Make not thy frende thy foe.
Man, thou wottest well, i-wysse,
That rightwislye we suffer this,
For he hath not done so moche amisse,
To suffer suche greate anoye.
But, Lorde, I beseeke thee,
When thou arte in thy magistie,
Then that thou wylte thinke on me,
And on me have mercye.
Jesus
Man, I tell thee, in good faye,
For thy beleffe is so verrey,
And in Parradice thou shalt be to daie,
With me their in my blesse.
And, woman, to thee also I saye,
By thee thy sonne their thou se maie,
That cleane virgine hath bene aye,
Righte as thy selfe one is;
And John, tlier thy mother thou maie se.
John
Yea, Lorde, her keper I shalbe;
Welckome, mother, Marye free,
Togeither we muste goe.
Marye the firste.
Alas! my harte will barste in three;
Alas! death, I counger thee,
The life sonne thou take from me,
And tweyne me from this woe.
John
Comforte thee nowe, sweete Marye;
Though we suffer this anoye,
Sister, I tell thee sickerlye,
On live thou shall hym see,
And rise with full victorye,
When he hath fulfilled the prophescye,
Thy sonne thou shall see sickerlye,
Within thes daies three.
Jesus
Eloye! Eloy! my God! I speake to thee,
Eloye, Lazamabathanye!
Why haste thou this forsaken me?
Primus Judeus
A! harcke howe he cryeth upon Eley,
To deliver hym of his anoye!
Secundus Judeus
Abyde, and we shall see in hye,
Wheither Eloye dare come neither or noe.
Jesus
My thurste is sore, my thurste is sore!
Tercius Judeus
Yea, thou shalte have drinke therfore,
That thou shall liste drinke no more
Of all this seven yeaire.
Jesus
Mightie God in magistie,
To worcke thy will I would never wende;
My spiritte I betake to thee,
Receive it, Lorde, into thy handes,
Consummatum est.
Centurio
Lordinges, I saye you sickerlye,
This was Godes sonne almightie;
Noe other for south leeve will I,
For nedes so it muste be:
I knowe by manner of his crye,
He hath fullfrilled the prophescye,
And godhead sheweth appeartlye,
In hym all men maye knowe.
Cayphas
Centnryo, so God me speede,
Thou muste be smutted, thou canste not read,
But when thou seiste his harte bleede,
Lett us see what thou can saye.
Longes, take the speare in hande,
And put from thee, thou ney wounde.
Longeus
Lorde, I see ney sea nor lande
This seven yeaire in good faye.
Quartus Judeus
Have this speare, and take good heede,
Thou muste doe as the bushoppe thee bede,
A thinge that is of full greate nede,
To warne I houlde you woode.
Longyus
I will doe as ye byde me,
But on your perrill it shalbe.
What I doe I maye not se,
Wheither it be evill or good.

Tunc Longius lancea perforat lotus Christi, dicens


Highe kinge of heaven, I thee praye,
What I have done well wotte I nere,
But on my handes and on my speare
Out watter ronneth through;
And on my eyes some can fall,
That I maye see bouth on and all.
Lorde! wherever be this wall,
That this watter come froo?
Alas! alas! and wayleawaie!
What deed have I done to daie?
A man I see, south to saye,
I have slayne in the streete.
But this I hope be Christe vereye,
That sicke and blynde hase healed aye.
Of mercye, Lorde, I thee praie,
For I wiste not what I did.
Jesus, moche have I harde of thee,
That sicke and blynde through thy pittie
Hase healed before in this cittie,
As thou hasse me to daie;
Thee will I serve and with thee be,
For well I leeve, in daies three,
Thou will rise in thye postie,
From enemyes, Lorde, I thee praie.
Josephe
A! Lorde God, what hartes have ye,
To slea this man that I heare see
Deade hanginge uppon roode tree,
That never yet did amysse?
For suerlye Godes sonne is he;
Therfore a tombe is made for me,
Therin his bodye buryed shalbe,
For he is kinge of blesse.
Nicodemus
Sir Josephe,, I saye sickerlye,
This is Godes sonne allmightie;
(loe aske at Pilate his boclye,
And buryed he shalbe;
I shall helpe thee witterlye,
To take hym downe devoutlye,
Though Cayphas goe horne-wood therby,
And all his meanye.
Joseph ab Ara.
To Pilate, brother, will we gone,
You and I togeather alone,
To ask his body of our fone,
If that it be thy read.
A sepulchre I wott ther is one,
Well graved in a stonne;
He shall be buryed flesh and bone,
His body that is dead.

Tunc venit Joseph ab Aramathia ad Pilatum el die at Josephe:


Josephe
Sir Pilate, speciallye I thee praie,
A boune thou graunte me as thou inaie;
This prophette that is dead to daie,
Thou graunte me his bodye.
Pilatus
Josephe, all readye in good faye,
Yf that Centurio he will saye,
That he is dead, withouten naye,
Hym will I not denye.
Centurio, is Jesus deade?
Centurio
Yea, sir, as eate I bread,
In hym ther is no life leade,
For I stoode their by.
Pilatus
Josephe, take hym then to thee,
And burye hyin wher thy wil be.
[But look thou make no sigaldry,
To rayse him up agayne.]
Josephe
Graunte mercye, sir, perdye!
I thanke you hartelye.

Tunc ibit Josephe super montem, et dicat Josephe:


A! sweete Jesu, sweete Jesu,
As thou arte good, faythfull, and trewe,
In a tombe is made full newe
Thy bodye shall in be layde.
Shouldeste thou never have such vertue
As thou hast shewed since I thee knewe,
But if godheade thy deed should shewe
As thou before hath saide.
Therwith, Jesus, com heither to me;
Thy blessed bodye shall buryed be,
With all worshippe and honistie,
And mirth all that I maye;
Yet hope I within thes daies three,
In fleshe and bloode on live to see
Thee, that arte nayled on a tree
Unworthelye to daye.
Nicodemus.
Josephe, brother, as I well see,
This hollye prophette is geven to thee;
Some worshipe he shall have of me,
That is of mighte moste;
For as I leeve, by my lewtye,
Verreye Godes sonne is he,
For wounderous sighte men maie se,
When that he eyled the ghoste:
For the sonne loste all his lighte,
Eairthquake made men afrighte,
The roccke that never before clyfte,
Clave that men mighte knowe;
Graves opened in mens sighte,
Dead men did rise therfore by righte;
I maye saye this was Godes sonne almigbte,
That so greate signes can shewe.
Therfore broughte have I
A lmndreth poundes of spicerye,
Myrre, alowes, manye more therby
To honour hym will I bringe,
For to balmbe his sweete bodye,
In sepulcher for to lye,
That he maye have of me mercye
In heaven wher he is kinge.

Finis. Deo gracias! per me, Georgi Bellin.


Come, Lorde Jesu, come quicklye. anno. 1592.


Anno Domini 1592.




2023 Sep 26  11:45:55