The Chester (Wright) plays

Contents 2023 Sep 26  11:45:55
Proemium
The Tanners Playe
The Drapers Playe
The Watter Leaders and the Drawers of Dee Playe
The Barbers and the Waxe Chaundlers Playe
The Cappers and Lynnan Drapers Playe
The Wryghtes and Sklaters Plaie
The Paynters and the Glasiors Playe
The Vintneres Playe
The Marcers Playe
The Gouldesmythes and Massons Plaie
The Blackesmythes Playe
The Bowchers Playe
The Glovers Playe
The Corvysors Playe
The Bakers Playe
The Flechars, Bowyers, Coopers, and Stringers Playe
The Iremongeres Playe
The Cookes Plaie.
The Skynners Playe
The Saddlers Playe
The Taylors Playe
The Fishemongeres Playe
The Clothe Workers Playe
The Dyars Playe
The Webstars Playe
Finis

ProemiumContents

The readinge of the Banes, 1600.


The Banes which are reade beefore the beginninge of the playes of Chester, 4 June, 1600.


Reverende lordes and ladyes all,
That at this tyme here assembled bee,
By this messauge understande you shall
That some tymes there was mayor of this citie
Sir John Arnway, knighte, who moste worthilye
Contented hymselfe to sett out in playe6
The devise of one Done Rondall, moonke of Chester Abbey.
This moonke, moonke-like, in Scriptures well seene,
In storyes travilled with the beste sorte,
In pagentes set fourth apparently to all eyne
The olde and newe testament, with livelye comforth,
Interminglinge therewith, onely to make sporte,
Some thinges not warranted by any writt,
Which to gladd the hearers he woulde men to take yt.
This matter he abrevited into playes twenty-foure,15
And every playe of the matter gave but a taste,
Leavinge for better learninge the scircumstance to accomplishe;
For all his proceedinges maye appeare to be in haste,
Yet all together unprofitable his labour he did not waste;
For at this daye and ever he deserveth the fame
Which all monkes deserves, professinge that name.21
These storyes of the Testamente at this tyme, you knowe,
In a common Englishe tongue never read nor harde;
Yet therof in these pagentes to make open shewe,
This moonke and moonke was nothinge afreayde
With feare of hanginge, breninge, or cuttinge off heade,
To sett out, that all maye disserne and see
And parte good be lefte, beleeve you mee.28
As in this citie divers yeares the have bene set out,
Soe at this tyme of Penticoste, called Whitsontyde,
Allthough to all the citie followe labour and coste,
Yet God guiving leave that tyme shall you, in playe,
For three dayes together, begyninge one Mondaye,
See these pagentes played to the beste of theire skill;
Wher to supplye all wantes shalbe noe wantes of good will.
As all that shall see them shall moste welcome be,36
Soe all that here them wee moste humble praye
Not to compare this matter or storie
With the age or tyme wherin we presentlye staye,
But in the tyme of ignorance, wherin we did straye;
Then doe I compare that this lande throughout
Non had the like, nor the like dose sett out.42
If the same be likeinge to the comens all,43
Then our desier is to satisfie, for that is all our game;
Yf noe matter or shewe therof speciall
Doe not please, but misslike the most of the trayne,
Goe backe, I saye, to the firste tyme againe;
Then shall you fynde the fyne witt at this day aboundinge,
At that day and that age had verye small beinge.49
Condempne not our matter where grosse wordes you here,
Which ymporte at this day small sence or understandinge,
As some tyme postie lewtie, in good manner, or in feare,
With such like, wilbe uttered in there speeches speakeinge.
At this tyme those speeches carried good likeinge,
Tho at this tyme you take them spoken at that tyme;
As well matter and wordes, then, is all well and fyne.
This worthy knighte, Arnway, then mayor of this citie,
This order toke, as declare to you I shall,
That by twentye-fower occupations, artes, craftes, or misterie,
These pagentes shoulde be played, after breeffe rehearsall;
For everye pagente a cariage to be provyded withall;
In which sorte we porpose, this Whitsontyde,
Our pageantes into three partes to devyde.63
1.   Worshll tanners64
Nowe, you worshippfull tanners, that of custome olde
The fall of Lucifer did set out,
Some writers awarrante your matter, theirfore be boulde,
Erstelye to playe the same to all the rowtte;
And yf any therof stande in any doubte,
Your authour his auther hath, your shewe let bee70
Good speech, fyne players, with apparrill comelye.
2.   Drapers72
Of the drapers you the wealthy companye,
The creation of the worlde, Adam and Eve,
Accordinge to your wealth, set out wealthilye,
And howe Cayne his brother Abell his life did bereave.
3.   Water-leaders. Drawers in Dee
The good symple water-leaders and drawers of Deey,
See that your arke in all poyntes be prepared;
Of Noy and his children the wholl storye,
And of the universal! floude, by you shalbe played.
4.   Barbers. Wax chaundlers82
The sacrifice that faythfull Abraham to his sonne should make,
You, barbers and waxe chaundlers of aunciente tyme,
In the fourth pageante with paines you doe take,
In decente sorte set out; the storie is ffine;
The offeringe of Melchesedecke of breade and wine,
And the preservation therof, set in your playe,88
Suffer you not in any poynte the storye to take awaye.
5.   Cappers. Linen drapers90
Cappers and lynnen drapers, see that you fourth bringe,
In well decked order, that worthy storie
Of Balaam and his asse, and of Balacke the kinge;
Make the asse to speake, and sett yt out livelye.
6.   Wrightes. Slaters95
Of Octavion the emperour, that coulde not well alowe
The prophesye of auncient Sibell the sage,
You wrightes and sklaters, with good players in showe,
Lustelye bringe fourth your well decked carriage:
The beirth of Christe shall all see in that stage:
Yf the Scriptures awarrant not of the mydwyfes reporte,
The authour telleth his authour, then take it in sporte.
7.   Painters. Glassiers103
The appearinge angell and starr upon Christes beirth
To sheapeardes poore, of base and lowe degree,
You painters and glasiors decke out with all meirth,
And see that Gloria in excelsis be songe merelye.
Fewe wordes in that pageante makes meirth truely,
For all that the alter had to stande uppon,109
Was glorye to God above, and peace one earth to man.
8.   Merchants vintners111
And you, worthy marchantes vintners, that nowe have plenty of wine,
Amplifye the storie of those wise kinges three,
That through Herodes lande and realme, by the starre that did shine,
Sought the sighte of the saviour that then borne shoulde bee.
9.   Worll. Mercers116
And you, worshippfull mercers, though costely and fyne,
Yee tryme up your cariage as custome ever was;
Yet in a stable was he borne, that mighty kinge devyne,
Poorely in a stable, betwixte an oxe and an asse.
10.   Goldsmiths121
You, gouldesmythes and masons, make comely shewe,
Howe Herode did rage at the retorne of those kinges,
And how he slewe the small tender male babes,
Beinge under two yeares of age.
11.   Smiths126
You, smythes, honest men and of honest arte,
Howe Christe amonge the docters in the temple did dispute,
To set out in playe comely yt shalbe your parte,
Get mynstrills to that shewe, pipe, tabarte, and flute.
12.   Buchers131
And nexte to this you, bowchers of this citie,
The storie of Sathan, that Christe woulde needes tempte,
Set out as accostamablie have yee,
The devill in his fethers all ragger and rente.
13.   Glovers136
The death of Lazarus and his riseinge againe,
You, of glovers the wholl occupation,
In pagente with players orderly, let yt not be paine
Finely to advaunce after the beste fashion.
14.   Corvisors141
The storye howe that to Jerusalem our Saviour toke the waye,
You, corvisors, that in nomber manye bee,
With your Jerusalem carriage shall set out in playe;
A commendable true storye and worthy memorye.
15.   Bakers146
And howe Christe, our Savyour, at his last super
Gave his bodye and his bloude for redemption of us all,
You, bakers, see that with the same wordes you utter,
As Christ hym selfe spake them, to be a memoriall
Of that death and passion which in playe ensue after shall.
The worste of these stories doe not fall to your parte;
Therefore, caste god looves abroade with a cheerfull harte.
16.   fflechers. Bowyers. Coopers. Stringers. Ironmongers
You, ffletchers, boweyers, cowpers, stringers, and iremongers,
See soberly ye make of Christes dolefull death,
His scourginge, his whippinge, his bloude shedde and passion,
And all the paines he suffered till the last of his breath:
Lordinges, in this storye consisteth our cheeffe ffayth.
17.   Cookes160
As our beleeffe is that Christe, after his passion,
Descended into hell, but what he did in that place,
Though our authour sett fourth after his opinion,
Yet creditt you the best learned, those doth he not disgrace:
We wishe that of all sortes the beste you ymbrace;
You, cookes, with your carriage see that you doe well
In pagente sett out the harrowinge of hell.
18.   Skinners168
The skynners before you after shall playe
The storye of the resurrection,
Howe Christe from death rose the thirde daye,
Not altered in many poyntes from the olde fashion.
19.   Sadlers. ffusterers173
The saddlers and ffusterers shoulde in theire pagent declare
The appearances of Christe his travayle to Emaus,
His often speach to the women and to his disciples deere,
To make his riseinge againe to all the worlde notorious.
20.   Taylours178
Then see that you, telers, with cariage decente
The storye of the Assention formablye doe frame,
Wherby that glory ous body in cloudes most orient
Is taken up to the heavens with perpetuall fame.
21.   ffishmongers183
This of the olde and newe Testament to ende all the storye
Which our aulter meaneth at this tyme to have in pleaye,
You, ffishemongers, to the peagent of the holy ghoste well see,
That in good order yt be donne, as hath bene all waye.
22.   Shermen188
And after those ended yt doth not the storye staye,
But by prophettes sheweth fourth howe Antichrist should rise;
Which you, shermen, sett out in moste comely wise.
23.   Diers. Hewsters192
And then you, diers and hewsters, Antechrist bringe out,
First with his docter that godlye maye expounde,
Who be Antechristes the worlde rounde aboute,
And Enocke and hely persons walkinge one grounde,
In partes set you well out the wicked to confounde;
Which beinge understanded Christes worde for to bee,
Confoundeth all Antechristes and sextes of that degree.
24.   Wavers200
The cominge of Christe to geve eternall judgement,
You, weavers, last of all your parte is for to playe;
Domesday we call yt, when the Omnipotente
Shall make ende of this worlde by sentence, I saye.
One his righte hande to stande God grante us that daye,
And to have that sweete worde in melodye,206
‘Come hether, come hether, venite benedicti
To which rest of wayes and selestiall habitation208
Grante us free passage, that all together wee,
Accompanied with angells and endlesse delectation,
Maye contynually laude God and prayse that kinge of glorye.

Amen, finis. Deo gracias. per me Georgium Bellin, 1600,


The Tanners PlayeContents

beinge the ....


[Pagina prima de celi, angelorum, et infirne sp'un creacion (sic) paginal]


God
Ego sum alpha et o, primus et ultimus.1
It is my will yt shoulde be soe,
Hit is, yt was, it shalbe thus:
I am greate God gracious,
Which never hade beginninge.
The wholle foode of parente
Is sette in my essencion;7
I am the try all of the Trenitye,
Which never shalbe twyninge;
Pearles patron imperiall,
And patris sapiencia.
My beames be all bewtitude,
All blesse is in my buildinge,13
All myrth lyeth in mansuetude
Cum del potentia.
Bouth viscible and inviscible,
As God greateste and glory ous,
All is in mea licentia;
For all the mighte of the magistie19
Is magnified, in me:
Prince, principall, provyde
Tn my perpetuall provydense.
I was never but one,
And ever one in three,
Sette in my substanciall sout lines,25
Which, in selestiall sapience,
The three tryalles in a throne,
And trewe Trenitie,
Be grounded in my God heade,
Exsaulted by my excelencye.
The mighte of my makinge is marked in me,31
Dissohemus under a dieadem,
By my devyne experiens.
Nowe seith I am soe solempe,
And sett in my solotacion,
A biglye blesse heare will I builde,
A heaven without endinge,37
And caste a comlye compas,
By comlye creacion,
Nine orders of angelles
Be ever at onste dese[ndinge.]
Doe your indever, a[nd doubte you not,]
Under my domyn[acion,]43
[To sytt in celestiall saftye:]
[All solace to your sendinge.]
[For all the likeinge in this lordshipp]
[Be laude to my laudacion;]
[Through might of] my moste magistie,
[Your meirth shall] ever be mendinge.49
Luciffier
Lorde, through thy mighte thou haste us wroughte50
Nine orderes heare, that we maye see,
Cherubyn and Seraphyn through thy grace,
Thrones and dominaciones in blesse to be,
With principates that order brighte,
And potestates in blissful lighte,
Alsoe vertutes through thy greate mighte,56
Angell, also arckeangele.
Nine orderes nowe heare be witterlye,
That thou haste made heare full righte;
In thy blesse full brighte the be,
And I the principall, Lorde, heare in thy sighte.
God
Heare have I you wroughte, with heavenly mighte,62
Of angelles nine orderes of greate bewtye;
Ich one with other, as it is righte,
To walke aboute the Trenitie:
Nowe, Lucifier and Lightborne, loke lowlye you be,
The blessinge of my begyninge
I geve to my operacion.68
For crafte nor for cuninge,
[Cas]te never comprehencion;
Ausculte you not to excelente,
Into highe exsaltacion;
Loke that you tende rightewislye;
For hense I wilbe wendinge.74
The worlde, that is bouth voyde and vayne,
I forme in the formacion,
With a dongion of darckenes,
Which never shall have endinge.
This worcke is nowe well wroughte
[By my] devyne formacion;80
[This wjorcke is well donne,
[That is] soe cleane and cleare,
[As I you] made of naughte:
[My blessinge] I geve you heare.
Angelis
[Wee thanke thee, Lorde,] full soveraignlye,85
[That us hath formed soe] cleane and cleare,
[Ever in this blesse to byde] thee bye;
[Graunte us thy grace ever to] byde heare.
Arckeangelis
Heare for to byde God grante [us grace;]89
To please this prince withouten [peare,]
Hym for to thanke with some solace,
A songe nowe lett us singe in feare.

a songe Dignus Dei.


God
Nowe seeinge I have formed you soe fayer,93
And exaulted you so excelente,
And heare I sett you nexte my cheare,
My love to you is soe fervente.
Loke you fall not in not dispayer;
Touch not my throne by non assente:
All youer bewtye I shall appayre,99
And pryde fall oughte in youer intente.
Lucifier
Naye, Lorde, that will we not indeede,101
For nothinge treasspass unto thee;
Thy greate God-heade we will ever dreed,
And never exsaulte our selfes soe hye.
Thou haste us marked with greate mighte and mayn,
In thy blesse ever more to byde and be,
In lastinge life our life to leade,107
And bearer of lighte thou haste made me.
Lightborne
And I am marcked of that same moulde:109
Lovinge be to our Creator,
That us hath made gayer then goulde,
Under his dyeadem ever to induer.
God
I have forbyde that ye nere shoulde113
But kepe you well in that stature;
The same coveinant I charge you houlde,
In payne of heaven your forfature;
For I will wende and take my trace,
And see this blesse in everye tower.
Iche one of you kepe well his place,119
And, Lucifier, I make thee governoure:
No we I charge the grounde of grace,
That it be sette with my order;
Behoulde the beanies of my brighte face,
Which ever was and shall induer.
This is youer health in everye case,125
To behoulde youer Creature:
Was never non like me so full of grace,
Nor never shall as my figure.
[Here will I] byde no we in this place,
[To be] angelles comforture;
[To be] reviscible in shorte space,131
[It is] my will in this same owre.
Lucifier
Aha! that I am wounderous brighte,133
Amonge you all shynning full cleare;
Of all heaven I beare the lighte,
Though God hym selfe and he were heare.
All in this throne yf that I were,
Then shoulde I be as wyse as hee:
What saye you, angelles, all that be heare?139
Some comforte sone nowe lett me see.
Vertutes.
AVe will not assente unto youer pryde,
Nor in our hartes take suche a thoughte;
But that our Lorde slialbe our guyde,
And kepe that he to us hath wroughte.145
Cherubyn
Our Lorde commaunded all that be heare146
To kepe ther seates, bouth more and lesse;
Therfore I warne the, Lucifier,
This pryde will tome to greate destresse.
Lucifier
Destres! I commaunde you for to cease,150
And see the bewtye that I beare;
All heaven shines through my brightnes,
For Grod hym selfe shines not so cleare.
Dominaciones
Off all angelles you beare the prise,154
And moste bewtye is you befall;
My counscell is that you be wise,
That you bringe not youer selfes in thrall.
Principates
Yf that ye in thrall you bringe,158
Then shall you have a wicked fall;
And also youer ofspringe,
Awaye with you the shall all.
Cheraphin
Our brethrens counscell is good [to here,]162
To you I saye, Lucifier and Lightborne;
Wherfore be ware you of this cheare,
Leste that you have a fowle spurne.
Lightborne
In fayth, brother, yett you shall166
Sitte in this throne, that is cleane and cleare.
That ye mighte be as wise withall
As God hym selfe, yf he were heare;
Therfore you shalbe sette heare,
That all heaven maye you behoulde,
The brightnes of youer bodye cleare172
Is brighter then God a thousande foulde.
Thrones
Alas! that bewtye will you spill;174
Yf you kepe it all in youer thoughte,
Then will pryde have all his will,
And bringe youer brightnes all to naughte.
Lett it passe out of youer thoughte,
And caste awaye all wicked pryde,
And kepe youer brightnes to you is wroughte,180
And lett our Lorde be all our guyde.
Potestates
Alas! that pryde is the walle of bewtye,182
That tomes youer thoughte to greate offence:
The brightnes of youer fayer bodye
Will make you to goe hense.
Lucifier
Goe hense! behoulde, seniors, one everye syde,186
And unto me you caste youer eyne:
I charge you, angelles, in this tyde
Behoulde and see nowe what I meane.
Above greate God I will me guyde,
And sette my selfe heare as I wene;
I am pearles and prince of pryde,192
For God hvm selfe shines not soe shene.
Heare will I sitte nowe in his steade,
To exsaulte my selfe in this same [see;]
Behoulde my bodye, handes, and [head;]
The mighte of God is marcked [in mee;]
All angelles torne to me, I read,198
And to youer soverigne kn[eele one your knee:]
[I ame your] comforte, bouth lorde and heade,
[The meirth] and mighte of the magistie.
Lightborne
And I am nexte of the same degree,202
Repleth by all exsperience:
Me thinkes yf I mighte sitt hym by,
All heaven shoulde doe us reverence.
All orderes maye assente to thee and me;
Thou haste them torned by eloquence:
And heare were nowe the Trenitie,208
We shoulde hym passe by our fullgens.
Dominaciones
Alas! why make you this greate offence?210
Bouth Lucifier and Lightborne, to you I saye,
Our sovereigne Lorde will have you hense,
And he fynde you in this araye.
Goe to youer seates, and wende you hense;
You have begone a parlous playe;
You shall well witte the subsequens,216
This daunce shall torne to teene and traye.
Lucifier
I reade you all, doe me reverence,218
That am repleath with heavenlye grace.
Though God come, I will not hence,
But sitte righte heare before his face.
God
Saye, what araye doe you make heare I222
Whoe is youer prince and principall?
I made thee angell and Lucifier,
And heare thou wouldeste be lorde over all:
Therfore, I charge this order cleare
Faste from this place loke that you fall;
Full soone I shall chaunge youer cheare;228
For youer fowle pryde to hell you shall!
Lucifier, who sett thee heare when I was goo?
What have I offended unto thee?
[I] made thee my frinde, thou art my fooe;
[Why] haste thou treasspased this to me?
[Above] all angelles ther were noe moe234
[That sitt] so nighe my magistie.
[I charge] you all, falle tell I byde whoo,
[Into the de]epe pitte of hell ever to be.
Nowe Lucifier and [Lightborne fall].
Primus demon
Alas! that ever we were wroughte!239
That we shoulde come into this place!
We were in joye, nowe we be naughte.
Alas! we have forfeted our grace.
Secundus demon
And even neither thou haste us broughte,243
Into the dongion to take our trace;
All this sorowe thou haste us soughte:
The devill maye speade thy stinckinge face.
Primus demon
My face, false feature, for thy fare,247
Thou haste us broughte to teene and traye;
I cumber, I counger, I kindle in care,
I sincke in sorowe, what shall I saye?
Secundus demon
Thou haste us broughte this wicked waye,251
Through thy mighte and thy pryde,
Out of the blesse that lasteth [aye,]
In sorowe ever more for to abyde.
Primus demon
Thy wytte yt was as well as myne,255
Of that pryde that we did shewe,
And nowe bene heare in hell fier,
Tell the daye of dome, tell beames blowe.
Secundus demon
Then shall we never wante for woe,259
But lye heare like towe feendes blacke.
Alas! that we ever did forgette soe
That lordes love to lose that did us make!
Primus demon
And therfore I shall for his sake263
Shewe mankinde greate envye;
As sone as ever he can hym make,
I shall sende hym to destroye.
[One of myne] order shall he be,
[To make] mankinde to doe amisse;
[RufF]yne, my frinde fayer and freey,269
[Lok]e that thou kepe mankinde from blesse.
That I and my fellowes fell downe for aye,
He will ordeyne mankinde againe
In blesse to be in greate araye,
And we ever more in hell paine.
Secundus demon
Out! harrowe! wher is our mighte275
That we were wounte to shewe,
And in heaven bare so greate lighte!
And nowe we be in hell full lowe!
Primus demon
Out, alas! for woo and wickednes,279
That I am soe faste bounde in this cheare,
And never awaie hense shall passe,
But lye in hell allwaye heare.
God
A! wicked pryde, a! wooe worth thee, woo!283
My meirth thou haste made amisse;
I maye well suffer, my will is not soe,
That the shoulde parte this from my blesse.
A! pryde! why mighte thou not barste in towe?
Why did the that, why did the thus?
Behoulde, my angelles, pryde is youer fooe,289
All sorowe shall shewe wher soe ever yt is.
And though the have brocken my commaundment,
Me rues it sore full soveraignlye:
Nevertheles, I will have my intente,
That I firste thoughte, yett soe will I.
I and towe persons be at one assente,295
A solempne matter for to trye:
A full fayer image we have i-mente,
That the same seede shall multiplie.
In my blessinge, heare I begine
The fyrste that shalbe to my paye;
Lightnes and darcknes I byde you tweyne,301
The darcke to be Nighte, the lighte to be Daie;
[Keepe] youer course for more or myne,
[And] suffer not to you, I saye,
[But save] youer selfe bouth out and in,
[That is my] will, and will allwaye.
As I have made you all of [noughte,]307
Att myne owine wyshinge,
My firste daye heare have I [wroughte,]
I geve yt heare my blessinge.

Finis. Deo gracias! per me, George Bellin. 1592.


Come, Lorde Jesus, come quieklye.


The Drapers PlayeContents

Incipit fagina secunda, qualiter Deus creavit mundum, et dicat Jesus:


God
Ego sum alpha et o, primus et novissimus.1
I God, moste in magistie,
In whom begininge non maye be,
Endles alsoe, moste of postie,
I am and have bene ever.
Now heaven and earth is made through me;
The earth is voyde onlye I see,7
Therfore lighte for more lee,
Through my mighte, I will liver.
At my byddinge made be lighte!
Lighte is good I see in sighte,
Tweyned shalbe through my might
The lighte from the sternes.13
Lighte Daye I wilbe called aye,
And the sternes Nighte as T saie.
This morne and evine the firste daye
Is made full and expresse;
Nowe will I make the firmamente,
In medeste of the watters to be lente,19
For to be a devidente
To twayne the watters aye.
Above the welckine, beneth also,
And Heaven yt shalbe called thoo.
Tims comen is morne and even also
Of the secounde daye.25
Nowe will I watteres everye ichone
That under heaven bene greate one,
That the gather into one,
And drynes sone them shewe;
The drynes Earth men shall call;
The gaitheringe of the watters all,31
Seas to man have the shall;
Therby men shall them knowe.
I will one earth that erbes springe,
Ich one in kinde seede geivinge,
Treeyes diveres frutes fourth bringe
After their kinde ichone;37
The seede of which aye shalbe
Within the frute of ich tree.
[This] morne and even of daies three
[Is bouth cojmen and gone.
Nowe will I make, through my [mighte,]
Lightninge in the welcken brighte,43
To tweyne the daie from the nighte,
And lighten the earth with lee.
Greate lightes I will towe,
The sonne and eke the moone also;
The sonne for daye to serve for oo,
The moone for nighte to be;49
Starres alsoe through myne intente
I will make one the firmamente,
The earth to lighten their the be lente,
And knowen maye be their by;
Courses of planittes nothinge amisse.
Nowe see I this worcke good, i-wysse;55
This morninge and even bouth made is
The fourth daye fullye.
Nowe will I in matter fishe fourth bringe,
Foules in the firmamente flyeinge,
Greate whalles in the sea sweminge:
All make I with a thoughte,61
Beastes, fowles, frute, stonne, and tree.
Thes worckes are good, well I see,
Therfore to blesse all well liketh me
This worcke that I have wroughte.
All beastes I bydde you multiplie,
In earth, in watter, by and bye,67
And fowles in the eare to flye
The earth to fulfill.
Thus morne and even, through my mighte,
Of the fifte day and the nighte,
Is made and ended well and righte,
All at myne owine will.73
Nowe will I one earth bringe fourth anon
All helplye beastes everye ichone,
That creepeth, flyne, or gone,
Ichone in his kinde;
Nowe this is done at my byddinge,
Beastes goinge, flyeinge, and creepinge,79
And all my worcke at my likinge
Fullye nowe I fynde.

Then God goinge from the place wher he was, comethe to the place wher he createth Adam.


God
Nowe heaven and earth is made ex[presse,]82
Make we man to our licknes;
Fyshe, fowle, more and lesse,
To mayster he shall have mighte.
To our shape nowe make I thee;
Man and woman, I will ther be,
Growe and multiplie shall ye,88
And fulfill the earth with heighte;
To helpe thee thou shalt have heare
Erbes, treeyes, frute, seede in feare,
All shalbe put in thy power,
And beastes eke also,
All that in earth bene livinge,94
Fowles in the ayer flyeinge,
And all that ghoste hath and likinge,
To susteyne you from woo.
Nowe this is donne, I see arighte,
And all thinges made through my mighte,
The seixte daye, heare in my sighte,100
Is made all of the beste.
Heaven and earth is wroughte all with wyne,
And all that neddes to be theirin:
To morowe the seventh daye I will solempe,
And of worcke take my reste.
But this man that I have made,106
With ghoste of life I will hym gladde.
Heare Adam rissinge, and God saith:
God
Rise upp, Addam, rise up, rise,109
A man full of soule and life,
And come with me to Parradise,
A place of daintye and delighte.
But yt is good that thou be wise:
Bringe not thy selfe in striffe.

Then the Creator bringeth Adam into Paradice, before the tree Mynstrilles of knowledge, and saith: playinge.


God
Heare, Adam, I geve thee this place,115
Thee to comforte and solace,
[To] kepe yt well while thou it haste,
[And] done as I thee saye.
Of all treeyes that bene hearepn]
Thou shalte eate and nothinge synne,
But of this treeye for wayle nor wyne121
Thou eate by noe waye.
What tyme thou eateste of this tree,
Death thee behoves, beleeve thou me;
Therfore, this frute I will thou fley,
And be thou not towe boulde.
Beastes and fowles that thou maye see,127
To thee obediente shall the be;
What name the be geiven by thee,
That name the shall houlde.

Then God taketh Adam by hande, and causeth hym to lye downe, and taketh a reibe out of his sydde, and saieth:


God
It ys not good man onlye to be;131
Helpe to hym nowe make we,
But excesse sleepe behoves me
To make one this man heare;
One sleepe thou arte nowe, well I see,
Heare a bonne I take of thee,
And fleshe also, with harte freey,137
To make thee a fere.

Then God douthe make the woman of the ribbe of Adam; then Adam, wakinge, sayth to God:


Adam
O, Lorde, wher have I longe bene?139
For seithen I slepte, moch have I seene,
Woundcr that withouten wene
Heare after shalbc wiste.
God
Rise up, Adam, and a wake;143
Heare have I formed thee a make:
Her to thee thou shalte take,
And name her as thy leiste.

Heare Adam risinge up, saith:


Adam
I see well, Lorde, through thy grace,147
Bone of my bones thou her mase,
And fleshe of my fleshe shee hase,
And my shape through thy sawe:
Therfore shee shalbe called, I wisse,
Virragoo nothinge amisse;
For out of man tacken shee is,153
And to man she shall drawe.
Of earth thou madeste firste me,
Bouth bone and fleshe nowe I see;
Thou haste her geven through her postie
Of that I in me hade.
Therfore man kindlye shall forsake159
Father and mother, and to wife take,
Towe in one flesh, as thou can make
Either other for to gladde.

Then Adam and Eve shall stande nackede, and shall not be ashamed: then the serpente shall come up out of a hole, and the devill, walkhige, shall saye:


Demon
Out, owte! what sorowe is this!163
That I have loste soe moche blesse:
For ones I thoughte to doe amisse,
Out of heaven I fell.
The brighteste angell I was, or this,
That ever was or vett is:
But pride caste me downe, I wysse,169
From heaven righte downe to hell.
[Ghosjtlye Parradise I was in,
[But the]nse I fell through synne.
Of earthly Parradise nowe, as I wene,
A man is geven maisterye.
By Belsabube I will never blyne,175
Tell I maye make hym by some gynne
From that place for to twayne,
And treasspas as did I.
Shoulde such a caitiffe made of claye
Have suche blesse? naye, be my laye!
For I shall teach his wife a playe,181
And I maye have a wyle.
For her to deceve I hope I maye,
And through her bringe them bouth awaye;
For shee will doe as I her saie,
Her hope I wil begile.
That woman is forbydden to doe,187
For anye thinge the will thertowe;
Therfore that tree shall shee com towe,
And assaye which yt is.
Dighte me I will anon tytte,
And proffer her of that same frute,
So shall the bouth for her delighte193
Be banished of that valleye.
An manner of an edder is in this place,
That winges like a birde shee hase;
Feete as an edder, a medens face,
Her kinde I will take;
And of the tree of Parradice199
She shall eate through my countise.
For wemen the be full liccoris,
That will she not forsake.
And eate shee of yt, full witterlye,
The shall fare bouth as did I,
Be banished bouth of that vallye,205
And her ofspringe for aye;
Therfore, as brocke I my pane,
The edders cotte I will putte one,
And into Parradise I will gone,
As faste as ever I maye.

Superius volucris penna, serpens pede, forma puella.


Serpence
Woman, why was God soe nise211
To byde you leve for youer delite,
And of iche treey in Parradice
To forsake the meate?
Eva
Naye, of the frute of iche treey,215
For to eate good leeve have we,
Save the frute of one we muste fleye,
Of yt maye we not eate:
This treeye that heare in the mideste is,
Eate we of yt we doe amysse;
God sayde we shoulde dye, i-wisse,221
And yf we touch that tree.
Serpens
Woman, I saye, leeve not this,223
For yt shall you not lose the blesse,
Nor noe joye that is his,
But be as wise as he:
God is subtilte and wise of witte,
And wotte you well when ye eate yt,
Then youer eyes shalbe unknitte,229
Like godes you shalbe,
And knowe bouth good and evell alsoe.
Therfore he warned you therfroo,
You maye well wytte he was youer foe.
Therfore doe after me.
Take of this frute, and assaye:235
It is good meate, I dare laye,
And but thou fynde yt to thy paye,
Saye that I am false;
And you shall knowe bouth weale and woo,
And be like godes towe,
Thou and thy husbande also,241
Eate thou one aple and noe moe.
Eva
A! Lorde! this treey is fayer and brighte,243
Grrene and semlye to my sighte;
The frute sweate and full of mightc,
That godes itt maye us make:
One aple of it I will eate,
To assaye which is the meate,
And my husband I will gette249
One morscell for to take.
Then Eve shall take of the frute of the serpente, and shall eate
theirof, and sale to Addam.
Eva
Adam, husbande, life and deare,253
Eate some of this aple heare,
It is fayer, my lefe feare,
Yt mayo thou not forsake.
Adam
That is south, Eva, withouten were,257
The frute is fayer and sweete in fere;
Therfore I will doe thy prayer:
One morscell I will take.
Then Adam shall take the fruto, and eate theirof, and in weepinge
maner shall saye followinge:
Out! alas! what ayleth me I263
I am nacked well I see;
Woman, cursed moth thou be,
For we be bouth nowe shente:
I wotte not for shame wheither to fleye,
For this frute was forbydden me;
Nowe have I brocken, through rede of thee,269
My Lordes commaundmente.
Eva
Alas, this edder hath done me [nye!]271
Alas, her rede why did I?
Nacked we bene bouth for thy,
And of our shape ashamed.
Adam
Yea, south sayde I in prophescye,275
When thou was tacken of my bodye,
Mans woo thou woulde be witterlye,
Therfore thou was soe named.
Eva
Adam, husbande, I rede we take279
Thes fygge leves for shames sake,
And to our members a hillin^e make
Of them for thee and me.
Adam
And therwith my members I will hyde,283
And under this tree I will abyde;
For suerlye come God us besyde,
Out of this place shall we.
Then Adam and Eve shall cover ther members with leaves, hyddinge
them selves under they treeyes; then God shall speake, and
mynstrelles playinge:289
God
Adam, Adam, wher arte thou?290
Adam
A! Lorde, I harde thy voyce nowe,291
For I am nacked, I make avowe,
Therfore nowe I hyde me.
God
[Who] toulde thee, Adam, thou nacked was?294
[Save on]lye thyn owne tresspas,
[That of the] treey thou eaten hase
[That I for]bade thee.
Adam
[Lorde, this] woman that is heare,298
[That thou] gave me to my feare,
[Gave me] parte, att her prayer
[And of] itt I did eate.
God
Woman, why haste thou done soe?302
Eva
This edder, Lorde, shee was my foe,303
And southlye deceved me thoo,
And made me to eate that meate.
God
Edder, for that thou haste donne this anoye,306
Amonght all beastes one earth thee by
Cursed thou shalbe for thy,
For this womans sake;
Upon thy breste thou shalte goe,
And eate the earth too and froe,
And enmitye betwene you towe312
I insuer thee I shall make.
Betwene thy seede and heres also
I shall excitte thy sorowe and woe,
To breake thy heade and be thy foe
Yt shall have maisterye aye.
No beaste one earth, I thee behette,318
That man so littill shall of lette,
And troden be full under his feete
For thy mysdeede to daye.
Deus ad Evam
And, woman, I warne thee witterlye,322
Thy payne I shall moch multiplye;
With paynes, sorowe, and greate anoye,
Thy children thou shalte beare.
And for that thou haste done soe to daie,
Man shall maister thee allwaye,
And under his power thou shalbe aye,328
Thee for to drive and dere.
Deus ad Adam
And, man, also I saye to thee,330
For thou haste not donne after me
Thy wifes counscell for to fley,
But donne to her byddinge,
To eate the frute of this treey,
In thy worke warryed the earth shalbe,
And with greate travill behoves thee336
One earth to gette thy livinge.
When thou one earth traviled haste,
Frute shall not growe in that place,
But thornes, breyers, for thy tresspas,
To thee one earth the shall springe;
Erbes and rootes thou shall eate,342
And for thy sustinance sore sweate,
With greate messchefe to wyn thy meate,
Nothinge to thy likinge.
Thus shalt thou live, south to sayne,
For thou haste bene to me unbayne,
Ever tell the tyme thou tome againe348
To the earth wher thou came froe.
For earth thou arte, as well is seene,
And after thes worckes woe and teene,
To earth thou shalte, withouten wene,
And all thy kinde also.
Heare Adam shall speake movenglye:354
Adam
Alas! nowe in longor am I lente;355
Alas! nowe shamlye am I shente,
For I was unobediente;
Of weale nowe am I weined;
Nowe all my kinde by me is kente,
To fleye wemens intisemente;
Whoe trusteth them in anye intente,361
Trulye he is deceived.
My liccorise wife hath bene my foe,
The devilles envye hath shente me also
These towe togeither well maye goe,
The sister and the brother.
His wrath hath donne me moch woe,367
Her glottanye hath greved me also;
God lett never man truste you towe,
The one more then the other.
the creation and fall. s3
God
Nowe you shall parte from this lee:372
Hilled it behoves you to be,
Dead beastes skines, as thinketh me,
Is beste you one you beare;
For deadlye nowe bouth bene ye,
And death maye you noe waye fley;
Such clothes are beste for your degreye,378
And such shall you weare.
Then God puttinge garmentes of skynnes on Adam and Eve saith:
God
[Ada]m, nowe thou haste thy willinge,381
[For th]ou desiereste over all thinge
Off good and evill to have knowinge,
Nowe wroughte is all thy will:
Thou wouldeste knowe bouth weale and woe,
Nowe is yt fallne to thee soe,
Therfore, hense thou muste goe,387
And thy desyer fulfilled.
Nowe leste thou cannot este more,
And doe as thou haste done before,
Eate of this frute to live ever more,
Heare maye thou not be.
To eairth theider thou muste gone,393
With travill leade thy life therone,
For siccker ther is noe other wone:
Goe fourth, take Eve with thee.
Then God shall drive Adam and Eve out of Parradice, and saye to
the angelles, and mynstrilles shall playe:
God
Nowe will I that ther lin^e399
The angelles order cherubyn,
To kepe this place of weale or wyne,
That Adam loste thus hath,
With sharpe sworde on ever je syde,
And flame of fier heare to abyde,
That never a earthlye man in glyde;405
Forgeven the bene that grace.
Primus Angellus
Lorde, that order that is righte,407
Is readye sette heare in thy sighte,
With flame of fier readye to feighte
Againste mankinde, thy foe;
To whom no grace is claymed arighte,
Is readye sette heare in thy sighte,
Tell wysdome, righte, mercye, and miglite413
Shall bye them and other moe.
Secundus Angellus
I cherubyn muste ther be coyse415
To kepe this place of greate prise,
Seinge man was so unwise
This woninge for to lose,
That he by crafte nor countise
Shall not come in that was his,
But deprived be of Parradise,421
Noe more for to come ther.
Tercius Angellus
And in this heritage I wilbe,423
Still for ever to see
That noe man come into this cittye,
As God hath me beheighte;
Sowrdes of fier have all we,
To make man from this place to fleye,
From this dwellinge of greate deintye,429
That to him firste was dighte.
Quartus Angellus
And of this order I am made one,431
From mankinde to weare this wone,
That through his gifte hath gone
This woninge full of grace:
Therfore departe the muste ichone;
Our swordes of fier shalbe ther bone,
And my selfe ther vereye fonne437
To flame them in the face.
Adam
Highe God and higheste kinge, Minstrelles playinge.
That of naughte made all thinge,
Beaste, fowle, and grasse growinge,
And me of earth made,
Thou gave me grace to doe thy willinge,
For after greate sorowe and sickinge,
Thou haste me lente greate likinge,445
Towe sonnes my harte to glade:
Cayme and Abell, my children deare,
Whom I gate within thirtie yeare
After the tyme we deprived were
Of Parradise for our pride.
Therfore nowe I will them lere,451
To make them knowe, in good manere,
What I sawe when Eve my feare
Was tacken of my syde.
While that I slepte in that place,
My ghoste to heaven banished was,
For to see ther I hade grace457
Thinges that shal befall.
[To m]ake you ware of cumberous case,
And lett you doinge from tresspas,
Some I will tel before youer face,
But I will not tell all.
I wotte by thinges that ther I see,463
That God will come from heaven hie,
To overcome the devill so slye,
And lighte into my kinde;
And my bloode that he will wyn,
That I soe loste for my synne,
A newe lawe ther shal begyne,469
And soe men shall them suer.
Watter or fier also witterlye,
All this worlde shall destroye,
For men shall synne soe horably,
And doe full moch amysse.
Therefore, that you maye escape that nye,475
Doe well and be ware me by,
I tell you heare, in prophescye,
That this will fall, i-wysse.
Also, I see, as I shall saye,
That God will come the laste daye
To deme mankinde in fleshe vereye,481
And flame of fier borninge;
The good to heaven, the evill to hell.
Youer children this talle you maye tell,
This sighte sawe I in Parradice or I fell,
As I laye ther sleppinge.
Nowe will I tell howe you shall doe487
Godes lawe to underffoe:
Cayme, husbantes crafte thou muste goe towe,
And Abell a sheaparde be.
Therfore of cornes fayer and cleane,
That growes one rigges out of the reian,
Cayme, thou shalt offer, as I meane,493
To God in magistie;
And Abell, while thy life maye laste,
Thou shall offer and doe my heiste,
To God the firste borne beaste,
Therto thou make thee bowne.
This shall you please God Allinighte,499
Yf ye doe this well and righte,
With good harte in his sighte,
And good devocion.
Nowe for to-gette you sustenaunce,
I will you teache without distance;
For seithen I feelde that mysschaunce505
Of that frute for to eate,
My leiffe children, fayer and free,
With this spade that you maye see,
I have doulven, learne you this at me,
Howe you shall wyn youer meate.
Eva
My sweate children, darlinges deare,511
You shall see howe I live heare,
Because unbuxom soe we were,
And did as God woulde not we shoulde;
This payne heare, as hade bene noe neede,
I suffer one earth for my misdeede,
And of this wolle I will spynne thride by thride,517
To hill me from the coulde.
Another sorowe I suffer also,
My children I must beare with woe,
As I have donne bouth you towe,
And soe shall wemen all;
This the devill, our bitter foe,523
That made us out of joye to goe,
To please God, sonnes, therfore be throoe,
From synne that you maye fall.
Cayme
Mother, for south I tell yt thee,527
A tylle man I am, and so will I be j
As my daddye hath taughte yt me,
I will fulfill his lore.
Heare Cayme bringes in the plough, and saith:
Cayme
Of corne I have greate pleintie,532
Sacrifice to God, sone shall you see,
I will make, to loke yf he
Will sende me anye more.
Abell
And I will with devocion536
To my sacrifice make me bowne,
The comlieste beaste, by my crowne!
[To] the Lorde I will chouse;
And offer yt before thee heare
Meklye in good manere;
Noe beaste to thee maye be deare,542
That maye I not lese.

Heare Adam and Eve goe out tell Cayme hath slayne Abell, and Cayme saith:


Cayme
I am the elder of us towe,544
Therfore, firste I will goe.
Suche as the frute is fallne froo
Ys good enoffe for hym;
This corne standinge, as mote I thee!
Was eaten with beastes, men maye see,
God, thou getteste noe better of me,550
Be thou never so gryme.
Thes earles comes grewe nexte the waye,
Of thes offer I will to daye;
For cleane corne, by my faye!
Of me gettes thou naughte.
Loe, God, heare maye thou see556
Such corne as grewe to me;
Parte of yt I bringe to thee,
Anon, withouten lette.
I hope thou wylte whytte me this,
And sende me more of worldlye blesse,
Or elles for south thou dose amysse,562
And thou be in my debte.
Abell
Nowe, my brother, as I see564
Hath donne sacrifice nowe to thee!
Offer I will, as falleth for me,
Such as thou hast me sente:
The beste beaste, as mote I thee!
Of my flocke with harte freey,
To thee offered shall yt be;570
Receive, Lorde, my presente.

Then a flame of fier shall descende upon the sacrifice of Abell.


Abell
[Ah!] highe God and kinge of blesse,572
Nowe southlye knowe I wel by this
My sacrifice accepted is
Before the Lorde to daye;
A flame of fier thou sende haste
From heaven one high into this place;
I thanke thee, Lorde, of thy grace,578
And soe I shall doe [aye.]
Cayme
Out! out! howe have I spente my good,580
To see this sighte I waxe nere wood!
A flame of fier from heaven stoode
One my brothers offeringe;
His sacrifice I see God takes,
And myne refuses and forsakes,
My semblante for shame shakes,586
For envye of this thinge.
Deus ad Cayme
Cayme, why arte thou wroth, why?588
Thy semblante chaunges wounderouslye;
Yf thou doe well and trulye,
Thou maye have mede of me.
Wottes thou not well that for thy deed,
Yf thou doe well thou maye mede,
Yf thou doe fowle fowle to speade,594
And sicker therof to be.
But Cayme, thou shalte have all thy will,
Thy tallente yf thou will fulfill,
Synne of it will thee spill,
And make thee evill to speade;
Thy brother buxom aye shalbe,600
And fullye under thy postie;
The luste therof pertaines to thee,
Advise thee of thy deed.
Cayme
A! well, well, is yt soe?604
[Co]me fourth with me, thou muste goe
[Into] the feilde a littill froo;
[I have] an errande to saye.
Abell
Brother, to thee I am readye608
To goe with thee moste meeklye,
For thou arte elder then am I;
Thy will I will doe [aye.]
Cayme
Saye, thou caittiffe, thou congion,612
Weneste thou to passe me of renowne?
Thou shalte fayle, by my crowne!
Of maysterye yf I maye.
God hath challenged me nowe heare,
For thee, and that in fowle manere,
And that shalte thou abyde full deare,618
Or that thou wende awaye.
Thy offeringe God accepted hase,
I see by fier that one yt was;
Shall thou never have efte suche a grase,
For dye thou shalte this nighte.
Though God stode heare in this place,624
For to helpe thee in this case,
Thou shoulde dye before his face:
Have this, and gett thee righte.

Then Cayme killeth his brother Abell, and God cominge to them sayth:


God
Cayme, wher is thy brother Abell?628
Cayme
I wotte nere, I can not tell:629
Of my brother wottes thou not well
That I of him hade noe kepinge?
God
What haste thou donne, thou wicked man?632
Thy brothers bloode askes thee upon
Vengance, as faste as it can,
From earth to me cryinge.
Cayme, cursed on earth thou shalt be aye,
For the deed thou haste done to daie;
Eairth waryed shalbe in thy worcke aye,638
That wickedlye hath wroughte;
And for that thou haste done this mischefFe,
To all men thou shalbe unleffe,
Idle and wanderinge as a theiffe,
And over all sette at naughte.
Cayme speaketh moumfullye.644
Out, alas! wher maye I be I
Sorowe one iiche syde I see,
For yf I out of lande fley,
From enimyes companye,
Beastes I wotte will worrye me;
And yf I lenge for my lewtye,650
I muste be bounde and nothinge freey,
And all for my follye:
For my synne so horable ys,
And I have done so moch amisse,
That unworthy I am, i-wysse,
Forgevnes to attayne.656
Well I wotte, wherever I goe,
Whoe so metteth me will me sloe,
And ich man wilbe my foe,
Noe grace for me maye gayne.
God
Naye, Cayme, thou shalte not dye sone661
Horrablye yf thou have done,
That is not thy brothers bone
Thy bloode for to sheede;
But for south who so ever slayeth thee,
Seven foulde punished shall he be,
And greate payne maye thou not fleye,667
For thy wicked deede.
But for thou to this deede was bowne,
Thou and thy children, truste mone,
Unto the seventh generacion
[Be pujnished for the wholle;
For thou to daye hath done soe,673
Thy seede for thee shall suffer woe,
And while thou one the eairth maye groo,
Of vengance have the deale.
Cayme
Out, out! alas! alas!677
I am dampned without grace,
Therfore I will from place to place,
And loke wher is the beste;
Well I wotte, and witterlye,
Into what place that come I,
Iich man will loth my companye,683
So shall I never have reste.
Fowle hape is me befall,
Wheither I be in howse or hall,
Cursed Cayme men will me call,
Of sorowes maye non nowe cease.
But yet will I, or I goe,689
Speake with my dadde and mam also,
And ther walson bouth towe
I wotte well I muste have:
Mame and dadd, reste you well,
For one fowle talle I can you tell,
I have slayne my brother Abell,695
As we fell in a striffe.
Adam
Alas! alas! is Abell dead!697
Alas! ruffull is my read,
No more joye to me is lead,
Save onlye Eve, my wiffe.
Eva
Alas! nowe is my sonne slayne;701
Alas! marred is all my mayne;
Alas! muste I never be fayne,
But in woe and mourninge?
Well I wotte and knowe, i-wysse,
That vereye vengance it is,
For I to God did so moche amysse,707
Mone I never have likinge.
Cayme
Then, dame and sire, fare well ye,709
For out of lande to lande I will fleye;
A losscell ever I muste be,
For-scapte I am of thrifte;
For so God hath toulde me,
That I shall never thrive nor three;
And nowe I fleye, you all maye see,715
I graunte you all the same gifte.

Finis. Deo gracias! per me Georgi Bellin. 1592.


Come, Lorde Jesus, come quicklye.


The Watter Leaders and the Drawers of Dee PlayeContents

God
I, God, that all this worlde hath wroughte,1
Heaven and eairth, and all of naughte,
I see my people in deede and thoughte
Are sette fowle in synne;
My ghoste shall not linge in mone,
That through fleshe likinge is my fonne,
But tell sixe skore yeaires be comen and gone,7
To loke yf the will blyne.
Man that I made I will destroye,
Beaste, worme, and fowle to flye,
For one eairth the doe me nye
The folke that are theirone;
It harmes me sore hurtfullye,13
The malice that doth nowe multiplye,
That sore yt greives me hartelye
That ever I made man.
Therfore, Noye, my servante free,
That rightious man arte, as I see,
A shippe sone thou shall make thee19
Of treeyes drye and lighte;
Littill chamberes therin thou make,
And byndinge slyche also thou take,
Within and without neye thou slake,
To anoynte yt through all thy mighte.
Three hundreth cubettes it shalbe longe,25
And fiftie brode, to make yt stronge;
Of heighte fiftie the nexte thou fonge,
Thus messuer thou this aboute.
One wyndowe worcke through thy wytte,
A cubitte of lengthe and breade make itt,
Upon the syde a dore shall sutte,31
For to come in and oute.
Eattinge places thou make alsoe,
Ronette chamberes one or too:
For with watter I thinke to flowe
Man that I can make;
Destroyed all the worlde shalbe,37
Save thou, thy wiffe, and children three,
And ther wiffes also with thee,
Shall fal before thy face.
Noye
O, Lorde, I thanke thee lowde and still,41
That to me arte in suche will,
And spares me and my howsehoulde to spill,
As I nowe southlye fynde.
Thy byddinge, Lorde, I shall fulfill,
And never more thee greve nor grill,
That such grace hath sente me till47
Amonght all mankinde.
Have done, you men and wemen all,
Hye you, leste this watter fall,
To worche this shippe, chamber and hall,
As God hath bedden us doe.
Sem
Father, I am all readye bowne;53
An axe I have, by my crowne!
As sharpe as anye in all this towne,
For to goe therto.
Cam
I have a hacchatt wounder keeyne,57
To bitte well, as maye be seene,
A better gronde one, as I wene,
Is not in all this towne.
Jaffette
And I can make well a pynne,61
And with this hamer knocke it in;
Goe wee worcke boute dyne,
And I am readye bowne.
Noyes Wiffe
And we shall bringe tymber too,65
For we mone nothinge elles doe;
Wemen be weeke to underfoe
Anye greate travill.
Semes Wiffe
Hear is a good hacckinge stoccke,69
One this you maye hewe and knocke,
Shall none be idle in this floccke;
Ney nowe maye noe man fayle.
Cammes Wiffe
And I will goe gaither slyche,73
The shippe for to caulke and pyche,
Amounte yt muste be with stiche,
Borde, tree, and pynne.
Jeffette Wyffe
And I will gaither chippes heare77
To make a fier for you in feare,
And for to dighte youer dynner,
Againste your cominge in.

Then Noye begineth to builde the Arcke, and speaketh Noye


Noye
Nowe in the name of God, I begyne81
To make the shippe that we shall in,
That we maye be readye for to swyme
At the cominge of the fludde:
Thes hordes heare I pynne togeither,
To beare us saffe from the weither,
That we maye rowe neither and theider,87
And saffe be from the fludde.
Of this treey will I make the maste,
Tyed with cabbelles that will laste,
With a saile yarde for iche blaste,
And iche thinge in their kinde:
With toppe-castill, and boe-spritte,93
Bouth cordes and roppes I have all mette,
To sayle fourth at the nexte weete,
This shippe is att an ende.
Wyffe, we shall in this vessell be kepte,
My children and thou I woulde ye in lepte.
Noyes Wiffe
In fayth, Noye, I hade as leffe thou slepte!99
For all thy frynishe fare,
I will not doe after thy reade.
Noye
Good wyffe, doe nowe as I thee bydde.102
Noyes Wiffe
Be Christe! not or I see more neede,103
Though thou stande all daye and stare.
Noye
Lorde, that wemen be crabbed aye,105
And non are meke I dare well saye;
That is well seene by me to daye,
In wittnesse of you ichone.
Good wiffe, lett be all this beare,
That thou maiste in this place heare;
For all the wene that thou arte maister,111
And soe thou arte, by Sante John!

Then Noye with all his familie shall make a signe as though the wroughte upon the shippe with diveres instrumentes, and after that God shall speake to Noye, sayinge:


God
Noye, take thou thy meanye,113
And in the shippe hie that you be,
For non soe righte, nor non to me,
Is nowe one earth livinge;
Of cleane beastes with thee to take,
Seven and seven, or then thou slake
He and shee, make to make,119
By live in that you bringe.
Of beastes uncleane towe and towe,
Male and femalle, boute moe,
Of cleane fowles seven alsoe,
The hie and shee togeither;
Off ffowles uncleane twene and noe moe,125
As I of beastes sayde before;
That man be saved through my lore,
Againste I sende this weither.
Of all meates that mone be eatten,
Into the shippe loke be getten;
For that maye be noe waye forgotten,131
And doe all this bydene,
To sustayne man and beaste therin,
Tell the watter cease and blyne.
This worlde ye filled full of synne,
And that is nowe well seene.
Seven dayes be yette cominge,137
You shall have space them in to bringe;
After that it is my likinge,
Mankinde for to anoye.
Fourtye dayes and fortye nightes
Raine shall fall for ther unrightes,
And that I have made through my mightes,143
Nowe thinke I to destroye.
Noye
Lorde, to thy byddinge I am beane,145
Seinge noe other grace will gayne,
Yt will I fulfill fayne,
For gracious I thee fynde;
A hundreth wyntter and twentye
This shippe makinge taryed have I:
Yf through amendment thy mercy e151
Woulde fall to mankinde.
Have donne you men and wemen alle,
Hye you leste this watter fall,
That iich beaste were in stalle,
And into the shippe broughte;
Of cleane beastes seven shalbe,157
Of uncleane [two], this God bade me:
The fludde is nye, you maye well see,
Therfore tarye you naughte.

Then Noye shall goe into the Arcke with all his familye, his wife excepte, and the Arcke muste be borded round about, and one the bordes all the beastes and foules painted.


Sem
Sir, heare are lions, leapardes, in,161
Horses, mares, oxen, and swyne;
Goote and caulfe, sheepe and kine;
Heare sitten thou maye see.
Cam
Camelles, asses, man maye fynde,165
Bucke and doo, harte and hinde,
And beastes of all maner kinde,
Here be, as thinketh me.
Jaffett
Take heare cattes, dogges too,169
Atter and foxe, fillie, mare alsoe;
Hares hoppinge gile can goe,
Heare have coule for to eate.
Noyes Wiffe
And heare are beares, woulfes sette,173
Apes, oules, marmosette,
Weyscelles, squirelles, and firrette,
Heare the eaten ther meate.
Semes Wiffe
Heare are beastes in this howse,177
Heare cattes make yt crousse,
Heare a rotten, heare a mousse,
That standeth nighe togeither.
Cames Wiffe
And heare are fowles lesse and more,181
Hearnes, cranes, and bittor,
Swannes, peacokes, and them before
Meate for this weither.
Jeffattes Wiffe
Heare are coke, kitte, croes,185
Rookes, ravens, manye roes,
Duckes, curlues, whoe ever knowes,
Iche one in his kinde;
Heare are doves, digges, drackes,
Red-shonckes roninge through lackes,
And ech fowle that leden makes191
In this shippe nowe maye fynde.
Noye
Wiffe, come in: why standes thou their?193
Thou arte ever frowarde, I dare well sweare;
Come in, one Godes name! halfe tyme yt were,
For feare leste that we drowne.
Noyes Wiffe
Yea, sir, sette up youer saile,197
And rowe fourth with evill haile,
For withouten fayle
I will not oute of this towne;
But I have my gossippes every echone,
One foote further I will not gone:
The shall not drowne, by Sante John!203
And I maye save ther life.
The loven me full wel, by Christe!
But thou lett them into thy cheiste,
Elles rowe nowe wher thy leiste,
And gette thee a newe wiffe.
Noye
Seme, sonne, loe! thy mother is wrawe;209
Be God, such another I doe not knowe!
Sem
Father, I shall fetch her in, I trowe,211
Withoutten anye fayle. —
Mother, my father after thee sende,
And byddes thee into yeinder shippe wende.
Loke up and see the wynde,
For we bene readye to sayle.
Noyes Wiffe
Seme, goe againe to hym, I saie;217
I will not come theirin to daye.
Noye
Come in, wiffe, in twentye devilles waye!219
Or elles stand their all daye.
Cam
Shall we all feche her in?221
Noye
Yea, sonnes, in Christe blessinge and myne!222
I woulde you hied you be tyme,
For of this flude I am in doubte.
The Good Gossippes Songe
The flude comes flittinge in full faste,225
One everye syde that spreades full farre;
For feare of drowninge I am agaste;
Good gossippes, lett us drawe nere.
And lett us drinke or we departe,
For ofte tymes we have done soe;
For att a draughte thou drinkes a quarte,231
And soe will I doe or I goe.
Heare is a pottill full of Malmsine good and stronge;
Itt will rejoyce bouth harte and tonge;
Though Noye thinke us never so longe,
Heare we will drinke alike.
Jeffatte
Mother, we praye you all togeither,237
For we are heare, youer owne children,
Come into the shippe for feare of the weither,
For his love that you boughte I
Noyes Wiffe
That will I not, for all youer call,241
But I have my gossippes all.
Sem
In faith, mother, yett you shalle,243
Wheither thou wylte or note.
Noye
Welckome, wiffe, into this botte.245
Noyes Wiffe
Have thou that for thy note!246
Noye
Ha, ha! marye, this is hotte!247
[It] is good for to be still.
Ha! children, me thinkes my botte renewes,
Our tarryinge heare highlye me greves,
Then the Over the lande the watter spreades;
God doe as he will.

Then the singe.


A! greate God, that arte so good,253
That worckes not thy will is wood.
Nowe all this worlde is one a flude,
As I see well in sighte.
This wyndowe I will shutte anon,
And into my chamber I will gone,
Tell this watter so greate wone259
Be slacked through thy mighte.

Then shall Noye shutte the wyndowe of they Arcke, and for a littill space be silent, and after warde lokinge rounde aboute shall saye:


Now forty dayes are fullie gone261
Send a raven I will anone
If ought-were earth, tree or stone,
Be drye in any place.
And if this foule come not againe
It is a signe, soth to sayne,
That drye it is on hill or playne,267
And God hath done some grace.

Tune dimittet corvum et capiens columbam in manibus dicat.


Ah Lord wherever this raven be269
Somewhere is drye, well I see;
But yet a dove by my lewtye
After I will sende.
Thou wilt turne againe to me,
For of all fowles that may flye
Thou art most meke and hend.275

Tune emittet columbam el erit in nave alia columba ferens olivam in ore quam dimittet aliquis ex malo per funem in manus Noe ; et postea dicat Noe.


Ah lord, blessed be thou aye,276
That me hast confort thus to day;
By this sight, I may well saye,
This flood begins to cease.
My sweete dove to me brought hase
A branch of olyve from some place,
This betokeneth God has done us some grace282
And is a signe of peace.
Ah lord honoured most thou be,284
All earthe dryes now I see,
But yet tyll thou comannde me
Hence will I not hye.
All this water is awaye
Therfore as sone as I maye
Sacryfice I shall doo in faye290
To thee devoutlye.
Deus
Noe take thy wife anone,292
And thy children every one,
Out of the shippe thou shall gone,
And they all with thee.
Beastes and all that can flie
Out anone they shall hye,
On earth to grow and multeplye ;298
I wyll that yt be soe.
Noe
Lord I thanke the through thy mighte,300
Thy bydding shall be done in height,
And as fast as I may dighte,
I will doe the honoure.
And to thee offer sacrifice,
Therfore comes in all wise,
For of these beastes that bene hise306
Offer I will this stower.

Tunc egrediens archam cum tota familia sua acdpiet animalia sua et volucres et offeret ea et mactabit


Noye
Lorde God, in magestie,308
That suche grace hath graunted me,
Wher all was borne false to be,
Theirfore nowe I am boune,
My wife, my children, and my meanye,
With sacrifice to honour thee,
Of beastes, fowles, as thou maiste see,314
And full devocion.
God
Noye, to me thou arte full able,316
And to my sacrifice acceptable,
For I have founde thee true and stable;
One thee nowe muste I myne;
Warrye eairth I will noe more,
For mans synnes that greves me sore,
For of youth mon full yore322
Halfe bene inclynde to synne.
You shall nowe growe and multiplye,
On eairth againe to edifye;
Ich beaste, and fowle that maye flye,
Shalbe feared of you;
And fishe in sea that maye flitte328
Shall sustaine you, I thee behitte,
To eate of them ye ne lette
That cleane bene, you mon knowe;
Theras you have eaten before
Treeyes and rootes, since you were bore,
Of cleane beastes nowe lesse and more334
I geve you leve to eate;
Save bloode and fleshe bouth in feare,
Of rouge dead carrine that is heare,
Eate you not of that in noe manere,
For that you shall leave.
Man-slaughter [ever] you shall fieye,340
For that [is] not pleasante unto me;
The that sheedeth blood, he or shee,
Oughte wher amonge mankinde,
That bloode fowle shedde shalbe
And vengance have, men shall see;
Therfore beware all ye,346
You falle not into that synne.
A forwarde, Noye, with thee I make,
And all thy seede, for thy sake,
Suche vengance for to slake,
For nowe I have my will:
Heare I behette thee a heiste,352
That man, woman, fowle, ney beaste,
With watter, while this worlde shall laste,
I will noe more spill.
My bowe betweyne you and me
In the firmamente shalbe,
By everye tocken that you shall see,358
That suche vengance shall cease.
Man shall never more
Be wasted with watter, as he hath bene before;
But for synne that greveth me sore,
Therfore this vengance was.
Wher cloudes in the welckine bene,364
That same bowe shalbe seene,
In tocken that my wrath and teene
Shall never this wrocken be.
The stringe is torned towardes you,
And towarde me is bente the bowe,
That suche weither shall never shewe,370
This behighte I thee.
My blessinge, Noye, I geve thee heare,
To thee, Noye, my servante deare;
For vengance shall noe more appeare,
And nowe fare well, my darlinge deare.

Finis. Deo gracias! per me, George Bellin. 1592.


Come, Lorde Jesu, come quicklye.


The Barbers and the Waxe Chaundlers PlayeContents

Incipit pagina quarta, qualitur reversus est a cede quatuor regum occurit Rex Salem equitando el Loth, et dicat Abraham.


Preco dicat
All lordinges that be heare presente,1
And harcken me with good intente,
Howe Noye awaie from us he wente,
And all his companye;
And Abraham, through Godes grace,
He is comen into this place,
And ye will geve us rombe and space7
To tell you of storye.
This playe for south begyne shall he,
In worshippe of the Trenitie,
That you maye all heare and see
That shalbe done to daie:
My name is Gobbete one the Greene,13
With you I maie no longer bene:
Fare well, my lordes, bydene,
For lettinge of your playe.

Heare Abraham, havinge restored his brother Lote into his owne place, doth firste of al begine the playe, and saith:


Abraham
A! thou highe God, graunter of grace,17
That endinge nor begininge hath,
I thanke thee, Lorde, that thou hath
To daie geven this victorye.
Lote, my brother, that tacken was,
I have restored hym in this case,
And broughte hym whom in this place23
Through thy mighte and maisterye.
To worshippe thee I will nowe wonne;
That fower kinges of uncothe lande
To daye hath sente into my hande,
And riches with greate araye;
Therfore, of all that I have wonne,29
To geve thee teath I wil begine;
The cittie sone when I come in,
And parte with thee my praye.
Melchesedecke, that heare kinge is,
And Godes preiste also, i-wysse,
The teath I will geve hym of this,35
As skill is that I doe.
God that hath sente me the victorye
Of fower kinges graciouslye;
With hym a praye parte will I,
The cittie when I come towe.
Heare Lote, tornioge hym to his brother Abraham, dothe saye:
Lotte
Abraham, brother, I thanke thee,42
That this daie haste delivered me
Of enemyes handes and their postie,
And saved me from woe;
Therfore, I will geve teathinge
Of my good, while I am levinge,
And nowe also of his sendinge48
The teath I will geve also.

Tunc venit armiger Melchesadecke ipsorum, [?] et gratulando dicat armiger.


Here the Messinger doth come to Melchesedecke, kinge of Salem, and rejoyced greatlye doth saie:


Messinger
My lorde, the kinge tydinges one righte,50
Your harte to glade and to lighte,
Abraham hath slayne in feighte
Fower kinges, since he wente;
Here he wilbe this same nighte,
And riches enoffe with hym dighte.
I harde hym thanke God allmighte56
Of grace he had hym sente.

Heare Melchesadecke, lokinge up to heaven, dothe thanke God for Abrahams victorye, and doth prepare hym selfe to goe and presente Abraham:


Melchesadecke rex Salem
A! blessed be God that is but one!58
Againste Abraham will I gone
Worshippffullye, and that anon,
My office for to fulfill,
And presente hym with brede and wyne,
For grace of God is hym within:
Spede, for love myne,64
For this is Godes will.

Here the Messinger doth offer to Melchesadecke a standinge cupe and bredde; dotli saye:


Armiger cum pocula
Ser, here is wyne without en were,66
And here to brede whyte and cleare,
To presente hym with good manere,
That so us holpen hath.

Heare Melchesadecke answeringe, saith:


Melchesadecke.
To God I wotte he is full deare,70
For all thinges in his prayer
He hath withouten dangere,
And especiallye hys grace.

Here Melchesadecke cominge unto Abraham doth offer unto hym a cupe full of wyne and bredde, and saithe:


Abraham, welckome muste thou be,74
Godes grace is fullye in thee;
Blessed ever moste thou be,
That enemyes soe can meeke:
Here is brede and wyne for thy degree,
I have broughte, as you maye se;
Receive this presente nowe of me,80
One that I thee beseeke.

Here Abraham, receivinge the offeringe of Melchesadecke, and doth offer Melchesadecke a horse that is laden.


Abraham
Sir kinge, welckome in good faye,82
Thy presente is welckome to my paye,
God hath holpen me to daye,
Unworthy though I were.
You shall have parte of my praye,
That I wane since I wente awaie,
Therfore to thee that take itt maye88
The teath I offer here.

Melchesadecke, recevinge the horse of Abraham, vereye gladly doe saie:


Melchesadecke.
And your presente, sir, take I,90
And honoure yt devoutlye;
For moche good it maie signifie,
In tyme that is cominge.
Therfore, horse, harnes, and petrye,
As falles for your dignitie,
The teath of yt taketh of me,96
And receive my offeringe.

Here Lotte dothe offer to Melchesadecke a goodly cupe, and saith:


Lotte
And I will offer, with good intente,98
Of suche good as God hath me lente,
To Melchesadecke here presente,
As Godes will is to be.
Abraham my brother offred has,
And so will I through Godes grace,
This royall cupe before my face,104
Receive yt nowe of me.

Melchesadecke, receivinge the cupe of Loth, saith:


Melchesadecke
Sir, your offeringe welckome is,106
And well I wote for south, i-wysse,
That fullye Godes will it is
That is nowe done to daie.
Goe we togaither to my cittye,
And God nowe hartelye thanke we,
That helpes us ever through his postie,112
For soe full well we maie.
Expositor equitando
Lordinges, what maye this signifie,114
I will expounde it appeartlye,
That the unlearned standinge here by
Maye knowe what this maye be.
This presente, I saye veramente,
Signifieth the Newe Testamente,
That nowe is used with good intente,120
Throughout all Christianitie.
In the oulde lawe, without leasinge,122
When these towe goodmen were livinge,
Of beastes were ther offeringe,
And eke their sacramente.
But since Christe died on roode tree,
In brede and wyne his death remember we,
And at his laste supper one our mande128
Was his commaundemente.
But for this thinge used shoulde be
Afterwardes, as nowe done we,
In significacion as leeve you me,
Melchesadecke did soe.
And teathinges-makinge, as you seene here,134
Of Abraham begonnan were;
Therfore to God he was full deare
And so were both towe.
By Abraham understand I maie138
The father of heaven, in good faye;
Melchesadecke, a preste to his paye,
To mynister that sacramente,
That Christe ordeyned the forsaide daie,
In brede and wyne to honor hym aye:
This signifieth, the south to saie,144
Melchesadeckes presente.

Here God appeareth unto Abraham, and saithe:


God
Abraham, my servante, I saie to thee146
Thy helpe and thy succkore will I be,
For thy good deed moch pleased me,
I tell thee witterlye.

Here Abraham, torninge to God, saith:


Abraham
Lorde, one thinge thou wouldeste see,150
That I praye after with harte free,
Graunte me, Lorde, through thy postee,
Some frute of my bodye;
I have noe childe, fowle ne fayer,154
Save my nurye to be my eayre,
That makes me greatlye to appeare.
One me, Lorde, have mercye.
God
Naye, Abraham, frende, leve thou me,158
Thyn nurye thyn heaire he shall not be,
But one sonne I shall sende thee,
Begotten of thy bodye.
Abraham, doe as I thee saye,162
Loke and tell, and yf thou maye,
Starres standinge one the straye,
That unpossible were:
No more shalte thou for no nede
Nomber thy bodelye seede,
That thou shalte have, withouten dreede,168
Thou arte to me soe deare.
Therfore, Abraham, servante freeye,170
Loke that thou be trewe to me,
And here a forwarde I make to thee
Thy seed to multiplie;
So moche more further shalte thou be,
Kinges of thy seede men shall see,
And one childe of greate degreey176
All mankinde shall forbye.
I will hensefourth forwarde all waie;178
Eiche man childe, one the eighte daie,
Be sircomsiced on the eighte daie,
And thou thy selfe full soone.
Whoe so circomsiced not is,
Forsakeen shalbe with me, i-wysse,
For unobediente that man is:184
Loke that this be done.
Abraham
Lorde, all readye in good faye,186
Blessed be thou ever and aye!
For that we knowe maye
Thy folke from other men,
Circumsiced the shalbe all,
Mon for oughte that maye befalle;
I thanke thee, Lorde, thyn owne thrall,192
Kneelinge on my knye.
Expositor
Lordinges, all take this intente,194
What betockens this commaundment;
This was some tyme a sacramente,
In the oulde lawe trewlye tane;
As followeth nowe veramente,
So was this in the Oulde Testamente,
But when Christe died, awaie it wente,200
And then begane baptisme.
Also God promysed, behette us heare,202
To Abraham his servante deare,
So moche seede, that in no manere
Numbred mighte be;
And one seede mankinde oughte to be,
That was Christe Jesus witterlye,
For of this kinde was our ladye,208
And soe also was he.
God
Abraham, my servante, Abraham.210
Abraham
Loe, Lorde, all readye heare I am.211
God
Take, Isaake, thy sonne by name,212
That thou loveste the beste of all,
And in sacrifice [offer] hym to me
Uppon that hyll their besides thee.
Abraham, I will that it be soe,
For oughte that maye befalle.
Abraham
My Lorde, to thee is myne intente218
Ever to be obediente.
That sonne that thou to me hath sente,
Offer I will to thee,
And fulfill thy comaundmente,
With hartie will, as I am kente.
Highe Lorde God omnipotente,224
Thy byddinge shalbe.
My meanye and my children eichone226
Leinges at whom bouth all and one,
Save Isaake my sonne with me shall gone
To a hill heare besyde.
Heare Abraham, torninge hym to his sonne Isaake, saith:
Make thee readye, my deare darlinge,
For we muste doe a littill thinge.232
This woode doe on thy backe it bringe,
We maye no longer abyde.

Heare Abraham taketh a sworde and fier.


A sworde and fier that I will take;
For sacrafice me behoves to make:
Godes byddinge will I not forsake,
But ever obediente be.238

Heare Isaake speaketh to his father, and taketh a burne of stickes and beareth after his father, and saieth:


Isaake
Father, I am all readye239
To doe your byddinge moste mekelye,
And to beare this woode full beane am I,
As you commaunded me.
Abraham
O Isaake, my darlinge deare,243
My blessinge nowe I geve thee heare,
Take up this faggote with good cheare,
And one thy backe it bringe.
And fier with us I will take.
Isaake
Your byddinge I will not forsake;248
Father, I will never slake
To fulfill your byddinge.
[Heare they goe bouth to the place to doe sacrifice.]
Abraham
Nowe, Isaake sonne, goe we our waie252
To vender mounte, yf that we maye.
Isaake
My deare father, I will asaye254
To followe you full fayne.
Abraham, beinge my[n]ded to sleye his sonne Isaake, leiftes up his
handes, and saith fowlowinge:
Abraham
Ho! my harte will breake in three,258
To heare thy wordes I have pittye;
As thou wylte, Lorde, so muste yt be,
To thee I wilbe bayne.
Laye downe thy faggote, my owne sonne deare.
Isaake
Al readye, father, loe yt heare.263
But whye make you sucke heavye cheare?
Are you anye thinge adreade?
Father, yf yt be your will,
Wher is the beaste that we shall kill?
Abraham
Therof, sonne, is non upon this hill,268
That I see here in steade.
Isaake, fearinge leste his ffather woulde slaye hym, saith:
Isaake
Father, I am full sore afreade271
To see you beare that drawne sorde:
I hope for all myddell yarde
You will not slaye your childe.
Abraham comfortes his sonne, and saieth:
Abraham
Dreede thee not, my childe, I reade;276
Our Lorde will sende of his godheade
Some manner of beaste into this feilde,
Either tame or wilde.
Isaake
Father, tell me or I goe280
Wheither I shalbe harmede or noe.
Abraham
Ah! deare God! that me is woe!282
Thou breakes my harte in sunder.
Isaake
Father, tell me of this case284
Why you your sorde drawne hase,
And beares yt nacked in this place,
Theirof I have greate wounder.
Abraham
Isaake, sonne, peace, I thee praie,288
Thou breakes my harte in [twaie.]
Isaake
I praye you, father, leane nothinge from me,290
But tell me what you thinke.
Abraham
Ah! Isaake, Isaake, I muste thee kille!292
Isaake
Alas! father, is that your will,293
Your owine childe for to spill
Upon this hilles brinke?
Yf I have treasspasede in anye degree,
With a yarde you maye beate me;
Put up your sorde, yf your wil be,
For I am but a childe.299
Abraham
O, my deare sonne, I am sorye300
To doe to thee this greate anoye.
Godes commaundmente doe muste I,
His workes are ever full mylde.
Isaake
Woulde God my mother were here with me!304
Shee woulde kneele downe upon her knee,
Prainge you, father, if yt maye be,
For to save my liffe.
Abraham
O! comelye creator, but I thee kille,308
I greve my God, and that full ylle;
I maye not worke againste his will,
But ever obediente be.
O! Isaake, sonne, to thee I saie,
God hath commaunded me to daye
Sacrifice, this is no naye,314
To make yt of thy bodye.
Isaake
Is yt Godes will I shalbe slayne?316
Abraham
Yea, sonne, it is not for to leane;317
To his byddinge I wilbe bayne,
And ever to hym pleasinge.
But that I doe this dilfull deede,
My Lorde will not quite me in my nede.
Isaake
Marye, father, God forbydde,322
But you doe your offeringe!
Father, at whom your sonnes you shall fynde,
That you moste love by course of kinde:
Be I ouste out of your mynde,
Your sorowe maie sone seace;
But yeat you muste do Godes byddinge.328
Father, tell my mother for no thinge.
Here Abraham wrynges his handes, and saith:
Abraham
For sorowe I maie my handes wringe,331
Thy mother I can not please.
Ho! Tsaake, Tsaake, blessed muste thou be!
Allmoste my witte I lose for thee;
The blood of thy bodye so freey
I am full lothe to sheede.

Here Isaake askinge his father blessinge one his knyes, and saith


Isaake
Father, seinge you muste nedes doe soe,337
Let it passe lightlie, and over goe;
Kneelinge on my kneeyes towe,
Your blessinge on me spreade.
Father, I praye you hyde my eyne,
That I see not the sorde so keyne;
You[r] strocke, father, woulde I not see,343
Leste I againste yt grylle.
Abraham
My deare sonne Isaake, speake no more,345
Thy wordes makes my harte full sore.
Isaake
O deare father, wherefore! wherfore!347
Seinge I muste nedes be dead,
Of on thinge I will you praie,
Seithen I muste dye the death to daie,
As fewe strockes you well maie,
When you smyte of my heade.
Abraham
Thy meeknes, childe, makes me aftraye;353
My songe maye be wayle-a-waie.
Isaake
Dere father, doe awaye, do awaye355
Your makeinge so moche inone!
Nowe, trewlye, father, this talkinge
Dotli but make longe taryeinge.
I praye you, come and make endinge,
And let me hense be gone.

Here Isaake riseth and cometh to his father, and he taketh hym and byndeth and laieth hym upon the lter to sacrifice hym, and saith:


Abraham
Come neither, my childe, thou arte soe sweete,361
Thou muste be bounde both hande and foote.
Isaake
Father, we muste no more mete,363
Be oughte that I maie see;
But doe with me then as you will,
I muste obaye, and that is skille,
Grodes commaundinente to fulfill,
For nedes soe must yt be.
Upon the porpose that you have sette you,369
For south, father, I will not let you,
But ever more to you bowe,
While that ever I maie.
Father, greete well my brethren yonge,
And praye my mother of her blessinge,
I come noe more under her wynge,375
Fare well for ever and aye;
But, father, I crye you mercye,
For all that ever I have trespassed to thee,
Forgeven, father, that it maye be
Untell domesdaie.
Abraham
My deare sonne, let be thy mones!381
My childe, thou greves me ever ones;
Blessed be thou bodye and bones,
And I forge ve thee heare!
Nowe, my deere sonne, here shalt thou lye,
Unto my worke nowe muste I hie j
I hade as leeve my selfe to die,387
As thou, my deare darlinge.
Isaake
Father, if you be to me kinde,389
Aboute my head a carschaffe bynde,
And let me lightlie out of your mynde,
And sone that I were speede.

Here Abraham doth kisse his sonne Isaake, and byndes a charsehaffe aboute his heade.


Abraham
Fare well, my sweete sonne of grace!393
Here let Isaake kneele downe and speake.
Isaake
I praye you, father, torne downe my face395
A littill, while you have space,
For I am full sore adreade.
Abraham
To doe this deed I am sorye.398
Isaake
Yea, Lorde, to thee I call and crye,399
Of my soule thou have mercye,
Hartelye I thee praie!
Abraham
Lorde, I woulde fayne worke thy will,402
This yonge innocente that lieth so still
Full loth were me hym to kille,
By anye maner a waye.
Isaake
My deare father, I thee praye,406
Let me take my clothes awaie,
For sheedinge blude on them to daye
At my laste endinge.
Abraham
Harte, yf thou wouldeste borste in three,410
Thou shalte never master me;
I will no longer let for thee,
My God, I maye not greeve.
Isaake
A! mercye, father, why tarye you soe I414
Smyte of my head and let me goe.
I praye ryde me of my woe,
For nowe I take my leve.
Abraham
Ah, sonne! my harte will breake in three,418
To heare thee speake such wordes to me.
Jesu on me! thou have pittye
That I have moste in mynde.
Isaake
Nowe, father, I see that I shall dye:422
Almightie god in magistie!
My soule I offer unto thee;
Lorde, to yt be kinde.
Here let Abraham take and bynde his sonne lsaake upon the alter;
let hym make a signe as though he woulde cut of his head with
his sorde; then let the angell come and take the sworde by
the end and staie it, sainge:
Angellus
Abraham, my servante dere.430
Abraham
Loe, Lorde, I am all readye here!431
Angellus
Laye not thy sworde in noe manere432
On I sake, thy deare darlinge;
And do to hym no anoye.
For thon dredes God, well wote I,
That of thy sonne has no mercye,
To fulfill his byddinge.
Secundus Angellus
And for hys byddinge thou dose aye,438
And spareste nether for feare nor fraye,
To doe thy sonne to death to daie,
I sake, to thee full deare:
Therfore, God bathe sente by me, in faye!
A lambe, that is bouth good and gaye,
To have hym righte here.444
Abraham
Ah! Lorde of heaven, and kinge of blesse,445
Thy byddinge shalbe done, i-wysse!
Sacrafice sente me here is,
And all, Lorde, through thy grace.
A horned weither here I see,
Amonge the breyers tyed is he,
To thee offred shall he be,451
Anon righte in this place.
Then let Abraham take the lambe andkille hym, and let God saie:
God
Abraham, by my selfe I sweare,454
For thou haste bene obediente ever,
And spared not thy sonne to teare
To fulfill my byddinge,
Thou slialbe blessed, that pleased me,
Thy seed I shall so multiplie,
As starres and sande so manye heigh I,460
Of thy bodye cominge.
Of enemyes thou shalte have power,
And of thy bloode also in feare,
Thou haste bene meke and bonere,
And do as I thee bade;
And of all nacions, leve thou me,466
Blessed ever more shall thou be,
Through frute that shall come of thee,
And saved be through thy seede.
Expositor
Lordinges, this significacioun470
Of this deed of devocion,
And you will you witten mone,
Maye torne you to moche good.
This deed you see done here in this place,
An exsample of Jesu done it was,
That for to wyne mankindes grace476
Was sacrifised on the roode.
By Abraham, I maie understande
The father of heaven that can founde
With his sonnes bloode to breake that bande,
That the devill had broughte us to.
By Isaake, I maie understande482
Jesu, that was obedient aye,
His fathers will to worke alwaie,
And death for to confounde.
Here let the docter knele downe, and saie:
Suche obedience grante us, Lorde!
Ever to thy moste holye worde,488
That in the same we maie accorde
As this Abraham was bayne;
Then al togaither shall we
That worthy kinge in heaven see,
And dwell with hym in greate glorye,
For ever and ever, amen.494
Here the messinger maketh an ende.
Make rombe, lordinges, and geve us waye,
And let Balacke come in and plaie,
And Balame that well can saie
To tell you of prophescie.
That Lorde that died on Good Frydaie,500
He save you all bouth nighte and daie!
Fare well, my lordinges; I goe my waie,
I maye no longer abyde.

Finis. Deo gr alias! per me, Georgi Bellin. 1592.


Come, Lorde Jesu, come quicklye. Anno 1592.


The Cappers and Lynnan Drapers PlayeContents

Incipit pagina quinta de Moyses et de lege sibi data.


Deus ad Moysen
Moyses, my servante leiffe and deare,1
And all my people that bene heare,
Ye wotten, in Egipte when you were,
Out of thraldome I you broughte;
I will you have no God but me,
No false godes non make ye;
My name in vayne nam not ye,7
For that liketh me naughte.
I will you houlde your holye daye,
And worshipe yt eke alwaie,
Father and mother, all that you maie,
And sleaye no man no where.
Fornicacion you shall fleye;13
No mens goodes steale ye;
Nor in no place leinge nor be
False wittnesse for to beare;
Your neightbours wyfe desyer you not,
Servante nor good that he hath boughte,
Oxe ner asse, in deede nor thoughte,19
Nor nothinge that is his;
Nor wrongfullye to have his thinge
Againste his love or his likinge;
In all thes doe my byddinge,
That you doe not amisse.
Moyses
Good Lorde, that arte ever so good,25
I will fulfill with mylde mode
Thy commaundment, for I stode
To heare thee nowe full still.
Foretye dayes nowe fasted have I,
That I mighte be the more whorthye
To learne this tocken trewlye;31
Nowe will I worke thy will.

Tunc Moyses in monte dicat populo:


Godes folke, dread you naughte,
To prove that God hath us wroughte;
Thinke thes wordes in your thoughte;
Nowe knowe you what is synne.
By this sighte nowe ye maie see37
That he is pearles of postie;
Therfore, this tocken loke doe ye,
Therof that ye ne blyne.
Docter
Lordinges, this commaundmente41
Was the firste lawe that ever God sente;
Tenne poyntes their bene that takes intente,
That moste effecte is in;
But all that storye for to fonge,
To plaie this month it were to longe,
Therfore, moste frutfull ever amonge,47
Shortlye we shall menne.
After we reden on this storye,
That in this mounte of Synaye,
God gave the lawe witterlye,
Wrytten with his hande.
In stonnye tables, as red we,53
Before men honoured mamentrye,
Moyses brake them hastelye,
For that he woulde not wonne;
But after, played as you shall see,
Other tables out carved he,
Which God bade wrytten shoulde be,59
The wordes he sayde before;
The which tables shryned were
After, as God can Moyses leare,
And that shryne to hym was deare,
Therafter ever more.

Then God appeared again to Moyses


Deus
Moyses, my servante, goe anon,65
And carve out of the rocke of stonne
Tables to wryte my byddinge one,
Such as thou had before:
And in the morninge loke thou hie
Unto the mounte of Synaye;
Let no man wotte, but thou onlye,71
Of companye no more.
Moyses
Lorde, thy byddinge shalbe donno,73
And tables carved out full sone;
But tell me, I praye thee,
What wordes I shall wryte.
Deus
Thou shalte wrytte the same lore77
That in the tables was before,
Yt shalbe kepte for ever more,
For that is my delite.

Tunc Moyses faciet signum, quasi effoderet tabulas de monte, et super ipsas scribens dicat populo, et dicat:


Moyses
Godes people of Isarell,81
Harcken all unto my spell,
God bade you shoulde kepe well
This that I shall saie;
Sixe daies bodelye worke all,
The seventh Sabaoth ye shall call,
That daie, for oughte that maie befall,87
Hallowed shalbe for ever.
Whoe doth not this, dye shall he,89
In howses for ever shall no man se.
Firste frutes to God offer ye,
For hym selfe byde,
Purple and kyse bouth towe,
To hym that shall save you from wo,
And helpe you in your nede.95

Tunc descendet de monte, et veniet rex Balacke equitando juxta montem, et dicat Balacke Rex


Balacke Rex
I, Balacke, kinge of Mobe lande,96
All Isarell and I hande in hande;
I am so wroth, I woulde not wonne,
To slea them everye wighte.
For ther God helpes them so stowtlye,
Of other landes to have maisterye,
That yt is boutles witterlye102
Againste them for to feighte.
What nacion doth them anoye,
Moyses prayeth anon in hie,
Then have the ever the victorye,
And their enemyes the worste;
Therfore I will wrocken me,108
I am bethoughte, as mote I thee,
Balaaham shall come to me,
That people for to curse. fluryshe
No sworde nor knife maye not avayle,112
That same people for to assayle;
He that foundes to feighte shall fayle, Caste up
For sicker it is no boute.
All nacions the doe anoye,
And my folke comen to destroye,
As oxe that draweth beselye118
The grasse righte to the roote.
Who so ever Balaaham blesses, i-wysse,
Blessed that man southlye is;
Who so ever he curses fareth arnesse,
Such nam over all hath he.
But yet I truste venged to be,124
With dente of sworde or polesye;
One these false losscilles, leves ye,
Leve this withouten doute.
For to be wrocken is my desyer,
My harte bornes as hotte as fier
For vervente anger and for ire,130
Tell this be broughte aboute.

Surgite, del patrii, el opitulamini nobis, el in necessitate nos defendite.


Therfore, my god and godes all,132
O mightie Marse, on thee I call,
With all the powers infernall,
Rise nowe and helpe at nede.
I am reformed by trewe reporte,
Howe the meditators doth resorte
To wyne my love to their comforte,138
Descended of Jacobes seede.
Nowe shewe your powers, you godes almightie,140
So that the caytifFes I maie destroye,
Havinge of them full victorye,
And them broughte to mysschaunce.
Beate tliem downe in plaine battill, Sworde
Thoes false losselles so cruell,
That all the worlde maie here tell146
We take one them vengance.
Out of Egipte flede the be,148
And passed through the Rede Sea,
The Egiptians that them pursued trewlye
Were drowned in that same flude:
The have on God mickell of mighte,
Which them doth ayde in wronge or righte,
Who so ever foundeth with them to feighte,154
He wynneth littill good.
The have sleayne, this wote I well,156
Through helpe of God of Isarell,
Bouth Seon and Ogge, kinges so fell,
And playnlye them destroyed.
Therfore rise up, you godes ichone,
Ye be a hundreth godes for one:
I woulde be wrocken them upon,162
For all their pompe and pride:
Therfore, goe fatch in, Batcheler,
That he maye curse this people here,
For suerlye on them in no manner
Maye we not wrocken be.
Miles regis Balacke
Sir, on your errande will I gone,168
That yt shalbe done anon,
And he shall wreke you on your fonne
The people of Isarell.
Rex Balacke
Yea, loke thou hette hym goulde greate one,172
And landes for to leive upon,
To destroye them as he can,
Thes freckes that bene so fell.

Tunc miles regis Balacke ibit ad Balaaham, el dicat:


Miles
Balaham, my lorde greetes well thee,176
And prayeth at hym sone to be,
To curse the people of Judye,
That done hym greate anoye.
Balaham
Abyde a whyle ther, Batchelere,180
For I maye have no power,
But if Godes will were,
And that shall I wytte in hye.

Tunc ibit Balam ad consulendum Dominum in oracione.


Balaaham praieth to God on his kneeyes.


Sedentes dicat Deus
Balaham, I commaunde thee,184
Kinge Balackes byddinge for to fleye,
That people that blessed is of me,
Curse thou not by no waie.
Balaham
Lorde, I muste doe thy byddinge,188
Though yt be to me unlikinge,
For therby moch woninge
I mighte a hade to daie.
Deus
Yet though Balacke be my foe,192
Thou shalte have leve theider to goe;
But loke thou doe righte soe,
As I have thee taughte.
Balaham
Lorde, it shalbe donne in highte:196
This asse shall beare me righte.
Goe we togeither anon, sir knighte,
For leave nowe have I caughte.

Tunc Balaham et miles equitabunt simul, et dicat:


Balaham
Knighte, by my lawe that I leve one,200
Nowe I have leve for to gone,
Cursed the shalbe everye ichone,
And I oughte wyne maye.
Houlde the kinge that he beheighte,
Godes hoste I will sette at lighte,
Warryed the shalbe this nighte,206
Or that I wende awaie.
Miles
Balaham, doe my Lordes will,208
And of goulde thou shall have thy fill:
Spare thou not that folke to spille,
And spurne their Godes speche.
Balaham
Frende, I have goodes wounder fell,212
Bouth RufFyn and Raynell
Will worke righte, as I them tell,
Their is no wyle to seeke.

Tunc Balaham ascendet super asinam, et cum milite equiiabit, et in obviam veniet angelus Domini cum gladio extracto, et asina vidit ipsum etnon Balaham, ad terram prostrata jacebit, et dicat:


Balaham
Goe fourth, burnell, goe fourth, goe!216
What the devill! my asse will not goe!
Served shee me never so,
What sorowe soe ever yt ys:
What the devill, nowe is shee fallne downe!
But nowe rise, and make thee bowne,
And beare me sone out of this towne,222
Thou shalte abye, i-wysse.

Tunc percutiet Balaham asinam suam, et nota quod hic oportet aliquis transformari in speciem asine, et quando Balaham percutit dicat asina:


The Asse [s]peaketh
Maister, thou doste eville sickerlye,224
So good an asse as me to nye:
Nowe haste thou beaten me heare thrye,
That bare thee thus aboute.
Balaham
Burnell, why begileste thou me,228
When I have moste nede of thee?
Asina
That sighte that before me I see230
Maketh me downe to lowte:
Am not I, master, thyn owne asse,
To beare thee wheither thou wylte passe,
And manye wynters readye was?
To smyte me yt is shame.
Thou wotteste well, master, pardye,236
Thou hadeste non never like to me,
Ne never yet so serveid I thee:
Nowe am I not to blame.

Tunc videns Balaham angelum evaginatum gladium habentem, adoraiis ipsum dicat Balaham:


Balaham shall falle sodenlye, and speake to the angell:


Balaham
A! Lorde, to thee I make avowe240
I hade no sighte of thee or nowe:
Littill wiste I that it was thou
That feared my asse soe.
Angellus
Why haste thou beaten thy asse, why?244
Nowe am I comen thee to nye,
That changed thy purpose so falslye,
And nowe woulde be my foe.
Yf this asse hade not downe gone,
I woulde have slayne thee heare anon.
Balaham
Lorde, have pittye me uppon,250
For synned I have sore.
Lorde, ys yt thy will that I fourth gone I
Angellus
Yea, but loke thou doe that folke noe woe,253
Other wayes then God bade thee doe,
And saide to thee before.

Tunc Balaham et miles equitabunt simul, et in obviam veniet rex Balacke, et dicat rex:


Balacke Rex
Ah! welckome, Balaham, my frende,256
For all my anger thou shalte ende,
Yf that thy wilbe to wende,
And wreake me of my foe.
Balaham
Naughte maye I speake, as I have wyne,260
But as God putteth me within,
To forby all the eude of my kyne;
Therfore, sir, me is woe.
Balacke Rex
Come fourth, Balaham, come with me,264
For on this hill, so mote I thee!
The folke of Isarell shalte thou see,
And curse them, I thee praye.
Goulde and seilver and eke pearle
Thou shalte have greate pleintie,
To curse them, that it sone maie be,270
All that thou saide to daie.

Tunc Balacke descendit de equo, et Balaham de asina, et ascendent in montem, et dicat Balacke rex:


Balacke Rex
Loe, Balaham, thou seeiste heare272
Godes people all in feare,
Cittie, castill, and reiver:
Loke nowe, howe likeste thee?
Curse them nowe at my prayer,
As thou wilbe to me full deare,
And in my relme moste of power,278
And greateste under me.

Tunc Balaham versus austrum dicat:


Balaham
Howe maye I curse here in this place280
That people that God blessed base?
In them is bouth mighte and grace,
And that is ever well seene:
Wyttnes maye I none beare
Againste God that them can weare,
His people that no man maye deare.286
Nor troble with no teene.
I saye thes folke shall have their will,288
That no nacion shall them grylle;
The goodnes that the shall fulfill
Nombred maye not be.
Ther God shall them kepe and save,
And other raproffe shall the non have;
But suche death as the shall have,294
I praye God sende to me.
Balacke Rex
What a devill ayles thee, thou popularde!296
Thy speache is not worth a farte;
Dotted I hope that thou arte,
For maddlye thou haste wroughte.
I bade thee curse them everye ichone,
And thou blesses them bloode and bone!
To this north syde thou shalte gone,302
For heare thy deede is naughte.

Tunc Balacke rex adducet Balaham ad borealem partem montis, et dicat alia voce:


Balaham
Lorde! that here is ffayer woninge,304
Halles, chambers, greate likinge,
Valleyes, woodes, grasse growinge,
Fayer yarde and eke reiver!
I wotte well that God made all this,
His folke to live in joye and blesse,
That curses them cursced he ys,310
Whoe blesseth them to God is deare.
Balacke Rex
Thou preaches as populard as a pie;312
The devell of hell thee destroye!
I bade thee curse my enemye,
Therfore thou came to me;
Nowe haste thou blessed them heare thrye,
For the meanes me to anoye.
Balaham
Sir kinge, I toulde thee ere so thrye,318
I mighte no other doe.
Nowe one thinge I will tell you all,
Heare after what shal befall:
A steier of Jacobe springe shall,
A man of Isarell,
That shall overcome and have in bande324
All kinges and duckes of strange lande,
And all this worlde have in his hande,
As lorde to dighte and deale.
Goe we hense, is no boute
Longer with this man to mote;
For God is bouth crape and roote,330
And Lorde of heaven and eairth.
Nowe se I well no man on live,
Againste him no man is able to strive;
Theirfore here is a mote thrie,
I will no longer dwell.

Heare Balaham speaketh to Balacke Rex


Balaham
Balacke, kinge, abyde a whyle;336
I have imagened a marvelous wyle,
Thy enemyes howe thou shalte begile,
My counscell if thou take:
Ther maye no pestelence them dismaye,
Neither battill them afraye,
Pleintifull the shalbe aye342
Of goulde, cattill, and corne.
Ther God of them taketh the cure
From passion that lie maketh them suer.
Them to preserve in greate pleasuer,
As he before hade sworne.
Ye shall not them destroye for aye,348
But for a tyme vexe them you maye;
Marke well what I shall saye,
And worke after my lore.
Sencle fourth wemen of thy countrye,
Namelye those that bewtifful be,
Unto thy enemyes let them stande nye,354
As stalles to stande [them] before.
When the yonge, that lustye be,
Have perceived their greate bewtye,
The shall desyer their companye,
Love shall them so inflame.
Then when the se the have them suer360
In ther love, withouten cure,
The shall denye them their pleasuer,
Excepte the grante the same,
To love their greate solempenitie,
And worshipe their godes of trenetie,
And other thinges comenlye366
With other people to use.
So shall the their God displease.
And torne them selves to greate deseaes:
Then maie thou have thy hartes ease,
Their lawe when the reffuce.
Balacke
Balaham, thy counscell I shall fulfill,372
It shalbe donne righte as thou will.
Come nere, my knighte, that well can skill
My messuage to fulfill.
Goe thou fourth, thou valian[t] knighte,
Loke thou ney stoppe daie ner nighte,
Bringe thoes women to my sighte,378
That shall my enemyes destroye.
Spare thou neither riche nor poore,
Wydowe, mayde, nor yet hore;
Yf shee be freshe of collor,
Bringe her with thee, I saie.
Miles
My lorde, I shall hie faste384
To do your will in goodlye haste;
Truste ye well, at the laste,
Your enemyes you shall dismaye.
The doctor speaketh
Lordes and ladyes that bene presente,388
This messenger that fourth was sente,
As ye have harde of that intente,
Thes wemen for to bringe,
So crafelye he hath wroughte,
The fayereste women he hath out soughte,
And Godes people he hath them broughte,394
God knowes, a parlous thinge!
For when the had of them a sighte,396
Manye of them againste righte
Gave them selves againste their mighte
These wemen for to please;
And then sone to them the wente,
To have their love was their intente,
Desieringe thoes wemen of their consente,402
And so to live in peace.
But thoes wemen them denyed,
Their lawe the saide it shoulde be tryed,
With their mighte not elles abyde,
For feare of greate deceate.
Thes blynde people sware manye an othe,408
That nether for leiffe nor for loth,
At anye tyme, the woulde have the wroth,
Nor never againste them pleade.
So by these women so full of iluscion,
Godes people were put to effuscion,
And his displeasuer in concluscion,414
His lawe the sete at naughte.
God to Moyses, leve you me,416
Byde hym sette up a gallos tree,
The princes of the tribe their hanged to be,
For syn that the hade wroughte.
With that Moyses sore greved
And generallye he them reproved:
Therfore the woulde have hym mischeffed,422
But God did hym defende;
For the good people that tendred the lawe,
When the that greate messcheife sawe,
Whollye togeither the cane them drawe
Upon those wreches to make an ende.
And one Phenes, a yonge man devoute,428
Captayne he was of that same rowte,
And of these wreches, without all dowte,
xxiiij. thousande he slewe:
And then God was well contente
With Phenes, for his good intente,
As the prophette wryteth veramente,434
And here we shall it shewe.

Stetit Phenies, et precavit, et cessavit quassatio, et reputatum est ad justiciam in generacione sua.


Sonne after, by Godes commaundmente,
To the Midianities againe the wente,
And their the slewe veramente
Balaham with five giauntes moe.
Lordinges, moche more matter,440
Then in this storye you have harde freey,
But the substance withouten were
Is plaied you before.
And by this prophescie, leve you me,
Three kinges, as you shall plaied see,
Honoured, at his nativitie,446
Christe, when he was borne.
Nowe, worthy sires, both greate and small,448
Here have we shewed you this storye before,
And yf it be pleasinge to you all,
To morowe nexte you shall have more.
Prainge you all, bouth este and weste,
Wher as ye goe, to speake the beste,
The birth of Christe faire and honeste454
Here shall ye se, and fare you well.

Finis. Deo gracias! per me, Georgi Bellin.


Come, Lorde Jesu, come quicklye. 1592.


The Wryghtes and Sklaters PlaieContents

Pagina sexta de salutacione et nativitate salvatoris Jesu Christi.


Gabriell
Heale be thou, Marye, mother ffree,1
Full of grace, God is with thee,
Amonge all wemen blessed thou be,
And the frute of thy bodye.
Maria
Ah, Lorde, that sittes highe in see,5
That wounderouslye nowe marvailes me,
A symple mayden of my degreey
Be grete this graciouslye.
Gabriell
Marye, ney dreed thee naughte this casse;9
With greate God founde thou haste
Amonge all wemen especiall grace:
Therfore, Marye, thou mone
Conseave and beare, I tell thee,
A childe, his name Jesus shalbe,
So greate shalbe never non as he,15
And called Godes sonne.
And our Lorde God, leve thou me,17
Shall geve hym David his fathers see,
In Jacobes howse raigne shall he,
With full mighte ever more.
And he that shalbe borne of thee,
Endlesse liffe in hym shalbe,
That suche renowne and royalltye23
Hade never non before.
Maria
Howe maye this be? thou arte so brighte,25
In synne knewe I no worldlye wighte.
Gabriell
The Holye Ghoste shall in thee lighte27
From God in magistie,
And shadowe thee seemlye in sighte;
Theirfore that holye, as I have teighte,
That thou shalte beare, through Godes mighte,
His sonne shall called be.
Elizabeth, that barren was,33
As thou maie se, conseaveid has
In age a sonne through Godes grace;
The keydell shalbe of blysse.
The seixte month is gone nowe againe
Seith men called her barene,
But nothinge to Godes mighte and mayne39
Impossible ys.
Maria
Nowe seith that God will yt be so,41
And suche a grace hath sente to me,
Blessed ever more be he!
To pleaise hym I am paide.
Loe! Godes cossen meklye here,
And Lorde God, prince of power,
Leve that yt falle in such manere,47
This worde that thou haste saide.

Tunc ibit angelus, et Maria salutabit Elizabeth:


Elizabeth, nice God thee see!
Elizabeth
Marye, blessed moste thou be,50
And the frute that comes of thee
Amonge wemen all.
Wonderlye nowe marvailes me,
That Marye, Godes mother freye,
Greetes me this of symple degreey.
Lorde, howe maie that befalle?56
When thou me greeteste, sweete Marye,57
The childe stored in my bodye,
For greate joye of thy companye,
And the frute that is in thee.
Blessed be thou ever for-thy,
That leived so well and steadfastlye!
For that was saide to thee, ladye,63
Fullfilled and done shalbe.

Maria gaudens incipit canticum Magnijicate, et dicat Maria


Maria
Elizabeth, theirfore will I65
Thanke the Lorde, kinge of mercye,
With joyfull meirth and melodye,
And lawde to his lekinge.
Magnijicate while I have to me,
Anima mei, domine,
To Christe that in my kinde is come,71
Devoutlye I will singe.
Et exultamt spiritus meus in Deo;
And for my ghoste joyed haste
In God, my heale and all my grace,
For meknes he se in me was
His feare in manye degree.77
Therfore blesse me well maie78
All generacions for aye,
Moche hase that Lorde donne for me,
That moste is in his magistie,
All princes he passes in postie,
As sheweth wel by this;
Theirfore with full harte and freey,84
His name allwaye hallowed be,
And honoured allwaie ever more be he,
And highe in heaven blisse.
Moche hase God done for me to daie,88
His name aye hallowed be aye,
As he is bounde to do mercye,
From progenye to progenye,
And all that dreaden hym verelye,
His tallente to fulfill.
He through his mighte gave maisterye,94
Dispersces prowde did pitiouslye,
With mighte of his harte hastelye,
At his owine will;
Disposeith mightie out of place,
And meeke also he hansced has,
Hongarye, nedye, wantinge grace,100
With good he hath fulfilled.
That riche power he hath forsaken,102
To Isarell his sonne he hath betacken,
Wayle to man through hym is wacken,
And mercye has of his owine,
As he spake to our fathers before,
Abraham and his seede for yore;
Joye to the Father evermore,108
The Sonne and the Hollye Ghoste,
As was from the begininge,
And never shall have endinjre.
From worlde to worlde aye weildinge,
Amen! God of mighte moste.
Elizabeth
Marye, I rede no we that we gone114
To Josephe thy husbande anon,
Leste he to messe thee make mone,
For nowe that is moste neede.
Maria
Elizabeth, nice, to doe so good ys,118
Leste he suppose on me amysse;
But the Good Lorde that hath ordeyned this,
Will wyttnes of my deede.
Elizabeth
Josephe, God thee save and see!122
Thy wife I have broughte to thee.
Josephe
Alas! alas! and woes me!124
Who hase made her with childe
Well I wiste an oulde man and a maye
Mighte not accorde by noe waye;
Nor manye wynters mighte I not plaie,
Ner worcke no worckes wilde.
Three monthes shee hase bene from me,130
Nowe hase shee gotten here, as I see,
A greate bellye like to thee,
Since shee wente awaie;
And myne it is not, be thou boulde,
For I am bouth oulde and coulde;
These thirtie wynters, thoughe I woulde,136
I mighte not plea no leaie.
Alas! where mighte I lenge or lende!138
For loth is me my wife to shende,
Therfore from her will I wende
Into some other place.
For to discreve her will I naughte,
Fowlye though shee have wroughte,
To leave her prevelye is my thoughte,144
That no man knowe this case:
God lette never an oulde man
Take hym a yonge woman,
Nay sette his harte her uppon,
Leste he besrilede be.
For accorde their maye be non,150
Nor the maye never be at one;
And that is seene in manye a one,
As well as one me.
Therfore when I have slepte a while,154
My wife that can me thus begyle,
For I will goe from her, for her to file
Me is loth in good faye.
This case makes me so heavye,
That nedes slepe nowe muste I:—
Lorde, on her thou have mercie,160
For her misdeede to daie.
Angellus
Josephe, lette be thy feible thoughte,162
Take Marye, thy wife, and dreed the naughte,
For wickedlye shee hath not wroughte,
But this is Godes will.
The childe that shee shall beare, i-wysse,
Of the Holye Ghoste begotten is,
To save mankinde that did amisse,168
And prophescie to fullfill.
Josephe
A! nowe I wotte, Lorde, yt is soe,170
I will no man be her foe,
But while I maie on earth goe
With her I wilbe;
Nowe Christe is in our kinde lighte,
As the prophescye before heighte.
Lorde God, moste of mighte,176
Withe wayle I worshippe thee.
Nuntius
Make rombe, lordinges, and geve us waie,178
And lette Octavian come and plaie,
And Syble the Sage, that well fayer maye
To tell you of prophescye:
That Lorde that died on Good Frydaie,
He save you all bouth nighte and daye.
Fare well, lordinges, I goe my waye,184
I maye noe longer abyde.
Octavyan
I proveid prince, moste of postie,186
Under heaven higheste am I,
Fayereste food to feighte in fere,
Noe frecke my fface maye fleye.
All this worlde withouten were,
Kinge, prince, baren, bachelere,
I maye destroye in greate dangere,192
Through vertue of my degreey.
My name Octavyan called ys,194
All me aboute full in my blysse,
For whollye all this worlde, i-wysse,
Is readye at my owine wille.
Noe man one live dare doe amisse
Againste me, I tell you this:
Maye no man saye that oughte is his,200
But my leave be theirtill.
For I halffe multiplied more202
The cittye of Rome, seith I was bore,
Then ever did anye me before,
Seith I hade this kingdom;
For what with strockes and strengths sore,
Leadinge lordshippes lovelye lore,
All this worlde nowe hase bene yore208
Tributarye unto Rome.
Segurrs tous se asmeles210
Jeo posse fay re lerment et leez
A mes probes estates et mete in langore
Tous se prest me fortes
De fay ere intentes movelentes
Car Jesu soyavorayn bensages
Et demaunde emperower216
Jeo si persone mile seable Jeosu tent fayer
Et leabele entransorce me creaca
Meas detole plerunte destrette et sage
Saen comecch amie ondem et ou pusell
Declaan sanke et mater frayle un
Tellnest pace um.
222
Kinge, coysell, clarke, or kinge,223
Soundens solitaryes in sighte;
Princes, prese here nowe dighte,
And presente in this place:
Peace, or heare my truth i-plighte,
I am the manlieste man of mighte,
Takes mynde of my mase.229
All lordes in lande be at my likinge
Castill, conquerowre, and kinge,
liayne be to my byddinge,
It will non other be.
Righte I thinke, so moste it be,234
For all the worlde dose my willinge,
And bayne when I byde bringe
Homage and feoalitie.
Seithen I was lorde, withouten lesse,
With my witte I can more increasse
The empier hier then ever it was,240
As all this worlde it wiste.
Since I was soveraigne warre cleane can cease,242
And through this worlde nowe is peace,
For so dreade a ducke sate never one dese
In Rome, that you maie truste;
Therfore as lorde nowe likes me,
To prove my mighte and my postie,
For I will sende aboute and see248
Howe manye heades I have.
All the worlde shall wrytten be,250
Greate and small in eiche degreey,
That dwell in shier or in cittie,
Kinge, clarke, knighte, and knave.
Eich man on pennye shall paie;
Therfore, my bedell, doe as I saye.
In medeste the worlde by anye waie,256
This gammon shal begyne;
The folke of Jewes in good faye
In medeste bene, that is no naye,
Therfore theider daye by daie,
And traville or thou blyne.
Warne hym that their is presedente,262
That this is fullye myne intente,
That eich man appeare presente
His pennye for to paye.
And by that penye, as well apente,
Knowledge to be obediente,
To come by geiste of such a rente,268
From that tyme after ever.
When this is done this in Judye,270
That in the medeste of the worlde shalbe,
To eiche lande, shier, and cittie,
To Rome make them so thralle.
Warne them, boye, I comaunde thee,
The doe the same, saye this from me,
So all this worlde shall witte that we276
Bene soveraigne of them all.
Have done, boye, arte thou not bowne?
Preco
All readye, my lorde, by Mahounde,279
No tayles tuppe in all this towne
Shall goe further without fayle.
Octavian
Boy therfore, by my crowne,282
Thow muste have thy warrysoun.
The highest horse besydes (B)[r]oughton
Take thow for thy travell.
Preco
Graunt mercye, lord, perdye,286
This hackney will well serve mee,
For a great lord of your degree
Should ryde in such araye.
The bine hye in dignitye,
And alsoe high and swifte is hee;
Therefore that reverans takes yee,292
My deare lord, I you praye.
But your arrand shalbe donne anone,294
First into Judye I will gone,
And sommon the people, everychone,
Both shire and eke cyttye.
Octavian
Boye, their be ladyes manye a one,298
Amonge them all chouse thee one
Take the faiereste, or elles non,
And freelye I geve her thee.
Primus Senator
From my lorde Octavyan we be sente,302
From all Rome with good intente,
Thy men their have iche on i-mente
As God to honour thee.
And to that poynte we be sente,
Poore and riche in parlimente,
For so loved a lorde veramente308
Was never in this cittie.
Secundus Senator
Yea, seicker sir, their will is this,310
To honoure thee as God with blesse;
For thou did never to them amisse,
In worde, thoughte, ner deede.
Peace hath bene longe, and yet is,
Noe man in thy tyme loste oughte of his;
Therfore their will is so, i-wisse,316
To quitte you this your meede.
Octavian
Welekome, my frendes, in good faye!318
For you be welekome to my paie;
I thanke you all that ever I maie
The homage ye doe to me;
But follye it were, by manye a waye,
Suche soveraigntye for to assaie,
Seinge I muste dye I wote not what daie324
To desyer suche dignitie.
For all the fleshe, bloode, and bone,
Man I am borne of a woman,
And siccker other matter non
Sheweth not righte in me:
Nether of iron, tree, nor stone,330
Am I not wroughte, ye wotte eichone,
And of my liffe moste parte is gone.
Age sheweth hym soe, I see;333
And godheade askes in all thinge
Tyme that hath no begininge,
Ne never shall have endinge,
And non of thes have I.
Wherfore by vereye proffe shewinge,
Though I be higheste worldlye kinge,339
Of godhead have I noe knowinge;
It were unkinde.
But yeate inquier of this wilbe,342
At her that hath grace for to se
Thinges that afterwarde shalbe,
By ghoste of prophescye.
And after her lawe, by my bewtie,
Disscussinge this difficallitie,
Worcke and take no more on me,348
Then I am well worthye.
Sibell the Sage, tell me this thinge,350
For thou witte haste as no man livinge,
Shall ever be anye eairthlye kinge
To passe me of degreey?
Sybbell
Yea, sir, I tell you without leasinge,354
A barne shalbe borne blesse to bringe,
The which that never hade begininge,
Ner never shall endinge have.
Octavian
Sybbell, I praye thee especiallye,358
By signe thou woulde me certiffye,
What tyme that lorde so royallye
To raigne he shal begyne.
Sybbell
Yea, I shall tell you witterlye,362
His signes when I see verelye;
For when he comes through his mercye,
On mankinde he will mynne:
Well I wotte and south, i-wysse,
That God will bringe mankinde to blesse,
And sende from heaven, leve well this368
His sonne our savyour.
Jesu Christe nothinge ameisse
Called he shalbe and ys,
To overcome the devill and his countise,
And be our conquerower.
But what tyme, sire, in good faye374
That he will come, can I not saye,
Therfore in this place will I praie
To greateste God of mighte:
And yf I see oughte in your paie,
Ghostlye by anye waye
Warne you I shall this daie,380
And shewe yt in your sighte.

Tunc orat Sibbella, et dicatpreco alia voce.


Preco
Peace, I byde, kinge and knighte,382
Men and wemen, and iche wighte,
Tell I have toulde that I have tighte,
Stande stiffe bouth still and stronge;
My lorde Octavian, moche of mighte,
Commaundes you shoulde be readye dighte,
Tribute he will have in heighte388
Of all this worlde aboute.
He will have wrytten eiche cuntreye,390
Castill, shier, and eke cittie,
Men and wemen, leeve you me,
And all that be theirin.
A penye of eich man have will he,
The valewe of tenne pence it shalbe,
To knowledge that he hath soveraigntye396
Fullye of all mankinde.
Joseph
A! Lorde, what doth this man nowe heare!398
Poore mens weale is ever in were:
I wotte, by this bolsters beare,
That tribute I muste paye;
And for greate age and no power
I wane no good this seven yeaire,
Nowe comes the kinges messingere,404
To gette all that he maye.
With this axe that I beare,406
This perscer and this nagere,
A hamer all in feare,
I have wonnan my meate.
Castill, tower, ne manere,
Had I never in my power;
But, as a symple carpentere,412
With thes what I mighte gette.
Yf I have store nowe anye thinge,414
That muste I paye unto the kinge,
But yet I have a likinge,
The angell to me toulde;
He that man out of balle bringe,
My wife hade in her kepinge,
That seemes all good to my likinge,420
And makes me more boulde.
A! leifle sir, tell me, I thee praye,422
Shall poore as well as riche paye?
By my faye! sire, I hope naye,
That were a woundrous wronge.
Preco
Good man, I warne thee, in good faye,426
To Bethlem to take the waye,
Leste thou in danger fall to daye,
Yf thou be to longe.
Josephe
Nowe, seith it may no other be,430
Marie, sister, nowe hye we,
An oxe I will take with me
That their shalbe soulde;
The seilver of hym, so mote I thee!
Shall fynde us in that eittye,
And paye tribute for thee and me,436
For theirto we be houlde.
Maria
A! Lorde, what maye this signifie?438
Some men I see glade and merye,
And some all sickinge and sorye:
Wherfore so ever yt be,
Seith Godes sonne came man to for-bye,
Is comen through his greate mercye,
Me thinke that man should kindlye444
Be glade that sighte to see.
Angellus
Marye, Godes mother deare,446
The tockeninge I shall thee lere,
The comon people, as thou seiste heare,
Are glade, as the well maye,
That the shall see of Abrahames seede
Christe come to helpe them in ther neede,
Wherfore the joye withouten dreed452
For to abyde this daie.
The mourninge men, take this in mynde,
Are Jewes that shalbe put behynde,
For the passeth out of kinde,
Through Christe at his cominge;
For the shall have no grace to knowe458
That God for man shall lighte so loe;
For shame on them that sone shall shooe,
Theirfore the be mourninge.
Josephe
Marie, sister, south to saye,462
Harber I hope gette we non maie,
For greate lordes of stowte araye
Do occupye this plase;
Wherfore we muste, in good faye,
Lie in this stable tell it be daie;
To make men meeke, leeve I maie,468
Shewe hym heare will he.
Maria
Helpe me downe, my leffe fere,470
For I hope my tyme be nere,
Christe in this stable that is here
I hope borne wilbe.

Tunc Josephe accipiet Mariam in brachia sua.


Josephe
Come to me, my sweete deare,474
The treasure of heaven without were;
Welckome in full meke manere
Hym hope I for to see.

Tunc statuet Mariam inter bovem et asinam.


Marie, sister, I will assaie478
To gette towe mydwyffes, yf I maie;
For though in thee be God vereye
A-comen againste kinde;
For usage here of this cittie,
As manners sake as thinkes me,
Towe I will feche anon to thee,484
Yf I maie anye fynde.

Josephe [ad] obstetrices


Wemen, God ye save and see!486
Is it your will to goe with me?
My wife is comen into this cittie
With childe, and tyme is nye;
Helpe her nowe, for charittye!
And be with her tell daie be,
And youer travayle, so mote I thee!492
I shall paie you righte heare.
Tebell
All readye, good man, in good faye,494
We will doe all that ever we maie;
For towe suche myddwifes, I dare saie,
Are not in this cittie.
Salome
Come, good man, leade us the waie:498
With Godes helpe, or it be daye,
That we can good thy wife shall saie,
And that thou shalte well see.
Josephe
Loe! Marye, sweete harte, broughte I have here502
Towe mydwifes, for the manere,
To be with thee, my darlinge deare,
Tell that it be daye.
Maria
Sir, the be welckome withouten were;506
But God will worcke of his power
Full sone for me, my leiffe fere,
As beste is nowe and ever.

Tunc paululum acquiescunt


A! Josephe, tydinges arighte,510
I have a sonne, a sweete wighte,
Lorde, thanked be thou, moche of mighte!
For proved is thy postie.
Paine non I felte this nighte,
But righte so as he in me lighte,
Comen he is here in my sighte,516
Godes sonne, as thou maie see.

Tunc Stella apparebit.


Josephe
Lorde, welckome, sweete Jesu,518
Thy name thou hadeste, or I thee knewe;
Nowe leeve I the angelles wordes trewe
That thou arte a cleane maie;
For thou arte comen mans blesse to brewe,
To all that thy lawe will shewe,
Nowe mans joye begineth to newe,524
And joye to passe awaie.
Maria
Lorde, blessed muste thou be,526
That symple borne arte, as I see!
To prive the devell of his postie,
Comen thou arte to daie;
Fyne clothes is non for thee;
Therfore thy sweete bodye freey
In this crache shall lye with lee,532
And be lapped aboute with haye.
Tebell
A! deare Lorde, heaven kinge,534
That this is a marvelous thinge,
Withouten teene or travelinge,
A fayer sonne shee hase one;
I dare well saye for south, i-wisse,
That cleane mayden this woman is,
For shee hathe borne a childe with blesse,540
So wiste I never non.
Salome
Be stille, Tebell, I thee praie!542
For that is false, in good faye.
Was never woman cleane maye,
And childe withouten man?
But never the latter I will assaye,
Wheither shee be cleane maie,
And knowe it yf I can.548

Tunc Salome tentabit tangere Mariam scpu secreto, et statim arescent manus ejus, et clamando dicat.


Alas! alas! alas! alas!549
Me is betyde a sorye case;
My handes be dryed up in this place,
That feelinge non have I.
Vengance on me nowe is lighte,
For I woulde temp[t]e Godes mighte
Alas! that I cam here to nighte,555
To suffer suche anoye.

Tunc apparet Stella, et veniet angelus dicens ut sequitur.


Angellus
Wemen, beseeke this childe of grace,557
That he forgeve thee thy treaspas,
And ever thou goe out of this place,
Holpen thou shalbe:
This mirackle nowe, that thou seeiste here,
Is of Godes owine power,
To bringe mankinde out of dangere,563
And mende them, leeve thou me.
Salome
A! sweete childe, I aske mercye,565
For thy mothers love, Marye,
Though I have wroughte wrechedlye,
Sweete childe, forgeve it me. —
A! blessed be God,! all wholle am I!
Nowe leve I well and seckerlye,
That God is comen man to for-bye,571
And, Lorde, thou arte he.
Expositor
Lo, lordinges all, of this mirackelle here573
Free Barthelemewe, in good manere,
Beareth wittnes withouten were,
As plaied is you beforne;
Another mirackle, yf I maie,
I shall rehearse, or T goe awaie,
That befell that same daie579
That Jesus Christe was borne.
We reade in cronackles expresse581
Some tyme in Rome a temple was,
Made of suche greate riches
That wounder was witterlie;
For all thinges in it, leve you me,
Was silver, goulde, and riche pearle;
The thirde parte the worlde, as reade we,587
That temple was worthye.
Of eiche provinges that boke mynde mase,589
Their godes image their sette was,
And eicheone aboute his necke base
A seilver belle hanginge;
And one his breste written also
The landes naimes and goodes bouth too,
And sette also in medeste of thoe,595
God of Rome righte as a kinge.
Aboute the howse also meaninge theire597
A man on horse stoode men to steare,
And in his hande he bare a speare,
All pewer dispitiouslye:
That horse and man was made of brasse,
Torninge aboute that image was,
Save certene preistes their mighte non passe603
For devilles fantesye.
But when that anye lande withe battill605
Was readye Rome for to assaile,
The godes I meane withouten fayle
Of that lande range his belle,
And torned his face dispitiouslye
To god of Rome, as rede I,
In tockeninge that their wente readye611
To feightinge freshe and fell.
The image also above standinge,613
When the bell beneath beganne to ringe,
Torninge hym all sharplie shewinge
Towarde that lande his speare:
And when the see this tockeninge,
Rome ordeyned without taryeinge
And oste to kepe their torninge619
Longe or the came their.
And in this maner southlye,621
By arte of negremonscye,
All the worlde witterlye
To Rome were made lowte.
And in that temple their dowtles
Was called theirfore the Temple of Peace,
Through his sleate battill can cease,627
Throughout the worlde aboute.
But he so cuninglye this worcke caste,629
Asked the devill, or he paste,
Howe that temple it shoulde laste
Tha[t] he their can builde.
The devill answered suttellye,
And saide it shoulde laste sickerlye,
Untell a mayden womanlye635
Hade conseaved a childe.
The harde and beleeved theirfore637
Yt shoulde indewer for evermore,
But that tyme that Christe was bore
Yt fell downe sone in hie.
Of which howse is seene this daie,
Somewhat standinge, in good faye,
But no man dare goe that waie643
For feindes fantasye.
That daie was seene veramente645
Three sonnes in the firmamente,
And wonderlye togeither wente,
And torned into one.
The oxe, the asse, their the be lente,
Honoured Christe in their intente,
And more mirackles, as we have mente651
To playe righte here anon.

Tunc ostendent stellam, et veniet Sibella ad imperatorem,


Sibbilla
Sir emperower, God thee save and see!653
I tell you trulye that borne is he
That passes thee of postie;
Loke upon highe after me,
That barron thou seiste greate shalbe
To passe all kinges and eke thee,
That is borne or ever shalbe.659
Octavian
O Sibelle, this is a wounderous sighte!660
For yender I see a mayden brighte,
A yonge childe in her armes clighte;
A brighte crosse in his heade.
Honoure I will that sweete wighte
With incense with all my mighte,
For that reverence is moste righte,666
Yf that it be thy reade.
Incence bringe I commaunde in hie,
To honoure this childe, kinge of mercye.
Shoulde I be God? ney, ney, witterlie,670
Greate wronge I wiste it were.
For this childe is more worthye
Then suche a thousande as am I;
Theirfore to God moste mightie
Incense I offer heare.

Tunc angellus cantabit ‘hec este ara Dei, cela fiant notam, secundum arbitrium agentis’.


A! Sybell, heares not thou this songe?676
My members all it goeth amonge,
Joye and blesse maketh my harte stronge,
To heare this melodye;
Trulye it maye non other be
But this childe is prince of postie,
And I his subjecte, as I see:682
He is moste worthy.
Sybell
Yea, sir, thou shalte leeve well this,684
Somewhere in earth borne he is,
And that he cometh for mans blisse
His tocken this can shewe.
Reverence hym I rede, i-wisse,
For other God ther non is:
He that hopeth otherwise dothe amisse,690
But hym for Christe to knowe.
Octavian
Sires, senatores, goes whom anon,692
And warne my men everye icheone,
That suche worsjiippe I muste forgone
As the woulde doe to me;
But this childe woishippe iche man,
With full harte all that you can,
For he is worthye to leeve upon,698
And that I nowe well see.
And, Lorde, whatever this maie be,700
This is a wounderous sighte to see,
For in the starre, as thinketh me,
I see a full faier maye.
Primus Senator
Sir, shall this childe passe ye704
Of worthynes and dignitie?
Suche a lorde, by my lewtie,
I wende never hade bene non.
Expositor
Lordinges, that this is vereye,708
By vereye signe knowe ye maie,
For in Rome, in good faye,
Ther as thes thinges was seene,
Was builde a chourshe in noble araye,
In worshipe of Marye that sweete maye,
That yet lasteth unto this daie,714
As men knowe that their hath bene.
And for to have full memorye716
Of the angelles melodye,
And of this sighte seckerlye,
The emperower their knewe,
The churche is called Saynte Marie,
The sirname in a Racali,
That men knowe well theirby722
Tha[t] this was fullye trewe.
Another mirackle I fynde also,724
A christes birth fell thoe,
When Salome attempted to knowe
Wheither shee was a maye,
Her hande rotted, as you have seene;
Wherby ye maye take good teene,
That unbeleffe is a fowle syne730
As you have seene in this place.

Finis. Deo gracias I per me Georgi Bellin. 1592.


Come, Lorde Jesu, come quicklye.


The Paynters and the Glasiors PlayeContents

Incipit pagina septima de pastoribus


Primus Pastor
One wouldes I have walked full wylde,1
Under bushes my bower to builde,
From stiffe stormes my sheepe to sheilde,
My seemlye weithers to save;
From comelye Conwaye unto Clyde,
Under tyldes them to hyde,
A better sheaparde on no syde7
No yeairthlye man maye have.
For with walkinge wearye I have me thoughte,
Besyde thee suche my sheefpe] I soughte,
My talefull tuppes are in my thoughte
Them to save and heale.
From the shrewde scabe it soughte,13
Or the rotte, yf yt were wroughte,
Yf the caughe had them caughte,
Of yt I coulde them heale.
Loe, here be my erbes safe and sounde,
Wislye wrought for everye wounde,
The woulde a wholl man bringe to grounde19
Within a littill while;
Of henbane and horehounde,
Bybbey raydishe and egremounde,
Which be my erbes saffe and sounde,
Medled on a rowe.
Here be more erbes, I tell it you,25
I shall recken them on a rooe,
Fynter fanter, and ffetter foe,
And also penye wrytte.
This is all that I knowe,
For be it weither or be it yoo,
I shall them heale on a rooe,31
Cleane from their hurte.
Heare is tarre in a potte,
To heale from the rotte;
Well I can and well I wotte
The caughe from them take.
But no fellowshippe heare have I,37
Save my selfe alone in good faye;
Therfore after one faste will I crye,
But firste will I drinke, yf I maie.

Hic potet Primus Pastor


Howe, Harvye, howe!
Drive thy sheepe to the lowe;
Thou maye not heare excepte I blowe,43
As ever have I heale.

Hic flabit Primus Pastor


Secundus Pastor
It is noe shame for to shewe45
Howe I was sette to sowe,
With the feither of a croe,
A clowte upon my heele. sitte downe
Felowe, nowe we be well mete,49
And thoughe me thinkes nedes,
Hade we Tudde heare by us sette,
Their mighte we sitte and feede us.
Primus Pastor
Yea, to feede us frendlye in faye,53
Howe mighte we have our service aye,
Crye thou muste lowde, by this daie,
Tudde is deafe and [maye] not well heare us.

Secundus Pastor vocat submissa voce.


Howe, Tudde, come for thy father kyn.
Primus Pastor
Naye, faye, thy voyce is wounderous dynie;58
Why, knowes thou not hym?
Fye, man, for shame!
Calle hym Tudde Tybbes sonne,
And then will the shrewe come,
For, in good faith, it is his wonne
To love well his dames name.64
Secundus Pastor
Howe, Tudde, Tybbes sonne!65
Tercius Pastor
Sir, in faith nowe I come,66
For yette have I not all done
That I have to doe;
To seithe salve for our sheepe;
And leste my wife shoulde it weete,
With grete gravill and greete
I skoure an oulde pane.72
Hemlocke and hereife take kepe,73
With tarre boyste muste be tamde,
Penye gresse and butter for fatte sheepe,
For this saulfe am I not ashamed;
Ashamed am I not to shewe
No poynte that longes to my crafte,
No better that I well knowe79
In lande is no where lefte.
For to good men this is not unknowne,
To husbandes that be heare aboutes,
That iche man muste to his wife bowne,
And commonlye for feare of a cloute.
This for clowtes nowe care I,85
All is for feare of our dame Kenye,
Nowe will I caste my ware here by,
And hye faste that I were at Hancken.
Hancken, houlde up thy hande, and have me,
That I were on heighte their by thee.
Primus Pastor
Gladlye, sir, yf thou woulde be by me,91
For lothe me is to denye thee.
Secundus Pastor
Nowe seinge God hath gaithred us togeither,93
With good harte I thanke hym of his grace.
Wellckome be thou well fayer weither,
Tudde, will we shape us to some solace.
Tercius Pastor
Solace woulde beste be seene97
That we shape us to our suppere;
For meate and drinke well, I wene,
To eiche deede is moste deare.
Primus Pastor
Laye fourth iche man aleiche101
What he hath lefte of his livereye;
And I will put fourth my piche,
With my parte, firste of us all three.
Secundus Pastor
And suche store as my wife hade,105
In your sighte sone shall you see,
At our begininge us for to glade.
For in good meate their is moche glee.
Heare is bread this daie was baken;
Onyans, garlicke, and leickes,
Butter that boughte was in Blackon,111
And greene cheese that will greese your cheekes.
Tercius Pastor
And heare ale of Halton I have,113
And whotte meate I hade to my hier;
A puddinge maye no man deprave,
And a jannacke of Lancaster shire.
Loe! heares a sheepes heade sawsed in ale,
And a grayne to laye on the greene,
And sower mylke my wife hade ordened,119
A noble supper as well is seene.
Primus Pastor
Nowe will I caste of my cloke,121
And put out parte of my liverye,
And put out that I have in my pocke,
And a gygges foote from puddinge purye.
Tercius Pastor
Abyde, fellowes, and you shall see here125
This hotte meate serveid here,
Gammons and other good meate in feare,
A puddinge with a pricke in the ende.
Primus Pastor
My secchell to shake oute129
To sheapardes am I not ashamed;
And this tonge pared rounde aboute,
With my tonge it shalbe atamed.

Tunc comedent, et dicat Primus Pastor:


Byd me doe gladly, and I thee,
For by god here is good grawsinge.
Come eate with vs, god of heaven hye,135
But take noe heede though ther be noe howsinge.
Secundus Pastor
Howseinge enoffe have we heare,137
While that we have heaven over our heades
Nowe to weete our mouthes tyme were,
This flagette will I tame, yf thou reade us.
Tercius Pastor
And of this bottill nowe will I bibbe,141
For heare is but of the beste;
Suche liccore makes me to live,
This game maye nowher be leftc.
Primus Pastor
Fellowes, nowe our bellye be full,145
Thinke we on hym that kepes our flockes.
Blowe thy home and [call] after Trowle,
And byde hym some of our bittlockes.
Secundus Pastor
Well sayde, Hancken, by my south,149
For that shrewe I suppose seekes us.
My horne to blowe I will not lette,
Tell that ladde have some of our leekes.
Tercius Pastor
Leekes to his livereye is likinge,153
Suche a lade nowher in lande is.
Blowe a mote for that mittinge,
Whyle that home nowe in thy hande is.
Primus Pastor
With this home I shall make a howe157
That he and all heaven shall heare;
Yender ladde, that sittes on a lowe,
The lowde of this home shall heare.

Tunc cantabit, et dicat Trowle:


Trowle
Good Lorde, loke one me!161
And my flocke heare as the feed have;
On this woulde walke we woe,
Are no man heare that maye,
All is playne perdye;
Therfore, sheepe, we mone goe,
No better maye be167
Of beastes that bloode and bone have.
Wotte I not daie nor nighte,169
Necessaryes that to me ne done,
Tarre boyste and tarre boyle
Ye shall see heare,
Nettell, hemlocke, and butter abydinge,
And my good dogge Dottinoule,
That is nothinge choyse of his chydinge.175
Yf any man come me bye,
And woulde witte which waie were beste,
My legge I leifte up as I lye,
And wishe hym the waie este or weste.
And I rose when I laye,180
I woulde thinke that travill loste.
For kinge nor ducke by this daie
Rise I will not, but take my reste.
Nowe here sitte downe I will,
Harmles, as I hastelye hope;
No man heare shall drinke,186
Save my selfe, the devill of the sope.
All this bottill I sette at littill,
Naye, ye lades, kepe I not to lye thee;
For ye have manye a fowle fitte,
Thou fowle fylth, though thou flitte, I defye thee.
Primus Pastor
Trowle, take teene to my talkinge,192
For thy teeith heare is good touginge,
While thy weithers bene walkinge,
And on this loyne thou maie have good luginge.
Trowle
Fye on your loynes and on youer livereye!196
Youer lyverastes, livers and lounges!
You sause, your saustes, your saverye,
Your sittinge without anye songes.
On this hill I houlde me heare,
No hape to your hotte meate have I;
But sitte with my fellowes in freye,202
And your sheepe full securlye save I.
Secundus Pastor
For thou saves our sheepe,204
Good knave, take kepe;
Seith thou maye not slepe,
Come eate of this sauce.
Trowle
Naye, the durte is so depe208
Stopped theirin for to stepe,
And the grobbes theiron doe crepe
At whom at thy howse.
Therfore meate, yf I maie,
Of your dightinge to daie
Will I naughte, by no waie,214
Tell I have my wages.
I wende to have been gaye:
Se so ragged is myne araye,
Aye pynckes is your paye
To everye poore page.
Tercius Pastor
Trowle, boye, for Godes fee!220
Come eate a morscill with me,
And then wrastill will we
Here on this greene.
Trowle
That shall I never fleye,224
Though yt be with all three,
To laye my livereye,
That wages will I houlde.

Tunc ibit ad magistros suos, et dicat Trowle:


Nowe comes Trowle the trewe,228
A turne to take have I tighte
With my maistores, or I rewe,
Put hym fourth that moste is of mighte.
Primus Pastor
Trowle, better never thou knewe,232
Eate of this meate for a knighte.
Trowle
Naye, spare I will, thoughe I spewe,234
All upon thy heade shall lighte.
Secundus Pastor
Howe shoulde we suffer all this shame,236
Of a shrewe this to be shente?
Tercius Pastor
This ladde luste to be lamde,238
And lose a lyme or he wente.
Trowle
Have done, begyne we this game,240
But ware leste your golions glette.
That were littill dole to our dame,
Though in meideste Dde the were drente.
Primus Pastor
False lade, fye on thy face,244
On this grounde thou shalte have a falle.
Hente one and houlde that thou haste,
Yf thou hape have all goe to all.
Trowle
And these sires heare to solace,248
Hancken, sheaparde, shame thee I shall;
Worth thou arte worse then thou was,
Ware leste thou walte here by the walle.

Tunc projiciat primum pastorem, et dicat Secundus Pastor:


Boye, leste I breake thy bones,252
Kneele downe and aske me a bone,
Leste I destroye thee heare on thes stones:
Cease, leaste I shame thee to sone.
++++256
Trowle
Gloe thee to greynes and groundes,257
Good were thee thy oulde ragges to save sounde;
Littill doute of suche drownes,
Leither tycke, for thy deedes are done.
Tercius Pastor
Out, alas! he lyes on his loynes,261
But let me goe nowe to that lade!
Sheapardes he shames and shyndes,
For laste nowe am I out shade.
Trowle
Bouth your backes heare to me bendes,265
For all your boste I houlde you full bade;
Houlde your ersces and your hynder loynes,
Then hope I to have as I to-fore hade,
The better in the bore, as I hade before,
Of this boverte.
Yea, hope I more, kepe well thy store,271
For feare of a farte.

Tunc projiciat tertium pastorem, et dicat Trowle:


Lye their, leither in the lacke,273
My livereye nowe will [I] lache;
This curye, this cloute, and this cake,
For ye be caste nowe will I kache.
To the devill I all you betake,
And traytors ataynte of your tache,
One this woulde with this will I walke,279
All the worlde wounder on the wache.

Et sic recedat Trowle, et dicat Primus Pastor:


Fellowes, this a fowle case is,281
That we bene this caste out of a knave;
All againste our willes he hase his,
But I muste nedes houlde the harme that I have,
Secundus Pastor
That I have nedes muste I houlde,285
Of thes unhappye harmes ofte here I:
Therfore will I wayte on this woulde
Upon the wedder, for I am wearye.
Tercius Pastor
Thoughe we be weayrie, no wounder,289
What betwene wrastlin^e and walkinge!
Ofte we maye be in thoughte, we be nowe under,
God amende yt with his makinge!

Tunc sedebunt, et Stella apparebit, et dicant:


Primus Pastor
What is all this lighte here,293
That blackes so brighte heare,
On my blacke beyrde?
For to see this lighte heare,
A man maye be afrighte heare,
For I am freayde.
Secundus Pastor
Freayde, for a fraye nowe,299
Maye we be all nowe,
A! yet it is nighte,
Yet seemes yt daie nowe,
Se I suche a sighte!
Tercius Pastor
Suche a sighte seeminge,304
And a lighte leminge,
Lettes me to loke;
All to my deeminge,
From a starre streminge
Hit to me strocke.
Trowle
That starre, yf yt stande,310
To see will I founde,
Though mighte lighte fayle:
While I maye live in londe,
Why shoulde I founde,
Yf it will avayle?

Tunc respiciens firmamentum, et dicat Trowle:


A! God mighte is,316
In vender starre lighte is,
Of the sonne this sighte is,
As yt nowe sheines.
Primus Pastor
It seemes as I nowe see320
A brighte starre to be,
Their to abyde.
From it we maye not fleye,
But aye glye on the glee,
Tell yt downe glyde.
Secundus Pastor
Fellowes, will we326
Knele downe on our knye,
After comfortes,
To the trewe Trenitie,
For to leade us to see
Our elderes Lorde.
Tercius Pastor
Our Lorde will us lere332
In our prayer,
Wherto it will apente,
And why on highte here
The eayre is so cleare,
Nowe shall we be kente.
Trowle
Lorde, of this lighte338
Guyde us some sighte,
Why that it is sente.
Before this nighte,
Was I never so afrighte
Of the fermamente.
Primus Pastor
Wyste I, by my faye!344
Nowe is yt nighe daie,
So was it never;
Therfore I praye
The south us to saie,
Or that we desevere.

Tunc cantet angelus, Gloria in eoccelsis Deo et in terra pax hominibus bone voluntatis


Primus Pastor
Fellowes in feare,350
Maye you not heare
This muttinge on heighte?
Secundus Pastor
A glore and in glere,353
Yet no man was nere
Within our sighte.
Tercius Pastor
Naye, it was a glorye!356
Nowe am I sorye,
But more songe.
Trowle
Of this strange storye359
Such mirth more I
Woulde have amonge.
Primus Pastor
As I them demed,362
Scellsis it seemed363
That he sange.
Secundus Pastor
While the lighte lemed,365
Awreckinge me wened,
I wiste never woo.
Tercius Pastor
What songe was this, saye ye,368
That the sange to us all three!
Expounded shall yt be,
Or we hense passe;
For I am eldeste of degree,
And also beste, as seemes me:
Hit was glore glare with a glee,374
Hit was nether more nor lesse.
Trowle
Nay, it was glori, glory, glorious!376
Me thoughte that note ronne over the howse:
A semlye man he was and curyous,
But sone awaie he was.
Primus Pastor
Naye, it was glory, glory, with a glo!380
And moche of cellsis was therto:
As ever have I reste or roo,
Moche he spake of glasse.
Secundus Pastor
Naye, yt was nether glasse nor glye;384
Therfore, fellowe, nowe stande by.
Tercius Pastor
By my faith! he was some spie,386
Our sheepe for to steale;
Or elles he was a man of our crafte,
For semlye he was and wounder dafte.
Trowle
Naye, he came by nighte, all thinge lefte,390
Our tuppes with tarre to tell.
Primus Pastor
Nay, on a glore, on a glory, on a glye!392
Gurde Gabrill, when he so gloryed;
When he sange I mighte not be sorye,
Througe my breste bone bletinge he borned.
Secundus Pastor
Nay, be God! it was a gloria,396
Sayde Gabrill when he beganne so,
He hade a moche better voyce then I have,
As in heaven all other have so.
Tercius Pastor
Will ye heare howe he sange selsis?400
For on that sadlye he sete hym,
Neither singes Sir, nor so well Sis,
Ney paxe merye Maude when she so met hym.
Trowle
One tyme he touched on terre,404
And therto I toke good intente;
All heaven mighte not a gone harre,
That noote on heighte when he up hente.
Primus Pastor
And after of paxe or of peace,408
Up as pye he piped,
Suche a loden that is no lesse,
Never in my life me so liked.
Secundus Pastor
Upon omnibus he mutted,412
That moch marville to me was,
And ever I quocke when the so shouted,
I durst not heade wher that it was.
Tercius Pastor
Yet he sange more then all this;416
Froo my mynde it shall not starte,
For he sange Bene voluntatis,
That is a crape that passeth all other.
Trowle
Yet [and] yet, he sange more to,420
Froo my harte it shall not starte;
He sange also of a Deo,
Me thoughte healed my harte.
And that worde Terre he tamed,
Therto I toke good intente,
And paxe also maye not be blamed,426
For that to this songe I assente.
Primus Pastor
Nowe praye we to hym with good intente,428
And singe I will and me imbrace,
That he will let us to be kente,
And to sende us of his grace.
Secundus Pastor
Nowe seith I have all my will,432
For never in this worlde so well hase,
Singe we nowe I redde us shrille,
A merye songe us to solace.
Trowle
Singe we nowe, lettes see,436
Some songe will I assaye:
All men nowe singe after me,
For musicke of me learne you maie.

Singe troly loly troly loe.


Tunc cantabunt, et postea dicat Tercius Pastor:


Nowe wende we fourth to Beathlem,440
That ys beste our songe to be,
To see the starre cleane maye,
The frute of that mayden freye.
Primus Pastor
Nowe folowe we the starre that shyneth,444
Tell we come to that hollye stable;
To Bethelem bonne the lymes,
Folowe we it without anye fable.
Secundus Pastor
Folowe we it, and hies full faste,448
Suche a frende loth us to fayle;
Lanche on, I will not be the laste,
Upon Marye for to marvayle.

Hic vadunt versus Bethlem.


Tercius Pastor
Stynte nowe, goe no more steppes,452
For nowe the starre begineth to stonde;
Harvye, that bene our good happes,
We seene by our Savyour founde.

Hic apparet et dicat angelus:


Sheapardes, of this sighte456
Be ye not afrighte,
For this is Grodes mighte,
Take this in mynde:
To Bethelem nowe righte,
Ther you shall se in sighte,
That Christe is borne to nighte,462
To ken all mankinde.
Trowle
To Bethlem take we the waye,464
For with you I thinke to wende,
That Prince of peace for to praye,
Heaven to have at our ende.
And singe we all, I rede,
Some mirth to his magistie;
For certen nowe sheewe it in deed,470
The kinges sonne of heaven is he.
Primus Pastor
Sym, Sym, sickerlye472
Heare I see Marye,
And Jesus Christe faste by,
Lapped in haye.
Secundus Pastor
Kneyle we downe in hye,476
And praye we hym of mercye,
And welckome hym worthelye,
That wo dose awaie.
Tercius Pastor
Awaye all our wo is,480
And many mans moe is!
Christe Lorde, let us kysse
The crache or the clothes.
Trowle
Solace nowe, to see this,484
Buildes in my breste blesse,
Never after to doe amysse
Thinges that hym looth is.
Primus Pastor
Whatever this oulde man that heare is,488
Take heede howe his head is whore,
His beirde is like a buske of breyers,
With a pound of heaire about his mouth and more.
Secundus Pastor
More is this marvayle to me nowe,492
For to nape greatlye hym nedes;
Hartles is he nowe
For aye to his heales he heedes.
Tercius Pastor
Why, with his beirde, though it hydes,496
Righte well to her he heedes;
Worthy wighte, witte woulde,
Will we warne us worthye.
Maria
Sheapardes, southlye I see500
That my sonne you heither sente,
Through Godes mighte in magistie,
That in me lighte and heare is lente.
This man maried was to me,
For no syne ner suche assente,
But to kepe my virginitie,506
And trewlye for no other intente.
Josephe
Good men, Moyses takes in mynde,508
As he was made through God allmighte,
Ordeyned lawes us to byncle,
Which that we shoulde kepe of righte,
Man and woman for to bynde,
Lawfullye them bouth to lighte,
To frutifye, as men maye fynde,514
That tyme was wedded everye wighte.
Therfore wedded to her I was,516
As lawe woulde, her for to lere,
For noyse, nor sclaunder, nor treasspas,
And through that deed the devill to dare;
As toulde me Gabrill full of grace,
When I hade trussed all my geyer,
To have flede and never to have seene her face,522
By hym was I areaisted their.
For he sayde to me sleapinge524
That shee lackles was of synne;
And when I harde that tockeninge,
From her durste I not tweyne.
Therfore goes fourth, preach this thinge,
All togeither and not in twene,
That you have seene youer heavenlye kinge530
Comen, and all mankinde to myne.
Primus Pastor
Greate God, sittinge in thy throne,532
That made all thinges of naughte,
Nowe we maie thanke thee icheone,
This is he that we have soughte.
Secundus Pastor
Goe we nere anon,536
With suche as we have broughte,
Ringe, bruche, ner precious stonne,
Lett us se yf we have oughte to proffer.
Tercius Pastor
Let us doe hym homage.540
Primus Pastor
Who shall goe firste! the page?541
Secundus Pastor
Naye, ye be father of age,542
Therfore ye muste offer.
Primus Pastor
Heale, kinge of heaven so hie!544
Borne in a crebe,
Mankinde unto thee
Thou haste made fullye.
Heale, kinge! borne in a maydens bower,548
Proffittes did tell thou shouldest be our succore,
Thus clarkes doth saye.
Loe, I bringe thee a bell:
I praie thee save me from hell,
So that I maye with thee dwell,
And serve thee for [aye].554
Secundus Pastor
Heale the, emperower of hell,555
And of heaven allsoe!
The feynde shall thee fell,
That ever hath bene false.
Heale the, maker of the starre,559
That stode us beforne;
Heale the, blessed full barne,
Loe, sonne, I bringe thee a flaggette,
Theirby heinges a sponne,
To eate thy pottage with all at nonne,
As I my selfe full ofte tymes have done,565
With harte I praie thee to take.
Tercius Pastor
Heale, prince without anye peare,567
That mankinde shall releeve!
Heale thee, froo unto Luciffier,
The which begyled Eve!
Heale the, granter of happe,571
For in yeairth no we thou dwelleste.
Loe, sonne, I bringe thee a cape,
For I have nothinge elles:
This gueifte, sonne, I bringe thee is but small,
And though I come the hyndmoste of all,
When thou shall them to thy blesse call,577
Good Lorde, yet thinke on me.
Trowle
My dere, with dutye unto thee I me dresse,579
My state and felloshippe that I doe not lose,
For to save me from all yle sicknes,
I offer unto thee a payer of my wifes oulde hose;
For other dremes, my sonne,
Have I non for to geve,
That is worth anye thinge at all,585
But my good harte, while I live,
And my prayers tell death doe me call.
The First Boye
Nowe to my fellowes this will I saye,588
For in this place or that I wende awaie,
Unto yender childe let us goe and praye,
As our maisters hath done us beforne.
The Seconde Boye
And of suche goodes as we have heare592
Let us offer to this prince so deare,
And to his mother that mayden cleare,
That of her bodye hade bene borne.
The Fyrste Boye
Abyde, syres, I will goe firste to yender kinge.596
The Secound Boye
And I will goe nexte to that lordinge.597
The Thirde Boye
Then wilbe I the laste of this offeringe,598
This can I saie no more.
The Firste [Boye]
Nowe, Lorde, for to geve thee have I nothinge,600
Nether goulde, silver, bruche, ner ringe,
Nor no riche robes mete for a kinge,
That I have heare in store:
But that yt lackes a stoppell,
Take thee heare my well [fayer] bottill,
For it will houlde a good pottill,606
In faith, I can geve thee no more.
The Secounde Boye
Lorde, thou arte of this virgine borne,608
In full poore araye sittinge on her arme,
For to offer to thee I have no skorne,
Allthough thou be but a childe;
For jewell have I non to geve thee,
For to mantayne thy royall dignitie,
But my hude, then take it thee,614
As thou arte god and man.
The Thirde Boye
O, noble childe of thee!616
Alas! what have I for thee,
Save onlye my pipe?
Elles trewlye nothinge,
Were I in the rockes or in,
I coulde make this pippe,
That all this woode shoulde ringe,622
And quiver, as yt were.
The Fourth Boye
Nowe, childe, allthough thou be comon from God,624
And be God thy selfe in thy manhoode,
Yet I knowe that in thy childehoode
Thou wylte for sweete meate loke,
To pull downe aples, peares, and plumes,
Oulde Joseph shall not nede to hurte his thombes,
Because thou hast not pleintie of crombes,630
I geve thee heare my nutthocke.
Primus Pastor
Nowe fare well, mother and maye,632
For of synne naughte thou wotteste,
Thou haste brought fourth this daie
Godes sonne of mighteste moste.
Wherfore men shall saye,
Blessed in everye coste and place
Be thou memoriall for me and for us all.638
And that we maie from syne fall,
And stande ever in thy grace,
Our Lorde God be with thee.
Secundus Pastor
Brethren, let us all three642
Singinge walke whomwardes;
Unkinde will I in no case be,
But preache ever that I can and crye,
As Gabryll taughte by his grace me,
Singinge awaye hense will I.
Tercius Pastor
Over the sea, and I maye have grace,648
I will henge and aboute goe nowe,
To preache this in everye place,
And sheepe will I kepe non nowe.
Trowle
I redde we us agree652
For our misdeedes amendes to make;
For so nowe I will,
And to that childe whollye me betake;
For ever sickerlie
Sheaphardes crafte heare I forsake,
And to an ancker heare by,658
I will in my prayers wache and wake.
Primus Pastor
And I am heare meke660
To praise God to paie,
To walke by style and streete,
In wyldernes to walke ever;
And I will no man meete,
But for my livinge I shall them praie,
Barefoote on my feete,666
And this will I live ever and aye.
For aye ever ones,668
This worlde I fullye refuce,
My misse to amende with mones.
Torne to thy felowes and kisse,
I eylde, for in youth
We have bene felowes, i-wysse,
Therfore lende us your mouthe,674
And frendlye let us kisse.
Secundus Pastor
From London to Louth676
Suche another sheaparde I not were.
Bouth framed and couth,
God grante you, amen.
Tercius Pastor
To that blesse bringe you,680
Greate God, if thy wilbe.
Amen all singe you:
Good men, fares well!
Trowle
Well for to fare iche frende,684
God of his mighte grante you;
For heare nowe we make an ende,
Fare well, for we goe from you nowe.

Finis. Deo gracias! per me, Georgi Bellin. 1592.


Come, Lorde Jesu, come quicklye.


The Vintneres PlayeContents

Incipit pagina octava trium regum orienlalium; et dicat Primus Rex.


Primus rex
Mightye God, in magistie,1
That ruleth the people of Judye,
When thou one man will have pittye,
And his synnes for-bye,
Sende some tockeninge, Lorde, to me,
That same starre that I maye see,
That Balaham sayde shoulde rise and be,7
In his prophescye.
For well I wotte for south, I wysse,
That his prophescye south is,
A starre shoulde rise betockeninge of blesse,
When Godes sonne is borne.
Therfore thes lordes and I [in] feare13
In this mounte make our prayer,
Devoutlye onste in the yeaire,
For theirto we bene sworne.
Secundus rex
Yea, we that bene of Bethlems bloode,17
That prophescieth of that sweete foode,
When Balacke, that kinge so woode,
To curse woulde he have made
Godes people of lsarell;
But power fayled hym eveiye deale,
To prophesscye mankindes heale23
That tyme hape he hade.
Wherfore we kinges of his kinde,
I rede we take his wordes in mynde,
Grace in hym yf we maye finde,
That Godes sonne shalbe;
And goe we praye bouth on and all,29
Into the mounte victoriall;
Peradventure such grace maie fall,
That starre that we maie see.
Tercius rex
Sir, sickerlye ye reade on righte,33
Unto that hill I will me dighte,
And their beseeke God almighte,
On us for to mynde;
Out of that starre to have some sighte,
Worshipe we all that sweete wighte
That Balaham to us beheighte,39
That shall for-by mankinde.
Saye, fellowe, take this courser,
And abyde me righte heare.
Goe we, sires, to our praiers,
I rede nowe, in good faye;
I have done this manye a yeaire,45
And my ansecestores that before me were.
Highe God, prince of power,
Thou comforte us to daye.

Hic descendant de equis, et ibunt in montem, et dicat


Primuz rexe
Lorde, what tyme it is thy will,49
Balahames prophesye to fulffill,
Thou geve us grace bouth lowde and still,
And by some signe us shewe.
Secundus rex
Yea, Lorde, though we be unworthy,53
On thy men thou have mercye,
And of thy birth thou certifie
Heare to thy kinges three.
Tercius rex
Lorde God, leader of Isarell,57
That dyed for mankindes heale,
Thou come to us and not conseale,
But be our counsceler.
Primuz rex
Of all this worlde thou arte the weale,61
That shalbe called Emanuell;
Deme thee, Lorde, with us to deale,
And grante us our praier.

Tunc apparebit Stella.


Primus rex
A! sir rex, si veus ploitt,65
Gardes sus sur wstre lest.
Secundus rex
Une esteile issi est,67
Que, sir, vous reploist.
Tercius rex
Aloies soit luy une semblant,69
De une mrgini portant,
Come le seamble de une enfante,
En brace apportement.
[Primuz Rex]
A! Lorde, blessed muste thou be,73
That on thy people hase pittie!
Witterlye nowe witten we,
That wrouahte is our askim>e.
Secundus rex
That our prayers harde hase,77
I leve full wel, by my lewtie!
For in the starre a childe I see,
And vereye tockeninge.
Tercius rex
Lordes, I rede we hense hie:81
For I dare saie, and nothinge lye,
Fulfilled is Balahams prophescye,
By this we inaye well knowe.

Tunc reges iterum genujiectent, et angelus portans slellam, et dicat


Primus rex
Yea, leaste this be some fantasye,85
Yet praye we all especiallye:
For yf he be borne verelye,
More signes he will us shewe.
Angellus
Rise up," you kinges three,89
And comes anon after me
Into the lande of Judye,
As faste as you can hie;
The childe ye seeke their shall ye see,
Borne all of a mayden freye,
That kino-e of heaven and veirth shalbe,95
And all mankincle for-bye.
Heare the kinges rise upp, el dicat
Primuz rex
Lordes, hye we theider anon,98
For we be bedden theider gone:
I will never byde, by my bone.
Tell I at hym be.
Secundus rex
Yea, sires, I rede us everyeichone,102
Drombodaries to ride upon,
For sweifter beastes be their non;
On I have, ye shall se.
Tercius rex
A drombodarye, in good faye,106
Will goe lightlye one his waie
An hundreth myles upon a daye,
Suche beastes nowe take we.
Primuz rex
Lordes, and I well leve maye,110
That childe woulde shorten well our waie,
That bringinge presentes to his paie,
And moste is of degreey.
Then the kinges goe downe to the beastes and ryde aboute.
Primuz rex
Alas! wher is the starre i-wente?115
Our lighte awaie from us is glente;
Nowe wotte I not wher be we lente,
Nor wheitherwarde lies our waie.
Secundus rex
Praye we to God with good intente,119
To whom we bringe our presente,
He will never suffer us to be shente,
That dare I boukllye save.
Tercius rex
It is good that we inquier,123
Yf anye the waie can us lere. —
Saye, belamye, that rydes their,
Tell us some tydinges.
The messinger
Sir, tell me what your will is.127
Primuz rex
Can thou oughte saie what place or where128
A childe is borne that crowne shall beare
And of Jewes be kinge?
Secundus rex
We sawe the starre shyne verelye131
In the este, in noble araye;
Therfore we come nowe this waye,
To worshippe hym with wyn.
Messinger
Houlde your peace, sires, I you praye!135
For yf kinge Herode heare you -so saie,
He woulde goe woode, be my faye,
And flye out of his skynne.
Tercius rex
And seith a kinge is soe nere,139
Goe we to hym in all manere.
Messinger
You maye well see he wonnes heare,141
A palace in to dwell.
But maye he witte, withouten were,
That anye is borne of more power,
You bringe your selves in greate danger,
Such tydinges for to tell.

Heare the messinger goeth to the kinge, and the mynstrilles muste plaie.


Noble kinge and worthy conquerowre,147
Crowned in goulde syttinge on hie,
Mahounde thee save longe in honoure!
Licens I requier to come [to] thee.
Tydinges nowe, my lorde, I shall you tell,
That these three kinges doe telle unto me.
From whense the be I knowe not well:153
Yender the stande, as ye maie see.
Primuz rexe
Sir roye, royall and reverente,155
Dieu vous gardes omnipotente!
Secundus rex
Nos sum[e]s veneus complent157
Noveles de enquere.

Herodes
Bien soies venues, royes gente. Staffe.159
Me detes toute mtere entente.
Tercius rex
Infante queruns de grande parente161
Et roy de celi et terre.

Herodes
Sires, advise ye what you sayen,163
Suche tydinges makes my harte unfayne;
I rede you take thes wordes againe,
For feare of velanye.
Ther is non so greate that me dare gaine
To take my realme, and to attayne
My power, but he shall have paine169
And be punished appeartlye.
I kinge of kinges, non so keene;
I soveraigne, sir, as well is seeme;
I tyrrante that maie both take and teene
Castill, tower, and towne.
I weilde this worlde, withouten wene,175
I beate all them unbuxsome bene,
I drive the devilles all bydeene
Depe in hell adowne.
For I am kinge of all mankinde,
I byde, I beate, I lose, I bynde,
I maister the moone, take this in mynde,181
That I am moste of mighte.
I am the greateste above degree,
That is, that was, that ever shalbe;
The sonne it dare not shine on me,
And I byde hym goe downe;
No raine to fall shall nowe be freye,187
Nor no lorde have that libertie,
That dare abyde, and I byde fleye,
But I shall crake his crowne.
Ner fare nor nere thad doe me nye;
Who wrathes me, I shall them nye,
For everye freke I dare defie,193
That nill me paye ne please.
But ye be bayne I shall you beate:
Ther is no man for you shall treate.
All for wroth see howe I sweate,
My harte is not at ease. Stafte.
For all men maye witte and see,199
Bouth he and ye all three,
That I am kinge of Gallalye,
Whatsoever he saies or dose.
Sworde ’ What the devill shoulde this be!
A boye, a grome, of loe degreey,
Shoulde raigne againste my royaltie,205
And make me but a goose,
Cast upp. That ringes and raignes so royallye!
All grace and goodnes I have to geve,
Their is no prince but he shall please
To doe my hartes ease.
Staffe and an- J3 u t nowe ye maie bouth heare and see
other gowne.
That I reconned up royaltie:
I redde you al be ruled by me,
And founde me for to please.
Primuz rex
Sir, we see the starre appeare216
In the easte, withouten were,
In a marvelous manere,
Togeither as we cane praye.
Secundus rex
We see never non so cleare:220
By it the waye we can lere,
But when we came to this lande here,
Then vanished yt awaie.
Tercius rex
By prophescye well wotten we,224
That a childe borne shoulde be,
To rule the people of Judye,
As was sayde manye a yeaire.
Herodes
This is false, by my lewtie!228
For in maungere of you all three.
This realme moves all on me.
Other kinges shall non be here.
But seinge you speake of prophesye,
I will witte anon in hye,
Wheither ye speake south or lye,234
My clarke sone shall see. —
Sir docter, that arte cheifeste of clergye,
Loke up thy bokes of prophescye,
Of Daniell, David, and Esay,
And what thou seeiste tell thou me.
Thes kinges be come a farre waie,240
To seeke a childe, I harde them saye,
That shoulde be borne in this cuntreye,
My kingdome to destroye.
Seeke iche leafe, I thee praie,
And what thou fyndes in good faye,
Tell nowe heare, for I dare laye,246
That all these lordes lye.
Docctor
Naye, my lorde, be you boulde,248
I troe no prophesye before woulde
Wryte anye thinge your harte to coulde,
Or your righte to denye.
But seith your grace at this tyme woulde
That I the prophettes declare shoulde,
Of Ohristes cominge, as the have toulde,254
The truth to certifie;
I beseeke your royall magistie,
With paciens of your benignitie,
The truth to heare, and pardon me
Their sayinges to declare.
Herodes
Naye, my trewe clarke, that will not I260
Debate with thee, therfore in hie
Luke well on everye prophescye,
For nothinge that thou spare.
But searche the truth of Esaii,
Ezechiell, Mauum, and Jeremye,
Micheadeas, and Abdies, and Zachrye,266
Of Ohriste what the doe saie;
Loke also upon Malachie,
Aggeus, Ozeas, and Sopheni,
Joell, Amoes, and Balahams, in hie,
Loke non be lefte awaie.

Non auferetur sceptrum de Juda, et dux de femore ejus, donee veniat qui mittendus est, et erit ipse exspectatio gentium. Genesis quadragesimo nono. Et dicat doctor:


Docter
The holye Scriptures makes declaracion272
By patrickes and prophettes of Ohristes nativitie,
When Jacobe proffessyed by plaine demonstracion,
Sayde the realme of Juda and eke the regalitie
From that generacion never tacken shoulde be,
Untell the were come that moste mightie is,
Sente from the father kinge of heavenlye blesse.278
And nowe fulfilled is Jacobes prophescye.
For kinge Herode, that is nowe raigninge,
Is noe Jewe borne, nor of that progenye,
But a stranger by the Romanes made their kinge,
And the Jewes knowe non of their bloode sendinge,
By succesion to clay me the septer and regallitie,284
Wherfore Christe is nowe borne our kinge or messie.
Herodes
A bill. That is false, by Mahounde full of mighte!286
That oulde vylarde Jacobe, doted for age,
Shall withhoulde with no prophescye the tytle [and right]
Of Romanes hie conqueste, which to me in herit[age]
Is fallne to me for ever, as a prince of highe parage;
Yf anye other kinge or messye intende it to wyn,
His heade from his bodye with this sworde I shall twayne.
Cum wnerit sanctus sanctorum, cessabit unctio vestra. Et clicat
Docter
Danyell, fulfilled with heavenlye grace,294
Prophecied also by devyne insperacion,
That when he was come that all holye was,
Moste holyeste in yeairth, to take his habitacion
In the wombe of a virgen, and by his blessed incarnacion
Out of Satanes bande to deliver mankinde,
Whom synne originallye moste pitiouslye did bynde,300
Then bouth uncions, sacrifices, and rittes ceremoniall,
Of the Oulde Testamente, with legall observacion,
Shall utterlye cease, and take ther ende fyniall,
Through Ohristes cominge, which, for mans salvacion,
A Newe Testament shoulde ordeyne by devyne operacion,
OfFeringe hym selfe in sacrifice for mankindes offence,
Which from heaven was exiled through his greate necligens .
Herodes
Fye on that dreme, reader! suche doterdes never shall,
Ner no sleepye sloggarde, make my righte title seace!
But I shall knightlye kepe it, whatsoever befall,
Againste that yonge godlynge, and yf he onste doe presse
This kingdome to clayme, or put me to destresse,
His heade offe shall I hewe, — yet loke yf thou fynde their
Wher this boye is borne for whom these kinges enquier.
Doccter

Et tu Bethlem quidem terra Juda nequaquam minima es in principibus Judae. Ex te enim exiet dux qui reget populum meum Israell. Michei quinto et Mathei secundo.


Micheias, inspired with ghostlye insperacion,315
Prophescieth that Beathlem a childe fourth bringe,
Ruler of Godes people and of the Jewes nacion,
Shoulde he be borne of Isarell to be kinge;
Also Esaii and Jeramye full vertus of beinge,
With divers other more fulfilled with grace,
Of Christes cominge prophescied when the livinge was.

Ambulabunt gentes in lumine tuo, et reges in splendore ortus tui. Esaii sexagesimo.


Esaii, unto whom the spirete of prophescye
Was singulerlye geven through the hollye ghoste,
In this tyme prophescied this kinge witterlye,
And folcke of strange nacion and sundrye coste,
That princes birth to magnifie which of might is moste,
Shoulde walke in greate lighte and brightnes appeare,
As did to thes kinges in a starre shyninge cleare.

Effundam super parmlum istum furorem meum et super consilium juvenum, disperdem parmdos deforis, et juvenes in plateis morientur gladio meo.


Herodes
Alas! what presumpscion shoulde move that pevishe page,

Caste downe the sworde.


Or anye elvishe godlinge, to take from me my crowne;
But, by Mahound! that boye for all his outrage,
Shall dye under my hande, that elfe and vile congion!
And all his partackers I shall slea and beate downe,
And bouth hym and his distroccion make.
Such vengance and creweltie on them all I will take,
That non such a slaughter was seene or harde before,
Seith Athalye heare raigned, that fell and furious queene,
Which made slea all men children that of kinges blood were.
When her sonne was dead; so, for to wreeke my teene,
I shall hewe that harlote with my bright sorde
Into peces smalle: — yea, loke and serche againe,
Yf these kinges shall hym fynde and his presence attayn.
Docter

Reges Tharsis et inside munera afferent: reges Arabum et Saba dona adducent. Psalmo septuagesimo primo.


David, of all propettes called moste prepotente,343
Prophesied that kinges of Thrasis and Arabia
With misticall geiftes shoulde come and presente
That lorde, that kinge, and hie messye,
Of Abrahames seede descendid liniallye;
Which kinges with greate treasure here in presence.
My lorde, by prophescye is provid you beforne,349
That in Bethlem should be borne
A childe, to save that was forlorne,
And rule all Isarell.
Herodes
By cockes soule! thou arte forsworne; Breake a sworde.
Have done these bokes were rente and torne;
For he shalbe no kinge in crowne,
But I fullye in my wele;
And maugere David, that sheapard with his slinge,
Esay, Jeremye, with all their ofspringe,
Heare gette no other messye nor kinge,359
From my righte tytile to expell.
What a devill is this! to saie ~
Caste up.
That I shoulde be disprovid and put awaie,
Seinge my righte is so vereye
For a boyes boste!365
This realme is myne and shalbe aye,
Manfullye mentayne it while I maie,
Though he bringe with hym to daie
The devill and all his hoste. —
But goe fourth, you kinges three,
And inquier if it so be;371
But all gates come againe to me,
For you I thinke to feede.
And yf he be of suche degree,
Hym will I honouer as doe ye,
As falles for his dignitie,
In worde, thoughte, and deed.377
Primuz rex
By leve, sir, and have good daie,378
Tell we come againe this waie.
Secundus rex
Sir, as sone as ever we maie,380
And as we seene, so shall we saie.
Tercius rex
And of his riches and of his araye,382
From you we shall not leave.
Herodes

The boye and pigge when the kinges are gone.


Fare well, lordes, in good faye,384
But hye you faste againe! —
Out, alas! what the devill is this!
For shame almoste I fare amysse,
For was I never so woe, I wysse,
For wroth I am nere woode!
For everye man maye well saie this,390
That I mentayne my relme amisse,
To let a boye inheritte my blesse,
That never was of my blood. Staflfe.
But yet the lesse it greves me
That I let goe these kinges three;
For I shall knowe nowe which is he396
When the comen againe.
Then will the tell me in what cuntrey
That this boye borne is he;
Then shalbe tacke bouth the and he,
And that will make me fayne.
By cockes soule! come the againe,402
All three traytors shalbe slayne,
And that same swedlinge sweayne,
I shall choppe of his heade. Sworde.
Godes grace shall the not gaine,
Nor no prophescye save them from paine.
That rocked reball, and I maie raigne,408
Rufullye shalbe his rede.
By Mahounde full of might!
To marowe I will sende after my knightes,
To rule my relme and my rightes
Againste this boyes boste;
And rayse the cuntrey on everye syde,414
All that ever maie goe or ryde,
So shall this boye lose his pride,
For all his greateste boste.
This boste doth me so greate anoye, Caste up.
That I waxe cleane dulle and cleane drye:
Have done, and fill the wyne in hie,420
I dye but I have drinke!
Fill faste and lett the cuppes flye,
For I muste ordayne curyouslye,
Againste these kinges cominge.

Finis. Deo gracias! per me, Georgium Bellin. 1592.


Come, Lorde Jesu, come quicklye.


The Marcers PlayeContents

Pagina nona de presentatione sive oblatione trium regum: primus rex.


Primuz rex
Mightye God, moste of mayne,1
To honoure thee we maye be fayne,
The starre I see it come againe,
That was out of our sighte.
Secundus rex
Thy lordshippe to us thou ney layne,5
That for mankinde woulde suffer payne;
Thou sende us grace, if thou be gayne,
To come to thee to nighte.
Tercius rex
A! Lorde, honoured be thou aye,9
For nowe we shall knowe well the waye;
I will folowe it, in good faye,
My forwarde to fulfill.
Primuz rex
I hope without dreed to daie13
To see that childe in his araye. —
But me thinkes, lordes, by my faye,
The starre it standeth stille.
Secundus rex
That is a signe we be nere,17
But highe hall see I non heare;
To a childe of suche power
This howsinge standeth loe.
Tercius rex
Nowe well I wotte, withouten were,21
Without pride he will apeare,
To make men meeke in such manere,
An exsample us to shewe.
Primuz rex
The starre yender over the stable is,25
I wotte we be not gone amisse,
For it hath storred ever or this,
And nowe their it is glente.
Secundus rex
I wotte he wonnes here, i-wysse,29
And this symple howse is his.
Ordayne we nowe that kinge of blesse
Apeartlye our presente.
Tercius rex
What presente beste will for hym fall,33
Caste we here amonge us all;
For though he lye in an oxe stalle,
His miofhte is never the lesse.
Primuz rex
Kinge of Jewes we shall hym call,37
Theirfore of me have he shall,
That am his subjecte and his thralle,
Goulde, or I passe.
For in our lande in the manere
To aproche no kinge nere,
But dayntie geiftes, riche and dere,43
After his dignitie.
And for a kinge goulde fayer and cleare
Is moste commendable, therfore nowe heare
He shall have that of me.
Also it seemes by this place,
That littill treasuer his mother hase;49
Therfore helpe her in this case,
Goulde shalbe my presente.
Secundus rex
And I will offer, through Godes grace,52
Incence that noble savoure mase;
Stincke of the stable it shall waste,
Ther as the be lente.
Tercius rex
And myrre is beste my offeringe to be,56
To anoynte hym, as thinkes me,
The childes members, head and knye,
And other lymes all.
Thus shall we honouer hym all three
With thinges that falle for his degree,
Touchinge manhoode and his dieatie,62
These geiftes will wel befalle.
Primuz rex
You saye well, lordes, witterlye,64
As touchinge goulde see maye I,
It shoulde be geven hym dulye,
Because of precialitie;
Seinge he shalbe kinge moste mightie,
Tribute he must have trewlye,
And goulde therfore witterlye70
Is beste, as thinkes me.
Secundus rex
And seith he hath in hym godheade,72
Me thinkes, as eate I breade,
Incense to geve hym through my reade,
In name of sacrifice;
For that maye no waie be leade,
Seinge he of holye chourche is heade,
More dewe geiftes, if I shoulde be deade,78
I can not devise.
Tercius rex
You saie full well bouth, sires towe:80
And myrre is good me thinkes also,
Seith he for man will suffer woe,
And dye on roode treey;
Myrre that putes hym synne frooe,
And saves man from rottinge woe,
For it is beste to balmbe his thoo,86
That shall he have of me.
Primuz rex
By these geiftes three of good araye,88
Three thinges uuderstande I maie,
A kinges power, south to saie,
By goulde heare in my hande;
And for his godhead lasteth aye,
Incense we muste geve hym to daie;
And bodelye death also, in good faye,94
By myrre I understande.
Secundus rex
Goulde love also maie signifie,96
For it men geven not commonlye,
But thoes the loven hartelye,
This childe as we done all;
An[d] incense tockeneth, leeve I,
Orysones and praiers devoutlye;
Myrre death that man hath bodelye,102
And all these thinges shall falle.
Tercius rexe.
By goulde, that we to bringe are bounde,
The richeste mettall of renowne,
Skillfullye understande we mone
Moste precious godheade;108
And incense maye wel be saide
A roote of greate devocion;
By myrre, that waves corruptscion,
Cleane fleshe bouth quicke and deade.
And sickerlye this knowen we,
He wantes non of these three,114
For full godheade in hym hase he,
As goulde maie signifie;
And soule devoute in hym muste be,
To come out of the Trenitie,
And cleane fleshe we happen to se
In hym full hastelye.120
Primuz rexe
Nowe we have proveid it here,121
These geiftes be to hym moste dere,
Goe we fourth in good manere,
And make we our presente.
Secundus rexe.
The starre it shines faier and cleare,
Over this stable aye entier;127
Here is his woninge withouten were,
And hearein is he lente.
Tercius rex
A fayer mayden yender I see,130
An oulde man sittinge at her knee,
A childe also, as thinkes me,
Three persons theirin are.
Primuz rex
I saide in certen that this is he,134
That we have soughte from cuntrey;
Therfore nowe, with all honistie,
To honour I will that barron.

Tunc aperiet sciathum cum auro primuz rex.


Heale be thou! Christe and Messye,
That from Gode arte comen kindlye,
Mankinde of ball for to for-bye,140
And into blesse bringe;
We knowe well, by prophescye
Of Moyses, David, and Esay,
And Balaham of our ancestrie,
Of Jewes thou shalbe kinge.
Therfore as falleth for thy crowne,146
Goulde I have heare readie bowne,
To honouer thee with greate renowne,
After thy royaltie;
Take heare, Lorde, my intenscion,
That I doe with devocion,
And geve me here thy beneson,152
Or that I goe from thee.
Secundus rex
Heale be [thou]! Christe Emanuell,154
Thou comen arte for mans heale,
And for to wyne againe that wayle
That Adam put awaye.
Prophettes of thee everye on saie,
Both Esaii and Ezechiell,
And Abraham mighte not consaile160
The truth of thee to saye.
Bushope, I wotte, thou muste be,
Therfore nowe, as thinkes me,
Insence will fall beste for thee,
And that nowe heare I bringe:
In tockeninge of thy dignitie,166
And that office of spirialitie,
Receive, Lorde, heare of me
Dovutlye my offeringe.
Tercius rex
Heale, conquerower of all mankinde I170
To doe mercie thou haste mynde,
The devilles bande to unbynde,
And releve all thyne.
A full faier waie thou can finde
To hanse us and put hym behynde,
Through thy passion to unbynde176
Thy people that bene in payne.
For thou shall mende us through thy mighte,
Dye and rise the thirde nighte,
To recover againe our righte,
And breake the devilles bande;
Myrre to thee here have I dighte,182
To balme thy bodye faier and brighte,
Receive my presente, sweete wighte,
And blesse me with thy hande.
God
You be welckome, kinges three,186
Unto my mother and to me,
And into the land of Judye,
And heare I geve you my blessinge.
Maria
You, royall kinges in riche araye,190
The highe father of heaven I praie
To eylde you your good deed to daie,
For his mickell mighte;
And geve you will nowe and allwaie
To yeairne the life that lasteth aye,
And never to fall out of the faye,196
That in your hartes is pighte;
And leve, lorde, withouten were,
That to my sonne you shalbe deare,
That hym to daie hath honoured heare,
And me also for his sake;
When tyme is come intyre,202
To prove his strenghte and power,
To hym you shalbe lefFe and deare,
That dare I undertake.
Josephe
You kinges all, comlye of kinde,206
Faithfull you shall it fynde,
This menskye that God will have in mynde,
And quitte you well your meede.
And leeves well, of no mans strynte
Is he not gotten by lefFe of kinde,
That to beleven are full blynde,212
For I knowe it indeed:
This mayden was betacken me,
When I hade loste my jollitie,
And fayled mighte and postie
Synne for to assaye;
But for God woulde in chastitie218
That we shoulde togeither be,
Keper of her virginitie
I have bene manye a daie.
Therfore I wotte for south, i-wysse,
Oleane mayden that shee is,
And with man did never amisse,224
And therof be you boulde;
But of the Holye Ghoste this is,
For to bringe mankinde to blesse,
And this childe is vereye his,
So Gabrille me toulde.
Angellus
I warne you, comlye kinges three,230
My lorde woulde you not spilled be,
Theirfore he sende you worde by me
To torne another waie;
Herodes felloweshipe you shall fleye,
For your harme ordaynde hase he,
Theirfore goe not through his cuntreye,236
Nor the gate you came to daie.
Primuz rexe
A! highe Lorde, that we honouer heare,238
That warnes us in this manere,
Elles hade we wende, withouten were,
To hym that woulde us spille.
Secundus rex
Yea, Lorde, as thou can us lere,242
We will doe to our power.
Tercius rex
Goe we hense all in fearc,244
And his byddinge fulfill.
Primus rex
Fare well, sir Jasper, brother to you,246
Kinge of Thrasis moste worthye;
Fare well, sir Balcsare, to you I bowe,
I thanke you of your companye;
He that made us to mete on playne,
And offered to Marye in her jasane,
Sende us saffe and sounde as;aine252
To the lande that we came froo.
Secundus rex
You kinges, I saie veramente,254
Seinge God of his grace us neither sente,
We will doe his commaundinente,
Whatsoever befall;
Therfore stande we not in doute,
For to walke our lande aboute,
And of his birth that we maie talke,260
Bouth to greate and smalle.
Tercius rex
Fare well, sir kinges, bouth in feare,262
I thanke you bouth of your good cheare,
But yet my witte is in a were,
Leste Herode make us some trayne;
He that shaped saie and sand,
Sende us saffe into our lande!
Kinges towe, geve me your hande,268
Fare well and have good daie.

Finis. Deo gracias! per me, Georgi Bellin.


Come, Lorde Jesu, come quicklye. 1592.


The Gouldesmythes and Massons PlaieContents

Pagina decima de occisione Innocentium et Herodix tirannica perswasione, et dicat


Herodes
Princes, prelates of price,1
Barrones in balmer and byse,
Beware of me all that be wise,
That weldes all at my will!
Saye noe man anye thinge is his,
But onlye at my devise;
For all this worlde lyes7
To spare and eke to spill.
My subjeckes all that heare be sette,
Barrones, burges, and baronete,
Be baynd to me, or you I beate,
And at my byddinge be.
For leves all this, withouten lette,13
That I will doe as I have hette,
Marye that mysbegotten marmosette
That thinkes to marre me.
And these false traytores that me beheighte
To have comen againe the same nighte,
By another waie have tacken their flighte,19
This waie durste the not take.
Therfore that boye, by God allmighte!
Shalbe slayne sone in your sighte,
And, though it be againste the righte,
A thousand for his sake.
Alas! what purpose had that page,25
That is so yonge and tender of age,
That woulde bereve my heritage,
That am so mylde of mighte?
For south that shrewe was wonderouse sage,
Againste me anye warre to wage;
That ricked reballe, for all his rage,31
Shall not reave me my righte.
But seith it maye non other be,
But these kinges are gone from me,
And that shrewe woulde have my soveraigntye,
I thinke to put hym downe;
All the knaves children in this cuntrey37
Shall by his guyle, so mote I thee,
Because I knowe not which is hee,
All for his sake shalbe slayne.
Howe! Prittie Pratte, my messinger!
Come neither to me, withouten were,
For thou muste goe with hastie beare43
Into Judye this daie,
After my dughtie and comlye knightes,
And byde them hye with all their mightes,
And the lete for no fightes,
Bringe them all without delaye.
Preco.49
Yes, my lorde of hie renowne,
To doe your heistes I am bowne,
Lightlye to leape over dale and downe,
And speede yf I were their.
Fare well, my lorde in magistie,
For on my jorneye I will hye me.55
Herode
Nowe mightie Mahound be with thee!56
And ever to be in feare!
Preco.
Howe! awake out of your slepe!
Sir Grymbalde and sir Lancler depe,
And to me you take good kepe,
For neither I am sente;62
My lorde kinge Herode begines to swaine,
For a shrewe woulde have his crowne,
And this bereve hym of his renowne,
And sone woulde have hym shende.
Primuz miles
Welckome, messinger, that arte so gente,67
Thes tydinges which my lorde hase sente
The bene welckome veramente,
With thee nowe will I wende.
Secundus miles
Messinger, I will, in good faye,71
Wende with you this same daie,
To here what my lorde will saie,
Of this matter to make an ende.
Preco.
Heale, comlye kinge, sittinge in see,
Heare bene these knightes comen to thee,77
That be men of greate degree,
To heare of your talente.
Herodes
Messinger, for thy good deed,80
Righte well shall I quite thy mede,
Have heare of me, to doe thee spede,
Righte a gaye garmente.
Preco.
Grante mercye, lorde regente,
Well am I pleased to myne intente,86
Mightie Mahound that I have mente,
Kepe you in this steade.
Primuz miles
Sir Lanscler depe, what saye ye?89
This is the fayereste kinge that ever I see.
Secundus miles
This daie, under the sonne shyninge,91
Is ther non so semlie a kinge.
Primuz miles
Heale, comlye kinge! crowned in goulde,93
Eich kinge and keison bendes at your becke,
Yf any were that with your grace feight woulde,
Such strockes for your sake sore shalbe sette.
Secundus miles
Yf hym we maye take or gette,97
The devill oughte hym debte,
And so he shalbe quitte,
Suche maisteryes for to make.
Herodes
Welckome, our knightes, that be so gente,101
Nowe will we tell you our intente,
What is the cause we for you sente
So sone and hasteiie.
Yster daie to this cittie,
When we were in our royaltie,
Ther came to us kinges three,107
And toulde us ther intente,
To seeke a childe that borne shoulde be
That was saide by prophesye,
That shoulde be kinge of Judye,
And of manye another lande.
We gave them leve to search and see,113
And come againe to this cittie,
And yf he were of suche degree,
We woulde not hym withstand©;
But and the hade comen againe
All three traytors shoulde have bene slayne,
And also that leither sweyne,119
And al for his sake.
Out, alas! what maie this be?
For I knowe not which is he,
Therfore all knaves children in this cittie
On them shall fall the wracke;
For we knowe not that childe well,125
Though we therfore shoulde go to hell,
All the children of Isarell
We deme them to be slayne.
Counsceler, what is thy rede?
Doccter
Deme them, lorde, for to be deade:130
For that is beaste, as eate I bread,
To cache that litter swayne.
Commaund your knightes anon in hie
To goe to the lande of Gallalie,
And into the lande of Judye
To slaye all that the maie fynde.136
Herodes
That is well sayde, my counsceler!137
But yet I borne as doth the fier,
What for wrath, what for ire,
Tell this be broughte to ende.
Therfore, my knightes good and keyne,
Have done belive, goe wreche my teene,
Goe sleye that shrewe, let it be seene143
And you be men of mighte;
Prove manfulye what the bene,
That nowe awaie from you fleyne,
Drive downe ther durtye arscies bydene,
And sone that the were slayne!
So shall I kepe that vile counjon,149
That thus would reave me of my crowne.
Therfore, my bachlers, make ye boune,
And founde to save my righte.
You muste hye you out of this towne
To Bethlem, as faste as you mone,
All knaves children, by my crowne,155
You muste slaie this nighte,
Primuz miles
Alas! lorde and kinge of blesse,157
Sende you after us for this?
A vellany it were, i-wisse,
For my fellowe and me,
To slea a shetton arsced shrewe,
A lade his heade mighte I hewe;
For riballes are not in this rowe,163
But kinges of greate degree.
Secundus miles
My leffe lorde of greate renowne,165
We shall wrecke us as we mone,
Wheither he be kinge or champion,
Stiffer then ever Sampson was,
Seckerlie I shall drive them downe;
But for to kill suche a congeon,
Me shames sore, by Mahounde!171
To goe in anye plase.
Herode
Naye, ne it is nether on nor towe173
That ye shall slea, as mote I goe,
But a thousande and yet moe,
Takes this in your mynde;
Because I knowe not which that shrewe is,
Therfore, leste you of hym misse,
You muste slea for south, i-wisse,179
All that you maie fynde.
You shall walke farre and nere,
Into Bethlem, spare for no bere,
All knaves children within towe yeaire
And one daies oulde,
Slea them downe on and all,185
So shall you meete with that stall,
That woulde my kingdome clayme and call,
And my welth also welde.
Primuz myles.
Hit shalbe donne, lorde, in hie,
Shall non be lefte witterlie,191
We shall goe searche by and bye
In Bethlem all aboute;
And wrecke your teene full tenderlie,
Leve non unslayne sickerlye,
So shall we soone that shrewe destroye,
And kill hym in that rowte.197

Tunc ibunt milites simul.


Knowes, riche, you be raye,
To Bethlem that barro I am bowne,
With this speare I thinke to assaie
To kille manye a smalle congion;
These congeones in the clowtes I will kill,
And stowtlye with strockes them destroye,203
Shall never on skape by my will,
All babes for that boye full sore shall bye,
Shall never non over passe
Of towe yeaires age and lesse;
And this boye that kinge crowned was,
Shall not skape without searche.209
Secundus miles
Therfore to me take good kepe,210
My name is Sir Lanchler depe.
The that me teene I laie to slepe
On everyeiche a syde;
Through Bethlem I will springe,
For I muste nowe at your bydinge,
Righte all dowen shall I dinge216
Thes lades everyechon;
And then that false geldinge,
That borne was so yonge,
He shall not for nothinge
Awaie from us gone.
Primuz miles
Fare well, my lorde, and have good daie,222
For hardlye I dare this saie,
Not for no boste, in good faye,
Yt is not my manere;
I woulde I mighte fynde in my waie
Sampson in his beste araye,
To loke wheither I durste afraye228
To feighte with hym righte heare.
Herode
Nay, ne I knowe well or thou sweare,230
That thou art a dughtie man of ware,
And though Sampson were heare,
Sone he shoulde be slayne.
But yet my witte is in a were,
Wheither ye shall fynde that solingere
But spede you faste, for my prayer,236
And hye you faste agayne.

Tunc ibunt milites, et veniet angelus:


[Angellus]
Josephe, arise, and that anon,238
Into Egipte thou muste gone,
And Marye also from your fone,
This is my Lordes will;
Ther staye, leste this childe be slayne,
Tell I warne thee to come againe:
False Herode woulde fayne244
Jesus for to spille.
Josephe
A! Lorde, blessed muste thou be,246
Theider anon we will fleye,
Have we companye of thee,
We will live on our waie.
Angellus
Yea, companye we shall you beare,250
Tell that you be comen their.
Herode lokes hym you to feare,
As faste as ever he maye.
Josephe
Marye, sister, nowe we muste flitte,254
Upon my asse nowe shalte thou sitte,
Into Egipte tell we hitte,
The angell will us leade.
Maria
Sir, ever more lowde and still,258
Your tallente I shall fulfill:
I wote it is my lordes will
I doe as you me reade.
Angellus
Come nowe fourth, in Godes name,262
I shall you sheilde from all shame,
And you shall see, my leiffe dame,
A thinge to your likinge;
For Mahometes bouth on and all,
That men on Egipte godes can calle,
At your cominge downe shall fall,268
When I begyne to singe.
Primuz miles
Haste downe, fellowe, hastes downe faste,270
That these queines were downe caste,
And their children in haste,
And kille them all to clowtes.
Secundus miles
Yea, sires, we dwell all to longe,274
Therfore goe we them amonge,
The hopen to have some wronge
That gone so faste awaie.
primuz mulier
Whom calleste thou queine, skabde biche,278
Thy dame thy daster was never suche,
Shee borned a knave eiche stiche,
Yet did I never non.
Secundus mulier
Be thou so hardye, I thee behette,282
To handle my sonne that is so sweete,
This distaffe and thy heede shall meete,
Or we hense gone.
Primuz miles
Dame, abyde and let me see286
A knaves childe if that it be;
The kinge hase commaunded me
All suche for to areiste.
Primus mulier
Areaste, riball, for thee,290
Thou lyes, by my lewtie!
Therfore I rede that faste thou fleye,
And let me have my peace.
Secundus miles
Dame, thy sonne, in good faye,294
He muste of me learne a plaie,
He muste hoppe, or I goe awaie,
Upon my speare ende.
Primus mulier
Out and out! and wayle a waie!298
That ever I [did] abide this daie;
On strocke I will assaye
To geve, or that I wende.
Secundus mulier
Out! out on this teifFe!302
My love, my lorde, my life, my leffe!
Did never man nor woman greffe,
To suffer suche tormente;
But yet wrocken I will be: —
Have here on, towe, or three!
Beare the kinge this from me,308
And that I it hym sende.
Primus miles
Come heither to me, dame Pernell,310
And shewe me heare thy sonne snell:
For the kinge hath beden me quaile
All that we fynde mon.
Primus mulier
My sonne! ney, stronge theife,314
For as I have good preffe,
Thou do my childe anye greffe,
I shall crake thy crowne.

[Tunc miles transfodiet primum puerum, et super lancea accipiet.]


Out, out! and woes me!
Theffe, thou shalbe hanged hie!
My childe is dead nowe I se,320
My sorowe maie not cease.
Thou shalt be hanged on a tree,
And all thy fellowes with thee,
All the men in this cuntreye
Shall not make thee peace.
Have thou this, thou fowle harlote!326
And thou knight to make a knotte,
And on buffitte with this bote
Thou shall have to bowte;
And thou this, and thou this!
Though you bouth shitte and pesse,
And yf you think we do amisse,332
To buske ye to mote.
Secundus miles
Dame, shewe me thy childe here,334
He muste hoope upon my speare,
And it anye pentill beare,
I muste teache hym a plaie.
Secundus mulier
Naye, frecke, thou shall faile,338
My childe shall thou not assaile;
He hath towe holes under his tayle,
Kisse, and thou maye assaie.
For and thou do me any harme,
Or my childe upon my arme,
I shall found to kepe thee warme,344
Be thou never so wood.

Tunc secundus miles transfodiet secundum puerum,


Out, out, out, out!
You shalbe hanged the rowte,
Theffe be ye never so stowte!
Full fowle ye have done.
This childe was tacken to me350
To loke towe, theifes; who be ye?
He was not myne, as you maie se,
He was the kinges sonne.
I shall tell while I maie drye,
His childe was slayne before my eye.
Theeives, you shalbe hanged hie,356
Maie I come to his halle.
But, or I goe, have thou one!
And thou another, Sir John!
For to the kinge I will anon,
To plainte upon you all.

Tunc ibil ad Herodem.


Loe, lorde, loke and see362
The childe that thou toke to me,
Men of thyn owne meanye
Have slayne it, here the bene.
Herodes iratus
Fie, hore, fie! God geve thee pyne,366
Why did thou saie that childe was not myne?
But it is vengance, as drinke I wyne,
And that is nowe well seene.
Secundus mulier
Yes, lorde, the se well arighte370
Thy sonne was like to have bene a knighte,
For in goulde harnes he was dighte,
Painted wounderous gaye;
Yet was I never so sore afrighte,
When the speares through hym thrighte,
Lorde, so littill was my mighte,376
When the beganne to fraye.
Herodes
He was righte sicker in silke araye,378
In goulde and pearle that was so gaye,
The mighte well knowe, by his araye,
He was a kinges sonne;
Wliat the devill is this to saie!
Why were thy wittes so awaie?
Coulde thou not speake, coulde thou not praie,384
And saie it was my sonne?
Alas! what the devill is this to mone?
Alas! my daies bene nowe done;
I wotte I muste dye sone:
Bottles is me to make mone,
For dampned I muste be;390
My legges rotten and my amies,
That nowe I see of feindes swarmes,
I have done so manye harmes,
From hell cominge after me;
I have done so moche woe,
And never good seith I mighte goe,396
Therfore I see cominge my foe,
To feche me to hell.
I bequeath heare in this place
My soule to be with Sathanas.
I dye nowe, alas! alas!
I maie no longer dwell.402

Tunc faciet signum quasi morientis, el veniet demon.


Demon
Ware, warre! for nowe unwarlye walkes you woe,403
For I am swifter then was the roe,
I am comen to feche this lorde you froe,
In wo ever more to dwell;
And with this crocket camrocke your backes I shall cloe,
And all farse belevers I borne and bloe,
That from the crowne of the head to the to409
I leve no righte wholl fell.
From Lucifier, that lorde, neither I am sente,
To feche this kinges sowle here presente,
Into hell to bringe hym their to be lente,
Ever to live in woe.
T[h]eire fier burnes bloe and brente,415
In their shalbe this lorde veramente,
His plase ever more therin is hente,
His bodye never to goe fro. —
No more shall you treaspase, by my lewtie,
That filles your measueres falslye,
Shall beare this lorde companye,421
The gette no other grace;
I will you bringe this into wo,
And come againe and feche moe,
As faste as I maie goe,
Fare well, and have good daye. Exit demon -
Angellus
Josephe, arise, and that in hie,427
For dead is nowe your enemye,
Take Jesu the childe and eke Marye,
And goe into Judye.
Herode, that woulde have hade you slayne,
He is marred bouth mighte and mayne,
Therfore hie you whom againe,433
In peace nowe you shalbe.
Josepiie.
A! Lorde, that madeste all of naughte,
It is skill thy wil be wroughte,
Nowe is he dead that us hath soughte,
We shall never cease,439
Tell that we be againe
At whom in our cuntrye.
Nowe hope we well to live in lee,
And in full greate peace.
Marye, sister, we muste goe
To our lande that we came froe,445
The angell hath beden us soe,
My owine deare sweete;
One my asse thou shalt be,
And my mantle under thee
Full easelye, sister, leve thou me,
And that I thee behette.451
Maria
I thanke you, sir, as I can:452
Helpe me that I were upon.
He that is bouth God and man,
Kepe us in this tyde!
Josephe
Come neither, deere harte roote,456
I shall sone be thy boote,
Thou shalt ryde iche foote,
And I will goe by thy syde.
Angellus
Nowe ye be readie for to goe,460
Josephe and Marye also,
For south I will not departe you frooe,
But helpe you from youer foe?
And I will make a melodie,
And singe here in your companye,
A worde was sayde in prophescye466
A thousande yeaires agoe.
Ex Egipto vocavi filium meum, ut salvum
faciet popidum meum.

Finis. Deo gracias! per me Georgi Bellin.


Come, Lorde Jesu, come quicklye. 1592.


The Blackesmythes PlayeContents

Pagina undecima de purifications beate Virginis; et dicat Semeon.


Semion.
Myghtye God, have mynde of me,
That moste arte in magistie,
For manye winter have I be
Preiste in Jerusalem;
Moche teene and incommoditie6
Foloweth age, full well I see,
And nowe that fitte maie I not fleye,
Thinke me never so swene.
When I am dead and layde in claye,
Wende I muste the same waie
That Abraham wente, the south to saie,12
And in his bosome be,
But heaven blesse after my daie,
Tell Godes sonne come, the south to saye,
To ransome his folke in better araye,
To blesse come never we.
That Christe shall come, well I wotte:18
But daie nor tyme maye no man wotte,
Therfore my bokes loke I mote,
My harte to glade and lighte;
What Esaii sayth I will see,
For well I wote howe it shalbe,
And I were deade, well were me24
Of hym to have a sighte.

Tunc respiciens libi'um, legat prophetiam, Concipict el pariet


filium, ex te virgo.
A! Lorde, moche is thy power!
A wounder fynde I wrytten here,
It sayth a meden faier and cleare
Shall conseave and beare30
A sonne called Emanuell,
But of this leeve I never a deale,
It is wronge wrytten, as I have heale,
Or elles wounder were.
He that wrote this was a fone,
To wryte a virgine here upon,36
That shoulde conseave without helpe of man,
This wryttinge marvailes me;
# I will skrape this awaie anon,
Their as a virgine is wrytten on,
I will wryte, a good woman,
For so it shoulde be.42
Anna vidua
Semion, father, south I see,43
That Ohriste shall come our boote to be,
From the father in magistie,
On mankinde for to myne;
And when he cometh, leve thou me,
He will have mercye and pittie,
On his folke to make them free,49
And save them of their synne.
Semion.
The tyme of his cominge knowe I naughte;
Yet manye bokes have I soughte,
But wounderlye he that this wryttinge wroughte,
And marvaile thinketh me:55
My boke to loke yf I fynde oughte,
What manner mankinde shalbe boughte,
And what tyme it shalbe.

Tunc accipiet librum, et admirando dicat:


Lorde, howe maie this be to daie,
That I wrote laste I fynde awaie,
And of redde letters in stowte araye61
A virgine wrytten theron!
Nay, hereafter I will assaie
Wheither this mirackle be vereye,
And scrape this worde written so gaye,
And wrytte, a good woman.

Tunc iterum fabricat ut antea, et dicat:


Dame Anne, thou maie see well heare,67
This is amended in good manere,
For a wounder thinge it were
To fall by anye waie;
Therfore, as it was amisse,
I have written that souther is,
That a good woman shall, i-wisse,73
Conseave, and not a maye.

Tunc ponit librum super altare, etfaciet angelus ut antea; dicat


Anna
Sir, marvile you nothinge theiron,75
For God will take kinde in man,
Through his godheade ordayne he can
A mayde a childe to beare;
For to that highe comlye kinge
Impossible is no thinge,
Therfore I leeve it no leasinge,81
But south all that is here.
Semion accipit librum.
By my faye, yet will I see,
Wheither my letters chaunged be. —
A! hie God in Trenitie,
Honoured be thou ever;87
For goulden letters, by my lewtie,
Are wrytten through Godes postie,
Since I layde my boke from me,
And my wryttinge awaie,
Ther as, a good woman, written was,
Righte here nowe before my face,93
Yet storred I not out of this place,
And my letters chaunged ys.
This must nedes be by Godes grace,
For an angell this wrytten hase,
Nowe leeve I a mayden, in this case,
Shall beare a baron of blisse.99
Nowe seith, Lorde, that it so is,
Thou wilte be borne with blisse,
Of a mayden that never did amisse,
On me, Lorde, thou have mynde;
Let me never death taste, Lorde full of grace,
Tell I have seene that childes face,105
That prophescied is here in this plase
To ever all mankinde.
Angellus
Semeon, I tell thee sickerlye,108
That Godes owne ghoste am I,
Comen to warne thee witterlye,
Death shalte thou never see,
Tell thou have seene Ohriste vereye,
That borne is of mayden Marye,
And comen mankinde to for-bye,114
From God in magistie.
Semion.
A! Lorde, I thanke thee of thy grace,
That thy ghoste sente to me haste!
Nowe hope I sickerlie in this place
Thy sonne for to see,120
That of a virgine muste be borne,
To save mankinde that was for-lorne,
As Esaues boke toulde me beforne.
Lorde, blessed muste thou be!
Maria
Josephe, my trewe owine fere,125
Nowe rede I, if your will were,
Seith fourtie daies are gone intier,
The temple that we goe to;
And Moyses lawe for to fulfill,
My sonne to offer Semion till:
I wote well that it is Godes will131
That we mone so doe.
Josephe
Yea, Marye, though it be no nede,133
Seith thou arte cleane in thoughte and deed,
Yet it is good to do as God bade,
And worcke after his lawe;
And to the temple that we gone,
And take we with us dove byrdes towe,
Or a turckell to offer also,139
And so fulfill Godes lawe.
Maria
Rightewise Semeon, God thee see!141
Here am I comen nowe to thee,
Purified for to be,
With milde harte and meke;
Receive my sonne nowe at me,
And to my offeringe birdes three,
As falles, sire, for your degree,147
And for your office eke.
Josephe
A signe I offer here also,149
Of virgine wax, as other moe,
In tockeninge shee has lived thoe
In full devocion;
And, sir Semion, leve well this,
As cleane as this waxe nowe is,
As cleane is my wife, i-wisse,155
As of all corruptcion.
Semeon.
Welckome, my Christe, my Savyour,
Welkome, mankindes conqueroure,
Welkome of all frute the flower,
Welkome with all my harte!161
To thee worshipe, joye, and honoure!
For nowe I see my Savyour
Is comen to see my langoure,
And bringe me into blesse.
Though I beare thee nowe, sweete wighte,
Thou ruleste me, as it is righte;167
For, through thee I have mayne and mighte
More then through waie of kinde;
Therfore a songe as I have tighte,
And laudes to thee with harte righte,
I will shewe here in thy sighte,
On me, Lorde, thou have mynde.173

Tunc cantabit, Nunc dimittis servum tuum, domine, etc.


Nowe let thy servante be
After thy worde in peace and lee,
For with my eyes nowe I see
Thou arte mankindes heale;
For thou haste ordeyned ther thy postie,
To people which thou haste pittie179
Lighteninge is comen nowe through thee,
And joye to Isarell.
And Marye, mother, to thee I saie,
Thy sonne that I have seene to daie,
Is comen, I tell thee in good faye,
For fallinge of manye a fone;185
And to releave in good araye
Manye a man, as he well maie,
In Isarell, or he wende awaie,
That shall leeve hym upon.
Manye signes he shall shewe,
In which untrewe shall not trowe,191
And suffer thou shalte manye a harde thrawe,
For soe of sorowe it shall goe;
Through my harte then men shall knowe
Thoughtes in harte on a rowe,
Of men that shall contrarye you,
And founde to worke thee woo.197
Anna vidua
And I acknowledge to thee, Lorde, heare,198
To leeve on thee through my power,
That fower skore and fower yeaire
Haste sente me mighte and grace
To leve in pennance and praier,
Nowe wote I well withouten were,
That thou arte Ohriste in godheade cleare,204
In thee whollye thou haste;
And openlye here south I saye
To all thy people that I see maie,
The which hath wayled manye a daie
After thee, our Savyoure;
That thou arte comen Christe vereye,210
This wotte I well by manye a waie,
Therfore I honoure thee for aye,
My Christe, my Creator.
Maria
Josephe, husbande leffe and deare,214
Our childe is gone upon his waie,
My harte were lighte and he were,
Let us goe seeke hym we thee praie,
For sodenlye he wente awaie,
And lefte us bouth in Jerusalem,
Greatlye in likinge manye a daie,220
That wilbe Lorde over all the realme.
Marrye, of myrthes we maie us meane,
And trewlye tell betwene us towe
Of fearlye sightes that we have seene,
Seith we came the cittie froe.
Dere Josephe, will you wende?226
Seith our childe hath bene us with,
Whom-warde I rede we hie,
He kepe us bouth from growne and greiffe,
In all the mighte that ever I maie,
For dreade of wicked companye,
Leaste anye us meete upon the waie:232
Whom-warde theirfore I rede we hie.
Primuz Doccter
Heare our reason righte on a rowe,234
You clarkes that be of greate cuninge,
Me thinkes this childe woulde learne our lawe,
He taketh greate heede to our talkinge.
Deus
You clarkes that be of greate cuninge,238
Unto my talkinge you take good heede,
My father that sitteth in magistie,
He knowes your thoughtes in worde and deed;
My father and I togeither be
In on godhead, withouten dreade,
We be bouth on in certentie,244
All thes workes to rule and reade.
Primus doccter
Heare this childe in his bourdinge,246
He weenes he kennes more then he knowes.
Certes, sonne, thou arte over yonge
By cleargye cleaine to knowe our lawes;
Therfore yf thou wouldeste never so fayne,
Futher in age then thou have drawe,
Yet arte thou never of mighte nor mayne252
To knowe as a clarke shoulde knowe.
Secundus Doccter
And thou wylte speake of Moyses lawe,254
Take good heede and thou maye se,
In case be that thou maye knowe,
Heare in this booke that wrytten be.
Deus
The kingdome of heaven is in me lighte,258
And hath me anoynted like a leche,
And geven me plaine power and mighte
The kingdome of heaven to tell and teache.
Secundus docter.
Behoulde howe he base learned our lawes,
And he learned never on boke to reade:264
Me thinkes he saies suttill sawes,
And vereye truth, yf you take heede.
Tercius Doccter
Let hym wende fourth on his wayes,267
For and he dwell, withouten dreade,
The people will sone hym praise,
Well more then us for all our deedes.
Primuz Doccter
This is nothinge to my intente,271
Suche speache to spende I rede we spare,
And welde in worlde as I have mente,
Yet founde I never so vereye a fare.
Secundus Doccter
By matters that this childe hath mente,275
To knowe our lawes lesse and more,
Out of heaven I hope hym sente
Into the yeairth to salve our sore.
Deus
You that be maysters of Moyses lawe,279
And worthy doccters of greate degree,
On commaundmente to me you shewe
That God on yeairth bade kepte shoulde be.
Primuz Doccter
I reade this is the firste byddinge,283
And is the moste in Moyses lawe,
To love our God above all thinge,
With all our mighte and all our lawe,
Deus
That for to doe loke you be bayne,287
With all your harte with good intente,
Take you not his name in vaine,
This is my fathers comaundmente.
Also you honor your holye daie,
No worckes save almes deedes you doe.
These three, the certen for to saie,293
The firste table belonge unto.
Also, father and mother worshipe aye;
Take no mans goodes againste the righte;
Also all false wittnes you put awaie;
And slea no man by daie nor nighte;
Envye doe by no woman,299
To doe her shame by nighte nor daie;
Other mens wyffes desier you note,
All suche desiers you put awaie;
Loke you doe not steale nighte nor daie,
What so ever to you be lente;
Thes wordes understande you maye,305
The are my fathers commaundmente.
Tercius Doccter
Sires, this childe of mickell prise,307
Which is yonge and tender of age,
I houlde hym from the highe justice,
To wyne againe our heritage.
Maria
Nowe blessed be he that us neither broughte,311
In lande lives non so lighte,
Se wher he sittes which we have soughte,
Amonge vender masters mickell of mighte.
Goe fourth, Joseph, on your waie,
And fatche our sonne, and let us fare,
That sitteth with yender doccters gaye,317
For we have hade of hym greate care.
Josephe
Marye, wife, thou wotteste righte well,319
That I muste all my travile teene,
With men of mighte I can not melle,
That sitteth so gaye in furres fyne.
Maria
My worthy sonne to me so deare,323
Wee have thee soughte wounder wyde,
I am righte gladde that thou arte heare,
That we have found thee in this tyde.
Deus
Mother, full ofte I toulde you till,327
My fathers worckes for waile or wo
Heither was I sente for to fulfill,
That muste I nedes doe or I goe.
Maria
Thy sayinge, sonne, as have I heale,331
I can nothinge understande,
I shall thinke on them full well,
And founde to doe that you commaunde,
Angellus
Nowe have you harde all in this place,335
That Christe is comon through his grace,
As hollye Esau prophescied hase,
And Semion hath hym sende;
Leve you well this lordes of mighte,
And kepe you all his lawes arighte,
That you maye in his blisse so brighte341
Ever more with hym live.

Finis. Deo gracias! per me Georgi Bellin.


Come, Lorde Jesu, come quicklye. 1592.


The Bowchers PlayeContents

Incipit pagina duodecima, qualiter Jesus ductus est in desertum asperum; incipiat Diabolus.


Diabolus
Nowe by [my] soverante I sweare,1
And principallitie that I beare
In hell pyne, when I am their,
A gamon I will assaie;
Ther is a dossiberde I woulde dere,
That walkes abrode wilde were,
Whoe is his father I wotte nere,7
The south yf I shoulde saye.
What master mon ever be this,
That nowe into the worlde comen is,
His mother I wotte did never amisse,
And that nowe marvailes me.
This can not I fynde i-wysse,13
For all my crafte and my countise,
Yt seemes that heaven shoulde al be his,
So stowte a sire is he.
He is man from foote to crowne,
And gotten without corrupt cion,
So cleane of conversacion19
Knewe I never non before.
All men of hym marvile mon,
For as man he goeth up and downe,
But as God with devocion
His hasse hym honer yore.
Since the worlde firste beganne,25
Knewe I never such a man,
Borne of a deadlike woman,
And howe it wembles.
Amonge synfull syn dose he non,
And cleaneer then ever was any one,
Blottles of blude and bone,31
And wiser then ever man was.
Averice nor anye envye
In hym coulde I never espie,
He hath no goulde in treasurye,
Ner tempted is by no sighte.
Pryde hath he non nor glotanye,37
Ne nor no likinge of lecherye;
His mouth harde I never lye,
Nether by daye nor nighte.
My highnes he puttes ever behynde,
For in hym faulte cane I non fynde.
Yf he be God in mans kinde,43
My crafte then fullye fayleth.
And more than man I wotte he is,
Elles some thinge he did amisse,
Save onlye hongarye he is, i-wisse,
Elles wotte I not what hym ayles.
And this thinge dare I southlye saye.49
Yf that he be God vereye,
Honger shall greve hym by no waie,
That were againste reason.
Therfore nowe I woulde assaie
With speache of bread hym to betraye;
For he hasse fasted nowe manye a daie,55
Therfore bredde were in season.
Diabolus dicit
Thou man, abyde and speake with me:57
Godes sonne and yf thou be,
Make of these stonnes, nowe lettes see,
Breade, through thy blessinge.
Deus
Sathan, I tell thee sickerlye,61
Bread man liveth not onlye by,
But through Godes worde verelye,
Of his mouth cominge.
Therfore thou pynes thee, Sathanfas],
To supplante me of my place
By meate, as somtyme Addam was,67
Of blesse when he was broughte.
Deceived he was that tyme through thee,
But nowe muste faile thy postie;
Therfore to move that thinge to me,
It shall serve thee of naughte.
Sathan, through thy intisemente,73
Honger shall naughte torne my intente;
For Godes will omnipotente
Is my meate, boute fayle,
And his worde perfecte sustenance,
And to me also without distance;
For thou shall fynde no variance79
In me, that shall thee avayle.
Diabolus
Out, alas! what is this?81
This matter fares all amisse!
Hongarye I se well he is,
As man shoulde kindlye be;
But through no crafte nor no countise,
I cane not torne his will, i-wisse,
That neede of anye bodelye blesse87
In hym no thinge has he.
For he maie suffer all maner anoye,
As man shoulde well and steadfastlye,
But ever he wyneith the victorye,
As godheade in hym were.
Some other sleighte I muste espye,93
This doscibeirde for to destroye,
For of me he hath the maisterye
Unhappelye nowe heare.
Adam, that God hym selfe wroughte,
Through my deceate in balle I broughte;
But this sir, that I have soughte,99
Borne of one woman,
For no nede that hym selfe hase,
With no counscell in this case,
To greve hym I maie have no grace,
For no crafte that I can.
Yett will I seache some suttiltie. —105
Come fourth thou, Jesus, come with me,
To this hollye cittie;
I have an errand to saie.
Vereye God, and if thou be,
Now I shall full sone see;
For I shall shape honour for thee,111
Or that thou wende awaie.

Tunc statuet Jesu super pinnaculum templi y et dicat


Diabolus
Saye, thou that siteth nowe so highe,113
Yf thou be Godes sonne, by sleighte,
Come downe, and I will see in sighte
That thou dideste a fayer maisterye;
Thy owine angelles mone kepe to thee,
That thou hurte no foote nor kneye,
Shewe thy power, nowe lettes see.119
That thou maie have maisterye their-by.

Jesus dicit ad Diabolus. (sic)


Sathan, sickerlye I thee saie,
It is wrytten that thou ney maie
Tempte God thy Lorde by no waie,
What matter so ever be mente.

Descendens de pinnaculo dicat Diabolus.


Alas! that me is wo to daie!125
This have I fayled of my praye!
Was I never rente in such araye,
Ner halfe so fowle deprived.

Tunc Sathan adducet Jesus super montem, et dicat:


Diabolus
Yet, felowe, if it be thy will,129
Goe we plaie us to a hill,
Another poynte I muste fulfill,
For oughte that maie befall;
Loke aboute thee nowe and see
Of all this realme the royaltie:
For, to kneele downe and worshipe me,135
Thou shalte be lorde of all.
Deus
Goe fourth, Sathanas, goe fourth, goe!137
It was wrytten it shalbe so,
Thy Lorde God thou shalt honer,
And serve hym through thyn eye.
Diabolus
Out, alas! that me is woe!141
For founde I never so create a foe,
Though I to the people were never so thro,
I am overcome thrise.
Alas! my sleighte nowe am I quitte:
Adam I founded with a fitte,
And hym in cumberances sone I knitte,147
Through countise of my crafte.
Nowe, sone of sorowe he mone be sutte,
And I punished in hell pitte:
Knewe I never non of suche witte,
As he that I have laste.
Alas! for shame I am shente,153
With hell houndes when I am hente,
I muste be ragged and all to -rente,
And dreven to the fier;
And in sorowe and wo nowe am I broughte,
And all my cuninge is sette at naughte:
Endles paine muste I have un soughte,159
To my rewarde and hier.
But I am nowe of good intente,
To houlde a courte full dilligente,
And call my servantes, veramente,
Shortlye for to apeare;
Them to rewarde with dignitie,165
That all ther life have served me,
In borninge blesse their shall the be,
And sitte with Lucifier.
Doccter
Loe, lordinges, Godes rightiousnes,169
As Gregorye maketh mynde exspres,
Synce our forfather overcomen was,
By three thinges to doe evill;
Glotanye, vaine glorye, their be towe,
Covetouse of highnes also,
By thes three poyntes, boute moe,175
Christe hase overcomen the devill.
That Adam was tempted in glorye
I maye well prove appeartlye,
When of that frute falsclye
The devill made hym to eate;
And tempted he was in vayne glorye181
When he heighte hym greate magistie,
And have godhead unworthelye,
Through eatinge of that meate.
Also he was tempted in averice,
When he heighte hym to be wise,
Knowe good and evill at his devise,187
More then he was worthy.
For covetousnes Gregeorye saith expresse,
Synnes naughte onlye in riches,
But in willinge of highenes
And state unskillfullye.
Also Christe in thes signes three193
Was tempted, as ye maie well see,
For in glotanye, leve you me.
He moved hym yea sleilye here,
When he intisced hym through his read,
To tome the stones into breade,
And so to move his godheade,199
Which he was in a were.
In vayne glorye he tempted hym also,
When he bade hym downe to goe
The pynackle of the temple froe,
An unskillfull gate;
And in covetousnes he tempted was,205
When he shewed hym suche riches,
And heighte hym landes more and lesse,
And that through greate estate.
This overcome thrise in this case
The devill, as played was in this place,
Of the three synnes that Adam was211
Of wayle into woe wayved;
But Adam fell through his treaspas,
And Jesu withstood hym through his grace,
For of his godhead southnes
That tyme was cleane deceived.

Tunc veniet Domino Pharasei adducentes mulierem in adulterio deprehensam, dicat primuz Phareseus:


Maysters, I rede by God allmighte,217
That we leade this wreched wighte,
That was tacken thus to nighte
In fowle advoultrye,
Before Jesu in his sighte,
For to tempte hym I have tighte,
To se wheither he will deme the righte,223
Or els unlawfullye.
Secundus Pharaseus
That is well rede, felowe, by my faye!225
Soe maye we cache hym by some waye,
For if he doe her grace to daie,
He dose againste the lawe;
And yf he byde punishe her sore,
He dose againste his owine lore,
That he hase preached here before,231
To mercye man shoulde drawe.

Tunc adducent mulierem inter se coram Jesu, et dicat


Primuz Pharaseus
Master, this woman that is heare233
Was wedded lawfullye this other yeaire,
But with another then her feare
We founde her doe amisse.
And Moyses lawe bydes us stone
All suche as be uncleane:
Therfore to thee we can us meane,239
To geve a dome of this.
Jesus scribens in terra, dicat
Jesus
Nowe which of you everye ichone242
Is bout synne, buske hym anon,
And caste at her the firste stone,
Belive, or that ye blyne,
Primuz Pharaseus
Speake on, master, and somewhat saie,246
Shall shee be stoned, or elles neye?
Or doe her mercye as thou maie,
To forgeve her this synne.
Secundus Pharaseus
Maister, why arte thou so still?250
What wrytteste thou? yf it be thy will,
Wheither shall we spare or spill
This woman founde in blame?
What wrytteste thou, master I nowe lettes see;—
Out, alas! that woes me!
For no longer dare I here be,256
For dreade of worldye shame.
Etfugiet, et dicat postea Primuz Pharaseus:
Why fleyeste thou, fellowe, by thy faye I
I will se sone and assaye.
Alas! that I were awaie
Ferre behynde France!262
Stand ye, Sible, hym besyde;
No longer here dare I abyde
Againste thee for to chyde,
As have I good chaunce!
Etfugiet, et dicat Jesus ad mulierem:
Woman, wher be thes men eicheone,268
That putten this gilte thee uppon?
To dampne thee nowe their is non
Of thoes that were before.
MULIER ADULTERA.
Lorde, to dampne me their is non,
For all the bene awaie gone.274
Jesus
Nowe I dampne thee not, woman:275
Goe fourth, and synne no more.
Mulier.
A! Lorde, blessed muste thou be,
That of mischeiffe hasse holpen me;
Hensefourth nowe I will fleye,
And serve thee in good faye;281
For godheade full in thee I see,
That knowes worckes that done we,
I honoure thee kneelinge on my knye,
And so will I doe [aye].
Doccter
Nowe, lordes, I praye you marcke here286
The great goodnes of Godes deere,
I will declare, as it is need,
These thinges that plaied was,
As Austyne speaketh expresslie
Of it in his homilye
Upon Saynte John Evangelye,292
This he sayes in that case:
Towe wayes the casten hym to anoye,
Synce he hade preached moch of mercye,
And the lawe comaunded expresslye
Suche wemen for to stone
That treasspassen in advoultrye;298
Therfore the hopen witterlye
Varyence in hym to espie,
Or blemyshe the lawe cleane.
That wiste Jesu well their thoughte,
And all their wittes he sette at naughte;
But bade which synne hade not wroughte304
Caste firste at her a stone,
And wrote in claye, leeve you me,
Ther owine synnes that the maie se,
That eichone fayne was to fleye,
And the lefte her aloone.
For eichon of them hade grace310
To see ther synnes in that place,
Yet non of them wiser was,
But his synnes eich man knewe;
And fayne the were to take the waie,
Leste the hade dampned bene that daie.
This helped that woman, in good faye,316
Our sweete Lorde Jesu.

Finis. Deo gracias! per me, Georgi Bellin.


Come, Lorde Jesu, come quicklye. 1592.


The Glovers PlayeContents

Pagina decima tertia de chelidonis et de resurrectione Lazari.


Jesus
Ego sum lux mundi, qui sequitur me non ambulabit in tenebris sed habebit lumen vite.
Jesus
Brethren, I am films Dei, the lighte of this worlde;
He that followeth me walketh not in darcknes,
But hath the lighte of life, the Scriptures so recorde,
As patrickes and prophettes of me beare wittnes,
Bouth Abraham, Isacke, and Jacobe, in their sundrye testimonies,
Unto whom I was promysed before the worlde beganne,
To paie ther ranscome, and to become man.8
Ego et Pater unum sumuz, my father and I are all one,
Which hath me sente from his throne sempiternall,
To preache and declare his will unto man.
Because he loveth hym above his creatures all,
As his treasure and darlinge moste principalle.
Man, I saye againe, which is his owne eleckte,14
Above all creatures seculierlye seleckte.
Wherfore, deare brethren, yt is my mynde and will
To goe to Bethenye, that standeth here by,
My fathers hestes and comaundmentes to fulfill;
For I am the good sheapard that putteth his life in joperdye
To save his flocke, which I love tenderlye,20
As it is wrytten of me, the Scriptures beareth wittnes,
Bonus pastor ponit animam suam pro ovibus suis.
Goe we therfore, brethren, while the daie is lighte,
To do my fathers worckes, as I am fullye mynded,
To heale the sicke, and restore the blinde to sighte,
That the prophesye of me mighte be fulfilled:26
For other sheepe I have, which are to me committed,
The be not of this flocke, yet will I them regarde,
That ther maie be on flocke and one sheaparde.
But or we goe hense, wryte thes sayinges in your harte,
Recorde them ofte, kepe them in memorie,
Oontynue in my worde, from it do not departe;32
Therby shall all men knowe moste perfective,
That you are my desciples, and of my familie.
Goe not before me, but let my worde be your guyde;
Then in your doinges you shall alwaies well speed.
Si vos manseritis in sermone meo, veri discipidi mei
eritis, et cognoscetis veritatem, et Veritas liberabit vos.

Puer ducena cecum
Yf pittie maye move your gentle hartes,39
Remember, good people, the poore and the blynde,
With your charatable almes the poore man to comforte,
He is your owine neightboure and of your owine kinde.
Cecus
Your alines, good people, for charitye,43
To me that am blynd and never did see,
Your neightboure borne in this cittie:
Helpe me, or I goe hence.
Petrus
Master, instrockte us in this case,47
Why this man borne blinde was:
Is it for his owine treaspas?
Or elles for his parentes?
John
Was synne the cause originall51
Wherin we be decived all,
That this blynd man was broughte in thralle?
Jesus
Hit was nether for his oifence,54
Nether the synne of his parentes,
Or other faulte or necligence,
That he was blinde borne;
But for this cause speciallye,
To sette fourth Godes greate glorye,
His power to shewe manifestlye60
This manes sighte to reforme.
While the daie is fayer and brighte,
My fathers workes I muste worcke righte,
Untill the cominge of the nighte,
That lighte be gone awaie.
In this worlde, when I am heare,66
I am the lighte that shyneth cleare,
My lighte to them shall well appeare
Which cleeve to me allwaie.

Tunc Jesus super terram spuit et lutum faciei, et oculos ceci manibus fricabity et postea dicat


Jesus
Doe, man, as I save to thee,70
Goe to the watter of Syloe,
Ther wayshe thy eyes, and thou shall see,
And geve to God the prayse.

Tunc cecus querit aquam, et abiit Jesus.


Cecus
Leade me, good cliilde, right hastelye74
Unto the watter of Siloe.

Tunc lavat, et postea dicat:


Praysed be God omnipotente,
Which nowe to me my sighte has sente!
I see all thinges nowe heare presente,
Blessed be God allwaie!
When I hade done as God me bade,80
My perfecte sighte fourthwith I hade;
Wherfore my harte is wounder glade,
That I doute where I am.
Primuz Pharaseus
Neightboures, yf I the truth shoulde saie,84
This is the blynde man which yster daie
Asked our almes, as we came this waie:
It is the vereye same.
Secundus Pharaseus
No, no, neightboures, yt is not he,88
But it is the likeste to hym that ever I see;
One man to another like maye be,
And so is he to hym.
Cecus
Good men, trulye I am he92
That was blynde and nowe I see,
I am no other vereleye;
Enquier of all my kynne.
Primuz Pharaseus
Then tell the truth, we thee praye,96
Howe this is happncd to us save,
Thou that even yster daye
Couldeste see noe yeairthlye thinge,
And nowe seiste so perfectlye;
Noe wante of sighte in thee we see.
Declare therfore to us trulye,102
Without more reasoninge.
Cecus
The man whiche we calle Jesus,104
That worcketh mirackles daylie with us,
And whom we fynde so gracious,
Anoynted my eyes with claye,
And to the watter of Siloe
He bade me goe immeadiatlye,
And way she my eyes and I shoulde see;110
And theider I toke my waye.
When the watter on my eyes lighte,
Immediatlye I hade my sighte;
Was their never earthlye wighte
So joyfull in his thoughte.
Secundus vicinus
Wher is he nowe, we thee praie?116
Cecus
I knowe not wher he is, by this daie.117
Secundus vicinus
Thou shalte with us come one this waie,118
And to the Pharasittes thes wordes saie;
But yf thou woulde thes wordes deneye,
It shall helpe thee righte naughte. —
Loke up, lordinges and judges, arighte,
We have broughte you a man that hade no sighte,
And on the Saboth daye, through on mans mighte,124
Was healed and restored, for south.
Primus vicinus
Declare to them, thou wiccked wighte,126
Who did restore to thee thy sighte,
That we maye knowe anon righte
Of this matter the truth.
Cecus
Jesus anoynted my eyes with claye,130
And byde me wayshe in Siloe;
And before I came awaie,
My perfecte sighte I hade.
Primus Pharaseus
This man, the truth yf I shoulde saye,134
Is not of God, my heade I laye!
Which doth voyolate the Saboath daye,
I judge hym to be madde.
Secundus Pharaseus
It cannot enter into my thoughte,138
That he which hath this marvayle wroughte
Should be a synner, I leeve it naughte,
It is not in my creede.
Saye, what is he that did thee heale?
Cecus
A prophette he is, without fayle.143
Primus Pharaseus
Suerlye, thou arte a knave by kinde,144
And fayneste thy selfe for to be blinde!
Wherfore nowe this is my mynde
The truth to trye indeede;
His father and mother both in feare
Shall come declare the matter heare,
And then the truth shall sone appeare,150
And we put out of doute.
Goe fourth, messinger, anon in hye,
And feache his parentes by and by;
This knave can naughte but prate and lye.
I woulde his eyes were out.
Messinger
Your byddinge, mayster, I shall fulfill,156
And do my dewtye as is good skill,
For this daye neither I knowe the will,
And I shall spye them out.

Tunc circumspectaty et adloquitor eos.


Sir and dame, bouth in feare,
You muste before the Pharasites appeare,
What ther will is their shall you here:162
Have donne and come your waie!
Mater
Alas! man, what doe we heare?164
Muste we before the Pharasittes appeare?
A vengance on them, farre and nere!
The never did poore men good.
Pater
Dame, their is no other waye,168
But their commaundment we muste obaye,
Or elles the woulde, without delaye,
Curse us and take our good.
Messinger
Heare I have broughte, as you bade me,172
These towe persons that aged be;
The bene the parentes of hym trulye,
Which sayde that he was blynde.
Primuz Pharaseus
Come nere to us bouth towe,176
And tell us trewlye or you goe,
Wheither this be your sonne or noe;
Loke noe deceate we fynde.
Pater
Maisters, we knowe certenlye180
Our sonne he is, we cannot denye,
And blynde was borne undowtedlye,
And that we will depose;
But whoe restored hym to his sighte
We be uncerten, by God allmighte!
Wherfore of hym, as it is righte,186
The truth you muste inquier.
Mater
For he hath age his talle to tell,188
And his mother tonge to utter it well,
Allthough he coulde never bye nor sell,
Lett hym speake, we desyer.
Primuz Pharaseus
Geve prayse to God, thou craftye knave,192
And loke hereafter thou doe not rave,
Nor saye that Jesus did thee save,
And restored to thee thy sighte.
Secundus Pharaseus
He is a synner, and that we knowe,196
Deceavinge the people towe and frooe;
This is moste trewe that we thee showe,
Beleve us, as is righte.
Cecus
Yf he be synfull I doe not knowe,200
But this is truth that I doe showe,
When I was blynde and in greate woe,
He cured me as you see.
Primus Pharaseus
What did he, thou leither swayne?204
Cecus
I toulde you onste; will you here it againe?205
Or his disciples will you become,
Of all your synnes to have remyssion.
Secundus Pharaseus
cursced caytiffe! yll mote thou thee!208
Woulde thou have us his disciples to be?
Noe, no: Moyses disciples bene all we,
For God with hym did speake;
But whense he is we never knewe.
Cecus
I marvaile of that, as I am trewe,213
That you knowe not from whense he shoulde be
That me cured that never did see,
Knowinge this moste certenlye,
God will not synners heare.
But he that honoured God trewlye,
Hym will he here by and by,219
And graunte his askinge graciouslye,
For that man is to hym deare.
And to [saye] this I dare be boulde,
Ther is no man that ever coulde
Restore a creature unto his sighte,
That was blynde borne and never sawe lighte;225
Yf he of God were not, i-wysse,
He coulde never worcke suche thinges as this.
Primuz Pharaseus
What, synfull knave, wylte thou teache us228
Which all the Scriptures can diskousse,
And of our livinge be so vertuous?
We curse thee out of this place.
Jesus
Beleeves thou in Godes sonne trewlye?232
Cecus
Yea, gracious Lorde, who is he?233
Jesus
Thou haste hym seene with thy eyne,234
Hee is the same that talketh with thee.
Cecus
Then heare I honour hym with harte free,236
And ever will serve hym untill I dye.
Primuz Judeus
Saye, man, that maketh suche maisterye,238
Are thou our soules doe anoye,
Tell us heare apeartlye,
Christe yf that thou be.
Jesus
That I speake to you openlye,242
And worckes that I doe verelye,
In my fathers name allmightye,
Beare wittnes of me.
But you beleeve not as you seene,
For of my sheepe ye neye bene,
But my flocke withouten wene248
Heare my voyee allwaye;
And I knowe them well icheone,
For with me allwaye the gone,
And for them I ordayne in my name
Everlastinge life for aye.
No man shall reave my sheepe from me;254
For my father in magistie
Is greater than be all ye,
Or anye that ever was.
Secundus Judeus
Theu shalte abye or thou passe!258
Helpe, fellowe, and gaither stonnes!
He skornes us quantlye for the nones,
And dothe us greate anoye.

Tunc lapides colligunt.


Yea, stonnes here nowe I have,
For this riball that thus can rave!
On strocke, as God me save,264
He shall have sone in hie.
Jesus
Wreches, manye a good deed266
I have done you in your need;
Nowe quitte you fowle my mede,
To stonne me in this man ere.
Primuz Judeus
For the good deedes that thou haste wroughte,270
At this tyme stonne we thee naughte:
Their thou lyeste fowle and falslye,
Both in worde and thoughte.
Jesus
But I doe well and trewlye274
My fathers bydinge by and by,
Elles maye you hope well I lye,
And then leeve you me naughte.
But seinge you will not leeve me
Nor my deedes that you maye see,
To them beleevinge take ye,280
For nothinge maye be souther;
Soe maye you knowe well and vereye,
In my father that I am aye,
And he in me south to saye,
And either of us in other.

Tunc colligent lapides, et statim evanescit Jesus.


Secundus Judeus
Out, owte, alas! wher is our fonne,286
Quicklye that he is hense gone?
I woulde a tacken hym, and that anon,
And woulde hym all to-clapped;
Yea, make we never so moche mone,
Nowe here is no other wonne,
For he and his men everye icheone292
Are from us clearlye scaped.
Primuz Judeus
Nowe, by the death I shall on dye!294
Maye I see hym with my eye,
To sir Cayphas I shall hym wrye,
And tell that shall hym dare.
See I never non, by my faye,
When I hade stonnes, soe sone awaye;
But yet no force, another daye300
His taberte we shall feare.
Maria
A! Lorde Jesu! that me is woe!302
To wytte my brother sicklye soe,
In feable tyme Christe yode me froo,
Well were me and he were here.
Martha
Yea, sister, about we will goe,306
And seeke Jesus towe and froe;
To helpe hym he wilbe throe,
And he wiste howe it were.

Tunc venit Jesus.


O my Lorde, sweete Jesus, mercye!
Lazarre, that thou loved tenderlye,
Lyeth sicke a littill here by,312
And suffereth moche teene.
Jesus
Yea, woman, I tell thee witterlye,314
That sicklies is not deadlye,
But Godes sonne to glorifie,
By hym as maye be seene.

Tunc ibit Martha ad Mariam.


Maria
A! Martha, sister, alas! alas!318
My brother is dead since thou here was;
Had Jesus my Lorde bene in this place,
This case hade not bene f aline.
Martha
Yea, sister, nere is Godes grace,322
Manye a man he holpen hase,
Yeat maye he doe for us in this case,
And hym to liffe calle.
Maria
Here will I sitte and mourninge make,326
Tell that Jesus my sorowe slake.
My teene to harte, Lorde, thou take,
And ease me of my wooe.
Martha
In sorowe and woe here will I wake,330
And lament for Lazarre my brothers sake:
Though I for payne and coulde quake,
Hense will I not goe.

Tunc pariter juxta sepulcrum sedebunt plorantes, et Jesus:


Jesus
Brethren, goe we to Judye.334
Petrus
Maister, righte well thou maye see335
The Jewes woulde have stoned thee,
And yett thou will againe.
Jesus
Wote you not well this is vereye,338
That xij. oures are in the daye;
And whoe so walketh that tyme his waie
Treasspaseth not, the south to saie:
He offendeth not that goeth in lighte,
But whoe so ever walketh in nighte,
He trespassed all againste the righte,344
And lighte in hym is non.
Why I saye this that I have toulde,
I shall tell you sone in highte,
Have mynde of it through your mighte,
And thinke theirupon:
To the daye my selfe lickned maie be,350
To the xij. oures all ye,
That lightned bene through followinge me,
That am moste likinge lighte;
For worldes lighte I am vereye,
And who so foloweth me, south to saie,
He maie goe no thester waie,356
For lighte in hym is dighte.
Oportet me operari opera ejus qui misit me,
donee dies est; venit now, quando nemo potest
operari: quamdiu sum in mundo, luce sum mundi.

Jesus
Brethren, I tell you tydinges:361
Lazarre, my frende, is sleapinge.
Theidder we muste be goinge,
Upon hym for to calle.
John
Lorde, if he slepe, saffe he maie be,365
For in his slepe noe perill is he;
Therfore it is not good for thee
To goe theider for so smalle.
Jesus
I tell you, brethren, certenlye369
Lazarre is dead, and theider will I:
Fayne I am you wotte not, I
Was not their, as you maie see:
We goe theider anon in hie.
Thomas
Folowe hym, brethren, to his anoye,374
And I with hym devoutlye,
For non other it will not be.

Tunc versus locum ibit Jesus, ubi Maria et Martha sedent, et Martha Jiet obviam.


Martha
A! Lorde Jesus, hadest thou bene here leade,377
Lazarre my brother hade not bene dead.
Fut well I wotte thou will us reade,
Nowe thou arte with us heare.
And this I leeve and hope arighte,
What thinge thou asketh of God allmighte,
He will graunte it thee in heighte,383
And graunte thee thy prayer.
Jesus
Thy brother, Martha, shall rise, I saye.385
Martha
That leeve I, Lorde, in good faye,386
That he shall rise the laste daie;
Then hope I hym to see.
Jesus
Martha, I tell thee without naye,389
I am risinge and life vereye,
Which life shall laste for aye,
And never shall endid be.
Whoesoever leevith steadfastlie
In me, I tell thee trulye,
Though he dead be and downe lye,395
Shall live and fare well.
Leeves thou, woman, that this may be?
Martha
Lorde, I leeve and leeve mon,398
That thou arte Christe, Godes sonne,
Is comen into this worlde to wonne,
Mans boote for to be:
This have I leeved steadfastlye;
Therfore on me thou have mercye,
And one my sister eke Marye,404
I will feche her to thee.

Tunc Martha ibit et vocabit Mariam, dicens


Martha
A! leffe Marye, sister deare,406
Hye thee quicklye and come nere;
My sweete Lorde Jesus he is heare,
And calleth thee hym towe.
Maria
A! well were we and it so were!410
But hade my lovelye Lorde of lere
Seene my brother lyne on beere,
Some helpe mighte a bene done.
But nowe he stincketh, south to saye,
For nowe this is the fourth daye,
Synce he was buryed in the claye,416
That was to me soe leffe;
But yett, my Lorde, I will assaye,
And with all my harte hym I praie,
To comforte us, and that he maie,
And mende all our mischeiffe.

Tunc Maria videns Jesum prosternat se ad pedes, dicens:


A! Lorde Jesus, hadeste thou bene here,422
Lazarre my brother, thy owine dere,
Had not bene dead in this manere.
Moche sorowe is me upon!
Jesus
Wher have you done hym, tell to me.426
Maria
Lorde, come heither, and thou maye se,427
For buryed in this place is he,
Fower dayes nowe agone.

Tunc venient Judei, quorum dicat primus Judeus:


See, ffellowe, for cokes soule!
This frecke begines to reme and yole,
That makes greate dole for gole,
That he loved wel before.433
Secundus Judeus
Yf he had cuninge, me thinke he mighte434
From death have saved Lazarre by righte,
As well as sende that man his sighte,
That whiche so blynde was borne.
Jesus
Have done, and put awaye the stone.438
Martha
A! Lorde, fower dayes bene gone,439
Since he was buryed blood and bone;
He stinckes, Lorde, in good faye.
Jesus
Martha, sayde I not to thee,442
Yf that thou leeved fullye in me,
Godes grace sone shalte thou see?
Therfore doe as I thee saye.

Tunc deponent lapidem de sepulcro, et Jesus tergum vertens manibus elevat, et dicat Jesus:


Father of heaven, I thanke thee,
That so sone hath harde me,
Well I wiste and southlye see448
Thou hereste myne intente;
But for this people that standeth by,
Speake I the more openlye,
That the maye beleeve steadfastlye,
From thee that I was sente. —
Lazarre, com fourth, I byde thee.454
Lazarrus.
A! Lorde, blessed moste thou be f455
From death to life hath raysed me
Through thy mickell mighte.
Lorde, when I harde the voyce of thee,
All hell fayled of ther poste,
So faste from them my sowle can fleye,
All devilles were afrayde.461
Jesus
Losse hym nowe, and let hym goe.462
Martha
O Lorde, honoured be thou owe,463
That us haste saved from moch woe,
As thou haste ofte before.
For well I wiste it shoulde be soe,
When you were full farre froe!
Thee, Lorde, I honer and no moe,
Kneelinge upon my knye.469
Maria
Lorde Jesus, moche is thy mighte,470
For nowe my harte is glade and lighte,
To see my brother rise in my sighte,
Here before all thes men.
Well I hoped that sone in heighte,
When thou came, I should fare arighte,
Thee, Lorde, I honour with all my mighte,476
Kneelinge upon my knye.
O Lorde Jesu, I thanke thee,478
That on my brother hath pittie,
By vereye signes nowe men maie se
That thou arte Godes sonne.
With thee ever, Lorde, will I be,
And serve thee with harte frey,
That this daye hath gladded me,484
And allwaye with thee wonne.
Jesus
Have good daye, my daughters deare!486
Wherever you goe, farre or nere,
My blessinge I geve you here.
To Jerusalem I take the waie.

Finis. Deo gracias! per me, Georgi Bellin, 1592.


The Corvysors PlayeContents

Pagina decima quarta, de Jesu intrante domum Simonis Leprosi, et de aliis rebus.


Jesus
Brethren, goe we to Bethanye,1
To Lazarre, Martha, and Marye,
For I love moche their companye:
Thedder nowe will I wende.
Symonde the Leaper hath praied me
In his howse to take charatye;
With them nowe it liketh me7
A whyle for to lende.
Petrus
Lorde, all readye shall we be9
In life and death to goe with thee;
Greate joye the maye have to see
Thy cominge into their place.
Philippe.
Lazarre thou raysed through thy pittie,
And Symonde also, messille was he,15
Thou clensed, Lorde, that wotten we,
And holpe them through thy grace.

Tunc ibunt versus domum Simonis Leprosi.


Simon
Wellckome, Jesu, full of grace,18
That I that fowle and mescell was,
All wholl, Lorde, thou healed hase,
Over all, Lorde, for to shewe:
Well is me that I maie se thy face
Here in my howse, this poore place!
Thou comfortes me in manye a place,24
And that I full well knowe.
Lazarrus.
Welckome, Lorde, sweete Jesu,26
Blessed he the tyme that I thee knewe f
From death to liffe through thy vertue
Thou raysed me not yore;
Fower dayes in eairth when I [had] lyne,
Thou granteste me life againe.
Thee I honoure with all my mayne,32
Nowe and ever more.
Martha
Welckome, my lovelye Lorde [of] lere!34
Welckome, my deere darlinge dere!
Fayne maye thy frendes be in fere,
To see thy sweetlye face.
Sittes downe, yf your will were,
And I shall helpe to serve you here,
As I was wonte to serve you heare40
Before in other place.

Tunc Jesus sedebit, et omnes cum eo, et veniet Maria Magdelena, cum albastro unguenti, et lamentando dicat Maria Magdelena:


Maria Magdelena.
Welckome, my lovelye lorde of leale!
Welckome, my harte, welckome in heale I
Welckome, all my worldes heale,
My boote and all my blesse!46
From the, Lorde, maye I not conseale
My fylth and my faultes faile;
Forgeve me that my fleshe so frayle
To thee hath donne amisse.
Oyntment heare I have readye,
To anoynte thy sweete bodye,52
Though I be wreched and unworthy,
Wave me not from thy wonne.
Full of synne and sorowe am I,
But therfore, Lorde, I am sorye:
Amende me through thy mercye,
That makes to thee my mone.58
Time aperiet pixidem, et faciei signum unctionis, et rigabit pedes
Jesu lacrimis, et tergebit capillis suis.
Symon
Ah, Judas, why dose Jesus so?61
Me thinkes that he shoulde let her goe,
This woman full of syne and wo,
For feare of worldes shame.
And if he vereye prophett be,
He shoulde knowe her life here,
And suffer her not to come hym nere,67
For payringe of his fame.
Judas Iscariotte.
Naye, Symonde, brother, south to saye,
Hit is noe thinge to my paye;
This oyntmente goeth so faste awaie,
That is so moche of price;73
This oyle boxe miglite have bene soulde
For three hundreth penyes toulde,
And dealed to poore men, who ever woulde,
And whoesoever hade bene wise.
Jesus
Symon, take good heede to me,78
I have a errande to saye to thee.
Symon
Maister, what your will maye be,80
Saye one, I you be seeke.
Jesus
By an exsample I shall thee showe,82
And to this companye on a roe,
Wherby I saye thou maie knowe
To answere to my speache:
Towe dettores some tyme ther were
Oughten moneye to a userere,
The one was in his daungere88
Fy ve hundreth poundes toulde;
The other fifteye, as I saye here:
For the were poore, at their praier,
He forgave them bouth in fere,
And naughte take of them he woulde.
Wheither of thes towe, reade if thou can,94
Was more behoulden to that man?
Symon
Lorde, as moche as I can theirone,96
I shall saye or I passe.
Fyve hundreth is more than fiftie;
Therfore me thinke skillfulye,
That he that forgave more partie,
More houlden to hym he was.
Jesus
Symon, thou deemes southlye, i-wysse:102
Seeyes thou this woman that here is?
Sicker shee has not done amisse,
To worcke in this manere.
Into thy howse here thou me gette,
No watter thou gave me to my feete,
Shee wayshed them with here teares weete,108
And wipped them with her heaire.
Kisse since I came thou gave non;
But seith shee came into this wone,
Shee hath kissed my feete eichone,
Of weepinge shee never seaced;
With oyle thou haste not me anoynted,114
But shee hath donne bouth foote and joynte;
Therfore I tell thee one poynte,
Moche synne is her released.
And, Judas, also to thee I saie,
Wherto wouldeste thee mispaye
With this woman by anye waye,120
That esead me this hasse?
A good deede shee hase done to daie:
For poore men you have with you aye,
And me you maye not have, in good faye,
But a littill space;
Therfore, woman, witterlye,126
For thou haste loved so tenderlye,
All thy synnes nowe forge ve I,
Beleeffe hath saved thee;
And all that preach the Evangelie,
Through the worlde by and by,
And of thy deed shall make memorye132
That thou haste done to me.
Maria Magdelena.
My Ohriste, my comforte, and my kinge,
I worshippe thee in all thinge,
For nowe my harte is in likinge,
And I at myne above;138
Seven devilles, nowe as I well see,
Thou haste dreven nowe out of me,
And from fowle life unto greate lee
Releved me, Lorde, for love.

Tunc surget Jesu, et stando dicat discipulis suis ut sequilur


Jesus
Fetter and Phillipe, my brethren free,143
Before you a castill you maie see:
Goe you theider, and feche anon to me
An asse and her fole also;
Lose them, bringe them neither anon:
Yf anye man gryche you as you gone,
And you saye that I will ride therone,149
Sone will the let them goe.
Petrus
Mayster, we shall doe your byddinge,151
And bringe them sone for anye thinge.
Phillipe, brother, be we goinge,
And feche these beastes towe.
Phillipe.
Brother, I am readye bowne,
Hye that we were at the towne;157
Greate joye in harte have we mon,
On this errande for to goe.

Tunc ibunt in civitatem, et dicat primuz janitor.


Petrus
Howe! howe! I must have this asse.160
Janitor.
Heare thou getteste nether more nor lesse,
But thou shalte tell me, or thou passe,
Wheither the shall goe.
Phillipe.
My mayster Jesu, leeve thou me,166
Thinkes to come to this cittie,
And bade bouth broughte to hym should be,
Hymselfe to ride upon.
Janitor.
All readye, good men, in good faye:
And seith he will come to daye,172
All this cittie I will assaie
And warne of his cominge.
Take asse and fole, and goe your waye;
For eiche man of hym marvayle maye,
Lazarre, that fower dayes dead laye,
He raysed at his callinge.178

Tunc ibit janitor ad cives.


Tydinges, good men everye one I
The prophette Jesus comes anon.
Of his disciples vender gone
Twayne that were nowe here;
For his marvayles leeve aye upon,
That he is vereye Godes sonne,184
Allthough he in this worlde wonne,
Or elles wounder were.
Primuz cives.
A! Lorde, blessed moste thou be t
Hym will I goe nowe and see,
And so I rede that all we190
Theidder-warde take the waie.
Secundus cives.
Felowes, I leeve that Christe is he y
Oomon from God in magistie;
Elles suche marvayles, as thinkes me.
He ney did daye for daye.196
Tercius gives.
Lazarre he saved, so God me save!
That fower dayes hath bene in grave;
Therfore devocion nowe I have
To welckome hym to this towne.
QUARTUS CIVES.202
Braunches of the palme-tree
Eichone in hande take we,
And welckome hym to this cittye,
With fayer procession.
Quintus CIVES.
With all the worshipe that I maye.208
I welckome hym will to daye,
And spreade my clothes in the waye,
As sone as I hym see.
Sextus gives.
Thes mirackles approven apeartlye,
That from the father allmightie214
He is comen, mankinde to by:
Yt maye no other be.
Primus puer.
Felowes, I harde my father saye
That Jesu the prophette will come to daie:
Theidder I rede we take the waie,220
With braunches in our handes.
Secundus puer.
Make we myrth all that we maie,
Pleasante to that Lordes paie;
Hosanna, I rede by my faye,
To singe that wee founde.226

Tunc ibunt pueri versus Jerusalem cantantes Hosanna cum ramis palmarum in manibus, et cives prosternenl vestimentasua in via, et cantabunt, Hosanna filio David, benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini, Hosanna in excehis. Time sedens Jesus super asellam, videns civitatem flebit, et dicat Jesus:


Jesus
A! Jerusalem, holye cittie!227
Unknowen to daie it is to thee,
That peace thou haste canste thou not see,
But bale thou muste abyde;
Moche muste thou drighte yet some daie,
When wo shall fall on everye [waye,]
And thou begiled, the south to saye,233
With sorowe on all syde;
Destroyed dilfullye, beaten downe,
No stonne with other in all this towne
Shall stande, for that the be unleven,
To kepe Christes commaundmente,
And Godes owne visitacion,239
Done for mankindes salvacion;
For the have no devocion,
Nor dreaden not his dome.

Tunc Jesus equitabit versus civitatem, et omnes cives pannos suos in via prosternent, el cum venerit ad templum descendens de asina dicat vendentibus cum jiagello:


Doe awaye, and use not this thinge,
For it is not my likinge;
You make my fathers dwellinge245
A place of merchandise.
Primuz marcator.
What frecke is this that makes fare,
And casteth downe all our ware?
Come no man neither full yare,
That did us suche anoye.251
Secundus marcator.
Owte! out! woes me!
My table with my moneye
Is spread abrode, well I see,
And naughte dare I saie.
Nowe it seemes well that he257
Woulde attayne royalltie,
Elles this boulde durste he not be,
To make such araye.
Primuz marcator.
It seemes well he woulde be kinge,
That casteth downe thus our thinge,263
And saith his fathers woninge
In this temple is.
Save, Jesus, with thy janglinge,
What evidense or tockenin«e
Shewest thou of thy raigninge,
That thou nowe dareste doe this?269
Secundus marcator.
What signe nowe sheweste thou here,
That proves suche power,
To shende our ware in suche manere,
Maisterlye through thy mayne I
Jesus
This temple here I maye destroye,275
And through my mighte and my maisteiye,
In dayes three it edifie,
And builde it up againe.
Primuz marcator.
Aha! Jesus, will thou soe?
This worde, as ever mote I goe,281
Shalbe rehearsed before moe,
And Cayphas I shall tell.

Tunc Jesus ejiciet cum Jlagello emenLes et vendenles.


Jesus
Hye you faste this temple froe!284
For marchandise shalbe here no moe;
In this place, be you never so throe,
Shall you no longer dwell.
Judas Iscariot.
By deare God in magistie!
I am so wroth as I maye be,290
And some waye I will wrecken me,
As sone as ever I maie.
My mayster Jesus, as men maye see,
Was rubbed heade, foote, and knye,
With oyntmente of more daintie
Then I see manye a daie.296
To that I have greate envye,
That he suffred to destrove
More then all his good thrye,
And his dames towe.
Hade I of it hade maisterye,
I woulde have soulde it sone in hie,302
And put it up in tresuerye,
As I was wonte to doe.
Whatsoever wes geven to Jesu,
I have kepte, since I hym knewe;
For he hopes I wilbe trewe,
His purse allwaie I bare.308
Hym hade bene better, in good faye,
Hade spared oyntmente that daie,
For wrocken I wilbe some waie
Of waste that was done their;
Three hundreth penny worthes it was
That he let spill in that place;314
Therefore God geve me harde grace,
But hymselfe shalbe soulde
To the Jewes, or that I sitte,
For the tenth penye of it;
And this my maister shalbe quite
My grefFe a hundreth foulde.320
Syr Cayphap and his companye
Conspirne Jesus to anoye;
Christ’s entry into Jerusalem.
Ther speche anon I will spie,
With falsehood for to fowle his;
And yf the gladlye will doe why,326
I shall teache them to hym in hie,
For of his counscell well knowe I
I maye beste begyle hym.

Tunc Judas pro tempore abiit, et Cayphas dicit.


Oayphas.
Lordinges, lokes on the lawe,
Harcken heither to my sawe,332
To Jesu all men maye drawe
And likinge in hym hase.
Yf we let hym longe gone,
All men will leeve hym upon,
So shall the Romanes come anon,
And prive us of our place.338
Therfore it is fullye my rede,
We caste howe he beste were dead;
For yf he longe on life be leade,
Our lawe goeth all to naughte.
Therfore saie eichon his counscell
What maner a waye will beste avayle,344
This same shrewe for to assayle:
Some sleighte their muste be soughte.
Annas
Sir, you saie righte skilfullye:347
But nedelye men muste espie,
By hym we cache noe vellanye,
To founde and fowle to faile;
For you knowe as well as I,
Ofte we have founded to doe hym nye,
But ever he hath the victorye,353
That we noe waye maie avayle.
Primuz Pharaseus
Yea, sir, in temple he hath bene,355
And trobled us with moche teene,
That when we wended and did wene
Of hym to have hade all our will,
Or ever we wiste he was awaie;
This maketh the people, in good faye,
To leve that he is Christe vereye,361
And our lawe for to spill.
Secundus Pharaseus
Yea, lordes, one poynte maye doe again©,363
That lurden Lazarre shoulde be slayne;
For he raysed hym up againe,
That fower dayes hade bene deade;
For that mirackle moche of mayne,
To honour hym eicheon is fayne,
And Lazarre that dead was will not layne,369
And he on life be leade.
Cayphas
No more for south will manye moe,371
That he has made to speake and goe,
And blinde that hath ther sighte also,
Loven hym steadfastlye;
And folowen hym fare and nere,
Preachinge to the people his power,
Therfore my witte is in a were,377
To ordeyne remedye.
Annas
And remedye muste ordeyned be,379
Before this greate solempenitie;
Or elles maye other as well as we
Trusse and take our waie.
For when he come to this cittie,
All the worlde, as you maie se,
Honored hym upon ther knye,385
As God had come that daie.
Primuz Pharaseus
Also, lordinges, you sawe there,387
Howe that he fareth with chaffere,
Caste it downe, God geve hym care!
That was so greate of price;
And also lowdlye he can lye,
Called the temple appeartlye
His fathers howse, full falslye,393
Bighte as it had bene his.
Secundus Pharaseus
Lordinges, ther is no more to saie,395
But loste is our lawe, I dare laye,
And he come on our Saboath daie,
That nowe approcheth nye;
Heale he anye lesse or more,
All men will leeve on his lore,
Therfore it is good to slea hym before,401
Yf that we wilbe slye.
Cayphas
Amonge our wittes let us see403
To take hym with some subtiltie:
He shall have selver, goulde, and fee,
This thinge that woulde fulfill.
Judas
Lordes, what will you geve me,407
And I shall sone helne that he
Slealye betraied be,
Righte at your owine will.
Cayphas
Welckome, felowe, as have I roe,411
That bargane woulde I fayne knowe.
Judas
Let me see what ye will doe,413
And laye downe selver here.
For the devell swope of my swire,
And I doe it without hyre,
Other for soveraigne or sire:
It is not my manere.
Cayphas
Saye on what we shall geve thee,419
To helpe that he tacken be,
And here is readye thy moneye,
To paye thee or thou passe.
Judas
As ever mote I thrive or thee,423
And I shewe my subtiltie,
Thirtye pennyes you shall geve me,
And not a farthinge lesse.
Primuz Pharaseus
Yea, but thy troth thou muste p[l]ighte,427
For to serve us arighte,
To betraye thy maister through thy mighte,
And have here thy moneye.
Judas
Have here my truth, as I have tighte,431
On Fridaie or it be nigthte,
I shall bringe you to his sighte,
And tell which is he.
Primuz Pharaseus
Ye bene brethren on a roe,435
Which is he I can not knowe.
Judas
Nowe a vereye signe I shall you shoe:437
Espices whom I kisse,
And that is he, south to saie,
Take hym manfullye as you maie,
And lead hym slealye awaie,
Wheither your likinge is.
Cayphas
Now loke thou serve us trewlye:443
Thy maiste[r] is cominge us to espie.
Judas
Truste well therto and sickerlye,445
That he shall not eskape.
[And would God almighty,
The kinge of Fraunce may so affye,
In his realme or bareny,
That they were all so trewe!]
One Frydaye in the morninge451
Espies on my cominge;
For wher that he is walkinge,
I will goe and espie.
With hym I thinke to eate and drinke,
And after tydinges to you bringe
Wher he shapes his dwellinge,457
And come and tell you in hie.

Finis. Deo gratias! per me, Georgi Bellin. 1592.


Come, Lorde Jesu, come quieklye. 1592.


The Bakers PlayeContents

Pagina decima quinta de coena Domini, et de ejus prodicione.


Jesus
Brethren all, to me righte dere,1
Come neither to me and you shall here,
The feaste of Ester you knowe draweth nere,
And nowe it is at hande;
That feaste nedes kepe muste we
With vereye greate solempenitie,
The pascall lambe eate muste we,7
As the lawe do commaunde;
Therfore, Petter, loke that thou goe,
And John with thee shalbe also,
Prepare all thinges that belonges therto,
Accordinge to the lawe.
Petrus
Lorde, thy byddinge do will we,13
But tell us firste wher it shalbe,
And we shall doe it speadelye,
And theidder will we drawe.
Jesus
Goe into the cittie which you doe see,17
And their a man meete shall ye,
With a watter pote that beareth he,
For so you maie hym knowe.
Into what howse that he shall goe,
Into the same howse enter ye also,
And saye the maister sende you too23
His messuage for to shewe;
Saye ’ the maister to thee us sente,
To have a place conveniente,
The paskalle lambe their to eate is my intente,
With my disciples all; ’
A fayer parlore he will you shewe,29
Ther prepare all thinges dewe,
Wher I with my retenewe
Fulfill the lawe we shall.
John
Al readye, Lorde, even thy will33
Shortlye we towe shall fulfill,
And the faier cittie we shall goe till,
As faste as we maie.

Tunc Petrus et Johannes ibunt, ac hominem vas aquce teUaceum portantem alloquerentur, et annuntiabit eis domum fieri sui.


Petrus
All heale, good felowe, hartelye!37
To thy maisters howse I praye thee hye,
And we muste kepe thee companye,
Our messuage for to saye.
Servanns.
Come on your waie and folowe me,
My maisters howse sone shall you see,43
Loe here it is verelye,
Saye nowe what you will.

Tunc domum intrant.


Petrus
Sir, the maister saluteth thee,46
And as messingers send we be.
Therfore we praie thee hartelye
Take heede us untill;
The maister hath sente us to thee,
A place prepare for hym muste we,
The pascall lambe ther eate will he,52
With his disciples all.
Patter familius.
Loe here a parlore all readye dighte,
With paved flowers and wyndowes brighte,
Make all thinges readye as you thinke righte,
And this have you shall.58
Johannes.
Nowe, brother Petter, let us hye
The paskall lambe to make readye,
Then to our master will you and I
As faste as we maie.

Tunc adornant mensam, et revertunt.


Petrus
Thy commaundmente, Lorde, done have we,64
The paskall lambe is made readie,
Therfore come one and you shall see,
And we shall leade the waie.
Jesus
Nowe, brethren, goe to your seate,68
This paskall lambe nowe lette us eate,
And then we shall of other thinges intreate
That be of greate effecte.
For knowe you nowe the tyme is come
That signes and shadowes be all done,
Therfore make haste that we maye sone74
All figures cleane rejecte.
For nowe a newe lawe I wil begyne,
To helpe mankinde out of his synne,
So that he maye heaven wyne,
The which for synne he loste.
And here in presens of you all80
Another sacrifice begine I shall,
To bringe mankinde out of his thrall,
For helpe hym nede I muste.

Tunc occumbit Jesus, ac Johannes in gremio dormiet.


Brethren, I tell you by and by,
With greate desier desiered have I
This Passeover to eate with you trewlye,86
Before my passion;
For I saie to you sickerlye,
My fathers will allemightie
I muste fulfill meklye,
And ever to it be bowne.

Tunc Jesus accipit panem, frangit, et discipulis suit dat dicens


This breade I geve here my blessinge,92
Take eate, brethren, at my byddinge,
Beleeve you well without leasinge,
This is my bodye,
That shall dye for all mankinde,
In remission of ther synne
Hereafter ever more.98

Tunc accipiet calicem in manibus occulis levatis dicens


Father of heaven, I thanke thee,
For all that ever thou doste to me;
Brethren, take this with harte free,
For this is my bloode,
That shalbe shedde on the tree,
For more togeither drinke not we,104
In heaven blesse tell that we be
To taste that ghostlye foode.

Tunc edit et bibit cum discipulis; et Judas Iscariot habebit manum in patina, et dicat Jesus


Brethren, for south I you saye,
On of you shall me betraye,
That eateth here with me to daye
In this companye.110
Petrus
Alas! alas! and wayleawaye!111
Whoe that maye be knowe I ney maie,
For I it is not in good faye
That shall doe suche anoye.
Andrewas
Harde it is for us all115
To whom this case shal befall,
We be but twelve in this halle,
Lorde, tell yf it be I.
Jacobus.
Sorowfull for thes wordes be we:
Whoe it is I can not see;121
Yf this case shall fall to me,
Lorde, tell me hastelye.

Tunc Judas intinget in patinam; Jesus dicens,


Jesus
Through his deceate I am but dead,124
That in my cupe weetes his breade,
Moche woe for his wicked reade
That wreche muste thole, i-wysse;
Well were hym hade he bene unborne,
For bodye and soule is bouth forlorne,
That falsclye so hath done beforne,130
And yet in will is he.
Judas
Leffe maister, is it I,132
That shall doe thee this villanye.
Jesus
Thou haste rede, Judas, redelye,134
For suerlye thou arte he;
That thou shall doe do hastelye.
Judas
Fare well, all this companye,137
For on an errande I muste hie,
Undone it maye not be.
Jesus
Brethren, take up this meate anon,140
To another worke we muste gone,
Your feete shall wayshen be eichone,
To shewe all charittye;
And firste my feete I wil begine,
And wayshe you all that be herein,
On this deede that you maye mynde,146
And meker for to be.

Tunc Jesus precinget corpus lintheolo, et elicit Petrus.


Petrus
A! Lorde, shall thou wayshe my feete?148
Jesus
That doe I, Petter, I thee beheighte,149
The while more thou shall not witte,
But thou shall afterwarde.
Petrus
Naye, Lorde, for south in no manere152
My feete thou ney wayshe here.
Jesus
But I wayshe thee, withouten were,154
Of joye gettes thou noe parte.
Petrus
Naye, Lorde, my feete maye welbe leade;156
But wayshe my handes and my heade.
Jesus
All is cleane, therfore I doe rede,158
Thy feete shall wayshen be,
And you cleane but not all.
Petrus
Lorde, of wayle thou arte the walle;161
And though it not wel befall,
Have here my feete to thee.

Tunc lavabi.t pedes omnium singulatim, el absterget linthea.


Jesus
My deare brethren, well witte ye,164
That lorde and maister you will call me,.
And well you saie as shoulde be,
I am and have bene yore.
Seith I have wayshen your feete here,
Your lorde and maister, in meeke manere,
Doe eichone so to other in fere,170
As I have done before.

Tunc invicem omnes aliorum pedes lavant.


Jesus
My littill children and my brethren free,172
A littill while I maye with you be,
But theidder shall you not goe with me,
As I am nowe in waye;
But this southlye is my byddinge,
You love togeither in all thinge,
As I before with outflechinge178
Have loved you trewlye [aye];
So all men maye knowe and se
My disciples that you be,
Falsehoode yf you allwayes fleye,
And loven well in feare.
Petrus
Lorde, wheither arte thou in waie I184
qxqJe.
Petter, theidder as I goe to daye,
Come ney sickerlye thou ne maye
This tyme in no manner a waye y
But thou shall theidder goe.
Pe.190
Why shall not it be soe?
My life I will put in woe,
And for thy sake be slayne.
qxqJe.
Petter, I saye thee sickerlye,
Or the cocke have crowen thrye,196
Thou shalte forsake my companye,
And take thy worde againe.
Brethren, let not your hartes be sore,
But leeve in God ever more,
And in me as you have before,
And care not for this case.202
For in my fathers howse ther is
Manye woninges of greate blesse,
And theider I will goe nowe, i-wisse,
To porvaye you a place.
And though I goe from you awaie,
To purvaye a place for youer paie,208
I come againe another daie,
And take you all with me.
Thomas
Lorde, we wote not in good faye,211
What a gate thou wylte assaye?
Tell us that we knowe maie
That gate, and goe with thee.
Jesus
Thomas, I tell thee without strife,215
In me is waye southnes and life,
And to my father noe man ney wife
Maye come without;
And yf you knowe me verelye,
My father ye mighte knowe in hye,
From hensefourth, I saye sickerlye,221
Knowe hym all shall ye.
Philippe.
Lorde, lett us see thy father anon,
And it sufficeth us everye icheone.
Jesus
A! longe tyme you have with me goen,226
Philippe, why sayes thou soe?
Suerlye who seeith me,
Seith my father, I tell it thee:
Why willeth thou my father to se,
While I with you goe.
Philippe, leeves thou not this?232
That my father in me is,
And I in hym also, i-wisse,
And bouth we be one.
The workes I doe are his,
For his helpe maye I not misse;
Wherfore to wyne you heaven blesse,238
My deedes you leeve upon.
Whatsoever you aske my father deare
In my name, in good manere,
To fulfill it in full power,
All that is to my paye,
That my father in magistie,244
By me glorified maye be,
And either as I saye to thee,
For one have bene [aye].
Yf that you love me hartfullye,
Kepe my byddinge trewlye,
And to my father praye will I,250
To sende you the holye ghoste,
To abyde with you ever more;
For the worlde knoweth not his lore,
But you that have knowen me yore
In you he shalbe mcste.
Though I goe nowe to destresse,256
I will not leeve you comfortles,
But leeves this well and expres,
Efte I will come againe;
And then your hartes on a roe
Shalbe glade my blesse to knowe,
Which joy noe man shall take you froo.262
Woulcle he never so fayne.
Rise up and goe wheathen anon;
To my prayer I muste gone,
But sitte you still everye eichone,
My father while I calle.
Wake and have my beneson,268
For fallinge into temptacion:
The speritte aye to balle is bonne,
And the fleshe ever readye to fall.

Tunc ibit Jesus oratum, et discipule pre dolore dormiu/it.


Father of heaven, in magistie,
Glorifye, yf thy wil be,
Thy sonne that he maie gloryfie thee,274
Nowe or I hense wende;
In eairth thou haste geven me poste,
And I have done with harte free
The worcke that thou charged me,
And broughte it to an ende.
Thy name have I made men to knowe,280
And spared not thy will to shoe
To my disciples one a roe,
That thou haste geven me;
And nowe the knowe verelye,
That from the father sente am I,
Therfore I praye thee especiallyc286
Save them through thy me r eye.

Tunc venit ad discipulos, et invnnit dormientcs, el dicit


What! slepe you brethren all here?
Rise up and make your prayer,
Leste temptacion have power
To make you for to falle;
The fleshe is, as I sayde before,292
Inclyninge to synne sore,
And ghoste occupied ever more,
Therfore no we wake all.

Tunc ilcrum ad. orationem, et alta voce loquitur; dicit,


My harte is in greate myslikinge,
For death that is to me cominge;
Father, yf I dare aske this thinge,298
Put this awaye from me;
All thinge to thee possible is,
Neverthelesse yet in this
At your will I am, i-wisse,
As thou wylte let it be.

Tunc redit ad discipulos iterum.


You slepen, brethren, yet I see:304
Slepe on nowe all ye,
My tyme is comen tacken to be,
From you I muste awaie;
He that hath betrayed me,
This nighte from hym will I not fleye,
In sorye tyme borne was he,310
And so he maye well saye.

Tunc Judas cum mititum coltorte lanlernis, facibus, et armis rani illuc, el dicat


Jesus
You men, I aske, whom seeke ye?312
Malchus.
Jesus of Nazareth, hym seeke we.
Jesus
Here, all readye, I am he;315
What have you for to saye?
Judas
A! sweete maister, kisse thou me,317
For it is longe synce I thee see,
And togeither we will fleye,
And steale from them awaie.
Jesus
What seeke you, men, with suche a breath?321
Primuz Judeus
We seeke Jesus of Nazareth.322
Jesus
I saye yore, and yet I save,323
I am he, in good faye;
Suffer thes men to goe ther waye,
And I am at your will.
Malchus.
False theiffe, thou shalt gone
To bushope Cayphas, and that anon,329
Or I shall breake thy bodye ahd bono,
And thou be to late.
Petrus
Theiffe, and thou be so boulde332
My maister so for to houlde,
Thou shalbe quite a hundreth foulde,
And onewarde take thou this!
Be thou so boulde, as thrive I,
To houlde my maister here in hye,
Full deare thou shall it bye!338
But thou thee heithen dighte,
Thy eare shall of, by Godes grace,
Or thou passe from this place.

Tunc extrahet gladium, et abscidet auriculum Malchi,


Goe nowe to Cayphas,
And byde hym doe thee righte.
Malchus.344
Out! alas! alas! alas!
By Cokes bones! my eare he hase!
Me is betyde a harde case,
That ever I come here!
Jesus
Petter, put up thy sworde in hye!349
Whosoever with the sworde smiteth gladlye,
With sworde shall perishe hastelye,
I tell thee, withouten were.

Tunc Jesus tetigerit auriculum et sanabit.


Malchus.
A! well ys me! well is me!
My eare is healed well, I see!355
So mercifull a man is he,
Knewe I never non.
Primuz Judeus
Yea, though he have healed thee,358
Shute from us shall he not be,
But to sir Cayphas, as mote I thee,
With us shall he gone.
Jesus
As to a theffe you come here,362
With sworde and staves and armerer,
To take me in fowle manere,
And ende your wicked will.
In temple when I was with you aye,
No hande on me woulde you laye;
But nowe is comen tyme and daye368
Your t alien te to fullfill.
Primuz Judeus
Come, caytiffe, to Cayplias,370
Or thou shalte have a harde grace;
Trotte upon a prowder space,
Thou vile popilerde!
Though Bellsabube and Sathanas
Come to help thee in this case,
Bouth thy handes that thou hase376
Shalbe bounde harde.

Finis. Deo gratias per me Geo Bellin. 1592.


The Flechars, Bowyers, Coopers, and Stringers PlayeContents

Incipit pagina decima sexta de passione Christi; et primo venient Jadei adducentes Jesum ad Annam et Caypham, et primo incipit


Primus Judeus
Sir bushoppes, heare we have broughte1
A wreche that moche wo has wroughte,
And woulde bringe our lawe to naughte,
Righte so at it hath he sppurned.
Secundus Judeus
Yea, wyde were we have hym soughte,5
And deare also we have hym boughte,
For heare manye mens thoughte
To hym he hase torned.
Annas
A! janglinge Jesu, arte thou nowe here?9
Nowe thou maye prove thy postie power,
Wheither thy cause be cleane and cleare,
Thy Christehoode we muste knowe.
Cayphas
Me thinke a maisterye that it were13
Other for penye or prayer,
To shutte hym of his dangere,
And suche [a sleight] to shewe.
Annas
[Sir Cayphas, I saye seckerly,17
We that bene in companye
Must needes this dosebeirde destroye,
That wickedly hase wroughte.]
Annas
Sir, it is nedfull, this saye I,21
That on man dye witterlye,
All the people to for-by,
So that the perishe naughte.
Tercius Judeus
Sir Cayphas, harcken nowe to me,25
This babelavante or kinge woulde be;
Whatsoever he sayes nowe before thee,
I harde hym saye full yore
That prince he was of such postee,
Destroye the temple well mighte he,
And bulde it up in dayes three,31
Righte as it was before.
Quartus Judeus
Yea, sicker that I harde hym saye,33
He maye not denye, by no waye,
And also that he was God vereye,
Emanuell and Messie;
He maye not nye this ne saye ney,
For moe then fortye in good faye,
That in the temple were that daye,39
Harden as well as I.
Cayphas
Saye, Jesu, to this what sayen ye?41
Thou wotteste nowe what is put on thee,
Put fourth, prince, thy postie,
And perceive what the proven.
What? devill of hell! not on worde speakes he!
Yet, Jesu, here I counger thee,
Yf thou be Godes sonne, here before me47
Answere to that the moven.
Jesus
As thou saves righte, so save I,49
I am Godes sonne almightie;
And heare I tell thee trewlye,
That me yet shall thou see
Sitte on Godes righte hande hym by,
Mankinde in cloudes to justiffye.
Cayphas
Marye, justiffye! fye on thee, fye!55
Wittnes of all this companye,
That falslye lyes he.
You heren all what he sayes heare!
Of wyttnes nowe what nede were,
For before all thes folke in fere
Lowdlye thou lyes.61
What saye you, men, that nowe be here?
Primus Judeus
Buffittes hym that makes this beare:63
For to God he maye not be deare,
That our lawe so destroyes.
Cayphas
Destroye shall he not it.66
You wreches, ye wanten witte,
Founde that frecke a fitte,
And gurde hym on the face.
Annas
Dispice hym, spume, and spitte;70
Lett see, or you sitte,
Who has hape to hitte,
That us this harmed has.

Tunc Judex statuent Jesum in cathedram; et dicat torquendo


Primuz Judeus
For his harminge here,74
Nighe will I nere,
This same lewde fere,
That makes our lawe false.
Secundus Judeus
He is, without were,78
To the devill full deare.
Spitte we in feare,
And buffitte hym [als].
Tercius Judeus exputans.
Yea, harcken in this place nowe,
Howe he lyed hase nowe,84
In medeste his face nowe
Fowle will I fowle hym.
Quartus Judeus exputans.
Passe he shall a pace nowe,
For God he hym makes nowe,
Grettes he no grace nowe,90
When I maye begyle hym.
Primus Judeus dam alapam.
Fye upon this freke!
Stowpe nowe and creke;
Thy breynes to breake
Am I readye bowne?96

Tunc Secundus Judeus dans alapam velando faciem Jesu, et dicat


Secundus Judeus
His face will I stecke97
With a cloth, or he creke,
And us all wrecke,
For my warryson.
Tercius Judeus
And thou be Messye,101
And loth for to lye,
Whoe smote thee? crye,
Yf that thou be Christe.
[Quartus Judeus
For all his prophesye,
Yet he fayles thrye,107
Though my fiste flye,
Gettes he a feiste.]
Primus Judeus percutiens.
Though he sore skricke,
A bumtte shall bytte,
Maye no man me whytte,113
Though I doe hym woe.
[Secundus Judeus
Hym fayles to flytt,
Or ought to despitte;
For he hase to lite,
Now must he have moe.]119
Tercius Judeus percutiens.
And moe yet I maye,
I shall sone assaye,
And shewe large paye,
Thou prince, on thy pate.
Quartus Judeus
Yf he saye ney,125
I shall [in] faye
Laye on, I dare laye
It is not to late.

Tunc cessabunt ab alapis, et dicat Cayphas:


Cayphas
Lordinges, what is your beste rede?129
This man hase served to be dead,
And yf he lightlye thus be lead,
Our lawe cleane will slepe.
Annas
Sir, it is full myne advise,133
Leade we hym to the highe justice;
Sir Pilate is bouth ware and wise,
And hase the lawe to kepe.

Tunc Cayphas et Annas et Judex adducant Jesum ad Pylatum: dicat Cayphas:


Cayphas
Sir Pilate, here we bringe one,137
That false is and our elders fone,
Tribute maye be geven non
To Ceser for hym here.
Whersoever he and his felowes gone,
The tome the folkes to them eichone j
No we aske we dome hym upon,143
Of tliee that has power.
Annas
Sicker he is our elders foe:145
Whersoever he goeth to or froe,
That he is Christe and kinge also
He preaches appeartlye.
Wiste Ceser that, he would be woe,
Suche a man if we let goe;
Therfore to dampne hym we bene throe,151
Lest he us all destroye.
Pilatus
Per wus, sir Cayphas,153
Dye vous, sir Annas,
Et sum dispte Judas,
Vel aires infinte.
Come up, lordinges, I you praye,
And we shall heare what he will saie
Amonge this felowshipe here.159
What sayeste thou, man in misserye?
And thou be kinge of Jewes, saye.
Jesus
Soe thou sayes, men heare maie,162
A kinge that thou me mase.
Pilatus
No cause fynde I, in good faye,164
To doe this man to death to daie.
Cayphas
Sir, the people, us to myspaye,166
Converted to hym all he has.
Annas
Yea, all the lande of Gallalye,168
Cleane torned to hym hase he;
Therfore dome nowe aske we,
This false man to doe downe.
Pilatus
Wher as he was borne, ther seene ye,172
To Herode sende sone shall he be,
Elles rafte I hym his royalltye,
And blemished his renowne.
Goe leade hym to Herode in hye,
And saye I send hym to Justine
This man of which he hath maisterye,178
At his owine likinge.
Primus Judeus
Hym shall you have full hastelye,180
And leade hym theider anon will I.
Come thou fourth with thy ribaldrye,
And speake with our kinge.

Tunc ibunt duo Judex adducentes Jesum ad Herodem, et dicat


Primus Judeus
Sir kinge, heare sir Pilate hath you sente184
A shrewe that our lawe has shente,
For to have his judgmente,
Or he hense awaye wende.
Herodes
A! welckome, Jesu, veremente,188
And I thanke Pilate of this presente,
For ofte tymes I have bene in that intente,
After thee to have sende.
Jesu, moche have I harde of thee,
Some vertue fayne nowe woulde I see.
Yf thou from God in magistie194
Be comon, tell us heare:
I praye thee saye nowe to me,
And prove some of thy postie,
And moche the gladder would I be,
Trulye all this yeaire.

Jesu nicil respondebit, el dicit Herodes


Herodes
What! I wene that man is wood,200
Or elles dompe and can noe good!
Suche a stalwarde before me [never] stood,
So stowte and stearne is he.
Speake on, Jesus, for cockes bloode,
For Pilate shall not, by my hoode,
Doe thee non amysse, but mende thy moode,206
And speake somewhat with me.
Alas! I am nighe woode for woe,
Me thinke this man is wounder throo,
Dombe and deafe as a doted doo,
Or franticke, in good faye.
Yet seinge that Pilate hath done soe,212
The wrath that was betwene us too
I forgeve, noe more to be his foe,
To be after this daye.
Cloth hym in whyte, for in this case,
To Pilate it maye be solace;
For Jewes custom before was,218
To clouth men that were wood,
Or madde nowe as he hym mase,
As well seemes by his face:
For hym that has loste his grace
This garment is full good.

Tunc Judei induent eum veste alba, et dicat


Primuz Judeus
Have this, Jesus, upon thee,224
A worshipffull weede, as thinkes me,
Of the kinges livereye,
That nowe is on thee lighte.
Secundus Judeus
Put thee fourth, thou maye not fley,228
Nowe thou arte in thy royaltye,
Sir Herode kinge be leeve of thee,
And graunte mercye guyfte.

Tunc redeunt duo Judei ad Pilatum adducentes Jesum in veste alba, et dicat


Primus Judeus
Sir Pilate, here the kinge hath sente232
Jesus againe, and seith we wente,
He hath forgotten his male intente,
For thy deed to daye.
Pilatus
Yea, faulte in hym can I fynde non,236
Ne Herode has seene heare upon,
Therfore it is beste we let hym gone
Wheither he will his waie.
Secundus Judeus
Nay, ney, we all cryne with one voyce,240
Nayle hym to the crosse!
Pilatus
You men, for shame, let be your noyse, —242
My counscell will I saye.
You knowe eichon the manere,
Delivered muste be a prisoner,
This feaste that nowe approcheth nere,
For honour of the daye.
Will you Jesus delivered be?248
Tercius Judeus
Neye, suffer the death worthy is he,249
And ther upon all crye we,
And Barabam reserved.
Pilatus
What shall I doe with Jesus heare,252
That Christe is called and kinge in feare?
Quartus Judeus
Nayle him on the crosse, in all manere,254
For so he hath deservede.
Pilatus
Nowe seinge I se you soe fervente,256
And shapen that he shalbe shente,
Wayshe I will here in your presente,
Waxe you never so woode;
You shall all witte veramente,
That I am cleane and innocente,
And for to sheede in noe intente262
This rightwise mans bloode.

Tunc Pilatus lavabit manibus, et Cayphas et Annas recedent cum Pilato: dicat


Pilatus
You prelates, here everye eichone264
What? will you doe let hym gone?
Cayphas
Nayle, nayle hym to the crosse anon,266
And deeme hym or thou leve.
Pilatus
Take you hym that be so gryme,268
And after your lawe deme you hym.
Annas
Nay, that is not lawfull, leith ner lym270
For us no man to reve.
Pilatus
What devill of hell is this to saye I272
Jesus, tell me, I thee praye,
Arte thou kinge, saye yea or nay,
Of Jewes by auncestrye?
Jesus
Wheither hopest thou it so be,276
Or other men toulde it thee?
Pilatus
Naye, faye! thy selfe maie knowe and see278
That noe Jewe am I.
Men of thyn owne nacion
Shewen for thy damnacion,
With manye accusacion,
And all this daie have.
Arte thou kinge? saye, for all ther crye.284
Jesus
My relme in this worlde saye I285
Is not; but, were it witterlye,
With Jewes were I not tane.
And yf my realme in this worlde were,
Strive with you I would nowe here,
And leade with me suche power,
Shoulde prive you of your praye.291
But my mighte in this manere
Will I not prove, nor nowe apeare
As worldlye kinge, my cause uncleare
Were then, in good faye.
Pilatus
Ergo, a kinge thou arte or was.296
Jesus
That thou sayeste it is no lesse.297
But nowe I tell thee heare exspres,
That kinge I am and maye be.
In worlde I came to beare wittnes
Of southnes, therfore borne I was,
And all that leeven southnes,
Take heede to that I saye.303
Pilatus
What is southnes? tell thou me.304
Jesus
Southnes came from Godes see.305
Pilatus
In yeairth then hath truth no postye,306
In thyne opinion?
Jesus
Howe shoulde truth on earth be,308
Whyle so denied in eairth is he
Of them that hath non authorittie
In yeairth, againste reason?
Pilatus
Lordinges, I finde no cause, i-wisse,312
To dampne this man that here is.
Cayphas
Pilate, he hath done moche amisse:314
Let hym never passe.
By Moyses lawe leven we,
And after that lawe dead shall he be,
For apeartlye preachead has he
Godes sonne that he was.
Annas
Yea, Pilate, he that makes hym apeare320
Other to kinge or kinges feare,
Withsaith Ceaser of his power,
And so we have done with hym;
And whoso called hym selfe a kinge here,
Reves Ceaser of his power.
Pilatus
Anon goe scorge this losingere,326
And beate hym leith and lym.
Primus Judeus
Come, nowe, with care,328
Frecke, for thy fare,
On thy bodye bare
Strockes shalte thou beare.
Secundus Judeus
Caste of thy ware,332
Of all thy clothes yare
Starte nowe and stare,
This stalwarde I will steare.

Tunc spoliabunt ipsum et ligabunt ad columnam, et dicat


Tercius Judeus
Nowe he is bounden;336
Be he never so wounden,
Sone he shalbe founden
With flapes in feare.
Quartus Judeus
In woe he is wounden,340
And his grane is gronden;
No lade unto London
Suche lawe can hym lere.
Primuz Judeus
Nowe seith he kinge is,344
Whyte is clothinge is,
Begger to thee I bringe this,
Thee for to weare.
Secundus Judeus
All ye lythinge this is,348
That of oulde spronge is,
Of thornes this thinge is,
Thee for to weare.
Tercius Judeus
Nowe thou haste a weed,352
Have heare a reede,
A cepter I thee bide,
A kinge for to be.
Quartus Judeus
Harvye, take heede,356
This muste I need,
For my fowle deed,
Knele upon my knye.
Primuz Judeus
Heale, kinge of Jewes!360
That so manye men rewes,
Riball, thee rewes
With all thy reverence.
Secundus Judeus
With irone on hym hewes,364
On his hyde hewes;
Anoyntmente the newes,
For thyn offence.
Tercius Judeus
To wryte in his face,368
Thou that thee kinge mase,
Noe my nose hase
Good spice of the newe.
Quartus Judeus
With a harde grace372
Thou came to this place,
Passe thou this race,
Sore shall thou rewe.
Pilatus
Lordinges, here you maye se376
Your kinge all in his royaltye.
Cayphas
Naye, sir, for south no kinge have we,378
Save the emperowre of Rome, perdye!
And but thou nayle hym to the treey,
The emperower wrath wilbe.
Annas
All we saye righte as saith he,382
Deme hym wliyle thou haste tyme.
Pilatus
Wheither of them will you hane,384
Jesus Christe or Barabam?
Cayphas
Naye Jesus, this traytor that is tane,386
Muste nayled be to the tree,
And let Barrabam goe his waie.
Pilatus
Take hym to you nowe, as I saye;389
For save hym I ney maye,
Undone but I woulde be.
Primuz Judeus
This dome is at an ende.392
Nowe rede I that we wende,
This shrewe for to shende,
A littill here besyde.

Ponet crucem super dorsum, et dicat:


Secundus Judeus
Heare shall thou not lende:396
Come neither and be hynd,
Thy backe for to bende,
Hit maye thou not abyde.

Tunc ibunt versus montem Calvaries.


The damsell doth speake to Petter.


Damsell
Was not thou with Jesus of Nazareth?400
Petter
I knowe hym not, or what thou saies.401
Damsell
Sires, I tell you playne,402
This man here is on of them
That was with hym in the garden,
I knowe it to be trewe.
Petter
It is not trewe, so mote I thee,406
I knowe hym not by any degree.
The Jewe.
One of them thou arte assuredlye,
And thou arte also of Gallalye,
Thy speche clearlye bewrayeth thee,
In wittnes of us all.412
Petter
In faith and troth, that is not so:413
Shame have I, and mickell wo,
Yf ever I did hvm before knowe,
Or kepte hym companye.

Finis. Deo gracias! per me, Georgi Bellin.


Come, Lorde Jesu, come quicklye. 1592.


The ende of this storye is begennan in the nexte leafe ffollowinge.


The Iremongeres PlayeContents

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,1
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^e7
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;13
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,19
Helpe that it were borne.
Symon
The devell speed this companye!21
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,27
Full of the hollye ghoste.
Cayphas
Symon, but thou wilbe shente,29
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!33
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 falsnes39
I hope wilbe destroyed.
Annas
Have done: bringe fourth these theifes towe,41
On ether syde hym the shall goe,
This frecke shalbe handled soe
With fellowshipe in feare.
Primus Judeus
Take them heare bounde faste,45
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;51
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,57
As he mon be to daye.
Jesus
You wemen of Jerusalem,59
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,65
So niche is your anoye.
Cayphas
Hase done, you tormenters, tyte,67
And spill hym that hase done us spitte.
Primuz Judeus
Yea, though he bouth grone and skricke,69
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,75
For it is good and fyne,
And seame is non therin
That I can see.
Tercius Judeus
Yea, God geve me pyne,79
And that shalbe thyne;
For thou arte ever inclyne
To drawe towardes thee.
Quartus Judeus
Naye, felowe, by this daye,83
At the dyce we will playe,
And ther we shall assaye
This weede for to wyne.
Primus Judeus
A! ffelowe, by this daye,87
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,91
Here are dyce three,
Which of all we
Shall wyne this ware.
Tercius Judeus
Naye, parted the shalbe,95
For that is egallye;
Therfore, as mote I thee,
Or we hense fare.
Quartus Judeus
This cote boute seame99
To breake yt were shame,
For in all Jerusalem
Is non suche a garmente.
Primus Judeus
His dame nowe maye dreame,103
For her owine barne teame,
For nother ante nor yeme
Gettes this gaye garmente.
Secundus Judeus
His other clothes all107
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 halle113
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 we119
Sitte downe, as mote I thee,
And loke whose this shalbe
That is heare reserved.

[Tunc sedebunt omnes]


Primuz Judeus
Nowe will I begyn123
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,128
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.]134
Tercius Judeus
Thou ffayles, felowe, by my faye,135
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.]141
Quartus Judeus
Felowes, veramente,142
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.148
[Jacet et vincit.]
Primus Judeus
As have I good grace,150
Well wone it thou haste,
For synnes ther was,
That everye man maye see.
Cayphas
Men, for cockes face!154
Howe longe shall Pewdreas
Stande nacked in that place?
Goe nayle hym to the tree.
Secundus Judeus
Anon, maister, anon!158
A homer have I one,
As fare as I have gon,
Is non suche another.
Tercius Judeus
And heare are, by my pon!162
Nayles good wone,
To nayle hym upon,
And he were my brother.
Quartus Judeus
Goe we to hit faste;166
This caitiffe I have caste;
He slialbe wronge wraste,
Or I wende awaye.
Primuz Judeus
Heare is a rope will laste170
To drawe hym at the maste.
This popelarde never paste
So parleues a playe.
Secundus Judeus
Layes hym theruppon,174
This madde massed man,
And I will drive one
This nayle to the ende.
Tercius Judeus
As brocke I my pon,178
Well caste hym I can,
And make hym full wonn,
Or I from hym wende.
Quartus Judeus
Fellowes, will ye see182
Howe sleighte I shalbe,
This feiste, or I fleye,
Heare to make faste?
Primus Judeus
Yea, but as mote I thee,186
Shorte armed is he,
To the boweringe of this tree
He will not well laste.
Secundus Judeus
And thcrfore care thou naughte;190
A slighte I have soughte,
Roopes must be boughte,
To streyne hym with strengthe.
Tercius Judeus
A roope, as beheighte,194
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,198
Whyle that I dryve in
This same iron pynne,
That I dare laye will laste.
Primus Judeus
As ever have I wynne,202
His arme is but a fynne:
Nowe drives one bout dyn,
And we shall drawe faste.
Secundus Judeus
Fellowes, by this daye lighte,206
Nowe were his feete dighte,
This gamon wente on righte,
And up he shoulde be raysed.
Tercius Judeus
That shalbe done in hye,210
Anon in your sighte;
For by my troth i-plighte,
I serve to be praysed.
Quartus Judeus
Fellowes, will you see214
Howe I have streched his knye?
Why prayse you not me
That have so well done?
Primus Judeus
Yea, helpe nowe that he218
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,222
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 he228
Withouten varyence.
Secundus Judeus
Naye, yf Pilate to us byde,230
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 yeide236
That he was kinge of Jewes.
Pilatus
That that is wrytten I have wrytten.238
Tercius Judeus
And in good faith that is fowle wrytten,239
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.245
[Time omnes crucem exalt abunt.]

Tunc venit Maria lacrimal* s.


Maria
Alas! my love, my life, my lere,247
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,253
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;259
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,265
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.271
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;277
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,283
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.289
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,295
My sorowe will never slacke nor cease,
Such sorowe is me upon.
Annas
Nowe this shrewe hoven on heighte298
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 uppon304
That it southlye so is.
Jesus
Father of heaven, if thy wilbe,306
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,310
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,314
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,318
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,324
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,330
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,336
Righte as thy selfe one is;
And John, tlier thy mother thou maie se.
John
Yea, Lorde, her keper I shalbe;339
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,345
And tweyne me from this woe.
John
Comforte thee nowe, sweete Marye;347
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,353
Within thes daies three.
Jesus
Eloye! Eloy! my God! I speake to thee,355
Eloye, Lazamabathanye!
Why haste thou this forsaken me?
Primus Judeus
A! harcke howe he cryeth upon Eley,358
To deliver hym of his anoye!
Secundus Judeus
Abyde, and we shall see in hye,360
Wheither Eloye dare come neither or noe.
Jesus
My thurste is sore, my thurste is sore!362
Tercius Judeus
Yea, thou shalte have drinke therfore,363
That thou shall liste drinke no more
Of all this seven yeaire.
Jesus
Mightie God in magistie,366
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,371
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,377
In hym all men maye knowe.
Cayphas
Centnryo, so God me speede,379
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 lande385
This seven yeaire in good faye.
Quartus Judeus
Have this speare, and take good heede,387
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,391
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 speare397
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!403
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,409
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,415
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,419
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,425
For he is kinge of blesse.
Nicodemus
Sir Josephe,, I saye sickerlye,427
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,433
And all his meanye.
Joseph ab Ara.
To Pilate, brother, will we gone,435
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,441
His body that is dead.

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


Josephe
Sir Pilate, speciallye I thee praie,443
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,447
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,452
In hym ther is no life leade,
For I stoode their by.
Pilatus
Josephe, take hym then to thee,455
And burye hyin wher thy wil be.
[But look thou make no sigaldry,
To rayse him up agayne.]
Josephe
Graunte mercye, sir, perdye!459
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 vertue465
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,471
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.477
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,483
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;489
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,495
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.501

Finis. Deo gracias! per me, Georgi Bellin.


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


Anno Domini 1592.


The Cookes Plaie.Contents

Hie incipit pagina decima septima, de decensu ad inferna el de his que ibidem fiebant, secundum evangelium Nicodemi: et primo fiat lux in inferno malerialis aliqua subtilitate machinata, et postea dicat Adam:


Adam
O Lorde and soveraigne Savyour,1
Our comforte and our counsceloure,
Of this lighte thou arte auctour,
As I see well in sighte;
This is a signe thou will succoure
Thy folkes that lyne in great langoure,
And of the devil be conquerour,7
As thou hase eyer beheighte.
Me thou madeste, Lorde, of claye,
And gave me Parradice in to plaie,
But through my synne, the south to saie,
Deprived I was therfroo;
And from that wayle put awaie,13
And heare hath longed, south to saye,
In thesternes bouth nighte and daye,
And all my kinde also.
Nowe by this lighte that I nowe see,
Joye is comon, Lorde, through thee,
And of thy people thou hase pittye,19
To put them out of paine;
Sicker it maye non other be,
But nowe thou hase mercye on me,
And my kinde, through thy postye,
Thou wylte restore againe.
Esayus
Yea, suerlye, this same lighte25
Comes from Godes sonne allmight,
For so I prophescied arighte
While that I was livinge:
Then I to all men behighte,
As I ghostlye sawe in sighte,
Thes wordes that I shall to my mighte31
Rehearse without tarryinge.
Populus qui ambulabat in tenebris vidit lucem magnam.
The people, I sayde that tyme exspresse,
That eylden about in theesternes,
Seithen a full greate lightlies,
As you do nowe icheone;37
Nowe is fullfilled my propheseye,
That I, the prophett Esaye,
Wrote in my boke that will not lye,
Whoe so will loke therone.
Simeon Justus.
And I, Semion, south to saye,43
For when Christe child was, in good faye,
In temple I hym toke,
And as the holye ghoste that daie
Taughte me or I wente awaie,
Thes wordes I sayde to Godes paye,
That men maie fynde in boke.49
Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine,
secundum verbum tuum in pace.

Ther I prayed, withouten lesse,
That God will let me be in peace,
For he is Christe that comen was,
I hade bouth felde and seene,55
That he had ordeyned for mans heale,
Joye to the people of Isarell,
Nowe as it wone that eke wayle,
To us withouten wene.
JOHANES BAPTISTA.
Yea, Lorde, I am that prophett John61
That baptised thee in floude Jordan,
And preached to everye nacion,
To warne of thy cominge;
To bringe the people to saulvacion
By mirrette of thy bitter passion,
Through faith and pennance to have remission,67
And with thee to have woninge.
Penetenciam agite, appropinquat enim regnum celormn: dicat.
And with my finger I shewe exspres
Mercye concluded rightwisenes,
Therfore thes wordes I doe rehearse,
With honour unto thee.73
Ecce agnus Dei, ecce qui tollit peccata mundi.
Seith.
And I, Seith, Adames sonne, am heare,
That livinge wente, withouten were,
To aske a Parradice a prayer
At God, as I shall saye;79
That he woulde graunte an angell in live,
To geve to me oyle of his mercye,
To anoynte my father in his anoye,
In sicknes when he laye.
Then to me appeared Michell,
And bade me travayle never a deale,85
And sayde for reminge nor praiers fell
That graunte me not to seeke;
Nor of that oyle mighte I have non,
Made I never so moche mone,
Tell five thousande yeaires were gone
And fyve hundreth eke.91
Omnibus fectentibus dicot
David
A! highe God, and kinge of blesse,93
Worshiped be thy name i-wisse;
I hope that tyme nowe comen is,
Delivered to be of langure.
Come, Lorde, come to hell anon,
And take out thy folke everye eichone,
For the yeaires al be comon and gone,99
Since mankinds came firste here.

Tunc Sathan sedens in cathedra dicat demonibus.


Hell houndes all that bene heare,
Make you bowne with boste and beare,
For to this fellowshipe in feare
Their hyes a fearlye freacke:
A noble morscell you have mou,105
Jesus, that is Godes sonne,
Comes he neither with us to wonne,
On hym nowe ye you wrecke.
A man he is fullye in faye,
For greatlye death he dread to daie,
And thes wordes I harde hym saye,111
My soule is thirste to death.
Suche as I made haulte and blynde,
He hase them healed to their kinde,
Therfore this bolster loke that you bynde
In balle of hell breath.
Secundus demon
Sir Sathanas, what man is he,117
That shoulde thee prive of thy postie I
Howe dare he doe againste thee,
And dread his death to daye!
Greater then thou hym seemes to be,
For degrated of thy degree
Thou muste be sone, well I see,123
And prived of thy praye.
Tercius demon.
Who is he so stiffe and stronge
That so maisterlike comes us amonge,
Our felowshipe as he would fonge I
But theirof he shall fayle.129
Witte he us with anye wronge,
He shall singe a sorye songe,
But on thee, Sathan, that it belonge,
And his will oughte avayle.
Sathanas.
Againste this shrewe that sittes here135
I tempted the folke in fowle manere,
Ascill and gall to his dynere
I made them for to dighte;
And since to hange hym on rood tree,
Nowe is he dead righte so through me,
And to hell, as you shall se,141
He comes anon in heighte.
Secundus demon
Sir Sathanas, is not this that syer,143
That raysed Lazarre out of the fier I
Sathanas.
Yea, this is he that would conspier
Anon to reve us all.
Tercius demon.
Out, out! alas! alas!149
Heare I counger thee, Sathanas,
Thou suffer hym not come in this place,
For oughte that maye befall.
Secundus demon
Yea, seckerlye, and he come heare,153
Passed is cleane our power,
For all this felowshipe in feare,
Have whom awaie he woulde;
For at his comaundmente,
Lazarre, that with us was lente,
Mawgere our teeth he wente,159
And hym mighte we not houlde.

Tunc venit Jesus, et fiat clamor vel soniius magnus materialis, et dicat Jesus,


Jesus
Attolite portas, principes, vestras, et elevamini porte eternales, et introibit rex glorie.
Open up hell gates anon,
You princes of pyne everye eichone,
That Godes sonne maie in gone,
And the kimje of blesse.
Secundus demon
Goe hensc, popilarde, out from this place,166
Or thou shalt have a sorye grace,
For all thy boste and thy manace
Thes men thou shalt mysse.
Sathanas.
Out, alas! what is this?
Seinge I never so moche blesse,172
Towardes hell come, i-wisse,
Seithen I was warden here.
My maisterdome fares amisse,
For yencler a stobarne fellowe ys,
Righte as hollye hell were his,
To reve me of my power.178
Tercius demon.
Yea, Sathanas, thy soveraigntie
Failes cleane, therfore thou fleye,
For no longer in this see.
Here shalte thou not sitte:
Goe fourth, feighte for thy degree,184
Or elles our prince thou shall not be,
For nowe passes thy postye,
And hense thou muste flytte.

Tunc surgens Satlianas de sede, ei dicat


Sathanas.
Out, alas! I am shente,
My mighte fayles veramente,190
This prince that is nowe presente
Will powle from me my praie.
Adam, by my intisemente,
And all his blood through me were shente;
Nowe hense the shall al be hente,
And I in hell for [aye].196
David rex
I, kinge David, nowe well maye saye197
My propliescye fulfilled is in faye,
As nowe shewes in sighte verreye,
And southlye here is seene;
I tauffhte men this here in my life daie
To worshipe God by all waie,
That hell gates he shall affraye,203
And wone that his hath bene.
Conjitentur domino misericordie ejus et mirabilia ejus et litis hominis contrivit portas preas et victes ferreas confreget.

Tunc item dicat.


Jesus
Open up hell gates, yet I saye,206
You princes of pine that be presente,
And let the kinge of blisse this waie,
That he maie fulfill his intente.
Sathanas.
Staye! what is he, that kinge of blesse?
David rex
That Lorde the whiche allmightie is,212
In warre no power like to his,
Of all blesse is greateste kinge,
And to hym is non like, i-wysse,
As is southlye seene by this,
For men that some tyme did amisse,
To his blesse he will us bringe.218
Hie extrahit patriarchas.
Here God doth take out Addam.
Jesus
Peace to thee, Adam, my darlinge,221
THE HARROWING OF HELL. 7!
And eke to all thy ofspringe,
That rightious were in eirth livinge,
From me you shall not sever;
To blesse nowe I will you bringe,
Their you shalbe without endinge,227
Michell, leade thes men singinge
To blesse that lasteth ever.
MlCHEALL.
Lorde, your will done shalbe;
Come fourth, Adam, come with me:
My Lorde uppon the roode tree233
Your synnes hath for-boughte;
Nowe shall you have likinge and lee,
And be restored to your degree,
That Sathan with his suttiltie
From blesse to balle hade broughte.

[Tunc Michael adducet Adam et sanctos ad Paradisum, et in obviam venient Henoc et Helias, et latro alvatus; et. Sathan dicat:]


Sathanas.239
Out, alas! nowe goes awaie
All my prisoneres and my praie,
And I my selfe maie not starte awaie,
I am so straitlye tyed!
Nowe comes Christe, sorowe I maie,
For me and my meanye for aye,245
Never seith God made the firste daie
Were we soe sore afreayde.

Heare muste Adam speake to Enocke and Ely.


Adam
Sires, what manner of men be ye,248
That bodelye meete us as I see,
That dead came not to hell as well as wee,
Seinge all men dampned were?
When I treasspasetli God, heighte
That this place clossed shoulde be
From eirthlye men to have enterye,254
And yet I fynde you here.
Enocke
Sir, I am Enocke, the south to saye,256
Put in this place to Goods paye,
And heare have lived ever since aye
At likinge all my fill;
And my felowe heare, in good faye,
Is Hely the prophette, se you maie,
That ravished was in this araye,262
As it was G-odes will.
Hely prophette
Yea, bodelye death, leeve thou me,264
Yet never suffred we,
But heare ordayned we are to be,
Tell Antechriste come;
To feighte againste us shall he,
And sleay us in this holye cittie,
But suerlye in daies three270
And an halfe we shall rise.
Adam
And who is this that comes here,272
[With crosse on shoulder in suche] manere I
Latro.
I am that theiffe, my father deare,
That honge one roode tree.
For I beleved without were
That Christe might save us bouth in feare:278
To hym I made my praier,
The which was graunted me,
When I se signes vereye
That he was Grodes sonne, south to saye,
To hyrn devoutlye did I praye,
In his region when I came,284
That he woulde thinke on me all waye;
And he answered and sayde, this daie
In Paradice thou shalte with me plaie
Heitherwarde anon.
Then he betaughte me this tockeninge,
This crosse upon my backe hanginge,290
To Michell angell for to bringe,
That I mighte have enterye.
Adam
Nowe goe we to blesse bouth oulde and yonge,293
And worshipe God allwillinge;
And theiderwarde I rede we singe
With greate solempenitie.

Tunc eunt omnes, et incipiat Michell, Te Deum laudamus; dicat


MULIER.
Wo be to the tyme that I came heare,
I saye to thee nowe, Lucifier,299
With all thy felowshipe in feare
That presente be in place;
Wofull am I with thee to dwell,
Sir Sathanas, sergante of hell;
Endles paines and sorowe cruell
I suffer in this place.305
Some tyme I was a tavernere,
A gentill gossipe and a tapstere,
Of wyne and ale a trustie brewer,
Which wo hath me wroughte;
Of cannes I kepte no trewe measuer,
My cuppes I soulde at my pleasuer,311
Deceavinge manye a creature,
Tho my ale were naughte.
And when I was a brewer longe,
With hoopes I made my ale stronge,
Ashes and erbes I blende amonge,
And marred so good maulte;317
Therfore I maye my handes wringe,
Shake my cannes, and cuppes ringe,
Sorowfull maie I sicke and singe
That ever I so dealed.
Taverners, tapsters of this cittie,
Shalbe promoted heare by me,323
For breakinge statutes of this cuntrey,
Hurtinge the commonwelth;
With all tiplinge tapsters that are cuninge,
Mysspendinge moche maulte, brewinge so theyne,
Sellinge small cuppes moneye to wyn,
Againste all truth to deale.329
Therfore this place ordeyned is
For suche ylle doeres so moche amisse;
Here shall the have ther joye and blesse,
Exsaulted by the necke,
With my mayster, mightye Mahounde,
For castinge maulte besyddes the combe,335
Moche watter takinge for to compounde,
And littill of the secke;
With all mashers minglers of wyne in the nighte,
Brewinge so blendinge againste daye lighte,
Suche newe made clarrytte is cause full righte
Of sicknes and desease.341
This I betake you, more and lesse,
To my sweete mayster, sir Sathanas,
To dwell with hym in his place,
When it shall you please.
Sathanas.
Welckome, deare darlinge, to us all three,347
Though Jesus be gone with our meanye,
Yet shall thou abyde heare still with me,
In paine withoute ende.
Secundus demon
Welckome, dere ladye, I shall thee wedd,351
For manye a heavye and droncken head,
Cause of thy ale, were broughte to bed
Farre worse then anye beaste.
Tercius demon.
Welckome, deare daughter, to endles balle,
Usinge cardes, dice, and cupes smalle,357
With manye false outhes to sell thy ale.
No we thou shall have a feaste.

Finis. Deo gracias! per me, Georgi Bellin. 1592.


The Skynners PlayeContents

Pagina decima octava de Resurreocione Jesu Christi.


Pilatus
Per vous, sir Cayphas,1
Et wuse wus, sir Annas,
Et sum discipule Judas,
Cule treison finte.
Et grande lices de lucite,
Amoye per fioy et judge
Mostre dame finte deliverie7
Per loes roye escreite.

You lordes and ladyes, so lovelye and lere,
You kennes you knowes knightes of kinde,
Harcken all heitherwarde my hestes to here,
For I am moste fayereste and fresheste to fynde,
And moste higheste I am of estate.13
For I am prince pearles,
Moste royall man of riches,
I may deale and I maye dresse,
My name is Sir Pilate.
For Ceaser, prince moste of poste,
Honoured my estate and my degreey,19
When that he sente Jesus to me
To deliver hym to the deade;
The cryed on me all with on voyce,
The Jewes on me made great noyse;
I gave them leve to hange hym on crosse,
This was through Jewes reade.25
I dreade yet leste he will us greve,
For that I sawe I maye wel beleeve;
I sawe the stonnes beganne to cleve,
And dead men up can rise.
In this cittye all aboute
Was non so stearne ney so stowte,31
That up loked for greate doubte,
The were so sore agased.
And therfore, sir Oayphas, yet I dread
Leste ther be perrill in that deed;
I sawe hym hange on rowde and bleede
Tell all his blood was sheed,37
And when he should his death take,
The weither waxed wounderous blacke;
Leate, thounder, and eirth beganne to quake,
Therof I am adreade.
Cayphas
And this was ysterdaye about nonne.42
Pilatus
Yea, sir bushope, this is one,43
To speake therfore we have to done,
For I let burye hym full sone
In a tombe of stonne;
And therfore, syres, amonght us three,
Let us ordeyne and oversee
Yf ther anye peryl be,49
Or we hense gone.
Cayphas
Sir Pilate, all this was donne,51
As we sawe after sonne,
But betyme at after nonne
The wedder beganne to cleare;
And sir, if it be your will,
Suche wordes you let be still,
And speake of another skill,57
Leste anye man us heare.
Annas
Yea, sir Pilate, naughte for-thy,59
I sawe hym and his companye
Rayse men with sorscerye,
That longe before were deade;
For and their be anye more such lefte,
Which can of suche wichcrafte,
Yf that bodye be from us rafte,65
Advise you well, I rede.
Cayphas
Yea, sir Pilate, I tell you righte,67
Let us ordayne manye a harde knighte,
Well armed to stande and feighte,
With power and with force;
That no shame to us befall.
Let us ordayne here amonge us all,
And trewe men to us calle,73
To kepe well the corse.
Pilatus
Nowe, by Jesus that dyed on roode,75
Me thinke your counsell is wounderous good,
The beste man of kynne and blood,
Anon loke ye no blyne.
And my knightes, stiffe and stearne of harte,
You be boulde men and smarte;
I warne you nowe at wordes shorte,81
For with you I have to donne.
Primus miles
Sir, we bene heare all and some,83
As boulde men, readye bonne
To drive your enemyes all downe;
Why[le] that we maye stande,
We be your knightes everye eichone;
Fayntnes in us their shalbe non,
We wilbe wrocken upon thy fonne,89
Wherever he maye be founde,
And for no dread that we will wonne.
Pilatus
That I am well to understande,92
You be men doughtie of hande,
I love you without lacke;
But that prophette that was done and drawes
Through the recountinge of your lawes,
But yet some thinge we stand in awes,
Of wordes that he spake.98
For south this harde I hym saye,
That he woulde rise the thirde daye;
Nowe suerlye and he so maye,
He hath a wounderous tache.
Secundus miles
Yea, let hym rise if that hym dare!103
For and I of hym maye be aware,
He bode never a worse charre,
Or that he wende awaye.
I helped to slea hym ere while,
Wenes he to doe us more gile?
Naye it is noe perille;109
My heade their dare I laye.
Tercius miles
Yet let hym quicken hardlve,111
Whyle my felowes here and I
Maye awake and stand hym by,
He skaped not uncaughte;
For and he oste heave up his head,
But that he be sone dead,
Shall I never eate more bread,117
Ne never more be saughte.
Primus miles
Have good daie, sir, we wilbe gone:119
Geves us our charge everye eichone.
Pilatus
Nowe fare well, the beste of blood and bone,121
And take good heede unto my sawe.
For as I am a trewe Jewe,
Yf that you anye treason shewe,
Ther is non of you all shall esue,
But he shalbe to-drawe.
Secundus miles
Nowe, felowes, we be charged hye,127
Our prince hath sworne that we shall dye
Without anye prophescye,
Or anye other in charge;
But yf the done as the wise,
I red we righte well advise,
Though he be boulde, he shall not rise,133
But one of us be ware.
Tercius miles
Sir, the moste wytte lyeth in thee,135
To ordayne and to oversee;
You be the eldeste of us three,
And man of moste renowne:
The tombe is heare at our hande,
Sett us their as we shall stande,
Yf that he rise we shall founde141
To beate hym adowne.
Primus miles
And I shall nowe sette us so,143
Yf that he rise and woulde goe,
On of us or eles towe
Shall se of his uprise;
Stande thou heare, and thou here,
And I my selfe in medle mere:
I troe our hartes will not feare,149
But it were stowtlye wiste.

Tunc cantabunt duo angeli, Christus resurgens a mortuis, etc., et Christus tunc resurget, etc postea cantu finito dicat ut sequitur Jesus resurgens, et pede omnes miliies quatiat.


Jesus
Eirthlye man that I have wroughte,151
Awake out of thy slepe;
Eirthlye man that I have bought,
Of me thou have no kepe.
From heaven mans soule I soughte,
Into a dongion depe,
My dere lemon from thense I broughte,157
For ruthe of her I weepe.
I am vereye prince of peace,
And kinge of free mercye;
Who will of synnes have release,
On me the call and crye.
And yf the will of synnes cease,163
I graunte them peace trewlye,
And therto a full rich messye,
In brede my owne bodye.
I am vereye bread of life,
From heaven I lighte and am sende,
Who eateth that brede, man or wife169
Shall live with me without ende.
And that brede that I you geve,
Your wicked life for to amende,
Becomes my fleshe through your beleffe,
And doth release your synfull bande.
And whoesoever eatheth that breade175
In syne or wicked life,
He receiveth his owine death,
I warne bouth man and wife.
The whiche bread shalbe seene in steade
Their joye is aye full rafte;
When he is dead through fooles read181
Then is he broughte to paine and striffe.

Tunc duo angeli, postquam Christus resurrexerit, sedebunt in sepulcro, quorum alter ad caput alter ad pedes sedeant.


Primus miles
Out, alas! wher am I?183
So brighte aboute is heare by,
That my harte whollye
Out of my breste is shaken;
So fowle feared with fantasye
Was I never in non anoye,
For I wote not witterlye189
W neither I be on slepe or waken.

Tunc socium surgere coget.


Secundus miles
Where arte thou, sir Bachelere I191
Aboute me is wounder cleare,
Wytte me wantes withouten were,
For fearder I never was.
To remove fare or nere,
Me fayles mighte and power,
My harte in my bodye here197
Is hoven out of my breste.

Tunc tanget socium: somno desurgere coget: dicat


Primus miles
Yea, we are shente sickerlye,199
For Jesus is risen, well wotte I,
Out of the sepulcher mightelye,
And therof I have in mynde;
And as dead here can I lye,
Speake mighte I [not] ne spie
Which waye he toke trewlye,205
My eyes the were so blynde.
Tercius miles
Alas! what is this great lighte,207
Shyninge here in my sighte?
Marred I am mayne and mighte,
To move have I no mayne.
Thes towe beast es that are so brighte,
Power have I non to rise arighte,
Me fayles with them for to feighte,213
Would I never so fayne.
Secundus miles
Yea, I will crepe fourth on my knye,215
Tell I this parill passed be,
For my waye I maye not se,
Nether eirth nor stonne.
Yea, in wicked tyme we
Nayled hym on the roode tree,
For, as he sayde, in daies three221
[Risen he is and gone.]
Tercius miles
Hye we faste we were awaie,223
For this is Godes sonne vereye;
Strive with hym we ne maye,
That maister is and more.
I will to Cayphas by and by,
The south openlye for to saye:
Fare well, sires, and have good daye,229
For I will goe before.
Primus miles
We to lenge heare were no boute,231
For nede to sir Pilate we mote,
And tell hym crape and roote
So southlye as we wiste;
For and the Jewes knewe as well as we,
That he were risen through his poste,
Then shoulde the laste errande be237
Worse then the firste.

Tunc adeunt Pilatum.


Secundus miles
Harcken, sir Pilate, the south to sayen,239
Jesu that was on Fryday slayne,
Through his mighte is risen againe,
This is the thirde daye.
Ther came no power hym to fette,
But suche a slepe he on me sete,
That non of us mighte hym lete245
To rise and goe his waves.
Pilatus
Nowe, by the outh I have to Ceaser sworne,247
All you dogges sonnes shall dye therfore,
If it be on you longe;
Yf that you have prevelye
Soulde hym to his companye,
Then are you worthye for to dye
Righte in your owne wronge.253
Tercius miles
Nowe, by the order I beare of knighte,254
He rose upp in the morninge lighte,
By vertue of his owne mighte:
I knowe it vereye well.
He rose up, as I saye nowe,
And lefte us lyinge I wote nere howe,
Al bemased in a soune,260
As we hade bene sticked swyne.
Pilatus
Fye, theiffe! fye, traytor!262
Fye on thee! thy truste is full bare!
Fye, feynde! fye, feature!
Hye hense faste! I rede thou fare.
Primuz miles
That tyme that he his waie toke,266
Durste I nether speake nor loke,
But for feare I laye and quoke,
And laye in sound dreame:
He sett his foote upon my backe,
That everye lith beganne to crake;
I woulde not abyde such another shake,272
For all Jerusalem.
Pilatus
Fye, harlote! fye, hounde!274
Fye on thee, thou taynted doge!
What! laye thou still in that stonde,
And let that losinger go on the roge?
Sir Cayphas and sir Annas,
What saye you to this treaspas?
I praye you, sires, in this case,280
Advise me of some read.
Cayphas
Nowe, good sir, I you praie,282
Harcken to me what I you saie,
For moche avayle us it maie,
And doe after my spell.
Praye them nowe, sir, pardye,
As the loven well thee,
Here as the stand all three,288
To kepe well our counscell.
Annas
Sir bushope, I saye to you verament,290
Unto your counscell I fullye assente;
This foolishe prophette, that we all to-rente,
Through his wichcrafte is stolne awaie;
Therfore let us call our counscell togeither,
And let us conclude to the wholl matter,
Or elles our lawes are done for ever hereafter296
Pilatus
Nowe in good fayth, full woes me,297
And so I tro bene all ye,
That he is risen this prevelye
And is from us escaped;
Nowe I praye you, sires, as you love me,
THE RESURRECTION. J
Kepe this in close and previtye303
Untell our counscell, and tell we
Have harde how he is scaped.

Tunc tradet eis pecuniam, et discedunt; et venient mulieres plorantes etc Jesum querentes.


Maria Magdelena.
Alas! nowe lorne is my likinge;
For woe I wander, and handes wringe;
My harte in sorowe and in sickinge309
Is sadlye set and sore.
That I moste loved of all thinge,
Alas, is nowe full loe lyinge;
Why am I, Lorde, so longe livinge,
To lose thy luxom lore?
Maria Jacoby.315
Alas! wayle awaie is wente,
My helpe, my heale, from me is hente;
My Christe, my comforte, that me kente,
I-clongen nowe in claye.
Mightie God omnipotente,
Thou geve them harde judgmente,321
That my soveraigne hath so shente,
For so I maye well saye.
Maria Salome.
Alas! nowe marred is all my mighte,
My Lorde, through whom that I was lighte,
Shamfullye slayne here in my sighte;327
My sorowe is aye unsoughte.
Seith I have no other righte,
Of thes devilles that have my Lorde so dighte,
To balme his bodye that is so brighte
Boyste heare have I broughte.
Maria Magdelena.333
Sister, which of us everye one
Shall remove this greate stonne
That lyeth my sweete Lorde upon,
For move it I ney maie.
Maria Jacobi.
Sister, maisterye it is non:339
It seemes to me as he were gone,
For on the sepulcher sitteth one,
And the stonne awaie.
Maria Salome.
Towe children here I see sittinge,
All of whyte is ther clothinge,345
And the stone besydes lyinge:
Goe we nere and see.

Tunc ibunt et aspicient in sepulcrum,.


Primus Angellus
What seeke you, women, here348
With wepinge and unlikinge cheare?
Jesus, that to you was deare,
Is risen, leeve you me.
Secundus Angellus
Be not afrayde of us in feare.352
For he is wente, withouten were,
As he before cane you lere,
Fourth into Gallalye.
Primus Angellus
This is the place, therefore be payde,356
That Jesus our Lorde was in layde,
But he is risen, as he sayde,
And hense wente awaie.
Secundus Angellus
Hye you for oughte that maye befall,360
And tell his disciples all,
And Petter also saye you shall,
Ther fynde hym that you maye.
Maria Magdelena.
A! hye we faste for anye thinge,
And tell Petter this tydinge,366
A blessedfull worde we maye hym bringe,
South yf that it were.
Maria Jacobi.
Yea, walke thou, sister, by on waye,
And we another shall assaye,
Tell we have mette with hym to daie,372
My worthy Lorde so deare.

Tunc discedent et paulisper circumambulabunt, el tunc obvient discipulis Petro et Johanni; et dicat Maria Magdelena.


Maria Magdelena.
A! Petter and John, alas! alas!
Ther is befallne a woundorous case;
Some man my Lorde stollne has,
And put hym I wote not where.378
Petrus
What, is he removed out of the place379
In the which he buryed was?
Maria Magdelena.
Yea, sicker, all my solace
Is gone and is not their.
Johannes Evangelist.
Petter, goe we theider anon,385
Roninge as faste as we can,
To loke who hath removed the stonne,
And wheither he be awaie.
Petrus
Abyde, brother, sweete John,389
Leste we meete with anye fonne;
But nowe I se no other wonne,
To ronne I will assaye.

Tunc ambo simul concurrent, sed Johannes procurret citius Petro, et non intrant sepulchrum.


Johannes.
A! Petter, brother, in good faye,
My Lorde Jesu is awaye!395
But his shouldarye, south to saye,
Lyinge here I fynde.
By it selfe, as thou se maye,
Farre from all other clothes it laye;
Nowe Maryes wordes are south vereye,
As we maie have in mynde.401
Petrus
Yea, but, as God kepe me from woe!402
Into the sepulcher I will goe,
To loke yf it be vereye soe,
As Marye to us can saye.

Tunc introibit in sepulchrum;


A! Lorde, blessed be thou ever and oo,
For as thou toulde me and other moe,
I fynde thou haste overcomon our foe,408
And risen arte, in good faye.

Tunc Petrus lamentando dicat.


A! Lor[d]e, how shall I do for shame,
That hath deserved so moche blame,
To forsake thy holye name,
To meete with thee by anye waie.
I that in pennance and greate anoye414
My sweete Lorde forsocke thrye,
Save endlise hope of his mercye,
Therto truste I maie.
For ney it were his greate grace,
And sorrowe of harte that in me was,
Worse I were then Judas was,420
My Lorde so to forsake.
Johannes.
Petter, comforte thee in this case,
For suerlie my Lorde Jesu accepted hase,
Greate repentance for thy treasspas
My Lorde in harte will take.426
Goe we seeke Jesu anon in hye,
On waie thou, another waie I.
Petrus
Yea, well I hope through his mighte429
My pennance shall hym please.

Tunc abeunt, hie per aliam viam, Me per alteram. Mulieres venient.


Maria Magdelena.
Hense will I never, sickerlye,
Tell I be comforted of myne anoye,
And knowe where he is readelye,
Here will I sitte and weepe.435
Primus Angellus
Woman, why wepeste thou soe, aye I436
Maria Magdelena.
Sonne, for my Lorde is taken awaie,
And I wotte not where, the south to saye:
Who hath donne that thinge!
Alas! why were I not deade to daie,
Cloughte and clongen under claye,442
To see my Lorde that heare laye
Onste at my likinge?

Finis. Deo gracias! per me, Georgi Bellin. 1592.


Come, Lorde Jesu, come quicklye. 1592.


The Saddlers PlayeContents

Pagina decima nona, de Christo duobus discipulis ad castellum Emaus euntibus appare?ite, et aliis discipulis, et dicat Lucas.


Lucas
Alas! nowe wayle is wente awaye!1
My owine my mayster ever I maye,
That is nowe clongen under claye,
That makes my harte in care.
Sorrowe and sickinge, the south to saye,
Makes mone, that is no naye,
When I thinke on hym nighte and daye,7
For deale I droppe and dare.
Cleophas
Yea, moche mirth was in me,9
My sweete soveraigne when I mighte se,
And his likinge lore with lee,
And nowe so lowe is laide.
Brother, nowe is dayes three
Seith he was nayled on roode tree;
Lorde, wheither he risen be,15
As he before hade sayde.
Lucas
Leffe brother Cleophas,17
To knowe this were a cuninge case,
Seith he through harte wounded was,
Howe shoulde he live agayne?
Cleophas
Yf that he godhead in hym hase,21
And comen to hy mans treasspas,
He maye rise through his owine grace,
And his death to us gayne.
Lucas
A mistye thinge it is [to] me,25
To have beleffe it shoulde so be,
Howe he shoulde rise in daies three;
Suche wounderes never was wiste.
Cleophas
South thou sayest, full well I see;29
Leeve maye I not by my lewtie,
But God maye of his magistie
Doe what so ever hym liste.

Tunc venit Jesus in habitu peregrini, et dicat Jesu.


Jesus
Good men, if your will were,33
Tell me in good manere
Of your talkinge that in feare
And of your woe witte I woulde.
Cleophas
A! syr, it seemes to us heare,37
A pylgrem thou arte, as doth appeare;
Tydinges and tales al inteyre
Thou maye heare what is toulde
In Jerusalem that other daye,
That thou walkeste manye a waye,
Maye thou not here what men saye,43
About ther as thou yeide?
Jesus
What are those? tell me, I thee praye.45
Lucas
Of Jesus of Nazareth, in good faye,46
A prophette to eich mans paye,
And wise in worde and deed:
To God and man wise was hee,
But bushoppes, cursed mote the be!
Dampned hym and nayled hym on a tree,
That wroughte yet never wronge.52
Cleophas
Wytterlye before wende we,53
That Isarell [he] shoulde have made free;
And out of payne through his postie
The people he shoulde have broughte.
Lucas
Yea, sir, nowe is the thirde daie57
Seith the made this affraye,
And some wemen ther as he laye
Were their erlye in the morne,
And feared us fowle in faye;
The toulde us he was stowlne awaie,
And angelles, as the can saye,63
The sepulcher syttinge before.
Cleophas
Yea, sir, thes wemen that harde I,65
Sayde he was risine readelye;
And some men of our companye
Thydder anon can goe,
And found it so lesse and more.
And yet our hartes are full sore,
Lest it be not so.71
Jesus
Ah, fooles and feible, in good faye,72
Late to beleeve unto Godes lawe,
The prophettes before can this sawe,
Leeve you on this southlye,
That it nedes be allwaye
Christe to suffer death the south to saye,
And to joye that lasteth aye78
Bringe man through his mercye.
And firste at Moyses to begyn,
What he saith I shall you myne,
That God was a greve with [in],
That burned aye as hym thoughte;
The greve payred nothinge theirby:84
What was that but mayde Marye,
That bare Jesu sincerlye,
That man hath nowe for-boughte.
Also Esay sayde this,
As a woman comfortes, i-wisse,
Her childe that hath done amisse,90
To amende, leeve you me;
So God woulde man reconsiled here,
Through his mercye, in good manere,
And in Jerusalem in better were,
Fore-boughte the shoulde be.

Quemadmodum mater consolatur filios suos, ita et ego consolabor vos, et in Jerusalem consolabamini. Esaius capitulo sexage. sexto: et dicat


Cleophas
A! Lorde! geve thee good grace,96
For greatlye comforted me thou hase:
Goe with us to this place,,
A castill is here by.
Jesus
Nowe, good men, southlye for to saye,100
I have to goe a greate waie;
Therfore at this tyme I ney maye,
But I thanke you hartelye.
Lucas
Sir, you shall in all mannere104
Dwell with us at our suppere;
For nowe nighte approcheth nere,
Tarye here for anye thinge.
Cleophas
Nowe, God forbyde that we were108
So uncurtise to you heare;
For saffe my lovelye lorde of lere,
Thy lore is moste likinge.

Tunc ibit Jesus cum Mis ad castellum.


Lucas
Sytte downe here, sire, I you praye,112
And take a morscell and you maie,
For you have walked a longe waie
Seith to daye at noone.
Jesus
Graunte mercye, good me[n], in good faye,116
To blesse this bread, south to saye,
I will anon in good araye,
Righte by you beforne.

Tunc franget panem, et dicat


Jesus
Eates on, men, and doe gladlye,120
In the name of God almightie!
For this breed blessed have I,
That I geve you to daye.

Tunc Jesus evanescet.


Lucas
Graunte mercye, sickerlye!124
Nowe rede I you be righte merye.
What! wher is he that sate us by?
Alas! he is awaie!
Cleophas
Alas! alas! alas! alas!128
This was Jesus in this place!
By breakinge the bread I knewe his face,
But nothinge theirbefore.
Lucas
A borninge harte in us he made;132
For while he heare with us was,
To knowe hym we mighte have no grace,
For all his loxom lore.
Cleophas
Goe we, brother, and that anon,136
And tell our brethren everye eichone,
Howe our maister is from us gone,
Yea, southlye we inaie saie.
the pilgrims of emaus. 1()7
Lucas
Yea, we maye make our mone,141
That sate with hym in greate wonne,
And we no knowledge hym hade upon,
Tell he was passed awaye.

Tunc ibunt ad alios discipulos in alio loco congregates: dicat Cleophas.


Cleophas
A! reste well, brethren, on and all!145
Wounderouslye is us befall;
Our Lorde and we were in on hall,
And hym yet knewe not we.
Andreas
Yea, leeve thou well this, Cleophas,149
That he is risen that deade was,
And to Petter appeared hase
This daye appeartlye.
Lucas
With us he was a longe fytte,153
And undid his holye wrytte;
And yet our wittes were so knytte,
That hym we mighte not knowe.
No we sicker awaie was all my witte.
Tell the brede was brocken eich bitte,
And anon, when he brake it,159
He vanished in a thrawe.
Petrus
Nowe we brethren in fere,161
I rede we hyde us somewhere here,
That Jewes meete us not in no manere,
For malyce, leeve you me.
Andrewas
Lenge we heare in this place:165
Peradventure God will shewe us grace
To se our Lorde in littill space,
And comforted for to be.

Tunc omnes eunt infra castrum, et veniet Jesus stans in medio discipulorum; et posted dicat Jesus.


Jesus
Peace amonge you, brethren fayer!169
Yea, dread you naught in no manere,
I am Jesus without were,
That dyed on rood tree.
Petter
A! what is he that comes here173
To this fellowship all in feare?
As he to me nowe can appeare,
A ghoste me thinke I see.
Jesus
Brethren, why are you so freade for naughte,177
And noyed in harte for feable thoughte?
I am he that hath you for-boughte,
And dyed for manes good.
My feete, my handes you maye see,
And knowe the truth also maye ye,
Southlye that I am hee183
That dead was uppon a tree.
Handell me bouth all and one,
And beleeve well this everye eichone,
That ghoste hath nether fleshe nor bone,
As you se nowe on me.
Andrewas
A! Lorde! moche joye is us uppon,189
But what he is wotte I ney can.
Jesus
Nowe seith you leeve I am no man,191
More signes you shall see.
Have you anye meate heare?
Petrus
Yea, my Lorde life and deare,194
Hosted fishe and honnye in feare,
Theirof we have good wonne.
Jesus
Eate we then in good manere:197
Thus nowe you knowe, without were
That ghoste to eate hath no power,
As you shall see anon.

Tunc comedet Jesus, et dabit discipulis suis.


Jesus
Brethren, I toulde you before,201
When I was with you not gayne an oure,
That nedelye lesse and more
Muste fulfilled be
In Moyses lawe, as wrytten were;
All other prophettes as nowe weare,
Is fulfilled, in good mannere,207
Of that was sayde of me.
For this was wrytten by prophesye,
That I muste suffer death nedelye,
And the thyrde daye with victorye
Rise with good araye,
And preache remission of synnes213
Unto all that his name doe myne:
Therfore, all you that be herein,
Thinke on what I saye.

Tunc evanescit Jesus, et ibunt discipuli Bethanic, ct obviantes Thome.


Petrus
A! Thomas, tydinges good and newe!217
We have seene the Lorde Jesu.
Thomas
Shall I never leeve that this is trewe,219
By God omnipotente,
But I see in his handes towe
Hooles the nayles can in goe,
And put my finger eke alsoe
Their as the nayles wente.
Andreas
Thomas, goe we in all feare,225
For dread of enemyes better were
Then Jewes shoulde have us in their dangere,
And all our fraternitye.
Thomas
Wherever you goe, farre or nere,229
I will goe with you in good mannere;
But this talke you tell me heare
I leeve not, tell I see.
Petrus
Nowe, Thomas, be thou not awaye,233
And in hope see hym thou maye,
And feele hym also in good faye,
As we have done before.
Thomas
Wherever you be I wilbe aye;237
But make me leeve this thinge vereye;
You pyne you not theirfore, I you praye,
To speake of that no more.

Tunc ibunt omnes iterum ad mansionem, et recumbent, et subito apparebit Jesus.


Jesus
Peace, my brethren, on and all.241
Come heither, Thomas; to thee I call:
Shewe fourth for oughte that may befalle
Thy hande, and put in here;
And see my handes and my feete,
And put in thy hande, thou ne lette,
My woundes are yet freshe and weette247
As the firste were;
And be thou no more so dreadinge,
But ever trulye be leevinge.

Tunc emittil manum in latus et vulnera.


Thomas
My God! my Lorde! my Christe! my kinge!251
Nowe leeve I without weninge.
Jesus
Yea, Thomas, thou seiste nowe in me,253
Thou leeveste nowe that I am he;
But blessed muste the al be,
That leeve, and never see,
That I am that same bodye,
That borne was of meke Marye,
And on a crosse your soules did by259
Upon Good Fryday.
Who so to this will consente,
That I am God omnipotente,
As well as the that be presente,
My darlinges shalbe ever.
Who so to this will not consente,265
Ever to the daye of judgment
In hell fier the shalbe brente,
And ever in sorowe and teene.
Who so ever of my father hath mynde,
Or of my mother in anye kinde,
In heaven blesse the shall it fynde,271
Without anye woe,
Christe geve you grace to take the waie
Unto the joye that lasteth aye!
For their is no nighte, but ever daye,
For all you theider shall goe.

Finis. Deo gracias! per me, Georgi Bellin. 1592.


The Taylors PlayeContents

Incipit pagina vicessima de ascensione Domini; et primo dicat Jesus, Pax vobis, ego sum, nolite timere; et dicat Jesus.


Jesus
My brethren that sitten in companye,1
With peace I greete you hartelye:
I am he that standes you by;
Ney dread you no thinge.
Well I knowe, and wytterlye,
That you be in greate exstacye
Wheither I be risen verelye,7
That makes you sore in longinge.
You is noe nede to be anoyed soe,
Neither through thoughte to be in woe;
Your handes put nowe froo,
And feele my woundes wyde,
And beleeve this all and one,13
That ghoste hath nether fleshe nor bone,
As you maye feele me uppon,
On handes or on feete.

Spiritus quidem carnem et ossa non habet sicut me videtis habere. Dicat Petrus.


Petrus
A! what is this that standeth us bye?17
A ghoste me hym seemeth witterlye:
Me thinke lightned moche am I
This spirritte for to see.
Andreas
Petter, I tell thee prevelye,21
I dreade me yet full greatlye
That Jesu shoulde doe suche maisterye,
And wheither that this be he.
Johannes.
Brethren, good it is to thinke ever more
What wordes he sayde the daye before27
He dyed on roode, gone is not yore,
And be we stedfaste aye.
Jacobus major.
A! John, that makes us in were,
That all waye when he will appeare,
And when us liste beste to have hym here,33
Anon he is awaye.
Jesus
I see well, brethren, south to saye,35
For anye signe that I shewe maie,
You be not steadfaste in the faye,
But flyttinge I you fynde.
More signes, therfore, you shall see:
Have you oughte maye eaten be?
Simon
Yea, Lorde, heare is enofFe for thee,41
Or elles we were unkinde.
Jesus
Nowe eate we then, for charritye,43
My leve brethren fayer and free,
For all thinges shall fulfilled be
Wrytten in Moyses la we.
Prophettes in Psalmes said of me
That death I behoveth on the roode treey,
And rise in dayes three,49
To joye mankinde to drawe,
And preache to folke this worlde within,
Pennance, remission of their synne j
In Jerusalem I shoulde begyne
As I have done for love.
Therfore beleeve steadfastlye,55
And come with me to Bathanye,
In Jerusalem you shall lye,
To abyde the grace above.

Tunc comedit Jesus cum discipulis suis, et postea dicat


Phillipus.
Lorde, from us thou noughte consayle,
That tyme that thou arte in thy wayle,61
Shalte thou restore Isarell
Againe her realme that daye I
Jesus
Brother, that is not to thee,64
To knowe my fathers previttye,
That toucheth to his owine postie,
Witte that ye naye maye.
But take you shall, through my beheste,
Vertue of the Holye Ghoste,
That sente shalbe to helpe you moste,70
In worlde wher ye maye wende.
My wyttnes all you shalbe
In Jerusalem and Judye,
Samaria also, and eich cuntreye
To the wo rides ende.
Goe ye all the worlde, and, through my grace,76
Preache my worde in eich place,
All that steadfaste beleffe has,
And fullye saved shalbe;
And who so be leeveth not in youer lore,
The wordes you preach them before
Dampned shalbe for ever more,82
That paine shall not them fleye.
By this thinge you shall well knowe,
Who so leeveth steadfastlye in yoo,
Suche signes southlye the shall shoo,
Whersoever the tyde to goe;
In my name well shall the88
Devilles powers to put awaye;
Newe tonges shall have to preach the faye,
And edders to maister also;
And though the poysen eate or drinke,
It shall noye them no thinge;
Sicke men with their handlinge94
Shall healed readelye be:
Suche grace shalbe their doinge. —
Nowe to my father I am goinge,
You shall have, brethren, my blessinge,
For to heaven I muste stee.

Tunc adducit discipulos in Bethaniam, et cum pervenerit ad locum ascendens dicat Jesus, stans in loco ubi asscendit, Data eat michi omnis potestas in celo et in terra. Dicat


Jesus
My sweete brethren, leffe and deare,100
To me is graunted full power,
In heaven and eirth farre and neare,
For my godhead is moste.
To teach all men nowe goe ye,
That in worlde will folowe me,
In the name of my Father and me,106
And of the Holye Grhoste.

Tunc Jesus ascendit, et in ascendendo cantet, God almighti above.


Jesus
Ascendo adpatrem meum et patrem vestrum,108
Deum meum et Deum vestrum, Alleluja!

Cum autem impleverit Jesus canticum, stet in medio quasi supra nubes, et dicat major angelus minori angelo.


Primus angelus cantet
Quis est iste qui venit de Edom tinctis vestibus de Bosra?
Minor angelus respondens cantet
Iste formosus hi stola sua, gradiens in midtitudine fortitudinis sue?
Jesus cantat solas
Ego qui loquor justiciam et propugnator sum ad salvandum.
Corus cantat
Et vestimenta tua sicut calcantis in torculari.
Jesus cantat solus
Torcalar calcavi solus, et de gentibus non est vir mecum.
Primus angellus in lingua materna dicat
Who is this that cometh within,115
The blesse of heaven that never shall blyn,
Blnddelye out of the worlde of synne,
And harowed hell hath he?
Secundus Angellus
Comelye he is in his clothinge,119
And with full power goinge,
A number of sayntes with hym leadinge,
He semeth greate of posté.

Jesus autem pausans eodem loco dicat:


Jesus
I that spake rightwisenes,123
And have brought man out of destresse,
For-byer called I am and was
Of all mankinde through grace;
My people that were from me rafte,
Through synne and through the devilles crafte,
To heaven I bringe, and never one lefte,129
All that in helle were.
Tercius Angellus
Why is thy clouthinge soe rede,131
Thy bodye bloodye and also head,
Thy clothes also that bene leade
Like to pressers of wyne.
Jesus
For the devill and his power135
That mankinde brought in greate dangore,
Through death on crosse and blood so cleare,
I have made them all myne.
These droppes so bloodye that you nowe se,
All the freshe shall reserved be,
Tell I come in my magistie141
To deme the last daye;
This bloode I shedde, wittnes beare to me,
And dyed for man on roode tree,
And rose againe within daies three,
Suche love I loved thee aye.
Thes droppes nowe with good intente147
To my father I will presente,
That good men that on eairth be lente
Shall knowe appeartlye,
Howe graciouslye I them boughte,
And for good workes that I have wroughte
Everlastinge blesse that the soughte,153
To prove the good worthye.
And that the wicked maie eichone
Knowe and se all one,
Howe worthelye the for-gone
That blesse that lasteth [aye].
For these causes leeve you me,159
The droppes I shede on roode tree,
All freshe shall reserved be
Ever tell the laste daie.
Quartus Angellus
You men that be of Gallalye,163
Therupon nowe marvayll ye,
Waytinge hym that through postie
Is nowe gone you froo.
Primus Angellus
Jesus Christe, leeve you me,167
That steed to heaven, as you see,
Righte so come againe shall he, m
As ye seene hym goe.
Petrus
Loe, brethren, what thes angelles say en,171
That Jesu that through his greate mayne
To heaven is gone, will come againe,
Bighte as he fourth wente.
Andreas
Manye seithen so heighte he,175
To sende his Ghoste with harte so free,
And in Jerusalem we shalbe,
Tell it were to us sente.
Symon
Brethren, I rede us in good faye,179
That we theidder take the waie,
And with devocion nighte and daie
Lenge in our praier.
Philippus.
For knowe we mone, by signe vereye,
That he is Godes sonne, south to saie;185
Therfore it is good we goe to praie,
As he commaunded here.
Johannes.
Now mone we leeve it no leasinge,
For bouth by sighte and handlinge,
Speakinge, eatinge, and drinkinge,191
He proves his deatie.
Jacobus Major.
Yea, also by his upsteainge,
He seemes fullye heavenlye kinge:
Whoe hase theirin full levinge,
Saved life and soule is he.197
Pettrus
Goe we, brethren, with on assente,198
And fulfill his comaundmente;
But loke that non through dread be blente,
But leeves all steadfastlye;
Praye we all, with full intente,
That he to us his Ghoste will sende.
Jesus, that nowe is from us wente,204
Save all this companye!

Finis. Deo gracias! per me, Georgi Bellin. 1592.


Come, Lorde Jesu, come quicklye. 1592.


The Fishemongeres PlayeContents

Incipit pagina vicessima prima de elexcione Mathie, et de emisscione spiritus sancti, qualiter aposloli fecerunt symbolum apostolicum, viz., Credo in Deum patrem; et primo inter apostolos incipiat Petrus ad condiscipulos.


Petrus
My deare brethren, everye eichone,1
You knowe well all and wan,
Howe our Lorde is from us gone,
To blesse that lasteth [aye].
Comforte nowe maye we have non,
Save his beheiste to truste uppon;
Therfore leeve we in this wonne,7
That never on wende awaie:
Lenge we stiffe in our praier,
For well I wotte, withouten were,
He will sende us a counscelere,
His Ghoste, as he behighte.
Therfore lenge we righte here,13
This faithfull felowshipe in feare,
Tell our Lorde, as he can us lere,
Sende us of heaven lighte.

Tunc eocurgens Petrus in medio f rat-rum, et dicat Petrus.


My deare brethren, fayer and free,
Holye Scripture, leeve you me,
Fullye muste fulfilled be19
That David saide before;
Also of the Holye Ghoste hade he,
Touchinge Judas wytten ye,
That soulde our maister for moneye,
And nowe is cleane forlorne.
Amonge us nombred that wrech was,25
The faith to preach in eich place,
And nowe his hier fullye he has,
For hanged hym selfe has he:
His bodye borsen for his treasspas,
Soule dampned as a man bout grace;
Theirfore, as the Psaulter mynd mase,31
Fulfilled nowe muste be.

Fiat habitacio ejus deserta, et non sit qui habitet in ea; episcopatum ejus accipiat alter. Dicat Petrus,


Therfore, men that nowe bene heare,
And ffelowes that ever with us were,
While Jesus Christe our maister deare
In yeairth livinge was,
That you that seene his power,37
His mirackles in mannere,
Dyeinge, risinge bouth in feare,
Maye beste nowe beare wittnes:
Mathias I rede here be one,
And Josephe with us that ever hath gone,
For whom we caste towe lottes anon,43
And buske us all to praye,
Wheither of them it is Godes will
This office to fulfill.

Tunc respondent omnes.


All speake togeither.
We assente all theirtyll,
For this is the beste waye.49

Tunc omnes apostoli genu jlectent, et dicat Petrus,


Thou Lorde, that knoweth all thinge,
Eich harte and will of man livinge,
Shewe us here, by some tockeninge,
Whom that we shall take,
And wheither of these is thy likinge,
In Judas stead that be standinge,55
Thy name to preach to oulde and yonge,
And wheither that thou wylte take.

Tunc Petrus mittet sortem, et sors cadet super Mathiam, et dicat


Petrus
This lotte is fallne, brethren free,58
On Mathewe, all men maye see:
To us, therfore, I take thee,
And apostell thee make.
Mathias.
Yea, honoured be God in Trenitie,
Though I unworthy theirto be,64
That to you hath chossen me,
Dye will I for his sake.
Andrewas
Nowe, Petter, brother, goe we and praye,67
For ever more [I] myne maye
My soveraigne howe I harde hym saie,
Heare in your companye.
Jacobus Major.
He woulde not leeve us by noe waye
Fatherles children, in good faye,73
But riche us sone in better araye,
With his Ghoste, graciouslye.
Johannes Evangeleste.
Yea, brethren, also veramente,
To us he sayde to good intente,
In yeairth here while he was presente,79
And with us coulde lende.
Thomas
But yf so were that ne wente,81
His ghoste to us shoulde not be sente;
And yf he youde wher he lente,
Hit he woulde us sende.
Jacobus Minor.
Yea, sweate and likinge was his lore,
And well ye witten that their wore,87
But a littill while before,
Or he to heaven stead.
Phillippus.
He bydde me I should not goe awaie
From Jerusalem to no cuntreye;
But their abyde, south to saie,93
His heiste from an highe.
Bartholomewe
Also he sayde to us eichone,95
That his foregoer saynte John
With watter baptiste manye one,
While that he was heare.
Matheus.
But we shall baptise, without boste,
Fullye with the Hollye Ghoste,101
Through helpe of hym that is moste,
Sone after, without were.

Tunc Johannes quidem baptizavit aqua, vos autem haptazabimini spiritu sancto non post mullos hodies.


Symion.
We mynde theiron lesse and more;
Yet some that standeth hym before,
Asked wheither he shoulde restore107
That tyme all Isarell.
Jude.
And he answered anon righte,109
That tyme knowe you ne mighte,
That in his fathers will was pighte,
For that he muste conseale.

Non est vestrum nosse tempora vel momenta que pater posuit in sua poteste.


Mathias.
Yea, brethren, that tyme he us behighte,
The Holye Ghoste shoulde in us lighte,115
That we mighte tell to eich wighte
His deedes all bedene,
In Jerusalem and Judye,
Wher in worlde so ever walke we,
And Samaria, that men shoulde see,
As after maye be seene.121

Accipietis virtutem supervenientis spiritus sancti in vos, et eritis mihi testes in Jerusalem et in omni Judea, Samaria, et usque ad ultimum terre. Dicat Petrus:


Petrus
Kneele we downe upon our knye,122
And to that Lorde nowe praye we;
Sone I hope that he will see
To his disciples all.
Andreas
Yea, in his life so taughte he,126
Aske and have with harte free;
Rightewise dome shall graunted be,
When men will on hym calle.

Tunc apostoli omnes genu Jlectentes cantent, Veni creator, spiritus.


Jacobus Major.
Come, Holye Ghoste, come creator,
Viscitte our thoughtes in this stowre;132
Thou arte mans conqueroure;
And graunte us, Lorde, thy grace.
Johannes.
Thou that arte called counscelor,
And sende from heaven as Savyour,
Well of life, leache of langor,138
That pray en heare in this place.
Thomas
Yea, that in seven monthes woulde conseayle140
Grace of thy ghoste aboute to deale,
As thou promised for mans heale,
Appeare nowe, since I praye.
Jacobus Minor.
Lighte our wittes with thy wayle;
Put life in our thoughtes lele;146
Lixom thy frendes that bene frayle,
With vertues lastinge [aye].
Phillipus.
Vanishe our enemyes farre awaie,
And graunte us peace, Lorde, to our paie;
For while thou arte our leader aye,152
We maye eshewe anye.
Bartholomes
Through thy mighte knowe we may,154
The father of heaven full in good faye,
And ye, his sonne, in south to saye,
Thou arte in companye.
Mathieus.
Worshipped be thou ever and oo,
The father and the sonne also;160
Let thy ghoste nowe from thee goe.
And faith that we maie fynde.
God the Sonne
Gloryous father, fayer and free,163
Ye knowe well of dewtye.

Tunc omnes apostoli contemplantes vel orantes quousque spiritus sanctus missus fuit.


Deus dicat
My sonne beloved, liffe and deare,165
Your health full askinge ever here,
That you aske is not to deare,
To knowe your cleane intente;
With will full liberall and cleare,
My ghoste to them shall appeare,
To make them wiser then the were;171
That is my full assente.
My ghoste to eirth shall goe downe,
With seven geistes of renowne,
Their to have my devocion,
Confirme them to be sadde,
That the maie be ever readye bowne177
In heaven blesse to weare the crowne;
Ever to raigne in possession,
Ther to be merye and glade.
My patrickes and prophettes heare,
That through your faith to me were deare,
Angelles and arckeangelles cleare183
All in my blesse woninge,
You wotten well, withouten were,
Howe I have mended, in good manere,
Man that was lorne through Lucifier,
And through his owine likinge.
My sonne I sende down from my see189
Into a virgene faier and free,
And manhoode toke, as liked me
On man to have mercye,
That rightious mighte saved be,
Since man had loste his libertie:
I made man in on degree,195
His bale behoveth to bye.
Nowe manfullye have I boughte,
And out of balle to blesse broughte,
His kinde also, as me good taughte,
Is mighte within my godhead:
Thus man, that I made of naughte,201
That Sathanas through synne had soughte,
By this waye I have so wroughte,
Non good in hell bene leade.
But while I was in that degree,
In eirth woninge as man shoulde be,
Chosen I have a good meanye,207
On which I muste have mynde.
Nowe the have made ther mone to me,
And prayed speciallye, as I see,
Which I muste suffice with harte free,
Or elles I were unkinde.
Throughout the worlde the shall gone,213
My dedes to preache to manye a one;
Yet steadfastnes in them is non,
To suffer for me anye.
Fleittinge jet the bene ichone;
But when my ghoste is them upon,
Then shall the after be as stiffe as stonne,219
My deedes to certifie:
That to speake and expresse
All languages that ever yett was,
The shall have cuninge more and lesse,
Through force of heavenlye fier.
Also the shall have full power225
To baptise men in watter cleare,
That beleven in good mannere,
To have full mynde on me;
And on all suche, withouten were,
The holye ghoste, at their praier,
Shall lighte on them, that the maye lere231
In faith steadfaste to be.
Nowe will I sende anon in hye
To my brethren in companye
My ghoste to glade them graciously;
For that is their willinge:
In licknes of fier freelye,237
That the maie stiffned be theirby,
My worckes to preach more steadfastly,
And theirby more cuninge.

Tunc Deus emittit spiritum in specie ignis, et in mittendo cantent duo angeli antiphonam, Acipite spiritum sanctum, quorum remiseritis peccata remittantur eis, etc. et cantando projicient ignem super apostolos; primus angelus in celo dicit.


Primus Angellus
Reste well, all that bene heare,241
My lorde you greetes, and his ghoste heare;
He byddes you dread no boste nor beare
Of Jewes farre ner nere;
But loke ye goe anon in hie
Into all the worlde by and by,
And also preach the faith meeklye,247
And his worckes so dreade.
Secundus Angellus
And through his ghoste that you bringe249
You shall have understandinge
Of everye lande speakinge,
Whatsoever the saie;
And this worlde that is flittinge
You shall dispice over all thinge,
And heaven at your endinge255
You shall have at youer paie.
Petrus
A! mercye, Lorde, full of mighte,257
Bouth I feile and see in sighte
The holye ghoste is on us lighte:
Of fler this howse is full.
Andrewas
Nowe have we that was us beheighte,261
For full of love my harte is plighte,
And wiser then is anye wighte
Me thinke I am, i-wisse.
Jacobus Major.
Yea, Lorde, blessed muste thou be,
For bouth I feele and eke I see267
The holye ghoste is lighte on me,
This quitte I am my mede.
Johannes.
For suche love, by my lewtie,
With this fier in my harte can Hie,
That death to dye for my mayster free,273
I have no manner dreed.
Thomas
And I thanke thee, bouth God and man,275
For since this fier lighte me upon,
Of all languages well I can,
And speake them at my will.
Jacobus Minor.
I before that [was] but a fone
Am waxen as wise as Salomon;281
Ther is no scyence but I can thereon,
And cuninge to fullfill.
Phillippus.
And I that never coulde speake thinge,
Save Ebrewe that I learned yonge,
Nowe I can speake at my likinge287
All languages loe and hye.
Bartholomes
And so stiffe I am of beleevinge,289
That I doute no prince ne kinge,
My maysters myrackles for to mynge,
And for his love to dye.
Mathieus.
A! blessed be my maister deare,
So littill while can us lere295
All languages that ever were
Upon my tonge bene lighte.
Symon
My beleffe is nowe so cleare,298
And love in harte so printed here,
To move my mynde in no manere
Ther is no man hath mighte.
Jude.
Yea, since this tier came from an highe,302
I am waxen so wounder slighte,
That all languages farre and nighe
My tonge will speake nowe righte.
Mathias.
Nowe seithen my Lorde to heaven steegh,
And sende his ghoste as he behighte,308
To all destresses nowe am I dighte,
And will dye for the love of God almighte.
Petrus
Nowe, brethren, I rede us all in feare,311
Make we the creede in good manere
Of my Lordes deedes deare,
That gladdeth hath us to daie;
And I will firste begine here,
Since Christe betoke me his power,
The lawe heareafter that we maie lere,317
To further them in the faye.

Tunc Petrus incipiat, Credo in Deum patrem omnipotentem, creatorem celt et terre.


Petrus
I beleeve in God omnipotente,319
That made heaven and eirth and firmament,
With steadfaste harte and trewe intente,
And he is my comforte.

Et in Jesum Christum filium ejus unicum dominum nostrum, et dicat


Andreas
And I beleeve more I be lente,323
In Jesu his sonne from heaven sente,
Vereye Christe that us hath kente,
And is our elders lore.

Qui conceptus est de spiritu sanclo, natus ex Maria virgine, dicit


Jacobus Major.
And I beleeve, with boste,
In Jesu Christe, in mightest moste,329
Conseveith through the holye ghoste,
And borne was of Marye.

Passus sub Pontio Pilato, crucifixus, mortuus, et sepultus, et dicat Johannes:


Johannes.
And I beleeve, as I cane see,
That under Pilate suffred he,
Skourged and nayled on roode tree,335
And buryed was his fayer bodye.

Descendit ad inferna, tercia die resurrexit a mortuis, dicit Thomas:


Thomas
And I beleeve, and south can tell,337
That he ghostlye wente to hell:
Delivered his that their did dwell,
And rose the thirde daie.

Ascendit ad celos, sedet ad dextram dei patris omnipotentis, dicit


Jacobus Minor.
And I beleeve fullye this,
That he steyed up to heaven blesse,343
And on his fathers righte hande is,
To raigne for ever and aye.

Unde venturus est judicare vivos et mortuos, dicat


Phillippus.
And I beleeve, with harte steadfaste,
That he will come at the laste,
And deenie mankinde as he hath caste,349
Bouth the quicke and the dead.
Credo in spirilum sanctum.
Barthelemewe
And my beleffe shalbe moste352
In vertue of the holye ghoste,
And through his helpe, without boste,
My life I thinke to leade.

Sanctum ecclesiam catholicam, sanctorum communionem, dicat


Mathieus.
And I beleeve, through Godes grace,
Suche beleffe as holye chourch has,358
That Godes bodye graunted us was
To use in forme of bredde.

Remissioiem peccalorum.


Symon
And I beleve with devocion361
Of synne to have remission,
Through Christes bloode and passion,
And heaven, when I am dead.

Carnis resurrexionem.


Jude.
And I beleeve, as all we mon,365
In the generall resurrexcion
Of eiche bodye, when Christe is borne
To deme bouth good and evill.

Et vitam eternam.


Matheus.
And I beleeve, as all we maye,
Everlastinge life after my daye371
In heaven to have ever and aye,
And so overcome the devill.
Petrus
Nowe, brethren, I rede all we374
Goe ichone to divers cuntreye,
And preache to shier and to cittye
The faith, as Christe us bade.
Andreawas
Yea, leffe brethren, kisse nowe we378
Icheon another before we dye,
For Godes will muste fulfilled be,
And that is nowe greate nede.

Tunc venient duo alienigene, quorum dicat primus


Primus alienigena
A! ffelowe! felowe! for cockes pittie!382
Are not thes men of Gallalye I
Our language the can as well as we,
As ever eate I brede.
Secundus alienigena
Well I wotte, by my lewtye,386
That within thes daies three,
On of them coulde not speake with me,
For to have bene dead.
Primus alienigena
Of all languages that be hereby390
That come to Mesopotamye,
Capodorye and Jurye,
The jangle without wene,
Of the yle of Ponthus and Asye,
Friceland and Pamphani,
Egipte righte into Billi,396
That is besyde Syren.
Secundus alienigena
Yea, also, men of Rabie,398
And of Grece that is theirby,
Harden them prayse full tenderlye,
God of his owine grace;
And we harden them witterlye
Prayse God faste, bouth thou and I;
Folowe we therfbre, and spye404
Howe goes this wounderous case.

Finis. Deo gracias! per me, George Bellin. 1592.


The Clothe Workers PlayeContents

Pagina vicessima secunda Ezechiell


Facta este super me manus Domini et eduxit me spiritus Domini, et dimisit me in medio campi qui erat plenus ossibus, et circumduccit me per ea in giro. Haec in libro Ezechielis, capitulo tricesimo septimo.


Ezechiell
Harken all that loven heale,1
I am the prophette Ezechell;
What I sawe I will conseale,
But as me thoughte I will tell.
God his ghoste can with me deale,
That leade me longe with wordes leale,
Into a feilde wher bones fell,7
All bare without fleshe or fell.
Then spake that ghoste unto me,
Sayde, Manes sonne, howe liketh thee?
Thinkeste thou not well this mighte be,
Thes bones mighte torne and live?
Then bade he me tell and prophesye,13
That he woulde revive them sone in hye,
With fleshe and senowe and skyne theirby,
Which sone he can them geve.
After that ghoste he them gette,
Rise out their graves he them lette,
And made them stande uppon their feete,19
Speake, goe, and see.
This sawe I righte in my sighte,
To knowe that he was God allmighte,
That heaven and eairth should deale and dighte,
And never shall ended be.
Expositor
Nowe that you shall expresslye knowe25
Thes prophettes wordes uppon a roe,
What the doe signifie I will shoe,
That moehe maye doe you good.
By them understande maie I
The daye of dome skilfullye,
When men through Godes postie31
Shall rise in fleshe and bloode.
Therfore this proffitte sayde full yare,
He sawe a feilde of bones bare,
And sone that ghoste can with them fare
Gave them fleshe and life.
Beleeve this fullye without en wene,37
That all which dead and rotten bene,
In fleshe shall rise, as shalbe seene,
Man, mayde, and wife;
The that shalbe saved shalbe as brighte
As seven tymes the sonne is lighte,
The dampned [thester] shalbe in sighte,43
Their dome to understande.
Bouth saved and dampned after that daie
Dye the maye not by no waie;
God geve you grace to doe so aye,
That blesse ye maie goe to!
Zacarias

Levari oculos meos, et vidi, et ecce quatuor quadrige egredientes de medio duorum montium. capitulo sexto.


I Zacarie, men, leeves you me,49
Lifte up my eyes a sighte to see,
And as me thoughte, by my lewtye,
Fower charrettes came anon
Out of towe hilles, leve you me,
Selver hilles the were, as witten me;
Greate wounder I hade in my degree55
Wheither that the woulde gone.
Rede horses in one were readelye,
Another blacke that wente them by;
The thirde was whytte, I wotte not why;
The fourth of divers hewes;
The were stifFe drawinge lightlye.61
Then anon answered I
To that angell in my bodye,
Which toulde me wordes trewe;
I asked hym then what it mighte be,
And he answered anon to me,
Thes charrettes, he sayde, which thou doste se,67
Fower wyndes the be i-wysse,
Which shall bloe and readye be,
Before Christ, that prince which is of postie,
Ther is non so fell ther fitte may flee,
Nor wyne ther will from this.
Expositor
Nowe for to morolizc arighte,73
Which this prophette sawe in sighte,
I shall founde through my mighte,
To you in meke mannere;
And declare that sone in heighte,
More plainlye as I have tighte,
Lightens nowe, with hartes lighte,79
This leason for to learne.
Fower charrettes this prophette se howe [they]
Out of towe hilles toke their waye,
The hilles of silver, the south to saye,
The horses of divers hewes;
Which hilles signifie maie85
Enocke and Helye in good faye,
That as good silver shalbe aye,
Steadfaste men and trewe.
Fower charrettes he sawe, as thinkes me,
Of divers hewes that he can see,
Fower manner of sayntes in dignitie.91
Licken them well maye I.
Martrisse, conffessors, ther be towe;
Men mysbelevinge converted also,
That torned shalbe from synne and woe
Through Enocke and Helye;
Vyrgens also bouth one and moe;97
Here bene diveres hewes too,
That through Godes grace shall goe
For hym to suffer anoye.
Thes rede horses call I maye,
All manner of martrises in good faie;
For rede maye wel betocken aye103
Manes blood sheedinge.
The whytte he saith betockeneth ther waie,
Above the eairth to goe astraye,
As suche as neither nighte nor daie
Dreaden death nothinge:
The blacke horses, which wente them by,109
By them maie well signifie
Preachers of Godes worde trewlye,
That confessors shalbe.
The skewed horses, by myne intente,
The which into the south parte wente,
I maye well licken veramente115
To Jewes and panymes eke:
But through harte, with faith fervente,
Shall torne to god amendmente.
When Enocke and Helye hath them kente,
Salvacion for to kepe.

Ego Dartyell videbam in visione mea node, et ecce quatuor venti pugnabant in magno mari, et quatuor bestie grandes ascendebant de mare, capit. septimo. dicat


Daniell
I, Danyell, as I laye on a nighte,121
Me thoughte I sawe a wounderous sighte,
Fower wyndes togeither the can feighte,
Above the sea upon hye;
Fower beastes out of that sea yeade;
To the fourth beaste I toke good heade,
For that to speake of nowe is nede,127
The other all nowe I will leve.
That beaste was wounderous stiffe and stronge,
Of teeth and nayles sharpe and longe,
Eatinge over all that he coulde fonge,
The remnante he fore-treade.
Unlike he was to anye leade,133
Tenne homes he hade upon his heade,
In the meideste on littill home can spreade
Above all other on hie:
That horne hade mouth to speake and [eyes] to see,
And spake greate wordes, leve you me;
But of the tene the firste three139
Sone were consumed awaie.
That on horne hade suche greate postie,
The remnante meke to hym to be,
That heiste was in that degree,
And indewered so manye a daie.
Then was it toulde me righte theire,145
That tenne homes tene kinges were,
But all that on shoulde feare,
That sprange upwarde so faste;
And that he shoulde worcke againste that kinge,
That of naughte made all thinge,
But littill while without leasinge,151
That kinge his mighte shoulde laste.
Expositor
By this beaste understande I maye,153
The worlde to come nexte domes daye;
And by that home, in good faye,
In medeste the ten can springe,
Antichriste I maie understande,
That then greate lorde shalbe in lande,
And all the world have in his hande,159
Three yeaires and a halfe deweringe.
Tradentur in manu ejus usque ad tempus et tempora et
dimidium temporis, et usque ad unum annum duos
annos et dimidium anni. Danielis capitulo septimo.
Ten homes ten kinges in lande shalbe,
Of wich Antichriste shall slea three,165
The other sevone this case shall see,
And put them to his grace;
This shal befalle wittcrlye,
By the understandinge that have I
Of Danyelles prophescye,
That here rehearsed was.171

Dabo daobus testibus meis, et prophetabunt diabus mille ducentis et sexaginta amicti saccis. Apocalipseos undecimo.


Johannes Evangeliste
I, John, Christes owine darlinge,172
As I laye in greate longinge,
Uppon my maisters breste slepinge,
Wounders sawe I manye one.
My ghoste was ravished, without leasinge,
To heaven before that higheste kinge,
Ther sawe I manye a wounderous thinge:178
One will T tell you anon.
Ther harde I God greatlye commende
Towe wittnesses which he thoughte for to sende,
False faithes for to defende,
That raysed were by his foe;
He sayde the shoulde prophescye184
A thousande daies, witterlye,
Towe hundreth and sixtie
In sackes clade the shoulde goe;
He called them chaundlers of great lighte,
Borninge before Godes sighte,
Fier out of their mouthes the shoulde feighte190
Ther enemyes for to destroye;
Whosoever them harmed, as saith he,
Dead behovede hym for to be,
To lett the raigne the hade postie
In tyme of their prophescye;
He sayde the shoulde have power good196
To torne the watter into blude,
And overcome ther enemyes that were wood,
And maister them through their power;
And when the had done their vower,
A beaste shoulde come of greate power,
From beneath, withouten were:202
Again ste them he shoulde feighte,
And slea them also shoulde he,
In medeste of the holye cittie,
Wher Christe was nayled on a tree,
For south, as I you tell:
But after three daies and halfe one,208
The shall rise, speake, and gone,
And into heaven be tacken anon,
In joye ever more to dwell.
Expositor
Nowe, lordinges, what thes thinges maye be,212
I praye you harcken all to me,
And expressive in certentie,
As I have mighte and grace:
And I shall expounde this same thinge,
Which saynte John sawe this slepinge,
Through helpe of Jesu heavenlye kinge,218
Anon righte in this place.
These towe wittnesses witterlye,
He sayde the shoulde come and prophesye,
The one is Enocke, the other Helye,
Shall have greate mighte and mayne,
That when Antichriste comes in hie,224
Godes people for to destroye,
That he deceaived full falslye
The shall converte againe.
Manye signes the shall shewe,
Which the people shall well knowe,
And in their tocken trewlye trowe,230
And leive it steadfastlye;
And all that torne, leve you me,
Antichriste will slea through his postie,
But vereye martrises the shalbe,
And come to heaven on hie.
The beaste that John spake of heare,236
Is Antichriste, withouten were,
Which shall have the devilles power,
And with thes good men meete;
And at the laste witterlye.
He shall slea Enocke and Helye,
In Jerusalem, as reade I,242
Even in medeste of the streete.
Nowe that you shall knowe and seene
What men Enocke and Helye bene,
While that I have tyme:
The are towe good men, leeve you me,
To Parradise, through Godes postie,248
Were ravished bouth, and ther shalbe
Ever tell the daie shall come.
The on was taken for he was good,
Longe before Noyes floode,
And ther he lives in fleshe and blood,
As fullye leven yea;254
The other was taken, withouten weare,
After that manye a hundreth yeaire,
And ther togeither the bene in feare,
Untell that tyme shalbe.

Signa quindecim magna que secundum opiniones doctorum extremurn precedent judicium ab antiquis Hebreorum codicibus selecta a doctore hujus pagine recitanda.


Signa 15


Nowe xv. signes, while I have space,
I shall declare by Godes grace,260
Of which sainte Jerome mencion mase,
To fal before the daie of dome;
The which were wrytten on a roe,
He found in boke of Ebrewe,
Nowe will I tell, in wordes fewe,
A while yf you will dwell.266
The firste daie, I wrytten fynde,
The sea shall rise againste kinde,
And as a walle againste the wyiide,
Above all hilles on hie
Fourtie cubetes, as rede we.
The secounde daie so loe slialbe,272
That scarslye a man the sea shall see,
Stande he never so nie.
The thirde daye after, as rede I,
Greate fishes above the sea shall lye,
Yell and rore so headiouslye,
That onlye God shall he are.278
The fourth daie nexte after then,
Sea and watter all shall brene
Againste kinde, that men maye kene,
The ende as though it were.
The fifte daye, as rede we,
All manner erbes, and also tree,284
Of bluddye dewe all full slialbe,
Foules shall gather them, as I fynde,
To feildes, eichon in their kinde,
To eate and drinke shall have no mynde,
But stande all madde and mased.
The sixte daye in the worlde over all,290
Builded thinges to grounde shall falle,
Churshe, cittie, howse, and wall,
And men in graves dare;
Layte and fier also verament,
From the sonne to the firmamente
Up and downe shall stricke and glente,296
And all ni^hte so fowle fare.
The seventh daye bouth roccke and stonne
Shall breake in sunder and feighte as fonne;
The sounde whereof shall heare no man,
But onlye God allmighte.
The eighte daie earthquake slialbe,302
That men and beaste, beleeve you me,
To stande or goe shall faile postie,
But falle to ground all righte.
The ninth daie, as our bookes sayen, 9
Hilles shall fall and waxe all plaine,
Stonne torne to sande through Godes mayne,308
So strette men shalbe stadde.
The tenth daye men that hyde have bene, 10
Out of ther caves the shall fleye.
To speake togeither have no postie,
But goe as the were madde.
The leventh daie, from morowe to even, 11314
All buryalles in the worlde open shalbene,
That deade maye rise withouten wene
Above the eairth standinge.
The twelffte daye starres shall fall in hie, 12
Of fier shotte from them hediouslye,
All manner of beastes shall rore and crye,320
And nether eate nor drinke.
The xiijth daie shall dye all men, 13
And rise againe anon rio-hte then.
The xiiijth daye all shall brene, 14
Bouth eirth and eke heaven.
The xvth daye made shalbe, 15326
Newe eairth, newe heaven, through Gods postie,
Which heaven God graunte us in to be,
For his names seven.
Nowe have I toulde you, in good faye,
The tockens to come before domesdaie;
God geve you grace to doe so aye,332
That you then worthy be,
To come to the blesse that lasteth aye,
As moche as we heare and our plaie.
Of Antichristes signes you shall assaie
He comes sone you shall see.

Finis. Deo gracias! per me, Georgi Bellin. 1592.


The Dyars PlayeContents

Pagiua vieesima tercia de adventu Avtechristi: dicit


Antechristie
De celso throno poll, pollens clarior sole,1
Age vos monstrare, descendi wsjudicare;
Reges et principes sunt subditi sub me viventes;
Sitis sapientes vos, semper in me credentes,
Et faciam flentes gaudere atque dolentes;
Sic omnes gentes gaudebunt in me sperantes.
Descendi presens rex pius et perlustrator,7
Princeps eternus tocor, Christies, tester sahator.
All leedes in lande nowe be lighte,
That wilbe ruled throughout the righte,
Your savyour nowe in your sighte
Heare maye you safflye see;
Messias, Christe, and moste of mighte,13
That in the lawe was you beheighte,
All mankinde to joye to dighte
Is comen, for I am he.
Of me was spocken in prophesye,
Of Moyses, David, and Esay,
I am he the calle Messye,19
Forbyear of Isarell.
Those that leeve on me steadfastlye
I shall them save from anoye,
And joye righte as have I
With them I thinke to deale.
De me enim dicitur Ezechiel. tricesimo sexto: Tollam vos
de genlibus, et congregabo vos de universis lerris, et
reducam vos in terrain vestram: et dicit
But on hath ligged me here in lande,
Jesu he heighte I understande,
To further falsehoode he can founde,
And farde with fantasye;31
His wickednes he woulde not wound,
Tell he was tacken and put in bande,
And slayne through vertue of my sound,
This is south sickerlye.
My people of Jewes he coulde twayne,
That ther lande came the never in,37
On them nowe muste I myne,
And restore them againe;
To builde this temple will I not blene,
As God honoured be theirin,
And endles wayle I shall them wyn,
All that to me be bayne.43
De me enim dicitur in psalmo: adarabo ad templum sanc-
tum tuum in timore tuo: et dicat
One thinge me glades, be you boulde,
As Danyell, the prophette, before me toulde,
All wemen in worlde me love shoulde,
And their fairenes to founde;49
This prophescye I shall well houlde,
Which is moste likinge to yonge and oulde,
I thinke faste manye to houlde,
And their fairenes to founde.
Also he toulde them, leeve you me,
That I of geiftes shoulde be freey,55
Which prophecye clone shalbe,
When I my realme have wonnan.
And that I shoulde graunte mercye,
Rived riches, lande and fee,
Yt shalbe done that you shall see,
When I am neither comon.61
Dabit eis potestatem, et multis terram dividil gratuito.
Danielis decimo tercio: et dicit
What save you, kinges that heare be lente?
Are not my wordes at your assente,
That I am Christe omnipotente?
Leeve you not this eichone?67
Primuz rex
We leven, lorde, withouten lette,68
That Christe is not comen yette.
Yf thou be he, thou shalbe sette
In temple as God above.
Secundus rex
Yf thou be Christe, called Messye,72
That from our balle shall us bye,
Doe before us maysterye,
A signe that we maie see.
Tercius rexe.
Then will I leeve that it is soe,
Yf thou doe wounders or thou goe,78
So that thou save us of our woe,
Then honoured shall thou be.
QUARTUS REXE.
Fowle have we leeved manye a yeaire?
Antichrist
And of our weninge manye a were;83
And thou be Christe nowe comon heare,
Then maye thou stinte all striffe.
Antechristie
That I am Christe and Christe wilbe,86
By verrye signes you shall see,
For dead men, through my postie,
Shall rise from death to life.
Nowe will I tome all through my thoughte
Treyes downe the rootes up righte,
That is marvayle to your sighte,92
With frute growing upon.
So shall the grooe and multiplie,
Through my mighte and my maisterye,
I put you out of heresye
To leeve me uppon.
And bodyes that bene dead and slayne,98
Yf I maye rayse them up againe,
Then honoures me with might and mayne,
Then shall no man you greve.
For south then after will I dye,
And rise againe through my postie,
Yf I maye doe this marvelouslye;104
I rede you on me leeve.
Men buryed in graves you maye se,
What maisterye is nowe hope ye,
To rayse them up through my postie,
And all through my owne accorde I
Wheither I in my godheade be,110
By vereye signes you shall see:—�
Rise up dead men and honour me,
And knowe me for your lorde.

Tunc resurgent mortui de sepulcris.


pRIMUZ MORTUUS.
lorde, to thee I aske mercy e;
I was dead, but live I;116
Nowe wotte I well and witterlye,
That Christe is neither come.
SECUNDUS MORTUUS.
Hym honoure we and all men,
Devoutlye knelinge on our knye,
Worshipped be thou ther, amen,122
Christe our name is comen.
Antechristie
That I shall fulfill whollye wrytten,124
You shall wotte and knowe well it,
For I am walle [of] wayle and witte,
And lorde of everye lande;
And as the prophette Sophanye
Speakes of me righte witterlye,
I shall rehearse readelye130
That clarke shall understande.
Expecta me in die resurrectionis mee in fulurum,
quia judicium ut congregem gentes el colli gam
regna. Sophon. 3.

Nowe will I dye, that you shall see,
And rise againe through my postie,136
I will in grave that you put me,
And worshipe me aloone;
For in this temple a tombe is made,
Therin my bodye shalbe layde,
Then will I rise as I have sayde,
Take teene to me ichone.142
And after my resurrexcion,
Then will I sitte in greate renowne,
And my ghoste sende to you downe,
In forme of fier full soone.
I dye, I dye! nowe am I deade!
Primus rexe
Nowe seith this worthy lorde is dead,148
And his grace is with us lead,
To take his bodye it is my read,
And burye it in a grave.
Secundus rexe
For south and so he to us sayde,152
In a tombe he woulde be layde,
Nowe goe we fourth all in a brcade,
From destres he maie us save.

Tunc transeunt ad Antichrist um.


Tercius rex
Take we the bodye of this sweete,156
And burye it loe under the greete.
Nowe, lorde, eomforte us we thee beseeke,
And sende us of thy grace.
Quartus rex
And yf he rise sone through his mighte,160
From death to life, as he behighte,
Hym will I honoure daye and niglite,
As God in everye place.

Tunc recedent de tumulo usque ad terram.


Primus rex
Nowe wote I well that he is dead,164
For nowe in grave we have liym layde;
Yf he rise, as he hath sayde,
He is of full greate mighte.
Secundus rex
I can not leeve hym uppon,168
But yf he rise hym selfe alone,
As he hath sayde to manye a one,
And shewe hym heare in sighte.
Tercius rex
Tell that my savyour be risen againe,172
In faith my harte maye not be fayne,
[My body eke will not be bayne,]
Tell I hym see with eye.
Quartus rexe
I muste mourne with all my mayne,176
Tell Ohriste were risen up againe,
And of that mirackle make us fayne:
Rise up, lorde, that we maye see.

Tunc Antichristm levat corpus suum surgcns a mortuis.


Antichristie
I rise nowe! reverense nowe doc to me,180
God glorified, created of degree;
Yf I be Christe, nowe leeve you me,
And worke after my will.
Primus rex
lorde, welckome moste thou be,184
That thou arte God nowe leeve we,
Therforc goc sitte up in thy see,
And kepe our sacrifice.
Secundus rex
For south, in seate thou shalbe sette,188
And honoured with lande greate,
As Moyses lawe that lasteth yette,
As he hath sayde before.
Tercius rex
gracious lorde, goe sytte downe then,192
And we shall kneele upon our k[n]ene,
Worshipe thee as thy owne men,
And worke after thy lore.

Tunc ascendil Antichrist us ad cathedram.


Heither we be comen with good intente
To make our sacrifice, lorde excelente,
With this lambe that I have heare hente,198
Kneelinge thee before;
Thou graunte grace to doe and saye,
And yf it be pleasinge to thee aye,
To thy blesse that come we maye,
And never from it be borne.
Antechristus
A! lorde, I God, I highe justice,204
I Christe that made the dead to rise,
Here I receive your sacrifice,
And blesse you fleshe and fell.

Tunc recedent ab Antichristo.


I will nowe sende my holye ghoste,
You kinges also you I tell,
To knowe me lorde of mightes moste,210
Of heaven, eairth, and hell.

Tunc emittit spirit turn dicens, Dabo vobis cor novum el spiritum novum in medio vestri.


Quartus rex
A God! a lorde! raickell of mighte,212
This holye glioste is in me pighte,
Me thinkes my harte is vereye lighte,
Seith it came into me.
Primuz rex
Lorde, we thee honour daie and nighte,216
For thou sheweste us in sighte,"
Righte as Moyses us behighte,
Honoured muste thou be.
Antechristus
Yet worthy workes to your will220
Of prophescye I shall fulfill,
As Danyell prophescyed untill,
That baundes I shoulde devise.
That prophescye yt shalbe clone,
And that you shall see righte sone;
Worshipes me all that you mon,226
And doe after the wise.
You kinges, I shall advanse you all,
And because your regions be but small,
Citties, castilles shall you befall,
With townes and tow res gaye.
I am vereye God of mighte,232
All thinges I made through my mighte,
Sonne and mone, daie and nighte,
To blesse I maie you bringe;
And the geiftes that I behighte,
You shall have, as is good righte;
Hense or I goe out of your sighte,238
Eichone shall knowe his dole.
To thee I geve Lombardye,
And to thee Denmarke and Hongarye,
And take thou Ponthous and Italye,
And Rome yt shalbe thyne.
Secundus rex
Graunte mercye, lorde, your giftes to daie,244
Honour we will thee allwaie,
For we were never so riche, in good faye,
Nor non of all our kynne.
Antechristus
Therfore be trewe and steadfaste aye,248
And trewlye leeves on my lawe;
For I will harcken on you to daye,
Steadfaste if I you fynde.
Tvnc recedet Antichristus, et venient Enocke et Elias.
Enocke
Allmightie God in magistie,253
That made the heaven and eirth to be,
Fier, watter, stonne, and tree,
And man through thy mighte;
The poyntes of thy previtie
Anye eirthlye man to see
Is inpossible, as thinkes me,259
For anye worldlye wighte.
Gracious lorde, that arte so good,
That who so longe in fleshe and blood
Hath graunted life and heavenlye foode,
Lett never our thoughtes be defiled;
But geve us, Lorde, mighte and mayne,265
Or we of this shrewe be slavne,
To converte thy people againe,
That he hath thus begiled.
Synce the worldes begininge,
I have lived in greate likinge,
Through helpe of highe heavenlye kinge,271
In Parradice without anoye;
Tell we harde tockeninge
Of this theives cominge,
That nowe in eirth is raigninge,
And doth Godes folkes destroye.
To Parradise tacken I was that tyde,277
This thiffes cominge to abvde,
And Helye, my brother here bysyde,
Was after sente to me;
With this champion we muste chyde,
That nowe in worlde walketh wyde,
To disprove his pompe and pride,283
And payer all his postie.
Helye
Lorde, that madeste all thinge,285
And longe hath lente us levinge,
Lette never the devilles power springe,
This man hath hym with in;
God geve you grace bouth ould and yonge.
To knowe deceate in his doinge,
That you maye come to that likinge291
Of blesse that never shall blyne.
I warne you all men witterlye,
This is Enocke, I am Elye,
Be comen his errores to destroye,
That he nowe to you shewes.
He calles hym Christe and Messye,297
He lyes for south apeartelye,
He is the devill you to anoye,
And for non other hym knowes.
Primuz rex
A! men, what speake you of Helye301
And Enocke? the bene bouth in companye;
Of our blood the bene witterlye,
And we bene of their kinde.
Quartus rex
We reden in bookes of our lawe,305
That the to heaven were i-drawe,
And yet bene their, is the comen sawe,
Wrytten as men maye fynde.
Enocke
We bene those men, for south i-wisse,309
Comen to tell you doe amisse,
And bringe you soules to heaven blesse,
Yf it were anye boote.
Helye
This devilles lyme that comon is,313
That saith heaven and eirth is his,
Nowe we be readye, leeve you this,
Againste hym for to mote.
Primuz rex
Yf that we heare witte mone,317
By proufFes of disputacion,
That you have skill and reason,
With you we will abyde.
Secundus rex
Yf your skilles maie doe hym downe,321
To dye with you we wilbe bowne,
In hope of salvacion,
What so ever betyde.
Enocke
To doe hym downe we shall assaye,325
Through mighte of Jesu borne of a maye,
By righte and reason, as you shall saye,
And that you shall well heare;
And for that cause heither we be sente,
By Jesu Christe omnipotente,
And that you shall not al be shente,331
He boughte you all full deare.
Be glade therfore, and make you cheare,
And I doe read, as I do lere,
For we be comen in good mannere
To save you everye one.
And dread you not for that selfe fende,337
For you shall see him caste behynde,
Or we departe or from hym wende,
And shame shall lighte hym one.
Et sic transibunt Enocke et Helias ad Antichristum.
Saye, thou verreye devilles Lyme,
That syttes so grisslye and so gryme,343
From hym thou came and shall to hym,
For manye a soule thou deceives;
Thou haste deceived men manye a daie,
And made the people to thy paie,
And bewiched them into a wronge waye,
Wickedlye with thy willes.349
Antechristus
A! false features, you from me fleyne,350
Am not I moste in majestie?
What men dare name them thus to me,
Or make such distance?
Helye
Fye on thee, feature, fie on thee!354
The devilles owine nurrye;
Through hym thou preacheste and has postie
A while through sufferance.
Antechristus
you ippocrittes, that so cryne,358
Lossilles, lurdenes, so loudlye lyne,
To spill my lawe you spine,
That speache is good to spare.
You that my trewe faith defyne,
And needles my folke devyne,
From hense hastelye but you hyne,364
To you comes sorowe and care.
Enocke
Thy sorowe and care come on thy heade,366
For falslye through thy wicked read,
The people is put to paine;
I woulde thy bodye were from thy heade,
Twentye miles from it leade,
Tell I it broughte againe.
Antechriste
Out on thee, rasarde, with thy wiles,372
For falslye my people thou begyles,
I shall thee hastelye honge;
And that lurden that standes thee by,
He puttes my folke in greate anoye
With his false flatteringe tonge.
But I shall teach you curtesye,378
Your Savyour to knowe anon in hye,
False theifes, with your heresye,
And yf you dare abyde.
Helye
Yes, for south, for all thy pryde,382
Through grace of God allmight,
Here we purpose for to abyde;
And all the worlde that is so wyde
Shall wounder on thee on everye syde,
Soone in all mens sighte.
Antechristus
Out on you, theifes bouth towe!388
Ech man may se you be soe,
All by youer araye,
Muffled in mantilles non such I knowe,
I shall make you lowte full loe,
Or I departe you all froo,
To knowe me lorde for aye.394
Enocke
We be no theifes, we thee tell,395
Thou false feynde comen from hell;
With thee we porpose for to mell,
My ffellowe and I in feare;
To knowe thy power and thy mighte,
As we thes kinges have beheighte,
And therto we be readye dighte,401
That all men maye nowe heare.
Antechristus
My mighte is moste, I telle to thee;403
I dyed, I rose, through my postie,
That all thes kinges sawe with ther eye,
And everye man and wife;
And myrackles and marvayles I did also.
I counscell you therfore bouth towe
To worshipe me and no moe,409
And lett us nowe no more strive.
Helye
The were no mirackles, but marvayles thinges,411
That thou shewed unto thes kinges,
[Into falsehood thou them bringes,]
Through the feyndes crafte;
And as the flower nowe springes,
Falleth, faith, and hanges,
So thy joye it raignes,417
That shalbe from thee rafte.
Antechristus
Out on thee, theiffe, that sittes so still!419
Why wylte thou not speake them tyll,
That comen me to reprove?
Doccter
lorde maister, what shall I saye then?422
Antechristus
I beshrewe bouth thy kenne,423
Arte thou nowe for to kene I
In faith I shall thee greeve.
Of my godheade I made thee wise,
And sette thee ever at mickell prise,
Nowe I woulde feile thy good advise,
And heare what thou wouldeste saye.429
Thes lossilles the woulde fayne me greve,
And no thinge on me the wil beleeve,
But ever be readye me to reprove,
And all the people of my lawe.
Doccter
O lorde, thou arte so mickell of inighte,434
Me thinke thou shoulde nc chide ne feightc,
But curse them, lorde, through thy mighte,
Then shall the fare full ylle.
For thoes thou blesses the shall well speede,
And thoes whom thou curses the are but dead;
This is my counscell and my reade,440
Yender heritickes for to spille.
Antechristus
The same I purposed, leeve thou me,442
All thinges I knowe through my postie,
But yette thy witte I thoughte to see,
That was myne intente:
It shalbe done full witterlye,
The sentence geven full openlye,
With my mouth trewlye,448
Upon them shalbe hente. —
My curse I geve you to amend your meeles,
From your heade unto your heeles;
Walke you fourth in twentie devilles waie!
Enocke
Yea, thou shall never come in cells,453
For falslye with thy wyles,
The people is put in paine.
Antechristus
Out on you, theives! why fare you thus?456
Whether had you rather have paine or blesse?
I maye you save from all amisse;
I made the daie and eke the nighte,
And all that is on eairth growinge,
Flowers freshe that faier can springe,
And the starres that be so brighte.462
Helye
Thou lyeste, vengance on thee befalle!463
Out on thee, wreche! wrath thee I shall:
Thou calleste thee kinge and lorde of all,
A feynd is thee within.
Antechristus
Thou lyeste falslye, I thee tell,467
Thou wilbe dampned into hell;
I made thee man of fleshe and fell,
And all that is livinge.
For other Godes have you non,
Therfore worshipe me alone,
The which hath made the watter and stonne,473
And all at my likinge.
Enocke
For south, thou lyeste falslye,475
Thou arte a feynde comen to anoye
Godes people that standes us by;
In hell I woulde thou were.
Helye
Fye on thee, fellon! fie on thee, fie!479
For all thy wichcrafte and sorcerye,
To mote with thee I am readye,
That all thes people maie heare.
Antechristus
Out on you, harlottes! whense come ye?483
Where have you any other Godes but me?
Enocke
Yes, Christe, God in trenitie,485
Thou false feature ataynte,
That sende his sonne from heaven see,
That for mankinde dyed on roode tree,
That shall make thee full sone to fleye,
Thou feature false and faynte.
Antechristus
Ryballes ruled out of raye,491
What is the Trenitie for to saie,
Helye
Three persones, as thou leeve maie,493
In on godheade in free;
Father and sonne, that is no naye,
And the holye ghoste styringe aye.
That is on God vereye,
Bene all three named heare.
Antechristus
Out on you, theives! what sayen ye?499
Will ye have on God and three?
Howe dare you so saye?
Madmen, maddmen, leeve on me,
That am on god, so is not he;
Then maye you live in joye and lee
All this lande, I dare laye.505
Enocke
Naye, tyrrante, understande thou this,506
Without begin inge his godhead is,
And also without endinge is,
Thus fullye leven wee;
And thou that ingendred was aniisse,
Haste begininge, and nowe this blesse
An ende shall have, no dread their is,512
Fully fowle, as men shall see.
Antechristus
Wreches, glowes, you be blente,514
Godes sonne I am from hym sente:
Howe dare you mentayne your intente,
Seith he and I be one?
Have I not, since I came hym froe,
Made the dead to rise and goe,
And to men I sente my ghoste also,520
That leeve me uppon?
Helye
Fie on thee, fellon! fie on thee, fie!522
For through his mighte and maisterye,
By sufferance of God allmightie,
The people is blente through thee.
Yf thoes men be raysed witterlye,
Without the devilles fantasye,
Here shalbe provid perfectlye,528
That all men shall see.
Antechristus
A! fooles, I rede you leeve me uppon,530
That mirackles have shewed to manye one,
To the people everyechone,
To put them out of doubte;
Therfore I rede you hastelye,
Con vert es to me moste mightelye,
I shall you save from anoye,536
And that I am aboute.
Enocke
Nowe of thy mirackles woulde I see.538
Helye
Therfore come neither we be.539
Doe what is thy great postie,
And some therof to lere.
Antechristus
Sone maye you see, yf you will abyde;542
For I will neither feight ney chide,
Of all the worlde that is so wyde
Therin is not my peare.
Enocke
Bringe fourth thes men heare in our sighte,546
That thou haste raysed againste the righte:
Yf thou be so mickell of mighte,
To make them eate and drinke;
For vereye God we will thee knowe,
Suche a signe yf thou will shoe,
And doe thee reverense on a roe,552
All at thy likinge.
Antechristus
Wreches, dampned al be ye;554
But naughte for that it falleth me,
As gracious God, abydinge be,
Yf you will mende your life.
You dead men rise through my postie,
Come eate and drinke that men maye see,
And prove me worthye of dietie,560
Soe shall we stinte all striffe.
Primus mortuus.
Lorde, thy byddinge I will doe aye,
And for to eate I will assaye.
Secundus mortuus.
And I also, all that I maye,566
Will doe thy byddinge heare.
Helye
Have heare breade bouth towe:568
But I muste blesse it or I goe,
That the feyende, mankindes foe,
On it have no power.
This breade I blesse with my hande,
In Jesus name I understande,
The which is lorde of sea and lande,574
And kinge in heaven so hye;
In nomine patris that all hath wroughte,
Etfilii mrginis that deare us boughte,
Et spiritus sancti is all my thoughte,
One God and persones three.
Primus mortuus.580
Alas! put that bread out of my sighte,
To loke on it I am not lighte;
That printe that is upon it pighte,
Hit puttes me to greate feare.
Secundus mortuus.
To loke on it I am not lighte,586
That breade to me hit is so brighte,
And is my foe daye and nighte,
And puttes me to greate dreade.
Enocke
Nowe you men that have done amisse,590
You see well what his power is;
Convertes to hym I reade, i-wisse,
That you on roode hath boughte.
Tercius rex
And nowe we knowe appeartelye,594
We have bene broughte in heresye,
With you to death we will for-thy,
And never torne our thoughte.
Quartus rex
Nowe, Enocke and Helye, it is no naye,598
You have taynted the tyrrande this same daie,
Blessed be Jesu borne of a maye,
On hyin I leeve upon.
Primus rex
Thou feature, fere with fantasye,602
With sorcerye, wichcrafte, and negremonseye,
Thou haste us leade in heresye:
Fie on thy workes eichone.
Secundus rex
Jesu, for thy mickell grace,606
Forgeve us all our treaspas,
And bringe us to thy heavenlye place,
As thou arte God and man;
Nowe am I wise made through thy mighte,
Blessed be Jesu daye and nighte,
This greisslye grome greetes hyin to feighte,612
To slea us heare anon.
Tercius rex
Of our ly ves let us not reche,614
Though we be slayne of suche a wrech,
For Jesus sake, that maye us lech,
Our soules to bringe to blesse.
Quartus rex
That was well sayde, and so I assente,618
To dye for south is myne intente,
For Ohristea love omnipoteiite,
In cause that is rightewise.
Antechristus
A! false features, torne you nowe I622
You shalbe slayne, I make a vowe,
And thoes traytores that so torned you,
T shall make them unfayne;
That all other, by vereye sighte,
Shall knowe that I am moste of mighte,
For with this sworde I thinke to feighte,628
For all you shalbe slayne.

Tunc Antechristus occidit Enocke et Heliam et omnes reges conversos cum gladio, et redibit ad cathedram; cum dicat Michell cum gladio in dextera sua.


Michell arckeangell
Antichriste, nowe is comen this daye,630
Raigne no longer thou ne maie,
He that hath lead thee alwaie,
Nowe hym thou muste goe to.
No more men shalbe slayne by thee,
My lorde will dead that thou be,
He that hath geven thee his postie636
Thy soule shall underfoe.
In synne ingendered firste thou was,
In synne lead thy life thou haste,
In synne an ende nowe thou mase,
That marred hath manye a one.
Three yeairs and halfe on witterlye,642
Thou hast hade leave to destroye
Godes people wickedlye,
Through thy fowle reade.
Nowe thou shall knowe and witt in hie,
That more is Godes magistie,
Then eke the devilles and thyn theirby,648
Nowe thou shalbe deade.
Thou haste ever served Sathanas,
And hade his power in everye place,
Therfore thou gettes no other grace,
With hym thou muste gone.

Tunc Michell occidit Antechristum, et in occidendo clamat Antechristus, helpe! helpe! helpe! helpe!


Antechristus
Helpe, Sathanas and Lucifier,654
Bellsabube, bolde Balacher,
Ragnell, Ragnell, thou arte my deare,
Nowe fare I wounder evill.
Alas! alas! wher is my power!
Alas! my witte is in a were;
Nowe bodye and soule bouth in feare,660
And all goeth to the devill.

Tunc morietur Antechristus, et venient duo demones et dicunt ut sequitur.


Primus demon
Anon, maister, anon, anon!662
From hell grounde I harde thee grone;
I thought not to come my selfe aloone,
For worshipe of thyn estate;
With us to hell thou shalte gone,
For this death we make greate mone,
To wyne more soules into our pon,668
But nowe it is to late.
Secundus demon
With me thou shalte, from me thou come,670
Of me shall come thy laste dome,
For thou haste well deserved;
And through my mighte and my maisterye,
Thou haste lived in dignitie,
And manye a sowle deceivede.
Primuz demon
This bodye was gotten by myne assente,676
In cleane hordome veramente,
Of mother wombe, or that he wente,
I was hym within:
And taughte hym eever myne intente,
Synne by which he shalbe shente,
For he he did my comaundment,682
His soule shall never blyne.
Secundus demon
Nowe, felowe, in faith, greate mone we maie make,684
For this lorde of estate that standeth in this stead,
Many a fatt morscell we hade for his sake
Of soules that shoulde bene hange in hel by the head.

[Tunc aufertur corpus Antechristi a demonibus.


Demon primus
His soule with sorrow in hand have I hent;688
Yea, penance and payne sone shall he feele.
To Lucifer that lord it shall be present,
That burne shall as a brand, his sorrow shall not feele.
Demon secundus
This procter of prophesy hath procured many one692
In his lawes for to leeve and lose for his sake;
Ther soules bene in sorrow, and his shall be sone,
Such maystryes through my might many one do I make.
Postquam demones loquuti fuerint, resurgent Eenoch et Helias ab
Antechristo cesi, et auditoribus status suos commonstrabunt.
Demon primus
With Lucifer that lord long shall he lenge,698
In a seat ave with sorrow with him shall he svtt.
Demon secundus
Yea by the heeles in hell shall he henge,700
In a dongeon deep right in hell pitt.]
Primuz demon
To helle will I hye without anye fay[l]e702
With this presente of price theither to bringe.
Secundus demon
Thou take hym by the toppe and I by the tayle,704
A sorowfull sono-e in faith he shall sinsre.
[Demon primus
A! fellow, a dole looke that thou now deale
To all this fayr company, hence er thou wend.
Demon secundus
Yea, sorrow and care ever shall they feele,709
All sinnfull shall dwell in hell at ther last ende.]
Enocke
A! lorde that all shall leade,711
And bouth deme the quicke and dead,
That reverence thee thou on them read,
And them through righte releved.
I was deade and righte here slayne,
But through thy mighte and thy mayne,
Thou haste me raysed up againe;717
Thee will I love and leeve.
Helye
Yea, lorde, blessed muste thou be!719
My fleshe glorified no we I see,
Witte ner sleighte againste thee
Conspired maye be by noe waie.
All that leve in thee steadfastlye,
Thou helpes, lorde, from all anoye,
For dead I was and nowe live I,725
Honoured be thou ever.
MlCHELL.
Enocke and Helye, come you anon;
My lorde will that you with me gone
To heaven blesse bouth bloode and bone,
Ever more their to be.731
You have bene longe, for you be wise,
Dwellinge in eirthlye Paradise;
But to heaven, wher hym selfe is,
Nowe shall you goe with me.

Tunc abducens eos ad celum, cantabit angelus, Gaudete justi in Domino.


Finis. Deo gracias! per me, Georgi Bellin. 1592.


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Pagina vicessima quartet, et omnium postrema, de judicio extremo.


Deus
Ego sum alpha et oo,1
primus et nomssimus,

I, God, greateste in degree,
In whom begininge non maye be,
That I am pearles of postie
Nowe appeartlye shalbe proved.
In my godheade are persons three,7
Maye non in faye from other fley,
Yet soveraigne mighte, that is in me,
Maie justlye be meved.
It is full yore since I beheighte
To make a reckoninge of the righte;
Nowe to that dome I will me dighte,13
That I dead shall dewlye dreade.
Therfore my angelles fayer and brighte,
Loke that you awake ech worldlye wighte,
That I maie see all in my sighte,
That I bloode for can bleede.
Shewe you my crosse appeartlye here,19
Crowne of thorne, spunge, and speare,
And nayles to them that wanted never,
To come to this anoye.
And what weede for them I weare,
Uppon my bodye nowe I beare,
The moste stowteste this sighte shall steare25
That standes by streete or stye.
Primus Angellus
Lorde, that madeste through thy mighte27
Heaven and eirth, daie and nighte,
Without distance we be dighte
Your byddinge for to done;
And for to awake ich worldlye wighte
I shalbe readie, and that in heighte,
That the shall shewe them in thy sighte,33
Thou shal se, Lorde, full sone.
Secundus Angellus
Take we our beames and faste bloe,35
All mankinde shall them knowe,
Good accompte that nowe can showe
Sone it shalbe seene;
That have done well in ther levinge,
The shall have joye without endinge,
That well have done without mendinge,41
Shall ever have sorowe and teene.

Tunc angeli tubas accipient et jlabunt, et omnes mortui de sepulcris surgent, quorum dicat primus papa alvatus,


Papa salvatus.
A! Lorde, mercye nowe aske we,
That dyed for us on roode tree;
It is three hundred yeaires and three
Since I was putte in grave:47
Nowe through thy mighte and thy postie
Thy beames blaste hath raysed me
In fleshe and bloode, as I nowe see,
My judgmente for to have.
While that I lived in fleshe and bloode,
Thy greate godheade, that is so good,53
Ne knewe I never, but ever was woode
Worshippes for to wyn;
The wyttes, Lorde, thou sente to me,
I spente to come to greate degree,
The higheste office under thee
In eirth thou putteste me in.59
Thou graunteste me, Lorde, through thy grace
Petteres power and his place,
Yet was I blente: alas! alas!
I did not thy assente,
But my fleshlye will that wicked was,
The which raysed nowe thou haste,65
I-furthred, Lorde, before thy face,
Shall take his judgmente.
When I in eirth was at my will,
This worlde me blente lowde and still,
But thy commaundmente to fulfill
I was full necligente;71
But purged it is with paines ylle
In Purgotorye, that sore can grill,
Yette thy grace I hope to come tille,
After my greate tormente.
And yett, Lorde, I muste dreed thee,
For my greate synnes, when I thee see,77
For thou arte moste in magistie,
For mercye nowe I calle.
The paines that I have longe in be,
As harde as hell as hope as lee,
Againe to goe never suffer me,
For oughte that maye befalle.83
Imperator SALVATUS.
A! Lorde and soveraigne Savyour,
That livinge put me to honoure,
And made me kinge and emperowre,
Heigheste of keith and kynn:
My fleshe that fallne was as the flower89
Thou haste restored in this stowre,
And with paines ofgreate langoure
Cleansed me of my synne.
In Purgatorye my soule hath bene
A thousande yeaires in woe and teene;
Nowe is no woe uppon me seene,95
For purged I am of payne.
Though I to synne were beayne and bonne,
And coveted riches and renowne,
Yet at the laste contrision
Hath made me one of thyne.
As harde paines I dare well saye,101
In Purgotarye nighte and daie,
As are in hell, save by on waie,
That onste shall have an ende.
Worshipped be thou, righte justice,
That me hase made in fleshe to rise,
Nowe wotte I well those that have bene wise107
Shall come into thy welth.
G-raunte me, Lorde, amonghte moe,
That purged am of synne and woe,
On thy righte hande that I maye goe
To that everlastinge health.
Rex salvatus.113
A! lorde of lordes, and kinge of kinges,
And informer of all thinges,
Thy power, Lorde, spreades and springes,
As southlve ther is seene.
After balle boote thou bringes,
And after teene tyde tydinges,119
To all that ever thy name mynes,
And boxsome to thee bene.
While I was lorde of lande and leade,
In purple and in riche weede,
Me thoughte to thee I hade no need,
So wronge the worlde me wiled;125
Though thou for me thy blood can sheed,
Yet in my harte more can I heede
My fleshe to further and to feede,
But the soule was ever begiled.
My fowle bodye through synne blente,
That rotten was and also rente,131
Through thy mighte, Lorde omnipotente,
Raysed and wholle it is.
My sowle that is in ballens brente,
To my bodye thou haste nowe sente,
To take before thee judgmente
Of that I have donne amisse.137
But, Lorde, although I were synfull aye,
Contricion yet at my laste daie,
And almes deedes that did aye,
Hath holpen me from hell.
But well I wotte that elke waie
That Abraham wente wende I maie,143
For I am purged to thy paye,
To thee ever more to dwell.
Regina salvata.
Pearles prince of moste postie,
That after longere lendeth lee,
That nowe in bodye hase raysed me,149
From fier to reste and roe:
My fleshe that as flower can flye,
And power was through thy pittie,
Togeither hase broughte us nowe I see,
The sowle, the bodye too;
While I in eairth riche can goe,155
In softe sandalles and silke also,
Velvette also that wrought me woe,
And all suche other weedes.
Nether prayed I ney faste,
Save almes deedes, yf anye paste,
And greate repentance at the laste161
Hath gotten me to thy grace;
That saved I hope fullye to be,
For purged synnes that were in me,
Thy laste dome maie I not fleye,
To come before thy face.
All that mighte excite lecherye,167
Pearles and precious perrye,
Againste thy byddinge used I,
And other wicked deedes.
After Purgotarye paines,
From me thy lordeshipes thou ne laynes,
To warne thy dome me ne gaynes,173
Though I were never so greate;
Seith I have suffred woe and teene,
In Purgotorye longe to bene,
Let never my synne be on me seene,
But, Lorde, thou it forgette.

Tunc venient damnati.


Papa damnatus.179
Alas! alas! alas! alas!
Nowe am I worse then ever I was,
My bodye the sowle againe hase,
That longe hase bene in hell;
Togeither the bo, nowe is no grace,
Fyled to be beffore thy face,185
And after my death heare in this place
In paine ever more to dwell.
Nowe booties is to aske mercye,
For livinge higheste in eairth was I,
And cuninge chosen in cleargye,
And covetousnes did me care;191
Also silver and symoneye
Made me pope unworthye,
That bornes me nowe full witterlye,
For of blesse I am full bare.
Also why spende I wronge my witte,
In covetousnes my harte to knitte?197
Harde and hotte nowe feele I it,
Hell hooldes me righte heare;
My bodye burnes everye bitte,
Of sorowe muste I never be shutte,
Me to save from hell pitte
Nowe helpes no praier.203
Of all the soules in Christiantie,
That dampned were while I had degree,
Nowe geve accompte behoveth me,
Through my lawes forlorne.
Also dampned muste I be,
Accompte befalles, or elles to fleye,209
Make me deafe, I counger thee,
As I hade never bene borne.
Imperator dampnatus.
Alas! nowe s tor red I am in this stowre;
Alas! nowe fallne is my flower;
Alas! for synne nowe cease souccoure;215
No silver maye me save.
Alas! that ever I was emperowre;
Alas! that ever I hade towne or tower;
Alas! hardlye I bye myne honouer,
Helle paines for it I have.
Alas! in worlde why was I ware?221
Alas! that ever mother me bare!
Alas! theire is noe joye cheare,
Skape maie I not this chaunce.
Alas! doe evill who is that dare?
To threpe no more us ney dare,
For to paine we ordayned are,227
Ever without deliverance.
Nowe is manslaughter upon me seene,
Nowe towe covetousnes makes mv cares keene,
Nowe wronge worckinge withouten wene,
That I in worlde have wroughte.
Nowe traytores tornes doe me teene,233
And false domes al bedene,
In glotanye I have bene in,
That shall nowe deare be boughte.
Nowe knowe I what I did with wronge,
And eke my lither livinge longe,
Falsehoode to hell makes me to fonge,239
In fier ever fowle to fare.
My missbegotten moneye ever I mixen amonge,
Nowe is in yelled to helle yonge.
Why were I not deade as is the dounge?
For deale I drope and dare.
Rex damnatus.245
Alas! unlikinge is my lotte;
My weale is gone, of woe I wotte,
My synne is seene I was in sette,
Of sorowe nowe maie I singe;
To hell paine, that is so hotte,
For my mysdeedes wende I motte,251
Alas! that I hade bene sheepe or gotte,
When I was crowned kinge.
When I was in my magestie,
Soveraigne of shire and of cittie,
Never did I good in noe degree,
Through me was anye grace.257
Of poore hade I never pittie,
Sore ney sicke woulde I never see,
Nowe have I longoure and the have lee,
Alas! alas! alas!
Wronge ever I wroughte to ech wighte,
For pynchinge poore in paine I pighte,263
Religion I reaved againste the righte,
That keenlye nowe I knowe.
Lecherye I helde it lighte,
In covetousnes my harte was clighte,
One good deed in Grodes sighte
Nowe have I not to shewe.269
Regina damnata.
Alas! alas! nowe am I lorne!
Alas! with teene nowe am I tome!
Alas! that I was woman borne,
This bitter balle to abyde!
I made my mone even and morne,275
For feare to come Jesu beforne,
That crowned ffor me was with thorne,
And thruste into the syde.
Alas! that I was woman wroughte!
Alas! why God made me of naughte,
And with his precious bloode me boughte,281
To worcke againste his will?
Of lecherye I never wroughte,
But ever to that syne I soughte,
That of that synne in deed and thoughte
Yet hade I never my fill.
Fie on pearles! fie on pride!287
Fye on gowne! fye on guyde!
Fye on hewe! fye on hyde!
Thes harrowe me to hell.
Againste this chaunce I maie not chide,
This bitter balle I inuste abyde,
With woo and teene I suffer this tyde,293
No livinge tonge maye tell.
I that so semlye was in sighte,
Wher is my bleye that was so brighte?
Wher is the barron, wher is the knighte,
For me to leadge the lawe?
Wher in worlde is anye wighte,299
That for my fayernes nowe will feighte,
Or from this death I am to dighte
That dare me hense drawe.
JUSTICIARIUS DAMNATUS.
Alas! of sorowe nowe is my sawe!
Alas! for hell I stand in awe!305
My fleshe as flowers that all to-flawe
Nowe tydes a fearlye fytte.
Alas! that ever I learned lawe,
For suffer I muste manye a harde thrawe,
For the devill me drawe
Righte even to his pitte.311
Alas! while that I lived in lande,
Wronge to worke I would not wonde,
But false causes toke in hande,
And moche wooe did elles;
When I soughte silver or riches founde,
Of baron, burges, or of bande,317
His matter to further ever I woulde founde,
Were it never so false.
Nowe is the devill readve, I see,
His matter to further againste me;
For the judge is of such poste,
That me will not avayle.323
Harte and thoughte bouth knoweth he,
Though I woulde lye no boote to be;
Alas! this harde fitte to fleye,
Rufullye I muste fayle.
All my life I was ever bonne,
To troble poore in tower and towne,329
Payer holye churches possession,
And sharplye them to shende;
To reve and robbe religion,
That was all my devocion;
Therfore me tydes damnacion
And payne without ende.335
Marcator damnatus.
Alas! alas! nowe woes me,
My fowle bodye that rotten have be,
And soule togeither nowe I see,
All stinckes full of synne.
Alas! marchandise make me,341
A purchasinge after land and see,
In hell payne evermore to be,
And balle that never shall blyn.
Alas! in worlde fervent was I,
To purchase landes falslye,
Poore men I did such anoye,347
Made them ther landes to sell.
But when I dyed witterlye,
All that I hade my enemye,
Bouth bodye and soule dampned therby,
Ever to the paine of hell.
Yet mighte not false purchase suffice,353
But ofte I dealed with marchandise.
For ther me thoughte wyninge woulde rise,
I used it manye a yeaire;
Ofte I sette upon false asise,
Rayvinge poore with layinge mise,
Falslye by God and by sante Hyse359
A thousand tymes I swore.
Occure I used willfullye,
Wanne I never so moche theirby;
To holye churche never hyed I,
For me thought that was lorne.
Why made thou me, Lorde, of naughte, why?365
To worcke in worlde so wrechedlye,
And nowe borne in the devilles bellye?
Alas! alas! that ever I was borne.

Finitis lamentacionibus mortuorum, descendet Jesus quasi in nube, si fieri poterit, quia secundum doctorum opiniones in aere prope terram judicabit filius Dei, stabunt angeli cum cruce, corona spinarum, lancea, et imtrumentis aliis, omnia demonstrates; dicat Jesus:


Jesus
You, good and evill, that here be blente,369
Here you bene comen to your judgmente,
Yf you wiste wher-to it woulde apente,
And in what mannere;
But all myne, as I have mente,
Prophettes, patrickes, here presente,
Muste knowe my dome with good intente,375
Therfore I am nowe heare.
But you shall heare and se exspres,
I doe to you all rightiousnes,
Luxome deedes more and lesse
I will rehearse nowe heare.
Of eirth through me made man thou was.381
And put in place of great cleanes.
From which thou was through wickednes,
[A waye] thou wayved were?
When thou hade done this treaspas,
Yet wayted I which waye beste was,
Thee to recover in this cace,387
To my companye.
Howe mighte I doe thee more grace,
Then that selfe kinde thou haste,
Take heare nowe is in this place,
As appeareth apeartlye?
After dyed on the roode tree,393
And my blood shede, as thou maye see,
To prive the devill of his postie,
And wyn that was awaye.
The which blood behoulde ye,
Freshe houlden that I shall see,
For certayne poyntes that liketh me,399
Of which I will nowe saye.
One cause was this certenlye,
That to my father almightie,
At my assencion offer mighte I
This blood, prayinge a bone,
That he of you should have mercye,405
And more gracious be theirby,
When you hade synned horablye,
Not takinge vengence to sone.
Also I woulde, withouten were,
This blood should nowe be shewed here,
That the Jewes did in that manere411
Mighte knowe appeartelye,
Howe unkindlye the them bare;
Behoulde on me and you maye lere,
Wheither I be God in full power,
Or eles man onlye.
Also my blood nowe shewed is,417
That good therby maie have blesse,
That avoyded wickednes i-wisse,
And ever good worckes wroughte;
And evill also that did amisse,
Muste have greate sorowe in sight of this,
That loste that joye that was his,423
That hym on rood tree boughte.
Yet for all this tormente
That suffred here while I was lente,
The more I spared in your intente,
I am not as I feele.
For my bodye is all to-rente429
With outhes false alwaie fervente,
No lyme of me but it is rente,
From head righte to the heele;
Nowe that you shall appeartlye see,
Freshe blood blede for thee,
Good to joye and full greate lee,435
Evill to damnacion,
Behoulde nowe all men on me
And se my blood freshe out flye,
That I blede on roode tree
For your salvacion.

Tunc emittet sanguinem de latere ejus, el dicit,


Howe durste you ever doe amisse,441
When you unbethoughte you of this,
That I blede to bringe you to blesse,
And suffred moche woe?
Me you muste not whytte, i-wyse,
Though I doe nowe as righte is,
Therfore eichone recken his,447
For rightiousnes moste goe.
Papa salvatus.
O Lorde! though I lived in synne,
In Purgatorye I have bene in,
Suffer my balle for to blyne,
And bringe me to this blesse.453
Imperator salvatus.
Yea, Lorde, and I theirin have be
More then three hundred yeares and three,
Nowe I am cleane, forsake not me,
Although I did amisse.
Rex salvatus.459
Lorde, receive me to thy grace,
That paine hath suffred in that place,
Although I fowle and wicked was,
Wayshen it is awaie.
Regina salvata.
And I, Lorde, to thee crye and call,465
Thy owine christen and thy thrall,
That of my synnes are purged all,
Of thy joye I thee praye.
Jesus
Come neither to me, my darlinges deare,469
That blessed in worlde allwayes were,
Take my realme all in feare,
That for you ordayned is;
For while I was in eirth heare
You gave me meate in good manere,
Therfore in heaven blesse cleare475
You shall ever lenge, i-wisse.
In greate thurste you gave me drinke,
When I was nacked also clothinge,
And when me neded harberinge,
You harbered me in coulde;
And other deedes, to my likinge,481
You did on eirtli ther livinge,
Therfore you shalbe quitte that thinge
In heaven an hundreth foulde.
Papa salvatus.
Lorde, on this can I not myne,
Eirth when I was dwellinge in,487
Thee in mischeiffe or anye unwyn,
To shewe suche a will.
Imperator salvatus.
Noe, sickerlye, I coulde have no mynde,
That ever to thee I was so kinde,
For their I mighte thee never fynde493
Such kindnes to fulfill.
Jesus
Yes, for south, my frendes deare,495
Such as poore and naked were,
You clade and feede them bouth in feare,
And harbered them also;
Suche as were also in great danger,
In harde prison one eirthe here,
You vissitted them in meeke manner,501
All men in suche wooe.
Therfore, as I you ere toulde,
You shalbe quitte an hundred foulde,
In my blesse, be ye boulde,
Ever more you shalbe;
Ther nether hongare is nor could,507
But all thinges as your selfes woulde,
Everlastinge joye to yonge and [olde],
That in eirthe pleased me;
Therfore, my angelles goe anon,
And twayne my chosen everye one
From them that hath bene my fonne,513
And bringe them into blesse;
One my righte hande the shalbe sette,
For so full yore I them beheighte
When the did withouten lette
My byddinge not amisse.
Primus Angellus
Lorde, we shall never blyne,519
Tell we have broughte them blesse within,
Thoes soules that be withouten synne
Full sone as you shall see.
Secundus Angellus
And I knowe them well and fyne,523
Which bodyes lorde that bene thyne,
The shall have joye without pyne,
That never shall ended be.

Tunc angeli ibunt ac cantabunt euntes ac venientes, letamini in domino, salvator mundi, ac omnes salvati, omnes sequite; postea veniunt demones, quorum dicat primus demon:


Primus demon
A! rightious judge, and moste of mighte,527
That their are sette to deme the righte,
Mercye thou was, nowe is gryghte,
To save thes men from paine;
Doe as thou haste yore beheighte,
Thoes that bene synfull in thy sighte,
To reecone ther deedes I am dighte,533
To prove thes men for myne;
Judge this Pope myne in this place,
That worthy is for his treaspas,
And oughte to be thyne through grace,
Through synne comen myne.
[A] Christien man he was I wotte,539
[Knewe] good from evill in eich case,
[But] my commaundmente done he has,
[And] ever forsacken thyn,
[Through] mercye he shoulde be thyn,
[But myne] through wickednes and synne,
Thyne through passion [that thou was in],545
And myne through temptacion;
To me obediente he was aye,
And thy commaundmente putt awaie,
Thou rightious judge therfore I praie,
Deme hym to my prison.
This Emperower also that standeth by551
I houlde hym myne full witterlye,
That helde hym ever in heresye,
And leeved not on thy lore;
Therfore I tell thee veramente,
Myne he is without judgmente,
Thou sayde when thou on eirth wente557
That leeved not dampned were.
Qui non credit jam judicatus est.
This kinge and queene woulde never knowe
Poore men, them almes to shooe,
Therfore put them all from thoo
That stande before thy face:563
And I shall leade them tell loe,
Wher fier shall burne though no man bloe;
I have them tyed upon a rooe,
The shall never passe that place.
Secundus demon
Naye, I will pute with hym this,568
That sitteth as highe justice,
And yf I see he be rightious,
Sone I shall asaie,
And other he shall for south, i-wisse,
For sake of hym wrytten is,
Or thes men that hath done amisse,574
Deme them to us to daye;
Thes wordes, God, thou saide exspres,
As Mathewe therof beare wittnes,
That righte as manes deedes was,
Held en he shoulde be;
And leste thou forgette, good man,580
I shall myne thee upon,
For speake Latine well I can,
And that thou shall sone see.
Filius hominis venturus est in [gloria]
patris sui cum angelis mis [et]
reddit unicuiquam secundum [opus]586
Therfore, rightious yf thou [be,]
Thes men are myne [as mote I thee,]
For on good deed heare [before thee]
Have the not to showe.
[ Yf there] be anye, saye on, lettes see;
[ Yf there] be non, deme them to me,592
Or elles thou are false as we,
All men shalle well know.
Primus demon
Yea, this thou sayde veramente,595
That when thou came to judgmente,
Thy angelles from thee should be sent,
To put the evill from thee good;
And put them into greate tormente,
Ther is reniinge, greminge, veramente,
Which wordes to clarkes here presente601
I will rehearse nowe heare.
Sic erit in consummations seculi, exibunt angeli et separa-
bunt malos de medio justorum et mittent omnes in
caminum ignis ubi erit fletus et stridor dentium.
Therfore deliver thes men heine,
And as broke I my pane,607
I shall make them to gryne,
Rufullye to crye.
This popelarde Pope here presente,
With covetousnes was ever fullye bente,
This Emperower also veramente
To all synne did inclyne,613
This queene while shee was livinge here
Spared never synne in no manere,
And all that mighte by Mahounde so deare
Excitte her lechery e;
Shee used manes harte to sture,
And therto fullye ordeyned her;619
Therfore shee hath loste her lure,
Heaven blesse righte as did I.
Jesus
[Loe], you men that wicked have bene,622
[What] Sathan saith you heare and seene,
[Righteous] dome maye you not fleyne,
[For grace] is put awaye,
[When ty]me of grace was indeweringe,
[To seeke it] you hade no likinge,
[Therefore] muste I for anye [thinge,]628
[Doe right]eousnes to daie.
[And] thou, my sweete mother deere,
And all the saintes that ever were,
Prayed for you righte nowe here,
All it were to late;
No grace may goe through ther prayer,634
Then righteousnes had no power,
Therefore goe to the fier in feare,
There gaines noe other grace.
When I was hongarye and thirsty bouth,
And naked was, you woulde not me cloth,
Also sicke and in greate woo,640
You woulde not visite me,
Nor yet in prison to me come,
Nor of your meate to geve me some,
Nor me to your harbour nome,
Never yet in will were yee.
Papa damnatus.646
When was thou naked or barberies,
Hongarye, thirsty, or in sickenes,
Eyther in anye prison was,
We sawe thee never a colde.
Imperator damnatus.
Had we thee hongarye or thirsty seene,652
Naked, sicke, or in prison bene,
Harberles or in any teene,
Have harbered thee we woulde.
Jesus
Ney, when you saw the least of myne,656
That one earth suffered pyne,
With your riches you woulde not them ryne,
Ney fulfill my desyre.
And seyth you woulde nothinge inclyne,
For to helpe my pore lyne,
To me your love it was not fyne,662
Therefore goe to the fier.
Primus demon
A! sir judge, this goeth arighte,664
By Mahounde moche of mighte,
You be myne eich wighte,
Ever to live in woo.
A dolefull death to you is dighte,
For such hyer I you beheighte,
When you served me day and nighte,670
To be rewarded soe.
Goe we forth to hell in hye,
Without ende ther shall you lye,
For you have lost, righte as did I,
The blesse that lasteth ever;
Judged you be to my belly,676
There endles sorowe is and nye,
One thinge I tell you truely,
Delivered bene you never.
Secundus demon
Nay, master, forgett not these theeffes two,680
For by Mahounde the shall not goe,
There deedes, lorde, amonge moe,
Soone I can them spye.
This Justice, lorde, was ever thy foe,
Falshood to further he was ever throo;
Therefore deeme hym to sorrow and woo,686
For he is full well worthy.
This Marchante also that standeth by here,
He is myne withouten were;
As ofte tymes he hym forsweare,
As seedes be in mv seacke:
And occoure also used hee,692
That my powche is soe heavye,
I sweare by Mahounde soe free,
Tt well nigh breakes my necke.

Tunc Demones eooportabunt omnes, et venient quatuor Evangeli.


Matheas.
I, Mathew, of this beare wittnes,
For in my Gospell I wrote expresse,698
This that my lorde of his goodnes
Hath rehearsed here;
And by me all were warned before,
To save ther soules for evermore,
That now through lykeinge the bene lore
And damned to fyer in fere.704
Marke.
I, Marke, apeartely saye,
That warned the were by many waye,
There lyveinge howe the shoulde araye,
Heaven blisse to recover;
Soe that excuse them non maye,710
That the bene worthy, in good faye,
To suffer the dome gyven to daye,
Damned to be for ever.
Luke.
And I, Luke, one earth lyveinge,
My lordes workes in every thinge716
I wrote and taught through my cunninge,
That all men knowe mighte;
And therefore I saye for soth, i-wyss,
Excusation non there is,
Against my talkeinge the did amysse,
This dome it goeth righte.722
Johannes.
And I, John the Evangelist,
Beare wittnesse of thinges that I wyst,
Which the mighte full well have trust,
And not have donne amysse;
And all that ever my lorde sayde here,728
I wrote it in my manere;
Therefore excuse you, withouten were,
I maye not well, i-wysse.
Finis, Deo gracias!
Come, Lorde Jesus, come quickely.
To hym this booke belonges,734
I wishe contynuall health,
In daily vertues for to flow,
With floudes of godly wealth.
Praye ever

FinisContents



2023 Sep 26  11:45:55