The Glovers Playe

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.

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.