The Vintneres Playe

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.