The Fishemongeres Playe
Incipit Pagina Vicesima Prima de Electione Matthei et de Emissione Spiritus Sancti qualiter apostoli fecerunt simbolum apostolicum, viz. 'Credo in Deum Patrem' etc.
Et primo inter apostolos incipiat
My deare brethren everychone,
you knowe well, both all and one,
howe our lord ys from us gonne
to blysse that lasteth aye.
Comforte nowe maye wee have nonne
save his beheste to trust upon.
Therfore leeve we in this wonne
that never one wend awaye.
for well I wott, withowt were,
he will send us a counselour,
his Ghoost, as hee beheight.
Therefore lenge we right here,
this faythfull fellowshippe in fere,
tyll our lord, as he can us lere,
send us of heaven light.
Tunc exurgens Petrus in medio fratrum et dicat:
Holye Scripture, leeve yee mee,
fullye must fullfilled bee
that Davyd sayd beforne.
All of the Holye Ghooste had hee.
Towchinge Judas [wytten] yee
that sould our mayster for money
and nowe ys cleane forlorne.
the fayth to preach in eych place;
and nowe his hyre fullye hee hasse,
for hanged himselfe hasse hee.
His bodye bursten for his tresspasse,
soule dampned as a man withowt grace.
Therfore, as the psalter mynd mase,
fulfylled nowe must bee:
Fiat habitatio eius deserta et non [sit] qui habitet in eo Episco accipiat alter'
and fellowes that aye with us were
with Jesus Christe, our mayster dere,
in yearth livinge was —
that yee that seene his powere,
his myracles manye in good manere,
dyinge, rysinge, both in fere,
maye best nowe beare witnesse.
and Josephe that aye with us hath gonne,
for whom we caste to lottes anonne
and buske us all to praye
whether of them yt ys Godes will
this same office to fullfill.
Tunc respondent omnes (all speake together):
for this ys the beste waye.
Tunc omnes apostoli genuflectent et dicat
Thow, lord, that knowest all thinge,
eych hart and will of man livinge,
shewe us here by some tokeninge
whom that we shall take,
and whether of theise ys thy likinge
in Judas steed that be standinge,
thy name to preach to olde and yonge,
and whither that thou wilt make.
Tunc Petrus mittet sortem et sors cadet super Mattheum; et dicat
This lott ys falne, brethren free,
one Matthewe — all men may see.
To us therfore I take thee
and apostle thee make.
Yea, honored be God in Trynitie,
though I unworthye therto bee
that to you have chosen mee;
dye wyil I for his sake.
Nowe, Peeter, brother, goe we and praye,
for evermore I myne maye
my sovereygne howe I hard him saye
here in your companye —
hee would not leave us by noe waye
fatherles children, in good faye,
but ryche us sone in better araye
with his Ghooste gratiouslye.
Yea, brethren, also verament
to us bee sayd in good intent
in yearth here while he was present
and with us could lend —
but yf so were that hee ne went,
his Ghooste to us should not be sent;
and yf hee yood, where wee were lent
hitt hee would us send.
Yea, sweete and likinge was his lore,
and well yee wytten that there wore
but a little while before,
or hee to heaven steede —
hee bade wee should not goe awaye
from Jerusalem to no countrey
but there abyde, soothe to saye,
his heste from an highe.
Also hee sayd to us eychone
that his forgoer, Saynt John,
with water baptysed manye one
while that hee was here.
But we shall baptyse without boste
fullye with the Holye Ghooste
through helpe of him that ys moste,
sone after, without were.
'Tunc Johannes quidem baptizavit aqua, vos autem baptazimini Spiritu Sancto non post multos hos dies.'
Wee mynd theron, lasse and more.
Yett some that standen him before
that tyme all Israell.
And he answered anonright:
’That tyme knowe yee ne might,
that in his Fathers will was pight’ —
for that hee must conseyle.
'Non est vestrum nosse tempora vel momenta quae Pater posuit in sua potestate'
Yea, brethren, that tyme hee us behight
the Holye Ghoost should in us light,
that wee might tell to eych wight
his deedes all bydeene
in Jerusalem and Judee —
where in world soever walked wee —
and Samarye, that men should see,
as after maye be seene.
'Accipietis virtutem supervenientes Spiritus Sancti in vos, et eritis mihi testes in Jerusalem et in Judea, Samaria et usque ad ultimum terrae.'
Kneele we downe upon our knee
and to that lord nowe praye wee.
Sone I hope that hee will see
to his disciples all.
Yea, in his life so taught hee:
aske and have with hart free;
rightwise boone shall granted bee
when men will on him call.
Tunc omnes apostoli genuflectentes cantent 'Veni, creator Spiritus.' Postea dicat
Come, Holye Ghoost; come, creatour!
Visytt or thoughtes in this store —
thou art mans conquerour —
and grant us, lord, thy grace!
Thou that art called ’conselor’
and send from heaven as savyour,
well of life, lenght or langore
that prayen here in this place.
Hee that in seaven monethes would conseyle
grace of thy Ghooste about to deale,
as thou promised for mans heale,
appeare nowe synce I praye.
Light our wyttes with thy weale;
put life in our thoughtes lele;
fulsome thy frendes that binne frayle
with vertues lastinge aye.
Vanishe our enemyes farre awaye
and grant us peace, lord, to our paye,
for while thou art our leader aye
we may eschewe anoye.
Through thy might knowe wee maye
the Father of heaven, full in good faye;
and yee, his Sonne, all sooth to saye
thou art in companye.
Worshipped be thou ever and oo,
the Father and the Sonne also.
Left thy Ghooste nowe from thee goe
and faith that we may fynd.
That we asken with hart throo —
to fulsome us agaynst our foe —
grant thy men here, both one and moe,
that have thee ever in mynd.
Christ must speake in heaven.
Gloryous Father fayre and free,
yee knowe well of your dutye
that I have donne your will.
They apostles that you have chosen to mee,
with grace, wisdome, and prosperitye
that you will them fulfill.
Tunc omnes apostoli contemplantes vel orantes quousque Spiritus missus fuit, Deus dicat:
your healthfull askinge ever here
that you aske ys not to arere.
I knowe your cleane intent.
With will full lyberall and cleare
my Ghooste to them shall appere
to make them wyser then the were.
That ys my full assent.
with seaven gyftes of renowne,
ther to have by devotyon.
Confyrine them to be sadd,
that they may be ever readye bowne
in heaven-blysse to were the crowne,
ever to reigne in possession,
there to be merye and gladd.
that through your fayth to mee were deare,
angelles and archangelles cleare,
all in my blysse wonnynge,
yee wotten well withowten were
howe I have mended in good manere
man that was lorne through Lucifere
and through his owne lykinge.
into a virgyn fayre and free
and manhood tooke, as lyked mee,
one man to have mercye,
that righteousnes might saved bee.
Synce man had loste his lybertye,
I made man.in on degree;
his bale behovedd to bye.
and out of bale to blysse brought.
His kynd also, as me good thought,
ys mixte within my godhead.
Thus man that [I] thus made of nought,
that Sathanas through synne hadd sought,
by this waye I have so wrought
non good in hell binne lead.
in yearth wonynge, as man should bee,
chosen I have a good meanye
one which I must have mynd.
Nowe they have made there mone to mee
and prayed speciallye, as I see,
which I must suffice with hart free
or elles I were unkynd.
my deedes to preach rnanye one.
Yett steadfastnes in them ys nonne
to suffer for me anoye.
Fletchinge yett they binne ichone.
But when my Ghoost ys them upon,
then shall they after be styffe as stonne
my deedes to certyfie.
shall lett them of stydfastnes.
Such love in them, and such goodness,
my sprytte shall ever inspire
that to speake and expresse
all languages that ever yett was
they shall have cunnynge, more and lesse,
through force of heavenly fyre.
to baptyze men in water clere
that beleeven, in good manere,
to have full mynd on mee.
And on all such, withowten were,
the Holye Ghooste at theire prayere
shall light on them, that they may lere
in fayth steadfast to bee.
to my brethren in companye
my Ghooste, to gadd them gratiouslye —
for that ys there willinge —
in lycknes of fyre freelye,
that they may styffned be therbye,
my workes to preach more steadfastlye,
and therby more connynge.
Tunc Deus emittet Spiritum Sanctum in spetie ignis, et in mittendo cantent duo angeli antiphonam 'Accipite Spiritum Sanctum; quorum remiseritis peccata, remittentur eis' etc. Et cantando projecient ignem super apostolos. Finitoque Angelus in caelo dicat.
Rest well, all that binne here.
My lord you greetys, and his Ghooste dere.
Hee byddes you dread noe bost nor bere
of Jewes farre ne nere;
but looke yee goe anon in hye
into all the world by and by,
and also preach the fayth meekelye
and his workes so deare.
And through this Ghooste that I you bringe
yee shall have understandinge
of every lond speakinge,
whatsoever the saye;
and this world that ys flytchinge
yee shall despyce ever all thinge,
and heaven at your endinge
yee shall have to your paye.
A, mercye, lord, full of might!
Both I feele and see in sight
the Holye Ghoost ys on us light;
[of] fyre this house full ys.
Nowe have wee that was us beheight,
for full of love my hart ys pight
and wyser then ys any wight
meethinke I am, iwys.
Yea, lord, blessed moste thou bee,
for both I feele and eke I see
the Holye Ghoost ys light on mee.
Thus quytte I am my meede.
For such love, by my lewtee,
with this fyer in my hart can flee
that death to doe for my mayster free
I have no manner of dread.
And I thanke thee, both God and man,
for synce this fyer light me upon
of all languages well I can,
and speake them at my will.
I, before that was but a foone,
am waxen as wise as Salamon.
There ys no scyence but I can therone
and cunnynge to fullfill.
And I that never could speake thinge
save Ebrewe as I learned yonge,
nowe I can speake at my likinge
all languages, both lowe and bye.
And soe styffe I am of beleevinge
that I doubt neyther prynce ne kynge
my maysters myracles for to mynge
and for his love to dye.
A, blessed be my mayster deare!
So lyttle while can us lere.
All languages that ever were
upon my tonge binne light.
My beleefe ys nowe so clere,
and love in harte so prynted lere,
to moove my mynd in no mannere
there ys no man hath might.
Yea, sythen this fyre came from high
I am waxen so wondrous sleigh
that all languages farre and nigh
my tonge will speake nowe aright.
Nowe sythen my lord to heaven steegh
and send his Ghooste as hee beheight,
to all distresses nowe am I drest
and dye for the love of God almight.
Nowe, brethren, I read us all in fere,
make wee the creede in good mannere
of my lordes deedes deare
that gladed us hath todaye;
and I will first beginne here,
synce Christ betooke me his power,
the lewd hereafter that we maye lere,
to further them yn the faye.
Petrus incipiat 'Credo in Deum, Patrem omnipotentem, creatorum caeli et terrae,'
that made heaven and yearth and fyrmament
with steadfast hart and true intent,
and hee ys my comford.
'et in Jesum Christum, Filium eius, unicum dominum nostrum,'
in Jesu, his Sonne, from heaven sent,
verey Cryste, that us hath kent
and ys our elders lord.
'qui conceptus est de Spiritu Sancto, natus ex Maria virgine,'
in Jesus Christe of mightes most,
conceyved through the Holy Ghooste
and borne was of Marye.
'passus sub Pontio Pilato, crusifixus, mortuus et sepultus.'
that under Pilate suifred hee,
scourged and nayled one roode-tree;
and buryed was his fayre bodye.
'Descendit ad inferna; tertia die resurrexit a mortuis,'
that hee ghoostly went to hell,
delyvered his that there did dwell,
and rose the third daye.
'ascendit ad caelos, sedet ad dexteram Dei Patris omnipotentis,'
that he stayed up to heaven-blysse
and on his Fathers right hand ys,
to raygne for ever and aye.
'inde venturus est judicare vivos et mortuos'
that hee will come at the laste
and deeme mankynd as he hath caste,
both the quycke and the dead.
'Credo m Spintum Sanctum,'
in vertue of the Holye Ghooste;
and through his helpe, without boste,
my lyffe I thinke to lead.
'sanctam ecclesiam cathohcam, sanctorum communionem,'
such beleeffe as Holy Church hasse —
that Godes bodye granted us was
to use in forme of bread.
'remissionem peccatorum,'
of synne to have remission
through Christes blood and Passion,
and heaven when I am dead.
'carnis resurrectionem,'
in the generall resurrection
of ych bodye, when Christe ys [bowne]
to deeme both good and evell.
'et vitam aeternam.'
everlastinge life, after my daye,
in heaven for to have ever and aye,
and so overcome the devyll.
Nowe, brethren, I read all wee
goe ychone to dyvers cuntree
and preach to shire and to cyttee
the fayth, as Christe us beede.
Yee, leefe brother, kysse nowe wee
yche one another before wee dye,
for Godes will must fullfilled bee,
and that ys nowe great neede.
Tunc venient duo alienigene, quorum dicat
A, fellowe, fellowe, for Godes pittie,
are not theise men of Gallilee?
Our language the can as well as wee,
as ever eate I bread!
Well I wotte, by my lewtee,
that within theise dayes three
one of them could not speake with mee
for to have binne dead.
Of all languages that binne hereby
that come to Mesopotamye,
Capadocie and Jurye,
the jangle without weene —
of the lie of Pontus, and Asye,
Fryzeland and Pamphilye,
Egipt, right into Lybie
that ys byesyde Syrene.
Yea, also men of Arabye
and of Greece that ys thereby
herden them prayse full tenderlye
God of his great grace;
and we herden them, witterlye,
prayse God faste, both thou and I.
Fellowe, goe we therfore and espye
howe goes this wondrous case.
Finis
2024 Mar 19 14:56:38