The Trial of Mary and Joseph

Den
Avoyd, serys, and lete my lorde þe buschop come
And syt in þe courte, þe lawes for to doo.
And I xal gon in þis place, them for to somowne,
Tho þat ben in my book — þe court 3e must com too!
I warnd 3ow here all abowte
þat I somown 3ow, all þe rowte!
Loke 3e fayl for no dowte
At þe court to pere.
Both Johan Jurdon and Geffrey Gyle,
Malkyn Mylkedoke and fayr Mabyle,
Stevyn Sturdy and Jak-at-þe-Style,
And Sawdyr Sadelere.
Thom Tynkere and Betrys Belle,
Peyrs Pottere and Whatt-at-þe-Welle,
Symme Srnalfeyth and Kate Kelle,
And Bertylmew þe bochere.
Kytt Cakelere and Colett Crane,
Gylle Fetyse and fayr Jane,
Powle Pewterere and Pernel Prane,
And Phelypp þe good flecchere.
Cok Crane and Davy Drydust,
Luce Lyere and Letyce Lytyltrust,
Miles þe myllere and Colle Crakecrust,
Bothe Bette þe bakere and Robyn Rede.
And loke 3e rynge wele in 3oure purs,
For ellys 3oure cawse may spede þe wurs,
þow þat 3e slynge Goddys curs
Evyn at myn hede!
Fast com away,
Bothe Boutyng þe browstere and Sybyly Slynge,
Megge Merywedyr and Sabyn Sprynge,
Tyffany Twynkelere, fayle for nothynge,
The courte xal be þis day!

Hic intrabit page [n] turn do Purgacione Marie et Joseph. Hic dicit Prirnus Detractor:


[Primus Detractor]
A, a, serys, God saue 3ow all!
Here is a fayr pepyl, in good fay.
Good serys, telle me what men me calle;
I trowe 3e kannot be þis day.
3itt I walke wyde and many Way,
But 3et fer I come I do no good:
To reyse slaw[n]dyr is al my lay.
Bakbytere is my brother of blood.
Dede he ought come hedyr in al þis day?
Now wolde God þat he wore here.
And be my trewth I dare wel say
þat yf we tweyn togedyr apere,
More slawndyr we to xal arere
Within an howre thorweouth this town
Than evyr þer was þis thowsand 3ere,
And ellys I shrewe 3ow bothe vp and down!
Now be my trewth I haue a syght
Euyn of my brother, lo! where he is.
Welcom, dere brother, my trowth I plyght!
3owre jentyl mowth let me now kys.
Secundus Detractor
Gramercy, brother, so haue I blys!
I am ful glad we met þis day.
Primus Detractor
Ryght so am I, brothyr, iwys,
Mech gladdere than I kan say.
But 3itt, good brother, I 3ow pray,
Telle all þese pepyl what is 3oure name;
For yf þei knew it, my lyf I lay,
They wole 3ow wurchep and speke gret fame.
Secundus Detractor
I am Bakbytere, þat spyllyth all game,
Bothe kyd and knowyn in many a place!
Primus Detractor
Be my trowth, I seyd þe same,
And 3et sum seyden þu xulde haue evyl grace.
Secundus Detract[or]
Herk, Reysesclaundyr, canst þu owth telle
Of any newe thynge þat wrought was late?
Primus Detract[or]
Within a shorte whyle a thynge befelle,
I trowe þu wylt lawh3 ryght wel þerate;
For, be trowth, ryght mekyl hate,
If it be wyst, þerof wyl growe.
Secundus Detractor
If I may reyse þerwith debate,
I xal not spare þe seyd to sowe.
Primus Detractor
Syr, in þe tempyl a mayd þer was
Calde Mayd Mary, þe trewth to tell.
Sche semyd so holy withinne þat plas,
Men seyd sche was fedde with holy aungell.
Sche made a vow with man nevyr to melle,
But to leve chast and clene virgine.
Howevyr it be, here wombe doth swelle
And is as gret as þinne or myne!
Secundus Detractor
3a, þat old shrewe Joseph, my trowth I plyght,
Was so anameryd upon þat mayd
þat of hyre bewté whan he had syght,
He sesyd nat tyll [he] had here asayd!
Primus Detractor
A, nay, nay, wel wers she hath hym payd:
Sum fresch 3onge galaunt she lovyth wel more
þat his leggys to here hath leyd!
And þat doth greve þe old man sore.
Secundus Detractor
Be my trewth, al may wel be,
For fresch and fayr she is to syght.
And such a mursel, as semyth me,
Wolde cause a 3onge man to haue delyght.
Primus Detractor
Such a 3onge damesel of bewté bryght,
And of schap so comely also,
Of hire tayle ofte-tyme be lyght
And rygh tekyl vndyr þe too.
Secundus Detractor
That olde cokolde was evyl begylyd
To þat fresche wench whan he was wedde.
Now muste he faderyn anothyr mannys chylde,
And with his swynke he xal be fedde.
Primus Detractor
A 3onge man may do more chere in bedde
To a 3onge wench þan may an olde.
þat is þe cawse such lawe is ledde,
þat many a man is a kokewolde.

Hic sedet Episcopus Abizachar inter duos legis doctores et, audientes hanc defam[a]cionem, vocat ad se detractores dicens:


Episcopus
Herke, 3e felawys, why speke 3e such schame
Of þat good virgyn, fayr Mayd Mary?
3e be acursyd so hire for to defame,
She þat is of lyff so good and holy.
Of hire to speke suche velany
3e make myn hert ful hevy of mood.
I charge 3ow sese of 3oure fals cry,
For sche is sybbe of myn owyn blood.
Secundus Detractor
Syb of þi kyn þow þat she be,
All gret with chylde hire wombe doth swelle!
Do calle here hedyr, þiself xal se
þat it is trewthe þat I þe telle.
Primus Detractor
Sere, for 3oure sake I xal kepe cowncelle;
3ow for to greve I am ryght loth.
But lest, serys, lyst what seyth þe belle:
Oure fayr mayd now gret with childe goth!
Primus Doctor
Take good heed, serys, what 3e doth say,
Avyse 3ow wele what 3e present.
3yf þis be fownd fals anothyr day,
Ful sore 3e xal 3oure tale repent!
Secundus Detractor
Sere, þe mayd forsothe is good and gent,
Bothe comely and gay and a fayr wench;
And feetly with help sche can consent
To set a cokewolde on þe hye benche!
Secundus Doctor
3e be to besy of 3oure langage!
I hope to God 3ow fals to preve.
Legis
It were gret rewthe she xulde so outrage,
Or with such synne to myscheve.
Episcopus
This evy talys my hert doth greve,
Of hire to here such fowle dalyawnce.
If she be fowndyn in suche repreve,
She xal sore rewe here governawns!
Sym Somnore, in hast wend þu þi way;
Byd Joseph and his wyff be name
At þe coorte to appere þis day,
Here hem to pourge of here defame.
Sey þat I here of hem grett schame
And þat doth me gret hevynes.
If þei be clene withowtyn blame,
Byd hem come hedyr and shew wyttnes.
Den
All redy, sere, I xal hem calle
Here at 3oure courte for to appere.
And yf I may hem mete withall,
I hope ryght sone þei xal ben here.
Awey, serys, lete me com nere!
A man of wurchep here comyth to place.
Of curtesy, mesemyth, 3e be to lere;
Do of 3oure hodys, with an evyl grace.
Do me sum wurchep befor my face,
Or be my trowth I xal 3ow make!
If þat I rolle 3ow up in my race,
For fere I xal do 3oure ars qwake!
But 3it sum mede and 3e me take,
I wyl withdrawe my gret rough toth.
Gold or sylvyr I wyl not forsake,
But [do] evyn as all somnorys doth.
A, Joseph, good day, with þi fayr spowse!
My lorde þe buschop hath for 3ow sent.
It is hym tolde þat in þin house
A cockoldeis bowe is ech nyght bent.
He þat shett þe bolt is lyke to be schent.
Fayre mayde, þat tale 3e kan best telle.
Now be 3oure trowth, telle 3oure entent:
Dede not þe archere plese 3ow ryght well?
Maria
Of God in hevyn I take wyttnes,
þat synful werk was nevyr my thought.
I am a mayd 3it of pure clennes,
Lyke as I was into þis werd brought.
Den
Othyr wyttnes xal non be sought.
þu art with childe cche man may se.
I charge 3ow bothe 3e tary nought,
But to þe buschop com forth with me.
Joseph
To þe buschop with 3ow we wende —
Of oure purgacyon hawe we no dowth.
Maria
Almyghty God xal be oure frende
Whan þe trewthe is tryed owth.
Den
3a, on þis wyse excusyth here every scowte
Whan here owyn synne hem doth defame!
But lowly þan þei gyn to lowth
Whan þei be gylty and fowndyn in blame.
Therfore, com forth, Cokewolde be name!
þe busschop xal 3oure lyff appose.
Com forth also, 3e goodly dame,
A clene huswyff, as I suppose!
I xal 3ow tellyn withowtyn glose,
And 3e were myn, withowtyn lak,
I wolde ech day beschrewe 3oure nose
And 3e dede brynge me such a pak!
My lord þe buschop, here haue I brought
þis goodly copyl at 3oure byddyng;
And as mesemyth as be here fraught,
’Fayr chylde, lullay’ sone must she syng.
Primus Detractor
To here a credyl and 3e wolde brynge,
3e myght saue mony in here purse.
Becawse she is 3oure cosyn 3ynge,
I pray 3ow, sere, lete here nevyr fare þe wers.
Episcopus
Alas, Mary, what hast þu wrought?
I am aschamyd evyn for þi sake.
How hast þu chaungyd þin holy thought?
Dude old Joseph with strenght þe take?
Or hast þu chosyn another make
By whom þu art þus brought in schame?
Telle me who hath wrought þis wrake.
How has þu lost þin holy name?
Maria
My name, I hope, is saff and sownde.
God to wyttnes, I am a mayd.
Of fleschby lust and gostly wownde
In dede nere thought I nevyr asayd.
Primus Doctor
How xulde þi wombe þus be arayd,
So grettly swollyn as þat it is?
Legis
But if sum man þe had ovyrlayd,
þi wombe xulde never be so gret, iwys!
Secundus Doctor
Herke þu, Joseph, I am afrayd
þat þu hast wrought þis opyn synne.
þis woman þu hast þus betrayd
With gret flaterynge or sum fals gynne.
Secundus Detractor
Now, be myn trowth, 3e hytte þe pynne!
With þat purpose, in feyth, I holde.
Telle now how þu þus hire dudyst wynne,
Ore knowlych þiself for a cockewold.
Joseph
Sche is for me a trewe clene mayde,
And I for hire am clene also.
Of fleschly synne I nevyr asayde
Sythyn þat sch[e] was weddyd me to.
Episcopus
Thu xalt not schape from vs 3itt so;
Fyrst þu xalte tellyn us another lay.
Streyt to þe awter þu xalt go,
þe drynge of vengeawns fer to asay.
Here is þe botel of Goddys vengeauns.
This drynk xal be now þi purgacyon.
þis [hath] suche vertu by Goddys ordenauns
þat what man drynk of þis potacyon
And goth serteyn in processyon
Here in þis place þis awtere abowth,
If he be gylty, sum maculacion
Pleyn in his face xal shewe it owth.
Iff þu be gylty, telle us, lete se.
Ouyr Godys myght be not to bolde!
If þu presume and gylty be,
God þu dost greve many a folde.
Joseph
I am not gylty, as I fyrst tolde,
Allmyghty God I take wytnes.
Episcopus
Than þis drynke in hast þu holde,
And on processyon anon þe dresse.

Hic Joseph bibit et sepcies circuiuit altare dicens:


Joseph
This drynk I take with meke entent.
As I am gyltles, to God I pray:
Lord, as þu art omnypotente,
On me þu shewe þe trowth þis day.

Modo bibit


About þis awtere I take þe Way,
O gracyous God, help þi servaunt!
As I am gyltles a3en 3on may,
þin hand of mercy þis tyme me graunt.
Den
This olde shrewe may not wele gon!
Longe he taryeth to go abowth.
Lyfte up þi feet, sett forth þi ton,
Or be my trowth þu getyst a clowte!
Secundus Detractor
Now, sere, evyl thedom com to þi snowte!
What heylyght þi leggys now to be lame?
þu dedyst hem put ryght freschly owte
Whan þu dedyst pley with 3on 3onge dame!
Primus Detractor
I pray to God gyf hym myschawns!
Hese leggys here do folde for age.
But with þis damysel whan he dede dawns,
þe olde charle had ryght gret corage!
Den
The shrewe was þan sett in a dotage
And had good lust þat tyme to pleyn.
3aff sche not 3ow cawdel to potage
Whan 3e had don, to comforte 3oure brayn?
Joseph
A, gracyous God, help me þis tyde
Ageyn þis pepyl þat me doth fame.
As I nevyrmore dede towch here syde,
þis day help me fro werdly scharne.
Abowte þis awtere to kepe my fame,
Vij tymes I haue gon round abowte.
If I be wurthy to suffyr blame,
O ryghtful God, my synne shewe owughte.
Episcopus
Joseph, with hert thank God þi Lorde
Whos hey3 mercy doth the excuse.
For þi purgacyon we xal recorde
With hyre of synne þu dedyst nevyr muse.
But, Mary, þiself mayst not refuse:
All grett with chylde we se þe stonde.
What mystyr man dede be mysvse?
Why hast þu synnyd ageyn þin husbonde?
Maria
I trespacyd nevyr with erthely wyght.
þerof I hope þurowe Goddys sonde
Here to be purgyd before 3oure syght
From all synne clene, lyke as myn husbonde.
Take me þe botel out of 3oure honde,
Here xal I drynke beforn 3oure face.
Abowth þis awtere than xal I fonde
Vij tyrnes to go, by Godys grace.
Primus Doctor
Se, þis bolde bysmare wolde presume
Ageyn God to preve his myght!
þow Goddys vengeauns hyre xuld consume,
Sche wyl not telle hyre fals delyght.
þu art with chylde we se in syght;
To us þi wombe þe doth accuse!
þer was nevyr woman 3itt in such plyght
þat from mankynde hyre kowde excuse.
Primus Detractor
In feyth, I suppose þat þis woman slepte
Withowtyn all coverte whyll þat it dede snowe;
And a flake þerof into hyre mowthe crepte,
And þerof þe chylde in hyre wombe doth growe.
Secundus Detractor
Than beware, dame, for this is wel iknowe:
Whan it is born, yf þat þe sunne shyne,
It wyl turne to watyr ageyn, as I trowe;
For snow onto watyr doth evyrmore reclyne.
Secundus Doctor
With Goddys hy3 myght loke þu not jape!
Of þi purgacyon wel þe avyse.
Yf þu be gylty þu mayst not schape;
Beware evyr of God, þat ryghtful justyce!
If God with vengeauns set on þe his syse,
Not only þu but all þi kyn is schamyd.
Bettyr it is to telle þe trewth, devyse,
Than God for to greve and of hym be gramyd.
I trostyn in his grace, I xal hym nevyr greve;
His servaunt I am in worde, dede, and thought.
A mayd vndefyled I hope he xal me preve.
I pray 3ow, lett me nought.
Episcopus
Now, be þat good Lord þat all þis werd hath wrought,
If God on þe shewe ony manyr tokyn,
Purgacyon, I trowe, was nevyr so dere bowth,
If I may on the in any wyse be wrokyn.
Holde here þe botel and take a large draught,
And abowth the awtere go þi processyon.
Marya
To God in þis case my cawse I haue betaught;
Lord, thorwe þin helpe I drynke of þis potacyon.

Hic Beata Uirgo bibit de potacione et postea circuiuit altare dicens:


Maria
God, as I nevyr knew of mannys maculacion,
But evyr haue lyued in trew virginité,
Send me þis day þi holy consolacyon
þat all þis fayr peple my clennes may se.
O, gracyous God, as þu hast chose me
For to be þi modyr, of me to be born,
Saue þi tabernacle, þat clene is kepte for þe,
Which now am put at repref and skorn.
Gabryel me tolde with wordys he[re] beforn
þat 3e of 3oure goodnes wold become my chylde.
Help now of 3oure hy3ness my wurchep be not lorn;
A, dere son, I pray 3ow, help 3oure modyr mylde.
Episcopus
Almyghty God, what may þis mene?
For all þe drynke of Goddys potacyon,
þis woman with chylde is fayr and clene,
Withowtyn fowle spotte or maculacion!
I cannat, be non ymagynacyon,
Preve hyre gylty and synful of lyff.
It shewyth opynly by here purgacyon
Sche is clene mayde, bothe modyr and wyff!
Primus Detracto[r]be
my fadyr sowle, here is gret gyle!
Because sche is syb of 3oure kynreed,
þe drynk is chaungyd by sum fals wyle
þat sche no shame xulde haue þis steed!
Episcopus
Becawse þu dernyst þat we do falshede,
And for þu dedyst hem fyrst defame,
þu xalt ryght here, magré þin heed,
Beforn all þis pepyl drynk of þe same.
Primus Detractor
Syr, in good feyth oo draught I pulle,
If these to drynkerys haue not all spent.

Hic bibit, et scenciens dolorem in capite cadit, et dicit:


Out, out! Alas, what heylith my soulle?
A, myn heed with fyre methynkyht is brent!
Mercy, good Mary, I do me repent
Of my cursyd and fals langage!
Maria
Now god Lord in hevyn omnypotent,
Of his grett mercy 3oure seknes aswage.
Episcopus
We all on knes fall here on grownd,
þu, Goddys handemayd, prayng for grace.
All cursyd langage and schame onsownd,
Good Mary, for3eve us here in þis place.
Maria
Now God for3eve 3ow all 3owre trespace,
And also for3eve 3ow all defamacyon
þat 3e haue sayd, both more and lesse,
To myn hynderawnce and maculacion.
Episcopus
Now, blyssyd virgyne, we thank 3ow alle
Of 3oure good hert and gret pacyens.
We wyl go with 3ow hom to 3oure halle
To do 3ow servys with hy3 reverens.
Maria
I thank 3ow hertyly of 3oure benevolens.
Onto 3oure owyn hous I pray 3ow 3e goo,
And take þis pepyl hom with 3ow hens;
I am not dysposyd to passyn hens froo.
Episcopus
Than farewel, mayden and pure virgyne,
Farewel, trewe handmayd of God in blys!
We all to 3ow lowly inclyne
And take oure leve of 3ow as wurthy is.
Maria
Allmyghty God 3oure weys wysse,
For þat hy3 Lord is most of myght.
He mote 3ow spede þat 3e not mys
In hevyn of hym to haue a syght.
Joseph
Honouryd in hevyn be þat hy3 Lorde
Whos endles grace is so habundaunt
þat he doth shewe þe trewe recorde
Of iche wyhgt þat is his trewe servaunt.
That Lord to wurchepe with hert plesaunt
We bothe be bownd ryght on þis place,
Which oure purgacyon us dyde graunt
And prevyd us pure by hie3 grace.
Maria
Forsothe, good spowse, I thank hym hy3ly
Of his good grace for oure purgacyon.
Oure clennesse is knowyn ful opynly
Be vertu of his grett consolacyon.


2024 Mar 19  14:56:36