Pharaoh

Pharao
Peas, of payn that no man pas;1
bot kepe the course that I commaunde,2
And take good hede of hym that has3
youre helth all holy in hys hande;4
ffor kyng pharro my fader Was,5
And led thys lordshyp of thys land;6
I am hys hayre as age Wyll has,7
Euer in stede to styr or stand.8
All Egypt is myne awne9
To leede aftyr my law;10
I Wold my myght Were knawne11
And honoryd, as hyt awe.12
ffull low he shall be thrawne13
That harkyns not my sawe,14
hanged hy and drawne,15
Therfor no boste ye blaw;16
Bot as for kyng I commaund peasse,17
To all the people of thys empyre.18
looke no man put hym self in preaase,19
Bot that Wyll do as I desyre,20
And of youre Wordis look that ye seasse.21
Take tent to me, youre soferand syre,22
That may youre comfort most increasse,23
And to my lyst bowe lyfe and lyre.24
Primus Miles
My lord, if any here Were,25
That Wold not wyrk youre Wyll,26
If We myght com thaym nere,27
ffull soyn we shuld theym spyll.28
Pharao
Thrugh out my kyngdom Wold I ken,29
And kun hym thank that Wold me tell,30
If any Were so Waryd men31
That wold my fors downe fell.32
Secundus Miles
My lord, ye haue a maner of men33
that make great mastres vs emell;34
The Iues that Won in gersen,35
thay ar callyd chyldyr of Israel.36
Thay multyplye full fast,37
and sothly We suppose38
That shall euer last,39
oure lordshyp for to lose.40
Pharao
Why, how haue thay sych gawdis begun?41
ar thay of myght to make sych frayes?42
Primus Miles
Yei, lord, full fell folk ther Was fun43
In kyng pharao, youre fader dayes.44
Thay cam of Ioseph, Was iacob son-45
he Was a prince Worthy to prayse-46
In sythen in ryst haue thay ay ron;47
thus ar thay lyke to lose youre layse,48
Thay Wyll confound you cleyn,49
bot if thay soner sesse.50
Pharao
What deuyll is that thay meyn51
that thay so fast incresse?52
Secundus Miles
How thay incres full well we ken,53
as oure faders dyd vnderstand;54
Thay Were bot sexty and ten55
when thay fyrst cam in to thys land;56
Sythen haue soierned in gersen57
[Fower hundreth] Wynter, I dar warand;58
Now ar thay nowmbred of myghty men59
moo then [thre hundreth] thousand,60
Wyth outen Wyfe and chyld,61
or hyrdis that kepe thare fee.62
Pharao
How thus myght we be begyld?63
bot shall it not be;64
ffor wyth quantyse we shall thaym quell,65
so that thay shall not far sprede.66
Primus Miles
My lord, we haue hard oure faders tell,67
and clerkis that well couth rede,68
Ther shuld a man walk vs amell69
that shuld fordo vs and oure dede.70
Pharao
ffy on hym, to the deuyll of hell!71
sych destyny wyll we not drede;72
We shal make mydwyfis to spyll them73
where any ebrew is borne,74
And all menkynde to kyll them,75
so shall thay soyn be lorne.76
And as for elder haue I none awe,77
sych bondage shall I to thaym beyde,78
To dyke and delf, bere and draw,79
and to do all vnhonest deyde;80
So shall these laddis be halden law,81
In thraldom euer thare lyfe to leyde.82
Secundus Miles
Now, certis, thys was a sotell saw,83
thus shall these folk no farthere sprede.84
Pharao
Now help to hald theym downe,85
look I no fayntnes fynde.86
Primus Miles
All redy, lord, We shall be bowne,87
in bondage thaym to bynde.88
Moyses
Gret god, that all thys Warld began,89
and growndyd it in good degre,90
Thou mayde me, moyses, vnto man,91
and sythen thou sauyd me from the se;92
kyng Pharao had commawndyd, than,93
ther shuld no man chyld sauyd be;94
Agans hys Wyll away I wan;95
thus has god, shewed hys myght for me.96
Now am I sett to kepe,97
vnder thys montayn syde,98
Byshope Iettyr shepe,99
to better may be tyde;100
A, lord, grete is thy myght!101
What man may of yond meruell meyn?102
Yonder I se a selcowth syght,103
sych on in Warld Was neuer seyn;104
A bush I se burnand full bryght,105
and euer elyke the leyfes are greyn;106
If it be wark of Warldly Wyght,107
I Wyll go wyt wythoutyn Weyn.108
God
Moyses, Moyses!109
Moyses, com not to nere,110
bot styll in that stede thou dwell,111
And harkyn vnto me here;112
take tent What I the tell.113
do of thy shoyes in fere,114
wyth mowth as I the mell,115
the place thou standis in there116
forsothe, is halowd Well.117
I am thy lord, Wythouten lak,118
to lengthe thi lyfe euen as I lyst;119
I am god that som tyme spake120
to thyn elders, as thay Wyst;121
To abraam, and Isaac,122
and iacob, I sayde shuld be blyst,123
And multytude of them to make,124
so that thare seyde shuld not be myst.125
Bot now thys kyng, pharao,126
he hurtys my folk so fast,127
If that I suffre hym so,128
thare seyde shuld, soyne be past;129
Bot I Wyll not so do,130
in me if thay Wyll trast,131
Bondage to bryng thaym fro.132
therfor thou go in hast133
To do my message, haue in mynde,134
to hym that me sych harme mase;135
Thou speke to hym Wyth wordis heynde,136
so that he let my people pas,137
To Wyldernes that thay may Weynde,138
to Worshyp me as I wyll asse.139
Agans my wyll if that thay leynd,140
ful soyn hys song shall be ‘alas.’141
Moyses
A, lord! pardon me, Wyth thy leyf,142
that lynage luffis me noght;143
Gladly thay Wold me greyf,144
if I sych bodworde broght.145
Good lord, lett som othere frast,146
that has more fors the folke to fere.147
God
Moyses, be thou nott abast,148
my bydyng shall thou boldly bere;149
If thay with wrong away Wold Wrast,150
outt of the way I shall the Were.151
Moyses
Good lord, thay Wyll not me trast152
for all the othes that I can swere;153
To neuen sych noytis newe154
to folk of Wykyd Wyll,155
Wyth outen tokyn trew,156
thay wyll not tent ther tyll.157
God
If that he wyll not vnderstand158
thys tokyn trew that I shall sent,159
Afore the kyng cast downe thy Wand,160
and it shall turne to a serpent;161
Then take the tayll agane in hand-162
boldly vp look thou it hent-163
And in the state that thou it fand,164
then shal it turne by myne intent.165
Sythen hald thy hand soyn in thy barme,166
and as a lepre it shal be lyke,167
And hole agane with outen harme;168
lo, my tokyns shal be slyke.169
And if he wyll not suffre then170
my people for to pas in peasse,171
I shall send venyance [neyn] or ten,172
shall sowe full sore or I seasse.173
Bot the ebrewes, won in Iessen,174
shall not be merkyd with that measse;175
As long as thay my lawes Wyll ken176
thare comforth shall euer increasse177
Moyses
A, lord, to luf the aght vs well,178
that makis thy folk thus free;179
I shall vnto thaym tell180
as thou has told to me.181
Bot to the kyng, lord, when I com,182
if he aske what is thy name,183
And I stand styll, both deyf & dom,184
how shuld, I [skape] withoutten blame?185
God
I say the thus, ‘Ego sum qui sum,’186
I am he that is the same;187
If thou can nother muf nor mom,188
I shall sheld, the from shame.189
Moyses
I vnderstand full well thys thyng,190
I go, lord, with all the myght in me.191
God
Be bold in my blyssyng,192
thi socoure shall I be.193
Moyses
A, lord of luf, leyn me thy lare,194
that I may truly talys tell;195
To my freyndis now wyll I fare,196
the chosyn childre of Israell,197
To tell theym comforth of thare care,198
in dawngere ther as thay dwell.199
God manteyn you euermare,200
And mekyll myrth be you emell.201
Primus Puer
A, master moyses, dere!202
oure myrth is all mowrnyng;203
ffull hard halden ar we here204
as carls vnder the kyng.205
Secundus Puer
We may mowrn, both more and myn,206
ther is no man that oure myrth mase;207
Bot syn we ar all of a kyn,208
god send vs comforth in thys case.209
Moyses
Brethere, of youre mowrnyng blyn;210
god Wyll delyuer you thrugh his grace,211
Out of this wo he wyll you wyn,212
and put you to youre pleassyng place;213
ffor I shall carp vnto the kyng,214
and fownd full soyn to make you free.215
Primus Puer
God graunt you good Weyndyng,216
and euermore with you be.217
Moyses
kyng pharao, to me take tent.218
Pharao
Why, boy, what tythyngis can thou tell?219
Moyses
ffrom god hym self hydder am I sent220
to foche the chyldre of Israell;221
To Wyldernes he wold thay went.222
Pharao
yei, weynd the to the devyll of hell!223
I gyf no force What he has ment,224
In my dangere, herst thou, shall thay dwell;225
And, fature, for thy sake,226
thay shalbe put to pyne.227
Moyses
Then wyll god venyance take228
of the, and of all thyn.229
Pharao
On me? fy on the lad, out of my land!230
wenys thou thus to loyse oure lay?231
Say, whence is yond warlow with his wand232
that thus wold wyle oure folk away?233
Primus Miles
Yond is moyses, I dar warand,234
agans all egypt has beyn ay,235
Greatt defawte with hym youre fader fand;236
now wyll he mar you if he may.237
Pharao
ffy on hym! nay, nay, that dawnce is done;238
lurdan, thou leryd to late.239
Moyses
God bydis the graunt my bone,240
and let me go my gate.241
Pharao
Bydis god me? fals losell, thou lyse!242
What tokyn told he? take thou tent.243
Moyses
He sayd thou shuld dyspyse244
both me, and hys commaundement;245
fforthy, apon thys wyse,246
my Wand he bad, in thi present,247
I shuld lay downe, and the avyse248
how it shuld turne to oone serpent;249
And in hys holy name250
here I lay it downe;251
lo, syr, here may thou se the same.252
Pharao
A, ha, dog! the devyll the drowne!253
Moyses
He bad me take it by the tayll,254
for to prefe hys powere playn;255
Then he sayde, wythouten fayll,256
hyt shuld turne to a wand agayn.257
lo, sir, behold!258
Pharao
wyth ylahayll!259
Certis this is a sotell swayn!259
bot thyse boyes shall abyde in bayll,260
All thi gawdis shall thaym not gayn;261
Bot wars, both morn and none,262
shall thay fare, for thi sake.263
Moyses
I pray god send us venyange sone,264
and on thi Warkis take wrake.265
Primus Miles
Alas, alas! this land is lorn!266
on lyfe we may [no] longer leynd;267
Sych myschefe is fallen syn morn,268
ther may no medsyn it amend.269
Pharao
Why cry ye so, laddis? lyst ye skorn?270
Secundus Miles
Syr kyng, sych care was neuer kend,271
In no mans tyme that euer was borne.272
Pharao
Tell on, belyfe, and make an end.273
Primus Miles
Syr, the Waters that were ordand274
for men and bestis foyde,275
Thrugh outt all egypt land,276
ar turnyd into reede bloyde;277
ffull vgly and full yll is hytt,278
that both fresh and, fayre was before.279
Pharao
O, ho! this is a wonderfull thyng to wytt,280
of all the warkis that euer wore!281
Secundus Miles
Nay, lord, ther is anothere yit,282
that sodanly sowys vs full sore;283
ffor todis and froskis may no man flyt,284
thay venom vs so, both les and more.285
Primus Miles
Greatte mystis, sir, ther is both morn and noyn,286
byte vs full bytterly;287
we trow that it be doyn288
thrugh moyses, oure greatte enmy.289
Secundus Miles
My lord, bot if this menye may remefe,290
Mon neuer myrth be vs amang.291
Pharao
Go, say to hym we wyll not grefe,292
bot thay shall neuer the tytter gang.293
Primus Miles
Moyses, my lord gyffys leyfe294
to leyd thi folk to lykyng lang,295
So that we mend of oure myschefe.296
Moyses
ffull well I wote, thyse wordis ar wrang;297
But hardely all that I heytt298
ffull sodanly it shall be seyn;299
vncowth meruels shalbe meyt300
And he of malyce meyn.301
Secundus Miles
A, lord, alas, for doyll we dy!302
we dar look oute at no dowre.303
Pharao
What, ragyd the dwyll of hell, alys you so to cry?304
Primus Miles
ffor we fare wars then euer we fowre;305
grete loppys ouer all this land thay fly,306
And where thay byte thay make grete blowre,307
and in euery place oure bestis dede ly.308
Secundus Miles
hors, ox, and asse,309
thay fall downe dede, syr, sodanly.310
Pharao
we! lo, ther is no man that has311
half as mych harme as I.312
Primus Miles
yis, sir, poore folk haue mekyll wo,313
to se thare catall thus out cast.314
The Iues in gessen fayre not so,315
thay haue lykyng for to last.316
Pharao
Then shall we gyf theym leyf to go,317
to tyme this perell be on past;318
Bot, or thay flytt oght far vs fro,319
we shall them bond twyse as fast.320
Secundus Miles
Moyses, my lord gyffis leyf321
thi meneye to remeue.322
Moyses
ye mon hafe more myschefe323
bot if thyse talys be trew.324
Primus Miles
A, lord, we may not leyde thyse lyfys.325
Pharao
what, dwyll! is grevance grofen agayn?326
Secundus Miles
ye, sir, sich powder apon vs dryfys,327
where it abidys it makys a blayn;328
Mesell makys it man and wyfe,329
thus ar we hurt with hayll & rayn.330
Syr, v[y]nys in montanse may not thryfe,331
so has frost & thoner thaym slayn.332
Pharao
yei, bot how do thay in gessen,333
the Iues, can ye me say?334
Primus Miles
Of all thyse cares no thyng thay ken,335
thay feyll noght of our afray.336
Pharao
No? the ragyd! the dwyll! sytt thay in peasse?337
and we euery day in doute & drede?338
Secundus Miles
My lord, this care wyll euer encrese,339
to moyses haue his folk to leyd;340
Els be we lorn, it is no lesse,341
yit were it better that thai yede.342
Pharao
Thes folk shall flyt no far,343
If he go welland wode.344
Primus Miles
Then will it sone be war;345
It were better thay yode.346
Secundus Miles
My lord, new harme is comyn in hand.347
Pharao
Yei, d,will, will it no better be?348
Primus Miles
wyld wormes ar layd ouer all this land,349
Thai leyf no floure, nor leyf on tre.350
Secundus Miles
Agans that storme may no man stand;351
And mekyll more meruell thynk me,352
That thise thre dayes has bene durand353
Sich myst, that no man may other se.354
Primus Miles
A, my lord!355
Pharao
hagh!356
Secundus Miles
Grete pestilence is comyn;356
It is like ful long to last.357
Pharao
[pestilence] in the dwilys name!358
then is oure pride ouer past.359
Primus Miles
My lord, this care lastis lang,360
and will, to moyses haue his bone;361
let hym go, els wyrk we wrang,362
It may not help to houer ne hone.363
Pharao
Then will we gif theym leyf to gang;364
Syn it must nedis be doyn;365
Perchauns we sall thaym fang366
and mar them or to morn at none.367
Secundus Miles
Moyses, my lord he says368
thou shall haue passage playn.369
Moyses
Now haue we lefe to pas,370
my freyndis, now be ye fayn;371
Com furth, now sall ye weynd372
to land of lykyng you to pay.373
Primus Puer
Bot kyng Pharao, that fals feynd,374
he will vs eft betray;375
ffull soyn he will shape vs to sheynd,376
And after vs send his garray.377
Moyses
Be not abast, god is oure freynd,378
And all oure foes will slay;379
Therfor com on with me,380
haue done and drede you noght.381
Secundus Puer
That lord blyst might he be,382
that vs from bayll has broght.383
Primus Puer
Sich frenship neuer we fand;384
bot yit I drede for perels all,385
The reede see is here at hand,386
ther shal we byde to we be thrall.387
Moyses
I shall make way ther with my wand,388
as god has sayde, to sayf vs all;389
On ayther syde the see mon stand,390
to we be gone, right as a wall.391
Com on wyth me, leyf none behynde;392
lo fownd, ye now youre god to pleasse,393
Secundus Puer
O, lord,! this way is heynd;394
Now weynd we all at easse.395
Primus Miles
kyng pharao! thyse folk ar gone.396
Pharao
Say, ar ther any noyes new?397
Secundus Miles
Thise Ebrews ar gone, lord, euer-ichon.398
Pharao
how says thou that?399
Primus Miles
lord, that tayll is trew.400
Pharao
We, out tyte, that they were tayn;400
That ryett radly shall thay rew,401
we shall not seasse to thay be slayn,402
ffor to the see we shall thaym sew;403
So charge youre chariottis swythe,404
And fersly look ye folow me.405
Secundus Miles
All redy, lord, we ar full blyth406
At youre byddyng to be.407
Primus Miles
lord, at youre byddyng ar we bowne408
Oure bodys boldly for to beyd;409
we shall not seasse, bot dyng all downe,410
To all be dede withouten drede.411
Pharao
heyf vp youre hertis vnto mahowne,412
he will be nere vs in oure nede;413
help! the raggyd dwyll, we drowne!414
Now mon we dy for all oure dede.415
Moyses
Now ar we won from all oure wo,416
And sauyd out of the see;417
louyng gyf we god vnto,418
Go we to land now merely.419
Primus Puer
lofe we may that lord on hyght,420
And euer tell on this meruell;421
Drownyd he has Kyng pharao myght,422
louyd be that lord Emanuell.423
Moyses
heuen, thou attend, I say, in syght,424
And erth my wordys; here what I tell.425
As rayn or dew on erth doys lyght426
And waters herbys and trees full well,427
Gyf louyng to goddys mageste,428
hys dedys ar done, hys ways ar trew,429
honowred be he in trynyte,430
to hym be honowre and vertew.431
Amen.432


2022 Jan 21  20:05:23