The Offering of the Magi

Herodes
Peasse, I byd, both far and nere,1
I warne you leyf youre sawes sere;2
who that makys noyse whyls I am here,3
I say, shall dy.4
Of all this warld, sooth, far & nere,5
The lord am I.6
Lord am I of euery land,7
Of towre and towne, of se and sand;8
Agans me dar noman stand,9
That berys lyfe;10
All erthly thyng bowes to my hand,11
Both man and wyfe.12
Man and wyfe, that warne I you,13
That in this warld, is lyfand now,14
To mahowne & me all shall bow,15
Both old, and ying;16
On hym wyll I ich man trow,17
ffor any thyng.18
ffor any thyng it shall be so;19
lord ouer all where I go,20
who so says agane, I shall hym slo,21
where so he dwell;22
The feynd, if he were my fo,23
I shuld, hym fell.24
To fell those fatures I am bowne,25
And dystroy those dogys in feyld, and towne26
That will not trow on sant Mahowne,27
Oure god so swete;28
Those fals faturs I shall fell downe29
Vnder my feete.30
Vnder my feete I shall thaym fare,31
Those ladys that will [not] lere my lare,32
ffor I am myghty man ay whare,33
Of ilk a pak;34
Clenly shapen, hyde and hare,35
withoutten lak.36
The myght of me may no man mene,37
ffor all [that] dos me any teyn,38
I shall dyng thaym downe bydeyn,39
And wyrk thaym wo;40
And on assay it shall be seyn,41
Or I go.42
And therfor will I send and se43
In all this land, full hastely,44
To looke if any dwelland be45
In towre or towne,46
That wyll not hold, holly on me,47
And on mahowne.48
If ther be fonden any of tho,49
with bytter payn I shall theym slo;50
My messynger, swyth looke thou go51
Thrugh ilk countre,52
In all this land, both to and fro,53
I commaunde the;54
And truly looke thou spyr and spy,-55
In euery stede ther thou commys by,-56
who trowes not on mahowne most myghty,57
Oure god so fre;58
And looke thou bryng theym hastely59
heder vnto me.60
And I shall fownd, thaym for to flay,61
Those laddys that will not lede oure lay;62
Therfor, boy, now I the pray63
That thou go tytt.64
Nuncius
It shal be done, lord, if I may,65
withoutten lett:66
And certys, if I may any fynde,67
I shall not leyfe oone of them behynde.68
Herodes
No, bot boldly thou thaym bynde69
And with the leyde:70
Mahowne, that weldys water and wynde,71
The wish and spede!72
Nuncius
All peasse, lordyngys, and hold, you styll,73
To I haue sayde what I will;74
Take goode hede Vnto my skyll,75
Both old, and ying;76
In message what is commen you tyll77
ffrom herode, the kyng.78
he commaundys you, euerilkon,79
To hold no kyng bot hym alon,80
And othere god ye worship none81
Bot mahowne so fre;82
And if ye do, ye mon be slone;83
Thus told, he me.84
Primus Rex, Jaspar
Lord, of whom this light is lent,85
And vnto me this sight has sent,86
I pray to the, with good intent,87
ffrom shame me shelde;88
So that I no harmes hent89
By way[e]s wylde.90
Also I pray the specyally,91
Thou graunt me grace of company,92
That I may haue som beyldyng by,93
In my trauayll:94
And, certys, for to lyf or dy95
I shall not fayll,96
To that I in som land haue bene,97
To wyt what this starne may mene,98
That has me led, with bemys shene,99
ffro my cuntre;100
Now weynd I will, withoutten weyn,101
The sothe to se.102
Secundus Rex, Melchior
A! lord, that is withoutten ende!103
whens euer this selcouth light dyscende,104
That thus kyndly has me kende105
Oute of my land,106
And shewyd to me ther I can leynd,107
thus bright shynand?108
Certys, I sagh neuer none so bright;109
I shall neuer ryst by day nor nyght,110
To I wyt whens may com this lyght,111
And from what place;112
he that it send vnto my sight113
leyne me that grace!114
Primus Rex, Jaspar
A, sir, wheder ar ye away?115
Tell me, good sir, I you pray.116
Secundus Rex, Melchior
Certys, I trow, the sothe to say,117
None wote bot I;118
I haue folowed yond, starne, veray,119
ffrom araby;120
ffor I am kyng of that cuntre,121
And melchor ther call men me.122
Primus Rex, Jaspar
And kyng, sir, was I wont to be,123
In tars, at hame,124
Both of towne and cyte;125
Iaspar is my name;126
The light of yond starne sagh I thedyr.127
Secundus Rex, Melchior
That lord be louyd that send me hedyr!128
ffor it will grathly ken vs whedyr,129
that we shall weynd;130
we owe to loue hym both togedyr,131
That it to vs wold send.132
Tercius Rex, Balthesar
A, lord! in land what may this mene?133
So selcouth sight was neuer sene,134
Sich a starne, shynand so shene,135
Sagh I neuer none;136
It gyffys lyght ouer all, bedene,137
By hym alone.138
What it may mene, that know I noght;139
Bot yonder ar two, me thynk, in thoght,140
I thank hym that thaym heder has broght141
Thus vnto me;142
I shall assay if thay wote oght143
what it may be.144
lordyngys, that ar leyf and dere,145
I pray you tell me with good chere146
wheder ye weynd, on this manere,147
And where that ye haue bene;148
And of this starne, that shynys thus clere,149
what it may mene.150
Primus Rex, Jaspar
Syr, I say you certanly,151
ffrom tars for yond starne soght haue I.152
Secundus Rex, Melchior
To seke yond light from araby,153
sir, haue I went.154
Tercius Rex, Balthesar
Now hertely I thank hym for-thy,155
That it has sent.156
Primus Rex, Jaspar
Good sir, what cuntre cam ye fra?157
Tercius Rex, Balthesar
This light has led me fro saba;158
And balthesar, my name to say,159
The sothe to tell.160
Secundus Rex, Melchior
And, kyngis, sir, are we twa,161
Ther as we dwell.162
Tercius Rex
Now, syrs, syn we ar semled here,163
I rede we ryde togeder, in fere,164
vnto we wytt, on all manere,165
ffor good or yll,166
what it may mene, this sterne so clere167
Shynand vs tyll.168
Primus Rex, Jaspar
A, lordyngys! behold, the lyght169
Of yond, starne, with bemys bright!170
ffor sothe I sagh neuer sich a sight171
In no-kyns land;172
A starne thus, aboute mydnyght,173
so bright shynand.174
It gyfys more light it self alone175
Then any son that euer shone,176
Or mone, when he of son has ton177
his light so cleyn;178
Sich selcouth sight haue I sene none,179
what so euer it meyn.180
Secundus Rex, Melchior
Behold, lordyngys, vnto his pase,181
And se how nygh the erth hit gase;182
It is a tokyn that it mase183
Of nouelry;184
A meruell it is, good tent who tase,185
Now here in hy.186
ffor sich a starne was neuer ere seyn,187
As wyde in warld as we haue beyn,188
ffor blasyng bemys, shynand full sheyn,189
ffrom hit ar sent;190
Meruell I haue what it may meyn191
In myn intent.192
Tercius Rex, Balthesar
Certys, syrs, the sothe to say,193
I shall dyscry now, if I may,194
what it may meyn, yond starne veray,195
Shynand tyll vs;196
It has bene sayde syn many a day197
It shuld, be thus.198
yond starne betokyns, well wote I,199
The byrth of a prynce, syrs, securly,200
That shewys well the prophecy201
That it so be;202
Or els the rewlys of astronomy203
Dyssauys me.204
Primus Rex, Jaspar
Certan, balaam spekys of this thyng,205
That of Iacob a starne shall spryng206
That shall ouercom kasar and kyng,207
Withoutten stryfe;208
All folk shalbe to hym obeyng209
That berys the lyfe.210
Now wote I well this is the same,211
In euery place he shall haue hame,212
All shall hym bowe that berys name,213
In ilk cuntre;214
who trowys it not, thay ar to blame,215
what so thay be.216
Secundus Rex, Melchior
Certys, lordyngys, full well wote I,217
ffulfyllyd, is now the prophecy;218
That prynce that shall ouer com in hy219
kasar and kyng,220
This starne berith witnes, wytterly,221
Of his beryng.222
Tercius Rex, Balthesar
Now is fulfyllyd here in this land223
That balaam sayd, I vnderstand;224
Now is he borne that se and sand225
Shall weyld, at wyll:226
That shewys this starne, so bright shynand,227
vs thre vntyll.228
Primus Rex, Jaspar
Lordyngys, I rede we weynd all thre229
ffor to wyrship that chyld, so fre,230
In tokyn that he kyng shalbe231
Of alkyn thyng;232
This gold now wyll I bere with me,233
To myn offeryng.234
Secundus Rex, Melchior
Go we fast, syrs, I you pray,235
To worship hym if that we may;236
I bryng rekyls, the sothe to say,237
here in myn hende,238
In tokyn that he [is] god veray,239
Withoutten ende.240
Tercius Rex, Balthesar
Syrs, as ye say right so I red;241
hast we tytt vnto that sted242
To wirship hym, as for oure hed,243
with oure offeryng;244
In tokyn that he shalbe ded,245
This Myrr I bryng.246
Primus Rex, Jaspar
where is that kyng of Iues land,247
That shalbe lord, of se and sand,248
And folk shall bow vnto his hand249
Both more and myn?250
To wyrship hym with oure offerand251
we wyll not blyn.252
Secundus Rex, Melchior
we shall not rest, euen nor morne,253
vnto we com ther he is borne.254
Tercius Rex, Balthesar
ffolowe this light, els be we lorne,255
ffor sothe, I trowe,256
That frely to we com beforne;257
Syrs, go we now.258
Nuncius
Mahowne, that is of greatt pausty,259
My lord, sir herode, the saue and se!260
Herodes
where has thou bene so long fro me,261
Vyle stynkand lad?262
Nuncius
Lord, gone youre herand, in this cuntre,263
As ye me bad.264
Herodes
Thou lyys, lurdan, the dewill the hang!265
why has thou dwelt away so lang?266
Nuncius
lord, ye wyte me all with wrang.267
Herodes
what tythyngys? say!268
Nuncius
Som good, som yll, mengyd emang.269
Herodes
how? I the pray.270
Do tell me fast how thou has farne;271
Thy waryson shall thou not tharne.272
Nuncius
As I cam walkand, I you warne,273
Lord, by the way,274
I met thre kyngis sekeand a barne,275
Thus can thay say.276
Herodes
To seke a barne! for what thyng?277
Told, thay any new tythyng?278
Nuncius
yey, lord,! thay sayd, he shuld, be kyng279
Of towne and towre;280
ffor thy thay went, with thare offeryng,281
hym to honoure.282
Herodes
Kyng! the dewill! bot of what empyre?283
Of what land shuld, that lad, be syre?284
Nay, I shall with that trature tyre;285
Sore shall he rewe!286
Nuncius
lord, by a starne as bright as fyre287
This kyng thay knew;288
It led thaym outt of thare cuntre.289
Herodes
we, fy! fy! dewyls on thame all thre!290
he shall neuer haue myght to me,291
That new borne lad;292
when thare wytt in a starne shuld, be,293
I hold, thaym mad.294
Those lurdans wote not what thay say;295
Thay ryfe my hede, that dar I lay;296
Ther dyd no tythyngis many a day,297
Sich harme me to;298
ffor wo my wytt is all away;299
what shall I do?300
why, what the dewyll is in thare harnes?301
Is thare wytt all in the starnes?302
These tythyngis mar my mode in ernes;303
And of this thyng304
To wytt the sothe, full sore me yarnes,305
Of this new kyng.306
Kyng? what the dewyll, other then I!307
we, fy on dewyls! fy, fy!308
Certys, that boy shall dere aby!309
his ded is dight!310
Shall he be kyng thus hastely?311
who the dewill made hym knyght?312
Alas, for shame! this is a skorne!313
Thay fynde no reson thaym beforne;314
Shuld, that brodell, that late is borne,315
Be most of mayn?316
Nay, if the dewyll of hell had sworne,317
he shall agane.318
Alas, alas! for doyll and, care!319
So mekyll sorow had I neuer are;320
If it be sothe, for euer mare321
I am vndoyn;322
At good clerkys and wyse of lare323
I wyll wyt soyn.324
Bot fyrst yit will I send, and se325
The answere of those lurdans thre.326
Messyngere, tytt hy thou the,327
And make the yare;328
Go, byd those kyngys com speke with me,329
That told, thou of are.330
Say I haue greatt herand thaym tyll.331
Nuncius
It shalbe done, lord, at youre wyll,332
youre byddyng shall I soyn fulfyll333
In ilk cuntre.334
Herodes
Mahowne the shelde from all kyns yll,335
ffor his pauste.336
Nuncius
Mahowne you saue, sir kyngys thre,337
I haue message to you preue‘,338
ffrom herode, kyng of this cuntre,339
That is oure chefe;340
And lo, syrs, if ye trow not me,341
ye rede this brefe.342
Primus Rex, Jaspar
welcom be thou, belamy!343
what is his wyll? tell vs in hy.344
Nuncius
Certys, sir, that wote not I,345
Bot thus he sayde to me,346
That ye shuld, com full hastely347
To hym all thre,348
ffor nede herand, he sayd me so.349
Secundus Rex, Melchior
Messynger, before thou go,350
And tell thi lord we ar all thro351
his wyll to do;352
Both I and my felose two353
Shall com hym to.354
Nuncius
Mahowne you looke, my lord so dere.355
Herodes
welcom be thou, messyngere!356
how has thou farne syn thou was here?357
Thou tell me tytt.358
Nuncius
lord, I haue traueld, far and nere359
withoutten lett,360
And done youre herand, sir, sothely;361
Thre kyngis with me broght haue I,362
ffro saba, tars, and araby,363
Then haue thay soght.364
Herodes
Thi waryson shall thou haue for thy,365
By hym me boght;366
And, certanly, that is good skyll,367
And syrs, ye ar welcom me tyll.368
Tercius Rex, Balthesar
Lord, thi bydyng to fulfyll369
Are we full thro.370
Herodes
A, mekyll thank of youre good wyll371
That ye wyll so.372
ffor, certys, I haue couett greattly373
To speke with you, and here now why:374
Tell me, I pray you specyally,375
ffor any thyng,376
what tokynyng saw ye on the sky377
Of this new kyng?378
Primus Rex, Jaspar
we sagh his starne ryse in the eest,379
That shall be kyng of man and best,380
ffor thy, lord, we haue not cest,381
Syn that we wyst,382
with oure gyftys, riche and, honest,383
To bere that blyst.384
Secundus Rex, Melchior
lord, when that starne rose vs beforne,385
Ther by we knew that chyld, was borne.386
Herodes
Out, alas, I am forlorne387
ffor euer mare!388
I wold, be rent and al to-torne389
ffor doyll and care!390
Alas, alas, I am full wo!391
Syr kyngys, syt downe, & rest you so.392
By scrypture, syrs, what say ye two?393
withoutten lytt;394
what ye can say ther to395
let se now tytt.396
These kyngys do me to vnderstand,397
That borne is newly, in this land,398
A kyng that shall weld, se and sand;399
Thay tell me so;400
And therfor, syrs, I you commaunde401
youre bookys go to,402
And looke grathly, for any thyng,403
If ye fynd oght of sich a kyng.404
Primus Consultus & Doctor
It shall be done at youre bydyng,405
By hym me boght,406
And soyn we shall you tythyngys bryng407
If we fynd, oght.408
Secundus Consultus & Doctor
Soyn shall we wyt, lord, if I may,409
If oght be wretyn in oure lay.410
Herodes
Now, masters, therof I you pray411
On all manere.412
Primus Consultus & Doctor
Com furth, let vs assay413
Oure bookys both in fere.414
Secundus Consultus & Doctor
Certys, sir, lo, here fynd, I415
well wretyn in a prophecy,416
how that profett Isay,417
That neuer begyld,418
Tellys that a madyn of hir body419
Shall bere a chyld.420
Primus Consultus & Doctor
And also, sir, to you I tell421
The meruellest thyng that euer fell,422
Hyr madynhede with hir shall dwell,423
As dyd beforne;424
That child shall hight ‘emanuell’425
when he is borne.426
Secundus Consultus & Doctor
lord, this is sothe, securely,427
wytnes the profett Isay.428
Herodes
Outt, alas! for doyll I dy,429
long or my day!430
Shall he haue more pauste then I?431
A, waloway!432
Alas, alas, I am forlorne!433
I wold, be rent and all to torne;434
Bot looke yit, as ye dyd, beforne,435
ffor luf of me;436
And tell me where that boy is borne;437
Onone lett se.438
Primus Consultus & Doctor
All redy, lord, with mayn & mode.439
Herodes
haue done belyf, or I go wode;440
And, certys, that gadlyng wer as good441
haue greuyd me noght;442
I shall se that brodell bloode,443
By hym that me has boght!444
Secundus Consultus & Doctor
Micheas the prophett, withoutten nay,445
how that he tellys I shall you say;446
In bedlem, land of Iuda,447
As I say you,448
Out of it a duke shall spra;449
Thus fynd we now.450
Primus Consultus & Doctor
Syr, thus we fynd, in prophecy:451
Therfor we say you, securely,452
In bedlem, we say you truly,453
Borne is that kyng.454
Herodes
The dewill hang you high to dry,455
ffor this tythyng!456
And certys ye ly! it may not be!457
Secundus Consultus & Doctor
lord, we wytnes it truly;458
here the sothe youre self may se,459
If ye can rede.460
Herodes
A, waloway! full wo is me!461
The dewill you spede!462
Primus Consultus & Doctor
lord, it is sothe, all that we say,463
We fynde it wretyn in oure lay.464
Herodes
Go hens, harlottys, in twenty dewill way,465
ffast and belyfe!466
Mighty mahowne, as he well may,467
lett you neuer thryfe!468
Alas, wherto were I a crowne?469
Or is cald of greatt renowne?470
I am the fowlest borne downe471
That euer was man;472
And, namely with a fowll swalchon,473
That no good can.474
Alas, that euer I shuld be knyght,475
Or holdyn man of mekyll myght,476
If a lad shuld, reyfe me my right477
All thus me fro;478
Myn dede ere shuld I dyght,479
Or it were so.480
ye nobyll kyngys, harkyns as heynd!481
ye shall haue saue condyth to weynd;482
Bot com agane with me to leynd,483
Syrs, I you pray;484
ye shall me fynd a faythfull freynd,485
If ye do swa.486
If it be sothe, this new tythyng,487
Som worship wold I do that kyng,488
Therfor I pray you that ye bryng489
Me tythyngys soyn.490
Primus Rex, Jaspar
All redy, lord, at youre bydyng491
It shalbe doyn.492
Secundus Rex, Melchior
Alas, in warld, how haue we sped!493
where is the lyght that vs has led?494
Som clowde, for sothe, that starne has cled495
ffrom vs away;496
In strong stowre now ar we sted;497
what may we say?498
Tercius Rex, Balthesar
wo worth herode, that cursyd wyght!499
wo worth that tyrant day and nyght!500
ffor thrugh hym haue we lost that sight,501
And for his gyle,502
That shoyn to vs with bemys bright503
within a whyle.504
Primus Rex, Jaspar
lordyngys, I red, we pray all thre505
To that lord, whose natyuyte506
The starne betokyned that we can se,507
All with his wyll;508
pray we specyally that he509
wold, show it vs vntyll510
Secundus Rex, Melchior
Thou chyld, whose myght no tong may tell,511
As thou art lord of heuen and hell,512
Thy nobyll starne, emanuell,513
Thou send vs yare;514
That we may wytt by fyrth and fell515
how we shall fare.516
Tercius Rex, Balthesar
A, to that chyld be euer honoure,517
That in this tyd has stynt oure stoure,518
And lent vs lyght to oure socoure,519
On this manere;520
we loue the, lord of towne and towre,521
holly in fere.522
we owe to loue hym ouer all thyng,523
That thus has send vs oure askyng;524
Behold, yond starne has made stynyng,525
Syrs, securly;526
Of this chyld, shall we haue knowyng,527
I hope, in hy.528
Secundus Rex, Melchior
lordyngys dere, drede thar vs noght,529
Oure greatt trauell tyll end is broght;530
yond, is the place that we haue soght531
ffrom far cuntre;532
yond is the chyld, that all has wroght,533
Behold, and se!534
Tercius Rex, Balthesar
I red we make offeryng, all thre,535
vnto this chyld, of greatt pauste,536
And worship hym with gyftys fre537
That we haue broght;538
Oure boytt of bayll ay wyll he be,539
well haue we soght.540
Primus Rex, Jaspar
hayll be thou, maker of all kyn thyng!541
That boytt of all oure bayll may bryng!542
In tokyn that thou art oure kyng,543
And shalbe ay,544
Resayf this gold, to myn offeryng,545
prynce, I the pray.546
Secundus Rex, Melchior
hayll, ouercomer of kyng and of knyght!547
That fourmed fysh, and fowyll in flyght!548
ffor thou art godis son most of myght,549
And all weldand,550
I bryng the rekyls, as is right,551
To myn offerand.552
Tercius Rex, Balthesar
hayll, kyng in kyth, cowrand on kne!553
hayll, oone-fold, god, in persons thre!554
In tokyn that thou dede shalbe,555
By kyndly skyll,556
To thy grauyng this myr of me557
Resaue the tyll.558
Mary
Syr kyngys, make comforth you betweyn,559
And meruell not what it may mene;560
This chyld, that on me borne has bene,561
All bayll may blyn;562
I am his moder, and madyn clene563
withoutten syn.564
Therfor, lordyngys, where so ye fare,565
Boldly looke ye tell ay whare566
how I this blyst of bosom bare,567
That best shalbe;568
And madyn cleyn, as I was are,569
Thrugh his pauste.570
And truly, syrs, looke that ye trow571
That othere lord is none at-lowe;572
Both man and beest to hym shall bowe,573
In towne and feyld;574
My blyssyng, syrs, be now with you575
where so ye beyld.576
Primus Rex, Jaspar
A, lordyngys dere! the sothe to say,577
we haue made a good Iornay;578
we loue this lord, that shall last ay579
with outten ende;580
he is oure beyld, both nyght and day,581
where so we weynd.582
Secundus Rex, Melchior
lordyngys, we haue traueld, lang,583
And restyd haue we lytyll emang,584
ffor-thi I red now, or we gang,585
with all oure mayn586
et vs fownde a slepe to fang;587
Then were I fayn;588
ffor in greatt stowres we haue ben sted.589
lo, here a lytter redy cled.590
Tercius Rex, Balthesar
I loue my lord! we haue well sped,591
To rest with wyn;592
lordyngys, syn we shall go to bed,593
ye shall begyn.594
Angel
Syr curtes kyngys, to me take tent,595
And turne by tyme or ye be tenyd;596
ffrom god his self thus am I sent597
To warne you, as youre faythfull freynd,598
how herode kyng has malyce ment,599
And shapys with shame you forto sheynd;600
And so that ye no harmes hent,601
By othere ways god wyll ye weynd602
Into youre awne cuntre;603
And if ye ask hym boyn,604
ffor this dede that ye haue done,605
youre beyld, ay wyll he be.606
Primus Rex, Jaspar
wakyns, wakyns, lordyngys dere!607
Oure dwellyng is no longer here;608
An angell spake tyll vs in fere;609
Bad vs, as heynd,610
That we ne shuld, on no manere,611
home by herode weynd.612
Secundus Rex, Melchior
All myghty god in trynyte,613
with hart enterely thank I the,614
That thyn angell send tyll vs thre,615
And kend vs so,616
Oure fals fo man for to fle,617
That wold, vs slo.618
Tercius Rex, Balthesar
We aght to loue hym more and myn,619
That comly kyng of all man-kyn;620
I rew full sore that we shall twyn621
On this manere;622
ffor commen we haue, with mekyll wyn,623
By wayes sere.624
Primus Rex, Jaspar
Twyn must vs nedys, syrs, permafay,625
And ilk on weynd, by dyuers way;626
This wyll me lede, the sothe to say,627
To my cuntre;628
ffor-thy, lordyngys, now haue good day!629
God with you be!630
Secundus Rex, Melchior
Certys, I must pas by se and sand;631
This is the gate, I vnderstand,632
That wyll me lede vnto my land633
The right way;634
To god of heuen I you commaunde,635
And haue good day!636
Tercius Rex, Balthesar
This is the way that I must weynd;637
Now god till vs his socoure send,638
And he, that is withoutten end639
And ay shalbe,640
Saue vs from fowndyng of the feynd,641
ffor his pauste.642


2022 Jan 21  20:05:23