The Wakefield (Towneley) plays

God
Ego sum alpha et o,
I am the first, the last also,
Oone god in mageste;
Meruelus, of myght most,
ffader, & son, & holy goost,
On god in trinyte.
I am without begynnyng,
My godhede hath none endyng,
I am god in trone;
Oone god in persons thre,
Which may neuer twynnyd be,
ffor I am god alone.
All maner thyng is in my thoght,
Withoutten me ther may be noght,
ffor all is in my sight;
hit shall be done after my will,
that I haue thoght I shall fulfill
And manteyn with my myght.
At the begynnyng of oure dede
make we heuen & erth, on brede,
and lyghtys fayre to se,
ffor it is good, to be so;
darknes from light we parte on two,
In tyme to serue and be.
Darknes we call the nyght,
and lith also the bright,
It shall be as I say;
after my will this is furth broght,
Euen and morne both ar thay wroght,
and thus is maid a day.
In medys the water, bi oure assent,
be now maide the firmament,
And parte ather from othere,
Water aboue, I-wis;
Euen and morne maide is this
A day, [so was] the tothere.
Waters, that so wyde ben spred,
be gedered to geder in to one stede,
that dry the erth may seym;
that at is dry the erth shall be,
the waters also I call the see;
this warke to me is queme.
Out of the erth herbys shal spryng,
Trees to florish and frute furth bryng,
thare kynde that it be kyd.
This is done after my will;
Even & morn maide is ther till
A day, this is the thryd.
Son & moyne set in the heuen,
With starnes, & the planettys seuen,
To stand in thare degre;
The son to serue the day lyght,
The moyne also to serue the nyght;
The fourte day shall this be.
The water to norish the fysh swymand,
The erth to norish bestys crepeand,
That fly or go may.
Multiplye in erth, and be
In my blyssyng, wax now ye;
This is the fyft day.

Cherubim
Oure lord god in trynyte,
Myrth and lovyng be to the,
Myrth and lovyng ouer al thyng;
ffor thou has made, with thi bidyng,
Heuen, & erth, and all that is,
and giffen vs Ioy that neuer shall mys.
Lord, thou art full mych of myght,
that has maide lucifer so bright;
we loue the, lord, bright ar we,
bot none of vs so bright as he:
He may well hight lucifere,
ffor lufly light that he doth bere.
He is so lufly and so bright
It is grete ioy to se that sight;
We lofe the, lord, with all oure thoght,
that sich thyng can make of noght.

Lucifer
Certys, it is a semely sight,
Syn that we ar all angels bright,
and euer in blis to be;
If that ye will behold, me right,
this mastre longys to me.
I am so fare and bright,
of me commys all this light,
this gam and all this gle;
Agans my grete myght
may [no]thyng stand [ne] be.
And ye well me behold
I am a thowsand fold,
brighter then is the son;
my strengthe may not be told,
my myght may no thyng kon;
In heuen, therfor, wit I wold,
Above me who shuld won.
ffor I am lord of blis,
ouer all this warld, I-wis,
My myrth is most of all;
the[r]for my will is this,
master ye shall me call.
And ye shall se, full sone onone,
How that me semys to sit in trone
as kyng of blis;
I am so semely, blode & bone,
my sete shall be ther as was his.
Say, felows, how semys now me
To sit in seyte of trynyte?
I am so bright of ich a lym
I trow me seme as well as hym.

Angelus Malus 1
Thou art so fayre vnto my syght,
thou semys well to sytt on hight;
So thynke me that thou doyse.

Angelus Bonus 1
I rede ye leyfe that vanys royse,
ffor that seyte may non angell seme
So well as hym that all shall deme.

Angelus Bonus 2
I reyde ye sese of that ye sayn,
ffor well I wote ye carpe in vayne;
hit semyd hym neuer, ne neuer shall,
So well as hym that has maide all.

Angelus Malus 2
Now, and bi oght that I can witt,
he semys full well theron to sytt;
He is so fayre, withoutten les,
he semys full well to sytt on des.
therfor, felow, hold thi peasse,
and vmbithynke the what thou saysse.
he semys as well to sytt there
as god hymself, if he were here.

Lucifer
leyf felow, thynk the not so?

Angelus Malus 1
Yee, god wote, so dos othere mo.

Angelus Bonus 1
Nay, forsoth, so thynk not vs.

Lucifer
Now, therof a leke what rekys vs?
Syn I my self am so bright
therfor will I take a flyght.

Demon 1
Alas, alas, and wele-wo!
lucifer, whi fell thou so?
We, that were angels so fare,
and sat so hie aboue the ayere,
Now ar we waxen blak as any coyll,
and vgly, tatyrd as a foyll.
What alyd the, lucifer, to fall?
was thou not farist of angels all?
Brightist, and best, & most of luf
With god hym self, that syttys aboyf?
thou has maide [neyn,] there was [ten,]
thou art foull comyn from thi kyn;
thou art fallen, that was the teynd,
ffrom an angell to a feynd.
thou has vs doyn a vyle dispyte,
and broght thi self to sorow and sitt.
Alas, ther is noght els to say
bot we ar tynt for now and ay.

Demon 2
Alas, the ioy that we were In
haue we lost, for oure syn.
alas, that euer cam pride in thought,
ffor it has broght vs all to noght.
We were in myrth and Ioy enoghe
When lucifer to pride drogh.
Alas, we may warrie wikkyd pride,
so may ye all that standys be side;
We held, with hym ther he saide leasse,
and therfor haue we all vnpeasse.
Alas, alas, oure Ioye is tynt,
We mon haue payne that neuer shall stynt.

God
Erthly bestys, that may crepe and go,
bryng ye furth and wax ye mo,
I se that it is good;
now make we man to oure liknes,
that shall be keper of more & les,
of fowles and fysh in flood.
spreyte of life I in the blaw,
good and ill both shall thou knaw;
rise vp, and stand bi me.
All that is in water or land,
It shall bow vnto thi hand,
and sufferan shall thou be;
I gif the witt, I gif the strenght,
of all thou sees, of brede & lengthe;
thou shall be wonder wise.
Myrth and Ioy to haue at will,
All thi likyng to fulfill,
and dwell in paradise.
This I make thi wonnyng playce,
ffull of myrth and of solace,
and I seasse the therin.
It is not good to be alone,
to walk here in this worthely wone,
In all this welthly wyn;
therfor, a rib I from the take,
therof shall be [maide] thi make,
And be to thi helpyng.
Ye both to gouerne that here is,
and euer more to be in blis,
ye wax in my blissyng.
ye shall have Ioye & blis therin,
whils ye will kepe you out of syn,
I say without[ten] lese.
Ryse vp, myn angell cherubyn,
Take and leyd theym both in,
And leyf them there in peasse.
Heris thou adam, and eue thi wife,
I forbede you the tre of life,
And I commaund, that it be gat,
Take which ye will, bot negh not that.
Adam, if thou breke my rede,
thou shall dye a dulfull dede.

Cherubim
Oure lord, oure god, thi will be done;
I shall go with theym full sone.
ffor soth, my lord, I shall not sted
till I haue theym theder led.
we thank the, lord, with full good chere,
that has maide man to be oure feere.
Com furth, adam, I shall the leyd;
take tent to me, I shall the reyd.
I rede the thynk how thou art wroght,
and luf my lord, in all thi thoght,
That has maide the thrugh his will,
angels ordir to fulfill.
Many thyngys he has the giffen,
and maide the master of all that liffen;
He has forbed, the bot a tre;
look that thou let it be,
ffor if thou breke his commaundment,
thou skapys not bot thou be shent.
Weynd here in to paradise,
and luke now that ye be wyse,
And kepe you well, for I must go
vnto my lord, ther I cam fro.

Adam
Almyghty lord, I thank it the
that is, and was, and shall be,
Of thi luf and of thi grace,
ffor now is here a mery place;
Eue, my felow, how thynk the this?

Eue
A stede me thynk of Ioye and blis,
That god has giffen to the and me;
Withoutten ende blissyd be he.

Adam
Eue, felow, abide me thore,
ffor I will go to viset more,
To se what trees that here been;
here ar well moo then we have seen,
Gresys, and othere small floures,
that smell full swete, of seyr coloures.

Eue
Gladly, sir, I will full fayne;
When ye haue sene theym, com agane.

Adam
Bot luke well, eue, my wife,
that thou negh not the tree of life;
ffor if thou do he bese ill paide;
then be we tynt, as he has saide.

Eue
Go furth and play the all aboute,
I shall not negh it while thou art oute;
ffor be thou sekyr I were full loth
ffor any thyng that he were wroth.

Lucifer
Who wend euer this tyme haue seyn?
We, that in sich myrth haue beyn,
That we shuld suffre so mych wo?
Who wold euer trow it shuld be so?
[Ten] orders in heuen were
of angels, that had offyce sere;
Of ich order, in thare degre,
the [teynd] parte fell downe with me;
ffor thay held with me that tyde,
and mantenyd me in my pride;
Bot herkyns, felows, what I say-
the Ioy that we haue lost for ay,
God has maide man with his hend,
to haue that blis withoutten end,
The neyn ordre to fulfill,
that after vs left, sich is his will.
And now ar thay in paradise;
bot thens thay shall, if we be wise.

Garcio
All hayll, all hayll, both blithe and glad,
ffor here com I, a mery lad;
be peasse youre dyn, my master bad,
Or els the dwill you spede.
Wote ye not I com before?
Bot who that Ianglis any more
He must blaw my blak hoill bore’,
both behynd, and before,
Till his tethe blede.
ffelows, here I you forbede
To make nother nose ne cry;
Who so is so hardy to do that dede
The dwill hang hym vp to dry.
Gedlyngis, I am a fulle grete wat,
A good yoman my master hat,
ffull well ye all hym ken;
Begyn he with you for to stryfe,
certis, then mon ye neuer thryfe;
Bot I trow, bi god on life,
Som of you ar his men.
Bot let youre lippis couer youre ten,
harlottis, euerichon!
ffor if my master com, welcom hym then.
ffarewell, for I am gone.

Cain
Io furth, greyn-horne! and war oute, gryme!
Drawes on! god gif you ill to tyme!
Ye stand as ye were fallen in swyme;
What! will ye no forther, mare?
War! let me se how down will draw;
Yit, shrew, yit, pull on a thraw!
What! it semys for me ye stand none aw!
I say, donnyng, go fare!
A, ha! god gif the soro & care!
lo! now hard she what I saide;
now yit art thou the warst mare
In plogh that euer I haide.
How! pike-harnes, how! com heder belife!

Garcio
I fend, godis forbot, that euer thou thrife!

Cain
What, boy, shal I both hold and drife?
heris thou not how I cry?

Garcio
Say, mall and stott, will ye not go?
Lemyng, morell, white-horne, Io!
now will ye not se how thay hy?

Cain
Gog gif the sorow, boy; want of mete it gars.

Garcio
thare prouand, sir, for thi, I lay behynd thare ars,
And tyes them fast bi the nekis,
With many stanys in thare hekis.

Cain
That shall bi thi fals chekis.

Garcio
And haue agane as right.

Cain
I am thi master, wilt thou fight?

Garcio
Yai, with the same mesure and weght
That I boro will I qwite.

Cain
We! now, no thyng, bot call on tyte,
that we had ployde this land.
harrer, morell, iofurth, hyte!
and let the plogh stand.

Abel
God, as he both may and can,
Spede the, brother, & thi man.

Cain
Com kis myne ars, me list not ban,
As welcom standis ther oute.
Thou shuld haue bide til thou were cald;
Com nar, & other drife or hald,
and kys the dwillis toute.
Go grese thi shepe vnder the toute,
ffor that is the moste lefe.

Abel
broder, ther is none here aboute
that wold the any grefe;
bot, leif brother, here my sawe-
It is the custom of oure law,
All that wyrk as the wise
shall worship god with sacrifice.
Oure fader vs bad, oure fader vs kend,
that oure tend shuld be brend.
Com furth, brothere, and let vs gang
To worship god; we dwell full lang;
Gif we hym parte of oure fee,
Corne or catall, wheder it be.
And therfor, brother, let vs weynd,
And first clens vs from the feynd
or we make sacrifice;
Then blis withoutten end
get we for oure seruyce,
Of hym that is oure saulis leche.

Cain
How! let furth youre geyse, the fox will preche;
How long wilt thou me appech
With thi sermonyng?
Hold thi tong, yit I say,
Euen ther the good wife strokid the hay;
Or sit downe in the dwill way,
With thi vayn carpyng.
Shuld I leife my plogh & all thyng
And go with the to make offeryng?
Nay! thou fyndys me not so mad!
Go to the dwill, and say I bad!
What gifys god the to rose hym so?
me gifys he noght bot soro and wo.

Abel
Caym, leife this vayn carpyng,
ffor god giffys the all thi lifyng.

Cain
Yit boroed I neuer a farthyng
of hym, here my hend.

Abel
Brother, as elders haue vs kend,
ffirst shuld, we tend with oure hend,
and to his lofyng sithen be brend.

Cain
My farthyng is in the preest hand
syn last tyme I offyrd.

Abel
leif brother, let vs be walkand;
I wold oure tend were profyrd.

Cain
We! wherof shuld I tend, leif brothere?
ffor I am ich yere wars then othere,
here my trouth it is none othere;
My wynnyngis ar bot meyn,
No wonder if that I be leyn;
ffull long till hym I may me meyn,
ffor bi hym that me dere boght,
I traw that he will leyn me noght.

Abel
Yis, all the good thou has in wone
Of godis grace is bot a lone.

Cain
Lenys he me, as come thrift apon the so?
ffor he has euer yit beyn my fo;
ffor had he my freynd, beyn,
Other gatis it had beyn seyn.
When all mens corn was fayre in feld,
Then was myne not worth a neld;
When I shuld saw, & wantyd seyde,
And of corn had full grete neyde,
Then gaf he me none of his,
No more will I gif hym of this.
hardely hold me to blame
bot if I serue hym of the same.

Abel
Leif brother, say not so,
bot let vs furth togeder go;
Good brother, let vs weynd sone,
no longer here I rede we hone.

Cain
Yei, yei, thou Iangyls waste;
the dwill me spede if I haue hast,
As long as I may lif,
to dele my good or gif
Ather to god or yit to man,
of any good that euer I wan;
ffor had I giffen away my goode,
then myght I go with a ryffen hood,
And it is better hold that I haue
then go from doore to doore & craue.

Abel
Brother, com furth, in godis name,
I am full ferd, that we get blame;
Hy we fast that we were thore.

Cain
We! ryn on, in the dwills nayme Before!
Wemay, man, I hold the mad!
wenys thou now that I list gad
To gif away my warldis aght?
the dwill hym spede that me so taght!
what nede had I my trauell to lose,
to were my shoyn & ryfe my hose?

Abel
Dere brother, hit were grete wonder
that I & thou shuld go in sonder,
Then wold oure fader haue grete ferly;
Ar we not brether, thou & I?

Cain
No, bot cry on, cry, whyls the thynk good;
Here my trowth, I hold the woode;
Wheder that he be blithe or wroth
to dele my good is me full lothe.
I haue gone oft on softer wise
ther I trowed som prow wold rise.
Bot well I se go must I nede;
now weynd before, ill myght thou spede!
syn that we shall algatis go.

Abel
leif brother, whi sais thou so?
Bot go we furth both togeder;
blissid, be god we haue fare weder.

Cain
lay downe thi trussell apon this hill.

Abel
fforsoth broder, so I will:
Gog of heuen, take it to good.

Cain
Thou shall tend first if thou were wood.

Abel
God that shope both erth and heuen,
I pray to the thou here my steven,
And take in thank, if thi will be,
the tend that I offre here to the;
ffor I gif it in good entent
to the, my lord, that all has sent.
I bren it now, with stedfast thoght,
In worship of hym that all has wroght.

Cain
Ryse! let me now, syn thou has done;
lord of heuen, thou here my boyne!
And ouer, godis forbot, be to the
thank or thew to kun me;
ffor, as browke I thise two shankys,
It is full sore, myne vnthankys,
The teynd that I here gif to the,
of corn, or thyng, that newys me;
Bot now begyn will I then,
syn I must nede my tend to bren.
Oone shefe, oone, and this makys two,
bot nawder of thise may I forgo:
Two, two, now this is thre,
yei, this also shall leif with me:
ffor I will chose and best haue,
this hold I thrift of all this thrafe;
Wemo, wemo, foure, lo, here!
better groved, me no this yere.
At yere tyme I sew fayre corn,
yit was it sich when it was shorne,
Thystyls & brerys, yei grete plente,
And all kyn wedis that myght be.
ffoure shefis, foure, lo, this makis fyfe-
deyll I fast thus long or I thrife-
ffyfe and sex, now this is sevyn,
bot this gettis neuer god of heuen;
Nor none of thise foure, at my myght,
shall neuer com in godis sight.
Sevyn, sevyn, now this is aght,

Abel
Cain, brother, thou art not god betaght.

Cain
We! therfor is it that I say,
ffor I will not deyle my good away:
Bot had I gyffen hym this to teynd
Then wold thou say he were my Freynd;
Bot I thynk not, bi my hode,
To departe so lightly fro my goode.
we! aght, aght, & neyn, & ten is this,
we! this may we best mys.
Gif hym that that ligis thore?
It goyse agans myn hart full sore.

Abel
Cam! teynd right of all bedeyn.

Cain
we! lo twelve, fyfteyn, sexteyn

Abel
Caym, thou tendis wrang, and of the warst.

Cain
we! com nar, and hide myne een;
In the wenyand wist ye now at last,
Or els will thou that I wynk?
then shall I doy no wrong, me thynk.
let me se now how it is-
lo, yit I hold me paide;
I teyndyd wonder well bi ges,
And so euen I laide.

Abel
Came, of god me thynke thou has no drede.

Cain
Now and he get more, the dwill me spede!
As mych as oone reepe,
ffor that cam hym full light chepe;
Not as mekill, grete ne small,
as he myght wipe his ars with all.
ffor that, and this that lyys here,
haue cost me full dere;
Or it was shorne, and broght in stak,
had I many a wery bak;
Therfor aske me no more of this,
ffor I haue giffen that my will is.

Abel
Cam, I rede thou tend right
ffor drede of hym that sittis on hight.

Cain
How that I tend, rek the neuer a deill,
bot tend thi skabbid shepe wele;
ffor if thou to my teynd tent take,
It bese the wars for thi sake.
Thou wold I gaf hym this shefe, or this sheyfe;
na, nawder of thise [two] wil I leife;
Bot take this, now has he two,
and for my saull now mot it go,
Bot it gos sore agans my will,
and shal he like full ill.

Abel
Cam, I reyde thou so teynd
that god of heuen be thi freynd.

Cain
My freynd? na, not bot if he will!
I did hym neuer yit bot skill.
If he be neuer so my fo,
I am avisid, gif hym no mo;
Bot chaunge thi conscience, as I do myn,
yit teynd thou not thi mesel swyne?

Abel
If thou teynd right thou mon it fynde.

Cain
Yei, kys the dwills ars behynde;
The dwill hang the bi the nek!
how that I teynd, neuer thou rek.
Will thou not yit hold thi peasse?
of this Ianglyng I reyde thou seasse.
And teynd I well, or tend I ill,
bere the euen & speke bot skill.
Bot now syn thou has teyndid thyne,
Now will I set fyr on myne.
We! out! haro! help to blaw!
It will not bren for me, I traw;
Puf! this smoke dos me mych shame-
now bren, in the dwillys name!
A! what dwill of hell is it?
Almost had myne breth beyn dit.
had I blawen oone blast more
I had beyn choked right thore;
It stank like the dwill in hell,
that longer ther myght I not dwell.

Abel
Cam, this is not worth oone leke;
thy tend shuld bren withoutten smeke.

Cain
Com kys the dwill right in the ars,
for the it brens bot the wars;
I wold that it were in thi throte,
ffyr, & shefe, and ich a sprote.

God
Cam, whi art thou so rebell
Agans thi brother abell?
Thar thou nowther flyte ne chyde,
if thou tend right thou gettis thi mede;
And be thou sekir, if thou teynd fals,
thou bese alowed ther after als.

Cain
Whi, who is that hob-ouer-the-wall?
we! who was that that piped so small?
Com go we hens, for perels all;
God is out of hys wit.
Com furth, abell, & let vs weynd;
Me thynk that god is not my freynd,
on land then will I flyt.

Abel
A, Caym, brother, that is ill done.

Cain
No, bot go we hens sone;
And if I may, I shall be
ther as god shall not me see.

Abel
Dere brother, I will fayre
on feld ther oure bestis ar,
To looke if thay be holgh or full.

Cain
Na, na, abide, we haue a craw to pull;
Hark, speke with me or thou go;
what! wenys thou to skape so?
we! na! I aght the a fowll dispyte,
and now is tyme that I hit qwite.

Abel
Brother, whi art thou so to me in Ire?

Cain
we! theyf, whi brend thi tend so shyre?
Ther myne did bot smoked
right as it wold vs both haue choked.

Abel
Godis will I trow it were
that myn brened so clere;
If thyne smoked am I to wite?

Cain
we! yei! that shal thou sore abite;
with cheke bon, or that I blyn,
shal I the & thi life twyn;
So lig down ther and take thi rest,
thus shall shrewes be chastysed best.

Abel
Veniance, veniance, lord, I cry!
for I am slayn, & not gilty.

Cain
Yei, ly ther old shrew, ly ther, ly!
And if any of you thynk I did amys
I shal it amend wars then it is,
that all men may it se:
well wars then it is
right so shall it be.
Bot now, syn he is Broght on Slepe,
Into Som hole fayn wold I crepe;
ffor ferd I qwake and can no rede,
ffor be I taken, I be bot dede;
here will I lig thise fourty dayes,
And I shrew hym that me fyrst rayse.

God
Caym, Caym!

Cain
who is that that callis me?
I am yonder, may thou not se?

God
Caym, where is thi brother abell?

Cain
what askis thou me? I trow at hell:
At hell I trow he be-
who so were ther then myght he se-
Or somwhere fallen on slepyng;
when was he in my kepyng?

God
Caym, Caym, thou was wode;
The voyce of thi brotheris blode
That thou has slayn, on fals wise,
from erth to heuen venyance cryse.
And, for thou has broght thi brother downe,
here I gif the my malison.

Cain
Yei, dele aboute the, for I will none,
or take it the when I am gone.
Syn I haue done so mekill syn,
that I may not thi mercy wyn,
And thou thus dos me from thi grace,
I shall hyde me fro thi face;
And where so any man may fynd me,
Let hym slo me hardely;
And where so any man may me meyte,
Ayther bi sty, or yit bi strete;
And hardely, when I am dede,
bery me in gudeboure at the quarell hede,
ffor, may I pas this place in quarte,
bi all men set I not a fart.

God
Nay, caym, it bese not so;
I will that no man other slo,
ffor he that sloys yong or old
It shall be punyshid sevenfold.

Cain
No force, I wote wheder I shall;
In hell I wote mon be my stall.
It is no boyte mercy to craue,
ffor if I do I mon none haue;
Bot this cors I wold were hid,
ffor som man myght com at vngayn,
‘ffle fals shrew,’ wold he bid,
And weyn I had my brother slayn.
Bot were pike-harnes, my knafe, here,
we shuld bery hym both in fere.
How, pyke-harnes, scape-thryft! how, pike-harnes, how!

Garcio
Master, master!

Cain
harstow, boy? ther is a podyng in the pot;
take the that, boy, tak the that!

Garcio
I shrew thi ball vnder thi hode,
If thou were my syre of flesh & blode;
All the day to ryn and trott,
And euer amang thou strykeand,
Thus am I comen bofettis to fott.

Cain
Peas, man, I did it bot to vse my hand;
Bot Harke, boy, I haue a counsell to the to Say-
I slogh my brother this same day;
I pray the, good boy, and thou may,
to ryn away with the bayn.

Garcio
We! out apon the, thefe!
has thou thi brother slayn?

Cain
Peasse, man, for godis payn!
I saide it for a skaunce.

Garcio
Yey, bot for ferde of grevance
here I the forsake;
we mon haue a mekill myschaunce
and the bayles vs take.

Cain
A, sir, I cry you mercy; seasse!
and I shall make you a releasse.

Garcio
what, wilt thou cry my peasse
thrughout this land,?

Cain
Yey, that I gif god a vow, belife.

Garcio
how will thou do long or thou thrife?

Cain
Stand vp, my good boy, belife,
and thaym peasse both man & [w]ife;
And who so will do after me
ffull slape of thrift then shal he be.
Bot thou must be my good boy,
and cry oyes, oyes, oy!

Garcio
Browes, browes, to thi boy.

Cain
I commaund, you in the kyngis nayme,

Garcio
And in my masteres, fals Cayme,

Cain
That no man at thame fynd fawt ne blame.

Garcio
Yey, cold rost is at my masteres hame.

Cain
Nowther with hym nor with his knafe,

Garcio
What, I hope my master rafe.

Cain
ffor thay ar trew, full many fold.

Garcio
My master suppys no coyle bot cold.

Cain
The kyng wrytis you vntill.

Garcio
Yit ete I neuer half my fill.

Cain
The kyng will that thay be safe,

Garcio
Yey, a draght of drynke fayne wold I hayfe.

Cain
At thare awne will let tham wafe;

Garcio
My stomak is redy to receyfe.

Cain
Loke no man say to theym, on nor other;

Garcio
This same is he that slo his brother.

Cain
Byd euery man thaym luf and lowt,

Garcio
Yey, ill spon weft ay comes foule out.

Cain
long or thou get thi hoyse and thou go thus aboute.
Byd euery man theym pleasse to pay.

Garcio
Yey, gif don, thyne hors, a wisp of hay.

Cain
we! com downe in twenty dwill way,
The dwill I the betake;
ffor bot it were abell, my brothere,
yit knew I neuer thi make.

Garcio
Now old and yong, or that ye weynd,
The same blissyng withoutten end,
All sam then’ shall ye haue,
That god of heuen my master has giffen;
Browke it well, whils that ye liffen,
he vowche it full well safe.

Cain
Com downe yit in the dwillis way,
And angre me no more;
And take yond plogh, I say,
And weynd the furth fast before;
And I shall, if I may,
Tech the another lore;
I warn the lad, for ay,
ffro now furth, euermore,
That thou greue me noght;
ffor, bi Godis sydis, if thou do,
I shall hang the apon this plo,
with this rope, lo, lad, lo!
By hym that me dere boght.
Now fayre well, felows all,
ffor I must nedis weynd,
And to the dwill be thrall,
warld, withoutten end.
Ordand ther is my stall,
with sathanas the feynd,
Euer ill myght hym befall
that theder me commend,
This tyde.
ffare well les, & fare well more,
ffor now and euer more,
I will go me to hyde.

Noah
Myghtfull god veray / Maker of all that is,
Thre persons withoutten nay / oone god in endles blis,
Thou maide both nyght & day / beest, fowle, & fysh,
All creatures that lif may / wroght thou at thi wish,
As thou wel myght;
The son, the moyne, verament,
Thou maide; the firmament,
The sternes also full feruent,
To shyne thou maide ful bright.
Angels thou maide ful euen / all orders that is,
To haue the blis in heuen / this did thou more & les,
ffull mervelus to neuen / yit was ther vnkyndnes,
More bi foldis seuen / then I can well expres;
ffor whi?
Of all angels in brightnes
God gaf lucifer most lightnes,
Yit prowdly he flyt his des,
And set hym euen hym by.
He thoght hymself as worthi / as hym that hym made,
In brightnes, in bewty / therfor he hym degrade;
put hym in a low degre / soyn after, in a brade,
hym and all his menye / wher he may be vnglad,
ffor euer.
shall thay neuer wyn away
hence vnto domysday,
Bot burne in bayle for ay,
shall thay neuer dysseuer.
Soyne after that gracyous lord / to his liknes maide man,
That place to be restord / euen as he began,
Of the trinite bi accord, / Adam & eue that woman,
To multiplie without discord, / In paradise put he thaym,
And sithen to both
Gaf in commaundement,
On the tre of life to lay no hend;
Bot yit the fals feynd,
Made hym with man wroth,
Entysyd man to glotony / styrd him to syn in pride;
Bot in paradise securly / myght no syn abide,
And therfor man full hastely / was put out, in that tyde,
In wo & wandreth for to be / In paynes full vnrid,
To knawe,
ffyrst in erth, in sythen in hell
with feyndis for to dwell,
Bot he his mercy mell
To those that will hym trawe.
Oyle of mercy he Hus hight / As I haue Hard red,
To euery lifyng wight / that wold luf hym and dred,
Bot now before his sight / euery liffyng leyde,
Most party day and nyght / syn in word and dede
ffull bold;
Som in pride, Ire and enuy,
Som in Couet[yse] & glotyny,
Som in sloth and lechery,
And other wise many fold.
Therfor I drede lest god / on vs will take veniance,
ffor syn is now alod / without any repentance;
Sex hundreth yeris & od / haue I, without distance,
In erth, as any sod, / liffyd with grete grevance
All way;
And now I wax old,
seke, sory, and cold,
As muk apon mold
I widder away;
Bot yit will I cry / for mercy and call;
Noe thi seruant, am I / lord ouer all!
Therfor me and my fry / shal with me fall;
saue from velany / and bryng to thi hall
In heuen;
And kepe me from syn,
This warld, within;
Comly kyng of mankyn,
I pray the here my stevyn!

God
Syn I haue maide all thyng / that is liffand,
Duke, emperour, and kyng / with myne awne hand,
ffor to haue thare likyng / bi see & bi sand,
Euery man to my bydyng / shuld, be bowand
ffull feruent;
That maide man sich a creatoure,
ffarest of favoure,
Man must luf me paramoure,
by reson, and repent.
Me thoght I shewed man luf / when I made hym to be
All angels abuf / like to the trynyte;
And now in grete reprufe / full low ligis he,
In erth hymself to stuf / with syn that displeasse me
Most of all;
Veniance will I take,
In erth for syn sake,
My grame thus will I wake,
both of grete and small.
I repente full sore / that euer maide I man,
Bi me he settis no store / and I am his soferan;
I will distroy therfor / Both beest, man, and woman,
All shall perish les and more / that bargan may thay ban,
That ill has done.
In erth I se right noght
Bot syn that is vnsoght;
Of those that well has wroght
ffynd, I bot a fone.
Therfor shall I fordo / All this medill-erd
with floodis that shall flo / & ryn with hidous rerd;
I haue good cause therto / ffor me no man is ferd,
As I say shal I do / of veniance draw my swerd,
And make end,
of all that beris life,
Sayf noe and his wife,
ffor that wold neuer stryfe
With me [ne] me offend.
hym to mekill wyn / hastly will I go,
To noe my seruand, or I blyn / to warn hym of his wo.
In erth I se bot syn / reynand to and fro,
Emang both more & myn / ichon other fo;
With all thare entent;
All shall I fordo
with floodis that shall floo,
wirk shall I thaym wo,
That will not repent.
Noe, my freend, I thee commaund / from cares the to keyle,
A ship that thou ordand / of nayle and bord, ful wele.
Thou was alway well wirkand / to me trew as stele,
To my bydyng obediand / frendship shal thou fele
To mede;
of lennthe thi ship be
Thre hundreth cubettis, warn I the,
Of heght euen thrirte,
of fyfty als in brede.
Anoynt thi ship with pik and tar / without & als within,
The water out to spar / this is a noble gyn;
look no man the mar / thre chese chambres begyn,
Thou must spend many a spar / this wark or thou wyn
To end fully.
Make in thi ship also,
parloures oone or two,
And houses of offyce mo,
ffor beestis that ther must be.
Oone cubite on hight / A wyndo shal thou make;
on the syde a doore with slyght / be-neyth shal thou take;
With the shal no man fyght / nor do the no kyn wrake.
When all is doyne thus right / thi wife, that is thi make,
Take in to the;
Thi sonnes of good fame,
Sem, Iaphet, and Came,
Take in also hame,
Thare wifis also thre.
ffor all shal be fordone / that lif in land bot ye,
with floodis that from abone / shal fall, & that plente;
It shall begyn full sone / to rayn vncessantle,
After dayes seuen be done / and induyr dayes fourty,
withoutten fayll.
Take to thi ship also
of ich kynd beestis two,
Mayll & femayll, bot no mo,
Or thou pull vp thi sayll.
ffor thay may the avayll / when al this thyng is wroght;
Stuf thi ship with vitayll, / ffor hungre that ye perish noght;
Of beestis, foull, and catayll / ffor thaym haue thou in thoght,
ffor thaym is my counsayll / that som socour be soght,
In hast;
Thay must haue corn and hay,
And oder mete alway;
Do now as I the say,
In the name of the holy gast.

Noah
A! benedicite! / what art thou that thus
Tellys afore that shall be? / thou art full mervelus!
Tell me, for charite / thi name so gracius.

God
My name is of dignyte / and also full glorius
To knawe.
I am god most myghty,
Oone god in trynyty,
Made the and ich man to be;
To luf me well thou awe.

Noah
I thank the, lord, so dere / that wold, vowch sayf
Thus low to appere / to a symple knafe;
Blis vs, lord, here / for charite I hit crafe,
The better may we stere / the ship that we shall hafe,
Certayn.

God
Noe, to the and to thi fry
My blyssyng graunt I;
Ye shall wax and multiply,
And fill the erth agane,
When all thise floodis ar past / and fully gone away.

Noah
lord, homward will I hast / as fast as that I may;
My [wife] will I frast / what she will say,
And I am agast / that we get som fray
Betwixt vs both;
ffor she is full tethee,
ffor litill oft angre,
If any thyng wrang be,
Soyne is she wroth.
God spede, dere wife / how fayre ye?

Uxor
Now, as euer myght I thryfe / the wars I thee see;
Do tell me belife / where has thou thus long be?
To dede may we dryfe / or lif for the,
ffor want.
When we swete or swynk,
thou dos what thou thynk,
Yit of mete and of drynk
haue we veray skant.

Noah
Wife, we ar hard, sted / with tythyngis new.

Uxor
Bot thou were worthi be cled / In stafford blew;
ffor thou art alway adred / be it fals or trew;
Bot god knowes I am led / and that may I rew,
ffull ill;
ffor I dar be thi borow,
ffrom euen vnto morow,
Thou spekis euer of sorow;
God send the onys thi fill!
We women may wary / all ill husbandis;
I haue oone, bi mary! / that lowsyd me of my bandis;
If he teyn I must tary / how so euer it standis,
With seymland full sory, / wryngand both my handis
ffor drede.
Bot yit other while,
What with gam & with gyle,
I shall smyte and smyle,
And qwite hym his mede.

Noah
We! hold, thi tong, ram-skyt / or I shall the still.

Uxor
By my thryft, if thou smyte / I shal turne the vntill.

Noah
We shall assay as tyte / haue at the, gill!
Apon the bone shal it byte. /

Uxor
A, so, mary! thou smytis ill!
Bot I suppose
I shal not in thi det,
fflyt of this flett!
Take the ther a langett
To tye vp thi hose!

Noah
A! wilt thou so? / mary, that is myne.

Uxor
Thou shal thre for two / I swere bi godis pyne.

Noah
And I shall qwyte the tho / In fayth or syne.

Uxor
Out apon the, ho! /

Noah
Thou can both byte and whyne,
with a rerd;
ffor all if she stryke,
yit fast will she skryke,
In fayth I hold, none slyke
In all medill-erd;
Bot I will kepe charyte / ffor I haue at do.

Uxor
Here shal no man tary the / I pray the go to!
ffull well may we mys the / as euer haue I ro;
To spyn will I dres me. /

Noah
We! fare well, lo;
Bot wife,
Pray for me besele,
To eft I com vnto the.

Uxor
Euen as thou prays for me,
As euer myght I thrife.

Noah
I tary full Lang / Fro my warke, I traw;
Now my gere will I fang / and thederward draw;
I may full ill gang / the soth for to knaw,
Bot if god help amang / I may sit downe daw
To ken;
Now assay will I
how I can of wrightry,
In nomine patris, & filii,
Et spiritus sanncti, Amen.
To begyn of this tree / my bonys will I bend,
I traw from the trynyte / socoure will be send,
It fayres full fayre, thynk me / this wark to my hend;
Now blissid be he / that this can amend.
lo, here the lenght,
Thre hundreth cubettis euenly,
of breed lo is it fyfty,
The heght is euen thyrty
Cubettis full strenght.
Now my gowne will I cast / and wyrk in my cote,
Make will I the mast / or I flyt oone foote,
A! my bak, I traw, will brast! / this is a sory note!
hit is wonder that I last / sich an old, dote
All dold,
To begyn sich a wark!
My bonys ar so stark,
No wonder if thay wark,
ffor I am full old.
The top and the sayll / both will I make,
The helme and the castell / also will I take,
To drife ich a nayll / will I not forsake,
This gere may neuer fayll / that dar I vndertake
Onone.
This is a nobull gyn,
Thise nayles so thay ryn,
Thoro more and myn,
Thise bordis ichon;
wyndow and doore / euen as he saide,
Thre ches chambre / thay ar well maide,
Pyk & tar full sure / ther apon laide,
This will euer endure / therof am I paide;
ffor why?
It is better wroght
Then I coude haif thoght;
hym that maide all of noght
I thank oonly.
Now will I hy me / and no thyng be leder,
My wife and my meneye / to bryng euen heder.
Tent hedir tydely / wife, and consider,
hens must vs fle / All sam togeder
In hast.

Uxor
Whi, syr, what alis you?
Who is that asalis you?
To fle it avalis you,
And ye be agast.

Noah
Ther is garn on the reyll / other, my dame.

Uxor
Tell me that ich a deyll / els get ye blame.

Noah
He that cares may keill / blissid be his name!
he has for oure seyll / to sheld vs fro shame,
And sayd,
All this warld aboute
With floodis so stoute,
That shall ryn on a route,
Shall be ouerlaide.
he saide all shall be slayn / bot oonely we,
Oure barnes that ar bayn / and thare wifis thre;
A ship he bad me ordayn / to safe vs & oure fee,
Therfor with all oure mayn / thank we that fre
Beytter of bayll;
hy vs fast, go we thedir.

Uxor
I wote neuer whedir,
I dase and I dedir
ffor ferd of that tayll.

Noah
Be not aferd, haue done / trus sam oure gere,
That we be ther or none / without more dere.

Primus Filius
It shall be done full sone / brether, help to bere.

Secundus Filius
ffull long shall I not hoyne / to do my devere,
Brether sam.

Tertius Filius
without any yelp,
At my myght shall I help.

Uxor
Yit for drede of a skelp
help well thi dam.

Noah
Now ar we there / as we shuld be;
Do get in oure gere / oure catall and fe,
In to this vessell here / my chylder fre.

Uxor
I was neuer bard ere / As euer myght I the,
In sich an oostre as this.
In fath I can not fynd
which is before, which is behynd;
Bot shall we here be pynd,
Noe, as haue thou blis?

Noah
Dame, as it is skill / here must vs abide grace;
Therfor, wife, with good will / com into this place.

Uxor
Sir, for Iak nor for gill / will I turne my face
Till I haue on this hill / spon a space
on my rok;
Well were he, myght get me,
Now will I downe set me,
Yit reede I no man let me,
ffor drede of a knok.

Noah
Behold to the heuen / the cateractes all,
That are open full euen / grete and small,
And the planettis seuen / left has thare stall,
Thise thoners and levyn / downe gar fall
ffull stout,
Both halles and bowers,
Castels and towres;
ffull sharp ar thise showers,
that renys aboute;
Therfor, wife, haue done / com into ship fast.

Uxor
Yei, noe, go cloute thi shone / the better will thai last.

Prima Mulier
Good moder, com in sone / ffor all is ouer cast,
Both the son and the mone. /

Secunda Mulier
and many wynd blast
ffull sharp;
Thise floodis so thay ryn,
Therfor moder come in.

Uxor
In fayth yit will I spyn;
All in vayn ye carp.

Tercius Mulier
If ye like ye may spyn / Moder, in the ship.

Noah
Now is this twyys com in / dame, on my frenship.

Uxor
Wheder I lose or I wyn / In fayth, thi felowship,
set I not a pyn / this spyndill will I slip
Apon this hill,
Or I styr oone fote.

Noah
Peter! I traw we dote;
without any more note
Come in if ye will.

Uxor
Yei, water nyghys so nere / that I sit not dry,
Into ship with a byr / therfor will I hy
ffor drede that I drone here. /

Noah
dame, securly,
It bees boght full dere / ye abode so long by
out of ship.

Uxor
I will not, for thi bydyng,
go from doore to mydyng.

Noah
In fayth, and for youre long taryyng
Ye shal lik on the whyp.

Uxor
Spare me not, I pray the / bot euen as thou thynk,
Thise grete wordis shall not flay me. /

Noah
Abide, dame, and drynk
ffor betyn shall thou be / with this staf to thou stynk;
Ar strokis good? say me. /

Uxor
what say ye, wat wynk?

Noah
speke!
Cry me mercy, I say!

Uxor
Therto say I nay.

Noah
Bot thou do, bi this day,
Thi hede shall I breke.

Uxor
Lord, I were at ese / and hertely full hoylle,
Might I onys haue a measse / of wedows coyll;
ffor thi saull, without lese / shuld I dele penny doyll,
so wold mo, no frese / that I se on this sole
of wifis that ar here,
ffor the life that thay leyd,
Wold thare husbandis were dede,
ffor, as euer ete I brede,
So wold I oure syre were.

Noah
Yee men that has wifis / whyls they ar yong,
If ye luf youre lifis / chastice thare tong:
Me thynk my hert ryfis / both levyr and long,
To se sich stryfis / wedmen emong;
Bot I,
As haue I blys,
shall chastyse this.

Uxor
Yit may ye mys,
Nicholl nedy!

Noah
I shall make the still as stone / begynnar of blunder!
I shall bete the bak and bone / and breke all in sonder.

Uxor
Out, alas, I am gone! / oute apon the, mans wonder!

Noah
Se how she can grone / and I lig vnder;
Bot, wife,
In this hast let vs ho,
ffor my bak is nere in two.

Uxor
And I am bet so blo
That I may not thryfe.

Primus Filius
A! whi fare ye thus? / ffader and moder both!

Secundus Filius
Ye shuld not be so spitus / standyng in sich a woth.

Tertius Filius
Thise ar so hidus / with many a cold coth.

Noah
we will do as ye bid vs / we will no more be wroth,
Dere barnes!
Now to the helme will I hent,
And to my ship tent.

Uxor
I se on the firmament,
Me thynk, the seven starnes.

Noah
This is a grete flood / wife, take hede.

Uxor
So me thoght, as I stode / we ar in grete drede;
Thise wawghes ar so wode. /

Noah
help, god, in this nede!
As thou art stere-man good / and best, as I rede,
Of all;
Thou rewle vs in this rase,
As thou me behete hase.

Uxor
This is a perlous case:
help, god, when we call!

Noah
Wife, tent the stere-tre / and I shall asay
The depnes of the see / that we bere, if I may.

Uxor
That shall I do ful wysely / now go thi way,
ffor apon this flood haue we / flett many day,
with pyne.

Noah
Now the water will I sownd:
A! it is far to the grownd;
This trauell I expownd
had I to tyne.
Aboue all hillys bedeyn / the water is rysen late
Cubettis fyfteyn, / bot in a highter state
It may not be, I weyn / for this well I wate,
This forty dayes has rayn beyn / It will therfor abate
Full lele.
This water in hast,
eft will I tast;
Now am I agast,
It is wanyd a grete dele.
Now are the weders cest / and cateractes knyt,
Both the most and the leest. /

Uxor
Me thynk, bi my wit,
The son shynes in the eest / lo is not yond it?
we shuld haue a good feest / were thise floodis flyt
So spytus.

Noah
we haue been here, all we,
thre hundreth dayes and fyfty.

Uxor
Yei, now wanys the see;
lord, well is vs!

Noah
The thryd tyme will I prufe / what depnes we bere.

Uxor
Now long shall thou hufe / lay in thy lyne there.

Noah
I may towch with my lufe / the grownd evyn here.

Uxor
Then begynnys to grufe / to vs mery chere;
Bot, husband,
What grownd may this be?

Noah
The hyllys of armonye.

Uxor
Now blissid be he
That thus for vs can ordand!

Noah
I see toppys of hyllys he / many at a syght,
No thyng to let me / the wedir is so bright.

Uxor
Thise ar of mercy / tokyns full right.

Noah
Dame, thi counsell me / what fowll best myght,
And Cowth,
with flight of wyng
bryng, without taryying,
Of mercy som tokynyng
Ayther bi north or southe?
ffor this is the fyrst day / of the tent moyne.

Uxor
The ravyn, durst I lay / will com agane sone;
As fast as thou may / cast hym furth, haue done,
He may happyn to day / com agane or none
With grath.

Noah
I will cast out also
Dowfys oone or two:
Go youre way, go,
God send, you som wathe!
Now ar thise fowles flone / Into seyr countre;
Pray we fast ichon / kneland on our kne,
To hym that is alone / worthiest of degre,
That he wold send anone / oure fowles som fee
To glad vs.

Uxor
Thai may not fayll of land,
The water is so wanand.

Noah
Thank we god all weldand,
That lord that made vs.
It is a wonder thyng / me thynk sothle,
Thai ar so long taryyng / the fowles that we
Cast out in the mornyng. /

Uxor
Syr, it may be
Thai tary to thay bryng. /

Noah
The ravyn is a hungrye
All way;
He is without any reson,
And he fynd any caryon,
As peraventure may befon,
he will not away;
The dowfe is more gentill / her trust I vntew,
like vnto the turtill / for she is ay trew.

Uxor
hence bot a litill / she commys, lew, lew!
she bryngys in her bill / som novels new;
Behald,!
It is of an olif tre
A branch, thynkys me.

Noah
It is soth, perde,
right so is it cald.
Doufe, byrd, full blist / ffayre myght the befall !
Thou art trew for to trist / as ston in the wall;
Full well I it wist / thou wold com to thi hall,

Uxor
A trew tokyn ist / we shall be sauyd all:
ffor whi?
The water, syn she com,
Of depnes plom,
Is fallen a fathom,
And more hardely.

Primus Filius
Thise floodis ar gone / fader, behold.

Secundus Filius
Ther is left right none / and that be ye bold.

Tercius Filius
As still as a stone / oure ship is stold.

Noah
Apon land here anone / that we were, fayn I wold;
My childer dere,
Sem, Japhet and Cam,
with gle and with gam,
Com go we all sam,
we will no longer abide here.

Uxor
here haue we beyn / noy long enogh,
with tray and with teyn / and dreed mekill wogh.

Noah
behald, on this greyn / nowder cart ne plogh
Is left, as I weyn / nowder tre then bogh,
Ne other thyng,
Bot all is away;
Many castels, I say,
Grete townes of aray,
fflitt has this flowyng.

Uxor
Thise floodis not afright / all this warld, so wide
has mevid with myght / on se and bi side.

Noah
To dede ar thai dyght / prowdist of pryde,
Euer ich a wyght / that euer was spyde,
With syn,
All ar thai slayn,
And put vnto payn.

Uxor
ffrom thens agayn
May thai neuer wyn?

Noah
wyn? no, I-wis / bot he that myght hase
Wold myn of thare mys / & admytte thaym to grace;
As he in bayll is blis / I pray hym in this space,
In heven hye with his / to purvaye vs a place,
That we,
with his santis in sight,
And his angels bright,
May com to his light:
Amen, for charite.

Abraham
Adonay, thou god veray,
Thou here vs when we to the call,
As thou art he that best may,
Thou art most socoure and help of all;
Mightfull lord! to the I pray,
Let onys the oyle of mercy fall,
Shall I neuer abide that day,
Truly yit I hope I shall.
Mercy, lord omnipotent!
long syn he this warld has wroght;
Wheder ar all oure elders went?
This musys mekill in my thoght.
ffrom adam, vnto eue assent,
Ete of that appyll sparid he noght,
ffor all the wisdom that he ment
ffull dere that bargan has he boght,
ffrom paradise thai bad hym gang;
He went mowrnyng with symple chere,
And after liffyd he here full lang,
More then thre hundreth yere,
In sorow and in trauell strang,
And euery day he was in were;
his childre angred, hym amang;
Caym slo abell, was hym full dere.
Sithen Noe, that was trew and good,
his and his chyldre thre,
was saued when all was flood:
That was a wonder thyng to se.
And loth fro sodome when he yode,
Thre cytees brent, yit eschapyd, he;
Thus, for thai menged my lordis mode,
he vengid syn thrugh his pauste‘.
when I thynk of oure elders all,
And of the mervels that has been,
No gladnes in my hart may fall,
M[y] comfort goys away full cleyn.
lord, when shall dede make me his thrall?
An hundreth yeris, certis, haue I seyn;
Ma fa! sone I hope he shall,
ffor it were right hie tyme I weyn.
Yit adam is to hell gone,
And ther has ligen many a day,
And all oure elders, euerychon,
Thay ar gone the same way,
Vnto god will here thare mone;
Now help, lord, adonay!
ffor, certis, I can no better wone,
And ther is none that better may.

God
I will help adam and his kynde,
Might I luf and lewte fynd;
Wold thay to me be trew, and blyn
Of thare pride and of thare syn:
My seruand I will found & frast,
Abraham, if he be trast;
On certan wise I will hym proue,
If he to me be trew of louf.
Abraham! Abraham!

Abraham
Who is that? war! let me se!
I herd oone neven my name.

God
It is I, take tent to me,
That fourmed thi fader adam,
And euery thyng in it degre.

Abraham
To here thi will, redy I am,
And to fulfill, what euer it be.

God
Of mercy haue I herd thi cry,
Thi devoute prayers haue me bun;
If thou me luf, look that thou hy
Vnto the land of Visyon;
And the thryd day be ther, bid, I,
And take with the, Isaac, thi son,
As a beest to sacryfy,
To slo hym look thou not shon,
And bren hym ther to thyn offerand.

Abraham
A, lovyd be thou, lord in throne!
hold ouer me, lord, thy holy hand,
ffor certis thi bidyng shall be done.
Blissyd be that lord in euery land
wold viset his seruand thus so soyn.
ffayn wold I this thyng ordand,
ffor it profettis noght to hoyne;
This commaundement must I nedis fulfill,
If that my hert wax hevy as leyde;
Shuld I offend my lordis will?
Nay, yit were I leyffer my child were dede.
What so he biddis me, good or ill,
That shall be done in euery steede;
Both wife and child, if he bid spill;
I wille not do agans his rede.
wist Isaac, wher so he were,
he wold be abast now,
how that he is in dangere.
Isaac, son, wher art thou?

Isaac
All redy, fader, Lo me here;
Now was I commyng vnto you;
I luf you mekill, fader dere.

Abraham
And dos thou so? I wold wit how
lufis thou me, son, as thou has saide.

Isaac
Yei, fader, with all myn hart,
More then all that euer was maide;
God hold, me long youre life in quart!

Abraham
Now, who would not be glad that had
A child so lufand as thou art?
Thi lufly chere makis my hert glad,
And many a tyme so has it gart.
Go home, son; com sone agane,
And tell thi moder I com ful fast;
So now god the saif and sayne!
Now well is me that he is past!
Alone, right here in this playn,
Might I speke to myn hart brast,
I wold, that all were well ful fayn,
Bot it must nedis be done at last;
And it is good that I be war,
To be avised full good it were.
The land of vision is ful far,
The thrid day end must I be there;
Myn ase shall with vs, if it thar,
To bere oure harnes les & more,
ffor my son may be slayn no nar;
A swerd must with vs yit therfore,
And I shall found, to make me yare;
This nyght will I begyn my way,
THof Isaac be neuer so fayre,
And myn awn son, the soth to say,
And, thof he be myn right haire,
And all shuld, weld, after my day,
Godis bydyng shall I not spare;
shuld I that ganstand,? we, nay, ma fay!
Isaac!

Isaac
-sir!

Abraham
-luke thou be bowne;
ffor certan, son, thi self and I,
we two must now weynd, furth of towne,
In far country to sacrifie,
ffor certan skyllys and encheson.
Take wod and fyere with the, in hy;
Bi hillys and, dayllys, both vp & downe,
son, thou shal ride and, I will go bi.
looke thou mys noght that thou shuld, nede;
Do make the redy, my darlyng!

Isaac
I am redy to do this dede,
And euer to fulfill youre bydyng.

Abraham
My dere son, look thou haue no drede,
We shal com home with grete lovyng;
Both to & fro I shal vs lede;
Com now, son, in my blyssyng.
Ye two here with this asse abide,
ffor Isaac & I will to yond hill;
It is so hie we may not ride,
therfor ye two shal abide here still.

Primus Puer
sir, ye ow not to be denyed,:
we ar redy youre bydyng to fulfill.

Secundus Puer
What so euer to vs betide
To do youre bidyng ay we will.

Abraham
Godis blyssyng haue ye both in fere;
I shall not tary long you fro.

Primus Puer
Sir, we shal abide you here,
Oute of this stede shall we not go.

Abraham
Childre, ye ar ay to me full dere,
I pray god kepe [you] euer fro wo.

Secundus Puer
we will do, sir, as ye vs lere.

Abraham
Isaac, now ar we bot we two,
we must go a full good paase,
ffor it is farther than I wend,
we shall make myrth & grete solace,
Bi this thyng be broght to end.
lo, my son, here is the place.

Isaac
wod and fyere ar in my hend;
Tell me now, if ye haue space,
where is the beest that shuld, be brend?

Abraham
Now, son, I may no longer layn.
sich will is into myne hart went;
Thou was euer to me full bayn
Euer to fulfill myn entent.
Bot certanly thou must be slayn,
And it may be as I haue ment.

Isaac
I am hevy and nothyng fayn,
Thus hastely that shall be shent.

Abraham
Isaac!

Isaac
sir?

Abraham
Com heder, bid I;
Thou shal be dede what so euer betide.

Isaac
A, fader, mercy! mercy!

Abraham
That I say may not be denyde;
Take thi dede therfor mekely.

Isaac
A, good sir, abide;
ffader!

Abraham
What son?

Isaac
to do youre will I am redy,
where so euer ye go or ride,
If I may oght ouertake youre will,
syn I haue trepa[s]t I wold be bet.

Abraham
Isaac!

Isaac
What, sir?

Abraham
good son, be still.

Isaac
ffader!

Abraham
what, son!

Isaac
think on thi get!
what haue I done?

Abraham
truly, none ill.

Isaac
And shall be slayn?

Abraham
so haue I het.

Isaac
sir, what may help?

Abraham
certis, no skill.

Isaac
I ask mercy.

Abraham
that may not let.

Isaac
when I am dede, and closed, in clay,
who shall then be youre son?

Abraham
A, lord, that I shuld abide this day!

Isaac
sir, who shall do that I was won?

Abraham
speke no sich wordis, son, I the pray.

Isaac
shall ye me slo?

Abraham
I trow I mon;
lyg still! I smyte!

Isaac
sir, let me say.

Abraham
Now, my dere child, thou may not shon.

Isaac
The shynyng of youre bright blayde
It gars me quake for ferde to dee.

Abraham
Therfor groflyngis thou shall be layde,
Then when I stryke thou shal not se.

Isaac
What haue I done, fader, what haue I saide?

Abraham
Truly, no kyns ill to me.

Isaac
And thus gyltles shall be arayde.

Abraham
Now, good son, let sich wordis be.

Isaac
I luf you ay.

Abraham
so do I the.

Isaac
ffader!

Abraham
what, son?

Isaac
let now be seyn.
ffor my moder luf.

Abraham
let be, let be!
It will not help that thou wold, meyn;
Bot ly styll till I com to the,
I mys a lytyll thyng, I weyn.
he spekis so rufully to me
That water shotis in both myn eeyn,
I were leuer than all wardly wyn,
That I had fon hym onys vnkynde,
Bot no defawt I faund, hym in:
I wold be dede for hym, or pynde;
To slo hym thus, I thynk grete syn,
So rufull wordis I with hym fynd;
I am full wo that we shuld, twyn,
ffor he will neuer oute of my mynd.
What shal I to his moder say?
ffor "where is he," tyte will she spyr;
If I tell hir, "ron away,"
hir answere bese belife-"nay, sir!"
And I am ferd, hir for to slay;
I ne wote what I shal say till hir.
he lyys full still ther as he lay,
ffor to I com, dar he not styr.

God
Angell, hy with all thi mayn!
To abraham thou shall be sent;
say, Isaac shall not be slayn;
he shall lif, and not be brent.
My bydyng standis he not agane,
Go, put hym out of his intent;
Byd, hym go home agane,
I know well how he ment.

Angel
Gladly, Lord, I am redy:
thi bidyng shall be magnyfyed;
I shall me spede ful hastely,
the to obeye at euery tyde;
Thi will, Thi name, to glorifye,
Ouer all this warld so wide;
And to thi seruand now in hy,
good, trew, abraham, will I glyde.

Abraham
Bot myght I yit of wepyng sese,
till I had done this sacrifice;
It must nedis be, withoutten lesse,
thof all I carpe on this kyn wise,
The more my sorow it will incres;
when I look to hym, I gryse;
I will ryn on a res,
And slo hym here, right as he lyse.

Angel
Abraham! Abraham!

Abraham
Who is ther now?
War! let the go.

Angel
stand vp, now, stand;
Thi good will com I to alow,
Therfor I byd the hold thi hand.

Abraham
say, who bad, so? any bot thou?

Angel
Yei, god; & sendis this beest to thyn offerand.

Abraham
I speke with god latter, I trow,
And doyng he me commaund.

Angel
He has persauyd thy mekenes
And thi good will also, Iwis;
he will thou do thi son no distres,
ffor he has graunt to the his blys.

Abraham
Bot wote thou well that it is
As thou has sayd?

Angel
I say the yis.

Abraham
I thank the, lord, well of goodnes,
That all thus has relest me this;
To speke with the haue I no space,
with my dere son till I haue spokyn.
My good son, thou shal haue grace,
On the now will I not be wrokyn;
Ryse vp now, with thi frely face.

Isaac
sir, shall I lif?

Abraham
yei, this to tokyn.
son thou has skapid a full hard, grace,
Thou shuld, haue beyn both brent & brokyn.

Isaac
Bot, fader, shall I not be slayn?

Abraham
No, certis, son.

Isaac
then am I glad.
Good sir, put vp youre sword agayn.

Abraham
Nay hardely, son, be thou not adrad.

Isaac
Is all for geyn?

Abraham
yei, son, certan.

Isaac
ffor ferd, sir, was I nere-hand, mad.

Isaac
Com nere son and kys me,
that I may feyle the smell of the.
The smell of my son is lyke
to a feld with flouris, or hony bike.
where art thou, Esaw, my son?

Jacob
here, fader, and askis youre benyson.

Isaac
The blyssyng my fader gaf to me,
god of heuen & I gif the;
God gif the plente grete,
of wyne, of oyll, and of whete;
And graunt thi childre all
to worship the, both grete and small;
who so the blyssys, blyssed be he;
who so the waris, wared be he.
Now has thou my grete blyssyng,
loue the shall all thyne ofspryng;
Go now wheder thou has to go.

Jacob
Graunt mercy, sir, I will do so.

Esau
haue, ete, fader, of myn huntyng,
And gif me sythen your blyssyng.

Isaac
Who is that?

Esau
I, youre son
Esaw, bryngis you venyson.

Isaac
Who was that was right now here,
And broght me bruet of a dere?
I ete well, and blyssyd hym;
And he is blyssyd, ich a lym.

Esau
Alas! I may grete and sob.

Isaac
Thou art begylyd thrugh iacob,
That is thyne awne german brother.

Esau
haue ye kepyd me none other
Blyssyng then ye set hym one?

Isaac
sich another haue I none;
Bot god gif the to thyn handband,
the dew of heuen & frute of land.
Other then this can I not say.

Esau
Now, alas, and walo-way!
May I with that tratoure mete,
my faders dayes shall com with grete,
And my moders also;
may I hym mete, I shall hym slo.

Rebecca
Isaac it were my deth
If Iacob weddeth in kynd of heth;
I will send hym to aran,
there my brothere dwellys, laban;
And there may he serue in peasse
till his brother’s wrath will seasse.
why shuld, I apon a day
loyse both my sonnes? better nay.

Isaac
Thou says soth, wife; call hym heder,
And let vs tell hym where & wheder
That he may fle esaw,
that vs both hetis bale to brew.

Rebecca
Iacob, son! thi fader & I
wold, speke with the; com, stand, vs by!
Out of contry must thou fle,
that Esaw slo not the.

Jacob
Whederward, shuld, I go, dame?

Rebecca
To mesopotameam;
To my brothere, and thyn eme,
that dwellys besyde Iordan streme;
And ther may thou with hym won,
to Esaw, myne other son,
fforget, and all his wrath be dede.

Jacob
I will go, fader, at youre rede.

Isaac
Yei, son, do as thi moder says;
Com kys vs both, & weynd thi ways.

Jacob
Haue good day, sir and dame!

Isaac
God sheld, the, son, from syn and shame!

Rebecca
And gif the grace, good man to be,
And send me glad tythygis to the.

Jacob
Help me, lord, adonay,
And hald, me in the right way
To mesopotameam;
ffor I cam neuer or now where I am;
I cam neuer here in this contre;
lord, of heuen, thou help me!
ffor I haue maide me, in this strete,
sore bonys & warkand feete.
The son is downe, what is best?
her purpose I all nyght to rest;
Vnder my hede this ston shal ly;
A nyghtis rest take will I.

God
Iacob, iacob, thi god I am;
Of thi forfader abraham,
And of thi fader, Isaac;
I shall the blys for thare sake.
This land, that thou slepys in,
I shall the gif, and thi kyn;
I shall thi seede multyply,
As thyk as powder on erth may ly.
The kynd of the shall sprede wide,
ffrom eest to west on euery syde,
ffrom the south vnto the north;
All that I say, I shall forth;
And all the folkis of thyne ofspryng,
shal be blyssyd of thy blyssyng.
Iacob, haue thou no kyns drede!
I shall the clethe, I shall the fede.
Whartfull shall I make thi gate;
I shal the help erly and, late;
And all in qwart shall I bryng the
home agane to thi countre.
I shall not fayll, be thou bold,
Bot I shall do as I haue told.

Jacob
A! lord! what may this mene?
what haue I herd, in slepe, and sene?
That god leynyd hym to a stegh,
And spake to me, it is no leghe;
And now is here none othere gate,
bot godis howse and heuens yate.
lord, how dredfull is this stede!
ther I layde downe my hede,
In godis lovyng I rayse this stone,
And, oyll will I putt theron.
lord, of heuen, that all wote,
here to the I make a hote:
If thou gif me mete and foode,
And close to body, as I behoued,
And bryng me home to kyth and kyn,
by the way that I walk in,
without skathe and in quarte,
I promyse to the, with stedfast hart,
As thou art lord, and god myne,
And I Iacob, thi trew hyne,
This stone I rayse in sygne to day
shall I hold, holy kyrk for ay;
And of all that newes me
rightwys tend, shall I gif the.
A, my fader, god of heuen,
that saide to me, thrugh thi steven,
when I in aran was dwelland,
that I shuld turne agane to land,
Ther I was both fed and borne,
warnyd thou me, lord, beforne,
As I went toward aran
with my staff, and passyd, Iordan:
And now I come agane to kyth,
with two ostes of men me with.
Thou hete me, lord, to do well with me,
to multyplye my seede as sand of see;
Thou saue me, lord, thrugh vertew,
ffrom veniance of Esaw,
That he slo not, for old, greme,
these moders with thare barne teme.

Rachel
Oure anguysh, sir, is many fold,
syn that oure messyngere vs told,
That Esaw wold, you slo,
with foure hundreth men and mo.

Jacob
ffor soth, rachell, I haue hym sent
of many beestis sere present.
May tyde he will oure giftis take,
And right so shall his wrath slake.
where ar oure thyngis, ar thay past Iordan?

Leah
Go and look, sir, as ye can.

God
The day spryngis; now lett me go.

Jacob
Nay, nay, I will not so,
Bot thou blys me or thou gang:
If I may, I shall hold, the lang.

God
In tokynyng that thou spekis with me,
I shall toche now thi thee,
That halt shall thou euermore,
bot thou shall fele no sore;
What is thy name, thou me tell?

Jacob
Iacob.

God
nay, bot Israell;
syn thou to me sich strengthe may kythe,
to men of erth thou must be stythe.

Jacob
what is thy name?

God
whi askis thou it?
‘wonderfull,’ if thou wil wyt.

Jacob
A, blys me, lord,!

God
I shall the blys,
And be to the full propyce,
And gyf the my blyssyng for ay,
As lord and he that all may.
I shall grayth thi gate,
And full well ordeyn thi state;
when thou has drede, thynk on me,
And thou shal full well saynyd be,
And look thou trow well my sayes;
And farewell now, the day dayes.

Jacob
Now haue I a new name, israell;
this place shall [hight] fanuell,
ffor I haue seyn in this place,
god of heuen face to face.

Rachel
Iacob, lo we haue tythand,
that Esaw is here at hand.

Jacob
Rachell, stand thou in the last eschele,
ffor I wold, thou were sauyd wele;
Call Ioseph and beniamin,
And let theym not fro the twyn.
If it be so that Esaw
vs before all-to-hew,
Ye that ar here the last
Ye may be sauyd if ye fle fast.

Jacob
I pray the, lord, as thou me het,
thou saue me and, my gete.

Esau
welcom brother, to kyn and kyth,
thi wife and childre that comes the with.
how has thou faren in far land,?
tell me now som good tythand.

Jacob
Well, my brother Esaw,
If that thi men no bale me brew.

Esau
wemo! felows, hold youre hend,
ye se that I and he ar frend,
And frenship here will we fulfill,
syn that it is godis will.

Jacob
God yeld, you, brothere, that it so is
that thou thi hyne so wold, kys.

Esau
Nay, Iacob, my dere brothere,
I shall the tell all anothere;
Thou art my lord, thrugh destyny;
go we togeder both thou and I,
To my fader and, his wife,
that lofys the, brother, as thare lyfe.

Moyses
Prophetam excitabit deus de fratribus vestris;
Omnis anima, que non audierit prophetam illum,
exterminabitur de populo suo;
Nemo propheta sine honore nisi in patria sua.
All ye folk of israell,
herkyn to me! I will you tell
Tythyngis farly goode;
All wote ys how it be fell
wherfor Adam was dampnyd, to hell,
he, and all his blode.
Therfor will god, styr and rayse
A prophete, in som man dayes,
Of oure brethere kyn;
And all trowes as he says,
And will walk in his ways,
ffrom hell he will theym twyn.
when his tyme begynnys to day,
I rede no man fro hym dray,
In way, ne stand on strut;
ffor he that will not here his sagh,
he be shewed, as an out-lagh,
And from his folkis be putt.
I warne you well that same prophete
shall com hereafterward, full swete,
And many meruels shew;
Man shall fall till his feete,
ffor cause he can bales beete,
Thrugh his awn thew.
All that will in trowth ren
shall he saue, I warne you then,
Trust shall his name be.
Bot all ouer will man prophete ken
with worship, amangis men,
Bot in his awne countre.
herkyns all, both yong and old,!
God that has all in wold,
Gretys you bi me;
his commaundementis ar ten;
Behold, ye that ar his men,
here ye may theym se.
his commaundementis that I haue broght,
looke that ye hold, thaym noght
ffor tryfyls, ne for fables;
ffor ye shall well vnderstand,
That god wrote theym with his hand,
In thyse same tables.
Ye that thyse in hart will hald,
vnto heuen shall ye be cald,
That is fyrst to com;
And ye that will not do so,
Till hell pyne mon ye go,
And byde a bytter dome.
Do now as I shall you wys;
The fyrst commaundement is this
That I shall you say;
Make no god of stok ne stone,
And, trow in none god, bot oone,
That mayde both nyght and day.
Anothere bydis thou shall not swere,
ffor no mede, ne for no dere,
ffalsly, bi godis name;
If thou swere wrongwosly,
Wit thou well and wytterly,
Thou art worthi grete blame.
The thyrd, is, thou shall well yheme
Thi holy day, and serue to wheme
God with all thi hart.
The fourt commaundement is bi tayll,
ffader and moder worship thou shall,
In pouert and in qwarte.
The fyft commaundis thou shall forsake
ffornycacyon, and take the a make,
And lyf in rightwys state.
The sext commaundis thou shal not be
Man sloer, for gold, ne fee,
Ne for luf, ne for hate.
The seuenth commaundis that thou shall leue,
And nather go to stele ne reue,
ffor more then for les.
The aght bydis both old, and yong,
That thay be traw of thare tong,
And bere no fals witnes.
The nenth bydis the, bi thi lif,
Thou desyre not thi neghbur’s wife,
Ne mayden that is his.
The tent bidis the, for no case,
Desyre not wranwosly thyng thi neghbur has;
Do thus, and do no mys.
I am the same man that god chase,
And toke the ten commaundementis of peasse
In the monte synay;
Thise wordis, I say, ar no les;
My name is callyd moyses;
And haue now all good day!

David
a Omnes reges adorabunt eum, omnes gentes seruient ei.
herkyn, all, that here may,
And perceyf well what I shall say,
All with righ[t]wisnes.
loke ye put it not away,
Bot thynk theron both nyght and day,
ffor it is sothfastnes.
Iesse son, ye wote I am;
Dauid is my right name,
And I bere crowne;
Bot ye me trow, ye ar to blame;
Of Israel, both wyld, and tame,
I haue in my bondon.
As god of heuen has gyffyn me wit,
shall I now syng you a fytt,
With my mynstrelsy;
loke ye do it well in wrytt,
And theron a knot knytt,
ffor it is prophecy.
Myrth I make till all men,
with my harp and fyngers ten,
And warn theym that thay glad,
ffor god will that his son down send,
That wroght adam with his hend,
And heuen and erth mayde.
He will lyght fro heuen towre,
ffor to be mans saueyoure,
And saue that is forlorne;
ffor that I harp, and myrth make,
Is for he will manhede take,
I tell you thus beforne;
And thider shall he ren agane,
As gyant of mych mayne,
Vnto the hyest sete;
Ther is nawther kyng, ne swayn,
Then no thyng that may hym layn,
Ne hyde from his hete.
he shall be lord, and kyng of all,
Tyll hys feete shall kyngis fall,
To offre to hym wytterly.
Blyssyd, be that swete blome,
That shall saue vs at his com!
Ioyfull may we be.
Riche gyftis thay shall hym bryng,
And till hym make offeryng,
kneland on thare kne;
well were hym that that lordyng,
And that dere derlyng,
Myght bide on lyfe and se.
Men may know hym bi his marke,
Myrth and lovyng is his warke,
that shall he luf most.
lyght shall be born that tyme in darke,
Both to lawd, man and to clark,
the luf of rightwys gost.
Therfor, both emperoure and kyng,
Ryche and poore, both old, and ying,
temper well youre gle,
Agans that kyng lyght downe,
ffor to lowse vs of pryson,
And make vs all free.
Thou shew thi mercy, lord, tyll vs,
ffor to thou com, to hell we trus,
we may not go beside;
lord, when thi will is for to dele
Tyll us thi salue and thi hele,
whom we all abyde.
Now haue I songen you a fytt;
loke in mynd that ye haue it,
I rede with my myght;
he that maide vs all with his wytt,
sheld, vs all from hell pytt,
And graunt vs heuen lyght!

Sybilla Propheta
Iudicii signum tellus sudore madescit,
E celo rex adueniet per secla futurus,
Scilicet in carne presens vt iudicet orbem.
Who so wyll here tythyngis glad,
of hym that all this warld, made,
here me wytterly!
sibill sage is my name;
Bot ye me here, ye ar to blame,
My word, is prophecy.
All men was slayn thrugh adam syn,
And put to pyne that neuer shall blyn,
thrugh falsnes of the feynd.
A new kyng comes from heuen to fyght
Agans the feynd, to wyn his right,
so is his mercy heynd.
All the warld, shall he deme,
And that haue seruyd hym to wheme,
Myrth thaym mon betyde;
All shall se hym with thare ee,
Ryche and poore, low and hye,
No man may hym hyde;
Bot thay shall in thare flesh ryse,
That euery man shall whake and gryse,
Agans that ilk dome.
with his santis, many oone,
he shall be sene in flesh and, bone,
that kyng that is to com.
All that shall stand hym before,
All shal be les and more,
Of oone eld, ichon.
Angels shall qwake then for ferd,
And fyre shall bren this mydyll-erd,
yei, erth and, all ther apon.
shall nothyng here in erth be kend,
Bot it shall be strewyd, and brend,
All waters and the see.
sythen shall both hill and dale
Ryn togeder, grete and smale,
And all shall euen be.
At hys commyng shall bemys blaw,
That men may his commyng knaw;
ffull sorowfull shall be that blast;
Ther is no man that herys it,
Bot he shall qwake for all his witt,
Be he neuer so stedfast.
Then shall hell gape and gryn,
That men may know thare dome therin,
Of that hye iustyce;
That ill have done, to hell mon go;
And to heuen the other also,
that has been rightwys.
Therfor, I rede ilk a man,
kepe, as well as he can,
ffro syn and fro mysdede.
My prophecy now haue I told;
God, you saue, both yong and old,
And help you at youre nede!

Daniel
Cum venerit sanctus sanctorum cessabit vncio vestra.
God that maide adam and eue,
whils thay dyd well, he gaf thaym leue
In paradise to dwell;
Sone when thay that appyll ete,
Thay were dampned, sone and skete,
Vnto the pyne of hell,
Thrugh sorow and paynes euer new;
Therfor wyll god apon vs rew,
And his son downe send,
Into erth, flesh to take,
That is all for oure sake,
oure trespas to amend.
fflesh with fleshe will be boght,
That he lose not that he has wroght
wyth hys awne hend.
Of a madyn shal he be borne,
To saue all that ar forlorne,
Euermore withoutten end.

Pharao
Peas, of payn that no man pas;
bot kepe the course that I commaunde,
And take good hede of hym that has
youre helth all holy in hys hande;
ffor kyng pharro my fader Was,
And led thys lordshyp of thys land;
I am hys hayre as age Wyll has,
Euer in stede to styr or stand.
All Egypt is myne awne
To leede aftyr my law;
I Wold my myght Were knawne
And honoryd, as hyt awe.
ffull low he shall be thrawne
That harkyns not my sawe,
hanged hy and drawne,
Therfor no boste ye blaw;
Bot as for kyng I commaund peasse,
To all the people of thys empyre.
looke no man put hym self in preaase,
Bot that Wyll do as I desyre,
And of youre Wordis look that ye seasse.
Take tent to me, youre soferand syre,
That may youre comfort most increasse,
And to my lyst bowe lyfe and lyre.

Primus Miles
My lord, if any here Were,
That Wold not wyrk youre Wyll,
If We myght com thaym nere,
ffull soyn we shuld theym spyll.

Pharao
Thrugh out my kyngdom Wold I ken,
And kun hym thank that Wold me tell,
If any Were so Waryd men
That wold my fors downe fell.

Secundus Miles
My lord, ye haue a maner of men
that make great mastres vs emell;
The Iues that Won in gersen,
thay ar callyd chyldyr of Israel.
Thay multyplye full fast,
and sothly We suppose
That shall euer last,
oure lordshyp for to lose.

Pharao
Why, how haue thay sych gawdis begun?
ar thay of myght to make sych frayes?

Primus Miles
Yei, lord, full fell folk ther Was fun
In kyng pharao, youre fader dayes.
Thay cam of Ioseph, Was iacob son-
he Was a prince Worthy to prayse-
In sythen in ryst haue thay ay ron;
thus ar thay lyke to lose youre layse,
Thay Wyll confound you cleyn,
bot if thay soner sesse.

Pharao
What deuyll is that thay meyn
that thay so fast incresse?

Secundus Miles
How thay incres full well we ken,
as oure faders dyd vnderstand;
Thay Were bot sexty and ten
when thay fyrst cam in to thys land;
Sythen haue soierned in gersen
[Fower hundreth] Wynter, I dar warand;
Now ar thay nowmbred of myghty men
moo then [thre hundreth] thousand,
Wyth outen Wyfe and chyld,
or hyrdis that kepe thare fee.

Pharao
How thus myght we be begyld?
bot shall it not be;
ffor wyth quantyse we shall thaym quell,
so that thay shall not far sprede.

Primus Miles
My lord, we haue hard oure faders tell,
and clerkis that well couth rede,
Ther shuld a man walk vs amell
that shuld fordo vs and oure dede.

Pharao
ffy on hym, to the deuyll of hell!
sych destyny wyll we not drede;
We shal make mydwyfis to spyll them
where any ebrew is borne,
And all menkynde to kyll them,
so shall thay soyn be lorne.
And as for elder haue I none awe,
sych bondage shall I to thaym beyde,
To dyke and delf, bere and draw,
and to do all vnhonest deyde;
So shall these laddis be halden law,
In thraldom euer thare lyfe to leyde.

Secundus Miles
Now, certis, thys was a sotell saw,
thus shall these folk no farthere sprede.

Pharao
Now help to hald theym downe,
look I no fayntnes fynde.

Primus Miles
All redy, lord, We shall be bowne,
in bondage thaym to bynde.

Moyses
Gret god, that all thys Warld began,
and growndyd it in good degre,
Thou mayde me, moyses, vnto man,
and sythen thou sauyd me from the se;
kyng Pharao had commawndyd, than,
ther shuld no man chyld sauyd be;
Agans hys Wyll away I wan;
thus has god, shewed hys myght for me.
Now am I sett to kepe,
vnder thys montayn syde,
Byshope Iettyr shepe,
to better may be tyde;
A, lord, grete is thy myght!
What man may of yond meruell meyn?
Yonder I se a selcowth syght,
sych on in Warld Was neuer seyn;
A bush I se burnand full bryght,
and euer elyke the leyfes are greyn;
If it be wark of Warldly Wyght,
I Wyll go wyt wythoutyn Weyn.

God
Moyses, Moyses!
Moyses, com not to nere,
bot styll in that stede thou dwell,
And harkyn vnto me here;
take tent What I the tell.
do of thy shoyes in fere,
wyth mowth as I the mell,
the place thou standis in there
forsothe, is halowd Well.
I am thy lord, Wythouten lak,
to lengthe thi lyfe euen as I lyst;
I am god that som tyme spake
to thyn elders, as thay Wyst;
To abraam, and Isaac,
and iacob, I sayde shuld be blyst,
And multytude of them to make,
so that thare seyde shuld not be myst.
Bot now thys kyng, pharao,
he hurtys my folk so fast,
If that I suffre hym so,
thare seyde shuld, soyne be past;
Bot I Wyll not so do,
in me if thay Wyll trast,
Bondage to bryng thaym fro.
therfor thou go in hast
To do my message, haue in mynde,
to hym that me sych harme mase;
Thou speke to hym Wyth wordis heynde,
so that he let my people pas,
To Wyldernes that thay may Weynde,
to Worshyp me as I wyll asse.
Agans my wyll if that thay leynd,
ful soyn hys song shall be ‘alas.’

Moyses
A, lord! pardon me, Wyth thy leyf,
that lynage luffis me noght;
Gladly thay Wold me greyf,
if I sych bodworde broght.
Good lord, lett som othere frast,
that has more fors the folke to fere.

God
Moyses, be thou nott abast,
my bydyng shall thou boldly bere;
If thay with wrong away Wold Wrast,
outt of the way I shall the Were.

Moyses
Good lord, thay Wyll not me trast
for all the othes that I can swere;
To neuen sych noytis newe
to folk of Wykyd Wyll,
Wyth outen tokyn trew,
thay wyll not tent ther tyll.

God
If that he wyll not vnderstand
thys tokyn trew that I shall sent,
Afore the kyng cast downe thy Wand,
and it shall turne to a serpent;
Then take the tayll agane in hand-
boldly vp look thou it hent-
And in the state that thou it fand,
then shal it turne by myne intent.
Sythen hald thy hand soyn in thy barme,
and as a lepre it shal be lyke,
And hole agane with outen harme;
lo, my tokyns shal be slyke.
And if he wyll not suffre then
my people for to pas in peasse,
I shall send venyance [neyn] or ten,
shall sowe full sore or I seasse.
Bot the ebrewes, won in Iessen,
shall not be merkyd with that measse;
As long as thay my lawes Wyll ken
thare comforth shall euer increasse

Moyses
A, lord, to luf the aght vs well,
that makis thy folk thus free;
I shall vnto thaym tell
as thou has told to me.
Bot to the kyng, lord, when I com,
if he aske what is thy name,
And I stand styll, both deyf & dom,
how shuld, I [skape] withoutten blame?

God
I say the thus, ‘Ego sum qui sum,’
I am he that is the same;
If thou can nother muf nor mom,
I shall sheld, the from shame.

Moyses
I vnderstand full well thys thyng,
I go, lord, with all the myght in me.

God
Be bold in my blyssyng,
thi socoure shall I be.

Moyses
A, lord of luf, leyn me thy lare,
that I may truly talys tell;
To my freyndis now wyll I fare,
the chosyn childre of Israell,
To tell theym comforth of thare care,
in dawngere ther as thay dwell.
God manteyn you euermare,
And mekyll myrth be you emell.

Primus Puer
A, master moyses, dere!
oure myrth is all mowrnyng;
ffull hard halden ar we here
as carls vnder the kyng.

Secundus Puer
We may mowrn, both more and myn,
ther is no man that oure myrth mase;
Bot syn we ar all of a kyn,
god send vs comforth in thys case.

Moyses
Brethere, of youre mowrnyng blyn;
god Wyll delyuer you thrugh his grace,
Out of this wo he wyll you wyn,
and put you to youre pleassyng place;
ffor I shall carp vnto the kyng,
and fownd full soyn to make you free.

Primus Puer
God graunt you good Weyndyng,
and euermore with you be.

Moyses
kyng pharao, to me take tent.

Pharao
Why, boy, what tythyngis can thou tell?

Moyses
ffrom god hym self hydder am I sent
to foche the chyldre of Israell;
To Wyldernes he wold thay went.

Pharao
yei, weynd the to the devyll of hell!
I gyf no force What he has ment,
In my dangere, herst thou, shall thay dwell;
And, fature, for thy sake,
thay shalbe put to pyne.

Moyses
Then wyll god venyance take
of the, and of all thyn.

Pharao
On me? fy on the lad, out of my land!
wenys thou thus to loyse oure lay?
Say, whence is yond warlow with his wand
that thus wold wyle oure folk away?

Primus Miles
Yond is moyses, I dar warand,
agans all egypt has beyn ay,
Greatt defawte with hym youre fader fand;
now wyll he mar you if he may.

Pharao
ffy on hym! nay, nay, that dawnce is done;
lurdan, thou leryd to late.

Moyses
God bydis the graunt my bone,
and let me go my gate.

Pharao
Bydis god me? fals losell, thou lyse!
What tokyn told he? take thou tent.

Moyses
He sayd thou shuld dyspyse
both me, and hys commaundement;
fforthy, apon thys wyse,
my Wand he bad, in thi present,
I shuld lay downe, and the avyse
how it shuld turne to oone serpent;
And in hys holy name
here I lay it downe;
lo, syr, here may thou se the same.

Pharao
A, ha, dog! the devyll the drowne!

Moyses
He bad me take it by the tayll,
for to prefe hys powere playn;
Then he sayde, wythouten fayll,
hyt shuld turne to a wand agayn.
lo, sir, behold!

Pharao
wyth ylahayll!
Certis this is a sotell swayn!
bot thyse boyes shall abyde in bayll,
All thi gawdis shall thaym not gayn;
Bot wars, both morn and none,
shall thay fare, for thi sake.

Moyses
I pray god send us venyange sone,
and on thi Warkis take wrake.

Primus Miles
Alas, alas! this land is lorn!
on lyfe we may [no] longer leynd;
Sych myschefe is fallen syn morn,
ther may no medsyn it amend.

Pharao
Why cry ye so, laddis? lyst ye skorn?

Secundus Miles
Syr kyng, sych care was neuer kend,
In no mans tyme that euer was borne.

Pharao
Tell on, belyfe, and make an end.

Primus Miles
Syr, the Waters that were ordand
for men and bestis foyde,
Thrugh outt all egypt land,
ar turnyd into reede bloyde;
ffull vgly and full yll is hytt,
that both fresh and, fayre was before.

Pharao
O, ho! this is a wonderfull thyng to wytt,
of all the warkis that euer wore!

Secundus Miles
Nay, lord, ther is anothere yit,
that sodanly sowys vs full sore;
ffor todis and froskis may no man flyt,
thay venom vs so, both les and more.

Primus Miles
Greatte mystis, sir, ther is both morn and noyn,
byte vs full bytterly;
we trow that it be doyn
thrugh moyses, oure greatte enmy.

Secundus Miles
My lord, bot if this menye may remefe,
Mon neuer myrth be vs amang.

Pharao
Go, say to hym we wyll not grefe,
bot thay shall neuer the tytter gang.

Primus Miles
Moyses, my lord gyffys leyfe
to leyd thi folk to lykyng lang,
So that we mend of oure myschefe.

Moyses
ffull well I wote, thyse wordis ar wrang;
But hardely all that I heytt
ffull sodanly it shall be seyn;
vncowth meruels shalbe meyt
And he of malyce meyn.

Secundus Miles
A, lord, alas, for doyll we dy!
we dar look oute at no dowre.

Pharao
What, ragyd the dwyll of hell, alys you so to cry?

Primus Miles
ffor we fare wars then euer we fowre;
grete loppys ouer all this land thay fly,
And where thay byte thay make grete blowre,
and in euery place oure bestis dede ly.

Secundus Miles
hors, ox, and asse,
thay fall downe dede, syr, sodanly.

Pharao
we! lo, ther is no man that has
half as mych harme as I.

Primus Miles
yis, sir, poore folk haue mekyll wo,
to se thare catall thus out cast.
The Iues in gessen fayre not so,
thay haue lykyng for to last.

Pharao
Then shall we gyf theym leyf to go,
to tyme this perell be on past;
Bot, or thay flytt oght far vs fro,
we shall them bond twyse as fast.

Secundus Miles
Moyses, my lord gyffis leyf
thi meneye to remeue.

Moyses
ye mon hafe more myschefe
bot if thyse talys be trew.

Primus Miles
A, lord, we may not leyde thyse lyfys.

Pharao
what, dwyll! is grevance grofen agayn?

Secundus Miles
ye, sir, sich powder apon vs dryfys,
where it abidys it makys a blayn;
Mesell makys it man and wyfe,
thus ar we hurt with hayll & rayn.
Syr, v[y]nys in montanse may not thryfe,
so has frost & thoner thaym slayn.

Pharao
yei, bot how do thay in gessen,
the Iues, can ye me say?

Primus Miles
Of all thyse cares no thyng thay ken,
thay feyll noght of our afray.

Pharao
No? the ragyd! the dwyll! sytt thay in peasse?
and we euery day in doute & drede?

Secundus Miles
My lord, this care wyll euer encrese,
to moyses haue his folk to leyd;
Els be we lorn, it is no lesse,
yit were it better that thai yede.

Pharao
Thes folk shall flyt no far,
If he go welland wode.

Primus Miles
Then will it sone be war;
It were better thay yode.

Secundus Miles
My lord, new harme is comyn in hand.

Pharao
Yei, d,will, will it no better be?

Primus Miles
wyld wormes ar layd ouer all this land,
Thai leyf no floure, nor leyf on tre.

Secundus Miles
Agans that storme may no man stand;
And mekyll more meruell thynk me,
That thise thre dayes has bene durand
Sich myst, that no man may other se.

Primus Miles
A, my lord!

Pharao
hagh!

Secundus Miles
Grete pestilence is comyn;
It is like ful long to last.

Pharao
[pestilence] in the dwilys name!
then is oure pride ouer past.

Primus Miles
My lord, this care lastis lang,
and will, to moyses haue his bone;
let hym go, els wyrk we wrang,
It may not help to houer ne hone.

Pharao
Then will we gif theym leyf to gang;
Syn it must nedis be doyn;
Perchauns we sall thaym fang
and mar them or to morn at none.

Secundus Miles
Moyses, my lord he says
thou shall haue passage playn.

Moyses
Now haue we lefe to pas,
my freyndis, now be ye fayn;
Com furth, now sall ye weynd
to land of lykyng you to pay.

Primus Puer
Bot kyng Pharao, that fals feynd,
he will vs eft betray;
ffull soyn he will shape vs to sheynd,
And after vs send his garray.

Moyses
Be not abast, god is oure freynd,
And all oure foes will slay;
Therfor com on with me,
haue done and drede you noght.

Secundus Puer
That lord blyst might he be,
that vs from bayll has broght.

Primus Puer
Sich frenship neuer we fand;
bot yit I drede for perels all,
The reede see is here at hand,
ther shal we byde to we be thrall.

Moyses
I shall make way ther with my wand,
as god has sayde, to sayf vs all;
On ayther syde the see mon stand,
to we be gone, right as a wall.
Com on wyth me, leyf none behynde;
lo fownd, ye now youre god to pleasse,

Secundus Puer
O, lord,! this way is heynd;
Now weynd we all at easse.

Primus Miles
kyng pharao! thyse folk ar gone.

Pharao
Say, ar ther any noyes new?

Secundus Miles
Thise Ebrews ar gone, lord, euer-ichon.

Pharao
how says thou that?

Primus Miles
lord, that tayll is trew.

Pharao
We, out tyte, that they were tayn;
That ryett radly shall thay rew,
we shall not seasse to thay be slayn,
ffor to the see we shall thaym sew;
So charge youre chariottis swythe,
And fersly look ye folow me.

Secundus Miles
All redy, lord, we ar full blyth
At youre byddyng to be.

Primus Miles
lord, at youre byddyng ar we bowne
Oure bodys boldly for to beyd;
we shall not seasse, bot dyng all downe,
To all be dede withouten drede.

Pharao
heyf vp youre hertis vnto mahowne,
he will be nere vs in oure nede;
help! the raggyd dwyll, we drowne!
Now mon we dy for all oure dede.

Moyses
Now ar we won from all oure wo,
And sauyd out of the see;
louyng gyf we god vnto,
Go we to land now merely.

Primus Puer
lofe we may that lord on hyght,
And euer tell on this meruell;
Drownyd he has Kyng pharao myght,
louyd be that lord Emanuell.

Moyses
heuen, thou attend, I say, in syght,
And erth my wordys; here what I tell.
As rayn or dew on erth doys lyght
And waters herbys and trees full well,
Gyf louyng to goddys mageste,
hys dedys ar done, hys ways ar trew,
honowred be he in trynyte,
to hym be honowre and vertew.
Amen.

Imperator
Be styll, beshers, I commawnd yow,
That no man speke a word here now
Bot I my self alon;
And if ye do, I make a vow,
Thys brand abowte youre nekys shall bow,
ffor thy be styll as ston:
And looke ye grefe me noght,
ffor if ye do it shall be boght,
I swere you by mahowne;
I wote well if ye knew me oght,
To slo you all how lytyll I roght,
Ston styll ye wold syt downe.
ffor all is myn that vp standys,
Castels, towers, townys, and landys,
To me homage thay bryng;
ffor I may bynd and lowse of band,
Euery thyng bowys vnto my hand,
I want none erthly thyng.
I am lord and syr ouer all,
All bowys to me, both grete and small,
As lord of euery land;
Is none so comly on to call,
Whoso this agane says, fowll shall be fall,
And therto here my hand.
ffor I am he that myghty is,
And hardely all hathennes
Is redy at my wyll;
Both ryche, and poore, more & les,
At my lykyng for to redres,
whether I wyll saue or spyll.
Cesar august I am cald,
A fayrer cors for to behald,
Is not of bloode & bone;
Ryche ne poore, yong ne old,
Sych an othere, as I am told,
In all thys warld, is none.
Bot oone thyng doys me full mych care,
I trow my land wyll sone mysfare
ffor defawte of counsell lele;
My counsellars so wyse of lare,
help to comforth me of care,
No wyt from me ye fele.
As I am man moost of renowne,
I shall you gyf youre waryson
To help me if ye may.

Primus Consultus
To counsell you, lord, we ar bowne,
And for no man that lyfys in towne
wyll we not let, perfay;
youre messyngere I reede ye call,
ffor any thyng that may befall,
Byd hym go hastely,
Thrugh out youre landys ouer all,
Amang youre folk, both grete and small
youre gyrth & peasse to cry;
ffor to commaunde both yong & old,
None be so hardy ne so bold,
To hold of none bot you;
And, who so doth, put them in hold,
And loke ye payn theym many fold.

Imperator
I shall, I make a vowe;
Of thys counsell well payde am I,
It shall be done full hastely,
wyth outen any respytt.

Secundus Consultus
My Lord abyde awyle, for why?
A word to you I wold cleryfy.

Imperator
Go on, then, tell me tytt.

Secundus Consultus
All redy, lord, now permafay,
Thys haue I herd syn many day,
ffolk in the contre tell;
That in this land shuld dwell a may,
The which sall bere a chylde, thay say,
That shall youre force downe fell.

Imperator
Downe fell? dwyll! what may this be?
Out, harow, full wo is me!
I am full wyll of reede!
A, fy, and dewyls! whens cam he
That thus shuld reyfe me my pawste?
Ere shuld I be his dede.
ffor certys, then were my worshyp lorne,
If sych a swayn, a snoke horne,
Shuld thus be my suffrane;
may I wyt when that boy is borne,
In certan, had the dwyll hit sworne,
that gadlyng shuld agane.

Primus Consultus
Do way, lord, greyf you not so,
youre messyngere ye cause furth go
Aftyr youre cosyn dere,
To speke with you a word, or two,
The best counsell that lad to slo,
ffull soyn he can you lere;
ffor a wyse man that knyght men know.

Imperator
Now I assent vnto thi saw,
of witt art thou the well;
ffor all the best men of hym blowys;
he shall neuer dystroy my lawes,
were he the dwyll of hell.
Com lyghtfote, lad, loke thou be yare
On my message furth to fare,
go tytt to sir syryn;
Say sorow takys me full sare,
pray hym to comforth me of care,
As myn awne dere cosyn;
And bot if thou come agane to nyght,
look I se the neuer in syght,
neuer where in my land.

Nuncius
yis, certys, lord, I am full lyght,
or noyn of the day, I dar you hyght,
to bryng hym by the hand.

Imperator
yai, boy, and as thou luffys me dere,
Luke that thou spy, both far and nere,
Ouer all in ych place;
If thou here any saghes sere,
Of any carpyng, far and nere,
Of that lad, where that thou gase.

Nuncius
All redy, lord, I am full bowne,
To spyr and spy in euery towne,
After that wykkyd, queyd;
If I here any runk or rowne,
I shall fownd to crak thare crowne,
Ouer all, in ylk a stede;
And therfor, lord, haue now good day.

Imperator
Mahowne he wyse the on thi way,
That weldys water and wynde;
And specyally, here I the pray,
To spede the as fast as thou may.

Nuncius
yis, lord, that shall ye fynde.
Mahowne the saue and se, sir syryne!
Cesar, my lord, and youre cosyn,
he gretys you well by me.

Sirinus
Thou art welcom to me and myn;
Com nere and tell me tythandys thyn,
Tyte, what thay may be.

Nuncius
My lord prays you, as ye luf hym dere,
To com to hym, if youre wyll were,
To speke with hym awhyle.

Sirinus
Go grete hym well, thou messyngere,
say hym I com, and that right nere,
Behynd, the not a myle.

Nuncius
All redy, lord, at youre byddyng.
Mahowne the menske, my lord kyng,
And save the by see and sand.

Imperator
Welcom, bewshere, say what tythyng,
Do tell me tyte, for any thyng,
What herd thou in my land?

Nuncius
I herd, no thyng, lord, bot goode;
Syr syryn, that I after yode,
he wyll be here this nyght.

Imperator
I thank the by mahownes bloode;
Thise tythyngys mekyll amendys my mode;
Go rest, thou worthy wyght.

Sirinus
Mahowne so semely on to call,
he saue the, lord of lordis all,
Syttyng with thi meneye.

Imperator
Welcom, sir syrynne, to this hall,
Besyde my self here sytt thou shall,
Com vp belyf to me.

Sirinus
yis, lord, I am at youre talent.

Imperator
Wherfor, sir, I after the sent,
I shall the say full right;
And therfor take to me intent,
I am in poynt for to be shent.

Sirinus
how so, for mahownes myght?

Imperator
syr, I am done to vnderstand,
That a qweyn here, in this land,
shall bere a chyld, I wene,
That shall be crowned kyng lyfand,
And all shall bow vnto his hand;
Thise tythyngys doth me teyne.
he shall commaunde both ying and old,
None be so hardy ne so bold
To gyf seruyce to me;
Then wold, my hart be cold
If sich a beggere shold
My kyngdom thus reyf me;
And therfor, sir, I wold the pray,
Thy best counsell thou wold me say,
To do what I am best;
ffor securly, if that I may,
If he be fonden I shall hym slay,
Aythere by eest or west.

Sirinus
Now wote ye, lord, what that I reede;
I counsell you, as ete I brede,
what best therof may be;
Gar serche youre land in euery stede,
And byd that boy be done to dede,
who the fyrst may hym see;
And also I rede that ye gar cry,
To fleme wyth all that belamy,
That shuld be kyng with crowne;
Byd ych man com to you holly,
And bryng to you a heede penny,
That dwellys in towere or towne;
That this be done by the thyrde day,
Then may none of his freyndys say,
Bot he has mayde homage.
If ye do thus, sir, permafay,
youre worship shall ye wyn for ay,
If thay make you trowage.

Imperator
I thank you, sir, as myght I the,
ffor thyse tythyngys that thou tellys me,
Thy counsell shall avayll;
lord and syre of this cowntre,
wythouten ende here make I the,
ffor thy good counsell;
My messyngere, loke thou be bowne,
And weynd belyf from towne to towne,
And be my nobyll swane;
I pray the, as thou luffys mahowne,
And also for thy waryson,
That thou com tytt agane.
Commaunde the folk holly ichon,
Ryche ne poore forgett thou none,
To hold, holly on me,
And lowtt me as thare lord alone;
And who wyll not thay shall be slone,
This brand thare bayll shal be.
Therfor thou byd both old and ying,
That ich man know me for his kyng,
ffor drede that I thaym spyll,
That I am lord, and in tokynyng,
Byd ich man a penny bryng,
And make homage me tyll.
To my statutys who wyll not stand,
ffast for to fle outt of my land,
Byd thaym, withouten lyte;
Now by mahowne, god all weldand,
Thou shall be mayde knyght with my hand,
And therfor hye the tyte.

Nuncius
All redy, lord, it shall be done;
Bot I wote well I com not sone,
And therfor be not wroth;
I swere you, sir, by son and moyne,
I com not here by fore eft none,
wheder ye be leyfe or loth;
Bot hafe good day, now wyll I weynd,
ffor longer here may I not leynd,
Bot grathe me furth my gate.

Imperator
Mahowne that is curtes and heynd,
he bryng thi Iornay well to eynd,
And wysh the that all wate.

God
Sythen I haue mayde all thyng of noght,
And Adam with my handis hath wroght,
Lyke to myn ymage, att my devyse,
And gyffen hym Ioy in paradyse,
To won therin, as that I wend,
To that he dyd that I defend;
Then I hym put out of that place,
Bot yit, I myn, I hight hym grace
Oyll of mercy I can hym heyt,
And tyme also his bayll to beytt.
ffor he has boght his syn full sore,
Thise fyfe thowsand yeris and more,
ffyrst in erthe and sythen in hell;
Bot long therin shall he not dwell.
Outt of payn he shall be boght,
I wyll not tyne that I haue wroght.
I wyll make redempcyon,
As I hyght for my person,
All wyth reson and with right,
Both thrugh mercy and thrugh myght.
he shall not, therfor, ay be spylt,
ffor he was wrangwysly begylt;
he shall out of preson pas,
ffor that he begyled was
Thrugh the edder, and his wyfe;
Thay gart hym towch the tree of lyfe,
And ete the frute that I forbed,
And he was dampned for that dede.
Ryghtwysnes wyll we make;
I wyll that my son manhede take,
ffor reson wyll that ther be thre,
A man, a madyn, and a tre:
Man for man, tre for tre,
Madyn for madyn; thus shal it be.
My son shall in a madyn light,
Agans the feynd of hell to fight;
wythouten wem, os son thrugh glas,
And she madyn as she was.
Both god and man shall he be,
And she moder and madyn fre.
To abraham I am in dett
To safe hym and his gett;
And I wyll that all prophecye
Be fulfyllyd here by me;
ffor I am lord and lech of heyle,
My prophetys shall be funden leyle;
As moyses sayd, and Isay,
Kyng dauid, and Ieromy,
Abacuk, and daniell,
Sybyll sage, that sayde ay well,
And myne othere prophetis all,
As thay haue [said] it shall befall.
Ryse vp, gabriell, and weynd
vnto a madyn that is heynd,
To nazareth in galilee,
Ther she dwellys in that cytee.
To that vyrgyn and to that spouse,
To a man of dauid house,
Ioseph also he is namyd by,
And the madyn name mary.
Angell must to mary go,
ffor the feynd was eue fo;
he was foule and layth to syght,
And thou art angell fayr and bright;
And hayls that madyn, my lemman,
As heyndly as thou can.
Of my behalf thou shall hyr grete,
I haue hyr chosen, that madyn swete,
She shall conceyf my derlyng,
Thrugh thy word and hyr heryng.
In hyr body wyll I lyght,
That is to me clenly dyght;
She shall of hyr body bere
God and man wythouten dere.
She shall be blyssyd wythouten ende;
Grayth the gabriell, and weynd.

Gabriel
hayll, mary, gracyouse!
hayll, madyn and godis spouse!
Vnto the I lowte;
Of all vyrgyns thou art qwene,
That euer was, or shall be seyn,
wythouten dowte.
hayll, mary, and well thou be!
My lord of heuen is wyth the,
wythouten end;
hayll, woman most of mede!
Goodly lady, haue thou no drede,
That I commend;
ffor thou has fonden all thyn oone,
The grace of god, that was out gone,
ffor adam plyght.
This is the grace that the betydys,
Thou shall conceyue within thi sydys
A chyld of myght.
When he is comen, that thi son,
he shall take cyrcumsycyon,
Call hym ihesum.
Mightfull man shall be he that,
And godys son shall he hat,
By his day com.
My lord also shall gyf hym tyll
hys fader sete, dauid, at wyll,
Therin to sytt:
he shall be kyng in Iacob kyn,
hys kyngdom shall neuer blyn,
lady, well thou wytt.

Mary
What is thi name?

Gabriel
gabriell; godys strengthe and his angell,
That comys to the.

Mary
fferly gretyng thou me gretys;
A child to bere thou me hetys,
how shuld, it be?
I cam neuer by man’s syde,
Bot has avowed my madynhede,
ffrom fleshly gett.
Therfor I wote not how
That this be brokyn, as a vow
That I haue hett;
Neuer the les, well I wote,
To wyrk thi word and hold, thi hote
Mightfull god is;
Bot I ne wote of what manere,
Therfor I pray the, messyngere,
That thou me wysh.

Gabriel
lady, this is the preuate;
The holy gost shall light in the,
And his vertue,
he shall vmshade and fulfyll
That thi madynhede shall neuer spyll,
Bot ay be new.
The child that thou shall bere, madame,
Shall godys son be callid by name;
And se, mary,
Elesabeth, thi Cosyn, that is cald, geld,
She has conceyffed a son in elde,
Of zacary;
And this is, who wyll late,
The sext moneth of hyr conceytate,
That geld, is cald.
No word, lady, that I the bryng,
Is vnmyghtfull to heuen kyng,
Bot all shall hald.

Mary
I lofe my lord all weldand,
I am his madyn at his hand,
And in his wold.
I trow bodword that thou me bryng,
Be done to me in all thyng,
As thou has told.

Gabriel
Mary, madyn heynd,
me behovys to weynd,
my leyf at the I take.

Mary
ffar to my freynd,
Who the can send,
ffor mankynde sake.

Joseph
All-myghty god, what may this be!
Of mary my wyfe meruels me,
Alas, what has she wroght?
A, hyr body is grete and she with childe!
ffor me was she neuer fylyd,
Therfor myin is it noght.
I irke full sore with my lyfe,
That euer I wed so yong a wyfe,
That bargan may I ban;
To me it was a carefull dede,
I myght well wyt that yowthede
wold, haue lykyng of man
I am old, sothly to say,
passed, I am all preuay play,
The gams fro me ar gane.
It is ill cowpled, of youth and elde;
I wote well, for I am vnwelde,
som othere has she tane.
she is with chyld, I wote neuer how,
Now, who wold, any woman trow?
Certys, no man that can any goode;
I wote not in the warld, what I shuld, do,
Bot now then wyll I weynd hyr to,
And wytt who owe that foode.
hayll, mary, and well ye be!
why, bot woman, what chere with the?

Mary
The better, sir, for you.

Joseph
So wold, I, woman, that ye wore;
Bot certys, mary, I rew full sore
It standys so with the now.
Bot of a thyng frayn the I shall,
who owe this child, thou gose with all?

Mary
Syr, ye, and god of heuen.

Joseph
Myne, mary? do way thi dyn;
That I shuld, oght haue parte therin
Thou nedys it not to neuen;
wherto neuyns thou me therto?
I had neuer with the to do,
how shuld it then be myne?
whos is that chyld, so god the spede?

Mary
Syr, godys and yowrs, with outen drede.

Joseph
That word, had, thou to tyne,
ffor it is right full far me fro,
And I forthynkys thou has done so
Thise ill dedys bedene;
And if thou speke thi self to spyll,
It is full sore agans my wyll,
If better myght haue bene.

Mary
At godys wyll, Ioseph, must it be,
ffor certanly bot god and ye
I know none othere man;
ffor fleshly was I neuer fylyd.

Joseph
how shuld thou thus then be with chyld?
Excuse the well thou can;
I blame the not, so god me saue,
woman maners if that thou haue,
Bot certys I say the this,
well wote thou, and so do I,
Thi body fames the openly,
That thou has done amys.

Mary
yee, god he knowys all my doyng.

Joseph
we! now, this is a wonder thyng,
I can noght say therto;
Bot in my hart I haue greatt care,
And ay the longer mare and mare;
ffor doyll what shall I do?
Godys and myn she says it is;
I wyll not fader it, she says amys;
ffor shame yit shuld, she let,
To excuse hir velany by me;
with hir I thynk no longer be,
I rew that euer we met.
And how we met ye shall wyt sone;
Men vse yong chyldren for to done
In temple for to lere;
Soo dyd thay hir, to she wex more
Then othere madyns wyse of lore;
then byshopes sayd to hir,
"Mary, the behowfys to take
Som yong man to be thi make,
As thou seys other haue,
In the temple which thou wyll neuen;"
And she sayd, none, bot god of heuen,
To hym she had hir tane;
She wold none othere for any sagh;
Thay sayd she must, it was the lagh,
She was of age thertill.
To the temple thay somond old and ying,
All of Iuda ofspryng,
The law for to fulfill.
Thay gaf ich man a white wand,
And bad vs bere them in oure hande,
To offre with good intent;
Thay offerd thare yerdys vp in that tyde,
ffor I was old, I stode be syde,
I wyst not what thay ment;
Thay lakyd, oone, thay sayde in hy,
All had offerd, thay sayd, bot I,
ffor I ay withdrogh me.
ffurth with my wande thay mayd, me com,
In my hand, it floryshed with blome;
Then sayde thay all to me,
"If thou be old, meruell not the,
ffor god of heuen thus ordans he,
Thi wand shewys openly;
It florishes so, withouten nay,
That the behovys wed mary the may;"
A sory man then was I;
I was full sory in my thoght,
I sayde for old I myght noght
hir haue neuer the wheder;
I was vnlykely to hir so yong,
Thay sayde ther helpyd, none excusyng,
And wed vs thus togeder.
when I all thus had wed hir thare,
we and my madyns home can fare,
That kyngys doghters were;
All wroght thay sylk to fynd them on,
Marie wroght purpyll, the oder none
bot othere colers sere.
I left thaym in good peasse wenyd I,
Into the contre I went on hy,
My craft to vse with mayn;
To gett oure lyfyng I must nede,
On marie I prayd them take good hede,
To that I cam agane.
Neyn monethes was I fro that myld,;
when I cam home she was with chyld.
Alas, I sayd, for shame!
I askyd ther women who that had done,
And thay me sayde an angell sone,
syn that I went from hame;
An angell spake with that wyght,
And no man els, bi day nor nyght,
"sir, therof be ye bold".
Thay excusyd hir thus sothly,
To make hir clene of hir foly,
And babyshed, me that was old.
Shuld, an angell this dede haue wroght?
Sich excusyng helpys noght,
ffor no craft that thay can;
A heuenly thyng, for sothe, is he,
And she is erthly; this may not be,
It is som othere man.
Certys, I forthynk sore of hir dede,
Bot it is long of yowth-hede,
All sich wanton playes;
ffor yong women wyll nedys play them
with yong men, if old, forsake them,
Thus it is sene always.
Bot marie and I playd neuer so sam,
Neuer togeder we vsid, that gam,
I cam hir neuer so nere;
she is as clene as cristall clyfe
ffor me, and shalbe whyls I lyf,
The law wyll it be so.
And then am I cause of hir dede,
ffor thi then can I now no rede,
Alas, what I am wo!
And sothly, if it so befall,
Godys son that she be with all,
If sich grace myght betyde,
I wote well that I am not he,
which that is worthi to be
That blyssed, body besyde,
Nor yit to be in company;
To wyldernes I will for thi
Enfors me for to fare;
And neuer longer with hir dele,
Bot stylly shall I from hir stele,
That mete shall we no mare.

Angel
Do wa, Ioseph, and mend thy thoght,
I warne the well, and weynd thou noght,
To wyldernes so wylde;
Turne home to thi spouse agane,
look thou deme in hir no trane,
ffor she was neuer ffylde.
wyte thou no wyrkyng of Werkys wast,
She hase consauyd the holy gast,
And she shall bere godys son;
ffor thy with hir, in thi degre,
Meke and buxom looke thou be,
And with hir dwell and won.

Joseph
A, lord, I lofe the all alon,
That vowches safe that I be oone
To tent that chyld so ying;
I that thus haue vngrathly gone,
And vntruly taken apon
Mary, that dere darlyng.
I rewe full sore that I haue sayde,
And of hir byrdyng hir vpbrade,
And she not gylty is;
ffor thy to hir now Wyll I weynde,
And pray hir for to be my freynde,
And aske hir forgyfnes.
A, mary, wyfe, what chere?

Mary
The better, sir, that ye ar here;
Thus long where haue ye lent?

Joseph
Certys, walkyd aboute, lyke a fon,
That wrangwysly hase taken apon;
I wyst neuer What I ment;
Bot I wote well, my lemman fre,
I haue trespast to god and the;
fforgyf me, I the pray.

Mary
Now all that euer ye sayde me to,
God forgyf you, and I do,
With all the myght I may.

Joseph
Gramercy, mary, thi good wyll
So kyndly forgyfys that I sayde yll,
When I can the vpbrade;
Bot well is hym hase sich a fode,
A, meke wyf, withouten goode,
he may well hold, hym payde.
A, what I am light as lynde!
he that may both lowse and bynde,
And euery mys amend,
leyn me grace, powere, and myght,
My wyfe and hir swete yong wight
To kepe, to my lyfys ende.

Mary
My lord of heuen, that syttys he,
And all thyng seys with ee,
The safe, Elezabeth.

Elizabeth
Welcom, mary, blyssed blome,
Ioyfull am I of thi com
To me, from nazareth.

Mary
how standys it with you, dame, of qwart?

Elizabeth
well, my doghter and dere hart,
As can for myn elde.

Mary
To speke with you me thoght full lang,
ffor ye with childe in elde gang,
And ye be cald, geld.

Elizabeth
ffull lang shall I the better be,
That I may speke my fyll with the,
My dere kyns Woman;
To wytt how thi freyndys fare,
In thi countre where thay ar,
Therof tell me thou can,
And how thou farys, my dere derlyng.

Mary
Well, dame, gramercy youre askyng,
ffor good I wote ye spyr.

Elizabeth
And Ioachym, thy fader, at hame,
And anna, my nese, and thi dame,
how standys it with hym and hir?

Mary
Dame, yit ar thay both on lyfe,
Both ioachym and anna his wyfe.

Elizabeth
Els were my hart full sore.

Mary
Dame, god that all may,
yeld, you that ye say,
And, blys you therfore.

Elizabeth
Blyssed be thou of all women,
And the fruyte that I well ken,
Within the wombe of the;
And this tyme may I blys,
That my lordys moder is
Comen thus vnto me.
ffor syn that tyme full well I wote,
The stevyn of angell voce it smote,
And rang now in myn ere;
A selcouth thyng is me betyde.
The chyld makys Ioy, as any byrd,
That I in body bere.
And als, mary, blyssed be thou,
That stedfastly wold, trow,
The wordys of oure heven kyng;
Therfor all thyng now shall be kend,
That vnto the were sayd or send,
By the angell gretyng.

Mary
Magnificat anima mea dominum;
My saull lufys my lord abuf,
And my gost gladys with luf,
In god, that is my hele;
ffor he has bene sene agane,
The buxumnes of his bane,
And kept me madyn lele.
Lo, therof what me shall betyde-
All nacyons on euery syde,
Blyssyd shall me call;
ffor he that is full of myght,
Mekyll thyng to me has dyght,
his name be blyssed ouer all;
And his mercy is also
ffrom kynde to kynde, tyll all tho
That ar hym dredand.
Myght in his armes he wroght,
And dystroed in his thoght,
Prowde men and hygh berand.
Myghty men furth of sete he dyd,
And he hyghtynd in that stede
The meke men of hart;
The hungre With all good he fyld,
And left the rich outt shyld,
Thaym to Vnquart.
Israell has vnder law,
his awne son in his awe,
By menys of his mercy;
As he told before by name,
To oure fader, abraham,
And seyd of his body.
Elezabeth, myn awnt dere,
My lefe I take at you here,
ffor I dwell now full lang.

Elizabeth
wyll thou now go, godys fere?
Com kys me, doghter, with good chere,
or thou hens gang;
ffarewell now, thou frely foode!
I pray the be of comforth goode,
ffor thou art full of grace;
Grete well all oure kyn of bloode;
That lord, that the with grace infude,
he saue all in this place.

Primus Pastor
Lord, what thay ar weyll / that hens ar past!
ffor thay noght feyll / theym to downe cast.
here is mekyll vnceyll / and long has it last,
Now in hart, now in heyll / now in weytt, now in blast,
Now in care,
Now in comforth agane,
Now is fayre, now is rane,
Now in hart full fane,
And after full sare.
Thus this Warld, as I say / farys on ylk syde,
ffor after oure play / com sorows vnryde;
ffor he that most may / When he syttys in pryde,
When it comys on assay / is kesten downe wyde,
This is seyn;
When ryches is he,
Then comys pouerte,
hors-man Iak cope
Walkys then, I weyn.
I thank it god / hark ye what I mene,
ffor euen or for od / I haue mekyll tene;
As heuy as a sod / I grete with myn eene,
When I nap on my cod / for care that has bene,
And sorow.
All my shepe ar gone,
I am not left oone,
The rott has theym slone;
Now beg I and borow.
My handys may I wryng / and mowrnyng make,
Bot if good will spryng / the countre forsake;
ffermes thyk ar comyng / my purs is bot wake,
I haue nerehand nothyng / to pay nor to take;
I may syng
With purs penneles,
That makys this heuynes,
Wo is me this dystres!
And has no helpyng.
Thus sett I my mynde / truly to neuen,
By my wytt to fynde / to cast the warld in seuen;
My shepe haue I tynde / by the moren full euen;
Now if hap will grynde / god from his heuen
Send grace.
To the fare will I me,
To by shepe, perde,
And yit may I multyple,
ffor all this hard case.

Secundus Pastor
Benste, benste / be vs emang,
And saue all that I se / here in this thrang,
he saue you and me / ouertwhart and endlang,
That hang on a tre / I say you no wrang;
Cryst saue vs
ffrom all myschefys,
ffrom robers and thefys,
ffrom those mens grefys,
That oft ar agans vs.
Both bosters and bragers / god kepe vs fro,
That with thare long dagers / dos mekyll wo;
ffrom all byll hagers / with colknyfys that go;
Sich wryers and wragers / gose to and fro
ffor to crak.
Who so says hym agane,
were better be slane;
Both ploghe and wane
Amendys will not make.
he will make it as prowde / a lord as he were,
With a hede lyke a clowde / ffelterd his here;
he spekys on lowde / with a grym bere,
I wold not haue trowde / so galy in gere
As he glydys.
I wote not the better,
Nor wheder is gretter,
The lad or the master,
So stowtly he strydys.
If he hask me oght / that he wold, to his pay,
ffull dere bese it boght / if I say nay;
Bot god that all wroght / to the now I say,
help that thay were broght / to a better way
ffor thare sawlys;
And send theym good mendyng
With a short endyng,
And with the to be lendyng
When that thou callys.
how, gyb, goode morne / wheder goys thou?
Thou goys ouer the corne / gyb, I say, how!

Primus Pastor
Who is that? John horne / I make god a vowe!
I say not in skorne / thom, how farys thou?

Secundus Pastor
hay, ha!
Ar ye in this towne?

Primus Pastor
yey, by my crowne.

Secundus Pastor
I thoght by youre gowne
This was youre aray.

Primus Pastor
I am euer elyke / wote I neuer what it gars,
Is none in this ryke / a shepard, farys wars.

Secundus Pastor
poore men ar in the dyke / and oft tyme mars,
The warld is slyke / also helpars
Is none here.

Primus Pastor
It is sayde full ryfe,
“a man may not wyfe
And also thryfe,
And all in a yere.”

Secundus Pastor
ffyrst must vs crepe / and sythen go.

Primus Pastor
I go to by shepe. /

Secundus Pastor
nay, not so;
What, dreme ye or slepe? / where shuld thay go?
here shall thou none kepe. /

Primus Pastor
A, good sir, ho!
Who am I?
I wyll pasture my fe
where so euer lykys me,
here shall thou theym se.

Secundus Pastor
Not so hardy!
Not oone shepe tayll / shall thou bryng hedyr.

Primus Pastor
I shall bryng, no fayll / A hundreth togedyr.

Secundus Pastor
What, art thou in ayll / longys thou oght whedir?

Primus Pastor
Thay shall go, saunce fayll / go now, bell weder!

Secundus Pastor
I say, tyr!

Primus Pastor
I say, tyr, now agane!
I say skyp ouer the plane.

Secundus Pastor
wold, thou neuer so fane,
Tup, I say, whyr!

Primus Pastor
What, wyll thou not yit / I say, let the shepe go?
Whop!

Secundus Pastor
abyde yit. /

Primus Pastor
Will thou bot so?
knafe, hens I byd flytt / as good that thou do,
Or shall I the hytt / on thi pate, lo,
shall thou reyll;
I say, gyf the shepe space.

Secundus Pastor
Syr, a letter of youre grace,
here comys slaw-pase
ffro the myln whele.

Tercius Pastor
What a do, what a do / is this you betweyn?
A good day, thou, and thou.

Primus Pastor
Hark what I meyn
You to say:
I was bowne to by store,
drofe my shepe me before,
he says not oone hore
shall pas by this way;
Bot and he were wood / this way shall thay go.

Tercius Pastor
yey, bot tell me, good / where ar youre shepe, lo?

Secundus Pastor
Now, sir, by my hode / yit se I no mo,
Not syn I here stode. /

Tercius Pastor
god gyf you wo
and sorow!
ye fysh before the nett,
And stryfe on this bett,
sich folys neuer I mett
Evyn or at morow.
It is wonder to wyt / where wytt shuld, be fownde;
here ar old, knafys yit / standys on this grownde,
these wold, by thare wytt / make a shyp be drownde;
he were well qwytt / had sold, for a pownde
sich two.
thay fyght and thay flyte
ffor that at comys not tyte;
It is far to byd hyte
To an eg or it go.
Tytter want ye sowll / then sorow I pray;
Ye brayde of mowll / that went by the way-
Many shepe can she poll / bot oone had she ay-
Bot she happynyd full fowll / hyr pycher, I say,
Was broken;
“ho, god”, she sayde,
bot oone shepe yit she hade,
The mylk pycher was layde,
The skarthis was the tokyn.
Bot syn ye ar bare / of wysdom to knawe,
Take hede how I fare / and lere at my lawe;
ye nede not to care / if ye folow my sawe;
hold, ye my mare / this sek thou thrawe
On my bak,
Whylst I, with my hand,
lawse the sek band;
Com nar and, by stand
Both gyg and Iak;
Is not all shakyn owte / and no meyll is therin?

Primus Pastor
yey, that is no dowte. /

Tercius Pastor
so is youre wyttys thyn.
And ye look well abowte / nawther more nor myn,
So gose youre wyttys owte / evyn as It com In:
Geder vp
And seke it agane.

Secundus Pastor
May we not be fane!
he has told vs full plane
Wysdom to sup.

Iak Garcio
Now god gyf you care / foles all sam;
Sagh I neuer none so fare / bot the foles of gotham.
Wo is hir that yow bare / youre syre and youre dam,
had she broght furth an hare / a shepe, or a lam,
had bene well.
Of all the foles I can tell,
ffrom heuen vnto hell,
ye thre bere the bell;
God gyf you vnceyll.

Primus Pastor
how pastures oure fee / say me, good pen.

Iak Garcio
Thay ar gryssed to the kne. /

Secundus Pastor
fare fall the!

Iak Garcio
Amen!
If ye will ye may se / youre bestes ye ken.

Primus Pastor
Sytt we downe all thre / and drynk shall we then.

Tercius Pastor
yey, torde!
I am leuer ete;
what is drynk withoute mete?
Gett mete, gett,
And sett vs a borde,
Then may we go dyne / oure bellys to fyll.

Secundus Pastor
Abyde vnto syne. /

Tercius Pastor
be god, sir, I nyll!
I am worthy the wyne / me thynk it good skyll;
My seruyse I tyne / I fare full yll,
At youre mangere.

Primus Pastor
Trus! go we to mete,
It is best that we trete,
I lyst not to plete
To stand in thi dangere;
Thou has euer bene curst / syn we met togeder.

Tercius Pastor
Now in fayth, if I durst / ye ar euen my broder.

Secundus Pastor
Syrs, let vs cryb furst / for oone thyng or oder,
That thise wordis be purst / and let vs go foder
Oure mompyns;
lay furth of oure store,
lo, here! browne of a bore.

Primus Pastor
Set mustard afore,
oure mete now begyns;
here a foote of a cowe / well sawsed, I wene,
The pestell of a sowe / that powderd has bene,
Two blodyngis, I trow / A leueryng betwene;
Do gladly, syrs, now / my breder bedene,
With more.
Both befe, and moton
Of an ewe that was roton,
Good mete for a gloton;
Ete of this store.

Secundus Pastor
I haue here in my mayll / sothen and rost,
Euen of an ox tayll / that wold, not be lost;
ha, ha, goderhayll! / I let for no cost,
A good py or we fayll / this is good for the frost
In a mornyng;
And two swyne gronys,
All a hare bot the lonys,
we myster no sponys
here, at oure mangyng.

Tercius Pastor
here is to recorde / the leg of a goys,
with chekyns endorde / pork, partryk, to roys;
A tart for a lorde / how thynk ye this doys?
A calf lyuer skorde / with the veryose;
Good sawse,
This is a restorete
To make a good appete.

Primus Pastor
yee speke all by clerge[te],
I here by your clause;
Cowth ye by youre gramery / reche vs a drynk,
I shuld be more mery / ye wote What I thynk.

Secundus Pastor
haue good ayll of hely / bewar now, I wynk,
ffor and thou drynk drely / in thy poll wyll it synk.

Primus Pastor
A, so;
This is boyte of oure bayll,
good holsom ayll.

Tercius Pastor
ye hold, long the skayll,
Now lett me go to.

Secundus Pastor
I shrew those lyppys / bot thou leyff me som parte.

Primus Pastor
be god, he bot syppys / begylde thou art;
Behold, how he kyppys. /

Secundus Pastor
I shrew you so smart,
And me on my hyppys / bot if I gart
Abate.
Be thou wyne, be thou ayll,
bot if my brethe fayll,
I shall sett the on sayll;
God send the good gayte.

Tercius Pastor
Be my dam saull, alyce / It was sadly dronken.

Primus Pastor
Now, as euer haue I blys / to the bothom it is sonken.

Secundus Pastor
yit a botell here is. /

Tercius Pastor
that is well spoken!
By my thryft we must kys. /

Secundus Pastor
that had I forgoten.
Bot hark!
Who so can best syng
Shall haue the begynnyng.

Primus Pastor
Now prays at the partyng
I shall sett you on warke;
We haue done oure parte / and songyn right weyll,
I drynk for my parte. /

Secundus Pastor
Abyde, lett cop reyll.

Primus Pastor
Godys forbot, thou spart / and thou drynk euery deyll.

Tercius Pastor
Thou has dronken a quart / therfor choke the the deyll.

Primus Pastor
Thou rafys;
And it were for a sogh
Ther is drynk enogh.

Tercius Pastor
I shrew the handys it drogh!
ve be both knafys.

Primus Pastor
Nay! we knaues all / thus thynk me best,
so, sir, shuld, ye call. /

Secundus Pastor
furth let it rest;
we will not brall. /

Primus Pastor
then wold I we fest,
This mete Who shall / into panyere kest.

Tercius Pastor
syrs, herys;
ffor oure saules lett vs do
Poore men gyf it to.

Primus Pastor
Geder vp, lo, lo!
ye hungre begers ffrerys!

Secundus Pastor
It draes nere nyght / trus, go we to rest;
I am euen redy dyght / I thynk it the best.

Tercius Pastor
ffor ferde we be fryght / a crosse lett vs kest,
Cryst crosse, benedyght / eest and west,
ffor drede.
Jesus onazorus,
Crucyefixus,
Morcus, andreus,
God be oure spede!

Angel
herkyn, hyrdes, awake! / gyf louyng ye shall,
he is borne for [y]oure sake / lorde perpetuall;
he is comen to take / and rawnson you all,
youre sorowe to slake / kyng emperiall,
he behestys;
That chyld is borne
At bethelem this morne,
ye shall fynde hym beforne
Betwix two bestys.

Primus Pastor
A, godys dere dominus! / What was that sang?
It was wonder curiose / with small noytys emang;
I pray to god saue vs / now in this thrang;
I am ferd, by ihesus / somwhat be wrang;
Me thoght,
Oone scremyd on lowde;
I suppose it was a clowde,
In myn erys it sowde,
By hym that me boght!

Secundus Pastor
Nay, that may not be / I say you certan,
ffor he spake to vs thre / as he had bene a man;
When he lemyd on this lee / my hart shakyd than,
An angell was he / tell you I can,
No dowte.
he spake of a barne,
We must seke hym, I you warne,
That betokyns yond starne,
That standys yonder owte.

Tercius Pastor
It was meruell to se / so bright as it shone,
I wold haue trowyd, veraly / it had bene thoner flone,
Bot I sagh with myn ee / as I lenyd to this stone;
It was a mery gle / sich hard I neuer none,
I recorde.
As he sayde in a skreme,
Or els that I dreme,
we shuld go to bedleme,
To wyrship that lorde.

Primus Pastor
That same childe is he / that prophetys of told,
Shuld make them fre / that adam had sold.

Secundus Pastor
Take tent vnto me / this is inrold,
By the wordys of Isae / a prynce most bold
shall he be,
And kyng with crowne,
Sett on dauid trone,
Sich was neuer none,
Seyn with oure ee.

Tercius Pastor
Also Isay says / oure faders vs told
That a vyrgyn shuld pas / of Iesse, that wold
Bryng furth by grace / a floure so bold;
That vyrgyn now has / these wordys vphold,
As ye se;
Trust it now we may,
he is borne this day,
Exiet virga
De radice iesse.

Primus Pastor
Of hym spake more / Sybyll as I weyn,
And nabugodhonosor / from oure faythe alyene,
In the fornace where thay wore / thre childre sene,
The fourt stode before / godys son lyke to bene.

Secundus Pastor
That fygure
Was gyffen by reualacyon
That god wold haue a son;
This is a good lesson,
Vs to consydure.

Tercius Pastor
Of hym spake Ieromy / and moyses also,
Where he sagh hym by / a bushe burnand, lo!
when he cam to aspy / if it were so,
Vnburnyd was it truly / at commyng therto,
A wonder.

Primus Pastor
That was for to se
hir holy vyrgynyte,
That she vnfylyd shuld be,
Thus can I ponder,
And shuld haue a chyld / sich was neuer sene.

Secundus Pastor
pese, man, thou art begyld, / thou shall se hym with eene,
Of a madyn so myld / greatt meruell I mene;
yee, and she vnfyld / a virgyn clene,
So soyne.

Primus Pastor
Nothyng is inpossybyll
sothly, that god wyll;
It shalbe stabyll
That god wyll haue done.

Secundus Pastor
Abacuc and ely / prophesyde so,
Elezabeth and zachare / and many other mo,
And dauid as veraly / is witnes therto,
Iohn Baptyste sewrly / and daniel also.

Tercius Pastor
So saying,
he is godys son alon,
without hym shalbe none,
his sete and his trone
Shall euer be lastyng;

Primus Pastor
Virgill in his poetre / sayde in his verse,
Even thus by gramere / as I shall reherse;
“Iam noua progenies celo demittitur alto,
Iam rediet virgo, redeunt saturnia regna.”

Secundus Pastor
weme! tord! what speke ye / here in myn eeres?
Tell vs no clerge / I hold you of the freres,
ye preche;
It semys by youre laton
ye haue lerd, youre caton.

Primus Pastor
herk, syrs, ye fon,
I shall you teche;
he sayde from heuen / a new kynde is send,
whom a vyrgyn to neuen, oure mys to amend,
Shall conceyue full euen / thus make I an end;
And yit more to neuen / that samyne shall bend
vnto vs,
With peasse and plente,
with ryches and menee,
Good luf and charyte
Blendyd amanges vs

Tercius Pastor
And I hold it trew / ffor ther shuld be,
When that kyng commys new / peasse by land and se.

Secundus Pastor
Now brethere, adew! / take tent vnto me;
I wold, that we knew / of this song so fre
Of the angell;
I hard by hys steuen,
he was send downe ffro heuen.

Primus Pastor
It is trouth that ye neuen,
I hard hym well spell.

Secundus Pastor
Now, by god that me boght / it was a mery song;
I dar say that he broght / foure & twenty to a long.

Tercius Pastor
I wold, it were soght / that same vs emong.

Primus Pastor
In fayth I trow noght / so many he throng
On a heppe;
Thay were gentyll and small,
And well tonyd with all.

Tercius Pastor
yee, bot I can thaym all,
Now lyst I lepe.

Primus Pastor
Brek outt youre voce / let se as ye yelp.

Tercius Pastor
I may not for the pose / bot I haue help.

Secundus Pastor
A, thy hart is in thy hose! /

Primus Pastor
now, in payn of a skelp
This sang thou not lose. /

Tercius Pastor
thou art an yll awelp
ffor angre!

Secundus Pastor
Go to now, begyn!

Primus Pastor
he lyst not well ryn.

Tercius Pastor
God lett vs neuer blyn;
Take at my sangre.

Primus Pastor
Now an ende haue we doyn / of oure song this tyde.

Secundus Pastor
ffayr fall thi growne / well has thou hyde.

Tercius Pastor
Then furth lett vs ron / I wyll not abyde.

Primus Pastor
No lyght makethe mone / that haue I asspyde;
Neuer the les
lett vs hold, oure beheste.

Secundus Pastor
That hold I best.

Tercius Pastor
Then must we go eest,
After my ges.

Primus Pastor
wold, god that we myght / this yong bab see!

Secundus Pastor
Many prophetys that syght / desyryd veralee
to haue seen that bright. /

Tercius Pastor
and god so hee
wold shew vs that Wyght / we myght say, perde,
We had sene
That many sant desyryd,
with prophetys inspyryd,
If thay hym requyryd,
yit I-closyd ar thare eene.

Secundus Pastor
God graunt vs that grace. /

Tercius Pastor
god so do.

Primus Pastor
Abyde, syrs, a space / lo, yonder, lo!
It commys on a rase / yond sterne vs to.

Secundus Pastor
It is a grete blase / oure gate let vs go,
here he is!

Tercius Pastor
Who shall go in before?

Primus Pastor
I ne rek, by my hore.

Secundus Pastor
ye ar of the old store,
It semys you, Iwys.

Primus Pastor
hayll, kyng I the call! / hayll, most of myght!
hayll, the worthyst of all! / hayll, duke! hayll, knyght!
Of greatt and small / thou art lorde by right;
hayll, perpetuall / hayll, faryst wyght!
here I offer!
I pray the to take-
If thou wold, for my sake,
with this may thou lake,-
This lytyll spruse cofer.

Secundus Pastor
hayll, lytyll tyn mop / rewarder of mede!
hayll, bot oone drop / of grace at my nede;
hayll, lytyll mylk sop! / hayll, dauid sede!
Of oure crede thou art crop / hayll, in god hede!
This ball
That thou wold resaue,-
lytyll is that I haue,
This wyll I vowche saue,-
To play the with all.

Tercius Pastor
hayll, maker of man / hayll, swetyng!
hayll, so as I can / hayll, praty mytyng!
I cowche to the than / for fayn here gretyng;
hayll, lord! here I ordan / now at oure metyng,
This botell-
It is an old by-worde,
It is a good bowrde,
for to drynk of a gowrde,-
It holdys a mett potell.

Mary
he that all myghtys may / the makere of heuen,
That is for to say / my son that I neuen,
Rewarde you this day / as he sett all on seuen;
he graunt you for ay / his blys full euen
Contynuyng;
He gyf you good grace,
Tell furth of this case,
he spede youre pase,
And graunt you good endyng.

Primus Pastor
ffare well, fare lorde! / with thy moder also.

Secundus Pastor
we shall this recorde / where as we go.

Tercius Pastor
we mon all be restorde / god graunt it be so!

Primus Pastor
Amen, to that worde / syng we therto
On hight;
To Ioy all sam,
With myrth and gam,
To the lawde of this lam
Syng we in syght.

Primus Pastor
Lord, what these weders ar cold! / and I am yll happyd;
I am nere hande dold, / so long haue I nappyd;
My legys thay fold, / my fyngers ar chappyd,
It is not as I wold, / for I am al lappyd,
In sorow.
In stormes and tempest,
Now in the eest, now in the west,
wo is hym has neuer rest
Myd day nor morow!
Bot we sely shepardes / that walkys on the moore,
In fayth we are nere handys / outt of the doore;
No wonder as it standys / if we be poore,
ffor the tylthe of oure landys / lyys falow as the floore,
As ye ken.
we ar so hamyd,
ffor-taxed and ramyd,
We ar mayde hand tamyd,
with thyse gentlery men.
Thus thay refe vs oure rest / oure lady theym wary!
These men that ar lord fest / thay cause the ploghe tary.
That men say is for the best / we fynde it contrary;
Thus ar husbandys opprest / in po[i]nte to myscary,
On lyfe.
Thus hold, thay vs hunder,
Thus thay bryng vs in blonder;
It were greatte wonder,
And euer shuld we thryfe.
ffor may he gett a paynt slefe / or a broche now on dayes,
wo is hym that hym grefe / or onys agane says!
Dar noman hym reprefe / what mastry he mays,
And yit may noman lefe / oone word that he says,
No letter.
he can make purveance,
with boste and bragance,
And all is thrugh mantenance
Of men that are gretter.
Ther shall com a swane / as prowde as a po,
he must borow my wane / my ploghe also,
Then I am full fane / to graunt or he go.
Thus lyf we in payne / Anger, and wo,
By nyght and day;
he must haue if he langyd,
If I shuld, forgang it,
I were better be hangyd
Then oones say hym nay.
It dos me good, as I walk / thus by myn oone,
Of this warld, for to talk / in maner of mone.
To my shepe wyll I stalk / and herkyn anone,
Ther abyde on a balk / or sytt on a stone
ffull soyne.
ffor I trowe, perde,
trew men if thay be,
we gett more compane
Or it be noyne.

Secundus Pastor
Benste and dominus! / what may this bemeyne?
why, fares this warld thus / oft haue we not sene?
lord, thyse weders ar spytus / and the weders full kene.
And the frostys so hydus / thay water myn eeyne,
No ly.
Now in dry, now in wete,
Now in snaw, now in slete,
When my shone freys to my fete,
It is not all esy.
Bot as far as I ken / or yit as I go,
we sely wedmen / dre mekyll wo;
We haue sorow then and then / it fallys oft so;
Sely capyle, oure hen / both to and fro
She kakyls;
Bot begyn she to crok,
To groyne or [to clo]k,
Wo is hym is of oure cok,
ffor he is in the shekyls.
These men that ar wed / haue not all thare wyll,
when they ar full hard sted / thay sygh full styll;
God wayte thay ar led / full hard and full yll;
In bower nor in bed / thay say noght ther tyll,
This tyde.
My parte haue I fun,
I know my lesson.
wo is hym that is bun,
ffor he must abyde.
Bot now late in oure lyfys / a meruell to me,
That I thynk my hart ryfys / sich wonders to see.
what that destany dryfys / it shuld so be;
Som men wyll have two wyfys / and som men thre,
In store;
Som ar wo that has any,
Bot so far can I,
wo is hym that has many,
ffor he felys sore.
Bot yong men of wowyng / for god that you boght,
Be well war of wedyng / and thynk in youre thoght,
"had I wyst" is a thyng / it seruys of noght;
Mekyll styll mowrnyng / has wedyng home broght,
And grefys;
with many a sharp showre,
ffor thou may cach in an owre
That shall [savour] fulle sowre
As long as thou lyffys.
ffor, as euer red I pystyll / I haue oone to my fere,
As sharp as a thystyll / as rugh as a brere;
She is browyd lyke a brystyll / with a sowre loten chere;
had She oones Wett Hyr Whystyll / She couth Syng full clere
Hyr pater noster.
She is as greatt as a whall,
She has a galon of gall:
By hym that dyed for vs all,
I wald I had ryn to I had lost hir.

Primus Pastor
God looke ouer the raw / ffull defly ye stand.

Secundus Pastor
yee, the dewill in thi maw / so tariand.
sagh thou awro of daw? /

Primus Pastor
yee, on a ley land
hard I hym blaw / he commys here at hand,
Not far;
Stand styll.

Secundus Pastor
qwhy?

Primus Pastor
ffor he commys, hope I.

Secundus Pastor
he wyll make vs both a ly
Bot if we be war.

Tercius Pastor
Crystys crosse me spede / and sant nycholas!
Ther of had I nede / it is wars then it was.
Whoso couthe take hede / and lett the warld pas,
It is euer in drede / and brekyll as glas,
And slythys.
This warld, fowre neuer so,
With meruels mo and mo,
Now in weyll, now in wo,
And all thyng wrythys.
Was neuer syn noe floode / sich floodys seyn;
Wyndys and ranys so rude / and stormes so keyn;
Som stamerd, som stod, / in dowte, as I weyn;
Now god turne all to good / I say as I mene,
ffor ponder.
These floodys so thay drowne,
Both in feyldys and in towne,
And berys all downe,
And that is a wonder.
We that walk on the nyghtys / oure catell to kepe,
We se sodan syghtys / when othere men slepe.
yit me thynk my hart lyghtys / I se shrewys pepe;
ye ar two all wyghtys / I wyll gyf my shepe
A turne.
Bot full yll haue I ment,
As I walk on this bent,
I may lyghtly repent,
My toes if I spurne.
A, sir, god, you saue / and master myne!
A drynk fayn wold I haue / and somwhat to dyne.

Primus Pastor
Crystys curs, my knaue / thou art a ledyr hyne!

Secundus Pastor
What! the boy lyst rave; / abyde vnto syne;
We haue mayde it.
yll thryft on thy pate!
Though the shrew cam late,
yit is he in state
To dyne, if he had it.

Tercius Pastor
Sich seruandys as I / that swettys and swynkys,
Etys oure brede full dry / and that me forthynkys;
We ar oft weytt and wery / when master-men wynkys,
yit commys full lately / both dyners and drynkys,
Bot nately.
Both oure dame and oure syre,
when we haue ryn in the myre,
Thay can nyp at oure hyre,
And pay vs full lately.
Bot here my trouth, master / for the fayr that ye make,
I shall do therafter / wyrk as I take;
I shall do a lytyll, sir / and emang euer lake,
ffor yit lay my soper / neuer on my stomake
In feyldys.
Wherto shuld, I threpe?
with my staf can I lepe,
And men say "lyght chepe
letherly for-yeldys."

Primus Pastor
Thou were an yll lad / to ryde on wowyng
With a man that had / bot lytyll of spendyng.

Secundus Pastor
Peasse, boy, I bad / no more Iangling,
Or I shall make the full rad / by the heuen’s kyng!
with thy gawdys;
wher ar oure shepe, boy, we skorne?

Tercius Pastor
Sir, this same day at morne
I thaym left in the corne,
when thay rang lawdys;
Thay haue pasture good / thay can not go wrong.

Primus Pastor
That is right, by the roode! / thyse nyghtys ar long,
yit I wold, or we yode / oone gaf vs a song.

Secundus Pastor
So I thoght as I stode / to myrth vs emong.

Tercius Pastor
I grauntt.

Primus Pastor
lett me syng the tenory.

Secundus Pastor
And I the tryble so hye.

Tercius Pastor
Then the meyne fallys to me;
lett se how ye chauntt.

Mak
Now lord, for thy naymes sevyn / that made both moyn & starnes
Well mo then I can neuen / thi will, lorde, of me tharnys;
I am all vneuen / that moves oft my harnes,
Now Wold god I were in heuen / for there wepe no barnes
So styll.

Primus Pastor
Who is that pypys so poore?

Mak
wold, god ye wyst how I foore!
lo, a man that walkys on the moore,
And has not all his wyll!

Secundus Pastor
Mak, where has thou gon? / tell vs tythyng.

Tercius Pastor
Is he commen? then ylkon / take hede to his thyng.

Mak
what! ich be a yoman / I tell you, of the king;
The self and the same / sond from a greatt lordyng,
And sich.
ffy on you! goyth hence
Out of my presence!
I must haue reuerence;
why, who be ich?

Primus Pastor
Why make ye it so qwaynt? / mak, ye do wrang.

Secundus Pastor
Bot, mak, lyst ye saynt? / I trow that ye lang.

Tercius Pastor
I trow the shrew can paynt, / the dewyll myght hym hang!

Mak
Ich shall make complaynt / and make you all to thwang
At a worde,
And tell euyn how ye doth.

Primus Pastor
Bot, Mak, is that sothe?
Now take outt that sothren tothe,
And sett in a torde!

Secundus Pastor
Mak, the dewill in youre ee / a stroke wold, I leyne you.

Tercius Pastor
Mak, know ye not me? / by god I couthe teyn you.

Mak
God looke you all thre! / me thoght I had sene you,
ye ar a fare compane. /

Primus Pastor
can ye now mene you?

Secundus Pastor
Shrew, Iape!
Thus late as thou goys,
what wyll men suppos?
And thou has an yll noys
of stelyng of shepe.

Mak
And I am trew as steyll / all men waytt,
Bot a sekenes I feyll / that haldys me full haytt,
My belly farys not weyll / it is out of astate.

Tercius Pastor
Seldom lyys the dewyll / dede by the gate.

Mak
Therfor
full sore am I and yll,
If I stande stone styll;
I ete not an nedyll
Thys moneth and more.

Primus Pastor
how farys thi wyff? by my hoode / how farys sho?

Mak
lyys walteryng, by the roode / by the fyere, lo!
And a howse full of brude / she drynkys well to;
yll spede othere good / that she wyll do!
Bot so
Etys as fast as she can,
And ilk yere that commys to man
She bryngys furth a lakan,
And som yeres two.
Bot were I not more gracyus / and rychere befar,
I were eten outt of howse / and of harbar;
Yit is she a fowll dowse / if ye com nar:
Ther is none that trowse / nor knowys a war,
Then ken I.
Now wyll ye se what I profer,
To gyf all in my cofer
To morne at next to offer
hyr hed mas penny.

Secundus Pastor
I wote so forwakyd / is none in this shyre:
I wold slepe if I takyd / les to my hyere.

Tercius Pastor
I am cold, and nakyd / and wold haue a fyere.

Primus Pastor
I am wery, for-rakyd / and run in the myre.
wake thou!

Secundus Pastor
Nay, I wyll lyg downe by,
ffor I must slepe truly.

Tercius Pastor
As good a man’s son was I
As any of you.
Bot, mak, com heder! betwene / shall thou lyg downe.

Mak
Then myght I lett you bedene / of that ye wold, rowne,
No drede.
ffro my top to my too,
Manus tuas commendo,
poncio pilato,
Cryst crosse me spede!
Now were tyme for a man / that lakkys what he wold,
To stalk preuely than / vnto a fold,
And neemly to wyrk than / and be not to bold,
ffor he might aby the bargan / if it were told
At the endyng.
Now were tyme for to reyll;
Bot he nedys good counsell
That fayn wold, fare weyll,
And has bot lytyll spendyng.
Bot abowte you a serkyll / as rownde as a moyn,
To I haue done that I wyll / tyll that it be noyn,
That ye lyg stone styll / to that I haue doyne,
And I shall say thertyll / of good wordys a foyne.
On hight
Ouer youre heydys my hand I lyft,
Outt go youre een, fordo your syght,
Bot yit I must make better shyft,
And it be right.
lord! what thay slepe hard! / that may ye all here;
was I neuer a shepard / bot now wyll I lere.
If the flok be skard / yit shall I nyp nere,
how! drawes hederward! / now mendys oure chere
ffrom sorow:
A fatt shepe I dar say,
A good flese dar I lay,
Eft whyte when I may,
Bot this will I borow.
how, gyll, art thou In? / gett vs some lyght.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)
Who makys sich dyn / this tyme of the nyght?
I am sett for to spyn / I hope not I myght
Ryse a penny to wyn, / I shrew them on hight!
So farys
A huswyff that has bene
To be rasyd thus betwene:
here may no note be sene
ffor sich small charys.

Mak
Good wyff, open the hek! / seys thou not what I bryng?

Uxor Ejus (Gill)
I may thole the dray the snek. / A, com in, my swetyng!

Mak
yee, thou thar not rek / of my long standyng.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)
By the nakyd nek / art thou lyke for to hyng.

Mak
Do way:
I am worthy my mete,
ffor in a strate can I gett
More then thay that swynke and swette
All the long day,
Thus it fell to my lott / gyll, I had sich grace.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)
It were a fowll blott / to be hanged for the case.

Mak
I haue skapyd, Ielott / oft as hard a glase.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)
Bot so long goys the pott / to the water, men says,
At last
Comys it home broken.

Mak
well knowe I the token,
Bot let it neuer be spoken;
Bot com and help fast.
I wold, he were slayn / I lyst well ete:
This twelmothe was I not so fayn / of oone shepe mete.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)
Com thay or he be slayn/ and here the shepe blete!

Mak
Then myght I be tane, / that were a cold, swette!
Go spar
The gaytt doore.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)
Yis, Mak,
ffor and thay com at thy bak,

Mak
Then myght I by, for all the pak,
The dewill of the war.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)
A good bowrde haue I spied / syn thou can none.
here shall we hym hyde / to thay be gone;
In my credyll abyde / lett me alone,
And I shall lyg besyde / in chylbed, and grone.

Mak
Thou red;
And, I shall say thou was lyght
Of a knaue childe this nyght.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)
Now well is me day bright,
That euer was I bred.
This is a good gyse / and a far cast;
Yit a woman avyse / helpys at the last.
I wote neuer who spyse, / agane go thou fast.

Mak
Bot I com or thay ryse / els blawes a cold, blast!
I wyll go slepe.
yit slepys all this meneye,
And I shall go stalk preuely,
As it had neuer bene I
That caryed thare shepe.

Primus Pastor
Resurrex a mortruis! / haue hald, my hand.
Iudas carnas dominus! / I may not well stand:
My foytt slepys, by ihesus / and I water fastand.
I thoght that we layd vs / full nere yngland.

Secundus Pastor
A ye!
lord! what I haue slept weyll;
As fresh as an eyll,
As lyght I me feyll
As leyfe on a tre.

Tercius Pastor
Benste be here in! / so my [hart?] qwakys,
My hart is outt of skyn / what so it makys.
Who makys all this dyn? / so my browes blakys,
To the dowore wyll I wyn / harke felows, wakys!
We were fowre:
se ye awre of mak now?

Primus Pastor
we were vp or thou.

Secundus Pastor
Man, I gyf god a vowe,
yit yede he nawre.

Tercius Pastor
Me thoght he was lapt / in a wolfe skyn.

Primus Pastor
So are many hapt / now namely within.

Secundus Pastor
When we had long napt / me thoght with a gyn
A fatt shepe he trapt / bot he mayde no dyn.

Tercius Pastor
Be styll:
Thi dreme makys the woode:
It is bot fantom, by the roode.

Primus Pastor
Now god turne all to good,
If it be his wyll.

Secundus Pastor
Ryse, mak, for shame! / thou lygys right lang.

Mak
Now crystys holy name / be vs emang!
what is this? for sant Iame / I may not well gang!
I trow I be the same / A! my nek has lygen wrang
Enoghe;
Mekill thank, syn yister euen,
Now, by sant strevyn,
I was flayd with a swevyn,
My hart out of sloghe.
I thoght gyll began to crok / and trauell full sad,
welner at the fyrst cok / of a yong lad,
ffor to mend oure flok / then be I neuer glad.
I haue tow on my rok / more then euer I had.
A, my heede!
A house full of yong tharmes,
The dewill knok outt thare harnes!
wo is hym has many barnes,
And therto lytyll brede!
I must go home, by youre lefe / to gyll as I thoght.
I pray you looke my slefe / that I steyll noght:
I am loth you to grefe / or from you take oght.

Tercius Pastor
Go furth, yll myght thou chefe! / now wold I we soght,
This morne,
That we had all oure store.

Primus Pastor
Bot I will go before,
let vs mete.

Secundus Pastor
whore?

Tercius Pastor
At the crokyd thorne.

Mak
Vndo this doore! who is here? / how long shall I stand?

Uxor Ejus (Gill)
Who makys sich a bere? / now walk in the Wenyand.

Mak
A, gyll, what chere? / it is I, mak, youre husbande,

Uxor Ejus (Gill)
Then may we be here / the dewill in a bande,
Syr gyle;
lo, he commys with a lote
As he were holden in the throte.
I may not syt at my note,
A hand lang while.

Mak
Wyll ye here what fare she makys / to gett hir a glose,
And dos noght bot lakys / and clowse hir toose.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)
why, who wanders, who wakys / who commys, who gose?
who brewys, who bakys? / what makys me thus hose?
And than,
It is rewthe to beholde,
Now in hote, now in colde,
ffull wofull is the householde
That wantys a woman.
Bot what ende has thou mayde / with the hyrdys, mak?

Mak
The last worde that thay sayde / when I turnyd my bak,
Thay wold looke that thay hade / thare shepe all the pak.
I hope thay wyll nott be well payde / when thay thare shepe lak,
Perde.
Bot how so the gam gose,
To me thay wyll suppose,
And make a fowll noyse,
And cry outt apon me.
Bot thou must do as thou hyght /

Uxor Ejus (Gill)
I accorde me thertyll.
I shall swedyll hym right / In my credyll;
If it were a gretter slyght / yit couthe I help tyll.
I wyll lyg downe stright; / com hap me;

Mak
I wyll.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)
Behynde.
Com coll and his maroo,
Thay will nyp vs full naroo.

Mak
Bot I may cry out ‘haroo,’
The shepe if thay fynde.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)
harken ay when thay call / thay will com onone.
Com and make redy all / and syng by thyn oone;
Syng lullay thou shall / for I must grone,
And cry outt by the wall / on mary and Iohn,
ffor sore.
Syng lullay on fast
when thou heris at the last;
And bot I play a fals cast,
Trust me no more.

Tercius Pastor
A, coll, goode morne / why slepys thou nott?

Primus Pastor
Alas, that euer was I borne! / we haue a fowll blott.
A fat wedir haue we lorne. /

Tercius Pastor
mary, godys forbott!

Secundus Pastor
who shuld do vs that skorne? that were a fowll spott.

Primus Pastor
Som shrewe.
I haue soght with my dogys
All horbery shrogys,
And of fefteyn hogys
ffond I bot oone ewe.

Tercius Pastor
Now trow me, if ye will / by sant thomas of kent,
Ayther mak or gyll / was at that assent.

Primus Pastor
peasse, man, be still! / I sagh when he went;
Thou sklanders hym yll / thou aght to repent,
Goode spede.

Secundus Pastor
Now as euer myght I the,
If I shuld, euyn here de,
I wold say it were he,
That dyd that same dede.

Tercius Pastor
Go we theder, I rede / and ryn on oure feete.
Shall I neuer ete brede / the sothe to I wytt.

Primus Pastor
Nor drynk in my heede / with hym tyll I mete.

Secundus Pastor
I wyll rest in no stede / tyll that I hym grete,
My brothere.
Oone I will hight:
Tyll I se hym in sight
shall I neuer slepe one nyght
Ther I do anothere.

Tercius Pastor
Will ye here how thay hak? / oure syre, lyst, croyne.

Primus Pastor
hard I neuer none crak / so clere out of toyne;
Call on hym.

Secundus Pastor
mak! / vndo youre doore soyne.

Mak
Who is that spak, / as it were noyne,
On loft?
Who is that I say?

Tercius Pastor
Goode felowse, were it day.

Mak
As far as ye may,
Good, spekys soft,
Ouer a seke woman’s heede / that is at mayll easse;
I had leuer be dede / or she had any dyseasse.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)
Go to an othere stede / I may not well qweasse.
Ich fote that ye trede / goys thorow my nese.
So hee!

Primus Pastor
Tell vs, mak, if ye may,
how fare ye, I say?

Mak
Bot ar ye in this towne to day?
Now how fare ye?
ye haue ryn in the myre / and ar weytt yit:
I shall make you a fyre / if ye will syt.
A nores wold, I hyre / thynk ye on yit,
well qwytt is my hyre / my dreme this is itt,
A seson.
I haue barnes, if ye knew,
well mo then enewe,
Bot we must drynk as we brew,
And that is bot reson.
I wold ye dynyd or ye yode / me thynk that ye swette.

Secundus Pastor
Nay, nawther mendys oure mode / drynke nor mette.

Mak
why, sir, alys you oght bot goode? /

Tercius Pastor
yee, oure shepe that we gett,
Ar stollyn as thay yode / oure los is grette.

Mak
Syrs, drynkys!
had I bene thore,
Som shuld haue boght it full sore.

Primus Pastor
Mary, som men trowes that ye wore,
And that vs forthynkys.

Secundus Pastor
Mak, som men trowys / that it shuld be ye.

Tercius Pastor
Ayther ye or youre spouse / so say we.

Mak
Now if ye haue suspowse / to gill or to me,
Com and rype oure howse / and then may ye se
who had hir,
If I any shepe fott,
Aythor cow or stott;
And gyll, my wyfe, rose nott
here syn she lade hir.
As I am true and lele / to god here I pray,
That this be the fyrst mele / that I shall ete this day.

Primus Pastor
Mak, as haue I ceyll, / Avyse the, I say;
he lernyd tymely to steyll / that couth not say nay.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)
I swelt!
Outt, thefys, fro my wonys!
ye com to rob vs for the nonys.

Mak
here ye not how she gronys?
youre hartys shuld melt.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)
Outt, thefys, fro my barne! / negh hym not thor.

Mak
wyst ye how she had farne / youre hartys wold be sore.
ye do wrang, I you warne / that thus commys before
To a woman that has farne / bot I say no more.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)
A, my medyll!
I pray to god so mylde,
If euer I you begyld,
That I ete this chylde
That lygys in this credyll.

Mak
peasse, woman, for godys payn / and cry not so:
Thou spyllys thy brane / and makys me full wo.

Secundus Pastor
I trow oure shepe be slayn / what finde ye two?

Tercius Pastor
All wyrk we in vayn / as well may we go.
Bot hatters,
I can fynde no flesh,
hard nor nesh,
Salt nor fresh,
Bot two tome platers.
Whik catell bot this / tame nor wylde,
None, as haue I blys / as lowde as he smylde.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)
No, so god me blys / and gyf me Ioy of my chylde!

Primus Pastor
We haue merkyd amys / I hold vs begyld.

Secundus Pastor
Syr don,
Syr, oure lady hym saue!
Is youre chyld a knaue?

Mak
Any lord myght hym haue
This chyld to his son.
when he wakyns he kyppys / that ioy is to se.

Tercius Pastor
In good tyme to hys hyppys / and in cele.
Bot who was his gossyppys / so sone rede?

Mak
So fare fall thare lyppys! /

Primus Pastor
hark now, a le!

Mak
So god thaym thank,
Parkyn, and gybon waller, I say,
And gentill Iohn horne, in good fay,
he made all the garray,
With the greatt shank.

Secundus Pastor
Mak, freyndys will we be / ffor we ar all oone.

Mak
we! now I hald for me / for mendys gett I none.
ffare well all thre / all glad were ye gone.

Tercius Pastor
ffare wordys may ther be / bot luf is ther none
this yere.

Primus Pastor
Gaf ye the chyld, any thyng?

Secundus Pastor
I trow not oone farthyng.

Tercius Pastor
ffast agane will I flyng,
Abyde ye me there.
Mak, take it to no grefe / if I com to thi barne.

Mak
Nay, thou dos me greatt reprefe / and fowll has thou farne.

Tercius Pastor
The child will it not grefe / that lytyll day starne.
Mak, with youre leyfe / let me gyf youre barne,
Bot sex pence.

Mak
Nay, do way: he slepys.

Tercius Pastor
Me thynk he pepys.

Mak
when he wakyns he wepys.
I pray you go hence.

Tercius Pastor
Gyf me lefe hym to kys / and lyft vp the clowtt.
what the dewill is this? / he has a long snowte.

Primus Pastor
he is merkyd amys / we wate ill abowte.

Secundus Pastor
Ill spon weft, Iwys / ay commys foull owte.
Ay, so!
he is lyke to oure shepe!

Tercius Pastor
how, gyb! may I pepe?

Primus Pastor
I trow, kynde will crepe
where it may not go.

Secundus Pastor
This was a qwantt gawde / and a far cast.
It was a hee frawde. /

Tercius Pastor
yee, syrs, wast.
lett bren this bawde / and bynd hir fast.
A fals skawde / hang at the last;
So shall thou.
wyll ye se how thay swedyll
his foure feytt in the medyll?
Sagh I neuer in a credyll
A hornyd lad or now.

Mak
Peasse byd I: what! / lett be youre fare;
I am he that hym gatt / and yond woman hym bare.

Primus Pastor
What dewill shall he hatt? / Mak, lo god makys ayre.

Secundus Pastor
lett be all that. / now god gyf hym care,
I sagh.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)
A pratty child is he
As syttys on a waman’s kne;
A dyllydowne, perde,
To gar a man laghe.

Tercius Pastor
I know hym by the eere marke / that is a good tokyn.

Mak
I tell you, syrs, hark! / hys noyse was brokyn.
Sythen told, me a clerk / that he was forspokyn.

Primus Pastor
This is a fals wark / I wold, fayn be wrokyn:
Gett wepyn.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)
he was takyn with an elfe,
I saw it myself.
when the clok stroke twelf
was he forshapyn.

Secundus Pastor
ye two ar well feft / sam in a stede.

Tercius Pastor
Syn thay manteyn thare theft / let do thaym to dede.

Mak
If I trespas eft / gyrd of my heede.
with you will I be left. /

Primus Pastor
syrs, do my reede.
ffor this trespas,
we will nawther ban ne flyte,
ffyght nor chyte,
Bot haue done as tyte,
And cast hym in canvas.
lord! what I am sore / in poynt for to bryst.
In fayth I may no more / therfor wyll I ryst.

Secundus Pastor
As a shepe of sevyn skore / he weyd in my fyst.
ffor to slepe ay whore / me thynk that I lyst.

Tercius Pastor
Now I pray you,
lyg downe on this grene.

Primus Pastor
On these thefys yit I mene.

Tercius Pastor
wherto shuld ye tene
So, as I say you?

Angel
Ryse, hyrd men heynd! / for now is he borne
That shall take fro the feynd / that adam had lorne:
That warloo to sheynd / this nyght is he borne.
God is made youre freynd / now at this morne.
he behestys,
At bedlem go se,
Ther lygys that fre
In a cryb full poorely,
Betwyx two bestys.

Primus Pastor
This was a qwant stevyn / that euer yit I hard.
It is a meruell to neuyn / thus to be skard.

Secundus Pastor
Of godys son of heuyn / he spak vpward.
All the wod on a leuyn / me thoght that he gard
Appere.

Tercius Pastor
he spake of a barne
In bedlem, I you warne.

Primus Pastor
That betokyns yond starne.
let vs seke hym there,

Secundus Pastor
Say, what was his song? / hard ye not how he crakyd it?
Thre brefes to a long. /

Tercius Pastor
yee, mary, he hakt it.
was no crochett wrong / nor no thyng that lakt it.

Primus Pastor
ffor to syng vs emong / right as he knakt it,
I can.

Secundus Pastor
let se how ye croyne.
Can ye bark at the mone?

Tercius Pastor
hold youre tonges, haue done!

Primus Pastor
hark after, than.

Secundus Pastor
To bedlem he bad / that we shuld gang:
I am full fard / that we tary to lang.

Tercius Pastor
Be mery and not sad / of myrth is oure sang,
Euer lastyng glad / to mede may we fang,
Withoutt noyse.

Primus Pastor
hy we theder for thy;
If we be wete and wery,
To that chyld and that lady
we haue it not to lose.

Secundus Pastor
we fynde by the prophecy- / let be youre dyn-
Of dauid and Isay / and mo then I myn,
Thay prophecyed by clergy / that in a vyrgyn
shuld, he lyght and ly / to slokyn oure syn
And slake it,
Oure kynde from wo;
ffor Isay sayd so,
Cite‘ virgo
Concipiet a chylde that is nakyd.

Tercius Pastor
ffull glad may we be / and abyde that day
That lufly to se / that all myghtys may.
lord, well were me / for ones and for ay,
Myght I knele on my kne / som word for to say
To that chylde.
Bot the angell sayd,
In a cryb wos he layde;
he was poorly arayd
Both mener and mylde.

Primus Pastor
patryarkes that has bene / and prophetys beforne,
Thay desyryd to haue sene / this chylde that is borne.
Thay ar gone full clene / that haue thay lorne.
We shall se hym, I weyn / or it be morne,
To tokyn.
When I se hym and fele,
Then wote I full weyll
It is true as steyll
That prophetys haue spokyn.
To so poore as we ar / that he wold appere,
ffyrst fynd, and declare / by his messyngere.

Secundus Pastor
Go we now, let vs fare / the place is vs nere.

Tercius Pastor
I am redy and yare / go we in fere
To that bright.
Lord, if thi wylles be,
we ar lewde all thre,
Thou grauntt vs somkyns gle
To comforth thi wight.

Primus Pastor
hayll, comly and clene! / hayll, yong child!
hayll, maker, as I meyne, / of a madyn so mylde!
Thou has waryd, I weyne / the warlo so wylde;
The fals gyler of teyn / now goys he begylde.
lo, he merys;
lo, he laghys, my swetyng,
A welfare metyng,
I haue holden my hetyng;
haue a bob of cherys.

Secundus Pastor
hayll, sufferan sauyoure! / ffor thou has vs soght:
hayll, frely foyde and floure / that all thyng has wroght!
hayll, full of fauoure / that made all of noght!
hayll! I kneyll and I cowre. / A byrd haue I broght
To my barne.
hayll, lytyll tyne’ mop!
of oure crede thou art crop:
I wold drynk on thy cop,
Lytyll day starne.

Tercius Pastor
hayll, derlyng dere / full of godhede!
I pray the be nere / when that I haue nede.
hayll! swete is thy chere! / my hart wold, blede
To se the sytt here / in so poore wede,
With no pennys.
hayll! put furth thy dall!
I bryng the bot a ball:
haue and play the with all,
And go to the tenys.

Mary
The fader of heuen / god omnypotent.
That sett all on seuen, / his son has he sent.
My name couth he neuen / and lyght or he went.
I conceyuyd hym full euen / thrugh myght as he ment,
And now is he borne.
he kepe you fro wo!
I shall pray hym so;
Tell furth as ye go,
And myn on this morne.

Primus Pastor
ffarewell, lady / so fare to beholde,
with thy childe on thi kne! /

Secundus Pastor
bot he lygys full cold.
lord, well is me / now we go, thou behold.

Tercius Pastor
ffor sothe all redy / it semys to be told
full oft.

Primus Pastor
what grace we haue fun.

Secundus Pastor
Com furth, now ar we won.

Tercius Pastor
To syng ar we bun:
let take on loft.

Herodes
Peasse, I byd, both far and nere,
I warne you leyf youre sawes sere;
who that makys noyse whyls I am here,
I say, shall dy.
Of all this warld, sooth, far & nere,
The lord am I.
Lord am I of euery land,
Of towre and towne, of se and sand;
Agans me dar noman stand,
That berys lyfe;
All erthly thyng bowes to my hand,
Both man and wyfe.
Man and wyfe, that warne I you,
That in this warld, is lyfand now,
To mahowne & me all shall bow,
Both old, and ying;
On hym wyll I ich man trow,
ffor any thyng.
ffor any thyng it shall be so;
lord ouer all where I go,
who so says agane, I shall hym slo,
where so he dwell;
The feynd, if he were my fo,
I shuld, hym fell.
To fell those fatures I am bowne,
And dystroy those dogys in feyld, and towne
That will not trow on sant Mahowne,
Oure god so swete;
Those fals faturs I shall fell downe
Vnder my feete.
Vnder my feete I shall thaym fare,
Those ladys that will [not] lere my lare,
ffor I am myghty man ay whare,
Of ilk a pak;
Clenly shapen, hyde and hare,
withoutten lak.
The myght of me may no man mene,
ffor all [that] dos me any teyn,
I shall dyng thaym downe bydeyn,
And wyrk thaym wo;
And on assay it shall be seyn,
Or I go.
And therfor will I send and se
In all this land, full hastely,
To looke if any dwelland be
In towre or towne,
That wyll not hold, holly on me,
And on mahowne.
If ther be fonden any of tho,
with bytter payn I shall theym slo;
My messynger, swyth looke thou go
Thrugh ilk countre,
In all this land, both to and fro,
I commaunde the;
And truly looke thou spyr and spy,-
In euery stede ther thou commys by,-
who trowes not on mahowne most myghty,
Oure god so fre;
And looke thou bryng theym hastely
heder vnto me.
And I shall fownd, thaym for to flay,
Those laddys that will not lede oure lay;
Therfor, boy, now I the pray
That thou go tytt.

Nuncius
It shal be done, lord, if I may,
withoutten lett:
And certys, if I may any fynde,
I shall not leyfe oone of them behynde.

Herodes
No, bot boldly thou thaym bynde
And with the leyde:
Mahowne, that weldys water and wynde,
The wish and spede!

Nuncius
All peasse, lordyngys, and hold, you styll,
To I haue sayde what I will;
Take goode hede Vnto my skyll,
Both old, and ying;
In message what is commen you tyll
ffrom herode, the kyng.
he commaundys you, euerilkon,
To hold no kyng bot hym alon,
And othere god ye worship none
Bot mahowne so fre;
And if ye do, ye mon be slone;
Thus told, he me.

Primus Rex, Jaspar
Lord, of whom this light is lent,
And vnto me this sight has sent,
I pray to the, with good intent,
ffrom shame me shelde;
So that I no harmes hent
By way[e]s wylde.
Also I pray the specyally,
Thou graunt me grace of company,
That I may haue som beyldyng by,
In my trauayll:
And, certys, for to lyf or dy
I shall not fayll,
To that I in som land haue bene,
To wyt what this starne may mene,
That has me led, with bemys shene,
ffro my cuntre;
Now weynd I will, withoutten weyn,
The sothe to se.

Secundus Rex, Melchior
A! lord, that is withoutten ende!
whens euer this selcouth light dyscende,
That thus kyndly has me kende
Oute of my land,
And shewyd to me ther I can leynd,
thus bright shynand?
Certys, I sagh neuer none so bright;
I shall neuer ryst by day nor nyght,
To I wyt whens may com this lyght,
And from what place;
he that it send vnto my sight
leyne me that grace!

Primus Rex, Jaspar
A, sir, wheder ar ye away?
Tell me, good sir, I you pray.

Secundus Rex, Melchior
Certys, I trow, the sothe to say,
None wote bot I;
I haue folowed yond, starne, veray,
ffrom araby;
ffor I am kyng of that cuntre,
And melchor ther call men me.

Primus Rex, Jaspar
And kyng, sir, was I wont to be,
In tars, at hame,
Both of towne and cyte;
Iaspar is my name;
The light of yond starne sagh I thedyr.

Secundus Rex, Melchior
That lord be louyd that send me hedyr!
ffor it will grathly ken vs whedyr,
that we shall weynd;
we owe to loue hym both togedyr,
That it to vs wold send.

Tercius Rex, Balthesar
A, lord! in land what may this mene?
So selcouth sight was neuer sene,
Sich a starne, shynand so shene,
Sagh I neuer none;
It gyffys lyght ouer all, bedene,
By hym alone.
What it may mene, that know I noght;
Bot yonder ar two, me thynk, in thoght,
I thank hym that thaym heder has broght
Thus vnto me;
I shall assay if thay wote oght
what it may be.
lordyngys, that ar leyf and dere,
I pray you tell me with good chere
wheder ye weynd, on this manere,
And where that ye haue bene;
And of this starne, that shynys thus clere,
what it may mene.

Primus Rex, Jaspar
Syr, I say you certanly,
ffrom tars for yond starne soght haue I.

Secundus Rex, Melchior
To seke yond light from araby,
sir, haue I went.

Tercius Rex, Balthesar
Now hertely I thank hym for-thy,
That it has sent.

Primus Rex, Jaspar
Good sir, what cuntre cam ye fra?

Tercius Rex, Balthesar
This light has led me fro saba;
And balthesar, my name to say,
The sothe to tell.

Secundus Rex, Melchior
And, kyngis, sir, are we twa,
Ther as we dwell.

Tercius Rex
Now, syrs, syn we ar semled here,
I rede we ryde togeder, in fere,
vnto we wytt, on all manere,
ffor good or yll,
what it may mene, this sterne so clere
Shynand vs tyll.

Primus Rex, Jaspar
A, lordyngys! behold, the lyght
Of yond, starne, with bemys bright!
ffor sothe I sagh neuer sich a sight
In no-kyns land;
A starne thus, aboute mydnyght,
so bright shynand.
It gyfys more light it self alone
Then any son that euer shone,
Or mone, when he of son has ton
his light so cleyn;
Sich selcouth sight haue I sene none,
what so euer it meyn.

Secundus Rex, Melchior
Behold, lordyngys, vnto his pase,
And se how nygh the erth hit gase;
It is a tokyn that it mase
Of nouelry;
A meruell it is, good tent who tase,
Now here in hy.
ffor sich a starne was neuer ere seyn,
As wyde in warld as we haue beyn,
ffor blasyng bemys, shynand full sheyn,
ffrom hit ar sent;
Meruell I haue what it may meyn
In myn intent.

Tercius Rex, Balthesar
Certys, syrs, the sothe to say,
I shall dyscry now, if I may,
what it may meyn, yond starne veray,
Shynand tyll vs;
It has bene sayde syn many a day
It shuld, be thus.
yond starne betokyns, well wote I,
The byrth of a prynce, syrs, securly,
That shewys well the prophecy
That it so be;
Or els the rewlys of astronomy
Dyssauys me.

Primus Rex, Jaspar
Certan, balaam spekys of this thyng,
That of Iacob a starne shall spryng
That shall ouercom kasar and kyng,
Withoutten stryfe;
All folk shalbe to hym obeyng
That berys the lyfe.
Now wote I well this is the same,
In euery place he shall haue hame,
All shall hym bowe that berys name,
In ilk cuntre;
who trowys it not, thay ar to blame,
what so thay be.

Secundus Rex, Melchior
Certys, lordyngys, full well wote I,
ffulfyllyd, is now the prophecy;
That prynce that shall ouer com in hy
kasar and kyng,
This starne berith witnes, wytterly,
Of his beryng.

Tercius Rex, Balthesar
Now is fulfyllyd here in this land
That balaam sayd, I vnderstand;
Now is he borne that se and sand
Shall weyld, at wyll:
That shewys this starne, so bright shynand,
vs thre vntyll.

Primus Rex, Jaspar
Lordyngys, I rede we weynd all thre
ffor to wyrship that chyld, so fre,
In tokyn that he kyng shalbe
Of alkyn thyng;
This gold now wyll I bere with me,
To myn offeryng.

Secundus Rex, Melchior
Go we fast, syrs, I you pray,
To worship hym if that we may;
I bryng rekyls, the sothe to say,
here in myn hende,
In tokyn that he [is] god veray,
Withoutten ende.

Tercius Rex, Balthesar
Syrs, as ye say right so I red;
hast we tytt vnto that sted
To wirship hym, as for oure hed,
with oure offeryng;
In tokyn that he shalbe ded,
This Myrr I bryng.

Primus Rex, Jaspar
where is that kyng of Iues land,
That shalbe lord, of se and sand,
And folk shall bow vnto his hand
Both more and myn?
To wyrship hym with oure offerand
we wyll not blyn.

Secundus Rex, Melchior
we shall not rest, euen nor morne,
vnto we com ther he is borne.

Tercius Rex, Balthesar
ffolowe this light, els be we lorne,
ffor sothe, I trowe,
That frely to we com beforne;
Syrs, go we now.

Nuncius
Mahowne, that is of greatt pausty,
My lord, sir herode, the saue and se!

Herodes
where has thou bene so long fro me,
Vyle stynkand lad?

Nuncius
Lord, gone youre herand, in this cuntre,
As ye me bad.

Herodes
Thou lyys, lurdan, the dewill the hang!
why has thou dwelt away so lang?

Nuncius
lord, ye wyte me all with wrang.

Herodes
what tythyngys? say!

Nuncius
Som good, som yll, mengyd emang.

Herodes
how? I the pray.
Do tell me fast how thou has farne;
Thy waryson shall thou not tharne.

Nuncius
As I cam walkand, I you warne,
Lord, by the way,
I met thre kyngis sekeand a barne,
Thus can thay say.

Herodes
To seke a barne! for what thyng?
Told, thay any new tythyng?

Nuncius
yey, lord,! thay sayd, he shuld, be kyng
Of towne and towre;
ffor thy thay went, with thare offeryng,
hym to honoure.

Herodes
Kyng! the dewill! bot of what empyre?
Of what land shuld, that lad, be syre?
Nay, I shall with that trature tyre;
Sore shall he rewe!

Nuncius
lord, by a starne as bright as fyre
This kyng thay knew;
It led thaym outt of thare cuntre.

Herodes
we, fy! fy! dewyls on thame all thre!
he shall neuer haue myght to me,
That new borne lad;
when thare wytt in a starne shuld, be,
I hold, thaym mad.
Those lurdans wote not what thay say;
Thay ryfe my hede, that dar I lay;
Ther dyd no tythyngis many a day,
Sich harme me to;
ffor wo my wytt is all away;
what shall I do?
why, what the dewyll is in thare harnes?
Is thare wytt all in the starnes?
These tythyngis mar my mode in ernes;
And of this thyng
To wytt the sothe, full sore me yarnes,
Of this new kyng.
Kyng? what the dewyll, other then I!
we, fy on dewyls! fy, fy!
Certys, that boy shall dere aby!
his ded is dight!
Shall he be kyng thus hastely?
who the dewill made hym knyght?
Alas, for shame! this is a skorne!
Thay fynde no reson thaym beforne;
Shuld, that brodell, that late is borne,
Be most of mayn?
Nay, if the dewyll of hell had sworne,
he shall agane.
Alas, alas! for doyll and, care!
So mekyll sorow had I neuer are;
If it be sothe, for euer mare
I am vndoyn;
At good clerkys and wyse of lare
I wyll wyt soyn.
Bot fyrst yit will I send, and se
The answere of those lurdans thre.
Messyngere, tytt hy thou the,
And make the yare;
Go, byd those kyngys com speke with me,
That told, thou of are.
Say I haue greatt herand thaym tyll.

Nuncius
It shalbe done, lord, at youre wyll,
youre byddyng shall I soyn fulfyll
In ilk cuntre.

Herodes
Mahowne the shelde from all kyns yll,
ffor his pauste.

Nuncius
Mahowne you saue, sir kyngys thre,
I haue message to you preue‘,
ffrom herode, kyng of this cuntre,
That is oure chefe;
And lo, syrs, if ye trow not me,
ye rede this brefe.

Primus Rex, Jaspar
welcom be thou, belamy!
what is his wyll? tell vs in hy.

Nuncius
Certys, sir, that wote not I,
Bot thus he sayde to me,
That ye shuld, com full hastely
To hym all thre,
ffor nede herand, he sayd me so.

Secundus Rex, Melchior
Messynger, before thou go,
And tell thi lord we ar all thro
his wyll to do;
Both I and my felose two
Shall com hym to.

Nuncius
Mahowne you looke, my lord so dere.

Herodes
welcom be thou, messyngere!
how has thou farne syn thou was here?
Thou tell me tytt.

Nuncius
lord, I haue traueld, far and nere
withoutten lett,
And done youre herand, sir, sothely;
Thre kyngis with me broght haue I,
ffro saba, tars, and araby,
Then haue thay soght.

Herodes
Thi waryson shall thou haue for thy,
By hym me boght;
And, certanly, that is good skyll,
And syrs, ye ar welcom me tyll.

Tercius Rex, Balthesar
Lord, thi bydyng to fulfyll
Are we full thro.

Herodes
A, mekyll thank of youre good wyll
That ye wyll so.
ffor, certys, I haue couett greattly
To speke with you, and here now why:
Tell me, I pray you specyally,
ffor any thyng,
what tokynyng saw ye on the sky
Of this new kyng?

Primus Rex, Jaspar
we sagh his starne ryse in the eest,
That shall be kyng of man and best,
ffor thy, lord, we haue not cest,
Syn that we wyst,
with oure gyftys, riche and, honest,
To bere that blyst.

Secundus Rex, Melchior
lord, when that starne rose vs beforne,
Ther by we knew that chyld, was borne.

Herodes
Out, alas, I am forlorne
ffor euer mare!
I wold, be rent and al to-torne
ffor doyll and care!
Alas, alas, I am full wo!
Syr kyngys, syt downe, & rest you so.
By scrypture, syrs, what say ye two?
withoutten lytt;
what ye can say ther to
let se now tytt.
These kyngys do me to vnderstand,
That borne is newly, in this land,
A kyng that shall weld, se and sand;
Thay tell me so;
And therfor, syrs, I you commaunde
youre bookys go to,
And looke grathly, for any thyng,
If ye fynd oght of sich a kyng.