Abraham

Abraham
Adonay, thou god veray,1
Thou here vs when we to the call,2
As thou art he that best may,3
Thou art most socoure and help of all;4
Mightfull lord! to the I pray,5
Let onys the oyle of mercy fall,6
Shall I neuer abide that day,7
Truly yit I hope I shall.8
Mercy, lord omnipotent!9
long syn he this warld has wroght;10
Wheder ar all oure elders went?11
This musys mekill in my thoght.12
ffrom adam, vnto eue assent,13
Ete of that appyll sparid he noght,14
ffor all the wisdom that he ment15
ffull dere that bargan has he boght,16
ffrom paradise thai bad hym gang;17
He went mowrnyng with symple chere,18
And after liffyd he here full lang,19
More then thre hundreth yere,20
In sorow and in trauell strang,21
And euery day he was in were;22
his childre angred, hym amang;23
Caym slo abell, was hym full dere.24
Sithen Noe, that was trew and good,25
his and his chyldre thre,26
was saued when all was flood:27
That was a wonder thyng to se.28
And loth fro sodome when he yode,29
Thre cytees brent, yit eschapyd, he;30
Thus, for thai menged my lordis mode,31
he vengid syn thrugh his pauste‘.32
when I thynk of oure elders all,33
And of the mervels that has been,34
No gladnes in my hart may fall,35
M[y] comfort goys away full cleyn.36
lord, when shall dede make me his thrall?37
An hundreth yeris, certis, haue I seyn;38
Ma fa! sone I hope he shall,39
ffor it were right hie tyme I weyn.40
Yit adam is to hell gone,41
And ther has ligen many a day,42
And all oure elders, euerychon,43
Thay ar gone the same way,44
Vnto god will here thare mone;45
Now help, lord, adonay!46
ffor, certis, I can no better wone,47
And ther is none that better may.48
God
I will help adam and his kynde,49
Might I luf and lewte fynd;50
Wold thay to me be trew, and blyn51
Of thare pride and of thare syn:52
My seruand I will found & frast,53
Abraham, if he be trast;54
On certan wise I will hym proue,55
If he to me be trew of louf.56
Abraham! Abraham!57
Abraham
Who is that? war! let me se!58
I herd oone neven my name.59
God
It is I, take tent to me,60
That fourmed thi fader adam,61
And euery thyng in it degre.62
Abraham
To here thi will, redy I am,63
And to fulfill, what euer it be.64
God
Of mercy haue I herd thi cry,65
Thi devoute prayers haue me bun;66
If thou me luf, look that thou hy67
Vnto the land of Visyon;68
And the thryd day be ther, bid, I,69
And take with the, Isaac, thi son,70
As a beest to sacryfy,71
To slo hym look thou not shon,72
And bren hym ther to thyn offerand.73
Abraham
A, lovyd be thou, lord in throne!74
hold ouer me, lord, thy holy hand,75
ffor certis thi bidyng shall be done.76
Blissyd be that lord in euery land77
wold viset his seruand thus so soyn.78
ffayn wold I this thyng ordand,79
ffor it profettis noght to hoyne;80
This commaundement must I nedis fulfill,81
If that my hert wax hevy as leyde;82
Shuld I offend my lordis will?83
Nay, yit were I leyffer my child were dede.84
What so he biddis me, good or ill,85
That shall be done in euery steede;86
Both wife and child, if he bid spill;87
I wille not do agans his rede.88
wist Isaac, wher so he were,89
he wold be abast now,90
how that he is in dangere.91
Isaac, son, wher art thou?92
Isaac
All redy, fader, Lo me here;93
Now was I commyng vnto you;94
I luf you mekill, fader dere.95
Abraham
And dos thou so? I wold wit how96
lufis thou me, son, as thou has saide.97
Isaac
Yei, fader, with all myn hart,98
More then all that euer was maide;99
God hold, me long youre life in quart!100
Abraham
Now, who would not be glad that had101
A child so lufand as thou art?102
Thi lufly chere makis my hert glad,103
And many a tyme so has it gart.104
Go home, son; com sone agane,105
And tell thi moder I com ful fast;106
So now god the saif and sayne!107
Now well is me that he is past!108
Alone, right here in this playn,109
Might I speke to myn hart brast,110
I wold, that all were well ful fayn,111
Bot it must nedis be done at last;112
And it is good that I be war,113
To be avised full good it were.114
The land of vision is ful far,115
The thrid day end must I be there;116
Myn ase shall with vs, if it thar,117
To bere oure harnes les & more,118
ffor my son may be slayn no nar;119
A swerd must with vs yit therfore,120
And I shall found, to make me yare;121
This nyght will I begyn my way,122
THof Isaac be neuer so fayre,123
And myn awn son, the soth to say,124
And, thof he be myn right haire,125
And all shuld, weld, after my day,126
Godis bydyng shall I not spare;127
shuld I that ganstand,? we, nay, ma fay!128
Isaac!129
Isaac
-sir!130
Abraham
-luke thou be bowne;131
ffor certan, son, thi self and I,130
we two must now weynd, furth of towne,131
In far country to sacrifie,132
ffor certan skyllys and encheson.133
Take wod and fyere with the, in hy;134
Bi hillys and, dayllys, both vp & downe,135
son, thou shal ride and, I will go bi.136
looke thou mys noght that thou shuld, nede;137
Do make the redy, my darlyng!138
Isaac
I am redy to do this dede,139
And euer to fulfill youre bydyng.140
Abraham
My dere son, look thou haue no drede,141
We shal com home with grete lovyng;142
Both to & fro I shal vs lede;143
Com now, son, in my blyssyng.144
Ye two here with this asse abide,145
ffor Isaac & I will to yond hill;146
It is so hie we may not ride,147
therfor ye two shal abide here still.148
Primus Puer
sir, ye ow not to be denyed,:149
we ar redy youre bydyng to fulfill.150
Secundus Puer
What so euer to vs betide151
To do youre bidyng ay we will.152
Abraham
Godis blyssyng haue ye both in fere;153
I shall not tary long you fro.154
Primus Puer
Sir, we shal abide you here,155
Oute of this stede shall we not go.156
Abraham
Childre, ye ar ay to me full dere,157
I pray god kepe [you] euer fro wo.158
Secundus Puer
we will do, sir, as ye vs lere.159
Abraham
Isaac, now ar we bot we two,160
we must go a full good paase,161
ffor it is farther than I wend,162
we shall make myrth & grete solace,163
Bi this thyng be broght to end.164
lo, my son, here is the place.165
Isaac
wod and fyere ar in my hend;166
Tell me now, if ye haue space,167
where is the beest that shuld, be brend?168
Abraham
Now, son, I may no longer layn.169
sich will is into myne hart went;170
Thou was euer to me full bayn171
Euer to fulfill myn entent.172
Bot certanly thou must be slayn,173
And it may be as I haue ment.174
Isaac
I am hevy and nothyng fayn,175
Thus hastely that shall be shent.176
Abraham
Isaac!177
Isaac
sir?178
Abraham
Com heder, bid I;179
Thou shal be dede what so euer betide.178
Isaac
A, fader, mercy! mercy!179
Abraham
That I say may not be denyde;180
Take thi dede therfor mekely.181
Isaac
A, good sir, abide;182
ffader!183
Abraham
What son?184
Isaac
to do youre will I am redy,185
where so euer ye go or ride,184
If I may oght ouertake youre will,185
syn I haue trepa[s]t I wold be bet.186
Abraham
Isaac!187
Isaac
What, sir?188
Abraham
good son, be still.189
Isaac
ffader!188
Abraham
what, son!189
Isaac
think on thi get!190
what haue I done?189
Abraham
truly, none ill.190
Isaac
And shall be slayn?190
Abraham
so haue I het.191
Isaac
sir, what may help?191
Abraham
certis, no skill.192
Isaac
I ask mercy.192
Abraham
that may not let.193
Isaac
when I am dede, and closed, in clay,193
who shall then be youre son?194
Abraham
A, lord, that I shuld abide this day!195
Isaac
sir, who shall do that I was won?196
Abraham
speke no sich wordis, son, I the pray.197
Isaac
shall ye me slo?198
Abraham
I trow I mon;199
lyg still! I smyte!199
Isaac
sir, let me say.200
Abraham
Now, my dere child, thou may not shon.200
Isaac
The shynyng of youre bright blayde201
It gars me quake for ferde to dee.202
Abraham
Therfor groflyngis thou shall be layde,203
Then when I stryke thou shal not se.204
Isaac
What haue I done, fader, what haue I saide?205
Abraham
Truly, no kyns ill to me.206
Isaac
And thus gyltles shall be arayde.207
Abraham
Now, good son, let sich wordis be.208
Isaac
I luf you ay.209
Abraham
so do I the.210
Isaac
ffader!210
Abraham
what, son?211
Isaac
let now be seyn.212
ffor my moder luf.211
Abraham
let be, let be!212
It will not help that thou wold, meyn;212
Bot ly styll till I com to the,213
I mys a lytyll thyng, I weyn.214
he spekis so rufully to me215
That water shotis in both myn eeyn,216
I were leuer than all wardly wyn,217
That I had fon hym onys vnkynde,218
Bot no defawt I faund, hym in:219
I wold be dede for hym, or pynde;220
To slo hym thus, I thynk grete syn,221
So rufull wordis I with hym fynd;222
I am full wo that we shuld, twyn,223
ffor he will neuer oute of my mynd.224
What shal I to his moder say?225
ffor "where is he," tyte will she spyr;226
If I tell hir, "ron away,"227
hir answere bese belife-"nay, sir!"228
And I am ferd, hir for to slay;229
I ne wote what I shal say till hir.230
he lyys full still ther as he lay,231
ffor to I com, dar he not styr.232
God
Angell, hy with all thi mayn!233
To abraham thou shall be sent;234
say, Isaac shall not be slayn;235
he shall lif, and not be brent.236
My bydyng standis he not agane,237
Go, put hym out of his intent;238
Byd, hym go home agane,239
I know well how he ment.240
Angel
Gladly, Lord, I am redy:241
thi bidyng shall be magnyfyed;242
I shall me spede ful hastely,243
the to obeye at euery tyde;244
Thi will, Thi name, to glorifye,245
Ouer all this warld so wide;246
And to thi seruand now in hy,247
good, trew, abraham, will I glyde.248
Abraham
Bot myght I yit of wepyng sese,249
till I had done this sacrifice;250
It must nedis be, withoutten lesse,251
thof all I carpe on this kyn wise,252
The more my sorow it will incres;253
when I look to hym, I gryse;254
I will ryn on a res,255
And slo hym here, right as he lyse.256
Angel
Abraham! Abraham!257
Abraham
Who is ther now?258
War! let the go.258
Angel
stand vp, now, stand;259
Thi good will com I to alow,259
Therfor I byd the hold thi hand.260
Abraham
say, who bad, so? any bot thou?261
Angel
Yei, god; & sendis this beest to thyn offerand.
Abraham
I speke with god latter, I trow,263
And doyng he me commaund.264
Angel
He has persauyd thy mekenes265
And thi good will also, Iwis;266
he will thou do thi son no distres,267
ffor he has graunt to the his blys.268
Abraham
Bot wote thou well that it is269
As thou has sayd?270
Angel
I say the yis.271
Abraham
I thank the, lord, well of goodnes,271
That all thus has relest me this;272
To speke with the haue I no space,273
with my dere son till I haue spokyn.274
My good son, thou shal haue grace,275
On the now will I not be wrokyn;276
Ryse vp now, with thi frely face.277
Isaac
sir, shall I lif?278
Abraham
yei, this to tokyn.279
son thou has skapid a full hard, grace,279
Thou shuld, haue beyn both brent & brokyn.280
Isaac
Bot, fader, shall I not be slayn?281
Abraham
No, certis, son.282
Isaac
then am I glad.283
Good sir, put vp youre sword agayn.283
Abraham
Nay hardely, son, be thou not adrad.284
Isaac
Is all for geyn?285
Abraham
yei, son, certan.286
Isaac
ffor ferd, sir, was I nere-hand, mad.286


2022 Jan 21  20:05:23