Noah and the Ark

Noah
Myghtfull god veray / Maker of all that is,1
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;5
The son, the moyne, verament,6
Thou maide; the firmament,7
The sternes also full feruent,8
To shyne thou maide ful bright.9
Angels thou maide ful euen / all orders that is,10
To haue the blis in heuen / this did thou more & les,
ffull mervelus to neuen / yit was ther vnkyndnes,12
More bi foldis seuen / then I can well expres;13
ffor whi?14
Of all angels in brightnes15
God gaf lucifer most lightnes,16
Yit prowdly he flyt his des,17
And set hym euen hym by.18
He thoght hymself as worthi / as hym that hym made,
In brightnes, in bewty / therfor he hym degrade;20
put hym in a low degre / soyn after, in a brade,21
hym and all his menye / wher he may be vnglad,22
ffor euer.23
shall thay neuer wyn away24
hence vnto domysday,25
Bot burne in bayle for ay,26
shall thay neuer dysseuer.27
Soyne after that gracyous lord / to his liknes maide man,
That place to be restord / euen as he began,29
Of the trinite bi accord, / Adam & eue that woman,
To multiplie without discord, / In paradise put he thaym,
And sithen to both32
Gaf in commaundement,33
On the tre of life to lay no hend;34
Bot yit the fals feynd,35
Made hym with man wroth,36
Entysyd man to glotony / styrd him to syn in pride;
Bot in paradise securly / myght no syn abide,38
And therfor man full hastely / was put out, in that tyde,
In wo & wandreth for to be / In paynes full vnrid,
To knawe,41
ffyrst in erth, in sythen in hell42
with feyndis for to dwell,43
Bot he his mercy mell44
To those that will hym trawe.45
Oyle of mercy he Hus hight / As I haue Hard red,46
To euery lifyng wight / that wold luf hym and dred,
Bot now before his sight / euery liffyng leyde,48
Most party day and nyght / syn in word and dede49
ffull bold;50
Som in pride, Ire and enuy,51
Som in Couet[yse] & glotyny,52
Som in sloth and lechery,53
And other wise many fold.54
Therfor I drede lest god / on vs will take veniance,
ffor syn is now alod / without any repentance;56
Sex hundreth yeris & od / haue I, without distance,
In erth, as any sod, / liffyd with grete grevance58
All way;59
And now I wax old,60
seke, sory, and cold,61
As muk apon mold62
I widder away;63
Bot yit will I cry / for mercy and call;64
Noe thi seruant, am I / lord ouer all!65
Therfor me and my fry / shal with me fall;66
saue from velany / and bryng to thi hall67
In heuen;68
And kepe me from syn,69
This warld, within;70
Comly kyng of mankyn,71
I pray the here my stevyn!72
God
Syn I haue maide all thyng / that is liffand,73
Duke, emperour, and kyng / with myne awne hand,74
ffor to haue thare likyng / bi see & bi sand,75
Euery man to my bydyng / shuld, be bowand76
ffull feruent;77
That maide man sich a creatoure,78
ffarest of favoure,79
Man must luf me paramoure,80
by reson, and repent.81
Me thoght I shewed man luf / when I made hym to be82
All angels abuf / like to the trynyte;83
And now in grete reprufe / full low ligis he,84
In erth hymself to stuf / with syn that displeasse me
Most of all;86
Veniance will I take,87
In erth for syn sake,88
My grame thus will I wake,89
both of grete and small.90
I repente full sore / that euer maide I man,91
Bi me he settis no store / and I am his soferan;92
I will distroy therfor / Both beest, man, and woman,
All shall perish les and more / that bargan may thay ban,
That ill has done.95
In erth I se right noght96
Bot syn that is vnsoght;97
Of those that well has wroght98
ffynd, I bot a fone.99
Therfor shall I fordo / All this medill-erd100
with floodis that shall flo / & ryn with hidous rerd;
I haue good cause therto / ffor me no man is ferd,102
As I say shal I do / of veniance draw my swerd,103
And make end,104
of all that beris life,105
Sayf noe and his wife,106
ffor that wold neuer stryfe107
With me [ne] me offend.108
hym to mekill wyn / hastly will I go,109
To noe my seruand, or I blyn / to warn hym of his wo.
In erth I se bot syn / reynand to and fro,111
Emang both more & myn / ichon other fo;112
With all thare entent;113
All shall I fordo114
with floodis that shall floo,115
wirk shall I thaym wo,116
That will not repent.117
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,120
To my bydyng obediand / frendship shal thou fele121
To mede;122
of lennthe thi ship be123
Thre hundreth cubettis, warn I the,124
Of heght euen thrirte,125
of fyfty als in brede.126
Anoynt thi ship with pik and tar / without & als within,
The water out to spar / this is a noble gyn;128
look no man the mar / thre chese chambres begyn,129
Thou must spend many a spar / this wark or thou wyn
To end fully.131
Make in thi ship also,132
parloures oone or two,133
And houses of offyce mo,134
ffor beestis that ther must be.135
Oone cubite on hight / A wyndo shal thou make;136
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;140
Thi sonnes of good fame,141
Sem, Iaphet, and Came,142
Take in also hame,143
Thare wifis also thre.144
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,147
After dayes seuen be done / and induyr dayes fourty,
withoutten fayll.149
Take to thi ship also150
of ich kynd beestis two,151
Mayll & femayll, bot no mo,152
Or thou pull vp thi sayll.153
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;158
Thay must haue corn and hay,159
And oder mete alway;160
Do now as I the say,161
In the name of the holy gast.162
Noah
A! benedicite! / what art thou that thus163
Tellys afore that shall be? / thou art full mervelus!
Tell me, for charite / thi name so gracius.165
God
My name is of dignyte / and also full glorius166
To knawe.167
I am god most myghty,168
Oone god in trynyty,169
Made the and ich man to be;170
To luf me well thou awe.171
Noah
I thank the, lord, so dere / that wold, vowch sayf172
Thus low to appere / to a symple knafe;173
Blis vs, lord, here / for charite I hit crafe,174
The better may we stere / the ship that we shall hafe,
Certayn.176
God
Noe, to the and to thi fry177
My blyssyng graunt I;178
Ye shall wax and multiply,179
And fill the erth agane,180
When all thise floodis ar past / and fully gone away.
Noah
lord, homward will I hast / as fast as that I may;182
My [wife] will I frast / what she will say,183
And I am agast / that we get som fray184
Betwixt vs both;185
ffor she is full tethee,186
ffor litill oft angre,187
If any thyng wrang be,188
Soyne is she wroth.189
God spede, dere wife / how fayre ye?190
Uxor
Now, as euer myght I thryfe / the wars I thee see;191
Do tell me belife / where has thou thus long be?192
To dede may we dryfe / or lif for the,193
ffor want.194
When we swete or swynk,195
thou dos what thou thynk,196
Yit of mete and of drynk197
haue we veray skant.198
Noah
Wife, we ar hard, sted / with tythyngis new.199
Uxor
Bot thou were worthi be cled / In stafford blew;200
ffor thou art alway adred / be it fals or trew;201
Bot god knowes I am led / and that may I rew,202
ffull ill;203
ffor I dar be thi borow,204
ffrom euen vnto morow,205
Thou spekis euer of sorow;206
God send the onys thi fill!207
We women may wary / all ill husbandis;208
I haue oone, bi mary! / that lowsyd me of my bandis;
If he teyn I must tary / how so euer it standis,210
With seymland full sory, / wryngand both my handis211
ffor drede.212
Bot yit other while,213
What with gam & with gyle,214
I shall smyte and smyle,215
And qwite hym his mede.216
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!219
Apon the bone shal it byte. /220
Uxor
A, so, mary! thou smytis ill!221
Bot I suppose221
I shal not in thi det,222
fflyt of this flett!223
Take the ther a langett224
To tye vp thi hose!225
Noah
A! wilt thou so? / mary, that is myne.226
Uxor
Thou shal thre for two / I swere bi godis pyne.227
Noah
And I shall qwyte the tho / In fayth or syne.228
Uxor
Out apon the, ho! /229
Noah
Thou can both byte and whyne,230
with a rerd;230
ffor all if she stryke,231
yit fast will she skryke,232
In fayth I hold, none slyke233
In all medill-erd;234
Bot I will kepe charyte / ffor I haue at do.235
Uxor
Here shal no man tary the / I pray the go to!236
ffull well may we mys the / as euer haue I ro;237
To spyn will I dres me. /238
Noah
We! fare well, lo;239
Bot wife,239
Pray for me besele,240
To eft I com vnto the.241
Uxor
Euen as thou prays for me,242
As euer myght I thrife.243
Noah
I tary full Lang / Fro my warke, I traw;244
Now my gere will I fang / and thederward draw;245
I may full ill gang / the soth for to knaw,246
Bot if god help amang / I may sit downe daw247
To ken;248
Now assay will I249
how I can of wrightry,250
In nomine patris, & filii,251
Et spiritus sanncti, Amen.252
To begyn of this tree / my bonys will I bend,253
I traw from the trynyte / socoure will be send,254
It fayres full fayre, thynk me / this wark to my hend;
Now blissid be he / that this can amend.256
lo, here the lenght,257
Thre hundreth cubettis euenly,258
of breed lo is it fyfty,259
The heght is euen thyrty260
Cubettis full strenght.261
Now my gowne will I cast / and wyrk in my cote,262
Make will I the mast / or I flyt oone foote,263
A! my bak, I traw, will brast! / this is a sory note!
hit is wonder that I last / sich an old, dote265
All dold,266
To begyn sich a wark!267
My bonys ar so stark,268
No wonder if thay wark,269
ffor I am full old.270
The top and the sayll / both will I make,271
The helme and the castell / also will I take,272
To drife ich a nayll / will I not forsake,273
This gere may neuer fayll / that dar I vndertake274
Onone.275
This is a nobull gyn,276
Thise nayles so thay ryn,277
Thoro more and myn,278
Thise bordis ichon;279
wyndow and doore / euen as he saide,280
Thre ches chambre / thay ar well maide,281
Pyk & tar full sure / ther apon laide,282
This will euer endure / therof am I paide;283
ffor why?284
It is better wroght285
Then I coude haif thoght;286
hym that maide all of noght287
I thank oonly.288
Now will I hy me / and no thyng be leder,289
My wife and my meneye / to bryng euen heder.290
Tent hedir tydely / wife, and consider,291
hens must vs fle / All sam togeder292
In hast.293
Uxor
Whi, syr, what alis you?294
Who is that asalis you?295
To fle it avalis you,296
And ye be agast.297
Noah
Ther is garn on the reyll / other, my dame.298
Uxor
Tell me that ich a deyll / els get ye blame.299
Noah
He that cares may keill / blissid be his name!300
he has for oure seyll / to sheld vs fro shame,301
And sayd,302
All this warld aboute303
With floodis so stoute,304
That shall ryn on a route,305
Shall be ouerlaide.306
he saide all shall be slayn / bot oonely we,307
Oure barnes that ar bayn / and thare wifis thre;308
A ship he bad me ordayn / to safe vs & oure fee,
Therfor with all oure mayn / thank we that fre310
Beytter of bayll;311
hy vs fast, go we thedir.312
Uxor
I wote neuer whedir,313
I dase and I dedir314
ffor ferd of that tayll.315
Noah
Be not aferd, haue done / trus sam oure gere,316
That we be ther or none / without more dere.317
Primus Filius
It shall be done full sone / brether, help to bere.
Secundus Filius
ffull long shall I not hoyne / to do my devere,319
Brether sam.320
Tertius Filius
without any yelp,321
At my myght shall I help.322
Uxor
Yit for drede of a skelp323
help well thi dam.324
Noah
Now ar we there / as we shuld be;325
Do get in oure gere / oure catall and fe,326
In to this vessell here / my chylder fre.327
Uxor
I was neuer bard ere / As euer myght I the,328
In sich an oostre as this.329
In fath I can not fynd330
which is before, which is behynd;331
Bot shall we here be pynd,332
Noe, as haue thou blis?333
Noah
Dame, as it is skill / here must vs abide grace;334
Therfor, wife, with good will / com into this place.
Uxor
Sir, for Iak nor for gill / will I turne my face336
Till I haue on this hill / spon a space337
on my rok;338
Well were he, myght get me,339
Now will I downe set me,340
Yit reede I no man let me,341
ffor drede of a knok.342
Noah
Behold to the heuen / the cateractes all,343
That are open full euen / grete and small,344
And the planettis seuen / left has thare stall,345
Thise thoners and levyn / downe gar fall346
ffull stout,347
Both halles and bowers,348
Castels and towres;349
ffull sharp ar thise showers,350
that renys aboute;351
Therfor, wife, haue done / com into ship fast.352
Uxor
Yei, noe, go cloute thi shone / the better will thai last.
Prima Mulier
Good moder, com in sone / ffor all is ouer cast,354
Both the son and the mone. /355
Secunda Mulier
and many wynd blast356
ffull sharp;356
Thise floodis so thay ryn,357
Therfor moder come in.358
Uxor
In fayth yit will I spyn;359
All in vayn ye carp.360
Tercius Mulier
If ye like ye may spyn / Moder, in the ship.361
Noah
Now is this twyys com in / dame, on my frenship.362
Uxor
Wheder I lose or I wyn / In fayth, thi felowship,363
set I not a pyn / this spyndill will I slip364
Apon this hill,365
Or I styr oone fote.366
Noah
Peter! I traw we dote;367
without any more note368
Come in if ye will.369
Uxor
Yei, water nyghys so nere / that I sit not dry,370
Into ship with a byr / therfor will I hy371
ffor drede that I drone here. /372
Noah
dame, securly,373
It bees boght full dere / ye abode so long by373
out of ship.374
Uxor
I will not, for thi bydyng,375
go from doore to mydyng.376
Noah
In fayth, and for youre long taryyng377
Ye shal lik on the whyp.378
Uxor
Spare me not, I pray the / bot euen as thou thynk,379
Thise grete wordis shall not flay me. /380
Noah
Abide, dame, and drynk381
ffor betyn shall thou be / with this staf to thou stynk;
Ar strokis good? say me. /382
Uxor
what say ye, wat wynk?383
Noah
speke!383
Cry me mercy, I say!384
Uxor
Therto say I nay.385
Noah
Bot thou do, bi this day,386
Thi hede shall I breke.387
Uxor
Lord, I were at ese / and hertely full hoylle,388
Might I onys haue a measse / of wedows coyll;389
ffor thi saull, without lese / shuld I dele penny doyll,
so wold mo, no frese / that I se on this sole391
of wifis that ar here,392
ffor the life that thay leyd,393
Wold thare husbandis were dede,394
ffor, as euer ete I brede,395
So wold I oure syre were.396
Noah
Yee men that has wifis / whyls they ar yong,397
If ye luf youre lifis / chastice thare tong:398
Me thynk my hert ryfis / both levyr and long,399
To se sich stryfis / wedmen emong;400
Bot I,401
As haue I blys,402
shall chastyse this.403
Uxor
Yit may ye mys,404
Nicholl nedy!405
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;409
Bot, wife,410
In this hast let vs ho,411
ffor my bak is nere in two.412
Uxor
And I am bet so blo413
That I may not thryfe.414
Primus Filius
A! whi fare ye thus? / ffader and moder both!415
Secundus Filius
Ye shuld not be so spitus / standyng in sich a woth.
Tertius Filius
Thise ar so hidus / with many a cold coth.417
Noah
we will do as ye bid vs / we will no more be wroth,
Dere barnes!419
Now to the helme will I hent,420
And to my ship tent.421
Uxor
I se on the firmament,422
Me thynk, the seven starnes.423
Noah
This is a grete flood / wife, take hede.424
Uxor
So me thoght, as I stode / we ar in grete drede;425
Thise wawghes ar so wode. /426
Noah
help, god, in this nede!427
As thou art stere-man good / and best, as I rede,427
Of all;428
Thou rewle vs in this rase,429
As thou me behete hase.430
Uxor
This is a perlous case:431
help, god, when we call!432
Noah
Wife, tent the stere-tre / and I shall asay433
The depnes of the see / that we bere, if I may.434
Uxor
That shall I do ful wysely / now go thi way,435
ffor apon this flood haue we / flett many day,436
with pyne.437
Noah
Now the water will I sownd:438
A! it is far to the grownd;439
This trauell I expownd440
had I to tyne.441
Aboue all hillys bedeyn / the water is rysen late442
Cubettis fyfteyn, / bot in a highter state443
It may not be, I weyn / for this well I wate,444
This forty dayes has rayn beyn / It will therfor abate
Full lele.446
This water in hast,447
eft will I tast;448
Now am I agast,449
It is wanyd a grete dele.450
Now are the weders cest / and cateractes knyt,451
Both the most and the leest. /452
Uxor
Me thynk, bi my wit,453
The son shynes in the eest / lo is not yond it?453
we shuld haue a good feest / were thise floodis flyt
So spytus.455
Noah
we haue been here, all we,456
thre hundreth dayes and fyfty.457
Uxor
Yei, now wanys the see;458
lord, well is vs!459
Noah
The thryd tyme will I prufe / what depnes we bere.460
Uxor
Now long shall thou hufe / lay in thy lyne there.461
Noah
I may towch with my lufe / the grownd evyn here.462
Uxor
Then begynnys to grufe / to vs mery chere;463
Bot, husband,464
What grownd may this be?465
Noah
The hyllys of armonye.466
Uxor
Now blissid be he467
That thus for vs can ordand!468
Noah
I see toppys of hyllys he / many at a syght,469
No thyng to let me / the wedir is so bright.470
Uxor
Thise ar of mercy / tokyns full right.471
Noah
Dame, thi counsell me / what fowll best myght,472
And Cowth,473
with flight of wyng474
bryng, without taryying,475
Of mercy som tokynyng476
Ayther bi north or southe?477
ffor this is the fyrst day / of the tent moyne.478
Uxor
The ravyn, durst I lay / will com agane sone;479
As fast as thou may / cast hym furth, haue done,480
He may happyn to day / com agane or none481
With grath.482
Noah
I will cast out also483
Dowfys oone or two:484
Go youre way, go,485
God send, you som wathe!486
Now ar thise fowles flone / Into seyr countre;487
Pray we fast ichon / kneland on our kne,488
To hym that is alone / worthiest of degre,489
That he wold send anone / oure fowles som fee490
To glad vs.491
Uxor
Thai may not fayll of land,492
The water is so wanand.493
Noah
Thank we god all weldand,494
That lord that made vs.495
It is a wonder thyng / me thynk sothle,496
Thai ar so long taryyng / the fowles that we497
Cast out in the mornyng. /498
Uxor
Syr, it may be499
Thai tary to thay bryng. /499
Noah
The ravyn is a hungrye500
All way;500
He is without any reson,501
And he fynd any caryon,502
As peraventure may befon,503
he will not away;504
The dowfe is more gentill / her trust I vntew,505
like vnto the turtill / for she is ay trew.506
Uxor
hence bot a litill / she commys, lew, lew!507
she bryngys in her bill / som novels new;508
Behald,!509
It is of an olif tre510
A branch, thynkys me.511
Noah
It is soth, perde,512
right so is it cald.513
Doufe, byrd, full blist / ffayre myght the befall !
Thou art trew for to trist / as ston in the wall;515
Full well I it wist / thou wold com to thi hall,516
Uxor
A trew tokyn ist / we shall be sauyd all:517
ffor whi?518
The water, syn she com,519
Of depnes plom,520
Is fallen a fathom,521
And more hardely.522
Primus Filius
Thise floodis ar gone / fader, behold.523
Secundus Filius
Ther is left right none / and that be ye bold.524
Tercius Filius
As still as a stone / oure ship is stold.525
Noah
Apon land here anone / that we were, fayn I wold;526
My childer dere,527
Sem, Japhet and Cam,528
with gle and with gam,529
Com go we all sam,530
we will no longer abide here.531
Uxor
here haue we beyn / noy long enogh,532
with tray and with teyn / and dreed mekill wogh.533
Noah
behald, on this greyn / nowder cart ne plogh534
Is left, as I weyn / nowder tre then bogh,535
Ne other thyng,536
Bot all is away;537
Many castels, I say,538
Grete townes of aray,539
fflitt has this flowyng.540
Uxor
Thise floodis not afright / all this warld, so wide
has mevid with myght / on se and bi side.542
Noah
To dede ar thai dyght / prowdist of pryde,543
Euer ich a wyght / that euer was spyde,544
With syn,545
All ar thai slayn,546
And put vnto payn.547
Uxor
ffrom thens agayn548
May thai neuer wyn?549
Noah
wyn? no, I-wis / bot he that myght hase550
Wold myn of thare mys / & admytte thaym to grace;
As he in bayll is blis / I pray hym in this space,552
In heven hye with his / to purvaye vs a place,553
That we,554
with his santis in sight,555
And his angels bright,556
May com to his light:557
Amen, for charite.558


2022 Jan 21  20:05:23