SELECTIONS FROM THE TOWNELEY PLAYS Adapted by Janet Cowen, with acknowledgement to Howard Davies, 2023 THE KILLING OF ABEL God Pickharness (Cain’s boy) Cain Abel THE ANNUNCIATION God Gabriel Mary THE SALUTATION Mary Elizabeth THE SECOND SHEPHERDS’ PLAY Coll (1st Shepherd) Gib (2nd Shepherd) Daw (3rd Shepherd) Mak Gill Angel Mary Joseph (non-speaking) The Killing of Abel GOD I am mightful God veray, maker of all that is, three persons withouten nay, one God in endless bliss, that made both night and day, beast, fowl and fish. Then man and woman wrought I at my wish as I well might. Since I have made all thing that is living, duke, emperor and king, with mine own hand, to have their liking by sea and by sand, every man to my bidding should be bound full fervent, that made man such a creature, fairest of favour. Man must love me, paramour, by reason, and repent. Me thought I showed man love when I made him to be all angels above, like to the Trinity; and now in great reproof full low lies he, in earth to stuff himself with sin, that displeases me most of all. PICKHARNESS All hail, all hail, both blithe and glad, for here come I, a merry lad! Cease your din, my master bade, or else the devil you speed, varlets every one! Full well ye all him ken, for some of you are his men. If my master come, welcome him then. Farewell, for I am gone! CAIN Go forth, Greenhorn! Grim, draw on! Ye stand as ye were fallen in swoon! God give you ill time! Ware! Let me see how ye will draw. Lo, now heard she what I said; I say then, go fare! Ah! God give thee sorrow and care! Now yet art thou the worst mare in plough that ever I had. Ho! Pickharness! ho! Come hither knave! PICKHARNESS God forbid that ever thou thrive! CAIN What, boy, shall I both hold and drive? See how they go, want of food is the cause. PICKHARNESS Their fodder, sir, I lay behind their arse and tie them fast by the necks, with many stones in their racks. CAIN That shall buy thy false cheeks! Strikes him PICKHARNESS And have again as right! Strikes back CAIN I am thy master. Wilt thou fight? PICKHARNESS Yea, with the same measure and weight that I borrow will I quite. Enter Abel ABEL God, as he both may and can, speed thee, brother, and thy man. CAIN Ho now! Come kiss mine arse! Thy welcome is the worse. Go grease thy sheep under the tout, for that is thee most lief. ABEL Brother, there is none here about that would thee any grief. But, dear brother, hear my saw: It is the custom of our law all that do as the wise shall worship God with sacrifice. Come forth, brother, and let us gang to worship God; we dwell too long. Give we him part of our fee, corn or cattle whether it be. CAIN Should I leave my plough and all thing and go with thee to make offering? Nay, thou finds me not so mad! Go to the devil, and say I said! ABEL Cain, leave this vain carping, for God gives thee all thy living. CAIN Yet borrowed I never a farthing of him - here’s my hand! Whereof should I tithe, dear brother, for I am each year worse than other? Here my troth, it is none other. Whereof then should I lend? ABEL Dear brother, say not so, but let us forth together go. CAIN Yea, yea, thou jangles waste! The devil me speed if I have haste, as long as I live, to deal my good or give, either to God or yet to man, of any good that ever I won. For had I given away my good, then might I go with riven hood; and it is better to hold what I have than go from door to door and crave. ABEL Brother, come forth, in God’s name; I am full feared that we get blame. CAIN Yea, man, I hold thee mad! Weens thou that I should gad to offer of my goods ought? The devil him speed that me so taught! What need had I my travail to lose, to wear my shoes and rive my hose? But well I see go must I need. Now wend before - ill might thou speed. ABEL Dear brother, it were great wonder that thou and I should go asunder, but go we forth both together. Blessed be God, we have fair weather. They go to the site of sacrifice CAIN Lay down thy trussel upon this hill. ABEL Forsooth brother, so I will. God of heaven take it to good. CAIN Thou shall tithe first, since that thou would. ABEL God that shaped both earth and heaven, I pray to thee thou hear my steven, and take in thank, if thy will be, the tithe that I offer here to thee, for I give it in good intent to thee, my Lord, that all has sent. I burn it now with steadfast thought, in worship of him that all has wrought. CAIN Rise! Let me now, since thou has done, since I must need, my tithe to burn,. One sheaf, one, and this makes two - but neither of these may I forgo. Two, two now this is three - yea, this also shall stay with me. Four sheaves, four, lo, this makes five. Five and six, now this is seven - but this gets never the God of heaven, nor none of these four, at my might, shall never come in God’s sight. Seven, seven, now this is eight - ABEL Cain, thou tithes not as thou ought. CAIN Weh lo! wilt thou that I wink? Then shall I do no wrong, me think. Finishes counting with his eyes closed Let me see now how it is: Opens his eyes Lo, yet I hold me payed! I tithed wonder well by guess, and so even I laid. ABEL Cain, of God me think thou has no dread. CAIN Now, and he get more, the devil me speed. The devil hang thee by the neck! How that I tithe never thou reck. Of this jangling I bid thee cease. But now, since thou has tendered thine, now will I set fire on mine. Weh! out! harroo! Help to blow! It will not burn for me, I trow. Puff! this smoke does me much shame! Now, burn, in the devil’s name! ABEL Cain, this is not worth one leek. Thy tithe should burn without smoke. CAIN Come kiss the devil right in the arse! For thee it burns but the worse. I would that it were in thy throat, fire and sheaf and every sprout. GOD Cain, why art thou so rebel against thy brother Abel? Needest thou never fight nor chide. If thou tithe right, thou gets thy meed; and be thou sure, if thou tithe false, thou shall be quit then somewhat else. CAIN Why, who is that hob-over-the-wall? Weh! who was that that piped so small? Come, go we hence, for perils all; God is out of his wit! Come forth, Abel, and let us wend. Me think that God is not my friend; on land then will I flit. ABEL Ah, Cain, brother, that is ill done. CAIN No, but go we hence soon, and, if I may, I shall be where God will not me see. ABEL Dear brother, I will fare on field where our beasts are, to look if they be empty or full. CAIN Nay, nay, abide! We have a crow to pull. Hark, speak with me ere thou go! What, weens thou to escape so? ABEL Brother, why art thou so to me in ire? CAIN Weh! thief, why burned thy tithe so sheer, where mine did but smoke, right as it would us both have choked? ABEL God’s will I trow it were that mine burned so clear. If thine smoked, am I to blame? CAIN Weh! yea! thou shall repay the shame. With cheek-bone, ere I go again, thou and thy life shall part in twain. Strikes Abel down with an ass’s jaw-bone So, lie down there and take thy rest: thus shall shrews be chastised best. ABELL Vengeance, vengeance, Lord, I cry! For I am slain and not guilty. CAIN Yea, lie there, old shrew, lie there, lie! But now, since he is fallen asleep, into some hole fain would I creep. For fear I quake, here at my need, for if I be taken, I be but dead. GOD Cain, Cain! CAIN Who is that that calls me? I am yonder, may thou not see? GOD Cain, where is thy brother Abel? CAIN Why asks thou me? I trow at hell, at hell I trow he be - whoso were there, then might he see - or somewhere fallen on sleeping. When was he in my keeping? GOD Cain, Cain, thou was mad. The voice of thy brother’s blood, that thou has slain on false wise, from earth to heaven vengeance cries. And, for thou has brought thy brother down, here I give thee my malison. CAIN Since I have done so mickle sin that I may not thy mercy win, and thou does me from thy grace, I shall hide me from thy face, and whereso any man may find me he shall slay me, certainly. For, may I from this place depart, by all men I set not a fart. GOD Nay, Cain, it is not so; I will that no man other slay, for he that slays thee, young or old, shall be punished sevenfold. CAIN Yea, so! I know whither I shall: in hell, I trow, must be my stall. But this corpse I would were hid. Pickharness, my knave, will I bid. Ho! Pickharness! Pickharness! ho! PICKHARNESS Master, master! CAIN Hearest thou, boy? There is a pudding in the pot. Take thee that, boy, take thee that! Strikes him Hark, boy, I have a counsell thee to say: I slew my brother this same day. I pray thee, good boy, if thou may, to run away with the bones. PICKHARNESS Has thou thy brother slain? CAIN Peace, man, for God’s pain! PICKHARNESS Yea, but for fear of grievance here I thee forsake; we must have a mickle mischance if the bailiffs us take. CAIN Ah, sir, I cry you mercy! Cease, and I shall make you a release. PICKHARNESS What, wilt thou cry my peace throughout this land? CAIN Yea, that I give God a vow, but thou must be my good boy, and cry ‘Oyez, oyez, oy’. PICKHARNESS Peas, peas to thy boy! CAIN I command you, in the king’s name, PICKHARNESS And in my master’s, false Cain, CAIN that no man with them find fault nor blame. PICKHARNESS Yea, cold roast is at my master’s home. CAIN The king writes you until: PICKHARNESS Yet eat I never half my fill. CAIN The king will that they be safe. PICKHARNESS Yea, a draught of drink fain would I have. CAIN At their own will let them live. PICKHARNESS My stomach is ready to receive. CAIN Look no man say to them, one or other: PICKHARNESS This same is he that slew his brother. CAIN Bid every man them love and lowt. PICKHARNESS Yea, ill-spun weft aye comes foul out. CAIN Bid every man them please to pay. PICKHARNESS Yea, give Dun, thy horse, a wisp of hay! CAIN Weh! Come down, in twenty devils’ way! The devil I thee betake; For, but it were Abel my brother, yet knew I never thy like. PICKHARNESS Now, old and young, ere that ye wend, the same blessing, withouten end, that God of heaven my master has given shall ye have, while that ye live. CAIN Come down, yet, in the devil’s way, and anger me no more! And wend thee forth fast before. Exit Pickharness Now farewell, fellows all, for I must needs wend, and to the devil be thrall, world without end; ordained there is my stall, with Satanas the fiend. Ever ill might him befall that thither me commend this tide. Farewell less, and farewell more! For now and evermore I will go me to hide. Exit Cain The Annunciation GOD These five thousand years and more man has bought his sin full sore, first in heaven then in hell. But long therein shall he not dwell; out of pain he shall be bought. I will not harm what I have wrought; Righteousness will we make: I will that my son manhood take. Rise up, Gabriel, and wend to a maiden that is hend, to Nazareth in Galilee, where she dwells in that city, to that virgin and that spouse to a man of David’s house, Joseph also named is he, and the maiden’s name Mary. On my behalf thou shall her greet; I have her chosen, that maiden sweet; she shall conceive my darling, she shall of her body bear God and man without fear; She shall be blessed without end. Gabriel, hie thee and wend. GABRIEL Hail, Mary gracious! Hail maiden, and God’s spouse! To thee I bow. Of all virgins thou art queen, that ever were or shall be seen I tell thee now. Hail, Mary, and well thou be! My lord of heaven is with thee, withouten end. Hail, woman most blessed! Goodly lady, have thou no dread, that I commend. For thou hast found all thine own The grace of God that was forgone for Adam’s plight. This is the grace that thee betides: thou shalt conceive within thy sides a child of might. When he is comen, this thy son, he shall take circumcision. Jesus call him then. And God’s son shall he be called, His name be blessed over all till his day come. MARY What is thy name? GABRIEL Gabriel, God’s strength and his angel, that comes to thee. MARY Wondrous greeting now I hear! Thou tells that I a child should bear. How shall this be? I came never by man’s side But have avowed my maidenhead from fleshly state. Therefore I wot not how that this be broken, as a vow that I have made. GABRIEL Lady this is the privity: The Holy Ghost shall light in thee, and his virtue thee shall o’ershadow and fulfil that thy maidenhead shall never spill, but ay be new. The child that thou shalt bear, madame, shall God’s son be called by name; and so, Mary, Elizabeth, thy cousin, that was barren called, she had conceived a son in eld of Zachary. No word, lady, that I thee bring is unmightful to heaven’s king, but all shall hold. MARY I love my lord all-wielding; be done to me in all thing as thou has told. GABRIEL Mary, maiden hend, me behoves to wend; my leave of thee I take. MARY Fare to my friend, who thee did send for mankind’s sake. The Salutation MARY My lord of heaven, that sits on high, and all thing sees with eye, thee save, Elizabeth. ELIZABETH Welcome, Mary, blessed bloom! Joyful am I that thou art come to me from Nazareth. MARY How stands it with you, for thy part? ELIZABETH Well, my daughter and dear heart, as can be for mine eld. MARY Full long I thought to speak with thee, for ye with child in eld be, ye that were barren called. ELIZABETH Full long shall I the better be that I may speak my fill with thee, my dear kinswoman; to wit how thy friends fare, in thy country where they are, thereof tell me thou can, and how thou fares, my dear darling. MARY Well, dame, gramercy your asking for good ye do enquire. ELIZABETH And Joachim, thy father, at home, and Anna, my niece and thy dame, how stands it with him and her? MARY Dame, yet are they both alive, both Joachim and Anna his wife. ELIZABETH Else were my heart full sore. MARY Dame, God that all may, yield you that you say, and bless you therefore. ELIZABETH Blessed be thou of all women, and the fruit that well I ken within the womb of thee; and this time may I bless that my Lord’s mother is come thus unto me. For since that time, full well I wot, the sound of angel voice it smote and rang now in mine ear; a wondrous thing is me betide: the child makes joy, as any bird, that I in body bear. And also, Mary, blessed be thou, that steadfastly would trow the words of our heaven king; therefore all thing shall now be kenned that unto thee were said or sent by the angel’s greeting. MARY Magnificat anima mea dominum: My soul loves my lord above, and my ghost is glad with love of God that is my heal, for in me he did regard the meekness of his handmaid, and kept me maiden loyal. Lo, thereof what shall me betide: all nations on every side blessed shall me call, for he that is full of might mickle thing to me has dight, his name be blessed over all. And his mercy is also from kind to kind, to all those that are him dreading. Might with his arms he wrought, and destroyed in his thought proud men and high bearing. Mighty men forth from seat he did, and he heightened in that stead the meek men of heart. The hungry with all good he filled, and to the rich he left no yield wherein to have their part. Israel has under law, his own son in his awe, by means of his mercy, as he told before by name to our father Abraham, and said of his body. Elizabeth, mine aunt dear, my leave of you I take here. for I dwell now full long. ELIZABETH Will thou now go, God’s dear? Come kiss me, daughter, with good cheer, ere thou hence go. Farewell now, gentle maid, I pray thee, be of comfort good, for thou art full of grace. Greet well all our kin of blood. That lord that thee with grace endued, he save all in this place. The Second Shepherds’ Play FIRST SHEPHERD Lord, what these weathers are cold! And I am ill happed; I am near dulled, so long have I napped; my legs they fold, my fingers are chapped. It is not as I would, for I am all lapped in sorrow. In storms and tempest, now in the east, now in the west, woe is him that never has rest, midday nor morrow! But we simple shepherds that walk on the moor, in faith, we are nearly out of the door. No wonder, as it stands, if we be poor, for the tilth of our lands lies fallow as the floor, as ye ken. We are so hammed, for-taxed and rammed with these gentry-men. It does me good, as I walk thus by mine own, of this world for to talk in manner of moan. To my sheep will I stalk, and harken anon, there abide on a bank or sit on a stone, full soon, for I trow, pardee, true men if they be, we get more company ere it be noon. Enter Second Shepherd SECOND SHEPHERD Bensté and Dominus, what may this mean? Why fares this world thus? Oft have we not seen. Lord, these weathers are spiteful, and the winds full keen, and the frosts so hideous they water mine een, no lie! Now in dry, now in wet, now in snow now in sleet, when my shoes freeze to my feet, it is not all easy. FIRST SHEPHERD God save thee now! Full deafly ye stand. SECOND SHEPHERD Yea, the devil in thy maw, ye stay so long. Saw thou ought of Daw? FIRST SHEPHERD Yea, on a lee-land heard I him blow. He comes here at hand, not far. Stand still. SECOND SHEPHERD Why? FIRST SHEPHERD For he comes, hope I. He will make us both a lie But if we beware. Enter Third Shepherd THIRD SHEPHERD Christ’s cross me speed and Saint Nicolas! Thereof had I need; it is worse than it was. Whoso could take heed and let the world pass, it is ever in dread, and brittle as glass For ponder: these floods, so they drown, both in fields and in town, and bear all down, and that is a wonder. Ah, sir, God you save, and master mine! SECOND SHEPHERD Christ’s curse, my knave, thou art a lazy hind! Ill thrift thou shall find. Thy gauds - where are our sheep boy? - we scorn. THIRD SHEPHERD Sir, this same day at morn I them left in the corn, when they rang Lauds. They have pasture good, they cannot go wrong. FIRST SHEPHERD That is right. By the rood, these nights are long! Yet I would, ere we go, one gave us a song. SECOND SHEPHERDF So thought I as I stood, to mirth us among. THIRD SHEPHERD I grant. FIRST SHEPHERD Let me sing the tenory. SECOND SHEPHERD And I the treble so high. THIRD SHEPHERD Then the mean falls to me. Let see how ye chant. They sing Enter Mak, a cloak over his tunic MAK Now Lord, for thy names seven, that made both earth and heaven, well more than I can tell, I am all uneven; for even or for odd, that moves oft my brains. Now would God I were in heaven, for there weep no bairns so still. FIRST SHEPHERD Who is that pipes so poor? MAK Would God ye wist who I were! Lo, a man that walks on the moor, and has not all his will. FIRST SHEPHERD Mak, where has thou gone? Tell us tiding. THIRD SHEPHERD Is he come? Then each man take heed to his things. MAK What? I am a yeoman, I tell you, of the king, the self and the same, sent from a great lord on high. Fie on you! Go hence out of my presence! I must have reverence. Why, who am I? SECOND SHEPHERD Mak, the devil in your eye! A stroke would I give you. THIRD SHEPHERD Mak, know ye not me? By God, I could grieve you! He pulls off Mak’s cloak MAK God look ye all three! Me thought I should find you! Ye are a fair company. FIRST SHEPHERD Can ye now mind you? SECOND SHEPHERD Take keep! Thus late as thou goes, what will men suppose? And thou has an ill noise of stealing of sheep. MAK And I am as true as steel, all men wot But a sickness I feel that holds me full hot: my belly fares not well, it is out of estate. THIRD SHEPHERD Seldom lies the devil dead by the gate. MAK Therefore full sore I am and ill, if I stand stone still. I ate not a needle this month and more. FIRST SHEPHERD How fares thy wife? By thy hood, how fares she? MAK Lies waltering - by the Rood - by the fire, lo! And a house full of brood. She drinks well too. Ill speed other good that she will do! But she eats as fast as she can, and ilk year that comes to man she brings forth a bairn, and some years two. SECOND SHEPHERD I wot, so weary is none in this shire; I would sleep, if I took less to my hire. Third SHEPHERD I am cold and naked, and would have a fire. FIRST SHEPHERD I am weary, for-racked, and run in the mire - Wake thou! SECOND SHEPHERD Nay, I will lie down by for I must sleep, truly. THIRD SHEPHERD As good a man’s son was I as any of you. But Mak, come hither! Between shall thou lie. MAK No dread. From my top to my toe, Manus tuas commendo, Poncio Pilato. Christ’s cross me speed! The Shepherds sleep. Mak rises Now were time for a man that lacks what he would to stalk privily then into a fold, and nimbly to work, and be not too bold, for he might a-buy the bargain, if it were told at the ending. Now were time for to reel, but he needs good counsel that fain would fare well, and has but little spending. Casts a spell on the sleeping shepherds But about you a circle, as round as a moon, till I have done that I will, till that it be noon, that ye lie stone-still till that I have done. And I shall say thereto of good words a few: ‘On height, over your heads my hand I lift. Out go your eyes! Fordo your sight!’ But yet I must make better shift and it be right. Makes more spell-casting gestures Lord, what they sleep hard! That may ye all hear. Was I never a shepherd, but now I will learn. If the flock be scared, yet shall I nip near. How! Draw hitherward! Now mends our cheer from sorrow. A fat sheep, I dare say, a good fleece dare I lay. Repay when I may, but this will I borrow. Takes sheep and goes to his house How Gill, art thou in? Get us some light. GILL Who makes such a din this time of the night? MAK Good wife, open the lock! Sees thou not what I bring? GILL I may let thee draw the sneck. Ah, come in my sweeting! By the naked neck thou art like for to hang! MAK Do way! I am worthy my meat, for in a strait I can get more than they that swink and sweat all the long day. Thus it fell to my lot, Gill, I had such grace. GILL It were a foul blot to be hanged for the case. MAK I have escaped, good wife, oft as hard a place. GILL ‘But so long goes the pot to the water,’ men says, ‘at last comes it home broken.’ MAK Well know I the token, but let it never be spoken! Come, bar the door fast. I would he were flayed; I list well eat. This twelvemonth were I not so fain of a sheep’s meat GILL Come they ere he be slain and hear the sheep bleat - MAK Then might I be taken. That were a cold sweat! Go spar the gate-door. GILL Yes, Mak, for if they come at thy back - MAK Then might I buy, for all the pack, the devil of a care! GILL A good jape have I spied, since thou can none: Here shall we him hide till they be gone, in my cradle. Abide! Let me alone, and I shall lie beside in childbed and groan. MAK Well said! And I shall say thou was light of a knave-child this night. GILL Now well is me the day bright that ever I was bred! This is a good guise and a far cast! Yet a woman’s advice helps at the last. MAK If they rise ere I come, there blows a cold blast! I will go sleep. Returns to the Shepherds Yet sleeps all this company, And I shall go stalk privily, as it had never been I that carried their sheep. Lies down beside them FIRST SHEPHERD Resurrex a mortruus! Have hold of my hand. Judas carnas dominus! I may nor well stand. SECOND SHEPHERD My foot sleeps, by Jesus, I thought that we laid us full near England. THIRD SHEPHERD God save thee! Lord, what I have slept well! As fresh as an eel, as light I me feel as leaf on a tree. Rise, Mak, for shame! Thou lies right long MAK Now Christ’s holy name be us among! What’s this? For St James, I may not well gang! I trow I be lame; my neck has lain wrong. Ah, my head! They pull him up Mickle thank! Since yester-even, now by Saint Stephen, I was flayed by a dream; my heart out fled! I must go home, by your leave, to Gill, as I thought. I pray you, look to my sleeve, that I steal nought; I am loath you to grieve, or from you take ought. Exit MAK THIRD SHEPHERD Go forth, ill might thou thrive! Now would I we sought this morn, that we had all our store. FIRST SHEPHERD But I will go before. Let us meet. SECOND SHEPHERD Where? THIRD SHEPHERD At the crooked thorn. They leave in different directions MAK Undo this door! Who is here? How long shall I knock? GILL What end has thou made with the shepherds, Mak? MAK The last word that they said when I turned my back, they would look that they had their sheep, all the pack. Pardee! But how so the game goes, to me they will suppose, and make a foul noise, and cry out upon me. GILL Harken well when they call; they will come anon. Come and make ready all, and sing by thine own. Sing ‘Lullay’ thou shall, for I must groan, and cry out by the wall on Mary and John for sore. Sing ‘Lullay’ fast when thou hears at the last, I shall play a false cast, or trust me no more. The Shepherds meet at the crooked thorn THIRD SHEPHERD Ah, Coll, good morn! Why sleeps thou not? FIRST SHEPHERD Alas, that ever I was born! We have a foul blot - a fat wether have we lorn. THIRD SHEPHERD A foul mischief, God wot! SECOND SHEPHERD Who should do us that scorn? That were a foul spot. FIRST SHEPHERD Mak and Gill, such works they do use. We shall them accuse; they shall make no excuse that did that same ill. THIRD SHEPHERD Go we thither, I rede, and run on our feet. Shall I never eat bread the sooth till I wit. FIRST SHEPHERD Not drink in my head till I with him meet. SECOND SHEPHERD I will rest in no stead till I him greet, my brother. This I plight: Till I see him in sight, shall I never sleep one night where I do another. They go to Mak’s house; They hear Gill groaning and Mak singing THIRD SHEPHERD Will ye hear how they hack? Our sire list croon! FIRST SHEPHERD Heard I never none crack so clear out of tune. Call on him. SECOND SHEPHERD Mak, undo your door soon! MAK Who is that spake as it were noon aloft? Who is that, I say? THIRD SHEPHERD Good fellows, were it day. MAK As far as ye may, good sirs, speak soft over a sick woman’s head that is at mis-ease; I had rather be dead than she had any dis-ease. GILL Go to another stead! I may not well wheeze; each foot that ye tread goes through my nose so high. FIRST SHEPHERD Tell us, Mak, if ye may: How fare ye, I say? MAK But are ye in town today? Now how fare ye? I would ye dined ere ye go. Methink ye are wet. SECOND SHEPHERD Nay, neither mends our mood drink nor meat. MAK Why, sir, ails you ought but good? THIRD SHEPHERD Yea, our sheep till we get. They are stolen as they lay; our loss is great. MAK Sirs, drink! Had I been there, some should have bought it full sore. FIRST SHEPHERD Pardee, som men trow that ye were, and so may we think. SECOND SHEPHERD Mak, some men trow that it should be ye. THIRD SHEPHERD Either ye or your spouse, so say we. MAK Now if ye suppose it be Gill or me, come ransack our house and then ye may see. GILL Ah, my middle! I pray to God so mild: if ever I you beguiled, that I eat this child that lies in this cradle. MAK Peace, woman, for God’s pain, and cry not so! Thou spills thy brain and makes me full woe. SECOND SHEPHERD I trow our sheep be slain. What find ye two? THIRD SHEPHERD All work we in vain; as well may we go. SECOND SHEPHERD Sir, done! Sir, our Lady him save - To Mak Is your child a knave? MAK Any lord might him have, this child, to his son. SECOND SHEPHERD Mak, friends will we be, for we are all one. MAK We? Nay, not for me, for amends get I none. Farewell all three! All glad were ye gone. THIRD SHEPHERD Fair words may there be, but love is there none this year. The Shepherds leave FIRST SHEPHERD Gave ye the child anything? SECOND SHEPHERD I trow, not one farthing. THIRD SHEPHERD Fast again will I fling; abide ye me here. He runs back Mak, take it no grief if I come to thy bairn. MAK Nay, thou does me great reproof, and foul has thou done. THIRD SHEPHERD The child will it not grieve, that little day star. Mak, with your leave, let me give to your bairn but sixpence MAK Nay, do way! He sleeps. THIRD SHEPHERD Methinks he peeps. MAK When he wakens, he weeps. I pray you go hence. First and Second Shepherds return THIRD SHEPHERD Give me leave him to kiss, and lift up the clout. What the devil is this! He has a long snout! FIRST SHEPHERD He is marked amiss; we wait ill about. SECOND SHEPHERD Ill-spun weft, iwis, aye comes foul out. He goes closer Ay, so! He is like to our sheep! THIRD SHEPHERD How, Gib, may I peep? FIRST SHEPHERD Saw I never asleep a horned lad ere now! THIRD SHEPHERD I know him by the ear-mark, that is a good token. MAK I tell you sirs, hark: his nose was broken. GILL I saw it myself; with an elf he was taken, when the clock struck twelve he was misshapen. THIRD SHEPHERD For this trespass we will neither fight nor beat, think curse nor threat, but have done with it straight, and cast him in canvas. They toss Mak in a blanket FIRST SHEPHERD Lord what I am sore, in point for to burst! In faith, I may no more, thereof will I rest. SECOND SHEPHERD As a sheep of seven score he weighed in my fist. For to sleep anywhere methink that I list. THIRD SHEPHERD Now I pray you lie down on this green. FIRST SHEPHERD Yet I think on this thief. THIRD SHEPHERD Whereto should ye grieve? Do as I say you. They lie down and sleep. Angel sings ‘Gloria in excelsis’ ANGEL Rise, herd-men kind, for now is he born that shall take from the fiend what Adam had lorn; that warlock to bind, this night is he born., God is made your friend now at this morn. At his behest, to Bethlehem go see. There lies that lord free, between two beasts. SECOND SHEPHERD Say, what was his song? Heard ye not how he cracked it? Three breves to a long. THIRD SHEPHERD Yea, truly, he hacked it. Was no crochet wrong, nor nothing that lacked it. FIRST SHEPHERD For to sing us among, right as he hacked it, I can. SECOND SHEPHERD Let see how ye croon! Can ye bark at the moon? THIRD SHEPHERD Hold your tongues! Have done! FIRST SHEPHERD Hark after then: Patriarchs that have been, and prophets before, they desired to have seen this child that is born. They are gone full clean; that have they lorn. We shall see him, I ween, ere it be morn, as a token. When I see him and feel, then wote I full well it is true as steel that prophets have spoken. To so poor as we are that he would appear, first find, and declare by his messenger! SECOND SHEPHERD Go we now, let us fare; the place is us near. THIRD SHEPHERD Speed forth, I declare; go we all there to that bright. Lord, if thy will be - we are simple all three - thou grant us some glee at that sight. They go to Bethlehem JOSEPH Hail, the worthiest of all! Hail, Duke, hail Knight! Of great and small Thou art Lord by right. Hail perpetual; Hail, fairest wight! Hail, maker of man! Hail sweeting, Hail, so as I can. Now at our meeting! FIRST SHEPHERD Hail, comely and clean! Hail young child! Hail, maker, as I mean, of a maiden so mild. Thou hast vanquished, I ween, the warlock so wild. The false guiler of men, now goes he beguiled. Lo, he merries! Lo, he laughs, my sweeting; a full fair meeting! I give thee my greeting: Have a bob of cherries. SECOND SHEPHERD Hail, sovereign saviour, for thou has us sought! Hail, fair food and flower, that all thing has wrought. Hail, full of favour, that made all of nought. Hail! I kneel and I cower. A bird have I brought to my bairn. Hail, little tiny mop! Of our creed thou art crop. I would drink of thy cup, little day star. THIRD SHEPHERD Hail, darling dear, full of Godhead! I pray thee, be near when that I have need. Hail, sweet is thy cheer! My heart would bleed to see thee sit here in so poor weed, with no pennies. To thy hand so small I bring thee but a ball: have and play thee withal, and go to the tennis. JOSEPH The Father of Heaven, God omnipotent, His Son has he sent. And now is he born. He keep you from woe; I shall pray him so. MARY He that all mights may, the maker of heaven, that is for to say, my son that I name, reward you this day, as he set all on seven. He grant you for ay his bliss full even continuing. He give you good grace! Tell forth of this case. He speed your pace, and grant you good ending.