The Glovers' Play: Cain and Abel
Angel
That lord of lyffe lele ay-lastand1
Whos myght vnmesured is to meyne,
He shoppe the sonne, bothe see and sande,
And wroughte this worlde with worde, I wene.
His aungell cleere as cristall clene,
Here vnto you thus am I sente
This tide.7
Abell and Cayme, yei, both bydeyne
To me enteerly takis entent;
To meve my message haue I ment
If that ye bide.
Allemyghty God of myghtes moste,
When he had wrought this world so wide,13
No thynge hym thoughte was wroughte in waste,
But in his blissyng boune to bide
Neyne ordurs for to telle, that tyde,
Of aungeles bryght he bad ther be.
For pride
And sone the tente part it was tried,19
And wente awaye as was worthye;
They heild to helle alle that meyné
Therin to bide.
Thanne made he manne to his liknes
That place of price for to restore,
And sithen he kyd hym such kyndnes25
Somwhat wille he wirke therfore:
The tente to tyne he askis, no more,
Of alle the goodes he haues you sent.
Full trew
To offyr loke that ye be yore,
And to my tale yhe take entent,31
For ilke a lede that liffe has lente
So shalle you sewe.
That lord of lyffe lele ay-lastand1
Whos myght vnmesured is to meyne,
He shoppe the sonne, bothe see and sande,
And wroughte this worlde with worde, I wene.
His aungell cleere as cristall clene,
Here vnto you thus am I sente
This tide.7
Abell and Cayme, yei, both bydeyne
To me enteerly takis entent;
To meve my message haue I ment
If that ye bide.
Allemyghty God of myghtes moste,
When he had wrought this world so wide,13
No thynge hym thoughte was wroughte in waste,
But in his blissyng boune to bide
Neyne ordurs for to telle, that tyde,
Of aungeles bryght he bad ther be.
For pride
And sone the tente part it was tried,19
And wente awaye as was worthye;
They heild to helle alle that meyné
Therin to bide.
Thanne made he manne to his liknes
That place of price for to restore,
And sithen he kyd hym such kyndnes25
Somwhat wille he wirke therfore:
The tente to tyne he askis, no more,
Of alle the goodes he haues you sent.
Full trew
To offyr loke that ye be yore,
And to my tale yhe take entent,31
For ilke a lede that liffe has lente
So shalle you sewe.
Abel
Gramercy God, of thy goodnes34
That me on molde has marked thi man,
I worshippe the with worthynes,
With alle the comforte that I can.
Me for to were fro warkes wanne,
For to fulfille thy comaundement,
The teynd40
Of alle the gode sen I beganne
Thow shalle it haue, sen thou it sent.
Come, brothir Cayme, I wolde we wente
With hert ful hende.
Gramercy God, of thy goodnes34
That me on molde has marked thi man,
I worshippe the with worthynes,
With alle the comforte that I can.
Me for to were fro warkes wanne,
For to fulfille thy comaundement,
The teynd40
Of alle the gode sen I beganne
Thow shalle it haue, sen thou it sent.
Come, brothir Cayme, I wolde we wente
With hert ful hende.
Cain
We! Whythir now, in wilde waneand?45
Trowes thou I thynke to trusse of towne?
Goo, jape the, robard jangillande,
Me liste noyot nowe to rouk nor rowne.
We! Whythir now, in wilde waneand?45
Trowes thou I thynke to trusse of towne?
Goo, jape the, robard jangillande,
Me liste noyot nowe to rouk nor rowne.
Abel
A, dere brothir, late vs be bowne49
Goddis biddyng blithe to fulfille,
I tell the.
A, dere brothir, late vs be bowne49
Goddis biddyng blithe to fulfille,
I tell the.
Cain
Ya, daunce in the devil way, dresse the downe,52
For I wille wyrke euen as I will.
What mystris the, in gode or ille,
Of me to melle the?
Ya, daunce in the devil way, dresse the downe,52
For I wille wyrke euen as I will.
What mystris the, in gode or ille,
Of me to melle the?
Abel
To melle of the myldely I may.56
Bote goode brothir, go we in haste,
Gyffe God oure teynde dulye this day-
He byddis vs thus, be nouyot abassed.
To melle of the myldely I may.56
Bote goode brothir, go we in haste,
Gyffe God oure teynde dulye this day-
He byddis vs thus, be nouyot abassed.
Cain
Ya, deuell, methynketh that werke were waste,60
That he vs gaffe geffe hym agayne
To se.
Nowe fekyll frenshippe for to fraste
Methynkith ther is in hym sarteyne.
If he be moste in myghte and mayne
What nede has he?66
Ya, deuell, methynketh that werke were waste,60
That he vs gaffe geffe hym agayne
To se.
Nowe fekyll frenshippe for to fraste
Methynkith ther is in hym sarteyne.
If he be moste in myghte and mayne
What nede has he?66
Abel
He has non nede vnto thi goode,67
But it wille please hym principall
If thou, myldly in mayne and moode,
Grouche noyot geue hym tente parte of all.
[… …]70
He has non nede vnto thi goode,67
But it wille please hym principall
If thou, myldly in mayne and moode,
Grouche noyot geue hym tente parte of all.
[… …]70
Angel
It shall be done evyn as ye bydd,71
And that anone.
It shall be done evyn as ye bydd,71
And that anone.
Brewbarret
Lo, maister Cayme, what shaves bryng I,73
Evyn of the best for to bere seyd,
And to the feylde I wyll me hye
To fetch you moo, if ye haue neyd.
Lo, maister Cayme, what shaves bryng I,73
Evyn of the best for to bere seyd,
And to the feylde I wyll me hye
To fetch you moo, if ye haue neyd.
Cain
Cume vp, sir knave, the devyll the speyd,76
Ye will not come but ye be prayd.
Cume vp, sir knave, the devyll the speyd,76
Ye will not come but ye be prayd.
Brewbarret
O, maister Caym, I haue broken my to!79
O, maister Caym, I haue broken my to!79
Cain
Come vp syr, for by my thryft,80
Ye shall drynke or ye goo.
Come vp syr, for by my thryft,80
Ye shall drynke or ye goo.
Angel
Thowe cursyd Came, where is Abell?82
Where hais thowe done thy broder dere?
Thowe cursyd Came, where is Abell?82
Where hais thowe done thy broder dere?
Cain
What askes thowe me that taill to tell,84
For yit his keper was I never?
What askes thowe me that taill to tell,84
For yit his keper was I never?
Angel
God hais sent the his curse downe,86
Fro hevyn to hell, maladictio dei.
God hais sent the his curse downe,86
Fro hevyn to hell, maladictio dei.
Cain
Take that thyself, evyn on thy crowne,88
Quia non sum custos fratris mei,
To tyne.
Take that thyself, evyn on thy crowne,88
Quia non sum custos fratris mei,
To tyne.
Angel
God hais sent the his malyson,91
And inwardly I geve the myne.
God hais sent the his malyson,91
And inwardly I geve the myne.
Cain
The same curse light on thy crowne,93
And right so myght it worth and be
For he that sent that gretyng downe,
The devyll myght speyd both hym and the.
Fowll myght thowe fall!
Here is a cankerd company,
Therefore Goddes curse light on you all.99
The same curse light on thy crowne,93
And right so myght it worth and be
For he that sent that gretyng downe,
The devyll myght speyd both hym and the.
Fowll myght thowe fall!
Here is a cankerd company,
Therefore Goddes curse light on you all.99
Angel
What hast thou done? Beholde and heere,100
The voice of his bloode cryeth vengeaunce
Fro erthe to heuen, with voice entere
This tyde.
That God is greved with thy greuaunce
Take hede, I schalle telle the tydandis,
Therfore abide.106
Thou shall be curssed vppon the grounde,
God has geffyn the his malisonne;
Yff thou wolde tyll the erthe so rounde
No frute to the ther shalle be fonne.
Of wikkidnesse sen thou arte sonne,
Thou shalle be waferyng here and there112
This day.
In bittir bale nowe art thou boune,
Out-castyn shal thou be for care;
No man shal rewe of thy misfare
For this affraie.
What hast thou done? Beholde and heere,100
The voice of his bloode cryeth vengeaunce
Fro erthe to heuen, with voice entere
This tyde.
That God is greved with thy greuaunce
Take hede, I schalle telle the tydandis,
Therfore abide.106
Thou shall be curssed vppon the grounde,
God has geffyn the his malisonne;
Yff thou wolde tyll the erthe so rounde
No frute to the ther shalle be fonne.
Of wikkidnesse sen thou arte sonne,
Thou shalle be waferyng here and there112
This day.
In bittir bale nowe art thou boune,
Out-castyn shal thou be for care;
No man shal rewe of thy misfare
For this affraie.
Cain
Allas for syte, so may I saye,118
My synne it passis al mercie,
For ask it the lord I ne maye,
To haue it am I nouyot worthy.
Fro the shalle I be hidde in hye,
Thou castis me, lorde, oute of my kyth
In lande.124
Both here and there oute-caste am I,
For ilke a man that metis me with
They wille slee me, be fenne or frith,
With dynte of hande.
Allas for syte, so may I saye,118
My synne it passis al mercie,
For ask it the lord I ne maye,
To haue it am I nouyot worthy.
Fro the shalle I be hidde in hye,
Thou castis me, lorde, oute of my kyth
In lande.124
Both here and there oute-caste am I,
For ilke a man that metis me with
They wille slee me, be fenne or frith,
With dynte of hande.
Angel
Nay Cayme, nouyot soo, haue thou no drede;129
Who that the slees shalle ponnysshed be
Sevene sithis for doyng of that dede.
Forthy a token shal thou see,
It shalle be prentyd so in the
That ilke a man shalle the knowe full wele.
Nay Cayme, nouyot soo, haue thou no drede;129
Who that the slees shalle ponnysshed be
Sevene sithis for doyng of that dede.
Forthy a token shal thou see,
It shalle be prentyd so in the
That ilke a man shalle the knowe full wele.
Cain
Thanne wolle I fardir flee135
For shame.
Sethen I am sette thus out of seill,
That curse that I haue for to feill,
I giffe you the same.
Thanne wolle I fardir flee135
For shame.
Sethen I am sette thus out of seill,
That curse that I haue for to feill,
I giffe you the same.
2018 Nov 25 22:07:40