The Scriveners' Play: The Incredulity of Thomas
Peter
Allas, to woo that we wer wrought,1
Hadde never no men so mekill thought,
Sen that oure lorde to dede was brought
With Jewes fell;
Oute of this steede ne durste we noght,
But here ay dwelle.
Allas, to woo that we wer wrought,1
Hadde never no men so mekill thought,
Sen that oure lorde to dede was brought
With Jewes fell;
Oute of this steede ne durste we noght,
But here ay dwelle.
John
Here haue we dwelte with peynes strang;7
Of oure liffe vs lothis, we leve to lange,
For sen the Jewes wrought vs that wrong
Oure lorde to sloo,
Durste we neuere come thame emang,
Ne hense to goo.
Here haue we dwelte with peynes strang;7
Of oure liffe vs lothis, we leve to lange,
For sen the Jewes wrought vs that wrong
Oure lorde to sloo,
Durste we neuere come thame emang,
Ne hense to goo.
Jacobus
The wikkid Jewes hatis vs full ille,13
And bittir paynes wolde putte vs till.
Therfore I rede that we dwelle stille
Here ther we lende,
Vnto that Criste oure lorde vs wille
Some socoure sende.
The wikkid Jewes hatis vs full ille,13
And bittir paynes wolde putte vs till.
Therfore I rede that we dwelle stille
Here ther we lende,
Vnto that Criste oure lorde vs wille
Some socoure sende.
God
Pees and reste be with yowe.19
Pees and reste be with yowe.19
Peter
A, brethir dere, what may we trowe?20
What was this sight that we saughe nowe
Shynand so bright,
And vanysshed thus and we ne wote how,
Oute of oure sight?
A, brethir dere, what may we trowe?20
What was this sight that we saughe nowe
Shynand so bright,
And vanysshed thus and we ne wote how,
Oute of oure sight?
John
Oute of oure sight nowe is it soghte,25
Itt makith vs madde, the light it broght,
What may it be?
Oute of oure sight nowe is it soghte,25
Itt makith vs madde, the light it broght,
What may it be?
Jacobus
Sertis, I wotte noght,27
But sekirly
Itt was vanyté in oure thought,
Nought ellis trowe I it be.
Sertis, I wotte noght,27
But sekirly
Itt was vanyté in oure thought,
Nought ellis trowe I it be.
God
Pees vnto yowe euermore myght be,31
Drede you noyot, for I am hee.
Pees vnto yowe euermore myght be,31
Drede you noyot, for I am hee.
Peter
On Goddis name, benedicite!33
What may this mene?
On Goddis name, benedicite!33
What may this mene?
Jacobus
Itt is a sperite forsothe, thynketh me,35
That dose vs tene.
Itt is a sperite forsothe, thynketh me,35
That dose vs tene.
John
A sperite it is, that trowe I right,37
All thus appered here to oure sight.
Itt makis vs madde of mayne and myght,
So is vs flaied;
Yone is the same that broughte the light
That vs affraied.
A sperite it is, that trowe I right,37
All thus appered here to oure sight.
Itt makis vs madde of mayne and myght,
So is vs flaied;
Yone is the same that broughte the light
That vs affraied.
God
What thynke yoe, madmen, in youre thought?43
What mournyng in youre hertis is brought?
I ame Criste, ne drede yoou noght;
Her may yoe se
The same body that has you bought
Vppon a tre.
That I am comen yoou here to mete,49
Behalde and se myn handis and feete,
And grathely gropes my woundes wete
Al that here is.
Thus was I dight youre balis to beete,
And bring to blis.
For yowe ther gatis thanne haue I gone.55
Felys me grathely euerilkone,
And se that I haue flessh and bone.
Gropes me nowe,
For so ne has sperite none,
That schall yoe trowe.
To garre yoou kenne and knowe me clere61
I schall you schewe ensaumpillis sere.
Bringe nowe forthe vnto me here
Some of youre mette,
If yoe amange you all in fere
Haue ought to ete.
What thynke yoe, madmen, in youre thought?43
What mournyng in youre hertis is brought?
I ame Criste, ne drede yoou noght;
Her may yoe se
The same body that has you bought
Vppon a tre.
That I am comen yoou here to mete,49
Behalde and se myn handis and feete,
And grathely gropes my woundes wete
Al that here is.
Thus was I dight youre balis to beete,
And bring to blis.
For yowe ther gatis thanne haue I gone.55
Felys me grathely euerilkone,
And se that I haue flessh and bone.
Gropes me nowe,
For so ne has sperite none,
That schall yoe trowe.
To garre yoou kenne and knowe me clere61
I schall you schewe ensaumpillis sere.
Bringe nowe forthe vnto me here
Some of youre mette,
If yoe amange you all in fere
Haue ought to ete.
Jacobus
Thou luffand lorde that laste schall ay,67
Loo, here is mette that thou ete may,
A hony kombe the soth to saye,
Roste fecche thertill.
To ete therof here we the praie
With full goode will.
Thou luffand lorde that laste schall ay,67
Loo, here is mette that thou ete may,
A hony kombe the soth to saye,
Roste fecche thertill.
To ete therof here we the praie
With full goode will.
God
Nowe sen yoe haue broughte me this mete,73
To make youre trouthe stedfast and grete,
And for yoe schall wanhope forgete
And trowe in me,
With youe than here wol I ete,
That yoe schalle see.
Nowe haue I done, yoe haue sene howe,79
Boldely etyng here with youe.
Stedfastly loke that yoe trowe
Yitt in me efte,
And takis the remenaunte sone to you
That her is lefte.
For yooue thus was I reuyn and rayst,85
Therfore some of my peyne yoe taste;
And spekis now nowhare my worde waste,
That schall yoe lere,
And vnto yoou the holy goste
Resave yow here.
Beis now trewe, and trowes in me,91
And here I graunte youe in youre posté:
Whome that yoe bynde, bounden schall be
Right at youre steuene,
And whome that yoe lowys, losed schal be
Euermore in heuene.
Nowe sen yoe haue broughte me this mete,73
To make youre trouthe stedfast and grete,
And for yoe schall wanhope forgete
And trowe in me,
With youe than here wol I ete,
That yoe schalle see.
Nowe haue I done, yoe haue sene howe,79
Boldely etyng here with youe.
Stedfastly loke that yoe trowe
Yitt in me efte,
And takis the remenaunte sone to you
That her is lefte.
For yooue thus was I reuyn and rayst,85
Therfore some of my peyne yoe taste;
And spekis now nowhare my worde waste,
That schall yoe lere,
And vnto yoou the holy goste
Resave yow here.
Beis now trewe, and trowes in me,91
And here I graunte youe in youre posté:
Whome that yoe bynde, bounden schall be
Right at youre steuene,
And whome that yoe lowys, losed schal be
Euermore in heuene.
Thomas
Allas for sight and sorowes sadde,97
Mornyng makis me mased and madde;
On grounde nowe may I gang vngladde
Bothe even and morne.
That hende that I my helpe of hadde
His liffe has lorne.
Lorne I haue that louely light,103
That was my maistir moste of myght.
So doulfully as he was dight
Was neuere no man;
Such woo was wrought of that worthy wighte
With wondis wan.
Wan was his wondis and wonderus wette,109
With skelpis sore was he swongen, that swette,
All naked nailed thurgh hande and feete.
Allas, for pyne,
That bliste, that beste my bale myght bete,
His liffe schulde tyne.
Allas, for sorowe myselffe I schende115
When I thynke hartely on that hende,
I fande hym ay a faithfull frende,
Trulie to telle.
To my brethir nowe wille I wende
Wherso thei dwell.
So wofull wyghtis was neuere none,121
Oure joie and comforte is all gone.
Of mournyng may we make oure mone
In ilka lande.
God blisse you brether, bloode and bone,
Same ther yoe stande.
Allas for sight and sorowes sadde,97
Mornyng makis me mased and madde;
On grounde nowe may I gang vngladde
Bothe even and morne.
That hende that I my helpe of hadde
His liffe has lorne.
Lorne I haue that louely light,103
That was my maistir moste of myght.
So doulfully as he was dight
Was neuere no man;
Such woo was wrought of that worthy wighte
With wondis wan.
Wan was his wondis and wonderus wette,109
With skelpis sore was he swongen, that swette,
All naked nailed thurgh hande and feete.
Allas, for pyne,
That bliste, that beste my bale myght bete,
His liffe schulde tyne.
Allas, for sorowe myselffe I schende115
When I thynke hartely on that hende,
I fande hym ay a faithfull frende,
Trulie to telle.
To my brethir nowe wille I wende
Wherso thei dwell.
So wofull wyghtis was neuere none,121
Oure joie and comforte is all gone.
Of mournyng may we make oure mone
In ilka lande.
God blisse you brether, bloode and bone,
Same ther yoe stande.
Peter
Welcome Thomas, where has thou bene?127
Wete thou wele withouten wene
Jesu oure lorde than haue we sene
On grounde her gang.
Welcome Thomas, where has thou bene?127
Wete thou wele withouten wene
Jesu oure lorde than haue we sene
On grounde her gang.
Thomas
What saie yoe men? Allas, for tene,131
I trowe yoe mang.
What saie yoe men? Allas, for tene,131
I trowe yoe mang.
John
Thomas, trewly it is noght to layne,133
Jesu oure lorde is resen agayne.
Thomas, trewly it is noght to layne,133
Jesu oure lorde is resen agayne.
Thomas
Do waie, thes tales is but a trayne135
Of fooles vnwise.
He that was so fully slayne,
Howe schulde he rise?
Do waie, thes tales is but a trayne135
Of fooles vnwise.
He that was so fully slayne,
Howe schulde he rise?
Jacobus
Thomas, trewly he is on lyue139
That tholede the Jewes his flessh to riffe,
He lete vs fele his woundes fyue,
Oure lorde verray.
Thomas, trewly he is on lyue139
That tholede the Jewes his flessh to riffe,
He lete vs fele his woundes fyue,
Oure lorde verray.
Thomas
That trowe I nought, so motte I thryue,143
Whatso yoe saie.
That trowe I nought, so motte I thryue,143
Whatso yoe saie.
Peter
Thomas, we saugh his woundes wette,145
Howe he was nayled thurgh hande and feete;
Hony and fisshe with vs he eette,
That body free.
Thomas, we saugh his woundes wette,145
Howe he was nayled thurgh hande and feete;
Hony and fisshe with vs he eette,
That body free.
Thomas
I laye my liff it was some sperit149
Ye wende wer hee.
I laye my liff it was some sperit149
Ye wende wer hee.
John
Nay Thomas, thou haste misgone,151
Forwhy he bad vs euerilkon
To grope hym grathely, bloode and bone
And flessh to feele.
Such thyngis, Thomas, hase sperite none,
That wote thou wele.
Nay Thomas, thou haste misgone,151
Forwhy he bad vs euerilkon
To grope hym grathely, bloode and bone
And flessh to feele.
Such thyngis, Thomas, hase sperite none,
That wote thou wele.
Thomas
What, leue felawes, late be youre fare.157
Tille that I see his body bare
And sithen my fyngir putte in thare
Within his hyde,
And fele the wounde the spere did schere
Riyot in his syde,
Are schalle I trowe no tales betwene.163
What, leue felawes, late be youre fare.157
Tille that I see his body bare
And sithen my fyngir putte in thare
Within his hyde,
And fele the wounde the spere did schere
Riyot in his syde,
Are schalle I trowe no tales betwene.163
Jacobus
Thomas, that wounde haue we seene.164
Thomas, that wounde haue we seene.164
Thomas
Ya, yoe wotte neuere what yoe mene,165
Youre witte it wantis.
Ye muste thynke no syne me thus to tene
And tule with trantis.
Ya, yoe wotte neuere what yoe mene,165
Youre witte it wantis.
Ye muste thynke no syne me thus to tene
And tule with trantis.
God
Pees, brethir, be vnto you;169
And Thomas, tente to me takis thou,
Putte forthe thy fyngir to me nowe.
Myn handis thou see,
Howe I was nayled for mannys prowe
Vppon a tree.
Beholde my woundis are bledand;175
Here in my side putte in thi hande,
And fele my woundis and vndirstande
That this is I,
And be no more mistrowand,
But trowe trewly.
Pees, brethir, be vnto you;169
And Thomas, tente to me takis thou,
Putte forthe thy fyngir to me nowe.
Myn handis thou see,
Howe I was nayled for mannys prowe
Vppon a tree.
Beholde my woundis are bledand;175
Here in my side putte in thi hande,
And fele my woundis and vndirstande
That this is I,
And be no more mistrowand,
But trowe trewly.
Thomas
Mi lorde, my God, full wele is me.181
A, blode of price, blessid mote thou be;
Mankynd in erth, behold and see
This blessid blode.
Mercy nowe lorde ax I the,
With mayne and mode.
Mi lorde, my God, full wele is me.181
A, blode of price, blessid mote thou be;
Mankynd in erth, behold and see
This blessid blode.
Mercy nowe lorde ax I the,
With mayne and mode.
God
Thomas, for thou haste sene this sight,187
That I am resen as I the hight,
Therfore thou trowes it-but ilka wight,
Blissed be they euere
That trowis haly in my rising right,
And saw it neuere.
My brethir, fonde nowe forthe in fere,193
Ouereall in ilke a contré clere.
My rising both ferre and nere
Preche it schall yoe;
And my blissyng I giffe yoou here,
And my menyoe.
Thomas, for thou haste sene this sight,187
That I am resen as I the hight,
Therfore thou trowes it-but ilka wight,
Blissed be they euere
That trowis haly in my rising right,
And saw it neuere.
My brethir, fonde nowe forthe in fere,193
Ouereall in ilke a contré clere.
My rising both ferre and nere
Preche it schall yoe;
And my blissyng I giffe yoou here,
And my menyoe.
2018 Nov 25 22:07:40