115

Elizabeth: Marye, now redd I that wee gone
to Joseph, thy husband, anon,

leste hee to misse thee make mone,

for now that is most neede.

[346] Maria: Elizabeth, nece, to doe so good is leste hee suppose one mee amysse;

120

125

130

135

but good lord, that hath ordayned this,
wyll witnes of my deede.

[Scene 3]

Elizabeth: Joseph, god the save and see!
thy wife here I (have) brought to thee.
Joseph: Alas, alas! and woe is mee!

whoe hathe made her with chyld?
well I wist an ould man and a maye
might not accord by noe waye,
for many yeares might I not playe,

ne worke noe workes wild.

Three monethes shee hath bene from mee, now hathe shee gotten her, as I see,

a great bellye, like to thee,

syth shee went away.

and myne yt is not, bee thow bould,
for I am both ould and could,

these XXXtie winters, though I would,

I might not playe noe playe.

115 make] 119 good] the 122 here] omit

127 for]

113 now redd I] I rede nowe W now] omit h makes H, make great B 117 nece ] nice Wr. good W after 120] (tunc ibunt ad Ioseph) H Wh have] omit D 123 woe is] woes Wr. 124 hathe] hase Wr. 125 an] and B maye] maide h 126 accord] agree h nor BW h yeares] wynters W 128 ne] ner W hase Wr. 130 hathe has H B Wh 135 these XXXtie] this XXX H B h Dm. h Dm. 136 playe noe playe] plea no

129 hath] 132 syth] since Wr. winters] wynter H B leaie W noe] that H

alas! where might I lenge or lende?
for loth is me my wife to shende;
therefore from her will I wende
into some other place.

ffor to dyscreeve (her) will I nought,
feeblye though shee have wrought;
to leave her privelye is my thought,

that noe man knowe this case.

God lett never an ould man
take to wife a yonge woman,
ney seet his harte her upon,
lest hee beguyled bee.

ffor accorde ther maye be none,
ney the(y) may never bee at one,
and that is seene in manye one

as well as one mee.

Therfore have I slept awhile,

my wife that mee can thus beguyle,
I will gone from her, (for) yt to fyle
mee is loth, in good faye.

This case makes mee so heavye
that needes sleepe nowe muste I;
lord, one hir thow have mercye

for her misdeede to-daye.

Angelus: Joseph, lett bee thy feeble thought,

take Marye, thy wife, and dred thee nought,

147 ney] ne H B, nay Wh

141 her] omit D 142 feeblye] fowlye Wh 144 this] the B 146 to wife] hym HB Wh 150 ney] nor H B Wh they] the DW 151 manye] manye a W h 153 have I] when I have Wh 154 me can thus] thus can me HB, can me thus Wh 155 I] for ID W gone goe HB 158 nowe] after needes H

Wh for] omit D yt] her W after 160] (tunc dormit) H

140

145

150

155

160

[35 a]

165

170

175

for wickedly shee hath not wrought,
but this is gode will.

The child that shee shall beare, Iwys,
of the holy ghost begotten yt is,
to save mankynd that did amisse,
and prophecye to fulfill.

Joseph A! nowe I wott, lord, yt is soe,
I will noe man bee her foe,

but while I may one yearth goe

with her I will bee.

Nowe Christe is in our kynde light,
as the prophete before hight;
lord god, most of might,

with weale I worshipp thee.

180

[Scene 4]

Nuntius: Make rowme, lordinges, and give us waye, and lett Octavian come and playe,

and Sybell, the sage, that well fayr maye.

to tell you of prophecye.

That lord that dyed on good fryday,
hee have you all, both night and daye.
farewell, lordinges, I goe my waye,
I may not lenger [abye.]

164 gode] Gods H B Wh 166 begotten] gotten H yt] omit HBWh 170 man] more H after 172] (Excitatus autem Ioseph) H 174 prophete prophetes H B, prophescye Wh before] yore H Bh Dm. higt] beheigt H B h Dm. (somno fecit, ut iu . . . erat sibi angelus domini) H tius] messinger h 179 that ] tha W fayr] fraye W have] save BW 183 goe] must B

abye] abyde DH W h, bide B

after 176] 177 Nun

182

184 not] no HB Wh

Octavianus: I, preeved prince, most of powere,
under heaven highest am I here,
fayrest food to fight in fere;

no freake my face may flee.
all this world, withowten were,
king, prynce, baron, batchlere,
I may destroy in great dangere,
through vertu of my degree.

My name Octavian called is,
all me about full in my blys,
for wholey all this world, Iwys,
is readye at my owne will.

Noe man one mould darre doe amisse
agaynst mee, I tell you this;

May no man saye that ought is his,

but my leave be thertyll.

ffor I halfe multiplyed more

the Cittye of Rome, sythe I was bore,
then ever did any (me) before,

syth I had this kingdome.

ffor what with streng(th) and strokes sore,

leadinge lordshipp, lovely lore,

all this world has bine yore

tributarye unto Rome.

Segneurs tous si assembles

A mes probes estates,

185 powere] postie W

186 here] omit W 187 fayrest]

the fayrest B foot] stoode B to fight] faightest W, to fraught B

194 all me about] at my aboue H 196 197 mould] liue W 199 may] ne H, nay B 205 strength] strenght D strength and strokes] 206 lordshipp] lordshippes Wr. 207 has] nowe 209 segneurs] segurrs Wr. assembles] asmeles

in] with B, omit W
owne] omit B
203 me] omit D
inverted in W
hase H B Wh
Wr., arneles Dm.
proles H B h

210] omit h, combined with 212 W probes ]

185

190

195

200

205

[35 b]

210

215

220

225

Ice posse fayre lerment et leez,
et mette in languore.

Vous tous si prest ne sortes
de fayre intentes mavolentes,
car [je su] soveroyne ben sages,
et demande Emperoure.

Ieo si persone mille si able
leo su tent fayre et leable
en treasoroce ne treasagyle
mes de toyle plerunt.

Destret et sage su en counsell
Ami ou dame et ou pusele
declare et sauke mater frayle
un teell n'est paas uma.

King, [cayser], clarke, or knight,
sandens, senatours in sight,

princes, pryest(s), here nowe dight,

and present in this place

212] omit h

211 Ice] Jeo Wr. tous] toutes H B h Dm. su] Jesu D H B Wh h Dm. si able] seable combined with 217 Wr. leable] beable H h treasoroce] entransorce W, agait H h me creaca W et sage combined with 220 Wr. su en ] saen Wr., sout en B counsell] comech W 222 ou dame] ondem Wr., ou dem Dm. 223 declare] declaan W et sauke] sake et H h, sauk et B Dm., sanke et Wr. 224 tell n'est] tellnest Wr. uma] un mame H h, vmaut B, un Dm. um Wr. 225 cayser] Carsell H, coysell D B W h or and H knight] kinge Wr. 226 senatours] solitaryes W 227 pryests] pryest D, preistes HB h, prese W

213 vous ] omit Wr. ne sortes] me fortes Wh 215 je 217-225] omit h 217 Ieo] Iay H B W, si alle B 218 Ieo su tent fayre] Ieo su] Iey su H h, Ieosu W, Iosice B, 219] begins with et leable from 218 Wr. en en tresarois Hh ne tresagyle] ne tres220 de toyle] dotole Wr. 221 destret