Was neuer wight sa wa, for ruthe I all to-ryff! Allas! why wrought pou swa, Marie, my weddid wiffe? Mar[ia]: To my witnesse grete God I call, pat [I] in mynde wroght neuere no mysse. Na, selcouthe tythandis than is pis, may witte pi werkis ere wan; Thy wombe all way it wreyes þe, þat þou has mette with man. Whose is it? als faire mot ye be-fall. Mar[ia]: Sir, it is youres and Goddis will. Þou wate als wele as I, þat we two same flesshly Wrought neuer swilk werkis with ill. Loke pou dide no folye Be-fore me preuely Thy faire maydenhede to spill. But who is þe fader? telle me his name! Mar[ia]: None but youre self. Jos[eph]: Late be, for shame! 155 [48a] 165 170 175 I did it neuere, pou dotist dame, by bukes and belles ! 180 Full sakles shulde I bere þis blame aftir þou telles. 157 I] omit MS S, suggested by K 157] H re-writes the line as follows: that never in mynde have wrought no mysse 160 hoo] H suggests how, apparently taking hoo to mean who, but hoo can mean how as well as who 176 faire] omit H 185 For I wroght neuere in worde nor dede For of slyk note war litill nede, Yhitt for myn awne I wolde it fede, Might all be still. parefore pe fadir tell me, Marie. Mar[ia]: But God and yhow I knowe right none. 190 Jos[eph]: A! slike sawes mase me full sarye, With grete mornyng to make my mone. Therfore be nogt so balde 195 [48b] 200 205 210 pat no slike tales be talde, But halde pe stille als stane. pase games fra me are gane. whos is pe childe pou is with nowe? I drede pe lawe als wele as þou. Mekely to be I bowe! Rewe on þis wery wight, pe soth to ken and trowe. Jos[eph]: Who had thy maydenhede, marie, has pou oght mynde? Mar[ia]: For suth, I am a mayden clene. Jos[eph]: Nay, þou spekis now agayne kynde, Slike þing myght neuere naman of mene. A maiden to be with childe! pase wer[d]is fra þe ar wilde Sho is not borne, I wene. 208 has bou oght] omit H 213 werdis] werkis MS S Mar[ia]: Joseph, yhe ar begiled, With synne was I neuer filid, Goddis sande is on me sene. Jos[eph]: Goddis sande! yha Marie! God helpe! þat sall I neuer ga fra. Jos[eph]: Yha! Marie, drawe thyn hande, I trowe not it be swa. pe soth fra me gif þat þou layne, pe childe bering may pou nogt hyde; Of me, what so betyde. 215 220 225 230 Als he is kyng of blysse, [49a] In truth þat ye might bide. [Scene 3] Jos[eph]: Nowe, lord God, þat all þing may To walk here in þis wildirnesse. Do with me what God will, 220 yhelpe] whelpe H in MS his K 222 & 223] written as one line taking wisse as an adj. wise, not 235 seand] sande HK bis] 240 245 250 255 260 265 [49b] 270 Owther more or lesse, Here bus me bide full stille Myn hert so heuy it is. [He sleeps, then enter Gabriel.] Ang[elus]: Waken, Joseph, and take bettir kepe Jos[eph]: A! I am full werie, lefe late me slepe, Ang[elus]: Rise vppe and slepe na mare! pat loues pe alther best. Jos[eph]: We! now es pis a farly fare, Say, what arte pou? telle me this thyng! And sente es pe to say with steuen, Na syn of hir þou neuen. It is Goddis sande of heuen. For slike happe sall hym fall Als pou sall se in haste. Of euyllis and angris all, þat þei ar nowe enbraste. Joseph]: And is this soth, aungell, þou saise? Wende forthe to Marie thy wiffe alwayse; And man ay mast of myght. Jos[eph]: Nowe lorde god! full wele is me Als som men dose with full god chere. [Scene 4] Saie, Marie wiffe, how fares pou? Mar[ia]: pe bettir, sir, for yhou. Why stande yhe pare? come nere. Joseph]: My bakke fayne wolde I bowe, And aske fo[r]gifnesse nowe, Wiste I pou wolde me here. Mar[ia]: Forgiffnesse, sir! late be, for shame! Slike wordis suld all gud women lakke. Joseph]: Yha, Marie, I am to blame 278 and] and nim K 286 half ar MS S fogifnesse MS 285 2nd þat] omit K & Hall 287 hir haue hir H 299 Marie] Marie wyff K 275 280 285 200 295 [50 a] |