305

But gadir same now all our gere,
Slike poure wede as we were,
And pricke pam in a pak.
Till Bedlem bus me it bere,
For litill thyng will women dere.
Helpe vp nowe on my bak!

301 same] omit K

305 thyng] omit K

XIV. THE TILLE THEKERS. [The Nativity.] [51a]

[Scene 1]

Jos[eph]: All weldand God in Trinite,

I praye þe, lord, for thy grete myght,
Vnto thy symple seruand see,

Here in pis place wher we are pight,

oure self allone;

Lord, graunte vs gode herberow pis nyght
within þis wone.

For we haue sought both vppe and doune,
Thurgh diuerse stretis in þis cite;

So mekill pepull is comen to towne,
pat we can nowhare herbered be,

þer is slike prees;

For suthe I can no socoure see,

but belde vs with pere bestes.

And yf we here all nyght abide,
We shall be stormed in þis steede;
pe walles are doune on ilke a side,
he ruffe is rayned aboven oure hede,
als haue I roo,—

Say, Marie doughtir, what is thy rede?
How sall we doo?

For in grete nede nowe are we stedde,
As pou thy selffe the soth may see,
For here is nowthir cloth ne bedde,

12] ther slike a prees es K

14 vs and þere] omit H K

18 rayned] rayned Hall, referring to E. Dialect Soc. Dict. 1.10 and 1.51, on vb. reave to blow off, to unroof

(50 b)

blank

5

ΙΟ

15

20

25

30

35

40

And we are weyke and all werie,

and fayne wolde rest.

Now, gracious god, for thy mercie,

wisse vs þe best!

Mar[ia]: God will vs wisse, full wele witt ge,
per-fore, Joseph, be of gud chere,
For in pis place borne will he be

Þat sall vs saue fro sorowes sere,

bothe even and morne.

Sir, witte ze wele pe tyme is nere,

hee will be borne.

Joseph]: pan behoves vs bide here stille,
Here in þis same place all pis nyght.
Mar[ia]: ga, sir, forsuth it is Goddis will.
Joseph]: pan wolde I fayne we had sum light,
what so befall.

[51b] It waxes right myrke vnto my sight,

and colde withall.

I will go gete vs light for-thy,

And fewell fande with me to brynge.

45 Mar[ia]: All weldand God yow gouerne and gy, As he is sufferayne of all thyng,

50

55

for his grete myght!

And lende me grace to his louyng

þat I me dight!

Nowe in my sawle grete ioie haue I,
I am all cladde in comforte clere,
Now will be borne of my body

Both God and man to-gedir in feere.

Bliste mott he be!

Jesu! my son þat is so dere!

now borne is he!

Hayle my lord God! hayle prince of pees!

36 here] full K

Hayle my fadir! and hayle my sone!
Hayle souereyne sege all synnes to sesse!
Halye God and man in erth to wonne!

Hayle thurgh whos myht

All þis worlde was first be-gonne,

merknes and light!

Sone, as I am sympill sugett of thyne,
Vowchesaffe, swete sone, I pray þe,

That I myght þe take in þe armys of myne,
And in pis poure wede to arraie þe.

Graunte me þi blisse,

As I am thy modir chosen to be

in sothfastnesse.

60

[Scene 2]

Jos[eph]: A! lorde, what the wedir is colde!
pe fellest freese þat euere I felyd.
I pray God helpe pam þat is alde,
And namely þam þat is vnwelde,
so may I saie.

Now, gud God, pou be my belde,
as pou best may.
A lord God! what light is pis
þat comes shynyng þus sodenly?
I can not saie, als haue I blisse.
When I come home vn-to Marie
pan sall I spirre.

64 sympill] omit K

65 I] I do K

66 þe] þer S

68 bi] bẹ K

[Scene 3]

A! here[d] be god, for nowe come I.
Mar[ia]:

ze ar welcum, sirre.

85 Jos[eph]: Say, Marie doghtir, what chere with pe? [52a] Mar[ia]: Right goode, Joseph, as has been ay.

90

95

100

105

110

Jos[eph]: O Marie! what swete thyng is þat on thy kne?
Mar[ia]: It is my sone, pe soth to saye,

þat is so gud.
Joseph]: Wele is me I bade pis day
to se pis foode!

Me merueles mekill of þis light,

þat þus-gates shynes in þis place,
For suth it is a selcouth sight!

Mar[ia]: pis hase he ordand of his grace,
my sone so ging,

A starne to be shynyng a space

at his bering.

For Balam tolde ful longe beforne

How þat a sterne shulde rise full hye,
And of a maiden shulde be borne

A sonne þat sall

oure saffyng be

fro caris kene.

For suth it is my sone so free

be whame Balam gon mene.

Jos[eph]: Nowe welcome floure fairest of hewe!
I shall be menske with mayne amd myght.

Hayle my maker! hayle Crist Jesu!

Hayle riall kyng, roote of all right!
Hayle saueour!

Hayle my lorde, lemer of light!

Hayle blessid floure!

83 hered] suggested by K; MS & S read her

omit H

hardly justifiable

87 O Marie]

105] whame he gon meene H, certainly better, but 111 lorde lorde god K lemer ] lener K