Page images
PDF
EPUB

355

the which (that) never (hade) beginninge,
ne never shal ended bee.

Octavyanus: Sybbyll, I pray thee specially,
by sign thow would me certyfye,
what tyme that lord so royallye
to raigne hee shal beginne.

360 Sybyll speake tho: Syr, I shall tell you witterlye
his signes when I see verelye,

365

367

368

370

375

for when hee comes, through his mercye
one mankynde hee will mynne.

Well I wott for soth, I-wys,

that god will bring mankinde to blys,
and send from heaven, leeves well this,
his sonne, our savyour.

(Ihesu Christ, nothing amis,
called he shall be and is,

overcome the Divill and his countise
and be our Conquerour.)

But what tyme, syr, in good faye,
that hee will come, can I non saye;
Therfore in this place I will praye
to greatest god of might.

and yf I see ought to your paye
ghostlye by anye waye,

warne you I shall anon this daye,

and shew it in your sight.

355 ended bee] 356 specially especiallye

354 that] shal D hade hase D H Bh endinge have W, endinge be h Wh

360 Sybyll speake tho] omit H B Wh Syr] yea Wh 363 mynne] wynne B

362 when ] then B and Wr.

367 c overcome] to overcome W, and overcome h countise]

366 leves] leve Wr.

364 for] 367 a, b, c, d] omit D.

[blocks in formation]

Tunc orat sibilla

et

[Scene 5]

dicat preco alta voce:

Preco: Peace I byd kinge and knight,

men and women, and eych wight,
tyll I have tould that I have tight;
stonde styll, both stronge and stoute!
My lord, Octavyan, myche of might,
commandes you should be ready dight,
trybute hee wyll have in height
of all this world (aboute).

Hee wyll have written eych countree,
castle, shyre, and eke cyttye,

men and women, leeve you mee,

and all that beo therin.

a penye of eych man have will hee,

the valewe of ten pences hit shalbee,
To knowledge that hee has soverayntee
fullye of all [mankyn].

Josephe: A lord! what doth this man now here?
poore men's weale ys ever in were.

I wott by this boster's bere

that trybute I muste paye.

and for greate age and noe powere,
I wan noe good this seaven yere,
nowe comes the kinge's messenger
to gett all that hee maye.

after 375, st. dir.] in margin H
styll] stiffe Wr.
stronge ᎳᏂ 381
385 eke] each H
mankynd DHB Wh
394 bosters] bostles H

379 stonde] stall B

stronge] still Wr. stiffe Dm. H B stoute]
should be] shalbe h 383 aboute] above D
389 pences] pence H B Wh 391 mankyn]
393 weale] so Wr., waile H B h Dm,
396 age] ayde h.

380

385

390

395

[37b]

400

405

410

415

with this axe that I beare,
this perce(r), and this naugere,
and hammer, all in fere,

I have wonnen my meate.
Castle, towre, ney riche manere
had I never in my power.
but as a symple carpenter

with these what I might gett.
If I have store [of] any thinge,
that must I paye unto the kinge,
but yett I have a likinge,-

The angell to mee towlde:

Hee that should man out of bale bringe
my wife had in her keapinge,
that seemes all good to my likinge

and makes mee more bowlde.

A leeffe syr! tell mee, I thee praye,
shall poore as well as rych paye?
my faye, syr, I hoope naye;

that were a wonders wronge.

420 Preco: Good man, I warne thee, in good faye, to Bethlem to take the waye

425

lest thow in danger falle to-daye,

if that thow bee to longe.

Joseph Nowe syth yt may non other bee,
Marye, sister, now hye wee!

an oxe I will take with mee,
that there shalbe soulde.

401 percer] perces D H B, and a h, a W this B W what ] that H 412 shold] omit Wh wonderous B Wh

naugere] maugere B 402 and] axe 404 riche omit Wh 407 these] 408 of] omit D h, now HBW 419 wonders]

418 my] by my Wh 423 that] omit W

the silver of him, soe mote I thee,
shall fynde us in that cyttye,

and paye tribute for thee and mee,
for therto wee bine howlde.

[Scene 6]

Maria: A! lord! what may this signifye? Some men I see glad and merye, and some syghinge and sorye wherfore so ever yt bee.

Syth gode sonne, man to forbye,

is commen through his great mercye,
methinke that man should kindlye
be glad that sight to see.

Angelus: Marye, gode mother dere,
the tokeninge I shall thee lere,

the commen people, as thow seest here,
are glad as they well maye,

That they shall see of Abraham's seede

430

435

440

[38 a]

Christe come to helpe them in there neede; 445
Therfore the(y) ioyen, withowten dreede,

for to abyde this daye.

The morneinge men, take this in mynde,
are Jewes that shalbe put behinde,

for they passed out of kinde

through Christ at his comminge.

429 that] this H

431 bine] be Wr. after 431] (tunc

434

Ioseph ligabit bovem ad caudam asinæ, et colliget Maryam super
Asinam, et cum ad stabulam pervenerit, dicat Maria) H
syghinge all sickinge W
sonne] sonne came D H B Wh
439] that sight full gladlie for to
HBWh 442 as] that H
seede] blood seede H

the D Wr. joyen] joye W

436 Gode] Gods H B Wh
437 is commen] comon is B
see B 440 gode] Gods
444

443 they] the Wr.
446 therfore] wherfore W they]
450 they] it H, the Wr. passed]

passes H Dm. h, passeth Wr., haue passed B of] of their H

450

455

460

465

470

ffor they shall have noe grace to knowe
that god for man shall light soe lowe;
for shame on them that sone shall showe,
therefore they bine mourninge.

[Scene 7]

Joseph: Marye, suster, sooth to saye,
harbour I hope gett wee ne may,
for great lordes of stowte arraye
occupye this cyttye.

Therefore wee muste, in good faye,
lye in this stable tyll it bee daye;
to make men meeke, leeve I maye,
show him here will he.

Maria: Helpe me downe, my leeffe fere,
for I hope my tyme bee neere;
Christe in this stable that is here,
I hope borne wilbe.

Tunc Joseph accipiet Mariam in brachia sua.

Joseph: Come to me, my sweete dere,

the treasure off heaven, withowten were,
welcome in full meeke manere:

him hope I for to see.

Tunc statuet Maria inter bovem et asinam.

Marye, sister, I will assaye

to gett too middwives, yf I maye,

452 shall] should B they] the Wr. 455 bine] be HB Wh

they] the Wr.

457 wee] yf we B ne] nay H, non W h, 459 occupye] do occupye Wh 463 he]

(in h before gett), omit B
cyttye plase W
I B

464 downe downe then H B leefe] life H B h Dm.,

460 therfore] wherfore Wr.

leffe Wr. fere] dere B, in fere H
467 Tunc Joseph etc.] after 470 in H

465 bee] is H

after 473 too] II HBWh

« PreviousContinue »