Tertius pastor: Wyll (y)ee here how hee sange 'celsis,' for on that sadly hee sett him;

nayther singe 'sar,' nor soe well 'cis,'

ney 'pax,' 'merye mawd when shee had mett

him.'

Garcius: On tyme hee touched on 'tarre,'

and therto I tooke good intent,

all heaven might not have gonne harre,
that note on high when hee up hent.

Prim(us) pastor: and after a 'pax,' or of peace,
up as a pye hee pyped,

such a loden-this is noe lesse

never in my life me so lyked.

S(e)c(un)d(us) pastor: Upon 'hominibus' he muted,
that much mervayle to mee was;

and aye I quoked when he so whewted,
I durst not hede wher that yt was

Tertius pastor: Yett, yett, hee sange more then all this,
for some word is worthy a forder,

for hee sange 'bonæ voluntatis,'
that is a cropp that passeth all other.

408 pastor] omit H yee] hee D, you H B Wh sir Wh singe] sang H B h Dm., singes Wr. ner H B Wh had] so W upon HB Wh tarre] terre Wh ther H 415 high] height H B Wh 416 a of HB Wh

418

[46b]

415

410 Sar] 411 ney]

412 Garcius] Trowle Wh on] 413 and ] on H therto] up hent] had howted H 417 a omit HWh 418 loden ]

ledden H B h Dm., loden Wr. this] that Wr. lesse] las HBhDm.

omnibus B Wh
when] while H

422 aye]

he] the Wr.

420 pastor] omit H hominibus]
ever Wh quoked] quock H
whewted] shewted HB Wh 423 not] not not W hede |
here H yt] IHB Wh 424 pastor] omit H yett yett ]
yett W
425] ffro my mynde it shall not starte W
worthy worth HB Wh forder] foder B W h, founder H
426 bonæ ] bone H B, bene W, bout bone h
past H

427 passeth]

420

425

430

435

440

445

Garcius: Yett and yett, hee sange more to, from my mynde yt shall not starte, hee sange alsoe of a 'deo,' methought that heled my harte. And that word 'terra' hee tamed,

therto I toke good intent,

and 'pax' alsoe may not be blamed,
for that to this songe I assent.

Prim(us) pastor: Nowe pray wee to him, with good

intent,

and singe I will and me v(n)brace,
that hee will lett vs to be kent,
and to send vs of his grace.

S(e)c(un)d(us) pastor: Nowe syth I have all my will, -never in this world soe well I was

singe wee nowe, I rede vs, shryll

a mery songe vs to solace.

Garcius: Singe we nowe-lett see-
some song will I assaye;

all men nowe singes after mee,
for musicke of mee learne yee may.

Tunc cantabunt, et postea dicat terti(us) pastor:
(here singe twoly, loly, loly, lo.)

428 Garcius] Trowle Wh and] omit Wh may H 432 terra] tarre B

429 shall]

435 that to this song] that 437 unbrace] um

song to this H 436 pastor] omit H

brace D, imbrace Wh
for never H B Wh
cius] Trowle Wh
us H B, lettes Wr.
omit H

440 pastor] omit H

I was] hasste B, hase Wh
Singe we nowe] now sing on H
445 will II will H

441 never]

444 Gar

lett] let

446 nowe]

after 447 Tunc cantabunt etc.] Tunc omnes pastores cum aliis adiuvantibus cantabunt hilare carmen H cantabunt] cantabit B tertius pastor] Trowle W here singe twoly loly

loly lo] omit H, sing tooly holy holy loo B, singe troly loly troly loe W, Singe troly loly lo h

(Tertius pastor :) Nowe wend we forth to Bethlem,

that is best our songe to bee,

for to see the starre gleme,

the fruyt alsoe of that mayden free.

450

Prim(us) pastor: Nowe followe we the starre that shines, [47 a]

tyll we come to that holy stable;

to Bethlem bend the lymes,
followe we yt, withowt any fable.

S(e)c(un)d(us) pastor: ffolowe we hit and hyes full

fast,

such a frend loth vs were to fayle;
launche on! I will not be the last
upon Marye for to mervayle.

Hic vadunt versus Bethlem.

455

Terti(us) pastor: Stynt nowe, goe no moe steppes! 460 for now the starre beginneth to stand. Harvye, that good bene our happes we seene by our Savyour fonde.

Hic apparet Angelus et dicat: Sheppardes, of this sight be ye not afright,

for this is gode might,

takes this in mynde.

448 tertius pastor] omit all MSS; in H, therefore, this speech is

assigned to Garcius.

in h, cleane may W omit H

449 that this Wr. 450 gleme] gleene
451 alsoe] omit Wh 452 pastor]
454 bend]

nowe] and nowe H shines] shyneth Wr.
the] we our HB Wh

boyn Bh, bonne W lymis B Wh

lymes] lynes H,

456 pastor] omit H and] that H hyes] hyeth H full ] so H 457 vs were] were us H B h Dm., us Wr. after 459 Hic] Tunc H, Hinc W 460 pastor] omit H nowe] 461 beginneth | begins H B Wh

462 Harvye]
463 seene]
after

omit H
here by B, here we H good] before happes Wh
see HBWh by ] by this H fonde ] is found H B Wh
463 Hic] Et H, hoc B apparet] apparebit H, appariet B Wh
et dicat] omit H 464 and 465] written as one line in H as are
466 and 467, 468 and 469, 470 and 471. 465 ye] you HB Wh
466 gode] godes H B Wh 467 takes] take Wr.

465

470

475

To bethlem (goe) nowe right,
there yee shall see in sight
that Christ is borne tonight
to cover all mankynde.

Garcius: To bethlem take wee the waye,
for with you I think to wend,

that prince of peace for to pray,
heaven to have at our ende.

And singe we all, I (redd,)

some myrth to his maiestee,

for certayne now see wee it indeede,
the kinge sone of heaven is hee.

[Scene 2]

480 Prim(us) pastor: Simm, Sym, securlye,

485

490

here I see Marye

and Jesus Christ fast bye,

lapped in haye.

S(e)c(un)d(us) pastor: Kneele we downe in hye, and praye we him of mercye,

and welcome him worthelye,

that woe does awaye.

T(e)rtius pastor: Awaye all our woe ys
and many man's moe ys,
Christ, lord, lett vs kys

the cratch or the clothes.

468 goe] omit DBW, wende h 469 yee shall you shall B Wh Trowle Wh wend D 478 see wee] we see B, sheewe W h kinges H B Wh

471 cover] ken B Wh 473 wende] wynde H B Wh

shall you H, 472 Garcius]

476 redd] 479 kinge

480 and 481 written as one

line in H, as

480 securlye]

484 pastor] omit H, here and in

are each pair of lines thereafter through line 495.
soundlie H, sickerlye Wh
all the following headings.

491 the thy HB Wh

Garcius: Solace nowe to see this

[47b]

bylde in my brest blys,

never after to do amys

thing that him loth ys.

Prim(us) pastor: Whatever this ould man that here is,

take heede how his head ys whore,

his beard is like a buske of bryers,

with a pound of heare about his mouth and

more.

495

S(e)c(un)d(us) pastor: More ys this marveyle to mee nowe, 500 for to nappe greatly him needes;

hartles is hee nowe,

for aye to his heeles hee heedes

Terti(us) pastor: Why! with his berde though hit be

rough,

right well to her hee (heedes),

worthye wight, witt would wee nowe:
wyll ye warne vs, worthye in weedes?

Maria: Sheppardes, sothlye I see

that my sonne you hyther sent,
through gode might in maistye,
that in me light and here is lent.
This man maryed was to mee
for noe sinne in such assent,
but to keepe my virginitee,
and truly in non other intent.

492 Garcius] Trowle Wh
495 thing] thinges Wh
498 is] omit H 501 him] he H greatly him] him greatly B
503 his] he B Wh heedes] head is H, hidis B
rough hydes Wr.

506 nowe] omit B Wh

504 be

505 heedes] hydes D W h, hudis B
507 ye] me B, we Wh worthye]

worthelie B in weedes] omit B Wh

each pair written as one line down to 515, in H HBWh

ner HBW h

508 and 509 etc.]
510 gode] gods

511 in me] me in H lent] tent H 513 in ]

515 in for Wh

505

510

515