XIV. The TRIAL OF JOSEPH AND MARY.

Den. Avoyd, seres, and lete my lorde the buschop come,
And syt in the courte the lawes for to doo;
And Ixal gon in this place them for to somowne,
Tho that ben in my book the court 3e must com too.
I warne jow here alle abowte,
That Isomown 3ow alle the rowte,
Loke 3e fayl, for no dowte,
At the court to pere.
Bothe John Jurdon, and Geffrey Gyle,
Malkyn Mylkedoke, and fayr Mabyle,
Stevyn Sturdy, and Jak at the Style,
And Sawdyr Sadelere.

Thom Tynkere and Betrys Belle,
Peyrs Potter and Whatt at the Welle,
Symme Smalfeyth and Kate Kelle,
And Bertylmew the Bochere.
Kytt Cakelere and Colett Crane,
Gylle Fetyse and fayr Jane,
Powle Pewterere and Pernel Prane,
And Phelypp the good Flecchere.

Cok Crane and Davy Drydust,
Luce Lyere and Letyce Lytyltrust,
Miles the Myllere and Colle Crakecrust,
Bothe Bette the Bakere, and Robyn Rede.
And loke 3e ryngewele in 3our purs,

for ellys 30ur cawse may spede the wurs,

Thow that 3e slynge Goddys curs
Evyn at myn hede, fast com away.
Bothe Boutyng the Browstere, and Sybyly Slynge,
Megge Merywedyr and Sabyn Sprynge,
Tyffany Twynkelere, ffayle for nothynge,
The courte xal be this day.

Hic intrabit pagentum de purgatione Mariae et Joseph. Hic dicit primus detractor,

A' A' serys, God save 3ow alle,
Here is a fayr pepyl in good fay;
Good seres, telle me what men me calle,
I trowe 3e kannot be this day;
3itt I walke wide and many way,
But jet ther I come I do no good,
To reyse slawdyr is al my lay,
Bakbytere is my brother of blood.

Dede he ought come hedyr in al this day,
Now wolde God that he were here !
And be my trewthe, I dare wel say,
That yf we tweyn togedyr apere,
More slawndyr we to xal arere,
Within an howre thorwequth this town,
Than evyr ther was this thowsand 3ere,
And ellys I shrewe 3ow bothe up and downe.

Now be my trewthe I have a syght
Evyn of my brother, lo! where he is:
Welcom, dere brother, my trowthe I plyght,
3owre jentyl mowth let me now kys.
Secundus detractor. Gramercy, brother, so have Iblys,
I am ful glad we met this day.
Primus detractor. Ryght so am I, brothyr, i-wys,
Meche gladder than Ikan say.

But jitt, good brother, I 3ow pray,
Telle alle these pepyl what is 30ur name;
for yf thei knew it, my lyf I lay,
They wole 3ow wurchep and speke gret fame.
Secundus detractor. I am Bakbytere, that spyllyth alle
game,
Bothe kyd and knowyn in many a place.
Primus detractor. Be my trowth Iseyd the same,
And 3et sum seyden thou xulde have evyl grace.
Secundus detractor. Herk, Reyse-sclaundyr, canst thou
owth telle
Of any newe thynge that wrought was late 2
Primus detractor. Within a shorte whyle athynge befelle,
I trowe thou wylt lawh; ryght wel therate,
for be trowth, ryght mekyl hate,
If it be wyst, therof wyl growe.
Secundus detractor. If I may reyse therwith debate,
Ixal not spare the seyd to sowe.
Primus detractor. Syr, in the tempyl a mayd ther was,
Calde mayd Mary, the trewth to telle ;
Sche semyd so holy withinne that plas,
Men seyd sche was fedde with holy aungelle.
Sche made a vow with man nevyr to melle,
But to leve chast and clene virgine;
How evyr it be her wombe doth swelle,
And is as gret as thinne or myne. -
Secundus detractor. 3al that old shrewe Joseph, my
trowth I plyght,
Was so anameryd upon that mayd,
That of hyr bewtyé, whan he had syght,
He sesyd nat tylle had here asayd.
Primus detractor. A 1 nay, nay, wel wers she hath hym
payd,
Sum fresche 3onge galaunt she lovyth wel more,
That his leggys to here hath leyd,
And that doth greve the old man sore.

Secundus detractor. Be my trowthe, al may wel be,
for fresche and fayr she is to syght,
And suche amersyl, as semyth me,
Wolde cause a 30nge man to have delyght.
Primus detractor. Suche a 30nge damesel of bewté
bryght,
And of schap so comely also,
Of hire tayle oftetyme be lyght,
And rygh tekyl undyr the too,
Secundus detractor. That olde cokolde was evyl begylyd,
To that fresche wenche whan he was wedde;
Now muse he faderyn anothyr mannys chylde,
And with his swynke hexal be fedde.
Primus detractor. A 3onge man may do more chere in
bedde
To a 30nge wench, than may an olde;
That is the cawse suche lawe is ledde,
That many a man is a kokewolde.

Hic sedet episcopus Abijachar inter duos legis doctores, et audientes hanc defamationem vocat ad se detractores, dicens,

Episcopus. Herke 3e, felaways, why speke 3e suche schame Of that good virgyn, ffayr mayd Mary; 3e be acursyd so hire for to defame, She that is of lyff so good and holy. Of hire to speke suche velany, 3e make myn hert ful hevy of mood; I charge 3ow sese of 30ure fals cry, for sche is sybbe of myn owyn blood. Secundus detractor. Syb of thi kyn thow that she be, Allegret with chylde hire wombe doth swelle; Do calle here hedyr, thiself xal se That it is trewthe that I the telle.

Primus detractor. Sere, for 3our sake I Xal kepe cowncelle. 3ow for to greve I am ryght loth; But lest, seres, lyst what seyth the belle, Oure fayr mayd now gret with childe goth. Primus doctor legis. Take good heed, seres, what 3e doth say, - Avyse 3ow wele what 3e present; 3yf this be fownd fals, anothyr day Ful sore 3e xal 30ur tale repent. Secundus detractor. Sere, the mayd forsothe is good and gent, Bothe comely and gay, and a fayr wenche; And feetly with help sche can consent To set a cokewolde on the hye benche. Secundus doctor legis. 3e be to besy of 3our langage, I hope to God 30w fals to preve; It were gret rewthe she xulde so outrage, Or with suche synne to myscheve. Episcopus. This evy talys my hert doth greve, Of hire to here suche fowle dalyawnce; If she be fowndyn in suche repreve, She xal sore rewe here governawns.

Sym Somnere, in hast wend thou thiway,+
Byd Joseph and his wyff be name
At the coorte to appere this day,
Here hem to pourge of her defame.
Sey that I here of hem grett schame,
And that doth me gret hevynes;
If thei be clene withowtyn blame,
Byd hem come hedyr and shew wyttnes.
Den. Alle redy, sere; I xal hem calle,
Here at 30ur courte for to appere;
And yf I may hem mete withalle,
I hope ryght sone theixal ben here.