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THE 


CHESTER    PLAYS: 

A   COLLECTION  OF 

MYSTERIES 

FOUNDED  UPON  SCRIPTURAL  SUBJECTS. 

AND  FORMERLY  REPRESENTED  BY  THE  TRADES  OF  CHESTER 
AT  WHITSUNTIDE. 

EDITED  BY 

THOMAS  WRIGHT,  ESQ.,  M.A.,  F.S.A.,  &c. 

COBRCSPONDINO  M£MBER  OF  THE  INSriTUTE  OF  FRANCF. 


LONDON: 
PRINTED  FOR  THE  SHAKESPEARE  SOCIETY. 


184: 


LONDON  : 

P.  SHOBERI,,  JUN.,  51,  RUPKRT  STREET,  HAYMARKET, 

PRINTER  TO  H.R.H.  PRINCE  ALBERT. 


COUNCIL 

OF 

THE    SHAKESPEARE    SOCIETY. 


THE  MOST  NOBLE  THE  MARQUESS  OF  CONYNGHAM. 

RT.  HON.  LORD  BRAYBROOKE,  F.S.A. 

RT.  HON.  LORD  FRANCIS  EGERTON,  M.P. 

RT.  HON.  THE  EARL  OF  GLENGALL. 

RT.  HON,  EARL  HOWE. 

RT.  HON.  LORD  LEIGH. 

RT.  HON.  THE  EARL  OF  POWIS. 

AMYOT,  THOMAS,  ESQ.,  F.R.S.,  TREAS.  S.A. 
AYRTON,  WILLIAM,  ESQ.,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A. 
BOTFIELD,  BERIAH,  ESQ.,  M.P.,  F.R.S,,  F.S.A. 
BRUCE,  JOHN,  ESQ.,  F.S.A. 

CLERKE,  MAJOR  T.  H.  SHADWELL,  K.  H.,  F.R.S. 
COLLIER,  J.  PAYNE,  ESQ.,  F.S.A.,  DIRECTOR. 
COOPER,  C.  PURTON,  ESQ.,  Q.C.,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A. 
CORNEY,  BOLTON,  ESQ. 

CUNNINGHAM,  PETER,  ESQ.,  TREASURER- 
DICKENS,  CHARLES,  ESQ. 
DYCE,  REV.  ALEXANDER. 
FIELD,  BARRON,  ESQ. 

HALLAM,  HENRY,  ESQ.,  F.R.S.,  V.P.S.A. 
HALLIWELL,  J.  O.,  ESQ.,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A. 
PETTIGREW,  T.  J.,  ESQ.,  F.R.S.  F.S.A. 
PLANCHE,  J.  R.,  ESQ.,  F.S.A. 
SHARPE,  THE  REV.  LANCELOT,  M.A.,  F.S.A. 
THOMS,  WILLIAM  J.,  ESQ.,  F.S.A. 
TOMLINS,  F.  GUEST,  ESQ.,  SECRETARY. 
WATSON,  SIR  FREDERICK  BETLBY,  K.C.H.,  F.R.S, 
WRIGHT,  THOMAS,  ESQ.,   M.A.,  F.S.A. 


The  Council  of  the  Shakespeare  Society  desire  it  to  be  understood 
that  they  are  not  answerable  for  any  opinions  or  observations  that 
may  appear  in  the  Society's  publications ;  the  Editors  of  the  several 
works  being  alone  responsible  for  the  same. 


OTRODUCTION. 


The  Mysteries  and  Miracle  Plays  of  the  middle  ages 
possess  an  interest  not  only  as  illustrating  the  history 
of  the  stage  in  its  infancy,  but  as  pictures  of  the  man- 
ners and  condition  of  our  forefathers,  and  also  as  indi- 
cating the  quantity  and  the  peculiar  character  of  the 
religious  knowledge  inculcated  into  the  populace  in 
Catholic  times.  The  Chester  Plays  complete  the  publi- 
cation of  the  different  series  of  such  productions  in  the 
English  language  hitherto  generally  known.  It  is  perhaps 
desirable  that  the  few  single  plays  of  a  similar  cha- 
racter that  are  found  scattered  in  different  parts  should 
be  collected  together  in  a  volume,  to  form  a  companion 
to  the  others.  I  think  it  probable  also  that  other  sets 
exist :  one,  said  to  be  the  oldest  yet  known,  was  brought 
to  light  at  the  Strawberry  Hill  sale,  and  it  is  sincerely 
to  be  hoped  that  it  Mdll  be  published. 

The  earlier  history  of  the  stage  in  the  middle  ages 
is  obscure,  and  much  confusion  has  been  created  by  ap- 


vi  INTRODUCTION. 

plying  to  theatrical  exhibitions  passages  of  Latin  writers 
which  referred  only  to  the  performances  of  the  minstrels 
and  jongleurs.*  We  find  dramatic  pieces  of  this  kind 
at  a  very  early  period  in  Latin :  they  appear  to  have 
formed  a  kind  of  scholastic  exercises  among  the  younger 
monks,  and  were  performed  in  the  open  church.  In 
these  performances,  the  dialogue  was  short  and  simple, 
and  the  chief  effect  seems  to  have  been  caused  by  the 
dumb  show.  They  were  acted  in  the  course  of  the 
church  service  on  particular  festivals,  and  the  people  of 
the  neighbourhood,  as  well  as  the  monks,  appear  to  have 
been  spectators.  The  earliest  examples  of  such  compo- 
sitions now  known  are  three  plays  written  in  France  by 
Hilarius,  an  Englishman,  and  disciple  of  the  famous 
Abelard,  the  subjects  of  which  are  the  raising  of  La- 
zarus, a  miracle  of  St.  Nicholas,  and  the  history  of 
Daniel:  they  were  written  early  in  the  twelfth  cen- 
tury.f  Another  small  collection  of  these  pieces,  appa- 
rently of  the  twelfth  century,  was  found  in  a  MS.  at 
Orleans,  and  consist  of  four  Miracles  of  St.  Nicholas, 
and  of  six  similar  plays  founded  on  incidents  of  the  New 
Testament — the  Three  Kings,  the  Slaughter  of  the  In- 
nocents, the  Resurrection,  the  Appearance  of  Christ 
to  the  two  disciples  on  the  way  to  Emmaus,  the 
Conversion  of  St.  Paul,  and  the  Resurrec^on  of  La- 

*  We  may  quote,  as  an  instance  of  this  misapplication,  a  passage 
of  the  Polycraticus  of  John  of  Salisbury,  in  which  he  speaks  of  the 
indecent  exhibitions  of  the  jongleurs. 

t  Hilarii  Versus  etLudi.  12°Lut.  Par.  1838  (edited  by  M.  Cham- 
pollion-Figeac).  In  my  note  on  the  Chester  Play  of  Lazarus,  I  have 
omitted  to  mention  the  Latin  play  of  Hilarius  on  the  same  subject. 


INTRODUCTION.  vii 

zarus.*     These  latter  form  the  skeleton  of  the  laro-er 

o 

series  of  plays  on  Scripture  subjects  with  which  we  meet 
at  a  later  period,  and  they  contain  more  minute  direc- 
tions for  acting  than  those  given  in  the  Liidi  of  Hilarius. 
A  few  other  Latin  plays  of  the  same  description,  and 
probably  of  nearly  the  same  date,  still  exist ;  and,  from 
the  allusions  to  them  in  the  old  ecclesiastical  writings, 
it  appears  that  they  were  very  popular  during  the  twelfth 
and  thirteenth  centuries. 

The  general  term  for  these  performances  in  Latin  was 
ludus ;  the  French  plays  of  a  similar  caste  were  called 
geus,  ov  jeiw  (a  word  derived  from  the  Latin  jocm*)  ;  and 
a  similar  name  {plays)  was  at  a  later  period  in  England 
given  to  these  and  all  other  dramatic  performances.  In 
the  earlier  ages,  the  most  common  subjects  of  such  re- 
presentations were  the  miracles  said  to  have  been  per- 
formed by  the  popish  saints,  particularly  those  of  St. 
Nicholas,  and  these  were  characterized  as  mwacula,  mi- 
racles, or  miracle  flays.  On  the  contrary,  those  which 
were  founded  on  Scripture  subjects,  and  which  were  in- 
tended to  set  forth  the  mysteries  of  the  Christian  reve- 
lation, were  distinguished  by  the  title  of  mysteria,  or 
mysteries.  In  France,  the  distinction  between  miracles 
and  mysteries  was  carefully  preserved  to  the  latest  times. 
In  England,  as  early  as  the  fourteenth  century,  there 
appears  to  have  been  some  confusion  in  the  application 
of  these  terms,  and  the  name  of  miracles  was  given  fre- 

*  Early  Mysteries,  and  other  Latin  poems  of  the  Twelfth  and 
Thirteenth  centuries.  Edited  by  Thomas  Wrightj  &c.  8vo.  Lon- 
don, 1838.  Some  further  information  on  the  Latin  mystei'ies  will 
be  found  in  the  introduction  to  this  volume. 


viii  INTRODUCTION. 

quently  to  all  kinds  of  Scripture  plays  as  well  as  to  plays 
of  saints'  miracles.  Perhaps  this  arose  from  the  circum- 
stance of  the  miracles  of  saints  having  been  long  the 
most  popular  subjects.  It  may  be  observed  here,  that 
we  must  not  confound  the  popular  religious  per- 
formances with  certain  ludi  (plays  or  games),  of  which 
we  have  no  very  distinct  account,  which  were  at  times 
performed  with  greater  or  less  pomp  in  the  courts  of 
princes  and  powerful  barons. 

Miracle  plays  and  mysteries  were  composed  and  per- 
formed in  French  at  least  as  early  as  the  thirteenth 
century,  of  which  period,  besides  several  dramatic  mi- 
racles and  one  or  two  dramatic  pieces  of  another  kind, 
we  have  a  fragment  of  a  mystery  of  the  Resurrection, 
first  published  by  M.  Jubinal,  and  since  inserted  in  the 
Theatre  Francais  au  Moyen  Age  of  MM.  Monmerque 
and  Michel.  It  is  not  probable  that  any  such  pieces 
were  performed  or  composed  in  English  before  the  four- 
teenth century.  In  the  reign  of  Edward  II.,  it  is  said 
of  the  wearers  of  the  extravagant  fashions  in  dress  then 
in  vogue, 

Hii  ben  degised  as  turmentours  that  comen  from  clerkes  plei ;  * 

i.e,  as  the  clerks  who  were  disguised  to  represent  execu- 
tioners, persons  who  acted  a  very  prominent  part  in  the 
early  French  plays  on  the  miracles  of  saints.  About  the 
middle  of  the  same  century,  miracles  are  mentioned  in 
Piers  Ploughman  as  being  then  of  frequent  occurrence : 
and  in  Chaucer,  and  other  writers  of  the  end  of  the  cen- 
tury, they  are  spoken  of  more  frequently.    I  have  already 

*  Political  Songs,  p.  336. 


INTRODUCTION.  IX 

observed  that  the  early  Latin  religious  plays  were  per- 
formed by  the  monks ;  the  performers  continued  to  be 
clerks  or  persons  attached  to  the  church  up  to  a  late 
period,  as  appears  from  the  poem  just  quoted.*  Chaucer, 
in  the  Milleres  Tale,  describing  "joly  Absolon,"  the 
parish  clerk,  says — 

Sometime  to  shew  his  lightnesse  and  maistrie, 
He  plaieth  Herode  on  a  skaffold  hie. 

The  early  religious  plays,  in  their  simpler  form,  were 
played  in  the  churches,  and  the  scene  was  laid  in  diffe- 
rent parts  of  the  building.  This  appears  from  the  stage- 
directions  to  some  of  the  Latin  mysteries.  It  is  difficult 
to  say  at  what  time  they  began  first  to  be  acted  on 
stages ;  but  in  a  story  taken  from  a  manuscript  of  the 
fourteenth,  but  probably  composed  in  the  thirteenth 
century,  we  find  an  incident  which  seems  to  show  that 
the  practice  of  performing  these  plays  on  stages  in  the 
open  air  was  then  common,  and  that  they  were  attended 
by  crowds  of  people.f  It  appears  from  other  sources 
that  the  spectators  paid  for  the  sight :  either  seats  were 
purchased,  or  a  collection  was  made.  At  a  later  period 
we  find  that  these  stages  were  placed  upon  carts,  that 
there  were  different  floors  or  partitions  to  represent 

*  However,  in  the  fifteenth  century,  if  not  earlier,  a  great  part  of 
the  performance  appears  to  have  been  conducted  by  laymen. 

f  Et  dum  in  prato  longissimo  super  fluviura  elongati  essent  par 
duo  miliaria,  viderunt  ante  se  in  eodem  prato  raaximam  multitudinem 
hominum  congregatam,  quos  nunc  silentes,  nunc  cachinnantes  audie- 
bant.  Admirantes  igitur  quare  in  loco  tali  tanta  esset  hominum 
adunatio,  sestimabant  ibi  spectacula  celebrare  quue  uos  miracula  appel- 
lare  consueviraus.     Latin  Stories,  p.  100. 


X  INTRODUCTION. 

heaven,  earth,  and  hell,  and  that  very  intricate  and  in- 
genious machinery  must  have  been  used  to  produce  dif- 
ferent eflfects  *  Masks  were  also  used,  at  least  in  the 
thirteenth  and  fourteenth  centuries ;  so  that  the  whole 
performance  must  have  borne  considerable  analogy  to 
the  rude  Greek  comedy  in  the  days  of  Thespis.  The 
extracts  from  old  parish  and  town  registers  relating  to 
these  plays,  given  in  Sharp's  Dissertation  on  Pageants, 
show  us  what  care  was  taken  to  give  to  such  perform- 
ances as  much  "  stage  effect "  as  possible.  I  have  some- 
where read  of  charges  for  coals  to  keep  up  hell  fire ;  and 
that  on  one  occasion  hell  itself  took  fire  and  was  nearly 
burnt  down.  Among  Mr.  Sharp's  extracts  from  the 
books  of  accounts,  we  find  among  the  articles  of  ex- 
penditure —  "  Item,  payd  for  mendyng  hell  mought, 
ij'^." — "  Item,  payd  for  kepyng  of  fyer  at  hell  mothe, 
iiij'^."  —  and,   "  payd  for   settyng   the  world  of  fyer, 

yd    "I 

From  a  very  early  period,  the  stricter  churchmen  ap- 
pear to  have  looked  upon  these  performances  with  an 
evil  eye,  and  they  are  forbidden  by  some  of  the  older 
local  constitutions  and  councils. |  Some  observations 
on  this  subject  by  William  de  Wadington,  an  Anglo- 
Norman  trouvere  of  the  thirteenth  century,  are  worth 
citing,  for  the  information  they  give  on  the  mode  of 
performing  the  religious  plays  at  that  time,  although 

*  See  the  instances  given  from  the  French  mysteries  in  the  notes 
at  the  end  of  this  volume. 

t  See  Sharp's  Dissertation  on  Pageants,  pp.  57,  73,  74. 

I  See  some  examples  quoted  in  the  introduction  to  my  Early 
Mysteries  and  other  Latin  Poems. 


^^ 


INTRODUCTION.  xi 

they  have  already  been  quoted  by  Price  in  a  note  to 
Warton's  History  of  English  Poetry  : — 

Un  autre  folie  apert 

Unt  les  fols  clers  cuntrove  ; 

Qe  miracles  sunt  apele. 

Lur  faces  unt  la  deguise 

Par  visers,  li  forsene, 

Qe  est  defendu  en  decree  ; 

Tant  est  plus  grant  lur  peche. 

Fere  poent  representement, 

Mes  que  qeo  seit  chastement, 

En  office  de  seint  eglise, 

Quant  horn  fet  la  Deu  servise, 

Cura  Jhesu  Crist  le  fiz  Dee 

En  sepulcre  esteit  pose, 

Et  la  resurrectiun. 

Pur  plus  aver  devociun. 

Mes  fere  foles  assemblez 

En  les  rues  des  citez, 

Ou  en  cymiters  apres  mangers. 

Quant  venent  les  fols  volonters. 

Tut  dient  qe  il  le  funt  pur  bien  : 

Crere  ne  les  devez  pur  rien, 

Qe  fet  seit  pur  le  honur  de  Dee, 

Einz  del  deable  pur  verite. 

[MS.  Harl.  No  273,  fol.  141.] 

These  verses  seem  to  show  that  it  was  about  this  time 
that  the  religious  plays  began  to  be  played  abroad  on 
stages,  and  not  in  the  churches.  Among  the  followers 
of  Wycliffe  at  the  end  of  the  fourteenth  century,  the 
cries  against  these  performances  were  much  louder.  In 
the  Reliquiae  Antiquse  will  be  found  both  a  song  *  and  a 

*  Reliquiae  Antiquse,  i.,  322. 


Xll  INTRODUCTION. 

sermon  *  against  the  acting  of  miracle  plays ;  and  the 
latter  is  a  remarkably  curious  illustration  of  the  early 
history  of  the  stage  in  England.  They  were  again  con- 
demned by  the  puritans  of  the  sixteenth  century,  not 
only  as  idle  diversions,  but  as  relics  of  popish  super- 
stition; yet,  in  spite  of  all  attempts  to  put  them  down, 
they  continued  in  practice  till  the  beginning  of  the 
seventeenth  century.  The  excuses  made  in  the  "  banes  " 
of  the  Chester  Plays  for  their  popish  character  are  suffi- 
ciently amusing. 

The  original  object  of  these  performances  was  of 
course  to  impress  the  knowledge  of  certain  parts  of  ec- 
clesiastical and  scriptural  history  on  the  minds  of  the 
more  ignorant  portion  of  the  laity.  On  the  day  of  a  par- 
ticular saint,  as  for  instance  St.  Nicholas,  the  minds  of  the 
auditors  who  attended  on  his  commemorative  service  were 
edified  by  a  scenical  representation  of  some  one  of  his 
miracles  :  while  on  a  great  feast  day,  Christmas,  Easter, 
Corpus  Christi,  &c.,  the  mysteries  of  the  New  Testament 
were  equally  appropriate.  When  these  compositions 
were  written  in  Latin,  a  language  which  the  greater 
portion  at  least  of  the  spectators  did  not  understand,  it 
was  sufficient  to  give  a  few  sentences  of  simple  dialogue, 
and  the  effect  was  produced  by  the  acting.  But  when 
the  religious  plays  were  written  in  the  language  of  the 
populace,  more  art  was  employed  in  the  construction 
and  embellishment  of  the  piece,  and  droll  characters  and 
ridiculous  speeches  were  introduced  in  order  to  produce 
mirth.  It  appears  from  the  Latin  story  quoted  in  a  pre- 
ceding page,  that  the  whole  audience  was  frequently 

*  Reliquise  Antiqupc,  ii.,  42. 


INTRODUCTION.  XIU 

thrown  into  a  fit  of  laughter  {jmnc  silentes  nunc  cachi- 
nantes) ;  and  in  most  of  the  earlier  French  miracle  plays 
we  find  scenes  that  are  well  calculated  to  excite  mirth. 
In  the  early  Jeu  de  S.  Nicolas  of  Jean  Bodel,  this  effect 
is  produced  by  the  vulgar  conversation  of  a  party  of 
gamblers  in  a  tavern.     In  some  of  the  miracle  plays  it 
is  peasants  or  messengers,   in  others  the  executioners 
(or  tormentours),  and  in  many  it  is  the  devils,  who  create 
laughter  by  their  coarseness  or  their  drollery.     In  the 
regular  series  of  Scripture  mysteries  these  scenes  occur 
frequently,  and  most  of  them  will  be  found  indicated  in 
the  notes  to  the  present  volume.     Here  also  the  devils 
are   often   grotesque   characters;    but    the    laughable 
scenes  are  more  frequently  disputes  between  Cain  and 
his  man,  or  between  Noah  and  his  wife,  the  rustic  acts 
and  sayings  of  the   shepherds,  or   the   expedition  of 
Herod's  knights  to  slaughter  the  defenceless  innocents. 
The  gross  language  frequently  put  into  the  mouths  of 
the  women  give  us  but  a  mean  opinion  of  the  delicacy 
of  manners  among  the  middle  and  lower  classes  in  the 
fourteenth  and  fifteenth  centuries. 

As  far  as  we  can  judge  by  comparison  of  different 
pieces  still  extant  on  the  same  subject,  we  are  led  to 
believe  that  in  general  they  were  composed  independ- 
ently, and  that  one  was  seldom  an  imitation  of  another. 
They  appear  in  most  cases  to  have  been  written  for 
local  use,  and  not  to  have  been  carried  abroad  from  the 
neighbourhood  in  which  they  were  usually  acted.  The 
analogy  of  other  classes  of  literature  leaves  little  doubt 
in  my  own  mind  that  in  the  thirteenth  century  the  Mys- 
teries performed  in  England  were  composed  in  French, 


xiv  INTRODUCTION. 

or  Anglo-Norman,  and  I  think  it  not  improbable  that 
the  "  clerkes  pleyes  "  mentioned  in  the  poem  of  the  reign 
of  Edward  II.  were  acted  in  the  same  language  *  How 
far  the  English  sets  of  Mysteries,  which  we  find  in  the 
fifteenth  century,  and  which  perhaps  existed  in  the 
fourteenth,  were  translations  from  French  originals,  I 
am  inclined  to  doubt :  but  if  any  were  so,  the  Chester 
Mysteries  appear  to  have  the  greatest  claim  to  that  dis- 
tinction. In  the  notes  to  the  present  volumes  I  have  shown 
several  instances  of  similarity  between  these  Chester  plays 
and  some  of  the  printed  French  Mysteries  of  the  earlier 
half  of  the  sixteenth  century,  which  I  suspect  to  be 
only  reproductions  of  or  alterations  from  older  French 
compositions  of  the  same  description.  Mr.  Collier  had 
previously  pointed  out  one  or  two  remarkable  co- 
incidences in  passages  taken  from  the  Chester  and 
French  Mysteries,  in  his  History  of  Dramatic  Poetry 
(vol.  ii.,  pp.  132,  et  seqq.).  The  first  instance  is  the 
speech  of  Adam  (p.  25  of  the  present  volume),  of  which 
some  lines  are  nearly  identical  with  the  corresponding 
passage  in  the  Mystere  du  Viel  Testament,  of  which  an 
edition  appears  to  have  been  printed  as  early  as  1490. 

I  see  well,  Lorde,  through  thy     Hoc  mine  os  de  ossibus  meis, 

grace. 
Bone  of  my  bones  thou  her  mase,     Et  caro  de  came  mea. 


*  I  consider  that  the  well-known  piece  on  the  Harrowing  of  Hell, 
found  in  three  MSS.  of  the  time  of  Edward  II.  and  beginning  of  the 
reign  of  Edward  III.,  is  not  a  dramatic  piece,  but  a  mere  poem  in 
dialogue,  like  the  very  curious  poem  of  which  a  fragment  is  printed 
in  the  Reliquiae  Antiquse,  vol.  i,  p.  145. 


INTRODUCTION. 


XV 


And  fleshe  of  my  fleshe  shee  hase, 
And  my  shape  through  thy  sawe  : 
Therfore   shee   shalbe    called    i- 

wisse, 
Virragoo  nothinge  amisse ; 
For  out  of  man  tacken  shee  is. 

And  to  man  she  shall  drawe. 


Ses  OS  sont  de  raes  os  formez, 
Et  sa  chair  de  ma  chair  venue. 
Car  tout  d' un  sang  sont  conformez, 

Selon  qu'elle  est  de  moy  cogneue, 
Dont  pourtant  qu'elle  est  d'homme 

yssue, 
Sera  appellee  virago, 
Pour  ce  que  je  I'ay  apperceue, 
Quia  sumpta  est  de  viro. 

The  two  following  instances,  cited  by  Mr.  Collier,  in- 
volve a  still  more  remarkable  similitude  both  of  idea 
and  phrase.  Abraham  being  on  the  point  of  sacrificing 
his  son,  Isaac  exclaims  (p.  70)  — 

Father,  I  praye  you  hyde  my  Mais  vueillez  moy  les  yeulx 
eyne,  cachier. 

That  I  see  not  the  sorde  so  keyne ;  Affin  que  le  glaive  ne  voye  ; 

Your  strocke,  father,  would  I  not  Quant  de  moy  veudres  appro- 
see,  chier, 

Lest  I  againste  yt  grylle.  Peultetre  que  je  fouyroye. 

And  (p.  85),  Balaam's  ass  says — 

Am  not  I,  master,  thyn  owne  asse,     Balaam,  suis-je  pas  ta  beste. 
To  beare  thee  wheither  thou  wylte     Sur  qui  tu  a  tousjours  este, 
passe, 


And  raanye  wynters  readye  was  ? 

To  smyte  me  yt  is  shame. 

***** 

Ne  never  yet  so  servied  I  thee. 


Tant  en  yver  comrae  en  este  ? 
Te  feiz  jamais  telle  chose  ? 


I  think,  however,  that  these  single  passages  in  a  large 
body  of  pieces  are  not  sufficient  to  prove  a  direct  trans- 
lation or  imitation.  The  argument  deduced  from  the 
circumstance  of  Octavian  and  the  Three  Kino-s  being-  in- 
troduced  speaking  French  has  I  think  still  less  force  :  it 


xvi  INTRODUCTION. 

is  only  a  picture  of  the  age  when  French  was  the  lan- 
guage of  courtiers  in  the  English  court.* 

The  original  date  and  the  authorship  of  the  Chester 
Plays  have  been  subjects  of  considerable  discussion.  My 
own  impression,  from  the  phraseology  and  forms  of 
words  which  may  frequently  be  discovered  in  the  blun- 
ders of  the  modern  scribes,  is  that  the  original  manu- 
script from  which  they  copied  was  of  the  earlier  part  of 
the  fifteenth  or  of  the  end  of  the  fourteenth  century. 
The  traditions  adopted  or  imagined  by  some  old  Chester 
antiquaries,  which  carried  the  composition  of  these  plays 
so  far  back  as  the  mayoralty  of  John  Arneway,  (1268  to 
1276)  and  the  supposition  of  Warton  that  they  were 

*  I  have  omitted  to  give  in  the  note  the  version  of  the  French 
speech  of  Octavian  (p.  101,)  as  it  stands  in  MS.  Harl.  2124,  which 
appears  to  approach  nearest  to  making  sense : — 

Seigneurs  tons  si  assembles 
Ames  proles  estates 
Jey  posse  faire  larment  et  leez 
Et  metten  en  languore 
Nous  toutes  si  prest  ne  sortes 
De  fayre  intentes  movolentes 
Car  Jhesu  soveraigne  bene  sages 
Et  demaund  emperour. 

Jay  si  personne  mille  si  able 
Jei  su  tent  faire  et  beable 
En  tresarois  ne  tresagait 
Mes  de  toile  plerunt 
Destret  et  sage  su  en  cownsell 
A  mi  on  dame  et  on  prael 
Declare  sake  et  mater  frail 
Un  teel  nest  pas  unmaine. 


INTRODUCTION.  xvii 

the  productions  of  Ralph  Higden,  the  chronicler,  appear 
to  me  too  improbable  to  deserve  our  serious  considera- 
tion, unless  they  were  founded  on  more  authentic  state- 
ments or  on  more  substantial  arguments.  The  oldest 
account  of  these  plays  now  known  is  found  in  the  fol- 
lowing proclamation,  of  which  a  copy  is  given  in  the 
Harleian  MS.,  No.  2013. 

The  proclamtion  for  Whitsone  playes,  made  by  Wm  Newall,  clarke 
of  the  Pendice,  24.  Hen.  8.  W™  Snead  2"^^  yere  maior. 

For  as  much  as  ould  tyme,  not  only  for  the  augmentation  and  in- 
creese  of  the  holy  and  catholick  faith  of  our  Saviour  Jesu  Christ, 
and  to  exort  the  mindes  of  comon  people  to  good  devotion  and 
holsome  doctrine  therof,  but  also  for  the  comenwelth  and  pro- 
sperity of  this  citty,  a  play  and  declaration  of  divers  storyes  of 
the  Bible,  beginning  with  the  Creation  and  fall  of  Lucifer,  and 
ending  with  the  generall  Judgment  of  the  world,  to  be  declared  and 
played  in  the  Whitsonne  weeke,  was  devised  and  made  by  one  S' 
Henry  Frances,  somtyme  moonck  of  this  monastrey  disolved,  who 
obtayning  and  gat  of  Clemant,  then  bushop  of  Rome,  a  1000  dayes 
of  pardon,  and  of  the  bushop  of  Chester  at  that  tyme  40  dayes  of 
pardon  graunted  from  thensforth  to  every  person  resorting,  in  peace- 
ble  maner  with  good  devotion,  to  heare  and  see  the  sayd  playes 
from  tyme  to  tyme,  as  oft  as  the  shall  be  played  within  the  sayd 
citty  (and  that  every  person  or  persons  disturbing  the  sayd  playes 
in  any  maner  wise  to  be  accused  by  the  authority  of  the  sayd  pope 
Clemants  bulls,  untill  such  tyme  as  he  or  they  be  absolved  therof), 
which  playes  were  devised  to  the  honor  of  god  by  John  Arnway,  then 
maior  of  this  citty  of  Chester,  his  bretheren  and  whole  cominalty 
therof,  to  be  brought  forth,  declared,  and  played,  at  the  cost  and 
charges  of  the  craftesmen  and  occupations  of  the  sayd  citty,  which 
hitherunto  have  from  tyme  to  tyme  used  and  performed  the  same 
accordingly. 

Wherfore  IVP  maior,  in  the  kings  name,  stratly  chargeth  and 
comandeth  that  every  person  and  persons,  of  what  estate,  degree,  or 

b 


xviii  INTRODUCTION. 

condition  so  ever  he  or  they  be  resorting  to  the  sayd  playes,  do  use 
themselves  peaciblie,  without  making  any  asault,  affray,  or  other  dis- 
turbance, wherby  the  same  playes  shall  be  disturbed,  and  that  no 
maner  of  person  or  persons,  whiche  so  ever  he  or  they  be,  do  use  or 
weare  any  unlawfull  weapons  within  the  precinct  of  the  sayd  citty 
during  the  tyme  of  the  sayd  playes  (not  only  upon  payn  of  cursing  by 
authority  of  the  sayd  pope  Clemants  bulls,  but  also)  upon  payne  of 
enprisonment  of  their  bodyes,  and  making  fine  to  the  king  at  M' 
maiors  pleasure. 

In  a  note  at  the  end  of  this  proclamation,  written  in 
a  later  hand  than  the  proclamation,  which  itself  appears 
to  be  of  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century,  we  find  a 
statement  to  the  following  eifect : — 

S""  J°  Arnway,  maior  1327  and  1328,  at  which  tyme  these  playes 
were  written  by  Randall  Higgenett,  a  monk  of  Chester  abby,  and 
played  openly  in  the  Whitson  weeke. 

From  the  notes  collected  by  Mr.  Collier,  and  pub- 
blished  in  his  interesting  History  of  Dramatic  Poetry, 
it  appears  that  these  Mysteries  were,  to  a  certain  de- 
gree, proscribed  after  the  Reformation,  in  spite  of  which, 
however,  they  continued  to  be  acted  at  intervals.  From 
the  superscription  to  the  Banes  in  the  MS.  written  in 
1 600,  and  printed  at  the  beginning  of  the  present  volume, 
it  would  appear  that  there  was  a  revival  of  the  perform- 
ance of  the  Chester  Plays  in  that  year.  These  Banes 
repeat  the  story  of  their  composition  in  the  mayoralty 
of  Arnway,  by  a  monk  of  Chester  named  "  Randoll :" 
and  appear  to  have  been  intended  to  supersede  the 
proclamation  of  the  reign  of  Henry  VHI.  given  above. 

Among  other  notes  relating  to  the  antiquities  of 
Chester,  there  has  been  fortunately  preserved  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  mode  in  which  tlie  Mysteries  were  performed 


INTRODUCTION.  xix 

at  a  time  when  they  had,  in  all  probability,  lost  very 
little  of  their  primitive  character.  Archdeacon  Rogers, 
who  died  in  1595,  and  saw  the  Whitsun  Plays  performed 
at  Chester  in  the  preceding-  year,  gives  the  following  ac- 
count of  the  mode  of  exhibition.* 

The  time  of  the  yeare  they  weare  played  was  on  Monday,  Tuesday, 
and  Wensedaye  in  Whitson  weeke.  The  maner  of  these  playes  weare, 
every  company  had  his  pagiant,  or  parte,  which  pagiants  weare  a  high 
scafolde  with  2  rowmes,  a  higer  and  a  lower,  upon  4  wheeles.  In 
the  lower  they  apparelled  them  selves,  and  in  the  higher  rowrae  they 
played,  beinge  all  open  on  the  tope,  that  all  behoulders  mighte  heare 
and  see  them.  The  places  where  they  played  them  was  in  every  streete. 
They  begane  first  at  the  abay  gates,  and  when  the  firste  pagiante  was 
played,  it  was  wheeled  to  the  highe  crosse  before  the  mayor,  and  so 
to  every  streete  ;  and  soe  every  streete  had  a  pagiant  playinge  before 
them  at  one  time,  till  all  the  pagiantes  for  the  daye  appoynted  weare 
played  :  and  when  one  pagiant  was  neere  ended,  worde  was  broughte 
from  streete  to  streete,  that  soe  the  mighte  come  in  place  thereof, 
excedinge  orderly e,  and  all  the  streetes  have  theire  pagiantes  afore 
them  all  at  one  time  playeinge  togeather ;  to  se  which  playes  was 
greate  resorte,  and  also  scafoldes  and  stages  made  in  the  streetes  in 
those  places  where  they  determined  to  playe  theire  pagiantes. 

The  same  writer,  in  another  MS.  quoted  by  Mr. 
Sharp,  gives  the  following  additional  details. 

The  manner  of  which  playes  was  thus :  they  weare  divided  into 
24  pagiantes,  according  to  the  companyes  of  the  cittie,  and  every 
companye  brought  forthe  their  pagiant,  wliich  was  the  cariage  or 
place  which  the  played  in.  And  thei  first  beganne  at  the  Abbaye 
gates  ;  and  when  the  firste  pagiante  was  played  at  the  Abbaye  gates, 
then  it  was  wheled  from  thense  to  Pentice,  at  the  hyghe  crosse,  before 

*  MS.  Harl.  No.  1948,  fol.  48,  r°.  It  is  stated  in  the  same  place 
that  the  first  nine  were  performed  on  the  Monday,  the  nine  following 
on  the  Tuesday,  and  the  seven  remaining  plays  on  the  Wednesday. 


XX  INTRODUCTION. 

the  maior,  and  before  that  was  donne  the  seconde  came,  and  the  firste 
went  into  the  Watergate  Streete,  and  from  thense  unto  the  Bridge 
Streete,  and  so  one  after  an  other  till  all  the  pagiantes  weare  played 
appoynted  for  the  firste  daye,  and  so  likewise  for  the  seconde  and  the 
thirde  daye.  These  pagiantes  or  cariges  was  a  highe  place  made  like 
a  howse,  with  2  rowmes,  beinge  open  on  the  tope  :  the  lower  rowme 
theie  apparrelled  and  dressed  themselves,  and  the  higher  rowme  theie 
played  ;  and  thei  stoode  upon  vi.  wheeles;  and  when  the  had  donne 
with  one  cariage  in  one  place,  theie  wheled  the  same  from  one  streete 
to  another. 

It  is  not  easy  to  account  for  the  number  of  transcripts 
of  the  Chester  Plays  which  were  made  in  the  closing 
years  of  the  sixteenth  century  and  at  the  beginning  of 
the  seventeenth.  Five  copies  made  during  this  period 
are  still  preserved.  The  first  of  these  was  written  in 
1591,  by  "  Edward  Gregorie,  a  scholar  of  Bunbury,"  and 
is  now  in  the  possession  of  the  Duke  of  Devonshire ;  the 
two  next  in  date  (now  MS.  Additional,  in  the  Brit.  Mus. 
No.  10,305,  and  MS.  Harl.  No.  2013)  were  written  by 
George  Bellin  in  1592  and  1600  ;  a  fourth  was  written 
by  William  Bedford,  in  1604,  and  is  now  in  the  Bodleian 
Library,  MS.  Bodley,  No.  1 75 ;  and  the  latest  in  date  (MS. 
Harl.  No.  2124)  was  written  in  1607  by  James  Miller. 
All  these  transcripts,  made  by  persons  who  were  not  well 
acquainted  with  the  language  of  the  original  MS.  from 
which  they  copied  or  with  palaeography  in  general,  are 
full  of  errors,  which  could  only  be  partially  eradicated 
by  a  careful  collation  of  them  all,  a  work  of  so  much 
labour  that  it  would  hardly  be  repaid  by  the  result. 
The  present  text  is  taken  from  the  MS.  of  1592,  with  a 
few  corrections  from  that  of  1600,  from  which  also 
several  lacunes  and  the  whole   of   the   "  banes"  have 


INTRODUCTION.  xxi 

been  supplied.  In  the  notes  I  have  given  the  various 
readings  of  these  two  manuscripts,  together  with  a  few 
from  the  transcript  of  1607  (MS.  Harl.  No.  2124).  In 
these  notes,  I  have  been  content  to  give  a  few  popular 
illustrations,  with  glosses  on  the  less  common  words,  as 
it  appeared  to  me  probable  that  the  latter  would  be  use- 
ful to  a  large  portion  of  the  readers  among  whom  this 
book  will  circulate.  Many  of  the  obsolete  words  appear 
to  be  so  much  disfigured  by  the  modern  scribes,  that  I 
had  not  ventured  to  assign  a  meaning,  which  could  only 
have  been  done  by  guess. 

Three  of  the  plays  of  this  collection  had  been  pre- 
viously printed :  Noah's  Flood  and  the  Slaughter  of 
the  Innocents  (from  the  earliest  Harleian  MS.)  by  Mr. 
Markland  for  the  Roxburghe  Club,  and  The  Advent  of 
Antichrist  (from  the  MS.  belonging  to  the  Duke  of  Devon- 
shire) in  a  privately  printed  but  very  interesting  volume 
by  Mr.  Collier.* 

*  Five  Miracle  Plays,  or  Scriptural  Dramas.  Privately  printed, 
under  the  care  of  J.  Payne  Collier,  F.S.A.  Small  8vo.,  London, 
1836  (only  25  copies  printed).  I  have  omitted  to  state  in  my  note 
on  the  History  of  Abraham,  in  the  present  volume,  that,  in  the  col- 
lection just  mentioned,  Mr,  Collier  has  published  a  play  on  the  same 
subject,  found  in  a  MS.  in  the  Library  of  Trinity  College,  Dublin. 


THE  CHESTEE  PLAYS. 


THE  SLAUGHTER  OF  THE  INNOCENTS. 
From  a  beautiful  illuminated  missal  of  the  1.5th  century, 
the  possession  of  M.  le  Colouel  Tlienbet. 


THE 


CHESTER    PLAYS. 

PROEMIUM. 

The  rcadinge  of  the  Banes,  1600. 

,The  Banes  which  are  reade  beefore  the  beginninge  of  the  playes  of 
Chester,  4  June,  1600. 

Reverende  lordes  and  ladyes  all, 

That  at  this  tyme  here  assembled  bee, 

By  this  messauge  uuderstande  you  shall 

That  some  tymes  there  was  mayor  of  this  citie 

Sir  John  Arnway,  knighte,  who  moste  worthilye 

Contented  hymselfe  to  sett  out  in  playe 

The  devise  of  one  Done  Rondall,  moonke  of  Chester  Abbey. 

This  moonke,  moonke-like,  in  Scriptures  well  seene, 
In  storyes  travilled  with  the  beste  sorte. 
In  pagentes  set  fourth  apparently  to  all  eyne 
The  olde  and  newe  testament,  with  livelye  comforth, 
Interminglinge  therewith,  onely  to  make  sporte, 
Some  thinges  not  warranted  by  any  writt, 
Which  to  gladd  the  hearers  he  woulde  men  to  take  yt. 
VOL.  I.  B 


2  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

This  matter  he  abrevited  into  playes  tweuty-foure, 

And  every  playe  of  the  matter  gave  but  a  taste, 

Leavino-e  for  better  learnin^e  the  scircumstance  to  aecomplishe 

For  all  his  proceedinges  maye  appeare  to  be  in  haste, 

Yet  all  together  unprofitable  his  labour  he  did  not  waste  ; 

For  at  this  daye  and  ever  he  deserveth  the  fame 

Which  all  monkes  deserves,  professinge  that  name. 

These  storyes  of  the  Testamente  at  this  tyme,  you  knowe, 
In  a  common  Englishe  tongue  never  read  nor  harde  ; 
Yet  therof  in  these  pageutes  to  make  open  shewe, 
This  moonke  and  moonke  was  nothinge  afreayde 
With  feare  of  hanginge,  breninge,  or  cuttinge  off  heade. 
To  sett  out,  that  all  maye  disserne  and  see 
And  parte  good  be  lefte,  beleeve  you  mee. 

As  in  this  citie  divers  yeares  the  have  bene  set  out, 
Soe  at  this  tyme  of  Penticoste,  called  Whitsontyde, 
Allthough  to  all  the  citie  foUowe  labour  and  coste, 
Yet  God  guiving  leave  that  tyme  shall  you,  in  playe. 
For  three  dayes  together,  begyninge  one  Mondaye, 
See  these  pagentes  played  to  the  beste  of  theire  skill ; 
Wher  to  supplye  all  wantes  shalbe  noe  wantes  of  good  will. 

As  all  that  shall  see  them  shall  moste  welcome  be, 
Soe  all  that  here  them  wee  moste  humble  praye 
Not  to  compare  this  matter  or  storie 
With  the  age  or  tyme  wherin  we  presentlye  staye, 
But  in  the  tyme  of  ignorance,  wherin  we  did  straye  ; 
Then  doe  I  compare  that  this  lande  throughout 
Non  had  the  like,  nor  the  like  dose  sett  out. 

If  the  same  be  likeinge  to  the  comens  all, 

Then  our  desier  is  to  satisfie,  for  that  is  all  our  game  ; 

Yf  noe  matter  or  shewe  therof  speciall 

Doe  not  please,  but  misslike  the  most  of  the  trayne. 


PROEMIUM.  c 

Goe  backe,  I  saye,  to  the  firste  tyme  againe ; 

Then  shall  you  fynde  the  fyne  witt  at  this  day  aboundinge, 

At  that  day  and  that  age  had  verye  small  beinge. 

Oondempue  not  our  matter  where  grosse  wordes  you  here, 
Which  ymporte  at  this  day  small  seuce  or  understandinge, 
As  some  tyme  postie  lewtie,  in  good  manner,  or  in  feare. 
With  such  like,  wilbe  uttered  in  there  speeches  speakeinge. 
At  this  tyme  those  speeches  carried  good  likeinge, 
Tlio  at  this  tyme  you  take  them  spoken  at  that  tyme  ; 
As  well  matter  and  wordes,  then,  is  all  well  and  fyne. 


This  worthy  knighte,  Arnway,  then  mayor  of  this  citie, 

This  order  toke,  as  declare  to  you  I  shall, 

That  by  twentye-fower  occupations,  artes,  craftes,  or  misterie, 

These  pagentes  shoulde  be  played,  after  breeffe  rehearsall ; 

For  everye  pagente  a  cariage  to  be  provyded  withall ; 

In  which  sorte  we  porpose,  this  Whitsontyde, 

Our  pageantes  into  three  partes  to  devyde. 

1.  Nowe,  you  worshippfull  tanners,  that  of  custome  olde 
The  fall  of  Lucifer  did  set  out, 

Some  writers  awarrante  your  matter,  theirfore  be  boulde, 
Erstelye  to  playe  the  same  to  all  the  rowtte  ; 
And  yf  any  therof  stande  in  any  doubte. 
Your  authour  his  auther  hath,  your  shewe  let  bee 
Good  speech,  fyne  players,  with  apparrill  comelye. 

2.  Of  the  drapers  you  the  wealthy  company e. 
The  creation  of  the  worlde,  Adam  and  Eve, 
Accordiuge  to  your  wealth,  set  out  wealthilye, 
And  howe  Cayne  his  brother  Abell  his  life  did  bereave. 

8.  The  good  symple  water-leaders  and  drawers  of  Deey, 
See  that  your  arke  in  all  poyntes  be  prepared ; 

B  2 


Worsh"  tan- 
ners. 


Drapers. 


Water- 
leaders. 
Drawers  in 
Dee. 


4  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Of  Noy  and  his  children  the  wholl  storye, 

And  of  the  universall  floude,  by  you  shalbe  played. 

Barbers.        4.  The  sacriffice  that  faythfull  Abraham  to  his  sonne  should 

Wax  , 

chauiidlers.  make, 

You,  barbers  and  waxe  chaundlers  of  aunciente  tyme, 

In  the  fourth  pageante  with  paines  you  doe  take, 

In  decente  sorte  set  out  ;  the  storie  is  ffine ; 

The  offeringe  of  Melchesedecke  of  breade  and  wine, 

And  the  preservation  therof,  set  in  your  playe, 

Suffer  you  not  in  any  poynte  the  storye  to  take  awaye. 

Cappers.        5.  Cappers  and  lynnen  drapers,  see  that  you  fourth  bringe. 

Linen  dra-  j^^  ^^^H  decked  order,  that  worthy  storie 

pers. 

Of  Balaam  and  his  asse,  and  of  Balacke  the  kinge  ; 

Make  the  asse  to  speake,  and  sett  yt  out  livelye. 

Wrighte?.      6.  Of  Octavion  the  emperour,  that  coulde  not  well  alowe 
Slaters.  rj^j^^  prophesye  of  auncieut  Sibell  the  sage. 

You  wrightes  and  sklaters,  with  good  players  in  showe, 
Lustelye  bringe  fourth  your  well  decked  carriage  : 
The  beirth  of  Christe  shall  all  see  in  that  stage  : 
Yf  the  Scriptures  awarrant  not  of  the  mydwyfes  reporte, 
The  authour  telleth  his  authour,  then  take  it  in  sporte. 

Painters.        7.  The  appearinge  angell  and  starr  upon  Christes  beirth 
Glassiers.  rp^  slieapeardes  poore,  of  base  and  lowe  degree, 

You  painters  and  glasiors  decke  out  with  all  meirth, 
And  see  that  Gloria  in  excelsis  be  songe  merelye. 
Fewe  wordes  in  that  pageante  makes  meirth  truely. 
For  all  that  the  alter  had  to  stande  uppon. 
Was  giorye  to  God  above,  and  peace  one  earth  to  man. 

Merchants     8.  And   you,  worthy  marchantes  vintners,  that   nowe   have 
^'»^"^''^-  plenty  of  wine, 

Amplifye  the  storie  of  those  wise  kinges  three, 


PROEMIUM.  5 

That  through  Herodes  lande  and  realme,  by  the  starre  that 

did  shine, 
Sought  the  sighte  of  the  saviour  that  then  borne  shoulde 

bee. 

9.  And  you,  worshippfnll  mercers,  though  costely  and  fyne,     ^o'"-  '^^^' 
\  ee  tryme  up  your  cariage  as  custome  ever  was  ; 
Yet  in  a  stable  was  he  borne,  that  mighty  kinge  devyne, 
Poorely  in  a  stable,  betwixte  an  oxe  and  an  asse. 

10.  You,  gouldesmythes  and  masons,  make  comely  shewe.         Goldsmiths. 
Howe  Herode  did  rage  at  the  retorne  of  those  kinges. 

And  how  he  slewe  the  small  tender  male  babes, 
Beinge  under  two  yeares  of  age. 

1 1 .  You,  smythes,  honest  men  and  of  honest  arte,  Smiths. 
Howe  Ohriste  amonge  the  docters  in  the  temple  did  dispute, 

To  set  out  in  playe  comely  yt  shalbe  your  parte, 
Get  mynstrills  to  that  shewe,  pipe,  tabarte,  and  flute. 

12.  And  nexte  to  this  you,  bowchers  of  this  citie,  Buchers. 
The  storie  of  Sathan,  that  Christe  woulde  needes  tempte. 

Set  out  as  accostamablie  have  yee, 

The  devill  in  his  fethers  all  rago-er  and  rente. 

13.  The  death  of  Lazarus  and  his  riseinge  againe,  Glovers. 
You,  of  glovers  the  wholl  occupation. 

In  pagente  with  players  orderly,  let  yt  not  be  paine 
Finely  to  advaunce  after  the  beste  fashion. 

14.  The  storye  liowe  that  to  Jerusalem  our  Saviour  toke  the   Corvisors. 

waye. 
You,  corvisors,  that  in  nomber  manye  bee, 
With  your  Jerusalem  carriage  shall  set  out  in  playe  ; 
A  commendable  true  storye  and  worthy  memorye. 


6  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Bakers.  15.  And  liOAve  Cliriste,  our  Savyour,  at  his  last  super 

Grave  liis  bodye  and  his  bloude  for  redemption  of  us  all, 
You,  bakers,  see  that  with  the  same  wordes  you  utter, 
As  Christ  hym  selfe  spake  them,  to  be  a  memoriall 
Of  that  death  and  passion  which  in  playe  ensue  after  shall. 
The  worste  of  these  stories  doe  not  fall  to  your  parte ; 
Therefore,  caste  god  looves  abroade  with  a  cheerfull  harte. 

ffleclieis.        16.  You,  ffletchers,  boweyers,  cowpers,  stringers,  and  iremongers, 
clolerT  See  soberly  ye  make  of  Christes  dolefull  death, 

Stringers.  His  scourginge,  his  whippinge,  his  bloude  shedde  and  passion, 

°     '        And  all  the  paines  he  suffered  till  the  last  of  liis  breath  : 
Lordinges,  in  this  storye  consisteth  our  cheeffe  ffayth. 

Cookes.  17.  As  our  beleeflfe  is  that  Christe,  after  his  passion, 

Descended  into  hell,  but  what  he  did  in  that  place, 
Though  our  authour  sett  fourth  after  his  opinion. 
Yet  creditt  you  the  best  learned,  those  doth  he  not  disgrace  : 
We  wishe  that  of  all  sortes  the  beste  you  ymbrace  ; 
You,  cookes,  with  your  carriage  see  that  you  doe  well 
In  pagente  sett  out  the  harrowinge  of  hell. 

Skinners.       18.  The  skynners  before  you  after  shall  playe 
The  storye  of  the  resurrection, 
Howe  Christe  from  death  rose  the  thirde  daye, 
Not  altered  in  many  poyntes  from  the  olde  fashion. 

Sadlers  ^^'  "^^^^  saddlers  and  ffusterers  shoulde  in  theire  pagent  declare 

flfusterers.  The  appearances  of  Christe  his  travayle  to  Emaus, 

His  often  speach  to  the  women  and  to  his  disciples  deere. 
To  make  his  riseinjre  ao-aine  to  all  the  worlde  notorious. 

Taylours.       20.  Then  see  that  you,  telers,  with  cariage  decente 

The  storye  of  the  Assention  formablye  doe  frame, 
Wherby  that  gloryous  body  in  cloudes  most  orient 
Is  taken  up  to  the  heavens  with  perpetuall  fame. 


PROEMIUM.  7 

21.  This  of  the  okle  and  newe  Testament  to  eude  all  the  storye  ffishmono-ers. 
Which  our  aulter  meaneth  at  this  tyme  to  have  in  pleaye, 

You,  ffishemongers,  to  the  peagent  of  the  holy  ghoste  well  see, 
That  in  good  order  yt  be  donne,  as  hath  bene  all  waye. 

22.  And  after  those  ended  yt  doth  not  the  storye  staye,  Shermen. 
But  by  prophettes  sheweth  fourth  howe  Antichrist  should 

rise  ; 
Which  you,  shermen,  sett  out  in  moste  comely  wise. 

23.  And  then  you,  diers  and  hewsters,  Antechrist  bringe  out,    Diers. 
First  with  his  docter  that  godlye  maye  expounde,  Hewsters. 
Who  be  Antechristes  the  worlde  rounde  aboute, 

And  Enocke  and  hely  persons  walkinge  one  grouude. 
In  partes  set  you  well  out  the  wicked  to  confounde ; 
Which  beinge  understanded  Christes  worde  for  to  bee, 
Confoundeth  all  Antechristes  and  sextes  of  that  degree. 

24.  The  cominge  of  Christe  to  geve  eternall  judgement,  Wavers. 
You,  weavers,  last  of  all  your  parte  is  for  to  playe  ; 
Domesday  we  call  yt,  when  the  Omnipotente 

Shall  make  ende  of  this  worlde  by  sentence,  I  saye. 
One  his  riglite  hande  to  stande  God  grante  us  that  daye, 
And  to  have  that  sweete  worde  in  melodye, 
'  Come  liether,  come  hetlier,  venite  henecUcti.'' 

To  which  rest  of  wayes  and  selestiall  habitation 
Grante  us  free  passage,  that  all  together  wee. 
Accompanied  with  angells  and  endlesse  delectation, 
Maye  coutynually  laude  God  and  prayse  that  kinge  of  glorye. 

Amen.    Jinis.  Deo  grucias.  per  me  Georgium  Bellin,  1600. 


THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 


I.     THE  FALL  OF  LUCIFER. 

The  tanners  playe,  beinge  the  .... 

[Pagina  prima  de  cell,  ajigelorum,  et  infirne  sp'un  creacion  (s''") 
pagina.] 

God. 
Bpo  sum  alpha  et  o,  primus  et  ultimiis. 

It  is  my  will  yt  slioulde  be  soe, 

Hit  is,  yt  was,  it  slialbe  thus  : 

I  am  greate  God  gracious, 

Which  never  hade  beginuiuge. 

The  wholle  foode  of  parente 

Is  sette  in  my  essencion  ; 

I  am  the  tryall  of  the  Trenitye, 

Which  never  shalbe  twyninge ; 

Pearles  patron  imperiall, 

And  patris  sapiencia. 

My  beames  be  all  bewtitudo, 

All  blesse  is  in  my  buildinge, 

All  myrth  lyeth  in  mansuetude 

Cum  dei  potentia. 

Bouth  viscible  and  inviscible, 

As  God  greateste  and  glory ous, 

All  is  in  mea  licentia  ; 

For  all  the  miglite  of  the  magistie 

Is  magnified  in  me  : 

Prince,  principall,  provyde 

In  my  perpetuall  provydense. 


THE  FALL  OF  LUCIFER. 

I  was  never  but  one, 

And  ever  one  in  three, 

Sette  in  my  substanciall  southnes, 

Which,  in  selestiall  sapience, 

The  three  tryalles  in  a  throne, 

And  trewe  Trenitie, 

Be  grounded  in  my  God  heade, 

Exsaulted  by  my  excelencye. 

The  mighte  of  my  makinge  is  marked  in  me, 

Dissolvemus  under  a  dieadem, 

By  my  devyne  experiens. 

Nowe  seith  I  am  soe  solempe, 

And  sett  in  my  solotacion, 

A  biglye  blesse  heare  will  I  builde, 

A  heaven  without  endinge. 

And  caste  a  comlye  compas. 

By  comlye  creacion, 

Nine  orders  of  angelles 

Be  ever  at  onste  dese[ndinge.] 

Doe  your  indever,  a[nd  doubte  you  not,] 

Under  my  domyn[acion,] 

[To  sytt  in  celestiall  saffcye  :] 

[All  solace  to  your  sendinge.] 

[For  all  the  likeinge  in  this  lordshipp] 

[Be  laude  to  my  laudacion  ;] 

[Through  might  of]  my  moste  magistie, 

[Your  meirth  shall]  ever  be  mendinge. 

LUCIFFIER. 

Lorde,  through  thy  mighte  thou  haste  us  wroughte 
Nine  orderes  heare,  that  we  maye  see, 
Cherubyn  and  Seraphyn  through  thy  grace. 
Thrones  and  dominaciones  in  blesse  to  be. 
With  principates  that  order  brighte. 
And  potestates  in  blissful  lighte, 


10  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Alsoe  vertutes  through  thy  greate  mighte, 

Angell,  also  arckeangele, 

Niue  orderes  nowe  heare  be  witterlye, 

That  thou  haste  made  heare  full  righte  ; 

In  thy  blesse  full  brighte  the  be, 

And  I  the  principall,  Lorde,  heare  in  thy  sighte. 

God. 

Heare  have  I  you  wroughte,  with  heavenly  mighte, 

Of  angelles  nine  orderes  of  greate  bewtye  ; 

Ich  one  with  other,  as  it  is  righte. 

To  walke  aboute  the  Trenitie  : 

Nowe,  Lucifier  and  Lightborne,  loke  lowlye  you  be. 

The  blessinge  of  my  begyninge 

I  geve  to  my  operacion. 

For  crafte  nor  for  cuninge, 

[Oas]te  never  comprehencion  ; 

Ausculte  you  not  to  excelente. 

Into  highe  exsaltacion  ; 

Loke  that  you  tende  rightewislye  ; 

For  hense  I  wilbe  wendinge. 

The  worlde,  that  is  bouth  voyde  and  vayne, 

I  forme  in  the  formacion. 

With  a  dongion  of  darckenes. 

Which  never  shall  have  endinge. 

This  worcke  is  nowe  well  wroughte 

[By  my]  devyue  formacion  ; 

[This  wjorcke  is  well  donne, 

[That  is]  soe  cleane  and  cleare, 

[As  I  you]  made  of  naughte  : 

[My  blessinge]  I  geve  you  heare. 

Angelis. 

[Wee  thanke  thee,  Lorde,]  full  soveraignlyc, 
[That  us  hath  formed  soe]  cleane  and  cleare, 


THE  FALL  OF  LUCIFER.  11 

[Ever  in  this  blesse  to  byde]  thee  bye  ; 
[Graunte  us  thy  grace  ever  to]  byde  heare. 

Arckeangelis. 

Heare  for  to  byde  Grod  grante  [us  grace  ;] 

To  please  this  prince  withouten  [peare,] 

Hym  for  to  thanke  with  some  solace, 

A  sono;e  nowe  lett  us  sinsre  in  feare.  a  sonce  Dis- 


71  us  Dei. 


God. 

Nowe  seeinge  I  have  formed  you  soe  fayer, 
And  exaulted  you  so  excelente, 
And  heare  I  sett  you  nexte  my  cheare, 
My  love  to  you  is  soe  fervente. 
Loke  you  fall  not  in  not  dispayer ; 
Touch  not  my  throne  by  non  assente : 
All  youer  bewtye  I  shall  appayre, 
And  pryde  fall  oughte  in  youer  inteute. 

LUCIFIER. 

Naye,  Lorde,  that  will  we  not  indeede, 

For  nothinge  treasspass  unto  thee  ; 

Thy  greate  God-heade  we  will  ever  dreed, 

And  never  exsaulte  our  selfes  soe  liye. 

Thou  haste  us  marked  with  greate  mighte  and  mayn, 

In  thy  blesse  ever  more  to  byde  and  be, 

In  lastinge  life  our  life  to  leade, 

And  bearer  of  lighte  thou  haste  made  me. 

LiGHTBORNE, 

And  I  am  marcked  of  that  same  moulde  : 
Lovinge  be  to  our  Creator, 
That  us  hath  made  gayer  then  goulde, 
Under  his  dyeadem  ever  to  induer. 


12  the  chester  plays. 

God. 
I  have  forbyde  that  ye  nere  shoulde 
But  kepe  you  well  in  that  stature  ; 
The  same  coveiuaut  I  charge  you  houlde, 
In  payne  of  heaven  your  forfature  ; 
For  I  will  wende  and  take  my  trace, 
And  see  this  blesse  in  everye  tower. 
Iche  one  of  you  kepe  well  his  place, 
And,  Lucifier,  I  make  thee  governoure  : 
Nowe  I  charge  the  grounde  of  grace, 
That  it  be  sette  with  my  order  ; 
Behoulde  the  beames  of  my  brighte  face, 
Which  ever  was  and  shall  induer. 
This  is  youer  health  in  everye  case. 
To  behoulde  youer  Creature  : 
Was  never  non  like  me  so  full  of  grace, 
Nor  never  shall  as  my  figure. 
[Here  will  I]  byde  nowe  in  this  place, 
[To  be]  angelles  comforture  ; 
[To  be]  reviscible  in  shorte  space, 
[It  is]  my  will  in  this  same  owre. 

Lucifier. 

Aha  !  that  I  am  wounderous  brighte, 
Amonge  you  all  shynning  full  cleare  ; 
Of  all  heaven  I  beare  the  lighte, 
Though  God  hym  selfe  and  he  were  heare. 
All  in  this  throne  yf  that  I  were, 
Then  shoulde  I  be  as  wyse  as  hee : 
What  saye  you,  angelles,  all  that  be  heare  ? 
Some  comforte  sone  nowe  lett  me  see. 

Vertutes. 

AVe  will  not  assente  unto  youer  pryde, 
Nor  in  our  hartes  take  suche  a  thoughte  ; 


THE  FALL  OF  LUCIFER.  13 

But  that  our  Lorde  shalbe  our  guycle, 
And  kepe  that  he  to  us  hath  wroughte, 

Oherubyn. 

Our  Lorde  commaunded  all  that  be  heare 
To  kepe  ther  seates,  bouth  more  and  lesse ; 
Therfore  I  warne  the,  Lucifier, 
This  pryde  will  torne  to  greate  destresse, 

Lucifier. 

Destres  !  I  commaunde  you  for  to  cease, 
And  see  the  bewtye  that  I  beare  ; 
All  heaven  shines  through  my  brightnes, 
For  God  hym  selfe  shines  not  so  cleare. 

DOMINACIONES. 
Off  all  angelles  you  beare  the  prise, 
And  moste  bewtye  is  you  befall ; 
My  counscell  is  that  you  be  wise, 
That  you  bringe  not  youer  selfes  in  thrall. 

Principates. 
Yf  that  ye  in  thrall  you  bringe. 
Then  shall  you  have  a  wicked  fall ; 
And  also  youer  ofspringe, 
Awaye  with  you  the  shall  all. 

Cheraphin. 
Our  brethrens  counscell  is  good  [to  here,] 
To  you  I  saye,  Lucifier  and  Lightborne  ; 
Wherfore  be  ware  you  of  this  clieare, 
Leste  that  you  have  a  fowle  spurne. 

Lightborne. 

In  fayth,  brother,  yett  jou  shall 

Sitte  in  this  throne,  that  is  cleane  and  cleare. 


14  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

That  ye  mighte  be  as  wise  withall 
As  God  hym  selfe,  yi  he  were  hoare  ; 
Therfore  you  shalbe  sette  heare. 
That  all  heaven  maye  you  behoulde, 
The  brightnes  of  youer  bodye  cleare 
Is  brighter  then  God  a  thousande  foulde. 

Thrones. 

Alas  !  that  bewtye  will  you  spill ; 

Yf  you  kepe  it  all  in  youer  thoughte, 

Then  will  pryde  have  all  his  will. 

And  bringe  youer  brightnes  all  to  naughte. 

Lett  it  passe  out  of  youer  thoughte, 

And  caste  awaye  all  wicked  pryde, 

And  kepe  youer  brightnes  to  you  is  wroughte, 

And  lett  our  Lorde  be  all  our  guyde. 

POTESTATES. 

Alas  !  that  pryde  is  the  walle  of  bewtye. 
That  tornes  youer  thoughte  to  greate  offence  : 
The  brightnes  of  youer  layer  bodye 
Will  make  you  to  goe  hense. 

LUCIFIER. 
Goe  hense  !   behoulde,  seniors,  one  eyerye  syde, 
And  unto  me  you  caste  youer  eyne : 
I  charoe  you,  angelles,  in  this  tyde 
Behoulde  and  see  nowe  what  I  nieane. 
Above  greate  God  I  will  me  guyde, 
And  sette  my  selfe  heare  as  I  weue ; 
I  am  pearles  and  prince  of  pryde, 
For  God  hym  selfe  shines  not  soe  shene. 
Heare  will  I  sitte  nowe  in  his  steade, 
To  exsaulte  my  selfe  in  this  same  [see  ;] 
Behoulde  my  bodye,  handes,  and  [head  ;] 


THE  FALL  OF  LUCIFER.  15 

The  miglite  of  God  is  marcked  [in  inee  ;] 
All  angelles  torne  to  me,  I  read, 
And  to  yoiier  soverigne  kn[eele  one  your  knee  :] 
[I  ame  your]  comforte,  boutli  lorde  and  lieade, 
[The  meirth]  and  mighte  of  the  magistie. 

LiGHTBORNE. 

And  I  am  nexte  of  the  same  degree, 
Repleth  by  all  exsperience  : 
Me  thinkes  yf  I  mighte  sitt  hym  by, 
All  heaven  shoulde  doe  us  reverence. 
All  orderes  maye  assente  to  thee  and  me ; 
Thou  haste  them  torned  by  eloquence  : 
And  heare  were  nowe  the  Trenitie, 
We  shoulde  hym  passe  by  our  fullgens. 

DOMINACIONES. 

Alas  !  why  make  you  this  greate  ofience  l 
Boutli  Lucifier  and  Lightborne,  to  you  I  saj'e. 
Our  sovereigne  Lorde  will  have  you  heuse, 
And  he  fynde  you  in  this  araye. 
Goe  to  youer  seates,  and  wende  you  hense ; 
You  have  begone  a  parlous  playe  ; 
You  shall  well  witte  the  subsequens, 
This  daunce  shall  torne  to  teene  and  traye. 

Lucifier. 

I  reade  you  all,  doe  me  reverence. 
That  am  repleath  with  heavenlye  grace. 
Though  God  come,  I  will  not  hence, 
But  sitte  righte  heare  before  his  face. 

God. 

Save,  what  araye  doe  you  make  heare  ? 
Whoe  is  youer  prince  and  principall  I 


16  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

I  made  thee  angell  and  Lucifier, 

And  lieare  thou  wouldeste  be  lorde  over  all : 

Therfore,  I  charge  this  order  cleare 

Faste  from  this  place  loke  that  you  fall ; 

Full  soone  I  shall  chaunge  youer  cheare  ; 

For  youer  fowle  pryde  to  hell  you  shall ! 

Lucifier,  who  sett  thee  heare  when  I  was  goo  ? 

What  have  I  offended  unto  thee  ? 

[I]  made  thee  my  frinde,  thou  art  my  fooe ; 

[Why]  haste  thou  treasspased  this  to  me  ? 

[Above]  all  angelles  ther  were  noe  moe 

[That  sitt]  so  nighe  my  magistie, 

[I  charge]  you  all,  falle  tell  I  byde  whoo, 

[Into  the  de]epe  pitte  of  hell  ever  to  be. 

Nowe  Lucifier  and  [Lightborne  fall]. 

Primus  Demon. 

Alas  !  that  ever  we  were  wroughte ! 
That  we  shoulde  come  into  this  place  ! 
We  were  in  joye,  nowe  we  be  naughte. 
Alas !  we  have  forfeted  our  grace. 

Secundus  Demon. 

And  even  heither  thou  haste  us  broughte, 
Into  the  dongion  to  take  our  trace ; 
All  this  sorowe  thou  haste  us  soughte  : 
The  devill  maye  speade  thy  stinckinge  face. 

Primus  Demon. 

My  face,  false  feature,  for  thy  fare, 
Thou  haste  us  broughte  to  teene  and  traye ; 
I  cumber,  I  counger,  I  kindle  in  care, 
I  sincke  in  sorowe,  what  shall  I  saye  ? 


the  fall  of  lucifer.  17 

Secundus  Demon. 
Thou  haste  us  broughte  this  wicked  waye, 
Through  thy  mighte  and  thy  pryde, 
Out  of  the  blesse  that  lasteth  [aye,] 
lu  sorowe  ever  more  for  to  abyde. 

Primus  Demon. 

Thy  wytte  yt  was  as  well  as  myne, 
Of  that  pryde  that  we  did  shewe, 
And  nowe  bene  heare  in  hell  fier, 
Tell  the  daye  of  dome,  tell  beames  blowe. 

Secundus  Demon. 

Then  shall  we  never  wante  for  woe, 
But  lye  heare  like  to  we  feendes  blacke. 
Alas  !  that  we  ever  did  forgette  soe 
That  lordes  love  to  lose  that  did  us  make ! 

Primus  Demon. 

And  therfore  I  shall  for  his  sake 
Shewe  mankinde  greate  envye ; 
As  sone  as  ever  he  can  hym  make, 
I  shall  sende  hym  to  destroye. 
[One  of  myne]  order  shall  he  be, 
[To  make]  mankinde  to  doe  amisse ; 
[RufF]yne,  my  frinde  fayer  and  freey, 
[Lok]e  that  thou  kepe  mankinde  from  blesse. 
That  I  and  my  fellowes  fell  downe  for  aye, 
He  will  ordeyne  mankinde  againe 
In  blesse  to  be  in  greate  araye, 
And  we  ever  more  in  hell  paine. 

Secundus  Demon. 
Out!   harrowe  !  wher  is  our  mio-hte 
That  we  were  wounte  to  shewe, 
VOL.  I.  C 


18  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

And  in  heaven  bare  so  greate  liglite  I 
And  nowe  we  be  in  hell  full  lowe  ! 

Primus  Demon. 

Out,  alas  !  for  woo  and  wickednes, 
That  I  am  soe  faste  bounde  in  this  cheare, 
And  never  awaie  hense  shall  passe, 
But  lye  in  hell  allwaye  heare. 

God. 

A  !  wicked  pryde,  a  !  wooe  worth  thee,  woo  ! 

My  meii-th  thou  haste  made  amisse  ; 

I  maye  well  suffer,  my  will  is  not  soe, 

That  the  shoulde  parte  this  from  my  blesse. 

A  !  pryde  !  why  mighte  thou  not  barste  in  towe  ? 

Why  did  the  that,  why  did  the  thus  ? 

Behoulde,  my  angelles,  pryde  is  youer  fooe, 

All  sorowe  shall  shewe  wher  soe  ever  yt  is. 

And  though  the  have  brocken  my  commaundment, 

Me  rues  it  sore  full  soveraignlye : 

Nevertheles,  I  will  have  my  intente, 

That  I  firste  thoughte,  yett  soe  will  I. 

I  and  towe  persons  be  at  one  assente, 

A  solempne  matter  for  to  trye  : 

A  full  fayer  image  we  have  i-mente, 

That  the  same  seede  shall  multiplie. 

In  my  blessinge,  heare  I  begine 

The  fyrste  that  shalbe  to  my  paye ; 

Lightnes  and  darcknes  I  byde  you  tweyne, 

The  darcke  to  be  Nighte,  the  lighte  to  be  Daie ; 

[Keepe]  youer  course  for  more  or  myne, 

[And]  suffer  not  to  you,  I  saye, 

[But  save]  youer  selfe  bouth  out  and  in, 

[That  is  my]  will,  and  will  all  way  e. 


THE  FALL  OF  LUCIFER.  19 

As  I  have  made  you  all  of  [noughte,] 
Att  myne  owine  wyshinge, 
My  firste  daye  heare  have  I  [wroughte,] 
I  geve  yt  heare  my  blessinge. 

Finis.     Deo  gracias '.  per  me,  George  Bellin.  1592. 
Come,  Lorde  Jesus,  come  quioklye. 


c2 


20  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 


II.  THE  CREATION  AND  FALL,  AND 
DEATH  OF  ABEL. 

The  Drapers  Playe. 

Incipit  pagina  secunda,  qiialiter  Deus  creavit  mundum,  et 
dicat  Jesus : 

God. 
Ego  sum  alpha  et  o,  primus  et  novissimus. . 

I  God,  moste  in  magistie, 

In  whom  begininge  non  maye  be, 

Endles  alsoe,  moste  of  postie, 

I  am  and  have  bene  ever. 

Now  heaven  and  earth  is  made  through  me ; 

The  earth  is  voyde  onlye  I  see, 

Therfore  hghte  for  more  lee, 

Through  my  mighte,  I  will  liver. 

At  my  byddinge  made  be  lighte  ! 

Lighte  is  good  I  see  in  sighte, 

Tweyned  shalbe  through  my  might 

The  lighte  from  the  sternes. 

Lighte  Daye  I  wilbe  called  aye. 

And  the  sternes  Nighte  as  I  saie. 

This  morne  and  evine  the  firste  daye 

Is  made  full  and  expresse  ; 

Nowe  will  I  make  the  firmamente. 

In  medeste  of  the  watters  to  be  lente, 

For  to  be  a  devidente 

To  twayne  the  watters  aye. 


THE  CREATION  AND  FALL.  21 

Above  the  welckiue,  beneth  also, 

And  Heaven  jt  shalbe  called  thoo. 

Thus  comen  is  morne  and  even  also 

Of  the  secounde  daye. 

Nowe  will  I  watteres  everye  ichoue 

That  under  heaven  bene  greate  one, 

That  the  gather  into  one. 

And  drynes  sone  them  shewe; 

The  drynes  Earth  men  shall  call ; 

The  gaitheringe  of  the  watters  all, 

Seas  to  man  have  the  shall ; 

Therby  men  shall  them  knowe. 

I  will  one  earth  that  erbes  springe, 

Ich  one  in  kinde  seede  geivinge, 

Treeyes  diveres  frutes  fourth  bringe 

After  their  kinde  ichone  ; 

The  seede  of  which  aye  shalbe 

Within  the  frute  of  ich  tree. 

[This]  morne  and  even  of  dales  three 

[Is  bouth  cojmen  and  gone. 

Nowe  will  I  make,  through  my  [mighte,] 

Lightninge  in  the  welcken  brighte, 

To  tweyne  the  dale  from  the  nighte, 

And  lighten  the  earth  with  lee. 

Greate  lightes  I  will  towe. 

The  Sonne  and  eke  the  moone  also  j 

The  Sonne  for  daye  to  serve  for  oo, 

The  moone  for  nighte  to  be ; 

Starres  alsoe  through  myne  intente 

I  will  make  one  the  firmamente. 

The  earth  to  lighten  their  the  be  lente. 

And  knowen  maye  be  their  by  ; 

Courses  of  planittes  nothinge  amisse. 

Nowe  see  I  this  worcke  good,  i-wysse  ; 

This  morninge  and  even  bouth  made  is 


22  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

The  fourth  daye  fullye. 

Nowe  will  I  in  matter  fishe  fourth  bringe, 

Foules  iu  the  firmamente  flyeiuge, 

Grreate  whalles  in  the  sea  sweminge : 

All  make  I  with  a  thoughte, 

Beastes,  fowles,  frute,  stonne,  and  tree. 

Thes  worckes  are  good,  well  I  see, 

Therfore  to  blesse  all  well  liketh  me 

This  worcke  that  I  have  wroughte. 

All  beastes  I  bydde  you  multiplie. 

In  earth,  in  watter,  by  and  bye, 

And  fowles  in  the  eare  to  flye 

The  earth  to  fulfill. 

Thus  morne  and  even,  through  my  mighte, 

Of  the  fifte  day  and  the  nighte. 

Is  made  and  ended  well  and  righte. 

All  at  myue  owine  will. 

Nowe  will  I  one  earth  bringe  fourth  anon 

All  helplye  beastes  everye  iclione, 

That  creepeth,  flyne,  or  gone, 

Ichone  in  his  kinde  ; 

Nowe  this  is  done  at  my  byddinge, 

Beastes  goinge,  flyeinge,  and  creepinge. 

And  all  my  worcke  at  my  likinge 

Fullye  nowe  I  fynde. 

Then  God  goinge  from  the  place  wher  he  was,  comethe  to  the 
place  wher  he  createth  Adam. 

God. 

Nowe  heaven  and  earth  is  made  ex[presse,] 

Make  we  man  to  our  licknes  ; 

Fyshe,  fowle,  more  and  lesse, 

To  mayster  he  shall  have  mighte. 

To  our  shape  nowe  make  I  thee  ; 

Man  and  woman,  I  will  ther  be, 


THE  CREATION  AND  FALL.  23 

Gi'owe  and  multiplie  shall  ye, 
And  fulfill  the  earth  with  heighte  ; 
To  helpe  thee  thou  shalt  have  heare 
Erbes,  treeyes,  frute,  seede  in  feare, 
All  shalbe  put  in  thy  power, 
And  beastes  eke  also. 
All  that  in  earth  bene  livinge, 
.  Fowles  in  the  ayer  flyeinge. 
And  all  that  ghoste  hath  and  likiuge, 
To  susteyne  you  from  woo. 
Nowe  this  is  donne,  I  see  arighte, 
And  all  thinges  made  through  my  mighte, 
The  seixte  daye,  heare  in  my  sighte, 
Is  made  all  of  the  beste. 
Heaven  and  earth  is  wroughte  all  with  wyne. 
And  all  that  neddes  to  be  theirin  : 
To  morowe  the  seventh  daye  I  will  solempe. 
And  of  worcke  take  my  reste. 
But  this  man  that  I  have  made. 
With  ghoste  of  life  I  will  hym  gladde. 

Heare  Adam  rissiuge,  atid  God  saith : 

God. 

Rise  upp,  Addam,  rise  up,  rise, 
A  man  full  of  soule  and  life, 
And  come  with  me  to  Parradise, 
A  place  of  daintye  and  delighte. 
But  yt  is  good  that  thou  be  wise : 
Bringe  not  thy  selfe  in  strifFe. 

Then  the  Creator  bringeth  Adam  into  Paradice,  before  the  tree    Mvnstrilles 
of  knowledge,  and  saith  :  pla^inge. 

God. 

Heare,  Adam,  I  geve  thee  this  place, 
Thee  to  comforte  and  solace, 


24  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

[To]  kepe  yt  well  while  thou  it  haste, 
[And]  done  as  I  thee  saye. 
Of  all  treeyes  that  bene  heare[in] 
Thou  shalte  eate  and  nothinge  synne, 
But  of  this  treeye  for  wayle  nor  wyne 
Thou  eate  by  noe  waye. 
What  tyme  thou  eateste  of  this  tree, 
Death  thee  behoves,  beleeve  thou  me  ; 
Therfore,  this  frute  I  will  thou  fley, 
And  be  thou  not  towe  boulde. 
Beastes  and  fowles  that  thou  maye  see, 
To  thee  obediente  shall  the  be ; 
What  name  the  be  geiven  by  thee, 
That  name  the  shall  houlde. 

Then  God  taketh  Adam  by  hatide,  and  causeth  hym  to  lye  downe, 
and  taketh  a  reibe  out  of  his  sydde,  and  saielh  : 

God, 

It  ys  not  good  man  onlye  to  be  ; 
Helpe  to  hym  no  we  make  we, 
But  excesse  sleepe  behoves  me 
To  make  one  this  mail  heare  ; 
One  sleepe  thou  arte  nowe,  well  I  see, 
Heare  a  bonne  I  take  of  thee, 
And  fleshe  also,  with  harte  freey. 
To  make  thee  a  fere. 

Then  God  douthe  make  the  woman  of  the  ribbe  of  Adam ;  then 
Adam,  wakinge,  sayth  to  God  : 

Adam. 

O,  Lorde,  wlier  have  I  longe  bene  ? 
For  seithen  I  slepte,  moch  have  I  seene, 
Wounder  that  withouten  wene 
Heare  after  shalbe  wiste. 


the  creation  and  fall.  25 

God. 

Rise  up,  Adam,  and  a  wake  ; 
Heare  have  I  formed  thee  a  make  : 
Her  to  thee  thou  shalte  take, 
And  name  her  as  thy  leiste. 

Heare  Adam  risinge  up,  saith  : 

Adam. 

I  see  well,  Lorde,  through  thy  grace, 
Bone  of  my  bones  thou  her  mase. 
And  fleshe  of  my  fleshe  shee  hase. 
And  my  shape  through  thy  sawe : 
Therfore  shee  shalbe  called,  I  wisse, 
Virragoo  nothinge  amisse ; 
For  out  of  man  tacken  shee  is, 
And  to  man  she  shall  drawe. 
Of  earth  thou  madeste  firste  me, 
Bouth  bone  and  fleshe  nowe  I  see ; 
Thou  haste  her  geven  through  her  postie 
Of  that  I  in  me  hade. 
Therfore  man  kindlye  shall  forsake 
Father  and  mother,  and  to  wife  take, 
Towe  in  one  flesh,  as  thou  can  make 
Either  other  for  to  gladde. 

Then  Adam  and  Eve  shall  stande  nackede,  and  shall  not  be  ashamed  : 
then  the  serpente  shall  come  up  out  of  a  hole,  and  the  devill, 
walkinge,  shall  saye : 

Demon. 

Out,  owte  !  what  sorowe  is  this  ! 
That  I  have  loste  soe  moche  blesse  : 
For  ones  I  thoughte  to  doe  amisse, 
Out  of  heaven  I  fell. 
The  brighteste  angell  I  was,  or  this. 
That  ever  was  or  yett  is  ; 


26  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

But  pride  caste  me  downe,  I  wysse, 
From  heaven  righte  downe  to  hell. 
[Ghosjtlye  Parradise  I  was  m, 
[But  thejnse  I  fell  through  synne. 
Of  earthly  Parradise  nowe,  as  I  wane, 
A  man  is  geven  maisterye. 
By  Belsabube  I  will  never  blyne, 
Tell  I  maye  make  hyni  by  some  gynne 
From  that  place  for  to  twayne, 
And  treasspas  as  did  1. 
Shoulde  such  a  caitifFe  made  of  claye 
Have  suche  blesse  ?  naye,  be  my  laye  ! 
For  I  shall  teach  his  wife  a  playe, 
And  I  maye  have  a  wyle. 

For  her  to  deceve  I  hope  I  maye, 

And  through  her  bringe  them  bouth  awaye  ; 

For  shee  will  doe  as  I  her  saie, 

Her  hope  I  wil  begile. 

That  woman  is  forbydden  to  doe, 

For  anye  tliinge  the  will  thertowe  ; 

Therfore  that  tree  shall  shee  com  towe, 

And  assaye  which  yt  is. 

Dighte  me  I  will  anon  tytte, 

And  proffer  her  of  that  same  frute, 

So  shall  the  bouth  for  her  delighte 

Be  banished  of  that  valley e. 

An  manner  of  an  edder  is  in  this  place, 

That  winges  like  a  birde  shee  base  ; 

Feete  as  an  edder,  a  medens  face. 

Her  kinde  I  will  take  ; 

And  of  the  tree  of  Parradice 

She  shall  eate  through  my  couutise. 

For  wemen  the  be  full  liccoris, 

That  will  she  not  forsake. 

And  eate  shee  of  yt,  full  witterlye. 


THE  CREATION  AND  FALL.  27 

The  shall  fare  bouth  as  did  I, 
Be  banished  bouth  of  that  vallye, 
And  her  ofspringe  for  aye  ; 
Therfore,  as  brocke  I  my  pane, 
The  edders  cotte  I  will  putie  one, 
And  into  Parradise  I  will  gone, 
As  faste  as  ever  I  maye. 

Super ius  volucris  penna,  serpens  pede,  forma  puella. 

Serpence. 

Woman,  why  was  Grod  soe  nise 
To  byde  you  leve  for  youer  delite, 
And  of  iche  treey  in  Pu'radice 
To  forsake  the  meate  ? 

Eva. 

Naye,  of  the  frute  of  iche  treey. 
For  to  eate  good  leeve  have  we. 
Save  the  frute  of  one  we  muste  fleye. 
Of  yt  maye  we  not  eate  : 
This  treeye  that  heare  in  the  mideste  is, 
Eate  we  of  yt  we  doe  amysse ; 
God  sayde  we  shoulde  dye,  i-wisse. 
And  yf  we  touch  that  tree. 

Serpens. 
Woman,  I  saye,  leeve  not  this. 
For  yt  shall  you  not  lose  the  blesse, 
Nor  noe  joye  that  is  his, 
But  be  as  wise  as  he : 
God  is  subtilte  and  wise  of  witte. 
And  wotte  you  well  when  ye  eate  yt. 
Then  youer  eyes  shalbe  unknitte. 
Like  godes  you  shalbe, 
And  knowe  bouth  uood  and  evell  alsoc. 


28.  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Therfore  he  warned  you  therfroo, 

You  maye  well  wytte  he  was  youer  foe. 

Therfore  doe  after  me. 

Take  of  this  frute,  and  assaye  : 

It  is  good  meate,  I  dare  laye, 

And  but  thou  fynde  yt  to  thy  paye, 

Saye  that  I  am  false  ; 

And  you  shall  knowe  bouth  weale  and  woo, 

And  be  like  godes  towe, 

Thou  and  thy  husbande  also, 

Eate  thou  one  aple  and  noe  moe. 

Eva. 

A  !  Lorde  !  this  treey  is  fayer  and  brighte, 
Grene  and  semlye  to  my  sighte ; 
The  frute  sweate  and  full  of  mighte, 
That  godes  itt  maye  us  make : 
One  aple  of  it  I  will  eate, 
To  assaye  which  is  the  meate, 
And  my  husband  I  will  gette 
One  morscell  for  to  take. 

Then  Eve  shall  take  of  the  frute  of  the  serpente,  and  shall  eate 
Iheirof,  and  sale  to  Addam. 

Eva. 

Adam,  husbande,  life  and  deare, 
Eate  some  of  this  aple  heare, 
It  is  fayer,  my  lefe  feare, 
Yt  maye  thou  not  forsake. 

Adam. 
That  is  south,  Eva,  withouten  were, 
The  frute  is  fayer  and  sweete  in  fere ; 
Therfore  I  will  doe  thy  prayer : 
One  morscell  I  will  take. 


THE  CREATION  AND  FALL.  29 

Then  Adam  shall  take  the  fruti^  and  eate  theirof,  and  in  weepinge 
maner  shall  saye  followinge  : 

Out !  alas  !  what  ayleth  me  ? 

I  am  nacked  well  I  see ; 

Woman,  cursed  moth  thou  be, 

For  we  be  bouth  nowe  sliente : 

I  wotte  not  for  shame  wheither  to  fleye, 

For  this  frute  was  forbydden  me ; 

Nowe  have  I  brocken,  through  rede  of  thee, 

My  Lordes  commaundmente. 

Eva. 

Alas,  this  edder  hath  done  me  [nye  !] 
Alas,  her  rede  why  did  I  ? 
Nacked  we  bene  bouth  for  thy. 
And  of  our  shape  ashamed. 

Adam. 

Yea,  south  sayde  I  in  prophescye. 
When  thou  was  tacken  of  ray  bodye. 
Mans  woo  thou  woulde  be  witterlye, 
Therfore  thou  was  soe  named. 

Eva. 

Adam,  husbande,  I  rede  we  take 
Thes  fygge  leves  for  shames  sake, 
And  to  our  members  a  hillinoe  make 
Of  them  for  thee  and  me. 

Adam. 

And  thcrwith  my  members  I  will  hyde, 
And  under  this  tree  I  will  abyde  ; 
For  suerlye  come  God  us  besyde. 
Out  of  this  place  shall  we. 


30  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Then  Adam  and  Eve  shall  cover  ther  members  with  leaves,  hyddinge 
them  selves  under  they  treeyes ;  then  God  shall  speake,  and 
mynstrelles  playinge: 

God. 
Adam,  Adam,  wher  arte  thou? 

Adam. 

A  !  Lorde,  I  harde  thy  voyce  nowe, 
For  I  am  nacked,  I  make  avowe, 
Therfore  nowe  I  hyde  me. 

God. 

[Who]  toulde  thee,  Adam,  thou  nacked  was? 
[Save  on]lye  thyn  owne  tresspas, 
[That  of  the]  treey  thou  eaten  hase 
[That  I  for]hade  thee. 

Adam. 

[Lorde,  this]  woman  that  is  heare, 
[That  thou]  gave  me  to  my  feare, 
[Gave  me]  parte,  att  her  prayer 
[And  of]  itt  I  did  eate. 

God. 
Woman,  why  haste  thou  done  soe? 

Eva. 

This  edder,  Lorde,  shee  w^as  my  foe, 
And  southlye  deceved  me  thoo. 
And  made  me  to  eate  that  meate. 

God. 

Edder,  for  that  thou  haste  donne  this  anoye, 
Amonght  all  beastes  one  earth  thee  by 


THE  CREATION  AND  FALL.  31 

Cursed  thou  shalbe  for  thy, 
For  this  womans  sake ; 
Upon  thy  breste  thou  shalte  goe, 
And  eate  the  earth  too  and  froe, 
And  enmitye  betwene  you  towe 
I  insuer  thee  I  shall  make. 
Betwene  thy  seede  and  lieres  also 
I  shall  excitte  thy  sorowe  and  woe, 
To  breake  thy  heade  and  be  thy  foe 
Yt  shall  have  maisterye  aye. 
No  beaste  one  earth,  I  thee  behette, 
That  man  so  littill  shall  of  lette, 
And  troden  be  full  under  his  feete 
For  thy  mysdeede  to  daye. 

DeUS  AD  EVAM. 

And,  woman,  I  warne  thee  witterlye, 
Thy  payne  I  shall  moch  multiplye ; 
With  paynes,  sorowe,  and  greate  anoye, 
Thy  children  thou  shalte  beare. 
And  for  that  thou  haste  done  soe  to  dale, 
Man  shall  maister  thee  allwaye, 
And  under  his  power  thou  shalbe  aye, 
Thee  for  to  drive  and  dere. 

Deus  ad  Adam.         _^^ 

And,  man,  also  I  saye  to  thee. 

For  thou  haste  not  donne  after  me 

Thy  wifes  counscell  for  to  fley. 

But  donne  to  her  byddinge. 

To  eate  the  frute  of  this  treey. 

In  thy  worke  warryed  the  earth  shalbe, 

And  with  greate  travill  behoves  thee 

One  earth  to  gette  thy  liviuge. 

When  thou  one  earth  traviled  haste, 


32  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Frute  shall  not  growe  in  that  place, 
But  thornes,  breyers,  for  thy  tresspas, 
To  thee  one  earth  the  shall  springe ; 
Erbes  and  rootes  thou  shall  eate, 
And  for  thy  sustinance  sore  sweate, 
With  greate  messchefe  to  wyn  thy  meate, 
Nothinge  to  thy  likinge. 
Thus  shalt  thou  live,  south  to  sayne. 
For  thou  haste  bene  to  me  unbayne. 
Ever  tell  the  tyme  thou  torne  againe 
To  the  earth  wher  thou  came  froe. 
For  earth  thou  arte,  as  well  is  seene. 
And  after  thes  worckes  woe  and  teene. 
To  earth  thou  shalte,  withouten  wene. 
And  all  thy  kinde  also. 

Heare  Adam  shall  speake  movenglye  : 

Adam. 

Alas  !  nowe  in  longor  am  I  lente ; 

Alas  !  nowe  shamlye  am  I  shente, 

For  I  was  unobediente  ; 

Of  weale  nowe  am  I  weined  ; 

Nowe  all  my  kinde  by  me  is  kente, 

To  fleye  wemens  intisemente  ; 

Whoe  trusteth  them  in  anye  intente, 

Trulye  he  is  deceived. 

My  liccorise  wife  hath  bene  my  foe, 

The  devilles  envye  hath  shente  me  also 

These  towe  togeither  well  maye  goe, 

The  sister  and  the  brother. 

His  wrath  hath  donne  me  moch  woe, 

Her  glottanye  hath  greved  me  also  ; 

God  lett  never  man  truste  you  towe, 

The  one  more  then  the  other. 


the  creation  and  fall.  33 

God. 
Nowe  you  shall  parte  from  this  lee  : 
Hilled  it  behoves  you  to  be, 
Dead  beastes  skiues,  as  thinketh  me, 
Is  beste  you  one  you  beare  ; 
For  deadlye  nowe  bouth  bene  ye. 
And  death  maye  you  noe  waye  fley  ; 
Such  clothes  are  beste  for  your  degreye, 
And  such  shall  you  weare. 

Then  God  puttinge  garmentes  of  skynnes  on  Adam  and  Eve  saith : 

God. 

,   [Adajm,  nowe  thou  haste  thy  willinge, 
[For  th]ou  desiereste  over  all  thiuge 
OS"  good  and  evill  to  have  knowinge, 
Nowe  wroughte  is  all  thy  will : 
Thou  wouldeste  knowe  bouth  weale  and  woe, 
Nowe  is  yt  fallne  to  thee  soe, 
Therfore,  hense  thou  muste  goe, 
And  thy  desyer  fulfilled. 
Nowe  leste  thou  cannot  este  more, 
And  doe  as  thou  haste  done  before, 
Eate  of  this  frute  to  live  ever  more, 
Heare  maye  thou  not  be. 
To  eairth  theider  thou  muste  gone. 
With  travill  leade  thy  life  therone. 
For  siccker  ther  is  noe  other  wone  : 
Goe  fourth,  take  Eve  with  thee. 

Then  God  shall  drive  Adam  and  Eve  out  of  Parradice,  and  saye  to 
the  angelles,  and  mynstrilles  shall  playe : 

God. 

Nowe  will  I  that  ther  linge 
The  angelles  order  cherubyn, 
To  kepe  this  place  of  weale  or  wyne, 
VOL.  I.  D 


34  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

That  Adam  loste  thus  hath, 
With  sharpe  sworde  on  everye  syde, 
And  flame  of  fier  heare  to  abyde, 
That  never  a  earthlye  man  in  glyde  ; 
Forgeven  the  bene  that  grace. 

Primus  Angellus. 

Lorde,  tliat  order  that  is  righte, 

Is  ready e  sette  heare  in  thy  sighte, 

With  flame  of  fier  readye  to  feighte 

Againste  mankinde,  thy  foe  ; 

To  whom  no  grace  is  claymed  arighte, 

Is  readye  sette  heare  in  thy  sighte, 

Tell  wysdome,  righte,  mercye,  and  mighte 

Shall  bye  them  and  other  moe. 

Secundus  Angellus. 

I  cherubyn  muste  ther  be  coyse 
To  kepe  this  place  of  greate  prise, 
Seinge  man  was  so  miwise 
This  woninge  for  to  lose. 
That  he  by  crafte  nor  countise 
Shall  not  come  in  that  was  his. 
But  deprived  be  of  Parradise, 
Noe  more  for  to  come  ther. 

Tercius  Angellus. 

And  in  this  heritage  I  wilbe. 

Still  for  ever  to  see 

That  noe  man  come  into  this  cittye, 

As  God  hath  me  beheighte  ; 

Sowrdes  of  fier  have  all  we. 

To  make  man  from  this  place  to  fleye. 

From  this  dwellinge  of  greate  deintye, 

That  to  him  firste  was  diohte. 


THE  CREATION  AND  FALL.  35 

QUARTUS  AnGELLUS. 
And  of  this  order  I  am  made  one, 
From  mankinde  to  weare  this  wone, 
That  through  his  gifte  hath  gone 
This  woninge  full  of  grace  : 
Therfore  departe  the  muste  ichone  ; 
Our  swordes  of  fier  shalbe  ther  bone, 
And  my  selfe  ther  vereye  fonne 
To  flame  them  in  the  face. 

Adam. 

Highe  God  and  higheste  kinge,  Minstrelles 

,  That  of  naughte  made  all  thinge,  playinge. 

Beaste,  fowle,  and  grasse  growinge, 
And  me  of  earth  made, 
Thou  gave  me  grace  to  doe  thy  willinge, 
For  after  greate  sorowe  and  sickinge, 
Thou  haste  me  lente  greate  likinge, 
Towe  sonnes  my  harte  to  glade  : 
Cayme  and  Abell,  my  children  deare, 
Whom  I  gate  within  thirtie  yeare 
After  the  tyme  we  deprived  were 
Of  Parradise  for  our  pride. 
Therfore  nowe  I  will  them  lere, 
To  make  them  knowe,  in  good  manere, 
What  I  sawe  when  Eve  my  feare 
Was  tacken  of  my  syde. 
While  that  I  slepte  in  that  place, 
My  ghoste  to  heaven  banished  was, 
For  to  see  ther  I  hade  grace  • 
Thinges  that  shal  befall. 
[To  m]ake  you  ware  of  cumberous  case, 
And  lett  you  doinge  from  tresspas. 
Some  I  will  tel  before  youer  face, 
But  I  will  not  tell  all. 

d2 


86  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

I  wotte  by  tliinges  that  ther  I  see, 

That  God  will  come  from  heaven  hie, 

To  overcome  the  devill  so  slye, 

And  lighte  into  my  kinde ; 

And  my  bloode  that  he  will  wyn. 

That  I  soe  loste  for  my  synne, 

A  newe  lawe  ther  shal  begyne, 

And  soe  men  shall  them  suer. 

Watter  or  fier  also  witterlye, 

All  this  worlde  shall  destroye, 

For  men  shall  synne  soe  horably. 

And  doe  full  moch  amysse. 

Therefore,  that  you  maye  escape  that  nj^e. 

Doe  well  and  be  ware  me  by, 

1  tell  you  heare,  in  prophescye, 

That  this  will  fall,  i-wysse. 

Also,  I  see,  as  I  shall  saye, 

That  God  will  come  the  laste  daye 

To  deme  mankinde  in  fleshe  vereye, 

And  flame  of  fier  borninge  ; 

The  good  to  heaven,  the  evill  to  hell. 

Youer  children  this  talle  you  maye  tell. 

This  sighte  sawe  I  in  Parradice  or  I  fell, 

As  I  laye  ther  sleppinge. 

Nowe  will  I  tell  howe  you  shall  doe 

Godes  lawe  to  underffbe  : 

Cayme,  husbantes  cratte  thou  muste  goe  towe, 

And  Abell  a  sheaparde  be. 

Therfore  of  cornes  fayer  and  cleane, 

That  growes  one  rigges  out  of  the  reian, 

Cayme,  thou  slialt  offer,  as  I  meane. 

To  God  in  magistie  ; 

And  Abell,  while  thy  life  maye  laste. 

Thou  shall  offer  and  doe  my  heiste. 

To  God  the  firste  borne  beaste, 


THJE  DEATH  OF  ABEL.  37 

Therto  thou  make  thee  bowne. 

This  shall  you  please  God  Allmighte, 

Yf  ye  doe  this  well  and  righte, 

With  good  harte  in  his  sighte, 

And  good  devociou. 

Nowe  for  to  gette  you  sustenaunce, 

I  will  you  teache  without  distance ; 

For  seithen  I  feelde  that  mysschaunce 

Of  that  frute  for  to  eate, 

My  leifFe  children,  fayer  and  free, 

With  this  spade  that  you  maye  see, 

I  have  doulven,  learne  you  this  at  me, 

Howe  you  shall  wyn  youer  meate. 

Eva. 

My  sweate  children,  darlinges  deare, 

You  shall  see  howe  I  live  heare, 

Because  unbuxom  soe  we  were, 

And  did  as  God  woulde  not  we  shoulde ; 

This  payne  heare,  as  hade  bene  uoe  ueede, 

I  suffer  one  earth  for  my  misdeede. 

And  of  this  wolle  I  will  spynne  thride  by  thride, 

To  hill  me  from  the  coulde. 

Another  sorowe  I  suffer  also, 

My  children  I  must  beare  with  woe. 

As  I  have  donne  bouth  you  towe. 

And  soe  shall  wemen  all ; 

This  the  devill,  our  bitter  foe. 

That  made  us  out  of  joye  to  goe, 

To  please  God,  sonnes,  therfore  be  throoe, 

From  synne  that  3'ou  maye  fall. 

Cayme. 

Mother,  for  south  I  tell  yt  thee, 
A  tylle  man  I  am,  and  so  will  I  be  ; 


38  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

As  my  daddye  hath  taughte  yt  me, 
I  will  fulfill  his  lore. 

Heare  Cayme  bringes  in  the  plough,  and  saith  : 

Cayme. 

Of  corne  I  have  greate  pleiiitie, 
Sacrifice  to  God,  sone  shall  you  see, 
I  will  make,  to  loke  yf  he 
Will  sende  me  anye  more. 

Abell. 

And  I  will  with  devocion 

To  my  sacrifice  make  me  bowne, 

The  comlieste  beaste,  by  my  crowne  I 

[To]  the  Lorde  I  will  chouse  ; 

And  offer  yt  before  thee  heare 

Meklye  in  good  manere  ; 

Noe  beaste  to  thee  maye  be  deare, 

That  maye  I  not  lese. 

Heare  Adam  and  Eve  goe  out  tell  Cayme  hath  slayne  Abell,  and 
Cayme  saith : 

Cayme. 

I  am  the  elder  of  us  towe. 

Therfore,  firste  I  will  goe. 

Suche  as  the  frute  is  fallne  froo 

Ys  good  enoife  for  hym  ; 

This  corne  standinge,  as  mote  I  thee  ! 

Was  eaten  with  beastes,  men  maye  see, 

God,  thou  getteste  noe  better  of  me, 

Be  thou  never  so  gryme. 

Thes  earles  cornes  grewe  nexte  the  waye, 

Of  thes  offer  I  will  to  daye ; 

For  cleane  corne,  by  my  faye  ! 

Of  me  gettes  thou  naughte. 

Loe,  God,  heare  maye  thou  see 


THE  DEATH  OF  ABEL.  39 

Such  corne  as  grewe  to  me  ; 

Parte  of  yt  I  bringe  to  thee, 

Anon,  withouteu  lette, 

I  hope  thou  wjlte  whytte  me  this, 

And  sende  me  more  of  worldlye  blesse, 

Or  elles  for  south  thou  dose  amjsse, 

And  thou  be  in  my  debte. 

Abell. 

Nowe,  my  brother,  as  I  see 
Hath  donue  sacrifice  nowe  to  thee  ! 
Offer  I  will,  as  falleth  for  me, 
Such  as  thou  hast  me  seute  : 
The  beste  beaste,  as  mote  I  thee  ! 
Of  my  flocke  with  harte  freey. 
To  thee  offered  shall  yt  be  ; 
Receive,  Lorde,  my  presente. 

Tliea  a  flame  of  fier  shall  descende  upon  the  sacrifice  of  Abell. 

Abell. 

[Ah  !]  highe  God  and  kinge  of  blesse, 
Nowe  southlye  knowe  I  wel  by  this 
My  sacrifice  accepted  is 
Before  the  Lorde  to  daye ; 
A  flame  of  fier  thou  sende  haste 
From  heaven  one  high  into  this  place ; 
I  thanke  thee,  Lorde,  of  thy  grace, 
And  soe  I  shall  doe  [aye.] 

Oayme, 

Out !  out !  howe  have  I  spente  my  good, 
To  see  this  sighte  I  waxe  nere  wood  ! 
A  flame  of  fier  from  heaven  stoode 
One  my  brothers  offeringe  ; 
His  sacrifice  I  see  God  takes, 
And  mvne  refuses  and  forsakes, 


40  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

My  semblante  for  shame  shakes, 
For  envye  of  this  thin<^e. 

Deus  ad  Cayme. 

Cayme,  why  arte  thou  wroth,  why  ? 

Thy  semblante  chaunges  wounderouslye  ; 

Yf  thou  doe  well  and  trulye. 

Thou  maye  have  mede  of  me. 

Wottes  thou  not  well  that  for  thy  deed, 

Yf  thou  doe  well  thou  maye  mede, 

Yf  thou  doe  fowle  fowle  to  speade, 

And  sicker  therof  to  be. 

But  Cayme,  thou  shalte  have  all  thy  will, 

Thy  tallente  yf  thou  will  fulfill, 

Synne  of  it  will  thee  spill, 

And  make  thee  evill  to  speade ; 

Thy  brother  buxom  aye  shalbe. 

And  fullye  under  thy  postie  ; 

The  luste  therof  pertaines  to  thee. 

Advise  thee  of  thy  deed. 

Cayme. 

A  !  well,  well,  is  yt  soe  ? 

[Co]me  fourth  with  me,  thou  muste  goe 

[Into]  the  feilde  a  littill  froo  ; 

[I  have]  an  errande  to  saye. 

Abell. 

Brother,  to  thee  I  am  readye 
To  goe  with  thee  moste  meeklye. 
For  thou  arte  elder  then  am  I ; 
Thy  will  I  will  doe  [aye.] 

Cayme. 

Saye,  thou  caittiffe,  thou  congion, 
Weneste  thou  to  passe  me  of  rcnowne  I 


THE  DEATH  OF  ABEL.  41 

Thou  shalte  fayle,  by  my  crowne  ! 

Of  maysterye  yf  I  maye. 

God  hath  challenged  me  uowe  heare, 

For  thee,  and  that  in  fowle  manere, 

And  that  shalte  thou  abyde  full  deare, 

Or  that  thou  wende  awaye. 

Thy  ofFeringe  God  accepted  base, 

I  see  by  fier  that  one  yt  was  ; 

Shall  thou  never  have  efte  suche  a  jrrase. 

For  dye  thou  shalte  this  nighte. 

Though  God  stode  heare  in  this  place, 

For  to  helpe  thee  in  this  case, 

Thou  shoulde  dye  before  his  face : 

Have  this,  and  gett  thee  righte. 

Then  Cayme  killeth  his  brother  Abell,  and  God  cominge  to  them 
sayth : 

God, 
Cayme,  wher  is  thy  brother  Abell? 

Cayme. 

I  wotte  uere,  I  can  not  tell : 

Of  my  brother  wottes  thou  not  well 

That  I  of  him  hade  noe  kepiuge  i 

God. 

What  haste  thou  donne,  thou  wicked  man  ? 

Thy  brothers  bloode  askes  thee  upon 

Vengance,  as  faste  as  it  can, 

From  earth  to  me  cryinge. 

Cayme,  cursed  on  earth  thou  shalt  be  aye, 

For  the  deed  thou  haste  done  to  dale ; 

Eairth  waryed  shalbe  in  thy  worcke  aye. 

That  wickedlye  hath  wroughte  ; 

And  for  that  thou  haste  done  this  mischeffe, 


42  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

To  all  men  thou  shalbe  unleffe, 
Idle  and  wanderinge  as  a  theifFe, 
And  over  all  sette  at  naughte. 

Cayme  speaketh  mournfullye. 

Out,  alas  !  wher  maye  I  be  2 

Sorowe  one  iiche  syde  I  see, 

For  yf  I  out  of  lande  fley, 

From  enimyes  companye, 

Beastes  I  wotte  will  worrye  me  ; 

And  yf  I  lenge  for  my  lewtye, 

I  muste  be  bounde  and  nothinge  freey, 

And  all  for  my  follye  : 

For  my  synne  so  horable  ys. 

And  I  have  done  so  mocli  amisse, 

That  unworthy  I  am,  i-wysse, 

Forge vnes  to  attayne. 

Well  I  wotte,  wherever  I  goe, 

Whoe  so  metteth  me  will  me  sloe, 

And  ich  man  wilbe  my  foe, 

Noe  grace  for  me  maye  gayue. 

God. 

Naye,  Cayme,  thou  shalte  not  dye  soue 

Horrablye  yf  thou  have  done, 

That  is  not  thy  brothers  bone 

Thy  bloode  for  to  slieede  ; 

But  for  south  who  so  ever  slayeth  thee. 

Seven  foulde  punished  shall  he  be, 

And  greate  payne  maye  thou  not  fleye. 

For  thy  wicked  deede. 

But  for  thou  to  this  deede  was  bowne, 

Thou  and  thy  children,  truste  mone, 

Unto  the  seventh  wneracion 

[Be  pujnished  for  the  wholle  j 


THE  DEATH  OF  ABEL.  43 

For  thou  to  daye  hath  done  soe, 
Thy  seede  for  thee  shall  suffer  woe, 
And  while  thou  one  the  eairth  maye  groo, 
Of  vengance  have  the  deale. 

Cayme. 
Out,  out !  alas  !  alas  ! 
I  am  dampned  without  grace, 
Therfore  I  will  from  place  to  place, 
And  loke  wher  is  the  beste  ; 
Well  I  wotte,  and  witterlye. 
Into  what  place  that  come  I, 
lich  man  will  loth  my  companye. 
So  shall  I  never  have  reste. 
Fowle  hape  is  me  befall, 
Wheither  I  be  in  howse  or  hall, 
Cursed  Cayme  men  will  me  call, 
Of  sorowes  maye  non  nowe  cease. 
But  yet  will  I,  or  I  goe, 
Speake  with  my  dadde  and  mam  also, 
And  ther  walson  bouth  towe 
I  wotte  well  I  muste  have  : 
Mame  and  dadd,  reste  you  well, 
For  one  fowle  talle  I  can  you  tell, 
I  have  slayne  my  brother  Abell, 
As  we  fell  in  a  striffe. 

Adam. 

Alas  !  alas  !  is  Abell  dead  ! 
Alas  !  ruffull  is  my  read. 
No  more  joye  to  me  is  lead. 
Save  oulye  Eve,  my  wiffe. 

Eva. 

Alas  !  nowe  is  my  sonne  slayne  ; 
Alas  !   marred  is  all  my  mayne  ; 


44  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Alas  !  muste  I  never  be  fayne, 
But  in  woe  and  niourninge  ? 
Well  I  wotte  and  knowe,  i-wysse, 
That  vereje  vengance  it  is, 
For  I  to  God  did  so  moche  amysse, 
Mone  I  never  have  likinge. 

Oayme. 

Then,  dame  and  sire,  fare  well  ye, 
For  out  of  lande  to  lande  I  will  fleye  j 
A  losscell  ever  I  muste  be, 
For-scapte  I  am  of  thrifte  ; 
For  so  God  hath  toulde  me, 
That  I  shall  never  thrive  nor  three  ; 
And  uowe  I  fleye,  you  all  maye  see, 
I  graunte  you  all  the  same  gifte. 

Finis.     Deo  gracias !  per  me  Georgi  Bellin.  1592. 
Come,  Lorde  Jesus,  come  quicklye. 


noah's  flood.  45 


III.     NOAffS  FLOOD. 

The  Walter  Leaders  and  the  Drawers  of  Dee  Playe. 

God. 

I,  Grod,  that  all  this  worlde  hath  wroughte, 

Heaven  and  eairth,  and  all  of  naughte, 

I  see  my  people  in  deede  and  thoughte 

Are  sette  fowle  in  synne  ; 

My  ghoste  shall  not  linge  in  mone, 

That  through  fleshe  likinge  is  my  fonne, 

But  tell  sixe  skore  yeaires  be  comen  and  gone, 

To  loke  yf  the  will  blyne. 

Man  that  I  made  I  will  destroye, 

Beaste,  worme,  and  fowle  to  flye, 

For  one  eairth  the  doe  me  nye 

The  folke  that  are  theirone  ; 

It  harmes  me  sore  hurtfiillye, 

The  malice  that  doth  nowe  multiplye, 

That  sore  yt  greives  me  hartelye 

That  ever  I  made  man. 

Therfore,  Noye,  my  servante  free, 

That  rightious  man  arte,  as  I  see, 

A  shippe  sone  thou  shall  make  thee 

Of  treeyes  drye  and  lighte  ; 

Littill  chamberes  therin  thou  make. 

And  byndinge  sly  die  also  thou  take, 

Within  and  without  neye  thou  slake. 

To  anoynte  yt  through  all  thy  mighte. 

Three  hundreth  cubettes  it  shalbe  longe. 


46  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

And  fiftie  brode,  to  make  yt  stronge  ; 

Of  heighte  fiftie  the  iiexte  thou  fonge, 

Thus  messuer  thou  this  aboute. 

One  wyndowe  worcke  through  thy  wytte, 

A  cubitte  of  lengthe  and  breade  make  itt, 

Upon  the  syde  a  dore  shall  sutte, 

For  to  come  in  and  oute. 

Eattinge  places  thou  make  alsoe, 

Ronette  chamberes  one  or  too  : 

For  with  watter  I  thinke  to  flowe 

Man  that  I  can  make ; 

Destroyed  all  the  worlde  shalbe, 

Save  thou,  thy  wiffe,  and  children  three, 

And  ther  wiifes  also  with  thee, 

Shall  fal  before  thy  face. 

NOYE. 

O,  Lorde,  I  thanke  thee  lowde  and  still, 

That  to  me  arte  in  suche  will, 

And  spares  me  and  my  howsehoulde  to  spill, 

As  I  nowe  southlye  fynde. 

Thy  byddinge,  Lorde,  I  shall  fulfill, 

And  never  more  thee  greve  nor  grill. 

That  such  grace  hath  sente  me  till 

Amonght  all  mankinde. 

Have  done,  you  men  and  wemen  all, 

Hye  you,  leste  this  watter  fall. 

To  worche  this  shippe,  chamber  and  hall, 

As  God  hath  bedden  us  doe. 

Sem. 

Father,  I  am  all  readye  bowne ; 
An  axe  I  have,  by  my  crowne  ! 
As  sharpe  as  anye  in  all  this  towne, 
For  to  goe  therto. 


noah's  flood.  47 

Cam. 
I  have  a  hacchatt  wounder  keeyne, 
To  bitte  well,  as  maye  be  seene, 
A  better  gronde  one,  as  I  wene. 
Is  not  in  all  this  towne, 

Jaffette. 
And  I  can  make  well  a  pynne, 
And  with  this  hamer  knocke  it  in  ; 
Goe  wee  worcke  boute  dyne, 
And  I  am  readye  bowne. 

NOYES  WiFFE. 

And  we  shall  bringe  tymber  too, 
For  we  mone  nothinge  elles  doe  ; 
Wemen  be  weeke  to  underfoe 
Anye  greate  travill. 

Semes  Wiffe. 

Hear  is  a  good  hacckinge  stoccke. 
One  this  you  maye  hewe  and  knocke, 
Shall  none  be  idle  in  this  floccke  ; 
Ney  nowe  maye  noe  man  fayle. 

Cammed  Wiffe. 
And  I  will  goe  gaither  slyche. 
The  shippe  for  to  caulke  and  pyche, 
Amounte  yt  muste  be  with  stiche, 
Borde,  tree,  and  pynne. 

Jeffettes  Wyffe. 
And  I  will  gaither  chippes  heare 
To  make  a  fier  for  you  in  feare. 
And  for  to  dighte  youer  dynner, 
Againste  A'our  comino-e  in. 


48  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Then  Noye  begineth  to  builde  the  Arcke,  and  speaketh  Noye ; 
NOYE. 
Nowe  in  the  name  of  God,  I  begyne 
To  make  the  shippe  that  we  shall  in, 
That  we  maye  be  readye  for  to  swyme 
At  the  cominge  of  the  fludde  : 
Thes  hordes  heare  I  pynne  togeither, 
To  beare  us  safFe  from  the  weither, 
That  we  maye  rowe  heither  and  theider, 
And  saflfe  be  from  the  fludde. 
Of  this  treey  will  I  make  the  maste, 
Tyed  with  cabbelles  that  will  laste, 
With  a  saile  yarde  for  iche  blaste. 
And  iche  thinge  in  their  kinde  : 
With  toppe-castill,  and  boe-spritte, 
Bouth  cordes  and  roppes  I  have  all  mette, 
To  sayle  fourth  at  the  nexte  weete, 
This  shippe  is  att  an  ende. 
WyfFe,  we  shall  in  this  vessell  be  kepte. 
My  children  and  thou  I  woulde  ye  in  lepte. 

NOYES  WiFFE. 

In  fayth,  Noye,  I  hade  as  leffe  thou  slepte ! 

For  all  thy  frynishe  fare, 

I  will  not  doe  after  thy  reade. 

Noye. 
Good  wyfTe,  doe  nowe  as  I  thee  bydde. 

NOYES  WiFFE. 

Be  Christe  !  not  or  I  see  more  neede. 
Though  thou  stande  all  daye  and  stare. 

Noye. 

Lorde,  that  wemen  be  crabbed  aye, 
And  non  are  meke  I  dare  well  saye  ; 


noah's  flood.  49 

That  is  well  seene  by  me  to  daye, 
In  wittnesse  of  jou  ichone. 
Good  wiffe,  lett  be  all  this  beare, 
That  thou  maiste  iu  this  place  heare  ; 
For  all  the  wene  that  thou  arte  maister, 
And  soe  thou  arte,  by  Sante  John  ! 

Then  Noye  with  all  his  familie  shall  make  a  signe  as  though  the 
wroughte  upon  the  shippe  with  diveres  instrumentes,  and  after 
that  God  shall  speake  to  Noye^  sa\  iuge  : 

God. 

Noye,  take  thou  thy  meanye, 
And  in  the  shippe  hie  that  you  be, 
For  non  soe  riglite,  nor  non  to  me, 
Is  nowe  one  earth  livinge  ; 
Of  cleane  beastes  with  thee  to  take. 
Seven  and  seven,  or  then  thou  slake 
He  and  shee,  make  to  make, 
By  live  in  that  you  bringe. 
Of  beastes  uncleane  towe  and  towe, 
Male  and  femalle,  boute  moe. 
Of  cleane  fowles  seven  alsoe, 
The  hie  and  shee  togeither  ; 
Off  ffowles  uncleane  twene  and  noe  moe, 
As  I  of  beastes  sayde  before ; 
That  man  be  saved  through  my  lore, 
Againste  I  sende  this  weither. 
Of  all  meates  that  mone  be  eatten. 
Into  the  shippe  loke  be  getten  ; 
For  that  maye  be  noe  waye  forgotten, 
And  doe  all  this  bydene. 
To  sustayne  man  and  beaste  therin, 
Tell  the  watter  cease  and  blyne. 
This  worlde  ye  filled  full  of  synne, 
And  that  is  nowe  well  seene. 
VOL.  I.  E 


50  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Seven  dayes  be  yette  cominge, 

You  shall  have  space  them  in  to  bringe ; 

After  that  it  is  my  likinge, 

Mankinde  for  to  anoye. 

Fourtye  dayes  and  fortye  nigiites 

Raine  shall  fall  for  ther  unrightes, 

And  that  I  have  made  through  my  mightes, 

Nowe  thinke  I  to  destroye. 

NOYE. 

Lorde,  to  thy  byddinge  I  am  beane, 

Seinge  noe  other  grace  will  gayne, 

Yt  will  I  fulfill  fayne, 

For  gracious  I  thee  fynde  ; 

A  hundreth  wyntter  and  twentye 

This  shippe  makinge  taryed  have  I : 

Yf  through  amendment  thy  mercye 

Woulde  fall  to  mankinde. 

Have  donne  you  men  and  wemen  alle, 

Hye  you  leste  this  watter  fall, 

That  iich  beaste  were  in  stalle, 

And  into  the  shippe  broughte  ; 

Of  cleane  beastes  seven  shalbe, 

Of  uncleane  [two,]  this  God  bade  me : 

The  fludde  is  nye,  you  maye  well  see, 

Therfore  tarye  you  naughte. 

Then  Noye  shall  goe  into  the  Arcke  with  all  his  familye,  his  wife 
excepte,  and  the  Arcke  muste  be  boided  round  about,  and  one 
the  hordes  all  the  beastes  and  foules  painted. 

Sem. 

Sir,  heare  are  lions,  leapardes,  in. 
Horses,  mares,  oxen,  and  swyne ; 
Goote  and  caulfe,  sheepe  and  kine ; 
Heare  sitten  thou  maye  see. 


noah's  flood.  51 

Cam. 
Camelles,  asses,  man  maye  tjiide, 
Bucke  and  doo,  harte  and  liinde. 
And  beastes  of  all  maner  kinde, 
Here  be,  as  tliinketh  me. 

Jaffett. 

Take  heare  cattes,  dogges  too, 
Atter  and  foxe,  fillie,  mare  alsoe  ; 
Hares  hoppinge  gile  can  goe, 
Heare  have  coule  for  to  eate. 

NOYES  WiFFE. 

And  heare  are  beares,  woulfes  sette, 
Apes,  oules,  marmosette, 
Weyscelles,  squirelles,  and  firrette, 
Heare  the  eaten  ther  meate. 

Semes  Wiffe. 

Heare  are  beastes  in  this  liowse, 
Heare  cattes  make  yt  crousse, 
Heare  a  rotten,  heare  a  mousse, 
That  standeth  nighe  togeither. 

Games  Wiffe, 

And  heare  are  fowles  lesse  and  more, 
Heames,  cranes,  and  bittor, 
Swannes,  peacokes,  and  them  before 
Meate  for  this  weither. 

Jeffattes  Wiffe. 

Heare  are  coke,  kitte,  croes, 
Rookes,  ravens,  manye  roes, 
Duckes,  curlues,  whoe  ever  knowes, 
lehe  one  iu  his  kinde  ; 

1-:  2 


52  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Heare  are  doves,  cligges,  drackes, 
Red-shonckes  roninge  through  lackes, 
And  ech  fowle  that  leden  makes 
In  this  shippe  nowe  maye  fynde. 

NOYE. 

Wiffe,  come  in  :  why  staudes  thou  their  ? 
Thou  arte  ever  frowarde,  I  dare  well  sweare ; 
Come  in,  one  Godes  name  !  halfe  tyme  yt  were, 
For  feare  leste  that  we  drown  e. 

NoYES  Wiffe. 

Yea,  sir,  sette  up  youer  saile, 

And  rowe  fourth  with  evill  haile. 

For  withouten  fayle 

I  will  not  oute  of  this  towne  ; 

But  I  have  my  gossippes  everyechone, 

One  foote  further  I  will  not  gone : 

The  shall  not  drowne,  by  Sante  John  ! 

And  I  maye  save  ther  life. 

The  loven  me  full  wel,  by  Christe  ! 

But  thou  lett  them  into  thy  cheiste, 

Elles  rowe  nowe  wher  thy  leiste, 

And  sette  thee  a  uewe  wiffe. 

NOYE. 

Seme,  sonne,  loe  !  thy  mother  is  wrawe  ; 
Be  God,  such  another  I  doe  not  knowe  ! 

Sem. 

Father,  I  shall  fetch  her  in,  I  trowe, 

Withoutten  anye  fayle. — 

Mother,  my  father  after  thee  sende. 

And  byddes  thee  into  yeinder  shippe  wende. 

Loke  up  and  see  the  wynde. 

For  we  bene  readve  to  savle. 


noah's  flood.  53 

NOYES  WiFPE. 
Seme,  goe  againe  to  liym,  I  saie  ; 
I  will  not  come  theiriu  to  daye. 

NOYE. 

Come  in,  wifFe,  in  tweutye  devilles  waye  ! 
Or  elles  stand  their  all  daye. 

Cam. 
Shall  we  all  feche  her  in  ? 

NOYE. 

Y.ea,  sonnes,  in  Christe  blessinge  and  myne  ! 
I  woulde  you  hied  you  be  tyme, 
For  of  this  flude  I  am  in  doubte. 

The  GrOOD  Gossippes  Songe. 

The  flude  comes  flittinge  in  full  faste, 

One  everye  syde  that  spreades  full  farre  ; 

For  feare  of  drownino-e  I  am  agaste  : 

Good  gossippes,  lett  us  drawe  nere. 

And  lett  us  drinke  or  we  departe, 

For  ofte  tymes  we  have  done  soe  ; 

For  att  a  draughte  thou  drinkes  a  quarte, 

And  soe  will  I  doe  or  I  goe. 

Heare  is  a  pottill  full  of  Malmsine  good  and  stronge ; 

Itt  will  rejoyce  bouth  harte  and  tonge  ; 

Though  Nove  thinke  us  never  so  lono-e, 

Heare  we  will  drinke  alike. 

Jeffatte. 

Mother,  we  praye  you  all  togeither. 
For  we  are  heare,  youer  owne  children, 
Come  into  the  shippe  for  feare  of  the  Aveithcr, 
For  his  love  that  vou  bouahte  ! 


54  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

NOYES  WiFFE. 

That  will  I  not,  for  all  youer  call, 
But  I  have  my  gossippes  all. 

Sem. 

In  faith,  mother,  yett  you  shalle, 
Wheither  thou  wylte  or  note. 

NOYE. 

Welckome,  wifFe,  into  this  botte. 

NoYES  WiFFE, 
Have  thou  that  for  thy  note  ! 

NoYE. 

Ha,  ha  !  marye,  this  is  hotte  ! 

[It]  is  good  for  to  be  still. 

Ha  !  children,  me  tliinkes  my  botte  reuewes. 

Our  tarry inge  heare  highly e  me  greves, 
Then  the  Over  the  lande  the  watter  spreades  ; 

s^'g*"-  God  doe  as  he  will. 

A  !  greate  God,  that  arte  so  good, 

That  worckes  not  thy  will  is  wood. 

Nowe  all  this  worlde  is  one  a  flude, 

As  I  see  well  in  sighte. 

This  wyndowe  I  will  sliutte  anon, 

And  into  my  chamber  I  will  gone, 

Tell  this  watter  so  greate  wone 

Be  slacked  through  thy  mighte. 

Then  sliall  Noye  sluitte  the  wyndowe  of  they  Arcke,  and  for  a  lit- 
till  space  be  silent,  and  afterwaide  lokinge  rounde  aboute  shall 
saye  : 

NoYE. 

Lorde  God,  in  magestie. 

That  suche  grace  hath  craunted  me, 


noah's  flood.  55 

Wlier  all  was  borne  false  to  be, 

Theirfore  nowe  I  am  boune, 

Mj  wife,  my  cliilclreu,  and  my  meanye. 

With  sacrifice  to  honour  thee, 

Of  beastes,  fowles,  as  thou  maiste  see, 

And  full  devocion. 

God, 

Noye,  to  me  thou  arte  full  able, 

And  to  my  sacrifice  acceptable. 

For  I  have  founde  thee  true  and  stable  ; 

One  thee  nowe  muste  I  myne  ; 

Warrye  eairth  I  will  noe  more, 

For  mans  synnes  that  greves  me  sore, 

For  of  youth  mon  full  yore 

Halfe  bene  inclynde  to  synne. 

You  shall  nowe  growe  and  multiply e, 

On  eairth  againe  to  edifye  ; 

Icli  beaste,  and  fowle  that  maye  flye, 

Shalbe  feared  of  you  ; 

And  fislie  in  sea  that  maye  flitte 

Shall  sustaine  you,  I  thee  behitte, 

To  eate  of  them  ye  ne  lette 

That  cleane  bene,  you  mon  knowe  ; 

Theras  you  have  eaten  before 

Treeyes  and  rootes,  since  you  were  bore, 

Of  cleane  beastes  nowe  leB>:e  and  more 

I  geve  you  leve  to  eate  ; 

Save  bloode  and  fleshe  bouth  in  feare, 

Of  rouge  dead  carrine  that  is  heare, 

Eate  you  not  of  that  in  noe  manere. 

For  that  jon  shall  leave. 

Man-slaughter  [ever]  you  shall  fleye. 

For  that  [is]  not  pleasante  unto  me  ; 

The  that  sheedeth  blood,  he  or  shee, 


56  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS, 

Ouglite  wlier  amoiige  niankinde, 

That  bloode  fowle  shedde  shalbe 

And  vengance  have,  men  shall  see  ; 

Therfore  beware  all  ye, 

You  falle  not  into  that  synne, 

A  forwarde,  Noye,  with  thee  I  make, 

And  all  thy  seede,  for  thy  sake, 

Suche  vengance  for  to  slake. 

For  nowe  I  have  my  will : 

Heare  I  behette  thee  a  heiste. 

That  man,  woman,  fowle,  ney  beaste. 

With  watter,  while  this  worlde  shall  laste, 

I  will  noe  more  spill. 

My  bowe  betweyne  you  and  me 

In  the  firmamente  shalbe, 

By  everye  tocken  that  you  shall  see. 

That  suche  vengance  shall  cease. 

Man  shall  never  more 

Be  wasted  with  watter,  as  he  hath  bene  before  ; 

But  for  synne  that  greveth  me  sore, 

Therfore  this  vengance  was. 

Wher  cloudes  in  the  welckine  bene, 

That  same  bowe  shalbe  seene. 

In  tocken  that  my  wrath  and  teene 

Shall  never  this  wrocken  be, 

Tlie  stringe  is  torned  toAvardes  you, 

And  towarde  me  is  bcnte  the  bowe. 

That  suche  weither  shall  never  shewe. 

This  behighte  I  thee. 

My  blessinge,  Noye,  I  geve  thee  heare. 

To  thee,  Noye,  my  servante  deare  ; 

For  vengance  shall  noe  more  appeare, 

And  nowe  fare  well,  my  darlinge  deare. 

Finis.     Deo  gracias  !  par  me,  George  Bellin .  1 592. 
Come,  Loide  Jesu,  come  qnicklve. 


THE  HISTORIES  OF  LOT  AND  ABRAHAM.  57 


IV.     THE  HISTORIES  OF  LOT  AND 
ABRAHAM. 

The  Barbers  and  the  Waxe  Chaundlers  Playe. 

Incipit  pagina  quarla,qHalitur  reversus  est  a  cede  qiiatuor  regum 
occurit  Rex  Salem  equitando  el  Loth,  et  dicat  Abraham. 

PrECO  DICAT. 
All  lordinges  that  be  heare  presente, 
And  harcken  me  with  good  intente, 
Howe  Noye  awaie  from  us  he  wente, 
And  all  his  companye  ; 
And  Abraham,  through  Grodes  grace, 
He  is  comen  into  this  place, 
And  ye  will  geve  us  rombe  and  space 
To  tell  you  of  storye. 
This  playe  for  south  begyne  shall  he, 
In  worshippe  of  the  Trenitie, 
That  you  maye  all  heare  and  see 
That  shalbe  done  to  dale : 
My  name  is  Gobbete  one  the  Greene, 
With  you  I  maie  no  longer  bene  : 
Fare  well,  my  lordes,  bydene, 
For  lettinge  of  your  playe. 

Heare  Abialiam,  havinge  restored  his  brother  Lote  into  hisowne 
place,  doth  firste  of  al  begine  the  playe,  and  saith  : 

Abraham. 

A  !  thou  highe  God,  graunter  of  grace, 
That  endinge  nor  begininge  hath, 
I  thanke  thee,  Lorde,  that  thou  hath 


58  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

To  daie  geven  this  victorye. 
Lote,  my  brother,  that  tacken  was, 
I  have  restored  hyni  in  this  case, 
And  broughte  hym  whom  in  this  place 
Through  thy  mighte  and  maisterye. 
To  worshippe  thee  I  will  uowe  woune  ; 
That  fower  kinges  of  uncothe  lande 
To  daye  hath  sente  into  my  liande, 
And  riches  with  greate  araye ; 
Therfore,  of  all  that  I  have  wonne, 
To  geve  thee  teath  I  wil  begine  ; 
The  cittie  sone  when  I  come  in, 
And  parte  with  thee  my  praye. 
Melchesedecke,  that  lieare  kinge  is. 
And  Godes  preiste  also,  i-wysse. 
The  teath  I  will  geve  hym  of  this. 
As  skill  is  that  I  doe. 
Grod  that  hath  sente  me  the  victorye 
Of  fower  kinges  graciouslye  ; 
With  hym  a  praye  parte  will  I, 
The  cittie  when  I  come  towe. 

Heare  Lote,  toniitige  113'm  to  bis  brother  Abraham,  dotlie  saye  : 

LOTTE. 

Abraham,  brother,  I  thanke  thee, 
That  this  daie  haste  delivered  me 
Of  enemyes  handes  and  their  postie, 
And  saved  me  from  woe  ; 
Therfore,  I  will  geve  teathinge 
Of  my  good,  while  I  am  levinge, 
And  uowe  also  of  his  sendinge 
The  teath  I  will  geve  also. 

Tunc  venit  armiger  Mekhesadecke  ipsorum,  [?]  et  gratulando  dicat 
(trmiger.  Here  the  Messinger  doth  come  to  Melchesedecke, 
kinge  of  Salem,  and  rejoyced  greatlye  doth  saie ; 


the  histories  of  lot  and  abraham.  59 

Messinger. 
My  lorde,  the  kiuge  tydinges  oue  righte, 
Your  liai-te  to  glade  and  to  liglite, 
Abraham  hath  slayne  in  feighte 
Fewer  kinges,  since  he  wente  ; 
Here  he  wilbe  this  same  uighte, 
And  riches  enoffe  with  hym  dighte. 
1  harde  hym  thanke  God  alhnighte 
Of  grace  he  had  hym  sente. 

Heare  Melchesadecke,  lokinge  up  to  licaven,  dothe  thanke  God  for 
Abrahams  victorye,  and  doth  prepare  hym  selfe  to  goe  and 
presente  Abraham : 

Melchesadecke  rex  Salem. 

A  !  blessed  be  God  that  i.'s  but  one  ! 
Aijaiuste  Abraham  will  I  irone 
WorsliippfFullye,  and  that  anon, 
My  office  for  to  fulfill, 
And  presente  hym  with  brede  and  wyne, 
For  grace  of  God  is  hym  within  : 
Spede,  for  love  myne, 
For  this  is  Godes  will. 

Here  tlie  Messinger  doth  offer  to  Melchesadecke  a  standinge  cupe 
and  bredde ;  doth  saye  : 

Armiger  cum  pocida. 

Ser,  here  is  wyne  withouten  were, 
And  here  to  brede  whyte  and  cleare, 
To  presente  hym  with  good  manere, 
That  so  us  holpen  hath. 

Heare  Melchesadecke  aiisweringe,  salth  : 

Melchesadecke. 

To  God  I  wotte  he  is  full  deare, 
For  all  tliiuges  in  his  prayer 


60  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

He  liath  withouten  clangere, 
And  especiallye  hys  grace. 

Here  Melchesadecke  cominge  unto  Abraham  doth  offer  unto  hym 
a  cupe  full  of  wyne  and  bredde,  and  saithe  ; 

Abraham,  welckome  muste  thou  be, 
Godes  grace  is  fullje  in  thee  ; 
Blessed  ever  moste  thou  be, 
That  enemyes  soe  can  meeke  : 
Here  is  brede  and  wyne  for  thy  degree, 
I  have  broughte,  as  you  maye  se ; 
Receive  this  presente  nowe  of  me, 
One  that  I  thee  beseeke. 

Here  Abraham,  receivinge  the  offeringe  of  Melchesadecke,  and  doth 
offer  Melchesadecke  a  horse  that  is  laden. 

Abraham. 

Sir  kinge,  welckome  in  good  faye, 
Thy  presente  is  welckome  to  my  paye, 
God  hath  holpen  me  to  daye, 
Unworthy  though  I  were. 
You  shall  have  parte  of  my  praye, 
That  I  wane  since  I  wente  awaie, 
Therfore  to  thee  that  take  itt  maye 
The  teath  I  offer  here. 

Melchesadecke,  recevinge  the  horse  uf  Abraham,  vereye  gladly 
doe  saie : 

Melchesadecke. 

And  your  presente,  sir,  take  I, 
And  honoure  yt  devoutlye  ; 
For  moche  good  it  male  signifie. 
In  tyme  that  is  cominge. 
Therfore,  horse,  harnes,  and  petrye, 
As  falles  for  your  dignitie. 


THE  HISTORIES  OF  LOT  AND  ABRAHAM.  61 

The  teatli  of  yt  taketli  of  me, 
And  receive  my  ofteringe. 

Here  Lotte  doihe  offer  to  Melcliesadecke  a  goodly  cnpe,  and  saiih: 

LOTTE. 

And  I  will  offer,  with  good  intente, 
Of  suclie  good  as  God  hath  me  lente, 
To  Melcliesadecke  here  presente, 
As  Godes  will  is  to  be. 
Abraham  my  brother  offred  has, 
And  so  will  I  through  Godes  grace, 
This  royall  cupe  before  my  face, 
,    Receive  yt  nowe  of  me. 

Melcliesadecke,  receivinge  the  cupe  of  Loth,  saith  : 

Melchesadecke. 

Sir,  your  offeringe  welckome  is. 
And  well  I  wote  for  south,  i-wysse, 
That  fullye  Godes  will  it  is 
That  is  nowe  done  to  daie. 
Goe  we  togaither  to  my  cittye. 
And  God  nowe  hartelye  tlianke  we, 
That  helpes  us  ever  through  his  postie, 
For  soe  full  well  we  male. 

Expositor  equitando. 

Lordinges,  what  maye  this  signifie, 
I  will  expounde  it  appeartlye. 
That  the  unlearned  standinge  here  by 
Maye  knowe  what  this  maye  be. 
This  presente,  I  saye  veramente, 
Signifieth  the  Newe  Testamente, 
That  nowe  is  used  with  good  intente. 
Throughout  all  Christianitie. 
In  the  oulde  lawe,  without  leasinoe, 


62  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

When  these  towe  o-oodmen  were  livinoe, 

Of  beastes  were  ther  offeriiige, 

And  eke  their  sacramente. 

But  since  Ohriste  died  on  roode  tree, 

In  brede  and  wyne  his  death  remember  we, 

And  at  his  laste  supper  one  our  mande 

Was  his  commaundemente. 

But  for  this  thinge  used  shoulde  be 

Afterwardes,  as  nowe  done  we, 

In  significacion  as  leeve  you  me, 

Melchesadecke  did  soe. 

And  teathinges-makinge,  as  you  seene  here, 

Of  Abraham  begonnau  were ; 

Therfore  to  Grod  he  was  full  deare 

And  so  were  both  towe. 

By  Abraham  understand  I  maie 

The  father  of  heaven,  in  good  faye  ; 

Melchesadecke,  a  preste  to  his  paye. 

To  mynister  that  sacramente, 

That  Christe  ordeyned  the  forsaide  daie, 

In  brede  and  wyne  to  honor  hym  aye  : 

This  signifieth,  the  south  to  saie, 

Melchesadeckes  presente. 

Here  God  appeareth  unto  Abraham,  and  saithe: 

God. 

Abraham,  my  servante,  I  saie  to  thee 
Thy  helpe  and  thy  succkore  will  I  be, 
For  thy  good  deed  moch  pleased  me, 
I  tell  thee  witterlye. 

Here  Abraliani,  torninge  to  God,  saith  : 

Abraham. 

Lorde,  one  thinge  thou  wouldeste  see. 
That  I  praye  after  with  harte  free. 


THE  HISTORIES  OF  LOT  AND  ABRAHAM.  63 

Graunte  me,  Lorde,  tlirough  thy  postee, 
Some  frute  of  my  bodye  ; 
I  have  noe  childe,  fowle  ne  fayer, 
Save  my  nurye  to  be  my  eayre, 
That  makes  me  greatly e  to  appeare. 
One  me,  Lorde,  have  mercye. 

God, 

Naye,  Abraham,  frende,  leve  thou  me, 

Thjn  nurye  thyn  heaire  he  shall  not  be, 

But  one  sonne  I  shall  sende  thee, 

Begotten  of  thy  bodye, 

Abraham,  doe  as  I  thee  saye, 

Loke  and  tell,  and  yf  thou  maye, 

Starres  standiuge  one  the  straye. 

That  unpossible  were  : 

No  more  shalte  thou  for  no  nede 

Nomber  thy  bodelye  seede. 

That  thou  shalte  have,  withouten  dreede, 

Thou  arte  to  me  soe  deare. 

Therfore,  Abraham,  servante  freeye, 

Loke  that  thou  be  trewe  to  me. 

And  here  a  forwarde  I  make  to  thee 

Thy  seed  to  multiplie  ; 

So  moche  more  further  shalte  thou  be, 

Kinges  of  thy  seede  men  shall  see, 

And  one  childe  of  greate  degreey 

All  mankinde  shall  forbye, 

I  will  hensefourth  forwarde  all  waie  ; 

Eiche  man  childe,  one  the  eighte  dale, 

Be  sircomsiced  on  the  eighte  daie, 

And  thou  thy  selfe  full  soone. 

Whoe  so  circomsiced  not  is, 

Forsakeen  shalbe  with  me,  i-wysse. 


64  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

For  unobediente  that  man  is  : 
Loke  that  this  be  done. 

Abraham. 

Lorde,  all  readye  iu  good  faye, 

Blessed  be  thou  ever  and  aye  ! 

For  that  we  knowe  maye 

Thy  folke  from  other  men, 

Circumsiced  the  shalbe  all, 

Mon  for  oughte  that  maye  befalle  ; 

I  thanke  thee,  Lorde,  thyn  owne  thrall, 

Kneelinge  on  my  knye. 

Expositor. 
Lordinges,  all  take  this  intente, 
What  betockens  this  commaundment ; 
This  was  some  tyme  a  sacramente, 
In  the  oulde  lawe  trewlye  tane  ; 
As  foUoweth  nowe  veramente. 
So  was  this  in  the  Oulde  Testamente, 
But  when  Ohriste  died,  awaie  it  wente, 
And  then  begane  baptisme. 
Also  God  promysed,  behette  us  heare, 
To  Abraham  his  servante  deare, 
So  moche  seede,  that  in  no  manere 
Numbred  mighte  be  ; 
And  one  seede  maukinde  oughte  to  be, 
That  was  Ohriste  Jesus  witterlye, 
For  of  this  kinde  was  our  ladye, 
And  soe  also  was  he. 

God. 
Abraham,  my  servante,  Abraham. 

Abraham. 
Loe,  Lorde,  all  readye  heare  I  am. 


the  histories  of  lot  and  abraham.  65 

God. 
Take,  Isaake,  thy  soiine  hy  name, 
That  thou  loveste  the  beste  of  all, 
And  in  sacrifice  [offer]  hym  to  me 
Uppon  that  hyll  their  besides  thee. 
Abraham,  I  will  that  it  be  soe, 
For  oughte  that  maye  befalle. 

Abraham. 

My  Lorde,  to  thee  is  myne  intente 
Ever  to  be  obediente. 
That  Sonne  that  thou  to  me  hath  sente, 
•    Offer  I  will  to  thee. 

And  fulfill  thy  comaundmente. 
With  hartie  will,  as  I  am  kente. 
Highe  Lorde  God  omnipotente, 
Thy  byddinge  shalbe. 
My  meanye  and  my  children  eichone 
Leinges  at  whom  bouth  all  and  one. 
Save  Isaake  my  sonne  with  me  shall  gone 
To  a  hill  heare  besyde. 

Heare  Abraham,  torninge  hym  to  his  sonne  Isaake,  saith  : 

Make  thee  readye,  my  deare  darlinge. 

For  we  muste  doe  a  littill  thinge. 

This  woode  doe  on  thy  backe  it  briuge, 

We  maye  no  longer  abyde. 

A  sworde  and  fier  that  I  will  take  ;  Heare  Ab  •• 

For  sacrafice  me  behoves  to  make  :  'lam  taketh  a 

Godes  byddinge  will  I  not  forsake,  fjer. 

But  ever  obediente  be. 

Heare  Isaake  speaketh  to  his  lather,  and  taketh  a  burne  of  stickes 
and  beareth  after  his  father,  and  saieth  : 

VOL.  L  F 


66  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

ISAAKE. 

Father,  I  am  all  readye 
To  doe  your  byddinge  moste  mekelye, 
And  to  beare  this  woode  full  beane  am  I, 
As  you  commaunded  me. 

Abraham. 

O  Isaake,  my  darlinge  deare, 

My  blessinge  nowe  I  geve  thee  heare, 

Take  up  this  faggote  with  good  cheare, 

And  one  thy  backe  it  bringe. 

And  fier  with  us  I  will  take. 

ISAAKE. 

Your  byddinge  I  will  not  forsake  ; 
Father,  I  will  never  slake 
To  fulfill  your  byddinge. 

[Heare  they  goe  bouth  to  the  place  to  doe  sacrifBce.] 

Abraham. 

Nowe,  Isaake  sonne,  goe  we  our  waie 
To  yender  mounte,  yf  that  we  maye. 

ISAAKE. 

My  deare  father,  I  will  asaye 
To  followe  you  full  fayne. 

Abraham^  beinge  my[n]ded  to  sleye  his  sonne  Isaake,  leiftes  up  his 
handes,  and  saith  fowlowinge  : 

Abraham. 

Ho  !  my  harte  will  breake  in  three, 

To  heare  thy  wordes  I  have  pittye  ; 

As  thou  wylte,  Lorde,  so  muste  yt  be, 

To  thee  I  wilbe  bayne. 

Laye  downe  thy  faggote,  m}^  owne  sonne  deare. 


THE  HISTORIES  OF  LOT  AND  ABRAHAM.  67 

ISAAKE. 

Al  readye,  father,  loe  yt  heare. 

But  wliye  make  you  sucke  heavye  cheare  ? 

Are  you  anye  tliinge  adreade  ? 

Father,  yf  yt  be  your  will, 

Wher  is  the  beaste  that  we  shall  kill  I 

Abraham. 
Therof,  sonne,  is  uou  upon  this  hill, 
That  I  see  here  in  steade. 

Isaake,  fearinge  leste  his  ffather  woulde  slaye  hym,  saith  : 
ISAAKE. 

Father,  I  am  full  sore  afreade 
To  see  you  beare  that  drawne  sorde  : 
I  hope  for  all  myddell  yarde 
You  will  not  slaye  your  childe. 

Abraham  comfortes  his  sonne,  and  saieth  : 

Abraham. 
Dreede  thee  not,  my  childe,  I  reade ; 
Our  Lorde  will  sende  of  his  orodheade 
Some  manner  of  beaste  into  this  feilde. 
Either  tame  or  wilde. 

ISAAKE. 
Father,  tell  me  or  I  g-oe 
Wheither  I  shalbe  harmede  or  noe. 

Abraham. 
Ah  !  deare  God  !  that  me  is  woe  ! 
Thou  breakes  my  harte  in  sunder. 

ISAAKE. 

Father,  tell  me  of  this  case 

Why  you  your  sorde  drawne  hase, 

F  2 


68  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

And  beares  yt  uackecl  in  this  place, 
Theirof  I  have  greate  wounder. 

Abraham. 
Isaake,  sonne,  peace,  I  thee  praie. 
Thou  breakes  my  harte  in  [twaie.] 

Isaake. 

I  praye  you,  father,  leane  uothinge  from  me, 
But  tell  me  what  you  thinke. 

Abraham. 
Ah  !   Isaake,  Isaake,  1  muste  thee  kille  ! 

Isaake. 

Alas  !  father,  is  that  your  will, 
Your  owine  childe  for  to  spill 
Upon  this  hilles  brinke  ? 
Yf  I  have  treasspasede  in  anye  degree, 
With  a  yarde  you  maye  beate  me  ; 
Put  up  your  sorde,  yf  your  wil  be. 
For  I  am  but  a  childe. 

Abraham. 

O,  my  deare  sonne,  I  am  sorye 
To  doe  to  thee  this  greate  anoye. 
Godes  commaundmente  doe  muste  I, 
His  workes  are  ever  full  mylde. 

Isaake. 

Woulde  God  my  mother  were  here  with  me  ! 
Shee  woulde  kneele  downe  upon  her  knee, 
Prainge  you,  father,  if  yt  maye  be, 
For  to  save  my  liffe.  ^»»^ 


the  histories  of  lot  and  abraham.  69 

Abraham. 

0  !  comelye  creator,  but  I  thee  kille, 

1  greve  my  God,  and  that  full  ylle  ; 
1  maye  not  worke  agamste  his  will, 
But  ever  obediente  be. 

O  !   Isaake,  sonne,  to  thee  I  sale, 
God  hath  commaunded  me  to  daye 
Sacrifice,  this  is  no  naye. 
To  make  yt  of  thy  bodye, 

Isaake. 
Is  yt  Godes  will  I  shalbe  slayne  I 

Abraham. 

Yea,  Sonne,  it  is  not  for  to  leane  ; 

To  his  byddinge  I  wilbe  bayne, 

And  ever  to  hym  pleasinge. 

But  that  I  doe  this  dilftill  deede, 

My  Lorde  will  not  quite  me  in  my  nede. 

Isaake. 

Marye,  father,  God  forbydde, 

But  you  doe  your  offeriuge  ! 

Father,  at  whom  your  sonnes  you  shall  fynde, 

That  you  moste  love  by  course  of  kinde  : 

Be  I  ouste  out  of  your  mynde, 

Your  sorowe  male  sone  seace  ; 

But  yeat  you  muste  do  Godes  byddinge. 

Father,  tell  my  mother  for  no  thinge. 

Heie  Abraham  wrynges  his  handes,  and  saiUi  : 

Abraham. 

For  sorowe  I  male  my  handes  wringe, 

Thy  mother  I  can  not  please. 

Ho !    Isaake,  Isaake,  blessed  muste  thou  be  ! 


70  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Allmoste  my  witte  I  lose  for  thee  ; 
The  blood  of  thy  bodye  so  freey 
I  ain  full  lothe  to  sheede. 
Here  Isaake  askinge  his  father  blessinge  one  his  knyes,  and  saith 
ISAAKE. 

Father,  seinge  you  muste  nedes  doe  soe, 
Let  it  passe  lightlie,  and  over  goe  ; 
Kneelinge  ou  my  kneeyes  towe, 
Your  blessinge  on  me  spreade. 
Father,  I  praye  you  hyde  my  eyne, 
That  I  see  not  the  sorde  so  keyne ; 
You[r]  strocke,  father,  woulde  I  not  see, 
Leste  I  againste  yt  grylle. 

Abraham. 

My  deare  sonne  Isaake,  speake  no  more, 
Thy  wordes  makes  my  liarte  fiill  sore. 

Isaake. 

O  deare  father,  wherefore  !  wherfore  ! 
Seinge  I  muste  nedes  be  dead, 
Of  on  thinge  I  will  you  praie, 
Seithen  I  nmste  dye  the  death  to  daie, 
As  fewe  strockes  you  well  maie, 
When  you  smyte  of  my  heade. 

Abraham. 

Thy  meeknes,  childe,  makes  me  aff'raye  ; 
My  songe  maye  be  wayle-a-waie. 

Isaake. 

O  dere  father,  doe  awaye,  do  awaye 
Your  makeinge  so  moche  mone  ! 
Nowe,  trewlyc,  father,  this  talkinge 


THE  HISTORIES  OF  LOT  xVND  ABRAHAM.  71 

Doth  but  make  louge  taryeinge. 

I  praye  you,  come  and  make  endinge. 

And  let  me  hense  be  gone. 

Here  Isaake  riseth  and  cometli  to  liis  father;,  and  he  taketh  hyra  and 
byndeth  and  laieth  hyra  upon  the  alter  to  sacrifice  hym,  and 
sailh  : 

Abraham. 

Come  heither,  my  childe,  thou  arte  soe  sweete, 
Thou  muste  be  bounde  both  hande  and  foote. 

Isaake. 

Father,  we  muste  no  more  mete. 

Be  oughte  that  I  male  see  ; 

But  doe  with  me  then  as  you  will, 

I  muste  obaye,  and  that  is  skille, 

Godes  commaundmeute  to  fulfill. 

For  nedes  soe  must  yt  be. 

Upon  the  porpose  that  you  have  sette  you, 

For  south,  father,  I  will  not  let  you. 

But  ever  more  to  you  bowe, 

While  that  ever  I  maie. 

Father,  greete  well  my  brethren  yonge, 

And  praye  my  mother  of  her  blessinge, 

I  come  noe  more  under  her  wynge. 

Fare  well  for  ever  and  aye  ; 

But,  father,  I  crye  you  mercye, 

For  all  that  ever  I  have  trespassed  to  thee, 

Forgeven,  father,  that  it  maye  be 

Untell  domesdaie. 

Abraham. 
My  deare  sonue,  let  be  thy  mones  ! 
My  childe,  thou  greves  me  ever  ones  ; 
Blessed  be  thou  bodye  and  bones, 
And  I  foroeve  thee  heare  ! 


72  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Nowe,  iny  deere  sonue,  here  shalt  thou  lye, 
Uuto  my  worke  nowe  inuste  I  hie  ; 
I  hade  as  leeve  my  selfe  to  die, 
As  thou,  my  deare  darUnge. 

ISAAKE. 

Father,  if  you  be  to  me  kinde, 
Aboute  my  head  a  carschafFe  bynde, 
And  let  me  lightlie  out  of  your  mynde, 
And  sone  that  I  were  speede. 

Here  Abraham  doth  kisse  his  sonne  Isaake,  and  byndes  a  cbaischaffe 
aboute  his  heade. 

Abraham. 

Fare  well,  my  sweete  sonue  of  grace  I 
Here  let  Isaake  kneele  downe  and  speake. 

Isaake. 
I  praye  you,  father,  torne  downe  my  face 
A  littill,  while  you  have  space. 
For  I  am  full  sore  adreade. 

Abraham. 
To  doe  this  deed  I  am  sorye. 

Isaake. 

Yea,  Lorde,  to  thee  I  call  and  crye, 
Of  my  soule  thou  have  mercye, 
Hartelye  I  thee  praie  ! 

Abraham. 

Lorde,  I  woulde  fayne  worke  thy  will. 
This  yonge  innocente  that  lieth  so  still 
Full  loth  were  me  hym  to  kille, 
By  anye  maner  a  waye. 


THE  HISTORIES  OF  LOT  AND  ABRAHAM.  73 

ISAAKE. 

M J  deare  father,  I  thee  praye, 
Let  me  take  my  clothes  awaie, 
For  sheedinge  blude  on  them  to  daye 
At  my  laste  endinge. 

Abraham. 

Harte,  yf  thou  woukleste  borste  in  three, 
Thou  shalte  never  master  me  ; 
I  will  no  longer  let  for  thee, 
My  God,  I  maye  not  greeve. 

Isaake. 
A  !  mercye,  father,  why  tarje  you  soe  I 
Smyte  of  my  head  and  let  me  goe. 
I  praye  ryde  me  of  my  woe. 
For  nowe  I  take  my  leve. 

Abraham. 

Ah,  Sonne  !   my  harte  will  breake  in  three, 
To  heare  thee  speake  such  wordes  to  me. 
Jesu  on  me  !  thou  have  pittye 
That  I  have  moste  in  mynde. 

Isaake. 

Nowe,  father,  I  see  that  I  shall  dye  : 
Almightie  god  in  magistie  ! 
My  soule  I  offer  unto  thee  ; 
Lorde,  to  yt  be  kinde. 

Here  let  Abraham  take  and  bynde  his  sonne  Isaake  upon  tlie  alter; 
let  hym  make  a  signe  as  though  he  woukle  cut  of  his  head  with 
his  sorde;  then  let  the  angell,come  and  take  the  sworde  by 
the  end  and  stale  it,  sainge : 

Angellus. 
Abraham,  my  servante  dere. 


74  the  chester  plays. 

Abraham. 
Loe,  Lorde,  I  am  all  readye  here  ! 

Angellus. 

Laye  not  tliy  sworde  in  noe  manere 
On  I  sake,  thy  deare  darlinge ; 
And  do  to  hym  no  anoye. 
For  thou  dredes  God,  Avell  wote  I, 
That  of  thy  sonne  has  no  mercye, 
To  fulfill  his  byddinge. 

Secundus  Angellus. 

And  for  hys  byddinge  thou  dose  aye, 
And  spareste  nether  for  feare  nor  fraye, 
To  doe  thy  sonne  to  death  to  daie, 
Tsake,  to  thee  full  deare  : 
Therfore,  God  hathe  sente  by  me,  in  faye  ! 
A  lambe,  that  is  bouth  good  and  gaye, 
To  have  hym  righte  here. 

Abraham. 

Ah  !  Lorde  of  heaven,  and  kinge  of  blesse, 

Thy  byddinge  shalbe  done,  i-wysse  ! 

Sacrafice  sente  me  here  is, 

And  all,  Lorde,  through  thy  grace. 

A  horned  weither  here  I  see, 

Amonge  the  breyers  tyed  is  he, 

To  thee  ofFred  shall  he  be. 

Anon  righte  in  this  place. 

Then  let  Abraham  take  the  lambe  and  kille  hym,  and  let  God  saie : 

God. 

Abraham,  by  my  selfe  I  sweare, 
For  thou  haste  bene  obediente  ever. 
And  spared  not  thy  sonne  to  teare 


THE  HISTORIES  OF  LOT  AND  ABRAHAM.  75 

To  fulffiU  my  byddinge, 

Thou  slialbe  blessed,  that  pleased  me, 

Thy  seed  I  shall  so  multiplie, 

As  starres  and  sande  so  manye  heigh  I, 

Of  thy  bodye  comiuge. 

Of  enemyes  thou  shalte  have  power, 

And  of  thy  bloode  also  in  feare, 

Thou  haste  bene  meke  and  bonere, 

And  do  as  I  thee  bade  ; 

And  of  all  nacions,  leve  thou  me. 

Blessed  ever  more  shall  thou  be. 

Through  frute  that  shall  come  of  thee, 

And  saved  be  through  thy  seede. 

Expositor. 

Lordinges,  this  significacioun 

Of  this  deed  of  devocion, 

And  you  will  you  witten  mone, 

Maye  tome  you  to  moche  good. 

This  deed  you  see  done  here  in  this  place, 

An  exsample  of  Jesu  done  it  was. 

That  for  to  wyne  maukiudes  grace 

Was  sacrifised  on  the  roode. 

By  Abraham,  I  male  understande 

The  father  of  heaven  that  can  founde 

With  his  sonnes  bloode  to  breake  that  bande, 

That  the  devill  had  broughte  us  to. 

By  Isaake,  I  male  understande 

Jesu,  that  was  obedient  aye. 

His  fathers  will  to  worke  alwaie, 

And  death  for  to  confouude. 

Here  let  the  docter  knele  downe,  and  sale  ; 

Suche  obedience  grante  us,  0  Lorde  ! 
Ever  to  thy  moste  liolye  worde. 


76  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

That  in  the  same  we  male  accorde 
As  this  Abraham  was  bayne  ; 
Then  al  togaither  shall  we 
That  worthy  kinge  in  heaven  see, 
And  dwell  with  hym  in  greate  glorye, 
For  ever  and  ever,  amen. 

Here  the  messinger  maketh  an  ende. 

Make  rombe,  lordinges,  and  geve  us  waye, 
And  let  Balacke  come  in  and  plaie, 
And  Balame  that  well  can  sale 
To  tell  you  of  prophescie. 
That  Lorde  that  died  on  Good  Frydaie, 
He  save  you  all  bouth  nighte  and  daie  ! 
Fare  well,  my  lordinges  ;  I  goe  my  waie, 
I  maye  no  longer  abyde. 

Finis.     Deo  gr alias !  per  me,  Georgi  Bellin.  1592. 
Come,  Lorde  Jesii,  come  quicklye.  Anno  1592. 


BALAAM  AND  HIS  ASS.  77 


V.     BALAAM  AND  HIS  ASS. 

The  Cappers  and  Lynnan  Drapers  Playe. 
Jncipit  pagina  quinta  de  Moyses  et  de  lege  sibi  data. 

Deus  ad  Moysen. 

'  Moyses,  my  servante  leifFe  and  deare, 
And  all  my  people  that  beue  lieare, 
Ye  wotten,  in  Egipte  when  you  were, 
Out  of  thraldome  I  you  broughte  ; 
I  will  you  have  no  God  but  me. 
No  false  godes  non  make  ye  ; 
My  name  in  vayne  nam  not  ye. 
For  that  liketh  me  naughte. 
I  will  you  houlde  your  holye  daye, 
And  worshipe  yt  eke  alwaie. 
Father  and  mother,  all  that  you  maie, 
And  sleaye  no  man  no  where. 
Fornicacion  you  shall  fleye  ; 
No  mens  goodes  steale  ye  ; 
Nor  in  no  place  leinge  nor  be 
False  wittuesse  for  to  beare  ; 
Your  neightbours  wyfe  desyer  you  not, 
Servante  nor  good  that  he  hath  boughte, 
Oxe  ner  asse,  in  deede  nor  thoughte, 
Nor  nothinge  that  is  his  ; 
Nor  wrongftiUye  to  have  his  thinge 
Againste  his  love  or  his  likinge  ; 
In  all  thes  doe  my  byddinge. 
That  vou  doe  not  amisse. 


78  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

MOYSES. 
Good  Lorde,  that  arte  ever  so  good, 
I  will  fulfill  with  mylde  mode 
Thy  commaundmeut,  for  I  stode 
To  heare  thee  no  we  full  still. 
Foretye  dayes  nowe  fasted  have  I, 
That  I  mighte  be  the  more  whorthye 
To  learne  this  tocken  trewlye  ; 
Nowe  will  I  worke  thy  will. 

Tu7ic  Moyses  in  monte  cUcat  populo  : 

Godes  folke,  dread  you  naughte, 
To  prove  that  God  hath  us  wroughte  ; 
Thinke  thes  wordes  in  your  thoughte  ; 
Nowe  knowe  you  what  is  synne. 
By  this  sighte  nowe  ye  male  see 
That  he  is  pearles  of  postie  ; 
Therfore,  this  tocken  loke  doe  ye, 
Therof  that  ye  ne  blyne. 

DOCTER. 

Lordinges,  this  commaundmente 

Was  the  firste  lawe  that  ever  God  sente ; 

Tenne  poyntes  their  bene  that  takes  intente, 

That  moste  effecte  is  in  ; 

But  all  that  storye  for  to  fonge, 

To  plaie  this  month  it  were  to  longe, 

Therfore,  moste  frutfuU  ever  amonge, 

Shortlye  we  shall  menne. 

After  we  reden  on  this  storye, 

That  in  this  mounte  of  Synaye, 

God  gave  the  lawe  witterlye, 

Wrytten  with  his  hande. 

In  stonnye  tables,  as  red  we. 

Before  men  honoured  mamentrye, 


BALAAM  AND  HIS  ASS.  79 

Moyses  brake  them  hastelye, 
For  that  he  woulde  not  womie  ; 
But  after,  played  as  you  shall  see, 
Other  tables  out  carved  he, 
Which  God  bade  wrytteu  shoulde  be, 
The  wordes  he  sayde  before  ; 
The  which  tables  shryned  were 
After,  as  God  can  Moyses  leare, 
And  that  shryne  to  hym  was  deare, 
Therafter  ever  more. 

Deus. 

Moyses,  my  servante,  goe  anon,  Tlien  God 

And  carve  out  of  the  rocke  of  stonne  appeared 

agauie  to 
Tables  to  wrjie  my  byddinge  one,  Moyses. 

Such  as  thou  had  before  : 

And  in  the  morninge  loke  thou  hie 

Unto  the  mounte  of  Synaye  ; 

Let  no  man  wotte,  but  tliou  onlye. 

Of  companye  no  more. 

Moyses. 

Lorde,  thy  byddinge  shalbe  donne, 
And  tables  carved  out  full  soue ; 
But  tell  me,  I  praye  thee. 
What  wordes  I  shall  wryte. 

Deus, 

Thou  shalte  wrytte  the  same  lore 
That  in  the  tables  was  before, 
Yt  shalbe  kepte  for  ever  more. 
For  that  is  my  delite. 

Tunc  Moyses  faciei  signum,  quasi  effoderet  tabulas  de  monte, 
et  super  ipsas  scribens  dicat  populo,  et  dicat : 


80  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

MOYSES. 

Godes  people  of  Isarell, 

Harcken  all  unto  my  spell, 

God  bade  you  slioulde  kepe  well 

This  that  I  shall  sale  ; 

Sixe  dales  bodelye  worke  all, 

The  seventh  Sabaoth  ye  shall  call. 

That  dale,  for  oughte  that  male  befall, 

Hallowed  shalbe  for  ever. 

Whoe  doth  not  this,  dye  shall  he, 

In  bowses  for  ever  shall  no  man  se. 

Firste  frutes  to  God  offer  ye. 

For  hym  selfe  byde. 

Purple  and  kyse  bouth  towe. 

To  hym  that  shall  save  you  from  wo, 

And  helpe  you  in  your  nede. 

Tunc  descendet  de  monte,  et  veniet  rex  Balacke  equitando  jnxta 
montem,  et  dicat  Balacke  rex. 

Balacke  rex. 

I,  Balacke,  kinge  of  Mobe  lande, 
All  Isarell  and  I  hande  in  hande ; 
I  am  so  wroth,  I  woulde  not  wonne. 
To  slea  them  everye  wighte. 
For  ther  God  helpes  them  so  stowtlye. 
Of  other  landes  to  have  maisterye. 
That  yt  is  boutles  witterlye 
Againste  them  for  to  feighte. 
What  nacion  doth  them  anoye, 
Moyses  prayeth  anon  in  hie, 
Then  have  the  ever  the  victorye. 
And  their  enemyes  the  worste  ; 
Therfore  I  will  wrocken  me, 
I  am  bethoughte,  as  mote  I  thee, 
Balaaham  shall  come  to  me, 


BALAAM  AND  HIS  ASS.  81 

That  people  for  to  curse.  .  fluryshe. 

No  sworde  uor  knife  maye  not  avayle, 
That  same  people  for  to  assayle  ; 

He  that  foundes  to  feighte  shall  fayle,  Caste  up. 

For  sicker  it  is  no  boute. 
All  nacions  the  doe  anoye, 
And  my  folke  comen  to  destroye, 
As  oxe  that  draweth  beselye 
The  grasse  righte  to  the  roote. 
Who  so  ever  Balaaham  blesses,  i-wysse, 
Blessed  that  man  southlye  is ; 
'  Who  so  ever  he  curses  fareth  amesse, 
Such  nam  over  all  hath  he. 
But  yet  I  truste  venged  to  be, 
With  dente  of  sworde  or  polesye  ; 
One  these  false  losscilles,  leves  ye, 
Leve  this  withouten  doute. 
For  to  be  wrocken  is  my  desyer, 
My  liarte  bornes  as  hotte  as  fier 
For  verveute  anger  and  for  ire, 
Tell  this  be  broughte  aboute, 

Surgite,  dei  patrii,  el  opituhanini  nobis,  el  in  necessitate  nos 
defendite. 

Therfore,  my  god  and  godes  all, 

0  mightie  Marse,  on  thee  I  call, 
With  all  the  powers  infernall, 
Rise  nowe  and  helpe  at  nede, 

1  am  reformed  by  trewe  reporte, 
Howe  the  meditators  doth  resorte 
To  wyne  my  love  to  their  comforte, 
Descended  of  Jacobes  seede. 

Nowe  shewe  your  powers,  you  godes  almightie, 
So  that  the  caytiffes  I  maie  destroye, 
Havinge  of  them  full  victory e, 

VOL.  I.  G 


82  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

And  them  broughte  to  mysscliaunce. 
Sworde.  Beate  them  downe  in  plaine  battill, 

Thoes  false  losselles  so  cruell, 
That  all  the  worlde  male  here  tell 
We  take  one  them  vengance. 
Out  of  Egipte  flede  the  be, 
And  passed  through  the  Rede  Sea, 
The  Egiptians  that  them  pursued  trewlye 
Were  drowned  in  that  same  flude : 
The  have  on  God  mickell  of  mighte. 
Which  them  doth  ayde  in  wronge  or  righte. 
Who  so  ever  foundeth  with  them  to  feighte, 
He  wynneth  littill  good. 
The  have  sleayne,  this  wote  I  well, 
Through  helpe  of  God  of  Isarell, 
Bouth  Seon  and  Ogge,  kinges  so  fell, 
And  playnlye  them  destroyed. 
Therfore  rise  up,  you  godes  ichone, 
Ye  be  a  hundreth  godes  for  one  : 
I  woulde  be  wrocken  them  upon, 
For  all  their  pompe  and  pride  : 
Therfore,  goe  fatch  in,  Batcheler, 
That  he  maye  curse  this  people  here, 
For  suerlye  on  them  in  no  manner 
Maye  we  not  wrocken  be. 

Miles  regis  Balacke. 

Sir,  on  your  errande  will  I  gone. 
That  yt  shalbe  done  anon. 
And  he  shall  wreke  you  on  your  fonne 
The  people  of  Isarell. 

Rex  Balacke. 

Yea,  loke  thou  hette  hym  goulde  greate  one, 
And  landes  for  to  leive  upon, 


BALAAM  AND  HIS  ASS.  83 

To  destroye  them  as  he  can, 
Thes  freckes  that  bene  so  fell. 

Tunc  miles  regis  Balacke  ihit  ad  Balaaham,  et  dicat : 

Miles. 

Balaham,  my  lorde  greetes  well  thee, 
And  prayeth  at  hym  sone  to  be, 
To  curse  the  people  of  Judye, 
That  done  hym  greate  anoye. 

Balaham. 

Abyde  a  whyle  ther,  Batchelere, 
For  I  maye  have  no  power, 
But  if  Godes  will  were, 
And  that  shall  I  wytte  in  hye. 

Tunc  ibit  Balam  ad  consulendum  Dominum  in  oracione. 
Balaaham  praieth  to  God  on  his  kneeyes. 

Sedentes  dicat  Deus. 

Balaham,  I  commaunde  thee, 
Kinge  Balackes  byddinge  for  to  fleye, 
That  people  that  blessed  is  of  me, 
Curse  thou  not  by  no  waie. 

Balaham. 

Lorde,  I  muste  doe  thy  byddinge, 
Though  yt  be  to  me  unlikinge, 
For  therby  mocli  woninge 
I  mighte  a  hade  to  daie. 

Deus. 

Yet  though  Balacke  be  my  foe. 
Thou  shalte  have  leve  theider  to  goe  ; 
But  loke  thou  doe  righte  soe, 


As  I  have  thee  taughte. 


g2 


84  the  chester  plays. 

Balaham. 
Lorde,  it  shalbe  donne  iu  highte  : 
This  asse  shall  beare  me  righte. 
Goe  we  togeither  anon,  sir  knighte, 
For  leave  nowe  have  I  caughte. 

Tunc  Balaham  et  miles  equitabunt  simul,  et  dicat : 

Balaham. 

Knighte,  by  my  lawe  that  I  leve  one, 
Nowe  I  have  leve  for  to  gone. 
Cursed  the  shalbe  everye  ichone. 
And  I  oughte  wyne  maye. 
Houlde  the  kinge  that  he  beheighte, 
Godes  hoste  I  will  sette  at  lighte, 
Warryed  the  shalbe  this  nighte. 
Or  that  I  wende  awaie. 

Miles. 

Balaham,  doe  my  Lordes  will. 
And  of  goulde  thou  shall  have  thy  fill : 
Spare  thou  not  that  folke  to  spille. 
And  spurne  their  Godes  speche. 

Balaham. 

Frende,  I  have  goodes  wounder  fell, 
Bouth  Ruffyn  and  Raynell 
Will  worke  righte,  as  I  them  tell, 
Their  is  no  wyle  to  seeke. 

Tunc  Balaham  ascendet  super  asinam,  et  cum  milite  equUabit, 
et  in  obviam  veniet  avgehis  Domini  cum  gladio  extracto,  et 
asina  vidit  ipsmn  et  non  Balaham,  ad  terram  prostratajacebit, 
et  dicat : 

Balaham. 

Goe  fourth,  burnell,  goe  fourth,  goe  ! 
What  the  devill  !  mv  asse  will  not  goe  ! 


BALAAM  AND  HIS  ASS.  85 

Served  sliee  me  uever  so, 

What  sorowe  soe  ever  yt  ys  : 

What  the  devill,  iiowe  is  shee  fallue  downe  ! 

But  nowe  rise,  and  make  thee  bowue, 

And  beare  me  sone  out  of  tliis  towne. 

Thou  shalte  abye,  i-wysse. 

Tunc  percuHet  Balaham  asinam  suam,  et  nota  quod  hie  oportel  ali- 
quis  transformari  in  speciem  asine,  et  quando  Balaham  per- 
cutit  dicat  asina : 

The  Asse  [sJpeaketh. 

Maister,  thou  doste  eville  sickerlye, 
So  good  an  asse  as  me  to  uye : 
Nowe  haste  thou  beaten  me  heare  thrye, 
That  bare  thee  thus  aboute. 

Balaham. 

Burnell,  why  begileste  thou  me, 
When  I  have  moste  nede  of  thee  ? 

Asina. 

That  sighte  that  before  me  I  see 

Maketh  me  downe  to  lowte : 

Am  not  I,  master,  thyn  owne  asse, 

To  beare  thee  wheither  thou  wylte  passe, 

And  manye  wynters  readye  was  ? 

To  smyte  me  yt  is  shame. 

Thou  wotteste  well,  master,  pardye, 

Thou  hadeste  non  never  like  to  me, 

Ne  never  yet  so  serveid  I  thee  : 

Nowe  am  I  not  to  blame. 

TuTic  videns   Balaham  angelum  evaginatum  gladium  habentcm, 

adorans  ipsum  dicat  Balaham  : 

Balaham  shall  falle  sodenlye,  and  speake  to  the  angell: 


86  the  chester  plays. 

Balaham. 
A  !  Lorde,  to  thee  I  make  avowe 
I  hade  no  sighte  of  thee  or  nowe : 
Littill  wiste  I  that  it  was  thou 
That  feared  my  asse  soe. 

Angellus. 

Why  haste  thou  beaten  thy  asse,  why  ! 
Nowe  am  I  comen  thee  to  nye, 
That  changed  thy  purpose  so  falslye, 
And  nowe  woulde  be  my  foe. 
Yf  this  asse  hade  not  downe  gone, 
I  woulde  have  slayne  thee  heare  anon. 

Balaham. 

Lorde,  have  pittye  me  uppon, 

For  synned  I  have  sore. 

Lorde,  ys  yt  thy  will  that  I  fourth  gone  ? 

Angellus. 

Yea,  but  loke  thou  doe  that  folke  noe  woe, 
Other  wayes  then  Grod  bade  thee  doe. 
And  saide  to  thee  before. 

Tunc  Balaham  et  miles  equitahunt  simul,  et  in  obviam  veniet  rex 
Balacke,  et  dicat  rex  : 

Balacke  rex. 

Ah  !  welckome,  Balaham,  my  frende, 
For  all  my  anger  thou  shalte  ende, 
Yf  that  thy  wilbe  to  wende. 
And  wreake  me  of  my  foe. 

Balaham. 
Naughte  maye  I  speake,  as  I  have  wyne, 
But  as  God  putteth  me  within, 


BALAAM  AND  HIS  ASS.  87 

To  forby  all  the  eude  of  my  kyue  ; 
Therfore,  sir,  me  is  woe. 

Balacke  rex. 

Come  fourth,  Balaham,  come  with  me, 
For  on  this  hill,  so  mote  I  thee  ! 
The  folke  of  Isarell  shalte  thou  see, 
And  curse  them,  I  thee  praye. 
Goulde  and  seilver  and  eke  pearle 
Thou  shalte  have  greate  pleintie, 
To  curse  them,  that  it  sone  maie  be, 
All  that  thou  saide  to  daie. 

7mmc  Balacke  descendit  de  equo,  et  Balaham  de  asiiia,  et 
ascendent  in  montem,  et  dicat  Balacke  rex : 

Balacke  rex. 

Loe,  Balaham,  thou  seeiste  heare 
Grodes  people  all  in  feare, 
Cittie,  castill,  and  reiver : 
Loke  nowe,  howe  likeste  thee  ? 
Curse  them  nowe  at  my  prayer. 
As  thou  wilbe  to  me  full  deare, 
And  in  my  relme  moste  of  power, 
And  greateste  under  rae. 

Tunc  Balaham  versus  austrum  dicat  : 

Balaham. 

Howe  maye  I  curse  here  in  this  place 
That  people  that  God  blessed  base  I 
In  them  is  bouth  mighte  and  grace. 
And  that  is  ever  well  seene  : 
AVyttnes  maye  I  none  beare 
Againste  God  that  them  can  weare, 
His  people  that  no  man  maye  deare, 
Nor  treble  with  no  teenc. 


88  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

I  saye  thes  folke  shall  have  their  will, 
That  no  nacion  shall  them  grylle  ; 
The  goodnes  that  the  shall  fiilfill 
Nombred  maye  not  be. 
Ther  Grod  shall  them  kepe  and  save, 
And  other  raprofFe  shall  the  uon  have ; 
But  suche  death  as  the  shall  have, 
I  praye  God  sende  to  me. 

Balacke  rex. 

"What  a  devill  ayles  thee,  thou  popularde  ! 
Thy  speache  is  not  worth  a  farte  ; 
Dotted  I  hope  that  thou  arte, 
For  maddlye  thou  haste  wroughte. 
I  bade  thee  curse  them  everye  ichone. 
And  thou  blesses  them  bloode  and  bone  ! 
To  this  north  syde  thou  shalte  gone. 
For  heare  thy  deede  is  naughte. 

Time  Balacke  rex  adducet  Balaham  ad  borealem  partem  montis, 
el  dicat  alta  voce  : 

Balaham. 

0  Lorde  !  that  here  is  fFayer  woninge, 
Halles,  chambers,  greate  likinge, 
Valleyes,  woodes,  grasse  growinge, 
Fayer  yarde  and  eke  reiver  ! 

1  wotte  well  that  God  made  all  this. 
His  folke  to  live  in  joye  and  blesse, 
That  curses  them  cursced  he  ys, 
Whoe  blesseth  them  to  God  is  deare. 

Balacke  rex. 

Thou  preaches  as  populard  as  a  pie  ; 
The  devell  of  hell  thee  destroye  ! 
1  bade  thee  curse  my  enemye, 


BALAAM  AND  HIS  ASS.  89 

Therfore  thou  came  to  me  ; 

Nowe  haste  thou  blessed  them  heare  thrye, 

For  the  meanes  me  to  anoye. 

Balaham. 

Sir  kinge,  I  toulde  thee  ere  so  thrye, 

I  mighte  no  other  doe. 

Nowe  one  thinge  I  will  tell  you  all, 

Heare  after  what  shal  befall : 

A  steier  of  Jacobe  springe  shall, 

A  man  of  Isarell, 

That  shall  overcome  and  have  in  bande 

All  kinges  and  duckes  of  strange  lande. 

And  all  this  worlde  have  in  his  hande, 

As  lorde  to  dighte  and  deale. 

Goe  we  hense,  is  no  boute 

Longer  with  this  man  to  mote  ; 

For  God  is  bouth  crape  and  roote, 

And  Lorde  of  heaven  and  eairth. 

Nowe  se  I  well  no  man  on  live, 

Ao-ainste  him  no  man  is  able  to  strive  : 

Theirfore  here  is  a  mote  thrie, 

I  will  no  longer  dwell. 

Heare  Balaham  speaketh  to  Balacke  rex, 

Balaham. 

0  Balacke,  kinge,  abyde  a  whyle ; 

1  have  imagened  a  marvelous  wyle. 
Thy  enemyes  howe  thou  shalte  begile. 
My  counscell  if  thou  take  : 

Ther  maye  no  pestelence  them  dismaye, 
Neither  battill  them  afraye, 
PleintifuU  the  shalbe  aye 
Of  goulde,  cattill,  and  corne. 
Ther  God  of  them  taketh  the  cure 


90  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

From  passion  that  he  maketh  them  suer. 

Them  to  preserve  in  greate  pleasuer, 

As  he  before  hade  sworne. 

Ye  shall  not  them  destroye  for  aye, 

But  for  a  tyme  vexe  them  you  maye  ; 

Marke  well  what  I  shall  saye, 

And  worke  after  my  lore. 

Sende  fourth  wemen  of  thy  countrye, 

Namelye  those  that  bewtiftul  be, 

Unto  thy  enemyes  let  them  stande  nye, 

As  stalles  to  stande  [them]  before. 

When  the  yonge,  that  lustye  be, 

Have  perceived  their  greate  bewtye, 

The  shall  desyer  their  companye, 

Love  shall  them  so  inflame. 

Then  when  the  se  the  have  them  suer 

In  tlier  love,  withouten  cure, 

The  shall  denye  them  their  pleasuer, 

Excepte  the  grante  the  same. 

To  love  their  greate  solempenitie. 

And  worshipe  their  godes  of  trenetie. 

And  other  thinges  comenlye 

With  other  people  to  use. 

So  shall  the  their  God  displease. 

And  torne  them  selves  to  greate  deseaes : 

Then  male  thou  have  thy  hartes  ease. 

Their  lawe  when  the  reff'uce. 

Balacke. 

Balaham,  thy  counscell  I  shall  fulfill, 
It  shalbe  donne  righte  as  thou  will. 
Come  uere,  my  knighte,  that  well  can  skill 
My  messuage  to  fulfill. 
Goe  thou  fourth,  thou  valian[t]  knighte, 
Loke  thou  no^y  stoppe  dale  ncr  nighte. 


BALAAM  AND  HIS  ASS.  91 

Bringe  thoes  women  to  my  sighte, 
That  shall  my  enemyes  destroye. 
Spare  thou  neither  riche  nor  poore, 
Wydowe,  mayde,  nor  yet  hore  ; 
Yf  shee  be  freshe  of  collor, 
Bringe  her  with  thee,  I  saie. 

Miles. 

My  lorde,  I  shall  hie  faste 
To  do  your  will  in  goodly e  haste  ; 
Truste  ye  well,  at  the  laste. 
Your  enemyes  you  shall  dismaye. 

The  doctor  speaketh. 

Lordes  and  ladyes  that  bene  presente. 

This  messenger  that  fourth  was  sente, 

As  ye  have  harde  of  that  intente, 

Thes  wemen  for  to  bringe, 

So  crafelye  he  hath  wroughte. 

The  fayereste  women  he  hath  out  soughte. 

And  Godes  people  he  hath  them  broughte, 

God  knowes,  a  parlous  thinge  i 

For  when  the  had  of  them  a  sighte, 

Manye  of  them  againste  righte 

Gave  them  selves  againste  their  mighte 

These  wemen  for  to  please  ; 

And  then  sone  to  them  the  wente, 

To  have  their  love  was  their  intente, 

Desieringe  thoes  wemen  of  their  consente, 

And  so  to  live  in  peace. 

But  thoes  wemen  them  denyed. 

Their  lawe  the  saide  it  shoulde  be  tryed, 

With  their  mighte  not  elles  abyde. 

For  feare  of  greate  deceate. 

Thes  blynde  people  sware  manye  an  othe, 


92  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

That  nether  for  leiffe  nor  for  loth, 

At  anye  tyme,  the  woulde  have  the  wroth, 

Nor  never  againste  them  pleade. 

So  by  these  women  so  full  of  ilusciou, 

Godes  people  were  put  to  eflfuscion, 

And  his  displeasuer  in  coucluscion. 

His  lawe  the  sete  at  naughte. 

God  to  Moyses,  leve  you  me, 

Byde  hym  sette  up  a  gallos  tree, 

The  princes  of  the  tribe  their  hanged  to  be. 

For  syn  that  the  hade  wroughte. 

With  that  Moyses  sore  greved 

And  generallye  he  them  reproved  : 

Therfore  the  woulde  have  hym  mischefFed, 

But  God  did  hym  defende  ; 

For  the  good  people  that  tendred  the  lawe, 

When  the  that  greate  messcheife  sawe, 

Whollye  togeither  the  cane  them  drawe 

Upon  those  wreches  to  make  an  ende. 

And  one  Phenes,  a  yonge  man  devoute, 

Captayne  he  was  of  that  same  rowte, 

And  of  these  wreches,  without  all  dowte, 

xxiiij.  thousande  he  slewe  : 

And  then  God  was  well  conteute 

With  Phenes,  for  his  good  iutente, 

As  the  prophette  wryteth  veramente, 

And  here  we  shall  it  shewe, 

Stetit  Phenies,  et  precavit,  et  cessavit  quassatio,  et  repulutum  est 
ad  justiciam  in  generacione  sua. 

Sonne  after,  by  Godes  commaundmente, 
To  the  Midianities  againe  the  wente. 
And  their  the  slewe  veramente 
Balaham  with  five  giauntes  moe. 
Lordinges,  moche  more  matter, 


BALAAM  AND  HIS  ASS.  93 

Then  in  this  storye  you  have  harde  freey, 

But  the  substance  withouten  were 

Is  plaied  you  before. 

And  by  this  prophescie,  leve  you  me, 

Three  kinges,  as  you  shall  plaied  see, 

Honoured,  at  his  nativitie, 

Christe,  when  he  was  borne. 

Nowe,  worthy  sires,  both  greate  and  small. 

Here  have  we  shewed  you  this  storye  before, 

And  yf  it  be  pleasinge  to  you  all. 

To  morowe  nexte  you  shall  have  more. 

Prainge  you  all,  bouth  este  and  weste, 

Wher  as  ye  goe,  to  speake  the  beste, 

The  birth  of  Christe  faire  and  honeste 

Here  shall  ye  se,  and  fare  you  well. 

Finis.     Deo  gracias  !  per  me,  Georgi  Bellin. 
Come,  Lorde  Jesu,  come  quicklye.     1592. 


94  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 


VI.     THE  SALUTATION  AND  NATIVITY. 

The  Wryghtes  and  Sklaters  plaie. 
Pagina  sexta  de  salutacione  et  nativitate  salvatoris  Jesu  Christi. 

Gabriell. 

Heale  be  thou,  Marye,  mother  fFree, 
Full  of  grace,  God  is  with  thee, 
Amonge  all  wemen  blessed  thou  be, 
And  the  frute  of  thy  bodye. 

Maria. 

Ah,  Lorde,  that  sittes  highe  in  see. 
That  wounderouslye  nowe  marvailes  me, 
A  symple  mayden  of  my  degreey 
Be  grete  this  graciously e. 

Gabriell. 

Marye,  ney  dreed  thee  naughte  this  casse  ; 
With  greate  God  founde  thou  haste 
Amonge  all  wemen  especiall  grace  : 
Therfore,  Marye,  thou  mone 
Conseave  and  beare,  I  tell  thee, 
A  childe,  his  name  Jesus  shalbe. 
So  greate  shalbe  never  non  as  he. 
And  called  Godes  sonne. 
And  our  Lorde  God,  leve  thou  me. 
Shall  geve  hym  David  his  fathers  see. 
In  Jacobes  howse  raigne  shall  he, 
With  full  mio;hte  ever  more. 


THE  SALUTATION  AND  NATIVITY.  95 

And  he  that  shalbe  borne  of  thee, 
Endlesse  lifFe  in  hym  shalbe, 
That  suche  renowne  and  royalltye 
Hade  never  non  before. 

Marya. 

Howe  maye  this  be  ?  thou  arte  so  brighte, 
In  synne  knewe  I  no  worldlye  wighte. 

GrABRIELL. 

The  Holye  Ghoste  shall  in  thee  liglite 

From  God  in  magistie. 

And  shadowe  thee  seemlye  in  sighte ; 

Theirfore  that  holye,  as  I  have  teighte, 

That  thou  shalte  beare,  through  Godes  mighte, 

His  Sonne  shall  called  be. 

Elizabeth,  that  barren  was, 

As  thou  maie  se,  conseaveid  has 

In  age  a  sonne  through  Godes  grace  ; 

The  keydell  shalbe  of  blysse. 

The  seixte  month  is  gone  nowe  againe 

Seith  men  called  her  barene, 

But  nothinge  to  Godes  mighte  and  mayne 

Impossible  ys. 

Marya. 

Nowe  seith  that  God  will  yt  be  so. 
And  suche  a  grace  hath  sente  to  me, 
Blessed  ever  more  be  he  ! 
To  pleaise  hym  I  am  paide. 
Loe  !   Godes  cossen  meklye  here, 
And  Lorde  God,  prince  of  power, 
Leve  that  yt  falle  in  such  manere, 
This  worde  that  thou  haste  saide. 


96  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Tunc  ibit  angelus,  et  Maria  salutabit  Elizabeth : 
Elizabeth,  nice  God  thee  see  ! 

Elizabeth. 

Marye,  blessed  moste  thou  be, 

And  the  frute  that  comes  of  thee 

Amonge  wemen  all. 

Wonderlje  nowe  marvailes  me, 

That  Marye,  Godes  mother  freye, 

Greetes  me  this  of  symple  degreey. 

Lorde,  howe  male  that  befalle  ? 

When  thou  me  greeteste,  sweete  Marye, 

The  childe  stored  in  my  bodye. 

For  greate  joye  of  thy  company e. 

And  the  frute  that  is  in  thee. 

Blessed  be  thou  ever  for-thy, 

That  leived  so  well  and  steadfastlye  ! 

For  that  was  saide  to  thee,  ladye, 

Fullfilled  and  done  shalbe. 

Maria  gaudens  incipit  canticum  Magnijicate,  et  dicat  Maria  , 

Maria. 

Elizabeth,  theirfore  will  I 

Thanke  the  Lorde,  kinge  of  mercye. 

With  joyfull  meirth  and  melodye. 

And  lawde  to  his  lekinge. 

Magnijicate  while  I  have  to  me, 

Anima  mei,  domine, 

To  Christe  that  in  ray  kinde  is  come, 

Devoutlye  I  will  singe. 

Et  exultatit  spiritus  mens  in  Deo ; 

And  for  my  ghoste  joyed  haste 

In  God,  my  heale  and  all  my  grace. 

For  meknes  he  se  in  me  was 

His  feare  in  manye  degree. 


THE  SALUTATION  AND  NATIVITY.  97 

Therfore  blesse  me  well  male 
All  generacioiis  for  aye. 
Moche  base  that  Lorde  donne  for  me, 
That  moste  is  in  his  magistie, 
All  princes  he  passes  in  postie, 
As  sheweth  wel  by  this  ; 
Theirfore  with  full  harte  and  freey, 
His  name  allwaye  hallowed  be, 
And  honoured  allwaie  ever  more  be  he, 
And  highe  in  heaven  blisse. 
Moche  base  God  done  for  me  to  dale, 
His  name  aye  hallowed  be  aye, 
As  he  is  bounde  to  do  mercye, 
From  progenye  to  progenye, 
And  all  that  dreaden  hym  verelye, 
His  tallente  to  fulfill. 
He  through  his  mighte  gave  maisterye, 
Dispersces  prowde  did  pitiouslye. 
With  mighte  of  his  harte  hastelye, 
At  his  owine  will ; 
Disposeith  mightie  out  of  place, 
And  meeke  also  he  hansced  has, 
Hongarye,  nedye,  wantinge  grace, 
With  good  he  hath  fullfilled. 
That  riche  power  he  hath  forsaken, 
To  Isarell  his  sonne  he  hath  betacken, 
Wayle  to  man  through  hym  is  wacken. 
And  mercye  has  of  his  owine, 
As  he  spake  to  our  fathers  before, 
Abraham  and  his  seede  for  yore  ; 
Joye  to  the  Father  evermore, 
The  Sonne  and  the  Hollye  Ghoste, 
As  was  from  the  begininge. 
And  never  shall  have  endinge, 
VOL.  I.  H 


98  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

From  worlde  to  worlde  aye  weildinge, 
Amen  !   God  of  miglite  moste. 

Elizabeth. 

Marye,  1  rede  nowe  that  we  gone 
To  Josephe  thy  husbande  anon, 
Leste  he  to  messe  thee  make  mone, 
For  nowe  that  is  moste  neede. 

Maria. 

Elizabeth,  nice,  to  doe  so  good  ys, 

Leste  he  suppose  on  me  amysse  ; 

But  the  good  Lorde  that  hath  ordeyned  this, 

Will  wyttnes  of  my  deede. 

Elizabeth. 

Josephe,  God  thee  save  and  see  ! 
ThywiflFe  I  have  broughte  to  thee. 

Josephe. 

Alas  !  alas  !  and  woes  me  ! 

Who  hase  made  her  with  childe  ? 

Well  I  wiste  an  oulde  man  and  a  maye 

Mighte  not  accorde  by  noe  waye  ; 

Nor  manye  wynters  mighte  I  not  plaie, 

Ner  worcke  no  worckes  wilde. 

Three  monthes  shee  hase  bene  from  me, 

Nowe  hase  shee  gotten  here,  as  I  see, 

A  greate  bellye  like  to  thee, 

Since  shee  wente  awaie ; 

And  myne  it  is  not,  be  thou  boulde. 

For  I  am  bouth  oulde  and  coulde  ; 

These  thirtie  wynters,  thoughe  I  woulde, 

I  mighte  not  plea  no  leaie. 


J 


THE  SALUTATION  AND  NATIVITY.  99 

Alas  !  where  mio-hte  I  lenoe  or  lende  ? 
For  loth  is  me  my  wife  to  sliende, 
Therfore  from  her  will  I  wende 
Into  some  other  place. 
For  to  discreve  her  will  I  naughte, 
Fowlye  though  shee  have  wroughte, 
To  leave  her  prevelye  is  my  thouglite, 
That  no  man  knowe  this  case  : 
God  lette  never  an  oulde  man 
Take  hym  a  yonge  woman, 
Nay  sette  his  harte  her  uppon, 
Leste  he  begilede  be. 
For  accorde  their  maye  be  non, 
Nor  the  maye  never  be  at  one  ; 
And  that  is  scene  in  manye  a  one, 
As  well  as  one  me, 
Therfore  when  I  have  slepte  a  while, 
My  wife  that  can  me  thus  begyle, 
For  I  will  goe  from  her,  for  her  to  file 
Me  is  loth  in  good  faye. 
This  case  makes  me  so  heavye, 
That  nedes  slepe  nowe  muste  I : — 
Lorde,  on  her  thou  have  mercie, 
For  her  misdeede  to  daie. 

Angellus. 

Josephe,  lette  be  thy  feible  thoughte, 

Take  Marye,  thy  wife,  and  dreed  the  naughte, 

For  wickedlye  shee  hath  not  wroughte. 

But  this  is  Godes  will. 

The  childe  that  shee  shall  beare,  i-wysse, 

Of  the  Holye  Ghoste  begotten  is, 

To  save  mankinde  that  did  amisse, 

And  prophescie  to  fullfiU. 

H  2 


100  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS, 

JOSEPHE. 

A  !  nowe  I  wotte,  Lorde,  yt  is  soe, 
I  will  no  man  be  her  foe, 
But  while  I  maie  on  earth  goe 
With  her  I  wilbe  ; 
Nowe  Christe  is  in  our  kinde  lighte, 
As  the  prophescye  before  heighte. 
Lorde  God,  moste  of  mighte. 
Withe  wayle  I  worshippe  thee. 

NUNTIUS. 

Make  rombe,  lordinges,  and  geve  us  waie. 
And  lette  Octavian  come  and  plaie, 
And  Syble  the  Sage,  that  well  fayer  may< 
To  tell  you  of  prophescye  : 
That  Lorde  that  died  on  Good  Frydaie, 
He  save  you  all  bouth  uighte  and  daye. 
Fare  well,  lordinges,  I  goe  my  waye, 
I  maye  noe  longer  abyde. 

OCTAVYAN. 

I  proveid  prince,  moste  of  postie, 
Under  heaven  higheste  am  I, 
Fayereste  food  to  feighte  in  fere, 
Noe  frecke  my  fface  maye  fleye. 
All  this  worlde  withouten  were, 
Kinge,  prince,  baren,  bachelere, 
I  maye  destroye  in  greate  dangere, 
Through  vertue  of  my  degreey. 
My  name  Octavyan  called  ys. 
All  me  aboute  full  in  my  blysse. 
For  whollye  all  this  worlde,  i-wysse, 
Is  readye  at  my  owine  wille, 
Noe  man  one  live  dare  doe  amisse 
Againste  me,  I  tell  you  this  : 


THE  SALUTATION  AND  NATIVITY.  101 

Maye  no  man  saye  that  oui;lite  is  his, 

But  my  leave  be  theirtill. 

For  I  halffe  multiplied  more 

The  cittye  of  Rome,  seith  I  was  bore, 

Then  ever  did  auye  me  before, 

Seith  I  hade  this  kingdom  ; 

For  what  with  strockes  and  strengthe  sore, 

Leadinge  lordshippes  lovelye  lore, 

All  this  worlde  nowe  hase  bene  yore 

Tributarye  unto  Rome. 

Segurrs  torn  se  asmeles 

J eo  posse  fay  re  lermerit  et  leez 

A  mes  probes  estates  et  mete  in  langore 

Tous  se  prest  me  fortes 

Defayere  intentes  movelentes 

Car  Jem  soyavorayn  hensages 

Et  demaunde  emperower 

Jeo  si  persone  mile  seable  Jeosu  tent  fayer 

Et  leabele  entransorce  me  creaca 

Meas  detole  plerunte  destrette  et  sage 

Saen  comecch  amie  ondem  et  ou  pusell 

Declaan  sanke  et  mater  frayle  un 

Tellnest  pace  urn. 

Kinge,  coysell,  clarke,  or  kiuge, 
Soundens  solitaryes  in  sighte  ; 
Princes,  prese  here  nowe  dighte, 
And  presente  in  this  place  : 
Peace,  or  heare  my  truth  i-plighte, 
I  am  the  manlieste  man  of  mighte, 
Takes  mynde  of  my  mase. 
All  lordes  in  lande  be  at  my  likinge  ; 
Castill,  conquerowre,  and  kinge, 
Bayne  be  to  my  byddinge, 
It  will  non  other  be. 


102  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Righte  I  thinke,  so  moste  it  be, 

For  all  the  worlde  dose  my  williuge, 

And  bayne  when  I  byde  briuge 

Homage  and  feoalitie. 

Seithen  I  was  lorde,  withouten  lesse, 

With  my  witte  I  can  more  increasse 

The  empier  hier  then  ever  it  was, 

As  all  this  worlde  it  wiste. 

Since  I  was  soveraigne  warre  cleane  can  cease, 

And  through  this  worlde  nowe  is  peace, 

For  so  dreade  a  ducke  sate  never  one  dese 

In  Rome,  that  you  male  truste  ; 

Therfore  as  lorde  nowe  likes  me. 

To  prove  my  mighte  and  my  postie, 

For  I  will  sende  aboute  and  see 

Howe  manye  heades  I  have. 

All  the  worlde  shall  wrytten  be, 

Greate  and  small  in  eiche  degreey, 

That  dwell  in  shier  or  in  cittie, 

Kinge,  clarke,  knighte,  and  knave. 

Eich  man  on  pennye  shall  paie ; 

Therfore,  my  bedell,  doe  as  I  saye. 

In  medeste  the  worlde  by  anye  waie, 

This  gammon  shal  begyne  ; 

The  folke  of  Jewes  in  good  faye 

In  medeste  bene,  that  is  no  naye, 

Therfore  theider  daye  by  dale, 

And  traville  or  thou  blyne. 

Warne  hym  that  their  is  presedente, 

That  this  is  fullye  myne  intente. 

That  eich  man  appeare  presente 

His  pennye  for  to  paye. 

And  by  that  penye,  as  well  apente, 

Knowledge  to  be  obedieute, 

To  come  by  geiste  of  such  a  rente. 

From  that  tyme  after  ever. 


THE  SALUTATION  AND  NATIVITY.  103 

When  this  is  done  this  in  Judye, 

That  in  the  medeste  of  the  worlde  shalbe, 

To  eiche  lande,  shier,  and  cittie, 

To  Rome  make  them  so  thralle. 

Warne  them,  boye,  I  comaunde  thee, 

The  doe  the  same,  saye  this  from  me, 

So  all  this  worlde  shall  witte  that  we 

Bene  soveraigne  of  them  all. 

Have  done,  boye,  arte  thou  not  bowne  ? 

Preco. 

All  readye,  my  lorde,  by  Mahouude, 
No  tayles  tuppe  in  all  this  towne 
Shall  goe  further  without  fayle. 

OCTAVIAN. 

Boye,  their  be  ladyes  mauye  a  one, 
Amonge  them  all  chouse  thee  one 
Take  the  faiereste,  or  elles  non. 
And  freelye  I  geve  her  thee. 

Primus  Senator. 

From  my  lorde  Octavyan  we  be  sente, 
From  all  Rome  with  good  inteute. 
Thy  men  their  have  iche  on  i-mente 
As  God  to  honour  thee. 
And  to  that  poyute  we  be  sente, 
Poore  and  riche  in  parlimente. 
For  so  loved  a  lorde  veramente 
Was  never  in  this  cittie.' 

Secundus  Senator. 

Yea,  seicker  sir,  their  will  is  this. 
To  honoure  thee  as  God  with  blesse  ; 
For  thou  did  never  to  them  amisse, 


104  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

In  worde,  thouglite,  uer  deede. 

Peace  hath  bene  longe,  and  yet  is, 

Noe  man  in  thy  tjme  loste  oughte  of  his ; 

Therfore  their  will  is  so,  i-wisse, 

To  quitte  you  this  your  meede. 

OCTAVIAN. 

Welckome,  my  frendes,  in  good  faye  ! 

For  you  be  welckome  to  my  paie  ; 

I  thanke  you  all  that  ever  I  male 

The  homage  ye  doe  to  me  ; 

But  follye  it  were,  by  manye  a  waye, 

Suche  soveraigntye  for  to  assaie, 

Seinge  I  muste  dye  I  wote  not  what  dale 

To  desyer  suche  dignitie. 

For  all  the  fleshe,  bloode,  and  bone, 

Man  I  am  borne  of  a  woman, 

And  siccker  other  matter  non 

Sheweth  not  ri<2,hte  in  me  : 

Nether  of  iron,  tree,  nor  stone. 

Am  I  not  wroughte,  ye  wotte  eichone, 

And  of  my  liffe  moste  parte  is  gone. 

Age  sheweth  hym  soe,  I  see  ; 

And  godheade  askes  in  all  thinge 

Tyme  that  hath  no  begininge, 

Ne  never  shall  have  endinge. 

And  non  of  thes  have  I. 

Wherfore  by  vereye  proffe  shewinge, 

Though  I  be  higheste  worldlye  kinge, 

Of  godhead  have  I  noe  knowinge ; 

It  were  unkinde. 

But  yeate  inquier  of  this  wilbe, 

At  her  that  hath  o-race  for  to  se 

Thinges  that  afterwarde  shalbe, 

By  ghoste  of  prophescye. 


THE  SALUTATION  AND  NATIVITY.  105 

And  after  her  lawe,  by  my  bewtie, 
Disscussinge  this  difficallitie, 
Worcke  and  take  no  more  on  me, 
Then  I  am  well  worthye. 
Sibell  the  Sage,  tell  me  this  tliinge. 
For  thou  witte  haste  as  no  man  livinge, 
Shall  ever  be  anye  eairthlye  kiuge 
To  passe  me  of  degreey  ? 

Sybbell. 

Yea,  sir,  I  tell  you  without  leasinge, 
A  barne  shalbe  borne  blesse  to  bringe, 
The  which  that  never  hade  beginiuge, 
Ner  never  shall  endinge  have. 

OCTAVIAN. 

Sybbell,  I  praye  thee  especiallye, 
By  signe  thou  woulde  me  certiffye. 
What  tyme  that  lorde  so  royallye 
To  raigne  he  shal  begyne. 

Sybbell. 

Yea,  I  shall  tell  you  witterlye, 

His  signes  when  I  see  verelye  ; 

For  when  he  comes  through  his  mercye, 

On  mankinde  he  will  mynne  : 

Well  I  wotte  and  south,  i-wysse, 

That  God  will  bringe  mankinde  to  blesse. 

And  sende  from  heaven,  leve  well  this 

His  Sonne  our  savyour. 

Jesu  Christe  nothinge  ameisse 

Called  he  shalbe  and  ys. 

To  overcome  the  devill  and  his  countise, 

And  be  our  conquerower. 

But  what  tyme,  sire,  in  good  faye 


106  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

That  he  will  come,  can  I  not  saye, 
Therfore  in  this  place  will  I  praie 
To  greateste  God  of  mighte  : 
And  yf  I  see  oughte  in  your  paie, 
Ghostlye  by  anye  waye 
Wanie  you  I  shall  this  dale, 
And  sliewe  yt  in  your  sighte. 

Tunc  orat  Sibbella,  et  dicatpreco  alta  voce. 

Preco. 

Peace,  I  byde,  kinge  and  knighte, 

Men  and  women,  and  iche  wighte, 

Tell  I  have  toulde  that  I  have  tighte, 

Stande  stijEFe  boutli  still  and  stronge  ; 

My  lorde  Octavian,  moche  of  mighte, 

Coramaundes  you  shoulde  be  readye  dighte, 

Tribute  he  will  have  in  heighte 

Of  all  this  worlde  aboute. 

He  will  have  wrytten  eiche  cuntreye, 

Castill,  shier,  and  eke  cittie. 

Men  and  women,  leeve  you  me, 

And  all  that  be  theirin. 

A  penye  of  eich  man  have  will  he, 

The  valewe  of  tenne  pence  it  shalbe, 

To  knowledge  that  he  hath  soveraigntye 

Fullye  of  all  mankinde. 

Joseph. 

A  !   Lorde,  what  doth  this  man  nowe  heare  ! 

Poore  mens  weale  is  ever  in  were : 

I  wotte,  by  this  bolsters  beare. 

That  tribute  I  muste  paye  ; 

And  for  greate  age  and  no  power 

I  wane  no  good  this  seven  yeaire, 

Nowe  comes  the  kinges  messingere, 


THE  SALUTATION  AND  NATIVITY.  10 7 

To  gette  all  that  he  niaye. 

With  this  axe  that  I  beare, 

This  perscer  and  this  iiagere, 

A  hamer  all  in  feare, 

I  have  wonnan  my  meate. 

Castill,  tower,  ne  manere, 

Had  I  never  in  my  power ; 

But,  as  a  symple  carpentere. 

With  thes  what  I  mighte  gette. 

Yf  I  have  store  nowe  anye  thinge, 

That  muste  I  paye  unto  the  kinge, 

But  yet  I  have  a  likinge. 

The  angell  to  me  toulde  ; 

He  that  man  out  of  balle  bringe. 

My  wife  hade  in  her  kepinge, 

That  seenies  all  good  to  my  likinge, 

And  makes  me  more  boulde. 

A  !  leifFe  sir,  tell  me,  I  thee  praye. 

Shall  poore  as  well  as  riche  paye  I 

By  my  faye  !   sire,  I  hope  naye. 

That  were  a  woundrous  wronge. 

Preco. 

Good  man,  I  warne  thee,  in  good  faye, 
To  Bethlem  to  take  the  waye, 
Leste  thou  in  danger  fall  to  daye, 
Yf  thou  be  to  longe. 

JOSEPHE. 

Nowe,  seith  it  may  no  other  be, 

Marie,  sister,  nowe  hye  we, 

An  oxe  I  will  take  with  me 

That  their  shalbe  soulde  ; 

The  seilver  of  hym,  so  mote  I  thee  ! 

Shall  fynde  us  in  that  cittye. 


0<S  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

And  paye  tribute  for  thee  and  me, 
For  theirto  we  be  houlde. 

Maria. 

A  !   Lorde,  what  maye  this  signifie  ? 
Some  men  I  see  glade  and  merye, 
And  some  all  sickinge  and  sorye : 
Wherfore  so  ever  yt  be, 
Seitli  Godes  sonne  came  man  to  for-bye, 
Is  comen  through  his  greate  mercy e, 
Me  thinke  that  man  should  kindlye 
Be  glade  that  sighte  to  see. 

Angellus. 

Marye,  Godes  mother  deare, 

The  toekeninge  I  shall  thee  lere, 

The  comon  people,  as  thou  seiste  heare, 

Are  glade,  as  the  well  niaye, 

That  the  shall  see  of  Abrahames  seede 

Christe  come  to  helpe  them  in  tlier  neede, 

Wherfore  the  joye  withouten  dreed 

For  to  abyde  this  daie. 

The  mourniuge  men,  take  this  in  mynde, 

Are  Jewes  tliat  slialbe  put  behynde, 

For  the  passeth  out  of  kinde, 

Through  Christe  at  his  cominge  ; 

For  the  shall  have  no  grace  to  knowe 

That  God  for  man  shall  lighte  so  loe  ; 

For  shame  on  them  that  sone  shall  shooe, 

Theirfore  the  be  mourninoe. 

JOSEPHE. 

Marie,  sister,  south  to  saye, 
Harber  I  hope  gette  we  non  maie, 
For  greate  lordes  of  stowte  araye 


THE  SALUTATION  AND  NATIVITY.  109 

Do  occupye  this  plase  ; 
Wherfore  we  muste,  in  good  faye, 
Lie  in  this  stable  tell  it  be  dale  ; 
To  make  men  meeke,  leeve  I  maie, 
Shewe  hym  heare  will  he. 

Maria. 

Helpe  me  downe,  my  left'e  fere, 
For  I  hope  my  tyme  be  nere, 
Christe  in  this  stable  that  is  here 
I  hope  borne  wilbe. 

Tunc  Josephe  accipiet  Mariam  in  brachia  sua. 
JOSEPHE. 

Come  to  me,  my  sweete  deare, 
The  treasure  of  heaven  without  were  ; 
Welckome  in  full  meke  manere 
Hym  hope  I  for  to  see. 

Tunc  statuet  Mariam  inter  bovem  et  asinam. 

Marie,  sister,  I  will  assaie 
To  gette  towe  mydwyffes,  yf  I  maie  ; 
For  though  in  thee  be  God  vereye 
A-comen  againste  kiude  ; 
For  usage  here  of  this  cittie, 
As  manners  sake  as  thinkes  me, 
Towe  I  will  feche  anon  to  thee, 
Yf  I  maie  anye  fynde. 

Josephe  [ad]  obstetrices. 

Wemen,  God  ye  save  and  see  ! 
Is  it  your  will  to  goe  with  me  I 
My  wife  is  comen  into  this  cittie 
With  childe,  and  tyme  is  nye  ; 
Helpe  her  nowe,  for  charittye  ! 
And  be  with  her  tell  dale  be, 


110  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

And  youer  travayle,  so  mote  I  thee  ! 
I  shall  paie  you  riglite  heare. 

Tebell. 

All  readye,  good  man,  in  good  faye, 
We  will  doe  all  that  ever  we  male ; 
For  towe  suche  myddwifes,  I  dare  sale, 
Are  not  in  this  cittie. 

Salome. 

Come,  good  man,  leade  us  the  waie : 
With  Godes  helpe,  or  it  be  daye, 
That  we  can  good  thy  wife  shall  saie, 
And  that  thou  shalte  well  see. 

JOSEPHE. 

Loe  !  Marye,  sweete  harte,  broughte  T  have  here 
Towe  mydwifes,  for  the  manere, 
To  be  with  thee,  my  darlinge  deare, 
Tell  that  it  be  daye. 

Marya. 

Sir,  the  be  welckome  withouten  were  ; 
But  God  will  woreke  of  his  power 
Full  sone  for  me,  my  leiffe  fere. 
As  beste  is  nowe  and  ever. 

Tunc  paululum  acquiescunt, 

A  !  Josephe,  tydinges  arighte, 

I  have  a  sonne,  a  sweete  wighte, 

Lorde,  thanked  be  thou,  moche  of  mighte  ! 

For  proved  is  thy  postie. 

Paine  non  I  felte  this  night©. 

But  righte  so  as  he  in  me  lighte, 

Comen  he  is  here  in  my  sighte, 

Godes  Sonne,  as  thou  male  see. 


THE  SALUTATION  AND  NATIVITY.  Ill 

Tunc  Stella  apparebit. 
JOSEPHE. 
Lorde,  welckome,  sweete  Jesu, 
Thy  name  thou  hadeste,  or  I  thee  knewe ; 
Nowe  leeve  I  the  angelles  wordes  trewe 
That  thou  arte  a  cleane  male  ; 
For  thou  arte  comen  mans  blesse  to  brewe, 
To  all  that  thy  lawe  will  shevve, 
Nowe  mans  joye  begineth  to  newe, 
And  joye  to  passe  awaie. 

Maria. 
Lorde,  blessed  muste  thou  be, 
That  symple  borne  arte,  as  I  see  ! 
To  prive  the  devell  of  his  postie, 
Comen  thou  arte  to  daie  ; 
Fyne  clothes  is  uon  for  thee ; 
Therfore  thy  sweete  bodye  freey 
In  this  crache  shall  lye  with  lee. 
And  be  lapped  aboute  with  haye. 

Tebell, 

A  !  deare  Lorde,  heaven  kinge, 

That  this  is  a  marvelous  thinge, 

Withouten  teene  or  travelinge, 

A  fayer  sonne  shee  hase  one ; 

I  dare  well  saye  for  south,  i-wisse. 

That  cleane  mayden  this  woman  is, 

For  shee  hathe  borne  a  childe  with  blesse, 

So  wiste  I  never  nou. 

Salome. 

Be  stille,  Tebell,  1  thee  praie  ! 
For  that  is  false,  in  good  faye. 
Was  never  woman  cleane  maj'^e, 


112  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

And  childe  withouten  man  ? 
But  never  the  latter  I  will  assaye, 
Wheitlier  shee  be  cleane  male, 
And  knowe  it  yf  I  can. 

Tunc  Salome  tenlabit  tangere  Mariam  ncpu  secreto,  et  atatim 
arescent  manus  ejus,  et  clamando  dicat. 

Alas  !  alas  !  alas  !  alas  ! 

Me  is  betyde  a  sorye  case  ; 

My  liandes  be  dryed  up  in  this  place, 

That  feelinge  non  have  I. 

Vengance  on  me  nowe  is  lighte, 

For  I  woulde  temp[t]e  Godes  mighte  ; 

Alas  !  that  I  cam  here  to  nighte, 

To  suffer  suche  anoye. 

Tunc  apparet  Stella,  et  veniet  angelus  dicens  ut  seqvilvr. 

Angellus. 

Women,  beseeke  this  childe  of  grace. 

That  he  forgave  thee  thy  treaspas, 

And  ever  thou  goe  out  of  this  place, 

Holpen  thou  shalbe : 

This  mirackle  nowe,  that  thou  seeiste  here, 

Is  of  Godes  owine  power, 

To  bringe  mankinde  out  of  dangere, 

And  mende  them,  leeve  thou  me. 

Salome. 

A  !   sweete  childe,  I  aske  mercye, 
For  thy  mothers  love,  Marye, 
Though  I  have  wroughte  wrechedlye, 
Sweete  childe,  forgeve  it  me. — 
A  !  blessed  be  God  !  all  wholle  am  I  ! 
Nowe  leve  I  well  and  seckerlye, 


THE  SALUTATION  AND  NATIVITY.  113 

That  God  is  comen  man  to  for-bye, 
And.  Lorde,  thou  arte  he. 

Expositor. 

Lo,  lordinges  all,  of  this  mirackelle  here 
Free  Barthelemewe,  in  good  manere, 
Beareth  wittnes  withouten  were, 
As  plaied  is  you  beforne  ; 
Another  mirackle,  yf  I  maie, 
I  shall  rehearse,  or  1  goe  awaie, 
That  befell  that  same  daie 
That  Jesus  Christe  was  borne. 
We  reade  in  cronackles  expresse 
Some  tyme  in  Rome  a  temple  was, 
Made  of  suche  greate  riches 
That  wounder  was  witterlie  ; 
For  all  thinges  in  it,  leve  you  me, 
Was  silver,  goulde,  and  riche  pearle  ; 
The  thirde  parte  the  worlde,  as  reade  we, 
That  temple  was  worthy e. 
Of  eiche  provinges  that  boke  mynde  mase. 
Their  godes  image  their  sette  was, 
And  eicheone  aboute  his  necke  base 
A  seilver  belle  hanginge  ; 
And  one  his  breste  written  also 
The  landes  naimes  and  goodes  bouth  too, 
And  sette  also  in  medeste  of  thoe, 
God  of  Rome  righte  as  a  kinge. 
Aboute  the  bowse  also  meaninge  theire 
A  man  on  horse  stoode  men  to  steare, 
And  in  his  hande  he  bare  a  speare, 
All  pewer  dispitiouslye : 
That  horse  and  man  was  made  of  brasse, 
Torninge  aboute  that  image  was, 
Save  certene  preistes  their  mighte  non  passe 
VOL.  I.  I 


114  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

For  devilles  fantesye. 

But  when  that  anye  lande  withe  battill 

Was  readye  Rome  for  to  assaile, 

The  godes  I  meane  withouten  fayle 

Of  that  lande  range  his  belle, 

And  torned  his  face  dispitiouslye 

To  god  of  Rome,  as  rede  I, 

In  tockeninge  that  their  wente  readye 

To  feiohtinsre  freshe  and  fell. 

The  image  also  above  standinge, 

When  the  bell  beneath  beganne  to  ringe, 

Torninge  hym  all  sharplie  shewinge 

Towarde  that  lande  his  speare  : 

And  when  the  see  this  tockeninge, 

Rome  ordeyned  without  taryeinge 

And  oste  to  kepe  their  torninge 

Longe  or  the  came  their. 

And  in  this  maner  southlye, 

By  arte  of  negremonscye, 

All  the  worlde  witterlye 

To  Rome  were  made  lowte. 

And  in  that  temj^le  their  dowtles 

Was  called  theirfore  the  Temple  of  Peace, 

Through  his  sleate  battill  can  cease. 

Throughout  the  worlde  aboute. 

But  he  so  cuninglye  this  worcke  caste, 

Asked  the  devill,  or  he  paste, 

Howe  that  temple  it  shoulde  laste 

Tha[t]  he  their  can  builde. 

The  devill  answered  suttellye. 

And  saide  it  shoulde  laste  sickerlye, 

Untell  a  may  den  womanly  e 

Hade  conseaved  a  childe. 

The  liarde  and  beleeved  theirfore 

Yt  shoulde  indewer  for  evermore. 


I 


THE  SALUTATION  AND  NATIVITY.  115 

But  that  tyme  that  Christe  was  bore 

Yt  fell  downe  sone  in  hie. 

Of  which  howse  is  seene  this  dale, 

Somewhat  standinge,  in  good  faye, 

But  no  man  dare  goe  that  waie 

For  feindes  fantasje. 

That  dale  was  seene  veramente 

Three  sonnes  in  the  firmamente, 

And  wouderlye  togeither  wente. 

And  torued  into  one. 

The  oxe,  the  asse,  their  the  be  lente, 

Honoured  Christe  in  their  intente, 

And  more  mirackles,  as  we  have  mente 

To  playe  righte  here  anon^ 

Time  ostendent  stellam,  et  veniet  Sibella  ad  imperalorem. 
SiBBILLA. 

Sir  emperower,  God  thee  save  and  see  ! 

I  tell  you  trulye  that  borne  is  he 

That  passes  thee  of  postie  ; 

Loke  upon  highe  after  me, 

That  barron  thou  seiste  greate  shalbe 

To  passe  all  kinges  and  eke  thee, 

That  is  borne  or  ever  shalbe, 

OCTAVIAN, 
O  Sibelle,  this  is  a  wounderous  sighte  ! 
For  yender  I  see  a  mayden  brighte, 
A  yonge  childe  in  her  amies  clighte ; 
A  brighte  crosse  in  his  heade. 
Honoure  I  will  that  sweete  wighte 
With  incense  with  all  my  mighte, 
For  that  reverence  is  moste  righte, 
Yf  that  it  be  thy  reade. 
Incence  bringe  I  commaunde  in  hie, 

I  2 


116  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

To  honoure  this  cliilde,  kinge  of  mercye. 
Shoulde  I  be  God  ?  ney,  ney,  witterlie, 
Greate  wronge  I  wiste  it  were. 
For  this  childe  is  more  worthye 
Then  suche  a  thousande  as  am  I  ; 
Theirfore  to  God  moste  mightie 
Incense  I  offer  heare. 

Tunc  angellus  cantabit,  hec  este  ara  Dei,  celafiant  notam, 
secundum  arbitrium  agentis. 

A  !  Sybell,  heares  not  thou  this  songe  ? 
My  members  all  it  goeth  amonge, 
Joye  and  blesse  maketh  my  harte  stronge, 
To  heare  this  melodye  ; 
Trulye  it  maye  non  other  be 
But  this  childe  is  prince  of  postie, 
And  I  his  subjecte,  as  I  see  : 
He  is  moste  worthy. 

Sybell. 

Yea,  sir,  thou  shalte  leeve  well  this, 
Somewhere  in  earth  borne  he  is, 
And  that  he  cometh  for  mans  blisse 
His  tocken  this  can  shewe. 
Reverence  hym  I  redo,  i-wisse, 
For  other  God  ther  non  is  : 
He  that  hopeth  otherwise  dothe  amisse, 
But  hym  for  Ohriste  to  knowe. 

OCTAVIAN. 

Sires,  senatores,  goes  whom  anon. 
And  warne  my  men  everye  icheone, 
That  suche  worshippe  I  muste  forgone 
As  the  woulde  doe  to  me  ; 
But  this  childe  worshippe  iche  man, 


THE  SALUTATION  AND  NATIVITY.  117 

With  full  liarte  all  that  you  can, 
For  he  is  worthye  to  leeve  upon, 
And  that  I  nowe  well  see. 
And,  Lorde,  whatever  this  maie  be, 
This  is  a  wounderous  sighte  to  see, 
For  in  the  starre,  as  thinketh  me, 
I  see  a  fiiU  faier  maye. 

Primus  Senator. 

Sir,  shall  this  cliilde  passe  ye 
Of  worthynes  and  dignitie  ? 
Suche  a  lorde,  by  my  lewtie, 
I  wende  never  hade  bene  non. 

Expositor. 

Lordinges,  that  this  is  vereye. 

By  vereye  signe  knowe  ye  maie. 

For  in  Rome,  in  good  faye, 

Ther  as  thes  thinges  was  seene. 

Was  builde  a  chourshe  in  noble  araye. 

In  worshipe  of  Marye  that  sweete  maye. 

That  yet  lasteth  unto  this  dale, 

As  men  knowe  that  their  hath  bene. 

And  for  to  have  full  memorye 

Of  the  angelles  melodye, 

A  nd  of  this  sighte  seckerlye, 

The  emperower  their  knewe. 

The  churche  is  called  Saynte  Marie, 

The  sirname  in  a  Racali, 

That  men  knowe  well  theirby 

Tha[t]  this  was  fullye  trewe. 

Another  mirackle  I  fynde  also, 

A  christes  birth  fell  thoe. 

When  Salome  attempted  ^o  knowe 

Wheither  shee  was  a  maye, 


lis  TBK  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Ho-  londe  x^otted.  as  rem  hsiTe  seene : 
Wberbr  je  niaTe  take  good  t<e«»e. 
That  imbidd£?  is  a  fiywle  srne 
As  joa  faaxe  seene  in  this  place. 

#&ns.    JDrngrmdm!  permte  G«»rgi  Bdlim.  1393. 
Came,  Lode  Jesa,  cmne  qvickljEip. 


THE  PLAT  OF  THE  SREPHEBU^.  1  IS 


VII.     THE  PLAY  OF  THE  SHEPHERDS. 
Tbe  Paprten  aad  tfe  Gfasion  Ffc^e. 

Pbijius  Pastc»- 

One  wonldes  1  hare  walked  fidl  vrkie. 

Under  Imsbee  nnr  bower  to  baiUe. 

Fro>m  sdffe  bonnes  but  siieepe  to  yheiMp, 

Mr  =eemlTe  weitfaeis  to  sare  ; 

From  comdve  CfHtvaje  unto  CKde. 

Under  trldes  them  to  hvde. 

A  better  sheapaxde  on  no  svde 

Xo  Teairthlre  man  maxe  have. 

For  with  viaUinge  weaire  I  hare  me  thooghte. 

Be^de  thee  ^aehe  mr  diec(pe]  I  sonshte. 

Mt  takfon  tnppes  are  in  mv  thoughte 

Them  to  save  and  heale. 

From  the  shrewde  scabe  it  sooghte. 

Or  the  rotte.  jf  vt  were  wroaghte. 

Yf  the  ean^ie  had  them  cao^te. 

Of  Tt  I  eonlde  them  heale. 

Loe.  here  be  mT  erbes  safe  and  soimde, 

Wislye  wTonsht  for  evefre  wooDde, 

The  wonMe  a  whiA  mai  Ininse  to  groonde 

Within  a  httill  while : 

Of  henbane  and  hoidionnde. 

Bvbbey  raydishe  and  esT^nounde.        ^ 

^Tiieh  be  mv  erbes  saffe  and  sonnde. 


120  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Medled  on  a  rowe. 
Here  be  more  erbes,  I  tell  it  you, 
I  shall  recken  them  on  a  rooe, 
Fynter  fauter,  and  fFetter  foe, 
And  also  penye  wrytte. 
This  is  all  that  I  knowe, 
For  be  it  weither  or  be  it  yoo, 
I  shall  them  heale  on  a  rooe, 
Cleane  from  their  hurte. 
Heare  is  tarre  in  a  potte, 
To  heale  from  the  rotte  ; 
Well  I  can  and  well  I  wotte 
The  caughe  from  them  take. 
But  no  fellowshippe  heare  have  I, 
Save  my  selfe  alone  in  good  faye  ; 
Therfore  after  one  faste  will  I  crye. 
But  firste  will  I  drinke,  yf  I  male. 

Hie  potet  Primus  Pastor. 

Howe,  Harvye,  howe  ! 

Drive  thy  sheepe  to  the  lowe  ; 

Thou  maye  not  heare  excepte  I  blowe, 

As  ever  have  I  heale. 

Hie  flabit  Primus  Pastor. 

Secundus  Pastor. 

It  is  noe  shame  for  to  shewe 
Howe  I  was  sette  to  sowe. 
With  the  feither  of  a  croe, 
sitte  downe.  A  clowte  upon  my  heele. 

Felowe,  nowe  we  be  well  mete, 
And  thoughe  me  thinkes  nodes, 
Hade  we  Tudde  heare  by  us  sette, 
Their  miffhte  we  sitte  and  feede  us. 


the  play  of  the  shepherds.  121 

Peimus  Pastor. 
Yea,  to  feede  us  frendlye  in  faye, 
Howe  mighte  we  liave  our  service  aye, 
Orye  thou  muste  lowde,  by  this  daie, 
Tudde  is  deafe  and  [maye]  not  well  heare  us. 

Secundus  Pastor  vocat  submissa  voce, 
Howe,  Tudde,  come  for  thy  father  kyn. 

Primus  Pastor. 

Naye,  faye,  thy  voyce  is  wounderous  dyme  ; 

Why,  knowes  thou  not  hym  I 

Fye,  man,  for  shame  ! 

Calle  hym  Tudde  Tybbes  sonne, 

And  then  will  the  shrewe  come, 

For,  in  good  faith,  it  is  his  wonne 

To  love  well  his  dames  name. 

Secundus  Pastor. 
Howe,  Tudde,  Tybbes  sonne  ! 

Tercius  Pastor. 

Sir,  in  faith  nowe  I  come. 

For  yette  have  I  not  all  done 

That  I  have  to  doe ; 

To  seithe  salve  for  our  sheepe  ; 

And  leste  my  wife  shoulde  it  weete, 

With  grete  gravill  and  greete 

I  skoure  an  oulde  pane. 

Hemlocke  and  hereife  take  kepe, 

With  tarre  boyste  nmste  be  tamde, 

Penye  gresse  and  butter  for  fatte  sheepe. 

For  this  saulfe  am  I  not  ashamed ; 

Ashamed  am  I  not  to  shewe 

No  poynte  that  longes  to  my  crafte, 


122  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

No  better  that  I  well  knowe 

In  lande  is  no  where  lefte. 

For  to  good  men  this  is  not  unknowne, 

To  husbandes  that  be  heare  aboutes, 

That  iche  man  muste  to  his  wife  bowne, 

And  commonlye  for  feare  of  a  cloute. 

This  for  clowtes  nowe  care  I, 

All  is  for  feare  of  our  dame  Kenye, 

Nowe  will  I  caste  my  ware  here  by, 

And  hye  faste  that  I  were  at  Hancken. 

Hancken,  lioulde  up  thy  liande,  and  have  me, 

That  I  were  on  heighte  their  by  thee. 

Primus  Pastor. 

Gladlye,  sir,  yf  thou  woulde  be  by  me, 
For  lothe  me  is  to  denye  thee. 

Secundus  Pastor. 

Nowe  seinge  God  hath  gaithred  us  togeither. 
With  good  harte  I  tlianke  hym  of  his  grace. 
Wellckome  be  thou  well  fayer  weither, 
Tudde,  will  we  shape  us  to  some  solace. 

Tercius  Pastor. 

Solace  woulde  beste  be  seene 
That  we  shape  us  to  our  suppere  ; 
For  meate  and  drinke  well,  I  wene, 
To  eiche  deede  is  moste  deare. 

Primus  Pastor. 

Laye  fourth  iche  man  aleiche 
What  he  hath  lefte  of  his  livereye  ; 
And  I  will  put  fourth  my  piclie. 
With  my  parte,  firste  of  us  all  three. 


the  play  of  the  shepherds.  123 

Secundus  Pastor. 
And  suche  store  as  my  wife  hade, 
In  your  sighte  sone  shall  you  see, 
At  our  beo-inino^e  us  for  to  olade. 
For  in  oood  meate  their  is  moche  glee. 
Heare  is  bread  this  daie  was  baken  ; 
Onyans,  garlicke,  and  leickes, 
Butter  that  boughte  was  in  Blackou, 
And  orreene  cheese  that  will  oreese  vour  cheekes. 

Tercius  Pastor. 

And  heare  ale  of  Halton  I  have, 
And  whotte  meate  I  hade  to  my  hier ; 
A  puddinge  maye  no  man  deprave, 
And  a  jannacke  of  Lancaster  shire. 
Loe  !  heares  a  sheepes  heade  sawsed  in  ale, 
And  a  grayne  to  laye  on  the  greene. 
And  sower  mylke  my  wife  hade  ordened, 
A  noble  supper  as  well  is  seene. 

Primus  Pastor. 

Nowe  will  I  caste  of  my  cloke, 
And  put  out  parte  of  my  liverye, 
And  put  out  that  I  have  in  my  pocke, 
And  a  gygges  foote  from  puddinge  purye. 

Tercius  Pastor. 

Abyde,  fellowes,  and  you  shall  see  here 
This  hotte  meate  serveid  here. 
Gammons  and  other  good  meate  in  feare, 
A  puddinge  with  a  pricke  in  the  ende. 

Primus  Pastor. 

My  secchell  to  shake  oute 

To  sheapardes  am  I  not  ashamed  ; 


124  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

And  this  tonge  pared  roiinde  aboute, 
With  my  tonge  it  shalbe  atamed. 

Tunc  comedent,  el  dicat  Primus  Pastor : 

Howseinge  enofFe  have  we  heare, 
While  that  we  have  heaven  over  our  heades 
Nowe  to  weete  our  mouthes  tyme  were, 
This  flagette  will  I  tame,  yf  thou  reade  us. 

Tercius  Pastor. 

And  of  this  bottill  nowe  will  I  bibbe. 
For  heare  is  but  of  the  beste  ; 
Suche  liccore  makes  me  to  live. 
This  game  maye  nowher  be  lefte. 

Primus  Pastor. 

Fellowes,  nowe  our  bellye  be  full, 
Thinke  we  on  liym  that  kepes  our  flockes  . 
Blowe  thy  home  and  [call]  after  Trowle, 
And  byde  hym  some  of  our  bittlockes. 

Secundus  Pastor. 

Well  sayde,  Hancken,  by  my  south, 
For  that  shrewe  I  suppose  seekes  us. 
My  home  to  blowe  I  will  not  lette, 
Tell  that  ladde  have  some  of  our  leckes. 

Tercius  Pastor. 

Leekes  to  his  livereye  is  likinge, 
Suche  a  lade  nowher  in  lande  is. 
Blowe  a  mote  for  that  mittinge, 
Whyle  that  home  nowe  in  thy  hande  is. 

Primus  Pastor. 

With  this  home  I  shall  make  a  howe 
That  he  and  all  heaven  shall  heare  ; 


THE  PLAY  OF  THE  SHEPHERDS.        .  125 

Yender  ladde,  that  sittes  on  a  lowe, 
The  lowde  of  this  home  shall  heare. 

Tunc  cantabit,  et  dicat  Trowle : 

Good  Lorde,  loke  one  me  ! 

And  my  flocke  heare  as  the  feed  have  ; 

On  this  woulde  walke  we  woe, 

Are  no  man  heare  that  maye, 

All  is  playne  perdye  ; 

Therfore,  sheepe,  we  mone  goe, 

No  better  maye  be 

Of  beastes  that  bloode  and  bone  have. 

Wotte  I  not  dale  nor  nighte, 

Necessaryes  that  to  me  ne  done, 

Tarre  boyste  and  tarre  boyle 

Ye  shall  see  heare, 

Nettell,  hemlocke,  and  butter  ab^^dinge, 

And  my  good  dogge  Dottinoule, 

That  is  nothinge  choyse  of  his  chydinge. 

Yf  any  man  come  me  bye. 

And  woulde  witte  which  waie  were  beste, 

My  legge  I  leifte  up  as  I  lye, 

And  wishe  hym  the  waie  este  or  weste, 

And  I  rose  when  I  laye, 

I  woulde  thiuke  that  travill  loste. 

For  kinge  nor  ducke  by  this  dale 

Rise  I  will  not,  but  take  ray  reste. 

Nowe  here  sitte  downe  I  will, 

Harmles,  as  I  hastelye  hope  ; 

No  man  heare  shall  drinke. 

Save  my  selfe,  the  devill  of  the  sope. 

All  this  bottill  I  sette  at  littill, 

Naye,  ye  lades,  kepe  I  not  to  lye  thee ; 

For  ye  have  manye  a  fowle  fitte, 

Thou  fowle  fylth,  though  thou  flitte,  I  defve  thee. 


126  the  chester  plays. 

Primus  Pastor. 
Trowle,  take  teene  to  my  talkinge, 
For  thy  teeith  lieare  is  good  touginge, 
While  thy  weithers  bene  walkinge, 
And  on  this  loyne  thou  maie  have  good  luginge. 

Trowle. 

Fye  on  your  loynes  and  on  youer  hvereye  ! 
Youer  lyverastes,  hvers  and  lounges  ! 
You  sause,  your  saustes,  your  saverye, 
Your  sittinge  without  anye  songes. 
On  this  hill  I  houlde  me  heare, 
No  hape  to  your  hotte  meate  have  I ; 
But  sitte  with  my  fellowes  in  freye, 
And  your  sheepe  full  securlye  save  I. 

Secundus  Pastor. 

For  thou  saves  our  sheepe, 
Good  knave,  take  kepe  ; 
Seith  thou  maye  not  slepe, 
Come  eate  of  this  sauce. 

Trowle. 

Naye,  the  durte  is  so  depe 
Stopped  theirin  for  to  stepe, 
And  the  grobbes  theiron  doe  crepe 
At  whom  at  thy  howse. 
Therfore  meate,  yf  I  maie, 
Of  your  dightinge  to  daie 
Will  I  naughte,  by  no  waie, 
Tell  I  have  my  wages. 
I  wende  to  have  been  gaye  : 
Se  so  ragged  is  myne  araye, 
Aye  pynckes  is  your  paye 
To  everye  poore  page. 


\ 


the  play  of  the  shepherd^^.  127 

Tercius  Pastor. 
Trowle,  boye,  for  Godes  fee  ! 
Come  eate  a  morscill  with  me, 
And  then  wrastill  will  we 
Here  on  this  greeue. 

Trowle. 
That  shall  I  never  fleye, 
Though  yt  be  with  all  three, 
To  laye  my  livereye, 
That  wages  will  I  houlde. 

Tmic  ibit  ad  magistros  suos,  et  dicat  Trowle  : 

Nowe  comes  Trowle  the  trewe, 

A  turne  to  take  have  I  tiffhte 

With  my  maistores,  or  I  rewe, 

Put  liym  fourth  that  moste  is  of  mighte. 

Primus  Pastor. 
Trowle,  better  never  thou  knewe, 
Eate  of  this  meate  for  a  kniahte. 

Trowle. 

Naye,  spare  I  will,  thoughe  I  spewe, 
All  upon  thy  heade  shall  lighte. 

Secundus  Pastor. 

Howe  shoulde  we  suffer  all  this  shame, 
Of  a  shrewe  this  to  be  shente  ? 

Tercius  Pastor. 
This  ladde  luste  to  be  lamde, 
And  lose  a  lyme  or  he  wente. 


128  the  chester  plays. 

Trowle. 

Have  done,  begyne  we  this  game, 
But  ware  leste  your  golions  glette. 
That  were  littill  dole  to  our  dame, 
Though  in  meideste  Dde  the  were  drente. 

Primus  Pastor. 

False  lade,  fye  on  thy  face, 
On  this  grounde  thou  shalte  have  a  falle. 
Hente  one  and  houlde  that  thou  haste, 
Yf  thou  hape  have  all  goe  to  all. 

Trowle. 

And  these  sires  heare  to  solace, 
Hancken,  slieaparde,  shame  thee  I  shall ; 
Worth  thou  arte  worse  then  thou  was. 
Ware  leste  thou  walte  here  by  the  walle. 

Tunc  projiciat  prinmm  pastorem,  et  dicat  Secundus  Pastor  : 

Boye,  leste  I  breake  thy  bones, 
Kneele  downe  and  aske  me  a  bone, 
Leste  I  destroye  thee  heare  on  thes  stones  : 
Cease,  leaste  I  shame  thee  to  sone. 

Trowle. 

Gloe  thee  to  greynes  and  groundes, 

Good  were  thee  thy  oulde  ragges  to  save  sounde 

Littill  doute  of  suche  drownes, 

Leither  tycke,  for  thy  deedes  are  done. 

Tercius  Pastor. 

Out,  alas  !  he  lyes  on  his  loynes, 
But  let  me  goe  nowe  to  that  lade  ! 
Sheapardes  he  shames  and  shyndes. 
For  laste  nowe  am  I  out  shade. 


the  play  of  the  shepherds.  129 

Trowle. 

Bouth  your  backes  heare  to  me  bendes, 
For  all  your  boste  I  houlde  you  Ml  bade ; 
Houlde  your  ersces  and  your  liynder  loynes, 
Then  hope  I  to  have  as  I  to-fore  hade, 
The  better  in  the  bore,  as  I  hade  before, 
Of  this  boverte. 

Yea,  hope  I  more,  kepe  well  thy  store, 
For  feare  of  a  farte. 

Tunc  projiciat  tertmm  pastorem,  et  dicat  Trowle : 

Lye  their,  leither  in  the  lacke. 
My  livereye  nowe  will  [I]  lache  ; 
This  curye,  this  cloute,  and  this  cake, 
For  ye  be  caste  nowe  will  I  kache. 
To  the  devill  I  all  you  betake. 
And  traytors  ataynte  of  your  tache, 
One  this  woulde  with  this  will  I  walke, 
All  the  worlde  wounder  on  the  waclie. 

Et  sic  recedat  Trowle,  et  dicat  Primus  Pastor : 

Fellowes,  this  a  fowle  case  is, 

That  we  bene  this  caste  out  of  a  knave  ; 

All  againste  our  willes  he  base  his. 

But  I  muste  nodes  houlde  the  harme  that  I  have. 

Secundus  Pastor. 

That  I  have  nedes  muste  I  houlde, 
Of  thes  unhappye  harmes  ofte  here  I : 
Therfore  will  I  wayte  on  this  woulde 
Upon  the  wedder,  for  I  am  wearye. 

Tercius  Pastor. 

Thoughe  we  be  weayrie,  no  wounder. 
What  betwene  wrastlinge  and  walkinge  ! 

vol.  I.  K 


130  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Ofte  we  maye  be  in  thoughte,  we  be  nowe  under, 
God  amende  yt  with  his  makinge  ! 

Tunc  sedehunt,  et  Stella  apparebit,  et  dicanl : 

Primus  Pastor. 

What  is  all  this  lighte  here, 
That  blackes  so  brighte  heare. 
On  my  blacke  beyrde  ? 
For  to  see  this  lighte  heare, 
A  man  maye  be  afrighte  heare, 
For  I  am  freayde. 

Secundus  Pastor. 

Freayde,  for  a  fraye  nowe, 
Maye  we  be  all  nowe, 
A  !  yet  it  is  niglite. 
Yet  seemes  yt  dale  nowe, 
Se  I  suche  a  sighte  ! 

Tercius  Pastor. 

Suche  a  sighte  seeminge, 
And  a  lighte  leminge, 
Lettes  me  to  loke  ; 
All  to  my  deeminge. 
From  a  starre  streminge 
Hit  to  me  strocke. 

Trowle. 

That  starre,  yf  yt  stande. 
To  see  will  I  founde, 
Though  mighte  lighte  fayle  : 
While  I  maye  live  in  londe. 
Why  shoulde  I  founde, 
Yf  it  will  avayle  ? 

Tunc  respiciens  firmamentum,  et  dicat  Trotvle  : 


THE  PLAY  OF  THE  SHEPHERDS.  131 

A  !  God  mighte  is, 
In  yender  starre  lighte  is, 
Of  the  Sonne  this  siirhte  is. 
As  yt  nowe  sheines. 

Primus  Pastor. 

It  seemes  as  I  nowe  see 
A  brighte  starre  to  be, 
Their  to  abyde. 
From  it  we  maye  not  fleye, 
But  aye  glye  on  the  glee, 
Tell  yt  downe  glyde. 

Secundus  Pastor. 

Fellowes,  will  we 

Kuele  downe  on  our  knye, 

After  comfortes, 

To  the  trewe  Trenitie, 

For  to  leade  us  to  see 

Our  elderes  Lorde. 

Tercius  Pastor. 

Our  Lorde  will  us  lere 
In  our  prayer, 
Wherto  it  will  apente, 
And  why  on  liighte  here 
The  eayre  is  so  cleare, 
Nowe  shall  we  be  kente, 

Trowle. 

Lorde,  of  this  lighte 
Guyde  us  some  sighte, 
Why  that  it  is  sente. 
Before  this  nighte, 

K  2 


132  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Was  I  never  so  afrighte 
Of  the  fermamente. 

Primus  Pastor. 

Wyste  I,  by  my  faye  ! 
Nowe  is  yt  nighe  daie, 
So  was  it  never  ; 
Therfore  I  praye 
The  south  us  to  saie, 
Or  that  we  desevere. 

Tunc  cantet  angelus,  Gloria  in  excelsis  Deo  et  in  terra  pax 
hominibus  bone  voluntatis. 

Primus  Pastor. 

Fellowes  in  feare, 

Maye  you  not  heare 

This  muttinge  on  heighte  ? 

Secundus  Pastor. 

A  glore  and  in  glere, 
Yet  no  man  was  nere 
Within  our  sighte. 

Tercius  Pastor. 

Naye,  it  was  a  glorj^e  ! 
Nowe  am  I  sorye, 
But  more  songe. 

Trowle. 

Of  this  strange  storye 
Such  mirth  more  I 
Woulde  have  amonge. 

Primus  Pastor. 

As  I  them  demed, 


THE  PLAY  OF  THE  SHEPHERDS.  133 

i 

Scellsis  it  seemed 

That  he  sange. 

Secundus  Pastor. 

While  the  lighte  lemed, 
Awreckinge  me  wened, 
I  wiste  never  woo. 

Tercius  Pastor. 

What  songe  was  this,  saye  ye, 
That  the  sange  to  us  all  three  ? 
Expounded  shall  yt  be, 
Or  we  hense  passe  ; 
For  I  am  eldeste  of  degree, 
And  also  beste,  as  seemes  me  : 
Hit  was  glore  glare  with  a  glee, 
Hit  was  nether  more  nor  lesse. 

Trowle. 

Nay,  it  was  giori,  glory,  glorious  ! 

Me  thoughte  that  note  ronne  over  the  liowse  : 

A  semlye  man  he  was  and  curyous, 

But  sone  awaie  he  was. 

Primus  Pastor. 

Naye,  it  was  glory,  glory,  with  a  glo  ! 
And  moche  of  cellsis  was  therto : 
As  ever  have  I  reste  or  roo-, 
Moche  he  spake  of  glasse. 

Secundus  Pastor. 

Naye,  yt  was  nether  glasse  nor  glye  ; 
Therfore,  fellowe,  nowe  stande  by. 

Tercius  Pastor. 
B}^  my  faith  !  he  was  some  spie, 


134  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Our  sheepe  for  to  steale  ; 

Or  elles  he  was  a  man  of  our  crafte, 

For  semlye  he  was  and  wounder  dafte. 

'  Trowle. 
Naye,  he  came  by  nighte,  all  thinge  lefte, 
Our  tuppes  with  tarre  to  tell. 

Primus  Pastor. 
Nay,  on  a  glore,  on  a  glory,  on  a  glye  ! 
Gurde  Gabrill,  when  he  so  gloryed  ; 
When  he  sange  I  mighte  not  be  sorye, 
Througe  my  breste  bone  bletinge  he  borned. 

Secundus  Pastor. 

Nay,  be  God  !  it  was  a  gloria, 

Sayde  Gabrill  when  he  beganne  so, 

He  hade  a  moche  better  voyce  then  I  have, 

As  in  heaven  all  other  have  so. 

Tercius  Pastor. 
Will  ye  heare  howe  he  sange  selsis  I 
For  on  that  sadlye  he  sete  hym, 
Neither  singes  Sir,  nor  so  well  Sis, 
Ney  paxe  merye  Maude  when  she  so  met  hym. 

Trowle. 

One  tyme  he  touched  on  terre. 
And  therto  I  toke  good  intente  ; 
All  heaven  mighte  not  a  gone  harre, 
That  noote  on  heighte  when  he  up  hente. 

Primus  Pastor. 
And  after  of  paxe  or  of  peace, 
Up  as  pye  he  piped, 


THE  PLAY  OF  THE  SHEPHERDS,  135 

Suclie  a  loden  that  is  no  lesse, 
Never  in  my  life  me  so  liked. 

Secundus  Pastor. 
Upon  omnibus  he  mutted, 
That  mocli  marville  to  me  was, 
And  ever  I  quocke  when  the  so  shouted, 
I  durst  not  heade  wher  that  it  was. 

Tercius  Pastor. 
Yet  he  sange  more  then  all  this  ; 
Froo  my  mynde  it  shall  not  starte, 
For  he  sange  Bene  voluntatis^ 
That  is  a  crape  that  passeth  all  other. 

Trowle. 

Yet  [and]  yet,  he  sange  more  to, 
Froo  my  harte  it  shall  not  starte  ; 
He  sange  also  of  a  Deo, 
Me  thoughte  healed  my  harte. 
And  that  worde  Terre  he  tamed, 
Therto  I  toke  good  intente. 
And  paxe  also  maye  not  be  blamed, 
For  that  to  this  souge  I  asseute. 

Primus  Pastor. 

Nowe  praye  we  to  hym  with  good  intente^ 
And  singe  I  will  and  me  imbrace, 
That  he  will  let  us  to  be  kente. 
And  to  sende  us  of  his  ffrace. 

Secundus  Pastor. 

Nowe  seith  I  have  all  my  will, 

For  never  in  this  worlde  so  well  base, 


136  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Singe  we  nowe  I  redde  us  shrille, 
A  merye  songe  us  to  solace. 

Trowle, 

Singe  we  nowe,  lettes  see, 

Some  songe  will  I  assaye : 

All  men  nowe  singe  after  me, 

For  musicke  of  me  learne  you  maie. 

Singe  troly  Tunc  cantahunt,  et  postea  dicat  Tercius  Pastor 

loly  troly  loe. 

Nowe  wende  we  fourth  to  Beathlem, 

That  ys  beste  our  songe  to  be, 

To  see  the  starre  cleane  maye, 

The  frute  of  that  mayden  freye. 

Primus  Pastor. 
Nowe  folowe  we  the  starre  that  shyneth, 
Tell  we  come  to  that  holly e  stable ; 
To  Bethelem  bonne  the  lymes, 
Folowe  we  it  without  anye  fable. 

Secundus  Pastor. 

Folowe  we  it,  and  hies  full  faste, 
Suche  a  freude  loth  us  to  fayle  ; 
Lanche  on,  I  will  not  be  the  laste, 
Upon  Marye  for  to  marvayle. 

Hie  vadunt  versus  Bet  Mem. 

Tercius  Pastor. 
Stynte  nowe,  goe  no  more  steppes, 
For  nowe  the  starre  begineth  to  stonde  ; 
Harvye,  that  bene  our  good  happes. 
We  seene  by  our  Savyour  founde. 

Hie  apparel  et  dicat  angclus : 


THE  PLAY  OF  THE  SHEPHERDS.         137 

Sheapardes,  of  this  sighte 

Be  ye  not  afrighte, 

For  this  is  Grodes  mighte, 

Take  this  in  mynde  : 

To  Bethelem  nowe  righte, 

Ther  you  shall  se  in  sighte, 

That  Christe  is  borne  to  niglite, 

To  ken  all  mankinde. 

Trowle, 

To  Bethlem  take  we  the  waye, 
For  with  you  I  thinke  to  wende, 
That  Prince  of  peace  for  to  praye, 
Heaven  to  have  at  our  ende. 
And  singe  we  all,  I  rede. 
Some  mirth  to  his  magistie  ; 
For  certen  nowe  slieewe  it  in  deed. 
The  kinges  sonne  of  heaven  is  he. 

Primus  Pastor. 

Sym,  Sym,  sickerlye 
Heare  I  see  Marye, 
And  Jesus  Christe  faste  by. 
Lapped  in  liaye. 

Secundus  Pastor. 

Kneyle  we  downe  in  hye, 
And  praye  we  liym  of  mercye, 
And  welckome  hym  worthelye, 
That  wo  dose  awaie. 

Tercius  Pastor. 

Awaye  all  our  wo  is. 
And  many  mans  moe  is  ! 


138  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Christe  Lorde,  let  us  kysse 
The  crache  or  the  clothes. 

Trowle. 

Solace  nowe,  to  see  this, 
Buildes  in  my  breste  blesse, 
Never  after  to  doe  amysse 
Thinges  that  hym  lootli  is. 

Primus  Pastor. 

Whatever  this  oulde  man  that  heare  is, 

Take  heede  howe  his  head  is  whore, 

His  beirde  is  like  a  buske  of  breyers, 

With  a  pound  of  lieaire  about  his  mouth  and  more. 

Secundus  Pastor. 

More  is  this  marvayle  to  me  nowe. 
For  to  nape  greatlye  hym  nedes  ; 
Hartles  is  he  nowe 
For  aye  to  his  heales  he  heedes. 

Tercius  Pastor. 

Why,  with  his  beirde,  though  it  liydes, 
Righte  well  to  her  he  heedes  ; 
Worthy  wighte,  witte  woulde, 
Will  we  warne  us  worthye. 

Maria. 

Sheapardes,  southlye  I  see 

That  my  sonne  you  heither  sente, 

Throuo'h  Godes  mio;hte  in  maoistie, 

That  in  me  lighte  and  heare  is  lente. 

This  man  maried  was  to  me, 

For  no  syne  ner  suche  asseute, 


THE  PLAY  OF  THE  SHEPHERDS.         139 

But  to  kepe  my  virginitie, 

And  trewlye  for  no  other  intente. 

JOSEPHE. 

Good  men,  Moyses  takes  in  mynde, 

As  he  was  made  through  Grod  allmighte, 

Ordeyned  lawes  us  to  byude, 

Which  that  we  shoulde  kepe  of  righte, 

Man  and  woman  for  to  bynde, 

Lawfullye  them  bouth  to  hghte, 

To  frutifye,  as  men  maye  fynde, 

That  tyme  was  wedded  everye  wighte. 

Therfore  wedded  to  her  I  was, 

As  lawe  woulde,  her  for  to  lere. 

For  noyse,  nor  sclaundcr,  nor  treasspas, 

And  throuo-h  that  deed  the  devill  to  dare  : 

As  toulde  me  Gabrill  full  of  grace, 

When  I  hade  trussed  all  my  geyer. 

To  have  flede  and  never  to  have  seeue  her  face, 

By  hym  was  I  areaisted  their. 

For  he  sayde  to  me  sleapinge 

That  shee  lackles  was  of  synne  ; 

And  when  I  harde  that  tockeninge, 

From  her  durste  I  not  tweyne. 

Therfore  goes  fourth,  preach  this  thinge, 

All  togeither  and  not  in  twene. 

That  you  have  scene  youer  heavenlye  kinge 

Comen,  and  all  mankinde  to  myne. 

Primus  Pastor. 

Greate  God,  sittinge  in  thy  throne. 
That  made  all  thinges  of  uaughte, 
Nowe  we  niaie  thanke  thee  icheone. 
This  is  he  that  we  have  soughte. 


140  the  chester  plays. 

Secundus  Pastor. 
Groe  we  nere  anon, 
With  suche  as  we  have  brouohte, 
Ringe,  bruche,  ner  precious  stonne, 
Lett  us  se  yf  we  have  oughte  to  profter. 

Tercius  Pastor. 
Let  us  doe  hym  homage. 

Primus  Pastor. 
Who  shall  goe  firste  ?  the  page  I 

Secundus  Pastor. 

Naye,  ye  be  father  of  age, 
Therlbre  ye  muste  offer. 

Primus  Pastor. 

Heale,  kinge  of  heaven  so  hie  ! 

Borne  in  a  crebe, 

Mankinde  unto  thee 

Thou  haste  made  fully e. 

Heale,  kinge  !  borne  in  a  maydens  bower, 

Proffittes  did  tell  thou  shouldest  be  our  succore, 

Thus  clarkes  doth  saye. 

Loe,  I  bringe  thee  a  bell  : 

I  praie  thee  save  me  from  hell. 

So  that  I  maye  with  thee  dwell, 

And  serve  thee  for  [aye]. 

Secundus  Pastor. 

Heale  the,  emperower  of  hell, 
And  of  heaven  allsoe  ! 
The  feynde  shall  thee  fell. 
That  ever  hath  bene  false. 
Heale  the,  maker  of  the  starre, 


THE  PLAY  OF  THE  SHEPHERD.S.  141 

That  stode  us  beforne  ; 

Heale  the,  blessed  full  barne, 

Loe,  Sonne,  I  bringe  thee  a  flaggette, 

Theirby  heinges  a  sponne. 

To  eate  thy  pottage  with  all  at  nonne. 

As  I  my  selfe  full  offce  tymes  have  done, 

With  harte  I  praie  thee  to  take. 

Tercius  Pastor. 

Heale,  prince  without  anye  peare, 

That  mankinde  shall  releeve  ! 

Heale  thee,  froo  unto  Luciffier, 

The  which  begyled  Eve  ! 

Heale  the,  granter  of  happe, 

For  in  yeairth  nowe  thou  dwelleste. 

Loe,  Sonne,  I  bringe  thee  a  cape, 

For  I  have  uothinge  elles : 

This  gueifte,  sonne,  I  bringe  thee  is  but  small, 

And  though  I  come  the  hyndmoste  of  all, 

When  thou  shall  them  to  thy  blesse  call. 

Good  Lorde,  yet  thinke  on  me. 

Trowle. 

My  dere,  with  dutye  unto  thee  I  me  dresse, 

My  state  and  felloshippe  that  I  doe  not  lose. 

For  to  save  me  from  all  yle  sicknes, 

I  offer  unto  thee  a  payer  of  my  wifes  oulde  hose  ; 

For  other  dremes,  my  sonne. 

Have  I  non  for  to  geve. 

That  is  worth  anye  thinge  at  all, 

But  my  good  harte,  while  I  live, 

And  my  prayers  tell  death  doe  me  call. 

The  Firste  Boye. 

Nowe  to  my  fellowes  this  will  I  saye, 
For  in  this  place  or  that  I  wende  awaie. 


142  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Unto  yender  cliilde  let  us  goe  and  prave, 
As  our  maisters  hath  done  us  befbrne. 

The  Seconde  Boye. 

And  of  suche  goodes  as  we  have  heare 
Let  us  offer  to  this  prince  so  deare, 
And  to  his  mother  that  may  den  cleare, 
That  of  her  bodye  hade  bene  borne. 

The  Fyrste  Boye. 
Abyde,  syres,  I  will  goe  firste  to  yender  kinge. 

The  Secound  Boye. 
And  I  will  goe  nexte  to  that  lordinge. 

The  Thirde  Boye. 

Then  wilbe  I  the  laste  of  this  ofFeringe, 
This  can  I  saie  no  more. 

The  Firste  [Boye,] 

Nowe,  Lorde,  for  to  geve  thee  have  I  nothinge, 

Nether  goulde,  silver,  bruche,  ner  ringe, 

Nor  no  riche  robes  mete  for  a  kinge, 

That  I  have  heare  in  store  : 

But  that  yt  lackes  a  stoppell. 

Take  thee  heare  my  well  [fayer]  bottill, 

For  it  will  houlde  a  good  pottill. 

In  faith,  I  can  geve  thee  no  more. 

The  Secounde  Boye. 

Lorde,  thou  arte  of  this  virgine  borne. 
In  full  poore  araye  sittinge  on  her  arme, 
For  to  offer  to  thee  I  have  no  skorne, 
Allthough  thou  be  but  a  childe ; 
For  Jewell  have  I  non  to  geve  thee, 


THE  PLAY  OF  THE  SHEPHERDS.  14:3 

For  to  mantayne  thy  royall  dignitie, 
But  my  liude,  then  take  it  thee, 
As  thou  arte  god  and  man. 

The  Thirde  Boye. 
O,  noble  childe  of  thee  ! 
Alas  !  what  have  I  for  thee, 
Save  onlye  my  pipe  ? 
Elles  trewlye  nothinge, 
Were  I  in  the  rockes  or  in, 
I  coulde  make  this  pippe, 
That  all  this  woode  shoulde  ringe, 
And  quiver,  as  yt  were. 

The  Fourth  Boye. 

Nowe,  childe,  allthough  thou  be  comon  from  God, 

And  be  God  thy  selfe  in  thy  manhoode. 

Yet  I  knowe  that  in  thy  childehoode 

Thou  wylte  for  sweete  meate  loke^ 

To  pull  downe  aples,  peares,  and  plumes, 

Oulde  Joseph  shall  not  nede  to  hurte  his  thombes, 

Because  thou  hast  not  pleintie  of  crombes, 

I  geve  thee  heare  my  nutthocke. 

Primus  Pastor. 

Nowe  fare  well,  mother  and  maye, 
F?r  of  synne  naughte  thou  wotteste, 
Thou  haste  brought  fourth  this  daie 
Godes  Sonne  of  mighteste  moste. 
Wherfore  men  shall  saye. 
Blessed  in  everye  coste  and  place 
Be  thou  memoriall  for  me  and  for  us  all. 
And  that  we  male  from  syne  fall, 
And  stande  ever  in  thy  grace, 
Our  Lorde  God  be  with  thee. 


144  the  chester  plays. 

Secundus  Pastor. 
•  Brethren,  let  us  all  three 
Singinge  walke  whomwardes  ; 
Unkinde  will  I  in  no  case  be, 
But  preache  ever  that  I  can  and  crye. 
As  Gabryll  taughte  by  his  grace  me, 
Singinge  awaye  hense  will  I. 

Tercius  Pastor. 

Over  the  sea,  and  I  maye  have  grace, 
I  will  heuge  and  aboute  goe  nowe, 
To  preache  this  in  everye  place. 
And  sheepe  will  I  kepe  non  nowe. 

Trowle. 

I  redde  we  us  agree 

For  our  misdeedes  amendes  to  make  ; 

For  so  nowe  I  will, 

And  to  that  childe  whollye  me  betake  ; 

For  ever  sickerlie 

Sheaphardes  crafte  heare  I  forsake, 

And  to  an  ancker  heare  by, 

I  will  in  my  prayers  wache  and  wake. 

Primus  Pastor. 

And  I  am  heare  meke 

To  praise  God  to  paie. 

To  walke  by  style  and  streete, 

In  wyldernes  to  walke  ever ; 

And  I  will  no  man  meete. 

But  for  my  livinge  I  shall  them  praie, 

Barefoote  on  my  feete. 

And  this  will  I  live  ever  and  aye. 

For  aye  ever  ones. 

This  worlde  I  fullye  refuce. 


THE  PLAY  OF  THE  SHEPHERDS.  145 

My  raisse  to  amende  with  mones. 
Torne  to  thy  felowes  and  kisse, 
I  eylde,  for  in  youth 
We  have  bene  felowes,  i-wysse, 
Therfore  lende  us  your  mouthe, 
And  frendlye  let  us  kisse. 

Secundus  Pastor. 

From  London  to  Louth 

Suche  another  sheaparde  I  not  were, 

Bouth  framed  and  couth, 

God  grante  you,  amen. 

Tercius  Pastor. 

To  that  blesse  bringe  you, 
Crreate  God,  if  thy  wilbe. 
Amen  all  singe  you  : 
Good  men,  fares  well ! 

Trowle. 

Well  for  to  fare  iche  frende, 
God  of  his  mighte  grante  you  ; 
For  heare  nowe  we  make  an  ende, 
Fare  well,  for  we  goe  from  you  nowe. 

Finis.     Deo  graiias !  per  me,  Georgi  Bellin.  1592. 
Come,  Lorde  Jesii,  come  quicklye. 


VOL.  I. 


146  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 


VIII.     THE  THREE  KINGS. 

The  Vintneres  Playe. 

Incipit  pagina  octava  trium  regum  orienlalmm  ;  et  dicat 
Primus  Rex. 

Primus  rex. 

Mightye  God,  in  magistie, 

That  ruletli  the  people  of  Judye, 

When  thou  one  man  will  have  pittye, 

And  his  synnes  for-bye, 

Sende  some  tockeninge,  Lorde,  to  me, 

That  same  starre  that  I  maye  see. 

That  Balaham  sayde  shoulde  rise  and  be, 

In  his  prophescye. 

For  well  I  wotte  for  south,  I  wysse, 

That  his  prophescye  south  is, 

A  starre  shoulde  rise  betockeninge  of  blesse, 

When  Godes  sonne  is  borne. 

Therfore  thes  lordes  and  I  [in]  feare 

In  this  mounte  make  our  prayer, 

Devoutlye  onste  in  the  yeaire, 

For  theirto  we  bene  sworne. 

Secundus  rex. 
Yea,  we  that  bene  of  Bethlems  bloode, 
That  prophescieth  of  that  sweete  foode, 
When  Balacke,  that  kinge  so  woode, 
To  curse  woulde  he  have  made 
Godes  people  of  Isarell ; 


THE  THREE  KINGS.  147 

But  power  fayled  liyni  everye  cleale, 
To  propliesscye  mankindes  lieale 
That  tyme  hape  he  hade, 
Wherfoi'e  we  kinges  of  his  kinde, 
I  rede  we  take  his  wordes  in  mynde, 
Grace  in  hym  yf  we  maye  finde, 
That  Grodes  sonne  shalbe  ; 
And  goe  we  praye  bouth  on  and  all, 
Into  the  mounte  victoriall ; 
Peradventure  such  grace  maie  fall, 
That  starre  that  we  maie  see. 

Tercius  rex. 

Sir,  sickerlye  ye  reade  on  righte, 
Unto  that  hill  I  will  me  dighte. 
And  their  beseeke  God  almighte, 
On  us  for  to  mynde  ; 
Out  of  that  starre  to  have  some  sighte, 
AYorshipe  we  all  that  sweete  wighte 
That  Balaham  to  us  beheighte, 
That  shall  for-by  mankinde. 
Saye,  fellowe,  take  this  courser, 
And  abyde  me  righte  heare. 
Goe  we,  sires,  to  our  praiers, 
I  rede  nowe,  in  good  faye  ; 
^^I  have  done  this  manye  a  yeaire. 

And  my  ansecestores  that  before  me  were. 
Highe  God,  prince  of  power. 
Thou  comforte  vis  to  daye. 

Hie  descendent  de  equis,  el  ihunt  in  rnonlem,  et  dicat 

Primuz  REXE. 

Lorde,  what  tyme  it  is  thy  will, 
Balahames  prophesye  to  fulffill, 

l2 


148  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Thou  geve  us  grace  bouth  lowde  and  still, 
And  by  some  signe  us  shewe. 

Secundus  rex. 

Yea,  Lorde,  though  we  be  unworthy, 
On  thy  men  thou  have  mercye, 
And  of  thy  birth  thou  certifie 
Heare  to  thy  kinges  three. 

Tercius  rex. 

Lorde  God,  leader  of  Isarell, 
That  dyed  for  mankindes  heale, 
Thou  come  to  us  and  not  conseale, 
But  be  our  counsceler, 

Primuz  rex. 

Of  all  this  worlde  thou  arte  the  weale, 
That  shalbe  called  Emanuell ; 
Deme  thee,  Lorde,  with  us  to  deale, 
And  grante  us  our  praier. 

Tunc  apparebit  Stella. 

Primus  rex. 

A  !  sir  re.T,  si  veus  ploitt, 
Gardes  sus  sur  vostre  lest. 

Secundus  rex. 

Une  esteile  issi  est. 
Que,  sir,  vom  reploist. 

Tercius  rex. 

Aloies  soit  luy  une  semblant, 
De  une  mrgini  portant. 
Come  le  seamhle  de  tine  enfante. 
En  brace  apportement. 


the  three  kings.  1^9 

[Primuz  rex.] 
A  !   Lorde,  blessed  muste  thou  be, 
That  on  thy  people  base  pittie  ! 
Witterlye  nowe  witten  we, 
That  wrouo;hte  is  our  askiuae. 

Secundus  rex. 

That  our  prayers  harde  base, 
I  leve  full  wel,  by  my  lewtie  ! 
For  in  the  starre  a  cbilde  I  see, 
And  vereye  tockeninge. 

Tercius  rex. 
Lordes,  I  rede  we  hense  hie  : 
For  I  dare  sale,  and  uothinge  lye, 
Fulfilled  is  Balahams  prophescye. 
By  this  we  maye  well  knowe. 

Tunc  reges  iterum  genujiecletit,  et  angelus  porlans  stellam,  et 
dicat 

Primus  rex. 

Yea,  leaste  this  be  some  fantasye, 
Yet  praye  we  all  especiallye  : 
For  yf  he  be  borne  verelye. 
More  signes  he  will  us  shewe. 

Angellus. 

Rise  up,  you  kinges  three. 

And  comes  anon  after  me 

Into  the  lande  of  Judye, 

As  faste  as  you  can  hie  ; 

The  cbilde  ye  seeke  their  shall  ye  see, 

Borne  all  of  a  raayden  freye. 

That  kinge  of  heaven  and  yeirth  shalbe, 

And  all  mankinde  for-bye. 

Heaie  the  kinges  rise  upp,  el  dicat 


150  the  chester  plays. 

Primuz  rex. 
Lordes,  hye  we  theider  anon, 
For  we  be  bedden  theider  gone  : 
I  will  never  byde,  by  my  bone, 
Tell  I  at  hym  be. 

Secundus  rex. 

Yea,  sires,  I  rede  us  everyeiehone, 
Drombodaries  to  ride  upon, 
For  sweifter  beastes  be  their  non  ; 
On  I  have,  ye  shall  se. 

Tercius  rex. 

A  drombodarye,  in  good  faye, 
Will  goe  lightlye  one  his  waie 
An  hundreth  myles  upon  a  daye, 
Suche  beastes  nowe  take  we. 

Primuz  rex. 

Lordes,  and  I  well  leve  maye, 
That  childe  woulde  short <;n  well  our  waie, 
That  bringinge  presentes  to  his  paie. 
And  moste  is  of  degreey. 

Then  the  kinges  goe  downe  to  the  beastes  and  ryde  aboute. 

Primuz  rex. 

Alas  !  wher  is  the  starre  i-wente  I 
Our  lighte  awaie  from  us  is  glente  ; 
Nowe  wotte  I  not  wher  be  we  lente. 
Nor  wheitherwarde  lies  our  waie. 

Secundus  rex, 

Praye  we  to  God  with  good  intente. 
To  whom  we  bringe  our  presente. 
He  will  never  suffer  us  to  be  sliente, 
That  dare  I  bouldlye  saye. 


the  three  kings.  15  j 

Tercius  rex. 
It  is  good  that  we  inquier, 
Yf  anye  the  waie  can  us  lere. — 
Saye,  belamye,  that  rydes  their, 
Tell  us  some  tydinges. 

The  messinger. 
Sir,  tell  me  what  your  will  is. 

Primuz  rex. 

Can  thou  ouglite  saie  what  place  or  where 
A  childe  is  borne  that  crowne  shall  beare 
And  of  Jewes  be  kinoe  ? 

Secundus  rex. 

We  sawe  the  starre  shyne  verelye 
In  the  este,  in  noble  araye  ; 
Therfore  we  come  nowe  this  waye, 
To  worshippe  hym  with  wyn. 

Messinger. 

Houlde  your  peace,  sires,  I  you  praye  ! 
For  yf  kinge  Herode  heare  you  so  saie, 
He  woulde  goe  woode,  be  my  faye, 
And  flye  out  of  his  skynne. 

Tercius  rex. 

And  seitli  a  kinge  is  soe  nere, 
Goe  we  to  hym  in  all  manere. 

Messinger. 
You  maye  well  see  he  wonnes  heare, 
A  palace  in  to  dwell. 
But  maye  he  witte,  withouten  were. 
That  anye  is  borne  of  more  power, 


Stafle. 


152  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

You  bringe  your  selves  in  greate  danger, 
Such  tydinges  for  to  tell. 

Heare  the  messingpr  goeth  to  the  kinge,  and  the  raynstriUesmuste 
plaie. 

O  noble  kinge  and  worthy  conquerowre, 
Crowned  in  goulde  syttinge  on  hie, 
Mahounde  thee  save  longe  in  honoure  ! 
Licens  I  requier  to  come  [to]  thee. 
Tydinges  nowe,  my  lorde,  I  shall  you  tell. 
That  these  three  kinges  doe  telle  unto  me. 
From  whense  the  be  I  knowe  not  well : 
Yender  the  stande,  as  ye  male  see. 

Primuz  rexe. 

Sir  roye^  royall  and  reverente, 
Dieu  tons  garden  omnipotente ! 

Secundus  rex. 

Hos  sum[e]s  veneus  complent 
Nweles  de  enquere. 

Herodes. 

Bien  soies  venues,  royes  gente. 
Me  detes  toute  vetere  entente. 

Tercius  rex. 
Infante  queruns  de  grande  parente 
Et  roy  de  cell  et  terre. 

Herodes. 

Sires,  advise  ye  what  you  sayen, 
Suche  tydinges  makes  my  harte  unfayne  ; 
I  rede  you  take  thes  wordes  againe, 
For  feare  of  velanye. 


THE  THREE  KINGS.  153 

Ther  is  nou  so  greate  that  me  dare  gaine 

To  take  my  realme,  and  to  attayne 

My  power,  but  lie  shall  have  paine 

And  be  punished  appeartlye. 

I  kinge  of  kinges,  non  so  keene ; 

I  soveraigne,  sir,  as  well  is  seeme  ; 

I  tyrrante  that  male  both  take  and  teene 

Castill,  tower,  and  towne. 

I  weilde  this  worlde,  withouten  wene, 

I  beate  all  them  unbuxsome  bene, 

I  drive  the  devilles  all  bydeene 

Depe  in  hell  adowne. 

For  I  am  kinge  of  all  mankinde, 

I  byde,  I  beate,  I  lose,  I  bynde, 

I  maister  the  moone,  take  this  in  mynde. 

That  I  am  moste  of  mighte. 

I  am  the  greateste  above  degree, 

That  is,  that  was,  that  ever  shalbe  ; 

The  Sonne  it  dare  not  shine  on  me, 

And  I  byde  hym  goe  downe  ; 

No  raine  to  fall  shall  nowe  be  freye, 

Nor  no  lorde  have  that  libertie, 

That  dare  abyde,  and  I  byde  fleye, 

But  I  shall  crake  his  crowne. 

Ner  fare  nor  nere  thad  doe  me  uye  ; 

Who  wrathes  me,  I  shall  them  uye, 

For  everye  freke  I  dare  defie, 

That  uill  me  paye  ue  please. 

But  ye  be  bayne  I  shall  you  beate  : 

Ther  is  no  man  for  you  shall  treate. 

All  for  wroth  see  howe  I  sweate. 

My  harte  is  not  at  ease.  Stafte. 

For  all  men  maye  witte  and  see, 

Bouth  he.  and  ye  all  three. 

That  I  am  kinge  of  Gallalve, 


154  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Whatsoever  he  saies  or  dose. 

Sworde.  ^Ijat  the  devill  shoulde  this  be  ! 

A  boye,  a  grome,  of  loe  degreey, 
Shoukle  raigiie  agaiuste  my  royaltie, 
And  make  me  but  a  goose, 

Q^st  upp.  That  ringes  and  raigues  so  royallye  ! 

All  grace  and  goodnes  I  have  to  geve, 

Their  is  no  prince  but  he  shall  please 

To  doe  my  hartes  ease. 

Staffe  and  an-  J3ut  nowe  ye  maie  bouth  heare  and  see 

other  gowne.  ,„,        -r  i  i.- 

That  I  reconned  up  royaltie  : 

I  redde  you  al  be  ruled  by  me, 

And  founde  me  for  to  please. 

Primuz  rex. 

Sir,  we  see  the  starre  appeare 
In  the  easte,  withouten  were, 
In  a  marvelous  manere, 
Togeither  as  we  cane  praye. 

Secundus  rex. 

We  see  never  non  so  cleare : 

By  it  the  waye  we  can  lere, 

But  when  we  came  to  this  lande  here, 

Then  vanished  yt  awaie. 

Tercius  rex. 

By  prophescye  well  wotten  we, 
That  a  childe  borne  shoulde  be, 
To  rule  the  people  of  Judye, 
As  was  sayde  manye  a  yeaire. 

H  ERODES. 

This  is  false,  by  my  lewtie  ! 
For  in  maungere  of  you  all  three. 


THE  THREE  KINGS.  155 

This  realme  moves  all  on  me. 

Other  kinges  shall  non  be  here. 

But  seinge  you  speake  of  prophesye, 

I  will  witte  anon  in  hye, 

Wheither  ye  speake  south  or  lye, 

My  clarke  sone  shall  see. — 

Sir  docter,  that  arte  cheifeste  of  clergye, 

Loke  up  thy  bokes  of  prophescye, 

Of  Daniell,  David,  and  Esay, 

And  what  thou  seeiste  tell  thou  me. 

Thes  kinges  be  come  a  farre  waie, 

To  seeke  a  ehilde,  I  harde  them  saye, 

That  shoulde  be  borne  in  this  cuntreye, 

My  kingdome  to  destroye. 

Seeke  iclie  leafe,  I  thee  praie, 

And  what  thou  fyndes  in  good  faye, 

Tell  nowe  heare,  for  I  dare  laye, 

That  all  these  lordes  lye. 

DOCCTOR. 

Naye,  my  lorde,  be  you  boulde, 

I  troe  no  prophesye  before  woulde 

Wryte  auye  thinge  your  harte  to  coulde, 

Or  your  righte  to  denye. 

But  seith  your  grace  at  this  tyme  woulde 

That  I  the  prophettes  declare  shoulde, 

Of  Christes  cominge,  as  the  have  toulde, 

The  truth  to  certifie  ; 

I  beseeke  your  royall  magistie. 

With  paciens  of  your  benignitie, 

The  truth  to  heare,  and  pardon  me 

Their  sayiuges  to  declare. 

Herodes. 

Naye,  my  trewe  clarke,  that  will  not  I 
Debate  with  thee,  therfore  in  hie 


lo6  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Loke  well  on  everye  propliescye, 
For  nothinge  that  thou  spare. 
But  searche  the  truth  of  Esaii, 
Ezechiell,  Mauum,  and  Jeremye, 
Micheadeas,  and  Abdies,  and  Zachrye, 
Of  Ohriste  what  the  doe  saie  ; 
Loke  also  upon  Malachie, 
Aggeus,  Ozeas,  and  Sopheni, 
Joell,  Amoes,  and  Balahams,  in  hie, 
Loke  non  be  lefte  awaie. 

Non  auferetiir  sceptrum  de  Jiida,  et  dux  de  fe- 
more  ejus,  donee  veniat  qui  mittendus  est,  et  erit  ipse 
exspectatio  gentium.  Genesis  quadragesimo  nono. 
Et  dicat  doctor  : 

DOCTER. 

The  holye  Scriptures  makes  declaraciou 

By  patrickes  and  prophettes  of  Christes  nativitie, 

When  Jacobe  profFessved  by  plaine  demonstracion, 

Sayde  the  realme  of  Juda  and  eke  the  regalitie 

From  that  generacion  never  tacken  shoulde  be, 

Untell  the  were  come  that  moste  mightie  is, 

Sente  from  the  father  kinge  of  heavenly e  blesse. 

And  nowe  fulfilled  is  Jacobes  propliescye. 

For  kinge  Herode,  that  is  nowe  raigninge. 

Is  noe  Jewe  borne,  nor  of  that  progeuye. 

But  a  stranger  by  the  Romanes  made  their  kinge, 

And  the  Jewes  kuowe  non  of  their  bloode  seudinge. 

By  succesiou  to  clayme  the  septer  and  regallitie, 

Wherfore  Ohriste  is  nowe  borne  our  kinge  or  messie. 

Herodes. 

A  bill.         That  is  false,  by  Mahounde  full  of  mighte  ! 
That  oulde  vylarde  Jacobe,  doted  for  age, 
Shall  withhoulde  with  no  prophescye  the  tytle  [and  right] 


THE  THREE  KINGS.  157 

Of  Romanes  hie  conqueste,  which  to  me  in  herit[age] 
Is  falhie  to  me  for  ever,  as  a  prince  of  highe  parage  ; 
Yf  anye  other  kinge  or  messye  intende  it  to  wyn, 
His  heade  from  his  bodje  with  this  sworde  I  shall  twayne. 

Cum  tenerit  sanctiis  sanctorum,  cessahit  unctio  vestra.     Et  dicat 

DOCTER. 
Danyell,  fulfilled  with  heavenlye  grace, 
Prophecied  also  by  devyne  iusperacion, 
That  when  he  was  come  that  all  holye  was, 
Moste  holyeste  in  yeairth,  to  take  his  habitacion 
In  the  wombe  of  a  virgen,  and  by  his  blessed  incarnacion 
Out  of  Satanes  bande  to  deliver  mankinde. 
Whom  synue  originallye  moste  pitiouslye  did  bynde. 
Then  boutli  uncions,  sacrifices,  and  rittes  ceremoniall, 
Of  the  Oulde  Testamente,  with  legall  observacion, 
Shall  utterlye  cease,  and  take  ther  ende  fyniall, 
Through  Christes  cominge,  which,  for  mans  salvacion, 
A  Newe  Testament  shoulde  ordeyne  by  devyne  operacion, 
Ofieringe  hym  selfe  in  sacrifice  for  mankindes  offence, 
Which  from  heaven  was  exiled  throuo-h  his  areate  neclio-ens . 

Herodes. 

Fye  on  that  dreme,  reader  !  suche  doterdes  never  shall, 
Ner  no  sleepye  sloggarde,  make  my  righte  title  seace  ! 
But  I  shall  knightlye  kepe  it,  whatsoever  befall, 
Agaiii.5i,o  that  yonge  godly nge,  and  yf  he  onste  doe  presse 
This  kingdome  to  clayme,  or  put  me  to  destresse, 
His  heade  ofie  shall  I  hewe, — yet  loke  yf  thou  fynde  their 
Wlier  this  boye  is  borne  for  whom  these  kinges  enquier. 

DOCCTER. 

Micheias,  inspired  with  ghostlye  insperacion, 
Prophescieth  that  Beathlem  a  childe  fourth  bringe, 


158  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Ruler  of  Godes  people  and  of  the  Jewes  nacion, 

Shoulde  he  be  borne  of  Isarell  to  be  kinge  ; 

Also  Esaii  and  Jeramye  full  vertus  of  beinge, 

With  divers  other  more  fulfilled  with  grace, 

Of  Christes  cominge  prophescied  when  the  livinge  was. 

Amhulahunt gentes  in  lumine  tuo,  et  reges  in  splendor e 
ortm  tui.     Esaii  sexagesimo. 

Esaii,  unto  whom  the  spirete  of  prophescye 

Was  singulerlye  geven  through  the  hollye  ghoste, 

In  this  tyme  prophescied  this  kinge  witterlye, 

And  folcke  of  strange  nacion  and  sundrye  coste, 

That  princes  birth  to  magnifie  which  of  might  is  moste, 

Shoulde  walke  in  greate  liglite  and  briglitnes  appeare, 

As  did  to  thes  kinges  in  a  starre  shyninge  cleare. 

Effundam  super  partulum  istmn  furorem  meiim  et 
super  comilium  juvenum,  disperdem  partidos  deforis^  et 
juvenes  in  plateis  morie'!4ur  gladiomeo. 

Herodes. 

Caste  downe      Alas  !  what  presumpscion  shoulde  move  that  pevishe  page, 
the  swoi  de.         q^.  2i\\yQ  elvishe  godlinge,  to  take  from  me  my  crowne  ; 
But,  by  Mahound  !  that  boye  for  all  his  outrage, 
Shall  dye  under  my  hande,  that  elfe  and  vile  congion  ! 
And  all  his  partackers  I  shall  slea  and  beate  downe, 
And  bouth  hym  and  his  distroccion  make. 
Such  vengance  and  creweltie  on  them  all  I  will  take, 
That  non  such  a  slaughter  was  seene  or  harde  before, 
Seith  Athalye  heare  raigned,  that  fell  and  furious  queene. 
Which  made  slea  all  men  children  that  of  kinges  blood  were. 
When  her  sonne  was  dead  ;  so,  for  to  wreeke  my  teene, 
I  shall  hewe  that  harlote  with  my  bright  sorde 
Into  peces  smalle : — yea,  loke  and  serche  againe, 
Yf  these  kinges  sliall  hym  fynde  and  his  presence  attayn. 


THE  THREE  KINOS.  159 

DOCTER. 

Reges  Tharsis  et  inside  munera  offerent:  reges 
Arabum  et  Saba  dona  adducent.  Psalmo  septua- 
gesimo  primo. 

David,  of  all  propettes  called  moste  prepotente, 

Prophesied  that  kinges  of  Thrasis  and  Arabia 

With  uiisticall  geiftes  shoulde  come  and  presente 

That  lorde,  that  kinge,  aud  hie  messye, 

Of  Abrahames  seede  descendid  liniallye ; 

Which  kiuges  with  greate  treasure  here  in  presence. 

My  lorde,  by  prophescye  is  provid  you  beforne, 

That  in  Bethlem  should  be  borne 

A  childe,  to  save  that  was  forlorne. 

And  rule  all  Isarell. 

Herodes. 

By  cockes  soule  !  thou  arte  forsworne  ;  Breake  a 

Have  done  these  bokes  were  rente  and  torne ;  sworde. 

For  he  shalbe  no  kinge  in  crowne, 

But  I  fullye  in  my  wele  ; 

And  maugere  David,  that  sheapard  with  his  slinge, 

Esay,  Jeremye,  with  all  their  ofspringe, 

Heare  gette  no  other  messye  nor  kinge, 

From  my  righte  tytile  to  expell. 

What  a  devill  is  this  !  to  saie  „ 

Laste  up. 

That  I  shoulde  be  disprovid  and  put  awaie, 

Seinge  my  righte  is  so  vereye 

For  a  boyes  boste  ! 

This  realme  is  myne  and  shalbe  aye,  y 

Manfullye  mentayne  it  while  I  male, 

Though  he  bringe  with  hym  to  daie 

The  devill  and  all  his  hoste. — 

But  ffoe  fourth,  you  kinges  three,  „    , 

,         ,       ,    ,  °  Casto  iij). 

And  inquier  if  it  so  be  ; 


160  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

But  all  o-ates  come  ao-aine  to  me, 
For  you  I  tliiiike  to  feede. 
And  yf  he  be  of  suclie  degree, 
Hym  will  I  liououer  as  doe  ye, 
As  falles  for  his  dignitie, 
In  worde,  thoughte,  and  deed. 

Primuz  rex. 

By  leve,  sir,  and  have  good  dale. 
Tell  we  come  a^aine  this  waie. 

Secundus  rex. 

Sir,  as  sone  as  ever  we  male. 
And  as  we  scene,  so  shall  we  saie. 

Tercius  rex. 

And  of  his  riches  and  of  his  araye, 
From  you  Wv.^  shall  not  leave. 

Herodes. 

The  boye  and  ^are  well,  lordes,  in  good  faye, 

pigge  when  But  liye  you  faste  againe  ! — 
the  kinges  i       .       i  i       i      -n  •     xi  •    i 

are  o^one.  Out,  alas  !  what  the  devill  is  this  ! 

For  shame  almoste  I  fare  amysse, 
For  was  I  never  so  woe,  I  wysse. 
For  wroth  I  am  nere  woode  ! 
For  everye  man  maye  well  saie  this. 
That  I  mentayne  my  relme  amisse, 
To  let  a  boye  inheritte  my  blesse, 
gtaffe.  That  never  was  of  my  blood. 

But  yet  the  lesse  it  graves  me 
That  I  let  goe  these  kinges  three ; 
For  I  shall  knowe  nowe  which  is  he 
When  the  comen  againe. 
Then  will  the  tell  me  in  what  cuntrey 


THE  THREE  KINGS.  161 

That  this  boye  borne  is  he  ; 

Then  shalbe  tacke  bouth  the  and  he, 

And  that  will  make  me  fayne. 

By  cockes  soule  !  come  the  againe, 

All  three  traytors  shalbe  slayne, 

And  that  same  swedlinge  sweayne, 

I  shall  choppe  of  his  heade.  Sworde. 

Godes  grace  shall  the  not  gaine, 

Nor  no  prophescye  save  them  from  paine. 

That  rocked  reball,  and  I  male  raigne, 

Rufiillye  shalbe  his  rede. 

By  Mahounde  fall  of  might ! 

To  marowe  I  will  sende  after  my  knightes, 

To  rule  my  relme  and  my  rightes 

Againste  this  boyes  boste  ; 

And  rayse  the  cuntrey  on  everye  syde, 

All  that  ever  maie  goe  or  ryde, 

So  shall  this  boye  lose  his  pride, 

For  all  his  greateste  boste. 

This  boste  doth  me  so  greate  anoye,  Caste  up. 

That  I  waxe  cleane  duUe  and  cleane  drye : 

Have  done,  and  fill  the  wyne  in  hie, 

I  dye  but  I  have  driuke  ! 

Fill  faste  and  lett  the  cuppes  flye. 

For  I  muste  ordayne  curyouslye, 

Againste  these  kinges  cominge. 

Finis.     Deo  gracias  !  per  me,  Georgium  Bellin .  1 592. 
Come,  Lorde  Jesu,  come  quicklye. 


VOL,  I.  M 


162  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 


IX.  THE  OFFERING  AND  RETURN  OF 
THE  THREE  KINGS. 

The  Marcers  Playe. 

Pagina  nona  de  presentatione  sive  oblatione  trium  regum : 
primus  rex. 

Primuz  rex. 

Mightye  God,  moste  of  mayne, 
To  hoiioure  theo  we  maye  be  fayne, 
The  starre  I  see  it  come  againe, 
That  was  out  of  our  sighte. 

Sl^CUNDUS  REX. 

Thy  lordshippe  to  us  thou  ney  layne, 
That  for  mankinde  woulde  suffer  payne  ; 
Thou  sende  us  grace,  if  thou  be  gayne. 
To  come  to  thee  to  nighte. 

Tercius  rex. 

A  !    Lorde,  honoured  be  thou  aye, 
For  nowe  we  shall  knowe  well  the  waye ; 
I  will  folowe  it,  in  good  faye, 
My  forwarde  to  fulfill. 

Primuz  rex. 

I  hope  without  dreed  to  dale 
To  see  that  childe  in  his  araye. — 
But  me  thinkes,  lordes,  by  my  faye, 
The  starre  it  standeth  stille. 


the  offering  of  the  three  kings.  163 

Secundus  rex. 
That  is  a  signe  we  be  nere, 
But  highe  hall  see  I  non  heare  ; 
To  a  childe  of  suche  power 
This  howsinge  staudeth  loe. 

Tercius  rex. 

Nowe  well  I  wotte,  withouten  were, 
Without  pride  he  will  apeare, 
To  make  men  meeke  in  such  manere, 
An  exsample  us  to  shewe. 

Primuz  rex. 

The  starre  yender  over  the  stable  is, 
I  wotte  we  be  not  gone  amisse, 
For  it  hath  storred  ever  or  this, 
And  nowe  their  it  is  glente. 

Secundus  rex. 

I  wotte  he  wonnes  here,  i-wysse. 
And  this  symple  howse  is  his. 
Ordayne  we  nowe  that  kinge  of  blesse 
Apeartlye  our  presente. 

Tercius  rex. 

What  presente  beste  will  for  liym  fall. 
Caste  we  here  amonge  us  all ; 
For  though  he  lye  in  an  oxe  stalle, 
His  mighte  is  never  the  lesse. 

Primuz  rex. 

Kinge  of  Jewes  we  shall  hym  call, 
Theirfore  of  me  have  he  shall, 
That  am  Iiis  subjecte  and  his  thralle, 
Goulde,  or  I  passe, 

M  2 


164  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

For  in  our  lande  in  the  manere 

To  aproche  no  kinge  nere, 

But  dayntie  geiftes,  riclie  and  dere, 

After  his  dignitie. 

And  for  a  kinge  goulde  fayer  and  cleare 

Is  moste  commendable,  therfore  nowe  heare 

He  shall  have  that  of  me. 

Also  it  seemes  by  this  place, 

That  littill  treasuer  his  mother  liase  ; 

Therfore  helpe  her  in  this  case, 

Goulde  slialbe  my  presente. 

Secundus  rex. 

And  I  will  offer,  through  Godes  grace, 
Incence  that  noble  savoure  mase  ; 
Stincke  of  the  stable  it  shall  waste, 
Ther  as  the  be  lente. 

Tercius  rex. 

And  myrre  is  beste  my  offeringe  to  be. 
To  anoynte  hym,  as  thinkes  me, 
The  childes  members,  head  and  knye. 
And  other  lymes  all. 
Thus  shall  we  honouer  hym  all  three 
With  thinges  that  falle  for  his  degree, 
Touchinge  manhoode  and  his  dieatie. 
These  geiftes  will  wel  befalle. 

Primuz  rex. 

You  saye  well,  lordes,  witterlye, 
As  touchinge  goulde  see  maye  I, 
It  shoulde  be  geven  hym  dulye. 
Because  of  precialitie  ; 
Seinge  he  shalbe  kinge  moste  mightie. 
Tribute  he  must  have  trewlye, 


THE  OFFERING  OF  THE  THREE  KINGS.  165 

And  goulde  therfore  witterlye 
Is  beste,  as  thinkes  me. 

SeCUNDUS  REX. 

And  seith  he  hath  in  hym  godheade, 
Me  thinkes,  as  eate  I  breade, 
Incense  to  geve  hym  through  my  reade, 
In  name  of  sacrifice  ; 
For  that  maye  no  waie  be  leade, 
Seinge  he  of  holye  chourche  is  heade, 
More  dewe  geiftes,  if  I  shoulde  be  deade, 
I  can  not  devise. 

Tercius  rex. 

You  saie  full  well  bouth,  sires  towe  : 
And  myrre  is  good  me  thinkes  also, 
Seith  he  for  man  will  suffer  woe. 
And  dye  on  roode  treey  ; 
Myrre  that  putes  hym  synne  frooe. 
And  saves  man  from  rottinge  woe. 
For  it  is  beste  to  balmbe  his  thoo, 
That  shall  he  have  of  me. 

Primuz  rex. 

By  these  geiftes  three  of  good  araye. 
Three  thinges  uuderstande  I  male, 
A  kinges  power,  south  to  saie, 
By  goulde  heare  in  my  hande ; 
And  for  his  godhead  lasteth  aye. 
Incense  we  muste  geve  hym  to  daie  ; 
And  bodelye  death  also,  in  good  faye, 
By  myrre  I  understande. 

Secundus  rex. 
Goulde  love  also  male  signifie, 
For  it  men  geven  not  commonlye,  ^ 


166  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

But  thoes  the  loven  liartelye, 
This  childe  as  we  done  all ; 
An[d]  incense  tockeneth,  leeve  I, 
Orysones  and  praiers  devoutlye  ; 
Myrre  death  that  man  hath  bodelye, 
And  all  these  thinges  shall  falle. 

Tercius  rexe. 

By  goulde,  that  we  to  bringe  are  bounde, 

The  richeste  mettall  of  renowne, 

Skillfullye  understande  we  mone 

Moste  precious  godheade ; 

And  incense  maye  wel  be  saide 

A  roote  of  greate  devocion  ; 

By  myrre,  that  waves  corruptscion, 

Cleane  fleshe  bouth  quicke  and  deade. 

And  sickerlye  this  knowen  we, 

He  wantes  non  ^f  these  three, 

For  full  godheade  in  hym  hase  he, 

As  goulde  maie  signifie  ; 

And  soule  devoute  in  hym  muste  be, 

To  come  out  of  the  Trenitie, 

And  cleane  fleshe  we  happen  to  se 

In  hym  full  hastelye. 

Primuz  rexe. 

Nowe  we  have  proveid  it  here. 
These  geiftes  be  to  hym  moste  dere, 
Goe  we  fourth  in  good  manere, 
And  make  we  our  presente. 

Secundus  rexe. 

The  starre  it  shines  faier  and  cleare. 
Over  this  stable  aye  entier  ; 
Here  is  his  woninge  withouten  were, 
And  hearein  is  he  lente. 


the  offering  of  the  three  kings.  167 

Tercius  rex. 
A  fayer  mayden  yender  I  see, 
An  oulde  man  sittinge  at  her  knee, 
A  eliilde  also,  as  tliinkes  me, 
Three  persons  theirin  are. 

Primuz  rex. 

I  saide  in  certen  that  this  is  he. 
That  we  have  soughte  from  cuntrey  ; 
Therfore  nowe,  with  all  honistie, 
To  honour  I  will  that  barron. 

Tunc  aperiet  sciathum  cum  auro  primuz  rex. 

Heale  be  thou  !  Christe  and  Messye, 
That  from  Gode  arte  comeu  kindlye, 
Mankiude  of  ball  for  to  for-bye. 
And  into  blesse  bringe  ; 
We  knowe  well,  by  prophescye 
Of  Moyses,  David,  and  Esay, 
And  Balaham  of  our  ancestrie. 
Of  Jewes  thou  shalbe  kinge. 
Therfore  as  falleth  for  thy  crowne, 
Goulde  I  have  heare  readie  bowne. 
To  honouer  thee  with  greate  renowne. 
After  thy  royaltie ; 
Take  heare,  Lorde,  my  iutenscion, 
That  I  doe  with  devocion. 
And  geve  me  here  thy  beneson, 
Or  that  I  goe  from  thee. 

Secundus  rex. 

Heale  be  [thou] !  Christe  Emanuell, 
Thou  comen  arte  for  mans  heale, 
And  for  to  wyne  againe  that  wayle 


168  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

That  Adam  put  awaye. 
Propliettes  of  thee  everye  on  saie, 
Both  Esaii  and  Ezechiell, 
And  Abraham  mighte  not  consaile 
The  truth  of  thee  to  saye. 
Bushope,  I  wotte,  thou  muste  be, 
Therfore  nowe,  as  thinkes  me, 
Insence  will  fall  beste  for  thee, 
And  that  nowe  heare  I  bringe : 
In  tockeninge  of  thy  dignitie, 
And  that  office  of  spirialitie. 
Receive,  Lorde,  heare  of  me 
Dovutlye  my  ofFeringe. 

Tercius  rex. 

Heale,  couquerower  of  all  mankinde  ! 

To  doe  mercie  thou  haste  mynde. 

The  devilles  br/nde  to  unbynde. 

And  releve  all  thyne. 

A  full  faier  waie  thou  can  finde 

To  hanse  us  and  put  liym  behynde, 

Through  thy  passion  to  unbynde 

Thy  people  that  bene  in  payne. 

For  thou  shall  mende  us  through  thy  mighte, 

Dye  and  rise  the  thirde  nighte, 

To  recover  againe  our  righte. 

And  breake  the  devilles  bande  ; 

Myrre  to  thee  here  have  I  dighte. 

To  balme  thy  bodye  faier  and  brighte, 

Receive  my  presente,  sweete  wighte. 

And  blesse  me  with  thy  hande. 

God. 

You  be  welckome,  kinges  three, 
Unto  my  mother  and  to  me. 


THE  OFFERING  OF  THE  THREE  KINGS.  169 

And  into  the  land  of  Judye, 

And  heare  I  geve  you  my  blessinge. 

Maria. 

You,  royall  kinges  in  riche  araye, 
The  highe  father  of  heaven  I  praie 
To  eylde  you  your  good  deed  to  daie, 
For  his  mickell  mighte  ; 
And  geve  you  will  nowe  and  allwaie 
To  yeairne  the  life  that  lasteth  aye, 
And  never  to  fall  out  of  the  faye, 
That  in  your  hartes  is  pighte ; 
And  leve,  lorde,  withouten  were. 
That  to  my  sonne  you  shalhe  deare, 
That  hym  to  daie  hath  honoured  heare, 
And  me  also  for  his  sake  ; 
When  tyme  is  come  intyre, 
To  prove  his  strenghte  and  power. 
To  hym  you  shalbe  lefFe  and  deare, 
That  dare  I  undertake. 

JOSEPHE. 

You  kinges  all,  comlye  of  kinde, 

Faithfull  you  shall  it  fynde, 

This  menskye  that  God  will  have  in  mynde. 

And  quitte  you  well  your  meede. 

And  leeves  well,  of  no  mans  strynte 

Is  he  not  gotten  by  leffe  of  kinde, 

That  to  beleven  are  full  blynde, 

For  I  knowe  it  indeed  : 

This  mayden  was  betacken  me, 

When  I  hade  loste  my  jollitie. 

And  fayled  mighte  and  postie 

Synne  for  to  assaye  ; 

But  for  God  woulde  in  chastitie 


1  70  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

That  we  shoulde  togeither  be, 
Keper  of  her  virginitie 
I  have  bene  manye  a  dale. 
Therfore  I  wotte  for  south,  i-wysse, 
Cleane  mayden  that  shee  is. 
And  with  man  did  never  amisse, 
And  therof  be  you  boulde  ; 
But  of  the  Holye  Ghoste  this  is. 
For  to  bringe  mankiude  to  blesse, 
And  this  childe  is  vereye  his, 
So  Gabrille  me  toulde. 

Angellus. 

I  warne  you,  comlye  kinges  three, 
My  lorde  woulde  you  not  spilled  be, 
Theirfore  he  sende  you  worde  by  nie 
To  torne  another  waie  ; 
Herodes  feUoweshipe  you  shall  fleye. 
For  your  harme  ordaynde  hase  he, 
Theirfore  goe  not  through  his  cuntreye. 
Nor  the  gate  you  came  to  dale. 

Primuz  rexe. 

A  !  highe  Lorde,  that  we  honouer  heare. 
That  warnes  us  in  this  manere, 
EUes  hade  we  wende,  withouteu  were, 
To  hym  that  woulde  us  spille. 

Secundus  rex. 

Yea,  Lorde,  as  thou  can  us  lere, 
We  will  doe  to  our  power. 

Tercius  rex. 

Goe  we  hense  all  in  feai'e. 
And  his  byddinge  fulfill. 


the  offering  of  the  three  kings.  l7l 

Primus  rex. 
Fare  well,  sir  Jasper,  brother  to  you, 
Kinge  of  Thrasis  moste  worthye ; 
Fare  well,  sir  Balcsare,  to  you  I  bowe, 
I  thauke  you  of  your  companye  ; 
He  that  made  us  to  mete  on  playne, 
Aud  offered  to  Marye  in  her  jasane, 
Sende  us  saffe  aud  sounde  agaiue 
To  the  lande  that  we  came  froo. 

Secundus  rex. 

You  kinges,  I  sale  veramente, 

Seinge  God  of  his  grace  us  heither  seute. 

We  will  doe  his  commaundmente, 

Whatsoever  befall ; 

Therfore  stande  we  not  in  doute, 

For  to  walke  our  lande  aboute, 

And  of  his  birth  that  we  maie  talke, 

Bouth  to  greate  and  smalle. 

Tercius  rex. 

Fare  well,  sir  kinges,  bouth  in  feare, 
I  thanke  you  bouth  of  your  good  cheare, 
But  yet  my  witte  is  in  a  were, 
Leste  Herode  make  us  some  trayne  ; 
He  that  shaped  saie  and  sand, 
Sende  us  saffe  into  our  lande  ! 
Kinges  towe,  geve  me  your  hande. 
Fare  well  and  have  good  daie. 

Finis.     Deo  gracias !  per  me,  Georgi  Bellin. 
Come,  Lorde  Jesu,  come  quicklye.     1592. 


172  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 


X.     THE  SLAUGHTER  OF  THE  INNOCENTS. 

The  Gouldesmythes  and  Massons  Pkie. 

Pagina  decima  de  orcisione  Innocentium  et  Herodis  tirannica 
perswasione,  et  dicat 

Herodes. 

Princes,  prelates  of  price, 

Barrones  in  balmer  and  byse. 

Beware  of  me  all  that  be  wise, 

That  weldes  'J\.  at  my  will  ! 

Saye  noe  man  anye  thinge  is  his, 

But  onlye  at  my  devise  ; 

For  all  this  worlde  lyes 

To  spare  and  eke  to  spill. 

My  subjeckes  all  that  heare  be  sette, 

Barrones,  burges,  and  baronete. 

Be  baynd  to  me,  or  you  I  beate, 

And  at  my  byddinge  be. 

For  leves  all  this,  withouten  lette. 

That  I  will  doe  as  I  have  hette, 

Marye  that  mysbegotten  marmosette 

That  thinkes  to  marre  me. 

And  these  false  traytores  that  me  beheighte 

To  have  comen  againe  the  same  nighte, 

By  another  waie  have  tacken  their  flighte. 

This  waie  durste  the  not  take. 

Therfore  that  boye,  by  God  allmighte  ! 


THE  SLAUGHTER  OF  THE  INNOCENTS.  173 

Shalbe  slayne  sone  in  your  sighte, 

And,  though  it  be  againste  the  righte, 

A  thousand  for  his  sake. 

Alas  !  what  purpose  had  that  page, 

That  is  so  yonge  and  tender  of  age, 

That  woulde  bereve  my  heritage, 

That  am  so  mylde  of  mighte  l 

For  south  that  shrewe  was  wonderouse  sage, 

Agaiuste  me  anye  warre  to  wage  ; 

That  ricked  reballe,  for  all  his  rage, 

Shall  not  reave  me  my  righte. 

But  seith  it  maye  non  other  be. 

But  these  kinges  are  gone  from  me, 

And  that  shrewe  woulde  have  my  soveraigntye, 

I  thinke  to  put  hym  downe  ; 

All  the  knaves  children  in  this  cuntrey 

Shall  by  his  guyle,  so  mote  I  thee. 

Because  I  knowe  not  which  is  hee. 

All  for  his  sake  shalbe  slayne. 

Howe  !   Prittie  Pratte,  my  messinger  ! 

Come  heither  to  me,  withouten  were, 

For  thou  muste  goe  with  hastie  beare 

Into  Judye  this  daie. 

After  my  dughtie  and  comlye  knightes. 

And  byde  them  hye  with  all  their  mightes, 

And  the  lete  for  no  fightes, 

Bringe  them  all  without  delaye. 

Preco. 

Yes,  my  lorde  of  hie  renowne, 
To  doe  your  heistes  I  am  bowne, 
Lightlye  to  leape  over  dale  and  downe. 
And  speede  yf  I  were  their. 
Fare  well,  my  lorde  in  magistie, 
For  on  my  jorneye  I  will  hye  me. 


]  74  the  chester  plays. 

Herode. 

Nowe  mightie  Mahound  be  with  thee  ! 
And  ever  to  be  in  feare  ! 

Preco. 

Howe  !  awake  out  of  your  slepe  ! 
Sir  Grrymbalde  and  sir  Lander  depe, 
And  to  me  you  take  good  kepe, 
For  heither  I  am  sente  ; 
My  lorde  kinge  Herode  begines  to  swaine, 
For  a  shrewe  woukle  have  his  erowne, 
And  this  bereve  hym  of  his  renowne, 
And  sone  woulde  have  hym  shende. 

Primuz  miles. 

Welckome,  messinger,  that  arte  so  gente, 
Thes  tydinges  which  my  lorde  base  sente 
The  bene  welckome  veramente, 
With  thee  nowe  will  I  wende. 

Secundus  miles. 

Messinger,  I  will,  in  good  faye, 
Wende  with  you  this  same  dale. 
To  here  what  my  lorde  will  saie. 
Of  this  matter  to  make  an  ende. 

Preco. 

Pleale,  comlye  kinge,  sittinge  in  see, 
Heare  bene  these  knightes  comen  to  thee, 
That  be  men  of  greate  degree. 
To  heare  of  your  talente. 

Herodes. 

Messinger,  for  thy  good  deed, 
Righte  well  shall  I  quite  thy  mede, 


THE  SLAUGHTER  OF  THE  INNOCENTS.  1  7o 

Have  heare  of  me,  to  doe  thee  spede, 
Erighte  a  gaye  garmente. 

Preco. 

Grante  mercye,  lorde  regente, 
Well  am  I  pleased  to  myne  intente, 
Mightie  Maliound  that  I  have  mente, 
Kepe  you  in  this  steade. 

PrIMUZ  MILES. 

Sir  Lanscler  depe,  what  saye  ye  ? 

This  is  the  fayereste  kinge  that  ever  I  see. 

SeCUNDUS  MILES. 

This  daie,  under  the  sonne  shyninge, 
Is  ther  non  so  semlie  a  kinge. 

PrIMUZ  MILES. 

Heale,  comlye  kinge  !   crowned  in  goulde, 
Eicli  kinge  and  keison  bendes  at  your  becke, 
Yf  any  were  that  with  your  grace  feight  woulde, 
Such  strockes  for  your  sake  sore  shalbe  sette. 

Secundus  miles. 

Yf  hym  we  maye  take  or  gette, 
The  devill  oughte  hym  debte, 
And  so  he  shalbe  quitte, 
Suche  maisteryes  for  to  make. 

Herodes. 

Welckome,  our  knightes,  that  be  so  gente, 
Nowe  will  we  tell  you  our  intente, 
What  is  the  cause  we  for  you  seute 
So  sone  and  hastelie. 


1  76  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Yster  dale  to  this  cittie, 

When  we  were  in  our  royaltie, 

Ther  came  to  us  kinges  three, 

And  toulde  us  ther  inteute, 

To  seeke  a  childe  that  borne  shoulde  be 

That  was  saide  by  prophesye, 

That  shoulde  be  kinge  of  Judye, 

And  of  manye  another  lande. 

We  gave  them  leve  to  search  and  see, 

And  come  againe  to  this  cittie. 

And  yf  he  were  of  suche  degree. 

We  woulde  not  hym  withstande  ; 

But  and  the  hade  comen  againe 

All  three  traytors  shoulde  have  bene  slayne. 

And  also  that  leither  sweyne. 

And  al  for  his  sake. 

Out,  alas  !  what  male  this  be  ? 

For  I  knowe  not  which  is  he, 

Therfore  all  knaves  children  in  this  cittie 

On  them  shall  fall  the  wracke  ; 

For  we  knowe  not  that  childe  well. 

Though  we  therfore  shoulde  go  to  hell, 

All  the  children  of  Isarell 

We  deme  them  to  be  slayne. 

Counsceler,  what  is  thy  rede  ? 

DOCCTER. 

Deme  them,  lorde,  for  to  be  deade  : 
For  that  is  beaste,  as  eate  I  bread. 
To  cache  that  litter  swayne. 
Commaund  your  knightes  anon  in  hie 
To  goe  to  the  lande  of  Gallalie, 
And  into  the  lande  of  Judye 
To  slaye  all  that  the  maie  fynde. 


the  slaughter  of  the  innocents.  177 

Herodes. 
That  is  well  sayde,  my  counsceler  ! 
But  yet  I  borne  as  doth  the  fier, 
What  for  wrath,  what  for  ire, 
Tell  this  be  broughte  to  ende. 
Therfore,  my  knightes  good  and  keyne, 
Have  done  belive,  goe  wreche  my  teene, 
Goe  sleye  that  shrewe,  let  it  be  seene 
And  you  be  men  of  miglite  ; 
Prove  manfulye  what  the  bene. 
That  nowe  awaie  from  you  fleyne, 
Drive  downe  tlier  durtye  arscies  bydene, 
And  sone  that  the  were  slayne  ! 
So  shall  I  kepe  that  vile  counjon, 
That  thus  would  reave  me  of  my  crowne. 
Therfore,  my  bachlers,  make  ye  boune, 
And  founde  to  save  my  righte. 
You  muste  hye  you  out  of  this  towne 
To  Bethlem,  as  faste  as  you  mone, 
All  knaves  children,  by  my  crowne, 
You  muste  slaie  this  nighte, 

Primuz  miles, 

Alas  !  lorde  and  kinge  of  blesse, 

Sende  you  after  us  for  this? 

A  vellany  it  were,  i-wisse, 

For  my  fellowe  and  me, 

To  slea  a  shetton  arsced  shrewe, 

A  lade  his  heade  mighte  I  hewe  ;  *. 

For  riballes  are  not  in  this  rowe, 

But  kinges  of  greate  degree. 

Secundus  miles. 

My  leffe  lorde  of  greate  renowne, 
We  shall  wrecke  us  as  we  mone, 
VOL.  I.  N 


178  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Wheither  he  be  kinge  or  champion, 
Stiffer  then  ever  Sampson  was, 
Seckerlie  I  shall  drive  them  downe  ; 
But  for  to  kill  suche  a  congeon. 
Me  shames  sore,  by  Mahounde  ! 
To  goe  in  anye  plase. 

Herode. 

Naye,  ne  it  is  nether  on  nor  towe 

That  ye  shall  slea,  as  mote  I  goe, 

But  a  thousaude  and  yet  moe. 

Takes  this  in  your  mynde  ; 

Because  I  knowe  not  which  that  shrewe  is, 

Therfore,  leste  you  of  hym  misse. 

You  muste  slea  for  south,  i-wisse, 

All  that  you  male  fynde. 

You  shall  walke  farre  and  nere, 

Into  Bethleiii,  spare  for  no  here. 

All  knaves  children  within  towe  yeaire 

And  one  dales  oulde, 

Slea  them  downe  on  and  all, 

So  shall  you  meete  with  that  stall. 

That  woulde  my  kingdome  clayme  and  call, 

And  my  welth  also  welde. 

Primuz  myles. 

Hit  shalbe  donne,  lorde,  in  hie, 

Shall  non  be  lefte  witterlie, 

We  shall  goe  searche  by  and  bye 

In  Bethlem  all  aboute  ; 

And  wrecke  your  teene  full  tenderlie, 

Leve  non  unslayne  sickerlye. 

So  shall  we  soone  that  shrewe  destroye. 

And  kill  hym  in  that  rowte. 

Tunc  ibunt  mililes  simul. 


THE  SLAUGHTER  OF  THE  INNOCENTS.  179 

Knowes,  riclie,  you  be  raye, 

To  Bethlem  that  barro  I  am  bowne, 

With  this  speare  I  thinke  to  assaie 

To  kille  manye  a  smalle  congion ; 

These  congeones  in  the  clowtes  I  will  kill, 

And  stowtlye  with  strockes  them  destroye, 

Shall  never  on  skape  by  my  will, 

All  babes  for  that  boye  full  sore  shall  bye, 

Shall  never  non  over  passe 

Of  towe  yeaires  age  and  lesse  ; 

And  this  boye  that  kinge  crowned  was, 

Shall  not  skape  without  searche. 

Secundus  miles. 
Therfore  to  me  take  good  kepe, 
My  name  is  Sir  Lauchler  depe. 
The  that  me  teene  I  laie  to  slepe 
On  everyeiche  a  syde  ; 
Through  Bethlem  I  will  springe. 
For  I  muste  nowe  at  your  bydiuge, 
Righte  all  dowen  shall  I  dinge 
Thes  lades  everyechon ; 
And  then  that  false  geldinge. 
That  borne  was  so  yonge, 
He  shall  not  for  nothinge 
Awaie  from  us  gone. 

Primuz  miles. 

Fare  well,  my  lorde,  and  have  good  daie, 

For  hardlye  I  dare  this  saie. 

Not  for  no  boste,  in  good  faye, 

Yt  is  not  my  manere  ; 

I  woulde  I  mighte  fynde  in  my  waie 

Sampson  in  his  beste  araye, 

To  loke  wheither  I  durste  afraye 

To  feighte  with  hvm  righte  heare. 

N  2 


180  the  chester  plays. 

Herode. 
Nay,  ne  I  knowe  well  or  thou  sweare, 
That  thou  art  a  dughtie  man  of  ware, 
And  though  Sampson  were  heare, 
Sone  he  shoulde  be  slayne. 
But  yet  my  witte  is  in  a  were, 
Wheither  ye  shall  fynde  that  solingere ; 
But  spede  you  faste,  for  my  prayer, 
And  hye  you  faste  agayne. 

Tunc  ibunt  milites,  el  veniet  angelus : 

[Angellus.] 

Josephe,  arise,  and  that  anon, 
Into  Egipte  thou  muste  gone, 
And  Marye  also  from  your  fone, 
This  is  my  Lordes  will ; 
Ther  staye,  leste  this  childe  be  slayne. 
Tell  I  waine  thee  to  come  againe : 
False  Herode  woulde  fayne 
Jesus  for  to  spille. 

Josephe. 

A  !    Lorde,  blessed  muste  thou  be, 
Theider  anon  we  will  fleye, 
Have  we  companye  of  thee. 
We  will  hye  on  our  waie. 

Angellus. 

Yea,  companye  we  shall  you  beare, 
Tell  that  you  be  comen  their. 
Herode  lokes  hym  you  to  feare, 
As  faste  as  ever  he  maye. 

Josephe. 

Marye,  sister,  nowe  we  muste  flitte, 
Upon  my  asse  nowe  shalte  thou  sitte. 


THE  SLAUGHTER  OF  THE  INNOCENTS.  181 

Into  Egipte  tell  we  hitte, 
Tlie  angell  will  us  leade. 

Maria, 

Sir,  ever  more  lowde  and  still, 
Your  tallente  I  shall  ftilfill : 
I  wote  it  is  my  lordes  will 
I  doe  as  you  me  reade. 

Angellus. 

Come  nowe  fourth,  in  Godes  name, 
I  shall  you  sheilde  from  all  shame. 
And  you  shall  see,  my  leiffe  dame, 
A  thinge  to  your  likinge  ; 
For  Mahometes  bouth  on  and  all. 
That  men  on  Egipte  godes  can  calle. 
At  your  cominge  downe  shall  fall, 
When  I  begyne  to  singe. 

Primuz  miles. 

Haste  downe,  fellowe,  hastes  downe  faste, 
That  these  queines  were  downe  caste. 
And  their  children  in  haste, 
And  kille  them  all  to  clowtes. 

Secundus  miles. 

Yea,  sires,  we  dwell  all  to  longe, 
Therfore  goe  we  them  amonge. 
The  hopen  to  have  some  wronge 
That  gone  so  faste  awaie. 

Primuz  mulier. 

Whom  calleste  thou  queine,  skabde  biche. 
Thy  dame  thy  daster  was  never  suche, 
Shee  horned  a  knave  eiche  stiche, 
Yet  did  I  never  non. 


182  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Secundus  MULIER. 
Be  thou  so  hardye,  I  tliee  beliette, 
To  handle  my  sonne  that  is  so  sweete, 
This  distaffe  and  thy  heede  shall  meete, 
Or  we  hense  gone. 

Primuz  miles. 

Dame,  abyde  and  let  me  see 
A  knaves  cliilde  if  that  it  be ; 
The  kinge  base  commaunded  me 
All  suche  for  to  areiste. 

Primus  mulier. 

Areaste,  riball,  for  thee, 
Thou  lyes,  by  my  lewtie  ! 
Therfore  I  rede  that  faste  thou  fleye, 
And  let  me  have  my  peace. 

Secundus  miles. 

Dame,  thy  sonne,  in  good  faye, 
He  muste  of  me  learne  a  plaie. 
He  muste  hoppe,  or  I  goe  awaie, 
Upon  my  speare  ende. 

Primus  mulier. 

Out  and  out !  and  wayle  a  waie  ! 
That  ever  I  [did]  abide  this  dale ; 
On  strocke  1  will  assaye 
To  geve,  or  that  1  wende. 

Secundus  mulier. 

Out !  out  on  this  teiffe  ! 
My  love,  my  lorde,  my  life,  my  leffe  ! 
Did  never  man  nor  woman  greffe, 
To  suffer  suche  tormente  ; 


THE  SLAUGHTER  OF  THE  INNOCENTS.  183 

But  yet  wrockeu  I  will  be  : — 
Have  here  on,  towe,  or  three  ! 
Beare  the  kinge  this  from  me, 
And  that  I  it  hym  sende. 

Primus  miles. 
Come  heither  to  me,  dame  Pernell, 
And  shewe  me  heare  thy  sonne  snell : 
For  the  kinge  hath  beden  me  quaile 
All  that  we  fynde  mon. 

Primus  mulier. 

My  Sonne  !  ney,  stronge  theife, 
For  as  I  have  good  prefFe, 
Thou  do  my  childe  anye  greffe, 
I  shall  crake  thy  crowne. 

[Ttinc  miles  transfodiet  primum  puerum,  et  super  lancea 

accipiet.] 

Out,  out !  and  woes  me  ! 
TliefFe,  thou  slialbe  hanged  hie  ! 
My  childe  is  dead  nowe  I  se, 
My  sorowe  male  not  cease. 
Thou  shalt  be  hqijiged  on  a  tree, 
And  all  thy  fellowes  with  thee, 
All  the  men  in  this  cuntreye 
Shall  not  make  thee  peace. 
Have  thou  this,  thou  fowle  harlote  ! 
And  thou  knight  to  make  a  knotte, 
And  on  buffitte  with  this  bote 
Thou  shall  have  to  bowte  ; 
And  thou  this,  and  thou  this  ! 
Though  you  bouth  shitte  and  pesse, 
And  yf  you  think  we  do  amisse, 
To  buske  ye  to  mote. 


1 84  the  chester  plays. 

Secundus  miles. 
Dame,  shewe  me  thy  childe  here, 
He  muste  hoope  upon  my  speare, 
And  it  anye  pentill  beare, 
I  muste  teache  hym  a  plaie. 

Secundus  mulier. 

Naye,  frecke,  thou  shall  faile. 
My  childe  shall  thou  not  assaile  ; 
He  hath  towe  holes  under  his  tayle, 
Kisse,  and  thou  maye  assaie. 
For  and  thou  do  me  any  harme, 
Or  my  childe  upon  my  arme, 
I  shall  found  to  kepe  thee  warme, 
Be  thou  never  so  wood. 

Tunc  secundus  miles  transfodiet  secundum  piierum . 

Out,  out,  out,  out  ! 

You  shalbe  hanged  tlie  rowte, 

Theffe  be  ye  never  so  stowte  ! 

Full  fowle  ye  have  done. 

This  childe  was  tacken  to  me 

To  loke  towe,  theifes  ;  who  be  ye  I 

He  was  not  myne,  as  you  male  se, 

He  was  the  kinges  sonne. 

I  shall  tell  while  I  maie  drye, 

His  childe  was  slayne  before  my  eye. 

Theeives,  you  shalbe  hanged  hie, 

Maie  I  come  to  his  halle. 

But,  or  I  goe,  have  thou  one  ! 

And  thou  another.  Sir  John  ! 

For  to  the  kinge  I  will  anon, 

To  plainte  upon  you  all. 

Tunc  ibil  ad  Herodem. 


THE  SLAUGHTER  OF  THE  INNOCENTS.  185 

Loe,  lorde,  loke  and  see 
The  childe  that  thou  toke  to  me, 
JSIen  of  thyn  owne  meanye 
Have  slayne  it,  here  the  bene. 

Herodes  iratus. 

Fie,  hore,  fie  !  God  geve  thee  pyne, 

Why  did  thou  saie  that  childe  was  not  niyue  I 

But  it  is  vengance,  as  drinke  I  wyue, 

And  that  is  nowe  well  seene, 

Secundus  mulier. 

Yes,  lorde,  the  se  well  arighte 

Thy  Sonne  was  like  to  have  bene  a  knighte, 

For  in  goulde  harnes  he  was  dighte, 

Painted  wounderous  gaye ; 

Yet  was  I  never  so  sore  afrighte. 

When  the  speares  through  liym  thrighte, 

Lorde,  so  littill  was  my  mighte. 

When  the  beganne  to  fraye. 

Herodes. 

He  was  riglite  sicker  in  silke  araye, 

In  goulde  and  pearle  that  was  so  gaye, 

The  mighte  well  kuowe,  by  his  araye. 

He  was  a  kinges  sonne  ; 

What  the  devill  is  this  to  saie  ! 

Why  were  thy  wittes  so  awaie  ? 

Coulde  thou  not  speake,  coulde  thou  not  praie. 

And  saie  it  was  my  sonne  ? 

Alas  !  what  the  devill  is  this  to  mone  ? 

Alas  !   my  dales  bene  nowe  done ; 

I  wotte  I  muste  dye  sone : 

Bottles  is  me  to  make  mone. 

For  dampned  I  muste  be  ; 


186  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

My  legges  rotten  and  my  armes, 

That  nowe  I  see  of  feindes  swarmes, 

I  have  done  so  manye  harmes, 

From  hell  cominge  after  me  ; 

I  have  done  so  moche  woe, 

And  never  good  seith  I  mighte  goe, 

Therfore  I  see  cominge  my  foe, 

To  feche  me  to  hell. 

I  bequeath  heare  in  this  place 

My  soule  to  be  with  Sathanas. 

I  dye  nowe,  alas  !  alas  ! 

I  male  no  longer  dwell. 

Tunc  faciei  signum  quasi  morientis,  el  veniel  demon. 

Demon. 

Ware,  warre  !  for  nowe  unwarlye  walkes  you  woe, 

For  I  am  swifter  then  was  the  roe, 

I  am  comeu  to  fechc;  this  lorde  you  froe, 

In  wo  ever  more  to  dwell ; 

And  with  this  crocket  camrocke  your  backes  I  shall  cloe, 

And  all  farse  belevers  I  borne  and  bloe. 

That  from  the  crowne  of  the  head  to  the  to 

I  leve  no  righte  wholl  fell. 

From  Lucifier,  that  lorde,  heither  I  am  sente, 

To  feche  this  kinges  sowle  here  presente, 

Into  hell  to  bringe  hym  their  to  be  lente, 

Ever  to  live  in  woe. 

T[h]eire  fier  burnes  bloe  and  brente, 

In  their  shalbe  this  lorde  veramente, 

His  plase  ever  more  therin  is  liente. 

His  bodye  never  to  goe  fro. — 

No  more  shall  you  treaspase,  by  my  lewtie. 

That  filles  your  measueres  falslye. 

Shall  beare  this  lorde  companye. 

The  gette  no  other  grace  ; 

I  will  you  bringe  this  into  wo, 


THE  SLAUGHTER  OF  THE  INNOCENTS.  187 

Aud  come  againe  and  feche  moe, 

As  faste  as  I  maie  goe, 

Fare  well,  and  have  good  daye.  ^^^^  demon. 

Angellus. 

Josephe,  arise,  and  that  in  hie, 

For  dead  is  nowe  your  enemye, 

Take  Jesu  the  childe  and  eke  Marye, 

And  goe  into  Judye. 

Herode,  that  woulde  have  hade  you  slayne. 

He  is  marred  boutli  mighte  and  mayne, 

Therfore  hie  you  whom  againe, 

In  peace  nowe  you  shalbe. 

JOSEPHE. 

A  !  Lorde,  that  madeste  all  of  naughte, 

It  is  skill  thy  wil  be  wroughte, 

Nowe  is  he  dead  that  us  hath  soughte, 

We  shall  never  cease, 

Tell  that  we  be  againe 

At  whom  in  our  cuntrye. 

Nowe  hope  we  well  to  live  in  lee. 

And  in  full  greate  peace. 

Marye,  sister,  we  muste  goe 

To  our  lande  that  we  came  froe, 

The  angell  hath  beden  us  soe, 

My  owine  deare  sweete  ; 

One  my  asse  thou  shalt  be. 

And  my  mantle  under  thee 

Full  easelye,  sister,  leve  thou  me, 

And  that  I  thee  behette. 

Maria. 

I  thanke  you,  sir,  as  I  can : 
Helpe  me  that  I  were  upon. 


1 88  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS, 

He  that  is  bouth  God  and  man, 
Kepe  us  in  this  tyde  ! 

JOSEPHE. 

Come  heither,  deere  harte  roote, 
I  shall  soue  be  thy  boote, 
Thou  slialt  lyde  iclie  foote, 
And  I  will  goe  by  thy  syde. 

Angellus. 
Nowe  ye  be  readie  for  to  goe, 
Josephe  and  Marye  also, 
For  south  I  will  not  departe  you  frooe, 
But  helpe  you  from  youer  foe  ? 
And  I  will  make  a  melodie. 
And  singe  here  in  your  companye, 
A  worde  was  sayde  in  prophescye 
A  thousandc  yeaires  agoe. 

Ex  Egipto  vocavi  filium  meimi,  iit  sahum 
faciei  populum  meum. 

Finis.     Deo  gracias !  per  me  Georgi  Bellin. 
Come,  Lorde  Jesu,  come  quicklye.    1592. 


THE  PURIFICATION.  189 


XI.     THE  PURIFICATION. 

The  Blackesmythes  Playe. 
Pagina  undecima  de  purificatione  beate  Virgims ;  et  dicat  Semeon. 

Semion. 

Myghtye  God,  have  mynde  of  me, 

That  moste  arte  in  magistie, 

For  manye  winter  have  I  be 

Preiste  in  Jerusalem  ; 

Moche  teene  and  incommoditie 

Foloweth  age,  full  well  I  see, 

And  nowe  that  fitte  male  I  not  fleye, 

Tliinke  me  never  so  swene. 

When  I  am  dead  and  layde  in  claye, 

Wende  I  muste  the  same  waie 

That  Abraham  wente,  the  south  to  saie, 

And  in  his  bosome  be. 

But  heaven  blesse  after  my  daie. 

Tell  Godes  sonne  come,  the  south  to  saye. 

To  ransome  his  folke  in  better  araye, 

To  blesse  come  never  we. 

That  Christe  shall  come,  well  I  wotte  : 

But  daie  nor  tyme  maye  no  man  wotte, 

Therfore  my  bokes  loke  I  mote, 

My  harte  to  glade  and  liglite  ; 

What  Esaii  sayth  I  will  see. 

For  well  I  wote  howe  it  shalbe, 

And  I  were  deade,  well  were  me 

Of  hym  to  have  a  sighte. 


]f)0  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Tunc  respiciens  iibrum,  legal  prophetiam,  Concipiet  et  pariet 
jilium,  ex  te  virgo. 

A  !   Lorde,  moche  is  thy  power ! 

A  wounder  fynde  I  wrytten  here, 

It  sayth  a  meden  faier  and  cleare 

Shall  conseave  and  beare 

A  Sonne  called  Emanuell, 

But  of  this  leeve  I  never  a  deale, 

It  is  wronge  wrytten,  as  I  have  heale, 

Or  elles  wounder  were. 

He  that  wrote  this  was  a  fone. 

To  wryte  a  virgine  here  upon. 

That  shoulde  conseave  without  helpe  of  man, 

This  wryttiuge  marvailes  me  ; 

I  will  skrape  this  awaie  anon. 

Their  as  a  virgine  is  wrytten  on, 

I  will  wryte,  a  good  woman, 

For  so  it  shoulde  be. 

Anna  vidua. 
Semion,  father,  south  I  see, 
That  Ohriste  shall  come  our  boote  to  be, 
From  the  father  in  magistie. 
On  mankinde  for  to  myne  ; 
And  when  he  cometh,  leve  thou  me. 
He  will  have  mercye  and  pittie, 
On  his  folke  to  make  them  free. 
And  save  them  of  their  synne. 

Semion. 

The  tyme  of  his  cominge  kuowe  I  naughte  ; 

Yet  manye  bokes  have  I  soughte. 

But  wounderlye  he  that  this  wryttiuge  wroughte, 

And  marvaile  thinketh  me  : 

My  boke  to  loke  yf  I  fynde  oughte, 


THE  PURIFICATION.  191 

What  manner  mankinde  slialbe  boughte, 
And  what  tyme  it  shalbe. 

Tunc  accipiet  librum,  et  admirando  dicat : 

O  Lorde,  howe  male  this  be  to  daie, 
That  I  wrote  laste  I  fynde  awaie, 
And  of  redde  letters  in  stowte  araye 
A  virgine  wrytten  theron  ! 
Nay,  hereafter  I  will  assaie 
Wheither  this  mirackle  be  vereye, 
And  scrape  this  worde  written  so  gaye. 
And  wrytte,  a  good  woman. 

Tunc  iterum  fabricat  ut  antea,  et  dicat : 

Dame  Anne,  thou  maie  see  well  heare, 
This  is  amended  in  good  manere, 
For  a  wounder  thinge  it  were 
To  fall  by  anye  waie  ; 
Therfore,  as  it  was  amisse, 
I  have  written  that  souther  is. 
That  a  good  woman  shall,  i-wisse, 
Conseave,  and  not  a  maye. 

Tunc  ponit  librum  super  altare,  etfaciet  angelus  ut  antea  ; 
dicat 

Anna. 
Sir,  marvile  you  nothinge  theiron, 
For  God  will  take  kinde  in  man, 
Through  his  godheade  ordayne  he  can 
A  mayde  a  childe  to  beare  ; 
For  to  that  highe  comlye  kinge 
Impossible  is  no  thinge, 
Therfore  I  leeve  it  no  leasinge, 
But  south  all  that  is  here. 

Semion  accipi/  librum. 


192  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

By  my  faye,  yet  will  I  see, 

Wheither  my  letters  chauuged  be. — 

A  !  hie  God  in  Trenitie, 

Honoured  be  thou  ever  ; 

For  goulden  letters,  by  my  lewtie, 

Are  wrytten  through  Godes  postie. 

Since  I  layde  my  boke  from  me, 

And  my  wryttinge  awaie, 

Ther  as,  a  good  woman,  written  was, 

Righte  here  nowe  before  my  face. 

Yet  storred  I  not  out  of  this  place. 

And  my  letters  chaunged  ys. 

This  must  nodes  be  by  Godes  grace. 

For  an  angell  this  wrytten  base, 

Nowe  leeve  I  a  mayden,  in  this  case, 

Shall  beare  a  baron  of  blisse. 

Nowe  seith,  Lorde,  that  it  so  is. 

Thou  wilte  be  borne  with  blisse. 

Of  a  mayden  that  never  did  amisse. 

On  me,  Lorde,  thou  have  mynde  ; 

Let  me  never  death  taste,  Lorde  fall  of  grace, 

Tell  I  have  scene  that  childes  face. 

That  prophescied  is  here  in  this  plase 

To  ever  all  mankinde. 

Angellus. 

Semeon,  I  tell  thee  sickerlye, 
That  Godes  owne  ghoste  am  I, 
Comen  to  warne  thee  witterlye. 
Death  shalte  thou  never  see. 
Tell  thou  have  scene  Christe  vereye. 
That  borne  is  of  mayden  Marye, 
And  comen  mankinde  to  for-bye, 
From  God  in  masfistie. 


the  purification.  19j 

Semion. 
A  !  Lorde,  I  thanke  thee  of  thy  grace, 
That  thy  ghoste  sente  to  me  haste  ! 
Nowe  hope  I  sickerlie  in  this  place 
Thy  Sonne  for  to  see, 
That  of  a  virgine  muste  be  borne, 
To  save  mankinde  that  was  for-lorne. 
As  Esaues  boke  toulde  me  beforne. 
Lorde,  blessed  muste  thou  be  ! 

Maria. 

Josephe,  my  trewe  owine  fere, 
Nowe  rede  I,  if  your  will  were, 
Seith  fourtie  dales  are  gone  intier, 
The  temple  that  we  goe  to ; 
And  Moyses  lawe  for  to  fulfill, 
My  Sonne  to  offer  Semion  till : 
I  wote  well  that  it  is  Grodes  will 
That  we  mone  so  doe. 

Josephe, 

Yea,  Marye,  though  it  be  no  nede, 

Seith  thou  arte  cleane  in  thoughte  and  deed, 

Yet  it  is  good  to  do  as  God  bade, 

And  worcke  after  his  lawe  j 

And  to  the  temple  that  we  gone. 

And  take  we  with  us  dove  byrdes  towe, 

Or  a  turckell  to  offer  also, 

And  so  fulfill  Clodes  lawe. 

Maria. 

Rightewise  Semeon,  God  thee  see  ! 
Here  am  I  comen  nowe  to  thee, 
Purified  for  to  be, 
With  milde  liarte  and  meke  ; 
VOL.  I.  o 


194  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Receive  my  sonue  nowe  at  me, 
And  to  my  offeringe  birdes  three, 
As  falles,  sire,  for  your  degree, 
And  for  your  office  eke. 

JOSEPHE, 

A  signe  I  offer  here  also, 
Of  virgine  wax,  as  other  moe. 
In  tockeninge  shee  has  hved  tlioe 
In  full  devocion  ; 
And,  sir  Semion,  leve  well  this. 
As  cleane  as  this  waxe  nowe  is, 
As  cleane  is  my  wife,  i-wisse. 
As  of  all  corruptcion. 

Semeon. 

Welckome,  my  Ohriste,  my  Savyour, 

Welkome,  mankindes  conqueroure, 

Welkome  of  all  frute  the  flower, 

Welkome  with  all  my  harte  ! 

To  thee  worshipe,  joye,  and  honoure  ! 

For  nowe  I  see  my  Savyour 

Is  comen  to  see  my  langoure, 

And  bringe  me  into  blesse. 

Though  I  beare  thee  nowe,  sweete  wighte, 

Thou  ruleste  me,  as  it  is  righte ; 

For,  through  thee  I  have  mayne  and  mighte 

More  then  through  waie  of  kinde  ; 

Therfore  a  songe  as  I  have  tighte, 

And  laudes  to  thee  with  harte  righte, 

I  will  shewe  here  in  thy  sighte, 

On  me,  Lorde,  thou  have  mynde. 

Tunc  canlabit,  Ntinc  dimiltis  servuni  timm,  clomine,  etc. 

Nowe  let  thy  servante  be 


THE  PURIFICATION.  195 

After  thy  worde  iu  peace  and  lee, 

For  with  my  eyes  nowe  I  see 

Thou  arte  mankindes  heale  ; 

For  thou  haste  ordeyned  ther  thy  postie, 

To  people  which  thou  haste  pittie 

Lighteninge  is  comen  nowe  through  thee. 

And  joye  to  Isarell. 

And  Marye,  mother,  to  thee  I  saie, 

Thy  Sonne  that  I  have  seene  to  daie, 

Is  comen,  I  tell  thee  in  good  faye, 

For  fallinge  of  manye  a  fone  ; 

And  to  releave  in  good  araye 

Manye  a  man,  as  he  well  maie, 

In  Isarell,  or  he  wende  awaie, 

That  shall  leeve  hym  upon. 

Manye  sigues  he  shall  shewe, 

In  which  uutrewe  shall  not  trowe, 

And  suffer  thou  shalte  manye  a  harde  thrawe, 

For  soe  of  sorowe  it  shall  goe  ; 

Through  my  harte  then  men  shall  knowe 

Thoughtes  in  harte  on  a  rowe, 

Of  men  that  shall  contrarye  you, 

And  founde  to  worke  thee  woo. 

Anna  vidua. 

And  I  acknowledge  to  thee,  Lorde,  heare, 

To  leeve  on  thee  through  my  power, 

That  fower  skore  and  fower  yeaire 

Haste  sente  me  mighte  and  grace 

To  leve  in  pennance  and  praier, 

Nowe  wote  I  well  withouten  were. 

That  thou  arte  Christe  in  godheade  cleare, 

In  thee  whollye  thou  haste  ; 

And  openlye  here  south  I  saye 

To  all  thy  people  that  I  see  maie, 

o  2 


196  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

The  which  hath  wayled  manye  a  dale 
After  thee,  our  Savyoure  ; 
That  thou  arte  comen  Ohriste  vereye, 
This  wotte  I  well  by  manye  a  waie, 
Therfore  I  honoure  thee  for  aye, 
My  Christe,  my  Creator. 

Maria. 

Josephe,  husbande  leffe  and  deare, 
Our  childe  is  gone  upon  his  waie, 
My  harte  were  hghte  and  he  were, 
Let  us  goe  seeke  hym  we  thee  praie. 
For  sodenlye  he  wente  awaie. 
And  lefte  us  bouth  in  Jerusalem, 
Greatlye  in  likinge  manye  a  daie. 
That  wilbe  Lorde  over  all  the  realme. 
Marrye,  of  myrthes  we  maie  us  meane, 
And  trewiye  tell  betwene  us  towe 
Of  fearlye  sightes  that  we  have  seene, 
Seith  we  came  the  cittie  froe. 
Dere  Josephe,  will  you  wende  ? 
Seith  our  childe  hath  bene  us  with, 
Whom-warde  I  rede  we  hie. 
He  kepe  us  bouth  from  growne  and  greiffe, 
In  all  the  mighte  that  ever  I  maie. 
For  dreade  of  wicked  companye, 
Leaste  anye  us  meete  upon  the  waie  : 
Whom-warde  theirfore  I  rede  we  hie. 

Primuz  doccter. 

Heare  our  reason  righte  on  a  rowe, 

You  clarkes  that  be  of  greate  cuninge, 

Me  thinkes  this  childe  woulde  learne  our  lawe, 

He  taketh  greate  heede  to  our  talkinge. 


the  purification.  197 

Deus. 
You  clarkes  that  be  of  greate  cuuinge, 
Unto  my  talkinge  you  take  good  lieede, 
My  father  that  sitteth  in  magistie, 
He  knowes  your  thoughtes  in  worde  and  deed ; 
My  father  and  I  togeither  be 
In  on  godhead,  withouten  dreade, 
We  be  bouth  on  in  certentie, 
All  thes  workes  to  rule  and  reade. 

Primus  doccter. 

Heare  this  childe  in  his  bourdinge, 
He  weenes  he  kennes  more  then  he  knowes. 
Certes,  sonne,  thou  arte  over  yonge 
By  cleargye  cleaine  to  knowe  our  lawes  ; 
Therfore  yf  thou  wouldeste  never  so  fayne, 
Futher  in  age  then  thou  have  drawe, 
Yet  arte  thou  never  of  mighte  nor  mayne 
To  knowe  as  a  clarke  shoulde  knowe. 

Secundus  doccter. 

And  thou  wylte  speake  of  Moyses  lawe, 
Take  good  heede  and  thou  maye  se, 
In  case  be  that  thou  maye  knowe, 
Heare  in  this  booke  that  wrvtten  be. 

Deus. 

The  kingdome  of  heaven  is  in  me  lighte, 
And  hath  me  anoynted  like  a  leche, 
And  geven  me  plaine  power  and  mighte 
The  kingdome  of  heaven  to  tell  and  teache. 

Secundus  docter. 

Behoulde  howe  he  base  learned  our  lawes, 
And  he  learned  never  on  boke  to  reade  : 


198  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Me  thinkes  he  sales  suttill  sawes, 
And  vereye  truth,  yf  you  take  heede. 

Tercius  doccter. 

Let  hym  wende  fourth  on  his  wayes, 
For  and  he  dwell,  withouten  dreade, 
The  people  will  sone  hym  praise. 
Well  more  then  us  for  all  our  deedes. 

Primuz  doccter. 

This  is  nothinge  to  my  intente, 
Suche  speache  to  spende  I  rede  we  spare, 
And  welde  in  worlde  as  I  have  mente, 
Yet  founde  I  never  so  vereye  a  fare. 

Secundus  doccter. 

By  matters  that  this  childe  hath  mente, 
To  knowe  our  lawes  lesse  and  more, 
Out  of  heaven  I  hope  hym  sente 
Into  the  yeairth  to  salve  our  sore. 

Deus. 

You  that  be  maysters  of  Moyses  lawe, 
And  worthy  doccters  of  greate  degree, 
On  commaundmente  to  me  you  shewe 
That  God  on  yeairth  bade  kepte  shoulde  be. 

Primuz  doccter. 

I  reade  this  is  the  firste  byddinge, 
And  is  the  moste  in  Moyses  lawe, 
To  love  our  God  above  all  thinge, 
With  all  our  mighte  and  all  our  lawe. 

Deus. 

That  for  to  doe  loke  you  be  bayne, 


THE  PURIFICATION.  199 

With  all  your  liarte  with  good  intente, 

Take  you  not  his  name  in  vaine, 

This  is  my  fathers  comaundmente. 

Also  you  honor  your  holye  dale, 

No  Avorckes  save  almes  deedes  you  doe. 

These  three,  the  certen  for  to  sale, 

The  firste  table  belonge  unto. 

Also,  father  and  mother  worshipe  aye  ; 

Take  no  mans  goodes  againste  the  righte  ; 

Also  all  false  wittnes  you  put  awaie  ; 

And  slea  no  man  by  dale  nor  nighte  ; 

Envye  doe  by  no  woman, 

To  doe  her  shame  by  nighte  nor  dale ; 

Other  mens  wyffes  desier  you  note. 

All  suche  desiers  you  put  awaie  ; 

Loke  you  doe  not  steale  nighte  nor  daie, 

What  so  ever  to  you  be  lente  ; 

Thes  wordes  understande  you  maye, 

The  are  my  fathers  commaundmeute. 

Tercius  doccter. 

Sires,  this  childe  of  mickell  prise. 
Which  is  yonge  and  tender  of  age, 
I  houlde  hym  from  the  highe  justice. 
To  wyne  againe  our  heritage. 

Maria. 

Nowe  blessed  be  he  that  us  heither  broughte, 
In  lande  lives  non  so  lighte, 
Se  wher  he  sittes  which  we  have  soughte, 
Amonge  yender  masters  mickell  of  mighte. 
Goe  fourth,  Joseph,  on  your  waie. 
And  fatche  our  sonne,  and  let  us  fare, 
That  sitteth  with  yender  doceters  gaye, 
For  we  have  hade  of  hvm  g-reate  care. 


200  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

JOSEPHE. 
Marye,  wife,  thou  wotteste  righte  well, 
That  I  muste  all  my  travile  teene, 
With  men  of  mighte  I  can  not  melle, 
That  sitteth  so  gave  in  furres  fyne. 

Maria. 

My  worthy  sonne  to  me  so  deare. 
Wee  have  thee  soughte  wounder  wyde, 
I  am  righte  gladde  that  thou  arte  heare, 
That  we  have  found  thee  in  this  tyde. 

Deus. 

Mother,  full  ofte  I  toulde  you  till. 
My  fathers  worckes  for  waile  or  wo 
H  either  was  I  sente  for  to  fulfill, 
That  muste  I  nedes  doe  or  I  goe. 

Maria. 

Thy  sayinge,  sonne,  as  have  I  heale, 

I  can  nothinge  understande, 

I  shall  thinke  on  them  full  well, 

And  founde  to  doe  that  you  commaunde. 

Angellus. 

Nowe  have  you  harde  all  in  this  place, 
That  Christe  is  comon  through  his  grace, 
As  liollye  Esau  prophescied  hase. 
And  Semion  hath  hym  sende  ; 
Leve  you  well  this  lordes  of  mighte, 
And  kepe  you  all  his  lawes  arighte, 
That  you  maye  in  his  blisse  so  brighte 
Ever  more  with  hym  live. 

Fivis.     Den  gracias !  per  me  Georgi  Bellin. 
C(>ine,  Loide  Jesu,  come  quicklye.    1592. 


THE  TEMPTATION.  201 


XII.   THE  TEMPTATION,  AND  THE  WOMAN 
TAKEN  IN  ADULTERY. 

The  Bovvchers  Playe. 

Incipit  pagina  duodecima,  qualiter  Jesus  ductus  est  in  desertum 
asp e rum ;  incipiat  Diabolus. 

DiABOLUS. 

Nowe  by  [my]  soverante  I  sweare, 

And  principallitie  that  I  beare 

In  hell  pyne,  when  I  am  their, 

A  gamon  I  will  assaie  ; 

Ther  is  a  dossiberde  I  woulde  dere, 

That  walkes  abrode  wilde  were, 

Whoe  is  his  father  I  wotte  nere, 

The  south  yf  I  shoulde  saye. 

What  master  nion  ever  be  this, 

That  nowe  into  the  worlde  comen  is, 

His  mother  I  wotte  did  never  amisse. 

And  that  nowe  marvailes  me. 

This  can  not  I  fynde  i-wysse. 

For  all  my  crafte  and  my  countise, 

Yt  seemes  that  heaven  shoulde  al  be  his, 

So  stowte  a  sire  is  he. 

He  is  man  from  foote  to  crowue. 

And  gotten  without  corruptcion. 

So  cleane  of  conversacion 

Knewe  I  never  non  before. 

All  men  of  hym  marvile  mon, 


202  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

For  as  man  he  goeth  up  and  downe, 

But  as  God  with  devocion 

His  hasse  hym  honer  yore. 

Since  the  worlde  firste  beganne, 

Knewe  I  never  such  a  man, 

Borne  of  a  deadlike  woman, 

And  ho  we  it  wembles. 

Amonge  synfull  syn  dose  he  uon, 

And  cleaneer  then  ever  was  any  one, 

Blottles  of  blude  and  bone, 

And  wiser  then  ever  man  was. 

Averice  nor  anye  envye 

In  hym  coulde  I  never  espie, 

He  hath  no  goulde  in  treasurye, 

Ner  tempted  is  by  no  sighte. 

Pryde  hath  he  non  nor  glotanye, 

Ne  nor  no  hkinge  of  lecherye  ; 

His  mouth  harde  I  never  lye. 

Nether  by  daye  nor  nighte. 

My  highnes  he  puttes  ever  behynde, 

For  in  hym  ftiulte  cane  I  non  fynde. 

Yf  he  be  God  in  mans  kinde. 

My  crafte  then  fully e  fayleth. 

And  more  than  man  I  wotte  he  is, 

Elles  some  thinge  he  did  amisse, 

Save  onlye  hongarye  he  is,  i-wisse, 

Elles  wotte  I  not  what  hym  ayles. 

And  this  thinge  dare  I  southlye  saye. 

Yf  that  he  be  God  vereye, 

Honger  shall  greve  hym  by  no  waie, 

That  were  againste  reason. 

Therfore  nowe  I  woulde  assaie 

With  speache  of  bread  hym  to  betraye  ; 

For  he  hasse  fasted  nowe  nianye  a  dale, 

Therfore  bredde  were  in  season. 


THE  TEMPTATION.  203 

DiABOLUS  DIGIT. 

Thou  man,  abycle  and  speake  with  me  : 
Godes  Sonne  and  yf  thou  be, 
Make  of  these  stonnes,  nowe  lettes  see, 
Breade,  through  thy  blessinge. 

Deus. 

Sathan,  I  tell  thee  sickerlye, 

Bread  man  livetli  not  onlye  by, 

But  through  Godes  worde  verelye, 

Of  his  mouth  cominge. 

Therfore  thou  pynes  thee,  Sathan[as], 

To  supplante  me  of  my  place 

By  meate,  as  somtyme  Addam  was, 

Of  blesse  when  he  was  broughte. 

Deceived  he  was  that  tyme  through  thee. 

But  nowe  muste  faile  thy  postie  ; 

Therfore  to  move  that  thinge  to  me. 

It  shall  serve  thee  of  naughte. 

Sathan,  through  thy  intisemente, 

Honger  shall  naughte  torne  ray  intente  j 

For  Godes  will  omnipotente 

Is  my  meate,  boute  fayle. 

And  his  worde  perfecte  sustenance, 

And  to  me  also  without  distance ; 

For  thou  shall  fyude  no  variance 

In  me,  that  shall  thee  avayle. 

DiABOLUS. 

Out,  alas  !  what  is  this  ? 

This  matter  fares  all  amisse  ! 

Hongarye  I  se  well  he  is. 

As  man  shoulde  kindly e  be  ; 

But  through  no  crafte  nor  no  couutise, 

I  cane  not  torne  his  will,  i-wisse. 


204  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

That  iieede  of  anye  bodelye  blesse 

In  hym  no  tliinge  has  he. 

For  he  niaie  suffer  all  maner  anoye, 

As  man  shoulde  well  and  steadfastlye, 

But  ever  he  wyneith  the  victorye, 

As  godheade  in  hym  were. 

Some  other  sleighte  I  muste  espye, 

This  doscibeirde  for  to  destroye, 

For  of  me  he  hath  the  maisterye 

Unhappelye  uowe  lieare. 

Adam,  that  God  hym  selfe  wroughte, 

Through  my  deceate  in  balle  I  broughte  ; 

But  this  sir,  that  I  have  soughte, 

Borne  of  one  woman, 

For  no  nede  that  hym  selfe  hase, 

With  no  counscell  in  this  case, 

To  greve  hym  I  male  have  no  grace, 

For  no  crafte  that  I  can. 

Yett  will  I  seache  some  suttiltie. — 

Come  fourth  thou,  Jesus,  come  with  me, 

To  this  hollye  cittie  ; 

I  have  an  errand  to  sale. 

Vereye  God,  and  if  thou  be, 

Now  I  shall  full  sone  see  ; 

For  I  shall  shape  honour  for  thee, 

Or  that  thou  wende  awaie. 

Tunc  statuet  Jesn  super  pinnaculum  templi,  et  dicat 
DiABOLUS. 
Saye,  thou  that  siteth  nowe  so  highe, 
Yf  thou  be  Godes  sonne,  by  sleighte, 
Come  downe,  and  I  will  see  in  sighte 
That  thou  dideste  a  fayer  maisterye  ; 
Thy  ovvine  angelles  mone  kepe  to  thee. 
That  thou  hurte  no  foote  nor  kneye. 


THE  TEMPTATION.  205 

Shewe  thy  power,  nowe  lettes  see. 

That  thou  maie  have  maisterye  their-by, 

Jesus  dicit  ad  Diabolus.  (^i'^) 

Sathau,  sickerlye  I  thee  sale, 
It  is  wrytteu  that  thou  ney  maie 
Tempte  God  thy  Lorde  by  no  waie, 
AVhat  matter  so  ever  be  mente, 

Descendens  de  pinnaculo  dicat  Diabolus. 

Alas  !  that  me  is  wo  to  daie  ! 
This  have  I  fayled  of  my  praye  ! 
Was  I  never  rente  in  such  araye, 
Ner  halfe  so  fowle  deprived. 

Tunc  Sathan  adducet  Jesus  super  montem,  et  dicat : 

Diabolus. 

Yet,  felowe,  if  it  be  thy  will, 

Goe  we  plaie  us  to  a  hill, 

Another  poynte  I  muste  fulfill, 

For  oughte  that  maie  befall ; 

Loke  aboute  thee  nowe  and  see 

Of  all  this  realme  the  royaltie  : 

For,  to  kneele  downe  and  worshipe  me, 

Thou  shalte  be  lorde  of  all. 

Deus. 

Goe  fourth,  Sathanas,  goe  fourth,  goe  ! 
It  was  wrytten  it  shalbe  so, 
Thy  Lorde  God  thou  shalt  lioner, 
And  serve  hym  through  thyn  eye. 

Diabolus. 

Out,  alas  !  that  me  is  woe  ! 

For  founde  I  never  so  great e  a  foe, 


206  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Though  I  to  the  people  were  never  so  thro, 

I  am  overcome  thrise. 

Alas  !  my  sleighte  iiowe  am  I  quitte : 

Adam  I  founded  with  a  fitte, 

And  hym  in  cumberances  sone  I  knitte, 

Through  countise  of  my  crafte. 

Nowe,  sone  of  sorowe  he  mone  be  sutte, 

And  I  punished  in  hell  pitte  : 

Knewe  I  never  non  of  suche  witte, 

As  he  that  I  have  laste. 

Alas  !  for  shame  I  am  shente, 

With  hell  houndes  when  I  am  hente, 

I  muste  be  ragged  and  all  to-rente, 

And  dreven  to  the  fier  ; 

And  in  sorowe  and  wo  nowe  am  I  broughte, 

And  all  my  cuninge  is  sette  at  naughte  : 

Endles  paine  muste  I  have  unsoughte, 

To  my  rewarde  and  hier. 

But  I  am  nowe  of  good  intente, 

To  houlde  a  courte  full  dilligente, 

And  call  my  servantes,  veramente, 

Shortlye  for  to  apeare  ; 

Them  to  rewarde  with  dignitie, 

That  all  ther  life  have  served  me, 

In  borninge  blesse  their  shall  the  be, 

And  sitte  with  Lucifier. 

DOCCTER. 

Loe,  lordinges,  Godes  rightiousnes, 
As  Gregorye  maketh  mynde  exspres, 
Synce  our  forfather  overcomen  was, 
By  three  thinges  to  doe  evill ; 
Glotanye,  vaine  glorye,  their  be  towe, 
Covetouse  of  highnes  also. 
By  thes  three  poyntes,  boute  moe, 


THE  TEMPTATION.  207 

Christe  liase  overcomen  the  devill. 

That  Adam  was  tempted  in  glorye 

I  maye  well  prove  appeartlye, 

When  of  that  frute  falsclye 

The  devill  made  hym  to  eate ; 

And  tempted  he  was  in  vayne  giorye 

When  he  heiohte  hym  greate  magistie, 

And  have  godhead  unworthelye, 

Through  eatinge  of  that  meate. 

Also  he  was  tempted  in  averice, 

When  he  heighte  hym  to  be  wise, 

Knowe  good  and  evill  at  his  devise, 

More  then  he  was  worthy. 

For  covetousnes  Gregeorye  saith  expresse, 

Synnes  naughte  onlye  in  riches, 

But  in  willinge  of  highenes 

And  state  unskillfullye. 

Also  Christe  in  thes  simes  three 

Was  tempted,  as  ye  male  well  see, 

For  in  glotanye,  leve  you  me. 

He  moved  hym  yea  sleilye  here. 

When  he  intisced  hym  through  his  read. 

To  torne  the  stones  into  breade. 

And  so  to  move  his  godheade, 

Which  he  was  in  a  were. 

In  vayne  glorye  he  tempted  hym  also, 

When  he  bade  hym  downe  to  goe 

The  pynackle  of  the  temple  froe, 

An  unskillfull  gate ; 

And  in  covetousnes  he  tempted  was, 

When  he  shewed  hym  suche  riches, 

And  heighte  hym  landes  more  and  lesse, 

And  that  through  greate  estate. 

This  overcome  thrise  in  this  case 

The  devill,  as  played  was  in  this  place. 


208  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Of  the  three  synnes  that  Adam  was 

Of  wayle  into  woe  wayved  ; 

But  Adam  fell  through  his  treaspas, 

And  Jesu  withstood  hym  through  his  grace, 

For  of  his  godhead  southues 

That  tyme  was  cleane  deceived. 

TuJic  veniet  Domino  Pharasei  adducentes  mulierem  in  adulterio 
deprehensam,  dicat  primuz  Phareseus : 

Maysters,  I  rede  by  God  allmighte, 

That  we  leade  this  wreched  wighte, 

That  was  tacken  thus  to  niglite 

In  fowle  advoultrye, 

Before  Jesu  in  his  sighte, 

For  to  tempte  hym  I  have  tighte, 

To  se  wheither  he  will  deme  the  righte, 

Or  els  unlawfullye. 

Secundus  Pharaseus. 

That  is  well  rede,  felowe,  by  my  faye  ! 
Soe  maye  we  cache  hym  by  some  waye, 
For  if  he  doe  her  grace  to  dale, 
He  dose  againste  the  lawe  ; 
And  yf  he  byde  punishe  her  sore. 
He  dose  againste  his  owine  lore, 
That  he  base  preached  here  before, 
To  mercye  man  shoulde  drawe. 

Tunc  adducent  mulierem  inter  se  coram  Jesu,  et  dicat 

Primuz  Pharaseus. 

Master,  this  woman  that  is  heare 
Was  wedded  lawfullye  this  other  yeaire. 
But  with  another  then  her  feare 
We  founde  her  doe  amisse. 
And  Moyses  lawe  bydes  us  stone 


THE  WOMAN  TAKEN  IN  ADULTERY.  209 

All  suche  as  be  uncleane  : 
Therfore  to  thee  we  can  us  meane, 
To  geve  a  dome  of  this. 

Jesus  scribens  in  terra,  dicat 

Jesus. 

Nowe  which  of  you  everye  ichone 
Is  bout  synne,  buske  liym  anon, 
And  caste  at  her  the  firste  stone, 
Behve,  or  that  ye  blyne. 

Primuz  Pharaseus- 

Speake  on,  master,  and  somewhat  sale, 
Shall  shee  be  stoned,  or  elles  neye  ? 
Or  doe  her  mercye  as  thou  male. 
To  forgeve  her  this  synne. 

Secundus  Pharaseus. 

Maister,  why  arte  thou  so  still  ? 

What  wrytteste  thou  ?  yf  it  be  thy  will, 

Wheither  shall  we  spare  or  spill 

This  woman  founde  in  blame? 

What  wrytteste  thou,  master  ?  nowe  lettes  see  : — 

Out,  alas  !  that  woes  me  ! 

For  no  longer  dare  I  here  be, 

For  dreade  of  worldye  shame. 

Etfugiet,  et  dicat  postea  Primuz  Pharaseus : 

Why  fleyeste  thou,  fellowe,  by  thy  faye  I 
I  will  se  sone  and  assaye. 
Alas  !  that  I  were  awaie 
Ferre  behynde  France  ! 
Stand  ye,  Sible,  hym  besyde  ; 
No  longer  here  dare  I  abyde 
VOL.  I.  p 


210  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Againste  thee  for  to  chyde, 
As  have  I  good  chaunce  ! 

Etfugiet,  et  dicat  Jesus  ad  mulierem : 

Woman,  wher  be  thes  men  eicheone, 
That  putteu  this  gilte  thee  uppon  1 
To  dampne  thee  nowe  their  is  non 
Of  thoes  that  were  before. 

MULIER  ADULTERA. 

Lorde,  to  dampne  me  their  is  non, 
For  all  the  bene  awaie  gone. 

Jesus. 

Nowe  I  dampne  thee  not,  woman  : 
Goe  fourth,  and  synne  no  more. 

Mulier. 

A  !   Lorde,  blessed  muste  thou  be. 
That  of  mischeiffe  hasse  holpen  me  ; 
Hensefourth  nowe  I  will  fleye. 
And  serve  thee  in  good  faye  ; 
For  godheade  full  in  thee  I  see. 
That  knowes  worckes  that  done  we, 
I  honoure  thee  kneelinge  on  my  knye, 
And  so  will  I  doe  [aye]. 

DOCCTER. 

Nowe,  lordes,  I  praye  you  marcke  here 

The  great  goodnes  of  Godes  deere, 

I  will  declare,  as  it  is  need. 

These  thinges  that  plaied  was. 

As  Austyne  speaketh  expresslie 

Of  it  in  his  homilye 

Upon  Saynte  John  Evangelye, 


THE  WOMAN  TAKEN  IN  ADULTERY.  211 

This  he  sayes  in  that  case : 

Towe  wayes  the  casten  hym  to  auoye, 

Synce  he  hade  preached  moch  of  mercye, 

And  the  lawe  comaunded  expresslye 

Suche  wemen  for  to  stone 

That  treasspassen  in  advoultrye  ; 

Therfore  the  hopen  witterlye 

Varyence  in  hym  to  espie, 

Or  blemyshe  the  lawe  cleane. 

That  wiste  Jesu  well  their  thoughte, 

And  all  their  wittes  he  sette  at  naughte ; 

But  bade  which  synne  hade  not  wroughte 

Caste  firste  at  her  a  stone, 

And  wrote  in  claye,  leeve  you  me, 

Ther  owine  synnes  that  the  maie  se, 

That  eichone  fayne  was  to  fleye. 

And  the  leffce  her  alooue. 

For  eichon  of  them  hade  grace 

To  see  ther  synnes  in  that  place, 

Yet  nou  of  them  wiser  was, 

But  his  synnes  eich  man  knewe  ; 

And  fayne  the  were  to  take  the  waie, 

Leste  the  hade  dampned  bene  that  daie. 

This  helped  that  woman,  in  good  faye, 

Our  sweete  Lorde  Jesu. 

Finis.     Deo  gracias !  per  me,  Georgi  Bellin. 
Come,  Lorde  Jesu,  come  quicklye.     1592, 


p2 


212  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 


XIIT.     LAZARUS. 

Tlie  Glovers  playe. 
Pagina  decima  tertia  de  chelidonis  et  de  resurreclione  Lazari. 

Jesus. 

Ego  mm  lux  mundi,  qui  sequitur  me  non  amhu- 
lahit  in  tenehris  sed  habehit  lumen  rite. 

Jesus. 

Brethren,  I  am  flius  Dei,  the  lighte  of  this  worlde  ; 
He  that  followeth  me  walketh  not  in  darcknes, 
But  hath  the  hghte  of  hfe,  the  Scriptures  so  recorde, 
As  patrickes  and  prophettes  of  me  beare  wittnes, 
Bouth  Abraham,  Isacke,  and  Jacobe,  in  their  sundrye 

testimonies, 
Unto  whom  I  was  promysed  before  the  worlde  begaune, 
To  paie  ther  ranscome,  and  to  become  man. 

Ego  et  Pater  unum  sumuz,  my  father  and  I  are  all  one, 
Which  hath  me  sente  from  his  throne  sempiternall. 
To  preache  and  declare  his  will  unto  man. 
Because  he  loveth  hym  above  his  creatures  all, 
As  his  treasure  and  darlinge  moste  principalle. 
Man,  I  saye  againe,  which  is  his  owne  eleckte. 
Above  all  creatures  seculierlye  seleckte. 

Wherfore,  deare  brethren,  yt  is  my  mynde  and  will 
To  goe  to  Bethenye,  that  standeth  here  by, 
My  fathers  hestes  and  comaundmentes  to  fulfill ; 


LAZARUS.  213 

For  I  am  the  good  sheapard  that  puttetli  his  hfe  iu  joperdye 
To  save  his  flocke,  which  I  love  tenderlye, 
As  it  is  wrytten  of  me,  the  Scriptures  beareth  wittnes, 
Bonus  pastor  ponit  anhnam  suam  pro  ovibus  suis. 

Goe  we  therfore,  brethren,  while  the  dale  is  lighte, 
To  do  my  fathers  worckes,  as  I  am  fullje  mynded, 
To  heale  the  sicke,  and  restore  the  blinde  to  siglite, 
That  the  prophesye  of  me  mighte  be  fulfilled  : 
For  other  sheepe  I  have,  which  are  to  me  committed, 
The  be  not  of  this  flocke,  yet  will  I  them  regarde, 
That  ther  male  be  on  flocke  and  one  sheaparde. 

But  or  we  goe  heuse,  wryte  thes  sayinges  in  your  harte, 

Recorde  them  ofte,  kepe  them  in  memorie, 

Contynue  in  my  worde,  from  it  do  not  departe  ; 

Therby  shall  all  men  knowe  moste  perfectlye. 

That  you  are  my  desciples,  and  of  my  familie. 

Goe  not  before  me,  but  let  my  worde  be  your  guyde ; 

Then  in  your  doinges  you  shall  alwaies  well  speed. 

Si  vos  manseritis  in  sermane  meo,  veri  discipuU  mei 
eritis,  et  cognoscetis  veritatem^  et  Veritas  liber abit  vos. 

Puer  ducens  cecum. 

Yf  pittie  maye  move  your  gentle  hartes, 
Remember,  good  people,  the  poore  and  the  blynde. 
With  your  charatable  almes  the  poore  man  to  comforte. 
He  is  your  owine  neightboure  and  of  your  owine  kinde. 

Cecus. 

Your  almes,  good  people,  for  charitye, 
To  me  that  am  blynd  and  never  did  see, 
Your  neightboure  borne  in  this  cittie  : 
Helpe  me,  or  I  goe  hence. 


214  the  chester  plays. 

Petrus. 

Master,  instrockte  us  in  this  case, 
Why  this  man  borne  Uinde  was : 
Is  it  for  his  owine  treaspas  I 
Or  elles  for  his  parentes  ? 

John. 

Was  synne  the  cause  origiuall 

Wherin  we  be  decived  all, 

That  this  blynd  man  was  broughte  in  thralle  ? 

Jesus. 

Hit  was  nether  for  his  offence, 

Nether  the  synne  of  his  parentes, 

Or  other  faulte  or  necligence, 

That  he  was  blinde  borne  ; 

But  for  this  cause  speciallye, 

To  sette  fourth  Godes  greate  glorye, 

His  power  to  shewe  manifestlye 

This  manes  sighte  to  reforme. 

While  the  dale  is  fayer  and  brighte, 

My  fathers  workes  I  muste  worcke  righte, 

Untill  the  cominge  of  the  nighte, 

That  lighte  be  gone  awaie. 

In  this  worlde,  when  I  am  heare, 

I  am  the  lighte  that  shyneth  cleare, 

My  lighte  to  them  shall  well  appeare 

Which  cleeve  to  me  allwaie. 

Tunc  Jesus  super  terram  spuit  et  lutum faciei,  et  oculos 
ceci  manibus  fricabit,  et  postea  dicat 

Jesus. 

Doe,  man,  as  I  saye  to  thee, 

Goe  to  the  watter  of  Syloe, 

Ther  wayshe  thy  eyes,  and  thou  shall  see, 

And  geve  to  God  the  prayse. 


LAZARUS.  215 

Tunc  cecus  querit  aquam,  et  abiit  Jesus. 

Oecus. 
Leade  me,  good  childe,  right  hastelye 
Unto  the  watter  of  Siloe. 

Tunc  lavat,  et  postea  dicat : 

Praysed  be  God  omnipotente, 
Which  nowe  to  me  my  sighte  has  sente  ! 
I  see  all  thinges  nowe  heare  presente, 
Blessed  be  God  allwaie  ! 
When  I  hade  done  as  God  me  bade, 
My  perfecte  sighte  fourthwith  I  hade  ; 
Wherfore  my  harte  is  wounder  glade, 
That  I  doute  where  I  am. 

Primuz  Pharaseus. 

Neightboures,  yf  I  the  truth  shoulde  saie, 
This  is  the  blynde  man  which  yster  daie 
Asked  our  almes,  as  we  came  this  waie  : 
It  is  the  vereye  same. 

Secundus  Pharaseus. 

No,  no,  neightboures,  yt  is  not  he. 

But  it  is  the  likeste  to  hym  that  ever  I  see  j 

One  man  to  another  like  maye  be, 

And  so  is  he  to  hym. 

Cecus. 
Good  men,  trulye  I  am  he 
That  was  blynde  and  nowe  I  see, 
I  am  no  other  vereleye  ; 
Enquier  of  all  my  kynne. 

Primuz  Pharaseus. 

Then  tell  the  truth,  we  thee  praye, 
Howe  this  is  happued  to  us  saye, 


216  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Thou  that  even  yster  daye 
Couldeste  see  noe  yeairthlye  thinge, 
And  nowe  seiste  so  perfectlye  ; 
Noe  wante  of  sighte  in  thee  we  see. 
Declare  therfore  to  us  trulye, 
Without  more  reasoninge. 

Cecus. 

The  man  whiche  we  calle  Jesus, 

That  worcketh  mirackles  dayhe  with  us, 

And  whom  we  fynde  so  gracious, 

Anoynted  my  eyes  with  claye, 

And  to  the  watter  of  Siloe 

He  bade  me  goe  immeadiatlye, 

And  wayshe  my  eyes  and  I  shoulde  see  j 

And  theider  I  toke  my  waye. 

When  the  watter  on  my  eyes  lighte, 

Immediatlye  I  hade  my  sighte  ; 

Was  their  never  earthlye  wighte 

So  joyfull  in  his  thoughte. 

Secundus  vicinus. 
Wher  is  he  nowe,  we  thee  praie  ? 

Cecus, 
I  knowe  not  wher  he  is,  by  this  daie. 

Secundus  vicinus. 

Thou  shalte  with  us  come  one  this  waie, 

And  to  the  Pharasittes  thes  wordes  saie  j 

But  yf  thou  woulde  thes  wordes  deneye, 

It  shall  helpe  thee  righte  naughte. — 

Loke  up,  lordinges  and  judges,  arighte. 

We  have  broughte  you  a  man  that  hade  no  sighte, 

And  on  the  Saboth  daye,  through  on  mans  mighte, 

Was  healed  and  restored,  for  south. 


LAZARUS.  217 

Primus  vicinus. 
Declare  to  them,  thou  wiccked  wighte, 
Who  did  restore  to  thee  thy  sighte, 
That  we  maye  knowe  auon  righte 
Of  this  matter  the  truth. 

Cecus. 

Jesus  anoynted  my  eyes  with  claye, 
And  byde  me  wayshe  in  Siloe ; 
And  before  I  came  awaie, 
My  perfecte  sighte  I  hade. 

Primus  Pharaseus. 

This  man,  the  truth  yf  I  shoulde  saye. 
Is  not  of  God,  my  heade  I  laye  ! 
Which  doth  voyolate  the  Saboath  daye, 
I  judge  hym  to  be  madde. 

Secundus  Pharaseus. 

It  cannot  enter  into  my  thoughte, 

That  he  which  hath  this  marvayle  wroughte 

Should  be  a  synner,  I  leeve  it  naughte, 

It  is  not  in  my  creede. 

Saye,  what  is  he  that  did  thee  heale  ? 

Cecus. 
A  prophette  he  is,  without  fayle. 

Primus  Pharaseus. 

Suerlye,  thou  arte  a  knave  by  kiude, 
And  fayneste  thy  selfe  for  to  be  blinde  ! 
Wherfore  nowe  this  is  my  mynde 
The  truth  to  trye  indeede  ; 
His  father  and  mother  both  in  feare 
Shall  come  declare  the  matter  heare, 


218  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

And  then  the  truth  shall  sone  appeare, 

And  we  put  out  of  doute, 

Goe  fourth,  messinger,  anon  in  hye, 

And  feache  his  parentes  by  and  by  ; 

This  knave  can  naughte  but  prate  and  lye. 

I  woulde  his  eyes  were  out. 

Messinger. 

Your  byddinge,  mayster,  I  shall  fulfill, 
And  do  my  de^vtye  as  is  good  skill, 
For  this  daye  heither  I  knowe  the  will, 
And  I  shall  spye  them  out. 

Tunc  circumspectat,  et  adloquitor  eos. 

Sir  and  dame,  bouth  in  feare. 
You  muste  before  the  Pharasites  appeare. 
What  ther  will  is  their  shall  you  here : 
Have  donne  and  come  your  waie  ! 

Mater, 

Alas  !  man,  what  doe  we  heare  ? 
Muste  we  before  the  Pharasittes  appeare  ? 
A  vengance  on  them,  farre  and  nere  ! 
The  never  did  poore  men  good. 

Pater. 

Dame,  their  is  no  other  waye. 
But  their  commaundment  we  muste  obaye, 
Or  elles  the  woulde,  without  delaye, 
Curse  us  and  take  our  good. 

Messinger. 
Heare  I  have  broughte,  as  you  bade  me. 
These  towe  persons  that  aged  be  ; 


LAZARUS.  219 

The  bene  the  parentes  of  hym  trulye, 
Which  sayde  that  he  was  blynde. 

Primuz  Pharaseus. 

Come  nere  to  us  bouth  towe, 
And  tell  us  trewlye  or  you  goe, 
Wheither  this  be  your  sonne  or  noe  ; 
Loke  noe  deceate  we  fynde. 

Pater, 

Maisters,  we  knowe  certenlye 
Our  Sonne  he  is,  we  cannot  denye, 
And  blynde  was  borne  undowtedlye, 
And  that  we  will  depose  ; 
But  whoe  restored  hym  to  his  sighte 
We  be  uncerten,  by  God  allmighte  ! 
Wherfore  of  hym,  as  it  is  righte, 
The  truth  you  muste  inquier. 

Mater. 

For  he  hath  age  his  talle  to  tell. 
And  his  mother  tonge  to  utter  it  well, 
Allthough  he  coulde  never  bye  nor  sell, 
Lett  hym  speake,  we  desyer. 

Primuz  Pharaseus. 

Geve  prayse  to  God,  thou  craftye  knave, 
And  loke  hereafter  thou  doe  not  rave, 
Nor  saye  that  Jesus  did  thee  save, 
And  restored  to  thee  thy  sighte. 

Secundus  Pharaseus. 

He  is  a  synuer,  and  that  we  knowe, 
Deceavinge  the  people  towe  and  frooe  ; 


220  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

This  is  moste  trewe  that  we  thee  showe, 
Beleve  us,  as  is  righte. 

Cecus. 

Yf  he  be  synfull  I  doe  not  knowe, 
But  this  is  truth  that  I  doe  showe, 
When  I  was  blynde  and  in  greate  woe, 
He  cured  me  as  you  see. 

Primus  Pharaseus. 
What  did  he,  thou  leither  swayne  ? 

Cecus. 

I  toulde  you  ouste ;  will  you  here  it  againe  ? 

Or  his  disciples  will  you  become. 

Of  all  your  synnes  to  have  remyssion. 

S];:cuNDus  Pharaseus. 

0  cursced  caytiffe  !  yll  mote  thou  thee  ! 
Woulde  thou  have  us  his  disciples  to  be  ? 
Noe,  no  :   Moyses  disciples  bene  all  we. 
For  God  with  hym  did  speake  ; 

But  whense  he  is  we  never  knewe. 

Cecus. 

1  marvaile  of  that,  as  I  am  trewe, 

That  you  knowe  not  from  whense  he  shoulde  be 

That  me  cured  that  never  did  see, 

Knowinge  this  moste  certenlye, 

Grod  will  not  synners  heare. 

But  he  that  honoured  God  trewlye, 

Hym  will  he  here  by  and  by. 

And  graunte  his  askingq  graciouslye, 

For  that  man  is  to  hym  deare. 

And  to  [saye]  this  I  dare  be  boulde, 


LAZARUS.  221 

Ther  is  no  man  that  ever  coulde 

Restore  a  creature  unto  his  sighte, 

That  was  blynde  borne  and  never  sawe  lighte  ; 

Yf  he  of  God  were  not,  i-wysse, 

He  coulde  never  worcke  suche  thinges  as  this. 

Primuz  Pharaseus. 

What,  synfull  knave,  wylte  thou  teache  us 
Which  all  the  Scrijitures  can  diskousse, 
And  of  our  livinge  be  so  vertuous  ? 
We  curse  thee  out  of  this  place. 

Jesus. 
Beleeves  thou  in  Godes  sonne  trewlye  ? 

Cecus. 
Yea,  gracious  Lorde,  who  is  he  ? 

Jesus. 

Thou  haste  hym  scene  with  thy  eyne, 
Hee  is  the  same  that  talketh  with  thee. 

Cecus. 

Then  heare  I  honour  hym  with  harte  free, 
And  ever  will  serve  hym  untill  I  dye. 

Primuz  Judeus. 

Saye,  man,  that  maketh  suche  maisterye. 
Are  thou  our  soules  doe  anoye. 
Tell  us  heare  apeartlye, 
Christe  yf  that  thou  be. 

Jesus. 

That  I  speake  to  you  openlye,  ' 

And  worckes  that  I  doe  verelye. 


222  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

In  my  fathers  name  allmightye, 

Beare  wittnes  of  me. 

But  you  beleeve  not  as  you  seene, 

For  of  my  sheepe  ye  neye  bene, 

But  my  flocke  withouten  wene 

Heare  my  voyce  allwaye  ; 

And  I  knowe  them  well  icheone, 

For  with  me  allwaye  the  gone, 

And  for  them  I  ordayne  in  m}^  name 

Everlastinge  life  for  aye. 

No  man  shall  reave  my  sheepe  from  me  ; 

For  my  father  in  magistie 

Is  greater  than  be  all  ye. 

Or  anye  that  ever  was. 

Secundus  Judeus. 

Then  shalte  abye  or  thou  passe  ! 
Helpe,  fellowe,  and  gaither  stonnes  ! 
He  skornes  us  quantlye  for  the  nones, 
And  dothe  us  greate  anoye. 

Tunc  lapides  colligunt. 

Yea,  stonnes  here  nowe  I  have, 
For  this  riball  that  thus  can  rave  ! 
On  strocke,  as  God  me  save, 
He  shall  have  sone  in  hie. 

Jesus. 

Wreches,  manye  a  good  deed 
I  have  done  you  in  your  need ; 
Nowe  quitte  you  fowle  my  mede, 
To  stonne  me  in  this  manere. 

Primuz  Judeus. 

For  the  good  deedes  that  thou  haste  wroughte. 
At  this  tyrae  stonne  we  thee  nauo-hte  : 


LAZARUS.  223 

Their  thou  lyeste  fowle  and  falslye, 
Both  in  worde  and  thoughte. 

Jesus. 

But  I  doe  well  and  trewlye 
M J  fathers  bjdinge  by  and  by, 
Elles  maye  you  hope  well  I  lye, 
And  then  leeve  you  me  naughte. 
But  seinge  you  will  not  leeve  me 
Nor  my  deedes  that  you  maye  see. 
To  them  beleevinge  take  ye. 
For  nothiuge  maye  be  souther  ; 
Soe  maye  you  knowe  well  and  vereye. 
In  my  father  that  I  am  aye, 
And  he  in  me  south  to  saye. 
And  either  of  us  in  other. 

Tunc  colligent  lapides,  et  statim  evanescit  Jesus. 

Secundus  Judeus. 
Out,  owte,  alas  !  wher  is  our  fonne, 
Quicklye  that  he  is  hense  gone  I 
I  woulde  a  tacken  hym,  and  that  anon. 
And  woulde  hym  all  to-clapped  ; 
Yea,  make  we  never  so  moclie  mone, 
Nowe  here  is  no  other  wonne. 
For  he  and  his  men  everye  icheone 
Are  from  us  clearly e  scaped. 

Primuz  Judeus. 

Nowe,  by  the  death  I  shall  on  dye  ! 

Maye  I  see  hym  with  my  eye, 

To  sir  Cayphas  I  shall  hym  wrye, 

And  tell  that  shall  hym  dare. 

See  I  never  non,  by  my  faye, 

When  I  hade  stonnes,  soe  sone  awaye ; 


224  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

But  yet  no  force,  another  daje 
His  taberte  we  shall  feare. 

Maria. 
A  !  Lorde  Jesu  !  that  me  is  woe  .' 
To  wjtte  my  brother  sicklye  soe, 
In  feable  tyme  Christe  yode  me  froo, 
Well  were  me  and  he  were  here. 

Martha. 
Yea,  sister,  about  we  will  2oe, 
And  seeke  Jesus  towe  and  froe  ; 
To  helpe  hym  he  wilbe  throe, 
And  he  wiste  howe  it  were. 

Tunc  venit  Jesus. 


O  my  Lorde,  sweete  Jesus,  mercye 
Lazarre,  that  thou  loved  tenderlye, 
Lyeth  sicke  a  littill  here  by, 
And  sufFereth  moche  teene. 

Jesus, 
Yea,  woman,  I  tell  thee  witterlye, 
That  sicknes  is  not  deadlye. 
But  Godes  sonne  to  slorifie. 
By  hym  as  maye  be  seene. 


Tunc  ibit  Martha  ad  Mariam. 

Maria. 
A  !  Martha,  sister,  alas  !  alas  ! 
My  brother  is  dead  since  thou  here  was  ; 
Had  Jesus  my  Lorde  bene  in  this  place. 
This  case  hade  not  bene  fallne. 


LAZARUS.  225 

Martha. 

Yea,  sister,  nere  is  Godes  grace, 
Manye  a  man  he  holpen  base, 
Yeat  maye  he  doe  for  us  in  this  case, 
And  hym  to  lifSe  calle. 

Maria. 

Here  will  I  sitte  and  mourninge  make, 
Tell  that  Jesus  my  sorowe  slake. 
My  teene  to  harte,  Lorde,  thou  take, 
And  ease  me  of  my  wooe. 

Martha. 

In  sorowe  and  woe  here  will  I  wake, 
And  lament  for  Lazarre  my  brothers  sake  : 
Though  I  for  payne  and  coulde  quake, 
Hense  will  I  not  goe. 

Tunc  pariter  juxta  sepulcrum  sedebunt  plorantes,  et  Jesus : 

Jesus. 
Brethren,  goe  we  to  Judye. 

Petrus. 

Maister,  righte  well  thou  maye  see 
The  Jewes  woulde  have  stoned  thee. 
And  yett  thou  will  againe. 

Jesus. 

Wote  you  not  well  this  is  vereye, 
That  xij.  oures  are  in  the  daye ; 
And  whoe  so  walketh  that  tyme  his  waie 
Treasspaseth  not,  the  south  to  saie  : 
He  offendeth  not  that  goeth  in  lighte, 
But  whoe  so  ever  walketh  in  nighte, 

VOL.  I.  o 


226  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

He  trespassed  all  againste  the  righte, 

And  lighte  in  hym  is  non. 

Why  I  saye  this  that  I  have  toulde, 

I  shall  tell  you  sone  in  highte, 

Have  mynde  of  it  through  your  mighte, 

And  tliinke  theirupon  : 

To  the  daye  my  selfe  lickned  male  be, 

To  the  xij.  oures  all  ye, 

That  lightned  bene  through  followinge  me, 

That  am  moste  likinge  lighte  ; 

For  worldes  lighte  I  am  vereye, 

And  who  so  foloweth  me,  south  to  saie, 

He  male  goe  no  thester  waie, 

For  lighte  in  hym  is  dighte. 

Oportet  me  operari  opera  ejus  qui  misit  me^ 
donee  dies  est ;  tenit  nox,  quando  nemo  potest 
operari :  quamdiu  su7n  in  mundo,  lux  sum  mimdi. 

Jesus. 

Brethren,  I  tell  you  tydinges  : 
Lazarre,  my  frende,  is  sleapinge. 
Theidder  we  muste  be  goinge, 
Upon  hym  for  to  calle. 

John. 
Lorde,  if  he  slepe,  saffe  he  maie  be. 
For  in  his  slepe  noe  perill  is  he  ; 
Therfore  it  is  not  good  for  thee 
To  goe  theider  for  so  sraalle. 

Jesus, 

I  tell  you,  brethren,  certenlye 
Lazarre  is  dead,  and  theider  will  I : 
Fayne  I  am  you  wotte  not,  I 


LAZARUS.  227 

Was  not  their,  as  you  maie  see : 
We  goe  theider  anon  in  hie. 

Thomas. 

Folowe  hym,  brethren,  to  his  anoye, 
And  I  with  hym  devoutlye, 
For  uon  other  it  will  not  be. 

Tunc  versus  locum  ibit  Jesus,  ubi  Maria  et  Martha  sedent,  et 
Martha  Jiet  obviam. 

Martha. 

A  !   Lorde  Jesus,  hadest  thou  bene  here  leade, 

Lazarre  my  brother  hade  not  bene  dead. 

Fut  well  I  wotte  thou  will  us  reade, 

Nowe  thou  arte  with  us  heare. 

And  this  I  leeve  and  hope  arighte, 

What  thinge  thou  asketh  of  God  allmighte, 

He  will  graunte  it  thee  in  heighte, 

And  graunte  thee  thy  prayer. 

Jesus. 
Thy  brother,  Martha,  shall  rise,  I  saye. 

Martha. 

That  leeve  I,  Lorde,  in  good  faye, 
That  he  shall  rise  the  laste  daie  ; 
Then  hope  I  hym  to  see. 

Jesus. 

Martha,  I  tell  thee  without  naye, 
I  am  risinge  and  life  vereye. 
Which  life  shall  laste  for  aye. 
And  never  shall  endid  be. 
Whoesoever  leevith  steadfastlie 
In  me,  I  tell  thee  truh^e, 

Q  2 


228  THE  CHESTER  PLAYS. 

Though  he  dead  be  and  downe  lye, 

Shall  live  and  fare  well. 

Leeves  thou,  Avoman,  that  this  may  be ! 

Martha. 

Lorde,  I  leeve  and  leeve  mon, 
That  thou  arte  Ohriste,  Godes  sonne, 
Is  comeu  into  this  worlde  to  wonne. 
Mans  boote  for  to  be  : 
This  have  I  leeved  steadfastlye  ; 
Therfore  on  me  thou  have  mercye, 
And  one  my  sister  eke  Marye, 
I  will  feche  her  to  thee. 

Tunc  Martha  ibit  et  vocabit  Mariam,  dicens . 

Martha. 

A  !  leffe  Marye,  sister  deare, 
Hye  the'^  quicklye  and  come  nere  ; 
My  sweete  Lorde  Jesus  he  is  heare, 
And  calleth  thee  hym  towe. 

Maria. 

A  !  well  were  we  and  it  so  were  ! 
But  hade  my  lovelye  Lorde  of  lere 
Seene  my  brother  lyne  on  beere. 
Some  helpe  mighte  a  bene  done. 
But  nowe  he  stincketh,  south  to  saye, 
For  nowe  this  is  the  fourth  daye, 
Synce  he  was  buryed  in  the  claye, 
That  was  to  me  soe  leffe  ; 
But  yett,  my  Lorde,  I  will  assaye. 
And  with  all  my  harte  hym  I  praie. 
To  comforte  us,  and  that  he  maie. 
And  raende  all  our  mischeiffe. 


LAZARUS.  229 

Tunc  Maria  videns  Jesum  prosternat  se  ad  pedes, 
dicens  : 

A  !   Lorde  Jesus,  hadeste  thou  bene  here, 
Lazarre  my  brother,  thj  owiue  dere, 
Had  not  bene  dead  in  this  manere. 
Moche  sorowe  is  me  upon  ! 

Jesus. 
Wher  have  you  done  hym,  tell  to  me. 

Maria. 

Lorde,  come  heither,  and  thou  maye  se, 
For  buryed  in  this  place  is  he, 
Fower  dayes  nowe  agone. 

Tunc  venient  Judei,  quorum  dicat  primus  Judeus  : 

See,  ffellowe,  for  cokes  soule  ! 
This  frecke  begines  to  reme  and  yole, 
That  makes  greate  dole  for  gole, 
That  he  loved  wel  before. 

Secundus  Judeus. 

Yf  he  had  cuninge,  me  thinke  he  mighte 
From  death  have  saved  Lazarre  by  rights, 
As  well  as  sende  that  man  his  sighte. 
That  whiche  so  blynde  was  borne. 

Jesus. 
Have  done,  and  put  awaye  the  stone. 

Martha. 

A  !   Lorde,  fower  dayes  bene  gone, 
Since  he  was  buryed  blood  and  bone  ; 
He  stinckes,  Lorde,  in  good  faye. 


230  the  chester  plays. 

Jesus. 

Martha,  sayde  I  not  to  thee, 
Yf  that  thou  leaved  fullye  in  me, 
Godes  grace  sone  shalte  thou  see  ? 
Therfore  doe  as  I  thee  saye. 

Tunc  deponent  lapidem  de  sepulcro,  et  Jesus  tergum  vertens 
manibus  elevaty  et  dicat  Jesus  : 

Father  of  heaven,  I  thanke  thee, 

That  so  sone  hath  harde  me. 

Well  I  wiste  and  southlye  see 

Thou  hereste  myne  intente  ; 

But  for  this  people  that  standeth  by, 

Speake  I  the  more  opeulye, 

That  the  maye  beleeve  steadfastlye. 

From  thee  that  I  was  sente. — 

Lazarre,  com  fourth,  I  byde  thee. 

Lazarrus. 

A  !  Lorde,  blessed  moste  thou  be  ? 

From  death  to  life  hath  raysed  me 

Through  thy  mickell  mighte. 

Lorde,  when  I  harde  the  voyce  of  thee. 

All  hell  fayled  of  ther  poste. 

So  faste  from  them  my  sowle  can  fleye. 

All  devilles  were  afrayde. 

Jesus. 
Losse  hyni  nowe,  and  let  liym  goe. 

Martha. 

O  Lorde,  honoured  be  thou  owe. 
That  us  haste  saved  from  moch  woe, 
As  thou  haste  ofte  before. 


LAZARUS.  231 

For  well  I  wiste  it  slioulde  be  soe, 
When  you  were  fiill  farre  froe  ! 
Thee,  Lorde,  I  honer  and  no  moe, 
Kneelinge  upon  my  knye. 

Maria. 

O  Lorde  Jesus,  moche  is  thy  mighte, 

For  nowe  my  liarte  is  glade  and  lighte. 

To  see  my  brother  rise  in  my  sighte, 

Here  before  all  thes  men. 

Well  I  hoped  that  sone  in  heighte, 

When  thou  came,  I  should  fare  arighte, 

Thee,  Lorde,  I  honour  with  all  my  mighte, 

Kneelinge  upon  my  knye. 

0  Lorde  Jesu,  I  thanke  thee, 

That  on  my  brother  hath  pittie, 

By  vereye  signes  nowe  men  male  se 

That  thou  arte  Godes  sonne. 

With  thee  ever,  Lorde,  will  I  be, 

And  serve  thee  with  harte  frey, 

That  this  daye  hath  gladded  me, 

And  allwaye  with  thee  wonne. 

Jesus. 

Have  good  daye,  my  daughters  deare  ! 
Wherever  you  goe,  farre  or  nere, 
My  blessings  I  geve  you  here. 
To  Jerusalem  I  take  the  waie. 

Finis.     Deo  gracias !  per  me,  Georgi  Bellin,     1592. 


NOTES. 


Page  1,  Banes. — Concerning  these  bans,  or  proclamations,  see  the  Intrt>- 
duction.  Bail  is  a  French  word,  and  signifies  a  proclamation  by  sound  of 
trumpet.  It  is  preserved  in  the  bans  of  marriage,  and  in  the  word  to 
banish  (banner,  to  put  to  the  ban,  to  proclaim,  warn  away  by  the  ban). 
There  is  a  similar  set  of  bans  to  the  Coventry  Mysteries,  which  Mr.  Halli- 
well  entitles  the  Prologue,  and  which  was  to  be  spoken  by  three  vexilla- 
tores,  standard-bearers,  or  heralds.  The  bans  of  the  Chester  Plays  are 
here  printed  from  MS.  Harl.  No.  2013. 

Page  4,  cappers — makers  of  caps,  answering  to  the  French  bonnetiers. 

Page  5,  corvisors — shoemakers. 

Page  6,  ffletchers,  boweyers,  stringers  —  trades  connected  with  the 
making  of  bowes:  the  fletchers  put  on  the  feathers;  the  other  terms  ex- 
plain themselves. 

Page  6,  ffusterers — rough  workers  in  wood,  carpenters,  joiners,  &c. : 
from  the  old  French  v;o\A,fust,  wood. 

Page  7j  shermen — shear-men,  cloth-shearers;  ib.,  hewsters — probably 
huxters. 

Page  7>  The  Fall  of  Lucifer. — The  legendary  story  of  the  fall  of 
Lucifer  appears  to  have  been  exceedingly  popular  in  the  West  from  the 
earliest  ages  of  Christianity  in  these  parts.  It  forms  a  very  remarkable 
portion  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  poetry  attributed  to  Csedmon,  and  appears  in 
other  Anglo-Srtxon  writings.  Milton  perhaps  founded  some  of  his  most 
magnificent  pictures  on  the  rude  groundwork  of  the  Mysteries.  The  Cursor 
Mundi,  MS.  Cotton,  Vespas.  A.  III.,  fol.  4,  ro.,  after  having  described  the 
creation  of  the  angels,  gives  the  following  account  of  the  fall  of  Lucifer : — 
This  numbre  that  he  ordend  than  That  es  wit  angel  that  es  gastli, 
Suld  be  bath  of  angel  and  man ;  And  wit  man  that  es  bodili. 

For  mensked  wit  tuin  maner  o  scaft     Of  angels  wald  he  served  be, 
Wald  he  be  that  king  o  craft.  That  suld  of  ordres  haf  thris  thre. 


NOTES. 


233 


He  dies  til  him  that  laverd  hend, 
Tlie  men  suld  mak  the  ordre  tend. 
But  the  angel  he  wroght  formast 
Of  all  he  gaf  an  povar  mast ; 
For  thof  thai  all  war  fair  and  wis. 
And  sum  of  less  and  sum  mare  pris. 
He  gaf  an  mast  of  all  sele. 
If  he  cuth  hafe  born  it  wele. 
And  sette  him  heist  in  his  hall 
Als  prince  and  sire  over  other  all ; 
And  for  that  he  was  fair  and  bright, 
Lucifer  to  nam  he  hight. 
Wen  he  perceved  him  he  this 
That  he  was  over  all  other  in  blis. 
Alias!  caitif !  he  kneu  him  noght. 
That    hee    drightin    that  had    him 

wroght ; 
For  ilhail  sagh  he  that  tide, 
Agains  him  he  tok  a  pride, 
Hetlik  he  lette  of  ilk  fere. 
To  Godd  self  wald  he  be  pere ; 
Noght  pere  allan,  bot  mikul  mare. 
For  under  him  he  wald  all  ware. 
And  be  him  self  thair  comandur. 
Qua  herd  ever  a  warr  auntur. 
That  he  that  noght  hadd  bot  of  him, 
Agayn  him  suld  becum  sua  grim  ? 
"  Sette,"  he  said,  "  ray  sete  I  sal 
Gain  him  that  heist  es  of  all : 
In  the  north  side  it  sal  be  sette, 
O  me  servis  sal  he  non  gette. 
Qui  suld  I  him  servis  yeild? 
Al  sal  be  at  myn  auen  weild." 
Bot  he  was  merred  of  hys  mint : 
Ful  son  he  fand  unstern  stint. 
For  langer  than  he  thoght  this  pride. 
In  heven  moght  he  na  langer  abide. 
For  in  that  curt  that  es  sa  clene 
May  na  filth  in  dwell,  wituten  wene. 
Sent  Micheal  for  thare  aller  right 
Rais  again  him  for  to  fight. 


Again  him  gaf  a  batell  grim. 
Out  of  that  hei  curt  kest  him, 
Lucifer  first  dune  he  broght 
And  sithen  that  till  him  holded  oght. 
And  schurd  that  curt  o  tham  sa  clene. 
That  sithen  thar  sted  was  never  sene. 
This  is  the  feind  that  formast  fell 
Thoru  his  ouengart  into  hell ; 
Fra  than  his  nam  changed  was. 
For  now  es  he  caid  Sathanas. 
Fra  ful  hei  he  fel  ful  law, 
That  of  his  laverd  wald  stand  nanaw, 
Witouten  covering  of  his  care, 
Thar  he  ne  has  merci  nevermare. 
For  Godd  aght  noght  gif  tham  merci 
That  thar  efter  wil  not  cri. 
And  thus  he  leses  his  gret  honur. 
Thar  he  badd  noght  fullik  an  ure ; 
For  alsuithe  als  he  was  made 
He  fell,  was  thar  na  langer  bade. 
Thas  other  gastes  that  fell  him  wiht. 
The  quilk  forsok  Godds  grith, 
Efter  the  will  thai  till  him  bare. 
Than  fell  thai  depe  or  lesse  or  mare : 
Sum  in  the  air,  sum  in  the  lift, 
Thar  thai  drei  ful  hard  schrift, 
Thar  pin  thai  here  opon  tham  ai. 
And  sua  sal  do  to  domes-dai. 
Bot  thai  that  left,  witoten  wite. 
Thai  ware  coufermed  thar  als  tite. 
That  thai  mai  nevermar  held  til  il, 
Namar  than  the  wirk  mai  to  God  will. 
The  numbre  that  out  of  heven  fell, 
Tho  can  na  tung  in  erth  tell, 
Ne  fra  the  trone  quar  he  can  sitte 
How  farr  es  into  hell  pitte : 
Bot  Bede  sais  fra  erth  to  heven 
Es  seven  thusand  yeir  and  hundret 

seven, 
Bi  jornes  qua  that  gaug  il  may 
Fourti  mile  on  ilk  day. 


234 


NOTES. 


The  notion  expressed  in  the  latter  part  of  this  extract,  of  a  part  of  the  fallen 
angels  having  been  distributed  in  the  air  and  other  elements,  was  a  popular 
superstition  in  the  Middle  Ages,  and  is  frequently  alluded  to  by  old  writers. 
In  the  Towneley  and  Coventry  Mysteries,  the  fall  of  Lucifer  is  briefly  re- 
presented, and  forms  only  the  introduction  to  the  play  of  the  Creation.  In 
the  long  "  Mystere  de  la  Nativite  de  Jesus  Christ  "  ( Jubinal's  Mysteres 
ineJits,  torn,  ii.),  which  begins  with  the  Creation,  this  legend  is  not  brought 
in ;  but  it  appears  in  a  printed  collection  of  old  French  mysteries,  entitled 
♦'  Le  tresexcellent  et  Sainct  Mystere  du  Vieil  Testament,"  fol.  Paris,  1542. 
In  this  latter  work,  the  Mysteries  begin  with  the  creation  of  Heaven,  which 
is  followed  by  that  of  the  ten  orders  of  angels,  after  which  the  angels,  with 
Lucifer,  join  in  worshipping  the  Creator,  and  sing  in  chorus  the  hymn — 

O  lux  beata  Trinitas, 

Et  principalis  unitas. 

Jam  sol  recedit  igneus, 

Infunde  lumen  cordibus. 
Then  Lucifer  begins  to  talk  proudly,  and  offers  to  sit  upon  God's  throne 
and  make  the  angels  adore  him,  for  which  he  is  driven  from  Heaven.  Next 
follows  the  creation,  day  by  day.  The  scene  representing  the  lamentations 
and  mutual  recriminations  of  the  fallen  angels  is  sufiSciently  curious  to  be 
given  as  a  specimen  of  these  French  mysteries. 

Adoncques  doivent  trebuscher  Lucifer  et  ses  anges  le  plus  soubdaine- 
ment  qti'il  sera  possible.  Et  doit  avoir  autant  de  dyables  tous  prestz  en 
enfer,  lesquelz  en  menant  grande  tempeste  getteront  feu,  et  dira  ce  qui 
s'ensuyt. 


Lucifer. 
En  despit  et  de  rage  urlans, 
Blasphemans  I'essence  immortelle, 
Nostre  damnation  querans 
Sommes,  et  par  nostre  cautelle. 

Sathan. 
De  gloire  divine,  eternelle, 
Sommes  a  tout  jamais  bennys. 

ASTAROTH. 

Par  la  puissance  supernelle 
Estroictement  sommes  pugnis. 

Cerberus. 
De  ce  glorieux  paradis. 
Par  nostre  orgueil  ainsi  que  foulx, 
Sommes  bennys  et  interditz. 
Helas  !  helas !  que  ferons  nous  ? 


Mamona. 
Nostre  orgueil  nous  a  deceuz  tous, 
Et  par  ton  intercession, 
Lucifer. 

Lucifer. 
Je  meurs  de  courroux, 
Quen  pense  a  ma  rebellion. 

Sathan. 
En  lieu  remply  d'infection 
Sommes  tumbez  suans  buans. 

Lucifer. 
Harau !  harau !  je  me  repens ! 
Oil  sommes  nous,  dyables  infernaulx  ? 

Sathan. 
11  n'est  pas  temps,  il  n'est  pas  temps ! 


NOTES. 


235 


Lucifer. 
Harau !  harau !  je  me  repens  ! 

Mamona. 
Plongez  sommes  avecques  serpens, 
Couleuvres,  dragons,  et  crappaulx. 

Lucifer. 
Harau !  harau !  je  me  repens ! 
Ou  sommes  nous,  dyables  infernaulx  ? 

ASMODEUS. 

Faulx  serpent,  remply  de  tous  maulx, 
Tu  as  brasse  telle  poison. 

Leviatan. 
Servans  doivent  estre  loyaulx 
A  leur  maistre  en  toute  saison. 

Lucifer. 
Harau !  harau !  quel  desraison  ! 
Qu'ay-je    faict,    dyables,    quay-je- 

faict  ? 
Harau !  qu'esce  cy,  quel  prison  ! 
Qui  m'a  mis  en  lieu  taut  infaict  ? 

Agrappart. 
Faulx  dyable,  c'est  par  ton  forfaict 
Que  sommes  ainsi  tresbuschez. 

Cerberus. 
Ton  orguelleux  villain  mefFaict 
Nous  a  cause  tous  noz  pechez. 

Lucifer. 
Harau  !  par  trop  sommes  attachez 
Sans  aucune  intercession. 

ASTAROTH. 

Au  puis  d'enfer  sommes  fichez 
A  jamais  sans  remission. 

Lucifer. 
N'y  vault  rien  intercession, 
SuppUcation,  ne  priere. 

Sathan. 
Jamais  n'aurons  la  vision 
De  I'iuefFalible  luraiere ! 

Mamona. 
En  ce  gouffre  plein  de  fumiere 
Sommes  mis  pour  peine  et  tempeste. 


Asmodeus. 
Plus  ne  verrons  gloire  tant  clere. 
Que  le  dyable  y  ait  malle  feste! 

Leviatan. 
Pour  rien  nous  rompons  bien  la  teste. 
Car  il  n'est  grace  ne  mercy. 

Agrappart. 
Rien  n'y  vauldroit  don  ne  requeste : 
Force  est  de  demourer  icy. 

Lucit'ER. 
Harau  !  hau !  dyables,  qu'esse  cy  ? 

Cerberus. 
Faulx  ennemy,  c'est  tout  par  toi. 

Astaroth. 
En  peine,  travail,  et  soucy. 
Nous  as  mis  par  trop  grant  arroy. 

Lucifer. 
Dyables,  bien  scay  que  c'est  par  moy 
Et  par  vostre  consentement, 
Pourquoy  en  douloureux  esmoy 
Serons  perpetuellement. 
Je  brusle,  j'ay  peine  et  tourment. 
En  lieu  de  joye  et  de  lyesse : 
Car  en  enfer  incessamment 
Suis  livre  en  dueil  et  tristesse. 

Sathan. 
Feu  de  soulfre  ardant  nous  oppresse, 
Oultre  vermisseaulx  venimeux 
Nous  causent  douleur  et  destresse 
En  cest  abisme  tenebreux. 

Mamona. 
En  lieu  obscur,  layt,  et  hideux, 
Souffre  puant,  abhorainable, 
Sommes  mis  en  feu  langoureux 
Et  toute  peine  intoilerable. 

Lucifer. 
Ou  suis-je  mis,  condamne  dyable, 
Prive  du  haultain  paradis  ? 
De  tous  suis  le  plus  miserable : 
Car  je  suis  au  parfond  du  puis. 


236  NOTES. 

AsMODEUs.  Car  en  lieu  de  chanter  lassus, 

Faulx  dragon,  tu  nous  a  seduitz  Nous  fault  crier  et  dire  helas. 

Par  ta  mauvaise  ambition,  Astaroth. 

Dont  avons  perdu  tous  delitz  De  joye  et  vertueulx  esbas 

Et  divine  illustration.  Sommes  tous  privez  et  bannis, 

Leviatan.  Et  tresbuschez  tout  au  plus  bas. 

En  tartaricque  infection  Dont  griefvement  sommes  pugnis. 

Et  maintenant  nostre  appareil,  Lucifer. 

En  lieu  de  jubitation  D3ables,  liuyons  et  menons  crye, 

Et  de  tout  triumphe  eternel.  C'est  le  plus  beau  de  nostre  chance. 

Agrappart.  Sathan. 

Ijucifer,  est  par  ton  conseil  Nous  qui  sommes  en  enfer  escriptz. 

Que  nous  sommes  a  bas  coufonduz  :      Dyables,  huyous  et  menons  crys. 
Car  en  lieu  du  bien  supernel,  Mamona. 

Sommes  au  parfond  d'enfer  fonduz.       Estonnons  les  cieulx  par  noz  huirs, 

Cerberus.  En  infernalle  residence. 

Dueil  et  travaulx  nous  sont  renduz,  Asmodeus. 

Pour  toute  lyesse  et  soulas :  Dyables,  huyons  et  menons  crys, 

C'est  le  plus  beau  de  nostre  chance. 
Pause. — Adoncques  se  doit  f aire  une  grande  tempeste  en  enfer. 
The  stage-dliections  in  some  of  the  French  mysteries  present  a  curious 
picture  of  the  machinery  of  these  primitive  performances.  When  Lucifer  is 
driven  out  of  heaven,  the  direction  is — Adoncque  se  doivent  eslever  Lucifer 
et  ses  anges  par  une  roue  secretement  faicte  dessus  ung  pivos  a  vis.  When 
God  separates  light  from  darkness,  Adoncques  se  doit  monstrer  ung  drap 
painct,  c'est  assavoir  la  moytie  toute  blanche  et  I'autre  toute  noire.  When 
the  Creator  separates  the  waters,  Adoncques  se  doit  monstrer  comme  une 
mer,  qui  par  avant  ayt  este  couverte,  et  des  poissons  dedans  icelle  mer. 
At  the  creation  of  the  heavenly  bodies,  Adoncques  se  doit  monstrer  ung 
del  painct  tout  seme  d'estoilles  et  les  710ms  des  pianettes.  And  when 
God  creates  the  fowls,  Adoncques  doit  on  secrettement  getter  petis 
oyseaulx  volans  on  fair,  et  mettre  sur  terre  oysons,  cynes,  canes,  cocqus, 
poulles,  et  autres  oyseaulx,  avecques  le  plus  de  bestes  estra?iges  que  on 
pourra  trouver. 

Page  7)  pagina  prima,  etc. — This  title  is  not  found  in  the  manuscript 
from  which  we  print  the  text.  It  may  be  observed  that  the  speech  put  into 
the  mouth  of  the  Creator  would  have  been  more  correctly  arranged  in  long 
lines, — 

It  is  my  will  yt  shoulde  be  soe,  het  is,  yt  was,  it  shall  be  thus : 
I  am  great  God  gracious,  which  never  hade  beginninge,  etc. 
Piige  7,  line  \7,  mea  licentia — The  MSS.  have  mei  licencell. 


NOTES.  237 

Page  9,  line  10,  dissolvemus — MS.  H.  reads  dissolved ;  line  13,  solota- 
cion — singleness,  loneness  (?) ;   line  14,  higlye — pleasant,  delightful. 

Page  9,  line  29,  nine  orderes  —  The  nine  orders  were  angels,  archan- 
gels, thrones,  dominations,  principates,  potestates,  virtues,  cherubin,  and 
seraphim.   The  tenth  order  was  that  to  be  filled  up  by  the  creation  of  man. 
Page  10,  line  11,  Lucifier  and  Liglitborne — I  have  not  found  this  dis- 
tinction of  the  two  fallen  angels  in  other  versions  of  the  legend. 
Page  10,  hne  16,  ausctdte — MS.  H.  reads  exsalte. 
Page  13,  Cheraphin — MS.  H.  reads  Cherubyn. 
Page  15,  line  13,  fidlgens — refulgence,  brightness;  hne  21,  teene  and 
traye — trouble  and  vexation. 

Page  16,  line  25,  CM»i6f ;•  —  to  be  benumbed,  confounded  with  grief; 
counger — to  shrink. 

Page  17,  line  3,  \ayc'\. — The  writer  of  the  MS.  from  which  the  text  is 
given  has  here  and  in  many  other  places  substituted  ever  for  aye,  which 
destroys  the  rhyme. 

Page  17,  line  8,  tell  beanies  blowe.  —  Till  trumpets  blow.  The  follow- 
ing lines  are  quoted  in  Jamison's  Dictionary — 

He  seyth  whethir  that  I  ete  or  drynke. 
Other  do  ought  elles,  evere  me  thynke 
That  the  beem  that  schal  blowe  at  domesday 
Sowneth  in  myn  ere,  and  thus  say  : 
"  Rys  up,  ye  that  ben  dede,  and  come 
Unto  the  dredful  day  of  dome." 
Page  18,  line  21,  i-mente — designed,  conceived. 

Page  20,  The  Creation  and  Fall. — The  plot  of  the  second  play  is  taken 
vpith  little  alteration  from  the  book  of  Genesis.  In  the  Towueley  and 
Coventry  Mysteries,  the  death  of  Abel  forms  a  separate  piece.  In  the  two 
French  collections  of  Mysteries  mentioned  in  a  former  note,  a  legendary 
incident  is  added,  which  appears  not  to  have  been  popular  in  England — when 
Adam  attempts  to  swallow  the  apple,  it  sticks  in  his  throat,  and  will  not 
stir, 

Adam  prengne  la  pomme  et  morde,  et  se  prengne  parmy  la  gorge,  el  die : 
Ha  hay  !  je  suy  mal  avoiez  : 
Ce  morcel  ne  puis  avaler. 
Las  doulereux!  qu'il  est  amer  ! 
En  la  gorge  la  mort  me  tient. 

Jubinal's  Mysteres  inedits,  vol.  ii,  p.  9. 
According  to  the  legend,  which  is  still  prevalent  in  France,  but  which 
does  not  appear  to  have  existed  in  England,  this  incident  was  the  cause  of 
the  lump  in  the  man's  throat,  which  has  been  preserved  ever  since. 


238  NOTES. 

Page  20,  line  7j  lee  — joy,  pleasure ;  line  11,  tweyned  —  divided,  sepa- 
rated; line  12,  stemes  —  stars;  line  18,  lente  —  placed. 

Page  22,  line  2,  matter  —  perhaps  a  mistake  for  watter  ;  line  12,  eare 

—  air. 

Page  23,  line  4,  in  f eare  —  in  company  ;    line  15,  with  wyne — with  joy. 
Page  24,  line  24,  a  fere  —  a  companion. 

Page  25,  line  2,  a  make —  a  partner ;  line  4,  as  thy  leiste  —  as  pleases 
you  ;  line  7>  mase  —  makes;  line  9,  sawe  —  saying,  decree. 

Page  25,  line  11,  Virragoo. — The  following  lines  from  the  Cursor  Muncli, 
MS.  Cotton  Vesp.  A.  III.,  fol.  5,  ro.,  illustrate  this  passage : 
Ute  of  his  side,  als  sais  the  boke, 
Witoten  sare  a  rib  he  tok. 
And  of  that  rib  he  mad  woman, 
Til  Adam  that  was  first  is  an. 
Quen  SCO  was  broght  befor  Adam, 
Virago  gaf  he  hir  to  nam  : 
Tharfor  hight  sco  virago. 
For  maked  o  the  man  was  sco. 
Page  25,  line  16,  postie  —  power. 

Page  25,  line  22,  stande  nackede. — This  stage-direction,  combined  with 
a  passage  farther  on,  p.  29,  has  been  cited  as  proving  that  the  condition  of 
our  first  parents  was  represented  literally  on  the  stage.  I  am  strongly  in- 
clined to  think  that  this  is  altogether  an  error,  that  the  direction  is  merely 
figurative,  and  that  the  persons  who  represented  our  first  parents  were  only 
to  be  supposed  to  be  in  a  state  of  nudity.  Still  that  part  of  the  performance 
which  related  to  the  fig-leaves  could  not  be  otherwise  than  what  would  now 
be  considered  very  indecorous. 

Page  26,  line  12,  be  my  laye — perhaps,  by  my  faye ;  line  23,  dighte  me 

—  address  myself ;  tytte  —  immediately;  line  33, //cco?7s  —  nice,  delicate. 
Page  27,  line  4,  brocke  I  my  pane — I  enjoy  or  possess  my  head ;  line  8, 

forma  puella — The  MSS.  read/orm«  torma  puella.  In  Piers  Ploughman, 
1.  12753,  the  serpent  which  tempted  Eve  is  described  as  "  y-lik  a  lusard, 
with  a  lady  visage." 

Page  28,  line  22,  life — is  probably  an  error  of  the  scribe  for  lefe  or  leve, 
beloved  ;  line  24,  lefefeare — dear  companion. 

Page  29. — The  conversation  which  follows  between  Adam  and  Eve 
resembles  very  much  the  parallel  scene  in  the  French  Mystere  du  Vieil 
Testament  already  quoted  : 

Adam. 
Je  suis  honteux  de  ma  nature. 
Quant  je  voy  ma  fragilite. 


NOTES.  239 

Done  je  vueil  chercher  couverture 
Pour  musser  mon  humanite. 
Adoncques  doit  Adam  couvrir  son  humanite,  faignant  avoir  honte. 

Eve. 
Bien  voy  que  mon  iniquite 
Me  veult  de  joye  absenter : 
Car  je  congnois  pour  verite 
Que  honte  et  vergongne  requier. 
Icy  se  doit  semblablement  vergortgner  lafemme  et  se  musser  de  sa  main. 

Adam. 
Prenons  fueilles  de  ce  figuier. 
Pour  couvrir  noz  membres  honteux. 
Et  puis  nous  en  irons  musser 
En  quelque  lieux  entre  nous  deux. 

Eve. 
AUons :  car  je  voy  de  mes  yeulx 
Le  danger  que  mon  mal  pourchasse. 
Mussons  nous  es  plus  secretz  lieux. 
Car  honte  et  pudeur  nous  dechasse. 
Adoncques  doivent  cueillir  des fueilles  du  figuier,  et  eidx  en  couvrir. 
Page  29,  hne  11,  wye — injury,  annoyance  ;  line  13, /or  tht/ — therefore  ; 
line  14,  shape — I  believe  that  shape  here  means  the  pudenda,  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  ge-sccapu;  line  17,  witterlye — truly ;  line 21,  a  hillinge — a  covering. 
Page  31,  line  11,  behette — promise;  line  12,  of  lettc — care  about;  line 
28,  warrycd — accursed. 

Page  32,  line  8,  south  to  sayne — to  tell  the  truth ;  line  9,  unbayne — 
disobedient;  line  17 ,  tJi  longer  am  I  lente  —  I  am  placed  in  languor,  or 
sorrow  ;  hne  21,  kente — perhaps  for  shente,  ruined. 

Page  33,  line  1,  lee — joy;  line  2,  hilled — covered;  line  VJ ,  fidfilled — 
evidently  a  mistake  of  the  scribe  iox  fulfill;  line  18,  este — (?)  line  28, 

linge — remain,  dwell ;  line  30,  weale  or  wyne — prosperity  or  pleasure. 
Page  34,  line  14,  coise —  (?) 

Page  35,  line  1,fonne — foe,  enemy  ;  line  15,  lente — given. 
Page  35,  line  25,  while  that  I  slepte — Adam's  vision  is  one  of  the  legends 
added  to  the  text  of  Scripture  in  the  superstitious  ages  of  the  church.  It 
is  not  alluded  to  in  the  other  English  collections  of  mysteries.  In  some  of 
the  legends,  which  are  followed  by  Milton  in  the  conclusion  of  his  Paradise 
Lost,  the  vision  is  shewn  to  Adam,  not  in  his  sleep  as  here,  but  after  his 
transgression,  when  he  is  ejected  from  Paradise.  Thus  in  the  old  English 
version  of  an  apocryphal  life  of  Adam  (MS.  Harl.  No.  1704,  fol.  24,  ro.) 
when  describing  Adam's  deathbed,  it  is  said  : — 


240  NOTES. 

And  Adam  said  to  Seth,  "Sone,  here  me,  I  shall  tell  the  what  that  we 
seeth  and  herd  after  that  we  were  cast  out  of  Paradise,  I  and  thy  moder, 
as  we  were  in  orj^soun,  Michaell,  Goddis  messengere  came  to  me,  and  I 
sigh  orders  of  angles  as  thicke  as  wynde  being  in  a  fayre  serkell,  and  1 
sigh  a  chare,  and  the  whelis  therof  as  fyre.  Than  I  was  ravesshid  into  Pa- 
radise, and  ther  I  sawe  oure  Lord,  and  his  semblaunt  was  as  fyre  brennyng, 
and  his  chere  was  so  bright  that  I  myght  not  endure  to  loke  theron,  and  a 
gret  multitude  of  angeles  were  aboute  the  beames  of  the  brightnes  of  his 
semblaunte,  and  I  sigh  an  other  wondyrfull  company  of  angelles  being  on 
his  right  side  and  lyft  side,  and  I  was  in  gret  drede  and  made  my  prayer 
to  God  in  erth,  and  my  lord  God  said  to  me,  '  Wete  thou  well  that  thou 
shalt  die,  for  thou  foryete  my  commaundement  and  herdis  the  worde  of  thy 
wyff,  the  which  I  yaiF  unto  the  to  be  thy  underlyng  and  thy  seget  at  thi 
will,  and  thou  obeydest  to  hyr  and  not  to  me.'  And  when  I  herd  these 
wordes,  I  fell  dowiie  to  the  erth  and  saide,  '  Lord,  most  myghtfuU  and 
most  merciable  God,  both  blissid  and  meke,  ne  foryete  the  not  thi  worship- 
full  name  of  deynte,  but  comfort  thou  my  soule  whan  I  deye  and  my  sprite 
passith  out  of  my  mouth,  ne  cast  me  not  awey  fro  thy  face,  which  that  thou 
hast  made  of  the  sleyme  of  the  erth,  nother  put  hym  behynde  that  thou 
hast  norisched  with  thi  grace,  behold'  how  thy  wordis  bronnyn  me.'  And 
our  Lord  God  saide  to  me,  'For  thyne  hert  is  suche  that  thou  lovest 
science  and  connyng  and  godenesse  and  repentance,  ne  thou  shalt  not  be 
done  awey  fro  thy  connyng,  and  the  seed  that  comyth  of  the  that  will  serve 
me  shall  never  be  lore.'  And  when  I  herde  these  wordes,  I  honowred  hym 
lowly  on  the  erth,  and  said,  '  Thou  art  God  withoute  begynnyng  and 
endyng,  and  every  creature  oweth  to  worship  the  and  love  the,  thou  art 
above  all  lightes  shyning,  thou  art  very  light  of  lyffe,  thou  art  such  as  no- 
thyng  may  tell  ne  comprehende  in  witte.  O  thilke  gret  vertu  of  God,  all 
creaturs  to  the  gevyne  honour  and  praysyng,  whan  thou  hast  made  man- 
kynd  through  thy  gret  vertu.'  And  anon  as  I  had  prayed  this,  Michaell 
the  archangell  of  God  toke  my  honde,  and  cast  me  out  of  Paradise  in  the 
visitacouns  fro  the  sight  of  God,  and  Michaell  helde  a  yerde  in  his  bond 
with  which  he  tocgid  the  waters  that  went  in  the  serquite  of  Paradise,  and 
with  the  which  twochyng  of  the  forsaide  yerde  they  congelid  togedyr  into 
yse,  and  I  went  uppon  hem,  and  Michaell  went  with  me,  and  lad  me  agen 
into  the  plase  of  Paradice,  fro  the  which  he  ravished  me,  and  eft  ayeward 
he  led  me  to  the  lake  ther  he  ravesshed  me.  Now,  my  son  Seth,  here  me, 
and  I  shall  shew  to  the  the  privytes  that  be  to  me  and  the  sacramentes 
that  ben  shewen  to  me  for  why  I  understond  and  know  thinges  that  be  to 
come  in  this  temperall,  the  which  God  made  for  mankynd,  that  is  to  say,  T 
had  my  knowing  and  my  understondyng  of  thing  that  is  to  come  be  the 
etyng  that  I  ete  of  the  tre  of  understondyng." 


NOTES.  241 

Adam  then  goes  on  lo  relate  what  should  happen  to  his  descendants,  and 
to  foretel  their  final  redemption.  According  to  another  version  ofthe  legend, 
which  is  given  in  the  French  Mysteries  edited  by  M.  Jubinal,  and  in  the 
English  Cursor  Miindi,  the  vision  was  shown  to  Seth  when  sent  to  Paradise 
by  his  dying  father  to  seek  for  the  oil  of  mercy.  He  receives,  according  to 
one  story,  three  seeds  to  place  in  his  dead  father's  mouth,  according  to 
another,  a  branch  to  plant  upon  his  grave,  from  which,  in  the  course  of 
ages,  was  to  be  derived  the  wood  of  the  cross. 

Page  36,  line  9,  waiter  orfier. — This  incident  is  found  in  another  legend 
— the  history  of  the  seven  arts  or  sciences,  which  Adam  is  said  to  have  re- 
ceived directly  from  God  and  transmitted  to  his  descendants.  This  will  be 
recognized  as  the  foundation  of  the  eighth  book  of  the  "  Paradise  Lost." 
Adam  knew  that  mankind  would  be  destroyed  by  fire  or  water,  but  was 
uncertain  which :  his  children  received  from  him  the  knowledge  of  these 
art.5  as  well  as  of  the  threatened  danger,  and,  in  order  to  preserve  the  latter, 
engraved  them  on  two  columns  of  different  materials,  which  might  with- 
stand both  fire  and  water.  See  Mr.  Halliwell's  "  History  of  Freemasonry  in 
England,"  p.  6  ;  see  also  the  Cursor  Mundi,  MS.  Cotton,  Vespas.  A.  HI., 
fol.  10,  ro.  The  French  "  Image  du  Monde,"  of  the  thirteenth  century, 
speaks  thus  of  Adam  :  — 

Chil  seut  les  vij.  ars  de  clergie  Vaurent  que  h  mons  devendroit, 

Mius  que  nus  c'onques  fust  en  vie,       Et  se  jamais  defineroit. 
Com  chil  que  Dius  les  eut  aprises.        Si  trouverent  tout  sans  falir 
Puis  furent  par  maint  autre  quises,       Qn'il  devoit  ij.  fois  defalir  : 
Qui  paine  de  les  savoir  eurent,  A  I'une  fois  par  fu  ardant. 

Pour  le  deluve,  que  il  seurent,  Et  a  I'autre  par  iave  grant. 

Qui  devoit  avenir  au  monde  Mais  ne  vaut  a  chele  fois 

Par  fu,  ou  par  eus,  ou  par  fonde.  Cou  feust  par  lequel  anchoi>;. 

Puis  Adam  furent  maintes  gens  D'iave  ou  de  fu  ardant,  si  eurent 

Qui  des  vij.  ars  eurent  le  sens,  Partie  de  clergie  qui  seurent 

Que  Dius  leur  envoia  en  tere.  Que  ensi  seroient  peries, 

Dont  aucun  i  eut  qui  enquere  S'elesn'estoient  gavanties. 

Page  36,  line  26,  underffoe — to  perform,  undertake  ;  line  30,  rigges — 
ridges,  balks;  reian — a  gutter;  line  34,  heiste,  commandment. 

Page  37,  line  1,  io^^;?^e  — ready  ;  Xme\Q,%inbuxom — disobedient;  line  21, 
to  hill  —  to  cover,  shield  ;  line  26,  this — an  error  of  the  scribe  (recurring 
frequently)  for  thus ;  line  31,  a  tylle  man — a  husbandman,  or  cultivator  of 
the  earth. 

Page  37,  line  30,  Cayme. — In  the  Towneley  and  Coventry  Mysteries, 
the  Death  of  Abel  forms  a  separate  play  :  and  in  the  former  a  somewhat 
ludicrous  character  is  given  to  it  by  the  vulgar  conversations  between  Cain 
vol..  I.  R 


242  NOTES. 

and  his  boy.  There  are  no  legendary  hicidents  in  the  English  plays  on 
this  subject.  The  dialogue  of  the  Chester  Play  resembles  in  some  parts 
that  of  the  analagous  portion  of  the  French  Mystere  du  Vieil  Testament, 
before  quoted,  in  which  Cain  is  introduced,  full  of  pride  and  ambition,  con- 
triving how  he  shall  be  lord  over  all  mankind :  he  consults  with  his  son, 
Enoch,  and  they  determine  to  build  a  fortified  city.  Then  the  scene 
changes,  and  Adam  is  introduced  ordering  his  sons  to  perform  sacrifice. 
Abel  obeys  willingly,  but  Cain  proceeds  doggedly,  and  offers  some  of  his 
worst  corn.  He  quarrels  with  his  brother  for  the  success  of  his  sacrifice 
— is  jealous,  because  he  thinks  it  is  a  sign  of  Abel's  superiority— asks  his 
brother  to  walk  out  into  the  field  (compare  p.  40, 1.  20,  of  the  present 
volume),  and  there  kills  him.  In  the  Cursor  Mundi  (MS.  Cotton,  Vespas. 
A.  III.,  fol.  7>  ro.)  there  is  an  allusion  to  another  legend  of  the  middle 
ages,  according  to  which,  when  Cain  had  slain  his  brother  Abel  and  pro- 
ceeded to  bury  the  body,  the  earth  rejected  it,  and  he  was  thus  unable  to 
conceal  his  wicked  deed : — 

Again  Abel  he  raysed  striif.  The  bodi  moght  he  nan  gat  hide. 

Wit  murth  he  did  his  broither  o  liif ;     For  under  erth  most  it  not  rest. 
Wit  the  chafte  ban  of  a  ded  has.  The  clai  ai  up  that  bodi  kest : 

Men  sais  that  tharwit  slan  he  was.       His  broither  ded  sua  wend  he  dil. 
And  quen  he  had  his  broither  slan,       Bot  he  moght  nourquar  it  hil. 
Bigan  to  hid  his  cors  o  nan ;  For  thi  men  sais  that  to  this  tide 

Bot  proved  was  son  his  sari  pride,        Is  naman  that  murth  mai  hide. 

In  the  Coventry  Mysteries,  Cain  is  made  to  cover  his  brother's  corpse 
with'grass  (p.  38)  : — 

With  this  gresse  I  xal  hym  hylle." 

Page  38,  line  1,  daddy e — MS.  H.  resids  father. 

Page  40,  line  21,  a  littill  froo — a  little  distance ;  line  27,  congion— 
a  dwarf,  poor  fellow. 

Page  41,  line  9,  efte — again  ;  grase — grace,  favour ;  line  17, 1  icoUe  nere 
— I  know  never  ;  line  26,  waryed — accursed. 

Page  42,  line  1,  utdeffe  —  loathsom,  literally  unbeloved  ;  line  9,  lenge 
— remain  ;  letctye — loyalty ;  line  22,  io«e— prayer,  the  thing  prayed  for, 
a  boon  ;  line  29,  truste  mone — you  may  trust,  rest  assured  (?) 

Page  42,  line  10,  be  bounde  and  nothinge  freey. — In  the  earlier  stages 
of  society,  it  was  a  common  punis-hment  for  great  crimes  to  condemn  the 
perpetrator  to  bondage  or  servitude. 

Page  43,  line  3,  groo — perhaps  an  error  of  the  scribe  for  ^oo;  line  18, 
dadde  and  mam — MS,  H.  furnislies  the  better  reading,  sire  and  dame,  and 
again,  two  lines  below,  dame  and  sier;  line  19,  walson — curse  (?) ;  line 
25,  ruffull  is  my  read — rueful  is  my  counsel. 


NOTES.  243 

Page  44,  line  3,  ?-M'ysse — truly;  it  is  the  Anglo-Saxon  ge-wis.  The 
later  scribe  lias  very  erroneously  written  it  J  wysse,  as  (hough  it  were  a 
pronoun  and  a  verb ;  line  6,  mone — may ;  line  9,  losscell — a  losel,  an  aban- 
doned wretch;  line  10,  for-scapte — driven  out  of,  banished  from. 

Page  45,  Noah's  Flood — The  flood  holds  a  prominent  place  in  all  the 
English  series  of  mysteries.  The  dispute  between  Noah  and  his  wife  is 
peculiar  to  the  Towneley  and  Chester  plays.  It  is  alluded  to  by  Chaucer, 
Miller's  Tale,  v.  3533— 

^'Hast  thou  not  herd  how  saved  was  Noe, 
Whan  that  our  Lord  had  warned  him  beforne. 
That  al  the  world  with  water  shuld  be  lorne  ?  " 
"  Yes,"  quod  this  carpenter,  "  ful  yore  ago." 
"  Hast  thou  not  herd,"  quod  Nicholas,  "  also 
The  sorwe  of  Noe  with  his  felawship, 
Or  that  he  mighte  get  his  wif  to  ship  ? 
Him  had  be  lever,  I  dare  wel  undertake. 
At  thilke  time,  than  all  his  wethers  blake. 
That  she  had  had  a  ship  hire  self  a'one." 
The  appropriate  distribution  of  this  play  to  "the  water  leaders  and  the 
drawers  of  Dee  "  was  probably  designed. 

Page  45,  line  5,  li7>ge  in  mone — remain  in  man  ;  line  8,  blyne  —  cease  ; 
line  22,  slyche — plaster  (?) ;  line  23,  neye  thou  slake — do  not  discontinue, 
or  slacken. 

Page  45,  line  19,  a  shippe  sone  thou  shall  make  thee. —  Compare  with 
this  passage  the  description  of  the  ark  in  the  Towneley  and  Coventry 
Mysteries.  In  the  Curso.  Mundi,  Noah  receives  the  following  directions 
on  this  subject : — 

"  A  schippe  behoves  the  to  dight,       Thrys  aght  on  wyde,  on  heght  five- 
Thi  self  sal  be  the  maister  wright.  ten  ; 

I  sal  the  tell  hou  lang,  hou  brade,       Fiveten  on  heght,  that  es  thentent, 
O  quat  mesur  it  sal  be  made.  Fra  grunu  unto  the  tabulment. 

Quen  thi  timber  es  festend  wele,        It  sal  be  made  wit  stages  sere. 
Thou  wind  the  sides  ilk  dele :  Ilkon  to  serve  a  thair  mist^re. 

First  bind  it  wele  with  balk  and    Thu  sal  binethen  on  the  side 

band,  Mak  a  dor  wit  mesur  wide. 

And  wind  it  sithen  well  with  wand ;    A  windou  sperand  wel  on  hei ; 
Wit  pike  thu  lok  it  be  noght  thyn.     Thou  lok  thi  werk  be  noght  unslei ; 
Plaster  it  witoute  and  witin.  A  hous  als  in  to  drink  and  ete. 

Seven  score  ellen  lang  and  ten.  And  wardropp  that  thou  noght  forget." 

MS.  Cotton,  Vespas.,  A.  III.,  fol,  11,  ro. 
Page  46,  line  6,  suite — shut  (?)  ;  line  9,  ronette  chamberes  one  or  too. — 


244  NOTES. 

MS.  H.  reads,  three  rounde  chambers  one  a  roe  ;  line  18,  to  spill  —  to  de- 
stroy, ruin  ;  line  28,  bowne — ready. 

Page  47,  line  T ,  boute  dyne — without  din,  i.e.,  without  any  more  noise 
or  talk  ;  line  19,  amounte — probably  an  error  of  the  scribe  for  anointe ; 
stiche — (?)  ;  line  22,  infeare — in  company. 

Page  48,  line  11,  cabelles — cables — MS.  H.  reads ^a6/es;  Iine21,/r5rms/te 
— nice,  ingenious  (?)  ;  line  22,  reade  —  counsel  ;  Hne  24,  not  or  1  see  — 
not  before  I  see,  not  till  I  see. 

Page  49,  line  4,  maiste  —  makest  ;  line  10,  meanye —  household  ;  line 
16,  make  to  make  —  partner  to  partner  ;  line  26,  mone  —  may  ;  line  29, 
bydene — immediately;  line  31,  tell — till. 

Page  50,  line  6,  unrihtes — wrongs  ;  line  9,  beaiie — obedient  ;  hne  22, 
[two] — this  word  is  added  from  MS.  H. 

Page  51,  line  6,  ctWer  —  probably  otter  ;  line  7,  gUe—Q)  MS.  H.  reads 
goale  ;  hne  8,  cow/e  —  cabbage  (?)— MS.  H.  reads  coule  ;  line  10,  mar- 
mosette  —  a  monkey — MS.  H.  reads  mare  mussett ;  line  14,  crouse—bnsk, 
lively ;  line  15,  rotton  —  for  rattan,  a  rat ;  line  18,  bittor  —  bitterns  ;  line 
21,  croes — crows  ;   line  22,  roes — rows  (?). 

Page  52,  line  1,  digges — ducks :  dig,  or  digg,  is  the  word  for  duck  still 
used  in  the  dialect  of  Cheshire  ;  line  2,  roninge  through  lackes  —  running 
through  lakes  ;  line  18,  cheiste—a  chest ;  line  19,  wher  thy  leiste— where 
it  please  thee;  line  21,  wraice — angry,  enraged  —  MS.  H.  has  ny  instead 
of  wrawe,  and  ends  the  next  line  with  /  do  not  see. 
~~  Page  53,  line  17,  Malmsine — Malmsey. 

Page  54,  line  5,  botte  —  a  boat ;  line  9,  renewes  —  probably  an  error  of 
the  scribe  for  remeves,  i.e.,  removes  ;  line  14,  that  worckes  not  thy  will  is 
wood — he  is  mad  that  works  not  thy  will. 

Page  55,  line  7,  able — fit,  proper;  line  10,  myne  —  think;  line  11, 
warrye  —  curse;  \me2Q,behitle  —  promise;  line  2^,  rouge  dead  carrine 
— read  dead  carrion  ;  line  30,  [ever]  —  this  word  and  is  in  the  line  foUov/- 
ing  are  inserted  from  MS.  H. 

Page  56,  line  1,  oughte  wher — any  where;  hne  6,  a  forwards  —  a  pro- 
mise, covenant;  line  11,  ney — nor;  hne  \Z, spill — destroy;  X\ne2b,this — 
for  thus ;  line  29,  behight — promise. 

Page  57,  The  Histories  of  Lot  and  Abraham.  —  The  war  of  Abra- 
ham and  Lot  and-the  four  kings  is  not  found  in  the  Towneley  and  Coven- 
try series.  Its  object  was  of  course  in  great  part  to  enforce  upon  the  popu- 
lace the  obligation  of  paying  tithes,  and  it  ends  with  a  prophecy  of  Christ, 
which  was  the  grand  point  of  all  these  Old  Testament  mysteries. 

Page  57,  line  9, /or  south — forsooth,  in  truth ;  hne  16,  lettingp—h\\\dev- 
iug,  delaying. 


NOTES.  245 

Page  58,  line  4,  whom — home  ;  line  7,  uncothe — strange ;  line  11,  teath 
— tenth,  tithe — there  should  be  only  a  comma  at  the  end  of  this  line ;  hne  17, 
skill — reason. 

Page  59,  line  1,  read.  Mi/  lorde  the  kinge,  tydinges,  etc:  the  comma 
has  been  transposed  by  accident;  line  6,  dighte — prepared,  furnished, 
brought. 

Page  60,  line  28,  petrye — a  mistake  of  the  scribe  for  perry e,  precious 
stones. 

Page  61,  line  \'d,postie — power. 

Page  62,  line  6,  mande — maundy ;  line  12,  teathinges-makinge — tythe 
making ;  line  13,  of  Abraham  begonnan  were — were  begun  by  Abraham ; 
line  28,  witterlye — truly. 

Page  63,  line  4,  nurye — a  foster  child  ;  line  5,  to  appeare  —  to  appair, 
to  sustain  injury  ;  line  12,  feW— count ;  line  13,  straye — sky  (?) ;  line  21, 
forwarde — a  covenant;  Vine  1Q),forbye — redeem. 
Page  64,  line  14,  tane — taken. 

Page  64,  line  28,  Abraham. — The  story  of  Abraham's  sacrifice  forms  a 
separate  play  in  the  Towneley  and  Coventry  Mysteries.  In  the  latter 
collection  it  is  followed  by  that  of  Moses  and  the  two  Tables,  which  com- 
pletes the  Old  Testament  series.  There  are  some  points  of  resemblance 
between  the  Chester  Play  and  the  corresponding  portion  of  the  French 
Mystere  du  Viel  Testament. 

Page  65,  line  3,  [offer}  —  this  word  is  inserted  from  MS.  H. ;  line  12, 
kente — taught,  for  kende ;  line  16,  tenses— remaining,  tarrying;  line  28, 
burne — a  burthen,  or  bundle — MS.  H.  reads  faggot. 

Page  66,  line  3,  beane — obedient,  or  perhaps  for  bowne,  ready. 
Page  67,  line  9.     The  rhymes  enable  us  easily  to  restore  the  last  words 
in  these  lines  to  the  form  which  they  must  have  had  in  the  original : — 
Father,  1  am  full  sore  aferde 
To  see  you  beare  that  drawne  swerde . 
I  hope  for  all  middel-erde 
You  will  not  slay  your  childe. 
Drede  thee  not,  my  childe,  I  rede. 
Our  Lorde  will  sende  of  his  godhede 
Some  manner  of  beaste  into  this  stede 
Either  tame  or  wilde. 
Page  68,  line  4,  {twaie}. —  I  have  substituted  this  word  by  conjecture  : 
the  MS.  has  in  sunder,  which  destroys  the  rhyme.     MS.  H.  concludes  the 
first  line  of  the  couplet  with  praye  thee,  and  reads  in  the  second  my  harte 
anon  in  three ;  line  5,  leane — conceal ;  line  12,  a  yarde — a  rod. 


246  NOTES. 

Page  69,  line  10,  to  leane — to  conceal  ;  line  11,  bayne — obedient ;  line 
13,  dilfull — doleful! ;  line  19,  ouste — ousted,  expelled. 

Page  70,  line  9,  eyne — eyes ;  line  12,  grylle — am  terrified. 

Page  71,  line  12,  skille — reason  ;  line  17,  yonge—'m  the  original  the 
word  was  probably  ying. 

Page  72,  line  6,  a  carschaffe — a  kerchief;  line  7,  let — leave;  line  23, 
maner  a  voaye — manner  of  way. 

Page  73,  line  15,  read  Jeau  I  on  me  thou  have  pittye. 

Page  75,  line  8,  bonere — for  debonere,  gentle. 

Page  77,  Balaam  and  his  Ass. — This  subject  is  not  found  iu  the  other 
English  collections  of  Mysteries.  It  may  be  compared  with  the  correspond- 
ing portion  of  the  French  Mystere  du  Viel  Testament  so  often  quoted. 

Page  77}  line  1,  leive — beloved;  line  7,  nam  —  take;  line  15,  leinge  — 
tarrying:  MS.  A.  reads  longe  leinge. 

Page  78,  line  15,  pearles  of  postie — peerless  of  power ;  line  17,  bly7ie — 
to  cease  ;  line  22,  fonge — to  take;  line  31,  mamentrye — idolatry. 

Page  79,  line  17,  icotte — know. 

Page  80,  line  2,  spell — speech ;  line  5,  bodelye — bodily  ;  line  13,  kyse — 
(Q  ;  line  24,  bouiles — bootless ;  line  30,  wrocJten — avenge. 

Page  81,  line  A,foundes  —  attempts,  undertakes;  hue  5,  boute  —  boot, 
remedy;  line  6,  Jrte — they;  line  11,  southlye — truly;  line  15,  polesye — 
policy;  line  16,  losscilles  —  wretches,  vagabonds;  line  \7,leve — beheve; 
line  28,  reformed — for  informed. 

Page  82,  line  22,/a^c/j  m  —  for  fetch  him;  line  30,  hette  —  promise; 
greate  one — great  abundance. 

Page  83,  line  2,freckes — men,  fellows  ;  line  11,  wytte  in  hye — know  in 
haste;  line  19,  unlikinge — displeasure,  unpleasant;  line  20,  woninge — 
winning,  gain. 

Page  84,  line  6,  leve  one  —  believe  in ;  line  10,  houlde  the  kinge  that 
he  beheighte  —  if  the  king  hold  what  he  promised  ;  line  12,  warryed  the 
shalbe — they  shall  be  cursed ;  line  18,  goodes — gods.  Ruffyn,  the  name 
of  one  of  these  gods,  occurs  elsewhere  as  the  name  of  a  demon  :  the  devil 
was  called  Ruffian  in  slang  language  up  to  a  modern  period  (see  Grose) ; 
line  26,  burnell — a  common  name  for  an  ass,  given  on  account  of  its  colour. 

Page  85,  line  4,  noioe — probably  an  error  of  the  scribe  for  thowe ;  line  6, 
abye — make  amends  for,  be  punished  for;  line  11,  7iye — injure;  line  12, 
thrye — three  times,  thrice  ;  line  17,  to  lowte — to  bow  down. 
Page  86,  Hne  23,  as  I  have  wyne — as  I  have  joy. 

Page  87,  line  1,  toforby — to  redeem  ;  line  4,  so  mote  I  thee — as  1  may 
thrive;  line  7 ,  pearle — in  the  original  it  was  no  doubt  ;i;er?-ye,  precious 
stones  ;  line  14,  in  feare — in  company  ;  line  26,  1  none  beare  —  the  MS. 


NOTES.  247 

reads  nowe ;  line  27,  can  weave  —  began  to  defend  tliem,  defended  them  ; 
line  28,  deare — injure ;  line  29,  teene — hurt,  trouble. 

Page  88,  line  2,  grylle — terrify  ;  line  6,  raproffe — reproof;  line  9,  po- 
jjularde — hypocrite;  line  11,  doited — doated,  foolish. 

Page  89,  line  4,  thrye — thrice ;  line  8,  steier — a  star  (?) ;  line  13,  dighte 
and  deale  —  array  and  distribute;  line  16,  crape  —  crop;  line  20,  a  mote 
thrie—Q) 

Page  90,  line  1,  suer — sure,  safe  ;  line  11,  stalles — allurements — MS.  H. 
has  stales — the  word  them  in  this  line  is  added  from  MS.  H. ;  line  27,  the 
reffuce — they  refuse. 

Page  92,  line  5,  effuscion — probably  a  mere  error  for  confusion — MS.  H. 
reads,  loere  brought  to  greate  effuscion ;  line  18,  the  cane  them  drawe — 
they  drew  themselves. 

Page  94,  The  Salutation  and  Nativity. — This  play  includes  what 
in  some  of  the  collections  is  distributed  into  two  or  three.  In  the  Towneley 
Mysteries  we  have  separate  plays  of  (1)  Cesar  Augustus,  or  the  levying 
of  the  poll-tax  of  a  penny  on  each  head ;  (2)  the  Annunciation ;  (3)  the 
Salutation,  which  is  very  short.  In  the  Coventry  Mysteries  we  have 
(l)the  Barrenness  of  Anna;  (2)  Mary  in  the  Temple;  (3)  Mary's  Be- 
trothment;  (4)  the  Salutation  and  Conception;  (5)  Joseph's  Return; 
(6)  the  Visit  to  Elizabeth ;  (7)  the  Trial  of  Joseph  and  Mary ;  and  (8)  the 
Birth  of  Christ.  In  the  old  French  collection  published  by  M.  Jubinal,  the 
Mystery  of  the  Nativity  includes  all  that  is  contained  in  our  Chester  Play, 
with  the  addition  of  the  Creation  and  the  Prophets  at  the  beginning,  and 
of  the  Episode  of  the  Shepherds  at  the  end.  There  is  an  old  French 
Mystery,  printed  in  4to.,  black  letter,  at  Paris,  but  without  date,  entitled 
"  Le  Mistere  de  la  Conception,  Nativite,  Mariage,  et  Annonciation  de  la 
benoiste  vierge  Marie,  avec  la  Nativite  de  Jesucrist  et  son  enfance,"  which 
includes  the  Shepherds,  the  Three  Kings,  and  the  Slaughter  of  the  Inno- 
cents. A  similar,  but  shorter,  English  play,  formerly  acted  at  Coventry  by 
the  tailor  and  shearmen,  is  printed  in  Sharp's  Dissertation  on  the  Pageants  ; 
it  begins  with  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah,  which  is  followed  by  the  Salutation, 
Annunciation,  Nativity,  Story  of  the  Shepherds,  the  Prophets,  Herod  and 
the  Three  Kings,  and  the  Murder  of  the  Innocents. 

Page  94,  line  1,  Heale  be  thou,  Marye. — These  lines  are  a  literal  trans- 
lation of  the  Ave  Maria,  several  English  versions  of  which,  in  prose  and 
verse,  some  nearly  identical  with  the  one  in  the  text,  will  be  found  in  the 
Reliquiae  Antiquse. 

Page  95,  line  10,  teighte — promised;  line  16,  keydell — (?)  MS.  H.  reads 
kedle. 

Page  96,  line  2,  7iice — niece  :  the  comma  should  be  after  this  vvoid,  and 


248  NOTES. 

not  after  Elizabeth  ;  line  \4,forthy — therefore ;  line  22,  lekinge — pleasure, 
liking. 

Page  97,  line  18 — this  line  appears  to  be  corruptly  written;  line  22, 
hansced — enhanced,  raised  ;  line  26,  betacken — given  ;  line  27,  wayle — 
weal,  prosperity ;  i^'acA-e?i— awaked. 

Page  98,  line  1,  weildinge — ruling;  line  5,  messe — miss;  Hne  15,  a 
maye — a  maiden,  a  young  girl ;  line  'i&jplea  no  leaie — MS.  H.  reads  ploye 
no  play. 

Page  98,  line  13,  alas  !  alas  ! — This  story  of  Joseph's  discovery  of  his 
wife's  pregnancy,  after  her  return  from  the  visit  to  Elizabeth,  and  of  his 
anger,  which  occurs  in  all  the  Mysteries,  is  found  in  the  Latin  Evangelium 
de  Nativitate  Marige  and  in  the  Greek  Protevangelium  Jacobi.  Accord- 
ing to  the  legend,  when  all  the  Jewish  maidens  were  directed  by  the  law 
to  be  married,  Mary  declared  her  intention  of  preserving  her  virginity,  and 
she  was  married  to  Joseph,  who  was  aged  and  feeble,  in  order  that  she 
might  be  able  to  remain  a  maid  without  discredit  and  have  a  protector : 
therefore,  Joseph,  knowing  that  the  marriage  had  not  been  consummated, 
was  astonished  to  find  his  wife  with  child.  In  the  Coventry  Mysteries, 
she  is  brought  to  trial  for  her  supposed  offence. 

Page  99,  line  5,  discreve — describe,  publish  (?) ;  line  19,  tojile — to  de- 
file, disgrace. 

Page  100,  line  2,  ma7i — perhaps  for  mare,  or  jna,  more ;  line  9,  rombe — 
room;  line  l\,J'ayer  —  MS.  A  reads  fray e ;  line  19,  food  —  child,  lad, 
youth,  man  :  MS.  A.  re-dds fay ereste  f code  faightest  fere ;  line  20,  frecke 
— man,  fellow. 

Page  100,  line  10,  Octavian — At  the  end  of  the  old  French  printed 
Mystere  du  Viel  Testament,  fol.  ccc.  xvi,,  there  is  a  Mystery,  the  plan  of 
which  resembles  this  part  of  our  Chester  Play,  and  which  is  entitled  "  Le 
Mystere  de  Octavien  et  Sibille  tiburtine  touchant  la  conception  et  autres 
Sibilles."  Octavian  is  first  introduced  discoursing  with  his  senators  on  the 
prodigies  which  had  been  seen  at  the  beginning  of  his  reign :  the  scene 
then  changes,  and  a  "  painter  "  is  employed  to  make  a  superb  statue  of 
the  emperor,  which  is  to  be  placed  on  a  column,  and  the  senate  determines 
that  the  emperor  shall  be  adored  as  a  god  :  then  the  Sibille  tiburtine  comes 
in,  and  prophecies  of  Christ.  The  scene  again  changes;  they  tell  the  em- 
peror of  the  statue  and  the  decree  of  the  senate,  but  Octavian  expresses 
some  fear  that  he  ought  not  to  be  worshipped,  and  finally  determines  to 
send  and  inquire  of  the  Sibil— the  Sibil  comes,  and  tells  him  he  must  not 
be  worshipped,  and  Octavian  sees  the  virgin  and  child  in  the  sky,  accom- 
panied with  a  vision  of  Paradise.  The  dialogue  between  the  painter  and 
his  employers  is  very  curious. 


NOTES.  249 

Page  100,  Hue  11,  Syble  the  Sage. — The  prophecies  and  legends  of  the 
Sibils,  invented  by  some  zealous  Christians  in  the  earlier  ages  of  the  church, 
were  very  popular  daring  the  middle  ages,  and  occur  frequently  in  manu- 
scripts, in  different  shapes  as  well  as  in  different  languages.    At  a  later 
period  they  were  proscribed  even  by  the  Catliolics,  so  entirely,  that  even 
in  the  well-known  hymn  of  the  Romish  church. 
Dies  irse,  dies  ilia. 
Teste  David  cum  Sybilla, 
Solvet  seclum  in  favilla. 
The  second  line  has  been  expunged,  and  is  now  replaced  by  crucis  ex- 
pandens  vexilla.    One  of  the  most  popular  prophecies  of  the  Sibils  was  the 
one  alluded  to  in  this  hymn  (in  its  original  form)  relating  to  the  day  of 
judgment,  and  beginning  with  the  line — 

Judicii  signum,  tellus  sudore  madescet. 
Page  101,  line  2,  theirtill — thereto;  line  11,  segurrs,  etc. — The  modern 
scribe  has  so  barbarously  disfigured  the  old  French  of  the  original  manu- 
script, that  it  is  difficult  even  to  guess  at  the  meaning  of  a  part  of  it.  In 
MS.  H.  he  has  only  copied  the  first  lines,  which  stand  thus,  rather  more 
correct  than  in  our  text : — 

Segneurs  tous  si  asembles 
Jeo  posse  fayre  lerment  et  leez 
Vas  tous  si  prest  me  soules  . 

A  mes  probes  estates  et  mette  in  langoure 
De  fayre  intentes  movalentes 
Car  jesu  savoyroyne  bene  sages 
Et  demande  ernperour. 
In  the  copy  of  the  Mysteries  in  the  Bodleian  Library  at  Oxford,  MS. 
Bodley,  No.  175,  these  lines  are  arranged  as  follows : — 
Segneurs  tous  si  assembles  |  amies  proles  estates 
Jeo  posse  faier  lerment  et  leez  |  et  mette  in  langoure. 
Vous  tous  si  prest  ne  sortes  -m. 

De  fayer  intentes  movolentes 

Car  jesu  soveraigne  bene  sages  |  et  demande  emperonr 
Jeo  se  persone  mille  si  alle  ]  jeo  sic  ans  faier  et  leable 
En  tresowr  ne  tresagayl  |  mes  de  trels  plerunt 
Destret  et  say  sont  en  vansell(?)  |  ami  un  tame  et  un  pusele 
De  clare  sank  de  mater  frayl  |  un  teel  nest  paas  vivant. 
Page  101,  line  24,  coy  sell — perhaps  an  error  for  ceyser;  kinge  should 
evidently  be  knight e ;  hue  25,  soundens  solitaryes — perhaps  in  the  original 
it  was  soudens,  senatores,  sultans  and  senators  :  MS.  H.   furnishes  the 
reading,  saundence   senatores;    line  26,  princes,  prose — MS.  H.  reads 


250  NOTES. 

preistes:  but  prese  here  noice  dighte,  i.e.,  arrayed  here  now  in  a  crowd, 
may  be  right ;  line  28,  heare  my  truth  i-plighte — hear  my  truth  plighted  : 
or  perhaps  it  should  be  heare  my  truth  1  plighte,  here  I  plight  my  truth  ; 
line  30,  mnse — mace,  sceptre  C?)  ;  line  33,  bayne — obedient. 

Page  102,  line  11,  one  dese — on  dais,  at  the  high  table  ;  line  1A,  gammon 
— game ;  line  35,  geiste — probably  au  error  for  geifte. 

Page  103,  line  9,  bowne — ready  ;  line  10,  Mahounde — Mahomet :  after 
the  wars  with  the  Saracens,  this  became  in  Western  Europe  a  common 
name  for  any  idol  or  false  god,  and  mawmetry  signified  in  general  idolatry 
or  heathenism  ;  line  11,  tayles  tuppe — a  tup  without  a  tail ;  line  12,  instead 
of  the  speech  of  Octavian  which  follows  here,  the  other  MS.  (H.)  adds  these 
four  additional  lines  to  that  of  the  preco  : — 

Your  errande  shalbe  done  anone : 
First  into  Judy  I  will  gone. 
And  sommon  the  people  every  eichone, 
Bouth  shier  and  eke  citie. 

Page  103,  line  19,  i-mente — determined  ;  line  25,  seicker — surely. 

Page  104,  line  16,  siccker — surely  ;  Hne  30,  of  this — read,  if  this. 

Page  105,  line  10,  a  barne — a  child  ;  line  20,  mynne — think. 

Page  106,  line  4,  in  your  paie — in  your  interest  (?)  ;  line  11,  tighte — 
promised  ;  line  27,  this  boisters  beare  —  this  boisterous  fellow's  bearing  or 
carriage. 

Page  107,  line  3,  perscer  —  a  piercer,  a  gimlet ;  nagere —  an  auger,  an 
instrument  to  bore  with;  line  5,  ivonnan — won,  earned;  hne  14,  balle — 
bale,  evil. 

Page  108,  line  2,  houlde  —  held,  obliged ;  hne  5,  sickinge  —  sighing  ; 
line  7,  tofor-bye — to  redeem  ;  line  12,  tockenivge — signification  ;  line  17, 
the  joy  e — they  rejoice  ;  line  28,  harber — lodging;  /io^e— expect,  as  in  the 
next  page. 

Page  109,  line  12,  without  were — without  doubt. 

Page  109,  line  16,  Marie,  sister — The  story  of  the  two  midwives  and  of 
the  punishment  of  Salome's  incredulity  is  taken  from  the  apocryphal  Pro- 
tevangelium  Jacobi. 

Page  109,  line  15,  inter  bovem  et  asinam. — In  the  middle  ages,  the  in- 
fant Jesus,  when  represented  in  the  manger,  was  always  placed  between 
an  ox  and  an  ass.  See  the  legend  of  the  Three  Kings  at  the  end  of  this 
volume. 

Page  110,  line  11,  sweete  harte — these  words  are  omitted  in  MS.  H. 

Page  110,  line  24,  Paine  non  Ifelte  this  nighte. — It  was  the  constant 
doctrine  of  the  orthodox  during  (he  middle  ages,  that  as  Christ  had  been 
begotten  without  sin,  so  he  was  born  without  pain. 


NOTES.  251 

Page  111,  line  11,  prive — deprive  ;  poslie — power  ;  line  15,  crache — a 
manger;  lee,py. 

Page  1 12,  line  1,  childe — to  be  delivered,  Fr.  enfanter  ;  line  29,  seckerhje 
— surely,  certainly  :  MS.  A.  reads,  seckeretlije. 

Page  113,  line  12,  a  temple.  —  This  is  one  of  the  singular  legends  con- 
nected with  the  ruins  of  the  old  Roman  buildings.  The  temple  and  image 
alluded  to  are,  according  to  some  histories,  ascribed  to  the  enchanter  Virgil, 
who  gave  it  the  name  of  Salvatio  BomcB.  See  the  History  of  Virgilius,  in 
Thoms's  Early  Prose  Romances,  ii.  19.  The  circumstance  of  the  falling 
down  of  the  idols  at  Christ's  birth  is  introduced  in  the  Trench  Mysteries. 

Page  113,  line  16,  pearle — an  error  of  the  modern  scribe  for  perrye  ;  line 
28,  steare — steer  (?);  line  30,  allpeiver — (?).     MS.  H.  has,  apewcr. 

Page  114,  line  21,  lowte — to  bow  down  ;  line  24,  sZeaZe— sleight,  cunning ; 
line  26,  but  he  so  cunningly — he  who  so  cunningly. 

Page  115,  line  22,  or  ever  shalbe.  —  MS.  H,  reads,  or  ever  icere ;  line 
25,  clighte — perhaps  an  error  for  dighte. 

Page  117,  line  8,  Sir,  shall  this  childe.  —  In  MS.  H.  these  four  lines  are 
given  as  a  continuation  of  Octavian's  speech,  and  stand  thus  :  This  childe 
shall  passe  all  ice  \  in  u-orthynes,etc.:  Vme  10,  leuiie — loyalty.  In  MS.  A. 
the  copyist  has  here,  and  in  one  or  two  other  instances,  substituted  bewtie  ; 
line  16,  chourshe — church. 

Page  118,  line  2,  teene — notice  (?). 

Page  1 19.  The  Play  of  the  Shepherds. — In  our  English  collections  of 
Mysteries,  this  play  is  interesting,  because  it  contains  an  attempt  at  an 
elaborate  picture  of  old  country  life.  In  the  Chester  Mysteries  we  have  a 
wrestling-bout.  Among  the  Towneley  Mysteries  we  have  two  plays  on 
this  subject,  of  which  the  second,  the  plot  of  which  is  a  sheep-stealing,  is 
singularly  curious :  the  first  is  a  picture  of  the  shepherds'  evening  meal 
in  the  fields.  In  the  French  Mysteries  the  plot  is  not  worked  out  with 
so  much  care ;  in  the  collection  edited  by  M.  Jubinal,  it  consists  of  a  short, 
coarse  dialogue;  in  the  early  printed  Mistere  de  la  Conception,  &'c., 
already  mentioned,  the  shepherds  are  introduced  talking  somewhat  vul- 
garly about  their  mistresses  ;  and  on  their  return  from  making  their  offering, 
they  revert  to  the  same  conversation,  and  do  not  exhibit  the  pious  feelings 
of  the  shepherds  in  the  Chester  Play. 

Page  119,  line  6,  under  tyldes — under  tents;  line  II,  talefull  (uppes — 
tups  with  good  tails ;  line  15,  caughe — a  disease  of  sheep  ;  line  19,  icholl 
— whole,  sound;  hue  22,  bybbey  raydishe — (?)  ;  egremounde — agrimony. 

Page  120,  line  I,  medled — mixed;  line  3,  on  a  rooe — on  a  row;  line  4, 
fynter  fantcr — (?)  ;  ffetter  foe — (?) ;  line  5,  penye  tcrytte  —  pennywort ; 


252  NOTES. 

line  7,  t/oo—ewe  ;  line  12,  can — know  ;  line  20,  the  loive — the  bank  ;  line 
1^,f either  of  a  croe—z.  crow's  feather. 

Page  121,  line  4,  \rnaye\. — This  word  is  inserted  from  MS.  H.;  line  18, 
to  sf-Uhe — to  boil ;  line  20,  greete — grit ;  line 22,  hereife — the  plant  harifF; 
line  23,  boyste — (?)  ;  tamde — reduced  ;  line  25,  saufe — salve. 

Page  122,  line  5,  houne — be  obedient ;  line  23,  aleiche — alike,  equally  ; 
\\ne  2A,  livereye  —  the  quantity  given  or  delivered  to  him  for  his  day's 
sustenance  ;  line  25,  piche — perhaps  for  pilche. 

Page  123,  line  7?  in  Blackon.  —  MS.  H.  reads,  at  B  lack  on  ;  line  10, 
whotte — hot;  \meVl,jannacke — oat-cake;  line  14,  a  grayne — (?)  ;  line 
20,  a  gygges  foote  —  (?)  ;  purye — a  kind  of  pottage  ;  line  25,  secchel  — 
satchell,  bag. 

Page  124,  line  2,  atamed — reduced,  tamed  ;  line  6,  weele — wet ;  line  7> 
flagette  —  flagon;  tame  —  empty;  line  8,  bibbe  — drinke  ;  line  14,  call  — 
inserted  from  MS.  H.  :  MS.  A.  has  blowe ;  line  15,  bittlockes,  remnants  (?)  ; 
line  22,  mittinge — (?) 

Page  125,  line  2,  lowde — probably  an  error  for  sounde  ;  line  6,woulde — 
wold,  forest ;  line  14,  tarre  boyste  and  tarre  boyle — (?)  ;  line  30,  the  devill 
of  the  sope — perhaps  a  corruption  of  the  devil  have  the  sop  ;  hne  31,  /  sette 
— MS.  A.  reads,  lie  sette. 

Page  126,  line  i,  teene  —  heed;  line  2,  touginge  —  tugging;  hne  6, 
lyverastes  —  (?)  ;  line  10,  hape  —  hap;  hne  11,  sitte.  —  MS.  H.  reads, 
flett :  in  freye  is  evidently  a  mistake  for  in  fere ;  line  18,  stopped — 
steeped;  MS.  A.  reads,  stamped  ;  line  27^  pynckes — (?) 

Page  127,  hne  H,  tighte — promised. 

Page  128,  line  2,  golions  glette  —  (?) ;  hne  4,  in  m.eideste  Dde  the 
were  drente. — In  the  middle  of  the  Dee  they  were  drowned ;  line  12,  walte 
—  roll  down  ;  line  15,  bo7ie  —  a  boon  ;  line  18,  gloe  thee  to  greynes  —  (?)  ; 
line  20,  drownes — drones  ;  line  21,  leither  tycke — wicked  dog. 

Page  129,  line  4,  to  fore — before ;  line  6,  boverte — (?)  ;  line  10,  leither 
in  the  lacke.  —  MS.  H.  reads,  leither  in  the  lake:  line  11,  lache  —  take, 
snatch  ;  line  15,  ataynte  of  your  tache — attainted  of  your  crime  (?) ;  line 
26,  wedder — weather. 

Page  130,  line  6,  iej/rrfe — beard;  line  16,  leminge  —  shining;  line  17, 
lettes — hinders. 

Page  131,  line  9,  glye  on  the  glee  —  (?)  ;  line  16,  our  elderes  horde  — 
the  Lord  of  our  forefathers ;  line  17,  lere — teach :  perhaps  it  should  be  here  ; 
line  19,  apente — appertain,  what  it  will  concern. 

Page  132,  line  8,  desevere  —  separate;  line  13,  mutlinge — whispering  : 
MS.  H.  has  mutinge ;  line  19,  but — without. 


NOTES. 


253 


Page  133,  line  4,  awreckinge  me  wened  (1) — MS.  H.  reads  awreakinge ; 
line  20,  or  roo — (?) 

Page  134,  line  3,  dafte  —  foolish;  line  9,  blelinge  he  borned — (?)  ;  line 
20,  a  gone  harre — have  gone  higher. 

Page  135,  line  1,  loden — for  leden,  language,  particularly  that  of  birds; 
line  3,  mutted — whispered,  or  muttered;  line  5,  quocke — quaked;  line  6, 
heede — head;  line  10,  crape — in  MS.  H.  it  appeared  to  be  trapp  ;  line  11, 
[and]  —  inserted  from  MS.  H. ;  line  21,  let  us  to  be  kente  —  hinder  us  from 
being  ruined. 

Page  136,  line  14,  bonne  the  lymes — MS.  H.  reads  boyne. 

Page  137,  line  8,  to  ken  —  to  show,  make  known;  line  26,  many  mans 
moe — that  of  many  a  man  more. 

Page  138,  line  8,  ivhore — hoar ;  line  9,  a  buske  of  breyers — a  busli  of 
briars.  This  is  a  curious  description  of  the  manner  in  which  Joseph  was 
represented ;  line  12,  to  nape — to  take  a  nap,  to  sleep,  (?) 

Page  139,  line  16,  geyer — geer;  line  22,  ^weyne— separate,  part;  line 
29,  icheone — every  one,  each  one. 

Page  140,  line  10,  a  crebe  —  a  crib;  line  14,  proffittes  —  prophets; 
line  12,  loe,  I  bringe  thee  a  bell. — In  the  early  printed  French  Mistere  de 
la  Conception,  etc.,  there  is  a  conversation  among  the  shepherds  relating 
to  their  offerings,  which  may  be  compared  with  what  follows  in  our  Chester 
Play  :— 

RiFFLART. 

Tu  luy  veulx  donner  ta  houlette, 
Ou  ton  beau  cliapelet  troue. 
Qui  est  sur  ta  teste  encroue. 


Aloris. 
A  nostre  propos  revenir. 
Nous  n'avons  point  bien  advise 
Par  entre  nous,  et  devise 
Quel  present  ne  de  quel  fa^on 
Nous  ferons  a  cest  enfanfon. 
Que  n'avons  encore  cogneu. 

YSAMBER. 

Aloris,  c'est  bien  souvenu, 
II  y  fault  penser  en  present. 

Pelion. 
J'ay  bien  advise  quel  present 
Je  luy  feray  qu'il  sera  digne. 
RiFFLART. 

Quel  present  esse  ? 

Pelion. 
Or  divine, 
Et  tu  orras  bonne  sornette. 


Pelion,  j'entens  par  cueur  ton  cas. 

Pelyon. 
Ma  foy,  non  fais,  tu  n'y  es  pas. 
Ma  houlette  m'est  trop  propice. 
Sans  elle  n'est  rien  que  je  fisse. 
Mais  encor  si  la  desiroit, 
Je  me  doubte  bien  qu'il  auroit, 
Tant  est  bien  mon  petit  cousin. 
RiFFLART. 

Luy  donras-tu  ton  chien  1 

Pelion. 
Nenny. 
Qui  retourneroit  mes  brebis? 


254 


NOTES. 


RiFFLART. 

Luy  donneias-tu  pain  bis? 

Pelion. 
Nenny. 

RiFFLART. 

Luy  donneras-tu  du  let  ? 

Pelion. 
Bref  il  aura  mon  flagolet. 
Tout  neuf,  il  n'est  pas  de  refus. 
One  puis  en  Betheleem  ne  fus. 
Que  a  ung  de  ces  petis  merciers 
II  me  cousta  deux  bons  deniers, 
Se  sera  pour  I'enfant  esbatre ; 
Homme  n'y  a  qui  I'eust  pour  quatre. 


Aloris. 
Je  luy  donray  bien  autre  chose  : 
J'ay  ung  beau  kalendrier  de  boys. 
Pour  scavoir  les  jours  et  les  moys, 
Et  cognoistre  le  nouveau  temps. 
II  n'y  en  a,  comme  j'entens. 
Si  juste  au  monde  qu'il  est, 
Chascun  sainct  a  son  marmouret 
Escript  de  lettre  pour  jonger, 
Mais  quelle  lettre  de  berger. 
Cela  luy  sera  advantage : 
Aumoins  quant  il  viendra  sur  I'aage, 
II  aprendra  a  les  scavoir. 

RiFFLART. 


Mais  neantnoins,  et  fust  il  plus  riche,     C'est  ung  don  qui  vault  grant  avoir. 


II  aura. 

Aloris. 
Le  don  n'est  pas  nice, 
Mais  est  digne  de  grant  guerdon. 

YSAMBERT. 

J'ay  advise  ung  autre  don. 
Qui  est  gorgias  et  doulcet. 

RiFFLART. 

Mon  amy,  qu'esse  ? 

YSAMBERT. 

Mon  hochet. 

Si  tresbien  faict  que  c'est  merveilles. 

Qui  dira  clir  clir  aux  aureilles. 

Aumoins  quant  I'enfant  plorera, 

Le  hochet  le  rapaisera, 

Et  se  taira  sans  faire  pose. 


Et  fust  pour  donner  a  ung  conte. 
Mais  j'ay  par  moy  fait  mon  corapte 
De  luy  donner  une  sonnette. 
Qui  est  pendue  a  ma  cornette 
Depuis  le  temps  Robin  fouette ; 
Puis  une  belle  pirouette. 
Qui  est  dedans  ma  gibeciere. 
II  n'y  a  berger  ni  bergiere 
En  ce  monde,  qui  sceust  finer 
D'ung  plus  beau  don  pour  I'estrener, 
Ne  de  plus  grant  nouvellete. 

Pelion. 
Or  sommes  nous  en  la  cite 
De  Betheleem,  la  mercy  Dien ! 
N'y  a  que  querir  le  lieu 
Oil  I'enfant  et  la  mere  sont. 


It  is  probable  that  these  early  printed  French  Mysteries  were  taken  from 
older  manuscripts.  One  of  the  names  of  the  shepherds  in  the  foregoing 
extract  (Rifflart)  is  found  iu  the  corresponding  scene,  among  the  older 
manuscript  Mysteries,  edited  by  M.  Jubinal. 

Page  141,  line  10,  froo — perhaps  an  error  of  the  scribe  for  foo ;  line  13, 
yeairth — earth;  line  24,  c?/-e?nes — joys(?);  MS.  H.  re^iA'i  Jewells. 

Page  142,  line  11,  Boye — MS.  A.  reads  Playe  ;  line  16,  fay  or  is  in- 
serted from  MS.  H. 

Page  143,  line  2,  then  —  MS.  A.  reads  that ;  line  8,  rockes  or  in —  (?) 


NOTES.  255 

line  23,  of  mighteste  moste  —  an  error  of  the  scribe  for  of  mightes  moU, 
most  of  power ;  line  25,  coste — region. 

Pao-e  144,  line  2,  whomwardes  —  homewards;  line  8,  henge  —  perhaps 
for  hence  ;  Hne  14,  betake  —  give,  dedicate  ;  line  17,  ancker — anachorite, 
hermit. 

Page  145,  line  3,  eijlde  —  yield  (?)  :  MS.  H.  reads  yeilde  ;  line  8,  not — 
know  not,  for  ne  wot  :  line  9,  bouth  framed  and  couth — both  strange  and 
known  ;  line  15,  iche  frende — each  friend. 

Page  146,  The  Three  Kings.— This  and  the  next  play  make  but  one 
in  the  other  collections  of  Mysteries.  It  is  the  subject  of  one  of  the  Latin 
mysteries  of  the  twelfth  century,  published  in  my  Early  M3'steries  and  other 
Latin  Poems,  Svo.,  London,  1838.  There  is  a  long  mystery  or  geu  (play), 
Des  Trois  Reis,  in  the  French  Collection  of  Mysteries  edited  by  M.  Jubinal, 
vol.  ii.  page  79,  which  has  a  prologue  describing  the  plot  of  the  play  in  the 
same  manner  as  some  of  the  ancient  comedies,  and  as  some  dramatic  pieces 
of  a  later  date.  This  French  play  has  some  points  of  comparison  with  our 
two  Chester  plays.  In  the  Towneley  and  Coventry  Mysteries,  the  plays  of 
the  Adoration  of  the  Magi  commence  with  a  ranting  speech  of  King  Herod  ; 
one  of  those  which  gave  rise  to  Shakespeare's  saying  of  "  out-Heroding 
Herod."  In  this  respect,  as  in  many  others,  the  Chester  Mysteries  bear  a 
much  closer  resemblance  to  the  different  collections  of  French  Mysteries 
than  any  of  the  other  English  collections.  It  may  be  observed  that  this 
exalted  language  of  King  Herod  was  of  old  standing  :  in  the  Latin  Mystery 
above  alluded  to,  while  the  other  characters  discourse  in  Monkish  rhymes, 
Herod  talks  in  fine  hexameters,  generally  made  up  from  Virgil  and  old 
writers.  The  legend  of  The  Three  Kings,  commonly  described  as  the  three 
kings  of  Cologne,  as  that  city  was  believed  to  have  been  their  final  resting- 
place,  was  extremely  popular  in  the  Middle  Ages  ;  and  I  have  thought  it 
would  not  be  considered  inappropriate  to  give  the  English  version  at  the  end 
of  the  notes  to  the  present  volume,  to  which  therefore  I  refer  for  further 
illustrations. 

Page  146,  line  9,  Iwysse — an  error  of  the  press  for  i-wisse ;  line  13  [i?*]. 
— This  word  is  added  from  MS.  H. 

Page  146,  line  14,  in  this  mounte  make  our  prayer. — This  is  an  allusion 
to  one  part  of  the  legend  of  the  three  kings.  The  Cursor  Mundi,  MS.  Cotton., 
Vespas.  A  111.,  fol.  63,  ro.  gives  this  incident  on  the  authority  of  St.  John 
Chrysostom,  who  is  there  called  John^Goldenmouth  : — 
John  Gildenmoth  sais  wit  wisdome     For  elles  moght  not  kinges  thre 
That  he  fand  in  a  nald  bok,  Haf  raglit  to  ride  sa  ferr  ewai. 

This  kinges  thre  thar  wai  thai  tok      And  com  to  Crist  that  ilk  dai. 
A  tuelmoth  ar  the  nativite,  He  sais  that  in  the  bok  he  fand 


256  NOTES. 

Of  a  prophet  of  Estrinland  And  did  tham  in  a  montain  dern 

Hight  Balaam,  crafti  and  bald,  Desselic  to  wait  the  stern  : 

And  mikel  of  a  stern  he  tald,  Queu  ani  deid  o  that  dozein, 

A  Sterne  to  cum  that  suld  be  seue.        His  sun  for  him  was  sett  again 
Was  never  nan  suilk  befor  sua  scene.    Or  his  neist  that  was  fere. 
Us  telles  alsua  John  Gildenmoth  Sua  that  ever  than  ilk  yere 

Of  a  folk  ferr  and  first  uncuth,  Quen  thair  corns  war  in  don, 

Wonnand  be  the  est  occean.  Thai  went  into  that  mountaine  son. 

That  biyond  tham  ar  wonnand  nan.      Thar  thai  offerd,  praid,  and  suank, 
Amangs  quilk  was  broght  a  writte,       Thre  dais  nother  ete  ne  dranc. 
O  Seth  the  name  was  laid  on  it :  This  thorn  ilk  oxspring  thai  did, 

O  suilk  a  stern  the  writt  it  spak.  Til  at  the  last  this  stern  it  kyd. 

And  of  thir  ofTerands  to  mak.  This  ilk  stern  tham  come  to  warn 

This  writte  was  gett  fra  kin  to  kin,      Apon  that  mont  in  forme  o  barn. 
That  best  it  cuth  to  haf  in  min.  And  bar  on  it  liknes  of  croice. 

That  at  the  last  thai  ordeind  tuelve      And  said  to  thaim  wit  mans  woice, 
The  thoghtfulest  amang  tham  selve.     That  thai  suld  wend  to  Juen  land. 

Page  146,  line  17,  Bethlems  —  evidently  a  mistake  of  the  scribe  for 
Balaams ;  line  19,  woode — mad. 

Page  147,  hne  4,  his  kinde — of  his  kindred,  or  family. 

Page  149,  line  3,  witterlye — truly. 

Page  150,  line  1,  theider — thither  ;  line  2,  bedden — bidden,  ordered ;  line 
5,  every  eichone  —  each,  every  one;  line  18,  i-wente  —gone;  line  19, 
glente — slipped  or  snatched  away. 

Page  150,  line  6,  drombodaries.  The  following  account  of  the  drome- 
dary is  given  in  Trevisa's  version  of  Bartholomeus  de  Proprietatibus  Rerum, 
lib.  xviii.,  c.  26.  "  Dromedus  is  a  beest  of  the  maner  kynde  of  a  camell, 
as  Isydore  saylh,  libro.  xijo.  and  sayth  that  Dromedus  is  a  manere  kynde 
of  camell,  and  lasse  in  stature  than  a  camell,  and  is  moche  swyfter  of  cours 
and  rennyng,  and  hath  therfore  the  name  Dromedus  for  swyfte  rennynge, 
whyche  hyghte  Dromos  in  Grewe.  And  the  Dromedus  gooth  an  hundred 
myles  and  twenty  and  more  in  one  daye." 

Page  151,  line  3,  belamye  —  fair  friend,  (French)  ;  line  12,  wyn  — joy  ; 
line  15,  woode,  mad;  line  19,  wonnes — dwells. 

Page  152,  line  22,  unfayne — unglad,  sorrowful. 

Page  153,  line  4,  appeartlye — openly  ;  line  10,  unbuxsome — disobedient ; 
line  11,  bydeene — immediately;  line  25,  nye  —  \x\]ury  ;  line  Tl,freke  — 
fellow  ;  line  28,  nill — for  ne  will,  will  not. 

Page  154,  line  3,  grome  —  a  man,  lad,  fellow;  line  11,  reconned — 
reckoned  (?) ;  line  27,  maungere — for  maiigre,  in  spite  of. 

Page  155,  line  21,  to  covlde — to  chill,  to  make  cold. 


NOTES.  257 

Page  156,  Hue  3,  but  searche  the  truth  of  Eaaii.  What  follows  here 
forms  in  other  collections  the  play  of  the  Prophets.  In  the  Towneley  Mys- 
teries the  Processus  Prophetarum  is  incomplete.  In  the  play  of  the  Pro- 
phets in  the  Coventry  Mysteries,  most  of  the  names  mentioned  here,  with 
some  others,  are  introduced.  "  The  Prophets  "  forms  also  the  second  part 
of  the  early  Latin  Mysterium  Fatuarum  Virginum,  printed  in  my  "  Early 
Mysteries,  and  other  Latin  Poems," 

Page  156,  line  11,  7i07i  auferetur — Genesis,  c.  xlix.,  v.  10, 

Page  156,  line  28,  Messie — Messiah  ;  line  30,  vyiarde — old  man  j  doted 
— in  his  dotage. 

Page  157,  line  2,  parage — peerage,  rank  ;  line  20,  doterdes — dotards. 

Page  158,  line  6,  Ambulabunt  gentes — Isa.,  c.  Ix.,  v,  3. 

Page  158,  line  21,  congion  —  dwarf,  wretch;  hne  28,  wreeke  my  teene 
—  wreak  my  anger  ;  line  29,  harlote  —  a  person  of  low  character,  applied 
commonly  to  the  male  sex ;  sorde — a  sword. 

Page  159,  line  1,  Reges  Tharsis — Psal,  Ixxi.,  v.  10. 

Page  160,  line  1,  all  gates  —  all  ways,  at  all  events  ;  line  17,  1  wysse — 
an  error  of  the  press  for  i-wysse. 

Page  160,  margin,  the  boye  and  pigge.  This  appears  to  be  an  allusion 
to  some  popular  exhibition  which  took  place  between  the  plays. 

Page  161,  line  2,  tacke — taken  ;  line  Z,fayne  —  glad  ;  line  6,  sweayne 
— swain,  lad  ;  line  10,  rocked  reball — wicked  (?)  ribald. 

Page  162,  line  5,layne  —  deny:  MS.  H.  reads  leaiie  ;  line  1,gayne  — 
willing  ;  hne  Yl,  forwarde — promise,  covenant. 

Page  163,  line  11,  starred — stirred;  line  12,  glente  —glided  away,  van- 
ished ;  line  13,  wonnes — dwells;  line  14,  apeartlye — openly. 

Page  164,  Hue  1,  in — evidently  an  error  for  is ;  line  22,  f/«ea</e— MS.  H. 
reads  </2>he  ,•  \\ne27 , precialitie — preciousness  (?)  :  MS.  A.  reads  pacialitie, 
and  H.  2124  temporaltye. 

Page  165,  line  17,  to  balmbe  his  thoo — to  embalm  his  body  (?) :  MS.  H. 
2124  reads  hym  for  his,  which  is  perhaps  the  more  correct. 

Page  165,  line  19,  these  geiftes  three.  In  the  Cursor  Mundi,  MS.  Cotton 
Vespas.  A.  III.,  fol.  63,  vo.,  we  find  the  following  similar  explanation  of 
the  three  offerings  : — 

Ute  over  that  hus  than  stod  the  stern,     O  kynges  all  that  he  was  kyng. 
Thar  Jhesus  and  his  moder  wern.         Melchior  bini  com  thair  neist. 
Thai  kneld  dun  and  broght  in  hand,     Heid  he  was  bath  godd  and  prist, 
Ilkan  him  gaf  worthi  offrand.  Wit  recles  forwit  him  he  fell. 

The  first  o  tham,  that  Jasper  bight.     That  agh  he  brint  in  kirc  to  smell. 
He  gaf  him  gold,  wit  resuu  right.  It  es  a  gim  that  cums  o  firr. 

An  that  was  for  to  seen  takning  Bot  Attropa  gaf  gift  o  mir, 

VOL.  I.  S 


258  NOTES. 

A  smerl  o  selcuth  bitturnes.  For  roting  es  na  better  rede. 

That  dedman  cors  wit  smerld  es :  In  taken  he  man  was  suld  be  dede. 

Page  167,  liHe  12,  mankinde  of  hall  for  tofor-bye — to  redeem  man  from 
ruin ;  line  26,  [Ulou]  —  this  word  is  inserted  from  MS.  H. ;  line  28,  wayle 
— weal,  prosperit}^ 

Page  168,  line  19,  <o  lianse —  to  enhance,  to  raise  in  estimation;  line  27, 
to  halme — to  embalm. 

Page  169,  line  5,  eyWe— yield,  return;  line  ^,faye — faith;  line  15,  in- 
lyye — entire;  line  21,  menskye — courtesy;  line  23,  strynte  —  stock,  breed, 
the  act  of  begetting  :  this  and  the  three  following  lines  are  omitted  in 
MS.  H. ;  line  24,  by  leffe  of  kinde—hy  natural  love ;  line  27,  betacken — 
given,  delivered  to  ;  line  29,  posiie — power. 

Page  171,  line  6,jasane  —  lying-in,  child-birth  ;  line  20,  trayne  —  in- 
jury (?) 

Page  172,  The  Slaughter  of  the  Innocents.  This  was  a  very  po- 
pular subject.  It  is  found  among  the  Early  Latin  Mysteries  before  alluded 
to.  It  forms  part  of  the  Geu  des  trois  Roys,  among  the  French  Mysteries 
edited  by  M.  Jubinal.  It  forms  also  an  important  portion  of  the  old  printed 
Mistere  de  la  Conception,  Nativile,  &c.,  of  which  an  extract  has  already 
been  given  in  the  present  notes,  and  in  which  we  have  the  same  coarse  dis- 
pute between  the  women  and  the  knights  that  distinguishes  the  English 
Mysteries  on  this  subject.  The  Slaughter  of  the  Innocents  forms  the  con- 
cluding part  of  the  Coventry  play  edited  by  Mr.  Sharp,  in  his  Dissertation 
on  the  Pageants.  There  is  a  separate  English  play  on  the  subject  in  a 
manuscript  in  the  Bodleian  Library,  which  is  printed  in  Hawkins'  History 
of  the  Stage,  in  which  the  humour  is  heightened  by  the  introduction  of  a 
cowardly  oflBcer,  who  is  beaten  by  the  women.  In  the  Towneley  Mysteries 
the  play  of  the  Slaughter  of  the  Innocents  is  entitled  Mug7ius  Herodes, 
as  being  the  piece  in  which  he  swaggers  most.  The  quarrel  and  fight 
between  the  knights  and  the  women  are  not  found  in  the  play  on  the  same 
subject  among  the  Coventry  Mysteries. 

Page  172,  line  2,  balmer  and  byse — (?) :  MS.  H,  and  H.  2124  read  hlamner 
and  bysse;  line  15,  marye — in  spite  of,  for  maugree;  line  17,  beheighte — 
promised. 

Page  173,  line  10,  ricked  rehalle — see  before  p.  161 ;  line  22,  beare — 
messuage;  line  31,  y/— apparently  an  error  for  that. 

Page  174,  line  4,  Lander — MS.  H.  reads  Launclet ;  line  7 ,  to  swaine — 
to  swoon,  to  faint. 

Page  175,  line  2,  a  gaye  garmente. — An  allusion  to  the  custom  among 
the  princes  and  barons  of  the  middle  ages  to  give  articles  of  dress  as  rewards 
to  their  ministers  and  dependents. 


NOTES.  259 

Page  175,  line  7>  Lanscler — MS.  H.  reads  Launder;  line  12,  kelson — 
probably  an  error  of  the  scribe  for  keiser. 

Page  176,  line  28,  litter — for  leither,  or  lither,  bad,  wicked. 

Page  177j  line  %horne — burn;  line  &,belive — immediately;  wreche  my 
teene—^N\■e^k  my  anger;  line  8,  and — used  in  the  sense  of  if\  line  29,  leffe 
— dear ;  line  30,  ivrccke  us  as  we  mone — avenge  us  as  we  may. 

Page  177,  line  26,  a  lade.— The  Harl.  MS.,  No.  2124,  reads,  apparently 
more  correctly,  A  lad  might  his  head  of  hew.  In  line  179,  and  several 
other  instances,  the  same  MS.  reads  properly,  knightes  instead  of  kinges, 
and  in  tlie  last  line  of  the  page  it  has  wreake  you  if  toe  mone. 

Page  177j  line  27,  riballes  are  not  in  this  row. — The  same  expression  is 
found  in  a  song  of  the  reign  of  Edward  1.,  Political  Songs,  p.  155 — 

to  shewe 
That  heo  be  kud  ant  kuewe 
For  strompet  in  rybaudes  rewe. 

Page  178,  line  20,  steW— wretch  (?) 

Page  179,  line  1,  be  raye—M^.  H.  reads  to  raye :  and  MS.  Harl.  2124 
has  rewkes  rich  you  to  araye ;  line  2,  barro — borough. 

Page  179,  line  4,  congion. —\\i.  MS.  Harl.  2124  this  line  is  followed  by 
some  lines  not  in  the  other  MSS. — 
If  any  blabb-hpped  boyes  be  in  my     My  name  is  sirWaradrake  the  knight; 

way.  Against  me  dare  no  man  feight. 

They  shall  rue  it,  by   mightie  Ma-  My  dentes  they  so  dreede. 

howne !  But  fayne  wold  I  fight  my  fill, 

Though  all  the  world  wold  say  naye.  As  fayne  as  fawcon  wold  flye, 
I  my  selfe  shall  ding  them  all  downe.  My  lord  to  wreake  at  his  will. 
If  you  will  wot  what  I  height.  And  make  those  dogges  for  to  dye. 

Page  179,  line  12,  searcAe— MS.  Harl.  2124  reads  scathe. 

Page  179,  line  13,  therfore — this  and  the  two  following  lines  are  omitted 
inH. 

Page  179,  Hne  16,  on  everyeiche.  — In  MS.  Harl.  2124  we  find  inserted 
here  the  following  lines  not  in  the  other  MSS. — 

And  I  also,  without  host,  Therfore  to  me  you  take  good  keepe. 

Though  the  kinge  of  Scotes  and  all     My  name  is  Sir  Grymball  Launcher 

his  host  deepe ; 

"Were  here,  I  set  not  by  their  best.       They  that  me  teenen  1  lay  to  slepe 
To  dryve  them  downe  bydeene.  On  everych  a  side, 

I  slue  ten  thowsand  upon  a  day  I  slew  of  kempes,  I  understand. 

Of  kempes  in  their  best  aray :  More  then  a  hundred  thousand. 

There  was  not  one  escaped  away,         Both  on  water  and  on  land. 
My  swoard  it  was  so  keene.  No  man  dare  me  abyde. 


2 


260 


NOTES. 


Page  179,  line  21,  geldinge  —  a  corrupt  orthography  of  gadling;  line 
28,  yt  is  not  my  maHere.  — Instead  of  this  line,  MS.  H.  reads  a7id  I  cane 
fynde  him  out,  and  omits  the  four  lines  which  follow;  Hue  31,  afraye  —  a 
mistake  of  the  scribe  for  asaye. 

Page  179  line  15,  /  laie  to  slepe—le.  I  kill.  This  is  the  Anglo-Saxon 
poetical  phrase.  TIius  in  the  well-known  song  on  the  battle  of  Brunanburh — 


Fife  laegon 
on  tham  camp-stede, 
cyningas  geonge, 
sweordum  aswefede. 
And  in  Beowulf,  line  1126 — 
Be  ydh-lafe 
uppe  Isegon 
sweordum  aswefede. 


Five  lay 

on  the  field  of  battle, 

young  kings, 

laid  to  sleep  with  swords. 

Upon  the  strand 

They  lay, 

laid  to  sleep  with  swords. 


Page  180,  line  5,  in  a  were — in  a  doubt ;  line  6,  solingei-e— perhaps  for 
losengere,  a  traitor,  deceiver;  line  12,  also—i\\exe  should  be  a  comma  after 
this  word ;  line  26,  must  flitte — must  remove  :  in  the  north  the  word  is  still 
used  to  signify  a  change  of  residence.  So  in  the  Cursor  Mundi,  MS.  Cotton, 
Vespas.  A  III.,  fol.  69,  ro.— 

Sithen  thar  noght  lang  thai  bade, 
Bot  to  Bethleem  ihaxr  flitting  made. 
Page  181,  hue  1,  tell  we  hitte  —  WW  we  arrive;  line  15,  haste  downe.— 
MS.  Harl.  2124  reads  Hase  done,felloij)es,  hies  faste,  i.e.,  have  done,  fel- 
lows, hie  fast;  line  16,  queines—v; omen,  used  here  apparently  in  a  vulgar 
sense  ;  line  22,  primuz  mulier.  —  In  this  and  the  following  pages,  I  have 
preserved  the  error  of  the  MS.  in  combining  the  adjective  in  the  masculine 
with  a  feminine  noun;  Hne  24,  c^as/er  —  (?)  MS.  Harl.  No.  2124  reads 
here.  Thy  dame  thy  drister  was  never  such,  \  she  burned  a  kelne  eache 
stich;  line  25,  borned — gave  birth  to  (?). 

Page  181,  line  11, /or  Mahometes.—T\\e  incident  of  the  faUing  down  of 
the  idols  in  Egypt,  on  the  arrival  of  Mary  and  the  infant  Jesus,  is  taken 
from  the  apocryphal  Gospel  of  the  Infancy.  It  is  introduced  in  the  printed 
Frencli  Mistere  de  la  Conception,  &c.  The  following  account  of  this  pre- 
tended event  occurs  in  the  Cursor  Mundi,  MS.  Cotton.  Vespas.  A.  III., 
fol  65,  ro. — 

Thar  thai  fand  nan  o  thair  knaing. 
At  that  thai  cuth  ask  at  thair  gesting. 
In  that  si  quar  thai  come  to  tun. 
Was  preistes  at  thair  temple  bun 
To  do  the  folk,  als  thai  war  sete. 
Ma  sacrifies  to  thair  maumet. 


Als  thai  togedir  talked  sua. 
Thai  loked  tham  on  ferrum  fra, 
And  sun  began  thai  for  to  see 
O  lond  of  Egypt  sum  cite. 
Than  thai  wex  full  glad  and  blith, 
And  come  tham  til!  a  cite  suith. 


NOTES.  261 

Bot  Maria  ner  was  gesten  thar ;  Dun  at  the  erth  all  war  thai  laid. 

To  se  that  kirck  hir  sun  sco  bar.  Than  come  the  propheci  was  said. 

Quen   SCO  was  cummen  that  kirck     Quen  he,  it  sais,  the  laverd  sal 
witin.  Cum  til  Egypte,  thair  idels  all 

Man  moght  a  selcuth  se  to  min,  Sal  fall  dun  als  thai  war  noght. 

That  al  thair  idels  in  a  stund  The    quilk   thai   wit   thair   handes 

Grovelings  fel  unto  the  grand,  wroght. 

Page  182,  line  8,  areiste — arrest. 

Page  182,  line  12. —  In  MS.  Harl.  2124  the  second  woman  is  here  in- 
troduced with  the  following  speech  : — 

Secunda  mulier.  Wherto  sholde  we  lenger  fode. 

Say,  rotten  hunter,  with  thy  goade.     Lay  we  on  them  large  loade ; 
Stibbon  stallon  stickt  tode.  Their  basenetes  be  big  and  broad, 

I  red  that  thou  no  wronge  us  bode,      Beates  on,  now  letes  see. 
Lest  thou  beaten  be. 

Page  182,  line  21,  teiffe  —  thief;  line  22,  my  life  —  these  words  are 
omitted  in  MS.  H. 

Page  183,  hne  \,wrocken — revenged;  line  6,  snell — quickly;  line  7, 
quaile—kiW',  line  10,  preffe — proof;  line  \l,  greffe — grief,  hurt ;  line  19, 
thou  shah  be  hanged,  ^-c. — this  and  the  eleven  lines  which  follow  are  omitted 
in  MS.  H. 
Page  184,  line  2,  hoope — hop. 

Page  184,  line  8,  assaie.  —  In  MS.  Harl.  2124  the  following  lines  are 
here  inserted : — 

Be  thou  so  hardy,  stockt  tode.  For  all  thy  spear  or  thy  goade. 

To  bydd  eny  wrong  bode,  I  redd  you  doe  but  good. 

Page  184,  line  9,  For  and  thou  —  this  and  the  three  following  lines  are 
omitted  in  MS.  H. ;  line  \2,ivood — mad  ;  line  18,  tachen — given,  delivered  ; 
line  22,  drye — suffer,  bear. 

Page  184,  line  21,  the  kinges  sonne. — The  circumstance  of  Herod  having 
lost  his  own  son  in  this  massacre  is  told  on  the  authority  of  Macrobius, 
Saturnal,  lib.  ii.,  c.  4.  Cum  audisset  [Augustus]  inter  pueros  quos  in 
Syria  Herodes  rex  Judserum  intra  bimatum  jussit  interfici,  filium  quoque 
ejus  occisum,  ait.  Melius  est  Herodis  porcum  esse  quam  filium- 

Page  185,  line  2,  toke — gave,  delivered ;  line  4,  here  the  bene — here 
they  are;  line  5,  pyne — punishment:  line  14,  thrighte — thrust;  line  28, 
bottles — without  remedy. 

Page  185,  line  27,  Iwotte  1  muste  dye  sone. — This  part  of  the  Mysteries 
generally  closes  with  Herod's  sudden  disorder  and  death.  The  author  of 
the  English  Cursor  Mundi  (MS.  Cotton.  Vespas.  A.  III.,  fol.  65,  vo.)  gives 
the  following  graphic  but  fearful  description  of  Herod's  last  end  : — 


262 


NOTES. 


This  Herods  had  regned  thrtee  yere, 
Quen  Jhesus  Crist  ur  iavedi  here ; 
Sithen  he  regned  yeres  seven  ; 
His  wranges  Godd  on  him  sal  heven. 
That  fals,  that  fell,  that  Godds  faa. 
That  soght  his  laverd  for  to  sla, 
Hu  had  he  hert  to  seed  thair  blod 
That  never  did  til  him  bot  godd  ? 
That  wili  wolf,  that  fox  sa  fals, 
Bath  gam  fremd  and  freinds  als, 
O  carles  costes  al  til  unknanin. 
And  was  man  queller  til  his  aun. 
That  gredi  gerard  als  a  gripe 
His  unrightes  beginnes  to  ripe. 
And  of  his  servis  mani  dai, 
Nu  neghes  tim  to  tak  his  lai ; 
That  caitif  unmeth  and  unmeke 
Nu  begines  he  to  seke  ; 
The  parlesi  has  his  a  side. 
That  dos  him  fast  to  pok  his  pride ; 
In  his  heved  he  has  the  scall. 
The  scab  overgas  his  bodi  all ; 
In  his  sides  him  held  the  thring. 
His  folk  sagh  soru  on  thair  king. 
Wit  the  crache  him  tok  the  scurf. 
The  fester  thiild  his  bodi  thurgh  ; 
The  gutte,  the  potagre  es  il  to  bete. 
It  fell  al  dun  intil  his  fete. 
Over  al  than  was  he  mesel  plain. 
And  tharwit  had  fever  quartain. 
Ydropsi  held  him  sua  in  threst. 
That  him  thoght  his  bodi  suld  brest. 
The  falland  gute  he  had  o  mell. 
His  teth  ut  of  his  heved  fell. 
On  ilk  side  him  soght  the  sare. 
It  moght  naman  in  liif  ha  mare. 
Over  al  wrang  ute  worsum  and  ware. 
And  wormes  creuld  here  and  thare. 
Als  caitif  thare  he  ligges  seke. 
And  dos  him  leches  for  to  seke; 
And  thai  com  bath  fra  ferr  and  ner, 


That  sliest  war  o  that  mister, 
Bot  for  thai  moght  not  leche  his  wa. 
All  he  did  tham  for  to  sla. 
His  aun  geing  all  fledd  him  fra, 
Bath  servands  and  sun  alssua  : 
His  freindes  all  thai  him  fra  fledd, 
Moght  nan  for  stinck  negh  til  hisbedd. 
All  thai  fled  fra  him  awai. 
And  isked  efter  his  eud-dai. 
Quen  that  his  sun  Archelaus 
Sagh  his  soruful  fader  thus. 
Til  the  barnage  tit  he  sent. 
To  make  a  prive  parlment. 
Godd  men,  he  said,  quat  es  your  sight 
O  mi  fader  that  thus  es  dight 
Yee  se  he  has  na  mans  taill, 
Tiiarfor  yee  sai  me  your  counsaill : 
He  es  sua  stad  witin  his  v/ai. 
That  sagh  I  never  nanother  sua ; 
The  roting  that  him  rennes  ute. 
The  stinck  that  ai  es  him  abute, 
Ne  mai  na  liveand  man  it  thole. 
And  tharwit  he  dos  his  leche  cole. 
Quat  sum  he  self  dos  he  ne  wat. 
For  he  es  in  a  soruful  state, 
For  he  es  ute  of  his  witt  for  wa. 
For-thi  rede  I,  if  you  thine  sua. 
That  we  ger  get  us  leches  tuin. 
In  quilk  we  mai  siker  us  in, 
To  mak  a  neu  bath  to  prove, 
O  pike  and  oile  to  his  behove. 
And  quen  that  it  has  had  an  hete. 
Cast  him  tharin  al  for  to  suete. 
The  barnage  said,  God  es  thi  rede. 
For  almis  war  that  he  war  dede. 
This  leches  did  thai  sun  forth  bring ; 
Quen  thai  come  before  the  king, 
He  lifted  up  his  lathli  ching. 
And  felunlik  can  on  thaim  grene: 
Fiz-a-putains,  he  said,  quat  er  yee  ? 
Sir,  lechis  for  to  leche  ve : 


NOTES.  263 

Medicine  sal  you  of  us  take,  Bot  if  we  fail  nu  of  ur  art. 

A  nobul  bath  we  sal  ye  make.  Wit  this  thai  lite  his  heud  dun. 

That  bi  that  you  tharof  cum  ute.  And  up  the  fete  o  that  felun. 

You  sal  be  balesura  ani  trute.  For  thai  haf  halden  him  thair  haite. 

Thai  fild  a  lede  o  pik  and  oyle,  Thaiin  thai  hang  him  be  the  fete. 

And  fast  thai  did  it  for  to  boile.  And  drund  him  in  pike  and  terr, 

Quen  it  was  to  thair  will  al  dighte.      And  send  him  quar  he  farris  werr. 
Thai  lifted  up  that  maledight.  Werr  than  he  fard  ever  ar, 

Aha!  traiturs  !  he  said,  I  sale  Thar  never  esend  apon  his  sar; 

Hing  yow  bot  ye  mak  me  hale.  For  he  es  bileft  vvit  Satanas, 

Nai  goddut,  thai  said,  sir  king.  And  wit  the  traitar  sir  Judas. 

Sal  you  never  naman  hing,  Quen  he  was  ded,  that  gerard  grim, 

Bi  tliat  we  ani  fra  other  part,  Archelaus  was  king  efter  him. 

Page  188,  line  2,  tyde — time  ;  line  4,  boote — remedy,  consolation. 

Page  189,  The  PaRiFiCATiON.  —  In  the  Coventry  and  Towneley  Mys- 
teries, the  Purification  and  the  Disputation  with  the  Doctors  Ccalled  in  the 
latter  collection  Pagina  Doctorum)  form  separate  plays.  None  of  the 
pieces  on  this  subject  contain  the  incident  of  the  erasing  of  the  words  from 
the  book  of  prophecy  by  Simeon,  nor  do  1  know  whence  it  is  taken. 

Pa{;e  189,  line  8,  swene — (?)  :  MS.  H.  reads  si^;ey we,  and  H.  2124  swem ; 
hne  13,  but — without. 

Page  190,  line  8,  a  deale  —  a  portion,  a  bit;  line  \\,fone — (?)  a  fool; 
line  20,  boote — remedy,  salvation. 

Page  191,  line  24,  kinde — nature. 

Page  192,  line  15,  leeve — believe;  line  \Q,baro7i — probably  for  barne, 
a  child  ;  line  31,  for-bye — redeem. 

Page  193,  line  9,  owine  fere  —  own  companion  ;  line  10,  rede  —  advise, 
counsel;  line  23,  turckell  —  MS.  A.  reads  tortle  :  this  incident  is  found  in 
the  apocryphal  gospels. 

Page  194,  line  7?  thoe — then ;  line  25,  tighte — promised. 

Page  195,  line  1,  lee — 'joy;  \me4,postie — power;  \'me  6,  lighteninge — 
light,  illuminatio ;  line  \\,fone  —  foe;  line  17,  troio  —  believe;  line  18, 
thrawe — an  agony,  throe. 

Page  196,  line  21,  whome-warde — homeward;  line  22,  groione  and 
greiffe — probably  for  grame  and  greffe,  affliction  and  grief. 

P;ige  197,  line  9,bourdinge — ^jesting;  line  12,  cleargije — science, learn- 
ing; Vme  13, fai/ne — gladly;  line  22, /(?c/ie — physician. 

Page  198,  line  6,  trell — MS.  A.  reads  will ;  line  9,  wclde — to  rule,  pos- 
sess ;  line  13,  hope — expect. 

Page  200,  line  2,  mj/  travile  teene  —  lose  my  labour;  line  3,  rtJe/Zf  — 
meddle,  mix. 


2G4  NOTES. 

Page  201,  The  Temptation,  and  the  Woman  taken  in  Adultery. 
—  These  two  subjects  are  not  treated  in  the  Towneley  Mysteries,  which 
liere,  after  a  play  of  John  the  Baptist,  or  the  Baptism  of  Christ,  goes  on 
abruptly  to  the  Capture  and  Judgment.  In  the  Coventry  Mysteries,  the 
Disputation  in  the  Temple  is  followed  by  the  play  of  the  Baptism,  and  the 
Temptation  and  Woman  taken  in  Adultery  form  two  plays,  the  latter  of 
which  contains  some  droll  incidents  calculated  to  amuse  the  audience. 

Page  201,  line  1,  [mt/]  —  this  word  is  inserted  from  MS.  H  ;  line  4,  a 
gamon — a  game ;  line  5,  a  dossiberde — a  fine  fellow,  literally,  one  of  the 
douze-paires ;  dere — to  injure;  line  13,  this — MS.  A.  reads  his  ;  line  14, 
countise — queintise,  art,  cunning. 

Page  202,  line  3,  hasse  ht/m  honer  yore — his  people  have  honoured  him 
formerly  ;  line  7.  wembles — perhaps  for  it  is  wemless,  it  is  without  spot ;  line 
10,  Mottles — without  blot. 

Page  203,  line  9,  pynes — painest,  givest  thyself  pain  ;  line  14,  postie — 
power;  line  20,  boutefayle — without  fail. 

Page  204,  line  8,  doscibeirde — see  before,  p.  201 ;  line  12,  balle — evil, 
woe;  line  19,  seache — for  search;  line  3\,niaisterye — an  act  of  skill  or  power. 

Page  206,  line  1,  thro — eager,  bold.  MS.  H.  2124  reads,  though  I  to 
threpe  be  never  so  thro,  \  I  am  overcome  tliryn  ;  line  A,  founded — tempted  ; 
line  T ,  sutte  —  set:  or  perhaps  a  misreading  of  the  scribe  for  fette;  line 
13,  to-rente — torn  to  pieces,  very  much  torn  ;  line  33,  boute  moe — without 
more. 

Page  206,  line  14.— MS.  H.  2124  reads,  Jnd  dryven  all  to  dyrt,  and,  in 
place  of  the  twelve  lines  which  follow  in  our  text,  concludes  the  devil's 
speech  with  these  four : — 

Therfore  is  nowe  myne  intent. 
Or  I  goe,  to  make  my  testament, 
To  all  that  in  this  place  be  lent 
I  bequeath  the  shitte.     Exit. 

Page  207,  line  11,  heighte — promised  ;  line  22,  his  read — his  advice,  his 
counsel ;  hne  25,  a  were — a  doubt,  or  difficulty. 

Page  208,  line  22,  his  owine  lore — his  own  teaching  or  doctrine. 

Page  209,  hne  2,  meane  —  apply,  appeal  (?)  :  line  2,  dome  — judgment ; 
line  6,  bout  synne  —  without  sin  ;  buske  —  hasten ;  line  8,  belive  —  imme- 
diately ;  blyne — stop,  delay. 

Page  209,  line  14,  ivhat  wrytteste  thou?  —  It  was  a  common  article  of 
popular  religious  belief  in  the  middle  ages  that  Jesus  wrote  on  the  ground 
the  secret  sins  of  the  woman's  accusers,  which  caused  them  to  drop  their 
accusation  and  run  away.  It  is  alluded  to  in  the  interesting  poem  of  Piers 
Ploughman,  1.  7588, 


NOTES.  265 

For  Moyses  witnesseth  that  God  wroot 

For  to  wisse  the  peple 

In  the  olde  lavve,  as  the  lettre  telleth. 

That  was  the  lawe  of  Jevves, 

That  what  womman  were  in  avoutr3'e  taken. 

Were  she  riche  or  poore. 

With  stones  men  sholde  hir  strike. 

And  stone  hire  to  dethe. 

A  womman,  as  I  fynde. 
Was  gilty  of  that  dede. 
Ac  Crist  of  his  curteisie 
Thoru^h  clergie  hir  saved  ; 
And  thorugh  caractes  that  Crist  wroot. 
The  Jewes  kuewe  hemselve 
Giltier  as  a-fore  God, 
And  gretter  in  synne. 
Than  the  womman  that  there  was. 
And  wenten  awey  for  shame. 
Page  210,  Une  9,  the  bene — tliey  are. 

Page  211,  line  T,  the  hopen  icitterlye — they  hope  or  expect  truly. 
Page  212,  Lazarus. — The  Miracle  of  Lazarus  is  found  in  J^atin  among 
my  Early  Latin  Mysteries.    In  the  Towneley  Mysteries  it  is  given  as  a  sup- 
plementary piece  at  the  end.     In  the  Coventry  Mysteries  it  occupies  the 
same  place  as  here. 

Page  213,  line  26,  Cecus.  —  The  MSS.  read  in  every  instance  Cacus  ; 
line  29,  or  I  goe — before  I  go. 

Page  220,  line  T ,  leither  swayne — wicked  fellow  ;  line  8,  onste — once ; 
line  11,  thee — thrive  ;  line  25,  \saye'\. — This  word  is  inserted  from  MS.  H. 
Page  222,  line  5,  withouten  wene  —  without  doubt ;  line  8,  the  gone  — 
they  goe;  line  10,  for  the  nones— for  once,  for  the  occasion. 

Page  223,  line  10,  souther — truer ;  line  18,  a  tacnen — have  given  (?) 
or  perhaps  atacken,  attack;  line  19,  to-clapped— kaocke&  him  to  pieces,  or 
struck  him  hard. 

Page  224,  line  1,  no  force — no  matter  ;  line  2,  taberte—  tabart,  or  coat ; 
line  5,  yode — went ;  line  9,  throe — bold,  eager. 

Page  225,  line  7,  teene — grief;  line  9,  wake — watch. 
Page  228,  line  6,  wonne — dwell ;  line  7,  boote — remedy,  salvation  ;  line 
18,  lere — countenance,  complexion;  line  19,  lyne — lye. 

Page  229,  line  I'iyfrecke — fellow  ;  to  reme  and  yole — to  cry  and  howl ; 
line  14,  gole—{l)  a  fool.     MS.  H.  2124  reads  for  a  gole. 
Page  230,  line  25,  be  thou  oive — thou  ouglitest  to  be. 


THE  LEGEND   OF  THE  THEEE  KINGS 
OF   COLOGNE. 

[MS.   HARL,,  1704,  fol.  49.  ,vo.] 


Hereth  of  these  iij.  worshipfull  and  glorious  kynges :  in  all  the  world,  frome 
the  arysyng  of  the  sonne  to  the  downe  going,  is  full  praysyng  of  theyre 
nierites ;  and  as  be  the  arysyng  of  the  sonne  beames  the  world  clereth,  so 
the  world  shyneth  by  the  merites  of  theis  iij.  kynges,  in  springing  and 
arysyng  of  the  sonne,  that  is  to  say,  on  the  est  part  of  the  world.  Know- 
lage  ye  thanne,  that  they  in  body  and  flessh  levyng,  sought  and  worshipped 
Crist,  verrey  God  and  man,  wyth  her  yeftes  that  were  bodyliche  and  in 
menyng  gostlich.  And  thus  these  iij.  kynges  were  made  of  misscreauntis 
gentiles,  the  fyrst  of  byleve  in  the  byrth  of  Crist,  verrey  sone,  frist  shewed 
and  halowed  by  thenne  to  myssbylevyng  men.  And  in  goyng  downe  of  the 
sone  of  Crist  Jhesu,by  sufFeryng  deth,  in  the  bylevyng  of  these  iij.  kynges, 
as  a  shynyng  morowtide  betokeneth  a  clere  weddyr  folowing.  And  in  like 
wyse  by  the  going  downe  of  the  sonne,  these  iij.  kyngis,  when  they  were 
dede,  with  her  relikis  and  miracles  in  mony  maners  shewed  and  expressed 
cure  byleve.  But  for  as  moch  as  what  these  iij,  kyngis  wrought  in  the 
byrth  of  the  sonne  of  Crist,  in  dyverse  places  and  bokes  is  oft  writen  and 
opened  ;  but  what  they  deden  afterward  to  mony  men  is  unknowen  ;  there- 
fore, after  heryng,  sight,  and  speche  of  clerkes  and  oure  fornefaders,  to  the 
worship  of  God,  and  of  oure  lady  Seint  Mary,  and  of  these  iij.  blessid 
kynges,  be  here  in  thus  Tretis  writen  diverse  bokes  and  compiled  in  one. 

The  mater  of  these  iij.  blessid  kyngis  toke  bygynnyng  of  the  prophecie 
of  Balaham,  the  prest  of  Madian,  profete,  the  which  Balaham  among  alle 
other  thinges  prophecied  and  saide,  Orielur  Stella  ex  Jacob,  et  exurget 
homo  lie  Israel,  et  dominabittir  omyiium gentium.  This  is  to  say,  a  ster  shall 
spring  of  Jacob,  and  a  man  rise  up  of  Israel,  and  schalbe  lord  of  alle  folke. 


THE  THREE  KINGS.  267 

as  it  is  conseyved  fulliche  in  the  old  testament.  Of  tliis  Balaham  is  alter- 
nation in  the  Est  bytwene  the  Jewes  and  the  Cristen  men ;  for  Jewes  say 
in  her  bokes  that  Balaham  was  no  prophet,  but  an  enchauntour,  and 
through  wichecraft  and  develes  he  prophecied ;  wherefore  in  writeng  he 
shuld  be  clepid  an  enchauntour,  and  no  prophet.  Ayenst  the  Jewes  the 
cristen  men  alegge  and  saye  that  Balaham  was  a  prophet  paynyme,  and 
was  the  first  prophet  or  than  was  ony  Jewe,  and  prophecied  to  hem  that 
were  no  Jewes,  and  right  gloriously  prophecied  of  the  incarnacion  of  oure 
Lord  Jhesu  Crist,  and  of  the  comyng  of  these  iij.  kyngis;  for  yef  his 
prophecie  had  come  through  devels  craft,  they  wold  not  have  forbode  hym 
to  curse  Israel.  But  God  of  his  gret  love  shewed  to  Balaham  by  an  angele, 
through  tokenesse,  to  cese,  or  that  he  shuld  greve  God  by  his  evell  coun- 
seill.  But  as  it  is  aforesaid  that  Balaham  was  the  fyrst  prophete,  that  was 
no  Jewe,  and  prophecied  to  hem  that  were  no  Jewes,  therefore  the  Jewes 
in  her  bokes  clepid  hym  no  prophete,  but  an  enchauntour.  Also,  in  her 
bokes  is  a  question  of  Jobe,  whome  God  with  his  owne  mouth  commendeth, 
of  whome  the  Jewes  right  nought  or  litell  taketh  kepe  of,  sith  he  was  a  pay- 
nyme,  and  not  of  the  Ebrewes.  Ferthermore  they  saye  Jobe  was  before 
Moyseslawe,  and  in  that  tyme  he  dwelled  in  Mesopotayne,  notwithstondyng 
that  the  scripture  saith  that  he  was  in  the  lond  of  Us  in  Serie,  and  dwelled 
in  a  towne  that  is  clepid  now  Sabob,  that  is  forme  Damask  ix.  dayes  jor- 
naye,  where  his  sepulture  is  sene  unto  his  day;  and  beside  the  same  towne 
Seint  Poule  was  cast  downe  in  the  felde,  and  there  converted  to  Crist. 
Also  the  Jewes  kepe  not  of  the  prophecie  of  Balaham,  ne  of  his  wordys,  but 
in  here  bokes  set  hym  at  nought,  of  the  which  it  were  long  to  telle  or 
declare. 

Thenne  the  children  of  Israel  were  goo  oute  of  Egipt,  and  had  wonne 
and  made  soget  to  hem  Jerusalem  and  alle  the  lond  ligging  aboute,  and  no 
man  was  hardy  in  alle  the  contrey  to  set  ayenst  hem,  for  drede  that  they 
had  of  hem,  than  was  ther  an  hille  that  was  clepid  Vaus,  which  hille 
also  is  nempnede  the  hille  of  victorie ;  and  on  this  hille  the  warde  and  the 
kepyng  of  hem  of  Inde  was  ordeyned  and  kept  by  diverse  espies  by  nyght 
and  by  day  for  the  children  of  Israel,  and  afterward  for  the  Remains ;  so 
that  yf  ony  peple  in  eny  tyme  purposide  with  strong  bond  to  enter  into 
the  contrey  or  the  kyngdome  of  Inde,  anon  aspies  of  other  hilles  aboute, 
through  tokenes,  shewed  and  warned  the  kepers  that  were  on  the  hille  of 
Vaws,  as  by  nyght  they  made  a  gret  fyre,  and  by  day  they  made  a  gret 
smoke :  for  that  hille  Vaws  passeth  all  other  hilles  in  that  contrey  of  Inde 
and  in  alle  the  Est ;  and  whan  ony  such  token  was  sey  by  day  or  be  nyght, 
than  anonne  alle  maner  men  of  the  contrey  made  hem  redy  to  ayenstonde 
yf  onv  enemves  had  come.     Wherefore  in  that  t\me  that  Balaham  so  glo- 


268  THE  LEGEND  OF 

riouslich  propliecied  of  the  Incarnation  of  oure  Lord  Jhesu,  and  of  the  sterre 
saide  Orielur,  Sec,  as  it  is  aforesaide^  than  alle  the  gret  lordes  and  alle 
Other  peple  in  Inde  and  in  the  Rst  desyred  gretly  to  see  that  sterre,  and 
behete  yftis  to  the  kepers  of  this  hille  of  Vaws,  and  moreover  hyred  hem 
with  gret  mede  that  yf  ony  sterre  or  light  in  the  eyre  or  in  the  firmament 
other  than  was  sene  to-forne  tyme  or  appered,  anone  they  shuld  shewe  and 
sende  hem  worde.  And  so  long  tyme  the  comon  fame  and  loos  of  this 
sterre  was  spoke  and  bore  through  all  the  loudes  of  the  Est.  And  of  the 
name  of  this  hill  off  Vaws  aroos  up  a  worshypfuU  and  a  gret  kynrede  in 
Inde  and  in  the  Est,  the  which  is  clepid  the  progenie  of  Vaws  into  this 
day;  and  ther  is  not  a  more  worshipful!  ne  a  more  myghty  kynrede  in  alle 
the  landes  and  kyndomes  of  the  Est,  as  it  shalbe  shewed.  And  this  worship- 
full  kynrede  came  fyrst  of  the  worshipful!  kyngis  blode  that  was  clepid 
Melchior,  that  offrede  gold  to  oure  lord  Jhesu  Crist,  as  ye  shall  here  after- 
warde. 

In  the  yere  of  our  lord  a  m'.cc.  whan  the  cite  of  Aeon,  that  in  this 
contre  is  clepid  Akres,  florishede  and  stode  in  his  vertue,  joy,  and  prosperite, 
and  was  anherited  richely  with  worshipfull  princes  and  lordes,  and  with 
divers  orders  of  men  of  religion,  and  of  all  maner  of  men  of  dyverse  nations 
and  tonges,  in  so  moch  that  the  name  and  the  loos  of  that  cite  Aeon  was 
bore  through  the  world,  and  moreover  all  nacions  and  tonges  came  theder 
and  brought  theder,  both  by  lond  and  by  water,  alle  maner  marchaundise 
of  the  world,  so  that  there  was  no  cite  like  thereto  of  nobley  and  of  niyght, 
than  for  this  gret  name,  and  gret  lose,  and  merveles  that  were  there,  the 
grettest  of  byrthe  that  were  of  this  progenie  of  Vaws  come  oiite  of  Inde  in- 
to Aeon.  And  for  they  seye  alle  thing  more  wonderfull  than  was  in  Inde 
and  in  the  contre  of  the  Est,  thanne  because  of  disporte  abidd  there,  and 
made  a  faire  and  a  strong  castell  in  Aeon  for  ony  kyng  or  lord,  and  brought 
with  them  oute  of  Inde  and  of  the  Est  mony  rich  and  wonderfull  ornamentis 
and  Jewell,  and  among  alle  other  jewelles  they  brought  a  diademe  of  gold 
arrayed  with  precious  stones  and  perellis,  and  on  the  highest  place  above 
stode  letters  of  Caldee  and  a  sterre  made  like  the  sterre  that  appered  to 
the  iij.  kynges  whiche  sought  God  with  a  signe  of  the  crois  beside;  and 
that  diademe  was  Melchior  the  kyngis  of  Nube  and  of  Arabie,  that  offerd 
gold  to  God  as  they  sayne,  for  through  that  diademe  and  the  merites  of 
the  iij.  kyngis,  God  Almyghty  savedde  and  heled  both  man  and  best  of  di- 
verse turnamentis  and  infirmitees ;  and  what  man  was  take  with  foule  evelle, 
whan  the  croune  was  laid  uppon  hym,  anone  he  was  hole.  Whefore,  after- 
warde  the  maister  and  the  order  of  the  templers  gat  the  same  diademe  of 
gold,  with  mony  other  preciousse  jewelles  and  ornamentes,  of  the  which 
croune  they  had  late  gret  profile  of  ofirynges;  but  after  tyme  that  the  order 


THE  THREE  KINGS.  269 

of  templers  was  destroyed,  than  the  dyademe  and  the  other  preciouse 
jewelles  and  ornaraentis  become  after  it  was  never  knowe  yet  into  this 
day;  vvherefore  there  was  gret  sorowe  made  in  alle  the  countre  lono;  tyme 
after.  Also  the  same  princes  of  Vaws  brought  with  them  oute  of  Inde 
bokes  writen  in  Ebrewe  and  Caldee  of  the  lyfe  and  of  the  dedis  of  iij.  blessid 
kynges,  the  which  bokes  were  afterwarde  translate  into  Frensch  ;  and  so  in 
these  bokes  and  of  huryng  and  sight  also  of  sermones  and  omelies  that  ben 
draw  out  of  diverse  bokes,  is  this  boke  wreten  and  gadered,  and  put  into  a 
boke.  Also  ye  shalle  understonde  that  the  olde  kynrede  of  the  progenie  of 
Vaws  bereth  in  her  baner  into  this  day  a  sterre  with  a  signe  of  the  crois, 
made  after  the  same  maner  and  the  same  fourme  as  it  appered  to  the  iij. 
kynges  in  the  tyme  of  the  byrth  of  oure  lord  Jhesu  Crist.  And  after  Balahara 
had  prophecied  of  this  sterre,  certej  ne  men  were  ordeyned  to  loke  ther  uppon 
the  hill  of  Vaws,  as  it  is  aforesaide ;  the  more  that  the  sterre  was  loked  after 
tlie  more  fame  and  loos  encresid  and  was  spoke  of  through  the  londe  of  Inde 
and  Caldee,  and  alle  the  people  desyred  to  see  it. 

Than  Ezechias  reigned  kyng  of  the  lond  of  Jewes,  Ysaie  the  prophete 
gloriously  prophecied  of  oure  lady  seint  Marie,  and  of  hyr  son,  and  saide 
Ecce  virgo  concipiet  et  pariet  filium.  Lo,  quod  this  prophet,  a  maide 
shall  consey  ve  and  here  a  child.  In  this  tyme  of  this  Ysaie,  kyng  Ezechias 
was  sike  to  the  dethe,  and  Isaie  in  the  name  of  God  told  and  said  to  the 
kyng  Ezechias  that  he  shuld  deye.  Wherefore  Ezechias  turnyd  hym  to  a 
wall,  as  holy  writ  saith,  and  wepte,  and  not  for  drede  of  deth  onely,  but  for 
he  had  none  eyre,  and  for  the  behest  made  to  Abraham  and  also  the  pro- 
phecie  of  Balaham  and  of  Ysaie  shuld  faile  and  perische  in  hym.  Where- 
fore oure  Lord  Jhesu  Crist  had  mercy  on  hym  and  encresid  his  lyffe  lenger 
by  XV.  yere,  and  than  Ezechias  asked  a  token  of  God  hereof,  the  which 
token  was  this  :  That  the  sonne  shuld  goo  backewarde  or  withdrawe  hym 
ayenst  his  kynde,  and  God  suflfred  it  that  it  shuld  be  so.  And  than  Caldees, 
seing  this  wonderful!  token  in  the  sonne  and  in  hevyn,  they  wondred  gretly 
therof,  and  whan  they  herde  that  thys  tokyn  in  the  sonne  was  do  for  kyng 
Ezechias,  than  they  sent  to  hjm  mony  yftes  and  were  in  purpose  and  will 
lo  come  and  worship  h3m.  But  for  the  kyng  Ezechias,  of  verrey  inno- 
cencie  of  hert  and  dissimulation,  wold  not  knowlige  that  this  tokyne  was 
for  hym,  and  also  for  he  wold  not  thanke  God  therof,  but  had  a  litylle  pride 
in  his  hert  therof,  God  was  sum  dele  wroth  ayenst  hym,  and  sent  to 
Ezechias  the  kyng  by  his  prophete  Ysaie,  that  alle  the  yftes  that  were  sent 
to  hym  of  the  Caldees  by  her  mesyngers  shuld  be  bore  into  Babiloyne,  as  it 
is  writen  in  the  Bible.  For  though  Ezechias  was  kyng  of  Jewes  bore,  and 
that  wonderfuU  tokyn  in  the  sonne  was  shewed  for  hym,  )et  he  was  not 
that  man  that  shuld  arise  up  of  Israel  and  be  lord  of  all  folke,  as  Balaham 


270  THE  LEGEND  OF 

prophecied.  And  ye  shall  understonde  that  the  Caldees  and  the  Grikis  in 
that  tyme  yeff  hem  moche  to  astronomys,  and  had  gret  delite  therin, 
in  so  much  that  every  maide  in  a  mannes  hous  knew  the  cours  of  the  sterris 
and  of  the  pianettes,  and  yet  alwey  they  yef  hem  therto  bisilich,  and  spe- 
cially kynges  and  princes,  for  they  have  maisters  of  that  science,  and  yef 
hem  gret  wages  to  tech  hem  that  cunnyng  of  astronomye. 

After  Ezechias  reigned  Manasses,  that  killed  Ysaye  the  prophet,  and 
after  Manasses  reigned  Amon ;  and  after  hym  reigned  Josias ;  and  in  his  time 
the  ermite  prophecied,  and  in  the  tyme  of  the  ermite  reigned  Joachym,  and 
in  his  tyme  Naibegoddonosor  and  the  Caldees  beseged  Jerusalem,  and  de- 
stroyed it,  and  bare  away  all  the  vesselx  and  the  ornamentes  that  were  in 
the  temple  of  God  and  in  the  kynges  hous,  into  Babiloyne,  as  Ysaie  had 
prophecied  before.  Also  he  brought  mony  Jewes  prisoners  into  Babiloyne, 
the  which  Babiloyne  is  fro  Jerusalem  1.  dayes  jornay ;  and  ther  they  were 
in  captivite  and  in  prisone  Ixx.  yere,  to  whom  Theremie  the  prophet  sent 
and  yaffe  bokes  of  the  lawe  of  God  and  of  prophetes,  that  they  shuld  not  be 
foryete,  as  the  Bible  witnesseth  ;  and  in  this  captivite  of  Jewes,  Daniell  pro- 
phecied under  Tyrus,  that  was  kyng  of  Pers,  of  the  incarnation  of  oure  lord 
Jhesu  Crist,  whan  he  spake  De  lapide  absciso  de  monte  sine  manibus  con- 
cidentium,  as  ye  shull  here  after ;  and  among  alle  other  Danyell  to  the 
Jewes  saide.  Cum  venerit  sanctus  sanctorum  cessabit  unctio  vestra ;  that 
is  to  say,  whan  he  that  is  most  holiest  of  seinttes  cometh,  than  shall  youre 
unccion  sease.  Aftyr  this,  Tyrus  kyng  of  Pers  and  the  Caldees  commaunded 
and  did  write  and  translate  oute  of  Ebrewe  into  Caldee  alle  the  bokes  of 
the  Jewes  and  of  the  prophecie  of  Ysaie  theremithe,  Theremie,  Daniell,  and 
Balaham,  and  all  other  prophecies  ;  and  among  alle  thes  bokis  and  pro- 
phecies specially  that  mony  thingis  shuld  be  fulfilled  by  the  Caldees  and 
of  hem  of  Pers,  after  the  prophecies,  and  specially  after  the  prophecie  of 
Balaham  that  saide  Orietur  Stella,  as  it  is  aforesaide.  And  for  these  prophe- 
cies, and  the  bokes  of  Jewes,  and  for  oiher  causes,  the  Caldees  and  they  of 
Pers  were  more  fervent  and  stodying  after  this  sterre,  whereby  we  schall 
understond  that  alle  this  was  do  of  Goddis  ordinaunce,  and  of  his  mercy, 
and  also  to  the  strengh  of  oure  faith  of  Balaham,  the  fyrst  prophete,  that 
was  no  Jewe,  by  a  sterre  prophecied  the  fyrste  clepyng  of  hem  that  were 
none  Jewes,  whan  he  saide  Orietur  Stella,  &c. ;  and  this  clepyng  of  the 
peple  God  Almighty  fyrste  beganne  and  perfourmed  by  his  birth,  and  by 
these  gloriouse  kyngis ;  and  though  they  of  Pers  and  of  Caldee  were  pay- 
nymes,  yet  by  thes  prophecies,  and  by  these  bokes  of  the  Jewes,  they 
founde  welle  and  wist  wele  that  whatever  God  had  byhote,  by  his  pro- 
phetes he  was  mighty  to  fulfill  and  to  perfourme  it.  So  they  ordeyned  xij. 
of  the  wisest  men  and  of  the  grettest  clerkys  of  astronomye  that  were  in 


THE  THREE  KINGS.  271 

alle  the  contrey  aboute,  and  yaflfe  hem  gret  wages  to  kepe  this  hille  of  Vaws 
aforesaide,  for  this  sterre  that  was  prophecied  by  Balaham.  And  the  cause 
that  they  ordeyned  xij.  men,  as  it  is  aforesaide,  was  this,  that  yf  it  so  were 
that  one  man  died,  another  shuld  be  put  into  his  stede ;  and  also  another 
cause  ther  was  that  sume  of  hem  shuld  kepe  that  hille  and  loke  after  the 
sterre  that  one  tyme,  and  sum  at  another  tyme.  Neverthelese,  the  peple 
loked  not  onely  after  the  sterre,  but  after  that  man  that  was  bytokened 
after  the  sterre,  the  whiche  man  shuld  be  lord  of  alle  folke.  Also  they  of 
Inde  and  of  Caldee  that  come  after  tyme  into  Jerusalem,  by  cause  of  mer- 
chaundise,  and  also  for  disport,  the  which  for  the  most  party  be  lerned  in 
astronomye,  sey  that  in  Inde  and  in  other  places  aboute  be  mony  sterris  in 
the  fyrmament  that  mow  not  be  sey  be  nyght,  but  specially  an  hyghe  on 
this  hille  of  Vaws  in  a  clere  wedyr  be  seye  mony  dy verse  and  strong  sterris 
that  beneth  under  the  hill  he  right  nought  i-seye.  Also,  as  it  is  aforesaide, 
this  hill  of  Vaws  passeth  of  hith  alle  other  hillis  in  the  est,  and  about  it  is 
no  more  of  brede  than  a  litell  chapelle  is  made  theruppon,the  which  chapell 
these  iij.  worshipfuU  kyngis  ded  make  of  stone  and  tymber;  and  there  be 
aboute  this  hille  greces  for  men  to  go  up  to  the  chapelle  on  highe,  and  also 
ther  growith  mony  good  trees  and  herbes,  and  dyverse  spices  alle  aboute 
the  hille,  by  cause  it  is  so  highe  and  so  nargh ;  ther  is  also  a  piler  of 
stone  made  above  this  chapell,  of  a  wonder  heith,  and  in  the  hed  of  the 
piler  stondyth  a  gret  sterre,  well  made  and  gylt,  and  that  sterre  turneth 
with  the  wynde  as  a  fane,  and  through  the  light  of  the  sonne  by  day,  and 
light  of  the  motie  be  nyght,  the  same  sterre  yeveth  light  a  gret  waye 
aboute  in  the  contre  ;  and  mony  other  merveles  be  told  of  this  hille  of  Vaws, 
the  which  were  to  long  to  telle. 

Whan  the  tyme  of  grace  and  of  mercy  was  come,  that  God  wolde  have 
mercy  on  alle  mankynde,  in  the  which  tyme  the  fader  off  hevene  sent  downe 
his  sonne  to  take  flesch  and  blode  of  oure  lady  seynt  Marie,  and  to  be  bore 
a  man  of  hyr  for  salvation  of  alle  the  worlde ;  in  that  tyme  that  Octavianus 
was  emperoure  of  Rome,  and  hold  emperour  of  alle  the  world,  in  the  yere 
of  his  empere  Ixij.  as  Seint  Luke  telleth,  he  sent  oute  a  commaundement 
to  discrie  all  the  world:  Exiit  edictum,  &c. ;  and  this  descroying  was  made 
frist  [byjCyrinus  that  than  was  bisshop  of  Cyrie,  and  every  manyede  forth 
into  bis  owne  contree.  Than  yede  Joseph  oute  of  Galile,  that  is  a  cite  in 
Nazareth,  into  a  cite  of  Jury,  that  was  kyng  Davidys,  the  which  cite  was 
cleped  Bethelem,  by  cause  of  Joseph  was  of  the  housbdd  and  of  the  mayne 
of  kyng  David  ;  therfore  he  yede  into  the  contrey  with  oure  lady  seint 
Marye,  that  was  his  wyf,  and  also  gret  with  child.  So  whan  they  were 
ther,  the  tyme  was  comen  that  oure  lady  seint  Marie  shuld  be  delivered  of 
her  child,  and  was  delivered,  and  wrapped  hym  in  clothes,  and  laide  hym 


272  THE  LEGEND  OF 

in  a  cribbe  or  in  a  maungere,  for  ther  was  none  other  place ;  and  sheperdys 
were  fast  by  in  the  same  contrey,  kepyng  her  shepe  in  the  nyght,  and 
au  angelle  of  hevene  come  and  stode  beside  hem  with  a  gret  light,  where- 
of they  were  gretly  agast,  and  than  the  angell  saide  to  hem,  beth  not 
adred,  for  I  tell  you  a  gret  joye  that  shalbe  to  alle  the  people,  for  this  day 
is  bore  to  us  oure  Lord  Jhesu  Crist  in  the  cite  of  David ;  and  this  shalbe  to 
you  a  tokyn,  ye  shalle  fynde  a  yong  childe  wrapped  in  clothes,  and  put  in 
a  cribbe :  and  sodeynliche  ther  come  gret  multitude  of  angels  of  heven 
praysing  God  and  saide,  Gloria  in  excelsis  Deo  et  in  terra  pax  hominibus 
bone  voluntatis  ;  that  is  to  sey,  joye  be  to  God  on  highe,  and  pees  on  erth 
to  men  of  good  wille.  And  ye  simile  understonde  that  Bethlem  was  never  of 
no  gret  reputation,  nother  no  place  of  no  gret  quautite,  and  hit  hath  a  good 
foundement  and  a  good  grounde,  for  ther  be  mony  caves  and  dennes  under 
erlh,  and  that  Bethlem  is  from  Jerusalem  ij.  litell  mile,  and  is  but  a  castell, 
but  it  is  clepid  a  cite,  by  cause  kyng  David  was  bore  there  ;  and  in  that  toune 
was  sum  tyme  an  hous,  the  which  was  the  hous  of  Ysaie,  lliat  was  fader 
to  kyng  Davith,  in  the  which  hous  as  it  is  aforesaid  was  kyng  David  bore, 
and  anoynted  into  the  kyngdome  of  Israel  by  Samuell,  the  prophet ;  and 
in  tlie  same  place  God  Cristis  soune  was  bore  of  oure  lady  seint  Maiie  the 
holy  virgine,  and  this  place  was  sum  tyme  in  an  ende  of  a  strete  that  then 
was  clepid  the  cornered  or  the  helede  strete ;  and  the  cause  that  the  strete 
is  clepid  so  is  this,  by  cause  of  gret  hete  and  brennyng  of  the  sonne,  it  was 
heled  above  with  blacke  clothis  and  other  thinges,  and  specially  of  trees 
and  of  tymber ;  and  in  this  place  that  was  in  the  ende  of  the  strete,  in  the 
which  stode  sum  tyme  an  hous  that  was  kyng  David  and  Isaye  his  faders, 
ther  left  a  litell  hous  to-fore  a  denne  under  the  erth,  made  and  shaped  like 
a  litell  seler :  and  ther  Isaye,  that  was  fader  to  kyng  David,  and  other  that 
dwelled  after  hym,  put  certayne  necessaries  that  longeth  to  houshold  for 
hete  of  the  sonne.  It  is  also  the  maner  of  alle  the  centre  both  in  citees  and  in 
townes  that  ther  bene  certeyn  houses  the  which  bene  clepid  ther  althan,  that 
we  clepe  here  ostrees,  and  in  thes  houses  be  mules,  hors,  asses,  and  cameix 
alwaye  redy,  that  if  so  be  that  ony  pilgryme  or  merchaunt,  or  ony  man 
that  travayleth  be  the  contrey  be  it  fer  or  nere,  and  hym  nede  ony  best  be 
it  for  hym  self  or  for  his  merchaundyse,  than  he  doth  to  seche  an  house  that 
is  clepid  althane,  and  ther  he  may  luire  an  hors  or  what  best  he  wille  for  a 
certeyne  price ;  and  whan  he  hath  what  best  hym  liketh,  than  he  goth 
withine  that  cite  to  another  cite,  ther  as  he  will  abyde  and  rest  hym  fur  a 
tyme;  than  he  dischargetli  his  hors,  or  vvl)at  best  that  he  hath  of  his  bur- 
deyn,  and  so  sendeth  hym  into  such  an  hous  that  is  ther  also  clepid  althan, 
in  the  whiche  hous  bene  also  such  bestis  as  it  is  aforesaide  for  to  hure,  and 
her  maister  of  the  hous  takiih  this  best,  and  yeveth  h3'm  mete,  and  whan 


THE  THREE  KINGS.  273 

he  may  he  seudeth  hym  home  to  the  place  he  come  fro ;  and  yef  so  be  that 
he  may  not  kepe  hym,  than  he  will  take  the  same  best,  and  lede  hym  oute 
of  the  cite,  and  bring  hym  into  the  way;  and  so  the  best  wille  goo  forth 
home  withoute  ony  ledyng  of  man,  even  to  his  maisters  house,  withoute 
perile  of  wilde  bestis  or  theves  in  the  way :  and  so  ech  man  knoweth  others 
best,  be  they  never  so  fer  from  other.  And  of  such  houses  the  lord  of  the 
grounde  hath  gret  wynnyng,  and  gret  tolle  of  hyring  of  these  bestis.  And 
such  a  maner  of  hous  afore  the  byrth  of  Crist  was  the  place  there  Crist  was 
bore :  but  aboute  the  ty  me  of  the  Nativite  of  cure  Lord  Jhesu  Crist,  that  hous 
was  all  destroyed,  in  so  much  that  there  was  nothing  left  but  brokyn  walles 
on  every  side,  and  a  litell  cave  under  erth,  and  a  lytell  unthrifty  hous 
before  the  cave ;  and  ther  men  selled  bred  uppon  the  same  grounde.  It  is 
also  the  usage  in  alle  the  contrey  that  all  the  brede  that  shalbe  solde  shalbe 
brought  into  a  certeyne  place,  and  of  the  brede  that  shalbe  sold  in  the  day 
the  kyng  and  the  lord  of  the  grounde  that  nyght  shalle  have  therof  a  cer- 
teyne of  moiiye.  And  whan  kyng  David  was  made  kyng  of  Jerusalem,  than 
was  sum  tyme  Isaies,  his  faders,left  onely  to  hym  ;  but  be  processe  of  tyme, 
whan  Jerusalem  was  destroyed,  and  alle  the  contre  f>boute,  no  man  toke  kepe 
of  this  hous,  by  cause  it  was  also  destroyed,  and  nothing  left  but,  as  it  is 
aforesaide,  a  litell  unthrifty  hous,  and  a  cave  under  erth,  and  walles  on 
every  syde  alle  to-broken ;  and  to-fore  this  hous  was  brede  solde  and 
tymber ;  and  other  thingis  that  were  brought  to  markat  that  myght  not  be 
sold  at  one  tyme  were  put  into  this  litell  hous  to  the  nexst  merket,  and  asses, 
horses,  and  other  bestis  that  come  to  the  market,  were  tyed  aboute  that 
unthrifty  hous. 

But  for  to  speke  of  this  fyrst  matere  ayen,  whan  Octavianus  had 
sent  oute  a  commaundement,  as  it  is  aforesaide,  that  every  man  and 
woman  shuld  goo  into  his  owne  contrey  and  cite  and  to  his  towne  that  he 
was  bore  in ;  than  went  Joseph  and  cure  lady  seint  Marye  ridyng  on  an 
asse  late  in  the  even-tyde  toward  Bethlem,  as  it  is  aforesaid  ;  and  bycause 
they  come  so  late,  and  alle  places  were  ocupied  with  pilgrimes  and  other 
men,  and  also  they  come  in  pover  arraye,  they  yede  aboute  the  cite,  and  no 
man  wold  rescey ve  hem,  and  specially  becawse  men  did  see  oure  lady  Marie 
a  yong  maide,  sittyng  upon  an  asse,  hevy  and  sory  and  full  wery  qf  the  way, 
and  also  gret  with  childe,  and  nygh  the  tyme  of  beryng  of  her  childe ;  than 
Joseph  lad  oure  lady  into  that  forsaide  place  that  no  man  toke  kepe  downe 
into  the  litell  derke  hous,  and  there  oure  Lord  Jhesu  Crist  the  same  nyght 
was  bore  of  oure  lady  the  blessed  virgine,  withoute  ony  dissease  or  sorowe 
of  her  body,  for  salvacion  of  alle  mankynde.  And  in  that  hous  byfore  the 
cave  of  old  tyme  was  left  a  maungere  of  the  lengh  of  a  fadome  made  in  a 
vvalle,  and  to  that  same  maungere  was  an  oxe  of  a  pover  mannes  tyed  that 

VOL.  I.  T 


274  THE  LEGEND  OF 

no  man  wold  herbroiigli,  and  beside  that  oxe  Joseph  tied  his  asse,  and  in 
the  same  mauugere  oure  lady  seint  Marie  wrapped  hyr  blessid  child,  oure 
lord  Jhesu  Crist,  in  clothes,  and  laide  hym  therein  inheybyfore  the  oxe  and 
the  asse,  for  ther  was  none  other  place.  Ye  shall  understonde  also  that  in 
alle  the  contrey  it  is  the  maner  that  in  diverse  ostries  be  maungers,  sume 
be  made  of  erth  and  summe  of  stone,  and  every  maungere  is  a  iij.  or  iiij.  fote 
of  lengh,  for  so  moch  that  an  hors  or  an  other  best  may  have  his  mangere 
by  hym  self;  and  such  a  mangere  was  made  in  the  same  place  ther  Crist 
was  bore,  and  in  that  same  place  oure  ladye  seint  Marie  laide  hyr  sone,  as 
it  is  tolde  afore. 

The  place  where  the  angelle  appered  to  the  shepperdes  that  nyght  that 
Crist  was  bore  is  but  a  mile  froBethlem ;  and  in  that  same  place  David,  whan 
he  was  a  child,  pastured  shepe,  and  kept  hem  fro  the  here  and  the  lyon  ; 
summe  bokes  seyn  also  that  the  sheperdes  of  that  contre  twyes  in  the  yere 
by  wonte  to  kepe  her  shepe  in  the  nyght,  and  in  thilke  tyme  specially  whan 
the  nyght  and  the  day  be  both  of  one  lengh.  And  ye  shall  understonde  that 
the  lond  aboute  Bethleem,  and  the  lond  of  the  behest,  and  all  the  lond  in 
the  Est  is  wonderlych  ordeyned  and  set  for  all  mounleyns  for  the  most  partye ; 
for  in  summ  place  a  man  shalle  not  knowe  wynter  fro  somer,  and  in  summ 
place  it  IS  right  colde,  and  in  sume  place  it  is  after  the  tyme  both  wynter  and 
somer  as  it  is  in  this  contre,  after  as  the  place  is  in  valeisorin  playne  coun- 
treyes  or  in  mounteyns  ;  for  sume  tyme  in  raounteyns  in  sum  place  in  the  Est 
men  shall  fynde  snowe  in  the  moneth  of  August,  and  that  snowe  is  gadered 
of  theim  that  dwellith  nexst  aboute  and  put  in  caves,  and  afterward  it  is 
bore  in  cluiife  to  the  merket,  and  the  gret  lordys  of  the  contre  wille  by  it 
and  here  it  to  her  houses,  and  set  it  in  a  basyn  apon  the  borde  to  make  her 
drinke  cold,  but  whan  it  is  uncovered  oute  of  the  chaff  anoun  it  dissolveth 
and  wastetli  away  ;  but  comonlych  in  all  the  contry  of  the  Est,  but  yf  it  be 
in  some  woodes  or  places  fulle  of  shadowe,  or  aboute  ony  hille  ther  ony 
flode  is,  ther  is  evermore  throughe  the  yere  snowe  aboute  in  the  contrey. 
In  September  and  October,  whan  the  sonne  commeth  a  litell  lowe  in  that 
contrey,  liian  sedys  commonlich  begynne  to  wax  in  the  feldis,  as  in  this 
contrey  herbis  wax  in  Marche  and  April) ;  also  in  sume  parties  of  the  Est  men 
repe  corne  in  Aprill  and  in  Marche,  but  most  in  May,  after  the  place  and 
grounde  is  sett,  as  in  some  place  the  grounde  is  hieer,  in  sum  place  lower, 
but  by  Bethlem  be  mony  mo  places  of  good  pasture  and  of  bote  and  fatt 
grounde  than  in  other  places,  in  so  moch  that  at  Cristesmasse  barlie  begyn- 
neth  to  ere  and  wax  ripe,  and  than  men  sende  thider  of  diverse  centres  her 
hors  and  her  mules  to  make  hem  fatt.  And  they  by  barlich  there  in  the  feld 
by  a  certeyne  mesure ;  and  they  that  have  such  barliche  to  sell,  they  have 
certeyne  stables,  and  in  hem  they  put  her  hors  and  her  mules  to  make  hem 
fatt,  and  we  cleppe  among  us  Cristesmasse  and  thei  cleppe  it  among  hem 


THE  THREE  KINGS.  275 

in  her  longage  the  time  of  herbes.  And  for  as  moch  as  Crist  was  bore  of  oure 
lady  seint  Marie,  pees  was  then  in  alle  the  world,  and  betvvene  Bethlem 
and  that  place  ther  the  angell  appered  to  the  shepherdis  was  but  half  a 
mile  and  a  litell  wey  more  ;  and  also  ther  was  no  gret  colde  thereaboute, 
therfore  the  sheperdis  alle  the  wynter,  nyght  and  day,  now  in  one  place 
and  nowe  in  another,  dwelled  ther  with  ther  shepe,  and  so  they  do  yet 
into  this  day,  &c. 

In  thilke  day,  when  the  commaundement  was  sent  from  Cesar  August 
as  it  is  afore  saide,  than  was  Heraude  made  and  ordeynedkyng  of  thelond 
of  Jewes  by  the  emperoure  and  by  the  Romayns ;  and  yet  Heraude  was  no 
Jewe  ne  kyng  of  Jewes  bore,  but  by  cause  that  the  same  Sesar  August  and 
the  Romains  had  made  subjet  to  hem  the  lond  of  Jurie  and  mony  other 
londes  and  provinces  aboute  into  Inde,  Pers,  and  Caldee,  through  strong 
bond  he  made  hym  kyng.  Wherefore  alle  the  contrey  will  wele  that 
Herode  was  but  alion  and  never  come  of  kyngis  blode,  ne  of  Jewes  bore, 
but  as  it  is  saide  to-fore  he  was  made  kyng  by  the  emperoure  and  by  the 
Romains.  So  that  the  prophecie  of  Daniell  shuld  be  fulfiUid  in  the  tyme 
of  the  byrth  of  Crist,  the  which  saide  Cum  venerit  sanctus  sanctorum  ces- 
sabit  unctio  vestra,  &c.  as  it  is  aforesaid ;  yet  Jewes  contynuyng  in  her 
malice  and  in  her  falsnes  said  that  long  tyme  after  the  nativitie  of  Crist  her 
unction  cesed,  but  they  had  mony  kynges  after,  but  yet  the  fals  Jewes  for- 
soke  not  that  Herode  came  a  Jewe  of  the  fader  side  and  of  woman  paynyme 
on  the  moder  syde,  and  so  he  was  no  verrey  Jewe.  Wherefore  Cristen  men 
make  the  Jewes  utterlye  confused  of  the  prophecie  of  Jacob  her  patriarke 
that  saide  this  :  Non  auferetur  scejUrum  de  Juda,  nee  dux  de  femore  ejus, 
donee  venial  qui  mittendus  est,  et  ipse  erit  expectatio  gentium,  &c.  that  is 
to  saye.  The  septer  of  Jude  shal  not  be  do  away  in  the  stocke  of  linage  til 
he  that  come  schalbe  sent,  and  he  shal  be  that  folke  have  abidde.  And  mony 
other  questiouns  be  bytwene  the  Cristen  men  and  the  Jewes  in  that  contrey 
of  the  unction  of  her  kynges. 

Than  God  oure  lord  was  bore  of  oure  lady  seint  Marie  for  salvation  of 
alle  mankynde,  as  it  is  aforesaide,  the  which  lord  is  ever  redy  to  alle  men 
that  calle  on  hym.  In  trevvthe  this  sterre  that  was  prophecied  by  Balaham 
and  long  tyme  abiden  and  loked  after  by  the  xij.  astronomyers  in  thehilie  of 
Vaws,  as  it  is  aforesaide,  the  same  nyght  and  the  same  oure  that  God  was 
bore  the  same  sterre  began  to  arise  in  the  maner  of  the  sonne  bright  shynyng, 
and  so  after  in  the  fourme  of  an  egle  it  assendit  above  the  hille,  and  alle 
that  day  in  the  hiest  place  of  the  erth  it  abode  withoute  ony  movynge,  in 
so  moch  that,  when  the  sonne  was  most  bote  and  most  highe,  ther  was  no 
difference  bytwene  the  sterre  and  the  sonne  in  .shynyng.  Neverthelese, 
sume  bokessaye  that  in  the  same  day  that  God  was  bore  were  mony  sonnes 

T  2 


276  THE  LEGEND  OF 

sey,  but  whan  this  clay  of  the  Nativite  of  cure  Lord  was  past,  the  sterre 
assendid  up  into  the  firmament,  which  sterre  that  this  shewed  was  nothing 
like  to  sterres  in  diverse  places  of  the  fyrmament,  for  it  had  right  long 
strakes  and  beames  more  brennyng  and  more  lighter  than  a  bronde  of  fyre, 
and  as  an  egille  fleyng  and  betyng  the  ejre  with  his  wynges  right,  so  the 
strakes  and  the  beames  of  the  sterre  had  in  hym  self  a  fourme  of  a  likenes 
of  a  yong  childe,  and  above  hym  assigne  of  the  holy  crois,  and  a  voice  was 
herde  in  the  sterre,  saying,  Natus  est  nobis  hodie  rex  Judeorum,  qui  est 
gentium  dominator :  ite  ad  inquirendum  etim  et  ad  orandum,  &c.,  that 
is  to  saye.  This  day  is  bore  to  us  the  kyng  of  Jewes,  that  folkes  have  abidde 
and  lord  is  of  hem,  goth  and  sekyth  hym,  and  doth  hym  worship,  Therfore 
we  shall  understond  that  for  strenghing  of  oure  faith,  and  to  aflFerme  this 
mater  aforsaide.  Almighty  God  was  providence  in  his  ordinaunce  faile  it 
not,  and  as  SeintPoule  saith,  Vocat  ea  que  non  sunt  tanquam  ea  que  sunt, 
that  is  to  saye.  He  kepeth  thilke  that  be  not  as  welle  as  thilke  that  be  of 
providence  in  his  ordinaunce.  This  he  ded,  and  disposid  that  hym  self  he 
wold  in  the  begynnyng  of  the  testament  yeve  a  voice  to  speke  oute  of  a 
sterre  that  was  prophecied  ofBalaham.  Than  all  the  people,  both  man  and 
woman,  of  alle  the  contreys  aboute,  whan  they  se  this  wonderful!  and  mer- 
velous  sterre,  and  also  herde  the  voice  out  of  the  sterre,  they  were  gretlich 
agast,  and  had  gret  wonder  thereofF,  but  yet  they  wist  wele  that  it  was 
prophecied  by  Balaham  that  was  no  Jewe,  and  of  long  tyme  was  desyred 
and  abyden  of  alle  tiie  peple  in  that  contreys. 

This  whan  theis  iij.  worshipful!  kyngis,  that  in  that  tyme  reigned  iu  Inde, 
Caldee,  andPers,  were  sikyrlye  enformed  by  thes  astronomyers  and  by  pro- 
])hecies  as  is  saide  to-fore  of  tliis  sterre,  they  were  right  glad  they  had  grace 
tose  that  sterre  in  !ier  dayes  that  was  of  so  long  tyme  prophecied  afore,  and 
that  alle  peple  had  so  long  abiden  and  loked  after ;  whereuppon  tliese  iij. 
worshippfull  kyngis,  though  every  of  hem  were  farre  from  other,  and  none 
knewe  otheres  purpose,  yet  in  one  tyme  and  in  one  oure  this  sterre  appered 
to  hem  alle  iij.,  and  tlian  thei  ordeyned  and  purposed  hem  anon  witli  gret 
and  riclie  yeftes,  and  with  mony  riche  and  diverse  ornamentis  that  were 
longing  to  kyngis  arraye,  and  also  with  mules,  caraelx,  and  hors  charged 
with  gret  tresoure,  and  with  nombre  and  multitude  of  peple,  in  the  best 
array  that  they  myght  goo  to  seke  and  worship  the  lord  and  kyng  of  Jewes, 
that  was  bore,  as  the  voice  of  the  sterre  had  commaunded,  spoken,  and 
preched  ;  and  fertliermore  thay  arrayed  mochel!  the  more  honestlich  and 
worshipfullich,  that  they  knewe  wele  that  he  was  a  worshipfuUer  kyng 
and  a  wortliyer  than  any  of  them  was.  Ferthermore  they  iij.  blessid  kyngis, 
everich  kyng  by  hym  self,  and  with  liem  her  cariage,  that  is  to  seye,bestis 
of  oxon,  and  shepe,  and  other  bestis  tliat  longeth  to  mannes  levyng  and 


THE  THREE  KINGS.  277 

sostinaunce ;  they  had  also  alle  maner  necessaries  that  longith  to  beddyng 
or  to  chamber  and  to  kechyn,  and  al  maner  thing  that  longeth  to  mannes 
mete  or  bestes  mete  provided,  and  was  caried  on  hors,  ranles,  and  camelx 
with  hem,  in  so  moch  that  they  ordeyned  of  every  thing  gret  plente  that 
sliould  suffice  hem  i-noughe  by  alle  the  way  both  outewarde  and  homwarde, 
and  also  every  kyng  had  with  hym  a  gret  multitude  of  peple  as  it  had  ben 
an  oost.  It  is  also  the  maner  in  the  Est  and  in  alle  the  contrey  aboute,  oute 
take  gret  citees,  that  in  mony  places  and  townes  ther  be  mony  fayre  ostreis, 
and  in  the  most  party  alle  maner  vitailes  both  for  man  and  best  be  ther 
redy,  but  for  lordes  that  goo  or  ride  with  gret  multitude  of  peple,  beddyng 
and  other  necessaries  that  longeth  to  chamber  or  to  the  kechyn  beth  not 
profitable  to  hem  ne  honest,  and  therfore  lordes  have  alle  such  maner 
necessaries  caried  with  hem  on  mules,  and  camelx,  and  other  bestis ;  but 
for  the  most  party  men  goo  and  ride  all  in  the  nyght  for  gret  brennyg  of 
the  sonne.  Ferthermore,  ye  shall  understonde  that  ther  be  iij,  Ynedes,  of  the 
which  iij.  these  iij.  kynges  were  lordes  of,  and  also  alle  these  londes  and 
kyngdomes  for  the  most  party  ben  iles,  and  ther  be  also  gret  waters  and 
wildernesse  fiille  of  wilde  and  perilous  bestis  ant^  horrible  serpentis,  and 
ther  growe  also  redis  so  high  and  so  gret  that  men  make  therof  houses  and 
shippes,  and  these  iles  be  devided  and  departid  eche  by  hem  selfe  fer  frome 
other,  and  in  these  iles  grow  also  herbes  and  right  perilouse  bestis,  so  that 
with  gret  travaile  a  man  shalle  passe  from  one  kingdome  into  another. 

In  the  first  Inede  was  the  londe  of  Nube,  and  in  that  lond  reigned  kyng 
Melchior,  in  the  tyme  that  Crist  was  bore  ;  ther  is  also  the  lond  of  Arabie, 
in  the  which  lond  is  the  hill  of  Synay,  and  a  man  may  lightly  saile  into 
the  Rede  See  oute  of  Egipt  into  Syrie  and  into  Inde.  Ferthermore,  pil- 
grimis  and  marchauntes  that  from  Ynde  passe  by  the  Rede  See,  saye  that 
all  the  grounde  of  it  is  so  rede,  that  the  water  above  semeth  as  it  were  wyne, 
notwithstondyng  the  water  is  of  coloure  as  other  water  is,  it  is  also  salt,  and 
it  is  also  so  clear  that  in  deppest  place  thereof  men  mow  see  fysshes,  and 
discrie  all  other  thinges  that  be. in  the  bottom  therof.  Also  the  Rede  See  is 
iij.  cornered,  or  it  hath  iij.  corners,  and  it  ebbeth  and  floweth  into  the  londe 
oute  of  the  oxian,  and  it  is  iiij.  or  v.  mile  brode  iher  it  is  broddest,  where 
the  children  of  Israel  went  through  with  drye  fete  whan  Pharoo  and  his 
oost  pursued  hem  and  were  dreynt  alle  in  the  same  Rede  See.  Oute  of  the 
Rede  See  folowith  a  water  and  a  gret  flode  into  a  flode  of  paradyse,  the  which 
flode  is  clepid  Nylus,  and  that  Nylus  passeth  by  Egipt.  And  by  it  cometh 
mony  a  gret  merchaunde  out  of  the  est  of  Inde  by  this  water  Nylus,  and  so 
forth  passeth  into  Egipt,  Syrie,  Babiloyne,  and  Alisaunder,  and  so  forth 
throughe  the  world.  Ferthermore,  ye  shall  understonde  that  alle  the  erth 
in  the  londe  of  Arable,  in  the  which  the  hill  of  Synay  is,  as  it  is  aforesaide. 


278  THE  LEGEND  OF 

is  rnoche  redde,  and  also  stones,  and  trees,  and  alle  other  tliingis  that  growe 
in  that  londe,  for  the  most  partye  be  alle  redde.  In  that  londe  is  founde 
gold  wonderlych  redy  in  maner  of  small  and  pynne  rotes,  and  that  gold  is 
the  best  gold  in  the  world.  Ther  is  also  an  hill  that  is  called  Bena,  and  in 
this  hill  is  founde  a  precious  stone  that  iscleped  smaragdus;  and  this  stone, 
with  gret  travayle  and  gret  craft,  is  kytt  oute  of  the  hille,  and  that  hille  is 
kept  bysilich  and  stronglich  of  servauntes  that  long  to  the  sowdon.  In  the 
seconde  Ynde  was  the  kyngdome  of  Godolye,  of  that  kyngdome  Baltazar 
was  kyng  bore,  and  this  Baltazar  offrede  scence  to  God,  and  ther  was  also  in 
the  londe  of  olde  tyme  the  kyngdome  of  Saba.  And  ye  shalle  understond 
that  in  this  lond  groweth  monye  moo  good  spices  than  in  all  the  contrey  of 
the  Est,  and  specially  there  groweth  ensence  more  than  in  alle  the  places 
of  the  world,  and  it  droppeth  downe  of  certeyne  trees  in  maner  of  gumme, 
and  in  other  places  ther  is  but  litell  or  none. 

In  theiij<i«  Ynde  was  the  kyngdome  that  wascleped  Taars;  of  that  kyng- 
dome was  Jasper  kyng,  in  the  tyme  of  the  byrth  of  Crist,  which  Jasper 
offVed  mirre  to  God,  and  in  this  lond  is  that  isle  that  is  clepide  Egripvvile, 
in  the  which  yle  seint  Thomas  the  apostell  lieth,  and  in  this  lond  growet 
mirre  plente  more  than  in  ony  place  of  the  worlde,  and  wexeth  like  eres  of 
corne  that  were  brent  with  wedyr,  and  it  waxeth  right  thikke,  and  whan 
it  waxeth  ripe  it  is  so  soft  that  it  cleveth  onne  mennes  clothes  as  they  goo 
by  the  hyghe  way,  and  than  men  take  smale  cordes  and  gerdeles,  and 
drawe  hem  alle  aboute  on  the  herbes,  and  the  mirre  cleveth  apon  these 
cordes  and  girdeles,  and  so  afterwarde  the  mirre  is  wrong  onte  of  hem. 
Whe[r]fore  we  shnll  understonde  that  alle  this  wasdonf  gretordynaunce  and 
gret  mercy  of  God,  that  theise  iij.  kyngis,  Melchior,  Baltazar,  and  Jaspar, 
of  thilke  londes  and  kyngdomes,  in  the  which  these  yftes  waxed  and 
growed,  and  also  the  which  shuld  be  ofFred  to  God  in  the  olde  prophecie, 
rather  of  theise  smale  londes  thaye  shuld  be  clepid  kynges  than  of  gret 
londes,  whereof  saith  David  the  prophete  ;  Reges  Tharsis  el  insule  munera 
offerent,  reges  Arabian  el  Saba  dona  adducent  ;  that  is  to  say,  Kyng  of 
Taars  and  of  the  ile  shalle  offer  yftes,  kyngis  of  Arable  and  of  Saba  shall 
bring  yftes.  Sume  tyme  these  kynges  had  other  names,  for  Melchior  was 
clepid  kyng  of  Nube  and  of  Arable,  Baltazar  was  clepid  kyng  of  Godely 
and  of  Saba,  and  Jasper  was  clepid  the  kyng  of  Taars  [and]  of  Egripwille  the 
ile,  and  it  was  clepid  thekyngdom  of  Taars  bycaiise  it  was  annexide  to  the 
same  ile,  and  so  the  names  of  her  kyngdomes  be  specified  in  especiall  for 
difference  of  other  citees  and  iles  that  be  theraboute. 

Afterwarde,  whan  these  iij.  rich  kyngis  had  arrayed  hem  with  rich  tre- 
soure  and  rich  ornamentis  and  with  gret  multitude  of  peple  as  it  is  afore- 
saide,  and  were  passed  forth  oute  of  her  kyngdomes,  though  hit  were  that 


THE  THREE  KINGS.  279 

none  of  hem  wist  of  otbeiv,  ne  knewe  of  others  commyng  ne  intention,  be- 
cause of  the  long  ways  and  fer  waye  that  was  betwene  every  kyngdome, 
that  the  stere  yevenly  yede  byfore  every  kyng  and  alle  her  peple,  and  whan 
they  stode  stille  or  rested  the  sterre  stode  stille,  and  when  they  yede  or 
riden,  the  sterre  all  way  gede  forth  to-fore  hem  in  his  vertue  and  in  his 
strengb,  and  yafF  light  to  alle  her  way.  And  as  it  is  writen  afore,  in  the  tyme 
that  Crist  was  bore  it  was  pees  in  alle  the  world,  wherefore  in  alle  the 
citees  and  townes  that  they  yede  by  this  was  none  gate  shutt  nether  nyght 
ne  day,  but  it  semed  to  hem  that  the  nyght  was  to  hem  day.  Wherefore 
alle  men  of  citees  and  townes  that  theise  worthy  kyngis  yede  by  in  the 
nyght  were  wonderlich  agast  and  passinglich  merveyled  therof,  for  they 
sight  kyngis  with  gret  multitude  of  peple  and  bestis  passe  by  hem  in  gret 
hast  in  the  nyght,  but  they  wist  not  what  they  were,  ne  fro  what  place  they 
come,  ne  whither  they  shuld  goo,  for  in  the  morow  they  sighe  the  wey 
gretlye  defouleth  with  hors  fete  and  other  bestis.  Wherefore  they  were 
in  gret  doule  what  it  shiild  be,  and  gret  altercation  was  among  hem  in  alle 
the  contre long  tyme.  Ferthermore,  when  thise  kingis  riden  throughe  diverse 
londes,  kyngdomes,  citees,  and  townes,  they  riden  over  hilles,  waters,  valeis, 
pleynes,  and  other  diverse  and  perilouse  places  without  ony  dissease  or 
lettyng,  for  alle  the  waye  that  they  ridene  was  semyng  to  hem  pleyne  and 
evyn,  and  toke  never  no  herbrough  nyght  nor  day,  ne  by  the  way  never 
rested  hem  self  nor  her  bors  ne  other  bestis  that  were  in  her  companye,  ne 
never  ete  ne  dronke  after  the  tyme  thay  had  take  her  waye  tille  they  come 
into  Bethlem,  ne  alle  this  tyme  semed  to  hem  but  one  day  ;  and  this 
throughe  the  grace  of  God  and  gret  mercy  of  God  and  ledyng  of  the  sterre, 
they  come  out  of  her  londes  and  kyngdomes  into  Jerusalem  the  xiij.  day 
that  Crist  was  bore  in  the  iiprisyng  of  the  sonne,  whereof  it  is  no  doute, 
for  they  founde  oure  lady  seint  Marie  and  her  childe  in  the  same  place,  and 
in  the  cave  there  Crist  was  bore  and  laide  in  the  mangere.  Also  mony 
bokes  telleth  that  tiiey  come  into  Jerusalem  and  into  Bethlem  in  middes  of 
the  day,  and  other  bokes  sayne  that  they  come  this  hastelich  in  this  wayes 
and  this  to  Jerusalem  and  into  Bethlem,  whereof  ye  shalle  understonde  as 
seint  Gregorie  saith  in  an  Omelie,si  divina  operacio  humana  ratione  compre- 
hendiposset,  non  esset  admirabilis  nee  fides  haberet  meritum  cui  humana  ratio 
prebet  experimentum,  that  is  to  seye,  yf  the  workys  myght  be  comprehendid 
in  mannes  witt  by  reason,  it  were  no  wonder  also  ne  hath  no  mede,  yf  kyndely 
reason  shewet  it  to  a  man,  for  that  Lord  God  that  in  the  olde  testament  ledde 
Abacuck,  the  prophete,  by  an  here  of  his  hed  out  of  the  Jurie  into  Babiloyne 
in  Caldee,  the  which  is  an  c,  dayes  jornaye  bytwene  in-going  and  commyng 
to  Daniell  that  was  in  the  pitt  among  the  lions,  and  anon  restored  the  same 
Abacuck  in  his  place  ayeine,  that  same  Lord  God  in  the  newe  testament  was 


280  THE  LEGEND  OF 

might)  to  lede  and  to  bring  these  worshipful!  kyngis  out  of  the  Est  and  oute  of 
theire  kyngdoraes  into  the  lond  of  Jurye  in  xiij,  dayes,withouteony  dissease 
or  lettyng;  also  as  oure  lord  Jhesu  Crist,  after  liis  resurrection,  come  to  his 
disciples  into  an  hous  withoute  ouy  opynyng  of  gate  or  locke,  and  as  the 
fyre  brent  and  did  no  harrae  to  the  iij.  children,  whan  thaye  were  put  into 
the  furneis  of  fyre,  ne  no  savour  of  smoke  was  founde  in  hem,  right  so  these 
iij.  kyngis,  in  whos  tyme  oure  lady  seint  Marie  here  oure  lord  Jhesu  Crist 
verrey  God  and  man,  was  as  to-fore  and  ever  after  clene  maide,  also  ye  shall© 
uuderstonde  that  God  allemyghty  [myght]  have  brought  these  iij.  kyngis 
and  alle  her  folke  out  of  the  Est  into  Jury  in  a  moment,  as  he  brought 
Abacuck  the  prophete  aforsaide.  But,  though  the  secounde  persone  God 
Almyghty  meked  and  lowed  hym  self,  and  in  gret  poverte  was  brone  and 
toke  uppon  hym  mankynde  and  mannes  frelte,  he  wold  neverthelesse  nier- 
velously  shewe  his  byrth  to  alle  the  world  in  heven  and  in  erth,  by  the 
myght  of  his  godhed  of  his  majeste,  &c. 

Than  these  iij.  blessid  kyngis  everych  in  his  way  with  his  oost  and  with 
his  company  were  almost  come  to  Jerusalem,  save  to  mile,  than  a  gret  and 
a  derke  cloude  helede  alle  the  erth,  and  in  that  derke  cloude  they  lost  her 
sterre  ;  of  this  prophecied  Isaie,  and  sa.\de  Surge  illut7unare  Jerusalem,  quia 
venit  lumen  (uum,  et  gloria  Domini  super  te  orta  est,  quia  ecce  lenebre 
aperient  terram  et  caligo  populos.  TJiat  is  to  sale,  Jerusalem,  arise,  and 
take  light,  for  the  light  is  come,  and  the  glorie  of  God  is  sprong  uppon  the, 
for  lo  derkenes  shall  hele  the  erth  and  a  cloude  the  peple.  Whan  these 
iij.  kyngis  were  nyght  Jerusalem,  than  Melchior  kyng  of  Nube  and  of 
Arabie,  with  his  peple,  was  come  fast  beside  Jerusalem,  and  by  the  hille  of 
Calvarye  ther  Crist  was  done  on  the  croisse,  and  by  the  wille  of  God  ther 
lie  abode  in  a  cloude  and  in  derkenes,  and  that  tyme  the  hill  of  Calvarie  was 
a  rooche  of  xij.  grece  of  heith,  and  on  this  hille  theves  and  other  men  for 
her  trespasse  were  put  to  her  deth:  ther  was  also  beside  this  hill  and  high 
way,  and  to  this  high  waye  were  iij.  high  wayes  metyng  togedyr,  and 
so,  for  the  derkenesse  of  this  cloude  and  also  for  they  knew  not  the  waye, 
they  abidden  there  and  yede  no  ferther  at  that  tyme. 

After  that  Melchior  this  was  come,  as  it  is  afore  said,  than  nexst  hym 
under  the  cloude  came  kyng  Baltazar,  which  was  kyng  of  Godolie  and  of 
Saba,  with  his  folke,  and  he  abode  beside  the  mounte  of  Olevete,  in  a  litelle 
tovvne  that  is  cleped  there  Galilee.  And  ye  shalle  understond  that  holy  writt 
speketh  moch  of  this  towne  ;  for  the  disciples  of  oure  lord  Jhesu  Crist, 
to-fore  his  resurrection  and  after,  were  wont  allwey  to  come  togeder  into 
that  towne  privylich  for  drede  of  the  Jewes ;  and  in  that  same  litell  towne 
that  is  clopid  Galilee  our  lord  Jhesu  Crist  appered  to  his  disciples  after  his 
resurrection,  as  it  is  wreten,  Preccdcl  vos  in  GaWeam,  Hn  eum  videbitis, 


THE  THREE  KINGS.  281 

that  is  to  say,  he  shall  goo  to  see  you  in  Galilee,  and  ther  ye  shuU  fynd 
hym.  But  ther  is  another  londe  that  is  clepid  Galilee,  and  that  is  a  gret 
lordship,  and  that  is  fro  Jerusalem  iij.  days  jorney. 

Than  afterward,  whan  these  ij.  kynges,  Melchior  and  Baltazar,  were  come 
and  abode  in  these  places  aforsaide  in  the  cloudes  and  in  derkenesse,  than 
the  cloude  began  to  assende  and  wax  clere,  but  the  sterre  appered  not : 
so  whan  these  ij.  kyngis  se  that  they  were  nere  the  cite  of  Jerusalem, 
thoughe  none  of  hem  yet  knew  of  other,  they  to  her  waye  towarde  the  cite 
with  all  her  folke,  and  when  they  come  to  the  highe  wey  beside  the  mounte 
of  Calvarie,  ther  as  these  iij.  wayes  met  togeder,  fristcame  Jasper  kyng  of 
Taars  and  of  the  ile  of  Egripwille,and  the  other  ij.  kyngis,  eche  with  his  host, 
and  so  these  iij.  glorious  kynges,  with  her  oostes  and  with  her  cariage  and 
bestis,  mett  togeder  in  this  highe  way  beside  the  hille  of  Calvarie.  And 
notwithstoudyng  non  of  hem  never  afore  had  sen  other,  ne  none  of  hem 
knew  others  persone  ne  knew  of  others  commyng,  yet  at  her  metyng 
everych  of  hem  anon,  with  righte  gret  joye  and  gret  reverence,  kissid 
other,  and  though  they  were  of  diveise  langages,  yet  everich  of  hem  as  to 
her  semyng  spokyn  togedyr,  and  every  of  hem  had  told  her  purpose  and 
the  cause  of  his  way,  and  alle  her  causes  were  aocordyng  into  one.  Than 
they  were  moche  more  gladder  and  more  fervent  in  her  waye;  and  so  they 
riden  forth  and  sodenlych,at  the  uprisyng  of  the  sonne,  they  come  in  to  the 
cite  of  Jerusalem ;  and  whan  they  knevve  that  Jerusalem  was  the  kyngis 
cite,  the  whiche  there  predecessors  and  the  Caldees  had  beseged  and  dis- 
troyed,  they  were  right  glad,  supposyng  tohavefounde  the  kyng  of  Jewes 
there  in  that  cite. 

Ferthermore  ye  shalle  understond  that  Herode,  than  kyng,  with  alle  the 
cite,  was  gretly  distrobled  of  her  sodeyne  commyng,  for  her  companye  and 
here  bestis  were  of  so  gret  nomber  and  so  gret  multitude  that  the  cite 
myght  not  resceyve  hem,  but  for  the  most  partye  they  laye  withoute  the 
cite  alle  aboute.  Whereof  Isaie  prophecied  and  said,  Fortitudo  gentium 
venerit  tihi,  immdatio  camelorum  operil  te,  drnmedarii  Madian  et  Effa 
omnes  de  Saba  venient,  auruvi  et  thus  deferentes  et  laudem  Domino  an- 
nunciantes  :  that  is  to  sey.  The  strengh  of  folke  cometh  to  the  cite  of 
Jerusalem,  gret  plenty  of  camels  shul  hele  the,  and  dromadaries  of  Madian 
and  Affa  shalle  come  fro  Saba,  bringing  gold  and  enscence,  and  shewing  to 
the  Lord,  &c. 

Afterward,  whan  these  iij.  kyngis  were  come  into  the  cite  of  Jerusalem, 
than  was  Herode  the  same  tyme  present  in  the  cite  of  Jerusalem ;  as  it  is 
said  to-fore,  he  was  ordeyned  kyng  by  the  emperoure  and  by  the  Romains, 
and  he  was  but  yong  of  age.  So  these  iij.  kyngis,  whan  they  were  come 
into  tlie  cite,  thev  asked  of  the  peple  of  this  child  that  was  bore,  whereof 


2S2  THE  LEGEND  OF 

speketh  the  evangelist.  Cum  7uUus  esset  Jhesus  in  Bethelem,  &c.,  the 
whiche  gospell  is  to  saye.  Whan  Crist  Jhesus  was  bore  in  Bethlem,  a  cite  of 
Jewes,  in  the  dayes  of  Herode  the  kyng,  the  iij.  kynges  come  oute  of  the 
Est  and  saide,  where  is  he  that  is  bore  the  kyng  of  Jewes  ?  we  sigh  his 
sterre  in  the  Est,  and  we  come  to  do  hym  worship. 

When  Herode  herd  this,  he  was  distrobled  and  alle  Jerusalem  with  hym, 
and   gadered  togedyr  alle  the  princes  of  the  prestes,  and  asked  of  hem 
where  Crist  shuld  be  bore ;  and  they  saide  in  Bethlem  of  Jurie,  this  is  it 
writen  by  the  prophete.     And  then  Herode  sent  oute  a  duke  to  rule  his 
peple  of  Israel.    And  then  Herode  cleped  to  hym  privelych  these  iij.  kyngis, 
and  lerned  of  hem  the  tyme  of  the  sterre  that  appered  to  hem,  and  so  sent 
hem  forth  into  Bethlem,  and  saide,  Goth  and  enquereth  besilich  of  this 
child,  and  whan  ye  have  founde  hym,  retorne  to  me,  that  I  may  come  and 
do  hym  worship.     And  whan  they  had  herd  the  kyn."-,  they  yede  her  waye, 
and  the  sterre  that  they  sighe  in  the  Est  yede  forth  to-fore  hem,  tille  they 
come  there  the  child  was ;  and  when  they  sighe  the  sterre  they  were  moch 
gladder,  and  they  yede  into  the  hous,  and  ther  they  founde  a  child  with 
Marie  his  moder,  and  they  opened  her  tresoure  and  offered  to  hym  gold, 
cense,  and  mirre.  And  this  mater  why  these  iij.  kynges  came  fyrst  into  Jeru- 
salem, rather  than  into  Bethlem,  mony  bokes  in  mony  diverse  maners  declare 
and  expounde,  and  mony  causes  han  be  gret,  the  which  were  long  to  telle. 
But  among  alle  other  causes,  one  cause  ther  was  that  kyng  Herode  and 
the  cite  were  so  distrobled  for  her  sodeyne  comynge,  the  which  was  for  the 
sighe  they  were  kynges,  and  her  oostes  come  oute  of  the  Est  and  Caldee, 
the  which  peple  of  olde  tyme  throughe  the  siifFeraunceof  God  oft  tyme  pur- 
suyd  the  kynges  of  Jewes,  and  beseged  and  distrobled  the  cite  and  the  Jond 
aboute.     Also  they  were  distrobled  for  bycause  they  were  come  fro  so  fer 
contre  to  worship  the  kyng  of  Jewes  that  was  nowe  bore  ;  bycause  that 
Herode  was  but  an  alient  and  was  made  kyng  by  the  emperoure  and  by 
the  Romayns,  he  was  agast  lest  he  shuld  have  lost  his  kyngdome  by  cause 
that  Crist  was  bore.     And  also  another  cause  was  that  theise  iij.  kyngis  of 
Goddis  ordinaunce  come  into  the  cite  withoute  avisement,  whan  they  had 
lost  the  sterre,  for  Jerusalem  was  the  kyngis  cite;  alwey  kyngis  of  the 
lond  were  most  abydyng  in  that  cite,  and  doctours  of  the  lawe  and  the 
scribes  and  her  scriptures  and  her  prophecies  were  evermore  present  in  the 
cite,  so  that  these  Jewes  and  skrybes,  that  knew  long  tyme  to-fore  the 
byrth  of  Crist  and  the  place  where  he  shuld  be  bore,  inowe  never  schewe 
no  skyll  to  escuse  her  falsnesse  and  her  malice.     Of  this  Seint  Gregorie  in 
an  omelie  speketh  and  saith,  Judeos  profecto  bene  Isaac  dam  Jacob  Jilium 
suum  benediceret  presignavit,  qui  caligans  oculis  el  projihetizans  in  pre- 
senti  Jilium  non  vidit,  cuitamen  impostervm  multa  precidit,  &c.,  that  is  to 


THE  THREE  KINGS.  283 

say,  Be  this  Isaac  we  mowe  say  and  understonde  the  Jewes,  for  Isaac  whan 
he  was  blynde  he  blessid  Jacob  liis  sonne,  and  prophecied  of  hym,  and  yet 
•whan  he  had  hym  byfore  hym  he  sighe  hym  not,  and  neverthelese  he  sighe 
mony  thhiges  that  shuld  falle  to  hyin  afterwarde.  Right  so  the  Jewes  were 
fulle  of  the  sprite  of  prophecie ;  but  hym  that  they  prophecied  of  whan  thaye 
had  hym  among  hem  they  knewe  hym  not,  for  they  dispised  hym  whan  he 
was  bore,  of  whome  long  tyme  byfore  they  prophecied  of  his  byrth  ;  and  not 
onely  that  he  shuld  be  bore,  but  the  place  where  he  shuld  be  bore,  tolde  they 
to  Herode.  So  that  her  connynge  and  her  prophecie  shalbe  wittenesse  to  her 
dampnation  and  to  help  of  oure  beleve  and  cause  of  oure  salvation.  Whan 
these  iij.  kyngis  were  enformed  by  Herode  and  by  the  doctours  of  the  lawe 
of  the  byrth  of  Crist  and  of  the  place  where  he  was  bore,  and  so  were 
passed  oute  of  the  cite  of  Jerusalem,  than  the  sterre  appered  ayen  as  it  did 
byfore,  and  so  it  yede  forth  to-fore  hem  tille  they  come  into  Bethlem,  which 
is  but  ij.  mile  oute  of  Jerusalem,  and  fast  by  the  place,  as  it  is  aforesaid, 
where  the  sheperdis  were  to  the  whiche  the  angelle  appered  with  gret  light, 
and  shewed  to  hem  the  byrthe  of  Crist.  Ferthermore,  as  these  iij.  worthy 
kyngis  riden  by  the  waye,  and  by  the  same  place  there  ^he  saide  shepherdis 
were  ridd  and  spake  with  hem  ;  and  when  the  sheperdis  sighe  the  sterre, 
they  ronne  togedyr,  and  said  to  the  kynges  that  such  a  light  and  such  a 
clerenesse,  an  aungell  appered  to  hem  and  told  hem  of  the  byrthe  of  Crist, 
with  alle  that  the  angell  had  spoke  to  hem,  and  all  that  they  had  seen,  and 
herde,  and  that  was  do,  they  tolde  everything  to  these  iij.  kynges,  whereof 
they  were  right  glad,  and  with  [glad]  chere  herd  and  toke  good  consideration 
of  the  shepherdis  saying.  And  so  of  wittenesse,  and  of  the  wordes  of  the 
sheperdis,  and  of  the  vois  of  the  angell  that  was  herde  oute  of  the  sterre, 
they  had  no  doute  of  nothyng.  Sume  bokes  in  the  Est  seyn  that  the  vois 
that  was  herd  oute  of  the  sterre  was  the  vois  of  the  same  aungell  that 
shewed  the  byrth  of  Crist  both  to  the  shepherdis  and  to  the  iij.  kyngis.  They 
[sey]  also  in  the  est  that  Jewes  byleve  that  the  aungell  that  yede  byfore  the 
children  of  Israel  with  a  piler  of  fyre  whan  they  went  oute  of  Egipt  was  the 
same  aungell  vvhos  vois  was  herd  in  the  sterre,  and  that  yede  so  forth  with 
the  sterre  to-fore  those  iij.  kyngis ;  for  whan  these  iij.  kyngis  spake  with 
the  sheperdis  the  sterre  was  more  and  more,  and  began  to  shyne  brighter 
and  brighter. 

Fulgenciiis  saith  in  a  sermon  that  he  maketh.  As  an  hous  that  is  made  of 
ij.  sides  and  ij.  walles  that  be  joyned  togedyr  by  ca-ner  stones,  right  so 
is  holychyrch  made  of  ij.  peples,  as  ij.  sides  ij.  walles  which  be  joyned  to 
togeders  in  one  faith  and  one  byleve  of  a  corner  stone,  Crist  Jhesu,  theise 
ij.  sides,  these  ij.  walles,  where  kyngis  and  sheperds  that  come  fro  diverse 
coutres,  and  Crist  a  corner  stone,  that  in  one  faith  and  one  byleve  knevvc  atid 


284  THE  LEGEND  OF 

worsliippid  these  ij.  sides  and  theise  ij.  vvalles  of  kyngis  and  Jewes,  which 
were  faire  departed  atwynne  whan  they  were  in  diverse  and  contrarie 
byleve;  but  whan  the  corner  stone  Crist  Jhesu  wasmene  b^twene  hein^he 
drewe  hern  both  to  hynij  and  made  hem  both  kyng  and  Jewes  one  peple, 
that  is  to  sey,  Cristen  peple,  in  raaner  as  they  were  one  in  grace,  of  privye 
bileve  by  oure  Crist,  the  whiche,  as  the  apostell  saith,  is  our  pees,  makyng 
ij.  thyngis  one,  so  that  both  the  kyngis  and  Jewes  were  made  both  one,  ther 
was  made  and  knytt  in  one  corner,  and  trewe  byleve  for  the  one  side  of 
the  one  walle  of  kyngis  came  of  Crist,  whan  anewe  sterre  appered  to  hem, 
the  other  side  of  the  other  walle  came  of  Jewes  to  Crist,  when  the  angell 
appered  to  hem,  thes  iij.  kyngis,  the  fyrst  of  miscreauntes  that  leved  on 
Crist  this  side  of  this  wall  that  came  fro  fer  was  the  walle  of  kyngis  ;  nedes 
most  these  kyngis  came  fro  fer  to  Crist,  whan  afore  they  worshipped  fals 
maumettis,  and  after  by  leved  in  hym  ;  and  this  side  and  walle  of  Jewes  that 
came  to  Crist  fro  neigh  betokeneth  that  they  were  founde  neigh  the  place 
there  Crist  was  bore  in.  Theis  kyngis  frome  the  ferre  contrey  of  the  Est 
were  brought  to  Crist,  and  thoughe  they  hem  self  were  no  Jewes,  yet,  as 
they  said,  they  came  for  to  worship  and  honoure  Crist,  the  kyng  of  Jewes. 
When  these  iij.  kynges,  with  alle  ther  oostand  ther  company,  had  spoke 
with  these  sheperdis,  and  yafFehem  yftes,  and  sohadriden  forth  to  Bethlem, 
than  anon  as  they  knew  they  were  come  to  ihe  place  of  Bethlem,  than  they 
light  downe  of  her  hors,  and  chaunged  all  her  array,  and  clothed  hem  in 
the  best  and  richest  array  that  they  had,  as  kynges  shuld  be  arrayed  ;  and 
allewayethe  sterre  yede  forth  to-fore,  and  the  more  nyghethe  kyngis  came 
to  the  place  there  Crist  was,  the  more  the  sterre  shewed  brighter  and 
brighter.  And  so  the  same  day  that  these  iij.  kynges  yede  oute  of  Jerusalem, 
in  the  frist  oure  of  the  day,  the  same  day  they  came  into  Bethlem,  in  the 
vjti>  oure  of  the  day ;  and  than  these  iij.  kyngis  riden  through  a  cornerd 
strete,  as  it  is  told  afore,  tylle  they  were  afore  a  lityll  hous,  and  sone  after 
the  sterre  departed  hym  self  in  so  gret  light  that  the  litell  hous  and  the 
cave  within  were  fulle  of  light.  And  than  anon  the  sterre  aveu  assendid 
up  into  the  eyre,  and  there  stode  stille,  and  allewey  abode  in  the  same 
place,  but,  as  it  is  aforesaide,  the  light  abode  in  the  place  that  Crist 
was  and  oure  lady,  as  it  is  said  in  the  gospell  afore,  Et  intranles  domum, 
&c.,  that  is  to  saye,  they  yede  into  the  hous,  and  founde  oure  lady  and 
hyr  childe,  and  they  felle  adowne  and  worshipped  hem,  and  offred  to 
hem  yftes,  gold,  mirre  and  cense ;  of  this  came  afterwarde  an  use  that  in 
alle  the  contrey  of  the  Est  ther  shall  noman  come  to  the  presence  of  the 
sowdan  or  to  the  kyng  to  speke  with  hem  but  yf  he  have  gold  and  silver,  or 
sumwhat  els  in  his  handis.  Also  or  he  speke  to  the  sowdoue  or  to  the 
kyng  he  shall  kiss  the  grounde :  and  this  manei  is  used  in  alle  the  contrey 


THE  THREE  KINGS.  285 

of  the  Est  into  this  day.  Ferthermore,  freer  menours,  when  they  come  to 
the  presence  of  the  sowdan  or  of  the  kyng,  they  offer  to  hern  peris  or 
applesj  for  they  say  that  they  may  not  touche  nor  gold  ne  sylver,  and  this 
peris  and  apples  be  resceived  of  the  sowdan  or  of  the  kyng  with  all  reve- 
rence and  mekenesse.  And  that  same  day  that  theis  iij.  kyngis  sought  God 
and  worshipped  hym  with  yftes  in  Bethlem,  oure  lord  Jhesu  was  that  tyme 
in  his  manned  a  litell  child  of  xiij.  dayes  olde,  and  he  was  sumdele  fat,  and 
he  lay  in  pover  clothes  and  in  hey  in  the  maungere  up  to  the  armes.  Also 
oure  lady  seint  Marie  his  moder,  as  it  is  writen  in  diverse  bookes,  she  was 
a  persone  fleshly  and  sumdele  browne  ;  and  in  the  presence  of  these  iij. 
kynges  she  was  covered  with  a  white  pover  mantelle,  and  that  mantell  she 
held  close  byfore  hyr  with  her  lyft  hond,  and  hyr  hed  was  heled  alle  togeder 
save  the  face  with  a  linen  cloth,  and  she  sat  uppon  the  maungere,  and  with 
her  right  honde  she  held  up  oure  lord  Jhesu  Crist  is  hed.  Afterward  that 
theis  iij.  kyngis  had  worshippid  God  and  kissed  his  hande  devoutlich,  and 
laid  her  yftes  beside  the  childes  hed,  what  was  do  with  these  yftes  ye  shalle 
here. 

Melchior  that  was  kyng  of  Nube  and  of  Arable,  that  offred  gold  to  God, 
he  was  lest  of  stature  and  of  persone  ;  Baltazar  that  was  kyng  of  Godolie 
and  of  Saba,  that  offred  encense  to  God,  he  was  of  mene  stature  in  his  per- 
sone :  and  Jasper  that  was  kyng  of  Taars  and  of  Egripwille,  that  offred 
mirre  to  God,  he  was  most  in  persone,  and  was  a  blacke  Ethiope ;  whereof  is 
no  doute,  for  among  all  other  the  prophete  saith.  Coram  illo  procident 
Elhiopes,  et  inimici  ejus  terram  lingent,  venient  ad  te  qui  detrahehant  tihi, 
el  adorabunt  vestigia  pedum  tuorum,  &c.,  that  is  to  say,  Byfore  hym  Ethi- 
opes  shalle  falle  downe,  and  his  enemies  shalle  licke  the  erth ;  they  schall 
come  to  the  that  detraed  the,  and  they  shalle  worship  the  steppes  of  thi 
fete.  Ferthermore,  these  iij.  kynges  and  her  oostes  liavyng  reward  to  the 
stature  that  men  were  of,  that  time  they  were  right  litell  of  persone,  in  so 
much  that  alle  manere  of  peple  merveyled  raoch  of  hem,  and  that  shewed 
that  they  were  come  fro  fer  contrey  oute  of  the  Est.  And  the  nere  the 
springing  of  the  sonne,  and  the  nere  toward  the  Est,  that  men  be  bore  the 
lesse  they  be  of  stature,  and  the  febeler  in  wittis,and  the  more  tender;  but 
herbes  bene  better  and  hotter,  and  alle  maner  of  spices  be  better,  and  ser- 
pentes  and  such  other  perilous  bestis  be  grater  and  more  venomous,  and  alle 
raaner  bestes  and  foules  the  nere  the  sonne  thay  be  the  more  and  the  gretter. 
Also  ye  shall  understonde  that  thes  iij. kyngis  eche  of  hem  brought  oute  of 
tlier  londes  mony  riche  yftes  and  rich  ornamentis  that  kyng  Alisaunder  left 
in  Yude,  in  Caldee,  and  in  Pers,  and  alle  the  ornamentis  that  kyng  Saba 
founde  in  Salomons  temple,  as  diverse  vesselx  that  were  of  the  kyngis  hous 
and  of  the  temple  of  God  in  Jerusalem,  the  wliiche,  in  the  tyme  of  the 


286  THE  LEGEND  OF 

destruction  of  Jerusalem,  were  bore  into  lier  contreys  and  londes  by  hem 
of  Pers  and  of  Caldee ;  and  mony  other  jewelx  both  gold  and  sylver,  and 
other  precious  stones,  thes  kyngis  brought  with  hem  to  oiFer  to  God.  But 
whan  they  founde  oure  lord  Jhesu  Crist  laid  in  hey  in  the  maungere  and  in 
pover  clothes,  as  it  is  aforesaide,  and  the  sterre  had  yeve  so  gret  light  in 
the  place  there  Crist  was  that  it  semed  as  though  they  had  stond  in  a  fur- 
neys  of  fyre,  than  these  iij.  kynges  were  so  sore  aferd,  of  alle  the  riche 
jewelx  and  ornamentis  that  they  brought  with  hem,  when  her  tresoure  was 
opened,  they  toke  nothing  but  that  came  fyrst  to  her  hondis  ;  as  Melchior, 
kyng  of  Nube  and  of  Arabie,  toke  out  of  his  tresoure  a  rounde  apple  of  gold, 
as  moche  as  a  man  myght  hold  in  his  hand,  and  xxx'i  gilt  pens,  and  that  he 
oiferd  to  the  godhed.  Baltazar,  kyng  of  Godolie  and  of  Saba,  he  toke  oute 
of  his  tresoure  encense  as  it  came  frist  to  his  honde,  that  he  ofFred  to  Godis 
manhede  with  weping  teres.  Than  Jasper  toke  out  of  his  tresoure  mirre,  and 
that  he  offred  also  to  Goddis  manhede.  And  so  these  iij.  worshipfull  kyngis 
were  sore  agast,  and  so  devoute,  and  so  fervent  in  her  oblation,  that  of  alle 
the  wordes  that  oure  lady  said  at  that  tyme  they  toke  but  litell  considera- 
tion, save  onelicke  that  to  every  kyng,  as  they  offred  to  God,  she  bowed 
downe  with  her  hed  mekely,  and  said,  Deo  gratias,  that  is  to  saie,  I  thanke 
God,  or  thanked  be  God.  The  appull  of  gold  the  vvh?ch  kyng  Melchior 
offred,  with  the  xxx^i  gilt  penes,  was  sum  tyme  kyng  Alisannders  the  Gret. 
And  that  appull  he  ded  make  of  smale  parties  of  gold,  the  which  he  had 
gadered  of  the  tribute  of  alle  the  world,  and  that  he  bare  allwaye  in  his 
hand,  and  this  appull  was  left  in  Inde  whan  he  was  come  fro  paradise,  with 
mony  other  ornamentis.  Moreover  it  is  maner  in  alle  the  contreys  of  the 
Est,  that  whan  the  sowdon  or  kyng  passeth  through  a  citie,  than  every  man 
after  his  power  is  to-fore  his  owne  dore,  and  ther  he  casteth  encense  and 
myrre  in  the  fyre  ;  and  what  man  that  doth  it  not  he  shall  be  hold  as  for  a 
rebell  ayenst  the  sowdon  or  the  kyng,  for  thereto  is  take  gret  kepe,  and 
this  usage  betokeneth  in  alle  the  Est  trewe  subjection  and  trewe  obbedience 
both  to  God,  or  maumet,  or  to  kyng,  where  it  is  do.  Ferthermore,  in  olde 
tyme  martires  were  not  onely  constreyned  to  worship  maumettes,  but  also 
to  worship  hem  with  encense  and  fyre,  and  this  maner  Sarezins  aske  allwaye 
of  Cristen  men  that  be  in  her  prisone  for  to  come  into  her  temple,  and  of 
the  Sarezins  coost  wilfully  to  do  sacrifice  with  fyre  and  encense. 

Though  almighty  God  lowed  and  meked  hymself  and  became  man  for 
owre  salvation,  and  was  bore  of  his  blessed  moder  Marie,  as  it  is  aforesaide, 
yet  he  had  no  nede  of  these  yftes  of  these  iij.  worshipfull  kyngis,  for  he 
made  alle  the  world  of  nought,  and  all  that  is  in  heven  and  in  erth  is  in 
his  power  and  at  his  will ;  neverthelese  ye  shalle  understonde  that  the 
rounde  appull  of  gold  that  kyng  Alisaunder  ded  make,  as  it  is  aforesaide,  the 


THE  THREE  KINGS.  287 

which  appuU  Melchior  the  k3-ng  offred  to  oure  lord  Jhesu  Crist ;  and  whan 
he  hed  offred  that  appuU,  it  was  in  a  moment  broke  alle  to  dust,  and  so  by 
thisweshalle  understond  in  figure,  as  the  stone  was  in  the  hille  kut  oute  of 
the  hille  withoute  mannes  hand  or  any  tola,  and  breke  an  orible  mawmett 
into  dust  and  powder,  the  which  Naybegoddonosor  in  his  sleghe  sight,  right  so 
that  stone,  that  is  to  say  oure  lorde  Jhesu  Crist,  that  withoute  ony  corrup- 
tion of  synne  was  bore  into  this  world,  the  apull,  that  betokeneth  the  world, 
through  his  mekenesse,  and  through  his  vertue,  and  the  strenght  of  his 
majeste  and  of  his  godhed,  in  a  moment  alle  to-brake  to  nought.  And  what 
was  do  with  these  yftes  afterward  ye  shalle  here. 

Whan  theis  iij.  kyngis  had  this  perfourmed  her  way  and  her  wille,  and 
offred  and  do  all  thing  that  they  came  fore,  than,  as  mankynde  asketh  and 
vvolde,  the  iij.  kyngis  and  alle  her  men,  hors,  and  other  bestis  begvinne  to 
ete,  and  drinke,  and  slepe,  and  toke  hem  to  her  rest,  and  to  disport  all  that 
day  after  in  Bethlem,  for,  as  it  is  tolde  byfore,  they  had  neyther  ete  ne 
dronke  to-fore  in  xiij.  da3es;  and  than  they  told  mekely  to  alle  men  in  that 
cite  of  Bethlem  and  of  the  contrey  aboute  how  wonderfullich  the  sterre 
had  brought  hem  tlied^r  frome  the  ferthest  party  of  the  world.  Ferther- 
more,  as  the  Evangelist  saith,  Et  responso  accepto  in  sonipnis  ne  redirent 
ad  Herodem,  per  aliam  viam  reversi  sunt  in  regionem  suam,  &c.,  that  is  to 
saye.  An  aunswere  taken  to  these  iij.  kyngis  in  her  slepe  that  they  sliuld 
turne  ayene  not  to  Herode,  by  another  way  returne  home  into  her  kyng- 
domes;  than  the  sterre  that  to-fore  tyme  yede  afore  hem  appered  no  more 
after.  And  so  these  iij.  kyngis  that  sodenlich  met  togeder  at  the  mounte 
of  Calvarie,  they  rid  alle  thre  home  togedyr  to  her  kyngdomes  with  gret 
joye,  and  toke  herbrowe  by  the  way  as  men  shulld  do.  Also  these  iij. 
kyngis,  with  all  her  peple  and  her  cariage,  ridd  through  alle  the  londes  and 
provynces  that  Olofernus  of  old  tyme  had  riden  and  passed  by  with  all  his 
cost,  in  so  moch  the  peple  supposed  that  Olofernus  had  ben  come  thedyr 
ayen.  Ferthermore,  as  they  came  into  ony  towne  or  citee,  they  were 
worthly  and  mekely  resceyved  of  alle  the  peple,  and  evermore  they  prechid 
and  tolde  to  alle  the  peple  as  they  ridd  alle  that  they  had  seyne,  done,  and 
herd,  so  that  in  alle  the  contre  as  they  yede  they  were  so  meke  and  so 
gracious  among  alle  the  peple,  that  her  name  and  her  loos  never  after  was 
foryete ;  but  the  way  that  they  had  ridd  byfore  oute  of  her  londes  and  of 
her  kyngdomes  in  xiij.  dayes  through  ledyng  of  the  sterre,  thay  myght  not 
unneth  goo  after  ne  ride  home  ayene  in  ij.  yere,  and  that  was  do  that  thay 
and  alle  her  men  shuld  knowe  what  difference  is  betwixt  Goddis  wirkyng 
and  mannes  wirkyng. 

Whan  Herode  and  the  scribe  and  other  pepill  herd  tell  that  the  iij.  kyngis 
were  goo  home  agene,  and  were  not  come  to  hym  as  he  had  bedde  hem. 


288  THE  LEGEND  OF 

and  tolde  of  lier  gret  nobley  ;  wherefore  tliyse  Herode,  of  gret  angur,  brent 
and  distroyed  alle  the  lond  that  was  under  his  power  that  these  iij.  kyngis 
had  ridde  by,  and  of  gret  mahce  and  enmyte  he  pursued  after  hera  a  gret 
way ;  and  alweye  as  they  rode  after  these  iij.  kyngis  he  founde  the  peple 
blesse  and  prayse  hem,  and  tolde  of  her  nobley ;  and  specially  hem  of  Taars 
and  of  Circile,  for  he  put  uppon  hem  that  thay  had  suffered  hem  prevylich 
to  passe  over  the  see  in  her  shippes,  and  therfore  he  brent  alle  her  shippes 
and  alle  her  good.  Also  kyng  Herode  and  the  scribes  pursued  these  iij.  kyngis 
of  gret  envy,  for  they  had  herd  howe  mervelouslich  they  were  come  oute  of 
her  londes  and  kyngdomes  in  xiij.  dayes,  through  ledyng  of  the  sterre,  and 
how  afterward  they  yede  home  agayne  withoute  ony  sterre,  with  guydes 
and  interpretoures ;  for  alle  maner  men  that  these  iij.  kyngis  passed  by  suf- 
ficeth  not  to  tell  howe  wondyrfullich  they  passed  nyght  and  day  by  hem. 
And  therof  Jewes  that  dwellid  aboute  in  diverse  londes  and  places,  bare 
wittnesse  hereof  to  Herode  and  to  alle  the  scribes  and  other  Jewes ;  and 
so  for  tliis  wonderfuU  doing  the  paynims,  that  had  no  knowliche  of  holy 
writt,  ne  of  the  birth  of  Crist,  clepid  these  iij.  kyngis  magos,  that  is  to  say 
wicches ;  and  the  Jewes  that  knewe  the  scripturs,  and  the  byrth  of  Crist, 
and  the  place,  of  envye  and  falsnesse  excitede  paynimes  alle  aboute  to 
calle  hem  wicches :  and  so  it  was  brought  into  an  usage  that  they  be  cleped 
so  into  this  day.  Of  this  name  divers  bokes  and  expocitious  telleth,  the 
which  is  none  nede  to  telle  here.  But  withoute  doute  they  were  gloriouse 
kynges  of  londes  and  kyngdomes  in  the  Est,  most  worshippful  and  myght- 
full,  as  Cristeu  men  that  dwelleth  ther  here  witnesse,  and  other,  for  to  do 
away  alle  manere  of  doute  of  alle  that  is  aforesaide,  and  with  gret  mekenesse 
and  humilite,  and  reprevyng  of  the  falsnesse  of  the  Jewes,  Ahnyghty  God, 
that  is  ever  wondyrfull  in  his  seintes  and  gloriouse,  wold  have  the  previte 
of  his  byrth  to  be  knowe  to  alle  the  pepill,  so  that  his  gloriouse  name,  that 
was  fyrst  hidd  onely  in  the  lond  of  Jurye  unto  his  byrth,  the  same  name 
alle  maner  of  pepille  and  all  maner  nations,  fro  the  fyrst  party  of  the  world 
into  the  Est,  should  worship  and  prayse  his  name. 

After  that  these  iij.  kyngis  were,  come  home  with  grettravaile  to  the  hille 
of  Vaws  aforesaid,  than  they  made  ther  a  fayre  chapelle  in  the  worship  of 
the  child  that  they  had  sought.  Also  they  made  her  covenaunt  to  mete  to- 
geder  alle  ther  at  that  same  place  ones  in  the  yere,  and  at  that  same  place 
thei  ordeigned  her  sepulturs.  Than,  a  litell  while  after,  alle  the  princes, 
lordes,  and  worshipfulle  knyghtes  of  her  londes  and  kyngdomes,  heryng  of 
the  commyng  of  theis  iij.  kynges,  anon  they  ridd  to  them  with  gret  solemp- 
nite  and  gret  worship,  and  met  with  hem  at  the  place  aforesaide,  and  with 
gret  mekenesse  and  humilitie  resceyved  hem.  And  whan  they  had  herd 
howe  wonderfully  God  had  wrought  by  these  iij.  kingis,  than  they  had 


THE  THREE  KINGS. 

hem  iti  move  reverence,  worship,  love,  and  drede,  evermore  after.  So 
whan  these  iij.  kyngis  had  ordeyned  her  testamentes  and  do  what  they  wold, 
than  they  toke  her  leve  everiche  of  other,  and  every  kyng  rode  home  with 
his  peple  into  his  owne  londe  and  kyngdome  that  he  came  fro,  with  gret 
joye  and  solempnite.  And  this  every  kyng  departed  from  other  in  her  bodily 
persones,  but  never  in  her  hertis,  as  for  that  tyme ;  and  whan  they  were 
come  home  into  her  owne  landes,  than  they  told  and  prechid  to  alle  the 
peple  alle  that  they  sight,  hard,  and  done,  in  alle  her  way :  also  they  ded 
make  in  alle  her  temples,  after  the  same  fourme  and  the  same  likenesse  as 
it  appered  to  hem,  a  sterre.  Wherefore  mony  paynymes  left  her  erroures 
and  her  mawmettys,  and  worshipped  the  child  that  the  iij.  kyngis  had 
sought.  And  this  these  iij.  worshipfull  kyngis  dwelled  in  her  londes  and 
kyngdomes  worshipfully  with  honeste  governaunce  and  conversation,  tille 
the  assencion  of  Crist  and  the  commyng  of  S'.  Thomas  the  apostelle. 

After  that  these  iij.  kyngis  were  goo  fro  Bethlem  forth  of  the  contrey,  than 
ther  began  to  spring  and  waxe  a  gret  fame  of  oure  lady  Seint  Marie,  and 
of  her  child,  of  these  iij.  kyngis  alle  aboute.  Wherefore  oure  lady,  for  gret 
drede  of  the  Jewes,  fled  oute  of  the  litell  hous  that  Crist  was  bore  in,  and 
went  into  another  derke  cave  under  erth,  and  ther  she  abode  with  her  child 
tylle  the  tyme  of  hyr  purification ;  and  as  God  wold,  ther  was  diverse  men 
and  women  loved  oure  lady  Seint  Marie  and  her  sonne,  and  mynysterd  to 
hem  alle  maner  of  necessaries  that  were  nedefuUe  to  hem.  And  afterward, 
whan  the  faith  of  God  began  to  waxe  and  increse,  than  there  was  made  a 
chapell  in  the  same  cave  in  the  worship  of  these  iij.  kyngis  and  Seint  Ni- 
colas; and  in  this  chapell  there  is  a  stone  uppon  which  oure  lady  Seint 
Marie  was  wont  to  sitt  whan  she  yaffe  her  child  soke;  and  on  a  tyme,  as 
sche  sat  uppon  the  stone  and  yafFe  her  sonne  soke,  ther  felle  adowne 
from  her  tete  a  litell  milke  on  the  same  stone,  and  that  is  ther  at  this  day  ; 
and  the  more  that  it  is  shraped  with  knyfes  the  more  it  waxeth,  and  this 
snilke  is  bore  into  diverse  places  of  pilgrimes. 

Also  when  oure  lady  was  goo  oute  of  the  litelle  hous,  and  came  into  this 
cave,  she  had  forget  behynd  her  her  smocke  and  clothes  that  Crist  was 
wrapped  in,  foulde  alle  togeder,  and  laide  an  highe  in  the  mangere,  and  so 
they  were  hole  and  fresche  in  the  same  place  unto  the  tyme  that  sentt 
Elyne,  the  worshipfull  queue  that  was  moder  to  kyng  Constantyne,  came 
thedyr  into  the  same  place ;  for  the  Jewes  of  envie  held  that  place  where 
Crist  was  bore  a  foule  cursed  place,  insomoch  they  wold  suffer  neither  man, 
woman,  child,  ne  best,  to  goo  into  that  place. 

Ferthermore,  when  oure  lady  was  come  into  the  temple  and  offred  her 
childe  with  turtles  or  doves,  after  Moyses  lawe,  as  holy  writt  tellethe,  and 
Symeon  toke  hym  in  his  handis  and  said ;  Nunc  dimittis,  Domine,  servum 
VOL.  I.  U 


290  THE  LEGEND  OF 

tuum  secundum  verbum  ttiiim  in  pace,  &c ;  tliat  is  to  saye.  Let  thy  ser- 
vaunt  be  in  pees ;  the  same  tyme  Symeon  and  Anne,  the  olde  woman,  in 
presence  of  the  scribes  and  phariseis,  prophecied  mony  thingis  of  oure  lord 
Jhesu  Crist,  as  holy  writt  telleth  ;  and  so  gret  name  was  of  oure  lady  and 
of  her  son  among  the  Jevves,  that  she  myght  not  ne  also  durst  not  abide  no 
lenger  in  that  place,  for  drede  of  kyng  Herode  and  of  the  Jewes,  and  as  the 
gospell  saith,  Angelas  domini  apparuii  in  sompnis  Joseph  dicens.  Surge, 
accipe  pueruni  cum  matre  ejus,  et  fuge  in  Egiptum,  &c. ;  that  is  to  saye.  An 
angelle  of  God  appered  to  Joseph  in  his  slepe,  and  said.  Arise,  and  take  the 
child  and  his  moder,  and  fle  into  Egypt  in  the  nyght,  and  ther  be  tylle  1  tell 
the,  for  it  is  come  that  Herode  shall  seke  the  childe  to  sle  hym.  Than  Jo- 
seph roos,  and  toke  the  child  and  raoder,  and  yede  into  Egipt,  and  there  he 
was  till  Herode  was  ded.  And  ye  shall  understonde  that  oure  lady  Seint 
Marie  and  her  sonne  dwelled  in  Egipt  vij.  yere;  and  Egipt  is  fro  Bethlem 
vij.  dayes  jornaye ;  and  in  this  way  that  oure  lady  Seint  Marie  yede  into 
Egipt,  and  in  the  way  that  she  come  ayen,  grewe  drye  rooses,  and  these 
rooses  be  clepyd  the  roose  of  Jeryce  ;  and  these  rooses  growe  in  no  place  in 
alle  the  contrey,but  onely  in  that  same  contrey ;  and  these  rooses  sheperdis 
of  the  contrey,  that  goth  aboute  with  her  shepe,  they  gadder  hem  in  tyme 
of  the  yere  and  selle  hem  for  brede  to  pilgrimes  and  to  other  men  of  the 
centre  aboute,  [and  so  they  be  borne  into  dyverse  cuntrees  and  londes  aboute. 
Forthermore,  in  the  same  place  where  oure  lady  dwellide  with  her  sone  is 
nowe  a  gardeyn,  in  the  whiche  growith  bawme.  And  this  gardeyn  ys  noght 
fulliche  as  longe  as  a  man  may  caste  a  ston.  And  ther  ben  also  in  this  gar- 
den vij.  Welles  of  water,  in  the  whiche  o\ire  lady  Seynt  Marye  wasshed  her 
sone,  and  wasshed  her  clothis  and  her  sons  clothes.  And  ye  shull  under- 
stonde that  in  this  gardeyn  ben  manye  busshes  of  bawme,  and  they  ben 
moche  lyche  busshes  of  roses  ;  and  these  busshes  ben  litell  heyer  thanne  a 
fathem  of  lengthe,  and  the  leves  ben  liche  treyfoiles,  and  to  every  a  cristen 
man  of  the  sowdones  prisoners  is  assignede  to  kepe  hit  and  to  make  it  clene. 
And  ther  ys  also  a  grete  merveille  and  a  greet  myracle  of  these  busshes  of 
bawme,  for  ther  may  no  man  kepe  hem  ne  dight  hem,  but  he  be  a  cristen 
man,  and  that  often  tyme  hathe  be  prevede, — for  whannea  Jewe  or  a  pay- 
nem  kepith  hem,  anoon  they  waxen  drye,  and  growen  no  more.  And  in 
the  monethe  of  March  the  sowdone  is  allwey  abidynge  in  this  gardeyn ;  and 
thanne  roddes  ben  kutte  as  a  vyne,  and  whanne  they  ben  cutte  thei  be 
bounde  aboute  with  cotoun,  and  under  the  cutting  of  the  roddes  and  the 
cotoun  ben  sette  dysshes  of  silver,  and  so  the  bawme  renneth  down  into 
the  vesselles  oute  of  the  kuttynges  andthorugthe  cotoun,  as  water  renneth 
oute  of  the  vyne.  And  oute  of  the  disshes  the  bawme  ys  putte  into  a  greet 
potte  of  silver,  and  that  potte  is  more  thanne  vj.  galonns  ;  and  thanne  the 


THE  THREE  KINGS.  291 

sowdone  takith  alle  this  bavvme  into  his  owne  kepynge  specially :  but 
whanne  any  messenger  is  sent  from  any  kynge  for  bavvme,  than  the  sow- 
done  gevith  hym  a  litill  vyel  fuUe  of  that  bawme.  And  whanne  the  bawme 
is  all  gadrede  and  dropped  oute  of  the  roddes,  thanne  the  sowdone  gothe 
home ;  and  every  cristen  man  that  hath  a  busshe  to  kepe,  he  takithe  the 
roddes  that  ben  cutte,  and  they  sethen  hem  in  watir  in  a  clene  potte,  and 
the  bawme  swemmethe  above  the  water,  as  it  were  fatnes  of  flesshe.  And 
this  bawme  is  good  for  alle  maner  of  brosures ;  and  if  a  man  be  wounded, 
it  wil  make  hym  hool  anoon.  And  this  bawme  is  solde  to  pylgrymes  of 
dyverse  cuntrees,  and  so  it  is  bore  thorugh  dyvers  londes  aboute.  But  this 
bawme  is  nothinge  so  vertuous  ne  so  goode  as  ys  the  bawme  thatdroppithe 
oute  of  the  roddys  whanne  they  ben  cutte.  For  and  a  man  take  a  droppe 
of  this  bawme,  and  lay  it  on  hys  honde,  anon  it  rennethe  thoroughoute  the 
tother  side,  and  that  place  shall  nevere  be  corrupte  ne  rote  aftir.  And  this 
bawme  is  as  though  it  were  thynne  grene  wyne  a  litil  troublid,  and  this 
bawme  is  callyd  rawe  bawme,  and  the  tother  is  callid  soden  bawme.  Manye 
moo  vertues  ben  of  this  bawme,  the  whiche  were  to  longe  to  reherce  here ; 
but  alle  the  men  in  the  Este  bileeven  treuliche  that  this  place  hath  suche  a 
vertue  of  growynge  of  bawme,  bycause  oure  lady  d wellide  in  the  same  place 
vij.  yere,  and,  as  it  is  aforeseid,  she  wysshe  and  bathid  hir  sone  in  the  same 
Welles  and  wasshed  her  clothis  and  her  sones  clothis  in  the  same  watere. 

Forthurmore,  ye  shulle  understonde,  as  it  is  aforeseide,  that  Melchior,  kynge 
of  Nubye  and  of  Arabye,  offrede  to  God  a  rounde  appel  of  golde,  and  xxx. 
gilt  penyes.  Of  these  xxx.  gilt  penyes  ye  shulle  here  the  bigynnynge 
and  the  last  endynge.  Thara,  that  was  fader  of  Abraham,  dide  make  these 
xxx.  gilt  penyes  in  the  name  of  the  kynge  of  Mesopotanye,  the  whiche  was 
callid  Ninus.  And  this  Abraham,  whanne  he  wente  a  pilgrymage  oute  off 
the  londe  of  Chaldee  into  Ebroun  that  in  thilk  time  was  callyde  Arabye,  he 
bare  thes  xxx.  penyes  withe  hym,  and  bought  with  hem  a  place  for  his  se- 
pulture, and  for  his  wyf,  and  for  his  children,  Isaak  and  Jacob.  Aftirward 
Joseph  was  solde  of  his  bretheren  into  Egypte  to  marchauntes  of  Ismaely 
for  the  same  xxx.  gilt  penyes.  Aftirward,  whanne  Jacob  was  dede, 
thanne  were  thes  xxx.  gilt  penyes  sent  into  the  londe  of  Saba  for  diverse 
spices  and  oynementis  for  the  sepulcre  of  Jacob,  and  so  they  were  putte 
into  the  kyngis  tresonry.  Thanne  by  processe  of  tyme,  as  in  kynge  Salo- 
mones  tyme,  the  quene  of  Saba  ofTrede  these  xxx.  gilt  penyes  with  manye 
othir  rich  jewellis  in  the  temple  of  God  in  Jerusalem.  So  aftirward  in 
the  time  of  Roboam,  that  was  kynge  Salomone's  sone,  whanne  Jerusalem]* 

*  The  part  between  [  ]  is  added  from  another  copy  of  this  legend,  MS. 
Cotton.  Titus  A.  xxv.,  it  being  torn  out  of  the  Harleian  MS. 

u2 


292  THE  LEGEND  OF 

was  destroyed  and  the  temple  of  God  dispoyled,  than  these  xxx*'  gilt  pens 
were  brought  to  the  kyng  of  Arable,  with  mony  other  rich  ornamentis,  that 
were  brought  oute  of  the  temple  of  God.  Than  afteward,  wlian  Crist  was 
bore  in  Bethlem,  Melchior,  that  was  kyng  of  Nube  and  of  Arabie,  toke  these 
xxxti  giU  pens  and  mony  other  riche  jewels,  byeause  it  was  the  fynest  gold, 
and  the  best  that  he  had  in  his  tresour ;  therefore  he  toke  those  same  with 
hym,  and  offerd  hem  to  God  in  Bethlem,  theras  he  was  bcre.  Than  after- 
ward oure  lady  Seint  Marie  yede  oute  of  Bethlem  into  Egipt  for  drede  of 
kyng  Herode ;  than  she  lefte  alle  thes  yftes  in  the  way  that  were  ofFred,  and 
they  were  alle  bonde  in  a  cloth  togeder.  So  afterward  it  happed  there 
was  a  sheperd  in  that  contrey  that  kept  shepe,  the  which  had  so  gret  in- 
firmite  and  dissese  that  ther  myght  no  leche  hele  hym,  and  alle  the  good  he 
had  he  yaffe  to  diverse  leches  to  be  hole,  and  it  myght  not  be :  tlian  on  a 
tyme,  as  he  yede  in  the  felde  with  his  shepe,  nowe  in  one  place,  nowe  in 
another,  he  found  these  xxx*'  gilt  pens,  with  encense  and  mirre  bounde  in 
a  cloute  togedyr  ;  and  when  he  had  founde  thes  yftes,  he  kept  hem  privy- 
liche  to  hym  self,  tille  a  litelle  afore  the  tyme  that  God  yede  to  his  passion  ; 
and  whan  this  sheperde  herd  speke  of  such  an  holy  prophete  that  heled  alle 
men  of  her  infirmites  with  one  worde,  he  come,  and  God  Almighty  heled  hym 
anon,  and  enformed  hym  of  the  faith ;  than  the  sheperde  off'red  to  God  these 
xxxti  gilt  pens,  with  encense  and  mirre,  as  they  were  bounde  alle  togedyr 
in  a  cloute.  Whan  God  see  these  xxx*'  pens  with  encense  and  mirre,  he 
knew  hem  welle,  and  bade  the  sheperde  that  he  shuld  goo  into  the  temple, 
and  offer  all  these  yftes  uppon  the  awter.  And  so  the  sheperd  did  after  his 
commaundement,  and  ofFred  hem  uppon  the  awter  in  the  temple,  with  the 
encense  and  mirre,  with  gret  devotion  ;  and  whan  the  prest  that  kept  that 
tyme  the  temple  se  suche  oblation  offred  uppon  the  auter  in  oblation,  he 
was  revesshid  and  encensed  the  auter,  byeause  that  such  oblations  were 
but  seldom  sene  in  the  temple ;  and  the  prest  of  the  temple  toke  alle  these 
iij.  things,  and  put  hem  into  the  comen  tresore  ;  and  a  litell  while  after,  that 
is  to  say  the  iij-ie  day  to-fore  Cristis  passion,  Judas  Scarioth  come  into  the 
temple,  and  made  covenaunt  with  hem  to  betray  his  maister  Crist  Jhesu ; 
and  for  his  travayle,  the  princes  of  the  Jewes  toke  oute  these  xxx"  pens, 
and  yaffe  hem  to  Judas  Scarioth.  And  so  this  Judas  sold  Jhesu  Crist  his 
maister  for  these  xxx"  gilt  pens.  Than,  whan  alle  this  was  doo,  and  Crist 
Goddis  son  of  heven  was  betrayed  through  his  disciples,  and  shuld  be  dede 
for  all  mankynd,  as  his  will  was,  than  this  Judas  repented  hym,  and  was 
sory  for  his  misdede,  and  yede  into  the  temple  ayene  to  the  princes  of  the 
Jewes,  and  cast  downe  the  xxx"  gilt  pens ;  and  as  the  Gospell  seith,he  yede 
and  heng  hym  selfe.  So  that  than  the  Jewes  boute  with  xv.  of  thes  gilt 
pens  a  felde  for  a  sepulture  of  pilgrimes,  as  the  Gospell  telleth,  and  the  other 


THE  THREE  KINGS.  293 

XV.  pens  the  Jewes  yaffe  to  the  knyghtes  that  kepte  the  sepulture  of  Crist. 
Also  ye  shall  understonde  that  the  likenesseof  the  same  xxx"  pens  were 
used  in  all  the  coutrey  both  in  name  and  in  monye  frome  Abrahams  tyme 
into  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  the  which  was  do  by  Titus  and  Ves- 
pasianus;  but  frome  the  tyme  of  Abrahame  unto  Cristis  passion  thes  xxx" 
gilt  pens  were  never  disceyvered  ne  departid,but  evermore  they  were  bore 
liole  togedyr ;  and  whan  Crist  was  sold  for  hem,  than  anone  ihey  were 
disceyvered  and  departed  aboute  in  diverse  places.  Ferthermore,  the 
cause  that  these  xxx''  gilt  pens  were  clepid  silver  in  the  Gospell,  notwith- 
stondyng  they  were  fyne  gold,  is  this :  for  it  is  the  comon  name  and  the 
comon  usage  in  alle  the  contrey  so  for  to  clepe  hem,  as  men  clepe  in  this 
contrey  gold  of  beyonde  the  see,  scutes,  motus,  or  florens,  and  yet  in  the 
Est  the  same  prent  is  made  both  in  gold  and  in  coper,  and  kept  among 
gret  lordes  of  the  contrey.  The  print  of  these  pens  is  this  :  on  the  one  side 
is  a  kyngis  hed  crowned,  and  on  that  other  side  be  writt  letters  of  Caldee, 
the  whiche  men  cannot  now  rede ;  and  one  of  them  is  as  moch  worth  in 
wight  and  in  valure  as  iij.  florens;  and  mony  raerveles  be  tolde  of  these 
xxx**  gilt  pens,  the  which  were  long  to  tell.  Also,  whan  cure  lady  and 
Joseph  were  warned  to  come  oute  of  Egipt  by  an  aungell,  as  the  Gospell 
telleth,  then  they  were  bidd  to  goo  into  Galilee,  and  ther  they  dwellid  in  a 
cite  that  is  clepid  Nazareth,  and  so  the  prophecie  was  fulfilled.  Qui 
Nazarenus  vocabitur  ;  that  is  to  say,  he  schall  be  clepid  a  man  of  Naza- 
reth. And  what  Crist  did  and  wrought  in  erth  fro  the  tyme  of  his  byrth 
unto  his  passion,  the  Evangelist  declareth  opinly  i-nough. 

Whan  oure  lord  Jhesu  Crist  was  stied  up  into  heven,  than  he  sent  Seint 
Thomas  his  apostell  into  Ynde,  to  prech  their  Goddes  worde,  in  the  which 
Ynde,  as  it  is  aforesaide,  these  iij.  kynges  reigned  and  were  lordes.  And  ye 
shall  understonde  that  this  was  do  of  gret  providence  and  the  gret  mercy 
of  God  that  this  apostelle  that  put  his  hand  into  Goddis  side  to  knowe  that 
he  was  verrey  God  and  man  that  was  arisen  up  frodeth  to  lyf  for  salvation 
of  alle  mankinde,  he  shuld  goo  and  prech  the  passion  of  Crist,  his  resur- 
rection, and  his  assention,  to  these  iij.  worshipfuU  kynges  tliat  sought  oure 
lord  Jhesu  Crist  in  Bethlem,  inhis  nativite,  and  ther  with  yft'tes  worshipped 
hym,  and  as  Seiut  Gregorie  saith  :  Quod  nobis  omnibus  prosit  quod  hi 
reges  et  he  gentes  ejusdem  dornini  nostri  Jhesu  Cristi  infanciam  qtiesie- 
runt  et  oculis  vidcrunt  et  devotissime  muneribus  adoraverunt,  &c. ;  that  is 
to  say.  This  was  to  us  alle  prophet  that  theise  worshipfuU  kynges  and  her 
peple  sought  the  childeren  of  Crist,  and  with  her  eyen  sigh  it,  and  with 
yfles  worshipfuUiche  and  devouteliche  honoure<l  if,  and  for  solli  proved  it. 
FiMthermore,  ye  shall  understonde  that  Seint  Bartelmewe,  Synieon,  and 
Judas,  that  were  Cristis  disciples,  were  also  sent  into  Ynde  to  preche  the 


294  THE  LEGEND  OF 

faith  of  God  among  alle  peple ;  for  ther  be  mony  parties  of  Ynde,  and  one 
part  of  Ynde  is  more  than  all  the  parties  of  the  world  on  this  half  the  see, 
ther  Cristendome  is,  for  ther  is  no  more  destroyed  and  acompted  in  alle  the 
Est  but  a  c.  dayes  journaye. 

After  that  Seint  Thomas  the  apostell,  in  the  kyngdomes  of  Ynde,  had 
preched  Goddis  worde,  and  had  goo  aboute  all  the  iles  and  provinces,  and 
by  hym  God  had  shewed  mony  myracles  through  signe  of  the  croiss  and 
of  Goddis  worde,  as  in  heling  of  sike  men  of  all  maner  infirmitees,  and 
delivering  men  that  were  traveyled  or  turmented  with  wilde  sprites,  than 
as  he  yede  aboute  in  the  temples,  he  founde  a  sterre  in  every  temple 
paynted  and  fowrmed  after  the  sterre  that  appered  to  the  iij.  kyngis  whan 
Crist  was  bore,  in  the  which  sterre  was  a  singe  of  the  crosse  and  a  childe 
above ;  and  whan  Seint  Thomas  sighe  this  sterre,  he  asked  the  bisshoppes 
of  the  temple  what  it  was,  and  the  bisshoppes  told  to  Seint  Thomas  howe 
that  such  a  sterre  of  olde  tyme  appered  on  the  hill  of  Vaws  in  token  of  a 
child  that  was  bore  and  shuld  be  kynjj  of  Jewes,  as  it  was  herde  oute  of  the 
same  sterre,  and  for  this  cause  the  iij.  kyngis  yede  oute  of  her  loudes  into 
Bethlem  in  xiij.  dayes,  and  ther  offred  to  this  child  that  was  bore,  but 
with  gret  travayle  afterwarde  they  come  home  into  her  londes  and  kyng- 
domes in  ij.  yere,  and  of  all  that  these  iij.  kyngis  had  do,  herd,  or  seye  the 
bisshoppes  of  the  temple  told  to  Seint  Thomas  the  Apostell,  and  whan 
Seint  Thomas  herd  alle  this  he  thanked  God,  and  with  gret  joye  preched  to 
the  bisshoppes  and  to  the  peple  Cristis  childhode,  his  passion,  his  resurrec- 
tion, and  his  ascension,  and  alle  the  workes  of  Criste  while  he  was  in  erth ; 
wherethrough  the  bisshoppes  of  the  temples,  and  mony  other  folkes,  were 
convertid  to  Crist,  and  were  cristened.  Ferthermore,  Seint  Thomas  mekely 
declared  and  expounded  to  all  the  peple  the  understondyng  of  this  sterre, 
and  of  the  crosse,  and  of  the  childe,  and  he  kest  oute  of  her  temples  alle 
mawmettis,  and  halowed  hem  in  worship  and  the  name  of  the  child  that 
was  bore,  as  it  is  aforesaid  ;  and  so  moch  a  fame  begon  to  rise  in  alle  the 
contrey  aboute  of  Seint  Thomas  for  the  gret  miracles  that  he  wrought, 
that  all  maner  of  folke  that  had  ony  infirmitees  or  turmentyng  of  wicked 
sprites,  they  come  to  Seint  Thomas,  and  he,  in  the  name  of  Crist  and 
through  the  signe  of  the  crosse,  heled  hem  and  converted  hem,  and  they 
that  were  so  converted  to  Crist  did  mony  miracles  through  signe  of  the 
croisse  afterwarde  in  diverse  places  ther  as  Seint  Thomas  had  not  be,  &c. 

Whan  Seint  Thomas  had  this  preched  and  teched  the  peple  as  it  is  afore 
said,  than  he  yede  to  the  kyngdomes  of  these  iij.  kyngis,  and  founde  hem 
hole  of  body  and  of  a  gret  age ;  and  as  Symeon  had  answere  of  the  holi- 
goost,  that  he  shuld  not  dye  tylle  he  had  seye  Crist  Goddis  sone,  and  so 
abode  hym  tylle  he  was  brought  into  the  temple,  and  ther  to  here  hym  in 


THE  THREE  KINGS.  295 

his  armes,  right  so  tliese  iij.  kyngis  prayed  to  God  that  they  sliiild  not 
dye  till  they  were  renewed  with  the  hohgoost,  and  with  the  sacrament  of 
baptime.  So  whan  they  herde  of  such  a  roan  that  was  a  disciple  of  Crist 
was  come  into  her  londes,  which  that  was  clepid  Thomas,  that  preched  to 
the  peple  the  children  of  God,  of  his  passion,  his  resurrection,  and  the 
workes  that  Crist  wrought  in  this  world,  and  specially  the  sacrament  of 
baptyme,  anon,  notwithstondyng  they  were  of  a  gret  age  and  feble,  yet 
thay  arrayed  hem  and  come  alle  iij.  to  Seint  Thomas,  with  other  lordes  and 
gret  multitude  of  peple,  and  Seint  Thomas,  with  gret  joye  and  reverence, 
resceyved  thes  worshipfull  kyngisand  declared  to  hem  alle  that  Crist  teched 
here  on  erth  to  his  disciples,  and  his  passion  that  he  suffred  for  alle  raan- 
kynde,  and  howe  he  aroos  fro  deth  to  lyffe  the  iijd  day,  and  howe  he  as- 
seuded  into  heven,  and  also  howe  he  sent  downe  the  holigoost  to  his 
apostelles,  and  mony  other  articles  of  the  faith  Seint  Thomas  declared 
and  expownded  to  these  iij.  kyngis,  and  specially  he  tolde  of  the  sacrament 
of  baptyme,  withoute  the  which  ther  may  no  man  come  to  the  kyngdome  of 
hevene.  And  whan  thei  were  this  enformed  of  cristen  faith,  Seint  Thomas 
cristened  these  iij.  kyngis  and  all  the  peple  that  come  with  hem,  and  anon 
these  iij.  kyngis  were  fulfilled  of  the  holigoost,  and  begun  anon  to  prech 
with  Seint  Thomas  Goddis  worde,  and  also  thei  tolde  to  the  peple  howe 
thei  had  sought  Crist,  Goddis  sone,  in  Bethlem,  in  his  nativite,  as  it  is 
aforesaide.  So  than  whan  this  was  doo  theis  iij.  kyngis,  with  alle  the  peple, 
yede  with  Seint  Thomas  the  apostell  to  the  hille  of  Vaws,  and  ther  Seint 
Thomas  halowed  the  chapell  that  was  made  on  the  hill  by  these  iij.  kyngis  ; 
and  ther  Seynt  Thomas  and  the  iij.  kyngis  preched  ayen  to  the  peple  of 
cristen  byleve,  and  of  the  sterre  that  appered  to  the  iij.  kyngis,  and  such  a 
joye  and  a  gladnesse  was  among  the  peple,  and  also  such  a  loos  and  a  name 
was  arisen  in  all  the  londes  aboute  of  Seint  Thomas,  and  of  these  iij.  kyngis, 
that  alle  maner  of  peple,  both  of  men  and  women,  come  fro  diverse  con- 
treys  for  gret  devotion  ;  and  for  gret  coucours  that  was  made  to  this 
chapell,  that  these  iij.  kyngis  did  make  under  this  hill  a  gret  rich  citee,  and 
that  citee  is  clepid  the  citee  of  Sewill,  and  this  cite  is  the  best  and  the 
richest  citee  in  alle  the  contrey  of  the  Est  in  Ynde,  and  in  all  the  Est  into 
this  day  ;  and  in  this  citee  is  the  habitation  of  Preter  Jolian,  that  is  clepid 
lord  of  Ynde,  and  ther  dwelleth  also  the  patriarch  of  Ynde,  that  is  clepid 
Thomas,  and  why  the  patriarch  of  Ynde  is  clepid  Thomas,  and  whye  the 
lord  of  Ynde  is  cleped  Preter  Johan,  ye  shalle  here  afterwarde. 

Whan  Seint  Thomas  the  Apostell  thus  preched  and  converted  the  peple 
to  the  lawe  of  Crist,  than  he  sacride  and  ordeined  these  iij .  kyngis  into  prestes, 
and  afterward  into  archbisshoppes,  and  when  they  were  put  in  this  degre, 
than  they  ordeyned  under  hem  bisshoppes,  prestis,  and  clerkis,  to  serve 


296  THE  LEGEND   OF 

God ;  and  than  these  iij.  kyngis  halowed  alle  the  temples  in  the  contrey 
aboute,  in  the  worship  of  oure  lady,  and  cast  oute  all  the  mavvmettis  that 
were  in  the  temples  aboute  in  the  contrey,  and  to  the  bisshoppes,  prestes, 
and  clerkis  these  iij.  kyngis  archbisshoppis  yafFe  mony  gret  poscescions 
to  meynteyne  and  encrese  Goddis  service.  And  Seint  Thomas  teched  these 
iij.  kyngis  archbisshoppes,  and  other  bisshoppes  and  prestes,  the  maner 
and  the  fowrme  to  sing  messe  ;  and  he  enformed  hem  also  the  wordes  that 
Crist  said  to  his  disciples  whan  he  made  his  soper  the  nyght  he  was  be- 
trayed, throwghe  which  wordis  he  ordeined  the  sacrament  of  the  auter. 
Also  he  teched  hem  the  pater  noster,  and  mony  other  thingis ;  he  told  hem 
also  the  forme  of  baptysing,  and  specially  he  charged  that  they  shuld 
never  forgete  that.  And  when  Seint  Thomas  had  enformed  hem  this  of  the 
Cristen  faith,  than  afterwarde  he  toke  martirdome  for  Cristes  love,  as  it  is 
conteyned  more  fullych  in  the  boke  that  is  written  of  his  passion,  where  he 
telleth  how  he  was  skyne,  and  in  what  place ;  but  ye  shall  understonde 
that  in  alle  the  contrey  aboute  there  Seint  Thomas  was  slayne,  both  men 
and  women  have  visages  after  houndes,  but  they  be  not  herye,  and  that  is 
yet  into  this  day,  &c, 

After  the  deth  of  Seint  Thomas,  than  thes  iij.  kyngis  and  archbisshoppes 
yede  aboute  citees,  townes,  and  other  diverse  places,  and  ordeyned  mony 
chirches  and  put  in  hem  bisshoppis,  prestes,  and  clerks,  and  other  minis- 
ters of  holy  chyrch,  to  do  devyne  service,  and  they  yaf  to  hem  mony  gret 
possescions  ;  and  than  these  iij.  kyngis  and  archbissoppes  forsoke  the  vanitees 
of  the  world  and  ordeynid  mony  clerkis  to  abide  in  the  cite  that  is  clepid 
Sewill,  the  which  they  had  do  make,  and  assigned  certeyne  lordis  to 
governe  and  to  rewle  her  kyngdomes  and  her  londes  both  in  spirituall  degre 
and  in  temporall  degre,  and  the  peple  of  gret  love  and  charite  were  obbey- 
saunt  to  hem  as  the  son  to  the  fader.  Than  the  yerebyfore  her  deththeise 
iij.  kyngis  and  archbisshops  made  a  convocation  of  all  the  peple,  both 
temporall  and  spirituall,  and  had  hem  alle  into  one  place,  and  they  warned 
and  conseled  all  the  peple  that  they  shuld  be  perseveraunt  in  the  cristen 
faith  that  Seint  Thomas  had  taught  hem. 

Ferthermore  they  counseled  the  peple  that  they  shuld  all  of  one  acorde 
aud  of  one  will  chese  among  hem  a  man  that  were  abill  and  discrete  and 
that  had  love  and  hertly  desyre  to  meynteyne  the  Cristen  faith,  the  which 
man  shuld  be  c)iose  before  alle  other  men  as  in  spirituallite  in  Seint 
Thomas  stede,  and  to  hym  al  maner  men  shuld  obbey  as  to  her  goostly 
fader,  the  which  man  also  in  the  worschip  of  Seint  Thomas  shuld  be  clepid  a 
patriarch  Thomas,  for  an  everlastyng  memoriall ;  and  whan  the  patriarch 
were  dode,  than  they  shuld  come  togedyr  alle  into  one  place,  and  in  his 
stede  they  shulde  chese  another,  to  whome,  as  it  is  aforesaide,  they  shuld 


THE  THREE  KINGS.  297 

obbey  as  to  ther  goostlye  fader.  Than  whan  this  matere  was  this  spoken 
among  the  peple  they  assented  therto,  and  of  one  acorde  and  of  one  will 
alle  these  bisshoppes,  prestes,  and  clerkis,  and  all  other  peple,  anon  they 
chase  a  man  that  was  clepid  Jacob,  which  was  come  oute  of  Antioche,  and 
had  allwey  folowed  Seint  Thomas  the  apostell  into  Ynde  ;  and  this  Jacob 
the  peple  chese  and  toke  for  her  patriarch,  and  chaunged  his  name  and 
clepid  hym  Thomas  ;  and  this  man  was  the  fyrst  patriarch  that  was  in  all 
the  contrey.  And  so  allwey  they  of  Ynde  be  obbeysaunt  to  the  patriarch 
Thomas,  as  we  be  to  the  pope  unto  this  day.  And  to  this  patriarch  theis 
iij.  kyngis  yafFand  assigned  to  hym  for  evermore  by  assent  of  the  peple  the 
titles  of  all  her  londes  and  kyngdomes. 

And  whan  all  this  was  do,  and  the  patriarch  Thomas  was  chosen,  as  it 
is  aforesaide,  to  be  fader  and  lorde  of  the  peple  in  spirituallite,  than  theis 
iij.  kyngis  and  archbisshoppes  of  comon  assent  of  all  the  peple  chosen  and 
ordeined  a  worshipfull  man  and  a  myghty,  that  shuld  be  lord  and  cheff 
governoure  among  the  peple  in  temporalite ;  and  for  this  cause,  if  ony  man 
wold  arise  or  atempt  ayenst  the  patriarch  Thomas  or  bisshoppes  or  prestes 
ayen  the  lawe  of  God,  and  yff  it  so  were  that  the  patriarch  myght  not 
rewle  hem  by  spirituall  lawe,  than  shuld  this  lord  chastice  hem  by  tempo- 
rail  lawe ;  and  this  lord  sluild  not  be  clepid  a  kyng  or  an  emperoure,  but 
they  ordeyned  that  he  should  be  clepid  Preter  Johan ;  and  the  cause  is 
this,  for  there  is  no  degre  in  the  world  above  the  degre  of  presthode,  for  all 
the  world  ought  to  obbey  to  holy-chirch  and  to  presthode  in  spirituallite. 
Also  another  cause  is  this,  that  the  lorde  of  Ynde  is  cleped  Preter  Johan,  in 
worship  of  Seint  Johan  evangelist,  that  was  a  prest,  and  most  speciallich 
chose  and  loved  of  Crist  Jhesu  ;  of  whome  another  cause  is  for  Seint  Johan 
the  Baptist  that  baptised  Crist  Jhesu,  as  it  is  redde,  that  among  all  the 
children  that  were  of  women  borne,  was  this  none  gretter  than  Seint  Johan 
the  Baptist.  Whan  all  this  was  doo,  theis  iij.  kyngis,  the  patriarch  Thomas, 
and  Preter  Johan,  the  one  to  be  cheffe  lorde  in  temporallite  and  the  other 
to  be  chefFe  governoure  in  spirituallite  for  evermore,  to  whome  all  peple 
did  obbedience  with  dewe  reverence  and  gret  gladnesse  to  theire  power, 
and  had  submitted  thame  to  the  governaunce  off  these  lordis  afore- 
saide ;  than  every  man  yede  home  ayene  into  his  owne  contrey,  and  so 
these  lordis  and  governours  of  Ynde  he  cleped  the  same  names,  that  is 
to  saye.  Patriarch  Thomas  and  Preter  Johan.*  [Whanne  alle  these  thingis 
were  thus  disposed  and  ordeynede  by  thes  worthy  kynges,  thanne  thei 
yede  into  the  citee  of  Sewille  aforeseide,  and  a  litill  to-fore  the  feste 
of  the  Nativite  of  oure  Lord  Jhesu  Crist,  ther  apperede  a  wonderfuU  sterre 

*  What  follows  between  [  ]  is  suppHed  from  M.S.  Cotton.  Titus  A.  xxv. 


298  THE  LEGEND  OF 

aboute  the  cittee,  by  the  whiche  sterre  they  understode  that  her  tyme  was 
nye  that  they  shuld  passe  oute  of  this  worlde  unto  everlastynge  joye  of 
hevene.  Thanne  of  oon  assent  thei  ordeynede  a  fair  and  a  large  tombe 
for  her  sepulture,  in  the  same  chirche  that  they  had  made  in  the  citee,  and 
iu  the  feste  of  Cristemas  these  three  kyngis  and  ercliebisshopes  deden 
solempnely  Goddys  servyce,  and  so  in  the  feste  of  Circumcisioun  Melchior, 
that  was  kynge  of  Arabye  and  of  Nubye,  seide  a  masse  solempnely  in  the 
chirche,  and  whanne  he  had  seide  his  masse  to-fore  alle  the  puple,  he  leyde 
hym  doun  and  withouten  any  dissese  he  yolde  up  the  spyrit  to  the  Fader 
of  hevene,  and  so  deide  in  the  yere  of  his  age  an  c.  and  xvj.  And  thanne 
come  the  tothir  ij.  kyngis  and  toke  his  body,  and  anewed  it  with  bysshopys 
clothis  and  kyngis  ornamentes,  and  bare  hym  to  this  tombe,  and  with  grete 
devociouu  leyde  hym  therynne.  Thanne  in  the  feste  of  the  Epiphanye 
Balthasar,  that  was  kyng  of  Godeby  and  of  Saba,  seide  devoutelye  his 
masse,  and  whanne  he  had  seide  his  masse  withouten  any  grevaunce,  as 
the  wille  of  God  was,  he  deide  and  passyd  to  everlastynge  joye,  in  the 
yere  of  his  age,  an  c.  and  xij.  And  thanne  Jasper,  the  thridde  kynge,  toke 
up  hys  body,  and  whanne  it  was  arayede  as  it  shuld  be,  he  leyde  hym  by 
the  tothir  kynge  in  the  same  tombe.  Thanne  the  vjte  day  aftir  this,  Jasper, 
that  was  kynge  of  Tharce  and  of  the  ile  of  Egreswelle,  whanne  he  had 
also  with  devocioun  seide  hys  masse,  thanne  Crist  toke  hym  hys  spiryt  into 
everlastynge  joye,  and  thanne  puple  come  and  toke  his  bod}',  and  arrayde 
it  worschipfully,  and  bere  it  into  the  same  tombe  thereas  the  tothere  ij. 
kyngis  lien.  And  this  wonderfulle  myracle  Criste  schewid  there  to-fore  alle 
puple,  whanne  the  body  of  the  thridde  kynge  was  brought  and  shulde  be 
leyd  in  the  tombe  by  the  tothere  kyngis,  anone  everiche  of  the  tothere  ij. 
kyngis  departid  from  othir  and  yaven  hym  place  to  her  thridde  felowe,  and 
so  they  resseyved  hym  to  lye  in  the  myddys  bitwene  hem  bothe.  And  so 
it  may  be  seide  by  thes  three  worschipfuUe  kyngis,  as  it  is  seide  in  holy 
writte,  Gloriosi  principes  terra,  quomodo  in  vita  sua  dilexerunt  se,  ita  et 
in  morte  non  sunt  separati,  that  is  to  saye.  As  thes  glorouse  kyngis  and 
ercliebisshopes  loveden  togidere  in  her  lyf,  ryght  so  they  were  noght  de- 
partyd  in  her  detlie.  And  so  the  sterre  that  apperede  overe  the  citee  to- 
fore  her  dethe,  abode  allwey  tylle  her  bodyes  were  translated  into  Coleyn, 
as  they  of  Inde  seyen. 

Longe  tyme  aftir  the  dethe  of  thes  three  kyngis,  whanne  Cristen  feithe 
stode  and  was  in  prosperyte  in  the  worschipfuUe  citee  of  Sewille  and  in 
alle  the  kyngdomes  of  the  Est,  thanne  the  devell,  that  of  all  goodnes  and 
vertues  ys  distroyer,  thorugh  his]  wicked  angells  excityng  brought 
up  amonge  the  peple  diverse  errours  and  oppinions  of  heresie,  and 
this  persecution  of  heresie  gretly  fro  day  to  day  encresed  into  diverse 


THE  THREE  KINGS.  299 

places  and  londes  aboute,  iiisomoch  that  the  kyngdomes  and  londes  that 
thes  iij.  kyngis  were  lordis  and  kyngis  of,  and  also  the  peple  of  the  cite  of 
Sewill  where  thes  iij.  kyngis  restid  in,  for  the  most  partye  were  devided 
within  hem  self,  and  helde  diverse  oppinions  of  heresie  ayenst  the  faith  of 
holy  chirch,  insomoche  that  Preter  Johan  and  the  patriarch  Thomas 
myght  not  rewle  the  peple  ne  revoke  hem  from  her  heresies  by  no  spi- 
rituall  netemporall  correction  ;  and  in  this  persecution  that  was  this  brought 
up  among  the  peple  ayen  the  Cristen  faith,  the  peple  left  her  right  by- 
leve,  and  toke  them  ayene  to  her  olde  lawe,  that  is  to  say  to  worship  fals 
goddis  and  mawmettis,  and  forsoke  the  lawe  of  God  and  of  his  seintis,  in- 
somoche that  these  iij.  kynges  were  had  at  no  reverence  but  all  most  for- 
yeteof  the  peple ;  and  as  these  iij.  kynges  laid  in  her  tombe  incorrupt  to-fore 
these  heresies,  right  so  whan  this  heresie  and  this  division  was  so  gretly 
encresid  in  her  kyngdomes  ther  they  were  kyngis,  that  as  nature  of  man- 
kynde  asketh  the  bodies  of  these  iij.  kynges  were  disolved  and  turned  into 
erth,  and  so  in  this  tyme  the  peple  that  were  dwellyng  in  the  cite  of 
Sewill,  the  which  were  come  oute  of  the  londis  and  kyngdomes  of  thes 
iij.  kyngis,  every  party  toke  his  kyng  oute  of  his  tombe,  and  closed 
hem  in  diverse  chestes  honestly,  every  by  hem  self,  and  bare  hem  home  into 
her  owne  londes  and  kyngdomes,  with  gret  solempnite  and  worship,  every 
lond  resceyved  the  body  of  his  kyng,  and  ther  they  were  long  tyme  after. 

Whan  the  glorious  emperoure  Constantyne,  through  the  grace  of  God 
and  diverse  miracles,  was  convertid  to  Crist  be  Seint  Silvester,  and  was 
made  clene  of  his  leper,  and  was  chaunged  both  in  his  lyfe  and  in  his 
maners  into  a  newe  man,  that  is  to  say  into  the  lawe  of  Crist;  and  in  the 
same  tyme  Seint  Elyne  the  queue,  that  was  moder  to  Constantyne  afore- 
saide,  was  conversaunt  and  dwellyng  among  the  Jewes,  and  she  was  alle 
defect  and  defouled  with  the  .Jewes  lawes  and  with  her  beleve,  but  wonder- 
lich  she  was  convertid  to  the  lawe  of  Crist,  as  it  is  writt  in  the  storie  of  the 
fyndyng  of  the  holy  crosse  :  and  as  this  holy  quene  before  her  conversion 
to  Crist  was  a  gret  and  a  strong  enemie  to  the  lawe  of  Crist  and  to  the  faith, 
right  so  after  her  conversion  she  was  the  grettest  prechoure  of  Goddis  lawe 
in  alle  that  contrey  ther  as  she  was  conversaunt  in,  for  alle  the  holy  places 
that  ourelord  Jhesu  Crist  in  his  manhedehad  halowed  with  his  blissid  body 
thrughe  his  walkyng  here  in  erth,  the  which  places  this  holy  quene  sura 
tvme  throughe  information  of  the  fals  Jewes  held  for  cursed  and  odious 
places,  all  thes  places  this  worshipfulle  quene  to  the  worship  of  God  and  his 
blessid  moder  Marie,  with  gret  devotion  visited  and  worshipped  after  alle 
these  holy  places,  that  is  to  say  the  hille  of  Calvarie,  ther  Crist  was  done 
on  the  crosse  and  died  for  mankynde,  and  the  place  ther  Crist  committed 
his  moder  into  the  kepyng  of  St.  Johan  the  Evangelist  whan  he  hengh  on 


300  THE  LEGEND  OF 

the  crosse,  and  the  place  ther  Crist  after  his  uprisyng  fro  deth  to  lyf  in  the 
iij^e  day  appered  to  Marie  Mawdelyn  in  likenesse  of  a  gardener,  alle  thes 
places  and  mony  other  holy  places  this  worshipfuU  quene  comprehended 
with  one  chirch,  and  a  riall  and  a  worshipful!  chyrch,  above  alle  these  places 
aforsaide.  Also  in  other  diverse  places  she  made  mony  chirches,  and 
ordeined  archbisshoppes,  bisshoppes,  prestis,  and  clerkis,  and  other  ministers 
of  holy  chirch  to  serve  God,  and  she  yafFe  mony  gret  poscessions  to 
ineynteyne  and  encrese  Goddis  service. 

Ferthermore,  this  holy  quene  yede  into  the  place  ther  the  angell  appei'ed 
to  the  sheperds  thai  nyght  that  Crist  was  bore,  and  in  the  same  place  she 
did  make  a  worshipful!  and  a  rial!  chirch,  to  the  which  she  yaffe  a  name 
Gloria  in  excelsis,  that  is  so  clepid  yet  into  this  day  ;  and  in  this  chirch  was 
sum  tyme  agretcolage  of  chanons,  the  which  of  spiritual  privilege  beginne 
alle  her  oures  of  the  day  with  Gloria  in  excelsis,  as  we  do  liere  in  this  con- 
trey  with  Dens  in  adjntorium,  and  so  men  use  tlie  same  in  that  chirch. 
Whan  Seint  Elyne  had  made  this  chirch,  than  slie  yede  into  Betlilem  into 
tlie  same  place  ther  Crist  was  bore  of  his  moder  Seint  Marie;  and  as  it  is 
aforesaide,  the  Jewes  of  envie  wold  not  suffer  man,  child,  ne  best  to  go  into 
that  place,  for  they  held  it  a  cursed  place ;  and  so  fro  the  tyme  that  oure 
lady  was  gone  oute  of  this  place  ther  lier  sonne  was  bore  till  Seint  Elyne 
was  come  into  that  place,  tlier  never  came  man,  child,  ne  best  in  tliat  place  ; 
and  whan  Seint  Ehne  was  come  into  that  derke  place,  she  founde  the  same 
hey  that  Crist  was  laide  in  in  the  maungere,  and  the  clothes  that  oure  lord 
Jhesu  Crist  was  wounde  in,  and  oure  ladies  smocke,  and  all  these  thingis 
oure  lady  had  foryete  behynd  her  whan  she  yede  oute  of  that  place  into 
Egipt,  the  which  Seint  Eline  founde  togeder  fayreand  hole  in  the  mangere ; 
and  alle  thes  holy  reliques  Seint  Elyne  toke  away  with  her,  safFe  the 
maungere,  and  bare  hem  to  Constantyne  the  noble,  and  ther  with  all  reve- 
rence and  solempnite  put  hem  in  a  worshipfuU  chirche  that  is  clepid  the 
chirch  of  Seint  Phophie,  and  ther  these  reliques  were  kept  unto  the  tyme 
that  a  king  of  Fraunce,  which  was  clepyd  Carolus,came  to  Jerusalem,  and 
into  other  cristen  citees  aboute,  with  gret  oost,  and  ther  did  mony  gret 
batailes  ayenst  the  Sarezins,  and  delivered  oute  of  her  prisone  all  cristeu 
men  that  long  tyme  had  ley  there ;  and  whan  he  had  this  do,  he  yede  home 
by  Constantyne  the  noble.  And  ther  he  sighe  alle  thes  reliques  aforesaid, 
and  throughe  gret  prayer  he  had  alle  thes  reliques,  and  here  hem  home 
with  hym  into  his  kyngdome  of  Fraunce,  and  put  hem  in  a  worshipfuU 
chirche  that  is  made  in  worship  of  oure  lady,  the  whiche  is  clepid  Aeon  : 
ther  is  oure  ladis  smocke,  and  the  other  reliques,  worshipped  and  visitede  of 
Cristen  peple  of  diverse  loudes  aboute,  yet  into  this  day. 
Ferthermore,  Seint  Eline  did  make  a  chirche,  right  a  faire,  above  the  same 


THE  THREE  KINGS.  301 

place  ther  Crist  was  bore,  and  in  the  same  place  that  he  was  bore  beside 
the  maiigere  lith  Seint  Jerome,  Paula,  Eustochym  in  Romayns,  the  which 
of  gret  devotion  came  theder  with  Seint  Jerome.  Whan  Seint  Elene  had 
made  these  chyrches,  than  she  yede  to  the  cite  of  Nazareth,  which  is  a  faire 
cite,  and  ther  she  made  also  a  fayre  chirch,  and  ordeined  bisshoppes,  prestis, 
and  clerkys,  and  mony  other  ministers  of  holy  chlrche  thei  in,  and  yaffe  hem 
mony  gret  possessions  to  meynteyn  devine  service  :  and  in  the  cite  of  Naza- 
reth oure  lady  was  grett  of  an  angell ;  and  this  cite  of  Nazareth  is  in  the 
lend  and  lordship  of  Galile,  and  beside  this  Galile  is  the  hill  which  is  clepid 
Tabor,  and  on  this  hill  oure  lord  was  transfigrede  to-fore  iij.  of  his  disciples, 
Peter,  Johan,  and  James,  as  the  Gosspell  telleth,  and  this  hill  is  but  litell  of 
brede,  but  it  is  wonderlyche  highe,  and  it  is  fro  Jerusalem  iij.  dayes  jornay 
and  a  half;  and  betwexst  Jerusalem  and  this  hille  Tabor  was  a  way  that 
Crist  yede  with  bis  disciples  often  here  in  erth,and  preched  and  taught,  and 
did  miracles,  and  ferther  yede  he  not,  as  it  is  saide,  but  in  his  manhede 
than  these  ij.  places  aforesaid  that  were  betweste  hem. 

Whan  this  worshipfull  quene  Sent  Eline  had  this  viseted  alle  these  holy 
places,  and  ordeined  clerkis  and  other  ministers  to  serve  God  and  to  do 
divine  service,  as  it  is  aforesaide,  and  all  thing  was  performed  after  hyr 
will  to  the  worship  of  God,  than  she  began  to  thinke  gretly  on  the  bodyes 
of  these  iij.  kyngis  that  had  sought  God  and  worshipped  hym  in  his  childhode. 
And  than  this  lady  arrayed  hyr  with  a  certeyn  of  peple,  and  yede  into  the 
loud  of  Ynde ;  and  whan  she  was  come  into  this  lond  she  distroyed  alle  her 
sinagoges  and  her  fals  goddis  and  mawmettis,  and  did  make  chirches  and  mo- 
nasteries, and  ordeyned  in  hem  prestes  and  clerkis  of  cristen  faith,  and  also 
she  preched  tlie  cristen  faith  among  the  peple,  insomoche  that  the  faith  that 
was  preched  by  Seint  Thomas  the  apostle  and  the  iij.  kyngis,  the  which 
through  heresie  was  stroyed,  was  ennewed  and  encresid  ayen  throughe  hyr 
prechyng ;  for  alle  the  peple,  whan  they  herd  what  miracles  oure  Lord 
Jhesu  Crist  wrought  by  this  worshipfull  quene,  and  of  the  fyndyng  of  the 
holy  crosse,  and  of  the  nailes,  and  of  our  ladies  smocke,  and  of  the  hey 
and  the  clothes  that  Crist  was  wounde  in  in  his  childhode,  they  come  to  hyr 
and  worshipped  hyr,  and  forsokeher  fals  lawe,  and  toke  hem  to  the  la  we  of 
Crist,  as  Seint  Eline  taught  hem.  Than  whan  this  was  do,  she  began  gretly 
to  enquere  for  the  reliques  of  thes  iij.  kyngis,  and  with  gret  travaile  yede 
aboute  to  yete  hem. 

So  oure  Lord  Jhesu  Crist,  that  is  ever  redy  to  al  men  that  cry  to  hym  in 
truth  and  in  rightfulnesse,  as  he  shewed  to  this  holy  quene  the  holy  crosse, 
and  the  nailes  that  were  hid  depe  in  the  erth,  right  so  he  shewed  the  bodyes 
of  thes  iij.  kyngis  to  hyr,  and  so  this  lady  had  such  a  loos  among  alle  the 
peple,  that  the  patriarch  Thomas  and  Preter  Johan,  with  cousell  of  other 


302  THE  LEGEND  OF 

princes  and  lordes,  yafF  to  this  lady  Seint  Elyne  the  ij.  bodies  of  the  ij. 
kyngis,  Melchior  and  Baltazar,  to  the  worship  of  God  and  of  the  holy 
kyno;is  ;  the  body  of  the  iij'^e  kyng  Jasper  the  Nestories  had  bore  it  into  the 
ile  of  Egripwell.  And  bycause  that  Seint  Eline  wold  not  that  the  i\'f<^  kynge 
shuld  be  departed,  she  made  gret  meanes  and  gret  prayoures,  and  also 
yaffe  gret  yftes  to  the  chefF  lord  of  this  ile  of  Egripwill,  and  so  she  gate  the 
iij<3e  body,  that  is  to  say  Jasper,  and  for  this  body  she  yaffe  to  hem  the  body 
of  Seint  Thomas  the  apostell,  the  which  she  had  that  tyme  in  hyr  kepyng, 
and  this  body  of  Seint  Thomas  hath  be  twyes  here  away  fro  the  ile,  and 
alway  restored  ayene  for  certeyne  causes.  And  ye  shall  understond  that 
in  all  the  Est  is  ther  no  cristenman  sith  that  tyme  that  hath  be  in  the  ile 
of  Egripwille  theras  Seint  Thomas  the  apostle  lieth  that  hath  sey  this 
body,  for  it  is  common  prophecie  in  alle  that  contrey  that  the  body  of  Seiut 
Thomas  the  apostle  schalbe  translated  into  the  cite  of  Coleyne,  and  put 
in  to  the  iij.  kyngis,  and  in  what  maner  this  shalbe  do  they  telle,  and  sey 
that  in  tyme  commyng  whan  God  will  ther  shalbe  an  archebishoppe  of 
Coleyne,  and  he  shalbe  so  wise  and  so  myghty,  that  he  shall  make  a  con- 
tracte  by  twene  the  emperoures  sonne  of  Rome  and  the  emperoures  doughter 
of  Tartarie,  and  at  this  contracte  and  frendship  the  holy  lond  shalbe  yolden 
into  cristemennis  handis,  and  in  this  tyme  shalle  the  body  of  Seint  Thomas 
be  translated  and  be  bore  into  Coleyne  and  laid  by  the  iij.  kyngis,  and 
therfore  the  heritikes  of  this  ile,  the  which  is  clepid  Nestorii,  toke  but 
litell  kepe  of  his  body,  ne  thay  do  hym  no  reverence  bycause  of  this  pro- 
phecie. Than  whan  Seint  Eline  had  brought  the  iij^e  body,  that  is  to  sale 
Jaspers,  to  his  ij.  felaus,  than  was  such  a  swete  savoure  of  thes  iij.  kyngis, 
that  alle  the  peple  of  the  contrey  aboute  were  replete  therwith  ;  and  than 
Seint  Eline  put  thes  iij.  kyngis  togedyr  in  one  chest,  and  arraied  it  with  gret 
riches,  and  brought  hem  into  the  citee  of  Constantyne  the  noble,  with  alle 
joye  and  reverence,  and  ther  they  were  put  into  a  chirche,  the  which  is 
clepid  Seint  Phofie.  And  this  chirch  king  Constantynenoble  ded  make, 
and  he  allome  with  help  of  God  and  of  a  litell  child  set  up  alle  the  pelers 
of  marble  in  the  same  chirch,  and  in  this  chirch  was  that  tyme  the  crowne 
of  thornne  that  Crist  was  crowned  with ;  and  whan  the  Turkis  and  Sarisins 
come  down  into  Constantyne  noble  and  destroyed  it,  than  gret  part  therof 
the  emperoure  sent  to  Seint  Lewes,  that  than  was  kyng  of  Fraunce,  for 
socour  and  help,  and  this  kyng  Lowes  than  came  with  a  strong  peple  to 
the  emperour  and  recovered  ayen  the  most  partie  of  the  londes  that  the 
emperour  had  lost.  And  for  his  travaile  the  emperour  3affe  hym  the 
crowne  of  thorne,  wherefore  the  Grekes  made  nioch  sorowe ;  and  so  the 
Grekis  with  gret  lamentation  foryede  it.  And  the  Frenschemen  with  gret 
joye  bare  this  crowne  out  of  Constantynenoble  into  Parise.   And  ye  shalle 


THE  THREE  KINGS.  303 

understonde  that  Constantynenoble  is  the  cheff  cite  of  Grece.  And  whan 
these  iij.  bodies  of  these  iij.  kyngis  were  brought  into  the  citee  and  chirch 
aforesaide,  than  alle  the  peple  of  all  the  contrey  aboute  come  and  visited 
liem,  and  with  gret  devotion  worshipped  hem,  and  ther  they  were  kept  long 
tyme,  and  oure  lord  Jhesu  Crist,  of  his  gret  mercy,  wrought  ther  mony 
miracles  throughe  the  merites  of  these  iij.  kyngis.  After  the  deth  of  this 
worshipfull  kyng  Constantyne  and  his  moder  Seint  Eline  aforesaide,  ther 
begane  ayen  a  new  persecution  of  heresie  ayenst  the  cristen  faith,  and  also 
a  persecution  of  deth  ayenst  hem  that  wold  meynteyne  the  faith  and  the 
lawe  of  Crist ;  and  in  this  persecution  and  tribulation  the  Grekis,  though  it 
so  were  that  they  had  mony  worshipfull  doctors  and  bisshoppes  of  the  same 
contrey  of  Grece  borne,  yet  they  forsoke  the  right  way,  and  the  lawe  of 
holy  chirch,  and  the  articles  of  the  faith,  and  chose  hem  a  patriarch  by 
hem  selfe,  to  whom  they  obbey  yet  into  this  day  as  we  do  to  the  pope  ;  and 
in  this  persecution  the  bodies  and  the  reliques  of  these  iij.  holy  kyngis  were 
put  at  no  reverence,  but  utterly  set  at  nought,  and  so  these  Sarasins 
and  Turkes  wonne  the  londes  of  Grece  and  of  Ermonye,  and  destroyed  a 
gret  parte  of  these  londis.  And  than  came  an  emperour  of  Rome,  the 
which  was  clepid  Mauricius,  and  throughe  help  of  hem  of  Melon  he  reco- 
vered all  these  londes  ayene  ;  and  as  it  is  saide  among  men  in  that  contrey 
ther,  through  counsell  of  the  same  emperour,  thes  iij.  kyngis  were  trans- 
lated into  Melon.  Ferthermore,  it  is  redde  in  divers  bokis  in  that  contrey 
that  ther  was  an  emperour  of  Grece,  the  which  was  clepid  Emanuell,  and 
this  emperour  sent  a  religious  man,  the  which  was  clepid  Eustrogens,  into 
Melone  on  a  certeyne  message,  and  than  this  religious  man  askede  the 
emperoure  to  have  thes  iij.  bodies.  Because  that  the  emperour  loved  well 
this  man  he  graunted  hym  these  iij.  bodies ;  and  so  this  Eustrogens  sent 
thes  bodies  into  Melon,  and  laid  hem  ther  in  a  faire  chyrch,  the  which  is 
cleped  the  freer  prechours,  with  all  solempnite  and  worship,  and  oure  lord 
Jhesu  Crist,  throughe  the  merites  of  these  iij.  kingis,  wrought  mony 
miracles,  &c. 

Than  afterward,  by  processe  of  tyme,  it  fortuned  that  the  cite  of  Melon 
began  to  rebelle  ayenst  the  emperoure,  which  was  clepid  Frodoricus,  and 
this  Emperour  sent  to  the  archebisshop  of  Colne,  the  which  was  clepid 
Reinold,  for  help.  Than  this  archbisshop  of  Colne,  through  help  of  diverse 
lordis  of  the  lond  of  Melon,  distroyed  a  gret  part  therof ;  and  in  this  tyme 
the  gret  men  of  the  citee  toke  the  bodies  of  these  iij.  kyngis  and  hid  hem 
privyly  in  the  erth ;  and  among  all  other  in  this  cite  ther  was  a  lord  that 
was  clepid  Asso,  and  the  emperour  hated  this  Asso  more  than  all  the  peple 
of  the  cite  ;  and  so  it  happed,  in  this  distruction  of  the  cite,  the  archebisshop 
wanne  this  lordis  paleis  through  strong  honde,  and  lay  therin  a  gret  while. 


304  THE  THREE  KINGS. 

and  this  Asso  was  take  and  put  into  prisone.  Thau  this  Asso  sent  priveliche 
by  his  kepers  to  the  archebissop  of  Colon,  and  prayed  hym  that  he  might 
come  speke  with  hym  ;  and  this  archbisshop  graunted  that  he  shuld  come 
to  hym.  So  whan  he  was  come  to  the  archbisshop,  he  behight  hym,  yiF  he 
wolde  get  hym  grace  of  the  emperoure,  and  liis  lond  and  his  lordship,  he 
wold  yeffe  hym  the  bodies  of  the  iij.  kyngis ;  and  whan  the  archbishop  hard 
this,  anon  he  yede  to  the  emperoure  and  prayed  for  hym,  and  gate  hym 
grace  and  good  lordship  of  the  emperoure  ;  and  whan  this  was  do,  than  this 
lord  Asso  brought  privatly  the  iij.  bodies  of  the  kyngis  to  the  archbisshop  ; 
and  then  the  archbisshop  send  thes  bodies  forth  priveliche  by  a  prevy 
meyne  a  gret  way  oute  of  the  citee  of  Melon,  and  than  he  yede  to  the  em- 
perour,  and  prayed  hym  that  he  wold  graunt  hym  thes  iij.  bodies.  And 
the  emperour  graunted  with  gode  will,  for  the  archbisshopp  wold  not  speke 
to-fore,  for  he  was  in  doute  whether  the  emperour  wold  graunt  hym  this 
asking  or  none ;  and  than  the  archebisshop  opynly,  with  gret  solempnite 
and  gret  procession,  brought  thes  holy  seintes  bodies  Into  Coleyne,  and  ther 
he  put  hem  in  a  fayre  chirch  off  Seint  Peter  worshipfully,  and  alle  the 
peple  of  the  contrey,  with  alle  the  reverence  that  they  might,  resceyved 
this  holy  relyques,  and  ther  they  be  kept  and  worshipped  of  alle  maner  of 
nacions  into  this,  and  mony  miracles  oure  Lord  Jhesu  Crist,  through  the 
prayers  and  merites  of  thes  iij.  worshipful!  kyngis,  every  day  shewet  ther 
to  all  cristen  peple.  And  thus  endeth  the  translation  of  thes  iij.  wor- 
shipfuU  kyngis. 


END  OF  VOL.   T. 


LONDON  : 

P.  SHOBEftl.,  JUN.,  51  ,  RUPERT  STREET,  H  AYMARKET, 

PRINTER  TO  H.R.H.  PRINCE  ALBERT. 


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