University of Virginia Library

scæna tertia.

Rebecca the Mother. Iacob the Sonne.
Rebecca.
Come forth sonne Iacob, why tarriest thou behinde?

Iacob.
Forsoth mother, I thought ye had sayd al your minde.

Rebecca.
Nay, come I haue yet a worde or two more to say.

Iacob.
What soeuer pleaseth you, speake to me ye may.

Rebecca.
Seyng thy brother Esau is suche an one,
Why rebukest thou hym not when ye are alone?
Why doest thou not gyue him some good sad wyse counsaile?

Iacob.
He lacketh not that mother, if it woulde auaile.
But when I doe him any thing of his fault tell,
He calleth me foolishe proude boy with him to mell.
He will somtime demaunde by what authoritee,
I presume to teache them which mine elders bee?
He will somtime aske if I learne of my mother,
To take on me teaching of mine elder brother?
Sometime when I tell hym of his leude behauour,
He will lende me a mocke or twaine for my labour:
And somtime for anger he will out with his purse
And call me as please hym, and sweare he will doe wurse.

Rebecca.
Oh Lorde, that to beare such a sonne it was my chaunce.

Iacob.
Mother, we must be content wyth Gods ordinaunce.

Rebecca.
Or, if I shoulde needes haue Esau to my soonne,
Would God thou Iacob haddest the Eldership woonne.

Iacob.
Mother, it is to late to wishe for that is past:
It will not be done now wish ye neuer so fast.
And I woulde not haue you to wish agaynst Gods wyll:
For both it is in vaine, and also it is yll.

Rebecca.
Why did it not please God, that thou shouldest as wele
Treade vpon his crowne, as holde hym fast by the hele?

Iacob.
Whatsoeuer mysterie the Lorde therein ment,
Must be referred to his vnserched iudgement.
And what soeuer he hath pointed me vnto,
I am his owne vessell his will with me to do.

Rebecca.
Well, some straunge thing therin of God intended was,

Iacob.
And what he hath decreed, must sure come to passe.

Rebecca.
I remember when I had you both conceiued,
A voyce thus saying from the Lorde I receiued:
Rebecca, in thy wombe are now two nations,
Of vnlike natures and contrary fashions.
The one shal be a mightier people elect:
And the elder to the yonger shall be subiect.
I knowe this voyce came not to me of nothing:
Therfore thou shalt folow my counsell in o thing.

Iacob.
So it be not displeasing to the Lorde I must.

Rebecca.
I feare the lorde eke, who is mercifull and iust:
And loth would I be, his maiestie to offende,
But by me (I doubt not to worke he doth intende,
Assay if thou canst, at some one tyme or other,
To buie the right of eldership from thy brother:
Do thou buye the birthright that to hym doth belong,
So mayst thou haue the blessing, and doe hym no wrong.
What thou hast once bought, is thyne owne of due right.

Iacob.
Mother Rebecca, if withouten fraude I might,
I would your aduise put in vre wyth all my hart,
But I may not attempt any such guilefull part:
To buie my brothers eldership and hys birthright,
I feare woulde be a great offence in Gods sight.
Which thyng if I wist, to redeeme I ne wolde,
Though I might get therby ten millions of golde.

Rebecca.
God, who by his worde and almightifull decree,
Hath appoynted thee Esau his lorde to bee,
Hath appointed some way to haue it brought about.
And that is thys way, my sprite doth not doute.

Iacob.
Upon your worde mother, I will assay ere long,
Yet it grudgeth my heart to doe my brother wrong.

Rebecca.
Thou shalt do no wrong sonne Iacob, on my perill.

Iacob.
Then by Gods leaue once assay I wil.

Rebecca.
Then farewell dere son, Gods blessing & mine with thee.

Iacob.
I will againe to the Tent. Well you bee.

Exeat Iacob.
Rebecca.
Ah my sweete sonne Iacob, good fortune God thee sende.
The most gentle yong man aliue, as God me mende.
And the moste naturall to father and mother:
O that such a meke spirite were in thy brother,
Or thy syre loued thee as thou hast merited,
And then should Esau soone be disherited.