 | Iacob and Esau |  |
scæna secunda.
Esau the maister. Ragau the seruant.Esau.
Commeth in so faint that he can scarse go.
Oh what a grieuous pain is hunger to a man?
Take all that I haue for meate, helpe who that can.
O Lorde, some good body for Gods sake gyue me meate.
I force not what it were, so that I had to eate.
Meate or drinke, saue my life, or breade, I recke not what.
If there be nothing else, some man giue me a cat.
If any good body on me will doe so much cost,
I will teare and eate hir rawe, she shall nere be rost,
I promise of honestie I will eate hir rawe.
And what a nody was I, and a hooreson dawe,
To let Ragau goe with all my doggs at ones:
A shoulder of a dogge were nowe meate for the nones.
Oh what shall I doe? my teeth I can scarsely charme,
From gnawyng away the braune of my very arme.
I can no longer stande for faynt, I must needes lie.
And except meate come soone, remedilesse I die.
Unlesse thou come at once, I neuer see thee more.
Where art thou Ragau, I heare not of thee yet?
Ragau.
Here as fast as I can, but no meate can I get.
Not one draught of drink, not one poore morsel of bread
Not one bit or crum though I shold streight way be dead.
Therfore ye may nowe see how much ye are to blame,
That wil thus sterue your self for folowing your game.
Esau.
Ah thou villain, tellest thou me this now?
If had thee, I woulde eate thee, to God I vowe,
Ah, meat thou horson, why hast thou not brought me meat?
Ragau.
Would you haue me bring you that I can nowhere geat.
Esau.
Come hither, let me tell thee a worde in thine eare.
Ragau.
Nay, speake out aloude: I will not come a foote nere.
Fall ye to snatching at folkes? adieu I am gone.
Esau.
Nay for gods loue Ragau, leaue me not alone:
I will not eate thee Ragau, so God me helpe.
Ragau.
No, I shall desire you to choose some other whelpe.
Being in your best lust I woulde topple with ye,
And plucke a good crowe ere ye brake your fast with me.
What? are you mankene now? I recken it best I,
To bind your handes behind you euen as ye lye.
Esau.
Nay haue mercy on me, and let me not perishe.
Ragau.
In faith nought could I get wherwith you to cherishe.
Esau.
Was there nothing to be had among so many?
Ragau.
I coulde not finde one but Iacob that had any,
And no grannt would he make for ought that I could say,
Yet no man aliue with fairer wordes coulde him pray.
But the best redde pottage he hath that euer was.
Esau.
Go pray him I may speake with him once ere I passe.
Ragau.
That message by Gods grace shall not long be vndone.
Esau.
Hie thee go apace, and returne againe soone.
If Iacob haue due brotherly compassion.
He will not see me fainte after this fashion,
But I dare say, the wretche had rather see me throst,
For where is betwene one fremman and an other,
Lesse loue found than now betwene brother and brother?
Will Iacob come foorth to shewe comforte vnto me?
The horeson hypocrite will as soone hanged be.
Yet peace, me thinketh Iacob is comming in dede:
And my minde geueth me at his hande I shall spede.
For he is as gentle and louing as can be,
As full of compassion and pitie.
But let me see, doth he come? no I warrant you.
He come quod I? tushe, he come? then hang Esau.
For there is not this daye in all the worlde rounde,
Suche an other hodypeake wretche to be founde.
And Ragau my man, is not that a fine knaue?
Haue any mo maisters suche a man as I haue?
So idle, so loytring, so trifling, so toying?
So pratling, so tratling, so chiding, so boying?
So iesting, so wresting, so mocking, so mowing?
So nipping, so tripping, so cocking, so crowyng?
So knappishe, so snappishe, so eluishe, so frowarde?
So crabbed, so wrabbed, so stiffe, so vntowarde?
In play or in pastime, so iocunde, so mery?
In worke or in labour so dead or so weary?
Oh that I had his eare betwene my teeth now,
I should shake him euen as a dog that lulleth a sow.
But in faith if euer I recouer my selfe,
There was neuer none trounced as I shal trounce that elf.
He and Iacob are agreed I dare say, I,
Not to come at all, but to suffre me here to die.
Whiche if they doo, they shall finde this same word true,
That after I am dead, my soule shall them pursue.
I wyll be auenged on all foes till I dye.
Yea and take vengeaunce when I am deade too I.
For I mistrust against me agreed they haue:
For thone is but a foole, and thother a starke knaue.
I assure you Iacob, the man is very weake.
Esau.
But hearke once again, me thinke I heare them speake.
Ragau.
I promise you I feare his lyfe be alreadie past.
Iacob.
Mary God forbidde.
Esau.
Loe nowe they come at last.
Ragau.
If ye beleue not me, see your selfe where he is.
Iacob.
Fye brother Esau, what a foly is this?
About vaine pastime to wander abroade, and peake,
Til with hunger you make your selfe thus faint & weake.
Esau.
Brother Iacob, I pray you chide now no longer,
But giue me somewhat wherwith to slake mine honger.
Iacob.
Alack brother, I haue in my little cotage,
Nothing but a mease of grosse and homely pottage.
Esau.
Refreshe me therwithall, and boldly aske of me,
The best thing that I haue, what soeuer it be.
I were a very beast, when thou my life doest saue,
If I shoulde sticke with thee for the best thyng I haue.
Iacob.
Can ye be content to sell your birthright to mee?
Esau.
Holde, here is my hande, I doe sell it here to thee.
With all the profites thereof henceforth to be thine,
As free, as full, as large, as euer it was mine.
Iacob.
Then sweare thou hand in hande before the lyuing Lord,
This bargaine to fulfill, and to stande by thy worde.
Esau.
Before the Lord I sweare, to whom eche heart is known
That my birthright that was, from hensforth is thine owne.
Iacob.
Thou shalt also with me by this promise indent,
With this bargaine and sale to holde thy selfe content.
Esau.
If eche penie therof might be worth twentie pounde,
I willingly to thee surrender it this stounde.
And if eche cicle might be worth a whole talent,
I promise with this sale to holde me content.
Iacob.
Come, let vs set him on foote that he may goe sup.
Ragau.
Nay, fyrst I will knowe a thing, ere I helpe him vp.
Sirra, will ye eate folke when ye are long fasting?
Esau.
No, I pray thee helpe me vp, and leaue thy iestyng.
No trow, eate your brother Iacob nowe if you lust.
For you shall not eate me, I tell you, that is iust.
Iacob.
Come, that with my pottage thou mayst refreshed be.
Esau.
There is no meate on earth that so wel liketh me.
Ragau.
Yet I may tell you, it is potage dearely bought.
Esau.
No not a whitte, for my bargaine take thou no thought.
I defye that birthright that shoulde be of more price,
Than helping of ones selfe, I am not so vnwise.
Ragau.
And how then sir, shall poore Ragau haue no meate?
Esau.
Yes, and if thou canst my brother Iacob intreate.
Iacob.
God graunt I haue inough for Esau alone.
Ragau.
Why then I perceyue poore Ragau shall haue none.
Well, much good do it you with your potage of Rice:
Esau entring into Iacobs tēt shaketh Ragau off.
I woulde fast and fare yll, ere I eate of that price.
Woulde I sell my birthright beyng an eldest sonne?
Forsoth then were it a faire threede that I had sponne.
And then to lette it goe for a mease of pottage,
What is that, but bothe vnthriftinesse and dotage?
Alack, alack, good blessed father Isaac,
That euer sonne of thine, shoulde play such a leude knacke.
And yet I doe not thinke but God this thyng hath wrought,
For Iacob is as good as Esau is nought.
But foorth commeth Mido, as fast as he can trot:
For a cicle, whether to call me in or not?
| Iacob and Esau | |