 | Iacob and Esau |  |
scæna prima.
Rebecca. Iacob.Rebecca.
Sonne Iacob euen now is come the very houre,
That if thou haue any grace or hearte or power,
To play thy parte well, and sticke vnto it throughout,
Esau his blessing will be thine without dout.
Iacob.
Mother I know your good will to be vnfained:
But I see not which waye the thing may be attained.
Rebecca.
I haue it contriued how all thing shall be done,
Do thou as I shall bid thee, and it will be wonne.
Iacob.
Mother in me shall be no faulte or negligence.
Rebecca.
Then herken very well vnto this my sentence.
I hearde olde Isaac in a long solempne talke,
Bid thy brother Esau to the fielde to walke,
And there with his bowe to kill him some venison,
Which brought and dressed, he to haue his benison.
For I am aged (sayd Isaac) truly:
And would blesse thee dere sonne before that I dye.
Now is Esau gone to do it euen so.
But while he his away, I would haue thee to go,
Abroade vnto the flocke, and fet me kiddes twain.
Of which I shall with a trice make such meate certain,
As shall say come eate me, and make olde Isaac
Licke his lippes therat, so toothsom shall it smacke.
I shall make him therof such as he doth loue,
Which in thy brothers steede to blisse thee shall him moue.
Iacob.
O swete and dere mother, this deuise is but vaine,
For Esau is rough, and I am smothe certaine.
And so when I shal to my father bring this meate,
Perchaunce he will feele me, before that he will eate.
Old men be mistrustfull: he shall the matter take,
That I went about my father a foole to make.
Mother by such a pranck the matter will be wurse:
And I in stede of blissing shal purchase me his curse.
Rebecca.
On me be thy curse my sonne, let it light on me.
Doo thou thy true deuoire, and let God worke therein.
Iacob.
Upon your worde mother, I will the thing begin,
Send me litle Mido to helpe me beare a kidde.
Rebecca.
He shall come by and by, for so I shall him bidde.
Now lord, & if thou please, that this thing shall take place,
Further this our enterprise, helping with thy grace.
| Iacob and Esau | |