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Noah's Flood

- The Waterleaders and Drawers of Dee

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And firste in some high place—or in the clowdes, if it may bee— God speaketh unto Noe standinge without the arke with all his familye.
GOD

I, God, that all this world hath wrought,
heaven and yearth, and all of nought,
I see my people in deede and thought
are sett fowle in sinne.
My goost shall not lenge in mone
that through fleshe-likinge is my fone
but tyll six score yeares be commen and gone
to looke if the will blynne.

Man that I made will I distroye,
beast, worme, and fowle to flye;
for on yearth the doe mee noye,
the folke that are theron.
Hit harmes mee so hurtefullye,
the mallice that doth now multiplye,
that sore it greeves mee inwardlye
that ever I made mon.

Therfore Noe, my servante free,
that righteous man arte as I see,
a shippe sonne thou shalt make thee
of trees drye and light.

Little chambers therin thou make
and bindinge sliche alsoe thou take;
within and without thou ne slake
to annoynte yt through all thy might.

Three hundreth cubitts yt shalbee longe
and fiftye broade to make yt stronge;
of height sixtye. The meete thou fonge;
thus measure thou hit aboute.
One window worke through thy witt;
a cubytt of length and breade make hit.
Upon the syde a doore shall shutte,
for to com in and owt.

Eatinge-places thou make alsoe
three, [rowfed] chambers one or too,
for with water I thinke to flowe
mone that I can make.
Destroyed all they worlde shalbe—
save thou, thy wife, thy sonnes three,
and there wyves alsoe with thee—
shall fall before thy face.

NOE

A, lorde, I thanke thee lowde and still
that to mee arte in such will
and spares mee and my houshould to spill,
as I nowe soothly fynde.
Thy byddinge, lorde, I shall fulfill
nor never more thee greeve ne gryll,
that such grace hath sente mee tyll
amonges all mankynde.

Have donne, you men and weomen all.
Hye you, leste this water fall,
to worche this shippe, chamber and hall,
as God hath bydden us doe.

SEM
Father, I am allreadye bowne:
an axe I have, by my crowne,
as sharpe as any in all thys towne
for to goe therto.

CAM
I have an hatchett wonder keene
to bytte well, as may bee seene;
a better grownde, as I weene,
is not in all this towne.

JAFETT
And I can well make a pynne
and with this hammer knocke yt in.
Goe wee worch bowte more dynne,
and I am ready bowne.

NOES WIFE
And wee shall bringe tymber to,
for wee mon nothinge ells doe—
women bynne weake to underfoe
any great travell.

SEMES WYFE
Here is a good hackestocke;
one this you may hewe and knocke.
Shall none be idle in this flocke,
ne nowe may noe man fable.

CAMES WIFE
And I will goe gather slytche,
the shippe for to clam and pitche.
Annoynte yt muste bee with stitche—
borde, tree, and pynne.

JAFETES WIFE
And I will gather chippes here
to make a fyer for you in feare,
and for to dighte your dinnere
agayne you come in.

Then Noe beginneth to buyld the arke.
NOE

Nowe in the name of God I beginne
to make the shippe that wee shall in,
that wee may be ready for to swyme
at the comminge of the fludd.
These bordes I pynne here together
to beare us safe from the weather,
that wee may rowe both hither and thither
and safe be from this fludd.

Of this tree will I make a maste
tyed with gables that will laste,
with a seale-yard for eych baste,
and yche thinge in there kynde.

With topcastle and bowespreete,
bothe cordes and roopes I have all meete
to sayle forthe at the nexte weete—
this shippe is at an ende.

Wife, in this vessell wee shalbe kepte;
my children and thou, I would in yee lepte.

NOES WIFE
In fayth, Noe, I had as leeve thou slepte.
For all thy Frenyshe fare,
I will not doe after thy reade.

NOE
Good wiffe, do nowe as I thee bydd.

NOES WIFFE
By Christe, not or I see more neede,
though thou stand all daye and stare.

NOE
Lord, that weomen bine crabbed aye,
and non are meeke, I dare well saye.
That is well seene by mee todaye
in witnesse of you eychone.
Good wiffe, lett be all this beare
that thou makest in this place here,
for all the weene that thou arte mastere—
and soe thou arte, by sayncte John.

Then Noe with all his familye shall make a signe as though the wrought upon the shippe with divers instruements. And after that God shall speake to Noe as followeth:
DEUS

Noe, take thou thy meanye
and in the shippe hye that yee bee;
for non soe righteouse man to mee
ys nowe one yearth livinge.
Of cleane beastes with thee thoe take
vii and vii or then thou slake;
hee and shee, make to make,
bylyve in that thou bringe;

of beastes uncleane ii and ii,
male and female, bowt moo;
of cleane fowles seaven alsoe,
the hee and shee together;
of fowles uncleane twayne and noe more,
as I of beastes sayde before.
That man be saved through my lore,
agaynst I sende this wedder,

of meates that mon be eaten,
into the shippe loke the be getten,
for that maye bee noe waye forgotten.
And doe this all bydeene
to sustayne man and beastes therin
aye tyll the water cease and blynne.
This worlde is filled full of sinne,
and that is nowe well seene.

Seaven dayes bynne yett cominge;
you shall have space them in to bringe.
After that, it is my likinge
mankynde for to anoye.
Fortye dayes and fortye nightes
rayne shall fall for there unrightes.
And that I have made through myghtes
nowe thinke I to distroye.

NOE

Lord, at your byddinge I am bayne.
Sythen noe other grace will gayne,
hyt will I fulfill fayne,
for gracyouse I thee fynde.
An hundreth winters and twentye
this shippe-makinge tarryed have I,
if throughe amendemente thy mercye
would fall to mankynde.

Have donne, yee men and weomen all;
hye you lest this water fall,
that eyche beaste were in stall
and into the shippe broughte.
Of cleane beastes seaven shalbe,
of uncleane two; thus God bade mee.
The flood is nigh, you may well see;
therfore tarrye you nought.

Then Noe shall goe into the arke with all his familye, his wyffe excepte, and the arke muste bee borded rownde aboute. And one the bordes all the beastes and fowles hereafter reahersed muste bee paynted, that ther wordes may agree with the pictures.

SEM
Syr, here are lions, leopardes in;
horses, mares, oxen, and swynne,
geates, calves, sheepe, and kyne
here sytten thou may see.

CAM
Camelles, asses, man may fynde,
bucke and doe, harte and hynde.
All beastes of all manere of kynde
here bynne, as thinketh mee.

JAFETT
Take here cattes, dogges too,
otters and foxes, fullimartes alsoe;
hares hoppinge gayle can goe
here have colle for to eate.

NOES WIFE
And here are beares, wolves sett,
apes, owles, maremussett,
wesills, squerrells, and fyrrett;
here the eaten there meate.

SEMES WIFFE
Heare are beastes in this howse;
here cattes maken yt crowse;
here a rotten, here a mowse
that standen nere together.

CAMS WYFFE
And here are fowles lesse and more—
hernes, cranes, and byttoer,
swanes, peacockes—and them before
meate for this wedder.

JAFETTES WYFFE
Here are cockes, kytes, crowes,
rookes, ravens, many rowes,
duckes, curlewes, whoever knowes,
eychone in his kynde.
And here are doves, digges, drakes,
redshankes ronninge through lakes;
and eyche fowle that leadenn makes
in this shippe man may fynde.

NOE
Wyffe, come in. Why standes thou there?
Thou arte ever frowarde; that dare I sweare.
Come, in Godes name; halfe tyme yt weare,
for feare lest that wee drowne.

NOES WYFFE

Yea, syr, sett up your seale
and rowe forthe with evell hayle;
for withowten any fayle
I will not owt of this towne.

But I have my gossips everyechone,
one foote further I will not gone.
They shall not drowne, by sayncte John,
and I may save there life.

The loved me full well, by Christe.
But thou wilte lett them into thy chiste,
elles rowe forthe, Noe, when thy liste
and gett thee a newe wyfe.

NOE
Sem, sonne, loe thy mother is wraowe;
by God, such another I doe not knowe.

SEM
Father, I shall fetch her in, I trowe,
withowten any fayle.
Mother, my father after thee sende
and byddes thee into yonder wende.
Looke up and see the wynde,
for wee benne readye to sayle.

NOES WYFFE
Sonne, goe agayne to him and saye
I will not come therin todaye.

NOE
Come in, wiffe, in twentye devylles waye,
or ells stand there withowte.

CAM
Shall we all fetch hir in?

NOE
Yea, sonne, in Chrystes blessinge and myne,
I would yee hyed you betyme
for of this fludd I stande in doubte.

THE GOOD GOSSIPS

The fludd comes fleetinge in full faste,
one everye syde that spredeth full farre.
For fere of drowninge I am agaste;
good gossippe, lett us drawe nere.

And lett us drinke or wee departe,
for oftetymes wee have done soe.
For at one draught thou drinke a quarte,
and soe will I doe or I goe.

Here is a pottell full of malnesaye good and stronge;
yt will rejoyse both harte and tonge.
Though Noe thinke us never soe longe,
yett wee wyll drinke atyte.

JAPHETT
Mother, wee praye you all together—
for we are here, your owne childer—
come into the shippe for feare of the wedder,
for his love that [you] bought.

NOES WYFFE
That will I not for all your call
but I have my gosseppes all.

SEM
In fayth, mother, yett thow shall,
whether thou will or nought.

NOE
Welcome, wyffe, into this boote.

NOES WYFFE
Have thou that for thy note!

NOE
Aha, marye, this ys hotte;
yt is good for to be still.
Ah, chyldren, meethinke my boote remeeves.
Our tarryinge here mee highly greeves.
Over the lande the water spreades;
God doe hee as hee will.

Then the singe, and Noe shall speake agayne.
NOE

Ah, greate God that arte soe good,
that worchis not thy will is wood.
Now all this world is one a flood,
as I see well in sight.
This windowe I will shutt anon,
and into my chamber I will gonne
tyll thys water, soe greate one,
bee slaked through thy mighte.

Then shall Noe shutt the windowe of the arke, and for a little space within the bordes hee shalbe scylent; and afterwarde openinge the windowe and lookinge rownde about sayinge:

Lord God in majestye
that such grace hast granted mee
wher all was borne, salfe to bee!
Therfore nowe I am boune—
my wyffe, my children, and my menye—
with sacryfice to honour thee
of beastes, fowles, as thou mayest see,
and full devotyon.

GOD

Noe, to me thou arte full able
and thy sacrafice acceptable;
for I have founde thee treeue and stable,
one thee nowe muste I myne.
Warrye yearth I will noe more
for mans sinnes that greeves mee sore;
for of youth man full yore
hasse bynne enclyned to sinne.

Yee shall nowe growe and multiplye,
and yearth agayne to edifye.
Eache beast and fowle that may flye
shalbe feared of you.
And fishe in saye, all that may fleete,
shall sustayne you, I thee behett;
to eate of them yee ne lett
that cleane bynne you mon knowe.

Thereas yee have eaten before
trees and rootes since yee weare bore,
of cleane beastes nowe, lesse and more,
I give you leave to eate—

save blood and fleshe bothe in feare
of wrauge dead carryen that is here.
Eate yee not of that in noe manere,
for that aye yee shall leave.

Manslaughter also aye yee shall flee,
for that is not playsante unto mee.
They that sheden blood, hee or shee,
ought-where amongste mankynde,
that blood fowle shedd shalbe
and vengeance have, men shall see.
Therfore beware all yee,
you fall not into that synne.

And forwarde, Noe, with thee I make
and all thy seede for thy sake,
of suche vengeance for to slake,
for nowe I have my will.
Here I behette thee an heeste
that man, woman, fowle, ne beaste
with water whille this worlde shall laste
I will noe more spill.

My bowe betwene you and mee
in the fyrmamente shalbe,
by verey tokeninge that you may see
that such vengeance shall cease.
The man ne woman shall never more
be wasted by water as hath before;
but for synne that greveth me sore,
therfore this vengeance was.

Where clowdes in the welkyn bynne,
that ylke bowe shalbe seene,
in tokeninge that my wrath and teene
shall never thus wroken bee.
The stringe is torned towardes you
and towardes me is bente the bowe,
that such wedder shall never showe;
and this behett I thee.

My blessinge nowe I give thee here,
to thee, Noe, my servante deare,
for vengeance shall noe more appeare.
And now farewell, my darlinge dere.

Finis