 | The Baxteres |  |
[Scene, A chamber in Jerusalem.]
Pees be both be day and nyght
Vn-till þis house, and till all þat is here!
Here will I holde as I haue hight,
The feeste of Paas with frendis in feere.
Marc.
Maistir, we haue arayd full right
Seruise þat semes for youre sopere.
Oure lambe is roste, and redy dight,
As Moyses lawe will lely lere.
Jesus.
That is, ilke man þat has
Pepill in his awne poste
Shall roste a lambe at paas,
To hym and his meyne.
Maistir, þe custome wele we knawe,
That with oure elthers euer has bene,
How ilke man with his meyne awe
To roste a lambe, and ete it clene.
Jesus.
Marc.
Maistir, it is all redy here,
And here a towell clene to taste.
Jesus.
Commes forthe with me, all in feere,
My wordis schall noght be wroght in waste.
Settis youre feete fourth, late see,
They schall be wasshen sone.
Pet.
Jesus.
Petir, bott if þou latte me wasshe þi feete,
Þou getis no parte in blisse with me.
Pet.
A! mercy, lorde and maistir swete,
Owte of þat blisse þat I noght be,
Wasshe on my lorde to all be wete,
Both hede and hande, beseke I þe.
Jesus.
[Aside.]
Now sen oure maistir sais he schall
Wende, and will not telle vs whedir,
Whilke of vs schall be princepall,
Late loke now whils we dwell to-gedir.
Jesus.
[Jesus.]
Quod facis fac cicius,
Þat þou schall do, do sone.
Allas! so wilsom wightis as we,
Was neuere in worlde walkand in wede,
Oure maistir sais his awne meyne
Has be-trayed hym to synfull seede.
Jac.
A! I hope, sen þou sittist nexte his kne,
We pray þe spire hym for oure spede.
Joh.
Domine quis est qui tradit te?
Lord, who schall do þat doulfull dede?
Allas! oure playe is paste,
Þis false forward is feste,
I may no lenger laste,
For bale myn herte may breste.
[Aside].
Now is tyme to me to gang,
For here be-gynnes noye all of newe,
My fellows momellis þame emang
Þat I schulde alle þis bargayne brewe.
And certis þai schall noȝt wene it wrang.
To þe prince of prestis I schall pursue,
And þei schall lere hym othir ought long
That all his sawes sore schall hym rewe.
I wotte whedir he remoues,
With his meyne ilkone,
I schall telle to þe Jewes,
And tyte he schalle be tane.
[Exit.
I warne ȝou nowe my frendis free,
Sese to ther sawes þat I schall say,
The fende is wrothe with ȝou and me,
And will ȝou marre if þat he may.
But Petir I haue prayed for þe,
So þat þou schall noȝt drede his dray;
And comforte þou þis meyne
And wisse hem, whan I am gone away.
Petrus.
A! lorde, where wilte þou lende,
I schall lende in þat steede,
And with þe schall I wende
Euermore in lyffe and dede.
No wordely drede schall me withdrawe,
That I schall with þe leue and dye.
Thom.
Certis, so schall we all on rawe,
Ellis mekill woo were we worthy.
Jesus.
Petir, I saie to þe þis sawe,
Þat þou schalte fynde no fantasie,
Þis ilke nyght or þe cokkys crowe,
Shall þou thre tymes my name denye,
And saye þou knewe me neuere,
Nor no meyne of myne.
Pet.
Allas! lorde, me were lever
Be putte to endles pyne.
Maistir, we haue here swerdis twoo,
Vs with to saue on sidis seere.
Jesus.
Itt is i-nowe, ȝe nedis no moo,
For fro all wathis I schall ȝou were.
Butt ryse now vppe, for we will goo,
By þis owre enemyes ordand are,
My fadir saide it schall be soo,
His bidding will I noȝt for-bere.
Loke ȝe lere forthe þis lawe
Als ȝe haue herde of me,
Alle þat wele will itt knawe,
Ay blessed schall þei bee.
1.
Jesus.Pees be both be day and nyght
Vn-till þis house, and till all þat is here!
Here will I holde as I haue hight,
The feeste of Paas with frendis in feere.
Marc.
Maistir, we haue arayd full right
Seruise þat semes for youre sopere.
Oure lambe is roste, and redy dight,
As Moyses lawe will lely lere.
Jesus.
That is, ilke man þat has
Pepill in his awne poste
Shall roste a lambe at paas,
To hym and his meyne.
2.
And.Maistir, þe custome wele we knawe,
That with oure elthers euer has bene,
How ilke man with his meyne awe
To roste a lambe, and ete it clene.
Jesus.
I thanke ȝou sothtly of youre sawe,
For ȝe saye as youre selffe has sene,
Ther-fore array ȝou all on rawe,
My selfe schall parte itt ȝou be-twene.
Wher-fore I will þat ȝe
Ette þerof euere ilkone,
The remelaunt parted schall be,
To þe poure þat purueyse none.
For ȝe saye as youre selffe has sene,
Ther-fore array ȝou all on rawe,
My selfe schall parte itt ȝou be-twene.
234
Ette þerof euere ilkone,
The remelaunt parted schall be,
To þe poure þat purueyse none.
3.
Of Moyses lawes here make I an ende,
In som party, but noght in all,
My comaundement schall otherwise be kende
With þam þat men schall craftely call.
But þe lambe of Pasc þat here is spende,
Whilke Jewes vses grete and small,
Euere forward nowe I itt deffende
Fro cristis folke, what so befall.
In þat stede schall be sette
A newe lawe vs by-twene,
But who þerof schall ette,
Behoues to be wasshed clene.
In som party, but noght in all,
My comaundement schall otherwise be kende
With þam þat men schall craftely call.
But þe lambe of Pasc þat here is spende,
Whilke Jewes vses grete and small,
Euere forward nowe I itt deffende
Fro cristis folke, what so befall.
In þat stede schall be sette
A newe lawe vs by-twene,
But who þerof schall ette,
Behoues to be wasshed clene.
4.
For þat new lawe whoso schall lere,
In harte þam bus be clene and chaste.
Marcelle, myn awne discipill dere,
Do vs haue watir here in hast.
In harte þam bus be clene and chaste.
Marcelle, myn awne discipill dere,
Do vs haue watir here in hast.
Marc.
Maistir, it is all redy here,
And here a towell clene to taste.
Jesus.
Commes forthe with me, all in feere,
My wordis schall noght be wroght in waste.
Settis youre feete fourth, late see,
They schall be wasshen sone.
Pet.
A! lorde, with þi leue, of þee
Þat dede schall noȝt be done.
Þat dede schall noȝt be done.
5.
I schall neuere make my membres mete,
Of my souerayne seruice to see.
Of my souerayne seruice to see.
Jesus.
Petir, bott if þou latte me wasshe þi feete,
Þou getis no parte in blisse with me.
Pet.
A! mercy, lorde and maistir swete,
Owte of þat blisse þat I noght be,
235
Both hede and hande, beseke I þe.
Jesus.
Petir, þou wotiste noȝt ȝitt
What þis werke will be-mene.
Here aftir schall þou witte,
And so schall ȝe all, be-dene.
What þis werke will be-mene.
Here aftir schall þou witte,
And so schall ȝe all, be-dene.
Tunc lauat manus.
6.
Ȝoure lorde and maistir ȝe me call,
And so I am, all welthe to welde,
Here haue I knelid vnto ȝou all,
To wasshe youre feete as ȝe haue feled.
Ensaumple of me take ȝe schall,
Euer for to ȝeme in ȝouþe and elde,
To be buxsome in boure and hall,
Ilkone for to bede othir belde.
For all if ȝe be trewe
And lele of loue ilkone,
Ȝe schall fynde othir ay newe,
To greue whan I am gone.
And so I am, all welthe to welde,
Here haue I knelid vnto ȝou all,
To wasshe youre feete as ȝe haue feled.
Ensaumple of me take ȝe schall,
Euer for to ȝeme in ȝouþe and elde,
To be buxsome in boure and hall,
Ilkone for to bede othir belde.
For all if ȝe be trewe
And lele of loue ilkone,
Ȝe schall fynde othir ay newe,
To greue whan I am gone.
7.
Jac.[Aside.]
Now sen oure maistir sais he schall
Wende, and will not telle vs whedir,
Whilke of vs schall be princepall,
Late loke now whils we dwell to-gedir.
Jesus.
I wotte youre will, both grete and small,
And youre high hartis I here þam hedir,
To whilke of ȝou such fare schulde fall,
Þat myght ȝe carpe when ȝe come thedir,
Where it so schulde be tyde
Of such materes to melle.
But first behoues ȝou bide
Fayndyngis full ferse and felle.
[He sets a child before them.]
And youre high hartis I here þam hedir,
To whilke of ȝou such fare schulde fall,
Þat myght ȝe carpe when ȝe come thedir,
Where it so schulde be tyde
Of such materes to melle.
But first behoues ȝou bide
Fayndyngis full ferse and felle.
8.
Here schall I sette ȝou for to see
Þis ȝonge childe for insaumpills seere,
Both meke and mylde of harte is he,
And fro all malice mery of chere,
So meke and mylde but if ȝe be,
[OMITTED]
Þis ȝonge childe for insaumpills seere,
236
And fro all malice mery of chere,
So meke and mylde but if ȝe be,
[OMITTED]
[Jesus.]
Quod facis fac cicius,
Þat þou schall do, do sone.
9.
Thom.Allas! so wilsom wightis as we,
Was neuere in worlde walkand in wede,
Oure maistir sais his awne meyne
Has be-trayed hym to synfull seede.
Jac.
A! I hope, sen þou sittist nexte his kne,
We pray þe spire hym for oure spede.
Joh.
Domine quis est qui tradit te?
Lord, who schall do þat doulfull dede?
Allas! oure playe is paste,
Þis false forward is feste,
I may no lenger laste,
For bale myn herte may breste.
10.
Judas[Aside].
Now is tyme to me to gang,
For here be-gynnes noye all of newe,
My fellows momellis þame emang
Þat I schulde alle þis bargayne brewe.
And certis þai schall noȝt wene it wrang.
To þe prince of prestis I schall pursue,
And þei schall lere hym othir ought long
That all his sawes sore schall hym rewe.
I wotte whedir he remoues,
With his meyne ilkone,
I schall telle to þe Jewes,
And tyte he schalle be tane.
[Exit.
11.
Jesus.I warne ȝou nowe my frendis free,
Sese to ther sawes þat I schall say,
237
And will ȝou marre if þat he may.
But Petir I haue prayed for þe,
So þat þou schall noȝt drede his dray;
And comforte þou þis meyne
And wisse hem, whan I am gone away.
Petrus.
A! lorde, where wilte þou lende,
I schall lende in þat steede,
And with þe schall I wende
Euermore in lyffe and dede.
12.
And.No wordely drede schall me withdrawe,
That I schall with þe leue and dye.
Thom.
Certis, so schall we all on rawe,
Ellis mekill woo were we worthy.
Jesus.
Petir, I saie to þe þis sawe,
Þat þou schalte fynde no fantasie,
Þis ilke nyght or þe cokkys crowe,
Shall þou thre tymes my name denye,
And saye þou knewe me neuere,
Nor no meyne of myne.
Pet.
Allas! lorde, me were lever
Be putte to endles pyne.
13.
Jesus.
As I yow saie, so schall it bee,
Ye nedis non othir recours to craue.
All þat in worlde is wretyn of me
Shall be fulfilled, for knyght or knave.
I am þe herde, þe schepe are ȝe,
And whane þe herde schall harmes haue,
The flokke schall be full fayne to flee,
And socoure seke þame selffe to saue.
Ȝe schall whan I am allone,
In grete myslykyng lende,
But whanne I ryse agayne,
Þan schall youre myrthe be mende.
Ye nedis non othir recours to craue.
All þat in worlde is wretyn of me
Shall be fulfilled, for knyght or knave.
I am þe herde, þe schepe are ȝe,
And whane þe herde schall harmes haue,
The flokke schall be full fayne to flee,
And socoure seke þame selffe to saue.
Ȝe schall whan I am allone,
In grete myslykyng lende,
But whanne I ryse agayne,
Þan schall youre myrthe be mende.
238
14.
Ȝe haue bene bowne my bale to bete,
Therfore youre belde ay schall I be,
And for ȝe did in drye and wete
My comaundementis in ilke contre,
The kyngdome of heuen I you be-hete,
Euen as my fadir has highte itt me;
With gostely mete þere schall we mete,
And on twelffe seeges sitte schall ȝe,
For ȝe trewlye toke ȝeme
In worlde with me to dwell,
There shall ȝe sitte be-deme
Xij kyndis of Israell.
Therfore youre belde ay schall I be,
And for ȝe did in drye and wete
My comaundementis in ilke contre,
The kyngdome of heuen I you be-hete,
Euen as my fadir has highte itt me;
With gostely mete þere schall we mete,
And on twelffe seeges sitte schall ȝe,
For ȝe trewlye toke ȝeme
In worlde with me to dwell,
There shall ȝe sitte be-deme
Xij kyndis of Israell.
15.
But firste ȝe schall be wille of wone,
And mo wathes þen ȝe of wene
Fro tyme schall come þat I be tone,
Þan schall ȝe turne away with tene.
And loke þat ȝe haue swerdis ilkone,
And whoso haues non ȝou by-twene,
Shall selle his cote and bye hym one,
Þus bidde I þat ȝe do be-dene.
Satcheles I will ȝe haue,
And stones to stynte all striffe,
Youre selffe for to saue
In lenghyng of youre liff.
And mo wathes þen ȝe of wene
Fro tyme schall come þat I be tone,
Þan schall ȝe turne away with tene.
And loke þat ȝe haue swerdis ilkone,
And whoso haues non ȝou by-twene,
Shall selle his cote and bye hym one,
Þus bidde I þat ȝe do be-dene.
Satcheles I will ȝe haue,
And stones to stynte all striffe,
Youre selffe for to saue
In lenghyng of youre liff.
16.
And.Maistir, we haue here swerdis twoo,
Vs with to saue on sidis seere.
Jesus.
Itt is i-nowe, ȝe nedis no moo,
For fro all wathis I schall ȝou were.
Butt ryse now vppe, for we will goo,
By þis owre enemyes ordand are,
My fadir saide it schall be soo,
His bidding will I noȝt for-bere.
239
Als ȝe haue herde of me,
Alle þat wele will itt knawe,
Ay blessed schall þei bee.
| The Baxteres | |