University of Virginia Library

[Scene III]

Herod's court.
i Miles.
Mahounde, oure god of myght,
Saue þe! sir herowde þe kyng!

i Cons.
Lorde, take kepe to youre knyght,
He wille telle ȝou nowe thydingis
Of bordis wher they haue bene.

Her.
Ȝaa, and þei haue gone right,
And holde þat þei vs hight,
Þan shall solace be sene.

ii Miles.
Lorde, as ȝe demed vs to done,
In contrees wher we come—

Her.
Sir, by sonne and mone,
ȝe are welcome home,
And worthy to haue rewarde.
Haue ȝe geten vs þis gome?

i Miles.
Wher we fande felle or fone,
Wittenesse we will þat þer was none.

ii Miles.
Lord, they are dede ilkone,
What wolde ȝe we ded more?

Her.
I aske but aftir oone,
Þe kyngis tolde of before,
Þat schulde make grete maistrie;
Telle vs if he be tane.

i Miles.
Lorde, tokenyng hadde we none
To knawe þat brothell by.

ii Miles.
In bale we haue þam brought
A-boute all Bedleham towne.

Her.
Ye lye, ȝoure note is nought!
Þe deueles of helle ȝou droune!
So may þat boy be fledde,
For in waste haue ȝe wroght
Or that same ladde be sought,
Schalle I neure byde in bedde.

[? i Cons.]
We will wende with you þan
To dynge þat dastard doune.

[? ii Cons.]
Asarme! euere ilke man,
That holdis of mahounde.
Wer they a thousand skore,
This bargayne schall þai banne
Comes aftir as yhe canne,
For we will wende be-fore.

[Exeunt.