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6
Scene I
(Time—early dawn. Through the garden's shadows to the sepulchre, come the holy women.)SALOME
Here we bring spice, and balm, and myrrh,
To wrap Him in the sepulchre,—
The white death-chamber, stark and drear,
Where we have laid His head.
To wrap Him in the sepulchre,—
The white death-chamber, stark and drear,
Where we have laid His head.
MAGDALENE
My flowers will brighten in the gloom;
He is not lonely in the tomb,
Forgot, while we keep warm at home,
As are the patient dead.
He is not lonely in the tomb,
Forgot, while we keep warm at home,
As are the patient dead.
MARY
And yet He said: ‘Three days, and I,
Who on the shameful Cross shall die,
Will rise again beneath the sky.’
What if He should arise!
Who on the shameful Cross shall die,
Will rise again beneath the sky.’
What if He should arise!
7
Then blessed dawning that should see
The stone rolled from His Heart and me.
And if He said it, this will be,
Though all the world denies.
The stone rolled from His Heart and me.
And if He said it, this will be,
Though all the world denies.
SALOME
But who will roll us off the stone?
We could not, all and everyone:
The great stone weigheth nigh a ton.
How shall we entrance win?
We could not, all and everyone:
The great stone weigheth nigh a ton.
How shall we entrance win?
MARY
See, the great door is open wide.
It may be some are gone inside;
Peter and John, too tearful-eyed
To sleep while birds begin.
(They enter the sepulchre. There are the empty cere-cloths, and
two Angels sitting at head and foot of the slab where the Body
hath lain.)
It may be some are gone inside;
Peter and John, too tearful-eyed
To sleep while birds begin.
8
O while we slept, the foe hath come
And rifled this most precious tomb.
Here is but linen of the loom,
Wherein He shrouded was.
And rifled this most precious tomb.
Here is but linen of the loom,
Wherein He shrouded was.
Kind gentlemen, who now keep guard
Over His death-place, watch and ward,
Who were they, cold of heart and hard,
That stole my Lord? Alas!
Over His death-place, watch and ward,
Who were they, cold of heart and hard,
That stole my Lord? Alas!
SALOME
We are but women come with spice,
And Eastern herbs, and nard of price,
And linen wrought with fine device,
To wrap away our Dead.
And Eastern herbs, and nard of price,
And linen wrought with fine device,
To wrap away our Dead.
Do Caiaphas and his tribe pursue
Our Master, dead and living too,
And come by stealth at night, and do
Outrage where He is laid?
Our Master, dead and living too,
And come by stealth at night, and do
Outrage where He is laid?
9
Hush, Salome. And, Magdalene,
Weep not so hard! These gentlemen
Perhaps will speed us, might and main,
To where our dead may be.
Weep not so hard! These gentlemen
Perhaps will speed us, might and main,
To where our dead may be.
FIRST ANGEL
Why seek ye here among the dead
Who lives? Have ye rememberèd
His words, while yet He taught and prayed,
And healed in Galilee?
Who lives? Have ye rememberèd
His words, while yet He taught and prayed,
And healed in Galilee?
He said: ‘The Son of Man must then
Die on a cross for sins of men,
But the third day will rise again.’
See, the third dawn is dim:
Die on a cross for sins of men,
But the third day will rise again.’
See, the third dawn is dim:
Go say to His disciples, He
Hath risen as He did prophesy,
And hath departed speedily
Into Jerusalem.
Hath risen as He did prophesy,
And hath departed speedily
Into Jerusalem.
10
Blessed are ye for love and faith,
Ye women, who have feared not death,
Nor chains nor stripes, nor mortal scathe,
Nor portals of the grave!
Ye women, who have feared not death,
Nor chains nor stripes, nor mortal scathe,
Nor portals of the grave!
MAGDALENE
Now though ye speak a tongue like ours,
I know ye, folk from heavenly bowers,
Seraphim, cherubim, thrones and powers,
These be your kinsfolk brave.
I know ye, folk from heavenly bowers,
Seraphim, cherubim, thrones and powers,
These be your kinsfolk brave.
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