 | Iacob and Esau |  |
Actus primi
Scæna prima.
Ragauthe seruant. Esau a yong man his maister.
Ragau entreth with his horn at his back, and his huntyng staffe in hys hande, and leadeth .iij. greyhounds or one as may be gotten.
Now lette me see what tyme it is by the starre light?
Gods for his grace man, why it is not yet midnight,
We might haue slept these four houres yet I dare well say.
But this is our good Esau his common play:
What the dyuell ayleth him? now truly I thinke plaine,
He hath either some wormes or bottes in his braine.
He scarcely sleepeth .xij. good houres in two weekes.
I wote wel his watching maketh me haue leane cheekes.
For there is none other life with hym day by day,
Here he counterfaiteth how his maister calleth hym vp in the mornings, and of his answeres.
But vp Ragau, vp drousy hogges head I say:
Why when? Up, will it not be? Up. I come anon.
Up, or I shall reyse you in fayth ye drousy hooreson.
Why, when? shall I fette you? I come syr by and by.
Up with a wilde wenyon, how long wilt thou lie?
Up I say, vp at once. Up vp, let vs goe hence,
It is tyme we were in the forrest an houre sence.
Nowe the deuill stoppe that same yallyng throte (thynke I)
Somwhiles. For from he call, farewell all winke of eye.
Begin he once to call, I sleepe no more that stounde,
Though half an houres slepe wer worth .x. thousand poūd.
Anon when I come in, and bydde him good morow:
Ah syr, vp at last, the deuyll gyue thee sorow.
Nowe the diuell breake thy necke (thinke I by and by)
That hast no witte to sleape, nor in thy bedde to lye.
Then come on at once, take my quiuer and my bowe,
Fette Louell my hounde, and my horne to blowe.
Then forth goe we fastyng an houre or two ere day,
Before we may well see either our handes or way,
From morning to starck night coming within our head,
Sometime Esaus selfe will faynt for drinke and meate:
So that he would be glad of a dead horse to eate.
Yet of freshe the next morow foorth he will againe,
And somtime not come home in a whole night or twaine:
Nor no delite he hath, no appetite nor minde
But to the wilde Forrest, to hunt the Harte or Hinde,
The Roebucke, the wilde bore, the fallow Deere, or Hare:
But howe poore Ragau shall dine, he hath no care,
Poore I, must eate Acornes or Bearies from the Tree.
But if I be founde slacke in the sute folowing,
Or if I do fayle in blowing or hallowing,
Or if I lacke my Staffe, or my Horne by my syde:
He will be quicke inough to fume chafe, and chide.
Am I not well at ease suche a mayster to serue,
As must haue such seruice, and yet will let me sterue?
But in faith his fashions displease moe than me,
And will haue but a madde ende one day we shall see.
He passeth nothing on Rebecca his mother,
And much lesse passeth he on Iacob hys brother.
Here Esau appereth in sight, and bloweth his Horne, ere he enter.
But peace, mumme, no more: I see maister Esau.
Esau.
Howe nowe, are we all ready seruaunt Ragau?
Art thou vp for all day man? art thou ready now?
Ragau.
I haue ben here this halfe houre syr waityng for you.
Esau.
And is all thing ready as I bad, to my mynde?
Ragau.
Ye haue no cause, that I know, any fault to fynde:
Except that we disease our tent and neighbours all
With rising ouer early eche day when ye call.
Esau.
Ah thou drousy draffesacke, wouldest thou ryse at noone?
Nay I trow the sixth houre with thee were ouersoone.
Ragau.
Nay I speake of your neighbours being men honest,
That labour all the day, and would faine be at rest:
Whom with blowing your Horne ye disease al aboutes.
Esau.
What care I for waking a sorte of clubbishe loutes?
And I speake of Rebecca your mother, our dame.
Esau.
Tutte I passe not whether she doe me prayse or blame.
Ragau.
And I speake of your good father, olde Isaac.
Esau.
Peace foolishe knaue: As for my father Isaac,
In case he be a sleepe, I doe him not disease,
And if he be waking, I knowe I do him please,
For he loueth me well from myne natiuitie,
And neuer so as now, for myne actiuitie.
Therfore haue at it, once more will I blow my Horne
Here Esau bloweth his horn agayne.
To giue my neighbour loutes an haile peale in a morne.
Now my maister Lightfoote, how say you to this geare,
Here he speaketh to hys Dogges.
Will you do your duetie to redde or fallow Deare?
And Swan mine owne good curre, I do think in my minde,
The game shal runne apace, if thou come farre behinde:
And ha Takepart, come Takepart, here, how say you child
Wilt not thou do thy part? yes, else I am beguilde.
But I shrewe your cheekes, they haue had too much meat.
Ragau.
I blame not dogges to take it, if they may it geat:
But as for my parte, they coulde haue pardie,
A small releuauit of that that ye giue me.
They may runne light inough for ought of me they got,
I had not a good meales meate this weeke that I wot.
Esau.
If we haue lucke thys day to kill Hare, Teg, or Doe,
Thou shalt eate thy belly full, tyll thou cryest hoe.
Ragau.
I thanke you when I haue it, mayster Esau.
Esau.
Well, come on, let vs goe nowe seruant Ragau.
Is there any thing more, that I shoulde say or do?
For perhaps we come not againe this day or two.
Ragau.
I know nothing maister, to God I make a vow,
Except you woulde take your brother Iacob with you:
I neuer yet sawe hym with you an hunting goe,
Shall we proue hym once whether he will goe or no?
Esau.
No, no, that were in vaine: Alas good simple mome.
Nay, he must tarrie and sucke mothers dugge at home:
Iacob must keepe home I trow, vnder mothers wing,
Iacob loueth no huntyng in the wylde forest:
And would feare if he shoulde there see any wylde beast.
Yea to see the game runne, Iacob would be in feare.
Ragau.
In good sooth I wene he would think eche Hare a Beare.
Esau.
What brother myne, what a worde call ye that?
Ragau.
Syr I am scarse waked: I spake ere I wyst what.
Esau.
Come on your ways my childe, take the law of the game.
I will wake you I trowe, and set your tongue in frame.
Ragau.
Oh what haue you done maister Esau, Gods apes.
Esau.
Why can ye not yet refraine from lettyng such scapes?
Come on, ye must haue three iertes for the nonce.
One.
Ragau.
Oh, for Gods loue syr haue done, dispatche at once.
Esau.
Nay there is no remedy but byde it, there is twaine.
Ragau.
O ye rent my cheuerell, let me be past my paine.
Esau.
Take hede of Hūting termes frō hensforth, there is three.
Ragau.
Whoup. Nowe a mischief on all mopyng fooles for mee.
Iacob shall keepe the Tentes tenne yeare for Ragau,
Ere I moue agayne that he hunt wyth Esau.
Esau.
Come on, now let vs goe. God sende vs game and lucke,
And if my hande serue me well,
Ragau.
Ye wyll kill a Ducke.
Exeant ambo.
Scæna secunda
Hanan. Zethar. two of Isaacs neighbors.Hanan.
Ah syr, I see I am an early man thys morne,
I am once more begylde with Esau his horne.
But there is no suche stirrer as Esau is:
He is vp day by day before the Crowe pis:
Then maketh he with his Horne such tootyng and blowing
And with his wyde throate such shouting and hallowing,
That no neighbour shall in his Tent take any rest,
So that he maketh vs whether we will or no,
Better husbandes than we woulde be, abroade to go,
Eche of vs about our businesse and our warke.
But whome doe I see yonder commyng in the darke?
It is my neyghbor Zethar, I perceyue hym nowe.
Zethar.
What neighbour Hanan, well met, good morow to you.
I see well nowe I am not beguiled alone:
But what boote to lye still? for rest we can take none.
That I meruayle much of olde father Isaac,
Beyng so godly a man, why he is so slacke
To bryng hys sonne Esau to a better stay.
Hanan.
What shoulde he do in the matter I you pray?
Zethar.
Oh it is no small charge to fathers afore God,
So to traine their children in youth vnder the rod,
That when they come to age they may vertue ensue,
Wicked prankes abhorre, and all leudnesse eschue.
And me thinketh Isaac, being a man (as he is)
A chosen man of God, shoulde not be slacke in this.
Hanan.
Alack good man, what should he do more than he hath don?
I dare say no father hath better taught his sonne,
Nor no two haue giuen better example of life
Unto their children, than bothe he and his wife:
As by their yonger sonne Iacob it doth appeare.
He lyueth no looce life, he doth God loue and feare.
He keepeth here in the Tentes lyke a quiete man:
He geueth not hymselfe to wildnesse any whan.
But Esau euermore from his yong childehoode
Hath ben lyke to proue yll, and neuer to be good.
Yong it pricketh (folkes do say) that wyll be a thorne,
Esau hath ben nought euer since he was borne.
And wherof commeth this, of Education?
Nay it is of his owne yll inclination.
They were brought vp bothe vnder one tuition,
But they be not bothe of one disposition.
Zethar.
In fayth I warrant him haue but shreude thriuing.
Hanan.
Neither see I any hope that he will amende.
Zethar.
Then let hym euen looke to come to an yll ende.
For youth that will folow none but theyr owne bridle,
That leadeth a dissolute lyfe and an ydle,
Youth that refuseth holsome documentes,
Or to take example of theyr godly parentes,
Youth that is retchelesse, and taketh no regarde,
What become of them selfe, nor which ende goe forwarde,
It is great meruaile and a speciall grace,
If euer they come to goodnesse all theyr life space.
But why doe we consume this whole mornyng in talke,
Of one that hath no recke ne care what way he walke,
We had bene as good to haue kept our bedde still.
Hanan.
Oh it is our parte to lamente them that doe yll.
Lyke as very Nature, a godly heart dothe moue
Others good proceedings to tender and to loue:
So suche as in no wise to goodnesse will be brought:
What good mā but wil mourn, since god vs al hath wrought
But ye haue some busynesse, and so haue I.
Zethar.
And we haue ben long, farewell neighbour heartily.
scæna tertia.
Rebecca the Mother. Iacob the Sonne.Rebecca.
Come forth sonne Iacob, why tarriest thou behinde?
Iacob.
Forsoth mother, I thought ye had sayd al your minde.
Rebecca.
Nay, come I haue yet a worde or two more to say.
Iacob.
What soeuer pleaseth you, speake to me ye may.
Rebecca.
Seyng thy brother Esau is suche an one,
Why rebukest thou hym not when ye are alone?
Why doest thou not gyue him some good sad wyse counsaile?
Iacob.
He lacketh not that mother, if it woulde auaile.
He calleth me foolishe proude boy with him to mell.
He will somtime demaunde by what authoritee,
I presume to teache them which mine elders bee?
He will somtime aske if I learne of my mother,
To take on me teaching of mine elder brother?
Sometime when I tell hym of his leude behauour,
He will lende me a mocke or twaine for my labour:
And somtime for anger he will out with his purse
And call me as please hym, and sweare he will doe wurse.
Rebecca.
Oh Lorde, that to beare such a sonne it was my chaunce.
Iacob.
Mother, we must be content wyth Gods ordinaunce.
Rebecca.
Or, if I shoulde needes haue Esau to my soonne,
Would God thou Iacob haddest the Eldership woonne.
Iacob.
Mother, it is to late to wishe for that is past:
It will not be done now wish ye neuer so fast.
And I woulde not haue you to wish agaynst Gods wyll:
For both it is in vaine, and also it is yll.
Rebecca.
Why did it not please God, that thou shouldest as wele
Treade vpon his crowne, as holde hym fast by the hele?
Iacob.
Whatsoeuer mysterie the Lorde therein ment,
Must be referred to his vnserched iudgement.
And what soeuer he hath pointed me vnto,
I am his owne vessell his will with me to do.
Rebecca.
Well, some straunge thing therin of God intended was,
Iacob.
And what he hath decreed, must sure come to passe.
Rebecca.
I remember when I had you both conceiued,
A voyce thus saying from the Lorde I receiued:
Rebecca, in thy wombe are now two nations,
Of vnlike natures and contrary fashions.
The one shal be a mightier people elect:
And the elder to the yonger shall be subiect.
I knowe this voyce came not to me of nothing:
Therfore thou shalt folow my counsell in o thing.
Iacob.
So it be not displeasing to the Lorde I must.
I feare the lorde eke, who is mercifull and iust:
And loth would I be, his maiestie to offende,
But by me (I doubt not to worke he doth intende,
Assay if thou canst, at some one tyme or other,
To buie the right of eldership from thy brother:
Do thou buye the birthright that to hym doth belong,
So mayst thou haue the blessing, and doe hym no wrong.
What thou hast once bought, is thyne owne of due right.
Iacob.
Mother Rebecca, if withouten fraude I might,
I would your aduise put in vre wyth all my hart,
But I may not attempt any such guilefull part:
To buie my brothers eldership and hys birthright,
I feare woulde be a great offence in Gods sight.
Which thyng if I wist, to redeeme I ne wolde,
Though I might get therby ten millions of golde.
Rebecca.
God, who by his worde and almightifull decree,
Hath appoynted thee Esau his lorde to bee,
Hath appointed some way to haue it brought about.
And that is thys way, my sprite doth not doute.
Iacob.
Upon your worde mother, I will assay ere long,
Yet it grudgeth my heart to doe my brother wrong.
Rebecca.
Thou shalt do no wrong sonne Iacob, on my perill.
Iacob.
Then by Gods leaue once assay I wil.
Rebecca.
Then farewell dere son, Gods blessing & mine with thee.
Iacob.
I will againe to the Tent. Well you bee.
Exeat Iacob.
Rebecca.
Ah my sweete sonne Iacob, good fortune God thee sende.
The most gentle yong man aliue, as God me mende.
And the moste naturall to father and mother:
O that such a meke spirite were in thy brother,
Or thy syre loued thee as thou hast merited,
And then should Esau soone be disherited.
Scæna quarta.
Isaac the husbande, Rebecca, the wife. Mido, the ladde that leadeth blinde Isaac.Isaac.
Where art thou my boy Mido, when I doe thee lacke?
Mido.
Who calleth Mido? here good maister Isaac.
Isaac.
Come leade me forth of doores a little I thee pray.
Mido.
Lay your hande on my shoulder, and come on this way.
Rebecca.
Now O Lorde of heauen, the fountaine of all grace,
If it be thy good will that my will shall take place:
Sende successe to Iacob, according to thy worde,
That his elder brother may serue hym as his lorde.
Mido.
Syr, whyther would ye goe, now that abroade ye be?
Isaac.
To myfe Rebecca.
Mido.
Yonder I doe hir see.
Rebecca.
Lorde, thou knowest Iacob to be thy seruant true,
And Esau all frowarde thy wayes to ensue.
Mido.
Yonder she is speaking, what euer she doth say:
By holdyng vp hir handes, it seemeth she doth pray.
Isaac.
Where be ye wife Rebecca? where be ye woman?
Rebecca.
Who is that calleth? Isaac my good man?
Isaac.
Where be ye wyfe Rebecca, lette me vnderstande?
Mido.
She commeth to you apace.
Rebecca.
Here my lorde, at hande.
Isaac.
Sauing that what so euer God doth is all right,
No small griefe it were for a man to lacke his sight.
But what the Lord doth sende or worke by his high will,
Rebecca.
Can not but be the best, no such thing can be yll.
Isaac.
All bodily punishement or infirmitie,
With all mannes of nature, what euer they be,
Yea and all other afflictions temporall:
As losse, persecution, or troubles mortall,
Are nothing but a triall or probation.
And what is he that firmely trusteth in the Lorde,
And knoweth him to be the God omnipotent,
That feedeth and gouerneth all that he hath sent:
Protecting his faithfull in euery degree,
And them to relieue in all their necessitie?
What creature (I say) that doth this vnderstande,
Will not take all thing in good parte at Gods hande?
Shall we at Gods hand receyue prosperitie,
And not be content likewise with aduersitie?
We ought to be thankefull what euer God doth sende,
And our selues wholy to his will to commende.
Rebecca.
So should it be, and I thanke my lorde Isaac,
Suche dayly lessons at your hande I doe not lack.
Isaac.
Why then should not I thanke the Lorde, if it please him
That I shall nowe be blynde, and my sight waxe all dim.
For who so to olde age will here liue and endure,
Must of force abide all suche defautes of nature.
Mido.
Why must I be blinde too, if I be an olde man?
How shall I grope the way, or who shall leade me than?
Isaac.
If the Lorde haue pointed thee such olde dayes to see,
He wil also prouide that shall be meete for thee.
Mido.
I trowe if I were blinde, I coulde goe well inowe,
I coulde grope the way thus, and goe as I do nowe.
I haue done so ere now both by day and by night,
As I see you grope the way, and haue hitte it right.
Rebecca.
Yea syr boy, will ye play any suche childishe knack?
As to counterfaite your blinde maister Isaac:
That is but to mocke him for his impediment.
Mido.
Nay I neuer dyd it in any suche intent.
Rebecca.
Nay it is to tempt God before thou haue neede:
Wherby thou mayst prouoke hym in very deede,
With some great misfortune or plague to punish thee.
Mido.
Then will I neuer more do so while I may see:
But against I be blinde, I will be so perfight,
That though no man leade me, I will go at midnight.
Nowe wife, touching the purpose that I sought for you.
Rebecca.
What sayth my lorde Isaac to his handemayde now?
Isaac.
Ye haue ofte in couerte wordes ben right earnest
To haue me graunt vnto you a boune and request:
But ye neuer tolde me yet plainly what it was,
Therfore I haue euer yet lette the matter passe.
And now of late by ofte being from me absent,
I haue halfe suspected you to be scarce content.
But wife Rebecca, I woulde not haue you to mourne,
As though I did your honest petition wourne.
For I neuer ment to denie in all my life
Any lawfull or honest request to my wyfe.
But in case it be a thing vnreasonable,
Then must I needes be to you vntractable.
Now therfore say on, and tell me what is your case.
Rebecca.
I woulde, if I were sure in your heart to fynde grace:
Else syr I woulde be lothe.
Isaac.
To speake do not refraine,
And if it be reasonable ye shall obtaine:
Otherwise, ye must pardon me gentle sweete wife.
Rebecca.
Sir, ye knowe your sonne Esau, and see his life,
Howe looce it is, and howe stiffe he is and stubberne,
Howe retchelesly he doth him selfe misgouerne:
He geueth himselfe to hunting out of reason,
And serueth the Lorde and vs at no time or season.
These conditions can not be acceptable
In the syght of God, nor to men allowable.
Nowe his brother Iacob your yonger sonne and mine,
Dothe more applie his heart to seeke the wayes diuine.
He liueth here quietly at home in the Tent,
There is no man nor childe but is with him content.
Isaac.
Oh wife, I perceiue ye speake of affection,
To Iacob ye beare loue, and to his brother none.
Rebecca.
I deede syr, I can not loue Esau so well
As I doe Iacob, the plaine truth to you to tell.
I scarse know where I haue a sonne of hym or not.
He goeth abroade so early before day light,
And returneth home againe so late in the night,
And vneth I sette eye on hym in the whole weeke:
No sometime not in twaine, though I doe for hym seeke.
And all the neighbours see him as seldome as I.
But when they would take rest, they heare hym blow & cry.
Some see him so seldome, they aske if he be sicke:
Somtimes some demaunde whether he be dead or quicke.
But to make short tale, such his conditions be,
That I wishe of God he had nere bene borne of me.
Isaac.
Well wyfe, I loue Esau, and must for causes twaine.
Rebecca.
Surely your loue is bestowed on him in vayne.
Isaac.
Fyrst actiue he is, as any yong man can be:
And many a good morsell he bringeth home to me.
Then he is myne eldest and first begotten sonne.
Rebecca.
If God were so pleased, I woulde that were fordonne.
Isaac.
And the eldest sonne is called the fathers might.
Rebecca.
If yours rest in Esau, God giue vs good night.
Isaac.
A prerogatiue he hath in euery thing.
Rebecca.
More pitie he shoulde haue it without deseruing.
Isaac.
Of all the goodes his porcion is greater.
Rebecca.
That the worthy should haue it, I thinke much better.
Isaac.
Emong his bretherne, he hath the preeminence.
Rebecca.
Where Esau is chiefe, there is a gay presence.
Isaac.
Ouer his bretherne he is soueraigne and lorde.
Rebecca.
Such dignitie in Esau doth yll accorde.
Isaac.
He is the head of the fathers succession.
Rebecca.
I woulde Esau had loste that possession.
Isaac.
And he hath the chiefe title of inheritaunce.
Rebecca.
Wisedome woulde in Esau chaunge that ordinaunce.
Isaac.
To the eldest sonne is due the fathers blessing.
Rebecca.
That should be Iacobs, if I might haue my wishing.
Isaac.
And the chiefe endowement of the fathers substance.
Which will thriue well in Esau his gouernance.
Isaac.
By title of Eldership he hath his birthright.
Rebecca.
And that would I remoue to Iacob if I might.
Isaac.
He must haue double porcion to an other.
Rebecca.
That were more fitte for Iacob hys yonger brother.
Isaac.
In all maner of things diuided by a rate.
Rebecca.
Well gyuen goodes to him that the Lorde doth hate.
Isaac.
Why say ye so of Esau mine eldest sonne?
Rebecca.
I say true, if he proceede as he hath begonne.
Isaac.
Is he not your sonne too, as well as he is myne?
Wherfore do ye then against him thus sore repine?
Rebecca.
Bicause that in my spirite verily I know,
God will set vp Iacob, and Esau downe throwe.
I haue shewed you many a tyme ere this day,
What the Lorde of them beyng in my wombe dyd say.
I vse not for to lye: And I beleue certaine,
That the Lorde spake not these wordes to me in vaine.
And Iacob it is (I know) in whome the Lorde will
His promises to you made, and to your seede fulfyll.
Isaac.
I doubt not his promise made to me and my seede,
Leauing to his conueyaunce howe it shall proceede.
The Lorde after his way chaunge thinheritance,
But I may not wetingly breake our ordinance.
Rebecca.
Nowe woulde God, I coulde persuade my lorde Isaac,
Iacob to preferre, and Esau to put backe.
Isaac.
I may not do it wife, I pray you be content.
The title of birthright that commeth by descent,
Or the place of eldershyp comming by due course
I may not chaunge nor shift, for better nor for wourse.
Natures lawe it is, the eldest sonne to knowlage,
And in no wise to barre hym of his heritage.
And ye shall of Esau one day haue comforte.
Rebecca.
Set a good long day then, or else we shal come short.
Isaac.
I warrant you, he will doe well inough at length.
Rebecca.
You must nedes cōmend him being your might & strēgth.
Well, nowe go we hence, little Mido where art thou?
Mido.
I haue stoode here all thys while, listning howe you
And my Dame Rebecca haue bene laying the lawe,
But she hath as quicke answeres as euer I sawe.
Ye coulde not speake any thing vnto hir so thicke,
But she had hir answere as ready and as quicke.
Isaac.
Yea, womens answeres are but fewe times to seeke.
Mido.
But I did not see Esau neither all this same weeke:
Nor I do loue your sonne Esau so well,
As I do loue your sonne Iacob by a great deale.
Isaac.
No doest thou Mido, and tell me the cause why?
Mido.
Why? for I doe not: And none other cause knowe I.
But euery body as well one as other,
Doe wish that Iacob had bene the elder brother.
Isaac.
Well, come on, let vs goe.
Mido.
And who shall leade you? I?
Rebecca.
No, it is my office as long as I am by.
And I woulde all wiues, as the worlde this day is,
Woulde vnto their husbandes likewise do their office.
Mido.
Why dame Rebecca, then al wedded men shold be blind.
Rebecca.
What thou foolish ladde, no such thing was in my minde.
| Iacob and Esau | |