 | The Spicers |  |
[Scene I,
Nazareth: Prologue in the fore-ground.]
1.
Lord God, grete meruell es to mene,
Howe man was made with-outen mysse,
And sette whare he sulde euer haue bene
With-outen bale, bidand in blisse.
And howe he lost þat comforth clene,
And was putte oute fro paradys,
And sithen what sorouse sor warre sene
Sente vn-to hym and to al his.
And howe they lay lange space
In helle lokyn fro lyght,
Tille god graunted þam grace
Of helpe, als he hadde hyght.
Howe man was made with-outen mysse,
And sette whare he sulde euer haue bene
With-outen bale, bidand in blisse.
And howe he lost þat comforth clene,
And was putte oute fro paradys,
And sithen what sorouse sor warre sene
Sente vn-to hym and to al his.
And howe they lay lange space
In helle lokyn fro lyght,
Tille god graunted þam grace
Of helpe, als he hadde hyght.
2.
Þan is it nedfull for to neven,
How prophettis all goddis counsailes kende,
Als prophet Amos in his steuen,
Lered whils he in his liffe gun lende.
How prophettis all goddis counsailes kende,
Als prophet Amos in his steuen,
Lered whils he in his liffe gun lende.
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Deus pater disposuit salutem fieri in medio terre etce.
He sais þus, god þe fadir in heuen
Ordand in erthe man kynde to mende;
And to grayth it with godhede euen,
His sone he saide þat he suld sende.
To take kynde of man-kyn
In a mayden full mylde;
So was many saued of syn
And the foule fende be-gyled.
Ordand in erthe man kynde to mende;
And to grayth it with godhede euen,
His sone he saide þat he suld sende.
To take kynde of man-kyn
In a mayden full mylde;
So was many saued of syn
And the foule fende be-gyled.
3.
And for the feende suld so be fedd
Be tyne, and to no treuth take tentt,
God made þat mayden to be wedde,
Or he his sone vn-to hir sentte.
So was the godhede closed and cledde
In wede of weddyng whare thy wente;
And þat oure blysse sulde so be bredde,
Ful many materes may be mente.
Be tyne, and to no treuth take tentt,
God made þat mayden to be wedde,
Or he his sone vn-to hir sentte.
So was the godhede closed and cledde
In wede of weddyng whare thy wente;
And þat oure blysse sulde so be bredde,
Ful many materes may be mente.
Quoniam in semine tuo benedicentur omnes gentes &c.
God hym self sayde this thynge
To Abraham als hym liste,
Of thy sede sall vppe sprynge
Whare in folke sall be bliste.
To Abraham als hym liste,
Of thy sede sall vppe sprynge
Whare in folke sall be bliste.
4.
To proue thes prophettes ordande [wer],
Er als I say vn-to olde and yenge.
He moued oure myscheues for to merr,
For thus he prayed god for this thynge,
Orate celi desuper,
Lord, late þou doune at thy likyng
Þe dewe to fall fro heuen so ferre,
For than the erthe sall sprede and sprynge
A seede þat vs sall saue,
Þat nowe in blisse are bente.
Of clerkis who-so will craue,
Þus may þer-gatis be mente.
Er als I say vn-to olde and yenge.
He moued oure myscheues for to merr,
For thus he prayed god for this thynge,
Orate celi desuper,
Lord, late þou doune at thy likyng
Þe dewe to fall fro heuen so ferre,
For than the erthe sall sprede and sprynge
A seede þat vs sall saue,
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Of clerkis who-so will craue,
Þus may þer-gatis be mente.
5.
Þe dewe to þe gode halygaste
May be remened in mannes mynde,
The erthe vnto þe mayden chaste,
By-cause sho comes of erthely kynde.
Þir wise wordis ware noght wroght in waste,
To waffe and wende away als wynde,
For this same prophett sone in haste
Saide forthermore, als folkes may fynde.
May be remened in mannes mynde,
The erthe vnto þe mayden chaste,
By-cause sho comes of erthely kynde.
Þir wise wordis ware noght wroght in waste,
To waffe and wende away als wynde,
For this same prophett sone in haste
Saide forthermore, als folkes may fynde.
Propter hoc dabit dominus ipse vobis signum &c.
Loo he sais þus, god sall gyffe
Here-of a syngne to see
Tille all þat lely lyffe,
And þis þare sygne salbe.
Here-of a syngne to see
Tille all þat lely lyffe,
And þis þare sygne salbe.
Ecce uirgo concipiett, et pariet filium &c.
6.
Loo! he sais a mayden mon
Here on this molde mankynde omell,
Ful clere consayue and bere a sonne,
And neven his name Emanuell.
His kyngdom þat euer is be-gonne,
Sall never sese, but dure and dwell;
On dauid sege þore sall he wonne,
His domes to deme and trueth to telle.
Here on this molde mankynde omell,
Ful clere consayue and bere a sonne,
And neven his name Emanuell.
His kyngdom þat euer is be-gonne,
Sall never sese, but dure and dwell;
On dauid sege þore sall he wonne,
His domes to deme and trueth to telle.
Zelus domini faciet hoc &c.
He says, luffe of oure Lorde,
All þis sall ordan þanne
That mennes pees and accorde
To make with erthely manne.
All þis sall ordan þanne
That mennes pees and accorde
To make with erthely manne.
7.
More of þis maiden me meves [he],
This prophett sais for oure socoure,
Egredietur virga de Jesse,
A wande sall brede of Jesse boure;
And of þis same also sais hee,
Vpponne þat wande sall springe a floure,
Wher-on þe haly gast sall be,
To governe it with grete honnoure.
That wande meynes vntill vs
Þis mayden, even and morne,
And þe floure is Jesus,
Þat of þat blyst bees borne.
This prophett sais for oure socoure,
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A wande sall brede of Jesse boure;
And of þis same also sais hee,
Vpponne þat wande sall springe a floure,
Wher-on þe haly gast sall be,
To governe it with grete honnoure.
That wande meynes vntill vs
Þis mayden, even and morne,
And þe floure is Jesus,
Þat of þat blyst bees borne.
8.
Þe prophet Johell, a gentill Jewe,
Som-tyme has saide of þe same thyng;
He likenes criste euen als he knewe,
Like to þe dewe in doune commyng.
Som-tyme has saide of þe same thyng;
He likenes criste euen als he knewe,
Like to þe dewe in doune commyng.
Ero quasi ros et virgo Israell germinabit sicut lilium.
Þe maiden of Israell al newe
He sais, sall bere one and forthe brynge,
Als þe lelly floure full faire of hewe,
Þis meynes sa to olde and ȝenge
Þat þe hegh haly gaste,
Come oure myscheffe to mende,
In marie mayden chaste,
When god his sone walde sende.
He sais, sall bere one and forthe brynge,
Als þe lelly floure full faire of hewe,
Þis meynes sa to olde and ȝenge
Þat þe hegh haly gaste,
Come oure myscheffe to mende,
In marie mayden chaste,
When god his sone walde sende.
9.
Þis lady is to þe lilly lyke,
Þat is by-cause of hir clene liffe,
For in þis worlde was never slyke,
One to be mayden, modir, and wyffe.
And hir sonne kyng in heuen-ryke,
Als oft es red be reasoune ryfe;
And hir husband bath maistir and meke,
In charite to stynte all striffe.
Þis passed all worldly witte,
How god had ordand þaim þanne,
In hir one to be knytte,
Godhed, maydenhed, and manne.
Þat is by-cause of hir clene liffe,
For in þis worlde was never slyke,
One to be mayden, modir, and wyffe.
And hir sonne kyng in heuen-ryke,
Als oft es red be reasoune ryfe;
And hir husband bath maistir and meke,
In charite to stynte all striffe.
Þis passed all worldly witte,
How god had ordand þaim þanne,
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Godhed, maydenhed, and manne.
10.
Bot of þis werke grete witnes was,
With forme-ffaders, all folke may tell.
Whan Jacob blyst his sone Judas,
He told þe tale þaim two emell;
With forme-ffaders, all folke may tell.
Whan Jacob blyst his sone Judas,
He told þe tale þaim two emell;
Non auferetur s[c]eptrum de Juda, Ueniat qui mittendus est.
He sais þe septer sall noght passe
Fra iuda lande of Israell,
Or he comme þat god ordand has
To be sente feendis force to fell.
Fra iuda lande of Israell,
Or he comme þat god ordand has
To be sente feendis force to fell.
Et ipse erit expectacio gencium.
Hym sall alle folke abyde,
And stand vn-to his steuen,
Ther sawes wer signified
To crist goddis sone in heuen.
And stand vn-to his steuen,
Ther sawes wer signified
To crist goddis sone in heuen.
11.
For howe he was sente, se we more,
And howe god wolde his place puruay,
He saide, ‘sonne I sall sende by-fore
Myne Aungell to rede þe thy way.’
And howe god wolde his place puruay,
He saide, ‘sonne I sall sende by-fore
Myne Aungell to rede þe thy way.’
Ecce mitto angelum meum ante faciem tuam qui preparabit viam tuam ante te.
Of John Baptist he menyd þore,
For in erthe he was ordand ay,
To warne þe folke þat wilsom wore
Of Cristis comyng, and þus gon say;
For in erthe he was ordand ay,
To warne þe folke þat wilsom wore
Of Cristis comyng, and þus gon say;
Ego quidem baptizo in aqua vos autem Baptizabimini spiritu sancto.
‘Eftir me sall come nowe
A man of myghtist mast,
And sall baptis ȝowe
In the high haly gast.’
A man of myghtist mast,
And sall baptis ȝowe
In the high haly gast.’
12.
Þus of cristis commyng may we see,
How sainte Luke spekis in his gospell,
‘Fro God in heuen es sent,’ sais he,
‘An aungell is named Gabriell
To Nazareth in Galale,
Where þan a mayden mylde gon dwell,
Þat with Joseph suld wedded be.
Hir name is Marie,’ þus gan he telle,
To god his grace þan grayd,
To man in þis manere,
And how þe Aungell saide,
Takes hede, all þat will here.
[Exit Prologue.
98
‘Fro God in heuen es sent,’ sais he,
‘An aungell is named Gabriell
To Nazareth in Galale,
Where þan a mayden mylde gon dwell,
Þat with Joseph suld wedded be.
Hir name is Marie,’ þus gan he telle,
To god his grace þan grayd,
To man in þis manere,
And how þe Aungell saide,
Takes hede, all þat will here.
Tunc cantat angelus.
13.
Ang.Hayle! Marie! full of grace and blysse,
Oure lord god is with þe,
And has chosen þe for his,
Of all women blist mot þou be.
Maria.
What maner of halsyng is þis?
Þus preuely comes to me,
For in myn herte a thoght it is,
Þe tokenyng þat I here see.
Tunc cantat angelus, Ne timeas Maria.
14.
Ang.
Ne drede þe noght, þou mylde marie,
For no-thyng þat may be-falle,
For þou has fun soueranly
At god a grace ouer othir all.
In chastite of thy bodye
Consayue and bere a childe þou sall,
This bodword brynge I þe, for-thy
His name Jesu sall þou calle.
For no-thyng þat may be-falle,
For þou has fun soueranly
At god a grace ouer othir all.
In chastite of thy bodye
Consayue and bere a childe þou sall,
This bodword brynge I þe, for-thy
His name Jesu sall þou calle.
15.
Mekill of myght þan sall he bee,
He sall be God and called God sonne.
Dauid sege, his fadir free,
Sall God hym giffe to sytte vppon;
Als kyng for euer regne sall hee,
In Jacob house ay for to wonne.
Of his kyngdome and dignite
Shall noo man erthly knaw ne con.
He sall be God and called God sonne.
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Sall God hym giffe to sytte vppon;
Als kyng for euer regne sall hee,
In Jacob house ay for to wonne.
Of his kyngdome and dignite
Shall noo man erthly knaw ne con.
16.
Maria.Þou goddis aungell, meke and mylde,
Howe sulde it be, I the praye,
That I sulde consayve a childe
Of any man by nyght or daye.
I knawe no man þat shulde haue fyled
My maydenhode, the sothe to saye;
With-outen will of werkis wilde,
In chastite I haue ben ay.
17.
Ang.The Halygast in þe sall lighte,
Hegh vertue sall to þe holde,
The holy birthe of the so bright,
God sonne he sall be calde.
Loo, Elyzabeth, þi cosyne, ne myght
In elde consayue a childe for alde,
Þis is þe sexte moneth full ryght,
To hir þat baran has ben talde.
18.
Maria.Thou aungell, blissid messanger,
Of goddis will I holde me payde,
I love my lorde with herte dere,
Þe grace þat he has for me layde.
Goddis handmayden, lo! me here,
To his wille all redy grayd,
Be done to me of all manere,
Thurgh thy worde als þou hast saide.
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19.
[Ang.]Now God, þat all oure hope is in,
Thur[gh] the myght of þe haly gaste,
Saue þe, dame, fro sak of synne,
And wisse þe fro all werkis wast!
[Exit Angel.]
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