 | The Potteres |  |
[Scene, A chamber in Jerusalem; Mary and the Apostles are
assembled in it: the Jews, headed by their Doctors, are
outside.]
Serely he saide þat we schulde wende
In all þis worlde his will to wirke,
And be his counsaile to be kende
He saide he schulde sette haly kirke.
But firste he saide he schulde doune sende
His sande, þat we schuld noȝt be irke,
His haly gaste on vs to lende,
And make vs to melle of materes mirke.
Vs menis he saide vs þus,
Whan þat he fared vs fra,
iii Apos.
Cum venerit paraclitus
Docebit vos omnia.
Ȝa certaynely, he saide vs soo.
And mekill more þanne we of mene,
Nisi ego abiero,
Þus tolde he ofte tymes vs be-twene,
He saide forsoth, but if I goo,
Þe holy goste schall not be sene,
Et dum assumptus fuero,
Þanne schall I sende ȝou comforte clene.
Þus tolde he holy howe
Þat oure dedis schulde be dight,
So schall we trewly trowe,
He will holde þat he vs highte.
He highte vs fro harme for to hyde,
And holde in hele both hede and hende,
Whanne we take þat he talde þat tyde,
Fro all oure foois it schall vs fende.
But þus in bayle behoues vs bide,
To tyme þat sande till vs be sende;
Þe Jewis besettis vs in ilke aside
Þat we may nowdir walke nor wende.
v Apos.
We dare noȝt walke for drede,
Or comforte come vs till,
Itt is moste for oure spede,
Here to be stokyn still.
Brethir, what mene ȝe ȝou emelle,
To make mournyng at ilk a mele?
My sone, þat of all welthe is well,
He will ȝou wisse to wirke full wele.
For þe tente day is þis to telle,
Sen he saide we schull fauoure fele,
Leuys wele þat lange schall it not dwell,
And therfore drede you neuere a dele;
But prayes with harte and hende,
Þat we his helpe may haue,
Þanne schall it sone be sende,
Þe sande þat schall vs saue.
Harke, maistir, for Mahoundes peyne,
Howe þat þes mobbardis maddis nowe,
Þer maistir þat oure men haue slayne
Hase garte þame on his trifullis trowe.
ii Doc.
Þe lurdayne sais he leffis agayne,
Þat mater may þei neuere avowe,
For as þei herde his prechyng pleyne,
He was away, þai wiste noȝt howe.
i Doc.
They wiste noȝt whenne he wente,
Þerfore fully þei faile,
And sais þam schall be sente
Grete helpe thurgh his counsaille.
He myghte nowdir sende clothe nor clowte,
He was neuere but a wrecche alway,
But samme oure men and make a schowte,
So schall we beste yone foolis flaye.
i Doc.
Nay, nay, þan will þei dye for doute,
I rede we make noȝt mekill dray,
But warly wayte when þai come oute,
And marre þame þanne, if þat we may.
ii Doc.
Now, certis, I assente þer-tille,
Yitt wolde I noght þei wiste,
Ȝone carles þan schall we kill
But þei liffe als vs liste.
[The Holy Ghost descends among the Apostles in the chamber.]
Angelus tunc cantare.
Honnoure and blisse be euer nowe,
With worschippe in þis worlde alwaye,
To my souerayne sone, Jesu,
Oure lorde allone þat laste schall ay,
Nowe may we triste his talis ar trewe,
Be dedis þat here is done þis day.
Als lange as ȝe his pase pursue,
Þe fende ne fendis yow for to flay.
For his high haligaste
He lattis here on ȝou lende
Mirthis and trewthe to taste,
And all misse to amende.
All mys to mende nowe haue we myght,
Þis is þe mirthe oure maistir of mente,
I myght noȝt loke, so was it light,
A! loued be þat lorde þat itt vs lente.
Now hase he holden þat he vs highte,
His holygoste here haue we hente,
Like to þe sonne itt semed in sight,
And sodenly þanne was itt sente.
ii Apos.
Hitt was sente for oure sele,
Hitt giffis vs happe and hele,
Me thynke slike forse I fele,
I myght felle folke full feele.
We haue force for to fighte in felde,
And ffauour of all folke in feere,
With wisdome in þis worlde to welde,
Be knowing of all clergye clere.
iv Apos.
We haue bewteis to be oure belde,
And langage nedis vs none to lere,
Þat lorde vs awe ȝappely to ȝelde,
Þat vs has ȝemed vnto þis ȝere.
v Apos.
This is þe ȝere of grace
Þat musteris vs emang,
As aungellis in þis place,
Þat sais þus in þer sange.
In þare sigging saide þei þus,
And tolde þer talis be-twene þem two,
Veni creator spiritus,
mentes tuorum visita.
Þei praied þe spirite come till vs,
And mende oure myndis with mirthis ma,
Þat lered þei of oure lorde Jesus,
For he saide þat itt schulde be swa.
ii Apos.
He saide he schulde vs sende
His holygoste fro heuyn,
Oure myndis with mirthe to mende,
Nowe is all ordand euyn.
Euen als he saide schulde to vs come,
So has bene schewid vn-to oure sight,
Tristicia impleuit cor vestrum,
Firste sorowe in herte he vs hight;
Sed conuertetur in gaudium,
Sen saide he þat he schulde be light,
Nowe þat he saide vs, all & summe,
Is mefid emange vs thurgh his myght.
iv Apos.
His myght with mayne and mode
May comforte all man-kynde.
Doctor
[outside].
ii Doct.
They speke oure speche als wele as we,
And in ilke a steede it vndirstande.
i Doct.
And all are noȝt of Galilee
Þat takis þis hardinesse on hande;
Butt þei are drounken, all þes menȝe,
Of muste or wyne, I wolle warande.
ii Doct.
Nowe certis þis was wele saide,
þat makis þer mynde to marre,
Ȝone faitours schall be flaied,
Or þat þei flitte aught ferre.
[within.]
Harke, brethir, waites wele aboute,
For in oure fayre we ffynde no frende,
Þe Jewes with strengh are sterne and stoute,
And scharpely schapes þem vs to schende.
i Apos.
Oure maistir has putte alle perellis oute,
And fellid þe falsed of þe fende,
Vndo youre dores, and haues no doute,
For to ȝone warlowes will we wende.
ii Apos.
To wende haue we no drede,
Noght for to do oure dette,
For to neuyn þat is nede
Shall none on-lyve vs lette.
[They open the doors.
Ȝe Jewez þat in Jerusalem dwelle,
Youre tales are false, þat schall ȝe fynde;
Þat we are dronken we here you telle,
Be-cause ȝe hope we haue bene pynnyd.
A prophette preued, his name is Johell,
A gentill Jewe of youre awne kynde,
He spekis þus in his speciall spell,
And of þis matere makis he mynde.
Be poyntis of prophicie
He tolde fulle ferre be-fore,
Þis may ȝe noȝt denye,
For þus his wordis wore,
Et erit in nouissimus diebus, dicit dominus,
effundam de spiritu meo super omnem carnem.
Loo, losellis, loo, þus may ye lere,
Howe youre elders wrotte alway,
Þe holygoste have we tane here,
As youre awne prophettis prechid ay.
iv Apos.
Hitt is þe myght of oure maistir dere,
All dedis þat here are done þis daye,
He giffis vs myght and playne power
To conclude all þat ȝe can saie.
i Doct.
There men hase mekill myght,
Thurgh happe þei here haue tone.
ii Doct.
Wende we oute of þer sight,
And latte þem even allone.
[Exeunt.
Nowe, brethir myne, sen we all meffe,
To teche þe feithe to foo and frende,
Oure tarying may turne vs to mischeffe,
Wherfore I counsaille þat we wende
Vntille oure lady, and take oure leue.
ii Apos.
Sertis so woll we with wordis hende.
[To Mary.]
Mi lady, takis it noȝt to greue,
I may no lenger with you lende.
Nowe Petir, sen itt schall be soo,
Þat ȝe haue diuerse gatis to gang,
Ther schall none dere you for to doo,
Whils my sone musteris you emang.
Butt John and Jamys, my cosyns twoo,
Loke þat ȝe lenge not fro me lange.
Johan.
Lady, youre wille in wele and woo,
Itt schall be wroght, ellis wirke we wrang.
Jacob.
Lady, we bothe are boune
Atte youre biddyng to be.
Maria.
The blissing of my sone
Be boith with you and me.
1.
Peter.
Brethir, takes tente vnto my steuen,
Þanne schall ȝe stabily vndirstande,
Oure maistir hende is hence to heuyn,
To reste þere on his fadirs right hande.
And we are leued a-lyue, elleuyn,
To lere his lawes lely in lande,
Or we begynne vs muste be even,
Ellis are owre werkis noght to warande.
For parfite noumbre it is none,
Off elleuen for to lere,
Twelue may be a-soundir tone,
And settis in parties seere.
Nobis precepit dominus predicare populo et
testificare quia prope est iudex viuorum et mortuorum.
Þanne schall ȝe stabily vndirstande,
Oure maistir hende is hence to heuyn,
To reste þere on his fadirs right hande.
And we are leued a-lyue, elleuyn,
To lere his lawes lely in lande,
Or we begynne vs muste be even,
Ellis are owre werkis noght to warande.
For parfite noumbre it is none,
Off elleuen for to lere,
Twelue may be a-soundir tone,
And settis in parties seere.
Nobis precepit dominus predicare populo et
testificare quia prope est iudex viuorum et mortuorum.
466
2.
Oure lord comaunded vs, more and lesse,
To rewle vs right aftir his rede,
He badde vs preche and bere wittenesse
That he schulde deme bothe quike and dede.
To hym all prophettis preuys expresse,
All þo þat trowis in his godhede,
Off synnes þei schall haue forgiffenesse,
So schall we say mekill rede.
And senne we on þis wise
Schall his counsaile discrie,
Itt nedis we vs avise,
Þat we saye noȝt serely.
To rewle vs right aftir his rede,
He badde vs preche and bere wittenesse
That he schulde deme bothe quike and dede.
To hym all prophettis preuys expresse,
All þo þat trowis in his godhede,
Off synnes þei schall haue forgiffenesse,
So schall we say mekill rede.
And senne we on þis wise
Schall his counsaile discrie,
Itt nedis we vs avise,
Þat we saye noȝt serely.
3.
Joh.Serely he saide þat we schulde wende
In all þis worlde his will to wirke,
And be his counsaile to be kende
He saide he schulde sette haly kirke.
But firste he saide he schulde doune sende
His sande, þat we schuld noȝt be irke,
His haly gaste on vs to lende,
And make vs to melle of materes mirke.
Vs menis he saide vs þus,
Whan þat he fared vs fra,
iii Apos.
Cum venerit paraclitus
Docebit vos omnia.
4.
Jacob.Ȝa certaynely, he saide vs soo.
And mekill more þanne we of mene,
Nisi ego abiero,
Þus tolde he ofte tymes vs be-twene,
He saide forsoth, but if I goo,
Þe holy goste schall not be sene,
Et dum assumptus fuero,
Þanne schall I sende ȝou comforte clene.
Þus tolde he holy howe
Þat oure dedis schulde be dight,
467
He will holde þat he vs highte.
5.
iv Apos.He highte vs fro harme for to hyde,
And holde in hele both hede and hende,
Whanne we take þat he talde þat tyde,
Fro all oure foois it schall vs fende.
But þus in bayle behoues vs bide,
To tyme þat sande till vs be sende;
Þe Jewis besettis vs in ilke aside
Þat we may nowdir walke nor wende.
v Apos.
We dare noȝt walke for drede,
Or comforte come vs till,
Itt is moste for oure spede,
Here to be stokyn still.
6.
Maria.Brethir, what mene ȝe ȝou emelle,
To make mournyng at ilk a mele?
My sone, þat of all welthe is well,
He will ȝou wisse to wirke full wele.
For þe tente day is þis to telle,
Sen he saide we schull fauoure fele,
Leuys wele þat lange schall it not dwell,
And therfore drede you neuere a dele;
But prayes with harte and hende,
Þat we his helpe may haue,
Þanne schall it sone be sende,
Þe sande þat schall vs saue.
7.
i Doctor.Harke, maistir, for Mahoundes peyne,
Howe þat þes mobbardis maddis nowe,
Þer maistir þat oure men haue slayne
Hase garte þame on his trifullis trowe.
ii Doc.
Þe lurdayne sais he leffis agayne,
Þat mater may þei neuere avowe,
For as þei herde his prechyng pleyne,
He was away, þai wiste noȝt howe.
468
They wiste noȝt whenne he wente,
Þerfore fully þei faile,
And sais þam schall be sente
Grete helpe thurgh his counsaille.
8.
ii Doc.He myghte nowdir sende clothe nor clowte,
He was neuere but a wrecche alway,
But samme oure men and make a schowte,
So schall we beste yone foolis flaye.
i Doc.
Nay, nay, þan will þei dye for doute,
I rede we make noȝt mekill dray,
But warly wayte when þai come oute,
And marre þame þanne, if þat we may.
ii Doc.
Now, certis, I assente þer-tille,
Yitt wolde I noght þei wiste,
Ȝone carles þan schall we kill
But þei liffe als vs liste.
[The Holy Ghost descends among the Apostles in the chamber.]
Angelus tunc cantare.
9.
Maria.Honnoure and blisse be euer nowe,
With worschippe in þis worlde alwaye,
To my souerayne sone, Jesu,
Oure lorde allone þat laste schall ay,
Nowe may we triste his talis ar trewe,
Be dedis þat here is done þis day.
Als lange as ȝe his pase pursue,
Þe fende ne fendis yow for to flay.
For his high haligaste
He lattis here on ȝou lende
Mirthis and trewthe to taste,
And all misse to amende.
469
10.
Pet.All mys to mende nowe haue we myght,
Þis is þe mirthe oure maistir of mente,
I myght noȝt loke, so was it light,
A! loued be þat lorde þat itt vs lente.
Now hase he holden þat he vs highte,
His holygoste here haue we hente,
Like to þe sonne itt semed in sight,
And sodenly þanne was itt sente.
ii Apos.
Hitt was sente for oure sele,
Hitt giffis vs happe and hele,
Me thynke slike forse I fele,
I myght felle folke full feele.
11.
iii Apos.We haue force for to fighte in felde,
And ffauour of all folke in feere,
With wisdome in þis worlde to welde,
Be knowing of all clergye clere.
iv Apos.
We haue bewteis to be oure belde,
And langage nedis vs none to lere,
Þat lorde vs awe ȝappely to ȝelde,
Þat vs has ȝemed vnto þis ȝere.
v Apos.
This is þe ȝere of grace
Þat musteris vs emang,
As aungellis in þis place,
Þat sais þus in þer sange.
12.
i Apos.In þare sigging saide þei þus,
And tolde þer talis be-twene þem two,
Veni creator spiritus,
mentes tuorum visita.
Þei praied þe spirite come till vs,
And mende oure myndis with mirthis ma,
Þat lered þei of oure lorde Jesus,
For he saide þat itt schulde be swa.
470
He saide he schulde vs sende
His holygoste fro heuyn,
Oure myndis with mirthe to mende,
Nowe is all ordand euyn.
13.
iii Apos.Euen als he saide schulde to vs come,
So has bene schewid vn-to oure sight,
Tristicia impleuit cor vestrum,
Firste sorowe in herte he vs hight;
Sed conuertetur in gaudium,
Sen saide he þat he schulde be light,
Nowe þat he saide vs, all & summe,
Is mefid emange vs thurgh his myght.
iv Apos.
His myght with mayne and mode
May comforte all man-kynde.
Doctor
[outside].
Harke man, for Mahoundes bloode,
Þer men maddis oute of mynde.
Þer men maddis oute of mynde.
14.
Þei make carpyng of ilke contre,
And leris langage of ilk a lande.
And leris langage of ilk a lande.
ii Doct.
They speke oure speche als wele as we,
And in ilke a steede it vndirstande.
i Doct.
And all are noȝt of Galilee
Þat takis þis hardinesse on hande;
Butt þei are drounken, all þes menȝe,
Of muste or wyne, I wolle warande.
ii Doct.
Nowe certis þis was wele saide,
þat makis þer mynde to marre,
Ȝone faitours schall be flaied,
Or þat þei flitte aught ferre.
15.
iv Apos.
[within.]
Harke, brethir, waites wele aboute,
For in oure fayre we ffynde no frende,
Þe Jewes with strengh are sterne and stoute,
And scharpely schapes þem vs to schende.
i Apos.
Oure maistir has putte alle perellis oute,
471
Vndo youre dores, and haues no doute,
For to ȝone warlowes will we wende.
ii Apos.
To wende haue we no drede,
Noght for to do oure dette,
For to neuyn þat is nede
Shall none on-lyve vs lette.
[They open the doors.
16.
Pet.Ȝe Jewez þat in Jerusalem dwelle,
Youre tales are false, þat schall ȝe fynde;
Þat we are dronken we here you telle,
Be-cause ȝe hope we haue bene pynnyd.
A prophette preued, his name is Johell,
A gentill Jewe of youre awne kynde,
He spekis þus in his speciall spell,
And of þis matere makis he mynde.
Be poyntis of prophicie
He tolde fulle ferre be-fore,
Þis may ȝe noȝt denye,
For þus his wordis wore,
Et erit in nouissimus diebus, dicit dominus,
effundam de spiritu meo super omnem carnem.
17.
iii Apos.Loo, losellis, loo, þus may ye lere,
Howe youre elders wrotte alway,
Þe holygoste have we tane here,
As youre awne prophettis prechid ay.
iv Apos.
Hitt is þe myght of oure maistir dere,
All dedis þat here are done þis daye,
He giffis vs myght and playne power
To conclude all þat ȝe can saie.
i Doct.
There men hase mekill myght,
Thurgh happe þei here haue tone.
ii Doct.
Wende we oute of þer sight,
And latte þem even allone.
[Exeunt.
472
18.
i Apos.Nowe, brethir myne, sen we all meffe,
To teche þe feithe to foo and frende,
Oure tarying may turne vs to mischeffe,
Wherfore I counsaille þat we wende
Vntille oure lady, and take oure leue.
ii Apos.
Sertis so woll we with wordis hende.
[To Mary.]
Mi lady, takis it noȝt to greue,
I may no lenger with you lende.
19.
Maria.Nowe Petir, sen itt schall be soo,
Þat ȝe haue diuerse gatis to gang,
Ther schall none dere you for to doo,
Whils my sone musteris you emang.
Butt John and Jamys, my cosyns twoo,
Loke þat ȝe lenge not fro me lange.
Johan.
Lady, youre wille in wele and woo,
Itt schall be wroght, ellis wirke we wrang.
Jacob.
Lady, we bothe are boune
Atte youre biddyng to be.
Maria.
The blissing of my sone
Be boith with you and me.
| The Potteres | |