 | The Wefferes [Weavers] |  |
[Scene, on the way from India; afterwards the Vale of
Jehoshaphat.]
[He lies down.
Rise, Marie, þou maiden and modir so milde.
ii Ang.
Rise, lilly full lusty, þi luffe is full likand.
iii Ang.
Rise, chefteyne of chastite, in chering þi childe.
iv Ang.
Rise, rose ripe redolent, in reste to be reynand.
v Ang.
Rise, douffe of þat domesman, all dedis is demand.
vi Ang.
Rise, turtour, tabernacle, and tempull full trewe.
vii Ang.
Rise, semely in sight, of þi sone to be semande.
viii Ang.
Rise, grathed full goodely in grace for to grewe.
ix Ang.
Rise vppe þis stounde.
x Ang.
Come chosen childe!
xi Ang.
Come Marie milde!
xii Ang.
Come floure vnfiled!
viii Ang.
Come vppe to þe kyng to be crouned.
O glorious god, what glemes ar glydand!
I meve in my mynde what may þis be-mene?
I see a babbe borne in blisse to be bidand,
With aungelus companye, comely and clene.
Many selcouth sitis in sertis haue I sene,
But þis mirthe and þis melody mengis my mode.
Mar.
Thomas, do way all þi doutes be-dene,
For I ame foundynge fourthe to my faire fode,
I telle þe þis tyde.
Thom.
Who, my souerayne lady?
Mar.
Ȝa! sertis I saie þe.
Thom.
Whedir wendes þou, I praye þe?
Mar.
To blisse with my barne for to bide.
To bide with thy barne in blisse to be bidand!
Hayle! jentilest of Jesse in Jewes generacion,
Haile! welthe of þis worlde all welthis is weldand,
Haile! hendest enhaunsed to high habitacion.
Haile! derworth and dere is þi diewe dominacion.
Haile! floure fresshe florisshed, þi frewte is full felesome.
Haile! sete of oure saveour and sege of saluacion,
Haile! happy to helde to, þi helpe is full helesome.
Haile! pereles in plesaunce,
Haile! precious and pure,
Haile! salue þat is sure,
Haile! lettir of langure,
Haile! bote of oure bale in obeyesaunce.
Go to þi brethir þat in bale are abiding,
And of what wise to welthe I ame wendande,
With-oute taryng þou telle þame þis tithynge,
Þer mirthe so besse mekill amendande.
For Thomas, to me were þei tendande,
Whanne I drewe to þe dede, all but þou.
Thom.
Mar.
Thomas, sesse of thy sorowe, for I am sothly the same.
Thom.
Þat wote I wele, þe worthiest þat wrapped is in wede!
Mar.
Þanne spare nott a space nowe my speche for to spede,
Go saie þem sothely, þou sawe me assendinge.
Thom.
Now douteles, derworthy, I dare not for drede,
For to my tales þat I telle þei are not attendinge,
For no spelle þat is spoken.
Maria.
I schall þe schewe
A token trewe,
Full fresshe of hewe,
Mi girdill, loo, take þame þis tokyn.
I thanke þe as reuerent rote of oure reste,
I thanke þe as stedfast stokke for to stande,
I thanke þe as tristy tre for to treste,
I thanke þe as buxsom bough to þe bande,
I thanke þe as leeffe þe lustiest in lande,
I thanke þe as bewteuous braunche for to bere,
I thanke þe as floure þat neuere is fadande,
I thanke þe as frewte þat has fedde vs in fere.
I thanke þe for euere,
If they repreue me,
Now schall þei leue me!
Þi blissinge giffe me,
And douteles I schall do my deuere.
Thomas, to do þanne thy deuere be dressand,
He bid þe his blissinge þat beldis aboven,
And in siȝtte of my sone þer is sittand,
Shall I knele to þat comely with croune;
Þat what dispaire be dale or be doune
With pitevous playnte in perellis will pray me,
If he synke or swete, in swelte or in swoune,
I schall sewe to my souerayne sone for to say me.
He schall graunte þame þer grace,
Be it manne in his mournyng,
Or womanne in childinge,
All þes to be helpinge,
Þat prince schall I praye in þat place.
Gramercy! þe goodliest grounded in grace,
Gramercy! þe lufliest lady of lire,
Gramercy! þe fairest in figure and face,
Gramercy! þe derrest to do oure desire.
Mar.
Farewele, nowe I passe to þe pereles empire,
Farewele, Thomas, I tarie no tyde here.
Thom.
Farewele, þou schynyng schappe þat schyniste so schire,
Farewele, þe belle of all bewtes to bide here;
Farewele þou faire foode,
Farewele þe keye of counsaile,
Farewele all þis worldes wele,
Farewele, our hape and oure hele,
Farewele nowe, both gracious and goode.
[The Vision vanishes.
Pet.
What dois þou here?
Þou may nowe of þi gatis be gangand.
Why dere brethir, what bale is be-gune?
Pet.
Thomas, I telle þe, þat tene is be-tidde vs.
Thom.
Me for-thinkith for my frendis þat faithfull are foune.
Jacob.
Ȝa, but in care litill kyndnes þou kid vs.
Andr.
His bragge and his boste is he besie to bid vs,
But and þer come any cares he kepis not to kenne,
We may renne till we raue, or any ruth rid vs,
For þe frenschippe he fecched vs be frith or be fenne.
Thom.
Sirs, me meruailes, I saie yowe,
What mevis in youre mynde.
Joh.
We can wele fynde
Þou art vnkynde.
Thom.
Nowe pees þanne, and preue it, I pray yowe.
Þat þou come not to courte here vnkyndynes þou kid vs,
Oure treuth of has turned vs to tene and to traye,
Þis yere haste þou rakid, þi reuth wolde not ridde vs,
For witte þou wele þat worthy is wente on hir waye.
In a depe denne dede is scho doluen þis daye,
Marie, þat maiden and modir so milde.
Thom.
I wate wele i-wis.
Jacob.
Thomas, do way.
Andr.
Itt forse noȝt to frayne hym, he will not be filde.
Thom.
Sirs, with hir haue I spoken
Lattar þanne yee.
Joh.
Þat may not bee.
Thom.
Yis, knelyng on kne.
Pet.
Þanne tite, can þou telle us some token?
Lo! þis token full tristy scho toke me to take youe.
[Shows the girdle.
Jacob.
A! Thomas, whare gate þou þat girdill so gode?
Thom.
Sirs, my messages is meuand some mirthe for to make youe,
For founding flesshly I fande hir till hir faire foode,
And when I mette with þat maiden, it mengid my mode.
Hir sande has scho sente youe, so semely to see.
And.
Ya, Thomas, vnstedfaste full staring þou stode,
Þat makis þi mynde nowe full madde for to be.
But herken and here nowe
Late vs loke where we laid hir,
If any folke haue affraied hir.
Joh.
Go we groppe wher we graued hir,
If we fynde ouȝte þat faire one in fere nowe.
[They go to Mary's grave.
Be-halde nowe, hidir youre hedis in haste,
Þis glorious and goddely is gone fro þis graue.
Thom.
Loo! to my talking ye toke youe no tente for to traste.
Jacob.
A! Thomas, vntrewly nowe trespassed we haue,
Mercy, full kyndely we crie and we craue.
Andr.
Mercye, for foule haue we fautid in faye.
Joh.
Mercye, we praye þe, we will not de-praue.
Pet.
Mercye, for dedis we did þe þis daye.
Thom.
Oure saueour so swete
For-giffe you all,
And so I schall.
Þis tokyn tall
Haue I brought yowe, youre bales to beete.
Itt is welcome, i-wis, fro þat worthy wight,
For it was wonte for to wappe þat worthy virgine.
Jacob.
Itt is welcome, i-wis, fro þat lady so light,
For hir wombe wolde scho wrappe with it and were it with wynne.
Andr.
Itt is welcome i-wis, fro þat saluer of synne,
For scho bende it aboute hir with blossom so bright.
Joh.
Itt is welcome i-wis, fro þe kepe of oure kynne,
For aboute þat reuerent it rechid full right.
Pet.
Nowe knele we ilkone
Vpponne oure kne.
Jacob.
To þat lady free.
Andr.
Blissid motte sche be!
Ȝa, for scho is lady lufsome allone.
Nowe brethir, bese besie and buske to be bownand,
To Ynde will I torne me and trauell to teche.
Pet.
And to Romans so royall þo renkis to be rownand,
Will I passe fro þis place, my pepull to preche.
Jac.
And I schall Samaritanus so sadly enserche,
To were þam be wisdome þei wirke not in waste,
Andr.
And to Achaia full lely þat lede for to leche,
Will hy me to helpe þame and hele þame in haste.
Joh.
Þis comenaunt accordis,
Sirs, sen ȝe will soo,
Me muste nedis parte youe froo
To Assia will I goo.
He lede ȝou, þat lorde of all lordis!
The lorde of all lordis in lande schall he lede youe,
Whillis ȝe trauell in trouble, þe trewthe for to teche,
With frewte of oure feithe in firthe schall we fede youe,
For þat laboure is lufsome, ilke lede for to leche.
Nowe I passe fro youre presence þe pepull to preche,
To lede þame and lere þame þe lawe of oure lorde;
As I saide, vs muste a-soundre and sadly enserche,
Ilke contre to kepe clene and knytte in o corde
Off oure faithe.
Þat frelye foode
Þat died on rode,
With mayne and moode,
He grath yowe be gydis full grath!
1.
Thom.
In waylyng and weping, in woo am I wapped,
In site and in sorowe, in sighing full sadde,
Mi lorde and my luffe loo full lowe is he lapped,
Þat makes me to mourne nowe full mate and full madde.
What harling and what hurlyng þat hedesman he hadde!
What breking of braunches ware brosten a-boute hym,
What bolnyng with betyng of brothellis full badde!
Itt leres me full lely to loue hym and lowte hym.
That comely to kenne,
Goddis sone Jesus
He died for vs,
Þat makes me þus
To mourne amange many men.
In site and in sorowe, in sighing full sadde,
Mi lorde and my luffe loo full lowe is he lapped,
Þat makes me to mourne nowe full mate and full madde.
What harling and what hurlyng þat hedesman he hadde!
What breking of braunches ware brosten a-boute hym,
What bolnyng with betyng of brothellis full badde!
Itt leres me full lely to loue hym and lowte hym.
That comely to kenne,
Goddis sone Jesus
He died for vs,
Þat makes me þus
To mourne amange many men.
481
2.
Emange men may I mourne, for þe malice þei mente
To Jesu, þe gentillest of Jewes generacioun,
Of wisdome and witte were þe waies þat he wente,
Þat drewe all þo domesmen derffe indignacioun;
For douteles full dere was his diewe dominacioun.
Vnkyndely þei kidde þem þer kyng for to kenne,
With carefull comforth and colde recreacioun,
For he mustered his miracles amonge many men,
And to þe pepull he preched,
But þe Pharases fers
All his resouns revers,
And to þer hedesmen rehers
Þat vntrewe þe tales þat he teched.
To Jesu, þe gentillest of Jewes generacioun,
Of wisdome and witte were þe waies þat he wente,
Þat drewe all þo domesmen derffe indignacioun;
For douteles full dere was his diewe dominacioun.
Vnkyndely þei kidde þem þer kyng for to kenne,
With carefull comforth and colde recreacioun,
For he mustered his miracles amonge many men,
And to þe pepull he preched,
But þe Pharases fers
All his resouns revers,
And to þer hedesmen rehers
Þat vntrewe þe tales þat he teched.
3.
He teched full trewe, but þe tirauntes were tened,
For he reproued þer pride, þai purposed þame preste,
To mischeue hym with malis in þere mynde haue þei menyd,
And to accuse hym of cursednesse þe caistiffis has caste.
Ther rancoure was raised, no renke might it reste,
Þei toke hym with treasoune, þat turtill of treuthe,
Þei fedde hym with flappes, with fersnesse hym feste,
To rugge hym, to riffe hym, þer reyned no rewthe.
Vndewly þei demed hym,
Þei dusshed hym, þei dasshed hym,
Þei lusshed hym, þei lasshed hym,
Þei pusshed hym, þei passhed hym,
All sorowe þei saide þat it semed hym.
For he reproued þer pride, þai purposed þame preste,
To mischeue hym with malis in þere mynde haue þei menyd,
And to accuse hym of cursednesse þe caistiffis has caste.
Ther rancoure was raised, no renke might it reste,
Þei toke hym with treasoune, þat turtill of treuthe,
Þei fedde hym with flappes, with fersnesse hym feste,
To rugge hym, to riffe hym, þer reyned no rewthe.
Vndewly þei demed hym,
Þei dusshed hym, þei dasshed hym,
Þei lusshed hym, þei lasshed hym,
Þei pusshed hym, þei passhed hym,
All sorowe þei saide þat it semed hym.
4.
Itt semed hym all sorowe, þe saide in þe seggyng,
Þei skippid and scourged hym, he skapid not with scornes,
Þat he was leder and lorde in þere lawe lay no leggyng,
But thrange on and thristed a croune of thik thornes.
Ilk tag of þat turtill so tatterid and torne es,
That þat blissid body blo is and bolned for betyng,
Ȝitt þe hedesmen to hynge hym with huge hydous hornes,
As brothellis or bribours we[re] belyng and bletyng.
‘Crucifie hym!’ þei cried.
Sone Pilate in parlement
Of Jesu gaffe jugement,
To hynge hym þe harlottis hym hente;
Þer was no deide of þat domesman denyed.
Þei skippid and scourged hym, he skapid not with scornes,
Þat he was leder and lorde in þere lawe lay no leggyng,
But thrange on and thristed a croune of thik thornes.
Ilk tag of þat turtill so tatterid and torne es,
That þat blissid body blo is and bolned for betyng,
Ȝitt þe hedesmen to hynge hym with huge hydous hornes,
As brothellis or bribours we[re] belyng and bletyng.
482
Sone Pilate in parlement
Of Jesu gaffe jugement,
To hynge hym þe harlottis hym hente;
Þer was no deide of þat domesman denyed.
5.
Denyed not þat domesman to deme hym to dede,
Þat frendly faire foode þat neuere offended,
Þei hied þame in haste þan to hynge vppe þere heede,
What woo þat þei wroghte hym no wyȝt wolde haue wende it.
His true titill þei toke þame no tome for to attende it,
But as a traytour atteynted þei toled hym and tugged hym,
Þei schonte for no schoutis his schappe for to schende it,
Þei rasid hym on rode als full rasely þei rugged hym.
Þei persed hym with a spere,
Þat the blode riall
To the erþe gun fall,
In redemption of all
Þat his lele lawes likis to lere.
Þat frendly faire foode þat neuere offended,
Þei hied þame in haste þan to hynge vppe þere heede,
What woo þat þei wroghte hym no wyȝt wolde haue wende it.
His true titill þei toke þame no tome for to attende it,
But as a traytour atteynted þei toled hym and tugged hym,
Þei schonte for no schoutis his schappe for to schende it,
Þei rasid hym on rode als full rasely þei rugged hym.
Þei persed hym with a spere,
Þat the blode riall
To the erþe gun fall,
In redemption of all
Þat his lele lawes likis to lere.
6.
To lere he þat likis of his lawe, þat is lele,
Mai fynde in oure frende here full faithfull feste,
Þat wolde hynge þus on hight to enhaunce vs in hele,
And by vs fro bondage by his bloode þat is beste.
Þan þe comforte of oure companye in kares were keste,
But þat lorde so allone wolde not leffe vs full longe,
On þe thirde day he rose riȝt with his renkis to reste;
Both flessh and fell fersly þat figour gon fange,
And to my brethir gonne appere;
Þai tolde me of þis,
Bot I leued a-mys,
To rise flesshly, i-wis,
Me thought þat it paste mans pou[e]re.
Mai fynde in oure frende here full faithfull feste,
Þat wolde hynge þus on hight to enhaunce vs in hele,
And by vs fro bondage by his bloode þat is beste.
Þan þe comforte of oure companye in kares were keste,
But þat lorde so allone wolde not leffe vs full longe,
On þe thirde day he rose riȝt with his renkis to reste;
Both flessh and fell fersly þat figour gon fange,
And to my brethir gonne appere;
Þai tolde me of þis,
Bot I leued a-mys,
To rise flesshly, i-wis,
Me thought þat it paste mans pou[e]re.
483
7.
But þe poure of þat prince was presiously previd,
Whan þat souerayne schewed hym selffe to my siȝt,
To mene of his manhode my mynde was all meued,
But þat reuerent redused me be resoune and be riȝt.
Þe woundes full wide of þat worthy wight,
He frayned me to fele þame, my faith for to feste,
And so I did douteless, and doune I me diȝt,
I bende my bak for to bowe and obeyed hym for beste.
So sone he assendid
Mi felaus in feere
Ware sondered sere.
If þai were here
Mi myrthe were mekill amended.
Whan þat souerayne schewed hym selffe to my siȝt,
To mene of his manhode my mynde was all meued,
But þat reuerent redused me be resoune and be riȝt.
Þe woundes full wide of þat worthy wight,
He frayned me to fele þame, my faith for to feste,
And so I did douteless, and doune I me diȝt,
I bende my bak for to bowe and obeyed hym for beste.
So sone he assendid
Mi felaus in feere
Ware sondered sere.
If þai were here
Mi myrthe were mekill amended.
8.
Amendid were my mirthe with þat meyne to mete,
Mi felaus in fere for to fynde woll I fonde,
I schall nott stedde in no stede but in stall and in strete,
Grath me be gydis to gette þame on grounde.
[The Vale of Jehoshaphat suddenly appears.
Mi felaus in fere for to fynde woll I fonde,
I schall nott stedde in no stede but in stall and in strete,
Grath me be gydis to gette þame on grounde.
O souerayne! how sone am I sette here so sounde!
Þis is þe Vale of Josophat, in Jury so gente.
I will steme of my steuene and sted here a stounde,
For I am wery for walkyng þe waies þat I wente,
Full wilsome and wide.
Þerfore I kaste
Here for to reste,
I halde it beste
To buske on þis banke for to bide.
Þis is þe Vale of Josophat, in Jury so gente.
I will steme of my steuene and sted here a stounde,
For I am wery for walkyng þe waies þat I wente,
Full wilsome and wide.
Þerfore I kaste
Here for to reste,
I halde it beste
To buske on þis banke for to bide.
[He lies down.
Surge proxima mea columba mea tabernaculum glorie vasculum vite templum celeste.
[Vision of Mary, and Angels singing before her.]
9.
i Ang.Rise, Marie, þou maiden and modir so milde.
ii Ang.
Rise, lilly full lusty, þi luffe is full likand.
iii Ang.
Rise, chefteyne of chastite, in chering þi childe.
484
Rise, rose ripe redolent, in reste to be reynand.
v Ang.
Rise, douffe of þat domesman, all dedis is demand.
vi Ang.
Rise, turtour, tabernacle, and tempull full trewe.
vii Ang.
Rise, semely in sight, of þi sone to be semande.
viii Ang.
Rise, grathed full goodely in grace for to grewe.
ix Ang.
Rise vppe þis stounde.
x Ang.
Come chosen childe!
xi Ang.
Come Marie milde!
xii Ang.
Come floure vnfiled!
viii Ang.
Come vppe to þe kyng to be crouned.
Veni de libano sponsa veni coronaberis.
10.
Thom.O glorious god, what glemes ar glydand!
I meve in my mynde what may þis be-mene?
I see a babbe borne in blisse to be bidand,
With aungelus companye, comely and clene.
Many selcouth sitis in sertis haue I sene,
But þis mirthe and þis melody mengis my mode.
Mar.
Thomas, do way all þi doutes be-dene,
For I ame foundynge fourthe to my faire fode,
I telle þe þis tyde.
Thom.
Who, my souerayne lady?
Mar.
Ȝa! sertis I saie þe.
Thom.
Whedir wendes þou, I praye þe?
Mar.
To blisse with my barne for to bide.
11.
Thom.To bide with thy barne in blisse to be bidand!
Hayle! jentilest of Jesse in Jewes generacion,
Haile! welthe of þis worlde all welthis is weldand,
Haile! hendest enhaunsed to high habitacion.
Haile! derworth and dere is þi diewe dominacion.
485
Haile! sete of oure saveour and sege of saluacion,
Haile! happy to helde to, þi helpe is full helesome.
Haile! pereles in plesaunce,
Haile! precious and pure,
Haile! salue þat is sure,
Haile! lettir of langure,
Haile! bote of oure bale in obeyesaunce.
12.
Mar.Go to þi brethir þat in bale are abiding,
And of what wise to welthe I ame wendande,
With-oute taryng þou telle þame þis tithynge,
Þer mirthe so besse mekill amendande.
For Thomas, to me were þei tendande,
Whanne I drewe to þe dede, all but þou.
Thom.
Bot I, lady! whillis in lande I ame lendande,
Obeye þe full baynly my bones will I bowe.
Bot I! allas!
Whare was I þanne
When þat barette beganne?
An vnhappy manne
Both nowe and euere I was.
Obeye þe full baynly my bones will I bowe.
Bot I! allas!
Whare was I þanne
When þat barette beganne?
An vnhappy manne
Both nowe and euere I was.
13.
Vnhappy, vnhende, am I holden at home,
What drerye destonye me drew fro þat dede!
What drerye destonye me drew fro þat dede!
Mar.
Thomas, sesse of thy sorowe, for I am sothly the same.
Thom.
Þat wote I wele, þe worthiest þat wrapped is in wede!
Mar.
Þanne spare nott a space nowe my speche for to spede,
Go saie þem sothely, þou sawe me assendinge.
Thom.
Now douteles, derworthy, I dare not for drede,
For to my tales þat I telle þei are not attendinge,
For no spelle þat is spoken.
486
I schall þe schewe
A token trewe,
Full fresshe of hewe,
Mi girdill, loo, take þame þis tokyn.
14.
Thom.I thanke þe as reuerent rote of oure reste,
I thanke þe as stedfast stokke for to stande,
I thanke þe as tristy tre for to treste,
I thanke þe as buxsom bough to þe bande,
I thanke þe as leeffe þe lustiest in lande,
I thanke þe as bewteuous braunche for to bere,
I thanke þe as floure þat neuere is fadande,
I thanke þe as frewte þat has fedde vs in fere.
I thanke þe for euere,
If they repreue me,
Now schall þei leue me!
Þi blissinge giffe me,
And douteles I schall do my deuere.
15.
Mar.Thomas, to do þanne thy deuere be dressand,
He bid þe his blissinge þat beldis aboven,
And in siȝtte of my sone þer is sittand,
Shall I knele to þat comely with croune;
Þat what dispaire be dale or be doune
With pitevous playnte in perellis will pray me,
If he synke or swete, in swelte or in swoune,
I schall sewe to my souerayne sone for to say me.
He schall graunte þame þer grace,
Be it manne in his mournyng,
Or womanne in childinge,
All þes to be helpinge,
Þat prince schall I praye in þat place.
16.
Thom.Gramercy! þe goodliest grounded in grace,
Gramercy! þe lufliest lady of lire,
Gramercy! þe fairest in figure and face,
Gramercy! þe derrest to do oure desire.
487
Farewele, nowe I passe to þe pereles empire,
Farewele, Thomas, I tarie no tyde here.
Thom.
Farewele, þou schynyng schappe þat schyniste so schire,
Farewele, þe belle of all bewtes to bide here;
Farewele þou faire foode,
Farewele þe keye of counsaile,
Farewele all þis worldes wele,
Farewele, our hape and oure hele,
Farewele nowe, both gracious and goode.
[The Vision vanishes.
Veni electa mea et ponam in te tronum meum Quia concupiuit rex speciem tuam.
17.
Thom.
That I mette with þis may here my mirtheis amend,
I will hy me in haste and holde þat I haue hight,
To bere my brethir þis boodeword my bak schall I bende,
And saie þame in certayne þe soth of þis sight.
Be dale and be doune schall I dresse me to diȝt,
To I fynde of þis felawschippe faithfull in fere,
I schall renne and reste not to ransake full right.
Lo! þe menȝe I mente of I mete þam euen here at hande.
[Meets the other Apostles.
I will hy me in haste and holde þat I haue hight,
To bere my brethir þis boodeword my bak schall I bende,
And saie þame in certayne þe soth of þis sight.
Be dale and be doune schall I dresse me to diȝt,
To I fynde of þis felawschippe faithfull in fere,
I schall renne and reste not to ransake full right.
Lo! þe menȝe I mente of I mete þam euen here at hande.
God saffe ȝou in feere,
Say breþir, what chere?
Say breþir, what chere?
Pet.
What dois þou here?
Þou may nowe of þi gatis be gangand.
18.
Thom.Why dere brethir, what bale is be-gune?
Pet.
Thomas, I telle þe, þat tene is be-tidde vs.
Thom.
Me for-thinkith for my frendis þat faithfull are foune.
Jacob.
Ȝa, but in care litill kyndnes þou kid vs.
Andr.
His bragge and his boste is he besie to bid vs,
But and þer come any cares he kepis not to kenne,
488
For þe frenschippe he fecched vs be frith or be fenne.
Thom.
Sirs, me meruailes, I saie yowe,
What mevis in youre mynde.
Joh.
We can wele fynde
Þou art vnkynde.
Thom.
Nowe pees þanne, and preue it, I pray yowe.
19.
Pet.Þat þou come not to courte here vnkyndynes þou kid vs,
Oure treuth of has turned vs to tene and to traye,
Þis yere haste þou rakid, þi reuth wolde not ridde vs,
For witte þou wele þat worthy is wente on hir waye.
In a depe denne dede is scho doluen þis daye,
Marie, þat maiden and modir so milde.
Thom.
I wate wele i-wis.
Jacob.
Thomas, do way.
Andr.
Itt forse noȝt to frayne hym, he will not be filde.
Thom.
Sirs, with hir haue I spoken
Lattar þanne yee.
Joh.
Þat may not bee.
Thom.
Yis, knelyng on kne.
Pet.
Þanne tite, can þou telle us some token?
20.
Thom.Lo! þis token full tristy scho toke me to take youe.
[Shows the girdle.
Jacob.
A! Thomas, whare gate þou þat girdill so gode?
Thom.
Sirs, my messages is meuand some mirthe for to make youe,
For founding flesshly I fande hir till hir faire foode,
And when I mette with þat maiden, it mengid my mode.
Hir sande has scho sente youe, so semely to see.
And.
Ya, Thomas, vnstedfaste full staring þou stode,
Þat makis þi mynde nowe full madde for to be.
But herken and here nowe
489
If any folke haue affraied hir.
Joh.
Go we groppe wher we graued hir,
If we fynde ouȝte þat faire one in fere nowe.
[They go to Mary's grave.
21.
Pet.Be-halde nowe, hidir youre hedis in haste,
Þis glorious and goddely is gone fro þis graue.
Thom.
Loo! to my talking ye toke youe no tente for to traste.
Jacob.
A! Thomas, vntrewly nowe trespassed we haue,
Mercy, full kyndely we crie and we craue.
Andr.
Mercye, for foule haue we fautid in faye.
Joh.
Mercye, we praye þe, we will not de-praue.
Pet.
Mercye, for dedis we did þe þis daye.
Thom.
Oure saueour so swete
For-giffe you all,
And so I schall.
Þis tokyn tall
Haue I brought yowe, youre bales to beete.
22.
Pet.Itt is welcome, i-wis, fro þat worthy wight,
For it was wonte for to wappe þat worthy virgine.
Jacob.
Itt is welcome, i-wis, fro þat lady so light,
For hir wombe wolde scho wrappe with it and were it with wynne.
Andr.
Itt is welcome i-wis, fro þat saluer of synne,
For scho bende it aboute hir with blossom so bright.
Joh.
Itt is welcome i-wis, fro þe kepe of oure kynne,
For aboute þat reuerent it rechid full right.
Pet.
Nowe knele we ilkone
Vpponne oure kne.
Jacob.
To þat lady free.
Andr.
Blissid motte sche be!
Ȝa, for scho is lady lufsome allone.
490
23.
Thom.Nowe brethir, bese besie and buske to be bownand,
To Ynde will I torne me and trauell to teche.
Pet.
And to Romans so royall þo renkis to be rownand,
Will I passe fro þis place, my pepull to preche.
Jac.
And I schall Samaritanus so sadly enserche,
To were þam be wisdome þei wirke not in waste,
Andr.
And to Achaia full lely þat lede for to leche,
Will hy me to helpe þame and hele þame in haste.
Joh.
Þis comenaunt accordis,
Sirs, sen ȝe will soo,
Me muste nedis parte youe froo
To Assia will I goo.
He lede ȝou, þat lorde of all lordis!
24.
Thom.The lorde of all lordis in lande schall he lede youe,
Whillis ȝe trauell in trouble, þe trewthe for to teche,
With frewte of oure feithe in firthe schall we fede youe,
For þat laboure is lufsome, ilke lede for to leche.
Nowe I passe fro youre presence þe pepull to preche,
To lede þame and lere þame þe lawe of oure lorde;
As I saide, vs muste a-soundre and sadly enserche,
Ilke contre to kepe clene and knytte in o corde
Off oure faithe.
Þat frelye foode
Þat died on rode,
With mayne and moode,
He grath yowe be gydis full grath!
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