A W Pollard Miracle Plays

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ENGLISH MIRACLE PLAYS

MORALITIES AND INTERLUDES SPECIMENS AND EXTRACTS

POLLARD

FROM A SARUM HORAE PARIS, P. PIGOUCHET FOR

S.

VOSTRE, 1502

ENGLISH MIRACLE PLAYS

MORALITIES AND INTERLUDES

SPECIMENS OF THE PRE-ELIZABETHAN DRAMA EDITED, WITH AN INTRODUCTION

NOTES,

AND GLOSSARY, BY

ALFRED W. POLLARD, ST.

M.A.

JOHN'S COLLEGE, OXFORD

FIFTH EDITION, REVISED

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS

OXFORD AT THE CLARENDON PRESS 1909

HENBT FBOWDE,

M.A.

PUBLISHER TO THE CKIVERSITY OF OXFOBD

LONDON, EDINBURGH,

HEW YORK

TORONTO AND MELBOURNE

TO THE

REV.

WALTER

W.

SKEAT,

Lnr.D., LL.El

ELRINGTON AND BOSWORTH PROFESSOR OF ANGLO-SAXON IN

THIS

IN

IN

THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE

VOLUME

IS

GRATEFULLY DEDICATED

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE HELP WHICH

ITS

EDITOR

COMMON WITH ALL STUDENTS OF OUR EARLIER LITERATURE HAS RECEIVED FROM HIS WRITINGS

222761

PREFACE. THE drama excuse

small attention in all histories for

devoted

to

the

pre-Elizabethan

of English Literature

is

the best

appearance of the present volume of Of the works from which these Specimens

the

Specimens. have been drawn, the greater part are accessible to students only in the Publications of Societies or in limited editions,

expensive and

difficult

to the Editor that a

to

procure.

seemed therefore

It

volume which should bring together

within a small compass illustrations of the English dramatic literature of

more than two

an unpretentious

centuries, with

and commentary, might charge of book-making, and be useful introduction

escape

fairly

to

many

lovers

the

of

unable to make the subject their special study. be added that, while no sample can ever perfectly

literature It

may

represent the complete work from which

it

peculiar difficulty in illustrating dramatic

work by means

of specimens hardly applies in this case. ungrateful for one

who has

these old plays to accuse

derived so

them of

It

much

prolixity

but a very small acquaintance with them

is

taken, the

is

perhaps

pleasure from

and lack of will

unity,

convince the

student that illustration by means of selected episodes offers

no

injustice to the dramatists.

In writing the Introduction and Notes to

make

the best use of the labours of

I

have endeavoured

my

predecessors, to

PREFACE.

viii

most of

whom

I

occasion arose.

I

have made special acknowledgment as am also under obligations to Dr. Furni-

Mr. Henry Bradley, Miss Toulmin Smith, Miss Emily to Hickey and Mr. York Powell for much kind help, and

vall,

Mr. Gurney and His Grace the permission to consult

Duke

of Devonshire for

MSS.

ALFRED W. POLLARD. May

24th, 1890.

PREFACE TO FIFTH EDITION. IN preparing a second edition in 1894, and a third in 1898, the text and notes were carefully revised, and some additional notes added, mainly as the result of suggestions by Dr.

Henri Logeman and Dr. Eugen Kolbing. In the fourth my principal debt was to Mr. E. K. Chambers, whose fine book on The Mediaeval Stage (Clarendon Press, edition

1903) appeared just as I was beginning

my

revision.

Some

illustrations from fifteenth and sixteenth century sources were then added for the first time. Notes on them will

be found

at the

end of the Introduction.

edition a few corrections

some of them due

and

alterations

to suggestions

In the present

have been made,

by Dr. Skeat. A.

Aprilt 1909.

W.

P.

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION

YORK

xi

THE BARKERS

PLAY.

CHESTER PLAYS I.

II.

NOAH'S FLOOD

THE

V

SACRIFICE OF ISAAC

TOWNELEY PLAY SECUNDA PASTORUM

8

V

ai

/ .

.

.

...

COVENTRY PLAY-

XL THE

i

.

SALUTATION AND CONCEPTION

MARY MAGDALENE

.

.

.

31

.

....

44

y

49

THE CASTELL OF PERSEVERANCE

64

EVERYMAN

./.

.

.

77

.

INTERLUDE OF THE FOUR ELEMENTS SKELTON'S MAGNYFYCENCE

.

.

97

*6

{/

HEYWOOD'S THE PARDONER AND THE FRERE THERSYTES

.

.

.114

V

126

BALE'S KING JOHN

146

APPENDIX

155

.

MYSTERIUM RESURRECTIONIS D. N. JHESU CHRISTI LUDUS SUPER ICONIA SANCTI NlCOLAI

.

.

.

.

.

.

157

.

l6a

.166

THE HARROWING OF HELL BROME PLAY OF ABRAHAM AND ISAAC

.

T

73

CONTENTS.

X

NOTES

PAGE

YORK PLAY

177

CHESTER PLAYSNOAH'S FLOOD

THE

SACRIFICE OF ISAAC

.

.

.

.

.

,

180

.184

TOWNELEY PLAY SECUNDA PASTORCJM

188

COVENTRY PLAY

THE SALUTATION AND CONCEPTION

.

.

.

.191

MARY MAGDALENE

193

THE CASTELL OF PERSEVERANCE

197

EVERYMAN \

202

FOUR ELEMENTS

204

SKELTON'S MAGNYFYCENCE

HEYWOOD'S THE PARDONER AND THE FRERE THERSYTES BALE'S

KING JOHN

207 .

.

210 213 ai8

ADDITIONAL NOTES

2243

GLOSS ARIAL INDEX

3*5

INTRODUCTION. 1

<

I

AT

the outset of his enquiries almost every\3tudent of the__ modern drama is found instinctively peering through long *2centuries of darkness for some glimmerings of the brilliant ij

Greek tragedy. In this pious desire to connect c_ things with old, to link together the names of ^Eschylus and Shakespeare, the services of a motley crew are called into /o torch-light of

new

which poets, philosophers, saints, mimes, jugglers, ' monks, nuns, bishops and tradesfolk have all to play their part; cV' but the pedigree is like that of many a modern genealogy, clear at the beginning and the end, with a huge hiatus gaping berequisition, in

Roman Empire

the drama died a Church condemned it, but by <^ a lust for sheer obscenity and bloodshed which made true r-r dramatic writing impossible. Until the theatres in which men Po* were made to die and women to prostitute themselves, not show but in reality, had long been closed and forgotten, the stage was something too vile and horrible for any attempt to Christianize it nor could the innate dramatic instincts of mankind again find free play amid the unhealthy surroundings of a dying civilization. Yet one piece of positive evidence has long been quoted and re-quoted to the contrary. A drama entitled Xpioroy ndaxw, on the subject of the Passion of Christ and the sorrows of the Blessed Virgin, has been generally attributed to St. Nazianzene, a writer of the fourth century. Save for the absence^ J of lyrical choruses, it is cast strictly upon the lines of Greek tragedy, and it is interesting to classical scholars because, together with a few verses from ^schylus (chiefly from the Prometheus Vtnctus), the writer has incorporated into his play several hundred lines of Euripides, many of which have not

tween.

Under

the

later

natural death, not because the

;

,

^

V

INTRODUCTION.

xii

been preserved

in

any other form.

A

cento such as this

is

appropriateness and religious feeling, and it is a pleasure to find some better reason for denying its authorship to St. Gregory than the doubt as to necessarily destitute alike of

its strict

suspicion.

dramatic

orthodoxy, which, until quite recently, alone excited To Dr. J. G. Brambs 1 , the latest editor of the

Xpio-Tos ndo-^wr, belongs the credit of

a conclusive proof that

and grammar of this play are not those of St. Gregory, nor of any other writer of the fourth century, and cannot be reasonably attributed to an earlier period than some six hundred years later. The Xpioros Uacrxav, whether, as Dr. Brambs conjectures, the work of Joannes Tzetzes, or of one

the metre, prosody

of his contemporaries, in any case thus ceases to be the dramatic landmark which it has long been represented, and falls into the

same class with the plays of the learned nun Hroswitha, to which also a somewhat undue importance is generally attributed.

This Hroswitha 2 was a nun of Gandersheim in Saxony, and her six plays are planned in some measure on the comedies of Terence. Not that, like the author of the Xpioro? Hda-^v with the Greek dramatists, she incorporated his verses into her own but that work, or made any attempt to imitate his metres ;

' Terence, of whom it has been said that he bore a charmed life amid the monasteries of the middle ages/ appeared to the good nun undeservedly and dangerously popular, and she wished to

show what much better comedies might be written to inculcate strict moral and religious teaching. That she succeeded in this attempt it is impossible to allow. What has been justly called her ' supersensuous modesty ' (Hase) 3, is to modern readers infinitely

more

offensive than the license of her original.

Her

language is bald, and her characters without life or humanity. In one of her comedies a wicked Roman Governor goes to visit 1

Tragcedia Christiana Gregorio Nazianzeno falso Recensuit Dr. J. G. Brambs. Lipsiae, 1885.

Christus Patiens.

attributa. 3

Thl&tre de Hrotswitha, religieuse allemande du X* sihle. Traduit en fran9ais avee le texte latin, revue sur le manuscrit de Munich. Par C. Magnin. Paris, 1845. 3

Miracle Plays.

1880.

An historical

survey.

Translated by A.

W. Jackson.

INTRODUCTION. the Christian virgins,

whom, with some

xiii

improbability, he has

caused to be imprisoned in the scullery of his palace. Suddenly he is struck with madness, and addresses his embraces to the pots and pans, covers himself with dirt, and is hustled by his

own bodyguard as a devil. This farcical scene is Hroswitha's one attempt at humour for the rest her plays are written to display the heroism of martyrs and the glories of chastity, and deserve the credit due to goodness of intention, and little else. Whether they were ever acted is a matter of controversy. On the one hand some of her incidents could hardly have been on the other, the really humorous represented with modesty ;

;

situation in the scullery

is

so baldly treated as to

depend largely and throughout her plays the extreme brevity of the diction and absence of any attempt at literary grace, point to an. appeal to an audience rather than to readers. But the audience, it is needless to say, would have been confined to the nunnery and its benefactors, and there is no reason upon acting

for its effect,

suppose that, whether acted or not, the half dozen plays of the literary nun exercised the smallest influence on the history of the drama. But what Hroswitha did at Gandersheim other to

religious persons

were doing in other monasteries,

if

not con-

temporaneously, at all events within the next hundred years, but with all-important differences. The comedies of Hroswitha are exotics, based, at however great a distance, on a heathen model, coined in the main from her imagination, having nothing The dramatic repreto do with the services of the Church. sentations which we have next to describe are popular in their aim, liturgical in their origin, taking as their subjects events which belonged strictly either to sacred history or to accepted

legends.

Anyone who is

likely to see

enters a Catholic Church at Christmas time near one of the altars a coloured illumination

representing the infant Saviour in His cradle, St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin watching Him, and an ox and an ass munch-

ing their food hard by. The children delight in it, and it brings home to them the scene at the manger-bed at Bethlehem more

In the thirteenth century St. vividly than a thousand sermons. Francis of Assisi, at his altar in the forest, represented that scene still

more

realistically,

with a real child, real

men and women,

a

INTRODUCTION.

Xiv

ass. At any primitive little Italian town, when the of the different religious gilds and confraternities walk in procession on Corpus Christi Day, little children toddle among

ox and

real

members

them, dressed, some with a tiny sheepskin and staff to represent St. John the Baptist ; others in sackcloth as St. Mary Magothers in a blue robe, with a little crown, as the Blessed Virgin ; others again with an aureole tied to their little heads, as the infant Saviour. Similar instances of the attempt to bring home to an unlettered people the reality of the chief events con-

dalene

;

nected with the Christian religion might be multiplied indefinitely. The shepherds who, at Christmas time, come into Rome from the

and pipe before the pictures of the Virgin, or the German peasants who, down to the beginning of the present century, used to go round their village in the guise of the Three Kings from the East, illustrate the way in which the efforts of the Abruzzi,

Church were seconded by the common people. Not from vapid imitations of Euripides and Terence, but from such simple customs as these did the religious drama take its beginnings. *A11 evidence points to Easter as the festival with which the

dramas were most intimately connected, and first form which the Easter Play assumed was that of a ceremony in which the crucifix was solemnly buried on Good Friday, and again disinterred on Easter Day amid a pompous ritual. Most commonly the sepulchre in which the crucifix was deposited was a wooden erection placed within a earliest religious it is

probable that the

'

recess in the wall or

'

upon a tomb, but according to the

interesting

article 'Sepulchre,' in Parker's

English churches

still

Glossary of Architecture, several contain permanent stone structures es-

pecially built for the purpose. Among the churches which Mr. Parker mentions are those at Navenby and Heckinton, Lincoln-

Hawton, in Nottinghamshire Northwold, in Norfolk and Holcombe Burnell, in Devonshire. In the temporary strucshire

;

;

;

tures the lower part generally contained a representation of sleeping soldiers, intended for the Roman guard, and in a curious

account of the delivery by a certain Maister Canynge on July new sepulchre well gilt with golde and a civet

4th, 1470, of 'a 1

The

next few paragraphs are mainly quoted from an article on

Easter Plays contributed to the Guardian by the present writer, May 32, 1889, improved with the help of Chambers's The Mediaeval Stage.

INTRODUCTION. thereto,'

to the vicar of St.

Mary

XV

Redcliffe, Bristol, there is

mention of '4 knights armed, keeping the sepulchre, with their weapons in their hands that is to say, 2 axes and 2 spears, with In this sepulchre both hell and heaven were re2 pave's.' ;

presented, together with figures of angels and of persons. In Davis's Antient Rites of Durham

still

we

more sacred are told

:

'Within the church of Durham, upon Good Friday, there was a marvellous solemn service, in which service time, after the Passion was sung, two of the ancient monks took a goodly large crucifix all of gold The of the picture of our Saviour Christ, nailed upon the Cross service being ended, the said two monks carried the Cross to the Sepulchre with great reverence (which Sepulchre was set up that morning on the north side of the Quire, nigh unto the High Altar before the service

time),

and there did lay

it

within the said Sepulchre with great devotion.'

At the cathedral of Rouen there was a

special service for the

occasion called 'Sepulchri Officium? Trace of the ceremony still lingers in the custom of veiling the crucifix above the altar

from Holy Thursday to the first evensong of Easter. In its it was of long continuance, and we are told that as late as 1316 its popularity was so dangerous that in that year an Archbishop of Worms ordained that thenceforth it should take original form

place within closed doors, and in the presence of the priests only.

The first appearance of dramatic dialogue in the services of the Church has been traced to the ninth century, when words were fitted to the additional melodies (at first sung only to vowel sounds) which high

festivals, in the

it had become customary to insert, on Gregorian music of the Antiphons, more

especially in those of the Introit sung as the priest proceeds to the altar to celebrate Mass. Of these interpolations or 'Tropes,' as they were called, the most important in its dramatic influence

that sung on Easter-day, leading up to the Introit ResurThis is based on the rexi et adhuc tecum sum, Alleluia.

was

colloquy between the Angels at the tomb and the Three Maries in the narratives of SS. Matthew and Mark ; in its earliest form it

ran

:

Quern quaeritis lesura

in sepulchro, Christicolae

Nazarenum

?

crucifixum, o caelicolae.

INTRODUCTION.

xvi

Non Ite,

est hie surrexit sicnt praedixerat. nuntiate quia surrexit de sepulchre. :

In a trope in use at Winchester Cathedral at the end of the tenth century the form is slightly more elaborate, and the contemporary Concordia Regularis, an appendix to the Rule

Benedict drawn up at some date between 959 and 979 by Ethelwold, Bishop of Winchester, shows that at that Cathedral the colloquy had been transferred from the Easter of St.

Mass, to follow the third lesson at Matins, and describes the ceremonial the development of which was doubtless the cause of the transference. I quote the directions as translated by Mr.

Chambers '

:

While the

third lesson is being chanted, let four brethren vest themLet one of these, vested in an alb, enter as though to take part in the service, and let him approach the sepulchre without attracting While the attention, and sit there quietly with a palm in his hand. selves.

is being chanted let the remaining three follow, and let them all, vested in copes, bearing in their hands thuribles with incense and stepping delicately [pedetemptini] as those who seek something, approach the sepulchre. These things are done in imitation of the angel sitting in the monument and the women with spices coming to anoint

third respond

the

body of

When therefore he who sits there beholds the three Jesus. like folk lost and seeking something, let him begin in

approach him

medium pitch to sing Quern quaeritis. And when he to the end, let the three reply in unison Ihesum Nazarenum. est hie : surrexit sicut praedixerat Ite, nuntiate quia surrexit

a dulcet voice of

has sung

it

So he, Non a mortuis.

.

At

the words of this bidding, let those three turn to the choir and say Alleluia ! resurrexit Dominus ! This said, let the one, Venite et still sitting there and as if recalling them, say the anthem

And saying this let him rise and lift the veil, and show videte locum. them the place bare of the cross, but only the cloths laid there in which And when they have seen this, let them set the cross was wrapped. down the thuribles which they bare in that same sepulchre, and take the cloth, and hold it up in the face of the clergy, and as if to demonstrate that the Lord has risen and is no longer wrapped therein, let them sing the anthem Surrexit Dominus de sepulchre, and lay the cloth upon the altar. When the anthem is done, let the priest sharing in their gladness at the triumph of our King, in that, having vanquished death,

again, begin the bells

hymn Te Deum laudamus.

And

this

He

begun,

rose

all the

chime out together.

Here we already have a drama, but elaboration once begun steadily continued, as is proved by the more developed variation on the same theme printed in our first appendix from Thomas

INTRODUCTION.

xvii

Wright's edition of a thirteenth-century manuscript preserved at Orleans.

An early Christmas play on the subject of the Slaughter of the Innocents (Interfectio Puerorum), which has been handed down to us in the same manuscript, is cast upon very similar Mystery of the Resurrection printed

in our ApHoly Innocents (the fact that they were is neglected !) was taken by the choir boys, the other characters, including the women, would be played by the monks. In one part of the church (pews, it will be remembered, were a later invention) is erected a manger a distant corner is supposed to in another a throne for Herod represent Egypt. With this simple stage-arrangement the action lines to the

The

part of the pendix. under two years of age

;

;

The story is set forth in the fewest possible words, interspersed with anthems for the choristers. Towards the end of the play the boys (having arisen from the dead) enter the proceeds.

is taken by another actor, who an angel bids the Holy Family return from Egypt, and then the Precentor begins the 71? Deum and the performance is over. The manuscript which has preserved for us these two plays contains also eight others, four of which are concerned with the miracles of St. Nicholas, while the rest have as their respective

choir;

the throne of

represents Archelaus

Herod

;

subjects the Adoration of the Magi, the Appearance of Christ to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, the Conversion of All ten plays have the St. Paul, and the Raising of Lazarus.

same

characteristics.

They are

all

intended to be performed in

church, introducing anthems and hymns from the office of the day, and requiring only the simplest stage-machinery. They are all written with great brevity and simplicity, partly in prose,

A knowpartly in classical metres, partly in monkish rimes. ledge of classical Latin is indicated by adaptations from Virgil in two of the plays, and by the tag from Sallust (Incendium meum

is put into the mouth of Herod but the plays themselves have no

ruina restinguam), which

in the Interfectio

Puerorum

;

pretensions whatever to any literary merit. As has already been said, the Orleans manuscript, in which the plays we have been considering are preserved, belongs to

the thirteenth century.

Its contents,

b

however, were probably

INTRODUCTION.

xviii

composed before the year 1200, and may thus be reckoned as contemporaneous with those of Hilarius, with which we have next to deal. Of this Hilarius, both of his works and of what

known of his life, an excellent account is given in the volume of Professor Morley's English Writers, and a shorter one in his Sketch of English Literature, so that the less need be said here. He is thought, on good grounds, to have been an Englishman, and we know from his writings that he was a pupil of the celebrated Abelard. Of his three plays (all in Latin), that on the history of Daniel was composed in collaboration with two other writers, and was probably intended Another is on the Raising of for representation at Christmas. Lazarus while the third, which is printed in our Appendix, has little is

third

;

for its subject

a miracle wrought by

St.

Nicholas in defence of

the honour of an image of himself, under the care of which a heathen is supposed to deposit a treasure for safe keeping. The treasure

is

stolen

by robbers, and the heathen on

his return

upbraids and beats the image which has played him so false. Smarting under the blows, St. Nicholas appears to the robbers,

and in a speech, of which, from what we know of Hilarius, there is no reason to suppose the humour unconscious, forces them to restitution. The heathen returns again, and in his joy makes honourable amends to the saint, and is converted to Christianity. This play

is

noteworthy for

its

refrains in old French.

Similar

on the Raising of to short speeches in the Mystery of the Ten Virgins, another early French play. Similarly German and Latin are mingled in the episode of the anointing of the feet of Christ by St. Mary Magdalene, in a play written about this time in Germany. These refrains and short speeches paved the way for the composition of whole plays in the vernacular, of which in France we find very early specimens, e. g. the Norman play on the subject of Adam, which belongs to the thirteenth

French refrains are found Lazarus, and are extended

in Hilarius' play

century. 2.

Before the

Norman Conquest we have no

reason to suppose

that dramatic representations were known in England. The performance of the earliest play of which we have any mention

INTRODUCTION.

xix

must probably be assigned to the reign of William Rufus. According to Matthew of Paris (writing circ. 1240), a certain Geoffrey, who afterwards became Abbot of St. Albans, while yet a secular person, was invited from France to take the mastership of the Abbey School. His arrival was delayed, and in the

meanwhile the school was given to another. He therefore settled for a while at Dunstable, and while there borrowed from the sacristan of St. Albans copes (capce chorales) in which to array the performers of a Miracle Play in honour of Saint Katharine. During the performance of the play these copes were destroyed by fire, and Geoffrey took this disaster so much to heart, that he abandoned the world and entered the Abbey of St. Albans as a monk. By 1119 he had risen to be its Abbot, and it is by reckoning back from this year that we arrive at the end of the eleventh century as the probable date of the performance of his unlucky play. A century later such representations

William Fitzstephen, who wrote circ. 1182, in his Life of Saint Thomas a Becket, contrasts with the theatrical spectacles of ancient Rome the 'holier plays' of

had become common.

which were represented the miracles and sufferings and martyrs of the Church reprcesentationes miraculorum qucs sancti confessores operati sunt, sive reprasenLondon,

in

of the confessors

:

tationes passionum quibus claruit constantia martyrum. The word miraculorum in this quotation, and the phrase quiz

miracula vulgariter appellamus, used by Matthew Paris in writing of the play of St. Katharine, reminds us of a distinction

between Miracle Plays and Mysteries, of which a great deal is made in all text-books of English Literature, but which in England had no existence in fact during the centuries in which the sacred

chiefly flourished.

'

Properly speaking,' says (English Dramatic Literature, vol. i. p. 23), Mysteries deal with Gospel events only, their object being

Professor '

drama

Ward

primarily to set forth, by an illustration of the prophetic history of the Old Testament, and more particularly of the fulfilling history of the New, the central mystery of the Redemption of the world, as accomplished by the Nativity, the Passion, and the Resurrection. Miracle Plays, on the other hand, are con-

cerned with incidents derived from the legends of the saints of the Church.' The distinction in itself is, as Professor Ward

b

2

INTRODUCTION.

xx

remarks, a legitimate one, but the fact that, while in England

it is

rendered rather confusing by

we have no

single extant example of a pure Miracle Playas thus defined, all dramatic representations on this subject were called by this name, and the word mystery

said to have been first applied to them in this country by Dodsley, in the preface to his collection of Old Plays, early in 1 the eighteenth century . But the English preference for the is

word miracula must have had some basis in fact, and its predominance gives a certain plausibility to the theory of Professor Ten Brink (Gesch. der alt. eng. Lift. 248), that in the development of the sacred drama legendary subjects preceded Biblical, and those drawn from the Old Testament the ones taken from the New. The theory, however, is not one to be hastily accepted, partly because the motives of reverence to which it is assigned appeal far more to the modern mind than to mediaeval simplicity, and partly because it hardly fits in with the existence of the liturgical dramas for Christmas and On the Easter, to which attention has already been drawn. other hand, it may be taken as certain that the sacred drama had no independent origin on English soil, but was introduced into this

country after the

Norman

Conquest.

It

is

thus

probable that towards the beginning of the twelfth century the miracles of the saints formed the favourite theme of the French playwrights in England, and that the English preference for the word miracle over that of mystire was due to the fact that it was to this class of play that English audiences were first introduced. 1

The Ludus de Sancta Katharina

at Dunstable, pageants

on the

subject of the lives of St. Fabyan, St. Sebastian and St. Botnlf, performed in London, plays at Windsor and Bassingbonrne on St. George,

and the Ludi beate Christina

at Bethersden, Kent, are the only Miracle

Plays, in the scientific use of the term, of which I can find mention of the performance in England, and none of these unfortunately now survive.

The

classification of the

play of

St.

Paul in the Digby MS.

is

perhaps

the play of St. Mary Magdalene, from which extracts are given in this volume, as introducing the character of Christ and the Resur-

doubtful

;

But, as remarked in the preface rection, is at least in part a mystery. it in notes, this interesting play unites in itself all the features

to

my

which are commonly assigned respectively to Miracle Plays, Mysteries and Moralities.

INTRODUCTION. Of Miracle Plays

written in Latin none

xxi

now

exist of

which

can be said with any probability that they were acted in

it

An

England.

early play on the subject of tEe creation and fall stated by its first editor, M. Luzarche, to

Adam, which was

of

be written in Anglo-Norman, is now regarded as purely Norman, and although it is highly probable that French plays were

and acted

written

centuries,

we

in

England during the

twelfth

and thirteenth

are in possession of no trustworthy evidence on According to statements made at the end of the

the subject. sixteenth century in the

Banes or proclamation of the Chester

Plays, this great cycle dates in some form from the mayoralty of Sir John Arneway, whose term of office, which really covered is elsewhere in this connexion transferred Mr. E. K. Chambers has ingeniously suggested that Arneway's name has been confused with that of a Richard Erneis or Herneys who held office from 1327 to 1329, and with

the years 1268-1276,

to 1328.

this correction the tradition

tion of the

cycle

is

is

probable enough.

attributed in the

Rondall, moonke of Chester Abbe,'

Banns

The composione Done

to

'

famous Randall or Randulf Higden, the author of the Polychronicon, who was a monk of St. Werburgh's Abbey at Chester from 1299 to his death in 1364, and whose zeal for the English tongue would make him a very fitting author of one of the first English cycles.

It is

i.

e.

to the

probable, however, that Chester did not stand

alone, but that dramatic composition began at an early date also in the East-Midlands '. The Harrowing of Hell, an

East-Midland poem in dialogue, quoted in full in our Appendix, though not itself a Miracle Play, undoubtedly shows that dramatic influences had been at work before its composi-

and three extant manuscripts of it date from the reign of II. The East-Midland play of Abraham and Isaac (also quoted from in the Appendix), discovered by Miss Lucy Toulmin Smith, at Brome Hall in Suffolk, may be assigned to the fourteenth century, and about the year 1350 a Ludus Filiorum Israel was performed at Cambridge. Passing from tion,

Edward

the

East-Midlands northwards, we are confronted with the York cycle of plays dating from about 1360, with the

great -

In the geographical grouping of the plays I follow Professor Ten Brink (Gesch. der alt. eng. Lit. 251).

INTRODUCTION.

xxii

Towneley or Wakefield cycle of about the same with the lost Beverly cycle, some remnants of which and period, may possibly be preserved in the fragments lately printed by

closely related

l

Prof. Skeat still

we

'

'

from an early

fifteenth century

find another at Newcastle,

MS. Further north

of which one play (The Westwards, again, in the

Building of the Ark) still remains. fifteenth century, Chester became a kind of dramatic metropolis for Preston, Lancaster, Kendall and Dublin. Southwards, the fame of Coventry gradually overshadowed that of all its rivals,

and we hear of plays performed and at Witney. Throughout the

at

Tewkesbury, at Reading, and

fourteenth, the fifteenth

centuries, we have continuous evidence of the and frequent production of Miracle Plays in nearly

the sixteenth 2

popularity

Academy, Jan. 4 and n, 1890. The plays did not always meet with approval. I quote from a Wycliffite sermon against them the apology which the preacher puts It gives a good summary of medieinto the mouths of their defenders. val views on the subject, and, inferentially, of the nature of the 1

a

preacher's attack.

But here ajenis thei seyen that they pleyen these myraclis in the worschip of God, and so dyden not these Jewis that bobbiden [mocked] Crist Also, ofte sithis by siche myraclis pleyinge ben men converted gode lyvynge, as men and wymmen seyng in myraclis pleyinge that the devil by ther array, by the which thei moven eche on othere to

to

leccherie

and to

pride,

makith hem his servauntis to bryngen hemsilf and

othere to helle, and to ban fer more vylenye herafter by ther proude aray heere than thei ban worschipe heere, and seeynge ferthermore that al this wor[l]dly beyng heere is but vanite for a while, as is myraclis

many

pleying, wherthoru thei leeven ther pride, and taken to hem afterward the meke conversacioun of Crist and of his seyntis, and so myraclis

pleyinge turneth men to the bileve, and not pervertith, Also ofte sythis by siche myraclis pleyinge men and wymmen, seynge the passioun of Crist and of his seyntis, ben movyd to compassion and devocioun

wepynge

bitere teris,

schipyng. to fulfillen

thanne thei ben not scornynge of

God

but wor-

Also, prophitable to men and to the worschipe of God it is and sechen alle the menes by the whiche men mowen scene

hem to vertues ; and sythen as ther ben men that only doynge wylen be convertid to God, so ther ben othere men that wylen be convertid to God but by gamen and play and now on dayes men ben not convertid by the ernestful doyng of God ne of men, thanne now it is tyme and skilful to assayen to convertyn the puple by

synne and drawen

by

ernestful

;

INTRODUCTION.

xxiii

every part of England. During this period we have record of the performance of plays in nearly a hundred English towns and In London, in 1378, villages, some of them quite small places. the choristers of St. Paul's prayed for the suppression of the performances of unexpert people'; in 1391 the Parish Clerks played for three days at Skinners' Well near Smithfield, and we '

have record of another play at the same place in 1407, which In 1416 a play of St. George of lasted no less than eight days.

Cappadocia was performed before Henry V. and the Emperor Sigismund at Windsor, and in the following year the English Bishops at the Council of Constance entertained first the Burghers and afterwards their fellow-councillors with a Christplay, representing the Nativity, visit of the Magi, and Slaughter of the Innocents. Similar references might be almost

mas

indefinitely multiplied.

From stephen

the mention of the ludi sanctiores in William Fitz(circ. 1182), to

the prayer of the choristers of St. Paul's

we have no

reference to Miracle Plays in London. During these two centuries a great change had been wrought in the plays and the manner of their performance, with the in

1378,

gradual evolution of which we are only imperfectly acquainted. Originally, as we have seen, they were acted in, or in the precincts of, churches, and by the priests and their assistants.

But the apparently instantaneous popularity of the plays led to a demand for their extension, which gradually resulted in the exclusion of the original performers from all participation in them. In the shows and processions which formed so prominent a feature in medieval life, allegorical personages and symbols had from very early times played a part. In the procession of pley and gamen, as by myraclis pleyinge and other summe recreatioun men moten ban, and bettere it

maner myrthis.

or lesse yvele, that thei ban tbeyre recreacoun by pleyinge of myraclis than by pleyinge of other japis. Also, sithen it is leveful to ban the myraclis of God peynted, why is not as wel leveful to ban the myraclis of God pleyed,

Also,

is,

sythen men mowen beltere reden the wille of God and his mervelous werkis in the pleyinge of hem than in the peyntynge, and betere thei ben in mennus mynde and oftere rehersid by the pleyinge of hem than by the peyntynge, for this is a deed bok, the tother a qu[i]ck." MS. of the end of the fourteenth century in library of St. Martin's-in-the-Helds, quoted in Wright and Halliwell's Reliquia Antique, vol. ii. p. 45.

holden

INTRODUCTION.

xxiv

a gild the patron saint would form a prominent

figure,

and on

the occasion of royal entries and rejoicings his representative would act as the spokesman of the craft from one of the gaily

decorated scaffolds, which were erected at different points along the route. As the Miracle Plays grew in popularity and the desire arose for greater elaboration in stage-effects, performances in

churches became increasingly impossible.

which was next

tried,

was equally unsuitable,

The churchyard, for the

crowds of

spectators, desecrated the graves. Gradually, therefore, the players left the church and its precincts, and performed in any

convenient open spaces about the town. When this practice became the rule the members of the trade-gilds entered the lists as competitors with the clergy, while the wandering jugglers or

by their aid the dramatic same time, now that the plays were more and more dissevered from the services of the Church, the Ecclesiastical authorities began to feel grave histriones were ready to supplement deficiencies of either party. At the

doubts as to the advisability of the participation of the clergy in such performances. Even if the prohibition of clerical 'ludi theatrales

'

by Innocent

III in 1207 refers to the Feast of Fools

rather than to plays, it indicates increased strictness, and Church feeling on the subject is well summed up in a passage in the

Manuel des

Pechts, written in Norman- French about the end of the thirteenth century, and quoted here in its translation under the name of the Handlyng Synne, by Robert Mannyng of Brunne, in or about the year 1303. '

Hyt

ys forbode

Miracles for to

hym yn make

the dccre

or se

;

For miracles, 3yf you begynne, Hyt ys a gaderynt, a syght of synne. He may yn the Cherche, thurgh thys resun, Pley the resnrrecyun

That

is

to seye,

;

how god

ros,

God and man yn myght and los, To make men be yn beleve gode, That he ros with

And

he

flesshe

and blode;

may

pleye withoutyn plyght How god was bore yn thole nyght, To make men to beleve stedfastly

That he lyght yn the vyrgyne Mary.

xxv

INTRODUCTION. Jyf them do hyt in weyys or grenys. Ed. Furnivall. syght of synne truly hyt semys.'

A

The compromise which these lines represent was of no long The spirit of the times was all in favour of the open-

duration.

performances in the highways and public greens, and no English play which has been preserved to us contains any

air

marks of

its

representation

by

clerical actors.

^.^.CX-dl^

Eight years after the appearance of Robert of Brunne's Handlyng Synne, a great impetus was given to the Miracle Plays by a decree of the Council of Vienne_( 1 3 1 1).

The

feast

of Corpus Christi, instituted by Pope Urban in 1264, owing to Its his death in the same year, had never been observed. due celebration on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday was now strictly enjoined, and was~adopted by the trade-gilds in many towns as their chief festival of the year. The custom of linking several plays on kindred subjects into one grand performance was now greatly extended, in order to provide each craft, or group of crafts, with a separate scene. There was nothing in the nature of the festival, as there is in those of Christmas and

Easter, to limit the thoughts of Christians to particular events in the Bible narrative, and the fact that the Thursday after

Sunday mostly falls within a few weeks of the longest day, also lent itself to the performance of those great cycles of mater from the beginning of the world to the Day of Judgment, Trinity

'

'

come down to us as the most important remains of the English religious drama. The manner of performance of the Miracle Plays has often been described. In order to enable as large a number of people

four of which have

/

as possible to be spectators, each play was repeated several times in different parts of the town, called ' stations,' and to this

end moveable scaffolds were constructed, which could be drawn by horses from point to point. With this much premised, there can be no difficulty in understanding the oft-quoted account by Archdeacon Rogers (obiit, 1595), who witnessed one of the last performances of the Whitsun plays at Chester, the year before his death. '

Every company,' he writes, had his pagiant, or parte, which pagiants weare a high scafolde with two rowmes, a higher and '

a lower, upon four wheeles.

In

the lower they apparelled

INTRODUCTION.

xxvi

them selves, and in the higher rowrae they played, beinge all open on the tope, that all behoulders mighte heare and see them. The places where they played them was in every streete. They begane first at the abay gates, and when the firste pagiante was played it was wheeled to the highe crosse before the mayor, and so to every streete and soe every streete had a pagiant playinge before them at one time, till all the pagiantes for the and when one pagiant was daye appoynted weare played neere ended, worde was broughte from streete to streete, that ;

:

soe they mighte come in place thereof excedinge orderlye, and the streetes have theire pagiantes afore them all at one time

all

to se which playes was greate resorte, and and stages made in the streetes in those places

playeinge togeather also scafoldes

;

where they determined to playe theire pagiantes.' It will be noted that the word pageant, which is ultimately connected with the Greek nfjyua, and is found spelt in every conceivable way, is primarily applied to the moveable scaffold on which the play was acted, and only secondarily to the performance

itself.

In some cases, e.g. in that of the

Trial

of Christ, for the proper performance of a play two scaffolds would be required, and the actors would go from one to another, as between the judgment halls of Pilate and Herod. Messengers also would ride up to a scaffold through the town, and there are stage directions such as that 'here Herod shall rage on the pagond and also in the streete.' In the more elaborate performances some attempt was made at scene shifting, as is indicated by directions in the Coventry Play of the Last Supper. 'Here Cryst enteryth into the hous with his disciplis and etc the Paschal lomb and in the mene tyme the cownsel-hous beforn-seyd xal ;

sodeynly enclose, schewyng the buschopys, prestys, and jewgys syttyng in here astat, lyche as it were a convocacyon.'

And again, 'Here the buschopys partyn in the place, and eche of hem takyn here leve, be contenawns, resortyng eche man to his place with here meny to make redy to take Cryst ; and than the place ther Cryst is in xal sodeynly unclose round abowt, shewyng Cryst syttyng at the table and hese dyscypules eche in ere dcgre, Cryst thus seyng,' &c.

In simpler performances a different part of the stage was accepted as a different scene, and actors who were not taking

INTRODUCTION.

xxvii

part in the dialogue remained in view of the spectators. The dresses, as was long the custom on the English stage, aimed

rather at splendour than appropriateness, save in the hideous attire assigned to the demons. God was represented in a white coat,

and

until the injurious effects of the process

stood, the actor

who played

this part

were underused to have his face

gilded.

In the accounts of the gilds and municipalities there are numerous entries for the purchase of these dresses, for the housing and repair of the pagond, for meat and drink for the actors during rehearsals, and for their fees for the performance. In his Dissertation on the Coventry Mysteries (pp. 15, 16), in full the expenses incurred by the Smiths in

Mr. Sharp quotes

1490 in rehearsing and exhibiting their pageant of the Trial, Condemnation, and Passion of Christ. They are as follows :

'

This

is

the expens of the furste reherse of our players in Ester weke.

Imprimis Itfii

in

Brede,

d iiij

.

in Ale, viij d .

Itm in Kechyn, xiij d. Itm in Vynegre, j d Itm payd at the Second Reherse in Whyttson weke, in brede, Ale and 3 d Kechyn, ij iiij Itm for drynkynge at the pagent in having forth in Wyne and ale. .

.

vij

.

d.

Itm Itm Itm

in the

mornynge

at diner

and

at

Sopper

Itin for

a Rybbe of befe and j gose, vj d s d kechyn to dener and sopp, ij ij

Itin for

a Rybbe of

Itm Itm

in Costs in Brede, vij d .

for ix galons of Ale, xviij d . for

.

.

for a quarte of

befe,

iij

wyne,

ij

for another quarte for Itin for gloves ij'. yj d .

.

d. d.

heyrynge of procula

is

gowne,

d ij

.

Itm spent at the repellynge of the pagantte and the expences of d it in and furthe, xiiij Itm in paper, ob.

havinge

.

Md

payd to the players for corpus s Imprimis to God, ij Itm to Cayphas, iij s iiij d Itm to Heroude, iij s iiij d .

.

.

.

.

Itin to Pilatt is wyffe,

ij

8.

d

Itm

to the Bedull,

Itm

to one of the Knights,

iiij

.

ij

8.

xisti

daye.

INTRODUCTION.

xxviii Itm Itm Itm Itm Itm Itm Itm

to the devyll and to Judas, xviij d. to Petur and malchus, xvj d. to

s

Anna,

ij

.

ij

d.

8

to Pilatte,

.

iiij

to Pilatte is sonne,

iiij

a.

to another knighte, ij'. to the Mynstrell, xiiij d .'

To meet

these expenses a yearly rate, varying in the different from a penny to fourpence, was levied on every craftsman. The spending of this rate (called pageant-silver), and of any additions to it through fines, &c., was entrusted to pageantmasters, who were annually elected, and had before leaving office to account for all monies received. The payments to the

gilds

players (supers like the Bedull and Pilate's son, who received fourpence, being excluded) began at Coventry at fourteenpence, and reached in some cases as much as four shillings, no

inconsiderable

sum

in 1490,

when a

rib of beef could

be bought

At any rate there was no lack of candidates for the honour of acting, and one of the duties of the pageant-master was to examine into the qualifications of these trade-folk actors. In York this duty was taken up by the Council itself, who on April 3, for threepence,

1476, ordained '

That yerely

for the

and

ale

was twopence a

gallon.

:

tyme of lentyn there shall be called afore the maire of the moste connyng discrete and able players to serche, here, and examen all the plaiers and plaies

in the

tyme beyng

within this Citie,

iiij

and pagentes thrughoute

all the artificers belonging to Corpus Xti such as thay shall fynde sufficiant in personne and connyng, to the honour of the Citie and worship of the saide Craftes, for to admitte and able and all other insufficiant personnes, either in

Plaie.

And

all

;

connyng, voice, or personne, to discharge, ammove, and avoide. And that no plaier that shall plaie in the saide Corpus Xti plaie be conducte and reteyned to plaie but twise on the day of the saide playe and that he or [i.e. shall not take more than two different characters] '

;

thay so plaing plaie not overe twise the saide day, vpon payne of xlj. to forfet vnto the chaumbre as often tymes as he or thay shall be founden defautie in the same.'

From this it will be seen that in the larger towns, at any rate, the plays were most carefully rehearsed and prepared, and that Shakespeare's caricature of the tradesman-amateur in Bottom

INTRODUCTION. and

his fellows cannot fairly

On

this part of

our subject

xxix

be applied to these performances. only remains to quote the York

it

Proclamation as to the performance of the Corpus Christi plays, which not only illustrates the importance which was attached them, but gives us the interesting information that the plays five a.m. The Proclamation belongs

to

began between four and

to the year 1415, after the performance of the plays transferred from the festival of Corpus Christi to its

had been It

vigil.

given here as transcribed by Miss Toulmin Smith for her edition of the York Plays. is

'

Proclamacio ludi corporis cristi facienda in vigilia corporis cristi. Oiez &c. We comand of ye Kynges behalue and ye Mair and ye Shirefs of yis Citee yat no mann go armed in yis Citee with swerdes ne with Carlill-axes, ne none othir defences in distorbaunce of ye Kingis '

pees and ye play, or hynderyng of ye processioun of Corpore Christi, and yat yai leue yare hemas in yare Ines, saufand knyghtes and sqwyers

of wirship yat awe haue swerdes borne eftir yame, of payne of forfaiture of yaire wapen and inprisonment of yaire bodys. And yat men yat brynges furth pacentes yat yai play at the places yat is assigned yerfore and nowere elles, of ye payne of forfaiture to be raysed yat is ordayned

And

yerfore, yatis to say \ls.

yat fyndes torches, yat yai

yat

come

menn

of craftes and all othir

furth in array,

and

in ye

menn

manere as

it

has been vsed and customed before yis time, noght haueyng wapen, And officers yat ar keepers of the pees careynge tapers of ye pagentz. of payne of forfaiture of yaire fraunchis and yaire bodyes tp prison: And all maner of craftmen yat bringeth furthe ther pageantez in order and course by good players, well arayed and openly spekyng, vpon payn

of lesyng of

O.

to

be paide to the chambre without any pardon.

And

that euery player that shall play be redy in his pagiaunt at convenyant tyme, that is to say, at the myd howre betwix iiijth and vth of the cloke in the mornynge, and then all oyer pageantz fast followyng ilk one after

oyer as yer course

is,

without tarieng.

Sub pena

facienda camere

vir.

3-

In approaching the consideration of the four great cycles of Miracle Plays still extant (the York, Towneley, Chester and Coventry), it must be remembered that no one of them, in the

form

in

which

it

has come down to

us,

can be regarded

as a homogeneous whole, the work of a single author. So little attention has as yet been devoted to these plays, that the relations of the different cycles to each other, and of the

INTRODUCTION.

xxx

same cycle to the whole, have as yet been out 1 It is plain, however, that the worked imperfectly very dramatists borrowed ideas and sometimes whole scenes from different parts of the

.

each other, and that the plays were frequently rewritten, often The connection of to the great detriment of the original metre. the plays with the trade-gilds was in itself a great cause of

Where a city was prosperous new gilds would arise, and the original plays have to be subdivided in order to give them a share in the performance. When, on the other hand, the means or the enthusiasm of the gilds was on the decline, two or more plays would have to be run together. The manuscript of the York cycle, which dates from about 1430-40 contains in 1415 there had been fifty-one, and another forty-eight plays confusion.

:

earlier, gives fifty-seven. The process of subdivision had probably reached its height about the end of the fourteenth century, and the tendency thenceforward would

list,

probably a few years

be to amalgamation or excision. In the Chester cycle, of which we have no extant manuscript earlier than 1591, the number of the plays is only twenty-five, and marks of amal-

gamation are easily traced. Thus each cycle as it has come down to us must be regarded rather as an organic growth than as the work of a single author. From whatever point of view we regard them, whether as to antiquity, length, or serious interest, the York Plays, which have been the last to receive the honours of print, have the first claim on our attention. The date of the composition of the cycle as a whole is referred by Miss Tonlmin Smith to the years 1340-1350. The plays are forty-eight in number, and they follow the Bible narrative very closely, though with the occasional introduction of apocryphal legends from the pseudo-gospels and It will be convenient, therefore, to take the similar sources.

York

cycle as our standard of comparison,

contents the Ordo

and

in order to give

of 1415 here subjoined in a translation, that of Drake (the author of the Eboracuni), slightly emended from the Latin text printed by Miss Toulmin Smith.

the fullest idea of

its

Paginarum

is

1 An article by Dr. A. Hohlfeld in Anglia, Bd. xi. (1889) has recently given a foretaste of the interesting results which might be obtained from a systematic study of the relations of the four cycles.

INTRODUCTION.

XXXI

'The order of the Pagents of the Play of Corpus Christi, in the time of the mayoralty of William Alne, in the third year of the reign of King Henry V., anno 1415, compiled by Roger Burton, town clerk. the Father Almighty creating and forming the heavens, angels and archangels, that fell with him to hell.

Lucifer

and the

!God angels /

2.

Plasterers

...

]'

the Father, in his own substance, creating the earth and all which is therein, by the space of five

God

days. the Father creating Adam of the clay of the earth, and making Eve of Adam's rib, and inspiring

God 3.

Cardmakers

4.

Fullers

them with I

(

God

the breath of

forbidding

6.

Coopers

life.

and Eve to eat of the

tree of

life.

Adam and Eve 5.

Adam and a

tree betwixt

them

;

the serpent

INTRODUCTION.

XXX11 1 6,

17.

Orfevers

/

[Goldsmiths] \

Goldbeaters

]

Monemakers

\

41. [Misplaced

The

three kings coming from the East, Herod asking them about the child Jesus ; the son oi Herod, two counsellors, and a messenger. Mary with the Child, a star above, and the three kings offering gifts.

in\

the MS.]

Mary with

Formerly the of Hospital St. Leonards, now the Ma-

\

the Child, Joseph, Anna, the midwife with young pigeons Simeon receiving the Child in his arms, and two sons of Symeon. ;

sons. 1

8.

Marshals [Shoers

Child, and Joseph fleeing into Egypt

Mary with the

of

at the bidding of

an angel.

horses.] 19.

Herod commanding

Girdellers Nailers

soldiers with lances

Spurriers

Jews,

[Bridle makers]

Him

Barbers

Jesus,

[Omitted in the

Jesus,

Mary and Joseph

in the Temple. John the Baptist baptizing Him. Mary, bridegroom with bride, the Ruler of the

Feast with his household, with six water-pots, in which the water is turned into wine.

MS.] Vintners a a. Fevers

Jesus upon the pinnacle of the Temple, Satan tempt-

ing

[Smiths]

Him, with

stones,

and two angels ministering.

James and John Jesus ascending into the mountain and transfiguring Himself before them Moses and Elias appearing, and a voice speaking from a cloud. Jesus, and Simon th Leper asking Jesus to eat with him two disciples, Mary Magdalen washing the feet of Jesus with her tears and wiping them with her hair. Jesus, two Apostles, the woman taken in adultery, Peter,

23.

Curriers

MS.]

;

Ironmongers Plumbers Fattenmakers Pouchmakers

four

Bottlers

Capmakers

! /

25.

Skinners

;

;

...

[Omitted in the

24.

four

and answering them. Four seeking Him, and finding

their midst, questioning

Lorymers 21.

;

two counsellors of

the king, and four women lamenting the slaughter of the children. The Doctors, the Child Jesus sitting in the Temple in

Sawyers 20.

the children to be slain ;

Jews accusing

her.

Lazarus in the tomb, Mary Magdalene, Martha, and two Jews in wonderment. Jesus

upon an

ass with its foal, xii Apostles following and six poor men, eight boys with

\

Jesus, six rich

J

branches of palms, singing Benedictus, &c., and Zacchseus climbing into a sycamore-tree.

'

INTRODUCTION. 26.

Cutlers

Bladosmiths Sheathers

Pilate,

Sealers

Caiaphas, two

three

soldiers,

Jews,

Judas

selling Jesus.

Bucklemakers Horners The paschal lamb, 27.

th^e Lord's supper, the xii AposJesus girt with a linen towel washing their feet ; the institution of the Sacrament of Christ's Body in

tles,

Bakers...

the

New Law

Pilate, 28.

Cordwaners

29.

Bowyers

;

the

communion

of the Apostles.

armed

fourteen

Caiaphas, Annas,

soldiers,

Malchus, Peter, James, John, Jesus, and Judas kissing

and betraying Him. Jesus, Annas, Caiaphas,

Fletchers

and scourging Jesus. Peter, and Malchus.

[Arrow-feather-

and four Jews persecuting Peter, the

woman

accusing

ers]

30.

Tapisers

Couchers 31. Littesters

:

Jesus, Pilate, Annas, Caiaphas, four Jews accusing Christ.

Herod, two counsellors, four

two counsellors and

soldiers, Jesus

and three

...

Jews. 32.

Cooks "Waterleaders

33.

S

Annas, Caiaphas, two Jews, and Judas bringing back to them the thirty pieces of silver.

1

Jesus, Pilate, Caiaphas, Annas, six soldiers carrying spears and ensigns, and four others leading Jesus from

Pilate,

Tilemakers Millers

Turners Hayresters [Workers in Horse Hair ?] Boilers

I

I

I

I

Herod, desiring Barabbas to be released and Jesus to be crucified, and then binding and scourging him, placing a crown of thorns upon his head; three soldiers casting lots for the vest of Jesus.

[Bowlmakers ?] /

His cross to CalSimon of Cyrene, Jews compelling him to bear the cross Mary, the mother of Jesus, the Apostle

Jesus, covered with blood, bearing

vary

;

;

34.

Tunners

John informing her of the condemnation of her Son and of His journey to Calvary Veronica wiping blood and sweat from the face of Jesus with the napkin on which is imprinted Jesu's face ; and other ;

women lamenting 35.

Pinners Latoiiers

Painters

The

Jesus. Cross, Jesus stretched

upon it on the earth, four Jews scourging and dragging Him with ropes, and afterwards uplifting the Cross and the body of Jesus nailed to it, on Mount Calvary.

INTRODUCTION.

XXXIV

,The

cross,

two thieves

cross between them, 36.

hung on the

the mother of Jesus, John,

Longeus with a

lance, a

Butchers

Mary, James and Salome.

Poulterers

slave with a sponge, Pilate, Annas, Caiaphas, a centurion,

Him 37.

crucified, Jesus

Mary

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus laying tomb.

in the

Sellers [Saddlers]

Verrours

twelve Jesus despoiling Hell, bad.

[Glaziers]

spirits, six

good and

six

Fuystours [Makers

of

Saddle Trees]

38.

'Jesus rising from the tomb, four soldiers armed, and the three Maries lamenting. Pilate, Caiaphas [and Annas. young man clad in white, sitting at the

Carpenters

A

'

39'

40.

"Winedrawers Broggours

tomb, talking to the women]. Jesus, Mary Magdalene with spices.

Luke and Cleophas

Jesus,

[Brokers.]

in the guise of pilgrims.

Woolpackers 42,

E scriveners Luminers [Illuminators] Jesus, Peter, John, James and other apostles. feeling the wounds of Jesus.

Questors [Pardoners]

Thomas

Dubbers [Refurbishers of cloths]

John the Evangelist, two Angels, and eleven Jesus ascending before them and four

Talliaunders

Apostles [Tailors]

;

carrying a cloud. two Angels, eleven Apostles, and the Holy Spirit descending on them, and four Jews in wonder-

{Mary, angels

ment. iMary,

Mary, Gabriel with two angels, two virgins and Jews of the kindred of Mary, eight Apostles, and two devils. Four apostles carrying the bier of Mary; Fergus } Jesus,

three

!

,,,

, |

rOrmttedmMS.]J t. Linen-weavers .

46.

Weavers "Woollen

of

\

I )

,

.

,

.., . ., r hanging upon the bier, with two other Jews, [and one angel]. Mary ascending with a crowd of Angels, eight Apostles, and Thomas the Apostle preaching in the

desert

xxxv

INTRODUCTION. (

47.

Hostlers

Mary, Jesus crowning her. singing with a crowd of

...

J

angelg

Mary, twelve Apostles, four angels with trumand four with a crown, a lance and two scourges good spirits and four evil spirits, and six devils.

Jesus,

!

The

pets four

;

next cycle which

we have

to consider is that of the

Towneley Plays, so called from the only known manuscript in which they exist having been long in the possession of the Towneley family, from whom it has now passed into the hands of Major E. Coates, M.P. This cycle is also frequently quoted as that of the Widkirk, Woodkirk, or Wakefield plays. The name Widkirk is a tradition of the Towneley

authority for the

family (recorded by Mr. Douce in the Towneley Catalogue for 1814), by which the plays are supposed to have formerly 'belonged to the Abbey of Widkirk, near Wakefield, in the County

Widkirk, however, as Prof. Skeat showed in the 2, 1893, is only an earlier spelling for Woodkirk, the old form naturally surviving in the mouths of the country people. Woodkirk itself is about four miles to the north of Wakefield, and here there was a cell of of York.'

Atheruzum of Dec.

Augustinian Canons, in dependence on the house of

St. Oswald, Canons, therefore, the plays were at one time assigned, though it would be difficult to find any reason for the attribution apart from the popular desire to trace as much medieval literature as possible to the monks.'

at Nostel.

To

these

'

With Wakefield the connection of these plays is beyond a doubt. Thus at the head of the first play in the series is written in a large hand Wakefelde, Barkers at the head of the second 'Glover Pag[eant]' at the head of the third 'Wakefeld,' and before the play of the Travellers to Emmaus Fysher '

'

;

;

'

There

also

an allusion

(in the second play of the ' Shepherds) to the shroges,' or rough moorland of Horbery, a village two or three miles to the south-west of Wakefield.

Pageant.'

is

Plainly, therefore, several of these plays

were acted by the Trades of Wakefield, and the trend of opinion is certainly in favour of regarding the whole cycle as the trade-plays of that town.

It is certain in any case that the cycle is a composite one, as five of the plays reproduce, often in a corrupted form,

c 2

INTRODUCTION.

xxxvi Nos. n,

York cycle, and the plays differ and metre. Their composition must cover a wide

20, 37, 38, 48, in the

greatly in style

range of time, those in the metre of the Shepherds' Play here printed being the latest of all. They were probably added at the beginning of the fifteenth century by a new editor of very unusual humour and dramatic power. The cycle, as we have

The Raising of it, consists of thirty-two plays, of which two, Lazarus and The Hanging of Judas, are inserted at the end of the MS. out of their right order. Twelve quires have been lost from the MS. at the end of the Creation, and another twelve after the Ascension, besides other probable losses. We can only note, therefore, that in our text there is nothing to answer to the York Plays 22, 23, 24 but it is most probable that if a part i, 25-27, 29, 39, 44-47 complete manuscript should ever be recovered its contents would be found to correspond very closely indeed to the York As compared with the other plays which have come cycle. down to us, these two Northern cycles are distinguished by their vigour and originality. They have little pathos, but much humour, and are especially rich in those interpolations on the Scripture narrative, in which the dramatists felt themselves freed from the restraints by which they were hampered in ;

dealing with sacred personages. Of the origin of the Chester cycle something has already been said, and a short account of the extant MSS. will be found in the notes to the

them

two extracts here printed.

The MSS.

are

but they appear to be based on a text of the beginning of the fifteenth century. The composition of the cycle probably dates from some fifty or sixty years earlier. all

of

late,

The fame

of cycles appears to have spread to Chester, and to have awakened the ambition of a local playwright. As regards metre and form the cycle shows exceptional unity. It is mainly

written in eight-line stanzas, the author, as Dr. Hohlfeld points out, at the beginning of each play making a manful attempt to

content himself with two rimes (aaabaaab), but soon drifting In some of the Chester plays into the use of three (aaabcccb). 1 The Departure of the Israelites from Egypt ; Christ with the Doctors in the Temple ; The Harrowing of Hell ; The Resurrection, and

The Judgment.

INTRODUCTION.

xxxvii

Temple) we can trace the and the play on the sacrifice of Isaac was borrowed either from, or from the same original But if as, the Brome play, printed by Miss Toulmin Smith. (notably in that of Jesus in the influence of the Yorkshire cycles,

it

be

true, as Professor

Ten Brink

suggests, that the Chester

important and less original than those of York and Wakefield, and that its best, both of pathos and humour, appears to be borrowed, it must be allowed on the

both

cycle

is

other

hand

good

that

taste.

modern

less

its

author was possessed of an unusual share of is less in the Chester plays to jar on

There

feelings than in

any other of the

cycles.

The humour

kept more within bounds, the religious tone is far higher, and though the plays are not spoilt by any obtrusive didacticism such is

we

Coventry cycle, the speeches of the Expositor end of each play show that a real effort was made to serve the religious object to which all Miracle plays were On a comparison of the contents of this ostensibly directed. as

find in the

at the

York we note that fresh subjects are introLot and of Balaam, in the play on Ezekiel, which contains prophecies of the end of the werld and the Fifteen Signs of Doom, and in the very curious embodiment of the medieval legends on the coming of Antichrist. On the other hand, there is no play of the Exodus, the plays on cycle with that of

duced

in the histories of

the history of the Blessed Virgin are represented only by a Salutation and the Nativity of Christ (in the course of which

Emperor Octavian is introduced giving his orders for all the world to be taxed), and there is no play on the Assumption. Like those of York, the Chester plays were enacted by the the

members of Corpus

the Trade-Gilds, not, however, on the feast of

Christi, but at Whitsuntide.

The fourth cycle of plays which we have to consider is contained in a manuscript, the greater part of which was written in the year 1468, and which now belongs to the Cottonian Collection in the British

Museum.

On

the fly-leaf of this manuscript,

which was probably purchased by Sir Robert Cotton about 1630, is written in the handwriting of his librarian, Dr. Richard Contenta Novi Testamenti scenice James, the following note expressa et actitata olim per monachos si-ve fratres mendicantes : :

vulgo dicitur hie liber

Ludus

Coventri(zy sive

Ludus Corporis

INTRODUCTION.

xxxviii

Christi : scribitur metris Anglicanis. Early allusions to plays acted 'by the Grey Friars at Coventry' are now referred to performances by the gilds near the Franciscan friary. It seems

probable that James misunderstood the word by, and then rashly identified these plays with those supposed to have been per-

formed by the Friars.

The

lengthy prologue to these plays contains at

A

passage

its

end a

next, yf that we may, six of the belle, we gynne our play

Sunday

At In

N

towne

;

which points to the performances of a strolling company, and the upholders of the Coventry theory are driven to conjecture that the increasing popularity of the plays of the Trade-Gilds of the city (of which only two specimens have come down to us) drove the Franciscans to take their cycle elsewhere. In the present state of our knowledge it is dangerous to dogmatize I

my own belief that further investigation will lead to the decisive connection of this cycle, not with Coventry, but with the Eastern counties. As Prof. Ten Brink has pointed can only express

out (Gesch. der alt. Eng. Litt. 275), the dialect and scribal of these rather to the North-East plays belong peculiarities

Midlands than to the neighbourhood of Coventry, and in the which the composition of this cycle must be attributed, it was in the East-Midlands that the writers of Miracle plays and Moralities were most busily at fifteenth century, to the early part of

work.

In language, in metre, in tone, in the elaborate stage by the wandering

directions, in the proclamation of the play

banner-bearers or vexillatores, this cycle appears to bear close affinities to the later Miracle plays, such as the Croxton play on the Sacrament, and the play of Mary Magdalen, and with the early Moralities such as the Castcll of Perseverance, all of which are of East-Midland origin, and to the East-Midlands I it will eventually be assigned \ As divided by its Mr. Halliwell Phillipps, the cycle consists of forty-two which, as we learn from a passage in the twenty-ninth,

feel sure that

editor,

plays,

1 It is worth noting in this connection that the beautiful speech of ' Christ on the Resurrection morning, beginning Earthly man that I have wrought,' is taken almost word for word from the old East-Midland

dramatic

poem

of the

Harrowing of HelL

INTRODUCTION. were not

all

of

them performed

in

any one

xxxix year.

Comparing

the plays with those of the York cycle, we note that a long didactic play on the Giving of the Law takes the place of that of

Exodus (n), that the thirteenth York play is expanded into a series of seven, dealing with the history of S. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin up to the time of the Nativity, that there is no

the

play on the Transfiguration, and that the three York plays on the Death of Mary, her Appearance to St. Thomas, Assumption single long play on the In this cycle the didactic speeches elsewhere assigned to a 'Doctor' or 'Expositor' are delivered by an

and Coronation, are represented by a Assumption.

Death is personiand a play on the Salutation is prefaced by a long prologue in heaven, in which the speakers are (besides Deus Pater and Deus Filius), Veritas, Misericordia, Justicia, and Pax 1 This

allegorical personage called Contemplacio. fied,

.

tendency towards the personification of abstract ideas is a mark of late date in the history of the Miracle play, and helps to link this cycle to the earlier Moralities, of which we shall soon

Taken as a whole 2 these

proceed to speak.

,

so-called Coventry

show the least dramatic power of any of the four cycles which we have examined. Their interest is mainly didactic, and they are especially concerned with the doctrine of the Holy Trinity and with the honour due to the Blessed Virgin. But they are not without vigour, and their refusal of humorous episodes plays

is

not to be reckoned against them. 4-

In the English Miracle plays which we have been examining, as in the religious dramas of other European countries, two distinct centres of interest offer themselves for examination.

The student

of the history of religious thought will investigate the respective influences in the composition of these plays of the Bible narrative, the Apocryphal Gospels, and the Medieval

Legends.

He

will

be interested

in the position assigned to the

This scene, which forms one of our extracts, closely resembles one at similar heavenly conference the end of the Castell of Perseverance. 1

A

occurs in the French

Mysore du

Vieil Testament in a play

on the

sacrifice of Isaac. * Some exceptions must be made. Thus the plays on the Woman taken in Adultery and the Death of Herod are both vividly dramatic.

INTRODUCTION.

xl

Blessed Virgin, in the reality with which the truths of the Christian Faith have been apprehended, and in the underlying

meaning of the irreverence and prurience with which the most sacred subjects are occasionally handled. This is a line of investigation well worthy of pursuit, but which the scope of this volume absolutely forbids. Such an investigation must take as its

field

the whole remains of the religious

drama

in

this

country, viewed in connection with the contemporary literature both at home and abroad. Nor could its results be adequately

supported except by selections at least ten times as long as those which are here presented. For us, therefore, the interest of these plays comes primarily from their dramatic side, and their importance in the history of medieval thought can only be made the subject of incidental illustration. It is this principle

which has come to our help in the selection of typical extracts, which otherwise would have been a task of almost insuperable difficulty.

Thus our

first

extract

(The Creation, and Fall of

may be

taken as exemplifying the power of these primitive playwrights in developing a great historical situation the second, that of Noah's Flood, their development of a humorous incident (the controversy between Noah and his wife) within the limits of the Miracle play proper; while our Lucifer)

;

on the Sacrifice of Isaac, exhibits the treatment of most tragic and pathetic incident, with one exception, with which the playwrights were concerned. They may thus be taken as representing the nearest approach which the religious drama could properly make to the Histories, Comedies, and Tragedies of the great days of Elizabeth, an approach so distant as to demonstrate that had all foreign influences been excluded, the development of the drama in England would have been almost indefinitely delayed. Yet our fourth extract, the Shepherd's Play (No. 2) from the Towneley manuscript, may give us reason to believe that, however great the time which would have been needed for its unaided evolution, the seed, at least of Comedy, had reached a considerable stage of development before the influence of classical and Italian models quickened the progress of the drama to a speed in which the shares of its respective factors becomes difficult to distinguish. third extract,

the

In any exhaustive treatment of the history of the Miracle

INTRODUCTION.

xli

one of the most important lines of investigation would be concerned with the characters with whom the medieval dramatist play,

These characters are

himself free to deal as he pleased.

felt

almost exclusively those of persons to whom neither Scripture nor legend ascribed either name or individuality. Cain's '

Garcio

'

or Servant, Noah's Wife, the Detractors of the Blessed the Shepherds, the Soldiers sent to slay the Holy Innocents, the Pharisees who brought before Christ the Woman

Virgin,

taken in Adultery, the Court, the Workmen watch at the Tomb,

characters that

Woman's Lover, the Beadle of Pilate's who set up the Cross, the Soldiers who it

is

some of

in the treatment of these nameless

the

most dramatic touches are be-

stowed.

They are obviously introduced for the sake of relief, and in the York plays it is in the intervals of the torturing and crucifixion of Christ that these interludes, all more or less humorous, are most frequently introduced. wife

in

open

court,

and

to

the

intense

Pilate toys with his

amusement of the

spectators is reproved by his Beadle, just before Jesus is led in fresh from the buffettings in the Hall of Annas the despair of Judas is followed by a scene in which a Squire is cheated of ;

his title-deeds to Calvary-Locus

;

the soldiers

who

set

up the

Cross wrangle together through a hundred lines over their work. These interludes are to us at times inexpressibly painful, but dramatically they are good art, and were welcomed by their spectators as a relief to the extreme tension of feeling

which the protracted exhibition of Christ's Passion could not

Shepherds

On

the same principle the rough sport of the to introduce the touching scenes of the at Bethlehem, and it is to this desire for dramatic

to excite.

fail

is

made

Manger Bed we owe

relief that first

the story of

Mak and

his sheep-stealing, our

English Comedy. 5-

the sacred dramas of whose performance in England possess a record the full text had been handed down to us,

If of all

we

the field for investigation would have been so vast as to frighten rather than attract enquirers l There is, however, at least one .

1

This

seems to have happened in France, where, according to

Mr. Stoddart's Bibliography, fifteen MSS. containing plays or cycles, extending from 4000 to 37,000 lines apiece, are still awaiting a printer.

INTRODUCTION.

xlii

play of which the most faint-hearted student must bitterly regret ' Once on a time we are told, ' a play setting forth the loss.

V

the goodness of the Lord's Prayer was played in the city of York ; in which play all manner of vices and sins were held up to scorn,

and the

virtues

were held up to praise.' This play is we have a few details respecting a

alluded to by Wyclif 2, and gild

which was formed in York

maintenance.

for the special purpose of its In her introduction to the York Plays, Miss Lucy

Toulmin Smith describes a compotus Roll of this gild Oracionis domini, 'dated Michaelmas, 1399, which shows that there were then over 100 members and their wives, and that they possessed rents and receipts amounting to The Roll 26 $s. ii^d' contains a special mention of a ludus Accidie holding up to scorn' the vice of sluggardy. The gild was dissolved by Henry VIII, but in 1558 the play was performed at the expense of the city in place of the Corpus Christi plays, and this happened again in 1572. In that year, however, Grindal was Archbishop of York, and demanded that a copy of the play should be submitted to him. The copy was sent, and its return requested three years later, but thenceforward we hear of it no '

more.

The

loss is irreparable, for this is the earliest

Morality

Play of which we have any mention, and must have been written nearly a century before the Castell of Perseverance, its earliest Besides the play of the Lord's Prayer, we of the performance at York of a Creed Play, which also must have been rather a Morality than a Miracle play. ' It was

extant successor.

know

performed,' Miss Smith tells us, 'about Lammas-tide every tenth year, and five such performances, beginning in 1483, are

the last of these, in 1535, superseded the usual Corpus Christi plays. A performance was proposed in 1568, but the question was referred to Dean Hutton, whose opinion was adverse, and we know nothing more as to the play.' The loss of these two plays of the Lord's Prayer and the Creed cannot be too deeply regretted; we may be grateful,

recorded;

English Gilds, by Toulmin Smith, p. 137, Preamble to ordinances (Quoted by Miss Toulmin Smith). 3 ' & herfore freris ban taujt in Englond Jje Paternoster in Englijcsh XV. tunge, as men seyen in J>e playe of Yorke,' De ojficio fastorali. Cap. (written about 1378), ed. F. D. Matthew for E. E. T. S. 1

of Gild of the Lord's Prayer.

INTRODUCTION.

xliii

however, even for the bare record of their existence, which helps us to a clearer notion of the origin and nature of the Morality In its later development play than we could otherwise obtain. the Morality became dull, narrow, and essentially sectarian, and its heavy didactics were only relieved by the insertion of scenes of low humour, of which the humourousness is far from apparent. But in its earlier days the Morality was not wholly unworthy to

be ranked with the Miracle plays, to which it formed a compleThe Miracle play takes as its basis the historical books

ment.

of the Bible and the legends of the Church, but these alone do not furnish a complete answer to the questions What must I do What must I believe to be saved?' and in the two centuries '

during which the popularity of the sacred drama was at

its

plays were written in which the moral and sacramental teaching of the Church are assigned the prominence

height, various

which in the Miracle play

is

occupied by

its

history.

We know

' that in the play of the Lord's Prayer all manner of vices and sins were held up to scorn, and the virtues were held up to

and in the contest between the personified powers of good and evil, the Seven Cardinal Virtues and the Seven Deadly Sins, for the possession of man's soul, we have the essence of the Morality play. This contest naturally involved the use of personifications, for the medieval playwright was too simpleminded to anticipate the method of Ben Jonson, by representing men and women living human lives with human relationships, and at the same time embodying a single humour or quality, to the exclusion of all others. We must not, however, regard the use of personification as involving a dramatic advance. It was essential to the scheme of the Morality, and must have been present no less in the fourteenth century plays, of which we hear In itself, as tending to didacat York, than in their successors. ticism and unreality, personification is wholly undramatic, and praise/

the popularity of the later Morality significantly coincides with the dullest and most barren period in the history of English literature. It is remarkable that most of the early Morality plays which have come down to us, together with the contemporary Miracle plays, to which they exhibit the closest affinity, are connected with the East-Midland district, throughout which, during the

INTRODUCTION.

xliv

fifteenth century, the popularity of the religious

have been very

to

great.

drama appears

Reasons have already been assigned

cycle of Miracle plays usually attributed to the Grey Friars of Coventry, and in this cycle the influence of the Morality is shown in the personifications in the Council in Heaven (quoted in our specimens), and for connecting with this district the

appearance of Death at the Court of Herod, and also

in the

in

the unflinching didacticism which devoted an entire scene to an exposition of the Ten Commandments. The play of S. Mary

Magdalen, from which also extracts are given in this volume, shows even stronger proofs of the influence of the Morality in the appearance of Good Angel and Bad Angel, and of the World and the Flesh as no less real personages than the Devil himself. Again, the Croxton play of the Sacrament, which should certainly be connected with the Norfolk rather than with any other Croxton, although not a Morality and introducing no personifications, is yet allied to the Morality in its endeavour to bring the sacramental teaching of the Church within the scope of the religious drama. The subject of the play and its treatment by the dramatist are both so painful that it is difficult to award this drama the attention which, as dealing with a modern legend and introducing almost contemporary characters, it in

some

The medieval hatred of the Jews gave respects deserves. a succession of legends of their obtaining possession of

rise to

the Consecrated Host, and by fire and sword endeavouring to torture afresh the Christ believed by devout worshippers to be there present. In a Yorkshire church a fresco has recently in which is commemorated such an attempt on some Flemish Jews in the fourteenth century. The Croxton play * deals with a miracle don in the forest of Aragon, In the famous cite Eraclea, the yere of owr lord God m.cccc.lxi.' It introduces Aristorius, a Christian merchant, who for one

been uncovered the part of

'

hundred pounds procures the Host

for the

Jews

;

Ser Isoder,

Jonathas, Jason, Jasdon, Masphat and Malchus, five Jews, of whom the first is the chief; a Bishop, and a Quack

his chaplain

1

;

Edited by Mr. Whitley Stokes, from the MS. in Trinity College,

Dublin, in the Appendix to the Transactions of the Philological Society for 1860, 61.

INTRODUCTION. Doctor 1 with ,

who

Colle, his servant,

hand of Jonathas, withered as a

xlv

are called in to heal the

result of his

sacrilege,

and

much buffoonery. The play has absolutely nothing to recommend it. It is without dignity, pathos or dramatic power, and its incongruous humour is of the lowest kind. Only indulge in

one other point need be noted in connection with it, that its performance, although localised at Croxton (whether permanently or not, we cannot say), was announced throughout the neighbouring villages by -vexillatores or banner-bearers, of the same kind as those who advertised the plays of the itinerant

who represented the Perseverance. actors

'

'

Coventry

cycle

and the

Castell of

6.

We at length approach

the consideration of the earliest extant

Morality play, the Castell of Perseverance, the importance of which consists not only in its antiquity, but in the completeness with which it developes the central ideas underlying all the plays of this class.

Thus

banner-bearer announces

in the initial

proclamation the second

:

The

cause of our comynge you to declare in hymself for sothe he it may fynde, Whou mankynde into this world born is ful bare

Every man

And bare God hym

schal beryed be at the last ende;

_yevyth

two aungel

ful _yep

and

ful .yare,

The good aungel and the badde to hym for to lende ; The goode techyth hym goodnesse, the badde synne and sare, Whanne the ton hath the victory the tother goth behende. Be skyll The goode aungel coveytyth evermore man's salvacion,

And the badde bysyteth hym euere to hys dampnacion, And God hathe gevyn man fre arbitracion Whether he wyl hym[self] save hy[s

soul?].

His comrades take up the story Spylt is man speciously whanne he to synne assent, The bad aungel thanne bryngeth hym iij enmys so stout, The werlde, the Fende, the foul Flesche, so joly and jent :

Thei ledyn

hym

fful

;

lustyly with synnys al abowt.

1

The appearance of the Quack Doctor is particularly interesting, because of his survival in the Christmas mummings and plays of St. George and the Dragon, which are

still

acted in some country villages-

INTRODUCTION.

xlvi

To trace the spiritual history of Humanum Genus (Mankind, or the Typical Man) from the day of his birth to his appearance at the Judgment Seat of God, to personify the foes by whom his pathway is beset, the Guardian Angel by whose help he resists them, and the ordinances of Confession and Penance by which he is strengthened in his conflict, this was the playwright's object and, however dramatically impossible, it was certainly a worthy one. The opening pageant of Mundus, Belyal and Care, the World, the Devil, and the Flesh, each boasting of his might the appearance of Humanum Genus, naked save for the chrism cloth on his head, and conscious of his helplessness the first struggle for his soul of his Good and Bad Angels, and the victory of the latter, make up an impressive prologue, which ends with the ;

;

;

lament of Bonus Angelus, chanted to music

:

Mankynde hath forsakyn me, Alas, man, for love of the I

Ya

for this

Thou

gamyn and

this gle

schalt grocchyn

In the next division of the play

and grone.

Mankind

is

presented to

whom

he professes allegiance, and is confided to the care of Pleasure, Folly, and Backbiting (Voluplas, Stultitia, Detraccio), and ultimately to Belial and Caro, and the Seven Deadly Sins, each of whom enters with an appropriate speech. Then Mankind's Good Angel calls to his aid Confessio and Schrift, and with the help of Penitencia the sinner is converted

Mundus,

to

and

reconciled, and safely lodged in the Castle of Perseverance, there to await the fresh assaults of his enemies. These are not

long delayed. In what we may call Act III, Detraccio brings the news of Mankind's conversion to Caro, and after brief counsel they report what has happened to Mundus. But if the forces of Hell are

mustering, those of

Heaven are not

idle.

Caritas, Abstinenciat Castitas, Solicitude, Largttas, and Humilitas, successively come on the scene, each with his exhortation.

That of Solicitudo

is

perhaps the best worth quoting, and

serve as a specimen of the rest

:

In besynesse man loke thou be With worthi werkes goode and thykke, To slawthe if thou cast the It schal the

drawe

to thoutes

wyckke.

may

INTRODUCTION. man hym

It pnttyth a

And

xlvii

pullyth

Do sumwhat

to ponerte to peynys prycke. alwey for love of me,

Thou thou schuldyst but thwyte a stycke. With bedys sumtyme the blys, Sum tyme rede and sum tyme wryte, And sum tyme pleye at thi delyte ; The devyl the waytyth with dyspyte, Whanne thou art in Idylnesse. But the Deadly Sins are advancing to the attack, led by whose banner is borne by Pride, while Caro is apparently on horseback, and Gula flourishes a long lance. The Virtues meet their assault with roses *, the emblem of Christ's Passion, and the Vices are driven back. Then Mundus calls Avaritia or Covetyse to the rescue, and by him Humanum Genus is lured from the Castle. Old Age is creeping upon him, and he yields Belial,

to

its

besetting sin

:

Penyman

He

is

best

'

may

spede,

a duke to doii a dede;

is his argument, and, despite the laments of his Good Angel and the warnings of Solicitudo and Largitas, he gives himself over to sin, and the division of the play ends with the exultation of

Mundus

over his

In Act

IV

fall.

(the divisions

are

my

Humanum

own)

receives his reward in the shape of a thousand marks. gift, however, there is a stipulation attached :

Lene no man hereof

for

Genus

To

the

no karke,

Thou he

schuld hange be the throte, nor frere, prest nor clerke,

Monk Ne helpe

therwith chyrche nor cote,

Tyl deth thi body delve. Thou he schuld sterve in a cave, Lete no pore man therof have, In grene gras tyl thou be grave

Kepe sum what 1

Thus

for thi selve.

Ira, after threatening Patientia with 'styffe stones,' presently

cries out: I

am

al beten

With a

blak and bio

rose that on rode

was

rent.

INTRODUCTION.

xlviti

The money is

is

making ready

But Death Genus down, and Mundus

hid in the ground and there abides.

Humanum

to strike

sends Garcio to claim the

What

devyl

Thou

dedyst

money

as his inheritance.

thou art not of

my kyn, nevere no maner good, I hadde lever sum nyfte, or sum cosyn, I

me

Or sum man hadde I is

it

of

trowe the werld be

the exclamation of

Humanum

my

blod

:

wod

Genus, but he laments in vain.

Bereft of his goods and in terror for his soul, he awaits Death, and amid his prayers to Misericordia and the gibes of his Bad

Angel his

spirit

takes

its flight,

to

become

in the

'

fifth

Act' the

argument in heaven between Misericordia, Justitia, Veritas, and Pax, similar to the one quoted from the 'Coventry' Lete hym drynke as he brewyit is the plea of Justice, plays. but Mercy appeals to Christ's Passion, and the decision of Pater subject of an

'

'

sedens in trono

The

is

merciful.

of Perseverance cannot escape the charge of At a rough guess it contains about 3500 lines, nearly

Castell

prolixity.

as many as all but the longest of Shakespeare's tragedies. The language, again, is without grace, and too often sacrifices clearness to the desire for alliteration. But with all its faults the play

man's salvation in no unimpressive and distinguished by a logical development and unity of purpose, which is found in the great cycles of Miracle plays when regarded as dramatic entities, but nowhere else. As the is

a

fine one, dealing with

fashion,

stage directions, quoted in the short Introduction in the Notes, sufficiently show, it was intended to be presented with something of the elaborateness of the Miracle plays,

and

it

altogether a

is

very noteworthy production. The manuscript of which it forms part, and which by the kindness of its owner, Mr. Gurney, I had the pleasure in 1904 of helping Dr. Furnivall to edit for the

Early English Text Society, contains also two other plays, the 1 examination of which need not detain us long They are .

full

of interesting points, but are inferior in every

way

to the

The manuscript of these plays has also itself been excellently reproduced by the collotype process for Mr. J. S. Farmer. The title by which they are generally known, the Macro Moralities, is due to their having once belonged to a Mr. Cox Macro. 1

INTRODUCTION. we have been considering. The first of them is called by Mr. Collier Mind, Will, and Understanding, but by Dr. Furnivall 1 A Morality of the Wisdom that is Christ. Everlasting Wisdom discourses to Anima on the means of grace, play

Mind, Wyll, and Understanding declare themselves as the three parts of the soul, and are seduced by Lucyfer in the guise of a 'proud gallant.' When they have loudly expressed their

determination to be wicked

Anima, now

'

Wisdom

and with Wisdom

re-enters,

most horrible wyse, fowlere than a fende,' devils running from under her skirts. Mind,

in the

and with little Wyll, and Understanding are converted, and Wisdom delivers a long discourse on the nine works specially pleasing to God. A curious passage on the evils of the age, especially the practice of maintenance, forms the most noteworthy portion of the text of the play, but it is probable that the spectators were best pleased with the rich dresses of the actors, and the dumb shows by which the representation was diversified. Thus in one part of the play a procession was formed of the Five Wyttes (or, as we should say, five senses) as five vyrgynes, with kertyllys and mantelys, and chevelers and chappelettes,' singing an anthem, and they goyng befor, Anima next, and her folowynge Wysdom, and aftyr hym Mynde, Wyll, and Undyrstondynge, all iii in wyght cloth of golde, cheveleryde and crestyde in sute ;' and in another place there enters a dumb show of six dysgysyde in c

'

'

Indignation, Sturdiness, Malice, Hasti' ness, Revenge (or Wreche) and Discord, with rede berdes and a on here and crestes lyons rampaunt yche warder in his honde.' the sute of Mynde,'

viz.

Apart from these scenic diversions the play must have been dull enough, for of dramatic action there is none, and the speeches are terribly long and didactic. The third play in Mr. Gurney's MS., called by Mr. Collier Mankind, is cast upon somewhat more dramatic lines. It

and Mischief for the soul Nought, New Gyse and Nowadays, whose assaults Mankind repulses by a threat to ding them with his spade. But when Titivillus, a more potent devil, appears on the scene, Mankind yields to his temptations,

consists of a struggle between Mercy of Mankind. Mischief is aided by '

'

1

as

it

In his edition for the survives in the

New

Shakspere Society of a part of the play

Digby MS.

d

INTRODUCTION.

I

declaring 'Of labure and preyere I am nere yrke of both.' Mischief triumphs over Mercy, and Mankind is nearly persuaded This to hang himself, but is rescued and reconciled by Mercy. play is probably of a later date than its two companions, and forms a connecting link between the earlier Moralities and their later development, of which we shall soon have to speak.

down to us now known to be Everyman, though Of

the plays handed

Dutch Elkerlijk, claims the

in printed editions, that of

only a translation from the

It was printed at least four times early in the l6th century, twice by Richard Pynson and twice by John Skot. Though planned on a far less extensive first

place.

scale than the Castell

of Perseverance, it is distinguished by the same breadth of motive as the earlier play, and both in language and treatment it is thoroughly dramatic. Its plot, as Prof. Ten Brink has noted, is derived from the old Buddhist parable known to Europeans through the legend of Barlaam and

The extracts given in the present volume are so long, comprising nearly half the play, that no further analysis is needed. It is sufficient here to note its prominent introduction

Josaphat.

of Catholic teaching on the subject of the seven sacraments, its exaltation of the priesthood.

and

For preesthode excedeth

all

other thynge

To us holy scripture they do teche And converteth man fro synne heven to God hath to them more power gyven Than

to

any aungell that

is

again Ther That

As

is

of

reche;

in heven. 11.

And

;

728, sqq.

no emperour, kyng, duke ne baron, God hath commissyon,

hath the leest preest in the worlde beynge,

For of the blessed sacramentes pure and benynge He bereth the kayes, and thereof hath cure For mannes redempcion, it is ever sure. 11.

Ten Brink is inclined to place of Edward IV, and it is certain

Prof.

reign

that

it

composed before the end of the I5th century. Only once again, in 'a proper new interlude the Child, otherwise called

Mundus

709, sqq.

this play as early as the

must have been of the

et fn/ans,'

World and

do we

find the

INTRODUCTION.

\\

Morality concerned with issues that touch the whole of

human

Though called a 'new interlude' when printed by Wynkyn de Worde in 1522, this remarkable play, by its lannature.

guage, its strong alliteration, and its bragging speeches, cast almost in Herod's vein, is manifestly of a much earlier date,

and cannot be assigned It

traces the career of

to a later reign

man

through

than that of Henry VII. its

successive stages of

Manhood, and Age. In Infancy he is called by his mother Dalliance, in Boyhood Mundus gives him the name of Wanton, in Youth he is called Love-Lust and Liking. When 'one and twenty winter is comen and gone' Mundus thus addresses him (Roxburghe Club reprint, 1817) Infancy, Boyhood, Youth,

:

Now

welcome, Love-Lust and Lykynge For thou hast ben obedyent to my byddynge !

I encreace the in all thynge, And myghty I make the a man.

Manhode Myghty

shall be thy name. Bere the prest in every game, And wayte well that thou suffre no shame,

Neyther for londe nor for rente Yf ony man wolde wayte the with blame, Withstonde hym with thy hole entent Full sharpely thou bete hym to shame :

With doughtynesse of dede

:

For of one thynge, Manhode, I wame the I am moost of bounte, For seven kynges sewen me Bothe by daye and nyght. One of them is the kynge of pryde, The kynge of envy, doughty in dede,

The kynge For mykyll

of wrathe that boldely wyll abyde, is

his

myght.

The kynge of covet[ise] is the fourte The fyfte kynge he hyght slouthe, The kynge of glotony hath no Jolyte There poverte Lechery All

men

is

in

is

pyght

:

:

the seventh kynge,

hym

have grete delytynge,

Therfore worshyp hym above Manhode with all thy myght.

d2

all

thynge,

INTRODUCTION.

Hi

Manhood promises

obedience to

Mundus in all things, but now Manhood is persuaded,

Conscience comes on the scene and

though not without considerable reluctance, to profess himself His conversion, however, is very half-hearted, servant. for he says of Mundus, his

But yet wyll I hym not forsake, For mankynde he dothe mery make: Thoughe the worlde and conscyence be Yet the worlde will I not despyse, For bothe in chyrche and in chepynge,

at debate,

And in other places beynge, The world fyndeth me all thynge And dothe me grete servyse. to serve two masters, Mankind an easy victim to the wiles of Folly, and it is not until his name is changed to Age that he learns the lessons of Perseverance, and receives from him his final appellation, Repentance. There is little action about the play, and such rough eloquence as it may have originally possessed, is sadly marred by the obvious imperfections of the form in which it has come down to us. It remains, however, a notable play, and stands a head

Weakened by this determination

falls

and shoulders higher than any

of

its

successors.

7-

Everyman we are told that the drama is by figure a moral play.' As we have already noted, when Wynkyn de Worde printed the World and the Child, he called In the prologue to '

it,

according to the fashion of the day, an Interlude.

Mr. E. K.

Chambers has shown (The Mediaeval Stage, Vol. II, p. 181 sq.) that this word was in use as early as the fourteenth century for any kind of dramatic performance, and that its primary meaning is that of a play in dialogue between two or more performers, not as has been generally stated a play introduced in the pauses of some other entertainment. Nevertheless this second meaning, or more generally that of a dramatic diversion, seems to have been foisted on the word, and we can connect the rise of the Interlude with the movement of the drama towards the close of the fifteenth century from the publicity of the street to the halls of colleges and schools, or of the nobility or wealthy citizens.

INTRODUCTION. These

liii

seldom greatly exceed a thousand lines in no stage accessories, and could mostly be

later plays

length, they required

performed by four or five players dividing the parts amongst them. In place of the whole of man's life in its relation to its eternal issues, they deal with mere fragments of it, and their moral teaching is confined to exhortations against the besetting sins of youth, and to the praise of learning and studiousness.

In other plays for the sacramental teaching of the Church there substituted the Reformation controversy, and these polemics of the stage were carried to such a length as to draw down on is

themselves the royal prohibition. The word Interlude reminds us of the more trivial nature of these later performances, from which, however, most of the popular ideas about Morality plays have usually been derived ] .

The 'Enterlude

of Hycke-scorner,' which, as printed by de Worde, may be reckoned as one of the earliest

Wynkyn

specimens of the new Moralities, is in many respects a good example of its class. It opens with a colloquy between Pity and Contemplation, who are soon joined by Perseverance. They lament together over the wickedness of the times, and their place is then taken by Freewill and Imagination, who recount to each other the pranks they have been playing in 1

An

example of

this confusion is to

be found in the prominence

assigned in all accounts of the Morality to the character of the Vice, to

whom

is made by Ben Jonson in his Staple of News, ii. i, and an Ass, i. i, and by other Elizabethan writers. In the Morality proper the Vice has no part, but when the desire was felt for some humourous relief in the didactic interludes, a character probably dressed in the traditional garb of the domestic Fool was introduced and attained great popularity. The etymology of the name is doubtful, for in Heywood's Play of the Wether (1534), one of the earliest instances in

allusion

The Devil

is

which the Vice

is specifically mentioned by name, he plays the part of Report, who is a jester pure and simple, without any connection with any of the deadly sins. So in Jack Juggler, Jack himself is called the Vice, and in Godly Queen Hester (1561) the name is given to a jester

Mery

In other plays, however, the part of the Vice is called Hardy Dardy. assigned to characters such as Sin, Fraud, Inclination, Ambition, &c., and the list given in the Devil is an Ass (Fraud or Covetousness, or lady Vanity, or old Iniquity), confirms the theory that the obvious

etymology

is

the true one.

INTRODUCTION.

liv

To them

enters Hickscorner, a himself a worthy comrade. He comes to blows, however, with Imagination, and Pity returns The three knaves, indignant at his to help keep the peace. intervention, bind him and go their ways. Pity is released by

very unseemly traveller,

languages

who soon proves

Perseverance and Contemplation, and goes in quest of his Meanwhile Freewill has been imprisoned in

adversaries.

Newgate

for

Imagination.

'conveying' a cup, but has been delivered by He is now confronted by Perseverance and

Contemplation, who effect his conversion by their arguments. Imagination again appears on the scene, at first only to scoff, but in a little while he too is converted, and in this edifying manner the play ends. Hickscorner, it will be noted, after

whom

the interlude

is named, disappears altogether unnoticed, single dramatic touch in the whole production. play, however, must have enjoyed a fairly long life, for the

and there

The

is

no

author of an Interlude of Youth, printed by Waley, probably in the reign of Mary, took it as his model, and incorporated whole

own work. With Hickscorner and an enterlude,' printed both by Vele and by William Copland, ' called Lusty Juuentus, lyuely describing the frailtie of youth of natur prone to vyce by grace and good counsayll traynable to vertue.' This very dull play, only relieved by two rather good songs, was the work of a vehemently Protestant author. The characters are a Messenger, Lusty Juuentus, Good Counsaill, Knowledge, Sathan the deuyll, Hypocrisie, Felowship, Abhominable Lyuyng, God's Merciful Promises, and their names sufficiently indicate the sentences from Yottth

may be

it

into his

classified

:

'

:

general course of the plot. Juventus is nourished in the strictest principles of the Reformation, until by direction of Satan,

Hypocrisy, under the name of Friendship, leads him first into heresy and from heresy into unclean living, from which he is finally rescued by his former friends Good Counsaill and Knowledge.

Of the second

class of the later Moralities, or, as I should pre-

them, didactic interludes, those namely which were written in praise, not of religion, but of learning, the Interhtde fer to call

of the Four Elements, by John Rastell, is the earliest now extant The only known copy which has been preserved is unfortu-

INTRODUCTION.

lv

nately imperfect, so that the course of the plot cannot be set forth at length, but the writer's unflinching didacticism and the expedients by which it is relieved, are sufficiently illustrated in

the short extracts quoted in the present volume. Another interlude in praise of learning is the Wyt and Science of John Redford, written

VIII, and

probably towards the end of the reign of Henry printed in the Shakespeare Society's Publications

first

Though itself so long in obtaining the honours of Redford's play served as a model to the anonymous author print, of 'a new and pleasant enterlude, intituled the Marriage of for 1848.

Witte and Science,' licensed in 1569-70 to its printer, Thomas Marshe. This is a really amusing play, very brightly and

bad line in it. It was probfor a schoolmaster performance by his boys, ably composed by and traces the mishaps of Wit in his endeavour to win the hand trippingly written, with scarcely a

In of his lady Science, the daughter of Reason and Experience. all his adventures Wit has a charming companion and page in is much wittier, The play is regularly

Will, whose talk

in the

modern

sense, than his

divided into acts and scenes, and in this and other respects is so widely removed from the earlier didactic interludes, as hardly to come within the scope of master's.

In the same way the Nice Wanton and the present volume. the Disobedient Child, the latter by Thomas Ingelend, both probably written during the reign of Elizabeth, have passed too

comedy to be treated here, though their inculcation of the necessity of discipline in youth entitles them to be ranked with the didactic interludes.

far into the regions of

Two famous names

recall

us to an earlier period.

John

Skelton and John Heywood are both of them known to English literature in other capacities than as dramatists, but Heywood

(c.

1

520

?),

work

into his plays, while Skelton's Magnificence and painstaking, and with some fine learned though

put his best

passages, is a dull and lifeless performance, which its author's fame as a satirist has caused to be somewhat overrated. The all of them change purpose of disguise, the thread of the play

minor characters are numerous and, as nearly their (of

names

for the

which a brief summary

is

given in the Notes)

is

by no means

easy to follow. The same charge may fairly be brought against a play by John Heywood, which until Dr. Alois Brand! of Berlin

INTRODUCTION.

Ivi

came

to

reprint racters

rescue in 1898 had never provoked an editor to play is on the subject of Love, and its cha-

its

The

it.

Loving not Loved, Loved not Loving, Both Loving and Loved, Neither Loved nor Loving, &c. are such mere puppets, that the play is the most confusing the present writer has ever Yet there is much wit in the dialogue, as for instance in this pitiful complaint of the woman Loved not Lovingt concerning the too pertinacious suit of her admirer:

grappled with.

For

me evyn lyke as one servyse most humbly

doth lyke

it

Shold

offer

me

With an axe

in his hande, contynually

me gentylly that this might be sped, To graunt hym my good wyll to stryke off my bed. The play is really little more than a disputation (interrupted Besechyng

by one long and not

too pleasant narrative) as to the comparative intensities of the happiness and misery to be won from love. As such it is essentially undramatic, and the only in-

which Neither Loved nor Loved not Lovyng on fire, is but Heywood's other plays are much better, and it is

cident by which

it

is

Lovyng pretends

to

have

poor

stuff.

diversified, in

set

strange that one of them, the Play of the Wether, which with some excisions, or slight alterations, would be an excellent play for a Christmas performance by boys and girls, had also to wait

modern editor. In this new and very mery interlude maner wethers,' Jupiter deputes Mery Report to hear and recount to him all the different prayers that the various characters '

long for a

all

up for different varieties of weather. Mery Report's account of his experiences gives so excellent a summary of the 1 play that I append it below , with little doubt that its length offer

1

Merry Report

Now In

such an other sorte as here hath bene

all the

No

sewters

dayes of my lyfe I haue not sene, now but women, knauys, and boys,

And

all theyr sewtys are in fansyes and toys. that there come no wyser after thys cry I wyll to the god and make an ende quyckely.

Yf

Oyes, yf that any knaue here

Be wyllynge to appere For wether fowle or clere,

Come

in before thys flocke,

INTRODUCTION. will

and

Ivii

The didactic import of this interlude is obvious, thus connected with Thersttes, that admirable lesson

be excused. it

is

And be he Come shew

hole or syckly hys

mynde

quyckly.

All thys tyme I perceyue

To wayte

mo

is

spent in wast,

non make

sewters, I se

hast.

wyll shew the god all thys procys, be delyuered of my symple ofiys.

Wherfore

And Now,

for I

lorde, accordynge to your comaundement, Attendyng sewters I haue ben dylygent, And, at begynnyng as your wyll was I sholde, I come now at ende to shewe what eche man wolde.

The

fyrst sewter before your selfe dyd appere, gentylman desyrynge wether clere, Clowdy, nor mysty, nor no wynde to blow,

A

For hurt

in hys

huntynge

The marchaunt sewde For wether

clere

;

and

then, as ye

know,

for all of that

kynde and mesurable wynde,

As they maye best bere theyr saylys to make spede; And streyght after thys there came to me in dede An other man who namyd hym selfe a ranger, And sayd all of hys crafte be farre brought in daunger For lacke of lyvynge. whyche chefely ys wynde

fall,

But he playnely sayth there bloweth no wynde at al, Wherfore he desyreth, for encrease of theyr fleesys,

Extreme rage of wynde trees to tere in peces. Then came a water myller, and he cryed out For water, and sayde the wynde was so stout The rayne could not fall wherfore he made request ;

For plenty of rayne

And

Who

to set the

wynde

at rest,

then, syr, there came a wynde myller in, sayde for the rayne he could no wynde wyn,

The water he wysht

to be banysht all, Besechynge your grace of wynde contynuall. Then came ther another that wolde banysh all this, A goodly dame, an ydyll thynge iwys Wynde, rayne, nor froste, nor sonshyne wold she haue, But fayre close wether her beautye to save. Then came there a nother that lyueth by laundry, ;

Who

muste haue wether hot and

clere here clothys to dry.

Then came there a boy, for froste and snow contynuall, Snow to make snowballys and frost for his pytfale,

INTRODUCTION.

Iviii

against unseemly boasting, adapted by an unknown author, from a Latin dialogue by a French professor, Ravisius Textor. In Heywood's other plays, briefly mentioned and described in the Notes, no didactic purpose can be traced. They may be classified as satiric interludes, if the word satire can be rightly applied to the work of a man whose temper was as genial and sunny as that of Chaucer himself, to whose writings his own were

In these plays Heywood breaks away largely indebted. altogether from the Morality, and becomes the precursor of the modern playwright, who makes it his main business to see that his audience

The volume

is

amused.

play from which extracts are given in the present the King John of Bishop Bale. Bale was not only a

last is

Protestant controversialist, but an antiquary, teristic of him that in his God's Promises and

he should have endeavoured to infuse fresh

and

it

is

charac-

Johan Baptystes,

life

into the Miracle

play by adapting it to strictly Protestant teaching. In his King John he again endeavours to unite new and old, by welding the didacticism and personifications of the moral interlude with the

an English king. The play apparently remained in by Mr. Collier in 1838, and there is no reason to imagine that it in any way influenced the rise of the English historical drama, which did not take place until more than a history of

MS.

until printed

For whyche, god wote, he seweth full gredely. Your fyrst man wold haue wether clere and not wyndy The seconde, the same saue cooles to blow meanly The thyrd desyred stormes and wynde most ext[re]mely; The fourth, all in water and wolde haue no wynde; The fyft no water, but all wynde to grynde ; The syxst wold haue non of all these nor no bright son; The seuenth extremely the hote son wold haue wonne; The eyght and the last for frost and snow he prayd. Byr lady we shall take shame I am afrayd! Who marketh in what maner this sort is led ;

;

May thynke yt impossyble all to be sped. This nomber is smale, there lacketh twayne of ten, And yet, by the masse, amonge ten thousand men No one thynge could stand more wyde from the other, Not one of theyr sewtes ngreeth wyth an other. I promyse you here is a shrewed pece of warke.

INTRODUCTION.

lix l

quarter of a century after its first composition . It is thus as a curious development of the didactic interlude, and not as the forerunner of Shakespeare's chronicle-histories, that King John finds a place in the present volume.

The 1579,

last

performance of the York Miracle plays took place

when Shakespeare had

The Newcastle

attained

his

Roman

in

majority.

plays lasted ten years longer, by which time

The Chester plays were the Beverly till 1604, when Shakespeare's work was already drawing towards its close. Even later than this we hear of a Passion Play acted before Gondomar, his career as a dramatist

acted

till

had begun.

the end of the century

;

the Spanish ambassador, but as to this allowance must be made and we may regard the Miracle play as

for foreign influence,

dying with the death of Elizabeth. In its prolonged it had overlapped the noblest period of the English 2 drama, but its direct influence had long passed away , and the reminiscence of the Harrowing of Hell in the Porter's finally

old age

speech in Macbeth, is perhaps the most notable trace which it has left on the drama of the Shakespearian age. But the Miracle plays had fostered a love of acting in almost every They had prepared the ground from

county in England.

which the Shakespearian harvest was to spring in all its and in this indirect manner their influence had been potent for good.

glorious abundance,

The history of the Morality, in its later development as the didactic interlude, is somewhat different. During the first half of the reign of Elizabeth plays with many of the characteristic features of the later Moralities enjoyed

much

popularity.

Such

were the Triall of Treasure (printed 1567), Like Will to Like (printed 1568), Allfor Money (printed 1578), The Three Ladies

of London (printed 1584), and The Three Lords and Three Ladies of London (printed as late as 1590). The increasing 1 The play seems to have been revised after the accession of Elizabeth, but was probably written in the reign of Edward VI. a The influence of the old play of St. George of Cappadocia is remotely

traceable in the Christinas

mummings

villages in different parts of England.

still

acted in a few out-of-the-way

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION.

Ixi

individuality of the characterization in these plays was doubtless a natural development, but in part also it was due

in part only

to

the influence of the comedies and tragedies founded on and Italian models. But though the didactic Interlude

classical

learnt something from these splendid rivals, it could not better the instruction, and its latent promise of a domestic drama of

purely English growth was never fulfilled. For better or for worse, however, the transformed Morality at this period takes its place as one of the threads which went to make up the

wondrous web of the Elizabethan drama, and as such 'passes out of the scope of the present volume. Here it must suffice us to have attempted to follow the dramatic element in English literature, from a date nearly coincident with the birth of Chaucer, to the time when Shakespeare was old enough to play a boy's part

Grammar

in

some moral

interlude in praise of learning at the

school of Stratford-on-Avon.

9-

For the idea

of adding to this edition (1904) of

my

little

book

mostly more quaint than beautiful, I am indebted to an American critic, who took me rather severely to

a few

illustrations,

task for regretting that we had no authentic representations of the costumes, &c., in these early plays. The regret, unfortunately, was only too well founded, for the curious cuts which are found on the title-pages (or the backs of them) of Hyck-

scorner and one or two other plays printed about 1520 were copies of French or Low Country woodcuts, and therefore

cannot be taken as evidence of the dresses of English players. The commonest of them, of which I give two examples taken from Wynkyn de Worde's Hyckscorner, are copied in reverse from a French edition of Terence published by Antoine Verard at

Paris about

1500,

and

I

give here reproductions of the

from which they are taken. The little figure of Everyman on the title-page of John Skot's edition of that play, which by the kindness of Mrs. Christie-Miller is reproduced opposite page 77, is also copied from the French Terence, and the grotesque figure of Death, which accompanies it, from Guy originals

Marchant's edition of the Compost des Bergers of 1500.

To

the

INTRODUCTION.

Ixii

best of my belief the only English cut which throws any light on the English stage of this period is that here reproduced from The pleasant and stately morall of the Three Lordes and Three Ladies of London,' printed by R. Ihones in 1590. From its style and its worn appearance it is probable that this was made for some lost edition of a play printed some twenty years '

earlier.

'

If I

am

right in

my

interpretation of

'

it

the quota-

FROM 'THE THREE LORDES AND THREE LADIES OF LONDON,'

1590.

from a paper on ' Woodcuts in English Plays in my Books (Methuen, 1902) 'it relates not to the play Picture Old itself, but to a performance of any morality in a private hall. On the right is a philosophical-looking person with a wand in " " Doctor " or " his hand, whom I take to be the Expositor who used to interpret to the audience the meaning of the old miracleplays and moralities. On the left is a man in the ordinary dress of the sixteenth century, apparently an actor. Both these are turning their faces to a group of ladies seated on a dais, tion

'

is

INTRODUCTION.

Ixiii

presumably as spectators. The picture is thus taken from the rear of the actors, and illustrates, though in a rather dull and conventional manner, the performances of a much earlier period than 1590.' To illustrate the Miracle Plays it has been necessary to cross the Channel and obtain what little light we can from French sources.

The

picture of

Noah's Ark

is

taken from Verard's

Mystere du Vieil Testament, printed about 1 500 those of the Shepherds, of the Fall of Lucifer, and of Justice, Mercy and Truth, from editions of the Hours of the Blessed Virgin, printed at Paris between 1490 and 1510. The excuse for borrowing from these is twofold. In the first place, these edition of the

;

illustrated prayer-books were largely printed in Paris for the English market, there being numerous editions for our English Use of Sarum ; secondly, the names written on the labels in the picture of the Shepherds which forms our

delightfully

'

'

Gobin le gay, le beau Roger, Aloris, Alison, &c. frontispiece are those which they and their wives frequently bear in the contemporary French plays, and the Shepherds are bringing with them such rustic gifts as are mentioned also in our English

We may thus fairly imagine that it was a scene from cycles. a Miracle play which the French artist here had in mind, and that, save for differences in national costume, it was a scene with which English playgoers were also familiar Lastly, to illustrate Thersites there

a snail from

is

shown a combat with

Guy Marchant's Kalendrier des Bergers

of 1500.

one edition of the Kalendar of Shepherds was printed in English (of a sort) at Paris for exportation, so that here again we are not wholly on foreign ground. Moreover Thersites, as has been recently shown, is based on one of the Latin Dialogues of J. Ravisius Textor (Jean Texier), educated at and subsequently one of the professors of the College de Navarre. Now Guy Marchant's shop was just behind the College, and it is quite possible that it was from seeing this snail-picture on Marchant's counter that the Professor was inspired to write this particular Dialogue. The combat of the man-at-arms and the snail was a venerable medieval joke, especially levelled against the Lombards, to whom a reference will be found in the poem which accompanies the picture in the Kalendrier and which is here

At

least

reproduced.

Jnictott? fancfi eimgefif fc8w} eta i) pimdpio ctl

f<*<* wn?

.(r

to^anc^

.

eraf

ap5

6eu0 etat SctOii.oc crat in punctpio

apu 6 6eil.-f)ia p tpfun^ fact a fftt et fine ipfb e# nicgif Cluo8 factu^ ef{ it) ipfo ^tf a erat ,

FROM HEURE3 A LUSAIGE DE ROME PARIS,

J.

DUPRE, 1489

ENGLISH MIRACLE PLAYS, gorfe

THE BARKERS. THE CREATION AND THE FALL OF

[DEUS.]

[SCENE

I.

Ego sum Alpha

et

LUCIFER.

Heaven.~\

O. vita, via,

Veritas,

primus

et nouissimus. 1. I

I

am gracyus and grete, god withoutyn begynnyng, I am maker unmade, all mighte es in me, am lyfe and way unto welth-wynnyng, I

My

am

formaste and

blyssyng o ble

And

My

heldand

fro

als I byd sail be blendyng, harme to be hydande, fyrste,

it

be.

sail

5

in blys ay

abydande Une[n]dande withoutyn any endyng. 2.

body

I am maker unmade, and moste so of mighte, And ay sail be endeles, and noghte es but I, Unto my dygnyte dere sail diewly be dyghte A place full of plente to my plesing at ply, And therewith als wyll I have wroght Many dyvers doynges be-dene,

Sen

Whilke warke

And

all

sail

sail mekely contene, be made even of noght.

B

10

15

YORK PLAYS.

a 3.

But onely the worthely warke of In

And

my wyll sprete sail enspyre the mighte of me, in the fyrste, faythely, my thoghts to full-fyll, my

my blyssyng I byd at here be al-beledande abowte me; blys In the whilke blys I byde at be here

Baynely in

A

JQ

Nyen ordres of aungels full clere, In lovyng ay lastande at lowte me. Tune cantant

angeli:

Te deum laudamus,

te

dominum

confitemur. 4.

Here undernethe me nowe a Whilke He

sail

To-whils

And Be put 5.

I jyowe

j>'he

25

be at ones be heven, hegheste

Erthe haly and helle, this And that welth sail welde

Thys graunte

nexile I neven,

be erthe now,

sail

all

won

in this wones.

mynysters myne,

ar stabill in thoghte

30

;

also to thaime that ar noghte to

my

presone at pyne.

\To

Lucifer,

the mightes I have made moste nexte after me, I make the als master and merour of my mighte, I beelde the here baynely in blys for to be, 35

Of

I

all

name

No

the for Lucifer, als berar of lyghte. sail the be derand

thyng here In this blys

sail

be jyhour beeldyng,

And have al welth in jyoure weledyng, Ay whils jyhe ar buxomly berande. Tune cantant Angeti, Sanctus sanctus

40

sanctus, dominus deus

sabaoth. 6.

PRIMUS ANGELUS SERAPHYN.

A

mekill es thi mighte, worde worthely has wroghte that lorde of his lighte, be loved lufly Ay That us thus mighty has made, that nowe was righte !

mercyfull maker,

That

all

this

noghte

;

warke

full

at a

FALL OF LUCIFER.

3

In blys for to byde in hys blyssyng, Ay lastande, in luf lat us lowte hym,

45

.

At beelde us thus baynely abowete hym,

Of myrthe nevermore ta have myssyng. PRIMUS ANGELUS DEFICMNS LUCIFERE. myrth that es made

All the

The bemes

of

my

markide

es

in

me,

brighthode ar byrnande so bryghte,

I so semely in syghte my selfe now I se, For lyke a lorde am I lefte to lende in this More fayrear be far than my feres,

And

me

In

My 8.

no poynte fetys and

is

me

I fele

es

power

that

may

51

lighte,

payre, 55

fayre,

passande

my

peres.

ANG. CHERABYN. Lord

!

wyth a lastande

we

luf

love the allone,

Thou mightefull maker that markid us and made us, And wroghte us thus worthely to wone in this wone, Ther never felyng of fylth may full us nor fade us, All blys es here beeldande a-boute us, 61 To-whyls we are stabyll

in thoughte In the worschipp of hym that us wroghte Of dere never thar us more dowte us.

9.

PRIM. ANG. DEFIC.

O

!

what

I

am

The forme All welth in

The bemes

and

and fygured full fytt fayrehede apon me es feste, weelde es, I wete be my wytte, my fetys

of

of

fayre

all

my

schewyng

Here

sail

es

schemerande and schynande,

never payne

66

brighthede are bygged with the

beste.

My

!

me

be pynande.

B 2

YORK PLAYS.

4 10.

ANG. SERAPHYN. the wytt at we welde we wyrschip thi wyll, gloryus god that es grunde of all grace, with stedefaste Steven lat us stande styll, 75

With

all

Thu Ay

Lorde

to be fede with the fode of thi fayre face.

!

In lyfe that es lely ay lastande,

Thi

dale, lorde, es ay daynetethly delande,

And who so that fode may be felande To se thi fayre face es noght fastande. 11.

80

PRIM. ANG. DEFEC. LUCIFER.

Owe

certes

!

what

!

shyp, i-wys

For I

am

I

in a glorius gle

am

so mightyly

Ay

sail

I

worthely wroghte with wyr-

!

my

gleteryng

it

glemes,

byde

made my mirth may noghte mys, blys thorowe

in this

brightnes

of

bemes.

Me

nedes noghte of noy for to neven, my welde have I weledande,

85

All welth in

Abowne

On 12.

sail

I

be beeldand, hewven.

heghte in the hyeste of

Ther

my selfe, full semely to seyghte, my reverence thorowe right o renowne, sail be lyke unto hym that es hyeste on heghte 9 Owe what I am derworth and defte. Owe dewes To

I

jyhit

sail I

set

ressayve

;

!

!

all

My

goes

mighte and

downe

my mayne

es all marrande,

!

are

!

!

Helpe felawes, in faythe I am SEC. ANGEL. DEFEC. Fra heven are we heledande on

To wo

1

we weendande,

I

fallande.

all

warande.

hande,

95

FALL OF LUCIFER. II.

[SCENE 13.

5

Hell.]

LUCIFER DEIABOLUS IN INFERNO.

Owte owte

harrowe

!

helples, slyke hote at es here,

!

I am to dyghte, so cumly and clere, that are was lighte. 101 My bryghtnes es blakkeste and bio nowe; My bale es ay betande and brynande,

This es a dongon of dole that

Whare

my kynde be-come, Nowe am I laytheste, alias es

!

That gares ane go gowlande and gyrnande. I well enew in wo nowe ay walaway

Owte 14.

!

!

!

SECUNDUS DIABOLUS. Owte

owte

!

!

go wode

I

for wo,

my

wytte es

all

wente

nowe

105

All oure fode es but

We

filth,

we fynde us

beforn,

ware beelded in blys in bale are we brent

that

nowe,

Owte

on the

!

Lucifer, lurdan

!

oure lyghte has thu

lorne.

Thi dedes

to this dole

nowe has dyghte

us,

To

no

spille us thu was oure spedar, For thou was oure lyghte and oure ledar, The hegheste of heven hade thu hyght us.

15.

LUCIFER IN INFERNO.

Walaway

!

wa

es

me

now, nowe es

it

war thane

it

was.

Unthryvandely threpe jyhe, saycle but a thoghte. SECUND. DIAB. We lurdane, thu lost us. Luc. IN INF. Fhe ly, owte alias I

!

!

I

wyste noghte this

Owte on yhow SECUND. DIAB. Luc. IN INF. SECUND. DIAB.

We

!

!

wo

sculde be wroghte.

lurdans, jvhe

smore

me

in

This wo has thu wroughte

Fhe Thou

lyes,

and

!

116

smoke. us.

ly,

jyhe ly

!

that sail thu by.

lurdans, have at ^owe, lat loke.

1

20

YORK PLAYS.

6

[SCENE 1 6.

III.

Heaven.']

ANGELUS CHERUBYN.

A

lorde, lovid be thi name that us this lighte Sen Lucifer cure ledar es lighted so lawe, For hys unbuxumnes in bale to be brente. !

Thi rightwysnes [redes] like warke eftyr

[it]

Thorowe grace

The

is

to rewarde

lente,

on rowe.

wroghte.

125

of thi mercyfull myghte

cause I se

itt

in syghte,

'

Wharefore to bale he es broghte. 17.

Those

DEUS.

foles for thaire fayre-hede in fantasyes

fell,

And hade mayne

of mighte that marked tham and

made tham,

130

For-thi efter thaire warkes were, in

For sum ar

And

fallen into fylthe that

wo

sail

thai well,

evermore

sail

fade

tham, never sail have grace for to gyrth tham.

So passande of power tham thoght tham, Thai wolde noght me worschip that wroghte tham, :

1

8.

my

For-thi sail

Ande

all

that

wreth ever go with tham.

me

wyrschippe

sail

wone

136

here, i-wys,

worke wyrke nowe I will. ther es than mighte for-marryde that mente all Syn For-thi

more

forthe of

my

o-mys,

Even

to

Mankynde But

myne awne fygure this blys to of moulde will I make;

fyrste wille I fourme,

hym

fulfyll,

140

before,

All thyng that sail hym restore, To whilke that his talents will take. 19.

Ande

in

my

Sen erthe I

byd

To

makyng to mustyr my mighte, 145 vayne and voyde, and myrknes emel,

fyrste is

in my blyssyng ^he aungels gyf lyghte the erthe, for it faded when the fendes

fell.

FALL OF LUCIFER. In hell

sail

never myrknes be myssande, thus name I for nighte,

The myrknes The day that

My 20.

call

I

7

150

this lyghte.

after-warkes sail thai be wyssande;

Ande now in my blyssyng I twyne tham in two, The nighte even fro the day, so that thai mete never, But ather in a kynde courese thaire gates for to go. Bothe the nighte and the day, does dewly jhour *

156

deyver,

To

wirke be .yhe wysshyng. This day warke es done ilke a dele, all I

sail

And all this warke lykes me ryght wele, And baynely I gyf it my blyssyng. v^""

XT

Explicit.

160

Chester

NOAH'S FLOOD.

I.

THE WATTER LEADERS AND THE DRAWERS OF DEE PLAYE. OD.

I,

God, that

Heaven and

\

I

my

see

eairth,

and

of naughte,

all

deede and thoughte

people in

A %^Lte My ghoste shall

worlde hath wroughte,

this

all

<^

1(

not linge in mone.

That through fleshe-likinee is oJK/'f- OcJBSjL \/pe <^_N/^> T3ut

my

fonne, .

Be comen and gone,

sixe skoraTyeaires

tell

To loke if theyVill blynne. Man that I made I will destroye, worme and

Beaste,

For one riM-

The

f

doe

11

^.t-

'ftO

-

me

nye,n

^-KJv/X)L|>j

folke that are theirone

armes

The

fowle to flye;

eairth they

;

me

o hurtfullye, malice that doth nowe multiplye,

That sore yt greives me hartelye That ever I made mon. Therefore, Noye,

That

A

rightious

my

man

servante free,

arte, as

I

see,

shippe sone thou shall make thee,

Of

treeyes drye

and

lighte

;

chamberes therin thou make, And byndinge slyche also thou take, Within and without thou ne slake Littill

To

anoynte yt through

all

thy mighte.

10

NOAH'S FLOOD.

/.

Three hundreth cubettes

And

it

be longe,

shall

brode^lcu;nake jt slrpnge

fiftie

;

Of heighte fiftieme meeteMiriou tonge^ Thus messuer thou it aboute. One wyndowe worcke through thy wytte, A cubitte of lengthe and breade make itt, Upon the syde a dore shall iif* Jr* For to come in and oute. \j Eattinge places thou make alsoe,

.

30

'

Three rowfed chamberes on a roe: For with waiter I thinke Man that I can make;

to slowe

"*-*-

c^-M

35

Destroyed all the worlde shalbe, Save thou, thy wiffe, and children three,

And

ther wiffes also with ihee

Shall saved be for thy sake.

NOYE. O, Lorde, That to me

And

spares

As

I

I

40

thanke thee lowde and

sucnewfil? p and my nowse to

arte in

me

nowe southly

stilK__

5\

'

vW^JU spill,

fynde.

byddinge, Lorde, I shall fulfill, never more thee greve nor grill, That such grace hath sente me till

Thy

45

And

Amonght all mankinde. Have done, you men and wemen

all,

Hye you, leste this waiter fall, To worche this shippe, chamber and As God hath bedden us doe. SEM. Father,

An As

For

CAM.

I

To

I

am

all

readye bowne

;

have, by my crowne sharpe as anye in all this towne,

axe

I

to

50 hall,

!

goe

therlo.

have a hacchall wounder keeyne, bille well, as maye be scene,

55

CHESTER PLAYS.

10

A

better grownden, as I wene,

60

Is not in all this towne.

JAFFETTE.

And

And

I

can make well a pynne,

with this hamer knocke

it

in

:

Goe wee worcke boute more dynne,

And

I

am

readye bowne.

NOYES WIFFE. And we shall bringe tymber For we mone nothinge elles doe;

Wemen Any

too,

65

be weeke to underfoe greate

travill.

SEMES WIFFE. Hear

is a good hacckinge-stoccke, you maye hewe and knocke ; Shall none be idle in this floccke

One

this

70

;

Ney nowe maye noe man

fayle.

CAMMES WIFFE. And I will goe gaither slyche, The shippe for to caulke and pyche.

O

Anoynte yt muste be every Borde, tree, and pynne. JEFFETTES WYFFE.

To make a And for to

And

fier for

stiche,

I will gaither

you

^-*JV-*

(

'

75

chippes heare

in feare,

dighte youer dynner,

Againste your cominge

Then Noye begineth

to builde

No YE. Now in the name To make the shippe

t/ie

80

in.

and speaketh Noye :

Arcke,

of God, I will begyne that

we

shall in,

That we maye be readye for to swyme At the cominge of the fludde Thes bordes heare I pynne togeither, :

To

beare us saffe from the weither,

That we maye rowe both heither and And safie be from the fludde.

theither,

85

NOAH'S FLOOD.

7.

Of

make

this treey will I

Tyed

the maste,

with cabbelles that will

With a

And

II

90

laste,

yarde for iche blaste, iche thinge an their kinde: saile

With toppe-castill, aM Do|"ipntf<| With cordes and roppes, I hold all meete

To

sayle fourth at the nexte weete,

This shippe

is

att

95

an ende.

Wyffe, in this vessel we shall be kepte My children and thou, I woulde in ye lepte. :

NOYES WIFFE. In For I will

all

fayth,

Noye,

thy frynishe

hade as

I

leffe

thou slepte

!

100

fare,

not doe after thy reade.

NOYE. Good

wyffe,

NOYES WIFFE. Be

doe nowe as Christe

!

Though thou stande

I thee

bydde.

not or I see more neede, all

the daye and stare.

NOYE. Lorde, that wemen be crabbed aye, And non are meke, I dare well saye,

105

is well scene by me to daye, In witnesse of you ichone. Goodwiffe, lett be all this beare,

This

That thou maiste For all the wene

And

so thou arte, by Sante

Then Noye with the

and

in this place heare;

110

that thou arte maister,

John

!

make a signe as though with divers instruments

all his familie shall

wroughte upon after that

the shippe

God shall speak

to

Noye, sayinge :

GOD. Noye, take thou thy meanye, And in the shippe hie that you be, For non soe righteous man to me Is nowe one earth livinge;

115

CHESTER PLAYS.

12

Of

cleane beastes with thee thou take,

Seven and seven, or then thou slake, He and shee, make to make, Belive in that thou bringe. Of beastes uncleane towe and towe,

Male and

femalle, boute

120

moe,

Of cleane fowles seven alsoe, The he and shee togeither; Off fowles uncleane twene and noe more,

As

125

I of beastes

That man

sayde before; be saved through my

lore,

Againste I sende this weither.

Of

all

meates that

mone be

eatten,

Into the shippe loke there be getten

;

130

For that maye be noe waye forgetten, And doe all this bydene, To sustayne man and beaste therin, Tell the watter cease

This worlde ys

And

that

is

and blynne.

filled full

nowe

of synne,

135

well scene.

Seven dayes be yette cominge, shall have space them in to bringe;

You

After that

it

Mankinde

is

my

likinge,

for to anoye.

140

Fourtye dayes and forty e nightes

Raine

shall fall for ther unrightes,

And that I have made through my Nowe thinke I to destroye.

mightes,

NOYE. Lorde, to thy byddinge I am bayne, Seinge noe other grace will gayne, Yt will I fulfill fayne,

A

345

For gracious I thee fynde; hundred wyntter and twentye

This shippe makinge taryed have

I,

150

NOAH'S FLOOD.

/.

Yf through amendment thy mercye Woulde fall to mankinde. Have donne, you men and wemen

13

alle,

you, leste this watter fall, That iich beaste were in stalle,

Hye

And

155

into the shippe broughte;

Of cleane beastes seven shalbe, Of uncleane two, this God bade met The fludde is nye, you maye well see, Therefore tarye you naughte.

Then Noye shall goe wife excepte,

and one SEM.

Sir,

into the

and

the

160

Arcke with all

Arcke must

the hordes all the beastes

his famifye, his

be borded

round

about,

and foules painted,

heare are lions, leapardes,

in,

Horses, mares, oxen, and swyne; Goote and caulfe, sheepe and kine

Heare

sitten

thou maye

see.

CAM. Camelles, asses, man maye fynde, Bucke and doo, harte and hinde, And beastes of all maner kinde Here be, as thinketh me. TAFFETT. Take heare cattes, dogges toa-V^ A. andA r f 11^S=XS.Ci>0Atter toxe, fulhmartes alsoe;

165

170

Hares hoppinge gaylie can goe, Heare have coule for to eate.

NOYES WIFFE. And heare

are beares, woulfes sette,

Apes, oules, marmosette, Weyscelles, squirelles, and firrette, Heare the eaten ther meate.

SEMES WIFFE. Heare are beastes in this howse, Heare cattes make yt crousse, Heare a rotten, heare a mousse, That standeth nighe togeither.

1-5

180

CHESTER PLAYS.

14

GAMES WIFFE. And

heare are fowles lesse and more,

Hearnes, cranes, and

bittor,

Swannes, peacokes, and them before

Meate

for this weither.

JEFFATTES WIFFE. Heare are cockes, Rookes, ravens, manye roes,

kites, croes,

185

Cuckoes, curlues, who ever knowes, Iche one in his kinde;

Heare are doves,

digges, drackes,

Red-shonckes roninge through the lackes, And ech fowle that leden makes In

NOVE.

this

come

Wiffe,

Thou

shippe in

men maye :

why

fynde.

standes thou their ?

arte ever frowarde, I dare well sweare;

Come

in,

one Codes

For feare

leste that

NOYES WIFFE. Yea,

And rowe

sir,

I will

halfe

!

tyme

yt were,

195

we drowne.

sette

up youer

saile,

fourth with evill haile,

For withouten [anye]

fayle

not oute of this towne;

But

I

One The

shall not

have

aoo

my

gossippes everyechone, foote further I will not gone :

And The

190

I

loven

drowne, by Sante John

may

me

save ther

full well,

!

life.

by Christe

305

!

them into thy cheiste, Elles rowe nowe wher thee leiste, And gette thee a newe wiffe. thou

lett

loe thy mother is wrawe Forsooth, such another I doe not knowe.

NOYE. Seme, sonne,

!

SEM. Father, I shall fetch her Withoutten anye fayle. Mother,

my

in,

I trowe,

father after thee sende,

:

aio

NOAH'S FLOOD.

/.

And byddes

15

thee into yeinder shippe wende.

Loke up and see the wynde, For we bene readye to sayle.

215

NOYES WIFFE. Seme, goe againe to hym, I will not come theirin to daye. NOYE.

Come Or

CAM.

wiffe, in twentye devilles waye stand there without.

in,

elles

Shall

I saie;

we

all

!

220

feche her in?

NOYE. Yea, sonnes, in Christe blessinge and myne! I woulde you hied you be-tyme, For of this flude I am in double.

THE GOOD ,GOSSIPPE'S

SONGE.

The flude comes flwtinge in full fasle, One every syde that spreades full ferre; For feare of drowninge

Good

And

gossippes,

lett

lett

us drinke or

am

I

agaste

;

us drawe nere

we

departe,

For ofte tymes we have done soe; For att a draughte thou drinkes a quarte,

And Heare

225

230

soe will I do or I goe. a pottill full of Malmsine, good and stronge

is

rejoyce bouth harte and tonge ; Though Noye thinke us never so longe,

;

It will

Heare we

will

235

drinke alike.

JEFFATTE. Mother, we praye you all together, For we are heare, youer owne childer,

Come For

into the shippe for feare of the weither, his love that

NOYES WIFFE. That But

I

have

my

will

you boughte not

gossippes

I,

for all

all.

240

!

youer

call,

1

CHESTER PLAYS.

6

SEM. In

faith, mother, yett you shalle, Whcither thou wylte or [nought],

NOYE. Welckome,

into this botte.

wiffe,

NOYES WIFFE. Have thou NOYE. Ha, ha It is

Ha

!

that for thy note

marye, this for to

good

children,

!

me

345

be

is

hotte

I

!

still.

thinkes

my

botte remeves.

tarryinge heare highlye me greves, Over the lande the watter spreades ;

Our

150

God doe

as he will. God, that arte so good, That worckes not thy will is wood. Nowe all this worlde is one a flude,

A

greate

!

As

This wyndowe

And

155

I see well in sighte. I

will

shutte anon,

chamber

I will gone, my Tell this watter, so greate one, Be slacked through thy mighte.

into

Then shall Noye shutte littill

the

space be silent,

aboute shall saye

260

ivyndowe of the Arcke, and for a lookinge roundt

and afterwards

:

[Now* 40 dayes are fullie gone Send a raven I will anone If ought-were earth, tree or stone, Be drye in any place.

And

foule come not againe a signe, soth to sayne, That drye it is on hill or playne, if this

265*

It is

And God Tune

dimittet

hath done some grace.

corvum

et capiens

Ah, Lord, wherever

Somewhere *

The

is

columbam

in

manibus

dicat.

this raven be,

drye, well I see;

following 47 lines occur only in

270*

.

MS. Harl.

3134.

tftafctte $umaine a befpit/e

O^oi) comttianbement bant ut? bitetf patquopie corttmanbe etfi^neiC Jue fee educe to tetteumnbent

&IIC fa tette et> fott toute pfene commence a apfouuoit

FROM LE M1STKRE DU VIEL TESTAMENT PARIS, A. VERARD,

C.

1500

NOAH'S FLOOD.

7.

But yet a dove, by my lewtye After I will sende.

^ !

*****

Thou

wilt turne againe to

For of

Thou Tune

emittet

art

may flye most meke and hend.

eolumbam

olivam in ore

Ah By

* 2 ^5

nave alia columba ferens malo per funem

dimittet aliquis ex

et postea dicat

Noe.

blessed be thou aye, hast confort thus to day;

lord,

That

el erit in

quam

manus Noe ;

in

me,

fowles that

all

me

this sight,

may

I

well saye,

This flood beginnes to cease. My sweete dove to me brought hase

280*

A

branch of olyve from some place, This betokeneth God has done us some grace

And is a signe of peace. Ah lord honoured most thou

be,

All earthe dryes now, I see,

But yet

tyll

Hence

thou comaunde

will

I not hye.

All this water

is

awaye

Therfore as sone as Sacryfice

To

I

a8j*

me

shall

doo

I

maye in faye

290*

thee devoutlye.

DEUS. Noe take thy wife anone,

And

thy children every one,

Out of the shippe thou

And

they Beastes and

shalt gone,

all

with thee.

all

that can

295*

flie

Out anone they

shall hye, earth to grow and multeplye I wyll that yt soe be.

On

c

2

;

1

CHESTER PLAYS.

8

NOE. Lord

thanke the through thy mighte, bydding shall be done in height,

Thy

And

I

as fast as I

And

may

dighte,

doe the honoure

will

I

300*

to thee offer sacrifice,

Therfore comes in

all

305*

wise,

For of these beastes that bene hise Offer I will this slower.

Tune

egrediens

sua

archam cum totafamilia sua

aeripiet

animalia

et volucres et offeret ea et mactabit]

NOYE. Lorde God, in magestie, That suche grace hath graunted me, Wher all was [lorne] salfe to be, Theirfore

My

wife,

With

Of

nowe

my

I

am

children,

sacrifice to

boune,

and

my

meanye,

165

honour thee

beastes, fowles, as thou maiste see,

And GOD. Noye,

full

to

devocion.

me

thou arte

full able,

And

thy sacrifice acceptable, For I have founde thee true and stable

On thee nowe muste I myne; Warrye eairth I will noe more For mannes synnes that greves me For of youth mon full yore

270 j

sore, ;$

Has bene inclynde to synne. You shall nowe growe and multiplye,

And

eairth againe to edifye, Ich beaste, and fowle that maye Shalbe feared of you ;

And

fish in

sea that

maye

fleete

Shall sustaine you, I thee behett,

flye,

180

7.

To

eate of

NOAH'S FLOOD. them ye ne

19

lette,

That cleane bene, you mon knowe; Theras you have eaten before

385

Grasse and rootes, since you were bore,

Of

cleane beastes

I

nowe

lesse

and more

^

give you leve to eate;

Save bloode and

Of rouge dead

fleshe,

bouth

carrion that

is

in feare,

heare,

290

Eate not of that in noe manere, For that aye you shall lete. Man-slaughter also you shall flee, is not pleasante unto me;

For that

The

that sheedeth blood, he or shee,

295

Oughte-wher amonge mankinde, That bloode fowle shedde shalbe

And

vengeance have, that

Therfore beware

You

A

now

all

men

shall see

;

ye,

not into that synne. forward, Noye, with thee I make,

And

falle

all

300

thy seede, for thy sake,

Of suche vengance for to slake, For nowe I have my will ;

Heare I behette thee a heste, That man, woman, fowle, ney beste, With waiter, while this worlde shall leste, I will noe more spill. My bowe betweyne you and me

305

In the firmamente shalbe, By verey tocken that you shall

310 see,

That suche vengance shall cease, That man ne woman shall never more

Be wasted

with watter, as hath before

synne that greveth me Therfore this vengance was.

But

for

Wher

sore,

cloudes in the welckine bene,

;

315

CHESTER PLAYS.

20

That

ilke

bowe shalbe

In tocken that

my

Shall never thus

The

wrocken

That suche weither

And

My To

this

blessinge, Noye, thee,

Noye,

And nowe Deo

330

shall never shewe, I

behighte

For vengance

Finis.

be.

torned towardes you, towarde me is bente the bowe, is

stringe

And

scene,

wrath and teene

my

shall

thee.

geve thee heare, servante deare ; I

325

.

noe more appeare,

fare well,

my

darlinge deare.-^

George Bellin. Lordejesu, come quicklye.

gratias / per me,

1592.

Come

THE SACRIFICE OF

II.

[From

the Histories of

ISAAC.

Lot and Abraham, the fourth of the Chester

The first part Plays, acted by the Barbers and the Waxe Chaundlers.' of the play is occupied with the meeting of Abraham and Lot, God's '

covenant with Abraham, and the explanations of these events by the Expositor.]

L-

GOD. Abraham,

my

Abraham.

servante,

ABRAHAM. Loe, Lorde,

all

readye heare

I

am.

zio

GOD. Take, Isaake, thy sonne by name, That thou loveste the best of all,

And

in sacrifice offer

hym

to

me

that hyll their besides thee. Abraham, I will that soe it be,

Uppon

For oughte that maye

ABRAHAM.

My

Lorde, to thee

215

befalle.

is

myne

intente

Ever to be obediente.

That sonne Offer

And With

I

fulfill

that thou to

me

hast sente,

will to thee,

a 20

thy comaundemente,

hartie will, as I

am

kente.

Highe God, Lorde omnipotente, Thy byddinge done shalbe. My meanye and my children eichone Lenges at home, bouth all and one, Save Isaake,

To

a

hill

my sonne, with heare besyde.

me

shall

335

gone

CHESTER PLAYS.

22

Heare Abraham, torninge hym

Make

thee readye,

my

For we must doe a

to his

sonne Isaake, saith

littill

thinge.

This woode doe on thy backe

We

A

maye no

sworde and

sacrafice

fier that

me

I

will

bringe.

take;

taketh a sworde

and fier^\

behoves to make

Codes byddinge will I not But ever obediente be. Heart Isaake speaketh

it

longer abyde.

\Heare Abraham

For

:

deare darlinge,

to

:

235

forsake,

his father,

and

taketh a burne

of stickes and beareth after his father, and saieth: I am all readye your byddinge moste mekelye, beare this woode full beane am

ISAAKE. Father,

To doe And to

I,

As you comaunded me. ABRAHAM. O Isaake, my darlinge deare, My blessinge nowe I geve thee heare, Take up this faggote with good cheare,

And on thy backe it And fier with us I will

240

bringe. take.

245

ISAAKE. Your byddinge I will not forsake; Father, I will never slake

To

fulfill

your byddinge.

[Heare they goe bouth

to the place to

doe

sacriffice^\

ABRAHAM. Now, Isaake sonne, goe we our waie To yender mounte, yf that we maye. ISAAKE.

My

deare father, I will asaye

To

followe you full fayne.

Abraham,

ABRAHAM.

To

beinge mynded to sleye his sonne Isaake, leiftes his handes, and saith fowlowinge.

O my !

harte will breake in three,

heare thy wordes

I

have pittye;

350

up

THE SACRIFICE OF

II.

As thou

wylte,

To

I

thee

23

Lorde, so muste yt be, wilbe bayne.

Laye downe thy ISAAKE.

ISAAC.

faggote,

my owne

All readye, father, loe yt

is

255

sonne deare.

heare.

But whye make you sucke heavye cheare Are you anye thinge adreade? Father, yf yt be your will,

Wher

the beaste that

is

ABRAHAM. Therof, sonne, That I see here Isaake, fearinge

ISAAKE.

I

am

full

shall kill?

non upon

this hill,

-woulde slaye him, saith

sore [affearde]

see you beare that drawne [swerde]

hope

You

360

in this steade.

leste his ffother

Father, I

To

is

we

?

:

265 :

for all

myddel-earde not slaye your childe.

will

Abraham

comfortes his sonne,

and saieth :

ABRAHAM. Dreede thee not, my childe, I reade Our Lorde will sende of his godheade Some manner of beaste into this [steade],

;

270

Either tame or wilde.

ISAAKE.

Father,

Wheither

tell

I

me

or I goe

shalbe harmede or noe.

ABRAHAM. Ah! deare God! that me is woet Thou breakes my harte in sunder. ISAAKE.

Father,

tell

me

275

of this case,

you your sorde drawne hase, And beares yt nacked in this place, Theirof I have greate wonder.

Why

ABRAHAM.

Isaake, sonne, peace, I praie thee, Thou breakes my harte even in three.

ISAAKE.

I

praye you, father, leane nothinge from me,

But

tell

me

what you thinke.

280

CHESTER PLAYS.

24

ABRAHAM. Ah ISAAKE. Alas

Isaake, Isaake, I muste thee kille

!

father, is that

!

Your owine childe

Upon Yf

your

285

!

will,

for to spill

brinke?

this hilles

have treasspasede in anye degree,

I

With a yarde you maye beate me; Put up your sorde, yf your wil be, For I am but a childe.

ABRAHAM. O, my deare sonne,

To doe

290

anr sorye

I

to thee this greate

anoye Codes commaundmente doe muste His workes are ever full mylde.

ISAAKE. Woulde

:

God my mother were

295

I,

here with

me!

Shee woulde kneele downe upon her knee, Prainge you, father, if yt For to save my liffe.

ABRAHAM. I

I

O

be,

300

comelye creature, but I thee greve my God, and that full ylle; maye not worke againste his will, !

But ever obediente

O

may

!

God

hath

commaunded me

To make Is yt

To his And

to

305

daye

no naye,

of thy bodye.

Codes

will I

ABRAHAM. Yea, sonne, byddinge ever to

But

that I

do

My

Lorde

will

ISAAKE.

be.

Isaake, sonne, to thee I saie,

Sacrifice, this is

ISAAKE.

kille,

it

shalbe slayne?

is

not for to leane;

310

wilbe bayne,

I

hym

pleasinge.

this dilfull deede,

not quite

me

in

my

nede.

God

Marye, father, forbydde, But you doe your offeringe Father, at home your sonnes you shall fynde, That you must love by course of kinde !

:

315

THE SACRIFICE OF

II.

ISAAC.

25

Be I onste out of your mynde, Your sorowe maie sone cease But yet you muste do Codes byddinge.

320

;

my mother

tell

Father,

Here Abraham wrynges

ABRAHAM. For sorowe

Thy mother

I

no thinge.

for

his handes,

maie

and

saith

my

can not please. Ho Isaake, Isaake, blessed muste thou be Allmoste my witte I lose for thee; I

!

The blood

am

I

full

!

325

of thy bodye so free lothe to sheede.

Here Isaake askinge

his father blessinge one his knyes,

saith

and

:

Father, seinge you muste nedes doe soe,

ISAAKE.

Let

it

passe

lightlie,

Kneelinge on

my

and over goe;

And

thy mothers with hart free;

The

blessing of the Trinitie

deare sone, on thee

My

330

kneeyes towe,

Your blessinge on me spreade. ABRAHAM. My blessinge deere son, give

ISAAKE.

:

handes wringe,

I

thee

335

lighte.

Father, I praye you hyde my eyne I see not the sorde so keyne,

That

Your

strocke, father,

Leste

ABRAHAM.

I

woulde

My

O

harte

deare father, wherefore

Seinge

Of on

340

deare sonne Isaake, speake no more,

Thy wordes makes my ISAAKE.

not seene,

I

againste yt grylle.

I

full !

sore.

wherefore

I will you praie, muste dye the death

thinge

Seithen

As fewe

I

!

muste nedes be dead, 345

to daie,

strockes as you well maie,

When you

smyte of

my

heade.

CHESTER PLAYS.

26

ABRAHAM. Thy meeknes, childe, makes me My songe maye be wayle-a-waie.

affraye; 350

O dere father, doe awaye, do awaye Your makeinge so moche mone Nowe, trewlye, father, this talkinge Doth but make longe taryeinge. I praye you, come and make endinge, And let me hense be gone.

ISAAKE.

!

Hence Isaake riseth and cometh

hym, and byndeth and sacrifice hym, and saith :

ABRAHAM. Come

heither,

to his father^

laieth

my

and

hym upon

childe,

355

he taketh

the alter to

thou arte soe sweete,

Thou muste be bounde both hande and

feete.

Father, we muste no more meete, Be oughte that I maie see

ISAAKE.

3<>o

;

But doe with me then as you will, I muste obaye, and that is skille,

Codes commaundmente to fulfill, For nedes soe must yt be. the porpose that you have sette you, For south, father, I will not let you, But ever more to you bowe, While that ever I maie.

Upon

Father, greete well

brethren yinge,

my

And I

praye my mother of her blessinge, come noe more under her wynge,

Fare well for ever and aye

But father For

all

My

370

;

crye you mercye, that ever I have trespassed to thee, !

Forgeven, father, that Untell domesdaie.

ABRAHAM.

365

My

childe,

it

deare sonne, thou greved

maye be

375

let

be thy mones

me

[njever ones

;

!

77.

THE SACRIFICE OF

ISAAC.

2J

Blessed be thou bodye and bones, And I forgeve thee heare

380

!

Nowe, my deere sonne, here shall thou Unto my worke nowe must I hie ; I hade as leeve my selfe to die,

As ISAAKE.

my

thou,

darlinge deare.

you be

if

Father,

Aboute

my head a me lightlie

And let And sone

lye,

to

me

kinde,

385

carschaffe bynde,

out of your mynde,

that I were speede.

Here Abraham doth

kisse

and byndes a

his sonne Isaake,

charschaffe aboute his heade.

ABRAHAM. Fare Here

let

my

sweete sonne of grace

!

C o ^^b

Isaake kneele downe and speake.

praye you, father, torne downe while, while you have space, For I am sore adreade.

ISAAKE.

A

well,

I

my

face

390

litill

ABRAHAM. To doe

this

deed

I

am

sorye.

ISAAKE. Yea, Lorde, to thee I call and crye, Of my soule thou have mercye, Hartelye

I

ABRAHAM. Lorde,

thee praie I

woulde fayne worke thy

This yonge innocente that Full loth were me hym to

By anye maner ISAAKE.

Let

My me

395

!

lieth so

will,

still

kille,

a waye.

400

deare father, I thee praye, take my clothes awaie,

For sheedinge blude on them At my laste endinge.

to

ABRAHAM. Harte, yf thou wouldeste Thou shalte never master me;

daye

borste in three,

405

CHESTER PLAYS.

28 I

will

no longer

let for

thee

;

My God I maye not greeve. ISAAKE. A mercye, father, why tarye !

Smyte of my head, and I pray you rydd me of For nowe I take my

ABRAHAM.

To

Ah, sonne

my

my

you soe ? 410

goe.

woe,

leve.

harte will breake in three,

heare thee speake such wordes to me.

Jesu

!

on

That ISAAKE.

!

me

let

I

Nowe

Almightie

me

thou have

415

pittye,

have moste in mynde. father,

God

I see that I shall

in magistie

dye

:

!

My

soule I offer unto theej Lorde, to yt be kinde.

Here

430

take and bynde his sonne Isaake upon tht hym make a signe as though he woulde cut of his head with his sorde ; then let the angell come and take the sworde by the end and state it, sainge; let

Abraham

alter ; let

ANGELLUS. Abraham,

my

ABRAHAM. Loe, Lorde,

I

servante dere.

am

.

all

ANGELLUS. Laye not thy sworde

On Isake, thy And do to hym

readye here in

!

noe manere

deare darlinge;

no anoye.

425

For thou dredes God, wel wote I, That of thy sonne has no mercye,

To

fulfill

his byddinge.

SECUNDUS ANGELLUS. And

for

hys byddinge thou dose aye,

And spareste nether for feare nor fraye, To doe thy sonne to death to daie,

430

Isake, to thee full deare:

Therfore,

God

hathe sent by me, in faye

!

THE SACRIFICE OF

77.

A

lambe, that

is

ISAAC.

29

bouth good and gaye,

Into this place as thou se may,

Lo, have

ABRAHAM. Ah

!

hym

435

righte here.

Lorde of heaven, and kinge of

Thy byddinge shalbe done, i-wysse Sacrafice here sente me is,

And

p

Lorde, through thy grace. horned weither here I see,

A

all,

Amonge To thee Anon Then

let

the breyers tyed offred shall he

is

<\r\

v-^~"

j

440

he,

be

righte in this place.

Abraham

take the lambe

God

sale

and

kille

hym, and

let

:

GOD. Abraham, by my selfe I sweare, For thou haste bene obediente ever, And spared not thy sonne to teare,

To

blesse.

!

445

my byddinge, shalbe blessed, that pleased me, seed I shall so multiplie, fulfill

Thou

Thy As starres and sande so manye het Of thy bodye cominge. Of enemyes thou shalte have power,

And Thou

thy bloode also in feare, haste bene meke and bonere,

To do as I thee bade; And of all nacions, leve thou

EXPOSITOR. Lordinges, th[e] significacioun Of this deed of devocion,

Maye

will,

you witten mone,

torne you to

455

me,

Blessed ever more shall thou be, Through frute that shall come of thee, And saved be through thy seede.

And you

450

I,

moche good.

460

CHESTER PLAYS.

30

This deed you see done here in In example of Jesu done it was,

That

for to

Was

this place,

465

wynne mankindes grace on the roode.

sacrifised

By Abraham I maie understande The father of heaven, that can fand

470

With his sonnes bloode to breake that bande, That the devill had broughte us to. By Isaake understande I maie ,

was obedient aye, His fathers will to worke alwaie,

Jesu, that

And

475

death for to confounde.

Here

let the

docter knele d
and sale

Such obedience grante us, O Lorde! Ever to thy moste holye worde, That in the same we maie accorde As this Abraham was bayne;

And

then

That worthy kinge

And

in

480

we

al togaither shall

heaven

see,

dwell with

hym

in greate glorye

For ever and

ever,

amen.

>Here the messinger maketh aft ende^-\ \Ar"VfArfL-e-*-^\<^~T^~^ ake rombe, lordinges, and gev^jus waye, And let Balacke come in and plaie, i

And Balame that To tell you of That Lorde

He Fare I

well,

well can saie,

prophescie.

that died

save you

my

all

485

on Good Frydaie,

bouth nighte and daie

lordinges

;

I

goe

my

!

waie,

maye no longer abyde.

Finis. Deo gratias ! per me, Georgi Bellin. 1592. Come, Lorde Jesu, come quicklye. Anno 1592.^

490

iy|

/puetnaawtcwum meum mtcudc.

ommc ad adiuuan4unu4STlo:ia

FROM HEURES A LUSA1GE DE ROME PARIS,

P.

PIGOUCHET TOR

S.

VOSTRE, 1497

Cotonelep

SECUNDA PASTORUM. [Abridged.]

PRIMUS PASTOR. Lord, what these weders

am

I I

am

My

ylle

ar cold,

and

happyd;

nere-hande dold, so long have I nappyd;

my fyngers ar chappyd, not as I wold, for I am al lappyd In sorow. legys thay fold,

It is

5

In stormes and tempest,

Now

Wo

in the eest,

hym

is

now

in the west,

has never rest

Myd-day nor morow. Bot we

sely shepardes, that walkys on the moore, n In fayth we are nere-handys outt of the doore; No wonder, as it standys, if we be poore, For the tylthe of oure landys lyys falow as the floore,

As ye

We

ken.

ar so

hamyd,

15

For-taxed and ramyd,

We

ar

mayde hand-tamyd,

Withe thyse gentlery men.

Thus they

refe us oure rest,

These men

Oure Lady theym wary

20

tary,

That men say

Thus

On

ar

!

that ar lord-fest, thay cause the ploghe

is

for the best

we fynde

it

contrary,

husbandys opprest, in pointe to myscary,

lyfe.

D

2

TOWNELEY PLAYS

32

Thus hold thay us hunder, Thus thay bryng us in blonder,

25

were greatte wonder, And ever shuld we thryfe.

It

For may he gett a paynt

slefe

or

a broche now on

dayes,

Wo

that

hym

is

hym

grefe, or

onys agane says,

Dar no man hym reprefe, what mastry he mays, 30 And yit may no man lefe oone word that he says,

No letter. He can make

purveance,

With boste and bragance, And alle is thrughe mantenance

Of men

Ther shalle com a swane He must borow my wane,

Then Thus

I

as

prowde as a po,

my ploghe also, mile fane to graunt or he go.

am

lyf

35

that are gretter.

we

in payne, anger,

and wo,

40

By nyght and day; He must have, if he langyd; If I shuld forgang I

it,

were better be hangyd Then oones say hym nay.

Of

45

me

good, as I walk thus by myn oone this warld for to talk in maner of mone.

dos

It

To my

shepe wylle I stalk and herkyn anone, sytt on a stone

Ther abyde on a balk or Full soyne.

For

5o

I trowe, parde,

Trew men if thay be, We gett more compane Or it be noyne. \The second and third shepherd plaint.

To

chee.r

arrive, each

with his com-

themselves they sing a catch,

and

are

SEC UNDA PASTORUM.

33

MAK a neighbour of ill repute for thievery. talk some After they all betake them to sleep, the stiepherds MAK lie down between them so as to keep him making then joined by

under guard. Despite this precaution his thoughts are on sheepstealing : he rises, while the shepherds sleep,

set

and says /]

MAK. Now were tyme

for

a man, that lakkys what he 280

wold,

To

stalk prevely

And neemly

than unto a

fold,

wyrk than, and be not to bold, For he myght aby the bargan, if it were told At the endyng. to

Now

were tyme for to reylle; Bot he nedes good counselle That fayn wold fare weylle,

And

285

has bot lytylle spendyng.

Bot abowte you a serkylle, as rownde as a moyn, To I have done that I wylle, tylle that it be noyn, That ye lyg stone

And I shall On hight

to that I have doyne,

stylle,

say thertylle of

good wordes a

Over youre heydys my hand I lyft, Outt go youre een, fordo your syght, Bot yit I must make better shyft, And it be right. Lord, what thay slepe harde, that may ye

Was

never a shepard, bot

I

now

wylle

I

291

foyne.

295

alle here, lere.

be skard, yit shalle I nyp nere. 300 drawes hederward now mendys oure chere

If the flok

How

!

:

Fro sorow.

A A

fatt

shepe

good

flese

Eft-whyte

Bot

I

dar say,

dar

when

I

this wille I

I

lay,

may, borow.

305

TOWNELEY

34 [He

steals the sheep

UXOR I

Ejus.

am

Who

makys

sett for to

Ryse a penny So farys

A

and goes home with

Gylle, art thou in?

How,

PLAYS.

sich

spyn:

to

wyn

:

if.]

Gett us

som

lyght.

dyn this tyme of the nyght? hope not I myght I shrew them on hight. 310

I

huswyff that has-bene

To be

rasyd thus betwene: There may no note be sene For sich smalle charys.

MAK. Good

wyff,

open the hek.

315

Seys thou not what I

bryng ?

UXOR.

I

may

thole the dray the snek.

com

A,

in,

my

swetyng.

MAK. Yee, thou

thar not rek of

UXOR. By the nakyd nek MAK. Do way:

my

long standing.

thou lyke for to hyng.

art

320

am

worthy my mete, For in a strate can I gett I

More then thay

that

swynke and swette

All the long day. Thus it felle to my lotte, Gylle, I

UXOR.

MAK.

It I

had

sich grace. 325

were a fowlle blot to be hanged

have skapyd,

Jelott,

UXOR. Bot so long goys the At last

oft as

hard a

for

the case.

glase.

pott to the water,

Comys it home broken. MAK. Welle knowe I the token,

men

says,

330

Bot let it never be spoken; Bot com and help fast. I wold he were flayn ; I lyst welle ete This twelmothe was I not so fayn of oone shepe mete. :

SECUNDA PASTORUM. Com

UXOR.

be

or he

thay

slayn,

35

and here the shepe

blete

3.56

MAK. Then myght

Go The

be tane

I

spar

gaytt doore.

UXOR.

Mak, bak

Yis,

For and thay com

MAK. Then myght The dewille

at thy

I far,

alle

by

my

credylle abyde.

And I shalle MAK. Thou red; And I shalle Of

spied, syn thou can none.

be gone.

to thay

Lett

me

345

alone,

lyg besyde in chylbed

and grone.

say thou was lyght a knave childe this nyght.

Now

UXOR.

340

the pak,

of the war.

UXOR. A good bowrde have I Here shall we hym hyde, In

that were a colde swette.

:

welle

That ever This

is

is

I

me, day was bred.

350

bright,

a good gyse and a far cast ; avyse helpys at the last

woman

Yit a

!

wote never who spyse agane go thou fast. MAK. Bot I com or thay ryse, els blawes a cold blast. 353 I

:

I wylle go slepe. Yit slepys alle this

And

I

shall

go

meneye

stalk prevely,

As

if it had never bene I That caryed thare shepe.

[Mak resumes his place and go to look after

A sheep is /

house.

missed,

360

between the shepherds. their flocks, while

and

Mak

Mak

is suspected.

Bidding them tread softly he ',

offers

They awake returns home.

They go to his them drink : ]

MAK. I wold ye dynyd or ye yode, methynk that ye swette SECUNDUS PASTOR. Nay, nawther mendys oure mode

A

drynke nor mette.

TO WNELE Y PLA YS.

36

MAK. Why,

sir,

you oght hot goode?

alys

515

TERCIUS PASTOR. Yee, cure shepe that we gette Ar stollyn as thay yode. Oure los is grette.

MAK.

Syrs,

Had Some

drynkys

bene

I

!

thore,

shuld have boght

it

fulle sore.

PRIMUS PASTOR. Mary, som men trowes

And

that ye wore.

that us forthynkes.

SECUNDUS PASTOR. be

520

Mak, som men trowys

that

it

shuld

ye.

TERCIUS PASTOR. Ayther ye or youre spouse ; so say we.

MAK. Now

if

Come and

Who

ye have suspowse to Gille or to me, 525 rype cure howse, and then may ye se

had

hir.

If I

any shepe Aythor cow or

And

Gylle,

my

fott,

stott

wyfe, rose nott

530

Here syn she lade hir. As I am true and lele, to God here That [

this

be the

fyrst

mele that

I pray,

I shalle ete this day.

The shepherds search the house, Gyll upbraiding them and keeping them away from the cradle. They find nothing

and

take their leave, rather ashamedly. thought strikes one of them .]

As

they go a

PRIMUS PASTOR. Gaf ye the chyld any thyng ?

SECUNDUS PASTOR.

I

trow not oone farthyng.

TERCIUS PASTOR. Fast agayne wille I flyng, Abyde ye me there. 585 Mak, take it no grefe, if I com to thi barne. MAK. Nay, thou dos me greatt reprefe, and fowlle has thou fame.

SECUNDA PASTORUM. The

TERCIUS PASTOR. lytylle

Mak, with youre Bot vj pence.

that

grefe,

me

gyf youre barne

slepys.

thynk he pepys.

MAK. When he wakyns he I

not

it

590

he

:

let

leyfe,

Me

TERCIUS PASTOR.

wille

starne.

day

MAK. Nay, do way

child

37

wepys.

pray you go hence.

me

TERCIUS PASTOR. Gyf

lefe

hym

to kys,

and

lyft

the clowtt.

What

the dewille

PRIMUS PASTOR.

He

SECUNDUS PASTOR.

He

is

up 595

is

is

this?

he has a long snowte

merkyd amys.

Ille

We

weft, i-wis,

spon

wate

ay

ille

abowte.

cammvs

foulle

lyke to oure shepe.

600

TERCIUS PASTOR. How, Gyb May I pepe ? PRIMUS PASTOR. I trow, kynde wille crepe xr^-o-*-'-*!

Where it may not go. SECUNDUS PASTOR. This was TERCIUS PASTOR.

Yee,

Lett bren this

A

a qwantt gawde and a

far cast.

was a hee frawde.

It

!

fals

So

sirs,

bawde and bynd

skawde, hang at the

wast.

605

hir fast.

last

shalle thou.

Wylle ye se how thay swedylle His foure feytt in the medylle? Sagh I never in a credylle

610

A

K.

hornyd lad or now. what Peasse byd I :

he that

PASTOR.

!

hym

gatt,

What

God! Makys

lett

be youre

fare

dewille shall he hatt?

ayre!

;

and yond woman hym

bare.

Mak? .

lo

615

r^

TOWNELEY

38

SECUNDUS PASTOR.

PLAYS.

Now God

Lett be alle that.

gyf

hym

care,

I sagh.

A

UXOR. As

A

pratty child is he on a woman's

syttys

kne

;

6ao

dyllydowne, perde. To gar a man laghe.

TERCIUS PASTOR.

I

know hym by

the eere marke

:

that

is

a good tokyn.

MAK.

hys noyse was brokyn. he was forspokyn. I wold fayn be a false wark.

I telle you, syrs, hark

Sythen told me a PRIMUS PASTOR. This

:

clerk, that is

wrokyn. Gett wepyn.

He

UXOR. I

saw

625

was takyn with an elfej it

myself. clok stroke twelf

When the Was he

630

forshapyn.

SECUNDUS PASTOR. Ye two ar welle feft, sam in a TERCIUS PASTOR. Syn thay manteyn thare theft, thaym

MAK.

gyrd of

eft,

my

^Asr

JO

'

^

^y

this trespas,

wille

nawther ban ne

flyte,

Fyght nor chyte, Bot have done as^yjtg^*^^ v-v

And

cast

hym

in canvas.

V2/^-

[

^y^r^C^--

TJiey toss

Lord, what I am sore, in poynt for to bryst. In fayth I may no more, therfor wylle I ryst

SECUNDUS PASTOR. As a shepe

my For

do

heede.

With you wille I be left. ^>jv>^ V PRIMUS PASTOR. Syrs, do my reede. For

let

to dede.

If I trespas

We

stede.

of

vij

skore he

fyst.

to slepe ay-whore,

me

thynk that

I

lyst.

Mak. 640

l30^>

weyd in^

.

SECUNDA PASTORUM.

39

TERCIUS PASTOR. Now I pray you, Lyg downe on this grene.

PRIMUS PASTOR. On these

645

mene.

thefys yit I

TERCIUS PASTOR. Wherto shuld ye tene So, as I say you

?

Angelus cantat 'Gloria in Excelsis*

:

postea dicat.

ANGELUS. Ryse, hyrdmen heynd, for now is he borne, That shall-take fro the feynd that Adam had lorne 650 That warloo to sheynd, this nyght is he borne, God is made youre freynd now at this morne :

:

He

behestys,

At Bedlem go se, Ther lygys that fre In a cryb

fulle poorely,

Betwyx two bestys.

PRIMUS PASTOR. This was a qwant stevyn

that ever yit

I hard. It is

a marvelle to nevyn thus to be skard.

SECUNDUS PASTOR. Of Godys son of hevyn he spak up ward. Alle the

660

wod on

a levyn

me

thoght that he gard

Appere.

He

TERCIUS PASTOR. In Bedlem,

I

spak of a barne

you warne.

PRIMUS PASTOR. That betokyns yond Let us seke

hym

SECUNDUS PASTOR. Say, what was not how he crakyd Thre brefes

starne;

665

there. his

song-?

ifatd

ye

to a long.

TERCIUS PASTOR. Yee, mary, he hakt Was no crochett wrong, nor no thyng that

it.

lakt

it.

TOWNSLEY

40

For

PRIMUS PASTOR.

PLAYS.

syng us emong,

to

SECUNDUS PASTOR. Let se how ye Can ye bark at the mone? TERCIUS PASTOR. Hold youre

PRIMUS PASTOR. Hark

right

as

he

croyne.

tonges, have done.

after, than.

675

SECUNDUS PASTOR. To Bedlem he bad that we shuld gang: I am full fard that we tary to lang.

Be mery, and

TERCIUS PASTOR.

not sad:

of myrth

is

oure sang,

Ever lastyng glad to mede may we Withoutt noyse.

fang,

680

PRIMUS PASTOR. Hy we theder for-thy; If we be wete and wery, To that chyld and that lady

We

have

not to lose.

it

We

SECUNDUS PASTOR. youre dyn

Isay,

Thay prophecyed by Shuld he lyght and slake

let

and

mo

then I

myn;

clergy, that in a ly,

vyrgyn

to slokyn oure syn

it,

Oure kynde from wo; For Isay sayd Ecce virgo

690

so,

Concipiet a child that

TERCIUS PASTOR.

Fulle

is

glad

nakyd.

may we

be,

and abyde

that day That liifly to se, that alle myghtys may. Lord welle were me, for ones and for ay,

Might

To

I

be 685

^^r^c^-^-SL-Kni

Of David and

And

fynde by_the prophecy

knele on

that chylde.

my kne som word

for to say

695

SECUNDA PASTORUM.

41

Bot the angelle sayd In a cryb was he layde; He was poorly arayd,

700

Both mener and mylde.

PRIMUS PASTOR. Patryarkes

that has bene,

and prophetys

beforne,

Thay desyryd to have sene Thay ar gone fulle clene,

We

shalle se

hym,

I

weyn, or

To tokyn. When I see hym and Then wote

this

chylde that

is

borne.

that have thay lorne. it

705

be morne,

fele,

I fulle weylle

It is true as steylle

710

That prophetes have spokyn, To so poore as we ar that he wold appere, Fyrst fynd, and declare by his messyngere.

SECUNDUS PASTOR. is

TERCIUS PASTOR.

To Lord,

We

Go we

now,

let

us fare

the place

:

us nere. I

am

redy and yare: go

we

in fere

that bright. if thi

716

wylles be,

are lewde alle thre,

Thou grauntt us somkyns To comforth thi wight. PRIMUS PASTOR. child

gle

\They enter the

Haylle, comly and clene

:

stable.

haylle,

720

yong

!

Haylle, maker, as I meyne, of a madyn so mylde. I weyne, the warlo so wylde,

Thou has waryd, The fals gyler of

teyn,

now goys he

begylde.

Lo, he merys; Lo, he laghys, my swetyng,

A I

welfare metyng,

v

^-

have holden

my

Have a bob

of cherys.

hetyng,

\^"

TO WNELEY ?r A

42

SECUNDUS PASTOR.

Haylle, sufferan

has us soght Haylle,

frely

v.c

* v

'^^AWA

savyoure, for

:

foyde and floure, that alle thyng has

wroght. Haylle, fulle of favoure, that made alle of noght byrd have I broght Haylle I kneylle and I cowre. !

A

!

To my

barne.

Haylle, lytylle tyne" mop, Of cure crede thou art crop: I

135

wold drynk on thy cop, Lytylle day starne.

TERCIUS PASTOR. Haylle, derlyng dere, fulle of godhede, I pray the be nere when that I have nede. 740 swete is thy chere my hart wold blede Haylle !

To

:

se the sytt here in so poore wede,

With no pennys. Haylle! put furthe thy bryng the bot a balle

dalle,

I

Have and

And

play the with to the go

:

alle,

MARiA-.Th^fader ^^--f^Nf^ offheven, God omnypotent, -^- K*-* Vo ^jxjupc/

'

.

on^even, his son has he sent. he neven and lyght or he went. 750 name couthe My I conceyved hym fulle even, thrugh myght as he ment ;

,V->--^-Tnat

sett alle

And now

He

kepe you

I shalle

he borne.

is

fro

wo:

pray him so;

Telle furth as ye go,

And myn on

this

y 55

morne.

PRIMUS PASTOR. Farewelle, lady, so With thy chylde on thi kne.

SECUNDUS PASTOR. Lord, welle

is

fare to beholde,

Bot he lygys

me

:

now we

fulle cold.

go, thou behold.

)

SECUNDA. PASTORUM. TERCIUS PASTOR. For sothe Fulle

alle redy,

it

semys

43 to

be told

oft.

761

PRIMUS PASTOR. What grace we have fun. SECUNDUS PASTOR. Com furth, now as we won. TERTIUS PASTOR. To syng ar we bun: "~

V^**Jb

wCLT<^^ Explicit pagina pastorum.

*

XL THE SALUTATION AND CONCEPTION. CONTEMPLACIO.

Ffowre thowsand

sex

undryd

foure

I

telle,

Man

his offens

ffor

Hath leyn l

and

j>eres in the

ffowle foly,

peynes of

helle,

And

were wurthy to ly therin endlesly, But thanne xulde perysche .your grete mercye. Good Lord, have on man pyte",

4

Have mende

of the prayour seyd by Ysaie, Lete mercy meke thin hyest mageste*.

8

Wolde God thou woldyst breke thin hefne myghtye, And com down here into erthe, And levyn jyeres thre and threttye,

Thyn famyt

ffolke with thi fode to fede.

ia

To

staunche thi thryste lete thi syde blede, Ffor erst wole not be mad redempcion.

Cum Of

A

!

vesite us in this

woo

Ffor I

tyme of nede,

thi careful creatures,

Lord, have compassyon

With

hath addyd ssorwe to sorwe;

thei ly

com

se,

and sobbe, both eve and morewe,

thi blyssyd

Thy

16

to us wrecchis that wrecchis be,

God

prey the, Lorde, thi sowles

How

!

blood ffrom balys 2

hem

borwe,

careful creaturys cryenge in captyvyte", 1

loyn,

MS.

*

babys,

MS.

ao

XL THE SALUTATION AND CONCEPTION. A

tary not, gracyous Lord, tyl

!

The

A

be to-morwe,

it

hem be

devyl hath dysceyved

his iniquite".

quod Jeremye, who xal gyff wellys to myn That I may wepe bothe day and nyght, !

To

se cure bretheryn in so longe

is

in synne,

comeryd

Gracyous Lord

peynes?

downe

!

plesyth that thou made !

thin high domynacion, to have pyte,

it

Patryarchys and prophetys han mad supplycacion, Oure offyse is to presente here prayeres to the.

we

Aungelys, archaungelys,

That ben

man

Mercy

36

thre

in the fyrst ierarchie,

to thin

mercy

!

ryght.

32

Lord

On man

28

Gracyous Lord, come

!

VIRTUTES.

Ffor

!

I crye to thi syght,

Gracyous Lord

!

24

eynes,

Here myschevys amende may thi meche myght As grett as the se, Lord, was Adamys contryssyon Ffrom cure hed is ffalle the crowne,

Man

45

hy mageste",

mercy

!

!

we

crye.

40

The aungel, Lord, thou made so gloryous, Whos synne hath mad hym a devyl in helle, He mevyd man to be so contraryous,

Man Hese

grete males,

And Lete

Of

repentyd, and he in his obstynacye doth dwelle.

take

man

good Lord, onto

repelle,

45

thi grace,

mercy make hym with aungelys dwelle, Locyfere to restore the place.

thi

PATER.

48

Propter misenam inopum, et gemitum pauptrum

nunc exurgam. Ffor the wretchydnes of the nedy, And the porys lamentacion,

Now xal Tyme

I ryse that is

come

am

Almyghty,

of reconsyliacion,

E

52

COVENTRY PLAYS.

46

My prophetys with prayers have made supplicacion, My contryte creaturys crye alle for comforte, Alle

myn

aungellys in hefne, withowte cessacion,

They crye

that grace to

VERITAS. Lord,

Thou

I

wilt se I

am

man myght

thi dowtere,

be not

lore,

rewthe,

60

sore.

synnyd, thou seydest yore,

That he xulde deye and go

And now to blysse hym Twey contraryes mow

to helle,

to restore,

not togedyr dwelle.

64

trewthe, Lord, xal leste withowtyn ende, in no wyse ffro the go,

Thy I

56

Trewthe,

Thyn unkynde creatures to save were The offens of man hath grevyd the

Whan Adam had

exorte.

may

That wrecche that was to the so unkende, He may not have to meche wo.

He

dyspysyd the and plesyd thi Thou art his creatour and he

Thou

hast lovyd trewthe,

it

is

68

ffo,

is

thi creature,

seyd evyr mo,

Therfore in peynes lete

MISERICORDIA.

O

ffadyr

72 hym evyrmore endure. of mercye and God of comforte,

That counselle[st] us in eche trybulacion, Lete jpour dowtere Mercy to ^ow resorte, And on man that is myschevyd have compassyon.

76

Hym

grevyth fful gretly his transgressyon, Alle hefne and erthe crye ffor mercy; Me semyth ther xuld be non excepcion,

Ther prayers ben offeryd so

80

specyally.

Threwthe sseyth she hath evyr be than, I graunt it wel she hath be so,

And

thou seyst endlesly that mercy thou hast kept lorde, kepe us bothe to,

ffor

man

Than mercyabyl

Thu

seyst veritas

mea

et misericordia

mea cum

Suffyr not thi sowlys than in sorwe to slepe,

84

ipso, -

. ;

E

2

FROM HEURES A LUSAIGE DE ROME PARIS, HARDOUIN,

C.

1506

XL THE SALUTATION AND CONCEPTION.

47

That helle hownde that hatyth the byddyth hym ho! Thi love, man, no lengere lete hym kepe.

88

Mercy,

JUSTICIA.

Ye know wel

God is Man

ryghtfful

I

me merveylyth what ^ow movyth, am .your sister Ryghtwysnes,

and

ryghtffulnes lovyth,

92 offendyd hym that is endles, Therefore his endles punchement may nevyr sees; Also he forsoke his makere that made hym of clay,

And

the devyl to his mayster he ches,

Xulde he be savyd ?

As wyse It

as

is

nay

!

nay

God he wolde a

nay

!

96

!

be,

This was the abhomynabyl presumpcion, is seyd, ye know wel this of me, That the ryghtwysnes of God hath no diffynicion.

ico

Therffore late this be oure conclusyon, He that sore synnyd ly stylle in sorwe,

He may nevyr make a Whoo myght thanne

seyth be resone, thens hym borwe?

104

MISERICORDIA. Syster Ryghtwysnes, ye are to vengeabyl, Endles synne God endles may restore, alle hese werkys God is mercyabyl, Thow he forsook God be synne, be feyth hym never the more. And thow he presumyd nevyr so sore,

Above

Ye must consyder the Lerne, and

ye

The mercy PAX.

lyst,

of

frelnes of

this is

God

is

Goddys

he forsook 108

mankende, lore,

withowtyn ende.

112

To

It is

spare ^our speches, systeres, it syt ; not onest in vertuys to ben dyscencion,

The

pes of God ovyrcomyth alle wytt. Thow Trewthe and Ryght sey grett Yett Mercy seyth best to my pleson; Ffor yf

mannys sowle xulde abyde

reson,

in helle,

116

CO VENTR Y PLA YS.

48

Betwen God and man evyr xulde be dyvysyon, And than myght not I Pes dwelle. Therefore

me

semyth best

Than hefne and

erthe

thus acorde

ye.

no

j

ye xul qweme,

Putt bothe .your sentens in oure Lorde,

And This

is

And

hygh wysdam lete hym deme. most syttynge me xulde seme,

in his

lete se

how we

ffowre

may

alle

abyde,

That mannys sowle it xulde perysche it wore sweme, Or that ony of us ffro othere xulde dyvyde. VERITAS. I

I

Ryghtwysnes

hym

MISERICORDIA.

is

it

may

am

so be.

wele contente, 132

very equyte".

And

I

Mercy

Tyl wysdam hath seyd

ffro this

counsel wole not

I xal ses.

Here is God now, here is unyte", Hefne and erthe is plesyd with Pes.

PAX.

128

In trowthe hereto I consente,

wole prey oure lorde

JUSTICIA. Ffor in

124

fle,

s^apalen, [11.

1-48.

Tiberius Caesar denounces all

Her

who murmur

entyr Syrus, the fader of

Mary

against his gods.J

Maudleyn.

Emperor and kyngges and conquerors kene, and borons, and knytes that byn bold,

SYRUS. Erlys,

Berdes in I

my

bower, so semely to sene,

commaund yow

Behold

at

hestes to hold.

my

onys

52

my

person, glysteryng in gold, Semely besyn of all other men Cyrus is my name, be cleflfys so cold, :

I

command you

Wo-so

all

obedyent to beyn

;

hem

woll nat, in bale I

bryng, And knett swyche caytyfys in knottes of care. Thys castell of Maudleyn is at my wylddyng, With all the contre, bothe lesse and more,

And Lord

56 57

60

who agens me don dare?

of Jerusalem,

Alle Beteny at

my beddyng be; am sett in solas from al syyng And so xall all my posteryte. I

Thus I

for to leven in rest

have her a sone that

No To

is

and to

sore,

ryalte,

me

ful trew,

65

66

comlyar creatur of Goddes creacyon,

full brygth of ble, Ful gloryos to my syth an ful of delectacyon. Lazarus my son, in my respeccyon.

amyabyll douctors,

Here

and

of femynyte, And Martha, ful [of] beute and of delycyte, Ful of womanly merrorys and of benygnyte, is

Mary,

ful

fayr

ful

70

MARY MAGDALEN.

50

********

They have

Now

fulfyllyd

my

hart with consolacyon.

79 Lazarus, my sonne, whech art ther brothyr, lordshep of Jerusalem I gyff the after my dysses,

The

And Mary thys castell, And Martha xall have Thes

gyftes I graunt

Whyll that

I

am

in

alonly, an non othyr ; Beteny, I sey exprese:

yow withowtyn

Of yower

grett

Now, good Graunt

And

me

a-gens

Thatt we

84

thank yow hartely 85

I

!

me

kyndnes shuyd onto

Ye have grauntyd swych a to restreyn

from

lord,

83

les,

good mynd.

LAZARUS. Most reverent father

Me

all

!

worthy

lyfelod,

88

nessesyte.

and hys wyll

it

be,

grace to lyve to thy plesowans, hem so to rewle me

may have

joye withoutyn weryauns.

MARY MAUDLEYN.

92

Thatt God of pes and pryncypall 93

counsell,

More

We

74

swetter

is

thi

name than hony be kynd

1

thank yow,

fathyr, for your gyftes ryall, of peynes of poverte us to on-bynd ; Thys is a preservatyff from streytnes, we fynd,

Owt

From wordly For thys

labors to

my

96

coumfortyng;

lyfflod is abyll for the

Thys place of plesauns, the soth

dowtter of a kyng, to seye.

MARTHA. O ye good fathyr of grete Thus to departe with your ryches,

degre,

Consederyng ower lowlynes and humylyte, to save from worldly dessetres Ye shew us poyntes of grete jentylnes,

Us

99 100 101

:

So mekly to meynteyn us to your grace. Hey in heven a-wansyd mot yow be In blysse, to se that lordes Whan ye xal hens passe !

face,

105

/\

CALIF. BONITA, MARY MAGDALEN. Now

CYRUS.

Now wyn and

with

I rejoyse

To enhanse my

spycys,

je

all

was

it

chyldryn,

51

my mygthtes; my delyte

no

:

jentyll knyttes,

On-to thes ladys of jentylnes.

[11.

Tiberius Caesar sends orders to

114-139.

Herod

to search oat

11.140-228. Herod hears from his 'philosophers' a prophecy of Christ's Incarnation and ' rages.' He receives Tiberius' orders rebels.

and sends them on to

Pilate.

11.

229-264. Pilate receives the

orders and declares he will execute them.]

Syrus takyt his

A

SYRUS.

Syknes

A A

!

!

is

help gret

How

I

!

sett

help

!

onder

help

my

syde

Code

am

!

268

trobyllyd both bak and syde,

!

!

mede

!

Now wythly help me to my A this rendyt my rybbys

A A

265

!

deth wyll aquyte me my thou be my gyde ;

!

!

The dent

stond in drede

I

!

deth.

of deth

Lord, Lord

!

is

bede. I xall

hevyar than

what

never goo nor ryde

led.

272

doo this tyde have ruth on me, xall I

!

?

gracyows God In thys word no lengar to abyde. I

!

!

blys yow,

Her

my

chyldyrn,

God mot

with us be

!

276

avoydyt Syrus sodenfy, and than \comyf] sayyng, Lazarus.

LAZARUS. Alas, I am sett in grete hevynesse Ther is no tong my sorow may tell, So Sore I am browth in dystresse; In feyntnes I

falter,

for this fray fell;

me no longar But, God of grace, sone me redresse. A how my peynes don me repelle Thys dewresse wyl

lett

!

Lord, with-stond this duresse

!

277

280

dwelle,

!

!

2 84

MARY MAGDALEN.

52

MARY MAGLEYN. The

God

in-wyttissymus

that

xal reyne,

Be

285

an sowlys sokor To whom it is most nedfull to cumplayn He to bryng us owt of ower dolor his help,

He

ever

!

;

a8S

most mytyest governowr,

is

From soroyng

A

MARTHA.

us to restr[a]yne. !

how

I

am

290

sett in

sorowys sad,

That long my lyf y may nat indeure Thes grawous peynes make me ner mad !

Under clower

is

now my

!

fathyris cure,

That sumtyme was here ful mery and Ower lordes mercy be his mesure, And defeynd hym from peynes sad

294

glad.

297

!

LAZARUS. exprese

Thys

Now,

systyrs,

we

ower fatherys wyll

298

:

castell is owerys,

with

all

the fee

MARTHA. As hed and governower, as reson this wyse abydyn with yow wyll wee;

is

:

And on

We

301

wyll natt desevyr, whatt so be-falle.

MARIA. Now, brothyr and

And

woll

ther-of specyally I pray

systyrs,

jow

welcum ye

be.

all.

304

Her xal entyr the Kyng of the word, then the Kyng of the jflesch, and then the dylfe, with the seven dedly synnes, a bad angyll an an good angyl, thus seyyng

[THE KING OF THE WORLD.]

And

I

am

that evyr god wrowth, also I am the prymatt portatur

the word.

the word, worthyest 305

Next heveyn, yf the trewth be sowth,

And And And

that I jugge

am

me

to skryptur;

he that lengest xal induer, also most of domynacyon; I

308

MARY MAGDALEN. Yf

I

be hys

foo,

woo

is

abyll to recure?

For the whele of fortune with

Her xal

entyr the

53

me

hath

sett his sentur.

Kynge of flesch with

312

slowth, gloteny,

lechery.

kyng of

I,

flesch, florychyd in

Of deyntys delycyows So

ryal

my

I have grett

334

flowers,

domynacyon,

a kyng was nevyr borne in bowrys, delyth ne more delectacyon.

********

Nor hath more

the prynse of dylles in a stage, and Helle ondyrneth that stage, thus seyyng the dylfe.

Here xal entyr

SATAN. Now I, prynse, pyrked, prykkyd in pryde, 358 Satan ower sovereyn, set with every cyrcumstanse, For I am a-tyred in my tower to tempt yow this tyde;

As a kyng ryall I sette at my plesauns, 361 With wroth [and] invy at my ryall retynawns; The boldest in bower I bryng to a-baye; Mannis sowle to besegyn and bryng to obeysauns, Ya. 365 [with] tyde and tyme I do that I may, For at hem I have dysspyte that he wolde have the joye That Lycyfer, with many a legyown, lost for ther pryde; The snares that I xal set wher never set at Troye, So I thynk to besegyn hem be every waye wyde; 369 I xal getyn hem from grace, wher-so-ever he abyde, That body and sowle xal com to my hold.

Hym Now my With me

My

for to take,

372

knythtes so stowth,

373

ye xall ron in rowte,

consell to take for a skowte,

Whytly that we wer went

for

my

sake.

376

WRATH. With wrath

or wyhylles

we

ENVY. Or with sum

sotyllte sett

hur in synne.

xal hyrre

wynne. 378

MARY MAGDALEN.

54

Com

DYLFE.

To werkyn

of than,

let

us begynne

hur sum wrake.

Her xal the deywl go

380

word with

to the

his compeny.

SATAN. Heyle word, worthyest of a-bowndans we must a conseyll take;

381

!

In hast

Ye must aply yow with all your afyauns, A woman of whorshep ower servant to make. 384-469.

[11.

The World recommends

recourse to the Flesh,

who

sends

Mary as she sits mourning her Luxury persuades Mary to amuse herself at Jeru-

his servant Luxuria (or Lechery) to father's death.

salem.]

Here takyt Mary hur wey to Jerusalem with Luxsurya, and they xal resort to a taverner, thus seyyng the taverner. I

am

a taverner wytty and wyse,

That wynys have

Of

470

to sell gret plente.

the taverners I bere the pryse

all

That be dwellyng withinne the cete; 473 Of wynys I have grete plente, Both whyte wynne and red that [ys] so cleyr: 475 Here ys wynne of mawt and Malmeseyn, Clary wynne and claret, and other moo, Wyn of Gyldyr and of Galles, that made at the grome [?], Wyn of wyan and vernage, I seye also ; 1 her be no better, as ferre as _ye can goo. 480

LUXSURYA. Lo, lady, the comfort and the sokower, ner and take a tast,

481

Go we Thys

xal

bryng your sprytes to fawor.

Taverner, bryng us of the fynnest thou hast.

TAVERNER. Here, lady, is wyn, a repast To man and woman, a good restoratyff; Y& xall not thynk your mony spent in wast, From stodyys and hevynes it woll yow relyff.

484

485

488

MARY MAGDALEN. MARY.

55

I-wys ye. seye soth, ye grom of blysse courtes and kynde.

;

To me ye be

Her xal entyr a galaunt GALAUNT

490

thus seyyng.

[CURIOSITY].

Hof, hof, hof, a frysch new galaunt, Ware of thryst, ley that a-doune

491

!

What

wene

!

Because that

ye, syrrys, that I were a marchant, I am new com to town?

494

********

With sum praty tasppysster wold

LUXSURVA. Lady,

To

sett

yow

i

MARY. Cal hym xall make

And we

511-587. her fall.

[11.

this

sporttes

Mary

man

is

rown;

can

I se

for^ow, as

and talkyng

;

507

this tyde.

my

love wyll han,

in,

taverner, as

ful

mery, yf he wolle abyde.

ye

510

departs with the gallant and Satan rejoices over see Mary sleeping in an arbour, and then Simon

We next

the leper preparing for his feast.

Mary and

I fayn

says

Then a good angel appears

to

:]

GOOD ANGYLL. Woman, woman, why

art

thou so on5SS

stabyll?

Ful bytterly thys blysse it wol be bowth; Why art thou ayens God so veryabyll? Wy thynkes thou nat God made the of nowth? In syn and sorow thou art browth,

592

Fleschly lust is to ye full delectabyll Salve for thi sowle must be sowth,

And

leve thi werkes

Remembyr, woman,

How thi sowle xal A remembyr how !

wayn and

;

veryabyll.

595

for thi pore pryde,

596

lyyn in helle fyr sorowful itt is to abyde !

Withowtyn eynd in angur and ire Remember the on mercy, make thi sowle clyr I am the gost of goodnesse that so wold ye gydde. !

!

599

MARY MAGDALEN.

56

A

MARY.

me And I

A

how

!

the speryt of goodnesse hat promtyt

this tyde,

temtyd

Alas

how

!

me

with

am wonddyd

of trew perfythnesse.

my

hert doth abyde

me

potyt

side.

I

!

woo

xall to

mercy be

608

this peynfulnesse ?

!

A

605

to oppresse,

have synnyd on every lord wo xall put me from

That

604

!

with werkes of gret dystresse,

how pynsynesse

!

tytyll

betternesse in

my

gostly

gyde ?

For he

porsue the prophett, wherso he be, is the welle of perfyth charyte;

6n

the oyle of mercy he xal me relyff. With swete bawmys I wyl seken hym this syth, And sadly folow his lordshep in eche degre.

614

1 xal

Be

Here xal entyr

the

prophet with his desyplys, thus seyyng

Symont leprus.

Now

ye be welcom, mastyr, most of magnyfycens, beseche yow benyngly j/e wol be so gracyows Yf that it be lekyng onto yower hye presens

615

I

Thys daye

to

com dyne

at

my

hows.

IESUS. God a mercy, Symontt, that thou wylt me woll entyr thi hows with pes and unyte; I am glad for to rest, ther grace gynnyt grow; I

thi hows xal rest charyte, bemys of grace xal byn illumynows. But syth thou wytystsaff a dyner on me, With pes and grace I entyr thi hows.

618

knowe

!

620

For withinne

622

And

623

the

SYMOND. I thank yow, master, most benyng and gracyus, That yow wol of your hye soverente; 627

To me

itt

Withinne

Now

is

a joye most speceows,

my hows

that I

syt to the bord,

may yow

mastyrs

alle.

sel 630

MARY MAGDALEN. Her xal Mary folow

O

MARY.

I,

cursyd

57

alonge> with this lamentacyon.

caytyff, that

myche wo hath wrowth

Ayens my makar, of mytes most ; I have offendyd hym with dede and thowth, But in his grace is all my trost,

Or

know

elles I

am

well I

Body and sowle damdpnyd good lord of

Fet,

With the

perpetuall.

Her xal Mary wasche

my

I

this

and than anoynt

thank y& speceally

But Symond, I telle the fectually I have thynges to seyn to the. *

herre,

641

her hath be;

this grett repast that

Symond, behold,

640

noyttment.

IESUS DIGIT. Symond,

*

in especyal;

thefett of the prophet with the terres of

hym with a precyus

*

637

to se,

hart reward me.

hur yys, whypyng hem with hur

For

perhenuall,

[is]

and fawour

and thowt

hart

lord, after

good

Therfor,

634

lost,

my hope

lorddes,

to stond in grace

Thow knowyst my

but

632

*

*

woman

**

in all

644 *

wyse

665

How

she with teres of hyr better wepyng She wassheth my fete, and doth me servyse,

And And

anoyntyt hem with onymentes, lowly knelyng, with her her, fayer and brygth shynnyng,

She wypyth hem agayn with good entent; But Symont, syth that I entyrd thi hows,

To

wasshe

Nor

to

Wherfor

my fete thou dedyst wype my fete thou wer in thi

668

671

nat aplye, nat so faworus;

conscyens thou owttyst nat to replye. 674

I sey to the werely, I.forgeyffe the thi wrecchednesse,

But,

woman,

And

hoi in sowle be thou

made

therby.

:

MARY MAGDALEN.

58 [11.

678-1132. Mary gives thanks seven devils are cast out of her, and in the next scene we see Satan punishing his angels with blows for their ill-success. The history of the sickness and raising of Lazarus :

is then enacted, and at 1. 924 Part I of the play comes to an end. Part II begins with a boasting speech of the King of Marcylle ; then we hear the devils crying out because Hell has been harrowed,

upon which follows the scene in the garden of Joseph of Arimathea on the morning of Christ's Resurrection.]

Here devoyd

all the three

Maryys ; and

the kynge

of Marcyll

xall begynne a sacryfyce.

REX MERCYLL. Now,

lordes

A

mater to meve yow is in This day to do a sacryfyce

and ladyys of

my

grett a-prise,

memoryall,

1134

With multetude of myrth before ower goddes With preors in aspecyall before his presens, Eche creature with hartt demure.

all,

REGINA. To that lord curteys and keynd, Mahond, that is so mykyll of myth, With mynstrelly and myrth in mynd, Lett us gon ofer in that hye kyngis syth.

Here xal enter an hethenpreste and his PRESBYTER. Now, my clerke, Hawkyn, Loke fast myn awter wer arayd; Goo, ryng a

bell to or thre

Lythly, chyld,

For here

xall

it

Loke, boy, thou do is

[The boy

REX

"39

1142

loyc.

for love of

me 1144

1146

grett solemnyte. it

with a brayd

!

1148

impudent, and the priest obeys the stage direction 'bete him.' Enter the King.]

DICITT.

Now,

prystes

and

cler

Yower

1138

!

be natt delayd,

be a

1136

servyse to sey,

clerkys, of this tempyll

1178 lett

me

se.

MARY MAGDALEN.

59

PRESBYTER. A, soveryn lord, we shall don ower devyr. 1181 Boy, a boke a-non thou bryng me!

Now, boy,

On

xall

BOY.

Lyke

to

my Now

my

awter I wyll

westment and

me

myn

than the lesson

n8a

dresse;

aray.

I woll expresse,

as longytt for the servyse of this day:

1185

Leccyo mahowndys, viri fortissimi sarasenorum. Glabriosum ad glumandum glumardinorum,

Gormondorum alocorum, stampatinantum cursorum, Cownthtes fulcatum, congruryandum tersorum

********

Mursum malgorum, Mararagorum.

Howndes and hogges, in hegges and helles, Snakes and toddes mott be yower belles;

1198

Ragnell and Roffyn, and other, in the wavys, Grauntt yow grace to dye on the galows.

PRESBYTER. Now, lordes and ladyys, Knele all don with good devocyon; Yonge and old, rych and pore,

Do yower oferyng And ye xall have That longyth

to sentt

lesse

lord, lett natt

my

Here

Mahownde,

thi is

my

wytt;

my

trost.

1206

1209

most,

1210

1213

1214

sowle be lost!

cownsell well thou wotst.

in thi presens as I sett,

Thys besawnt of gold, rych and rownd, I

1203

to this holy place;

With thi wesdom and For truly, lord, in the

Good

1201

and more,

grett pardon,

And receyve je xall my benesown, And stond in Mahowndes grace. REX DICITT. Mahownd, thou art of mytes In my syth a gloryus gost; Thou comfortyst me both in contre and cost

All

1190

ofer ytt for

my

lady

and me,

1217 1218

MARY MAGDALEN.

60

That thou mayst be ower counfortes Sweth Mahound, remembyr me.

[11.

in this stownd, 1221

1222-1375. After two scenes representing the receipt of the news of Christ's Resurrection by Pilate and Tiberius Caesar, the angel Raphael is sent from heaven to Mary Magdalen.]

ANGELUS. Abasse the

noutt, Mary, in this place;

1376

Ower

To

lordes preceptt thou must ful-fyll, passe the see in shortt space

On-to the lond of Marcyll.

1379

Kyng and quene converte xall ye, And byn amyttyd as an holy apostylesse

;

Alle the lond xall be techyd alonly be thej Goddes lawys on-to hem ye xall expresse.

Therfor hast

yow forth with Goddes commaundement for

1383

gladnesse, to fulfylle.

1385

MARI MAWDLEYN. He that from my person mad to fle, Be vertu of hym alle thyng was wrowth; To seke thoys pepyll I wol rydy be. As thou With

Now Sum Now Now

vij

dewlles 1386

hast commaunddytt, in vertu they xall be browth.

thi grace,

good

lord, in deite,

1390

to the see I wyll me hy, sheppyng to asspy.

spede me, lord, in eternall glory be my spede, allmyty trenite!

1

Here xall entyre a shyp with a mery

SHEPMAN. Stryke skryke Her is a fayer haven to se

!

!

lett fall

1394

song.

an ankyr to grownd

!

1396

!

Connyngly in, loke that ye sownd; I hope good harbarow have xal wee Loke that we have drynke, boy, thou. !

1398

MARY MAGDALEN. [The shipman's boy

is

as

MAUDLEYN. Master MASTER.

impudent as the

priest's,

of the shepe, a

with a like

word with

woman, whatt wol

All redy, fayer

MARY. Of whense

is thys shep a whyle. with-in seyle

And yfje

61

?

tell ye.

me

the.

;

1426

wol seyle this same day, Yf the wynd be to ower pay. This shep that I of sey

MARY.

And ye

may

Syr,

have

xall

1430

I natt with

for

yow

sayle ?

I

ther

wher

is

Stryk

1434

we

xall the shep-men syng.

thar nat a-baffe,

1437

the lond of Satyllye. beware of sond is

1438

!

!

Cast a led, and in us gyde

Of Marcyll

Go To

;

full loth for to lye.

this cors

Vender

faylle

the lond of Torke,

Now Of

1431

yower awayle.

MASTER. Of sheppyng the xall natt For us the wynd is good and saffe.

Yond

1427

lond of Marcyll.

Is of the

1423

ye, ?

We

MASTER.

result.]

!

this is the

kyngges lond. a lond, thow fayer woman, this tyde,

the kyngges place

Sett of, sett of,

THE

; yonder may ye from lond.

BOY. All redy, master,

Her

at

1441

see.

thyn hand.

1445

goth the shep owt of the place.

[Mary Magdalen goes to the King and preaches to him.]

REX. Herke, woman, thow hast many resonnes I

thyngk, on-to

But thou

And

my make me

grett; 1527

goddes aperteynyng they belh. answer son, I xall the frett,

cut the tonge owt of thi hed.

F 2

1530

MARY MAGDALEN.

62

MARY.

Syr, yf I seyd amys, I woll return agayn.

Leve yower encomberowns of perturbacyon, And lett me know what yower goddes byn, And how they may save us from treubelacyon.

REX. Hens

to the tempyll that

And

ther xall

Com

on

Thys

day to se

all,

Here goth

thow

solom

se a

we

1531

1534

war,

1535

syth.

both lesse and more,

my

goddes myth.

1538

Kynge with all his a-tendaunt to Loke now, qwatt seyyst thow be this syth? How plezeaunttly they stond, se thow how the

the tempyll.

1539

!

besech

thi grett

Lord,

I

Speke

to this chrisetyn that here sestt thou.

myth,

se how Speke, god lord, speke thou Herke, pryst qwat menytt

I

!

!

what good speke thow artt bote of all blysse lord

speke,

Speke, as

!

1542

!

all this ?

!

What

do bow

eylytt the

!

now ? 1546

!

PRVSBYTER. Lord, he woll natt speke whyle chriseten her

is.

MARY. Syr kyng, and

it

pleze yower gentyllnesse, 1548

Gyff me lycens my prayors to make On-to my God in heven blysch, Sum merakyll to shewyn for yower sake.

REX. Pray

thi fylle, tyll thi

MARY. Dominus,

knees ake.

1552

illuminacio mea, quern timebo

Dominus, protecctor

Here xal

1

the

vite

mee, a quo trepedabo

mament

tremyll

and

Now, lord of lordes, to thi blyssyd name Most mekely my feyth I recummend. Pott don the pryd of mamentes violatt

!

!

quake. sanctificatt,

1556

!

Lord, to

thi lover thi

goodnesse descend 1

then,

MS.

;

1558

MARY MAGDALEN.

63

Lett natt ther pryd to thi poste pretend,

Wher-as

Good

is

lord,

rehersyd thi hye

my

name

preor I feythfully

Jhesus.

send;

Lord, thi rythwysnesse here dyscus

Here xall comme a afyer,

and

clou'd from heven, the pry st

and

1562

!

and sett

the tempyl one

the clerk xall synke.

[The remainder of the play shows the voyage of the King and Qneen to the Holy Land, tEe wonderful restoration to life of the Queeu and her baby by the aid of Mary Magdalen, the feeding of wilderness by angels, her death, and her ascension.]

Mary

in the

&e Castell of HUMANUM GENUS. After oure forme faderes' kende

This nyth I waus of my moder born Fro my moder I walke, I wende, Ful feynt and febyl

am nakyd

I

As mankynde

I fare

you

j

beforn.

of lym and lende,

(5)

schapyn and schorn, I not wedyr to gon ne to lende,

To

is

mydday ny morn, For schame I stonde and schende. I waus born this nyth in blody ble And nakyd I am as ye may se. A! Lord God in trinite, helpe my-self

Whow mankende Where-to I waus to I

ne wot but I

To

is

unchende!

this

werld browth,

woo and wepynge.

to

(10)

(15)

am

born and have ryth nowth helpe my self in no doynge.

I

1

sfYjonde

Bare and pore

A That

sely I

and

stodye, al ful of thowth;

my clothynge, my hed hath cawth, myn crystenynge; is

crysme

tok at

Certes I have no more.

Of

erthe I cam, I wot ryth wele, And as erthe I stande this sele; 1

sonde,

MS.

(20)

THE CASTELL OF PERSEVERANCE. Of mankende

Two

is

it

Lord God,

gret dele,

I cry

(25)

ore.

thyne

l

me

aungels bene a-synyd to ton techyth me to goode,

The

65

On my ryth syde ye may hym He cam fro Criste that deyed on

:

se,

rode.

(30)

A-nother ordeynyd her to be,

That

is

He

my

foo be fen

and

flode,

a-bout in every degre drawe me to the dewylys wode,

To 2

is

That

ben thycke. to hath every man on lyve,

in helle

Swyche

(35)

To rewlyn hym and hys wyttes fyve, Whanne man doth evyl the ton wolde The tother drawyth to wycke. But syn these aungelys be to me falle, Lord Jhu to you I bydde a bone, That I may folwe, be strete and stalle,

The aungyl

Now

cam

that

(40)

hevene trone.

fro

lord Jhu, in hevene halle,

Here, whane

Coryows

I

make my mone you I calle.

(45)

!

Criste, to

and grone, wene ryth ful of thowth. A Lord Jhu, wedyr may I goo ? A crysyme I have and no moo Alas! men may be wondyr woo

As a

shryve,

grysly gost I grucche

I

!

!

Whanne

thei

be

fyrst forth

(50)

browth.

BONUS ANGELUS. Fa forsothe and

Of

woful

that

wo man may

is

wel sene,

synge,

For iche creature helpeth Save only man, 1

Ij,

MS.

at hys

hym

self

comynge, 2

Do, MS.

bedene, (55)

66

THE CASTELL OF PERSEVERANCE. Nevyr-the-lesse turne the fro tene

And serve Jhu, hevene kynge, And thou shalt, be grevys grene, Fare well in

all

That lord

thynge.

Have hym alway

in thi

That deyed on rode

And

serve

And

hym sertes

(60)

hath lante!

thi lyfe

for

mynde, mankynde,

to thi lyfes ende,

thou schalt not wante.

(65)

MALUS ANGELUS. thi wordes are not wyse, counselyst hym not a-ryth. He schal hym drawyn to the werdes servyse, To dwelle with caysere, kynge and knyth,

Pes aungel,

Thou

That in londe be hym non lyche. on with me, stylle as ston Thou and I to the werd schul goon,

Cum

(70)

:

And

thanne thou schalt sen a-non

Whow

sone thou schalt be ryche.

BONUS ANGELUS. A! pes

Why

aungel, thou spekyst folye! schuld he coveyt werldes goode,

Syn Criste

in erthe

(75)

and hys meynye

All in povert here thei stode?

Werldes wele, be strete and stye, Faylyth and fadyth as fysch in flode, But hevene ryche is good and trye,

Ther

Criste syttyth, bryth as blode,

Withoutyn any dystresse. the world wolde he not

To

But forsok

it

flyt

every whytt;

fynde in holy wryt, wyl bere me wytnesse.

Example

He

(80)

I

(85)

THE CASTELL OF PERSEVERANCE.

67

Divicias et paupertatem ne dederis m[thf\ dne.

MALUS ANGELUS. Pa, _ya, man, leve hym nowth, But cum with me be stye and strete. Have thou a gobet of the werld cawth, Thou schalt fynde it good and swete.

A

be tawth,

fayre lady the schal

That in bowre thi bale schal bete. With ryche rentes thou schalt be With sylke sendel to syttyn in sete. I rede late bedys be: If thou wylt

And

(95}

faryn wel at

HUMANUM GENUS. Whom

dele,

to folwe wetyn I

and gynne

I stonde in stodye I

frawth,

have wel thyn hele,

mete and mele, With goddes servyse may thou not But cum and folwe me.

And

(90)

(100)

ne may:

to rave,

wolde be ryche in gret aray, fayn I wolde my sowle save.

As wynde

Thou

And Now

in watyr I wave: woldyst to the werld I me toke,

he wolde that so

I not

God me wyche

I

it

helpe,

I

may

( I0 5)

forsoke,

and the holy boke,

have.

MALUS ANGELUS. Cum on, man where of hast thou care ? Go we to the werld, I rede the, blyve; (in) For ther thou schalt now ryth wel fare, !

1

if thou thynke for to thryve, lord schal be the lyche. the werld to thine entent,

In case

No Take

And

late thi love

With gold and A-none thou

be ther on

sylvyr schalt 1

lent,

and ryche rent be ryche.

mow, MS.

( IT s)

68

THE CASTELL OF PERSEVERANCE. I

me

Now syn thou hast be-hetyn the and a-say; with wyl go I ne lette for frende ner fo,

HUMANUM

GENUS.

so

(no)

But with the world

I wyl go play, Certes a lytyl throwe.

In

this

To

world

is

my

al

trust

lyv[y]n in lykyng and in lust:

Have he and

We

("5)

onys cust,

schal not part I trowe.

A

BONUS ANGELUS.

Cum

I

!

agayn be

The

werld

is

man

nay,

!

blod

for Cristes

and style wyckyd and ful wod,

strete

!

!

(130)

And

thou schalt levyn but a whyle. What coveytyst thou to wynne?

Man, thynke on thyn endynge

day,

Whanne thou schalt be closyd under And if thou thenke of that a-ray,

clay,

(135)

Certes thou schalt not synne.

Homo

memento finis

MALUS ANGELUS.

Fa,

on

et in eternu

thi

non peccabis.

sowle thou schalt thynke

al

be tyme;

Cum forth, man, and take non hede, Cum on and thou schalt holdyn hym Thi

flesch

inne.

thou schalt foster and fede

(140)

With lofly lyvys fode. With the werld thou mayst be bold, Tyl thou be sexty wynter hold;

Wanne

thi

nose waxit cold

Thanne mayst thou drawe

HUMANUM

GENUS.

I

vow

to

God, and so

Make mery a ful gret throwe I may levyn many a day, I

am

but yonge, as

to goode.

I trowe.

I

(145)

may

THE CASTELL OF PERSEVERANCE. For

Myth

do

to

(15)

that I schulde.

ryde be sompe and syke,

I

And be

ryche and lord lyke,

Certes, thanne schulde I

And

69

man on

a mery

be fryke

molde.

MALUS ANGELUS. Yys, be my feyth, thou schalt be And ellys hange me be the hals. But thou muste be at myn a-cord,

a lord, (156)

Other whyle thou muste be fals A-monge kythe and kynne.

Now

go we

forth swythe a-non,

(160)

To the werld us must gon, And bere the manly evere a-mong, Whanne thou comyst out or inne.

HUMANUM

GENUS.

Fys,

and

have thou

ellys

my

be manly be downe and dyche, And thou I be fals I ne recke,

But

I

necke (165)

With so 1

that I be lord lyche folowe the as I can.

Thou

schalt be my bote of bale, For were I ryche of holt and hale, Thanne wolde I yeve nevere tale

Of God ne

BONUS ANGELUS. This

man

(170)

of good man.

I weyle and I wrynge and with woo schal be pylt.

sye sore and grysly grone, folye schal make hym spylt. I not weder to gone, I

make mone ( r 7c)

For hys

Pipe up mu[sic\

Mankynde hath Alas, Ya.,

man, for this

forsakyn

me

for love of the

gamyn and

!

!

this gle

******

Thou

schalt grocchyn

and grone.

( l8 )

70

THE CASTELL OF PERSEVERANCE.

MUNDUS. Welcum, syr, semly in syth! Thou art welcum to worthy wede,

(185)

For thou wylt be my servaunt day and nyth, With my servyse I schal the foster and fede; Thi bak schal be betyn with besawntes bryth;

Thou schalt have byggynges be bankes brede; To thi cors schal knele kayser and knyth, Where that thou walke be sty or be strete,

And

on

ladys lovely

lere.

(190)

But goddys servyse thou must

And And

forsake,

holy to the werld the take, man I schal the make

thanne a

That non schal be

HUMANUM GENUS.

thi pere.

and

Fys, Werld,

ther-to here

To forsake God and hys servyse, To medys thou yeve me howse and That I regne rychely at myn emprise.

myn honde (196)

londe,

So that I fare wel be strete and stronde, Whil I dwelle here in werldly wyse, I

Nor

(200)

recke nevere of hevene wonde, of Jha, that jentyl justyse !

Of my sowle I have no rewthe, What schulde I recknen of domysday So

that I

I schal

And

ther-to here

MUNDUS. Now I

be ryche and of gret a-ray? I may,

sertes,

syr,

holde the trewe

my

trewthe.

thou seyst wel

ffro

all

men

Tune ascendat

Cum Thou

!

top to the tool

But thou were ryche

And

( 2 s)

make mery whyl

it

were gret dele,

that wyl fare soo.

Humanum

Genus ad Mundum.

up, my serwaunt, trow as stele, schalt be ryche whereso thou goo,

(210)

THE CASTELL OF PERSEVERANCE. Men schul servyn the at mele With mynstralsye, and bemys bio, With metes and drynkes trye. Lust and lykynge schal be thin ese,

71

(215)

Lovely ladys the schal plese,

Who

so do the any disese, He schal ben hangyd hye.

(220)

Lykynge, be-lyve Late slothe hym swythe In robys ryve !

With ryche

aray.

Folye, thou fonde,

Be

(225)

and stronde Serve hym at honde Bothe nyth and day. strete

VOLUPTAS. Trostyly, Lord, redy!

Je vous

(330)

pry,

Syr, I say.

In lyckynge and

He

lust

schal rust,

Tyl dethys dust

Do hym STULTICIA.

And

I,

(235)

to clay.

folye,

Schal hyen

hym

hye,

Tyl sum enmye

Hym

over-goo.

(3

4)

In worldes wyt,

That I

in folye syt,

thynke yyt

****** Hes sowle

HUMANUM

to sloo.

GENUS. Mankynde I am callyd be kynde, With cursydnesse in costes knet, (246)

73

THE CASTELL OF PERSEVERANCE. In sowre swettenesse

my

syth I sende,

With sevene synnys sadde be-set. Mekyl myrthe I move in mynde, With melody [al] 1 my mowth is met, My prowd power schal I not pende Tyl I be putte in peynys pyt,

To

(250)

helle hent fro hens.

In dale of dole

tyl

we

are

downe

We

schul be clad in a gay gowne. I see no man but the use somme

Of

these

vij

For comonly

Who

(255)

dedly synnys,

it

is

seldom seyne.

2

so no[l] be lecherous Of other man he schal have disdeyne, And ben prowde or covetous,

In synne iche

man

(260)

founde.

is

Ther is pore nor ryche, be londe ne lake, That alle vij wyl forsake, But with on or other he schal be take

And

in here bytter

BONUS ANGELUS. So mekyl

(265)

bondes bownde.

the werse, wele a woo,

That evere good aungyl waus ordeynyd thel

Thou

And no

art

rewlyd after the fende, that

thynge, certes,

aftyr

Wele away, weder may

Man

doth

me

me

I

is

!

thi foo,

(270)

goo?

bleykyn blody

ble,

Hes swete sowle he wyl now slo, He schal wepe al hes game and gle At on dayes tyme, Ke se wel all, sothly

(275)

in syth,

I am a bowte, both day and nyth, To brynge hys sowle into blis bryth, And hym self wyl it brynge to pyne. 1

at,

MS.

*

now, MS.

THE CASTELL OF PERSEVERANCE. MALUS ANGELUS. No, good aungyl, thou art Ffewe men in the ffeyth they fynde,

73

not in sesun, (281)

For thou hast schewyd a ballyd resun,

Goode

cum [get thee me] behynde, man hathe non chesun

syre,

Trewly

On

thi god to grede and grynde, Ffor that schuld cunne Cristis lessoun

(285)

In penaunce hes body he muste bynde, And forsake the worldes [mynde] 1 .

Men am

on the

loth

to crye,

Or don penaunce for here folye; now maystrye Wei ny over al mankynde.

(290)

Therfore have I

BONUS ANGELUS. Is

mankynde

Alas,

bobbyt and blent as the blynde,

In feyth

I

To

he can nowt be kynde.

Crist

Alas,

fynde

(295)

mankynne and saggyd

Is soylyd

in synne, not wyl blynne Tyl body and sowle parte a-twynne. Alas, he is blendyd;

He

(300)

A-mys man's lyf is i-spendyd, With fendes fendyd; Mercy, God, that

man were a-mendyd!

CONFESSIO. What! man's aungel goode and trewe, Why syest thou and sobbyst sore? Sertes, sore

If I se the

May any

it

schal

me

rewe,

make mornynge more. bote thi bale brewe, thi stat astore?

Or any thynge For

Why

all

(305)

felyschepys, olde

and newe,

makyst thou grochynge under gore, 1

MS. mende.

(310)

74

THE CASTELL OF PERSEVERANCE. With pynynge poyntes pale? waus al this gretynge gunne, With sore syinge undyr sunne? Tell me, and I schal, if I cunne, Brewe the bote of bale.

Why

(315)

BONUS ANGELUS. Of

byttyr balys thou mayste Swete Schryfte, if that thou wylt. For mankynde it is that I grete He is in poynt to be spylt.

me

:

bete,

(320)

'

He And

is

set in

sevene synnys

wyl, certes, tyl

he be

sete,

kylt.

me he thynkyth nevere more to mete, me forsake and I have no gylt (325) No man wyl hym amende Therfore, Schryfte, so God me spede, With

He

hath

!

!

But

if

thou helpe at this nede, getyth nevere other mede

Mankynde

******

But peyne withowtyn ende.

HUMANUM GENUS. A Sertys, for

sete of sorwe in

synne I sye

me

(330)

is

set,

sore,

Mone of mercy in me is met, Ffor werldys myrthe I morne more. In wepynge wo my wele is wet, Mercy, thou muste myn fatt a-store. Ffro oure lordys lyth thou hast

me

(335)

let,

Sory synne, thou grysly gore.

Owte on the, dedly synne Synne, thou haste mankynde schent, In dedly synne my lyfe is spent; !

(340)

Mercy, God omnipotent, In youre grace I be-gynne. Ffor, thou

And he

wyl

mankynde have don falle in

repentaunce,

a-mys, (345)

THE CASTELL OF PERSEVERANCE. Crist schal

hym bryngyn hym

If sorwe of hert lache

Lordyngys, ye se wel

Mankynde hathe ben I now for-sake the,

And

take

On

A

me

alle thys

in gret

bobaunce,

synne, i-wys,

and

schryfte

!

Ffor dedly synne

!

I

myn

And

have

hym

(350)

:

calle.

wyl no more herte

mankynde with thyne

Stuffe

blys,

with launce.

holy to penaunce

Crist I crye

mercy

bowre of

to

75

is

1

sore:

store,

(355)

to thyne halle.

may no man for-sake Whanne mankynde cryeth I am redy, Whanne sorwe of hert the hathe take

CONFESSIO. Schryffte

:

Schryfte prefytyth veryly.

Who-so Crist

(360)

synne wyl sorwe make heryth, whanne he wyl crye.

for

hym

Now, man,

sorwe thyn synne slake 1,

lete

And

torne not a-geyn to thi ffolye; Ffor that makyth dystaunce, (365) And, if it happe the turne a-geyn to synne, Ffor Goddes love, lye not longe therinne :

He

that dothe alway evyl,

******

That askyth

HUMANUM

and wyl not blynne,

gret venjaunce.

GENUS. Now,

To kepe me

syr Schryfte,

where may

I dwelle

synne and woo ?

fro

(37 1 )

A

comly counseyll ye me spelle, To fende me now fro my foo. If these

That

I

The

vij

am

synnys here

thus fro

hem

werld, the flesche

Schul sekyn

telle

goo,

and the devyl of

soule for to sloo

my 1

MS.

slawe-

G

(375)

hell

76"

THE CASTELL OF PERSEVERANCE. Into balys bowre. Therfore, I prey you, putte Into sum place of surete, That thei may not harmyn

me (380)

me

With no synnys sowre.

To swyche a place I schal the kenne, Ther thou mayst dwelle withowtyn dystaunse And al wey kepe the fro synne,

CONFESSIO.

(385)

In to the Castell of Perseveraunce. If thou wylt to hevene

wynne

And kepe the fro werldyly dystaunce, Goo yone castell and kepe the therinne Ffor

is

[it]

strenger thanne any in Frauncej (390) castel I the sende.

To ^one That

castel

a precyous place,

is

and of

Fful of vertu

grace,

Who so levyth there hes lyvys space No synne schal hym schende. HUMANUM GENUS. A, Schryfte, blessyd mote thou This castel

Thedyr

!

here but at honde;

is

rathely wyll I tee,

Sekyr over

sad sonde.

this

perseveraunce God sende me, I leve here in this londe

Good Whyle

(395)

be

(400)

!

now I fle, now I fonde

Ffro fowle fylthe Fforthe to faryn

To

jyone precyous port,

man

Lord, what

Whanne he Al

my

dol

Christe

is

is

adoun

is

in

mery lyve

of hes synnys schreve

my

is

dreve,

counfort.

(405) I

G

2

fader of tjcueu fen&ettj D eti)t to fa mon euerp creature to come ann

m

gput acoimteof tDer^pucs jtljis tboziDt/anD is in mancr

FROM AN EDITION BY JOHN SKOT

(c.

1530)

f I

OEtoerpman. fader of heven sendeth dethe treatyse how ye hye so|mon every creature to come and gyve a counte of theyr this worlde, and is in in maner of a morall playe .*J. lyves in

C. Here begynneth a

|

to

|

|

|

'

'

[Woodcut of Everyman and of Death carrying a them at the back stands a cross.]

coffin

;

between

MESSENGER.

I pray you all gyve your audyence here this mater with reverence,

And

By fygure a morall playe. The somonynge of Everyman

called

it

is,

That of our lyves and endynge shewes How transytory we be all daye.

5

This matter

is wonders precyous, But the entent of it is more gracyous

And The

swete to here awaye.

man, in the begynnynge and take good heed to the endynge,

story sayth

Loke

well

:

Be you never so gay, Ye thynke synne in the begynnynge Whiche

Whan

in the

full

ende causeth the soule

swete,

to wepe,

the

body lyeth in claye. you se how Felawshyp, and Bothe Strengthe, Pleasure and Beaute,

Here

10

shall

15

Jolyte,

Wyll fade from the as floure in maye. For ye shall here how our heven kynge Calleth

Everyman to a general rekenynge. Gyve audyence and here what he doth

20

saye.

EVERYMAN.

78

GOD GOD. C.

How

spekyth:

I perceyve here in

that all creatures

Lyvynge without drede

my maieste me unkynde,

be to

in worldly prosperyte

;

Of ghostly syght the people be so blynde, 25 Drowned in synne they know me not for theyr god;

*******

In worldlye ryches

the

I se,

more

The worse

all

is

that I

theyr mynde.

them

forbere,

42

they be fro yere to yere,

All that lyveth appayreth faste, Therfore I wyll in all the haste

45

*******

Have a rekenynge

mannes persone.

of every

They be so combred with worldly ryches That nedes on them I must do justyce,

On

every

Where

man

lyvynge without

arte thou, Deth, thou

60

fere.

mighty messengere ?

DETHE. DETHE. Almighty God, I am here at your Your commaundement to fulfylle.

Go thou to Every man, And shewe hym in my name A pylgrymage he must on hym

wyll,

65

GOD.

Whiche he

take,

no wyse may escape, And that he brynge with him a sure rekenynge Without delay or ony taryenge. in

DETHE. Lorde

And

I wyll in the

worlde go renne over

cruelly out serche bothe grete

Every

man

and

that loveth

His syght

all

small.

wyll I beset that lyveth beastly

Out of Goddes lawes and dredeth not

He

70

to blynde

and

fro

75

foly.

rychesse I wylle stryke with

my

heven to departe,

darte,

EVERYMAN.

79

Except that almes be his good frende, In hell for to dwell, worlde without ende.

Loo yonder His mynde

And

80

se

I

Everyman walkynge, on my comynge on flesshely lustes and his

Full lytell he thynketh is

grete payne

it

!

shall cause

hym

treasure,

endure

to

Before the lorde, heven kynge.

Everyman, stande

Thus gayly?

styll.

Whyder arte thou goynge, Maker forgete?

85

hast thou thy

EVERYMAN. EVERYMAN. Why asketh thou? Woldest thou wete? *

DETHE. Ye,

/

___

syr,

I

In grete hast I

am

Fro God, out of

EVERYMAN. What,

shewe you: sende to the

wyll

f

/j*,jf

{

jf'

90

his mageste.

sente to

me?

DETHE. Ye, certaynly. Thoughe thou have forgete hym here, He thynketh on the in the hevenly spere, As, or we departe, thou shalte knowe.

95

EVERYMAN. What desyreth God of me? DETHE. That

shall I

shewe the:

A

rekenynge he wyll nedes have, Without ony lenger respyte.

too

EVERYMAN. To gyve a rekenynge longer layser I crave, This blinde mater troubleth my wytte. ^-'/ DETHE. On the thou must take a longe journey, Therfore thy boke of counte with the thou bryng, For tourne agayne thou can not by no waye ;

And

loke thou be sure of thy rekenynge, For before God thou shalte answere and shewe

Thy many badde dedes and good but

a fewe,

105

EVERYMAN.

8o

How thou hast spente thy lyfe, and in what wyse, Before the chefe lorde of paradyse. / Have ado we were in that waye, a*J^ For, wete thou well, thou shalte

EVERYMAN. I knowe DETHE.

attournay.

Full unredy I am suche rekenynge to gyve. the not. What messenger arte thou?

am

I

make none

no

man

Dethe, that no

dredeth.

115

For every man I rest and no man spareth, For it is Goddes commaundement

That

to

all

me

sholde be obedyent.

EVERYMAN. deth, thou comest

whan

had thee

I

leest in

mynde

!

120 In thy power it lyeth me to save, Yet of my good wyl I gyve thee, yf thou wyl be kynde. Ye, a thousande pounde shalte thou have,

ZJtS*

And

DETHE. Everyman, 1

set not

Ne by

But

another daye.

not be by no waye.

sylver,

nor rychesse,

125

pope, emperour, kynge, duke ne prynces,

and

For,

tyll

may

it

by golde, I

wolde receyve gyftes

All the worlde I

I

mater

dyfferre this

my

custom

is

clene contrary.

gyve the no respyte,

EVERYMAN. Alas

!

grete,

myght gete;

come hens and not

gh a11 T have

tary.

n^-tfwrrn

1

saye deth gyveth no warnynge thynke on the^it maketh my herte seke, For all unredy is my boke of rekenynge.

I

may

!

To

But,

My

yereTand I myght have abydynge, countynge boke I wolde make so clere, xii

13*

my rekenynge I sholde not nede to fere. Wherfore, deth, I praye the, for Goddes mercy, That

Spare

me

tyll

I

be provyded of remedy.

DETHE. The avayleth not to crye, wepe and praye. 140 But hast the lyghtly that thou were gone the journaye,

EVERYMAN.

81

And

preve thy frendes, yf thou can. wete thou well, the tyde abydeth no man, For, And in the worlde eche lyvynge creature

For Adams synne must dye of nature.

EVERYMAN. Dethe,

And my

yf I sholde this pylgrymage take,

rekenynge suerly make,

Shewe me, Sholde

for saynt charyte,

I not

come agayne

shortly?

DETHE. No, Everyman, and thou be ones Thou mayst never more come here, Trust

me

145

there,

150

veryly.

EVERYMAN. O gracyous God, in the hye sete Have mercy on me in this moost nede. no company

Shall I have

Of myne

celestyall,

fro this vale terestryall

acqueynte, that way

me

155

to lede?

DETHE. Ye, yf ony be so hardy That wolde go with the and bere the company. Hye the, that thou were gone to Goddes magnyfycence, 160

to gyve before his presence. What, wenest thou thy lyve is gyven the

Thy rekenynge

And

thy worldely goodes also?

EVERYMAN.

I

had wende so

veryle.

DETHE. Nay, nay, it was but lende the, For as sone as thou arte go Another a whyle shall have it and than go Even as thou hast done.

165 1

ther fro,

Everyman, thou art made Thou hast thy wyttes here on erthe wyll not amende thy lyve !

And

For sodeynly

EVERYMAN. That

fyve,

!

I

O

I

do come.

wretched caytyfe, wheder shall this endles sorowe?

myght scape

than thou go, Ed. against the sense.

170 I flee,

EVERYMAN.

8a

me

Now, gentyll deth, spare That I may amende me With good advysement.

tyll

to

morowe, 175

DETHE. Naye, therto I wyll not consent, Nor no man wyll I respyte, But to the herte sodeynly I shall smyte Without ony advysement.

And now

me

out of thy syght I wyll

180

hy,

Se thou make the redy shortely, For thou mayst saye this is the daye That no man lyvynge may scape awaye. '

EVERYMAN. Alas

Now

may

I

well

wepe with syghes depe,

have I no maner of company,

185

To helpe me in my journey and me to kepe, And also my wrytynge is butt unredy. How shall I do now for to exscuse me? I wolde to God I had never be gete To my soule a full grete profyte it had be, !

For now

The tyme

paynes huge and grete

I fere

passeth,

Lorde helpe that

mourne The day passeth and For though

I

what

I wote not well

To whome What and

it

is

wrought!

avayleth nought.

almoost ago,

for to do.

were I best I to

all

190

!

my

195

complaynt to make?

Felawshyp therof spake,

And shewed hym of this sodeyne chaunce? For in hym is all myne affyaunce;

We

have in the worlde so many a daye

Be good I se

aoo

frendes in sporte and playe.

hym yonder

certaynely,

I trust that

he wyll bere

Therfore to

hym

me company, my

wylt I speke to ese

sorowe.

Well mette, good Felawshyp, and good morowe.

205

\

EVERYMAN. FELAWSHYP

83

speketh.

FELAWSHYP. Everyman, good morowe by Syr,

If

why

me

ony thynge be amysse I praye the That I may helpe to remedy.

EVERYMAN. Ye, good Felawshyp, I

am

this daye.

lokest thou so pyteously? saye,

aio

ye,

in greate jeoparde.

FELAWSHYP.

My

true frende,

shewe

me

to

your mynde,

not forsake the to thy lyves ende, In the way of good company. I wyll

EVERYMAN. That was

well

spoken and lovyngly.

Syr, I must nedes knowe your hevynesse. have pyte to se you in ony dystresse. 217 If ony have you wronged ye shall revenged be, Though I on the grounde be slayne for the,

FELAWSHYP. I

Though that I knowe before that I sholde EVERYMAN. Veryly, Felawshyp, gramercy.

dye.

FELAWSHYP. Tusshe, by thy thankes I set not a Shewe me your grefe and saye no more. EvERYNtAN.

If

Prny

tourne your mynde fro me, 225 comforte whan ye here me speke,

sholde I ten tyfnes soryer be.

FELAWSHYP.

Syr, I saye as I wyll

do

in dede.

EVERYMAN. Than be you a good frende I

strawe,

herte sholde to you breke,

And\han you to And wolda. not me Then

220

at nede,

have founde you true herebefore.

330

FELAWSHYP. And so ye shall evermore, For, in fayth, and thou go to hell I wyll not forsake the

by the waye.

EVERYMAN.

Ye I

speke lyke a good frende, I byleve you shall deserve it, and I maye.

well,

235

EVERYMAN.

84

FELAWSHYP. I speke of no deservynge, .by For he that wyll saye and nothynge do

this daye,

Is not worthy with good company to go. Therfore shewe me the grefe of your mynde

As

to your frende

A

moost lovynge and kynde.

240

shewe you how it is: Commannded I am to go a journaye, longe waye, harde and daungerous,

EVERYMAN.

I shall

And

gyve a strayte counte, without delaye, Before the hye Juge Adonay.

345

Wherfore, I pray you, here me company, As ye have promysed, in this journaye.

FELAWSHYP. That is mater in dede Promyse i&jt and I sholde take suche vyage on me, I knowe it well, it sholde be to my payne; !

Also

it

ftnr

let

make[s]

me

is

duty,

350

aferde, certayne.

we

us take counsell here as well as

For your wordes wolde

fere

can,

a stronge man.

EVERYMAN. Why, ye

sayd, yf I had nede, never forsake, quycke ne deed, were to hell, truely.

Ye wolde me Though

it

FELAWSHYP. So I sayd certaynely, But suche pleasures be set a syde, the sothe to And also, yf we toke suche a journaye,

Whan

sholde

we come agayne?

255

saye,

360

EVERYMAN. Naye, never agayne, tyll the daye of dome. FELAWSHYP. In fayth, than wyll not I come there.

Who

hath you these tydynges brought?

EVERYMAN. In

dede, deth was with

FELAWSHYP. Now, by God If deth

I wyll not

go

is

lyvynge to daye

that lothe journaye,

for the fader that

here.

that all hathe bought,

were the messenger,

For no man that

Not

me

bygate me.

365

EVERYMAN. EVERYMAN. Ye promysed FELAWSHYP.

And

I

wote well

85

other wyse, parde. I

270

say so, truely,

yet yf thou wylte etc

and drynke and make good

chere to women the lusty company, wolde not forsake you, whyle the day

Or haunt I

me

Trust

is

clere,

275

veryly.

EVERYMAN. Ye,

To

therto ye wolde be redy: to myrthe, solas and playe go

Your mynde

Than

wyll soner apply,

to here

me company

in

my

longe journaye.

FELAWSHIP. Now, in good fayth, I wyll not that waye, But and thou wylt murder, or ony man kyll, 281 In that

I wyll

EVERYMAN.

O

helpe the with a good wyll.

that

is

a symple advyse in dede!

Gentyll felawe, helpe me in my necessyte have loved longe, and now I nede

We

;

285

!

And

now, gentyll Felawshyp, remember me.

FELAWSHYP. Wheder ye have loved me or By saynt John I wyll not with the go.

no,

EVERYMAN. Yet

I

pray the, take the labour and do so

moche

To brynge me forwarde, for saynt charyte, And comforte me tyll I come without the

for

me, 290

towne.

FELAWSHYP. Nay, and thou wolde gyve me a newe gowne, I wyll not a fote with the go; ._JBwt and- thou had taryed I wolde not have lefte the And, as now, God spede the in thy journaye, For from the I wyll departe as fast as I maye.

EVERYMAN. Wheder a-waye, felawshyp? FELAWSHYP. Ye, by

my

faye

wyll thou forsake !

To God

I

me?

betake the.

295

EVERYMAN.

86

EVERYMAN. good Fellawshyp

Farewell,

Adewe

!

For the

forever, I shall se the

my

herte

is

sore

no more.

!

300

FELAWSHYP. In

fayth,

For you

Everyman,

EVERYMAN. Alacke,

A

lady

1

helpe

Lo Felawshyp For helpe in

fare well

remembre

I wyll

now

at the ende,

that partynge

is

mournynge.

J

we thus departe in dede without ony more comforte ?

!

shall

me

forsaketh

this

in

my

moost nede 2

.

305

worlde wheder shall I resorte?

me wolde mery make, me dooth he take. men frendes may fynde

Felawshyp here before with lytell sorowe for

And nowe It is

sayd in prosperyte

Whiche

Nowe

in adversyte be full unkynde. whither for socoure shall I flee,

Syth that Felawshyp hath forsaken

To my

men

kynnes

me?

I wyll truely,

Prayenge them to helpe in I

310

my

necessyte.

beleve that they wyll do so,

******

For kynde wyll crepe where

[The 147

lines here omitted are

Fyrst

O

may

summed up

not go.

315 *

in the following speech.]

whome shall I make my mone me in that hevy journaye? Felawshyp sayd he wolde with me gone;

EVERYMAN. For

it

to

to

go with

465

His wordes were very plesaunt and gaye, But afterwarde he lefte me alone.

Than

spak,e I to my.

also \they gave\

kynnesmen a^

me

An[d] They\ lacked no fayre spekynge, But a\J forsake me in\ the endynge. 1

8

From

For 1.

thus, the

305

Ed. reads

we have

in dyspayre,

wordes fayre

;

this.

the help of Pynson's text.

470

EVERYMAN.

87

/

Than wente

I to my Goodes, that I loved best, In hope to have comforte, but there had I leest

For

mV

That

Goodes sharpely dyd me

/he

into hell.

475

was ashamed, my so 1 ,4m worthy to be blamed.

Thatf of

And

many

bryngeth

;

tell

selfe I

my

I well

may Of whome TJ/us

selfe hate.

now

shall I

I thinke that I shall

conseyll take ?

never spede

my Good

Tyll that I go to

480

Dede.

is so weke That she can nother go nor speke. Yet will I venter on her now. My Good Dedes, where be you?

But, alas, she

GOOD DEDES. Here I lye, colde in Thy synnes hath me sore bounde That

I

can nat

EVERYMAN.

vl 485

the grounde,

stere.

O Good

Dedes,

I

stande in great

must you pray of counseyll, For helpe now sholde come ryght

1

fere,

I

GOOD DEDES. Everyman,

I

490 well.

have understandynge

That ye be somoned a counte

to

make

Before Myssyas, of Jherusalem kynge, 494 And you do by me the journay with you wyll I take. EVERYMAN. Therfore I come to you my moone to make. I

praye you that ye wyll go with me.

GOOD DEDES. I

wolde

full

fayne, but I can nat stand veryly.

EVERYMAN. Why,

GOOD DEDES.

is

Ye,

there onythynge on you syr,

I

may thanke you

of

fall ? all.

had parfytely chered me, Your boke of counte nowe full redy had be. Loke, the bokes of your workes and dedes eke If ye

1

0w. Skot.

500

EVERYMAN.

88

Ase howe they

To

lye here

under the

fete,

your soules hevynes.

505

EVERYMAN. Our Lorde Jesus helpe me, For one

letter

here I can nat

se.

GOOD DEDES. There

a blynde reckenynge in tyme of dysrres.

is

EVERYMAN. Good dedes, I praye you helpe me Or elles I am for ever dampned in dede; Therfore helpe me to make my rekenynge Before the Redemer of all thynge, That kynge is, and was, and ever shall.

GOOD DEDES. Everyman, I am sory of your And fayne wolde I helpe you, and I were

in this nede,

510

fall,

able.

515

EVERYMAN.

Good Dedes, your counseyll I pray you gyve me. GOOD DEDES. That shall I do veryly, Thoughe that on my fete I may nat go. I

have a syster that

shall with

you

also,

Called Knowlege, whiche shall with you abyde,

To

helpe you to

make

520

that dredefull rekenynge.

KNOWLEGE. Everyman,

I wyll

go with the and be thy gyde,

In thy moost nede to go by thy syde.

EVERYMAN. In good condycyon I am now in every thynge, 1 holy content with this good thynge

And am

******

Thanked be 2 God my [EVERYMAN

is

taken to CONFESSION and does penance for his

GOOD DEDES. Every man, pylgryme, Blessyd be thou without ende, For the

is

1

my

sins.]

specyall frende,

630

preparate the eternall glorye.

hole, Skot.

525

creatoure.

a

by, Skot.

EVERYMAN.

89

Ye have me made Therfor

hole and sounde, wyll byde by the in every stounde.

I

EVERYMAN.

my Good Dedes

Welcome, I

wepe

KNOWLEGE. Be no more

God

!

Now

I

here thy voyce

for very swetenes of love.

635

sad, but ever rejoyce.

seeth thy lyvynge in his trone above,

Put on

1

this

garment, to thy behove,

Which is wette with your teres, Or elles before God you may it mysse, Whan ye to your journeys ende come shall. EVERYMAN. Gentyll Knowlege, what do you

KNOWLEGE.

It is called

Fro payne

it

wyll

yt call?

the garment of sorowe,

you borowe,

Contrycyon it is, That getteth forgyveness,

He

pleaseth

God

645

passynge

GOOD DEDES. Everyman,

wyll

well.

you were

for

it

your hele?

EVERYMAN. Now blessyd be Jesu, Maryes sone, For nowe have I on true contrycyon, And lette us go now without taryenge. Good Dedes, have we clere our rekenynge?

GOOD DEDES.

Ye, in dede, I have them

EVERYMAN. Than Now,

I trust

we nede not

2

KNOWLEGE

.

650

here.

fere.

frendes, let us not parte in twayne. 3

640

655

Nay, Everyman, that wyll we nat certayne.

GOOD DEDES. Yet must

thou leade

4

with the

Thre persones of grete myght. 1

a * Skot only, rest thy. om. Skot. The editions all assign this line and also 1. 666 to Kynrede, but surely wrongly, since 4 Kynrede left the stage at 1. 366. led, Skot.

H

EVERYMAN.

90 EVERYMAN.

Who

sholde they be?

GOOD DEDES. Dyscrecyon and Strength they And thy Beaute may not abyde behinde.

V

KNOWLEGE. Also ye must call to mynde Your Fyve Wyttes, as for your counseylours.

GOOD DEDES. You must EVERYMAN. Howe ,

660

hyght,

them

call

houres.

all

665

togyder,

they wyll here you incontynent.

EVERYMAN.

My

frendes,

Discrecyon, Strengthe,

BEAUTE. Here

What

come hyder and be

present,

Wyttes and Beaute.

my Fyve

your wyll we be all redy, we shulde do ?

at

670

wyll ye that

GOOD DEDES. That ye wolde with Everyman And helpe him in his pylgrymage. Advyse you, wyll ye with him or not

STRENGTH.

To

all

them hyder?

shall I gette

KNOWLEGE. You must

And

have them redy at

We

his helpe

wyll brynge

hym

all

go,

in that

vyage? 675

thyder

and comforte, ye may byleve me.

DYSCRECYON. So

wyll

we go with hym

all

the last Sacrament

togyder.

:]

FYVE WITHES. Peas, (or yonder I see Everyman come Whiche ftath made trewe satysfaccyon.

GOOD DEDES. Me

^/

thyn^Qi

it

is

EVERYMAN. Now Jesu be our l I

he.

indede.

alder spede

have receyved the sacrament for than myne extreme unccyon.

my

770 !

redempcyon,

And

Blessyd be

And now

all

they that counseyled me to take it go without longer respyte. !

frendes, let us 1

your, Skot.

EVERYMAN. I

God that ye have taryed so longe. eche of you on this rodde his honde, shortely folowe me.

thanke

Now And I

91 776

set

go before there I wolde be. our 1 gyde!

God be

780

STRENGTHS. Everyman, we will nat fro you Tyll ye have gone this vyage longe.

DVSCRECYON.

go,

Dyscrecyon, wyll byde by you

I,

also.

KNOWLEGE.

And though I wyll

this

pylgrymage be never so stronge

never parte you

fro.

785

STRENGTH. Everyman, I will be as sure by the As ever I was 2 by Judas Machabe.

EVERYMAN.

My

Alas, I

am

lymmes under

Frendes,

let

so faynt I

me

may

us nat tourne agayne to this lande,

Nat for all the worldes golde, For into this cave must I crepe, And torne to the erthe, and there BEAUTE. What

not stande,

doth folde. 790

slepe*.

in to this grave, alas

!

EVERYMAN. Ye, there shall we consume, more and lesse

BEAUTE.

And

what, sholde

!

795

smoder here

I

EVERYMAN. Ye, be my fayth, and never more appere! In this worlde lyve no more we shall, But

in

BEAUTE. I take

heven before the hyest lorde of I crosse

my

out

cappe

4

all

in

this

my

!

adewe by saynt Johan and am gone. 801 1

lappe,

EVERYMAN. What, Beaute, whyder 1

your, Skot. to slepe, Skot.

Beauty, and

11.

a

3

dyd, Skol.

Mr. Hazlitt assigns 794, 796 to

wyll

2

ye?

And

this line

Everyman.

H

v/

all.

4

tourne to erth and there and the next but one to

cappe, Skot only, rest tappe.

EVERYMAN.

92

BEAUTE. Peas! I am defe, I loke not behynde me, Nat and thou woldest gyve me all the golde in thy chest.

EVERYMAN. Alas Beaute gothe

wherto

!

may fro

fast

I

truste ?

805

me.

awaye She promysecf with me to lyve and dye.

STRENGTH. Everyman,

Thy game EVERYMAN.

lyketh

Why

Swete Strength,

STRENGTH. Nay, I wyll

hye

and denye,

I wyll the also forsake

me

nat at

all.

than ye wyll forsake * tarry a lytel space

me

810

alll

!

by the rode of grace, from the fast,

syr,

me

2

Though thou wepe till thy hert brast. EVERYMAN. Ye wolde ever byde by me, ye STRENGTH. Ye,

I

have you

ferre

sayd.

815

ynoughe conveyed.

Ye be

olde ynoughe, I understande, Your pylgrymage to take on hand. I

repent

me

EVERYMAN.

that I hyder came.

Strengthe, you to dysplease I 3 is dette, this ye well wot

Yet promyse

STRENGTH. In

fayth, as for that

4

am

821

care not

I

to blame,

.

!

Thou arte but a foole to complayne, You spende your speche and wast your brayne

Go

6

thryst

EVERYMAN. But

I

the into the grounde

!

had wende surer I sholde you have founde, 6 he that trusteth in his strength

I se well

She hym deceyveth 7 at the length, For Strength and Beaute forsaketh me, Yet they promysed me fayre and lovyngly 8 1

Strength, tary I pray herte to brast, Skot, *

the rime), Skot. *

om. Skot.

Pynson,

7

you a

830

.

*

Pynson. wepe to thy Wyll ye breke promyse that is dette (losing B as for that, om. Skot. trusse, Pynson. lytell space,

3

Is greatly disceyved,

Pynson.

*

stedfast to be,

EVERYMAN. DISCRETION. Everyman,

As

for

me,

wyll after Strengthe

I

I wyll leve

you

be gone;

alone.

EVERYMAN. Why, Dyscrecyon,

wyll ye forsake

1

DYSCRECYON. Ye, in good fayth, For whan Strength goth before I

93

I wyll

me?

fro the,

go

835

folowe after ever more.

EVERYMAN. Yet I pray the, for love of Loke in my grave ones pyteously. DYSCRECYON. Nay, so nye wyll

Now

farewell, fellowes

O

EVERYMAN.

all

I not

the Trynyte,

come

!

2

840

everychone.

,

thynge fayleth save

God

alone,

Beaute, Strengthe and Dyscrecyon;

For whan Deth bloweth

They

renne

all

fro

me

his blast

full fast.

FYVE WYTTES. Everyman, my I wyll

EVERYMAN. For

now

of the I take,

I

846

Alas, then may I wayle and wepe, toke you for my best frende.

FYVE WYTTES.

Now

leve

folowe the other, for here I the forsake.

O

EVERYMAN.

GOOD DEDES.

no lenger the kepe, and there an ende.

I wyll

farewell,

Jesu helpe

:

all

Nay, Everyman,

850

hath forsaken me. I wyll

byde with

the,

wyll not forsake the in dede, Thou shalte fynde me a good frende at nede. I

EVERYMAN. Gramercy, Good Dedes, now may I true frendes se; They have forsaken me everychone; I

loved them better than

Knowlege, wyll ye forsake 1

om. Skot.

my Good Dedes me also? om. Shot.

alone.

855

EVERYMAN.

94

KNOWLEGE. Ye, Everyman, when ye But not yet

for

to

EVERYMAN. Gramercy, Knowlege, with

KNOWLEGE. Nay,

yet I will not

where ye

Tyll I se

shall

my tyme

I se

is

my

all

I

must be gone

dettes paye,

865

nye spent awaye.

my Good Dedes

GOOD DEDES.

herte.

from hens departe,

all ye that this do here or they that I love best do forsake me,

Excepte

go,

860

Take example,

How

shall

be come.

EVERYMAN. Me thynke, alas, that To make my rekenynge and my For

Deth

no maner of daunger.

se,

that bydeth truely.

All erthly thynges

is

but vanyte,

870

Beaute, Strength and Dyscrecyon do man forsake, Folysshe frendes and kynnes men that fayre spake, All fleeth save Good Dedes, and that am I.

EVERYMAN. Have mercy on me, God moost myghty, And stande by me, thou moder and mayde, holy Mary.

GOOD DEDES.

Fere not, I wyll speke for the.

EVERYMAN. Here

GOOD DEDES.

I crye,

God

876

mercy.

Shorte our ende and mynyshe our payne,

Let us go and never come agayne.

EVERYMAN. Into thy handes, Receyve

it,

lorde, that

lorde,

it

my

soule I

be nat loste

commende.

!

88 1

As thou me

And That

boughtest, so me defende, save me fro the fendes boost, I

may appere

with that blessyd hoost

That shall be saved at the day of dome. In manus tuas, of myghtes moost, For ever commendo spiritum meum.

885

EVERYMAN. KNOWLEGE. Nowe hath he suffred The good dedes shall make all Now hath he made endynge,

Me

thynketh that

I

that

Here above thou

we

all

shall

endure

;

sure.

890

here aungelles synge,

And make grete joy and melody, Where every mannes soule receyved

THE AUNGELL. Come

95

shall be.

excellente electe spouse to Jesu shalte go,

!

895

Bycause of thy synguler vertue.

Now

the soule

Thy rekenynge

Now

is

is

taken the body fro

crystall clere;

shalte thou into the hevenly spere,

Unto the whiche

all

ye shall come

900

That lyveth well before the daye of dome.

DOCTOUR. This morall l men may have in mynde Ye herers take it of worth, olde and yonge,

:

And forsake Pryde, for he disceyveth you in the ende, And remembre Beaute, Five Wyttes, Strength and Dyscrecyon,

905

do Everyman forsake, Save his Good Dedes there doth he take. But beware, and they be small, Before God he hath no helpe at all.

They

all

at the last

None excuse may be there for Everyman howe shall he do than ?

Alas

1

910

!

For after dethe amendes may no man make, For than mercy and pyte doth hym forsake, If his rekenynge be not clere when he doth come, God wyll saye Ite maledicti in ignem etemum. 915 And he that hath his accounte hole and sounde Hye in heven he shall be crounde, Unto whiche place God brynge us all thyder That we may lyve body and soule togyder! 1

mcmoryall, Pynson.

EVERYMAN.

96

Therto helpe the Trinyte

Amen, saye

!

ye, for saynt charyte!

FINIS.

Thus endeth

C

this morall playe of every

Imprynted

at

London

me

chyrche yarde by John Skot-

1

41-

Imprynted at London

in Flete Strete

yrynter to the kynges moost noble grace.

man

in Poules

|

by me Rycharde Pynson

3lnterluae

of

tfje

jFout (Elements.

THE MESSENGER. Thaboundant

grace of the power devyne,

Whiche doth illumyne the world invyron, Preserve this audyence and cause them to inclyne

To

charyte, this

is

my

petycyon

;

For by your pacyens and supportacyon A lytyll interlude, late made and preparyd, Before your presence here shall be declaryd,

5

Whiche of a few conclusyons

is contrivyd, of poyntes phylosophy naturall ; But though the matter be not so well declaryd As a great clerke coude do, nor so substancyall,

And

10

Yet the auctour hereof requiryth you all, 1 Though he be ygnorant and can lytyll skyll, ,

To

regarde his only intent and good wyll, Whiche in his mynde hath oft tymes ponderyd, What nombre of bokes in our tonge maternall

Of

15

toyes and tryfellys be made and impryntyd, few of them of matter substancyall ;

And

For though many make bokes, yet unneth ye shall 20 In our Englyshe tonge fynde any warkes

Of connynge, The Grekes,

that

regardyd by clerkes. many other mo, In their moder tonge wrot warkes excellent.

Than

is

the Romayns, with

yf clerkes in this realme wolde take payn so, 1

yngnorant, Text.

INTERLUDE OF THE FOUR ELEMENTS.

98

Consyderyng that our tonge is now suffycyent any hard sentence evydent,

25

To expoun

yf they wolde, in our Englyshe tonge Wryte workys of gravyte' somtyme amonge ;

They myght,

For dyvers prengnaunt wyttes be

in this lande,

As well of noble men as of meane estate, Whiche nothynge but Englyshe can understande. Than yf connynge Laten bokys were translate

30

Into Englyshe, wel correct and approbate, All subtell sciens in Englyshe myght be lernyd, As well as other people in their owne tonges dyd.

But now so

it

Many one

is

35

that in our Englyshe tonge

there

is,

For his pleasure wyll

and wryte,

that can but rede oft

presume amonge bokys to compyle and balates to indyte, Some of love or other matter, not worth a myte 40

New

:

Some Some

to opteyn favour wyll flatter

glose,

wryte curyous termes nothyng to purpose.

Thus every man Wyll wryte

Be

and

after his fantesye

his conseyte,

be

it

never so rude,

vertuous, vycyous, wysedome or foly Wherfore to my purpose thus I conclude, it

Why

45

;

shold not than the auctour of this interlude

Utter his owne fantesy and conseyte also, As well as dyvers other now a dayes do.

[After the Messenger's speech there enter Natura Naturata (created Nature discourses 'of Nature), Humanity and Studious Desire.

the situation, of the four elements, that water, the air and

fire,

and of

is

their qualities

to say, the earth, the

and

properties,

and of

the generation and corruption of things made of the commixtion of them,' Humanity thanks her humbly and is left in the hands of

Studious Desire for further instruction.]

STUDYOUS DESIRE. Now, Humanyte,

The connynge

call to your memory poyntes that Nature hath declaryd,

INTERLUDE OF THE FOUR ELEMENTS. And though he Of

99

have shewed dyvers pointes and many

the elementis so wondersly formed,

Yet many other causys there are wolde be lernyd,

As Here As

to

knowe

the generacyon of thynges

in the yerth,

how

herbys, plantys,

HUMANYTE.

330

all

they be ingendryd, well-sprynges, ston and metall.

Those thynges

to

knowe

for

me

be

full

expedient, But yet in those poyntes which Nature late shewyd me, 336 My mynde in them as yet is not content, I can no maner wyse parceyve nor see, Nor prove by reason why the yerth sholde be In the myddes of the fyrmament hengyng so small,

For

And

the yerth with the water to be rounde withall. 340

Methynkyth myselfe as to some of those pointes I coude gyve a suffycyent solucyon ; For, furst of all, thou must nedys graunt this, That the yerth is so depe and botom hath non, Or els there is some grose thyng hit stondyth upon,

STUDYOUS DESIRE.

Or

hangyth, thou must nedes consent, myddes of the fyrmament.

els that it

Evyn

in the

346

HUMANYTE. What than? go forth with thyne argument. STUDYOUS DESIRE. Than marke well, in the day or in a wynters nyght,

The

sone,

In the est

And And Within

To

and mone, and sterris celestyall, do apere to thy syght in the west they do downe fall,

after

agayne xxiiij.

in the

morowe, next of

houres they be

come

all,

just

the est pointes again, where thou sawist them of endles depnes,

Than yf the erthe shulde be Or shulde stande upon any It

350

furst they

other grose thynge,

shulde be an impedyment, dowtles,

furst.

356

100

INTERLUDE OF THE FOUR ELEMENTS. To

the sone,

mone and stems

in theyr

movynge,

They shulde not so in the est agayne sprynge. Therfore in reason it semyth moste convenyent 360 The yerth to hange in the myddes of the fyrmament.

HUM. Thyne argument

in that

poynt doth

me

confounde,

That thou hast made, but yet it provytht not ryght That the yerth by reason shulde be rounde ; For though the fyrmament with his sterris bryght 365 Compas aboute the yerth eche day and nyght, Yet the yerthe may be playne, peradventure, Quadrant, triangle, or some other fygure.

STUDYOUS DESYRE. That prove the, Because the

it

cannot be playne

sterris that aryse in

Appere more soner

to

them

I shall well

the oryent

370

that there be,

Than to the other dwellynge in the Occident. The eclypse is therof a playne experymente, Of the sone or mone, which, whane it doth fall, never one tyme of the day in placys all; Yet the eclyps generally is alwaye In the hole worlde as one tyme beynge; Is

But whan we that dwell here see

They

in the west partis see

And they And why

it

in the

it

in the

375

mydday,

mornynge,

in the est beholde

that sholde

But onely by reason

it in the 380 evenyng; be so no cause can be found,

that the yerthe

is

rownde.

HUMANYTE. That reason proveth the yerth at the One wayes to be rownde I cannot gaynesay, As for to accompt from the est to the west ;

But

yet,

not withstondynge

all

that,

it

lest

385

may

Lese hys rowndenesse by some other waye.

STUDYOUS DESYRE. Na, no dowte yt is rownde everywhere, Whiche I coulde prove thou shouldest not say nay, Yf I had therto any tyme and leser; 390

INTERLUDE OF THE FOUR ELEMENTS.

101

I knowe a man callyd Experyens, Of dyvers instrumentys is never without, Cowde prove all these poyntys, and yet by his scyens Can tell how many myle the erthe is abowte,

But

And many Hys

other straunge conclusions no dowte instrumentys cowde shew them so certayn

That every rude

Now

Hu.

wolde to

God

I

Yf ye

And

wyll,

brynge

Hu. Then myght STU.

I

my mynde

hym

heder yf

I

by God

that

!

400

enquere,

can

hym

me

ye were to

I say

shall assay,

I

shall for

hym

playn.

had that man now here

For the contembtacyon of STU.

them persayve

carter shold

395

me

fynde.

ryght kynde.

dere bought,

*******

For cunnyng

is

the thynge that wolde be sought.

SENSUAL APPETYTE. Aha It is

even

!

now god

the, knave, that I

evyn,

fole,

mene.

god evyn

!

408

Hast thou done thy babelyng? STU.

Ye, peradventure, what then?

SEN.

Than hold downe take

my

410

thy hede lyke a prety man, and

blyssyng.

I graunt to the this pardon, gyve the absolucion For thy soth saws; stande up, Jackdaw

Benedicite

!

And

I

I

beschrew thy faders sone.

Make rome,

and

415

us be mery, With huffa galand, synge tyrll on the bery, And let the wyde worlde wynde!

Synge fry ska For I se wel

syrs,

joly, it

is

with hey troly but a foly

For to have a sad For rather than

To

I

let

mynd

loly,

wolde use suche

pray, to study, or

420

:

be pope-holy

foly,

INTERLUDE OF THE FOUR ELEMENTS.

102 I

had

as lyf be ded.

[Jupiter] I tell you trew speke as I thynke now, else I

By I

425

!

Evyn my next

felowes bed

beshrew

!

Master Humanyte", syr, be your I were ryght loth you to greve,

leve,

Though I do hym dyspyse; For yf ye knewe hym as well as Ye wolde not use his company, Nor love hym

Hu.

in

430 I,

no wyse.

he looketh lyke an honest man,

Syr,

Therfore I merveyll that ye can This wyse hym deprave.

435

SEN. Though he loke never so well, I promyse you he hath a shrewde smell.

Hu. Why so?

I

prey you

tell.

SEN. For he saveryth lyke a knave.

440

syr, ye mistake me trowe, that ye wolde make me

STU. Holde your pease,

What!

I

Lyke SEN.

to

Harke,

He

calleth

1

one of your kyn. syrs,

me

here ye not

how

boldly

knave agayne by polycy?

The

445

devyll pull of his skyn I wolde he were hangyd by the throte, !

For, by the messe, I love

We

two can never agre

I am content, syr, And I am for you Ye can not lyve

Hu. Why, SEN.

syr,

I

say,

hym

not,

;

with you to tary,

450

so necessary,

without me.

what man be ye?

I am callyd Sensuall Appetyte, All craturs in me delyte

455

INTERLUDE OF THE FOUR ELEMENTS. comforte the wyttys

I

The I

tastyng, smelly ng,

refresh the syght

To

all

103

fyve,

and herynge

j

and felynge

creaturs alyve.

For whan the body wexith hongry, For lacke of fode, or ellys thursty,

460

Than

with drynkes pleasaund hym out of payne, oft refresshe nature agayne

I restore

And

With delycate vyand. With plesaunde sounde of armonye

The herynge alwaye

465

I satysfy,

I dare this well reporte;

The smellynge with swete odour, And the syght with plesaunte fygour And colours I comforte; The felynge, that is so plesaunte, Of every member, fote or hande, What pleasure therin can be By Of

the towchynge of soft and harde, hote or cold, nought in regarde,

Excepte

Hu. Than

And Ye,

it

475

come by me.

cannot see the contrary,

I

But ye are

STU.

470

for

me

full

necessary,

480

ryght convenyent.

syr,

what ye do,

beware, yet,

For yf you forsake my companye so, Lorde Nature wyll not be contente.

Of hym

ye shall never lerne good thyng,

Nother vertu, nor no other connynge, This dare I well say. SEN.

I the defye Mary, avaunt, knave Dyde Nature forbyde hym my company What sayst thou therto? Speke openly. !

485

!

?

104

INTERLUDE OF THE FOUR ELEMENTS.

Hu. As SEN.

for that I

well nay.

490

I am ryght sure ; No, by [Jove] For he knoweth well no creature !

Without

Hu.

know

me

can lyve one day.

Syr, I pray you, It is

not utterly

Your company

be contente,

myne

intente

to exyle

495

;

But onely to have communycacyon a pastyme of recreacyon With this man for a whyle.

And

Sxu.

Well, for your pleasure I wyll departe.

Hu. Now The SEN.

500

go I beshrew thy hart sende the forwarde devyll go, knave,

!

!

Now, by my trouth, I mervell gretly That ever ye wolde use the company So myche of suche a knave ; For yf ye do non other thynge, But ever study and to be musynge, As he wolde have you, it wyll you brynge At the last unto your grave

505

!

Ye

shulde ever study pryncypall For to comfort your lyfe naturall

510

With metis and drynkes dilycate, other pastymes and pleasures amonge,

And

Daunsynge, laughynge, or plesaunt songe; This is mete for your estate.

515

Hu. Because ye sey so, I you promyse That I have musyd and studyed such wyse,

Me thynketh my wyttes wery; My nature desyreth some refresshynge, And

also I have

That

I

ben so longe

am somwhat

hongry.

fastynge,

520

INTERLUDE OF THE FOUR ELEMENTS. SEN.

105

Well than, wyll ye go with me taverne, where ye shall se

To a Good

pastaunce, and at your lyberte so ever ye wyll ?

Have what Hu.

I

am

Yf

525

content so for to do,

me go me company styll.

that ye wyll not fro

But kepe

SEN. Company, quod a? ye, that

I shall,

poynt devyse,

And also do you good and trew servyce, And therto I plyght my trouthe! And yf that I ever forsake you, I pray God the devyl take you

530

I

Hu. SEN.

Mary, I thanke you for that othe!

A

myschyfe on

it

!

my

tonge, loo,

535

Wyll tryp somtyme, whatsoever I do, But ye wot what I mene well.

Hu. Ye, no

force

let this

!

matter passe

;

But seydest evin now thou knewyst where was

A

good taverne

Where

is

to

that?

make

solas?

I prey the

540

tell.

SEN. Mary, at the dore evyn hereby;

Yf we The Hu.

I

call

any thynge on hye,

taverner wyll answere.

prey the, than,

SEN. Mary,

Why

I

wyll

!

call for

How,

hym nowe.

taverner,

doste thou not appere?

how

1

545

'0

Mtgnyfycence

|

A

s^agtipfpcence,

goodly interlude and -a mery Devysed and made Mayster Skelton, Poet Laureate. |

by

|

Here FANCY cometh

MAGN. What tydynges with FAN.

in.

you, syr,

you loke so

that

sad?

1868

When

ye knowe that I knowe, ye wyll not be glad

FOL. What, brother braynsyke,

MAGN. Ye, The case

be thy

let

japes,

how

and

fares t

tell

thou

?

1870

me howe

requyreth.

FAN. Alasse, alasse, an hevy metynge! I wolde tell you, and yf I myght for wepynge. FOL.

What

!

Fare well

is

all

your myrthe nowe tourned to sorowe ?

sone, adue

tyll

tyll

to

morowe.

Here goth FOLYE away.

MAGN.

I pray the, Largesse, let

FAN. Alasse,

Ye

syr,

be thy sobbynge.

ye are undone with stelyngand robbynge!

sent us a supervysour for to take hede

:

Take hede of your selfe, for nowe ye have nede. MAGN. What hath Sadnesse begyled me so ?

1880

!

FAN. Nay, madnesse hath begyled you and many mo; For Lyberte is gone and also Felycyte.

MAGN. Gone ?

Alasse, ye have

undone me

!

SKELTON'S MAGNYFYCENCE. FAN. Nay, he that ye sent

And And And Or

us,

\oy

Clokyd Colusyon,

your payntyd Pleasure, Courtly Abusyon, your demenour with Counterfet Countenaunce,

your survayour, Crafty Conveyaunce, we were ware brought us in adversyte

ever

And had robbyd you

quyte from

all

1890

felycyte.

Largesse that I have usyd?

MAGN. Why,

is

FAN. Nay,

was your fondnesse that ye have usyd.

it

MAGN. And

is

this the

credence that

this the

I

gave to the letter?

FAN. Why, coulde not your wyt serve you no better?

MAGN. Why, who wolde have thought FAN. What

And

Yes, by the rode,

?

That you

trustyd,

Foly,

my

broder, that

Here cometh

MAGN.

Alas,

who

FAN. Adewe,

MAGN. Lorde,

1

is

I all this

whyle

my name;

ADVERSYTE.

is

come

in his clokys.

flesshe trymblyth

nowe

for

1900

drede

and spoylyd from and rayment.

beten downe,

goodys

ADVER.

was

yonder, that grymly lokys?

my

Here MAGNYFYCENCE

is

made you moche game.

in

for I wyll not

so

syr, it

and Fansy

you suche gyle?

in

!

all his

am

Adversyte, that for thy mysdede sent to quyte the thy mede, Vyle velyarde, thou must not nowe my dynt withstande, Thou must not abyde the dynt of my hande I

From God am

:

Ly there, losell, for all thy pompe and pryde; Thy pleasure now with payne and trouble shalbe The stroke of God, Adversyte, I hyght; I pluke downe kynge, prynce, lorde and knyght, 1

'

why.' Text. I

2

tryde.

SKELTON'S MAGNYFYCENCE.

108 I

rushe at them rughly, and

And

in theyr

Thys

moste

was a

losyll

truste I

lorde,

make them make them

and lyvyd

ly full lowe,

overthrowe.

at his lust,

1912

And

nowe, lyke a lurden, he lyeth in the dust: He knewe not hymselfe, his harte was so hye; Now is ther no man that wyll set by hym a flye

:

He

was wonte to boste, brage and to brace; Nowe dare he not for shame loke one in the face All worldly welth for

hym

was; Nowe hath he ryght nought, naked as an asse. Somlyme without measure he trusted in golde,

And now

:

to lytell

without mesure he shall

1920

have hunger and

colde.

thus I handell them all That folowe theyr fansyes in foly to Man or woman, of what estate they

Lo,

syrs,

I counsayle

Of

fall:

be,

them beware of Adversyte.

sorowfull servauntes I have

many

scores:

vysyte them somtyme with blaynes and with sores; With botches and carbuckyls in care I them knyt; With the gowte I make them to grone where they syt Some I make lyppers and lazars full horse; 1930 And from that they love best some I devorse; Some with the marmoll to halte I them make; And some to cry out of the bone ake; And some I vysyte with brennynge of fyre ; Of some I wrynge of the necke lyke a wyre; And some I make in a rope to totter and waiter; And some for to hange themselfe in an halter; And some I vysyte to batayle, warre and murther, I

;

And make eche man to sle other; To drowne or to sle themselfe with a And all is for theyr ungracyous lyfe.

knyfe;

Yet somtyme I stryke where is none offence, Bycause I wolde prove men of theyr pacyence.

1940

SKELTON'S MAGNYFYCENCE. But nowe a dayes to stryke Lydderyns so lytell set by

I

109

have grete cause,

Goddes

lawes.

Faders and moders that be neclygent, And suffre theyr chyldren to have theyr entent, To guyde them vertuously that wyll not remembre, or theyr chyldren, ofte tymes I dysmembre; Theyr chyldren, bycause that they have no mekenesse; I vysyte theyr faders and moders with sekenesse; 1951

Them,

And yf I se therby that Then myschefe sodaynly

they wyll not amende,

them sende; nothynge that more dyspleseth Than from theyr chyldren to spare the rod For there

I

is

God

Of correccyon, but let them have theyr wyll; Some I make lame, and some I do kyll; And some 1 I stryke with a franesy; Of some of theyr chyldren I stryke out the eye And where the fader by wysdom worshyp hath wonne, ;

I sende ofte tymes a fole to his sonne. Wherfore of Adversyte loke ye be ware, For when I come, comyth sorowe and care: For I stryke lordys of realmes and landys,

1961

That rule not by mesure that they have in theyr handys, That sadly rule not theyr howsholde men. I am Goddys preposytour, I prynt them with a pen; Because of theyr neglygence and of theyr wanton vagys, I vysyte them and stryke them with many To take, syrs, example of that I you tell, And beware of Adversyte by my counsell,

sore plagys. 1970

Take hede of this caytyfe that lyeth here on grounde; Beholde, howe Fortune of hym hath frounde For though we shewe you this in game and play, !

Yet

it

proveth eyrnest, ye may se, every day. I from this caytyfe go,

For nowe wyll

And

take myscheffe and vengeaunce of other 1

syme, Text.

mo

SK'ELTON'S MAGNYFYCENCE.

110

That hath deservyd it as well as he. Howe, where art thou? come hether, Poverte;

Take

this caytyfe to thy lore.

Here cometh POVER. A,

my

1980

POVERTE.

in

be sore;

my lymmys

bonys ake,

Alasse, I have the cyataca full evyll in my hyppe Alasse, where is youth that was wont for to skyppe !

I

am

My I I I

colour

am am am

and unlykynge, and

lowsy, is

tawny, colouryd as a turffe:

Poverte, that all men doth hate, baytyd with doggys at every mannys gate; raggyd and rent, as ye may se;

Full fewe but they have envy at me. No we must I this carcasse lyft up

1990

:

He

?

of scurffe,

full

dynyd with delyte, with Poverte he must sup.

Ryse

up, syr,

and welcom unto me.

Hie accedat ad levandum MAGNYFYCENCE

et locabit

eum super

locum stratum.

MAGN.

Alasse,

where

is

nowe my golde and

Alasse, I say, where to

am

I

fe?

brought?

Alasse, alasse, alasse, I dye for thought

!

wolde have bene thought on before: POVER. Syr, He woteth not what welth is that never was sore. all this

MAGN. I

that ever I sholde be brought in this snare never to have knowen of care. ones wenyd

Fy,

fy,

POVER. Lo, suche

is

this

worlde

In -welth to beware, and that

MAGN. In

I

fynde

it

wryt,

wyt.

welth to beware, yf I had had grace,

Never had

I

bene brought

POVER. Nowe, syth All that

!

is

God

it

wyll

in this case.

non other

sendeth, take

it

be,

in gre;

!

2000

SKELTON'S MAGNYFYCENCE.

ill

For, thoughe you were somtyme a noble estate, Nowe must you lerne to begge at every mannes gate.

MAGN.

Alasse, that ever I sholde be so

shamed

!

Magnyfycence was named Alasse, that ever I was so harde happed, In mysery and wretchydnesse thus to be lapped Alasse, that ever I

POVER. Ye,

And

2010 !

my

coude not myselfe no better gyde! cradell that I had not dyde!

syr,

ye, leve all this rage,

Alasse, that I Alasse, in

!

pray to

It is foly to

God

your sorowes to asswage

grudge

:

agaynst- his vysytacyon.

With harte contryte make your supplycacyon Unto your Maker, that made both you and me And, whan it pleaseth God, better may be.

MAGN.

Alasse, I wote not what I sholde pray

POVER. Remembre you better, syr, beware what ye For drede ye dysplease the hygh deyte. Put your wyll to his wyll, for surely it is he

That may

restore

you agayne

2020

!

say,

to felycyte,

And

brynge you agayne out of adversyte. Therfore poverte loke pacyently ye take, And remembre he suffered moche more for your sake, Howe be it of all synne he was innocent,

And MAGN.

ye have deserved this punysshment. Alasse, with colde

my lymmes

shall

2029

be marde

!

POVER. Ye, syr, nowe must ye lerne to lye harde, That was wonte to lye on fetherbeddes of downe; Nowe must your fete lye hyer than your crowne :

Where you were wonte to have cawdels for your hede, Nowe must you monche mamockes and lumpes brede

of

;

And where you had chaunges of Nowe lap you in a coverlet, full

ryche aray, fayne that you

may;

SKELTON'S MAGNYFYCENCE. And where that ye were pomped with what that ye Nowe must ye suffre bothe hunger and colde:

wolde,

With courtely sylkes 1 ye were wonte to be drawe ; 2040 Nowe must ye lerne to lye on the strawe; Your skynne that was wrapped in shertes of Raynes, Nowe must ye be storm ybeten with showres and raynes Your hede that was wonte to be happed moost drowpy and drowsy, Now shal ye be scabbed, scurvy and lowsy.

;

MAGN. Fye on

this worlde, full of trechery,

That ever noblenesse sholde lyve thus wretchydly! POVER.

remembre

Syr,

the tourne of Fortunes whele,

That wantonly can wynke, and wynche with her

Nowe

hele.

she wyll laughe; forthwith she will frowne; 2050

Sodenly set up, and sodenly pluckyd downe:

She dawnsyth varyaunce with mutabylyte;

Nowe

all in

welth, forthwith in poverte

:

In her promyse there is no sykernesse; All her delyte is set in doublenesse.

MAGN.

Alas, of Fortune I

may

well

complayne

!

POVER. Ye, syr, yesterday wyll not be callyd agayne: But yet, syr, nowe in this case,

Take it mekely, and thanke God of his grace ; For nowe go I wyll begge for you some mete; It is foly

I wyll

agaynst

God

2060

for to plete;

walke nowe with

And happe you

my beggers baggys, the whyles with these homly raggys.

Discedendo* dicat ista verba. A, howe Better it

my lymmys is

to

be lyther and lame

!

begge than to be hangyd with shame,

Yet many had lever hangyd to be, 1

With

cutteyns of sylke, Cambridge copy,

*

Difidendo, Text

SK ELTON'S MAGNYFYCENCE. Then

113

begge theyr mete for charyte: They thynke it no shame to robbe and stele, Yet were they better to begge a great dele; for to

For by robbynge they rynne to in manus tuas quecke, But beggynge is better medecyne for the necke; 2071 is it ; ye, so mote I goo Lorde God, howe the gowte wryngeth

Ye, mary,

A

:

me by

the too

!

patuonet anD jfme,

t&e

tfre

A

mery playe betwene the pardoner and

the frere the

curate and

neybour Pratte.

THE FRERE. Deus Preserve

all

that

the Holy Trynyte, nowe here be

hie,

!

Dere bretherne, yf ye wyll consyder

The cause why I am come hyder, Ye wolde be glad to knowe my intent. For I com not hyther for monye nor for rent, I com not hyther for meate nor for meale, But I com hyther for your soules heale, I com not hyther to poll nor to shave, I com not hyther to begge nor to crave, I com not hyther to glose nor to flatter, I com not hyther to bable nor to clatter, I com not hyther to fable nor to lye, But I com hyther you[r]e soules to edyfye

5

10

!

For we

freres are

bounde the people

to teche,

15

The As

To

gospell of Chryst openly to preche, dyd the appostels, by Chryst theyr mayster sent turne the people and make them to repent.

But syth the appostels

fro

heven wolde not come,

We freres now must occupy theyr rome. We freres are bounde to serche mennes conscyens, We may not care for grotes nor for pens,

20

THE PARDONER AND THE FRERE. We

freres

No

115

have professed wylfull poverte, our purse have may we,

in

peny Knyfe nor

staffe

may we none

25

cary,

Excepte we shulde from the gospell vary. For worldly adversyte may we be in no sorowe, We may not care to day for our meate to-morowe Bare fote and bare legged must we go We may not care for frost nor snowe ;

;

also,

30

We may

have no maner care, ne thynke, Nother for our meate nor for our drynke,

But

our thoughtes fro suche thynges be as free the byrdes that in the ayre flee; For why our lorde, clyped swete Jesus, 35 In the gospell speketh to us thus let

As be

:

the worlde go ye, sayth he, to every creature speke ye of me,

Through

all

And And shew of my doctryne and connynge; And that they may be glad of your comynge, Yf that you enter in any hous any where, Loke that ye salute them and byd my peas be And yf that house be worthy and electe, Thylke peace there than shall take effecte And yf that hous be cursyd or parvert, Thylke peace than

And

there;

;

your selfe revert furthermore yf any suche there be,

Which do deny

40

shall to

45 ;

for to receyve ye,

And do

dyspyse your doctryne and your At suche a house tary ye no more,

And from your shoes To theyr reprefe, and

lore,

50

scrape away the dust, I, bothe trew and just,

Shall vengeaunce take of theyr synfull dede.

Wherfore,

my

frendes, to this text take ye hede,

Beware how ye despyse the pore

Which

freres,

ar in this worlde Crystes mynysters;

But do them with an harty chere receyve,

55

JOHN HEY WOOD.

Il6

Leste they happen your houses for to leve, than God wyll take vengeaunce in his yre. Wherfore I now, that am a pore frere,

And

Dyd enquere

w[h]ere any people were,

Which were dysposyd the worde of God And, as I cam hether, one dyd me tell That

to here

;

towne ryght good folke dyd dwell, word of God wolde be glad;

in this

Which

60

to here the

65

And

as sone as I therof knplege had, I hyder hyed me as fast as I myght,

Entendyd by the grace of God almyght, your pacyens and supportacyon, Here to make a symple colacyon.

And by

Wherfore

I

requyre

all

ye in

70

this prese[nce]

For to abyde and gyve dew audyence. But, fyrst of

all,

Now here I shall To God my prayer To gyve ye grace

make,

75

All in thys place

His doctryne

And than the to

kneleth

for to take.

downe

the frere sayenge his prayers

meane whyle entreth

declare

what

the pardoner

and

in

with all his relyques

of them ben and the hole power and

eche

vertu thereof.

THE PARDONER. God and

saynt

Leonarde sende ye

all

his grace,

As many as ben assembled in this place Good devoute people that here do assemble, I pray [God] that ye may all well resemble The ymage after whiche you are wrought, !

1

And

that ye save that Chryst in 1

Good, Text.

you bought

80

THE PARDONER AND THE FRERE. Devoute Chrysten people, ye That I am comen hyther ye Wherfore let us pray thus or

to vysytte,

Our savyoure

from synne,

And

preserve ye

all

117

shall all wytte

I

85

begynne;

enable ye to receyve this blessed pardon, is the greatest under the son,

Whiche

90

Graunted by the pope in his bulles under lede, Whiche pardon ye shall fynde whan ye are dede, That offereth outher grotes or els pens

To

these holy relyques whiche, or I go hens, here shewe in open audyence,

I shall

Exortynge ye

all

do

to

to

95

them reverence.

first ye shall knowe well that I com fro Rome, Lo here my bulles, all and some, Our lyege lorde[s] scale, here on my patent,

But

I bere with me my body to warant, That no man be so bolde, be he preest or

Me

100 clarke,

to dysturbe of Chrystes holy warke,

Nor have no dysdayne, nor

yet scorne, these holy relyques which sayntes have worne. Fyrst here I shewe ye of a holy Jewes shepe bone, (I pray you take good kepe

Of

105

A

To my

wordes and marke them

Yf any Dyppe

of your bestes belyes do swell, this bone in the water that he dothe take

1

well,)

*******

Into his body, and the swellyinge shall slake.

no

Here

128

He He

is

a mytten eke, as ye

that his

hande wyll put

may

se,

in this myttayn,

shall have encrease of his grayn, That he hath sowne, be it wete or otys, So that he offer pens or els grotes.

And

another holy relyke eke here se ye may, 1

Dyype, Text.

130

JOHN HEY WOOD.

Il8

The

blessed arme of swete saynt Sondaye, so ever is blessyd with this ryght hande not spede amysse by se nor by lande, 136

And who Can

And

He

if

he offereth eke with good devocyon

####**#

shall not fayle to

Here

is

come

to

hyghe promocyon.

another relyke, eke a precyous one,

153

Of All Helowes the blessyd jawbone, Which relyke without any fayle

155

Agaynst poyson chefely dothe prevayle; For whom so ever it toucheth, without dout

maner venym from hym shall issue out, it shall hurt no maner wyghte. Lo of this relyke the great power and myghte, Which preservyth from poyson every man. All

So

that

Lo of Which

saynt Myghell eke the brayn pan, for the hed ake is a preservatyfe

To every man And further it For

160

his

For he

Though

hede

or beste that beryth shall stande

shall

shall fele

never ake

no maner

whan

lay in a

that he

is

165

dede,

grefe nor payn,

with a sworde one cleve

But be as one that

lyfe,

in better stede,

hym

it

than atwayn,

dede slepe;

Wherfore to these relykes now com crouche and crepe, But loke that ye offerynge to them make, 171 Or els can ye no maner profyte take.

But one thynge, ye women

Yf any wyght be

all,

in this place

I

warant you,

now

That hath done syn so horryble that she Dare not for shame thereof shryven be,

******

Suche folke

shall

have no power, nor no grace,

To offer to my relykes in this place And who so fyndeth herselfe out of suche blame Com hyther to me on Crystes holy name; !

175

179 180

THE PARDONER AND THE FRERE. And

119

bycause ye

me

Shall unto

Gyve credence

Myn Now

at the full

185

;

auctoryte shall ye se,

Lo

here

the popes bull.

!

Now shall the frere

begyn his sermon

tyme the pardoner begynneth also

and

bullys

auctorytes

THE FRERE. Date Good devout

et

and evyn at the same shew and sfeke of his

to

com from Rome.

dabitur vobis :

people this place of scrypture

PARDONER. Worshypfull maysters, ye shall understand F. Is to you that have no litterature, P.

That pope Leo the

hath graunted with his hand,

x.

F.

Is to say in our Englysshe tonge,

P.

And by

F.

As departe your goodes the poore folke amonge, To all maner people bothe quycke and dede,

P.

his bulles

confyrmed under

lede,

P.

And God shall than gyve unto you agayne. Ten thousande yeres and as many lentes of

F.

This in the gospell so

P.

Whan

F.

Therfore gyve your almes in the largest wyse.

F.

190

is

195

pardon,

wryten playne,

they are dede theyr soules for to guardon, 200

That wyll with theyr peny or almes dede F. Kepe not your goodes fye, fye on covetyse P.

:

!

Put to theyr handes to the good spede F. That synne with God is most abhomynable, P.

P.

Of

F.

And

P.

Whiche

F.

In scrypture eke; but

the holy chapell of swete saynt Leonarde, is

is most dampnable was destroyed and marde.

eke the synne that late

by

fyre

I say,

syrs,

how

205

JOHN HEY WOOD.

120

F.

Ay by the mas, one can not here What a bablynge maketh yonder felow!

P.

For the bablynge of yonder folysshe

P.

[They resume

aio

frere

!

their respective discourses for a little while, but at length

begin to attack each other.]

F.

But, I say, thou pardoner, I

P.

And

F.

What

P.

Mary, what standyst thou there

I say,

thou

frere,

standest thou there

FRERE. Mary, God,

Whyche

felow, I

of no

byd the holde thy peace

holde thy tonge all

styl

!

252

!

the day smatterynge?

com hyder

all

day clatterynge?

to prech the

word of 355

man may be

forbode,

But harde wyth scylence and good entent, For why it techeth them evydent The very way and path that shall them lede, Even to heven gatys, as strayght as any threde; 260 And he that lettyth the worde of God of audyence Standeth accurst in the greate sentence And so art thou for enterruptynge me.

PARDONER. thou se

Nay thou

art

j

a curst knave, and that shall

!

And all suche that to me make interrupcyon The pope sendes them excommunycacyon, By hys bulles here, redy to be redde, By bysshoppes and hys cardynalles confyrmed.

And Thou

eke yf thou dysturbe

me any

arte also a traytour to the

thynge,

kynge; For here hath he graunted me, under hys brode That no man, yf he love hys hele, Sholde me dysturbe or let in any wyse.

And

270 scale,

yf thou dost the kynges commaundement dispise, make the be set fast by the fete. 275 where thou saydyst that thou arte more mete

I shall

And

265

THE PARDONER AND THE FRERE.

131

the people here for to preche, thou dost them the very way teche Bycause

Amonge

How

come

to

Therin thou

heven above, lyest, and that shall to

And by good reason I And knowe that I am

280

I prove,

make

the bow, meter than arte thou. shall

For thou whan thou hast taught them ones the Thou carest not whether they com there, ye or But whan that thou hast done all togyder, And taught them the way for to com thyther, Yet

all

way, nay, 385

that thou canst

Is but to use vertue

And

ymagyn and abstayne

fro syn,

ones than thou canst no more, yf they Thou canst not gyve them a salve for theyr sore; fall

But these

my

letters

290

be clene purgacyon,

All thoug[h]e never so many synnes they have don. But whan thou hast taught them the way and all,

Yet or they com there they may have many a In the way, or that they com thyther, For why the way to heven is .very slydder

But I wyll teche them For

after

another

fall

295 ;

rate,

brynge them to heven gate, be theyr gydes and conducte all thynges,

I shall

And And

lede

them thyther by the purse

So that they

shall not fall

FRERE. Holde thy peace, knave, thou

Thou

pratest in fayth

PARDONER.

300

strynges,

though that they wolde. art very

bolde

!

even lyke a pardoner!

despysest thou the popes mynyster? I curse hym openly, here 305 Maysters, And therwith warne all this hole company,

Why

'

By the popes great auctoryte, That ye leve hym and herken unto me; For tyll he be assoyled his wordes take none For out of holy chyrche he

K

is

now

effecte,

clene rejecte.

310

JOHN HEY WOOD.

122

maysters, he dothe but gest and rave: not for the wordes of a knave, But to the worde of God do reverence,

FRERE.

My

It forseth

And

here

me

dewe audyence.

forthe with

[They again resume

their preaching, but after a little while break out

upon which comes the

into a fresh quarrel,

Than

stage-direction

the fyght.

FRERE. Lose thy handes away from myn earys PARD. Than take thou thy handes away from Nay, abyde, thou

:]

[rascal],

I trust fyrst to lye the at

538

!

my

am not downe my fete I

heres

yet

!

540

!

!

Ye, [rascal,] wylt thou scrat and byte? P. Ye, mary, wyll I, as longe as thou doste smytel F.

THE CURATE. PARSON. Holde your handes two That ever ye came hyther

!

a vengeaunce on ye bothe

!

To

polute my I swere to you, by

Ye

shall

As

sore as ye

make

ado

this

God

all-myght,

dyd ever thynge, or ye departe. I marvayll this

publysh his ragman

ye wyll gyve lycence audience 551

rolles with lyes.

more than ones or To holde his peas tyll that I had done, But he wolde here no more than the man I desyred

PARD.

545 !

bothe repente, every vayne of your harte,

FRERE. Mayster parson, To this false knave in

To

to

chyrche, a myschyefe on you lyght

Why

hym

y-wys,

twyse, in the

sholde I suffre the more than thou

me

stuffe

me?

lycence before the.

Mayster parson gave And I wolde thou knewyst

Other maner

mone.

it

!

I

have relykes here

than thou dost bere

I

556

THE PARDONER AND THE FRERE. I wyll edefy

Than

more with the syght of

123

it

560

the pratynge of holy wryt. wyll For that, except that the precher hym selfe lyve well, His predycacyon wyll helpe never a dell,

And

all

*******

know

I

well that thy lyvynge

is

nought.

No more of this wranglyng in my chyrch 570 shrewe your hartys bothe for this lurche Is ther any blood shed here betwen these knaves?

PARSON.

!

I

!

Thanked be God, they had no stavys, Nor eggetoles *, for than it had ben wronge Well ye

!

synge another songe Neybour Prat, com hether I you pray. shall

575

!

PRAT. Why, what PARSON. I can not

is

this

nyse fraye

?

you. One knave dysdaynes another, Wherefore take ye the tone and I shall take the other, shall bestow them there as is most convenyent 580 tell

We

For suche a couple. I trow they shall repente That ever they met in this chyrche here Neyboure, ye be constable, stande ye nere. Take ye that laye knave and let me alone With this gentylman. By God and by saynt John 585 2 I shall borowe upon presthode somwhat For I may say to the, neybour Prat, It is a good dede to punysh such, to the ensample !

!

Of suche

other

how

that they shall mell

In lyke facyon as these catyfes do. PRAT. In good fayth, mayster parson, yf ye do Ye do but well to teche them to be ware.

PARDON. Mayster For

I

am

Wherfore For that 1

Prat, I pray ye

sory for that that

is

me

590 so,

to spare;

done;

ye forgyve me sone have offendyd within your lybertye,

I pray I

a

egoteles, Text.

K

2

prestholde, Text.

595

1

JOHN HE YWOOD.

24

And, by

my

may come hether more trouthe, syr, ye

I wyll

never

Whyle

I lyve,

PRAT. Nay,

and God

trust

me,

before.

am

600 ones charged with the, Wherfore, by saynt John, thou shall not escape me, Tyll thou hast scouryd a pare of stokys. I

PARSON. Tut, he weneth all is but mockes Lay hande on hym, and com ye on, syr Ye shall of me hardely have your hyre,

Ye had none suche this I swere by God and by

me

For yf ye do

it

Make no it

!

605

our Lady dere. for

Goddys passyon,

after that facyon.

wyll not be for your honesty.

PARSON. Honesty or not, but thou What I shall do by and by. For

frere

vii yere,

FRERE. Nay, mayster parson, Intreate not

!

stroglynge

com

!

610

shall se

forthe soberly

!

shall not avayle the, I say.

we trye even strayt-way. and there be no mo than not go with the, I make God a-vow

FRERE. Mary, that

shall

I defy the, churle preeste,

I wyll

We

!

which

shall se fyrst

God

hath sente

PARSON. Ye, by

me

my

the stronger bonys *I do the not fere is

!

!

fayth, wylt

!

thou be there?

620

brynge forthe that knave, thou, syr frere, yf thou wylt algatys rave

Neybour

And

615

thou,

Prat,

FRERE. Nay,

chorle, I the defy!

I shall trouble the fyrst,

Thou Let

Prat

shalt

me

go to pryson by and byl

se

now

!

Do

ivith the pardoner

thy worste

and

625

!

the parson

with the frere.

PARSON. Helpe helpe Neybour Prat Neybour Prat In the worship of God, helpe me som what !

!

!

!

!

THE PARDONER AND THE FRERE. Nay, deale as thou canst with that elfe, I have inoughe to do my selfe

PRAT.

For why !

630

!

payn I am almoste dede, The reede blood so ronneth downe aboute Alas

125

for

Nay, and thou canst,

I

pray the, helpe

my

hede,

me!

PARSON. Nay, by the mas, felowe, it wyll not bel I have more tow on my dystaffe than I can well spyn The cursed frere dothe the upper hand wyn 636 !

!

FRERE. Wyll ye leve than, and

let

us in peace departe?

PARSON and PRAT. Ye, by our Lady, even with harte

all

our

!

FRERE and PARD. Than adew,

to the devyll, tyll

we come

agayn.

PARSON and PRAT. And a myschefe go with you bothe twayne.

640

Imprynted by Wyllyam Rastell the v. day of Apryll the yere of our lorde M. ccccc xxx HI.

Cum

privilegio.

C&ersptes. A NEW ENTERLUDE CALLED

THERSYTES. IT

Thys Enterlude Folowynge Dothe Declare howe

that the

greatest boesters are not the greatest doers. If

THE NAMES OF THE

PLAYERS.

A boster. A smyth. A mother. A knyght. A childe.

THERSITES

MULCIBER

MATER MILES

TELEMACHUS Thersites

Have

commeth in fyrste havinge a

clubbe

uppon his

necke.

Greke lande, Called Thersites, if ye wyll me knowe. Abacke, geve me roume, in my way do ye not stand, For if ye do, I wyll soone laye you lowe. in a ruffler foorth of the

Homere of my actes ye have red, I trow, 5 Neyther Agamemnon nor Ulysses, I spared to checke, They coulde not bringe me to be at theyr becke! In

Of late frome the sege of Troy Where all my harnes excepte

I retourned,

this

clubbe

I lost

In an olde house, there it was quyte burned, Whyle I was preparinge vytayles for the hoste. I

must nedes get

me

newe, what so ever

it

cost.

10

THERSYTES.

I

can not be ydle,

I wyll

go seke adventures,

I wyll

hamper some of the knaves

It

me

greveth

I shall

make

for I

in a brydle.

howe the knaves do bragge, 15 when I am harnessed well,

to heare

But by supreme

Jupiter,

the dasters to renne into a bagge fro me, as from the devyll of

To hyde them I

double not but hereafter of

Howe

I

a;

have made the knaves

me

cowch

for to play

But noweto the shop of Mulciber

to

hell,

ye shall heare

go

tell,

quaile.

I wyll not faile. 21

Mulciber must have a shop made in the place and Thersites commethe before it, sayinge a-loude. Mulciber,

whom

the Poetes doth call the god of fyer,

Smith unto Jupiter kinge over

all,

Come foorth of thy office, I the desyre, And graunte me my petiction, I aske a thynge I

24

but small.

wyl none of thy lightning, that thou art wont to

make

For the goddes supernall, for yre when they do shake, With whiche they thruste the gyauntes downe to hell, That were at a convention heaven to bye and sell;

But I woulde have some helpe of Lemnos and Ilva, 30 That of theyr stele, by thy crafte, condatur mihi galea.

MULCIBER. What, felowe

Thersites,

do ye speake Latyn

nowe?

Nay I

then, farewell

!

I

make God a vowe

do not you understande, no Latyn

THERSITES.

I

say Abyde,

make me a

sallet.

is

good Mulciber

in !

my I

palet.

pray the 35

MULCIBER. Why, Thersites, hast thou anye wytte in thy head? Woldest thou have a sallet nowe all the herbes are dead ? Besyde that it is not mete for a smyth To gether herbes, and sallettes to medle with. 39

THERSYTES.

328

I meane a sallet with whiche men do fyght, MULCIBER. It is a small tastinge of a mannes mighte 46 That he shoulde for any matter

THERSITES.

Fyght with a fewe herbes in a platter! No greate laude shoulde folowe that victorye

THERSITES.

[I

pray thee,] Mulciber, where

is

!

thy wit and

memory ? I

wolde have a

MULCIBER. Whye it

For

50 sallet syr, in

made

of stele

!

youre storhacke longe you

stele is

harde for to

digest.

THERSITES. Mans bones and sydes, hee beest I

shall

fele.

is

worse then a

!

wolde have a

sallet to

were on

my

hed,

55

Whiche under my chyn with a thonge red Buckeled

shall be.

Doest thou yet perceyve

me ?

MULCIBER. Your mynde now

Why, thou pevysshe

I se.

60

ladde,

Arte thou almost madde,

Or

well in thy wytte? Gette the a wallette!

Wolde thou have a sallette What woldest thou do with THERSITES.

But

let

I pray the,

me

have a

it ?

65

good Mulciber,

sallet

made

at

make no mo ones

bones,

I

MULCIBER. I must do somewhat for this knave! What maner of sallet, syr, woulde ye have? THERSITES.

I

wold have such a one that nother might

nor mayne Shoulde perse it thorowe, or parte it in twayne; Whiche nother gonstone, nor sharpe speare, Shoulde be able other to hurte or teare.

70

THERSYTES. woulde have

I

Yf

And

if

This

sallet I

Ye

also for to save

selfe

woulde have

woulde cast

he, in a fume,

MULCIBER. I

it

Jupiter him

shall

woulde have to kepe

I perceave

fynde

wyll for

me

129 heade

my me

dead;

at

me

me

75

his

fire,

from his

yre.

youre mynde,

kynde. 80

you prepare.

And then

he goeth in to his shop, and maketh a sallet for hym : at the laste, he sayth.

Here, Thersites, do

this sallet weare,

And on thy head it beare, And none shall worke the Then Muldber goeth

care.

into his shop, untyll he is called

agayne.

THERSITES.

Or

Now woulde I not

feare with

anye bull to fyghte,

with a raumpinge lyon, nother by daye nor nyghte, what greate strength is in my body so lusty, 86

Whiche

for lacke of exercise is

nowe almost

rustye

!

Hercules in comparison to me was but a boye When the bandogge Cerberus from hell he bare awaye, When he kylled the lyons, hydra, and the bere so wylde,

Compare him

Why

to

me and

he was but a chylde. thou no more wytte?

91

I saye, hast

Sampson, Woldest thou be as strong as

I ?

come suck

thy mothers

tytte!

Wene you

that David, that lyttle elvyshe boye,

Should with his slinge have take

Nay 1

ywys, Golyath, for

all

my

life

awaye?

95

his fyve stones,

woulde have quashed his little boysshe bones howe it woulde do my harte muche good

To

se

some

of the giauntes before

Noes

floudl

woulde make the knaves to crye creke, too Or elles with my clubbe their braynes I wyll breake 1

(

THERSYTES.

130

But Mulciber, yet I have not with the do heade is armed, my necke I woulde have tol !

My

And also my shoulders with some good habergyn That the devyll, if he shote at me, coulde not enter in. 106 For I am determined greate battayle to make, aslake. meanes fumishenes some may Excepte my by MULCIBER. Bokell on

And Yf

this

habergyn as

fast as

thou canne,

manne

feare for the metinge of nother beast nor

were possible for one too -shote an oke This habergyn wyll defende thee frome the stroke. it

Let them throwe mylstories at the as thick as

Yet the to

kyll they shall their

Yf Malverne

hylles shoulde

;

no

haile,

faile.

purpose

on thy shoulders

light

They shall not hurt the, nor suppress thy mighte, Yf Bevis of Hampton, Colburne and Guy, Will the assaye, set not by them a flye,

115

To be

briefe, this habergyn shall the save Bothe by lande and water. Nowe playe the

Then he goeth in THERSITES.

When

to his

I consider

my

lusty

knave

!

shoppe againe.

shoulders that so brode

be,

1

20

When

the other partes of my bodye I do beholde, I verely thinke that none in Chrystente

With me

Now

have

I wyll

to

medele dare be so bolde. on Cotsolde

at the lyons

!

neyther spare for heate nor for colde, 125 art thou king Arthur, and the Knightes of the

Where Rounde Table? Come, brynge

Lo

me

forth your horses out of the stable.

to mete they be not able the masse, they had rather were a bable! By 129 Where arte thou Gawyn the curtesse and Cay the crabed ? !

with

!

Here be a couple of knightes cowardishe and scabbed

!

THERSYTES.

131

Appere in thy likenesse Syr Libeus Disconius, Yf thou wilt have my clubbe lyghte on thy hedibus.

Lo

ye maye see he beareth not the face me to trye a bio we in thys place.

!

With

Howe

135

approche Syr Launcelot de Lake! What renne ye awaie and for feare quake?

Nowe

syrray,

he that did the a knight make that thou any battaile shouldest take.

Thought never

Yf thou

come thy

not

wilt

self,

some other of thy

felowes send,

140

To battaile I provoke them, Lo for all the good that

themselfe

let

them defende.

ever they se, not to fight with me. ones set hande They wyll lorde howe brode is good my brest, !

!

And

He

stronge with

that should

Beholde you

all,

for hole is

145 my chest me shall have shrewde rest my legges and my feete !

medle with

my

handes,

!

Every parte is stronge proportionable and mete. Thinke you that I am not feared in felde and strete ? Yes, yes, god wote they geve me the wall, Or elles with my clubbe I make them to fall.

Backe knaves

I saye

!

to

them

;

150

then for feare they

quake

And

me

take

then to the taverne and good chere

me

make.

The

proctoure and his men I made to renne their waies, to hide them in broken heys. 155

And some wente 1 tell you,

I set not

[yea,

a

I,]

[fly]

By none of them

al.

Early and late I wyll walke,

And London

stretes stalke,

Spyte of them greate and small. For I thinke verely,

That none

in

heaven so hye,

160

THERSYTES.

133

Nor

yet in hell so lowe,

Whyle I have this clubbe in my hande, Can be able me to withstande, Or me to overthrowe.

165

But, Mulciber, yet I must the desyre

To make me briggen yrons for myne And then I will love the as mine owne For withoute them

Those once had,

I

armes, 170

syre,

can not be safe frome

all

harmes.

a strawe

I will not sette

By all the worlde, for then I wyll by awe Have all my mynde, or elles, by the holye roode, I wyll make them thinke the devyll caryeth them the wood.

Yf no man

A

to 175

wyll with

me

battayle take,

vyage to

hell quickely I wyll make, there I wyll bete the devyll and his dame, bringe the soules awaye, I fullye entende the same.

And And

After that in hell I have ruffled so,

180

Streyghte to olde purgatory e wyll I go. I wyll cleane that so purge rounde aboute,

That we

shall nede no pardons to helpe them oute. have not fyghte ynoughe this wayes, wyll clymbe to heaven and fet awaye Peters kayes,

Yf I

I

I wyll

kepe them myselfe and

What shoulde suche MULCIBER. Have

And

feare thou

let in

a great route. 186

a fysher kepe good felowes out?

here, Thersites, briggen yrons bright,

no man manly to

fyghte,

Thoughe he be stronger then Hercules or Sampson, Be thou prest and bolde to set him upon. Nother Amazon nor Xerxes with

The

to assayle shall fynde

it

190

their hole rable

profytable.

warrante the they wyll fle fro thy face, As doth an hare from the dogges in a chase. I

Would not

Nowe

thy blacke and rustye grym berde, thou art so armed, make anye man aferde?

195

THERSYTES.

133

if Jupiter dyd see the in this gere, woulde renne awaye and hyde hym for feare wold thinke that Typhoeus the gyant were alive 200

Surely

He He

!

And

agayn with him to strive! Mars, of battell the god stoute and bold, In this aray shoulde chaunce the to beholde, his brother Enceladus,

If that

He

would yelde up

his

sworde unto

the,

And god

Now

of battayle (he would say) thou shouldest be. fare thou wel, go the world through, 206

And

seke adventures, thou arte

THERSITES. Mulciber, whyle

man good ynough.

the starres

shal

shyne in

the sky,

And

Phaeton's horses with the sonnes charret shall

Whyle the mornynge

fly,

210 go before none, And cause the darkennesse to vanysshe away soone,

Whyle

And

shall

that the cat shall love well mylke,

whyle that

women

Whyle beggers have

And

shal love to

go

in sylke,

lyce,

cockneys are nyce,

Whyle pardoners can

215

lye,

Marchauntes can by,

And

chyldren crye,

Whyle air these laste and more, Whiche I kepe in store, I do me faythfully bynde,

Thy kyndnes But

to beare in

aao

mynde.

Mulciber, one thinge I aske more, Haste thou ever a sworde now in store? I

yet,

would have suche a one that would cut pare a great oke down at ones

And

stones,

1

,

That were a sworde,

lo,

even for the nones.

MULCIBER. Truly I have suche a one in That wil pare yron, as it were a rope. 1

once, Text.

my

shoppe

225

THERSYTES.

134 Have, here

Now

fare

THERSITES.

it

is,

thou

it

gyrde

to thy syde.

well, Jupiter

Gramercye, Mulciber, wyth

Geve me thy hande and Mulciber goeth in

to

230

be thy guyde.

let

hole harte.

my

us departe.

hys shoppe againe

and

Thersites saith

foorth.

Nowe

go hence, and put my selfe in prease. seeke adventures, yea and that I wyll not cease, If there be any present here thys nyghte 236 I

I wyll

That wyll take upon them with me to fighte, Let them come quickly, and the battayle

shall

be

pyghte.

Where

is

239 Cacus, that knave, not worthe a grote, to blowe cloudes oute of his throte,

That was wont

Which

stale

Hercules kine and hyd them in his cave?

Come

hether Cacus, thou lubber and false knave. I wyll teache all wretches by the to beware, If thou come hether I trappe the in a snare.

Thou

have knocked breade and

shalt

How Ye

yll fare.

245

godfather, that loke so stale

say you, good seeme a man to be borne in the

Dare ye adventure wyth

vale,.

me

a stripe or two? Go, coward, go, hide the, as thou wast wonte to do. What a sorte of dasterdes have we here 250

None

******

of you to battaile with

all

to fyghte that I

!

dare appeare!

whye, wyll none come

Well, let

With me

go

me

maye pare

The mater commeth

in,

his

defende

265

in.

MATER. What saye you my sonne, wyl ye it

skyn?

fyght

!

For what cause to warre do you nowe pretende?

?

God

THERSYTES.

135

Wyll ye committe to battayles daungerous

Youre

me

lyfe that is to

THERSITES.

I

go

wyll

so precious? I

!

go

wyll

not

stoppe

!

waye Holde me not good mother, I hartely you pray If there be any lyons, or other wylde beest,

What

wyll not suffer the

husbandman

my 370

!

!

in rest,

274 go seeche them, and byd them to a feest. They shall abye bytterlye the comminge of suche a gest I wyll searche for them bothe in busshe and shrubbe, I wyll

!

And

laye

on a lode with

O my

MATER. Wylt thou

No

THERSITES.

clubbe

!

am thy mother, thou hast none other?

swete sonne, I

me and

kyll

this lustye

!

mother,

no

!

I

am

not

of suche 280

iniquitye,

That I wyll defyle my handes upon the. But be contente, mother, for I wyll not Tyll I

have foughte with some

MATER. Thys Other

shall I

man

rest

or wylde beast.

Truely, my sonne, yf that ye take thys way, be the conclusion, marke what I shall say !

wyll drowne

my

selfe for sorowe,

286

And Or

fede fyshes with my body before to morowe, wyth a sharpe swerde, surely I wyll me kyll,

Nowe

thou mayst save me,

I wyll also cut

if it

be thy

my

wyll.

pappes awaye, That gave the sucke so manye a daye, And so in all the worlde it shall be knowen,

That by

my owne sonne Therefore, if my lyfe be That whiche

I desyre,

390

.

I

was overthrowen.

to the pleasaunte,

good sonne, do

me

graunte.

THERSITES. Mother, thou spendest thy winde but wast,

The goddes

of battayle hyr fury on

me

hath

cast,

295 in

THERSYTES.

136 I

am

fullye fyxed battayle for to taste.

how many

to deth I shall dryve in haste

!

clubbe aboute

300 my hedde, pray God I never dye in my bedde There shall never a stroke be stroken with my hande 1 wyll ruffle this

Or

els I

!

But they

shall

MATER.

thynke that Jupiter doth thonder in the land.

owne swete sonne,

My

And bothe my handes

I,

knelynge on

my

knee,

holdinge up to the,

305

Desyre the to ceasse and no battayle make. Call to the pacience

and

better wayes take.

THERSITES. Tushe, mother, not heare

I

am

deafe,

I

wyll

the

!

No no yf Jupiter here him selfe nowe were, And all the goddes, and Juno his wife, And lovinge Minerva, that abhorreth all stryfe, Yf all these, I saye, would desyre me to be content, !

!

theyr wynde but in vaine spente. wyll have battayle in Wayles or in Kente, And some of the knaves I wyll all to rent.

310

They dyd I

Where

is

Where

is

315

the valiaunt knighte, Syr Isenbrase? Appere, Syr, I praye you, dare ye not shewe your face?

Robin John and

Little if

Hode?

ye thinke

it good. teache suche outlawes wyth Chrystes curses they take hereafter awaye abbottes purses

Approche hyther quickely, I wyll

How

Whye, Where Where

no adventure appeare in thys place? Hercules with his greate mase?

wyll is

Busyris that fed hys horses, a Full lyke tyraunte, with dead mens corses? Come any of you bothe,

And

320

!

I

is

make an

That yer

I eate

325

othe,

any breade

I wyll dryve a wayne, Ye, for neede, twayne,

330

THERSYTES.

137

Betwene your bodye and your heade. 1

[This

]

passeth

my

braynes

!

Wyll none take the paynes To trye wyth me a blowe

what a fellowe

Whome

everye

That dothe

am

335

man dothe

me

MATER. Sonne

?

I,

flye,

but once knowe!

do you

all

feare,

That be present here,

They wyll not wyth you fyghte. You, as you be worthye,

Have nowe

340

the victorye,

Wythoute tastynge of youre myghte. Here is none, I trowe, That profereth you a blowe,

345

Man, woman nor chylde.

Do To

not set your

mynde

fyghte with the wynde, Be not so madde nor wylde.

THERSITES.

who

I saye, aryse,

so ever wyll fighte!

am to battayle here readye dyghte. Come hyther, other swayne or knyghte, Let me see who dare presente him to my Here with my clubbe readye I stande, 1

Yf anye wyll come to take them MATER. There is no hope left

To

bring

He He

wyll

my

sonne unto better

351

syghte

in hand.

in

my

355

brest,

rest,

do nothinge at my request, me no more then a best.

regardeth

I see

no remedye, but

To God, my sonne

to

styll

I wyll

gyde

in his waye,

praye

That he maye have a prosperous journ[y]ynge,

And

!

to

bee save

at his returnynge. 1

Thus, Ed.

L

360

THERSYTES.

138

Sonne, God above graunte thys my oration, That when in battaile thou shalt have concertation With your enemies, other far[r]e or nere, No wounde in them nor in you may appere, So that ye nother kyll nor be kylled.

THERSITES. Mother,

thy

peticion

I

praye

365

God be

fulfylled,

For then no knaves bloude Felowes, kepe I wyll

shall be spilled. 370 by the masse I doo but crake, enoughe and no busenesse make.

my

counsell,

be gentyll

But yet I wyll make her beleve that I am a man Thincke you that I wyll fight ? no, no, but wyth the can, 375 Excepte I finde my enemye on thys wyse That he be a slepe or els can not aryse. !

Yf I

his

his fete

be not

fast

bounde,

mother, and tarrye here no longer, do both thyrste and hunger, beate the knaves as flatte as a conger. 381 wyll

Fare

For I

armes and

wyll not profer a stripe, for a thousande pound. well,

after proves of chivalry I

Then

the

mother goeth in the place which

is

prepared for

her.

What how long shall I tary ? be your hartes in your hose, Will there none of you in battayl me appose? Come, prove me whye stande you so in doubte ? !

!

Have you any wylde

bloude, that ye would have let oute ? Alacke that a man's strengthe can not be knowen, 386 Because that he lacketh ennemies to be overth[r]owen !

Here a

snaile muste appere unto him,

and

hee muste loke

fearefully uppon the snai/e, saienge :

But what a monster do

I

see

nowe

Cominge hetherwarde with an armed browe? What is it? ah, it is a sowe! No, by [my faith], And on the backe

but a

it

is

it

hath never a brystle.

grestle,

390

L 2

toemaquenoiffe ft fu fauancee >uj>SeSe ce tun tafotfe 6ef?e f * 5om p f ef ftmo jj 6ou fee See 3* mffgee rgons Sisnee fjMi a ^uc arfte ef Bupffoij <)o q fenfcn&a 8icp nanfce fut

2pm*m pent fee 0rane rome 2 c c(5fi|?ca ne fairtone 8n ffaifftc

6< fe pouone

fc

fecone foupr

jDe ce Bea H fan on fu repofe* 5 wq uee fomBatf rte Ie mon^eaf

B

f cffe

fmifce

qe mm* fecons

^t fc meftroneei) $rtg granf pfaf

Hu popute note et au$ ongnone ^wre fee

mee (i ft jnione

&tnouz faiffeenfcrrSeSane

G 0a mai S t

^

i

f

nc fupe que fpma ffo n fo t) poitc fuc

won 5os

ne fine 5e c^atc ne 8os ft

3ap 5eu?o comes cf[6 ma it fa 3tne 9n0 Beuf q ue(? groffe 6c (!e

Cc ma moi for) ie fiipe arme

G^ 5c me ^e

cce

comes emBaffonne

gene Satmee fa wopi

Suf rtmeti f nous fe offaiffctons

3f^ et) auronf fuc feute caBoc0es a 1 6 ie cutSe qu ei) Bonne for

SDeno^ 0a(!on6 qui fon( e tancfjaiw

quif?

f tcSfene Sc

gtan^pcui: 5e maf

FROM LE COMPOST ET KALENDRIER DES BERGERS PARIS,

GUY MARCHANT, 1500 (REDUCED)

THERSYTES.

139

not a cow, ah there I fayle, it should have a long tayle. What the devyll I was blynde, it is but a snayle I was never so afrayde in east nor in south, It is

For then

!

harte at the fyrste syght was at

My

Mary,

syr,

fy

!

fy

!

fy

!

I

do sweate

my

!

395

mouth.

for feare

!

thoughte I had craked but to tymely here. Hens, thou beest, and plucke in thy homes

I

******

400

Haste thou nothynge elles to doo But come wyth homes and face me so?

Howe, how my

And

servauntes, get you shelde and spere 405 us werye and kyll thys monster here

let

1

Here MILES cometh MILES.

Is not thys

in.

a worthye knyghte,

That wyth a snayle dareth not fight, Excepte he have hys servauntes ayde? Is this the chaumpyon that maketh al men afraid?

410

am

I

a pore souldiour come of late from Calice, trust, or I go, to debate some of his malyce,

I

wyll tarrye

I

Betwixt

my tyme, till I do see hym and the snayle what the ende

THERSITES.

Whye

ye

[rascal]

knavys,

wyll be.

regard ye not

415 my callinge? Whye do ye not come and wyth you weapons brynge?

Why No !

shall this

monster so escape kyllinge? and God be wyllinge.

that he shal not,

MILES. I promyse you, thys is as worthye a knyghte shall brede oute of a bottell byte 420

As ever

:

thinke he be Dares, of whom Virgyll doth write. That woulde not let Entellus alone, I

But ever provoked and ever called on,

THERSYTES.

'140 'But yet at the

And

last

he tooke a

fall,

make

so within a whyle, I trowe I

THERSITES. fetter

By

[Jupiter], knaves,

if I

the shall.

come

425

I wyll

you

!

my

Regarde ye

and cryinge no better?

callinge

wyll ye not come? Why, [rascals,] be all from home the knaves the masse, By had have fette me an errande at Rome better They I saye,

!

MILES.

By my

trouthe,

!

thynke that very skante 431

I

This lubber dare adventure to fighte with an ant

!

to

me

joparde with it a joynte, And, other with my clubbe or my sweardes poynte, I wyll reche it suche woundes,

435

THERSITES. Well, seinge

servauntes

my

come

will not, I

must take hede that

monster

this

me

spyll not,

I wyll

As

I woulde not have for xl M. poundes. Plucke in thy homes, thou unhappy beast, What, facest thou me? wilte not thou be in reste?

440

Why? wylte not thou thy homes in holde? Thinkest thou that I am a cockolde 1 ? [Nay, truly] the monster cometh towarde

Excepte

I fyght manfully,

it

wyll

me

me

styll

surely kyll

!

!

Then he mustefyghte against the snayle with his club. MILES. O Jupiter Lorde doest thou not see and heare !

How

he feareth the snayle as

THERSITES. Well, with

my

it

were a bere?

446

clubbe I have had good

lucke,

Nowe

with

my

sworde have

And he I wyll

And

make

the,

thou were as 1

must

at the

a plucke.

cast his club awaye.

or I go, for to ducke, 2 tall a man as frier Tucke

cocklode, text.

2

tale, text.

!

450

THERSYTES. agayne thy homes in drawe, make the to have woundes rawe.

I saye yet

Or

elles I

wyll

Arte not thou aferde

To

have thy bearde my swearde?

Pared with

455

Here he must fighte then with

and the

Ah

well

his sworde against the snayle

nowe no more

mightest have done so before I layed at it so sore it

thoughte

it

shoulde have be

And

it

Now

in other countreis

in.

!

Thou That

homes

snayle draiveth her

!

lore.

had not drawen in his homes againe, I woulde the monster have slaine. Surely But now farewell, I wyll worke the no more payne. Nowe my fume is paste, And dothe no longer laste, That I did to the monster cast.

Mo

dedes of chyvalrye

both I

farre

460

465

and neare

wyll go inquere.

MILES. Thou nedes not seke any

further, for

redy

I

am

here. I

wyll debate anone, I trowe, thy bragginge chere.

Nowe where

THERSITES. assayle

is

any

mo

that

wyll

?

I wyll turne him and tosse him, both toppe and Yf he be stronger then Sampson was,

Who

me 470

tayle,

with his bare handes kylde lyons apas.

MILES. What nedeth

this

booste

?

I

am

here at hande,

kepe the heade and stande 476 Surelye for al thy hye wordes I wyll not feare To assaye the a towche tyll some bloude apeare,

That with the

I wyll

will fighte

!

;

geve the somewhat for the

gifte of

a

new

yeare.

THERSYTES.

142

And

he begynth

to

fight with htm, but Thersites must ren mother's backe sayinge :

awaye, and hyde hym behynde hys

THERSITES.

O

mother, mother,

I

praye the

me

hyde!

Throwe some thinge over me and cover me every syde MATER.

O my

sonne, what thynge eldyth the?

!

481

THERSITES. Mother, a thousande horsemen do perse-

me

cute

I

A

!

MATER. Marye, sonne then it Was time to flye blame the not then, thoughe afrayde thou be.

!

deadlye wounde thou mightest there sone catche, against so manye is no indyfferente matche.

485

One

THERSITES. No, mother

!

but

if

they had bene but ten

to one, I woulde not have avoyded, but set them uppon, But seinge they be so many I ran awaye. Hyde me, mother, hyde me, I hartely the pray. For if they come hyther and here me fynde

490

To their horses tayles they wyll me bynde, And after that fasshyon hall me and kyll me, And thoughe I were never so bolde and stoute 494 To fyghte againste so manye, I shoulde stande in double. MILES. Thou that doest seke giauntes to conquere, foorth, if thou dare, and in this place appere

Come

!

Fy, for

Come

shame, doest thou so sone take

flighte ?

and shewe somewhat of thy myghte

forth

THERSITES. Hyde me, worde saye. MILES. Thou olde

mother,

trotte, seyst

!

hyde me, and never 500

thou any

man come

thys

waye,

Well armed and weaponed and readye to fighte?

MATER.

No

sight.

forsothe, Maister, there

came none

in

my

THERSYTES. He

dyd avoyde in tyme, for withoute doubles set on his backe some clowtes. 505 may take him I wyll make all slowches

MILES. I

143

woulde have

Yf

I

To beware

by him, that they come not in

Then he goeth

oute,

and

the

my

clowches.

mother saith :

MATER. Come foorth my sonne, youre enemy is gone, Be not afrayed, for hurte thou canst have none. Then he

loketh aboute if he be gone or not, at the last he

sayth

:

THERSITES. Ywys thou didest

wisely,

who

so ever thou

be,

To

510

no longer to

fighte with

me, For with my clubbe I woulde have broken thy skull, Yf thou were as bigge as Hercules bull. Why, thou cowardely knave, no stronger then a ducke tarrye

Barest thou trye maystries with

me

a plucke,

515

Whiche fere nother giauntes nor Jupiters fire bolte, Nor Beelzebub, the mayster devyll, as ragged as a colte. I woulde thou wouldest come hyther ones againe, I

thincke thou haddest rather alyve to be flayne.

Come

againe and I sweare, by

I wyll pull the in

And That

my

mothers wombe,

peeces no more then

my

520

thombe,

thy braines abrode I wyll so scatter all

knaves shall

feare,

against

me

to clatter.

[The play is interrupted here by the incident of the young Telemachus coming to Thersites' mother, to be cured of a disease. When he is

gone, Thersites resumes his boasting.]

Then Miles cometh MILES.

Hye

the,

Wylte thou so

make good

in

spede,

in saynge:

deede? 876

THERSYTES.

144 I

am

hande here

at

prest.

Put awaye tongue shakynge

And

6So

this folysshe crakynge,

Let us trye for the best.

Cowardes make speake apase, S[t]rypes prove the manne.

Have nowe Keepe

And then

at thy face

of,

if

!

thou canne

885

!

he muste stryke at hym,

awaye and

leave his clubbe

and Thersytes muste runne and sworde behynde.

Whye, thou lubber, runnest thou awaye, And leavest thy swearde and thy clubbe thee behynde ? Nowe thys is a sure carde, nowe I maye well saye That a cowarde crakinge here I dyd fynde. Maysters, ye maye see by this playe in That great barking dogges do not most

And

oft

it

is

sene that the best

men

890

sighte byte,

in the hoost

Be not suche, that use to bragge moste. Yf ye wyll avoyde the daunger of confusion, wordes in harte and marke

Printe

my

Suche

gyftes of

God

this conclusion,

that ye excelle in moste,

Use them wyth sobernesse and youre

selfe

896

never bost.

Seke the laude of God in all that ye doo, So shall vertue and honoure come you too. 899 But if you geve youre myndes to the sinne of pryde, Vanisshe shall your vertue, youre honoure away wil slide,

For pryde is hated of God above, And meekenesse sonest obtaineth his love. To youre rulers and parentes be you obediente, Never transgressinge their lawefull commaundemente.

Be ye merye and

joyfull at

borde and

at

bedde, Imagin no traitourye againste your prince and heade.

Love God and feare him, and after him youre Whiche is as victorious as anye is lyvinge.

kinge,

905

THERSYTES. Praye

for his grace, with hartes that

1

45

dothe not fayne, 910

That longe he may rule us without grefe or paine. Beseche ye also that God maye save his quene, Lovely Ladie Jane, and the prince that he hath send

them betwen

To augment

their joy

and the comons

Fare ye wel swete audience,

God

felicitie.

graunt you

Amen.

H Imprinted at London, by John Tysdale and are to be solde at hys shop in the upper ende of Lombard

strete in Alhallowes

churche yarde neare untoo Grace church.

914

al prosperite.

KING JOHN.

For non other cawse

God

hath kyngs

constytute

And gevyn them

the sword, but forto correct

have attempted

all

vyce.

1275 thyng to execute Uppon transgressers accordyng unto justyce; And be-cawse I wyll not be parcyall in myn offyce I

For I

A

theft

this

and murder

have ageynst

to persones spirytuall, the pristes and the bysshoppes

me

all.

1280 my tyme ded fall, for of a clarke Forty yeres ago, ponyshment No cunsell myght them to reformacyon call, In ther openyon they were so stordy and starke, But ageynst ther prynce to the pope they dyd so barke, That here in Ynglond in every cyte and towne 1285 Excommunycacyons as thonder-bolts cam downe. For this ther captayn had a ster apared crowne, fathers

lyke dysplesure in

:

And dyed upon Than

yt,

with-owt the kynges consent.

interdiccyons were sent from the popes renowne,

Whych And fully

never

left

hym

tyll

he was penytent,

1290

agreed unto the popes apoyntment

In Ynglond to stand with the Chyrches lyberte,

And

suffer the pristes to

They bownd hym With

And

ij

hundrid

Rome

for appeles to flee,

also to helpe Jerusalem cyte

men

thre yere after to

the space of a yere and more,

1

395

maynteyne battell free Ageynst the Sarazens whych vext the Spanyards sore. Synce my fathers tyme I have borne them groge therfore,

BALE'S KING JOHN.

147

Consyderyng the pryde and the capcyose dysdayne, That they have to kyngs whych oughte over them

1300

rayne.

WELTH cum

PRIVAT

God

to

in fyke

a Cardynall.

save you, sur kyng, in your pryncly mageste.

K.

J.

Frynd, ye be welcum

:

what

is

yowr plesure

me? W. From

with

the holy father, Pope Innocent the thred, a massanger I am to yow dyrectyd, reforme the peace betwyn Holy Chyrch and yow 1305

P.

As

To And

in his behalfe I avertyce yow here now the Chyrchys goods to make full restytucyon, And to accepte also the popes hely constytucyon

Of

For Stevyn Langton, archebysshop of Canturbery, so admytt hym to his state and primacy 1310 The monkes exilyd ye shall restore agayne To ther placys and londes, and nothyng of thers retayne.

And

:

Owr

holy fatheres mynde ys that ye shall agayne restore All that ye have ravyshyd from Holy Chyrche, with the

more.

K.

J. I reken yowr father wyll never be so harde, But he wyll my cawse as well as theres regarde. 1316 I have done nothyng but that I may do well, And as for ther taxe I have for me the gospell.

W. Tushe, gospell or no, ye must make a recompens. J. Yowr father is sharpe and very quycke in sentence,

P.

K.

word of God no more than so; yow in this what Y shall do. content to receyve the monkes agayne

Yf he wayeth But I

the

1321

I shall tell

am

well

Upon amendement, but He shall not cum here,

as for Stevyn

Langton playne dysposycyon 1325 He is moche inclyned to sturdynesse and sedycyon, There shall no man rewle in the lond where I am kyng With-owt my consent, for no mannys plesure lyvyng. for I

know

his

:

BALE'S KING JOHN.

148

Never-the-lesse, yet

upon a newe behaver

At the popys request here-after I may hym faver, And graunt hym to have sum other benyfyce.

1330

P. W. By thys I perseyve ye bare hym groge and malyce, Well, thys wyll I say, by-cause ye are so blunte, prelate to dyscharge Holy Chyrche was never wont, But her custome ys to mynyster ponyshment 1335

A

To

kynges and princes beyng dyssobedyent

!

Avant, pevysh prist what, dost thow thretten me ? I defye the worst both of thi pope and the. The power of princys ys gevyn from God above, 1339 And, as sayth Solomon, ther harts the Lord doth move.

K.

:

J.

God spekyth in ther lyppes whan they geve jugement The lawys that they make are by the Lordes appoyntment. :

Christ wylled not his the princes to correcte, But to ther precepptes rether to be subjecte.

The

offyce of

yow

ys not to bere the sword,

1345

accordyng to Gods word. He never tawght his to weare nowther sword ne sallett, But to preche abrode with-owt staffe, scrypp or walett;

But

to geve cownsell

Yet are ye becum soche myghty lordes this hower, That ye are able to subdewe all princes power. I

1350

can not perseyve but ye are becum Belles prystes,

Lyvyng by

ydolls, yea, the very antychrysts.

W. Ye have

sayd yowr mynd, now wyll I say myn also. Here I cursse yow for the wrongs that ye have do 1354 Unto Holy Churche, with crosse, bocke, bell and candell And by-sydes all thys I must yow other-wyse handell. P.

;

Of contumacy the pope hath yow convyt; From this day forward your lond stond interdytt. The bysshope of Norwyche and the bysshope of Wynchester, Hath full autoryte to spred it in Ynglond here. 1360 The bysshope of Salysbery and the bysshope of Rochester Shall execute yt in Scotland every where.

The bysshope

of Landaffe, seynt Assys, and seynt Davy

BALE'S KING JOHN.

149

In Walles and in Erlond shall publyshe yt openly.

Throwgh-owt

crystyndom the bysshopps

all

shall

suspend

All soche as to

1366 yow any mayntenance pretend; And I cursse all them that geve to yow ther harte, Dewks, erlls, and lordes so many as take yowr parte:

And

I assoyle

That they

By As

owe yow noyther sewte nor

reverence.

the popys awctoryte I charge them yow to fyght 1371 with a tyrant agenst Holy Chyrchys ryght ;

And by

A

yowr peple from your obedyence,

shall

the popes auctoryte I geve them absolucyon and also clene remyssyon.

et culpa,

pena

SEDYCYON extra Alarum

!

Alarum

ro ro ro ro

!

tro ro

locum.

ro ro ro, tro ro ro ro ro, tro 1375

!

Thomp, thomp, thomp, downe, downe, downe,

to go, to

go, to go!

K.

J. What made?

a noyse

is

thys that without the dore

is

W. Suche enmyes are up as wyll yowr realme invade. K. J. Ye cowde do no more and ye cam from the P.

devyll of hell,

Than ye go abowt here

to

worke

ye

call

by

yowr

cownsell.

Ys

wyckyd 1380

this the charyte of that

the Churche ?

graunt Cristen men -not after yowr wayes to worche not by yowr curssys the shakyng of a rod, For I know they are of the devyll and not of God. Yowr curssys we have that we never yet demaundyd, 1385

God

!

I sett

But we can not have that P.

W. What

God

ye mene by that

hath yow commandyd. I

wold ye shuld opynly

tell.

K.

J.

Why know

ye

it

not

?

the prechyng of the gospell.

BAL&S KING JOHN.

150

Take to ye yowr traysh, yowr ryngyng, syngyng, pypyng, So that we may have the scryptures openyng 390 But that we can not have, yt stondyth not with yowr 1

:

avantage.

W. Ahe, now

P.

I fell

yow

for this heretycall langage

thynke noyther yow nor ony of yowres, iwys, We wyll so provyd, shall ware the crowne after I

*******

;

this.

II.

DISSIMULATION. Wassayle, wassayle out of the mylke 2065

payle,

Wassayle, wassayle, as whyte as

my

nayle,

Wassayle, wassayle in snowe froste and hayle, Wassayle, wassayle with partriche and rayle,

Wassayle, wassayle that

muche doth

avale,

Wassayle, wassayle that never wyll fayle.

K.

Who

J.

fourth

and

E.

He

D.

Now Jesus

is

2070

praye

doth seme a-farre some relygyous

a very angelyck

is

and God,

forsoth

I

woulde thynke

J.

A

D.

I

am

K.

J.

tell

stepp

man

to be.

face.

my

myght remayne with yow but yeares woulde covete here none other felicyte. K.

the

preserve your worthye and excellent grace,

If I I

I

see.

For doubtless there

Now

Englande

that,

?

self in

heaven,

alevyn.

2076

lovynge persone thu mayest seme for to be. as gentle a

But what

is

worm

as ever ye see.

thy name, good frynde, I praye the

me?

2080

D. Simon of Swynsett my very name is per dee. am taken of men for monastycall Devocyon, And here have I brought yow a marvelouse good pocyon, I

For

I

harde ye saye that ye were very drye.

BONITA SCHOOL K.

In dede

J.

come

I

wolde gladlye drynke.

I

praye the

nye.

2085

D. The dayes of your

lyfe

So good and so holsome,

if

never felt ye suche a cuppe, ye woulde drynke it upp :

passeth malmesaye, capryck, tyre or ypocras ; By my fayth I thynke a better drynke never was. It

K.

Begynne, gentle monke

J.

I

:

praye the drynke half

to me.

D.

2090

dronke

If ye

woulde slake your better drynke

K.

J.

it

up,

it

D. Good luck to ye than

J.

I

consume,

God

harte

D.

I

for ye.

saynt

if

!

half,

have

there be

there

is

at it by and bye j no remedye.

good monke, with

the,

no remedye.

all

2096

my

very

!

have brought ye half; conveye

me

that for your

2099

parte.

Where

art thu,

Helpe now S. I

:

is

Naye, thu shalte drynke

Halfe wyll

K.

were the better

thirst and also quycken your brayne not in Portyngale nor Spayne, of, and make an ende of it quycklye.

It

A

Therfore suppe

all

Come

at

Sedicyon? by the masse I dye, a pynche Alas, man, cum away !

I dye.

shortlye.

hyther apace, and gett thee to the farmerye; for the, by the swete saynt Powle,

have provyded

Fyve monkes that shall synge contynually for thy sowle, That, I warande the, thu shalt not come in helle. 2105 D.

And

To

sende

synge

for

me to heaven goo rynge the holye my sowle a masse of Scala Celi,

That I maye clyme up I do not doubte it but

aloft with I shall

Enoch and Heli

belle

:

be a saynt.

2110 Provyde a gyldar myne image for to paynt. I dye for the Churche with Thomas of Canterberye Ye shall fast my vigyll and upon my daye be merye. '

:

M

BALE'S KING JOHN.

153 No- doubt but

And

I

shall

me

therefore lete

To

S.

than

the

do myracles be shryned

both

offer

wyll

in a whyle, in the north yle.

crypple,

and

halte,

2115

blynde,

Mad men and

mesels, with such as are

woo behynde. [Exeunt.

K.

J.

My

bodye

me

vexeth

doubt much of a tym-

I

:

panye.

E.

Now,

K.

J.

alas,

alas

is

your grace

!

Where became

the

monke

betrayed cowardlye.

He

E.

K. E.

A

J.

is

It

me

that was here with

2119

latelye?

poysened,

sir,

can not be

Doubtlesse,

so, for

it

sir,

and

is

lyeth a-dyenge surelye.

he was here even now.

so true as I have tolde yow:

Judas kysse he hath gyven and is gone. The halte, sore, and lame thys pitiefull case wyll mone. false

Never prynce was there that made to poore peoples use 2125 So many masendewes, hospytals and spyttle howses, As your grace hath done, yet sens the worlde began. K.

J.

Of priestes and of monkes

I

am

counted a wycked

man, For that I never buylte churche nor monasterye, But my pleasure was to helpe suche as were nedye. E. The more

grace was yours,

for at the

2130

daye of judg-

ment Christe

wyll

rewarde them whych hath done hys com-

mandement, There is no promyse No more than there K.

J.

Doubtlesse

bodye.

for voluntarye is

I

wurkes

for sacrifyce of the

do

fele

Turkes.

muche grevaunce

in

my 2135

BALE'S KING JOHN. As

E.

K.

J.

the Lorde wele knoweth, for that I

There

is

Well, the Lorde

153

am

full sorye.

no malyce to the malyce of the clergye of heaven on me and them have :

God

mercye.

For doynge justyce they have ever hated me. They caused my lande to be excommunycate, 2140 And me to resygne both crowne and princely dygnyte, From my obedyence assoylynge every estate; And now last of all they have me intoxycate. I I I

perceyve ryght wele their malyce hath none ende desyre not els but that they maye sone amende, have sore hungred and thirsted ryghteousnesse

:

2145

For the offyce sake that God hath me appoynted, But now I perceyve that synne and wyckednesse In thys wretched worlde, lyke as Christe prophecyed,

Have

the overhande

me

in

:

Praye for me, good people,

That the Lorde above on

I

my

it

is

2150

verefyed.

besych yow hartely, poore sowle have mercy.

Farwell noble men, with the clergye spirytuall, Farwell men of lawe, with the whole commynalte.

Your disobedyence

I

do forgyve yow

2155

all,

And

desyre God to perdon your iniquyte. Farwell, swete Englande, now last of all to the I

am

:

coulde do for the no more.

right sorye I

Farwell ones agayne, yea, farwell for evermore.

E.

But

2159

With the leave of God I wyll not leave ye thus, be with ye tyll he do take yow from us,

styll

And

than wyll I kepe your bodye for a memoryall.

K.

J.

Than

plye

it,

Englande,

and provyde

my

for

buryall.

A

wydowes

offyce

it

is

to burye the deade.

E.

Oh

2164

Alas, swete maistre, ye waye so heavy as leade. horryble case, that ever so noble a kynge

M

2

BALE'S KING JOHN.

154

Shoulde thus be destroyed and

lost for ryghteouse doynge, a sort of cruell By disguysed bloud-souppers, Unmercyfull murtherers, all dronke in the bloude of

marters

!

Report what they wyll in their most furyouse madnesse, Of thys noble kynge muche was the godlynesse. 2171 \Exeunt.

APPENDIX. I.

Mysterium Resurrectionis D. N. Jhesu

MS.

of the

1

Orleans, as printed by II.

Ludus super

Christi.

a

Thomas Wright.

iconia Sancti Nicolai.

By

Hilarius, a pupil of

Text from edition of M. J. 1125. pollion Figeac, entitled : Hilarii Versus et Ludi. c.

Abelard,

From

3th century in the Library of the City of

Parisiorum apud Techner Bibliopolam.

J.

ChamLutetian

(London, William

Pickering) MDCCCXXXVIII. pp. 34-39. III.

The Harrowing of Hell. From a MS. of the reign of Edward II. Text from edition of Dr. Edward Mall, The Harrowing of Hell. Das altenglische Spiel entitled von Christi Hollenfahrt. Neue Bearbeitung von Dr. :

Eduard

Mall.

Berlin, 1871.

8vo.

Brome Play of Abraham and Isaac. Text from the transcript published by Miss Lucy Toulmir Smith in Anglia, Baud VII. Heft 3.

IV. Extracts from the

APPENDIX

I.

MYSTERIUM RESURRECTIONIS

JHESU CHRISTI.

D. N.

Ad faciendam

similitudinem dominici sepulchri, primum procedant tres fratres praparati et vestitiin similitudinem

trium Mariarum, pedetentim et quasi tristes alternantes, has versus content.

PRIMA earum

Heu

!

Quern

O

dicat:

pius pastor occidit culpa nulla infecit! res plangenda

!

SECUNDA.

Heu

verus pastor

!

obiit,

Qui vitam sanctis contulit O mors lugenda

!

!

TERTIA.

Heu! nequam gens Judaical

Quam

dira frendens vesania

Plebs execranda!

PRIMA. Cur nece pium impia Dampnasti Jhesum invida?

O

ira

nefanda!

SECUNDA. Quid

Quod

Justus hie promeruit crucifigi debuit ?

O

gens dampnanda!

TERTIA.

Heu! quid agemus misers Dulci magistro orbatae ? Heu sors lacrimanda !

1

!

APPENDIX

158

I.

PRIMA.

Eamus ergo propere, Quod solum quimus facere, Mente devota,

SECUNDA. Condimentis aromatum

Ungamus corpus sanctissimum Quo pretiosa

:

TERTIA. Nardi vetet commixtio,

Ne

Cum autem

putrescat in turaulo Caro beata.

venerunt in chorum, eant ad

monumentum quasi

quarentes, et cantantes omnes simul hunc versum

:

Sed nequimus hoc patere sine adjutorio Quisnam saxum hoc revolveret ab monumenti ostio ? Quibus respondeat Angelus sedens forts, ad caput sepulchri, vestitus alba deaurata, mitra tectus caput, etsi deinfula-

palmam in sinistra> ramum candelarum plenum manu dextra, et dicat moderata et admodum : voce gram tus,

tenens in

quaeritis in sepulchre Christicolze

Quern

O

!

MULIERES Jhesum Nazarenum

O

caslicola

crucifixum,

!

Quibus respondeat ANGELUS Quid, christicolae, viventem :

quaeritis cum mortuis? est hie, sed surrexit, prout dixit discipulis. Mementote quid jam vobis locutus est in Galilea,

Non

Quod Christum

oportebat pati, atque die tertia

Resurgere

MULIERES

Post JIGC

cum

gloria.

adpopulum cantent : Ad monumentum Domini venimus converses

Gementes; angelum Dei sedentem vidimus Et dicentem quod surrexit a morte. MARIA MAGDALENE, relictis duabus aliis, accedat

ad sepulchrum^

in

quod sape

aspiciens, dicat :

MYSTERIUM RESURRECTIONIS.

159

Heu dolor heu quam dira doloris angustia Quod dilecti sum orbata magistri praesentia; Heu! quis corpus tarn dilectum sustulit e tumulo? Deinde pergat velociter ad illos qui in similitudine Petri !

!

!

Johannis prastare debent tristis,

erecti,

et

stansque antt eos quasi

dicat :

Tulerunt

Dominum meum,

Et nescio ubi posuerunt eum, Et monumentum vacuum est inventum, Et sudarium ////

cum

sindone repositum.

velociter pergent ad sepulchrum ac si currentes ; sed junior, S. Johannes, perveniens stet extra

autem hoc audientes

sepulchrum, senior intret,

postquam

JOHANNES

-vero, S.

et S.

Petrus, sequens eum, statim intret, cum inde exierint,

Johannes

dicat:

Miranda sunt quae vidimus An furtim sublatus est dominus Cut PETRUS. !

I

mo, ut

?

prasdixit vivus,

Surrexit, credo,

Dominus.

JOHANNES. Sed cur liquit in sepulchre Sudarium cum linteo ? PETRUS. Ista qui a resurgent!

Non

erant necessaria, resurrectionis

Imo

Restant base indicia. Illis

autem abeuntibus, accedat MARIA ad sepulchrum, dicat

Heu Quod Heu !

dolor dilecti

!

heu quam dira doloris angustia sum orbata magistri praesentia. !

prius

!

quis corpus tarn dilectum sustulit e tumulo ? alloquantur Duo ANGELI sedentes infra sepulchrum !

Quam

et

:

dicentes

:

Mulier, quid ploras?

MARIA. Quia tulerunt Dominum meum, Et nescio ubi posuerunt eum.

APPENDIX

160

I.

ANGELUS. Noli

Maria, resurrexit Dominus.

flere,

Alleluia

!

MARIA. Ardens Videre

meum

est cor

Dominum meum

desiderio ;

Quaero et non invenio Ubi posuerunt eum, Alleluia

!

Interim veniat quidam praparatus in similitudine hortulani^

ad caput sepulchri^

dicat :

Mulier, quid ploras?

quem

siansque

quaeris?

MARIA. Domine, ego

eum

si

tu sustulisti

eum,

dicito michi ubi posuisti

eum,

et

tollam.

Et Maria

ILLE.

!

Atque procidens adpedes efus, MARIA dicat: Rabboni !

At tile Noli

subtrahat

me

se, et

tangere,

quasi tactum ejus devitans> dicat :

nondum enim

Patrem vestrum, Dominum Sic discedat

meum

ascendi ad Patrem

meum

et

dominum vestrum. Hortulanus, MARIA vero, conversa ad popuhim, et

dicat :

Congratulamini michi omnes qui

diligitis Dominum, quia quem quaerebam apparuit michi, et dum flerem ad monumentum vidi Dominum meum. Alleluia Tune DUO ANGELI exeant ad ostium sepulchri, ita ut appareant !

foris, et dicant :

Venite

et videte

Alleluia

locum ubi positus

Nolite timere vos

Vultum

erat

Dominus.

!

tristem

:

jam mutate:

Jhesum vivum nunciate Galileam jam adite:

:

Si placet videre, festinate : Cito euntes dicite discipulis quod surrexit Dominus. Alleluia

!

MYSTERIUM RESURRECTIONIS.

161

Tune MULIERES discedentes a sepulchro dicant aa plebem:

Dominus de sepulchro, Qui pro nobis pependit in ligno.

Surrexit

Alleluia

!

Hoc facto, expandant sindonem. Cernite vos,

socii,

dicentes

ad plebem :

sunt corporis ista beati

Lintea, quae vacuo jacuere relicta sepulchro. Postea ponant stndonem super altare, atqite revertentes alternent hos versus : PRIMA dicat :

Resurrexit hodie

Deus Deorum.

SECUNDA. Frustra signas lapidem, plebs Judeorum,

TERTIA. Jungere jam populo christianorum.

Item PRIMA dicat: Resurrexit hodie

Rex angelorum.

SECUNDA. Ducitur de tenebris turba piorum.

TERTIA. Reseratur aditus regni caelorum. Interea is qui ante fuit Hortulanus> in similitudinem DOMINI veniat, dalmaticatus Candida dalmatica, Candida infula infulatus, phylacteria pretiosa in capite, crucem cum labaro in dextra, textum auro paratorium in sinistra

habenSy et dicat mulieribus : Nolite timere vos, ite, nunciate fratribus meis ut eant in

Galileam,

ibi

me

videbunt sicut praedixi

eis.

CHORUS. Alleluia!

Resurrexit hodie Dominus.

Quo Leo

finito, dicant

fortis,

Christus

OMNES filius

Et CHORUS dicat: Te Deum laudamus, etc. Explicit.

insimul:

Dei.

APPENDIX

II.

LUDUS SUPER ICONIA SANCTI NICOLAI. Ad ei

quern he persone sunt necessarie? persona barbari qui conmisit tesaurum persona iconic iiiior vel sex latronum Sancti Nicholai. In primis BARBARUS, rebus suis congregatis, ad ichoniam veniet, et ;

ei res

;

suas conmendans dicet

;

:

Nicholae, quidquid possideo, Hoc in meo misi teloneo:

Te custodem rebus

adibeo,

Serva que sunt ibi. Meis, precor, adtende precibus Vide nullus sit locus furibus

;

;

Preciosis

Ego .

aurum cum vestibus

trado

tibi.

Profiscisci foras disposui:

Te custodem rebus

imposui. Revertenti redde quse posui

Tua sub tutela. Jam sum magis securus solito, Te custode rebus inposito ;

Revertenti vide ne merito

Mihi

sit

querela.

autem profecto, fures transcuntes cum viderint hostium apertura nullum custodem, omnia diripient, BARBARUS vero redieas, non

Illo et

invento tesauro, dicet

:

Gravis sors et dura!

Hie reliqui plura, Sed sub mala cura.

Des! quel damage! la sue chose purque

Qui pert

tf enrage.

LUDUS SUPER ICONIA SANCTI Hie

res

NICOLAI.

plusquam centum

Misi et argentum ; Sed non est inventum.

Des ! quel damage! la sue chose purque

Qui pert

Hie reliqui mea ; Sed hie non sunt

ri enrage.

ea.

Est imago rea. Des I quel damage! Qui pert la sue chose purque n'enrage, Deinde accedens ad imaginem, dicet

Mea

ei

:

congregavi,

Tibi

commendavi

Sed

in

;

hoc erravi.

Ha! Nicholax! Si ne me rent ma chose, tu ol comparras. Hie res meas misi Quas tibi conmisi Sed eas amisi.

;

Hal Nichelax! Si ne me rent ma chose, tu ol comparras. Sumto

flagello, dicct

:

tibi multum Inpendebam cultum:

Ego

Nun

feres inultum.

Hore f end Qu'are

me

rent

Tuum

ma

tester

chose que g'ei mis

ci.

deum,

Te, ni reddas meum, Flagellabo reum.

Hore f end Qtfare me rent ma chose que g'ei mis Tune SANCTUS NICHOLAUS, veniens ad latrones, dicet eis :

Miseri, quid facitis?

Non

longua deperditis

Erunt vobis gaudia. Gustos eram positus

Vosque sum

Cum

intuitus,

portatis omnia.

ci.

163

APPENDIX

1 64

II.

Flagella sustinui,

Cum

ea non potui,

Ut debebam, reddere: Verba passus aspera verbis verbera; vos veni propere.

Cumque

Ad

Reportate perdita.

Erant enim omnia

Sub mea

custodia,

Que portasti, Quod si non

posita. feceritis,

Suspensi eras eritis Crucis in patibulo. Vestra

namque

turpia

Vestra latrocinia

Nunciabo populo. Latrones

thnentes

dicet

omnia reportabunt.

Quibus inventis BARBARUS

:

Nisi visus

Jo en

fallitur,

ai.

Tesaurus hie cernitur.

De

si

grant merveile en

ai.

Rediere perdita, Jo en ai.

Nee

per

mea

De si grant Quam bona

merita,

meruegle en

ai.

custodia

Jo en at Qua redduntur omnia!

De

si

Tune accedent ad imaginem

grant mervegle en

et suplicans, dicet

;

Suplex ad te venio, Nicholax,

Nam Tut

Sum

per te recipio que tu gardas.

icei

profectus peregre,

Nicholas

ai.

LUDUS SUPER 1CONIA SANCTI NICOLAI. Sed recepi Integra Tut ice que tu gardas.

Mens mea

convaluit,

Nicholax; Nichil enim

De Postea aparens

ei

defuit

tut cei que tu gardas.

beatus NICOLAUS, dicet

:

Suplicare mihi noli, Frater ; inmo Deo soli.

Ipse namque factor poli, Factor maris atque soli, Restauravit perditum.

Ne

sis ultra quod fuisti. Solum laudes nomen Christ! :

Soli

Deo

credas

isti

Per quern tua recepisti. Mihi nullum meritum. Cui respondens BARBARUS, dicet

Hie

:

nulla consultacio,

Nulla

erit dilacio,

Quin ab

erroris vicio

Jam recedam. In Christum Dei filium,

Factorem mirabilium,

Ritum linquens

gentilium,

Ego credam. Ipse creavit omnia, Celum, terram et maria Per quem erroris venia Mihi detur. Ipse potens et dominus

Meum

;

delebit facinus,

Cujus regnum ne terminus Consequetur.

165

APPENDIX

III.

THE HARROWING OF HELL. Alle herkne]) to

A

strif wille

I

me

nou,

tellen ou,

Of Jesu and of Satan, po Jesu wes to helle gan For

to fette ]>enne his

5

bringen hem to parais pe deuel heuede so michel pouste,

And pat

;

alle

Nas non

mosten

to helle tc; so holi prophete,

Adam

Si)>J>en

And he were

and Eue at

]>5s

en appel

worldes

etc,

10

fine,

pat he ne moste to helle pine; Ne shulde he neuer )>enne come, Nere Jesu Crist, godes sone ;

wes seid to Adam and Eue, pat were Jesu Crist so leue, And so wes seid to Abraham, pat wes sojrfast holi man, And so wes seid to Dauid, \>e king, pat wes of Cristes oune ofspring,

For

J>at

And

to

15

20

Johan, J>e Baptist, Pat folewede Jesu Crist,

And

to Moyses, J>e holi wiht, pe heuede J>e lawe to jeme riht, And to mani o)>er holi man,

Mo pat

pan

J>an ich telle can, weren alle in more I

can ou

25

wo,

telle fro.

Jesu Crist aren hem sore And seide, he wolde fette

hem

)x>re;

30

THE HARROWING OF HELL. He

lihte of his

167

heje tour

On-to seinte Marie hour; He wes boren for oure nede In

world in poure wede, world he wes ded

j>is

In

J)is

For

35

fram \>e qued. po Jesu heuede shed his blod For oure sinnes on J?e rod, to lesen ous

He nam him Unto

J>e

rihte wei

helle for so)>e to sei

40

;

po he cam )>er, J)o seide he, Asse I shal nou telle )>e.

DOMINUS. Harde

gates haui gon,

Sorewes suffred mani on pritti winter and J>ridde half ;

45

jer

Haui woned in londe her. Almost is so michel gan, Si)>J>en I bicam first man Ich haue si)>}>en )>oled and wist Hot and cold, hunger and Jurist Man ha)> don me shame inoh Wi)> word and dede in here woh ;

50

:

He nomen me Bounden min

He

;

wij>outen sake, honden to mi bake

Demden me

ran on blode, to de^e on rode ;

For Adames

sinne, ful iwis,

beten me,

I

j>at

;

-

55

Ich haue })oled al )>is. Adam, )>ou hauest dere aboht,

pat

)>ou leuedest

Adam,

And I

me

noht

;

60

hauest aboht sore

nil suffre )>at

na more;

bringe of helle pine wi} )>e alle mine.

shal

And SATAN.

I

)>ou

Who

\>e

is

)>at

ich here )>ore?

Ich him rede speke na more, For he mai so michel do, pat he shal ous

N

come

to,

63

APPENDIX

168 For

And

ben oure

to

fere,

we

fonden, hou

DOMINUS. [pou miht wel pat mine

Wost

willi

pat

}x>u

For

to

pleien here.

what

70

plei,

!]

am?

ich

winter

J>ridde

mi

wite bi

haue awei

J>ou neuer,

Almost )*

III.

is

gan,

me

hauest fonded

75

knowe, what I be Sinne found )>ou neuer nan In me as in o)>er man ;

;

And Jxm pat mine

Whan

shalt wite wel to-dai, willi

80

haue awei,

)K>U bileuest al

one,

)>in

panne miht )>ou grete and grone. SATAN. Par ma fei ich holde mine Alle J)o, J>at ben her-inne Resoun willi telle f, !

;

85

per ajen miht }>ou noht be. Whoso biggeth ani }>ing, It is his

and

his ofspring.

Adam

hungri cam me to, Manrede dide I him me do;

90

For on appel ich jaf him, He is min and al his kin.

DOMINUS. Satanas,

it

wes min,

pe appel, )>at }>ou $aue him, pe appel and }>e appel-tre BOJJC were maked )>ourh me. Hou mihtest Jxm on ani wise Of o)>er mannes Jnng make marchandise boht wij> min, Si)>)>en he wes WiJ resoun wil ich hauen him.

SATAN. Jesu, wel

I

knowe

?

100

J>e!

pou

sore rewe)> me; art louerd ouer al,

Wo

is

pat

95

ful

him, )at

Heuene and pe soules

)>e

er)>e

knowe ne

tak to

shall

105

)>e,

in helle lef )>ou

me

!

THE HARROWING OF HELL. Let

me haue

pat

)>ou

DOMINUS. pe

ich helde,

hauest wel mote

Stille is

)>at

be

fallen

169

welde

)>ou

!

Satanas, as!

}x>u,

ambes

no

Wendest |>ou, ich were ded For mi de) is mankin boht

for

noht?

!

hauen serued me, WiJ> me he shulen in heuene be pou shalt ben in more pine, pei, )>at

;

115

pan ani, )>at )>er is her-inne. SATAN. Ne mai non me werse do, pan ich haue had hider-to. Ich haue had so michel wo, pat

ne recche, whider I go reuest me of mine,

I

120

;

5 if }>ou I

shal reue

]>e

of )>ine

;

shal go fro man to man And reue )>e of man! an. I

DOMINUS. God wot!

I shal speke holde grty So faste shal I binde )>e,

And do

j>e

to

|>e

wi)>

Litel shalt )>ou reue

me.

[Were ]?ou among men, pou woldest me reuen mani of hem.] pe smale fendes, }>at ben unstronge,

He

shulen

among men

130

jonge,

hauen alle hem, pat hem ne willen stonden ajen. Helle jates I come nou to And ich wille, that he undo. Where is nou )>is jateward ? Me J>inke)> he is a coward

For

1*3

!

to

135

!

JANITOR. Ich haue herd wordes stronge, Ne dar I her no lengore stonde ;

Kepe I

whoso mai, hem stonde and renne

J>e

lete

jates

DOMINUS. Helle

And

awei.

jates her I felle sij^en wil ich herwe helle. !

N

2

140

T

APPENDIX

70

Satanas, her

I

}>e

III.

145

binde,

Ne

shalt J>ou neuer henne winde, Her shalt them ben in bondes ai,

Til

come domesdai

)?at

!

ADAM. Welcome,

louerd, god of londe, Codes sone and godes sonde Welcome, louerd, mote J>ou be, ;

Longe

haue)> ous }>oht after

J>e

150

!

Louerd, nou f>ou art comen to ous, Bring ous of )>is lo]?e hous. Louerd, wost

}>ou,

pou me shope

of

am?

what ich er)>e,

Adam

155

;

For I Jrin heste held noht, Dere ich haue it her aboht.

Haue merci

of ous, godes sone,

Let ous na more her wone

;

160

Alle, J>at her-inne be, 3ore hauen 3erned after f>e;

We

hopen wel )ourh

Of oure sinnes hauen

J>i

coming

froring.

EUA. Knou me, louerd, ich am Eue; Ich and Adam j>e were so leue,

165

pou jaue ous to jeme parais, it jemeden asse unwis

We We

!

\>m heste dide forleten, we of }>en appel eten

po So longe haue we ben her-inne, Dere haue we bet oure sinne. ;

Louerd, god,

jif

170

ous leue,

Adam and To To

me, his wif Eue, faren of \>is lojje wike blisse of heuene rike! )>e

DOMINUS. Adam, ich haue jouen mi lif For J>e and for Eue, J>i wif Wendest }>ou, ich were ded for noht ? For mi de)> wes mankin boht.

175

;

ABRAHAM. Louerd, pat

)>ou

Crist, ich

calledest

it

am,

Abraham

;

180

THE HARROWING OF HELL. pou me

seidest, }>at of

171

me

Shulde a god childe boren be, pat ous shulde bringe of pine, Me and wi)> me alle mine, art

pou

child, )>ou art

J>e

pat wes boren of

Do

nou

J>at

me

Bring

}>ou bihete

DOMINUS. Abraham,

What

;

me,

heuene up

to

man,

)>e

Abraham

)>ou seidest, euerich del

am

ich

pat boren wes of

Dauid,

)>e

king,

Bring ous fram

DOMINUS. David, For

}>is

for

)>i

;

to ous,

dredful hous

!

aoo

min,

)>ou

godnesse,

for ani sibnesse.

pan

Crist, ich am Johan, folewede in flum Jordan;

JOHANNES. Louerd, pat

195

;

were boren of mi kin,

)>ou

godnesse art

jn

More

\>'m

comen

}>ou art

;

fles.

ofspring Do me also J>ou bihete pourh )>e lawe of j>e prophete

Nou

190

wijj J>e!

ich wot ful wel

pat mi suete moder wes Boren and shaped of J>i

DAVID. Louerd,

185

J>e

205

Tuelue mone)> is agon, pat I )>olede martirdom;

pou sendest me )e

rihte wei

In-to helle for so)>e to

sei,

aio

godes sone, Sone shuldest f>ider come, pat

J>ou,

For

to lesen of helle pine

Crist,

j>ou holdest )>ine.

Alle,

j>at

Nou

)>ou art

pat

comen, nou

}>ou seidest

me

DOMINUS. Johan, Johan, pat

1

sende

pou

shall se,

pat

I

J>e

)>e

j>at

seide er

|>e

unto ich

)>ou do,

215

!

it

wat,

gat ; I shal do, to.

aao

APPENDIX

173

III.

MOYSES. Louerd, )>ou jaue me al wi)> pe lawe of Sinay upon J>e hil

skil

;

am

Ich

Moyses,

Ich held pat

men

pe

sinne,

]>at

DOMINUS. Moyses, In

\>e

And

prophete,

)>e

lawes, J>at }>ou hete, shulde come to bete

J>e

Adam }>at

olde lawe,

ich hihte )>ou

alle J>e o)>er, }>at

Shulen to blisse pei, j>at

Shulen

J>e

didest

me;

mine ben,

me ten; me leuen,

330

wij>

nolden on wi)>

935

)x>hte suete.

Satanas bileuen

;

per he shulen wonen ai, Til J)at come domesdai. \Auctor\ God, for his moder loue Let ous neuer J>ider come

335

!

Louerd, for J>i michele grace Graunte ous in heuene one place; Let ous neuer be forloren For no sinne, Crist icoren

340

;

Ah

bring ous out of helle pine, Louerd, ous and alle }>ine;

And In

jif

ous grace to Hue and ende and to heuene wende.

YI seruice

Amen.

APPENDIX

IV.

BROME PLAY OF ABRAHAM AND

ISAAC.

^. /THE ANGELL. I"am That

Our

fro

ari^angeil,

thou mayist se blythe,

to the ys senth,

hevyn

an c. sythe, For the kepyng of hys commawment. He knowyt thi wyll and also thy harte, That thou dredyst hym above all thyng, lord thanke the

And sum

A

fayr

320

of thy hevynes for to departe

Ram

jynder

I

gan brynge,

He standyth teyed, loo a-mong the Now Abraham, a-mend thy mood, !

breres

324

For Ysaac, thy jowng son that her ys, Thys day scliall not sched hys blood Goo, make thy sacryfece with ^on Rame. ;

Now For on

to

hevyn

I

The way ys full gayn. Take up thy son soo free.

A

ABRAHAM.

!

328

Abraham, goo now hom,

for-wyll blyssyd

lord

Now am

I I

\Exit Angel.

A-rysse up, Ysaac, my dere sunne a-rysse, A-rysse up, swete chyld, and cum to me.

YSAAC.

A

A ABRAHAM.

!

336

not /yt smygth on, fader, onys with jowr knyffe.

mercy, fader,

!

332

thanke the of thy gret grace, yeyed on dyvers wysse,

wy smygth je

and take no thowt, sir hevyn hath grant thi lyflfe Be hys angell now. That thou schalt not dey this day, sunne, Pesse,

For our

my

swet

lord of

!

340

truly.

APPENDIX

174 YSAAC.

A

fader, full glad

!

I-wys! fader,

Yf thys

tale

I

IV.

than wer

I

344

sey, i-wys!

wer trew.

ABRAHAM. An hundyrd tymys, my son For joy thi mowth now wyll I

fayer of hew, kys.

YSAAC. A!

my dere fader, Abraham, Wyll not God be wroth //fcat we do thus?

ABRAHAM. Noo, noo harly my swyt For yyn same Rame he hath Hether down to us. !

348

son,

us sent 352

best schall dey here in thi sted. In the worthschup of owr lord a-lon.

Yyn

Goo

hym

fet

hethyr,

my

chyld, in ded.

YSAAC. Fader, wyll goo hent hym be the hed, And bryng jon best with me a-nonri

356

I

^t

A!

scheppe, scheppe! blyssycTmorthou be, That ever thow were sent down heder,

Thow

schall thys day dey for me, In the worchup of the holy Trynyte.

cum

fast

and goo we

To my fader of Thow thou be never Fyt had

lever

I

!

fader,

Thys

And hym

I

360

^yLo-^. v>-*-3^-NA'

^>

to-geder,

hevyn.

^|

^>v

so jentyll

thow schedyst

I-wysse, scheppe, than

Loo

"^

and good

full

smerte 368

jentyll scheppe, I

364

thi blood,

I.

have browt here

to .you

\^

^

gyffe

But lord God, I thanke the with For I am glad that I schall leve,

And kys onys my ABRAHAM. Now be rygth

all

my

hart

dere moder.

myry,

my

372

swete chyld,

For thys qwyke best that ys so myld, Here I schall present before all other. YSAAC.

And Thys

I

wyll fast begynne to blowe fyer schall brene a full good spyd

But, fader, wyll I stowppe downe lowe, Ye wyll not kyll me with jowr sword,

I

376 ;

trowe

?

\

BROME PLAY OF ABRAHAM & ABRAHAM. Noo,

have no dred,

harly, swet son

My mornyng

ISAAC.

175 380

ys past,

YSAAC. Ya! but I woold that sword wer in a glad, For i-wys, fader, yt make me full yll a-gast.

[Here Abraham

mad hys offryng,

knelyng and seyyng thus :

ABRAHAM. Now

lord God of hevyn in Trynyte, Allmyty god omnipotent, My offeryng I make in the worchope of the,

384

And

with thys qweke best I the present. Lord reseyve thow myn intent. As art god and grownd of our grace.

DEUS. Abraham, Abraham,

And Truly, I

Ysaac,

thi

Abraham,

mot thow sped,

wyll

jowng

388

son the by,

for thys dede,

39?

schall multyplye _yowres botheres sede As thyke as sterres be in the skye,

Bothe more and

lesse

;

And So

as thyke as gravell in the see, thyke multyplyed _your sede schall be,

$96

Thys grant I yow for yowr goodnesse. Off jow schall cume frowte gret,

And ever be in blysse with owt yynd, For je drede me as God a-lon, And kepe my commawmentes everyschon. My blyssyng I ^effe, wer so ever y& goo. ABRAHAM. Be

Loo, Ysaac,

my

son,

how thynke

400

404

_ye,

we have wrogth, Full glad and blythe we may be A^ens the wyll of God that we grucched thys warke that

Upon

nott,

thys fayer hetth.

408

YSAAC. A! fader, I thanke our lord every dell, That my wyt servyd me so wyll, For to drede God more than my detth.

ABRAHAM. Why! dere-wordy Hardely, chyld,

tell

son,

me

wer thow a-dred? thy

lore.

412

APPENDIX

176 YSAAC.

Ka, be

my

feyth, fader,

IV.

now hath

I

red,

wos never soo afrayd before, As I have byn at yyn hyll. But be my feyth, fader, I swere I wyll never more cume there But yt be a-^ens my wyll. 1

ABRAHAM. Ka, cum on with me, my owyn And horn- ward fast now let us goon. YSAAC. Be my feyth, fader, ther-to I grant, I

had never so good wyll

And ABRAHAM.

A

to speke with !

For now Ysaac,

to

gon

416

swet sonn,

I

my j^ownge

grant, fader,

For be

sonn so

fre,

my

and

let

trowthe wer

438

us gon, I

at

home,

wold never gon owt under that forme. I prey God ^effe us grace ever mo, And all thow that we be holdyng to. I

434

lord of hevyn, I thanke the, may I led horn with me

The gentyllest chyld above all other. Thys may I wyll a-voee. Now goo we forthe, my blyssyd sonn. YSAAC.

20

horn,.

dere moder.

my

4

433

NOTES. YORK SUBJECT.

The Creation

PLAY.

of the Universe

and the Fall of

Lucifer form the subject of a play, or part of a play, in each of the four great cycles. The versions followed by the different

authors and by the writer of the Cursor Mundi exhibit only which are recorded in the notes.

trifling differences, the chief of

The York Play on

this subject may certainly claim pre-eminence over its rivals. It is full of dramatic vigour, and is pervaded by a certain homely grandeur of style, which contrasts very effectively with the baldness of the Coventry playwright or the

turgidity of the Chester.

DIALECT. The dialect in which the York Plays were written was the Northumbrian, but the language of the plays as they have come down to us is strongly affected by the influence of a Midland scribe. Note, however, the Northern a for o in formaste, ane, awne, etc., the Northern form of the second person singular in thu has, thou

lyes,

thou was, the plural in s

after the substantival subject,

Thi dedes to

this dole

and again the imperative

nowe has dyghte

plural in es (the

us

(1.

109),

pronoun being absent),

Bothe the nighte and the day, does dewly .yhour deyver.

Note

also the present participles in and, ande,

forms

als, ivhilke, slyke,

METRE. and

The metre

and the Northern

gyf, sail, etc.

of this play, like that of the fortieth of which the first

forty-fifth, consists of eight-line stanzas,

quatrain rimes abab with four beats to the quatrain cddc, with three beats. Each line three stressed syllables at least

line, is

the second

alliterative

on

NOTES TO YORK PLAY.

178

The

TEXT.

text of this play is taken

with the following '

of

title

from the

editio princeps

:

York Plays. The Plays performed by the Crafts or Mysteries York on the day of Corpus Christi in the I4th, i$th and i6th

Now

centuries,

first

the Library of Lord

printed from the unique manuscript in Ashburnham. Edited with introduction

and glossary by Lucy Toulmin Smith.

Oxford, at the Clarendon

Press, 1885.'

Ego sum Alpha Rev.

'

i.

8,

and John

et O.,

&c. This

is

compounded

of two texts

:

am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending,' I am the way, the truth, and the life.' xiv. 6, The

I

'

Towneley, Coventry and Chester Plays quote only from the Revelation.

My

5. blyssyng o ble sail be blendyng, &*c. : it has been ' ' if not, suggested that ble here stands absolutely for beauty we can hardly reject Mr. Joseph Hall's transposition O blyssing ' ' my ble,' etc. It seems agreed that blendyng means a blend and not ' a blinding.' 17. But onely the -worthely warke, SF'C.: i.e. but my spirit '

'

;

'

'

shall breathe

my

'

might only into the worthy work of my

23. Nyen ordres of aungels. The nine orders are thus up in the corresponding Chester play

will.

summed

Lord, through thy mighte thou haste us wroughte

Nine orderes heare, that we maye

see

Chernbyn and Seraphyn through thy grace, Thrones and domenaciones in blesse to be.

With

principates that order brighte potestates in blissful lighte, Alsoe vertutes through thy greate mighte,

And

Angell, also arckeangele.

The Cursor Mundi

says

Of

angels wald he served be That suld of ordres haf thris thre, He ches til him that lauerd hend

The men

suld

mak

the ordre tend.

Cotton MS., 429-432.

But in the Towneley Play the tenth order was originally composed of the Angels who afterwards forfeited their place, for the

Primus demon

in

reproaching Lucifer says IX, there was X.

Thou has maide

So

also in Ccedmon.

NOTES TO YORK PLAY. 25.

Nexile :

'

an

exile,

s.

aisle,

of the structure of the world

with isle*

;

179

from Lat. axilla, a detached part here seems to be confounded

(Note in Miss Smith's Glossary, York Plays,

p. 546.) sail welde, &*c. : i. e. and [they] that shall enjoy well-being shall dwell in these habitations. 32. Be put : i. e. that they be put.

28.

And that welth

49.

Markide :

71.

Me

nedes

i.

:

e. is

i.

e.

made

I

conspicuous.

have no need to trouble myself

in

any

way. 92.

Owe !

dewes ! all goes downe : Lucifer's self-gratulation

here cut short by his fall from heaven. In the Cursor Mundi and in the Towneley and Chester Plays his sin is represented as more heinous than that of mere boasting. is

Thus

in the

Cursor we read 'Sette,'

he said, 'mi sete I sal

Gain him that

heist es of all

In the north side

it

sal

be

:

sette,

O me

servis sal he non gette, Qui suld I him servis yeild! Al sal be at myn auen weild."

Cotton MS., 457-462.

And

in the Plays Lucifer seats himself in God's throne. 106. All ourefode es butfilth> wefynde us beforn : \. e. all the

food we find before us

is

but

filth.

Thi rightwysnes, &*c. : I supply [redes] and [i f ] as suggested by Dr. Kolbing, and adopt his punctuation. 134. Tham thoght tham : 'Thai thoght tham' would mean 'they thought themselves,' and 'tham thoght thai weren,' 'it seemed to them they were,' but 'tham thoght tham' is loose 124, 25.

grammar. 142. Before: i.e. in point of time.

NOTES TO CHESTER PLAYS.

l8o

CHESTER PLAYS. NOAH'S FLOOD.

I.

The

Building of the Ark, the entrance into it of and the Flood, were among the most popular subjects in the Miracle Cycles. In addition to the York, Towneley, Coventry, and Chester plays, a Newcastle play acted by the Shipwrights' Gild is still preserved, and is printed

SUBJECT.

Noah and

his Wife,

in Brand's History of Newcastle, vol. ii. In the Miller's of Chaucer, where a clerk persuades a foolish carpenter to the night in a basket slung from a window in preparation second flood, there are naturally many allusions to Noah.

Tale pass for a

See

especially lines 348-357.

'Hastow nat herd how saved was Noe, that our Lord had warned him biforn That al the world with watir schulde be lornt'

Whan

'Yis,' qtiod this carpenter,

'Hastow nought

The sorwe

of

herd,'

Noe with

'

ful

yore ago.'

quod Nicholas, 'also his felaschipe,

That he hadde or he gat his wyf to schipe? Him hadde wel lever, I dar wel undertake,

At

thilke tyme, than alle his wetheres blake, hirself alone.'

That sche hadde hadde a schip

The Flood is treated at great length in the alliterative poem on Noah arid in the Cursor Mundi (11. 1625-2000), but there is no allusion there to the obstinacy of Noah's wife.

METRE. Stanzas of eight lines, for the most part riming aaab cccb, but occasionally aaab aaab. The fourth and eighth lines have only three beats, the rest four. There is much use of alliteration.

TEXT.

The Chester Plays have come down

to us in five

transcribed within fifteen years, and all late. The earliest, written in 1591 by 'Edward Gregorie, a scholar of Bunbury,' is now in the possession of the Duke of Devonshire,

manuscripts,

all

by whose kindness the present editor has had the use of it for The next two transcripts were made by George These are both in the Bellin in 1592 and 1600 respectively. The fourth British Museum, MS. Add. 10,305 and Harl. 2013. copy is in the Bodleian (MS. 175) it was written by William

this edition.

;

NOTES TO CHESTER PLAYS. Bedford of

181

The fifth and last, dated 1607, was the work Miller, and this also is in the British Museum (Harl. As to the relations of the five MSS. all that can be said in 1604.

James

2124).

is that the transcripts of 1592 (here called B) and 1607 (E) show, especially in this play, most striking differences, and that the Devonshire MS. (A) is a link between them, though nearer to B than to E. Harl. 2013 and Bod. 175 belong to the same group as B and are of no great importance. For the present

here

have followed Wright's Shakespeare Society edition

edition

I

(1843), rections

and take my text from B; but with important corfrom A and E, and a long passage for which E is our

sole authority.

In 1892 the E. E. T. S. issued the

first

half of

the late Dr. Deimling's critical edition, the text of which

is

based on E. I. /, God, that all this worlds hath wrought: 'hath' 'have' through the interposition of the word 'God.' Are fowle sotted.' 4. Are sette fowle in synne : C reads but tell, 6-v. 5. My ghoste shall not linge in mone

for

'

.

spirit shall

Cp. Gen.

years. 8.

only (not

.

.

.

but) continue in

.

.

man

.-

my

for six score

vi. 3.

They ; here and

in

11.

II, 201, 204,

written the in B.

Fowle to flye: gerundial infinitive, cp. 11. 57, 58, a hacchette wounder keyne to bitte well. II. They doe me nye, The Folke, &*c.: 'for on earth they, the 10.

do me Avrong.' This seems better than to omit (with Wright) the comma after 'nye,' when we must render for they cause me to harm the folk that are thereon.' A and E read 'inwardlie,' but see Gen. vi. 6. 15. Hartelye. 17. My servante free : 'free,' i.e. noble. 19. The directions here given are paraphrased from Gen. vi. ' Make thee an ark of gopher wood (treeyes dry and 14-16 1. 20) ; rooms (littill chamberes, 1. 21) shalt thou make /ight, folk that are thereon, '

:

:

the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch 22-24). And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: the length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits in

(11.

A

window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a (11. 25-28). cubit shalt thou finish it above (11. 29-30) ; and the door of the with lower, ark shalt thou set in the side thereof (11. 31-32) second and third stories (three rowfed chamberes on a roe, 1. 34) shalt thou make it.' ;

NOTES TO CHESTER PLAYS.

i8z 21.

Thou make :

27.

The meete thou fonge

imperative. : take thou the measure.

*

Meete

'

is

The the reading of MS. A, for 'nexte of B, and ' melt of E. height as given in Genesis is thirty cubits, not fifty (E) or sixty '

'

(A).

A dore shall sit :

31.

of

E

and rimes with

i.

e.

shall '

'

This

be placed.

and

wytte

'

itt.'

A

is

the reading

and B both read

'

'

the northern spelling of shutte.' These do not answer 34. Three rowfed chamberes on a roe. to the 'rooms' of Gen. vi. 14, but to the 'lower, second and ' third stories of verse 16. Rowfed is the reading of E, and shows 'ronette' of A and D to be a mistake for 'rovette,' a northern spelling of the same word. C reads 'round,' and gives us also 'on a roe instead of the senseless 'one or two' of sutte,'

'

'

'

the other

MSS.

35. Slowe: i.e. slay, is the reading of E and superior to flowe = flood) of the other manuscripts. 40. Saved be for thy sake : another reading from E instead of the senseless shall fall before thy face,' which loses the rime '

'

(?

'

'

with

42.

make in 1. 36. To me arte in such '

43. house, 50.

that

will : art so minded towards me.

'howseholde.'

Hyeyou,

may

75.

B

leste this

waiter fall.

E reads

'

Helpe

for

aughte

befall.'

Every

stiche

:

i.e.

B

every stick.

'with stiche.'

Toppe-castill': a ledging surrounding the masthead. the othei 94. With cordes and roppes, I hold all meete, MSS. read : ' Bouth cordes and roppes I have all meete.' 93.

E

115. sight)

For non

A and

soe righteous

E.

'

man

For non soe

113-124. Cp. Gen.

vii.

to

righte,

;

me: (to me, i.e. in nor non to me,' B.

my

1-3.

125-133. Cp. Gen. vi. 19-21. 125. more, B 'moe.' 131. Forgettcn,

B

'forgotten.'

137-144. Cp. Gen. vii. ' 145. bayne, B beane.'

4.

'

151. Yf throtigh amendment, Sfc. : i.e. to see if an explanaThe ' hundred wynter and twentye ' of tion of his slowness. ' line 149 are a repetition of the six skore yeaires' of line 7, both being taken from Genesis vi. 3. But according to Genesis v. 32 Noah was apparently over five hundred before the Ark was

NOTES TO CHESTER PLAYS.

183

begun, and according to Genesis vii. 6 only six hundred when it was finished. The writer reckons by the 'long hundred.' 152. unto, B 'to.' 155. That iich beaste were in stalle; a wish; sone that I were speede.' 170. Fullimartes :

mare

also,'

A;

i.e. polecats,

cf.

Ch a

.

388,

'fulmart,' E.

B, which clashes with 'horses, mares,' &c. of

'And

'Fillie, 1.

162.

cuckoes we have in B Cuckoes, curlues, &<;. For 'Duckes,' but our reading is supported both by its alliteration '

'

187.

and by the occurrence

Who

in

' 189 of digges, drackes.'

1.

Perhaps we should only regard this as a loose way of saying for anyone who knows to see,' or 'as any one knows;' but lines 189-191 may be taken as explanatory of iche one in his kinde,' and the construction be ever knowes.

'

'

completed by line 192. 206. But, unless '

'

;

207. this

A

Nowe.

and

redundant.

unite in reading

Noe whether

Els rowe forth

('

elles,

E

the

Noe

liste

').

in preference to thy for thee.

B

220. There without: substituted, to save rime and sense, on the authority of A and E, for the their all daye of B. 225. Fleetinge : i.e. floating, AE 'flitting,' B. '

'

;

226. Spreadesfuttfsrre(&*iaxn?), The transcriber of E, or his authority, not recognising that the metre of the Gossippes Song is

from that of the rest of the play, has altered these breadeth (broadens) in haste,' in order to preserve rime with faste and agaste.' Again in line 228 he

different '

words to

it

the triple

reads

' :

'

Good

gossip, let

233. Heare is lines are omitted

'

'

me come

a

pottill, &>c. by E. It will be

in.'

This and the three following noted that they are metrically

an excrescence. 238. Childer: retained

244. nought,

B

by

A

only; other

MSS.

'children.'

'note.'

Have thou that for thy note! We are to understand that has carried his mother by force into the boat, and that she is replying to her husband's sarcastic welcome with a blow. The reading 'note' (use) makes good sense, and contains a But there is much possible pun it is supported by A and B. to be said for the 'mote' (argument, speech) which is found in E. 'Renewes' 249. Retrieves : i.e. removes, moves away, AE. of B is plainly a scribes error. steake, E. 257. Shutte, AB 246.

Shem

:

;

NOTES TO CHESTER PLAYS.

184

AE

So greate one, so greate wone, B. [26l*~398*.] The following forty-eight lines are given only by E. As they closely follow the Bible narrative [Gen. viii. 6 sqq.], and supply what in the other texts is an obvious lacuna, 259.

while the

argument

;

of the stage

naivete"

for their genuineness,

I

directions is an additional have no hesitation in printing

them. 275*. Stage direction: 'Then shall he let loose a dove and there shall be in the ship another dove bearing an olive in her

mouth, which some one shall let down [the verb should plainly be deinittei\ by a string into the hands of Noah.' 299*. Soe be, text be soe.' 305*. Comes in all wise. 'Comes,' the northern imperative 'All wise plural cp. does Y. 156. by all means. 263. Wher all was \lorne~\ salfe to be. I have ventured thus '

'

:

;

emend, despite the agreement of the MSS. in favour of For salfe,' A safe, E MS. B reads 'false.'

to

'

'borne.'

268. '

270.

278.

AE AE And, AE Thy,

;

Has,

;

292. Lete, 293. Flee,

296.

B B

to

Verey,

man much

is

before.'

E

the line appears as

; on, B. leave.

fleye.

Mankinde

313, 4. '

but in

my, B.

the rime in

:

305-7. Heste, beste,

as,

AB,

halfe, B.

reading was probably 311.

;

so

here right sone.'

I offer

276.

;

Andfull devotion :

AE

;

1.

300 shows that the original

'

mankynne.' leste,

B

heiste, beste, last.

every, B.

in B the line limps haltingly never more.' To make up for this the next line too long, Be wasted with watter, as he hath been

That man ne woman, AE; shall

'

I

expressions

follow

A

in

'

he and omitting in these plays. '

being common

'

bene,' elliptical

E

reads

* :

as

is

before.'

318. like,

AE II.

;

same, B.

THE SACRIFICE OF

ISAAC.

SUBJECT. Five other English miracle-plays on this subject have been handed down to us. Of these the least interesting is that of the Coventry series, in which Isaac bows at once to

NOTES TO CHESTER PLAYS. his fate,

185

and the story

is told as baldly as possible. Better than with the omission of much of the small incident and by-play of our text, is the short Towneley version. In the York Play the charm of the story is marred by the unhappy freak of making Isaac thirty years of age, apparently that

but

this,

still

this also he should be a type of Christ. In a Dublin play (i$th century), printed by J. P. Collier in 1836 from a manuscript in Trinity College, Dublin, the distinguishing features are the introduction of Rebecca and the longer speeches in

The

assigned to Deus.

version

fifth

is

that

first

printed by

Miss Toulmin Smith in Anglia, Band vii. pp. 323-337, from a 1 5th century MS. found at Brome in Suffolk. This play has especial interest for us, not only on account of its intrinsic merit, but from the strong resemblance of its lines 164-314 to the corresponding 134 lines in the Chester version. This resemblance, sometimes of phrase, sometimes only of meaning, is interrupted by occasional passages in the Brome MS., which have no equivalents in the Chester. Apparently both editors worked upon a common original, but the Chester poet compressed the more freely, and in so doing greatly heightened the But he shewed poor taste in omitting the charming scene between the Father and the Son after their agony

effect of the dialogue.

It is possible, is over, and I give this in full in an Appendix, however, that the Chester Play has come down to us mutilated. It was plainly at one time a separate play, and when amalgamated with that of Abraham and Lot may well have been cut

down

convenience of performance. thinge : i.e. 'go about a little piece of business,' but the phrase seems to have had some liturgical associations cp. Chaucer's Knightes Tale, 1435, of Emily's for greater

230.

Doe a

littill

;

sacrifice to

and

Diana

Two

fyres

And

dicle hire thinges,

in the

on the auter gan sche

same way,

as

beete,

men may biholde;

'said his thinges'

is

used for 'said his

prayers.' . Following Wright, I thus [swerde]. 'sworde' of the MSS. 'afrayde' 268. You will not slaye your childe. The fine scene which older literature, was follows, perhaps the most pathetic in our doubtless suggested to the dramatist by the consideration that .

265. [Affearde]

emend

.

.

.

.

O

2

1

NOTES TO CHESTER PLAYS.

86

Isaac, as a type of Christ, must of the Cursor Mundi

The author

he

'Sir,'

The

said,

'quer

have been a willing sacrifice. had no such inspiration. sal we take

beist of sacrifice to

make,

now broght

Sin

we

He

said, 'drightin sal send us an.'

wit us

has nan.'

Wit

this

And

dernlike [privily] he drou the brand the child was not parceveid

That

Ar

he stod the child nerhand

the suerd

him hade

deceveid. Cotton

MS,, 3165-73.

271. [Steade]; fyelde, A; feilde, B ; stydd, E. and Here 281. I prate thee . . . even in three.

A

E

give us

the true reading for B's unmetrical Isaake, sonne, peace I thee praie breakes my barte in sunder.

Thou 299.

If

maye

it

be

:

after

'

she woulde kneele downe

'

the

' regular construction here requires might,' which is actually the reading of E. But the present tense is full of dramatic vividness.

300. Dr. Kolbing points out that a half stanza has here been and that we may supply three lines of it from the Brome MS.

lost,

178-80

:

And sythyn that my moder ys not here I pray yow, fader, schonge yowr chere, And kyll me not with yowyr knyffe. Will not quite me in my nede, B quite me my meede, the latter reading is perhaps slightly the better. Neither takes a very high view of Abraham's motive. 314.

AE

;

;

Wright misread this as 319. Onste. and read not in use at this time.

A

E

'

ouste,' '

a word probably

once.'

My blessinge, Qr'c. These four lines are printed from and E. In B (followed by Wright) they do not appear. Allusion to the Holy 335. The blessing of the Trinitie. Trinity are frequent in plays on Old Testament subjects. 333-

A

336. Grylle should rime with lighte. Perhaps we should read gryghte, murmur (from gruccheri). 369. \Yinge\; yonge, MSS. 378. 7*hou greyed me \ti\ever ones : Dr. Kolbing's emendation from Brome MS. 270 ('In all thy lyffe thou grevyd me

neuer onys') thou greves me ever ones, B; thou greeves every ones, A thou greved me but ones, E. ;

;

me

NOTES TO CHESTER PLAYS.

187

And sone that I were speede :

a wish, cp. C. L. 155. while, while you have space. B omits the first ' But the word while,' rather to the improvement of the sense. is more likely to have dropped out in B than to have been 388. 391.

A

litill

repeated in

A and

E, and

is

needed for the sake of the metre. Full loth were me : the subtle Abraham's resolution is faltering

397. / woulde fayne . . . indication by the tenses .that

worth noting.

is

1 prayeyou ryddme.

This reading (from A), though less ' praye God rydd me of E, is supported by the Brome MS. The disputed word is omitted altogether in B. 435. Into this place as thou se May. Only given in E. Not a good line, but needed for the metre. 41 1.

forcible

than the

'

I

446. ever: pronounced as 'e'er.'

To

AB E

'

weakly reads so deare.' and of thy bloode, B but the 454. And thy bloode, AE reference is plainly to Gen. xxii. 17, 'and thy seed shall possess 447.

teare,

;

;

;

the gate of his enemies.'

AE

To do, And do, B. ; 457. of all nadons, Qr'c. I leave the text of this and the three following lines as it stands in B because it makes good 456.

And

sense, without Christ.

any emendation,

that

viz.

Abraham

is

to

be

nations and himself to be saved by his descendant, But the text followed is plainly Gen. xxii. 18 'And in

blessed of

all

:

thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.' Now in 1. 458 AE omit thou, in 1. 459 they read The for Through, and in the 1. 460 omit be.

And

of all nations, leve thou me,

Blessed evermore snail be

The

fruite that shall

And

The

stanza

is

thus

come

of thee,

saved through thy seede.

much

closer to Gen. xxii. 18, but contains

a

most awkward change of construction in the last line. An example, B. 466. In example, AE I maie understande, B. 473. Understands I mate, AE ;

;

E.

And death for to confounde, AB

his death to underfonge, be observed, supplies a rime to 1. 472. The remaining stanzas are not 477. Suche obedience, Gr*c.

476.

Neither reading,

it

;

will

given in E.

Spoken by the herald of 485. Make rombe, lordinges, 6-v. the next play, probably on horseback.

1

NOTES TO TOWNELEY PLAY.

88

TOWNELEY

PLAY.

SECUNDA PASTORUM. SUBJECT.

We have

in all six plays treating of the

Adoration

Holy Child by the Shepherds two in the Towneley Cycle, which must have been used as alternatives one each in those of York, Chester and Coventry and a single play acted by the Shearmen and Taylors of Coventry, probably a part of the lost Cycle of the Trade Gilds of that town., The Shepherds of the of the

;

;

;

Cycle are distinguished irom their by their dulness and their abstinence from gifts. In the other plays the Shepherds are all genuine rustics, rough in their talk and manners, but full of real devotion. They talk of their sheep, eat their poor meals, wrestle

Coventry (Grey Friars?)

fellows

by

their superior learning,

(as in the Chester Play) with their lad and are ignominiously beaten, try to imitate the angels' song, and then betake them to Bethlehem, there to offer their humble gifts. All these features

appear in the Towneley Play, but inwoven with them is a genuine farce, which makes it of a great importance in the history of the development of the English drama.

DIALECT.

METRE.

In the main that of the

A

West Riding

of Yorkshire.

very vivacious stanza of thirteen, with two and

three accents to a line, riming ababababcdddc. This metre runs through five of the Towneley Plays and appears in four others. rest of

Couplets, alternates, and other metres appear in the the plays. There is much -all-iteration.

The MS. of the Towneley Plays (now in the possesMajor Coates) was originally copied and collated in 1836 for the Surtees Society. The extracts here given are taken from the Early English Text Society's recent edition. II. Nere-hands outt of the doore : nearly homeless. TEXT.

sion of

13.

Lyys falow :

i.e.

because they could not afford to cultivate

them. 20. Lord-fest, 'strong in lordliness,' Morley; perhaps rather 'attached to a lord' (the opposite of lordless), cp. shamefast,

wordfast. 28. May he gett a paynt slefe, <&<:. In the days of Sumptuary Laws an embroidered sleeve would betoken a man of rank.

NOTES TO TOWNELEY PLAY.

189

32. He can make purveance. Purveyance was the right of purchasing provisions and necessaries for the royal household at an arbitrary price in preference to any other buyer. The first of forty statutes against it was made by Canute, but the On a smaller scale right was not finally surrendered till 1660. it would be practised by every feudal lord.

289. Bot abowte you a serkylle. Mak (a character who is probably adapted from the favourite comic character, the conjurer and buffoon Maugis of the Romance of the Four Sons of Aymon), like a rustic magician, draws an imaginary circle round

the Shepherds, in wKich they are to sleep until his theft and his protestations of innocence ready prepared. 294.

Over your heydys,

309.

/ hope

&>c.

I myght

not

:

is

done

by way of a charm.

ryse a

to

penny

wyn :

I

have no

expectation of making anything by getting up. 314. There may no note be sene, &*. : such small jobs prevent

my

having any work to show.

317. 341.

A, com in, my sivetyng : she recognizes her husband. Then myght Ifar, by alle the pak, &*c. : then might I fare

much

the worse at the hands of all the pack. The reading far) by instead of by, for of text (far in Surtees ed. is corrected in errata to for) was suggested by Dr. Skeat and (independently) by Dr. Logeman.

/ 598. We ivate ill abowte : we are waiting about to no purpose. Primus Pastor has not yet discovered Mak's trick. 602. 614.

Kynde wille crepe, &*<:. A proverb cp. Everyman, 1. 3 1 5. / am he that hym gatt. Mak now pretends that the ;

a changeling put in place of his child. wille I be left : I will stand by your judgment. 639. And cast hym in canvas : i. e. they toss Mak in a blanket. 642. shepe ofviiskore: i.e. of seven score pounds. ' 655. Ther lyges thatfre. For the use of free as a substantive is

sheep

634.

With you

A

'

(= noble 183-

fellow), cp.

York Play of the Entry

into Jerusalem,

1.

And

than

we

will

go mete that

free;

In the York that bright in 1. 716 of the present play. Play of the Shepherds, the Holy Child is called 'that frely foode.' he crakyd it: 'crakyd,' sang out loud (M. E. 667.

also

'

To

'

How

craken, to cry out cp. 'corn-crake'), occurs in the York Play, where one of the Shepherds, after imitating the angels' song, says :

I

have so craked

That

my

in

my

throte

lippcs are nerc drye.

NOTES TO TOWNELEY PLAY.

190 671.

I can:

so Pastor Primus in the York Play, says

I can synge itt alls wele as hee And on a-saie itt sail be sone

proved or we passe. will helpe, halde on late see, for thus it was.

Yf we

!

And

In the Chester Play, on the Shepherds all sing together. the other hand, Pastor Primus modestly remarks, He hade a moche better voyce than I have, As in heaven all other have so. 685.

By

the prophecy of David and, Isay. In the Processus in the Towneley Plays the prophets who appear

Prophetarum

are Moses, David, the Sibyl and Daniel, but the play has some In the Coventry Play no less than signs of being imperfect.

twenty-seven prophets are 692. Ecce virgo,

virgo

Sr'c. :

et

concipiet

made

Isaiah

pariet

to

bear their witness.

vii.

filium,

'

Ecce 14 (in the Vulgate et vocabitur nomen ejus :

For Ecce the MS. has Cite, a scribe's error. 703. Patriarkes, &*c. : cp. Luke x. 24. 729. A bob of cherys. Only the Shepherds of the Coventry Cycle bring no gifts ; in the other plays some imagination is shewn in the choice of rustic presents. Thus in the first Towneley Play the gifts are a lytyll spruse cofer,' a ball and

Emmanuel ').

'

a bottle ; in the York, a brooch with a tin bell, 'two cobill notis uppon a band (cob-nuts on a riband), and a horn spoon that will hold forty peas. In the Chester Play double gifts are offered, a bottle, hood and shepherd's pipe by the Boys,' and a bell, spoon and cap by the Shepherds. In the Coventry Play of the Shearmen and Taylors, the gifts are a pair of mittens, a '

'

hooking down nuts or plums. mop, Of oure crede thou art crop. These phrases are repeated from the corresponding scene in the Prima Pastorum. 747. The tenys. Tennis was a fashionable game in France at the end of the I4th century (cp. the Dauphin's gift of tennis balls to our Henry V.), and was well known in England and Scotland about the same time. In the romance of The Turke and Gawin it is alluded to as having been played by Arthur's hat,

and a

735-36.

Knights

!

stick for

Hay lie

lytyll tyne

Thou

shalt

^

a tenn i sse ball, in Arthur's hall

That oever knight Is able to give

it

a lout.

NOTES TO COVENTRY PLAY. That

191

on seven: that put all things in order. repeated from the Prima Pastorum, in an ' earlier part of which it occurs slightly altered as to cast the world in seven.' In the play of Magnus Herodes the King 749.

sett alle

The phrase

threatens to

is

'

on sex and seven.' on high,

sett alle

765. Let take on loft: let us deliver

us sing out

let

loudly.

COVENTRY

PLAY.

THE SALUTATION AND CONCEPTION. SUBJECT.

There

other cycles, and

it

is is

no counterpart

any of the any special

to this play in

to this fact rather than to

whether literary or dramatic, that its selection is due. have here a personification of the heavenly virtues of Truth, Mercy, Justice and Peace, and we thus advance a step towards

merit,

We

the dramatic allegory of the earliest Morality Plays, such as the Castell ofPerseverance, which ends with a precisely similar scene.

This play is written throughout 1 in stanzas of eight lines, riming ababbcbc, with the occasional substitution of two more A-rimes for the Cs in the second quatrain. This very undramatic metre runs through eleven of the Coventry Plays and appears also in twelve others. The chief variation from it is a still longer stanza, riming ababababcdddc.

METRE.

DIALECT. of x in

The

chief scribal peculiarity

such words as

xal,

xulde, etc.

is the appearance According to Mr.

Halliwell-Phillipps this is in harmony with the traditional attribution of the Cycle to Coventry, or its neighbourhood, but

are usually associated with the East-Midland my belief in the East-

xal, xulde, etc.

and I have elsewhere stated Midland origin of this Cycle.

dialect,

TEXT.

The

runs as follows '

from Mr. HalliwellShakespeare Society, the title of which

text of this extract is taken

Phillipps' edition for the :

Ludus Coventriae.

A

collection of mysteries formerly represented at Coventry on the Feast of Corpus Christi. Edited by James Orchard Halliwell. London printed for the Shakespeare :

Society, 1841.' 1

There are three half stanzas of four

lines each.

NOTES TO COVENTRY PLAY.

192

The proofs have been read with the unique Manuscript in the Cottonian Collection at the British Museum, dated 1468. i. Ffowre thcnvsand sex undryd foure. (The MS. addsyere, but see 1. 3.) As there are nearly 200 computations of the number of years between the Creation of Man and Birth of Christ it is hardly worth enquiring to whom this particular calculation should be credited. It is six hundred years longer than the reckoning of Archbishop Usher (4004 years),

now

usually in-

According to Jewish chronologists the length of the period is 3992 years, according to the Samaritan 4293, while other calculations vary between .3483 and 6984.

serted in Bibles.

Seyd by Ysaie : Isaiah Ixiii. 15. Into erthe : a rime is wanted to 'fede.' We should rather read this stede,' and explain erthe as a gloss. 13. Thi thryste : for 'thi' we should have expected 'their.' 21. Balys. Mr. Halliwell suggested this as an emendation and in deference to his authority I have so marked it. But the word in the MS. looks to me far more like balys than babys.' 7.

10.

'

'

'

'

'

25.

Quod Jeremye : Jerem.

38.

That ben in thefyrst ierarchie : see note

48.

Of Locyfere

49.

Propter miseriam, Qr'c. : Ps. xii. Thou hast lovyd trewthe : Heb.

71. 85.

ix. i.

to restore the place

Veritas mea,

&c.

:

to York,

see note to York,

:

5

1.

23.

1.

23.

.

i.

9.

Ps. Ixxxv. 10. '

87.

'

Byddyth : imperative, Cry

"

Ho "

to that hell-hound

who

hates thee.'

Cp. Chaucer, Knightes Tale, 1796-98. And when that Thesens hadde seen his sighte, Unto the folk that foughten thus echon He cryde, Hoo no more, for it is doon.' '

!

The argument is that 93. Therefore his endles punchement. because God is eternal, i.e. with an existence not conditioned by

time, therefore any offence against Him partakes of His and provokes an eternal punishment.

eternity, '

Ms

95. The devyl to mayster Skel ton's Magnificence, 1. 1961

he

dies.

For the use of

'to

'

cp.

I sende ofte times a fole to his sone.

107. 1

08.

Above :

He:

i.e.

i.

e. in

a greater degree than.

man.

Be feyth he forsook hym never the more : i.e. though man fell and so forsook God and presumed on His mercy (1. 109),

into sin

none the

less

he retained his faith

in

God.

NOTES TO MARY MAGDALENE.

193

114. In vertitys : i. e. among angels of the order of Virtues to which Mercy and Justice belong. 134. Tyl wysdam : the heavenly Wisdom, or Christ.

MARY MAGDALENE. SUBJECT. union of drama.

all

It

The importance of this play consists chiefly in its the essentials of every kind of religious and didactic is a miracle play, according to the current definition,

life and death of St. Mary Magdalene. It is a mystery play, by virtue of the introduction of scenes from the life of Christ. It is a morality play, as exhibiting the contest

as treating of the

between good and evil, and as introducing upon the stage such abstract personages as the King of the Flesh. Dr. Furnivall has divided the play, which has the least possible dramatic unity, into two parts, with twenty scenes in the first, and thirty-one in the second. The play must have been an expensive one to produce, as there are upwards of forty different characters in Part I. and twenty-six in Part II. Probably only two pageants were used for its representation, for several of the scenes appear to be inserted only to give time for a shift on '

'

the other pageant. But if any attempt were made to depict the burning temple or the incidents of the voyage of the King and

Queen of Marcylle, realistically, the resources at the command manager must have been extensive.

of

the stage

The story of the play is adapted, with very few variations, from the account of St. Mary Magdalene in the Legenda Aurea of Jacobus de Voragine, of which an English edition was published by Caxton in 1483. The identification of Mary Magdalene with Mary the sister of Lazarus was accepted by Gregory the Great, and being supported by his authority was hardly questioned until the l6th century.

DIALECT.

According to Dr. Furnivall the dialect of the play East-Midland, probably from the neighbourhood of Lynn in Norfolk, or from Lincolnshire. The most notable dialectal and scribal forms are xal (shall) and qwat (what). is

METRE.

The metre is very irregular. It seems to have been written in 8- or 9-line stanzas, and to have remained so now and then. Other stanzas, alternates and couplets, The line numbers which are taken from Dr. also occur. originally

NOTES TO MARY MAGDALENE.

194

Furnivall's

show them

edition,

to

some

extent.

Pt. II.

is

in alternates.

mainly

TEXT. The text here given is from Dr. Furnivall's edition of the Digby Mysteries (see Introduction) for the New Shakspere The Bodleian manuscript in which these plays are Society. preserved was the work of three different hands, but the greater part was probably written between 1480 and 1490. 54. Besyn of all other men: for the use of 'of after 'besyn' (beseen) cp.

I

Cor. xv.

'And

5,

He was

that

seen of Cephas,

then of the twelve.' 55. Cyrus is my name. The following is the account of the Magdalene's parentage in the Legenda Aurea : Mary Magdalene had her surname of magdalo a castell and was borne of right noble lygnage and parentes whiche were descended of the lygnage of kynges And her fader was named Sirus & her moder eucharye She wyth her broder lazare & her suster martha possessed the castel of magdalo whiche is two myles fro nazareth & bethanye the castel whiche is nygh to Iherusalenv and also a grete parte of Iherusalem. whiche al thise thynges they departed amonge theym in suche wyse that marye had the castelle magdalo. whereof she had her name magdalene And lazare had the parte of the cytee of Iherusalem and martha had to her parte bethanye.' '

|

]

|

|

:

|

|

:

Legenda Aurea. De Worde's edition

Be

55. cost,'

cleffys so cold: a meaningless tag 12 12.

1.

(1493), f. 184, ver. 80. ; cp. 'in contree and

Bothe lesse and more: i.e. the whole of it; For more and sore we should read ' mare and 60.

'

'

84. full

'

'

'

Whyll that I am

possession of

my

in

good mynd:

i.

e. in

cp. '

1202.

1.

sare.'

my right senses, in

faculties.

a-gens hem. There is here a confusion 89-91. Hys wyll ' of pronouns past any certain unravelling. Agens hem (i. e. with respect to them) probably refers to Lazarus' sisters. .

.

.

'

93.

Thatt Godofpes.

For Thatt' we should probably read '

'Thou.' 106.

To your grace:

269.

Bak and

to your honour or credit. syde : a phrase for the whole body, as in the

famous drinking song,

'

Back and

side,

go bare, go

margin as for

'

bare.'

Dr. Furnivall glosses this word in his but it clearly stands infinitissimus,' most infinite

285. In-wyttissymus. '

invictissimus,'

;

most unconquered.

NOTES TO MARY MAGDALENE. 288.

He

to

t
bryng

the construction

is

195

altered at the end

of the line and the pronoun repeated. 299. Thys castell is owerys : the reply of Martha shows that '

in

ours,'

Lazarus

had been given

is

to

using the royal plural. In 1. 81 the 'castell' in 1. 303 she seems to claim it as

Mary, and

hers.

308.

my

And that Ijugge me to skryptur :

and as

to this

I

refer

claim to Scripture.

359.

Satan o wer sovereyn

362.

At my

377.

We xal hyrre ivynne.

attack 476.

is

to

'

? for

:

ryall retynawns

:

yower sovereyn.'

my

in

This

royal train. the first intimation that the

is

be specially against the Magdalen.

Even with

Wynne ofmawt, 6r>c.

Ancient and Modern Wines different varieties mentioned

it

in

the aid of Henderson's

difficult

is

the

lists

to identify all the in

which medieval

taverners delighted. Wine of Mawt is possibly Maltese wine rather than wine made from malted barley ; Malmeseyn came ' from Malvasia in the Morea wine (vin doulce et clarry '

;

was red or

white wine seasoned

with honey (cp. seems to have been a mixture made as required, as opposed to claret which was manufactured. Galles,' Galicia ; at the grome Gyldyr is Guelder clarr^)

Chaucer, Knightes Tale, 613);

it

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

;

stands for 'at the Groine,' the port in Spain. ' Vernage English way of writing Guyenne '

'

;

near Verona, and often mentioned, as

in

'Wyan' '

is

our

a wine grown

Chaucer's Merchanfs

Tale.

484. Thefynnest thou hast. Note the change from the polite your and you, with which Satan addresses Mary, to his thou hast to the Taverner. So Harry Bailey speaks to the Shipman as thou and to the Prioress as you. In the dialogue in 11. 615-630 of this play, Simon addresses Christ as Ye and is addressed '

by

Him 507.

'

as Thou.

Lady, this

Much Ado,

ii.

i.

man '

387

is for yotv : for

My

lord,

I

am

you, at your service, cp. though it cost me

for you,

ten nights' watching.' 590. Agens God so 'veryabyll. For 'against' meaning 'in ' regard to,' cp. Trevisa's tr. of Higden's Polych. vi. Merciable

agenst pore men.' 610.

The prophett

:

i.e.

viously been mentioned. 612. Be the oyle of mercy.

Christ, who, however, has not pre-

The softening and healing properties

NOTES TO MARY MAGDALENE.

196

of oil have caused it to be regarded as symbolical of mercy and forgiveness cp. its use in the Sacrament of Extreme Unction, and the legend, narrated in the Cursor Mitndi, that Seth, when ;

Adam for

lay dying,

was sent

to Paradise to seek the oil of

mercy

him.

619. That thou -wylt me knoive : because thou art minded to recognise Me. 638. With the to stand : the infinitive is probably explanatory

of

'

my

670.

'

and thowt in the next line. With good entent, text with good

hart

'

in entent.'

1140. Mahond: throughout the Miracle Plays Mahomet is the common god of all heathens ; cp. in the Coventry Plays the

speeches of the soldiers PRIMUS MILES.

who guard

My My

the sepulchre head dulleth.

:

heart fulleth

Of Saint

sleep.

Mahound,

This burying ground

Thou

kepe.

Secundus Miles calls on Mahound Whelp soldier on Mahound of Might.' '

'

'

'

and the third

'

1146. Lythly, chyld, it be natt delay d : i.e. it may not lightly be delayed. 1 1 86. It is impossible to extract any Glabriosum, &*. meaning out of this Mahound' s Lesson, but the gibberish seems to have been intended to carry along with it a suggestion of bad words. 1200. Ragnell and Roffyn. In the Chester Plays of Antichrist, Antichristus at his

death

calls out

:

Helpe, Sathanas and Lucifier, Bellsabube, bolde Balacher, Ragnell, Ragnell, thou arte

And

in

my

The Fall of Lucifer Primus Demon

deare. calls

on

Ruffyne, my frinde fayer and free Loke that thou kepe mankinde from blesse.

1377. Our lordes precept e, Q^c. Aurea Legenda here shows some

The story as given in the differences from the version

adopted by the playwright. It runs as follows ' and lazar her brother Saint maxyme, marie magdalene martha her suster Marcelle chamberer of martha, and saint cedonye whiche was born blynde & after enlumyned of oure :

:

NOTES TO CASTE LL OF PERSEVERANCE.

197

alle these to gydre and many other crysten men were taken of the mescreauwtes and put in to a shippe in the see without ony takell or rother for to be drowned, but by the

lorde

puruyaunce of almyghty god they came all to marcelle where as none wold receyue them to be lodged they duellyd and abode under a porche to fore a temple of the peple of that contree |

|

And whan

the blessyd marie magdalene sawe the peple assembled at this temple for to do sacrefyce to the ydollis she aroos

vp pleasybly wyth a glad vysage & discrete tongue & well spekynge And began to preche the faith and lawe of Jhesu and vvythdrewe them fro the worshyppyng of thycryst dollis.' Legenda Aurea. De Worde's edition (1493), f. 185. 1435. The land of satyllye : Satalie (Attalia), part of Armenia, was the scene of one of the campaigns of Chaucer's Knight. |

|

1540.

How ple^eauntly they stond :

here the king points to his

idols.

1553.

Dominus, illuminacio mea

:

Ps. xxvii.

i.

THE CASTELL OF PERSEVERANCE. SUBJECT. The date of the Castell of Perseverance, which can scarcely be later than the middle of the reign of King Henry VI, is nearly a half-century earlier than that of any Morality yet printed in

its

entirety.

A curious

sketch at the beginning of the

MS., reproduced in a plate facing p. 23 of Sharp's Dissertation on the Coventry Mysteries, gives us a good idea of the manner in which it was played and the machinery used for its performance.

A reference to

the plate,' writes Mr. Sharp, will shew a rude of a castle, raised some height from the ground, representation upon pillars or supports, and standing in the centre of a circ'e '

'

formed by two lines one within the other, in the space between which is written " + this is the watyre a bowte the place, if any dycke may be mad ther it schal be pleyed or ellys that it be strongly barryd al a bowte & lete nowth over many stytelerys 1 [marshalmen ?] be withinne the plase ." Over the castle we read " This is the castel of perseveranse that stondyth in the myddys of the place; but lete no men sytte ther for lettynge of ;

:

:

1

I write out the contractions in full.

198

NOTES TO CASTELL OF PERSEVERANCE.

syt, for

ther schal be the best of

Beneath the castle and

all."

within the supports to it stands a bed, below which are these " ther words Mankynde is bed schal be under the castel,

&

:

schal the sowle lye under the bed tyl he schal ryse & pleye." On each side of the castle is written the following direction:

"

Coveytyse copbord schal be beddys feet." '

at the

ende of the

castel,

be the

On

the outside of the circle five stations for scaffolds are " ; Sowth, Caro beginning at the top we read skaffold West, Mundus skaffold Northe, Belyal skaffold North Est, Coveytyse skaffold Est deus skaffold." Underneath "& the circle are the following directions to the performers : he that schal pley belyal, loke that he have gunne powder

marked out

brennyng

in

:

pypys

in his

hands and in his

ers, etc.

whanne he

gothe to batayle . the iiij dowters schul be clad in mentelys, Mercy in wyth, rythwysnesse in red al togedyr, Trewthe in sad grene, & Pes al in blake, and they schul pleye in the place al to ' gedyr tyl they brynge up the sowle." A week before the play was acted criers were sent round to .

.

the neighbouring villages proclaiming

its

subject,

and an-

nouncing its performance 'this day sevennyt' 'at N on the grene in ryall aray.' The play begins with a conference between the World the Flesh and the Devil (Mundus, Caro and Belyal) and then Humanum Genus comes forth, apparently from under ;

the bed, and begins as in our extract. From this point our quotations sufficiently indicate the course of the play until Humanum Genus enters the Castle of Perseverance, where he is besieged by the Seven Deadly Sins and defended by the Virtues in rather a dull war of words. At last Mankind is

tempted forth from

Castle

by wiles of Covetyse, the rewarded with a thousand marks, but a little later leams his folly on the arrival of Garcio, his But his good heir, who demands from him everything he has. angel once more draws near to his side. There is a dispute as in the Coventry Play between Misericordia, Veritas, Justicia and Pax, but God the Father (Pater sedens in trono) admits Mankind to mercy, and the play ends with a warning to the spectators 'Evyr at the begynnynge thynke on your last endinge.' [For remarks on the importance of this play see Introduction.] peculiar sin of old age.

his

He

is

METRE. The greater part of the play is written in stanzas of 13 lines, riming ababababaccca, the ninth and thirteenth lines

VOTES TO CASTELL OF PERSEVERANCE.

199

having three accents, the rest four. But we find also a ninean eight-line stanza, with two riming ababcdddc accents to a line, riming aaabcccb, and other varieties. line stanza,

;

TEXT. The text of these extracts is based on a transcript from Mr. Hudson Gurney's MS., which has been very kindly placed at my disposal by Dr. Furnivall, for whom it was made some years ago, when he intended to edit it for the New Shakspere Society. lende. Here, as in Chaucer, who copies the 5-7. Lende French rule as to rimes riches two words identically spelt may rime together if their meanings are different. Cp. Chaucer's .

.

.

'

'

Prol.

The holy blisful martir for to seeke [seek] That hem hath holpen whan that they were

seeke [sick]. 11.

Whew

13.

mean

'

prising

'

1

born than '

I

1

8.

but the spelling

sur-

is

wanted. Prof. Skeat unhende,' unserviceable, clumsy, as a possible emen-

and

is

this exactly suits the sense.

/ am born and have

6.

17,

'Unchende' can only

unchende.

is

unkende,' unkind, unnatural ; and the sense hardly what

suggests dation,

mankende

have nothing,

to put a

comma

etc.

after

rylh noivth:

i.e.

now

that

I

am

seems better to construe thus 'wot' in 1. 15, and connect together It

woo and wepynge I am born.' 20. Crysme. The chrism or chrisom-cloth was properly a

to

'

'

'

'

white cloth placed by the baptizing priest on the head of an infant to prevent the holy oil from rubbing off. It was afterwards enlarged into a white robe covering the whole body, as a token of the innocency conferred in baptism ; but the words my hed hath cawth' show that the reference here is to the original '

chrisom-cloth. 28. The ton. The apparent doubling of the article is really a survival of the old thet on, that one cp. 1. 38, Hey. 579, and Chaucer's Legend of Good Women, A. text, 1. 325. Techyth me to goode. The presence of the preposition is = show, direct. Cp. explained by the old meaning of 'teach* ;

Piers

Plowman,

i.

81,

'Tech me

to

no Tresour.'

32. Be fen and Jlode : the first of nearly a dozen periphrases ' ' for 'everywhere ; cp. be strete and stronde,' strete and stye,' '

'

downe and

'

dyche,'

'

sompe and syke &c. P

NOTES TO CASTELL OF PERSEVERANCE.

200

43. Hevene trone : 'hevene' is a genitive; cp. next line, and 'heven kynge,' Ev. 19. The pronoun is inserted 78. All in povert here thei stode. because of the intervention of all in povert between the nouns and their verb. See Abbott, Shaksp. Gram. 242, 243. '

'

90.

Have

98.

Faryn wel

thou, &*c. : conditional at mete and mele

cp.

;

:

1.

126.

an allusion to the incon-

venience of fasting.

Take the -werld

115.

to thine entent

The

subject of your thoughts. 'take to wife.' 137. lent to

Thou '

And, i.e.

'it

is

if I

'

;

cp.

die,

as in the phrase

is

'

tyme : schalt here Richard ///, v. 3. 201,

no man

no

certain that

take the world as the

'

schalt thynke al be

you are sure to

:

construction

shall pity

is

equiva-

me;

man

will

pity me.'

hym

inne

:

See Abbott,

Shaksp. Gram.

315. 139. 7*hou schalt holdyn Bonus Angelus in his place. 141.

With

lofly

lyvys fode

you

will

easily

with the food of a lovely

:

keep

life, i.e.

with dainty living. 145.

Goode : probably a misreading

for

'Code' (God);

cp.

'fode,' 1.141.

And so I may make

'

mery. The sentence should end I please yet a while/ but Hum. Gen. slightly alters his turn of thought in 1. 148. To be possessed of a horse to 151. Ryde be sotnpe and syke. carry one dryshod through swamps and streams is taken as a 146.

will

do what

mark

I

of Wealth.

Other while thou muste befals. We are tempted at first otherwise,' as if Mai. Ang. were explaining that any failure of 'acord' with him would be treacherous to Hum. But I. 166 shows that 'other while' (occaGen.'s new allies. 158.

'

to read

is right, though a little abrupt. Holt and hale: 'hale' means a 'tent,' a

sionally) 170.

makes but poor sense phrases everything

is

in connection with

'pavilion,' and but in these

'holt,'

sacrificed to the alliteration. '

'

The

dis-

between land and house.' For the omission of the 195. And ther to here myn honde. verb, cp. Ev. 150, 'Farewell, and there an end," also 1. 207 of

tinction here is

this stanza.

'

NOTES TO CASTELL OF PERSEVERANCE. /

201. I

recke nevere of hevene -wonde

:

2O1

care not whether

I

turn aside from heaven.

It has been contended that, inasmuch as 231. Je vous pry. from the reign of Edward III onward French ceased to be the language of the English Court, the fact that in the Chester and other Miracle Plays, and in the present Morality Play, the scraps of French fall exclusively to kings and courtiers, is to be disregarded, and we are to see in them traces of French But stage traditions in such matters would literary originals. be very conservative, and the coincidence is too strong to be

explained away.

With cursydnesse in

246.

castes

knet: in

my

manners made

up of cursedness.

Who so

259.

[nol~\

MS. now,

nol for

be lecherous.

have ventured to substitute remark is that if a man has a man is not lustful he is I

as the point of the

not one sin he has another

if

;

proud, etc.

For the ellipse of 263. Ther is pore nor ryche. Shaks. Son. 141 But my five wits nor my five senses can

'

neither' cp.

Dissuade one foolish heart from seeing thee. Abbott, Shaksp. Gram. 272.

Man

doth

me

bleykyn blody ble :

tenance pale and bloody 281.

Ffewe men in '

'

For

coun-

a strong metaphor.

the ffeyth they fynde. If the text ' men find ' or ' we find,'

they fynde must be used for finds now few men in the faith. 286.

376.

man makes my

that schuld cunne Cristis lessoun, &>c.

:

is right, i.

e.

one

he who

is

body in penance. For the use of ' should see Abbott, Shaksp. Gram. 324. 309. May any bate thi bale brewe. The true phrase is given in ! 3*7> where Schrift says, I schal, if I cunne, Brewe the bote must bind

to learn Christ's lesson

his

'

'

concoct or devise for thee a remedy out of thy evils. 321. He is in poynt to be spylt : the transcript, my only ' authority for the text, reads iij poynt,' but the correction in,' of bale,'

5.

e.

'

suggested by Dr. Skeat, 323. I-

And

ivyl certes

is

:

certain. i.

e.

will

continue to

sit

there.

Cp.

353-

He hath me forsake and I have no gylt. For this use of almost with the meaning of 'though,' cp. Apol. for And he was riche He was mad nedy for us.' Lollards, 40 325.

'and,'

'

:

P

2

NOTES TO EVERYMAN.

202

This reading

363. slake. 1.

is

required to rime with 'make'

MS. reads slawe = slay. me ye spelle : imperative. '

'

in

361.

372.

EVERYMAN. The play of Everyman is perhaps the finest of all the Morality Plays that have come down to us. Its early popularity is testified by the fact that it was twice printed by Richard Pynson and twice by John Skot. Neither of the Pynson editions is now extant in a single perfect copy. Of one the British Museum possesses a large fragment containing from 1. 305 to the end, of the other a few leaves only are preserved at the Bodleian. Skot's editions have been more fortunate. Of the one identified only by his device a copy is in the library of Mr. Huth while of the edition bearing his imprint an example was formerly preserved at Lincoln, and from a transcript of this our extracts have been made. The ;

original

is

now

at Britwell.

Like the Castell of Perseverance, the play of Everyman was written to persuade men to a life of good deeds and morality, and it inculcates the sacramental teaching of the Catholic Church. In 1892 Dr. Henri Logeman shewed that, with the exception of the prologue, it is a translation, made probably towards the end of the fifteenth century, of the Dutch play Elckerlijk, attributed by Dr. Logeman to a certain Petrus Dorlandus, a native of Diest. (See Elckerlijk and Everyman, edited by Dr. H. Logeman. Gand, 1892.) The metre of the play is the rimed couplet with sometimes four, sometimes five, line. But for the couplet is sometimes substituted a quatrain with alternating rimes, and in the Messenger's prologue after each, couplet comes a line of three beats with

beats to the

rime 3.

in -aye.

By figure :

7, 8. its

Mater

.

i. .

.

e.

as to

its

form.

entent : the

'

matter

'

is

the play, the

'

intent

'

didactic purpose. 19.

45.

Heven kynge : cp. CP. (43) note. In all the haste. For the presence of the

should 77.

now omit

Fro heven

it,

cp. 'at the lengthe,'

to departe

:

1.

to separate

article

where we

828.

him from heaven.

NOTES TO EVERYMAN. WWt the thou brynge

104.

:

cp.

Ch

203

1

21,22.

.

chamberes therin thou make, And byndynge slyche also thou take. Littill

in. Ado: the reading '

Lincoln reads

have

The

116. Spareth.

is

from the 'Salisbury' Skot

the

;

do.'

I

termination

is

influenced by 'dredeth' in

the previous line. 132. / may saye deth gyveth no ivarnynge : for the form of the assertion cp. 1. 182, and Bale's King John, 2078, 'a lovynge person thou mayst seeme for to be.' Cp. also Aesch. Agam,

737 avra

flap

Ae'-yoi/i'

'

IXiov iro\tv

<{>p6vrjfia fjitv

i.e. in

145. Ofnatiire:

current phrase

tXOtiv ts

S

&v

vr]V(/jiov

yaXavas, K.T.\.

accordance with nature; cp. the

still

of necessity.'

179. Without any advysement: Dethe scornfully refers to Everyman's 'with good advysement' in 1. 175. The prefix a- here answers to the 194. Ago: gone by. German prefix er. (A.S. agdn, agangan = Ger. ergehen.) 245. Adonay : the Hebrew name for the Deity, a plural form

of

'

Adon, lord,' with the pronoun of the first person. Promyse is d^^ty : a poor version of the old proverb

248.

'behest

is

debt.'

And

272.

yet :

i.

e.

and even now.

'

Yet

'

here

is

purely

temporal.

To brynge me forwarde: to escort me cp. Rich. II, far brought you high Hereford on his way?' Cp.

290.

1.

i.

;

'How

2.

2.

also

675.

For kynde will crepe where it may not go : a proverb

315.

;

cp.

T. 602.

And you do

495.

by

me :

if

you

/ may thanke you of all :

will act

not

'

of

by

my

advice.

people I may thanke ' In A.S. the verb you,' but I may thank you for everything.' thank takes a genitive of the thing and dative of the person 'And thanked him of his socour.' (Matzner, ii. cp. Alis. 7576 500.

all

;

:

235-)

Thy gyde

522. cp.

Ch

1 .

10

.

.

to go by thy syde.

.

worme and

' :

640. Before

Beaste,

God:

For the use of the gerund

fowle to

not an oath, but

flye.'

'when ye come

presence.' 669. Five Wyltcs

:

i.e.

the Five Senses.

into

God's

NOTES TO FOUR ELEMENTS.

204 787.

Judas Machabe :

More and

795.

lesse :

cp.

' phrase in Chaucer for all.' 800. I crosse out all this :

I take my

801.

I

Mace.

3, 4, etc.

iii.

and

great people

cappe in

I

my

make no account :

'

doff

I

A common

little.

of

this.

my

cap (so deep Only Mr. Huth's Skot edition reads cappe,' the others having tappe,' for which no meaning can be found. The explanation is due to Dr. Logeman. 850. Farewell, and there an ende : for the ellipsis cp. CP. (195.) 902. Doctour. A Doctor or Expositor, who expounds the that

it

comes)

into

lappe

my lap.'

'

'

moral of the performance, appears occasionally in the Chester Miracle Plays (cp. page 30). In the Moralities, where he is more needed, his place is usually taken by one of the virtuous characBut as late as the middle of the sixteenth century, in ters. Ingelend's Disobedient Child, he reappears under a as the Perorator.'

newjname

'

'Take in worth' was 903. Take it of worth: i.e. value it. the more common phrase ; cp. \Vhen a poore friend a small gift gives to thee Take it in worth, and let it praysed be. Baker's Calo Variegatus (1636).

FOUR ELEMENTS. In one of the speeches of Experience in this play, there occur the lines Till now, within this twenty years,

Westward be found new lands, That we never heard tell of before

By

this

writing nor other means.

The discovery of America by Columbus took place in 1492, and within this twenty years strictly literally, if we may construe we must assign the first performance of this play to about 1510. '

'

But

in a later

passage Experience remarks But this new lands found lately Been called America, because only Americus did first them find ;

as if he knew nothing of Columbus, but thought that Amerigo new voyage in 1497 was the first discovery of the

Vespucci's

This would place our play about five years later, viz. under the title Natura Naturata, 1515-1520. Its authorship,

world.

NOTES TO FOUR ELEMENTS. is

ascribed by

Bale to John Rastell, a lawyer

205 who owned

a printing-house, and is known to have had plays acted in his garden. The unique copy (unhappily imperfect) in the British Museum, from which our text is taken, is generally ascribed to Rastell's press. 14. To regard his only intent and good ivy II : 'only' may here be an adjective (= sole), or we may regard it as an adverb transposed, as in Shaks. Cor. i. I. 40

He 16.

did

it

to please his mother,

What nombre

ofbokes ..be .

and to be partly proud.

made andimprintyd. Taking

the date of this interlude as about 1510, the number of books printed in the third of a century, since Caxton's first dated

volume (The Dictes and Sayings of the Philosophers, 1477), would not have been very large, probably 500 would be a high estimate. For Caxton is only known to have printed about a hundred, and the other English printers in the fifteenth century only about twice as

many more,

while in the next ten years the

output was small. 17.

Oftoyes and

tryfellys.

Caxton's tastes lay chiefly in the

and devotion, but he printed the works of Chaucer and Gower, and Malory's King Arthur. Wynkyn de Worde kept much on his master's lines, but added one or two interludes, some grammars and law books. To call these works toys and tryfellys is unjust to our early printers but it is true that they shrank from the labour and expense of publishing editions of the classics or many of the great works of medieval learning. In the Day Book of John Dome, an Oxford bookseller, for 1520, the entries of 'Balets' and Kesmes Kerrells (ballads and Christmas Carols) sold at a half-penny each, show direction of works of morality

'

'

;

a brisk trade 25.

in these

Our tonge

is

refuses to descant

working

in

'

trifles.'

now

sufficient, &><:.

on Canacee's beauty,

Contrast Chaucer, in the tone of

an

who artist

an imperfect material, saying I dar not undertake so high a thing. English eek is insufficient ;

Myn It

muste be a rethor excellent,

That couthe

for that art,

If

part.

his colours longing he sholde hir discryven every

And he complains

elsewhere of the poverty of the language which he himself so nobly enriched.

NOTES TO FOUR ELEMENTS.

206

Why shold not than, &.

47.

Our dramatist

is

of Juvenal's

mind Semper ego auditor tantum, numquamne reponam?

For the use of

330. Other causys there are wolde, be lernyd.

would ion

requires

to, cp.

For cunnyng

is

1.

404

the thynge that wolde be sought.

Also

Which would be howled

out in the desert

air.

Macbeth,

And

iv. 3.

194.

for the omission of the relative

have a brother

I

condemned to die. Measure for Measure,

is

ii.

2.

33.

See Abbott's Shaksp. Gram. 244, 329. 339. In the myddes of the firmament. According to the Ptolemaic system the earth was a sphere, immoveable in the centre of the universe, and the entire heavens revolved round it every four and twenty hours. The work of Copernicus (De Revolutionibus],

which revived the Pythagorean doctrine of the sun as the centre of the planetary world, was not published till 1543. 367. May be playne. The earth was anciently believed to be

a

flat

disc of land, surrounded

by the

The

river Oceanus.

dis-

ascribed to Thales (640 B.C.). . is never one tyme, Q^c. : e. g. an eclipse 373. The eclypse not visible at Greenwich until 6.10 a.m. would be visible at

covery of

its

sphericity .

is

.

a quarter of an hour earlier. : the circumference of the earth at the equator is 24,899 miles, its equatorial diameter 7926.6 miles. 402. Then myght I say : i.e. if you were to bring him hither I should have reason to say, etc. 404. Wolde be sought : cp. note on 1. 330. 417. Synge tyrll on the bery : a fragment of a song cp. Ralph Dublin at 394.

5.35, or

How many myle

;

Roister Doister,

ii.

3.

Heigh

36 derie derie Trill on the berie

i. 2. Piping on thine oaten reede berry (some ycleep a hillock).' [Murray's Dic-

and Browne's Brit. Past. upon

this

;

'

.little

tionary.} 430.

Hym :

476.

Nought in regarde :

may be

in

it,

i.e.

is

Studious Desire. i.e. the feeling, for what pleasure there

nothing to be esteemed, except

it

be due to me.

NOTES TO SKELTON. 517. to

Such

me my

ivyse,

wits I

am

me

: in such a manner that For the omission of that

thynketh

grow weary. so

207

much

a fool

'

it

would be

my

529. 2.

Poynt devise : '

351

exactly, faultlessly

;

seems

cp.

disgrace.

Macbeth,

iii.

it

'

cp.

iv. 2. 27.

As You Like

It,

Point device in your accoutrements.'

SKELTON'S MAGNYFYCENCE. John Skelton was probably a native of Norfolk, and born about the year 1460. He studied at Cambridge, and has been identified with a 'Scheklton' who took his M.A. degree in 1484. Lines on the death of Edward IV (1483) and the Earl of Northumberland (1489) were probably among his earliest writings, and in 1490 Caxton describes him as having translated the Epistles of Cicero Ad Familiares and Diodorus Siculus. Caxton also mentions that Skelton had been late created poete laureate in the vnyuersite of oxenforde,' and the same distinction was conferred on him at Cambridge in 1493. In 1498 Skelton took Holy Orders, and soon afterwards was appointed tutor to the future Henry VIII. Before 1504 he had been given the rectory of Diss in Norfolk. By this time Skelton had engaged him'

self in literary quarrels

with Sir Christopher Garnisshe, with

Alexander Barclay, and with William Lily, the grammarian. As yet, however, he enjoyed the patronage of Wolsey. But the poet was a born satirist, and shortly after the Cardinal's appointment as Papal Legate (July, 1518), Skelton drew down on himself his bitter enmity by a series of scathing satires. Of these his Colyn Cloute touches Wolsey but slightly, and may possibly have been written before 1518, but Why come ye nat to Court and Speke, Parrot, are full of bitter invective, and Skelton was obliged to take sanctuary at Westminster against the Cardinal's vengeance, and remained there till his death,

June 21, 1529.

Another

satirical

work, an allegorical

poem

en-

Court, was written quite early in his career. Skelton also wrote a charming lament of a nun for her pet bird titled the

Bowge of

(Phyllyp Sparrowe), and a coarsely humorous description of an (The Tunnyng of Elynour Rummyng). The Garlande of Laurell, a poem of sixteen hundred lines in his own honour,

ale-wife

NOTES TO SKELTON.

308 was composed

late in

life.

Of

his four dramatic compositions,

the Enterlude of Vertue, the

Comedy callyd Achademios, the Nigramansir (Necromancer) and Magnyfycence, the first and second have utterly perished, the third was seen by Warton (in an edition by Wynkyn de Worde, 1504) in the possession of William Collins, the poet, but has since disappeared, while

Magnyfycence survives in a folio edition, assigned to the press of John Rastell, with the title Magnyfycence, A goodly interlude and a mery deuysed and made by mayster Skelton poet '

:

laureate late deceasyd.' Magnyfycence was edited in 1908 for the Early English Text Society by Dr. R. L. Ramsay, who suggested early in 1516 as

probable date, while Alexander Dyce, the first editor of Skelton's works (1843), put it four or five years later. Mr. Dyce entertained a higher opinion of the merits of

its

Magnyfycence than the present editor finds it easy to share. It is distinctly inferior to the earlier plays, such as Everyman, and except in a few scenes does not tower greatly above Hickscorner, Lusty Juventus, and the like. The play begins with a controversy between Liberty and Felicity, who both submit themselves to Measure (Aristotle's virtue of the 'mean'), and all three are taken

by Magnificence

as his counsellors.

They

are

superseded, however, by the vices Fancy, Counterfeit, Countenance, Crafty Conveyance,

and

others,

under

false

names.

These

new

advisers bring Magnificence to ruin, and he comes under the blows of Adversity, and is visited by Poverty, Despair, and Mischief. Only the entrance of Good Hope saves him from suicide, but by the help of Redress, Sad Circumspection, and Perseverance he is eventually restored to his high estate. Our fall of Magnificence and his visitation by Adversity and Poverty, and certainly shows Skelton at his

extract exhibits the

best.

In 1. 1808 Magnificence 1879. Ye sente us a supervysour. had appointed Clokyd Colusyon his supervisor, to direct Largesse and Liberty in the management of his affairs. 1885. Clokyd Colusyon, &c. A rather distracting feature in these plays is the habit of the evil characters taking to themTh-us Clokyd Coselves the names of their contrary virtues. lusyon went by the name of Sober Sadnesse, Crafty Conveyance as Surveyance, Counterfeit Countenance as Good Demeynaunce, Courtly Abusyon as Lusty Pleasure, and Fansy as Largesse.

NOTES TO SKELTON.

209

1893. The letter: a forged letter by which Fansy had won the favour of Magnificence. 1909. I make them overthrowe : 'overthrowe' is here intransitive.

of

1923. That folowe theyr fansyes in foly to fall. ' ' to to express a result, cp. Gen. iii. 22, ' Man is

of us to 1938.

know good and evil.' / vysyte to bataylle.

'

have vysyte with} and true reading here.

this,

1955. To spare the rod. devout adherents of this

In as

The text,

1927, 1934

11.

Dyce

suggests,

For the use become one

and 1951 we is

probably the

writers of Morality Plays were

see

The Nice Wanton, which

begins by quoting it compare also The Disobedient Child, who dilates on the cruelties of schoolmasters at great length, and persuades his father not to send him to school, to his own ;

subsequent misery. old

is

1960. '

23,

But the brutality of the schoolmasters of

well established.

A fole to

For the use of 'to' cp. Mark and Co. 95 The devyl to

his sonne.

The seven had her

'

to wife,'

xv.

his

mayster he ches.'

I am Goddys preposytour :

' preposytour,' i. e. a scholar I am prethe master to overlook the rest. appointed by posyter of my boke, Duco classem.' Hormanni Vulgaria, ed.

1967.

'

1530.

[Dyce's note.] '

Of him hathfrounde. I can find no instance of 'frown used with the preposition 'of,' nor does such usage seem reasonable. Dyce queries on, and probably rightly. 1989. Have envy at me. For the use of at as introducing what is at once the exciting cause and the object of active ' emotions,' cp. Metr. Horn. 78, The fende at him had grete 1973.

'

'

'

envye.' 2006. For, though yott were sometyme a noble estate : i.e. a person of rank ; cp. 1. 311, Syr, yf I have offended your noble '

estate.'

in

2042. Shertes of Raynes : i.e. shirts of fine linen from Rennes France cp. the Romance of Eger and Gryme, 1. 305 ;

She gave me 2 shirts of Raines in fere. manus tuas. The beginning of the text In manus (Lord, into Thy tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum hands I commend my spirit), used by repentant criminals at '

2070. In

'

their execution.

NOTES TO HEYWOOD.

2JO

HEYWOOD'S THE PARDONER AND THE FRIAR John Heywood,

if

we may

native of London, but he

is

believe

Wood's Athena, was a

elsewhere stated to have been born

North Mimms in Hertfordshire, where he certainly had property and was a neighbour of Sir Thomas More. He studied at Broadgate Hall, now Pembroke College, Oxford, and later on won the favour of Henry VIII and his daughter Mary.

at

A

staunch Catholic, despite his clear perception of the abuses then present in the Church, Heywood was suspected of treason

during the reign of Edward VI, and narrowly escaped hanging. After the death ot Mary he thought it wise to quit England, and settled at Mechlin, where he is said to have died. Heywood wrote some Centuries of Proverbs and Epigrams,

and an allegory

entitled

The Spider and

the Fife.

Of dramatic

Dialogue of Witty and Witless (or Wit and Folly) first printed by the Percy Society, and that Of Gentylnes and Nobylyte (not by any means certainly his), five interludes are assigned to him, four printed by William Rastell in 1533-4, and one (The Foure PP.) of which the first extant edition is some seven or ten years later, though the play itself is probably early work. The Play of Love deals with the contrarieties of lovers, The Play of the Weather with the troubles of Jupiter in bringing the elements into accord with the wishes of contending petitioners. A Play between John the husband, Tyb the wife, and Sir John the priest, takes a hen-pecked husband as its subject, while of The Foure PP. : a very mery enterlude of a Palmer, a Pardoner, a Potecary and a Pedlar, the humour consists in the rivalry of the first three characters as to which or semi-dramatic works, besides the

can

who

the greatest lie, and the prize is won by the Palmer, declares that in all his travels he has never yet seen

tell

Our extracts are taken 'any one woman out of patience.' from 'A merry Play between the Pardoner and the frere, the curate and the neybour Pratte. [Colophon :] Imprynted by %

Rastell, the v. day of Apryll, the yere of our lorde M. CCCCC. xxxill.,' and are reprinted from a facsimile made about the year 1830 from the original folio in the possession Sufficient is here given to render of the Duke of Devonshire.

Wyllyam

For his consuperfluous any analysis of Heywood's plot. ception of the play he was undoubtedly greatly indebted to

NOTES TO HEY WOOD. the characters

311

of the Pardoner and the Frere in Chaucer's

Prologue, from which he borrows freely. Further illustrations of the ill practices of the Pardoners "will be found in Jusserand's English Wayfaring Life in the Middle Ages. 9. To poll nor to shave : not to bestow the tonsure, for this ceremony, being part of the rite of ordination, could only be performed by a bishop, but to shear and shave people of their money, or, as we should say, to fleece them. 23. Wylfull poverte. In the decadence of the Mendicant Orders this vow was evaded by means of an arrangement with '

'

the Pope, in whose name the Friars held property. 36. On the gospell : cp. Mark xvi. 15, and Luke 79.

Saint Leonard:

Rome,

x.

5-12. alive at

Deacon and Martyr, roasted

A.D. 258.

I com from Rome :

cp. Chaucer's Pardoner, whose mail or ' bag was bretful of pardons com from Rome al hot.' 98. All and some : each and all cp. Chaucer, Anelida and Arcite, 1. 26 For which the people blisful, al and somme, 97.

'

'

;

So cryden,

etc.

104. These holy relyques. Lists of impossible or ridiculous relics formed a favourite weapon of satirists against the Par-

Chaucer selected as typical absurdities a veil worn doners. by the B. Virgin, and a piece of the sail of St. Peter's boat but other lists, and Heywood's among them, are full of medieval ;

light-hearted irreverence.

173-82.

But one thynge, Qr^c. These ten

changes, are 11. 377-86.

lines,

with some verbal

bodily from Chaucer's Pardoner's Prologue,

lifted

X

: Giovanni de' Medici, born 1475, raised to Pope Leo March nth, 1513, died December ist, 1521. This allusion makes it probable, though by no means certain, that the play was composed during the pontificate of Leo X, i.e. at least ten years before it was printed.

192.

the papacy

195.

A s departe

:

for 'as' used to introduce

an imperative,

cp. Chaucer, Troilus, 522 'For love of God,' ful pitously he seide, 'As go we scene the paleis of Creseide.'

262. Accurst in the greate sentence. This may refer either to the Final Judgment or to the sentence of Greater Excommunication, but probably to the former. There is no reference here to the 289. Yf they fall ones, Sfc.

NOTES TO HEY WOOD.

212 subject of Article

XVI

of the Church of

The Pardoner does

Baptism).

not

mean

England (Of Sin after that from sins against

knowledge there is no recovery, but that the knowledge remains, and there would thus be no need for the Friar to repeat his instructions.

300. And lede them thyther by the purse strynges : cp. Chaucer. Prologue, 225-232 (character of the Friar) For unto a poure order for to give Is signe that a

For

if

he

gaf,

man

is

well i-schrive.

he dorste make avaunt

He wiste that a man was repentatmt. For many a man so hard is of his herte, He may not wepe although him sore smerte. Therfore in stede of wepyng and preyeres Men moot give silver to the poure freres. 552. Ragmarfs rolles : a long, unintelligible story. 'Ragman was the name of an old medieval game in which characters of persons, good or bad, were written on a roll, and a string with a seal appears to have been attached to each character, so that when it was rolled up the persons engaged in the game might draw characters by chance.' (Halliwell.) Hence the application to any document with many signatures and seals, such as the

allegiance to Edward I, subscribed by the Scots nobility in 1296, and always quoted as the Ragman! s Roll. But Ragman or Rageman was also a name for the Devil, and

roll offering their

have given an almost uniformly opprobrious turn which is quite in keeping with our text. In the 557. Mayster parson gave me lycence before the. Merie Tales of Skelton,' the eighth tells us How the Fryer asked leave of Skelton to preach at Diss, which Skelton wold not grant. There was a fryer the whych dydde come to Skelton to have What woulde you preache there ? licence to preach at Diss. sayde skelton dooe not you thynke that I am sufficiente to this

seems

to

to the phrase, '

'

:

preache there in myne owne cure ? Syr, sayde the freere, I am the lymyter [ = district-beggar] of Norwych, and once a yeare one of our place dothe use to preache wyth you, to take the devocion of the people and if I may have your good wil, so bee ;

it,

or els

I

will

authoritie of the

come and preach against your will, by the byshope of Rome, for I have hys bulles to

preache in everye place, and therfore nexte cummyng.'

I

wyll be there on

Sondaye

NOTES TO THERSITES.

213

Skelton routed this particular friar with a stupid joke about and calves, but the tale suffices to show that the leave of the parish priest was merely asked by way of form and could be dispensed with.

bulls

modernized edition quite by edgetools. Two lines

574. Eggetoles. Mr. Hazlitt in his ' ' rightly renders egoteles of the text of Chaucer give the right spelling :

No

flesh

ne wiste offence of egge or spere.

Former Age, But yet

it

maketh sharpe kervynge

\.

19.

toles.

Troiliis,

1.

633.

579. The lone: see CP. (28). 596. Within your lybertye : i.e. within the district in which = a place or district within Pratt acted as a constable. Liberty which certain privileges or franchises were enjoyed.' 620. Wylt thou be there ? is that what you are after ? 635. More tow on my dystaffe, 6rV. : more work than I can '

get through.

THERSITES. The found

known

original of part of the English play of Thcrsites has been one of the Dialogi of Jean Tissier de Ravisy, better

in

as Ravisius Textor, Professor of Rhetoric at the College his death in 1524 Rector of the

de Navarre, and from 1520 to

(See J. Vodoz, Le thedtre latin de University of Paris. Ravisius Textor, Winterthur, 1898, and review by Creizenach in Zeitsch. fur Franz. Spr. und Litt., Bd. 21.) Comparison, however, of the two plays will show that the anonymous adaptor handled his materials very freely, and added much more than he took. Thus the prologue (11. 1-21), the punning passage on '

'

the two meanings of Sallet (32-69), the scriptural allusions in 11. 91-101, and the English in 11. 109-119, 121-143, 149-167, 171-187, 212-220, 314-322, 410-414, and the greater part (1. 894 of the Epilogue are all new, and the entire erisode (524-874) of Telemachus coming to the mother of Thersites to be cured of the worms has no counterpart in the Latin text.

to end)

The anonymous English adaptor must have been an Oxford 154 man, since the allusion to the 'proctoure and his men in '

1.

NOTES TO THERSITES.

214

points to a University performance and that in the next line to Broken Keys, a piece of waste land between the Castle and the ;

City Walls

(my knowledge of this

localizes

definitely in Oxford.

it

is

due to Mr. Falconer Madan),

The Epilogue shows

that the

used by John Tysdale (who began to print about 1 561) was that prepared for a performance between the birth of Edward VI on October 12, 1537, and the death of his mother, Jane Seymour, on the 24th of the same month. Whether the play was then acted for the first time, or whether (as is more likely) an old play (perhaps originally written for a New Year festival, see 1. 478) was revived with a new epilogue, cannot easily be proved.

text

The

complete edition of the Dialogi of Ravisius was it is probable therefore that the English play was composed subsequently to this, though an Oxford dramatist might possibly have seen the Latin text in manuscript during the author's life. In my introduction to John Heywood's plays in Gayley's Representative English Comedies, I have raised the question whether Thersites may not have been written by Heywood. I still think this possible, but the introduction, earliest

printed in 1530, and

though not published till 1903, left my hands early in 1898, and the facts which have since come to light do not strengthen Our text, which gives substantially the whole the attribution. play save for the Telemachus episode, is taken from a facsimile-reprint made by Mr. Ashbee (1876) from the unique copy

Duke of Devonshire. play opens with three seven-line stanzas riming ababbcc. fourth is begun, but after the quatrain is abandoned for couplets, which form the normal metre of the play, though of Tysdale's edition in the library of the

The

A

occasionally relieved by quatrains and triplets. The number of accents in a line varies from two to five. Occasionally we get

a

line that If

might be read as a perfect heroic couplet, such as Malvern

They

hills

But the succeeding

line

If Bevis of is

of 5.

should on thy shoulders light,

shall not hurt thee, nor suppress thy might.

Hampton, Colburn and Guy,

much more typical nature. In Homer of my actes ye have

a

red.

The

story of the

attempt of Thersites to excite the Greeks against their leaders, and his reproof and chastisement by Ulysses, is given in the second book of the Iliad, but the Latin Homer is almost certainly referred

to.

NOTES TO THERSITES.

i\

5

20. To play coivch quaile. In the sarcastic Envoy to Chaucer's Clerkes Tale (E. 1206) a wife is promised that she shall make her husband couch [i.e. cower] as doth a quaile.' Shak. (Lucr., 506) uses the verb transitively (' Which, like a falcon towering '

in the skies,

coucheth the fowl below'). The word 'play' suggests may have been a cry in some children's game.

that 'couch quail' 21.

Mulciber : another name for Vulcan. : officina, a workshop. Tysdale's edition prints the

24. Office line

Come which

may be

forth, of thy office I the desire,

forced into

meaning

'

I

desire the help of your

craft.'

30. Lemnos and Ilva. It was at Lemnos that Vulcan touched ground when hurled from Olympus, and here was his workshop. Mr. Ilva (Elba) is mentioned on account of its iron mines.

Hazlitt proposes to read Ithalia (better Aethalia), another sake of the rime to ' galea.'

name

for Elba, for the

Condatur mihi galea : a helmet may be fashioned for me. For the play on sallet, nowe all the herbes are dead. the two meanings of 'sallet,' cp. Jack Cade's speech at the 31.

37.

A

Now am I so beginning of scene 10, act. iv, King Henry VI hungry, that if I might have a lease of my life for a thousand years, I could stay no longer. Wherefore o'er a brick- wall have I climbed into this garden, to see if I can eat grass, or pick a sallet another while, which is not amiss to cool a man's " " stomach this hot weather. And I think this word sallet was born to do me good : for many a time, but for a sallet, my brainpan had been cleft with a brown bill and many a time, when I have been dry and bravely marching, it hath served me instead '

:

;

of a quart-pot to drink in serve me to feed on.' 88. Hercules.

The

;

and now the word " sallet " must

references are to the twelfth, first, second, viz. his bringing Cerberus from

and fourth labours of Hercules, the lower world, his

fight

with the

Nemean

lion,

with the

Lernean hydra and Erymanthian boar. 90. Bere so wylde. Bere, i.e. bear, is a misprint or mistake for

bore or boar.

Have

'

take : cp. 1. 102, have do.' Bevis of Hampton,. Colburne and Guy. Three old English heroes. Bevis of Southampton performed his exploits Colburn, or Colbrand, was a giant of Danish chiefly in Armenia 95.

1 1 6.

;

Q

NOTES TO

*i 6

THERS:TF:S,

and Guy, his slayer, fought descent, slain by Guy of Warwick the Saracens, killed the boar of Windsor, the dun cow of Dunsmoor, and other ferocious beasts. See Drayton's Polyolbion, ;

XII, XIII, and Copland's chapbooks of Bevis of also Ward's Cat. of Romances, i. 471 sqq. Cotswold lions' was a cant term 124. Lyons on Cotsolde. for sheep. Cp. Heywood's Proverbs He semeth like a bore, the beaste should seme bolde, For he is as fierce as a lyon of Cotsolde.

Books

II,

Hampton and Guy,

'

130. Gawyn the curtesse, was Arthur's nephew, and was slair in error by his friend Lancelot. Cp. Carle of Carlile, 1. 28. Sir

Gawaine was steward

Hee was

Arthur's hall,

in

the curteous knight

amongst them all. Percy Folio,

vol.

ii.

Kay, the crabbed,' was Arthur's foster-brother, and a mean, unpleasant person, disliked at Court for his habit of giving nicknames. 132. Syr Libeus Disconius : Li Biaus Desconneus (The Fair Unknown), whose name is thus corrupted, was a son of Sir Gawain. He is the subject of an English Romance printed in the Percy Folio, vol. ii, of which the French original was written by Renauld de Beaujeu. Lancelot was the son of Ban, 136. Syr Launcelot de Lake, King of Benwick, but was brought up by Vivienne, the Lady of the Lake, from whom he derived his epithet. 150. They geve me the wall: i.e. as a mark of respect, the road next the wall being cleaner. Cp. Scott's Fair Maid of More than once, when from chance, or perhaps Perth, ch. ii. from an assumption of superior importance, an individual took '

'

the wall of bristled 154.

Simon

in passing, the Glover's youthful attendant

up with a look of defiance.' The proctour and his men: the

police of

an English

University. 155. Broken writes of it as offer

Hey3, now '

full

Gloucester Green, Oxford. Wood and rubbish. It would thus 1

of hillocks

good cover for rogues to hide

181. Olde purgatorye

:

Macbeth, ii. 3, If a man have old turning the key.' '

cp.

183.

No pardons:

Pardoners.

i.e.

in.

here a 'colloquial intensive' were porter of hell-gate, he should

'olde'

is

;

no pardons such as were sold by

NOTES TO THERSITES. 200.

Typhoeus

:

21 7

a monster with a hundred heads, killed by

Jove's thunderbolt and buried under Etna. 201. Enceladus, like Typhoeus, son of Tartarus and Ge (Hell and Earth), shared his brother's rebellion and fate. 216. Whyle pardoners can lye: see preface and notes to the extract from Heywood.

233. Let us departe : i.e. separate; cp. form of the Marriage Service.

death us depart'

'till

in the old

339. Cacus, a giant, son of Vulcan, dwelt in a cave on Mount Aventine, and stole some of the oxen which Hercules had taken from Geryon. For the story of his theft and its punishment see Virgil, ^Eneid, viii. 193-279.

Good godfather : apparently addressed

246.

the audience. 'Gaffer '(i.e. 'godfather') was mode of address to any elderly man.

till

to

some one

lately

still

in

a rustic

247. A man to be borne in the vale: i.e. of the kind who would be born in a valley. Dwellers in mountainous districts have always regarded their neighbours of the valleys as dullwitted, as the Athenians the Boeotians. 297. Goddes of battayle : Bellona. 315. All to-rent: tear in pieces cp. Chaucer, Parl. of Foules, So also to-torn,' 432, That with these foules I be al to rent.' ;

'

'

'

to-shivered,' etc.

Syr Isenbrase : a

316. tells

gallant knight of

whom

his chronicler

us

He was lyvely large and longe, With shoulders broade and armes

stronge.

hands of ' the Sowdan,' and nearly suffered martyrdom for the faith, but eventually by his prowess gained not only liberty but a kingdom. A romance of Syr Isenbras,' with a very humorous picture of the knight on the title-page, was

He

fell

into the

'

published by Copland. 318. in

Robin John and Little Hode.

thinking the transposition

is

324. Busyris: a king of Egypt,

Zeus, but was slain 399.

when

is

probably right

who

sacrificed strangers to

by Hercules.

/ had craked

tunely, i.e.

Hazlitt

intentional.

to

tymely here : had boasted too opporsome one at hand to accept his

there was

challenges. 421. Dares.

how Dares,

the story of Virgil, ^Eneid, v. 362-484, for conquering the boxers of his own age, provoked

See

after

Q

2

NOTES TO BALE.

21 8

the veteran Entellus to fight, and drew

down on himself heavy

punishment. 430. They had better hcmefette me an errand at Rome. allusion is probably only to the length of time which

The any

business at the Papal Court was protracted. It is possible, however, to read the line as a threat, inasmuch as appeals to king's leave, were severely punishable under the statutes of Prcemunire.

Rome, without the

470. Now, where is the challenge.

any

mo f

Thersites as yet has not heard

some bloude apeare. Miles challenges Thersites to him (assaye the a towche) to see who can draw blood, the usual terms of a match with single-sticks or

477. Tyll

try a hit with first

quarter-staves. 503. There came none in my sight. If readiness to fight was of the essence of the description of the foe, Thersites certainly did not answer to it, and Mater's reply was strictly accurate.

make speake apase : there appears to be some 'may speak' and 'make speech.' Lovely Ladie Jane: see preface to this Extract.

882. Coivardes

confusion between 913.

BALE'S KING JOHN. LIFE OF BALE. John Bale was born at Cove, near Dumvich, At the age of twelve he was Suffolk, on Nov. 21, 1495. sent to a Carmelite monastery, and subsequently studied at Jesus College, Cambridge. Although in Holy Orders, he took to himself a wife and preached against the celibacy of the clergy. He was protected by Thomas Cromwell, and given the living of Thornden in Suffolk. But on Cromwell's execution he was sbliged to flee to Germany, where he remained till 1547. On his return he was made Rector of Bishopstoke, and in 1552 became Bishop of Ossory, where his stringent measures against the adherents of the old religion nearly cost him his life. On the accession of Mary he was again obliged to flee, this time to Basle, where he remained till the close of her reign. Returning to England in 1559 he was given a Prebend's stall in Canterbury Cathedral, and died peacefully in 1563, after an eventful and in

turbulent

life.

Distinguished in

a century of bitter

controversy for his

NOTES TO BALE.

219

unseemly virulence, which earned him the epithet of Bilious,' Bale gave the best of his strength to polemics. While in Germany he published an attack on the monastic system entitled The Actes of Englyshe Votaries, and also Lives .of Sir John Oldcastle, William Thorpe and Anne Askew and the scurrilous Pageant of Popes. Another controversial work, '

T^i?

Image of

both Churches, appeared while he was Rector

and after his stormy experiences at Ossory he printed an account of his Vocacyon to that see. To a different category belongs his Illustrium Majoris Britannia Scriptorum Summarium (1548), an account of five hundred British authors, which though full of mistakes and largely founded on the labours of Leland, yet entitles him to the of Bishopstoke,

'

'

gratitude of

all

students of the history of English literature.

But our own interest in Bale has mainly to do with his plays, of which five out of twenty-two mentioned in his Summarium, have been preserved. Of these The three Lawes of Nature, Moses and Christ has been printed in Anglia, Bd. v, and The Temptacyon of our Lorde by Dr. Grosart in the Fuller Worthies Library.' A Tragedy or Interhtde manifesting the '

chief promises of God unto man by all ages in the old law, the fall of Adam to the Incarnation of the Lord Jesus

from

and the Life of John the Baptist, were published in and are said to have been greatly admired by Cromwell. They have been reprinted respectively by Dodsley and in the Harleyan Miscellany. Plays on God's Promises or Processus Prophetarum have left their traces on each of the four great cycles of Miracle Plays, but Bale's sermon in seven acts has a tediousness all its own. The play on St. John the Baptist, on the other hand, is enlivened by much party spirit and invective against the Old Church. Christ,

1538,

'

'

'

'

KING JOHN. Bale's fifth surviving play is of later date than its predecessors. There is a reference to Darvell Gathyron, a Welsh image supposed to possess miraculous powers, which was burnt in 1538 in the Interpreter's speech at the end of act i, Henry VIII is alluded to as 'our late Kynge Henrye,' and ;

the Epilogue, beginning Englande hath a queene, thankes to the Lorde above, Whych maye be a lyghte to other princes all,

On the other hand, the play is clearly alludes to Elizabeth. mentioned in the edition of Bale's Illustr. M. Brytan. Script.

NOTES TO BALE. Sttmmarium^ and must therefore have existed in some form when that work was written. The most probable supposition is that the first draught of King John should be dated about 1547, when Bale returned from abroad, and that it was revised in the reign of Elizabeth.

The

play opens with a speech by the King, in which he do justice. England, as a widow,

declares his determination to

implores his help against the clergy, but their conference interrupted

by

Sedition,

who

is

strongly clerical in his symCivil Order, come in and discuss is

pathies. Nobility, Clergy, and the state of the kingdom, and Clergy makes a hypocritical submission. Dissimulation and Sedition take counsel, and

bring in Private Wealth and Usurped Power to their aid. They procure the election of Stephen Langton as Archbishop (here we touch history), and soon after we have the Pope cursing King John for his attacks on the Church. This closes act i. In the second act we find the clergy preparing to resist the

King, and then follows our first extract. In a subsequent scene are shown John's submission to Pandulph and the hard terms

we

exacted of him, but Sedition is not fanatic monk to murder the King. effects this forms our second extract.

satisfied,

and procures a

The scene in which he But now come on Verity

and Imperial Majesty. The memory of the King is vindicated, and the play ends with compliments to Queen Elizabeth. That Bale took his views of King John and his reign from any previous historian is unlikely. Holinshed, whose History was published in 1577, distinctly tells us that all previous historians had been prejudiced against the King, and that he had been obliged to base his facts on the testimony of hostile He inclines to Bale's view, though somewhat doubtwitnesses. Certeinlie it would seem that Yet he can write of John fully. the man had a princelie heart in him, and wanted nothing but faithful subjects to have assisted him in revenging such wrongs as were done and offered by the French king and others.' '

:

'

Quite, too, in Bale's tone is his mention of The sawcie speech of proud Pandulph the pope's lewd legate to King John, in the

presumptuous pope's

TEXT.

The

behalf.'

text of our extracts is taken

from the edition

printed in 1838 for the Camden Society, and edited by Mr. John Payne Collier, from the unique manuscript, part of which is in Bale's autograph, in the Library of the Duke of Devonshire.

NOTES TO BALE.

321

1273. Constytute. For other instances of Bale's use of this unanglicized form of the Latin past participle, see 1. 1357,

convyt (convictus);

excommunycate

1.

1358,

interdytt

(excommunicatus)

;

(interdictus)

1.

2144,

;

1.

2141,

intoxycate

in-

toxicatus).

Bale probably wrote these 1287. A ster apared crowne. words intending them to mean 'a star-adorned crown.' But Mr. Bradley has pointed out to me a verse on the martyrdom of Becket in No. 46 of the Songs and Carols, edited by Thomas Wright from Sloane MS. 2593, which runs as follows Beforn his awter 1 he knelyd adoun,

Ther they gunne

He

to

faryn his crown, up and down,

sterdyn the braynys Oftans celi gaudia.

The prefix a- (=ge-, y-) was not very uncommon in the 1 5th century in the formation of past participles, and ster apared ' may thus mean star-clipped.' In either case the reference is to '

'

when covered with wounds, and Bale intended some kind of pun. 1288. Upon it : in consequence of it. Becket's head

1289.

The Pope's renoivne :

1292.

Stand with:

is

may have

cp. 'the king's majesty.'

consonant with; cp.

1.

1381

Yt stondyth not with your avantage. 1294.

To helpe Jerusalem

account the third, fourth, and

cyte. fifth

According

to

Holinshed's

clauses of the agreement ran

as follows. '

Item that within three years after the nativity of our lord next ensuing he [Henry II] should take upon him the crosse and personallie passe to the Holie Land. 3.

Provided that if upon any urgent necessitie he chanced to Spain to warre against the Saracens there, then so long space of time as he spent in that journie he might defer his going to the East parts. himselfe in the meantime by his oth, to 5. 'Item he bound emploie so much monie as the Templers should thinke sufficient for the finding of two hundred knights or men of armes, for one '

4.

go

into

yeares terme in the defense of the Holie Land.' 1314. With the more : i.e. with the additional amount payable as compensation. 1

Misread by Wright as

'

aunter'.

NOTES TO BALE.

232

1318. As for ther taxe : cp. Holinshed, 'Moreover in this yeare [1207] about Candlemasse the K[ing] caused the 13 part of everie man's goods, as well of the spiritualtie as of the temporalitie^ to be levied

and gathered

to his use.'

1320. Ojuyck in sentence : i.e. hasty of judgment. 1340. As saith Solomon: 'The king's heart is in the

the Lord, as the rivers of water will,' Prov. xxi. i.

:

he turneth

it

hand

of

whithersoever he

The bysshope of Noriuyche and the bysihope ofWynBale seems here to be drawing on his imagination, as the Bishop of Norwich was appointed in 1210 John's Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and three years later brought 500 men to his aid, while the Bishop of Winchester also is expressly mentioned as having been of the king's party. The Bishops to whom the Pope's bull was directed were those of London, Ely and Worcester, who with Jocelyn, Bishop of Bath, and Giles, 1359.

chester.

Bishop of Hereford, subsequently

fled

from John's vengeance

over sea. 1366. Any mayntenance pretend : offer you any support. 1374. Absolucyon a pena et culpa, and also dene remyssyon. Absolution &p(zna removes the penalties imposed by the Church ;

absolution a culj>a, or 'clean remission,' removes guilt and reconciles the sinner with God.

have that we never yet demanded. Wyclifs movement, may have been thinking of the story he tells in the De Officio Regis of the man who told his priest that, since excommunication was such an excellent medicine, he might keep it for his own use.

Your curssys who took a great

1385.

Bale,

ive

interest in

'This is probably,' 2065. Wassayle, ivassayle. ' the oldest drinking song in our language.'

Mr.

says

Collier,

Now forsooth and

God. Probably the word 'wold' or has dropped out of the text (now of a truth if God so willed), or we may suspect Bale of confusing the 'for' in forsooth with the fore in the common oath 'fore or before 2075.

'

would

'

'

'

'

'

God. 2076. Alevyn. The necessities of rime

th'e

number appears

to

be dictated only by

and metre.

2078. Thu mayest seme for to be : a polite affirmative cp. Ev. 130 and note. 2082. / am taken of men for monastycall Devocyon : a very undramatic line, only to be excused as a kind of clumsy aside to ;

NOTES TO BALE. the audience.

'

Taken

taken as the type

of

men

for

'

223

= interpreted

by men

as,

of.

Malmesaye, capryck, tyre or ypocras. Malmsey or is a sweet white wine from Malvasia in the Morea capryck came from Capri near Naples, Tyre from Tyre in Phoenicia hippocras was a mixture of wine, spices and sugar, said to have derived its name from Hippocrates' Sleeve, the name for the strainer through which it was passed. For another list of wines compare the Taverner's speech in the interlude of the Four Elements Ye shall have Spanish wine and Gascon, 2087.

malvoise

;

;

Rose colour, white, Tyre, Capric

claret,

rampion,

and Malvoisin,

Sack, raspice, Alicant, rumney, Greek, ifocras, new-made clary, Such as ye never had; For if ye drink a draught or two, It will

By Also

MM.

make you,

ere ye thence go,

[Jupiter], stark

mad.

470-480, and note.

2090. I praye the drynke half to me. The dozen lines that follow show that Bale was not quite destitute of dramatic power.

The poor fanatic does what he can for himself, and, when escape is hopeless, repeats the king's 'there is no remedye' in a wistful aside. The alternative account of John's death given in Higden's Polychronicon comes nearest to Bale's version. 'John, kynge of ' Ynglonde,' he writes, diede of the flix at Newerke . Nevertheless the commune fame is that he was poysonede at the .

.

monastery of Swynyshed of White Monkes. For as hit is seide, he seide ther at a dyner that he sholde make a loofe, that tyme was worthe an halpenny, to be worthe xij d by the ende of the Oon of the brethren of that yere, yf he myghte have lyve. .

place, familier with the kynge,

herynge

that,

ordeynede poyson,

and receyvynge the sacrament afore, toke that poyson to the kynge, and so they dyede bothe by the drynkynge of hit.' In Holinshed the monk poisons some of a dish of pears, and knowing himself which poison

is

to avoid, escapes.

given in plums. masse of Scala

A

In

Hardyng

the

Cell, The reference is to a chapel 2107. dedicated to the Blessed Virgin outside the walls of Rome on the road to Ostia, to which special indulgences were attached.

NOTES TO BALE.

224 derived

name from a

vision of St. Bernard,

who, while he was praying ascending to heaven by a ladder. See Academy, 974 (Jan. 3, 1891), where a will is quoted, dated 13 Hen. 7, in which the testator It

its

celebrating mass,

leaves

money

'

saw the

for

j

cely by the space of seid

souls for

whom

honest prest to syng att Rome att scala for the soule of the iiij yeres contynually

John herwarde,' and references there given. Provyde a gyldar, $F>C. Another dramatic passage.

21 10.

Bale doubtless wrote

it

as a part of his polemic against the old monk's dream suits well

religion, but the curious detail of the

with his fanatic character. 2115.

To

the than will offer, 6-v.

'

Sedition

'

speaks in con-

temptuous irony. 2120. Where became the monke f Another good touch. The monk has not been mentioned by England, but the King's thoughts turn to him on the word betrayed.' 2127. So many masendewes, &*<;. Bale was probably applying his remarks to his own times, of which they were fairly true. Holinshed gives no mention of any such benefactions made by '

John, but alludes to his building or repairing Beaulieu Abbey and six other monasteries, as a proof that ' he was not so void of

devotion towards the Church as divers of his enemies have reported.'

2134. Voluntaryew orkes : cp. the XlVth Article of the Church of England, Voluntary works, besides, over and above, God's commandments, which they call Works of Supererogation, '

cannot be taught without arrogancy and impiety.' 2135. Sacrifice of the Turke : cp. Article XIII. 'Of Works before Justification.' 2171. Report what they vuyll, &C. Bale here shows himself uneasily aware that his view of King John was not the one Holinshed, as has been noted, in summing generally accepted. up John's reign, alludes to the hostility of the witnesses on

whom

he had been obliged

to rely.

ADDITIONAL NOTES. [For the majority of the notes here added I am indebted to the printed suggestions of Dr. Kolbing (K.) and those privately communicated

me by

to

Prof.

Logeman

CHESTER PLAYS. 101-2.

Reade

%

.

.

Ys, B.ye, E.

135.

I.

(L.).]

NOAH'S FLOOD.

bydde, read rede

.

.

.

bede,

K.

fs.

185. Kites, B. kitte.

One Codes

195.

name

is

209.

halfe, B. one

Codes name,

halfe, &>c.,

where

plainly a marginal gloss of halfe. Wraive, read ivrowe for the rime, L.

A line has dropped out, as K. notes, but I should be sorry to supply it, as he proposes, by [7 hope, however, so it be\ The rimes show that the whole stanza is corrupt. 272-3*. \

285. Grasse, B. treeyes.

290.

Rouge : Dr. Logeman proposes ronged,

CHESTER PLAYS.

II.

THE

'

bitten, gnawed.'

SACRIFICE OF ISAAC.

310. Leane, read layne, K. Dr. Kolbing would change to come the 336. On thee lighte But the correction of tille' to rime with 'grylle' in 1. 340. grylle into gryghte proposed in the Notes is less violent. 446. Ever, read ere, K. 455. Bonere, 'metre would profit by reading debonere] L. K. 's correction for thys of MSS. 461. Th\e\ 472. Had broughte us to : K. would read had us with beundt '

.

'

'

'

'

:

The text is certainly corrupt, but the to rime with confounde. emendation is not convincing. 492. Abyde, read tarrye to rime \i\\hprophesrie, K. TOWNELEY PLAY: 28-36, 37-45. Dr. Kolbing proposes to reverse the order of these two stanzas, and the improvement is so great that it can

hardly be doubted that he is right. 335. Twelmothe: K. would print twelmonthe, but the dropped probably represents the pronunciation, cp. York Plays, IX. 251 (L.).

ADDITIONAL NOTES. 521. That ye wore : K. would read that it ye wore, \. e. that it was you who did it. But Mak has just cried had I bene thore, and the shepherd remarks drily som men trowes that ye wore. 582. Gafye the chyld any thyng? the preceding lines read

SEC. PAST. Mak, freyndys will we be, for we ar all oone. MAK. We now I bald for me, for mendys gett I none. 1

Fare well

all thre

!

All glad were ye gone. be, bot luf is ther none this yere.

TERT.PAST. Fare wordys may ther Dr.

Logeman

thinks that the

Mak's downfall, gett

I

none.'

is

It

gift to

the 'child,' which causes

the direct result of.his complaint 'for mendys is possible, so I quote the lines, but the

shepherd's generosity was more probably inspired by custom. 658. qwant: K. would read the qwantest, mending the construction at the expense of the rhythm.

A

690. 702. 722. after

Oure kyndefrom wo : K. would prefix to free or to kepe. Mener: K. would read meke. Maker, as I meyne, of a madyn : K. would insert born

maker.

COVENTRY PLAY: I am indebted to a correspondent for pointing out to me a passage on the subject of this play in one of Bishop Andrewes's Sermons on the Nativity, in which a reference is given to the first Sermon on the Annunciation by St. Bernard of Clairvaux

(Migne's Patrologia, torn. Ixxxiii. p. 387 iii. In this sermon 974. 9 to end).

torn.

:

Opera is set

S. Bernardi,

how Man

forth

by his Fall lost all the four cardinal virtues, Truth, Justice, Pity, and Peace, but that the two latter had compassion upon his misery and besieged the Almighty with prayers for his pardon. These intercessions resulted in a heavenly conference :

Forte enim interpellantibus tale dicitur dedisse responsum Usquequo preces vestrae ? Debitor sum et sororibus vestris, quas accinctas videtis '

:

ad faciendam vindictam in nationibus lustitiae et Veritati. Vocentur, Festinant ergo legati veniant, et super hoc verbo pariter conferamus. coelestes, et ut viderunt miseriam hominum et crudelem plagam, ut propheta loquitur, Ar^eli pads amare fiebant (Isa. xxxiii. 7). Qui enim fidelius quaererent aut rogarent quae ad pacem sunt, quam angeli pacis? Sane ex deliberatione communi ascendit Veritas ad constitutam diem, sed ascendit usque ad nubes necdum plane lucida, sed subobscura et obnubilata adhuc zelo indignationis. Factumque est ut legimus in Propheta Domine, in coelo misericordia tua, et veritas tua usque ad ;

:

:

[224 b]

ADDITIONAL NOTES. nubes (Ps. xxxv. pro parte sua

Medius autem Pater lumimim residebat, et utraqne quod habebat loquebatur. Quis, putas, ilh

6).

utilins

colloquio meruit interesse, et indicabit nobis ? quis audivit, et enarrabit ? Forte inenarrabilia sunt, et non licet homini loqui. Summa tamen controversiae

valde.

haec

totius

rationalis, ait

Venit

quoniam misera

miserendi

tempus

Econtra Veritas

Eget miseratione creatura

videtur.

fuisse

Misericordia,

eius,

facta

quia

iam

est,

miserabilis

et

praeteriit

tempus.

Oportet, inquit, impleri sermonem, quern locutus es, Totus moriatur Adam necesse est, cum omnibus qui in eo

Domine.

:

qua die vetitum pomum in praevaricatione gustavit. Utquid ergo, ait Misericordia, utquid me genuisti, pater, citius perituram ? Scit enim Veritas ipsa, quoniam misericordia tua periit, et nulla est, si non erant,

aliqnando miserearis.

Similiter

Quis enim nesciat quod

si

autem

mortis evaserit, periit, nee permanebit

Domine ?

it

e contrario et ilia loquebatur

praedictam

:

sibi

praevaricator sententiam

iam

in

aeternum veritas

tua,

'

In the end the controversy is referred to Solomon, who ends by the prophetic solution, Fiat mors bona et habet utraque '

quod petit.' There are numerous references to this colloquy in heaven in writers of the fifteenth century, and it forms the subject of one of the pictures in some of the French editions of the Hours of the Blessed Virgin which often illustrate the Miracle Plays.

MARY MAGDALEN 93.

:

K. proposes pryncipall counsall or counsell pryncypall, so

as to secure the

to ryall.

rhyme

might have added the stage direction Here xal they be servyd with wyn and spyces. 301. And: K. would read all, but and on this wise refers to the sisters' willingness to remain with Lazarus as their head. 113.

I

: systyr, K., but the slip may be the author's. 475. Cleyr : L. suggests cleyn to rhyme with malmeseyn.

303. Systyrs

613. Syth: perhaps

we should emend

to nyth.

containing a subject to his and rhymes to presens and demure, appear to have dropped out here. I2OO-I. Wavys galoivs : L. emends ivowes, galowes. more may be corrected to ware . , mare. 1535-37. War 1136.

TWO

lines,

.

.

1538.

.

.

.

.

.

Atendaunt: atendaunts, K.

1548-50. Gentylnesse

.

.

.

blysch

may

blisse.

[3340]

be corrected to gentilisse,

ADDITIONAL NOTES. THE CASTELL OF PERSEVERANCE

:

And schende :

K. proposes all schende, perhaps rightly. L. queries of ivoful ivel. 87. He : K. proposes //. 105. As ivynde in ivatyr I wave : in previous editions, from misunderstanding a correction in the transcript of the MS., K. proposes I misprinted this line I wave as wynde in -water. As watyr in wynde I wave, which is certainly more exact. K. proposed lyve. 125. Lyven: transcript reads lyvng. 9.

54.

Ofwoful wo :

Man: K.

179.

ingeniously suggests that

man may

stand for

But this rather disregards the metre. malus angelus 185. To worthy wede : K. proposes 'to [me] worthy [in] wede,' but the text (' you are welcome to a good livery ') seems simpler unemended. 222. Slothe : K. proposes clothe, taking ryve as an adjective m. an.

i.

e.

!

'

'

(abundant). 272.

bleykyn

Man

doth

mi blody

336. Fatt

EVERYMAN

me

bleykyn blody ble

K. proposes

:

:

K. proposes

man

doth

ble.

statt (state)

probably

rightly.

:

87. Asketh, for 'askest,' cp. spareth, 1. 114. 113. Gyve : K. would add now to make a rime with thou.

K. syte (be sorrowful) to rime with respyte. Daungerous : K. would addy-wis to make a rime with K. endynge to rime with mournynge. 301. Ende 133. Seke,

243.

is,

:

SKELTON'S MAGNIFICENCE: 2043,2045. Ye: K.jrt.

HEYWOOD'S THE PARDONER AND THE FRERE 608.

I

:

follow K. in assigning this line to the Frere, instead of

the Pardoner.

THERSITES

:

is 'he who made you a knight never expected that your courage would be put to the proof, and so knighted you recklessly.' K. proposes forsake. 182. Cleane that so: K. that so cleane, perhaps rightly.

139.

Take: the sense

["4*]

GLOSSARIAL INDEX. ABBREVIATIONS EMPLOYED.

Sk.

- Chester Play of the Flood. = Chester Play of the Sacrifice of Isaac. = Coventry Play. = Castle of Perseverance. = Everyman. = Interlude of the Four Elements. = Heywood's Parson, Pardoner, and Neighbour = Harrowing of Hell. (Appendix.) = Bale's King John. = Play of St. Mary Magdalene. = Skelton's Magnificence.

T. Th. Y.

= Thersites. = York Play

Ch

1 .

Ch".

Co.

CP. Ev.

FE. Hey.

Hh. KJ.

MM.

'

Towneley's

Prat.

Secunda Pastorum.'

of the Creation. adv. adverb num. numeral ; pr. p. present parsb. substantive ; sb. pi. substantive ticiple pp. past participle plural. The following abbreviations are used in a particular sense v. verb in the infinitive mood pr. s., ft. s. the third person singular of the present or past tense pr. pi., ft. pi. the third person plural of these tenses, except when the numerals i or 2 are added ; imp. s., imp. pi. the second person singular or plural of the imperative mood.

Also

adj. adjective

;

;

;

;

:

;

;

Abrode,

.

A.,pref. of; 'maner a way,* mana nerofway. Ch 400. A. for he. FE. 529. A. for have; a fo = have been, .

Co. 97

MM.

God a mercy,

;

619.

Ev. 304.

A, for ah. A-baffe,

turn

v.

aside,

waver.

MM.

1437. Abasse, imp. 1376.

A-baye,

sb.

s.

abase.

surrender.

Aboht, //. paid

for,

MM.

MM.

363.

atoned

for.

MM.

sb.

abundance.

381.

Abowne, /;/.

283; Th. 275. Abyll, adj. sufficient.

Accompt,

MM.

v. count, reckon.

99.

FE.

385.

Acord, sb. agreement, judgment. CP. (157). Acqueynt, sb. acquaintance. ET. 156.

Adeu, Adewe = adieu,

farewell.

Hey. 640; Ev. 300, 800. Adoun, adv. down. MM. 492.

Adreade,

//.

dismayed.

Aferde,/^.

afraid.

Ch 1

.

Ev. jgijTh.

197.

above.

Th. 522.

260.

Ilh. 59, 61, 158.

Abowndans,

adv. abroad.

Abydande, pr. p. abiding. Y. 7. Abye, v. pay for, atone for. T.

Y. 87.

Afyauns,

sb. affiance.

MM.

383.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

226 Agane, prep,

T. 29.

against.

Ch

afraid.

Agaste,//.

Appose,

MM.

61, against. 91, 590, 632. Ago,//, gone, past. Ev. 194. Ai, adv. aye, ever. Hh. 147, 233. Al beledande, pr. p. all-shelter-

Y. 21. '

Alder, in phr. us

our

alder,'

of

Ev. 771.

all.

Alevyn, num.

adj. eleven.

KJ.

2076.

Algatys, by all means, all the same. Hey. 622. All and some, anybody. Hey. 98.

All-be, conj. although. Y. 26. Almyght, adj. almighty. Hey.

68,547. Alonly, adv. only, 1382. Als, adv. as.

A.lys,pr.

Ambes

MM.

solely.

T. 515. double ace, the worst

throw of the

dice,

bolical of ill-luck.

Amytted, pp.

adj. approved.

FE.

33-

A-prise, ment.

s.

and so symHh. no.

MM.

admitted.

1381-

An, conj. and. MM. 69, 81, 286. And, conj. if. Commonly in Ev. and Th., also Co. 113; Ch 204; T. 27; MM. 1548; KJ.

achieve-

enterprise,

MM.

1133. v. pay. MM. 267.

Aquyte, Aray, sb. attire. CP. (135). Arayd, //. arrayed.

MM.

1183;

MM.

1

143

Are, adv. ere, before. Y. IQO. Aren, have pity on. Hh. 29. Armony, sb. harmony. FE. 466.

As r sb.

See

ace.

no. Asay,

v.

Ambes as. Hh. Cha

assay.

try,

251;

.

CP. 120.

As now, phr.

Ev.

as things are.

295-

Aspecyall,

Assaye,

4, 13, etc.

s. ails.

as,

Approbate,

in

MM.

cially.

Y.

Th.

dispute

383-

237.

.

Agens, prep,

ing.

with.

v.

l

aspecyall, 137.

v. try, prove.

espe-

Th. 117,

477-

Asse, conj. as. Hh. 168. Assoyle, pr. I. s. absolve.

KJ.

1369.

Assoylynge, pr. p. absolving. KJ. 2143. Asspy, v. espy, see. MM. 1392. Astore, v. repair. CP. (310),

1

.

1379, etc.

Y. 103. adv. at once.

Ane, one.

Anon, CP.

73, etc.

MM.

1180;

Anoye, sb. harm. Ch 294. Anoynt, //. anointed. Ch a

.

1

75. antichrists. .

Antychrysts, KJ. 1352-

sb. pi.

to.

Y. 12, 47,

etc.

;

T.

A.ihBT,pron. either. Y. 155. 1 Atter, sb. otter. Ch 1 70. Atwayne, adv. asunder. Ev. 655 .

note.

as an adv., Hey. 268.

Anythynge,

in

Apas, adv. apace, quickly.

Appeles,

sb.

"93. Apply,

apply oneself

pi.

appeals.

adv.

asunder.

CP.

any

Atwynne,

Th.

Atyred, //. prepared, equipped.

472, 882. Apere, v. appear. FE. 351. Aply, v. apply. MM. 383, 672. Apon, prep. upon. Y. 66. Appayreth, pr. s. becomes worse. Ev. 44.

278.

At, prep. 654.

(73).

manner.

(336).

Asynyd, pp. assigned. CP. (27^ At, dent, and rel. pron. that. Y.

MM.

359.

Auctour, sb. author. Aungelys, sb. pi.

FE. 47. CP. angels.

(40).

KJ.

Autoryte, sb. authority. KJ. 1 360. Avant, imp. s. avaunt. KJ. 1337. Avertyce, pr. s. advertise, warn.

Ev.

Avoyde,

KJ. 1306. to,

v. decamp, run away. Th. 504; avoyded,//. Th. 488.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX. Avoydyt,

s.

pr.

MM.

goes out.

227

MM. 270. bed. adv. presently, forthwith, but often without much force.

Bed,

sb.

Bedene,

7 6.

A-wansyd,

//. advanced.

MM.

avail, profit.

MM.

107.

Awayle,

sb.

1432.

Awctoryte, I37 1

sb.

KJ.

authority.

-

Awe,

sb.

fierceness,

Th.

rage.

173-

Awne,

adj.

Awter,

sb.

Y. 140.

own.

Y. 61, 87.

Beelde, v. build, make, Y. 47;//. 107. Beeldyng, sb. shelter. Y. 38. Beestly, adv. like an animal.

MM.

altar.

Y. 14. CP. (55). Bedys, sb. pi. prayers. CP. (96). Beeldand, pr. p. living, abiding.

1143,

1182.

E.

74-

Behaver,

Ayre, sb. heir. T. 615. Aythor, conj. either. T. 529. Ajen, prep, against. Hh. 134.

35,

behaviour.

sb.

KJ.

1329.

Ch

Behette, pr. promise. Ch 1 324 305 behighte. i

s.

.

;

Ch

hitte.

Behetyn,

B.

1 .

;

1 .

be-

282.

//.

CP.

promised.

(119).

Bable,

sb.

Th.

a fool's bauble.

Hh.

v. babble.

Bable,

Babys,

a

sb.

sb.

12.

error

scribe's

for

Co. 21.

evils.

balys, bales,

Bake,

;

Ev.

profit.

Beledande, pr. p. al-beledande, Y. 21. all-protecting.

Bernes, 50, 68

sb. pi. ;

Bemys,

Balk, sb. ridge. T. 49. Ballyd, adj. bald. CP. (282). Balys, sb. pi. bales, evils. Co.

Ch

1 .

120;

Y.

beams, rays.

bemys.

MM.

sb.

trumpets.

pi.

623.

CP.

(3'5).

Bene,/r.//.

are.

Benesown,

sb.

Ch 1

.

317.

MM.

blessing.

1208.

21.

Ban, v. curse. T. 636. Bandogge, sb. a bound

or chained

Th. 89.

dog, a mastiff.

Barne,

sb.

613.

Ch

adj. obedient.

Bayne,

MM. 1

145

.

;

256, 311, 480.. Baynely, adv. obediently, directly; Y. 20, 35, 47, 1 60. .

Be, prep. by. 55, etc.

Be, pr. s. is. Be, pp. been. 459

Beane, Beare,

Ch

1 .

MM.

Co. 108

become.

;

Berande,/r./. bearing, behaving. Y. 40. Berar, sb. bearer. Y. 36. Berdes, sb.pl. maidens. MM. 51. Besawnt, sb. a gold coin. MM. 1218; besaivntes. CP. (186).

Besegyn, Best,

sb.

v. besiege.

beast.

Hey. 164. Besych, pr.

62. ;

Th.

Ch 2 Ch1

239.

.

.

109.

KJ. 1351.

Bedden,//. bidden. Ch Beddyng, sb. bidding.

1 .

51.

MM.

i

s.

//. beseen.

Bet, //.

MM.

Th. 359

2152.

Besyn,

adj. obedient. loud noise. v.

;

Ev. 201, 502

sb.

Becum,

103

Benyng, adj. benign. MM. 626. Benyngly, adv. benignly. MM. 616.

T. 586. pi. balms.

sb. child.

Bawmys,

62.

behoof,

CP. (221).

FE. 39. CP. (309), (317)

Bale, sb. evil. Y. J02.

M.

sb.

Belive, adv. quickly.

Hh.

back.

54. Balates, sb. pi. ballads.

Ch2

Behove, 638.

129.

;

364. btstt,

beseech.

MM.

made amends

KJ.

54.

for.

Hh.

172.

Betake, v. commit. Ev. 298. Betande, pr. p. flaming. Y. 102. Bete, v. heal, amend. CP. (93) ;

Hh.

224.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

228

MM.

pi. are.

Beth, pr.

r528.

MM. 666. Better, adj. bitter. Bettsrnesse, $b. bitterness. MM. 604.

Be-tyme, adv. betimes,

Ch 1

.

223.

MM.

Beyn, v. be. Bicam, pt. i Biggeth, pr. Bihete, pt. 2

56.

Hh. 48. Hh. 87. Hh. promisedst.

s.

became.

s.

builds.

s.

quickly.

v.

233Bitto, v. bite.

Bittor,

Ch1

.

1

182.

.

most black.

adj.

Y.

borwe. Co. ai. Bot, conj. but. T. 10. Bote, sb. salve, remedy, healer. (169), (309), (317). 921, 1546. 1 Botte, sb. boate. Ch 245. .

see

bowne.

Ch 1

Boute, prep, without. 122.

MM.

blee.

Y.

1

.

deceived.

blinded,

//.

CP. (294).

Bleykyn, v. CP. (272). Blinde,

turn

blench.

pale,

'blind

confused,

adj.

Ev. 102 ; 'blind Ev. 508. rekeninge.' livid. Y. 101. Bio, adj. blue, mater.'

1

'

blow Bio, of blowing sb.

bio', the

bemys

;

Bowrys,

sb.

CP.

trumpets.

Bowth,//. bought.

.

Blys, pr. s. Blysch, sb.

Blyssyng,

MM. MM.

bless. bliss.

Y.

sb. blissfulness.

5.

(

Bobbyt,//. cheated. CP. (294). Bocke, sb. book. KJ. 1355. Boht,//. bought. Hh. 112. Boke, sb. book. Ev. 104, 136. Th. 108. Bokell, Bokys, sb. pi. books. FE. 39. Bone, sb. boon, favour. CP. v. buckle.

plaisant.

.

Brefes,

short notes. T. 668. Ev. open, declare.

sb. pi.

v.

Breke,

224; break through. Co. Bren, v. burn. T. 606. sb.

burning.

Brent,//, burnt.

Y. 107.

Ch

2 .

debonair, 455.

9.

Sk.

I934-

Brewe,

v.

brew, concoct, prepare.

CP. (309), (317)-

Brightnode,

sb.

brigandines.

com-

sb.

brightness.

Y.

50, 68.

Bring forward,

v.

290.

Erode, 1

adj. broad.

escort.

Ch

1 .

Ev.

26; Th.

20.

MM.

Browth, //.

279, brought. 592, 1389; CP. (14), (52). Brynande, pr. p. burning. Y. 102.

Bryst,

Bryth, adj.

Ev. 814.

v. break.

Brast,

34.

Th. 170, 188.

Bly ve, adv. quickly. CP. 1 1 1). Bob, sb. bunch, cluster. T. 729. Bobaunce, sb. pride. CP. (349).

(40Bonere,

589.

Brayd, sb. haste. MM. 1148. 1 Breade, sb. breadth. Ch 29. Brede, adj. broad. CP. (187).

Briggen yrons,

276. 1540.

MM.

Brace, v. bluster. Sk. 1916. Bragaunce, sb. boasting. T. Brage, v. boast, Sk. 1916.

Brennynge,

(2 '5).

Bloudsouppers, sb. pi. bloodKJ. 2169. suppers. 1 Blynne, v. cease. Ch 8, 134; CP. (299), (368).

MM.

bowers.

pi.

336.

5.

Blendyng, vb. sb. blending. Y. 5. Blendyd,//. blinded. CP. (301 ). Blent,

63,

.

Bowne, adj. ready, prepared. Ch 52, 64; boune. Ch 264. Bowrde, sb. jest. T. 343. .

;

MM.

CP.

1

colour, complexion, countenance. 68; CP. (10), sb.

(272)

.

.

.

rot.

Ble,

1

1

1 South, adj. both Ch 234, 289. Bower, sb. chamber. MM. 363.-

58.

Ch

sb. bittern.

Blakkeste,

Hh.

remain behind.

Ev. 883.

boast.

sb.

Boune,

189, 197.

Bi-leven,

Boost,

Borde, sb. board. Ch 75. Bore,//, born. Ch 286. Borowe, v. redeem. Ev. 644;

v. burst.

adj.

brygth.

T. 640. CP. (82);

bright.

MM.

Bun,//, bowne,

669. ready.

T. 764.

GLOSSARIAL LVD EX. But,

Ch

conj. except, unless.

MM.

206;

1529. adv. obediently. 40 ; Hey. 610. By, v. for abye, suffer for.

.

Charret,

7,

T. 315. sb.pl. jobs. Cheiste, sb. chest, used of Noah's ark. Ch 1 206.

Y.

Chere,

.

countenance, demeanour. Hey. 57 Th. 469. Chered,//. entertained. Ev. 501.

119.

sb.

;

Bydde, v. pray. CP. (41). Byddyth, imp.pl. bid. Co. 87. Byde, pr. i s. bid, command. Y.

Ches,//.

Byde, v. abide. Y. 47. Bydene, adv. immediately.

Ch

Childer, 1

132-

Bygged, pp. Byggyngys,

made.

built, sb.

pi.

biggings,

Y. 70. Ev. 676. Byn, v. be. MM. 623, 1381 pr. MM. 1533. pi. are. Byrnande, pr. p. burning. Y.

Byleve,

adv.

By-sydes, I35 6

Chyldyrn,

v. believe.

;

besides.

Ch

(northern form\ 238. Christian. MM.

.

sb.pl. children.

MM.

T. 637. a sweet wine.

MM.

276.

Chyte,

v. chide.

Clary,

sb.

477Clatter, v. talk, brag.

KJ.

Hey.

MM.

cliffs. 55. T. science, learning.

Cleffys, sb.pl.

-

sb.

686.

O.

sb. pi.

Clokys,

Ch

cables.

sb. pi.

Cabbelles,

1

Clowohes,

90.

CP. pt. s. and pi. came. (23), (30); Hey. 63; KJ. 1285, 1379adj.

KJ.

captious.

1299.

Carbuckyls,

sb.

carbuncles.

pi.

Sk. 1928.

Garde,

sb.

proof.

Careful,

of cares.

Co.

16, 23. 2

Carshaffe, sb. kerchief. Ch 386. Cast, sb. contrivance. T. 352. Catyfes, sb. pi. caitiffs, rascals. .

sb. clover.

Glower,

sb. pi.

caudels, possets.

CP.

(20),

to.

kaiser,

sb. city.

MM.

600. ,

Comeryd, //. cumbered. Co. Comliar, somer.

comelier,

adj.

MM.

31.

hand-

67. sb.

commonalty.

conflict.

sb.

a sea

Connynge,

eel, adj. clever.

Coiinynge,

sb.

power.

473.

R

sb.

Th.

365-

Conger,

sb. pi. caitiffs, rascals.

58.

MM.

1

emperor.

(69).

Caytyfys,

294.

Coke, sb.pl. cocks. Ch 185. Colacyon, sb. homily, sermon. Hey. 70. Combred,//. cumbered. Ev. 60.

Concertation,

(90).

Caysere,

MM.

Compane, sb. company. T. 53. Compas, v. surround. FE. 366.

Sk. 2034.

Cawth, //. caught.

Th.

Clowtes, sb. pi. blows. Th. 505. Clowtt, sb. cloth. T. 595. Clyme, v. climb. KJ. 2108. Clyped,//. called. Hey. 35.

Commynalte', KJ. 2155.

Hey. 590.

clutches.

clutches.

sb. pi.

57-

Clyr, adj. clear.

'a sure carde,' a sure Th. 888.

adj. full

Cawdels,

claws,

Sk. 1900.

.

Cam,

Capcyouse,

Th. 523,

10.

Clergy,

MM.

1

Chriseten, sb. !547; Chrisetyn. MM. 1542. sb. Christendom. Chrystene, Th. 123.

Y. 68.

CP. (187). buildings. Bygly, adv. powerfully.

reason.

enchesun,

sb. pi.

children.

.

Co. 95.

chose.

s.

Chesun, sb. CP. (284).

22.

Cete,

Th. aio.

chariot.

sb. car,

Y.

Charys,

Buxomly,

CP.

229

1

2

Th. 381.

FE. 327.

knowledge, ability, FE. 21; Hey. 39.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX. Cormyngly, adv. .

MM.

skilfully.

.

Consell, sb. counsel. Conseyll, sb. counsel.

MM. 375. MM. 382.

Conseyte, sb. conceit, imaginaFE. 44. tion. contentation, Contembtacyon, contentment. FE. 399. sb.

hold together.

v.

Oontene,

Y.

I 5-

Convey, imp.

s.

stow away.

KJ.

2099.

Conveyed, pp. escorted. Ev. 816. Convyt, //. convicted. KJ. 1 3 5 7. Cop, sb. cup. T. 735. Cors, sb. body. CP. (188). Cors,

sb.

MM.

course, direction.

1437-

Coryows, probably a tion

from Greek

'

Coryows CP. (46).

Christe,'

translitera-

lord:

tevpios,

Lord

Christ.

Cost, sb. coast. MM. 1213. Costes, *.//. manners. CP. (246). 1 Coule, sb. cabbage. Ch 172. Counte, sb. account, reckoning. Ev. 104, 493, 502.

Crousse, adj.

.

pi. course, run.

Y.

20. sb.

KJ. 1365. Cum, v. come. KJ. 2101; (no).

KJ. 1325; imp. s. CP. (71), (100),

Y. 99. CP. (286); know, be able. CP. (316). Cunnyng, sb. knowledge. FE.

Cumly, Cunne,

adj. comely. v. learn.

404.

Cunsell, sb. counsel. KJ. 1282. 1 Curlues, sb. pi. curlews. Ch 187. Curssys, sb. //. curses. KJ. 1 385. MM. Curteys, adj. curteous. .

"37-

Cowch

Quail, 'cower, qnaiH', perhaps a cry used in some children's game. Th. 20. See note.

Cowde, //.//. could. KJ. Cowre, pr. i s. cower. T.

Cyataca, Cyte, sb.

//.

s.

city.

j

T.

667. sb. boasting. Th. 880 ; as/r./. Th. 889. Craturs, sb. pi. creatures. FE.

Crakynge,

455-

Creke, 'to cry creke,' to yield. Th. too. 1 Croes, sb. pi. crows. Ch 185. Crop, sb. head. T. 736. Crosse out, v. annul, make no .

count

of.

Ev. 800.

Crouche. imp. 170.

pi. kneel.

26).

D. Dale, Dalle,

sb.

Y.

dole, bounty. T. 744.

78.

sb. fist.

demned.

//.

MM.

damned, con636 dampned, ;

Ev. 310. dare. T. 303. Dasters, sb. pi. dastards. Th. 17. Y. 78. Daynetethly,<*/z>. finely. Debate, vb. abate, diminish. Th. i s.

Ded, JV. s. did. Ded, //. dead.

733.

crakyd, sang noisily.

(1

Sk. 1982. KJ. 1274.

sb. sciatica.

412, 469.

1379.

Crake, v. boast. Th. 371. Craked, //. boasted. Th. 399

CP.

Gust, //. kissed.

Dar, pr.

204.

Christendom.

Crystyndom,

Damdpnyd,

155-

Courtes, adj. courteous. MM. 490. Covetyse, sb. covetousness. Hey.

.

Groyne, pr. 2 pi. croon. T. 672. Crysme, sb. a chrisom cloth. CP.

.

Courese, pr

Ch1

brisk, lively.

178.

Hey.

KJ. 1280.

Hh. in; Hey.

631.

Dede, sb. deed. MM. 633. Dedyst, //. 2 s. didst. MM. 672. Dee, sb. Dieu, God per dee,' '

;

KJ. 2081.

par dieu.

Deed,//, dead. Defe, adj. deaf.

Ev. 355. Ev. 803.

clever, dexterous.

Defte, adj.

Y.

92.

Delande,/r./. dealing, ing.

Dele, Dele, Dele,

CP.

distribut-

Y. 78. sb. part, bit. Y. 158. sb. pity. CP. (25), (aio).

v.

deal,

(99).

have part with.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX. Delectabyll,

MM. Dell,

adj.

(219).

sb. part, bit, whit.

Delycows,

Hey. 563.

MM.

adj. delicious.

335-

Delycyte,

sb.

Demden, //.

MM.

delicacy. s.

condemned.

72. Ilh.

Deme, v. judge. Co. 124. Demenour, sb. director. 1887.

Sk.

MM.

Dent, sb. blow. Departe, v. (i)

272. depart, go away, separate. Ev. 96. 296; Th. 233. Hey. 549. (ii) divide, e. g. - divide 'depart your goodes'

your wealth. e.

part with,

Hey. 96.

(iii)

g. departe with

MM.

your

102.

Depnes, s6. deepness. FE. 356. Deprave, v. depreciate, slander. FE. 436. Dere, adj. precious. Y. n. Dere, sb. harm, injury. Y. 64. Derand, pr. p. harming. Y. 37. Derworth, adj. precious. Y. 92.

Descend,

MM.

make

v.

1558.

Desevyr,

descend.

MM. 301. MM. 104. MM. disciples.

v. separate.

Dessetres, J^. distress

Desyplys,

sb. pi.

614.

Devoyd, pr. pi. go out. MM. "32.3. Devyne, adj. divine. FE. i. Devyr, sb. devoir, duty. MM. 1 180.

Dew,

Hey. 72

adj. due, fitting.

;

H. 314.

dewe.

281

;

duresse.

MM.

284.

CP. (34). Y. 156. devoir, duty.

sb.pl. devils.

Dewylys, Deyver, sb.

Hh. 56. v. die. Diewly, adv. dewly. Y. n. Deje,

.

v.

make

ready, prepare.

adj.

sorrowfull.

Ch9

.

Ev.

261, 885, 901. Don, adv. down. MM. 1203. Don, pr. pi. do. MM. 61. Dore, sb. door. KJ. 1377. Dowtles, adv. doubtless. FE. 358.

Douctora,

MM.

sb.

daughters.

pi.

68.

Dowtter, sb. daughter. MM. 79. Doyne,//. done. T. 291. l Drackea, sb.pl. drakes. Ch 189. Drawe, pp. drawn over, covered. .

Sk. 2040.

Dray,

T. 317.

draw.

v.

v. direct

Dresse,

MM.

1182.

Dreve, pp. driven. CP. (407). Dyghte,//. prepared. Th. 351

;

Y. n, 109. Dylfe, sb. devil. MM. bef. 305. Dylles, sb. pi. devils. MM. bef. 358.

Dynt, sb. blow. Dysous, imper.

MM.

s.

Sk. 1904. spread abroad.

1562.

Dyapare, sb. despair. Ev. 468. Dysaes, sb. decease. MM. 80. Dystaunce, sb. distance, estrangement. CP. (384). Ev. 508.

sb. distress.

FE.

49,

Ech, adj. each. Ch 191. Een, sb. pi. eyes. T. 295. Eft-whyte, v. requite again,

re-

Dyvers,

several.

adj.

338.

E. 1

.

T. 305.

Eftyr, adv.

Y. 131. Egge-toles, Hey. 574-

Eke,

Ch>. 79, 301. Dilfull,

Does, imper. pi. do. Y. 1 56, Dold, adj. stupid. T. a. CP. Dole, sb. sorrow, trouble.

store.

Diffynicion, sb. definition, limit. Co. 100. l Digges, sb. pi. ducks. Ch 189.

Dighte,

Th.

KJ. 1354;

loa.

Dyatrea,

Dewes, int. the deuce. Y. 92. Dewks, sb.pl. dukes. KJ. 1368. Dewresse, sb. duresse, hardship.

MM.

Do, pp. done.

( 4 o 7 );Y. 9 8. Dome, sb. doom, judgment.

56.

riches.

CP.

discomfort.

sb.

Diseae,

delightful.

593.

431

after.

sb. ,

conj. also.

Y. pi.

1

25

;

efter,

edge-tools.

Ev. 503; Hey.

208, 210.

Eldyth,/r.

s.

aileth.

Th. 480.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

23*

Elfe, sb. oaf, lubber. Hey. 629. Ch 1 66, 207 Elles, adv. else. MM. 635; Th. ici.etc. .

Elvysshe,

Th. 74.

adj. simple.

Emel, prep, among. Emprise,

sb.

MM.

1533.

MM.

611.

enemies.

pi.

KJ.

v.

enquire.

FE. 400,

61.

Hey

mined.

minded,

//.

deter-

68.

Hey. sb.

Entent,

Sk. 1946;

MM. 670;

sb.. ill-will.

Sk. 1989.

ing. 8. CP.(ii5.)

Y.

Ev.

art.

10, etc.

Es, pr. ; 2, Y. 74 sb. the east. FE. Est, 351, 355. Estate, sb. class or order in the commonwealth. KJ. 2143. Everychone, every one. Ev. s. is.

.

Fatt,

FE. 407. Excommunycate, pp. excommunicated. KJ. 2141. Exorte, v. go forth. Co. 56. Expoun, v. expound. FE. 26. Exprese, adv. expressly. MM. 82.

MM.

Eylytt,/r. sb.

Eynes,

express, read out, 298, 1184, 1383.

v.

declare.

s.

MM.

aileth.

end.

MM.

1545.

599. Co. 25.

sb. pi. eyes.

P.

Facyon,

sb. fashion.

Hey. 590,

609.

make faded.

Y. 60, 132. Fade, Fall, sb. case, plight. Ev. 514. Famyt,//. famished. Co. n. v.

v. find.

Ch 2

.

sb.

iig;fantesye.

MM.

fervour.

sb.

MM.

fawour.

483.

638.

MM.

desirous.

adj.

673.

Ch 290; Ch 2 Faye, 433; Ev. 298. Fayer, adj. fair. MM. 669. Fayn, adv. gladly. MM. 495 1

faith.

fayne. Ch Ev. 515.

Fayne, Fayre, adj.

.

1

147

.

,

;

Ch2

252

.

.

;

;

Th. 910. Y. 65 adv. Ev.

v. feign. fair.

;

872.

Fayrear, comp.

Fayrhede,

adj. fairer.

Y. 53.

fairness,

beauty.

sb.

Faythly, adv. faithfully. Y. 19. Fe, sb. possessions. Sk. 1993. Feare, sb. companion in fere, 2 ;

together.

pi.

FE.

fancies.

43.

Ch

1

.

Ch

289;

.

Th.

Fearefully, adv. timorously. s.

d.

Factually, adv.

MM.

effectually, truly.

643,

MM. 299. sb. money, goods. T. 631. Feft, //. endowed. Felande, pr. p. feeling. Y. 79. Felawe, sb. fellow. Ev. 284.

Fee,

Felde, sb. field. Felescheppys, CP. (311).

Th. 149. sb.pl. fellowships

Fell, pr. i s. fell, lay low. 1392. Fell, adj. cruel. MM. 280.

Felyng,

MM.

Fende, Y.

78,

454-

sb. feeling. sb.

Femynyte,

470.

T. 39. adj. fain, glad. T. 679. v. take.

Fantasyes,

CP. (336). KJ. 1330.

v. favour.

Faver,

387.

Eynd,

298.

sb. fate.

Y. 66.

840, 856. evening.

Evyn, sb.

Exprese,

KJ.

T. 587.

fared.

Faryn, v. go. CP. (403). Fastande, pr. p. fasting. Y. 80. Fatherys, sb. gen. case, father's.

sb.

purpose, mean-

will,

175. infirmary.

sb.

Faworus,

Entendyd,

Fand, Fane, Fang,

Fame,//,

Fawor,

1378.

Enquere,

Envy,

;

Hh.

(4); faren, v.

Farmerye,

MM.

Y. 104.

adj. enough. Enhanse, v. exalt. sb.

encum-

sb.

Enew,

Enmys,

CP.

enterprise.

Fard, pp. feared, afraid. T. 677. Fare, v. go. T. 714 pr. I J. P.

2102.

.146.

Encomberowns, brance,

;

883

;

KJ.

Y. 60. womanliness.

71. sb. fiend.

fettdet.

CP. (269) Ev. CP. (303) Hh. ;

;

GLOSSARIAL INDEX. Fende, v. protect. CP. (373). Pendyd, //. prevented, hindered.

Forgang,

CP. (303). Fere, v. make afraid. Ev. 253. Fere, sb. companion. Hh. 69 in fere, together. T. 715 feres, 53. Ferre, adv. far. Ev. 816. Fest, adj. fast, fixed. T. 20 feste, pp. fastened. Y. 66. Fet, v. fetch. Th. 1 85. Fete, sb. pi. feet. MM. 667. Fett, sb. pi. feet. MM. 640, i. Fette, v. fetch. Hh. 5, 30 //. fetched. Th. 430. Fetys, adj. neat, well-made, eleY. 55. 65. gant. 1 Fier, sb. fire. Ch 78. Fine, sb. end. Hh. n. ;

;

;

;

.

Firrette, sb. ferret. Ch 175. 1 Fleete, v. float. Ch 281. 1 Fleetinge, pr. p. floating. Ch 1

i s.

Forleten, //. forego,

Hh.

abandon,

169.

Forloren, //. altogether away. Hh. 239.

Formarryd,

//. Y. 139.

spoilt.

Formaste,

sup.

Y.

first.

Forme,

lost, cast

completely foremost,

adj.

4.

CP.

adj. first.

Forseth, pr.

(i).

s. it

forseth not, it Hey. 312. transformed. T. For-shapyn,//.

matters not.

630.

.

Fortaxed,

1

136. lust.

6.

.

v. flee.

Fleye,

Florychyd, //.

Ch

1 .

293.

MM.

flourished.

334-

Fludde,

Ch 84 \fludc, 1

sb. flood.

T.

T. 16. Y. 131,

//. overtaxed.

Forthi, adv. therefore.

Fles, sb. flesh. Hh. 194. Fleshe-likinge, sb. fleshly

MM.

forgive.

676.

624.

225.

Ch

94.

Forgeyffe, pr.

For-spoken, //. bewitched.

.

.

Ch

T. 43. Ev. 86.

v. forego.

Forgete, //. forgotten.

.

Forthy, adv. Forthynkes,

T. 68 1.

therefore.

s. pr. repents, T. 521. grieves. Forward, sb. covenant, agreement. Ch 1 . 301. Forwhy, adv. because. Hey.

1

630.

224.

.

Flurn, sb. river. Hh. 206. Flyt, v. remove, turn aside.

CP.

Fote, sb. Fott, //.

foot. i s.

Fourme,

(84).

Flyte,

v. scold.

Fode,

sb. food.

T. 636. Y. 76.

FE. 407 Y. 129. Fole, Folwe, imp. s. follow. CP. (100). Folysshe, adj. foolish. H. 213 sb. fool.

;

;

adj. foolish.

Fonde,/;-.

FE. 473; Ev.

adv. foully. sb. a fowl.

Fowle, Fowle, Foyde, Foyne,

sb.

I s. try.

CP. (225). CP. (403).

Fonded, //. tried, made trial of. Hh. 75. Fondnesse, sb. folly. Sk. 1892. Fondon, v. find. Hh. 70. Fonge, imp. s. take. Ch'. 27. Forme, sb. pi. foes. Ch 6. 1

.

Foo, sb. foe. CP. (32). Forbode, //. forbidden.

Hey.

1

4.

.

1

.

306.

for

fone,

T.

few.

292.

Y. 95.

Franesy, sb. frenzy. Sk. 1958. Frawth,//). laden. CP. (94). Fray, sb. fear. MM. 280. Frel-nes,

sb. frailty.

Frend,

sb.

Ev.

Co. 110.

655;

629,

frendes, Hey. 54.

Freres,

sb. pi. friars.

Fro,/r
Hey.

15.

Ev. 644.

Froring, sb. help. Fryke, adj. bold,

Hh.

164. brave.

CP.

(153).

256.

Force, no force, no matter.

FE.

Frynde,

sb. friend.

Frynishe,

538-

Fordo, imp.

Ch Ch

T. 731.

child.

sb.

293.

T. 528. Y. 142.

fetched.

form.

Fra,/7V/. from.

Ev. 872.

Fonde,

v.

pi. destroy.

T. 295.

Ch

1

.

loo.

adj.

KJ. 2080.

polite,

formal.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX. adj. fresh. Y. 60.

Frysch, Full,

MM.

Go, pp. gone. Ev. 165. Gobet, sb. piece, morsel.

491.

v. foul.

sb.

Fullimartes,

Ch1

polecats.

pi.

God,

170.

.

Fumishenes,

sb.

irritability.

Th. 107.

CP.

(90).

MM.

good.

adj.

1543

1203,

FE. 407.

;

Goddes,

Th. 297

sb.

; goddess. Th. 310. 1 gone, v. go. Ch 202 ; 227; MM. 1142 Ev. 465

found. 7.762. Furst, adv. first. FE. 351, 355. Fygure, sb. form, image. Y. 140.

Gon,

Fygured,//. formed. Y. Fynnest, sup. adj. finest.

Gon-stone, sb. bullet. Th. 72. Goo, imp. s. go. MM. 1145.

Fun, pp.

484.

Fyr, sb. fire. Fytt, adj. fit,

MM.

65.

MM.

.

Ch 2

.

Good, Goon,

597.

;

sb.

Ev. 121.

goods.

CP.

v. go.

(72).

Goote, sb. goat. Ch 158. Gore, sb. a gusset, 'under 1

Y. 65.

pretty.

sb.pl. gods.

.

under the clothes,

G.

gore,'

CF.

privily.

(313).

T. 582.

2 s. gavest.

Gaf,/

Ch

Gaither, v. gather. Galand, sb. galant.

Hh.

Gan, //. gone. Gar,

Y.

103

;

.

73, 77.

4, 47, 74.

T. 621

v. cause.

s.

1

FE. 417. gares, pr.

;

gard, pt.

s.

T.

661. gate,

Gawde,

Hh. 218;

road.

Hey. 43

gates.

sb. trick.

;

Y. 155. T. 604.

Ch

Gayne, v. avail. Gaynesay, v.

Ev. 806, 835. Y. pr. p. howling.

v. goes.

Gowlande,

Gramercy, many

Ev

thanks.

sb.

Gravyte,

1

FE.

seriousness.

28.

146. contradict. .

FE.

Grawous,

MM.

grievous.

adj.

293-

Gaytt dore,

sb.

outer door.

T.

Gre,

sb.

pleasure

;

take ingre, take

good part. Sk. 2005. Grede, v. cry aloud. CP. (285). Grestle, sb. young pig. Th. 391. Grete, v. weep. CP. (320) Hh. in

339-

Gentlery men,

sb. pi.

gentry.

T.

18. sb.

array.

Th. 198.

;

Gest, v. jest. Hey. 311. Gete, pp. begotten. Ev. 189.

Getten,//. got. Ch . 130. Getteth, pr. s. obtains. Ev. 646. Getyn, v. get. MM. 370. Geve, v. give. KJ. 1 346 Th. 1 288; //. 478; pr. i s. Ch KJ. 1341 ; imp. s. Th. 233. Gevyn, pp. given. KJ. 1274, 1

;

.

1

.

culty? sb.

82.

Grete, adj. great. Y. i. Gretter, comp. adj. greater.

T.

36. sb.

Gretynge,

weeping.

CP.

(314). groves. CP. (59). Ch 1 46. Grill, v. grumble. Grith, sb. peace, treaty. Hh.

Grevys,

sb. pi.

.

126.

1339-

Ghoste, sb. spirit. Ch 5. Glad, sb. gladnesse. T. 679. Glase, sb. slippery place, diffiGle,

Gothe,

221, 86r.

384-

Gere,

;

103.

sb.

Gat,

Gore, sb. filth. CP. (338). Gost, sb. spirit. MM. 601, 1211 CP. (47). Gostly, adv. spiritual. MM. 609.

T. 327. Y. 82.

joy.

Gleteryng, sb. glittering. Y. 82. Glose, v. speak smoothly. FE. 41 ; Hey. 10.

vb. grumble, murmur. CP. (181) \grochyngc, murmur CP. (312). ing, groaning. Groge, sb. grudge. KJ. 1298,

Groechyn,

1332.

Grom,

sb.

Grorne, Spain.

man.

sb. for

MM.

MM. 489. Groine, a port in 478.

GLOSSAR1AL INDEX. Groae, adj. gross, substantial. FE. 345, 357. Grotes, sb. pi. groats. Hey. 22,

Harnes Th.

sb.

,

Hey. 605.

surely.

armour, accoutrements.

9.

Harnessed, //. armed.

93, 132.

Grucche,

v.

murmur, grumble.

v. sb.

grumble. ground.

Grylle, v. be

Sk. 2016.

Y. 74.

Ch9

terrified.

.

v,

340.

reward.

guerdon,

Hart,

sb.

FE. 501

Grysly, adj. horrible, dreadful. CP. (47); adv. CP. (175).

Guardon,

Harrowe,

Th.

16.

a cry for help.

interj.

Y. 97.

C-P. (47)-

Grudge, Grunde,

Hardely, adv.

Hey. 200.

Gunne, pp. begun. CP. (314). Gydde, v. guide. MM. 601. Gyde, sb. guide. Ev. 522, 780. Gyde, imp. s. guide. MM. 1440. Gyf, imp. pi. give. Y. 147 pr. i j. Y. 160. Gyldar, sb. gilder. KJ. 2110. j^. T. 724. Gyler, beguiler. Gylt, sb. guilt. CP. (325). s. begins. MM. 621. Gyrmyt,//-. Gyrnande, pr. p. gdnning. Y. ;

2098

;

Ch

MM.

hartt.

hartys, hearts. 57iHast, sb. haste. Hast, v. hasten.

MM.

MM.

heart. harte.

;

74,

1

640 KJ.

;

234

.

1 1

;

38 ; harts,

Hey.

KJ. 1340.

MM.

382. Ev. 141 imp. ;

s.

1384.

Hat, pr. s. has. MM. 602. Halt, v. be called. T. 614.

Haunt,

Ev. 273.

v. frequent.

Havi, have I. Haveth,/r. s.

Hey. 43.

Hh. Hh.

has.

He, fron. pi.

they. 360, 370. sb. health.

MM.

Heale, Hey. 272. Heare, adv.

here.

8.

Hey.

Ch

1 .

152. 53, 55; hcle.

;

156, 180,

etc.

103.

Gyrth,

Y. 133.

v. protect.

Hearnes,

sb.

Ch

herons.

pi.

1 .

182.

Hed,

H. Habergyn, 104, 108,

Hade, pt.

sb.

i s.

had.

Ch 99. Ch1 1 98. 1

'

(170).

Th. 493. neck. CP. (156). Haly, adv. wholly. Y. 27. 1 Hamer, sb. hammer. Ch . 62. v. haul, drag. sb.

Hamyd,//. crippled. T. 15. Han, v. have. MM. 509;

2010; wrapped, up. sb.

T.

harbourage.

667 pp.

//. ;

i

j.

heard.

horde, pt.

Hey. 257.

I s.

Hey.

Heder, adv. hither. FE. 401. Hcdibus, sb. comic Latinized daTh. 133.

tive plural for 'heads'.

Hee, adj. high. T. 605. Hefue, sb. heaven. Co. 9. Hegges, sb. pi. hedges. Hegheste,

MM.

sup. adj. highest.

Y.

27.

Heiste, //.

Sk.

i.

MM.

1398.

Hard,

FE. 411. CP. (138).

1198.

Co. 35.

Happe, v. wrap. Sk. 2063. Happyd, pp. circumstanced.

head.

sb.

54-

.

pt. s. 'chopped away at,' and so had his will of,' ' mastered'? T. 668. Hale, sb. tent, pavilion. CP.

Harbarow,

163.

Hede,tf.heed.

.

Hakt,

Hall, Hals,

;

Hede,

sb. health.

Haile,

Th.

coat of mail.

in.

head. MM. 1530 ; FE. headake, headache. Hey.

j*.

427

T. 658, KJ. 2084 ;

sb.

promise.

Ch

1 .

305.

T. 316. Heldand,/r./. descending, alightY. 6 ; heledande. Y. 95. ing. Hele, sb. health. CP. (96) ; Ev.

Hek,

sb.

inner door.

648.

Holowes,

sb.

pi. hallows, saints.

Hey. 154. Hely, adj. holy.

Hem,

pron. them.

KJ. 1308.

MM.

67o;CP.(375); Hh.

6.

57, 91,

GLOSSARIAL INDEX. Hend,

Ch

meek, gentle.

adj.

1 .

376.

Henne, adv. hence. Hh. 146. Hens, adv. hence. Ev. 130, 862

MM.

Hey. 94; Th. 400;

;

109,

How, sb. a yearling sheep. T. 301 Howe, interj. ho! Sk. 1979.

1535-

CP. (253).

Kent, pp. seized. Her, adv. here.

MM.

1396, 1597; 140, 143.

66,

643,

Hower,

CP. (31);

Hh.

1349-

Her, sb. hair. MM. 669. Here, poss. pron. their. Co. 28, 36 CP. (266). Here, v. hear. Ev. 19, 336, 634, 667, 867 ; Hey. 62, 65, 210, 3H, 555 T. 298. Herers, sb. hearers. Ev. 903. Heres, sb. pi. hairs. Hey. 539. Herre, sb. hair. MM. 640, i. FE. 467. Herynge, sb. hearing. Her we, sb. harrow. Hh. 145. Hese, pass. pron. his. Co. 45. Het,/r. I s. promise. Ch". 451. Hete, //. 2 s. orderedst. Hh. ;

;

Hether, adv. hither. Hey. 63. Hetyng, sb. promise. T. 728. Hevede, //. s. had. Hh. 7. Heviar, comp. adj. heavier. MM. 272.

Hevynes,

Heyle, imp.

Heynd,

s.

MM.

MM.

hail.

381.

T. 649.

Th. 155.

hedges.

Hh.

adj. high.

31.

Hof, Hoi,

1

s.

infer/',

.

ho

MM.

!

491.

Th. 145

adj. whole.

MM.

;

677.

Hole,

adj. whole.

Ev. 632

Hey. 306 Th. 192. Holsome, adj. wholesome. 377

;

Ev. 777.

;

FE.

;

2087. Holy, adv. wholly. Ev. 525. Honde, sb. hand.

season.

hour,

MM.

house.

KJ.

618, 620,

622.

T. 24.

adv. under.

Hunder, Hur, pron. her. Hy, v. hasten.

MM. MM.

378, 380.

1391

Ev.

;

1 80.

Hydande, pr. p. adv.

Hyder,

Y. 6. Ev. 665,

hiding.

hither.

669, 819; Hey. 4, 67, 255. v. hasten. Ev. 159, 813;

Hye,

Ch

imper. pi.

Hye,

1 .

49.

MM.

adj. high.

(239) 543-

on

;

Hyed,//.

s.

hastened.

Hey. CP. (239).

v. hasten.

Hyest, sup.

Hyght,

pr.

617; CP.

aloud.

Aye,

FE. 67.

adj. highest. Ev. 799. i s. am called. Sk.

1908; Ev. 660; //. act. Y. 112. T. 319. v. hang. Hyrre, pron. her. MM. 377. Hys,/ftw. pron. his. KJ. 2133.

Hyng,

prep. in. MM. 508. Ich, pron. I. Hh. 65. 1 Iche, adj. each. Ch

I,

.

92,

91,

279.

hasten. Ch 115. 1 Hied, pt. pi. hastened. Ch . 223. Hight, sb. height. T. 295, 310. Hihte, //. i s. ordered. Hh. 227.

Hie, imp.

sb.

sb.

.

107.

T. 294.

heads.

adj. gentle.

sb.

MM.

heaviness.

sb.

Ev. 505.

;

Hey, adj. high. Heydes, sb. pi.

Keys, Hege,

Hows,

Hyen,

224.

488

sb. pi. hands. Hh. 54. Hoost, sb. host. Ev. 884. Horse, adj. hoarse. Sk. 1930. Hote, sb. heat. Y. 97. Hou, how. Hh. 70.

Hondon,

KJ.

CP. (192);

Ichone, each one.

Ch

lie, sb. isle.

Ch

.

108.

Hh.

Icoren, pp. chosen. lien, adj. each.

1

1 .

240. 155.

Y. 26.

like, adj. each. Y. 125, 158. Incontynent, adv. incontinently, Ev. 667. at once. Indeure, v. endure. MM. 292

;

induer, MM. 308. Indifferent, adj. equal, 486.

Indyte,

fair.

v. indite, write.

FE.

Ingendryd,//. engendered.

CP. (228);

332-

In oh, adv. enough.

Hh.

51.

Th. 39.

FE.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX. Inquere,

v. enquire,

search

Th. 467. Interdytt, pp. interdicted.

L.

KT.

1358.

Intoxycate, //. poisoned.

KJ.

2144.

Invy,

sb.

MM.

envy.

Lache, v. catch. CP. (347). Lackes, sb. pi. lakes. Ch 1 190. Laghe, v. laugh. T. 621. .

Langyd,

362.

FE.

Invyron,/r*r/. round about. 2.

Inwyttissymus, adj. invictissimus, most unconqtiered. MM. 285.

Iwis, adv. certainly. Hh. CP. (350) iwys, Y. 81 489; KJ. 1393; iwysse, ;

237

out.

57

;

MM.

;

Ch s

.

pt. s. longed, desired. T. 4 2. Lante, //. lent, given. CP. (61). Lappyd, pp. lapped, enveloped.

T-4Lastand, pr. p.

Y. 24,

lasting.

46.

Lat, imp. Late, v. let.

do. Y. 46, 120. Co. 101 ; CP. (96),

s. let,

(222).

438.

Lawe, J.

Jentylness,

sb. gentleness.

MM.

105, 114.

Joparde,

v.

risk.

jeopard,

Th.

435-

Joynte,

sb. joint,

Th. 435.

limb.

Y. 122.

adj. low.

Lay, v. wager. T. 304. Layser, sb. leisure. Ev. 101. Laytheste, sup. adj. most loathsome. Lazars,

Leane,

Y. 100. Sk. 1930. Ch 2 283, 310.

sb. lepers. v. conceal.

.

Ch

adj. less. lead.

Lease, comp.

1

287.

.

MM. 272 a sounding-lead. MM. 1440 lede,

Led,

sb.

;

;

a leaden

K. Kayser, CP. (188).

sb.

Keude, Kenne,

Leden, Emperor.

Cccsar,

kind, nature.

v.

show.

CP.

(l).

CP. (383). 2

.

1

.

T. 670.

Knet, pp. knitted, compounded CP. (246). Knett, v. knit. MM. 58.

of.

Knocked, pp. knocked bread, bread made of flour only roughly Th. 245.

sb. CP. (69); knight. Knythtes.pl. MM. 673 Knyttes. ;

112.

Kynd,

CP.

nature.

3I3-

.

191.

1 .

Lekyng,

MM.

liking,

adj.

pleasing.

617.

Lele, adj. leal, loyal. T. 532. Lely, adv. leally, truly. Y. 77. Lende, v. abide, linger. Y. 53

CP. 7. Lende, pp. lent. Ev. 164. Lende, sb. loin. CP. (5). Lengar, comp. adj. longer. 276;

Co.

lenger.

100,

;

MM. 131,

Lenges, imp.

pi.

remain.

Ch 2

.

226, adj. longest.

MM.

39-

(323).

MM.

94

;

Y. 99; CP. (245); T. 602,690; kinship. Ev. 315. Kynnesmen, sb. pi. kinsmen. Ev. kynde.

1

Lef, imp. s. leave. Hh. 106. Lefe, v. believe. T. 31. Ch 1 99. Leffe, adj. glad. Leiste, sb. pleasure, desire. Ch

Longest, sup.

killed.

sb.

71, 195.

Ch

849.

Knyth,

MM.

Hey.

speech.

207.

Kente,//. taught. Ch 222. Kepe, sb. hesd, care. Hey. 106. Kinde, sb. nature. Ch 92. Knakt, pt. s. performed cleverly.

Kylt,//.

seal.

.

sb.

ground.

sb.

longer.

Hh.

Lent, //. granted, given.

CP.

Lengore, comp. adj. 140.

Lere,

v. learn.

T. 299.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

23 8

Lere, sb. countenance, features. CP. (190). Lea, sb. deceit. MM. 83. Lese, v. lose. FE. 387. Lesen, v. loose, release. Hb. 36, 213-

.

;

Co. 8

v. let, allow.

(3 6 3); imp.

s.

;

CP. lett

KJ. 2114;

T. 606. bren, cause to burn. Lette, v. refrain, abstain from doing. CP. (121) imp. pi. ye ne lette. Ch 1 283. Lettyth, pr. s. hinders lettyth of audience, hinders from being ;

.

;

heard.

Hey. 361. believe. CP. (88)

Leve, v. Hh. 232. Leve, v. live. CP. (401) MM. 65 levyn. Co.

;

n

;

(394);

(131),

;

leven, leven.

CP.

;

lives.

levyth,

CP. (394). Leve, adj. dear. Hh. 16, 166 ; Sk. 2066. lever, more willingly. Leve, imper. s. leave. MM. 595. Leve, sb. leave, permission, FE. 428; Hh. 173. Levedest, pt. 2 *. believedst. Hh. 60.

Levyn,

sb.

lightning.

adj.

common,

T. 66 1. T.

simple.

718.

Lewtye,

Ch

sb. loyalty, faith.

276. Ley, imper.

s.

Lidderyns,

127;

.

Co. 58 ; Th. 459. Lome, //. lost. T. 650 Y. 108. Lose, imp. s. loose. Hey. 538. Losell, sb. rascal. Sk. 1905 ; losyll t Sk. 192.

lay.

sb. pi.

MM.

.

492.

Sk.

.

looks. Sk. 1 899. Lond, sb. land. 1430 KJ. 1327 londe. CP. (70) ; londes, ;

KJ. 1312.

MM.

;

103, 149,

165.

Ch1

205. 46.

.

Lowte, v. bow before. Y. 24, Loyn, //. lain. Co. 3. (MS.) Luf, sb. praise. Y. 46, 57. Lufly, adj. lovely. Y. 43.

sb. clown. Sk. 1914; Y. 108 lurdans, Y. 120. Lust, sb. pleasure. CP. (125),

Lurden,

;

(217)

;

Sk. 1912.

Lybertye, sb. Hey. 596. Lyohe, adj.

liberty, jurisdiction.

CP.

like.

(70),

(114).

Lydderyns,

Sk.

rascals.

sb. pi.

1945-

Lye,

'

used transitively for

v.

lay'.

Hey. 541. Lyf, adj. glad. FE. 424. Lyfelod, sb. livelihood. MM.

87,

.99-

Iyg, pr. * pi. lie. T. 291, 346. Lyges, pr. s. lies. T. 655. Lyght, //. delivered. T. 348. Lykes me, v. impers. I like. Y. 159-

CP. (125),

sb. delight.

Lyth, sb. light. CP. (337). Lyther, adj. bad, inactive.

Sk.

2066.

Lythly, adv.

Lyvys,

Lyyn,

sb.

lightly.

gen.

v. lie.

Lofty, adj. lovely. CP. (141). Loke, v. look. Ev. 503 ; imp. s., s.

;

(217).

Lighte,//. s. alighted. Hh. 31. 1 Linge, v. linger. Ch 5, 297. Litterature, sb. knowledge of letters, learning. Hey. 192.

Hey. 42. Lokys, pr.

Hh.

sb. lord.

Lov'en, pr.pl. love.

Lykyng,

rascals.

Ev. 268

Lothe, adj. loathsome. Hh. 154, 175.

1

1945-'

pi.

1

Hey. 49. Lore,//, lost.

Louerd,

(337).

Lewd,

pr. s. belongs. 1185, 1207. Lore, sb. teaching. Ch

;

Leser, sb. leisure. FE. 390. Lest, sup. adj. least. FE. 383. Leste, v. last. Co. 65. Let, v. hinder, delay. Hey. 273 ; Cha 407 //. hindered. CP. Lete,

MM.

Longyth,

life's.

MM.

MM.

1146.

CP.

(141).

597.

M. Mad,

//. made.

MM.

Made,

Co. 14

;

//.

s.

1386. adj.

mad.

Ev. 168.

Maintenance, sb. support. T.

35.

GI.OSSARIAL INDEX. Maista, fr.

a

Ch 1

makest.

j.

.

no.

265 2

Ch

s.

l

Maiste,//. mayst. 267. Maistre, sb. master. KJ. 2166. sb. creator. MM. maker, Makar, .

632.

Make,

sb.

Ch'.

mate, partner.

Males,

sb.

Co. 45.

malice.

Malmsine,

Ch 233. Mament,

sb.

1

.

MM.

Mahomet.

sb.

Manunockes,

sb.

pi.

leavings,

Sk. 2035. Maner, sb. manner. Ev. 185 ; no maner wyghte, no kind of man. fragments.

Hey. 159;

Mankin, Mannis,

cp. 167.

mankind. Hh. 112. MM. gen. mans.

sb.

sb.

364; mannys.

company.

Ch

1

KJ. 1328.

Manrede, sb. homage, vassalage. Hh. 90. Manteyn, pr. pL maintain. T. 632.

Meche, adj. great. Co. 28, 68. Mode, sb. meed, reward. T. 679 CP. (329) to medys, by way of reward. CP. (197). Medylle, sb. middle. T. 610. ;

;

meet,

adj.

ruined.

Ch

fitting.

Meke,

1 .

make meek.

Co. 8. Y. 41. Mekly, adv. meekly. MM. 106. Mekyl, adj. much. CP. (249^. Mele, sb. meal. CP. (97). Mell, v. meddle. Hey. 589. v.

Mekill,

adj. great.

Memoryall,

MM.

sb.

memory, thought.

1134.

Mende, sb. mind. Co. 7. Mene, pr. I mean, think. jr.

647.

Hey.

T.

FE. 408.

Mener, adj. handsome. T. 702. Meneye, sb. company. T. 357. Mente, //.//. thought. Y. 139. Menytt, pr.

s.

meaneth.

MM.

miracle.

MM.

1544-

Marde,/^. marred,

113,

.

225.

.

94-

wine.

Malmsey

sb.

Ch s

;

Meete,

119.

Merakyll,

sb.

1551.

209.

Markide,//. designed,

noted.

Y.

49. 58.

2170. sb.

an oath.

by the Blessed FE. 487.

Virgin,

Mas, sb. the Mass. Hey. an. Mase, sb. mace. Th. 323. Masendewes, sb. pi. maisonsdieu, houses of charity. KJ. 2127. sb. messenger. KJ.

Massenger, 1304-

Mastry,

sb.

mastery,

masterful

behaviour. T. 30. sb. matter. Ev. 102, 248. Mawt, sb. Malta. MM. 476. May, sb. maid, virgin. T. 695.

Mater,

Mayne, j. main, strength. Y. 92. Mayntenance, sb. support. KJ. 1366.

Mays, pr.

Meroyabyl,

adj.

merciful.

Co.

107.

Marmoll, sb. ulcer. Sk. 1932. .92. Marrande,/^./. marring. Marters, sb. pi. martyrs. KJ.

Mary,

Meanye,

s.

Maystries, maystries, Th. 515.

makes.

T. 30.

masteries ; to try to try conclusions.

sb.

Merour, sb. Merrorys,

mirror. sb.

pi.

Y. 34. mirrors,

MM. 73. shining qualities. Mery, adj. merry. FE. 416. Merys, pr. s. grows merry.

i. e.

T.

7 2 5-

Mesels,

Messe,

KJ. 2116. the sacrament of the

sb. pi. lepers. sb.

FE. 448.

Mass.

Messuer, imper. s. measure.

Ch

1 .

28.

Mesure, sb. reward. MM. 296. Met, adj. meet. CP. (250), (333% Mete, sb. meat. T. 321. Mete, adj. meet, fitting. Th. 38. move. MM, 1 1 34 Co. 43. Meynye, sb. company. CP. (77). Michel, adj. much, great. Hh. 7,47,67, 119. Mightefull, adj. powerful. Y.

Move,

v.

;

mevyd, pp.

58.

Mightes,

Mo,

sb. pi.

comp.

adj.

powers. Y. 33. more. T. 686;

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

240 FE. 22 Hey. 616 470 Sk. 1978. Moche, adv. much. ;

Hh. 39. Hh. 77. N&s,for ne was. Hh. 9. Nat, adv. not. MM. 57, etc.

Th. 66, 467,

;

Nam, pt. Nan,

;

KJ. 1326.

Mockes,

sb. pi. jests. Hey. 603. T. 5, 14. sb. mood. Hh. 193. sb. mother.

Ne,

Ch

man.

sb.

Ch

275. mone,

.

1

5.

.

2 Ch pi. may. 1 Mone,/r.//. may. Ch 1 2

Mon, pr.

1 .

.

284. 129, cp.

Ch 66 Ch 463. Mone, sb. moon. T. 673 .

FE.

;

374; Hey. 555.

Mone,

moan.

v.

T. 47

KJ. 2125

Ev. 461. month. Moneth,

so.

;

Hh.

207.

Mot, pr.

MM.

must.

2 //.

735. 477. 107,

;

note.

MM.

adj.

sb.

gion, the world. Myddes, sb. midst.

the middle re-

Ch2

Mykyll, adj. great. Myle, sb. mile. FE. I s.

pr.

;

631.

earde,

.

FE.

267. 361.

MM.

62.

JS olden, for ne wolden, would not.

Hh.

232.

v.

sb.

1 .

272.

MM.

1141.

Mynyshe,

v.

diminish,

lessen.

Ev. 878.

Note, so. use. Ch 246. Note, sb. labour, work. T. 314. Nother, conj. neither. Ev. 483 FE. 485, 506 Hey. 32 Th. 72, ;

sb.

Y. 146.

hurt.

MM.

1140,

1347v.

annoy,

distress.

noon.

T. 290

Hh.

66.

adj. naked.

Y. 71,

85. sb.

T,6f Noys,

sb.

nose.

Noyttment,

sb.

;

noyne,

T. 623.

KJ.

ointment.

1

3 74.

MM.

640, 641.

.

no.

.

Nyoe, adj. foolish. Th. 215. Nye, adv. nigh. Ev. 839. 1 Nye, sb. harm. Ch 11. Nyp, sb. approach thievishly. T.

N. Na, adv. Nacked,

1377.

1

Noy ther, conj. neither.

632, 1210.

Myth, sb. might. MM. i54i;. CP. (151).

not.

J

Nowth, pron. naught. MM. 59 Nowther, conj. neither. KJ.

Noyn,

Co. 76. pi. mights, powers.

Myschevyd, //. Mytes,

Noutt, adv.

Noy,

Myrkness, sb. darkness. Mys, v. fail. Y. 83.

the

Th. 217. Not, pron. naught. KJ. 2146. Not, for ne wot, know not. CP.

;

Ch

minstrelsy.

53.

.

T. 685, cp.

mind, think.

Hh.

occasion.

85, etc.

Mynstrelly,

MM.

seized.

1

1140.

756.

Myne,

Hh.

will, will not.

(7) (109).

394.

mind.

72,

.

Won, adj. none. CP. (138). None, sb. noon. Th. 210. Nones, 'for the nones,' for

v.

Myddel

Ch1

conj. neither, nor.

Nomen, pt.pl.

may. Co. 64. Moyn, sb. moon. T. 289. Mustyr, v. show. Y. 145. Myche, adv. much. FE. 505

Myn,

v. name, proclaim, speak. Y. 25, 85 nevyn. T. 659, 750. Nexile, sb. an aisle. Y. 25. See

Nil, for ne

276.

Mow,

;

handes, T. 10.

306.

MM. 487.

Mony, money. Mop, j. young creature. T. Moo, comp. adj. more. MM. sb.

T. 282.

Ner, conj. nor. CP. (121). Ner, adv. nearly. MM. 293, 482. Nere,y0rne were. Hh. 14. Nerehande, nearly. T. 2 nere-

Ney,

;

sb.

.

adv. nimbly.

Neven,

.

;

Ch

Neemly,

(154)dative.

1431.

T. 514. conj. neither. 1 18, etc. conj. nor.

Nawther,

.

Mon,

MM.

Natt, adv. not.

Mode, Moder, l Mos, comp. adj. more. Ch 122. Molde, sb. mould, earth. CP. l

took.

s.

adj. none.

Ch*. 2 79.

300.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX. Nyse,

adj. foolish.

Nyth,

sb.

night.

Owles,

Hey. 577. CP. (184).

O, prep.

Y.

of.

sb.

5, 90.

sb.

Occident,

off.

FE. 446

;

FE.

west.

MM.

Th. 885

372.

1444; KJ. 2095.

379, ;

v. offer, sacrifice.

MM.

1219.

Oferyng,^. sacrifice. MM. 1204. OS, prep. of. Ch 125. Oke, sb. oak. Th. 109, 226. O-mys, adv. amiss. Y. 139. On, adj. one. CP. (265), (275); Hh. 44, 91. On-bynd, v. unbind. MM. 96. Onder, prep, under. MM. 266. 1 One, prep. on. Ch n, 117. 1

.

.

Ones, adv. once. Ev. 150, 837 Hey. 283, 289, 553, 600; Th. 67, 143, 518; KJ. 2160. Onest, adj. honest. Co. 114. On-lyve, adj. alive. CP. (36). Onstabyll, adj. unstable. MM.

;

588.

MM.

Onto, prep. unto.

Ony, adj.&nj.

617. Ev. 71, 100, 157,

218.

MM.

sb.

pi.

ointments.

668. adv. once.

;

.

;

352, etc.

Otner whyle, adv.

occasionally.

CP. (158). Hey. 131.

On, pron. you. Hh. 2, 28. Oughte-wher, adv. anywhere.

Ch

1 .

pacience. Hey. 69. Palet, sb. palate. Th. 34. Parais, sb. Paradise. Hh. 6, 167. Parceyve, v. perceive, understand.

Th. 5 8; FE.337Parde, for pardieu. per dee, KJ. 2081.

us.

270; Ev.

501.

Parsayve,

v. perceive.

Partriche,

sb.

FE. 397. KJ.

partridge.

2168.

Parvert, adj. perverted, reprobate. Hey. 45. Passande. pr. p. surpassing. Y. 56.

Fasseth, pr.

s.

surpasses.

KJ.

Passynge, adv. surpassingly.

Ev.

2088. 647.

Pastaunce, sb. pastime. EF. 524. Pay, sb. pleasure. MM. 1428. T. 28 Paynt, //. painted. ;

Sk. 1886.

Payre, v. fade, deteriorate. Y. 54. Peas, sb. peace. Ev. 768, 803 Hey. 42, 554. FE.44I. Sk. 1967. Pen, Pende. v. suspend. CP. (251). Pens, sb. pence. Hey. 22, 93, 132. Peple, sb. people. KJ. 1369. Pepyll, sb. people. MM. 1388. Per, prep, by per dee, par Dieu. KJ. 2081. sb. pin.

;

Perdon, Peres,

v.

pardon.

sb. pi. peers.

Perfy th, adj. perfect. sb. Perfythnesse,

MM.

Hh.

MM.

Ev. 7 a.

61

1.

perfection.

adj. perennial.

MM.

637-

Perpetuall,

MM.

adv.

perpetually.

636.

Th. 71.

Perse, Persecute, fr. pi. pursue.

36.

Overall, adv. everywhere.

KJ. 2157. Y. 56.

603.

v. pierce.

296.

Ous, pron.

Ev.

Parfytely, adv. perfectly.

Perhenuall,

sb. pi. oats.

Otys,

pain.

;

MM. 52 CP. (126); Th. 29. own. T. Oone, adj. 46. Oones, adv. once. T. 45. v. obtain. FE. Opteyn, 41. 1 Or, prep, ere, before. Ch 103, 118; Hey. 87, 94. 295 ^.449. Oration, sb. prayer. Th. 364. Ore, sb. grace, favour. CP. (26). Oryent, sb. the East. FE. 370. Other, conj. either. Th. 73, 286, Onys,

174.

sb.

payntyd, feigned.

Onymentes,

.

P.

MM.

obedience.

Pacyens,

Of, adv.

Ch

owls.

Y. 104.

3 6 4-

Ofer,

sb. pi.

Owt, prep. out. MM. 96. Owte, an exclamation of

O.

Obeysauns,

241 1

482.

Th.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

242 Pea,

sb.

Peyn.es,

sb. pi. pains. sb.

MM.

96.

painfulness.

608.

Hh.

Pine, sb. pain. Placys, sb. pi. KJ. 1312. Pleien, pr. I //. Plesauns, sb.

12, 63. benefices.

places,

play. pleasure.

70.

MM.

sb.

1540. sb. plough.

T. 38. Ply, v. turn. Y. 12. Plye, imp. s. apply oneself KJ. 2164. Po, sb. peacock. T. 37. Poll, v. cut short the hair,

to.

Pretend, Preve, v. prove, sb.

.32.

Th.

fleece.

KJ. 1366. Ev. 142.

try.

KJ.

priest.

1337

KJ. 1279. Promtyt, //. prompted. pristes.

Th. 380.

sb. pi. proofs.

Provyd, v. provide. KJ. 1394. Prykkyd, //. adorned, set out. 358.

Prynse, sb. prince. MM. 358. Pryse, sb. prize. MM. 472. sb.

MM. 1544; 1178; KJ. 1351. sb. punishment.

priest.

MM.

Funchement, Co. 93.

Sk.

pampered.

pp.

;

MM.

602.

Proves,

prystes.

2038.

Purveanoe,

T

'

sb.

purveyance.'

33-

Pope-holy, FE. 433.

adj.

Pore,a<#'. poor.

of the poor.

hypocritical.

MM.

596 porys, Co. 51.

Porsue, Portatur,

MM.

610.

messenger,

306.

MM. MM.

Post, imp. s. put. Posts, sb. might.

Pottill, sb. pottle, 233Potyt, pr. s. strives ?

Pouste, Povert,

;

MM.

v. pursue.

sb.

power.

Pyche, Pyghte,//.

angel.

1558. 1559.

Ch

MM.

606.

torturing.

suffer torture.

Y. Y.

72.

32. pi. tor-

sb.

CP. (313).

Ch

sb. pin.

Pynsynesse,

MM.

1

61.

.

sb.

pensiveness.

606.

Pyrked, //.

MM.

7.

74.

(174).

Pyne,. pine,

turing pricks. .

.

Pylt, pp. pushed, knocked.

Pynne, 1

1

Th. 238. CP.

pitched.

Pyninge poyntes,

flask.

Hh.

Ch

v. pitch, tar.

Pynande,/r./.

poverty. CP. (78). point inpoynt, about, ready to. CP. (321). Prease, sb. readiness. Th. 234. sb. Predycacyon, preaching. Hey. 563.

proud,

conceited.

358.

sb.

sb.

Q,.

;

profits.

CP.

adj. pregnant.

FE.

Prefytyth, pr.

s.

(360).

'.

Qued,

Sk. 2070.

quick.

adj. evil.

Hh.

36. Quod,/.tf./. quoth, said.

Co. 25

;

FE. 529. Quycke, adj. quick, living. Ev. 255 Hey. 197. Quyte, v. pay, requite. Sk. 1902. ;

Prengnaunt, 29.

MM.

sb.

prayer. 156: ; preors. 1137. Preparate, //. prepared. Ev.

MM.

631.

sb. prisons.

Prest, adj. forward, ready.

Pryst,

9.

Pomped,

Preor,

Presone,

MM.

Ploghe,

Poynt,

prefect,

Prese, sb. misprint for presence. Hey. 71. Presens, sb. presence. MM. 1 1 3 7.

Prist,

MM.

Hey.

officer,

v. offer.

Co. 1 16. pleasure. Plesowans, sb. pleasure. 90. Plete, v. plead. Sk. 2061. adv. Ple3eauntly, pleasantly.

MM.

sb.

191, 878.

Hh.

100, 361.

Pleson,

Preposytour, Sk. 1967.

(66), (75).

Peynfulnesse,

MM.

MM.

Co. 115;

peace.

93,625; CP.

Q/wantte, adj. quaint.

T.

604,

658. int.

Qwatt, 1539.

J

Qweme,

pron. what?

MM.

544v. please.

Co. 122.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Bamyd,

T. 16.

Bod, sb. rood. Hh. 38. Bodde, sb. rood. Ev. 777. Bode, sb. rood, the holy cross. Ev. 8i2;CP. (so);Sk. 1896.

CP.

(398).

Bombe,

ramping.

Th.

//. overreached.

Bathely, adv. quickly.

Baumpinge,

pp.

room. Ch2 485. room. FE. 415 ; Hey.

sb.

sb.

Borne,

.

20.

85-

Bayle, sb. a rail, a small bird. KJ. 2168. Baynes, sb. the town of Rennes. Sk. 2042.

Beade, sb. counsel. Ch Beade, pr. i s. counsel, 1

.

Becche, Becure,

v. reck, care.

Botten,

CP.

Beke,/r.

T.

reckon.

sb. pi. relics.

rends.

Bendyt, pr. s. Benne, v. run. 17, 154, etc.

Besonnes, ments.

pi.

sb.

Th.

;

;

T. 30. reasons, argu-

1527.

MM.

regard.

70.

Y. 90.

receive.

sb.

sb.

payment.

swaggering

Bughly, adv. roughly. Sk. Buth, sb. pity. MM. 274.

1910.

MM. 95, 361. MM. 65. MM. 271. ribs.

Byall, adj. royal. Byalte, sb. royalty.

Bybbys, sb.pl. Byche, adj. rich. CP. (74). Byche, sb. kingdom, CP. (81). Bydy, adj. ready. MM. 1388. Bype, imp. pi. rip, ransack. T. 526.

T. 041.

Byst,

v. rest.

Byth,

adj. right.

CP.

(23), (48),

Byve,

CP. (223).

v. dress, robe.

8.

651.

Bestore, v. refresh. Y. 143. Bestryne, sb. restrain. MM. 290. Bether, adv. rather. KJ. 1344.

Betynawns,

sb.

Beve, v. Bewle, v.

MM.

rule.

MM.

fetinue.

#" Hh. deprive.

362.

122.

91

;

KJ.

Bewthe, Beylle,

Sadly, adv. soberly,

MM.6i4;Sk.

steadfastly.

1966.

Ch 86; MM. Saffe, adj. safe. 1434Saggyd,//. oppressed, encumbered. CP. (298). T. 611. i j. saw. 1

.

Sagh,//.

1327sb. pity.

v. ramble.

Bightwysnea, Y. 124. Bihte, adj.

sb.

CP. (203).

sb.

Sagb.,/f.

Sake,

righteousness.

Sall,/*rf. shall.

sb.

Ballet, right, direct.

kingdom,

T. 617. i s. say. Hh. 53. cause.

T. 285.

Hh.

2OI.

Bike,

bully

i.

etc.

MM. MM.

sb. restorative.

return,

;

271.

142. Hey. 52 reproof.

MM.

Bestoratyff,

Hey. 560.

MM.

Ev. 72, 846

sb.

Bespeccyon, Bessayve, v.

488, 612.

;Hh.

Beprefe, sb. T. 587. Beprefe, v. reprove.

179.

.

;

company. MM. 374. Th. 300. Buffled,//. swaggered. Th. 180.

Bowte,

Th.

19.

KJ. 1315.

MM.

Belyff, v. relieve.

Belykes,

sb.

Buffler, s.

Ch

sb. rat.

1

Baffle, v. shake.

190. i

468.

.

66.

Befe,/r./7. deprive.

486

120.

pi. redshanks.

sb.

.

row, line on rowe, in Y. 124. order, duly. 1 Bowfed, //. roofed. Ch 34. v. Sown, whisper. MM. 495.

311.

advise.

1

Th.

the holy cross.

.

T. 347.

counsel,

Bedshonckes, .

MM.

advise.

s.

(ni);Hh.

(96),

Hh.

Ch

190.

Bowe,

v. recover.

Bed, imp. Bede, v.

Bon, v. run. MM. 374. Boninge, pr. pt. running. Boode, sb. J i74;Ch

101. advise.

Ch". 269.

Ch1

343

Hh.

176.

39,

etc

;

sb.

Y.

10, 15, 16, etc.

Th. 35, 43, KJ. 1347. a salad. Th. 37, 39. helmet.

sallett,

Ballet, sb. Sam, adv. together.

T. 631.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

244

MM.

Santiflcatt, //. sanctified. 1555Save, adj. safe. Th. 363. Saveryth, pr. s. savours.

FE.

Ev. 371. Say,//, Saynt, adj. holy. Ev. 148, 290, 921. Saynt, v. give health to. KJ. 2098. said.

Schemerande,/r./. shimmering, Y. 69.

CP. (395)

v. destroy.

used intransitively(?) CP.

;

(9).

destroyed.

CP.

Schewyng, sb. appearance.

.69.

Schent, (34)-

pp.

Schreve, //. shriven. CP. (406). Schryfte, sb. absolution after confession. CP. (319). Schul, v. shall. CP. (72).

Schynande,/r./.

shining. .69. Hey. 542. sub. science, knowledge.

Sorat, v. scratch.

Soyens, FE. 393. Se,

see.

v.

Ev.

1 6,

42

Co. 19 ;

;

MM.

Hey. 611

;

507 Th. 59,

;

99-

Sei, v. say.

Hh. a

Sekyr,

adv.

Sertes,

certes,

CP. (307);

312.

T. 289. certainly.

CP. (208),

sertys,

(332).

Sestt,/r. 2 s. seest. MM. 1542. Set, v. value at set not a straive, Ev. 222 cp. Th. 172 ; set not a ;

;

fiye, Th. 117; sett the shaky ng of a rod, KJ. 1383 set by, Sk. ;

1915, 1945. Sete, sb. seat. CP. (95). MM. 1217; Sett, pr. i s. sit. sette, MM. 361. Seven, set on seven, put things in order. T. 749. Sewte, sb. suit. KJ. 1370. Sey, v. say. MM. 1 1 79 ; pr. I s. MM. 675 ; stye, pr. i.pl. MM. 489. Seyd, //. i s. said. MM. 1531. Seyle,/r.//. sail. MM. 1427. Seyn, gerund, say. MM. 644. Seys,/r. 2 pi. seest. T. 316. Seyst, ft. 2 j. sawest. Th. 501.

Th. 405.

sb. shield.

Shepe,

sb.

MM.

1423,

shipping.

MM.

ship.

1429. v. seek. adj. safe.

sb.

Sole,

MM.

1539-

Hh.

saidest.

216.

Sekyn,

MM.

holy.

saint,

Sentur, sb. centre. Serkylle, sb. circle.

Shelde,

40.

J.

Co. 123.

opinion.

Seyth, sb. atonement. Co. 103. MM. Seyyst, pr. 2 s. saist.

Se, sb. sea. Co. 29. See, sb. sea. MM. 1391. Sees, v. cease. Co. 93.

Seidest, ft.

sb.

adj.

1205.

440.

Sohende,

Sentens, Sentt,

CP. (377). CP. (399).

Sheppyng, CP.

time, opportunity.

sb.

1392, 1431.

Sheynd,

v. reprove,

shame.

T.

651.

(24)-

T. 10 ; CP. (20). Semely, adj. seemly, comely. Y. 52 semly. CP. (182). Sen, v. see. CP. (73). Sen, adv. since. Y. 9. Sendel, sb. thin silk. CP. (95). Sene, gerund, see. MM. 51 pp. seen. CP. (53). Sens, adv. since. KJ. 2128. Sentence, sb. proposition. FE. 36; judgment. KJ. 1320; the ' Sely, adj. good, innocent.

;

;

greater sentence, probably the of Judgment,' but possibly Day ' the greater excommunication.'

Ev. 137, 146. createdst. Hh.

Sholde,

v. should.

Shope,

//.

2

s.

156.

Shorte, v. shorten. Ev. 878. Shortely, adv. quickly, without delay.

Shote,

Ev. 778.

Shrew,

pr. Hey. 573.

i

s.

Shrewde, adj. FE. 438; Th. Shryve, sion.

Th. 105, 109. T. 310;

v, shoot.

v.

curse.

malicious,

ill.

146.

absolve after confes-

CP. (38)

Hey. 176. Shuld, should.

;

pp. shryven.

KJ. 1387.

GLOSSAR1AL INDEX

245

Shuyd,//. shewed. MM. 86. Sibnesse, sb. kinship. Hh. 204. Siththen, adv. since. Hh. 48. 1 Sitten, v. sit. Ch 164.

Sort,

Skante, adv. hardly. Th. 431. Skard, pp. scared. T. 300, 659.

250; KJ. 2169. Sortes, adv. certes,

Sorde,

Skawd, Skowte,

MM.

T. 607.

sb. scold.

wisdom.

sb.

sb.

? misprint for 'stryke.' 1395. Slake, v. slacken. Ch". 247 ;

Skryke,

.

1

sb.

Southly,

adv.

Ch

8.

.

Slo, v. slay. CP. (273). Slokyn, v. slacken. T. 687.

Sownd,

sb.

Ch

sb. plaster.

Slyche, Slydder,

adj.

1 .

35.

Ch

1

17, 73.

.

Hey.

slippery.

Sowth,

adj. such.

Y. 97.

Smoder, v. smother. Ev. 796. Smore, pr. 2 pi. smother. Y. 117.

Snek, sb. latch. T. 317. Soche, adj. such. KJ. 1366. Sokor, sb. succour. MM. 286 sokower, MM. 481. Solas, sb. solace, pleasure. 63; Ev. 277.

Somekyl,

kind

MM.

take soundings.

MM.

gen.

;

CP.

of.

v.

T.

pp.

MM.

sought.

307,

.

Speceows.a^.

MM.

Spede, Spede,

special, particular.

628. sb.

Hey. 205.

progress.

v.

forward.

help,

771 CP. (327). Speede, pp. sped,

Ev.

;

Cha

MM.

adv. somewhat.

some

s. soul's.

sb.

Soyne, adv. soone. T. 50. Spar, v. fasten. T. 338. 1 Spares, pr. 2 s. sparest. Ch 43.

despatched.

388.

.

Spelle,

(267).

Somkyns,

truly.

594-

296.

Slyke,

soothly,

1397-

CP. (244), (377). Th. lazy fellows.

v. slay.

MM.

286.

506.

Slowe,

subtlety.

44.

Sowlys,

Sloo, Slowch.es,

certainly.

Co. 18.

1

Sk. 1939. Sle, v. slay. Slefe, sb. sleeve. T. 28.

v. slay.

Th.

crew.

company,

Sotyllte, 378.

MM.

1

MM.

Both, sb. truth. MM. 100. Sothfast, adj. truthful. Hh. 18.

scheme.

375.

tmp.s.Ch

sb.

CP. (65). Sorwe, sb. sorrow.

Ch". 362.

enterprise,

Ch'. 291.

290.

.

Skille,

sword.

sb.

Soroyng, pp. sorrowing.

Spere,

CP. (372).

v. tell, relate.

Ev. 899.

sb.

sphere. Spill, v. destroy.

Ch2 287; .

Ch

1 .

43, 308;

Y. no.

Sprete, sb. spirit. Y. 18. Sprytes, sb.pl. spirits. MM. 483. Spyll, v. kill. Th. 434.

CP. (176),

Spylt,//>. destroyed.

719.

Somoned,

pp. summoned.

Ev.

493-

Sompe,

sb.

CP. (151).

swamp. Son, sb. sun. Hey. 90. adv. soon. MM. 1539. Son, Sond, sb. sand. MM. 1439. Sonde, sb. messenger. Hh. 150. Sonde, sb. message, errand. CP.

;

KJ.

2146.

Sonest, sup. adv. soonest. 903.

Th.

sb. pi.

hospitals.

Th. 246. Stale, adj. antiquated. Stale,//, s. stole. Th. 241.

Standes,/r.

2 s. standest.

Ch

1 .

193.

Starke, adj. stiff. KJ. 1 283. Starne, sb. star. T. 588, 665. Stat,

(397)-

Sone, sb. sum. FE. 374. Sone, adv. soon. CP. (74)

Spyttle-howses, KJ. 2127.

sb.

state,

Stavys, sb. pi. Hey. 573Steade, sb. place. Stele,

S 2

sb. steel.

condition. staves,

Ch CP.

CP.

cudgels.

1 .

207, 264.

(,ua).

GLOSSAR/AL INDEX.

246 Stere, v.

Sweme,

Steven,

Swerde, sb. sword. Swyche, adj. such. CP. (36).

Ev. 488. stir. T. 658. Sterris, sb.pl. stars.

Y.

sb. voice.

sb.

Stodyys,

75.

T. 710.

Steylle, sb. steel. Stiche, sb. stick.

Ch

1

75. studies.

pi.

.

MM.

Stokys. sb.pl. stocks. Hey. 603. Ston, sb. stone. CP. (71). Stond,/r. s. stands. KJ. 1358. Stondyth,/r. s. stands. FE. 345

;

stondyth not, is not consistent with. KJ. 1391.

Stordy,

adj. sturdy. Stott, sb. young bull.

Stounde,

sb.

KJ.

1

283.

T. 529. Ev. time, occasion.

Ch

sb. store.

Stower,

1

307*. time, occasion. MM.

Stownd, sb.

.

1 2 20.

MM.

adj. stout.

Stowth,

sb. strait

'

;

373.

in a strate,' at

a pinch. T. 322. Straytway, adv. straightway, immediately. Hey. 615. Strayte, adj. strict. Ev. 244. Strete and stalle, CP. (42);

and

CP. (199), (226); strete and stye, CP. (7); strete and style, CP. (12) strete

stronde,

;

alliterative phrases

with general

'

Streytnes, stances.

straitened circum-

sb.

MM.

97. Sty, sb. a narrow lane, contrasted with strete, a highway, in the

phrases stye ; (89), (189) '

and

strete,

and

strete

Substancyall,

FE. n, Sucke,

CP.

;

2054.

Ev. simple, foolish. 283. Syn, adv. since. CP. (40), (77),

Symple, adj.

("9)-

CP. (242);

sitteth.

s.

becoming. Co. 113. Syth, adv. since. MM. 634; Ev. 312; Hey. 19. Syth, sb. sight. MM. 69, 613, is

etc.

Syyng,

MM.

sb. sighing.

63.

T. 7. 765 ; take of Ev. 904. worth, regard highly. Tale, sb. count, reckoning. CP.

Take,

v. give.

(170Talents,

sb.

desires,

pi.

inclin-

Y. 144.

Tane,//. taken. 7. 337. Tappe, sb. ? Ev. 801. tapster, bar-

CP.

Tast,

sty,

Tastinge,

482. proof.

(71").

adj. full of matter.

1 8.

sb. taste. sb.

MM.

trial,

7h.

46 > 343Tawth, //. taught, given in CP. (92). charge, committed. Te, v. go, run. Hh. 8 tee. CP. ;

adj. such.

Ch3

259. 193. Sum, adj. some. 495. Supportacyon, sb. tolerance, forbearance. FE. 5 ; Hey. 69. Surely, adv. safely. Ev. 147. Suspowse, sb. suspicion. T. 525. Swane, sb. swain, fellow. T. 37. Swearde, sb. sword. 7)1.435,455.

Suete, adj. sweet.

Swedylle, pr. 7.605.

;

Taspysster, sb. fern, maid. MM. 495.

CP.(7). Stylle, adv. silently.

58, 87

7. 323.

v. labour.

sigh.

ations.

meaning everywhere.'

MM.

CP. (160). quickly. CP. (175), (222), (332) West, CP. (306) ; syinge, CP. (315)Syke, sb. stream. CP. (151). Sk. Sykenesse, sb. sureness. v.

Byt, pr.

633.

Strate,

Swynke,

Co. 127. Th. 288.

sorrow.

Swythe, adv. Bye,

488.

sb.

.

Hh.

MM.

pi. swaddle, wrap.

(398).

MM.

Techyd, pp. taught. Techyth, pr. t. shows, CP. (28). Teene, sb. sorrow. Ch

1382.

directs.

1

. 319. Ch 7, 134. Tell, adv. till. Telle, v. reckon. Co. i. Temtyd,//. tempted. MM. 603. Ten, v. go, run. Hh. 231. Tone, sb. sorrow. CP. (57). 1

.

Tene,/r.

2 //. trouble.

7.648.

GLOSSAR1AL INDEX. Tenys, sb. tennis. T. 747. Teres, sb. pi. tears. MM. 666. Ev. Terestryall, adj. terrestrial.

Thylke, adj. that. Hey. 44, 46. Thynkes,/r. 2 j. thinkest. MM.

SQL

Ch 1

Till, prep. to.

155-

Termys, sb. pi. phrases. FE. 43. Teyn, sb. sorrow. T. 724. Than, adv. then, Co. 81, 86 Ev. 166; Hey. 44, 289; KJ. 2096, ;

etc.

Thane,

247

To,

.

.

Ther,/^. Thole,

v.

tholed.

13.

T.

suffer.

317

Hh.

49, 58; //. Ilh. 208.

tholede.

Sk. 1995. sb.

MM.

thought.

CP. (48). Thoys, dem.

adj.

i

s.

adj.

'

633

article,

;

KJ.

MM. 278; 234; MM. 1530. Too, sb. toe. CP. (209 Torke, sb. Turkey. MM. 1435. sb.

tongue.

Ch

tonge.

1

.

.

Tother,

CP.

the, i.e. that other.

(39).

Towe, num. two. Ch To-whyls, adv. whilst. Traysh, sb. trash. KJ.

1

Treey, sb. tree. Ch Tremyll, v. tremble. Treubelacyon, sb.

Trew,

1534. adj. true.

.

.

121.

Y. 63.

1389. 89. 1554.

MM.

tribulation.

MM. 66,

603.

MM.

Trobylled, pp. troubled. 260.

Threde, sb. thread. Hey. Threpe, pr. 2 //. chide, dispute. Y. 114. Threttye, num. Thridde, num.

Co. thirty. adj. third.

n. Hh.

sb.

throne.

Ev. 637

;

CP.

Trost, sb. trust. MM. 634, 1214. Trotte, sb. old woman. Th. 501.

sb.

while,

time.

Trye,

CP. (3 1 2). true. adj. adj. pure, refined. CP. (8l),

(316).

CP.

Thryfe, v thrive. T. 37. Thryst, v. thrust. Ev. 825. Thryst, sb. thirst. MM. 493

thither.

Tyne,

FE.

17.

Ev. 675,

dropsy. KJ. 2117. T. 735. quickly ; as tyte, as

adj. tiny.

Tyte, adv.

KJ. 2078, 2100,

2105.

Thyder, adv.

trifles.

Tympanye, sb. ;

Co. 13.

Thu,/7W*. thou.

Tryfellys, sb.pl.

Twyne,/r. I s. separate. Y. 153. Tyde, sb. time, MM. 273, 1442.

(133), (147).

918.

Trone,

Trow,

45, 74.

thryste.

269. (43).

Thrist, sb. thirst. Hh. 50. Hh. 45. Thritti, num. thirty.

Throwe,

the

Hey. 579.

MM. third.

provided that.

conj.

1

MM.

those.

Ev. 666,

together.

;

Tong, //.

;

1388.

Thred, num.

to.

677 Hey. 285. Toke,//. took. Ev. 848. Token, sb. parable. T. 331.

tone.'

Thore, adv. there. Hh. 65. Thorowe, prep, through. Y. 84. Thou, conj. though. CP. (344". Thought, sb. sadness, anxiety.

Thowth,

Togyder, adv.

with the definite

Hh. 4. Hh. 84.

Tho, adv. then, when. Tho, dent. adj. those.

committed

pp.

CP. (197). Ton, adj. the one. CP. (38), (38). Tone, adj. the one, though used

MM. 61 1. MM. 79.

their.

CP.

;

Tocken, sb. token. Ch 31 1, 318. Toddes, sb.pl. toads. MM. 1199.

To medys,

(356), etc.

Ther, adv. where.

68 1

Y. 98.

Thar, v. need (used impersonally). .64.57.318; MM. 1437. Thare, pron. their. T. 360. 1 The, pron. they. Ch 8; CP.

Then, conj. than. Th. 514. Thenne, adv. thence. Hh.

47.

(34).

To-dyghte, Y. 113.

conj. than.

.

MM.

num. two.

quickly as may be. T. 638. Tytte, sb. teat. Th. 73. Tytyll, sb. title, name. MM. 60 j.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

248

Warke,

U.

Unbuxumnes,

sb.

disobedience.

Unchende. adj. unkind, unnatural? A^
(13).

TTnderfoe, v. undertake.

Ch. 1 67.

412.

TJnderfonge,

a

v.

Ch

undergo.

Unkende, adj. unnatural. Co.

.

67.

Co. TTnkynde, adj. unnatural. 59; Ev. 23; unkind. Ev. 310. TJnlykynge, adj. in poor condiSk. 1984. TTnneth, adv. scarcely. tion.

Unrightes,

Ch1

.

sb.

FE.

19.

unrighteousness.

142. in vain, un-

Unthryvandly, adv. tlnyte,

MM.

sb. unity.

sb.

Sk.

strayings.

sb. vein. sb.

Hey. 548. old man, dotard.

Sk. 1903.

health.'

;

s.

1

273; T. 723. wassail, 'good .

-waryd.

KJ. 2165.

MM.

waste.

sb.

487.

know. Hh. 217. Waus,//. was. CP. (314). Waxit, pr. s. waxeth, grows. CP.

Wat, pr.

i f.

(T44)-

KJ. 2166

Waye,/r.

2//. weigh. KJ. 1321. adj. vain.

wayeth.

MM.

Wayn, Wede, sb.

attire.

;

595.

CP. (183); Hh.

34-

Weder,

CP.

adv. whither.

(i 77),

weathers, storms.

i.

adv. whither. adj.

Ch

weak.

CP.

(49).

1 .

67.

Weelde, power. Y. 67. Weendande, pr. p. wending. sb.

Y.

96. 1 Weete, sb. wet, rain. Ch 95. Wei, sb. way. Hh. 39, 209. Weither, sb. weather. Ch 323, .

1

Vengeabyl,

Co.

adj. vengeful.

.

876.

105. v. venture.

Venter,

Vernage,

MM.

Wassayle,

Wast,

Ch

curse.

T. 19

wary.

Wedyr, Weeke,

pi.

Velyarde,

Warrye,

T.

1947.

Vayne,

etc.

T.

warlock, wizard.

v.

Weders, sb.pl.

620.

V. Vagys,

Warloo,

Y. 15, 17,

20.

(271).

Y. 114.

thrivingly.

FE.

sb.

651, 723-

Y. 123. orfor

work.

sb.

warkes.

sb.

Ev. 484. Verona.

wine of

adj.

variable.

MM.

59.

595Violatt, //.

violated,

MM.

foul.

sb.

polluted,

1557. voyage. Ev. 249, 674.

782.

Vyand,

sb.

food.

FE. 465.

W. Walter,

Weke, Welde,

480.

Veryabyll,

Vyage,

Weither,

v. welter, roll about.

Sk.

v.

sb.

Wane, sb. wain, waggon. T. 38. War, comp. adj. worse. Y. 113.

War, v. were. MM. 1535. Warande, pr. \ s. warrant.

Y.

96; KJ. 2105. Ware, imp. s. beware. MM. 492. wear. Ware, KJ. 1324. .

108.

power.

Y. 86.

sb.

wealth, well-being. CP. (79). (335)Wele, adv. well. KJ. 2137, 2145. Weledyng, sb. wielding, rule. Y. 39 ; weledande, pr. p. Y. 86. Well, pr. i s. boil, seethe. Y. 104, 131. Welth, sb. well-being, salvation.

Y.

3, 38, 85.

Women,

1936.

wether.

weak.

Hh.

28, 73;

Welde, Wele,

Ch". 441. Ev. 482. Y. wield, rule, enjoy.

sb.

adj.

sb.pl.

women.

Ch1

.

48,

67.

Wende, pp. thought. Ev. 163. Wendest, pr. 2 s. weenest, thinkest.

Hey. 179.

CP. (48); cp. v. think. Wene, Ch1 in; MM. 493; -wenest, .

Ev.

1 6 1.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX. Wente,//. gone. Y. 105. Wepyn, sb.pl. weapons. T. 626.

Wer, //. 2 j. Word, sb.

CP.

werdes,

Were,

CP.

648; Th.

Ev.

55. I2 9Werely, adv. verily.

Wery,

673. (72);

(68).

wear.

v.

MM.

wast. world.

MM.

675.

!

FE.

weary, grow tired.

v.

5i8.

Weryauns, sb. variance. MM. 92. Werye, v. war against. Th. 406.

Hh.

Wes, pt. s. was. Westment, sb.

4.

vestment.

MM.

"83. Wete, v. know. Y. 67 Ev. i", 143. Wete, sb. wheat. Hh. 131. ;

Weth, Wetyn,

v.

know.

Wexith, pr.

Weyle, v. wail. CP. (173). Weylle, adv. well. T. 287, Weyscelles,

709. T. 706. s. ween. Ch 1 . sb.pl. weasels.

when.

adv.

whane, CP.

What,

adv.

CP.

Ev.

641

;

T.

i,

298

;

Ev. 287. Ev. 297.

Wheder, adv. whether. Wheder, adv. whither. 306.

MM.

pt. pi. were. 1436.

imp. subj.

Where,

MM.

whereas.

conj.

369

;

Hey.

adv. whither.

Who, pron. Whorshep,

whoever. sb.

Ev. 802.

MM.

worship.

adv.

Whypyng,

how.

CP.

Hh.

46. sb. pi.

places, dwellings.

28.

Wondyr,

CP.

adv. wonderfully.

(50-

Woo, pron. Wood, adj. Worche,

v.

MM.

who. mad. work.

Ch1 Ch

.

609. 354.

1 .

50

;

KJ.

MM. 305, 381.

Word, sb. world.

adj. worthy.

Wo so, pron.

who

so.

Y.

MM.

17.

57.

knewest. Hh. 73. Wost,//. Wot, v. know. Ev. 821 ; wote. 2 s.

Ev. 195, 271 150; -woht.

;

s.

wote,/r.

MM.

Th.

1216.

Wounder, adv. wondrously. Ch Wrake,

sb.

Wrawe,

MM.

Wrocken,

MM.

harm.

Ch

adj. angry.

//.

1 .

380. . 209.

1

wreaked.

Ch1

.

(13),

T. 625. MM. pp. wrought. 305, 631, 1387sb. account. Ev. Wrytynge, 187. Wurkes, sb. pi. works. KJ.

Wrokyn,/^). avenged.

Wrowth, pr. p. wiping.

640.

37 6

en-

dwell.

320.

(74)

Whytly,

Ev.

;

61.

384-

Whow,

adv. wondrously. wondersly, FE. 329. Wondydd, pp. wrapped, veloped in. MM. 605. 7

57-

276.

Whyder,

CP.

Worthely,

(405).

Wher,

dwell. Y. 28. v. turn aside from.

1382.

(45).

how.

MM.

(201).

Y.

175-

"Whan,

Won, v. Wonde,

Wones, \

Co. 14;

woll, will.

488.

Y. '137; Hh. Wone, 1 60; wonen, Hh. 233; waned,

FE. 460.

Weyn, pr.

Wole,

v.

waxes, becomes.

s.

;

Wonders, 88,

FE. 522. CP. (101).

prep. with.

249

Wist, //. known. Hh. 49. Wite, v. know. Hh. 71. With so that, conj. provided that. CP. (167). Wo, pron. who. MM. 608. Wod, sb. wood. T. 661. Wode, adj. mad, furious. CP. (34) Y. 105. Wold, wolde, would. Hey. 558 KJ. 1387; Ev. 274.

adv.

quickly.

MM.

MM.

-

Whytt, sb. bit, atom. CP. (85). Wiht, sb. wight, man. Hh. 23. Wike, sb. town, place. Hh. 175. Winde, v. escape. Hh. 146.

Wyche,/>wi. which.

Wycke,

sb.

Wyhylles, 377-

CP. (107).

wickedness. CP. (39). sb. pi.

wiles.

MM.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX. Wylddyng,

MM.

Wylfull,

Wyn,

wielding, power.

Hey.

voluntary.

MM.

wine.

sb.

485. Sk. 2049. Wynde, v. turn, (go its own way). FE. 418. v. kick.

Wyndowe, Wyrk,

window. Ch

sb.

Wyrschip,

sb.

1 .

39.

T. 282.

work.

v.

.

.

adj.

Wynche,

Yeinder, adj. yonder. Ch 214. 2 Yender, adj. yonder. Ch 250 1

sb.

59.

worship.

Wyse, sb. manner. Wyshyng, pr. p.

Y. 81.

MM.

665. Y. guiding.

'57-

Wyssande,

Y.

pr. p. guiding.

1438. Yer, adv. ere, before.

MM.

adv.

Wytt, .

swiftly.

.

Ylle, adv.

knowledge, understandus; MM. 1213; wytte,

Hey. 85.

Wytystsaff, pr.

2 *. vouchestsafe.

MM.

Ev. 816.

Yode, pt. pi. went, ran. T. 517. Yone, adj. yonder. CP. (391), (404).

X. Xall,//. Xulde,//.

shall.

s.

sb.

ire,

MM.

your.

wrath.

86.

Hey. 59;

77.

Yrons,

sb.

pi.

irons.

Th. 170,

188.

KJ. 1313. adv. iwis, certainly. Th. 96,510; Hey. 553. Yys, sb.pl. eyes. MM. 640. Yys, adv. yes. CP. (155), (164). s. is.

MM. 64, MM.

etc.

should.

Y.

MM

f,pr. i. KJ. 1323; 292. Ya, adv. yea, yes. CP. (53). 2 sb. rod. Ch Yarde, stick, 290. 1 Yarde, pp. made ready. Ch 91. Yare, adj. ready, prepared. T. .

.

715.

Hh. 91. Jaf,//. gave. Hh. 135. 3ates, sb. pi. gates. jateward, sb. porter. Hh. 137. jeme, v. guard, take care of. Hh. $er,

sb.

24, 167. year.

sb. pi. idols.

Sk. 2043. KJ. 1352.

Hh.

45.

Denied, pp. yearned. Hh. 162. Hh. 173. Jif, imp. s. give. Jif, conj.

Y-beten,//. beaten. Ydolls,

Yre,

Ywys,

6*4.

s.

i.

;

ynoughe.

Ys,/r.

29.

Wytte, know.

T.

ill.

Ymagyn, v. imagine. Hey. 387. Ynough, adv. enough. Th. 207

Th.

270. sb.

ing Co.

Ch 1

actively,

Th. 328.

Yerth, sb. earth. FE. 332, 340. Yf, conj. if. FE. 34. a Yinge, adj. young. Ch 369. Yle, sb. aisle. KJ. 2114.

Yower, pron. Wythly,

if.

Hh.

121.

Jonge, adj. young. Hh. 132. Hh. 177. 3 oven, pp. given.

THE END.

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