Part 7
_Isaiah._ The sovereign that seeth every secret He save you all and make you perfect and strong: And give his grace with his mercy thereto meet, For now in great misery mankind is bound. The serpent hath given us so mortal a wound That no creature is able us for to release Till the right unction of Judah doth cease. Then shall much mirth and joy increase And the right root in Israel spring, That shall bring forth the grain of holiness: And out of danger he shall us bring Into that region where he is king: Which above all other doth abound And that cruel Satan he shall confound. Wherefore I come here upon this ground, To comfort every creature of birth; For I, Isaiah, the prophet, hath found Many sweet matters, whereof we may make mirth On this same wise. For though Adam be doomed to death With all his children, as Abel and Seth: Yet, _Ecce virgo concipiet!_[215] Lo, where a remedy shall rise! Behold a maid shall conceive a child, And get us more grace than ever man had. And her maidenhood nothing defiled: She is deputed to bear the Son, Almighty God. Lo, sovereignties now may you be glad, For of this maiden all we may be fain;[216] For Adam that now lies in sorrows full sad, Her glorious birth shall redeem him again From bondage and thrall. Now be merry every man, For this deed briefly in Israel shall be done, And before the Father on his throne That shall glad us all. More of this matter fain would I move, But longer time I have not here for to dwell. That lord that is merciful, his mercy so in us may prove For to save our souls from the darkness of hell, And to his bliss--he us bring As he is--both lord and king; And shall be everlasting _In secula seculos_:[217] Amen.
[_Exit._
[_Enter Gabriel to Mary._]
_Gabriel._ Hail! Mary, full of grace, Our Lord God is with thee! Above all women that ever was; Lady, blessed may thou be.
_Mary._ Almighty Father and King of bliss From all dyskes[218] thou save me now: For inwardly my spirit troubled is, I am amazed and know not how.
_Gabriel._ Dread thee nothing, maiden, of this: From heaven above hither am I sent, Of embassage from that King of bliss, Unto the lady and virgin reverent, Saluting thee here as most excellent, Whose virtue above all other doth abound; Wherefore in thee grace shall be found: For thou shalt conceive upon this ground The Second Person of God on throne; He will be born of thee alone, Without sin tho shalt him see. Thy grace and thy goodness will never be gone But ever to live in virginity.
_Mary._ I marvel sore how that may be: Man's company knew I never yet, Nor never to do cast I me, While that our Lord sendeth me my wit.
_Gabriel._ The Holy Ghost in thee shall light, And shall endue thy soul so with virtue From the Father that is on high: These words, turtle, they be full true. This child that of thee shall be born Is the Second Person in Trinity. He shall save that was forlorn, And the fiend's power destroy shall he. These words, lady, full true they be, And further, lady, in thy own lineage, Behold Elizabeth, thy cousin clean, The which was barren and past all age. And now with child she hath been Six months and more as shall be seen; Wherefore, discomfort thee not, Mary, For to God impossible nothing may be.
_Mary._ Now and it be that Lord's will Of my body to be born and for to be His high pleasure for to fulfil, As his one handmaid I submit me.
_Gabriel._ Now blessed be the time set That thou wast born in thy degree: For now is the knot surely knit And God conceived in Trinity. Now farewell lady of might most, Unto the Godhead I thee beteyche.[219]
_Mary._ That lord thee guide in every cost And lowly he lead me and be my leech.[220]
[_Here the Angel departeth and Joseph cometh in and saith:_
_Joseph._ Mary, my wife so dear! How do ye, dame, and what cheer Is with you this tide?
_Mary._ Truly, husband, I am here Our Lord's will for to abide.
_Joseph._ What! I trow we be all shent![221] Say, woman, who hath been here since I went To rage with thee?
_Mary._ Sir, here was neither man, nor man's even,[222] But only the sond[223] of our Lord God in heaven.
_Joseph._ Say not so, woman, for shame let be: Ye be with child so wondrous great, Ye need no more thereof to treat Against all right. For sooth this child, dame, is not mine; Alas, that ever with my eyne[224] I should see this sight. Tell me, woman, whose is this child?
_Mary._ None but yours, husband, so mild And that shall be seen, I wis.
_Joseph._ But mine, alas! alas! why say ye so? Well away, woman, now may I go Beguiled as many another is.
_Mary._ Nay truly, sir, ye be not beguiled Nor yet with spot of sin I am not defiled; Trust it well, husband.
_Joseph._ Husband in faith, and that acold; Ah well away, Joseph, as thou art old! Like a fool now may I stand And truss; but in faith, Mary, thou art in sin. So much as I have cherished thee, dame, and all thy kin, Behind my back to serve me thus: All old men example take by me, How I am beguiled here may you see, To wed so young a child. Now farewell, Mary, I leave thee here alone, Woe worth thee dame, and thy works each one! For I will no more be beguiled For friend nor foe. Now of this deed I am so dull And of my life I am so full, No farther may I go.
_Angel._ Arise up, Joseph, and go home again Unto Mary thy wife that is so free; To comfort her look that thou be fain, For, Joseph, a clean maiden is she. She hath conceived without any trayne The Second Person in Trinity: Jesu shall be his name certainly, And all this world save shall he. Be not aghast.
_Joseph._ Now, Lord, I thank thee with heart full sad. For of these tidings I am so glad That all my care away is cast, Wherefore to Mary I will in haste. Ah, Mary, Mary, I kneel full low, Forgive me, sweet wife, here in this land; Mercy, Mary, for now I know Of your good governance and how it doth stand: Though that I did thee misname. Mercy, Mary, while I live Will I never, sweet wife, thee grieve, In earnest nor in game.
_Mary._ Now, that Lord in Heaven, sir,--he you forgive! And I do forgive you in his name For evermore.
_Joseph._ Now truly, sweet wife, to you I say the same; But now to Bethlehem must I wynde[225] And show myself so full of care, And I to leave you this great behind, God wot, the while, dame, how you should fare.
_Mary._ Nay hardily, husband, dread ye nothing, For I will walk with you on the way. I trust in God, Almighty King, To speed right well in our journey.
_Joseph._ Now I thank you, Mary, of your goodness That you my words will not blame; And since that to Bethlehem we shall us address Go we together in God's holy name.
[_They set out on their way._
Now to Bethlehem have we leagues three, The day is nigh spent, it draweth towards night, Fain at your ease, dame, I would that ye should be: For you grow all weary, it seemeth, in my sight.
_Mary._ God have mercy, Joseph, my spouse, so dear! All prophets hereto do bear witness The evry time now draweth near That my child will be born, which is King of bliss. Unto some place, Joseph, kindly me lead, That I might rest me with grace in this tide, The light of the Father over us both spread And the grace of my son with us here abide.
_Joseph._ Lo, blessed Mary, here shall ye lend;[226] Chief chosen of our Lord, and cleanest in degree: And I for help to town, will I wend. Is not this the best, dame, what say ye?
_Mary._ God have mercy! Joseph, my husband, so meek, And I heartily pray you go now from me.
_Joseph._ That shall be done in haste, Mary, so sweet! The comfort of the Holy Ghost leave I with thee. Now to Bethlehem strait will I go, To get some help for Mary so free, Some help of women, God may me send! That Mary, full of grace, pleased may be.
[_Enter a Shepherd._
_1st Shepherd._ Now God that art in Trinity, Thou sawest my fellows and me; For I know not where my sheep nor they be, This night it is so cold, Now is it nigh the middest of the night, These weathers are dark and dim of light, That of them can I have no sight, Standing here on this wold. But now to make their hearts light, Now will I full right Stand upon this loe.[227] And to them cry with all my might: Full well my voice they know, What ho, fellows, ho, hoo, ho!
[_Enter two other Shepherds._
_2nd Shepherd._ Hark, Sym, hark, I hear our brother on the loe,[227] This is his voice, right well I know, Therefore towards him let us go, And follow his voice aright, See, Sym, see where he doth stand; I am right glad we have him found. Brother! where hast thou been so long, And it is so cold this night?
_1st Shepherd._ Oh, friends! there came a pyrie[228] of wind With a mist suddenly, That forth off my ways went I, And great heaviness then made I, And was full sore afright; Then for to go wist I not whither, But travelled on this hill hither and thither. I was so weary of this cold weather, That near passed was my might.
_3rd Shepherd._ Brother, now we be past that fright, And it is far within the night: Full soon will spring the daylight, It draweth full near the tide. Here awhile let us rest And repast ourselves of the best. Till that the sun rise in the east, Let us all here abide.
[_There the Shepherds draw forth their meat, and do eat and drink, and as they drink they see the star and say thus:_
Brother, look up and behold, What thing is yonder that shineth so bright? As long as ever I have watched my fold, Yet saw I never such a sight In field. Aha! now is come the time that old fathers hath told, That in the winter's night so cold, A child of maiden born, be he would, In whom all prophecies shall be fulfilled.
_1st Shepherd._ Truth it is without nay, So said the prophet Isaye, That a child should be born of a maid so bright In winter nigh the shortest day, Or else in the middest of the night.
_2nd Shepherd._ Loved be God, most of might! That our grace is to see that sight; Pray we to him as it is right If that his will it be, That we may have knowledge of this signification, And why it appeareth on this fashion And ever to him let us give laudation, In earth, while that we be.
[_There the angels sing "Gloria in Excelsis Deo."_
_3rd Shepherd._ Hark, they sing above in the clouds clear! Heard I never of so merry a choir. Now gentle brother draw we near To hear their harmony?
_1st Shepherd._ Brother, mirth and solace is come us among For, by the sweetness of their song; God's Son is come, whom we have looked for long, As signifieth this star we do see.
_2nd Shepherd._ Glory, _Gloria in Excelsis_, that was their song, How say ye fellows! said they not thus?
_1st Shepherd._ That is well said, now go we hence To worship that child of high magnificence; And that we may sing in his presence, _Et in terra pax omnibus._ [_There the Shepherds sing:_]
As I out rode this enderes' night, Of three jolly shepherds I saw a sight, And all about their fold a star shone bright; They sang, Terli, terlow; So merrily the shepherds their pipes can blow.
_Joseph._ Now, Lord, this noise that I do hear With this great solemnity, Greatly amended hath my cheer, I trust high news shortly will be.
[_There the Angels sing "Gloria in Excelsis" again._
_Mary._ Ah Joseph, husband, come hither anon My child is born that is King of bliss.
_Joseph._ Now welcome to me, the maker of man, With all the homage that I can; Thy sweet mother here will I kiss.
_Mary._ Ah Joseph, husband, my child waxeth cold And we have no fire to warm him with.
_Joseph._ Now in my arms I shall him fold, King of all kings by field and by frith,[229] He might have had better, and himself would Than the breathing of these beasts to warm him with.
_Mary._ Now, Joseph, my husband, fetch hither my child, The maker of man, and high King of bliss.
_Joseph._ That shall be done, anon, Mary so mild! For the breathing of these beasts hath warmed him, I wis.
_1st Angel._ Herdmen kind, dread ye nothing, Of this star that ye do see; For this same morn God's son is born, In Bethlem of a maiden fre.[230]
_2nd Angel._ Hie you hither in haste, It is his will ye shall him see Lying in a crib of poor repast; Yet of David's line come is he.
_1st Shepherd._ Hail, maid-mother, and wife so mild! As the angel said, so have we found, I have nothing to present to thy child, But my pipe; hold, hold! take it in thy hand; Wherein much pleasure that I have found, And now to honour thy glorious birth, Thou shalt it have to make thee mirth.
_2nd Shepherd._ Now, hail be thou, child, and thy dame, For in a poor lodging here art thou laid; So the angel said, and told us thy name. Hold, take thou here my hat on thy head, And now of one thing thou art well sped; For weather thou hast no cause to complain, For wind, nor sun, hail, snow, and rain.
_3rd Shepherd._ Hail, be thou Lord over water and lands For thy coming all we may make mirth, Have here my mittens to put on thy hands Other treasure have I none to present thee with.
_Mary._ Now, herdmen kind, For your coming, To my child shall I pray, As he is heaven's king, To grant you his blessing, And to his bliss that ye may wynd[231] At your last day.
[_There the Shepherds sing again:_]
Down from heaven, from heaven so high, Of angels there came a great company, With mirth, and joy, and great solemnity They sang, Terli, terlow; So merrily the shepherds their pipes can blow.
[_The two prophets come in._
_1st Prophet._ Novellis, novellis,[232] of wonderful marvellys,[233] Were high and sweet unto the hearing, As Scripture tellis, these strange novellis To you I bring.
_2nd Prophet._ Now, heartily, sir, I desire to know, If it would please you for to show, Of what manner a thing?
_1st Prophet._ Were it mystical unto your hearing,-- Of the nativity of a king?
_2nd Prophet._ Of a king? Whence should he come?
_1st Prophet._ From that region royal and mighty mansion, The seed celestial and heavenly wisdom, The Second Person, and God's one Son, For our sake is man become. This godly sphere, descended here, Into a virgin clear, She undefiled, By whose work, obscure our frail nature Is now beguiled.
_2nd Prophet._ Why, hath she a child?
_1st Prophet._ Ah, trust it well, And never the less, Yet is she a maid even as she was, And her son the king of Israel.
_2nd Prophet._ A wonderful marvel, How that may be, And far doth excel-- All our capacity, How that the trinity, Of so high regality, Should joined be, Unto our mortality.
_1st Prophet._ Of his one great mercy As ye shall see the exposition, Through whose humanity all Adam's progeny Redeemed shall be Out of perdition; Sith man did offend, who should amend, But the said man and no other; For the which cause he, Incarnate would be, And live in misery As man's one brother.
_2nd Prophet._ Sir, upon the Deity, I believe perfectly, Impossible to be, there is nothing; Howbeit this work, unto me is dark, In the operation or working.
_1st Prophet._ What more reproof is unto belief Than to be doubting.
_2nd Prophet._ Yet doubts ofttimes hath derivation.
_1st Prophet._ That is by the means of communication, Of truths to have a due probation,-- By the same doubts, reasoning.
_2nd Prophet._ Then to you, this one thing, Of what noble and high lineage is she, That might this verible prince's mother be?
_1st Prophet._ Undoubted she is come of high parrage,[234] Of the house of David, and Solomon the sage, And one of the same line joined to her by marriage Of whose tribe, we do subscribe This child's lineage.
_2nd Prophet._ And why in that wise?
_1st Prophet._ For it was the guise To count the parent on the man's line, And not on the feminine, Amongst us here in Israel.
_2nd Prophet._ Yet can I not espy, by no wise How this child born should be without nature's prejudice.
_1st Prophet._ Nay, no prejudice unto nature I dare well say, For the king of nature may Have all his one will, Did not the power of God, make Aaron's rod Bear fruit in one day?
_2nd Prophet._ Truth it is indeed.
_1st Prophet._ Then look you and rede.[235]
_2nd Prophet._ Ah! I perceive the seed Whereupon that you spake, It was for our need That he frail nature did take, And his blood he should shed Amends for to make For our transgression, As it is said in prophecy, that of the line of Judë Should spring a right Messië, By whom all we Should have redemption.
_1st Prophet._ Sir, now is the time come, And the date thereof run Of his Nativity.
_2nd Prophet._ Yet I beseech you heartily, That ye would show me how That this strange novelty Were brought unto you?
_1st Prophet._ This other night so cold, Hereby upon a wold, Shepherds watching their fold In the night so far, To them appeared a star, And ever it drew them near, Which star they did behold, Brighter they say a thousand fold Than the sun so clear In his midday sphere; And they these tidings told.
_2nd Prophet._ What, secretly?
_1st Prophet._ Na, na, hardily,[236] They made there of no council, For they sang as loud, As ever they could, Praising the king of Israel.
_2nd Prophet._ Yet do I marvel, In what pile or castle, These herdmen did him see.
_1st Prophet._ Neither in halls, nor yet in bowers, Born would he not be, Neither in castles, nor yet in towers, That seemly were to see, But at his Father's will, The prophecy to fulfil, Betwixt an ox and an ass Jesu this king born he was; Heaven he bring us till![237]
_2nd Prophet._ Sir, ah! but when these shepherds had seen him there, To what place did they repair?
_1st Prophet._ Forth they went, and glad they were; Going they did sing, With mirth and solace, they made good cheer, For joy of that new tiding. And after as I heard them tell, He rewarded them full well He granted them heaven therein to dwell. In are they gone with joy and mirth, And their song it is Noël.
[_There the Prophets go forth, and Herod and the messenger (or herald) comes in._
_Herald._ Peace, Lord Barons of great renown! Peace, sir knights of noble presence! Peace, gentlemen companions of noble order! I command that all of you keep silence. Peace while your noble king is in presence! Let no person stint to pay him deference; Be not bold to strike, but keep your hearts in patience, And to your Lord keep heart of reverence, For he, your king, has all puissance! In the name of the law, I command you peace! And King Herod--"_la grandeaboly vos umport._"[238]
_Herod._ _Qui status in Jude et Rex Israel_,[239] And the mightiest conqueror that ever walked on ground; For I am even he that made both heaven and hell, And of my mighty power holdeth up this world round. Magog and Madroke, both them did I confound, And with this bright brand their bones I brake asunder, That all on the wide world on those rappis[240] did wonder. I am the cause of this great light and thunder; It is through my fury that they such noise do make. My fearful countenance the clouds so doth encumber, That often for dread thereof the very earth doth quake. Look when I with malin this bright brand doth shake; All the whole world from the north to the south, I may them destroy with one word of my mouth, To recount unto you my innumerable substance That were too much for any tongue to tell; For all the whole Orient is under mine obedience, And prince am I of purgatory, and chief captain of hell. And those tyrannous traitors by force may I compel Mine enemies to vanquish, and even to dust to drive, And with a twinkle of mine eye not one to be left alive. Behold my countenance and my colour, Brighter than the sun in the middle of the day! Where can you have a more greater succour, Than to behold my person that is so gay; My falchion and my fashion with my gorgeous array? He that had the grace always thereon to think, Live they might alway without other meat or drink. And this my triumphant fame most highly doth abound, Throughout this world in all regions abroad, Resembling the favour of that most mighty Mahound From Jupiter by descent, and cousin to the great God, And named the most renowned King Herod, Which that all princes hath under subjection, And all their whole power under my protection. And therefore my herald here called Calchas, Warn thou every port, that no ships arrive, Nor also alien stranger through my realm pass, But they for their truage[241] do pay marks five, Now speed thee forth hastily, For they that will the contrary, Upon a gallows hanged shall be; And, by Mahound, of me they get no grace.
_Herald._ Now, lord and master! in all the haste, Thy worthy will it shall be wrought, And thy royal countries shall be past, In as short time as can be thought.
_Herod._ Now shall our regions throughout be sought In every place, both east and west; If any caitiffs to me be brought, It shall be nothing for their best. And the while that I do rest, Trumpets, viols, and other harmony, Shall bless the waking of my majesty.
[_Here Herod goeth away, and the three Kings speaketh in the street._