The Towneley plays

The Second Shepherds' Play

Primus Pastor

Lord, what these weders ar cold! / and I am yll happyd; Line 1 I am nere hande dold, / so long haue I nappyd; Line 2 My legys thay fold, / my fyngers ar chappyd, Line 3 It is not as I wold, / for I am al lappyd, Line 4 In sorow. Line 5 In stormes and tempest, Line 6 Now in the eest, now in the west, Line 7 wo is hym has neuer rest Line 8 Myd day nor morow! Line 9 Bot we sely shepardes / that walkys on the moore, Line 10 In fayth we are nere handys / outt of the doore; Line 11

Line 11 No wonder as it standys / if we be poore, Line 12 ffor the tylthe of oure landys / lyys falow as the floore, Line 13 As ye ken. Line 14 we ar so hamyd, Line 15 ffor-taxed and ramyd, Line 16 We ar mayde hand tamyd, Line 17 with thyse gentlery men. Line 18 Thus thay refe vs oure rest / oure lady theym wary! Line 19 These men that ar lord fest / thay cause the ploghe tary. Line 20 That men say is for the best / we fynde it contrary; Line 21 Thus ar husbandys opprest / in po[i]nte to myscary, Line 22 On lyfe. Line 23 Thus hold, thay vs hunder, Line 24 Thus thay bryng vs in blonder; Line 25 It were greatte wonder, Line 26 And euer shuld we thryfe. Line 27 ffor may he gett a paynt slefe / or a broche now on dayes, Line 28 wo is hym that hym grefe / or onys agane says! Line 29 Dar noman hym reprefe / what mastry he mays, Line 30 And yit may noman lefe / oone word that he says, Line 31 No letter. Line 32 he can make purveance, Line 33 with boste and bragance, Line 34 And all is thrugh mantenance Line 35 Of men that are gretter. Line 36 Ther shall com a swane / as prowde as a po, Line 37 he must borow my wane / my ploghe also, Line 38 Then I am full fane / to graunt or he go. Line 39 Thus lyf we in payne / Anger, and wo, Line 40 By nyght and day; Line 41 he must haue if he langyd, Line 42 If I shuld, forgang it, Line 43 I were better be hangyd Line 44 Then oones say hym nay. Line 45 It dos me good, as I walk / thus by myn oone, Line 46 Of this warld, for to talk / in maner of mone. Line 47

Line 47 To my shepe wyll I stalk / and herkyn anone, Line 48 Ther abyde on a balk / or sytt on a stone Line 49 ffull soyne. Line 50 ffor I trowe, perde, Line 51 trew men if thay be, Line 52 we gett more compane Line 53 Or it be noyne. Line 54

Secundus Pastor

Benste and dominus! / what may this bemeyne? Line 55 why, fares this warld thus / oft haue we not sene? Line 56 lord, thyse weders ar spytus / and the weders full kene. Line 57 And the frostys so hydus / thay water myn eeyne, Line 58 No ly. Line 59 Now in dry, now in wete, Line 60 Now in snaw, now in slete, Line 61 When my shone freys to my fete, Line 62 It is not all esy. Line 63 Bot as far as I ken / or yit as I go, Line 64 we sely wedmen / dre mekyll wo; Line 65 We haue sorow then and then / it fallys oft so; Line 66 Sely capyle, oure hen / both to and fro Line 67 She kakyls; Line 68 Bot begyn she to crok, Line 69 To groyne or [to clo]k, Line 70 Wo is hym is of oure cok, Line 71 ffor he is in the shekyls. Line 72 These men that ar wed / haue not all thare wyll, Line 73 when they ar full hard sted / thay sygh full styll; Line 74 God wayte thay ar led / full hard and full yll; Line 75 In bower nor in bed / thay say noght ther tyll, Line 76 This tyde. Line 77 My parte haue I fun, Line 78 I know my lesson. Line 79 wo is hym that is bun, Line 80 ffor he must abyde. Line 81

Line 81 Bot now late in oure lyfys / a meruell to me, Line 82 That I thynk my hart ryfys / sich wonders to see. Line 83 what that destany dryfys / it shuld so be; Line 84 Som men wyll have two wyfys / and som men thre, Line 85 In store; Line 86 Som ar wo that has any, Line 87 Bot so far can I, Line 88 wo is hym that has many, Line 89 ffor he felys sore. Line 90 Bot yong men of wowyng / for god that you boght, Line 91 Be well war of wedyng / and thynk in youre thoght, Line 92 "[had I wyst"] is a thyng / it seruys of noght; Line 93 Mekyll styll mowrnyng / has wedyng home broght, Line 94 And grefys; Line 95 with many a sharp showre, Line 96 ffor thou may cach in an owre Line 97 That shall [savour] fulle sowre Line 98 As long as thou lyffys. Line 99 ffor, as euer red I pystyll / I haue oone to my fere, Line 100 As sharp as a thystyll / as rugh as a brere; Line 101 She is browyd lyke a brystyll / with a sowre loten chere; Line 102 had She oones Wett Hyr Whystyll / She couth Syng full clere Line 103 Hyr pater noster. Line 104 She is as greatt as a whall, Line 105 She has a galon of gall: Line 106 By hym that dyed for vs all, Line 107 I wald I had ryn to I had lost hir. Line 108

Primus Pastor

God looke ouer the raw / ffull defly ye stand. Line 109

Secundus Pastor

yee, the dewill in thi maw / so tariand. Line 110 sagh thou awro of daw? / Line 111

Primus Pastor

yee, on a ley land hard I hym blaw / he commys here at hand, Line 112 Not far; Line 113

Line 113 Stand styll. Line 114

Secundus Pastor

qwhy?

Primus Pastor

ffor he commys, hope I. Line 115

Secundus Pastor

he wyll make vs both a ly Line 116 Bot if we be war. Line 117

Tercius Pastor

Crystys crosse me spede / and sant nycholas! Line 118 Ther of had I nede / it is wars then it was. Line 119 Whoso couthe take hede / and lett the warld pas, Line 120 It is euer in drede / and brekyll as glas, Line 121 And slythys. Line 122 This warld, fowre neuer so, Line 123 With meruels mo and mo, Line 124 Now in weyll, now in wo, Line 125 And all thyng wrythys. Line 126 Was neuer syn noe floode / sich floodys seyn; Line 127 Wyndys and ranys so rude / and stormes so keyn; Line 128 Som stamerd, som stod, / in dowte, as I weyn; Line 129 Now god turne all to good / I say as I mene, Line 130 ffor ponder. Line 131 These floodys so thay drowne, Line 132 Both in feyldys and in towne, Line 133 And berys all downe, Line 134 And that is a wonder. Line 135 We that walk on the nyghtys / oure catell to kepe, Line 136 We se sodan syghtys / when othere men slepe. Line 137 yit me thynk my hart lyghtys / I se shrewys pepe; Line 138 ye ar two all wyghtys / I wyll gyf my shepe Line 139 A turne. Line 140 Bot full yll haue I ment, Line 141 As I walk on this bent, Line 142 I may lyghtly repent, Line 143 My toes if I spurne. Line 144 A, sir, god, you saue / and master myne! Line 145 A drynk fayn wold I haue / and somwhat to dyne. Line 146

Primus Pastor

Crystys curs, my knaue / thou art a ledyr hyne! Line 147

Secundus Pastor

What! the boy lyst rave; / abyde vnto syne; Line 148 We haue mayde it. Line 149 yll thryft on thy pate! Line 150 Though the shrew cam late, Line 151 yit is he in state Line 152 To dyne, if he had it. Line 153

Tercius Pastor

Sich seruandys as I / that swettys and swynkys, Line 154 Etys oure brede full dry / and that me forthynkys; Line 155 We ar oft weytt and wery / when master-men wynkys, Line 156 yit commys full lately / both dyners and drynkys, Line 157 Bot nately. Line 158 Both oure dame and oure syre, Line 159 when we haue ryn in the myre, Line 160 Thay can nyp at oure hyre, Line 161 And pay vs full lately. Line 162 Bot here my trouth, master / for the fayr that ye make, Line 163 I shall do therafter / wyrk as I take; Line 164 I shall do a lytyll, sir / and emang euer lake, Line 165 ffor yit lay my soper / neuer on my stomake Line 166 In feyldys. Line 167 Wherto shuld, I threpe? Line 168 with my staf can I lepe, Line 169 And men say "[lyght chepe Line 170 letherly for-yeldys."] Line 171

Primus Pastor

Thou were an yll lad / to ryde on wowyng Line 172 With a man that had / bot lytyll of spendyng. Line 173

Secundus Pastor

Peasse, boy, I bad / no more Iangling, Line 174 Or I shall make the full rad / by the heuen's kyng! Line 175 with thy gawdys; Line 176 wher ar oure shepe, boy, we skorne? Line 177

Tercius Pastor

Sir, this same day at morne Line 178 I thaym left in the corne, Line 179 when thay rang lawdys; Line 180

Line 180 Thay haue pasture good / thay can not go wrong. Line 181

Primus Pastor

That is right, by the roode! / thyse nyghtys ar long, Line 182 yit I wold, or we yode / oone gaf vs a song. Line 183

Secundus Pastor

So I thoght as I stode / to myrth vs emong. Line 184

Tercius Pastor

I grauntt. Line 185

Primus Pastor

lett me syng the tenory. Line 186

Secundus Pastor

And I the tryble so hye. Line 187

Tercius Pastor

Then the meyne fallys to me; Line 188 lett se how ye chauntt. Line 189

Mak

Now lord, for thy naymes sevyn / that made both moyn & starnes Line 190 Well mo then I can neuen / thi will, lorde, of me tharnys; Line 191 I am all vneuen / that moves oft my harnes, Line 192 Now Wold god I were in heuen / for there wepe no barnes Line 193 So styll. Line 194

Primus Pastor

Who is that pypys so poore? Line 195

Mak

wold, god ye wyst how I foore! Line 196 lo, a man that walkys on the moore, Line 197 And has not all his wyll! Line 198

Secundus Pastor

Mak, where has thou gon? / tell vs tythyng. Line 199

Tercius Pastor

Is he commen? then ylkon / take hede to his thyng. Line 200

Mak

what! ich be a yoman / I tell you, of the king; Line 201 The self and the same / sond from a greatt lordyng, Line 202 And sich. Line 203 ffy on you! goyth hence Line 204 Out of my presence! Line 205 I must haue reuerence; Line 206 why, who be ich? Line 207

Primus Pastor

Why make ye it so qwaynt? / mak, ye do wrang. Line 208

Secundus Pastor

Bot, mak, lyst ye saynt? / I trow that ye lang. Line 209

Tercius Pastor

I trow the shrew can paynt, / the dewyll myght hym hang! Line 210

Mak

Ich shall make complaynt / and make you all to thwang Line 211 At a worde, Line 212 And tell euyn how ye doth. Line 213

Primus Pastor

Bot, Mak, is that sothe? Line 214 Now take outt that sothren tothe, Line 215 And sett in a torde! Line 216

Secundus Pastor

Mak, the dewill in youre ee / a stroke wold, I leyne you. Line 217

Tercius Pastor

Mak, know ye not me? / by god I couthe teyn you. Line 218

Mak

God looke you all thre! / me thoght I had sene you, Line 219 ye ar a fare compane. / Line 220

Primus Pastor

can ye now mene you?

Secundus Pastor

Shrew, Iape! Line 221 Thus late as thou goys, Line 222 what wyll men suppos? Line 223 And thou has an yll noys Line 224 of stelyng of shepe. Line 225

Mak

And I am trew as steyll / all men waytt, Line 226 Bot a sekenes I feyll / that haldys me full haytt, Line 227 My belly farys not weyll / it is out of astate. Line 228

Tercius Pastor

Seldom lyys the dewyll / dede by the gate. Line 229

Mak

Therfor Line 230 full sore am I and yll, Line 231 If I stande stone styll; Line 232 I ete not an nedyll Line 233 Thys moneth and more. Line 234

Primus Pastor

how farys thi wyff? by my hoode / how farys sho? Line 235

Mak

lyys walteryng, by the roode / by the fyere, lo! Line 236 And a howse full of brude / she drynkys well to; Line 237 yll spede othere good / that she wyll do! Line 238 Bot so Line 239 Etys as fast as she can, Line 240 And ilk yere that commys to man Line 241 She bryngys furth a lakan, Line 242 And som yeres two. Line 243 Bot were I not more gracyus / and rychere befar, Line 244 I were eten outt of howse / and of harbar; Line 245 Yit is she a fowll dowse / if ye com nar: Line 246 Ther is none that trowse / nor knowys a war, Line 247 Then ken I. Line 248 Now wyll ye se what I profer, Line 249 To gyf all in my cofer Line 250 To morne at next to offer Line 251 hyr hed mas penny. Line 252

Secundus Pastor

I wote so forwakyd / is none in this shyre: Line 253 I wold slepe if I takyd / les to my hyere. Line 254

Tercius Pastor

I am cold, and nakyd / and wold haue a fyere. Line 255

Primus Pastor

I am wery, for-rakyd / and run in the myre. Line 256 wake thou! Line 257

Secundus Pastor

Nay, I wyll lyg downe by, Line 258 ffor I must slepe truly. Line 259

Tercius Pastor

As good a man's son was I Line 260 As any of you. Line 261 Bot, mak, com heder! betwene / shall thou lyg downe. Line 262

Mak

Then myght I lett you bedene / of that ye wold, rowne, Line 263

Line 263 No drede. Line 264 ffro my top to my too, Line 265 Manus tuas commendo, Line 266 poncio pilato, Line 267 Cryst crosse me spede! Line 268 Now were tyme for a man / that lakkys what he wold, Line 269 To stalk preuely than / vnto a fold,, Line 270 And neemly to wyrk than / and be not to bold, Line 271 ffor he might aby the bargan / if it were told Line 272 At the endyng. Line 273 Now were tyme for to reyll; Line 274 Bot he nedys good counsell Line 275 That fayn wold, fare weyll, Line 276 And has bot lytyll spendyng. Line 277 Bot abowte you a serkyll / as rownde as a moyn, Line 278 To I haue done that I wyll / tyll that it be noyn, Line 279 That ye lyg stone styll / to that I haue doyne, Line 280 And I shall say thertyll / of good wordys a foyne. Line 281 On hight Line 282 Ouer youre heydys my hand I lyft, Line 283 Outt go youre een, fordo your syght, Line 284 Bot yit I must make better shyft, Line 285 And it be right. Line 286 lord! what thay slepe hard! / that may ye all here; Line 287 was I neuer a shepard / bot now wyll I lere. Line 288 If the flok be skard / yit shall I nyp nere, Line 289 how! drawes hederward! / now mendys oure chere Line 290 ffrom sorow: Line 291 A fatt shepe I dar say, Line 292 A good flese dar I lay, Line 293 Eft whyte when I may, Line 294 Bot this will I borow. Line 295 how, gyll, art thou In? / gett vs some lyght. Line 296

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

Who makys sich dyn / this tyme of the nyght? Line 297

Line 297 I am sett for to spyn / I hope not I myght Line 298 Ryse a penny to wyn, / I shrew them on hight! Line 299 So farys Line 300 A huswyff that has bene Line 301 To be rasyd thus betwene: Line 302 here may no note be sene Line 303 ffor sich small charys. Line 304

Mak

Good wyff, open the hek! / seys thou not what I bryng? Line 305

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

I may thole the dray the snek. / A, com in, my swetyng! Line 306

Mak

yee, thou thar not rek / of my long standyng. Line 307

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

By the nakyd nek / art thou lyke for to hyng. Line 308

Mak

Do way: Line 309 I am worthy my mete, Line 310 ffor in a strate can I gett Line 311 More then thay that swynke and swette Line 312 All the long day, Line 313 Thus it fell to my lott / gyll, I had sich grace. Line 314

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

It were a fowll blott / to be hanged for the case. Line 315

Mak

I haue skapyd, Ielott / oft as hard a glase. Line 316

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

Bot so long goys the pott / to the water, men says, Line 317 At last Line 318 Comys it home broken. Line 319

Mak

well knowe I the token, Line 320 Bot let it neuer be spoken; Line 321 Bot com and help fast. Line 322 I wold, he were slayn / I lyst well ete: Line 323 This twelmothe was I not so fayn / of oone shepe mete. Line 324

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

Com thay or he be slayn/ and here the shepe blete! Line 325

Mak

Then myght I be tane, / that were a cold, swette! Line 326 Go spar Line 327 The gaytt doore. Line 328

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

Yis, Mak, ffor and thay com at thy bak, Line 329

Mak

Then myght I by, for all the pak, Line 330 The dewill of the war. Line 331

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

A good bowrde haue I spied / syn thou can none. Line 332 here shall we hym hyde / to thay be gone; Line 333 In my credyll abyde / lett me alone, Line 334 And I shall lyg besyde / in chylbed, and grone. Line 335

Mak

Thou red; Line 336 And, I shall say thou was lyght Line 337 Of a knaue childe this nyght. Line 338

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

Now well is me day bright, Line 339 That euer was I bred. Line 340 This is a good gyse / and a far cast; Line 341 Yit a woman avyse / helpys at the last. Line 342 I wote neuer who spyse, / agane go thou fast. Line 343

Mak

Bot I com or thay ryse / els blawes a cold, blast! Line 344 I wyll go slepe. Line 345 yit slepys all this meneye, Line 346 And I shall go stalk preuely, Line 347 As it had neuer bene I Line 348 That caryed thare shepe. Line 349

Primus Pastor

Resurrex a mortruis! / haue hald, my hand. Line 350 Iudas carnas dominus! / I may not well stand: Line 351 My foytt slepys, by ihesus / and I water fastand. Line 352 I thoght that we layd vs / full nere yngland. Line 353

Secundus Pastor

A ye! Line 354 lord! what I haue slept weyll; Line 355 As fresh as an eyll, Line 356 As lyght I me feyll Line 357 As leyfe on a tre. Line 358

Tercius Pastor

Benste be here in! / so my [hart?] qwakys, Line 359 My hart is outt of skyn / what so it makys. Line 360 Who makys all this dyn? / so my browes blakys, Line 361 To the dowore wyll I wyn / harke felows, wakys! Line 362 We were fowre: Line 363 se ye awre of mak now? Line 364

Primus Pastor

we were vp or thou. Line 365

Secundus Pastor

Man, I gyf god a vowe, Line 366 yit yede he nawre. Line 367

Tercius Pastor

Me thoght he was lapt / in a wolfe skyn. Line 368

Primus Pastor

So are many hapt / now namely within. Line 369

Secundus Pastor

When we had long napt / me thoght with a gyn Line 370 A fatt shepe he trapt / bot he mayde no dyn. Line 371

Tercius Pastor

Be styll: Line 372 Thi dreme makys the woode: Line 373 It is bot fantom, by the roode. Line 374

Primus Pastor

Now god turne all to good, Line 375 If it be his wyll. Line 376

Secundus Pastor

Ryse, mak, for shame! / thou lygys right lang. Line 377

Mak

Now crystys holy name / be vs emang! Line 378 what is this? for sant Iame / I may not well gang! Line 379 I trow I be the same / A! my nek has lygen wrang Line 380 Enoghe; Line 381 Mekill thank, syn yister euen, Line 382 Now, by sant strevyn, Line 383 I was flayd with a swevyn, Line 384 My hart out of sloghe. Line 385 I thoght gyll began to crok / and trauell full sad, Line 386 welner at the fyrst cok / of a yong lad, Line 387 ffor to mend oure flok / then be I neuer glad. Line 388 I haue tow on my rok / more then euer I had. Line 389 A, my heede! Line 390 A house full of yong tharmes, Line 391 The dewill knok outt thare harnes! Line 392 wo is hym has many barnes, Line 393 And therto lytyll brede! Line 394 I must go home, by youre lefe / to gyll as I thoght. Line 395 I pray you looke my slefe / that I steyll noght: Line 396 I am loth you to grefe / or from you take oght. Line 397

Tercius Pastor

Go furth, yll myght thou chefe! / now wold I we soght, Line 398

Line 398 This morne, Line 399 That we had all oure store. Line 400

Primus Pastor

Bot I will go before, let vs mete. Line 401

Secundus Pastor

whore?

Tercius Pastor

At the crokyd thorne. Line 402

Mak

Vndo this doore! who is here? / how long shall I stand? Line 403

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

Who makys sich a bere? / now walk in the Wenyand. Line 404

Mak

A, gyll, what chere? / it is I, mak, youre husbande, Line 405

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

Then may we be here / the dewill in a bande, Line 406 Syr gyle; Line 407 lo, he commys with a lote Line 408 As he were holden in the throte. Line 409 I may not syt at my note, Line 410 A hand lang while. Line 411

Mak

wyll ye here what fare she makys / to gett hir a glose, Line 412 And dos noght bot lakys / and clowse hir toose. Line 413

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

why, who wanders, who wakys / who commys, who gose? Line 414 who brewys, who bakys? / what makys me thus hose? Line 415 And than, Line 416 It is rewthe to beholde, Line 417 Now in hote, now in colde, Line 418 ffull wofull is the householde Line 419 That wantys a woman. Line 420 Bot what ende has thou mayde / with the hyrdys, mak? Line 421

Mak

The last worde that thay sayde / when I turnyd my bak, Line 422 Thay wold looke that thay hade / thare shepe all the pak. Line 423 I hope thay wyll nott be well payde / when thay thare shepe lak, Line 424 Perde. Line 425

Line 425 Bot how so the gam gose, Line 426 To me thay wyll suppose, Line 427 And make a fowll noyse, Line 428 And cry outt apon me. Line 429 Bot thou must do as thou hyght / Line 430

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

I accorde me thertyll. I shall swedyll hym right / In my credyll; Line 431 If it were a gretter slyght / yit couthe I help tyll. Line 432 I wyll lyg downe stright; / com hap me; Line 433

Mak

I wyll.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

Behynde. Line 434 Com coll and his maroo, Line 435 Thay will nyp vs full naroo. Line 436

Mak

Bot I may cry out `haroo,' Line 437 The shepe if thay fynde. Line 438

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

harken ay when thay call / thay will com onone. Line 439 Com and make redy all / and syng by thyn oone; Line 440 Syng lullay thou shall / for I must grone, Line 441 And cry outt by the wall / on mary and Iohn, Line 442 ffor sore. Line 443 Syng lullay on fast Line 444 when thou heris at the last; Line 445 And bot I play a fals cast, Line 446 Trust me no more. Line 447

Tercius Pastor

A, coll, goode morne / why slepys thou nott? Line 448

Primus Pastor

Alas, that euer was I borne! / we haue a fowll blott. Line 449 A fat wedir haue we lorne. / Line 450

Tercius Pastor

mary, godys forbott!

Secundus Pastor

who shuld do vs that skorne? that were a fowll spott. Line 451

Primus Pastor

Som shrewe. Line 452 I haue soght with my dogys Line 453 All horbery shrogys, Line 454 And of fefteyn hogys Line 455 ffond I bot oone ewe. Line 456

Tercius Pastor

Now trow me, if ye will / by sant thomas of kent, Line 457 Ayther mak or gyll / was at that assent. Line 458

Primus Pastor

peasse, man, be still! / I sagh when he went; Line 459 Thou sklanders hym yll / thou aght to repent, Line 460 Goode spede. Line 461

Secundus Pastor

Now as euer myght I the, Line 462 If I shuld, euyn here de, Line 463 I wold say it were he, Line 464 That dyd that same dede. Line 465

Tercius Pastor

Go we theder, I rede / and ryn on oure feete. Line 466 Shall I neuer ete brede / the sothe to I wytt. Line 467

Primus Pastor

Nor drynk in my heede / with hym tyll I mete. Line 468

Secundus Pastor

I wyll rest in no stede / tyll that I hym grete, Line 469 My brothere. Line 470 Oone I will hight: Line 471 Tyll I se hym in sight Line 472 shall I neuer slepe one nyght Line 473 Ther I do anothere. Line 474

Tercius Pastor

will ye here how thay hak? / oure syre, lyst, croyne. Line 475

Primus Pastor

hard I neuer none crak / so clere out of toyne; Line 476 Call on hym. Line 477

Secundus Pastor

mak! / vndo youre doore soyne. Line 478

Mak

Who is that spak, / as it were noyne, Line 479 On loft? Line 480 Who is that I say? Line 481

Tercius Pastor

Goode felowse, were it day. Line 482

Mak

As far as ye may, Line 483 Good, spekys soft, Line 484

Line 484 Ouer a seke woman's heede / that is at mayll easse; Line 485 I had leuer be dede / or she had any dyseasse. Line 486

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

Go to an othere stede / I may not well qweasse. Line 487 Ich fote that ye trede / goys thorow my nese. Line 488 So hee! Line 489

Primus Pastor

Tell vs, mak, if ye may, Line 490 how fare ye, I say? Line 491

Mak

Bot ar ye in this towne to day? Line 492 Now how fare ye? Line 493 ye haue ryn in the myre / and ar weytt yit: Line 494 I shall make you a fyre / if ye will syt. Line 495 A nores wold, I hyre / thynk ye on yit, Line 496 well qwytt is my hyre / my dreme this is itt, Line 497 A seson. Line 498 I haue barnes, if ye knew, Line 499 well mo then enewe, Line 500 Bot we must drynk as we brew, Line 501 And that is bot reson. Line 502 I wold ye dynyd or ye yode / me thynk that ye swette. Line 503

Secundus Pastor

Nay, nawther mendys oure mode / drynke nor mette. Line 504

Mak

why, sir, alys you oght bot goode? / Line 505

Tercius Pastor

yee, oure shepe that we gett, Ar stollyn as thay yode / oure los is grette. Line 506

Mak

Syrs, drynkys! Line 507 had I bene thore, Line 508 Som shuld haue boght it full sore. Line 509

Primus Pastor

Mary, som men trowes that ye wore, Line 510 And that vs forthynkys. Line 511

Secundus Pastor

Mak, som men trowys / that it shuld be ye. Line 512

Tercius Pastor

Ayther ye or youre spouse / so say we. Line 513

Mak

Now if ye haue suspowse / to gill or to me, Line 514 Com and rype oure howse / and then may ye se Line 515

Line 515 who had hir, Line 516 If I any shepe fott, Line 517 Aythor cow or stott; Line 518 And gyll, my wyfe, rose nott Line 519 here syn she lade hir. Line 520 As I am true and lele / to god here I pray, Line 521 That this be the fyrst mele / that I shall ete this day. Line 522

Primus Pastor

Mak, as haue I ceyll, / Avyse the, I say; Line 523 he lernyd tymely to steyll / that couth not say nay. Line 524

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

I swelt! Line 525 Outt, thefys, fro my wonys! Line 526 ye com to rob vs for the nonys. Line 527

Mak

here ye not how she gronys? Line 528 youre hartys shuld melt. Line 529

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

Outt, thefys, fro my barne! / negh hym not thor. Line 530

Mak

wyst ye how she had farne / youre hartys wold be sore. Line 531 ye do wrang, I you warne / that thus commys before Line 532 To a woman that has farne / bot I say no more. Line 533

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

A, my medyll! Line 534 I pray to god so mylde, Line 535 If euer I you begyld,, Line 536 That I ete this chylde Line 537 That lygys in this credyll. Line 538

Mak

peasse, woman, for godys payn / and cry not so: Line 539 Thou spyllys thy brane / and makys me full wo. Line 540

Secundus Pastor

I trow oure shepe be slayn / what finde ye two? Line 541

Tercius Pastor

All wyrk we in vayn / as well may we go. Line 542 Bot hatters, Line 543 I can fynde no flesh, Line 544 hard nor nesh, Line 545 Salt nor fresh, Line 546 Bot two tome platers. Line 547

Line 547 Whik catell bot this / tame nor wylde, Line 548 None, as haue I blys / as lowde as he smylde. Line 549

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

No, so god me blys / and gyf me Ioy of my chylde! Line 550

Primus Pastor

We haue merkyd amys / I hold vs begyld. Line 551

Secundus Pastor

Syr don, Line 552 Syr, oure lady hym saue! Line 553 Is youre chyld a knaue? Line 554

Mak

Any lord myght hym haue Line 555 This chyld to his son. Line 556 when he wakyns he kyppys / that ioy is to se. Line 557

Tercius Pastor

In good tyme to hys hyppys / and in cele. Line 558 Bot who was his gossyppys / so sone rede? Line 559

Mak

So fare fall thare lyppys! / Line 560

Primus Pastor

hark now, a le!

Mak

So god thaym thank, Line 561 Parkyn, and gybon waller, I say, Line 562 And gentill Iohn horne, in good fay, Line 563 he made all the garray, Line 564 With the greatt shank. Line 565

Secundus Pastor

Mak, freyndys will we be / ffor we ar all oone. Line 566

Mak

we! now I hald for me / for mendys gett I none. Line 567 ffare well all thre / all glad were ye gone. Line 568

Tercius Pastor

ffare wordys may ther be / bot luf is ther none Line 569 this yere. Line 570

Primus Pastor

Gaf ye the chyld, any thyng? Line 571

Secundus Pastor

I trow not oone farthyng. Line 572

Tercius Pastor

ffast agane will I flyng, Line 573 Abyde ye me there. Line 574 Mak, take it to no grefe / if I com to thi barne. Line 575

Mak

Nay, thou dos me greatt reprefe / and fowll has thou farne. Line 576

Tercius Pastor

The child will it not grefe / that lytyll day starne. Line 577 Mak, with youre leyfe / let me gyf youre barne, Line 578

Line 578 Bot sex pence. Line 579

Mak

Nay, do way: he slepys. Line 580

Tercius Pastor

Me thynk he pepys. Line 581

Mak

when he wakyns he wepys. Line 582 I pray you go hence. Line 583

Tercius Pastor

Gyf me lefe hym to kys / and lyft vp the clowtt. Line 584 what the dewill is this? / he has a long snowte. Line 585

Primus Pastor

he is merkyd amys / we wate ill abowte. Line 586

Secundus Pastor

Ill spon weft, Iwys / ay commys foull owte. Line 587 Ay, so! Line 588 he is lyke to oure shepe! Line 589

Tercius Pastor

how, gyb! may I pepe? Line 590

Primus Pastor

I trow, kynde will crepe Line 591 where it may not go. Line 592

Secundus Pastor

This was a qwantt gawde / and a far cast. Line 593 It was a hee frawde. / Line 594

Tercius Pastor

yee, syrs, wast. lett bren this bawde / and bynd hir fast. Line 595 A fals skawde / hang at the last; Line 596 So shall thou. Line 597 wyll ye se how thay swedyll Line 598 his foure feytt in the medyll? Line 599 Sagh I neuer in a credyll Line 600 A hornyd lad or now. Line 601

Mak

Peasse byd I: what! / lett be youre fare; Line 602 I am he that hym gatt / and yond woman hym bare. Line 603

Primus Pastor

What dewill shall he hatt? / Mak, lo god makys ayre. Line 604

Secundus Pastor

lett be all that. / now god gyf hym care, Line 605 I sagh. Line 606

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

A pratty child is he Line 607 As syttys on a waman's kne; Line 608 A dyllydowne, perde, Line 609 To gar a man laghe. Line 610

Tercius Pastor

I know hym by the eere marke / that is a good tokyn. Line 611

Mak

I tell you, syrs, hark! / hys noyse was brokyn. Line 612 Sythen told, me a clerk / that he was forspokyn. Line 613

Primus Pastor

This is a fals wark / I wold, fayn be wrokyn: Line 614 Gett wepyn. Line 615

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

he was takyn with an elfe, Line 616 I saw it myself. Line 617 when the clok stroke twelf Line 618 was he forshapyn. Line 619

Secundus Pastor

ye two ar well feft / sam in a stede. Line 620

Tercius Pastor

Syn thay manteyn thare theft / let do thaym to dede. Line 621

Mak

If I trespas eft / gyrd of my heede. Line 622 with you will I be left. / Line 623

Primus Pastor

syrs, do my reede. ffor this trespas, Line 624 we will nawther ban ne flyte, Line 625 ffyght nor chyte, Line 626 Bot haue done as tyte, Line 627 And cast hym in canvas. Line 628 lord! what I am sore / in poynt for to bryst. Line 629 In fayth I may no more / therfor wyll I ryst. Line 630

Secundus Pastor

As a shepe of sevyn skore / he weyd in my fyst. Line 631 ffor to slepe ay whore / me thynk that I lyst. Line 632

Tercius Pastor

Now I pray you, Line 633 lyg downe on this grene. Line 634

Primus Pastor

On these thefys yit I mene. Line 635

Tercius Pastor

wherto shuld ye tene Line 636 So, as I say you? Line 637

Angel

Ryse, hyrd men heynd! / for now is he borne Line 638 That shall take fro the feynd / that adam had lorne: Line 639

Line 639 That warloo to sheynd / this nyght is he borne. Line 640 God is made youre freynd / now at this morne. Line 641 he behestys, Line 642 At bedlem go se, Line 643 Ther lygys that fre Line 644 In a cryb full poorely, Line 645 Betwyx two bestys. Line 646

Primus Pastor

This was a qwant stevyn / that euer yit I hard. Line 647 It is a meruell to neuyn / thus to be skard. Line 648

Secundus Pastor

Of godys son of heuyn / he spak vpward. Line 649 All the wod on a leuyn / me thoght that he gard Line 650 Appere. Line 651

Tercius Pastor

he spake of a barne Line 652 In bedlem, I you warne. Line 653

Primus Pastor

That betokyns yond starne. Line 654 let vs seke hym there, Line 655

Secundus Pastor

Say, what was his song? / hard ye not how he crakyd it? Line 656 Thre brefes to a long. / Line 657

Tercius Pastor

yee, mary, he hakt it. was no crochett wrong / nor no thyng that lakt it. Line 658

Primus Pastor

ffor to syng vs emong / right as he knakt it, Line 659 I can. Line 660

Secundus Pastor

let se how ye croyne. Line 661 Can ye bark at the mone? Line 662

Tercius Pastor

hold youre tonges, haue done! Line 663

Primus Pastor

hark after, than. Line 664

Secundus Pastor

To bedlem he bad / that we shuld gang: Line 665 I am full fard / that we tary to lang. Line 666

Tercius Pastor

Be mery and not sad / of myrth is oure sang, Line 667 Euer lastyng glad / to mede may we fang, Line 668

Line 668 Withoutt noyse. Line 669

Primus Pastor

hy we theder for thy; Line 670 If we be wete and wery, Line 671 To that chyld and that lady Line 672 we haue it not to lose. Line 673

Secundus Pastor

we fynde by the prophecy- / let be youre dyn- Line 674 Of dauid and Isay / and mo then I myn, Line 675 Thay prophecyed by clergy / that in a vyrgyn Line 676 shuld, he lyght and ly / to slokyn oure syn Line 677 And slake it, Line 678 Oure kynde from wo; Line 679 ffor Isay sayd so, Line 680 Cite` virgo Line 681 Concipiet a chylde that is nakyd. Line 682

Tercius Pastor

ffull glad may we be / and abyde that day Line 683 That lufly to se / that all myghtys may. Line 684 lord, well were me / for ones and for ay, Line 685 Myght I knele on my kne / som word for to say Line 686 To that chylde. Line 687 Bot the angell sayd, Line 688 In a cryb wos he layde; Line 689 he was poorly arayd Line 690 Both mener and mylde. Line 691

Primus Pastor

patryarkes that has bene / and prophetys beforne, Line 692 Thay desyryd to haue sene / this chylde that is borne. Line 693 Thay ar gone full clene / that haue thay lorne. Line 694 We shall se hym, I weyn / or it be morne, Line 695 To tokyn. Line 696 When I se hym and fele, Line 697 Then wote I full weyll Line 698 It is true as steyll Line 699 That prophetys haue spokyn. Line 700 To so poore as we ar / that he wold appere, Line 701 ffyrst fynd, and declare / by his messyngere. Line 702

Secundus Pastor

Go we now, let vs fare / the place is vs nere. Line 703

Tercius Pastor

I am redy and yare / go we in fere Line 704 To that bright. Line 705 Lord, if thi wylles be, Line 706 we ar lewde all thre, Line 707 Thou grauntt vs somkyns gle Line 708 To comforth thi wight. Line 709

Primus Pastor

hayll, comly and clene! / hayll, yong child! Line 710 hayll, maker, as I meyne, / of a madyn so mylde! Line 711 Thou has waryd, I weyne / the warlo so wylde; Line 712 The fals gyler of teyn / now goys he begylde. Line 713 lo, he merys; Line 714 lo, he laghys, my swetyng, Line 715 A welfare metyng, Line 716 I haue holden my hetyng; Line 717 haue a bob of cherys. Line 718

Secundus Pastor

hayll, sufferan sauyoure! / ffor thou has vs soght: Line 719 hayll, frely foyde and floure / that all thyng has wroght! Line 720 hayll, full of fauoure / that made all of noght! Line 721 hayll! I kneyll and I cowre. / A byrd haue I broght Line 722 To my barne. Line 723 hayll, lytyll tyne' mop! Line 724 of oure crede thou art crop: Line 725 I wold drynk on thy cop, Line 726 Lytyll day starne. Line 727

Tercius Pastor

hayll, derlyng dere / full of godhede! Line 728 I pray the be nere / when that I haue nede. Line 729 hayll! swete is thy chere! / my hart wold, blede Line 730 To se the sytt here / in so poore wede, Line 731 With no pennys. Line 732 hayll! put furth thy dall! Line 733 I bryng the bot a ball: Line 734 haue and play the with all, Line 735 And go to the tenys. Line 736

Mary

The fader of heuen / god omnypotent. Line 737 That sett all on seuen, / his son has he sent. Line 738 My name couth he neuen / and lyght or he went. Line 739 I conceyuyd hym full euen / thrugh myght as he ment, Line 740 And now is he borne. Line 741 he kepe you fro wo! Line 742 I shall pray hym so; Line 743 Tell furth as ye go, Line 744 And myn on this morne. Line 745

Primus Pastor

ffarewell, lady / so fare to beholde, Line 746 with thy childe on thi kne! / Line 747

Secundus Pastor

bot he lygys full cold. lord, well is me / now we go, thou behold,. Line 748

Tercius Pastor

ffor sothe all redy / it semys to be told Line 749 full oft. Line 750

Primus Pastor

what grace we haue fun. Line 751

Secundus Pastor

Com furth, now ar we won. Line 752

Tercius Pastor

To syng ar we bun: Line 753 let take on loft. Line 754