The Towneley plays

The Play of the Doctors

Secundus Magister

That a madyn a barn shuld, bere; Line 1 And his name thus can thay tell, Line 2 ffro the tyme that he born were, Line 3 he shalbe callyd emanuell; Line 4 Counselloure, and god of strengthe, Line 5 And wonderfull also Line 6 Shall he be callyd, of brede and lenghthe Line 7 As far as any man may go. Line 8

Tercius Magister

Masters, youre resons ar right good, Line 9 And wonderfull to neuen, Line 10 yit fynde I more by abacuk; Line 11 Syrs, lysten a whyle vnto my steuen. Line 12 Oure bayll, he says, shall turn to boytt, Line 13 her-afterward som day; Line 14 A wande shall spryng fro Iesse roytt,- Line 15 The certan sothe thus can he say,- Line 16 And of that wande shall spryng a floure, Line 17 that shall spryng vp full hight: Line 18 Ther of shall com full swete odowre, Line 19 And therapon shall rest and lyght Line 20 The holy gost, full mych of myght; Line 21 The goost of wysdom and of wyt, Line 22 Shall beyld his nest, with mekyll right, Line 23 And, in it brede and sytt. Line 24

Primus Magister

Bot when trow ye this prophecy Line 25 Shalbe fulfyllyd in dede, Line 26 That here is told so openly, Line 27 As we in scrypture rede? Line 28

Secundus Magister

A greatt meruell for sothe it is, Line 29 To vs to here of sich mastry; Line 30 A madyn to bere a chyld,, Iwys, Line 31 without mans seyde, that were ferly. Line 32

Tercius Magister

The holy gost shall in hyr lyght, Line 33 And kepe hir madynhede full clene; Line 34 whoso may byde to se that sight Line 35 Thay ther not drede, I wene. Line 36

Primus Magister

Of all thise prophetys wyse of lore Line 37 That knew the prophecy, more and les, Line 38 was none that told the tyme before, Line 39 when he shuld, com to by vs peasse. Line 40

Secundus Magister

wheder he be commen or not Line 41 No knowlege haue we in certayn; Line 42 Bot he shall com, that dowt we not; Line 43 ffull prophetys haue prechyd it full playn. Line 44

Tercius Magister

Mekyll I thynk that thise prophetys Line 45 Ar holden to god, that is on hight, Line 46 That haue knowyng of his behetys, Line 47 And for to tell of his mekyll myght. Line 48

Jesus

Masters, luf be with you lent, Line 49 And mensk be vnto this meneyoe! Line 50

Primus Magister

Son, hens away I wold thou went, Line 51 ffor othere haft in hand haue we. Line 52

Secundus Magister

Son, whosoeuer the hyder sent, Line 53 Thay were not wyse, thus tell I the; Line 54 ffor we haue othere tayllys to tent Line 55 Then now with barnes bowrdand to be. Line 56

Tercius Magister

Son, thou lyst oght lere / To lyf by moyses lay; Line 57 Com heder, and thou shall here / The sawes that we wyll say; Line 58 ffor in som mynde it may the bryng Line 59 To here oure sawes red by rawes. Line 60

Jesus

To lere of you nedys me no thyng, Line 61 ffor I knaw both youre dedys & sawes. Line 62

Primus Magister

hark, yonder barn with his bowrdyng! Line 63 he wenys he kens more then he knawys; Line 64 Nay, certys, son, thou art ouer ying Line 65 By clergy yit to know oure lawes. Line 66

Jesus

I wote as well as ye / how that youre lawes was wroght. Line 67

Secundus Magister

Com sytt! soyn shall we se, / ffor certys so semys it noght. Line 68

Tercius Magister

It were wonder if any wyght Line 69 vntill oure resons right shuld reche; Line 70 And thou says thou has in sight Line 71 Oure lawes truly to tell and teche. Line 72

Jesus

The holy gost has on me lyght, Line 73 And anoynt me lyke a leche, Line 74 And gyffen to me powere and myght Line 75 The kyngdom of heuen to preche. Line 76

Secundus Magister

whens euer this barne may be Line 77 That shewys thise novels new? Line 78

Jesus

Certan, syrs, I was or ye, Line 79 And shall be after you. Line 80

Primus Magister

Son, of thi sawes, as we haue ceyll, Line 81 And of thi wytt is wonder thyng; Line 82 Bot neuer the les fully I feyll Line 83 That it may fayll in wyrkyng; Line 84 ffor dauid demys euer ilk deyll, Line 85 And thus he says of chylder ying, Line 86 "[Ex ore infanicium & lactencium, perfecisti laudem."] Of thare mowthes, sayth dauid, wele, Line 87 Oure lord he has perfourmed louyng. Line 88 Neuer the les, son, yit shuld thou lett Line 89 her for to speke in large; Line 90 ffor where masters ar mett, Line 91 Chylder wordys ar not to charge. Line 92 ffor certys, if thou wold neuer so fayn Line 93 Gyf all thi lyst to lere the law, Line 94 Thou art nawther of myght ne mayn Line 95 To know it, as a clerk may knaw. Line 96

Jesus

Syrs, I say you in certan, Line 97 That sothfast shall be all my saw; Line 98 And powere haue I plene and playn, Line 99 To say and answere as me aw. Line 100

Primus Magister

Masters, what may this mene? Line 101 Meruell, methynk, haue I Line 102 where euer this barne has bene Line 103 That carpys thus conandly. Line 104

Secundus Magister

In warld as wyde as we haue went Line 105 ffand we neuer sich ferly fare; Line 106 Certys, I trow the barn be sent Line 107 Sufferanly to salfe oure sare. Line 108

Jesus

Syrs, I shall preue in youre present Line 109 All the sawes that I sayde are. Line 110

Tercius Magister

which callys thou the fyrst commaundement Line 111 And the most, in moyses lare? Line 112

Jesus

Syrs, synthen ye syt on raw, Line 113 And hafe youre bookys on brede, Line 114 let se, syrs, in youre saw Line 115 how right that ye can rede. Line 116

Primus Magister

I rede that this is the fyrst bydyng Line 117 That moyses told, vs here vntyll; Line 118 honoure thi god ouer ilka thyng, Line 119 with all thi wyt and all thi wyll; Line 120 And all thi hart in hym shall hyng, Line 121 Erly and late, both lowde and styll. Line 122

Jesus

ye nede none othere bookys to bryng, Line 123 Bot fownd this to fulfyll; Line 124 The seconde may men profe Line 125 And clergy knaw therby; Line 126 youre neyghburs shall ye lofe Line 127 Right as youre self truly. Line 128 [Thise] commaunded moyses tyll all men Line 129 In his commaundes clere; Line 130 In thise two bydyngys, shall ye ken, Line 131 hyngys all the law we aght to lere. Line 132 who so fulfylles thise two then Line 133 with mayn and mode and good manere, Line 134 he fulfyllys truly all ten Line 135 That after thaym folows in fere. Line 136 Then shuld we god honowre Line 137 with all oure myght and mayn, Line 138 And luf well ilk neghboure Line 139 Right as oure self certayn. Line 140

Primus Magister

Now, son, synthen thou has told vs two, Line 141 which ar the aght, can thou oght say? Line 142

Jesus

The thyrd bydys, "[where so ye go, Line 143 That ye shall halow the holy day; Line 144

Line 144 ffrom bodely wark ye take youre rest; Line 145 youre household, looke the same thay do, Line 146 Both wyfe, chyld, seruande, and beest."] Line 147 The fourt is then in weyll and wo Line 148 "[Thi fader, thi moder, thou shall honowre, Line 149 Not only with thi reuerence, Line 150 Bot in thare nede thou thaym socoure, Line 151 And kepe ay good obedyence."] Line 152 The fyft bydys the "[no man slo, Line 153 Ne harme hym neuer in word ne dede, Line 154 Ne suffre hym not to be in wo Line 155 If thou may help hym in his nede."] Line 156 The sext bydys the "[thi wyfe to take, Line 157 Bot none othere lawfully; Line 158 lust of lechery thou fle and fast forsake, Line 159 And drede ay god where so thou be."] Line 160 The seuen bydys the "[be no thefe feyr, Line 161 Ne nothyng wyn with trechery; Line 162 Oker, ne symony, thou com not nere, Line 163 Bot conscyence clere ay kepe truly."] Line 164 The aght byddys the "[be true in dede, Line 165 And fals wytnes looke thou none bere; Line 166 looke thou not ly for freynd ne syb, Line 167 lest to thi saull that it do dere."] Line 168 The neyn byddys the "[not desyre Line 169 Thi neghburs wyfe ne his women, Line 170 Bot as holy kyrk wold it were, Line 171 Right so thi purpose sett it in."] Line 172 The ten byddys the "[for nothyng Line 173 Thi neghburs goodys yerne wrongwysly; Line 174 his house, his rent, ne his hafyng, Line 175 And crysten fayth trow stedfastly."] Line 176

Line 176 Thus in tabyls, shall ye ken, Line 177 Oure lord to moyses wrate; Line 178 Thise ar the commaundmentys ten, Line 179 who so will lely layt. Line 180

Secundus Magister

Behald how he lege oure lawes, Line 181 And leryd neuer on booke to rede! Line 182 ffull sotell sawes, me thynk, he says, Line 183 And also true, if we take hede. Line 184

Tercius Magister

yei, lett hym furth on his wayes, Line 185 ffor if he dwell, withoutten drede Line 186 The pepyll will ful soyn hym prayse Line 187 well more then vs, for all oure dede. Line 188

Primus Magister

Nay, nay, then wyrk we wrang! Line 189 sich spekyng will we spare; Line 190 As he cam let hym gang, Line 191 And mefe vs, not no mare. Line 192

Mary

A, dere Ioseph! what is youre red? Line 193 Of oure greatt bayll no boytt may be; Line 194 My hart is heuy as any lede, Line 195 My semely son to I hym se. Line 196 Now haue we soght in euery sted, Line 197 Both vp and downe, thise dayes thre; Line 198 And wheder he be whik or dede Line 199 yit wote we not; so wo is me! Line 200

Joseph

Sorow had neuer man mare! Line 201 Bot mowr[n]yng, mary, may not amend; Line 202 ffarther do I red we fare, Line 203 To god some socoure send. Line 204 Abowtt the tempyll if he be oght, Line 205 That wold I that we wyst this nyght. Line 206

Mary

A, certys, I se that we have soght! Line 207 In warld was neuer so semely a sight; Line 208

Line 208 lo, where he syttys! se ye hym noght Line 209 Amangys yond masters mekyll of myght? Line 210

Joseph

Blyssyd be he vs heder broght! Line 211 In land now lyfys there none so light. Line 212

Mary

Now dere Ioseph, as haue ye seyll, Line 213 Go furth and fetche youre son and myne; Line 214 This day is goyn nere ilka deyll, Line 215 And we haue nede for to go hien. Line 216

Joseph

with men of myght can I not mell, Line 217 Then all my trauell mon I tyne; Line 218 I can not with thaym, that wote ye well, Line 219 Thay are so gay in furrys fyne. Line 220

Mary

To thaym youre erand, forto say, Line 221 Surely that thar ye drede no deyll! Line 222 Thay will take hede to you alway Line 223 Be cause of eld,, this wote I weyll. Line 224

Joseph

when I com ther what shall I say? Line 225 ffor I wote not, as haue I ceyll; Line 226 Bot thou will haue me shamyd for ay, Line 227 ffor I can nawthere crowke ne knele. Line 228

Mary

Go we togeder, I hold, it best, Line 229 Vnto yond worthy wyghtys in wede; Line 230 And if I se, as haue I rest, Line 231 That ye will not, then must I nede. Line 232

Joseph

Go thou and tell thi tayll fyrst, Line 233 Thi son to se will take good hede; Line 234 weynd furth, mary, and do thi best, Line 235 I com behynd, as god me spede. Line 236

Mary

A, dere son, Ihesus! Line 237 sythen we luf the alone, Line 238 whi dos thou tyll vs thus, Line 239 And gars vs make this mone? Line 240 Thi fader and I betwix vs two, Line 241 Son, for thi luf has lykyd yll, Line 242

Line 242 we haue the soght both to and fro Line 243 wepeand sore, as wyghtis wyll. Line 244

Jesus

wherto shuld ye, moder, seke me so? Line 245 Oft tymes it has bene told, ye tyll Line 246 My fader warkys, for wele or wo, Line 247 Thus am I sent for to fulfyll. Line 248 Thise sawes, as haue I ceyll, Line 249 I can well vnderstonde, Line 250 I shall thynk on them weyll Line 251 To fownd what is folowand. Line 252

Joseph

Now sothly, son, the sight of the Line 253 has comforthed vs of all oure care; Line 254 Com furth, now, with thi moder and me! Line 255 At nazareth I wold we ware. Line 256

Jesus

Be leyf then, ye lordyngys fre! Line 257 ffor with my freyndys now wyll I fare. Line 258

Primus Magister

Son, where so thou shall abyde or be Line 259 God make the good man euer mare. Line 260

Secundus Magister

No wonder if thou, wife, Line 261 Of his fyndyng be fayn; Line 262 he shall, if he haue lyfe, Line 263 prefe to a full good swayn. Line 264

Tercius Magister

Son, looke thou layn, for good or yll, Line 265 The noyttys that we haue nevened now; Line 266 And if thou lyke to abyde here styll, Line 267 And with vs won, welcom art thou. Line 268

Jesus

Gramercy, syrs, of youre good wyll! Line 269 No longer lyst I byde with you, Line 270 My freyndys thoght I shall fulfyll, Line 271 And to thare bydyng baynly bow. Line 272

Mary

ffull well is me this tyde, Line 273 Now may we make good chere. Line 274

Joseph

No longer wyll we byde; Line 275 ffar well all folk in fere. Line 276