The Towneley plays

Abraham

Abraham

Adonay, thou god veray, Line 1 Thou here vs when we to the call, Line 2 As thou art he that best may, Line 3 Thou art most socoure and help of all; Line 4 Mightfull lord! to the I pray, Line 5 Let onys the oyle of mercy fall, Line 6 Shall I neuer abide that day, Line 7 Truly yit I hope I shall. Line 8 Mercy, lord omnipotent! Line 9 long syn he this warld has wroght; Line 10 Wheder ar all oure elders went? Line 11 This musys mekill in my thoght. Line 12 ffrom adam, vnto eue assent, Line 13 Ete of that appyll sparid he noght, Line 14 ffor all the wisdom that he ment Line 15 ffull dere that bargan has he boght, Line 16 ffrom paradise thai bad hym gang; Line 17 He went mowrnyng with symple chere, Line 18 And after liffyd he here full lang, Line 19 More then thre hundreth yere, Line 20

Line 20 In sorow and in trauell strang, Line 21 And euery day he was in were; Line 22 his childre angred, hym amang; Line 23 Caym slo abell, was hym full dere. Line 24 Sithen Noe, that was trew and good, Line 25 his and his chyldre thre, Line 26 was saued when all was flood: Line 27 That was a wonder thyng to se. Line 28 And loth fro sodome when he yode, Line 29 Thre cytees brent, yit eschapyd, he; Line 30 Thus, for thai menged my lordis mode, Line 31 he vengid syn thrugh his pauste`. Line 32 when I thynk of oure elders all, Line 33 And of the mervels that has been, Line 34 No gladnes in my hart may fall, Line 35 M[y] comfort goys away full cleyn. Line 36 lord, when shall dede make me his thrall? Line 37 An hundreth yeris, certis, haue I seyn; Line 38 Ma fa! sone I hope he shall, Line 39 ffor it were right hie tyme I weyn. Line 40 Yit adam is to hell gone, Line 41 And ther has ligen many a day, Line 42 And all oure elders, euerychon, Line 43 Thay ar gone the same way, Line 44 Vnto god will here thare mone; Line 45 Now help, lord,, adonay! Line 46 ffor, certis, I can no better wone, Line 47 And ther is none that better may. Line 48

God

I will help adam and his kynde, Line 49 Might I luf and lewte fynd; Line 50 Wold thay to me be trew, and blyn Line 51 Of thare pride and of thare syn: Line 52 My seruand I will found & frast, Line 53 Abraham, if he be trast; Line 54

Line 54 On certan wise I will hym proue, Line 55 If he to me be trew of louf. Line 56 Abraham! Abraham! Line 57

Abraham

Who is that? war! let me se! Line 58 I herd oone neven my name. Line 59

God

It is I, take tent to me, Line 60 That fourmed thi fader adam, Line 61 And euery thyng in it degre. Line 62

Abraham

To here thi will, redy I am, Line 63 And to fulfill, what euer it be. Line 64

God

Of mercy haue I herd thi cry, Line 65 Thi devoute prayers haue me bun; Line 66 If thou me luf, look that thou hy Line 67 Vnto the land of Visyon; Line 68 And the thryd day be ther, bid, I, Line 69 And take with the, Isaac, thi son, Line 70 As a beest to sacryfy, Line 71 To slo hym look thou not shon, Line 72 And bren hym ther to thyn offerand. Line 73

Abraham

A, lovyd be thou, lord in throne! Line 74 hold ouer me, lord, thy holy hand, Line 75 ffor certis thi bidyng shall be done. Line 76 Blissyd be that lord in euery land Line 77 wold viset his seruand thus so soyn. Line 78 ffayn wold I this thyng ordand, Line 79 ffor it profettis noght to hoyne; Line 80 This commaundement must I nedis fulfill, Line 81 If that my hert wax hevy as leyde; Line 82 Shuld I offend my lordis will? Line 83 Nay, yit were I leyffer my child were dede. Line 84 What so he biddis me, good or ill, Line 85 That shall be done in euery steede; Line 86 Both wife and child,, if he bid spill; Line 87 I wille not do agans his rede. Line 88

Line 88 wist Isaac, wher so he were, Line 89 he wold be abast now, Line 90 how that he is in dangere. Line 91 Isaac, son, wher art thou? Line 92

Isaac

All redy, fader, Lo me here; Line 93 Now was I commyng vnto you; Line 94 I luf you mekill, fader dere. Line 95

Abraham

And dos thou so? I wold wit how Line 96 lufis thou me, son, as thou has saide. Line 97

Isaac

Yei, fader, with all myn hart, Line 98 More then all that euer was maide; Line 99 God hold, me long youre life in quart! Line 100

Abraham

Now, who would not be glad that had Line 101 A child so lufand as thou art? Line 102 Thi lufly chere makis my hert glad, Line 103 And many a tyme so has it gart. Line 104 Go home, son; com sone agane, Line 105 And tell thi moder I com ful fast; Line 106 So now god the saif and sayne! Line 107 Now well is me that he is past! Line 108 Alone, right here in this playn, Line 109 Might I speke to myn hart brast, Line 110 I wold, that all were well ful fayn, Line 111 Bot it must nedis be done at last; Line 112 And it is good that I be war, Line 113 To be avised full good it were. Line 114 The land of vision is ful far, Line 115 The thrid day end must I be there; Line 116 Myn ase shall with vs, if it thar, Line 117 To bere oure harnes les & more, Line 118 ffor my son may be slayn no nar; Line 119 A swerd must with vs yit therfore, Line 120

Line 120 And I shall found, to make me yare; Line 121 This nyght will I begyn my way, Line 122 THof Isaac be neuer so fayre, Line 123 And myn awn son, the soth to say, Line 124 And, thof he be myn right haire, Line 125 And all shuld, weld, after my day, Line 126 Godis bydyng shall I not spare; Line 127 shuld I that ganstand,? we, nay, ma fay! Line 128 Isaac! Line 129

Isaac

-sir!

Abraham

-luke thou be bowne; ffor certan, son, thi self and I, Line 130 we two must now weynd, furth of towne, Line 131 In far country to sacrifie, Line 132 ffor certan skyllys and encheson. Line 133 Take wod and fyere with the, in hy; Line 134 Bi hillys and, dayllys, both vp & downe, Line 135 son, thou shal ride and, I will go bi. Line 136 looke thou mys noght that thou shuld, nede; Line 137 Do make the redy, my darlyng! Line 138

Isaac

I am redy to do this dede, Line 139 And euer to fulfill youre bydyng. Line 140

Abraham

My dere son, look thou haue no drede, Line 141 We shal com home with grete lovyng; Line 142 Both to & fro I shal vs lede; Line 143 Com now, son, in my blyssyng. Line 144 Ye two here with this asse abide, Line 145 ffor Isaac & I will to yond hill; Line 146 It is so hie we may not ride, Line 147 therfor ye two shal abide here still. Line 148

Primus Puer

sir, ye ow not to be denyed,: Line 149 we ar redy youre bydyng to fulfill. Line 150

Secundus Puer

What so euer to vs betide Line 151 To do youre bidyng ay we will. Line 152

Abraham

Godis blyssyng haue ye both in fere; Line 153 I shall not tary long you fro. Line 154

Primus Puer

Sir, we shal abide you here, Line 155 Oute of this stede shall we not go. Line 156

Abraham

Childre, ye ar ay to me full dere, Line 157 I pray god kepe [you] euer fro wo. Line 158

Secundus Puer

we will do, sir, as ye vs lere. Line 159

Abraham

Isaac, now ar we bot we two, Line 160 we must go a full good paase, Line 161 ffor it is farther than I wend,; Line 162 we shall make myrth & grete solace, Line 163 Bi this thyng be broght to end,. Line 164 lo, my son, here is the place. Line 165

Isaac

wod and fyere ar in my hend; Line 166 Tell me now, if ye haue space, Line 167 where is the beest that shuld, be brend? Line 168

Abraham

Now, son, I may no longer layn. Line 169 sich will is into myne hart went; Line 170 Thou was euer to me full bayn Line 171 Euer to fulfill myn entent. Line 172 Bot certanly thou must be slayn, Line 173 And it may be as I haue ment. Line 174

Isaac

I am hevy and nothyng fayn, Line 175 Thus hastely that shall be shent. Line 176

Abraham

Isaac! Line 177

Isaac

sir?

Abraham

Com heder, bid I; Thou shal be dede what so euer betide. Line 178

Isaac

A, fader, mercy! mercy! Line 179

Abraham

That I say may not be denyde; Line 180 Take thi dede therfor mekely. Line 181

Isaac

A, good sir, abide; Line 182 ffader! Line 183

Abraham

What son?

Isaac

to do youre will I am redy, where so euer ye go or ride, Line 184

Line 184 If I may oght ouertake youre will, Line 185 syn I haue trepa[s]t I wold be bet. Line 186

Abraham

Isaac! Line 187

Isaac

What, sir?

Abraham

good son, be still.

Isaac

ffader! Line 188

Abraham

what, son!

Isaac

think on thi get! what haue I done? Line 189

Abraham

truly, none ill.

Isaac

And shall be slayn? Line 190

Abraham

so haue I het.

Isaac

sir, what may help? Line 191

Abraham

certis, no skill.

Isaac

I ask mercy. Line 192

Abraham

that may not let.

Isaac

when I am dede, and closed, in clay, Line 193 who shall then be youre son? Line 194

Abraham

A, lord, that I shuld abide this day! Line 195

Isaac

sir, who shall do that I was won? Line 196

Abraham

speke no sich wordis, son, I the pray. Line 197

Isaac

shall ye me slo? Line 198

Abraham

I trow I mon; lyg still! I smyte! Line 199

Isaac

sir, let me say.

Abraham

Now, my dere child,, thou may not shon. Line 200

Isaac

The shynyng of youre bright blayde Line 201 It gars me quake for ferde to dee. Line 202

Abraham

Therfor groflyngis thou shall be layde, Line 203 Then when I stryke thou shal not se. Line 204

Isaac

What haue I done, fader, what haue I saide? Line 205

Abraham

Truly, no kyns ill to me. Line 206

Isaac

And thus gyltles shall be arayde. Line 207

Abraham

Now, good son, let sich wordis be. Line 208

Isaac

I luf you ay. Line 209

Abraham

so do I the.

Isaac

ffader! Line 210

Abraham

what, son?

Isaac

let now be seyn. ffor my moder luf. Line 211

Abraham

let be, let be! It will not help that thou wold, meyn; Line 212 Bot ly styll till I com to the, Line 213 I mys a lytyll thyng, I weyn. Line 214 he spekis so rufully to me Line 215 That water shotis in both myn eeyn, Line 216 I were leuer than all wardly wyn, Line 217 That I had fon hym onys vnkynde, Line 218 Bot no defawt I faund, hym in: Line 219 I wold be dede for hym, or pynde; Line 220 To slo hym thus, I thynk grete syn, Line 221 So rufull wordis I with hym fynd; Line 222 I am full wo that we shuld, twyn, Line 223 ffor he will neuer oute of my mynd. Line 224 What shal I to his moder say? Line 225 ffor "[where is he,"] tyte will she spyr; Line 226 If I tell hir, "[ron away,"] Line 227 hir answere bese belife-"[nay, sir!"] Line 228 And I am ferd, hir for to slay; Line 229 I ne wote what I shal say till hir. Line 230 he lyys full still ther as he lay, Line 231 ffor to I com, dar he not styr. Line 232

God

Angell, hy with all thi mayn! Line 233 To abraham thou shall be sent; Line 234 say, Isaac shall not be slayn; Line 235 he shall lif, and not be brent. Line 236 My bydyng standis he not agane, Line 237 Go, put hym out of his intent; Line 238 Byd, hym go home agane, Line 239 I know well how he ment. Line 240

Angel

Gladly, Lord, I am redy: Line 241 thi bidyng shall be magnyfyed; Line 242 I shall me spede ful hastely, Line 243 the to obeye at euery tyde; Line 244 Thi will, Thi name, to glorifye, Line 245 Ouer all this warld so wide; Line 246 And to thi seruand now in hy, Line 247 good, trew, abraham, will I glyde. Line 248

Abraham

Bot myght I yit of wepyng sese, Line 249 till I had done this sacrifice; Line 250 It must nedis be, withoutten lesse, Line 251 thof all I carpe on this kyn wise, Line 252 The more my sorow it will incres; Line 253 when I look to hym, I gryse; Line 254 I will ryn on a res, Line 255 And slo hym here, right as he lyse. Line 256

Angel

Abraham! Abraham! Line 257

Abraham

Who is ther now? War! let the go. Line 258

Angel

stand vp, now, stand; Thi good will com I to alow, Line 259 Therfor I byd the hold thi hand. Line 260

Abraham

say, who bad, so? any bot thou? Line 261

Angel

Yei, god; & sendis this beest to thyn offerand,. Line 262

Abraham

I speke with god latter, I trow, Line 263 And doyng he me commaund. Line 264

Angel

He has persauyd thy mekenes Line 265 And thi good will also, Iwis; Line 266 he will thou do thi son no distres, Line 267 ffor he has graunt to the his blys. Line 268

Abraham

Bot wote thou well that it is Line 269 As thou has sayd? Line 270

Angel

I say the yis.

Abraham

I thank the, lord,, well of goodnes, Line 271 That all thus has relest me this; Line 272

Line 272 To speke with the haue I no space, Line 273 with my dere son till I haue spokyn. Line 274 My good son, thou shal haue grace, Line 275 On the now will I not be wrokyn; Line 276 Ryse vp now, with thi frely face. Line 277

Isaac

sir, shall I lif? Line 278

Abraham

yei, this to tokyn. son thou has skapid a full hard, grace, Line 279 Thou shuld, haue beyn both brent & brokyn. Line 280

Isaac

Bot, fader, shall I not be slayn? Line 281

Abraham

No, certis, son. Line 282

Isaac

then am I glad,; Good sir, put vp youre sword agayn. Line 283

Abraham

Nay hardely, son, be thou not adrad,. Line 284

Isaac

Is all for geyn? Line 285

Abraham

yei, son, certan.

Isaac

ffor ferd,, sir, was I nere-hand, mad,. Line 286