The York plays

Play 13

Joseph

Of grete mornyng may I me mene Line 1 And walke full werily be this way, For nowe than wende I best hafe bene Att ease and reste by reasoune ay. For I am of grete elde, Wayke and al vnwelde, Als ilke man se it maye; I may nowder buske ne belde But owther in frithe or felde; For shame what sall I saie, That thus-gates nowe on myne alde dase Has wedded a yonge wenche to my wiff, And may noyot wele tryne over two strase? Nowe lorde, how lange sall I lede this liff? My banes er heuy als lede And may noyot stande in stede, Als kende it is full ryfe. Now lorde, thou me wisse and rede Or sone me dryue to dede, THou may best stynte this striffe. For bittirly than may I banne The way I in the temple wente,

Itt was to me a bad barganne, For reuthe I may it ay repente. For tharein was ordande Vnwedded men sulde stande, Al sembled at asent, And ilke ane a drye wande On heght helde in his hand, And I ne wist what it ment. In-mange al othir ane bare I; Itt florisshed faire, and floures on sprede, And thay saide to me forthy THat with a wiffe I sulde be wedde. THe bargayne I made thare, THat rewes me nowe full sare, So am I straytely sted. Now castes itt me in care, For wele I myght eueremare Anlepy life haue led. Hir werkis me wyrkis my wonges to wete; I am begiled-how, wate I noyot. My yoonge wiffe is with childe full grete, THat makes me nowe sorowe vnsoght. THat reproffe nere has slayne me, Forthy giff any man frayne me How this thing miyot be wroght, To gabbe yf I wolde payne me, THe lawe standis harde agayne me: To dede I mon be broght. And lathe methinketh, on the todir syde, My wiff with any man to defame, And whethir of there twa that I bide I mon noyot scape withouten schame. THe childe certis is noght myne; THat reproffe dose me pyne And gars me fle fra hame. My liff gif I shuld tyne, Sho is a clene virgine For me, withouten blame. But wele I wate thurgh prophicie A maiden clene suld bere a childe, But it is nought sho, sekirly, Forthy I wate I am begiled.

And why ne walde som yonge man ta her? For certis I thynke ouer-ga hir Into som wodes wilde, Thus thynke I to stele fra hir. God childe ther wilde bestes sla hir, She is so meke and mylde. Of my wendyng wil I none warne, Neuere the lees it is myne entente To aske hir who gate hir that barne, YOitt wolde I witte fayne or I wente. All hayle, God be hereinne.

Puella 1

Welcome, by Goddis dere myght. Line 76

Joseph

Whare is that yoonge virgine Line 77 Marie, my berde so bright?

Puella 1

Certis Joseph, yoe sall vndirstande Line 79 THat sho is not full farre you fra, Sho sittis at hir boke full faste prayand For yoou and vs, and for all tha THat oght has nede. But for to telle hir will I ga Of youre comyng, withouten drede. Haue done and rise vppe, dame, And to me take gud hede- Joseph, he is comen hame.

Mary

Welcome, als God me spede. Line 89 Dredles to me he is full dere; Joseph my spouse, welcome er yhe.

Joseph

Gramercy Marie, saie what chere, Line 92 Telle me the soth, how est with the? Wha has ben there? Thy wombe is waxen grete, thynke me, THou arte with barne, allas for care. A, maidens, wa worthe yoou, THat lete hir lere swilke lare.

Puella 2

Joseph, yoe sall noyot trowe Line 99 In hir no febill fare.

Joseph

Trowe it noght arme? Lefe wenche, do way! Line 101 Hir sidis shewes she is with childe. Whose ist Marie?

Mary

Sir, Goddis and youres. Line 103

Joseph

Nay, nay, Line 103

Line 103 Now wate I wele I am begiled, And reasoune why? With me flesshely was thou neuere fylid, And I forsake it here forthy. Say maidens, how es this? Tels me the sothe, rede I; And but yoe do, iwisse, THe bargayne sall yoe aby.

Puella 2

If yoe threte als faste as yhe can Line 112 THare is noght to saie theretill, For trulye her come neuer no man To waite the body with non ill Of this swete wight, For we haue dwelt ay with hir still And was neuere fro hir day nor nyght. Hir kepars haue we bene And sho ay in oure sight, Come here no man bytwene To touche that berde so bright.

Puella 1

Na, here come no man in there wanes Line 123 And that euere witnesse will we, Saue an aungell ilke a day anes With bodily foode hir fedde has he, Othir come nane. Wharfore we ne wate how it shulde be But thurgh the haly gaste allane. For trewly we trowe this, Is grace with hir is gane, For sho wroght neuere no mys, We witnesse euere ilkane.

Joseph

THanne se I wele youre menyng is Line 134 THe aungell has made hir with childe. Nay, som man in aungellis liknesse With somkyn gawde has hir begiled, And that trow I. Forthy nedes noght swilke wordis wilde At carpe to me dissayuandly. We, why gab ye me swa And feynes swilk fantassy? Allas, me is full wa, For dule why ne myght I dy.

To me this is a carefull cas; Rekkeles I raffe, refte is my rede. I dare loke no man in the face, Derfely for dole why ne were I dede; Me lathis my liff. In temple and in othir stede Ilke man till hethyng will me dryff. Was neuer wight sa wa, For ruthe I all to-ryff; Allas, why wroght thou swa Marie, my weddid wiffe?

Mary

To my witnesse grete God I call, Line 156 THat in mynde wroght neuere na mysse.

Joseph

Whose is the childe thou arte withall? Line 158

Mary

Youres sir, and the kyngis of blisse. Line 159

Joseph

Ye, and hoo than? Line 160 Na, selcouthe tythandis than is this, Excuse tham wele there women can. But Marie, all that sese the May witte thi werkis ere wan, Thy wombe allway it wreyes the THat thou has mette with man. Whose is it, als faire mot the befall?

Mary

Sir, it is youres and Goddis will. Line 168

Joseph

Nay, I ne haue noght ado withall- Line 169 Neme it na more to me, be still! THou wate als wele as I, THat we two same flesshly Wroght neuer swilk werkis with ill. Loke thou dide no folye Before me preuely Thy faire maydenhede to spill. But who is the fader? Telle me his name.

Mary

None but youreselfe. Line 178

Joseph

Late be, for shame. Line 178 I did it neuere; thou dotist dame, by bukes and belles! Full sakles shulde I bere this blame aftir thou telles, For I wroght neuere in worde nor dede Thyng that shulde marre thy maydenhede, To touche me till. For of slyk note war litill nede, Yhitt for myn awne I wolde it fede, Might all be still;

THarfore the fadir tell me, Marie.

Mary

But God and yhow, I knawe right nane. Line 188

Joseph

A, slike sawes mase me full sarye, Line 189 With grete mornyng to make my mane. Therefore be noyot so balde, THat no slike tales be talde, But halde the stille als stane. THou art yonge and I am alde, Slike werkis yf I do walde, THase games fra me are gane. Therfore, telle me in priuité, Whos is the childe thou is with nowe? Sertis, ther sall non witte but we, I drede the law als wele as thou.

Mary

Nowe grete God of his myght Line 201 THat all may dresse and dight, Mekely to the I bowe. Rewe on this wery wight, THat in his herte myght light THe soth to ken and trowe.

Joseph

Who had thy maydenhede Marie? Has thou oght mynde? Line 207

Mary

Forsuth, I am a mayden clene. Line 208

Joseph

Nay, thou spekis now agayne kynde, Line 209 Slike thing myght neuere na man of mene. A maiden to be with childe? THase werkis fra the ar wilde, Sho is not borne I wene.

Mary

Joseph, yhe ar begiled, Line 214 With synne was I neuer filid, Goddis sande is on me sene.

Joseph

Goddis sande? Yha Marie, God helpe! Line 217 Bot certis that childe was neuere oures twa. But woman-kynde gif tham list yhelpe, Yhitt walde thei na man wiste ther wa.

Mary

Sertis it is Goddis sande Line 221 [... ...] Line 221 THat sall I neuer ga fra.

Joseph

Yha, Marie, drawe thyn hande, Line 223 For forther yoitt will I fande, I trowe not it be swa.

THe soth fra me gif that thou layne, THe childe-bering may thou noyot hyde; But sitte stille here tille I come agayne, Me bus an erand here beside.

Mary

Now grete God he you wisse, Line 230 And mende you of your mysse Of me, what so betyde. Als he is kyng of blisse, Sende yhou som seand of this, In truth that ye might bide.

Joseph

Nowe lord God that al thing may Line 236 At thyne awne will bothe do and dresse, Wisse me now som redy way To walke here in this wildirnesse. Bot or I passe this hill, Do with me what God will, Owther more or lesse, Here bus me bide full stille Till I haue slepid my fille, Myn hert so heuy it is.

Angel

Waken, Joseph, and take bettir kepe Line 246 To Marie, that is thi felawe fest.

Joseph

A, I am full werie, lefe, late me slepe, Line 248 Forwandered and walked in this forest.

Angel

Rise vppe, and slepe na mare, Line 250 THou makist her herte full sare THat loues the alther best.

Joseph

We, now es this a farly fare Line 253 For to be cached bathe here and thare, And nowhere may haue rest. Say, what arte thou? Telle me this thyng.

Angel

I, Gabriell, Goddis aungell full euen Line 257 THat has tane Marie to my kepyng, And sente es the to say with steuen In lele wedlak thou lede the. Leffe hir noyot, I forbid the, Na syn of hir thou neuen, But tille hir fast thou spede the And of hir noght thou drede the, It is Goddis sande of heuen. The childe that sall be borne of her, Itt is consayued of the haly gast.

Alle joie and blisse than sall be aftir, And to al mankynde nowe althir mast. Jesus his name thou calle, For slike happe sall hym fall Als thou sall se in haste. His pepull saffe he sall Of euyllis and angris all, THat thei ar nowe enbraste.

Joseph

And is this soth, aungell, thou saise? Line 276

Angel

Yha, and this to taken right: Line 277 Wende forthe to Marie thy wiffe alwayse, Brynge hir to Bedlem this ilke nyght. Ther sall a childe borne be, Goddis sone of heuen is hee And man ay mast of myght.

Joseph

Now lorde God full wele is me Line 283 That euyr that I this sight suld see, I was neuer ar so light. For for I walde haue hir thus refused, And sakles blame that ay was clere, Me bus pray hir halde me excused, Als som men dose with full gud chere. Saie Marie, wiffe, how fares thou?

Mary

THe bettir sir, for yhou. Line 291 Why stande yhe thare? Come nere.

Joseph

My bakke fayne wolde I bowe Line 293 And aske forgifnesse nowe, Wiste I thou wolde me here.

Mary

Forgiffnesse sir? Late be, for shame, Line 296 Slike wordis suld all gud women lakke.

Joseph

Yha, Marie, I am to blame Line 298 For wordis lang-are I to the spak. But gadir same nowe all oure gere, Slike poure wede as we were, And prike tham in a pak. Till Bedlem bus me it bere, For litill thyng will women dere; Helpe vp nowe on my bak.