The York plays

Play 14

Joseph

All-weldand God in trinité, Line 1 I praye the lord, for thy grete myght, Vnto thy symple seruand see, Here in this place wher we are pight, Oureself allone. Lord, graunte vs gode herberow this nyght Within this wone. For we haue sought bothe vppe and doune Thurgh diuerse stretis in this cité. So mekill pepull is comen to towne THat we can nowhare herbered be, THere is slike prees; Forsuthe I can no socoure see, But belde vs with there bestes. And yf we here all nyght abide We schall be stormed in this steede, THe walles are doune on ilke a side, THe ruffe is rayued aboven oure hede, Als haue I roo; Say Marie, doughtir, what is thy rede, How sall we doo? For in grete nede nowe are we stedde As thou thyselffe the soth may see, For here is nowthir cloth ne bedde, And we are weyke and all werie And fayne wolde rest. Now gracious God, for thy mercie, Wisse vs the best.

Mary

God will vs wisse, full wele witt yoe, Line 29 THerfore Joseph be of gud chere, For in this place borne will he be THat sall vs saue fro sorowes sere, Bothe even and morne. Sir, witte yoe wele the tyme is nere He will be borne.

Joseph

THan behoves vs bide here stille, Line 36 Here in this same place all this nyght.

Mary

YOa sir, forsuth it is Goddis will. Line 38

Joseph

THan wolde I fayne we had sum light, Line 39 What so befall. It waxis right myrke vnto my sight, And colde withall. I will go gete vs light forthy, And fewell fande with me to bryng.

Mary

All-weldand God yow gouerne and gy, Line 45 As he is sufferayne of all thyng For his grete myght, And lende me grace to his louyng THat I me dight. Nowe in my sawle grete joie haue I, I am all cladde in comforte clere, Now will be borne of my body Both God and man togedir in feere, Blist mott he be. Jesu my sone that is so dere, Nowe borne is he. Hayle my lord God, hayle prince of pees, Hayle my fadir, and hayle my sone; Hayle souereyne sege all synnes to sesse, Hayle God and man in erth to wonne. Hayle, thurgh whos myht All this worlde was first begonne, Merknes and light. Sone, as I am sympill sugett of thyne, Vowchesaffe, swete sone I pray the, That I myght the take in the armys of myne And in this poure wede to arraie the. Graunte me thi blisse, As I am thy modir chosen to be In sothfastnesse.

Joseph

A, lorde God what the wedir is colde, Line 71 THe fellest freese that euere I felyd. I pray God helpe tham that is alde And namely tham that is vnwelde, So may I saie. Now gud God thou be my bilde As thou best may.

A, lord God, what light is this THat comes shynyng thus sodenly? I can not saie als haue I blisse. When I come home vnto Marie THan sall I spirre. A, here be God, for nowe come I.

Mary

YOe ar welcum sirre. Line 84

Joseph

Say Marie, doghtir, what chere with the? Line 85

Mary

Right goode Joseph, as has ben ay. Line 86

Joseph

O Marie, what swete thyng is that on thy kne? Line 87

Mary

It is my sone, the soth to saye, Line 88 THat is so gud.

Joseph

Wele is me I bade this day Line 90 To se this foode. Me merueles mekill of this light THat thus-gates shynes in this place, Forsuth it is a selcouth sight.

Mary

THis hase he ordand of his grace, Line 95 My sone so yoing, A starne to be schynyng a space At his bering. For Balam tolde ful longe beforne How that a sterne shulde rise full hye, And of a maiden shulde be borne A sonne that sall oure saffyng be Fro caris kene. Forsuth it is my sone so free Be whame Balam gon meene.

Joseph

Nowe welcome, floure fairest of hewe, Line 106 I shall the menske with mayne and myght. Hayle my maker, hayle Crist Jesu, Hayle riall kyng, roote of all right, Hayle saueour. Hayle my lorde, lemer of light, Hayle blessid floure.

Mary

Nowe lord that all this worlde schall wynne, Line 113 To the my sone is that I saye, Here is no bedde to laye the inne, THerfore my dere sone I the praye, Sen it is soo, Here in this cribbe I myght the lay Betwene ther bestis two.

And I sall happe the, myn owne dere childe, With such clothes as we haue here.

Joseph

O Marie, beholde thes beestis mylde, Line 122 They make louyng in ther manere As thei wer men. Forsothe it semes wele be ther chere THare lord thei ken.

Mary

Ther lorde thai kenne, that wate I wele, Line 127 They worshippe hym with myght and mayne; The wedir is colde as ye may feele, To halde hym warme thei are full fayne With thare warme breth, And oondis on hym, is noght to layne, To warme hym with. O, nowe slepis my sone, blist mot he be, And lyes full warme ther bestis bytwene.

Joseph

O, nowe is fulfillid, forsuth I see, Line 136 THat Abacuc in mynde gon mene And prechid by prophicie. He saide oure sauyoure shall be sene Betwene bestis lye, And nowe I see the same in sight.

Mary

YOa sir, forsuth the same is he. Line 142

Joseph

Honnoure and worshippe both day and nyght, Line 143 Ay-lastand lorde, be done to the Allway, as is worthy; And lord, to thy seruice I oblissh me With all myn herte, holy.

Mary

THou mercyfull maker, most myghty, Line 148 My God, my lorde, my sone so free, Thy handemayden forsoth am I, And to thi seruice I oblissh me, With all myn herte entere. Thy blissing, beseke I thee, THou graunte vs all in feere.