N-Town Cycle, Play 8

[Joachim and Anna and the Conception of Mary]

  1  CONTEMPLACIO. Cryst conserve țis congregacyon
  2  Fro pereilys past, present, and future,
  3  And țe personys here pleand, țat țe pronunciacyon
  4  Of here sentens to be seyd mote be sad and sure;
  5  And țat non oblocucyon make țis matere obscure,
  6  But it may profite and plese eche persone present
  7  From be gynnynge to be endynge so to endure,
  8  țat Cryst and every creature with țe conceyte be content.

  9  This matere here mad is of țe Modyr of Mercy:
 10  How be joachym and Anne was here concepcyon
 11  Sythe offred into țe temple, compiled breffly;
 12  Than maryed to Joseph; and so, folwyng, țe Salutacyon,
 13  Metyng with Elyzabeth, and țerwith a conclusyon,
 14  In fewe wurdys talkyd, țat it xulde nat be tedyous
 15  To lernyd nyn to lewd, nyn to no man of reson.
 16  țis is țe processe, now preserve 3ow Jesus.

 17  țerfore of pes I 3ow pray, all țat ben here present,
 18  And tak hed to oure talkyn[g], what we xal say.
 19  I beteche 3ow țat Lorde țat is evyr omnypotent
 20  To governe 3ow in goodnes, as he best may.
 21  In hevyn we may hym se.
 22  Now God țat is Hevyn Kynge
 23  Sende us all hese dere blyssynge,
 24  And to his towre he mote vs brynge.
 25  Amen for charyté.

 26  YSAKAR The prestys of God offre sote ensens
 27  Vnto here God, and țerfore they be holy.
 28  We țat mynistere here in Goddys presens,
 29  In vs xuld be fownd no maner of foly.
 30  Ysakar, prynce of prestys, am I,
 31  țat țis holyest day here haue mynystracyon,
 32  Certyfyenge all tribus in my cure specyaly
 33  țat this is țe hyest fest of oure solennyzacyon.

 34  This we clepe Festum Encenniorum,
 35  țe newe fest, of which iij in țe 3ere we exercyse.
 36  Now all țe kynredys to Jerusalem must cum
 37  Into țe temple of God, here to do sacryfyse.
 38  Tho țat be cursyd my dygnyté is to dysspyse,
 39  And țo țat be blyssyd here holy sacrefyse to take.
 40  We be regal sacerdocium, it perteyneth vs to be wysse
 41  Be fastyng, be prayng, be almes, and at du tyme to wake.

 42  JOACHYM Now all țis countré of Galylé,
 43  With țis cetye of Nazareth specyal,
 44  țis fest to Jerusalem must go we
 45  To make sacrefyce to God eternal.
 46  My name is Joachym, a man in godys substancyall.
 47  “Joachym” is to say, “He țat to God is redy.”
 48  So haue I be and evyrmore xal,
 49  For be dredful domys of God sore drede I.

 50  I am clepyd ryghtful, why wole 3e se,
 51  For my godys into thre partys I devyde:
 52  On to țe temple and to hem țat țer servyng be;
 53  Anodyr to țe pylgrimys and pore men; be iijde for hem with me abyde.
 54  So xulde euery curat in țis werde wyde
 55  3eve a part to his chauncel, iwys,
 56  A part to his parochonerys țat to povert slyde,
 57  The thryd part to kepe for hym and his.

 58  But, blyssyd wyff Anne, sore I drede
 59  In țe temple țis tyme to make sacryfice;
 60  Becawse țat no frute of vs doth procede,
 61  I fere me grettly țe prest wole me dysspice.
 62  Than grett slawndyr in țe tribus of vs xulde aryse.
 63  But țis I avow to God with all țe mekenes I can:
 64  3yff of his mercy he wole a childe us devyse,
 65  We xal offre it up into țe temple to be Goddys man.

 66  ANNA 3oure swemful wurdys make terys trekyl down be my face.
 67  Iwys, swete husbond, țe fawte is in me.
 68  My name is Anne, țat is to sey “grace;”
 69  We wete not how gracyous God wyl to us be.
 70  A woman xulde bere Cryst, țese profecyes haue we;
 71  If God send frute and it be a mayd childe,
 72  With all reuerens I vow to his magesté,
 73  Sche xal be here footmayd to mynyster here most mylde.

 74  JOACHYM Now lete be it as God wole, țer is no more.
 75  Tweyn turtelys for my sacryfice with me I take.
 76  And I beseche, wyff, and evyr we mete more,
 77  țat hese grett mercy vs meryer mut make.

 78  ANNA For dred and for swem of 3oure wourdys I qwake.
 79  Thryes I kysse 3ow with syghys ful sad,
 80  And to țe mercy of God mekely I 3ow betake.
 81  And țo țat departe in sorwe, God make țer metyng glad.

 82  SENIOR TRIBUS Worchepful Sere Joachym, be 3e redy now?
 83  All 3oure kynrede is come 3ow to exorte
 84  țat ței may do sacrifice at țe temple with 3ow,
 85  For 3e be of grett wurchep, as men 3ow report.
 86  JOACHYM All synfull, seke, and sory God mote comforte.
 87  I wolde I wore as men me name.
 88  Thedyr, in Goddys name, now late us all resorte.
 89  A. Anne, Anne, Anne, God scheeld us fro shame!

 90  ANNE Now am I left alone, sore may I wepe.
 91  A, husbond, ageyn God wel mote 3ow brynge,
 92  And fro shame and sorwe he mote 3ow kepe.
 93  Tyl I se 3ow ageyn I kannot sees of wepynge.
 94  SENIOR Prynce of oure prestys, if it be 3oure plesynge,
 95  We be com mekely to make oure sacrefice.
 96  YSAKAR God do 3ow mede, bothe elde and 3ynge.
 97  Than devowtly we wyl begynne servyse.

There they xal synge țis sequens: “Benedicta sit beata Trinitas.” And in țat tyme Ysakar with his ministerys ensensyth țe autere; and țan ței make her offryng, and Isaker seyth:

 98  Comyth up, serys, and offeryth all now,
 99  3e țat to do sacryfice worthy are.
100  Abyde a qwyle, sere; whedyr wytte țu?
101  țu and ți wyff am barrany and bare;
102  Neyther of 3ow fruteful nevyr 3ett ware.
103  Whow durste țu amonge fruteful presume and abuse?
104  It is a tokyn țu art cursyd fare.
105  Whereffore with grett indygnacyon țin offeryng I refuse!

Et refudit sacrificium Joachim.

106  Amonge all țis pepyl barreyn be no mo.
107  Therefore comyth up and offeryth here alle.
108  țu, Joachym, I charge țe, fast out țe temple țu go.

Et redit flendo

109  Than with Goddys holy wourde blysse 3ow I shalle.

Ministro cantando:

110  Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini,
111  CHORUS Qui fecit celum et terram.
112  MINISTER Sit nomen Domini benedictum
113  CHORUS Ex hoc nunc et usque in seculum.
114  EPISCOPUS Benedicat vos diuina majestas et vna Deitas,
115  Pater, et Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus.

116  CHORUS Amen.

Signando manu cum cruce sole[m]niter, et recedant tribus extra templum.

117  [YSAKAR] Now of God and man blyssyd be 3e alle.
118  Homward a3en now returne 3e.
119  And in țis temple abyde we xalle
120  To servyn God in Trinyté.

121  JOACHYM A, mercyfful Lord, what is țis lyff?
122  What haue I do, Lorde, to haue țis blame?
123  For hevynes I dare not go hom to my wyff,
124  And amonge my neyborys I dare not abyde for shame.
125  A, Anne, Anne, Anne, al oure joye is turnyd to grame!
126  From 3oure blyssyd felachepp I am now exilyd.
127  And 3e here onys of țis fowle fame,
128  Sorwe wyl sle 3ow to se me thus revylyd.

129  But s[e]n God soferyth thys, vs must sofron nede.
130  Now wyl I go to my she[p]herdys and with hem abyde,
131  And țer evyrmore levyn in sorwe and in drede.
132  Shame makyth many man his bed for to hyde.
133  Ha, how do 3e, felas? In 3ow is lytel pryde.
134  How fare 3e and my bestys, țis wete wolde I veryly.
135  PRIMUS PASTOR A, welcom hedyr, blyssyd mayster; we pasture hem ful wyde.
136  They be lusty and fayr, and grettly multyply.

137  How do 3e, mayster? 3e loke al hevyly.
138  How doth oure dame at hom? Sytt she and sowyht?
139  JOACHYM To here țe speke of here, it sleyth myn hert, veryly.
140  How I and sche doth, God hymself knowyth.
141  The meke God lyftyth up, țe proude overthrowyht.
142  Go do what 3e lyst, se 3oure bestys not stray.
143  SECUNDUS PASTOR Aftere grett sorwe, mayster, ever gret grace growyht.
144  Sympyl as we kan, we xal for 3ow pray.

145  TERCIUS PASTOR 3a, to pray for careful, it is grett nede;
146  We all wul prey for 3ow knelende.
147  God of his goodnes send 3ow good spede,
148  And of 3oure sorwe 3ow sone amende.

149  JOACHYM I am nott wurthy, Lord, to loke up to hefne.
150  My synful steppys an vemynyd țe grounde.
151  I, lothfolest țat levyth; țu, Lord hyest in ți setys sefne.
152  What art țu? Lord. What am I? Wrecche, werse țan an hownde.
153  țu has sent me shame which myn hert doth wounde—
154  I thank țe more herefore țan for all my prosperité.
155  țis is a tokyn țu lovyst me, now to the I am bounde;
156  țu seyst țu art with hem țat in tribulacyon be.

157  And hoso haue țe, he nedyth not care thanne.
158  My sorwe is feryng I haue do sum offens.
159  Punchyth me, Lorde, and spare my blyssyd wyff Anne
160  țat syttyth and sorwyth ful sore of myn absens.
161  Ther is not may profyte but prayour to 3oure presens;
162  With prayorys prostrat byfore ți person I wepe.
163  Haue mende on oure avow for 3oure mech magnyficens,
164  And my lovyngest wyff Anne, Lord, for ți mercy, kepe.

165  ANNA A, mercy, Lord! Mercy, mercy, mercy!
166  We are synfolest it shewyth țat 3e send us all țis sorwe.
167  Why do 3e thus to myn husbond, Lord? Why? Why? Why?
168  For my barynes? [3e] may amend țis țiself, and țu lyst, tomorwe.
169  And it plese so ți mercy, țe, my Lord, I take to borwe,
170  I xal kepe myn avow qwhyl I leve and leste.
171  I fere me I haue offendyd țe; myn hert is ful of sorwe.
172  Most mekely I pray ți pety țat țis bale țu wyl breste.

Here țe aungel descendith țe hefne syngyng, “Exultet celum laudibus, resultet terra gaudiis, archangelorum gloria sacra canun[t] solemnia.”

173  JOACHYM Qwhat art țu, in Goddys name, țat makyst me adrad?
174  It is as lyth abowt me as al țe werd were fere!
175  ANGELUS I am an aungel of God com to make țe glad.
176  God is plesyd with țin helmes and hath herd ți prayere;
177  He seyth ți shame, ți repreff, and ți terys cler.
178  God is avengere of synne and not nature doth lothe;
179  Whos wombe țat he sparyth and makyth barreyn her
180  He doth to shewe his myth and his mercy bothe.

181  Thu seest țat Sara was nynty 3ere bareyn;
182  Sche had a son, Ysaac, to whom God 3aff his blyssynge.
183  Rachel also had țe same peyn;
184  She had a son, Joseph, țat of Egypt was kynge.
185  A strongere țan Sampson nevyr was be wrytynge,
186  Nor an holyere țan Samuel, it is seyd thus;
187  3ett here moderys were bareyn bothe in țe gynnynge.
188  țe concepcyon of all swych, it is ful mervelyous!

189  And in țe lyke wyse, Anne, ți blyssyd wyff,
190  Sche xal bere a childe xal hygth Mary,
191  Which xal be blyssyd in here body and haue joys fyff,
192  And ful of țe Holy Goost inspyred syngulyrly.
193  Sche xal be offryd into țe temple solemply,
194  țat of here non evyl fame xuld sprynge thus.
195  And as sche xal be bore of a barrany body,
196  So of here xal be bore without nature Jesus,

197  That xal be Savyour vnto al mankende.
198  In tokyn, whan țu come to Jherusalem, to țe Gyldyn Gate,
199  țu xalt mete Anne, ți wyff; haue țis in ți mende.
200  I xal sey here țe same, here sorwys to rebate.
201  JOACHYM Of țis imcomparabyl comfort I xal nevyr forgete țe date!
202  My sorwe was nevyr so grett, but now my joy is more!
203  I xal hom in hast, be it nevyr so late.
204  A, Anne, blyssyd be țat body of țe xal be bore!

205  Now farewel, myn shepherdys, governe 3ow now wysly.
206  PRIMUS PASTOR Haue 3e good tydyngys, maystyr? țan be we glad.
207  JOACHYM Prayse God for me, for I am not wourthy.
208  SECUNDUS PASTOR In feyth, sere, so we xal with all oure sowlys sad.
209  TERCIUS PASTOR I holde it helpiful țat on of vs with 3ow be had.
210  JOACHYM Nay, abyde with 3oure bestys, sone, in Goddys blyssynge.
211  PRIMUS PASTOR We xal make us so mery now țis is bestad
212  țat a myle on 3oure wey 3e xal here us synge.

213  ANNE Alas, for myn hushond me is ful wo.
214  I xal go seke hym whatsoevyr befalle.
215  I wote not in erth which wey is he go.
216  Fadyr of Hefne, for mercy to 3oure fete I falle.
217  ANGELUS Anne, țin husbond ryght now I was withall,
218  țe aungel of God țat bar hym good tydynge;
219  And as I seyd to hym, so to țe sey I xal:
220  God hath herd ți preyour and ți wepynge.

221  At țe Goldyn Gate țu xalte mete hym ful mylde,
222  And in grett gladnes returne to 3oure hous.
223  So be proces țu xalt conseyve and bere a childe
224  Whiche xal hyght Mary; and Mary xal bere Jesus,
225  Which xal be Savyour of all țe werd and us.
226  Aftere grett sorwe evyr grett gladnes is had.
227  Now myn inbassett I haue seyd to 3ow thus.
228  Gooth in oure Lordys name and in God beth glad.

229  ANNE Now blyssyd be oure Lorde and all his werkys ay!
230  All heffne and erthe mut blysse 3ow for this.
231  I am so joyful I not what I may say;
232  țer can no tounge telle what joye in me is!
233  I to bere a childe țat xal bere all mannys blys,
234  And haue myn hosbonde ageyn! Ho myth haue joys more?
235  No creature in erth is grauntyd more mercy, iwys.
236  I xal hy3e me to țe 3ate to be țer before.

Here goth țe aungel a3en to hefne.

237  A, blyssyd be oure Lord, myn husbond I se.
238  I xalle on myn knes and to hymward crepe.
239  JOACHYM A, gracyous wyff Anne, now fruteful xal 3e be.
240  For joy of țis metyng in my sowbe I wepe.
241  Haue țis kusse of clennesse and with 3ow it kepe.
242  In Goddys name, now go we, wyff, hom to oure hous.
243  ANNE țer was nevyr joy sank in me so depe.
244  Now may we sey, husbond, God is to us gracyous,
245  Veryly.
246  JOACHYM 3a, and if we haue levyd wel herebefore,
247  I pray țe, Lord, țin ore,
248  So mote we levyn evyrmore,
249  And, be ți grace, more holyly.

250  ANNE Now homward, husbond, I rede we gon,
251  Ryth hom al to oure place,
252  To thank God țat sytt in tron,
253  țat țus hath sent us his grace.