N-Town Cycle, Play 24 [The Woman Taken in Adultery] Hic de muliere in adulterio deprehensa. 1 JESUS Nolo mortem peccatoris. 2 Man, for ți synne take repentaunce. 3 If țu amende țat is amys, 4 Than hevyn xal be țin herytaunce. 5 Thow țu haue don a3ens God grevauns, 6 3ett mercy to haske loke țu be bolde. 7 His mercy doth passe in trewe balauns 8 All cruel jugement be many folde. 9 Thow țat 3oure synnys be nevyr so grett, 10 For hem be sad and aske mercy. 11 Sone of my fadyr grace 3e may gett 12 With țe leste teer wepynge owte of 3oure ey. 13 My fadyr me sent the, man, to bye; 14 All ți raunsom mysylfe must pay; 15 For loue of țe mysylfe wyl dye. 16 Iff țu aske mercy, I sey nevyr nay. 17 Into țe erth from hevyn above 18 ți sorwe to sese and joy to restore, 19 Man, I cam down all for ți loue. 20 Loue me ageyn—I aske no more. 21 țow țu myshappe and synne ful sore, 22 3it turne a3en and mercy craue. 23 It is ți fawte and țu be lore; 24 Haske țu mercy and țu xalt haue. 25 Vppon ți neybore be not vengabyl, 26 Ageyn țe lawe if he offende. 27 Lyke as he is, țu art vnstabyl— 28 Thyn owyn frelté evyr țu attende. 29 Euyrmore ți neybore helpe to amende, 30 Evyn as țu woldyst he xulde țe. 31 Ageyn hym wrath if țu accende, 32 The same in happ wyll falle on the. 33 Eche man to othyr be mercyable, 34 And mercy he xal haue at nede. 35 What man of mercy is not tretable, 36 Whan he askyth mercy, he xal not spede. 37 Mercy to graunt I com, indede. 38 Whoso aske mercy, he xal haue grace. 39 Lett no man dowte for his mysdede, 40 But evyr aske mercy whyl he hath space. 41 SCRIBA Alas, alas, oure lawe is lorn! 42 A fals ypocryte, Jesu be name, 43 țat of a sheppherdis dowtyr was born, 44 Wyl breke oure lawe and make it lame! 45 He wyl us werke ryght mekyl shame, 46 His fals purpos if he upholde. 47 All oure lawys he doth defame— 48 țat stynkynge beggere is woundyr bolde! 49 PHARISEUS Sere scrybe, in feyth țat ypocryte 50 Wyl turne his londe al to his lore. 51 țerfore I councell hym to indyte, 52 And chastyse hym ryght web țerfore. 53 SCRIBA On hym beleve many a score, 54 In his prechynge he is so gay. 55 Ech man hym folwygh evyr more and more— 56 A3ens țat he seyth no man seyth nay. 57 PHARISEUS A fals qwarel if we cowde feyne, 58 țat ypocrite to puttyn in blame, 59 All his prechynge xulde sone disteyne, 60 And than his wurchepp xuld turne to shame. 61 With sum falshede to spyllyn his name 62 Left us assay his lore to spylle. 63 țe pepyl with hym yff we cowde grame, 64 Than xulde we sone haue al oure wyll. 65 ACCUSATOR Herke, Sere Pharysew and Sere Scrybe, 66 A ryght good sporte I kan 3ow telle. 67 I vndyrtake țat ryght a good brybe 68 We all xul haue to kepe councell. 69 A fayre 3onge qwene hereby doth dwelle, 70 Both fresch and gay upon to loke. 71 And a tall man with here doth melle; 72 The wey into hyre chawmere ryght evyn he toke. 73 Left us thre now go streyte thedyr, 74 The wey ful evyn I xall 3ow lede. 75 And we xul take them both togedyr 76 Whyll țat ței do țat synful dede. 77 SCRIBA Art țu sekyr țat we xal spede? 78 Shall we hym fynde whan we cum there? 79 ACCUSATOR Be my trowth, I haue no drede, 80 țe hare fro țe forme we xal arere! 81 PHARISEUS We xal haue game and his be trewe! 82 Lete vs thre werke by on assent. 83 We wyl here brynge evyn beforn Jesu 84 And of here lyff țe truth present, 85 How in advowtrye hyre lyff is lent. 86 Than hym beforn whan she is browth, 87 We xul hym aske țe trew jugement, 88 What lawfull deth to here is wrouth. 89 Of grace and mercy hevyr he doth preche, 90 And țat no man xulde be vengeable. 91 Ageyn țe woman if he sey wrech, 92 Than of his prechynge he is vnstable. 93 And if we fynde hym varyable 94 Of his prechynge țat he hath tawth, 95 Than haue we cawse bothe juste and able 96 For a fals man țat he be cawth. 97 SCRIBA Now be grete God, 3e sey ful well! 98 If we hym fyndyn in varyaunce, 99 We haue good reson, as 3e do tell, 100 Hym for to brynge to foule myschauns. 101 If he holde stylle his dalyauns, 102 And preche of mercy, hire for to saue, 103 Than haue we mater of gret substauns 104 Hym for to kylle and putt in graue. 105 Grett reson why I xal 3ow telle: 106 For Moyses doth bydde in oure lawe 107 That euery advowterere we xuld qwelle, 108 And 3itt with stonys thei xulde be slawe. 109 Ageyn Moyses if țat he drawe, 110 țat synful woman with grace to helpe, 111 He xal nevyr skape out of oure awe, 112 But he xal dye lyke a dogge whelpe! 113 ACCUSATOR 3e tary ovyrlonge, serys, I sey 3ow; 114 They wyl sone parte, as țat I gesse. 115 țerfore, if 3e wyl haue 3oure pray now, 116 Lete us go take them in here whantownnesse. 117 PHARISEUS Goo țu beforn, be wey to dresse; 118 We xal be folwe within short whyle. 119 Iff țat we may țat quene dystresse, 120 I hope we xal Jesu begyle. 121 SCRIBA Breke up be dore and go we inne! 122 Sett to be shuldyr with all ți myght. 123 We xal hem take evyn in here synne— 124 Here owyn trespas shal hem indite. Hic juuenis quidam extra currit in deploydo, calligis non ligatis et braccas in manu tenens; et dicit accusator: 125 ACCUSATOR Stow țat harlot, sum erthely wyght, 126 That in advowtrye here is fownde! 127 JUUENIS 3iff any man stow me țis nyth, 128 I xal hym 3eve a dedly wownde! 129 I[f] any man my wey doth stoppe, 130 Or we departe, ded xal [he] be. 131 I xal his daggare put in his croppe— 132 I xal hem kylle or he xal me. 133 PHARISEUS Grett Goddys curse mut go with the! 134 With suche a shrewe wyll I not melle. 135 JUUEN[I]S That same blyssynge I 3yff 3ow thre 136 And qwheth 3ow alle to țe devyl of helle! 137 In feyth, I was so sore affrayd 138 Of 3one thre shrewys, țe sothe to say, 139 My breche be nott 3ett well upteyd, 140 I had such hast to renne away. 141 Thei xal nevyr cacche me in such affray. 142 I am full glad țat I am gon! 143 Adewe, adewe, a xxti devyl way, 144 And Goddys curse haue 3e everychon! 145 SCRIBA Come forth, țu stotte, com forth, țu scowte! 146 Com forth, țu bysmare and brothel bolde! 147 Com forth, țu hore and stynkynge bych clowte! 148 How longe hast țu such harlotry holde? 149 PHARISEUS Com forth, țu quene, com forth, țu scolde! 150 Com forth, țu sloveyn, com forth, țu slutte! 151 We xal the teche with carys colde 152 A lytyl bettyr to kepe ți kutte. 153 MULYER A, mercy, mercy, serys, I 3ow pray! 154 For Goddys love haue mercy on me. 155 Of my myslevynge me not bewray; 156 Haue mercy on me, for charyté! 157 ACCUSATOR Aske us no mercy; it xal not be. 158 We xul so ordeyn for ți lott 159 țat țu xalt dye for țin advowtrye! 160 țerfore, com forth, țu stynkynge stott! 161 MULIER Serys, my wurchepp if 3e wyl saue 162 And helpe I haue non opyn shame, 163 Bothe gold and sylvyr 3e xul haue, 164 So țat in clennes 3e kepe my name. 165 SCRIBA Mede for to take, we were to blame 166 To save suche stottys. It xal not be! 167 We xal brynge the to suche a game 168 țat all advowtererys xul lern be the. 169 MULIER Stondynge 3e wyl not graunt me grace, 170 But for my synne țat I xal dye, 171 I pray 3ow kylle me here in his place 172 And lete not be pepyl upon me crye. 173 If I be sclaundryd opynly, 174 To all my frendys it xul be shame. 175 I pray 3ow, kylle me here in his place 176 Lete not țe pepyl know my defame. 177 PHARISEUS Fy on țe, scowte, be devyl țe qwelle! 178 Ageyn țe lawe xul we țe kyll? 179 Fyrst xal hange țe țe devyl of helle 180 Or we such folyes xulde fulfyll. 181 Thow it lyke țe nevyr so ill, 182 Befforn be prophete țu xalt haue lawe. 183 Lyke as Moyses doth charge u[s] tyll, 184 With grett stonys țu xalt be slawe. 185 ACCUSATOR Com forth apase, țu stynkynge scowte, 186 Before țe prophete țu were țis day, 187 Or I xal 3eve țe such a clowte 188 țat țu xalt fall down evyn in țe way. 189 SCRIBA Now, be grett God, and I țe pay, 190 Such a buffett I xal țe take 191 țat all be teth, I dare wel say, 192 Withinne țin heed for who xul shake. 193 PHARISEUS Herke, sere prophete, we all 3ow pray 194 To gyff trewe dom and just sentence 195 Vpon his woman, which țis same day 196 In synfull advowtery hath don offense. Hic Jesus, dum isti accusant mulierem, continue debet digito suo scribere in terra. 197 ACCUSATOR Se, we haue brought here to 3oure presens 198 Becawse 3e ben a wyse prophete, 199 țat 3e xal telle be consyens 200 What deth to hyre 3e thynke most mete. 201 SCRIBA In Moyses lawe ryght țus we fynde, 202 țat such fals louers xul be slayn; 203 Streyte to a stake we xul hem bynde 204 And with grett stonys brest out țer brayn. 205 Of 3oure concyens telle us țe playn, 206 With țis woman what xal be wrought? 207 Shall we lete here go qwyte agayn, 208 Or to hire deth xal she be brought? Jesus nichil respondit, sed semper scrybyt in terra. 209 [MULIER] Now, holy prophete, be mercyable! 210 Vpon me, wrecch, take no vengeaunce. 211 For my synnys abhomynable 212 In hert I haue grett repentaunce. 213 I am wel wurthy to haue myschaunce, 214 Both bodyly deth and werdly shame. 215 But, gracyous prophete, of socurraunce 216 țis tyme pray 3ow, for Goddys name. 217 PHARISEUS Ageyn be lawe țu dedyst offens; 218 țerfore of grace speke țu no more. 219 As Moyses gevyth in lawe sentens, 220 țu xalt be stonyd to deth țerfore. 221 ACCUSATOR Ha don, sere prophete, telle us 3oure lore. 222 Xul we his woman with stonys kyll, 223 Or to hire hous hire home restore? 224 In țis mater tell us 3oure wyll. 225 SCRIBA In a colde stodye methynkyth 3e sytt. 226 Good sere, awake! Telle us 3oure thought. 227 Xal she be stonyd—telle us 3oure wytt— 228 Or in what rewle xal sche be brought? 229 JESUS Loke which of 3ow țat nevyr synne wrought, 230 But is of lyff clennere țan she, 231 Cast at here stonys and spare here nowght, 232 Clene out of synne if țat 3e be. Hic Jesus, iterum se inclinans, scribet in terra; et omnes accusatores, quasi confusi, separatim in tribus locis se desiungent. 233 PHARISEUS Alas, alas, I am ashamyd! 234 I am afferde țat I xal deye! 235 All myn synnys evyn propyrly namyd 236 3on prophyte dede wryte befor myn eye. 237 Iff țat my felawys țat dude aspye, 238 They wyll telle it bothe fer and wyde. 239 My synfull levynge if ței outcrye, 240 I wot nevyr wher myn heed to hyde. 241 ACCUSATOR Alas, for sorwe myn herte doth blede! 242 All my synnys 3on man dude wryte. 243 If țat my felawys to them toke hede, 244 I kannot me from deth acquyte. 245 I wolde I wore hyd sumwhere out of syght 246 țat men xuld me nowhere se ne knowe. 247 Iff I be take, I am afflyght 248 In mekyl shame I xal be throwe. 249 SCRIBA Alas țe tyme țat his betyd! 250 Ryght byttyr care doth me enbrace. 251 All my synnys be now vnhyd, 252 3on man befor me hem all doth trace. 253 If I were onys out of his place, 254 To suffyr deth gret and vengeauns able, 255 I wyl nevyr come befor his face, 256 țow I xuld dye in a stable. 257 MULIER Thow I be wurthy for my trespas 258 To suffyr deth abhomynable, 259 3itt, holy prophete, of 3oure hy3 grace, 260 In 3oure jugement be mercyable! 261 I wyl nevyrmore be so vnstable. 262 O holy prophete, graunt me mercy. 263 Of myn synnys vnresonable 264 With all myn hert I am sory. 265 JESUS Where be ți fomen țat dude țe accuse? 266 Why haue thei lefte us to alone? 267 MULIER. Bycawse they cowde flat hemself excuse, 268 With shame they fled hens euyrychone. 269 But, gracyous prophete, lyst to my mone; 270 Of my sorwe take compassyon. 271 Now all myn enmyes hens be gone, 272 Sey me sum wurde of consolacyon. 273 JESUS For țe synnys țat țu hast wrought 274 Hath any man condempnyd the? 275 MULIER Nay, forsoth, țat hath țer nought, 276 But in 3oure grace I putt me. 277 JESUS For me țu xalt nat condempnyd be; 278 Go hom ageyn and walk at large. 279 Loke țat țu leve in honesté, 280 And wyl no more to synne, I țe charge. 281 MULIER I thanke 3ow hy3ly, holy prophete, 282 Of his grett grace 3e haue me graunt. 283 All my lewde lyff I xal doun lete 284 And fonde to be Goddys trewe servaunt. 285 JESUS What man of synne be repentaunt, 286 Of God if he wyl mercy craue, 287 God of mercy is so habundawnt, 288 țat, what man haske it, he xal it haue. 289 Whan man is contrite and hath wonne grace, 290 God wele not kepe olde wreth in mynde; 291 But bettyr loue to hem he has, 292 Very contryte whan he them fynde. 293 Now God țat dyed for all mankende 294 Saue all țese pepyl both nyght and day. 295 And of oure synnys he us vnbynde, 296 Hy3e Lorde of Hevyn țat best may. 297 Amen