From Stage to Page - Medieval and Renaissance Drama
The Towneley Cycle, Play 13 - The Second Shepherds' Play (Secunda Pastorum)
001 Primus Pastor. Lord, what these weders ar cold! / and I am yll happyd;
002 I am nere hande dold, / so long haue I nappyd;
003 My legys thay fold, / my fyngers ar chappyd,
004 It is not as I wold, / for I am al lappyd,
005 In sorow.
006 In stormes and tempest,
007 Now in the eest, now in the west,
008 Wo is hym has neuer rest
009 Myd day nor morow!
010 Bot we sely shepardes / that walkys on the moore,
011 In fayth we are nere handys / outt of the doore;
012 No wonder as it standys / if we be poore,
013 Ffor the tylthe of oure landys / lyys falow as the floore,
014 As ye ken.
015 We ar so hamyd,
016 Ffor-taxed and ramyd,
017 We ar mayde hand tamyd,
018 With thyse gentlery men.
019 Thus thay refe vs oure rest / oure lady theym wary!
020 These men that ar lord fest / thay cause the ploghe tary.
021 That men say is for the best / we fynde it contrary;
022 Thus ar husbandys opprest / in po[i]nte to myscary,
023 On lyfe.
024 Thus hold, thay vs hunder,
025 Thus thay bryng vs in blonder;It were greatte wonder,
026 And euer shuld we thryfe.
027 Ffor may he gett a paynt slefe / or a broche now on dayes,
028 Wo is hym that hym grefe / or onys agane says!
029 Dar noman hym reprefe / what mastry he mays,
030 And yit may noman lefe / oone word that he says,No letter.
031 He can make purveance,
032 With boste and bragance,
033 And all is thrugh mantenance
034 Of men that are gretter.
035 Ther shall com a swane / as prowde as a po,
036 He must borow my wane / my ploghe also,
037 Then I am full fane / to graunt or he go.
038 Thus lyf we in payne / Anger, and wo,
039 By nyght and day;
040 He must haue if he langyd,
041 If I shuld, forgang it,
042 I were better be hangyd
043 Then oones say hym nay.
044 It dos me good, as I walk / thus by myn oone,
045 Of this warld, for to talk / in maner of mone.
046 To my shepe wyll I stalk / and herkyn anone,
047 Ther abyde on a balk / or sytt on a stone
048 Ffull soyne.
049 Ffor I trowe, perde,
050 Trew men if thay be,
051 We gett more compane
052 Or it be noyne.
053 Secundus Pastor. Benste and dominus! / what may this bemeyne?
054 Why, fares this warld thus / oft haue we not sene?
055 Lord, thyse weders ar spytus / and the weders full kene.
056 And the frostys so hydus / thay water myn eeyne,
057 No ly.
058 Now in dry, now in wete,
059 Now in snaw, now in slete,
060 When my shone freys to my fete,
061 It is not all esy.
062 Bot as far as I ken / or yit as I go,
063 We sely wedmen / dre mekyll wo;
064 We haue sorow then and then / it fallys oft so;
065 Sely capyle, oure hen / both to and fro
066 She kakyls;
067 Bot begyn she to crok,
068 To groyne or [to clo]k,
069 Wo is hym is of oure cok,ffor he is in the shekyls.
070 These men that ar wed / haue not all thare wyll,
071 When they ar full hard sted / thay sygh full styll;
072 God wayte thay ar led / full hard and full yll;
073 In bower nor in bed / thay say noght ther tyll,
074 This tyde.
075 My parte haue I fun,
076 I know my lesson.
077 Wo is hym that is bun,
078 Ffor he must abyde.
079 Bot now late in oure lyfys / a meruell to me,
080 That I thynk my hart ryfys / sich wonders to see.
081 What that destany dryfys / it shuld so be;
082 Som men wyll have two wyfys / and som men thre,
083 In store;
084 Som ar wo that has any,
085 Bot so far can I,
086 Wo is hym that has many,
087 Ffor he felys sore.
088 Bot yong men of wowyng / for god that you boght,
089 Be well war of wedyng / and thynk in youre thoght,
090 "[had I wyst"] is a thyng / it seruys of noght;
091 Mekyll styll mowrnyng / has wedyng home broght,
092 And grefys;
093 With many a sharp showre,
094 Ffor thou may cach in an owre
095 That shall [savour] fulle sowre
096 As long as thou lyffys.
097 Ffor, as euer red I pystyll / I haue oone to my fere,
098 As sharp as a thystyll / as rugh as a brere;
099 She is browyd lyke a brystyll / with a sowre loten chere;
100 Had She oones Wett Hyr Whystyll / She couth Syng full clere
101 Hyr pater noster.
102 She is as greatt as a whall,
103 She has a galon of gall:
104 By hym that dyed for vs all,
105 I wald I had ryn to I had lost hir.
106 Primus Pastor. God looke ouer the raw / ffull defly ye stand.
107 Secundus Pastor. Yee, the dewill in thi maw / so tariand.
108 Sagh thou awro of daw? /
109 Primus Pastor. Yee, on a ley land
110 Hard I hym blaw / he commys here at hand,
111 Not far;
112 Stand styll.
113 Secundus Pastor. Qwhy?
114 Primus Pastor. Ffor he commys, hope I.
115 Secundus Pastor. He wyll make vs both a ly
116 Bot if we be war.
117 Tercius Pastor. Crystys crosse me spede / and sant nycholas!
118 Ther of had I nede / it is wars then it was.
119 Whoso couthe take hede / and lett the warld pas,
120 It is euer in drede / and brekyll as glas,
121 And slythys.
122 This warld, fowre neuer so,
123 With meruels mo and mo,
124 Now in weyll, now in wo,
125 And all thyng wrythys.
126 Was neuer syn noe floode / sich floodys seyn;
127 Wyndys and ranys so rude / and stormes so keyn;
128 Som stamerd, som stod, / in dowte, as I weyn;
129 Now god turne all to good / I say as I mene,
130 Ffor ponder.
131 These floodys so thay drowne,
132 Both in feyldys and in towne,
133 And berys all downe,
134 And that is a wonder.
135 We that walk on the nyghtys / oure catell to kepe,
136 We se sodan syghtys / when othere men slepe.
137 Yit me thynk my hart lyghtys / I se shrewys pepe;
138 Ye ar two all wyghtys / I wyll gyf my shepe
139 A turne.
140 Bot full yll haue I ment,
141 As I walk on this bent,
142 I may lyghtly repent,
143 My toes if I spurne.
144 A, sir, god, you saue / and master myne!
145 A drynk fayn wold I haue / and somwhat to dyne.
146 Primus Pastor. Crystys curs, my knaue / thou art a ledyr hyne!
147 Secundus Pastor. What! the boy lyst rave; / abyde vnto syne;
148 We haue mayde it.
149 Yll thryft on thy pate!
150 Though the shrew cam late,
151 Yit is he in state
152 To dyne, if he had it.
153 Tercius Pastor. Sich seruandys as I / that swettys and swynkys,
154 Etys oure brede full dry / and that me forthynkys;
155 We ar oft weytt and wery / when master-men wynkys,
156 Yit commys full lately / both dyners and drynkys,
157 Bot nately.
158 Both oure dame and oure syre,
159 When we haue ryn in the myre,
160 Thay can nyp at oure hyre,
161 And pay vs full lately.
162 Bot here my trouth, master / for the fayr that ye make,
163 I shall do therafter / wyrk as I take;
164 I shall do a lytyll, sir / and emang euer lake,
165 Ffor yit lay my soper / neuer on my stomake
166 In feyldys.
167 Wherto shuld, I threpe?
168 With my staf can I lepe,
169 And men say "[lyght chepe
170 Letherly for-yeldys."]
171 Primus Pastor. Thou were an yll lad / to ryde on wowyng
172 With a man that had / bot lytyll of spendyng.
173 Secundus Pastor. Peasse, boy, I bad / no more Iangling,
174 Or I shall make the full rad / by the heuen's kyng!
175 With thy gawdys;
176 Wher ar oure shepe, boy, we skorne?
177 Tercius Pastor. Sir, this same day at morne
178 I thaym left in the corne,
179 When thay rang lawdys;
180 Thay haue pasture good / thay can not go wrong.
181 Primus Pastor. That is right, by the roode! / thyse nyghtys ar long,
182 Yit I wold, or we yode / oone gaf vs a song.
183 Secundus Pastor. So I thoght as I stode / to myrth vs emong.
184 Tercius Pastor. I grauntt.
185 Primus Pastor. Lett me syng the tenory.
186 Secundus Pastor. And I the tryble so hye.
187 Tercius Pastor. Then the meyne fallys to me;
188 Lett se how ye chauntt.
189 Mak. Now lord, for thy naymes sevyn / that made both moyn & starnes
190 Well mo then I can neuen / thi will, lorde, of me tharnys;
191 I am all vneuen / that moves oft my harnes,
192 Now Wold god I were in heuen / for there wepe no barnes
193 So styll.
194 Primus Pastor. Who is that pypys so poore?
195 Mak. Wold, god ye wyst how I foore!
196 Lo, a man that walkys on the moore,
197 And has not all his wyll!
198 Secundus Pastor. Mak, where has thou gon? / tell vs tythyng.
199 Tercius Pastor. Is he commen? then ylkon / take hede to his thyng.
200 Mak. What! ich be a yoman / I tell you, of the king;
201 The self and the same / sond from a greatt lordyng,
202 And sich.
203 Ffy on you! goyth hence
204 Out of my presence!
205 I must haue reuerence;
206 Why, who be ich?
207 Primus Pastor. Why make ye it so qwaynt? / mak, ye do wrang.
208 Secundus Pastor. Bot, mak, lyst ye saynt? / I trow that ye lang.
209 Tercius Pastor. I trow the shrew can paynt, / the dewyll myght hym hang!
210 Mak. Ich shall make complaynt / and make you all to thwang
211 At a worde,
212 And tell euyn how ye doth.
213 Primus Pastor. Bot, Mak, is that sothe?
214 Now take outt that sothren tothe,
215 And sett in a torde!
216 Secundus Pastor. Mak, the dewill in youre ee / a stroke wold, I leyne you.
217 Tercius Pastor. Mak, know ye not me? / by god I couthe teyn you.
218 Mak. God looke you all thre! / me thoght I had sene you,
219 Ye ar a fare compane. /
220 Primus Pastor. Can ye now mene you?
221 Secundus Pastor. Shrew, Iape!
222 Thus late as thou goys,
223 What wyll men suppos?
224 And thou has an yll noys
225 Of stelyng of shepe.
226 Mak. And I am trew as steyll / all men waytt,
227 Bot a sekenes I feyll / that haldys me full haytt,
228 My belly farys not weyll / it is out of astate.
229 Tercius Pastor. Seldom lyys the dewyll / dede by the gate.
230 Mak. Therfor
231 Full sore am I and yll,
232 If I stande stone styll;
233 I ete not an nedyll
234 Thys moneth and more.
235 Primus Pastor. How farys thi wyff? by my hoode / how farys sho?
236 Mak. Lyys walteryng, by the roode / by the fyere, lo!
237 And a howse full of brude / she drynkys well to;
238 Yll spede othere good / that she wyll do!
239 Bot so
240 Etys as fast as she can,
241 And ilk yere that commys to man
242 She bryngys furth a lakan,
243 And som yeres two.
244 Bot were I not more gracyus / and rychere befar,
245 I were eten outt of howse / and of harbar;
246 Yit is she a fowll dowse / if ye com nar:
247 Ther is none that trowse / nor knowys a war,
248 Then ken I.
249 Now wyll ye se what I profer,
250 To gyf all in my cofer
251 To morne at next to offer
252 Hyr hed mas penny.
253 Secundus Pastor. I wote so forwakyd / is none in this shyre:
254 I wold slepe if I takyd / les to my hyere.
255 Tercius Pastor. I am cold, and nakyd / and wold haue a fyere.
256 Primus Pastor. I am wery, for-rakyd / and run in the myre.
257 Wake thou!
258 Secundus Pastor. Nay, I wyll lyg downe by,
259 Ffor I must slepe truly.
260 Tercius Pastor. As good a man's son was I
261 As any of you.
262 Bot, mak, com heder! betwene / shall thou lyg downe.
263 Mak. Then myght I lett you bedene / of that ye wold, rowne,
264 No drede.
265 Ffro my top to my too,
266 Manus tuas commendo,
267 Poncio pilato,
268 Cryst crosse me spede!
269 Now were tyme for a man / that lakkys what he wold,
270 To stalk preuely than / vnto a fold,
271 And neemly to wyrk than / and be not to bold,
272 Ffor he might aby the bargan / if it were told
273 At the endyng.
274 Now were tyme for to reyll;
275 Bot he nedys good counsell
276 That fayn wold, fare weyll,
277 And has bot lytyll spendyng.
278 Bot abowte you a serkyll / as rownde as a moyn,
279 To I haue done that I wyll / tyll that it be noyn,
280 That ye lyg stone styll / to that I haue doyne,
281 And I shall say thertyll / of good wordys a foyne.
282 On hight
283 Ouer youre heydys my hand I lyft,
284 Outt go youre een, fordo your syght,
285 Bot yit I must make better shyft,
286 And it be right.
287 Lord! what thay slepe hard! / that may ye all here;
288 Was I neuer a shepard / bot now wyll I lere.
289 If the flok be skard / yit shall I nyp nere,
290 How! drawes hederward! / now mendys oure chere
291 Ffrom sorow:
292 A fatt shepe I dar say,
293 A good flese dar I lay,
294 Eft whyte when I may,
295 Bot this will I borow.
296 How, gyll, art thou In? / gett vs some lyght.
297 Uxor Ejus (Gill). Who makys sich dyn / this tyme of the nyght?. I am sett for
298 To spyn / I hope not I myght
299 Ryse a penny to wyn, / I shrew them on hight!
300 So farys
301 A huswyff that has bene
302 To be rasyd thus betwene:
303 Here may no note be sene
304 Ffor sich small charys.
305 Mak. Good wyff, open the hek! / seys thou not what I bryng?
306 Uxor Ejus (Gill). I may thole the dray the snek. / A, com in, my swetyng!
307 Mak. Yee, thou thar not rek / of my long standyng.
308 Uxor Ejus (Gill). By the nakyd nek / art thou lyke for to hyng.
309 Mak. Do way:
310 I am worthy my mete,
311 Ffor in a strate can I gett
312 More then thay that swynke and swette
313 All the long day,
314 Thus it fell to my lott / gyll, I had sich grace.
315 Uxor Ejus (Gill). It were a fowll blott / to be hanged for the case.
316 Mak. I haue skapyd, Ielott / oft as hard a glase.
317 Uxor Ejus (Gill). Bot so long goys the pott / to the water, men says,
318 At last
319 Comys it home broken.
320 Mak. Well knowe I the token,
321 Bot let it neuer be spoken;
322 Bot com and help fast.
323 I wold, he were slayn / I lyst well ete:
324 This twelmothe was I not so fayn / of oone shepe mete.
325 Uxor Ejus (Gill). Com thay or he be slayn/ and here the shepe blete!
326 Mak. Then myght I be tane, / that were a cold, swette!
327 Go spar
328 The gaytt doore.
329 Uxor Ejus (Gill). Yis, Mak,
330 Ffor and thay com at thy bak,
331 Mak. Then myght I by, for all the pak,
332 The dewill of the war.
333 Uxor Ejus (Gill). A good bowrde haue I spied / syn thou can none.
334 Here shall we hym hyde / to thay be gone;
335 In my credyll abyde / lett me alone,
336 And I shall lyg besyde / in chylbed, and grone.
337 Mak. Thou red;
338 And, I shall say thou was lyght
339 Of a knaue childe this nyght.
340 Uxor Ejus (Gill). Now well is me day bright,
341 That euer was I bred.
342 This is a good gyse / and a far cast;
343 Yit a woman avyse / helpys at the last.
344 I wote neuer who spyse, / agane go thou fast.
345 Mak. Bot I com or thay ryse / els blawes a cold, blast!
346 I wyll go slepe.
347 Yit slepys all this meneye,
348 And I shall go stalk preuely,
349 As it had neuer bene I
350 That caryed thare shepe.
351 Primus Pastor. Resurrex a mortruis! / haue hald, my hand.
352 Iudas carnas dominus! / I may not well stand:
353 My foytt slepys, by ihesus / and I water fastand.
354 I thoght that we layd vs / full nere yngland.
355 Secundus Pastor. A ye!
356 Lord! what I haue slept weyll;
357 As fresh as an eyll,
358 As lyght I me feyll
359 As leyfe on a tre.
360 Tercius Pastor. Benste be here in! / so my [hart?] qwakys,
361 My hart is outt of skyn / what so it makys.
362 Who makys all this dyn? / so my browes blakys,
363 To the dowore wyll I wyn / harke felows, wakys!
364 We were fowre:
365 Se ye awre of mak now?
366 Primus Pastor. We were vp or thou.
367 Secundus Pastor. Man, I gyf god a vowe,
368 Yit yede he nawre.
369 Tercius Pastor. Me thoght he was lapt / in a wolfe skyn.
370 Primus Pastor. So are many hapt / now namely within.
371 Secundus Pastor. When we had long napt / me thoght with a gyn
372 A fatt shepe he trapt / bot he mayde no dyn.
373 Tercius Pastor. Be styll:
374 Thi dreme makys the woode:
375 It is bot fantom, by the roode.
376 Primus Pastor. Now god turne all to good,
377 If it be his wyll.
378 Secundus Pastor. Ryse, mak, for shame! / thou lygys right lang.
379 Mak. Now crystys holy name / be vs emang!
380 What is this? for sant Iame / I may not well gang!
381 I trow I be the same / A! my nek has lygen wrang
382 Enoghe;
383 Mekill thank, syn yister euen,
384 Now, by sant strevyn,
385 I was flayd with a swevyn,
386 My hart out of sloghe.
387 I thoght gyll began to crok / and trauell full sad,
388 Welner at the fyrst cok / of a yong lad,
389 Ffor to mend oure flok / then be I neuer glad.
390 I haue tow on my rok / more then euer I had.
391 A, my heede!
392 A house full of yong tharmes,
393 The dewill knok outt thare harnes!
394 Wo is hym has many barnes,
395 And therto lytyll brede!
396 I must go home, by youre lefe / to gyll as I thoght.
397 I pray you looke my slefe / that I steyll noght:
398 I am loth you to grefe / or from you take oght.
399 Tercius Pastor. Go furth, yll myght thou chefe! / now wold I we soght,
400 This morne,That we had all oure store.
401 Primus Pastor. Bot I will go before, let vs mete.
402 Secundus Pastor. Whore?
403 Tercius Pastor. At the crokyd thorne.
404 Mak. Vndo this doore! who is here? / how long shall I stand?
405 Uxor Ejus (Gill). Who makys sich a bere? / now walk in the Wenyand.
406 Mak. A, gyll, what chere? / it is I, mak, youre husbande,
407 Uxor Ejus (Gill). Then may we be here / the dewill in a bande,
408 Syr gyle;
409 Lo, he commys with a lote
410 As he were holden in the throte.
411 I may not syt at my note,
412 A hand lang while.
413 Mak. Wyll ye here what fare she makys / to gett hir a glose,
414 And dos noght bot lakys / and clowse hir toose.
415 Uxor Ejus (Gill). Why, who wanders, who wakys / who commys, who gose?
416 Who brewys, who bakys? / what makys me thus hose?And than,
417 It is rewthe to beholde,
418 Now in hote, now in colde,
419 Ffull wofull is the householde
420 That wantys a woman.
421 Bot what ende has thou mayde / with the hyrdys, mak?
422 Mak. The last worde that thay sayde / when I turnyd my bak,
423 Thay wold looke that thay hade / thare shepe all the pak.
424 I hope thay wyll nott be well payde / when thay thare shepe lak,
425 Perde.. Bot how so the gam gose,
426 To me thay wyll suppose,
427 And make a fowll noyse,
428 And cry outt apon me.
429 Bot thou must do as thou hyght /
430 Uxor Ejus (Gill). I accorde me thertyll.
431 I shall swedyll hym right / In my credyll;
432 If it were a gretter slyght / yit couthe I help tyll.
433 I wyll lyg downe stright; / com hap me;
434 Mak. I wyll.
435 Uxor Ejus (Gill). Behynde.
436 Com coll and his maroo,
437 Thay will nyp vs full naroo.
438 Mak. Bot I may cry out 'haroo,'
439 The shepe if thay fynde.
440 Uxor Ejus (Gill). Harken ay when thay call / thay will com onone.
441 Com and make redy all / and syng by thyn oone;
442 Syng lullay thou shall / for I must grone,
443 And cry outt by the wall / on mary and Iohn,
444 Ffor sore.
445 Syng lullay on fast
446 When thou heris at the last;
447 And bot I play a fals cast,
448 Trust me no more.
449 Tercius Pastor. A, coll, goode morne / why slepys thou nott?
450 Primus Pastor. Alas, that euer was I borne! / we haue a fowll blott.
451 A fat wedir haue we lorne. /
452 Tercius Pastor. Mary, godys forbott!
453 Secundus Pastor. Who shuld do vs that skorne? that were a fowll spott.
454 Primus Pastor. Som shrewe.
455 I haue soght with my dogys
456 All horbery shrogys,
457 And of fefteyn hogys
458 Ffond I bot oone ewe.
459 Tercius Pastor. Now trow me, if ye will / by sant thomas of kent,
460 Ayther mak or gyll / was at that assent.
461 Primus Pastor. Peasse, man, be still! / I sagh when he went;
462 Thou sklanders hym yll / thou aght to repent,
463 Goode spede.
464 Secundus Pastor. Now as euer myght I the,
465 If I shuld, euyn here de,
466 I wold say it were he,
467 That dyd that same dede.
468 Tercius Pastor. Go we theder, I rede / and ryn on oure feete.
469 Shall I neuer ete brede / the sothe to I wytt.
470 Primus Pastor
471 Nor drynk in my heede / with hym tyll I mete.
472 Secundus Pastor. I wyll rest in no stede / tyll that I hym grete,
473 My brothere.
474 Oone I will hight:
475 Tyll I se hym in sight
476 Shall I neuer slepe one nyght
477 Ther I do anothere.
478 Tercius Pastor. Will ye here how thay hak? / oure syre, lyst, croyne.
479 Primus Pastor. Hard I neuer none crak / so clere out of toyne;
480 Call on hym.
481 Secundus Pastor. Mak! / vndo youre doore soyne.
482 Mak. Who is that spak, / as it were noyne,
483 On loft?
484 Who is that I say?
485 Tercius Pastor. Goode felowse, were it day.
486 Mak. As far as ye may,
487 Good, spekys soft. Ouer a seke woman's heede / that is at mayll easse;
488 I had leuer be dede / or she had any dyseasse.
489 Uxor Ejus (Gill). Go to an othere stede / I may not well qweasse.
490 Ich fote that ye trede / goys thorow my nese.
491 So hee!
492 Primus Pastor. Tell vs, mak, if ye may,
493 How fare ye, I say?
494 Mak. Bot ar ye in this towne to day?
495 Now how fare ye?
496 Ye haue ryn in the myre / and ar weytt yit:
497 I shall make you a fyre / if ye will syt.
498 A nores wold, I hyre / thynk ye on yit,
499 Well qwytt is my hyre / my dreme this is itt,
500 A seson.
501 I haue barnes, if ye knew,
502 Well mo then enewe,
503 Bot we must drynk as we brew,
504 And that is bot reson.
505 I wold ye dynyd or ye yode / me thynk that ye swette.
506 Secundus Pastor. Nay, nawther mendys oure mode / drynke nor mette.
507 Mak. Why, sir, alys you oght bot goode? /
508 Tercius Pastor. Yee, oure shepe that we gett,
509 Ar stollyn as thay yode / oure los is grette.
510 Mak. Syrs, drynkys!
511 Had I bene thore,
512 Som shuld haue boght it full sore.
513 Primus Pastor. Mary, som men trowes that ye wore,
514 And that vs forthynkys.
515 Secundus Pastor. Mak, som men trowys / that it shuld be ye.
516 Tercius Pastor. Ayther ye or youre spouse / so say we.
517 Mak. Now if ye haue suspowse / to gill or to me,
518 Com and rype oure howse / and then may ye se
519 Who had hir,
520 If I any shepe fott,
521 Aythor cow or stott;
522 And gyll, my wyfe, rose nott
523 Here syn she lade hir.
524 As I am true and lele / to god here I pray,
525 That this be the fyrst mele / that I shall ete this day.
526 Primus Pastor. Mak, as haue I ceyll, / Avyse the, I say;
527 He lernyd tymely to steyll / that couth not say nay.
528 Uxor Ejus (Gill). I swelt!
529 Outt, thefys, fro my wonys!
530 Ye com to rob vs for the nonys.
531 Mak. Here ye not how she gronys?
532 Youre hartys shuld melt.
533 Uxor Ejus (Gill). Outt, thefys, fro my barne! / negh hym not thor.
534 Mak. Wyst ye how she had farne / youre hartys wold be sore.
535 Ye do wrang, I you warne / that thus commys before
536 To a woman that has farne / bot I say no more.
537 Uxor Ejus (Gill). A, my medyll!
538 I pray to god so mylde,
539 If euer I you begyld,
540 That I ete this chylde
541 That lygys in this credyll.
542 Mak. Peasse, woman, for godys payn / and cry not so:
543 Thou spyllys thy brane / and makys me full wo.
544 Secundus Pastor. I trow oure shepe be slayn / what finde ye two?
545 Tercius Pastor
546 All wyrk we in vayn / as well may we go.
547 Bot hatters,
548 I can fynde no flesh,
549 Hard nor nesh,
550 Salt nor fresh,
551 Bot two tome platers.
552 Whik catell bot this / tame nor wylde,
553 None, as haue I blys / as lowde as he smylde.
554 Uxor Ejus (Gill). No, so god me blys / and gyf me Ioy of my chylde!
555 Primus Pastor. We haue merkyd amys / I hold vs begyld.
556 Secundus Pastor. Syr don,
557 Syr, oure lady hym saue!
558 Is youre chyld a knaue?
559 Mak. Any lord myght hym haue
560 This chyld to his son.
561 When he wakyns he kyppys / that ioy is to se.
562 Tercius Pastor. In good tyme to hys hyppys / and in cele.
563 Bot who was his gossyppys / so sone rede?
564 Mak. So fare fall thare lyppys! /
565 Primus Pastor. Hark now, a le!
566 Mak. So god thaym thank,
567 Parkyn, and gybon waller, I say,
568 And gentill Iohn horne, in good fay,
569 He made all the garray,
570 With the greatt shank.
571 Secundus Pastor. Mak, freyndys will we be / ffor we ar all oone.
572 Mak. We! now I hald for me / for mendys gett I none.
573 Ffare well all thre / all glad were ye gone.
574 Tercius Pastor. Ffare wordys may ther be / bot luf is ther none
575 This yere.
576 Primus Pastor. Gaf ye the chyld, any thyng?
577 Secundus Pastor. I trow not oone farthyng.
578 Tercius Pastor. Ffast agane will I flyng,
579 Abyde ye me there.
580 Mak, take it to no grefe / if I com to thi barne.
581 Mak. Nay, thou dos me greatt reprefe / and fowll has thou farne.
582 Tercius Pastor. The child will it not grefe / that lytyll day starne.
583 Mak, with youre leyfe / let me gyf youre barne. Bot sex pence.
584 Mak. Nay, do way: he slepys.
585 Tercius Pastor. Me thynk he pepys.
586 Mak. When he wakyns he wepys.
587 I pray you go hence.
588 Tercius Pastor. Gyf me lefe hym to kys / and lyft vp the clowtt.
589 What the dewill is this? / he has a long snowte.
590 Primus Pastor. He is merkyd amys / we wate ill abowte.
591 Secundus Pastor. Ill spon weft, Iwys / ay commys foull owte.
592 Ay, so!
593 He is lyke to oure shepe!
594 Tercius Pastor. How, gyb! may I pepe?
595 Primus Pastor. I trow, kynde will crepe
596 Where it may not go.
597 Secundus Pastor. This was a qwantt gawde / and a far cast.
598 It was a hee frawde. /
599 Tercius Pastor. Yee, syrs, wast.
600 Lett bren this bawde / and bynd hir fast.
601 A fals skawde / hang at the last;
602 So shall thou.
603 Wyll ye se how thay swedyll
604 His foure feytt in the medyll?
605 Sagh I neuer in a credyll
606 A hornyd lad or now.
607 Mak. Peasse byd I: what! / lett be youre fare;
608 I am he that hym gatt / and yond woman hym bare.
609 Primus Pastor. What dewill shall he hatt? / Mak, lo god makys ayre.
610 Secundus Pastor. Lett be all that. / now god gyf hym care,
611 I sagh.
612 Uxor Ejus (Gill). A pratty child is he
613 As syttys on a waman's kne;
614 A dyllydowne, perde,
615 To gar a man laghe.
616 Tercius Pastor. I know hym by the eere marke / that is a good tokyn.
617 Mak. I tell you, syrs, hark! / hys noyse was brokyn.
618 Sythen told, me a clerk / that he was forspokyn.
619 Primus Pastor. This is a fals wark / I wold, fayn be wrokyn:
620 Gett wepyn.
621 Uxor Ejus (Gill). He was takyn with an elfe,
622 I saw it myself.
623 When the clok stroke twelf
624 Was he forshapyn.
625 Secundus Pastor. Ye two ar well feft / sam in a stede.
626 Tercius Pastor. Syn thay manteyn thare theft / let do thaym to dede.
627 Mak. If I trespas eft / gyrd of my heede.
628 With you will I be left. /
629 Primus Pastor. Syrs, do my reede.
630 Ffor this trespas,
631 We will nawther ban ne flyte,
632 Ffyght nor chyte,
633 Bot haue done as tyte,
634 And cast hym in canvas.
635 Lord! what I am sore / in poynt for to bryst.
636 In fayth I may no more / therfor wyll I ryst.
637 Secundus Pastor. As a shepe of sevyn skore / he weyd in my fyst.
638 Ffor to slepe ay whore / me thynk that I lyst.
639 Tercius Pastor. Now I pray you,
640 Lyg downe on this grene.
641 Primus Pastor. On these thefys yit I mene.
642 Tercius Pastor. Wherto shuld ye tene
643 So, as I say you?
644 Angel. Ryse, hyrd men heynd! / for now is he borne
645 That shall take fro the feynd / that adam had lorne:
646 That warloo to sheynd / this nyght is he borne.
647 God is made youre freynd / now at this morne.
648 He behestys,
649 At bedlem go se,
650 Ther lygys that fre
651 In a cryb full poorely,
652 Betwyx two bestys.
653 Primus Pastor. This was a qwant stevyn / that euer yit I hard.
654 It is a meruell to neuyn / thus to be skard.
655 Secundus Pastor. Of godys son of heuyn / he spak vpward.
656 All the wod on a leuyn / me thoght that he gard
657 Appere.
658 Tercius Pastor. He spake of a barne
659 In bedlem, I you warne.
660 Primus Pastor. That betokyns yond starne.
661 Let vs seke hym there,
662 Secundus Pastor. Say, what was his song? / hard ye not how he crakyd it?
663 Thre brefes to a long. /
664 Tercius Pastor. Yee, mary, he hakt it.
665 Was no crochett wrong / nor no thyng that lakt it.
666 Primus Pastor. Ffor to syng vs emong / right as he knakt it,
667 I can.
668 Secundus Pastor. Let se how ye croyne.
669 Can ye bark at the mone?
670 Tercius Pastor. Hold youre tonges, haue done!
671 Primus Pastor. Hark after, than.
672 Secundus Pastor. To bedlem he bad / that we shuld gang:
673 I am full fard / that we tary to lang.
674 Tercius Pastor. Be mery and not sad / of myrth is oure sang,
675 Euer lastyng glad / to mede may we fang,
676 Withoutt noyse.
677 Primus Pastor. Hy we theder for thy;
678 If we be wete and wery,
679 To that chyld and that lady
680 We haue it not to lose.
681 Secundus Pastor. We fynde by the prophecy-/ let be youre dyn-
682 Of dauid and Isay / and mo then I myn,
683 Thay prophecyed by clergy / that in a vyrgyn
684 Shuld, he lyght and ly / to slokyn oure syn
685 And slake it,
686 Oure kynde from wo;
687 Ffor Isay sayd so,
688 Cite' virgo
689 Concipiet a chylde that is nakyd.
690 Tercius Pastor. Ffull glad may we be / and abyde that day
691 That lufly to se / that all myghtys may.
692 Lord, well were me / for ones and for ay,
693 Myght I knele on my kne / som word for to say
694 To that chylde.
695 Bot the angell sayd,
696 In a cryb wos he layde;
697 He was poorly arayd
698 Both mener and mylde.
699 Primus Pastor. Patryarkes that has bene / and prophetys beforne,
700 Thay desyryd to haue sene / this chylde that is borne.
701 Thay ar gone full clene / that haue thay lorne.
702 We shall se hym, I weyn / or it be morne,
703 To tokyn.
704 When I se hym and fele,
705 Then wote I full weyll
706 It is true as steyll
707 That prophetys haue spokyn.
708 To so poore as we ar / that he wold appere,
709 Ffyrst fynd, and declare / by his messyngere.. Secundus Pastor
710 Go we now, let vs fare / the place is vs nere.
711 Tercius Pastor. I am redy and yare / go we in fere
712 To that bright.
713 Lord, if thi wylles be,
714 We ar lewde all thre,
715 Thou grauntt vs somkyns gle
716 To comforth thi wight.
717 Primus Pastor. Hayll, comly and clene! / hayll, yong child!
718 Hayll, maker, as I meyne, / of a madyn so mylde!
719 Thou has waryd, I weyne / the warlo so wylde;
720 The fals gyler of teyn / now goys he begylde.
721 Lo, he merys;
722 Lo, he laghys, my swetyng,
723 A welfare metyng,
724 I haue holden my hetyng;
725 Haue a bob of cherys.
726 Secundus Pastor. Hayll, sufferan sauyoure! / ffor thou has vs soght:
727 Hayll, frely foyde and floure / that all thyng has wroght!
728 Hayll, full of fauoure / that made all of noght!
729 Hayll! I kneyll and I cowre. / A byrd haue I broght
730 To my barne.
731 Hayll, lytyll tyne' mop!
732 Of oure crede thou art crop:
733 I wold drynk on thy cop,
734 Lytyll day starne.
735 Tercius Pastor. Hayll, derlyng dere / full of godhede!
736 I pray the be nere / when that I haue nede.
737 Hayll! swete is thy chere! / my hart wold, blede
738 To se the sytt here / in so poore wede,
739 With no pennys.
740 Hayll! put furth thy dall!
741 I bryng the bot a ball:
742 Haue and play the with all,
743 And go to the tenys.
744 Mary. The fader of heuen / god omnypotent.
745 That sett all on seuen, / his son has he sent.
746 My name couth he neuen / and lyght or he went.
747 I conceyuyd hym full euen / thrugh myght as he ment,
748 And now is he borne.
749 He kepe you fro wo!
750 I shall pray hym so;
751 Tell furth as ye go,
752 And myn on this morne.
753 Primus Pastor. Ffarewell, lady / so fare to beholde,
754 With thy childe on thi kne! /
755 Secundus Pastor. Bot he lygys full cold.
756 Lord, well is me / now we go, thou behold.
757 Tercius Pastor. Ffor sothe all redy / it semys to be told
758 Full oft.
759 Primus Pastor. What grace we haue fun.
760 Secundus Pastor. Com furth, now ar we won.
761 Tercius Pastor. To syng ar we bun:
762 Let take on loft.
763
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Proper Citation: NeCastro, Gerard. The Towneley Cycle, Play 13 - The Second Shepherds' Play (Secunda Pastorum). From Stage to Page - Medieval and Renaissance Drama. http:www.umm.maine.edu/faculty/necastro/drama. Date Visited.