From Stage to Page - Medieval and Renaissance Drama
The York Cycle, Play 25 - Entry into Jerusalem
Skynners
001 Jesus. To me takis tent and giffis gud hede
002 My dere discipulis that ben here,
003 I schall yoou telle that shal be indede:
004 My tyme to passe hense it drawith nere,
005 And by this skill,
006 Mannys sowle to saue fro sorowes sere
007 þat loste was ill.
008 From heuen to erth whan I dyssende
009 Rawnsom to make I made promys,
010 The prophicie nowe drawes to ende,
011 My fadirs wille forsoth it is
012 þat sente me hedyr.
013 Petir, Phelippe, I schall yoou blisse,
014 And go togedir
015 Vnto yoone castell that is yoou agayne,
016 Gois with gud harte and tarie noyot,
017 My comaundement to do be yoe bayne.
018 Also I yoou charge loke it be wrought
019 þat schal yoe fynde
020 An asse this feste als yoe had soght.
021 3e hir vnbynde
022 With hir foole, and to me hem bring,
023 þat I on hir may sitte a space,
024 So the prophicy clere menyng
025 May be fulfillid here in this place:
026 'Doghtyr Syon,
027 Loo, thi lorde comys rydand an asse
028 þe to opon'.
029 Yf any man will yoou gaynesaye,
030 Say that youre lorde has nede of tham
031 And schall restore thame this same day
032 Vnto what man will tham clayme;
033 Do thus this thyng.
034 Go furthe yoe both and be ay bayne
035 In my blissyng.
036 Peter. Jesu, maistir evyn at thy wille
037 And at thi liste vs likis to doo.
038 Yone beste whilke thou desires the tille
039 Euen at thi will schall come the too,
040 Vnto thin esse.
041 Sertis lord, we will thedyre all go
042 þe for to plese.
043 Philip. Lord, the to plese we are full bayne
044 Bothe nyght and day to do thi will.
045 Go we brothere, with all oure mayne
046 My lordis desire for to fulfill,
047 For prophycye
048 Vs bus it do to hym by skyll
049 þarto dewly.
050 Peter. 3a, brodir Phelipp, behalde grathely,
051 For als he saide we schulde sone fynde,
052 Methinke yoone bestis before myn eye
053 þai are the same we schulde vnbynde.
054 þerfore frely
055 Go we to hym that thame gan bynde,
056 And aske mekely.
057 Philip. The beestis are comen, wele I knawe,
058 Therfore vs nedis to aske lesse leue;
059 And oure maistir kepis the lawe
060 We may thame take tyter, I preue.
061 For noght we lett,
062 For wele I watte oure tyme is breue,
063 Go we tham fett.
064 Janitor. Saie, what are yoe that makis here maistrie,
065 To loose thes bestis withoute leverie?
066 Yow semes to bolde, sen noght that yoe
067 Hase here to do; therfore rede I
068 Such thingis to sesse,
069 Or ellis yoe may falle in folye
070 And grette diseasse.
071 Peter. Sir, with thi leue, hartely we praye
072 þis beste that we myght haue.
073 Janitor. To what intente firste shall yoe saye,
074 And than I graunte what yoe will crave
075 Be gode resoune.
076 Philip. Oure maistir sir, that all may saue,
077 Aske by chesoune.
078 Janitor. What man is that yoe maistir call
079 Swilke priuelege dare to hym clayme?
080 Peter. Jesus, of Jewes kyng and ay be schall,
081 Of Nazareth prophete the same.
082 þis same is he,
083 Both God and man withouten blame,
084 þis trist wele we.
085 Janitor. Sirs, of that prophette herde I haue,
086 But telle me firste playnly, wher is hee?
087 Philip. He comes at hande so God me saue,
088 þat lorde we lefte at Bephagé
089 He bidis vs there.
090 Janitor. Sir, take this beste with herte full free,
091 And forthe yoe fare.
092 And if yoou thynke it be to don,
093 I schall declare playnly his comyng
094 To the chiffe of the Jewes, that thei may sone
095 Assemble same to his metyng;
096 What is your rede?
097 Peter. þou sais full wele in thy menyng.
098 Do forthe thi dede,
099 And sone this beste we schall the bring
100 And it restore as resoune will.
101 Janitor. This tydyngis schall haue no laynyng,
102 But be the citezens declared till
103 Of this cyté
104 I suppose fully that thei wolle
105 Come mete that free.
106 And sen I will thei warned be,
107 Both yoonge and olde in ilke a state,
108 For his comyng I will tham mete
109 To late tham witte, withoute debate.
110 Lo, wher thei stande,
111 The citezens cheff withoute debate
112 Of all this lande.
113 He that is rewler of all right
114 And freely schoppe both sande and see,
115 He saue yoou, lordyngis gayly dight,
116 And kepe yoou in yooure semelyté
117 And all honoure.
118 Burger 1. Welcome porter, what novelté
119 Telle vs this owre.
120 Janitor. Sirs, noveltéI can yoou tell
121 And triste thame fully as for trewe:
122 Her comes of kynde of Israell
123 Att hande the prophette called Jesu,
124 Lo, this same day,
125 Rydand on an asse. þis tydandis newe
126 Consayue yoe may.
127 Burger 2. And is that prophette Jesu nere?
128 Off hym I haue herde grete ferlis tolde.
129 He dois grete wounderes in contrees seere,
130 He helys the seke, both yoonge and olde,
131 And the blynde giffis tham ther sight.
132 Both dome and deffe, as hymselffe wolde,
133 He cures thame right.
134 Burger 3. 3a, v thowsand men with loves fyue
135 He fedde, and ilkone hadde inowe.
136 Watir to wyne he turned ryue,
137 He garte corne growe withouten plogh
138 Wher are was none.
139 To dede men als he gaffe liffe,
140 Lazar was one.
141 Burger 4. In oure tempill if he prechid
142 Agaynste the pepull that leued wrong,
143 And also new lawes if he teched
144 Agaynste oure lawis we vsed so lang,
145 And saide pleynlye
146 The olde schall waste, the new schall gang,
147 þat we schall see.
148 Burger 5. 3a, Moyses lawe he cowde ilke dele
149 And all the prophettis on a rowe,
150 He telles tham so that ilke a man may fele
151 And what thei say interly knowe
152 Yf thei were dyme.
153 What the prophettis saide in ther sawe,
154 All longis to hym.
155 Burger 6. Emanuell also by right
156 þai calle that prophette by this skill,
157 He is the same that are was hyght
158 Be Ysaye befor vs till,
159 þus saide full clere:
160 Loo, a maydyn that knew neuere ille
161 A childe schuld bere.
162 Burger 7. Dauid spake of hym I wene
163 And lefte witnesse yoe knowe ilkone,
164 He saide the frute of his corse clene
165 Shulde royally regne vpon his trone,
166 And therfore he
167 Of Dauid kyn and othir none
168 Oure kyng schal be.
169 Burger 8. Sirs, methynketh yoe saie right wele
170 And gud ensampelys furth yoe bryng,
171 And sen we thus this mater fele
172 Go we hym meete as oure owne kyng,
173 And kyng hym call.
174 What is youre counsaill in this thyng?
175 Now say yoe all.
176 Burger 1. Agaynste resoune I will noyot plete
177 For wele I wote oure kyng he is.
178 Whoso agaynst his kyng liste threte
179 He is noyot wise, he dose amys.
180 Porter, come nere.
181 What knowlage hast thou of his comyng?
182 Tels vs all here,
183 And than we will go mete that free,
184 And hym honnoure as we wele awe
185 Worthely tyll oure citee,
186 And for oure souerayne lord hym knawe,
187 In whome we triste.
188 Janitor. Sirs, I schall telle yoou all on rowe
189 And yoe will lyste.
190 Of his discipillis, ij this day
191 Where that I stode thei faire me grette,
192 And on ther maistir halfe gan praye
193 Oure comon asse that thei myght gete
194 Bot for a while,
195 Wheron ther maistir softe myght sitte
196 Space of a mile.
197 And all this mater thai me tolde
198 Right haly as I saie to yoou,
199 And the asse thei haue right as thei wolde
200 And sone will bringe agayne I trowe,
201 So thai beheste.
202 What yoe will doo avise yoou nowe,
203 þus thinke me beste.
204 Burger 2. Trewlye as for me I say
205 I rede we make vs redy bowne,
206 Hym to mete gudly this day
207 And hym ressayue with grete rennowne
208 As worthy is.
209 And therfore sirs, in felde and towne
210 3e fulfille this.
211 Janitor. 3a, and yooure childer with yoou take,
212 þoff all in age that thei be yoonge,
213 3e may fare the bettir for ther sake
214 Thurgh the blissing of so goode a kyng,
215 þis is no dowte.
216 Burger 3. I kan the thanke for thy saying,
217 We will hym lowte.
218 And hym to mete I am right bayne
219 On the beste maner that I cane,
220 For I desire to se hym fayne
221 And hym honnoure as his awne man,
222 Sen the soth I see.
223 Kyng of Juuys we call hym than,
224 Oure kyng is he.
225 Burger 4. Oure kyng is he-that is no lesse-
226 Oure awne lawe to it cordis will,
227 þe prophettis all bare full witnesse
228 Qwilke of hym secrete gone telle,
229 And thus wolde say:
230 'Emang youreselff schall come grete seele
231 Thurgh God verray'.
232 Burger 5. þis same is he, ther is non othir,
233 Was vs beheest full lange before,
234 For Moyses saide als oure owne brothir
235 A newe prophette God schulde restore.
236 þerfore loke yoe
237 What yoe will do, withouten more,
238 Oure kyng is he.
239 Burger 6. Of Juda come owre kyng so gent,
240 Of Jesse, Dauid, Salamon;
241 Also by his modir kynne take tente,
242 þe genolagye beres witnesse on,
243 This is right playne.
244 Hym to honnoure right as I can
245 I am full bayne.
246 Burger 7. Of youre clene witte and youre consayte
247 I am full gladde in harte and thought,
248 And hym to mete withouten latt
249 I am redy, and feyne will noght,
250 Bot with yoou same
251 Go hym agayne vs blisse hath brought,
252 With myrthe and game.
253 Burger 8. 3oure argumentis thai are so clere
254 I can noyot saie but graunte you till,
255 For whanne I of that counsaille here
256 I coveyte hym with feruent wille
257 Onys for to see,
258 I trowe fro thens I schall
259 Bettir man be.
260 Burger 1. Go we than with processioun
261 To mete that comely as vs awe,
262 With braunches, floures and vnysoune.
263 With myghtfull songes her on a rawe
264 Our childir schall
265 Go synge before, that men may knawe.
266 Burger 2. To this graunte we all.
267 Peter. Jesu, lord and maistir free,
268 Als thou comaunde so haue we done.
269 þis asse here we haue brought to the,
270 What is thi wille thou schewe vs sone
271 And tarie noyot,
272 And than schall we withouten hune
273 Fulfill thi thouyot.
274 Jesus. I thanke yoou brethere mylde of mode.
275 Do on this asse youre clothis yoe laye,
276 And lifte me vppe with hertis gud
277 þat I on hir may sitte this daye
278 In my blissing.
279 Philip. Lord, thi will to do allway
280 We graunte this thing.
281 Jesus. Now my brethere with gud chere
282 Gyues gode entente, for ryde I will
283 Vnto yoone cytéyoe se so nere.
284 3e shall me folowe sam and still
285 Als I are sayde.
286 Philip. Lord, as the lyst we graunte the till,
287 And halde vs payde.
288 Cecus. A, lorde, that all this world has made,
289 Bothe sonne and mone, nyght and day,
290 What noyse is this that makis me gladde?
291 Fro whens it schulde come I can noyot saye,
292 Or what it mene.
293 Yf any man walke in this way
294 Telle hym me bedene.
295 Pauper. Man, what ayles the to crye?
296 Where wolde thou be? þou say me here.
297 Cecus. A, sir, a blynde man am I
298 And ay has bene of tendyr yoere
299 Sen I was borne.
300 I harde a voyce with nobill chere
301 Here me beforne.
302 Pauper. Man, will thou oght that I can do?
303 Cecus. 3a sir, gladly wolde I witte
304 Yf thou couthe oght declare me to
305 This myrthe I herde, what mene may it
306 Or vndirstande?
307 Pauper. Jesu the prophite full of grace
308 Comys here at hande,
309 And all the cetezens thay are bowne
310 Gose hym to mete with melodye,
311 With the fayrest processioun
312 That euere was sene in this Jury;
313 He is right nere.
314 Cecus. Sir, helpe me to the strete hastely,
315 þat I may here
316 þat noyse, and also that I myght thurgh grace
317 My syght of hym to craue I wolde.
318 Pauper. Loo, he is here at this same place.
319 Crye faste on hym, loke thou be bolde,
320 With voyce right high.
321 Cecus. Jesu the sone of Dauid calde,
322 þou haue mercy.
323 Allas, I crye, he heris me noyot,
324 He has no ruthe of my mysfare.
325 He turnes his herre, where is his thought?
326 Pauper. Cry somwhat lowdar, loke thou noyot spare,
327 So may thou spye.
328 Cecus. Jesu the saluer of all sare,
329 To me giffis gode hye.
330 Philip. Cesse man and crye noyot soo,
331 The voyce of the pepill gose the by.
332 þe aghe sette still and tente giffe to,
333 Here passez the prophite of mercye-
334 þou doys amys.
335 Cecus. A, Dauid sone, to the I crye,
336 þe kyng of blisse.
337 Peter. Lorde, haue mercy and late hym goo,
338 He can noyot cesse of his crying.
339 He folows vs both to and froo,
340 Graunte hym his boone and his askyng
341 And late hym wende.
342 We gette no reste or that this thyng
343 Be broyot to ende.
344 Jesus. What wolde thou man I to the dede
345 In this present? Telle oppynly.
346 Cecus. Lorde, my syght is fro me hydde,
347 þou graunte me it, I crye mercy,
348 þis wolde I haue.
349 Jesus. Loke vppe nowe with chere blythely,
350 þi faith shall the saue.
351 Cecus. Wirschippe and honnoure ay to the
352 With all the seruice that can be done,
353 The kyng of blisse loued mote he be
354 þat thus my sight hath sente so sone,
355 And by grete skill.
356 I was are blynde as any stone:
357 I se at wille.
358 Claudus. A, wele wer tham that euere had liffe,
359 Olde or yonge whedir it were,
360 Might welde ther lymmes withouten striffe,
361 Go with this mirthe that I see here
362 And contynewe;
363 For I am sette in sorowes sere
364 þat ay ar newe.
365 þou lord that schope both nyght and day,
366 For thy mercy haue mynde on me
367 And helpe me lorde, as thou wele may
[... ...]
368 i may noyot gang.
369 For I am lame as men may se
370 And has ben lang.
371 For wele I wote, as knowyn is ryffe,
372 Bothe dome and deffe thou grauntist tham grace,
373 And also the dede that thou hauyst geuen liff;
374 Therfore graunte me lord in this place
375 My lymbis to welde.
376 Jesus. My man, ryse and caste the crucchys gode space
377 Her in the felde,
378 And loke in trouthe thou stedfast be,
379 And folow me furth with gode menyng.
380 Claudus. Lorde, lo my crouchis whare thei flee
381 Als ferre as I may late tham flenge
382 With bothe my hende.
383 þat euere we haue metyng
384 Now I defende,
385 For I was halte of lyme and lame
386 And I suffered tene and sorowes inowe.
387 Ay-lastand lord, loued be thi name,
388 I am als light as birde on bowe.
389 Ay be thou blist,
390 Such grace hast thou schewed to me
391 Lorde, as the list.
392 Zaché. Sen firste this worlde was made of noyot
393 And all thyng sette in equité
394 Such ferly thyng was neuere non wroght
395 As men this tyme may see with eye.
396 What it may mene-
397 I can noyot saye what it may be,
398 Comforte or tene.
399 And cheffely of a prophete new
400 þat mekill is profite, and that of latte
401 Both day and nyght thai hym assewe,
402 Oure pepill same thurgh strete and gatte . [... ...]
403 Oure olde lawes as nowe thei hatte
404 And his kepis yoare.
405 Men fro deth to liffe he rayse,
406 The blynde and dome geve speche and sight,
407 Gretely therfor oure folke hym prayse
408 And folowis hym both day and nyght
409 Fro towne to towne.
410 Thay calle hym prophite be right
411 As of renowne.
412 And yoit I meruayle of that thyng,
413 Of puplicans sen prince am I
414 Of hym I cowthe haue no knowyng,
415 Yf all I wolde haue comen hym neyoe,
416 Arly and late.
417 For I am lawe, and of men high
418 Full is the gate.
419 Bot sen no bettir may befalle
420 I thynke what beste is for to doo,
421 I am schorte yoe knawe wele all,
422 þerfore yoone tre I will go too
423 And in it clyme.
424 Whedir he come or passe me fro
425 I schall se hym.
426 A, nobill tree thou secomoure,
427 I blisse hym that the on the erthe broght.
428 Now may I see both here and thore
429 That vndir me hid may be noyot.
430 þerfore in the
431 Wille I bidde in herte and thought
432 Till I hym se.
433 Vnto the prophete come to towne
434 Her will I bide what so befalle.
435 Jesus. Do Zaché do faste come downe.
436 Zaché. Lorde, even at thi wille hastely I schall,
437 And tarie noght.
438 To the on knes lord here I fall
439 For synne I wroght;
440 And welcome, prophete trast and trewe,
441 With all the pepull that to the lange.
442 Jesus. Zaché thi seruice new
443 Schall make the clene of all the wrong
444 þat thou haste done.
445 Zaché. Lorde, I lette noyot for this thrang
446 Her to say sone
447 Me schamys with synne but ouyot to mende.
448 Mi synne forsake therfore I will,
449 Halue my gud I haue vnspende
450 Poure folke to geue it till,
451 þis will I fayne.
452 Whom I begylyd to hym I will
453 Make asith agayne.
454 Jesus. Thy clere confessioun schall the clense,
455 þou may be sure of lastand lyffe.
456 Vnto thi house withouten offense
457 Is graunted pees withouten striffe.
458 Farewele Zaché
459 Zaché. Lord, the lowte ay man and wiffe,
460 Blist myght thou be.
461 Jesus. My dere discipulis, beholde and see,
462 Vnto Jerusalem we schall assende,
463 Man sone schall ther betrayed be
464 And gevyn into his enmys hende
465 With grete dispitte.
466 Ther spitting on hym ther schall thei spende
467 And smertly smyte.
468 Petir, take this asse me fro
469 And lede it where thou are it toke.
470 I murne, I sigh, I wepe also
471 Jerusalem on the to loke.
472 And so may thou rewe
473 þat euere thou thi kyng forsuke
474 And was vntrewe.
475 For stone on stone schall none be lefte
476 But doune to the grounde all schal be caste,
477 Thy game, thi gle, al fro the refte
478 And all for synne that thou done hast.
479 þou arte vnkynde;
480 Agayne thi kyng thou hast trespast,
481 Haue this in mynde.
482 Peter. Porter, take here thyn asse agayne,
483 At hande my lorde comys on his fette.
484 Janitor. Behalde where all the burgeis bayne
485 Comes with wirschippe hym to mete.
486 þerfore I will
487 Late hym abide here in this strete
488 And lowte hym till.
489 Burger 1. Hayll prophette preued withouten pere,
490 Hayll prince of pees schall euere endure,
491 Hayll kyng comely, curteyse and clere,
492 Hayll souerayne semely, to synfull sure;
493 To the all bowes.
494 Hayll lord louely oure cares may cure,
495 Hayll kyng of Jewes.
496 Burger 2. Hayll florisshand floure that neuere shall fade,
497 Hayll vyolett vernand with swete odoure,
498 Hayll marke of myrthe oure medecyne made,
499 Hayll blossome bright, hayll oure socoure,
500 Hayll kyng comely.
501 Hayll menskfull man, we the honnoure
502 With herte frely.
503 Burger 3. Hayll Dauid sone, doughty in dede,
504 Hayll rose ruddy, hayll birrall clere,
505 Hayll, welle of welthe may make vs mede,
506 Hayll saluer of oure sores sere,
507 We wirschippe the.
508 Hayll hendfull, with solas sere
509 Welcome thou be
510 Burger 4. Hayll blisfull babe, in Bedleme borne,
511 Hayll boote of all oure bittir balis,
512 Hayll, sege that schoppe bothe even and morne,
513 Hayll talker trystefull of trew tales,
514 Hayll comely knyght,
515 Hayll of mode that moste preuayles
516 To saue the tyght.
517 Burger 5. Hayll dyamaunde with drewry dight,
518 Hayll jasper gentill of Jury,
519 Hayll lylly lufsome lemyd with lyght,
520 Hayll balme of boote, moyste and drye
521 To all has nede.
522 Hayll barne most blist of mylde Marie,
523 Hayll all oure mede.
524 Burger 6. Hayll conquerour, hayll most of myght,
525 Hayll rawnsoner of synfull all,
526 Hayll pytefull, hayll louely light,
527 Hayll to vs welcome be schall,
528 Hayll kyng of Jues.
529 Hayll comely corse that we the call
530 With mirthe that newes.
531 Burger 7. Hayll sonne ay schynand with bright bemes,
532 Hayll lampe of liff schall neuere waste,
533 Hayll lykand lanterne, luffely lemys,
534 Hayll texte of trewthe the trew to taste.
535 Hayll kyng and sire,
536 Hayll maydens chylde that menskid hir most,
537 We the desire.
538 Burger 8. Hayll domysman dredful, that all schall deme,
539 Hayll that all quyk and dede schall lowte,
540 Hayll whom worschippe moste will seme,
541 Hayll whom all thyng schall drede and dowte.
542 We welcome the,
543 Hayll and welcome of all abowte
544 To owre ceté.
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Proper Citation: NeCastro, Gerard. The York Cycle, Play 25 - Entry into Jerusalem. From Stage to Page - Medieval and Renaissance Drama. http:www.umm.maine.edu/faculty/necastro/drama. Date Visited.