N-Town Cycle Play 10 [The Marriage of Mary and Joseph] Tunc venit Abysakar Episcopus 1 [EPISCOPUS] Listenyth, lordyngys bothe hye and lowe, 2 And tendyrly takyth heyd onto my sawe. 3 Beth buxom and benyngne 3oure busshopp to knowe, 4 For I am țat lord țat made țis lawe. 5 With hertys so hende herkyn nowe: 6 3oure damyselys to weddyng, 3a, loke țat 3e drawe, 7 țat passyn xiiij 3ere, for what țat 3e owe. 8 țe lawe of God byddyth țis sawe: 9 țat at xiiij 3ere of age 10 Euery damesel, whatso sche be, 11 To țe encrese of more plenté, 12 Xulde be browght in good degré 13 Onto here spowsage. 14 JOACHYM Herke now, Anne, my jentyl spowse, 15 How țat țe buschop his lawe hath tolde, 16 țat what man hath a dowtyr in his house 17 țat passyth xiiij 3erys olde, 18 He muste here brynge, I herde hym rowse, 19 Into țe tempyl a spowse to wedde. 20 Wherfor oure dowtyr ryth good and dowse, 21 Into țe tempyl sche must be ledde, 22 And țat anoon-ryght sone. 23 ANNE Sere, I grawnt țat it be so. 24 A3en țe lawe may we not do. 25 With here togedyr lete us now go, 26 I hold it ryght weyl done. 27 JOACHYM Sere busshopp, here aftyr țin owyn hest 28 We haue here brought oure dowtyr dere, 29 Mary, my swete childe; she is ful prest, 30 Of age she is ful xiiij 3ere. 31 EPISCOPUS Welcome, Joachym, onto myn areste, 32 Bothe Anne ți wyff and Mary clere. 33 Now, Mary chylde, to țe lawe țu leste 34 And chese țe a spowse to be ți fere— 35 țat lawe țu must fullfylle. 36 MARIA A3ens țe lawe wyl I nevyr be, 37 But mannys felachep xal nevyr folwe me. 38 I wyl levyn evyr in chastyté 39 Be țe grace of Goddys wylle. 40 EPISCOPUS A, fayre mayde, why seyst țu so? 41 What menyth the for to levyn chast? 42 Why wylt țu not to weddyng go? 43 țe cawse țu telle me, and țat in hast! 44 MARIA My fadyr and my modyr, sertys, also, 45 Er I was born, 3e may me trast, 46 Thei were bothe bareyn, here frute was do; 47 They come to țe tempyl at țe last 48 To do here sacryfice. 49 Bycause they hadde nothyr frute nere chylde, 50 Reprevyd ței wore of wykkyd and wyllde. 51 With grett shame ței were revylyd, 52 Al men dede them dyspyce. 53 My fadyr and my modyr, thei wepte full sore. 54 Ful hevy here hertys wern of țis dede. 55 With wepynge eyn ței preyd, țerfore, 56 țat God wolde socowre hem and sende hem sede. 57 Iff God wold graunt hem a childe be bore, 58 They behest țe chylde here lyff xulde lede 59 In Goddys temple to serve evyrmore, 60 And wurchep God in loue and drede. 61 Than God, ful of grace, 62 He herd here longe prayour, 63 And țan sent hem both seed and flowre. 64 Whan I was born in here bowre, 65 To țe temple offryd I was. 66 Whan țat I was to țe temple brought 67 And offerde up to God above, 68 Ther hestyd I, as myn hert thought, 69 To serve my God with hertyly love. 70 Clennesse and chastyté myn hert owth 71 Erthely creature nevyr may shoue. 72 Such clene lyff xuld 3e nouht 73 In no maner wyse reprove. 74 To țis clennesse I me take. 75 This is țe cawse, as I 3ow tell, 76 țat I with man wyll nevyr mell! 77 In țe servyse of God wyl I evyr dwell— 78 I wyl nevyr haue other make. 79 EPISCOPUS A, mercy, God, țese wordys wyse 80 Of țis fayr mayde clene, 81 Thei trobyl myn hert in many wyse— 82 Her wytt is grett, and țat is sene! 83 In clennes to levyn in Godys servise 84 No man here blame, non here tene. 85 And 3it in lawe țus it lyce, 86 țat such weddyd xulde bene. 87 Who xal expownd țis oute? 88 țe lawe doth after lyff of clennes; 89 țe lawe doth bydde such maydenes expres 90 țat to spowsyng they xulde hem dres. 91 God help us in țis dowhte! 92 This ansuere grettly trobelyth me. 93 To mak a vow, to creaturys it is lefful— 94 Vovete et reddite in Scripture haue we— 95 And to observe oure lawe also it is nedful. 96 In țis to dyscerne, to me it is dredful. 97 țerfore, to cow[n]cell me in țis cas I calle 98 țe holde and țe wyse, and swiche as ben spedful. 99 In țis sey 3oure avyse, I besech 3ow alle. 100 MINISTER To breke oure lawe and custom it wore hard indede; 101 And on țat other syde, to do a3en Scrypture. 102 To 3eve sentens in țis degré 3e must take goo[d] hede, 103 For dowteles țis matere is dyffuse and obscure. 104 Myn avyse here in țis, I 3ow ensure: 105 țat we prey all God to haue relacyon; 106 For be prayour grett knowlech men recure, 107 And to țis I counsell 3ow to 3eve assygnacyon. 108 EPISCOPUS Trewly 3oure counsel! is ryght good and eylsum, 109 And as 3e han seyd, so xal it be. 110 I charge 3ow, bretheryn and systerys, hedyr 3e com, 111 And togedyr to God now pray we 112 That it may plese his fynyte deyte 113 Knowleche in țis to sendyn vs. 114 Mekely eche man falle down on kne 115 And we xal begynne “Veni Creator Spiritus.” Et hic cantent “Veni Creator” And whan “Veni Creator” is don țe buschop xal [seyn]: 116 [EPISCOPUS] Now, Lord God, of lordys wysest of alle, 117 I pray țe, Lorde, knelynge on kne; 118 With carcfull herte I crye and calle, 119 țis dowteful dowte enforme țu me. 120 ANGELUS Thy prayour is herd to hy3 hevyn halle. 121 God hath me sent here down to the 122 To telle țe what țat țu do xalle, 123 And how țu xalt be rewlyd in iche degré. 124 Take tent and vndyrstond: 125 This is Goddys owyn byddyng, 126 țat all kynsmen of Dauyd be kyng 127 To țe temple xul brynge here du offryng 128 With whyte 3ardys in țer honde. 129 Loke wele what tyme ței offere there 130 All here 3ardys in țin hand țu take; 131 Take heed whose 3erde doth blome and here, 132 And he xal be țe maydenys make. 133 EPISCOPUS I thank țe, Lord, with mylde chere. 134 Thi wurde xal I werkyn withowtyn wrake. 135 I xal send for hem bothyn fer and nere; 136 To werke ți wyl I vndyrtake. 137 Anon it xal be do. 138 Herk, masangere, țu wend ți way; 139 Dauyd kynsmen, as I țe say, 140 Byd hem come offyr țis same day, 141 And brynge white 3ardys also. 142 NUNCIUS Oy! Al maner men, takyth to me tent 143 That be owgth of kynrede to Dauid țe kyng! 144 My lord țe busshop hath for 3ow sent, 145 To țe temple țat 3e come with 3oure offryng. 146 He chargight țat 3e hast 3ow, for he is redy bent 147 3ow to receyve at 3oure comyng. 148 He byddyth 3ow ferthermore in handys țat 3e hent 149 A fayre white 3erde everych of 3ow 3e bryng 150 In hyght. 151 Tary not, I pray 3ow, 152 My lord, as I say 3ow, 153 Now to receyve 3ow 154 Is full redy dyght. 155 JOSEPH In gret labore my lyff I lede, 156 Myn ocupasyoun lyth in many place. 157 For febylnesse of age my jorney I may nat spede. 158 I thank the, gret God, of thi grace. 159 PRIMUS GENERACIONIS DAUID What chere, Joseph? What ys the case 160 That ye lye here on this ground? 161 JOSEPH Age and febylnesse doth me enbrase, 162 That I may nother well goo ne stond. 163 SECUNDUS GENERACIO[NIS DAUID] We be commandyd be the beschoppys sond 164 That euery man of Dauyd kynrede 165 In the tempyll offyr a wond; 166 Therfor in this jorney let vs procede. 167 JOSEPH Me to traveyll yt is no nede. 168 I prey you, frendys, go forth youre wey. 169 TERCIUS GENERACION[IS DAUID] Yis, com forth, Joseph, I you rede, 170 And knowyth what the buschop woll sey. 171 QUARTUS GENER[ACIONIS DAUID] Ther ys a mayd whos name ys clepyd Mary 172 Doughter to Joachym as it is told. 173 Here to mary thei woll asay 174 To som man dowty and bold. 175 JOSEPH Benedicité! I cannot vndyrstande 176 What oure prince of prestys doth men, 177 țat every man xuld come and brynge with hym a whande. 178 Abyl to be maryed, țat is not I, so mote I then! 179 I haue be maydon evyr and evyrmore wele ben, 180 I chaungyd not 3et of all my long lyff! 181 And now to be maryed? Sum man wold wen 182 It is a straunge thynge an old man to take a 3onge wyff! 183 But nevyrțelesse, no doute, of we must forth to towne. 184 Now, neyborys and kynnysmen, lete us forth go. 185 I xal take a wand in my hand and cast of my gowne. 186 Yf I falle țan I xalle gronyn for wo! 187 Hoso take away my staff I say he were my fo! 188 3e be men țat may wele ren, go 3e before. 189 I am old and also colde, walkyng doth me wo. 190 țerfore now wol[d]e I, so my staff holde I, țis jurny to wore. 191 EPISCOPUS Serys, 3e xal vndyrstande 192 țat țis is țe cawse of oure comynge, 193 And why țat ech of 3ow bryngyth a wande: 194 For of God we haue knowynge 195 Here is to be maryde a mayde 3ynge. 196 All 3oure roddys 3e xal brynge vp to me, 197 And on hese rodde țat țe Holy Gost is syttynge, 198 He xal țe husbond of țis may be. Hic portent virgas 199 JOSEPH It xal not be [I], I ley a grote! 200 I xal abyde behynde preuyly. 201 Now wolde God I were at hom in my cote! 202 I am aschamyd to be seyn, veryly. 203 PRIMUS GENERACIONIS DAUIDTo wurchep my Lord God hedyr am I come 204 Here for to offyr my dewe offrynge. 205 A fayr white 3arde in hand haue I nome, 206 My lord, sere busshop, at 3oure byddynge. 207 SECUNDUS GENERACIONIS DAUID Off Dauythis kynred, sertys, am I com. 208 A fayr white 3arde in hand now I bryng. 209 My lord țe busshop, after 3oure owy[n] dom 210 țis 3arde do I offre at 3oure chargyng 211 Ryht here. 212 TERCIUS GENERACIONIS DAUID And I a 3arde haue both fayr and whyght; 213 Here in myn hond it is redy dyght, 214 And here I offre it forth within syght, 215 Ryght in good manere. 216 QUARTUS GENERACIONIS DAUIDI am țe fourte of Dauidis kyn, 217 And with myn offrynge my God I honoure. 218 țis fayr whyte 3arde is offryng myn; 219 I trost in God of sum socoure. 220 Com on, Joseph, with offrynge țin, 221 And brynge up țin as we han oure. 222 țu taryst ryth longe behynde, certeyn! 223 Why comyst not forth to Goddys toure? 224 Com on, man, for shame! 225 JOSEPH Com? 3a! 3a! God help! Full fayn I wolde, 226 But I am so agyd and so olde 227 țat both myn leggys gyn to folde— 228 I am ny almost lame! 229 EPISCOPUS A, mercy, Lord, I kan no sygne aspy. 230 It is best we go ageyn to prayr. 231 VOX He brought not up his rodde 3et, trewly, 232 To whom țe mayd howyth to be maryed her. 233 EPISCOPUS Whath! Joseph, why stande 3e there byhynde? 234 Iwys, sere, 3e be to blame! 235 JOSEPH Sere, I kannot my rodde fynde. 236 To come fer, in trowth, methynkyht shame. 237 EPISCOPUS Comyth thens! 238 JOSEPH Sere, he may euyl go țat is ner lame— 239 In soth, I com as fast as I may! 240 EPISCOPUS Offyr up 3oure rodde, sere, in Goddys name. 241 Why do 3e not as men 3ow pray? 242 JOSEPH Now in țe wurchep of God of hevyn 243 I offyr țis 3erde as bely-whyte, 244 Prayng țat Lord of gracyous stewyn 245 With hert, with wytt, with mayn, with myght. 246 And as he made țe sterrys seven, 247 țis sympyl offrynge țat is so lyght 248 To his wurchep he weldygh evyn, 249 For to his wurchep țis 3erd is dyght. 250 Lord God, I țe pray, 251 To my herte țu take good hede, 252 And nothynge to my synful dede; 253 Aftyr my wyl țu qwyte my mede 254 As plesyth to ți pay. 255 I may not lyfte myn handys heye! 256 Lo. Lo. Lo! What se 3e now? 257 EPISCOPUS A, Mercy! Mercy! Mercy, Lord, we crye! 258 țe blyssyd of God we se art thou. Et clamant omnes “Mercy! Mercy!” 259 [EPISCOPUS] A, gracyous God in hevyn trone, 260 Ryht wundyrful ți werkys be! 261 Here may we se a merveyl one: 262 A ded stok beryth flourys fre! 263 Joseph, in hert withoutyn mone, 264 țu mayst be blyth with game and gle. 265 A mayd to wedde țu must gone 266 Be țis meracle I do wel se. 267 Mary is here name. 268 JOSEPH What! Xuld I wedde? God forbede! 269 I am an old man, so God me spede! 270 And with a wyff now to levyn in drede, 271 It wore neyther sport nere game! 272 EPISCOPUS A3ens God, Joseph, țu mayst not stryve. 273 God wyl țat țu a wyff haue; 274 țis fayr mayde xal be ți wyve, 275 She is buxum and whyte as laue. 276 JOSEPH A! Shuld I haue here? 3e lese my lyff! 277 Alas, dere God, xuld I now rave? 278 An old man may nevyr thryff 279 With a 3onge wyff, so God me saue. 280 Nay, nay, sere, lett bene! 281 Xuld I now in age begynne to dote? 282 If I here chyde she wolde clowte my cote, 283 Blere myn ey, and pyke out a mote! 284 And țus oftyntymes it is sene. 285 EPISCOPUS Joseph, now as I țe saye, 286 God hath assygnyd here to țe. 287 țat God wol haue do, sey țu not nay— 288 Oure Lord God wyl țat it [so be]. 289 JOSEPH A3ens my God not do I may. 290 Here wardeyn and kepere wyl I evyr be. 291 But, fayr maydon, I țe pray, 292 Kepe țe clene as I xal me— 293 I am a man of age! 294 Therfore, sere busshop, I wyl țat 3e wete 295 țat in bedde we xul nevyr mete, 296 For, iwys, mayden suete, 297 An old man may not rage. 298 EPISCOPUS This holyest virgyn xalt țu maryn now. 299 3oure rodde floreschyth fayrest țat man may se. 300 țe Holy Gost, we se, syttyht on a bow. 301 Now 3elde we all preysyng to țe Trenyté. Et hic cantent “Benedicta sit beata Trinitas” 302 Joseph, wole 3e haue țis maydon to 3oure wyff 303 And here honour and kepe as 3e howe to do? 304 JOSEPH Nay, sere, so mote I thryff! 305 I haue ryght no nede țerto! 306 EPISCOPUS Joseph, it is Goddys wyl it xuld be so. 307 Sey aftyr me as it is skyl. 308 JOSEPH Sere, and to performe his wyl I bow țerto, 309 For allthynge owyght to ben at his wyl. 310 [EPISCOPUS] Sey țan after me: Episcopus et idem Joseph: ”Here I take țe, Mary, to wyff, 311 To hauyn, to holdyn, as God his wyll with us wyl make. 312 And as longe as bethwen us lestyght oure lyff 313 To loue 3ow as myself my trewth I 3ow take.” Nunc ad Mariam sic dicens Episcopus: 314 [EPISCOPUS] Mary, wole 3e haue țis man, 315 And hym to kepyn as 3oure lyff? 316 MARIA In țe tenderest wyse, fadyr, as I kan, 317 And with all my wyttys fyff. 318 EPISCOPUS Joseph, with țis ryng now wedde ți wyff, 319 And be here hand now țu here take. 320 JOSEPH Sere, with țis rynge I wedde here ryff, 321 And take here now here for my make. 322 EPISCOPUS Mary, mayd, withoutyn more stryff 323 Onto ți spowse țu hast hym take. 324 MARIA In chastyté to ledyn my lyff 325 I xal hym nevyr forsake, 326 But evyr with hym abyde. 327 And, jentyll spowse, as 3e an seyd, 328 Lete me levyn as a clene mayd; 329 I xal be trewe, be not dysmayd, 330 Both terme, tyme, and tyde. 331 EPISCOPUS Here is țe holyest matremony țat evyr was in țis werd! 332 țe hy3 names of oure Lord we wole now syng hy. 333 We all wole țis solempn dede record 334 Devowtly: Alma chorus Domini nunc pangat nomina Summi. 335 Now goth hom all, in Godys name, 336 Whereas 3oure wonyng was before. 337 Maydenys, to lete here go alone it wore shame, 338 It wold hevy 3oure hertys sore. 339 3e xal bbysse țe tyme țat sche was bore. 340 Now loke 3e at hom here brynge. 341 MARIA To haue 3oure blyssyng, fadyr, I falle 3ow before. 342 EPISCOPUS He blysse 3ow țat hath non hendyng 343 In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. 344 Joseph, țiselph art old of age 345 And ți wyff of age is 3onge; 346 And as we redyn in old sage, 347 Many man is sclepyr of tonge. 348 țerfore, euyl langage for to swage, 349 țat 3oure good fame may leste longe, 350 Iij damysellys xul dwelle with 3ow in stage, 351 With ți wyff to be evyrmore amonge. 352 I xal these iij here take: 353 Susanne țe fyrst xal be, 354 Rebecca, țe secunde, xal go with the, 355 Sephore, țe thrydde; loke țat 3e thre 356 țis maydon nevyr 3e forsake. 357 SUSANNE Sere, I am redy art 3oure wyll 358 With țis maydon for to wende. 359 REBECCA 3oure byddyng, sere, [I] xall fulffyl 360 And folwe țis maydon fayr and hende. 361 SEPHOR To folwe hyre it is good skyl, 362 And to 3oure byddynge wole I bende. 363 JOSEPH Now, sere buschop, hens go I wyl, 364 For now comyth onto my mende 365 A matere țat nedful is. 366 EPISCOPUS Farewel, Joseph and Mary clere, 367 I pray God kepe 3ow all in fere 368 And sende 3ow grace in good manere 369 To serve țe Kynge of Blysse. 370 MARIA Fadyr and modyr, 3e knowe țis cas 371 How țat it doth now stonde with me: 372 With myn spowse I must forth passe, 373 And wott nevyr whan I xal 3ow se. 374 Therfore I pray 3ow here in țis plas 375 Of 3oure blyssynge, for charyté, 376 And I xal spede țe betyr and haue more gras 377 In what place țat evyr I be. 378 On knes to 3ow I falle. 379 I pray 3ow, fadyr and modyr dere, 380 To blysse 3oure owyn dere dowtere 381 And pray for me in all manere, 382 And I for 3ow all. 383 JOACHYM Almyghty God, he mote țe blysse, 384 And my blyssynge țu haue also. 385 In all godnesse God țe wysse 386 On londe or on watyr, wherevyr țu go. 387 ANNA Now God țe kepe from every mysse 388 And saue țe sownd in welth from wo. 389 I pray țe, dowtyr, țu onys me kys 390 Or țat ți modyr parte țe fro. 391 I pray to God țe saue. 392 I pray fe, Mary, my swete chylde, 393 Be lowe and buxhum, meke and mylde, 394 Sad and sobyr, and nothyng wylde, 395 And Goddys blyssynge țu haue. 396 JOACHYM F[a]rwel, Joseph, and God 3ow spede 397 Wherso 3e be, in halle or boure. 398 JOSEPH Almyghiy God 3oure weys lede 399 And saue 3ow sownd from all doloure. 400 ANNA Goddys grace on 3ow sprede. 401 Farewel, Mary, my swete flowre. 402 Fareweyl, Joseph, and God 3ow rede. 403 Fareweyl, my chylde and my tresowre, 404 Farewel, my dowtere 3yng. 405 MARIA Farewel, fadyr and modyr dere, 406 At 3ow I take my leve ryght here. 407 God țat sytt in hevyn so clere 408 Haue 3ow in his kepyng. 409 JOSEPH Wyff, it is ful necessary țis 3e knowe, 410 țat I and my kynrede go hom before. 411 For in soth we haue non hous of oure owe; 412 țerfore I xal gon ordeyn and thanne come 3ow fore. 413 We ar not ryche of werdly thynge, 414 And 3et of oure sustenauns we xal not mys. 415 Therfore abydyth here stylle to 3oure plesynge; 416 To worchep 3oure God is all 3oure blysse. 417 He țat is and evyr xal be 418 Of hefne and helle ryche kynge 419 In erth hath chosyn poverté, 420 And all ryches and welthis refusynge. 421 MARIA Goth, husbond, in oure Lordys blyssynge; 422 He mote 3ow spede in all 3oure nede. 423 And I xal here abyde 3oure a3encomynge 424 And on my Sawtere-book I xal rede. 425 Now blyssyd be oure Lord for this. 426 Of hefne and erthe and all țat beryth lyff 427 I am most bound to 3ow, Lord, iwys, 428 For now I am bothe mayde and wyff. 429 Now, Lord God, dysspose me to prayour 430 țat I may sey țe holy psalmes of Dauyth, 431 Wheche book is clepyd țe Sawtere, 432 țat I may preyse the, my God, țerwith. 433 Off țe vertuys țerof țis is țe pygth; 434 It makyht sowles fayr țat doth it say; 435 Angelys be steryd to help us țerwith; 436 It bytenyth therkeness and puttyth develys away. 437 țe song of psalmus is Goddys deté, 438 Synne is put awey țerby. 439 It lernyth a man vertuysful to be, 440 It feryth mannys herte gostly. 441 Who țat it vsyth custommably, 442 It claryfieth țe herte and charyté makyth cowthe. 443 He may not faylen of Goddys mercy 444 țat hath țe preysenge of God evyr in his mowthe. 445 O holy psalmys, O holy book, 446 Swetter to say than any ony, 447 țu lernyst hem love Lord țat on țe look, 448 And makyst hem desyre thyngys celestly. 449 With these halwyd psalmys, Lord, I pray the specyaly 450 For all țe creatures qwyke and dede, 451 țat țu wylt shewe to hem ți mercy, 452 And to me specyaly țat do it rede. 453 I haue seyd sum of my Sawtere and here I am 454 At țis holy psalme indede. 455 Benedixisti, Domine, terram tuam. 456 In țis holy labore, Lord, me spede. 457 JOSEPH Mary, wyff and mayd most gracyous, 458 Displese 3ow not, I pray 3ow, so long I haue be. 459 I haue hyryd for us a lytyl praty hous, 460 And țerin ryght hesely levyn wole we. 461 Come forth, Mary, and folwe me, 462 To Nazareth now wele we go. 463 And all țe maydonys bothe fayr and fre, 464 With my wyff comyth forth also. 465 Now lystenyth well, wyff, what I tell țe: 466 I must gon owth hens fer țe fro. 467 I wyll go laboryn in fer countré, 468 With trewth to maynteyn oure housholde so— 469 țis ix monthis țu seyst me nowth. 470 Kepe țe clene, my jentyl spowse, 471 And all țin maydenys in țin howse, 472 țat evyl langage I here not rowse, 473 For hese love țat all hath wrought. 474 MARIA I pray to God he spede 3oure way, 475 And in sowle-helth he mote 3ow kepe, 476 And sende 3ow helth bothe nyth and day; 477 He shylde and saue 3ow from al shenschepe. 478 Now, Lord of Grace, to țe I pray, 479 With morny mood on kne I krepe. 480 Me saue from synne, from tene and tray, 481 With hert I murne, with eye I wepe, 482 Lord God of peté. 483 Whan I sytt in my conclaue 484 All myn hert on țe I haue. 485 Gracyous God my maydenhed saue 486 Euyr clene in chastyté.