Fifteenth Century Prose and Verse Part 34

MARY. Truly, husband, I am here Our Lord's will for to abide.

JOSEPH. What! I trow that we be all shent!

Say, woman; who hath been here sith I went, To rage with thee?

MARY. Sir, here was neither man nor man's even, But only the sond of our Lord G.o.d in heaven.

JOSEPH. Say not so, woman; for shame, let be!

Ye be with child so wonders great, Ye need no more thereof to treat, Against all right.

Forsooth, this child, dame, is not mine.

Alas, that ever with mine eyne I should see this sight!

Tell me, woman; whose is this child?

MARY. None but yours, husband so mild, And that shall be seen, [i-wis].

JOSEPH. But mine? alas! alas! why say ye so?

Well-away! woman, now may I go, Beguiled, as many another is.

MARY. Nay, truly, sir, ye be not beguiled, Nor yet with spot of sin I am not defiled; Trust it well, husband.

JOSEPH. Husband, in faith! and that a-cold!

Ah! well-away, Joseph, as thou art old!

Like a fool now may I stand And truss.

But, in faith, Mary, thou art in sin; So much as I have cherished thee, dame, and all thy kin, Behind my back to serve me thus!

All old men, example take by me,-- How I am beguiled here may you see!-- To wed so young a child.

Now farewell, Mary, I leave thee here alone,-- [Woe] worth thee, dame, and thy works each one!-- For I will no more be beguiled For friend nor foe.

Now of this deed I am so dull, And of my life I am so full, No further may I go.

[_Lies down to sleep; to him enters an Angel._]

FIRST ANGEL. Arise up, Joseph, and go home again Unto Mary, thy wife, that is so free.

To comfort her look that thou be fain, For, Joseph, a clean maiden is she: She hath conceived without any train The Second Person in Trinity; Jesu shall be his name, certain, And all this world save shall He; Be not aghast.

JOSEPH. Now, Lord, I thank thee with heart full sad, For of these tidings I am so glad That all my care away is cast; Wherefore to Mary I will in haste.

[_Returns to_ MARY.]

Ah! Mary, Mary, I kneel full low; Forgive me, sweet wife, here in this land!

Mercy, Mary! for now I know Of your good governance and how it doth stand.

Though that I did thee mis-name, Mercy Mary! while I live, Will I never sweet wife thee grieve In earnest nor in game.

MARY. Now, that Lord in Heaven, sir, He you forgive!

And I do forgive you in His name For evermore.

JOSEPH. Now truly, sweet wife, to you I say the same.

But now to Bethlehem must I wind, And show myself, so full of care; And I to leave you, thus great, behind,-- G.o.d wot, the while, dame, how you should fare.

MARY. Nay, hardily, husband, dread ye nothing; For I will walk with you on the way.

I trust in G.o.d, Almighty King, To speed right well in our journey.

JOSEPH. Now, I thank you, Mary, of your goodness, That ye my words will not blame; And sith that to Bethlehem we shall us dress, Go we together in G.o.d's holy name.

[_They set out and travel awhile._]

Now to Bethlehem have we leagues three; The day is nigh spent, it draweth toward night; Fain at your ease, dame, I would that ye should be, For you groan all wearily, it seemeth in my sight.

MARY. G.o.d have mercy, Joseph, my spouse so dear; All prophets hereto doth bear witness, The weary time now draweth near That my child will be born, which is King of bliss.

Unto some place, Joseph, hendly me lead, That I might rest me with grace in this tide.

The light of the Father over us both spread, And the grace of my Son with us here abide!

JOSEPH. Lo! blessed Mary, here shall ye lend, Chief chosen of our Lord and cleanest in degree; And I, for help to town will I wend.

Is not this the best, dame? what say ye?

MARY. G.o.d have mercy, Joseph, my husband so meek!

And heartily I pray you, go now from me.

JOSEPH. That shall be done in haste, Mary so sweet!

The comfort of the Holy Ghost leave I with thee.

Now to Bethlehem straight will I wend To get some help for Mary so free.

Some help of women G.o.d may me send, That Mary, full of grace, pleased may be.

[_In another part of the place a shepherd begins to speak._]

FIRST PASTOR. Now G.o.d, that art in Trinity, Thou save my fellows and me!

For I know not where my sheep nor they be, This night it is so cold.

Now is it nigh the midst of the night; These weathers are dark and dim of light, That of them can I have no sight, Standing here on this wold.

But now to make their heartes light, Now will I full right Stand upon this lo, And to them cry with all my might,-- Full well my voice they know: What ho! fellows! ho! ho! ho!

[_Two other shepherds appear (in the street)._]

SECOND PASTOR. Hark, Sim, hark! I hear our brother on the lo.

This is his voice, right well I know; Therefore toward him let us go, And follow his voice aright.

See, Sim, see, where he doth stand!

I am right glad we have him fand!

Brother where hast thou been so lang, And it is so cold this night?

FIRST PASTOR. Eh! friends, there came a pirie of wind with a mist suddenly, That forth of my ways went I And great heaviness then made I!

And was full sore afright.

Then forth to go wist I not whither, But travelled on this lo hither and thither; I was so weary of this cold weather That near past was my might.

THIRD PASTOR. Brethren now we be past that fright, And it is far within the night, Full soon will spring the daylight, It draweth full near the tide.

Here awhile let us rest, And repast ourselves of the best; Till that the sun rise in the east Let us all here abide.

_There the shepherds draws forth their meat and doth eat and drink and as they drink, they find the star and say thus:_

THIRD PASTOR. Brethren, look up and behold!

What thing is yonder that shineth so bright?

As long as ever I have watched my fold, Yet saw I never such a sight In field.

Aha! now is come the time that old fathers hath told, That in the winter's night so cold, A child of maiden born be He would In whom all prophecies shall be fulfilled.

FIRST PASTOR. Truth it is without nay, So said the prophet Isaye, That a child should be born of a maid so bright In winter nigh the shortest day, Or else in the midst of the night.

SECOND PASTOR. Loved be G.o.d, most of might, That our grace is to see that sight; Pray we to Him as it is right, If that His will it be, That we may have knowledge of this signification And why it appeareth on this fashion; And ever to Him let us give laudation, In earth while that we be.

_There the Angels sing "Gloria in excelsis Deo."_