Part 18

1. <_Iesus._ M>anne on molde, be meke to me, And haue thy Maker in þi mynde, And thynke howe I haue tholid for þe With pereles paynes for to be pyned. The forward of my Fadir free 5 Haue I fulfillid, as folke may fynde, Þerfore aboute nowe woll I bee Þat I haue bought for to vnbynde. Þe feende þame wanne with trayne, Thurgh frewte of erthely foode; 10 I haue þame getyn agayne Thurgh bying with my bloode.

2. And so I schall þat steede restore F_ro_ whilke þe feende fell for synne; Þare schalle mankynde wonne euermore 15 In blisse þat schall neuere blynne. All þat in werke my werkemen were, Owte of thare woo I wol þame wynne, And some signe schall I sende before Of grace, to garre þer gamys begynne. 20 A light I woll þei haue To schewe þame I schall come sone; My bodie bidis in graue Tille alle thes dedis be done.

3. My Fadir ordand on þis wise 25 Aftir His will þat I schulde wende, For to fulfille þe prophicye , And als I spake my solace to spende. My frendis, þat in me faith affies, Nowe fro ther fois I schall þame fende, 30 And on the thirde day ryght vprise, And so tille heuen I schall assende. Sithen schall I come agayne To deme bothe goode and ill Tille endles ioie or peyne; 35 Þus is my Fadris will.

[SCENE II, _Hell; at one side Limbo, enclosing the patriarchs and prophets; a light shines across_.]

4. _Adame._ Mi bretheren, harkens to me here, Swilke hope of heele neuere are we hadde. Foure thowsande and sex hundereth ȝere Haue we bene heere in †þis stedde†. 40 Nowe see I signe of solace seere, A glorious gleme to make vs gladde, Wherfore I hope oure helpe is nere, And sone schall sesse oure sorowes sadde. _Eua._ Adame, my husband hende, 45 Þis menys solas certayne; Such light gune on vs lende In Paradise full playne.

5. _Isaiah._ Adame, we schall wele vndirstande; I, Ysaias, as God me kende, 50 I prechid in Neptalym þat lande, And Ȝabulon, even vntill ende. I spake of folke in mirke walkand, And saide a light schulde on þame lende; This lered I whils I was leuand, 55 Nowe se I God þis same hath sende. Þis light comes all of Criste, Þat seede, to saue vs nowe, Þus is my poynte puplisshid. But Symeon, what sais þou? 60

6. _Symeon._ Þhis, my tale of farleis feele, For in þis temple His frendis me fande; I hadde delite with Hym to dele, And halsed homely with my hande. I saide, 'Lorde, late thy seruaunt lele 65 Passe nowe in pesse to liffe lastand, For nowe myselfe has sene Thy hele, Me liste no lengar to liffe in lande.' Þis light Þou hast purueyed To folkes þat liffis in leede, 70 Þe same þat I þame saide, I see fulfillid in dede.

7. _Iohan. Baptista._ Als voyce criand to folke I kende Þe weyes of Criste, als I wele kanne; I baptiste Hym with bothe my hande 75 Euen in þe floode of flume Iordanne. Þe Holy Goste fro heuene discende Als a white dowue doune on Hym þanne; The Fadir voice, my mirthe to mende, Was made to me euen als manne, 80 'This is my Sone,' he saide, 'In whome me paies full wele.' His light is on vs laide, He comes oure cares to kele.

8. _Moyses._ Of þat same light lernyng haue I, 85 To me Moyses He mustered his myght, And also vnto anodir, Hely, Wher we were on an hille on hight. Whyte as snowe was His body, And His face like to þe sonne to sight: 90 No man on molde was so myghty Grathely to loke agaynste þat light; Þat same light se I nowe Shynyng on vs sarteyne, Wherfore trewly I trowe 95 We schalle sone passe fro payne.

9. _i Diabolus._ Helpe! Belsabub! to bynde þer boyes, Such harrowe was neuer are herde in helle. _ii Diab._ Why rooris þou soo, Rebalde? þou royis; What is betidde, canne þou ought telle? 100 _i Diab._ What! heris þou noȝt þis vggely noyse? Þes lurdans þat in Lymbo dwelle, Þei make menyng of many ioies, And musteres grete mirthe þame emell. _ii Diab._ Mirthe? nay, nay, þat poynte is paste, 105 More hele schall þei neuer haue. _i Diab._ Þei crie on Criste full faste, And sais he schal þame saue.

10. _Belsabub._ Ȝa, if he saue þame noght, we schall, For they are sperde in speciall space; 110 Whils I am prince and principall Schall þei neuer passe oute of þis place. Calle vppe Astrotte and Anaball To giffe þer counsaille in þis case, Bele-Berit and Belial, 115 To marre þame þat swilke maistries mase. Say to Satan oure sire, And bidde þame bringe also Lucifer louely of lyre. _i Diab._ Al redy, lorde, I goo. 120

11. _Iesus [Without]._ _Attollite portas, principes_, Oppen vppe, ȝe princes of paynes sere, _Et eleuamini eternales_, Youre yendles ȝatis þat ȝe haue here. _Sattan._ What page is þere þat makes prees, 125 And callis hym kyng of vs in fere? _Dauid [in Limbo]._ I lered leuand, withouten lees, He is a kyng of vertues clere. A! Lorde, mekill of myght, And stronge in ilke a stoure, 130 In batailes ferse to fight, And worthy to wynne honnoure.

12. _Sattan._ Honnoure! in þe deuel way, for what dede? All erthely men to me are thrall; Þe lady þat calles hym lorde in leede 135 Hadde neuer ȝitt herberowe, house, ne halle. _i Diab._ Harke, Belsabub! I haue grete drede, For hydously I herde hym calle. _Belliall._ We! spere oure ȝates, all ill mot þou spede! And sette furthe watches on þe wall. 140 And if he calle or crie To make vs more debate, Lay on hym þan hardely, And garre hym gang his gate.

13. _Sattan._ Telle me what boyes dare be so bolde 145 For drede to make so mekill draye. _i Diab._ Itt is þe Iewe þat Iudas solde For to be dede, þis othir daye. _Sattan._ O we! þis tale in tyme is tolde, Þis traytoure traues vs alway; 150 He schall be here full harde in holde, Loke þat he passe noght, I þe praye. _ii Diab._ Nay, nay, he will noȝt wende Away or I be ware, He shappis hym for to schende 155 Alle helle, or he go ferre.

14. _Sattan._ Nay, faitour, þerof schall he faile, For alle his fare I hym deffie; I knowe his trantis fro toppe to taile, He leuys with gaudis and with gilery. 160 Þerby he brought oute of oure bale, Nowe late, Laȝar of Betannye, Þerfore I gaffe to þe Iewes counsaille Þat þei schulde alway garre hym dye. I entered in Iudas 165 Þat forwarde to fulfille, Þerfore his hire he has, Allway to wonne here stille.

15. _Belsabub._ Sir Sattanne, sen we here þe saie Þat þou and _þ_e Iewes wer same assente, 170 And wotte he wanne Laȝar awaye, Þat tille vs was tane for to tente, Trowe þou þat þou marre hym maye To mustir myghtis, what he has mente? If he nowe depriue vs of oure praye, 175 We will ȝe witte whanne þei are wente. _Sattan._ I bidde ȝou be noȝt abasshed, But boldely make youe boune With toles þat ȝe on traste, And dynge þat dastard doune. 180

16. _Iesus [Without]._ _Principes, portas tollite_, Vndo youre ȝatis, ȝe princis of pryde, _Et introibit rex glorie_, Þe kyng of blisse comes in þis tyde. [_Enters the gates of Hell._ _Sattan._ Owte! harrowe is hee 185 Þat sais his kyngdome schall be cryed? _Dauid [in Limbo]._ Þat may þou in my Sawter see For þat poynte _I_ prophicie . I saide þat he schuld breke Youre barres and bandis by name, 190 And on youre werkis take wreke; Nowe schalle ȝe see þe same.

17. _Iesus._ Þis steede schall stonde no lenger stoken; Opynne vppe, and latte my pepul passe! _Diabolus._ Owte! beholdes, oure baill is brokynne, 195 And brosten are alle oure bandis of bras. Telle Lucifer alle is vnlokynne. _Belsabub._ What þanne, is Lymbus lorne? allas! Garre Satan helpe þat we wer wroken; Þis werke is werse þanne euere it was. 200 _Sattan._ I badde ȝe schulde be boune If he made maistries more; Do dynge þat dastard doune, And sette hym sadde and sore.

18. _Belsabub._ Ȝa, sette hym sore, þat is sone saide, 205 But come þiselffe and serue hym soo; We may not bide his bittir braide, He wille vs marre and we wer moo. _Sattan._ What! faitours, wherfore are ȝe ferde? Haue ȝe no force to flitte hym froo? 210 Belyue loke þat my gere be grathed, Miselffe schall to þat gedlyng goo. [_To Iesus._] Howe! belamy, abide, With al thy booste and bere, And telle to me þis tyde, 215 What maistries makes þou here?

19. _Iesus._ I make no maistries but for myne, Þame wolle I saue, I telle þe nowe; Þou hadde no poure þame to pyne, But as my prisoune for þer prowe 220 Here haue þei soiorned, noght as thyne, But in thy warde, þou wote wele howe. _Sattan._ And what deuel haste þou done ay syne, Þat neuer wolde negh þame nere, or nowe? _Iesus._ Nowe is þe tyme certayne 225 Mi Fadir ordand before Þat they schulde passe fro payne, And wonne in mirthe euer more.

20. _Sattan._ Thy fadir knewe I wele be sight, He was a write his mette to wynne, 230 And Marie me menys þi modir hight, Þe vttiremeste ende of all þi kynne. Who made þe be so mekill of myght? _Iesus._ Þou wikid feende, latte be thy dynne! Mi Fadir wonnys in heuen on hight, 235 With blisse þat schall neuere blynne. I am His awne sone, His forward to fulfille; And same ay schall we wonne, And sundir whan we wolle. 240

21. _Sattan._ God sonne! þanne schulde þou be ful gladde, Aftir no catel neyd thowe craue! But þou has leued ay like a ladde, And in sorowe, as a symple knaue. _Iesus._ Þat was for hartely loue I hadde 245 Vnto mannis soule, it for to saue; And for to make þe mased and madde, And by þat resoune þus dewly to haue Mi godhede here, I hidde In Marie modir myne, 250 For it schulde noȝt be kidde To þe, nor to none of thyne.

22. _Sattan._ A! þis wolde I were tolde in ilke a toune. So, sen þou sais God is thy sire, I schall þe proue, be right resoune, 255 Þou motes His men into þe myre. To breke His bidding were þei boune, And, for they did at my desire, Fro Paradise He putte þame doune In helle here to haue þer hyre. 260 And thyselfe, day and nyght, Has taught al men emang To do resoune and right, And here werkis þou all wrang.

23. _Iesus._ I wirke noght wrang, þat schal þow witte, 265 If I my men fro woo will wynne; Mi prophetis playnly prechid it, All þis note þat nowe begynne. Þai saide þat I schulde be obitte, To hell þat I schulde entre in, 270 And saue my seruauntis fro þat pitte, Wher dampned saulis schall sitte for synne. And ilke trewe prophettis tale Muste be fulfillid in mee; I haue þame boughte with bale, 275 And in blisse schal þei be.

24. _Sattan._ Nowe sen þe liste allegge þe lawes, Þou schalte be atteynted, or we twynne, For þo þat þou to wittenesse drawes Full even agaynste þe will begynne. 280 Salamon saide in his sawes Þat whoso enteres helle withynne Shall neuer come oute, þus clerkis knawes, And þerfore, felowe, leue þi dynne. Iob, þi seruaunte, also 285 Þus in his tyme gune telle, Þat nowthir frende nor foo Shulde fynde reles in helle.

25. _Iesus._ He saide full soth, þat schall þou see, Þat in helle may be no reles, 290 But of þat place þan preched he Where synffull care schall euere encrees. And in þat bale ay schall þou be, Whare sorowes sere schall neuer sesse, And for my folke þerfro wer free, 295 Nowe schall þei passe to þe place of pees. Þai were here with my wille, And so schall þei fourthe wende, And þiselue schall fulfille Þer wooe withouten ende. 300

26. _Sattan._ O we! þanne se I howe þou menys emang Some mesure with malice to melle, Sen þou sais all schall noȝt gang, But some schalle alway with vs dwelle. _Iesus._ Ȝaa, witte þou wele, ellis were it wrang, 305 Als cursed Cayme þat slewe Abell, And all þat hastis hemselue to hange, Als Iudas and Archedefell, Datan and Abiron, And alle of þare assente; 310 Als tyrantis euerilkone Þat me and myne turmente.

27. And all þat liste noght to lere my lawe, Þat I haue lefte in lande nowe newe, Þat is my comyng for to knawe, 315 And to my sacramente pursewe, Mi dede, my rysing, rede be rawe, Who will noght trowe, þei are noght trewe, Vnto my dome I schall þame drawe, And iuge þame worse þanne any Iewe. 320 And all þat likis to leere My lawe, and leue þerbye, Shall neuere haue harmes heere, But welthe, as is worthy.

28. _Sattan._ Nowe here my hande, I halde me paied; 325 Þis poynte is playnly for oure prowe; If þis be soth þat þou hast saide, We schall haue moo þanne we haue nowe. Þis lawe þat þou nowe late has laide I schall lere men noȝt to allowe. 330 Iff þei it take, þei be betraied, For I schall turne þame tyte, I trowe. I schall walke este and weste, And garre þame werke wele werre. _Iesus._ Naye, feende, þou schall be feste, 335 Þat þou schalte flitte not ferre.

29. _Sattan._ Feste! þat were a foule reasoune, Nay, bellamy, þou bus be smytte. _Iesus._ Mighill! myne aungell, make þe boune, And feste yone fende, þat he noght flitte. 340 And Deuyll, I comaunde þe go doune Into thy selle where þou schalte sitte. [_Satan sinks._ _Sattan._ Owt, ay! herrowe! helpe Mahounde! Nowe wex I woode oute of my witte. _Belsabub._ Sattan, þis saide we are, 345 Nowe schall þou fele þi fitte. _Sattan._ Allas! for dole and care, I synke into helle pitte. [_Falls into the pit._

30. _Adame._ A! Iesu Lorde, mekill is Þi myght, That mekis Þiselffe in þis manere, 350 Vs for to helpe, as Þou has hight, Whanne both forfette, I and my feere. Here haue we leuyd withouten light Foure thousand and six hundred ȝere; Now se I be þis solempne sight 355 Howe Thy mercy hath made vs cle_r_e. _Eue._ A! Lorde, we were worthy Mo turmentis for to taste, But mende vs with mercye, Als Þou of myght is moste. 360

31. _Baptista._ A! Lorde, I loue Þe inwardly, That me wolde make Þi messengere Thy comyng in erth for to crye, And teche Þi faith to folke in feere; And sithen before Þe for to dye, 365 And bringe boodworde to þame here, How þai schulde haue Thyne helpe in hye: Nowe se I all Þi poyntis appere. Als Dauid prophete trewe Ofte tymes tolde vntill vs, 370 Of þis comyng he knewe, And saide it schulde be þus.

32. _Dauid._ Als I haue saide, ȝitt saie I soo, _Ne derelinquas, Domine, Animam meam inferno_, 375 Leffe noght my saule, Lorde, aftir Þe, In depe helle where dampned schall goo, Ne suffre neuere †saules fro Þe be† The sorowe of þame þat wonnes in woo Ay full of filthe, †þat may repleye†. 380 _Adame._ We thanke His grete goodnesse He fette vs fro þis place, Makes ioie nowe more and lesse; _Omnis._ We laude God of His grace.

33. _Iesus._ Adame and my frendis in feere, 385 Fro all youre fooes come fourth with me, Ȝe schalle be sette in solas seere, Wher ȝe schall neuere of sorowes see. And Mighill, myn aungell clere, Ressayue þes saules all vnto þe, 390 And lede þame als I schall þe lere To Paradise with playe and plenté. [_They come out of Limbo._ Mi graue I woll go till, Redy to rise vpperight, And so I schall fulfille 395 That I before haue highte.

34. _Michill._ Lorde, wende we schall aftir Þi sawe, To solace sere þai schall be sende, But þat þer deuelis no draught vs drawe, Lorde, blisse vs with Þi holy hende. 400 _Iesus._ Mi blissing haue ȝe all on rawe, I schall be with youe, wher ȝe wende, And all þat lelly luffes my lawe, Þai schall be blissid withowten ende. _Adame._ To Þe, Lorde, be louyng, 405 Þat vs has wonne fro waa, For solas will we syng, _Laus Tibi cum gloria_. [_Exeunt._

[Foot-note: 14 Fro] For _MS._]

[Foot-note: 40 in þis stedde] in darknes stad _Towneley_.]

[Foot-note: 49 Isaiah] Isaac _MS._]

[Foot-note: 170 þe] ȝe _MS._]

[Foot-note: 185 what harlot] _from Towneley MS.: om. MS._]

[Foot-note: 188 I] of _MS._]

[Foot-note: 242 neyd thowe craue] þus þe I telle _first hand_.]

[Foot-note: 244 as] _added later MS._]

[Foot-note: 244 knaue] braide _first hand_.]

[Foot-note: 347 dole] dolee _MS._]

[Foot-note: 356 clere] clene _MS._]

XVII

THE TOWNELEY PLAY OF NOAH

Towneley MS. (about 1475), ff. 76 ff.

The Towneley Miracles, so called because the manuscript belonged in recent times to the library of Towneley Hall in Lancashire, are edited by England and Pollard, E.E.T.S., 1897. The cycle is a composite one—for instance it includes a later form of the York play _Harrowing of Hell_ (No. XVI, above)—but it is distinguished by a group of plays and interpolated scenes which seem to have been specially composed for representation at Wakefield. Formally this group is marked by the use of a peculiar nine-lined stanza, riming a a a a b c c c b, with central rimes in the first four lines. The rough vigour of the comic scenes is still more distinctive, and there can be little doubt that all are the work of one man. The specimen of his style most often reprinted is _The Second Shepherd's Play_, which has an original and purely secular comic plot. The _Play of Noah_ is more typical of the English Miracle in its later development. This subject was always popular with early playwrights, for the Ark made a spectacle, and the traditional quarrels of Noah and his wife gave scope for contests in fisticuffs and rough raillery—the stuff of primitive comedy.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE.

NOE DEUS VXOR NOE

PRIMUS FILIUS SECUNDUS FILIUS TERCIUS FILIUS

PRIMA MULIER SECUNDA MULIER TERCIA MULIER

1. _Noe._ Myghtfull God veray, Maker of all that is, Thre persons withoutten nay, oone God in endles blis, Thou maide both nyght and day, beest, fowle, and fysh, All creatures that lif may wroght Thou at Thi wish, As Thou wel myght; 5 The son, the moyne, verament, Thou maide, the firmament, The sternes also full feruent To shyne Thou maide ful bright.

2. Angels Thou maide ful euen, all orders that is, 10 To haue the blis in heuen; this did Thou, more and les, Full mervelus to neuen; yit was ther vnkyndnes More bi foldis seuen then I can well expres; For whi? Of all angels in brightnes 15 God gaf Lucifer most lightnes, Yit prowdly he flyt his des, And set hym euen Hym by.

3. He thoght hymself as worthi as Hym that hym made, In brightnes, in bewty, therfor He hym degrade, 20 Put hym in a low degré soyn after, in a brade, Hym and all his menye, wher he may be vnglad For euer. Shall thay neuer wyn away Hence vnto Domysday, 25 Bot burne in bayle for ay; Shall thay neuer dysseuer.

4. Soyne after, that gracyous Lord to his liknes maide man, That place to be restord euen as He began, Of the Trinité bi accord, Adam and Eue that woman, 30 To multiplie without discord, in Paradise put He thaym, And sithen to both Gaf in commaundement On the Tre of Life to lay no hend. Bot yit the fals feynd 35 Made Hym with man wroth,

5. Entysyd man to glotony, styrd him to syn in pride; Bot in Paradise, securly, myght no syn abide, And therfor man full hastely was put out in that tyde, In wo and wandreth for to be, in paynes full vnrid 40 To knowe, Fyrst in erth, _and_ sythen in hell With feyndis for to dwell, Bot He his mercy mell To those that will Hym trawe. 45

6. Oyle of mercy He hus hight, as I haue hard red, To euery lifyng wight that wold luf Hym and dred; Bot now before His sight euery liffyng leyde, Most party day and nyght, syn in word and dede Full bold; 50 Som in pride, ire, and enuy, Som in couet_ei_s and glotyny, Som in sloth and lechery, And other wise many fold.