Part 19

7. Therfor I drede lest God on vs will take veniance, 55 For syn is now alod, without any repentance. Sex hundreth yeris and od haue I, without distance, In erth, as any sod, liffyd with grete grevance Allway; And now I wax old, 60 Seke, sory, and cold, As muk apon mold I widder away.

8. Bot yit will I cry for mercy and call: Noe, Thi seruant, am I, Lord ouer all! 65 Therfor me, and my fry shal with me fall, Saue from velany, and bryng to Thi hall In heuen; And kepe me from syn This warld within; 70 Comly Kyng of mankyn, I pray The, here my stevyn!

[_God appears above._]

9. _Deus._ Syn I haue maide all thyng that is liffand, Duke, emperour, and kyng, with Myne awne hand, For to haue thare likyng, bi see and bi sand, 75 Euery man to My bydyng shuld be bowand Full feruent, That maide man sich a creatoure, Farest of favoure; Man must luf Me paramoure 80 By reson, and repent.

10. Me thoght I shewed man luf when I made hym to be All angels abuf, like to the Trynyté; And now in grete reprufe full low ligis he, In erth hymself to stuf with syn that displeas_es_ Me 85 Most of all. Veniance will I take In erth for syn sake; My grame thus will I wake Both of grete and small. 90

11. I repente full sore that euer maide I man; Bi me he settis no store, and I am his soferan; I will distroy therfor both beest, man and woman, All shall perish, les and more; that bargan may thay ban That ill has done. 95 In erth I se right noght Bot syn that is vnsoght; Of those that well has wroght Fynd I bot a fone.

12. Therfor shall I fordo all this medill-erd 100 With floodis that shall flo and ryn with hidous rerd; I haue good cause therto; for Me no man is ferd. As I say shal I do—of veniance draw My swerd, And make end Of all that beris life, 105 Sayf Noe and his wife, For thay wold neuer stryfe With Me, then Me offend.

13. Hym to mekill wyn, hastly will I go To Noe my seruand, or I blyn, to warn hym of his wo. 110 In erth I se bot syn reynand to and fro, Emang both more and myn, ichon other fo With all thare entent. All shall I fordo With floodis that shall floo; 115 Wirk shall I thaym wo That will not repent.

[_God descends and addresses Noah._]

14. Noe, My freend, I thee commaund, from cares the to keyle, A ship that thou ordand of nayle and bord ful wele. Thou was alway well-wirkand, to Me trew as stele, 120 To My bydyng obediand: frendship shal thou fele To mede. Of lennthe thi ship be Thre hundreth cubettis, warn I the, Of heght euen thirté, 125 Of fyfty als in brede.

15. Anoynt thi ship with pik and tar, without and als within, The water out to spar—this is a noble gyn; Look no man the mar, thre che_s_e chambres begyn; Thou must spend many a spar this wark or thou wyn 130 To end fully. Make in thi ship also Parloures oone or two, And houses of offyce mo For beestis that ther must be. 135

16. Oone cubite on hight a wyndo shal thou make; On the syde a doore, with slyght, beneyth shal thou take; With the shal no man fyght, nor do the no kyn wrake. When all is doyne thus right, thi wife, that is thi make, Take in to the; 140 Thi sonnes of good fame, Sem, Iaphet, and Came, Take in also hame, Thare wifis also thre.

17. For all shal be fordone that lif in land, bot ye, 145 With floodis that from abone shal fall, and that plenté; It shall begyn full sone to rayn vncessantlé, After dayes seuen be done, and induyr dayes fourty, Withoutten fayll. Take to thi ship also 150 Of ich kynd beestis two, Mayll and femayll, bot no mo, Or thou pull vp thi sayll,

18. For thay may the avayll when al this thyng is wroght. Stuf thi ship with vitayll, for hungre that ye perish noght. Of beestis, foull, and catayll, for thaym haue thou in 155 thoght, For thaym is My counsayll that som socour be soght In hast. Thay must haue corn and hay, And oder mete alway. 160 Do now as I the say, In the name of the Holy Gast.

19. _Noe._ A! _benedicite!_ what art thou that thus Tellys afore that shall be? Thou art full mervelus! Tell me, for charité, thi name so gracius. 165 _Deus._ My name is of dignyté, and also full glorius To knowe. I am God most myghty, Oone God in Trynyty, Made the and ich man to be; 170 To luf Me well thou awe.

20. _Noe._ I thank The, Lord so dere, that wold vowchsayf Thus low to appere to a symple knafe. Blis vs, Lord, here, for charité I hit crafe, The better may we stere the ship that we shall hafe, 175 Certayn. _Deus._ Noe, to the and to thi fry My blyssyng graunt I; Ye shall wax and multiply And fill the erth agane, 180

21. When all thise floodis ar past, and fully gone away. _Noe._ Lord, homward will I hast as fast as that I may; My will I frast what she will say, [_Exit_ Deus.] And I am agast that we get som fray Betwixt vs both; 185 For she is full tethee, For litill oft angré; If any thyng wrang be, Soyne is she wroth.

_Tunc perget ad vxorem._

22. God spede, dere wife, how fayre ye? 190 _Vxor._ Now, as euer myght I thryfe, the wars I thee see. Do tell me belife where has thou thus long be? To dede may we dryfe, or lif, for the, For want. When we swete or swynk, 195 Thou dos what thou thynk, Yit of mete and of drynk Haue we veray skant.

23. _Noe._ Wife, we ar hard sted with tythyngis new. _Vxor._ Bot thou were worthi be cled in Stafford blew; 200 For thou art alway adred, be it fals or trew, Bot God knowes I am led, and that may I rew, Full ill; For I dar be thi borow, From euen vnto morow 205 Thou spekis euer of sorow; God send the onys thi fill!

24. We women may wary all ill husbandis; I haue oone, bi Mary that lowsyd me of my bandis! If he teyn, I must tary, how so euer it standis, 210 With seymland full sory, wryngand both my handis For drede. Bot yit other while, What with gam and with gyle, I shall smyte and smyle, 215 And qwite hym his mede.

25. _Noe._ We! hold thi tong, ram-skyt, or I shall the still. _Vxor._ By my thryft, if thou smyte, I shal turne the vntill. _Noe._ We shall assay as tyte. Haue at the, Gill! Apon the bone shal it byte. _Vxor._ A, so, Mary! thou smytis ill! 220 Bot I suppose I shal not in thi det Flyt of this flett! Take the ther a langett To tye vp thi hose! 225

26. _Noe._ A! wilt thou so? Mary! that is myne. _Vxor._ Thou shal thre for two, I swere bi Godis pyne! _Noe._ And I shall qwyte the tho, in fayth, or syne. _Vxor._ Out apon the, ho! _Noe._ Thou can both byte and whyne With a rerd; 230 For all if she stryke, Yit fast will she skryke; In fayth, I hold none slyke In all medill-erd.

27. Bot I will kepe charyté, for I haue at do. 235 _Vxor._ Here shal no man tary the, I pray the go to! Full well may we mys the, as euer haue I ro; To spyn will I dres me. _Noe._ We! fare well, lo; Bot wife, Pray for me beselé 240 To eft I com vnto the. _Vxor._ Euen as thou prays for me, As euer myght I thrife. [_Exit_ Vxor.]

28. _Noe._ I tary full lang fro my warke, I traw; Now my gere will I fang, and thederward draw; 245 I may full ill gang, the soth for to knaw, Bot if God help amang, I may sit downe daw To ken; Now assay will I How I can of wrightry, 250 _In nomine patris, et filii, Et spiritus sancti. Amen._

29. To begyn of this tree my bonys will I bend, I traw from the Trynyté socoure will be send; It fayres full fayre, thynk me, this wark to my hend; 255 Now blissid be He that this can amend. Lo, here the lenght, Thre hundreth cubettis euenly; Of breed, lo, is it fyfty; The heght is euen thyrty 260 Cubettis full strenght.

30. Now my gowne will I cast and wyrk in my cote, Make will I the mast or I flyt oone foote; A! my bak, I traw, will brast! This is a sory note! Hit is wonder that I last, sich an old dote, 265 All dold, To begyn sich a wark! My bonys ar so stark, No wonder if thay wark, For I am full old. 270

31. The top and the sayll both will I make, The helme and the castell also will I take, To drife ich a nayll will I not forsake, This gere may neuer fayll, that dar I vndertake Onone. 275 This is a nobull gyn, Thise nayles so thay ryn Thoro more and myn Thise bordis ichon.

32. Wyndow and doore, euen as He saide, 280 Thre ches chambre, thay ar well maide, Pyk and tar full sure therapon laide; This will euer endure, therof am I paide; For why? It is better wroght 285 Then I coude haif thoght. Hym that maide all of noght I thank oonly.

33. Now will I hy me, and no thyng be leder, My wife and my meneye to bryng euen heder. 290 Tent hedir tydely, wife, and consider, Hens must vs fle, all sam togeder, In hast. _Vxor._ Whi, syr, what alis you? Who is that asalis you? 295 To fle it avalis you And ye be agast.

34. _Noe._ Ther is garn on the reyll other, my dame. _Vxor._ Tell me that ich a deyll, els get ye blame. _Noe._ He that cares may keill—blissid be His name!— 300 He has for oure seyll to sheld vs fro shame, And sayd All this warld aboute With floodis so stoute, That shall ryn on a route, 305 Shall be ouerlaide.

35. He saide all shall be slayn, bot oonely we, Oure barnes that ar bayn, and thare wifis thre. A ship He bad me ordayn, to safe vs and oure fee; Therfor with all oure mayn thank we that fre, 310 Beytter of bayll. Hy vs fast, go we thedir. _Vxor._ I wote neuer whedir, I dase and I dedir For ferd of that tayll. 315

36. _Noe._ Be not aferd, haue done, trus sam oure gere, That we be ther or none, without more dere. _Primus filius._ It shall be done full sone. Brether, help to bere. _Secundus filius._ Full long shall I not hoyne to do my devere, Brether sam. 320 _Tercius filius._ Without any yelp, At my myght shall I help. _Vxor._ Yit, for drede of a skelp, Help well thi dam.

37. _Noe._ Now ar we there as we shuld be; 325 Do get in oure gere, oure catall and fe, Into this vessell here, my chylder fre. _Vxor._ I was neuer bard ere, as euer myght I the, In sich an oostré as this. In fath, I can not fynd 330 Which is before, which is behynd. Bot shall we here be pynd, Noe, as haue thou blis?

38. _Noe._ Dame, as it is skill, here must vs abide grace; Therfor, wife, with good will, com into this place. 335 _Vxor._ Sir, for Iak nor for Gill will I turne my face, Till I haue on this hill spon a space On my rok. Well were he myght get me! Now will I downe set me; 340 Yit reede I no man let me, For drede of a knok.

39. _Noe._ Behold to the heuen the cateractes all, That are open full euen, grete and small, And the planettis seuen left has thare stall. 345 Thise thoners and levyn downe gar fall Full stout Both halles and bowers, Castels and towres. Full sharp ar thise showers 350 That renys aboute.

40. Therfor, wife, haue done, com into ship fast. _Vxor._ Yei, Noe, go cloute thi shone, the better will thai last. _Prima mulier._ Good moder, com in sone, for all is ouercast Both the son and the mone. _Secunda mulier._ And many wynd blast 355 Full sharp. Thise floodis so thay ryn, Therfor, moder, come in. _Vxor._ In fayth, yit will I spyn; All in vayn ye carp. 360

41. _Tercia mulier._ If ye like ye may spyn, moder, in the ship. _Noe._ Now is this twyys com in, dame, on my frenship. _Vxor._ Wheder I lose or I wyn, in fayth, thi felowship Set I not at a pyn. This spyndill will I slip Apon this hill, 365 Or I styr oone fote. _Noe._ Peter! I traw we dote. Without any more note Come in if ye will.

42. _Vxor._ Yei, water nyghys so nere that I sit not dry, 370 Into ship with a byr therfor will I hy For drede that I drone here. _Noe._ Dame, securly, It bees boght full dere ye abode so long by Out of ship. _Vxor._ I will not, for thi bydyng, 375 Go from doore to mydyng. _Noe._ In fayth, and for youre long taryyng Ye shal lik on the whyp.

43. _Vxor._ Spare me not, I pray the, bot euen as thou thynk, Thise grete wordis shall not flay me. _Noe._ Abide, dame, and drynk, 380 For betyn shall thou be with this staf to thou stynk; Ar strokis good? say me. _Vxor._ What say ye, Wat Wynk? _Noe._ Speke! Cry me mercy, I say! _Vxor._ Therto say I nay. 385 _Noe._ Bot thou do, bi this day! Thi hede shall I breke.

44. _Vxor._ Lord, I were at ese, and hertely full hoylle, Might I onys haue a measse of wedows coyll; For thi saull, without lese, shuld I dele penny doyll, 390 So wold mo, no frese, that I se on this sole Of wifis that ar here, For the life that thay leyd, Wold thare husbandis were dede, For, as euer ete I brede, 395 So wold I oure syre were.

45. _Noe._ Yee men that has wifis, whyls they ar yong, If ye luf youre lifis, chastice thare tong: Me thynk my hert ryfis, both levyr and long, To se sich stryfis wedmen emong. 400 Bot I, As haue I blys, Shall chastyse this. _Vxor._ Yit may ye mys, Nicholl Nedy! 405

46. _Noe._ I shall make þe still as stone, begynnar of blunder! I shall bete the bak and bone, and breke all in sonder. [_They fight._] _Vxor._ Out, alas, I am gone! Oute apon the, mans wonder! _Noe._ Se how she can grone, and I lig vnder; Bot, wife, 410 In this hast let vs ho, For my bak is nere in two. _Vxor._ And I am bet so blo That I may not thryfe.

[_They enter the Ark._]

47. _Primus filius._ A! whi fare ye thus, fader and moder both? 415 _Secundus filius._ Ye shuld not be so spitus, standyng in sich a woth. _Tercius filius._ Thise ar so hidus, with many a cold coth. _Noe._ We will do as ye bid vs, we will no more be wroth, Dere barnes! Now to the helme will I hent, 420 And to my ship tent. _Vxor._ I se on the firmament, Me thynk, the seven starnes.

48. _Noe._ This is a grete flood, wife, take hede. _Vxor._ So me thoght, as I stode; we ar in grete drede; 425 Thise wawghes ar so wode. _Noe._ Help, God, in this nede! As Thou art stereman good, and best, as I rede, Of all; Thou rewle vs in this rase, As Thou me behete hase. 430 _Vxor._ This is a perlous case. Help, God, when we call!

49. _Noe._ Wife, tent the stere-tre, and I shall asay The depnes of the see that we bere, if I may. _Vxor._ That shall I do ful wysely. Now go thi way, 435 For apon this flood haue we flett many day With pyne. _Noe._ Now the water will I sownd: A! it is far to the grownd; This trauell I expownd 440 Had I to tyne.

50. Aboue all hillys bedeyn the water is rysen late Cubettis fyfteyn, bot in a higher state It may not be, I weyn, for this well I wate: This forty dayes has rayn beyn; it will therfor abate 445 Full lele. This water in hast Eft will I tast. Now am I agast, It is wanyd a grete dele. 450

51. Now are the weders cest, and cateractes knyt, Both the most and the leest. _Vxor._ Me thynk, bi my wit, The son shynes in the eest. Lo, is not yond it? We shuld haue a good feest, were thise floodis flyt So spytus. 455 _Noe._ We haue been here, all we, Thre hundreth dayes and fyfty. _Vxor._ Yei, now wanys the see; Lord, well is vs!

52. _Noe._ The thryd tyme will I prufe what depnes we bere. 460 _Vxor._ _H_ow long shall thou hufe? Lay in thy lyne there. _Noe._ I may towch with my lufe the grownd evyn here. _Vxor._ Then begynnys to grufe to vs mery chere; Bot, husband, What grownd may this be? 465 _Noe._ The hyllys of Armonye. _Vxor._ Now blissid be He That thus for vs can ordand!

53. _Noe._ I see toppys of hyllys he, many at a syght, No thyng to let me, the wedir is so bright. 470 _Vxor._ Thise ar of mercy tokyns full right. _Noe._ Dame, th_ou_ counsell me, what fowll best myght, And cowth, With flight of wyng Bryng, without taryying, 475 Of mercy som tokynyng, Ayther bi north or southe?

54. For this is the fyrst day of the tent moyne. _Vxor._ The ravyn, durst I lay, will com agane sone; As fast as thou may, cast hym furth, haue done; 480 He may happyn today com agane or none With grath. _Noe._ I will cast out also Dowfys oone or two. Go youre way, go, 485 God send you som wathe!

55. Now ar thise fowles flone into seyr countré; Pray we fast ichon, kneland on our kne, To Hym that is alone worthiest of degré, That He wold send anone oure fowles som fee 490 To glad vs. _Vxor._ Thai may not fayll of land, The water is so wanand. _Noe._ Thank we God Allweldand, That Lord that made vs! 495

56. It is a wonder thyng, me thynk, sothlé, Thai ar so long taryyng, the fowles that we Cast out in the mornyng. _Vxor._ Syr, it may be Thai tary to thay bryng. _Noe._ The ravyn is a-hungrye All way; 500 He is without any reson; And he fynd any caryon, As peraventure may be fon, He will not away.