55 60 which shal saue that is forlorn, As p(ro)phetys gonne spelle. iijus pastor: Danyel, the p(ro)phete thus gan speke: wyse god from woo us wreke! thi bryght hevyn thu to-breke and medele the with a mayde! This p(ro) phecye is now spad, Cryst in oure kende is clad, therfore mankend may be glad, As p(ro)phetys beforn han seyd. Cantent: Gloria in excelsis deo. ius pastor: The p(ro)phecye of Boosdras is spedly sped, now leyke we hens as that lyght us lede; myght we se onys that bryght on bed, oure bale it wolde vnbynde. We shulde shadyr for no shoure, buske we us hens to bedleem boure to se that fayr fresch flowre, the mayde mylde in mynde. ijus pastor: lete us follwe with all oure myght, with songe and myrth we shul us dyght, and wurchep with joye that wurthy wyght that lord is of mankynne. lete us go fforthe fast on hye, and honowre that babe wurthylye with merthe, songe, and melodye,— haue do! this songe begynne! tunc pastores cantabunt: Stella celi extirpauit, quo f(ac)to ibunt ad querendum Christum. 53, 54, 58] prophet etc. ] pphet etc. MS 62 a B is written in the margin here in the MS, an A at line 78, and a C at line 90. H follows this suggested reärrangement, although the original arrangement seems quite as satisfactory. 58, 62, 69, 75] MS has full forms this, The, the, and 65 bale] late hand substitutes sorwe, which H accepts 66 shadyr] MS and H; later hand substitutes not let 67 buske] MS and H; later hand substitutes Go after 77 facto] fto MS [90 a] 76 80 85 [Scene 2: On the road to Bethlehem.] ius pastor: Ey! Ey! this was a wondyr note, I haue that voys fful wele I-wote: thei songe gle, glo, glory. ijus pastor: Nay, so mot [I] the, so was it now[ght], I haue that songe fful wele i-num, in my wytt weyl it is wrought: It was gle, glo, glas, glum. iijus pastor: The songe methought it was glory, ther is a chylde born shal be a prynce myghty, [Scene 3: In the Stable.] 90 ius pastor: heyle, floure of floures! fayrest i-fownde! heyle, perle peerles, prime rose of prise! 95 [90b] 100 105 heyl, blome on bedde! we shul be vnbownde heyl, floure fayr and fre! heyl, mayde fayrest in sight! ijus pastor: heyl, floure ovyr ffloure, fowndyn in fryght! heyl, Cryst kynde in oure kyth! heyl, werker of wele to wonyn us wyth! 82 mot I] moty MS two letters illegible in MS nowght] nowth MS 84 wytt] last 86] MS has full form The heyl. wynnere, i-wys! heyl, fformere and ffrende! heyl, ffellere of the fende! heyl, clad in oure kende! heyl, prince of paradys! iijus pastor: heyl, lord ouer lordys that lyggest ful lowe! heyl, kynge ovyr kynges, thi kynrede to knowe! heyl, comely kny[ght], the deuyl to ouerthrowe! heyl, floure of alle! heyl, werkere to wynne bodyes bowndyn in synne! heyl, in a bestys bynne bestad in a stalle! Joseph: herdys on hylle, bethe not stylle, ius pastor: we shul telle be dale and hylle how harwere of helle myrth is to melle that were so felle was born this nyght. and fendys to quelle, agens his ryght. ijus pastor: ffare wel, babe and barne of blys! The to wurchep I falle on kne, ga, farewel kynge of alle! iijus pastor: Thow I be the last that take my leve, zit, fayre mullynge, take it not at no greve. 110 115 120 125 [91a] 130 135 113 knyght] knyth MS 131, 135] MS has full forms The, Thow 132 werld] werd MS 140 145 now, fayre babe, wele mut thu cheve! Maria: Now ze herdmen, wol mote ge be! my sone shal aqwyte gow in hefne se, and geve gow all ryght good hendynge. Amen. NOTE ON THE TEXT OF THE YORK PLAYS. Many emendations have been suggested for this text. Most of them are entirely futile, though some are suggestive. I have noted in the variants all that seem in any way significant. The articles referred to are: Holthausen, Beiträge zur Erklärung und Text-Kritik der York Plays, Herrig's Archiv 85. 411-428, and Holthausen, Zu Alt- und Mittelenglischen Dichtungen, Anglia 21. 443, both of these referred to as H; Kölbing, Kleine Beiträge zur Erklärung und Text-Kritik Vor-Shakespere'scher Dramen, Engl. Stud. 20. 187-190, 21. 162-175, referred to as K; Hall, Text Emendation of the York Plays, Engl. Stud. 9. 450–459. Two other articles which have little or no bearing on these particular plays are: Luick, Text-Kritik der Spiele von York, Anglia 22. 384, and Coblentz, Suggested Rime Emendations, Mod. Lang. Notes 10. 77-81. |