355

the which (that) never (hade) beginninge,

ne never shal ended bee. Octavyanus : Sybbyll, I pray thee specially,

by sign thow would me certyfye,
what tyme that lord so royallye

to raigne hee shal beginne.
360 Sybyll speake tho: Syr, I shall tell you witterlye

his signes when I see verelye,
for when hee comes, through his mercye

one mankynde hee will mynne.

Well I wott for soth, I-wys, 365

that god will bring mankinde to blys,

and send from heaven, leeves well this, 367

his sonne, our savyour.
(Ihesu Christ, nothing amis,
called he shall be and is,
overcome the Divill and his countise

and be our Conquerour.)
But what tyme, syr, in good faye,
that hee will come, can I non saye;
Therfore in this place I will praye

to greatest god of might.
and yf I see ought to your paye
ghostlye by anye waye,
warne you I shall anon this daye,

and shew it in your sight. 354 that) shal D hade hase DHBh 355 ended bee ) endinge have W, endinge be h 356 specially | especiallye Wh 360 Sybyll speake tho ] omit H B Wh Syr ) yea Wh 362 when ) then B 363 mynne) wynne B 364 for ] and Wr. 366 leves ) leve Wr. 367 a, b, c, d ) omit D. 367c overcome to overcome w, and overcome h countise ) Coyntoice HB 369 non ] not HB Wh 370 I will ] will I HBW 372 to ) in Wh 374 anon) omit Wh, after you'B

368

370

375

Tunc orat sibilla

380

et

[Scene 5]

dicat preco alta voce: Preco: Peace I byd kinge and knight,

men and weomen, and eych wight,
tyll I have tould that I have tight;

stonde styll, both stronge and stoute !
My lord, Octavyan, myche of might,
commandes you should be ready dight,
trybute hee wyll have in height

of all this world (aboute).
Hee wyll have written eych countree,
castle, shyre, and eke cyttye,

385 men and women, leeve you mee,

and all that beo therin.
a penye of eych man have will hee,
the valewe of ten pences hit shalbee,
To knowledge that hee has soverayntee

fullye of all (mankyn).
Josephe : A! lord! what doth this man now here?

poore men's weale ys ever in were.
I wott by this boster's bere

that trybute I muste paye.
and for greate age and noe powere, [37 b]
I wan noe good this seaven yere,
nowe comes the kinge's messenger

390

395

400

405

410

with this axe that I beare,
this perce(r), and this naugere,
and hammer, all in fere,

I have wonnen my meate.
Castle, towre, ney riche manere
had I never in my power,
but as a symple carpenter

with these what I might gett.
If I have store [of] any thinge,
that must I paye unto the kinge,
but yett I have a likinge, -

The angell to mee towlde:
Hee that should man out of bale bringe
my wife had in her keapinge,
that seemes all good to my likinge

and makes mee more bowlde.
A ! leeffe syr! tell mee, I thee praye,
shall poore as well as rych paye?
my faye, syr, I hoope naye;

that were a wonders wronge. 420 Preco : Good man, I warne thee, in good faye,

to Bethlem to take the waye
lest thow in danger falle to-daye,

if that thow bee to longe.
Joseph: Nowe syth yt may non other bee,

Marye, sister, now hye wee!
an oxe I will take with mee,

415

425

the silver of him, soe mote I thee,
shall fynde us in that cyttye,
and paye tribute for thee and mee,

for therto wee bine howlde.

430

435

440

[Scene 6]
Maria: A! lord! what may this signifye?

Some men I see glad and merye,
and some syghinge and sorye

wherfore so ever yt bee.
Syth gode sonne, man to forbye,
is commen through his great mercye,
methinke that man should kindlye

be glad that sight to see.
Angelus: Marye, gode mother dere,
the tokeninge I shall thee lere,

(38 a] the commen people, as thow seest here,

are glad as they well maye,
That they shall see of Abraham's seede
Christe come to helpe them in there neede; 445
Therfore the(y) ioyen, withowten dreede,

for to abyde this daye.
The morneinge men, take this in mynde,
are Jewes that shalbe put behinde,
for they passed out of kinde

through Christ at his comminge. 429 that ] this H

450

ffor they shall have noe grace to knowe
that god for man shall light soe lowe;
for shame on them that sone shall showe,

therefore they bine mourninge.

455

(Scene 7]

Joseph: Marye, suster, sooth to saye,

harbour I hope gett wee ne may,
for great lordes of stowte arraye

occupye this cyttye. 460

Therefore wee muste, in good faye,
lye in this stable tyll it bee daye ;
to make men meeke, leeve I maye,

show him here will he.
Maria: Helpe me downe, my leeffe fere,
465

for I hope my tyme bee neere;
Christe in this stable that is here,
I hope borne wilbe.

Tunc Joseph accipiet Mariam in brachia sua.

Joseph: Come to me, my sweete dere,

the treasure off heaven, withowten were,
welcome in full meeke manere :
him hope I for to see.

Tunc statuet Maria inter bovem et asinam.

470

Marye, sister, I will assaye