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for though in thee bee god verey,

and commen agaynst kynde,
ffor usage here of this cittye,
and manner's sake, as thinkes mee,
too I will fetch anon to thee,

If I may any fynde.

[Scene 8) Joseph ad obstetrices.

(38b]

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485

Weomen, god you save and see,
is yt your will to goe with mee?
my wife ys commen into this cyttye

with child, and tyme is nere.
Helpes here nowe, for charytee,
and bee with her tyll day bee,
and your travayle, soe mote I thee,

I shall paye you right here.
Tebell: All readye, good man, in good faye,

wee will doe all that ever wee maye,
for too such middwives, I dare well saye,

are not in this cyttye.
Salome: Come, good man, leade us awaye,

by gode helpe, or hit bee day,
that we can good, thy wife shall saye,

and that thow shalt well see.

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[Scene 9]
Joseph : Loe! Marye! harte! brought I have here

too middwives, for the manere,
to bee with thee, my darlinge deare,

tyll that hit be daye.
500 Maria : Syr, the(y) be welcome, withowt were,

but god will worke of his powere
full sonne for mee, my lefe fere,
as best is nowe and aye.

Tunc paululum acqui(e)scunt.
A! Joseph! tydinges aright!
I have a sonne, a sweete wight,
lord, thanked bee thow, full of might,

for preeved is thy postee!
Payne felte I non this night,
but right soe as hee in mee light,
commen hee is here in this sight,
gode sonne, as thow maye see.

Tunc stella apparebit. Joseph: Lord, welcome, sweete Jesu,

thy name thow haddest or I thee knew;
nowe leeve I the angell's worde is trewe,

that thow arte a cleane maye.
ffor thow arte commen man's blys to brewe
to all that thy lawe will shewe;

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nowe man's joy beginns to new,

and noye to passe awaye. Maria: Lord, blessed most thow bee that simple borne art, as I see,

[39 a] to preeve the divell of his postee

commen thow arte to-daye, diuersorye is non for thee, therefore thy sweete bodye free in this cratch shall lye with lee,

and lapped abowt with haye. Tebell: A! dere lord, heaven kinge,

that this is a marvelous thinge!
withowten teene or travaylinge

a fayre sonne shee hasse one.
I dare well saye for sooth, I-wys,
that cleane mayden this woman ys,
for shee hath borne a chyld with blyss,

Soe wiste I never none.
Salome: Be styll, Tebell, I thee praye,

for that is false in good faye,
was never woman cleane maye,

and chyld withowt man.
But never the latter, I will assaye
whether shee bee cleane maye,
and know it if I cann.

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Alas! alas! alas! alas!
mee is betyde an evyll case!
my hande bee dryed up in this place,

that feelinge none have I.
Vengeance on mee ys nowe light,
for I would tempte godde might;
alas that I came here to-night,

to suffer such anoye!

Tunc apparet stella, et veniet angelus (dicens) ut sequitur : (Angelus): Woman, beseech this childe of grace,

that hee forgive thee the trespasse,
and ere thow goe owt off this place

holpen thow may bee.
This miracle that now thow seest here
is of gode owne powere,
to bringe mankinde owt of dangere,

and mende them, leeve thow mee. Salome: Ah! sweete child, I aske mercye,

for thy mother's love, Marye,
though I have wrought wretchedlye,

sweete childe, forgive yt me!
Ah! blessed bee god! all whole am I.
nowe leeve I well and sickerlye
that god is commen man to forbye,

and thow, lord, thow art hee!

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565

(39b]

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[Scene 10)
Expositor : Loe! lordinges all, of this miracle here

freere Bartholemewe, in good mannere,
beareth wytnes, withowten were,

as played is you beforne.
and other myracles, yf I maye,
I shall rehearse, or I goe awaye,
that befell that ilke daye

that Jesus Christ was borne.
Wee reade in cronicles express :
somtyme in Rome a temple was,
made of soe greate ryches

that wonder was witterlye.
ffor all thinges in hit, leeve you mee,
was silver, gould, and rych perlye;
thryd parte the world, as read wee,

that temple was worthye.
Of eych province, that booke mynde mase,
ther godde Image sett there was,
and eych on abowt his necke has

a silver bell hanginge,
And on his brest written also
the lande name and gode too,
and sett was alsoe, in middest of tho,

god of Rome right as a kinge.

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