595

600

605

610

615

Abowt the house alsoe mevinge there
a man on horse stood, men to steare,
and in his hand hee bare a spere,

all pure dispituouslye.

That horse and man was made of brasse,
torninge abowte that Image was;

save certayne preystes, ther might non passe,
for devyll's phantasie.

But when that any lande with battell
was readye Rome for to assayle,
The gode (Image), withowten fayle,
of that land range his bell,
and torned his face dispituouslye
to god of Rome, as reade I,

in tokeninge that (they) were readye
for feyghting freshe and felle.
The Image, alsoe, aboue standinge,
when the bell beneathe begane to ringe,
torned him, all sharpely shewinge

towarde that lande his spere.
and when they see this tokeninge,
Rome ordayned, withowt tareinge,
an oste to keepe there comminge,
longe or they came there.
And on this manere, sothelye,
by arte of neagromancye,
all the world, witterlye,

to Rome were made to lowt.

591 alsoe] was H mevinge] meaninge Wr.
a pewer h 599 when that ] omit that Hh
may D, I meane Wh
605 tokeninge ] token B
606 for] to HBW h

D Wr. were] wente Wr.
about H 609 torned] torninge W him] him
see] saw HBh Dm., see Wr. they] the Wr.
torninge Wr. 615 on] in H B Wh

594 all pure] 601 Image] I they] there 607 aboue] 611

self B 613 comminge]

and that temple there, dowbtles,
was called therfore the temple of peace,
that through (t)his sleyt battell can cease
throughowt the worlde abowte.

But hee (that) coyntly this worke caste,
asked the devyll, or hee paste,

howe lange that temple hit should laste,

that hee there can buylde.

The devill answered suttilly,

and sayd yt should last sickerlye,
untill a mayden wemmostlye

had conceyued a chylde.

They hard and beleeved therfore
yt should endure for evermore,
but that tyme that Christ was bore
hit fell downe soone in hye.

Of which howse is seene this daye
somewhat standing, in good faye,
but noe man dare well goe that waye,

for feendes' phantasye,

That daye was seene verament
Three sonnes in the firmament,

and wonderslye together went

and torned into one.

The oxe, the asse, ther they were lent,
honored Christe in theyr intent,

and moe miracles as wee have ment

to playe right here anon.

Tunc ostendit stellam et veniet Sibilla ad Imperatorem.

619-623] omit h

619 and that] and in that D B W

621 that] omit W this] his D Wr.

Bh Dm, so Wr. coyntly] cunninglye Wr.

623 that] to D, twoo

625 longe] omit W

hit] there h 629 wemmostlye] wemmouslie H B h, womanlye W 631 they] the Wr.

goe Wr

637 well goe

640 three] 3 HB Wh

goe well H B h Dm.,
643 were] be Wr.

after 646 ostendit ] ostendant H, ostendent B, ostendunt Wh

[40a]

620

625

630

635

640

645

650

651

652

655

660

665

[40b]

[Scene 11]

Sibilla: Syr Emperour, god thee save and see!
(looke up on height after mee);

I tell you sicker that borne ys hee

that passeth thee of (power).

That baron thow seest that great shalbee,
(as none lyke him in any degree,)

to passe all kinges and eke thee
that borne are or ever were.

Octavyan: A! Sibbel, this is a wondrouse sight,
for yonder I see a mayden bright,

a yonge chylde in here armes clight,
a bright crosse in his head.
honour I wyll that sweete wight
with incense, throughowt all my might,
for that reverence is most right,

if that yt bee thy reade.

Incense bringe, I command, in hye,
to honour this child, kinge of mercye.
should I bee god? nay, nay! witterlye,

great wronge, I wys, yt were.
ffor this childe is more worthye
then such a thowsande as am I,
therffore to god, moste mightye,

Incense I offer here.

Tunc angelus cantabit “Hæc est ara Dei Cæli," fiat [nota] secundum arbitrium agentis.

649 sicker] trulye Wh

647-650] order of these lines much confused; all MSS. put 648 after 650, in H the original order is indicated by A C D B in another hand that also corrected a former 'postye' (650) to 'power'. 648 up on] up an H 650 power] postee D B W h, H also reads thus originally (cf. under 647–650). 651 that great] so great H, that so great B, greate W h 651a] omit D B W h, found only in margin of H 653] that is borne or ever shalbe W are] was h 659 throughowt] through H B, with Wh all] omit H after 669 hic] hec Wr. est] este Wr. Cæli] Cela Wr. fiat] fiant Wh nota] notam DHBW h

A Sybbell, heres not thow this songe?
my members all yt gooth amonge;
Joy and blys makest my harte stronge,
to heare this melody.

Sy(c)ker, yt may non other bee,

but this childe is prince of postye,
and I his subiect, as I see;

he is most worthye.

Sybbell Yea, syr, you shall leeve well this, somewhere one yearth borne he is, and that hee comes for man's blys

his tokeninge this can shewe.
Reverence him, I read, I wys,
for other god there none yis;
that hopes otherwise doth amys,
but him for Christe to knowe.

Octavyan: Syr senators, goes home anone,
and warne my men everychone,
that suche worshipp I must forgonne

as they would doe to me.
but this child worshipp eych mane,
with full harte, all that you (can),
for hee is worthy to leeve upon,
and that nowe I (well) see.

(Senator): A! lord, whatever this may bee,
this is a wondrous sight to see,

670 not thow] thou not HB

672 makest

makes H B

674-678] omit B
678 you shall]
681 token-

Dm. h, maketh Wr. stronge] full strong H 674 sycker syrker D, trulye W, surely h thou shalt B Wh

680 comes] commeth Wr. inge] token WH 684 that he that Wh hopes ] hopeth Wr. otherwise otherwayes H doth ] he doth H Bh Dm. 686 Syr] sires BW h 687 everychone] every one H, every echone B Wh 691 can] omit D 693 nowe I] I now Wh well wyll DHB 694 Senator] omit D B Wh A and Wh 695 wondrous] wonders H

C

670

675

680

685

690

695

700

705

710

[41a]

715

720

for in the starre as thinkes mee,
I see a full fayre maye.

Syr, shall this child passe yee
of worthiness and dignitee?
such a lord, by my lewtye,

I wend never had binne.

Expositor: Lordinges, that this is verey,
by verey sygne knowe yee maye,
for in Rome, in good faye,

there as this thinge was seene,

Was buyld a church in noble araye,
in worshipp of Marye, that sweete maye,
that yett lastes untyll this daye,

as men know that there have binne.

and for to have full memorye

of the angells' melody,

and of this sight, sickerlye,
the Emperoure ther knewe,

The church is called St. Marye,
the surname is aracæli,

that men knowe nowe well therby
that this was fully trewe.

another miracle I fynd also
at Christes byrth, that fell thoo,
when Salome attempted to knowe
whether shee was a maye.

696 thinkes] thinketh Wr.
700 lewtye] bewtie Dm.
703 verey sygne] signes true B

in W
HBWh
thinge] thes thingis Wh
unto H Wh this] omit B
a racali W, in ra cali h
719 at a Wr. that] omit
HBWh

698] 'primus Senator' above line 701 binne] bene none 705 this 708 lastes lasteth Wr. untyll] 715 aracæli] Ara Cæli H B in 716 that] tha Dm. now] omit Wr. B Wh fell thoo] fell right tho