[PLAY] 11. [THE INCARNATION.] [Scene 1: The Council in Heaven.] Contemplacion: ffowre thowsand sex undryd foure geres, man ffor his offens and ffowle foly hath loyn geres in the peynes of helle, and were wurthy to ly therin endlesly; But thanne shulde perysche zour grete mercy. good Lord, have on man pyte; [58b] 5 haue mende of the prayour seyd by Ysaielete mercy meke thi hyest mageste— wolde God thu woldyst breke thi hefne myghtye and com down here into erth, and levyn geres thre and threttye, thyn famy[sch]t ffolke with thi fode to fede. ΤΟ To staunche th[eir] th[yr]st lete thi syde blede, 15 of thi careful creatures, Lord, haue compassyon. A! woo to vs wrecchis, if wrecchis be, 1 geres ] omit K and thyn. 5 and 12] MS has full forms thanne 12 famyscht] famyt MS H 13 their] thi MS H thyrst] thryst MS H 17 if] crossed out and that substituted in MS, that H 20 for syknes and sorwe] crossed out and bothe eve and morwe substituted in MS source of ll. 17-18 21 balys babys H H, but see note on 22] MS has full 20 form thy 25 A tary not, gracious Lord, tyl it be to-morwe! A! q(uo)d Jeremye, who shal gyff wellys to myn eynes, that I may wepe bothe day and nyght to se oure bretheryn in so longe peynes? [59a] here myschevys amende may thi meche myght! As grett as the se, Lord, was Adamys contryssyon 30 35 40 45 ryght; ffrom oure hed is falle the crowne; man is comeryd in synne. I crye to thi syght: Gracyous Lord, gracyous Lord, gracyous Lord, come downe! Virtutes: Lord, plesyth it thin hyz domynacion on man that thu made to haue pyte. Patryarchys and p(ro)phetys han made supplycacion, oure offyse is to presente here p(re)yeres to the; Aungelys, Archaungelys, we thre that ben in the fyrst ierarchie, ffor man to thin hy mageste mercy! mercy! mercy! we crye. The aungel, Lord, thu made so gloryous, whos synne hath mad hym a devyl in helle, he mevyd man to be so contraryous; man repented, and he in his obstynacye doth dwelle. hese grett males, good Lord, repelle, and take man onto thi grace; lete thi mercy make hym with aungelys dwelle, of Locyfere to restore the place. 25 and 35] MS has contractions qd and pphetys 25 eynes ] eynos MS, corrected by later hand 36 preyeres] pyeres MS the] 46 onto on to MS H MS has full form Pater: PROPTER MISERIAM INOPUM ET GEMITUM PAUPERUM ffor the wretchydnes of the nedy, and the porys lamentacion, NUNC EXURGAM. now shal I ryse that am Almyghty. tyme is come of reconsyliacion. 50 my prophetys with prayers haue made suppli- [59b] cacion; my contryte creaturys crye all for comforte: all myn aungellys in hefne, withowte cessacion, they crye that grace to man myght exorte. Veritas: Lord, I am thi dowtere Trewthe, thyn vnkynde creatures to save were rewthe, twey contraryes mow not togedyr dwelle. 55 60 Thy trewthe, Lord, shall leste withowtyn ende, I may in no wyse ffro the go; that wretche that was to the so vnkende, he may not haue to meche wo; he dyspysyd the and plesyd thi ffo. thu art his creatour and he is thi creature: thu hast lovyd trewthe, it is seyd evyrmo, therfore in peynes lete hym evyrmore endure. Mi(sericordi)a: O Fadyr of mercy, and God of comforte! that counselle us in eche trybulacion, 53 prophetys] pphetys 56, 59, 60] MS has full forms they, thyn, the 73 Misericordia] mia MS 65 70 [60a] 75 lete gour dowtere, mercy, to gow resorte, 80 85 90 95 100 104 me semyth th[er] shuld be non excepcion, Trewthe sseyth she hath evyr be, than [man, and thu seyst endlesly that mercy thu hast kept ffor Thu seyst: Veritas mea et mi(sericordi)a mea cum ip(s)o, Justicia: Mercy, me merveylyth what gow movyth. Therfore his endles punchement may nevyr sees; shulde he be savyd? Nay! Nay! Nay! As wyse as is God he wolde a-be; that the ryghtwysnes of God hath no diffynicion. he that sore synnyd ly stylle in sorwe; he may nevyr make a seyth be resone, 79 ther] thi MS H 81 Trewthe] Threwthe MS H 85 miseri 93, 101, 104] MS has full 84, 85, 86] MS has full forms than, thu, than. |