25 [67 b] 30 35 40 Joseph That semyth evyl, I am afrayd, I drede me sore I am betrayd. Thy wombe is gret, it gynnyth to ryse, Ow, dame! what thinge menyth this? I dede nevyr forfete with man i-wys, Joseph Goddys childe! thu lyist, in fay! But git I sey, Mary, whoos childe is this? Joseph: za, za, all olde men to me take tent, all men may me now dyspyse, 28 sum] sû MS 25, 30, 31, 33, 34] MS has full forms: that, Thy, than, thy, this 33 thingeyinge MS 45 50 55 [68 a] 60 65 70 75 and seyn: "olde cokwold, thi bowe is bent newly, after the frensche gyse." Alas, dame, why dedyst thu so? Maria: Alas, good spowse, why sey ge thus? It is no man but swete Ih(es)us, he wyll be clad in flesch and blood, and of gour wyff be born. Sephor: ffor sothe, the aungell thus seyd he, that goddys sone in trynite ffor mannys sake a man wolde be, to save that is forlorn. Joseph: An aungell! allas! alas! fy for shame! ze syn now in that ge [so] say. to puttyn an aungel in so gret blame! Alas! alas! let be! do way! It was sum boy began this game, that clothyd was clene and gay, and ze geve hym now an aungel name, that evyr this game betydde! 80 A! dame, what thought haddyst thu? here may all men this proverbe trow, that many a man doth bete the bow, another man hath the brydde. [68b] Maria: A! gracyous god in hefne trone, 85 comforte my spowse in this hard case! 60, 62] MS has full forms the, thus 62 so] crossed out in MS 67 Sephor] H does not follow MS in giving the following speech to Sephor, but makes her name a vocative, thus making Mary address her. 72 so] to MS H 79] MS has full form this mercyful god, amend his mone, as I dede nevyr so gret trespas! Joseph: lo! lo! seres, what told I gow? that it was not for my prow a wyff to take me to, an[d] that is wel sene now, ffor mary, I make god a vow, is grett with childe, lo! Alas! why is it so? to the busshop I wole it telle, that he the lawe may here do, with stonys here to qwelle. Nay, nay, gett god fforbede that I shuld do that ve[n]geabyl dede, but if I wyst wol qwy. I knew never in here, so god me spede, tokyn of thynge in word nor dede, that towchyd velany. nevyr the les what for thy? thow she be meke and mylde, withowth mannys company she myght not be with childe. But I ensure myn was it nevyr. thow that she hath not don here devyr, rather than I shuld plenyn opynly, Serteynly gitt had I levyr fforsake the countre fforevyr, and nevyr come in here company. ffor [an] men knew this velany, in repreff thei wolde me holde, 99 vengeabyl] vegeabyl MS H thow and H 110] MS has full form than 109] MS has full form 114 an] & MS, and gett many bettyr than I [69 a] za hath ben made cokolde. 120 125 130 135 140 Now alas! whedyr shal I gone? I wot nevyr whedyr nor to what place, no comforte may I have here; Maria: God, that in my body art sesyd, ffor vnknowlage he is desesyd, and therfore help that he were esyd, that he myght knowe the ful perfyght. ffor I haue levyr abyde respyt, to kepe thi sone in priuite, grauntyd by the holy spryt, than that it shulde be opynd by me. [Scene 2] Deus: Descende, I sey, myn aungelle, onto Joseph for to telle such as my wyl is. byd hym with mary abyde and dwelle, that she is with, i-wys. Angelus: Almyghty god of blys, 116] MS has full form than 124 taryed] traryed H wedyr as thi wyl is, to go bothe fer and hynde. Joseph Joseph! thu wepyst sh[ry]le, ffro thi wyff why comyst thu owte? Joseph Good sere, lete me wepe my fylle, go forthe thi way and lete me nowght. Angelus: In thi wepynge thu dost ryght ylle, agens god thu hast myswrought. Go chere thi wyff with herty wylle, and chawnge thi chere, amende thi thought, Sche is a ful clene may. I telle the god wyl of here be born, and sche clene mayd, as she was beforn, to save mankynd that is forlorn; Go, chere hyre therfore I say. Joseph A! lord god, benedicite! of thi gret comforte I thank the, that thu sent me this space. I myght wel a wyst, parde! so good a creature as she wold nevyr a done trespace; for she is ful of grace. I know wel I haue myswrought, I walke to my pore place, and aske forgyfnes, I haue mysthought. Now is the tyme sen at eye, that the childe is now to veryfye, which shal save mankende, at it was spoke by prophesye; I thank the, god that syttys on hye, with hert, wyl, and mende that evyr thu woldyst me bynde, to wedde mary to my wyff, 147 shrylle] shyrlle MS 173 prophesye] pphesye MS 161] MS has full form the 145 [69 b] 150 155 160 165 170 175 |