# The Beginning of the World # Edwin Norris translation # Source: Edwin Norris (editor and translator) # The Ancient Cornish Drama (2 volumes), # New York and London: Benjamin Blom. 1968 [1859] # Electronic text prepared by Jim Hall # Faculty of Media and Culture # Falmouth College of Arts # Tremough Campus # Penryn # Cornwall # TR11 9EZ # 11th January 2001 # HERE BEGINNETH THE DRAMA OF # THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD. # ___________________________ # GOD THE FATHER The Father of Heaven I am called, The Creator of all things that are made; One and three we are in truth, The Father, and the Son, and the Spirit; And this day I desire 5 By my grace to begin the world. I say, Heaven and Earth Be they created by my judgment. Now when heaven is made to us, And filled with bright angels, 10 We will create the earth, Like as we are three and one, The Father, and the Son, and the Spirit; Very royal, sure and certainly These are wrought, 15 As we ourselves would. On the second day I will Make the sky called heaven; For it appears to me to be good All that was made on the first day. 20 Let the sky be above all things, To cover all that is created, To keep the rain above, That it may be dropped on the face of earth. On the third day I make a separation 25 Between the sea and the lands, And I command in the earth That trees and plants grow; Let every tree grow from its stem Bearing its fruit and its leaves, 30 And let the plants against summer Produce seed in gardens. On the fourth, be made perfect To all the earth bright lights, And their names they shall be 35 The sun, and the moon, and the stars; I place them over the trees In the midst of the sky above; The moon in night, the sun in day That they may give their shining lights. On the fifth day I will That be made by my power Beasts, fishes, and birds, Earth and sea to fill; For the time shall arrive 45 That these shall be improved by them. To them I command That they encrease and live long. # Here God comes down from the upper stage, and God says:- # [Here Lucifer from heaven appears on the stage.] To day it is the sixth day Since I began to work, 50 That I made heaven, sea, land, and trees, Beasts, fishes, lights; Obedient to me they shall be, As much as is in them made. The son of man of clay perfectly 55 I will him to be created. # Here let him make Adam, and God says:- As we are one and three, Father and Son in Trinity, We make thee, man, of clay, Like to our face, presently. 60 We breathe into thy body A spirit that thou mayest live, And the life when thou losest it, To the earth thou shalt turn again. Adam, stand up in glory, 65 And turn to flesh and to blood; Think I have wrought thee of earth, Like to me from the head to the feet. All that is in land and in sea Over them have power; 70 In this world to bring offspring Thou shalt live till thou be grey. Adam, as I am the God of grace, To be a keeper I grant to thee, Over paradise I send thee; 75 But do thou remember one thing: Above all fruit, herbs, and seed, Which are therein, it hath grown, But of the fruit there is not permission; It is named the tree of knowledge. 80 If thou eat of that, Which is named the tree of knowledge, Out of this place thou shalt go, And shalt die the death. # ADAM O Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, 85 Worship to thy sweet body always; Me create fair and bright Thou hast done me, very like to thee. To govern my life The will of my mind is enough 90 Very great is my want to me Of the true help-mate ordained. # GOD THE FATHER It is not good, very certainly, That a man should be alone Without a fellow or a help-mate. 95 Go, 1ie on the earth clean, And sleep, nor ever stand up, Until a help-mate be made. # And Adam shall sleep: here God makes Eve, and shall # lead her to Adam, and he shall take her by his hands; # and God the Father says :- Forthwith from one of thy ribs, I make to thee an equal, 100 Every hour to help thee; Adam, behold her here; Do thou give a name to her, To take her for thy equal. # EVE Lord, God of heaven, the Father, 105 As thou art full of grace, For ever be worshipped, As thou hast done much of regard, By creating me like thee. One God thou art, and persons three. 110 # ADAM O Father thou hast brought to me, Bone of my flesh and body, it was Meet that she be my companion; I name her Virago; The Father God be worshipped 115 Who has appointed her to me for my benefit. # GOD THE FATHER Adam, behold the fishes, The birds of heaven, and the beasts, Equally in land and in sea; Give to them their names, 120 They will come at thy command, But do not mistake them in any sort. # ADAM. I name cow, and bull, And horse, it is a beast without equal For the son of man to help himself; 125 Goat, steer, stag, Sheep, from my words To take their names. Now I name goose and fowl, I hold them birds without equal 130 For food of man on the earth; Duck, peacock, pigeon, partridge, Swan, kite, crows, and the eagle Further by me are named. I give names to the fishes, 135 Porpoises, salmons, congers, All to me obedient they shall be; Ling and cod, A fish from me shall not escape, If I honour God perfectly. 140 # GOD THE FATHER. For that all is fair and good, In six days all that is created, Bless them we will; Let it be called the seventh day. This is a day of rest 145 To every man that may be saved; In declaration of that We will rest forthwith. # Then God the Father shall go to heaven; and afterwards # the Devil, like a serpent, speaks to Eve in the tree # of knowledge, and he says wickedly to Eve:- # THE SERPENT OR DEVIL Eve, why dost thou not come near, To speak with me and talk ? 150 One thing which I know, if thou knewest it, It would amuse thee, For ever thou wouldst laugh For joy and for mirth; As thou camest into the world, 155 To heaven thou wouldst ascend. # EVE What thing can that be? Tell me directly. # DEVIL Eve, I cannot speak, For fear thou shouldst accuse me. 160 # EVE Because I am a woman, Thou mayest make it known to me; Because of any thing I would not Ever accuse thee. # DEVIL From heaven I come now 165 Sweet Eve, to better thy condition. The fruit of the tree of knowledge Eat, never make a difficulty. # EVE Hasten hence quickly; Speak not another word to me; 170 I have no wish to eat of its fruit, Through the prohibition of our dear Lord. # DEVIL O woman, thou art a fool, That thou believest not my words. If thou didst eat, thou and thy husband, Of the tree and its fruits, Ye should be of a surety In that hour like gods. Eve, come near, take it, For I do not tell thee a lie. 180 # EVE He who made me and my husband, He did forbid us That we should not eat the fruit, Nor go near to the tree. # DEVIL I know how it was with him; 185 Because it is a tree of grace, Of its fruit whoever eats Will know the counsel of the Father. There is not a thing in the country round Which he will not know how to discover. It is a great folly in him, If he leaves that same fruit. # EVE I am outside [puzzled] thinking, What I may do, As to plucking the apple, 195 For fear of being deceived by thee. # DEVIL. Pluck it at my risk, Without delay quieltly have done it; And also make to thy husband, That he may eat of it. 200 # EVE Bend the tree towards the ground, That I may reach them. # DEVIL I will do so, but come on the spot: Gather it and go thy way. # Then she shall gather the apple, and carry it to Adam; # and Eve says:- # EVE Adam, reach me thy hand: 205 Take that from me. Quietly without blowing thy horn, Eat it immediately. # ADAM Speak to me, thou woman, Where didst thou gather the fruit? 210 Was it of that same sort Which was forbidden to us? # EVE When I was walking about, I heard on one side An angel beginning to sing 215 Above me on the tree. He did advise me That I should gather fruit from it; Greater than God we should be, Nor be troubled for ever. 220 # ADAM Oh! out upon thee, wicked woman, That thou listenedst to him: For he was an evil bird Whom thou didst hear singing, And will bring us to sorrow, 225 Unless we do refrain. Let every one think on the end of it, How it can end. # EVE Peace! the angel preached, Of thc tree and of its virtues, 230 Of its fruit he who should eat Would be like a god. # ADAM I will not believe thee, Nor thy vain words; Let us pray that we may be servants 235 To our Lord without equal. For he who made us of clay Gave us prohibitions, That we should not eat the fruit Of the tree, without fail. 240 # EVE Since thou wilt not believe, Thou shalt lose my love. Ever whilst thou livest, Here thou shalt not see me again. # ADAM Eve, rather than thou be angry, 245 I will do all as thou wishest. Bring it me immediately, And I will eat it. # And then he eats of the apple, and sees that # he is naked, and says with a groan:- # Adam Oh, woe, woe, I have sinned And have broken the prohibition. 250 O evil graceless woman, Surely thou hast deceived me without pity: Our bodies are become naked; Let us cover ourselves with leaves. I know truly, God the Father 255 A sorry woman hath angered. # [Adam hides himself in Paradise.] # Then God the Father shall come to Adam, # and he says to him :- # GOD THE FATHER Adam, Adam, what art thou doing? Why dost thou not come to welcome me? # ADAM Because I was naked, without a cloth, I went to hide before thee. 260 # GOD THE FATHER Who disclosed to thee That body, feet, and arms are naked? But the fruit of grace, it was not for thee To go to eat it without sin. # ADAM To me you gave a wife, 265 She is all to blame, Who plucked the fair apple, And brought it me to taste. # GOD THE FATHER Because thou hearkenedst to her, And to act beyond my prohibition, 270 I will assuredly curse The earth in thy evil deed. In thy sweat labour to eat Thou shalt, even to thy end, Thorn and briars growing, 275 Until it be that death be. Eve, why didst thou Deceive thy husband without mercy. By plucking the apple After I had forbidden it to thee? 280 Thou hast done evil verily And hast brought him to much sorrow, When thou madest him eat And taste thc fruit of the tree. # [Here let the Devil be present] # EVE O wise Father in thy light, 285 The serpent hath deceived me. Her falsehood I believed, Ever she hath held me. If I plucked it, she said, Like a god I should be. 290 If it was evil that she did, Kill her with thy sword. # GOD THE FATHER Because thou hast hearkened to her, And deceived thy faithful spouse, Ever obedient to her husband 295 I ordain woman to be. May her affliction be increased, For breaking my commandment, Nor without great labour indeed Shall ever children be to her. 300 # [He speaks to the Serpent.] Thou devil, answer me, Why didst thou deceive her pitilessly, By tempting her to pluck The fruit against my prohibition? # DEVIL I will tell you the fact; 305 Because they had great happiness, And I was always burning. For this I tempted them To sin, so that "alas" may be Their song like as mine. 310 # GOD THE FATHER Now be thou accursed, Very truly above all the beasts Which go on the face of the earth. And ever shall there be enmity Between thy offspring 315 And the offspring of the woman always. Here ye do not remain, Go outside immediately; You have lost my joy Which I gave you in paradise. 320 Nor must thou allege That thou art punished because of thy wife; Because thou hearkenest to her A thousand mother's sons shall be damned. # ADAM O Father, God, in thy light, 325 Grant to thy workmanship, I pray thee, Some of the oil of mercy. # GOD THE FATHER Adam, in the end of the world, I will grant the oil of mercy to thee, And to Eve thy wife. 330 # And then God ascends to heaven, and says to the Cherub: Cherub, take a sword, Hasten down to Paradise; You will find two persons there: Put them outside immediately. Very hard it shall be for them, 335 And for what has been done. That they did the evil transgression, Surely they will lament the time. # CHERUB To Paradise soon I go, To do all the will of thy judgment; 340 If I find the people there, Outside they shall be put. # [Here the cherub goes down.] Adam, go out of the country, Towards another land, to live: Thou thyself to dig, 345 Thy wife with thee to spin. For that ye have angered the Father, To ye shall be full repentance: Haste through the door, For here ye do not stay. 350 # [The Cherub remains in Paradise.] # [Here Adam and Eve depart from Paradise.] # ADAM Alas! that I have seen the time When I made my Lord angry, When I acted against his command, I lost my fair portion. I know not what I shall be now; 355 There is not for me clothes, shelter, nor house My heart all in pieces For grief will break. Away from my joy and my delight I must go in poverty through the land; 360 For want of clothes and shelter, Well nigh perishing with cold; Nor know from trouble Whether we be in field or in wood My heart is weak and empty 365 By my taking and having food. Eve, take thy distaff, To spin clothes for us; And I go with all my strength, To begin to dig in the ground. 370 # And he shall dig, and the earth cries: # and again he shall dig, and the earth cries:- Great wonder is surely to me; The earth will not let me break it, That I may raise corn: Nor can I go on, in truth. I pray to thee, high Lord, 375 That thou wilt give leave to the earth, That it allow me before I die To seek for myself food in it. # [Here God the Father comes down.] # GOD THE FATHER Adam, permission shall be forthwith, To cut full the length of thy spade. 380 I command thee, O earth, Allow Adam to open thee. # ADAM O sire, perfect God, Little is this for us. All that comes, in one day 385 I and my wife will eat. # GOD THE FATHER Then take two lengths of it, For thee and thy wife to have. # ADAM Lord, this is too little, If we do any children produce. 390 # GOD THE FATHER As need is to thee to take more, Take three lengths of thy spade; Athwart measure three breadths, And take care not to do falsely. # ADAM Wise Lord, all that ground, 395 If I have three lengths of my spade, Me, and my wife, and my little child, It will be hard to support. If more come, it will not be enough, They will faint with hunger. 400 In that time, for very sorrow, Bitter tears I shall shed. # GOD THE FATHER Go, take all thou wilt Adam, of the world all around; It shall be indeed for thee, 405 And that which comes out of thee. # ADAM O Father of Heaven, thanks; Be thy dear body worshipped. Eve, power over the world, Full permission there is to me. 410 # EVE Fair is our lot, my husband, That leave is granted to us From the best Father, God, To dig and to sow; With distaff immediately 415 I will spin clothes. # GOD THE FATHER Evil is to me that I have made man, Altogether like to my face; By listening to a woman, He has quite lost the place. 420 Which my right hand had made To keep it if he had the grace. When he acted against my prohibition Very grievously he provoked me. Adam, of all thy tillage, 425 Leave the tenth part to me, Still to remain waste. And with good heart, without ill-will, Put upon Mount Tabor, To burn it in honour to me. 430 # ADAM Lord, thy will shall be done; More if thou wish to take, Truly, it shall be burnt, To fulfil the desire of thy mind. There is none equal to thee in the world; Full of grace thou art, perfectly. # [Here God the Father shall pass on to heaven.] Cain and Abel, my sons, Go, sacrifice forthwith In the mount to the Father of Heaven. And all your true tithe 440 To him take care to offer, And burn it, as he hath enjoined. # CAIN O father, wise, I will go. Lord of heaven, give me good work In all the acts that I do. 445 Sweet Abel, come away, To worship the very good Lord, As our father has enjoined us. # [Cain retires.] # ABEL My brother, very gladly I will go with thee to the mount; 450 But before going, my dear father, Give me thy perfect blessing. For my request is To receive thy word of love. Thy blessing is most delightful to me. 455 And the blessing of my mother likewise. # ADAM My blessing shall ever be on thee, Equally by night and by day; And all that is in the world be thine. # EVE The blessing of thy mother likewise 460 Be ever on thee, I pray, Amen, so be it. # ABEL My blessing on you also: Give me your blessings. O God, now fair is my lot, 465 Being blessed without deceit. # Then with those four rites (?) let him go to # the altar, walking on the stage; and Cain says:- # CAIN Abel, where hast thou been so long? Thou oughtest not to be slow Going to the sacrifice. # ABEL Cain, I stopped only a space, 470 Receiving the blessing of my mother, And the blessing of my father likewise. # CAIN By my faith a great folly It is to go to burn a thing Which a man can live upon. 475 What worship is it to God That the tythe be burnt to coal ashes on the stones? # ABEL Sweet Cain, think of thy soul; Because of the Father God of heaven, 480 Do his commands. To us there is nothing grievous, Since it surely is his will To burn it without fail. # CAIN Now you, Abel, do that; 485 I will never do so. I have thought of doing a thing, To keep it against summer. # ABEL Surely thou art foolish and mad. If thou do not as I say, 490 Thou wilt have sad torment In the region of hell, as I believe. God has given to us the nine parts, To live upon it certainly, By his full grace and his mercy. 495 Now, why not leave him, To take his tenth without complaint, And burn it, since he will. # [Here all shall come upon the stage.] # And then let Cain offer a part of the tithes, that # he may keep another part of the tithes; and Cain says:- # CAIN To say the truth, I will not offer 500 All my tithe certainly. O Father God, full of pity, Take, receive from me My tithe and my offering pure. And God look at my offering, 505 And take to thee my tithe; For if thou do not, I will Take it home with me again. # ABEL O Father God, high Lord, I worship thee with all my strength, 510 In my heart very seriously. And I will offcr to thee presently Together all my true tithe, To burn it in honour of thee. # GOD THE FATHER Because Abel's tithe is true, 515 He shall find in the end Unfailing joy ever, In my land and rest. # CAIN Whereas will God not make account Of me, nor thrive 520 The bit which I do will not, And at all times an article of Abel's Will thrive a thousand times better, Abel shall pay for that. # ABEL My sweet brother, come home; 525 There is a great heaviness Falling on my heart; Whatever it be, by my Father. The Father who created me To my offering may he acknowledge favour; And when I shall pass away From the world, may he bring me to his land. # CAIN Sweet Abel, do not mind all this, For all things will be good, By the help of our God, 535 The best Lord of heaven. Go before, as thou lovest me, In the name of God above; That thou mayest never thrive, Take this on the jaw-bone. 540 # Then he shall strike him on the head, # and he shall die; and Lucifer says:- # LUCIFER Beelzebub and Satan, Go hence with great speed, As ye love me, your god; And bring home the youth, That he may song "alas" 545 Ever in black darkness. # SATAN Our lord Lucifer, We will bring him to thee without danger Very joyfully; In requital to his father Adam, 550 He shall never have a bit Of fair light. # [They shall go to Abel] # BEELZEBUB Our will is to take thee, To go now to our country, And to torment, like us; 555 Abel, thou shalt dwell ever, Notwithstanding all thy true tithe, In great darkness, without joy. # SATAN Come with him home speedily To our lord Lucifer: 560 I will sing the counter note, And thou shalt sing descant with me. # BEELZEBUB Hail, sire! lord Lucifer, I have fetched home to thee The son of Adam, the false hypocrite, 565 That he may dwell with us. # LUCIFER Abel, because of thy dear offering, Thou shalt be ever with us; And devils without number Always howling at thee. 570 # Then God the Father shall come to the earth; # he speaks with Cain; and God the Father says:- # GOD THE FATHER. Cain, speak, where is Abel, Thy brother, my faithful servant? Why is he not with thee? # CAIN. He to whom thou gavest him to keep, Ask that of him; 575 What time was I his keeper ? # [A voice calls.] # GOD THE FATHER. Behold the blood of dead Abel, Thy brother, now calling From the ground to me every where. Cursed ever be thou, 580 And all the earth thou possessest Is cursed in thy deed. It shall [not] produce fruit good for ever, Nor green to the end of the world. I give my curse to thee, 585 The curse of my angels also. # CAIN. Thy voice, Lord, I hear, But thy face I do not see, Surely for my relief. Alas ! I know that: 590 My sin to be much greater, Than the mercy of God. Now wretched I am, and empty, Very truly above all men of the world: I cannot tell why 595 By all I may not be slain. # GOD THE FATHER. Cain, it shall not be so; For if a man do kill thee, He shall get it seven times as much Of pains on the face of this world, 600 If any evil is done thee; For I will mark thee In the world, that no man slay thee. Always good works, Happy as many as do them. 605 # [Here God ascends to heaven.] # Then Cain shall come to Adam his father; and Adam says:- # ADAM. My son, where is thy brother gone, Why is he not come home with thee? # CAIN. About him if thou thinkest, Ask of his keeper. # ADAM. O, curses on thy deed; 610 Thou hast killed him by my truth; And he so dear to us: My curse on thee ever. Alas! that is lost Sweet Abel, my son most dear. 615 That I had never been created! From me he has purchased evil. That Cain had never been born! That there is vengeance for this thing, Wrought by a woman! 620 Alas! that I ever saw Eve! There is a God yet living, Who is Lord above all things: I will never lie down Hereafter with the body of Eve. 625 # EVE Alas! that I ever listened So readily to my enemy; So much evil is falling, Both late and early; There is cause to me to weep 630 Really tears of blood, without doubt. Unhappy will be all living, Suffering much sorrow. # GOD THE FATHER Seraph, to Adam go, And enjoin him to lie, 635 By my commands, Again with Eve his wife; And he shall beget A good son without fail. # SERAPH Lord, I will do thy will, 640 As it becomes me in every place; And will soon go even to him, To the world, to advise him. # And then he shall go to Adam; and he says to him:- Adam, the Father God, most good, Hath commanded thee to lie 645 With thy dear spouse Eve; To have a child to serve thee. # ADAM Since the Father so wills, Need it is to do it; If God wills, for the best 650 So I trust it shall be done. Come, my companion, Eve, Lie in the bed at length; The command of God, above all things, Need is that it be fulfilled. 655 Now there are gone by Some two hundred years; I have not had to do with thee, In flesh nor in blood, without a lie. # EVE Since the God of heaven wills it, 660 Need it is to follow his will, Whatever it be. By the grace of the very good Lord We shall produce a good child, To serve us. 665 # ADAM In the name of God the Father, So be it done to us. To the Father God we pray That he send his grace to us. # And then let him go away a little while from her. # And again he shall come to her. # EVE Adam, we may be assured 670 The thing will come at last. There is a child born to me, By the will of the Father, God also. Blessed be the time That the agreement was made. 675 What name shall he be called? Tell me, on thy faith. # ADAM Seth shall be his just name. The Father of heaven beloved, Give him grace to serve him. 680 I will go to dig, To sustain life to us; To labour is needful. # Here Adam shall go to his work. O dear God, I am weary, Gladly I would see once 685 The time to depart. Strong are the roots of the briars, That my arms are broken, Tearing up many of them. Seth, my son, I will send 690 To the gate of Paradise forthwith, To the Cherub, the guardian. Ask of him if there will be for me Oil of mercy at the last, From the Father, the God of grace. 695 # SETH. O father dear, at thy command, I will go to him immediately. But what shall I ask? I do not know the way to my errand. # ADAM. Say, I being near 700 To my life's end, I pray him To say the truth To thee of the oil of mercy, Which was promised to me By the Father, of his pity, 705 When I was driven By the angel in very earnest, I and my wife for doing folly, Driven together we were, Quickly out of Paradise. 710 Follow the prints of my feet, burnt; No grass nor flower in the world grows In that same road, where I went, And we coming from that place, I and thy mother surely also; 715 Thou wilt see the tokens. Though thou see much light, Fear not, it will not be other than good. # SETH I will do very joyfully Thy errand even to the end. 720 0 father, dear heart, I wil1 not stop longer, I pray thee bless me Before I go, without fail. # ADAM Go thy way, my son, 725 And ever be my blessing on thee. Do thy errand surely, Before thou come back, I pray thee. # SETH 0 father, have no fear, Forthwith I will go. 730 The God of heaven, through his mercy, I pray to help us. # And then he shall ,go to Paradise; [and the Cherub says:- # CHERUB Seth, what is thy errand, That thou wouldst come so long a way? Tell me soon. 735 # SETH O angel, I will tell thee: My father is old and weary. He would not wish to live longer; And through me he prayed thee To tell the truth 740 Of the oil promised to him Of mercy in the last day. # CHERUB Within the gate put thy head, And behold it all, nor fear, Whatever thou seest. 745 And look on all sides; Examine well every particular; Search out every thing diligently. # SETH Very joyfully I will do it; I am glad to have permission 750 To know what is there, To tell it to my father. # [And he looks, and turns round, saying :-] Fair field is this; Unhappy he who lost the country: But the tree, it is to me 755 A great wonder that it is dry. But I believe that it is dry, And all made bare, for the sin Which my father and mother sinned. Like the prints of their feet, 760 They are all dry, like herbs. Alas, that the morsel was eaten. # CHERUB O, Seth, thou art come Within the gate of Paradise; Tell me what thou sawest. 765 # SETH All the beauty that I saw The tongue of no man in the world can Tell it ever. Of good fruit, and fair flowers, Minstrels and sweet song, 770 A fountain bright as silver; And four springs, large indeed, Flowing from it, That there is a desire to look at them. In it there is a tree, 775 High with many boughs; But they are all bare, without leaves. And around it, bark There was none, from the stem to the head. All its boughs are bare. 780 And at the bottom, when I looked, I saw its roots Even into hell descending, In midst of great darkness. And its branches growing up, 785 Even to heaven high in light; And it was without bark altogether, Both the head and the boughs. # CHERUB Look yet again within, And all else thou shalt see 790 Before that thou come from it. # SETH I am happy that I have permission; I will go to the gate immediately, That I may see further good. # [He goes, and looks, and returns.] # CHERUB. Dost thou see more now 795 Than what there was just now? # SETH There is a serpent in the tree; An ugly beast, without fail. # CHERUB Go yet the third time to it, And look better at the tree. 800 Look, what you can see in it, Besides roots and branches. # [Again he goes up.] # SETH Cherub, angel of the God of grace, In the tree I saw, High up on the branches, 805 A little child newly born; And he was swathed in cloths, And bound fast with napkins. # CHERUB The Son of God it was whom thou sawest, Like a little child swathed. 810 He will redeem Adam, thy father, With his flesh and blood too, When the time is come, And thy mother, and all the good people. He is the oil of mercy, 815 Which was promised to thy father; Through his death, clearly, All the world will be saved. # SETH Blessed ever be he: O God, now I am happy; 820 Knowing the truth all plainly, I will go from thee. # CHERUB Take three kernels of the apple, Which Adam, thy father, ate. When he dies, put them, without fail, 825 Between his teeth and his tongue. From them thou wilt see Three trees grow presently; For he will not live more than three days After thou reachest home. 830 # SETH Blessed be thou every day; I honour thee ever very truly: My father will be very joyful, If he soon passes from life. # And then he shall come to his father # [Adam, and he says to him:-- ] O father dear, I have seen 835 In Paradise the fountain of grace; And by it a tree, Tall, with many boughs; And in the middle of its branches A child swathed with napkins. 840 That is the oil of mercy Which was promised to thee By the Father God of heaven. And the angel told me, When three days are gone, 845 Thou will give up thy soul. # ADAM Dear Lord, much worship to thee, For long enough is my life: Take my soul to thee. Joyful that for me is vanquished 850 The labour and sorrow of the world: Very long I have served him. O son, concealment avails nought, The thing which is coming shall be seen. I am become old and wondrous weak; 855 My end is arrived: The Father God, Lord above, May he put me to rest; My soul, and my body to the ground. Amen, I pray, all quiet. 860 # And then Adam shall die; and Seth says:- # SETH Sad, woe, alas ! alas ! That Adam, my father, is dead. With his body he produced me; Like as he was a just man, In the earth I will dig 865 A hole, that he may be covered in it; # [Seth makes a grave and buries Adam] # Here Seth puts three kernels of the apple into # Adam's mouth; and Seth says:- And make it long and deep for him: Very evil sorrow it is for me, To bury him so immediately. # [Here he shall put the kernels into Adam's mouth] The three grains into his mouth 870 I will put them without fail, Like as it was enjoined to me. The will of God is this: That these kernels be put, When this life be passed away, 875 Into his mouth be put. The Father of heaven surely without fail, Made him like to himself: When he plucked the apple The Lord was angry. 880 # LUCIFER Aha! Beelzebub, aha! You see a good purchase Now obtained; Notwithstanding all the bounty of Adam, To us here in a trice 885 He shall be brought. # SATAN I will bring the fellow soon, Ever to lie With us in darkness. Beelzebub, as thou lovest me, Hasten quickly to help me, Bringing of the foul villain. # [Here they go down] # BEELZEBUB I will help thee to bring him, To hell like as we are, On the back of a fox or mastiff. 895 Notwithstanding all thy faith and thy blessing, With us shall be thy throne, In trouble for ever. # [Here he shall take the soul, and carry it to hell] # SATAN Adam, thou wast proud When thou wast in Paradise, 900 Like a rogue, my lord. And for that, forthwith We will carry thee, till the end of the world In pains to lie. # BEELZEBUB Hail! my lord, in thy seat. 905 See brought to thee home, By us, the great villain. The foul Adam would desire To conquer us always; Now he is our fellow. 910 # LUCIFER My blessing on ye at all time, So well ye have done my bidding, Quickly in every place. Put the false bird With Abel forthwith 915 To dwell. # Here beginneth of Noah and the ark; and God says:- # GOD THE FATHER Evil is with me to have made man Altogether like myself, certainly. By listening to a woman, Clean he has lost the place, 920 Which my right hand had made. When he acted against my prohibition, Out of happy Paradise, The angel soon put him. My spirit shall not dwell always 925 In the body of any son of man in the world. And reason there is, and why, That he is made of soft flesh. There is no man to serve me, Trusty and true, I believe, 930 In all the world, but Noah, And his wife, and his children also. # Then God the Father shall come to Noah; and he says:- # GOD THE FATHER Stand up Noah, my dear servant, Come to walk with me a while, And I will tell thee, 935 Between ourselves, things privately. # NOAH O Father, God on high, Blessed be thou ever. For with thee in every place I am ready to act. 940 # GOD THE FATHER Noah, very full is the world Now of hypocrisy, That the end is come: In it of flesh, every one With such great sin is fetid, 945 I cannot spare any longer, Without bringing a flood of great duration Over all surely except thee. Therefore hasten, go, make A ship of smooth planks, 950 And in it many dwellings, Rooms they shall be called. Without and within, well Be it staunched with pitch. And three hundred cubits good 955 The ship shall be in length; And half a hundred cubits Also thou shalt make its width. In height I wish it To be made thirty cubits. 960 On the hinder part a door in Thou shalt make; it is called a port. Beams through it thou shall nail Across, that it may not be opened. # NOAH Lord, as thou wilt, 965 Surely I will make the ship. What is the need for us To have such labour? Since thou wilt kill every one Who is on the face of the world, 970 Save only my people and me, Kill us with them as well. # GOD THE FATHER Noah, for thy great goodness, Thou shalt live ever in my favour. Take thy wife and thy children, 975 And put their wives with them; Of every sort of beast in the land, Put two of them with thee; Of all kinds of good birds, Take care to put two in thy ark; 980 For I will bring a great flood, That it cover all the face of the earth: That all men who are in the world May be drowned before the flood is gone. The spirit of life in it 985 Never more shall be seen. Do as I teach thee; When it is done, I will come to thee. Of all sorts of species, Males and females also, 990 Thou shalt put them In thy ark within. All manner of food in this world, Which ought to be eaten By man and beast, as well, 995 In thy ship thou shalt have. # Then let God the Father pass into heaven; and Noah says:- # NOAH Wise Lord, thy injunctions, Need is to me to do them. I go, without denials, To work about it. 1000 # Then Noah shall go to his wife; and Noah says to her:- # NOAH Reach me my axe quickly, My auger and my hammers; I will go hence, To do my errands # NOAH'S WIFE Master, I will do it directly; 1005 To the beloved Father in heaven All work in this world Which we do, be it agreeable. # Then he shall go to build his ship; and Noah says:- # NOAH O, dear God, I am weary, Cutting oak sticks; 1010 There is never rest to me, So bruised are my limbs. Gladly I would see the day Which it is enjoined me to reach. Lord, on thee be love; 1015 Miserable is he who angereth thee. # And then God the Father shall come to Noah, and he says to him:- # GOD THE FATHER Now, Noah, go into thy ark, Thou and all within thy house; Because thou servest me fully, My peace be with thee for ever. 1020 Of all beasts take forthwith Males and females, really, Of all the birds flying, Be careful to take a couple, To save seed from them; 1025 For a week after this Forty days I will allow Rain to fall from above. So many men as are in the land, Any thing in the world living, 1030 Save thee alone and thy children, With the food I am about to kill. # NOAH O Father blessed as thou art Thy commands will I do. I will go hence 1035 To my wife and children, in haste. # [Noah says to his wife :]- O spouse, without fail, Sons and daughters likewise, By the will of the beloved Father, There is a strong ship ordained; 1040 Let us hasten quickly to it; For a flood comes upon the earth, That in it all men will be, And all beasts drowned together. # WIFE O master dear, I will do 1045 Every thing like as thou wishest. Let us come all to the ark quickly, That we be not drowned by the flood. # SHEM As it is commanded to us, I will put them into the ark, Beasts and birds also; And let Ham bring food without fail # HAM See the load of food on my back; Let Japhet bring another load; Because of the Father, let us hasten; For fear I am well nigh quite blind. # JAPHET Here is with me a good bundle Of hay and corn mixed; All the beasts which are here, Shall find food enough twelve months. # Then let all go in, men and cattle; and Noah says:- # NOAH In the name of the best Father, Let us come in immediately; Our ark, from above, With rain it will be covered. Horses, cattle, pigs, and sheep, 1065 Bring within forthwith; But the blessed birds, They fly quickly and readily. O Father, as we are thy work, Made of clay and mire, 1070 Be to us strength and help, For to thee ever we pray. # SHEM I will now cover The top of the ark with a cloth, And this will keep, That the rain may not come in. # HAM In the name of God, be he praised, Cover what we call our grave; Here there is coming A fierce shower, on my faith. 1080 # JAPHET See a shower, really without ceasing; Man cannot bear it if it drops long. Great streams cover the earth, Thickening with much violence. # NOAH Through favour of heaven, our Father l085 Will stop it ere it be very long; Our ark hath floated, May it save us, exalted Lord. # GOD THE FATHER Dead is every thing that there was The spirit of life in it. 1090 I will soon command To the rain that it do no more. Let the fierce flood withdraw: I command it forthwith, To its former place let it go again, 1095 That Noah may till the ground. # NOAH The rain is clean gone away, And the water, I believe, abated; It is good to send out a crow, If it be dry ground over the world. 1100 # SHEM I will send it from us, It will not come again, I believe; If it finds carrion, certainly, It will always stay upon it. # And then he shall send out a raven, and it returned no more. # NOAH Truly thou hast told me, 1105 To look for that raven; It is upon great carrion, Eating fast without pity. The dove with blue eyes, Liberate her outside; 1110 A more faithful bird, by the Father I cannot say where there is. # SHEM I will liberate her Soon, O father dear, And she will see, 1115 If there be dry land in any place. # And then he shall send our the dove, which shall # immediately return to the ship, and be taken in. # HAM I will let her go Outside, in the Father's name. Now go, and look well If there be dry land in any country. 1120 # [Here the dove comes, bringing a branch of olive in her mouth.] # JAPHET She is come, and there is In her beak a branch of green olive; I will take her Inside the ark with great speed. # NOAH The Father God be worshipped, 1125 We are much bound to love him; Now the floods are abated. When the trees are drying, My sons, I pray you, Send outside yet a third; 1l30 If it finds dry ground, I believe It will not return to us again. # JAPHET Like as thou wilt, O father, I will do thy commands. Sweet blue-eyed dove, 1135 Go, fly over much country. Dry land in field or in meadow If truly thou find without deceit, In it take good care to seek Food for thy breakfast and for thy dinner. # And he shall send another dove, which shall return, # bringing a branch of olive in her mouth. # SHEM Not one near nor far, I see her not flying over; She has certainly found The earth dried in some place. # NOAH In the name of the Father on high, 1145 The ark let us uncover. That the weather is dry and fair, It is incumbent on us to thank God. # And then let them uncover the ship; and Noah says:- Worship and thanks be to thee, O Father, Dried is the face of the earth; There are not in field nor in meadowr Men living, cxcept us, I believe. # HIS WIFE Let God do his will and his pleasure, Whatever be in his judgment. Very truly his power is great, 1155 In heaven and in earth likewise. # Then God the Father shall come to Noah; and, # standing on the stage, says:- # GOD THE FATHER Noah, I command thee, Go out of thy ark immediately, Thy wife and thy children also; Birds, beasts, and reptiles, 1160 Increase, fill the earth, As before; every son of the breast, That ye may be maintained, Go, and till field and plain. # NOAH Thy will in every place, 1165 O high Lord, I will do; Out of the ark soon, I, and my wife, and my children will go. In honour of God, be he praised, Let us make an altar fair and good, 1170 That we may sacrifice To him upon that same. # HAM In atonement of sins, To make an altar would surely be good. And to him our bullocks 1175 Sacrifice upon it. # JAPHET A fairer altar in any place A man could not see, Than as is with us, without doubt, Over Mount Calvary. 1180 # [Here an altar is made ready, and let # God the Father stand near it.] # NOAH Tithe of all our birds, Beasts also as well, I will offer upon it, In worship to the best Father. # HIS WIFE I will offer a cow 1185 Forthwith upon that altar, His favour that he may send to us, The Father God who hath made all things. # SHEM A dove with me there is; In honour of God I will 1190 On the altar put it. # HIS WIFE One pheasant fat and good, To the very good Father God of heaven. I will offer, without delay. # HAM A fair goose forthwith I will offer 1195 To God upon my knees, And put it upon his altar. # HIS WIFE O God, all this is due to you; I will offer a good duck In worship to the dear Father God. 1120 # JAPHET To the Father God in great honour, Upon his altar I will put A partridge fair and tender. # HIS WIFE In honour to him, without fail, I will offer immediately another, 1205 And a good capon, on my faith. # And then God the Father shall come to Noah, # and he says to him:- # GOD THE FATHER Noah, for love to thee, I will never take Heavy vengeance on all the world, Nor destroy all by flood. 1210 Increase, fill also The face of the earth, O men, again. Over birds, beasts, always Power shall be over them. As many beasts as are on earth, 1215 Birds and fishes also, Are obedient to you, very truly, And their meat, to you ordained; I command you not to eat Flesh with blood to the end of the world. Go, cultivate for a long term; No rest be to you at any time. # NOAH What avails it to us to cultivate, If thou be angry with man, without a lie. When all is laboured by us, 1225 Our work will be failing. By heavy vengeance on the world, Thou wilt make all dead. As well it is, in my opinion, To die before the evil sorrow comes. 1230 # GOD THE FATHER Noah, for love to thee, I will make a good promise to thee. Full vengeance on the whole world I will not take ever. # NOAH Promises made by the mighty, 1235 Are no law to them; Though they be broken in anger, I am unable to resist. # GOD THE FATHER I will not break for ever The agreement which is now made 1240 Between me and the race of man; For ever it shall be. In record there is a faithful sign:- My bow shall be set, Up in the midst of the sky, 1245 That it may not be broken. That shall be a good sign, Of the agreement which is made, without fail. If ever I should wish upon this world To cast vengeance or flood, 1250 I will immediately look at that, And of the covenant shall be remembrance. By flood I will not ever Destroy mankind wild nor tame. # And then he goes away from him; and Noah says:- # NOAH Lord, as thou art above every thing, 1255 Thy order shall be done. To till I will go, And my wife and my children also. # Here Abraham shall walk about; and afterwards he says:- # ABRAHAM I will go to the temple, And will worship God there, 1260 As it is incumbent on me. He is Lord of heaven and earth, And that I surely believe With full heart, very earnestly. # [Here he comes down.] # GOD THE FATHER Abraham, Abraham, hasten 1265 Do, and come to me soon, To fulfil the wish of my mind. It is necessary for thee to do A little while hence, As I shall truly tell thee. 1270 # ABRAHAM I am come - to thy will; Lord, remember, - in the end of days, My soul. Tell me - what I shall do; I will do it now,immediately in this time. In very seriousness. # GOD THE FATHER My will, if thou wilt Fulfil it, without hesitation, Thy son Isaac, whom thou lovest, It is necessary for thee to offer him 1280 Upon the mountain which I shall shew To thee, as I say. I will never cease from remembering thee, If thou sacrifice him to me. # [Here God goes up to heaven.] # ABRAHAM Dear Lord, the sacrifice 1285 Shall be done to the wish of thy mind; My son Isaac offered He shall be on the mountain; I will put him upon the altar, And burn him with fire wood. 1290 I refuse not in any manner To do all thy will. # [Here he shall come to his son.] My son Isaac, to me need is To God to make a sacrifice, As he is Lord of earth and heaven. 1295 Take fire-wood for me; With rope let it be bound, And on thy back carry it. # ISAAC Behold, here is wood, And fast it is bound by me, 1300 Very truly, O father. Let us go hence immediately Unto the mountain, which is ordained By the God of grace. # ABRAHAM Fire and sword - are with me 1305 Now prepared; Let us go hence, - to offer The sacrifice. # ISAAC My father of me, - a wonder really There is to me now. 1310 # ABRAHAM My dearest son, - what wilt thou Ask of me? # ISAAC Behold here certainly, Wood by me to make a fire Carried to the place. 1315 Where is the offering, O father, Which shall be burnt to the God of grace For worshipping him? # ABRAHAM God will send to us from heaven; According to his will, 1320 My son, it will be done certainly. I will upon the altar Put now the wood, To burn the sacrifice. # [Here he puts the wood upon the altar.] I tell thee, my son, 1325 God hath commanded me That thou be offered To him upon the altar. # ISAAC If it be his will, I will not offend him; 1330 If I am to die at this time, Death I will take it. # ABRAHAM Go up upon the wood, And there lie along, That thou mayest be burned. 1335 O, sweet son, I am grieved, My heart is wondrous sick; As I say to thee, Offend God I will not, Because of any man on the earth. 1340 # ISAAC Be now of good comfort; If the will of God is so, I will take Death certainly upon me. O sweet father, all beloved, 1345 Tie my hands and my legs With a rope, fast knots, That I may not stand up. If I be not bound now, Whatever offence against thee, 1350 When I should feel the fire smart, Perhaps I should flee. O father dear, all beloved, My pains will be cruel Before being burnt to ashes: 1355 O God, keep my soul. # ABRAHAM 0 my dear son, - do not complain, God will help thee. He is a God of grace, he will not cease from thy remembrance; The term is near. 1360 Now in haste, - I will bind thee fast; In a short time, With my sword, - surely thee kill Soon I will. # Here Gabriel comes down, and shall come to Abraham; and, he holds his # sword. # GABRIEL Abraham, Abraham, immediately hearken Now to my words, Which I will declare to thee. # ABRAHAM Who art thou, talking so high? Speak to me clearly, As thou lovest me, I pray thee. 1370 # GABRIEL Abraham, I say to thee, An angel from heaven I am sent To preserve that be not killed Thy son Isaac, who is thy joy. Very truly, God knows 1375 All the wish of thy heart; For this, withdraw immediately From him, in earnest. # ABRAHAM O God dear, be thou worshipped; That my son is saved to me, 1380 My heart is surely healed; There is not any Lord, save thee. In worship to him here, I will offer this same sheep: In stead of Isaac I will put it 1385 Upon the altar to burn. # ISAAC Fire to the wood - I put quickly: I will blow it. O God of heaven, - hear our voice, As I pray thee. 1390 # ABRAHAM The sacrifice - to God is made, Let us come home. My son Isaac, - at once come forth, Do follow me. # Here Moses comes and speaks; and let God the Father stand before him # MOSES There is a wonder to me of one thing 1395 Which now I see: The bush is on fire, But is not burning. I will go to see, And shall know, before withdrawing 1400 From it all the case: A strange thing it is to me. # GOD THE FATHER Moses, Moses, stand there, Not near, come not, no further, For I will not; from thee 1405 Take off thy shoes quickly; Stand on blessed ground Thou dost, as I tell thee. And I am the God of thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, surely, without a lie. And Jacob likewise. # MOSES I cannot look in thy face For the light: there is not grace to me To look on thee a while. # GOD THE FATHER In Egypt trouble has arisen; 1415 My people, greatly aggrieved By Pharoah, who is accursed, Are to me crying, For the labour that is upon them: They cannot help themselves. 1420 Need is to thee to go there, Even to Egypt to Pharoah, And say, I warn him That he never oppress My people who dwell there, 1425 For fear of mischief befalling him. Thou shalt after this Bring the people thence, To a land which produces Fulness of milk and honey also. 1430 I will not that they be Any longer there in misery; As I tell thee, Moses, After [by] thee they shall be ruled. # MOSES Lord, they will not believe, 1435 Nor hear my voice of me, Notwithstanding that I speak to them. And people small, and people great, Will say, God has not declared to me: They will never believe it. 1440 # GOD THE FATHER Speak on thy faith, - in a short time; What holdest thou - in thy hand now? Say, Moses. # MOSES A rod of wood - I do hold. Thou art a chieftain, - and God to us, Fully I believe. # GOD THE FATHER Cast the rod - all entirely, On the ground quickly: Thou shalt see, - sure perfectly, A fair miracle done. 1450 # MOSES O God of grace, - it is a serpent; I saw it going; - fear is upon me; I tremble. # GOD THE FATHER By the tail - take it up; In thy hand, without a word, - hold it thyself, I tell thee. # MOSES O Lord dear, - I will take it Up immediately: This rod - into its natural form Is turned again. 1460 # GOD THE FATHER Keep this rod well, And no one shall do thee harm; And my grace I now give to thee As long as it is in thy power, Thou shalt never be overcome By evil thing in the world. Bear no fear ever, nor be sad, For I will be with thee, ready To help thee in every place. Go hence immediately, And do all as I have said, And grace I give thee. # MOSES To Egypt I go immediately, To fulfil the will of thy mind, Lord of grace. 1475 Happy is he that is born, To he able to do thee service; Out of his memory he does not leave him. # [Here God ascends to heaven.] # Here king Pharoah shall walk about; and afterwards Moses says:- # MOSES O thou man, king Pharoah, God has sent me to thee, 1480 To ask, why are by thee His people punished so cruelly, Which are dwelling, within thy land: He wonders at it from thee. # PHAROAH What is that same God, 1485 That need should be to me now To hear all his voice? I certainly do not know him; The people of Israel I will not allow, That I put them not to hard work. # AARON And God has commanded thee, That his people be all permitted To make sacrifice to him, As he is very powerful. If thou wilt prevent them That they may not faithfully serve him, I say at this time, Hard vengeance will fall on thee. # PHAROAH Out upon ye, O two knaves! Why do you reprove me, 1500 And I here in my hall? They shall be kept hard, As long as they are in my kingdom; For ye are naught but two vagabonds. # MOSES Wilt thou not obey 1505 Thy God who made thee, And who made heaven and the world? Need it is that thou believe in him, And fully trust in earnest, Else thou shalt not be saved. 1510 # PHAROAH Thou seemest crazed, And in folly lost, Because of the God whom thou mentionest; His people shall not be spared, Down they shall be kept, 1515 By night and by day also. And I will hold hard, that there be not Any man of them, surely, To make sacrifice to God. If he does, if it be discovered, 1520 Soon destroyed he shall be, And to death quickly put. # AARON Thou wilt not hear the dear God, But go to hardness: Thy heart is very hard. 1525 If thou dost not mend thyself, He will severely punish thee, That thou wilt say, " Oh! alas!" # PHAROAH Out upon thee, rogue, blockhead! Immediately out of my sight, quickly, 1530 Nor stay in my court. If I find thee, by Jove, I will kill thee before morning With my hands, surely. # [Moses walks on the stage.] # MOSES Never will this same man 1535 Turn to God above, Because of word said. # AARON We cannot do any thing for him, Evil will fall upon him Certainly, and in a short time. 1540 # FIRST MESSENGER Joy to the flower of the world! A great misfortune has occurred, And fallen on thy people. They cannot be numbered, The people who are dead, in truth: 1545 The God of Israel is not pleased. # PHAROAH Oh! oh! oh! alas! alas! To have occurred in my land, Evil like this fallen. Tell me, before thou goest, 1550 In what place is Moses, And in what coast is he dwelling. # FIRST MESSENGER Among the children of Israel, Teaching the law of God the High, He is to them day and night. 1555 He is making a sacrifice, And his people also, To that same God, with a loud noise. The water and the corn are poisoned, So that many of the men are destroyed, And beasts, certainly, in thy land. Their God is not pleased With thee, since thou art punished, Thou and thy people so severely. # PHAROAH Alas, now what shall I do? 1565 Gentle counsellor, I pray thee To give me good advice. My heart is wondrous sick, That such an evil is fallen In my kingdom at this time. 1570 # COUNSELLOR If thou wilt be at ease, Need is to thee to put Moses And Aaron out of thy country, And their people all with them. The women and the children 1575 Be outside exiled, Nor return one in the world, To live here ever. # PHAROAH My blessing on thee, counsellor; Do according to thee, without danger, I will soon. Truly, I will go To speak surely to Moses, Also Aaron. # [Here Pharoah goes down.] Moses, I command thee, 1585 And to Aaron likewise, That ye go out of my country; Men, women, and children, Here shall not be left, As I tell you the case. 1590 Let every man take with him His things, all that he can, Burdens on their back. Among my people I will not Any longer acknowledge you; 1595 Go hence to another land. # MOSES Thou wilt not to the people of God Allow peace to us on any side, Whilst we dwell in this land. Thou shalt be punished very severely, 1600 For thy evil in a short time, By the Lord of heaven above. # AARON Need it is to go out of this land; There is no staying any longer, As it appears to us, here 1605 We are not left in peace. # MOSES O God of heaven, I pray thee With full heart, help us, That no villainy may be to us By Pharoah, who is accursed. 1610 # FIRST MAN. [CALEB] Men, women, and children, Who are come here, And their things carried with them, More than a hundred thousand in number, They shall pass without danger, 1615 Who are worshipping our dear God. # SECOND MAN. [JOSHUA] There is with me - a burden very good, On my back, sure. O God of heaven, - hear our voice, Keep us in thy care. 1620 # MOSES To the Lord of heaven ye are bound. Let us go hence to the Red Sea. Men, women, and children; To the land which to thy ancestors Is given by the loved God 1625 To us there to be inhabited. # [He mounts a horse.] # PHAROAH Gone Moses and his people Out of my land they are, it seems; Very truly, upon my soul, I will follow them, 1630 And together kill them, Before I return home. # FIRST SOLDIER Diligently you must hasten, Before that they pass The Red Sea, sure. 1635 # [Here Gabriel comes down.] They are forward, far gone, As I tell the truth to you; Now be prudent. # PHAROAH Let us go hence, knights, Also likewise squires, 1640 After them let us haste. I will kill them, I will not spare one; They shall be dead before morning. # FIRST MAN [CALEB] Moses, I will tell thee, 1645 Thou hast done wrong in this time, To bring us out of Egypt: We shall never be able to cross This sea, upon my soul: There is not any mercy for us. 1650 # SECOND MAN [JOSHUA] Coming is sir Pharoah, And a great host truly with him, As I say to you. Alas, now, what shall we do? Dead we shall be, every head, 1655 There is no escape for us # MOSES Do not distrust the God of heaven, For he will hear your voice; Put your trust in his grace. As I say to you, 1660 He will fight for us; Leave off lamentations # GABRIEL God has commanded thee, Moses, To take thy rod And smite the sea with it. 1665 The water will open wide, That thou mayst go well, Thou and all thy people, through it. # MOSES Worship to thee, O God of grace, Since thou hast sent thy messenger 1670 To keep us before Pharoah. I say to you, O good men, Little and great also, Now all follow me. # [He smites the sea.] In the name of God, thou fair sea I strike thee with my rod; Open wide a path for us, That we may go to the land Which is ordained for us perfectly, By the Lord of heaven, really. 1680 # SECOND SOLDIER As I say, Lord, to thee, Moses far is gone Into the sea, as it seems to me; Forth quickly going, The water striking wide 1685 Every moment before him. # A SQUIRE All his people, they are Following him every one; And the sea on every side, to them Standing like two walls. 1690 They are kept within the enclosure, And water will certainly never drown them. # PHAROAH I will follow them, To put them to death, Small and great too. 1695 I certainly will not leave Any one of them to live, Whatever the case may be. Oh, sad, alas ! alas ! The great sea is fallen upon us, 1700 We shall be quite drowned. The God of Moses hath done this; There is no living any longer, We are altogether destroyed. # SQUIRE Alas! sad, - we are drowned, 1705 We shall not escape. Evil now - has fallen upon us; There is no living. # And Moses and Aaron shall come, and sing hallelujah, # and Moses shall say:- # MOSES I will make a village, And build myself a mansion, 1710 In it ever to live. Since king Pharoah is Drowned, and all his host with him, We shall have peace to live. # CALEB [FIRST MAN] Sweet Moses, we will raise 1715 For us a house, a while to dwell; For we may make a tent, Waiting to be sheltered. # JOSHUA [SECOND MAN] Behold here a good one Intended for us ready; 1720 Now bless us Before it is inhabited. # MOSES The blessing of the Father be on thee, And may it always preserve thee, For ever at rest; 1725 And his grace may he grant to you, Ever to bow down before him, At the beginning and at the end. # [He goes up on a mountain] I see three gay rods, Nor have I seen fairer, on my faith, 1730 Since I was born. In truth, the three rods Are a declaration and token Of the three persons in Trinity. I will cut them, 1735 Whatever may happen, And carry them with me into thc house, That there be worship to God the Father. # [He cuts the rods.] # AARON Blessed are these rods, For the savour is surely very good 1740 Coming from them; From all the herbs of the world, Such sweet smelling, I believe, Will not come for ever. # MOSES Blessed be the Father, 1745 Who would shew to us Rods in which is so much grace, Full of virtue always. From them grace is so great, I will wrap them, 1750 With very great care, In fine linen and in silk. # SECOND MAN [JOSHUA] Sad that ever I was born, Out of my mother's womb brought. Or ever sucked the breast. 1755 By an adder I am stung, And altogether poisoned From foot to the heart. # MOSES If thou wilt certainly believe That there is not a god but one, 1760 In whom thou oughtest to believe, Thou shalt be healed from the foot to the head By virtue of the three rods, As soon as thou shalt touch them. # SECOND MAN [JOSHUA] I believe in God the Father; 1765 And I pray thee, in charity, Moses, as thou art a good man, Heal me by thy pity. # MOSES Kiss them immediately, In the name of the Father of heaven, 1770 Three persons one God named, And he will surely assuage thy pain. # SECOND MAN [JOSHUA] O God, now I am happy, Surely, since he hath healed me; To worship him is incumbent on thee, l775 So quickly when he hears thy voice. # FIRST MAN [CALEB] Alas, Moses! Oh, sad, sad, Spit on I am by a black toad, And blown by his venom, Sleeping down in the moor; 1780 I am burned from the nape to the forehead; In charity help me. # MOSES The God of heaven will hear thy voice, But take care that thou do believe Now in the Father who made heaven, 1785 Earth, and sea, and man of clay. # FIRST MAN [CALEB] Truly, if he will lessen my pain, I shall be bound to him; Other Lord than him I will not worship for ever. 1790 # MOSES Kiss now the rods, On the part of the blessed Father, And they will surely From all disease heal thee. # FIRST MAN [CALEB] Lord, blessed art thou, 1795 As thou art God without sin; Healed are my limbs, All of the poison, and my disease. # [Here God the Father comes down.] # SECOND MAN [JOSHUA] Moses, if thou art a faithful prophet, Need is to thee, certainly, 1800 To give us water to drink; If thou dost not, without fail, Many of the people will die, And that would be a pity. # MOSES The Father of heaven, by his grace, 1805 Will send you your desire; For his servants in some place Will bring forth a fountain of pardon. # SECOND MAN [JOSHUA] Thy God dissembles with us too much, We have not one bit of meat or drink: 1810 Therefore I swear to thee, To worship the blessed Jove. # MOSES Sweet Aaron, what counsel Givest thou to me for my judgment. At the noise of the wicked people: 1815 For if a beverage be not found, Certainly they will turn, And worship evil gods. # AARON I say, my brother, We will go to pray, 1820 Soon to the dear Lord, As he is full of mercy; That he may give, in some place, Water to them to drink, That they may in no manner 1825 Find cause to disbelieve. # MOSES O brother, my blessing on thee, For thy counsel is very good. Help, quickly, I pray thee, My prayers above all things: O Father, God, in thy light, Hear the call of this people: That they may be refreshed, the water Of life do give to them. # [Here he prays in the mount.] # ARON Let them not be able to find cause 1835 To make a complaint, nor a sound Against thee, O blessed Father; But when they are quite refreshed, They will certainly reject Their false gods. 1840 # GOD THE FATHER Moses, take thy rod, And thou, and thy brother Aaron, In presence of the wicked people, Strike with it twice the stone, And a brook, a fountain, will gush, 1845 If thou break it, without fail; That men and beasts may be able, And all who wish, to drink, That the wicked may see My frequent help to them. 1850 # MOSES O Father, dear, blessed God, It is not possible too much to worship thee. For at all times thy work Is good, and great thy compassion. O very false disbelievers, 1855 Evil are your ways; Ye believe not with full heart The Father to be God unequalled, When we can between ourselves Bring water from the sharp flint stone, Through the grace of the Father on high, True God in his works. # And he shall strike the rock with his rod, # and the water shall come out. # CALEB Moses, surely I have sinned, And for this I cry, Mercy of God our Father, 1865 That he may pardon my sins. # GOD THE FATHER Because ye knew not my name, And because of the trifling Of Israel, unbelievers, Thou shalt not bring them, certainly, 1870 To the land where thy forefathers went, Thou, nor thy brother Aaron. # MOSES My dear Lord of wise heart, Who then will lead them to it. If I nor Aaron do not 1875 Conduct them ever? # GOD THE FATHER All those are yet living, Not any man shall go ever Of these same to the holy land, Except Caleb and Joshua; 1880 Because they would worship False gods against belief. # [Here God ascends to heaven.] # MOSES I know well now There is no longer living for me; Come is the term 1885 Of my life, surely, in this world; I will go to plant These three rods in the ground: Unhappy he who worships Jove, And angers God above. 1890 # [Here Moses plants the rods in Mount Tabor.] In worship to the Father of heaven I do plant ye; And dwell ye in his ordinance; Take root and grow again. Dear Lord God, hear my voice. 1895 And bring me to bliss; And receive my spirit to thee, In manus tuas Domine. # And then Moses shall die # And king David shall come on the stage, and he shall walk about. # KING DAVID After talk and work, The custom is good 1900 To take food and drink, And rest after that. Butler, haste, without stop, Bring me the best wine; Need to sleep is come upon me, 1905 Drowsiness is in my head. # BUTLER My dear lord,- be not angry, Soon as the word, - I come to you. In every place - where I may he wanted, Soon, without danger, - I shall be ready. Parlez, vous-etes seigneur mien, For any better drink of wine Goes not into your mouth. In this country there is no better wine, For this is fine liquor; 1915 Drink it, my lord without equal. # KING DAVID Blessing follow thee, butler! The drink is good and clear, By God the Father, I will now sleep; 1920 Sleep is heavy on me Wondrous greatly. # COUNSELLOR Go, lie down, my lord, That you may be covered With rich clothes, as it becomes 1925 A king of dignity. # GOD THE FATHER Gabriel, hasten presently, To Jerusalem go; Say to king David, He will find in Arabia, 1930 In Mount Tabor, rods Which Moses planted, without doubt. He will take them to Jerusalem, For there will be a son in Bethlehem Born to redeem the world. 1935 And of them a cross shall be made, To crucify Christ my dear son: Who worships him, happy his lot. # GABRIEL O Father, as thou art full of grace, I will do all, as thou wilt, 1940 Thy command in every place, As it becomes me, without denial. # And then he shall come to king David, he being alone; # and Gabriel says:- David, to Arabia go, To Mount Tabor, presently; Take thence three rods, 1945 Which Moses did plant, And bring them with thee home To Jerusalem quite. There will be need of them To crucify the Son of man, truly. 1950 When it is requisite, a day will come To make a cross out of them. # Then the king waking up, says, looking about:- # KING DAVID Lord, you say well; I have seen in my dream Before me a bright angel; He ordered me to bring From Mount Tabor the rods of grace, That salvation may be to me through them. My messenger, - bring my courser, To ride: 1960 All men of my house, - come with me, Nobles and commons. # MESSENGER My lord, by God's day, Ready is the gay steed, Also the yellow courser; 1965 Likewise hackney and palfrey Are in noble array; Lord, when thou wilt, mount. # KING DAVID Messenger, my blessing on thee! I will immediately 1970 Ride, presently, even to it. In the right road to it that we may go, That we may be led, we pray The Father God, full of mercy. # [Here let king David come down.] In the name of God the Father 1975 Of heaven, I will mount, And his Spirit Set a guard over my soul. # Then he shall ride. Blessed be the time When the angel warned me; 1980 Behold me, we are come To the mount, without hindrance. Alight, every son of the breast; See the rods before us, Growing green. 1985 In high honour - to our great God, The rods of grace, - from the earth I will cut them. # COUNSELLOR These are rods of grace, For you have not smelt in any place 1990 Savour like this ever. God is in this place, I now know it well, Since their breath is so sweet. # KING DAVID Blow minstrels and tabours; 1995 Three hundred harps and trumpets; Dulcimer, fiddle, viol, and psaltery; Shawms, lutes, and kettle drums; Organs, also cymbals, Recorders, and symphony. 2000 # [To the riders.] Now let all mount, In the name of the Father, dear God And hasten to the side of home, Knight and squire likewise. # A BLIND MAN Dear Lord, help me 2005 With thy rods in some way; Blind I am, I cannot see; Bless me with them, without danger. # A LAME MAN To me also, the maimed, Give power to go firmly, 2010 And I will believe perfectly That they are rods of great grace. # A DEAF MAN To the deaf man who does not hear any thing. Dear king, by the grace of the Father. If the rods shall be help to me, 2015 I give the more thanks to God. # KING DAVID I will cure you, every one, If you will believe, perfectly, To be cured by the grace of the rods. In the name of the Father, and Son, 2020 And Holy Ghost, You shall now be cured. # BLIND MAN O Father, be blessed, Now we are all cured Of our diseases, sure, without doubt. 2025 Worship to the Father God of heaven. Now he has heard our voice; Those are incomparable rods. # [Here let him alight from horseback.] # KING DAVID Now alight all; But before going to the palace, 2030 Speak to me, my company. Where shall these rods be planted, That they may be most honoured, And may grow best? # COUNSELLOR While I am considering, 2035 Leave them on a green plot, These three to lie; And appoint guards To watch them diligently, Under great penalty, to keep them. 2040 # KING DAVID On my faith that is fine advice: Butler, I command thee And thy companion, that ye watch them, That they be not in any manner Removed to another place, 2045 On pain of drawing and hanging. For I will sleep a little Ever before eating; Tired I am of much work, I will rest, really. 2050 # MESSENGER I will keep them with great honour, That there be no strong man in this world, Though he be king or emperor, May take them from this place. # BUTLER Emperor, nor king of the land, 2055 Nor soldan, though he be so great, May remove them. In spite of his eyes, I will keep the rods of grace In Jerusalem ever. 2060 # MESSENGER Companion, lie on one side, And watch continually, and listen, Forwards and sideways: If any fellow comes and steals The rods from us secretly, 2065 All shame it will be to our class. # BUTLER He shall not steal, by my belt, Though he be ever so great a braggart, Or so big of his body. Sleep on thy belly and rest; 2070 If thou wilt have a handmaid, I will soon bring thee to her. # Then the king, waking from sleep, shall go to the rods; # and he says:- # KING DAVID I have rested softly; Sweet is the morning sleep. Honoured be God the Father 2075 In his work always. From him if I have grace, I will go to plant The rods with great care, In some fair and clean place. 2080 # SECOND MESSENGER Dear lord, very good is thy judgment; A wondrous thing has happened; This night surely, these same rods, In the earth they are all rooted, And the three joined in one: 2085 Rise up and come away. # KING DAVID Worship to the Father, Lord of heaven. Of my full heart I pray; For full powerful is he, And in all work wonderful. 2090 # [He shall go to the rods.] In the place where they are they shall stand, Through him since they are planted. Unhappy he who does not do his will, He shall find it much sorrow. That it may be in honour to the tree, 2095 I will that a garland be made Of silver, around it, To know what may be its length. # BUTLER Here is one ready for you, Made of silver pure and fine; I will put it round it, That it may be known truly, And seen in a year long, To what length it may grow. # And king David says to Bathsheba # [washing her dress in the stream]:- # KING DAVID Damsel, on thy gentleness, Shew me how to love thee; For never have I seen A woman who pleases me better, Yet in any place. I give thee my palace, - hall, and chamber; I will be thy husband; Together we will live always. # BATHSHEBA My dear loved lord, King thou art over all the world, It would be a pleasure 2125 With me, to do the will of thy mind, If I can without hazard, And fear of my being persecuted. If the villain knew, Immediately I should be killed. 2120 # [Let Bathsheba go home with king David.] # KING DAVID Bathsheba, flower of all the world, Certainly, for thy love, Sir Uriah shall be put to death; I swear it to thee by my truth. For all my love always 2125 To thee shall be truly ever. Thou shalt be my wife, And I will live with thee. # BATHSHEBA I cannot deny thee, Now every thing to grant 2130 From me what thou askest. My sweet Lord, kill all, Else he will spit at me If he shall hear of our sport. # KING DAVID My dear beloved heart, 2135 God made a rose, flower of her sex, He shall be, without fail, Dead for thy love. # KING DAVID Uriah, my best knight, I would pray thee, 2140 To take with thee a host well armed, To fight, as thou lovest me. A great enemy is to me, Over my land doing violence. I cannot ride, 2145 There is a disease in my body. # URIAH Dear sir lord, as thou wishest, I will do at once, without refusal, All in my power ever. And as I am a trusty knight, 2150 Never will I come from the place Until I take that fellow. # KING DAVID O, Uriah, thou art excellent, I love thee much, on my peril, For thy answer is fair. 2155 Take care to be forth in advance, That thou be not held a coward, Nor fearful of any man. # URIAH My lord, I swear it to thee, By the order I have received, 2160 No man shall prove me of cowardice, For I will be the first To give a blow on the journey, And to do my duty. Farewell, my best lord, 2165 I will not stay longer; Bless me before I go, I pray thee. # KING DAVID My blessing on thee ever; My messenger goes with thee, And my butler also, armed. 2170 # URIAH I must speak, really, To my wife before going from home, If I should go without speaking to her, She would break her heart. # [He speaks to Bathsheba.] Bathsheba, my sweet of me, 2175 Need is to me to labour At a battle, certainly, But very soon it will be ended. # [Here Uriah is prepared and armed.] # BATHSHEBA Do not you go, on my soul, From me ever, 2180 My heart is separating When I hear you talk so. My lord, by my truth, I will break my neck, crack; If you go away from home, 2185 Never will I taste bread. # URIAH Bathsheba, my faithful wife, It is necessary to do immediately The will of our sovereign lord. I cannot longer stay; I will kiss thee; And pray with me very earnestly. # [She goes up, and exit.] # [Here Uriah comes down] # BATHSHEBA Oh! alas! that I was born! With sorrow I am filled, Behind thee, my sweet lord. 2195 But always that thou return, I will pray with thee; And that will be pleasing. # [Here Gabriel comes down.] # URIAH I pray thee now, messenger, Carry my banner valiantly, 2200 As thou wishest to be rewarded. And thou also, butler, I pray thee to be bold, Like a good horseman armed. # [Here he mounts a horse.] # MESSENGER I tell thee, Uriah, 2205 Bear no doubt of me, Certainly, ever. For there is no reason to bear doubt, I tell you, Upon my soul. 2210 # And then they shall ride out of the stage. # And afterwards the messenger comes, # and says to David the king:- My lord, hail to thee! Behold me come Again home, But sir Uriah is killed, And thy butler also, 2215 Unfortunately for them. # KING DAVID Alas! sir Uriah is dead; Tell me, as thou lovest me, When death reached him, And how he was killed; 2220 For he was stout and proud, And felt himself a strong man. # MESSENGER He is dead, by God's day; He wished to do a deed, And he gave sharp strokes; 2225 But a horseman slew him, And soon drove him to the earth, And hacked him to pieces. # Then the angel shall come to king David, # and ask him a question; and he says:- # GABRIEL Answer me, thou mighty king: A man may possess a hundred sheep, 2230 And his neighbour only one; If he steal it from him, What punishment is due to him? Tell me the truth, certainly. # KING DAVID I will answer thee at once; 2235 Certainly there is no hindrance. By truth surely judgment should fall On him to suffer to be killed. Very positively, Whoever has acted 2240 In that way, Death is due to his body. # GABRIEL In that way thou hast acted, And from Uriah hast taken His one wife, David, certainly. 2245 And to thee there are Wives enough and plenty; Suffer thy judgment thyself. # KING DAVID Lord, pardon to my soul; Alas! that I have done sin 2250 With the body of the wicked woman. O God, have mercy upon me, According to thy grace and thy pity; Let not my punishment be to the end. # And then, under the tree ......, # he begins the Psalter, viz. Beatus vir. # KING DAVID My sweet adviser, I pray thee, 2255 Teach me a penitential hymn For my sins; what shall I do, That I have angered thee, O sweet Father? # COUNSELLOR For the amendment - of thy sins, Order to be made - a brilliant temple. Great and ample. Let there be brought - masons plenty, Also warned - the people of the city. Every one. # KING DAVID Blessing of the Father God be on thee. For surely, as appears to me, Very truly this is good advice. Therefore, without fail, Every thing after thy counsels In future I will do. 2270 # [King David goes up.] Messenger, my fair servant, Come to me soon as the word, To fulfil the wish of my mind. # MESSENGER By God the Father, my dear Lord, Ever in all places 2275 I am quite ready for thee. # KING DAVID Messenger, go, command All the masons in the city, That they come here to-morrow, On pain of hanging and drawing; 2280 To make a wall of noble stones, And of lime, in the midst of the town. In honour of God I will In this place build a temple. # MESSENGER Lord, thy will I will do, 2285 As it behoves me, above all things, All to my power in every place. I will not stay longer; Farewell my best lord, For I will make haste. 2290 # KING DAVID Well thou fare, messenger, For a messenger thou art, without danger, There is not a fault in thee seen. Before going, drink a draught of spiced wine, And thou more nimbly sure wilt go 2295 In my errand, I believe. # MESSENGER Hear, listen to me all Masons of the city, every head; Take care to be to-morrow Working in the middle of the city, 2300 On pain of hanging and drawing, About the temple, without deceit. # And he shall come again to the king; and he says to him:- My lord, joy to thee! The masons all are warned, Great and small; 2305 And to me they have answered They will be to-morrow ready, Every one. # KING DAVID Messenger, for thy service I will reward thee; 2310 Carnsew and Trehembys, Make of them a charter for thyself. # MESSENGER Thanks, lord of judgment, For thy gifts are always good: Thou art courteous above the people of the world, Giving me a gift like this. # FIRST MASON Thou boy, prepare lime and clay, Building stones, trucks, and wedges; And I will hasten within, Erecting the walls. 2320 # SECOND MASON They were begun by me Long ago with scaffolding; Unless you make haste every one, You will have bad blows. # KING DAVID Counsellor, let us go and see, 2325 Immediately to the workmen If they do not work well Punishment shall come to them. # [Here he goes down.] # COUNSELLOR Sire, sweet lord, of much grace, There are working for you 2330 All the chief workmen of the land Who can be mentioned. # [Let God be on the stage.] # GOD THE FATHER David, thou shalt not make me a house, Certainly, ever. To be a man-killer is grievous; 2335 Thou hast destroyed, verily, The likeness to my face, Uriah, who was a trusty knight. # KING DAVID Lord, now who shall Fully build all thy house? 2340 # GOD THE FATHER Solomon, thy son most dear, He shall fully build it, verily. # [Here God goes up.] # KING DAVID Now I know, truly, My term to be arrived: I have lived a long time. 2345 # [David shall go to the Select.] Lords, I pray you, Crown Solomon my son, And for your king hold him While you live in this world. Like me, honour him, 2350 For God has declared him to you, And that is his will. # MESSENGER Lord, thy wish I will do, As it behoves me in all things, Notwithstanding every thing that may be. What is God's will, thus Otherwise than you, ever We do not consider, so mote I go. # KING DAVID Dear God, praise to him, will not permit Me to live any longer 2360 Here with you, certainly. O God, in thy hands I leave my soul; Preserve it from terrors. # And then king David shall die. # COUNSELLOR Oh! alas! to be dead 2365 Our lord without equal! Let us go and put his body in the grave; And let us pray for his soul, That God, full of pity, may Carry him to him to his kingdom. 2370 # And he shall bury him, and carry the body under some tent, # and shall go to Solomon; and the messenger says:- # MESSENGER Let us go to fetch Solomon, And put him in his throne, Like a king in his seat; That he may be crowned, Like as it was to us enjoined 2375 By his father before passing away. # [Here Solomon shall walk about.] # COUNSELLOR Hail to thee, Solomon, Come with us quick to the throne Of thy father David; For chosen - thou art, a king to us, 2380 And crowned - in a short time, Surely, thou shalt be. # Here Solomon shall walk about if he likes. # KING SOLOMON In great joy, lords, Thanks to you for the honour Which you wish to do me. 2385 If I be living a year, I will repay it to you, by my head, Whoever may object. # [Here Solomon goes down.] # MESSENGER Solomon, now go into thy palace, For thou shalt be ruler, 2390 Soon king crowned Sit in thy seat also, Which thy father David possessed, For he has left it to thee. # [Here he shall enter.] # KING SOLOMON Sirs, thanks also; 2395 If I live, you shall be My chief private guards: And to you, by my crown, I will give you Bosvene, Lostwitheil, and Lanerchy. 2400 # King Solomon shall walk about here; and afterwards Solomon says:- Messenger, gentle messenger, As thou art my servant without guile, Come forth, as thou lovest me. # MESSENGER My dear lord Solomon, Because of labour nor sorrow, 2405 I will never fail you. # KING SOLOMON Go, command the city That they come here soon, On pain of their being destroyed; Masons and carpenters, 2410 Stone-cutters, tilers, That the temple may be fully built. # MESSENGER Sire lord, by St. Gylmyn, I will do thy command, All entirely; 2415 And will warn the architects, That they come to thee to-morrow, In every head. # [Here he shall come in.] Oyez, now, oyez, likewise Hear ye, nobles and commons; 2420 The king commands To all the carpenters, Masons, also tilers, That they be with him in the morning, Here to build the temple 2425 Which his father did begin; For he will, without a stop, Fulfil the work of his father. # [He shall return home.] My dear lord, I have been Into the city, urgently calling 2430 The architects to come to thee To-morrow very surely. # KING SOLOMON My blessing on thee, Gryffyn, Thou art out of breath in coming; If thou find no mead nor wine, 2435 Go to the fountain to drink. I will go to see My workmen soon, And command them quickly To do fair and secure work. 2440 # FIRST CARPENTER Here is a fair tree for rafters, And straight its sides, Large and rounded its lower end; Out of its slender top, and its branches, I will cut beams, 2445 And fair laths and joists. # KING SOLOMON God speed, workmen! You work very diligently, As it appears to me; Good walls with lime and clay, 2450 And a strong top upon them, You do erect. # FIRST MASON Sir, I tell thee, Now are the walls fully done, Accurately straight, by my faith. 2455 Very truly, I will be for them, Nor shall any man find a fault in them, In any wall by tbis day. # KING SOLOMON Right well said, sweet comrade, Thy work delights me well. 2460 Two good bodies ye are, truly. And because your work is fair, I will give you the parish of Vuthek, And the Carrak Ruan, with its land. # SECOND MASON And largesse and thanks; 2465 We may be very merry, For getting a gift such as that. Now there are not masters In this country, truly, save us, Of masons in this land. 2470 # SECOND CARPENTER Comrades, let us try the rafters, If they be straight to the walls, That one may even them With joists, laths, beams, And cover them with planks, 2475 That it may be a pleasure to look at them. # FIRST CARPENTER We will try any thing, And help me, comrades, Putting the timber up, That one may make them even. 2480 In the midst of the house, need is To have a strong beam, that it be not weak. # SECOND CARPENTER By God's fast, well said, This timber is made even, And straight to the walls. 2485 Tilers, every fellow, Cover the temple, without stopping, That the rain come not to the rafters. # KING SOLOMON Certainly, workmen Others than ye shall not cover it, 2490 For subtle ye are in every art. But tell me, seriously, A tree for the beam where shall we find, Which may be straight as a shaft. # FIRST CARPENTER By my faith, in all the woods 2495 There is not a beam, without a lie, Good for any thing, surely, for it, Nor in this country in any place; But one tree with garlands Of silver about it. 2500 # KING SOLOMON Much trouble would be to you To cut that, by my truth, Unless no other can be found. In honour of God, praise to him, Go to cut it, without stoppage, 2505 And measure it faithfully. # SECOND CARPENTER I will measure it well enough, Don't have fear of that. My sweet lord, God knows, With straight square and scant line, 2510 That it be not longer, I undertake, Nor shorter in any way. # FIRST CARPENTER See it well measured; No man in the world measures it better. I will cut it exactly here, 2515 And adjust it with all thy strength. # SECOND CARPENTER The exactness, on thy head, So true thou holdest to the line Before cutting on the tree; Too short it is by a cubit. 2520 # FIRST CARPENTER Reach to the ground, I pray thee, Soon it shall be remedied, I will soon join it well: To be angry with me, thou needst not. Now, certainly, it is the right length; Let us adjust it soon to its place. # SECOND CARPENTER The devil may adjust thee to his maw, He cannot the beam to its place; Too long it is by a cubit. In the just middle cut the joint! 2530 And if it be not straight, I know not what I may say. # FIRST CARPENTER We will cut it as thou sayest; That is the middle, on my faith, By every mark in this world. 2535 Here, straight between the two, I will cut it, by the Lord God, And no more, surely, ever. # SECOND CARPENTER Let us raise it, in God's name, Upright; now it is too short, 2540 A good cubit, in truth. The exact is this; Let us come to the king to declare The beam will not come to the square. # FIRST CARPENTER My lord king Solomon, 2545 Here is much of wonders By this same beam wrought; At one hand it is too long, By another it is too short, truly, Though it is so carefully measured. 2550 # KING SOLOMON Since it is so, I command you to put it, With great honour, forthwith, In the temple to lie; And take care all to worship it, 2555 On pain that you be killed. # KING SOLOMON And ye, gentle carpenters, Seek in my forests A tree for a beam, without hole or fault, Be it made by you, without deceit. 2560 # SECOND CARPENTER I know where there is one, Cut, and all shaped clean, If it be a proper length for us. # FIRST CARPENTER For God's sake, let us come away, To bring it, certain, to the city, 2565 That it may be measured. # SECOND CARPENTER See it lying; I have measured it For this same work twice. # FIRST CARPENTER On our back it will come 2570 To the town, to put it in its place; For very good it is for the work. # SECOND CARPENTER Let us put the tree in its place; Dear God, send me the grace, That that may stand. 2575 # FIRST CARPENTER We may not get, upon my truth, A straighter tree in any place, Nor for this place any better. # SECOND CARPENTER Let us go and say forthwith To our lord Solomon, That the temple is quite done. # [To king Solomon.] Hail, my lord, on thy throne! The temple is done without noise; Our wages we ask thee. # KING SOLOMON Blessing of the Father be on you! 2585 You shall have, by God's faith, Your payment, surely; Together all the field of Bohellan, And the wood of Penryn, wholly, I give them now to you; 2590 And all the water courses. The island and Arwinnick, Tregenver, and Kegellik, Make of them a charter to you. # FIRST CARPENTER Thanks, lord, unequalled, 2595 We may be proud enough; Never have men received, without doubt, Gifts so good, by my head. # KING SOLOMON I will now ordain A priest, my privy seal, 2600 To be bishop in the temple; The law to maintain, To sing the service to God, Consecrate him forthwith I will. # The counsellor shall be bishop; and he says:- # COUNSELLOR Sire, lord, God reward thee, 2605 Going to give to me Great dignity like that. It is worth while to serve thee faithfully; Thy servants advancing, None is like thee in this world. 2610 # [Here the counsellor puts on the clerical dress.] # KING SOLOMON It hath been thought of, on my truth, For a long time, to advance thee To the first benefice I have. To a bishop I will consecrate thee Take thy mitre forthwith, 2615 And be faithful in thy service. # [Here he gives the mitre to the bishop.] # BISHOP Since thou wilt have it thus, I will receive it In worship to the Father of heaven. If God will, for the best I will say in the temple Service to him forthwith. # [Here the bishop goes down, and may cross over to the temple.] In honour to God the Father, Be said all praise, I command forthwith; 2625 And after that we will drink Every one round a draught of wine, To comfort his heart. # [And then they shall pray, and speak low, as if saying prayers; # and Maximilla shall come into the temple, and she sits upon a stove; # and her clothes are set on fire by the stove; and she cries out, # saying :]- # MAXIMILLA O Father God, through thy mercy, Send a cure to me 2630 For my disease with which I am afflicted. Oh! oh! oh! alas! sad! My clothes are blazing From the wood of Christ, I believe. My dear Lord Christ Jesus, 2635 God of heaven, through thy virtue, Assuage the power of the flame and fire; As by thy body redeemed was Adam, and likewise Eve, And placed in heaven with song. 2640 # BISHOP What vengeance to thee, O fool's head, Where hast thou heard God called Christ By a man in this world born? I have the law of Moses, And in all that same 2645 His name is not written. We say not there is any other God But the Father of heaven above; And thou, jade girl, his head Thou makest a god to thee thyself 2650 Hanging be to me, by the gods, If ever thou get away from us, Until thou expiate it as a felon, And clean recant all thy talk. # MAXIMILLA I will not recant, foolish bishop; 2655 For the three rods, really, Were by David planted, And he joined them into one, As a good type, certainly, Of the three persons in Trinity. 2660 # [Here the bishop goes up to his seat.] [One is the Father of heaven, Another, Christ his one Son, Who shall be born of a virgin, And the Holy Ghost is the third; Three and one, dwelling 2665 In one Godhead, I believe.] # BISHOP Out upon thee! O most vile scout; Without doubt a stout witch, Since thou art so ready for the tree. Nigh for sorrow I am full wud. 2670 Thou knave for God's blood, Give me counsel like a man. # CROZIER-BEARER I counsel thee, without a trial (My telling is no fable) If thou wilt put her to death, 2675 Order thy people to beat her With stones, nor ever stop Until she be dead quite. # BISHOP By God's faith, well said; Vous etes bon, si Dieu m'aide, 2680 And a prudent man of thy counsels. Executioners, great and small, Come forth every one Now in my necessities. # FIRST EXECUTIONER Hail, my lord, stout and gay, 2685 Sweat is on my forehead, by this day, To you hastening. Tell me anon, I thee pray, What shall I do? If I may, I will do it, on my soul. 2690 # BISHOP Go, drag the wretched woman, Who is making false gods, Out of our temple; And with stones beat her Until she be dead; 2695 Never do ye stop. # SECOND EXECUTIONER We will not stop, by God's soul; For it is on our design, To strike hard until we be weary. Come out, in the devil's name, 2700 Thou shall really never escape; Thou shalt be quite dead. # THIRD EXECUTIONER Soon let me strike, With mallet, a terrible blow To the vile strumpet on the forehead, 2705 That she may never eat, But stink and rot Like train-oil or salt-marsh mud. # FOURTH EXECUTIONER I will smite her with a bludgeon; Never was a stroke which could 2710 Give a blow so hard, As I will strike her under the chin; Flesh and skin also, That it shall be full of bruises. # FIRST EXECUTIONER I will give with much accuracy 2715 Soon now great strokes, Very exactly on the breast in front; Until she fall upon the earth And bruise her, in fierce pain, As small as malt dust. 2720 # MAXIMILLA Lord Jesus Christ of heaven, Have mercy on my soul, As I am for thee tormented, Because once I called on thee. I am killed very certainly; 2725 Forgive me my sins, I pray thee. # SECOND EXECUTIONER Do ye hear, comrades, How the vile strumpet is Calling on the thing not existing? She would wish to strive 2730 With the bishop, and delude him To worship new gods. # THIRD EXECUTIONER And for that, on the jaw To smite her the will is to me, And bruise her limbs. 2735 O very jade, dirt, daughter of evil, Thou shalt die, surely, quite, Notwithstanding thy God or his power. # FOURTH EXECUTIONER Of his power I value not a puff; In spite of his father and his mother,2740 The jade shall be killed. A bad chance shall soon be thine; Thy bones all, every bit, With my blows shall be bruised. # [Here Maximilla dies.] # FIRST EXECUTIONER Rest ye, fine fellows, 2745 For dead is the jade By my blows a long time past; And the blood of her heart is run out. Let us go to declare immediately To our bishop as it is done. 2750 # SECOND EXECUTIONER O silence, comrade, I pray thee; I do not believe, for the world, That the strumpet is yet dead. Ever before going hence, Give a blow to her I will, 2755 With gravel stones very sharply. # THIRD EXECUTIONER Hail, sir bishop, beloved, Now is the jade dead, At length she is lying. Although suffering death, 2760 She did not retract her words, At first nor at last. # BISHOP Because that she was not obedient, Her reward is gone with her, And she is served as she ought. 2765 Because of your labour you shall receive Bohellan and Bosaneth; Go at once and possess them, Before it be night. I will give 2770 To you these places, And all Chennary of the Close. # FOURTH EXECUTIONER And largesse, courteous bishop, And largesse, let every one call; Largesse together, say ye. 2775 It is always worth while to serve well, Truly a bishop like this, For gentle he is, as you see. # BISHOP Come away, thou Gebal, Carry the tree outside with a will, 2780 And let Amalek help thee And cast it, dragging and dragging, Into Bethsaida very completely, As is pit Cafalek. # [Here he carries the wood to Bethsaida.] # GEBAL Presently it shall be carried; 2785 Amalek, may you be hanged, Take it up at once by one end. # AMALEK Let us come with it immediately; And let us run with great strength, And into the water put the tree. 2790 # [A messenger comes to the bishop.] # MESSENGER Sweet lord, not avails any thing The pit which you have made, certainly, But rather dishonour to thee. For I am come back to say, When they went to the place, 2795 That the sick were healed by it. Mayest thou come back from thy blame, And that wonderful thing, Mayest thou drag it to the temple; And may much favour be to it. 2800 # BISHOP There is no hurry for that; I know yet a good counsel For me to do, by this day. There is no bridge over the water of Cedron. I will at once order 2805 Men to drag it to that place, That it may be put across it; And its virtue will be lessened By the dirt, without fail. Carry the tree quickly, 2810 Over the water of Cedron to be a bridge, Thou Amalek and Gebal. # AMALEK Gebal, thy neck be hanged! If thou wilt immediately carry The one end to the water of Cedron, 2815 I will seize the other very sharp: Sorrow in his body choaks him, Nor is his heart glad. # [Here he brings back the wood from Bethsaida # over the water of Cedron.] # GEBAL It is no wonder if sorrow be in me, Carrying the tree about, 2820 And not any wages will be for us. Bring it, confusion be to thee; Now we are oppressed with it, And our limbs are very weary. # KING SOLOMON O, good people, you have seen 2825 How God the Father created Heaven and earth after his judgment. After that he would create Adam and Eve, through his grace; He made them like, surely also, 2830 To himself indeed. All the world he gave to them, That they might in it live, And their children afterwards Who should come from them. 2835 His blessing to you wholly, Men and women likewise. Children, The play is now ended. And to see the Passion 2840 Of Jesus without delay, Which Christ suffered for us, To-morrow come in time; And go all home. In the name of the Father, minstrels, I pray, Pipe immediately. # end of file