York Guides

XXXVIII

THE CARPENTERS' PLAY

SOLDIER

Now come, be ready, comrades stout,
And keep this tomb both in and out;
Sit we down here all round about.
If thieves appear,
 We'll crack his crown, without a doubt,
Whoso comes here.

Enter the THREE MARIES

I MARY

Alas! to death let me be done.
Here sorest sorrow is begun.
Woe worse than this could there be none
That I could see.
 For Christ my Lord, the Holy One,
Is dead from me.
Alas! that he must death endure,
That he should lose his life so pure!
Of every ill he was the cure,
And health of all;
To all a help and solace sure,
Who on him call.

2 MARY

Alas! who may my griefs dispel,
When I think on his wounds so fell?
Jesus, who loved all men so well,
And broke no laws,
Is dead, is slain, as we may tell,
Without a cause.

3 MARY

Without a cause the Jews each one
That lovely lord to death have done.
Yet trespass did he never none
In any stead.
 To whom now shall I make my moan,
Since he is dead ?

I MARY

Since he is dead, my sisters dear,
We will go on in mild manner,
With our anointments fair and clear
Which we have bought,
To anoint those wounds in his sides here
That Jews have wrought.

2 MARY

Go we then, on, my sisters free; Full fain I long his corse to see.
 But I know not how best may be;
Help have we none.
And who shall now here of us three
Remove the stone?

3 MARY

That we are not enough to do,
For it is huge and heavy also.

I MARY

See, sisters!   A child, as we go
Making mourning—
I see it sit where we wend to,
In white clothing.

2 MARY

Sure, sisters, there is nought to hide—
The heavy stone is put aside!

3 MARY

Tis sure!   To see what this betide,
Near will we wend,
To seek him and with him abide
That was our friend.

ANGEL

Ye women mourning in your thought,
Here in this place whom have ye sought?

I MARY

Jesus, that unto death was brought,
Our Lord so free.

ANGEL

Women, certain here is he not;
Come near and see.
 Even as he said, so done has he.
He is arisen in sovereignty;
He shall be found in Galilee,
In flesh to know.
To his disciples now go ye
And tell them so.

I MARY

My sisters dear, since this we know,
That from death he is risen so,
As the Angel told me and you too—
Our Lord so free—
 Hence will I never go,
Till I him see.

2 MARY

As we have heard, so shall we say.
To Galilee we take our way.
Mary our sister, have good day,
And all delight.

I MARY

Now very God, as well he may,
Guide you, sisters, well in your way,
And rule you right.

The soldiers awaken

I SOLDIER

What! Out, alas! What shall I say?
Where is the body that here lay?

2 SOLDIER

What ails the man? Is he away
That we should watch?

I SOLDIER

Rise up, and see.

2 SOLDIER

Haro, for aye!
Ruin we'll catch.

3 SOLDIER

What a devil's this? What ails you two,
Such noise and cry to bellow so?

I SOLDIER

Why, is he gone?

2 SOLDIER

Alas!   Where is he that here lay?

4 SOLDIER

Ha, haro!  The devil! Where is he away?

3 SOLDIER

Alas! What shall we do this day,
Since thus that wizard went his way?
Now safely, sirs, I dare well say,
He rose alone.

2 SOLDIER

If Sir Pilate knows of this play,
We're dead and gone.