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XVIII
THE MARSHALLS’ PLAY
Enter gabriel
GABRIEL
Now, Jospeh, hearken unto me.
Gabriel am I, God's angel bright;
And I am sent to bid thee flee
With Mary and her precious wight.
For Herod the king will do to death
All boy children that now have breath
In every place
Of all your race
That two years tell.
Till Herod die, I say,
In Egypt shall ye dwell.
Till I bid you away.
JOSEPH
Eternal Lord, loved mayst thou be,
That thy message to me wouldst send.
But, Lord, what ails the king at me?
Against him did I ne'er offend.
Alas, what ails him for to spill
Small young bairns' blood that ne'er did ill?…
As worthy is,
Thou King of bliss,
Thy will be wrought.
Mary, my darling dear,
On thee is all my thought.
MARY
Ah, Joseph dear, what cheer?
What tidings now is this,
In haste you bring to me ?
JOSEPH
An angel bright that came from bliss
Has tidings told of thing to be.
He wakened me out of my sleep,
This comely child from cares to keep,
And bade me flee
With him and thee
Into Egypt.
And sure I have sore fear
To make that little trip,
Or time till I come there.
Yet sure, Mary, I would full fain
Help thee all that I may,
And all my strength I'll strain
To win with him and thee away.
MARY
Alas, what ails that fiend,
That through wild ways makes us to wend?
He does great sin;
From kith and kin
He makes us flee.
JOSEPH
Dear Mary, do not weep.
MARY
Joseph, full woe is me,
My sweet son safe to keep.
JOSEPH
I pray thee, Mary, hap him warm,
That he go soft this many a mile;
And if you wish to ease your arm,
Give me him, to bear him awhile.
For wit you well, God is our friend;
He'll be with us whereso we wend;
In all our need
He will us speed.
This sure I say.
Let us go with good cheer.
Fare well and have good day!
God bless us all three here.
MARY
Amen, as He best may. |
York Mystery Plays