THE WAKEFIELD SECOND NATIVITY PLAY
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Rhys, Ernest
2nd Shepherd. Shrew, jape!117 Thus late as thou goes, What will men suppose? And thou hast an ill noise118 Of stealing of sheep.
Mac. And I am true as steel all men wait, But a sickness I feel, that holds me full haytt,119 My belly fares not well, it is out of its state.
3rd Shepherd. Seldom lies the devil dead by the gate.
Mac. Therefore Full sore am I and ill, If I stand stock still; I eat not a nedyll120 This month and more.
1st Shepherd. How fares thy wife? By my hood, how fares she?
Mac. Lies weltering! by the rood! by the fire, lo! And a house full of brood,121 she drinks well too, Ill speed other good that she will do; But so Eats as fast as she can, And each year that comes to man, She brings forth a lakan,122 And some years two. But were I not more gracious, and richer by far, I were eaten out of house, and of harbour, Yet is she a foul dowse, if ye come near. There is none that trows, nor knows, a war123 Than ken I. Now will ye see what I proffer, To give all in my coffer To-morrow next to offer, Her head mass-penný.
2nd Shepherd. I wot so forwaked124 is none in this shire: I would sleep if I taked less to my hire.
3rd Shepherd. I am cold and naked, and would have a fire.
1st Shepherd. I am weary for-raked,125 and run in the mire. Wake thou!
2nd Shepherd. Nay, I will lie down-by, For I must sleep truly.
3rd Shepherd. As good a man's son was I As any of you. But, Mac, come hither, between us shalt thou lie.
Mac. Then might I stay you bedene126: of that ye would say,-- No dread. From my head to my toe Mantis tuas commendo, Pontio Pilato.127 Christ's cross me speed,
[He rises, the shepherds sleeping, and says:
Now were time for a man, that lacks what he wold, To stalk privately then into a fold, And namely to work then, and be not too bold, He might abide the bargain, if it were told At the ending. Now were time for to revel; But he needs good counsel That fain would fare well, And has but little spending.
[Mac works a spell on them.
But about you a circle, as round as a moon, Till I have done that I will, till that it be noon, That ye lie stone-still, till that I have done, And I shall say there till of good words a foyn128 On height; Over your heads my hand I lift, Out go your eyes, fore to do your sight, But yet I must make better shift, And it be right. What, Lord? they sleep hard! that may ye all hear; Was I never a shepherd, but now will I leer129 If the flock be scared, yet shall I nap near, Who draws hitherward, now mends our cheer, From sorrow: A fat sheep I dare say, A good fleece dare I lay, Eft white when I may, But this will I borrow.
[He steals a sheep and goes home.
Mac (at his own door). How, Gill, art thou in? Get us some light.
His Wife. Who makes such din this time of night? I am set for to spin: I hope not I might Rise a penny to win: I shrew them on height. So fares A housewife that has been To be raised thus between: There may no note be seen For such small chares.130
Mac. Good wife, open the hek.131 See'st thou not what I bring?
Wife. I may let thee draw the sneck. Ah! come in, my sweeting.
Mac. Yea, thou dost not reck of my long standing.
Wife. By thy naked neck, thou art like for to hang.
Mac. Go away: I am worthy of my meat, For in a strait can I get More than they that swinck132 and sweat All the long day, Thus it fell to my lot, Gill, I had such grace.
Wife. It were a foul blot to be hanged for the case.
Mac. I have scaped, Jelott, oft as hard as glass.
Wife. "But so long goes the pot to the water," men says, "At last comes it home broken."
Mac. Well know I the token, But let it never be spoken; But come and help fast. I would he were flayn;133 I list we'll eat: This twelvemonth was I not so fain of one sheep-meat.
Wife. Come they if he be slain, and hear the sheep bleat?
Mac. Then might I be ta'en: that were a cold sweat. Go bar The gate door.
Wife. Yes, Mac, For and they come at thy back.
Mac. Then might I pay for all the pack: The devil of them war!134
Wife. A good bowrde135 have I spied, since thou can none: Here shall we him hide, till they be gone; In my cradle abide. Let me alone, And I shall lie beside in childbed and groan.
Mac. Thou red?136 And I shall say thou wast light Of a knave child this night.
Wife. Now well is my day bright, That ever I was bred. This is a good guise and a far cast; Yet a woman's advice helps at the last. I care never who spies: again go thou fast.
Mac. But I come or they rise; else blows a cold blast-- I will go sleep. [Mac goes back to the field. Yet sleep all this menye,137 And I shall go stalk privily, As it had never been I That carried their sheep.
1st Shepherd.Resurrex à mortrius: have hold my hand. Judas carnas dominus, I may not well stand: My foot sleeps, by Jesus, and I water fastand! I thought that we laid us full near England.
2nd Shepherd. Ah ye! Lord, how I have slept weel! As fresh as an eel, As light I me feel As leaf on a tree.
3rd Shepherd. Benste!138 be herein! So my head quakes My heart is out of skin, what so it makes. Who makes all this din? So my brow aches, To the door will I win. Hark fellows, wakes! We were four: See ye anything of Mac now?
1st Shepherd. We were up ere thou.