From paradise bete hem away,
In Bybyl as we rede.
We purpose to shewe in the thryd pagent,
The story of Caym and of hese brother Abelle,
Of here tythynges now be we bent
In this pagent the trewthe to telle.
How the tythyng of Abel with feyr was brent,
And accept to God, yf 3e wyl dwelle,
We purpose to shewe, as we have ment,
And how he was kyllyd of his brother so felle;
And than
How Caym was cursyd in al degré,
Of Godys owyn mowthe, ther xal je se,
Of trewe tythyng this may wel be,
Exaw[m]ple to every man.
Secundus verilator. ..
The iii.” pagent is now 30w tolde;
The fourte pagent of Noe xal be,
How God was wrothe with man an molde,
Because fro synne man dede not fle.
He sent to Noe an angel bolde, -
A shyp for to makyn and swymmen on the se,
Upon the water bothe wood and coolde,
And viij. sowles ther savyd Xulde be.
And j. peyre of everiche bestes in brynge.
Whan xl." days the flode had flowe,
Than sente Noe out a crowe, -'
And after hym he sent a dowe,
That brouth ryth good tydyng.
How that he xulde with fere be brent,
And slayn with swerd, as 3e xal se.
Abraham toke with good atent
His sone Ysaac, and knelyd on kne,
His suerd was than ful redy bent,
And thouth his chylde ther offered xuld be,
Upon an hylle ful ryff.
Than God toke tent to his good wyl,
And sent an angel ryth sone hym tyl,
And bad Abraham a shep to kyl,
And savyd his chyldys lyff.
The sexte pagent is of Moyses,
And of tweyn tabelys that God hym took,
In the whiche were wrete, without les,
The lawes of God to lerne and lok.
And how God charged hym be wordys these,
The lawes to lerne al of that book,
Moyses than doth nevyr more sese,
But prechyth duly both 3ere and woke,
The lawes as I 3ow telle.
The ten comaundementes alle be-dene,
In oure play 3e xal hem sene,
To alle tho that there wyl bene,
If that 3e thenke to duelle.
Off the gentyl Jesse rote,
The sefnt pagent forsothe xal ben,
Out of the whiche doth sprynge oure bote,
As in prophecye we redyn and sen;
Kyngys and prophetes with wordysful sote,
Schulle prophesye al of a quene,
The whiche xal staunche oure stryff and moote,
And wynnyn us welthe withoutyn wene,
In hevyn to abyde.
They xal prophecye of a mayde,
Alle ffendys of here xal be affrayde,
Here sone xal save us, be not dismayde,
With hese woundys wyde.
Of the grete bushop Abyacar,
The tende pagent xal be without lesyng,
The whiche comaundyth men to be war,
And brynge here douteres to dew weddyng;
Alle that ben xiiij. 3ere and more,
To maryage he byddyth hem bryng,
Wherevyr theibe, he chargyth sore,
That thei not fayle for no lettyng,
- The lawe byddyth so serteyn than.
Than Joachym and Anne so mylde,
Thei brynge forthe Mary that blyssyd chylde,
But she wold not be defylyde,
With spot nor wem of man.
In chastyté that blysful mayde
Avowyd there here lyff to lede.
Than is the busshop sore dysmayde,
And wonderyth sore al of this dede ;
He knelyd to God, as it is sayde,
And prayth than for help and rede.
Than seyth an angel, “be not afrayde,
Of this dowte take thou no drede,
But for the kynrede of Davyd thou sende;
Lete hem come with here offryng,
And in here handys white 3erdys brynge,
Loke whose 3erde doth floure and sprynge,
And he xal wedde that mayden hende."
Primus verillator.
In the x." pagent, sothe to say,
A masangere fforthe is sent;
Davydis kynrede without delay
They come ful sone with good entent.
Whan Joseph offeryd his 3erde that day,
Anon ryth forth in present
The ded styk do floure ful gay,
And than Joseph to wedlok went,
Ryth as the angel bad.
Than he plyth to his wyff,
In chastyté to ledyn here lyff,
The busshop toke here iij. maydenys ryff,
Som comforte there she had.
In the xj." pagent goth Gabryelle,
And doth salute oure lady fre,
Than grett with chylde, as I 3ow telle,
That blyssyd mayde, forsothe is she.
Tho iij. maydenys that with here dwelle,
Here gret speche, but noon theise,
Than they suppose that sum angelle,
Goddys masangere that it xuld be.
And thus
The Holy Gost in here is lyth,
And Goddys sone in here is pygth,
The aungelle doth telle what he xal hyght,
And namyth the chylde JHEsus.
In the xij, pagent, as I 3ow telle,
Joseph comyth hom fro fer countré,
Oure ladyes wombe with chylde doth swelle,
And than Joseph ful hevy is he ;
He doth forsake here with hert ful felle,
Out of countré he gymnyth to fle,
He nevyr more thenkyth with here to dwelle,
And than oure lady ryth sore wepyth she.
An angelle seyd hym ryf,
“God is with thiwyff sertayn,
Therfore, Joseph, turne hom agayn.”
Than is Joseph in herte ful fayn,
And goth ageyn onto his wyff.
The xiiij.“ pagent, I sey 30w be-dene,
Xal be of Joseph and mylde Mary,
How they were sclawndryd with trey and tene,
And to here purgacion thei must hem hy.
In the xv. pagent shewe we xal,
How Joseph went withoute varyauns,
for mydwyvys to helpe oure lady at alle,
Of childe that she had delyverauns.
In the xvi. pagent Cryst xal be born,
Of that joy aungelys xul synge,
And telle the shepherdys in that morn
The blysseful byrth of that kyng.
The shepherdys xal come hym beforn,
With reverens and with worchepyng,
for he xal savyn that was forlorn,
And graunt us lyff evyr more lestyng,
I-wys.
This gle in grythe
Is mater of myrthe,
Now Crystys byrthe,
Bryng us to his blys!
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