English Mystery Plays

5. Noah

De Deluvio Noe

CHESTER 3: WATERLEADERS AND DRAWERS OF DEE

The play was in the cycle before 1467, and the text itself is probably somewhat older. The manuscripts show some discrepancy: Harley 2124, which is somewhat fuller, is followed here.

The conflict between Noah and his wife is given its due place and comic overtones are suggested, but the dramatist is clearly concerned with a wider range of symbolic ideas. He gives much attention to the details of building the Ark, and to the procession of animals. Noah himself is a strong figure whose virtues are apparent, and whose persistence is rewarded. He shows more authority than the Towneley Noah, and is given a much more powerful part. He draws attention to the significance of the dove as the bringer of peace.

A comparison with the Towneley Noah suggests that the Chester dramatist was more orthodox and comprehensive in his approach to the story. The comedy here is kept under strict control, and there is room to introduce the more touching aspects of Noah’s devotion to God.

Et primo in aliquo supremo loco sive in nubibus, si fieri poterit, loquatur Deus ad Noe extra Archam existentem cum tota familia sua¹.

(1)

DEUS: I, God, that all the world have wrought,

Heaven and earth, and all of nought,

I see my people, in deede and thought,

Are fowle sotted in synne.

My ghost shall not lenge in man

That through fleshlie liking is my fone,

But till VI skore yeares be gone,

To loke if they will blynne ².

(2)

Manne that I made I will destroy,

10 Beast, worme, and fowle to flie;

For on earthe they doe me nye,

The folke that is theron.

Hit harmes me so hartfullie,

The malyce now that can multeply,

That sore it greves [me] inwardlie

That ever I made manne.

(3)

Therfore, Noe, my servant free,

That righteous man art as I see,

A shipp sone thou shalt make the

20 Of trees drye and lighte.

Little chambers therein thou make

And bynding slich also thou take,

With-in and out thou ne slake

To anoynte it through all thy mighte.

(4)

300 cubytes it shall be long,

And 50 of breadeth, to mak it stronge,

Of heighte 50 ³: the [mete] thou fonge;

Thus measure it about ⁴.

One wyndow worch through thy [wytte],

30 One cubyte of length and breadeth make it;

Upon the side a dore shall sit

For to come in and out.

5 ghost spirit lenge stay 8 blynne cease 10 worme worm, serpent 11 nye annoy 22 slich mud (for caulking) 23 slake neglect 27 mete measure fonge catch, seize 29 worch make

(5)

Eating places thou make also,

Three roofed chambers, one or two;

For with water I thinke to slowe

Man that I can make.

Destroyed all the world shalbe,

Save thou; thy wife, thy sonnes three,

And all there wives also with thee

40 Shall saved be for thy sake.

(6)

NOE: Ah, Lord, I thanke the lowd and still

That to me art in such will,

And spares me and my house to spill ⁵,

As now I sothlie fynde.

Thy bydding, Lord, I shall fulfill,

And never more the greeve ne grill,

That suche grace hast sent me till

Among all mankinde.

(7)

Have done, yow men and women all!

50 Helpe for ought that may befall

To worke this shipp, chamber and hall,

As God hath bydden us doe.

SEM: Father, I am already bowne;

Anne axe I have, by my crowne,

As sharpe as any in all this towne,

For to goe there-to.

(8)

HAM: I have a hatchet wonder-kene

To byte well, as may be seene;

A better grownden, as I wene,

60 Is not in all this towne.

35 slowe slay 41 still constantly 46 grill vex 47 till towards 53 bowne prepared 59 grownden ground, sharpened

IAPHET: And I can well make a pyn,

And with this hammer knocke yt in;

Goe and worche without more dynne,

And I am ready bowne.

(9)

UXOR NOE: And we shall bring tymber to,

For wee mon nothing els doe;

Women be weake to underfoe

Any great travayle.

UXOR SEM: Here is a good hackstock;

70 On this yow maye hew and knock;

Shall non be idle in this flocke,

Ne now may no man fayle.

(10)

UXOR HAM: And I will goe to gather sliche,

The ship for to cleane and piche;

Anoynted yt must be every stich,

Board, tree, and pyn.

UXOR IAPHET: And I will gather chippes here

To make a fire for yow in feere,

And for to dight your dynner,

80 Against yow come in.

Tunc faciunt signa, quasi laborarent cum diversis instrumentis⁶.

(11)

NOE: Now in the name of God I will begin

To make the shippe that we shall in,

That we be ready for to swym

At the cominge of the flood.

These bordes I ioyne here together,

To keepe us safe from the wedder,

That we may rowe both hither and thider,

And safe be from this floode.

61 pyn wooden bolt 67 underfoe undergo 69 hackstock chopping block 79 dight prepare

(12)

Of this tree will I [make] the mast

90 Tyde with gables that will last,

With a sayle-yarde for each blast,

And each thinge in the[r] kinde.

With topcastle ⁷ and bewsprytt,

With coardes and ropes I hold all meete

To sayle forth at the next weete;

This shipp is at an ende.

Tunc Noe herum cum tota familia faciunt signa laborandi cum diversis instrumentis⁸.

(13)

Wife, in this castle we shall be keped,

My childer and thou, I wold, in leaped.

UXOR NOE: In faith, Noe, I had as lief thou slepped

100 For all thy frankish fare;

For I will not doe after thy red.

NOE: Good wife, doe now as I the bydd.

UXOR NOE: By Christ, not or I see more neede,

Though thou stand all the day and stare.

(14)

NOE: Lord, that women be crabbed aye,

And never are meke, that dare I saye.

This is well sene by me to-daye,

In witnes of yow each one.

Good wife, let be all this beere

110 That thou makes in this place here;

For all they wene thou art master ⁹,

And so thou art by St John.

(15)

DEUS: Noe, take thou thy meanye,

And in the shippe hye that yow be:

90 Tyde tied gables ropes 93 bewsprytt bowsprit 95 weete rainstorm 97 castle cabin 100 frankish fancy fare behaviour 105 crabbed badtempered 109 beere tumult 113 meanye company 114 hye hurry

For none so righteous man to me

Is now on earth lyvinge.

Of cleane beastes with thee thou take

Seaven and seaven ¹⁰, or thou slake;

Hee and shee, make to make,

120 Be-lyve in that thou bringe ¹¹,

(16)

Of beastes uncleane two and two

Male and female, without moe;

Of cleane fowles seaven alsoe

The hee and shee together,

Of fowles uncleane two and no more

[As I of beastes saide before;]

That shalbe saved throughe my lore

Against I send the wedder.

(17)

Of all meates that must be eaten

130 Into the ship loke there be getten;

For that no way man be foryeten,

And doe all this bydeene,

To sustayne man and beastes therein,

Aye till the water cease and blyn.

This world is filled full of synne,

And that is now well sene.

(18)

Seaven dayes be yet coming

You shall have space them into bringe,

After that is my lyking

140 Mankinde for to nye.

40 dayes and 40 nightes

Rayne shall fall for ther unrightes;

118 or before slake stop 127 lore advice 128 wedder weather 131 foryeten forgotten 132 bydeene at once 142 unrightes wrongs

And that I have ¹² made through my mightes

Now think I to destroye.

(19)

NOE: Lord, at your byddinge I am bayne,

Sith non other grace will gayne,

Hit will I fulfill fayne,

For gratious I thee fynde.

A 100 wynters and 20

150 This shipp making taried have I,

If through amendment any mercye

Wolde fall unto mankinde.

(20)

Have done, you men and women all!

Hye you lest this water fall,

That each beast were in his stall,

And into the ship broughte.

Of cleane beastes seaven shalbe,

Of uncleane two, this God bade me;

This floode is nye, well may we see,

160 Therfore tary you noughte.

Tunc Noe introibit archam et familia sua dabit et recitabit omnia animalia depicta in cartis et, postquam unusquisque suam locutus est partem, ibit in Archam, uxore Noe excepta, et animalia depictacum verbis concordare debent, et sic incipiet Primus Filius ¹³

(21)

SEM: Syr, here are lyons, libardes in,

Horses, mares, oxen, and swyne,

Geates, calves, sheepe and kine,

Here sitten thou may see.

HAM: Camels, asses, men may finde,

Bucke, doe, harte, and hynde,

145 bayne obedient 151 If to see if 161 libardes leopards 163 Geates goats kine cattle

And beastes of all manner kinde

Here bene, as thinckes mee.

(22)

IAPHET: Take here cattes and dogges to,

170 Otter, fox, fulmart also,

Hares hopping gaylie can goe

Have cowle here for to eate.

UXOR NOE: And here are beares, wolfes sett,

Apes, owles, marmoset,

Weesells, squirrels and firret;

Here they eaten their meate.

(23)

UXOR SEM: Yet more beastes are in this howse:

Here cattis maken it full crowse ¹⁴;

Here a rotten, here a mowse,

180 They stand nye together.

UXOR HAM: And here are fowles, les and more:

Hearnes, cranes, and byttour,

Swans, peacockes, and them before

Meate for this wedder.

(24)

UXOR IAPHET: Here are cockes, kites, crowes,

Rookes, ravens, many rowes,

Duckes, curlewes, who ever knowes

Eache one in his kinde?

And here are doves, digges, drakes,

190 Redshankes runninge through the lakes,

And each fowle that ledden makes

In this shipp men may finde.

(25)

NOE: Wife, come in! Why standes thou there

Thou art ever froward, that dare I sweare.

170 fulmart polecat 172 cowle turnip 173 sett in a group 178 cattis cats 179 rotten rats 182 Hearnes herons byttour bitterns 186 rowes groups 189 digges ducks 191 ledden song 194 froward perverse

Come in, on Gods half!¹⁵ Tyme yt were,

For feare lest that we drowne.

UXOR NOE: Yea, sir, set up your sayle

And rowe forth with evill heale!

For, without any fayle,

200 I will not out of this towne.

(26)

But I have my gossips everichon

One foote further I will not gone;

They shall not drowne, by St John,

And I may save their lyfe.

They loved me full well, by Christ;

But thou wilt let them in thy chist,

Els rowe forth, Noe, whether thou list,

And get thee a new wife ¹⁶.

(27)

NOE: Sem, sonne, loe, thy mother is wraw.

210 For sooth such another I do not know.

SEM: Father, I shall fett her in, I trow,

Without any fayle.

Mother, my father after thee send,

And bydds the into yonder ship wend.

Loke up and se the wynde,

For we be readye to sayle.

(28)

UXOR NOE: Sonne, goe again to him and say:

I will not come therein to-daye.

NOE: Come in, wife, in 20 devills waye,

220 Or els stand there without.

HAM: Shall wee all fet her in?

NOE: Yea, sonnes, in Christs blessinge and myne:

I would yow hyde yow betyme,

For of this flood I am in doubte.

198 heale health, condition 206 chist ark 209 wraw angry 211 fett fetch 223 hyde hurried betyme in good time 224 doubte fear

(29)

THE GOOD GOSSOPES: The flood comes in full fleetinge fest ¹⁷,

On every side it spredeth full fare;

For feare of drowning I am agast,

Good gossip, let us draw neare.

(30)

And let us drinke or we depart

230 For often tymes we have done soe;

For at a draught thou drinkes a quarte

And so will I doe, or I goe.

Here is a pottell of malmesy ¹⁸ good and stronge,

It will reioye both hart and tong;

Thou Noy thinke us never so long

Yet wee will drinke alyke ¹⁹.

(31)

IAPHET: Mother, we praye you altogether –

For we are here your [owne] childer –

Come into the ship for feare of the wedder,

240 For his love that you boughte ²⁰.

UXOR NOE: That will I not for all your call,

But I have my gossopes all.

SAM: In feyth, mother, yet you shall

Whether you will or not.

Tunc ibit²¹.

(32)

NOE: Welcome, wife, into this boate.

UXOR NOE: And have thou that for thy mote!

Et dat alapam vita²².

NOE: A! Ha! Mary, this is hote,

It is good to be still.

A, childer, me thinkes my boate remeves,

250 Our tarying here hugelie me greves.

Over the lande the water spredes:

God doe as he will.

227 agast afraid 246 mote arguing 247 hote hot

(33)

Ah, great God that art so good!

[That worchis not thie will is wood.]

Now all this world is on a flood

As I see well in sighte.

This window will I steake anon,

And into my chamber will I gone,

Till this water, so great one,

260 Be slaked through thy mighte.

Tunc Noe claudet fenestram Archae et per modicum spatium infra tectum content psalmum ‘Save mee, O God,’ et aperiens fenestram et respiciens²³.

(34)

Now 40 dayes are fullie gone.

Send a raven I will anone

If ought-where earth, tree, or stone

Be drye in any place.

And if this foule come not againe,

It is a signe, soth to sayne,

That drye it is on hill or playne,

And God hath done some grace.

Tunc dimittet corvum et capiens columbam in manibus dicat²⁴.

(35)

Ah, Lord, wherever this raven be,

270 Somewhere is drye, well I see;

But yet a dove, by my lewtye,

After I will sende.

Thou wilt turne againe to me

. . . . . . . . . . .

For of all fowles that may flye

Thou art most meke and hend.

254 wood mad 263 ought-where anywhere 271 lewtye faith 276 hend gentle

Tunc emittet columbam et erit in nave alia columba ferens olivam in ore, quam dimittet ex malo per funem in manus Noe, et postea dicat Noe²⁵

(36)

Ah, Lord, blessed be thou aye,

That me hast comfort thus to-day;

By this sight I may well saye

280 This flood beginnes to cease.

My sweete dove to me brought hase

A branch of olyve from some place

This betokeneth God has done us some grace,

And is a signe of peace.

(37)

Ah, Lord, honoured most thou be,

All earthe dryes now I see,

But yet tyll thou comaunde me,

Hence will I not hye.

All this water is awaye

290 Therfore as sone as I maye

Sacrifice I shall doe in faye

To thee devoutlye.

(38)

DEUS: Noe, take thy wife anone

And thy children every one;

Out of the shippe thou shalt gone,

And they all with thee.

Beastes and all that can flie

Out anone they shall hye,

On earth to grow and multeplye.

300 I will that yt be soe.

(39)

NOE: Lord, I thanke the through thy mighte,

Thy bidding shall be done in height,

291 faye faith

And as fast as I may dighte

I will doe the honoure,

And to thee offer sacrifice;

Therfore comes in all wise ²⁶,

For of these beastes that bene hise

Offer I will this stower.

Tunc egrediens Archam cum tota familia sua accipiet animalia sua et volucres et offeret ea et mactabit²⁷.

(40)

Lord God in maiestye,

310 That such grace hast graunted me,

Where all was lorne, safe to be,

Therfore now I am bowne,

My wife, my childer, my meanye

With sacrifice to honoure thee

With beastes, fowles, as thou may see,

I offer here right sone.

(41)

DEUS: Noe, to me thou arte full able,

And thy sacrifice acceptable;

For I have fownd thee trew and stable

320 On the now must I myn.

Warry Earth will I no more

For mans synne that greves [me] sore;

For of youth man full yore

Has byn enclyned to syne ²⁸.

(42)

You shall now grow and multeply,

And earth againe you edefie;

Each beast and fowle that may flie,

Shall be afrayd of you.

And fishe in sea that may flytte

303 dighte prepare 307 hise his 308 stower hour 311 lorne lost 317 able empowered 320 myn remember 321 Warry trouble 323 yore for a long time 326 edefie establish