YORK II: HOSEERS (AND DRAPERS)
Moses has three functions in the mystery cycles: he presents the Ten Commandments; he appears as one of the prophets of the Nativity; and he acts as a focus for a number of figurative parallels. The York dramatists dealt with the first two aspects in other plays; in this pageant the attention is concentrated upon the third, which is approached through the episodes of the Burning Bush, the Plagues, and the Red Sea. The Burning Bush is a manifestation of God’s miraculous power and his particular concern for the Jews and their descendants. As with Abraham and Jacob, God is concerned to show his intention that the Jews survive and multiply; and, of course, one may substitute Christians for the Jews. Moreover the episode suggests the important later incidents enacted in the Transfiguration and the Pentecost. Pharaoh’s persecution of the Jews prefigures the Massacre of the Innocents: indeed, the ranting of Pharaoh is close to that of Herod, and there are hints of similar physical cruelties. At the same time the Egyptians subjected to the Plagues are like mankind punished by the Flood. Their final destruction by water is a parallel to the fate of Noah’s contemporaries. The echoes of this continue through to Judgement Day. The episode of the Red Sea, with Moses as the quasi-divine saviour of the Chosen People, anticipates the Harrowing of Hell. Thus the play is a good example of the extensive use of ‘figures’.
In Burton’s list of 1415 there is mention only of the episode of the serpent: one may suppose that the other episodes were not present at that time. The amalgamation of the efforts of the Hosiers with the Drapers for a short time may be a further indication that the early years of the fifteenth century saw considerable modification and development in this play. As Towneley 8 is virtually the same play, the revision must have occurred before the cycles diverged.
[Scene: Egypt. The action takes place in three locations: Pharaoh’s court, near Mount Sinai where the Jews live, and at the crossing of the Red Sea.]
[Pharaoh’s court.]
(1)
REX: O pees, I bidde that noman passe,
But kepe the cours that I comaunde,
And takes gud heede to hym that hasse
Youre liff all haly in his hande.
Kyng Pharo my fadir was,
And led the lordshippe of this lande;
I am hys hayre, as elde will asse1,
Evere in his steede to styrre and stande.
10 To lede aftir my lawe;
(2)
Ther-fore als Kyng I commaunde pees
To all the pepill of this Empire,
That noman putte hym fourthe in prees,
But that will do als we desire.
And of youre sawes I rede you sees,
And sesse to me, youre sufferayne sire,
That most youre comforte may encrese
20 And at my liste lose liffe and lyre.
I CONSULTOR: My lorde, yf any were
That walde not wirke youre will,
3 hasse has 4 haly wholly 8 steede place styrre move 9 awne own 11 knawen known 12 als as awe ought 15 prees crowd 17 sawes words sees cease 20 liste will lyre flesh 22 walde would 23 whilke which 24 spill destroy
REX: Thurgh-oute my kyngdome wolde I kenn,
And konne tham thanke that couthe me telle,
That wolde aught fande owre forse to fell.
II CON: My lorde, thar are a maner of men
30 That mustirs grete maistris tham emell,
The Jewes that wonnes here in Jessen
And er named the childir of Israell.
They multyplye so faste
Thay are like, and they laste,
(4)
REX: Why, devill, what gawdes have they begonne?
Er thai of myght to make a frayse?
I CON: Tho felons folke, sir, first was fonn
40 In kyng Pharo youre fadyr dayse;
Thay come of Joseph, Jacob sonn,
That was a prince worthy to prayse,
And sithen in ryste farthe are they run,
Now ar they like to lose our layse2.
Thay sall confounde us clene,
REX: What devill ever may it mene,
That they so fast encrese?
(5)
II CON: Howe they encrese, fall wele we kenn,
50 Als oure elders be-fore us fande;
Thay were talde but sexty and ten
25 kenn know 26 konne give couthe could 27 weryd cursed 28 aught anything fande try 29 maner type 30 mustirs shows grete great maistris powers emell among 31 wonnes live 32 er are 34 suthly truly 36 lose destroy 37 gawdes tricks 38 frayse stir 39 felons wicked fonn found 43 sithen then ryste increase 46 sonner sooner 50 fande discovered 51 talde counted
Whan thei enterd in-to this lande.
Sithen have they soionerd here in Jessen
Foure houndereth yere, this we warande;
Now are they noumbered of myghty men,
Wele more than thre hundereth thowsande,
With-owten wiffe and childe,
And herdes that kepes ther fee3.
60 But certis that sall noght be,
(6)
For with qwantile4 we sall tham qwelle,
That thei sall no farrar sprede.
I CON: Lorde, we have herde oure fadres telle
Howe clerkis that ful wele couthe rede
Saide a man shulde wax tham emell
That suld for-do us and owre dede.
REX: Fy on tham! to the devell of helle!
Swilke destanye sall we noght drede.
We sall make mydwayes5 to spille tham,
70 Whenne oure Ebrewes are borne,
All that are mankynde to kille tham,
(7)
For of the other have I non awe;
Swilke bondage sall we to tham bede,
To dyke and delfe, beere and drawe,
And do all swilke un-honest dede.
Thus sall the laddis be holden lawe,
Als losellis ever thaire lyff to leede.
II CON: Certis, lorde, this is a sotell sawe,
80 So sall the folke no farrar sprede.
59 bygillid deceived 60 sall shall 61 qwantile cunning qwelle kill 62 farrar further 65 wax grow 66 suld should for-do ruin dede deed 69 mydwayes midwives 72 lorne destroyed 74 bede offer 75 dyke dig delfe delve beere carry drawe pull 77 lawe low 78 losellis wretches 79 sotell clever
REX: Yaa! helpes to halde tham doune,
That we no fant[n]yse fynde6.
I CON: Lorde, we sall ever be bowne
In bondage tham to bynde.
(8)
MOYSES [near Sinai]: Grete God, that all this grounde be-gan,
And governes evere in gud degree,
That made me Moyses un-to man,
And saved me sythen out of the see7.
Kyng Pharo he comaunded than
90 So that no sonnes shulde saved be;
Thus has God shewed his myght in me.
Nowe am I here to kepe,
So bettir bute to bide9.
(9)
A, mercy, God! Mekill is thy myght.
What man may of thy mervayles mene?
I se yondyr a fill selcouth syght,
100 Wher-of be-for no synge was seene.
A busk I se yondir brennand bright,
And the leves last ay in like grene.
If it be werke of worldly wight
I will go witte with-owten wene.
DEUS: Moyses, come noght to nere,
Bot stille in that stede dwelle,
And take hede to me here,
81 helpes help (imperative) halde hold 83 bowne ready 91 wan went 94 Sett placed 95 schepe sheep 97 Mekill great 98 mervayles wonders mene speak 99 selcouth wonderful 100 synge sign 101 busk bush brennand burning 102 leves leaves 103 wight man 104 witte find out wene doubt 108 tente notice
I am thy lorde, with-outyn lak,
110 To lengh thi liffe even as me list,
And the same God that som tyme spak
Un-to thyne elders als thei wiste;
But Abraham and Ysaac,
And Jacob, saide I, suld be bliste,
And multyplye and tham to mak,
So that ther seede shulde noght be myste.
And nowe kyng Pharo
If I suffir hym soo,
120 Thare seede shulde sone be past.
(11)
Go, make the message have I mende
To hym that tham so harmed hase;
Go, warne hym with wordes hende,
So that he lette my pepull passe,
That they to wildirnesse may wende,
And wirshippe me als whilom was.
And yf he lenger gar them lende,
His sange ful sone sall be, ‘allas!’
MOYSES: A, lord, syth with thy leve
130 That lynage loves me noght,
(12)
Ther-fore, Lord, late sum othir fraste
That hase more forse tham for to feere.
109 lak fail 110 lengh prolong 115 mak ?increase 116 myste lost 118 Fuls harms 121 mende spoken 123 hende polite 125 wende go 126 whilom formerly 127 gar causes lende to delay 128 sange song 131 greve afflict 132 slyke such boodword command 133 fraste attempt
DEUS: Moyses, be noght a-baste,
If thai with wrang ought walde the wrayste10
Owte of all wothis I sall the were.
MOYSES: We! Lord, thai wil noght to me trayste
140 For al the othes that I may swere.
To folke of wykkyd will,
They will noght take tente ther-till.
(13)
DEUS: And if they will noght undirstande
Ne take heede how I have the sente,
Before the kyng cast downe thy wande,
And it sall seme as a serpent11.
Sithen take the tayle in thy hande,
150 And hardely uppe thou itt hente,
In the first state als thou it fande.
So sall it turne be myn entent.
And serpent it sall be like,
Thi syngnes sall be slyke.
(14)
And if he wil not suffre than
My pepull for to passe in pees,
I sall send vengeaunce ix or x,
160 To sewe hym sararre, or I sesse.
Bot the Jewes that wonnes in Jessen
Sall noght be merked with that messe;
Als lange als thai my lawes will kenne
Ther comfort sal I evere encresse.
135 a-baste downcast 136 baldely boldly 138 wothis dangers were protect 139 trayste trust 141 neven proclaim of newe anew 143 taken token, sign 153 barme bosom 155 hale whole 160 sewe pursue sararre worse 162 messe measure
MOYSES: A, Lorde, lovyd be thy wille
That makes thy folke so free;
I sall tell tham un-till
Als thou telles un-to me.
(15)
But to the kyng, Lorde, whan I come,
170 And he ask me what is thy name,
And I stande stille than, defe and dum,
How sal I be withouten blame?
DEUS: I saie thus, ego sum qui sum12,
I am he that I am the same,
And if thou myght not meke13 ne mum,
I sall the saffe fro synne and shame.
MOYSES: I undirstande this thyng
With all the myght in me.
DEUS: Be bolde in my blissyng;
(16)
MOYSES: A, lorde of lyffe, lere me my layre,
That I there tales may trewly tell;
Un-to my frendis nowe will I fayre,
The chosen childre of Israell,
To telle tham comforte of ther care,
And of there daunger that thei in dwell.
[He approaches the Jews.]
God mayntayne you and me evermare,
And mekill myrthe be you emell.
I PUER: A, Moyses, maistir dere,
190 Oure myrthe is al mornyng;
We are harde halden here
175 mum mutter 180 belde protection 181 lere teach layre lesson 192 carls slaves
II PUER: Moyses, we may morne and myne14;
Ther is no man us myrthes mase;
And sen we come al of a kynne,
Ken us som comforte in this case.
MOYSES: Beeths of youre mornyng blyne15;
God wil defende you of your fays;
Oute of this woo he will you wynne,
200 To plese hym in more plener place.
III PUER: God sende us gud tythyngis,
And all may with you be.
[Moses goes to Pharaoh’s court16.]
(18)
MOYSES: Kyng Pharo! to me take tent!
REX: Why, what tydyngis can thou tell?
MOYSES: Fro God of heven thus am I sente,
To fecche his folke of Israell,
To wildirnesse he walde thei wente.
210 REX: Yaa, wende thou to the devell of hell;
I make no force howe thou has mente,
For in my daunger sall thei dwelle.
MOYSES: Thanne will God vengeaunce take
On the and on al thyne.
(19)
REX: Fy on the, ladde! Oute of my lande!
Wenes thou with wiles to lose oure laye?17
[Who] is this warlowe with his wande,
220 That wolde thus wynne oure folke away?
194 mase makes 195 kynne kin 196 Ken teach 198 fays foes 201 carpe speak 202 fande try 212 daunger power 213 faytour trickster 214 pyne suffering 218 laye law 219 warlowe wizard
II CON: It is Moyses, we wele warrand;
Agayne al Egipte is he ay.
Youre fadir grete faute in hym fande;
Nowe will he marre you if he may.
REX: Nay, nay, that daunce is done,
MOYSES: God biddis the graunte my bone,
(20)
REX: Biddis God me? Fals lurdayne, thou lyes;
230 What takyn talde he, toke thou tent?
MOYSES: Yaa, sir, he saide thou suld despise
Botht me and all his comaundement.
In thy presence kast on this wise
My wande he bad by his assent,
And that thou shulde the wele avise
Howe it shulde turne to a serpent.
And in his haly name
Here sal I ley it downe.
Loo, ser, se her the same.
240 REX: A! Dogg! The devyll the drowne!
(21)
MOYSES: He saide that I shulde take the tayle,
So for to prove his poure playne,
And sone he saide it shuld not fayle
For to turne a wande agayne.
Loo, sir, be-halde!
REX: Hopp illa hayle!18
Now certis this is a sotill swayne.
But this boyes sall byde here in oure bayle;
For all thair gaudis sall noght tham gayne,
Bot warse, both morne and none,
226, 229 lordan, lurdayne fool 226 leryd learned overe too 227 bone request 228 gate way 230 takyn sign 247 bayle power
250 Sall thei fare for thy sake.
MOYSES: God sende sum vengeaunce sone,
[Moses returns to the Jews: the Egyptians approach Pharaoh.]
(22)
I EGIPTUS: Allas! Allas! This lande is lorne;
On lif we may no lenger lende.
II EGIP: So grete myscheffe is made sen morne,
Ther may no medycyne us amende.
I CON: Sir kyng, we banne that we wer borne;
Oure blisse is all with bales blende.
REX: Why crys you swa, laddis? Liste you scorne?
260 I EGIP: Sir kyng, slyk care was nevere kende.
Oure watir, that was ordand
To men and beestis fudde,
Thurghoute al Egipte lande
Is turned to rede blude;
(23)
Full ugly and full ill is it,
That was ful faire and fresshe before.
REX: This is grete wondir for to witt,
Of all the werkis that ever wore.
II EGIP: Nay, lorde, ther is anothir yitt,
270 That sodenly sewes us ful sore:
For tadys19 and frosshis we may not flitte;
Thare venym loses lesse and more.
I EGIP: Lorde, grete myses20 bothe morn and none
Bytis us full bittirlye,
And we hope al by done21
By Moyses, oure enemye.
252 wrake revenge 253 lorne lost 254 lende stay 257 banne curse 258 bales sorrows 270 sewes pursues 271 frosshis frogs flitte escape 272 loses kills 273 myses maggots
I CON: Lord, whills we with this menyhe meve,
Mon never myrthe be us emange.
REX: GO, saie we salle no lenger greve,
280 But thai sall nevere the tytar gang.
[II Egyptus goes to Moses.]
II EGIP: Moyses, my lord has grauntyd leve
At lede thy folk to likyng lande,
So that we mende of oure myscheve.
[Returns.]
MOYSES: I wate ful wele thar wordes er wrang,
That sall ful sone be sene,
And he of malice mene.
(25)
I EGIP [at court]: Lorde, allas! For dule we dye;
290 We dar not loke oute at no dore.
REX: What devyll ayles yow so to crye?
II EGIP: We fare nowe werre than evere we fare.
Grete loppis22 overe all this lande thei flye
That with bytyng makis mekill blure.
I EGIP: Lorde, oure beestis lyes dede and dry,
Als wele on myddyng als on more;
Both oxe, horse, and asse
Fallis dede doune sodanly.
REX: Ther-of no man harme has
300 Halfe so mekill as I.
(26)
II CON: Yis, lorde, poure men has mekill woo
To see ther catell be out cast;
277 menyhe company 280 tytar sooner 282 At lede to lead likyng pleasant 284 er ate 286 heete promise 288 mett meet 289 dule grief 294 blure noise, buzzing 296 myddyng dung hill more moor
The Jews in Jessen faren noght soo:
They have al likyng in to last23.
REX: GO saie we giffe tham leve to goo
To tyme there parellis be over past;
But, or thay flitte over farre us froo,
We sall garre feste tham foure so fast.
II EGIP [goes to Jews]: Moyses, my lord giffis leve
310 Thy men for to remewe.
[Returns.]
MOYSES: He mon have more mischeff
But if his tales be trewe.
(27)
I EGIP [at court]: We! lorde, we may not lede this liffe.
REX: Why, is ther grevaunce growen agayne?
II EGIP: Swilke pou[d]re24, lord, a-pon us dryffe
That whare it bettis it makis a blayne.
I EGIP: Like mesellis makis it man and wyffe;
Sythen ar they hurte with hayle and rayne,
Oure wynes in mountaynes may not thryve,
320 So ar they threst and thondour slayne.
REX: How do thay in Jessen;
The Jewes, can ye aught say?
II EGIP: This care nothyng they ken;
Thay fele no such affray.
(28)
REX: No! Devill! And sitte they so in pees?
And we ilke day in doute and drede.
I EGIP: My lorde, this care will evere encrese
Tille Moyses have leve tham to lede.
I CON: Lorde, war they wente than walde it sese,
330 So shuld we save us and oure seede,
Eellis be we lorne; this is no lese25.
306 To tyme until parellis dangers 308 garre feste cause to be bound foure ?feel 315 dry ffe drifts 316 bettis falls blayne sore 317 mesellis lepers 320 threst beaten thondour (by) thunder
REX: Late hym do fourth! The devill hym spede!
For his folke sall no ferre
II CON: Than will itt sone be warre,
(29)
II EGIP: We! Lorde, new harme is comon to hande.
REX: NO! Devill! Will itt no bettir be?
I EGIP: Wilde wormes26 is laide overe al this lande;
340 Thai leve no frute ne floure on tree;
Agayne that storme may no thyng stande.
II EGIP: Lord, ther is more myscheff, thynke me,
And thre daies hase itt bene durand,
So myrke that non myght othir see.
I EGIP: My lorde, grete pestelence
Is like ful lange to last.
REX: Owe! Come that in oure presence?
Than is oure pride al past.
(30)
II EGIP: My lorde, this vengeaunce lastis lange,
350 And mon till Moyses have his bone.
I CON: Lorde, late tham wende, els wirke [we] wrang;
It may not helpe to hover na hone.
REX: GO, saie we graunte tham leve to gange,
In the devill way, sen itt bus be done,
For so may fall we sall tham fang,
And marre tham or to-morne at none.
[I Egyptus goes to Moses.]
I EGIP: Moyses, my lorde has saide,
Thou sall have passage playne.
[Returns.]
334 welland wildly, boilingly woode mad 336 yoode went 343 durand lasting 344 myrke dark 350 bone request 352 hover delay hone wait 354 bus must 355 fang catch 356 or before
MOYSES: And to passe am I paied,
360 My frendes, bees nowe fayne;
(31)
For at oure will now sall we wende,
In lande of lykyng27 for to lende.
I PUER: Kyng Pharo, that felowns fende,
Will have grete care fro this be kende;
Than will he schappe hym us to shende.
And sone his ooste aftir us sende.
MOYSES: Beis noght aferde; God is youre frende;
Fro alle oure fooes he will us fende.
Tharfore comes furthe with me,
370 Haves done, and drede yow noght.
II PUER: My lorde, loved mott thou bee,
That thus fro bale has brought.
(32)
III PUER: Swilke frenshippe never before we fande.
But in this faire defautys may fall;
The Rede See is ryght nere at hande;
Ther bus us bide to we be thrall28.
MOYSES: I sall make us way with my wande,
For God hase sayde he save us sall;
On aythir syde the see sall stande,
380 Tille we be wente, right as a wall.
Therfore have ye no drede,
I PUER: That lorde to lande us lede,
Now wende we all at esse.
[Moses leads the Jews across the Red Sea.]
(33)
I EGIP [at court]: Kyng Pharro, ther folke er gane.
REX: Howe nowe! Es ther any noyes of newe?
362 lende stay 363 felowns wicked fende fiend 365 shende destroy 366 ooste host 382 faynde try
II EGIP: The Ebrowes er wente ilkone.
REX: Now sais thou that?
I EGIP: Ther talis er trewe.
REX: Horse harneys tyte29, that thei be tane;
390 This ryott radly sall tham rewe.
We sall not sese or they be slone,
For to these we sall tham sew.
Do charge oure charyottis swithe,
II EGIP: My lorde, we are full blithe
At youre biddyng to be.
(34)
II CON: Lorde, to youre biddyng we er boune,
Owre bodies baldely for to bede,
We sall noght byde, but dyng tham doune,
400 Tylle all be dede, with-outen drede.
REX: Hefe uppe youre hartis ay to Mahownde;
He will be nere us in oure nede.
[The Egyptians follow the Jews to the Red Sea and are overwhelmed30.]
Owte! Ay herrowe! Devill, I drowne!
I EGIP: Allas! We dye for alle our dede.
I PUER: Now are we wonne fra waa, and saved oute of the see.
Contemns domino, to God a sange synge wee.
390 radly quickly 394 frekly hastily 398 bede offer 399 dyng strike
