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Anonymous

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THE SECOND SHEPHERD'' PLAY

Late Fourteenth Century

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In the late medieval cycles of plays celebrating human history from the Creation through the incarnation to the Day of Judgment, there was place for a play about the shepherds to whom came an angel with tidings that a savior was born. In the cycle at Wakefield, in Yorkshire, there were two such plays,called simply The First and The Second Shepherd's Plays. The latter is the crowning achievement of the author, whom we know only as the Wakefield Master, and perhaps of the religious drama of the Middle Ages.

  The world of this play, like that of medieval art generally, comprehends, but is not con- fined by, particularities of time and space. Although Christ is not yet born in the early scenes, the shepherds call upon His Cross and His name and also upon Christian saints, among them St. Nicholas, who lived more than three centuries after Christ. Also, the shepherds seem firmly grounded near Wakefield, inasmuch as the nearby village of Horbury is referred to; yet when the angel sends them to Bethlehem, they go, arriving before dawn and without crossing water. Such literal impossibilities seem not to have concerned artists who, from the perspective of eternity, saw history as synchronous, space as seamless and unitary. And in their art they captured, both realistically and ritualistically, timely and timeless truths.

   The liveried retainers who expropriate to their own use the goods of such underlings as Coll ; the feckless and procreant among the lower orders, like Mak and Gill, who cog, shuffle, and filch, with imagination if without much success ; and the lowly and oppressed herdsmen who scrabble for a living and find little more than song and the brief charitable impulses of their own hearts to rejoice in--these come to us with remarkable particularity from the Wakefield Master's contemporary experience ; yet surely they embody as well the nature and condition of such men as, fourteen centuries before, would have journeyed to the town of Bethlehem or dwelt in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night.

   Mary and the "little day-star" in her lap, by contrast, are unique as well as typical. To render them vivid as a mother and child, the same kind of particularity that the Wakefield Master had invested in the shepherds was needed. To celebrate them as the transcendent Mother and Child, ritual was called for-- in the pageants of communal drama as in the services of the Church. And these modes are handled with a brilliance virtually unexampled.

   In the beginning, when the three shepherds lament the political, domestic, and natural causes of their suffering, and when they are joined by the light-fingered and slippery-tongued night-walker Mak, the mode is realistic if anachronistic. Even here, though, we see symbolic elements anticipating the Adoration of the Christ Child. This is the darkenss before the dawn, the suffering before the redemption, and the local flood is likened to the Flood of Noah, the antetype of Christ, who preserved a remnant of mankind from destruction and with whom the Lord established an everlasting covenant.

   In the play's middle portion realism is again the mode--comic realism now, exploiting the petty irritabilities of the shepherds, the cat-and-dog marriage of Mak and Gill, the theft and discovery of the sheep. Nevertheless, for all the comedy, the symbols gain in intensity. Mak, commending himself to the hands of Pontius Pilate and then casting a spell on the shepherds, looms momentarily as the devil. Gill's device for hiding the sheep is a false nativity, preparing by contrast for the true one to follow. Mak's anticipated meal and his somewhat insistent invitations to the shephers to eat and drink are clear if oblique reminders of the mass, the eucharistic feast.

   In the final scene the realistic detail typifies as before--more powerfully, perhaps; certainly without the former hint of abrasiveness--as the shepherds off their humble gifts and bestow on the child just such happy affection as men have felt at cradles throughout all ages: "he merries," "he laughs," "darling dear." The element of ritual, anticipated by the earlier symbols, now achieves its fullest expression. No longer allusively but directly the play deals with Mary and her Son. In one of the imposing tableaux of Christian art, the shepherds kneel and are inspired to a litany of grateful praise, uniting worship with natural affection in perfect expression of their faith that God has become man :

Hail, sovereign savior . . .
      Hail, little tiny mop!

When they depart, singing, to publish their story, the miracle of spirit made flesh and dwelling among mankind has been fully confirmed as a vision at once contemporary and timeless.

THE SECOND SHEPHERD'S PLAY Late Fourteenth Century
	119 Scene 1     |     The Second Shepherds' Play
THE SECOND SHEPHERD'S PLAY Anonymous Adapted by Arthur M. Eastman from the modernizations of Clarence Griffin Child and Martial Rose CHARACTERS COLLthe first shepherd GIB   the second shepherd DAW the third shepherd, a boy MAK the sheep-stealer GILL Mak's wife ANGEL MARYwith the baby Jesus SCENE 1 [The open fields.] COLL. Lord, but this weather is cold, and I                                [am ill wrapped,   Near numb, were truth told, so long have I 5                                        [napped.   My legs they fold, my fingers are chapped.   It is not as I would, for I am all lapped       In sorrow.   In storms and tempest, 10 Now in the east, now in the west,      Woe is him has never rest Modification of The Second Shepherds' Play of the Towneley Cycle as translated by Clarence Griffin Child, from Riverside Literature Series    Number ??, copyright(c) 1910, 1938 by Houghton Mifflin Company. "The    Second Shepards' Play" from the book The Wakefield Mystery Plays edited  by Martial Rose. Copyright 1961 by Martial Rose. Republished by    Doubleday & Company, Inc.	Now or tomorrow. But we simple shepherds that walk on the moor, In faith, we are near-hands out of the door.* No wonder, as it stands, if we be poor,          15 For the tilth* of our lands lies as fallow as the                                                             [floor,      As you ken.* We are so lamed, Overtaxed and maimed,                                20 We are made hand-tamed,      By these gentry men. They rob us of our rest, our Lady them harry! These men that are lord-fast,* they cause the                                                [plow tarry.  25 That, men say, is for the best; we find it contrary. Thus are husbandmen oppressed, in point to                                                     [miscarry,      In life.                                                    30 Thus hold they us under, Thus bring us to blunder;  It were great wonder,      If ever we should thrive. Get a man a liveried sleeve or a brooch,          35                                                  [nowadays           Woe is him that him grieves, or once him                                                  [gainsays! No blame may he receive, howe'er grasping                                                  [his ways;   40 And yet may no man believe one word that he                                                      [says--      Not a letter. He can seize what he's lacking, Boastfully and bragging ;                                45 And all is through the backing      Of men who are greater. There shall come a swain, a proud peacock,                                                    [you know ; He must borrow my wain, my plough also;         50 near-hands . . . door    nearly homeless tilth    arable part ken    know lord-fast   attached to or retained by lords

120 ANONYMOUS     |    Scene 1

These I am full fain to grant ere he go.      Thus live we in pain, anger and woe         By night and day.      He must have, if he choose,  5  What I must needs lose;      I were better hanged than refuse,         Than once say him nay.      It does me good, as I walk thus on my own,      Of this world for to talk, and so make my 10                                                       [moan.      To my sleep will I stalk and harken anon,      There abide on a balk* or sit on a stone         Full soon.      For I trow, pardie,* 15 True men, if they be,      We get more company         Ere it be noon.         [He steps aside. Gib enters.]         GIB. Benste and Dominus!* What may this 20                                                        [mean?      The wold faring thus, how oft have we seen?      Lord, this weather works through us, and the                                              [wind is full keen,      And the frosts so hideous they water mine 25                                                          [een.*         No lie!      Now in dry, now in wet,      Now in snow, now in sleet,      When my shoes freeze to my feet, 30     It's not at all easy.   But as far as I ken, whereever I go,      We poor wedded men suffer much woe;      We have sorrow ever again--it falls often so.      Silly Copple, our hen, both to and fro 35     She cackles;      But begin she to croak      To groan or to cluck,      For our cock it's no joke balk   strip of grassland between plowed fields trow, pardie   believe, by God Benste . . . Dominus bless us (benste is a shortened form of benedicte) and Lord een    eyes

For he is in shackles. These men that are wed have not all their will; 40 When they're full hard bestead,* they sigh                                                  [mighty still.  God knows the life they're led is full hard and                                                            [full ill; In bower nor in bed may they speak their will.  45    This tide* My part have I found, Learned my lesson sound: Woe to him who is bound,     For he must it abide.                                 50 But now late in our lives--a marvel to me, That I think my heart rives such wonders to                                                           [see; That which destiny drives will come to be-- Some neb will have two wives, and some men 55                                                          [three     In store. Some are grieved that have any, But I'll wager my penny Woe is him that has many,                            60     For he feels sore! But, young men, of wooing, for God that you                                                       [bought, Beware well of wedding, and hold well in                                                    [thought, 65 "Had I known" is a thing that serves not a jot. Much constant mourning has wedding home                                                    [brought, And grief, With many a sharp shower,*                          70 For you may catch in an hour What shall savor] full sour   As long as you live. For,as e'er read I Epistle, I have one to my fere,* As sharp as a thistle, as rough as a briar. She is browed like a bristle, with a sour face by                                                              [her. bestead    put to it tide    time shower    pain fere    mate

121 Scene 1  | The Second Shepherds' Play

If she once wets her whistle, she can sing full                                                            [clear Her paternoster.      As great as a whale, 5 She has a gallon of gall. By hym that died for us all,         I would I'd run till I'd lost her!                GOLL. Gib, look over the row! Full deafly you                                                          [stand. 10  GIBB. Yea, the devil in your maw, so tarrying!      Did'st see aught of Daw?      COLL.                       Yea, on a lea-land* I heard him blow.* He comes near at hand, Not far. 15  Stand still.      GIB.     Why?      COLL. For he comes, think I.      GIB. He will beguile us with a lie      Unless we beware. 20  [Enter DAW.] DAW. Christ's cross me speed, and Saint                                                      [Nicholas! Thereof have I need; it is worse than it was.      Who knows should take heed and let the world 25                                                       [pass ; I'll ever it speed ; it's as brittle as glass,         And drifts.      But the world never fared so,      And marvels greater grow-- 30  Now in weal, now in woe-- And everything shifts.      Was never since Noah's flood such floodings                                                           [seen,      Winds and rains so rude and storms so keen : 35  Some stammered, some stood in doub,* as I                                                           [ween.      Now God turn all to good! I say as I mean,         For ponder :      These floods they so drown, 40  Both in fields and in town,       And bear all down ;   lea-land   meadow blow   i.e., his horn Some . . . doubt  i.e., at the time of Noah's flood

And that is a wonder. We that walk in the nights our cattlr to keep, We see fearful sights when other men sleep      [Catching sight of the others.].                45 Yet my heart grows light-- I see rascals a peep. [Aside.] You two are tall weights* -- I will give                                                      [my sheep       A turn, below But full ill have I meant ;*                              50 As I walk on this bent,* I may lightly repent, If I stub my toe. Ah, sir, God, you save, and master mine! A drink would I have and somwhat to dine.      55 COLL. Christ's curse, my knave, you're a lazy                                                             [hind! GIB. What! Let the boy rave ! --Wait till later                                                        [this time. We've had our food.                                     60 I'll luck to your pate!-- Though the knave came late, Yet he's in a state    To sup, if he could. DAW. Such servants as I, who work and          65                                                         [sweat, Eat our bread full dry, and that makes me fret. We're oft wet and weary while our masters                                                      [sleep yet ; But comes full tardy the food that we get--     70      And less than our due. Both our dame and our sire, When we've run in the mire, Take a nip at our hire--     And pay us late, too.                                 75 But hear my truth, master, for the fare that you                                                                [pay I shall work hereafter--tit for tat is fair play. I shall do little, sir, but sport as I may, tall wights   proper creatures ; i.e., a fine pair But . . . meant   Daw reproves himself for the     disrespect he has just expressed toward his     elders, then, in the following lines, proposes     for himself an easy penance bent   field

122 ANONYMOUS  |    Scene I

For ne'er does my supper my stomach dismay         In fields.      Why should I threap?*      With my staff can I leap ;*  5  Men say, "Bargain cheap         But a poor return yields."  COLL. You were an ill lad to go a-wooing      With a master that had but little for spending.      GIB. Peace, I say, lad. No more jangling, 10  Or I'll make you full sad, by heaven's king!         Your gauds--*      Where are our sheep, boy?-- we scorn.      DAW. Sir, this same day at morn*      I left them in the corn, 15 When thay rang Lauds.*   They have pasture good, thay cannot go wrong.      COLL. That is right. By the rood,* these                                               [nights are long!      Ere we go now, I would someone gave us a 20                                                        [song.      GIB. So I thought as I stood, to cheer us                                                            [along.      DAW.      I agree. 25  COLL. The tenor I'll try.      GIB. And I the treble so high.      DAW.Then the mean* shall be I.      How you chant now, let's see!      [They sing. Then MAK enters, wearing a 30  cloak.]      MAK. Now, lord, for thy seven names' spell                             [that made the stars on high,      Full more than I can tell, thy will for me lack I.      I'm all at odds, naught's well--that oft my 35                                          [brains doth try. threap   haggle With . . . leap   i.e., run away gauds    pranks morn    i.e., after midnight  Lauds  matins, the church service held at midnight    (as here) or dawn rood    cross mean   middle part

Would God I might in heaven dwell, for there                                             [no children cry, So shrill. COLL. Who is it pipes so poor? MAK. Would God you knew of me, sure!         40 Lo, a man that walks on the moor,   And has not all his will! GIB. Mak, whither do you speed? What news                                               [do you bring? DAW. Is he come?Then take heed each one to 45                                                       [his thing. [He takes Mak's cloak from him.] MAK. I be a yeoman, indeed, under the king, The self and the same. A lord's message I                                                   [bring--   50 No lie. Fie on you! Go hence Out of my presence! I must have reverence. Why, who be I?                                            55 COLL. Why play it so quaint? Mak, you do                                                     [wrong. GIB. Would you play the saint? For that do                                                     [you long? DAW. With words he can paint--the devil       60                                                      [him hang! MAK. I'll make a complaint : you'll be flogged                                                     [ere long, At a word. And wracked without ruth. COLL. But, Mak, is that truth? Now take outt that sothern tooth,* And set in a turd. GIB. Mak, the devil in your eye! A blow I'd                                          [fain give you.    70 DAW . Mak, know you not me? By God, I                                              [could beat you! MAK. God keep you all three! Methought I                                              [had seen you. You're a fair company!                                 75 COLL. Now you remember, do you? southern tooth Mak has been speaking in a   southern dialect.

123 Scene 1 | The Second Shepherds' Play

GIB.      Take heed!      When thus late a man goes,      What will folks suppose?  5  You've a bad name, God knows,          For stealing of sheep.      MAK. That I am true as steel no men debate,      But a sickness I feel has brought me to this                                                          [state: 10   My belly lacks a meal and suffers ill fate.       DAW. "Seldom lies the de'il dead by the                                                         [gate."*     MAK. Therefore 15   Full sore am I and ill;        May I turn stone still       If I've eaten a morsel       This month and more. COLL. How fares your wife? By my hood, 20                                         [how fares she? MAK. Sprawling, by the rood, at the fire                                                     [she'll be,         And a house full of brood.  With the bottle                                                 [she's free-- 25   For else not much good for aught I can see          Or do. Eats as fast as she can,       And each year that comes to a man       Adds another to our clan-- 30    And some years two.    Now were I richer and full of purse    I'd eaten clear out of home and house.    She's a foul dear, if look you durst!    There's none can  see her, who knows a worse 35  Than know I.     Would you see what I'd proffer?     I'd give all in my coffer     For her soul might I offer      A prayer for aye. 40   GIB. I know so wearied none is in this shire; "Seldom . . . gate" proverbial : appearances are deceptive

I'd sleep though I earned less for my hire.   DAW. I'm cold and naked and long for a fire.   COLL. I'm weary with walk and am covered                                                        [with mire.   Look to!                                                     45   GIB. Nay, near shall I lie For I must sleep soundly.   DAW. As good a man's son, I,   As any of you.   [They lie down.]                                         50 But, Mak, come lie here--in between--if you                                                          [please.   MAK. You'll be hindered, I fear, from talking                                                          [at ease,   Indeed.   [He lies among them. They sleep.] From my top to my toe, Manus tuas commendo, Pontio Pilato.*   Christ's cross me speed!                              60   [He rises.] It is time to strike ere the iron grows cold, And craftily creep now into the fold, And nimbly to work, but not be too bold, For bitter the bargain, if all were told                65   At the ending. Time now for haste, truth to tell, But he needs good counsel That fain would fare well   With but little for spending.                           70 Put about you a circle as round as the moon,   [He draws the circle.] Till I have done what I will, until it be noon, Lie you stone still until I have done While I summon my skill some magic to croon.  75   "On high, Over your heads I raise my hand. Your sight is lost on sea and land!" But I must gain much more command Manus . . . Pilato I commend your hands to Pontius Pilate

124 ANONYMOUS  |    Scene  II

To work it right.    Lord, but they sleep hard--as you may all hear.    Never yet was I shepard, but of that I've no                                                              [fear.  5   If the flock be scared, yet shall I nip near       Hey! Draw hitherward! [He seizes a sheep.]                                      [Now mends our cheer       From sorrow.       A fat sheep, I dare say, 10   A good fleece, dare I lay.       When I can, I'll repay,         But this will I borrow.        [He departs with the sheep.] SCENE II      [MAK's cottage.] 15  MAK [outside]. Hey, Gill, are you in? Get us                                                     [some light!      GILL. [within]. Who makes such a din this                                            [time of the night?      I've sat down to spin ; I doubt that I might 20  Rise a penny to win-- I curse them on high!        So fares      A housewife that has been      Fretted 'twixt and between.      Here may no work be seen 25    For  such small chores.      MAK. Good wife, open this hatch. See you                                             [not what I bring?      GILL. I'll let you draw the latch (MAK opens                [the door.) Ah, come in, my sweeting! 30  MAK. You care not a scratch for my long                                                       [standing.      GILL. By your naked neck are you like to be                                                       [hanging.      MAK.      Away! I am worth my meat, For in a fix can I get More than they that toil and sweat      All the long day. 40  Thus it fell to my lot, Gill! Such luck came my                                                              [way!

GILL. It were a foul blot to be hanged as you                                                          [may. MAK. I have oft 'scaped, Gillott, as risky a play. GILL. "But so long goes the pot to the water,"  45                                                      [men says,   "At last Comes it home broken." MAK. Well know I the token, But let it never be spoken!    But come and help fast.                             50 I would he were slain, I want so to eat. Not this year was I so fain to have some sheep's                                                            [meat. GILL.  If they come ere he's slain and hear the 55                                                [sheep bleat-- MAK. Then might I be ta'en : that were a cold                                                         [sweat!   Go spar The outer door. GILL. Yes, Mak, For if they come at your back-- MAK. Then might I get from the whole pack The devil, and more. GILL. A good trick have I spied, since you       65                                                 [think of none. Here shall we him hide till they be gone. In my cradle. Abide! Let me alone, And I shall lie beside, as in childbed, and groan. MAK.                                                          70 Well said! And, I shall say this night A boy child saw the light. GILL. Now bless I that day bright, That saw me born and bred!                         75 This is a good device and a far cast.* Ever a woman's advice helps at the last. I never know who spies : go you back fast. MAK. Save I come ere they raise, there'll                                      [blow a cold blast!  80 I will go sleep. [He returns to the shepherds.] Still sleeps all this company, And I shall slip in privily, far cast   clever trick

125 Scene 1V  |  The Second Shepherds' Play

As it had never been I That carried off their sheep. SCENE III [The open fields.]      COLL. Resurrex a mortruus!* Reach me a  5                                                       [hand!  Judas carnas dominus!* I scarcely can stand:      My foot sleeps, by Jesus ; hunger has me                                                     [unmanned.      I thought that we laid us full nigh to England. 10   GIB. Verily !        Lord, but I have slept well !        As fresh as an eel, As light I do feel As leaf on a tree. 15   DAW [disoriented.]  A blessing within !                                         [Whatever is shaking      My heart from my skin, my body thus quaking?      Who's making this din that's set my head                                                          [aching? 20  To the door I'll win. Hark, fellows, be waking !         Four we were-- see you aught of Mak now?       COLL. We were up ere you.       GIB. Man, to God I vow, 25   He's yet gone nowhere.      DAW. Methought he was lapped in a wolf's                                                             [skin.      COLL. So many are wrapped now--namely                                                             [within. 30  DAW. When we had long napped, methought                                                      [with a gin* A fat sheep he trapped ; but he made no din.      GIB.        Be still ! 35 Your dream makes you mad ;      It's a nightmare you've had.        COLL. God bring good out of bad,        If it be his will. Resurrex a mortruus garbled Latin, referring apparently to Christ's resurrection from the dead Judas . . . dominus  Judas, lord (in?) carnate gin    snare

GIB. Rise, Mak, for shame! Right long you                                                     [do lie.   40 MAK. Now Christ's holy name be with us for                                                        [aye! What is this? By Saint James, I can't move when                                                        [I try. I suppose I'm the same. Aah, my neck's lain   45                                                        [awry    Herein.    [They help him get up.] Many thanks! Since yester-even, Now by Saint Stephen,                                 50 I was so flayed by a dream My heart jumped from my skin. I thought Gill began to croak and travail full                                                         [sad ; Well-nigh at the first cock she bore a young                                                         [lad,  55 Of cares I've a stock more than ever I had. Ah, my head! A house full of hunger pains-- The devil knock out their brains !                   60 woe is him has many bairns   And has but little bread. I must go home, by your leave, to Gill, as I                                                     [thought. Pray look up my sleeve that I've stolen naught:65 I am loath you to grieve or from you take                                                        [aught.      [He goes. ]      DAW. Go forth, ill may you thrive! Now                                         [would I we sought, This morn For the sheep in our care.      COLL.  First I shall fare. Let us meet.      GIB.      Where?      DAW.      At the crooked thorn. SCENE IV [MAK's cottage.] MAK [outside.] Undo this door! Who is here?                                [How long shall I stand? 80

126 ANONYMOUS  |    Scene V

GILL [within]. Who makes such a blare?                              [Now walk in the wenyand!*      MAK. Ah, Gill, what cheer? It is I, Mak, your                                                       [husband.  5  GILL. Then may we see here the devil in a                                                        [band--*      [Opening the door.] Sir Guile !      Lo, he comes with a croak 10  As though held by the throat.      And I cannot devote        To my work any while.  MAK. Oh, the fuss that she makes to get an                                                         [excuse. 15  Naught but pleasure she takes, and curls up                                                       [her toes.      GILL. Why, who works and who wakes?                                  [Who comes, who goes?      Who brews, who bakes? What makes me thus 20                                                    [hoarse?      And then,      It is sad to behold--      Now in hot, now in cold,      Full woefull the household 25   That wants a woman !      But how have you sped with the shepherds,                                                           [Mak?      MAK. The last word that they said when I                                            [turned my back, 30 Thay would count each head of sheep in their                                                           [pack.      They'll not be pleased, I'm afraid, when they                                           [their sheep lack,      Perdie ! 35  But howe'er the game go,      They'll suspect me, I know,      And raise a great bellow,         And cry out against me.      But nowdo as you hight.* 40  GILL.                                 To that I agree.      I'll swaddle him right in the cradle by me.      Were it a greater sleight, yet could I help be. wenyand   waning of the moon : an unlucky time band   noose Benste . . . Dominus   bless us (benste is a shortened form of benedicte) and Lord hight  promised

I will lie down straight. Come cover me.     [She lies down. MAK tucks her in.]     Behind !                                                45 Come Coll and his crew, They'll pry through and through.      MAK. For help I'll halloo      The sheep if they find.      GILL. Hark now for their call-- they will    50                                                [come anon. Come and make ready all, and sing on your                                                         [own-- Sing lullay* you shall, for I must groan And cry out by the wall on Mary and John      55    Full sore. Sing lullay quite fast When you hear them last. If my part is miscast,    Trust me no more.                                    60 SCENE V [The crooked thorn.] DAW. Ah, Coll, good morn! Why sleep you                                                             [not? COLL. Alas, that ever I was born! We have a                                                 [foull blot-- 65 A fat wether have we lorn.* DAW.      God forbid, say it not! GIB. Who should give us this scorn? That's                                                 [a foul spot. COLL.                                                         70 Some shrew.* I have searched with my dogs All Horbury shrogs,* And with fifteen hogs*   Found I only the ewe.                                 75 DAW. Now trust me, if you will, by Saint                                          [Thomas of Kent, Either Mak or Gill had a hand in this event. COLL. Peace, man, be still!  I saw when he                                                     [went.    80 lullay   a lullaby lorn        lost shrew     rascal shrogs   thickets hogs   young sheep

127 Scene V1 | The Second Shepherds' Play

You slander him ill ; you ought to repent With good speed.      GIB. Now as ever I might thrive,      As I hope to keep alive,  5   Only Mak could contrive         To do that same deed.      DAW. Then off to his homestead, be brisk on                                                         [our feet.      I shall never eat bread till I know all complete. 10  COLL. Nor have drink in my head till with                                                    [him I meet.      GIB. In no place will I bed until I him greet-- My brother !      One vow will I plight, 15  Till I see him in sight,       I will ne'er sleep one night         Where I do another ! SCENE VI      [MAK's cottage]      [MAK, hearing the shepherds coming, be- 20  gins to sing a lullaby at the top of his voice ;      GILL groans in concert.]      DAW. D'you hear how they croak? Our sire                                              [will now croon.      COLL. Never heard I folk so clean out of tune. 25  Call him      GIB. Mak ! Undo your door soon !      MAK.  Who is it that spoke, as if it were noon,      So loud?      Who is it, I say? 30  DAW. Good fellows, were it day !      MAK. [as the shepherds enter]. As far as you                                                             [may,      Speak low      Over a sick woman's head, who is not at her 35                                                       [ease ;      I had rather be dead than she suffer unease.      GILL. [as they approach her]. Get away from             [my bed ! Let me breathe, if you please.      Each step that you tread from my nose to my 40                                                      [knees      Goes through me.      COLL.  Tell us, Mak, if you may,      How fare you, I say?      MAK. Are you in town today?

How fare you three?                               45 You have run in the mire, and now are all wet. I shall make you a fire, if you will sit. A nurse would I hire--remember you yet My dream, which entire has fulfilled its threat      In due season?                                      50 I have bairns, if you knew, Far more than a few ; But we must drink as we brew,    And that is but reason. I would you'd dine ere you went. Methinks      55                                           [that you sweat.      GIB. Our mood won't be mended by drink                                               [nor by meat.      MAK. Is ought then ill sent?      DAW.                       Our loss is great.     60 A sheep stol'n we lament, ta'en while we slept.      MAK.      Sirs, drink ! Had I been there Some should have paid full dear.                   65      COLL. Mary, some trow that you were, And that makes us think !      GIB. Mak, one and another trows it must                                             [have been thee.      DAW. Either you or your spouse, say we.   70      MAK.  Now if aught suspicion throws on Gill                                                           [or me, Come and search our house, and then may you                                                              [see Who had her -- If I any sheep got, Either cow or stot--* And Gill, my wife, rose not,      Here since she laid her. As I am true and leal,* to God, here I say,      80 That this be the first meal I shall eat this day.      COLL. Mak, as hope I for weal, advise you, I                                                        [say : "He learned timely to steal that could not say                                                   [nay. "     85 [They begin to search.] cow or stot   female or male leal        loyal, honest

128 ANONYMOUS  |    Scene VI

GILL.       My death you've dealt ! Out, thieves, nor come again, You've come to rob us, that's plain. 5   MAK.  Hear you not how she groans amain?       Your hearts should melt !  GILL. Out, thieves, from my bairn. Go not to                                                      [him near.      MAK. If you knew all she's borne, your hearts 10                                          [would be sore. You do wrong, I you warn, thus to come before    A woman that has borne--but I say no more.     GILL. Oh, my middle--I die ! 15   I vow to God so mild,       If e'er I you beguiled,       May I eat this child      That in this cradle lies !      MAK. Peace, woman, for God's pain, and cry 20                                                     [not so !      You'll burst your brain and fill me with woe.      GIB. I trow our sheep be slain. What find you                                                   [two, though?      Our work's all in vain. We may as well go. 25    Save clothes and such matters      I can find no flesh      Hard or nesh*  Salt nor flesh, Save two empty platters. 30    [Gesturing toward the cradle.] No live stock         but this, tame or wild,      None, so may I have bliss, as loud as he* [smelled,      GILL. No, so God me bless, and give me joy 35                                               [of my child !      COLL. We have aimed amiss ; I hold us                                                        [beguiled.      GIB.      Completely, each one ! 40  Sir--our Lady him save ! --       Is your child a knave?*  MAK. Any lord might him have,          This child, for his son. nesh    soft he   i.e., the stolen sheep knave  boy

When he wakes, so he grips, it's a pleasure to                                                          [see.  45      DAW. Good luck to his hips,* and blessing,                                                      [say we ! But who were his gossips,* that were so soon                                                        [ready?      MAK. Blest be their lips--[Hesitates, at a    50                                                          [loss.]      COLL.                          a lie now, hark ye !      MAK.      God give them thanks. Parkin and Gibbon Waller, I way. And gentle John Horn, in good fay--* He made such droll display    With his long shanks.     GIB. Mak, friends will we be, for we are all                                                         [one.   60      MAK. We ? Count not on me, for amends get                                                      [I none. Farewell all three ! And gladly begone.      [The shepherds leave, speaking outside the cottage.]                                                      65      DAW. Fair words there may be, but love there                                                          [is none      This year.      COLL. Gave you the child anything?      GIB. I trow not one farthing.                       70      DAW. Fast back will I fling.      Wait for me here.     [He reenters the cottage, COLL and GIB slowly following.]    DAW.  Mak, I trust you'll not grieve, if I come 75                                                   [to your child.    MAK. Nay, great shame I receive--you have                                                 [acted full vile.    DAW.  Your brirn 'twill not grieve, little day-                                               [star so mild.  80 Mak, by your leave, let me give your child     But sixpence.     [He goes to the cradle and starts to draw away the cover.] MAK. Nay, stop it--he sleeps ! to his hips  i.e., to him gossips  godparents fay  faith

129 Scene VI1 | The Second Shepherds' Play

DAW. Methinks he peeps--      MAK. When he wakens, he weeps.      I pray you go hence.      DAW. Give me leave him to kiss, and lift  5                                            [up the clout.      [Lifts the cover.] What the devil is this? He has a long snout !      COLL. He's birth-marked amiss. We waste                                              [time hereabout. 10  GIB. A weft that ill-spun is comes ever foul                                                               [out.       Aye--so!    He is like to our sheep!      DAW. ho, Gibb, may I peep? 15  I trow Nature will creep       Where it may not go.*      GIB. This was a quaint gaude and a far cast.    It was a high fraud.      DAW.                        Yea, sirs, that was't. 20  Let burn this bawd and bind her fast.      A false scold, by the Lord, will hang at the last.         So shalt thou !       Do you see how they swaddle       His four feet in the middle? 25   Saw I never in the cradle       A horned lad ere now.      MAK. Peace, I say! What, let be your blare!      It was I him begot and yon woman him bare.      COLL. What devil's name has he got, Mak?-- 30                                 [Lo, God, Mak's heir !      GIB. Come, joke with him not. Now, God                                              [give him care,      I say !      GILL.  A pretty child is he 35  As sits on a woman's knee,      A darling, perdie,         To make a man gay.      DAW. I know him by the ear-mark--that's a                                                    [good token. 40  MAK. I tell you, sirs, hark ! His nose was                                                           [broken.      There told me a clerk he'd been forspoken.* go   walk ; i.e., the truth will out clerk, forspoken    priest, bewitched

COLL. You deal falsely and dark ; I would                                          [fain be wroken.*     Get a weapon !                                        45     GILL. He was witched by an elf ; I saw it myself. When the clock struck twelve,    He was misshapen.    GIB. You two are at one, that's plain, in all   50                                    [you've done and said.    COLL. Since their theft they maintain, let's                                           [strike them dead.    MAK. If I trespass again, cut off my head. At your will I remain.                                     55    DAW.    Sirs, take my counsel instead.    For this trespass We'll neither curse nor chide, Fight nor deride,                                          60 Nor longer bide,    But toss him in canvas. [They toss MAK in a blanket.] SCENE VI [The open fields.]    COLL. Lord, but I'm sore, ready to burst !    65 In faith, I may no more ; therefore will I rest.    GIB. Like a sheep of seven score he weighed                                                    [in my fist. To sleep anywhere I think I'd like best.    DAW.                                                      70    Now I you pray. On this green let us lie.    COLL. O'er those thieves yet chafe I.    DAW. Let your anger go by.    Come do as I say.                                    75 [They sleep. An ANGEL sings "Gloria in ex- celsis," then speaks.]    ANGEL. Rise, herdsmen gentle, for now is he                                                            [born That shall take from the fiend what Adam had                                                             [lorn ; That warlock* to end, this night is he born. wroken          revenged warlock        devil

130 ANONYMOUS  |    Scene VII

God is made your friend now on this morn.         Leave your flocks :      To Bethlehem go see,      Where he lies so free,  5   In a crib full poorly,        Between ass and ox.        [The Angel goes.]      COLL. This was a fine voice, even as ever I                                                            [heard. 10  It's a marvel to dream on, thus with dread to                                                      [be stirred.      GIB. To God's son from heaven these tidings                                                      [referred.      All the wood with a lighting methought at his 15                                                       [word        Shone fair.      DAW. Of a child did he fell.      In Bethlehem, mark well.      COLL. You star there doth dwell. 20  Let us seek him there.      GIB. Say, what was his song--how it went,                                                [did you hear?      Three breves* to a long--      DAW.                          Mary, yes. To my ear 25  There was no crotchet* wrong, nothing                                    [lacked, and 'twas clear.      COLL. To sing it here, us among, as he sang                                                     [it, full near,      I know how-- 30  GIB. Let's see how you croon.      Can you bark at the moon?      DAW.  Hold your tongues! Have done !      Hark after me now.      [They sing.] 35  GIB. To Bethlehem he bade that we should                                                               [go ;      And sure we be mad to tarry so.      DAW. Be merry and not sad, our mirth may                                                             [flow. 40  Ever to be glad is the reward we shall know         And choose. breves   short notes crotchet note

COLL. Then let us hither hie, Though we be wet and weary, To that child and that lady ;     We have no time to lose.                           45      GIB. We find by the prophecy--let be your                                                           [din!-- Of David and Isaiah, and more of their kin-- They prophesied learnedly that in a virgin Should God come to lie, to atone for our sin,   50     And take it, Our nature, from woe. Isaiah said so. Ecce virgo     Concipiet*  a child that is naked.                55      DAW. Full glad may we be if we await the                                                           [day, That sweet sight to see who all power may                                                         [sway. Lord, well were me, now and for aye,              60 Might I kneel on my knee some word for to say      To that child. But the angel said In a crib was he laid ; He was poorly arrayed,    Both meek and mild.    COLL. Patriarchs that have been and prophets                                                          [of yore Desired to have seen this child that is born. They are gone full clean--that they have lorn.  70 We shall see him, I ween, ere it be morn,     As a token. When I see him and feel, I shall know full well, It is true as steel,                                          75     What prophets have spoken : To so poor as we are that he would appear First, and declare by his messenger.      GIB. Go we now, let us fare ; the place is us                                                      [near     80      DAW. I am ready and eager. Let's together                                              [with cheer      To that bright one go. Ecce . . . concipiet   Behold, a virgin shall    conceive (Isaiah vii. 14)

131 Scene VIII  |   The Second Shepherds' Play

Lord, if thy will it be--      We are simple all three--,      On thy child grant that we        May some comfort bestow. SCENE VIII  5   [The stable in Bethlehem. The shepherds kneeling before Mary and Jesus.]      COLL. Hail, comely and clean! Hail, young                                                          [child !     Hail creator, I mean, from a maiden so mild ! 10 Thou hast cursed, I ween, the warlock so wild      The beguiler of men, now goes he beguiled.         Lo, he merries,      Lo, he laughs, my sweeting !      A happy meeting ! 15  Here's my promised greeting :         have a bob* of cherries.      GIB. Hail, sovereign savior, for thou hast us                                                        [sought !      Hail, noble food and flower, that all thing hast 20                                                    [wrought!      Hail, full of favor, that made all of naught!      Hail! I kneel and I cower. A bird have I                                                         [brought,        Bairn that you are.        Hayi, little tiny mop! 25    Of our creed thou art top ;        I would drink from thy cup,           Little day-star.      DAW. Hail, darling dear, full of godhead !      I pray thee be near when that I have need. 30  Hail, sweet is thy cheer !* My heart would                                                        [bleed      To see thee sit here in so poor a weed         With no pennies.      Hail! Put forth thy dall.*      I bring thee but a ball : 35 Take it and play withal,         And go to the tennis.      MARY. The father of heaven, God                                                 [omnipotent, That made all in days seven--his son has he bob    bunch cheer   countenance dall    hand

[sent.   40 My name he named, in me alighted ere he                                                       [went.    Conceived I him, even through his might, as he                                                      [meant ;* And now is he born.                                45    May he keep you from woe!    I shall pray him do so.    Tell of him as you go,    And remember this morn.      COLL. Farewell, lady, so fair to behold,      50 With thy child on thy knee.      GIB.                            But he lies full cold. Lord, well is me ! Now back to our fold.      DAW. Forsooth, already it seems to be told      full oft.                                                   55      COLL. What grace we have found !      GIB. We sre won safe and sound !      DAW. To sing are we bound ;      Make it ring then aloft !      [They depart singing.]                             60 meant   intended

The Second Shepherds' Play

Primus Pastor

1: Lord, what these weders ar cold! / and I am yll happyd;
2: I am nere hande dold, / so long haue I nappyd;
3: My legys thay fold, / my fyngers ar chappyd,
4: It is not as I wold, / for I am al lappyd,
5: In sorow.
6: In stormes and tempest,
7: Now in the eest, now in the west,
8: wo is hym has neuer rest
9: Myd day nor morow!
10: Bot we sely shepardes / that walkys on the moore,
11: In fayth we are nere handys / outt of the doore;

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12: No wonder as it standys / if we be poore,
13: ffor the tylthe of oure landys / lyys falow as the floore,
14: As ye ken.
15: we ar so hamyd,
16: ffor-taxed and ramyd,
17: We ar mayde hand tamyd,
18: with thyse gentlery men.
19: Thus thay refe vs oure rest / oure lady theym wary!
20: These men that ar lord fest / thay cause the ploghe tary.
21: That men say is for the best / we fynde it contrary;
22: Thus ar husbandys opprest / in po[i]nte to myscary,
23: On lyfe.
24: Thus hold, thay vs hunder,
25: Thus thay bryng vs in blonder;
26: It were greatte wonder,
27: And euer shuld we thryfe.
28: ffor may he gett a paynt slefe / or a broche now on dayes,
29: wo is hym that hym grefe / or onys agane says!
30: Dar noman hym reprefe / what mastry he mays,
31: And yit may noman lefe / oone word that he says,
32: No letter.
33: he can make purveance,
34: with boste and bragance,
35: And all is thrugh mantenance
36: Of men that are gretter.
37: Ther shall com a swane / as prowde as a po,
38: he must borow my wane / my ploghe also,
39: Then I am full fane / to graunt or he go.
40: Thus lyf we in payne / Anger, and wo,
41: By nyght and day;
42: he must haue if he langyd,
43: If I shuld, forgang it,
44: I were better be hangyd
45: Then oones say hym nay.
46: It dos me good, as I walk / thus by myn oone,
47: Of this warld, for to talk / in maner of mone.

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48: To my shepe wyll I stalk / and herkyn anone,
49: Ther abyde on a balk / or sytt on a stone
50: ffull soyne.
51: ffor I trowe, perde,
52: trew men if thay be,
53: we gett more compane
54: Or it be noyne.

Secundus Pastor

55: Benste and dominus! / what may this bemeyne?
56: why, fares this warld thus / oft haue we not sene?
57: lord, thyse weders ar spytus / and the weders full kene.
58: And the frostys so hydus / thay water myn eeyne,
59: No ly.
60: Now in dry, now in wete,
61: Now in snaw, now in slete,
62: When my shone freys to my fete,
63: It is not all esy.
64: Bot as far as I ken / or yit as I go,
65: we sely wedmen / dre mekyll wo;
66: We haue sorow then and then / it fallys oft so;
67: Sely capyle, oure hen / both to and fro
68: She kakyls;
69: Bot begyn she to crok,
70: To groyne or [to clo]k,
71: Wo is hym is of oure cok,
72: ffor he is in the shekyls.
73: These men that ar wed / haue not all thare wyll,
74: when they ar full hard sted / thay sygh full styll;
75: God wayte thay ar led / full hard and full yll;
76: In bower nor in bed / thay say noght ther tyll,
77: This tyde.
78: My parte haue I fun,
79: I know my lesson.
80: wo is hym that is bun,
81: ffor he must abyde.

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82: Bot now late in oure lyfys / a meruell to me,
83: That I thynk my hart ryfys / sich wonders to see.
84: what that destany dryfys / it shuld so be;
85: Som men wyll have two wyfys / and som men thre,
86: In store;
87: Som ar wo that has any,
88: Bot so far can I,
89: wo is hym that has many,
90: ffor he felys sore.
91: Bot yong men of wowyng / for god that you boght,
92: Be well war of wedyng / and thynk in youre thoght,
93: "[had I wyst"] is a thyng / it seruys of noght;
94: Mekyll styll mowrnyng / has wedyng home broght,
95: And grefys;
96: with many a sharp showre,
97: ffor thou may cach in an owre
98: That shall [savour] fulle sowre
99: As long as thou lyffys.
100: ffor, as euer red I pystyll / I haue oone to my fere,
101: As sharp as a thystyll / as rugh as a brere;
102: She is browyd lyke a brystyll / with a sowre loten chere;
103: had She oones Wett Hyr Whystyll / She couth Syng full clere
104: Hyr pater noster.
105: She is as greatt as a whall,
106: She has a galon of gall:
107: By hym that dyed for vs all,
108: I wald I had ryn to I had lost hir.

Primus Pastor

109: God looke ouer the raw / ffull defly ye stand.

Secundus Pastor

110: yee, the dewill in thi maw / so tariand.
sagh thou awro of daw? /

Primus Pastor

yee, on a ley land
112: hard I hym blaw / he commys here at hand,
113: Not far;

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Stand styll.

Secundus Pastor

qwhy?

Primus Pastor

115: ffor he commys, hope I.

Secundus Pastor

116: he wyll make vs both a ly
117: Bot if we be war.

Tercius Pastor

118: Crystys crosse me spede / and sant nycholas!
119: Ther of had I nede / it is wars then it was.
120: Whoso couthe take hede / and lett the warld pas,
121: It is euer in drede / and brekyll as glas,
122: And slythys.
123: This warld, fowre neuer so,
124: With meruels mo and mo,
125: Now in weyll, now in wo,
126: And all thyng wrythys.
127: Was neuer syn noe floode / sich floodys seyn;
128: Wyndys and ranys so rude / and stormes so keyn;
129: Som stamerd, som stod, / in dowte, as I weyn;
130: Now god turne all to good / I say as I mene,
131: ffor ponder.
132: These floodys so thay drowne,
133: Both in feyldys and in towne,
134: And berys all downe,
135: And that is a wonder.
136: We that walk on the nyghtys / oure catell to kepe,
137: We se sodan syghtys / when othere men slepe.
138: yit me thynk my hart lyghtys / I se shrewys pepe;
139: ye ar two all wyghtys / I wyll gyf my shepe
140: A turne.
141: Bot full yll haue I ment,
142: As I walk on this bent,
143: I may lyghtly repent,
144: My toes if I spurne.
145: A, sir, god, you saue / and master myne!
146: A drynk fayn wold I haue / and somwhat to dyne.

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Primus Pastor

147: Crystys curs, my knaue / thou art a ledyr hyne!

Secundus Pastor

148: What! the boy lyst rave; / abyde vnto syne;
149: We haue mayde it.
150: yll thryft on thy pate!
151: Though the shrew cam late,
152: yit is he in state
153: To dyne, if he had it.

Tercius Pastor

154: Sich seruandys as I / that swettys and swynkys,
155: Etys oure brede full dry / and that me forthynkys;
156: We ar oft weytt and wery / when master-men wynkys,
157: yit commys full lately / both dyners and drynkys,
158: Bot nately.
159: Both oure dame and oure syre,
160: when we haue ryn in the myre,
161: Thay can nyp at oure hyre,
162: And pay vs full lately.
163: Bot here my trouth, master / for the fayr that ye make,
164: I shall do therafter / wyrk as I take;
165: I shall do a lytyll, sir / and emang euer lake,
166: ffor yit lay my soper / neuer on my stomake
167: In feyldys.
168: Wherto shuld, I threpe?
169: with my staf can I lepe,
170: And men say "[lyght chepe
171: letherly for-yeldys."]

Primus Pastor

172: Thou were an yll lad / to ryde on wowyng
173: With a man that had / bot lytyll of spendyng.

Secundus Pastor

174: Peasse, boy, I bad / no more Iangling,
175: Or I shall make the full rad / by the heuen's kyng!
176: with thy gawdys;
177: wher ar oure shepe, boy, we skorne?

Tercius Pastor

178: Sir, this same day at morne
179: I thaym left in the corne,
180: when thay rang lawdys;

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181: Thay haue pasture good / thay can not go wrong.

Primus Pastor

182: That is right, by the roode! / thyse nyghtys ar long,
183: yit I wold, or we yode / oone gaf vs a song.

Secundus Pastor

184: So I thoght as I stode / to myrth vs emong.

Tercius Pastor

185: I grauntt.

Primus Pastor

186: lett me syng the tenory.

Secundus Pastor

187: And I the tryble so hye.

Tercius Pastor

188: Then the meyne fallys to me;
189: lett se how ye chauntt.

Mak

190: Now lord, for thy naymes sevyn / that made both moyn & starnes
191: Well mo then I can neuen / thi will, lorde, of me tharnys;
192: I am all vneuen / that moves oft my harnes,
193: Now Wold god I were in heuen / for there wepe no barnes
194: So styll.

Primus Pastor

195: Who is that pypys so poore?

Mak

196: wold, god ye wyst how I foore!
197: lo, a man that walkys on the moore,
198: And has not all his wyll!

Secundus Pastor

199: Mak, where has thou gon? / tell vs tythyng.

Tercius Pastor

200: Is he commen? then ylkon / take hede to his thyng.

Mak

201: what! ich be a yoman / I tell you, of the king;
202: The self and the same / sond from a greatt lordyng,
203: And sich.
204: ffy on you! goyth hence
205: Out of my presence!
206: I must haue reuerence;
207: why, who be ich?

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Primus Pastor

208: Why make ye it so qwaynt? / mak, ye do wrang.

Secundus Pastor

209: Bot, mak, lyst ye saynt? / I trow that ye lang.

Tercius Pastor

210: I trow the shrew can paynt, / the dewyll myght hym hang!

Mak

211: Ich shall make complaynt / and make you all to thwang
212: At a worde,
213: And tell euyn how ye doth.

Primus Pastor

214: Bot, Mak, is that sothe?
215: Now take outt that sothren tothe,
216: And sett in a torde!

Secundus Pastor

217: Mak, the dewill in youre ee / a stroke wold, I leyne you.

Tercius Pastor

218: Mak, know ye not me? / by god I couthe teyn you.

Mak

219: God looke you all thre! / me thoght I had sene you,
ye ar a fare compane. /

Primus Pastor

can ye now mene you?

Secundus Pastor

221: Shrew, Iape!
222: Thus late as thou goys,
223: what wyll men suppos?
224: And thou has an yll noys
225: of stelyng of shepe.

Mak

226: And I am trew as steyll / all men waytt,
227: Bot a sekenes I feyll / that haldys me full haytt,
228: My belly farys not weyll / it is out of astate.

Tercius Pastor

229: Seldom lyys the dewyll / dede by the gate.

Mak

230: Therfor
231: full sore am I and yll,
232: If I stande stone styll;
233: I ete not an nedyll
234: Thys moneth and more.

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Primus Pastor

235: how farys thi wyff? by my hoode / how farys sho?

Mak

236: lyys walteryng, by the roode / by the fyere, lo!
237: And a howse full of brude / she drynkys well to;
238: yll spede othere good / that she wyll do!
239: Bot so
240: Etys as fast as she can,
241: And ilk yere that commys to man
242: She bryngys furth a lakan,
243: And som yeres two.
244: Bot were I not more gracyus / and rychere befar,
245: I were eten outt of howse / and of harbar;
246: Yit is she a fowll dowse / if ye com nar:
247: Ther is none that trowse / nor knowys a war,
248: Then ken I.
249: Now wyll ye se what I profer,
250: To gyf all in my cofer
251: To morne at next to offer
252: hyr hed mas penny.

Secundus Pastor

253: I wote so forwakyd / is none in this shyre:
can ye now mene you?

Secundus Pastor

221: Shrew, Iape!
222: Thus late as thou goys,
223: what wyll men suppos?
224: And thou has an yll noys
225: of stelyng of shepe.

Mak

226: And I am trew as steyll / all men waytt,
227: Bot a sekenes I feyll / that haldys me full haytt,
228: My belly farys not weyll / it is out of astate.

Tercius Pastor

229: Seldom lyys the dewyll / dede by the gate.

Mak

230: Therfor
231: full sore am I and yll,
232: If I stande stone styll;
233: I ete not an nedyll
234: Thys moneth and more.

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Primus Pastor

235: how farys thi wyff? by my hoode / how farys sho?

Mak

236: lyys walteryng, by the roode / by the fyere, lo!
237: And a howse full of brude / she drynkys well to;
238: yll spede othere good / that she wyll do!
239: Bot so
240: Etys as fast as she can,
241: And ilk yere that commys to man
242: She bryngys furth a lakan,
243: And som yeres two.
244: Bot were I not more gracyus / and rychere befar,
245: I were eten outt of howse / and of harbar;
246: Yit is she a fowll dowse / if ye com nar:
247: Ther is none that trowse / nor knowys a war,
248: Then ken I.
249: Now wyll ye se what I profer,
250: To gyf all in my cofer
251: To morne at next to offer
252: hyr hed mas penny.

Secundus Pastor

253: I wote so forwakyd / is none in this shyre:
286: And it be right.
287: lord! what thay slepe hard! / that may ye all here;
288: was I neuer a shepard / bot now wyll I lere.
289: If the flok be skard / yit shall I nyp nere,
290: how! drawes hederward! / now mendys oure chere
291: ffrom sorow:
292: A fatt shepe I dar say,
293: A good flese dar I lay,
294: Eft whyte when I may,
295: Bot this will I borow.
296: how, gyll, art thou In? / gett vs some lyght.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

297: Who makys sich dyn / this tyme of the nyght?

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298: I am sett for to spyn / I hope not I myght
299: Ryse a penny to wyn, / I shrew them on hight!
300: So farys
301: A huswyff that has bene
302: To be rasyd thus betwene:
303: here may no note be sene
304: ffor sich small charys.

Mak

305: Good wyff, open the hek! / seys thou not what I bryng?

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

306: I may thole the dray the snek. / A, com in, my swetyng!

Mak

307: yee, thou thar not rek / of my long standyng.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

308: By the nakyd nek / art thou lyke for to hyng.

Mak

309: Do way:
310: I am worthy my mete,
311: ffor in a strate can I gett
312: More then thay that swynke and swette
313: All the long day,
314: Thus it fell to my lott / gyll, I had sich grace.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

315: It were a fowll blott / to be hanged for the case.

Mak

316: I haue skapyd, Ielott / oft as hard a glase.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

317: Bot so long goys the pott / to the water, men says,
318: At last
319: Comys it home broken.

Mak

320: well knowe I the token,
321: Bot let it neuer be spoken;
322: Bot com and help fast.
323: I wold, he were slayn / I lyst well ete:
324: This twelmothe was I not so fayn / of oone shepe mete.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

325: Com thay or he be slayn/ and here the shepe blete!

Mak

326: Then myght I be tane, / that were a cold, swette!
327: Go spar
The gaytt doore.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

Yis, Mak,
329: ffor and thay com at thy bak,

Mak

330: Then myght I by, for all the pak,
331: The dewill of the war.

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Uxor Ejus (Gill)

332: A good bowrde haue I spied / syn thou can none.
333: here shall we hym hyde / to thay be gone;
334: In my credyll abyde / lett me alone,
335: And I shall lyg besyde / in chylbed, and grone.

Mak

336: Thou red;
337: And, I shall say thou was lyght
338: Of a knaue childe this nyght.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

339: Now well is me day bright,
340: That euer was I bred.
341: This is a good gyse / and a far cast;
342: Yit a woman avyse / helpys at the last.
343: I wote neuer who spyse, / agane go thou fast.

Mak

344: Bot I com or thay ryse / els blawes a cold, blast!
345: I wyll go slepe.
346: yit slepys all this meneye,
347: And I shall go stalk preuely,
348: As it had neuer bene I
349: That caryed thare shepe.

Primus Pastor

350: Resurrex a mortruis! / haue hald, my hand.
351: Iudas carnas dominus! / I may not well stand:
352: My foytt slepys, by ihesus / and I water fastand.
353: I thoght that we layd vs / full nere yngland.

Secundus Pastor

354: A ye!
355: lord! what I haue slept weyll;
356: As fresh as an eyll,
357: As lyght I me feyll
358: As leyfe on a tre.

Tercius Pastor

359: Benste be here in! / so my [hart?] qwakys,
360: My hart is outt of skyn / what so it makys.
361: Who makys all this dyn? / so my browes blakys,
362: To the dowore wyll I wyn / harke felows, wakys!
363: We were fowre:
364: se ye awre of mak now?

Primus Pastor

365: we were vp or thou.

Secundus Pastor

366: Man, I gyf god a vowe,
367: yit yede he nawre.

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Tercius Pastor

368: Me thoght he was lapt / in a wolfe skyn.

Primus Pastor

369: So are many hapt / now namely within.

Secundus Pastor

370: When we had long napt / me thoght with a gyn
371: A fatt shepe he trapt / bot he mayde no dyn.

Tercius Pastor

372: Be styll:
373: Thi dreme makys the woode:
374: It is bot fantom, by the roode.

Primus Pastor

375: Now god turne all to good,
376: If it be his wyll.

Secundus Pastor

377: Ryse, mak, for shame! / thou lygys right lang.

Mak

378: Now crystys holy name / be vs emang!
379: what is this? for sant Iame / I may not well gang!
380: I trow I be the same / A! my nek has lygen wrang
381: Enoghe;
382: Mekill thank, syn yister euen,
383: Now, by sant strevyn,
384: I was flayd with a swevyn,
385: My hart out of sloghe.
386: I thoght gyll began to crok / and trauell full sad,
387: welner at the fyrst cok / of a yong lad,
388: ffor to mend oure flok / then be I neuer glad.
389: I haue tow on my rok / more then euer I had.
390: A, my heede!
391: A house full of yong tharmes,
392: The dewill knok outt thare harnes!
393: wo is hym has many barnes,
394: And therto lytyll brede!
395: I must go home, by youre lefe / to gyll as I thoght.
396: I pray you looke my slefe / that I steyll noght:
397: I am loth you to grefe / or from you take oght.

Tercius Pastor

398: Go furth, yll myght thou chefe! / now wold I we soght,

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399: This morne,
400: That we had all oure store.

Primus Pastor

Bot I will go before, let vs mete.

Secundus Pastor

whore?

Tercius Pastor

402: At the crokyd thorne.

Mak

403: Vndo this doore! who is here? / how long shall I stand?

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

404: Who makys sich a bere? / now walk in the Wenyand.

Mak

405: A, gyll, what chere? / it is I, mak, youre husbande,

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

406: Then may we be here / the dewill in a bande,
407: Syr gyle;
408: lo, he commys with a lote
409: As he were holden in the throte.
410: I may not syt at my note,
411: A hand lang while.

Mak

412: wyll ye here what fare she makys / to gett hir a glose,
413: And dos noght bot lakys / and clowse hir toose.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

414: why, who wanders, who wakys / who commys, who gose?
415: who brewys, who bakys? / what makys me thus hose?
416: And than,
417: It is rewthe to beholde,
418: Now in hote, now in colde,
419: ffull wofull is the householde
420: That wantys a woman.
421: Bot what ende has thou mayde / with the hyrdys, mak?

Mak

422: The last worde that thay sayde / when I turnyd my bak,
423: Thay wold looke that thay hade / thare shepe all the pak.
424: I hope thay wyll nott be well payde / when thay thare shepe lak,
425: Perde.

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426: Bot how so the gam gose,
427: To me thay wyll suppose,
428: And make a fowll noyse,
429: And cry outt apon me.
Bot thou must do as thou hyght /

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

I accorde me thertyll.
431: I shall swedyll hym right / In my credyll;
432: If it were a gretter slyght / yit couthe I help tyll.
I wyll lyg downe stright; / com hap me;

Mak

I wyll.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

434: Behynde.
435: Com coll and his maroo,
436: Thay will nyp vs full naroo.

Mak

437: Bot I may cry out `haroo,'
438: The shepe if thay fynde.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

439: harken ay when thay call / thay will com onone.
440: Com and make redy all / and syng by thyn oone;
441: Syng lullay thou shall / for I must grone,
442: And cry outt by the wall / on mary and Iohn,
443: ffor sore.
444: Syng lullay on fast
445: when thou heris at the last;
446: And bot I play a fals cast,
447: Trust me no more.

Tercius Pastor

448: A, coll, goode morne / why slepys thou nott?

Primus Pastor

449: Alas, that euer was I borne! / we haue a fowll blott.
A fat wedir haue we lorne. /

Tercius Pastor

mary, godys forbott!

Secundus Pastor

451: who shuld do vs that skorne? that were a fowll spott.

Primus Pastor

452: Som shrewe.
453: I haue soght with my dogys
454: All horbery shrogys,
455: And of fefteyn hogys
456: ffond I bot oone ewe.

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Tercius Pastor

457: Now trow me, if ye will / by sant thomas of kent,
458: Ayther mak or gyll / was at that assent.

Primus Pastor

459: peasse, man, be still! / I sagh when he went;
460: Thou sklanders hym yll / thou aght to repent,
461: Goode spede.

Secundus Pastor

462: Now as euer myght I the,
463: If I shuld, euyn here de,
464: I wold say it were he,
465: That dyd that same dede.

Tercius Pastor

466: Go we theder, I rede / and ryn on oure feete.
467: Shall I neuer ete brede / the sothe to I wytt.

Primus Pastor

468: Nor drynk in my heede / with hym tyll I mete.

Secundus Pastor

469: I wyll rest in no stede / tyll that I hym grete,
470: My brothere.
471: Oone I will hight:
472: Tyll I se hym in sight
473: shall I neuer slepe one nyght
474: Ther I do anothere.

Tercius Pastor

475: will ye here how thay hak? / oure syre, lyst, croyne.

Primus Pastor

476: hard I neuer none crak / so clere out of toyne;
477: Call on hym.

Secundus Pastor

478: mak! / vndo youre doore soyne.

Mak

479: Who is that spak, / as it were noyne,
480: On loft?
481: Who is that I say?

Tercius Pastor

482: Goode felowse, were it day.

Mak

483: As far as ye may,
484: Good, spekys soft,

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485: Ouer a seke woman's heede / that is at mayll easse;
486: I had leuer be dede / or she had any dyseasse.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

487: Go to an othere stede / I may not well qweasse.
488: Ich fote that ye trede / goys thorow my nese.
489: So hee!

Primus Pastor

490: Tell vs, mak, if ye may,
491: how fare ye, I say?

Mak

492: Bot ar ye in this towne to day?
493: Now how fare ye?
494: ye haue ryn in the myre / and ar weytt yit:
495: I shall make you a fyre / if ye will syt.
496: A nores wold, I hyre / thynk ye on yit,
497: well qwytt is my hyre / my dreme this is itt,
498: A seson.
499: I haue barnes, if ye knew,
500: well mo then enewe,
501: Bot we must drynk as we brew,
502: And that is bot reson.
503: I wold ye dynyd or ye yode / me thynk that ye swette.

Secundus Pastor

504: Nay, nawther mendys oure mode / drynke nor mette.

Mak

why, sir, alys you oght bot goode? /

Tercius Pastor

yee, oure shepe that we gett,
506: Ar stollyn as thay yode / oure los is grette.

Mak

507: Syrs, drynkys!
508: had I bene thore,
509: Som shuld haue boght it full sore.

Primus Pastor

510: Mary, som men trowes that ye wore,
511: And that vs forthynkys.

Secundus Pastor

512: Mak, som men trowys / that it shuld be ye.

Tercius Pastor

513: Ayther ye or youre spouse / so say we.

Mak

514: Now if ye haue suspowse / to gill or to me,
515: Com and rype oure howse / and then may ye se

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516: who had hir,
517: If I any shepe fott,
518: Aythor cow or stott;
519: And gyll, my wyfe, rose nott
520: here syn she lade hir.
521: As I am true and lele / to god here I pray,
522: That this be the fyrst mele / that I shall ete this day.

Primus Pastor

523: Mak, as haue I ceyll, / Avyse the, I say;
524: he lernyd tymely to steyll / that couth not say nay.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

525: I swelt!
526: Outt, thefys, fro my wonys!
527: ye com to rob vs for the nonys.

Mak

528: here ye not how she gronys?
529: youre hartys shuld melt.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

530: Outt, thefys, fro my barne! / negh hym not thor.

Mak

531: wyst ye how she had farne / youre hartys wold be sore.
532: ye do wrang, I you warne / that thus commys before
533: To a woman that has farne / bot I say no more.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

534: A, my medyll!
535: I pray to god so mylde,
536: If euer I you begyld,,
537: That I ete this chylde
538: That lygys in this credyll.

Mak

539: peasse, woman, for godys payn / and cry not so:
540: Thou spyllys thy brane / and makys me full wo.

Secundus Pastor

541: I trow oure shepe be slayn / what finde ye two?

Tercius Pastor

542: All wyrk we in vayn / as well may we go.
543: Bot hatters,
544: I can fynde no flesh,
545: hard nor nesh,
546: Salt nor fresh,
547: Bot two tome platers.

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548: Whik catell bot this / tame nor wylde,
549: None, as haue I blys / as lowde as he smylde.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

550: No, so god me blys / and gyf me Ioy of my chylde!

Primus Pastor

551: We haue merkyd amys / I hold vs begyld.

Secundus Pastor

552: Syr don,
553: Syr, oure lady hym saue!
554: Is youre chyld a knaue?

Mak

555: Any lord myght hym haue
556: This chyld to his son.
557: when he wakyns he kyppys / that ioy is to se.

Tercius Pastor

558: In good tyme to hys hyppys / and in cele.
559: Bot who was his gossyppys / so sone rede?

Mak

So fare fall thare lyppys! /

Primus Pastor

hark now, a le!

Mak

561: So god thaym thank,
562: Parkyn, and gybon waller, I say,
563: And gentill Iohn horne, in good fay,
564: he made all the garray,
565: With the greatt shank.

Secundus Pastor

566: Mak, freyndys will we be / ffor we ar all oone.

Mak

567: we! now I hald for me / for mendys gett I none.
568: ffare well all thre / all glad were ye gone.

Tercius Pastor

569: ffare wordys may ther be / bot luf is ther none
570: this yere.

Primus Pastor

571: Gaf ye the chyld, any thyng?

Secundus Pastor

572: I trow not oone farthyng.

Tercius Pastor

573: ffast agane will I flyng,
574: Abyde ye me there.
575: Mak, take it to no grefe / if I com to thi barne.

Mak

576: Nay, thou dos me greatt reprefe / and fowll has thou farne.

Tercius Pastor

577: The child will it not grefe / that lytyll day starne.
578: Mak, with youre leyfe / let me gyf youre barne,

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579: Bot sex pence.

Mak

580: Nay, do way: he slepys.

Tercius Pastor

581: Me thynk he pepys.

Mak

582: when he wakyns he wepys.
583: I pray you go hence.

Tercius Pastor

584: Gyf me lefe hym to kys / and lyft vp the clowtt.
585: what the dewill is this? / he has a long snowte.

Primus Pastor

586: he is merkyd amys / we wate ill abowte.

Secundus Pastor

587: Ill spon weft, Iwys / ay commys foull owte.
588: Ay, so!
589: he is lyke to oure shepe!

Tercius Pastor

590: how, gyb! may I pepe?

Primus Pastor

591: I trow, kynde will crepe
592: where it may not go.

Secundus Pastor

593: This was a qwantt gawde / and a far cast.
It was a hee frawde. /

Tercius Pastor

yee, syrs, wast.
595: lett bren this bawde / and bynd hir fast.
596: A fals skawde / hang at the last;
597: So shall thou.
598: wyll ye se how thay swedyll
599: his foure feytt in the medyll?
600: Sagh I neuer in a credyll
601: A hornyd lad or now.

Mak

602: Peasse byd I: what! / lett be youre fare;
603: I am he that hym gatt / and yond woman hym bare.

Primus Pastor

604: What dewill shall he hatt? / Mak, lo god makys ayre.

Secundus Pastor

605: lett be all that. / now god gyf hym care,
606: I sagh.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

607: A pratty child is he
608: As syttys on a waman's kne;
609: A dyllydowne, perde,
610: To gar a man laghe.

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Tercius Pastor

611: I know hym by the eere marke / that is a good tokyn.

Mak

612: I tell you, syrs, hark! / hys noyse was brokyn.
613: Sythen told, me a clerk / that he was forspokyn.

Primus Pastor

614: This is a fals wark / I wold, fayn be wrokyn:
615: Gett wepyn.

Uxor Ejus (Gill)

616: he was takyn with an elfe,
617: I saw it myself.
618: when the clok stroke twelf
619: was he forshapyn.

Secundus Pastor

620: ye two ar well feft / sam in a stede.

Tercius Pastor

621: Syn thay manteyn thare theft / let do thaym to dede.

Mak

622: If I trespas eft / gyrd of my heede.
with you will I be left. /

Primus Pastor

syrs, do my reede.
624: ffor this trespas,
625: we will nawther ban ne flyte,
626: ffyght nor chyte,
627: Bot haue done as tyte,
628: And cast hym in canvas.
629: lord! what I am sore / in poynt for to bryst.
630: In fayth I may no more / therfor wyll I ryst.

Secundus Pastor

631: As a shepe of sevyn skore / he weyd in my fyst.
632: ffor to slepe ay whore / me thynk that I lyst.

Tercius Pastor

633: Now I pray you,
634: lyg downe on this grene.

Primus Pastor

635: On these thefys yit I mene.

Tercius Pastor

636: wherto shuld ye tene
637: So, as I say you?

Angel

638: Ryse, hyrd men heynd! / for now is he borne
639: That shall take fro the feynd / that adam had lorne:

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640: That warloo to sheynd / this nyght is he borne.
641: God is made youre freynd / now at this morne.
642: he behestys,
643: At bedlem go se,
644: Ther lygys that fre
645: In a cryb full poorely,
646: Betwyx two bestys.

Primus Pastor

647: This was a qwant stevyn / that euer yit I hard.
648: It is a meruell to neuyn / thus to be skard.

Secundus Pastor

649: Of godys son of heuyn / he spak vpward.
650: All the wod on a leuyn / me thoght that he gard
651: Appere.

Tercius Pastor

652: he spake of a barne
653: In bedlem, I you warne.

Primus Pastor

654: That betokyns yond starne.
655: let vs seke hym there,

Secundus Pastor

656: Say, what was his song? / hard ye not how he crakyd it?
Thre brefes to a long. /

Tercius Pastor

yee, mary, he hakt it.
658: was no crochett wrong / nor no thyng that lakt it.

Primus Pastor

659: ffor to syng vs emong / right as he knakt it,
660: I can.

Secundus Pastor

661: let se how ye croyne.
662: Can ye bark at the mone?

Tercius Pastor

663: hold youre tonges, haue done!

Primus Pastor

664: hark after, than.

Secundus Pastor

665: To bedlem he bad / that we shuld gang:
666: I am full fard / that we tary to lang.

Tercius Pastor

667: Be mery and not sad / of myrth is oure sang,
668: Euer lastyng glad / to mede may we fang,

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669: Withoutt noyse.

Primus Pastor

670: hy we theder for thy;
671: If we be wete and wery,
672: To that chyld and that lady
673: we haue it not to lose.

Secundus Pastor

674: we fynde by the prophecy-/ let be youre dyn-
675: Of dauid and Isay / and mo then I myn,
676: Thay prophecyed by clergy / that in a vyrgyn
677: shuld, he lyght and ly / to slokyn oure syn
678: And slake it,
679: Oure kynde from wo;
680: ffor Isay sayd so,
681: Cite` virgo
682: Concipiet a chylde that is nakyd.

Tercius Pastor

683: ffull glad may we be / and abyde that day
684: That lufly to se / that all myghtys may.
685: lord, well were me / for ones and for ay,
686: Myght I knele on my kne / som word for to say
687: To that chylde.
688: Bot the angell sayd,
689: In a cryb wos he layde;
690: he was poorly arayd
691: Both mener and mylde.

Primus Pastor

692: patryarkes that has bene / and prophetys beforne,
693: Thay desyryd to haue sene / this chylde that is borne.
694: Thay ar gone full clene / that haue thay lorne.
695: We shall se hym, I weyn / or it be morne,
696: To tokyn.
697: When I se hym and fele,
698: Then wote I full weyll
699: It is true as steyll
700: That prophetys haue spokyn.
701: To so poore as we ar / that he wold appere,
702: ffyrst fynd, and declare / by his messyngere.

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Secundus Pastor

703: Go we now, let vs fare / the place is vs nere.

Tercius Pastor

704: I am redy and yare / go we in fere
705: To that bright.
706: Lord, if thi wylles be,
707: we ar lewde all thre,
708: Thou grauntt vs somkyns gle
709: To comforth thi wight.

Primus Pastor

710: hayll, comly and clene! / hayll, yong child!
711: hayll, maker, as I meyne, / of a madyn so mylde!
712: Thou has waryd, I weyne / the warlo so wylde;
713: The fals gyler of teyn / now goys he begylde.
714: lo, he merys;
715: lo, he laghys, my swetyng,
716: A welfare metyng,
717: I haue holden my hetyng;
718: haue a bob of cherys.

Secundus Pastor

719: hayll, sufferan sauyoure! / ffor thou has vs soght:
720: hayll, frely foyde and floure / that all thyng has wroght!
721: hayll, full of fauoure / that made all of noght!
722: hayll! I kneyll and I cowre. / A byrd haue I broght
723: To my barne.
724: hayll, lytyll tyne' mop!
725: of oure crede thou art crop:
726: I wold drynk on thy cop,
727: Lytyll day starne.

Tercius Pastor

728: hayll, derlyng dere / full of godhede!
729: I pray the be nere / when that I haue nede.
730: hayll! swete is thy chere! / my hart wold, blede
731: To se the sytt here / in so poore wede,
732: With no pennys.
733: hayll! put furth thy dall!
734: I bryng the bot a ball:
735: haue and play the with all,
736: And go to the tenys.

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Mary

737: The fader of heuen / god omnypotent.
738: That sett all on seuen, / his son has he sent.
739: My name couth he neuen / and lyght or he went.
740: I conceyuyd hym full euen / thrugh myght as he ment,
741: And now is he borne.
742: he kepe you fro wo!
743: I shall pray hym so;
744: Tell furth as ye go,
745: And myn on this morne.

Primus Pastor

746: ffarewell, lady / so fare to beholde,
with thy childe on thi kne! /

Secundus Pastor

bot he lygys full cold.
748: lord, well is me / now we go, thou behold,.

Tercius Pastor

749: ffor sothe all redy / it semys to be told
750: full oft.

Primus Pastor

751: what grace we haue fun.

Secundus Pastor

752: Com furth, now ar we won.

Tercius Pastor

753: To syng ar we bun:
754: let take on loft.

Wakefield Second Shepherds' Play

Mystery play

--(the mystery of Christ's redemption of mankind)
--part of a cycle of plays performed by guilds on particular feast days, Whitsuntide or Corpus Christi (8th and 9th week after Easter).
--cycle often acted out on a wagon that moved around the town, later probably on a stage or set of stages.
--plays often very long, sometimes at pains to provide minute-by-minute fidelity to the events depicted.
--characters usually stock, action often grotesque or exaggerated

Second Shepherds

--violates Aristotle's three unities, but maintains coherence through extensive internal parallelism and ordering.  For example, the three shepherds speak in a prescribed order that is rarely violated.
--Parody: the imitation of something, usually with exaggerated features, for the purpose of criticism or ridicule.  Not all parody is non-serious; The plot of SSP provides for extended reduplication--the first family (Adam and Eve), and the Holy Family (Jacob, Mary, Jesus) parodied by Mak and Gill and the stolen ram.  Christ betrayed by a kiss, the ram discovered by a kiss.  Both Mak and Gill swear to eat their "baby" if they are lying (parody of Mass).  Mak works magic on the sleeping shepherds to steal the ram (parody of priest's blessings).
--three gifts parallel gifts of the three magi.
--Mak as descended from the allegorical character of Vice, as perhaps representative of the devil (like a thief in the night).
--Each shepherd from a different stage in life: old man, young man, youth.
--Mak's cottage serves on stage (perhaps) as Holy Stable.
--Poetic form: bob and wheel, rhyme scheme: ababababcdddc. 13 line stanza, 2/3 syllable bob, 4 line wheel.

Some reading questions for Second Shepherds' Play

1) Define the concept of transubstantiation and explain its significance to the metaphor of the lamb. What kind of food does the lamb in both its senses provide?
2) Explain how and why the shepherds discover their lost sheep.
3) What punishment do Mak and Gill receive for their crime, and why are they punished as they are? (Quoted from http://parallel.park.uga.edu/~crice/kempe.html)

The Second Shepherd's Play is a delightful comedy, suitable for children, which is based on Luke 2:8-18 from the New Testament of the Holy Bible.

It tells the story of three shepherds, Coll, Gib and Daw, who are minding their flocks while complaining, ad nauseum, about the circumstances of their lives, each other, and their arch rival, Mak, who has a reputation for stealing sheep. Mak passes by them, trying to disguise his look and voice, but they call him out and he finally has to admit his true identity. The sun has just set and the shepherds are not about to let Mak out of their sight. He implores them to let him go because he has urgent business. They, however, insist that he sleep between them so that he won't be able to get away without them knowing about it.

But Mak casts a magic spell over the shepherds which puts them into a deep slumber while he makes his escape -- and, of course, he picks up a small sheep on his way out. Mak takes the sheep back to his cottage where Gill chews him out for making such a ruckus in the middle of the night. Just to be on the safe side, they decide to conceal the young sheep in a baby's crib and to pretend that Gill has just given birth to a newborn son. Mak returns to the shepherds, so that won't suspect anything.

The three shepherds wake from their slumber and discover that both Mak is right where they left him the night before. Mak tells the shepherds that he's had a dream in which he saw his wife, Gill, giving birth. After Mak leaves them, the shepherds count the sheep in their flock and discover that one is missing. Mak, of course, is their prime suspect. They traipse off to Mak's house to accuse him of sheep stealing. At first, they're fooled by Mak and Gill's ruse. But suddenly it dawns on them what's really happening. After reclaiming their sheep and deciding on a suitable punishment for Mak, the shepherds make their way back to their flocks.

Suddenly, they are confounded by the appearance of an angel in the heavens singing "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will towards men." The angel tells them of a child born in Bethlehem who will be a Saviour for all men. In complete awe and wonder at what they've just seen and heard, they set off for Bethlehem. Once there, they marvel at Mary, Joseph and the Christ child. The shepherds dance and sing songs to entertain the newborn babe and offer him gifts from their meager possessions.

The Second Shepherd's Play is a Medieval Miracle Play which was first written and performed around 1440 AD. For more information about this period of history, we recommend visiting:

• Grover Furr's Medieval History and Literature Page
• University of Leeds (UK) - Medieval Drama Links
• Luminarium
• The Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA)
• University of Virginia Library - Electronic Text Center
  (to view the original Middle English script)

[Back to Second Shepherd's Play Index]

Medieval Theatre

Resources

Text...

Robert Cohen. Theatre, 4th edition: "The Middle Ages," page 101 to 126.

Plays...

Wakefield Cycle. The Second Shepherd's Play

The Passion Play

Everyman

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1. What medieval institution is credited with the rebirth of western theatre?

The Christian church.

2. What was a tropes?

The tropes were dramatic insertions into the high mass. Probably the most significant of these short playlets was the Quem Queritis, "Whom Seek Ye." The complete four line text is printed on page 102 of Cohen's Theatre. English instructions on the staging of this tropes can be found on page 103.

3. During which Christian festival were these early playlets performed?

Easter.

4. What was the source of the stories which were dramatized?

The Bible.

5. How were these plays staged inside the church?

They were staged on a number of small "platforms" distributed around the edge of the church. Both the actors and the audience would move from one "platform" (or scene) to the next. See the illustration on page 105 of Cohen's Theatre.

6. What was a mansion or station?

The mansion, or station, was the scenic facade placed at the back of the "platform." They were used to locate the action.

     The plateau?

The plateau was the "platform" on which the actors performed.

7. Who were the actors?

The priests.

8. Why, during the 13th century, were these plays moved out of the church?

Because the plays were getting to complicated to produce within the confines of the church building. Also because the production of these dramas was beginning to interfere with the other services of the church.

9. Who produced the mystery plays after they left the church?

The trade guilds. These were medieval unions.

10. What is a pageant wagon?

A pageant wagon held the mansion (scenic facade), the plateau (playing area), and a dressing area on one structure. This wagon would then be moved from one gathering of audience to the next, much like a float in a parade. See the illustration on pages 108-109 of Cohen's Theatre.

    In which country was it used?

England.

11. What is the difference between a mystery play, a miracle play, and a morality play?

Mystery play: The plot and characters were drawn from the books of the Bible. It was the major form of Medieval drama. The best examples are the cycle plays of England.The York Cycle contained forty-eight short plays, and was performed over several days. Of the forty-eight plays from the York Cycle, eleven deal with the Old Testament (from the Creation to the crossing of the Red Sea), thirteen cover the period from the Annunciation to Palm Sunday, twenty-three cover the final week of Christ's earthly life and His Assumption into Heaven, and one describes Judgement Day. A complete listing of play titles and the producing guilds can be found on pages 110-111 of Cohen's Theatre.

Miracle play: built its plot around the lives and the works of the saints. They were usually performed on the saint's feast day. Some of the scripts were biblical, others were not.

Morality play: These dramas were based on the spiritual trials of the average man. They formed a bridge between the Medieval religious plays and the secular dramas of the Renaissance. The plays were allegories about the moral temptations which beset every man. The location was in every man's soul. The action of the drama was the battle between good and evil to posses man's soul.

12. Give a specific example of a mystery play? Of a morality play?

Mystery play: The Second Shepherd's Play from the Wakefield Cycle or The Passion Play. Probably the most famous Passion Play is the Oberammergau (Germany) Passion Play which has been presented every ten years since the middle of the 17th century.

Morality play: Everyman. Everyman is visited by Death. He is told that he can take one friend with him on his long journey. He approaches Fellowship, Kindred, Cousin, Goods, Knowledge, Discretion, Strength, Beauty, and Five Wits. All refuse. Only Good Deeds will join him on his journey. The moral is obvious.

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E-mail questions and comments to Larry Wild at wildl@wolf.northern.edu.
Last updated: April 1, 1998
¨Ď 1995-1998 by Larry Wild, Northern State University, Aberdeen, SD.

First Shepherds' Play

Team Members: Marta Juzwiak, Ellen Kartz, and Kate Korman.

This play, written by the "Wakefield Master,"and begins the first of two 'Shepherd's plays. The shepherds in question are those to whom the angel of the Lord appears on the night that Jesus is born. Because the shepherds have no specific religious function in the cycle as a whole, they are used in a primarily comic role. Thus, the shepherd's plays are some of the best loved in the cycle.

*View the First Shepherd's Play in a framed document with linked gloss and annotations. http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~scriptor/towneley/plays/prframe.html

The Second Shepard's Play made in VHS video by Santa Fe Studio