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The Wakefield Secunda Pastorum
Open fields near a town
Enter First Shepherd
Lord, what these weders ar cold! And I am yll happyd.
I am nerehande dold, so longe haue I nappyd;
My legys thay fold, my fyngers ar chappyd.
It is not as I wold, for I am lappyd
In sorrow.
In stormes and tempest,
Now in the eest, now in the west,
Wo is hym has euer rest
Mydday nor morrow!
(Vv. 1-9)
Wisdom
Fyrst enteryde WYSDOME in a ryche purpull clothe of golde wyth a mantyll of the same ermyn-nyde wythin, hawynge abowt hys neke a ryall hood furred wyth ermyn, wpon hys hede a cheweler wyth browys, a berde of golde of sypres curlyed, a ryche imperyall crown [...] thus seyenge:
WYSDOM. Yff "e wyll wet že propyrte
Ande že resun of my name imperyall,
I am clepyde of hem žat in erthe be
Euerlastynge Wysdom, to my nobley egalle;
Wyche name acordyt best in especyall
And most to me ys convenyent,
Allthow eche persone of že Trinyte be wysdom eternall
And all thre on euerlastynge wysdome togedyr present.
(Vv. 1-8)
Interludium de Clerico et Puella
Clericus. God te blis, mome helwis!
Mome Elwis. Son, welcum, by san dinis!
Clericus. Hic am comin to ye, mome,
Yu hel me noth, yu say me sone.
Hic am a clerc yat hauntes scole,
Y lydy my lif wyt mikel dole.
Me wor leuer to be dedh,
Yan led ye lif yat hyc ledh
For ay mayden with and schen,
Fayrer ho lond hawy non syen.
Yo hat mayden Malkyn, y wene.
Nu yu wost quam y mene.
Yo wonys at the tounes ende,
Yat suyt lif so fayr and hende.
Bot if yo wil hir mod amende,
Neuly crist my ded me send!
Men send me hyder, vyt-vten fayle,
To haf yi help anty cunsayle;
Yar for amy cummen here,
Yat yu salt be my herand-bere,
To mac me and yat mayden sayct,
And hi sal gef ye of my nayct,
So yat heuer al yy lyf
Saltu be ye better wyf.
So help me crist, hand hy may spede,
Riche saltu haf yi mede.
Mome Elwis. A, son, vat saystu? Benedicite!
Lift hup yi hand and blis ye!
For it es boyt syn and scam,
Yat yu on me hafs layt thys blam.