Recently Recovered "Lost" Tudor Plays with some others

[_Enter_ MERCY.]

Mercy. The very Founder and Beginner of our first creation, Among us sinful wretches He oweth to be magnified; That, for our disobedience, He had none indignation To send His own Son to be torn and crucified. Our obsequious service to Him should be applied: Where He was Lord of all, and made all thing of nought, For the sinful sinner, to have him revived, And, for his redemption, set His own Son at nought. That may be said and verified: Mankind was dear bought; By the piteous death of Jesu he had his remedy; He was purged of his default--that wretchedly had wrought-- By His glorious passion, that blessed lavatory. O sovereigns! I beseech you your conditions to rectify; And, with humility and reverence, to have a remotion To this blessed Prince, that our nature doth glorify; That ye may be participable of His retribution. I have be[en] the very mean for your restitution: Mercy is my name, that mourneth for your offence. Divert not yourself in time of temptation, That ye may be acceptable to God at your going hence; The great mercy of God, that is of most pre-eminence, By meditation of our Lady, that is ever abundant To the sinful creature that will repent his negligence: I pray God, at your most need, that Mercy be your defendant. In good works I advise you, sovereigns! to be perseverant; To purify your souls that they be not corrupt; For your ghostly enemy will make his avaunt, Your good conditions if he may interrupt. O! ye sovereigns that sit, and ye brothern that stand right up, Pryke not your felicities in things transitory! Behold not the earth, but lift your eye up! See how the head the members daily do magnify. Who is the head? forsooth! I shall you certify: I mean our Saviour that was likened to a lamb; And His saints be the members, that daily He doth satisfy With the precious river that runneth from His womb. There is none such food by water, nor by land; So precious, so glorious, so needful to our intent; For it hath dissolved Mankind from the bitter bond Of the mortal enemy, that venomous serpent: From the which, God preserve you all at the last judgment! For, sikerly, there shall be a strerat examination: The corn shall be saved; the chaff shall be brent-- I beseech you heartily have this premeditation.

[_Enter_ MISCHIEF.]

Mischief. I beseech you heartily leave your calculation! Leave your chaff! leave your corn! leave your dalliation! Your wit is little; your head is mickle; ye are full of predication! But, sir! I pray [you] this question to clarify: Driff, draff! mish, mash! Some was corn, and some was chaff; My dame said my name was Raff. Unshut your lock and take an halfpenny!

Mer. Why come ye hither, brother? ye were not desired.

Mis. For a winter corn thresher, sir! I have hired. And ye said: the corn should be saved and the chaff should be fired; And he proveth nay, as it showeth by this verse: Corn serveth breadibus, chaff horsibus, straw firibusque. This is as much to say, to your lewd understanding, As: the corn shall serve to bread at the next baking; chaff horsibus, et reliqu[i]d, The chaff to horse shall be good produce; When a man is for-cold the straw may be brent; And so forth, etc.

Mer. Avoid, good brother! ye been culpable To interrupt thus my talking delectable.

Mis. Sir! I have nother horse nor saddle; Therefore, I may not ride.

Mer. Hie you forth on foot, brother! in God's name!

Mis. I say, sir! I am come hither to make you game; Yet, bade ye me not go out in the devil's name, And I will abide.

[_A leaf of the manuscript has probably been lost_ at this point. It commences again by the entry of NEW GUISE, NOUGHT and NOW-A-DAYS _with a band of minstrels._]

New Guise. And ho, minstrels! play the common trace; Lay on with thy bales till his belly brest!

Nought. I put case: I break my neck--how than?

New G. I give no force, by saint Anne!

Now-a-days. Leap about lively! thou art a white man; Let us be merry while we be here!

Nought. Shall I break my neck to show you sport?

Now. Therefore, ever beware of thy report!

Nought. I beshrew you all! here is a shrewd sort; Have there at them, with a merry cheer!