quinti scaena nona Isaac Mido. Rebecca Iacob Isaac WHere be ye good wyfe Mido. My dame Rebecca is here Rebecca I am glad swéete husband that I sée you appere Isaac For I haue a worde or two vnto you to say Whatsoeuer it be tell it me I you pray Rebecca Sir ye know that now our life daies are but short And we had neuer so great néede of comfort Now Esau his wiues being Hethites both Ye know to please vs are much vnwilling and loth That if Iacob eke would take any Hethite to wife Small ioy should we both haue or comforte of our life Isaac Wife ye speake this well and I will prouide therfore Call Iacob quickly that he appeare me before Mido. I can runne apace for him if ye bidde me go Rebecca Go hye thee at once then like a good sonne Mido Isaac O Lorde saue thou my sonne from miscarying Mido. Come maister Iacob ye must make no tarying For I it is that shall be shent if you be slacke Here is your sonne Iacob now maister Isaac Isaac Sonne Iacob make thée ready as fast thou can And in all hast possible get thée vnto Laban He is thine owne vncle and a right godly man Marry of his daughters and not of Canan In Mesopotamia shalt thou leade thy life The lorde prosper thée there without debate or strife And the God of Abraham prosper thée in peace He multiply thy séede and make it to encrease Nowe kisse me deare sonne Iacob and so go thy way Rebecca Kisse me also swéete sonne and hence without delay Iacob Now most tender parents as wel with heart and word I bid you well to fare and leaue you to the Lord Mido. Nay maister Iacob let me haue an hande also Iacob Euen with all my heart farewell litle Mido Isaac Now will I departe hence into the tent againe Rebecca As pleaseth God and you but I will here remaine Actus quinti scaena decima Esau Ragau Rebecca Isaac Mido. ANd is he gone in déede to mine vncle Laban In Mesopotamia at the toune of Haran And is Iacob gone to the house of Bethuel The whirlewynd with him and flyngyng fende of hel But I shall meete with him yet one daye well enough And who is this my mother whom I sée here now Ragau. She stoode here al this while sir did ye not her sée Esau Didst thou sée her stand here wouldest not warne me Rebecca Sonne Esau afore God thou art much to blame And to do as I heare of thée is a foule shame Esau Mother what is it ye heard of me of late Rebecca That thou doest thy brother Iacob deadly hate Esau Hate Iacob I hate him and will do till I dye For he hath done me both great wrong and vilanny And that shal he well know if the Lord geue me lyfe Rebecca Fye vpon thée to speake so like a lewde caytife Ragau. My maister Esau is of nature much hote But he will be better than he saith feare not Esau My birthright to sell did he not make me consent Rebecca But the same to do were not thy selfe content There is no man to blame for it but thine owne selfe Esau Yea mother sée that ye holde with that mopishe elfe It is your deinty dearlyng your princkoxe your golpoll He can neuer be praised enough of your soule He must euer be extolled aboue the Moone It is neuer amisse that he hath said or done I would he were rocked or dandled in your lappe Or I would with this fauchon I might geue him pap I meruail why ye should so loue him and me not Ye groned as well for the one as thother I wotte But Iacob must be aduaunced in any wyse But I shall one day handle him of the new guise Rebecca Both on thy fathers blessyng and mine I charge thée That thy soule entend neuer such iniquitie Beware by the example of Caym I thée rede That thou bring not the Lordes curse vpon thy head Esau And what should I take all this wrong at Iacobs hande Rebecca Forgeue and the Lorde shall prosper thée on the lande My sonne Esau heare me I am thy mother For my sake let passe this grudge against thy brother Ragau. Syr your mothers request is but reasonable Which for you to graunt shal be muche commendable Esau Mother though it be a great thing that ye require Yet must all malice passe at your desire And for your cause mother this mine angre shall slake Rebecca I thanke thée my sonne that thou doost it for my sake Esau For your sake with Iacob I will be at accorde Rebecca And shall I call thy father to be as recorde Esau As pleaseth you mother I can be well content Rebecca Then wyll I go call hym hyther incontinent And where he dooth already loue thée very well This wyll make hym to loue thée better a greate deale Ragau. Truely syr this is of you a right gentill part At least yf it come from the bottome of your harte Esau It must nowe be thus but when I shall Iacob fynde I shall then do as God shall put into my minde Rebecca He hath at my woorde remitted all his quarele Isaac Forsooth I loue him the better a great deale And if he be here I woulde commende his doing All prest here father to tary on your comming Isaac Sonne Esau thou haste thy selfe well acquited Esau That all quarell to Iacob thou haste remitted It was the Lordes pleasure that it should thus be Against whose ordinance to stande is not for thée But nowe to the entent it may please the Lorde To knitte your hartes one day in a perfect concorde We shall first in a song geue laude vnto his name And than with all gladnesse within confirme the same Rebecca As ye thinke best dere husbande I agrée therto Esau Mée ye may commaunde to what ye will haue me to do And so maye ye do also Ragau my man Isaac I sée none but praise we the Lorde the hest we can Cal foorth all our household that with one accord We may all with one voyce syng vnto the Lorde Ragau calleth al to syng This song must be song after the prayer O Lorde the God of our father Abraham Howe deepe and vnsearcheable are thy iudgementes Thy almightifull hande did create and frame Both heauen and earth and all the elementes Man of the earth thou haste formed and create Some do thee worship and some stray awrye Whome pleaseth thee thou doste choose or reprobate And no fleshe can aske thee wherfore or why Of thine owne will thou didst Abraham electe Promising him seede as sterres of the skie And them as thy chosen people to protecte That they might thy mercies praise and magnifie Performe thou O Lorde thine eternall decree To me and my seede the sonnes of Abraham And whom thou haste chosen thine owne people to bee Guide and defende to the glorie of thy name FINIS Then entreth the Poete and the rest stand still til he haue done WHan Adam for breakyng Gods commaundement The Poet entreth Had sentence of death and all his posteritie Yet the lorde our God who is omnipotent Had in his owne selfe by his eternall decrée Appointed to restore man and to make him frée He purposed to saue mankynde by his mercie Whome he once had created vnto his glorie Yet not all fleshe did he then predestinate But onely the adopted children of promise For he forknewe that many would degenerate And wylfully giue cause to be put from that blisse So on Gods behalfe no maner default there is But where he chooseth he sheweth his great mercy And where he refuseth he doth none iniury But thus farre surmounteth mans intellection To attaine or conceiue and much more to discusse All must be referred to Gods election And to his secret iudgement it is méete for vs With Paule the Apostle to confesse and say thus Oh the déepnesse of the riches of Gods wisedome How vnsearcheable are his wayes to mans reason Our parte therfore is first to beleue Gods worde Not doubtyng but that he wil his elected saue Then to put full trust in the goodnesse of the Lorde That we be of the number which shall mercy haue Thirdly so to liue as we may his promise craue Thus if we do we shall Abrahams chyldren be And come with Iacob to endlesse felicitie All the rest of the actours aunswer Amen Then foloweth the prayer Isaac NOw vnto God let vs pray for all the whole clergy To geue them grace to auaunte gods honor and glory Rebecca Then for the Quenes maiesty let vs pray Vnto God to kepe her in helth and welth night and day And that of his mere mercy and great benignitie He will defend and maintaine hir estate and dignitie That she béeing gréeued with any outward hostilitie May against her enimies alwaye haue victorie Iacob God saue the Quenes counsailours most noble and true And with all godlinesse their noble heartes endue Esau Lord saue the nobilitie and preserue them all And prosper the Quenes subiects vniuersall Amen Thus endeth this Comedie or Enterlude of Iacob and Esau
of that that ye giue me They may runne light inough for ought of me they got I had not a good meales meate this wéeke that I wot Esau If we haue lucke thys day to kill Hare Teg or Doe Thou shalt eate thy belly full tyll thou cryest hoe Ragau. I thanke you when I haue it mayster Esau Esau Well come on let vs goe nowe seruant Ragau Is there any thing more that I shoulde say or do For perhaps we come not againe this day or two Ragau. I know nothing maister to God I make a vow Except you woulde take your brother Iacob with you I neuer yet sawe hym with you an hunting goe Shall we proue hym once whether he will goe or no Esau No no that were in vaine Alas good simple mome Nay he must tarrie and sucke mothers dugge at home Iacob must kéepe home I trow vnder mothers wing To be from the Tentes he loueth not of all thing Iacob loueth no huntyng in the wylde forest And would feare if he shoulde there sée any wylde beast Yea to sée the game runne Iacob would be in feare Ragau. In good sooth I wene he would think eche Hare a Beare Esau What brother myne what a worde call ye that Ragau. Syr I am scarse waked I spake ere I wyst what Esau Come on your ways my childe take the law of the game I will wake you I trowe and set your tongue in frame Ragau. Oh what haue you done maister Esau Gods apes Esau Why can ye not yet refraine from lettyng such scapes Come on ye must haue thrée iertes for the nonce One Ragau. Oh for Gods loue syr haue done dispatche at once Esau Nay there is no remedy but byde it there is twaine Ragau. O ye rent my cheuerell let me be past my paine Esau Take hede of Hūting termes frō hensforth there is thrée Ragau. Whoup Nowe a mischief on all mopyng fooles for mée Iacob shall kéepe the Tentes tenne yeare for Ragau Ere I moue agayne that he hunt wyth Esau Esau Come on now let vs goe God sende vs game and lucke And if my hande serue me well Ragau. Ye wyll kill a Ducke Exeant ambo Actus primi Scaena secunda Hanan Zethar. two of Isaacs neighbors Hanan AH syr I sée I am an early man thys morne I am once more begylde with Esau his horne But there is no suche stirrer as Esau is He is vp day by day before the Crowe pis Then maketh he with his Horne such tootyng and blowing And with his wyde throate such shouting and hallowing That no neighbour shall in his Tent take any rest From Esau addresseth hym to the Forrest So that he maketh vs whether we will or no Better husbandes than we woulde be abroade to go Eche of vs about our businesse and our warke But whome doe I sée yonder commyng in the darke It is my neyghbor Zethar I perceyue hym nowe Zethar. What neighbour Hanan well met good morow to you I sée well nowe I am not beguiled alone But what boote to lye still for rest we can take none That I meruayle much of olde father Isaac Beyng so godly a man why he is so slacke To bryng hys sonne Esau to a better stay Hanan What shoulde he do in the matter I you pray Zethar. Oh it is no small charge to fathers afore God So to traine their children in youth vnder the rod That when they come to age they may vertue ensue Wicked prankes abhorre and all leudnesse eschue And me thinketh Isaac being a man as he is A chosen man of God shoulde not be slacke in this Hanan Alack good man what should he do more than he hath don I dare say no father hath better taught his sonne Nor no two haue giuen better example of life Vnto their children than bothe he and his wife As by their yonger sonne Iacob it doth appeare He lyueth no looce life he doth God loue and feare He kéepeth here in the Tentes lyke a quiete man He geueth not hymselfe to wildnesse any whan But Esau euermore from his yong childehoode Hath ben lyke to proue yll and neuer to be good Yong it pricketh folkes do say that wyll be a thorne Esau hath ben nought euer since he was borne And wherof commeth this of Education Nay it is of his owne yll inclination They were brought vp bothe vnder one tuition But they be not bothe of one disposition Esau is gyuen to looce and leude liuyng Zethar. In fayth I warrant him haue but shreude thriuing Hanan Neither see I any hope that he will amende Zethar. Then let hym euen looke to come to an yll ende For youth that will folow none but theyr owne bridle That leadeth a dissolute lyfe and an ydle Youth that refuseth holsome documentes Or to take example of theyr godly parentes Youth that is retchelesse and taketh no regarde What become of them selfe nor which ende goe forwarde It is great meruaile and a speciall grace If euer they come to goodnesse all theyr life space But why doe we consume this whole mornyng in talke Of one that hath no recke ne care what way he walke We had bene as good to haue kept our bedde still Hanan Oh it is our parte to lamente them that doe yll Lyke as very Nature a godly heart dothe moue Others good procéedings to tender and to loue So suche as in no wise to goodnesse will be brought What good mā but wil mourn since god vs al hath wrought But ye haue some busynesse and so haue I Zethar. And we haue ben long farewell neighbour heartily Actus primi scaena tertia Rebecca the Mother Iacob the Sonne Rebecca COme forth sonne Iacob why tarriest thou behinde Iacob Forsoth mother I thought ye had sayd al your minde Rebecca Nay come I haue yet a worde or two more to say Iacob What soeuer pleaseth you speake to me ye may Rebecca Seyng thy brother Esau is suche an one Why rebukest thou hym not when ye are alone Why doest thou not gyue him some good sad wyse counsaile Iacob He lacketh not that mother if it woulde auaile But when I doe him any thing of his fault tell He calleth me foolishe proude boy with him to mell He will somtime demaunde by what authoritée I presume to teache them which mine elders bee He will somtime aske if I learne of my mother To take on me teaching of mine elder brother Sometime when I tell hym of his leude behauour He will lende me a mocke or twaine for my labour And somtime for anger he will out with his purse And call me as please hym and sweare he will doe wurse Rebecca Oh Lorde that to beare such a sonne it was my chaunce Iacob Mother we must be content wyth Gods ordinaunce Rebecca Or if I shoulde néedes haue Esau to my soonne Would God thou Iacob haddest the Eldership woonne Iacob Mother it is to late to wishe for that is past It will not be done now wish ye neuer so fast
And I woulde not haue you to wish agaynst Gods wyll For both it is in vaine and also it is yll Rebecca Why did it not please God that thou shouldest as wele Treade vpon his crowne as holde hym fast by the he le Iacob Whatsoeuer mysterie the Lorde therein ment Must be referred to his vnserched iudgement And what soeuer he hath pointed me vnto I am his owne vessell his will with me to do Rebecca Well some straunge thing therin of God intended was Iacob And what he hath decréed must sure come to passe Rebecca I remember when I had you both conceiued A voyce thus saying from the Lorde I receiued Rebecca in thy wombe are now two nations Of vnlike natures and contrary fashions The one shal be a mightier people elect And the elder to the yonger shall be subiect I knowe this voyce came not to me of nothing Therfore thou shalt folow my counsell in o thing Iacob So it be not displeasing to the Lorde I must Rebecca I feare the lorde eke who is mercifull and iust And loth would I be his maiestie to offende But by me I doubt not to worke he doth intende Assay if thou canst at some one tyme or other To buie the right of eldership from thy brother Do thou buye the birthright that to hym doth belong So mayst thou haue the blessing and doe hym no wrong What thou hast once bought is thyne owne of due right Iacob Mother Rebecca if withouten fraude I might I would your aduise put in vre wyth all my hart But I may not attempt any such guilefull part To buie my brothers eldership and hys birthright I feare woulde be a great offence in Gods sight Which thyng if I wist to redéeme I ne wolde Though I might get therby ten millions of golde Rebecca God who by his worde and almightifull decrée Hath appoynted thée Esau his lorde to bée Hath appointed some way to haue it brought about And that is thys way my sprite doth not doute Iacob Vpon your worde mother I will assay ere long Yet it grudgeth my heart to doe my brother wrong Rebecca Thou shalt do no wrong sonne Iacob on my perill Iacob Then by Gods leaue once assay I wil Rebecca Then farewell dere son Gods blessing mine with thée Iacob I will againe to the Tent Well you bée Exeat Iacob Rebecca Ah my swéete sonne Iacob good fortune God thée sende The most gentle yong man aliue as God me mende And the moste naturall to father and mother O that such a meke spirite were in thy brother Or thy syre loued thée as thou hast merited And then should Esau soone be disherited Actus primi Scaena quarta Isaac the husbande Rebecca the wife Mido the ladde that leadeth blinde Isaac Isaac WHere art thou my boy Mido when I doe thée lacke Mido. Who calleth Mido here good maister Isaac Isaac Come leade me forth of doores a little I thée pray Mido. Lay your hande on my shoulder and come on this way Rebecca Now O Lorde of heauen the fountaine of all grate If it be thy good will that my will shall take place Sende successe to Iacob according to thy worde That his elder brother may serue hym as his lorde Mido. Syr whyther would ye goe now that abroade ye be Isaac To myfe Rebecca Mido. Yonder I doe hir sée Rebecca Lorde thou knowest Iacob to be thy seruant true And Esau all frowarde thy wayes to ensue Mido. Yonder she is speaking what euer she doth say By holdyng vp hir handes it séemeth she doth pray Isaac Where be ye wife Rebecca where be ye woman Rebecc Who is that calleth Isaac my good man Isaac a. Where be ye wyfe Rebecca lette me vnderstande Mido. She commeth to you apace Rebecca Here my lorde at hande Isaac Sauing that what so euer God doth is all right No small griefe it were for a man to lacke his sight But what the Lord doth sende or worke by his high will Rebecca Can not but be the best no such thing can be yll Isaac All bodily punishement or infirmitie With all mannes of nature what euer they be Yea and all other affliction temporall As losse persecution or troubles mortall Are nothing but a triall or probation And what is he that firmely trusteth in the Lorde Or stedfastly beleueth his promise and worde And knoweth him to be the God omnipotent That féedeth and gouerneth all that he hath sent Protecting his faithfull in euery degrée And them to relieue in all their necessitie What creature I say that doth this vnderstande Will not take all thing in good parte at Gods hande Shall we at Gods hand receyue prosperitie And not be content likewise with aduersitie We ought to be thankefull what euer God doth sende And our selues wholy to his will to commende Rebecca So should it be and I thanke my lorde Isaac Suche dayly lessons at your hande I doe not lack Isaac Why then should not I thanke the Lorde if it please him That I shall nowe be blynde and my sight waxe all dim For who so to olde age will here liue and endure Must of force abide all suche defautes of nature Mido. Why must I be blinde too if I be an olde man How shall I grope the way or who shall leade me than Isaac If the Lorde haue pointed thée such olde dayes to sée He wil also prouide that shall be méete for thée Mido. I trowe if I were blinde I coulde goe well inowe I coulde grope the way thus and goe as I do nowe I haue done so ere now both by day and by night As I see you grope the way and haue hitte it right Rebecca Yea syr boy will ye play any suche childishe knack As to counterfaite your blinde maister Isaac That is but to mocke him for his impediment Mido. Nay I neuer dyd it in any suche intent Rebecca Nay it is to tempt God before thou haue néede Wherby thou mayst prouoke hym in very déede With some great misfortune or plague to punish thée Mido. Then will I neuer more do so while I may see But against I be blinde I will be so perfight That though no man leade me I will go at midnight Isaac Nowe wife touching the purpose that I sought for you Rebecca What sayth my lorde Isaac to his handemayde now Isaac Ye haue ofte in couerte wordes ben right earnest To haue me graunt vnto you a boune and request But ye neuer tolde me yet plainly what it was Therfore I haue euer yet lette the matter passe And now of late by ofte being from me absent I haue halfe suspected you to be scarce content But wife Rebecca I woulde not haue you to mourne As though I did your honest petition wourne For I neuer ment to denie in all my life Any lawfull or honest request to my wyfe But in case it be a thing vnreasonable Then must I néedes be to you vntractable Now therfore say on and tell me what is your case Rebecca I
woulde if I were sure in your heart to fynde grace Else syr I woulde be lothe Isaac To speake do not refraine And if it be reasonable ye shall obtaine Otherwise ye must pardon me gentle swéete wife Rebecca Sir ye knowe your sonne Esau and sée his life Howe looce it is and howe stiffe he is and stubborne Howe retchelesly he doth him selfe misgouerne He geueth himselfe to hunting out of reason And serueth the Lorde and vs at no time or season These conditions can not be acceptable In the syght of God nor to men allowable Nowe his brother Iacob your yonger sonne and mine Dothe more applie his heart to séeke the wayes diuine He liueth here quietly at home in the Tent There is no man nor childe but is with him content Isaac Oh wife I perceiue ye speake of affection To Iacob ye beare loue and to his brother none Rebecca I déede syr I can not loue Esau so well As I doe Iacob the plaine truth to you to tell For I haue no comforte of Esau God wot I scarse know where I haue a sonne of hym or not He goeth abroade so early before day light And returneth home againe so late in the night And vneth I sette eye on hym in the whole weeke No sometime not in twaine though I doe for hym séeke And all the neighbours sée him as seldome as I But when they would take rest they heare hym blow cry Some sée him so seldome they aske if he be sicke Somtimes some demaunde whether he be dead or quicke But to make short tale such his conditions be That I wishe of God he had nere bene borne of me Isaac Well wyfe I loue Esau and must for causes twaine Rebecca Surely your loue is bestowed on him in vayne Isaac Fyrst actiue he is as any yong man can be And many a good morsell he bringeth home to me Then he is myne eldest and first begotten sonne Rebecca If God were so pleased I woulde that were fordonne Isaac And the eldest sonne is called the fathers might Rebecca If yours rest in Esau God giue vs good night Isaac A prerogatiue he hath in euery thing Rebecca More pitie he shoulde haue it without deseruing Isaac Of all the goodes his porcion is greater Rebecca That the worthy should haue it I thinke much better Isaac Emong his bretherne he hath the preeminence Rebecca Where Esau is chiefe there is a gay presence Isaac Ouer his bretherne he is soueraigne and lorde Rebecca Such dignitie in Esau doth yll accorde Isaac He is the head of the fathers succession Rebecca I woulde Esau had loste that possession Isaac And he hath the chiefe title of inheritaunce Rebecca Wisedome woulde in Esau chaunge that ordinaunce Isaac To the eldest sonne is due the fathers blessing Rebecca That should be Iacobs if I might haue my wishing Isaac And the chiefe endowement of the fathers substance Rebecca Which will thriue well in Esau his gouernance Isaac By title of Eldership he hath his birthright Rebecca And that would I remoue to Iacob if I might Isaac He must haue double porcion to an other Rebecca That were more fitte for Iacob hys yonger brother Isaac In all maner of things diuided by a rate Rebecca Well gyuen goodes to him that the Lorde doth hate Isaac Why say ye so of Esau mine eldest sonne Rebecca I say true if he procéede as he hath begonne Isaac Is he not your sonne too as well as he is myne Wherfore do ye then against him thus sore repine Rebecca Bicause that in my spirite verily I know God will set vp Iacob and Esau downe throwe I haue shewed you many a tyme ere this day What the Lorde of them beyng in my wombe dyd say I vse not for to lye And I beleue certaine That the Lorde spake not these wordes to me in vaine And Iacob it is I know in whome the Lorde will His promises to you made and to your seede fulfyll Isaac I doubt not his promise made to me and my seede Leauing to his conueyaunce howe it shall procéede The Lorde after his way chaunge th inheritance But I may not wetingly breake our ordinance Rebecca Nowe woulde God I coulde persuade my lorde Isaac Iacob to preferre and Esau to put backe Isaac I may not do it wife I pray you be content The title of birthright that commeth by descent Or the place of eldershyp comming by due course I may not chaunge nor shift for better nor for wourse Natures lawe it is the eldest sonne to knowlage And in no wise to barre hym of his heritage And ye shall of Esau one day haue comforte Rebecca Set a good long day then or else we shal come short Isaac I warrant you he will doe well inough at length Rebecca You must nedes cōmend him being your might strēgth Isaac Well nowe go we hence little Mido where art thou Mido. I haue stoode here all thys while listning howe you And my Dame Rebecca haue bene laying the lawe But she hath as quicke answeres as euer I sawe Ye coulde not speake any thing vnto hir so thicke But she had hir answere as ready and as quicke Isaac Yea womens answeres are but fewe times to séeke Mido. But I did not sée Esau neither all this same wéeke Nor I do loue your sonne Esau so well As I do loue your sonne Iacob by a great deale Isaac No doest thou Mido and tell me the cause why Mido. Why for I doe not And none other cause knowe I But euery body as well one as other Doe wish that Iacob had bene the elder brother Isaac Well come on let vs goe Mido. And who shall leade you I Rebecca No it is my office as long as I am by And I woulde all wiues as the worlde this day is Woulde vnto their husbandes likewise do their office Mido. Why dame Rebecca then al wedded men shold be blind Rebecca What thou foolish ladde no such thing was in my minde Actus secundi scaena prima Ragau the Seruant of Esau Ragau. I Haue hearde it ofte but nowe I féele a wonder In what grieuous paine they die that die for hunger Oh my gréedie stomacke howe it doth bite and gnawe If I were at a racke I could eate hey or strawe Mine emptie gutts doe frette my mawe doth euen teare Woulde God I had a piece of some horsebread here Yet is maister Esau in worse case than I If he haue not some meate the sooner he will die He hath sonke for faintnesse twice or thrice by the way And not one siely bitte we got since yesterday All that euer he hath he woulde haue giuen to day To haue had but thrée morsels his hunger to allay Or in the fielde to haue mette with some hoggs I coulde scarsely kepe him from eating of these doggs He hath sent me afore some meate for to prouide And commeth créeping after scarse able to stride But if I knowe where to get of any man For to ease
worlde is now metely well amended in déede By my truth if I had bidden from meate any longer I thinke my very mawe would haue frette asonder Then had I bene dead and gone I make God a vowe Ragau. Surely then the world had had a great losse of you For where should we haue had your felow in your place Esau What shold I haue done with my birthright in this case Ragau. Kept it still and ye had not bene a very asse Esau But the best pottage it was yet that euer was It were sinne not to sell ones soule for such geare Ragau. Ye haue done no lesse in my conscience I feare Esau Who is this that standeth clattering at my backe Ragau. A poore man of yours sir that doth his dinner lacke Esau Dinner whoreson knaue dinner at this time a day Nothing with thée but dinner and mounching alway Why thou whoreson villain slaue who is hungry now Ragau. In dede syr as séemeth by your wordes not you Esau A man were better fyll the bellies of some twelfe Than to fill the gutte of one such whoreson elfe That doth none other good but eate and drink and slepe Ragau. He shall do some thing els whom ye shall haue to kepe Esau And that maketh thée so slouthfull and so lyther I dare saie he was sixe houres comming hither When I sent him to make prouision afore Not passing a myle hence or very litle more And yet being so farre past the houre of dining Sée and the knaue be not for his dinner whining Fast a while fast with a mischiefe gréedy slaue Must I prouide meate for euery glutton knaue Ragau. I may fast for any meate that of you I haue Esau Or deserue thy dinner before thou do it craue Ragau. If I haue not deserued it at this season I shall neuer deserue it in mine owne reason Ye promised I should eate tyll I cried hoe Esau Yea that was if we toke either hare tegge or Doe Ragau. But when your selfe were hungry ye said I wot what Esau What thou villaine slaue tellest thou me now of that Ragau. Then helpe runne apace Ragau my good seruant Esau Yea then was then now is it otherwise auaunt Haue I nothing to do but prouide meate for you Ragau. Ye might haue geuē me som part when ye had ynough Esau What of the red rice pottage with Iacob I had Why the crow would not geue it hir bird thou art mad Is that meate for you nay it would make you to ranke Nay soft brother mine I must kepe you more lanke It hath made me euen since so lusty and freshe As though I had eaten all delicates of fleshe I fele no maner faintnesse wherof to complaine Ragau. Yet to morow ye must be as hungry againe Then must ye and will ye wishe againe for good chere And repent you that euerye bought this so dere Esau Repent me wherefore then the Lorde geue me sorow If it were to do I would do it to morow For thou foolish knaue what hath Iacob of me bought Ragau. But a matter of a strawe and a thing of nought Esau My birthright and whole title of mine eldership Mary sir I pray God much good do it his maship If I die to morow what good would it do me If he die to morow what benefite hath he And for a thing hanging on suche casualtie Better a mease of pottage than nothing pardy If my father liue long when should I it enioye If my father die soone then is it but a toye For if the time were come thinkest thou that Iacob Should finde Esau such a loute or such a lob To suffer him to enioy my birthright in rest Nay I wil fyrst tosse him and trounce him of the beste I thinke to finde it a matter of conscience And Iacob first to haue a fart syr reuerence When my father Isaac shall the matter know He will not let Iacob haue my birthright I trow Or if he should kepe it as his owne I pray you Might not I liue without it and doo wel ynow Do none but mennes eldest sonnes prosper well How liue yonger brethren then I beseche you tell Once if any thing be by the sword to be got This falchion and I will haue part to our lot But now come on go we abroade a while and walke Let my birthright go and of other matters talke Ragau. Who I walke nay I trow not til I haue better dinde It is more time to séeke where I may some meate finde Esau What saist thou drawlatch come forth with a mischéef Wilt thou not go with me on forward whoreson théef Shall it be as pleaseth you or as pleaseth me Ragau. Nay as pleaseth you syr me thinke it must be Esau And where be my dogs and my hound be they all wel Ragau. Better than your man for they be in their kenell Esau Then go sée all be well in my parte of the tent Ragau. With a right good will syr I go incontinent Esau And I will to my fielde the which I clensed last To sée what hope there is that it will yelde fruite faste Actus secundi scaena quarta Iacob Mido. Rebecca Abra the handmayde Iacob THou knowest litle Mido where my mother is Mido. I can go to hir as streight as a threde and not misse Iacob Go cal hir and come againe with her thine owne selfe Mido. Yes ye shall sée me scudde like a litle elfe Iacob Where I haue by the enticement of my mother Bargained and boughte the birthrighte of my brother Tourne it all to good O Lorde if it be thy wyll Thou knowest my heart Lord I did it for no ill And what euer shall please thée to worke or to do Thou shalt finde me prest and obedient therto But here is my mother Rebecca now in place Mido. How say you master Iacob ranne not I apace Iacob Yes and a good sonne to go quicke on your errand Rebecca Sonne how goeth the matter let me vnderstand Iacob Forsooth mother I did so as ye me bade Esau to sell me all his birthright persuade Rebecca Hast thou bought it in dede and he therwith content Iacob Yea and haue his promise that he will neuer repent Rebecca Is the bargaine through hast thou paid him his price Iacob Yea that I haue a mease of red pottage of rice And he eaten vp euery whit well I wotte Mido. When he had supte vp all I sawe him licke the potte Thus he licked and thus he licked and this way I thought to haue lickt the potte my selfe once to day But Esau beguilde me I shrewe him for that And left not so muche as a licke for pusse our catte Rebecca Sonne Iacob forasmuche as thou hast so well sped With an himne or psalme let the Lord be praised Sing we all together and geue thankes to the Lord Whose promise and performaunce do so wel accord Mido. Shal we sing the same himne that al our house doth sing For Abraham and his
he ought When they come to age their proofe will be nought For yong doth it pricke that will be a thorne If a childe haue bene giuen to any vice Except he be guided by such as be wyse He will therof all his lyfe haue a spice For yong doth it pricke that will be thorne It hath bene a prouerbe c. Abra. Now haue I done and as it should be for the nonce My swéeping and my song are ended both at once Now but for fetting mine herbes I might go play Deborra nurse Deborra a worde I you pray Deborra What is the matter who calleth me Deborra Abra. Forsoth gentle nourse euen I litle Abra I pray you swéete Deborra take in this same brome And looke well to all thing till I returne home I must to the gardine as fast as I can trotte As I was commaunded to fet hearbes for the potte But in the meane time I pray you nourse looke about And sée well to the fyre that it go not out I will aumble so fast that I will soone be there And here again I trow ere an horse licke his eare Deborra There is not a pretier gyrle within this mile Than this Abra will be within this litle while As true as any stele ye may trust her with gold Though it were a bushell and not a peny tolde As quicke about her worke that must be quickly spead As any wenche in twenty mile about her head As fine a péece it is as I knowe but a few Yet perchaunce her husbande of her maye haue a shrewe Cat after kinde saith the prouerbe swete milke wil lap If the mother be a shrew the daughter can not scape Once our marke she hath I maruell if she slippe For hir nose is growing aboue hir ouer lippe But it is time that I into the tent be gone Lest she come and chide me she will come now anone Actus quarti scaena quinta Abra. Abra. HOw say ye haue not I dispatched me quickely A straw for that wenche that doth not somwhat likely I haue brought here good herbes of them plenty To make both broth and farcing and that full deinty I trust to make such broth that when all things are in God almighty selfe may wet his finger therein Here is time and percelie spinache and rosemary Endiue suckorie lacteux violette clary Liuer worte marigolde sorell hartes tong and sage Peniryal purselane buglosse and borage With many very good herbes mo than I do name But to tary here thus long I am muche to blame For if Iacob should come I not in readinesse I must of couenaunt be shent of our maistresse And I would not for twenty pounde I tell ye That any pointe of default should be found in me Actus quarti scaena sexta Rebecca Mido. Iacob Rebecca I Come to sée if Iacob do not returne yet I can not maruell enough what should be his let And greatly wonder he is away thus long I feare much of his absence lest som thing be wrong As well as hearte can wishe all thing is ready here And now to me eche moment semeth a whole yere But hearke me thinketh I here a yong kidde blée It is so in déede I sée Iacob well is mée Mido. Hearke maister Iacob hearde ye euer kidde blea so I wene she knoweth afore hande wherto she shall go Iacob I would not my father Isaac should heare Mido. Nay she will scarsly be stil when she is dead I do feare Iacob But loe I sée my mother stande before the tent Rebecca O Lord me thinketh long sonne Iacob since thou went Iacob And me thinketh mother we haue hyed vs well Mido. I haue made many féete to folowe I can tell Rebecca Geue me thy kidde my sonne and nowe leat me alone Bring thou in thine Mido and sée thou bée a stone Mido. A stone howe shoulde that be maistresse I am a lad And a boy aliue as good as ere ye had And nowe in bringyng home this kyd I haue I trow Tried my selfe a man and a preatie fellow Rebecca I ment thou shouldest nothing saye Mido. One warning is enough ye bad vs so last day Rebecca Well let me go in and venison hereof make Iacob And hearest thou Mido sée that good hede thou take In any wise to come in my fathers sight Mido. Why he séeth no better at noone than at midnight Is he not blinde long since and dooth his eyes lacke Therfore go in dame I beare an heauy packe Rebecca I leaue you here Iacob and hartely you pray That when néede shall require you be not farre away Iacob I shall be ready mother when so ere you call Actus quarti scaena septima Iacob Mido. Iacob O How happy is that same daughter or that sonne Whome the parentes loue with harty affection And among all others howe fortunate am I Whome my mother Rebecca tendreth so greatly If it lay in her to do any good ye sée She would do her earnest deuoire to preferre me But as for this matter which she doth now intende Without thy aide O Lorde howe should it come to ende Neuerthelesse forasmuche as my said mother Worketh vpon thy worde O Lorde and none other It shall become me to shewe mine obedience And to thy promise O Lorde to giue due credence For what is so possible to mans iudgement Which thou canst not with a beck performe incontinent Therfore thy will O Lord be done for euermore Mido. Oh Iacob I was neuer so afearde afore Iacob Why what newe thing is chaunced Mido I pray thée Mido. Old Isaac your father hearde your yong kidde blea He asked what it was and I said a kidde Who brought it from the folde I said you did For what purpose forsoth syr saide I There is some matter that Iacob would remedy And where hast thou ben so long litle Mido quod he That all this whole houre thou wert not once with me Forsooth quod I when I went from you last of all You bade me be no more but be ready at your call Iacob But of the kiddes bleayng he did speake no more Mido. No but and if he had called me afore I must haue told him al or els I must haue made a lye Which woulde not haue bene a good boyes part truely But I will to him and no longer here remaine Lest he should happen to call for Mido againe Actus quarti scaena octaua Iacob Rebecca Deborra Iacob I Were best also to get me into the tent That if my mother néede me I may be present But I sée hir come forth and nourse Deborra also And bring geare with them what so ere it shall do Rebecca Where is my sonne Iacob I do him now espie Come apace Deborra I pray thée let vs hye That all thing were dispatched somwhat to my minde Deborra It is happy that Iacob ready here ye finde Iacob Mother what haue ye brought what things are those Rebecca Geare that I haue prepared to serue our purpose And
bicause that Esau is so rough with heare I haue brought sleues of kid next to thy skin to weare They be made glouelike and for eche finger a stall So that thy fathers féeling soone beguile they shall Then haue I brought a coller of roughe kiddes heare Fast vnto the skinne round about thy necke to weare Here she doth the sleues vpon Iacobs armes Come let me do it on and if Isaac féele He shall therwyth be beguiled wondrous wele Iacob And what shall this geare do that ye haue brought Rebecca It shall serue anon I warraunt you take no thought Now throughly to rauishe thy father Isaac Thou shalt here incontinent put vpon thy backe Esau his best apparell whose fragraunt flauour Shall coniure Isaac to beare thée his fauour Deborra Mary sir now is maister Iacob trimme in déede That is all triksie and gallaunt so God me spéede Now I sée apparell setteth out a man Doth it become Esau so nay beshrewe me then Rebecca Ye may now go in nourse and leaue lookyng on him Deborra I go mary sir Iacob is now gay and trim Iacob No forsoth mother this raiment liketh not me Iacob standeth looking on himselfe I could with mine owne geare better contented be And but for satisfying of your minde and will I would not weare it to haue it for mine owne still I loue not to weare an other birdes feathers Mine owne poore homely geare will serue for all wethers Rebecca Well content thy selfe and folow my minde this day Now the meate by this time is ready I dare say Before that with to much enough it be all spilt Take thy time and assaile thy father when thou wilt Iacob Yea but haue ye prouided mother I you pray That no body within may your counsaille bewray Rebecca I warrant the matter all safe from vttering I haue stopped all mouthes for once muttering Therfore whyle the tyme serueth I thée warne To slacke when all thinges are ready may do harme Iacob Goe before I folow but my chekes will blushe red To be sene among our folke thus apparailed Actus quarti scaena nona Isaac Mido. Iacob Isaac COme Mido for without thée I can nothing do Mido. What is it syr that ye would haue my helpe vnto Isaac Nothing but to sitte abrode and take th' open aire Mido. That shal be well done the weather is very faire Isaac Praised be the God of my father Abraham Who sendeth all thing nedefull for the vse of man And most tenderly prouideth he for me Isaac Better than I can féele or perceiue what I lacke Iacob Where is my most dere father as I would haue it Taking the open ayre here I sée him sitte O my most déere father Isaac well thou be Isaac Here I am my swéete sonne and who art thou tell me Iacob Dere father I am Esau thine eldest sonne According as thou baddest me so haue I done Come in dere father and eate of my venison That thy soule may geue vnto me thy benison Isaac But how hast thou sped so soone let me vnderstande Iacob The Lorde thy God at the first brought it to my hande Isaac And art thou Esau mine elder sonne in déede Iacob To aske that question father what dooth it néede Isaac Come nere that I may féele whether thou be he or not For Esau is rough of heare as any goate Let me féele thy hande right Esau by the heare And yet the voice of Iacob sowneth in mine eare God blesse thée my sonne and so will I do anone As soone as I haue tasted of thy venison Come on leade me in I will eate a pittance A litle thing God wotte to me is suffisance Mido. I may now go play Iacob leadeth Isaac But I neuer saw such a prety knacke How Iacob beguiled his father how slightly Now I sée it true the blinde eate many a flye I quaked once for feare lest Iacob would be caught But as happe was he had his lesson well taught But what will Esau say when he commeth home Choose him but for me to go in it is wisedome Actus quarti scaena decima Rebecca Abra. Rebecca NOw I beseche the Lorde prosper Iacob my sonne In our hardy enterprise which we haue begonne Isaac is eating such meate as he doth loue Which thing to blesse Iacob I dout not will him moue If he obteyne the blessing as I trust he shall Then shall my soule geue to God laude perpetuall But I will in to harken how the thing doth frame Mido. Come in dame Rebecca Rebecca Who is it that doth me name Abra. My maister Isaac is comming foorth streight way Rebecca He shall not finde me here in no wise if I may Actus quarti scaena vndecima Isaac Iacob Isaac SEt me down on the bench where thou didst me first find Now forsooth I haue eate meate euen to my minde It hath refreshed my soule wonderfully well Nor neuer dranke I better wine that I can tell Iacob If it were to your liking I am very glad It was the best meat and wine that euer I had Come kysse me sonne Esau with the kysse of peace Iacob kisseth Isaac and thē kneleth down to haue his blessing That my loue towardes thée may the more increace I blesse thée here for euer my sonne in this place The Lorde my God of might endue thée with his grace What swete flauour my sonnes raiment dooth yelde Euen the fragrant smell that commeth from a fielde Which the Lord hath blessed and the same lord blesse thée With the dewe of heauen the Lorde thy ground encrease That the fatnesse of the earth may neuer cease The Lorde send thée abundaunce of corne and wine And prosper continually all thing that is thine The Lord make great people seruants vnto thée And nations to do homage and fealty And here to succede my place mine heyre I thée make Of all things that I haue possession to take Lord and ruler be thou ouer thy brethern all And bowe to thée as head thy mothers children shall Cursed be that man that shall thée curse or missay And who that blesseth thée blessed be he for aye Thus here haue I made my last will and testament Which the Lord God ratifie neuer to repent Serue the Lord our God and then well shalt thou spéede And he shall kepe promise to multiply thy séede My day draweth on for olde and féeble I am When I dye put me to my father Abraham Now kisse me once again my sonne and then depart And enter vpon all wherof now Lorde thou art Iacob The Lord God reward your fatherly tendernesse Which ye haue here shewed me of your mere goodnesse Isaac Go in peace my dere sonne leauing me here alone And send litle Mido to leade me in anone Exeat Iacob Lord God when thou shalt sée time as thou thinkest best Dissolue this féeble carkesse and take me to thy reste Mido. How do ye maister Isaac I am here now For my maister Iacob did bid me
come to you Isaac Nay boye it was not Iacob I dare well say so Mido. Forsooth it was Iacob if my name be Mido Isaac If that be a true tale some body is come slacke But lord that I haue done I will not now call backe But yet I will go sée if I be deceiued For in déede me thought Iacobs voyce I perceiued Actus quarti scaena duodecima Rebecca Rebecca O Lorde the God of Isaac and Abraham Then she speaketh kneeling and holding vp her handes I render thanks to thée though a sinfull woman Bicause of thy worde and promise true arte thou In sending Iacob the blessing of Esau And for thus regarding a sinner as I am I eftsoones thanke thée O Lorde God of Abraham Thy mercy and wysedome shall I sing euermore And magnifie thy name for Gods there is no more But I will to my husbande Isaac and sée That for this matter he take no gréefe at me Actus quinti scaena prima Ragau NAy now at last we haue well sped I warrant you Ragau bringeth venison at his backe Good lucke is not euermore against Esau He coursed and coursed again with his dogges here But they could at no time take either hare or dere At last he killed this with his bowe as God wold And to say that it is fatte venison be bolde But dressed it must be at once in all the haste That olde father Isaac may haue his repast Then without delay Esau shall blessed be Then faith cock on houpe al is ours then who but he But I must in that it may be drest in time likely And I trow ye shall sée it made ready quickly Actus quinti scaena secunda Mido. Mido. NAy now olde maister Isaac I warrant you Hath blessed Iacob in the place of Esau At home here with vs it is iudged no small change But a case wonderfull and also very strange The yonger brother is made elder and againe The elder must nowe serue the yonger as his swayne And from hensforth we must all make curtesie and bow Vnto maister Iacob and not to Esau now And Esau him selfe must vnder Iacob bée At his commaundement euen as well as we But I care not I warrant you for our householde Loue Iacob better than Esau twenty folde None loueth Esau but for his fathers sake But all good folkes are glad Iacobs parte to take And now by Esau no man wyll sette a pinne But yonder he commeth nowe I will gette me in Actus quinti scaena tertia Esau Esau I Trow I haue now wonne my spurres for euer For once better venison killed I neuer And though it wer somwhat longer I coulde it take Yet the goodnesse therof dooth some recompence make My father Isaac shall therof haue suche meate As in all his life he hath not the better eate Whervpon I doubt not after tender kyssing To be streight endowed with his godly blyssing As his full and true heire in his place to succéede And t' enioye the promise that God made to his séede And when I am once in my place of succession And haue all maner thinges in full possession I shall wring all loutes and make them stoupe I trowe I shall make the slaues couche as lowe as dog to bow I shall ruffle among them of an other sort Than Isaac hath done and with an other port But nowe will I go sée what hast within they make That part of my hunting my olde father may take Actus quarti scaena quarta Isaac Mido. Esau Isaac MIdo come Mido where art thou litle Mido Mido. Here redy maister Isaac what shall I do Isaac Come leade me to mine old place that I may sit doune Mido. That can I as well as any boy in this towne Isaac O Lorde my God how déepe and vnsercheable Are all thy iudgements and how immutable Of thy iustice whom it pleaseth thée thou doest reiect Of thy mercy whome pleaseth thée thou doest electe In my two sonnes O Lord thou hast wrought thy will And as thy pleasure hath wrought so shall it stand still Sence thou hast set Iacob in Esau his place I committe him to the gouernaunce of thy grace Esau Now where is Isaac that he may come and eate Lo where he is sitting abroade vpon his seate Deare father Isaac the Lord thy God thée saue Isaac Who art thou my son what thing woldest thou haue Esau I am your eldest sonne Esau by my name Newe come home from hunting where I had ioyly game I haue made meate therof for your owne appetite Meate for your owne tooth wherin ye will much delite Come eate your part dere father that when ye haue don Your soule may blesse me as your heire and eldest son Isaac Ah Esau Esau thou commest to late An other to thy blessing was predestinate And cleane gone it is from thée Esau Esau Alas Then am I the vnhappiest that euer was I would the saluage beastes had my body torne Isaac The blessing that thou sholdest haue had an other hath Esau Alas what wretched villaine hath done me such scath Isaac Thy brother Iacob came to me by subtlety And brought me venison and so preuented thée I eate with him ere thou camst and with my good will Blessed him I haue and blessed he shall be still Esau Ah Iacob Iacob well may he be called so For he hath vndermined me times two For first mine heritage he toke away me fro And sée now hath he awaye my blessing also Ah father father though Iacob hath done this thing Yet let me Esau also haue thy blessing Shall all my good huntings for thée be in vaine Isaac That is done and past can not be called againe Mine act must now stand in force of necessitie Esau And hast thou neuer a blessing then left for me Isaac Behold I haue made thy brother Iacob thy Lord Esau A most poinant sworde vnto my heart is that word Isaac All his mothers children his seruantes haue I made Esau That worde is to me sharper than a rasers blade Isaac I haue also stablished him with wine and corne Esau Wo be the day and houre that euer I was borne Isaac What am I able to do for thée my sonne Esau Ah Iacob Iacob that thou hast me thus vndone Oh vnhappy happe oh misfortune well away That euer I should liue to sée this wofull day But hast thou one blissing and no mo my father Let me also haue some blessing good swéete father Isaac Well nature pricketh me some remorse on thée to haue Behold thy dwelling place the earthes fatnesse shal haue And the dew of heauen whiche doune from aboue shall fall And with dinte of sworde thy liuing get thou shall And to thy brother Iacob thou shalt be seruant Esau Oh to my yonger brother must I be seruant Oh that euer a man should be so oppressed Isaac Thine owne fault it is that thou art dispossessed Esau Father chaunge that piece of thy sentence iudgement Isaac Things done can