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
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
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
not be vndone therfore be content Let me be in quiet and trouble me no more Come Mido in goddes name leade me in at the dore Esau Oh woulde not this chafe a man and fret his guts out To liue as an vnderling vnder such a loute Ah hypocrite ah hedgecréeper ah sembling wretche I will be euen with thée for this subtill fetche O God of Abraham what reason is herein That to slea ones enimy it should be made sinne Were not one as good his part of heauen forgoe As not to be reuenged on his deadly foe God was angry with Cain for killing Abell Els might I kill Iacob meruellously well I may fortune one day him to dispatche and ridde The Lord will not see all things some thing may be hid But as for these misers within my fathers tent Which to the supplanting of me put their consent Not one but I shal coyle them till they stinke for pain And then for their stinking coyle them of freshe again I will take no daies but while the matter is hotte Not one of them shall scape but they shall to the potte Actus quinti scaena quinta Ragau WHere are we now become marie syr here is araye With Esau my maister this is a blacke daye I told you Esau one day woulde shite a ragge Haue not we well hunted of blessing to come lagge Nay I thought euer it would come to suche a passe Since he solde his heritage like a very asse But in faith some of them I dare ieopard a grote If he may reache them will haue on the peticote Actus quinti scaena sexta Esau Ragau Abra. Mido. Esau COme out whores theues come out come out I say Ragau. I told you did I not that there would be a fray Esau Come out litle whoreson ape come out of thy denne Mido. Take my lyfe for a peny whether shall I renne Esau Come out thou litle fende come out thou skittish Gill Abra. Out alas alas Esau will vs all kill Esau And come out thou mother Mab out olde rotten witche As white as midnightes arsehole or virgin pitche Where be ye come together in a cluster Ragau. In faith and these thrée wil make a noble muster Esau Ere ye escape my fingers ye shall all be tought For these be they which haue all this against me wrought Mido. I wrought not a stroke this day but led Isaac If I wrought one stroke to day lay me on the iacke Esau Hence then get thée in and do against me no more Mido. I care as muche for you now as I did before Esau What sayest thou litle théefe if I may thée catche Mido. Ye shall runne apace then I wene so God me snatche Ragau. Now to go Mido or thou art caught in a trippe Esau Nay for his sake Abra ye shall drinke of the whippe Abra. Nay for Gods loue good swéete maister Esau Hurt not me for Mido speake for me Ragau Ragau. Sir spare litle Abra she hath done none euill Esau A litle fiende it is and will be a right deuill And she is one of them that loue not me a deale Abra. If ye let me go I will loue you very wele Esau· And neuer any more ado against me make Abra. Ragau shal be surety Ragau. Sir I vndertake Esau Then hence out of my sight at once and get thée in Abra. Adew I set not a strawe by you nor a pinne Esau What saiest thou thou Tib once ye shal haue a rappe Ragau. The best ende of suretiship is to get a clappe Esau Now come on thou olde heg what shal I say to thée Deborra Say what ye lust so ye do not touche me Esau Yes and make powder of thée for I dare say thou Hast bene the cause of all this feast to Esau Deborra No it was Iacobs feast that I did helpe to dresse Esau Nay I thought such a witche would do such businesse Rebecca But by my truth if I should dye incontinent I knew not of the purpose wherfore it was ment Esau But wilt thou tell me truth if I do forgeue thée Deborra Yea if I can maister Esau beleue me Esau Is it true that when I and my brother were first borne And I by Gods ordinaunce came forth him beforne Iacob came forthwith holding me fast by the he le Deborra It is true I was there and saw it very wele Esau Is it true well Iacob I pray God I be dead But for my heles sake I will haue thée by the head What diuel was in me that I had not the grace With kicking backe my he le to marre his mopishe face But my father Isaac will not long liue nowe If he were gone Iacob I would soone méete with you For my soule hateth Iacob euen to the death And I will nere but hate him while I shall haue breath I may well dissemble vntill I sée a day But trust me Iacob I will pay thée when I may This he speaketh to Deborra But if euer I heare that thou speake worde of this I shall cut out thy tongue I will not mysse But come on Ragau with me so mote I thriue I will get a good sworde for therby must I liue Ragau. Liue quod you we are like to liue God knoweth how Esau· What ye saucie merchaunt are ye a prater now Actus quinti scaena septima Deborra Rebecca Deborra I Am glad that Esau is now gone certes For an euill disposed man he is doutlesse Yet am I no gladder of his departure hence Than I am that Rebecca is come in presence Rebecca Deborra what doost thou tarying here so long I came full ill afeard least some thing had ben wrong For Mido and Abra tolde me of Esau Deborra In dede here he was and departed hence but nowe And one thing I tell you dame let Iacob beware For Esau to mischiefe Iacob dothe prepare Rebecca Call Iacob hyther that I may shew him my minde Sende him hyther quickly and tary ye behinde That he geue place awhyle it is expedient And howe he may be sure I wyll the way inuent Actus quinti scaena octaua Iacob Rebecca Iacob MOther Rebecca did ye sende for me hyther Rebecca Yea and the cause is this thou must go somwhither To hyde thée from thy brother Esau a space Iacob In dede to mens malice we must somtime geue place Rebecca He lieth in awayte to slea thée if he can Thou shalt therfore by my rede flée hence to Haran And lye with my brother Laban a man aged Tyll Esaus wrath be somwhat asswaged When all thinges are forgotten and his fury past I shall sende for thée again in all goodly haste Iacob Yea but howe wyll my father herewith be content Rebecca Thou shalt sée me wynne hym thereto incontinent And here he commeth happily Iacob heare me Make a signe to Mido that he do not name thée Then gette thée in priuely tyl I do thée call Iacob As ye commaunde me mother Rebecca I shall Actus
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