User:RHaworth/mystery/src/The Flight into Egypt

[UNFINISHED] Angel Awake, Joseph, and take intent! {1 Thou rise, and sleep no more! {2 If thou will save thyself unshent {3 Fail not fast to fare. {4 I am an angel to thee sent, {5 That thou shall harm prevent, {6 And catch thee out of care. {7 If thou dost not to leave assent, {8 For loss thou shall'st lament, {9 And rue it wonder sore. {10

Joseph Ah! Mighty God, {11 What can this voice have meant, {12 So sweet of tone? {13

Angel Lo, Joseph, it is I, {14 An angel sent to thee. {15

Joseph Wey! Lord, I pray thee why? {16 What is thy will with me? {17

Angel Hence hastily thee hie, {18 And take with thee Mary, {19 Also her child so free; {20 For Herod does to die {21 All boy children, certainly, {22 Within two years that be {23 Of age. {24

Joseph Alas, full woe is me! {25 Where may we find refuge? {26

Angel To Egypt shall thou fare {27 With all the might thou may; {28 And, Joseph, hold thee there, {29 Till I will thee gainsay. {30

Joseph This is a feeble fare, {31 A sick man and a sere {32 To hear of such a fray; {33 My bones are bruised and bare. {34 This to do, I wot it were {35 Comen my last day {36 On live. {37 I know not which is the way: {38 How shall we thrive? {39

Angel Thereof have thou no dread; {40 Wend forth, and ease thy mind. {41 The way he shall you lead, {42 The King of all Mankind. {43

Joseph May Heaven of us take heed, {44 For I had little need {45 Such bargains to begin. {46 No wonder my wits bleed: {47 I that can do no deed, {48 How should I this begin {49 So old? {50

I am full weak and thin, {51 My courage cold. {52 My force me fails to fare, {53 And sight that I should see. {54 Mary, my darling dear, {55 I am full woe for thee! {56

Mary Ah, dear Joseph, what cheer? {57 Your sorrow on this gear {58 It does much marvel me. {59

Joseph Misery is nigh and near {60 If we dwell longer here; {61 Therefore behoves us flee, {62 And flit. {63

Mary Alas! how may this be? {64 Whatever means it? {65

Joseph It means of sorrow enow. {66

Mary Ah, dear Joseph, how so? {67

Joseph As I lay in a swound, {68 Asleep full fast and sound, {69 An angel near me drew, {70 As blossom bright on bough, {71 And told betwixt us two, {72 That Herod wrought great woe, {73 And all boy children slew {74 Wherever he might go, {75 That fiend! {76 And he thy son would slay {77 And shamely shend. {78

<c>Mary My son? alas, for care! {79 Who may my dolours dull? {80 Woe worth false Herod are! {81 My son why should he kill? {82 Alas! I faint with fear! {83 To slay this bairn I bore, {84 What wight in world had will? {85 His heart should be full sore {86 To such a one ensnare, {87 That never yet did ill, {88 Nor thought. {89

<c>Joseph Now dear Mary, be still! {90 This helps us not; {91 It boots us not to greet, {92 Truly, I tell you plain. {93 It nought relieves our lot {94 But will more make our pain. {95

<c>Mary How should my cries abate? {96 My son that is so sweet {97 Is sought for to be slain; {98 Full fierce may I greet, {99 My foes if I them meet; {100 Your counsel, Joseph, plain, {101 I need. {102

<c>Joseph Swiftly swaddle us this swain, {103 And flee this deed. {104

<c>Mary His death would I not see, {105 For all this world to win. {106 Alas! full woe were me, {107 In two if we were torn; {108 My child, so fair and free, {109 To slay him were pity, {110 And a full hideous sin. {111 Dear Joseph, what say ye? {112

<c>Joseph To Egypt wend shall we; {113 Therefore let be thy din {114 And cry. {115

<c>Mary The way how shall we win? {116

<c>Joseph Full well wot I {117 The best wise that we may {118 Haste us away from here. {119 There is nought else to say {120 But fast pack up our gear. {121 For fear of this affray, {122 Let us wend hence away, {123 Ere any find us here. {124

<c>Mary Great God, as he well may, {125 That made both night and day, {126 From woe may he us ware, {127 And shame; {128 My child, how should I bear {129 So far from home? {130 Alas! I am full woe! {131 Was never wight so will! {132

<c>Joseph God wot I may say so, {133 I have matter there tyll; {134 For I may scarcely go {135 To lede of land such two; {136 No wonder if I be will, {137 And sythen has many a fo. {138 Ah, why will no ded me slo? {139

My life I like ill {140 And sare; {141 He that all doles may dull, {142 He keyll my care! {143 So weary a wight as I, {144 In world, was never man; {145 Household, and husbandry {146 Full sore I may it ban; {147 That bargan dere I by. {148

Young men, beware, say I: {149 Wedded life makes me all wan. {150 Hand me thy bridle, Mary; {151 Tend thou to that page gently {152 With all the skill thou can. {153 And may {154 He that this world began {155 Wish us the way! {156

<c>Mary Alas, full woe is me! {157 Is none so lost as I! {158 My heart would break in three, {159 My son to see him die. {160

<c>Joseph Wey! Dear Mary, let be, {161 And nothing dread thou thee, {162 But hard hence let us hie. {163 To save thy child so free, {164 Fast forth now let us flee, {165 Dear love. {166

To meet with his enemy, {167 It were a great mischief, {168 And that would I not were, {169 Away if we might wend. {170 My heart would be full sore, {171 Should he in two you rend. {172

To Egypt let us fare; {173 This pack, till I come there, {174 I shall not halt to haul: {175 Therefore have thou no care; {176 If I may help thee more, {177 Thou'll find me not to fail, {178 I say. {179 God bless you great and small, {180 And have now all good day! {181