User:RHaworth/mystery/src/Herod the Great

Herald [Entering onto a crowded marketplace May most mighty Lucifer / meet you with mirth! {1 Both of borough and town / from the fells and the firth, {2 Both king with crown / and barons of birth. {3 We hear rumours abound / that peace upon earth {4 Is foretold; {5 Give ear and attend {6 What I say to this end, {7 Lest woeful you wend {8 And harms you enfold. {9 Herod, the good king / by the devil&rsquo;s reknown, {10 All Jewry surmounting / sternly with crown, {11 Of all life now living / in tower and town, {12 Graciously greets you, / commands you bow down {13 At his bidding; {14 Love him with loyalty, {15 Dread him, that is doughty! {16 He charges you be ready {17 To learn of his liking. {18 Whoever on earth / against him complain, {19 And grievance give forth / be he knight, squire, or swain; {20 Whatever his worth, / the price must he pay {21 Twelve thousand fold, / yea, more I say {22 May ye trust. {23 He is wonderly woeful, {24 Weeping full sorely; {25 For a boy that is born here by {26 Stands he aghast. {27 Folk call him a king / and that we deny; {28 That it should so fall / great marvel have I. {29 Therefore over all / shall I make a cry. {30 Neither bellow nor bawl / nor look not to lie {31 This tide! {32 Carp of no king {33 But Herod, our lording, {34 Or hie home to your dwelling, {35 Your heads for to hide. {36 He is King of Kings / kindly I know, {37 Chief lord of lordings / chief leader of law, {38 Throughout all the town / and unto the shore, {39 Great dukes drop down / for his great awe, {40 And revere him. {41 Tuscany and Turkey, {42 All India and Italy, {43 Sicily and Syria, {44 Dread him and fear him. {45 From paradise to Padua / to Mount Flascon; {46 From Egypt to Mantua / as far as Camden; {47 From Sarceny to Sousa / to Greece all bow down; {48 Both Normandy and Norway / kneel to his crown. {49 His reknown {50 Can no tongue tell; {51 From heaven unto hell {52 None can praise him so well {53 But his good friend Sir Satan. {54 He is the worthiest of all / bairns ever born; {55 Free men in his thrall / in terror are torn. {56 Begin he to brawl / many men feel his scorn; {57 Obey must we all / or else be forlorn {58 At once. {59 Drop down on your knee, {60 All that him see, {61 Displeased is he, {62 And may break your bones. [Herod approaches {63 Here he comes now, I cry / that lord, I of spake; {64 Fast afore will I hie / and make no mistake, {65 But welcome him worshipfully / and merriment make, {66 As he is most worthy, / and kneel for his sake {67 So low, {68 Down demurely to fall {69 As rank most royal. {70 Hail, the worthiest of all! {71 To thee must I bow! {72 Hail, loved lord! lo / thy letters have I laid; {73 I have done all I could do / and peace have I prayed; {74 Much more than I should do / I plainly assayed; {75 But rumours do run so / that boldly they brayed {76 Amongst themselves. {77 They carp of a king; {78 They cease not such chattering. {79

Herod But I shall tame their talking, {80 And let them go hang them. {81 Stint, wretches, your din / yea, every one! {82 Till I have gone in / make never a moan; {83 For if I begin / I will break every bone, {84 And pull from thy skin / the carcass anon; {85 Yea, perdi! {86 Cease all this wonder, {87 And make you no blunder, {88 For I rip you asunder, {89 Be ye so hardy. {90 Peace both young and old / at my bidding, I said, {91 For I own all the world, / I can strike you all dead; {92 Whoever is too bold, / I brain him through the head; {93 Speak not, or I have told, / what I will in this stead. {94 You know not {95 What grief I will give. {96 Stir not till ye have leave; {97 For if ye do, I will you cleave {98 Small as meat for the pot. {99 My mirth is turned to pain / my meekness into ire, {100 This boy burns my brain / within I feel fire {101 If I see this young swain / I shall give him his hire; {102 Should my will I not gain / Call me a soft silly sire {103 On my throne. {104 Had I that lad in hand, {105 As I am king in land, {106 I should with this steel brand {107 Break all his bones. {108 My name springs far and near; / the doughtiest, men me call {109 That ever wielded with spear; / A lord and king royal. {110 What joy is me to hear / A lad to seize my stall! {111 If I this crown may bear / that boy shall pay for all. {112 I anger; {113 I know not what devil me ails, {114 They torment me with tales, {115 That by God&rsquo;s own nails, {116 I&rsquo;ll be silent no longer. {117 What devil! Methink I burst / for anger and for spleen; {118 I fear these kings be past / that here with me have been. {119 They promised me full fast / ere now here to be seen, {120 Or else I should have cast / another plot, I ween; {121 I tell you. {122 A boy they said they sought, {123 with offerings that they brought; {124 It troubles my heart right nought {125 To break his neck in two. {126 But be they passed me by / by Judas in heaven, {127 I shall soon by and by / set all on six and seven. {128 Think you a king as I / will let them believe in {129 Any to have mastery / but what my self is given {130 By my right? {131 The devil me hang and draw, {132 If I that lurden know, {133 But I give him a blow; {134 That life I shall him smite. {135 For pity&rsquo;s sake I would / know if they were gone; {136 And ye therof were told / I pray you say anon; {137 For if they be so bold, / by God that sits on throne, {138 The pain cannot be told, / that they shall have each one, {139 For ire. {140 Such pains hard, never man tell, {141 So wicked and so cruel, {142 That Lucifer in hell {143 Shall burn their bones in fire. {144

First Soldier Lord, think not ill if I / tell you how they are passed; {145 I cannot lie, truly: / since they were with you last, {146 Another road to fly / they sought, and that full fast. {147

Herod Why, and are they passed me by? / Wey! Out! for fury I burst! {148 Wey! Fie! {149 Fie on the Devil! Where may I bide? {150 But fight for fury and at all traitors chide! {151 Thieves, I say ye should have spied {152 And told when they went by. {153 Fine knights to trust! / Nay, rougues ye are, and thieves; {154 I could yield up my ghost, / so sore my heart grieves. {155

Second Soldier What need you be downcast? / There are no great mischiefs {156 That should make you aghast. /

Third Soldier Why make ye such reproofs {157 Without pause? {158 Thus should ye not threat us, {159 Unseemly to beat us. {160 Ye should not mistreat us, {161 Without other cause. {162

Herod Fie, lumpish liars! / lurdans each one! {163 Traitors and criers! / knaves, and knights none! {164 Had ye been worth your hire / thus had they not gone; {165 If I catch those caitiffs / I break ev&rsquo;ry bone. {166 First, vengeance {167 Shall I see on their bones. {168 If they bide here at home {169 I shall ding them with stones. {170 Yea, never dare doubt me. {171 I know not where I may sit / for anger and despite; {172 We have not done all yet / if it be as I indite. {173 Fie! devil! now how is it? / As long as I have sight {174 I think not for to flit, / but king I will be right {175 For ever. {176 But stand I apart, {177 I tell you my heart: {178 I shall snare them fast, {179 Or else trust me never. {180

First Soldier Sir, they went suddenly, / ere any man wist. {181 Else had we had them, perdi / ye take my gist. {182

Second Soldier So bold, nor so hardy / in all the list {183 Was none of that company / durst challenge my fist {184 For fear. {185

Third Soldier They durst not abide, {186 But ran them to hide. {187 If I had them spied, {188 I had humbled their pride. {189 What could we more do / to save your honour? {190

First Soldier</> We were ready thereto, / and shall be each hour. {191

<c>Herod Now since it is so / ye shall have favour; {192 Go where ye will, go / by town and by tower, {193 Go from me! {194 I have matters to mull {195 with my privy counsel; {196 Clerks, you must me tell {197 Some words that will cheer me. {198 One spake in mine ear: / A wonderful talking, {199 And said a maiden should bear / a boy to be king; {200 Sirs, I pray you inquire / in all your writing, {201 In Virgil, in Homer / And all other thing {202 Both legend, {203 And poetical tales. {204 Epistles and missals; {205 Mass and matins, will never avail, {206 And ye need not attend; {207 I pray you tell quickly / now what ye find. {208

<c>First Counsellor Truly, sir, prophecy / It is not blind; {209 We read thus in Isaiah / he shall be so kind, {210 That a maiden, soothly / which never sinned, {211 Shall him bear: {212 &ldquo;virgo concipiet, {213 Natumque pariet; {214 Emanuell&rdquo; is set {215 His name, as told there: {216 &ldquo;God is with us,&rdquo; / that is for to say. {217

<c>Second Counsellor</> Another says thus- / trust me ye may: {218 &ldquo;Of Beth&rsquo;lem a gracious / Lord shall spring, {219 That of Jewry courageous / shall aye be King {220 Lord mighty; {221 And him shall honour {222 Both King and emperor.&rdquo; {223

<c>Herod Why, and should I to him cower? {224 Nay, thou tell&rsquo;st lies too lightly! {225 Fie! the devil thee speed / and me, make I moan! {226 This has thou done indeed / to anger me alone: {227 And thou, knave, thou thy fee / shall have, by cock&rsquo;s bone! {228 Thou know not half thy creed! / Out, thieves, from my throne! {229 Fie, knaves! {230 Fie, dotty-pols, with your books! {231 Go cast them in the brooks! {232 Your wiles and your tricks {233 Make my wit rave! {234 Heard I never such a rant: / that a knave so slight {235 Should come like a saint, / and rob me my right; {236 Nay, he shall recant: / I shall ding him down straight. {237 Beware! I say, let me pant; / now think I to fight {238 For anger; {239 My guts will out burst {240 But I this lad crush; {241 Without I have a vengeing {242 I may live no longer. {243 Should a carl in a cave / but one year of age, {244 Thus make me to rave? /

<c>First Counsellor <s2>Sir, peace this outrage! {245 Away let you wave / all such language. {246 Your worship to save, / is he ought but a page {247 Of a year? {248 We two could him truss {249 with our mere wits between us; {250 So, that if ye say thus, {251 He shall die on a spear. {252

<c>Second Counsellor</> For fear that he reign, / do as we set forth: {253 Throughout Bethlehem / and all over the earth, {254 Make knights to run, / and put unto death {255 All male children / from time of their birth, {256 Till years two; {257 This child may ye kill {258 Thus at your own will. {259

<c>Herod Thou show&rsquo;st here great skill {260 Such a plot to brew! {261 If I live in this land / a long life, as I hope, {262 By this dare I warrant / to make thee Pope. {263 O, my heart is rising / for joy it does hop! {264 For this noble tiding / thou shall have a drop {265 Of my good grace; {266 Marks, moneys, and pounds, {267 Great castles and grounds; {268 Through all seas and sands {269 I give thee the choice. {270 Now will I proceed / and take vengeance. {271 All the flower of knighthood / call to allegeance. {272 <d>[Calling the Herald] See to it, I thee bid: / it may thee advance. {273

<c>Herald Lord, I shall make speed / and bring them, perchance, {274 To thy sight. <d>[Goes to the Soldiers]</> {275 Hark, knights, I you bring {276 Here new tiding. {277 Unto Herod the King {278 Haste with all your might! {279 In all the haste that ye may / in armour full bright, {280 In your best array / look that ye be dight. {281

<c>First Soldier</> Why should we stray? /

<c>Second Soldier <s2>This is not all right. {282

<c>Third Soldier Sirs, without delay / I dread that we fight. {283

<c>Herald</> I pray you, {284 As fast as you may, {285 Come to him this day. {286

<c>First Soldier What, in our best array? {287

<c>Herald Yea, sirs, I say you. {288

<c>Second Soldier</> Somewhat is in hand / whate&rsquo;er it may mean. {289

<c>Third Soldier Tarry not for to stand / there, where we are bidden. {290

<c>Herald King Herod all worshipful / well be ye seen! {291 Your knights are come / in armour full sheen, {292 To do your will. {293

<c>First Soldier</> Hail, mightiest of all! {294 We are come at your call {295 For to do what we shall, {296 your wish to fulfill. {297

<c>Herod Welcome, lordings, Iwys, / both great and small! {298 The cause now is this / that I send for you all: {299 A lad, a knave, born is / that should be king royal; {300 But I kill him and his / my spirit quite will fail. {301 Therefore, Sirs, {302 Vengeance shall ye take, {303 All for that lad&rsquo;s sake. {304 Of your fame man shall speak {305 Wherever you go, Sirs. {306 To Beth&rsquo;lem go your way / through the countryside scout, {307 All male children to slay: / look you be stern and stout. {308 If their years are but two / that you find round about, {309 Leave none living this day / that lie in swaddlingclout, {310 I say you; {311 Spare no babe&rsquo;s blood: {312 Let all run in flood, {313 If women wax mad. {314 I warn you, sirs, to speed you; {315 Hence! Now go your way / and get you there. {316

<c>Second Soldier This may mean great affray; / but I will go before. {317

<c>Third Soldier</> Ah, think, sirs, I say / I will bite like a boar. {318

<c>First Soldier When I start my play / I shall kill me a score; {319 Herod all hail! {320 We shall for your sake {321 This massacre make. {322

<c>Herod Now if you do well my work {323 My reward shall not fail. {324

<c>Second Soldier</> Play our parts now by rote / and handle them well. {325

<c>Third Soldier I shall strike at their coats / and make them to yell. {326 <d>[First Woman enters

<c>First Soldier Hark, fellows, you dote / yonder comes trouble; {327 I wager a groat / she likes me not well; {328 Let us part. {329 Dame, think it not ill, {330 Thy child if I kill. {331

<c>First Woman What, thief! against my will? {332 Lord, save his dear heart! {333

<c>First Soldier</> Abide now, abide / no farther thou goes. {334

<c>First Woman Peace, thief! shall I chide / and make here a noise? {335

<c>First Soldier I shall humble thy pride / when kill we these boys! {336

<c>First Woman May evil betide / look well to thy nose, {337 False thief! {338 Let me have at thy hood. {339

<c>First Soldier</> What, whore, art thou mad? {340 <d>[He kills the child

<c>First Woman Out, alas, my child&rsquo;s blood! {341 I cry in my grief! {342 Alas for shame and sin! / Alas that I was born! {343 Of weeping who may stint / to see her child forlorn? {344 My comfort and my kin, / my son thus dead and torn! {345 Vengeance for this sin / I cry, both even and morn. {346

<c>Second Soldier Well done! <d>[Second Woman enters {347 Come hither, thou old stry! {348 That lad of thine shall die. {349

<c>Second Woman Mercy, lord, I cry! {350 It is my own dear son. {351

<c>Second Soldier No mercy you merit: / your moans move me naught! {352

<c>Second Woman</> Then thy skull shall I cleave! / Will'st thou be clawed? {353 Leave, leave, now I bid! /

<c>Second Soldier <s2>Peace, bid I, bawd! {354 <d>[He kills the child

<c>Second Woman Fie, fie, for pity! / Fie, full of fraud! {355 No man! {356 Have at thy tabard, {357 Harlot and holard! {358 Thou shall not be spared! {359 I cry and I ban! {360 Out! murder! Man, I say / cruel traitor and thief! {361 Out! alas! and welaway! / My dear child and life! {362 My joy, my blood, my play / that never gave man grief! {363 Alas, alas, this day! / I would, my heart should cleave {364 In sunder! {365 Vengeance I cry and call, {366 On Herod and his knights all! {367 Vengeance, Lord, upon them fall, {368 And make the world wonder! {369

<c>Third Soldier This is sure greatest game / that ever may be;{370 <d>[Third woman enters Come hitherward dame! / ye need not to flee! {371

<c>Third Woman Will ye do any harm / to my child, and me? {372

<c>Third Soldier He shall die, I thee swear / his heart&rsquo;s blood shall thou see. {373 <d>[He kills the child

<c>Third Woman God forbid! {374 Thief! thou shed'st my child&rsquo;s blood! {375 Out, I cry! I go near mad! {376 Alas! my heart is all on flood, {377 To see my child thus bleed! {378 By God, thou shall rue / this deed that thou has done. {379

<c>Third Soldier I bid thee not stray, / by sun and by moon. {380

<c>Third Woman Have at thee say I! / this dagger for thy loins! {381 Out on thee cry I / have at thy groin {382 Another! {383 This keep I in store. {384

<c>Third Soldier Peace now, no more! {385

<c>Third Woman I cry and I roar, {386 Out on thee, man&rsquo;s murderer! {387 Alas! my babe, my innocent; / flesh of my flesh! for sorrow {388 That God me dearly sent, / torment as sharp as arrow! {389 Thy body is torn and rent, / I cry both even and morrow, {390 Vengeance for thy blood, thus spent / out! I cry, and harrow! {391

<c>First Soldier</> Go lightly! {392 Give over these groans! {393 Haste, trollopes, hence to your homes,- {394 Or by cock&rsquo;s bones {395 I shall not ask politely! {396 They are fled now; I wot / they will not abide. {397

<c>Second Soldier</> Let us run hot-foot; / now would I we hied, {398 And tell of this lot, / how we have betide. {399

<c>Third Soldier Thou can nothing do here / that have I descried; {400 Go forth and wend, {401 Tell thou Herod our tale! {402 For all our avail, {403 I tell you, sans fail, {404 He will us commend. {405

<c>First Soldier I am best of you all / and ever have been; {406 The devil have my soul / if I be not first seen; {407 It fits me to call / on my lord, as I ween. {408

<c>Second Soldier</> What needs thee to brawl? / Be not so keen {409 In this anger; {410 I shall say thou did best - {411 Save myself, as I guessed. {412

<c>First Soldier Wey! that is most honest. {413

<c>Third Soldier Go, tarry no longer! <d>[They go back to Herod {414

<c>First Soldier Hail Herod, our King / full glad may ye be! {415 Good tiding we bring: / harken now to me {416 We have been riding / throughout all Jewry: {417 Now know ye one thing- / that murdered, have we, {418 Many thousands. {419

<c>Second Soldier</> I held them full hot, {420 I struck them and smote; {421 Their dams now, I wot, {422 Cannot bind them in bands. {423

<c>Third Soldier Had ye seen how I fared / when I came among them! {424 There was none that I spared, / but I laid on and dang them. {425 I am worthy a reward, / where I was among them. {426 I stood and I stared / no pity to hang them {427 Had I. {428

<c>Herod Now, by mighty Mahowne, {429 That is good of reknown! {430 If I wear this crown. {431 You shall each have a lady, {432 Fully fairly arrayed, / to wed at your will. {433

<c>First Soldier So have ye long said, / but have not paid the bill! {434

<c>Second Soldier</> And I was never flayed / for good nor for ill. {435

<c>Third Soldier</> Ye might hold, you well paid / our wish to fulfill, {436 Thus think me: {437 With treasure untold, {438 If it like that ye would, {439 Both silver and gold, {440 To give us great plenty. {441

<c>Herod As I am king crowned / I think it good right! {442 There goes none on ground / of such main and might {443 A hundred thousand pound / is good wage for a knight, {444 Of pennies good and round: / now may ye go light {445 With store. {446 And ye knights of ours {447 Shall have castles and towers, {448 Both to you and to yours, {449 For now and evermore. {450

<c>First Soldier</> Was never none born / by down nor by dale, {451 Nor none ever before / that thus did prevail. {452

<c>Second Soldier We have castles and corn, / much gold in our mails. {453

<c>Third Soldier It will last evermore / I tell you no tales; {454 Hail in the highest! {455 Hail lord! Hail King! {456 We are forth faring! <d>[They leave {457

<c>Herod</> <d>[Addressing the crowd/audience Now may Lucifer bring you {458 Where he is lord friendly; {459 Now in peace may I stand / I thank thee, each one! {460 And give of my land / that belongs to my crown. {461 So come close at hand / both of burgh and of town; {462 Marks each one a thousand / when next I am come, {463 Shall ye have. {464 I shall make no delay {465 To give that I say! {466 When next I come this way, {467 And then may ye crave. {468 I set by no good, / now my heart is at ease, {469 That I shed so much blood / I may rule as I please! {470 For to see this flood / from the feet to the knees {471 Methinks it is good / yea, I laugh till I wheeze; {472 By God&rsquo;s moon! {473 So light is my soul, {474 That to honey turns my bile; {475 I may do what I will, {476 And bear up my crown. {477 I was cast into care, / so frightly afraid; {478 But I no more despair: / for low is he laid {479 That I most did I fear; / so have I him flayed. {480 It would great wonder be / where so many strayed {481 In harm&rsquo;s way, {482 That one should escape, {483 And unharm&egrave;d take flight, {484 When so many childer {485 For their blows have no balm. {486 A hundred thousand, Iwis / and forty are slain, {487 And four more thousand; this / makes glad my heart plain; {488 Such murder in the land / shall never be again. {489 Had I had but one bat / at that sweet swain {490 So young, {491 The deed had been spoken {492 And not been forgotten, {493 were I dead and rotten, {494 Told by many a tongue. {495 Thus shall I teach knaves / example to take: {496 If any man rave, / other masters to make, {497 Be they boastful and brave, / think not I shall quake! {498 False sovereigns shall none save, / your necks shall I strike {499 In sunder. {500 None King shall ye call {501 But Herod the royal; {502 And if any man shall, {503 He suffers for that blunder. {504 For if I hear it spoken / when I come again, {505 Your brains shall be broken / so have heed of pain; {506 What it may betoken / it shall be so plain; {507 I say without joking, / I have but disdain {508 For the squeamish. {509 Sirs, this is my counsel- {510 Be not too cruel, {511 But adieu - to the devil! {512 I know no more French! {513