User:RHaworth/mystery/src/The Annunciation

God Since I have made all thing of nought And Adam with my hands I wrought. Like to mine image at my devising, To give them joy in Paradise To dwell therein as I had planned - Until they did what I forbade. Then I put them out of that place. But yet, I mind, I promised them grace;

Now they have felt their sin full sore These five thousand years and more First on earth, and then in hell: But long therein shall they not dwell. Out of pain they shall be brought, I will not lose what I have wrought. I will make redemption!

Righteousness will we make: I will that my Son manhood take. My prophets words are true and loyal As they have said, it shall befall.

My Son shall in a maid alight, Agains' the fiend of hell to fight. Withouten spot as sun through glass And she a maiden as she was. Both God and man shall He be And she, mother and maiden free.

Rise up, Gabriel, and wend [Gabriel approaches] Unto a maiden that is kind To Nazareth in Galilee There she dwells in that city. To that virgin and to that spouse To a man of David's house.

Joseph, the man is named by. And the maiden named Mary. On my behalf thou shall her greet I have her chosen, that maiden sweet, She shall conceive my darling Through thy word and her hearing.

She shall of her body clean Bear God and man withouten pain. She shall be blessed withouten end Prepare thee, Gabriel, and wend! [Here Gabriel goes to Mary]

Gabriel Hail Mary gracious Hail, maiden and Godes spouse Onto thee I bow. Of all virgins thou art queen That ever was - or shall be - seen, Withouten doubt.

Hail, Mary, and well thou be; My Lord of Heaven is with thee Withouten end. Hail, full of grace of God indeed. Goodly lady, have thou no dread That I commend.

This is the grace that thee betides: Thou shall conceive within thy sides A child of power. When he is cornen, this thy son He shall take circumcision. Call him Jesus.

Mightful man shall he be indeed God's true son he shall be called, A throne to sit. He shall be king of David's line; His kingdom never shall decline Lady, well thou wit.

Mary What is thy name?

Gabriel Gabriel, Godes strength and his angel That comes to thee.

Mary Wondrous greeting thou me greets Of a child to bear thou me speaks - How should this be?

I came never by man's side But have avowed my maidenhead From fleshly fate. Therefore I know not how This may be broken; it is a vow That I have made.

Nevertheless, well I see To work this work as thou has said God full able is. But I'know not how, of what manner; Therefore I pray thee, messenger, That thou me guide and tell.

Gabriel Lady, this is the mystery: The Holy Ghost shall light in thee God's word to fulfil - His virtue shall thee overshade That thy maidenhead shall never fade But be ever new.

The child that thou shall bear, madam, Shall God's Son be called by name, And see, Mary, Elizabeth - thy cousin, who is barren called She has conceived a son in elde Of Zachary. [Elizabeth appears in a vision] And this is - now have knowing - The sixth month of her conceiving That barren was called. No word, lady, that I thee bring Is impossible to heaven's King But all shall hold.

Mary I love my God almighty I am his servant here at hand And at his call. I believe the promise thou me bring Be done to me in all thing As thou has told!

Gabriel Mary, maiden kind My way to God I wend My leave of thee I take.

Mary Go to my friend Who did thee send For mankind's sake. [Gabriel and then Mary withdraw to singing]

Joseph Almighty God, what may this be! {155 Of Mary my wife I marvel me, {156 Alas, what has she wrought? {157 Ah, her belly is great and she with child! {158 By me was she never defiled, {159 Therefore mine is it nought. {160 Full of sorrow is my life, {161 That ever I wed so young a wife, {162 That bargain was a bane. {163 To me this deed was full of care, {164 I might well wot a young girl fair {165 would have liking of man. {166 I am old, soothly to say, {167 Past I am all pleasant play, {168 The games from me are gone. {169 We are ill coupled, young and old: {170 For I could not with her make bold {171 some other has she ta&rsquo;en. {172 She is with child, I know never how, {173 Now, who would any woman trow {174 For wicked ways so wild? {175 I wot not in the world, what I should do, {176 But now then will I wend her to, {177 And learn whose is that child. {178 Hail, Mary, and well ye be! {179 But why, woman, what cheer with thee? {180

Mary The better, sir, for you. {181

Joseph So would, I, woman, that ye were; {182 But certain, Mary, I rue full sore {183 How stand things with thee now. {184 And of a thing chide thee I shall, {185 Whose is this child, thou goes&rsquo;t withal? {186

<c>Mary Sir, yours, and God&rsquo;s in Heaven. {187

<c>Joseph Mine, Mary? do way thy din; {188 That I should have a part therin {189 Thou needs it not to feign. {190 Why falsehoods spin&rsquo;st thou me thereto? {191 I had never with thee to do, {192 how should it then be mine? {193 Whose is that child, so God thee speed? {194

<c>Mary Sir, God&rsquo;s and yours, withouten dread. {195

<c>Joseph Be still those words of thine, {196 for it is nought with me to do, {197 And I repent me thou has done so {198 These ill deeds I ween; {199 And if thou thought thyself kill, {200 It were full sore against my will, {201 But better might have been. {202

<c>Mary At God&rsquo;s will, Joseph, must it be, {203 For certainly, but God and ye {204 I know no other man; {205 My flesh has never been defiled. {206

<c>Joseph How should thou thus then be with child? {207 Excuse thee well thou can; {208 I blame thee not, so God me save, {209 Woman&rsquo;s weakness if that thou have, {210 But certes I say thee this, {211 Well wot thou, and so do I, {212 Thy body shames thee openly, {213 That thou hast done amiss. {214

<c>Mary I tell you, God knows all my doing. {215

<c>Joseph Wey! Now, this is a wonder thing, {216 I can nought say thereto. {217 But my heart does ache full sore, {218 And aye the longer more and more, {219 For dole what shall I do? {220 God&rsquo;s and mine she says it is - {221 I will not father it, she speaks amiss. {222 It were shame if I should her let, {223 To hide her villainy by me. {224 With her I can no longer be; {225 I rue that ever we met. {226

&hellip;

I left her in good peace thought I; {275 Into the country I went on high, {276 To work with might and main. {277 To get our living I must need, {278 On Mary I prayed our friends take heed, {279 Till that I came again. {280 Nine months was I from Mary mild, {281 when I came home she was with child, {282 Alas, I said, for shame! {283 I asked her women who that had done, {284 And they me said an angel came, {285 since that I went from home. {286 An angel spake with that wight, {287 And no man else, by day nor night, {288 &ldquo;Sir, thereof be ye bold.&rdquo; {289 They excused her thus soothly, {290 To make her clean of her folly, {291 Mocked like a baby, me that was old. {292 Should an angel this deed have wrought? {293 Such excuses help nought, {294 Nor no cunning that they can. {295 A heavenly thing, forsooth, is he, {296 And she is earthly; this may not be, {297 It is some other man. {298

&hellip;

Yet soothly, if it so befall, {314 God&rsquo;s son that she be with all, {315 If such grace might betide, {316 I wot well that I am not he, {317 which that is worthy to be {318 That blessed body beside, {319 Nor yet be in her company. {320 To wilderness I will forth hie {321 Alone my fate deplore, {322 And never longer with her deal, {323 But softly shall I from her steal, {324 That meet shall we no more. {325 <d>[An Angel appears]

<c>Angel Go way Joseph, and mend thy thought, {326 I warn thee well, so wend thou not, {327 To wilderness so wild. {328 Turn home to thy spouse again, {329 look thou see in her no shame, {330 She never was defiled. {331 Wot thou no wicked work here wast, {332 She has conceived by holy ghost, {333 And she shall bear God&rsquo;s son; {334 Therefore with her, in thy degree, {335 Meek and obedient look thou be, {336 And with her make your home. {337

<c>Joseph Ah, Lord, I love thee all alone, {338 That vouchsafest I be the one {339 To tend that child so young. {340 I that thus have ingrately done, {341 And foul falsehood cast upon {342 Mary, that dear darling. {343 I rue full sore what I have said, {344 To of her birthing her upbraid, {345 And she not guilty is. {346 Forthwith to her now will I wend, {347 And pray her for to be my friend, {348 And ask of her forgiveness. {349 Ah, Mary, wife, what cheer? {350

<c>Mary The better, sir, that ye are here; {351 Thus long where have ye went? {352

<c>Joseph Certes, walked about, all wobegone, {353 And wrongfully did thee bemoan; {354 I wist never what I meant; {355 But I wot well, my love so free, {356 I have trespassed to God and thee; {357 Forgive me, I thee pray. {358

<c>Mary Now all that ever ye said me to, {359 God forgive you, and I do, {360 With all the might I may. {361

<c>Joseph Gramercy, Mary, thy goodwill {362 Forgives so kindly all I said ill, {363 When I did thee upbraid. {364 But happy who has such a child, {365 Ah, gentle wife, he needs not gold, {366 But may hold him well paid. {367 Ah, I am light as leaf on wind! {368 He that may both loose and bind, {369 And every ill amend, {370 Give me grace, power, and might, {371 My wife and her sweet young wight {372 To keep, to my life&rsquo;s end. {373