User:RHaworth/mystery/src/The Annunciation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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

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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 [An Angel appears 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

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

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

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