Joseph, who has gone out to get a light, returns, and this dialogue follows:—
“Joseph. Say, Marie doghtir, what chere with the?
Mary. Right goode, Joseph, as has been ay.
Joseph. O Marie! what swete thyng is that on thy kne?
Mary. It is my sone, the soth to saye, that is so gud
Joseph. Wel is me I bade this day, to se this foode![49]
Me merueles mekill of this light
That thus-gates shynes in this place,
For suth it is a selcouth[50] sight![132]
Mary. This hase he ordand of his grace, my sone so ying,
A starne to be schynyng a space at his bering
* * * * *
Joseph. Nowe welcome, floure fairest of hewe,
I shall the menske[51] with mayne and myght.
Hayle! my maker, hayle Crist Jesu!
Hayle, riall king, roote of all right!
Hayle, saueour.
Hayle, my lorde, lemer[52] of light,
Hayle, blessid floure!
Mary. Nowe lord! that all this worlde schall wynne,
To the my sone is that I saye,
Here is no bedde to laye the inne,
Therfore my dere sone, I the praye sen it is soo,
Here in this cribbe I myght the lay betwene ther bestis two.
And I sall happe[53] the, myn owne dere childe,
With such clothes as we haue here.
Joseph. O Marie! beholde thes beestis mylde,
They make louyng in ther manere as thei wer men.
For-sothe it semes wele be ther chere thare lord thei ken.
Mary. Ther lorde thai kenne, that wate I wele,
They worshippe hym with myght and mayne;
The wedir is colde, as ye may feele,
To halde hym warme thei are full fayne, with thare warme breth.”[{12}]
The playwrights are at their best in the shepherd scenes; indeed these are the most original parts of the cycles, for here the writers found little to help them in theological tradition, and were thrown upon their own wit. In humorous dialogue and naïve sentiment the lusty burgesses of the fifteenth century were thoroughly at home, and the comedy and pathos of these scenes must have been as welcome a relief to the spectators, from the [133]long-winded solemnity of many of the plays, as they are to modern readers. In the York mysteries the shepherds make uncouth exclamations at the song of the angels and ludicrously try to imitate it. The Chester shepherds talk in a very natural way of such things as the diseases of sheep, sit down with much relish to a meal of “ale of Halton,” sour milk, onions, garlick and leeks, green cheese, a sheep's head soused in ale, and other items; then they call their lad Trowle, who grumbles because his wages have not been paid, refuses to eat, wrestles with his masters and throws them all. They sit down discomfited; then the Star of Bethlehem appears, filling them with wonder, which grows when they hear the angels’ song of “Gloria in excelsis.” They discuss what the words were—“glore, glare with a glee,” or, “glori, glory, glorious,” or, “glory, glory, with a glo.” At length they go to Bethlehem, and arrived at the stable, the first shepherd exclaims:—
“Sym, Sym, sickerlye
Heare I see Marye,
And Jesus Christe faste by,
Lapped in haye.”[{13}]
Joseph is strangely described:—