JOSEPH: Of a great mourning may I complain, And walk full wearily by this way. For now I know, I better had been At ease and rest by reason aye. 5 For I am of great eld, Weak and all unwell, As all men see it may. I may not bustle or build Either in woods or field; 10 For shame? what shall I say? That now, thus-wise in mine old days Have wed a young wench for my wife-- I cannot cross two passageways!
Now Lord? how long shall I lead this life? 15 My bones are as heavy as lead. And may not stand in stead, As you may see full right. Now, Lord, guide my poor head, Or thou drivest me to dead. 20 Thou may best stop this strife. Full bitterly may I bemoan The way I in the temple went. It was for me a bad bargain; For pity may I now repent. 25 For there came the command That single men should stand, Assembled by assent. And each one a dry wand On high held in his hand-- 30 And I knew not what it meant! Among all others, the one bore I; It flourished fair, and flowers spread;
And they told me, for this, that I With a wife should soon be wed! 35 The bargain I made there, I now regret full sore; I am discomforted. It casts me now in care, For I might evermore 40 The single life have led! Her deeds have made my cheeks all wet. I am beguiled! How, I know not. My young wife is with child full great! That gives me now, sorrow unsought. 45 That reproof has almost slain me-- For if any man arraign me As to how this thing was wrought-- To lie, if I should pain me, The law stands hard again' me. 50 To death I must be brought! And yet--I think it vile, indeed. My wife with any man to defame. Whichever of the two I bide Holds no escape without great shame. 55 The child, I know, is not mine. That reproof gives me pain, And makes me flee from home. I stake my life herein: She is a clean virgin 60 For my part, without blame. But...well I know through prophecy A maiden clean should bear a child... But it is not her. certainly! Therefore I know I am beguiled. 65 And why would not some young man take her? For sure I think I must forsake her. Into some woods wild, Thus I think to steal away. God shield that wild beasts should slay 70 That bird, so meek and mild. Of my wending I'll no one warn. Nevertheless, it is my intent To ask her who got her that bairn; I would know that before I went. 75 All hail! God be herein! MAID 1 Welcome, by God's dear might. JOSEPH Where is that young virgin, Mary, my bird so bright? MAID 1 Surely, Joseph, you see her there, 80 And know she is not far away. She sits at her book, full fast in prayer For you and us, and for all they With any need. But now to tell her will I say 85 Of your coming with all speed.
Have done, and rise up, dame, And to me, take good heed: Joseph, he is come home. MARY Welcome, as God me speed! 90 Dreadless to me he is, full dear. Joseph, my spouse, welcome are ye. JOSEPH I thank you. Mary--say, what cheer? Tell me the truth. how is it with thee?
...Who has been there!? 95 Thy womb is big, it seems to me; Thou art with child! Alas, for care! Ah, ye maids, shame on ye, That let her learn such tare! MAID 2 Joseph! Do not believe 100 In her a weak affair! JOSEPH Believe no harm? Dear wench, away! Her...sides...show me she is with child!
Whose is't, Mary? MARY Sir, God's and yours. 105 JOSEPH Nay, nay, Now know I well I am beguiled. And reason why? By me thy flesh was never defiled. And I reject it thereby. 110 Say, maidens, how is this? Tell me the truth, I advise: Unless you do, know this: You surely shall pay the price! MAID 2 You can threaten as much as you can. 115 I have nothing to tell you, still. For truly, here came never no man To weigh down the body with no ill, Of this sweet wight. For we have stayed here with her still, 120 And never away from her, day or night. Her keepers have we been, And she, here in our sight. Came here no man between To touch that bird so bright. 125 MAID 1 No, no man ever in this place came, And to that ever witness will we... Except an angel, once a day. With bodily food, feed her did he. No other came. 130 Wherefore, we know not how it be Unless the Holy Ghost conveyed-- For truly we know this: With her is come his grace. For she did never amiss, 135 And ever witness will we. JOSEPH Then I see well your meaning is, The angel has made her with child. Nay, some man in an angel's likeness With some foul trick has her beguiled, 140 And that perceive I, Therefore, you need no words so wild To carp at me deceivingly! Why, why lie to me so And feign such fantasy? 145 Alas, I am full woe! For sorrow, why might I not die? For me, this is a woeful case.
Reckless I rave, my wits are all fled. I dare look no man in the face. 150 Wretched for sorrow--why am I not dead? Loathsome is my life! In the temple and in other stead Into scorn every man will me drive. Was never a man so woe? 155 For pity, my heart is rife! Alas, why wrought thou so, Mary, my wedded wife?
MARY To my witness, great God I call, That in his mind wrought never amiss-- 160 JOSEPH Whose is the child thou art withal? MARY Yours, sir, and the King's of Bliss. JOSEPH Oh yea, and how then? Nay, wondrous tidings then is this-- Excuse them well, these women can! But Mary, all that thee see Will know your works are wan. Your womb shall still betray thee. That thou hast met with man. As thou wouldst thrive. say whose it is. 170 MARY Sir, it is yours, and God's own will. JOSEPH Nay, I have nought to do with this! Name it no more to me, be still! Thou knowst as well as I That fleshly, thou and I 175 Did never such deeds so ill. Look thou did no folly Before me, privily, Thy fair maidenhead to spill. But who is the father? Tell me his name. 180 MARY None but your self. JOSEPH Let be, for shame! I did it never, thou foolish dame, by book and bell! Blameless, I would bear this blame if once you tell. For I wrought never in word or deed, 185 A thing to mar thy maidenhead, To touch me till. Now, for such care is little need; As though mine own, I would it feed If all be still. 190 Therefore, the father tell me, Mary. MARY But God and you, I know of none. JOSEPH Ah, such sayings make me sorry. With great mourning may I complain. Therefore, be not so bold: 195 Such tales should not be told, But hold thee still as stone. Thou art young and I am old; I could not, even if I would. Those games for me are gone. 200 Therefore, tell me in privacy-- Whose is the child within you now? For certain, none shall know but we. I fear the law as much as thou. MARY Now great God, of his might, Who accomplishes all things right, Meekly to thee I bow. Rue on this weary wight, That, in his heart, might light The truth to trust and know.
210 JOSEPH Who had thy maidenhead, Mary? Can you bring it to mind? MARY Forsooth, I am a maiden clean. JOSEPH Nay, thou speakest now against kind! Such a thing no man could mean. A maiden to be with child? 215 These words from thee are wild! She is not born, I ween! MARY Joseph, ye are beguiled. With sin was I never defiled. God's word in me is seen. 220 JOSEPH God's word? Oh. Mary, God us help! But surely that child was never ours two. But even if women should need much help, Still, they would let no man know of their woe. MARY Truly it is God's hand, 225 The maker of sea and sand. From this I shall never go. JOSEPH Ah, Mary, take away thy hand. Further will I understand, Yet I trust it is not so. 230 The truth from me you may retain, The child-bearing you cannot hide. But sit here till I come again. I...have an errand here beside. MARY Now great God show you this, 235 And mend you of your miss Of me, what so betide. As he is king of bliss, Send you some sign of this, In truth that you might bide. 240 JOSEPH Now, Lord God, that all things may At thine own will both do and dress, Show me now some ready way To walk here in this wilderness. Before I pass this hill, 245 Do with me what God will, Either more or less, Here shall I bide full still Till I have slept my fill. My heart so heavy is. 250 ANGEL Awaken, Joseph, and better keep Your Mary, who is your fellow good. JOSEPH Ah, I am weary, leave, let me sleep. I have walked and wandered in this wood.
ANGEL Rise up! And sleep no more! 255 Thou makest her heart full sore, Who loves you as she should! JOSEPH Why, now this is hardly fair! For I am caught both here and there, And nowhere rest I could... 260 Say--what art thou?! Tell me this thing!
ANGEL I am called Gabriel; from Heaven, God's angel: I have taken your Mary into my keeping. And I am sent here for this bidding to tell: In loyal wedlock; lead thee! 265 Leave her not, I forbid thee! No sin must you mention, But to her, fast, thou speed thee, And of her, nought fear thee. It is God's son of Heaven. 270 The child that shall be born of her,
It is conceived of the Holy Ghost; It brings us joy and bliss forever, And to mankind. of all, the most. Jesus his name thou call. 275 For such will him befall As thou shalt see, in haste. His people save he shall From evils and trials all Which now ensnare them fast. 280 JOSEPH Angel is this truth thou says? ANGEL Yea, and for a token right: Go forth to Mary, thy wife always, Bring her to Bethlehem tonight. There shall a child born be; 285 God's son of Heaven is he, And of all men greatest in might. JOSEPH Now, Lord God, full well is me That ever I this sight should see! I never was so light!
290 But... since I would have her refused, And blamed the one who ever was clear, I must pray her to hold me excused, As some men do, with full good cheer. Say, Mary, wife,...how fares thou? 295 MARY The better, sir, for you. Why stand ye there? Come near. JOSEPH My back fain would I bow, And ask forgiveness now. I hope you will me hear. 300 MARY Forgiveness, sir? Let be, for shame. Such words should all good women lack. JOSEPH Yea, Mary, I am to blame For words that some time past I spoke. But gather now all our gear, 305 And such poor weeds as we wear, And put them in a pack. To Bethlehem I must it bear, For little things cause women care; Help up now, on my back.