Section 8

with his train._)

Prince Henry. But come away; we have not time to look. The crowd already fills the church, and yonder Upon a stage, a herald with a trumpet, Clad like The Angel Gabriel, proclaims The Mystery that will now be represented.

THE NATIVITY.

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A MIRACLE PLAY.

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THE NATIVITY.

INTROITUS.

Præco. Come, good people, all and each, Come and listen to our speech! In your presence here I stand, With a trumpet in my hand, To announce the Easter Play, Which we represent to-day! First of all we shall rehearse, In our action and our verse, The Nativity of our Lord, As written in the old record Of the Protevangelion, So that he who reads may run!

      (_Blows his trumpet._)

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I. HEAVEN.

Mercy (at the feet of God). Have pity, Lord be not afraid To save mankind, whom thou hast made, Nor let the souls that were betrayed Perish eternally!

Justice. It cannot be, it must not be! When in the garden placed by thee, The fruit of the forbidden tree He ate, and he must die!

Mercy. Have pity, Lord! let penitence Atone for disobedience, Nor let the fruit of man's offence Be endless misery!

Justice. What penitence proportionate Can e'er be felt for sin so great? Of the forbidden fruit he ate, And damned must he be!

God. He shall be saved, if that within The bounds of earth one free from sin Be found, who for his kith and kin Will suffer martyrdom.

The Four Virtues. Lord! we have searched the world around, From centre to the utmost bound, But no such mortal can be found; Despairing, back we come.

Wisdom. No mortal, but a God made man, Can ever carry out this plan, Achieving what none other can, Salvation unto all!

God. Go, then, O my beloved Son; It can by thee alone be done; By thee the victory shall be won O'er Satan and the Fall!

(Here the ANGEL GABRIEL shall leave Paradise and fly toward the earth; the jaws of Hell open below, and the Devils walk about, making a great noise.)

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II. MARY AT THE WELL.

Mary. Along the garden walk, and thence Through the wicket in the garden fence, I steal with quiet pace, My pitcher at the well to fill, That lies so deep and cool and still In this sequestered place. These sycamores keep guard around; I see no face, I hear no sound, Save babblings of the spring, And my companions, who within The threads of gold and scarlet spin, And at their labor sing.

The Angel Gabriel. Hail, Virgin Mary, full of grace!

(Here MARY looketh around her, trembling, and then saith:)

Mary. Who is it speaketh in this place, With such a gentle voice?

Gabriel. The Lord of heaven is with thee now! Blessed among all women thou, Who art his holy choice!

Mary (setting down the pitcher). What can this mean? No one is near, And yet, such sacred words I hear, I almost fear to stay.

      (_Here the_ ANGEL, _appearing to her, shall say:_)

Gabriel. Fear not, O Mary! but believe! For thou, a Virgin, shalt conceive A child this very day.

Fear not, O Mary! from the sky The majesty of the Most High Shall overshadow thee!

Mary. Behold the handmaid of the Lord! According to thy holy word, So be it unto me!

      (_Here the Devils shall again make a great noise,
                 under the stage._)

III. THE ANGELS OF THE SEVEN PLANETS, bearing the Star of Bethlehem.

The Angels. The Angels of the Planets Seven Across the shining fields of heaven The natal star we bring! Dropping our sevenfold virtues down, As priceless jewels in the crown Of Christ, our new-born King.

Raphael. I am the Angel of the Sun, Whose flaming wheels began to run When God's almighty breath Said to the darkness and the Night, Let there be light! and there was light! I bring the gift of Faith.

Gabriel. I am the Angel of the Moon, Darkened, to be rekindled soon Beneath the azure cope! Nearest to earth, it is my ray That best illumes the midnight way. I bring the gift of Hope!

Anael. The Angel of the Star of Love, The Evening Star, that shines above The place where lovers be, Above all happy hearths and homes, On roofs of thatch, or golden domes, I give him Charity!

Zobiachel. The Planet Jupiter is mine! The mightiest star of all that shine, Except the sun alone! He is the High Priest of the Dove, And sends, from his great throne above, Justice, that shall atone!

Michael. The Planet Mercury, whose place Is nearest to the sun in space, Is my allotted sphere! And with celestial ardor swift I bear upon my hands the gift Of heavenly Prudence here!

Uriel. I am the Minister of Mars, The strongest star among the stars! My songs of power prelude The march and battle of man's life, And for the suffering and the strife, I give him Fortitude!

Anachiel. The Angel of the uttermost Of all the shining, heavenly host, From the far-off expanse Of the Saturnian, endless space I bring the last, the crowning grace, The gift of Temperance!

      (_A sudden light shines from the windows of the stable
                 in the village below._)

IV. THE WISE MEN OF THE EAST.

        _The stable of the Inn. The_ VIRGIN _and_ CHILD.

Three Gypsy Kings, GASPAR, MELCHIOR, and BELSHAZZAR, shall come in.

Gaspar. Hail to thee, Jesus of Nazareth! Though in a manger thou drawest thy breath, Thou art greater than Life and Death, Greater than Joy or Woe! This cross upon the line of life Portendeth struggle, toil, and strife, And through a region with dangers rife In darkness shall thou go!

Melchior. Hail to thee, King of Jerusalem Though humbly born in Bethlehem, A sceptre and a diadem Await thy brow and hand! The sceptre is a simple reed, The crown will make thy temples bleed, And in thy hour of greatest need, Abashed thy subjects stand!

Belshazzar. Hail to thee, Christ of Christendom! O'er all the earth thy kingdom come! From distant Trebizond to Rome Thy name shall men adore! Peace and good-will among all men, The Virgin has returned again, Returned the old Saturnian reign And Golden Age once more.

The Child Christ. Jesus, the Son of God, am I, Born here to suffer and to die According to the prophecy, That other men may live!

The Virgin. And now these clothes, that wrapped him, take And keep them precious, for his sake; For benediction thus we make, Naught else have we to give.

      (_She gives them swaddling-clothes and they depart_.)

V. THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT.

Here shall JOSEPH come in, leading an ass, on which are seated MARY and the CHILD.

Mary. Here will we rest us, under these Underhanging branches of the trees, Where robins chant their Litanies, And canticles of joy.

Joseph. My saddle-girths have given way With trudging through the heat to-day To you I think it is but play To ride and hold the boy.

Mary. Hark! how the robins shout and sing, As if to hail their infant King! I will alight at yonder spring To wash his little coat.

Joseph. And I will hobble well the ass, Lest, being loose upon the grass, He should escape; for, by the mass. He is nimble as a goat.

      (_Here_ MARY _shall alight and go to the spring._)

Mary. O Joseph! I am much afraid, For men are sleeping in the shade; I fear that we shall be waylaid, And robbed and beaten sore!

      (_Here a band of robbers shall be seen sleeping, two of
            whom shall rise and come forward_.)

Dumachus. Cock's soul! deliver up your gold!

Joseph. I pray you, Sirs, let go your hold! Of wealth I have no store.

Dumachus. Give up your money!

Titus. Prithee cease! Let these good people go in peace!

Dumachus. First let them pay for their release, And then go on their way.

Titus. These forty groats I give in fee, If thou wilt only silent be.

Mary. May God be merciful to thee Upon the Judgment Day!

Jesus. When thirty years shall have gone by, I at Jerusalem shall die, By Jewish hands exalted high On the accursed tree. Then on my right and my left side, These thieves shall both be crucified And Titus thenceforth shall abide In paradise with me.

(Here a great rumor of trumpets and horses, like the noise of a king with his army, and the robbers shall take flight.)

VI. THE SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS.

King Herod. Potz-tausend! Himmel-sacrament! Filled am I with great wonderment At this unwelcome news! Am I not Herod? Who shall dare My crown to take, my sceptre bear, As king among the Jews?

     (_Here he shall stride up and down and flourish his sword._)

What ho! I fain would drink a can Of the strong wine of Canaan! The wine of Helbon bring, I purchased at the Fair of Tyre, As red as blood, as hot as fire, And fit for any king!

      (_He quaffs great goblets of wine._)

Now at the window will I stand, While in the street the armed band The little children slay: The babe just born in Bethlehem Will surely slaughtered be with them, Nor live another day!

   (_Here a voice of lamentation shall be heard in the street._)

Rachel. O wicked king! O cruel speed! To do this most unrighteous deed! My children all are slain!

Herod. Ho seneschal! another cup! With wine of Sorek fill it up! I would a bumper drain!

Rahab. May