Ludus Coventriæ : $b A collection of mysteries, formerly represented at Coventry on the feast of Corpus Christi
General
Ludus Coventriæ : $b A collection of mysteries, formerly represented at Coventry on the feast of Corpus Christi
English drama -- To 1500; English language -- Middle English, 1100-1500 -- Glossaries, vocabularies, etc.; Mysteries and miracle-plays, English
She was inhabith in Juré by the mounte of Syon,
After the assencion of hir sone conseyved in spoused,
Alle the holy placys in erthe that Criste duellyd on,
Devouthly sche went hem honoryng the Godhed;
fferste to the place there Criste cristenyd was clepid fflum Jordone,
There he fastyd and takyn was by malicious falshed,
There he beryed was and roos victoryously alon,
There he assendid alle hevenys God in his manned;
Thus was sche occupyed I rede.
And meche sche was in the temple preyand.
Now blissid mot sche be! we owe to be seyand,
How sche was assumpte here men schul be pleyand,
Preyng you of audience, now ses and tak hede.
Ces now youre blaberyng in the develis name,
What, lousy begchis, now ye not se,
Owre worthy prynsis, lo! are gaderid in same,
That are statis of this lond hye men of degré?
By there hye wisdom they shal now attayne.
How alle Juré beste governyd may be,
And of this pillid prechouris that oure lawis defame,
They schul ben slayn as they se or fayn for to fle.
Wherfore in pes be ye,
And herkenyth onto hem moste stillyn I,
ffor what boy bragge outh, hym spilly I,
As knave wyth this craggyd knad hym kylle I, —
Now herkenyth oure pryncis alle kneland on kne.
_Episcopus._ Now ye prynsis i-prest of the lawe,
Of this demaunde responcyon I aske here anon,
Ys there ony renogat among us fer as ye knawe,
Or ony that pervertyth the pepil wyth gay eloquens alon?
Yif there be, we muste onto hem set awe.
ffor they feyne falsly oure feyth, hem preve I houre fon,
Sweche schul ben bounden up be the beltys til flyes hem blowe,
And gnaggyd up by the gomys tyl the devyl doth hem grone.
We may not won,
To sweche harlotis settyn reddure,
That geynseyn oure lawe and oure scripture,
Now let, sere pryncis in purpure,
In savynge of oure lawys now telle on.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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