CHARACTERS

• 1st Shepherd — Coll
• 2nd Shepherd — Gib
• 3rd Shepherd — Daw
• Mac, the Sheep-stealer
• Mac’s Wife, Gill
• Mary
• The Child Christ
• An Angel

 

1st Shepherd. Lord!  these weathers are cold, and I am ill wrapped;
I am numb of hand, so long have I napped;
My legs bend and fold, my fingers are chapped,
It is not as I would, for I am all lapped
In sorrow.
In storms and tempest,
Now in the east, now in the west,
Woe is him has never rest,
Mid day nor morrow.
But we simple shepherds, that walk upon the moor,
In faith, we are near hands out of the door;
No wonder, as it stands, if we be poor,
For the tilth of our lands lies fallow as the floor,
We are so lamed,
So taxed and shamed,
We are made hand-tamed,
With these gentry-men.
Thus they rob us of rest, Our Lady them wary,
These men that are connected to a lord cause the plough to tarry.
That men say is for the best, we find it contrary,
Thus are husbandmen oppressed, in point to miscarry,
In life.
Thus hold they us under,
Thus bring us blunder,
It were great wonder,
And ever should we thrive.
For may he get a painted sleeve or a brooch nowadays,
Woe is he that shall grieve, or say nay,
Dare no man him reprieve, what mastery he has,
And yet may none believe one word that he says–
No letter.
He can make purveyance,
With boast and bragging
And all through maintenance,
Of men that are greater.
There shall come a swain, as proud as a peacock
He must borrow my wagon, my plough also,
Then I am full fain to grant ere he go.
Thus live we in pain, anger, and woe,
By night and day;
He must have it if he wants it
If I should forego it,
I were better be hanged
Than once say him nay.
It does me good, as I walk thus by mine own,
Of this world for to talk in manner of moan
To my sheep will I stalk and hearken anon
There abide on a wall, or sit on a stone
Full soon.
For I trow, pardie!
True men if they be,
We get more company
Ere it be noon.

2nd Shepherd. “Beniste”and “Dominus!” what may this mean?
Why fares this world so? Such have we not seen.
Lord, these weathers are spiteful and the weather full keen;
And the frosts so hideous they water mine eyes,
No lie.
Now in dry, now in wet,
Now in snow, now in sleet,
When my shoes freeze to my feet
It is not all easy.
But as far as I see, or yet as I go,
We silly wedded men endure much woe
We have sorrow then and then, it falls often so,
Silly Copple, our hen, both to and fro
She cackles,
But begin she to croak,
To groan or to cluck,
Woe is our cock,
For he is in the shackles.
These men that are wed, have not all their will,
When they are full hard beset, they sigh full still;
God knows they are led full hard and full ill,
In bower nor in bed they say not their will
This tide.
My part have I found,
My lesson is learned,
Woe is him that is bound,
For he must abide.
But now late in our lives, a marvel to me,
That I think my heart is riven asunder such wonders to see,
What that destiny drives it should so be,
Some men will have two wives, and some men three,
In store.
Some are woe that have any;
But so far as I know,
Woe is he who has many,
For he feels sore.
But young men of wooing, for God that you bought,
Be well ware of wedding, and think in your thought
“Had I known” is a thing it serves ye of nought;
Much mourning has wedding home brought,
And griefs,
With many a sharp shower,
For thou may catch in an hour
That shall serve thee full sour
As long as thou lives.
For as ever I read epistle, I have one such mate,
As sharp as a thistle, as rough as a briar
She is browed like a bristle with a sour lenten cheer;
Had she once wet her whistle she could sing full clear
Her pater-noster.
She is as great as a whale,
She has a gallon of gall;
By him that died for us all!
I would I had run till I lost her.

1st Shepherd. God look over the row, full deafly ye stand.

2nd Shepherd. Yea, the devil in thy maw  for tarrying,
Saw thou aught now of Daw?

1st Shepherd. Yea, on a lea land
Heard I him blow, he comes here at hand,
Not far;
Stand still.

2nd Shepherd. Why?

1st Shepherd. For he comes here, hope I.

2nd Shepherd. He will make us both a lie,
Unless we beware.

3rd Shepherd. Christ’s cross me speed, and Saint Nicholas!
Thereof had I need, it is worse than it was.
Whoso can take heed, and let the world pass,
It is ever in dread and brittle as glass,
And slithers,
This world fared never so,
With marvels more and more,
Now in weal, now in woe
And everything changes.
Was never since Noah’s flood such floods seen,
Winds and rains so rude, and storms so keen,
Some stammered, some stood in doubt, as I ween,
Now God turn all to good, I say as I mean,
For ponder.
These floods so they drown
Both in fields and in town,
They bear all down,
And that is a wonder.
We that walk in the nights, our cattle to keep,
We see sudden sights, when other men sleep:
Yet methinks my heart lights, I see shrews peep,
Ye are two, tall wights, I will give my sheep
A turn.
But full ill have I meant,
As I walk on this bent,
I may lightly repent,
If I stub a toe.
Ah, sir, God save you, and master mine!
A drink fain would I have and somewhat to dine.

1st Shepherd. Christ’s curse, my knave, thou art a lazy hind

2nd Shepherd. What, the boy is out of his mind.

Abide till it’s ready.
Bad luck on your pate!
Though the shrew came late
Yet is he in state
To dine if he had it.

3rd Shepherd. Such servants as I, that sweats and swinks,
Eats our bread full dry, and that makes me angry;
We are oft wet and weary when master men wink,
Yet comes full lately both dinners and drinks,
But neatly.
Both our dame and our sire,
When we have run in the mire,
They can nip at our hire,

And pay us full late.
But hear my truth, master, for the fare that ye make
I shall do thereafter work, as I take;
I shall do a little, sir, and strive and still lack,
For yet lay my supper never weighs on my stomach
In fields.
Whereto should I argue?
With my staff can I leap,
And men say “A cheap bargain yields badly.’

1st Shepherd. Thou would be an ill lad, to ride on wooing
With a man that had but little of spending.

2nd Shepherd. Peace, boy!  I bade: no more jangling,
Or I shall make thee afraid, by the heaven’s king!
With thy tricks;
Where are our sheep, boy, no more tricks?

3rd Shepherd. Sir, this same day at morn,
I them left in the corn,
When they rang Lauds;
They have pasture good, they cannot go wrong.

1st Shepherd. That is right by the rood, these nights are long,
Yet I would ere we went, one gave us a song.

2nd Shepherd. So I thought as I stood, to mirth us among.

3rd Shepherd. I grant.

1st Shepherd. Let me sing the tenory.

2nd Shepherd. And I the treble so high.

3rd Shepherd. Then the mean falls to me;
Let see how ye chant.

[Mac enters, with a cloak thrown over his smock.]

Mac. Now, Lord, for thy names seven, that made both moon and stars
Well more than I can count: thy will, Lord, is at odds;
I am all uneven, that moves oft my thoughts.
Now would God I were in heaven, for there weep no bairns.

1st Shepherd. Who is that pipes so poor?

Mac. Would God ye knew how I fare!
Lo, a man that walks on the moor,
And has not all his will.

2nd Shepherd. Mac, where hast thou gone? Tell us tidings.

3rd Shepherd. Is he come? Then each one take heed to his things.

[Takes his cloak from him.]

Mac. What, I am a yeoman, I tell you, of the king;
The self and the same, sent from a great lording,
And such
Fie on you, get thee hence,
Out of my presence,
I must have reverence,
Why, who be ich?

1st Shepherd. Why make ye it so quaint? Mac, ye do wrong.

2nd Shepherd. But, Mac, list, ye saint? I trow that ye sang.

3rd Shepherd. I trow the shrew can paint, the devil might him hang!

Mac. I shall make a complaint and have you all flogged
At a word,
And tell even how ye doth.

1st Shepherd. But, Mac, is that sooth?
Now take out that southern tooth,
And set it in a turd.

2nd Shepherd. Mac, the devil in your eye, a stroke would I give you.

3rd Shepherd. Mac, know ye not me? By God, I could vex you.

Mac. God look you all three, methought I had seen you.
Ye are a fair company.

1st Shepherd. Can ye now moan you?

2nd Shepherd. Shrew, beware,
Thus late as thou goes,
What will men suppose?
And thou hast an ill repute
Of stealing of sheep.

Mac. And I am true as steel all men know,
But a sickness I feel, that holds me full hot

My belly fares not well, it is out of its state.

3rd Shepherd. Seldom lies the devil dead by the gate.

Mac. Therefore
Full sore am I and ill,
If I stand stock still;
I eat not a bite
This month and more.

1st Shepherd. How fares thy wife? By my hood, how fares she?

Mac. Lies resting! by the rood! by the fire, lo!
And a house full of children; she drinks well too,
Ill speed other good that she will do;
But so
Eats as fast as she can,
And each year that comes to man,
She brings forth a child
And some years two.
But were I not more gracious, and richer by far,
I were eaten out of house and home,
Yet is she a foul sweetie, if ye come near.
There is none that trows, nor knows, a worse
Than ken I.
Now will ye see what I proffer,
To give all in my coffer
To-morrow next to offer,
A mass for the repose of her soul.

2nd Shepherd. I am so sleepy from waking up early,
There is none in this shire:
I would sleep even if I get less to my hire.

3rd Shepherd. I am cold and naked, and would have a fire.

1st Shepherd. I am weary from walking and running in the mire.
You keep the watch!

2nd Shepherd. Nay, I will lie down,
For I must sleep truly.

3rd Shepherd. As good a man’s son was I
As any of you.
But, Mac, come hither, between us shalt thou lie.

Mac. Then might I be in your way if you have something to say,–
Wouldn’t I?

[He lies down and prays.]
From my head to my toe
Manus tuas commendo,
Pontio Pilato.
Christ’s cross me speed.

[He rises, sees the shepherds sleeping, and says:]

Now were time for a man, that lacks what he would have,
To stalk privily then into a fold,
And nimbly to work  and be not too bold,
He might have to pay the price, if it were told
At the ending.
Now were time for to act quickly;
But he needs good counsel
That fain would fare well,
And has but little spending.

[Mac works a spell on them.]

But about you a circle, as round as a moon,
Till I have done that I will, till that it be noon,
That ye lie stone-still, till that I have done,
And I shall say therefore a few good words
On high;
Over your heads my hand I lift,
Out go your eyes, useless your sight,
But yet I must make better shift,
To make it be right.
What, Lord? they sleep hard! that may ye all hear;
Was I never a shepherd, but now will I learn.
If the flock be scared, yet shall I steal near.
Come here sheep.  Now mends our cheer,
From sorrow:
A fat sheep I dare say,
A good fleece dare I lay,
I’l repay when I may
But this will I borrow.

[He steals a sheep and goes home.]

Mac (at his own door). How, Gill, art thou in? Get us some light.

His Wife. Who makes such din this time of night?
I am set for to spin: I don’t think I’ll make a penny if I stop.
I’ll curse anyone who interrupts.
So fares
A housewife who never gets ahead
In her work because she is always
Distracted with other chores.

Mac. Good wife, open the door. See’st thou not what I bring?

Wife. I let thee draw the latch. Ah! come in, my sweeting.

Mac. Yea, thou dost not reck of my long standing.

Wife. By thy naked neck, thou art like for to hang.

Mac. Go away:
I am worthy of my meat,
For in a strait can I get
More than they that swink and sweat
All the long day,
Thus it fell to my lot, Gill, I had such luck.

Wife. It were a foul blot to be hanged for the deed.

Mac. I have escaped, Jelott, oft as hard a case.

Wife. “But so long goes the pot to the water,” men say,
“At last comes it home broken.”

Mac. Well know I the token,
But let it never be spoken;
But come and help fast.
I would he were flayed.  I would like to eat:
This twelvemonth I have not enjoyed some sheep-meat.

Wife. Come they ere he be slain, and hear the sheep bleat?

Mac. Then might I be taken: that were a cold sweat.
Go bar
The gate door.

Wife. Yes, Mac,
For and they come at thy back.

Mac. Then might I pay for all the pack:

The devil of them give warning.

Wife. A good trick have I spied, since thou hath none:
Here shall we him hide, till they be gone;
In my cradle abide. Let me alone,
And I shall lie beside in childbed and groan.

Mac. Get ready.
And I shall say thou wast delivered
Of a boy child this night.

Wife. Now well is my day bright,
That ever I was bred.
This is a good guise and a far cast;
Yet a woman’s advice helps at the last.
I care never who spies: again go thou fast.

Mac. I’ll be there before they rise;
unless there blows a cold blast.
I will go sleep.

[Mac goes back to the field.]

Yet sleeps all this company.                 

I shall go stalk privily,
As it had never been I
That carried their sheep.

[Mak lies down among the shepherds; shortly after, the shepherds are waking.]

1st Shepherd. Resurrex a mortruus: have hold my hand.
Judas carnas dominus, I may not well stand:
My foot sleeps, by Jesus, and I am weak from fasting.
I thought that we laid us full near England.

2nd Shepherd. Ah ye!
Lord, how I have slept well.
As fresh as an eel,
As light I me feel
As leaf on a tree.

3rd Shepherd. God bless everyone here!
So my head quakes
My heart is out of skin, what so it makes.
Who makes all this din? So my brow aches,
To the door will I win. Hark fellows, wakes!
We were four:
See ye anything of Mac now?

1st Shepherd. We were up ere thou.

2nd Shepherd. Man, I give God a vow,
He didn’t go anywhere.

3rd Shepherd. Methought he was wrapped in a wolf’s skin.

1st Shepherd. So are many clad, now namely within.

2nd Shepherd. When we had long napped; methought with a gin
A fat sheep he trapped, but he made no din.

3rd Shepherd. Be still:
Thy dream makes thee wood.
It is but phantom, by the rood.

1st Shepherd. Now God turn all to good,
If it be his will.

2nd Shepherd. Rise, Mac, for shame! thou ly’st right long.

 

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