A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume I Part 63

DAVID REX PIUS. Lord, at thy pleasure, for thou art full of mercy.

PATER COELESTIS. Of a pestilence then three score thousand and ten In three days shall die of thy most puissant men.

DAVID REX PIUS. O Lord, it is I which have offended thy grace, Spare them and not me, for I have done the trespa.s.s.

PATER COELESTIS. Though thy sins be great, thy inward heart's contrition Doth move my stomach in wonderful condition.

I find thee a man according to my heart; Wherefore this promise I make thee, ere I depart.

A fruit there shall come forth issuing from thy body, Whom I will advance upon thy seat for ever.

His throne shall become a seat of heavenly glory, His worthy sceptre from right will not dissever, His happy kingdom of faith shall perish never.

Of heaven and of earth he was author princ.i.p.al, And will continue, though they do perish all This sign shalt thou have for a token special, That thou mayest believe my words unfeignedly.

Where thou hast minded, for my memorial, To build a temple, thou shalt not finish it truly.

But Solomon thy son shall do that action worthy, In token that Christ must finish everything That I have begun, to my praise everlasting.

DAVID REX PIUS. Immortal glory to thee, most heavenly King, For that thou hast given continual victory To me thy servant ever since my annointing, And also before, by many conquests worthy.

A bear and lion I slew through thy strength only.

I slew Golias, which was six cubits long.

Against thy enemies thou madest me ever strong.

My fleshly frailness made me do deadly wrong, And clean to forget thy laws of righteousness.

And though thou visitedst my sinfulness among With pestilent plagues and other unquietness, Yet never tookest thou from me the plenteousness Of thy G.o.dly spirit, which thou in me didst plant.

I, having remorse, thy grace could never want; For, in conclusion, thy everlasting covenant Thou gavest unto me for all my wicked sin; And hast promised here by protestation constant, That one of my seed shall such high fortune win, As never did man since this world did begin.

By his power he shall put Satan from his hold, In rejoice whereof to sing will I be bold.

_Canora voce tunc incipit Antiphonam_, O Adonai, _quam (ut prius) prosequetur chorus c.u.m organis_.

_Vel sic Anglice_:

O Lord G.o.d Adonai, and guide of the faithful house of Israel, which sometime appearedest in the flaming bush to Moses, and to him didst give a law in Mount Sinai, come now for to redeem us in the strength of thy right hand.

_Finit Actus quintus_.

INCIPIT ACTUS s.e.xTUS.

PATER COELESTIS. I brought up children from their first infancy, Which now despiseth my G.o.dly instructions.

An ox knoweth his lord, an a.s.s his master's duty; But Israel will not know me nor my conditions.

O froward people, given all to superst.i.tions: Unnatural children, expert in blasphemies, Provoketh me to hate by their idolatries.

Take heed to my words, ye tyrants of Sodom, In vain ye offer your sacrifice to me.

Discontent I am with you, beasts of Gomorrah, And have no pleasure when I your offerings see; I abhor your fasts and your solemnity; For your traditions my ways ye set apart, Your works are in vain, I hate them from the heart.

ESAIAS PROPHETA. Thy city, sweet Lord, is now become unfaithful, And her conditions are turned upside down.

Her life is unchaste, her acts be very hurtful, Her murder and theft hath darkened her renown.

Covetous rewards doth so their conscience drown, That the fatherless they will not help to right, The poor widow's cause come not afore their sight.

Thy peaceable paths seek they neither day nor night; But walk wicked ways after their fantasy.

Convert their hearts, Lord, and give them thy true light, That they may perceive their customable folly: Leave them not helpless in so deep misery, But call them from it of thy most special grace, By thy true prophets, to their soul's health and solace.

PATER COELESTIS. First they had fathers, then had they patriarchs, Then dukes, then judges, to their guides and monarchs.

Now have they stout kings, yet are they wicked still, And will in no wise my pleasant laws fulfil.

Always they apply to idol-wors.h.i.+pping, From the vile beggar to the anointed king.

ESAIAS PROPHETA. For that cause thou hast in two divided them, In Samaria the one, the other in Jerusalem.

The king of Judah in Jerusalem did dwell, And in Samaria the king of Israel.

Ten of the twelve tribes became Samaritans, And the other two were Hierosolimitans.

In both these countries, according to their doings, Thou permittedst them to have most cruel kings.

The first of Judah was wicked king Rehoboam, Of Israel the first was that cruel Jeroboam; Abijam then followed, and in the other Nadab, Then Baasha, then Etah, then Zimri, Jehoram, and Ahab.[294]

Then Ahaziah, then Athaliah, then Jehoash; On the other part was Jotham and Ahaz.

To rehea.r.s.e them all that have done wretchedly In the sight of thee, it were long verily.

PATER COELESTIS. For the wicked sin of filthy idolatry, Which the ten tribes did in the land of Samaria.

In s.p.a.ce of one day fifty thousand men I slew, Three of their cities also I overthrew, And left the people in such captivity, That in all the world they wist not whither to flee.

The other two tribes, when they from me went back To idolatry, I left in the hand of Sesack, The king of Egypt, which took away their treasure, Conveyed their cattle, and slew them without measure.

In time of Ahaz, an hundred thousand and twenty Were slain at one time for their idolatry.

Two hundred thousand from thence were captive led, Their goods dispersed, and they with penury fed.

Seldom they fail it, but either the Egyptians Have them in bondage, or else the a.s.syrians.

And alone they may thank their idolatry.

ISAIAS PROPHETA. Well yet, blessed Lord, relieve them with thy mercy.

Though they have been ill by other princes' days.

Yet good Zedekiah hath taught them goodly ways.

When the prince is good, the people are the better; And as he is nought, their vices are the greater.

Heavenly Lord, therefore send them the consolation, Which thou hast covenanted with every generation.

Open thou the heavens, and let the lamb come hither, Which will deliver thy people altogether.

Ye planets and clouds, cast down your dews and rain, That the earth may bear out healthful savour plain.

PATER COELESTIS. May the wife forget the child of her own body?

ISAIAS PROPHETA. Nay, that she cannot in any wise verily.

PATER COELESTIS. No more can I them which will do my commandments, But must preserve them from all inconvenients.

ISAIAS PROPHETA. Blessed art thou, Lord, in all thy acts and judgments.

PATER COELESTIS. Well, Isaias, for this thy fidelity A covenant of health thou shalt have also of me.

ISAIAS PROPHETA.[295] For Zion's sake now I will not hold my peace, And for Jerusalem to speak will I not cease, Till that righteous Lord become as a sunbeam bright, And their just saver as a lamp extend his light.

PATER COELESTIS. A rod shall shoot forth from the old stock of Jesse, And a bright blossom from that root will arise, Upon whom always the spirit of the Lord shall be, The spirit of wisdom, the spirit of heavenly practice, And the spirit that will all goodness devise.

Take this for a sign: a maid of Israel Shall conceive and bear that Lord Immanuel.

ISAIAS PROPHETA. Thy praises condign no mortal tongue can tell, Most worthy Maker and king of heavenly glory, For all capacities thy goodness doth excel, Thy plenteous grace no brain can compa.s.s truly, No wit can conceive the greatness of thy mercy, Declared of late in David thy true servant And now confirmed in this thy latter covenant.

Of goodness thou madest Solomon of wit most pregnant, Asa and Jehosaphat, with good king Hezekiah, In thy sight to do what was to thee right pleasant.

To quench idolatry, thou raisedest up Elijah, Jehu, Elisha, Micas, and Abdias, And Naaman Syrus thou purgedest of a lepry.

Thy works wonderful who can but magnify?

Arise, Jerusalem, and take faith by and by, For the very light that shall save thee is coming.

The Son of the Lord appear will evidently, When he shall resort, see that no joy be wanting.

He is thy saver and thy life everlasting, Thy release from sin and thy whole righteousness.

Help me in this song to acknowledge his great goodness.