Page:Ludus Coventriae (1841).djvu/109

Joachym. Sere busshopp, here, aftyr thin owyn hest,
  We have here brought oure dowtyr dere;
Mary, my swete childe, she is ful prest
  Of age, she is ful xiiij. ȝere.

Episcopus. Welcome, Joachym, onto myn areste,
  Bothe Anne thi wyff and Mary clere;
Now, Mary, chylde to the lawe thou leste,
  And chese the a spowse to be thi ffere,
          That lawe thou must ffulffylle.

Maria. Aȝens the lawe wyl I nevyr be,
But mannys ffelachep xal nevyr folwe me,
I wyl levyn evyr in chastyté
          Be the grace of Goddys wylle.

Episcopus. A! ffayre mayde, why seyst thou so?
  What menyth the for to levyn chast?
Why wylt thou not to weddyng go?
  The cawse thou tell me, and that in hast.

Maria. My ffaydr and my modyr sertys also,
  Er I was born, ȝe may me trast,
Thei were bothe bareyn, here frute was do;
  They come to the tempyl at the last,
          To do here sacryfice.
Bycause they hadde nothyr frute nere chylde,
Reprevyd thei wore of wykkyd and wyllde,
With grett shame thei were revylyd,—
          Al men dede them dyspyce.

My ffadyr and my modyr thei wepte fulle sore,
  fful hevy here hertys wern of this dede;
With wepynge eyn thei preyd therfore
  That God wolde socowre hem and sende hem sede.
Iff God wold grannt hem a childe be bore,
  They behest the chylde here lyf xulde lede,
In Goddys temple to serve evyrmore,