Page:Ludus Coventriae (1841).djvu/155

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  Whan here owyn synne hem doth defame;
But lowly than thei gyn to lowth,
  Whan thei be gylty and fowndyn in blame.

Therfore com forthe, cokewolde be name,
  The busschop xal ȝour lyff appose;
Com forth also, ȝe goodly dame,
  A clene huswyff, as I suppose.
I xal ȝow tellyn, withowtyn glose,
  And ȝe were myn withowtyn lak;
I wolde eche day beschrewe ȝour nose,
  And ȝe dede brynge me suche a pak.

My lord the buschop, here have I brought
  This goodly copyl, at ȝour byddyng;
And as me semyth as be here fraught,
  "ffayr chylde, lullay," sone must she syng.
Primus detractor. To here a credyl and ȝe wolde brynge,
  ȝe myght save monye in here purse;
Becawse she is ȝour cosyn ȝynge,
  I pray ȝow, sere, lete her nevyr fare the wers.
Episcopus. Alas! Mary, what hast thou wrought?
  I am aschamyd evyn for thi sake;
How hast thou chaungyd thin holy thought?
  Dude old Joseph with strenght the take?
Or hast thou chosyn another make,
  By whom thou art thus brought in schame?
Telle me who hath wrought this wrake;—
  How hast thou lost thi holy name?
Maria. My name, I hope, is saff and sownde,
  God to wyttnes I am a mayd!
Of ffleschly lust and gostly wownde,
  In dede nere thought I nevyr asayd.
Primus doctor legis. How xulde thi wombe thus be arayd,
  So grettly swollyn as that it is?