Page:Ludus Coventriae (1841).djvu/217

That holy wedlok was grett stopage,
  The devyl in dowte to do abyde.

Also, whan sche xulde to Egypte gon,
  And fle from Herowde, for dowte of me;
Becawse she xulde nat go alon,
  Joseph was ordeyned here make to be,
My ffadyr, of his hyȝ magesté,
  Here for to comforte in the way:
These be the cawsys, as ȝe may se,
  Why Joseph weddyd that holy may.

Maria. A! dere childe! dere chylde! why hast thou thus done?
  ffor the we have had grett sorwe and care;
Thy ffadyr and I thre days have gone,
  Wyde the to seke of blysse ful bare.
Jhesus. Why have ȝe sought me with hevy fare?
  Wete ȝe not wele that I muste bene
Amonge hem that is my faderes ware,
  His gostly catel for to ovyrsen?

Maria. [Gh]our ffaderes wyl must nedys be wrought,
  It is most wurthy that it so be;
[Gh]itt on ȝour modyr have ȝe sum thought,
  And be nevyr more so longe fro me.
As to my thynkynge, these days thre,
  That ȝe absente have ben away,
Be more lengere in ther degré
  Than alle the space of xij. ȝere day.

Jhesus. Now, ffor to plese my modyr mylde,
  I xal ȝow folwe with obedyence;
I am ȝour sone and subjecte childe,
  And owe to do ȝow hyȝ reverence.