A nores1 wold I hyre,

Think ye on yit—a seson.
Well qwytt is my hyre ;
My dreme this is it.

I have barnes,2 if ye knew,
Well mo then enewe;

Bot we must drynk as we brew,
And that is bot reson.

I wold ye dynyd or ye yode.3

Me thynk that ye swette.

Sec. Past.-Nay, nawther mendys oure mode
Drynk nor mette.

Mak. Why, sir, alys you oght bot goode?
Yee, our shepe that we gett,

Ter. Past.

Are stollyn as thay yode.

Our losse is grett.

Mak.-Syrs, Drynk.

Had I bene thore,

Som shuld have boght it full sore.

Prim. Past.-Mary! som men trowes that ye wore;
And that us forthynks.*

Sec. Past.-Mak, some men trowys

That it shud be ye.

Avise the, I say.

He lernyd tymely to steyll,
That couth not say nay.

Uxor. I swelt !

Owt, thefys, fro my wonys 13

Ye com to rob us for the nonys.4
Mak. Here ye not how she gronys?
Youre hartys shuld melt.

Uxor.-Outt, thefys, fro my barne!
Negh hym not thor.

Mak.-Wyst ye how she had farne,5
Youre hartys wold be sore.
Ye do wrang, I you warne,

That thus commys before,
To a woman that has farne.
Bot I say no more.

Uxor.-A, my medyll!

I pray to God so mylde,
If ever I you begyld,

That I ete this chylde,

That lygs in this credyll.

Mak.-Peasse, woman, for Gods payn!

4
• Purpose. 5 Farrow'd.

• The two other shepherds had probably been searching the cottage, and here returned.

1

Ter. Past.-All wirk we in vayn :

As well may we go.—But hatters,

I can fynde no flesh,

Hard nor nesh,

Salt nor fresh,

Bot two tome platers.
Whik catell bot this

Tame nor wylde,

None, as have I blys,

As lowde as he smylde.1

Uxor.-No, so God me blys,

And gyf me joy of my chylde.

Mak. So fare fall thare lyppys—

Prim. Past.-Hark, now a le.1

Mak.-So God thaym thank,

Parkyn and Gybon Waller, I say,

And gentyll John Horne, in good fay,

With the greatt shank ;

He made all the garray.

'This is an expression we are unable to interpret. Possibly we should read 'as lewde as he smelde'—i. e., as wicked as he smelt.

2 Perhaps, 'Sir, we have done'.

3 Ready.

Lie.

Sec. Past.-Mak, freynds will we be,
For we are all oone.

Mak.-Wel now I hald for me,

For mends gett I none.
Farewell all three :

All glad were ye gone.

Ter, Past.-Fare words may ther be,

Bot luf1 is there none--this yere.

Prim. Past.-Gaf2 ye the chyld any thyng?
Sec. Past.-I trow, not oone farthyng.
Ter. Past.-Fast, agane will I flyng:
Abyde ye me there.

Mak, take it no grefe

If I come to thi barne.

Mak.-Nay, thou dos me greatt repriefe,

And fowll has thou farne.

Ter. Past.-The child will it not grefe,

That lytyll day starne.3

Mak, with your leyfe,

Let me gyf youre barne-bot vj pence.

Mak--Nay, do way: he slepys.

Ter. Past.-Me thynk he pepys.

Mak.-When he wakyns he wepys :
I pray you go hence.

Ter. Past.-Gyf me lefe hym to kys,

And lyft up the clowtt.

What the devill is this?

He has a long snowte.

Prim. Past.-He is markyd amys :

We wate ill abowte.

Sec. Past.-Ill spon weft, I wys,

1 Love.

Ay commys foull owte.-Ay so!
He is lyke to our shepe.

2 Gave.

3 Day star.