MIDO

Who calls Mido? here good master Isaac. Lay your hand on my shoulder, and come on this way. Sir, whither would you go, now that abroad you be? Yonder I do his see. Yonder she is speaking, what ever she does say: By holding up his hands, it seemeth she does pray. She comes to you apace. Why must I be blind too, if I be and old man? How shall I grope the way, or who shall lead me than? I trow if I were blind, I could go well inowe, I could grope the way thus, and go as I do now. I have done so ere now both by day and by night, As I see you grope the way, and have hit it right. Nay I never did it in any such intent. Then will I never more do so while I may see: But against I be blind, I will be so perfight, That though no man lead me, I will go at midnight. I have stood here all this while, listening how you And my Dame Rebecca have be laying the law, But she hath as quick answers as ever I saw. You could not speak any thing unto his so thick, But she had his answer as ready and as quick. But I did not see Esau neither all this same week: Nor I do love your son Esau so well, As I do love your son Jacob by a great deal. Why? for I do not: And none other cause know I. But every body as well one as other, Do wish that Jacob had be the elder brother. And who shall lead you? I? Why dame Rebecca, then all wedded men should be blind. Marry even thus, as thou shalt see me do now. Here he con terfaiteth sup ping out of the pot. O I thank you Jacob: with all my heart Jacob. Gently done Jacob: A friendly part Jacob. I can sup so Jacob. Yea than will I sup too Jacob. Here is good meat Jacob. As ere I saw Jacob. Sweet rice pottage Jacob. Ioily good cheer Jacob. I was hungry Jacob. You will none now Jacob. I will eat all Jacob. Thou art a good son Jacob. No, but Still cogeld in Like Jack daw that cries ka kob. That to be kylde I could not laughing forbear: And therefore I came out, I durst not abide there. No. I left Esau about to lick the pot. The pot shall need no washing, he will it so lick. And by this he is sitting down to bred and drink. No, for he prayed Jacob ere he did begin, To shut the tent fast that no more gests come in. He said thou were a knave, and had Thee hence, avant. Go shift where thou couldst, thou gottest nothing there. I must in again, lest perhaps I be shent, For I asked no body licence when I went. Exeat. I can go to his as straight as a thread, and not miss. Yes, you shall see me scud Like a little self. How say you master Jacob, ran not I apace? When he had supte up all, I saw him lick the pot. Thus he licked, and thus he licked, and this way. I thought to have licked the pot my self once to day. But Esau beguiled me, I shrew him for that, And left not so much as a lick for pusse our cat. Shall we sing thesame himne that all our house does sing For Abraham and his seed to give God praising. Then must we all knee down thus, And Abram our maid here must also sing with us, Knee down Abram, what I say, will you not knee down? Knee when I bid you, the slackest wench in this town. The First song. BLessed be thou, Oh the God of Abraham, For thou art the Lord our God, and none but thou: What thou workest to the glory of thy name, Passes man's reason to search what way or how. Thy promise it was Abraham should have seed, More than the stars of the sky to be told, He believed and had Isaac in deed, When both he and Saram seemed very old. Isaac many years longed for a son, Rebecca thy handmaid long time was barren, By prayer in thy sighed such favour he won, That at one birth she brought him forth sons twain Wherefore Oh Lord, we do confess and believe, That both thou canst and wilt thy promise fulfil: But how it shall come we can no reason give, Save all to be wrought according to thy will. Blessed be thou Oh God of Abraham. &c. Nay you should have set Mido before Abram, trow. For I am a man towards, and so is not she. And slit my tongue, if ever it come out for me: But if any tell, Abram here, will be prattling. For they say, women will ever be clattering. Here sir this same way, and you be at the bench now, Where you may fit down in gods name if please you. Forsooth master Isaac, and I knew it where, It should not be very long ere I would be there. But shall I at adventure go seek where he is? Here he is come now invisible by my soul: For I saw him not till he spoke harden at my poule, Sir if you command me, full quickly I am gone. ARe you here master Jacob? I came you to look: And here dame Rebecca hath sent you your shepecroke And hath commanded me to wait on you this day, But wherefore or why, she would nothing to me say. Whither you shall lead me, I am at all assays. Hark master Jacob, heard you ever kid blea so? I ween she knoweth afore hand whereto she shall go Nay, she will scarcely be still, when she is dead, I do fear. I have made many feet to follow, I can tell. A stone? how should that be mistress? I am a lad: And a boy alive, as good as ere you had: And now in bringing home this kid I have I trow, Tried my self a man, and a preaty fellow, One warning is enough, you bade us so last day. Why he seeth no better at noon than at midnight. Is he not blind long since, and doth his eyes lack? Therefore go in dame, I bear and heavy pack. O Jacob, I was never so afeard afore. Old Isaac your father, heard your young kid blea. He asked what it was, and I said, a kid. Who brought it from the fold, I said you did. For what purpose? forsooth sir said I, There is some matter that Jacob would remedy: And where hast thou been so long little Mido, quod he, That all this whole hour thou Wertenberg not once with me? Forsooth (quod I) when I went from you last of all, You bade me be no more but be ready at your call. No, but and if he had called me afore, I must have told him all, or else I must have made a lie, Which would not have be a good boys partly truly. But I will to him, and no longer here remain, Lest he should happen to call for Mido again. What is it sir, that you would have my help unto? That shall be well done, the weather is very fair, I may now go play, Jacob leads Isaac. But I never saw such a pretty knack, How Jacob beguiled his father, how slightly. Now I see it true the blind eat many a fly. I quaked once for fear lest Jacob would be caught, But as happen was, he had his lesson well taught. But what will Esau say, when he comes home? Choose him, but for me to go in it is wisdom. Come in dame Rebecca, How do you master Isaac? I am here now. For my master Jacob did bid me come to you. Forsooth it was Jacob, if my name be Mido. NAy now old master Isaac (I warrant you) Hath blessed Jacob in the place of Esau. At home here with us it is judged no small change But a case wonderful, and also very strange. The younger brother is made elder, and again, The elder must now serve the younger as his swain. And from henceforth we must all make courtesy and bow, Unto master Jacob, and not to Esau now: And Esau him self must under Jacob been, At his commandment even as well as we. But I care not I warrant you: for our household Love Jacob better than Esau twenty fold. None loves Esau but for his father's sake: But all good folks are glad Jacob's part to take. And now by Esau no man will set a pin, But yonder he comes now, I will get me in. Here ready master Isaac, what shall I do? That can I as well as any boy in this town. Take my life for a penny, whither shall I run? I wrought not a stroke this day but led Isaac. If I wrought one stroke to day, lay me on the Jack. I care as much for you now, as I did before. You shall run apace then I ween, so God me snatch. My dame Rebecca is here. I can run pace for him if you bid me go. Come master Jacob, you must make no tarrying, For I it is that shall be shent if you be slack, Here is your son Jacob now master Isaac. Nay master Jacob, let me have and hand also. I come at the first call, good master Isaac. I am able (I trow) to bear a quarter sack. How say you to this corpse? is it not fat and round? How say you to these legs? come they not to the ground? And be not here arms able your matter to speed? Be not here likely shoulders to do such a deed? Therefore come master Jacob, if this your doubt be, For bringing home of kids, lay the biggest on me, So that if we make a feast, I may have some part.