woulde if I were sure in your heart to fynde grace Else syr I woulde be lothe Isaac To speake do not refraine And if it be reasonable ye shall obtaine Otherwise ye must pardon me gentle swéete wife Rebecca Sir ye knowe your sonne Esau and sée his life Howe looce it is and howe stiffe he is and stubborne Howe retchelesly he doth him selfe misgouerne He geueth himselfe to hunting out of reason And serueth the Lorde and vs at no time or season These conditions can not be acceptable In the syght of God nor to men allowable Nowe his brother Iacob your yonger sonne and mine Dothe more applie his heart to séeke the wayes diuine He liueth here quietly at home in the Tent There is no man nor childe but is with him content Isaac Oh wife I perceiue ye speake of affection To Iacob ye beare loue and to his brother none Rebecca I déede syr I can not loue Esau so well As I doe Iacob the plaine truth to you to tell For I haue no comforte of Esau God wot I scarse know where I haue a sonne of hym or not He goeth abroade so early before day light And returneth home againe so late in the night And vneth I sette eye on hym in the whole weeke No sometime not in twaine though I doe for hym séeke And all the neighbours sée him as seldome as I But when they would take rest they heare hym blow cry Some sée him so seldome they aske if he be sicke Somtimes some demaunde whether he be dead or quicke But to make short tale such his conditions be That I wishe of God he had nere bene borne of me Isaac Well wyfe I loue Esau and must for causes twaine Rebecca Surely your loue is bestowed on him in vayne Isaac Fyrst actiue he is as any yong man can be And many a good morsell he bringeth home to me Then he is myne eldest and first begotten sonne Rebecca If God were so pleased I woulde that were fordonne Isaac And the eldest sonne is called the fathers might Rebecca If yours rest in Esau God giue vs good night Isaac A prerogatiue he hath in euery thing Rebecca More pitie he shoulde haue it without deseruing Isaac Of all the goodes his porcion is greater Rebecca That the worthy should haue it I thinke much better Isaac Emong his bretherne he hath the preeminence Rebecca Where Esau is chiefe there is a gay presence Isaac Ouer his bretherne he is soueraigne and lorde Rebecca Such dignitie in Esau doth yll accorde Isaac He is the head of the fathers succession Rebecca I woulde Esau had loste that possession Isaac And he hath the chiefe title of inheritaunce Rebecca Wisedome woulde in Esau chaunge that ordinaunce Isaac To the eldest sonne is due the fathers blessing Rebecca That should be Iacobs if I might haue my wishing Isaac And the chiefe endowement of the fathers substance Rebecca Which will thriue well in Esau his gouernance Isaac By title of Eldership he hath his birthright Rebecca And that would I remoue to Iacob if I might Isaac He must haue double porcion to an other Rebecca That were more fitte for Iacob hys yonger brother Isaac In all maner of things diuided by a rate Rebecca Well gyuen goodes to him that the Lorde doth hate Isaac Why say ye so of Esau mine eldest sonne Rebecca I say true if he procéede as he hath begonne Isaac Is he not your sonne too as well as he is myne Wherfore do ye then against him thus sore repine Rebecca Bicause that in my spirite verily I know God will set vp Iacob and Esau downe throwe I haue shewed you many a tyme ere this day What the Lorde of them beyng in my wombe dyd say I vse not for to lye And I beleue certaine That the Lorde spake not these wordes to me in vaine And Iacob it is I know in whome the Lorde will His promises to you made and to your seede fulfyll Isaac I doubt not his promise made to me and my seede Leauing to his conueyaunce howe it shall procéede The Lorde after his way chaunge th inheritance But I may not wetingly breake our ordinance Rebecca Nowe woulde God I coulde persuade my lorde Isaac Iacob to preferre and Esau to put backe Isaac I may not do it wife I pray you be content The title of birthright that commeth by descent Or the place of eldershyp comming by due course I may not chaunge nor shift for better nor for wourse Natures lawe it is the eldest sonne to knowlage And in no wise to barre hym of his heritage And ye shall of Esau one day haue comforte Rebecca Set a good long day then or else we shal come short Isaac I warrant you he will doe well inough at length Rebecca You must nedes cōmend him being your might strēgth Isaac Well nowe go we hence little Mido where art thou Mido. I haue stoode here all thys while listning howe you And my Dame Rebecca haue bene laying the lawe But she hath as quicke answeres as euer I sawe Ye coulde not speake any thing vnto hir so thicke But she had hir answere as ready and as quicke Isaac Yea womens answeres are but fewe times to séeke Mido. But I did not sée Esau neither all this same wéeke Nor I do loue your sonne Esau so well As I do loue your sonne Iacob by a great deale Isaac No doest thou Mido and tell me the cause why Mido. Why for I doe not And none other cause knowe I But euery body as well one as other Doe wish that Iacob had bene the elder brother Isaac Well come on let vs goe Mido. And who shall leade you I Rebecca No it is my office as long as I am by And I woulde all wiues as the worlde this day is Woulde vnto their husbandes likewise do their office Mido. Why dame Rebecca then al wedded men shold be blind Rebecca What thou foolish ladde no such thing was in my minde Actus secundi scaena prima Ragau the Seruant of Esau Ragau. I Haue hearde it ofte but nowe I féele a wonder In what grieuous paine they die that die for hunger Oh my gréedie stomacke howe it doth bite and gnawe If I were at a racke I could eate hey or strawe Mine emptie gutts doe frette my mawe doth euen teare Woulde God I had a piece of some horsebread here Yet is maister Esau in worse case than I If he haue not some meate the sooner he will die He hath sonke for faintnesse twice or thrice by the way And not one siely bitte we got since yesterday All that euer he hath he woulde haue giuen to day To haue had but thrée morsels his hunger to allay Or in the fielde to haue mette with some hoggs I coulde scarsely kepe him from eating of these doggs He hath sent me afore some meate for to prouide And commeth créeping after scarse able to stride But if I knowe where to get of any man For to ease
myne owne selfe as hungry as I am I pray God I stinke but if any come to me Die who die will for sure I will first serued be I will see if any be ready here at home Or whether Iacob haue any that peakishe mome But first I must put all my dogges vp And lay vp thys geare and then God sende vs the cup Actus secundi scaena secunda Esau the maister Ragau the seruant OH what a grieuous pain is hunger to a man Esau Take all that I haue for meate helpe who that can O Lorde some good body for Gods sake gyue me meate Commeth in so faint that he can scarse go I force not what it were so that I had to eate Meate or drinke saue my life or breade I recke not what If there be nothing else some man giue me a cat If any good body on me will doe so much cost I will teare and eate hir rawe she shall nere be rost I promise of honestie I will eate hir rawe And what a nody was I and a hooreson dawe To let Ragau goe with all my doggs at ones A shoulder of a dogge were nowe meate for the nones Oh what shall I doe my téeth I can scarsely charme From gnawyng away the braune of my very arme I can no longer stande for faynt I must néedes lie And except meate come soone remedilesse I die And where art thou Ragau whome I sent before Vnlesse thou come at once I neuer sée thée more Where art thou Ragau I heare not of thée yet Ragau. Here as fast as I can but no meate can I get Not one draught of drink not one poore morsel of bread Not one bit or crum though I shold streight way be dead Therfore ye may nowe see how much ye are to blame That wil thus sterue your self for folowing your game Esau Ah thou villain tellest thou me this now If had thée I woulde eate thée to God I vowe Ah meat thou horson why hast thou not brought me meat Ragau. Would you haue me bring you that I can nowhere geat Esau Come hither let me tell thée a worde in thine eare Ragau. Nay speake out aloude I will not come a foote nere Fall ye to snatching at folkes adieu I am gone Esau Nay for gods loue Ragau leaue me not alone I will not eate thée Ragau so God me helpe Ragau. No I shall desire you to choose some other whelpe Being in your best lust I woulde topple with ye And plucke a good crowe ere ye brake your fast with me What are you mankene now I recken it best I To bind your handes behind you euen as ye lye Esau Nay haue mercy on me and let me not perishe Ragau. In faith nought could I get wherwith you to cherishe Esau Was there nothing to be had among so many Ragau. I coulde not finde one but Iacob that had any And no graunt would he make for ought that I could say Yet no man aliue with fairer wordes coulde him pray But the best redde pottage he hath that euer was Esau Go pray him I may speake with him once ere I passe Ragau. That message by Gods grace shall not long be vndone Esau Hie thee go apace and returne againe soone If Iacob haue due brotherly compassion He will not sée me fainte after this fashion But I dare say the wretche had rather sée me throst Than he would finde in his harte to do so muche cost For where is betwene one fremman and an other Lesse loue found than now betwene brother and brother Will Iacob come foorth to shewe comforte vnto me The horeson hypocrite will as soone hanged be Yet peace me thinketh Iacob is comming in dede And my minde geueth me at his hande I shall spede For he is as gentle and louing as can be As full of compassion and pitie But let me sée doth he come no I warrant you He come quod I tushe he come then hang Esau For there is not this daye in all the worlde rounde Suche an other hodypeake wretche to be founde And Ragau my man is not that a fine knaue Haue any mo maisters suche a man as I haue So idle so loytring so trifling so toying So pratling so tratling so chiding so boying So iesting so wresting so mocking so mowing So nipping so tripping so cocking so crowyng So knappishe so snappishe so eluishe so frowarde So crabbed so wrabbed so stiffe so vntowarde In play or in pastime so iocunde so mery In worke or in labour so dead or so weary Oh that I had his eare betwene my téeth now I should shake him euen as a dog that lulleth a sow But in faith if euer I recouer my selfe There was neuer none trounced as I shal trounce that elf He and Iacob are agréed I dare say I Not to come at all but to suffre me here to die Whiche if they doo they shall finde this same word true That after I am dead my soule shall them pursue I wyll be auenged on all foes till I dye Yea and take vengeaunce when I am deade too I For I mistrust against me agréed they haue For th one is but a foole and thother a starke knaue Ragau. I assure you Iacob the man is very weake Esau But hearke once again me thinke I heare them speake Ragau. I promise you I feare his lyfe be alreadie past Iacob Mary God forbidde Esau Loe nowe they come at last Ragau. If ye beleue not me sée your selfe where he is Iacob Fye brother Esau what a foly is this About vaine pastime to wander abroade and peake Til with hunger you make your selfe thus faint weake Esau Brother Iacob I pray you chide now no longer But giue me somewhat wherwith to slake mine honger Iacob Alack brother I haue in my little cotage Nothing but a mease of grosse and homely pottage Esau Refreshe me therwithall and boldly aske of me The best thing that I haue what soeuer it be I were a very beast when thou my life doest saue If I shoulde sticke with thée for the best thyng I haue Iacob Can ye be content to sell your birthright to mée Esau Holde here is my hande I doe sell it here to thée With all the profites thereof henceforth to be thine As frée as full as large as euer it was mine Iacob Then sweare thou hand in hande before the lyuing Lord This bargaine to fulfill and to stande by thy worde Esau Before the Lord I sweare to whom eche heart is known That my birthright that was from hensforth is thine owne Iacob Thou shalt also with me by this promise indent With this bargaine and sale to holde thy selfe content Esau If eche penie therof might be worth twentie pounde I willingly to thée surrender it this stounde And if eche cicle might be worth a whole talent I promise with this sale to holde me content Iacob Come let vs set him on foote that he may goe sup Ragau. Nay fyrst I will knowe a thing ere
come to you Isaac Nay boye it was not Iacob I dare well say so Mido. Forsooth it was Iacob if my name be Mido Isaac If that be a true tale some body is come slacke But lord that I haue done I will not now call backe But yet I will go sée if I be deceiued For in déede me thought Iacobs voyce I perceiued Actus quarti scaena duodecima Rebecca Rebecca O Lorde the God of Isaac and Abraham Then she speaketh kneeling and holding vp her handes I render thanks to thée though a sinfull woman Bicause of thy worde and promise true arte thou In sending Iacob the blessing of Esau And for thus regarding a sinner as I am I eftsoones thanke thée O Lorde God of Abraham Thy mercy and wysedome shall I sing euermore And magnifie thy name for Gods there is no more But I will to my husbande Isaac and sée That for this matter he take no gréefe at me Actus quinti scaena prima Ragau NAy now at last we haue well sped I warrant you Ragau bringeth venison at his backe Good lucke is not euermore against Esau He coursed and coursed again with his dogges here But they could at no time take either hare or dere At last he killed this with his bowe as God wold And to say that it is fatte venison be bolde But dressed it must be at once in all the haste That olde father Isaac may haue his repast Then without delay Esau shall blessed be Then faith cock on houpe al is ours then who but he But I must in that it may be drest in time likely And I trow ye shall sée it made ready quickly Actus quinti scaena secunda Mido. Mido. NAy now olde maister Isaac I warrant you Hath blessed Iacob in the place of Esau At home here with vs it is iudged no small change But a case wonderfull and also very strange The yonger brother is made elder and againe The elder must nowe serue the yonger as his swayne And from hensforth we must all make curtesie and bow Vnto maister Iacob and not to Esau now And Esau him selfe must vnder Iacob bée At his commaundement euen as well as we But I care not I warrant you for our householde Loue Iacob better than Esau twenty folde None loueth Esau but for his fathers sake But all good folkes are glad Iacobs parte to take And now by Esau no man wyll sette a pinne But yonder he commeth nowe I will gette me in Actus quinti scaena tertia Esau Esau I Trow I haue now wonne my spurres for euer For once better venison killed I neuer And though it wer somwhat longer I coulde it take Yet the goodnesse therof dooth some recompence make My father Isaac shall therof haue suche meate As in all his life he hath not the better eate Whervpon I doubt not after tender kyssing To be streight endowed with his godly blyssing As his full and true heire in his place to succéede And t' enioye the promise that God made to his séede And when I am once in my place of succession And haue all maner thinges in full possession I shall wring all loutes and make them stoupe I trowe I shall make the slaues couche as lowe as dog to bow I shall ruffle among them of an other sort Than Isaac hath done and with an other port But nowe will I go sée what hast within they make That part of my hunting my olde father may take Actus quarti scaena quarta Isaac Mido. Esau Isaac MIdo come Mido where art thou litle Mido Mido. Here redy maister Isaac what shall I do Isaac Come leade me to mine old place that I may sit doune Mido. That can I as well as any boy in this towne Isaac O Lorde my God how déepe and vnsercheable Are all thy iudgements and how immutable Of thy iustice whom it pleaseth thée thou doest reiect Of thy mercy whome pleaseth thée thou doest electe In my two sonnes O Lord thou hast wrought thy will And as thy pleasure hath wrought so shall it stand still Sence thou hast set Iacob in Esau his place I committe him to the gouernaunce of thy grace Esau Now where is Isaac that he may come and eate Lo where he is sitting abroade vpon his seate Deare father Isaac the Lord thy God thée saue Isaac Who art thou my son what thing woldest thou haue Esau I am your eldest sonne Esau by my name Newe come home from hunting where I had ioyly game I haue made meate therof for your owne appetite Meate for your owne tooth wherin ye will much delite Come eate your part dere father that when ye haue don Your soule may blesse me as your heire and eldest son Isaac Ah Esau Esau thou commest to late An other to thy blessing was predestinate And cleane gone it is from thée Esau Esau Alas Then am I the vnhappiest that euer was I would the saluage beastes had my body torne Isaac The blessing that thou sholdest haue had an other hath Esau Alas what wretched villaine hath done me such scath Isaac Thy brother Iacob came to me by subtlety And brought me venison and so preuented thée I eate with him ere thou camst and with my good will Blessed him I haue and blessed he shall be still Esau Ah Iacob Iacob well may he be called so For he hath vndermined me times two For first mine heritage he toke away me fro And sée now hath he awaye my blessing also Ah father father though Iacob hath done this thing Yet let me Esau also haue thy blessing Shall all my good huntings for thée be in vaine Isaac That is done and past can not be called againe Mine act must now stand in force of necessitie Esau And hast thou neuer a blessing then left for me Isaac Behold I haue made thy brother Iacob thy Lord Esau A most poinant sworde vnto my heart is that word Isaac All his mothers children his seruantes haue I made Esau That worde is to me sharper than a rasers blade Isaac I haue also stablished him with wine and corne Esau Wo be the day and houre that euer I was borne Isaac What am I able to do for thée my sonne Esau Ah Iacob Iacob that thou hast me thus vndone Oh vnhappy happe oh misfortune well away That euer I should liue to sée this wofull day But hast thou one blissing and no mo my father Let me also haue some blessing good swéete father Isaac Well nature pricketh me some remorse on thée to haue Behold thy dwelling place the earthes fatnesse shal haue And the dew of heauen whiche doune from aboue shall fall And with dinte of sworde thy liuing get thou shall And to thy brother Iacob thou shalt be seruant Esau Oh to my yonger brother must I be seruant Oh that euer a man should be so oppressed Isaac Thine owne fault it is that thou art dispossessed Esau Father chaunge that piece of thy sentence iudgement Isaac Things done can
not be vndone therfore be content Let me be in quiet and trouble me no more Come Mido in goddes name leade me in at the dore Esau Oh woulde not this chafe a man and fret his guts out To liue as an vnderling vnder such a loute Ah hypocrite ah hedgecréeper ah sembling wretche I will be euen with thée for this subtill fetche O God of Abraham what reason is herein That to slea ones enimy it should be made sinne Were not one as good his part of heauen forgoe As not to be reuenged on his deadly foe God was angry with Cain for killing Abell Els might I kill Iacob meruellously well I may fortune one day him to dispatche and ridde The Lord will not see all things some thing may be hid But as for these misers within my fathers tent Which to the supplanting of me put their consent Not one but I shal coyle them till they stinke for pain And then for their stinking coyle them of freshe again I will take no daies but while the matter is hotte Not one of them shall scape but they shall to the potte Actus quinti scaena quinta Ragau WHere are we now become marie syr here is araye With Esau my maister this is a blacke daye I told you Esau one day woulde shite a ragge Haue not we well hunted of blessing to come lagge Nay I thought euer it would come to suche a passe Since he solde his heritage like a very asse But in faith some of them I dare ieopard a grote If he may reache them will haue on the peticote Actus quinti scaena sexta Esau Ragau Abra. Mido. Esau COme out whores theues come out come out I say Ragau. I told you did I not that there would be a fray Esau Come out litle whoreson ape come out of thy denne Mido. Take my lyfe for a peny whether shall I renne Esau Come out thou litle fende come out thou skittish Gill Abra. Out alas alas Esau will vs all kill Esau And come out thou mother Mab out olde rotten witche As white as midnightes arsehole or virgin pitche Where be ye come together in a cluster Ragau. In faith and these thrée wil make a noble muster Esau Ere ye escape my fingers ye shall all be tought For these be they which haue all this against me wrought Mido. I wrought not a stroke this day but led Isaac If I wrought one stroke to day lay me on the iacke Esau Hence then get thée in and do against me no more Mido. I care as muche for you now as I did before Esau What sayest thou litle théefe if I may thée catche Mido. Ye shall runne apace then I wene so God me snatche Ragau. Now to go Mido or thou art caught in a trippe Esau Nay for his sake Abra ye shall drinke of the whippe Abra. Nay for Gods loue good swéete maister Esau Hurt not me for Mido speake for me Ragau Ragau. Sir spare litle Abra she hath done none euill Esau A litle fiende it is and will be a right deuill And she is one of them that loue not me a deale Abra. If ye let me go I will loue you very wele Esau· And neuer any more ado against me make Abra. Ragau shal be surety Ragau. Sir I vndertake Esau Then hence out of my sight at once and get thée in Abra. Adew I set not a strawe by you nor a pinne Esau What saiest thou thou Tib once ye shal haue a rappe Ragau. The best ende of suretiship is to get a clappe Esau Now come on thou olde heg what shal I say to thée Deborra Say what ye lust so ye do not touche me Esau Yes and make powder of thée for I dare say thou Hast bene the cause of all this feast to Esau Deborra No it was Iacobs feast that I did helpe to dresse Esau Nay I thought such a witche would do such businesse Rebecca But by my truth if I should dye incontinent I knew not of the purpose wherfore it was ment Esau But wilt thou tell me truth if I do forgeue thée Deborra Yea if I can maister Esau beleue me Esau Is it true that when I and my brother were first borne And I by Gods ordinaunce came forth him beforne Iacob came forthwith holding me fast by the he le Deborra It is true I was there and saw it very wele Esau Is it true well Iacob I pray God I be dead But for my heles sake I will haue thée by the head What diuel was in me that I had not the grace With kicking backe my he le to marre his mopishe face But my father Isaac will not long liue nowe If he were gone Iacob I would soone méete with you For my soule hateth Iacob euen to the death And I will nere but hate him while I shall haue breath I may well dissemble vntill I sée a day But trust me Iacob I will pay thée when I may This he speaketh to Deborra But if euer I heare that thou speake worde of this I shall cut out thy tongue I will not mysse But come on Ragau with me so mote I thriue I will get a good sworde for therby must I liue Ragau. Liue quod you we are like to liue God knoweth how Esau· What ye saucie merchaunt are ye a prater now Actus quinti scaena septima Deborra Rebecca Deborra I Am glad that Esau is now gone certes For an euill disposed man he is doutlesse Yet am I no gladder of his departure hence Than I am that Rebecca is come in presence Rebecca Deborra what doost thou tarying here so long I came full ill afeard least some thing had ben wrong For Mido and Abra tolde me of Esau Deborra In dede here he was and departed hence but nowe And one thing I tell you dame let Iacob beware For Esau to mischiefe Iacob dothe prepare Rebecca Call Iacob hyther that I may shew him my minde Sende him hyther quickly and tary ye behinde That he geue place awhyle it is expedient And howe he may be sure I wyll the way inuent Actus quinti scaena octaua Iacob Rebecca Iacob MOther Rebecca did ye sende for me hyther Rebecca Yea and the cause is this thou must go somwhither To hyde thée from thy brother Esau a space Iacob In dede to mens malice we must somtime geue place Rebecca He lieth in awayte to slea thée if he can Thou shalt therfore by my rede flée hence to Haran And lye with my brother Laban a man aged Tyll Esaus wrath be somwhat asswaged When all thinges are forgotten and his fury past I shall sende for thée again in all goodly haste Iacob Yea but howe wyll my father herewith be content Rebecca Thou shalt sée me wynne hym thereto incontinent And here he commeth happily Iacob heare me Make a signe to Mido that he do not name thée Then gette thée in priuely tyl I do thée call Iacob As ye commaunde me mother Rebecca I shall Actus