A play concerning the doctors disputing with Jesus in the temple
FIRST DOCTOR Scripture sacre esse dinoscimur doctos We two bear the bell of all manner of clergy. SECOND DOCTOR Velud rosa omnium florum flos Like unto us was never clerk so wise. FIRST DOCTOR Look what science you can devise 5 Of reading, writing and true orthography! Of all clerks we bear the prize Of grammar, cadence and of prosody. SECOND DOCTOR No clerk is able to bear our book Of versifying, nor of other science 10 Of sweet music. Whoso will look Seek no further but to our presence. Of dialect we have high excellence. Of sophistry, logic and philosophy. Against our argument is no resistance 15 In metaphysic nor in astronomy. FIRST DOCTOR Of calculation and necromancy Also of allegorythm and assymetric Of lineation that belongs to geometry. Of diets and dooms that belong to physic. 20 In all this science, is no one us like In Cato, Graecismus nor Doctrinale And for enditing with rhetoric The highest degree is ours over all. SECOND DOCTOR In great canon and civil law, 25 Also in science of policy Is none to us worth a straw. Of all knowledge we bear the mastery. Therefore in this temple we sit on high And of most worship keep the sovereignty. 30 There is, on earth, no man so worthy The high state to hold as we two be. JESUS Omnis sciencia a domino deo est All wit and wisdom of God is lent Of all your learning within your breast 35 Thank highly that lord that has you sent. Through boast and pride your souls may be shent Of wit and wisdom be ye not so sure For God can make, at his intent, Of all your knowledge, many men you cure. 40 FIRST DOCTOR Go home little babe and sit on thy mother's lap And put a bib before thy breast And pray thy mother feed thee with her pap. From thee to learn, we desire not the least. SECOND DOCTOR Go to thy dinner for that behooves thee best. 45 When thou art athirst, then take thee a suck! After, go to thy cradle therein to take rest -- For that thou canst do better that to look at a book. JESUS Since that you be so witty and wise, Can you ought tell how this world was wrought? 50 How long it shall last, can you devise With all the cunning that ye have sought? FIRST DOCTOR Nay, all earthly clerks that tell can not! It passes our wit that to contrive. It is not possible to be brought about. 55 The world's ending no man can describe. JESUS How it was wrought and how long it shall endure That I tell by good deliberation. Not only thereof, but of every creature How it was wrought I know the creation. 60 SECOND DOCTOR Of thy words I have scorn and derision! How should a child that never letters did learn Come to the wit of so high cognition Of those great works that so wonderful were. JESUS All things are brought to information 65 By three persons, one God in Trinity. And one of those three hath taken incarnation Both flesh and blood of a maiden free. And by that might of these persons three, Heaven and earth and all things are wrought. 70 And as it pleaseth that high majesty All things shall last or linger not. SECOND DOCTOR I grant well all things that God did make And without him no thing may be. But one thing thou said in question I take 75 That one God alone was in persons three. Right impossible that is to me. That one is three I cannot think. If thou canst prove it, anon lets see For in our hearts it may never sink. 80 JESUS In the sun consider ye things three: The splendour, the heat and the light. As those three parts but one sun be, Right so three persons be one God of might. SECOND DOCTOR In very faith this reason is 85 But yet, fair babe, one thing we pray you, What do all those three persons hight? Us to inform you say to me now. JESUS The first is called the father of might, The second the son of wisdom and wit. 90 The holy ghost the third, of grace he is hight And in one substance all these three be knit. FIRST DOCTOR Another question I ask you yet, You said one of these three took flesh and blood? And she a clean maid? I cannot believe it. 95 Clean maid and mother never yet in one person stood. JESUS Like as the sun doth pierce the glass, The glass is not hurt in its nature. Right so the godhead entered has The virgin's womb, and she a maid pure. 100 That maiden's child shall do great cure, Convict the devil in open field And with his bold thrust fetch home his creature. Mankind to save, his breast shall be the shield. SECOND DOCTOR This child's doctrine doth pass our wit. 105 Some angel of heaven I trow that he be! But blessed babe of one doubt yet -- We pray you inform us for charity -- Which took flesh, of the persons three, Against the fiend to hold such a battle? 110 JESUS The second person forsooth is he, Shall defeat the field without fail. FIRST DOCTOR Why rather he than any of that other, The first or the third, why come they not? JESUS This is the cause why, certainly, and none other 115 Against the second the trespass was wrought When the serpent Adam to sin brought. He tempted him not by the father's might Of the spirit's goodness spoke he right not But in knowledge he tempted him right. 120 Might is the father's own property. To the spirit belongs goodness. In none of these two tempted he Mankind to sin when he him addressed. To the son knowledge doth long express. 125 There with did the serpent Adam assay. "Eat of this apple" he said no less "And thou shalt have knowledge as God, truly." Thus the second person's attribute Was only touched by the temptation. 130 Wherefor himself will hold the suit And keep his property for violation. SECOND DOCTOR This is a heavenly declaration! Our natural wit it doth exceed. So young a child, of such information 135 In all this world did never speed. FIRST DOCTOR We are not worthy to keep this seat While our master gives us his presence. The mastery of us this child doth get. We must him worship with high reverence. 140 Come forth, sweet babe, of great excellence. The wisest clerk that ever yet was born, To you we give the high residence Us more to teach, as ye have done before.
Here they lead Jesus between them and seat him in the high seat and make for themselves seats lower down and sitting down, the second doctor says:
SECOND DOCTOR So young a child, such clergy to reach, 145 And so wisely to say it. We wonder sore Who was your master? Who did you teach? Of what man had you this worthy lore? JESUS My wit and my learning is no new store. Before this word was wrought, all things did I know. 150 First, ere you were born, years many score, Through the might of my father, my wit in me did flow. FIRST DOCTOR Ere we were born? Nay that may not be! The youngest of us two is three score years of age And thyself art but a child, all men may well see, 155 Late come out of the cradle as it seems by thy visage. JESUS I am of double birth and double lineage. First, by my father, I am without beginning. And like as he is endless in his high stage, So shall I never more have ending. 160 For by my father, king celestial Without beginning, I am endless. But by my mother, that is carnal, I am but twelve years of age. That is express, My body of youth does show witness 165 Which of my mother here I did take. But my high godhead, this is no less. All things in this world, for sooth, did I make. SECOND DOCTOR By your father that endless is, Who is your mother, tell us we pray. 170 JESUS By my father, the high king of bliss, A motherless child, I am verily. FIRST DOCTOR Who was your father? To us then say By your mother, a woman that was. JESUS I am fatherless as for that maid 175 Of fleshly lust, she did never trepass. SECOND DOCTOR Tell us, I pray you, what is your name? What your mother's name? Tell us also. JESUS Jesus of Nazareth, I am the same. Born of a clean maid. Prophets said so. 180 Isaiah said thus, "Ecce virgo.. A maid shall conceive in cleanness a child Yet against nature and natural law From all spot of sin, pure and undefiled. Mary, the child of Joachim and Anne 185 Is that clean maid, and her child am I. The fruit of her womb shall save every man From the great doubt of the fiend's tormentry FIRST DOCTOR All the clerks of this world, truly, Can not bring this to declaration 190 Unless they have of God almighty Some source of information. SECOND DOCTOR Now, gentle Jesus, we you pray, While that we study a while, to dwell, In case more doubts that we find may, 195 The truth of them ye may us tell. JESUS Go take your study and advise you well And at your pleasure I shall abide. If any doubts to me you tell, The truth thereof I shall not hide. 200 MARY Alas! Alas! my heart is woe! My blessed babe away is went I know never whither he does go. Alas! for sorrow my heart is rent. Gentle husband, have you him sent 205 Out on an errand to any place? But if we know where he is bent My heart, for woe, assunder will race. JOSEPH On a message, him did I not send, Forsooth, good wife, in no degree. 210 How long is it that he hence went? What time did you your child last see? MARY Truly, good spouse, not these days three. Therefore my heart is cast in care Him for to seek, whereso he be. 215 In haste, good husband, let us forth fare. JOSEPH Then to Jerusalem let us straight wend! For kindred gladly together will have gone. I hope he is there with some good friend Where he has cousins right many a one. 220 MARY I am afraid that he has foes For his great wit and works good. Like him, of wit, forsooth, is none. Every child with him is angry and wood. Also my babe, my bliss, my blood, 225 Whither art thou thus gone from me? My soul, my sweeting, my fruit, my food, Send me some word where that thou be! Tell me, good sirs, for charity, Jesus, my child, that babe of bliss, 230 Among this company did ye him see? For God's high love, tell where he is. FIRST DOCTOR Of one question I am bethought. All of your mother, that blessed maid In what governance is she brought? 235 How is she ruled by night and day? JESUS An old man, Joseph, as I you say, Her wedded, by a miracle, unto his wife Her for to feed and keep, alway. Both in cleanness and in maidenly life. 240 SECOND DOCTOR What need was there, her to be wed Unto a man of so great age Unless they might both go to bed And keep the law of marriage. JESUS To blind the devil of his knowledge 245 And my birth from him to hide That holy wedlock was great stoppage, The devil in doubt he does abide. Also when she should to Eygpt go And flees from Herod for doubt of me 250 Because she should not go alone, Joseph was ordained her mate to be By my father of his high majesty Her for to comfort in the way. These be the causes, as ye may see, 255 Why Joseph wedded that holy maid. MARY Ah dear child, dear child, why hast thou thus done? For thee we have had great sorrow and care. Thy father and I three days have gone Wide, thee to seek of bliss full bare. 260 JESUS Why have ye sought me with heavy cheer? Know you not well that I must be Among them that are to my father dear, His ghostly children to oversee? MARY Your father's will must needs be wrought. 265 It is most worthy that it so be. Yet on your mother, have ye some thought And be never more so long from me. As to my thinking, these days three That you absent have been away 270 Be much longer in their degree Than all the space of a twelve year day. JESUS Now for to please my mother mild I shall you follow with obedience. I am your son and subject, child, 275 And owe you reverence. Home with you I will go hence. Of you clerks, my leave I take. Every child should with good diligence His mother to please, his own will forsake. 280 FIRST DOCTOR O blessed Jesus, with you we wend, Of you to have more information. Full blessed is your mother kind Of whom you took your incarnation. We pray you, Jesus, of consolation, 285 At our most need, of you to have. All that hath heard this consummation Of this pageant, your grace them save.
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