Part 8 (1/2)

_Shem's Wife._ Here is a good hackstock; On this you must hew and knock: Shall none be idle in this flock, Nor now may no man fail.

_Ham's Wife._ And I will go to gather slich,[25]

The s.h.i.+p for to clean and pitch; Anointed it must be, every st.i.tch, Board, tree, and pin.

_j.a.phet's Wife._ And I will gather chips here To make a fire for you, in fear, And for to dight[26] your dinner, Against you come in.

[_Here they make signs as though they were working divers instruments._

_Noah._ Now in the name of G.o.d I will begin, To make the s.h.i.+p that we shall in, That we be ready for to swim, At the coming of the flood.

These boards I join together, To keep us safe from the weather That we may roam both hither and thither And safe be from this flood.

Of this tree will I have the mast, Tied with gables that will last With a sail yard for each blast And each thing in its kind.

With topmast high and bowsprit.

With cords and ropes, I hold all fit To sail forth at the next weete[27]

This s.h.i.+p is at an end.

Wife in this castle we shall be kept: My children and thou I would in leaped!

_Noah's Wife._ In faith, Noe, I had as lief thou had slept, for all thy frankishfare,[28]

For I will not do after thy rede.[29]

_Noah._ Good wife, do as I thee bid.

_Noah's Wife._ By Christ not, or I see more need, Though thou stand all the day and rave.

_Noah._ Lord, that women be crabbed aye!

And never are meek, that I dare say.

This is well seen of me to-day In witness of you each one.

Good wife, let be all this beere[30]

That thou makest in this place here, For they all ween thou art master; And so thou art, by St. John!

_G.o.d._ Noah, take thou thy company And in the s.h.i.+p hie that you be, For none so righteous man to me Is now on earth living.

Of clean beasts with thee thou take Seven and seven, or thou seake, He and she make to make Quickly in that thou bring.

Of beasts unclean two and two, Male and female, without more; Of clean fowls seven also, The he and she together.

Of fowles unclean two, and no more; Of beasts as I said before: That shall be saved through my lore Against I send the weather.

Of all meats that must be eaten Into the s.h.i.+p look there be gotten, For that no way may be forgotten And do all this by deene.[31]

To sustain man and beasts therein, Aye, till the waters cease and blyn.[32]

This world is filled full of sin And that is now well seen.

Seven days be yet coming, You shall have s.p.a.ce them in to bring; After that it is my liking Mankind for to annoy.

Forty days and forty nights, Rain shall fall for their unrights; And that I have made through my might, Now think I to destroy.

_Noah._ Lord, at your bidding I am bayne,[33]

Since none other grace will gain, It will I fulfil fain, For gracious I thee find.

A hundred winters and twenty This s.h.i.+p making tarried have I: If, through amendment, any mercy Would fall unto mankind.

Have done, you men and women all.

Hie you, lest this water fall, That each beast were in his stall And into s.h.i.+p brought.