Page:Ludus Coventriae (1841).djvu/118

 Episcopus. Joseph, with this ryng now wedde thi wyff, And be here hand now thou here take.

Joseph. Sere, with this rynge I wedde here ryff, And take here now here ffor my make.

Episcopus. Mary, mayd, withoutyn more stryff, Onto thi spowse thou hast him take.

Maria. In chastyté to ledyn my lyff, I xal hym nevyr forsake, But evyr with hym abyde: And, jentylle spowse, as ȝe an seyd, Lete me levyn as a clene mayd, I xal be trewe, be not dysmayd, Bothe terme, tyme, and tyde.

Episcopus. Here is the holyest matremony that evyr was in this werd, The hyȝ names of oure lord we wole now syng hy, We alle wole this solempn dede recorde Devowtly. Alma chorus Domini nunc pangat nomina Summi! Now goth hom alle in Godys name, Where as ȝour wonyng was before; Maydenys, to lete here go alone it wore shame, It wold hevy ȝour hertes sore: ȝe xal blysse the tyme that sche was bore, Now loke ȝe at hom here brynge.

Maria. To have ȝour blyssyng, ffaydr, I falle ȝow before.

Episcopus. He blysse ȝow that hath non hendyng, In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti!

Episcopus. Joseph, thiselph art old of age, And thi wyff of age is ȝonge; And as we redyn in old sage, Many man is sclepyr of tonge. Therfore evyl langage for to swage, That ȝour good fame may leste longe, iij. dymysellys xul dwelle with ȝow in stage, With thi wyff to be evyrmore amonge.