NOAH
(Wakefield)
CHARACTERS
GOD.
NOAH.
HAM.
SHEM.
JAPHETH.
 
WIFE Noah   
WIFE of Ham
WIFE of Shem
WIFE ofJapheth
 
 

God on an upper stage; Noah and his family below.

Noah. Mighty God very, maker of all that is,
Three persons without nay, one God in endless bliss,
Thou made both night and day, beast, fowl, and fish;
All creatures that live may wrought thou at thy wish,

As thou well might. 5
The sun, the moon, truly,
Thou made; the firmament;
The stars also, full fervent

To shine thou made full bright.

Angels thou made full even, all orders that is, 10
To have the bliss in heaven. This did thou, more and less.
Marvels too many to name, yet was there unkindness.
Seven-fold more than I can well express;

Because
Of all the angels, in brightness 15
God gave Lucifer most lightness,
Yet proudly he left his dais,

And set himself even with God.

He thought himself as worthy as him that him made,
In brightness, in beauty; therefore he him degraded; 20
Put him in a low degree soon after, in a jiffy,
Him and all his company, where he may be unglad


Forever.
They shall never go away
Hence unto doomsday, " 25
But burn in bale for aye;

They shall never depart.



Soon after that gracious Lord to his likeness made man,
That place to be restored even as he began,
Of the Trinity by accord, Adam, and Eve, that woman. 30
To multiply without discord in paradise put he them;
And later to both
Gave in commandment
On the tree of life to lay no hand.
But yet the false fiend 35
Made him with man wroth,

Enticed man to gluttony, stirred him to sin in pride.
But in paradise, certainly, might no sin abide;
And therefore man full hastily was put out, in that tide,
In woe and misfortune for to be; pains full cruel 40


To know,
First on earth, afterwards in hell,
With fiends for to dwell.
But he his mercy promises

To those that will him believe. 45

Oil of mercy he has offered, as I have heard said,
To every living wight that would love him and dread.
But now before his sight every living man
Must in part day and night sin in word and deed



Some in pride, ire, and envy,
Some in covetousness and gluttony,
Some in sloth and lechery,

And otherwise manifold.

Therefore I fear lest God on us will take vengeance, 55
For sin is now allowed without any repentance.
Six hundred years and odd have I, without dispute,
On earth, as any sod, lived with great grievance


Always;
And nowi I wax old, 60
Sick, sorry, and cold;
As muck upon mold
I wither away.

But yet will I cry for mercy, and call. [Kneels.
Noah, thy servant, am I, Lord over all! 65