This play, written by the so-called "Wakefield Master," explores the famous biblical story of the flood. Especially interesting in this nine-line stanza drama, are the gender relations between Noah and his wife.

Processus Noe Cum Fillis Wakefield

Therfor I drede lest god :-/ on vs will take veniance
For syn is now alod : without any repentance
Sex hundreth yeris and;od :-/ haue I without destance
In erth as any sod :-/ liffyd with grete grevance /
----------All way

And now I wax old
seke sory and cold
As muk apon mold
----------I widder away

Bot yit will I cry :-/ for mercy and call

Noe
thi seruant am I :-/ lord ouer all
Therfor for me and my fry :-/ shal with me fall
saue from velany :-/ and bryng to thi hall WEIRD MARK!
----------In heuen

And kepe me from syn
This warld within
Comly kyng of mankyn
----------I pray the here my stevyn

Deus
Syn I haue maide all thyng :-/ that is liffand
Duke emperour and kyng :.-/ with myne awne hand
For to haue thare likyng :-/ bi see and bi sand
Euery man to my bydyng :-/ shuld be bowand
----------Full feruent

That maide man sich a creatoure
Farest of favoure
Man must luf me paramoure
----------by reson and repent

Methoght I shewed man luf :-/ when I made hym to be
All angels abuf :-/ like to the trynyte
And now in grete reprufe :-/ full low ligys he
In erth hymself to stuf / with syn that displeasse me
----------Most of all

Veniance wil; I take
In erth for syn sake
My grame thus will I wake
---------- both of grete and small

I repente full fors :.-/ that euer maide I man
Bi me he settys no store :-/ and I am his soferan /

Noe
A benedicite :-/ What art thou that thus
Tellys afore that shall be :-/ thou art full marvelus
Tell me for charite :-/ thi name sogracius

Deus
My name is of dignyte :-/ and also full glorius
---------- To knowe
I am god most myghty
Oone god in trynyty
Made the and ich man to be
---------- To luf me well thou awe

Noe
I thank the lord so dere :-/ that wold vowch sayf
Thus low to appere :-/ to a symple knafe
Blis vs lord here :-/ for charite I hit crafe
The better may we stere :-/ the ship that we shall hafe
----------Certayn

Deus
Noe to the and to thi fry
My blyssyng graunt I
Ye shall wax and multiply
---------- And fill the erth agane
When all thise floodys ar past :-/ and fully gone away

Noe
Lord homward will I hast :-/ as fast as that I may
My wiff I frast :-/ What she will say
And I am agast :-/ that we get som fray
---------- Betwixt vs both
For she is full tethee //For litill oft angre
If any thyng wrang be /// Soyne is she wroth

Vxor
Now as eu[er] myght I thryfe :-/ the wars I the see
So tell me be[]fe : where has thou thus long be
To dede may we dryfe :-/ or lif for the
---------- For want
When we swete or swynk // thou dos what thou thynk
Yit of mete and of drynk /// haue we veray skant

Noe
Wife we ar hard sted :-/ with tythyng[ys] new

Vxor
Bot thou were were worthi be cled :-/ In stafford blew
For thou art alway adred :-/ be it fals or trew
Bot god knowes I am led :-/ and that may I rew
---------- Full ill
For I dar be thi borow :-/ From euen vnto morow
Thou spek[ys] eu[er] of sorow /// God send the onys thi fill
We women may wary :-/ all ill husband[ys]
I haue oone bi mary : that lowsyd me of my band[ys]
If he teyn I must tary :-/ how so eu[er] it stand[ys]
With seymland full sory :-/ wryngand both my hand[ys]
---------- For drede
Bot yit other while // what with gam [and] w[ith] gyle
I shall smyte and smyle /// And qwite hym his mede

Noe
We hold thi tong ram skyt :-/ or I shall the still

Vxor
By my thryft if thou smyte :-/ I shal turne the vntill

Noe
We shall allay as tyte :-/ haue at the gill
Apon the bone shal it byte :-/

Vxor
---------- A so mary thou smyt[ys] ill Bot I su[prop]ole
I shal not in thi det // Flyt of this slett
Take the ther a langett /// So tye vp thi hole

Noe
A wilt thou so :-/ mary that is myne

Vxor
Thou shal thre for two :-/ I swere bi god[ys] pyne

Noe
And I shall qwyte the tho :-/ In fayth or syne

Vxor
Out apon the ho :-/

Noe
Thou can both byte and whyne
---------- W[ith] a rerd
For all if she stryke // yit fast will she shryke
In fayth I hold none slyke /// In all medill erd
Bot I will kepe charyte :-/ For I haue at do

Vxor
Here shal no man tary the :-/ I pary the go to
Full well may we mys the :-/ as eu[er] haue I ro
To []pyn will I dres me :-/

Noe
---------- We fare well lo /
---------- Bot wife
Pray for me besele // To eft I com vnto the /

Vxor
Then as thou prays for me /// As eu[er] myght I thrife

Noe
I tary full lang :- fro my warke I traw
Now my gere will I fang :-/ and theder ward draw
I may full ill gang :-/ the soth for to knaw
Bot if god help amang :-/ I may sit [da] downe daw
---------- To ken
Now assay will I // how I can of wrightry
In noime prins [and] filir /// Ct sps sci Amen
To begyn of this tree :-/ my bonys will I bend
I traw from the trynyte :/ socoure will he send
It fayres full fayre thynk me :-/ this wark to my hend
Now blissid be he :-/ that this can amend
---------- lo here the lenght
Thre hundreth cubett[ys] euenly
of breed lo is it fyfty
The heght is euen thyrty
---------- Cubett[ys] full streght
Now my gowne will I cast :-/ and wyrk in my cote
Make will I the mast :-/ or I slyt oone foote
A mybak I traw will brast :-/ this is a sory note
Hit is wond[er] that I last :-/ sich an old dote
---------- All dold
To begyn sich a wark // My bonys ar so stark /
No wond[er] if thay wark /// For I am full old
The top and the sayll :-/ both will I make
The holme and the castelf :-/ also will I take
To drife ich a nayll :-/ that dar I vnd[er]take
---------- onone
This is a nobull gyn :-/ Thise nayles so thay ryn
Thoro more and myn /// Thise bord[ys] ichon
Wyndow and doore :-/ euen as he saide
Thre ches chambre :-/ thay ar well maide
Pyk [and] tar full sure :-/ ther apon laide
This will eu[er] endure :-/ ther of am I paide
---------- For why
It is bett[er] wroght :-/ Then I coude haif thoght
Hym that maide all of noght /// I thank oonly
Now will I hy me :-/ and no thyng be leder
My wife and my meneye :-/ to bryng euen hed[er]
Sent hedir tydely :/ wife and consid[er]
Hens must vs sle :-/ All sam togeder
---------- In hast

Vxor
Whi syr what alis you // who is that asalis-you
To fle it avalis you /// And ye be agast

Noe
Ther is garn on the reyll :-/ other my dame

Vxor
Tell me that ich adeyll :-/ els get ye blame

Noe
He that cares may keill :-/ blissid be his name
He has for oure seyll; :-/ sheld vs fro shame
----------And sayd

All this warld aboute // with floodys so stoute
That shall ryn on aroute /// shall be ouerlaide
He saide all shall be slayn :-/ bot oonely we
Oure barnes that ar bayn :-/ and thare wifys thre
A ship he bad me ordayn :-/ to safe vs and oure fee
Therfor with all oure mayn :-/ thank we that fre
----------Beytter of bayll

Hy vs fast go we thedir

Vxor
I wote neuer whedir
I dase and I dedir
---------- For ferd of that tayll

Noe
Be not aferd haue done :-/ trus sam oure gere
That we be ther or none :-/ without more dere

primus filus
It shall be done full sone : brether help to bere

Secundus filius
Full long shall I not hoyne :-/ to do my devere
----------Brether sam

tercuis filius
without any yelp // At my myght shall I help
Vxor
Yit for drede of a skelp /// help well thi dam

Noe
Now ar we there :-/ as we shuld be
Do get in oure gere :-/ oure catall and fe
In to this vessell here :-/ my chylder fre

Vxor
I was neuer bard ere :-/ As euer myght I the
----------In sich an oostre as this
In fath I can not fynd :-/ which is before which is behynd
Bot shall we here bepynd :-/// Noe as haue thou blis

Noe
Dame as it is skill : here must vs abide grace
Therfor wife with good will :-/ com into this place

Vxor
Sir for Iak nor for gill :-/ will I turne my face
Till I haue on this hill :-/ spon a space
on my rok

Well were he myght get me // Now will I downe set me
Yet reede I no man let me /// For drede of a knok

Noe
Behold to the heuen :-/ the cateractes all
Thai ar open full euen :-/ grete and small
And the planettys seuen :-/ left has thare stall
Thise thoners and levyn :-/ downe gar fall
----------Full stout

Both halles and bowers // Castels and towres
Full sharp ar thise showers // that renys aboute
Therfor wife haue done :-/ com into ship fast

Vxor
Yei Noe go cloute thi shone :-/ the better will thai last

prima mulier
Good moder com in sone :-/ For all is ouer cast
Both the son and the mone :-/

Sedunda mulier
and many wynd blast
---------- Full sharp

Thise floodys so thay ryn // therfor moder com in

Vxor
In fayth yit will I spyn /// All in vayn ye carp

Tercia Mulier
If ye like ye may spyn :-/ Moder in the ship

Noe
Now is this twyys com in :-/ dame on my frenship

Vxor
wheder I lose or I wyn :-/ In fayth thi felowship
set I not at a pyn :-/ this spyndill will I slip
----------Apon this hill

Or I styr oone fote /

Noe
peter I traw we dote // without any more note // Com in if ye will

Vxor
Yei water nyghys so nere :-/ that I sit not dry
Into ship with a byr :-/ therefor will I hy
For drede that I drone here: Noe dame securly
It bees boght full dere :-/ ye abode so long by
----------out of ship

Vxor
I will not for thi bydyng // go from doore to mydyng

Noe
In fayth and for youre long taryyng /// ye shal lik on the whyp

Vxor
Spare me not I pray the :-/ bot euen as thou thynk
Thise grete wordys shall not flay me: Noe Abide dame and drynk
For betyn shall thou be :-/ with this staf to thou stynk
Ar strokys good say me :-/ Vxor what say ye wat wynk

Noe
---------- speke

Cry me mercy I say

Vxor
Thereto say I nay

Noe
Bot thou do bi this day
----------Thi hede shall I breke

Vxor
lord I were at ese :-/ and hertely full hoylle
Might I onys haue a measse :-/ of wedows coyll
For thi saull without lese :-/ shuld I dele penny doyll
so wold mo no frese : that I se on this sole
----------of wifys that ar here

For the life that thay leyd : wold thare husbandys were dede
For as euer ete I brede // so wold I oure syre were

Noe
Yee men that has wifys : whyls thay ar yong
If ye luf youre lifys : chastice thare tong
Me thynk my hert ryfys :-/ both levyr and long
To se sich stryfys : wedmen emong
----------Bot I

Uxor
Yit may ye mys /// Nicholl nedy

Noe
I shall make ye still as stone :-/ begynnar of blunder
I shall bete the bak and bone:-/ and breke all in sonder
Uxor
Out alas I am gone :- oute apon the mans wonder

Noe
Se how she can grone :- and I lig vnder
---------- Bot wife
In this hast let vs ho //For my bak is nere in two

Uxor
And I am bet so blo /// That I may not thryfe

primus filius
A whi fare ye thus:-/ Fader and moder both

Secundus filius
Ye shuld not be so spitus :-/ standyng in sich a woth

Tercius filius
Thise ar so hidus :-/ With many a cold coth

Noe
We willdo as ye bid vs :-/ We will no more be wroth
---------- Dere barnes
Now to the helme will I hent // And to my ship tent

Uxor
I se on the firmament /// Me thynk the seven starnes

Noe
This is a grete flood :-/ Wife take hede

Uxor
So me thoght as I stode :-/ We are in grete drede
Thise wawghes ar so wode Noe help god in this nede
As thou art stere man good :-/ and best as I rede
----------Of all
Thou rewle us in this rase // As thou me behete hase

Uxor
This is a perlous case ///help god when we call

Noe
Wife tent the steretre :-/and I shall asay
The depnes of the see :-/ that we bere if I may

Uxor
That shall I do ful wysely :-/ now go thi way
For apon this flood haue we :-/ flett many day
---------- With pyne

Noe
Now the water will I sownd // A it is far to the grownd
This trauell I expownd /// had I to tyne
Aboue all hillys bedeyn :-/ the water is rysen late
Cubettys XV [fifteen] -/ bot in a highter state
It may not be I weyn :-/ for this well I wate
This fourty dayes has rayn beyn :-/ It will therfor abate
---------- Full lele
This water in hast / eft will I tast
Now am I agast /// It is wanyd a grete dele
Now ar the weders cest :-/ and cateractes knyt
Both the most and the leest :-/ Uxor Me thynk bi my wit
The son shynes in the eest :-/ lo is not yond it
We shuld haue a good feest :-/ Were thise floodys flyt
---------- So spytus

Noe
We haue been here all we :-/ CCC [three hundred] dayes and fyfty

Uxor
Yei now wanys the see /// Lord well is vs

Noe
The thryd tyme will I prufe :-/ What depnes we bere

Vxor
Now long shall thou hufe :-/ lay in thy lyne there

Noe
I may towch with my lufe :-/ the grownd evyn here

Vxor
Then begynnys to grufe :-/ to vs mery chere
---------- Bot husband
What grownd may this be //

Noe
---------- The hyllys of armonye

Vxor
Now blissid be he /// That thus for vs can ordand

Noe
I see toppys of hyllys he :-/ many at a syght
---------- And Cowth
With slight of wyng // bryng w[ith]out taryyng
Of m[er]cy som tokynyng /// Ayther bi north or southe
For this is the fyrst day :-/ of the tent moyne

Vxor
The ravyn durst I lay :- Will com agane sone
As fast as thou may : cast hym furth haue done
He may happyn to day :-/ com agane or none
---------- With grath

Noe
I will cast out also // dowf[ys] oone or two /
Go youre way go /// God send you som wrathe
Now ar thise fowles flone :-/ Into seyr comitre
Pray we fast ichou :-/ kneland on oure kne
So hym that is alone :-/ Worthiest of degre
That he wold send anone :-/ our fowles som see
---------- So glad vs

Vxor
Thai may not fayll of land // The wat[er] is so wanand

Noe
Thank we god all weldand /// That lord that made vs
It is a wond[er] thyng :-/ methynk sothle
Thai ar so long taryyng :-/ the fowles that we
Cast out in the mornyng :-

Vxor
---------- Syr it may be
Thai tary to thay bryng
---------- The ravyn is a hungrye
---------- All way
He is w[ith]out any reson // And he fynd any caryon
As p[er]venture may beson /// he will not away
The dowfe is more gentill :-/ her trust I vntew
like vnto the turtill :-/ for she is ay trew

Vxor
Hence bot alitill :- she comys lew lew
she bryng[ys] in her bill :- som novels new
--------- Behald
It is of an olif tre :-/ A branch thynk[ys] me

Noe
It is soth [per]de /// right so is cald

Oonse byrd full blist :-/ Fayre myght the befall
Thou art trew for to trist :-/ as ston in the wall
Full well I it wist :-/ thou wold com to thi hall

Vxor
A trew to kyn ist :-/ We shall be sanyd all
---------- For whi
The wat[er] syn she com // of depnes plom /
Is fallen a fathom /// And more hardely

P[ri]mus filius
Thise flood[ys] ar gone :-/ fad[er] behold

S[e]c[un]dus f[ilius] Ther is left right none :-/ and that be ye bold

Tercius f[ilius]
As still as a stone :-/ oure ship is stold

Noe
Apon land here anone :-/ that we were fayn I wold
---------- My child[ys] dere
Sem Iaphet and Cain // W[ith] gle and w[ith] gam
Com go we all sam /// WE will no long[er] abide here

Vxor
behald on this greyn : nowd[er] cart ne plogh
Is left as I weyn :-/ nowd[er] tre then bogh
---------- Ne other thyng
Bot all is away // Many castels I say
Grete townes of aray /// Flitt has this stowyng

Vxor
Thise stood[ys] not afright :-/ all this warld so wide
has mevid w[ith] myght :-/ on se and bi side

Noe
To dede ar thai dyght :-/ prowdist of pryde
Eu[er] ich a wyght : that eu[er] was spyde
---------- With syn
All ar thai slayn // And put vnto payn

Vxor
From thens agayn /// May thai neu[er] wyn

Noe
Wyn no Iwis :-/ bot he that myght hase
Wold myn of thare mys :-/ [and] admytte thaym to grace
As he in bayll is blis :-/ I pray hym in this space
In heven hye w[ith] his :-/ to purvaye vs a place
---------- That we
With his sant[ys] in sight // And his angels bright
May com to his light /// Amen for charite

Explicit [pre]cellus Noe Sequitur
Abraham