but ye, When all these floods are past and fully gone away. Noah. Lord, homeward will I haste as fast as that I may. My (wife] 45 will I fraist 46 what she will say, And I am aghast that we get some fray Betwixt us both; Soon is she wroth. With floods that from above shall fall, and that plenty; It shall begin full soon to rain inces santly, After days seven be done, and endure days forty, Ere thou pull up thy sail. thing is wrought; Stuff thy ship with victual, for hunger that ye perish not. Of beasts, fowl, and cattle, for them have thou in thought ; For them is my counsel, that some succor be sought In the name of the Holy Ghost. Then he goes to his wife. God speed, dear wife; how fare ye? Wife. Now, as ever might I thrive, the worse I thee see! Do tell me belive,48 where has thou thus long been? To death may we drive, or life for thee, 49 For want. Have we very scant. ings new. 37 shut. 40 more. 43 mate. 46 ask. 49 for all you care. Noah. Ah! wilt thou so? Marry, that is mine! Wife. Thou shall 58 three for two, I swear by God's pain! Noah. And I shall quit thee then, in faith, ere syne.59 Wife. Out upon thee, ho! Noah. Thou can both bite and whine With a rerd ! 60 For all if she strike Yet fast will she screech; In faith, I hold none (such] In all middle-earth. Now my gown will I cast, and work in my coat; Make will I the mast, ere I flit one foot. Ah, my back, I trow, will burst! this is; a sorry note! It is wonder that I last, such an old dote, 70 71 For I am full old. 51 beaten black and blue. 52 pledge. 53 curse. 54 grieve. 55 give him his de serts. dwelling. 58 understand have. 63 prepare. 64 again. 65 take. 61 work to do. 66 unless. 62 rest. 67 å sluggard, 88 carpentry. 69 Qy. streght? 70 dotard. 71 stupid, stiff. 72 ache. 1 Son. It shall be done full soon. Broth ers, help to bear. 2 Son. Full long shall I not hone 87 to do my dever, 88 Brother Shem. At my might shall I help. Help well thy dam. 90 Window and door, even as he said, made, paid ; I thank only. hither. In haste. Who is that assails you? And 78 ye be aghast. 75 77 Noah. Dame, as it is skill,98 here must us abide grace; ye blame. Noah. There is yarn on the reel other, my Therefore, wife, with good will come into dame. this place. Wife. Tell me that each a deal,79 else get Wife, Sir, for Jack nor for Jill will I turn my face, Noah. He that cares may keel, blessed be Till I have on this hill spun a space his name! On my rock.94 Now will I down set me; Yet rede 95 I no man let 96 me, For dread of a knock. Noah. Behold to the heaven the cataracts all, That are open full even, great and small, He said all shall be slain but only we, And the planets seven left has their stall; Our bairns that are bain, 82 and their These thunders and levin 97 down gar wives three; fall, A ship he bade me ordain to save us and Full stout, our fee; Both halls and bowers, 98 83 90 blow. 79 poop. 84 helper of misery. 96 hinder. 79 every bit. 80 suggested by 74 d. n. 39 above. 85 tremble. 91 thrive. 97 lightning 75 lazy. Manly. 86 harm. hindrance. 92 hostelry, inn. 76 take heed. 81 happiness. 87 delay. 77 together. 82 obedient. 88 duty (devoir). 94 distaff. 79 it. 88 property. 89 boasting. 95 advise 98 make. 03 reason. 99 penny dole.? 9 10 were. But I, Castles and towers, Wife. What say ye, Wat Wink? Full sharp are these showers Noah. Speak! Cry me mercy, I say! nay. Therefore, wife, have done; come into Noah. But thou do, by this day, ship fast. Thy head shall I break. Wife. Yea, Noah, go clout thy shoon; the better will they last. Wife. Lord, I were at ease and heartily 1 Wife. Good mother, come in soon, for full whole, all is overcast, Might I once have a mess of widow's Both the sun and the moon. cole 5; 2 Wife. And many a wind blast 1 For thy soul, without lese, should I deal Full sharp; These floods so they run; So would more, no frese, that I see on this sole Therefore, mother, come in. Wife. In faith, yet will I spin ; Of wives that are here; All in vain ye carp. For the life that they lead, Would their husbands were dead! 3 Wife. If ye like, ye may spin, mother, For, as ever eat I bread, in the ship. So would I our sire Noah. Now is this twice; come in, dame, Noah. Ye men that has wives, while they on my friendship. are young, Wife. Whether I lose or win, in faith, thy fellowship If ye love your lives, chastise their tongue. Set I not at a pin. This spindle will I Methinks my heart rives, both liver and slip lung, Upon this hill, To see such strifes wedmen 11 among. Ere I stir one foot. Noah. Peter! I trow we dote. As have I bliss, Without any more note, Shall chastise this. ye Wife. Yet may ye miss, Nicol Needy ! Wife. Yea, water nighs so near that I sit not dry; Noah. I shall make thee still as stone, beInto ship with a birr 2 therefore will I ginner of blunder! hie, I shall beat thee, back and bone, and For dread that I drown here. break all in sunder. Noah. Dame, securely, Wife. Out, alas, I am gone! out upon It is bought full dear, ye abode so long thee, man's wonder! by Noah. See how she can groan, and I lie Out of ship. under! Wife. I will not for thy bidding But, wife, Go from door to midden.3 In this haste let us ho,12 Noah. In faith, and for your long tarrying For my back is near in two. Ye shall lick on the whip. Wife. And I am beaten so blue That I may not thrive. Wife. Spare me not, I pray thee, but even Ι as thou think, 1 Son. Ah, why fare ye thus, father and These great words shall not flay 4 me. mother both ? Noah. Abide, dame, and drink, 2 Son. Ye should not be so spitous," For beaten shall thou be with this staff standing in such a woth.14 till thou stink. 3 Son. These 15 are so hideous, with many Are strokes good? Say me! a cold cothe. 16 “do 7 aims (in memory means 99 patch thy shoes. as dience. does 18 malicious. verb; 1 probably a slightest thing.' Noah in the next of the dead). 14 peril. 4 put to flight. stanza 8 doubt. blows. 15 Manly suggests 5 broth. 2 rush. fare: MS. These (strifes). 9 place; Noah's wife 10 i.e. Noah. 3 dunghill; the coyll, Scotch kail. is here speaking 11 married people. 16 disease. whole phrase 6 lying directly to the au. 12 stop. 13 any Now are the weathers 27 ceased and cata racts knit, Both the most and the least. Wife. Methinks, by my wit, The sun shines in the east; lo, is not Now are these fowls flown into sere countries; Pray we fast each one, kneeling on our yond it? knee, 17 seize. 22 helm. the sounding), I had in vain. 29 gong. 34 wager. |