_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 ship 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 ship 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 ship 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 ship 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 ship 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 ship 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 ship brought.

Of clean beasts seven shall be; Of unclean two, this G.o.d bade me; This flood is nigh, well may we see, Therefore tarry you nought.

_Shem._ Sir, here are lions, leopards in, Horses, mares, oxen, and swine, Goats, calves, sheep, and kine, Here sitten[34] may you see.

_Ham._ Camels, a.s.ses, men may find; Buck, doe, hart and hind, And beasts of all manner kind.

Here be, as thinks me.

_j.a.phet._ Take here cats and dogs too, Otter, fox, fulmart also; Hares, hopping gaily, can ye Have kail here for to eat.

_Noah's Wife._ And here are bears, wolves set, Apes, owls, marmoset; Weasels, squirrels, and ferret Here they eat their meat.

_Shem's Wife._ Yet more beasts are in this house!

Here cats come in full crowse,[35]

Here a rat and here a mouse; They stand nigh together.

_Ham's Wife._ And here are fowls less and more, Herons, cranes and bittern; Swans, peac.o.c.ks, have them before!

Meat for this weather.

_j.a.phet's Wife._ Here are c.o.c.ks, kites, crows, Rooks, ravens, many rows; Cuckoos, curlews, whoso knows, Each one in his kind.

And here are doves, ducks, drakes, Redshanks, running through the lakes, And each fowl that language makes In this ship men may find.

[_In the stage direction the sons of Noah are enjoined to mention aloud the names of the animals which enter; a representation of which, painted on parchment, is to be carried by the actors._

_Noah._ Wife, come in, why standest thou there?

Thou art ever forward, that I dare swear: Come on G.o.d's half, time it were, For fear lest that we drown.

_Noah's Wife._ Yea, sir, set up your sail And row forth with evil heale, For, without any fail, I will not out of this town.

But I have my gossips every one, One foot further I will not go; They shall not drown, by St. John!

If I may save their life.

They loved me full well, by Christ!

But thou wilt let them in thy chest, Else row forth, Noah, whither thou list, And get thee a new wife.

_Noah._ Shem, some love thy mother, 'tis true; Forsooth, such another I do not know!

_Shem._ Father, I shall set her in, I trow, Without any fail.

Mother, my father after thee sends, And bids thee unto yonder ship wend,[36]

Look up and see the wind, For we be ready to sail.

_Noah's Wife._ Son, go again to him and say I will not come therein to-day!

_Noah._ Come in, wife, in twenty devils' way, Or else stand without.

_Ham._ Shall we all fetch her in?

_Noah._ Yea, sons, in Christ's blessing and mine, I would you hied you betime, For of this flood I am in doubt.

_j.a.phet._ Mother, we pray you altogether, For we are here, your children; Come into the ship for fear of the weather, For his love that you bought!

_Noah's Wife._ That I will not for your call, But if I have my gossips all.

_Gossip._ The flood comes in full fleeting fast, On every side it broadens in haste; For fear of drowning I am aghast: Good gossip, let me come in!

Or let us drink ere we depart, For oftentimes we have done so; For at a time thou drinkst a quart, And so will I ere that I go.

_Shem._ In faith, mother, yet you shall, Whether you will or not!