A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Ii Part 30

ACTUS PRIMI, SCAENA QUARTA.

ISAAC, _the husband_. REBECCA, _the wife_. MIDO, _the lad that leadeth blind Isaac_.

ISAAC. Where art thou, my boy Mido, when I do thee lack?

MIDO. Who calleth Mido? here, good master Isaac.

ISAAC. Come, lead me forth of doors a little, I thee pray.

MIDO. Lay your hand on my shoulder, and come on this way.

REBECCA. Now, O Lord of heaven, the fountain of all grace, If it be thy good will, that my will shall take place: Send success to Jacob, according to thy word, That his elder brother may serve him as his lord.

MIDO. Sir, whither would ye go, now that abroad ye be?

ISAAC. To wife Rebecca.

MIDO. Yonder I do her see.

REBECCA. Lord, thou knowest Jacob to be thy servant true, And Esau all froward thy ways to ensue.

MIDO. Yonder she is speaking, whatever she doth say: By holding up her hands, it seemeth she doth pray.

ISAAC. Where be ye, wife Rebecca? where be ye, woman?

REBECCA. Who is that calleth? Isaac, my good man?

ISAAC. Where be ye, wife Rebecca, let me understand?

MIDO. She cometh to you apace.

REBECCA. Here, my lord, at hand.

ISAAC. Saving that whatsoever G.o.d doth is all right, No small grief it were for a man to lack his sight.

But what the Lord doth send or work by his high will--

REBECCA. Cannot but be the best, no such thing can be ill.

ISAAC. All bodily punishment or infirmity, With all maims of nature, whatever they be, Yea, and all other afflictions temporal: As loss, persecution, or troubles mortal, Are nothing but a trial or probation.

And what is he that firmly trusteth in the Lord, Or steadfastly believeth his promise and word, And knoweth him to be the G.o.d omnipotent, That feedeth and governeth all that he hath sent: Protecting his faithful in every degree, And them to relieve in all their necessity?

What creature (I say) that doth this understand, Will not take all thing in good heart at G.o.d's hand?

Shall we at G.o.d's hand receive prosperity, And not be content likewise with adversity?

We ought to be thankful whatever G.o.d doth send, And ourselves wholly to his will to commend.

REBECCA. So should it be, and I thank my lord Isaac, Such daily lessons at your hand I do not lack.

ISAAC. Why, then, should not I thank the Lord, if it please him, That I shall now be blind, and my sight wax all dim.

For whoso to old age will here live and endure, Must of force abide all such defaults of nature.

MIDO. Why, must I be blind too, if I be an old man?

How shall I grope the way, or who shall lead me then?

ISAAC. If the Lord have appointed thee such old days to see, He will also provide that shall be meet for thee.

MIDO. I trow, if I were blind, I could go well enou', I could grope the way thus, and go as I do now.

I have done so ere now both by day and by night, As I see you grope the way, and have hit it right.

REBECCA. Yea, sir boy, will ye play any such childish knack As to counterfeit your blind master Isaac?

That is but to mock him for his impediment.

MIDO. Nay, I never did it in any such intent.

REBECCA. Nay, it is to tempt G.o.d, before thou have need, Whereby thou may'st provoke him, in very deed, With some great misfortune or plague to punish thee.

MIDO. Then will I never more do so, while I may see: But against I be blind, I will be so perfit That, though no man lead me, I will go at midnight.

ISAAC. Now, wife, touching the purpose that I sought for you.

REBECCA, What say'th my lord Isaac to his handmaid now?

ISAAC. Ye have oft in covert words been right earnest To have me grant unto you a boon and request: But ye never told me yet plainly what it was; Therefore I have ever yet let the matter pa.s.s.

And now of late, by oft being from me absent, I have half suspected you to be scarce content.

But, wife Rebecca, I would not have you to mourn, As though I did your honest pet.i.tion scorn.[260]

For I never meant to deny in all my life Any lawful or honest request to my wife.

But in case it be a thing unreasonable, Then must I needs be to you untractable.

Now therefore say on, and tell me what is your case.

REBECCA. I would, if I were sure in your heart to find grace; Else, sir, I would be loth.

ISAAC. To speak do not refrain, And if it be reasonable, ye shall obtain: Otherwise, ye must pardon me, gentle sweet wife.

REBECCA. Sir, ye know your son Esau, and see his life, How loose it is, and how stiff he is and stubborn, How retchlessly he doth himself misgovern: He giveth himself to hunting out of reason, And serveth the Lord and us at no time or season.

These conditions cannot be acceptable In the sight of G.o.d, nor to men allowable.

Now his brother Jacob, your younger son and mine, Doth more apply his heart to seek the ways divine.

He liveth here quietly at home in the tent, There is no man nor child but is with him content.

ISAAC. O wife, I perceive ye speak of affection; To Jacob ye bear love, and to his brother none.

REBECCA. Indeed, sir, I cannot love Esau so well As I do Jacob, the plain truth to you to tell.

For I have no comfort of Esau, G.o.d wot: I scarce know whe'r I have a son of him or not.

He goeth abroad so early before daylight, And retumeth home again so late in the night; And unneth I set eye on him in the whole week: No, sometime not in twain, though I do for him seek.

And all the neighbours see him as seldom as I; But when they would take rest, they hear him blow and cry.

Some see him so seldom, they ask if he be sick: Sometimes some demand, whether he be dead or quick.

But, to make short tale, such his conditions be, That I wish of G.o.d he had ne'er been born of me.