A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Ii Part 40

JACOB. I would not my father Isaac should hear;

MIDO. Nay, she will scarcely be still when she is dead, I do fear.

JACOB. But lo, I see my mother stand before the tent.

_Enter_ JACOB _and_ MIDO.

REBECCA. O Lord, methinketh long, son Jacob, since thou went.

JACOB. And methinketh, mother, we have hied us well.

MIDO. I have made many feet to follow, I can tell.

REBECCA. Give me thy kid, my son, and now let me alone, Bring thou in thine, Mido, and see thou be a stone.

MIDO. A stone? how should that be, mistress? I am a lad, And a boy alive, as good as e'er ye had: And now, in bringing home this kid, I have, I trow, Tried myself a man and a pretty fellow.

REBECCA. I meant thou shouldest nothing say.

MIDO. One warning is enough; ye bad us so last day.

REBECCA. Well, let me go in, and venison hereof make:

JACOB. And hearest thou, Mido? see that good heed thou take In any wise to come in my father's sight.

MIDO. Why, he seeth no better at noon than at midnight.

Is he not blind long since, and doth his eyes lack?

Therefore go in, dame, I bear an heavy pack.

REBECCA. I leave you here, Jacob, and heartily you pray That, when need shall require, you be not far away.

JACOB. I shall be ready, mother, whensoe'er you call.

[_Exit Rebecca_.

ACTUS QUARTI, SCAENA SEPTIMA.

JACOB. MIDO.

JACOB. O, how happy is that same daughter or that son, Whom the parents love with hearty affection!

And among all others how fortunate am I, Whom my mother Rebecca tend'reth so greatly?

If it lay in her to do any good, ye see, She would do her earnest devoir to prefer me.

But as for this matter, which she doth now intend, Without thy aid, O Lord, how should it come to end?

Nevertheless, forasmuch as my said mother Worketh upon thy word, O Lord, and none other, It shall become me to show mine obedience, And to thy promise, O Lord, to give due credence.

For what is so impossible to man's judgment, Which thou canst not with a beck perform incontinent?

Therefore thy will, O Lord, be done for evermore.

MIDO. O Jacob, I was never so afeard afore.

JACOB. Why, what new thing is chanced, Mido, I pray thee?

MIDO. Old Isaac, your father, heard your young kid blea.

He asked what it was: I said, a kid.

Who brought it from the fold? I said you did.

For what purpose? forsooth, sir, said I, There is some matter that Jacob would remedy.

And where has thou been so long, little Mido, quod he, That all this whole hour thou wert not once with me?

Forsooth (quod I), when I went from you last of all, You bad me be no more, but be ready at your call.

JACOB. But of the kid's bleaing he did speak no more?

MIDO. No; but, and if he had called me afore, I must have told him all, or else I must have made a lie, Which would not have been a good boy's part truly.

But I will to him, and no longer here remain, Lest he should happen to call for Mido again.

[_Exit Mido_.

ACTUS QUARTI, SCAENA OCTAVA.

JACOB. REBECCA. DEBORAH.

JACOB. I were best also to get me into the tent That, if my mother need me, I may be present.

But I see her come forth, and nurse Deborah also, And bring the gear with them, whatsoe'er it shall do.

REBECCA. Where is my son Jacob? I do him now espy.

Come apace, Deborah, I pray thee let us hie, That all thing were dispatched somewhat to my mind.

DEBORAH. It is happy, that Jacob ready here ye find.

JACOB. Mother, what have ye brought, and what things are those?

REBECCA. Gear that I have prepared to serve our purpose; And because that Esau is so rough with hair, I have brought sleeves of kid next to thy skin to wear.

They be made glovelike, and for each finger a stall: So that thy father's feeling soon beguile they shall.

Then have I brought a collar of rough kid's hair, Fast unto the skin round about thy neck to wear.

Come, let me do it on, and if Isaac feel, He shall therewith be beguiled wondrous well.

[_Here she doth the sleeves upon Jacob's arms_.

JACOB. And what shall this gear do, that ye have brought?

REBECCA. It shall serve anon, I warrant you, take no thought.

Now, thoroughly to ravish thy father Isaac, Thou shalt here incontinent put upon thy back Esau his best apparel, whose fragrant flavour Shall conjure Isaac to bear thee his favour.

DEBORAH. Marry, sir, now is master Jacob trim indeed, That is all tricksy and gallant, so G.o.d me speed!

Now I see apparel setteth out a man.

Doth it become Esau so? nay, beshrew me then.