Introitus
PRAECO.Come, good people, all and each,Come and listen to our speech!In your presence here I stand,With a trumpet in my hand,To announce the Easter Play,Which we represent to-day!First of all we shall rehearse,In our action and our verse,The Nativity of our Lord,As written in the old recordOf the Protevangelion,So that he who reads may run!
MERCY, at the feet of God.Have pity, Lord! be not afraidTo save mankind, whom thou hast made,Nor let the souls that were betrayedPerish eternally!
JUSTICE.It cannot be, it must not be!When in the garden placed by thee,The fruit of the forbidden treeHe ate, and he must die!
MERCY.Have pity, Lord! let penitenceAtone for disobedience,Nor let the fruit of man's offenceBe endless misery!
JUSTICE.What penitence proportionateCan e'er be felt for sin so great?Of the forbidden fruit he ate,And damned must he be!
GOD.He shall be saved, if that withinThe bounds of earth one free from sinBe found, who for his kith and kinWill suffer martyrdom.
Lord! we have searched the world around,From centre to the utmost bound,But no such mortal can be found;Despairing, back we come.
WISDOM.No mortal, but a God-made man,Can ever carry out this plan,Achieving what none other can,Salvation unto all!
GOD.Go, then, O my beloved Son!It can by thee alone be done;By thee the victory shall be wonO'er Satan and the Fall!
MARY.Along the garden walk, and thenceThrough the wicket in the garden fenceI steal with quiet pace,My pitcher at the well to fill,That lies so deep and cool and stillIn this sequestered place.
These sycamores keep guard around;I see no face, I hear no sound,Save bubblings of the spring,And my companions, who, within,The threads of gold and scarlet spin,And at their labor sing.
Hail, Virgin Mary, full of grace!
MARY.Who is it speaketh in this place,With such a gentle voice?
GABRIEL.The Lord of heaven is with thee now!Blessed among all women thou,Who art his holy choice!
MARY, setting down the pitcher.What can this mean? No one is near,And yet, such sacred words I hear,I almost fear to stay.
GABRIEL.Fear not, O Mary! but believe!For thou, a Virgin, shalt conceiveA child this very day.
Fear not, O Mary! from the skyThe Majesty of the Most HighShall overshadow thee!
MARY.Behold the handmaid of the Lord!According to thy holy word,So be it unto me!
BETHLEHEM
THE ANGELS.The Angels of the Planets Seven,Across the shining fields of heavenThe natal star we bring!Dropping our sevenfold virtues downAs priceless jewels in the crownOf Christ, our new-born King.
RAPHAEL.I am the Angel of the Sun,Whose flaming wheels began to runWhen God Almighty's breathSaid to the darkness and the Night,Let there he light! and there was light!I bring the gift of Faith.
ONAFIEL.I am the Angel of the Moon,Darkened to be rekindled soonBeneath the azure cope!Nearest to earth, it is my rayThat best illumes the midnight way;I bring the gift of Hope!
ANAEL.The Angel of the Star of Love,The Evening Star, that shines aboveThe place where lovers be,Above all happy hearths and homes,On roofs of thatch, or golden domes,I give him Charity!
ZOBIACHEL.The Planet Jupiter is mine!The mightiest star of all that shine,Except the sun alone!He is the High Priest of the Dove,And sends, from his great throne above,Justice, that shall atone!
MICHAEL.The Planet Mercury, whose placeIs nearest to the sun in space,Is my allotted sphere!And with celestial ardor swiftI hear upon my hands the giftOf heavenly Prudence here!
URIEL.I am the Minister of Mars,The strongest star among the stars!My songs of power preludeThe march and battle of man's life,And for the suffering and the strife,I give him Fortitude!
ORIFEL.The Angel of the uttermostOf all the shining, heavenly host,From the far-off expanseOf the Saturnian, endless spaceI bring the last, the crowning grace,The gift of Temperance!
The stable of the Inn. The VIRGIN and CHILD. Three Gypsy Kings,GASPAR, MELCHIOR, and BELSHAZZAR, shall come in.
GASPAR.Hail to thee, Jesus of Nazareth!Though in a manger thou draw breath,Thou art greater than Life and Death,Greater than Joy or Woe!This cross upon the line of lifePortendeth struggle, toil, and strife,And through a region with peril rifeIn darkness shalt thou go!
MELCHIOR.Hail to thee, King of Jerusalem!Though humbly born in Bethlehem,A sceptre and a diademAwait thy brow and hand!The sceptre is a simple reed,The crown will make thy temples bleed,And in thine hour of greatest need,Abashed thy subjects stand!
BELSHAZZAR.Hail to thee, Christ of Christendom!O'er all the earth thy kingdom come!From distant Trebizond to RomeThy name shall men adore!Peace and good-will among all men,The Virgin has returned again,Returned the old Saturnian reignAnd Golden Age once more.
Jesus, the Son of God, am I,Born here to suffer and to dieAccording to the prophecy,That other men may live!
THE VIRGIN.And now these clothes, that wrapped Him, takeAnd keep them precious, for his sake;Our benediction thus we make,Naught else have we to give.
Here JOSEPH shall come in, leading an ass, on which are seatedMARY and the CHILD.
MARY.Here will we rest us, under theseO'erhanging branches of the trees,Where robins chant their LitaniesAnd canticles of joy.
JOSEPH.My saddle-girths have given wayWith trudging through the heat to-day;To you I think it is but playTo ride and hold the boy.
MARY.Hark! how the robins shout and sing,As if to hail their infant King!I will alight at yonder springTo wash his little coat.
JOSEPH.And I will hobble well the ass,Lest, being loose upon the grass,He should escape; for, by the mass,He's nimble as a goat.
MARY.O Joseph! I am much afraid,For men are sleeping in the shade;I fear that we shall be waylaid,And robbed and beaten sore!
DUMACHUS.Cock's soul! deliver up your gold!
JOSEPH.I pray you, sirs, let go your hold!You see that I am weak and old,Of wealth I have no store.
DUMACHUS.Give up your money!
TITUS.Prithee cease.Let these people go in peace.
DUMACHUS.First let them pay for their release,And then go on their way.
TITUS.These forty groats I give in fee,If thou wilt only silent be.
MARY.May God be merciful to theeUpon the Judgment Day!
JESUS.When thirty years shall have gone by,I at Jerusalem shall die,By Jewish hands exalted highOn the accursed tree,Then on my right and my left side,These thieves shall both be crucified,And Titus thenceforth shall abideIn paradise with me.
KING HEROD.Potz-tausend! Himmel-sacrament!Filled am I with great wondermentAt this unwelcome news!Am I not Herod? Who shall dareMy crown to take, my sceptre bear,As king among the Jews?
What ho! I fain would drink a canOf the strong wine of Canaan!The wine of Helbon bringI purchased at the Fair of Tyre,As red as blood, as hot as fire,And fit for any king!
Now at the window will I stand,While in the street the armed bandThe little children slay;The babe just born in BethlehemWill surely slaughtered be with them,Nor live another day!
RACHEL.O wicked king! O cruel speed!To do this most unrighteous deed!My children all are slain!
HEROD.Ho, seneschal! another cup!With wine of Sorek fill it up!I would a bumper drain!
RAHAB.May maledictions fall and blastThyself and lineage to the lastOf all thy kith and kin!
HEROD.Another goblet! quick! and stirPomegranate juice and drops of myrrhAnd calamus therein!
SOLDIERS, in the street.Give up thy child into our hands!It is King Herod who commandsThat he should thus be slain!
O monstrous men! What have ye done!It is King Herod's only sonThat ye have cleft in twain!
HEROD.Ah, luckless day! What words of fearAre these that smite upon my earWith such a doleful sound!What torments rack my heart and head!Would I were dead! would I were dead,And buried in the ground!
JESUS.The shower is over. Let us play,And make some sparrows out of clay,Down by the river's side.
JUDAS.See, how the stream has overflowedIts banks, and o'er the meadow roadIs spreading far and wide!
JESUS.Look! look how prettily I makeThese little sparrows by the lakeBend down their necks and drink!Now will I make them sing and soarSo far, they shall return no moreUnto this river's brink.
JUDAS.That canst thou not! They are but clay,They cannot sing, nor fly awayAbove the meadow lands!
JESUS.Fly, fly! ye sparrows! you are free!And while you live, remember me,Who made you with my hands.
JUDAS.Thou art a sorcerer, I know;Oft has my mother told me so,I will not play with thee!
JESUS.Ah, Judas! thou hast smote my side,And when I shall be crucified,There shall I pierced be!
JOSEPH.Ye wicked boys! why do ye play,And break the holy Sabbath day?What, think ye, will your mothers sayTo see you in such plight!In such a sweat and such a heat,With all that mud upon your feet!There's not a beggar in the streetMakes such a sorry sight!
RABBI.I am the Rabbi Ben Israel,Throughout this village known full well,And, as my scholars all will tell,Learned in things divine;The Cabala and Talmud hoarThan all the prophets prize I more,For water is all Bible lore,But Mishna is strong wine.
My fame extends from West to East,And always, at the Purim feast,I am as drunk as any beastThat wallows in his sty;The wine it so elateth me,That I no difference can seeBetween "Accursed Haman be!"And "Blessed be Mordecai!"
Come hither, Judas Iscariot;Say, if thy lesson thou hast gotFrom the Rabbinical Book or not.Why howl the dogs at night?
JUDAS.In the Rabbinical Book, it saithThe dogs howl, when with icy breathGreat Sammael, the Angel of Death,Takes through the town his flight!
RABBI.Well, boy! now say, if thou art wise,When the Angel of Death, who is full of eyes,Comes where a sick man dying lies,What doth he to the wight?
JUDAS.He stands beside him, dark and tall,Holding a sword, from which doth fallInto his mouth a drop of gall,And so he turneth white.
RABBI.And now, my Judas, say to meWhat the great Voices Four may be,That quite across the world do flee,And are not heard by men?
JUDAS.The Voice of the Sun in heaven's dome,The Voice of the Murmuring of Rome,The Voice of a Soul that goeth home,And the Angel of the Rain!
RABBI.Right are thine answers every one!Now, little Jesus, the carpenter's son,Let us see how thy task is done;Canst thou thy letters say?
JESUS.Aleph.
RABBI.What next? Do not stop yet!Go on with all the alphabet.Come, Aleph, Beth; dost thou forget?Cock's soul! thou'dst rather play!
JESUS.What Aleph means I fain would knowBefore I any farther go!
RABBI.Oh, by Saint Peter! wouldst thou so?Come hither, boy, to me.As surely as the letter JodOnce cried aloud, and spake to God,So surely shalt thou feel this rod,And punished shalt thou be!
JESUS sitting among his playmates, crowned with flowers as theirKing.
BOYS.We spread our garments on the ground!With fragrant flowers thy head is crownedWhile like a guard we stand around,And hail thee as our King!Thou art the new King of the Jews!Nor let the passers-by refuseTo bring that homage which men useTo majesty to bring.
BOYS.Come hither I and all reverence payUnto our monarch, crowned to-day!Then go rejoicing on your way,In all prosperity!
TRAVELLER.Hail to the King of Bethlehem,Who weareth in his diademThe yellow crocus for the gemOf his authority!
BOYS.Set down the litter and draw near!The King of Bethlehem is here!What ails the child, who seems to fearThat we shall do him harm?
THE BEARERS.He climbed up to the robin's nest,And out there darted, from his rest,A serpent with a crimson crest,And stung him in the arm.
JESUS.Bring him to me, and let me feelThe wounded place; my touch can healThe sting of serpents, and can stealThe poison from the bite!
Cease to lament! I can foreseeThat thou hereafter known shalt be,Among the men who follow me,As Simon the Canaanite!
EPILOGUEIn the after part of the dayWill be represented another play,Of the Passion of our Blessed Lord,Beginning directly after Nones!At the close of which we shall accord,By way of benison and reward,The sight of a holy Martyr's bones!
Words in this poem 57
- shall v. i.
- To owe; to be under obligation for. [OE. shal, schal, imp. sholde, scholde, AS. scal, sceal, I am obliged, imp. scolde, sceolde, inf. sculan; akin to OS. skulan, pres. skal, imp. skolda, D. zullen,]
- hast
- , 2d pers. sing. pres. of. Fave, contr. of havest.
- eternally adv.
- In an eternal manner.
- atone v. t.
- To set at one; to reduce to concord; to reconcile, as parties at variance; to appease.
- offence n.
- The act of offending in any sense; esp., a crime or a sin, an affront or an injury. [F., fr. L. offensa. See Offend.]
- damned a.
- Sentenced to punishment in a future state; condemned; consigned to perdition.
- kith n.
- Acquaintance; kindred. [OE. kith, cu, AS. cc known. Uncouth, Can, and cf. Kythe.]
- martyrdom n.
- The condition of a martyr; the death of a martyr; the suffering of death on account of adherence to the Christian faith, or to any cause. [Martyr + -dom.]
- centre v. i.
- To be placed in a center; to be central.
- despairing a.
- Feeling or expressing despair; hopeless.
- shalt
- 2d per. sing. of Shall.
- overshadow v. t.
- To throw a shadow, or shade, over; to darken; to obscure. [Cf. Overshade.]
- handmaid n.
- A maid that waits at hand; a female servant or attendant.
- bethlehem n.
- A hospital for lunatics; -- corrupted into bedlam. [Heb. b house of food; b house + lekhem food, lakham to eat. Formerly the name of a hospital for the insane, in London, which had been the priory of St. Mary of ]
- natal a.
- Of or pertaining to one's birth; accompying or dating from one's birth; native. [L. natalis, fr. natus, p.p. of nasci to be born: cf. F. natal. See Nation, and cf. Noel.]
- sevenfold a.
- Repeated seven times; having seven thicknesses; increased to seven times the size or amount.
- priceless a.
- Too valuable to admit of being appraised; of inestimable worth; invaluable.
- strife n.
- The act of striving; earnest endeavor. [OF. estrif. See Strive.]
- fortitude n.
- Power to resist attack; strength; firmness. [L. fortitudo, fr. fortis strong. See Fort.]
- uttermost a.
- Extreme; utmost; being; in the farthest, greatest, or highest degree; as, the uttermost extent or end. [From Utter, a.; cf. Utmost, and Outermost.]
- saturnian a.
- Of or pertaining to Saturn, whose age or reign, from the mildness and wisdom of his government, is called the golden age. [L. Saturnius.]
- manger n.
- A trough or open box in which fodder is placed for horses or cattle to eat. [F. mangeoire, fr. manger to eat, fr. L. manducare, fr. mandere to chew. Cf. Mandible, Manducate.]
- rife a.
- Prevailing; prevalent; abounding. [AS. rif abundant, or Icel. rifr munificent; akin to OD. riff, rijve, abundant.]
- humbly adv.
- With humility; lowly.
- sceptre n.
- A staff or baton borne by a sovereign, as a ceremonial badge or emblem of authority; a royal mace. [F. sceptre, L. sceptrum, from Gr. shaft. See Shaft, and cf. Scape a stem, shaft.]
- await v. t.
- To watch for; to look out for. [OF. awaitier, agaitier; (L. ad) + waitier, gaitier to watch, F. guetter. See Wait.]
- christendom n.
- The profession of faith in Christ by baptism; hence, the Christian religion, or the adoption of it. [AS. cristend; cristen a Christian + -dom.]
- adore v. t.
- To worship with profound reverence; to pay divine honors to; to honor as deity or as divine. [OE. aouren, anouren, adoren, OF. aorer, adorer, F. adorer, fr. L. adorare; ad + orare to speak, pray, os, oris, mouth. In OE. confused with honor, the French pr]
- yonder adv.
- At a distance, but within view. [OE. yonder, ýonder; cf. OD. ginder, Goth. jaindr there. Yond, adv.]
- wealth n.
- Weal; welfare; prosperity; good. [OE. welthe, from wele; cf. D. weelde luxury. See Weal prosperity.]
- prithee interj.
- A corruption of pray thee; as, I prithee; generally used without I.
- groats n.
- Dried grain, as oats or wheat, hulled and broken or crushed; in high milling, cracked fragments of wheat larger than grits. Embden groats, crushed oats. [OE. grot, AS. gratan; akin to Icel. grautr porridge, and to E. gritt, grout. See Grout.]
- thenceforth adv.
- From that time; thereafter.
- wonderment n.
- Surprise; astonishment; a wonderful appearance; a wonder.
- fain v. t.
- To be glad ; to wish or desire.
- tyre n.
- Attire. See 2d and 3d Tire.
- babe n.
- An infant; a young child of either sex; a baby. [Cf. Ir. bab, baban, W. baban, maban.]
- unrighteous a.
- Not righteous; evil; wicked; sinful; as, an unrighteous man. [OE. unrightwise, AS. unrihtwis. See Un- not, and Righteous.]
- bumper n.
- A cup or glass filled to the brim, or till the liquor runs over, particularly in drinking a health or toast. [A corruption of bumbard, bombard, a large drinking vessel.]
- calamus n.
- The indian cane, a plant of the Palm family. It furnishes the common rattan. See Rattan, and Dragon's blood. [L., a reed. See Halm.]
- twain a.
- Two;- nearly obsolete in common discourse, but used in poetry and burlesque. [OE. twein, tweien, tweyne, AS. twegen, masc. See Two.]
- luckless a.
- Being without luck; unpropitious; unfortunate; unlucky; meeting with ill success or bad fortune; as, a luckless gamester; a luckless maid.
- prettily adv.
- In a pretty manner.
- brink n.
- The edge, margin, or border of a steep place, as of a precipice; a bank or edge, as of a river or pit; a verge; a border; as, the brink of a chasm. Also Fig. [Dan. brink edge, verge; akin to Sw. brink declivity, hill, Icel. brekka; cf. LG. brink a grassy hill, W. bryn hill, bryncyn hillock.]
- plight v. t.
- To weave; to braid; to fold; to plait. [OE. pliten; probably through Old French, fr. LL. plectare, L. plectere. See Plait, Ply.]
- rabbi n.
- Master; lord; teacher; -- a Jewish title of respect or honor for a teacher or doctor of the law.
- hoar v. t.
- To become moldy or musty. [AS. harian to grow gray.]
- mishna n.
- A collection or digest of Jewish traditions and explanations of Scripture, forming the text of the Talmud. [Written also Mischna.] [NHeb. mishnah, i. e., repetition, doubling, explanation (of the divine law), fr. Heb. shanah to change, to repeat.]
- purim n.
- A Jewish festival, called also the Feast of Lots, instituted to commemorate the deliverance of the Jews from the machinations of Haman. Esther ix. 26. [Heb. pur, pl. purim, a lot.]
- rabbinical a.
- Of or pertaining to the rabbins or rabbis, or pertaining to the opinions, learning, or language of the rabbins.
- saith
- 3d pers. sing. pres. of Say.
- wight n.
- A whit; a bit; a jot. [OE. wight, wiht, a wight, a whit, AS. wiht, wuht, a creature, a thing; skin to D. wicht a child, OS. & OHG. wiht a creature, thing, G. wicht a creature, Icel. v]
- aloud adv.
- With a loud voice, or great noise; loudly; audibly. [Pref. a- + loud.]
- foresee v. i.
- To have or exercise foresight.
- hereafter adv.
- In time to come; in some future time or state. [AS. hræfter.]
- canaanite n.
- A descendant of Canaan, the son of Ham, and grandson of Noah.
- benison n.
- Blessing; beatitude; benediction. [OE. beneysun, benesoun, OF. beneï, beneïson, fr. L. benedictio, fr. benedicere to bless; bene (adv. of bonus good) + dicere to say. See Bounty, and Diction, and]
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
Introitus is in the public domain. This text is taken from The Complete Poetical Works of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Project Gutenberg ebook #1365; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.
Cite as: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Introitus, in Christus: A Mystery (1872), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #1365, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/longfellow-christus/introitus-2.html, id L19205.
Form and metre
Introitus is 444 lines in 87 stanzas.
Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.
Rhyme words, stanza by stanza
The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.
- 1 -AABBCCDDEE-- praeco · eachA · speechA · standB · handB · playC · dayC · rehearseD · verseD · lordE · recordE · protevangelion · run
- 2 -AAA- god · afraidA · madeA · betrayedA · eternally
- 3 -AAAA justice · beA · theeA · treeA · dieA
- 4 -A-A- mercy · penitenceA · disobedience · offenceA · misery
- 5 -AAA- justice · proportionateA · greatA · ateA · be
- 6 -AAA- god · withinA · sinA · kinA · martyrdom
- 7 AAA- aroundA · boundA · foundA · come
- 8 -AAA- wisdom · manA · planA · canA · all
- 9 -AAA- god · sonA · doneA · wonA · fall
- 10 -AABCCB mary · thenceA · fenceA · paceB · fillC · stillC · placeB
- 11 AABCCB aroundA · soundA · springB · withinC · spinC · singB
- 14 -AA- gabriel · nowA · thouA · choice
- 15 -AA- pitcher · nearA · hearA · stay
- 16 -AA- gabriel · believeA · conceiveA · day
- 17 AAA skyA · highA · theeA
- 20 -AABCCB angels · sevenA · heavenA · bringB · downC · crownC · kingB
- 21 -AA-BB- raphael · sunA · runA · breath · nightB · lightB · faith
- 22 -AABCCB onafiel · moonA · soonA · copeB · rayC · wayC · hopeB
- 23 -AA-BB- anael · loveA · aboveA · be · homesB · domesB · charity
- 24 -AABCCB zobiachel · mineA · shineA · aloneB · doveC · aboveC · atoneB
- 25 -AABCCB michael · placeA · spaceA · sphereB · swiftC · giftC · hereB
- 26 -AABCCB uriel · marsA · starsA · preludeB · lifeC · strifeC · fortitudeB
- 27 -AABCCB orifel · uttermostA · hostA · expanseB · spaceC · graceC · temperanceB
- 29 -AAABCCCB gaspar · nazarethA · breathA · deathA · woeB · lifeC · strifeC · rifeC · goB
- 30 -AAABCCCB melchior · jerusalemA · bethlehemA · diademA · handB · reedC · bleedC · needC · standB
- 31 -AAABCC-B belshazzar · christendomA · comeA · romeA · adoreB · menC · againC · reign · moreB
- 32 AA-- iA · dieA · prophecy · live
- 33 -AAA- virgin · takeA · sakeA · makeA · give
- 35 -AAA- mary · theseA · treesA · litaniesA · joy
- 36 -AAA- joseph · wayA · dayA · playA · boy
- 37 -AAA- mary · singA · kingA · springA · coat
- 38 -AAA- joseph · assA · grassA · massA · goat
- 39 -AAA- mary · afraidA · shadeA · waylaidA · sore
- 41 -AA- joseph · holdA · oldA · store
- 43 AAA titusA · ceaseA · peaceA
- 45 -AA titus · feeA · beA
- 47 -AAABCCCB jesus · byA · dieA · highA · treeB · sideC · crucifiedC · abideC · meB
- 48 ---ABBA herod · sacrament · wonderment · newsA · dareB · bearB · jewsA
- 49 AABCCB canA · canaanA · bringB · tyreC · fireC · kingB
- 50 AABCCB standA · bandA · slayB · bethlehemC · themC · dayB
- 51 -AA- rachel · speedA · deedA · slain
- 52 -AA- herod · cupA · upA · drain
- 53 -AA- rahab · blastA · lastA · kin
- 54 -AA- herod · stirA · myrrhA · therein
- 55 -AA- street · handsA · commandsA · slain
- 56 AA- doneA · sonA · twain
- 57 ABBCAAC herodA · fearB · earB · soundC · headA · deadA · groundC
- 58 -AA- jesus · playA · clayA · side
- 59 -AA- judas · overflowedA · roadA · wide
- 60 -AABCCB jesus · makeA · lakeA · drinkB · soarC · moreC · brinkB
- 61 -AA- judas · clayA · awayA · lands
- 62 -AA- jesus · freeA · meA · hands
- 63 -AA- judas · knowA · soA · thee
- 64 -AA- jesus · sideA · crucifiedA · be
- 65 -AAABCCCB joseph · playA · dayA · sayA · plightB · heatC · feetC · streetC · sightB
- 66 -AAABCCCB rabbi · israelA · wellA · tellA · divineB · hoarC · moreC · loreC · wineB
- 67 AAABCCCB eastA · feastA · beastA · styB · meC · seeC · beC · mordecaiB
- 68 AAAA iscariotA · gotA · notA · nightA
- 69 -AAA- judas · saithA · breathA · deathA · flight
- 70 -AAA- rabbi · wiseA · eyesA · liesA · wight
- 71 -AAA- judas · tallA · fallA · gallA · white
- 72 AAAA- rabbiA · meA · beA · fleeA · men
- 73 -AAA- judas · domeA · romeA · homeA · rain
- 74 -AAA- rabbi · oneA · sonA · doneA · say
- 76 -AAA- rabbi · yetA · alphabetA · forgetA · play
- 77 -AA jesus · knowA · goA
- 78 A-A-BBA rabbiA · so · meA · jod · godB · rodB · beA
- 80 -AAABCCCB boys · groundA · crownedA · aroundA · kingB · jewsC · refuseC · useC · bringB
- 81 -AAA- boys · payA · dayA · wayA · prosperity
- 82 -AAA- traveller · bethlehemA · diademA · gemA · authority
- 83 -AAA- boys · nearA · hereA · fearA · harm
- 84 -AAA- bearers · nestA · restA · crestA · arm
- 85 -AAA- jesus · feelA · healA · stealA · bite
- 86 AAA- foreseeA · beA · meA · canaanite
- 87 -AAB-BB- epilogue · dayA · playA · lordB · nones · accordB · rewardB · bones
Scansion, line by line
Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. How this is done.
| Line | Syl. | Stress |
|---|---|---|
| PRAECO. | 2 | ·· |
| Come, good people, all and each, | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| Come and listen to our speech! | 8 | ··/˘·/˘· |
| In your presence here I stand, | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| With a trumpet in my hand, | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| To announce the Easter Play, | 7 | ·˘/·/˘· |
| Which we represent to-day! | 7 | ···˘/·· |
| First of all we shall rehearse, | 7 | ·····˘/ |
| In our action and our verse, | 9 | ·/˘/˘·/˘· |
| The Nativity of our Lord, | 9 | ·˘/˘˘·/˘· |
| As written in the old record | 8 | ·/˘···˘/ |
| Of the Protevangelion, | 7 | ······· |
| So that he who reads may run! | 7 | ······· |
| MERCY, at the feet of God. | 7 | /˘····· |
| Have pity, Lord! be not afraid | 8 | ·/˘···˘/ |
| To save mankind, whom thou hast made, | 8 | ··//···· |
| Nor let the souls that were betrayed | 9 | ······˘/˘ |
| Perish eternally! | 6 | /˘˘/˘˘ |
| JUSTICE. | 2 | /˘ |
| It cannot be, it must not be! | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| When in the garden placed by thee, | 9 | ···/˘·˘·· |
| The fruit of the forbidden tree | 8 | ····˘/˘· |
| He ate, and he must die! | 6 | ······ |
| MERCY. | 2 | /˘ |
| Have pity, Lord! let penitence | 8 | ·/˘··/˘˘ |
| Atone for disobedience, | 8 | ˘/··˘/˘˘ |
| Nor let the fruit of man's offence | 8 | ······˘/ |
| Be endless misery! | 6 | ·/˘/˘˘ |
| JUSTICE. | 2 | /˘ |
| What penitence proportionate | 8 | ·/˘˘˘/˘˘ |
| Can e'er be felt for sin so great? | 8 | ········ |
| Of the forbidden fruit he ate, | 8 | ··˘/˘··· |
| And damned must he be! | 5 | ····· |
| GOD. | 1 | · |
| He shall be saved, if that within | 9 | ····˘···· |
| The bounds of earth one free from sin | 8 | ········ |
| Be found, who for his kith and kin | 8 | ········ |
| Will suffer martyrdom. | 6 | ·/˘/˘˘ |
| Lord! we have searched the world around, | 9 | ····˘···· |
| From centre to the utmost bound, | 8 | ·/˘··/·· |
| But no such mortal can be found; | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| Despairing, back we come. | 6 | ˘/˘··· |
| WISDOM. | 2 | /˘ |
| No mortal, but a God-made man, | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| Can ever carry out this plan, | 8 | ·/˘/˘··· |
| Achieving what none other can, | 8 | ˘/˘··/˘· |
| Salvation unto all! | 6 | ˘/˘··· |
| GOD. | 1 | · |
| Go, then, O my beloved Son! | 7 | ····˘/· |
| It can by thee alone be done; | 8 | ····˘/·· |
| By thee the victory shall be won | 9 | ···/˘˘··· |
| O'er Satan and the Fall! | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| MARY. | 2 | /˘ |
| Along the garden walk, and thence | 8 | ˘/·/˘··· |
| Through the wicket in the garden fence | 9 | ··/˘··/˘· |
| I steal with quiet pace, | 6 | ···/˘· |
| My pitcher at the well to fill, | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| That lies so deep and cool and still | 8 | ········ |
| In this sequestered place. | 6 | ··˘/˘· |
| These sycamores keep guard around; | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| I see no face, I hear no sound, | 8 | ········ |
| Save bubblings of the spring, | 7 | ·/˘˘··· |
| And my companions, who, within, | 8 | ··˘/˘··· |
| The threads of gold and scarlet spin, | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| And at their labor sing. | 6 | ···/˘· |
| Hail, Virgin Mary, full of grace! | 8 | ·/˘/˘··· |
| MARY. | 2 | /˘ |
| Who is it speaketh in this place, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| With such a gentle voice? | 6 | ···/˘· |
| GABRIEL. | 3 | /˘˘ |
| The Lord of heaven is with thee now! | 9 | ···/˘···· |
| Blessed among all women thou, | 7 | ····/˘· |
| Who art his holy choice! | 6 | ···/˘· |
| MARY, setting down the pitcher. | 8 | /˘/˘··/˘ |
| What can this mean? No one is near, | 8 | ········ |
| And yet, such sacred words I hear, | 9 | ···/˘˘··· |
| I almost fear to stay. | 6 | ·/···· |
| GABRIEL. | 3 | /˘˘ |
| Fear not, O Mary! but believe! | 8 | ···/˘·˘/ |
| For thou, a Virgin, shalt conceive | 8 | ···/˘·˘/ |
| A child this very day. | 6 | ···/˘· |
| Fear not, O Mary! from the sky | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| The Majesty of the Most High | 8 | ·/˘˘···· |
| Shall overshadow thee! | 6 | ·/˘/˘· |
| MARY. | 2 | /˘ |
| Behold the handmaid of the Lord! | 8 | ˘/······ |
| According to thy holy word, | 8 | ˘/˘··/˘· |
| So be it unto me! | 6 | ······ |
| BETHLEHEM | 3 | /˘· |
| THE ANGELS. | 3 | ·/˘ |
| The Angels of the Planets Seven, | 9 | ·/˘··/˘/˘ |
| Across the shining fields of heaven | 9 | ˘/·/˘··/˘ |
| The natal star we bring! | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| Dropping our sevenfold virtues down | 10 | /˘/˘/˘·/˘· |
| As priceless jewels in the crown | 8 | ·/˘/˘··· |
| Of Christ, our new-born King. | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| RAPHAEL. | 3 | ·˘/ |
| I am the Angel of the Sun, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| Whose flaming wheels began to run | 8 | ·/˘·˘/·· |
| When God Almighty's breath | 6 | ··˘/˘· |
| Said to the darkness and the Night, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| Let there he light! and there was light! | 8 | ········ |
| I bring the gift of Faith. | 6 | ······ |
| ONAFIEL. | 3 | ··· |
| I am the Angel of the Moon, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| Darkened to be rekindled soon | 10 | /˘˘··˘/˘˘· |
| Beneath the azure cope! | 6 | ···/˘· |
| Nearest to earth, it is my ray | 8 | /˘······ |
| That best illumes the midnight way; | 8 | ·····/·· |
| I bring the gift of Hope! | 6 | ······ |
| ANAEL. | 2 | ·· |
| The Angel of the Star of Love, | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| The Evening Star, that shines above | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| The place where lovers be, | 6 | ···/˘· |
| Above all happy hearths and homes, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| On roofs of thatch, or golden domes, | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| I give him Charity! | 6 | ···/˘˘ |
| ZOBIACHEL. | 3 | ··· |
| The Planet Jupiter is mine! | 8 | ·/˘/˘˘·· |
| The mightiest star of all that shine, | 9 | ·/˘˘····· |
| Except the sun alone! | 6 | ····˘/ |
| He is the High Priest of the Dove, | 8 | ········ |
| And sends, from his great throne above, | 8 | ········ |
| Justice, that shall atone! | 6 | /˘··˘/ |
| MICHAEL. | 2 | /˘ |
| The Planet Mercury, whose place | 8 | ·/˘/˘˘·· |
| Is nearest to the sun in space, | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| Is my allotted sphere! | 6 | ··˘/˘· |
| And with celestial ardor swift | 8 | ··˘/˘/˘· |
| I hear upon my hands the gift | 8 | ········ |
| Of heavenly Prudence here! | 7 | ·/˘˘/˘· |
| URIEL. | 2 | ·· |
| I am the Minister of Mars, | 8 | ···/˘˘·· |
| The strongest star among the stars! | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| My songs of power prelude | 7 | ···/˘/· |
| The march and battle of man's life, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| And for the suffering and the strife, | 9 | ···/˘˘··· |
| I give him Fortitude! | 6 | ···/˘· |
| ORIFEL. | 3 | ··· |
| The Angel of the uttermost | 8 | ·/˘··/˘˘ |
| Of all the shining, heavenly host, | 9 | ···/˘/˘˘· |
| From the far-off expanse | 6 | ····˘/ |
| Of the Saturnian, endless space | 9 | ··˘/˘˘/˘· |
| I bring the last, the crowning grace, | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| The gift of Temperance! | 6 | ···/˘˘ |
| The stable of the Inn. The VIRGIN and CHILD. Three Gypsy Kings, | 15 | ·/˘····/˘···/˘· |
| GASPAR, MELCHIOR, and BELSHAZZAR, shall come in. | 12 | /˘˘/˘······· |
| GASPAR. | 2 | /˘ |
| Hail to thee, Jesus of Nazareth! | 9 | ···/˘·/˘˘ |
| Though in a manger thou draw breath, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| Thou art greater than Life and Death, | 8 | ··/˘···· |
| Greater than Joy or Woe! | 6 | /˘···· |
| This cross upon the line of life | 8 | ········ |
| Portendeth struggle, toil, and strife, | 8 | ˘/˘/˘··· |
| And through a region with peril rife | 9 | ···/˘·/˘· |
| In darkness shalt thou go! | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| MELCHIOR. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| Hail to thee, King of Jerusalem! | 9 | ·····˘/˘˘ |
| Though humbly born in Bethlehem, | 8 | ·/˘··/˘· |
| A sceptre and a diadem | 8 | ·/˘··/˘· |
| Await thy brow and hand! | 6 | ˘/···· |
| The sceptre is a simple reed, | 8 | ·/˘··/˘· |
| The crown will make thy temples bleed, | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| And in thine hour of greatest need, | 9 | ···/˘·/˘· |
| Abashed thy subjects stand! | 6 | ˘/·/˘· |
| BELSHAZZAR. | 3 | ··· |
| Hail to thee, Christ of Christendom! | 8 | ·····/˘˘ |
| O'er all the earth thy kingdom come! | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| From distant Trebizond to Rome | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| Thy name shall men adore! | 6 | ····˘/ |
| Peace and good-will among all men, | 8 | ········ |
| The Virgin has returned again, | 9 | ·/˘·˘/˘˘/ |
| Returned the old Saturnian reign | 10 | ˘/˘··˘/˘˘· |
| And Golden Age once more. | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| Jesus, the Son of God, am I, | 8 | /˘······ |
| Born here to suffer and to die | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| According to the prophecy, | 8 | ˘/˘··/˘˘ |
| That other men may live! | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| THE VIRGIN. | 3 | ·/˘ |
| And now these clothes, that wrapped Him, take | 9 | ······˘·· |
| And keep them precious, for his sake; | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| Our benediction thus we make, | 9 | /˘·˘/˘··· |
| Naught else have we to give. | 6 | ······ |
| Here JOSEPH shall come in, leading an ass, on which are seated | 15 | ·/˘···/˘·····/˘ |
| MARY and the CHILD. | 5 | /˘··· |
| MARY. | 2 | /˘ |
| Here will we rest us, under these | 8 | ········ |
| O'erhanging branches of the trees, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| Where robins chant their Litanies | 8 | ·/˘··/˘˘ |
| And canticles of joy. | 5 | ····· |
| JOSEPH. | 2 | /˘ |
| My saddle-girths have given way | 8 | ·/˘··/˘· |
| With trudging through the heat to-day; | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| To you I think it is but play | 8 | ········ |
| To ride and hold the boy. | 6 | ······ |
| MARY. | 2 | /˘ |
| Hark! how the robins shout and sing, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| As if to hail their infant King! | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| I will alight at yonder spring | 8 | ··˘/·/˘· |
| To wash his little coat. | 6 | ···/˘· |
| JOSEPH. | 2 | /˘ |
| And I will hobble well the ass, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| Lest, being loose upon the grass, | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| He should escape; for, by the mass, | 8 | ··˘/···· |
| He's nimble as a goat. | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| MARY. | 2 | /˘ |
| O Joseph! I am much afraid, | 8 | ·/˘···˘/ |
| For men are sleeping in the shade; | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| I fear that we shall be waylaid, | 8 | ······/· |
| And robbed and beaten sore! | 6 | ···/˘· |
| DUMACHUS. | 3 | ··· |
| Cock's soul! deliver up your gold! | 8 | ··˘/˘··· |
| JOSEPH. | 2 | /˘ |
| I pray you, sirs, let go your hold! | 8 | ········ |
| You see that I am weak and old, | 8 | ········ |
| Of wealth I have no store. | 6 | ······ |
| DUMACHUS. | 3 | ··· |
| Give up your money! | 5 | ···/˘ |
| TITUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| Prithee cease. | 3 | /˘· |
| Let these people go in peace. | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| DUMACHUS. | 3 | ··· |
| First let them pay for their release, | 8 | ······˘/ |
| And then go on their way. | 6 | ······ |
| TITUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| These forty groats I give in fee, | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| If thou wilt only silent be. | 8 | ···/˘/˘· |
| MARY. | 2 | /˘ |
| May God be merciful to thee | 8 | ···/˘˘·· |
| Upon the Judgment Day! | 6 | ···/˘· |
| JESUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| When thirty years shall have gone by, | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| I at Jerusalem shall die, | 8 | ··˘/˘˘·· |
| By Jewish hands exalted high | 8 | ·/˘·˘/˘· |
| On the accursed tree, | 5 | ····· |
| Then on my right and my left side, | 8 | ········ |
| These thieves shall both be crucified, | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| And Titus thenceforth shall abide | 8 | ·/˘·/·˘/ |
| In paradise with me. | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| KING HEROD. | 3 | ·/˘ |
| Potz-tausend! Himmel-sacrament! | 8 | ···/˘/˘˘ |
| Filled am I with great wonderment | 9 | ·˘····/˘˘ |
| At this unwelcome news! | 6 | ··˘/˘· |
| Am I not Herod? Who shall dare | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| My crown to take, my sceptre bear, | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| As king among the Jews? | 6 | ······ |
| What ho! I fain would drink a can | 8 | ········ |
| Of the strong wine of Canaan! | 7 | ·····/˘ |
| The wine of Helbon bring | 6 | ······ |
| I purchased at the Fair of Tyre, | 9 | ·/˘˘····· |
| As red as blood, as hot as fire, | 9 | ·······/˘ |
| And fit for any king! | 6 | ···/˘· |
| Now at the window will I stand, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| While in the street the armed band | 7 | ······· |
| The little children slay; | 6 | ·/˘/˘· |
| The babe just born in Bethlehem | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| Will surely slaughtered be with them, | 9 | ·/˘/˘˘··· |
| Nor live another day! | 6 | ··˘/˘· |
| RACHEL. | 2 | /˘ |
| O wicked king! O cruel speed! | 9 | ·/˘˘··/˘· |
| To do this most unrighteous deed! | 8 | ····˘/˘· |
| My children all are slain! | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| HEROD. | 2 | /˘ |
| Ho, seneschal! another cup! | 8 | ·/˘˘˘/˘· |
| With wine of Sorek fill it up! | 8 | ········ |
| I would a bumper drain! | 6 | ···/˘· |
| RAHAB. | 2 | ·· |
| May maledictions fall and blast | 8 | ········ |
| Thyself and lineage to the last | 9 | ˘/·/˘˘··· |
| Of all thy kith and kin! | 6 | ······ |
| HEROD. | 2 | /˘ |
| Another goblet! quick! and stir | 8 | ˘/˘/˘··· |
| Pomegranate juice and drops of myrrh | 7 | /˘····· |
| And calamus therein! | 6 | ·/˘˘·· |
| SOLDIERS, in the street. | 5 | /˘··· |
| Give up thy child into our hands! | 9 | ······/˘· |
| It is King Herod who commands | 8 | ···/˘·˘/ |
| That he should thus be slain! | 6 | ······ |
| O monstrous men! What have ye done! | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| It is King Herod's only son | 8 | ···/˘/˘· |
| That ye have cleft in twain! | 6 | ······ |
| HEROD. | 2 | /˘ |
| Ah, luckless day! What words of fear | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| Are these that smite upon my ear | 8 | ········ |
| With such a doleful sound! | 6 | ···/˘· |
| What torments rack my heart and head! | 8 | ·/······ |
| Would I were dead! would I were dead, | 8 | ········ |
| And buried in the ground! | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| JESUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| The shower is over. Let us play, | 9 | ·/˘······ |
| And make some sparrows out of clay, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| Down by the river's side. | 6 | ···/˘· |
| JUDAS. | 2 | /˘ |
| See, how the stream has overflowed | 9 | ······˘/˘ |
| Its banks, and o'er the meadow road | 8 | ·····/·· |
| Is spreading far and wide! | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| JESUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| Look! look how prettily I make | 8 | ···/˘˘·· |
| These little sparrows by the lake | 8 | ·/˘/˘··· |
| Bend down their necks and drink! | 6 | ······ |
| Now will I make them sing and soar | 8 | ········ |
| So far, they shall return no more | 8 | ····˘/·· |
| Unto this river's brink. | 6 | ···/˘· |
| JUDAS. | 2 | /˘ |
| That canst thou not! They are but clay, | 8 | ········ |
| They cannot sing, nor fly away | 8 | ·/˘···˘/ |
| Above the meadow lands! | 6 | ···/·· |
| JESUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| Fly, fly! ye sparrows! you are free! | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| And while you live, remember me, | 8 | ····˘/˘· |
| Who made you with my hands. | 6 | ······ |
| JUDAS. | 2 | /˘ |
| Thou art a sorcerer, I know; | 8 | ···/˘˘·· |
| Oft has my mother told me so, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| I will not play with thee! | 6 | ······ |
| JESUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| Ah, Judas! thou hast smote my side, | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| And when I shall be crucified, | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| There shall I pierced be! | 5 | ····· |
| JOSEPH. | 2 | /˘ |
| Ye wicked boys! why do ye play, | 9 | ·/˘˘····· |
| And break the holy Sabbath day? | 8 | ···/˘/˘· |
| What, think ye, will your mothers say | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| To see you in such plight! | 6 | ······ |
| In such a sweat and such a heat, | 8 | ········ |
| With all that mud upon your feet! | 8 | ········ |
| There's not a beggar in the street | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| Makes such a sorry sight! | 6 | ···/˘· |
| RABBI. | 2 | /· |
| I am the Rabbi Ben Israel, | 9 | ···/··/˘˘ |
| Throughout this village known full well, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| And, as my scholars all will tell, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| Learned in things divine; | 5 | ···˘/ |
| The Cabala and Talmud hoar | 8 | ·/˘˘·/˘· |
| Than all the prophets prize I more, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| For water is all Bible lore, | 8 | ·/˘··/˘· |
| But Mishna is strong wine. | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| My fame extends from West to East, | 8 | ··˘/···· |
| And always, at the Purim feast, | 8 | ·/···/˘· |
| I am as drunk as any beast | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| That wallows in his sty; | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| The wine it so elateth me, | 8 | ····˘/˘· |
| That I no difference can see | 8 | ···/˘˘·· |
| Between "Accursed Haman be!" | 7 | ····/˘· |
| And "Blessed be Mordecai!" | 6 | ···/˘· |
| Come hither, Judas Iscariot; | 9 | ·/˘/˘˘/˘˘ |
| Say, if thy lesson thou hast got | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| From the Rabbinical Book or not. | 9 | ··˘/˘˘··· |
| Why howl the dogs at night? | 6 | ······ |
| JUDAS. | 2 | /˘ |
| In the Rabbinical Book, it saith | 9 | ··˘/˘˘··· |
| The dogs howl, when with icy breath | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| Great Sammael, the Angel of Death, | 8 | ····/˘·· |
| Takes through the town his flight! | 6 | ······ |
| RABBI. | 2 | /· |
| Well, boy! now say, if thou art wise, | 8 | ········ |
| When the Angel of Death, who is full of eyes, | 11 | ··/˘······· |
| Comes where a sick man dying lies, | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| What doth he to the wight? | 6 | ······ |
| JUDAS. | 2 | /˘ |
| He stands beside him, dark and tall, | 8 | ··˘/···· |
| Holding a sword, from which doth fall | 8 | /˘······ |
| Into his mouth a drop of gall, | 8 | ········ |
| And so he turneth white. | 6 | ···/˘· |
| RABBI. | 2 | /· |
| And now, my Judas, say to me | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| What the great Voices Four may be, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| That quite across the world do flee, | 8 | ··˘/···· |
| And are not heard by men? | 6 | ······ |
| JUDAS. | 2 | /˘ |
| The Voice of the Sun in heaven's dome, | 9 | ······/˘· |
| The Voice of the Murmuring of Rome, | 9 | ····/˘˘·· |
| The Voice of a Soul that goeth home, | 8 | ········ |
| And the Angel of the Rain! | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| RABBI. | 2 | /· |
| Right are thine answers every one! | 9 | ···/˘/˘˘· |
| Now, little Jesus, the carpenter's son, | 10 | ·/˘/˘·/˘˘· |
| Let us see how thy task is done; | 8 | ········ |
| Canst thou thy letters say? | 6 | ···/˘· |
| JESUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| Aleph. | 2 | /˘ |
| RABBI. | 2 | /· |
| What next? Do not stop yet! | 6 | ······ |
| Go on with all the alphabet. | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| Come, Aleph, Beth; dost thou forget? | 8 | ·/˘···˘/ |
| Cock's soul! thou'dst rather play! | 6 | ···/˘· |
| JESUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| What Aleph means I fain would know | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| Before I any farther go! | 8 | ···/˘/˘· |
| RABBI. | 2 | /· |
| Oh, by Saint Peter! wouldst thou so? | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| Come hither, boy, to me. | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| As surely as the letter Jod | 8 | ·/˘··/˘· |
| Once cried aloud, and spake to God, | 8 | ··˘/···· |
| So surely shalt thou feel this rod, | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| And punished shalt thou be! | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| JESUS sitting among his playmates, crowned with flowers as their | 14 | /˘/˘···/···/·· |
| King. | 1 | · |
| BOYS. | 1 | · |
| We spread our garments on the ground! | 9 | ··/˘/˘··· |
The first 400 of 444 lines; the reader marks them all.
The reader shows the same poem with its rhymes coloured and a stress row above each line, the notes beside their stanzas, and any word's definition on a tap; the analysis page takes the whole book apart. How every part of this site was made.