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Middle English Drama

From:Joe <joe@...>
Date:Tuesday, August 13, 2002, 21:49
Has anyone read the middle English dramatic cycles? They're really quite
good.  Well, I like them...they have a richer language than shakespeare, I'd
say...I prefer the style too...

"God
1    I am gracyus and grete, God withoutyn begynnyng,
I am maker vnmade, all mighte es in me;
I am lyfe and way vnto welth-wynnyng,
I am formaste and fyrste, als I byd sall it be.
My blyssyng o ble sall be blendyng,
And heldand, fro harme to be hydande,
My body in blys ay abydande,
Vnendande, withoutyn any endyng.
Sen I am maker vnmade and most es of mighte,
And ay sall be endeles and noghte es but I,
Vnto my dygnyté dere sall diewly be dyghte
A place full of plenté to my plesyng at ply;
And therewith als wyll I haue wroght
Many dyuers doynges bedene,
Whilke warke sall mekely contene,
And all sall be made euen of noghte.
But onely the worthely warke of my wyll
In my sprete sall enspyre the mighte of me;
And in the fyrste, faythely, my thoghte to fullfyll,
Baynely in my blyssyng I byd at here be
A blys al-beledande abowte me,
In the whilke blys I byde at be here
Nyen ordres of aungels full clere,
In louyng ay-lastande at lowte me.
Here vndernethe me nowe a nexile I neuen,
Whilke ile sall be erthe. Now all be at ones
Erthe haly, and helle, this hegheste be heuen,
And that welth sall welde sall won in this wones.
This graunte I yoowe, mynysters myne,
To-whils yohe ar stabill in thoghte-
And also to thaime that ar noghte
Be put to my presone at pyne.
Of all the mightes I haue made, moste nexte after me
I make the als master and merour of my mighte;
I beelde the here baynely in blys for to be,
I name the for Lucifer, als berar of lyghte.
Nothyng here sall the be derand;
In this blis sall be yohour beeldyng,
And haue all welth in yooure weledyng,
Ay-whils yohe ar buxumly berande. "

You see.  Isn't that just so poetic?

I just like the poetic style of these guys.  Shall I tell you what it
reminds me of? It reminds me of the writings of Hwel in that Terry Pratchett
book, Wyrd Sisters...

"COWER NOW BRIEF MORTALS, FOR I AM DEATH, 'GAINST WHOM NO LOCK MAY HOLD NOR
PORTAL BAR"

Remember?  Similar style...