The second shepherds play. The Wakefield Second Shepherds’ Play 2022-10-24
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The Second Shepherds' Play
I may let thee draw the sneck. Mak and Gill are flustered, thinking that they had already pulled off their trick. Yet sleep all this menye, And I shall go stalk privily, As it had never been I That carried their sheep. But howso the game goes, To me they will suppose, And make a foul noise, And cry out upon me. Man, I give God a vow, Yet heed he nowhere. I know our sheep be slain, what find ye too? A sixth play, The Killing of Abel is also thought to have been heavily influenced by him if not exclusively written by him, along with The Last Judgment, to which he contributed at least half.
Forbidden Literature : About the Character of Mak in The Second Shepherd's Play
For to sing us among, right as he knacked it, I can. As I am true and loyal, to God, here I pray That this be the first meal I shall eat this day. Over a sick woman's head,--that is ill mate ease, I had liefer be dead,--or she had any disease. Why fares this world thus, oft have we not seen. But we silly shepherds, that walk upon the moor, In faith, we are near hands out of the door; No wonder, as it stands, if we be poor, For the tilth of our lands lies fallow as the floor, We are so lamed, So taxed and shamed, We are made hand-tamed, With these gentlery-men. I will lie down straight.
The Second Shepherd’s Play Scene 1 Summary & Analysis
But we silly shepherds, that walk upon the moor, In faith, we are near hands out of the door; No wonder, as it stands, if we be poor, For the tilth of our lands lies fallow as the floor, We are so lamed, So taxed and shamed, We are made hand-tamed, With these gentlery-men. This is the first instance of the shepherds being rewarded for their charity. Mak sneaks back among the shepherds and pretends to awaken along with them. The Second Shepherds' Play is a medieval mystery play which is part of the Wakefield Cycle. However, once they have fallen asleep he casts a spell to make sure they will not wake up and then sneaks off to steal one of their sheep. Mac, the devil in your ee, a stroke would I lend you. Nay, neither mends our mode, drink nor meat.
From my head to my toe Mantis tuas commendo, Pontio Pilato. Fast again will I fling, Abide ye me there. Baugh complained of the combination of low farce and high religious intent in the play, Maynard Mack explains that this play is often categorized as simple and containing little artistic merit. So fares A housewife that has been To be raised thus between: There may no note be seen For such small chares. And I shall say thou wast light Of a knave child this night. Then may we be here,--the devil in a band, Sir Gile. For I trow, pardie! Hard I never none crack,--so clear out of tune.
Everyman and Other Old Religious Plays, with an Introduction Full Text
However, the family is hungry and Mak and Gill are both fond of manipulation and trickery , so they devise a plan to be able to keep the stolen sheep: Gill wraps the sheep in swaddling clothes to pass it off as a newborn baby. Sir, our lady him save, Is your child a knave? Such servants as I, that sweats and swinks, Eats our bread full dry, and that me forthinks; We are oft wet and weary when master men winks, Yet comes full lately both dinners and drinks, But neatly. The shepherds realize a ram is missing and immediately suspect Mak. In fact, it has been hypothesized that the second play is a revision of the first. But young men of wooing, for God that you bought, Be well ware of wedding, and think in your thought "Had I wist" is a thing it serves ye of nought; Mickle still mourning has wedding home brought, And griefs, With many a sharp shower, For thou may catch in an hour That shall serve thee full sour As long as thou lives. Would God ye knew how I fare! Was never since Noah's flood such floods seen, Winds and rains so rude, and storms so keen, Some stammered, some stood in doubt, as I ween, Now God turn all to good, I say as I mean, For ponder. Abide until syne We have made it.
Like Gyb, Mak is unhappy with his marriage. God look over the row, full deafly ye stand. Three shepherds have their sheep stolen by a local thief. Upon their arrival in Bethlehem, where they were led by the star, the three shepherds go to the stable where Mary and the Child are housed. A horse would I hire; think ye on it. Mak tries to gain sympathy from the shepherds by explaining how his wife is a lazy drunk who gives birth to too many children. Mary tells the shepherds to always remember this day, and as the play closes, the shepherds burst into a joyful song.
The Second Shepherd’s Play Scene 6 Summary & Analysis
I care never who spies: again go thou fast. Using modern day technology which included plows, mills, and forges, as well as colloquial speech amongst the dialogue between the characters, the stories exemplified early traits of realism that would have made the stories more relevant for the audience of that time period. The sheep is wrapped up tightly in swaddling clothes, and Gill moans loudly about how much pain she is in post-childbirth. Gyb feels imprisoned by his marriage to her and wishes he could escape. I have bairns if ye knew, Well more than enew, But we must drink as we brew, And that is but reason. But thou must do as thou hight, Wife.
At this point, the tone of the play shifts somewhat from farce to reverence, but it is made very clear that these are the same characters—note that they sing in harmony together both at the beginning of the play and at the end. Now Christ, his holy name be us amang, What is this? I wot so forwaked is none in this shire: I would sleep if I taked less to my hire. To Bedlem he bade--that we should gang: I am full feared--that we tarry too lang. Moreover, he uses God as a sign of goodness in his lies. But howso the game goes, To me they will suppose, And make a foul noise, And cry out upon me.
