ABRA. No, I warrant you, I will not let my matters sleep.
REBECCA. Any good wench will at her dame's bidding take keep.
Now, God of Abraham, as I trust in thy grace,
Send Jacob the blessing in Esau his place.
As thou hast ordained, right so must all thing be:
Perform thine own words, Lord, which thou spakest to me.
Now will I go in to see, that mine old husband
May of my secret working nothing understand.
Or in case he smell what we have thus far begun,
He may think it all for Esau to be done.
ACTUS QUARTI, SCAENA QUARTA.
ABRA, _the maid_, DEBORAH, _the nurse_.
ABRA. He, that were now within, should find all thing, I ween,
As trim as a trencher, as trick, as sweet, as clean.
And seeing that my dame prepareth such a feast,
I will not, I trow, be found such a sluttish beast,
That there shall any filth about our tent be kept,
But that both within and without it shall be swept.
[_Then let her sweep with a broom, and while she doth it,
sing this song, and when she hath sung, let her say thus_:[271]
THE SECOND SONG.
_It hath been a proverb, before I was born,
Young doth it prick, that will be a thorn.
Who will be evil, or who will be good;
Who given to truth, or who to falsehood.
Each body's youth showeth a great likelihood.
For young doth it prick, that will be a thorn.
Who so in youth will no goodness embrace,
But follow pleasure, and not virtue's trace,
Great marvel it is, if such come to grace.
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