A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume I Part 13

EVERYMAN: A MORAL PLAY.

_EDITIONS.

For a list of the editions, see Hazlitt_ ut infra. _A facsimile of the t.i.tle-page of one of the editions by Skot is here given. Neither of the editions by Pynson has the t.i.tle_.

HAWKINS'S PREFACE.

This morality, or moral play, was published early in the reign of Henry VIII.,[72] and is given from a black-letter copy,[73] preserved in the library of the church of Lincoln. It was communicated to the editor with the greatest politeness by the Rev. Dr Stinton, chancellor of that church. The design of it was to inculcate great reverence for old mother church and her Popish superst.i.tions.

As the most ingenious Dr Percy has given an a.n.a.lysis of this and the following moralities, they are, with his permission, prefixed to the present edition:--"The subject of this piece is the summoning of man out of the world by death; and its moral, that nothing will then avail him but a well-spent life and the comforts of religion. This subject and moral are opened in a monologue spoken by the Messenger (for that was the name generally given by our ancestors to the prologue on their rude stage). Then G.o.d is represented, who, after some general complaints on the degeneracy of mankind, calls for Death, and orders him to bring before his tribunal Everyman, for so is called the personage who represents the human race. Everyman appears, and receives the summons with all the marks of confusion and terror. When Death is withdrawn, Everyman applies for relief in this distress to Fellows.h.i.+p, Kindred, Goods, or Riches, but they successfully renounce and forsake him. In this disconsolate state he betakes himself to Good Deeds, who, after upbraiding him with his long neglect of her, introduces him to her sister Knowledge, and she leads him to the holy man Confession, who appoints him penance; this he inflicts upon himself on the stage, and then withdraws to receive the sacraments of the priest. On his return he begins to wax faint; and, after Strength, Beauty, Discretion, and Five Wits, have all taken their final leave of him, gradually expires on the stage; Good Deeds still accompanying him to the last. Then an angel descends to sing his _requiem_; and the epilogue is spoken by a person called Doctor, who recapitulates the whole, and delivers the moral.

DOCTOR.

'This moral men may have in mind; Ye hearers, take it of worth old and young, And forsake pride, for he deceiveth you in the end, And remember Beauty, Five Wits, Strength, and Discretion.

They all at the last do Everyman forsake; Save his Good Deeds there doth he take: But beware, and they be small, Before G.o.d he hath no help at all.'

"From this short a.n.a.lysis it may be observed that Everyman is a grave, solemn piece, not without some rude attempts to excite terror and pity, and therefore may not improperly be referred to the cla.s.s of tragedy. It is remarkable that in this old simple drama the fable is conducted upon the strictest model of the Greek tragedy. The action is simply one, the time of action is that of the performance, the scene is never changed, nor the stage ever empty. Everyman, the hero of the piece, after his first appearance, never withdraws, except when he goes out to receive the sacrament, which could not well be exhibited in public; and during this, Knowledge descants on the excellence and power of the priesthood, somewhat after, the manner of the Greek chorus. And, indeed, except in the circ.u.mstance of Everyman's expiring on the stage, the 'Samson Agonistes' of Milton is hardly formed on a severer plan."[74]

The woodcuts accompanying this and the succeeding piece (_Hickescorner_), occur in the original editions by Skot, and presumably were also in those by Pynson.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE.

MESSENGER. KNOWLEDGE.

G.o.d. CONFESSION.

DEATH. BEAUTY.

EVERYMAN. STRENGTH.

FELLOWs.h.i.+P. DISCRETION.

KINDRED. FIVE WITS.

GOODS. ANGEL.

GOOD DEEDS. DOCTOR.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

HERE BEGINNETH A TREATISE HOW THE HIGH FATHER OF HEAVEN SENDETH DEATH TO SUMMON EVERY CREATURE TO COME AND GIVE ACCOUNT OF THEIR LIVES IN THIS WORLD, AND IS IN MANNER OF A MORAL PLAY.

MESSENGER.

I Pray you all give your audience, And hear this matter with reverence, By figure a moral play; The Summoning of Everyman called it is, That of our lives and ending shows, How transitory we be all day: This matter is wonders[75] precious, But the intent of it is more gracious, And sweet to bear away.

The story saith: man, in the beginning Look well, and take good heed to the ending, Be you never so gay: Ye think sin in the beginning full sweet, Which in the end causeth thy soul to weep, When the body lieth in clay.

Here shall you see how Fellows.h.i.+p and Jollity, Both Strength, Pleasure, and Beauty, Will fade from thee as flower in May; For ye shall hear, how our Heaven King Calleth Everyman to a general reckoning: Give audience, and hear what he doth say.

G.o.d[76] _speaketh_.

I perceive here in my Majesty, How that all creatures be to me unkind, Living without dread in worldly prosperity: Of ghostly sight the people be so blind, Drowned in sin, they knew me not for their G.o.d; In worldly riches is all their mind, They fear not my rightwiseness, the sharp rod; My law that I showed, when I for them died, They forget clean, and shedding of my blood red; I hanged between two, it cannot be denied; To get them life I suffered to be dead; I healed their feet, with thorns hurt was my head: I could do no more than I did truly, And now I see the people do clean forsake me: They use the seven deadly sins d.a.m.nable, As pride, covetise, wrath, and lechery, Now in the world be made commendable: And thus they leave, of angels the heavenly company, Every man liveth so after his own pleasure, And yet of their life they be nothing sure: I see the more that I them forbear The worse they be from year to year; All that liveth appaireth[77] fast, Therefore I will in all the haste Have a reckoning of every man's person; For, and I leave the people thus alone In their life and wicked tempests, Verily they will become much worse than beasts; For now one would by envy another up eat; Charity they do all clean forget.

I hoped well that every man In my glory should make his mansion, And thereto I had them all elect; But now I see, like traitors deject, They thank me not for the pleasure that I to them meant, Nor yet for their being that I them have lent; I proffered the people great mult.i.tude of mercy, And few there be that asketh it heartly; They be so c.u.mbered with worldly riches, That needs on them I must do justice, On every man living without fear.

Where art thou, Death, thou mighty messenger?

DEATH.

Almighty G.o.d, I am here at your will, Your commandment to fulfil.

G.o.d.

Go thou to Everyman, And show him in my name A pilgrimage he must on him take, Which he in no wise may escape; And that he bring with him a sure reckoning Without delay or any tarrying.

DEATH.

Lord, I will in the world go run over all, And cruelly out-search both great and small; Every man will I beset that liveth beastly, Out of G.o.d's laws, and dreadeth not folly: He that loveth riches I will strike with my dart, His sight to blind, and fro heaven to depart, Except that alms be his good friend, In h.e.l.l for to dwell, world without end.

Lo, yonder I see Everyman walking: Full little he thinketh on my coming: His mind is on fleshly l.u.s.ts and his treasure; And great pain it shall cause him to endure Before the Lord, heaven's King.

Everyman, stand still; whither art thou going Thus gaily? hast thou thy Maker forgot?

EVERYMAN.

Why askest thou? Wouldest thou wit?

DEATH.

Yea, sir, I will show you; in great haste I am sent to thee Fro G.o.d out of his Majesty.