"Everyman," With Other Interludes, Including Eight Miracle Plays Part 7

_Everyman._ O all thing faileth, save G.o.d alone; _Beauty_, _Strength_, and _Discretion_; For when _Death_ bloweth his blast, They all run from me full fast.

_Five-wits. Everyman_, my leave now of thee I take; I will follow the other, for here I thee forsake.

_Everyman._ Alas! then may I wail and weep, For I took you for my best friend.

_Five-wits._ I will no longer thee keep; Now farewell, and there an end.

_Everyman._ O Jesu, help, all hath forsaken me!

_Good-Deeds._ Nay, _Everyman_, I will bide with thee, I will not forsake thee indeed; Thou shalt find me a good friend at need.

_Everyman._ Gramercy, _Good-Deeds_; now may I true friends see; They have forsaken me every one; I loved them better than my _Good-Deeds_ alone.

_Knowledge_, will ye forsake me also?

_Knowledge._ Yea, _Everyman_, when ye to death do go: But not yet for no manner of danger.

_Everyman._ Gramercy, _Knowledge_, with all my heart.

_Knowledge._ Nay, yet I will not from hence depart, Till I see where ye shall be come.

_Everyman._ Methinketh, alas, that I must be gone, To make my reckoning and my debts pay, For I see my time is nigh spent away.

Take example, all ye that this do hear or see, How they that I loved best do forsake me, Except my _Good-Deeds_ that bideth truly.

_Good-Deeds._ All earthly things is but vanity: _Beauty_, _Strength_, and _Discretion_, do man forsake, Foolish friends and kinsmen, that fair spake, All fleeth save _Good-Deeds_, and that am I.

_Everyman._ Have mercy on me, G.o.d most mighty; And stand by me, thou Mother and Maid, holy _Mary_.

_Good-Deeds_. Fear not, I will speak for thee.

_Everyman._ Here I cry G.o.d mercy.

_Good-Deeds._ Short our end, and minish our pain; Let us go and never come again.

_Everyman._ Into thy hands, Lord, my soul I commend; Receive it, Lord, that it be not lost; As thou me boughtest, so me defend, And save me from the fiend's boast, That I may appear with that blessed host That shall be saved at the day of doom.

_In ma.n.u.s tuas_--of might's most For ever--_commendo spiritum meum_.

_Knowledge._ Now hath he suffered that we all shall endure; The _Good-Deeds_ shall make all sure.

Now hath he made ending; Methinketh that I hear angels sing And make great joy and melody, Where _Everyman's_ soul received shall be.

_Angel._ Come, excellent elect spouse to Jesu: Hereabove thou shalt go Because of thy singular virtue: Now the soul is taken the body fro; Thy reckoning is crystal-clear.

Now shalt thou into the heavenly sphere, Unto the which all ye shall come That liveth well before the day of doom.

_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.

None excuse may be there for _Everyman_: Alas, how shall he do then?

For after death amends may no man make, For then mercy and pity do him forsake.

If his reckoning be not clear when he do come, G.o.d will say--_ite maledicti in ignem aeternum_.

And he that hath his account whole and sound, High in heaven he shall be crowned; Unto which place G.o.d bring us all thither That we may live body and soul together.

Thereto help the Trinity, Amen, say ye, for saint _Charity_.

THUS ENDETH THIS MORALL PLAY OF EVERYMAN.

THE CHESTER PAGEANT OF THE WATER-LEADERS AND DRAWERS OF THE DEE CONCERNING NOAH'S DELUGE

CHARACTERS

G.o.d Noah Shem Ham j.a.phet Noah's Wife Shem's Wife Ham's Wife j.a.phet's Wife

THE CHESTER PAGEANT OF THE DELUGE

_G.o.d._ I, G.o.d, that all the world have wrought Heaven and Earth, and all of nought, I see my people, in deed and thought, Are foully set in sin.

My ghost shall not lodge in any man That through fleshly liking is my fone,[18]

But till six score years be gone To look if they will blynne.[19]

Man that I made I will destroy, Beast, worm, and fowl to fly, For on earth they me annoy, The folk that is thereon.

For it harms me so hurtfully The malice now that can multiply, That sore it grieveth me inwardly, That ever I made man.

Therefore Noah, my servant free, That righteous man art, as I see, A s.h.i.+p soon thou shalt make thee, Of trees dry and light.

Little chambers therein thou make And binding slich[20] also thou take Within and out, thou not slake To annoint it through all thy might.

Three hundred cubits it shall be long, And so of breadth to make it strong, Of height so, then must thou fonge,[21]

Thus measure it about.

One window work though thy might; One cubit of length and breadth make it, Upon the side a door shall fit For to come in and out.

Eating-places thou make also, Three roofed chambers, one or two: For with water I think to stow[22]

Man that I can make.

Destroyed all the world shall be, Save thou, thy wife, and sons three, And all their wives, also, with thee, Shall saved be for thy sake.

_Noah._ Ah, Lord! I thank thee, loud and still, That to me art in such will, And spares me and my house to spill As now I soothly find.

Thy bidding, Lord, I shall fulfil, And never more thee grieve nor grill[23]

That such grace has sent me till Among all mankind.

Have done you men and women all; Help, for aught that may befall, To work this s.h.i.+p, chamber, and hall, As G.o.d hath bidden us do.

_Shem._ Father, I am already bowne,[24]

An axe I have, by my crown!

As sharp as any in all this town For to go thereto.

_Ham._ I have a hatchet, wonder keen, To bite well, as may be seen, A better ground one, as I ween, Is not in all this town.

_j.a.phet._ And I can well make a pin, And with this hammer knock it in; Go and work without more din; And I am ready bowne.[24]

_Noah's Wife._ And we shall bring timber too, For women nothing else to do Women be weak to undergo Any great travail.