Here xal the mament tremyll and quake.
Now, lord of lordes, to thi blyssyd name sanctificatt,
Most mekely my feyth I recummend. 1556
Pott don the pryd of mamentes violatt !
Lord, to thi lover thi goodnesse descend; 1558
1 then, MS.
MARY MAGDALEN. 63
Lett natt ther pryd to thi poste pretend,
Wher-as is rehersyd thi hye name Jhesus.
Good lord, my preor I feythfully send ;
Lord, thi rythwysnesse here dyscus ! 1562
Here xall comme a clowd from heven, and sett the tempyl one
a fyer, and the pryst and the clerk xall synke.
[The remainder of the play shows the voyage of the King and Queen to
the Holy Land, the wonderful restoration to life of the Queen and
her baby by the aid of Mary Magdalen, the feeding of Mary in the
wilderness by angels, her death, and her ascension.]
6e Cagteil of
HUMANUM GENUS.
After oure forme faderes' kende
This nyth I waus of my moder born ;
Fro my moder I walke, I wende,
Ful feynt and febyl I fare you beforn.
I am nakyd of lym and lende, (5)
As mankynde is schapyn and schorn,
I not wedyr to gon ne to lende,
To helpe my-self mydday ny morn,
For schame I stonde and schende.
I waus born this nyth in blody ble (10)
And nakyd I am as ye may se.
A! Lord God in trinite,
Whow mankende is unchende !
Where-to I waus to this werld browth,
I ne wot but to woo and wepynge. (15)
I am born and have ryth nowth
To helpe my self in no doynge.
I sfYjonde 1 and stodye, al ful of thowthj
Bare and pore is my clothynge,
A sely crysme my hed hath cawth, (20)
That I tok at myn crystenynge;
Certes I have no more.
Of erthe I cam, I wot ryth wele,
And as erthe I stande this selej
1 sonde, MS.
THE CASTELL OF PERSEVERANCE. 65
Of mankende it is gret dele, (35)
Lord God, I cry thyne ore.
Two 1 aungels bene a-synyd to me:
The ton techyth me to goode,
On my ryth syde ye may hym se,
He cam fro Criste that deyed on rode. (30)
A-nother ordeynyd her to be,
That is my foo be fen and node,
He is a-bout in every degra
To 2 drawe me to the dewylys wode,
That in helle ben thycke. (35)
Swyche to hath every man on lyve,
To rewlyn hym and hys wyttes fyve,
Whanne man doth evyl the ton wolde shryve,
The tother drawyth to wycke.
But syn these aungelys be to me falle, (40)
Lord Jhu to .you I bydde a bone,
That I may folwe be strete and stalle
The aungyl that cam fro hevene trone.
Now lord Jhu, in hevene halle,
Here, whane I make my mone ! (45)
Coryows Criste, to you I calle.
As a grysly gost I grucche and grone,
I wene ryth ful of thowth.
A ! Lord Jhu, wedyr may I goo ?
A crysyme I have and no moo! (50)
Alas! men may be wondyr woo
Whanne thei be fyrst forth browth.
BONUS ANGELUS.
Ya. forsothe and that is wel sene,
Of woful wo man may synge-,
For iche creature helpeth hym self bedene, (55)
Save only man, at hys comynge,
1 Ij, MS. a Do, MS.
66 THE CAST ELL OF PERSEVERANCE.
Nevyr-the-lesse turne the fro tene
And serve Jhu, hevene kynge,
And thou shalt, be grevys grene,
Fare well in all thynge. (60)
That lord thi lyfe hath lante!
Have hym alway in thi mynde,
That deyed on rode for mankynde,
And serve hym to thi lyfes ende,
And sertes thou schalt not wante. (65)
MALUS ANGELUS.
Pes aungel, thi wordes are not wyse,
Thou counselyst hym not a-ryth.
He schal hym drawyn to the werdes servyse,
To dwelle with caysere, kynge and knyth.
That in londe be hym non lyche. (70)
Cum on with me, stylle as ston :
Thou and I to the werd schul goon,
And thanne thou schalt sen a-non
Whow sone thou schalt be ryche.
BONUS ANGELUS.
A! pes aungel, thou spekyst folye! (75)
Why schuld he coveyt werldes goode,
Syn Criste in erthe and hys meynye
All in povert here thei stode?
Werldes wele, be strete and stye,
Faylyth and fadyth as fysch in flode, (80)
But hevene ryche is good and trye,
Ther Criste syttyth, bryth as blode,
Withoutyn any dystresse.
To the world wolde he not flyt,
But forsok it every whytt; (85)
Example I fynde in holy wryt,
He wyl bere me wytnesse.
THE CASTELL OF PERSEVERANCE. 6~7
Dividas et paufertatem ne dederis m\iht\ dfte.
MALUS ANGELUS. Pa, _ya, man, leve hym nowth,
But cum with me be stye and strete.
Have thou a gobet of the werld cawth, (90)
Thou schalt fynde it good and swete.
A fayre lady the schal be tawth,
That in bowre thi bale schal bete.
With ryche rentes thou schalt be frawth,
With sylke sendel to syttyn in sete. (95)
I rede late bedys be :
If thou wylt have wel thyn hele,
And faryn wel at mete and mele,
With goddes servyse may thou not dele
But cum and folwe me. (100)
HUMANUM GENUS. Whom to folwe wetyn I ne may:
I stonde in stodye and gynne to rave,
I wolde be ryche in gret aray,
And fayn I wolde my sowle save.
As wynde in watyr I wave: (105)
Thou woldyst to the werld I me toke,
And he wolde that I it forsoke,
Now so God me helpe, and the holy boke,
I not wyche I may have.
MALUS ANGELUS. Cum on, man ! where of hast thou care ?
Go we to the werld, I rede the, blyve; (in)
For ther thou schalt now 1 ryth wel fare,
In case if thou thynke for to thryve,
No lord schal be the lyche.
Take the werld to thine entent, (115)
And late thi love be ther on lent,
With gold and sylvyr and ryche rent
A-none thou schalt be ryche.
1 mow, MS.
F 2
68 THE CASTELL OF PERSEVERANCE.
HUMANUM GENUS. Now syn thou hast be-hetyn me so
I wyl go with the and a-say; (12)
I ne lette for frende ner fo,
But with the world I wyl go play,
Certes a lytyl throwe.
In this world is al my trust
To lyv[y]n in lykyng and in lust: (125)
Have he and I onys cust,
We schal not part I trowe.
BONUS ANGELUS. A ! nay, man ! for Cristes blod !
Cum agayn be strete and style !
The werld is wyckyd and ful wod, (130)
And thou schalt levyn but a whyle,
What coveytyst thou to wynne?
Man, thynke on thyn endynge day,
Whanne thou schalt be closyd under clay,
And if thou thenke of that a-ray, (135)
Certes thou schalt not synne.
Homo memento finis et in eternu non peccabis.
MALUS ANGELUS. Pa, on thi sowle thou schalt thynke al
be tyme;
Cum forth, man, and take non hede,
Cum on and thou schalt holdyn hym inne.
Thi flesch thou schalt foster and fede (140)
With lofly lyvys fode.
With the werld thou mayst be bold,
Tyl thou be sexty wynter hold;
Wanne thi nose waxit cold
Thanne mayst thou drawe to goode. (145)
HUMANUM GENUS. I vow to God, and so I may
Make mery a ful gret throwe
I may levyn many a day,
I am but yonge, as I trowe.
THE CAST ELL OF PERSEVERANCE. 69
For to do that I schulde. (15)
Myth I ryde be sompe and syke,
And be ryche and lord lyke,
Certes, thanne schulde I be fryke
And a mery man on molde.
MALUS ANGELUS. Yys, be my feyth, thou schalt be a lord,
And ellys hange me be the hals. (156)
But thou muste be at myn a-cord,
Other whyle thou muste be fals
A-monge kythe and kynne.
Now go we forth swythe a-non, (160)
To the werld us must gon,
And bere the manly evere a-mong,
Whanne thou cornyst out or inne.
HUMANUM GENUS. Fys, and ellys have thou my necke
But I be manly be downe and dyche, (165)
And thou I be fals I ne recke,
With so that I be lord lyche
I folowe the as I can.
Thou schalt be my bote of bale,
For were I ryche of holt and hale, (170)
Thanne wolde I jeve nevere tale
Of God ne of good man.
BONUS ANGELUS. I weyle and I wrynge and make mone
This man with woo schal be pylt.
I sye sore and grysly grone, (175)
For hys folye schal make hym spylt.
I not weder to gone,
Pipe up mu\sic\
Mankynde hath forsakyn me !
Alas, man, for love of the !
Ya., for this gamyn and this gle (180)
Thou schalt grocchyn and grone.
70 THE CAST ELL OF PERSEVERANCE.
MUNDUS. Welcum, syr, semly in syth !
Thou art welcum to worthy wede, (185)
For thou wylt be my servaunt day and nyth,
With my servyse I schal the foster and fede;
Thi bak schal be betyn with besawntes bryth;
Thou schalt have byggynges be bankes brede;
To thi cors schal knele kayser and knyth,
Where that thou walke be sty or be strete,
And ladys lovely on lere. (190)
But goddys servyse thou must forsake,
And holy to the werld the take,
And thanne a man I schal the make
That non schal be thi pere.
HUMANUM GENUS. Fys, Werld, and ther-to here myn honde
To forsake God and hys servyse, (196)
To medys thou yeve me howse and londe,
That I regne rychely at myn emprise.
So that I fare wel be strete and stronde,
Whil I dwelle here in werldly wyse, (aoo)
I recke nevere of hevene wonde,
Nor of Jhu, that jentyl justyse !
Of my sowle I have no rewthe,
What schulde I recknen of domysday
So that I be ryche and of gret a-ray ? (205)
I schal make mery whyl I may,
And ther-to here my trewthe.
MUNDUS. Now sertes, syr, thou seyst wel!
I holde the trewe ffro top to the too 1
But thou were ryche it were gret dele, (210)
And all men that wyl fare soo.
Tune ascendat Humanum Genus ad Mundum.
Cum up, my serwaunt, trow as stele,
Thou schalt be ryche whereso thou goo,
THE CAST ELL OF PERSEVERANCE. 71
Men schul servyn the at mele
With mynstralsye, and bemys bio, (215)
With metes and drynkes trye.
Lust and lykynge schal be thin ese,
Lovely ladys the schal plese,
Who so do the any disese,
He schal ben hangyd hye. (220)
Lykynge, be-lyve !
Late slothe hym swythe
In robys ryve
With ryche aray.
Folye, thou fonde, (225)
Be strete and stronde
Serve hym at honde
Bothe nyth and day.
VOLUPTAS. Trostyly,
Lord, redy! (230)
Je vous pry,
Syr, I say.
In lyckynge and lust
He schal rust,
Tyl dethys dust (235)
Do hym to clay.
STULTICIA. And I, folye,
Schal hyen hym hye,
Tyl sum enmye
Hym over-goo. (24)
In worldes wyt,
That in folye syt,
I thynke yyt
Hes sowle to sloo.
HUMANUM GENUS. Mankynde I am callyd be kynde,
With cursydnesse in costes knet, (246)
72 THE CASTELL OF PERSEVERANCE.
In sowre swettenesse my syth I sende,
With sevene synnys sadde be-set.
Mekyl myrthe I move in mynde,
With melody [al] 1 my mowth is met, (250)
My prowd power schal I not pende
Tyl I be putte in peynys pyt,
To helle hent fro hens.
In dale of dole tyl we are downe
We schul be clad in a gay gowne. (255)
I see no man but the use somme
Of these vij dedly synnys,
For comonly it is seldom seyne.
Who so no[l] 2 be lecherous
Of other man he schal have disdeyne, (260)
And ben prowde or covetous,
In synne iche man is founde.
Ther is pore nor ryche, be londe ne lake,
That alle vij wyl forsake,
But with on or other he schal be take (265)
And in here bytter bondes bownde.
BONUS ANGELUS. So mekyl the werse, wele a woo,
That evere good aungyl waus ordeynyd thel
Thou art rewlyd after the fende, that is thi foo,
And no thynge, certes, aftyr me! (270)
Wele away, weder may I goo?
Man doth me bleykyn blody ble,
Hes swete sowle he wyl now slo,
He schal wepe al hes game and gle
At on dayes tyme, (275)
Pe se wel all, sothly in syth,
I am a bowte, both day and nyth,
To brynge hys sowle into blis bryth,
And hym self wyl it brynge to pyne.
1 at, MS. now, MS.
THE CAST ELL OF PERSEVERANCE. 73
MALUS ANGELUS. No, good aungyl, thou art not in sesun,
Ffewe men in the ffeyth they fynde, (281)
For thou hast schewyd a ballyd resun,
Goode syre, cum [get thee me] behynde,
Trewly man hathe non chesun
On thi god to grede and grynde, (285)
Ffor that schuld cunne Cristis lessoun
In penaunce hes body he muste bynde,
And forsake the worldes [mynde] 1 .
Men arn loth on the to crye,
Or don penaunce for here folye; (290)
Therfore have I now maystrye
Wei ny over al mankynde.
BONUS ANGELUS. Alas, mankynde
Is bobbyt and blent as the blynde,
In feyth I fynde (295)
To Crist he can nowt be kynde.
Alas, mankynne
Is soylyd and saggyd in synne,
He wyl not blynne
Tyl body and sowle parte a-twynne. (300)
Alas, he is blendyd ;
A-mys man's lyf is i-spendyd,
With fendes fendyd;
Mercy, God, that man were a-mendyd!
CONFESSIO What ! man's aungel goode and trewe, (305)
Why syest thou and sobbyst sore ?
Sertes, sore it schal me rewe,
If I se the make mornynge more.
May any bote thi bale brewe,
Or any thynge thi stat astore? (310)
For all felyschepys, olde and newe,
Why makyst thou grochynge under gore,
1 MS. mende.
74 THE CAST ELL OF PERSEVERANCE.
With pynynge poyntes pale?
Why waus al this gretynge gunne,
With sore syinge undyr sunne? (3*5)
Tell me, and I schal, if I cunne,
Brewe the bote of bale.
BONUS ANGELUS. Of byttyr balys thou mayste me bete,
Swete Schryfte, if that thou wylt.
For mankynde it is that I grete : (320)
He is in poynt to be spylt.
He is set in sevene synnys sete,
And wyl, certes, tyl he be kylt
With me he thynkyth nevere more to mete,
He hath me forsake and I have no gylt ! (325)
No man wyl hym amende !
Therfore, Schryfte, so God me spede,
But if thou helpe at this nede,
Mankynde getyth nevere other mede
But peyne withowtyn ende. (33)
******
HUMANUM GENUS. A sete of sorwe in me is set,
Sertys, for synne I sye sore,
Mone of mercy in me is met,
Ffor werldys myrthe I morne more.
In wepynge wo my wele is wet, (335)
Mercy, thou muste myn fatt a-store.
Ffro cure lordys lyth thou hast me let,
Sory synne, thou grysly gore.
Owte on the, dedly synne !
Synne, thou haste mankynde schent, (340)
In dedly synne my lyfe is spent;
Mercy, God omnipotent,
In youre grace I be-gynne.
Ffor, thou mankynde have don a-mys,
And he wyl falle in repentaunce, (345)
THE CAST ELL OF PERSEVERANCE. 75
Crist schal hym bryngyn to bowre of blys,
If sorwe of hert lache hym with launce.
Lordyngys, _ye se wel alle thys
Mankynde hathe ben in gret bobaunce,
I now for-sake the, synne, i-wys, (35)
And take me holy to penaunce :
On Crist I crye and calle.
A mercy ! schryfte ! I wyl no more I
Ffor dedly synne myn herte is sore:
Stuffe mankynde with thyne store, (355)
And have hym to thyne halle.
CONFESSIO. Schryffte may no man for-sake :
Whanne mankynde cryeth I am redy,
Whanne sorwe of hert the hathe take
Schryfte prefytyth veryly. (360)
Who-so for synne wyl sorwe make
Crist hym heryth, whanne he wyl crye.
Now, man, lete sorwe thyn synne slake 1 ,
And torne not a-geyn to thi ffolye;
Ffor that makyth dystaunce, (365)
And, if it happe the turne a-geyn to synne,
Ffor Goddes love, lye not longe therinne :
He that dothe alway evyl, and wyl not blynne,
That askyth gret venjaunce.
HUMANUM GENUS. Now, syr Schryfte, where may I dwelle
To kepe me fro synne and woo? (371)
A comly counseyll ye me spelle,
To fende me now fro my foo.
If .these vij synnys here telle
That I am thus fro hem goo, (375)
The werld, the flesche and the devyl of hell
Schul sekyn my soule for to sloo
1 MS. slawe.
76 THE CAST ELL OF PERSEVERANCE.
Into balys bowre.
Therfore, I prey you, putte me
Into sum place of surete, (380)
That thei may not harmyn me
With no synnys sowre.
CONFESSIO. To swyche a place I schal the kenne,
Ther thou mayst dwelle withowtyn dystaunse
And al wey kepe the fro synne, (385)
In to the Castell of Perseveraunce.
If thou wylt to hevene wynne
And kepe the fro werldyly dystaunce,
Goo yone castell and kepe the therinne
Ffor [it] is strenger thanne any in Fraunce; (390)
To yone castel I the sende.
That castel is a precyous place,
Fful of vertu and of grace,
Who so levyth there hes lyvys space
No synne schal hym schende. (395)
HUMANUM GENUS. A, Schryfte, blessyd mote thou be !
This castel is here but at honde;
Thedyr rathely wyll I tee,
Sekyr over this sad sonde.
Good perseveraunce God sende me, (400)
Whyle I leve here in this londe !
Ffro fowle fylthe now I fle,
Fforthe to faryn now I fonde
To yone precyous port,
Lord, what man is in mery lyve (45)
Whanne he is of hes synnys schreve I
Al my dol adoun is dreve,
Christe is my counfort.
ttnettmtreatpre fcott) p type
faderoftieuenfenfietlj fcetfcetofa*
tnon euerp creature to come ana
gptteacowtteof t&ewljHtcs m
lljis mo;ioe/anfi 10 in matter
oCattuvaupuqft,
FROM AN EDITION BY JOHN SHOT (c. 1530)
77]
C. Here begynneth a treatyse how ye hye | fader of heven sendeth dethe
to so|mon every creature to come and | gyve a counte of theyr
lyves in | this worlde, and is in in maner | of a morall playe .*J*.
[Woodcut of ' Everyman ' and of Death carrying a coffin ; between
them at the back stands a cross.]
MESSENGER. I pray you all gyve your audyence
And here this mater with reverence,
By fygure a morall playe.
The somonynge of Everyman called it is,
That of our lyves and endynge shewes 5
How transytory we be all daye.
This matter is wonders precyous,
But the entent of it is more gracyous
And swete to bere awaye.
The story sayth : man, in the begynnynge 10
Loke well and take good heed to the endynge,
Be you never so gay,
Ye thynke synne in the begynnynge full swete,
Whiche in the ende causeth the soule to wepe,
Whan the body lyeth in claye. 15
Here shall you se how Felawshyp, and lolyte,
Bothe Strengthe, Pleasure and Beaute,
Wyll fade from the as floure in maye.
For ye shall here how our heven kynge
Calleth Everyman to a general rekenynge. ao
Gyve audyence and here what he doth saye.
78 EVERYMAN.
GOD spekyth:
GOD. C. I perceyve here in my maieste
How that all creatures be to me unkynde,
Lyvynge without drede in worldly prosperyte ;
Of ghostly syght the people be so blynde, 25
Drowned in synne they know me not for theyr god;
In worldlye ryches is all theyr mynde.
I se, the more that I them forbere, 42
The worse they be fro yere to yere,
All that lyveth appayreth faste,
Therfore I wyll in all the haste 45
Have a rekenynge of every mannes persone.
They be so combred with worldly ryches 60
That nedes on them I must do justyce,
On every man lyvynge without fere.
Where arte thou, Deth, thou mighty messengere ?
DETHE.
DETHE. Almighty God, I am here at your wyll,
Your commaundement to fulfylle. 65
GOD. Go thou to Every man,
And shewe hym in my name
A pylgrymage he must on hym take,
Whiche he in no wyse may escape,
And that he brynge with him a sure rekenynge 70
Without delay or ony taryenge.
DETHE. Lorde I wyll in the worlde go renne over all
And cruelly out serche bothe grete and small.
Every man wyll I beset that lyveth beestly
Out of Goddes lawes and dredeth not foly. 75
He that loveth rychesse I wylle stryke with my darte,
His syght to blynde and fro heven to departe,
EVERYMAN. 79
Except that almes be his good frende,
In hell for to dwell, worlde without ende.
Loo yonder I se Everyman walkynge, 80
Full lytell he thynketh on my comynge !
His mynde is on flesshely lustes and his treasure,
And grete payne it shall cause hym to endure
Before the lorde, heven kynge.
Everyman, stande styll. Whyder arte thou goynge, 85
Thus gayly? hast thou thy Maker forgete?
EVERYMAN.
EVERYMAN. Why asketh thou?
Woldest thou wete?
DETHE. Ye, syr, I wyll shewe you :
In grete hast I am sende to the 90
Fro God, out of his mageste.
EVERYMAN. What, sente to me?
DETHE. Ye, certaynly.
Thoughe thou have forgete hym here,
He thynketh on the in the hevenly spere, 95
As, or we departe, thou shalte knowe.
EVERYMAN. What desyreth God of me?
DETHE. That shall I shewe the:
A rekenynge he wyll nedes have,
Without ony lenger respyte. 100
EVERYMAN. To gyve a rekenynge longer layser I crave,
This blinde mater troubleth my wytte.
DETHE. On the thou must take a longe journey,
Therfore thy boke of counte with the thou bryng,
For tourne agayne thou can not by no waye ; 105
And loke thou be sure of thy rekenynge,
For before God thou shalte answere and shewe
Thy many badde dedes and good but a fewe,
80 EVERYMAN.
How thou hast spente thy lyfe, and in what wyse,
Before the chefe lorde of paradyse. no
Have ado we were in that waye,
For, wete thou well, thou shalte make none attournay.
EVERYMAN. Full unredy I am suche rekenynge to gyve.
I knowe the not. What messenger arte thou?
DETHE. I am Dethe, that no man dredeth. 115
For every man I rest and no man spareth,
For it is Goddes commaundement
That all to me sholde be obedyent.
EVERYMAN.
deth, thou comest whan I had thee leest in mynde !
In thy power it lyeth me to save, 120
Yet of my good wyl I gyve thee, yf thou wyl be kynde.
Ye, a thousande pounde shalte thou have,
And dyfferre this mater tyll another daye.
DETHE. Everyman, it may not be by no waye.
1 set not by golde, sylver, nor rychesse, 125
Ne by pope, emperour, kynge, duke ne prynces,
For, and I wolde receyve gyftes grete,
All the worlde I myght gete;
But my custom is clene contrary.
I gyve the no respyte, come hens and not tary. 130
EVERYMAN. Alas ! shall I have no lenger respyte ?
I may saye deth gyveth no warnynge !
To thynke on the it maketh my herte seke,
For all unredy is my boke of rekenynge.
But, xii yere and I myght have abydynge, 135
My countynge boke I wolde make so clere,
That my rekenynge I sholde not nede to fere.
Wherfore, deth, I praye the, for Goddes mercy,
Spare me tyll I be provyded of remedy.
DETHE. The avayleth not to crye, wepe and praye. 140
But hast the lyghtly that thou were gone the journaye,
EVERYMAN. 8 1
And preve thy frendes, yf thou can.
For, wete thou well, the tyde abydeth no man,
And in the worlde eche lyvynge creature
For Adams synne must dye of nature. 145
EVERYMAN. Dethe, yf I sholde this pylgrymage take,
And my rekenynge suerly make,
Shewe me, for saynt charyte,
Sholde I not come agayne shortly?
DETHE. No, Everyman, and thou be ones there, 150
Thou mayst never more come here,
Trust me veryly.
EVERYMAN. O gracyous God, in the hye sete celestyall,
Have mercy on me in this moost nede,
Shall I have no company fro this vale terestryall 155
Of myne acqueynte, that way me to lede?
DETHE. Ye, yf ony be so hardy
That wolde go with the and bere the company.
Hye the, that thou were gone to Goddes magnyfycence,
Thy rekenynge to gyve before his presence. 160
What, wenest thou thy lyve is gyven the
And thy worldely goodes also?
EVERYMAN. I had wende so veryle.
DETHE. Nay, nay, it was but lende the,
For as sone as thou arte go 165
Another a whyle shall have it and than go 1 ther fro,
Even as thou hast done.
Everyman, thou art made ! Thou hast thy wyttes fyve,
And here on erthe wyll not amende thy lyve !
For sodeynly I do come. 170
EVERYMAN. O wretched caytyfe, wheder shall I flee,
That I myght scape this endles sorowe?
1 than thou go, Ed, against the sense.
G
82 EVERYMAN.
Now, gentyll deth, spare me tyll to morowe,
That I may amende me
With good advysement. 175
DETHE. Naye, therto I wyll not consent,
Nor no man wyll I respyte,
But to the herte sodeynly I shall smyte
Without ony advysement.
And now out of thy syght I wyll me hy, 180
Se thou make the redy shortely,
For thou mayst saye this is the daye
That no man lyvynge may scape awaye.
EVERYMAN. Alas I may well wepe with syghes depe,
Now have I no maner of company, 185
To helpe me in my journey and me to kepe,
And also my wrytynge is butt unredy.
How shall I do now for to exscuse me?
I wolde to God I had never be gete !
To my soule a full grete profyte it had be, 190
For now I fere paynes huge and grete !
The tyme passeth, Lorde helpe that all wrought!
For though I mourne it avayleth nought.
The day passeth and is almoost ago,
I wote not well what for to do. 195
To whome were I best my complaynt to make?
What and I to Felawshyp therof spake,
And shewed hym of this sodeyne chaunce?
For in hym is all myne affyaunce,
We have in the worlde so many a daye 300
Be good frendes in sporte and playe.
I se hym yonder certaynely,
I trust that he wyll bere me company,
Therfore to hym wyll I speke to ese my sorowe.
Well mette, good Felawshyp, and good morowe. 205
EVERYMAN. 83
FELAWSHYP speketh.
FELAWSHYP. Everyman, good morowe by this daye.
Syr, why lokest thou so pyteously?
If ony thynge be amysse I praye the me saye,
That I may helpe to remedy.
EVERYMAN. Ye, good Felawshyp, ye, 210
I am in greate jeoparde.
FELAWSHYP. My true frende, shewe to me your mynde,
I wyll not forsake the to thy lyves ende,
In the way of good company.
EVERYMAN. That was well spoken and lovyngly.
FELAWSHYP. Syr, I must nedes knowe your hevynesse.
I have pyte to se you in ony dystresse. 217
If ony have you wronged ye shall revenged be,
Though I on the grounde be slayne for the,
Though that I knowe before that I sholde dye. 220
EVERYMAN. Veryly, Felawshyp, gramercy.
FELAWSHYP. Tusshe, by thy thankes I set not a strawe,
Shewe me your grefe and saye no more.
EVERYMAN. If I my herte sholde to you breke,
And than you to tourne your mynde fro me, 225
And wolde not me comforte whan ye here me speke,
Then sholde I ten tymes soryer be.