SONG 1.As I out rode this enderes night,Of three jolly shepherds I saw a sight,And all about their fold a star shone bright;They sang terli, terlow;So merrily the shepherds their pipes can blow.SONG 2.Lully, lullay, thou little tiny child,By by, lully, lullay, thou little tiny childBy by, lully, lullay!O sisters two,How may we do,For to preserve this dayThis poor youngling,For whom we do singBy by, lully, lullay?Herod the King,In his raging,Charged he hath this dayHis men of might,In his own sightAll young children to slay,—That woe is me,Poor child for thee,And ever mourn, and may,For thy parting,Neither say nor singBy by, lully, lullay.SONG 3.Down from heaven, from heaven so high,Of angels there came a great company,With mirth and joy and great solemnity,They sang terli, terlow,So merrily the shepherds their pipes can blow.
SONG 1.As I out rode this enderes night,Of three jolly shepherds I saw a sight,And all about their fold a star shone bright;They sang terli, terlow;So merrily the shepherds their pipes can blow.SONG 2.Lully, lullay, thou little tiny child,By by, lully, lullay, thou little tiny childBy by, lully, lullay!O sisters two,How may we do,For to preserve this dayThis poor youngling,For whom we do singBy by, lully, lullay?Herod the King,In his raging,Charged he hath this dayHis men of might,In his own sightAll young children to slay,—That woe is me,Poor child for thee,And ever mourn, and may,For thy parting,Neither say nor singBy by, lully, lullay.SONG 3.Down from heaven, from heaven so high,Of angels there came a great company,With mirth and joy and great solemnity,They sang terli, terlow,So merrily the shepherds their pipes can blow.
Here beginneth a treatise how the High Father of Heaven sendeth Death to summon every creature to come and give a count of their lives in this world, and is in manner of a moral play.
Here beginneth a treatise how the High Father of Heaven sendeth Death to summon every creature to come and give a count 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 showsHow transitory we be all day.This matter is wondrous precious,But the intent of it is more graciousAnd sweet to bear away.This story saith 'man, in the beginningLook 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 fellowship and jollity,Both strength, pleasure, and beauty,Will fade from thee as flower in May;For ye shall hear how our heaven kingCalleth every man to a general reckoning:Give audience, and hear what he will say.God speaketh.God.I perceive here in my majestyHow that all creatures be to me unkind,Living without dread in worldly prosperity.Of ghostly sight the people be so blind,Drownèd in sin, they know me not for their God;In worldly riches is all their mind.They fear not my righteousness, that sharp rod;My law that I showed, when I for them died,They forget clean, and shedding of my blood so red.I hanged between two thieves, 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 damnable;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 not sure.I see the more that I them forbearThe worse they are from year to year.All that liveth appaireth fast,Therefore I will in all the hasteHave a reckoning of every man's person,For, and I leave the people thus aloneIn their life and wicked tempests,Verily they will become much worse than beasts,For now one would by envy another up eat;Charity they all do clean forget.I hoped well that every manIn my glory should make his mansion,And thereto I had them all elect,But now I see that, 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 multitude of mercy,And few there be that asketh it heartily;They be so cumbered with worldly richesThat needs on them I must do justice,On every man living without fear.Where art thou, Death, thou mighty messenger?Death.Almighty God, I am here at your will,Your commandement to fulfil.God.Go thou to EverymanAnd 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 truly outsearch both great and small,Everyman I will beset that liveth beastly,Out of God's laws, and dreadeth not folly.He that loveth riches I will strike with my dart,His sight to blind, and from heaven depart,Except that alms-deeds be his good friend,In hell for to dwell, world without end.Lo, yonder I see Everyman walking!Full little he thinketh on my coming!His mind is on fleshly lusts, and his treasure,And great pain it shall cause him to endureBefore the Lord, heaven king.Everyman, stand still! whither art thou goingThus gaily? Hast thou thy Maker forgot?Everyman.Why askest thou?Wouldest thou wot?Death.Yea, sir, I will show you:In great haste I am sent to thee,From God out of his Majesty.Everyman.What! sent to me?Death.Yea, certainly.Though thou hast forgot Him here,He thinketh on thee in the heavenly sphere,As, or we depart, thou shalt know.Everyman.What desireth God of me?Death.That shall I shew thee:A reckoning he will needs have,Without any longer respite.Everyman.To give a reckoning longer leisure I crave;This blind matter troubleth my wit.Death.On thee thou must take a long journey,Therefore thy book of count with thee thou bring—For turn again thou cannot by no way—And look thou be sure of thy reckoning;For before God shalt thou answer, and shewThy many bad deeds, and good but a few—How thou hast sped thy life, and in what wise—Before the chief Lord of Paradise.Have ado that we were in that way,For wot thou well thou shalt make none attorney.Everyman.Full unready I am such reckoning to give,I know thee not; what messenger art thou?Death.I am Death, that no man dreadeth,For every man I rest, and none spareth;For it is God's commandementThat all to me should be obedient.Everyman.O Death, thou comest when I had thee least in mind!In thy power it lieth me to save;Yet of my good will I give thee, if ye will be kind,Yea, a thousand pound shalt thou have,And defer this matter till another day.Death.Everyman, it may not be by no way:I set not by gold, silver, nor riches,Ne by pope, emperor, king, duke, ne princes;For, and I would receive giftes great,All the world I might get—All my custom is clean contrary;I give thee no respite; come hence and not tarry.Everyman.Alas! shall I have no longer respite?I may say Death giveth no warning.To think on thee it maketh my heart sick,For all unready is my book of reckoning.But twelve years, and I might have abiding,My counting book I would make so clearThat my reckoning I should not need to fear;Wherefore, Death, I pray thee for God's mercy,Spare me, till I be provided of remedy.Death.Thee availeth not to cry, weep, and pray,But haste thee lightly that thou were gone the journey,And prove thy friendes if thou can;For wot you well the tide abideth no man,And in the world each living creature,For Adam's sin, must die of Nature.Everyman.Death, if I should this pilgrimage take,And my reckoning surely make,Show me, for saint charity,Should I not come again shortly?Death.No, Everyman; and thou be once there,Thou must never more come here,Trust me, verily!Everyman.Gracious God, in high seat celestial,Have mercy on me in this most need!Shall I have no company, from this vale terrestrial,Of mine acquaintance, that way me to lead?Death.Yea, if any be so hardyThat would go with thee, and bear thee company.Hie thee that thou were gone to God's MagnificenceThy reckoning to give before His presence!What! weenest thou thy life is given thee,And thy worldly goods also?Everyman.I had weened so, verily!Death.Nay, nay! it was but lent thee;For as soon as thou art goneAnother a while shall have it, and then go therefromEven as thou hast done.Everyman, thou art mad! that hast thy wittes five,And here on earth will not amend thy life!For suddenly I do come!Everyman.Oh, wretched caitiff! whither shall I flee,That I might scape this endless sorrow?Now, gentle Death, spare me till to-morrow,That I may amend meWith good advisement.Death.Nay, thereto I will not consent,Nor no man will I respite,But to the heart suddenly I shall smite,Without any advisement.And now out of sight I will me hie;See thou make thee ready shortly,For thou may'st say this is the dayThat no man living may scape away.Everyman.Alas! I may well weep with sighes deep!Now have I no manner of companyTo help me in my journey, and me to keep;And also my writing is full unready.How shall I do now for to excuse me?I would to God I had never be gete!To my soul a great profit it had be,For now I fear pains huge and great.The time passeth—Lord, help, that all wrought!For though I mourn it availeth nought;The day passeth and is almost ago—I wot not well what to do—To whom were I best my complaint to make?What and I to Fellowship thereof spake,And showed him of this sudden chance?For in him is all mine affiance.We have in the world, so many a day,Been good friends in sport and play;I see him yonder certainly!I trust that he will bear me company;Therefore to him will I speak to ease my sorrow:Well met, good Fellowship, and good morrow!Fellowshipspeaketh.Fellow.Everyman, good morrow! by this day,Sir, why lookest thou so piteously?If anything be amiss, I pray thee, me say,That I may help to remedy.Everyman.Yea, good Fellowship, yea,I am in great jeopardy!Fellow.My true friend, show to me your mind;I will not forsake thee unto my life's end—In the way of good company.Everyman.That is well spoken, and lovingly!Fellow.Sir, I must needs know your heaviness;I have pity to see you in any distress!If any have you wronged, ye shall revengèd be,Though I on the ground be slain for thee,Though that I know before that I should die!Everyman.Verily, Fellowship, gramercy!Fellow.Tush! by thy thanks I set not a straw!Show me your grief, and say no more.Everyman.If I my heart should to you break,And then you to turn your mind from me,And would not me comfort, when you hear me speak,Then should I ten times sorrier be.Fellow.Sir, I say as I will do in deed.Everyman.Then be you a good friend at need!I have found you true here before.Fellow.And so ye shall evermore;For in faith, and thou go to hellI will not forsake thee by the way!Everyman.Ye speak like a good friend; I believe you well;I shall deserve it, and I may.Fellow.I speak of no deserving, by this day!For he that will say, and nothing do,Is not worthy with good company to go;Therefore show me the grief of your mind,As to your friend most loving and kind.Everyman.I shall show you how it is:Commanded I am to go a journey—A long way, hard and dangerous—And give a strait count, without delay,Before the high judge Adonay;Wherefore, I pray you, bear me companyAs ye have promised, in this journey.Fellow.That is matter indeed! promise is duty;But and I should take such a voyage on me,I know it well it should be to my pain;Also it maketh me afeard, certain.But let us take counsel here as we can,For your words would fear a strong man.Everyman.Why! ye said if I had need,Ye would me never forsake, quick ne dead,Though it were to hell, truly!Fellow.So I said, certainly;But such pleasures be set aside, the sooth to say,And also, if we took such a journey,When should we come again?Everyman.Nay, never again till the Day of Doom.Fellow.In faith, then will not I come there;Who hath you these tidings brought?Everyman.Indeed, Death was with me here.Fellow.Now, by God that all hath bought,If Death were the messenger,For no man that is living to-dayI will not go that loathsome journey,Not for the father that begat me!Everyman.Ye promised me otherwise, pardie!Fellow.I wot well I said so, truly,And yet if thou wilt eat and drink and make good cheer,Or haunt to women, that lusty company,I would not forsake you while the day is clear,Trust me verily!Everyman.Yea, thereto ye would be ready,To go to mirth, solace, and play;Your mind to folly will sooner applyThan to bear me company in my long journey.Fellow.Nay, in good faith, I will not that way,But and thou wilt murder, or any man kill,In that I will help thee with a good will.Everyman.Oh, that is a simple advice, indeed!Gentle fellow, help me in my necessity!We have loved long, and now I need,And now, gentle Fellowship, remember me.Fellow.Whether ye have loved me or no,By Saint John I will not with thee go!Everyman.Yet, I pray thee, take the labour and do so much for meTo bring me forward, for saint charity,And comfort me till I come without the town.Fellow.Nay, and thou would give me a new gownI will not one foot with thee go;But and thou had tarried I would not ha' left thee so.And as now, God speed thee in thy journey!For from thee I will depart as fast as I may.Everyman.Whither away, Fellowship? wilt thou forsake me?Fellow.Yea, by my fay; to God I betake thee!Everyman.Farewell, good Fellowship! for thee my heart is sore.Adieu! for I shall never see thee no more.Fellow.In faith, Everyman, farewell now at the end!For you I will remember that parting is mourning.Everyman.Alack! shall we thus depart indeed?Oh Lady, help! without any more comfort,Lo! Fellowship forsaketh me in my most need.For help in this world whither shall I resort?Fellowship here before with me would merry make,And now little sorrow for me doth he take.It is said, in prosperity men friends may find,Which in adversity be full unkindNow whither for succour shall I flee,Sith that Fellowship hath forsaken me?To my kinnesmen I will, truly,Praying them to help me in my necessity.I believe that they will do so,For kind will creep where it may not go.I will go say, for yonder I see them go:Where be ye now, my friends and kinnesmen?Kindred.Here be we now at your commandement:Cousin, I pray you, show us your intentIn any wise, and do not spare.Cousin.Yea, Everyman, and us to declareIf ye be disposed to go any whither,For wot ye well, we will live and die together.Kindred.In wealth and woe we will with you hold,For over his kin a man may be bold.Everyman.Gramercy! my friends and kinsmen kind:Now shall I show you the grief of my mind.I was commanded by a messenger,That is a high king's chief officer;He bade me go a pilgrimage to my pain,But I know well I shall never come again.Also I must give reckoning strait,For I have a great enemy that hath me in wait,Which intendeth me for to hinder.Kindred.What account is that which ye must render?That would I know.Everyman.Of all my works I must show,How I have lived and my dayes spent;Also of ill deeds that I have usedIn my time, sith life was me lent,And of all virtues that I have refused;Therefore, I pray you, go thither with me,To help to make mine account, for saint charity!Cousin.What! to go thither? is that the matter?Nay, Everyman, I had liefer fast, bread and water,All this five year and more.Everyman.Alas, that ever I was born!For now shall I never be merryIf that you forsake me.Kindred.Ah, sir, what! ye be a merry man!Take good heart to you, and make no moan;But one thing I warn you—by Saint Anne,As for me, ye shall go alone!Everyman.My cousin, will you not with me go?Cousin.No, by our Lady! I have the cramp in my toe!Trust not to me, for so God me speed,I will deceive you in your most need!Kindred.It availeth not us to 'tice;Ye shall have my maid, with all my heart!She loveth to go to feasts, there to be nice,And to dance, and abroad to start;I will give her leave to help you in that journey,If that you and she may agree.Everyman.Now show me the very effect of your mind:Will you go with me or abide behind?Kindred.Abide behind? Yea, that will I, and I may,Therefore farewell, till another day!Everyman.How should I be merry or glad?For fair promises men to me do make,But when I have most need they me forsake.I am deceived—that maketh me sad.Cousin.Cousin Everyman, farewell now!For verily I will not go with you.Also of my own an unready reckoningI have to account, therefore I make tarrying.Now God keep thee! for now I go.Everyman.Ah, Jesus! is all come hereto?Lo! fair words maketh fools fain!They promise, and nothing will do, certain!My kinnesmen promised me faithfullyFor to abide with me steadfastly,And now fast away do they flee;Even so Fellowship promised me.What friend were best me of to provide?I lose my time here longer to abide.Yet in my mind a thing there is—All my life I have loved riches;If that my Good now help me might,It would make my heart full light.I will speak to him in this distress:Where art thou, my Goods and Riches?Goods.Who calleth me? Everyman? what! hast thou haste?I lie here in corners, trussed and piled so high,And in chests I am locked full fast,Also sacked in bags—thou mayst see with thine eye—I cannot stir; in packs low I lie.What would ye have? lightly me say.Everyman.Come hither, Good, in all the haste thou may,For of counsel I must desire thee.Goods.Sir, and ye in the world have trouble or adversity,Then can I help you to remedy shortly.Everyman.It is another disease that grieveth me;In this world it is not—I tell so—I am sent for, another way to go,To give a strait account generalBefore the highest Jupiter of all.And all my life I have had joy and pleasure in thee,Therefore, I pray thee, go with me;For peradventure thou mayest, before God Almighty,My reckoning help to clean and purify;For it is said, ever among,That money maketh all right that is wrong.Goods.Nay, Everyman, I sing another song!I follow no man in such voyages,For and I went with thee,Thou should'st fare much the worse for me;For because on me thou did set thy mind,Thy reckoning I have made blotted and blind,That thine account thou cannot make truly,And that hast thou for the love of me.Everyman.That would grieve me full sore,When I should come to that fearful answer.Up! let us go thither together!Goods.Nay, not so! I am too brittle, I may not endure;I will follow no man one foot, be thou sure.Everyman.Alas! I have thee loved, and had great pleasureAll my life's days on good and treasure.Goods.That is to thy damnation, without leasing,For my love is contrary to the love everlasting;But if thou had me loved moderately, during,As to the poor to give part for me,Then shouldest thou not in this dolour be,Nor in this great sorrow and care.Everyman.Lo now! I was deceived or I was ware!And all I may wyte my spending of time.Goods.What! weenest thou that I am thine?Everyman.I had weened so.Goods.Nay, Everyman, I say no!As for a while I was lent thee,A season thou hast had me in prosperity.My conditions is man's soul to kill;If I save one, a thousand I do spill.Weenest thou that I will follow theeFrom this world? nay, verily!Everyman.I had weened otherwise.Goods.Therefore to thy soul Good is a thief;For when thou art dead, this is my guise—Another to deceive, in the same wiseAs I have done thee, and all to his soul's reprief.Everyman.Oh false Good, cursed thou be!Thou traitor to God, thou hast deceived meAnd caught me in thy snare!Goods.Marry! thou brought thyself in care,Whereof I am glad;I must needs laugh, I cannot be sad.Everyman.Ah, Good, thou hast had my heartly love!I gave thee that which should be the Lord's above.But wilt thou not go with me indeed?I pray thee truth to say.Goods.No, so God me speed!Therefore farewell, and have good day!Everyman.Oh, to whom shall I make my moan,For to go with me in that heavy journey?First Fellowship, he said he would with me go—His wordes were very pleasant and gay—But afterward he left me alone;Then spake I to my kinsmen, all in despair,And also they gave me wordes fair—They lacked no fair speaking—But all forsake me in the ending.Then went I to my Goods, that I loved best,In hope to have comfort, but there had I least,For my Goods sharply did me tellThat he bringeth many in hell.Then of myself I was ashamed,And so I am worthy to be blamed:Thus may I well myself hate.Of whom shall I now counsel take?I think that I shall never speedTill that I go to my Good Deed,But alas! she is so weakThat she can neither go nor speak,Yet will I venture on her now:My Good Deeds, where be you?Good Deeds.Here I lie, cold in the ground;Thy sins have me so sore boundThat I cannot stir.Everyman.Oh, Good Deeds, I stand in fear!I must you pray of counsel,For help now should come right well.Good Deeds.Everyman, I have understandingThat thou art summoned account to makeBefore Messias, of Jerusalem King;And you do by me, that journey with you will I take.Everyman.Therefore I come to you, my moan to make;I pray thee to go with me.Good Deeds.I would full fain, but I cannot stand, verily!Everyman.Why? is there anything on you fall?Good Deeds.Yea, sir; I may thank you of all.If ye had perfectly cheered me,Your book of account full ready now had be.Look! the books of your workes and deedes eke,Behold how they lie under the feet,To your soules heaviness!Everyman.Our Lord Jesus helpe me!For one letter herein can I not see.Good Deeds.There is a blind reckoning in time of distress.Everyman.Good Deeds, I pray you help me in this need,Or else I am for ever damned indeed;Therefore help me to make my reckoningBefore the Redeemer of all thing,That King is, and was, and ever shall.Good Deeds.Everyman, I am sorry of your fall,And fain would I help you, and I were able.Everyman.Good Deeds, your counsel I pray you give me.Good Deeds.That shall I do, verily!Though that on my feet I may not go,I have a sister, that shall with you also,Called Knowledge, which shall with you abide,To help you to make that dreadful reckoning.Knowledge.Everyman, I will go with thee and be thy guide,In thy most need to go by thy side.Everyman.In good condition I am now in everythingAnd am wholly content with this good thing:Thanked be God, my Creator!Good Deeds.And when he hath brought thee thereWhere thou shalt heal thee of thy smart,Then go thou with thy reckoning and thy good deeds together,For to make thee joyful at the heart,Before the Blessed Trinity.Everyman.My good Deeds, I thank thee heartily;I am well content, certainly,With your wordes sweet.Knowledge.Now go we thither, lovingly,To confession, that cleansing river.Everyman.For joy I weep! I would we were there!But I pray you to instruct me by intellection,Where dwelleth that holy virtue, Confession?Knowledge.In the house of salvation;We shall find him, in that place,That shall us comfort, by God's grace.Lo! this is Confession; kneel down and ask mercy,For he is in good conceit with God Almighty.Everyman.Oh glorious fountain, that all uncleanness doth clarify,Wash from me the spots of vices unclean,That on me no sin may be seen!I come with Knowledge, for my redemption,Redeemed with heart, and full of contrition;For I am commanded a pilgrimage to take,And great accounts before God to make.Now I pray you, Shrift, mother of salvation,Help my Good Deeds, for my piteous exclamation!Confession.I know your sorrow well, Everyman;Because with Knowledge ye come to meI will you comfort, as well as I can,And a precious jewel I will give thee,Called penance, voider of adversity;Therewith shall your body chastised be,With abstinence, and perseverance in God's service.Here shall you receive that scourge of meWhich is penance strong, that ye must endure,To remember thy Saviour was scourged for theeWith sharp scourges, and suffered it patiently.So must thou, or thou scape that painful pilgrimage:Knowledge, keep him in this voyage,And by that time Good Deeds will be with thee;But in any wise be sure of mercy—For your time draweth fast—and ye will saved be;Ask God mercy and He will grant, truly.When with the scourge of penance man doth him bind,The oil of forgiveness then shall he find.Everyman.Thanked be God for His gracious work!For now I will my penance begin:This hath rejoiced and lighted my heart,Though the knots be painful and hard within.Knowledge.Everyman, your penance look that ye fulfil,What pain that ever it to you be,And Knowledge will give you counsel at will,How your accounts ye shall make clearly.Everyman.Oh eternal God! Oh heavenly figure!O way of righteousness! Oh goodly vision!Which descended down in a virgin pure,Because He would every man to redeem,Which Adam forfeited by his disobedience;Oh blessed Godhead elect and high divine,Forgive me my grievous offence!Here I cry thee mercy in this presence.Oh Ghostly treasure! O Ransomer and RedeemerOf all the world! Hope and Conductor!Mirror of joy and Founder of mercy,Which illumineth heaven and earth thereby,Hear my clamorous complaint, though it late be!Receive my prayers, of thy benignity!Though I be a sinner most abominable,Yet let my name be written in Moses' table!Oh Mary! pray to the Maker of all thing,Me for to help at my ending!And save me from the power of my enemy,For death assaileth me strongly;And, Lady, that I may by means of thy prayer,Of thy Son's glory to be partaker,By the means of His Passion, I it crave:I beseech you, help my soul to save!Knowledge, give me the scourge of penance;My flesh therewith shall give a quittance—I will now begin, if God give me grace.Knowledge.Everyman, God give you time and space!Thus I bequeath you in the hands of our Saviour;Thus may you make your reckoning sure.Everyman.In the name of the Holy Trinity,My body sore punished shall be!Take this, body, for the sin of the flesh,Also thou delightest to go gay and fresh,And in way of damnation thou did me bring,Therefore suffer now strokes and punishing!Now of penance I will wade the water clear,To save me from hell and from the fire.Good Deeds.I thank God, now I can walk and go!I am delivered of my sickness and woe;Therefore with Everyman I will go, and not spare;His good works I will help him to declare.Knowledge.Now, Everyman, be merry and glad!Your Good Deeds do come, ye may not be sad.Now is your Good Deeds whole and sound,Going upright upon the ground.Everyman.My heart is light, and shall be evermore:Now will I smite faster than I did before.Good Deeds.Everyman, pilgrim, my special friend,Blessed be thou without end!For thee is prepared the eternal glory.Ye have me made whole and sound,Therefore I will abide with thee in every stound.Everyman.Welcome, my Good Deeds! now I hear thy voiceI weep for very sweetness of love.Knowledge.Be no more sad, but ever more rejoice;God seeth thy living in His throne above.Put on this garment to thy behove,Which with your tears is now all wet,Lest before God it be unsweetWhen you to your journey's end come shall.Everyman.Gentle Knowledge, what do ye it call?Knowledge.It is the garment of sorrow—From pain it will you borrow—Contrition it is,That getteth forgiveness,It pleaseth God passing well.Good Deeds.Everyman, will you wear it for your heal?Everyman.Now blessed be Jesu, Mary's Son!For now have I on true contrition;And let us go now without tarrying.Good Deeds, have we clear our reckoning?Good Deeds.Yea, indeed, I have it here.Everyman.Then I trust we need not fear.Now friends, let us not part in twain.Kindred.Nay, Everyman, that will we not, certain!Good Deeds.Yet must thou lead with theeThree persons of great might.Everyman.Who should they be?Good Deeds.Discretion and Strength they hight,And thy Beauty may not abide behind.Knowledge.Also ye must call to mindYour five wits, as for your councillors.Good Deeds.You must have them ready at all hours.Everyman.How shall I get them hither?Kindred.You must call them all together,And they will hear you, incontinent.Everyman.My friends, come hither and be present!Discretion, Strength, my Five Wits, and Beauty!Beauty.Here are your will me be ready;What would ye that we should do?Good Deeds.That ye would with Everyman go,And help him in his pilgrimage.Advise you—will ye with him or not, in that voyage?Strength.We will bring him all thither,To his help and comfort, ye may believe me.Discretion.So will we go with him all together.Everyman.Almighty God, loved may thou be!I give thee laud that I have hither broughtStrength, Discretion, Beauty, and Five Wits,—lack I nought—And my Good Deeds, with Knowledge clear,All be in company at my will here;I desire no more to my business.Strength.And I, Strength, will stand by you in distress,Though thou wouldest in battle fight on the ground.Five Wits.And though it were through the world round,We will not depart, for sweet nor sour.Beauty.No more will I, unto death's hour,Whatsoever thereof befall.Discretion.Everyman, advise you first of all;Go with a good advisement and deliberation.We all give you virtuous monition.Everyman.That all shall be well.My friendes, hearken what I will tell:I pray God reward you in His heavenly sphere!Now hearken, all that be here,For I will make my testamentHere before you all present.In alms half my goods I will give with my handes twainIn the way of charity, with good intent;And the other half still shall remainIn quiet, to be returned there it ought to be.This I do in despite of the fiend of hell,To go quite out of his peril,Ever after and this day.Knowledge.Everyman, hearken what I say:Go to priesthood, I you advise,And receive of him, in any wise,The Holy Sacrament and ointment together;Then shortly see ye turn again hither:We will all abide you here.Five Wits.Yea, Everyman, hie you that ye ready wereThere is no emperor, king, duke, ne baron,That of God hath commission,As hath the least priest in the world being;For of the Blessed Sacraments, pure and benign,He beareth the keys and thereof hath he cure;For man's redemption it is ever sure,Which God, for our soul's medicine,Gave us out of his heart with great pain.Here in this transitory life, for thee and me,The Blessed Sacraments Seven there be;Baptism, Confirmation, with Priesthood good,And the Sacrament of God's precious flesh and blood;Marriage, the Holy Extreme Unction, and Penance.These seven be good to have in remembrance,Gracious sacraments of high divinity.Everyman.Fain would I receive that Holy Body,And meekly to my ghostly father I will go.Five Wits.Everyman, that is the best that ye can do:God will you to salvation bring,For good priesthood exceedeth all other thing.To us holy scripture they do teach,And converteth man from sin, heaven to reach.God hath to them more power givenThan to any angel that is in heaven.With five words he may consecrate,God's body in flesh and blood to make,And handleth his maker between his hands.The priest bindeth and unbindeth all bandsBoth in earth and in heaven.Thou ministers all the sacraments seven—Though we kiss thy feet thou were worthy—Thou art surgeon that cureth sin deadly.No remedy we find under GodBut all only priesthood.Everyman, God gave priests that dignity,And setteth them in his stead, among us to be;Thus be they above angels in degree.Knowledge.If priests be good, it is so surely;But when Jesus hung on the cross with great smart,There he gave, out of his blessed heart,The same sacrament, in great torment;He sold them not to us, that Lord omnipotent:Therefore Saint Peter the Apostle doth say,That Jesus' curse hath all theyWhich God their Saviour do buy or sell,Or they for any money do take or tell.Sinful priests giveth the sinners example bad;Their children sitteth by other men's fires, I have heard,And some haunteth women's company,With unclean life, as lusts of lechery:These be with sin made blind.Five Wits.I trust to God no such may we find!Therefore let us priesthood honour,And follow their doctrine for our souls' succour.We be their sheep, and they shepherds be,By whom we all be kept in surety.Peace! for yonder I see Everyman come,Which hath made true satisfaction.Good Deeds.Me-thinketh it is he indeed.Everyman.Now Jesus Christ be your alder speed!I have received the Sacrament for my redemption,And thou, mine Extreme Unction:Blessed be all they that counselled me to take it!And now, friends, let us go without longer respite—I thank God that ye have tarried so long—Now set, each of you, on this rod your hand,And shortly follow me:I go before there I would be; God be our guide!Strength.Everyman, we will not from you goTill ye have gone this voyage long.Discretion.I, Discretion, will bide by you also.Knowledge.And though this pilgrimage be never so strong,I will never part you from.Everyman, I will be as sure by theeAs ever I did by Judas Macchabe.Everyman.Alas! I am so faint I may not stand!My limbs under me do fold.Friends, let us not turn again to this land,Not for all the worldes gold;For into this cave must I creep,And turn to the earth, and there to sleep.Beauty.What! into this grave, alas!?Everyman.Yea, there shall you consume, more and less.Beauty.And what! should I smother here?Everyman.Yea, by my faith, and never more appear.In this world live no more we shall.But in heaven, before the highest Lord of all.Beauty.I cross out all this—adieu, by Saint John!I take my cap in my lap and am gone.Everyman.What, Beauty! whither will ye?Beauty.Peace! I am deaf! I look not behind me!Not and thou would give me all the gold in thy chest.Everyman.Alas! whereto may I trust?Beauty goeth fast away and from me;She promised with me to live and die.Strength.Everyman, I will thee also forsake and deny;Thy game liketh me not at all.Everyman.Why! then ye will forsake me all!Sweet Strength, tarry a little space.Strength.Nay, sir, by the Rood of Grace!I will hie me from thee fast,Though thou weep till thy heart brast.Everyman.Ye would ever bide by me, ye said.Strength.Yea, I have you far enough conveyed:Ye be old enough, I understand,Your pilgrimage to take on hand—I repent me that I hither came.Everyman.Strength, you to displease I am to blame;Will you break promise, that is debt?Strength.In faith I care not.Thou art but a fool to complain—You spend your speech and waste your brain—Go, thrust thee into the ground!Everyman.I had weened surer I should you have, found:He that trusteth in his Strength,She him deceiveth at the length.Both Strength and Beauty forsaketh me,Yet they promised me, fair and lovingly.Discretion.Everyman, I will after Strength be gone;As for me, I will leave you alone.Everyman.Why Discretion, will ye forsake me?Discretion.Yea, in faith, I will go from thee,For when Strength goeth beforeI follow after, evermore.Everyman.Yet I pray thee, for the love of the TrinityLook in my grave once piteously!Discretion.Nay, so nigh I will not come!Farewell, everyone!Everyman.Oh, all thing faileth save God alone—Beauty, Strength, and Discretion—For when Death bloweth his blastThey all run from me full fast.Five Wits.Everyman, of thee now my leave I take;I will follow the others, 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.Oh Jesus, help! all hath forsaken me.Good Deeds.Nay, Everyman, I will bide withthee;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, everyone;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 departTill I see where ye shall become.Everyman.Me-thinketh, alas, that I must be goneTo make my reckoning, and my debtes 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 thing 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, God 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 God 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 fiendes boast,That I may appear with that blessed hostThat shall be savèd at the Doom,(In manus tuas) of mightes 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—Me-thinketh that I hear angels sing,And make great joy and melody,Where Everyman's soul shall received be.Angel.Come excellent elect spouse to Jesu!Here above thou shalt goBecause of thy singular virtue.Now thy soul is taken thy body fro,Thy reckoning is crystal clear.Now shalt thou into the heavenly sphere,Unto the which all ye shall comeThat liveth well, before the day of Doom.Doctor.This memorial men may have in mind:Ye hearears, 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 every man forsake,Save his good deeds, there doth he take.But beware! for and they be small,Before God he hath no help at all.None excuse may be there for every man,Alas! how shall he do then?For after death amends may no man make.For then mercy and pity doth him forsake.If his reckoning be not clear when he do come,God will say (ite maledicti in ignem eternum)And he that hath his account whole and sound,High in heaven he shall be crowned.Unto the which place God bring us all thither,That we may live, body and soul, together.Thereto help the Trinity!Say ye, for Saint Charity,Amen!
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 showsHow transitory we be all day.This matter is wondrous precious,But the intent of it is more graciousAnd sweet to bear away.This story saith 'man, in the beginningLook 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 fellowship and jollity,Both strength, pleasure, and beauty,Will fade from thee as flower in May;For ye shall hear how our heaven kingCalleth every man to a general reckoning:Give audience, and hear what he will say.God speaketh.God.I perceive here in my majestyHow that all creatures be to me unkind,Living without dread in worldly prosperity.Of ghostly sight the people be so blind,Drownèd in sin, they know me not for their God;In worldly riches is all their mind.They fear not my righteousness, that sharp rod;My law that I showed, when I for them died,They forget clean, and shedding of my blood so red.I hanged between two thieves, 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 damnable;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 not sure.I see the more that I them forbearThe worse they are from year to year.All that liveth appaireth fast,Therefore I will in all the hasteHave a reckoning of every man's person,For, and I leave the people thus aloneIn their life and wicked tempests,Verily they will become much worse than beasts,For now one would by envy another up eat;Charity they all do clean forget.I hoped well that every manIn my glory should make his mansion,And thereto I had them all elect,But now I see that, 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 multitude of mercy,And few there be that asketh it heartily;They be so cumbered with worldly richesThat needs on them I must do justice,On every man living without fear.Where art thou, Death, thou mighty messenger?Death.Almighty God, I am here at your will,Your commandement to fulfil.God.Go thou to EverymanAnd 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 truly outsearch both great and small,Everyman I will beset that liveth beastly,Out of God's laws, and dreadeth not folly.He that loveth riches I will strike with my dart,His sight to blind, and from heaven depart,Except that alms-deeds be his good friend,In hell for to dwell, world without end.Lo, yonder I see Everyman walking!Full little he thinketh on my coming!His mind is on fleshly lusts, and his treasure,And great pain it shall cause him to endureBefore the Lord, heaven king.Everyman, stand still! whither art thou goingThus gaily? Hast thou thy Maker forgot?Everyman.Why askest thou?Wouldest thou wot?Death.Yea, sir, I will show you:In great haste I am sent to thee,From God out of his Majesty.Everyman.What! sent to me?Death.Yea, certainly.Though thou hast forgot Him here,He thinketh on thee in the heavenly sphere,As, or we depart, thou shalt know.Everyman.What desireth God of me?Death.That shall I shew thee:A reckoning he will needs have,Without any longer respite.Everyman.To give a reckoning longer leisure I crave;This blind matter troubleth my wit.Death.On thee thou must take a long journey,Therefore thy book of count with thee thou bring—For turn again thou cannot by no way—And look thou be sure of thy reckoning;For before God shalt thou answer, and shewThy many bad deeds, and good but a few—How thou hast sped thy life, and in what wise—Before the chief Lord of Paradise.Have ado that we were in that way,For wot thou well thou shalt make none attorney.Everyman.Full unready I am such reckoning to give,I know thee not; what messenger art thou?Death.I am Death, that no man dreadeth,For every man I rest, and none spareth;For it is God's commandementThat all to me should be obedient.Everyman.O Death, thou comest when I had thee least in mind!In thy power it lieth me to save;Yet of my good will I give thee, if ye will be kind,Yea, a thousand pound shalt thou have,And defer this matter till another day.Death.Everyman, it may not be by no way:I set not by gold, silver, nor riches,Ne by pope, emperor, king, duke, ne princes;For, and I would receive giftes great,All the world I might get—All my custom is clean contrary;I give thee no respite; come hence and not tarry.Everyman.Alas! shall I have no longer respite?I may say Death giveth no warning.To think on thee it maketh my heart sick,For all unready is my book of reckoning.But twelve years, and I might have abiding,My counting book I would make so clearThat my reckoning I should not need to fear;Wherefore, Death, I pray thee for God's mercy,Spare me, till I be provided of remedy.Death.Thee availeth not to cry, weep, and pray,But haste thee lightly that thou were gone the journey,And prove thy friendes if thou can;For wot you well the tide abideth no man,And in the world each living creature,For Adam's sin, must die of Nature.Everyman.Death, if I should this pilgrimage take,And my reckoning surely make,Show me, for saint charity,Should I not come again shortly?Death.No, Everyman; and thou be once there,Thou must never more come here,Trust me, verily!Everyman.Gracious God, in high seat celestial,Have mercy on me in this most need!Shall I have no company, from this vale terrestrial,Of mine acquaintance, that way me to lead?Death.Yea, if any be so hardyThat would go with thee, and bear thee company.Hie thee that thou were gone to God's MagnificenceThy reckoning to give before His presence!What! weenest thou thy life is given thee,And thy worldly goods also?Everyman.I had weened so, verily!Death.Nay, nay! it was but lent thee;For as soon as thou art goneAnother a while shall have it, and then go therefromEven as thou hast done.Everyman, thou art mad! that hast thy wittes five,And here on earth will not amend thy life!For suddenly I do come!Everyman.Oh, wretched caitiff! whither shall I flee,That I might scape this endless sorrow?Now, gentle Death, spare me till to-morrow,That I may amend meWith good advisement.Death.Nay, thereto I will not consent,Nor no man will I respite,But to the heart suddenly I shall smite,Without any advisement.And now out of sight I will me hie;See thou make thee ready shortly,For thou may'st say this is the dayThat no man living may scape away.Everyman.Alas! I may well weep with sighes deep!Now have I no manner of companyTo help me in my journey, and me to keep;And also my writing is full unready.How shall I do now for to excuse me?I would to God I had never be gete!To my soul a great profit it had be,For now I fear pains huge and great.The time passeth—Lord, help, that all wrought!For though I mourn it availeth nought;The day passeth and is almost ago—I wot not well what to do—To whom were I best my complaint to make?What and I to Fellowship thereof spake,And showed him of this sudden chance?For in him is all mine affiance.We have in the world, so many a day,Been good friends in sport and play;I see him yonder certainly!I trust that he will bear me company;Therefore to him will I speak to ease my sorrow:Well met, good Fellowship, and good morrow!Fellowshipspeaketh.Fellow.Everyman, good morrow! by this day,Sir, why lookest thou so piteously?If anything be amiss, I pray thee, me say,That I may help to remedy.Everyman.Yea, good Fellowship, yea,I am in great jeopardy!Fellow.My true friend, show to me your mind;I will not forsake thee unto my life's end—In the way of good company.Everyman.That is well spoken, and lovingly!Fellow.Sir, I must needs know your heaviness;I have pity to see you in any distress!If any have you wronged, ye shall revengèd be,Though I on the ground be slain for thee,Though that I know before that I should die!Everyman.Verily, Fellowship, gramercy!Fellow.Tush! by thy thanks I set not a straw!Show me your grief, and say no more.Everyman.If I my heart should to you break,And then you to turn your mind from me,And would not me comfort, when you hear me speak,Then should I ten times sorrier be.Fellow.Sir, I say as I will do in deed.Everyman.Then be you a good friend at need!I have found you true here before.Fellow.And so ye shall evermore;For in faith, and thou go to hellI will not forsake thee by the way!Everyman.Ye speak like a good friend; I believe you well;I shall deserve it, and I may.Fellow.I speak of no deserving, by this day!For he that will say, and nothing do,Is not worthy with good company to go;Therefore show me the grief of your mind,As to your friend most loving and kind.Everyman.I shall show you how it is:Commanded I am to go a journey—A long way, hard and dangerous—And give a strait count, without delay,Before the high judge Adonay;Wherefore, I pray you, bear me companyAs ye have promised, in this journey.Fellow.That is matter indeed! promise is duty;But and I should take such a voyage on me,I know it well it should be to my pain;Also it maketh me afeard, certain.But let us take counsel here as we can,For your words would fear a strong man.Everyman.Why! ye said if I had need,Ye would me never forsake, quick ne dead,Though it were to hell, truly!Fellow.So I said, certainly;But such pleasures be set aside, the sooth to say,And also, if we took such a journey,When should we come again?Everyman.Nay, never again till the Day of Doom.Fellow.In faith, then will not I come there;Who hath you these tidings brought?Everyman.Indeed, Death was with me here.Fellow.Now, by God that all hath bought,If Death were the messenger,For no man that is living to-dayI will not go that loathsome journey,Not for the father that begat me!Everyman.Ye promised me otherwise, pardie!Fellow.I wot well I said so, truly,And yet if thou wilt eat and drink and make good cheer,Or haunt to women, that lusty company,I would not forsake you while the day is clear,Trust me verily!Everyman.Yea, thereto ye would be ready,To go to mirth, solace, and play;Your mind to folly will sooner applyThan to bear me company in my long journey.Fellow.Nay, in good faith, I will not that way,But and thou wilt murder, or any man kill,In that I will help thee with a good will.Everyman.Oh, that is a simple advice, indeed!Gentle fellow, help me in my necessity!We have loved long, and now I need,And now, gentle Fellowship, remember me.Fellow.Whether ye have loved me or no,By Saint John I will not with thee go!Everyman.Yet, I pray thee, take the labour and do so much for meTo bring me forward, for saint charity,And comfort me till I come without the town.Fellow.Nay, and thou would give me a new gownI will not one foot with thee go;But and thou had tarried I would not ha' left thee so.And as now, God speed thee in thy journey!For from thee I will depart as fast as I may.Everyman.Whither away, Fellowship? wilt thou forsake me?Fellow.Yea, by my fay; to God I betake thee!Everyman.Farewell, good Fellowship! for thee my heart is sore.Adieu! for I shall never see thee no more.Fellow.In faith, Everyman, farewell now at the end!For you I will remember that parting is mourning.Everyman.Alack! shall we thus depart indeed?Oh Lady, help! without any more comfort,Lo! Fellowship forsaketh me in my most need.For help in this world whither shall I resort?Fellowship here before with me would merry make,And now little sorrow for me doth he take.It is said, in prosperity men friends may find,Which in adversity be full unkindNow whither for succour shall I flee,Sith that Fellowship hath forsaken me?To my kinnesmen I will, truly,Praying them to help me in my necessity.I believe that they will do so,For kind will creep where it may not go.I will go say, for yonder I see them go:Where be ye now, my friends and kinnesmen?Kindred.Here be we now at your commandement:Cousin, I pray you, show us your intentIn any wise, and do not spare.Cousin.Yea, Everyman, and us to declareIf ye be disposed to go any whither,For wot ye well, we will live and die together.Kindred.In wealth and woe we will with you hold,For over his kin a man may be bold.Everyman.Gramercy! my friends and kinsmen kind:Now shall I show you the grief of my mind.I was commanded by a messenger,That is a high king's chief officer;He bade me go a pilgrimage to my pain,But I know well I shall never come again.Also I must give reckoning strait,For I have a great enemy that hath me in wait,Which intendeth me for to hinder.Kindred.What account is that which ye must render?That would I know.Everyman.Of all my works I must show,How I have lived and my dayes spent;Also of ill deeds that I have usedIn my time, sith life was me lent,And of all virtues that I have refused;Therefore, I pray you, go thither with me,To help to make mine account, for saint charity!Cousin.What! to go thither? is that the matter?Nay, Everyman, I had liefer fast, bread and water,All this five year and more.Everyman.Alas, that ever I was born!For now shall I never be merryIf that you forsake me.Kindred.Ah, sir, what! ye be a merry man!Take good heart to you, and make no moan;But one thing I warn you—by Saint Anne,As for me, ye shall go alone!Everyman.My cousin, will you not with me go?Cousin.No, by our Lady! I have the cramp in my toe!Trust not to me, for so God me speed,I will deceive you in your most need!Kindred.It availeth not us to 'tice;Ye shall have my maid, with all my heart!She loveth to go to feasts, there to be nice,And to dance, and abroad to start;I will give her leave to help you in that journey,If that you and she may agree.Everyman.Now show me the very effect of your mind:Will you go with me or abide behind?Kindred.Abide behind? Yea, that will I, and I may,Therefore farewell, till another day!Everyman.How should I be merry or glad?For fair promises men to me do make,But when I have most need they me forsake.I am deceived—that maketh me sad.Cousin.Cousin Everyman, farewell now!For verily I will not go with you.Also of my own an unready reckoningI have to account, therefore I make tarrying.Now God keep thee! for now I go.Everyman.Ah, Jesus! is all come hereto?Lo! fair words maketh fools fain!They promise, and nothing will do, certain!My kinnesmen promised me faithfullyFor to abide with me steadfastly,And now fast away do they flee;Even so Fellowship promised me.What friend were best me of to provide?I lose my time here longer to abide.Yet in my mind a thing there is—All my life I have loved riches;If that my Good now help me might,It would make my heart full light.I will speak to him in this distress:Where art thou, my Goods and Riches?Goods.Who calleth me? Everyman? what! hast thou haste?I lie here in corners, trussed and piled so high,And in chests I am locked full fast,Also sacked in bags—thou mayst see with thine eye—I cannot stir; in packs low I lie.What would ye have? lightly me say.Everyman.Come hither, Good, in all the haste thou may,For of counsel I must desire thee.Goods.Sir, and ye in the world have trouble or adversity,Then can I help you to remedy shortly.Everyman.It is another disease that grieveth me;In this world it is not—I tell so—I am sent for, another way to go,To give a strait account generalBefore the highest Jupiter of all.And all my life I have had joy and pleasure in thee,Therefore, I pray thee, go with me;For peradventure thou mayest, before God Almighty,My reckoning help to clean and purify;For it is said, ever among,That money maketh all right that is wrong.Goods.Nay, Everyman, I sing another song!I follow no man in such voyages,For and I went with thee,Thou should'st fare much the worse for me;For because on me thou did set thy mind,Thy reckoning I have made blotted and blind,That thine account thou cannot make truly,And that hast thou for the love of me.Everyman.That would grieve me full sore,When I should come to that fearful answer.Up! let us go thither together!Goods.Nay, not so! I am too brittle, I may not endure;I will follow no man one foot, be thou sure.Everyman.Alas! I have thee loved, and had great pleasureAll my life's days on good and treasure.Goods.That is to thy damnation, without leasing,For my love is contrary to the love everlasting;But if thou had me loved moderately, during,As to the poor to give part for me,Then shouldest thou not in this dolour be,Nor in this great sorrow and care.Everyman.Lo now! I was deceived or I was ware!And all I may wyte my spending of time.Goods.What! weenest thou that I am thine?Everyman.I had weened so.Goods.Nay, Everyman, I say no!As for a while I was lent thee,A season thou hast had me in prosperity.My conditions is man's soul to kill;If I save one, a thousand I do spill.Weenest thou that I will follow theeFrom this world? nay, verily!Everyman.I had weened otherwise.Goods.Therefore to thy soul Good is a thief;For when thou art dead, this is my guise—Another to deceive, in the same wiseAs I have done thee, and all to his soul's reprief.Everyman.Oh false Good, cursed thou be!Thou traitor to God, thou hast deceived meAnd caught me in thy snare!Goods.Marry! thou brought thyself in care,Whereof I am glad;I must needs laugh, I cannot be sad.Everyman.Ah, Good, thou hast had my heartly love!I gave thee that which should be the Lord's above.But wilt thou not go with me indeed?I pray thee truth to say.Goods.No, so God me speed!Therefore farewell, and have good day!Everyman.Oh, to whom shall I make my moan,For to go with me in that heavy journey?First Fellowship, he said he would with me go—His wordes were very pleasant and gay—But afterward he left me alone;Then spake I to my kinsmen, all in despair,And also they gave me wordes fair—They lacked no fair speaking—But all forsake me in the ending.Then went I to my Goods, that I loved best,In hope to have comfort, but there had I least,For my Goods sharply did me tellThat he bringeth many in hell.Then of myself I was ashamed,And so I am worthy to be blamed:Thus may I well myself hate.Of whom shall I now counsel take?I think that I shall never speedTill that I go to my Good Deed,But alas! she is so weakThat she can neither go nor speak,Yet will I venture on her now:My Good Deeds, where be you?Good Deeds.Here I lie, cold in the ground;Thy sins have me so sore boundThat I cannot stir.Everyman.Oh, Good Deeds, I stand in fear!I must you pray of counsel,For help now should come right well.Good Deeds.Everyman, I have understandingThat thou art summoned account to makeBefore Messias, of Jerusalem King;And you do by me, that journey with you will I take.Everyman.Therefore I come to you, my moan to make;I pray thee to go with me.Good Deeds.I would full fain, but I cannot stand, verily!Everyman.Why? is there anything on you fall?Good Deeds.Yea, sir; I may thank you of all.If ye had perfectly cheered me,Your book of account full ready now had be.Look! the books of your workes and deedes eke,Behold how they lie under the feet,To your soules heaviness!Everyman.Our Lord Jesus helpe me!For one letter herein can I not see.Good Deeds.There is a blind reckoning in time of distress.Everyman.Good Deeds, I pray you help me in this need,Or else I am for ever damned indeed;Therefore help me to make my reckoningBefore the Redeemer of all thing,That King is, and was, and ever shall.Good Deeds.Everyman, I am sorry of your fall,And fain would I help you, and I were able.Everyman.Good Deeds, your counsel I pray you give me.Good Deeds.That shall I do, verily!Though that on my feet I may not go,I have a sister, that shall with you also,Called Knowledge, which shall with you abide,To help you to make that dreadful reckoning.Knowledge.Everyman, I will go with thee and be thy guide,In thy most need to go by thy side.Everyman.In good condition I am now in everythingAnd am wholly content with this good thing:Thanked be God, my Creator!Good Deeds.And when he hath brought thee thereWhere thou shalt heal thee of thy smart,Then go thou with thy reckoning and thy good deeds together,For to make thee joyful at the heart,Before the Blessed Trinity.Everyman.My good Deeds, I thank thee heartily;I am well content, certainly,With your wordes sweet.Knowledge.Now go we thither, lovingly,To confession, that cleansing river.Everyman.For joy I weep! I would we were there!But I pray you to instruct me by intellection,Where dwelleth that holy virtue, Confession?Knowledge.In the house of salvation;We shall find him, in that place,That shall us comfort, by God's grace.Lo! this is Confession; kneel down and ask mercy,For he is in good conceit with God Almighty.Everyman.Oh glorious fountain, that all uncleanness doth clarify,Wash from me the spots of vices unclean,That on me no sin may be seen!I come with Knowledge, for my redemption,Redeemed with heart, and full of contrition;For I am commanded a pilgrimage to take,And great accounts before God to make.Now I pray you, Shrift, mother of salvation,Help my Good Deeds, for my piteous exclamation!Confession.I know your sorrow well, Everyman;Because with Knowledge ye come to meI will you comfort, as well as I can,And a precious jewel I will give thee,Called penance, voider of adversity;Therewith shall your body chastised be,With abstinence, and perseverance in God's service.Here shall you receive that scourge of meWhich is penance strong, that ye must endure,To remember thy Saviour was scourged for theeWith sharp scourges, and suffered it patiently.So must thou, or thou scape that painful pilgrimage:Knowledge, keep him in this voyage,And by that time Good Deeds will be with thee;But in any wise be sure of mercy—For your time draweth fast—and ye will saved be;Ask God mercy and He will grant, truly.When with the scourge of penance man doth him bind,The oil of forgiveness then shall he find.Everyman.Thanked be God for His gracious work!For now I will my penance begin:This hath rejoiced and lighted my heart,Though the knots be painful and hard within.Knowledge.Everyman, your penance look that ye fulfil,What pain that ever it to you be,And Knowledge will give you counsel at will,How your accounts ye shall make clearly.Everyman.Oh eternal God! Oh heavenly figure!O way of righteousness! Oh goodly vision!Which descended down in a virgin pure,Because He would every man to redeem,Which Adam forfeited by his disobedience;Oh blessed Godhead elect and high divine,Forgive me my grievous offence!Here I cry thee mercy in this presence.Oh Ghostly treasure! O Ransomer and RedeemerOf all the world! Hope and Conductor!Mirror of joy and Founder of mercy,Which illumineth heaven and earth thereby,Hear my clamorous complaint, though it late be!Receive my prayers, of thy benignity!Though I be a sinner most abominable,Yet let my name be written in Moses' table!Oh Mary! pray to the Maker of all thing,Me for to help at my ending!And save me from the power of my enemy,For death assaileth me strongly;And, Lady, that I may by means of thy prayer,Of thy Son's glory to be partaker,By the means of His Passion, I it crave:I beseech you, help my soul to save!Knowledge, give me the scourge of penance;My flesh therewith shall give a quittance—I will now begin, if God give me grace.Knowledge.Everyman, God give you time and space!Thus I bequeath you in the hands of our Saviour;Thus may you make your reckoning sure.Everyman.In the name of the Holy Trinity,My body sore punished shall be!Take this, body, for the sin of the flesh,Also thou delightest to go gay and fresh,And in way of damnation thou did me bring,Therefore suffer now strokes and punishing!Now of penance I will wade the water clear,To save me from hell and from the fire.Good Deeds.I thank God, now I can walk and go!I am delivered of my sickness and woe;Therefore with Everyman I will go, and not spare;His good works I will help him to declare.Knowledge.Now, Everyman, be merry and glad!Your Good Deeds do come, ye may not be sad.Now is your Good Deeds whole and sound,Going upright upon the ground.Everyman.My heart is light, and shall be evermore:Now will I smite faster than I did before.Good Deeds.Everyman, pilgrim, my special friend,Blessed be thou without end!For thee is prepared the eternal glory.Ye have me made whole and sound,Therefore I will abide with thee in every stound.Everyman.Welcome, my Good Deeds! now I hear thy voiceI weep for very sweetness of love.Knowledge.Be no more sad, but ever more rejoice;God seeth thy living in His throne above.Put on this garment to thy behove,Which with your tears is now all wet,Lest before God it be unsweetWhen you to your journey's end come shall.Everyman.Gentle Knowledge, what do ye it call?Knowledge.It is the garment of sorrow—From pain it will you borrow—Contrition it is,That getteth forgiveness,It pleaseth God passing well.Good Deeds.Everyman, will you wear it for your heal?Everyman.Now blessed be Jesu, Mary's Son!For now have I on true contrition;And let us go now without tarrying.Good Deeds, have we clear our reckoning?Good Deeds.Yea, indeed, I have it here.Everyman.Then I trust we need not fear.Now friends, let us not part in twain.Kindred.Nay, Everyman, that will we not, certain!Good Deeds.Yet must thou lead with theeThree persons of great might.Everyman.Who should they be?Good Deeds.Discretion and Strength they hight,And thy Beauty may not abide behind.Knowledge.Also ye must call to mindYour five wits, as for your councillors.Good Deeds.You must have them ready at all hours.Everyman.How shall I get them hither?Kindred.You must call them all together,And they will hear you, incontinent.Everyman.My friends, come hither and be present!Discretion, Strength, my Five Wits, and Beauty!Beauty.Here are your will me be ready;What would ye that we should do?Good Deeds.That ye would with Everyman go,And help him in his pilgrimage.Advise you—will ye with him or not, in that voyage?Strength.We will bring him all thither,To his help and comfort, ye may believe me.Discretion.So will we go with him all together.Everyman.Almighty God, loved may thou be!I give thee laud that I have hither broughtStrength, Discretion, Beauty, and Five Wits,—lack I nought—And my Good Deeds, with Knowledge clear,All be in company at my will here;I desire no more to my business.Strength.And I, Strength, will stand by you in distress,Though thou wouldest in battle fight on the ground.Five Wits.And though it were through the world round,We will not depart, for sweet nor sour.Beauty.No more will I, unto death's hour,Whatsoever thereof befall.Discretion.Everyman, advise you first of all;Go with a good advisement and deliberation.We all give you virtuous monition.Everyman.That all shall be well.My friendes, hearken what I will tell:I pray God reward you in His heavenly sphere!Now hearken, all that be here,For I will make my testamentHere before you all present.In alms half my goods I will give with my handes twainIn the way of charity, with good intent;And the other half still shall remainIn quiet, to be returned there it ought to be.This I do in despite of the fiend of hell,To go quite out of his peril,Ever after and this day.Knowledge.Everyman, hearken what I say:Go to priesthood, I you advise,And receive of him, in any wise,The Holy Sacrament and ointment together;Then shortly see ye turn again hither:We will all abide you here.Five Wits.Yea, Everyman, hie you that ye ready wereThere is no emperor, king, duke, ne baron,That of God hath commission,As hath the least priest in the world being;For of the Blessed Sacraments, pure and benign,He beareth the keys and thereof hath he cure;For man's redemption it is ever sure,Which God, for our soul's medicine,Gave us out of his heart with great pain.Here in this transitory life, for thee and me,The Blessed Sacraments Seven there be;Baptism, Confirmation, with Priesthood good,And the Sacrament of God's precious flesh and blood;Marriage, the Holy Extreme Unction, and Penance.These seven be good to have in remembrance,Gracious sacraments of high divinity.Everyman.Fain would I receive that Holy Body,And meekly to my ghostly father I will go.Five Wits.Everyman, that is the best that ye can do:God will you to salvation bring,For good priesthood exceedeth all other thing.To us holy scripture they do teach,And converteth man from sin, heaven to reach.God hath to them more power givenThan to any angel that is in heaven.With five words he may consecrate,God's body in flesh and blood to make,And handleth his maker between his hands.The priest bindeth and unbindeth all bandsBoth in earth and in heaven.Thou ministers all the sacraments seven—Though we kiss thy feet thou were worthy—Thou art surgeon that cureth sin deadly.No remedy we find under GodBut all only priesthood.Everyman, God gave priests that dignity,And setteth them in his stead, among us to be;Thus be they above angels in degree.Knowledge.If priests be good, it is so surely;But when Jesus hung on the cross with great smart,There he gave, out of his blessed heart,The same sacrament, in great torment;He sold them not to us, that Lord omnipotent:Therefore Saint Peter the Apostle doth say,That Jesus' curse hath all theyWhich God their Saviour do buy or sell,Or they for any money do take or tell.Sinful priests giveth the sinners example bad;Their children sitteth by other men's fires, I have heard,And some haunteth women's company,With unclean life, as lusts of lechery:These be with sin made blind.Five Wits.I trust to God no such may we find!Therefore let us priesthood honour,And follow their doctrine for our souls' succour.We be their sheep, and they shepherds be,By whom we all be kept in surety.Peace! for yonder I see Everyman come,Which hath made true satisfaction.Good Deeds.Me-thinketh it is he indeed.Everyman.Now Jesus Christ be your alder speed!I have received the Sacrament for my redemption,And thou, mine Extreme Unction:Blessed be all they that counselled me to take it!And now, friends, let us go without longer respite—I thank God that ye have tarried so long—Now set, each of you, on this rod your hand,And shortly follow me:I go before there I would be; God be our guide!Strength.Everyman, we will not from you goTill ye have gone this voyage long.Discretion.I, Discretion, will bide by you also.Knowledge.And though this pilgrimage be never so strong,I will never part you from.Everyman, I will be as sure by theeAs ever I did by Judas Macchabe.Everyman.Alas! I am so faint I may not stand!My limbs under me do fold.Friends, let us not turn again to this land,Not for all the worldes gold;For into this cave must I creep,And turn to the earth, and there to sleep.Beauty.What! into this grave, alas!?Everyman.Yea, there shall you consume, more and less.Beauty.And what! should I smother here?Everyman.Yea, by my faith, and never more appear.In this world live no more we shall.But in heaven, before the highest Lord of all.Beauty.I cross out all this—adieu, by Saint John!I take my cap in my lap and am gone.Everyman.What, Beauty! whither will ye?Beauty.Peace! I am deaf! I look not behind me!Not and thou would give me all the gold in thy chest.Everyman.Alas! whereto may I trust?Beauty goeth fast away and from me;She promised with me to live and die.Strength.Everyman, I will thee also forsake and deny;Thy game liketh me not at all.Everyman.Why! then ye will forsake me all!Sweet Strength, tarry a little space.Strength.Nay, sir, by the Rood of Grace!I will hie me from thee fast,Though thou weep till thy heart brast.Everyman.Ye would ever bide by me, ye said.Strength.Yea, I have you far enough conveyed:Ye be old enough, I understand,Your pilgrimage to take on hand—I repent me that I hither came.Everyman.Strength, you to displease I am to blame;Will you break promise, that is debt?Strength.In faith I care not.Thou art but a fool to complain—You spend your speech and waste your brain—Go, thrust thee into the ground!Everyman.I had weened surer I should you have, found:He that trusteth in his Strength,She him deceiveth at the length.Both Strength and Beauty forsaketh me,Yet they promised me, fair and lovingly.Discretion.Everyman, I will after Strength be gone;As for me, I will leave you alone.Everyman.Why Discretion, will ye forsake me?Discretion.Yea, in faith, I will go from thee,For when Strength goeth beforeI follow after, evermore.Everyman.Yet I pray thee, for the love of the TrinityLook in my grave once piteously!Discretion.Nay, so nigh I will not come!Farewell, everyone!Everyman.Oh, all thing faileth save God alone—Beauty, Strength, and Discretion—For when Death bloweth his blastThey all run from me full fast.Five Wits.Everyman, of thee now my leave I take;I will follow the others, 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.Oh Jesus, help! all hath forsaken me.Good Deeds.Nay, Everyman, I will bide withthee;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, everyone;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 departTill I see where ye shall become.Everyman.Me-thinketh, alas, that I must be goneTo make my reckoning, and my debtes 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 thing 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, God 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 God 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 fiendes boast,That I may appear with that blessed hostThat shall be savèd at the Doom,(In manus tuas) of mightes 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—Me-thinketh that I hear angels sing,And make great joy and melody,Where Everyman's soul shall received be.Angel.Come excellent elect spouse to Jesu!Here above thou shalt goBecause of thy singular virtue.Now thy soul is taken thy body fro,Thy reckoning is crystal clear.Now shalt thou into the heavenly sphere,Unto the which all ye shall comeThat liveth well, before the day of Doom.Doctor.This memorial men may have in mind:Ye hearears, 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 every man forsake,Save his good deeds, there doth he take.But beware! for and they be small,Before God he hath no help at all.None excuse may be there for every man,Alas! how shall he do then?For after death amends may no man make.For then mercy and pity doth him forsake.If his reckoning be not clear when he do come,God will say (ite maledicti in ignem eternum)And he that hath his account whole and sound,High in heaven he shall be crowned.Unto the which place God bring us all thither,That we may live, body and soul, together.Thereto help the Trinity!Say ye, for Saint Charity,Amen!