Chapter 22

THIRD REX. He bade that we should go down by west, For dread of Herod's false betray. FIRST REX. So for to do it is the best; The Child that we have sought guide us the way!

Now farewell, the fairest, of shape so sweet! And thanked be Jesus of his sond, That we three together so suddenly should meet, That dwell so wide and in strange lond,

And here make our presentation Unto this King's Son, cleansed so clean, And to his Mother, for our salvation; Of much mirth now may we mean, That we so well have done this oblation.

SECOND REX. Now farewell, Sir Jaspar, brother, to you, King of Taurus, the most worthy! Sir Balthasar, also to you I bow, And I thank you both of your good company That we together have had. He that made us to meet on hill, I thank Him now, and ever I will; For now may we go without ill, And of our offering be full glad.

THIRD REX. Now sith that we must needly go, For dread of Herod that is so wroth, Now farewell brother, and brother also, I take my leave here at you both, This day on feet. Now He that made us to meet on plain, And offer to Mary in her jesayne, He give us grace in heaven again All together to meet. [_They go out, and_ HEROD _and his train occupy the pageant._]

NUNTIUS. Hail King, most worthiest in weed! Hail, maintainer of courtesy through all this world wide! Hail, the most mightiest that ever bestrode a steed! Hail, most manfullest man in armour man to abide! Hail in thine honour! These three kings that forth were sent, And should have come again before thee here present, Another way, lord, home they went, Contrary to thine honour.

HEROD. Another way! Out! out! out! Hath those false traitors done me this deed? I stamp! I stare! I look all about! Might I them take I should them burn at a gleed! I rend! I raw! and now run I wood! Ah! that these villain traitors hath marred this my mood! They shall be hanged if I may come them to! _Here Herod rages in the pageant and in the street also._

Eh! and that kerne of Bethlehem, he shall be dead, And thus shall I fordo his prophecy.

How say you, sir Knights? is not this the best rede, That all young children for this should be dead, With sword to be slain? Then shall I Herod live in lede And all folk me doubt and drede, And offer to me both gold, riches and meed; Thereto will they be full fain.

FIRST MILES. My lord king, Herod by name, Thy words against my will shall be; To see so many young children die is shame, Therefore counsel thereto gettest thou none of me.

SECOND MILES. Well said, fellow, my truth I plight. Sir King, perceive right well you may, So great a murder to see of young fruit Will make a rising in thine own country.

HEROD. A rising? Out! out! out! [_There Herod rages again and then saith thus:_]

Out! villain wretches, haro upon you I cry! My will utterly look that it be wrought, Or upon a gallows both you shall die, By Mahound most mightiest, that me dear hath bought.

FIRST MILES. Now, cruel Herod, sith we shall do this deed, Your will needfully in this realm must be wrought; All the children of that age die they must need; Now with all my might they shall be upsought.

SECOND MILES. And I will swear here upon your bright swerd, All the children that I find, slain they shall be; That make many a mother to weep and be full sore aferd, In our armour bright when they us see.

HEROD. Now you have sworn, forth that ye go, And my will that ye work both by day and night, And then will I for fain trip like a doe; But when they be dead I warn you bring them before my sight. [HEROD _and his train go away, and_ JOSEPH _and_ MARY _are, while asleep, addressed by an_ ANGEL.]

ANGEL. Mary and Joseph, to you, I say, Sweet word from the Father I bring you full right; Out of Bethlehem into Egypt forth go ye the way, And with you take the King, full of might, For dread of Herod's rede! JOSEPH. Arise up, Mary, hastily and soon; Our Lord's will needs must be done, Like as the angel us bade.

MARY. Meekly, Joseph, mine own spouse, Toward that country let us repair; At Egypt to some kind of house, God grant us His grace safe to come there! _Here the women come in with their children, singing them; and_ MARY _and_ JOSEPH _go away clean._

FIRST WOMAN. I lull my child, wondrously sweet, And in mine arms I do it keep, Because that it should not cry. SECOND WOMAN. That Babe that is born in Bethlehem, so meek, He save my child and me from villainy!

THIRD WOMAN. Be still, be still, my little child! That Lord of lords save both thee and me! For Herod hath sworn with wordes wild That all young children slain they shall be.

FIRST MILES. Say ye, whither, wives, whither are ye away? What bear you in your arms needs must we see. If they be man-children, die they must this day, For at Herod's will all thing must be.

SECOND MILES. And I in hands once them hent, Them for to slay nought will I spare; We must fulfil Herod's commandement, Else be we as traitors and cast all in care.

FIRST WOMAN. Sir knights, of your courtesy, This day shame not your chivalry, But on my child have pity For my sake in this stead; For a simple slaughter it were to slo Or to work such a child woe, That can neither speak nor go, Nor never harm did.

SECOND WOMAN. He that slays my child in sight, If that my strokes on him may light, Be he squire or knight, I hold him but lost. See, thou false losenger, A stroke shalt thou bear me here, And spare for no cost.

THIRD WOMAN. Sit he never so high in saddle, But I shall make his brains addle, And here with my pot-ladle With him will I fight. I shall lay on him as though I wood were, With this same womanly gear; There shall no man steer, Whether that he be king or knight.

FIRST MILES. Who heard ever such a cry Of women that their children have lost? And greatly rebuking chivalry Throughout this realm in every coast, Which many a man's life is like to cost; For this great wreak that here is done I fear much vengeance thereof will come.

SECOND MILES. Eh! brother, such tales may we not tell; Wherefore to the king let us go, For he is like to bear the peril, Which was the causer that we did so. Yet must they all be brought him to, With wains and waggons fully freight; I trow there will be a careful sight. [_They go to_ HEROD.]

FIRST MILES. Lo! Herod, King, here mayest thou see How many thousands that we have slain. SECOND MILES. And needs thy will fulfilled must be; There may no man say there-again. [_Enter_ NUNTIUS.]

NUNTIUS. Herod, King, I shall thee tell All thy deeds is come to nought; This child is gone into Egypt to dwell. Lo! sir, in thine own land what wonders ben wrought!

HEROD. Into Egypt? alas for woe! Longer in land here I cannot abide; Saddle my palfrey, for in haste will I go, After yonder traitors now will I ride, Them for to slo. Now all men hie fast Into Egypt in haste! All that country will I taste Till I may come them to.

_Finis ludi de tailors and shearmen._

This matter newly corrected by Robert Croo, the 14th day of March, finished in the year of our Lord God 1534, then being mayor Master Palmer; also Masters of the said Fellowship, Hugh Corbett, Randal Pinkard, and John Baggeley.

These songs belong to the Tailors' and Shearmen's Pageant. The first and the last the shepherds sing, and the second or middlemost the women sing.

Thomas Mawdycke, die decimo tertio Maii, anno domini millesimo quingentesimo nonagesimo primo. Praetor fuit civitatis Conventriae D. Matthaeus Richardson, tunc consules Johannis Whitehead et Thomas Cravener.

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 child By by, lully, lullay!

O sisters two, How may we do, For to preserve this day This poor youngling, For whom we do sing By by, lully, lullay?

Herod the King, In his raging, Charged he hath this day His men of might, In his own sight All young children to slay,--

That woe is me, Poor child for thee, And ever mourn, and may, For thy parting, Neither say nor sing By 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.

_Everyman._

[From JOHN SKOT's Editions, c. 1525.]

_Everyman._

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 shows How transitory we be all day. This matter is wondrous precious, But the intent of it is more gracious And sweet to bear away. This story saith 'man, in the beginning Look well, and take good heed to the ending, Be you never so gay; Ye think sin in the beginning full sweet, Which in the end causeth thy soul to weep, When the body lieth in clay.' Here shall you see how fellowship and jollity, Both strength, pleasure, and beauty, Will fade from thee as flower in May; For ye shall hear how our heaven king Calleth every man to a general reckoning: Give audience, and hear what he will say.

GOD SPEAKETH.

GOD. I perceive here in my majesty How that all creatures be to me unkind, Living without dread in worldly prosperity. Of ghostly sight the people be so blind, 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 forbear The worse they are from year to year. All that liveth appaireth fast, Therefore I will in all the haste Have a reckoning of every man's person, For, and I leave the people thus alone In their life and wicked tempests, Verily they will become much worse than beasts, For now one would by envy another up eat; Charity they all do clean forget. I hoped well that every man In my glory should make his mansion, And thereto I had them all elect, But now I see 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 riches That 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 Everyman And show him, in my name, A pilgrimage he must on him take, Which he in no wise may escape; And that he bring with him a sure reckoning, Without delay or any tarrying.

DEATH. Lord, I will in the world go run over all, And 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 endure Before the Lord, heaven king. Everyman, stand still! whither art thou going Thus 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 shew Thy 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 commandement That 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 clear That 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 hardy That would go with thee, and bear thee company. Hie thee that thou were gone to God's Magnificence Thy 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 gone Another a while shall have it, and then go therefrom Even 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 me With 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 day That no man living may scape away.

EVERYMAN. Alas! I may well weep with sighes deep! Now have I no manner of company To 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!

FELLOWSHIP _speaketh_.

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 hell I 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 company As 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-day I 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 apply Than 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 me To bring me forward, for saint charity, And comfort me till I come without the town.

FELLOW. Nay, and thou would give me a new gown I 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 unkind Now 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 intent In any wise, and do not spare.

COUSIN. Yea, Everyman, and us to declare If 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 used In 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 merry If that you forsake me.