"Everyman," With Other Interludes, Including Eight Miracle Plays Part 33

Like as I redeemed thee dearly, Strengthen also thy brethren In full belief.

_John._ O Lord, I am glad That thou wouldst come with us. .h.i.ther, for our joy; That I will say likewise, We are, through great longing, After thee pining.

_Jesus._ From you I go to my country; At the right side of G.o.d the Father, I shall sit.

To strengthen you in belief, To you the comfort of the Holy Ghost I shall send.

_James the Greater._ Lord, it is wonderful; When thou comest, Jesus powerful, To look at us, And to speak peace to us, Though they were fast, thou didst open Our doors.

[_Here Jesus goes away from the apostles._

He is the Lord of power, And he has purchased with his blood The people of the world; That Jesus Christ is risen again,-- A day is coming that shall tell All them that do believe it not!

THE WAKEFIELD PAGEANT OF THE HARROWING OF h.e.l.l

OR

EXTRACTION OF SOULS FROM h.e.l.l

CHARACTERS

Jesus Adam Eve Simeon John the Baptist Moses Esaias David Ribald Beelzebub Sathanas

THE HARROWING OF h.e.l.l

EXTRACTIO ANIMARUM

AB INFERNO

[_The Extraction of Souls from h.e.l.l._]

_Jesus._ My fader[414] me from blys has send Till's erthe for mankynde sake, Adam mys[415] for to amend, My deth nede must I take:

I dwellyd ther thyrty yeres and two, And som dele more, the sothe to say,[416]

In anger, pyne, and mekylle wo, I dyde on cros this day.

Therefor tille h.e.l.le now wille I go, To chalange[417] that is myne, Adam, Eve, and othere mo, Thay shalle no longer dwelle in pyne;

The feynde[418] theym wan withe trayn,[419]

Thrughe fraude of earthly fode,[420]

I have theym boght agan With shedyng of my blode.

And now I wille that stede[421] restore, Whiche the feynde felle from for syn, Som tokyn wille I send before, Withe myrthe to gar[422] thare gammes begyn.

A light I wille thay have, To know I wille com sone; My body shalle abyde in grave Tille alle this dede be done.

_Adam._ My brether, herkyn unto me here, More hope of helth never we had, Four thousand and six hundred yere Have we bene in darknes stad;[423]

Now se I tokyns of solace sere,[424]

A gloryous gleme to make us glad, Wherthrughe I hope that help is nere, That sone shalle slake[425] oure sorrowes sad.

_Eve._ Adam, my husband heynd,[426]

This menys solace certan, Siche lighte can on us leynd[427]

In paradyse fulle playn.

_Isaias._ Adam, thrugh thi syn Here were we put to dwelle, This wykyd place within, The name of it is h.e.l.le;

Here paynes shalle never blyn[428]

That wykyd ar and felle, Love, that lord, withe wyn His lyfe for us wold selle.

[_Et cantent omnes "Salvator mundi" primum versum._[429]

Adam, thou welle understand, I am Isaias, so Crist me kende,[430]

I spake of folk in darknes walkand,[431]

I saide a light shuld on them lende;

This light is alle from Crist commande, That he tille us has hethir sende, Thus is my poynt proved in hand, As I before to fold[432] it kende.

_Simeon._ So may I telle of farlys feylle,[433]

For in the tempylle his freyndes me fande, Me thoght dayntethe[434] with hym to deylle, I halsyd[435] hym homely with my hand,

I saide, Lord, let thi servandes leylle[436]

Pas in pea.s.se to lyf lastande,[437]

Now that myn eeyn has sene thyn hele[438]

No longer lyst[439] I lyf in lande.

This light thou has purvayde For theym that lyf in lede,[440]

That I before of the have saide I se it is fulfillyd in dede.

_Johannes Baptista._ As a voice cryand I kend[441]

The wayes of Crist, as I welle can, I baptisid hym with bothe myn hende In the water of flume[442] Jordan;

The Holy Gost from heven discende As a white dowfe downe on me than, The Fader voyce, oure myrthes to amende, Was made to me lyke as a man;[443]

"Yond is my son," he saide, "And whiche plea.s.ses me fulle welle,"

His light is on us layde, And commys oure karys to kele.[444]

_Moyses._ Now this same nyght lernyng have I, To me, Moyses, he shewid his myght, And also to another one, Hely,[445]

Where we stud on a hille on hyght,