"Everyman," with other interludes, including eight miracle plays. Various
I wot well I say so truly; And yet if thou wilt eat, and drink, and make good cheer, Or haunt to women, the 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 will sooner apply Than to bear me company in my long journey.
Fellowship. Now, 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. O 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.
Fellowship. 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.
Fellowship. Nay, and thou would give me a new gown, I will not a foot with thee go; But and you had tarried I would not have 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? will you forsake me?
Fellowship. Yea, by my fay, to God I betake thee.
Everyman. Farewell, good Fellowship; for this my heart is sore; Adieu for ever, I shall see thee no more.
Fellowship. In faith, Everyman, farewell now at the end; For you I will remember that parting is mourning.
Everyman. Alack! shall we thus depart indeed? Our Lady, help, without any more comfort, Lo, Fellowship forsaketh me in my most need: For help in this world whither shall I resort? Fellowship herebefore 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 kinsmen 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 kinsmen?
Kindred. Here be we now at your commandment. Cousin, I pray you show us your intent In any wise, and not spare.
Cousin. Yea, Everyman, and to us declare If ye be disposed to go any whither, For wete you 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 an high king's chief officer; He bade me go a pilgrimage to my pain, And I know well I shall never come again; Also I must give a reckoning straight, 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 days 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 bore!12 For now shall I never be merry If 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 I will and I may! Therefore farewell until another day.
Everyman. How should I be merry or glad? For fair promises to me 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 mine own an unready reckoning I 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 feign; They promise and nothing will do certain. My kinsmen promised me faithfully For 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, He 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 haste thou hast! I lie here in corners, trussed and piled so high, And in chests I am locked so 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, That can I help you to remedy shortly.
Everyman. It is another disease that grieveth me; In this world it is not, I tell thee so. I am sent for another way to go, To give a straight account general Before 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 mayst 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 shouldst 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 ye sure.
Everyman. Alas, I have thee loved, and had great pleasure All my life-days on good and treasure.
Goods. That is to thy damnation without lesing, For my love is contrary to the love everlasting. But if thou had me loved moderately during, As, to the poor give part of me, Then shouldst thou not in this dolour be, Nor in this great sorrow and care.
Everyman. Lo, now was I deceived or I was ware, And all I may wyte13 my spending of time.
Goods. What, weenest thou that I am thine?
Everyman. I had wend so.
Goods. Nay, Everyman, I say no; As for a while I was lent thee, A season thou hast had me in prosperity; My condition is man's soul to kill; If I save one, a thousand I do spill; Weenest thou that I will follow thee? Nay, from this world, not verily.
Everyman. I had wend otherwise.
Goods. Therefore to thy soul Good is a thief; For when thou art dead, this is my guise Another to deceive in the