EVERYMAN
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Rhys, Ernest
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 same wise As I have done thee, and all to his soul's reprief.
Everyman. O false Good, cursed thou be! Thou traitor to God, that hast deceived me, And 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 long my heartly love; I gave thee that which should be the Lord's above. But wilt thou not go with me in deed? I pray thee truth to say.
Goods. No, so God me speed, Therefore farewell, and have good day.
Everyman. O, to whom shall I make my moan For to go with me in that heavy journey? First Fellowship said he would with me gone; His words 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 words 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 tell That he bringeth many into 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 speed Till that I go to my Good-Deed, But alas, she is so weak, That 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 hath me sore bound, That I cannot stir.
Everyman. O, Good-Deeds, I stand in fear; I must you pray of counsel, For help now should come right well.
Goods-Deeds.Everyman, I have understanding That ye be summoned account to make Before Messias, of Jerusalem King; And you do by me14 that journey what15 you will I take.
Everyman. Therefore I come to you, my moan to make; I pray you, that ye will 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 now full ready had be. Look, the books of your works and deeds eke; Oh, see how they lie under the feet, To your soul's heaviness.
Everyman. Our Lord Jesus, help me! For one letter here I can 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 reckoning Before 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 every thing, And am wholly content with this good thing; Thanked be God my Creator.
Good-Deeds. And when he hath brought thee there, Where thou shalt heal thee of thy smart, Then go you with your reckoning and your Good-Deeds together For to make you joyful at heart Before the blessed Trinity.
Everyman. My Good-Deeds, gramercy; I am well content, certainly, With your words sweet.
Knowledge. Now go we together lovingly, To Confession, that cleansing river.
Everyman. For joy I weep; I would we were there; But, I pray you, give me cognition Where dwelleth that holy man, 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.