Everyman | Everyman - Page 5
- Everyman.
-
In good condition I am now in every thing,
And am wholly content with this good thing,(525)
Thanks be to God, my creator!
- Good Deeds.
-
And when he hath brought thee there,
Where thou shalt heal thee of thy smart,
Then go with thy reckoning and thy good deeds together,
For to make thee joyful at heart(530)
Before the Holy Trinity.
- Everyman.
-
My Good Deeds, gramercy!
I am well content, certainly,
With your words sweet.
- Knowledge.
-
Now go we together lovingly(535)
To Confession, that cleansing river fair.
- 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.(540)
We shall find him in that place,
That shall us comfort by God’s grace.
[Confession enters.
Lo, this is Confession. Kneel down, and ask mercy,
For he is in good favor with God Almighty.
- Everyman.
-
O glorious fountain that all uncleanness doth clarify,(545)
Wash from me the spots of vice unclean,
That on me no sin be seen!
I come with Knowledge for my redemption,
Redeemed with heartfelt and full contrition,
For I am commanded a pilgrimage to take,(550)
And great accounts before God to make.
Now I pray you, Shrift, Mother of Salvation,
Help my good deeds because of my piteous exclamation!
- Confession.
-
I know your sorrow well, Everyman,
Because with Knowledge ye come to me.(555)
I will you comfort as well as I can,
And a precious stone will I give thee,
Called penance, voice-voider of adversity.
Therewith shall your body chastened be
Through abstinence and perseverance in God’s service.(560)
Here shall you receive that scourge of me
That is penance stronge, that ye must endure,
To remember thy Saviour was scourged for thee
With sharp scourges, and suffered it patiently—
So must thou ere thou escape from that painful pilgrimage.(565)
Knowledge, do thou sustain him on this voyage,
And by that time Good Deeds will be with thee.
But in any case be sure of mercy,
For your time draweth on fast, if ye will saved be.
Ask God mercy, and he will grant it truly.(570)
When with the scourge of penance man doth him bind,
The oil of forgiveness then shall he find.
[Confession goes.
- Everyman.
-
Thanked be God for his gracious work,
For now will I my penance begin.
This hath rejoiced and lightened my heart,(575)
Though the knots be painful and hard within.
- Knowledge.
-
Everyman, see that ye your penance fulfil,
Whatever the pains ye abide full dear,
And Knowledge shall give you counsel at will,
How your account ye shall make full clear.(580)
- Everyman.
-
O eternal God, O heavenly being,
O way of righteousness, O goodly vision,
Which descended down into a virgin pure
Because he would for every man redeem
That which Adam forfeited by his disobedience—(585)
O blessed God, elect and exalted in thy divinity,
Forgive thou my grievous offence!
Here I cry thee mercy in this presence.
O spiritual treasure, O ransomer and redeemer,
Of all the world the hope and the governor,(590)
Mirror of joy, founder of mercy,
Who illumineth heaven and earth thereby,
Hear my clamorous complaint, though late it be,
Receive my prayers, unworthy in this heavy life!
Though I be a sinner most abominable,(595)
Yet let my name be written in Moses’ table.
O Mary, pray to the Maker of everything
To vouchsafe me help at my ending,
And save me from the power of my enemy,
For Death assaileth me strongly!—(600)
And, Lady, that I may, by means of thy prayer,
In your Son’s glory as partner share,
Through the mediation of his passion I it crave.
I beseech you, help my soul to save!
Knowledge, give me the scourge of penance;(605)
My flesh therewith shall give acquittance.
I will now begin, if God give me grace.
- Knowledge.
-
Everyman, God give you time and space!
Thus I bequeath you into the hands of our Saviour,
Now may you make your reckoning sure.(610)
- Everyman.
-
In the name of the Holy Trinity,
My body sorely punished shall be.
Take this, body, for the sin of the flesh.
As thou delightest to go gay and fresh,
And in the way of damnation thou didst me bring,(615)
Therefore suffer now the strokes of punishing.
Now of penance to wade the water clear I desire,
To save me from purgatory, that sharp fire.
- Good Deeds.
-
I thank God now I can walk and go,
And am delivered of my sickness and woe!(620)
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 cometh now, ye may not be sad.
Now is your Good Deeds whole and sound,(625)
Going upright upon the ground.
[Good Deeds rises and walks to them.
- 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!(630)
For thee is prepared the eternal glory.
Now thou hast made me whole and sound this tide,
In every hour I will by thee abide.
- Everyman.
-
Welcome, my Good Deeds! Now I hear thy voice,
I weep for sweetness of love.(635)
- Knowledge.
-
Be no more sad, but ever rejoice!
God seeth thy manner of life on his throne above.
Put on this garment to thy behoof,
Which wet with the tears of your weeping is,
Or else in God’s presence you may it miss,(640)
When ye to your journey’s end come shall.
- Everyman.
-
Gentle Knowledge, what do you it call?
- Knowledge.
-
A garment of sorrow it is by name,
From pain it will you reclaim.
Contrition it is,(645)
That getteth forgiveness,
Passing well it doth God please.
- Good Deeds.
-
Everyman, will you wear it for your soul’s ease?
[Everyman puts on the robe of contrition.
- Everyman.
-
Now blessed be Jesu, Mary’s son,
For now have I on true contrition!(650)
And let us go now without tarrying.
Good Deeds, have we all clear our reckoning?
- Good Deeds.
-
Yea, indeed, I have them here.
- Everyman.
-
Then I trust we need not fear.
Now, friends, let us not part in twain!(655)
- Knowledge.
-
Nay, Everyman, that will we not, for certain.
- Good Deeds.
-
Yet must thou lead with thee
Three persons of great might.
- Everyman.
-
Who should they be?
- Good Deeds.
-
Discretion and Strength they hight.(660)
And thy Beauty may not abide behind.
- Knowledge.
-
Also ye must call to mind
Your Five Wits as your counsellors beside.
- Good Deeds.
-
You must have them ready at every tide.
- Everyman.
-
How shall I get them hither?(665)
- Knowledge.
-
You must call them all together,
And they will hear you immediately.
- Everyman.
-
My friends, come hither and present be,
Discretion, Strength, my Five Wits, and Beauty.
[They enter.
- Beauty.
-
Here at your will be we all ready.(670)
What will ye that we should do?
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
See Also:
- - For teachers, the Everyman Lesson Plan.
- - Everyman summary and study guide in the eNotes.
Tell a friend about Everyman at eNotes.
