The Messenger begins by explaining the message of the play: that mortal life is transitory and that sin, which initially seems sweet, eventually causes only suffering. Fellowship, Jollity, Strength, Pleasure, and Beauty cannot survive Death. God then appears and laments that mankind, beguiled by sin and loving only wealth, neglects his worship and the sacrifice he made for them. He decides to have a “reckoning” to call people to account for the way they have been living and orders Death to summon Everyman to him for judgment.

Death comes to Everyman and demands a reckoning from him. Everyman first tries to bribe Death to allow him to live, but Death cares nothing for money. Then Everyman asks Death for more time to prepare himself, a request which Death also refuses. However, Death says that he will permit Everyman to bring a companion, if he can find anyone willing to come on his final journey with him.

Everyman seeks out his friend Fellowship, who initially says that he will do whatever it takes to help him. However, when Everyman reveals the nature of his journey, which will doom Fellowship to Death along with him, Fellowship declines to join him. Everyman concludes that friendship is not strong enough to help him in this extreme situation and that he must put his faith in the closer bonds of family. He therefore asks Kindred and Cousin to come with him on his journey, but they also refuse.

Everyman reflects that, since he has always cared for wealth and possessions, he should seek help from Goods, who claims to be able to assist him in any adversity. However, when he discovers Everyman’s situation, Goods tells him that if he were to try to accompany Everyman, he would only make matters worse. He reveals that it is Everyman’s excessive love for Goods that has been leading him away from God. Everyman thought that he was the owner of Goods, whereas in fact, it is Goods who has stolen Everyman’s soul. Even knowing all this, Everyman persists in asking Goods to come with him, but Goods abruptly refuses and departs.

Everyman bemoans his fate and wonders whom he can trust. He seeks out Good-Deeds but finds that she is too weak even to stand, let alone go on a journey with him. Good-Deeds tells Everyman that she has grown too feeble to walk because of his neglect. However, her sister, Knowledge, will be able to accompany him. Everyman gives thanks to God and starts off on his journey with Knowledge, who leads him to a holy man called Confession. Everyman kneels before Confession and asks him to absolve his sins so that he can present his reckoning to God.

Confession gives Everyman a jewel called penance and a scourge, or whip, with which to mortify his body. He tells Everyman that repentance will be a painful process but that he must remember the pain Christ suffered to bring about his redemption. Everyman prays for forgiveness and scourges himself. This repentance heals Good-Deeds, who comes to Everyman and informs him that she is now strong enough to accompany him. Knowledge tells Everyman to rejoice and gives him a “garment of sorrow” with which to show his contrition before God.

Good-Deeds says that before Everyman continues on his journey, he must have Discretion, Strength, and Beauty to help him. Knowledge adds that he will also need the advice of Five-Wits. Everyman calls them all together, and they agree to join him. He then goes to receive the holy sacrament and unction from a priest, whereupon Five-Wits makes a speech...