Mankind, Wisdom, and The Castle of Perseverance

The Macro Plays are the three morality plays bound together in the manuscript
once owned by the Rev. Cox Macro, and now known by his name. They are the
foundation texts of English dramatic morality — allegorical plays in which
personified vices and virtues contend over a human soul — and this 1904
edition by Alfred W. Pollard and F. J. Furnivall, prepared for the Early
English Text Society, was the first to print all three together.

"Mankind" (about 1475) is the latest and earthiest of the three: a broad,
often bawdy comedy in which the tempters New-Guise, Now-a-days, and Nought
harry the farmer Mankind away from his spade and his prayers, until the devil
Titivillus — who cannot be seen by the audience, only heard — finally
undermines him. "Wisdom" (about 1460), also called "Mind, Will, and
Understanding," is a more courtly and liturgical piece in which Lucifer
corrupts the Soul's three mental powers, dressing them in the costume of
vice before Wisdom restores them. Both plays survive elsewhere only in
fragments or later transcripts; the Macro manuscript is their most complete
witness.

"The Castle of Perseverance" (about 1425) is the oldest complete morality
play in English and, at over 3,600 lines, by far the longest and most
ambitious of the three — a full life-cycle play following Humanum Genus
("Mankind," here in a different sense) from birth to death and judgment,
besieged by the World, the Flesh, and the Devil, and defended by the
Virtues from within a castle at the center of the playing-place. The
manuscript's opening pages carry a plan of that playing-place — a circular
"round," with the Castle at the center and the scaffolds of God, the World,
the Devil, Covetousness, and the Flesh set around its perimeter, and a
ditch or bank for the standing audience — the single most important piece
of physical evidence for how such plays were actually staged. Furnivall
and Pollard printed a facsimile of that manuscript plan as their
frontispiece; the diagram itself is a hand-drawn plate that HathiTrust's
page-OCR could not render as text (see the Colophon), but its existence,
and Pollard's and Edith Rickert's discussion of the surviving earthwork
"rounds" it may describe, are preserved below.

The text here follows Pollard and Furnivall's edition exactly: the plays'
Middle English verse (East Anglian dialect, with the letters þ (thorn) and
ȝ (yogh) restored where HathiTrust's OCR had mangled them), Pollard's
scholarly introduction on the manuscript's history and the plays'
language and staging, and the editors' own notes. It is presented as an
archival transcription recovered from a scanned copy, not a modern
retypesetting — see the Colophon for the full account of what was
mechanically restored, what was stripped as scanner noise, and what could
not be recovered.

Contents

• Introduction, by Alfred W. Pollard
• I. Mankind
• II. A Morality of Wisdom, Who is Christ
• III. The Castle of Perseverance
• Notes
• Additional Notes to the Macro Plays
• Colophon

Introduction

by Alfred W. Pollard

INTRODUCTION.

BY ALFRED W. POLLARD.

§ 1. THE three morality plays here printed by the kindness of their present owner, Mr. J. H. Gurney, of Keswick Hall, near Norwich, once formed part of the collection of the Rev. Cox Macro, whence the name, the Macro Moralities, by which they are usually quoted. According to a useful notice in the Dictionary of National Biography, Cox Macro was born in 1683, and was the son of Thomas Macro, a wealthy grocer of Bury St. Edmunds, who was five times Mayor of that town. Thomas Macro had bought an estate at Little Haugh, Norton, as a country residence, and here his son Cox lived and died, devoting himself to antiquarian pursuits, though he had qualified himself as a physician, and had also taken holy orders. He bought antiquities of many kinds, and in 1766 a catalogue of them was printed. According to the Dictionary of National Biography, "many of his manuscripts had belonged to Sir Henry Spelman, others formed part of the library of Bury Abbey." Cox Macro died in 1767, and fifty-two years later his manuscripts were in the possession of John Patteson, M.P. for Norwich, who unadvisedly sold them (it is said for no more than £150) to a bookseller of that town. The following year they were put up for auction at Christie's, and while forty-one lots were bought by Dawson Turner, the rest, including the Moralities, were bought for £700 by Mr. Hudson Gurney, in whose family they have since remained. About 1882, when Dr. Furnivall was editing the Digby Plays for the New Shakspere Society, he obtained leave for a copy of the Macro Plays to be made by Miss Eleanor Marx (daughter of Karl), and expressed the hope that he might edit it for the Society, "when we have any money to spare." The transcript was subsequently transferred to the Early English Text Society, and in 1890, when I was preparing my English Miracle Plays, Moralities and Interludes for the Clarendon Press, Dr. Furnivall permitted me to read it, and publish extracts from one of the plays, The Castle of Perseverance. In the introduction to my volume of selections I in my turn expressed the hope that I might edit the Macro Plays, and I was very kindly asked by Mr. Gurney to stay with him in order to study the manuscript. Illness in my family interfered with this § 1. Former Prints of Parts of the Manuscript.

arrangement, and then I went off to Chaucer and bibliography till I had my hands full, and the E.E.T.S., which has always (see its prospectuses) copy which will cost £2000 to print ready to be sent to press at short notice, seemed quite content to leave me alone.

In the present summer, however, Dr. Furnivall began to fulfil his promise by editing the text and called on me to fulfil mine by writing this Introduction. Of course, as he always does when he means to have it, he got his own way, but the summons came at a very inconvenient time, and I hope that this may be taken as an excuse for my not having gone more deeply into the local and political allusions, which are worth much more careful research than I have been able to give to them, though it is not by any means certain that the research would be rewarded by substantial discoveries. I should like to add to this history of the present edition that Dr. Furnivall, who, when I get him as a visitor to meetings of the Bibliographical Society, is fond of calling me a Duke (because he envies our finances), has certainly treated me like one, in taking to himself all the hard work of preparing the text for press, and leaving me to come in, as a commentator and critic, with a nice printed text to work upon.

Although the Macro Moralities now make their conjoint appearance in print for the first time, several nibbles have been made previously at their publication. The second of our three plays, that of Wisdom, or Mind, Will and Understanding, exists also, as far as line 754, in a Digby manuscript at the Bodleian Library, and in this form was edited, along with the other Digby Plays, as the first publication of the Abbotsford Club by Thomas Sharp, author of the Dissertation on the Coventry Mysteries, in 1835. Two years later the existence of the rest of the play in the Macro manuscript became known, and by leave of the owner, this was printed for the club in a separate volume, amply padded out with blank paper to bring it to a respectable thickness.

As already noted, the Digby Plays, and lines 1-754 of this morality among them, were printed by Dr. Furnivall for the New Shakspere Society in 1882, and in 1890 I was allowed to publish several hundred lines from the Castle of Perseverance. The like permission was given to Professor Manly in 1897 to print the entire text of Mankind in his Specimens of the Pre-Shaksperean Drama, and to Dr. Alois Brandl to do the same in his Quellen des weltlichen Dramas in England vor Shakespeare in 1898.1 The original manuscript having been temporarily 1 Dr. Brandl's Quellen also contained the earliest reprint of John Heywood's Play of the Wether, of which in the summer of 1897, when writing the introduction to my section of vol. i. of Representative English Comedies, I truthfully remarked that § 2. The first and latest of the 3 Plays, -'Mankind.

xi 1 mislaid, the text in both these editions was taken from Miss Marx's transcript, and though Dr. Manly's Introduction to his Specimens has been delayed, to the regret of all English scholars, by his late ill-healthnow happily mended-the bread which was thus cast on the waters has been found again in several useful comments and corrections of the text, of which advantage has been taken in the present edition.

§ 2. MANKIND. Of the three plays here printed, that which has been bound up first in the manuscript is undoubtedly the latest. The handling of its subject shows us that in Mankind the morality play is approaching its sixteenth-century degradation, while the Latinisms which abound in the speeches intended to be dignified also make for a late date. By his use in 1. 683 of Edward as an obvious name for a king, the playwright himself suggests to us that he wrote when Edward IV. had been for some time firmly seated on his throne, and 1475, the end of the third quarter of the fifteenth century, seems as good a round date for the composition of the play as we can take. As regards the district in and for which the author wrote there is still more abundant evidence. The dialect is that of the Eastern Counties, and the local references are numerous. Besides an oath by St. Anne (1. 75), whose increasing importance during the fifteenth century was, I think, especially noticeable in the Eastern Counties, we have (1. 621) another by St. Audray, i. e. St. Etheldreda, whose shrine was one of the chief glories of Ely Cathedral, and who in our next play (1. 936) is expressly called 'Sent Audre of Ely.' In 1. 266 we hear of a 'tapster of Bury'; in 1. 445 of 'a Walsyngham wystull'; finally in 11. 498-508 we come on allusions to a number of private persons living in the neighbourhoods of Cambridge and of King's Lynn in Norfolk. The names of the first two places mentioned (11. 498, 499) are read by Dr. Furnivall as Sanston and Hanston, for which he proposes doubtfully Santon on the borders of Suffolk and Norfolk, and either Ampton in Suffolk or Hunston, i. e. Hunstanton, in Norfolk. Dr. Brandl at the suggestion of Dr. W. Stevenson reads 'Sauston' and 'hauston,' and identifies the towns with Sawston and Hauxton, both near Cambridge. If this be right, and we add to them Trumpington (1.500), we begin with three places in the Cambridge district, to which follow Walton (1. 502) and Gayton (1. 503), each about eight miles to the east of King's Lynn and only three or four miles apart. The remaining four "at the time I write, the Play of the Wether has not been reprinted since the sixteenth century." As this remark was not published till 1903 I am glad of an opportunity of explaining in a book likely to reach the same class of readers, that I was not wilfully ignoring the Quellen, which I value all the more from possessing a presentation copy of the book given me by Dr. Brandl.

places are alternated, Fulbourn (1.554) being some five miles E.S.E. of Cambridge; Massingham (1. 506) in Norfolk, some five miles from Gayton, and about twelve from Lynn; Bottisham (Botysam, 1. 507), some seven miles E.N.E. of Cambridge; Swaffham (Soffelham, 1. 508) in Norfolk, about the same distance from Walton, and about fourteen from Lynn. This arrangement of three Cambridge places, two Norfolk, a Cambridge, a Norfolk, a Cambridge, a Norfolk, can hardly be accidental. It has much more the appearance of a deliberate attempt to keep up interest in two different districts by local allusions very equitably distributed. Now in 11. 448-467, before the principal devil Titivillus is suffered to enter, the players tell the spectators roundly that they are going to gather money, "Ellys ther xall no man hym se." They then call on the audience in a truly delightful phrase: "Gyf ws rede royallys, yf ye wyll se hys abhomynabull presens," though another speaker, mindful that not every one would carry red royals about him, thoughtfully makes a correction to admit of minor offerings of groats, pennies and twopences, by calling out "Not so! ye that mow not pay the ton, pay the tother." The collection, thus freely spoken of as a payment, is to begin at "the goode man of this house," and it is thus clear that we are dealing with a company of players giving their performance very definitely for gain, in or before a house. The two sets of places to which the players allude forbid us to localize the play either at the town of Cambridge or at that of King's Lynn, for a town audience would have taken no interest in these references to village worthies. We must therefore regard the players as strollers, touring in two neighbouring districts, and almost certainly acting in the courtyards of inns, since in 1. 725, when New-Guise wants a football, he calls to an ostler to lend him one.

The fact that the play was written for such a company as this, acting not for the honour of the guild to which they belonged, nor for the pleasure and instruction of their own townsfolk, but with the object of gaining money from the less educated audiences of country districts gathered in inn-yards, sufficiently accounts for the low tone which runs through it.

In taking a general glance at the play the first thing we may note is that the forces of morality and immorality are very unevenly distributed. On the one side is Mercy single-handed, on the other Mischief with three subordinate combatants, Nought, New-Guise and Now-a-days. In the middle of the play Mischief yields the command of the forces of disorder to the devil of abominable presence already mentioned, Titivillus. Before Mischief leaves the stage to make room for him, the voice of Titivillus is heard outside, and only eighteen lines of verse intervene before his arrival. As, however, the collection was taking place during these, and there would probably be some exchange of chaff between the actors and audience, it is possible that Mischief had time to make a quick change, and that the chief actor doubled this part with that of Titivillus. In any case not more than seven players would be needed, and as there is no mention of any properties beyond a net for Titivillus, it is obvious that the strollers could arrive at a village with their stage-dresses in their wallets, and give their performance wherever they saw chance of profit. We must picture them to ourselves, however, not as sauntering to their destinations along green lanes, but rather as trudging through mire and snow, for several allusions point to the play having been written for performance at Christmas, or at least in the winter. Thus in 1. 54 Mischief says that he has hired himself as a 'Winter corn-thresher,' and in 1. 325. Now-a-days tells the audience "We wyll cum gyf yow a Crystemes songe." Just before this (1. 316) New-Guise has remarked, "The wether ys colde: Gode sende ws goode ferys," while in 1. 725 he calls for a football. Moreover, at 1. 539 Mankind, when he is digging his land, announces, "I xall sow my corn at wyntur, & lett Gode werk"; and although from the preceding lines (he has been badly hampered by the plank which Titivillus has put in the way of his spade) this might mean, "I will put off sowing my corn until the winter," the fact that he immediately looks round for his seed, shows that this also is a reference to winter as the time of action.

The play begins with a speech by Mercy on the necessity of good works. The penultimate line, "The corn xall be sauyde, the chaff xall be brent," gives a cue to Mischief, who despite the chilly remark of Mercy, "Why come ye hethyr, brother? ye were not dysyryde," proceeds to demonstrate by the verse, "Corn seruit bredibus, chaffe horsibus, straw fyrybusque," that to burn chaff was to put it to a wrong use. Mercy can only reply with the charming couplet: "A-voyde, goode brother! ye ben culpable To interrupte thus my talkynge delectable," but Mischief refuses to go ("I am cumme hedyr to make yow game is his plea), and it is possible that a gap which here occurs in the text may have been caused by some earlier copyist finding Mischief's conversation a little too unedifying. When we reach the other side of the gap we find that minstrels are playing, and that Nought, New-Guise and Now-a-days have entered, and are trying to make Mercy dance. Apparently (from 1. 111) Mercy in a lost speech had attributed some of the evils of the times to new-fangled " follies and fashions, and the young devils¹ pretend that they have come on his invitation. He disclaims knowledge of them, and when they ask his name, having given their own, he answers loftily: "Mercy ys my name and my denomynacyon.

I conseyve ye haue but a little faus in my communycacyon." On this New-Guise comments justly but irreverently, "Ey, ey! yower body ys full of Englysch Laten," and proceeds to propound a ribald sentence, and bid Mercy "opyn yowur sachell with Laten wordis," and translate it in "clerycall manere." Mercy at last gets rid of his three "onthryfty gestis," and consoles himself with a short soliloquy, ending with the advice to the audience to take what is good in new fashions and leave the bad.

All that has taken place up to this point may be regarded as a kind of Prologue showing the rival forces, with one or other of which the hero will have to ally himself. Mankind now enters, and in the wonders of his 'Englysch Laten' leaves Mercy altogether in the shade.3 Nevertheless, in his sorrow to find his soul "assocyat with my flesch, that stynkyng dunge-hyll," he goes to Mercy for ghostly solace. This Mercy imparts, and (since the author now concentrates all his Latinisms on Mankind) in plainer English than he has yet used. The last stanza of his speech is quite in the vulgar tongue : "Yf a man haue an hors, and kepe hym not to hye, He may then reull hym at hys own dysyere : Yf he be fede ouer well, he wyll dysobey, And in happe cast his master in the myre."

Unluckily this homely simile attracts New-Guise and his fellows, who come in to make fun of it. But they only stay a minute, and Mercy has time to finish his warnings, which end rather prettily with the lines: "Yf ye disples Gode, aske Mercy a-non, Ellys Myscheff wyll be redy to brace yow in hys brydyll.

Kysse me now, my dere darlynge! Gode schelde yow from yower fon! Do truly yowur labure, and be nevere ydyll!

The blyssynge of Gode be with yow & with all thes worschypfull men." Left to himself, Mankind indulges in some more Latinisms ('sacyatt,' 1 When Mankind has won his notable victory with his spade, Mischief consoles them for their injuries by calling them 'fayer babys' and 'sely darlynge,' and the promise 'ye xall haue a nappyll to-morow. I am rather afraid that their far from edifying parts were played by boys.

2 i. e. fors: 'have but little force in,' attach small importance to. 3 The rime-words in his first stanza are: propagation, congregation, condition, provision; derivate, predestinate, participate, perversionate. § 2. 'Mankind': its superior Devil, Titivillus.

XV 'mellyfluouse' and 'superatt' are in the first four lines), and then betakes him to digging, though apparently, since he remarks 'To eschew ydullnes, I do yt myn own selffe,' with a distinct sense of condescension. Of course the devils are now down on him, singing what they call a 'Crystemes songe' for which they ought to have been rolled in a midden, and chaffing him unmercifully, till he puts them to flight by vigorous blows of his spade. 'I xall convycte them, I hope, everychon,' is his triumphant comment; and in the fulness of his heart he vows to 'lyue euer with labure, to correct my insolence.' Meanwhile he has to fetch some seed-corn, so he goes out, promising the spectators 'ryght sone I xall reverte.'

While Mankind is gone to fetch his seed, there is a little pause in the action, during which Mischief consoles his sweet babes for the blows they have received, and a collection is made among the spectators, the entrance of the superior devil Titivillus being made dependent on a satisfactory 'gathering.' As soon as he comes in, Titivillus asks New-Guise to lend him a penny. But the smaller devils all profess that their purses are empty and they are sent off on a foray, with advice as to some inhabitants of the Cambridgeshire and Norfolk villages already mentioned, as persons either to be sought out or avoided. Having dismissed his young friends with a left-handed blessing, Titivillus, in pursuance of his desire that the goode man Merey' shall no longer be Mankind's guide, hides a board in the ground to prevent the condescending digger from getting his spade in. While Mankind is struggling complainingly with this obstacle, the seed-corn is stolen, either by Titivillus or by some confederate boy in the audience (imagine that boy's delight!), and Mankind throws down his spade, and bidding farewell to labour, thinks he will hear his evensong (1. 544) by saying a Paternoster. Titivillus, however, who is supposed to be invisible, whispers to him 'A schorte preyere thyrlyth hewyn,' no doubt spoiling this fine phrase by a diabolical emphasis on the word 'schorte.' He adds force to this argument by a more physical suggestion, and Mankind explains to the audience that he 'wyll go do that nedis must be done' in the yard.1 What alternative was open to him is not indicated, but Titivillus triumphs greatly, and plainly considers that if Mankind could only be killed at this moment his soul would be lost. When Mankind returns, the time for evensong is over, and out of patience with both labour and prayer, 1 Dr. Furnivall prints 'in thi[s] 3erde, but I think that the right reading is 'the,' although part of the last letter is not inked. The reference must be to the stable-yard of the inn, to reach which Mankind leaves the courtyard. he goes to sleep. As he sleeps, Titivillus instils into him the belief that Mercy has been hanged, and that his only course is to make friends with New-Guise, Now-a-days and Nought. The smaller devils now return from adventures in which New-Guise has only been saved from hanging by the rope breaking, and are joined by Mischief.1 Mankind asks forgiveness for his performances with his spade, and Mischief decrees that he must make his submission in form of law. Proclamation is made to "all maner of men and comun women" and a manorial court is opened. The young devils, however, prefer to make their profit off Mankind by persuading him to give them his gown to be cut down into a fashionable short jacket, leaving them the superfluous cloth as a perquisite. Much to our loss, therefore, the parody of the proceedings in a manor-court is not carried further. Mankind and the young devils are now excellent friends, and after telling him that henceforth he must "forber masse and matens, owres and pryme" (Protestant controversialists, please mark that the obligation on holy days was not merely to hear mass), they are running off with him to play football (by courtesy of the ostler) when in comes Mercy, and bids Mankind "fle that felyschyppe." Fully hardened in his bad courses, the wretched Mankind puts off his monitor until another time, "to-morne or the next day," and goes off to play football on the obviously trumped-up excuse that it is his father's birthday (1. 721)!

Left on the stage by himself, Mercy has nothing to do but soliloquize, and the treacherous playwright treats him far from fairly. His grief, he is made to say, is so great that, "Without rude behauer I kannot expresse this inconvenyens; Wepynge, sythynge & sobbinge were my suffycyens; All naturall nutriment, to me, as caren, ys odybull; My inwarde afflixcyon 3eldyth me tedyouse unto yowur presens; I kan not bere yt ewynly, that mankynde ys so flexibull."

So mourns Mercy for some forty lines, on purpose to provoke the comment of Mischief "ye are all to-gloryede in yowur termys." Nevertheless the determination of Mercy to seek out Mankind fills the devils with alarm, and they resolve to work on Mankind's sense of shame to make him hang himself. They almost succeed, but Mercy attacks them with a scourge, and they flee, leaving Mankind alone with Mercy. With many terribly long words on both sides Mankind is persuaded that he has not sinned beyond the possibility of pardon, and with a final 1 There are over thirty lines between his appearance and the exit of Titivillus, so the player, if the same, would have had time to change.

§ 2. 'Mankind': estimate of the Play.

xvii address by Mercy to the "wyrschepfull sofereyns" in the audience the play comes to an end.

If it had not been for Dr. Furnivall's express orders I should have thought his side-notes a sufficient clue to the outlines of this play of Mankind, and have forborne to waste paper and print over an analysis. My obedience has been well repaid as far as my personal understanding of the play is concerned, for whether my estimate of it is right or wrong it is certainly definite. Judged by the original standard of the morality play, it is about as degraded a composition as can well be conceived, and is interesting precisely because it shows the theory, that moral teaching should be made pleasurable by giving it the form of a play, carried out to its inevitable end in caricature. For that this playwright, in his determination to please the inn-yard audience in return for their groats and pence, deliberately made fun of Mercy, there can be no doubt whatever. Medieval simplicity could go to great lengths of what seems to us hardy irreverence. When the angels have sung their "Glory to God in the Highest," the shepherds imitate them with cracked voices, and no doubt the spectators laughed and were meant to laugh. The tension was broken as the playwright wished it to be, but the Gloria sung above the stage by the best voices that could be found remained unsullied. More striking still, when God is heard reproving Cain, Cain answers back with "Who is that hob-ouer-the wall?" and declares hardily "God is out of hys wit" (Towneley Plays, II, 300). Cain out of his own nature ridicules God, but the words assigned to God are not themselves ridiculous, and the spectators, though they may have laughed at the moment, knew, if so, that they were laughing on the wrong side. But in this play of Mankind the author deliberately gets fun out of Mercy, and of his hero also when his hero is in a moral mood, by making them talk an English Latin, which few of the audience could have understood, and then turns Mercy into ridicule for doing it. He takes the whole of the moralizing in the play as mere common form; and as people who moralize are apt to use long words, makes them use the longest he can find, so that the audience may have something to laugh at, even when the devils are off the stage. This, of course, was a breach of covenant, but it was the inevitable result of obliging playwrights and actors to preach, when their only desire was beginning to be to amuse. Heywood's Johan Johan, with its frank appreciation of the humours of cuckoldry, is a much more edifying performance than this moral play of Mankind, and the fact may be commended to those who think that English playwrights could ever have developed comedy and tragedy out of the medieval Y MACRO PLAYS b religious and moral drama without the aid of French, Latin and Italian new models to help them.

While I am leaving the philological commentary on these plays to be written by Dr. Furnivall, I may note from the very old-fashioned side from which I am interested in the history of words that the Latinisms in the speeches of Mercy and Mankind (in his moral moments) offer a rich harvest to the historical dictionaries. Any one who consults the Oxford Dictionary will see how speedily its editors fastened on Dr. Brandi's text published in 1898, and in the volumes of the Dictionary issued before that year we can bring back the dates of the first occurrence of some words by over a century and a half. Thus annexion (1. 850) is not registered in the Oxford Dictionary until 1610, apprehensible (1. 735) till *1635, approximate (1. 216) till 1646, convict (1. 398) in the sense of 'vanquish' till 1595, expeditious (1. 853) till 1610. Allectuous (1.754), dalyacyon (1. 46), interleccyon (1.442) and intermyse (1.290) are not in the Dictionary at all, I hope for what would be the best of all reasons, that no one save the author of this play ever used them. Others of our author's long words had already been introduced by Wyclif; in others he just anticipates Fabyan. There is of course no reason to suppose that Fabyan had read Mankind, or that the author of Mankind had read Wyclif, much less that the use of annexion, apprehensible, approximate, etc., in the seventeenth century was in any way influenced by this play. As long as Latin was the learned language of all Europe, any vernacular which had any capacity for admitting¹ Latinisms had to suffer from these intrusions, which tried their luck again and again whenever they came readily to the pen of any author who could not think of an English word to express what he meant. On the whole, English has not done badly with them. It is only the poetry written between 1450 and 1550 with which they have played havoc, and the experiment as to whether they were or were not fitted to lend dignity to verse no doubt had to be tried. The sin of our author lay in the fact that he saw how unsuited they were to verse intended to appeal to simple folk, and amused himself by crowding them into his lines, and then making fun of them. One side issue of the Latinizing extravagances in Mankind may be worth another paragraph. Our playwright was a miserably poor poet, as is attested by the badness of his rimes. Some deduction must be made for dialect influence, which may have helped him in riming e and i or y, 1 I am sorry to see, too late to change it, that in 1. 751 our text has followed a usually safe guide in printing the quite correct fifteenth-century form of this word, amytt, as a[d]mytt.

§ 3. 'Wisdom,' or 'Mind, Will and Understanding.'

xix ey and y, o and a. But his ear was clearly often satisfied with the rawest assonances, as in speke and slepe (st. 14), hony and body, man and terram (st. 34), tyme and wyn (st. 36), faytour, master, playster (st. 39), anon and hom (st. 42), mell, delffe, selffe (st. 54), wepyn, i. e. weapon, beten, and wepyn, to weep (st. 65), tyme, dyne, prime (st. 102), aspen leffe and deth (st. 105). On the other hand his verses have less of the painful jog-trot of this period than those of many better poets, and some of his lines are, rather good as prose, and anticipate the prose rhythms of the time when the place of the Latin element in English had been successfully settled. Thus in 1. 110 the sarcasm of Mercy, 'He was well occupyede that browte yow, brethern,' is very neatly phrased; 1. 180, 'Take that ys to be takyn, & leue that ys to be refusyde,' is excellently direct; 1. 815, 'Euer to offend & euer to aske mercy, that ys a puerilite,' has a nice balance, and even 1. 830, 'Good Mercy, excuse the ineuytabyll obieccion of my gostly enemy,' though it is bad enough, is amusingly modern.

§ 3. MIND, WILL AND UNDERSTANDING. The play of Mind, Will and Understanding, or, as Dr. Furnivall entitles it, A morality of Wisdom who is Christ, stands midway (working backwards) between Mankind and the Castle of Perseverance. It is probably a little older than Mankind, and much nearer to the original idea of a morality; certainly later and less primitive than the Castle of Perseverance. References to place¹ and datel are neither abundant nor precise. An allusion to 'sent Audre of Ely' reinforces the evidence of the dialect and the possession of the manuscript by the same monk Hyngston who owned that of Mankind, and there can be no doubt that the play belongs to the Eastern Counties. Maintenance Ace p. 18/ was so great an evil until put down by Henry VII., in the third year of his reign, that it would be difficult to pick out one decade rather than another to which the complaints of it would be specially appropriate, though as the royal authority was at its weakest from 1454 to 1464, it is probable that maintenance would then have been at its worst. Whether we can consider that the phrase Madam Regent in 1. 710 was in any way suggested by the desire of Margaret of Anjou to obtain the regency during her husband's illnesses is difficult to say. I should like to point out, however, that in several respects, and more especially in the unusual fulness and descriptiveness of its English stage directions, the play bears a 1 Those to London legal quarters are, I take it, only such as would occur to suitors from the country.

2 In case the Shakespeare Society's edition of the Coventry Mysteries may not be easily accessible to any reader, I quote two or three of its English stage directions. They are found chiefly in Plays 25-32 (The Council of the Jews to the Crucifixion), § 3. 'Wisdom,' or 'Mind, Will and Understanding.'

considerable resemblance to parts of the itinerant Eastern County cycle, which foolishly goes under the name of the Coventry Mysteries. As the unique manuscript extant of these plays was written in 1468, this gives us a date to work from, and if we think of our play as written somewhere about 1460 we shall probably not be far wrong.

The analysis of Mind, Will, and Understanding is a much simpler matter than that of Mankind. In the first scene (11. 1-324) the Heavenly Wisdom instructs Anima the soul. Then the Five Wits of the Soul enter as five virgins clothed in white, and the Three Mights or Powers of the Soul, i. e. Mind, Will and Understanding,¹ declare their several functions, and are exhorted by Wisdom. Then a procession is formed, the Five Wits leading the way singing, Anima walking next, then Wisdom in the place of honour, with Mind, Will and Understanding bringing up the rear.

Their departure leaves the stage clear for Lucifer, who enters in the dress of a gallant, almost concealed, for the present, by the conventional array of a devil thrown over it. After declaring that he is as wily as ever he was, he leaves the stage as Mind, Will and Understanding enter, and then returns, having dropped his devil's array, as a goodly gallant. His preliminary appearance in his true form and his boast of his wiliness were certainly needed, as some parts of the arguments with which he assails Mind, Will and Understanding might deceive the very elect. What seems to us now-a-days the harmlessness of the suggestions that a man should not leave a wife and family to perish in order to become a the directions to the other plays being mostly in Latin, and of the usual brief kind. In The Council of the Jews we find such detailed instructions as these: "Here xal Annas shewyn hymself in his stage, beseyn after a busshop of the hoold lawe, in a skarlet gowne, and over that a blew tabbard furryd with whyte, and a mytere on his hed, after the hoold lawe; ij doctorys stondyng by hym in furryd hodys, and on beforn hem with his staff of astat, and eche of hem on here hedys a furryd cappe, with a great knop in the crowne, and on stondyng beforn as a Sarazyn, the wiche shall be his messengere. Here the buschopys with here clerkes and the Pharisens mett, and the myd place, and ther xall be a lytill oratory with stolys and cusshonys clenly be-seyn, lyche as it were a cownsel house." So in the next play, The Entry into Jerusalem, we get the following: "Here the iiij ceteseynys makyn hem redy for to mete with oure Lord, goyng barfoot and barelegged, and in here shyrtes, savyng thei xal have here gownys cast abouth them; and qwan thei seen oure Lord, thei xal sprede ther clothis beforn hym, and he xal lyth and go ther upon, and thei xal falle downe upon ther knes alle at onys, the fyrst thus seyng... Here Cryst passyth forth, ther metyth with hym a serteyn of chylderyn with flowres, and cast beforn hym, and they synggyn Gloria Laus."

1 Considering how elaborate are the stage directions it is a little surprising that there is no note of the entry of the Three Mights, who play so so important a part in the morality. They probably entered in the train of Anima, but k kept in the background until after the entry of the Five Wits. That the omission is an oversight which the author himself noticed, is shown by the description of their dresses being added in the direction for the going out after 1. 324.

§ 3. 'Wisdom,' or 'Mind, Will and Understanding.

xxi monk (ll. 405-412), or that it is a good thing to take a wife (1. 476), reaches its culmination in the really fine saying in 1. 494, "God loveth a clean soul and a merry "-as good a motto to go through life with as man can want. But, of course, like the sailors whom their captain blessed for their slowness, Mind, Will and Understanding knew what Lucifer really meant, and Will in particular promptly resolves on a course of lechery 'as was sumtyme gyse of Frawnce,' thus paying a handsome compliment to French contemporary morals. Lucifer soliloquizes in triumph long enough to allow the Mights to change into more fashionable clothes, and then the three beguiled ones re-enter, Mind with his heart set on worldly honour, which he hopes to arrive at by the practice of maintenance (11. 632-39), Understanding desiring riches, to gain which he will practise perjury and all methods of corrupting the course of law (11. 64067), Will devoted to fleshly pleasures. In their exultation they organize a dance or ballet, each of them summoning six of his followers. Mind, in the character of Maintenance,¹ summons Indignation, Sturdiness, Malice, Hastiness, Vengeance (Wreche) and Discord, all clad in his livery, with a lion rampant in their crests, and an attendant minstrel blowing a trump. Understanding, in the character of Perjury, summons his Holborn Quest (Holborn juries being apparently notorious for corrupt verdicts), six Jurors, gowned, with caps of maintenance, their names being Wrong, Sleight, Doubleness, Falsehood, Ravine and Deceit, with their musician playing a bagpipe. Finally, Will, in the character of Lechery, summons Recklessness and Idleness, Surfeit and Greediness, Adultery and Fornication, and they come in, six women, three disguised as gallants and three as matrons, their minstrel playing a hornpipe. When the ballet is over they lay plots, Understanding for legal oppressions at Westminster, Mind for chicaneries to be devised in the lawyers' meeting place, the Parvise or great porch of St. Paul's, while the thoughts of Will are upon 'praty wenches,' and dinners to cost three nobles. Understanding, who wishes to be rich, bargains that his share of the bill shall not be more than nine shillings, whereat Will, with all the contempt of a glutton for the less gluttonous, calls him a swine. Nevertheless Understanding promises to help Will to get rid of the inconvenient husband of a certain 'Cosyn Jenet,' by indicting him 1 The Macro scribe has introduced a little confusion here by substituting the names Maintenance and Perjury for those of Mind and Understanding as the speakers in 11. 696 and 728. This would make seven retainers instead of six. In 1. 756 the speaker's name is rightly given as Wyll, and the Digby scribe keeps right all through.

2 Illustrations of plots of this kind will be found in the Paston Letters, which are a splendid local and contemporary commentary on the state of affairs here depicted. in his absence, and having him imprisoned at the Marshalsea or the Admiralty. Mind also promises to frighten him by a display of force. While they are thus plotting, Wisdom enters and rebukes them. When they remain stubborn, Anima, the Soul, is shown them, no longer in white cloth of gold purfled with miniver, but 'in the most horrible wise, fouler than a fiend.' To add to their terror six small boys in the likeness of devils run from under her mantle. The Mights now repent and promise amendment, and depart with Anima, singing in most lamentable wise, with drawn or prolonged notes 'as yt ys songyn in the passyon wyke.' While they are gone, Wisdom expounds to the audience nine points by which God may be pleased, and then Anima, the Five Wits and the Three Mights re-enter in their original fair array, singing a psalm of thanksgiving; and with some colloquy between Anima and Wisdom, now addressed as 'O swete Jhesu,' the play comes to an end.

Intellectually Mind, Will and Understanding is a weak play, but it is well put together and rounded off, and with the aid of its pretty processions towards the beginning and the end, and the ballet of Maintenance, Perjury and Lechery in the middle, it was probably a great success.1 The author has a very fair sense of rhythm and a good command of rimes, Like other fifteenth-century writers he too often depends for them on unaccented syllables such as -nes (precyosnes, lyknes, see stanzas 5, 55, 87) and -ly (propyrly, duly, dyscretly, bodely, see stanzas 18, 51, 62, 64, 84), but save for this, his bad rimes are very few. Like other Eastern-County writers he makes e rime with i and y (mynde and ende, see stanzas 24, 37, 66). He also rimes has with place and face (see stanzas 22, 72). In 1. 379 perverse, if the reading is right, rimes with perfyghtnes and 1 It may be worth while to quote Mr. Sharp's opinion of the play in the introduction to Ancient Mysteries from the Digby Manuscripts, printed for the Abbotsford Club, 1835. "The last extract from the Digby MS., given in the present volume, is a nameless Morality somewhat imperfect at the conclusion; a circumstance to be regretted, since, however much some portions of the composition are rendered dull and obscure by the introduction of religious dogmas, yet are there other parts that rise so vastly superior to the common standard of similar productions and discover such decided indications of a master hand, and really poetic genius, as to excite both concern and surprise that a more equal degree of merit does not pervade the whole piece. It must, however, be remembered that the genius of the writer was necessarily cramped and restrained by the allegorizing nature of the opening portion of the morality, through which nevertheless there occasionally breaks out natural bursts of feeling and genius; still the entire scene between Lucifer, Mind, Will and Understanding is conducted with great and uniform spirit, the character of Lucifer being admirably sustained, and the artful address with which he insinuates his pernicious reasoning is, both in matter and manner, a proof of considerable genius and talent in the writer. The latter part [i.e. in the Digby MS.] of the composition is marked by pungent satire and humour, with frequent allusions that show an intimate acquaint- ✓ ance with the literature, customs and sayings or proverbs of the time" (p. xxxii sq.). § 4. 'The Castle of Perseverance.'

xxiii wykkydnes. In 1. 1055 the bad rime rought (rough) may be brought into harmony with thou, now, thorow, by using the form row. Finally, we may note that though the participial forms, wynnande, reynande, osande, in stanza 85, might be thought to have been brought in specially to rime with stande, lande, and hande; in stanza 97 similar forms are used apparently for their own sake.

I can discover no evidence as to how or by whom this play was acted. The twelve men and six women employed in the ballet, when added to the six small boys in the likeness of devils, the Five Wits, Three Mights, Three Minstrels, Anima, Lucifer, and Wisdom, make up the very considerable total of thirty-eight Of these, twenty-four are on the stage together during the ballet; and as the six small boys would be useless for any other parts, the play could not possibly have been acted with less than thirty performers; and it is very doubtful whether any parts were doubled. Although this large number by no means excludes the possibility of the morality having been performed by a travelling company, so far as it goes it makes in the other direction.

§ 4. THE CASTLE OF PERSEVERANCE. There is certainly some advantage in the plays in the Macro manuscripts having been bound in the reverse order to that of their chronology, as we cannot but appreciate the Castle of Perseverance more vividly when we come to it after reading such debased forms of the morality as we find in Mankind and even in Mind, Will and Understanding. The earliest specimen of a morality which we possess is the Dublin fragment which has been entitled The Pride of Life. In this, which must certainly go back to the fourteenth century, we have the application of the idea of moral teaching to the legend-type of miracle play, which, compared to the great Biblical cycles, must have been short and simple. The loss of the Paternoster Play to which Wyclif alludes as having been acted at York is unluckily irreparable, for in the absence of any detailed description of it we can only wonder whether each petition of the Lord's Prayer was illustrated by a separate play, and cannot even guess the nature of the illustrations. Putting aside these forms, as to which our information is so unhappily scanty, it is evident that the Castle of Perseverance, not merely in date but in type, is the most primitive morality : play we possess. The subject of the great Biblical cycles of miracle plays was the spiritual history of the world from the Creation to the Day of Judgment, and the Castle of Perseverance exactly answers to this in giving the spiritual history of the microcosm Man from his birth to his individual doom. The great Biblical cycles in their inception all belong to the fourteenth century, though the recensions of them which have come down to us are of the fifteenth (York, Towneley, and 'Coventry') or sixteenth (Chester), and contain an admixture of later work, which in the case of the so-called 'Coventry' cycle has left only some fragments of the earlier plays. But we know from the allusions of Chaucer that, towards the end of the fourteenth century, Noah and Herod had become stock characters, and we may guess that by the time this had come about, the microcosm type of morality would be developing out of a desire to provide variety and to complete the religious teaching which the Church at this time thought well to offer through plays. How early in the fifteenth century we may place the Castle of Perseverance is a question which must be decided by philologists, but on literary grounds I should like to place it as early as possible, not much later than 1425.

By way of analysis I may quote what I have already written about this play in my English Miracle Plays, Moralities and Interludes (Clarendon Press, 4th ed. 1904), though using an author's right to vary my own phrases. To trace the spiritual history of Humanum Genus (Mankind or the Typical Man) from the day of his birth to his appearance at the Judgment Seat of God, to personify the foes by whom his pathway is beset, the Guardian Angel by whose help he resists them, and the ordinances of Confession and Penance by which he is strengthened in his conflict-this was the playwright's object, and however dramatically impossible, it was certainly, from the medieval standpoint, a worthy one. In the Castle of Perseverance the opening speeches of Mundus, Belyal and Caro, the World, the Devil and the Flesh, each standing on his own scaffold boasting of his might; the appearance of Humanum Genus, naked save for the chrism cloth on his head, and conscious of his helplessness; the first struggle for his soul of his Good and Bad Angels, and the victory of the latter, make up an impressive prologue, which ends with the lament of Bonus Angelus, chanted to music: "Mankynde hath forsakyn me, Alas, man, for love of the !

Ya, for this gamyn and this gle Thou shalt grocchyn and grone."

In the next division of the play, beginning with Dr. Furnivall's Scene V., Mankind is presented to Mundus, to whom he professes allegiance, and is confided to the care of Pleasure, Folly and Backbiting (Voluptas, Stultitia, Detraccio), and ultimately to Belial and Caro, and the Seven Deadly Sins, each of whom enters with an appropriate speech. Then Mankind's Good Angel calls to his aid Confessio and Schrift, and with the help of Penitentia the sinner is converted and reconciled, and safely § 4. 'The Castle of Perseverance': analysis of the Plot.

XXV lodged in the Castle of Perseverance, there to await the fresh assaults of his enemies. These are not long delayed. As soon as Malus Angelus (1. 1718) hears him congratulating himself on being safe inside the Castle, he sends the 'flypyrgebet' Bakbyter to run with the news to Caro, and after brief consultation they report Mankind's conversion to Mundus. But if the forces of Hell are mustering, those of Heaven are not idle, for Caritas, Abstinencia, Castitas, Solicitudo, Largitas, and Humilitas successively come on the scene, each with his exhortation. Then the Deadly Sins advance to the attack, led by Belial, whose banner is borne by Pride, while Caro is apparently on horseback, and Gula flourishes a long lance. The Virtues meet the assault with roses, the emblems of Christ's Passion, and the Vices are driven back. Then Mundus calls Avaricia or Covetyse to the rescue, and by him Humanum Genus is lured from the Castle. Old Age is creeping upon him, and he yields to its besetting sin. "Penyman best may spede, He is a duke to don a dede" is his argument, and, despite the laments of his Good Angel and the warnings of Solicitudo and Largitas, he gives himself to sin, so that Mundus is able to exult over his fall. Avaricia bestows on Humanum Genus a thousand marks (1. 2827), but straitly charges him: "Lene no man hereof for no karke, Thou he schuld hange be the throte, Monke nor frere, prest nor clerke, Ne helpe therwith chyrche nor cote, Tyl deth thi body delue.

Thou he schuld sterve in a cave, Lete no pore man thereof haue; In grene gras tyl thou be graue, Kepe sum-what for thi selue."

The money is hid in the ground and there abides. But Death is making ready to strike Humanum Genus down, and Mundus sends Garcio to claim the money as his inheritance.

"What deuyl! thou art not of my kyn, Thou dedyst me neuere no maner good, I hadde leuer sum nyfte, or sum cosyn, Or sum man hadde it of my blod : I trow the World be wod," is the exclamation of Humanum Genus, but he laments in vain. Bereft of his goods, and in terror for his soul, he awaits Death, and amid his prayers to Misericordia and the gibes of his Bad Angel his spirit takes its flight, to become the subject of an argument in heaven between Misericordia, Justitia, Veritas and Pax. This was a favourite fifteenth century theme, forms the subject of one of the so-called "Coventry" plays, and is illustrated in one of the pictures in an edition of the Heures à l'usaige de Rome, published at Paris by Hardouin about 1506, and by some tapestries at Hampton Court. "Lete him drynke as he brewyit" is the plea of Justice; but Mercy appeals to the Passion of Christ, and the decision of Pater sedens in trono is merciful.

Even from this imperfect summary, the main difference which separates the Castle of Perseverance from the later morality plays can hardly fail to be perceived. In Mind, Will and Understanding we have so much exhortation and instruction, and so much pageant, dancing and contemporary satire to carry it off. In Mankind a great deal of horseplay and elementary dirt is set in a framework of didactics, not because the dramatist had any religious or moral message, but because without such a framework no play had as yet asserted its right to exist. In contrast to these mixtures of medicine and very cheap jam the Castle of Perseverance is all of a piece. The playwright confines himself to what belongs to the necessary development of his theme, and his play has consequently a unity which is hardly to be found again in any English morality, save perhaps Mundus et Infans, which, despite the late version in which it has come to us (a text printed by Wynkyn de Worde in 1522), must have been written in the fifteenth century, and the now famous play of Everyman, also probably of the fifteenth century, and almost certainly a translation from the Dutch.

The Castle of Perseverance cannot escape the charge of prolixity, since, allowing for its two missing leaves, it must have contained about 3800 lines, and thus exceeds the average length of Shakespeare's plays. A good many waste words almost inevitably follow the use of alliteration, especially when combined, as here, with some fairly complicated stanza schemes. Over five-sixths of the play, as we have it, is written in 13-line stanzas, and as the playwright objected to dividing a stanza between two speakers, the expression of the simplest idea thus usually takes thirteen lines, an arrangement which does not make for shortness. The 238 stanzas in this form (one, No. 137, where a gap comes in the manuscript, has only the first quatrain, and another, No. 153, lacks, I think, two lines, while it has been given two others which should be treated separately) are extremely uniform. The exceptions, I have noted, are Nos. 175 and 202, in which the 9th lines have only one accent instead of two, and Nos. 153 and 207, in which the lines in the third quatrain have two accents instead of four.

The next commonest stanza form, of which I have counted 45 examples,¹ has nine lines, and may be classed as a variant of the 13-line stanza with the first quatrain omitted. Stanzas 54-56 have eight lines of two accents each, riming aaa b ccc b. Twenty-nine stanzas, of which Dr. Furnivall has run one or two together, are single rime quatrains of two and three accents alternately. Stanza 68 is the earliest of these. Three stanzas (the first two lines of No. 153, and Nos. 158 and 164) are identical with one half of these quatrains. No. 21, which ends a scene, has fourteen lines and stands by itself. No. 67 also, of the form aaa b³ ccc4 b³, common enough in other plays, is unique in this. I give this metrical summary, not only because the playwright is a good enough metricist to make it worth while to catalogue the forms he uses, but also because it is evident that he took some pains and thought in using the shorter stanzas to vary the longer. Thus the quatrains of two and three accents are always divided between two speakers; and in one section of the play (Nos. 92, 95, 98, 101, 104, 107), they come regularly between two pairs of speeches in the 13-line stanzas, until finally four of these long stanzas are closed by a triple quatrain (No. 112). In the same way the half quatrains, consisting of the first two lines of No. 153, and Nos. 158 and 164, come also at regular intervals.

As to the dialect and language of the play I must leave it to Dr. Furnivall to add some notes.

In one feature of some little importance the Castle of Perseverance differs from all other plays that have come down to us, namely, in having attached to it, in the unique manuscript in which it is preserved, an illustration or ground-plan of the stage arrangements. Of this, which had already been copied in Sharp's Dissertation on the Coventry Mysteries, a facsimile is here given as a frontispiece, in addition to the type-copy on p. 76. Our first impression is that it looks very ambitious, and that if an itinerant company thus dug ditches or raised palisades they must have done business on a very large scale. If this was really the case, it is obvious that the spectators must have shifted their position from one scaffold to another during the progress of the play, as if the enclosed circuit were of any considerable extent, even if they could see, they would not be able to hear. I think; however, that the evidence of the play is against this, and that the enclosure was probably not very large, while the Castle itself (on which no one was to be allowed to sit !) was of very modest dimensions, so that the spectators standing in front 1 In these reckonings I count the Latin lines in Nos. 28, 31, 42 and 43 as extrametrical. It is, indeed, doubtful whether they are text or commentary. § 5. The Manuscripts.

of it could see the scaffold of God on the other side. The Castle could not have been very realistic if the stage directions bidding Mankind's Bed be placed under it were literally followed, and I think that this was probably the case. There may either have been a passage through the Castle, the bed being placed in this, or a piece of the front of the Castle may have been removed so as to show an interior with a bed in it. DESCRIPTION OF THE MANUSCRIPTS.

§ 5. As a matter of convenience the three manuscripts of our plays are here described tegether, instead of at the end of the sections devoted to the respective plays, but they were written separately by different scribes, and while those of Mankind and Mind, Will and Understanding appear to be nearly contemporary and were in the same ownership before the close of the fifteenth century, that of the Castle of Perseverance is of appreciably earlier date.

The leaves of the manuscript of Mankind are numbered 122-134; those of Mind, Will and Understanding 98-121; those of the Castle of Perseverance 154-191.

The figures of this numeration of the leaves appear to be of the eighteenth century. At this stage of its career the collection contained three other manuscripts, a Juvenal on vellum, the laws of Ina and Aethelstan, and a treatise on Alchemy, in strange juxtaposition.¹ The three moralities were separated from these other pieces shortly after the Macro sale in 1820, and are now bound in blue morocco stamped with the arms of Mr. Hudson Gurney. When this was done, Mankind, which in the earlier volume had followed Mind, Will and Understanding, as is shown by the numeration of the leaves, was placed in front of it, so that it now begins the volume.

'MANKIND.'

Thirteen leaves of quarto paper, measuring 220 × 158 mms.

Written throughout in the same hand, though the last four pages with a softer pen and different ink. Probable date of writing about 1475. The watermark of the paper is a glove or gauntlet and star, the lower part of the gauntlet being of an unusual shape, so that when seen on one side of the fold of paper, by which, as in all quarto books, the 1 The following is the entry in the sale-catalogue of 1820: "5. A volume containing Juvenalis MS. on vellum-Leges Inæ, Æthelstani, &c. (scrip. tempore Henry II.)-Liber Alchemiæ-Also three ancient Masques. The Masque of Wisdom. -The Masque of Mercy. - The Masque of the Castel of pseverance." § 5. The Manuscripts.

xxix When watermark is cut in half, it looks almost like the top of an ewer. collated by watermarks, the manuscript is seen to be made up as follows :- 122. Top of mark.

123. Unmarked.

124. Foot of mark (50 mms.).

125. Top of mark (60 mms.).

126. Unmarked.

127. Unmarked.

128. Foot of mark (40 mms.).

129. Top of mark (50 mms.).

130. Unmarked.

131. Unmarked.

132. Foot of mark (30 mms.).

133. Top of mark (40 mms.).

134. Unmarked.

The alternation of watermarked and unwatermarked leaves in ff. 123-134 would be compatible with an arrangement in gatherings of four leaves, but the measurements which I have added-which give the height of the portion of the watermarks which can be seen above the sewing-show that the pairs are ff. 128-129, 125-132, 124-133, the amount of wartermark visible in each pair being 90 mms., whereas if we take the pairs as 124-125, 128-129, 132-133, we shall get the unequal measurements of 110, 90 and 70 mms. We have thus a gathering of twelve leaves preceded by the leaf now numbered 122, which has nothing to correspond to it. The interruption of the dialogue points to a lacuna between the end of this leaf (line 71) and the beginning of leaf 123. The gap in the action of the play, however, does not seem very long, and the inference which we should naturally draw, that only one leaf is here lost, is made certain by the fact that on the lower margins in very small roman figures the first two extant leaves are numbered i and iii, the numeration then proceeding iv (next leaf unmarked), vi, vij, viij (next leaf unmarked), x, xj-the rest unmarked.

We may thus be certain that our gathering of twelve leaves was preceded by two other leaves containing the beginning of the text of the play. But as no scribe would begin work by writing on a half quarto sheet, either two or more leaves belonging to the play are wanting before its present beginning, or else the play must have originally been written in a miscellany-book, in which it was preceded by some other piece written on the earlier part of the same gathering. The former hypothesis is not impossible, as the text of the play might have been preceded by the speeches of flag-bearing criers or vexillatores, announcing § 5. The Manuscripts.

its approaching performance. It is, however, equally possible that both this play and that of Mind, Will and Understanding were written in different parts of a miscellany-book belonging to Monk Hyngham, though the fact that his doggrel inscription of ownership is written after each of them inclines one at first to think that they were separate units among his possessions.

As it occurs at the end of this play, the inscription above referred to has been partly erased and partly cut through, the lower part of the leaf being supplied with modern paper. Enough, however, of the inscription remains to make it fairly certain that it reads like that at the end of the next play: O liber si quis cui constas forte queretur Hyngham que monacho dices super omnia consto. This apparently is to be translated (I owe the suggestion to Dr. Warner), 'O book, if any one by chance asks to whom do you belong, you are to say I belong to Hyngham, above everything which a monk can own.' Who Monk Hyngham was we do not know. He may have belonged to Bury St. Edmunds, whence some of the Macro manuscripts are said to have come. It will be noticed that the round date which Dr. Warner suggests for the manuscript agrees exactly with that which, before consulting him, I had put forward as that of the composition of the play. As it is not good enough to be an author's autograph, it is probably a very early copy.

'WISDOM, OR MIND, WILL AND UNDERSTANDING.'

Twenty-four leaves of quarto paper, measuring 220 × 158 mms. Written throughout in one hand, though the scribe varies it for the stage directions. Probable date of writing about 1475. The watermark is a Pot, and the manuscript is made up of two gatherings of twelve leaves each.

98. Foot of Pot.

99. Unmarked.

100. Unmarked.

101. Foot of Pot.

102. Foot of Pot.

103. Unmarked.

104. Unmarked.

105. Unmarked.

106. Top of Pot.

107. Foot of Pot.

108. Unmarked.

109. Foot of Pot.

110. Unmarked.

111. Foot of Pot.

112. Top of Pot.

113. Unmarked.

114. Top of Pot.

115. Top of Pot.

116. Unmarked.

117. Unmarked.

118. Unmarked.

119. Unmarked.

120. Top of Pot.

121. Top of Pot.

The manuscript is thus quite perfect. At the end is the same inscription of ownership as at the end of Mankind.

§ 5. The Manuscripts.

xxxi 'THE CASTLE OF PERSEVERANCE.'

Thirty-eight leaves of quarto paper, measuring 211 x 140 mm. Written throughout in one hand. Probable date of writing about 1440. It will be noticed in the text that there are two lacunas each equivalent to the contents of one leaf of this manuscript, and that the order of other leaves has had to be altered. The manuscript, as we have it, consists of two gatherings of sixteen leaves each, followed by six leaves of a third gathering. The watermark of the first and third gatherings is the same, but appears to have got out of shape. The mark can only be described as having four slightly concave sides, with a bend coming down from the left-hand top corner, and on the right-hand side a thumb-like projection. There is no difficulty as to the arrangement of these gatherings. The second gathering has a watermark of three mounds within a circle, and is at present arranged as follows :- 170. Unmarked [B1].

171. Unmarked [B4].

172. Top of Mound [B3].

173. Unmarked [B2].

174. Top of Mound [B].

175. Top of Mound [B].

176. Unmarked [B].

177. Unmarked [B7].

178. Unmarked.

179. Unmarked.

180. Foot of Mound.

181. Foot of Mound.

182. Unmarked.

183. Foot of Mound.

184. Unmarked.

185. Unmarked.

With the certainty thus established that each pair of leaves (170-185, 171-184, etc.) formed an undivided whole, it was obvious that if a leaf on one side of the sewing had been moved a leaf on the other side must have been moved with it, either in this manuscript or in any prototype made up in the same way. That some shifting was needed had been seen by a former student, who has noted in pencil on leaf 182, "This ought to be p. 184." Of course, however, the need only revealed itself in bits, and the problem of re-arrangement was made more difficult both by this, and by the fact that in addition to the wrong order of the leaves we had to deal also with gaps. When at last it worked out, the solution of the problem was simple enough, the misplacement being nothing worse than two §5. The Manuscripts.

transpositions, that of sigs. [B2] and [B4], and that of [B7] and [B]. The true order of the leaves is thus: 170, 173, 172, 171, 174, 175, 177, 176, 179, 178, 180, 181, 184, 183, 182, 185.

That the re-arrangement thus stated is correct is sufficiently proved by the fact that by moving each pair of leaves together, the rimes and sense are put straight everywhere except between leaves 170 and 173 (sigs. B₁ and B₂) and again between the corresponding leaves at the end of the gathering, 182 and 185. I believe that this imperfection and probably the whole misarrangement did not originate in the extant manuscript, but in that from which it was copied.

The reason for thinking that the imperfection is due to the carelessness of a previous scribe is, that our extant gathering consists of sixteen leaves, and that the first gathering in the manuscript is made up in the same way. A gathering of eighteen leaves would of itself be very unusual; and the improbability of a scribe making up his copy in this way is increased when we find him making his previous gathering of sixteen. That the misarrangement did not originate in the eighteenth century is certain, since we find notes in fifteenth-century hands attempting to get things right. Thus, at the foot of fol. 170, malus angelus was first written, and then struck out, and replaced by Detraccio ad caro, showing conclusively that at the time of these notes fol. 171 (sig. B₁) already followed fol. 170 (sig. B₁), and that the annotators were trying to indicate on fol. 170 to whom the speech at the top of fol. 171 really belonged. In the same way at the top of fol. 178 the word Covetyse has been added to show that this is not a continuation of the speech of Invidia on fol. 177, but of that of Avaricia, on fol. 179. If these indications stood by themselves, we should have no means of deciding when the mistake was made, except that it was before the fifteenth-century notes were written. Taken in conjunction, however, with what has been said as to the make-up of the gathering, I think it is clear that our present scribe simply copied an earlier manuscript, leaf by leaf, as he found it. This does not materially raise him in our opinion, but it is important to find that the extant manuscript which Dr. Warner dates towards the end of the first half of the fifteenth century was copied from an earlier one, and copied moreover, we may presume, at such an interval that it was no longer possible to get at any alternative source in order to correct obvious blunders. If this be so, the date of not long after 1425, which I proposed for the play, before getting Dr. Warner's opinion, is materially supported.

ALFRED W. POLLARD.

AFTERWORDS BY F. J. FURNIVALL.

§ 1. The Scene, p. xxxiii.

§ 2. The Dialect, p. xxxv.

§ 3. The possible debt to Piers Plowman and the Castle of Love, p. xxxix.

§ 4. Miscellaneous, p. xli.

1. I HAVE little to add to Mr. Pollard's capital Introduction. The main interest in the volume to me is the plan of the scene, and the Prolog of the 'Castell of Perseverance,' which enable one to picture the coming of the speaker and his flagbearers to a country town or village, his announcing the performance of the play in a week's time, the preparing of the site, the arrival of the wagon of scaffold-materials and properties, the putting-up of the scaffolds, and ring of pales or posts and ropes, the gathering of the audience round the outer circle of scaffolds on which the chief players stood, leaving the inner circle free for the performance itself, as I suppose. The only other plays having like plans are, I believe, the three Cornish ones, edited and translated by my old acquaintance, Mr. Edwin Norris, as 'The Ancient Cornish Drama,' in 1859. At the end of each play,-1. the Beginning of the World (Ordinale de Origine Mundi), Norris, i. 219; 2. the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, ib. i. 479; 3. the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, ib. ii. 201, -is a plan of its outer and inner circles, imitated here :- tortores infernum Rex Pharas celum Rex Dauid episcopus Abraham Rex Salamon Vol. i. p. 219, at end of the Beginning of the World. There are 46 characters in the Play, including the 4 tortores, executioners.

MACRO PLAYS Afterwords. § 1. The Scene.

tortores Doctores Pilatus celum Herodes centurio Princeps Annas Vol. i. p. 479, at end of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. There are 62 characters, including 4 tortores and 2 Doctores.

tortores Infernum celum milites Nichodemus Josep abar¹ Pilatus Imperator Vol. ii. 201, at end of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 As to 'abar' Mr. Henry Jenner writes: "There is no question that Josep abar)= Joseph abarimat., for which see the last name in the list of Dramatis Personæ at the end of vol. i. of Norris's Cornish Dramas. This is clearly Joseph ab Arimathœa, for which see St. Mark xv. 43, Venit JOSEPH AB ARIMATHEA, nobilis decurio, and St. John xix. 38, Post hæc autem rogavit Pilatum JOSEPH AB ARIMATHEA, in the Vulgate. St. Joseph is called Josep Baramaeus in the stage-direction, and Josep Baramathia in the text (1. 3099) on p. 466 of vol. i., which is, I think, his first appearance." 60 characters are in the Play, including 4 tortores and 4 milites. Afterwords. § 2. The Dialect, East-Midland.

XXXV With these three samples and that of the 'Castle of Perseverance' before us, we may fairly conclude that in contrast with the movable pageant or doubleor treble-deckt wagon used for the City Trade Plays or Mysteries-the early Country Moralities were playd on a Green or in a Meadow, in a ring surrounded by a ditch, paling, or posts and ropes, with scaffolds for the players inside.¹ I don't suppose there was a gate to let the audience into the enclosure, so that gate-money could be taken, for the paling could hardly be high enough to stop the spectators from seeing everything that went on. I think the players must have sent a cap or box round for gifts, and relied on the generosity of their hearers. The audience, if not let into the enclosure, must have been a movable one, going from one scaffold to another as its occupants spoke. 2. With regard to the dialect of the Plays, the wall and xulde of 'Mankind' (1/5, 2/33, 42, 43), and the xall of 'Wisdom' (37/52, 59, 41/174-5), as well as the qwyst = whist, be silent, of 'Mankind' (21/ 550, 22/586), show that these two Plays are East-Midland. But when we turn to the 'Castle of Perseverance' we find no such initial x; it has schul 81/138; schal 84/229, 89/389; schalt 87/333, 88/366, 387, 89/406, 409, 413, 416; schulde 103/877, 118/1373; schuld 127/1692; schuldyst 103/873, 126/1651, 126/1663; þey schul 120/1464; and we are therefore thrown back on the other test of Norfolk speech, the absence of the guttural gh, which is so markt a feature of Capgrave's work: see my Forewords to his Life of St. Katharine, E. E. T. S., Orig. Ser. 100, p. xxv-xxxi, xxxiii-iv.

On looking at a few pages of his Chronicle of England in the Rolls Series, we findfight: He mad a lawe, that munkys schuld fite and go to batayle, p. 81: An. 5567.

sumtyme the white had the victorie whan thei faute, p. 221. (Compare 'the too douteris of the King of Spayn,' p. 228.) high: persones of hier degre, p. 199.

hight: The enemy of Israel hite Cisara ..

a prince whech hite Barach, p. 33: An. 3916. sche hite Constauns sche hite Ysabel, p. 228. ..

knight: a knite whech hite Mercurie, p. 80; a knyte with the Kyng of Perse, p. 80; a knyte thei cleped Brucegeld, p. 312, &c. &c. whethir he wold forsake his knythod or his Cristendam; and he forsok his knythod, p. 81: An. 5556.

1 But I think Mr. Pollard shows that the later Mankind was playd in an inn-yard.

2 See xall and xulde in the Lynn Guild in the E. E. T. Soc. Gild volume, Original Series, 78.

Afterwords. § 2. The Dialect: gh absent.

light: the servauntis offered thereto garlondis and lite, p. 22.

might: but he myte spend be 3ere a hundred pound, p. 222; that he myte recure his regne, p. 225; men mith se, be ruyne of the wall, who grete a lord he was, p. 28 (see whou, how, 185/3621, 139/2078 below); he went into Flaundres with myty hand, p. 238.

night: In this sege many men deied of cold in nytes, p. 311; this Ion, be nyte, fled with the duke of Ostrich, p. 308.

..

.

right: Ayoth that used the lift hand for the rite, p. 38, 1. 3; a sterre directing his bemes rite onto Frauns, p. 225; al his londes whech the Kyng of Frauns had unritefully occupied alle the rite and the chalenge which he mad to the croune of France, p. 215 (see p. 209, 211).

drought: In the XXVII zere was there swech a droute, p. 215. thought: the duke.. thoute to set remedye in this mater, p. 245. weight: alle the elde sterlynges, whech were of grettir white [wizt, Corpus MS.], p. 214.1 h: that he myte go on the hys, p. 203.

And in the Castell we see sye, sigh, 90/451; ffytith, fights, 79/68; fytyn, fight, 79/70; sleytys, sleights, 102/852; weytys, weights, 103/854; lytly, lightly, 105/952; wytis, wights, 106/978; syt, sight, 76; lytyd, lighted, 80/112; seuenenyt, seven-nights, week, 81/133, &c.; nout, frawt, taut, 92/516-18; knyt, 97/652.

..

This avoidance of gh is also seen in the Letters of Sir Jn. Howard in 1466: "and now be 30we[r] senester labor azenste al ryte and konsyense, ze kawese dayly grete trobel in the same ... 3e schole holde 30we ryte wel plesed.. Ryte worschepful and myn enterly welbeloved frend is hynes the Kenge."-Letters in Manners and Household Expenses, 172 (Roxb. Club, 1841). 'the wales of the salte howses' is on the same page, as well as walles; and 'I schal be redy to go wethe hes ines' (the King) is on p. 173, 1. 8. On p. 174 is 'as ze howete (ought) of ryte to have,'-hales for 'else,' &c.

..

gh is occasionally left out in the Paston Letters, and this, I suppose, shows it was not pronounst when written :-' Ryte wurchipful hwsbond' (1449? Margaret Paston, Let. i, 82, ed. 1872), 'che faryt well as a woman in hyr plyte may do' (1450, 11 March, Agnes Paston, i, 114). John Paston uses ryth in 'ryth wurshepfull sir,' i, 252, 257, 'Ryth worshepfull sir,' i, 233; so does Margaret Paston in 'Ryth worshipfull husbond,' i, 236 (tho right is on i, 245, 250, &c.), and Jn. Clopton in 1 On p. 240 is 'a wright hew on a tre,' but wright is 'Written in a later hand upon an erasure.'-Ed. Chron.

..

'ryth reverent Sir,' 'ryth wurthy Sir,' i, 284, and Wm. Paston in Ryth wurchypfull broder,' i, 296, and so on.

broute the cuntre For Capgrave's th for ght in his Chronicle-(he to the rith¹ by-leve, p. 81: An. 5571. nyne hundred cartis dith with hokis of yrun, p. 33: An. 3916. Tubal-Cayn.. began first graving in metallis, to plesauns of the sith [sight], p. 8; mech manslauth felle in this matere, p. 218-19; this man lyved rithfully, p. 40; the king of Frauns occupied the Crowne onrithfully, p. 209), we find in the 'Castell' :- aryth, 87/341.

behyth, 84/283, 100/786.

bowth, 99/719.

browth, 85/288, 87/267, 105/927.

bryth, 87/356, 95/592.

cawth, 86/293, 88/365.

dyth, 82/169, 85/259, 101/813.

frawth, 88/369.

fyth, 79/64, 106/967.

hyth, 81/135.

knyth, 83/215, 87/343, 91/461.

lawth, 99/721.

lyth, 97/677, 98/702.

myth, 79/62, 81/131, 85/267, 90/ 427, 185/3654.

nowth, 86/290, 88/363.

nyth, 85/276, 284, 92/499.

plyth, 102/829.

pyth, 78/31, 164/912, 185/3735ryth, 79/65, 112/1198.

syth, 81/133, 86/297, 303, 322, 88/ 387, 95/588, 106/987.

tawth, 88/367.

powth, 86/292, 322, 98/717.

wyth, 83/211, 97/644.

wythly, 84/231.

t occurs for ght in nout, frawt, tawt, 92/516-18; knyt, 97/652; and th is found for d in deth, dead, 100/760, and for t in kyth, kyt, cut, 107/993.

?

Another point to be notist is the use of w for v: dewylys, 86/308; ewyl, 86/312; knawe, 93/552; lywe, 93/549; schrywe, 93/550; serwant, 94/580, 95/590, 96/618, 102/846; serwyse, 102/846; strywyth, 79/64; thrywe, 93/548.

This is also seen in 'Wisdom':-clowyn, 72/1108; forgewenes, 71/ 1086; grewe (grievous), 69/1020; hewyn (heaven), 73/1150; lewe (lief, dear), 69/1023; lowyste (lovest), 65/917; lywe (life), 66/944; prywe, 69/ 1021; yewyt (gives), 37/56; yewyst (givest), 66/926; yowe (given), 66/ 945, &c.; and in 'Mankind': hewyn (heaven), 24/652, 27/745; hewynesse, 30/281; lywyng, 8/207; wane, weyn (vain), 20/533, 32/846; wanite (vanity), 34/902.

Whether this means that the Cockney w for vas shown by Dickens in Sam Weller and the Shepherd's 'wanity' drink, I cannot say. Of another cockneyism, the misplacing of h, I have only indext one instance, hale for ale 51/473, and yet it is very common in the four pages of the Letters of Sir John Howard (who once writes ines for 1 In the Appendix to the Chronicle, ryght is printed (p. 338, 340, &c.) from the Arundel MS. 396, but Arundel 168 and Rawlinson Poet 116, Bodley, read rith. xxxviii Afterwords. § 2. The Dialect.

Highness, p. xxxvi above), in 1446, in Manners and Household Expenses, Roxburgh Club, 1841, p. 170-4:- h added rekomhewende hame (am) h wanting is (his) werefore howethe (owes) seyheng (saying) ad (had) wereof wome (whom) were-aboute weder (whether) howe (owe) hondertake howete (aught) hower (our) honderstonde hokes (oaks) prayhenge (praying) hose (us) hoderwyse (otherwise) hoder (other) hese (ease) hyrene (iron) deshesed (diseased) hover (over) howene (own) hentente hal (all) gohenge (going) komhenge howete (out) hales (else) hokewepyed (occupied, used) howene (owe) withe-howete (without) p. 175 hevydense (evidence, deeds) hakowented (accounted) Another characteristic (tho not a dialectal one) of the 'Castle of Perseverance' is its use of couples or triples-more frequently, I think, than in other alliterative poems-as padding to fill up lines. Sixteen instances are in the Index under be; and here are ten more :- be dale & be doun, 185/3614.

be downe & dyche, 90/441.

be downe & dalys, 98/686.

be downe, dale, & dyche, 99/737be downe or be dale, 91/464.

be fen & flode, 86/306.

be strete & style, 89/404.

be sompe & syke, 90/427.

of holt & hale, 90/446.

in lykyng & in lust, 89/400.

To Mr. Pollard's instances of words not in our Oxford Dictionary (N. E. D.), may be added dow, n. grip, 101/813; dryff-draff, n. mess, 3/ 49; kynse, v.i. wince, 161/2814; while adjutory, n. 9/225, is put back in date from 1552 A.D. to 1475, the Court of Admiralty, 63/858, from 1569 to 1450; clarify, v.t. in the sense of making an obscure subject clear, from 1823 to 1475, &c. &c.; dapperly, adv. from 1858 to 1425. 3. Prof. Churton Collins suggests that the writer of the Castle of Perseverance may have taken a hint from the Castle cal'd Caro, the Flesh, man's body, in which Kind, the Creator, put Caro and the lady Anima in the Vision of Do-well in Piers Plowman, Passus X of the A text (I of Do-well), p. 110-13, ed. Skeat, E. E. T. Soc., and its later developments in Passus IX of the B text, p. 132-4, Passus XI of the C text, p. 185-8. Prof. Skeat's side-notes to the A text are: "Do-well dwells," said Wit, " in a castle made by Kind of four things, earth, air, wind, and water. Within the castle Kind has enclosed the lady Anima, whom the Prince of this World hates. Do-well, Do-bet, and Do-best are her appointed keepers.

The Constable of the Castle is Inwit [Conscience], whose sons are See-well, Say-well, Hear-well, Work-well, and Go-well," and 'These six are set to save the Castle; To keep this woman, these wise men are charged, Till that Kind come or send, and keep her himself.'

"Kind is the great Creator who made all things, man being most like Himself. The castle is called Caro. The lady is Life, or Anima, and dwells in man's heart. Inwit is in his head, and rules Caro and Anima. He (Inwit) is most in the brain, and contends against the passions." The B and C texts don't say that Inwit rules Caro. The connection between the play and the poem is slight. There are an m, an n, and an o in Macedon and Monmouth, and there are a Castle, Anima, Caro, the Five Wits, &c., in the Perseverance and the Plowman; but one would gladly believe in a link between the two productions. The next point is suggested by Prof. Manly: does the 'Castle of Perseverance' owe anything to Bp. Grosseteste's French Chasteau d'Amour or Castle of Love, of which Dr. R. F. Weymouth publisht the EarlyEnglish version both independently and for the Philological Society in 1864?1 The Castle of Love is the body of the Virgin Mary in which Christ alighted; and the object of the poem is to tell men who don't know French or Latin why the world was wrought, of Adam's creation and the mirth of Paradise, how Adam lost it, how God's Son came to earth to redeem mankind, how Isaiah foretold Him, and what Doomsday, Heaven, and the pains of Hell are. The poem accordingly narrates the creation 1 Halliwell had before printed a later version in 1849.

of the world and the angels (with the fall of Lucifer and his mates to Hell), of Adam and of Eve, and their abode in Paradise, and their expulsion from it thru his apple-eating. Adam has then to seek another heritage; and the poem tells a parable of a great King (God) who has a Son of equal wit and power, and four Daughters, Mercy, Truth, Right, and Peace, as in the 'Castle of Perseverance,' and many other places. This King had a thrall (Adam) who was put in prison for his great guilt in eating the apple, and Mercy came to her Father to plead for the prisoner's deliverance: as she is His eldest Daughter, she craves mercy for Adam. But Truth urges that mercy should not be granted unless Right and Truth agree in it; and so Adam should not have mercy, but should pay for his misdeed. Right (Justice) also says that the thrall Adam deserves death, he and his offspring, of whom only Noah and his three sons and their wives-whom he reckons as eight souls, 1. 458were left undrownd. Peace then pleads that as God is King and Prince of Peace (1. 510), Adam should be ransomd. The King's Son, who has heard all this, says that He will take the thrall's weeds (flesh), suffer for him, bring peace to the world, make Peace and Right kiss, and save all folk. The tidings of Christ's coming reacht Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah and the other prophets, and God chose as His dwelling, a Castle (the Virgin Mary) founded on a rock, adornd with four towers, painted in three hues, with three bailies and seven barbicans, and a well from which four streams run, and a throne with seven steps to it, &c. The Castle is the maiden's body, the rock her heart, the hues her faith, sweetness and love. The four towers are the four cardinal virtues; the three bailies, Mary's maidenhood, chastity and spousal. The seven barbicans are the seven Virtues; the Well is God's grace which fills the ditches of poverty. Then Mary is praisd, and entreated to free man from his three foes, the Devil, the World, and the Flesh.

From this Castle, Mary, whose Constable is Charity, comes Jesus, to be of our lineage and to fight our battles. And if any one asks how, I'll tell you. When the Fiend saw Christ as a man, he didn't know Him, but askt who He was, and offerd Him all the world if He'd obey him. Christ bids Satan go away; but they talk of man, and Christ says He'll give His body to redeem him, so that the Fiend sees he's overcome, and caught like 'a fish is with a hook.' They talk on; and then the poem appeals to Man to understand how God loves him: He gave up His soulwhich the Five Wits never leave till the end comes, and ransomd man. 1 Cald 'The Castle of Constancy' in the englisht Ten Brink, E. Engl. Lit. vol. ii. 2 like, for like as, is of course a conjunction, just as like for like to is a preposition. Maiden Mary sufferd too, but kept stedfast in her faith; and now all our hope is that she'll pray her Son for us. Understand then that He is God eternal, three in one. As a heated sword cuts and burns, and yet is one sword, so Christ has two natures. He showd His power by His miracles of turning water into wine, feeding 5000 folk with five loaves and two fishes, and raising Lazarus from the dead. He is God Almighty; He has conquerd the Devil, and bound him in Hell. He brake Hell-gates, and drew out His own people. He is our help: one God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. He is our Father, for He created us, and raised us from Adam's sin. After His resurrection He was 40 days on earth, and appeard to His disciples on Holy Thursday: misbelieving Thomas handled the wound that Longeus made in His side. He bade His disciples go, two and two, and preach to all the world. As He created us, He is our Father. Adam brought us War. Christ gave us Peace, and took His own from Hell to Heaven's bliss. Let us pray God for His mercy that after this life we may go to Joy!

Thus, save for the medieval commonplace of God's four Daughters and their opposing pleas for and against man's soul, the 'Castle of Perseverance' has nothing to do with the Castle of Love.

§ 4. 'Was,' in the MS. of Mankind, is sometimes written 'was'; but as it is also written 'was, -as in Mankynde's second speech on leaf 130, line 11 from foot, in Mercy's second speech on leaf 131, line 2 from foot, and in other places, -I have always printed 'was' as 'was,' and not 'waus' as it stood in the late Miss Marx's copy and the former prints of this play. 'Adam,' when in MSS., means 'Adam' not'Adaum.' The initial 'I' when used as a consonant I have printed J; and I have put capitals to proper names.

My thanks are due to Mr. Gurney for so kindly lending me his MS. for so many months, and for his hospitality when I went to his house to fetch it; also to Dr. G. F. Warner and Mr. J. A. Herbert for help with puzzles in the MS., to Mr. Henry Jenner for his note on 'abar' p. xxxiv, to my friend Dr. Henry Bradley for aid in the Glossary, to Professors J. M. Manly and Alois Brandl for their texts of Mankind, and to Mr. Pollard for his valuable aid and constant kindness.

3 St. George's Square, N. W., 15 March 1905.

In what is said about the dialect of the Plays on p. xxxv, I mean only that the occurrence of the Northern call and xulde in 'Mankind' and 'Wisdom' is a sign-one among others of their being EastAfterwords. Postscript. Corrections.

Midland, for I don't know them further South, and that the prevalence of the non-guttural gh is specially noticeable in Capgrave's and other Norfolk writings, tho' I believe many other Midland and Southern counties gave up the guttural early in the 15th century, and probably before.

CORRECTIONS.

18/491. for be read & þe 19/511. be is no doubt miswritten for se 79/65. for line 56 read 65 172/3201. for he read be

I. Mankind

I.
[In 3 Scenes.]
[Macro MS., no. 5,1 art. 3,2 leaf (1, markt) 122.]
[THE ACTORS IN THE PLAY,
in the order of their on-coming.]
Mercy, p. 1, 27.
Myscheff, p. 2, 16, 28.
Nought, p. 4, 16, 29.
New-gyse, p. 4, 16, 28.
Titivillus, p. 17, 18.

Scene I

(1)
Now-a-days, p. 4, 16.
Mankynde, p. 7, 22.
MERCY. The very fownder & begynner of owur fyrst³ creacion,
A-monge ws synfulł wrechys he oweth to be magnyfyede,
þat for owur dysobedyenc[e] he hade non indygnacion)
To sende hys own) son) to be torn) & crucyfyede.
owur obsequyouse seruyce / to hym) xulde be aplyede
where he was lorde of aH / & made at thynge of nought,
For be synfulł synner, to hade hym) revyuyde,
4
And,5 for hys redempcyon), sett hys own son at nought. 8
(2)
þat may be seyde & veryfyede: mankynde was dere bought;
By be pytuose deth of Jhesu he hade hys remedye;
He was purgyde of hys defawte, þat wrechydly hade wrought,
By hys gloryus passyon, þat blyssyde lauatorye.
O souerence, I be-seche yow, yowur condycions to rectyfye,
Ande with humylite & reuerence to haue a remocyon)
To þis blyssyde prynce þat owur nature doth gloryfye,
þat ȝe may be partycypable of hys retribucyon).
12
16
The original MS. was written apparently in the reign of Edward IV.
(cf. 1. 684), a few miles east or north-east of Cambridge-I think, Norfolk,
F.-(cf. 11. 499 ff.), and was once the property of a monk named Hyngham
(cf. verse at end of play). - J. M. Manly, in his 'Specimens of the
Pre-Shakesperean Drama,' i. 317 (1897). Where the MS. y and I repre-
sent þand j, band jare printed for them here, all throu the play.
2 No. 5 in the Macro Sale Catalog containd 5 different articles or treat-
ises. Mr. Hudson Gurney separated them, and had each article (3 plays
as 1) bound separately in dark blue morocco. 3 MS. syest or syrst.
Qy. omit And, and insert he before sett.-M.
4 lete M.
MACRO PLAYS
61175
Mercy.
We should
magnify God
who gave his
own Son for
us,
and saved us.
Fit your-
selves
to share his
salvation!

(3)
Mercy.
Yield not to
temptation.
I haue be be very mene for yowur restytucyon);
Mercy ys my name, þat mornyth for yowur offence;
Dyverte not yowur sylffe in tyme of temtacyon),
17
þat ȝe may be acceptable to Gode at yowur goynge hence. 20
be grett mercy of Gode, þat ys of most preemmynence,
Be medytacyon¹ of owur lady, þat ys euer habundante
To be synful creature þat wyll repent hys neclygence:
I prey Gode, at yowur most nede, þat mercy be yowur
defendawnte.
(4)
Persevere in In goode werkys, I a-wyse yow souerence to be perseuerante
good works.
To puryfye yowur sowlys, þat þei be not corupte;
24
For yowur gostly enmy wył make hys a-vaunte,2
Yowur goode condycions yf he may interrupte.
28
O ȝe souerens þat sytt, & ȝe brothern) þat stonde rygħt wppe,
Seek not that
which passes
away.
→ Pryke not yowur felycytes in thyngis transytorye !
Be-holde not be erth, but lyfte yowar ey wppe!
32
Se how be hede, be members dayly do magnyfye.
(5)
Christ is the Who ys be hede, forsoth I xat yow certyfye;
Head.
I mene owur Sauyowur, þat was lykynnyde to a lambe;
3 Ande hys sayntis be be members þat dayly he doth satysfye
With be precyose reuer þat runnyth from hys wombe.
(6)
Ther ys non) such foode be watur nor by londe,
So precyouse, so gloryouse, so nedeful to owur entent;
He has freed For yt hath dyssoluyde mankynde from be bittur bonde
At Dooms-
day the Corn
shall be
saved,
and the Chaff
burnt.
Mischief.
Of þe mortal enmye, þat vemynousse serpente,
36
40
From be wyche, Gode preserue yow at at be last Iugement!
For sekyrly þer xał be a strerat examynacyon);
The corn xall be sauyde, be chaffe xał be brente :
I be-sech yow hertyly, haue þis premedytacyon).
(7)
44
MYSCHEFFE [who now enters]. I be-seche yow hertyly, leue yowur
calcacyon);
1 medyacyon M.
2
a-vaunce MS.
3 leaf 122, back.
4 [the] venymouse M. (L. venenosus).
5
? for strait, strict.
45

3
leue yowur chaffe, leue yowur corn), leue yowur dalyacyon)!
Yowur wytt ys lytył, yowur hede ys mekył, ȝe are full of
predycacyon.
But, ser, I prey [yow) þis questyon) to claryfye:
Dryff-draff, mysse-masche;
Sume was corn), & surne was chaffe;
My dame seyde my rame was Raffe;
On)-schett yowar lokke, & take an halpenye.
(8)
48
52
MERCY. Why come ȝe hethyr, brober? ȝe were not dysyryde. 53
MYSCHEFF. For a wyntur corn)-threscher, ser, I haue hyryde;
Mischief
chaffs Mercy
Ande ȝe sayde be corn) xulde be sauyde, & þe chaffe xulde be about the
feryde;
Ande he prouyth nay, as yt schewth be þis werse:
Corn and
Chaff:
56
'Corn) seruit bredibus, chaffe horsibus, straw fyrybusque;'
Thys ys as moche to say to yowur leude wndyrstondynge,
As be corn) xatt serue to brede at be nexte bakynge,
6
Chaff horsybus, & reliqu[i]d,'
The chaff, to horse xał be goode produce;
When a man ys for-colde, be straw may be brent,
And so forth, &cetera.
(9)
MERCY. A-voyde, goode broper! ȝe ben culpable
To interrupte thus my talkynge delectable.
MYSCHEFF. Ser, I haue noper horse nor sadyH;
Corn is for
bread;
60 Chaff for
horses.
63
64 Mercy tells
Mischief to
be off.
Therfor I may not ryde.
67
BRCY. Hye yow forthe on) fote, brother, in Godis name!
SCHEFF. I say, ser, I am cumme hedyr to make yow game;
bade ȝe me not go out in be deullys name,
• Ande I wył a-byde.
MERCY.1
71
.]
1 These lines begin a new leaf in the MS. They seem highly inappro-
priate in the mouth of Mercy, cf. especially 1. 73. Moreover, it is clear
from 11. 98, 111, that the entrance of New-gyse, Now-a-days, and Nought
was immediately preceded by Mercy's use of the words forming their names.
I therefore suppose that at least one leaf of MS. (containing their entrance)
has been lost at this point, and suggest that the command to the
Minstrels be assigned to New-gyse.-M. i. 318 n.

[Enter Nought, New-gyse, and Now-a-days, with their Minstrels.]
[NEW-GYSE.] [.
(10)
.]
[NEW-GYSE.] 1 Ande how, mynstrellys! pley be comyn) trace! 72
New-guise
calls for a
tune.
ley on with bi ballys tył hys bely bresto!
(11)
NOUGHT. I put case, I breke my neke: how than)?
NEW-GYSE. I gyff no force, by Sent Tanne!
Now-A-DAYS. Leppe a-bout lyuely! þou art a wygħt man;
lett ws be mery wył we be here!
77
NOUGHT. XaH I breke my neke to schow yow sporte?
NOW-A-DAYS. Therfor euer be-ware of bi reporte;
NOUGHT. I be-schrew ye ah! her ys a schrewde sorte;
Haue þer att pem² with a mery chere!
81
They dance.
[Her þei daunce. MERCY seyth
(12)
Do wey! do wey þis reuet, sers! do wey!
NOW-A-DAYS. Do wey, goode Adam! do wey!
82
Thys ys no parte of bi pley.
Nought dis-
approves of
NOUGHT. 3ys, Mary, I prey yow, for I loue not þis rewelynge.
the revelling. Cum forth, goode fader, I yow prey!
Be a lytył ȝe may assay.
A-non), of with yowur clothes, yf ȝe wył pray.
Go to! for I haue hade a praty scottlynge.
89
(13)
Mercy will
not dance.
MERCY. Nay, brother, I wył not daūnce.
NEW-GYSE. yf 30 wył, ser, my brother wyłł make yow
to
40
prawnce.
NOW-A-DAYS. With all my herte, ser, yf I may yow a-vaunce
ȝe may assay be a lytył trace.
NOUGHT. ȝe, ser, wył ȝe do wel,
Trace not with bem, be my cownset;
For I haue tracyed sumwhat to fylde feH; 3
I teH [yow] yt ys a narow space.
97
1 leaf 123.
2 or pen.
fulfil? 'Kittredge suggests that fylde was written by mistake, and
that the copyist then, observing that fylde neither rhymed nor ma
sense, added the right word, but neglected to erase fylde.'-М.
1

• [yow] M.
  1

5
(14)
But, ser, I trow, of ws thre I herde you speke.
NEW-GYSE. Crystis curse had [3] el þerfor; for I was in slepe.
98
New-guise
NOW-A-DAYS. A[nd] I hade þe cuppe redy in my honde, redy
to goo to met.
Therfor, ser, curtly grett yow well.
MERCY. Few wordis; few & wet sett!
NEW-GYSE. Ser, yt ys be new gyse & be new jett:
Many wordis, & schortely sett:
Thys ys be new gyse, euery dele.
(15)
101
defines the
new style.
105
MERCY. Lady, helpe! how wrechys delyte in ber sympuł weys!
NOW-A-DAYS. Say not a-geyn) be new gyse now-a-days!
þou xał fynde ws sch[r]ewys at al assays ;
Be ware! ȝe, may son) lyke a bofett.
109
MERCY. He was wel occupyede þat browte yow brethern).6
NOUGHT. I harde yow cat 'New-gyse, Now-a-days, Nought :'
Now-a-days
says they 8
are shrews.
alt þes thre to-gether.
yf ȝe sey þat I lye, I xat make yow to slyther:
lo, take yow here a trepett!
113
(16)
MERCY. Say me yowur namys! I know yow not.
114 They tell
NEW-GYSE. New-gyse, I.
Mercy their
names,
[NOW-A-DAYS.] Now-a-days, [I].8
MERCY. Be Jhesu Cryst, þat me dere bowte,
Ze be-tray many men).
[NOUGHT.] I, Nought.
NEW-GYSE. Be-tray! nay, nay, ser! nay, nay!
117
We make them both fresch & gay.
and ask his.
But of yowur name, ser, I yow prey,
That we may yow ken).
MERCY. Mercy ys my name & my 10 denomynacyon):
121
I conseyue ȝe haue but a lytył faus 11 in my communycacyon).
NEW-GYSE. Ey, ey! yowur body ys fut of Englysch Laten. 12
1 MS. hade = had ye, haue ȝe. Kittredge. -М.
2 redy om. M. 3lf. 123, bk. 4 no[ugh]t M.
6 hether; possibly we ought to read brether. M.
5 sch[r]ewys M.
9'a man' struck out. 10 'by' written over in MS.
12 MS. note in margin: "to haue þis
I am a-ferde yt wyft brest:
'It ram be' [MS.], quod þe
bocher on)-to me,
11 fors M.
7 So M. 8 [I] M.
Englysch made in Laten :
'When I stale a leg a motun,
ȝe are a stronge cunnynge clerke,
I prey,' &c."

(17)
Now-a-days Now-A-DAYS. I prey yow hertyly, worschypp[f]uł clerke: 125
has a wife,
Rachel,
I haue etun a dysch full of curdis,
Ande I haue schetun yowur mowth fut of turdis.
Now opyn) yowur sachel with Laten wordis,
Ande sey me þis in clerycat manere !
Also I haue a wyf; her name ys RacheH;
Betwyx her & me was a gret bateH;
Ande fayn) of yow I wolde here tet,
Who was be most mastur.
(18)
NOUGHT. Thy wyf Rachel, I dare ley xxti lyse.
129
133
134
NOW-A-DAYS. Who spake to þee,¹ fot? þou art not wyse!
Go & do þat longyth to pin offyce!
osculare fundamentum!
137
and is chaft
about her.
NOUGHT. Lo, mastur! lo! here ys a pardon) bely mett; 2
Yt ys grawntyde of Pope Pokett.
Yf ȝe wył putt yowur nose in hys wyffis sokett,
ȝe xatt haue xlty days of pardon).
141
(19)
Mercy tells
them to go,
MERCY. Thys ydył language ȝe xalt repent!
142
Out of þis place I wolde ȝe went.
3 NEW-GYSE. Goo we hens at thre with on assent!
My fadyr ys yrke of owur eloquence;
145
þerfor I wył no lenger tary.
Gode brynge yow, master, & blyssyde Mary,
To be numbur of be demonycatH frayry! 4
148
[.
.]
(20)
NOW-A-DAYS. Cum wynde, cum reyn),
Thow I cumme neuer a-geyn) !
149
and they do
so, quietly.
be deut put out both yowur eyn)!
Felouse, go we hens tyght!
NOUGHT. Go we hens, a deut wey!
Here ys be dore, her ys be wey!
Farweh, jentył Jaffrey!
I prey Gode gyf yow goode nyght!
152
[Exiant silentio. 156
1 When the MS. ye is for 'thee,' 'þee' is printed.
2 qy. be lymett M.

• leaf 124. * M. dots the next line for a supposed lost tag.

7
(21)
MERCY. Thankyde be Gode, we haue a fayer dylyuerance 157 Mercy is glad
Of þes iij onthryfty gestis!
They know fut lytył what ys þer ordynance;
I preue, by reson), þei be wers pen bestis:
(22)
A best doth after hys naturah Instytucyon);
Je may conseyue by there dysporte & be-hauour,
þer joy ande delyte ys in derysyon)
Of her¹ owyn) Cryste, to his dyshonur.
(23)
Thys condycyon) of leuynge, yt ys preiudycyaH;
Be ware perof! yt ys wers ban ony felony or treson).
How may yt be excusyde be-for be Iustyce of aH,
When for every ydył worde we must zelde a reson)?
(24)
to be rid of
them,
160
164
168
as they were
worse than
beasts.
They haue grett ease; þer-for þei wył take no thought:
But how ben, when be angelt of hewyn) xat blow be trumpe, How will
Ande sey to be transgressors þat wykkydly hath wrought,
"Cum forth on-to yowur juge, & zelde yowur a-cownte!" 172
(25)
Then xat I, Mercy, be-gyn sor to wepe;
Nober comfort nor cownset, þer xał non be hade;
But such as þei haue sowyn), such xałł pei repe :
þei be wanton) now, but ben xał pei be sade.
(26)
The goode new gyse now-a-days, I wył not dysalow;
176
I dyscomende be vycyouse gyse; I prey haue me excusyde;
I nede not to speke of yt; yowur reson) wył tell it yow;
Take þat ys to be takyn), & leue þat ys to be refusyde!
(27)
180
MANKYNDE [who now enters]. Of be erth & of be cley we haue
owur propagacyon);
By be prouydens of Gode, bus be we deryvatt,
181
they face the
Judge at
Domesday?
The good
new style is
to be praisd;
the bad, con-
demnd.
1 her = their. [t]her M.
2 ca[u]se M.

hopes his
hearers are
predestined
to salvation.
We must
mortify our
fleshly lusts.
To whos mercy I recomende þis hot congrygacyon):
11 hope, on-to hys blysse ye be at predestynatt:
Euery man, for hys degre, I trust xał be partycypatt,
Yf we wył mortyfye owur carnal condycyon),
184
He has a
body and
soul which
disagree.
Ande owur voluntarye dysyres, þat euer be pervercionatt,
To renunce þes, & yelde ws wndur Godis provycyon).
(28)
My name ys 'Mankynde'; I haue my composycyon)
Of a body & of a sout, of condycyon) contrarye:
Be-twyx be tweyn), ys a grett dyvisyon).
He þat xulde be s[u]biecte, now he hath be victory.
Thys ys to me a lamentable story,
To se my flesch, of my soul to haue gouernance :
Wher be goode wyff ys master, be goode-man may be sory.
A-lasse! what was bi fortune & þi chaunce,2
188
189
192
196
To be assocyat with my flesch, þat stynkyng dunge-hyH?
(29)
Lady, helpe! Souerens, yt doth my soul myche ył,
198
To se be flesch prosperouse, & be soul trodyn) wndur fote.
He will go
to Mercy,
I xał go to yondyr man, & a-say hym) I wył;
I trust of gostly solace he wył be my bote.
201
(30) [MANKYNDE goes to MERCY, and kneels to him.]3
kneel to him, All heyt, semely father! ȝe be welcome to þis house!
and beg his
help
Of be very wysdam ȝe haue partycypacyon).
My body with my soul ys euer querulose;
I prey yow, for sent charyte, of yowur supportacyon);
(31)
and comfort. I be-seche yow hertyly of yowur gostly comforte!
I am onstedfast in lywynge; my name ys 'Mankynde';
My gostly enmy, be deut, wył haue a grett dysporte,
In sympuł gydynge, yf he may se me ende.
1 leaf 124, back.
2 Marginal note in MS.:
"I may-both syth & sobbe; þis ys a pituose remembrance,
O In my soutt, so sotytt yft in thy substance."
3 [Goes to Mercy
Mercy] M.
4
synnfull M.
205
209

9
(32)
MERCY. Cryst sende yow goode comforte! ȝe be welcum, my Mercy bids
frende!
Stonde wppe on) yowur fete! I prey yow aryse !
My name ys 'Mercy': ȝe be to me fut hende;
To eschew vyce, I wył yow a-vyse.
(33)
MANKYNDE. O Mercy! of aH grace & vertu ȝe are be wel!
I haue herde telt of ryght worschyppfuł clerkis,
ȝe be approxymatt to Gode, & nere of hys conset;
He hat instytut you a-boue alt hys werkis.
(34)
O! yowur louely workis, to my soul are swetere ben hony.
rise.
He will ad-
vise him how
213 to eschew
vice,
217
MERCY. The temtacyon) of be flesch, ȝe must resyst lyke resist tempta-
a man,
For þer ys euer a batet betwyx be sout & be body;
'Vita hominis est milicial super terram.'
(35)
Oppresse yowur gostly enmy, & be Crystis own) knygħt!
Be neuer a cowarde a-geyn) yowur aduersary!
221
tion,
Yf ȝe wył be crownyde, ȝe must nedis fyght.
Intende wet, & Gode wył be yow adiutory.
(36)
and fight his
foe.
225
226 Life is short,
only a cherry-
time.
Remembur, my frende, be tyme of contynuance!
So helpe me Gode! yt ys but a chery tyme !
Spende yt weH! serue Gode with hertis affyance;
Dystempure not yowur brayn) with goode ale nor with wyn).
(37)
'Mesure ys tresure'; y for-byde yow not be vse.
Mesure yowur sylf euer; be-ware of excesse! 3
be superfluouse gyse, I wył þat ȝe refuse;
When nature ys suffysyde, a-non þat ȝe sese.
(38)
Yf a man haue and hors, & kepe hym) not to hye,
He may then reutt hym at hys own dysyere;
Yf he be fede ouer wet, he wył dysobey,
Ande in happe cast his master in be myre.
1 MS. nnilicia.
3 This line is written in the margin.
2 leaf 125.
230 Men should
always be
moderate.
233
237
A too highly
fed horse will
throw his
master.

(39)
[Re-enter NEW-GYSE.
NEW-GYSE. Ze sey trew, ser; ȝe are no faytour :
238
New-guise
says he has
fed his wife
till she has
I haue fede my wyff so wet, tył sche ys my master:
broken his
head.
Mercy bids
in his heart.
I haue a grett wonde on my hede, lo! & þer-on) leyth a playster,
Ande a-noper þer I pysse my peson).
Ande my wyf were yowur hors, sche wolde yow at to-samne.
ȝe fede yowur hors in mesure; ȝe are a wyse man.
I trow,¹ & ȝe were be kyngis palfrey-man,
A goode horse xulde be gesumme.2
(40)
241
MANKYNDE. Wher spekys þis felow? wył he not come nere?
MERCY. AH to sone, my brother, I fere me, for yow.
He was here ryght now (by hym þat bowte me dere!)
With oper of hys felouse: þei kan moche sorow.
(41)
They wył be here ryght sone, yf I owt departe.
Thynke on my doctryne! yt xat be yowur defence;
set his words lerne wył I am here! sett my wordis in herte!
With-in a schorte space I must nedis hens.
Now-a-days
245
249
253
(42) [Re-enter Now-A-DAYS and NOUGHT.
NOW-A-DAYS. De sonner be leuer, & yt be ewyn) a-non)! 254
I trow³ yowur name ys 'do lytyt'; ȝe be so longe fro hom);
yf ȝe wolde go hens, we xał cum euery-chon),
and Nought
chaff Mercy.
Mo ben a goode sorte.
ȝe haue leve, I dare wet say;
to hem ȝe wył go forth yowur wey.
Men haue lytył deynte of yowur pley,
Be-cause ȝe make no sporte.
(43)
257
261
NOUGHT. Yowur potage xał be for-colde, ser: when wył ȝe go
dyne?
I haue sene a man lost xxti noblys in as lytył tyme;
3et yt was not I, be Sent Qisyntyn)! 5
262
For I was neuer worth a pottfuł a wortis, sythyn) I was borne.
2 gersuma, 'gressoms, O.N. gorsemi, plentiful.
1 MS. It row.
3 MS. It row.
4 Me thynk a full. -Kittredge. M.
5 Gis, certeyn M.

11
1 My name ys 'Nought'; I love wet to make mery;
I haue be sethen with ȝe comyn) tapster of Bury;
I pleyde so longe þe fott, þat I am ewyn) wery wery; 2
ȝyt xał I be þer ageyn) to-morow. 3
(44)
266 Nought has
[Exeunt.] 269
playd the fool
with the
tapster of
Bury.
MERCY [to Mankind]. I haue moche care for yow, my own) frende; Mercy bids
serve God,
Yowur enmys wył be here a-non); þei made þer avaunte.
Thynke wet in yowur hert; yowur name ys 'Mankynde';
Be not wnkynde to Gode, I prey yow! be hys seruante!
Be stedefast in condycyon)! se ȝe be not varyant!
274
lose not thorow foly, þat ys sowte so dere!
Gode wył proue yow sone; ande yf þat ȝe be constant,
Of hys blysse perpetualł ȝe xall be partener.
(45)
ȝe may not haue yowur intent at yowur fyrst dysyer:
Se þe grett pacyence of Iob, & tribulacyon):
lyke as be smyth trieth ern) in be feer,
So was he triede by Godis vysytacyon).
(46)
He was of yowur nature & of yowur fragylyte:
Folow be steppys of hym), my own swete son),5
Ande sey, as he seyde, in yowur trobył & aduersyte:
277
281
'dominus dedit, dominus abstulit, sicut sibi placuit; sit nomen
domini benedictum!'
[Job i. 21.]
(47)
More-ouer, in specyat I gyue yow in charge,
Be-ware of 'New-gyse,' 'Now-a-days,' & 'Nought!'
Nyse in ber a-ray, in language þei be large:
285
To perverte þer condycyouns, at þer menys xał be sowte. 289
(48)
Gode son), intyrmyses yowur sylff not in ber cumpeny!
þei harde not a masse bi[s] twelmonyth, I dare wet say;
Gyff them non audyence; þei wył tell yow many a lye;
Do truly yowur labure, & kepe yowur haly day.
1 leaf 125, back. 2 very weary. 3 to-morne M. (for the ryme).
4 in M.
6 ? for þi.
5 ita factum est in another hand, in margin.
7 MS. nnenys.
follow Job's
steps,
and beware of
New-guise,
Now-a-days
and Nought.
290 They have
not heard a
Mass this
twelvemonth.
293
8 'intyrmyse' scratched out in MS. and 'intromytt nat' written over
in another hand.

(49)
Mercy bids
Mankind be-
ware of Titi-
villus.
Be-ware of Tytivillus, (fo[r] he lesyth no wey,)
þat goth in-vysybut, & wył not be sen);
he wył ronde in yowur ere, & cast a nett be-for yowur eyn);
He ys worst of pem at: Gode let hym neuer then)! 297
(50)
Yf ȝe dysples Gode, aske mercy a-non),
Ellys Myscheff wył be redy to brace yow in hys brydyt.
He is to kiss Kysse me now, my dere darlynge! Gode sche[1] de yow from
Mercy,
who blesses
him and the
audience.
301
The blyssynge of Gode be with yow & with ał bes worschypр-
yowur fon)!
Do truly yowur labure, & be neuer ydyH!
[f]uł men!
MANKYNDE. Amen! for sent charyte, amen!
(51)
[Exit.]
303
says his flesh
is overcome.
He has
written a
reminder
that he is
but dust.
Now blyssyde be Ihesu! my soult ys well sacyatt
With be mellyfluose doctryne of þis worschyppfuł man.
The rebellyn) of my flesch, now yt ys superatt,
Thankynge be [to] Gode, of be connynge þat I kan.2
(52)
Her wył I sytt, & tytył in þis papyr
The incomparable astat of my promycyon).
Worschypfuł Souerence, I haue wretyn) here
The gloryuse remembrance of my nobył condycyon,
(53)
To haue remo[r]s & memory of my sylff: bus wretyn) yt ys
To defende me from all superstycyus charmys:
'Memento, homo, quod cinis es, & in cinerem reuerteris.' 3
lo! I ber on) my bryst be bagge of myn) armys.
(54)
307
311
315
NEW-GYSE [who now re-enters].4 The wether ys colde: Gode
sende ws goode ferys!
'Cum sancto sanctus eris, & cum peruerso, peruerteris.' [Ps. xvii. 27.]
'Ecce quam bonum & quam Jocundum,' quod be deult to be
frerys.
'Habitare fratres in vnum.' 5
[Ps. cxxxii. 1.]
1 leaf 126. 2 cõmynge..kam MS.
4 [Enter New-gyse at the back of the stage.] Μ.
See Job xxxiv. 15.
5uno M.
319

13
MANKYNDE. I her a felow speke; with hym I wył not meH.
Thys erth, with my spade, I xał assay to delffe;
To eschew ydułnes, I do yt myn) own selffe.
I prey Gode sende yt hys fusyon)! [Re-enter NOW-A-DAYS
and NOUGHT.]
NOW-A-DAYS. Make rom), sers, for we haue be longe!
We wył cum gyf yow a Crystemes songe.
(55)
[He sings]1
323
NOUGHT. Now I prey at be yemandry þat ys here,
To synge with ws with a mery chere:
'Yt ys wretyn) with a coH, yt ys wretyn with a cole.'
NEW-GYSE & NOW-A-DAYS. Yt ys wretynd with a colle, yt ys
wretyn) [with a cole].2
328
3 NOUGHT. He þat schytyth with hys hoył, he þat schytyth
with hys hoyН,
NEW-GYSE, NOW-A-DAYS. He þat schytyth with hys hoył, [he
þat schytyth with his hoylle].2
331
NOUGHT. But he wyppe his ars clen), but he [wype his ars
clene],2
NEW-GYSE, NOW-A-DAYS. But he wype he ars clen), but he [wype
his ars clene],2
NOUGHT. On hys breche yt xał be sene, on hys breche [yt xall
be sene],2
NEW-GYSE, NOW-A-DAYS. On hys breche yt xał be sene, on hys
[breche yt xall be sene 2].3
[cantant omnes:
Hoylyke, holyke, holyke! holyke, holyke, holyke !
(56)
336
Mankind will
dig with his
spade.
Nought asks
all the folk
to join in a
coarse song.
He, New-
guise and
Now-a-days
sing it.
The hearers
Chorus.
join in the
NEW-GYSE. Ey, Mankynde, Gode spede yow with yowur spade! New-quise
I xał tell yow of a maryage :
hails Man-
kind,
I wolde yowur mowth & hys ars, þat þis made,
Wer maryede junctly to-gether.
340
MANKYNDE. Hey yow hens, felouse, with bredynge!
Leue yowur derysyon & yowur japynge!
who bids
I must nedis labure; yt ys my lyvynge.
him give up
his joking.
NOW-A-DAYS. What, ser? we came but lat hethyr.
344
1 [He sings] M.
2 MS. c'.
3-3 M. leaves out this song. Brandl gives it, p. 61.
4 leaf 126, back.
5 late, Kittredge. M.

(57)
Ellys ȝe xał haue a pore lyffe.
Nought and
Xat all þis corn) grow here,
þat ȝe xał haue be nexte zer?
Yf yt be so, corn) hade nede be dere;
348
NOUGHT. A-lasse, goode fadere! þis labor fretyth yow to be
bone;
But for yowur croppe I take grett mone:
ȝe xał neuer spende yt a-lonne :
I xał assay to geett yow a wyffe.
352
(58)
How many acres suppose ȝe here, by estymacyon)?
NEW-GYSE. Ey, how ȝe turne be erth wppe & down!
New-guise
chaff Man-
kind about
his digging,
I haue be in my days in many goode town),
Zett saw I neuer such a-nother tyllynge.
356
MANKYNDE. Why stonde ye ydył? yt ys pety þat ȝe were
born)!
NOW-A-DAYS. We xał bargen with yow, & noper moke nor
scorne;
Take a goode carte in herwest, & lode yt with yowur corne,
Ande what xał we gyf yow for be levynge?
(59)
360
NOUGHT. He ys a goode starke laburrer; he wolde fayn do well;
He hath mett with be goode man Mercy in a schroude set :
For all þis, he may haue many a hungry mele.
and the corn
ȝyt wolf ȝe se, he ys polytyke:
364
he expects
to grow.
Here xał be goode corn); he may not mysse yt;
Yf he wył haue reyn), he may ouer-pysse yt;
Ande yf he wył haue compass[t]e,¹ he may ouer-blysse yt
368
belabours
them with
his spade.
A lytył with hys ers lyke.
(60)
MANKYNDE. Go & do yowur labur! Gode lett yow neuer the!
Or with my spade I xaH yow dynge, by be holy trinyte!
Haue ȝe non other man to moke, but euer me?
ȝe wolde haue me of yowar sett?
Hye yow forth lyuely! for hens I wył yow dryffe.
372
[M. beats them with his spade.]2
1 ،
'composte,' Brandl; compost, Kittredge. M. 'Cum composto,' A.D.
1258, N.E.D.
2 М.

15
NEW-GYSE. A-las, my Jewelles! I xał be schent of my wyff!
NOW-A-DAYS. A-lasse! & I am lyke neuer for to thryue,
I haue such a buffett.
(61)
MANKYNDE. Hens I sey, New-gyse, Now-a-days, & Nowte!
Yt was seyde be-forn): att be menys xuł¹ be sought,
To perverte my condycions, & brynge me to nought:
Hens, thevys! ȝe haue made many a lesynge.
NOUGHT. Marryde I was for colde, but now am I warme.
Ze are ewył avysyde, ser, for ȝe haue done harme.
By cokkys body sakyrde, I haue such a peyn) in my arme,
I may not chonge a man a ferthynge.
(62)
They com-
plain.
376
says,
380 'Be off, you
thieves!"
384
God
MANKYNDE [kneels]. Now I thanke Gode, knelynge on my kne: He thanks
Blyssyde be hys name! he ys of hye degre.
By be syde of hys grace þat he hath sente me,
iij of mynd enmys I have putt to flyght. [Holds up his spade.]
ȝyt þis Instrument, souerens, ys not made to defende: 389
Dauide seyth, 'nec in hasta, nec in gladio, saluat Dominus.'
NOUGHT. No, mary, I be-schrew yow, yt ys in spadibus;
Therfor Crystis curse cum on) yowur hedybus,
[Exiant. 393
To sende yow lesse myght!
MaNKYNDE. I promytt yow, bes felouse wył no more cum here,
For summe of bem, certenly, were summe-what to nere.
My fadyr Mercy a-vysyde me to be of a goode chere,
Ande a-gayn) my enmys manly for to fyght.
(63)
I xał convycte bem, I hope, euerychon);
3et I say amysse; I do yt not a-lone :
With be helpe of be grace of Gode, I resyst my fon)
Ande ber malycyuse herte.
397
401
With my spade I wył departe, my worschypp[f]ut souerence,
Ande lyue euer with labure, to corecte my insolence.
I xał go fett corn) for my londe; I prey yow of pacyence;
Rygħt sone I xał reverte.
[Exit.] 405
1 xuld M.
2 leaf 127.
3? MS. sakyide.
4 MS. fs crost thru before syde (?for ayde: see 1.400). By this spade,
Kittredge. M.
5 MS. hastu. (Non in gladio, nec in hasta... 1 Reg. xvii. 47.)
that he's put
flight,
his 3 foes to
but only by
God's help.
He goes off
with his
spade, but
will soon
return.

Mischief
laments
that Man-
kind,
taught by
Mercy,
has beaten
New-guise,

Scene II

] (64)

MYSCHEFF [re-entering]. A-las, a-lasse! þat euer I was wrought!
A-lasse be whyH, I [am] wers pen¹ nought!
Sythyn I was here, by hym þat me bought,
I am wtterly on-dow!
I, Myscheff, was here at be begynnynge of be game,
Ande arguyde with Mercy; Gode gyff hym schame!
He hath taught Mankynde, wył I haue be vane,
To fygħt manly a-geyn hys fon).
(65)
For with hys spade, þat was hys wepyn),
New-gyse, Now-a-days, Nought, hath [he] alt to-beten) :
Now-a-days, I haue grett pyte to se bem wepyn).
and Nought.
Wył ȝe lyst! I here bem crye.
409
413
[Clamant. 417
[Re-enter NEW-GYSE, NOW-A-DAYS, NOUGHT, crying.]2
A-lasse, a-lasse! cum hether! I xał be yowur borow.
3 A-lac a-lac! vene, vene! cum hethere with Sorowe!
Pesse, fayer babys! ȝe xalt haue a nappył to-morow:
Why grete ȝe so, why?
421
(66)
They com-
plain.
NEW-GYSE. A-lasse, master! a-lasse, my privyte!
MYSCHEFF. A! wher! a-lake! fayer babe, ba me !
Abyde! to sone I xał yt se.
NOW-A-DAYS. Here, here! se my hede, goode master!
425
he'll cure 'em
by cutting
their heads
I xatt helpe be of þi peyn;
off.
Mischief says MYSCHEFF. Lady, helpe! sely darlynge, vene, vene!
NOUGHT. By owur Lady, ser, a fayer playster!
(67)
I xał smytt of bi hede, & sett yt on agayn).
429
Wył ȝe of with hys hede? yt ys a schreude charme.
As for me, I haue non) harme.
I were loth to for-bere myn) arme.
ȝe pley: in nomine patris, choppe!
433
NEW-GYSE. ȝe xał not choppe my jewellys, & I may.
They decline. NOW-A-DAYS. ȝe, Cristis crose! wył ȝe smyght my hede a-wey?
Ther, wher, on) & on. Oute! ȝe xał not assay;
I myght welt be callyde a foppe.
437
1 [am].. the[n] M.
2 Μ.
3 leaf 127, back. In another hand, at top, "Honorabytt & wett be-
lonyd frende, I hertely Recummend me on-to yow."
4 Cristes M., Crastes MS.
1

17
(68)
MYSCHEFF. I kan choppe yt of, & make yt a-gay.
NEW-GYSE. I hade a schreude recumbentibus, but I fele no
Mischief
peyn.
439
NOW-A-DAYS. Ande my hede ys at saue & hot agayn).
Now, towchynge be mater of Mankynde,
lett ws haue and interleccyon), sythen ȝe be cum hethere :
Yt were goode to haue and ende.
(69)
MYSCHEFF. How, how! a mynstreh! Know ȝe ony out?1
443
calls for a
Minstrel.
NOUGHT. I kan pype in a Walsyngham WystyH, I, Nought,
Nought.
445
MYSCHEFF. Blow a-pase! & þou xał brynge hym in with a flewte.
TYTIVILLUS [shouts outside].2 I com) with my leggis vndur me.
MYSCHEFF. How, New-gyse, Now-a-days! herke or I goo!
When owur hedis wer to-gethere, I spake of 'si dedero.'s
NEW-GYSE. 430! go bi wey! we xał gaber mony on)-to;
Ellys bers xat no man hym se.
(70)
Now gostly to owur purpos, worschypful souerence!
We intende to gather mony, yf yt plesse yowur neclygence,
For a man with a hede þat [is] of grett omnipotens.
451
NOW-A-DAYS. Kepe yowur taył, in goodnes, I prey yow, goode
broper!
He ys a worschypp[f]uł man, sers, sauynge yowur reuerens;
He louyth no grotis, nor pens or to-pens:
455
Gyf ws rede reyallys, yf ȝe wył se hys abhomynabuł presons.
NEW-GYSE. Not so ! ȝe þat mow not pay be ton), pay be toper!
(71)
At be goode man of þis house fyrst we wył assay.
460
Gode blysse yow, master! ȝe say as ył, zet ȝe wył not sey 'nay.'
lett ws go by & by, & do bem pay :
463
ȝe pay all a-lyke; well mut ȝe fare!
NOUGH [T]. I sey, New-gyse, Now-a-days! 'Estis vos pecuniatus?'
I haue cryede a fayer wył, I beschrew yowur patus!
NOW-A-DAYS. 'Ita vere, magister;' cumme forth now yowur gatus!
he ys a goodly man, sers: make space, & be ware!
1 ou[gh]t.
2 Μ.
5 MS. þei.
MACRO PLAYS
3 didera, Kittredge. M.
6 or, M, Brandi: MS. of.
467
4 leaf 128.
7 for ws.
New-guise
says they
want money,
not pence,
but royals.
He asks the
house-owner
for some.

Titivillus
in vain asks
New-guise,
(72)
TITIVILLUS [enters, drest like a devil, & with a net in his hand].1
Ego sum dominancium) dominus, & my name ys Titivillus.
ȝe þat haue goode hors, to yow I sey, 'caueatis!'
Here ys and abył felyschyppe to tryse hym out at yowur gatis:
[loquitur ad New-gyse.
Ego probo sic: ser New-gys, lende me a peny!
NEW-GYSE. I haue a grett purse, ser, but I haue no monay;
By be masse, I faył ij farthyngis of an) halpeny;
ȝyt hade I xli, þis nyght þat was. [ten pounds]
471
TITYUILLUS [loquitur ad Now-a-days]. What ys in bi purse?
þou art a stout felow.
(73)
475
Now-a-days, Now-A-DAYS. be deut haue [the] qwył! I am a clen) jentyH-
man.
I prey Gode, I be neuer wers storyde ben I am.
yt xał be otherwyse, I hope, or þis nygħt passe.
many a peny?
478
TYTIVILLUS [loquitur ad Nought]. Herke now! I say þou hast
and Nought NOUGHT. 'No[n] nobis, domine; non nobis,' by sent Deny!
for a penny.
be deut may daunce in my purse for ony peny;
Yt ys as clen) as a byrdis ars.
(74)
482
TITIVILLUS. Now I sey zet a-geyn), 'caueatis!'
Then he bids Her ys an abył felyschyppe to tryse hem out of yowur gatis.
'em go and
cadge for
what they,
can find.
Now I sey, New-gyse, Now-a-days, & Nought,
Go & serche be contre! anon) þat [yt]³ be sowzte,
Summe here, summe ber; what yf ȝe may cache owzte.
(75)
yf ȝe fayl of hors, take what ȝe may ellys!
483
487
NEW-GYSE. Then speke to Mankynde for be recumbentibus of
my jewellys.
NOW-A-DAYS. Remembre my brokyn) hede in be worschyppe of
be v. vowellys.5
ȝe, goode ser, be sytyca in my arme!
491
1 Μ.
2 [the] M.
5 Qy. the vij (or xx) devellys. M.

• [yt] M.
  4 leaf 128, back.
  Qy. the syatica (= sciatica) М.

19
TITYUILLUS. I know full well what Mankynde dyde to yow:
Myschyff hat informyde [me] of all be matere thorow;
I xat venge yowur quaret, I made Gode a-vow.
Forth! & espye were ȝe may do harme!
Take W[illiam]1 Fyde, yf ȝe wył haue ony mo.
I sey, New-gyse, wether' art þou avysyde to go?
(76)
495
497
Titivillus
promises to
revenge them
on Mankind.
NEV-GYSE. Fyrst I xaH be-gyn) at M[aster]2 Huntyngton of New-guise
Sanston); 3
Fro thens I xał go to Wylliam Thurlay of Hanston), 4
Ande so forth to Pycharde of Trumpyngton): 5
I wył kepe me to bes iij.
NOW-A-DAYS. I xall goo to Wyllyham Baker of Waltom),"
To Rycherde Bolman of Gayton),7
I xał spare master Woode of Fulburn); 8
he ys a 'noli me tangere!'
(77)
NOUGHT. I xał goo to Wyllyam Patryke of Massyngham; 9
I xał spare master Alyngton) of Botysam, 10
Ande Hamonde of Soffeham.11
Felous, cum forth! & go we hens to-gethyr,
For drede of 'in manus tuas,' qweke.
'll go to some
Norfolk and
Cambridge
men;
501
Now-a-days
to others,
505
509
NEU-GYSE. Syth we xat go, lett ws be 12 wel ware & wether;
yf we may be take, we com no more hethyr.
512
lett ws con)13 wel owur neke verse, þat we have not a
cheke.
(78)
TITYVILLUS. Goo yowur wey, a deut wey! go yowur wey, aH!
I blysse yow with my lyfte 14 honde: fout yow be-fat!
1 w[ith you] M.
3
2 M[aster] M.
? Santon, ton, in Norfolk, on the borders of Suffolk, 31 m. E. of Brandon
Station.
4 ? Ampton, Suffolk, 44 m. N. of Bury St. Edmunds. ? Hunston, Hun-
stanton, Norfolk.
5 Two miles S. of Cambridge.,
6 Walton, East, in Norfolk, 8 m. E.S.E. of Lynn.
7 Gayton, in Norfolk, 7 m. E. by S. of King's Lynn.
8 Fulbourn, a village under the Gogmagog Hills, 5 m. E.S.E. of
Cambridge.
9 In Norfolk, 9 m. N. from Swaffham station.
10 Bottisham, in Cambridgeshire, 64 m. E.N.E. of Cambridge.
11 Swaffham, in Norfolk, 141 m. S. E. from Lynn, 96 m. by road, and 113
by rail, from London.
12 se M. 13 MS. com). 14 'ryght' struck out.
and Nought
to different
ones.
Titivillus
bids them
be off.

Com) a-gayn), I werne, as sone as I yow cał,
Titivillus
will stay to
tempt Man-
kind,
A[nd]¹ brynge yowur a-vantage in-to þis place. [Exeunt.] 517
To speke with Mankynde I wył tary here þis tyde, [Tityvillus
Ande assay, hys goode purpose for to sett a-syde;
stays.]
be goode man) Mercy xat no lenger be hys gyde;
I xał make hym to dawnce a-noper trace!
521
hinder his
digging,
and spoil his
corn.
(79)
Euer I go invysybuł; yt ys my jett;
Ande be-for hys ey, bus I wył hange my nett
To blench hys sygħt; I hope to haue hys fote mett;
To yrke hym) of hys labur, I xatt make a frame;
Thys borde xał be hyde wndur be erth preuely;
Hys spade xał entur, I hope, ouer redyly; 2
Be pen he hath assayde, he xał be very angry,
Ande lose hys pacyens, peynd of schame.
I xał menge hys corne with drawk & with durnet;
yt xałł not be lyke to sow nor to seH.
Yondyr he commyth: I prey of cownset;
he xałł wene grace were wane.3
525
529
533-
(80)
MANKYNDE [who re-enters].
Now, Gode, of hys mercy, sende ws
comes to SOW
his seed;
of hys sonde !
but the land
is so hard,
he loses his
corn,
he gives up
his spade,
I haue brought seed her to sow with my londe;
qwyt I ouer dylew yt,5 here yt xał stonde:
'In nomine Patris & Filii & Spiritus Sancti;' now I wył
be-gyn:
Thys londe ys so harde, yt makyth wn)-lusty & yrke;
I xał sow my corn) at wyntur, & lett Gode werke.
A-lasse! my corn) ys lost! here ys a foult werke !
I se weł, by tyllynge, lytył xał I wynw.
(81)
Here I gyf wppe my spade, for now & for euer;
To occupye my body, I wył not put me in deuer;
I wył here my ewynsonge here or I dysseuer :
Thys place I assynge as for my kyrke;
537
541
[Here Titivillus
goth out with
be spade.
1 Ande M., A MS.
2 on-redyly M.
3 cran) (?) written after 'wane' in another hand.
5 that M.
leaf 129.
545

21
Here, in my kerke, I knełł on my kneys:
'Pater noster, qui es in celis.'
kneels, and
prays.
547
TYTYVILLUS [who re-enters]. I promes yow I haue no lede on my Titivillus
helys;
I am here a-geyn) to make þis felow yrke.
549
(82)
qwyst! pesse! I xałł go to hys ere, & tytył þer-in.
'A schorte preyere thyrlyth hewynw: of bi preyere blyn);
[To Man- whispers in
kynde].1
his ear.
þou art holyer þen euer was ony of þi kyn):
A-ryse & avent bee! nature compellys.'
553
(83)
MANKYNDE. I wył in-to þi[s]1 zerde, souerens, & cum a-geyn) Mankind
sone;
For drede of be colyke, & eke of be ston),
I wył go do þat nedis must be don);
My bedis xał be here, for who-summ-euer wył cumme.
(84)
557
[Exiat.
goes out
to relieve
himself.
TITYUILLUS. Mankynde was besy in hys prayere, zet I dyde hym Titivillus
aryse;
boasts that
he has þer-
verted Man-
kind,
He is conveyde (be Cryst!) from hys dyvyn seruyce.
Whether ys he, trow ȝe? I-wysse I am wondur wyse;
I haue sent hym forth to schyte lesynges.
yff ȝe haue ony syluer, in happe, pure brasse,
Take a lytył pow[d]er² of Parysch, & cast ouer hys face,
Ande ewyn in be howH-flyght let hym passe:
561
Titivillus kan lerne yow many praty thyngis.
565
(85)
I trow Mankynde wył cum a-geyn) son),
Or ellys, I fer me, ewynsonge wył be don;
Hys bedis xał be trysyde a-syde, & þat a-non).
ȝe xał [se] a goode sport, yf ȝe wył a-byde:
Mankynde cummyth a-geyn): wet fare he!
I xał answere hym 'ad omnia quare;'
Ther xał be sett a-broche a clerycał mater;
I hope, of hys purpose to sett hym a-syde.
who'll soon
chuck away
569 his prayers.
573
1 M.

• [d] M. (Paris powder).
  3 [se] M.

says he's
86)
MANKYNDE [who re-enters]. Ewynsonge hath be in be saynge, I
trow, a fayer wył;
tired of
labour
I am yrke of yt: yt ys to longe, be on myle.
Do wey! I wył no more so oft on be chyrche-style;
1 Be as be may, I xał do a-noper:
577
and prayer.
Of labure & preyer, I am nere yrke of both;
I wył no more of yt, thow Mercy be wroth! 1
My hede ys very heuy, I tell yow for soth;
He means to
stuff.
I xat slepe, fut my bely, & he were my broper.
581
[Goes to sleep and snores.]
Titivillus
(87)
TITYVILLUS. Ande euer ȝe dyde, for me, kepe now yowur sylence!
Not a worde, I charge yow, peyn of xl pens!
A praty game xał be scheude yow, or ȝe go hens :
ȝe may here hym) snore; he ys sade a-slepe;
585
says Mercy
has stolen a
horse
and broken
his neck.
declares he'll
qwyst! pesse! be Deut ys dede! I xall goo ronde in hys ere.
A-lasse, Mankynde! a-lasse! Mercy stown) a mere !
He ys runn a-way fro hys master, ber wot no man where;
More-ouer, he stale both a hors & a nete.
(88)
589
But zet I herde sey he brake hys neke as he rode in Fraunce;
But I thynke he rydyth ouer be galous, to lern) for to daunce,
By-cause of hys theft: patys hys gouernance.
593
Trust no more on hym; he ys a marryde man!
Mekył sorow, with bi spade be-forn) þou hast wrought.
A-ryse, & aske mercy of Neu-gyse, Now-a-days, & Nought!
þei cum: A-vyse bee for be best; lett þer goode wył be sought,
Ande bi own) wyff [be] bretheH, & take þee a lemman. 597
For wet, euerychon)! for I haue don) my game,
For I haue brought Mankynde to myscheff & to schame.
[Exit Tityvillus.7]
(89)
MANKYNDE. Whope! who! Mercy hath brokyn) hys neke-
kycher a-vows;
Or he hangyth by be neke hye wpp on be gallouse.
go to the ale- A-dew, fayer mastere! I wył hast me to be ale-house,
Ande speke with New-gyse, Now-a-days & Nought,
house,
603
1-1 These lines are added at the bottom of the page.
3 leaf 129, back. 4 has stolen M.
Qy. bethell M (? be left). 7 м.
2 ? MS. skepe.
5 MS. galouf, corr. to galous.
8? mastere[s].

23
and get a
girl.
A[nd] geett me a lemman with a smattrynge face.
NEW-GYSE. Make space! for Cokkes body sakyrde, make space! New-guise
A ha! weł! on)! ron)! Gode gyff hym ewył grace!
We were nere sent Patrykes wey, by hym þat me bought. 607
(90)
was strung
up,
[points to but the
I was twychyde by be neke; be game was be-gunne;
A grace was, be halter brast asondur (Ecce signum!),
The halff ys a-bowte my neke; we hade a nere rune! his neck.]
'Be-ware,' quod be goode wyff, when sche smot of here hus-
bondis hede: be-ware!
611
Myscheff ys a convicte, for he coude hys neke-verse;
My body gaff a swynge when I hynge wpp-on) be casse;
A-lasse! he wył hange such a lygħ[t]ly¹ man, & a fers,
For stelynge of and horse! I prey Gode gyf hym) care! 615
(91)
halter broke,
4444
sari
Mereyal'
Do wey þis halter! what deuł doth Mankynde here, with sorow! and his neck
A-lasse! how my neke ys sore! I make a-vowe!
M[ANKYNDE]. Ze be welcom), New-gyse! ser! what chere with
yow
619
NEW-GYSE. Wet, ser, I haue no cause to morn).
M[ANKYNDE]. What was þer abowte yowur neke? so Gode yow
a-mende!
NEW-GYSE. In feyth, sent Audrys holy bende.
I haue a lytył dyshes, as yt plesse Gode to sende,
With a runnynge rynge-worme.
(92)
is sore;
he has ring-
worm.
623
NOW-A-DAYS [who enters]. Stonde a rom), I prey be, broper myn)! Now-a-days
I haue laburyde alt þis nygħt; wen xał we go dyn)?
A chyrche her be-syde xał pay for ale, brede, & wyn).
lo! here ys stoff wył serue.
asks when
they'll dine.
627
NEW-GYSE. Now, by be holy Mary, þou art bettur marchande
pen I!
NOUGHT [entering]. A-vante, knawys! lett me go by!
I kan not geet, & I xulde sterue.
(93)
630
MYSCHEFF [entering]. Here cummyth a man of armys! why Mischief
stonde ye so styH?
Of murdur & man-slawter I haue my bely fyH.
returns.
1 lyghtly M.
2 leaf 130.

Mischief was
chaind,
but kild the
jailer,
kist his
widow,
NOW-A-DAYS. What, Myscheff, haue ye bene in presun)? & yt be
yowur wył,
634
Me semyth ȝe haue scorydel a peyr of fetters.
MYSCHEFF. I was chenyde by be armys:-lo! I haue pem
here :-
The chenys I brast asundyr, & kyllyde be jaylere,
ȝe, ande hys fayer wyff halsyde in a cornere :
A! how swetly I kyssyde bo² swete mowth of hers!
(94)
When I hade do, I was myn) owzun bottler;
638
and stole his
I brought a-wey with me both dysch & dublere.
goods.
Here ys a-now for me; be of goode chere!
3et welt fare be new chesance!
642
begs pardon
of New-
guise, &c.,
and asks for
their good-
will.
MANKYNDE. I aske mercy of New-gyse, Now-a-days, & Nought.
Onys, with my spade, I remembur þat I faught:
I wył make yow a-mendis, yf I hurt yow ought,
Or dyde ony grevaunce.
(95)
646
NEW-GYSE. What a deut lykyth bee to be of þis dysposycyon)?
MANKYNDE. I drempt Mercy was hange, - þis was my
vysyon),-
Ande þat to yow iij I xulde haue recors & remocyon).
Now I prey yow hertyly of yowur goode wył;
650
I crye you mercy of all þat I dyde a-mysse.
NOW-A-DAYS [aside].3 I sey, New-gys, Nought! Tytivillus made
ałł þis:
As sekyr as Gode ys in hewyn), so yt ys!
NOUGHT. Stonde wppe on) yowur feet! why stonde ȝe so stył?
(96)
NEW-GYSE. Master Myscheff, we wył yow exort,
Mankyndis name in yowur bok for to report.
Mischief tells MYSCHEFF. I wył not so; I wył sett a corte.
Now-a-days
to call a
Court.
A! do yt¹ forma jurys, dasarde!
655
[Now-a-days, mak
NOW-A-DAYS. 5Oy-yt! Oy-yzt! Oyet! [= Oye3!] proclamacyon)!
'AH maner of men & comun women),
To be cort of Myschyff, othere cum or sen!
Mankynde xał retorn); he ys one of owur men.'
MYSCHEFF. Nought, cum forth! þou xall be stewerde.
663
1 sco[w]ryde M.(?) 2 that M. M. 'fo' struck out. lf. 130, bk.

25
(97)
NEW-GYSE. Master Myscheff, hys syde gown) may be solde;1
He may haue a jakett ber-of, & mony tolde.
MANKYNDE. I wył do for be best, so I haue no colde.
NOUGHT scri[bit]. Holde, I prey yow, & take yt with yow, 667
Ande let me haue yt a-geyn) in ony wyse.
NEW-GYSE. I promytt yow a fresch jakett, after be new gyse.
MANKYNDE. Go & do þat longyth to yowur offyce,
A[nd] spare þat ȝe may! 2
(98)
NOUGHT. Holde, master Myscheff! & rede þis!
MYSCHEFF. Here ys blottybus in blottis,
Blottorn blottibus istis,
I be-schrew yowur erys, & fayer hande!
NOW-A-DAYS. ȝe! yt ys a goode renny[n]ge fyst;
Such and hande may not be myst.
NOUGHT. I xulde haue don) bettur, hade I wyst.
671
675
[Exit.]
679
MYSCHEFF. Take hede, sers, yt stonde you on hande!
New-guise
says Man-
kind may
sell his gown
for a new-
fashiond
jacket, and
some money.
Mischief
chaffs about
a letter given
to him.
(99)
'Curias tenta generalis,' 4
In a place þer goode ale ys,
Anno regni regitalis
Edwardi millateni.
On) zestern) day, in Feuerere, be zere passyth fully.
Anno regni regis nulli.
(100)
686
As Nought hath wrytyn); here ys owur tulli,
NOW-A-DAYS. What how, New-gyse! poumakyst moche [taryynge].5
'þat jakett xał not be worth a ferthynge.
It was writ-
ten where
good ale was,
with a sham
date.
NEW-GYSE [re-entering]. Out of my wey, sers, for drede of New-quise
fyghtynge!
lo! here ys a feet tay, lyght to leppe a-bowte!
NOUGHT. yt ys not schapyn) worth a morset of brede;
Ther ys to moche cloth, yt weys as ony lede;
I xał goo & mende yt, ellys I wył lose my hede:
Make space, sers! lett me go owte!
brings in
Mankind's
new jacket.
690
[Exit.5] 694
2 mow M.
3 MS. Carici.
1 solde MS., tolde M.
[Name of Manor] Curia generalis tenta ibidem,' &c., the general
heading of the record of Manorial-Court proceedings.-J. Herbert.
5 M.

Co
(101)
MYSCHEFF. Mankynde, cum hether! God sende yow be gowte!
Be xall goo to all be goode felouse in be cuntre a-boute;
On-to be goode wyff, when be goode man ys owte.
"I wył," say ȝe !
MANKYNDE.
I wył, ser.
agrees
698
NEW-GYSE. There arn) but sex dedly synnys: lechery ys non),
as yt may be verefyede be ws brethellys euerychon) :
to rob, steal, ȝe xał goo robbe, steł, & kył, as fast as ye may gon.
and kill,
" I wył," sey зе!
M[ANKYNDE].
I wył, ser.
702
to give up
church-
services,
and wear a
dagger to
cut folks'
throats.
(102)
NOW-A-DAYS. On Sundays, on be morow, erly be tyme,
ȝe xał with ws to be alle-house erly, to go dyne,
A [nd]2 for-ber masse & matens, owres & prime.
"I wył," sey zе!
M[ANKYNDE].
I wył, ser.
MYSCHEFF. Ze must haue be yowur syde a longe 'da pacem,'
As trew men ryde be be wey, for to on)-brace pem;
Take þer money, kytt þer throtes! thus ouer-face pem:
"I wył," sey зе!
MANKYNDE.
I wył, ser.
706
710
Mercy,
(103)
NOUGHT [re-entering]. Here ys a joly jakett! how sey ȝe?
NEW-GYSE. Yt ys a goode jake of fences for a mannys body.
Hay, doog! hay, whoppe! whoo! go yowur wey lyghtly!
ȝe are well made for to ren).
Mischief spies MYSCHEFF. Tydyngis, tydyngis! I haue a-spyede on)!
Hens with yowur stuff! fast we were gon)!
I be-schrew be last xał com to hys hom).
Amen!
who warns
against his
bad fellows.
(104)
5
714
[dicant omnes. 718
MERCY [re-entering]. What, how, Mankynde! fle þat fely-
schyppe, I yow prey !
MANKYNDE. I xaH speke with [þee] a-noper tyme; to morn, or
be next day.
1 leaf 131.
2 And M.
3 iake[tt] of s[er]u[i]ce M.

27
We xał goo forth to-gether, to kepe my faders 3er-day :
A tapster, a tapster! stow, statt, stow!
MYSCHEFF. A myscheff go with here! I haue a fout faH.
Hens, a-wey fro me! or I xall be-schyte yow aH.
NEW-GYSE. What, how! ostler, hostler! lende ws a foot-þat!
722
New-gyse
asks for a
Whoppe, whow! a-now, a-now, a-now, a-now! [Exeunt.] 726 football.

Scene III

] (105)

Scene III.
MERCY. My mynde ys dyspersyde; my body tir-trymmelyth as Mercy
be aspen leffe;
The terys xuld trekył down by my chekys, were not yowur
reuerrence;
731
yt were to me solace, be cruel vysytacyon) of deth.
With-out rude be-hauer, I kan)[not] ¹ expresse þis inconvenyens;
Wepynge, sythynge, & sobbynge, were my suffycyens;
AH natural nutriment, to me, as caren), ys odybuł;
My inwarde afflixcyon) zeldyth me tedyouse wn-to yowur
presens;
I kan not bere yt ewynly, þat mankynde ys so flexibuH. 734
pun
(106)
mourns
over man's
inconstancy.
Man on-kynde, wher-euer þou be! for all þis world was not He could not
apprehensyble
To dyscharge pin orygynat offence, thraldam & captyuyte,
Tył Godis own) welbelouyde son) was obedient & passyble;
clear his
original sin
till Christ
shed His
Euery droppe of his bloode was schede to purge pin iniquite. blood for
2I dyscomende & dysalow þis oftyn) imutabylyte;
To euery creature þou art dyspectuose & odyble.
him.
739
Why art þou so on)-curtess, so inconsyderatt? A-lasse! who ys
me!
As be fane þat turnyth with be wynde, so þou art conuerty.
ble.
(107)
In trust ys treson); þis promes ys not credyble;
Thys peruersyose ingratytude, I can not rehers.
Yet he turns
like a
742 weathercock.
To go ouer to all be holy corte of hewyn, þou art despectyble,
As a nobył versyfyer makytħ mencyon) in þis verse:
'Lex & natura, Christus et omnia iura
Damnant in-gratum; lugetur eum fore natum.'
748
He is þer-
versely un-
grateful.
All heaven
despises him.
1 not M. 2 leaf 131, back.
3 Kittredge; sit MS.

Mercy prays
the Virgin to
pity Man-
kind.
He's been
perverted by
New-guise,
&c.
But Mercy
will rescue
him.
He calls for
Mischief and
New-guise
chaff Mercy.
(108)
O goode Lady, & Mober of Mercy, haue pety & compassyon)
Of be wrechydnes of Mankynde, þat ys so wanton & so fraył!
Lett Mercy excede Justice, dere Moper! a[d] mytt¹ þis supply-
cacyon),
'Equyte to be leyde ouer party, & mercy to prevayH.' 752
(109)
To sensuat lyvynge ys reprouable, þat ys now-a-days,
As be be comprehence of þis mater yt may be specyfyede.
New-gyse, Now-a-days, Nought, with þer allectuose ways
They haue pervertyde Mankynde, my swet sun, I haue weł
espyede.
(110)
756
A! with þes cursyde caytyfs, and I may, he xał not long
indure.
I, Mercy, hys father gostly, wył procede forth, & do my
propyrte.
Lady, helpe! þis maner of lyvynge ys a detestabuł plesure,
Vanitas vanitatum,' all ys but a vanyte.
(111)
Mercy xał neuer be convicte of his oncurtes condycyon);
760
With wepynge terys, be nyzte & be day, I wył goo, & neuer
sesse.
XaH I not fynde hym? yes, I hope. Now Gode be my proteccyon)!
My predylecte son), wher be ye? Mankynde! vbi es? 764
MYSCHEFF [re-entering, with his fellows]. My prepotent father,
when ȝe sowpe, sowpe owt yowur messe.
ȝe are all to-gloryede in yowur termys; ȝe make many a
lesse.
Wył ȝe here? he cryeth euer 'Mankynde! vbi es?'
(112)
NEW-GYSE. Hic hyc! hic hic! hic hic! hic hic!
þat ys to say, here! here! here! ny dede in be cryke.
yf ȝe wył haue hym), goo, & syke, syke, syke!
767
Syke not ouer longe, for losynge of yowur mynde!
1 a[d]mytt M. 2 MS. cayftys. 3 to-glosyede M.
ny, Kittredge. M., MS. my.
4
771

29
(113)
NOW-A-DAYS. Yf ȝe wył haue Mankynde, -how, domine, domine, Now-a-days
domine!-
ȝe must speke to be schryue for a 'cepe coppus,' 1
Ellys ȝe must be fayn to retorn) with 'non est inventus.'
How say ȝe, ser? my bolte ys schott.
775
NOUGHT. I am doynge of my nedyngis: be ware how ȝe schott! and Nought
2 Fy, fy, fy! I haue fowl a-rayde my fote.
Be wyse for schotynge with yowur takyllys, for, Gode wott,
My fote ys fowly ouer-schett.
(114)
779
MYSCHEFF. A parlement! a parlement! cum forth, Nought,
be-hynde!
A cownsett be-lyue! I am a-ferde Mercy wył hym fynde.
How say 30? & what sey ȝe? how xał we do with Mankynde?
NEU-GYSE. Tysche! a flyes weynge! wył ȝe do wet?
He wenyth Mercy were honge for stelynge of a mere.
Myscheff! go sey to hym þat Mercy sekyth everywere;
He wył honge hym) selff, I wndyrtake, for fere.
MYSCHEFF. I assent þer-to; yt ys wyttyly seyde, & weH.
(115)
NOW-A-DAYS. I-wyppe yt in bi cote; a-non) yt wer don).
Now, Sent Gabryellis modyr saue be clopes of bi schon)!
AH be bokys in be worlde, yf þei hade be wndon),
Kowde not a cownselde ws bett.
783
791
join in.
They fear
that Mercy
will find
[hic exit MYSCHEFF, [and re-enters with MANKIND.]
MYSCHEFF. How, Mankynde! cumm & speke with Mercy! he ys Mischief
here fast by.
MANKYNDE. A roppe, a rope, a rope! I am not worthy.
MYSCHEFF. A-non), a-non), a-non)! I haue yt here redy;
With a tre also þat I haue gett.
(116)
Holde be tre, Now-a-days! Nought, take hede, & be wyse!
NEU-GYSE. LO, Mankynde! do as I do: þis ys þi new gyse.
gyff be roppe just to by³ neke: þis ys mynd) a-vyse.
fetches him
in.
795
MYSCHEFF. Helpe þi sylff, Nought! lo, Mercy ys here! 799
He skarytħ ws with a bales; we may no lengere tary.
2 leaf 132.
1 cape corpus M.

• balef M. bales' is a rod, a scourge.
  3 MS. pye, thy M.

Mercy ap-
peals to
Mankind,
NEW-GYSE. qweke, qweke, qweke! a-lass, my thrott! I be-
schrew yow, Mary!
A, Mercy! Crystis coppyde curse go with yow, & sent Dauy!
A-lasse, my wesant! ȝe wer sumwhat to nere.
(117)
803
[Exiant. [MANKIND stays.]
MERCY. A-ryse, my precyose redempt son)! ȝe be to me full dere.
he ys¹ so tymerouse; me semyth hys vytał spryt doth expy[re].
MANKYNDE. Alasse! I haue be so bestyały dysposyde, I dare
not a-pere.
To se yowur solaycyose2 face, I am not worthy to dysyer. 807
(118)
MERCY. Yowur crymynose compleynt wondyth my hert as a
lance;
and begs him Dyspose yowur sylff mekly to aske mercy, & I wył assent.
to ask for
Mercy,
and prays
Christ to help
him,
Zelde me nethyr golde nor tresure, but yowur humbył obeysyance,
The voluntary subieccyond of yowur hert, & I am content.
(119)
811
MANKYNDE. What! aske Mercy zet onys a-gayn)? alas, yt were
a wyld petycyn)!
Ewyr to offend, & euer to aske mercy, þat ys a puerilite.
yt ys so abhomminabell to rehers my werst transgrescion;
I am not worthy to hawe mercy, be no possibilite.
(120)
815
MERCY. O Mankend, my singler solas, þis is a lamentabył excuse.
The dolorus feris of my hert, how þei begyn) to a-mownte!
O blyssed Ihesu, help þou þis synfuł synner to redeme! 8
Nam hec est mutacio dextre Excelsiº: vertit Impios, & non sunt.
(121)
820
Thy deth schał be my hewynesse: alas! tys pety yt schuld
A-ryse & aske mercy, Mankend, & be associat to me!
be bus.
or he'll be
Thy obstinacy wył exclude [thec] 10 fro be glorius perpetuite.
lost eternally.
3et, for my lofe, ope thy lyppys, & sey 'miserere mei, Deus!'
1 MS. ys ys.
2 solacyose M.
3 leaf 132, back. This page and the next 3 are in another hand.
4 MS. wernt or werunt. wikit M. MS. seris; feres M.
6 blyssed M., pirssie MS. 7? MS. 8 reduce, Kittredge. M.
9 Ps. lxxvi (lxxvii, Engl.), 11. 'hæc mutatio dexteræ Excelsi.' 'Verte
impios, et non erunt.' --Prov. xii. 7. 10 the MS.

31
(122)
MANKEND. The egal justyse of God wył not permytte sych a Mankind
synfuł wrech
To be rewyvyd & restoryd a-geyn): yt were Impossibył.
MERCY. The justice of God wył as I wył, as hym sylfe doth
precyse: 1
826
Nolo mortem peccatoris, inquit, & yff he wył [be]³ reducyble.
(123)
MANKEND. ban, mercy, good Merey! what ys a man wyth-owte
mercy?
lytył ys our parte of paradyse, were mercy ne were.
Good Mercy, excuse be ineuytabył obieccion of my gostly enmy :
The prowerbe seyth 'be trewth tryith be sylfe.' alas! I hawe
mech care.
(124)
831
fears that his
restoration is
impossible.
MERCY. God wył not make 30w preuy on-to hys last Iugement. Mercy.com-
Justyce & equite xał be fortyfyid, I wył not denye.
Trowthe may not so cruelly procede in hys streyt argument,
But þat Mercy schalt rewle be mater with-owte controuersye.
(125)
Aryse now, & go with me in thys deambulatorye!
4
Inclyne yowyr capacite! My doctrine ys conuenient.
5Synne not in hope of mercy! þat ys a cryme notary;
To truste ouermoche In a prince, yt ys not expedient.
(126)
forts him:
Mercy will
prevail.
But he is not
to sin, in
839 hope of
mercy.
In hope, when ȝe syn), ȝe thynke to haue mercy: be-ware of þat He is to
awenture!
The good Lord seyd to be lecherus woman of Chananè, -
The holy gospell ys be awtorite, as we rede in scrypture,-
"Vade! & iam amplius noli peccare."
(127)
[Jn. viii. 11]
843
Cryst preseruyd þis synful woman takyn) in a-wowtry:
He seyde to here beis wordis, 'go, & syn) no more!'
think of
Christ's
words,
1 Preciser, v.a. déterminer strictement. -Godefroi.
2 Nolo mortem impii, sed ut convertatur impius a vita sua, et vivat.
Ezech. xxviii. 11.
3 be M.
4 MS. My doctrine ys conuenient. Inclyne yowyr capacite.-М.
5 leaf 133.
'Go, and sin
no more.'

Mercy bids
So to yow: 'go, & syn) no more!' be-ware of weyn) confidens of
mercy;
846
Offend not a prince, on trust of hys fauour, as I¹ seyd before.
Mankind ask yf ȝe fele your sylfe trappyd in be snare of your gostly enmy,
mercy for
every sin
while he
lives.
Ask, and he
shall have.
Repent at
once.
Now is the
acceptable
time.
yields to
Mercy's
appeal.
Aske mercy a-non; be-ware of be contynnance!
Whył a wond ys fresch, yt ys prowyd curabył be surgery, 850
þat, yf yt procede ouyrlonge, yt ys cawse of gret grewance.2
(128)
MANKEND. To aske mercy & to haue, þis ys a lyberał possescion).
Schall þis expedycius petycion) euer be alowyd, as ȝe hawe in
syght?
MERCY. In þis present lyfe, mercy ys plente, tyll deth Makyth
hys dywysion);
But, whan ȝe be go, vsque ad minimum quadrantem ȝe scha[11]
rekyn þis ryght.
(129)
855
Aske mercy, & hawe, whył be body with be sow[1]e³ hath hys
annexion;
Yf ȝe tary tyll your dyscesse, ȝe may hap of your desyre to
mysse.
be repentant here! trust not be owur of deth! thynke on þis
lessun:
'Ecce nunc tempus acceptabile! ecce nunc dies salutis!' 859
(130)
[2 Cor. vi. 2.]
All be wertu in be wor[1]d, yf ȝe myght comprehend,
Your merytis were not premyabył to be blys a-bowe,
Not to be holest joy of hewyn), of your proper efforte to ascend.
With Mercy ȝe may; I tell 30w no fabyll, scrypture doth
prewe.6
(131)
863
MANKEND. O Mercy, my suatius solas, & synguler recreatory,
8 My predilecte specyall! ȝe are worthy to hawe my lowe;
For, wyth-owte deserte, & menys supplicatorie,
ȝe be compacient to my inexcusabyll reprowe.
867
1 M. MS. he. 2 MS. ge alterd to ce or se. M.
3 sow[1]s M.
4 wor[1]d M. 5Qy. MS. lolest or lest M.
6 prove M.
7 solatius, Kittredge, cf. 1. 807. Μ. 8 leaf 133, back.
9 inexcusabyll; inexorable may be better. M.

33
(132)
A! yt swemyth my hert, to thynk how on-wysely I hawe Mankind
wroght.
Tytiuilly, þat goth invisibele, hynge hys nett be-fore my eye,
And, by hys fantasticall visionys, sedociusly¹ sowght,
Be New-gyse, Now-a-dayis, Nowght, causyd me to obey. 871
(133)
bewails his
errors.
MERCY. Mankend, ȝe were obliuyows of my doctrine manyterye: Mercy warns
I seyd be-fore, Titiuilly wold a-say yow a bronte;
Be-ware fro hens-forth of hys fablys delusory!
be prowerbe seyth / Jacula prefata minus ledunt.'
(134)
ȝe hawe iij aduersaryis / he ys master of hem aн,
875
That ys to sey, the dewell, be world, be flesch & be Fell;
the New-gyse, Now-a-dayis, Nowgth, be 'world' we may hem
сан;
& propy[r]lly Titiuilly syngnyfyes the fend of helle;
(135)
him against
the World,
879 the Devil,
the flesch,-þat ys, þe vnclene concupiscens of ȝour body :-
these be your iij gostly enmyis, in whom ȝe haue put ȝour
confidens.
881
þei browt 30w to Myscheffe, to conclude your temperall glory,
As yt hath be schewyd before þis worschypp[f]yll² audiens.
(136)
Remembyr how redy I was to help 30w: fro swheche I was not
dangerus;
Wherfore, good sunne, absteyne fro syn) euer-more after þis!
ȝe may both saue & spyll yowur sowle, þat ys so precyus;
'libere welle, libere welle!'s God may not deny, I-wys. 887
(137)
Beware of Titiuilly with hys net, & of all his enuyus4 wił,
Of your synfult delectacion) þat grewyth your gostly substans.
Zour body ys 3our enmy; let hym not haue hys wył!
Take your lewe whan) ȝe wył! God send 30w good þer-
seuerans!
1 sedulously M.
2 schewyd this worschypfull Mм.
3 MS. Libere welle liebere welle, corr. by Kittredge. M.
4 Possibly ennius. M.
891
and the
Flesh,
who've
brought him
to grief.
He is to
abstain from
sin.
Mercy
MACRO PLAYS

blesses
(138)
[MANKYNDE.]1 2Syth I schall departe, blyse me, fader, her!
ben I go.
God send ws all plente of hys gret mercy!
MERCY. Dominus custodi[a]t te ab omni malo!
In nomine Patris, & Filij, & Spiritus Sancti. Amen! 895
[hic exit Mankende.

Epilogue

Wyrschep[f]yll sofereyns! I hawe do my propirte:
Mankind is
deliverd.
Hearers,
examine
yourselves!
God grant
you eternal
life!
Mankynd ys deliueryd by my suuerall patrocynye.
God preserue hym fro all wyckyd captiuite,
And send hym grace, hys sensuall condicions to mortifye! 899
(140)
Now, for hys lowe þat for vs receywyd hys humanite,
Serche ȝour condicyons with dew examinnacion!
thynke & remembyr, be world ys but a wanite,
as yt ys prowyd daly by d[i]uerse transmutacyon).6
(141)
Mankend ys wrechyd; he hath sufficyent prowe;
There-fore God [kepe]7 30w all 'þer suam misericordiam,'
þat ye may be pleyseriss with be angellis a-bowe,
And hawe to ȝour porcyon) 'vitam eternam.' Amen!
Fynis.
903
907
[In another very faint hand (see the end of Wisdom,' p. 73).
90 liber, si quis cui constas 10 forte queretur,
Hyngham, quem monacho dices, super omnia consta[s].]
1 [Mank.] M. 2 leaf 134. 3 custodi[a]t te M. MS. custodit se.
4? MS. suuerall (several, individual). Kittredge suggests special. M.
5 Serche M., Serge MS. 6 mutacyon M. [kepe] M.
8 Perhaps partakers M.
9 This is almost entirely effaced, and illegible.-E. M.
10 Kittredge M., consta MS.
[For the later writing at the back of leaf 134, see below, p. 74.]

II. A Morality of Wisdom, Who is Christ

II.
A Morality of Wisdom,
Who is Christ.
How Lucifer tempts the Mind, Will, and Understanding
of Man to sin.
. In 8-line stanzas: Scene I, abab, bebe; Scenes II, III, and IV, aaab, aaab.
Some stanzas are ryme-linkt with their followers, as abab, bcbc-cdcd,
dede.
[THE NAMES OF THE
[Wysdam of Christ, p. 35, 68, 70.
Anima, or the Soul, p. 36, 68.
Anima's Five Wyttes, as Five Ver-
gynes, p. 41, 70.
The 3 Powers of every Christian
Soul:-
Mynde, p. 41, 46, 48, 70.
Wylle, p. 41, 46, 48, 70.
Vnderstondyng, p. 41, 46, 48, 70.
Lucyfer, p. 46, 48, 52.
A shrewd Boy, p. 53.
Mind's 6 Retainers: Indignacion,
Sturdynesse, Malyce, Hastynesse,
PLAYERS, as they come on.]
Wreche, Discorde, and (7) Mayn-
tennance, p. 58.
Understanding's 6 False Jurors:
Wrong, Sleight, Doblenesse, False-
hed, Ravyne, Disceyte, and (7)
Perjury, p. 59.
Will's 6 Women: 3 disguisd as
Gallants, and 3 as Matrons, p.
60.
Mynstrells: Trumpes, p. 58; a Bag-
руре, р. 59, а Horncpype, p. 60.
Six small Boys in the lyknes of
Devyllys, p. 65, 67.]

Scene I

Scene 1.
WISDOM.
1 Fyrst enteryde Wysdome in a Ryche purpuł clothe of golde, Enter
[with a mantyll of the²] same ermynnyde within, hawynge
a-bowt hys neke a [ryall hode furred²] with Ermyn; wp-on hys
hede, a cheweler with browys, a berde of golde [of Sypres²]
Curlyed, a Ryche Imperyal Crown) þer-wp-on), sett with precyus
stonys [& þer*]lys. In hys leyfte honde a balle of gold with
a cros þer-wpp-on), and in [hys] Ryght honde a Regał scheptur,
thus seyenge :
(1)
WYSDOM. Yff ȝe wył wet be propyrte
Ande be resun of my nayme imperyał,
I am clepyde of hem þat in erthe be,
'Euerlastynge Wysdom' to my noblé egałe;
My name is
Everlasting
4 Wisdom.
1 Масто МЅ., no. 5, art. 3, leaf 98. * Words effaced in the Macro MS.;
here supplied from the Digby Plays, E. E. T. S. Extra Series LXX, p. 159.
3 curled D. * riche Stonys and perlys D. 5 nobley D.

The Wisdom
exists in each
person of the
Trinity,
yet the name
is specially
applied to the
Son, who is
both God and
Man.
Enter the
Soul.
The Soul
kneels to
Wisdom,
and says
she's desird
him for her
Lover,
and lovd
him as her
Light.
Wyche name acordyt best in especyał,
• And most to me ys convenyent.
AH-thow eche persone of be trinyte be wysdam eternał,
And all thre, on) euerlastynge wysdome to-gedyr present, 8
(2)
Neuer-be-les, for-as-moche as wysdom ys propyrly
Applyede to be sunel by resune,
And also yt fallyt to hym specyally,
By-cause of hys hye generacion,
Therfor be belowyde sone hathe þis sygnyficacion
Custummaly Wysdom,' nowe Gode, now man),
Spows of be chyrche, & wery³ patrone,
12
16
Wyffe of eche chose sowle: thus Wysdom be-gane.
Here entrethe Anima as a mayde, in a wyght clothe of golde
gy[n]tely purfyled with menyver, a mantyt of blake, þer-wppe-
on a cheuele[r] lyke to Wysdom, with a ryche chappetelot lasyde
be-hynde, hangynge do[wn] with ij knottis of golde & syde
• tasselys, knelynge down to Wysdom, thus s[eyenge]:
(3)
[ANIMA]. 46 Hanc amaui et exquisiui;'
Fro my yougthe, thys haue I sowte,
To haue to my spowse most specyally;
For a louer of yowur schappe am I wrowte.
A-boue at hele & bewty þat euer was sowgħt,
I haue louyde Wysdom, as for my lygħt,
For all goodnes with hym ys broughte.
In wysdom I was made at bewty brygħte.
(4)
Off yowur name, be hye felycyte,
No creature knowyt fuł exposycion.
Wisdom says WYSDOM. 'Sapiencia, specialior est sole:'
he is brighter
than the sun
and stars,
and is the
image of
God.
I am foundon lyghte with-owt comparyson),
off sterrys a-boue all be dysposicion,
Forsothe, of lyght be very brygħtnes,
Merowr of be dyvyne domynacion,
And be Image of hys goodnes.
1 son D.
20
24
28
32
2 Customably D.
3
verray D.
7 In D., I M.
4 leaf 99. 98, back, is drawn and scribbled on.
yougthe D., thowte M.
he.

37
(5)
Wysdom ys bettur þan) at worldly¹ precyosnes';
And at put may dysyryde be,
Is not in comparyschon to my lyknes;
The lengthe of be yerys in my rygħt syde be,
Ande in my lefte syde, ryches, ioy & prosperyte:
lo, þis ys be worthynes of my name!
ANIMA. A, Soueren) Wysdom! yff yowur benygnyte
Wolde speke of loue, þat wer a game.
(6)
3
WYSDOM. 2Off my loue to speke, bat³ ys myrable,
Be-holde now, sowH, with joyfuł mynde,
How louely I am, how Amyable,
To be halysde & kyssyde of man-kynde.
To at clene sowlys I am futt hende,
And euer present, wer þat þey be;
I loue my lovers with-owtyn ende,
That þer loue haue stedfast in me.
(7)
The prerogatyff of my loue ys so grett,
þat wo tastyt þer-of be lest droppe, sure,
AH lustis & lykyngis worldly xaH5 lett;
They xat seme to hym fylthe and ordure,
They þat of be hewy burthen of synne hathe cure,
My loue dyschargethe & puryfyethe clene,
It strengtheth be mynde, be sowł makyt pure,
And yewyt Wysdom to hem þat perfygħte bene.
Who takyt me to spowse, may veryly wene-
Yff a-boue at thynge he loue me specyally-
That rest & tranqwyllyte he xatt sene,
And dey in sekyrnes of joy perpetuallè.
(8)
The hyes worthynes of my loue,
Angelł nor man can tell playnly;
Yt may be felt from experyens a-boue,
but not spoke ne tolde, as yt ys veryly;
36 Length of
years is on
his right
side;
and on his
left, riches
40
and joy.
Wisdom
speaks of his
Love:
44
He is gracious
to all pure
souls.
48
52
56
60
The least
drop of his
Jove makes
folk quit sin.
They who
wed him
shall have
perpetual joy.
64
1
worldly D., worldy worldly M.
2 leaf 99, back. 3 it D.
4 tast D.
5 shall D. (and so generally).
6 Who D, wo M.
7 ȝe M., ye D.
hey loue of my D.
9 in experience from D.

What wretch
exists that
doesn't love
this enduring
Love?
What return
can man
make for this
love P
for Soul's
heart and
obedience,
The Godly loue, no creatur can) specyfye;
What wrech is, that louyth not this love,¹
2 þat louyt hys louers euer so tendyrly,
That hys syght from them neuer can remowe.
(9)
ANIMA. O worthy spowse, and soueren fayer, 3
O swet Amyke, owur ioy, owur blys!
To yowur loue, wo dothe repeyer,
AH felycyte yn þat creatur ys:
Wat may I yeue yow ageyn) for þis?
O creator, louer of yowur creatur?
Though be owur freelte we do a-mys,
Yowur grett mercy euer sparyth reddur.
(10)
A, soueren Wysdom, sanctus sanctorum!
Wat may I yeue to yowur most plesaunce?
Wisdom asks WYSDOM. Fili! prebe michis cor tuum!
I aske not ellys of all þi substance:
Thy clene hert, bi meke obeysance,
yeue me þat, & I am contente.
conformity
of her will
to his.
him
ANIMA. A! soueren joy, my hertis affyance!
The fervowr of my loue to yow I present,6
(11)
That mekyt my herte, yowur loue so ferwent,
Teche me be scolys of yowur dyvynyte!
[Prov. xxiii. 26]
WYSDOM. Dysyer not to sauour in cunnynge to excellent,
But drede & conforme yowur wył to me,
For yt ys be heelfut dyscyplyne þat in Wysdom may be,
The drede of God, þat ys begynnynge;
The wedis of synne, þat makyt to flee, -
And swete wertuus herbys in be sowł sprynge.
(12)
She can know ANIMA. SO endles Wysdom! how may I haue knowynge
Off þi Godhede incomprehensyble?
by knowing WYSDOM. By knowynge of yowur sylff, ȝe may haue felynge
herself.
Wat Gode ys in yowur sowle sensyble;
68
72
76
80
84
88
92
96
1 What.. love D., om. M.
3 fayre D., father M. 4 who D.
it D.
8 leaf 100, back.
2 leaf 100.
5 michi D. 6 represente D.

39
The more knowynge ory thus, & be-passyble,
be more veryly ȝe xał God knoje.
ANIMA. O soueren Auctour, most credyble!
Yowur lessun I attende, as I owe,
(13)
I þat represent here be sowl of man,
Wat ys a sowł, wył ȝe declare?
1
WYSDOM. Yt ys be ymage of Gode, þat al be-gan;
And not only ymage, but hys lyknes ȝe are.
Off all creaturis, be fayrest ȝe ware,
In-to be tyme of Adamys offence.
ANIMA. Lorde! sythe we, thy sowlys þat nowt wer ber,
Wy¹ of be fyrst man bye we be vyolence?
(14)
WYSDOM. For every creatur þat hath ben, or xał,
Was in natur of be fyrst man, Adame,
Off hym takynge be fylthe of synne orygynał,
For of hym at creaturis cam.
Than, by hym), of reson) ȝe haue blame,
And be made be brondis of hele
Wen) ȝe be bore fyrst of yowur dame.
ȝe may in no wyse in hewyn dwełł,
(15)
3 For ȝe be dysvyguryde be hys synne,
Ande dammyde to derknes from Godis sygħte.
ANIMA. How dothe grace band ageyn) be-gynne ?
Wat reformythe be sow to hys fyrste lyght?
WYSDOM. Wysdam, þat was Gode & man ryght,
Made a fut sethe to be fadyr of hewyn,
By be dredfuł dethe, to hym was dygħt;
Off wyche dethe, spronge be sacramentis sevyn);
(16)
Wyche sacramentis, at synne wasche a-wey:
Fyrst, bapteme clensythe synne orygynał,
And reformyt be sowH, in feythe verray,
To be gloryus lyknes of Gode eternał,
100
The Soul (of
Man)
asks what a
soul is.
Man's Soul is
the Image
104 of God,
and inherits
Adam's
108 punishment
112
116
120
124
128
1 Why D.

• disfygured D.
  2 When D.
  3 leaf 101.
  5 baptene M.
  because it's
  of Adam's
  nature,
  a brand
  of hell,
  and damnd to
  darkness.
  It's re-fornd
  by Wisdom,
  who made
  full satisfac-
  tion to God.
  From his
  death sprang
  the 7 Sacra-
  ments,

1. Baptism,
   which
   cleanses the
   soul.

Wislom (or Christ').
In a Soul are
2 parts:
Ande makyt yt as fayentur can spec aH
As yt neuer dyffowlydo, had be,
Ande ys Crystis own specyał,
Hys restynge place, hys plesant see.
(17)
ANIMA. In¹ a sowle, wat thyngis be,
By wyche he hathe hys very knowynge?

1. Sensuality WYSDOM. Tweyn partyes: be on, sensualyte,
   or fleshly
   feeling,
   which the 5
   Wits serve.
2. Reason,
   the image of
   God,
   by which
   God knows
   who serve
   him;
   and man
   knows what
   things to
   use.
   Wyche ys clepyde be flechly felynge;
   The v. owtewarde wyttis to hym be serwynge,
   Wan) þey be not rewlyde ordynatly;
   The sensualyte pan, with-owse lesynge,
   Is made be ymage of synne, then of hys foly.
   (18)
   4The other parte, þat ys clepyde 'resone,'
   Ande þat ys be ymage of Gode propyrly,
   For by þat, be sowh, of Gode hathe conycion,
   And be þat, hym serwyt & louevyt duly.
   Be be neyther parte of reson), he knowyt dyscretly
   AH erthely thyngis, how þey xał be vsyde,
   Wat suffysyth to hys mygħtis bodely,
   Ande wat nedyt not to be refusyde;
   These 2 parts Thes tweyn do sygnyfye
   of the Soul
   typify black
   and white
   dress.
   (19)
   Yowur dysgysynge & yowur a-ray,
   Blake & wygħt, fowH & fayer, vereyly;
   132
   136
   140
   144
   148
   Every soul
   is Black from
   sin,
   Euery sowh her, -þis ys no nay, -
   152
   'Blake,' by sterynge of synne, þat cummyth at day,
   Wyche felynge cummythe of sensualyte;
   and White
   Ande 'wyght,' by knowenge of reson) veray
   by reason;
   Off be blyssyde infenyt deyte.
   156
   (20)
   and is both
   Thus a sowle ys bothe fowlle & fayer:
   foul and tair.
   Fowl as a best, be felynge of synne;
   Fayer as a anget, of hewyn be ayer,5
   By knowynge of Gode, by hys reson) with-in.
   160
   1 In D., I M.

• leaf 101, back.
  2 what D.
  3 on) is the D.
  hayr D.

41
ANIMA. Than may I sey thus, & be-gynne
With v. prudent vyrgyns of my reme;
Then, be be v. wyttis of my sowł with-inne,
'Nigra sum, sed¹ formosa, filia[e] Jerusalem.' [Cant. i. 4.] 164
in white,
2 Her enteryd v vyrgynes with [white] 3 kertyllys & mantelys, Five Virgins
with cheu[elers] & chappelettis, and synge 'Nigra sum, sed enter.
formosa, filia[e] Jerusalem, si[cut] tabernacula Cedar, & sicut
pelles Salamonis.'
(21)
ANIMA. The doughters of Jerusalem me not lake
For þis dyrke schadow I bere of humanyte,
That, as be tabernacul of Cedar, with-owt, yt ys blake,
And with-Ine as be skyn of Salamone, full of bewty.
'Quod fusca sum, nolite considerare me,
Quia decolorauit me sol Jouis.' [Cant. i. 5.]
WYSDOM. Thus all be sowlys þat in þis lyff be,
Stondynge in grace by lyke to thys.
(22)
'A! quinque prudentes! yowur wyttis fyve
Kepe yow clene, & ȝe xał neuer deface;
Ye, Godis ymage [n]euer xał ryve;
For be clene sowH is Godis restynge place.
Thre mygħtis, euery cresten) sowł has,
Wyche bethe applyede to be trinyte.
| MYNDE. AH thre, her, lo, by-for yowur face!
Mynde.
WYLL. WyH.
168
The Soul
says she's
dark outside,
but beautiful
within.
Wisdom ex-
horts the
172 Five Wits
to keep pure.
176 Every Soul
has 3 Powers;
J. Mind,
II. Will, and
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. Ande Vnderstondynge, we thre. 180 III. Under-
standing.
(23)
WYSDAM. ȝe thre, declare pan thys,
Yowur syngnyfycacon) & yowur propyrte!
MENDE. I am Mynde, þat in be sowle ys
I. Mind is
the image
The veray fygure of be deyte,
184 of God.
1 et D.
2 leaf 102.
3 in white D., wt M.
4 is D., om. Μ.
5 leaf 102, back.

When Mind
thinks of
God's gifts
to her,
her insuffici-
ence
makes her
knit her
brows for
sorrow.
Her falls and
frailties have
been so hor-
rible,
that in God
only can she
find comfort.
Wen) in my selff I haue mynde, & se
The benefyttis of Gode & hys worthynes,
How hot I was mayde, how fayer, how fre,
How gloryus, how¹ jentył to hys lyknes,
(24)
Thys insygħt bryngyt to my mynde
Wat grates I ought to God² a-geyn),
þat thus hathe ordenyde with-owt ende
Me, in his blys euer for to regne;
Than myn) insuffycyens ys to me peyn),
That I haue not wer-of to yelde my dett,
Thynkynge my selff, creature most veyn;
Than), for sorow, my bren) I knett.
(25)
Wen) in my mynde I brynge to-gedyr
be yerys & dayes of my synfułnes,
The sustabulines of my mynde hedyr & thedyr,
My oreble fallynge & freeHnes,
My-selff rygħt nought; than) I confes,
For by my-selff I may not ryse
With-owt specyaH grace of Godis goodnes:
Thus mynde makyt me me-selff to dyspyse.
(26)
I seke & fynde no-wer comforte,
But only in Gode, my creatur;
Than on-to hym I do resorte,
Ande say, 'haue mynde of me, my sauowur!'
3 Thus mynde to mynde bryngyth þat fawowre;
Thus, by mynde of me, Gode I kan) know;
Goode mynde of Gode, yt ys be fygure;
Ande thys mynde to haue, at crysten) ow.
(27)
II. Will is the WYLL. And I of be soul am be wyH;
likeness of
the Godhead.
Off be godhede, lyknes & fygure.
Wyt goode wytł, no man may spył,
Nor with-owt goode wył, of blys be sure.
188
192
196
200
204
208
212
216
1 & how D. 2 to God D., от. М. 3 leaf 103.
4 and a D.

43
Wat soule wył gret mede recure,
He must grett wył haue, in thought or dede,
Wertuusly sett with consyens pure,
For in wył stondyt only mannys dede.
Wył, for dede oft ys take;
(28)
Therfor be wył must weet be dysposyde;
Than þer begynnyt at grace to wake,
Yff with synne yt be not a-nosyde;
Therfor be wył must be wyt¹ apposyde;
Or þat yt to be mevynge yewe consent,2
The lybrary of reson) must be wnclosyde,
Ande after hys domys to take entent.
(29)
Owur wył in Gode must be only sett,
And for Gode to do wysly; 3
Wan gode wył resythe, Gode ys in ws knett;
Ande he performyt be dede veryly;
Off hym cummyth ał wył sett perfygħtly,
4 For of owur selff we haue ryght nought
But syne, wrechydnes, & foly.
He ys be-gynner & gronde of wył & thought.
(30)
Than) þis goode wył seyde be-fore,
Ys behoueable to yche creature
Iff he cast hym) to restore
The soule þat he hath take of cure,
Wyche of God ys be fygure,
As longe as be fygure ys kept fayer,
Ande ordenyde euer for to endure
In blys, of wyche ys he be veray hayer.
(31)
220
224
Will is oft
taken for
the deed,
and must
be well-dis-
posd.
Before it
yields, the
Library of
Reason must
228 be opend,
and its
Dooms acted
on.
232
236
240
All good
Will comes
from God.
Every one
should have
it,
keep it fair,
244 and live in
bliss.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. The iijde parte of be soule ys 'wndyr- III. Under-
stondynge;'
For by wndyrstondyng I be-holde wat Gode ys
In hym) selff, be-gynnyng with-owt be-gynnyng,
Ande ende with-owt ende, þat xał neuer mys.
1 wele D.
2 consent D., cosent M. 3 wylfully D.
4 leaf 103, back. 5 behouefull D.
248
standing
enables men
to see God,

and hallow
him.
In-comprehensyble in hym-selff he ys;
Hys werkys in me I kan not comprehende;
How xulde I holly hym þan, þat wrought ał þis?
251
Thus, by knowynge of me, to knowynge of Gode I assende.
(32)
Understand-
ing explains
God's at-
I know in angelys he ys desyderable,
For, hym to be-holde, beil dysyer souerenly;
tributes.
In hys seyntis most dylectable,
For in hym þei joy assyduly;
256
In creaturys, hys werkys ben) most wondyrly,
For at ys made by hys mygħt,
By wysdom gouernyde most souerenly,
Thro know-
ing Him, and
His love,
Understand-
ing loves
Him.
The under-
standing of
God compels
men to love
Him.
Wisdom
shows how
the Soul
loves God,
by its Mind,
Will, and
Understand-
And hys benygnyte inspyryt at soullys with lyght. 260
(33)
Of at creaturis he ys lowyde souereyn,
For he ys Gode of ychë creature,
And þey be his peple þat euer xał reynge,
In wom he dwellyt as hys temput sure.
Wan I, thys knowynge, makë réporture,
Ande se be loue hé hathe for me wrought,
yt bryngyt me to loue þat prynce most pure,
For, for loue, þat Lorde made a man of nought.
(34)
Thys ys þat loue wyche ys clepyde 'charyte,'
For Gode ys charyte, as awtors tellys;
Ande woo ys in charyte, in Gode dwellyt he,
Ande Gode, þat ys charyte, in hym dwellys;
Thus, wndyrstondynge of Gode compellys
To cum to charyte: than have hys lyknes, lo!
Blyssyde ys þat sowł þat þis speche spellys,
'Et qui creauit me, requieuit in tabernaculo meo.'
(35)
[Eccles. xxiv. 12.]
WYSDOM. lo! thes iij mygħtis in ond soule be:
Mynde, wył, & wndyrstondynge.
By 'mynde,' of Gode þe Fadyr, knowynge haue ye;
264
268
272
276
279
By 'wndyrstondynge,' of Gode be Sone ye haue knowynge;
ing.
1 thei D., be М. 2 att this D. 3 leaf 104. 4 By his D.
5 be his D. 6 whom D. 7 of this D.

45
By 'wył,' wyche turnyt in-to¹ loue brennynge,
Gode be Holy Gost, þat clepyde ys 'lowe':
Not iij Godis, but on Gode in beynge;
2Thus eche clene soule ys symylytude of Gode a-bowe. 284
(36)
'By 'mynde,' feythe in be Father haue we;
Hoppe in owur Lorde Jhesu, by wndyrstondynge';
From these
come Faith,
Hope,
Ande be 'wył,' in be Holy Gost, charyte:
Charity.
Lo, thes iij pryncypał wertus of yow iij sprynge;
288
Thys be clene soule stondyth as a kynge;
Ande a-bowe all þis ȝe haue free wył;
Off þat be ware be-for at thynge,
For yff þat perverte, at þis dothe spyH.
(37)
• Ye haue iij enmyes: of hem be ware!
The worlde, be flesche, & be fende:
Yowur fywe wyttis, from hem ȝe spare,
That be sensualyte þey brynge not yow by-hynde; 3
No thynge xulde 4 offende Gode in no kynde;
Ande yff þer dose þat, be nether parte of resone
In no wys þer-to lende;
Free-will is
above all.
292
The Soul's 3
foes are the
World, the
Flesh, and
the Devil.
From them,
296 the 5 Wits
are to be
kept.
The lower
part of
Reason is to
be under the
300 rule of the
higher part.
Than be ouer parte xał haue fre domynacion).
(38)
Wan) suggestyon) to be mynde doth a-pere:
Wndyrstondynge, delyght not 3e5 perin!
Consent not, Wył, ył lessons to lere!
Ande than suche steryngis by no syn);
6
304
Thei do but purge be soule wer ys suche contrauersye.
Thus in me, Wysdom, yowar werkys be-gynne;
Fyght, & ȝe xał haue be crown of glory,
That euer ys lastynge ioy, to be parteners ber-Inne.
(39)
ANIMA. Soueren Lorde, I am bownde to the!
Wand I was nought, þou made me thus glorius ;
Wan) I perysschede thorow synne, þou sauyde me; 10
Wen I was in grett pereł, þou kept me, Christus;
1 into D., in M. 2 leaf 104, back.
4 shulde D (and so generally).
7 Thei D., The M.
6 be D.
10
me D., om. Μ.
3 not to mynde D.
5 the D.
8 is euer- D. 9 leaf 105.
Begin your
works in
Wisdom,
and win ever-
308 lasting joy.
312
The Soul
recounts
God's good
deeds to her.

The Soul
praises God
for his good-
ness.
Scene II.
Wen) I erryde, þou reducyde me, Jhesus;
Wen I was ignorant, þou tawt me truthe;
Wen I synnyde, þou corecte me thus;
Wen I was hewy, þou comfortede by ruthe;
(40)
Wen I stonde in grace, þou holdyste me þat tyde;
Wen I fat, þou reysyst me mygħtyly;
Wen I go wył,¹ þou art my gyde;
Wen I cum, þou reseywyste me most louynly; 2
Thou hast a-noyntyde mes with be oyt of mercy;
Thy benefyttis, Lorde, be in-numerable;
Werfor, lawde endeles to bee I crye,
Recomendynge me to pin endles powre durable.
316
320
324
Here, in be goynge owt, be v wyttis synge "tota pulcra es,"
&c., they g[oyng] be-for, Anima next, & her folowynge, Wysdom;
& aftyr hym, Mynde, W[yll], & Wndyrstondynge, aH iij in
wyght cloth of golde; cheveleryde, & cr[es]tyde in on 4 sute.

Scene II

Lucifer, in a And aftyr be songe entreth Lucyfer in a dewyllys5 [a]ray, with-
Devil's Dress
over a
Dandy's.
owt & with-in, as a prowde galonte, seynge thus on thys wy[se]:
LUCYFER. Owt harow, I rore,
For envy I lore,
-My place to restore,
God made
Man to take
my place.
6 AH cum þey not thore,
God hath mad a man;
(41)
325
328
Woode & þey wore,
But I'll tempt I xał tempte hem so sorre,
him.
I was an
Angel,
but now I'm
lowest in
Hell.
for I am he þat syn) be-gane.
332
(42)
I was a angel of lygħte;
Lucyfeer, I hygħt,
Presumynge in Godis sygħt,
Werfor I am lowest in het;
In reformynge of my place, ys dygħt
I hate Man, Man), whan I haue in most dyspygħt,
336
1 wele D.
2 louyngly D.
3 me D., om. М.
4
on D., om. Μ.
5 deuely D.
6 leaf 105, back. 7 a, om. D.
8 in D., om. М.

47
Euer castynge me with hem to fygħt;
In þat hewynly place he xulde not dweH.
(43)
I am as wyly now as than;
be knowynge þat I hade, yet I can);
I know at compleccions of a man,
Wer-to he ys most dysposyde;
Ande ber-in I tempte ay whan);
I marre hys myndis to per¹ wan),
That whoo ys hym þat God hym) be-gan);
Many a holy man with me ys mosyde.
(44)
Of Gode, man ys be fygure,
hys symylytude, hys pyctowre,
Gloryosest of ony creature
þat euer was wrought,
Wyche I wył dysvygure
Be my fals coniecture;
Yff he tende my reporture,
I xałł brynge hym to nought.
(45)
and 'll stop
his getting to
340 Heaven.
344
348
I know his
weak points,
and I'll mar
him till he's
woe that God
made him.
Man is God's
likeness.
352
I'll disfigure
him, and
bring him
to nought.
356
In be soule ben iij partyes, I-wys :
Mynde, Wył, Wndyrstondynge of blys,
Fygure of be godhede; I know well thys;
And be flesche of man þat ys so changeable,
That wył I tempte, as I gees,
Thow þat I perwert, synne non) ys
But yff be soule consent to þis, 4
The Soul has
3 parts.
360 I'll tempt
man's flesh.
for in be wył of be soule the dedis ben damnable.
(46)
To be mynde of be soule I xał mak suggestyun,
Ande brynge hys wndyrstondynge to dylectacion,
So þat hys wył make confyrmacion;
than) am I sekyr I-nowe
That dethe xał sew of damnacion;
Than of be sowl be dewe hath dominacion :
But as the
Soul must
364 consent to
evil,
I'll tempt
that,
368
and then
damning
deeds '11
follow.
thei D.
2 wo D.
3 þat, om. D.
4
mys D.
5 ben the dedes D.
6 leaf 106.
7 dede D.

I wył go make hys examynacion,
to all be dewłys of he [11]¹ I make a-wow.
372
(47)
For, for to tempte man in my lyknes,
yt wolde brynge hym to grett feerfulness,
376
I'll change I wył change me in-to brygħtnes,
into a bright
being,
and never
rest till I
& so hym to be-gy[le],3
Sen) I xał schew hym perfygħtnes,
And wertu provyt yt wykkydnes;
Thus wndyr colors at thynge perverse;
I xall neuer rest tył the soule I defyle.
380
(Her lucyfer dewoydyth, & cummyth in a-geyn) as a goodly galont.

Scene III

] (48)

MYNDE. My mynde ys euer on Jhesu,
Mind, will, That enduyde ws with wertu.
defile man's
soul.
Scene III.
The Devil
bamboozles
and Under-
standing.
Hys doctrine to sue,
Mind declares
he'll follow
Euer I purpos.
384
Christ's
teaching.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. My wndyrstondynge ys in trew,
Understand-
ing says that
is
That with feyth ws dyd renew.
Hys laws to pursew,
sweeter than
388
the rose.
ys swetter to me ban sawoure of be rose.
(49)
Will says his WYLL. And my wyll ys hys wył veraly,
will is one
with God's.
That made ws hys creaturis so specyallye,
yeldynge on-to hym laude & glory
for hys goodnes.
Lucifer talks LUCYFER. Ye fonnyde fathers, founders of foly,
to Mind:
Vt "quid hic statis tota die ociosi?”
Why are you ȝe wył p[er]yse or ȝe yt aspye;
all idle here?
It's the
Devil's doing.
The dewył hath acumberyde yow expres.
(50)
$ LUCYFER. Mynde, Mynde, ser! haue in mynde thys!
MYNDE. He is not ydył, þat with Gode ys.
LUCYFER. No, ser! I prowe welt thys:
thys10 ys my suggestyun.
392
396
400
1 helle D. 2 But D.
3 be-gyle D. 4 prove D.
5 the D. (cut off in M.).
6 yeyldyng vn-to D., to om. М.
7 From St. Matthew, xx. 6.
8 leaf 106, back.
9 haue mynde of D.
10 lo this D.

49
AH thynge¹ hat dew tymes,
Prayer, fastynge, labour, at thes:
Wan) tyme is not kept, þat dede ys a-mys.
be more pleynmerly to yowur informacion.
(51)
Here ys a man þat lywyt wor[1]dly,
Hathe wyffe, chylderne, & serwantis besy,
And other chargys þat I not specyfye;
Ys yt leeffuł to þis man
His chargys perysche, þat Gode gaff duly,
404
There's a
time for
prayer, and
another for
work.
Ought a man
who has wife
and house,
408 to leave work
and give
himself up to
prayer ?
To lewe hys labour wsyde truly,
Ande yewe hym to preyer & es of body?
Wo-so do thus, with Gode ys not than).
412
(52)
Mertha plesyde Gode grettly thore.
MYNDE. Ye; but Mar[i]a plesyde hym moche more.
LUCYFER. Yet be lest hade blys for euer-more:
Ys not þis a-now?
416
MYNDE. Contemplatyff lyff ys sett be-for.
LUCYFER. I may not belewe þat in my lore,
For God hym selff, wan he was man borre,
Wat lyff lede he? answer þou now!
420
Did Martha
do it ?
(53)
Was he euer in contemplacion?
MYNDE. I suppos not, by my relacion;
Did Christ
live in con-
templation?
LUCYFER. And at hys lyff was informacion
And example to man:
424
Sumtyme with synners he hade conversacion;
Sumtyme with holy also, comunycacion;
No: but with
sinners, with
Sumtyme he laboryde, preyde; sumtyme tribulacion;
n;
good men,
in toil and
This was "vita mixta," þat Gode here began);
428 suffering.
(54)
And his life,
men should
lead.
Ande þat lyff xulde ye here sewe.
MYNDE. I kan) not be-lewe thys ys trew.
LUCYFER. Contemplatyff lyff for to sewe,
Yt ys grett drede; & se cause why:
1 thynge D., thnge M. Is it D., Yt ys M.
4 leaf 107.
I can beleve that ye say D.
MACRO PLAYS
1
Contempla-
tive life
432
means
8 parisch D.

fasting,
watching,
flogging,
They must fast, wake, & prey, euer new,
Wse harde lywynge & goynge, with dyscyplyne dew,
silence, tears, Kepe sylence, wepe, & surphettis eschewe;
Ande yff þey fayl of thys, þey offende Gode hygħly. 436
(55)
Wan þey haue wastyde by feyntnes,
Than) febył þer wyttis, & fallyn) to fondnes,
folly, despair, Sum in-to dyspeyer, & sum in-to madnes;
madness.
Wet yt weH, God ys not plesyde with thys.
God doesn't
like this.
lewe, lewe,¹ suche syngler besynes!
Then, be in
the world,
Be in be worlde! vse thyngis nesesse!
The comyn ys best expres;
Who clymyt hye, hys fat gret ys.
(56)
MYNDE. Truly, me seme ȝe haue reson).
do as I tell
LUCYFER. Aplye yow then to þis conclusyun.
you,
MYNDE. 2I kan make no replicacion,
3 your resons be grete,3
I kan) not for-gett þis Informacion.
440
444
448
LUCYFER. Thynke þer-wpp-on), yt ys yowur saluacion!
Now, & wndyrstondynge wolde haue delectacion,
AH syngler deuocions he wolde lett.
(57)
use your wits, Yowur v. wyttis, a-brode lett sprede!
dress well,
do many
deeds,
get riches,
feed well,
breed chil-
dren.
See the world.
Se how comly to man ys precyus wede;
Wat worschype yt ys to be manfuł in dede;
þat bry[n]gyt in dominacion).
Off be symple, what profygħt yt to take hede?
Be-holde how Ryches dystroyt nede:
It makyt man fayer, hym werkis for to fede;
& of lust & lykynge commyth generacion.
(58)
Wndyrstondynge! tendur ye þis informacion?
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. In thys, I fele in manere of dylectacion.
LUCYFER. A, ha, ser! then þer make a pawsacion;
Se & be-holde be worlde a-bowte;
1 leve, leve D. 2 leaf 107, back.
452
456
460
464
3-3
4 comly D., comunly M.
your.. D., om. M.

51
Lytył thynge suffysyt to saluacion;
AH maner synnys dystroyt contryscion;
They þat dyspeyer mercy, haue grett compunccion;
Gode plesyde best with goode wył, no dowte.
(59)
Therfor, WyH, I rede yow inclyne;
Lewe yowur stodyes, bow [pey]¹ ben dywyn;
Yowur prayers, yowur penance, of Ipocryttis þe syne,2
Ande lede a comun lyff;
What synne yss in met, in hale, in wyn)!
Wat synne ys in ryches, in clothynge fyne,
4AH thynge Gode ordenyde to man to inclyne.
Lewe yowur nyce chastyte, & take a wyff!
(60)
• Bettur ys fayer frut pan fowł pollucion.
What seyth sensualite to þis conclusyon)?
WYLL. At be fyue Wyttis gyff informacion,
Yt semyth yowur resons be goode.
LUCYFERE. The wyt of be soule hathe fre dominacion;
Dyspute not to moche in þis with reson;
Yet be nethyr parte to þis taketh sum instruccion,
And so xulde þe ouerparte, but he were woode.
(61)
WYLL. Me seme, as ȝe sey, in body & soule,
Man) may be in be worlde, & be rygħt goode.
LUCYFER. Ser, [zis,] by Sent Powle!
But trust not þes prechors, for þey be not goode,
For þey flatter & lye as þey were woode;
Ther ys a wolffe in a lombys skyn.
WYLL. Ya! I wołł no more row a-geyn be floode;
I wol sett my soule a mery pynne.
(62)
LUCYFER. Be my trowthe, than do ye wyslye;
Gode lowyt a clene sowH & a mery;
A-corde yow iij to-gedyr by,
& ye may not mysfare.8
468
Leave your
studies and
penance;
472 enjoy your
life!
There's no
sin in wine
and money.
476 Have a wife
480
too!
Don't bother
about Reason.
The lower
part of it
484 agrees;
and so 'ud the
upper, if it
wasn't mad.
488 Don't trust
Preachers!
They flatter
and lie, and
are wolves
in sheep's
clothing.
Will agrees
492 to go in for
larks.
496
1 tho D. (? tho' they). 2 signe D.
3 is D., om. М. 4 leaf 108.
5 As D.
6 A stanza of Scene I form, abab, bcbc, is here put into the aaab, aaab
of Scenes II and III and IV in Digby Myst. p. 155 п.
7 that D. 8 & ye... D, om. M.

So do Mind
and Under-
standing.
Lucifer backs
them up;
tells 'em to
get money,
MYNDE. To þis suggestyon) a-gre we.1
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. "Delygħt þer-In, I haue truly.
WYLL. And I consent þer-to frelye.
LUCYFER. A, ser, at mery ban! awey, care!
(63)
Go in be worlde; se þat a-bowte;
Geet goode frely; cast no dowte;
and be jolly. To be ryche ye se men lowly lought;
Yeue to yowur body þat ys nede,
500
504
Ande euer be mery; let reuet rowte!
MYNDE. Ya! ellys I be-schrew my snowte.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. And yff I care, cache I be gowte!
They all say
they will.
WYLL. And yff I spare, be dewył me spede!
508
(64)
LUCYFER. Go yowur wey than, & do wysly;
Change þat syde a-ray!
MYNDE.
I yt defye.
They'll have
girls,
Farweł penance !
honour,
glory,
and lechery,
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. We wot be fresche, hamp la plu joly!
MYNDE. To worschyppys, I wył my mynde a-plye;
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. My wndyrstondynge in worschyppys & glory;
WYLL. And I in lustis of lechery,
513
in French
fashion.
As was sumtyme gyse of Frawnce,
With wy wyppe: 'Farewet,' quod I; 'be deuył ys wppe!'6
517
[Exeunt. Manet LUCIFER.7]
(65)
Lucifer
chuckles
LUCYFER. Off my dysyere, now haue I summe ;
520
over his
Wer onys brought in-to custume,
success:
Then farwet, consyens! he wer clumme,
I xulde haue all my wył.
523
I've made
Resone I have made bothe deffe & dumme;
Man's Reason
deaf and
Grace ys owt, & put a-rome;
dumb;
Wethyr I wył haue, he xał cum.
So at þe last I xał hym spył.
1 me D.
4
me D.
6
2 leaf 108, back. 3 A ha, ser... than, and D.

• or hanip, hauip M., and it hape D.
  with why wypре.
  Farewell, quod I; the deuyt is vp. D.
  7 Exeuntia D.
  8 leaf 109.
  9 deffe D., dethe M.
  527

53
(66)
I xał now stere hys mynde
To þat syne made me a fende,
Pryde, wyche ys a-geyn) kynde,
And of synnys hede;
So to couetyse he xał wende,
For þat enduryth to be last ende;
And on-to lechery, and I may hym rende,
Than) am I seker be soule ys dede.
(67)
That soule, God made in-comparable,
To hys lyknes most amyable:
I xał make yt most reprouable,
Ewyn lyke to a fende of het.
At hys deth I xał a-pere informable,
Schewynge hym att hys synnys abhomynable,
Prewynge hys soule damnable,
So with dyspeyer I xat hym qweł.
(68)
Wył clennes ys man-kyn,
Verely, be soule, God ys with-in;
Ande wen) yt ys in dedly synne,
1Yt [is] werely be deuelys place;
Thus, by colours and false gynne,
Many a soule to heH³ I wyn.
Wyde to go I may not blyne
With þis fals boy; God gyff hym euer grace !
pakinghty
531
I'll now stir
him to Pride,
1
Covetousness,
and Lechery.
535
I'll make his
Soul, God's
likeness,
539 like a Fiend
of Hell.
543 I'll kill his
547
551
Her he takyt a screwde boy with hym, & goth hys wey,
cryenge.

Scene IV

] (69)

[Enter MIND.]
MYNDE. Lo, me here in a new a-ray!
[.
.]
Wyppe wyrrë [&] care a-wey!
Far-weł perfeccion)!
Me-semyt myselff most lykly ay,
It ys but honest; no pryde, no nay;
I wył be freshest, by my fay,
For þat a-cordyt with my complexccion).
Soul with
Despair;
and by craft
win many
from heaven.
Scene IV.
Mind, Will,
and Under-
standing,
glory in their
new naughti-
nesses.
555 Mind is
559
1 leaf 109, back.
2 and false D., om. M.
3 fro heyne D.
4
a om. D.
5 lykly D., lyghtly M.
proud of his
new dress.

4
(70) [Enter UNDERSTANDING.]
Understand- WNDURSTONDYNGE. Ande haue here me, as fresche as yow,
ing is so of
his dress,
AH mery & mery, & gladë now!
and money
got anyhow.
He bids
Conscience
farewell.
I haue get goode, Gode wott how;
For ioy, I sprynge, I sckyppe;
Goode makyt on mery, to Gode a vowe.1
Farewet, consyens! I know not yow;
I am at2 eas, hade I inow;3
Truthe! on syde I lett hym slyppe.
il
(71) [Enter WILL.] of refire
e!
Will is jolly WYLL. lo, here on) as iolye as ȝe !
too.
He's tried
pleasure,
I am so lykynge; me seme I fle;
I haue a-tastyde lust; farweł chastyte!
My hert ys euer-more lygħt;
My delygħt ys all in bewte;
I am full of felycyte;
and thinks
Woman a
heavenly
sight.
ber is no joy but þat in me;
A woman, me semyth a hewynly sygħt.
(72)
Mind has got MYNDE. Ande thes ben) my syngler solace;
Kynde fortune & grace,
563
567
571
575
noble kin,
Kynde nobył of kynrede, me ioy yovyn hase,
Ande þat makyt me so-leyn).
579
Fortune in worldis worschyppe me doth lace;
Grace yewyt curryus eloquens, & þat mase
honour and
eloquence.
[.
Understand-
ing has
hoarded up
riches, and
delights in
handling it.
.],
That at on-cunnynge I dysdeyn).
(73)
WNDYRSTON[DYNGE]. And my ioy ys especyat
To hurd wppe ryches, fro fer to fat,
To se yt, to handyH yt, to teł yt ał,
And strenght to spare,
To be holde ryche & reyat.
I bost, I a-vawnt wer I xaH;
Money
makes a man
Ryches makyt a man equat
equal to
kings.
To hem sumtyme his souereyngis were.
3 Inowe D., now M.
See 1. 625.
2 at D., a M.
5 leaf 110.
4 full of futt of M.
1? to God, I vow.
6
me be ioyn M., me yovyn D.
583
587
591

55
(74)
To me ys ioy most delectable,
Fresche dysgysynge to seme amyable,
Spekynge wordis delectable,
Perteynynge on-to loue.
It ys joy of joys inestymable,
To halse, to kys be affyable;
A louer ys sone perceyvable
1
Be be smylynge on me, wan yt doth remove.
(75)
To avaynte thus, me semyth no schame,
For galontis now be in most fame;
1moche we be sett bye!
'Curtely personys,' men hem proclame;
WNDYRSTONDYNG [E]. 2 The ryche couetyse, wo³ dare blame,
Off goveł & symony thow he bere be name?
To be fals, men report yt game;
Yt ys clepyde wysdom : "ware þat!" quod Wyly.5
(76)
WYLL. Ande of lechery to make a-vawnte,
Men) fors yt no more þan drynke a-tawnt;
Thes thyngis be now so conversant,
We seme yt no schame.
MYNDE. Curyous a-ray I wył euer hante;
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. Ande I, falsnes, to be passante;
WYLL. Ande I, in lust my flesche to daunte;
No man dyspyes thes; þey be but game.
(77)
MYNDE. I reioys of thes; now let ws synge!
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. Ande yff I spar eweł, joy me wrynge 16
WYLL. Haue at, quod I, lo, howe? I sprynge!
Lust makyth me wondyr wylde.
MYNDE. A tenowar to yow bothe I brynge;
WNDYRSTON DYNGE. And I a mene, for ony kynge;
WYLL. And, but a trebuł I owt wrynge,
595
599
Will likes
7,1
dalliance, and
words and
kisses of love.
Mind is
proud of his
603 dress.
Men now call
falseness
607 'Wisdom,'
611
615
and think no
more of
Lechery than
a drink.
Mind will
dress grandly,
Understand-
ing be false,
Will forni-
cate;
619
and they'll
all sing a
song.
the deuet hym spede, þat myrthe exyled! [Et cantent. 623 They sing
1 moche.. bye D., om. M.
3 covetouse, who D.
2 leaf 110, back.
4 reportith.
7 howe D., haue M.
'I' crost thru, between 'quod' and 'Wyly' in MS.
5
6
wrynge DM.
their song,

(78)
MYNDE. How be þis, trow ye nowe?
and are as
merry as
birds.
WYLL. As mery as be byrde on) bow,
I take no thought.
627
They say
how they
live.
Mind serves
a great lord,
and gets
money for
protecting
evil doers.
Understand-
ing lives by
prying and
simony.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. At be best, to God a vowe;
MYNDE. The welfare of þis worlde ys in ws, I ma-vowe; 2
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. lett eche man tet hys condycions howe.
WYLL. Be-gynne ye, ande haue at yow,
For I am a-schamyde of rygħt nought.
(79)
MYNDE. Thys ys³ a cause of my worschyppe;
I serue mygħty lordeschyppe,
Ande am in grett tendurschyppe;
Therfor moche folke me dredis;
Men sew to my frendeschyppe,
For meyntnance of her schendeschyppe;
I support hem by lordeschyppe;
For to get goode, þis a grett spede ys.
(80)
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.4 And I vse Jerowry,5
Enbrace questis of periury,
Choppe & chonge with symonye,
& take large yeftis;
By be cause neuer so try,
631
635
639
643
Understand-
I preue yt fals, I swere, I lye,
ing swears
falsely on

• With a quest of mynd affye;
  Quest.
  The redy wey, þis now to thryfte ys.
  (81)
  WYLL. A!7 wat trow ȝe be me?
  Will spends
  three times
  More pan) I take, spende I threys iij.
  what he gets, Sumtyme I yeff, sumtyme þey me,
  Ande am euer fresche & gay;
  Few placis now ber be,
  But onclennes we xałł þer see;
  1 leaf 111.
  2 a-vowe D.
  3? MS. o ys.
  647
  651
  M. puts this stanza after Wyll's, out of the order, -1. Mynde,

2. Understandinge, 3. Wyll. D. has the right order.
   5 Iorourry D. 6 Be D.
   7 And D.

57
It ys holde but a nysyte;
Lust ys now comun as be way.1
and lives in
lust.
655
(82)
MYNDE. Law procedyth not for meyntnance;
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. Trowthe recurythe not for habundance;
WYLL. And lust ys in so grett vsance,
Their sins
are not
We fors yt nought.
659 heeded;
MYNDE. In vs be worlde hathe most affyance.
the world
trusts em;
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. Non thre be in so grett a-qweynttance;
WYLL. Few þer be outhe of owur allyance;
Wył be worlde ys thus, take we no thought!
663
(83)
MYNDE. Thought! nay! ber-a-geyn) stryve I.
WNDYRSTON DYNGE. We haue þat nedyt vs, so thryve I;
they have all
they want.
WYLL. And yff þat I care, neuer wyve I.
Let them care þat hathe for to sewe!
667
MYNDE. Wo lordschyppe xał sew, must yt bye;
Lordship and
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. Wo wyt haue law, must haue monye;
law can only
WYLL. Ther pouert ys be male-wrye,
be got for
money.
Poverty
Thow rygħt be, he xalt neuer renewe.
671 never gets
its rights.
(84)
MYNDE. Wronge ys born) wpe boldly,
Wrong is
upheld.
Thow at be worlde know yt opynly;
Mayntnance ys now so mygħty,
Ande at ys for mede.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. The law ys so coloryde falsly
By sleyttis & by periury;
Brybys be so gredy,
675
þat to be pore, trowth ys take ryght nought a hede. 679 To the poor,
(85)
WYLL. & Wo gett or loose, ye be ay wynnande;
Mayntnaunce & periury now stande;
Ther wer neuer so moche reynande
seth Gode was bore.
1 thei waye D. (the high-road.)
2 leaf 111, back.
3 mayntenaunce D.

• gyve D.
  6 to D., om. М.
  7 right non M.
  5 is D., om. М.
  8 leaf 112.
  Truth isn't
  heeded.
  683
  Maintenance
  (support of
  wrong),
  Perjury

6
157
and Lechery MYNDE. Ande lechery was neuer more vsande
prevail
everywhere.
Mind, Will
and Under-
standing
agree to
get up a
Dance.
Mind or
Maintenance
(backing of
wrong)
calls in his
crew of 7:
Off lernyde & lewyde in þis lande.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. So we thre be now in hande.
WYLL. Ya! & moste vsyde euery-were.
va. [l stanzas missing.]
(86)
MYNDE. Now wył we thre do make a dance
Off thow þat longe to owur retenaunce,
Cummynge in by contenaunce;
þis were a dysporte.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. Therto I geve a-cordance,
off thow þat ben of myn affyance.
WYLL. Let se by tyme, be meyntnance;
Clepe in fyrst yowur resorte!
687
691
695
Here entur VI dysgysyde in be sute of Mynde, with rede
berdis, & lyouns¹ rampaunt on here crestis, & yche a warder
in hys honde: her MynstraH, trumpes. eche answere for hys
name.
(87)
Indignacion, MAYNTENNANCE.2 Let se: cum In, Indignacion & Sturdynes,
Sturdiness,
Malice,
Hastiness,
Vengeance,
Discord,
Mainten-
ance,-
the Devil's
Dance,-
and
Trumpets
to fit em.
Males also, & Hastynes,
Wreche, & Dyscorde expres,
And be vijte am I, Mayntennance.
-Vij ys a numbyr of dy[s]corde & inperfygħtnes.
lo! here ys
yomandrye, with lowe-day to dres :
699
love. Isy
3 Ande be deule hade swore yt, þey wolde ber wp falsnes,
Ande mayntene yt at be best: þis ys be deultys dance; 703
(88)
Ande here menstrellys be convenyent,
For trumpys xulde blow to be Iugemente;
Off batet also yt ys on Instrumente,
Yevynge comfort to fyght;
Therfor þey be expedyente
To bes meny of meyntement.4
Blow! lett see Madam Regent,
707
710
Ande daunce, ye laddis! yowur hertis be lygħt. [They
dance.
Dance away,
lads! Your
hearts are
light.
1 lyons D., s pared off in М. 2 D., Mynde M. 3 leaf 112, back.
4 mayntement D., mayntnance M.

59
(89)
1
lo! þat other spare, thes meny wył spende.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. Ya! wol ys hym) xał hem offende?
WYLL. WO Wył not to hem condescende,
He xał haue threttis.
715
MYNDE. they spył, þat law wolde a-mende.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. Yit mayatnance no man dare reprehende.
WYLL. Thes meny, thre synnys comprehende,
Pryde, Invy, & wrathe in hys hestis.
719
Law-
Reformers
shall be
smasht.
(90)
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. Now wył I than) be-gyn) my traces :
Jorowur, in on hoode berith2 to facis;
Fayer speche & falsehede, in ond space ys;
is it not ruthe? 3
The quest of Holborn) cum in-to þis placis;
A-geyn be rygħt, euer þey rechase,
Off wom þey holde not, harde hys grace ys;
Many a tyme haue dammyde truthe.
Understand-
ing then calls
on his crew,
723
the Holborn
Quest.
727
Here entrethe vi Jorours, in a sute, gownyde, with hodis 6 Perjurers
abowt her nekis, hattis of meyntenance þer-vp-on), vyseryde
dyuersly; here mynstret, a bag-pype.5
(91)
PERFURY. Let se fyrst, Wronge & Sleyght!
Dobunes & Falsnes, schew yowur myght!
Now, Raveyn & Dyscheyit,
Now holde yow here to-gydyr!
Thys menys consyens ys so streytt,
That þey report as mede yewyt beygħt.
Here ys be quest of Holborn), an euył endyrecte;
They daunce alt be londe hydyr & thedyr;
& I, Periury, yowur fownder.
731
come in:
Wrong,
Sleight,
Doubleness,
Falsehood,
Ravine,
Deceit,
making up
the Holborn
735 Quest,
Now dance on), ws all! the worlde doth on ws wondyr.
1 ye, who D.
4 leaf 113.
6 Mynde D.
In
written.
7 M. þey, om. D.
2 berith D., beer M.
5 bagpy D., ba[g]pyp[e] M.
3 is.. D., oт. М.
M. 'Mynde' was first written, then erased, and 'Wnd.'
with Perjury
the 7th.

(92)
Lo! here ys a menye loue wet-fare.
MYNDE. Ye! þey spende þat tru men spare.
This Holborn WYLL. Haue þey a brybe, haue þey no care
Quest 'll give
any verdict
for a bribe.
Wo hath wronge or rygħt.
MYNDE. They fors not to swere & starre,
WYLL. Thought at be false, les & mare.
741
They're sons
of Covetous-
ness.
Will says
he'll bring in
his crew of
Lechers,
So his, or
Lechery's, 6
Retainers
come in:
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. Wyche wey to be woode wył be hare,
they knewe, & þey at rest sett als tygħte;
Some seme hem wyse
For be fadyr of vs, Covetyse.
(93)
WYLL. Now Meyntnance & Periury
Hathe schewyde be trace of þer cumpeny,
Ye xał se a sprynge of Lechery,
þat to me attende.1
2Here forme ys of be stewys clene rebaldry;
They veyn) sey sothe wen þat pey lye;
Off be comyn þey synge eche wyke by & by;
745
747
751
755
they may sey with tenker, 'I trow lat a-mende.'
Here entreth vi women, in sut, [thre] dysgysyde as galontis,
& iij as Matrones, with wondyrful vysurs conregent: here
mynstreł, a hornepype.4
(94)
Recklessness, WYLL. Cum slepers, Rekleshede & IdyHnes,
• Idleness,
Surfeit,
Greediness,
Adultery,
and Fornica-
tion.
AH in aH, Surfet & Gredynes,
For be flesche, spouse-breche, & mastres,
With jentył fornycacion,
Yowur mynstreH & hornepype mete,
þat fowle ys in hym-selff, but to be erys swete;
thre fortherers of loue; hem schrew I! quod Bete;
Thys dance of þis damesellys ys thorow þis regy [o]n).
(95)
759
763
MYNDE. Ye may not endure with-owt my meyntenance,
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. That ys bought with a brybe of owur festance.
WYLL. Whom breydest þou vs of bin aqueyntance?
I sett bee at nought!
767
1 In a later hand, at foot, 'met & drynke th[e]y had inowe but logynge.'
2 leaf 113, back. 3 weene D. * Here the Digby MS. ends. 5 & = an.

61
Mind calls
MYNDE. On þat worde I woł tak vengeaunce;
Wer vycis be gederyde, euer ys sum myschance.
Hurle hens thes harlottis! here gyse ys of France :
þey xał a-þey bytturly, by hym þat ał wrought!
(96)
771
for their
banishment.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. IH spede þee, ande þou spare!
bi longe body bare,
To bett I not spare;
Haue thè a-geyn!
WYLL. Holde me not! let me go ware!
I dynge, I dasche! ber, go ther!
Dompe Denys, can) ye not dare? Fraser
775
778
I teh yow outwarde, on & tweyn). (Exient [the Dancers]. They go out.
(97)
MYNDE. Now I schrew yow thus dansaunde!
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. Ye! & ewył be þou thryvande!
WYLL. No more let vs be stryvande;
Nowe all at on!
MYNDE. Here was a meny on)-thryvande;
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. to be deult be þey drywande;
WYLL. He þat ys ył wy-wande,
Wo hys hym, by be bone!
(98)
MYNDE. Leue then þis dalyance,
Ande set we a ordenance
Off bettur chevesaunce,
how we may thryve.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. At Westmystur, with-owt varyance,
be nex terme xał me sore avawnce,2
For retornys, for enbraces, for recordaunce;
Lygħtlyer to get goode, kan) no man on lyue.
(99)
MYNDE. Ande at be parvyse I wył be,
A[t] Powlys be-twyn ij ande iij,
With a menye folowynge me,
Entret, Iuge partynge, & to supporte.
1 leaf 114.
2
Mind abuses
783
them.
787
791
795
my sowraunce in MS. is scratcht out, and me sore arawnce written.
799
Understand-
ing says he'll
make money
at West-
minster.
Mind will be
at the Par-
vise of St.
Paul's.

Will prospers WYLL.¹ Ande euer be latter, be leuer me.
Wen) I com lat to be cyte,
in London
or the Stews.
I walke at lanys & weys to myn affynyte;
& I spede not þer, to be stews I resort.
804
(100)
MYNDE. 2Ther gettis þou nougħte, but spendys,
WYLL. Yis, sumtyme I take a-mendis
Off hem þat nought offendys,
I eng[r]ose vpe here purs.
Mind im-
poses on
people.
MYNDE. And I a-rest þer no drede ys,
Preve forfett þer no mede ys,
Ande tak to me þat nede ys;
I reke not thow þey curs.
(101)
Understand- WNDYRSTONDYNGE. Thow þey curs uther, be wers I fare;
ing indicts
folk falsely. Thys day, I endyght them I herde of neuer are;
Will wants
To-morrow I wył a-qwyt them, yff nede were;
Thys lede I my lyff.
WYLL. Ye, but of vs iij I haue lest care;
Met & drynke & ease, I aske no mare,
only a pretty Ande a praty wenche, to se here bare;
wench naked.
Under-
standing
hopes for a
good year,
808
812
816
I reke but lytył, be sche mayde or wyffe.
820
(102)
MYNDE. Thys on a soper
I wył be seen) rycher,
Set a noble with goode chere
redyly to spende.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. And I tweyn), be þis feer,
To moque at a goode dyner,
I hoope of a goode yer,
for euer I trost Gode wył send.
WYLL. A[nd] best we haue wyne,
Ande a cosyn of myne
With ws for to dyne;
iij nobles wył I spede frely.

1. þis sumtyme I take a-mendis,' crost out.
   2 leaf 114, back.
   824
   828
   832

63
(103)
MYNDE. 1 We xat a-corde wet & fyne.
but won't
spend more
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. Nay, I wył not passe schylyngis nyne (ix). than 98. on
a dinner.
WYLL. No, þou was neuer but a swyn;
I wot be holdyn jentył, by sent Audre of Ely.
836
Ande now in my mynde I haue
Will makes
free with his
cousin Janet,
My cosyn Jenet .N., so Gode me save;
Sche mornyth with a chorle, a very knaue,
& neuer kan be mery.
(104)
I pley me þer wen) I lyst rawe;
Than be chorle wył here dysprawe,
How myght make hym thys to lawe,
I wolde onys haue hy[m] in be wyrry.
(105)
MYNDE. For thys I'kan) a remedye;
I xałł rebuk hym thus so dyspytuusly
þat of hys lyff he xał wery,
& qwak for very fere;
Ande yff he wył not leve þer-by,
On hys bodye he xałł a-bye
Tył he leue þat jelousy :
Nay! suche chorlys I kan) lere.
(106)
WNDYRSTONDYNG. Nay! I kan bettur hym qwytte;
A-rest hym fyrst to þes for fygħt,
Than in a-nother schere hym endyght;
He ne xał wete by wom ne howe;
Haue hym in be Marschalse seyn) a-ryght,
Than to be Amralte, for þey wył byght;
A 'preuenire facias' than haue as-tygħt,
840
844
848
whose hus-
band Mind
will trighten
852
out of his
jealousy.
856
And þou xalt hurle hym), so þat he xat haue I-now. 860
(107)
WYLL. Wat, & þes wrongis be espyede?
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. With be crose & be pył I xał wrye yt,
That ber xat neuer man dyscrey³ yt,
Understand-
ing will
arrest him,
and put him
in the Mar-
shalsea and
the Admir-
alty.
864
þat may me appeyere.
1 leaf 115.
2 leaf 115, back.
8? MS.

Will pities
the man that
Mind and
Understand-
ing get hold
of.
MYNDE. Ther ys no craft, but we may trye yt;
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. Mede stopp yt, be yt neuer so allyede;
WYLL. Wyth yow tweyn, wo ys replyede,
He may sey he hathe a schrewde seyer.
(108)
868
MYNDE. Thow woldyst haue wondyr of sleygħtis þat be;
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. Thys make sume ryche, & summe neuer the;
WYLL. þey must nedis; grett goodis gett ye;
Now go we to be wyne!
MYNDE. In trewbe I grante; haue at with þee!
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. Ande for a peny or ij, I wył not fle.
Let us all
be merry!
WYLL. Mery, mery, at mery band be we!
Who þat ws tarythe, curs haue he & myn!
(109)
Wisdom bids WYSDOM. O thou Mynde, remembyr thee!
Mind remem-
ber his com-
ing Death.
Turne bi weys! þou gost a-myse!
Se what þi ende ys! þou myght not fle;
Dethe, to euery creature certen ys;
They þat lyue wet, þey xatt haue blys;
Thay þat endyn yH, þey goo to hell.
I am Wysdom, sent to tell yow thys;
Se in what stat þou doyst in dwelt!
(110)
MYNDE. To my mynde, yt cummyth from farre,
That dowtles man xał dey.
1 Ande thes weys we go, we erre.
Wndyrstondynge, wat do ye sey?
(111)
872
876
[Enter WISDOM.]
Understand- WNDYRSTONDYNGE. I sey, man, holde forthe bi wey!
ing advises
him to go
on with his
larks.
The lyff we lede ys sekyr y-nowe;
I wył no wndyrstondynge xał let my pley.
Wył, frende, how seyst thowe?
880
884
888
892
(112)
WYLL. I wył not thynke ber-on, to Gode a vowe!
We be yit but tendur of age;
Schulde we leve þis lyue, ya³ whowe,
We may a-mende wen we be sage.
896
1 leaf 116.
2 a = I.
3
or pa.

65
(113)
WYSDOM. Thus many ond vnabylythe hym to grace;
They wyt not loke, but slumbur & wynke;
þey take not drede before þer face,
How horryblè þer synnys stynke.
Wen they be on be pyttys brynke,
Than) xah þey trymbuł & qwake for drede;
Yit Mynde, I sey [to] yow, be-thynke
In what peret ye be now! take hede!
(114)
Se howe ye haue dy[s] vyguryde yowur soule!
Be-holde yowur selff; loke veryly in mynde!
900
Wisdom
warns
Mind of the
danger he is
904 in,
and of how
he has dis-
figured his
soul.
[Here Anima apperythe in be most horrybuł wyse, The Soul
fowlere ban a fende.
MYNDE. Out! I tremble for drede, by Sent Powle!
Thys ys fowler band ony fende.
WYSDOM. Wy art þou, creature, so on-kynde,
Thus to defoule Godys own place,
þat was made so gloryus with-owt ende?
Thou hast made be deullys rechace.
(115)
1 As many dedly synnys as ye haue vsyde,
So many deullys in yowur soule be.
Be-holde wat ys þer-in reclusyde!
Alas, man! of bi soule haue pyte!
enters, with
6 small boys
drest as
Devils, under
his big
908 Mantle.
912
916
Wisdom says
Mind has as
many devils
as sins.
[Here rennyt owt from wndyr be horrybył mantył of be The 6 little

• Soult, vi smał boys in be lyknes of Dewyllys, & so retorne
  a-geyn).
  (116)
  WYSDAM. What haue I do? why lowyste þou not me?
  Why cherysyste þi enmye? Why hatyst þou þi frende?
  Mygħt I haue don) ony more for bee?
  But loue may brynge drede to mynde.
  (117)
  þou hast made thee a bronde of het,
  Whom I made be ymage of lyght.
  920
  Devil-boys
  run out from
  Soul's
  mantle,
  and in again.
  Wisdom asks
  the Soul
  why he hates
  his friend.
  1 leaf 116, back.
  MACRO PLAYS

Wisdom
remonstrates
with the Soul.
924
Yff be deut mygħt, he wolde þee qweł,
But þat mercy expellyt hys mygħt.
Wy doyst þou, soule, me all dyspyght?
Why yewyst þou myn enmy þat I haue wrought?
Why werkyst þou bys conset? by myn) settis lyght?
Why hatyst þou vertu ? why louyst þat ys nought?
(118)
MYNDE. A, lorde! now I brynge to mynde
My horryble synnys & myn offens,
928
Mind con-
fesses that
he has sinned.
I se howe I haue defowlyde be noble kynde
þat was lyke to þee by intellygens.
Wndyrstondynge, I sew to your presens,
933
Owur lyff wyche þat ys most synfuł.
Sek yow remedye! do yowur dylygens
To clense te soulł wyche ys þis fowH!
936
(119)
Understand- WNDYRSTONDYNGE. Be yow, Mynde, I have very knowenge,
ing acknow-
ledges that
they've
offended
God.
Will says he
will return
to God.
That grettly Gode we haue offendyde.
Endles peyn), worthyi be owur dysyr[v]ynge,
Wyche be owur selff neuer may be a-mendyde
With-owt Gode, in whom all ys comprehendyde;
Therfor to hym) let vs resort:
Ile lefte vp them þat be descendyde;
He ys resurreccion & lywe to hem wył resort.2
(120)
WYLL. My wył was full yowe to syne,
By wyche be soule ys so abhomynable.
I wył retorne to Gode, & new be-gynne,
Ande in hymd gronde my wył stable,
þat, of hys mercy, he wył me able
to haue be yiffte of hys specyaH³ grace,
How hys seke soule may be recurable
At be Jugment be-fore hys face.
(121)
ANIMA. Than) with yow iij be Soule dothe crye,
'Mercy, Gode! why change I nowte,
1 leaf 117.
2? to those who will resort to Ilim.
3 MS. of hys specyatt of hys specyat.
940
944
918
952

67
I þat thus horryblè in synne lye,
Soul prays
God
Sythe Mynde, Wył, & Wndyrstondynge be brought
956
to haue knowynge, þey IH wrought?
What ys yt¹ xał make me clene?
Put yt, Lorde, in-to my thowte!
Thi olde mercy, let me remene.'
960 for His
mercy.
(122)
WISDOM. Then [xall] be soule mynde take,
Ande wndyrstondynge, of hys synnys all-wey,
Beynge in wył, yt [to] forsake;
2 Yit thes do not only synnys a-wey,
But very contrycyon, who þat haue may,
þat ys purger & clenser of synne;
A tere of be ey, with sorow veray,
þat rubbyt & waschyt be soule with-In.
(123)
AH be penance þat may be wrought,
Ne att be preyer þat seyde be kan),
With-owt sorowe of hert, relesyt nought;
That in especyat reformyth man,
Ande makyt hym as clene as when he be-gane.
Go, seke þis medsyne, sout! þat be-seke
With veray feythe! & be ye sekyr than),
The vengeaunce of Gode ys made fuł meke.
(124)
By wndyrstondynge, haue very contrycion;
With mynde of your synne, confessyon) make,
Wyt wył yeldynge du satysfaccion;
ban yowur soule be clene, I wndyrtake.
ANIMA. I wepe for sorow, Lorde! I be-gyn) awake,
I that þis longe hath slumberyde in syne.
964
968
972
976
980
Wisdom
says they
must have
contricion,
tears
and sorrow.
No penance
or prayer
avails with-
of heart.
out sorrow
That, with
confession
and satis-
faction,
cleanse the
soul.
[Hic recedunt The Demons
demones.
WYSDOM. Lo, how contrycion a-voydyth be deullys blake!
withdraw.
Dedly synne ys now yow with-In.
(125)
For, Gode ye haue offendyde hyghly,
Ande yowur modyr, holy chyrche so mylde;
1 or þat.
2 leaf 117, back.
984
1

Wisdom says þer-for, Gode ye must aske mercy,
they must
be reconciled
By holy chyrch to be reconsylyde,
988
to Holy
Church.
Trustynge verely ye xał neuer be revylyde.
Yff ye haue yowur charter of pardon) by confessyon,
Now haue ye for-yeffnes þat were fylyde,
To prey yowur modyr chyrche of her proteccion.
992
(126)
Soul says
she'll confess
ANIMA. O Fadyr of mercy ande of comfort,2
1
to the
Church,
and obey it.
Soul sings in
lamentable
wise.
Wisdom
states the
9 points most
pleasing to
God.

1. Give a
   penny with
   goodwill to
   the poor.
2. Weep a
   tear for
   Christ's
   sufferings.
   With wepynge ey, & hert contryte,
   To owur modyr, holy chyrche, I wył resort,
   My lyff pleyn schewenge to here sygħt,
   With mynde, vndyrstondynge, & wył ryght,
   Wyche of my sowl be partyes be:
   To be domys of be chyrche we xał vs dygħt,
   with veray contricion thus co[m]pleyninge we.
   996
   1000
   [Here þey go owt; & in þe goynge, be soule syngyth in þe
   most lame[n]tabulł wyse, with drawte notys, as yt ys songyn) in
   be passyon) wyk[e]:
   ANIMA. Magna velud mare contricio, contricio tua: quis con-
   soletur tui? Plorans 3 plorauit in nocte, et 4 lacrime eius in
   maxillis eius. [Threni i. 2 (Lam. Jer.), ii. 18.]
   (127)
   WYSDOM. thus seth Gode, Mankynde tył:
   The[s] ix poyntys ples hym, at other before.
   'Gyff a peny in thy lyve, with goode wył
   To be pore, & þat pleysythe Gode more
   pan mowyntenys in-to golde transposyde were;
   Ande aftir thy dethe, for the dysposyde.'
   Ande att be goodys þou hast in store
   1004
   Xulde not profygħt so moche wan bi body ys closyde. 1008
   (128)
   The secunde poynt, Gode sethe thus :
   'Wepe one tere for my loue hertyly,
   Or for be passyor of me, Jhesus
   Ande þat plesyt me more specyally
   1 leaf 118.
   2 MS. mercy.
   1012

• Magna est enim velut mare contritio tua: quis medebitur tui? ii. 13.
  4 MS. in.
  5 MS. þat.
  6 MS. tramposyde.

69
Than yff þou wepte, for bi frendys or goodys worldly,
1 As moche watur as be se conteynys.'
lo! contrycion ys a soueren) remedy,
That dystroythe synnys, þat relessyt peynys.
(129)
the lijde, Gode sethe, 'suffyr pacyen [t]ly, for my loue,
Off bi neybure a worde of repreve;
Ande þat, to mercy mor dothe me move
1016
than) [yf] þou dyscyplynyde bi body with peynys grewe, 1020
With as many roddys as myght grow or prywe 2
In be space of [a] days Jornye!'
Lo, who suffyryth most for Gode, ys most lewe.
Slandyr repreve only Aduersyte.
(130)
The iiijte, Gode sethe, 'wake on awyrs for be loue of me;
And þat to me ys more plesaunce
than yff þou sent xii kyngys free
to my sepulkyr with grett puysschaunce,
For my dethe to take vengeaunce.'
lo, wakynge ys a holy thynge!
þer yt ys hade with goode vsance,
Many gracys of yt doth sprynge.
(131)
The vte, Gode sethe, 'haue pyte & compassyond
Off þi neybur wyche ys seke & nedy;
And þat to me ys more dylectacion
than [yff] þou fastyde xt yer by & by,
thre days in be weke, as streytly
As þou cowdys in watur & brede.'
lo, pyte, Gode plesyth grettly,
Ande yt ys a vertu soueren, as clerkys rede.
(132)
The vite, Gode seth in þis wyse:
'Refreyn) thy speche, for my reuerens;
4 Lett not thy tonge thy evyn) crysten) dyspyse;
Ande pan plesyst more mynd excellens
1024
1028
1032
1036
1040
1 leaf 118, back.
4 leaf 119.
2 MS. prywe.
1044
3 one hour.
3. Suffer
reproof
patiently.
4. Watch an
hour for love
of God.
5. Pity the
sick and
needy.
6. Restrain
your tongue,
and don't
despise your
fellow-
Christian.

7. Stir not
   your neigh-
   bour to evil.
   Than yff þou laberyde with grett dylygens
   Wpon thy nakyde feet & bare,
   Tył be blode folwude for peyn) & vyolens,
   Ande aftyr eche stepe yt sene were.'"
   1048
   (133)
   The vijte, Cryst seth in þis maner:
   'thy neybur, to ewylt ne sterre not thou;
   but at thynge torne into wertu chere;
   A[n]d than more plesyst [þou] me now
   then yf a thowsende tymys þou renne thorow
   A busche of thornys þat scharpe were,
   Tył þi nakyde body were at rought,
   Ande evyn) rent to be bonys bare.'
   1052
   1056
   (134)
8. Pray often. The viiite, Gode sethe þis man tył:
   'Oftyn prey, & aske of me;
   Ande þat plesythe me more on-to my wył
   Than yf my modyr & at sentys preyde for bee.'.
   1060
   (135)
9. Love God The ixte, Gode sethe, 'lowe me souerenly;
   above all,
   things.
   Soul enters,
   preceded by
   the Five
   Wits, all
   singing a
   Psalm-verse.
   Soul calls
   in Jesus.
   Ande þat to me more plesant ys
   Than) yf þou went wp on a pyler of tre
   þat wer sett full of scharpe prykkys,
   So þat þou cut bi flesche in-to be smale partys.'
   lo, Gode ys plesyde more with be dedys of charyte
   Than at be peynys man may suffer I-wys:
   Remembyr thes poyntys, man, in bi felycite!
   1064
   1068
   [Here entrethe Anima, with þe V Wyttys goynge before :
   Mynde on be on syde, & Wndrystondynge on be other syde, &
   Wył folowyn [ge], at in here fyrst clothynge, her chapplettys &
   crestys, and all hauyng[e] lon) crownys, syngynge in here comm-
   mynge I/ "Quid retribuam domino pro omnibus que retribuit
   mihi? Calicem salutaris accipiam, & nomen Domini Inuocabo."
   [Ps. cxv. 12, 13.]
   (136)
   ANIMA. O meke Jhesu, to bee I crye!
   O swete Jhesu, my delectacion!
   O Jhesu, be sune of Vyrgyne Marye,
   FuH of mercy & compassyon)!
   1 leaf 119, back.
   1069
   1072

71
My soule ys waschede, be thy passyon),
Fro be synnys cummynge by sensualyte.
A! be thè I haue a new resurreccion;
The lyght of grace I fele in me.
(137)
1076
In twayn) myghtys of my soule I the offendyde:
The on), by my Inwarde wyttys, thow ben gostly;
1080
þe other, by my outwarde wyttys comprehendyde,
Tho be þe v wyttys bodyly;
With be wyche tweyn mygħtys, mercy I crye.
My modyr, holy chyrche, hath yowe me grace,
Whom ye fyrst toke to yowur mercy,
Yet of my selff I may not satysfye my trespas.
Magna est misericordia tua !
(138)
With full feyth of for-yewenes, to bee, Lorde, I come.
WYSDOM. Vulnerasti cor meum, soror, mea sponsa,
In vno ictu oculorum tuorum.
(139)
[Cant. Cant. Sal. iv. 9.]
Ye haue wondyde my hert, systur, spowse dere,
1084
1088
In be tweyn syghtys of yowur ey.
By be recognycion ye haue clere,
Ande by be hye lowe ye haue godly,
It perrysschyt my hert to here yow crye.
1092
Soul has
offended God
by inward
and outward
wits,
but His
mercy is
great.
Wisdom says
Now ye haue for-sake synne, & be contryte,
1Ye were neuer so leve to me verelye;
Now be ye reformyde to yowur bewtys brygħt.
(140)
Ande ther yowur v wyttys offendyde has,
Ande to mak a-sythe by Impotent,
My v wyttys, þat neuer dyde trespas,
Hathe made a-sythe to be Father suffycyent.
With my syght I se be people vyolent;
I herde hem vengeaunce ond-to me caH;
I felte þe stenche of caren here present;
I tastyde þe drynke mengylde with gah.
that now
Soul has
forsaken sin,
he is dearer
1096 than ever
to Him.
1100
His 5 Wits
have made
satisfaction
for Soul's
five.
1 leaf 120.
He smelt
stench:
1104 He tasted
gall;

His hands
and feet
(141)
By towchynge, I felte peyns smerte ;
My handys sprede a-brode to halse be swyre;
were nailed; My fete naylyde, to a-byde with þee, swet herte;
His beart
My hert clowyn) for bi loue most dere;
was cleft;
His head
bow'd down,
Myn hede bowhede down to kys bee here;
1108
My body full of holys, as a dove-hows:
In thys ye be reformyde, Soule, my plesynge,
Ande now ye be be very temple of Jhesus.
(142)
Baptism did Fyrst ye were reformyde by baptyme of ygnorans,
away Soul's
original sin,
and Penance
his actual.
Now he will
reign in bliss.
Mind says
God has
reformd
Soul
and crownd
him as a
King.
And clensyde from be synnys orygynał;
Ande now ye be reformyde by be sakyrment of penaunce,
Ande clensyde from be synnys actual;
Now ye be fayrest, Crystys own specyaH;
Dysfygure yow neuer to be lyknes of be fende,
Now ye haue receyuyde be crownnys victoryat
To regne in blys with-owtyn) ende!
(143)
MYNDE. Haue mynde, Soule, wat Gode hath do!
1 Reformyde yow in feyth veryly;
'Nolite confirmare huic seculo,
[Rom. xii. 2.]
Sed reformanini in nouitatem spiritus sensus vestri :'
Conforme yow not to þis pompyus glory,
But reforme in gostly felynge.
Ye þat were damnyde by synne endelesly,
1112
1116
1120
1124
1127
Mercy hathe reformyde yow, ande crownyde as a kynge.
(144)
Understand- WNDYRSTONDYNGE. Take vndyrstondynge, Soule, now ye
ing bids Soul
trust God's
promise.
With contynualle hope in Godys be-hest.
'Renouamini spiritu mentis vestre,
Et Induite nouum hominem, qui secundum Deum creatus est : 2
Ye be reformyde in felynge, not only as a best,
But also in þe ouer parte of yowur reasun,
Be wyche ye haue lyknes of Gode mest,
1133
Ande of þat mercyful very congnycion.
1 leaf 120, back.

• Ephes. iv. 23: add 'in justitia, et sanctitate veritatis.'
  1136

73
(145)
WYLL. Now be Soule yn charyte reformyde ys;
With charyte ys Gode verely,
Exspoliantem¹ veterem hominem cum actibus suis,
Spoyt yow of yowur olde synnys & foly,
1140
[et induentes novum, eum qui renovatur in agnitionem,]
Ande be renuyde in Gode knowynge a-geyn),
That, enduyde with grace so specyally,
Conseruynge in peyn, euer in blys for to reyn).
1144
(146)
Will says
Soul is
re-formed
in love.
ANIMA. Then with yow thre, I may sey thus
Of owur lorde souerend person Jhesus:
'Suavis est dominus vniuersis,
Et miseraciones eius super omnia opera eius.'
[Psal. cxliv. 9.]
1148
20 thou hye soueren Wysdam, my ioy, Christus,
Hewyn, erthe, & eche creature
Yelde yow reuerens; for grace pleyntuus
Ye yeff to man, euer to Induyr.
Soul praises
Jesus for
His grace,
1152
(147)
Now, with sent Powle, we may sey thus,
þat be reformyde thorow feythe in Jhesus:
We haue peas & a-corde betwyx Gode & ws,
1155 and says
'Justificati ex fide, pacem habeamus ad Deum ;'
[Rom. v. 1.]
Now to Salomonys conclusyon I com,
there is
peace
between
God and him
and his.
'Timor domini inicium sapiencie.'
[Psal. cx. 10.] 1158
(148)
Vobis qui timetis Deum,
Orietur sol Justicie;'
The tru son of rygħtusnes,
Wyche þat ys one lorde Jhesu,
Xał sprynge in hem þat drede hys meknes.
Nowe ye mut euery soule renewe
In grace, & vycys to eschew,
Ande so to ende with perfeccion,
That þe doctryne of Wysdom we may sew:
1163
Sapiencia patris, grawnt þat for hys passyon! AMEN! 1168
WYSDOM.
ANIMA. V WYTTYS.
MYNDE. [6 small Boys, P.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE. 65.]
He bids
every one
eschew vices.
asks whom
O liber, si quis cui constas (If any one
forte queretur, Hyngham, quem this MS. be-
monacho dices, super omnia con- longs to
sta[s].
say,
LUCYFER.
1 Expoliantes vos. Colos. iii. 9.
2 leaf 121.
Hyngham.')

[On leaf 134, back, between Mankind and Wisdom, are 8
lines of English between 2 bits of Latin, all written upside
down.]
I trow I was cursyd in my motherys bely, or ellys I was
born [at] a on-hapy ower; for I can neuer do thyng that men
be plesid with-aH. Now, yff I do the best I can, oftetymys
yt chancys onhapily. I haue not knowne a felou so on-hapi,
exsepte the deuył ware on hym, for euyne now at this tyme I
am suer my master haue ij or iij greuys compleyntys on me at
this time. Yf yt be so, my bott[o]kes goo to wreke.
NOTE.
Page 17, line 445. The town of Walsingham is in the parish of Little
or New Walsingham in Norfolk, on the river Stiffkey, with a station on
the Great Eastern Railway, 118 m. from London. It was formerly famous
for an Augustinian priory founded in 1061 by Faverches, had also a Grey
friary founded in 1346 by the Clares, and a lepers' hospital, drew to its
shrines many distinguisht pilgrims, one of the last of whom was Henry
VIII in the 2nd year of his reign, and gives the title of Baron to the
family De Grey. The priory was preceded by a chantry built in imitation
of the Sancta Casa at Nazareth, and containd a highly venerated image of
the Virgin, which Hen. VIII eventually caused to be burnt at Chelsea.
Great or Old Walsingham is a village 1 m. N.N.E. of Walsingham
station.-Brabner.

III. The Castle of Perseverance

III.
[THE NAMES OF THE PLAYERS.]
Hec sunt nomina ludorum.
AC (1, 2) In primis, II VEXILLATORES (P. 77).
[on leaf 191 at foot]
(3) MUNDUS, & cum eo (p. 82), (4) VOLUPTAS (p. 91), (5)
STULTICIA (p. 92), & (6) GARCIO (p. 163).
(7) BELYAL, & cum eo (p. 83), (8) SUPERBIA (p. 104), (9) IRA
(p. 110), & (10) INVIDIA (p. 105).
(11) CARO, & cum eo (p.84), (12) GULA (p. 106), (13) LUXURIA
(p. 106), & (14) ACCIDI [A] (p. 106).
(15) HUMANUM GENUS, & cum eo (p. 85), (16) BONUS AN-
GELUS (p. 87), & (17) MALUS ANGELUS (p. 87).
(18) AUARICIA (p. 102), (19) DETRACCIO (p. 97), (20) CON-
FESSIO (p. 116), (21) PENITENTIA (p. 118).
(22) HUMILITAS (p. 127), (23) PACIENCIA (p. 140), (24) CARI-
TAS (p. 125), (25) ABSTINENCIA (p. 125), (26) CASTITAS
(p. 125), (27) SOLICITUDO (p. 126), & (28) LARGITAS
(p. 126).
(29) MORS (p. 160), (30) ANIMA (p. 166), (31) MISERICORDIA 2
(p. 170), (32) VERITAS (p. 171), (33) JUSTICIA (p. 178),
& (34) PAX (p. 181).
(35) PATER sedens in trono (p. 183).
Summa, xxxvj ludores.3
1 See, on p. 76, the Direction that he is to have Gunpowder burning
in pipes, in his hands, ears, and arse, when he goes to battle.
2 See, at the foot of p. 76, that these Four, -Mercy, Righteousness,
Truth, and Peace, -are cal'd 'Daughters,' and are to be clad in mantles:
Mercy in white, Righteousness in red, Truth in sad green, and Peace in
black.
3 Veynglory, 91/467, was perhaps the 36th player, tho he doesn't speak.

[leaf 191, back]
Wes[t].
Mund[us]
skaffo[ld].
or ellys þat it be strongely barryd al a-bowt; & lete n
Sowth.
Caro
skafold
if any dyche may be mad, ber it schal be
þis is be Castel of Perseueraunse, þat stondyth
In be myddys of be place; but lete no men sytte þer,
for letty nge of syt; for ber schal be be best of att.
pleyed,
Coveytyse copbord
be be beddys feet
schal be at be ende
of be Castel.
skaffold.
Northe. The þat schal pleye Belyal,
Belyal
loke þat he haue gunne-pow-
der brennyn[ge] In pypys in
his handis & in his eris, &
in his ers, whanne he gothe
to þat[tel].
be iiij dowteris schul be clad in mentelys; Merci in wyth, Rythwysnesse
in red, al togedyr; Trewthe in sad grene, & Pes al in blake; & þei schal
pleye in be place al togedyr tyl þey brynge up be sowle.
of
Skaffold.
Coveytyse
Northe-est.
Mankynde-is bed schal be vnder be Castel,
& þer schal be sowle lye vnder be bed tyl he
schal ryse & pleye.
þe plase.

• Pis
  is
  be watyr a-bowte be place,
  Est.
  Deus
  [s]kafold

p = th
77
III.
The Castell of Perseverance,
[Macro MS., leaf 154.]

Prologue

(1)
PRIMUS VEXILLATOR]. Glorious God! in at degres, lord most of First Flag-
myth,
pat¹ heuene & erthe made of nowth, bobe se & londe,
be aunzelys in heuene, hym to serue bryth,
& [man]-kynde in mydylerd he made with hys honde,
& [our lo]fly lady, þat lanterne is of lyth,
Save our lege lord, be kynge, be leder of þis londe,
& at be ryallis of þis revme, & rede hem be ryth,
4
bearer.
May Gol
and our
Lady save
the King,
his nobles,
and the
Commons of
& alt be goode comowns of þis towne þat be-forn us stonde 8 this town!
In þis place!
We mustyr ȝou with menschepe,
& Freyne ȝou of Frely frenchepe,
Cryst safe you at fro schenchepe,
þat knowyn wyl our case!
(2)
13
SECUNDUS VEXILLATOR. I þe case of our comynge, 3ou to declare,
euery man in hym self, for sothe he it may fynde.
whon mankynde in-to þis werld born is ful bare,
& bare schal beryed be at [t] he [1]ast ende,
God hym zeuyth to aungelis Ful zep & ful zare,
be goode aungel & be badde, to hym for to lende:
be goode techyth hym goodnesse; be badde, synne & sare;
Whanne be ton hath be victory, be toper goth be-hende,
be skył.
When man
is born,
17 God gives
21
be goode aungel coueytyth euermore mans saluacion,
& be badde bysytyth hem euere to hys dampnacion;
& God hathe govyn man fre arbritracion
Wheper he wyl hymse [lf] saue or his soule þer[yH.]3 26
him a Good
Angel to lead
him to good,
and a Bad
one to guide
him to sin.
1 The MS. of this play has þ. 2 MS. govym.
3? MS.
Man has free
will to save
or ruin
his soul.

Man's Bad
Angel brings
him the
World, the
Devil and the
Flesh,
(3)
PRIMUS VEXILLA [TOR]. I spylt is man spetously, whanne he to
synne asent;
be bad aungel þanne bryngyth hym iij enmys so stout:
and the Seven be Werlde, be Fende, be foul Flesche so joly & jent;
Sins-

1. Pride,
2. Covetous-
   ness,
3. Anger,
4. Envy and
   Backbiting,
5. Sloth,
6. Lechery,
7. Gluttony.
   þei ledyn hym Ful lustyly with synnys al a-bowt,
   Pyth with Pride & Coueytyse, to be werld is he went,
   to meynten his manhod; at men to hym lout.
   aftyre Ire & Envye, be Fend hath to hym lent
   Bakbytynge & endytynge, with all men for to route,
   Ful evyn;
   but be fowle Flesch, homlyest of all,
   Slawth, Lust & Leccherye, gun to hym cał
   Glotony, & oper synnys, bobe grette & smał:
   30
   34
   þis mans soule is soylyd with synnys moo þanne
   seuyn.
   Second Flag- SECUNDUS VEXILLATOR.
   bearer.
   When man
   has sinned,
   his Good
   Angel sends
   him
   Conscience,
   Confession,
   Penance,
   and the 7
   Virtues,
   which call
   him to the
   Castle of
   Perseverance.
   First Flag-
   bearer.
   When man
   wins it,
   the Good
   Angel re-
   joices.
   synne & with sore,
   (4)
   39
   whanne mans sowle is soylyd with
   þanne be goode aungyl makyth mykyl mornynge
   þat be lofly lyknesse of God schulde be lore
   þorwe be badde aungellis fals entysynge.
   1 He sendyth to hym concyens, pryckyd Ful pore,
   & clere confescyon), with penauns doynge:
   þei mevyn man to mendement þat he mys-dyd be-fore;
   pus þei callyn hym to clennesse & to good levynge,
   with-outyn dystaunce.
   Mekenesse, Pacyense, & Charyte,
   Sobyrnesse, Besynesse, & Chastyte,
   & Largyte, uertuys of good degre,
   43
   47
   Man callyth to be Castel of good Perseueraunce. 52
   (5)
   PRIMUS VEXILLATOR. I be Castel of Perseuerans, wanne Man-
   kynde hath tan,
   Wel armyd with vertus, & ouercome alle vycys,
   pere þe Good Aungyl makyth ful mery þanne
   þat Mankynde hath ouercome his gostly e[n]mijs.
   1 leaf 154, back.
   56

79
be Badde Aungyl mornyp þat he hath myssyd man;
He callyth be Werld, be Fende, & be foule Flesch,¹ I-wys,
& alt be seuene synnys to do þat þey canne
to brynge Mankynd a-geyn to bale out of blys,
With wronge.
Pride a-saylyth Meknesse with all his myth;
Ire, a-geyns Paciensse, ful fast ganne he fyth;
Envye, a-geyn Charyte strywyth ful ryth;
60
but Coveytyse a-geyns Largyte fytyth over longe. 56
ijus VEXILLATOR.
qweł:
(6)
The Bad
Angel
mourns, and
calls the 7
Sins to bring
man to bale.
Coveytyse, Mankynd euere coveytyth for to Second Flag-
he gaderith to hym Glotony, a-zeyns Sobyrnesse ;
Leccherye, with Chastyte ffytith ful fet,
& Slawthe in Goddis seruyse, a-geyns Besynesse.
pus vycys, a-geyns vertues fytyn ful snelle;
cuery buskith to brynge man to dystresse;
but Penaunce & Confescion, with Mankynd wyl melle;
be vycys arn ful lyckely, be vertues to opresse :
sann) dowte;
pus in þe Castel of good Perseuerance
Mankynd is maskeryd with mekyl varyaunce;
be Goode Aungyl & be Badde be euere at dystaunce;
69
73
be Goode holdith hym Inne; be Badde wold brynge
hym owte.
(7)
78
bearer.
Covetousness
sets the 7
Sins against
the 7 Virtues,
to harm man,
and the
Bad Angel
strives
against the
Good.
JUS VEXILLATOR. Owt of good perseueraunce, whanne Mankynde First Flag-
wyl not come,
ȝyt be Badde Aungyl, with Coveytyse hym gan a-sayle,
fyndende hym in pouerte & penaunce so be-nome,
& bryngyth hym in beleue, in defaute for to fayle,
þanne he profyrth hym good & gold, so gret a sowme,
þat if he wyl com a-geyn, & with be werld dayle,
be Badde Aungyl to be Werld tollyth hym downe,
be Castel of Perseueraunce to Fle fro be dayle
& blysse.
þanne be Werld be-gynnyth hym to restore;
haue he neuere so mykyl, ȝyt he wold haue more:
1 'ban)' struck out.
82
86
bearer.
Covetousness
tempts the
poor man
with gold to
come to the
World.

First Flag-
bearer.
An old man
is ever
covetous,
and follows
his Bad
pus þe badde aungyl leryth hym hys lore:
be more a man agyth, be harder he is.
(8)
91
1PRIMUS VEXILLATOR. Hard a man is in age, & Covetouse be
kynde;
Whanne at oper synnys man hath for-sake,
Euere be more þat he hath, be more is in his mynde
to gader & to gete good with woo & with wrake:
pus þe Good Aungyl caste is be-hynde,
& þe Badde Aungyl, man to hym takyth,
Angel till he þat wryngyth hym wrenchys to his last ende,
dies and goes
to Hell.
tyl Deth comyth foul dolfully, & loggyth hym in a lake
ful lowe.
þanne is man on molde maskeryd in mynde;
he sendith afftyr his sekkatours, ful fekyl to fynde;
& his eyr aftyrward comyth euere be-hynde:
95
99
103
I wot not who is his name, for he hym nowt knowe.
Second Flag- SECUNDUS VEXILLATOR.
bearer.
No one knows
who his heir
will be;
often
a stranger.
Not till he's
dying does
he pray
for mercy.
First Flag-
bearer.
But his Bad
Angel claims
him for Hell.
& gouerne his good;
(9)
Man knowe not who schal be his eyr,
he caryth more for his catel þanne for his cursyd synne;
108
to putte his good in gouernaunce, he mengyth his mod;
he wolde þat it were scyfftyd a-mongis his ny kynne;
but þer schal com a lythyr ladde with a torne hod,-
I wot neuere who schal be his name, his clobis be ful þynne, -
schal eryth be erytage þat neuere was of hys blod,
whanne al his lyfe is lytyd up-on a lytyl pyпие,
at be laste,
On lyue whanne [he] may no lenger lende,
Mercy he callyth at hys laste ende:
"Mercy, God! be now myn frende!"
with þat, mans spyryt is paste.
(10)
112
117
PRIMUS VEXILLATOR. I whanne manis spyryt is past, þe Badde
Aungyl ful fel
cleymyth þat, for couetyse, mans sowle schuld ben hys,
& for to bere it ful boystowsly with hym in-to het.
be Good Aungyl seyth "nay! be spyryt schal to blys,
1 leaf 155.
121

81
For, at his laste ende, of mercy he gan speł
& þerfore, of mercy schal he nowth mysse;
& oure lofly lady, if sche wyl for hym mett,
be mercy & be menys, in purgatory he is,
in Ful bytter place.
bus mowthys confession
& his hertys contricion
schal saue man fro dampnacion,
be Goddys mercy & grace.
(11)
Man's Good
Angel pleads
with the
Virgin,
to let him be
loosd in
125 Purgatory by
God's grace.
130
SECUNDUS VEXILLATOR. I Grace, if God wy! graunte us, of hys Second Flag-
mykyl myth,
þese parcellis in propyrtes we purpose us to playe
þis day seuenenyt, be-fore you in syth,
At
on be grene, in ryat a-ray.
23e haste ȝou þanne pedyrward, syris, hendly in hyth,
AH goode neyboris, ful specyaly we ȝou pray,
& loke þat ȝe be bere be-tyme, luffely & lyth,
for we schul be onward be vnderne of be day.
dere Frendys,
we thanke ȝou of all good dalyaunce
& of all youre specyal sportaunce,
& preye ȝou of good contynnaunce
to oure lyuys endys.
PRIMUS VEXILLATOR.
oure leue.
(12)
134
bearer.
All this we
propose to
play to you
this day week.
Mind you
come in good
138 time!
143
Deus, oure lyuys we loue you, bus takande First Flag-
ȝe manly men of 1, pus Crist saue you all!
he maynten ȝoure myrthis, & kepe ȝou fro greve,
þat born was of Mary myld in an ox staH.
Now, mercy be at 1,1 & wel mote ȝe cheve!
AH oure feythful frendys, bus fayre mote ȝe faH!
ȝa, & welcum be ȝe whanne ȝe com, prys for to preve,
& worthyi to be worchepyd in boure, & in hat,
& in euery place.
fare-wel, fayre frendys,
þat lofly wyl lystyn & lendis!
Cryste kepe ȝou fro fendis!
trumpe up, & lete vs pace !3
1 MS. (for the name of any place they play at).
2 leaf 155, back. 3 The rest of this page is blank.
MACRO PLAYS
147
bearer.
Good-bye!
Christ save
you all!
You'll be
welcome
151 when you
come to see
us!
156 Trump up!
Let's be off!

Scene 1.
The World
greets his
hearers.
He is known
over sea and
land.
THE PLAY.

Scene I

Before the Scaffold of Mundus on the West.

(13).
(missing man)
1 MUND VEXILLATOR. Wytis, in al þis werd wyde, Werthery,
Be We;
onys, & euery weye-went, wylde wide woony
Precyous at oper strekyd in pride, in privé, prahyd
þorwe pie þat ho pleyn place, in þes be ȝe bent ! Bis is
Buske you, bola bacheleris, vnder my baner to a-byde,
Where bryth basnetis be bateryd, & backys ar schent,
ȝe, syrys semly, at same syttyth on syde,
For, bothe be see & be londe, my sondis I haue sent;
al be werld myx nam[e] is ment,
al a-bowtyn my bane is blowe,
160
164
In euery cost I am knowe,
He makes
men lawless
till they die.
I do men rawyn on ryche rowe
tyl þei be dyth to dethys dent.
169
(14)
All the
Assarye, Acaye, & Almayne,
nations are
his, from
Babylon and
Britain,
Canadoyse, Capadoyse & Cananee,
Babyloyne, Brabon, Burgoyne, & Bretayne,
Grece, Galys, & to be Gryckysch see;
I meue also Masadoyne in my mykyl mayne,
173
Frauns, Flaundrys, & Freslonde, & also Normande,
Pyncecras, Parys, & longe Pygmayne,
177
to Rhodes
and Rome.
Sir Covetous-
ness has got
them for him.
& euery toun in Trage, euyn to be dreye tre,
Rodis & ryche Rome,
alt þese londis, at myn a-vyse,
arn castyn to my werdly wyse;
My tresorer, Syr Coueytyse,
hath sesyd hem holy to me.
(15)
Every king- þerfor my game & my gle growe ful glad;
dom strives
to learn his
pleasure-
laws.
þer is wythe in þis werld, þat my wytte wyl me werne,
Euery ryche rengne rapyth hym ful rad,
In lustis & in lykyngis my lawys to lerne;
With fayre folke, in be felde, freschly I am fadde;
I dawnse doun, as a doo, be dalys ful derne :
1 leaf 156.
182
186

.SC. II.]
83
What boy bedyth batayl, or debatyth with blad,
hym were betyr to ben hangyn hye in het herne,
or brent on lyth leuene.
Who-so spekyth a-zeyn be werd,
In a presun he schal be sperd;
myn hest is holdyn, & herd
In-to hyze heuene.
190
[Exit.] 195

Scene II

Before Belial's Scaffold on the North.

(16)
BELYAL. NOW I sytte, Satanas, in my sad synne,
As deuyl dowty, in draf as a drake;
I champe & I chase, I chocke on my chynne,
I am boystows & bold, as Belyal be blake.
1 What folk þat I grope, þei gapyn & grenne.
I-wys, fro Carlylle In-to Kent, my carpynge pei take;
bothe be bak & be buttoke brestyth al on brenne,
With werkys of wreche, I werke hem mykyl wrake;
In woo is al my wenne.
In care I am cloyed,
& fowle I am a-noyed,
but Mankynde be stroyed
Be dykes & be denne.
(17)
Condemners
of the World
shall be
imprisond.
Scene II.
Belial is a
doughty
Devil,
199
203 and ruins his
devotees.
He'll be angry
if Mankind
is not
destroyd.
208
Ca
Pryde is my prince, in perlys I-pyth;
Wretthe, þis wrecche, with me schal wawe;
Pride, Wrath,
Enuye, in-to werre, with me schal walkyn wyth;
and Envy are
his fellows,
With þese faytouris I am fedde; In feyth I am fawe;
212
As a dyngne deuyl, in my dene I am dyth;
Pryde, wretthe, & enuye, I sey in my sawe,
Kyngis, kaiseris & kempys, & many a kene knyth,
þese louely lordis han lernyd hem my lawe;
and subject
kings to him.
216
to my dene þei wyl drawe.
Al holy, Mankynne,
to helle but I wynne,
In bale is my bynne,
& schent vndyr schawe.
1 leaf 156, back.
221
He'll be
sorrowful
unless he get
into Hell.

Belial went
throu Flan-
ders and
Friesland.
All the world
shall do as he
bids.
He will stay
to trouble
Scene III, at
Caro's Scaf-
fold.
The Flesh of
says
he likes his
ease, and
cares not if
Sin seizes his
soul.
He delights
in gluttony,
lechery and
sloth,
which trick
(18)
On Mankynde is my trost, in contre I-knowe,
With my tyre & with my tayl, tytly to tene;
þorwe Flaundris & Freslonde, faste I gan flowe,
Fele folke, on a flokke, to flappyn & to flene;
Where I graspe on be grounde, grym þer schal growe.
gadyr ȝou to-gedyr, ȝe boyis, on þis grene!
In þis brode bugyl, a blast wanne I blowe,
al þis werld schal be wood, I-wys, as I wene,
& to my byddynge bende;
wythly on syde,
on benche wyl I byde,
to tene, þis tyde,
al holy, Mankende.

Scene III

Before the Scaffold of Caro on the South.

(19)
225
229
234
CARO. I byde, as a brod brustun gutte, a-bouyn on þese touris.
euery body is be beter, þat to myn byddynge is bent.
I am Mankyndis fayre flesch, florchyd in flowris;
my lyfe is with lustys & lykynge I-lent;
With tapytys of tafata, I tymbyr my towris;
In myrthe & in melodye, my mende is I-ment;
þou I be clay & clad, clappyd vndir clowris,
ȝyt wolde I þat my wył in be werld went,
ful trew I ȝou be-hyth;
I loue wel myn ese,
In lustis me to plese;
þou synne my sowle sese,
I ȝeue not a myth.
(20)
1 In glotony, gracyous now am I growe;
þerfore he syttyth semly here be my syde;
In lechery & lykynge, lent am I lowe;
& Slawth, my swete sone, is bent to a-byde:
þese iij are nobyl, trewly I trowe,
Mankynde to tenyn, & trecchyn a tyde.
With many berdis in bowre my blastis are blowe,
be weys & be wodis, þorwe þis werld wyde,
1 leaf 157.
238
242
247
251
255

85
be sothe for to seyne;
but if mans flesch fare wel
bot[h]e at mete & at mel,
dyth I am In gret del,
& browt in-to peyne.
(21)
& aftyr good fare, in feyth þou I fet,
þou I drywe to dust, in drosse for to drepe,
bow my sely sowle were haryed to het,
Wo-so wyl do bese werkis, I-wys he schal wepe
euer with-owtyn ende.
be-hold be Werld, be Deuyl, & Me!
with all oure mythis, we kyngys thre,
nyth & day, besy we be,
for to distroy Mankende,
if þat w[e may];
ber-for, on hylle,
syttyth all stylle,
& seth wyth good wylle
oure ryche a-ray.

Scene IV

On the Castle-Green?] (22)

260
264
269
[Exit.] 274
(Enter MANKIND, with a Good Angel on his right, and a Bad
Angel on his left.)
HUMANUM GENUS. aftyr oure forme faderis kende,
þis nyth I was of my moder born.
Fro my moder I walke, I wende;
Ful feynt & febyl, I fare you be-forn;
I am nakyd of lym & lende,
as mankynde is schapyn & schorn;
I not wedyr to gon ne to lende,
to helpe my-self mydday nyn morn :
for schame I stonde & schende.
I was born þis nyth in blody ble,
& nakyd I am, as ȝe may se.
a! Lord God in trinite!
Whow Mankende is vnthende!
(23)
Where-to I was to þis werld browth,
I ne wot; but to woo & wepynge
Man's Flesh
is troubled
if he's not
fed well.
The World,
the Devil
and the Flesh
are now busy
to destroy
Scene IV.
lamen 1sthat
he was borц
278 feeble,
naked,
282 unable to
287
help himself,
but heir to
woe and
weeping.

His clothes
are poor.
He is but
earth.
I am born, & haue ryth nowth
to helpe my self in no doynge.
I stonde & stodye, al ful of bowth;
bare & pore is my clothynge;
a sely crysme, myn hed hath cawth,
þat I tok at myn crystenynge:
certis, I haue no more.
of erthe I cam, I wot ryth wele;
&, as erthe, I stande þis sele;
of mankende it is gret dele.
Lord God, I crye byne ore!
(24)
ij aungels bene a-synyd to me;
291
295
300
He has 2
Angels, one
from Christ,
be ton techyth me to goode:
on my ryth syde ȝe may hym se ;
he cam fro Criste þat deyed on rode.
304
the other,
his foe,
a-noper is ordeynyd her to be,
þat is my foo, be fen & flode;
he is a-bout, in euery degre,
to draw him
to the Devil
308
and sin.
prays Christ
that he may
follow the
Good Angel.
to drawe me to bo dewylys wode,
þat in helle ben thycke.
swyche to, hath every man on lyue,
to rewlyn hym & hys wyttis fyue :
whanne man doth ewyl, be ton wolde schryue;
be tother drawyth to wycke.
(25)
but syn þese aungelys be to me falle,
Lord Jhesu! to ȝou I bydde a bone,
þat I may folwe, be strete & stalle,
be aungyl þat cam fro heuene trone.
now, Lord Jhesu! in heuene halle,
here, whane I make my mone !
Coryows Criste, to you I calle;
as a grysly gost, I grucche & grone,
I wene, ryth ful of thowth.
a! Lord Jhesu! wedyr may I goo?
a crysyme I haue, & no moo.
I leaf 157, back.
2 MS. do.
313
317
321

87
alas! men may be wondyr woo
Whanne þei be fyrst forth browth.
(26)
BONUS ANGELUS. ȝa, forsothe; & þat is wel sene :
of woful wo, man may synge,
for iche creature helpith hym-self be-dene,
Saue only man at hys comynge.
neuyr-be-lesse, turne bee fro tene,
& seruë Jhesu, heuene kynge,
& þou schalt, be greuys grene,
farë wel in allë thynge
þat Lord þi lyfe hath lante.
Thaue hym alway in þi mynde,
þat deyed on rode for mankynde,
& serue hym to bi lyfës ende,
& sertis þou schalt not wante!
(27)
MALUS ANGELUS. Pes, aungel! þi wordis are not wyse !
þou counselyst hym not a-ryth;
he schal hym drawyn to be werdis seruyse,
to dwelle with caysere, kynge, & knyth,gi
þat in londe be hym non lyche.
Cum on with me, stylle as ston!
þou & I, to be werd schul goon,
& þannë þou schalt sen a-non
whow sone þou schalt be ryche.
(28)
BONUS ANGELUS. A, þes, aungel! þou spekyst folye!
Why schuld he coueyt werldis goode,
syn Criste in erthe, & hys meynye,
alt in pouert here þei stode?
werldis wele, be strete & stye,
Faylyth & fadyth, as fysch in flode;
but he[ue]ne-ryche is good & trye,
þer Criste syttyht, bryth as blode,
1 leaf 158.
326
330
334
The Good
Angel bids
serve Jesus
339
who died for
him.
J343
The Bad
Angel
tells Mankind
to come with
him to the
World,
348 and get rich.
The Good
Angel
says Christ
was always
352 poor.
356
Worldly
wealth fails
and fades.

Christ kept
out of the
world.
The Bad
Angel tells
that the
World is
sweet.
With-outyn any dystresse.
to be world, wolde he not flyt,
but forsok it euery whytt:
example I fynde in holy wryt,
he wyl bere me wytnesse :
diuicias & paupertates ne dederis mihi, Domine.¹
(29)
MALUS ANGELUS. ȝa, ȝa, man! leue hym nowth,
but cum with me, be stye & strete!
haue þou a gobet of be werld cawth,
þou schalt fynde it good & swete.
He shall have a fayre lady, bee schal be tawth,
a fair lady,
rents,
and silk
attire,
and give up
God's service.
þat in bowre þi bale schal bete;
with ryche rentis þou schalt be frawth;
with sylke sendel to syttyn in sete.
I rede, late Bedys be!
If you wylt hauë wel byn hele,
& faryn wel at mete & mele,
with Goddis seruyse may þou not dele,
but cum & folwe me.
357
362
366
370
375
Mankind is
puzzled,
(30)
HUMANUM GENUS. Whom to folwe, wetyn I ne may:
I stonde in stodye, & gynne to raue;
I wolde be ryche in gret a-ray,
& fayn I wolde my sowle saue :
and waves
like wind on
water.
as wynde in watyr I wave.
379
[To the Bad Angel.]
2pou woldyst, to be werld I me toke;
& he wolde þat I it for-soke.
now, so God me helpe, & be holy boke,
I not wyche I may haue.
(31)
MALUS ANGELUS. Cum on, man! where-of hast þou care?
go we to be werld, I rede bee blyue;
384
The Bad
Angel urges
him to go to
the World.
for þer þou schalt mow ryth wel fare,
In case if þou bynke for to thryue;
388
1 Mendicitatem et divitias ne dederis mihi. -Prov. xxx. 8.
2 leaf 158, back.

89
no lord schal be þee lyche.
take be werld to bine entent,
& late bi loue be þer-on lent;
With gold & syluyr, & ryche rent,
a-none þou schalt be ryche.
(32)
test best
1
HUMANUM GENUS. now, syn þou hast be-hetyn me so,
I wyl go with bee & a-say;
I ne lette, for frende ner fo,
but with be Werld I wyl go play,
certis, a lytyl prowe.
In þis World is al my trust,
to lyuyn in lykyng & in lust:
haue he & I onys cust,
we schal not part, I trowe.
(33)
BONUS ANGELUS. a! nay! man! for Cristis blod,
cum a-gayn be strete & style!
be Werld is wyckyd, & ful wod,
& þou schalt leuyn but a whyle.
What coueytyst þou to wynne?
He shall
have gold
393 and silver.
397
decides to
go with the
Bad Angel
to the World.
402
406
The Good
Angel
man! bynke on pyn endynge day
Whanne þou schalt be closyd vnder clay!
& if þou thenke of þat a-ray,
bids him
think ot his
last day.
certis þou schalt not synne.
homo, memento finis! & in eternum non peccabis.
(34)
411
412
MALUS ANGELUS. ȝa, on bi sowle þou schalt þynke al be tyme.
Cum forth, man, & take non hede!
Cum on, & þou schalt holdyn hym Inne;
þi flesch þou schalt foster & fede
with lofly lyuys fode.
With be Werld þou mayst be bold
tyl þou be sexty wynter hold.
wanne bi nosë waxit cold,
banne mayst þou drawe to goode.
416
421
The Bad
Angel tells
him to
put that off
till he's 60,
and then
turn to God.

agrees.
He is but
young.
If he can but
be rich, he'll
be a merry
man.
The Bad
Angel
tells him he
must be false
to his kin,
(35)
HUMANUM GENUS. I vow to God, & so I may
Make mery a ful gret throwe;
I may leuyn many a day;
I am but 30ngë, as I trowe,
for to do þat I schulde.
Myth I ryde be sompe & syke,
& be ryche, & lord [i-]lyke,
certis þanne schulde I be Fryke,
& a mery man on molde.
(36)
1 MALUS ANGELUS. 3ys, be my feyth, þou schalt be
& ellys hange me be be hals!
but þou muste be at myn a-cord ;
oper whyle þou muste be fals
a-mongë kythe & kynne.
Now go we forth, swythe a-non!
to be Werld us must gon;
and bear
himself
& bere bee manly euere a-mong,
425
430
a lord. 12
434
manly.
says he will.
If he's rich,
he'll not care
for God or
man.
The Good
Angel
laments over
Whanne þou comyst out or Inne.
(37)
HUMANUM GENUS. 3ys, & ellys haue þou my necke,
but I be manly be downe & dyche;
& þou I be fals, I ne recke,
with so þat I be lord [i-]lyche,
I folwe bee as I can.
þou schalt be my bote of bale;
for, were I ryche of holt & hale,
þanne wolde I ȝeue neuere tale
of God ne of good man.
439
443
448
[Exeunt MAL. ANG. and HUM. GEN.]
(38)
BONUS ANGELUS. I weyle, & wrynge & make mone!
þis man, with woo schal be pylt.
I syë sore, & grysly grone,
for hys folye schal make hym spylt;
1 leaf 159.
452

91
I not weder to gone.
Mankynde hath forsakyn me!
alas, man, for loue of the !
ȝa, for þis gamyn & þis gle,
456 Mankind
shall groan
þou schalt grocchyn & grone. [Exit.] [pipe vp, mu- for his glee.
[sic].1

Scene V

Before World's Scaffold, on the West.] (39)

70
(On the Scaffold, World, Pleasure, Liking, Vain-Glory.)
MUNDUS. Now I sytte in my semly sale;
I trotte & tremle in my trew trone;
as a hawke, I hoppe in my hende hale;
Kyng, knyth & kayser, to me makyn mone.
of God ne of good man, 3yf I neuere tale;
as a lykynge lord, I leyke here a-lone;
wo-so brawle any boste, be downe or be dale,
461
Scene V.
The World
boasts that
he's lord of
king, knight
and kaiser,
and cares
not for God
or good men.
bo gadlyngis schal be gastyd, & gryslych grone,
465
I-wys.
Lust, Foly & Veynglory,
alt þese arn in myn memory:
þer be-gynnyth be nobyl story
of þis werldis blys.
470
(40)
Lust, Lykyng & Foly,
comly knytis of renoun,
be-lyue þorwe þis londe do crye
al a-bowtyn in toure & toun.
If any man be fer or nye,
þat to my seruyse wyl buske hym boun,
if he wyl be trost & trye,
he schal be kyng, & were be croun,
With rycches[t] robys in res.
2wo-so to be Werld wyl drawe,
Of God ne of good man zeuyt he not a hawe:
Syche a man, be londys lawe,
schal syttyn on my dees.
(41)
VOLUPTAS. lo, me, here! redy, lord, to faryn & to fle,
to sekyn bee a seruaunt dynge & dere.
1 This is in another contemporary hand.
2 leaf 159, back
474
Pleasure,
Liking and
Folly cry
aloud in the
land.
They who
serve the
478 World shall
be kings.
483

Pleasure says Who-so wyl with foly rewlyd be,
worldly
wisdom
doesn't care
a louse for
God or
Heaven.
Pleasure
leaves
World's
Scaffold and
goes inside
the Castle-
ditch.
Whoever
wants to be
rich
mustn't fear
God,
he is worthy to be a seruaunt here,
þat drawyth to synnys seuene.
✓ Who-so wyl be fals & covetouse,
With þis werld he schal haue lond & house;
þis werldys wysdom zeuyth no[t] a louse
of God, nyn of hye heuene.
487
492
[tunc descendat in placea parita.
(42)
Pes, pepyl! of þes we ȝou pray.
syth & sethe wel to my sawe!
Who-so wyl be ryche & in gret aray,
to-ward be werld he schal drawe.
Who-so wyl be fals, al þat he may,
of God hym-self he hath non awe,
& lyuyn in lustis, nyth & day,
be werld of hym wyl be ryth fawe,
496
500
do¹ dwelle in his howse.
who-so wyl with be werld haue his dwellynge,
& ben a lord of his clothynge,
but must be
covetous.
he muste nedys, ouyr al pynge,
Folly says
men must
hang on his
hook too.
Worldly wit
is no good
without folly.
euere-more be couetowse:
Non est in mundo diues, qui dicit 'habundo.'
(43)
STULTICIA. Ja! couetouse he muste be,
& me, Foly, must haue in mende;
for who-so wyl alwey foly fle,
In þis werld schal ben vnthende.
þorwe werldys wysdom of gret degre,
Schal neuere man in werld moun wende,
but he haue help of me
þat am Foly fer & hende;
he muste hangyn on my hoke.
werldly wyt was neuere nout,
but with foly it were frawt;
pus þe wysman hath tawt
a-botyn in his boke:
Sapiencia penes Domini.
506
510
514
520
1? to.

93
(44)
VOLUPTAS. Now, all be men þat in þis werld wold thryuc,
for to rydyn on hors ful hye,
cum speke with Lust & Lykynge belyue,
& his felaw, 30nge Foly!
late se who-so wyl vs knowe.
Who-so wyl drawe to Lykynge & Luste,
& as a fole, in foly ruste,
On vs to he may truste,
& leuyn louely, I trowe.
(45)
Pleasure bids
all who'd
thrive in the
world,
talk with
him,
524 Liking and
Folly.
529
1 MALUS ANGELUS (re-entering). How, Lust, Lykyng, & Folye!
take to me good entent!
I haue browth, be downys drye,
to be Werld a gret present;
I haue gylyd hym ful qweyntly,
For, syn he was born, I haue hym blent;
he schal be serwaunt good & try;
a-monge ȝou his wyl is lent,
to be Werld he wyl hym take;
For, syn he cowde wyt, I vndirstonde,
I haue hym tysyd in euery londe.
hys Goode Aungel, be strete & st[r]onde,2
I haue don hym forsake.
þerfor, Lust, my trewë fere,
(46)
þou art redy al-wey I-wys;
of worldly lawys þou hym lere,
þat he were browth in werldly blys;
Loke he be ryche, be sobe to teH;
help hym, fast he gunne to thrywe;
& whanne he wenyth best to lywe,
þanne schal he deye, & not be schrywe,
& goo with vs to heH.
(47)
VOLUPTAS. be Satan, þou art a nobyl knawe
to techyn men fyrst fro goode!
1 leaf 160.
2 See 95/605, 96/632.
533
537
The Bad
Angel says
he's brought
Mankind to
serve the
World,
and has made
him forsake
542 his Good
Angel.
546
Pleasure
must make
him rich,
so that he
may die
551 unshriven,
and go to
Hell.

Pleasure says
Lust & Lykynge he schal haue ;
shall have a
Lechery schal ben hys fode;
555
pleasing lady,
Metis & drynkis he schal haue trye.
With a lykynge lady of lofte,
and go to
Hell when
he dies.
he schal syttyn in sendel softe,
to cachen hym to helle crofte
Folly says
he'll
knit Mankind
to the World.
says,
as Folly 'll
make him
rich, he'll
follow him,
All four go
to the World,
in his Scaf-
fold on the
West.
Pleasure
introduces
Mankind to
the World.
þat day þat he schal deye.
(48)
STULTICIA. With ryche rentys I schal hym blynde,
Wyth be werld tyl he be pytte;
& þanne schal I, longe or his ende,
make þat caytyfe to be knytte
On be werld whanne he is set s[ore].
Cum on, man! þou schalt not rewe,
for þou wylt be to vs trewe;
þou schalt be clad in clothis newe,
& be ryche euere-more.
(49)
HUMANUM GENUS. Mary, felaw, gramercy!
I wolde be ryche & of gret renoun.
[Of God] I ȝeue no tale trewly,
So þat I be lord of toure & toun,
be buskys & bankys broun.
1Syn þat þou wylt makë me
bobë ryche of gold & fee,
goo forthe! for I wyl folow bee
be dale & euery towne.
560
564
[Re-enter MANKIND.
569
573
578
[2Trumpe vp. tunc ibunt Voluptas & Stulticia,
Malus Angelus & Humanum Genus, ad
Mundum, & dicat
(50)
VOLUPTAS. How, lord! loke owt! for we haue browth
a serwant of nobyl fame;
of worldly good is al his pouth;
of lust & folye he hath no schame;
[Presents MANKIND.]
582
1 leaf 160, back. 2 In red letters, like the other Clarendon words.

95
he wolde be gret of name,
he wolde bel at gret honour,
[be later, over line]
wants to be
famous,
for to rewle town & toure;
he wolde haue to his paramoure
and have a
lovely dame.
Sum louely dyngë dame.
(51)
Mundus [to MANKIND]. welcum, syr, semly in syth!
þou art welcum to worthy wede,
for you wylt be my serwaunt, day & nyth.
With my seruyse I schal bee foster & fede;
þi bak schal be betyn with besawntis bryth;
þou schalt haue byggyngys be bankis brede;
to bi cors schal knele kayser & knyth,
& ladys louely on lere,
Where þat þou walke, be sty or be strete.
but Goddys seruyse þou must forsake,
& holy to be werld þee take,
& þanne a man I schal þee make,
þat non schal be bi pere.
(52)
humanum genus. 3ys, Werld, & þer-to here myn honde,
to forsake God & hys seruyse.
to medys, þou ȝeue me howse & londe,
þat I regne rychely at myn enprise.
so þat I fare wel be strete & stronde
Whil I dwelle here in werldly wyse,
I recke neuere of heuene wonde,
nor of Jhesu, þat jentyl justyse;
of my sowle I haue non rewthe.
what schulde I recknen of domysday,
so þat I be ryche & of gret a-ray?
I schał make mery whyl I may,
& þer-to here my trewthe.
(53)
Mundus. Now sertis, syr, þou seyst wel:
I holde þee trewe ffro top to be too.
but þou were ryche, it were gret del,
& at men þat wyl farë soo.
587
591
594
600
604
The World
welcomes
Mankind,
and promises
him wealth,
honour,
and lovely
ladies.
But he must
forsake God's
service.
agrees to
do so.
If he's made
rich,
he'll not care
for Christ or
608 his own soul.
613
617
The World
applauds
him,

The World
bids Mankind
come up on
his Scaffold,
and sit by
him;
he shall be
rich,
and have
lovely ladies.
The World
tells Liking
and Folly to
dress and
serve
cum up, my serwaunt trew as stel!
[tunc ascendit Humanum
þou schalt be ryche, where so þou goo;
men schul seruyn þee at mel
with mynstralsye & bemys blo,
Genus ad Mundum.
with metis & drynkis trye. little.
lust & lykynge schal be pin ese;
louely ladys bee schal plese:
who-so do bee any disesse,
he schal ben hangyn hye.
Lykynge! be-lyue
late clothe hym swythe
In robys ryve
With ryche a-ray.
Folye! þou fonde,
be strete & stronde,
serue hym at honde
bothe nyth & day.
Voluptas. trostyly,
Pleasure says
he will,
lord, redy,
Je vous pry,
Syr, I say.
in lyckynge & lust
he schal rust,
tyl dethys dust
do hym to day.
(54)
elevation
by ortune
621
626
630
634
(55)
638
642
(56)
and Folly
Stulti[cia]. & I, Folye,
too,
schal hyen hym hye,
tyl sum enmye
hym ouer-goo.
646
In worldis wyt
þat in folye syt,
but he'll kill
Mankind's
soul.
I pynkë ȝyt
[trumpe vp! 650.
[Exeunt.]
his sowle to sloo.
1 leaf 161.

97

Scene VI

Enter Backbiter.

Detraccio. at þyngis I crye a-gayn be þes
to knyt & knaue; þis is my kende.
ȝa! dyngne dukis on her des,
In bytter balys I hem bynde;
cryinge & care, chydynge & ches
& sad sorwe, to hem I sende.
Ja! lowde lesyngis lachyd in les,
of talys vn-trewe is al my mende;
Mannys bane a-bowtyn I bere.
I wyl þat ȝe wetyn, att þo þat ben here,
for I am knowyn, fer & nere,
I am be werldys messengere;
my name is Bacbytere.
(58)
with euery wyth I walke & wende,
& euery man now louyth me wele;
with lowde lesyngis vndyr lende,
to dethys dynt I dresse & delé.
to speke fayre be-forn, & fowle be-hynde,
a-mongis men at mete & mele,
trewly, lordys, þis is my kynde.
þer I renne up-on a whele
I am feller þanne a fox.
fleterynge & flaterynge is my lessun ;
with lesyngis I tene bobe tour & town,
with letterys of defamacyoun
I bere here in my box.
(59)
654
Scene VI.
Backbiter's
Speech.
I bring bale
to knight,
knave and
duke.
658 I deal in lies.
I am man's
bane,
and the
World's mes-
663 senger.
667
671
676
I speak fair
before men,
and foul
behind them.
I defame
all folk.
I am lyth of lopys þorwe euery londe;
myn holy happys may not ben hyd;
to may not to-gedyr stonde,
but I, Bakbyter, be be thyrde.
I schape ȝone boyis to schame & schonde,
I make a
third to
680 every couple.
alt þat wyl bowyn whanne I hem bydde;
to lawe of londe in feyth I fonde;
Whanne talys vntrewe arn be-tydde,
684
MACRO PLAYS

I brew bale
throughout
the world,
and tell
unsaid tales.
I'll teach
Mankind the
7 Deadly
Sins.
Pleasure
tells the
World that
Mankind is
given up
to him,
Bakbyter is wyde spronge :
þorwe be werld, be downe & dalys,
ał a-bowtyn I brewe balys;
Euery man tellyth talys
Aftyr my fals tunge.
(60)
1per-fore I am mad massenger
to lepyn ouer londis leye,
þorwe alt be world, fer & ner,
vnsayd sawys for to seye.
In þis holte I huntë here
for to spye a preuy pley;
copoute
if order
For whanne Mankynde is clobyd clere,
þanne schal I techyn hym beswey
to be dedly synnys seuene.
Here I schal a-bydyn with my þese,
be wronge to do hym for to chese,
and would
sooner grieve
God than
displease
the World.
for I bynke þat he schal lese
be lyth of hey heuene.
(61)
Shrambord
689
693
697
702
VOLUPTAS [re-entering with the World, Mankind, and Folly).
Worthy World, in welthys wonde,
here is Mankynde ful fare in folde!
In bryth besauntys he is bownde,
& bon to bowe to you so bolde.
he leuyth in lustys euery stounde;
holy to ȝou he hathe hym 30lde.
for to makyn hym gay on grounde,
worthy World, þou art be-holde;
þis werld is wel at ese;
For to God I make a-vow,
Mankynde had leuer now
greuë God with synnys row,
þanne be World to dysplese.
(62)
STULTICIA. dysplese þee, he wyl for no man;
On me, Folye, is al hys² powth.
¹ leaf 161, back. 2 MS. al hys al hys.
706
710
715

99
trewly Mankynde nowth nen can
þynke on God þat hathe hym bowth.
worthy World, wyth as swan,
In bi loue lely is he lawth;
sythyn he cowde, & fyrste be-gan,
bee forsakyn wolde he nowth,
but ȝeue hym to folye;
& sypyn he hathe to bee be trewe,
I rede bee forsakyn hym for no newe;
lete vs plesyn hym tyl þat he rewe,
In helt to hangyn hye.
(63)
MUNDUS. now, Folye, fayre bee be-fat!
& Lustë, blyssyd be þou ay!
ȝe han browth Mankynde to myn hat,
Sertis in a nobyl a-ray.
with werldys welthys, with-Inne bese wał,
I schal hym feffe of þat I may.
welcum Mankynde! to bee I сан,
clenner clopyd þanne any clay,
be downë, dale, & dyche.
1 Mankynde! I redë þat þou reste
with me, be Werld, as it is beste;
loke þou holde myn hendë feste,
& euere þou schalt be ryche.
(64)
HUMANUM GENUS. Whou schul I, but I þi hestis helde?
þou werkyst with me holy my wyH;
þou feffyst me with fen & felde,
& hyë hat, be holtis & hyH.
In werldly wele my wytte I welde;
In joye I jette, with juelys jentyH;
on blysful banke my boure is bylde,
In veynglorye I stondë styH;
I am kene as a knyt.
Who-so a-geyn be werld wyl speke,
Mánkynde schal on hym be wreke;
1 leaf 162.
719
Folly says
Mankind is
723
in love with
the World,
who must
not forsake
him till he
hangs in
728 Hell.
732
736
741
745
749
The World
thanks
Pleasure and
Folly,
and welcomes
promises to
buy the
World
that has given
him joy and
jewels.

The World
enfeoff's
with all his
possessions,
and gives him
seisin of
them.
In stronge presun) I schal hym steke,
be it wronge or ryth.
(65)
MUNDUS. a! Mankynde! wel bee be-tyde,
þat þi loue on me is sette!
In my bowris þou schalt a-byde,
& ȝyt fare makyl be bette.
I Feffe þee in all my wonys wyde
In dale of dros, tyl þou be deth;
I make þee lord of mekyl pryde :
syr, at þyn owyn mowthis mette,
I fynde in bee no tresun.
In at þis worlde, be se & sonde,
parkis, placis, lawnde & londe,
here I zyfe bee with myn honde,
syr, an opyn sesun.
(66)
He is to go to go to my tresorer, Syr Couetouse!
Covetousness
for money,
loke þou tet hym as I seye!
bydde hym make þee mayster in his house,
with penys & powndis for to pleye.
754
758
762
767
771
loke þou zeuë not a lous
of þe day þat þou schalt deye.
messenger, do now þyne vse!
Bakbytere, teche hym be weye!
775
take Back-
biting with
him,
þou art swetter þanne mede.
Mankynde! take with þee Bakbytynge!
lefe hym for no maner thynge!
Flepergebet,¹ with hys flaterynge,
standith mankynde in stede.
780
and Detrac-
tion too.
(67)
DETRACCION. Bakbytynge & Detraccion
schal goo with þee fro toun to toun.
haue don, Mankynde, & cum doun!
I am þyne owyn page.
I schal bere þee wyttnesse with my myth,
whanne my lord be Werlde it behyth.
Flibbertigibbet.
784

101
lo, where syr Coueytyse sytt,
[Points to his Scaffold on
& bydith us in his stage.
the N.-East.]
(68)
788
1 HUMANUM GENUS. Syr Worlde, I wende, in Coueytyse to chasyn Mankind
my kende.
MUNDUS. haue hym in mende! & I-wys þanne schalt þou be
ryth pende.
(69)
BONUS ANGELUS. alas, Jhesu, jentyl justyce!
wheder may mans Good Aungyl wende?
now schal careful Coueytyse,
Mankende trewly al [to-]schende;
hys sely goste may sore a-gryse;
Bakbytynge bryngyth hym in bytter bonde.
worldly wyttis, ȝe are not wyse;
Zour louely lyfe, a-mys ȝe spende,
& þat schal ȝe sore smert.
parkys, poundys, & many pens,
pei semyn to ȝou swetter þanne sens;
but Goddis seruyse, nyn hys commaundementis,
stondyth ȝou not at hert.
(70)
790
794
798
803
will turn
covetous.
The Good
Angel says
Mankind 'll
be ruind by
Covetousness
and Back-
biting.
MALUS ANGELUS. ȝa! whanne be fox prechyth, kepe wel 30re gees! The Bad
he spekyth as it were a holy pope.
goo, felaw, & pyke of be lys
þat crepe þer up-on bi cope!
bi part is pleyed al at be dys
þat þou schalt haue here, as I hope;
tyl Mankynde fallith to podys prys,
Coueytyse schal hym grype & grope
tyl sum schame hym schende.
tyl man be dyth in dethys dow,
he seyth neuere he hath I-now;
þer-fore, goode boy, cum blow
at my neper ende!
(71)
DETRACCIO [entering]. Syr Coueytyse, God bee saue,
þi pens & þi poundys aH!
1 leaf 162, back. The 1st couplet might be printed in 4 lines.
807
811
816
Angel ridi
cules the
Good one.
Man never
has enough
till he's dead.
anl.

820
Detraction or L, Bakbytere, pyn owyn knaue,
Backbiter
tells Covet-
ousness he
has brought
Mankind to
him.
haue browt Mankynde vn-to þine hat.
be Worlde bad þou schuldyst hym haue,
& feffyn hym, what-so be-faH.
In grene gres tyl he be graue,
putte hym in bi precyous pał,
Coueytyse! it were all rewthe.
whyl he walkyth in worldly wolde,
I, Bakbyter, am with hym holde;
Lust & Folye, bo barouns bolde,
to hem he hath plyth hys trewthe.
(72)
Covetousness AUARICIA [entering]. Ow, Mankynde! blyssyd mote þou be!
bids Mankind
come up to
him,
and get store
of goods.
He must
take to
extortion,
pay no wages
or tithes,
I haue louyd bee derworthly many a day,
& so I wot wel þat þou dost me;
cum up & se my ryche a-ray!
1it were a gret poynte of pyte
but Coueytyse were to bi pay.
Sit up ryth here2 in þis se;
I schal þee lere of werldlys lay,
þat fadyth as a flode.
with good I-now I schal bee store;
& ȝyt oure gamë is but lore,
but þou coueyth mekyl more,
þanne euere schal do bee goode.
(73)
þou muste zyfe þee to symonye,
extorsion) & false asyse;
helpe no man but þou haue why;
pay not bi serwauntys here serwyse!
þi neyborys, loke þou dystroye;
tythe not on non wyse!
give nothing here no begger, þou he crye,
to beggars,
but cheat.
& þanne schalt þou ful sonë ryse.
& whanne þou vsyste marchaundyse,
loke þat þou be sotel of sleytys,
& also swere al be deseytys,
1 leaf 163.
2 MS. hele alterd to here.
Unu le
824
829
833
837
842
846
850

103
bye & set be fals weytys,
for þat is kyndë coueytyse.
(74)
be not a-gaste of be grete curse;
þis lofly lyfe may longë leste;
be be peny in þi purs,¹
lete hem cursyn, & don here beste.
What, deuyl of het, art þou be wers
bow þou brekyste Goddys heste?
Do after me! I am þi nors.
all-wey gadyr, & haue non reste;
in wynnynge be al þi werke !
to porë men take none entent,;
for þat þou haste longe tymë hent,
In lytyl tyme it may be spent :
pus seyth Caton), be grete clerke :
'labitur exiguo quod partum tempore longo.'
(75)
HUMANUM GENUS. A, Auaryce! wel þou spede!
of werldly wytte þou canst I-wys;
þou woldyst not I hadde nede,
& schuldyst be wrothe if I ferd a-mys;
I schal neuere begger bede
mete nyn drynke, be heuene blys;
rather or I schulde hym clobe or fede,
he schulde sterue, & stynke I-wys:
Coueytyse, as þou wylt, I wyl do.
where-so þat I fare, be fenne or flod,
I make a-vow, be Goddys blod,
of Mankynde, getyth no man no good,
but if he synge 'si dedero.'
(76)
AUARICIA. 2 Mankynd! þat was wel songe :
Sertis now þou canst sum skył.
blyssyd be bi trewë tonge!
In þis bowre þou schalt byde & byH.
1? MS. purus. 2 leaf 163, back.
855
859
863
869
873
877
So long as
Mankind has
a penny in
his purse,
let folk curse!
promises
not to help
beggars,
or give any-
thing to any
882 man.
886

Covetousness Moo synnys I wolde þou vnderfonge;
with coveytyse bee Feffe I wył;
& þanne sum Pryde I wolde spronge,
hyze in bi hert to holdyn & hyH,
& a-bydyn in þi body.
enfeoffs Man-
kind with
gold and
silver,
and calls on
here I feffe bee in myn heuene
with gold & syluer, lyth as leuene ;
be dedly synnys, allë seuene,
I schal do comyn in hy.
Pride, Wrath, Pryde, Wrathë, & Envye,
Envy,
Lechery,
Sloth and
Gluttony
to come to
and him.
Pride hears
the call,
(77)
Com forthe, be deuelys chyldryn pre!
Lechery, Slawth, & Glotonye,
to mans flesch ȝe are fendis Fre;
Dryuyth downne ouer dalys drye;
beth now blybe as any be;
ouer hył & holtys ȝe ȝou hyze,
to com to Mankynde & to me,
fro ȝoure dowty dennys!
as dukys dowty, ȝe ȝou dresse !
whanne-ȝe sex be comme, I gesse,
þanne be we seuene, & no lesse,
of be dedly synnys.
890
895
899
903
908
[Enter Pride, Wrath and Envy.]
(78)
SUPERBIA. Wonder hyze howtis, on hył, herd I houte:
Koueytyse kryeth; hys karpynge I kenne.
Summe lord, or summe lordeyn, lely schal loute
to be pyth with perlys of my proude penne.
bon I am to braggyn, & buskyn a-bowt,
912
rapely & redyly, on rowte for to renne;
be doun, dalys, nor dennys, no dukis I dowt;
also fast for to Fogge, be flodys & be fenne,
916
and takes
leave of
Belial,
to go to
Covetous-
ness.
I rore whanne I ryse.
Syr Belyal, bryth of ble!
to you I recomaunde me:
haue good day, my fader fre,
For I goo to Coveytyse.
921

105
(79)
IRA. Whanne Coveytyse cried, & carpyd of care,
þanne must I, wod wreche, walkyn & wende
hyze ouer holtis, as hound aftyr hare.
If I lette, & were be last, he schuld me sore schende;
I buske my bold baston, be bankis ful bare,
Sum boy schal be betyn, & browth vnder bonde;
Wrath schal hym wrekyn, & weyin his ware ;
925
Wrath also
for-lorn schal al be, for lusti laykys, & londe,
as a lythyr page.
1Syr Belyal blak & blo,
haue good day! now I goo
for to felt þi foo
With wyckyd wage.
(80)
929
934
INVIDIA. Whanne Wrath gynnyth walke in ony wyde wonys,
Envye flet as a fox, & folwyth on faste.
Whanne þou sterystis or starystis, or stumble up-on stonys,
I lepe as a lyon : me is loth to be be laste.
ȝa, I breyde bytter balys in body & in bonys;
I frete myn herte, & in kare I me kast.
goo we to Coveytyse, at pre at onys,
with oure grysly gere, a grome for to gast;
þis day schal he deye.
Belsabubbe! now haue good day!
for we wyl wendyn in good a-ray,
al pre in fere, as I be say,
Pride, Wrath, & Envye,
(81)
BELIAL. Fare-wel now, chyrdryn fayre to fynde!
Do now wel ȝoure olde owse
whanne ȝe com to Mankynde!
make hym wroth & Envyous;
leuyth not lytly vnder lynde :
to his sowle brewyth a bytter jous.
whanne he is ded, I schal hym bynde
In het, as Catte dothe be mows:
938
bids Belial
good-bye.
Envy too
says he'll
go to Covet-
942 ousness with
947 Pride and
Wrath.
Belial bide
them make
951 wroth and
envious,
1 leaf 164.
2 for chyldryn.
so that he
may get
955 bound in
Hell.

All men are
ruled by
Belial's 3
children,
Envy, Wrath
and Pride.
Gluttony
boasts
now buske ȝou forbe on brede !
I may be blythe as any be,
for mankynde, in every cuntre,
Is rewlyd be my chyldyr pre,
Envye, Wrath, & Pryde.
(82)
[Exit Belial.] 960
[Enter Gluttony, Lechery, Sloth and Flesh.]
GULA. a grom gan gredyn gayly on grounde;
of me, gay Glotoun, gan al hys gale.
I stampe & I styrte, & stynt up-on stounde;
to a staunche deth I stakyr & stale.
how he ruins what boyes, with here belys, in my bondis be bownde,
the folk that
follow him.
bope here bak & here blod, I brewe al to bale;
I fese folke to fyth, tyl here flesch fonde;
964
Whanne summe han dronkyn a drawth, þei dropyn in a dale;
in me is here mynde.
969
mans Florchynge flesch,
Fayre, frele & Fresch,
I rape to rewle in a rese,
Lechery
brags that
she's lord
in every
land.
She goes to
bring Man-
kind to Hell.
to kloy et in my kynde.
(83)
1
LUXURIA. In mans kyth, I cast me a castel to kepe.
I, Lechery, with lykynge am lovyd in iche a londe.
With my sokelys of swettnesse, I sytte & I slepe;
Many berdys I brynge to my bytter bonde.
In wo & in wrake, wyckyd wytis schal wepe,
þat in my wonys wylde wyl not out wende.
Whanne Mankynde is castyn, undyr clouris to crepe,
973
977
þanne be ledrouns, for here lykynge, I schal al to-schende, 981
trewly to teH.
Syr Flesch, now I wende,
With lust in my lende,
to cachyn Mankynde
to be devyl of het.
(84)
986
ACCIDIA. ȝa! waht seyst þou of Syr Slawth, with my soure
syth? 3
Mankynde louyth me wel wys, as I wene;
1 leaf 164, back. 2 MS. kloyet.
3 'snowt' struck out.

107
men of relygyon), I rewle in my ryth;
I lette Goddis seruyse, be sobe may be sene.
In bedde I brede brothel, with my berdis bryth;
lordys, ladys, & lederounnys, to my lore leene;
mekyl of mankynde, in my clokis schal be knyth,
tyl deth dryuyth hem down in dalys be-dene :
We may non lenger a-byde.
Syr Flesch, comly kynge,
in bee is al oure bredynge:
Zeue us now þi blyssynge,
For Coveytyse hath cryde.
(85)
CARO. Glotony & slawth, Fare-wel in fere!
louely in londe is now your lesse ;
& Lecherye, my Dowter so dere,
Dapyrly ȝe dresse ȝou so dyngne on desse.
AH pre, my blyssynge ȝe schal haue here;
goth now forth, & gyne ȝe no fors;
it is no nede, ȝou for to lere
to cachyn Mankynde to a care-ful clos
Fro be bryth blysse off heuene.
be Werld, be Flesch, & be Devyl, are knowe
grete lordis, as we wel owe,
& þorwe Mankynde we settyn & sowe
be dedly synnys seuene.
990
994
999
Sloth says
he breeds
fornicators
and is fol-
lowd by lords
and ladies.
Flesh gives
Gluttony,
Sloth and
Lechery
1003
his blessing.
1007
1012
tunc ibunt Superbia, Ira, Invidia, Gula, Luxuria, & Accidia, ad The Six Sins
Auariciam; & dicat Superbia :
go to Covet-
ousness,
(86)
SUPERBIA. What is bi wył, Syr Coveytyse?
Why hast þou afftyr vs sent?
Whanne þou Creydyst, we ganne a-gryse,
& come to bee now par asent;
oure loue is on þee lent.
I, Pryde, Wrath, & Envye,
Gloton), Slawth, & Lechery,
We arn cum at sex for bi Crye,
to be at þi commaundement.
1016
1021
and Pride
asks why
he sent for
them.

(87)
Covetousness 1 AUARICIA. Welcum be ȝe, breperyn ał,
welcomes his
fellow-Sins,
& my sy[s]tyr, swete Lecherye!
wytte ȝe why I gan to caH?
for ȝe must me helpe, & þat in hy.
Mankynde is now com to myn hat,
with me to dwett, be downys dry;
and says they þerfore ȝe must, what so be-ffat,
must endow
with their
folly,
Feffyn hym with ȝoure foly,
& ellis ȝe don hym wronge.
For whanne Mankynde is kendly koueytous,
he is provd, wrathful, & Envyous;
Glotons, slaw, & lecherous,
þei arn ober whyle amonge.
(88)
every sin
drawing on
the other,
pus Euery synne tyllyth in ober,
till Mankind
is driven to
damning
dust.
Pride begs
Mankind to
take him in
his heart.
& makyth Mankynde to ben a foole.
we seuene ffallyn on a fodyr,
Mankynde to chase to pyny[u]gis stole.
þerfore, Pryde, good bropyr,
& brebyryn ał, take ȝe ȝour tol;
late Iche of vs take at othyr,
& set Mankynde on a stomlynge stol.
whyl he is here on lyve,
lete vs lullyn hym in oure lust,
tyl he be dreuyn to dampnynge dust;
Colde care schal ben hys crust,2
to deth whanne he schal dryve.
(89)
SUPERBIA. In gle & game I growë glad.
Mankynde, take good hed,
& do as Coveytyse bee bad!
take me in þyn hert, precyous Pride!
loke þou be not ouer-lad;
late no bacheler bee mysbede;
Do þee to be dowtyd & drad;
bete boyes tyl þey blede;
1025
1029
1034
1038
1042
1047
1051
1 leaf 165.
1055
2 MS. curst.

109
Kast hem in careful kettis.
Frende, fadyr, & moder dere,
bowe hem not in non manere ;
& hold no maner man þi pere,
& vsë þese new lettis:
loke þou blowë mekyl bost,
(90)
with longe Crakows on þi schos;
Jagge þi Clothis in euery cost,
& ellis men schul lete þee but a goos.
It is pus, man, wel þou wost;
þerfore do as no man dos,
& euery man sette at a thost,
& of þi-self make gret ros;
now se þi-self on euery syde.
leuery man þou schalt schende & schelfe,
& holde no man betyr þanne bi selfe;
tyl dethys dynt bi body delfe,
put holy byn hert in pride.
(91)
HUMANUM GENUS. Pryde! be Jhesu, þou seyst wel:
Who-so suffyr, is ouer-led al day.
Whyl I reste on my rennynge whel,
I schal not suffre, if þat I may.
Mychë myrthe, at mete & mel,
I loue ryth wel, & ryche a-ray.
trewly I bynke, in euery sel,
on groundë to be graythyd gay,
& of my selfe to take good gard.
mykyl myrthe þou wylt me make,
lordlyche to leue, be londe & lake;
myn hert holy to bee I take,
In-to pyn owyn a-ward.
(92)
SUPERBIA. I þi bowre to a-byde,
I com to dwellë be bi syde.
HUMANUM GENUS. Mankynde & Pride
schal dweł to-gedyr euery tyde.
Pride bids
hold no man
his equal,
1060 and take up
the new
fashion:
have long toes
to his shoes,
jag his
clothes,
1064
1068 and make
1073
1077
1081
much of
himself.
says he will,
and will give
his heart to
1086 Pride.
1 leaf 165, back.
1090

Anger tells
Mankind to
make himself
feard,
(93)
IRA. be also wroth, as þou were wode!
Make bee be dred, be dalys derne!
who so þee wrethe, be fen or flode,
loke þou be a-vengyd 3erne!
and be ready be redy to spyllel mans blod!
to spill blood.
loke þou hem fere, be feldis ferne!
alway, man, be ful of mod! 2
My lothly lawys, loke þou lerne,
I rede, for any þynge.
a-non take veniaunce, Man, I rede;
& þanne schal no man bee ouer-lede,
but of bee þey schul haue drede,
& bowe to bi byddynge.
(94)
HUMANUM GENUS. Wrethë! for bi councel hende,
haue þou Goddis blyssynge & myn!
thanks him,
what caytyf of al my kende
wyl not bowe, he schal a-byn;
and says he'll with myn veniaunce I schal hym schende,
take venge-
ance on all
who'll not
& wrekyn me, be Goddis yne.
bend to him, raper or I schulde bowe or bende,
and will
hit on the
head all who
oppose him.
I schuld be stekyd as a swyne
with a lothly launce.
be it erly or late,
who-so make with me debate,
I schal hym hyttyn on be pate,
& takyn a-non veniaunce.
1094
1098
1103
1107
1111
1116
(95)
3 IRA. with my rewly rothyr,
I com to þee, Mankynde, my broper.
HUMANUM GENUS. and Wrethe, bi fayr fober,
makyth Iche man to be vengyd on oper.
1120
(96)
INVIDIA. Envye, with Wrathe muste dryve
Envy joins
111
to haunte Mankynde al-so.
1? MS. spydle. 2 'feld & flod' struck out. 3 leaf 166. 4? M. ad..

SC. VỊ.]
111
whanne any of by neyboris wyl pryve,
loke þou haue Envye þer-to.
On be hey name I charge bee be-lyue,
bakbyte hym, whow-so þou do.
Kył hym a-non, with-owtyn knyve,
& speke hym sum schame were þou go,
be dale or downys drye.
speke bi neybour mekyl schame;
pot on hem sum fals fame;
loke þou vn-do his nobyl name,
with me, þat am Envye.
(97)
HUMANUM GENUS. Envye! þou art bobe good & hende,
& schalt be of my counsel chefe.
þi counsel is knowyn þorwe mankynde,
For ilke man callyth oper 'hore & thefe.' /
Envye, þou arte rote & rynde,
þorwe þis werld, of mykyl myschefe;
In byttyr balys I schal hem bynde,
þat to þee puttyth any reprefe :
cum vp to me above!
for more Envye þanne is now reynynge,
was neuere syth Cryst was kynge.
cum vp, Envye, my dere derlynge!
þou hast Mankyndis love.
(98)
INVIDIA. I clymbe fro þis crofte,
with Mankynde, o, to syttyn on lofte.
HUMANUM [GENUS.] Cum, syt here softe !
For In abbeys þou dwellyst ful ofte.
(99)
GULA. In gay glotony, a game þou be-gynne!
ordeyn bee mete & drynkis goode;
loke þat no tresour, bee part a-twynne,
but bee feffe & fede with al kynnys fode.
with fastynge, schal man neuere heuene wynne:
þese grete fasteris, I hold hem wode.
þou þou ete & drynke, it is no synne.
Fast no day, I rede, be be rode.
Envy bids
1124 backbite his
neighbours,
1128
1133
1137
1141
and put false
reports on
them.
declares he
will.
Envy was
1146
never more
wide-spread
than now.
1150
1154
1158
Gluttony
tells Mankind
to eat and
drink well,

have sweet
spices
and gay girls.
þou chyde bese fastyng cherlys!
loke þou haue spycys of goode odoure,
to Feffe & fede by fleschly floure;
& þanne mayst þou bultyn in þi boure,
& serdyn gay gerlys.
(100)
1 HUMANUM GENUS. A, Glotony! wel I bee grete!
soth & sad it is, by sawe;
1163
agrees.
I am no day wel, be sty nor strete,
tyl I haue wel fyllyd my mawe;
1167
fastynge is fellyd vnder Fete.
He'll never
fast,
þou I neuere faste, I rekke [not] an hawe,
1171
but 'll have
the best.
Lechery
promises
Mankind to
go to bed
with him,
he seruyth of nowth, be be rode, I lete,
but to do a mans gieays to gnawe:
to faste, I wyl not fonde.
I schal not spare, so haue I reste,
to haue a mossel of be beste :
be lenger schal my lyfe mow leste,
with gret lykynge in londe.
GULA. Be bankis on brede,
(101)
operwhyle to spew, bee spede!
HUMANUM GENUS. whyl I lyf lede,
with fayre fode my flesche schal I fede.
(102)
LUXURIA. Ja! whanne þi flesche is fayrë fed,
þanne schal I, louely Lecherye,
be bobbyd with þee in [bi] bed;
here-of serue mete & drynkis trye.
In louë, þi lyf schal be led;
be a lechour tyl pou² dye;
bi nedys schal be be better sped,
If [þou] 3yf bee to fleschly folye
tyl deth bee down drepe.
lechery, syn be werld be-gan,
hath a-vauncyd many a man.
þerfore, Mankynde, my leue lemman,
I my cunte þou schalt crepe.
1176
1180
1184
and let him
into her.
1 leaf 166, back.
1188
1193
2 MS. pu.

113
(103)
HUMANUM GENUS. a, lechery, wel bee be!
mans sed in bee is sowe;
fewe men wyl forsakë þee,
In any cuntre þat I knowe.
spouse-breche is a frend ryth fre;
men vse þat mo þanne I-nowe;
Lechery, cum syt be me!
þi banys be ful wyd I-knowe;
lykynge is in þi lende.
on, nor ober, I se no wythte,
þat wyl for-sake [bee] day nor nyth;
þerfore, cum vp, my berd bryth,
& reste þee with Mankynde!
(104)
LUXURIA. I may soth synge:
'Mankynde is kawt in my slynge.'
HUMANUM GENUS. For ony erthyly þynge,
to bedde þou muste me brynge.
(105)
1 ACCIDIA. ȝa! whanne ȝe be in bedde browth bope,
wappyd wel in worthy wede,
þanne I, Slawthe, wyl be wrothe,
but ij brothelys I may brede.
whanne be messë-bellë goth,
lye stylle, man, & take non hede!
lappe byne hed þanne in a cloth,
& take a swet, I bee rede;
Chyrche-goynge þou forsake.
losengeris in londe I lyfte,
& dyth men to mekyl vnthryfte.
Penaunce enjoynyd men in schryfte
is vn-done; & þat I make.
(106)
HUMANUM GENUS. Owe, Slawthe, þou seyst me skylle!
men vse bee mekyl, God it wot.
says
1197
adultery is
rife.
1201
Lechery must
come to
1206
1210. bed with
him.
1214
1218
1223
Sloth bids
them, when
in bed,
not to mind
the Mass-bell,
but give up
going to
church.
1 leaf 167.
MACRO PLAYS

says
men lofe wel now to lyë stylle,
In bedde to take a porowe swot :
to chyrche-ward, is not here wylle;
1227
here beddys þei þynkyn goode & hot,
men and girls Herry, Jofferey, Jone, & Gylle,
like lying in
bed.
arn leyd & logyd in a lot,
1231
with þyne vnpende charmys.
He calls
Sloth
up to him.
al mankynde, be be holy rode,
are now slawe in werkis goode.
com nere, þerfore, myn fayrë foode
& lulle me in þyne armys.
(107)
ACCIDIA. I make men, I trowe,
In Goddis seruyse to be ryth slowe.
HUMANUM GENUS. Com¹ up þis prowe!
swyche men þou schalt fynden I-nowe.
(108)
1236
1240
He is beset
HUMANUM GENUS. 'Mankynde' I am callyd be kynde,
with Seven
Sins,
and will be
gay
till he goes
to Hell.
with melody at my mowpis met;
my prowd pouer schal I not pende,
tyl I be putte in peynys pyt,
to hellë hent fro hens.
with curssydnesse, in costis knet,
In sowre swettenesse my syth I sende,
with seuene synnys sadde be-set.
mekyl myrbe I moue in mynde,
1244
1248
In dale of dole, tyl we are downe,
we schul be clad in a gay gowne:
1253
Lecherons
I se no man but þey vse somme
of þese vij dedly synnys.
(109)
for comounly, it is seldom seyne,
who-so now be lecherows,
of ober men he schal haue dysdeyne,
& ben prowde or Covetous:
men are
proud or
covetous.
1 MS. con.
1257

115
In synne iche man is founde.
1 þer is pore nor ryche, be londe ne lake,
þat alle bese vij wyl forsake,
but with on or ober he schal be take,
Every man
is bound in
sin's bonds.
& in here bytter bondis bownde.
(110)
BONUS ANGELUS. So mekyl be werse, (wele a woo!)
þat euere good aungyl was ordeynyd bee!
þou art rewlyd after be fende þat is þi foo,
& no þynge, certis, aftyr me.
Weleaway! weder may I goo?
man doth me bleykyn blody ble;
his swete sowle he wyl now sle;
he schal wepe al his game & gle
at on dayes tyme.
ȝe se wel all sothly in syth,
I am a-bowte bobe day & nyth,
to brynge hys sowle in-to blis bryth;
& hym-self wyl it brynge to þyne.
(111)
MALUS ANGELUS. No, good aungyl, þou art not in sesun!
ffewe men in be Feyth þey fynde;
for þou hast schewyd a ballyd resun.
goode syre, cum blowe myn hol be-hynde!
trewly, man hathe non chesun
on bi God to grede & grynde,
For þat schuld cunnë Cristis lessoun,
In penaunce, his body he muste bynde,
& forsake be worldis mende.
men arn, loth on bee to crye,
or don penaunce for here folye;
þerfore haue I now maystrye
wel ny ouer al mankynde.
(112)
BONUS ANGELUS. alas! Mankynde
is bobbyt & blent as be blynde!
In feyth, I fynde,
to Crist he can nowt be kynde.
1262
1266
1270
The Good
Angel
mourns.
'Man will
slay his soul,
1275
tho' I strive
to bring it to
bliss.'
The Bad
Angel chaffs
the Good one.
1279
Men don't
care for
penance.
1283
1288
1 leaf 167, back.
1292
The Good
Angel still
laments.

116
Mankind is
soakt in sin;
his life is
spent amiss.
Shrift asks
the Good
Angel why
he sighs.
He'll help if
he can.
The Good
Angel says
it's for Man-
kind who is
alas! Mankynne
is soylyd & saggyd in synne!
he wyl not blynne,
tyl body & sowle parte a-twynne.
alas! he is blendyd!
a-mys, mans lyf is I-spendyd,
with fendis fendyd!
mercy, God, þat man were a-mendyd!
(113)
CONFESSIO. What! mans aungel, good & trewe!
why syest þou, & sobbyst sore?
sertis, sore it schal me rewe,
If I se bee make mornynge more.
may any bote þi balë brewe,
or any pynge bi stat a-store?
For at¹ felechepys olde & newe,
why makyst þou grochynge vnder gore,
with pynynge poyntis pale?
why was al þis gretynge gunne
with sore syinge vndyr sunne?
teł me, & I schal, if I cunne,
brewe bee bote of bale.
(114)
2 BONUS ANGELUS. of bytter balys þou mayste me bete,
swete Schryfte, if þat þou wylt.
1296
1300
1304
1308
1313
near ruin
for Mánkynde, it is þat I grete;
he is in poynt to be spylt:
he is set in seuene synnys sete,
& wyl, certis, tyl he be kylt;
unless Shrift
saves him
from eternal
punishment.
with me he pynkyth neuere more to mete;
he hath me forsake, & I haue no gylt;
no man wyl hym amende.
þerfore, Schryfte, so God me spede,
but if þóu helpë at þis nede,
Mankynde gety[t]h neuere ober mede,
but peyne with-owtyn ende.
1317
1321
1326
1 'alt' in margin; 'olde' struck out in text.
2 leaf 168.

117
(115)
CONFESCIO. what, Aungel! be of comfort¹ stronge,
For bi lordis loue þat deyed on tre!
on me, Schryfte, it schal not be longe,
& þat þou schalt be sothë se:
if he wyl be a-knowe his wronge,
& no bynge hele, but telle it me,
& don penauncë sone a-monge,
I schal hym stere to gamyn & gle
In joye þat euere schal last.
Who-so schryue hym of his synnys alle,
I be-hete hym heuene halle.
þerfor, go we hens, what so be-falle,
to Mankyndë fast.
(116)
1330
Shrift says
that if Man-
kind will
confess
and do pen-
ance he'll
1334 guide him
to bliss.
1339
[tunc ibunt [cum Penitencia] ad humanum genus; & dicat They go to
CONFESSIO. what, Mankynde! whou goth þis?
what dost þou with þese deuelys seuene?
alas, alas! man, al a-mys!
blysse, in be mane of God in heuene,
I rede, so haue I rest.
þese lotly lordeynys, awey þou lyfte,
& cum doun & speke with Schryfte,
& drawe þee zernë to sum thryfte!
trewly it is be best.
(117)
HUMANUM GENUS. a, Schryfte! þou art wel be note
here to Slawthe, þat syttyth here-Inne;
he seyth þou mytyst a com to mannys cote
on Palme-Sunday al be tyme.
þou art com al to sone;
þerfore, Schryfte, be bi fay,
goo forthe tyl on Good Fryday!
tente to þee þanne, wel I may;
I haue now ellys to done.
(118)
CONFESCIO. Ow! þat harlot is now bold!
In bale he byndyth Mankynde belyue.
1 'good' struck out. 2? for 'name.'
1343
1348
1352
Mankind,
and Shrift
asks what
he's doing
with these
7 Devils.
ne must
confess his
sins..
tells Shrift
he's come
too soon.
He should
wait till Good
1357 Friday.