The Castell of Perseverance

VOLUPTAS.
Worthy World, in welthys wonde,
Here is Mankynde ful fayr in folde.
In bryth besauntys he is bownde
And bon to bowe to ȝou so bolde.
He leuyth in lustys euery stounde;
Holy to ȝou he hathe hym ȝolde.
For to makyn hym gay on grounde,
Worthy World, þou art beholde.
Þis werld is wel at ese.
For to God I make avow
Mankynde had leuer now
Greue God wyth synys row
Þanne þe World to dysplese.

STULTICIA.
Dysplese þe he wyl for no man.
On me, Foly, is al hys þowth.
Trewly Mankynde nowth nen can
Þynke on God þat hathe hym bowth.
Worthy World, wyth as swan,
In þi loue lely is he lawth.
Sythyn he cowde and fyrste began
Þe forsakyn wolde he nowth,
But ȝeue hym to Folye.
And syþyn he hathe to þe be trewe,
I rede þe forsakyn hym for no newe.
Lete us plesyn hym tyl þat he rewe
In hell to hangyn hye.

MUNDUS.
Now, Foly, fayre þe befall,
And Luste, blyssyd be þou ay!
Ȝe han browth Mankynde to myn hall
Sertys in a nobyl aray.
Wyth werldys welthys wythinne þese wallys
I schal hym feffe if þat I may.
Welcum, Mankynde! to þe I call,
Clenner cloþyd þanne any clay,

Be downe, dale, and dyche.
Mankynde, I rede þat þou reste
Wyth me, þe Werld, as it is beste.
Loke þou holde myn hende heste
And euere þou schalt be ryche.

HUMANUM GENUS.
Whou schuld I but I þi hestys helde?
Þou werkyst wyth me holy my wyll.
Þou feffyst me wyth fen and felde
And hye hall, be holtys and hyll.
In werldly wele my wytte I welde,
In joye I jette wyth juelys jentyll,
On blysful banke my boure is bylde,
In veynglorye I stonde styll.
I am kene as a knyt.
Whoso ageyn þe Werld wyl speke
Mankynde schal on hym be wreke,
In stronge presun I schal hym steke,
Be it wronge or ryth.

MUNDUS.

A, Mankynde, wel þe betyde
Þat þi loue on me is sette!
In my bowrys þou schalt abyde
And ȝyt fare mekyl þe bette.
I feffe þe in all my wonys wyde
In dale of dros tyl þou be deth.
I make þe lord of mekyl pryde,
Syr, at þyn owyn mowthis mette.
I fynde in þe no tresun.
In all þis worlde, be se and sonde,
Parkys, placys, lawnde and londe,
Here I ȝyfe þe wyth myn honde,
Syr, an opyn sesun.

Go to my tresorer, Syr Couetouse.
Loke þou tell hym as I seye.
Bydde hym make þe maystyr in hys house
Wyth penys and powndys for to pleye.

Loke þou ȝeue not a lous
Of þe day þat þou schalt deye.
Messenger, do now þyne vse;
Bakbytere, teche hym þe weye.
Þou art swetter þanne mede.
Mankynde, take wyth þe Bakbytynge.
Lefe hym for no maner thynge.
Flepergebet wyth hys flaterynge
Standyth Mankynde in stede.

DETRACCIO.
Bakbytynge and Detracion
Schal goo wyth þe fro toun to toun.
Haue don, Mankynde, and cum doun.
I am þyne owyn page.
I schal bere þe wyttnesse wyth my myth
Whanne my lord þe Werlde it behyth.
Lo, where Syr Coueytyse sytt
And bydith us in his stage.

HUMANUM GENUS.
Syr Worlde, I wende,
In Coueytyse to chasyn my kende.

MUNDUS.
Haue hym in mende,
And iwys þanne schalt þou be ryth þende.

BONUS ANGELUS.
Alas, Jhesu, jentyl justyce,
Whedyr may mans Good Aungyl wende?
Now schal careful Coueytyse
Mankende trewly al schende.
Hys sely goste may sore agryse;
Bakbytynge bryngyth hym in byttyr bonde.
Worldly wyttys, ȝe are not wyse,
Ȝour louely lyfe amys ȝe spende
And þat schal ȝe sore smert.
Parkys, ponndys, and many pens
Þei semyn to ȝou swetter þanne sens,
But Goddys seruyse nyn hys commaundementys
Stondyth ȝou not at hert.

MALUS ANGELUS.
Ȝa, whanne þe fox prechyth, kepe wel ȝore gees!
He spekyth as it were a holy pope.
Goo, felaw, and pyke of þo lys
Þat crepe þer upon þi cope!
Þi part is pleyed al at þe dys
Þat þou schalt haue here, as I hope.
Tyl Mankynde fallyth to podys prys,
Coueytyse schal hym grype and grope
Tyl sum schame hym schende.
Tyl man be dyth in dethys dow
He seyth neuere he hath inow.
Þerfore, goode boy, cum blow
At my neþer ende!

University of Virginia Library

SCENE VII