 | The Castell of Perseverance |  |
SCENE XII
CARITAS.To Charyte, man, haue an eye
In al þynge, man, I rede.
Al þi doynge as dros is drye
But in Charyte þou dyth þi dede.
I dystroye alwey Envye;
So dyd þi God whanne he gan blede;
For synne he was hangyn hye
And ȝyt synnyd he neuere in dede,
Þat mylde mercy welle.
Poule in hys pystyl puttyth þe prefe,
‘But charyte be wyth þe chefe’.
Þerfore, Mankynde, be now lefe
In Charyte for to dwelle.
ABSTINENCIA.
In Abstinens lede þi lyf,
Take but skylful refeccyon;
For Gloton kyllyth wythoutyn knyf
And dystroyeth þi complexion.
Whoso ete or drynke ouyrblyue
It gaderyth to corrupcion.
Þis synne browt us alle in stryue
Whanne Adam fel in synne down
Fro precyous paradys.
Mankynd, lere now of oure lore.
Whoso ete or drynke more
Þanne skylfully hys state astore,
I holde hym noþynge wys.
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Mankynd, take kepe of Chastyte
And moue þe to maydyn Marye.
Fleschly foly loke þou fle,
At þe reuerense of Oure Ladye.
Quia qui in carne viuunt Domino placere non possunt.
Þat curteys qwene, what dyd sche?
Kepte hyre clene and stedfastly,
And in here was trussyd þe Trinite;
Þorwe gostly grace sche was worthy,
And al for sche was chaste.
Whoso kepyt hym chast and wyl not synne,
Whanne he is beryed in bankys brymmne
Al hys joye is to begynne.
Þerfore to me take taste.
SOLICITUDO.
In Besynesse, man, loke þou be,
Wyth worþi werkys goode and þykke.
To Slawthe if þou cast þe
It schal þe drawe to þowtys wyckke.
Osiositas parit omne malum.
It puttyth a man to pouerte
And pullyth hym to peynys prycke.
Do sumwhat alwey for loue of me,
Þou þou schuldyst but thwyte a stycke.
Wyth bedys sumtyme þe blys.
Sumtyme rede and sumtyme wryte
And sumtyme pleye at þi delyte.
Þe Deuyl þe waytyth wyth dyspyte
Whanne þou art in idylnesse.
LARGITAS.
In Largyte, man, ley þi loue.
Spende þi good, as God it sent.
In worchep of hym þat syt above
Loke þi goodys be dyspent.
In dale of dros whanne þou schalt droue
Lytyl loue is on þe lent;
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To make us mery, for he is went
Þat al þis good gan owle.
Ley þi tresour and þy trust
In place where no ruggynge rust
May it dystroy to dros ne dust
But al to helpe of sowle.
HUMANUM GENUS.
Ladys in londe, louely and lyt,
Lykynge lelys, ȝe be my leche.
I wyl bowe to ȝour byddynge bryth;
Trewe tokenynge ȝe me teche.
Dame Meknes, in ȝour myth
I wyl me wryen fro wyckyd wreche.
Al my purpos I haue pyt,
Paciens, to don as ȝe me preche;
Fro Wrathe ȝe schal me kepe.
Charyte, ȝe wyl to me entende.
Fro fowle Envye ȝe me defende.
Manns mende ȝe may amende,
Whethyr he wake or slepe.
Lykynge lelys, ȝe be my leche.
I wyl bowe to ȝour byddynge bryth;
Trewe tokenynge ȝe me teche.
Dame Meknes, in ȝour myth
I wyl me wryen fro wyckyd wreche.
Al my purpos I haue pyt,
Paciens, to don as ȝe me preche;
Fro Wrathe ȝe schal me kepe.
Charyte, ȝe wyl to me entende.
Fro fowle Envye ȝe me defende.
Manns mende ȝe may amende,
Whethyr he wake or slepe.
Abstynens, to ȝou I tryst;
Fro Glotony ȝe schal me drawe.
In Chastyte to leuyn me lyst,
Þat is Oure Ladys lawe.
Besynes, we schul be cyste;
Slawthe, I forsake þi sleper sawe.
Largyte, to ȝou I tryst,
Coveytyse to don of dawe.
Þis is a curteys cumpany.
What schuld I more monys make?
Þe seuene synnys I forsake
And to þese seuene vertuis I me take.
Maydyn Meknes, now mercy!
Fro Glotony ȝe schal me drawe.
In Chastyte to leuyn me lyst,
Þat is Oure Ladys lawe.
Besynes, we schul be cyste;
Slawthe, I forsake þi sleper sawe.
Largyte, to ȝou I tryst,
Coveytyse to don of dawe.
Þis is a curteys cumpany.
What schuld I more monys make?
Þe seuene synnys I forsake
And to þese seuene vertuis I me take.
Maydyn Meknes, now mercy!
HUMILITAS.
Mercy may mende al þi mone.
Cum in here at þynne owyn wylle.
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If þou kepe þe in þis castel stylle.
Cum sancto sanctus eris, et cetera.
Tunc intrabitStonde hereinne as stylle as ston;
Þanne schal no dedly synne þe spylle.
Wheþyr þat synnys cumme or gon,
Þou schalt wyth us þi bourys bylle,
Wyth vertuse we schul þe vaunce.
Þis castel is of so qweynt a gynne
Þat whoso euere holde hym þerinne
He schal neuere fallyn in dedly synne;
It is þe Castel of Perseueranse.
Qui perseuerauerit usque in finem, hic saluus erit.
Tunc cantabunt ‘Eterne rex altissime’, et dicet
HUMILITAS.
Now blyssyd be Oure Lady, of heuene Emperes!
Now is Mankynde fro foly falle
And is in þe Castel of Goodnesse.
He hauntyth now heuene halle
Þat schal bryngyn hym to heuene.
Crist þat dyed wyth dyen dos
Kepe Mankynd in þis castel clos
And put alwey in hys purpos
To fle þe synnys seuene!
MALUS ANGELUS.
Nay, be Belyals bryth bonys,
Þer schal he no whyle dwelle.
He schal be wonne fro þese wonys
Wyth þe Werld, þe Flesch, and þe Deuyl of hell.
Þei schul my wyl awreke.
Þe synnys seuene, þo kyngys thre,
To Mankynd haue enmyte.
Scharpely þei schul helpyn me
Þis castel for to breke.
Þer schal he no whyle dwelle.
He schal be wonne fro þese wonys
Wyth þe Werld, þe Flesch, and þe Deuyl of hell.
Þei schul my wyl awreke.
Þe synnys seuene, þo kyngys thre,
To Mankynd haue enmyte.
Scharpely þei schul helpyn me
Þis castel for to breke.
Howe, Flypyrgebet, Bakbytere!
Ȝerne oure message loke þou make.
Blythe about loke þou bere.
Sey Mankynde hys synnys hath forsake.
Wyth ȝene wenchys he wyl hym were,
Al to holynesse he hath hym take.
In myn hert it doth me dere,
Þe bost þat þo moderys crake;
My galle gynnyth to grynde.
Flepyrgebet, ronne upon a rasche.
Byd þe Werld, þe Fend, and þe Flesche
Þat þey com to fytyn fresche
To wynne aȝeyn Mankynde.
Ȝerne oure message loke þou make.
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Sey Mankynde hys synnys hath forsake.
Wyth ȝene wenchys he wyl hym were,
Al to holynesse he hath hym take.
In myn hert it doth me dere,
Þe bost þat þo moderys crake;
My galle gynnyth to grynde.
Flepyrgebet, ronne upon a rasche.
Byd þe Werld, þe Fend, and þe Flesche
Þat þey com to fytyn fresche
To wynne aȝeyn Mankynde.
DETRACCIO.
I go, I go, on grounde glad,
Swyftyr þanne schyp wyth rodyr.
I make men masyd and mad
And euery man to kyllyn odyr
Wyth a sory chere.
I am glad, be Seynt Jamys of Galys,
Of schrewdnes to tellyn talys
Boþyn in Ingelond and in Walys,
And feyth I haue many a fere.
Tunc ibit ad BELIAL
| The Castell of Perseverance | |