 | The Temptation [Coventry] |  |
Sathan
Now belyard and belzabub ȝe derwurthy devel of helle
And wysest of councel amonges all þe rowte
herke now what I sey a tale I xall ȝow telle
þat trobelyth sore my stomak þer of I haue grett dowte.
Belyall
Syr sathanas oure souereyn syre with þe wol we dwelle
All redy at þi byddynge to þe do we lowte
If þou haue Any nede of oure wyse counselle
telle us now þi qwestyon All out and oute
sey al þi dowte be-den[e.]
Belsabub
ȝa sere telle us þi dowte by and by
and we xul telle þe so sekyrly
þat þou xalt knowe verryly
What þi dowte doth mene.
Sathan
Belyall
The best wytt þat I kan say
hym to tempte forsoth it is
with sotyl whylys if þat þou may
A-say to make hym to don A-mys
If þat he synne þis is no nay
he may nat be kynge of blys
hym to tempte go walke þi way
Ffor best counsell I trowe be this
Go forth now and assay.
Belsabub
The best wytt I hold it be
hym to tempte in synnys thre
the whiche mankende is frelte
doth ffalle sonest Alway.
Sathan
So Afftyr ȝour wytt now wyll I werke
I wyll no lengere here a-byde
be he nevyr so wyse a clerke
I xal apposyn hym with-inne A tyde.
Belsabub
now louely lucyfer in helle so derke
Kynge and lorde of synne and pryde
with sum myst his wyttys to merke
He send þe grace to be þi gyde
and evyr more be þi spede.
Belyall
All þe deuelys þat ben in helle
shul pray to Mahound as I þe telle
þat þou mayst spede þis jurney well
and comforte the in þis dede.
Jhesus
xlt i days and xlt i nyght
now haue I fastyd for mannys sake
A more grett hungyr had neuyr no wyght
than I myself be-gynne to take
Ffor hungyr in peyn stronge am I pyght
and bred haue I non myn hungyr for to slake
A lytel of a loof relese myn hungyr myght
but mursele haue I non my comforte for to make
This suffyr I man for the
Ffor þi glotenye and metys wrong
I suffyr for þe þis hungyr stronge
I am afferde it wyl be longe
Or þou do þus for me.
Sathan
The sone of god if þat þou be
be þe grett myght of þi godhede
turne these flyntys Anon lett se
ffrom Arde stonys to tendyr brede
more bettyr it is as I telle the
wysely to werke aftyr my reed
and shewe þi myght of grett majeste
than thorwe grett hungyr ffor to be dede
these stonys now bred þou make
goddys sone if þat þou be
make these stonys bred lett se
þan mayste þou ete ryght good plente
thyn hungyr for to slake.
Jhesus
Nott only be bred mannys lyff ȝitt stood
but in þe wurde of god as I þe say
to mannys sowle is neuyr mete so good
As is þe wurd of god þat prechid is Alway
bred materyal doth norch blood
but to mannys sowle þis is no nay
nevyr more may be a betyr food
þan þe wurd of god þat lestyth ay
to here goddys wurde þerfore man loue
Thi body doth loue materal brede
With-oute þe wurde of god þi soule is but dede
to loue prechynge þerfore I rede
If þou wylt duellyn in blysse a-bove.
Sathan
Jhesus
It is wretyn in holy book
þi lorde god þou xalt not tempte
all thynge must obeye to goddys look
out of his myght is non exempt
Out of þi cursydnes and cruel crook
by godys grace man xal be redempt
whan þou to helle þi brennynge brook
to endles peyne xal evyr be dempt
ther in Alwey to a-byde
Thi lorde god þou tempt no more
It is nott syttenge to þi lore
I bydde þe sese a-non þerfore
And tempte god in no tyde.
Sathan
Jhesus
Go Abak þou fowle sathanas
in holy scrypture wretyn it is
thi lorde god to wurchipp in every plas
As for his thrall and þou servaunt his.
Sathan
Out out harrow Alas Alas
I woundyr sore what is he this
I can not brynge hym to no trespas
nere be no synne to don a-mys
he byddyth me gon a-bakke
What þat he is I kan not se
Whethyr god or man what þat he be
I kan not telle in no degre
Ffor sorwe I lete a crakke.
hic venient Angeli cantantes et ministrantes ei · Gloria tibi domine · dicens
Jhesus
Now belyard and belzabub ȝe derwurthy devel of helle
And wysest of councel amonges all þe rowte
herke now what I sey a tale I xall ȝow telle
þat trobelyth sore my stomak þer of I haue grett dowte.
194
Syr sathanas oure souereyn syre with þe wol we dwelle
All redy at þi byddynge to þe do we lowte
If þou haue Any nede of oure wyse counselle
telle us now þi qwestyon All out and oute
sey al þi dowte be-den[e.]
Belsabub
ȝa sere telle us þi dowte by and by
and we xul telle þe so sekyrly
þat þou xalt knowe verryly
What þi dowte doth mene.
Sathan
The dowte þat I haue it is of cryst i-wys
born he was in bedleem as it is seyd
And many a man wenyth þat goddys sone he is
born of a woman and she a clene mayd
And all þat evyr he prechyth it is of hevyn blys
he wyl lese oure lawe I am ryght sore afrayd
Ffayn wold I knowe who were ffadyr his
Ffor of þis grett dowte I am sore dysmayd
in dede
If þat he be goddys childe
and born of a mayd mylde
than be we rygh sore begylde
and short xal ben oure spede.
born he was in bedleem as it is seyd
And many a man wenyth þat goddys sone he is
born of a woman and she a clene mayd
And all þat evyr he prechyth it is of hevyn blys
he wyl lese oure lawe I am ryght sore afrayd
Ffayn wold I knowe who were ffadyr his
Ffor of þis grett dowte I am sore dysmayd
in dede
If þat he be goddys childe
and born of a mayd mylde
than be we rygh sore begylde
and short xal ben oure spede.
Therfore serys sum what þat ȝe shewe
In þis grett dowth what is best to do
If he be goddys sone he wyl brede a shrewe
and werke us mech wrake both wrech and woo
Sorwe and care he wyl sone strewe
All oure gode days þan xulde sone be goo
and all oure lore and all oure lawe he wyl down hewe
and þan be we all lorn if þat it be soo
he wyll don us all tene
he wyll be lorde ouer hevyn and helle
and ffeche awey all oure catelle
þerfore shewe now sum good counselle
What comfort may best bene.
In þis grett dowth what is best to do
If he be goddys sone he wyl brede a shrewe
and werke us mech wrake both wrech and woo
Sorwe and care he wyl sone strewe
All oure gode days þan xulde sone be goo
and all oure lore and all oure lawe he wyl down hewe
and þan be we all lorn if þat it be soo
he wyll don us all tene
he wyll be lorde ouer hevyn and helle
and ffeche awey all oure catelle
þerfore shewe now sum good counselle
What comfort may best bene.
195
The best wytt þat I kan say
hym to tempte forsoth it is
with sotyl whylys if þat þou may
A-say to make hym to don A-mys
If þat he synne þis is no nay
he may nat be kynge of blys
hym to tempte go walke þi way
Ffor best counsell I trowe be this
Go forth now and assay.
Belsabub
The best wytt I hold it be
hym to tempte in synnys thre
the whiche mankende is frelte
doth ffalle sonest Alway.
Sathan
So Afftyr ȝour wytt now wyll I werke
I wyll no lengere here a-byde
be he nevyr so wyse a clerke
I xal apposyn hym with-inne A tyde.
Belsabub
now louely lucyfer in helle so derke
Kynge and lorde of synne and pryde
with sum myst his wyttys to merke
He send þe grace to be þi gyde
and evyr more be þi spede.
Belyall
All þe deuelys þat ben in helle
shul pray to Mahound as I þe telle
þat þou mayst spede þis jurney well
and comforte the in þis dede.
Jhesus
xlt i days and xlt i nyght
now haue I fastyd for mannys sake
A more grett hungyr had neuyr no wyght
than I myself be-gynne to take
Ffor hungyr in peyn stronge am I pyght
and bred haue I non myn hungyr for to slake
A lytel of a loof relese myn hungyr myght
but mursele haue I non my comforte for to make
196
Ffor þi glotenye and metys wrong
I suffyr for þe þis hungyr stronge
I am afferde it wyl be longe
Or þou do þus for me.
Sathan
The sone of god if þat þou be
be þe grett myght of þi godhede
turne these flyntys Anon lett se
ffrom Arde stonys to tendyr brede
more bettyr it is as I telle the
wysely to werke aftyr my reed
and shewe þi myght of grett majeste
than thorwe grett hungyr ffor to be dede
these stonys now bred þou make
goddys sone if þat þou be
make these stonys bred lett se
þan mayste þou ete ryght good plente
thyn hungyr for to slake.
Jhesus
Nott only be bred mannys lyff ȝitt stood
but in þe wurde of god as I þe say
to mannys sowle is neuyr mete so good
As is þe wurd of god þat prechid is Alway
bred materyal doth norch blood
but to mannys sowle þis is no nay
nevyr more may be a betyr food
þan þe wurd of god þat lestyth ay
to here goddys wurde þerfore man loue
Thi body doth loue materal brede
With-oute þe wurde of god þi soule is but dede
to loue prechynge þerfore I rede
If þou wylt duellyn in blysse a-bove.
Sathan
Ffor no grett hungyr þat I kan se
In glotony þou wylt not synne
now to þe temple com forth with me
and þer xal I shewe þe a praty gynne
Vp to þis pynnacle now go we
I xal þe sett on þe hyȝest pynne
ther I preue what þat þou be
Or þat we tweyn part a-twynne
I xal knowe what myght þou haue.
hic ascendit deus pinnaculum templi dum diabolus dicit quod
sequitur.
In glotony þou wylt not synne
now to þe temple com forth with me
and þer xal I shewe þe a praty gynne
Vp to þis pynnacle now go we
197
ther I preue what þat þou be
Or þat we tweyn part a-twynne
I xal knowe what myght þou haue.
Whan þou art sett upon þe pynnacle
þou xalt þer pleyn a qweynt steracle
Or ellys shewe a grett meracle
thy-sself ffrom hurte þou saue.
hic satanas ponit ihesum super pinnaculum dicens
þou xalt þer pleyn a qweynt steracle
Or ellys shewe a grett meracle
thy-sself ffrom hurte þou saue.
Now If þou be goddys ssone of myght
Ryght down to þe erth anon þou ffalle
And saue þi-sylf in every plyght
Ffrom harm and hurte and Scappys alle
Ffor it is wretyn with aungelys bryght
þat ben in hevyn þi faderys halle
the to kepe both day and nyght
xul be ful redy as þi thralle
hurt þat þou non haue
þat þou stomele not a-geyn þe ston
and hurt þi fote as þou dost gon
Aungell be redy all everychon
in weys þe to saue.
Ryght down to þe erth anon þou ffalle
And saue þi-sylf in every plyght
Ffrom harm and hurte and Scappys alle
Ffor it is wretyn with aungelys bryght
þat ben in hevyn þi faderys halle
the to kepe both day and nyght
xul be ful redy as þi thralle
hurt þat þou non haue
þat þou stomele not a-geyn þe ston
and hurt þi fote as þou dost gon
Aungell be redy all everychon
in weys þe to saue.
Jhesus
It is wretyn in holy book
þi lorde god þou xalt not tempte
all thynge must obeye to goddys look
out of his myght is non exempt
Out of þi cursydnes and cruel crook
by godys grace man xal be redempt
whan þou to helle þi brennynge brook
to endles peyne xal evyr be dempt
198
Thi lorde god þou tempt no more
It is nott syttenge to þi lore
I bydde þe sese a-non þerfore
And tempte god in no tyde.
Sathan
Ow in gloteny nor in veynglory it doth ryght nott a-vayl
Cryst for to tempt it profyteth me ryght nought
I must now be-gynne to haue a newe travayl
In covetyse to tempt hym it comyth now in my thought
Ffor If I went þus A-way and shrynkyd as a snayle
lorn were þe labore all þat I haue wrought
þerfore in covetyse oure syre I xal a-sayle
And assay into þat synne yf he may be brought
anon forth ryght
Syr ȝitt onys I pray to the
to þis hyȝ hyl com forth with me
I xal þe shewe many a cete
And many a wurthy syght.
Tunc ihesus transit cum diabolo super montem et diabolus dicit
Cryst for to tempt it profyteth me ryght nought
I must now be-gynne to haue a newe travayl
In covetyse to tempt hym it comyth now in my thought
Ffor If I went þus A-way and shrynkyd as a snayle
lorn were þe labore all þat I haue wrought
þerfore in covetyse oure syre I xal a-sayle
And assay into þat synne yf he may be brought
anon forth ryght
Syr ȝitt onys I pray to the
to þis hyȝ hyl com forth with me
I xal þe shewe many a cete
And many a wurthy syght.
In to þe northe loke fforth evyn pleyn
the towre of babolony þer mayst þou se
the cete of Jerusalem stondyth þer ageyn
and evyn ffast þer by stondyth Galyle
Nazareth naverne and þe kyngdom of Spayn
zabulon and neptalym þat is a rych countre
bothe zebee and salmana þou mayst se serteyn
Itayl and Archage þat wurthy remys be
bothe januense and jurye
Rome doth stonde be-fore þe ryght
the temple of Salamon as sylver bryght
And here mayst þou se opynly with syght
both Ffraunce and normandye.
the towre of babolony þer mayst þou se
the cete of Jerusalem stondyth þer ageyn
and evyn ffast þer by stondyth Galyle
Nazareth naverne and þe kyngdom of Spayn
zabulon and neptalym þat is a rych countre
bothe zebee and salmana þou mayst se serteyn
Itayl and Archage þat wurthy remys be
bothe januense and jurye
Rome doth stonde be-fore þe ryght
the temple of Salamon as sylver bryght
And here mayst þou se opynly with syght
both Ffraunce and normandye.
Turne þe now on þis syde and se here lumbardye
of spycery þer growyth many An C. balys
Archas and Aragon and grett Almonye
Parys and portyngale and þe town of Galys
Pownteys and poperynge and also pycardye
Erlonde scottlonde and þe londe of walys
Grete pylis and castellys þou mayst se with eye
ȝa and all þe wyd werde with-oute mo talys
All þis longygh to me
If þou wylt knele down to þe grownde
and wurchepp me now in þis stownde
all þis world þat is so rownd
I xal it gyve to the.
of spycery þer growyth many An C. balys
Archas and Aragon and grett Almonye
199
Pownteys and poperynge and also pycardye
Erlonde scottlonde and þe londe of walys
Grete pylis and castellys þou mayst se with eye
ȝa and all þe wyd werde with-oute mo talys
All þis longygh to me
If þou wylt knele down to þe grownde
and wurchepp me now in þis stownde
all þis world þat is so rownd
I xal it gyve to the.
Jhesus
Go Abak þou fowle sathanas
in holy scrypture wretyn it is
thi lorde god to wurchipp in every plas
As for his thrall and þou servaunt his.
Sathan
Out out harrow Alas Alas
I woundyr sore what is he this
I can not brynge hym to no trespas
nere be no synne to don a-mys
he byddyth me gon a-bakke
What þat he is I kan not se
Whethyr god or man what þat he be
I kan not telle in no degre
Ffor sorwe I lete a crakke.
hic venient Angeli cantantes et ministrantes ei · Gloria tibi domine · dicens
Jhesus
Now All mankende exaumple take
by these grete werkys þat þou dost se
how þat þe devyll of helle so blake
in synne was besy to tempte me
Ffor all hise maystryes þat he dyd make
he is ouercom and now doth ffle
all þis I suffyr ffor mannys sake
to teche þe how þou xalt rewle the
Whan þe devylle dothe the Assayle
loke þou concente nevyr to synne
For no sleytys ne for no gynne
and þan þe victory xalt þou wynne
þe devyl xal lesyn all his travayl.
by these grete werkys þat þou dost se
how þat þe devyll of helle so blake
in synne was besy to tempte me
Ffor all hise maystryes þat he dyd make
200
all þis I suffyr ffor mannys sake
to teche þe how þou xalt rewle the
Whan þe devylle dothe the Assayle
loke þou concente nevyr to synne
For no sleytys ne for no gynne
and þan þe victory xalt þou wynne
þe devyl xal lesyn all his travayl.
To Suffyr temptacion it is grett peyn
If þou with-stonde it þou wynnyst grett mede
Of god þe more grace þou hast serteyn
If þou with-sett þe devyl in his dede
thow þat þe fende tempt þe Ageyn
of his power take þou no drede
Ffor god hath the ȝovyn both myght and mayn
hym for to with-sytt evyr at nede
þou hast more myght than he
Whan þe devyl doth tempte the,' thoo
Shewe þi myght aȝens þi ffoo
whan þi sowle partyth the froo
In blysse þan xal it be.
If þou with-stonde it þou wynnyst grett mede
Of god þe more grace þou hast serteyn
If þou with-sett þe devyl in his dede
thow þat þe fende tempt þe Ageyn
of his power take þou no drede
Ffor god hath the ȝovyn both myght and mayn
hym for to with-sytt evyr at nede
þou hast more myght than he
Whan þe devyl doth tempte the,' thoo
Shewe þi myght aȝens þi ffoo
whan þi sowle partyth the froo
In blysse þan xal it be.
Amen
| The Temptation [Coventry] | |