 | The Merceres |  |
[Scene I
Heaven.]Deus
incipit.
1.
FIRSTE when I þis worlde hadde wroght,
Woode and wynde and wateris wan,
And all-kynne thyng þat nowe is oght,
Fulle wele me þoght þat I did þanne.
Whenne þei were made goode me þame þoght,
Sethen to my liknes made I man,
And man to greue me gaffe he noght,
Þerfore me rewis þat I þe worlde began.
Woode and wynde and wateris wan,
And all-kynne thyng þat nowe is oght,
Fulle wele me þoght þat I did þanne.
Whenne þei were made goode me þame þoght,
Sethen to my liknes made I man,
And man to greue me gaffe he noght,
Þerfore me rewis þat I þe worlde began.
2.
Whanne I had made man at my will,
I gaffe hym wittis hym selue to wisse,
And paradise I putte hym till,
And bad hym halde it all as his.
But of þe tree of goode and ill,
I saide, “what tyme þou etis of þis,
Manne, þou spedes þi selue to spill,
Þou arte broght oute of all blisse.”
I gaffe hym wittis hym selue to wisse,
And paradise I putte hym till,
And bad hym halde it all as his.
But of þe tree of goode and ill,
I saide, “what tyme þou etis of þis,
Manne, þou spedes þi selue to spill,
Þou arte broght oute of all blisse.”
3.
Belyue brak manne my bidding,
He wende haue bene a god þerby,
He wende haue wittyne of all-kynne thyng,
In worlde to haue bene als wise as I.
He ete the appill I badde schulde hyng,
Þus was he begilid thurgh glotony,
Sithen both hym and his ospring,
To pyne I putte þame all for-thy.
He wende haue bene a god þerby,
He wende haue wittyne of all-kynne thyng,
In worlde to haue bene als wise as I.
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Þus was he begilid thurgh glotony,
Sithen both hym and his ospring,
To pyne I putte þame all for-thy.
4.
To lange and late me þoghte it goode,
To catche þois caitiffis oute of care,
I sente my sone with full blithe moode
Till erþe, to salue þame of þare sare.
For rewþe of þame he reste on roode,
And boughte þame with his body bare,
For þame he shedde his harte and bloode,
What kyndinesse myght I do þame mare?
To catche þois caitiffis oute of care,
I sente my sone with full blithe moode
Till erþe, to salue þame of þare sare.
For rewþe of þame he reste on roode,
And boughte þame with his body bare,
For þame he shedde his harte and bloode,
What kyndinesse myght I do þame mare?
5.
Sethen aftirwarde he heryed hell,
And toke oute þois wrechis þat ware þare-inne.
Þer faughte þat free with feendis feele
For þame þat ware sounkyn for synne.
Sethen in erthe þan gonne he dwelle,
Ensaumpill he gaue þame heuene to wynne,
In tempill hym-selffe to teche and tell,
To by þame blisse þat neuere may blynne.
And toke oute þois wrechis þat ware þare-inne.
Þer faughte þat free with feendis feele
For þame þat ware sounkyn for synne.
Sethen in erthe þan gonne he dwelle,
Ensaumpill he gaue þame heuene to wynne,
In tempill hym-selffe to teche and tell,
To by þame blisse þat neuere may blynne.
6.
Sethen haue þei founde me full of mercye,
Full of grace and for-giffenesse,
And þei als wrecchis, wittirly,
Has ledde þer liffe in lithirnesse.
Ofte haue þei greued me greuously,
Þus have þei quitte me my kyndinesse,
Þer-fore no lenger, sekirlye,
Thole will I þare wikkidnesse.
Full of grace and for-giffenesse,
And þei als wrecchis, wittirly,
Has ledde þer liffe in lithirnesse.
Ofte haue þei greued me greuously,
Þus have þei quitte me my kyndinesse,
Þer-fore no lenger, sekirlye,
Thole will I þare wikkidnesse.
7.
Men seis þe worlde but vanite,
Ȝitt will no-manne be ware þer-by,
Ilke a day þer mirroure may þei se,
Ȝitt thynke þei noȝt þat þei schall dye.
All þat euere I saide schulde be
Is nowe fulfillid thurgh prophicie,
Ther-fore nowe is it tyme to me
To make endyng of mannes folie.
Ȝitt will no-manne be ware þer-by,
Ilke a day þer mirroure may þei se,
Ȝitt thynke þei noȝt þat þei schall dye.
All þat euere I saide schulde be
Is nowe fulfillid thurgh prophicie,
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To make endyng of mannes folie.
8.
I haue tholed mankynde many a ȝere,
In luste and likyng for to lende,
And vnethis fynde I ferre or nere
A man þat will his misse amende.
In erthe I see butte synnes seere,
Therfore myne aungellis will I sende
To blawe þer bemys, þat all may here
The tyme is comen I will make ende.
In luste and likyng for to lende,
And vnethis fynde I ferre or nere
A man þat will his misse amende.
In erthe I see butte synnes seere,
Therfore myne aungellis will I sende
To blawe þer bemys, þat all may here
The tyme is comen I will make ende.
9.
Aungellis! blawes youre bemys belyue!
Ilke a creatoure for to call,
Leerid and lewde, both man and wiffe,
Ressayue þer dome þis day þei schall;
Ilke a leede þat euere hadde liffe,
Bese none for-getyn, grete ne small.
Ther schall þei see þe woundes fyve
Þat my sone suffered for þem all.
Ilke a creatoure for to call,
Leerid and lewde, both man and wiffe,
Ressayue þer dome þis day þei schall;
Ilke a leede þat euere hadde liffe,
Bese none for-getyn, grete ne small.
Ther schall þei see þe woundes fyve
Þat my sone suffered for þem all.
10.
And sounderes þame be-fore my sight,
All same in blisse schall þei not be,
Mi blissid childre, as I haue hight,
On my right hande I schall þame see:
Sethen schall ilke a weried wight
On my lifte side for ferdnesse flee.
Þis day þer domys þus haue I dight,
To ilke a man as he hath serued me.
All same in blisse schall þei not be,
Mi blissid childre, as I haue hight,
On my right hande I schall þame see:
Sethen schall ilke a weried wight
On my lifte side for ferdnesse flee.
Þis day þer domys þus haue I dight,
To ilke a man as he hath serued me.
11.
Primus Ang.Loued be þou, lorde of myghtis moste,
Þat aungell made to messengere,
Thy will schall be fulfillid in haste,
Þat heuene and erthe and helle schalle here.
Goode and ill euery ilke agaste,
Rise and fecche youre flessh þat was youre feere,
For all þis worlde is broght to waste,
Drawes to youre dome, it neghes nere.
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12.
ii Angel.Ilke a creature, bothe olde and yhing,
Be-lyue I bidde ȝou þat ȝe ryse,
Body and sawle with ȝou ȝe bring,
And comes be-fore þe high justise.
For I am sente fro heuene kyng
To calle ȝou to þis grette assise,
Þerfore rise vppe and geue rekenyng,
How ȝe hym serued vppon sere wise.
[The Souls rise up.]
13.
Prima anima bona.Loued be þou lorde, þat is so schene,
Þat on þis manere made vs to rise
Body and sawle to-gedir, clene,
To come before þe high justise.
Of oure ill dedis, lorde, þou not mene,
That we haue wroght vppon sere wise,
But graunte vs for thy grace be-dene
Þat we may wonne in paradise.
14.
ii An. bona.A! loued be þou, lorde of all!
Þat heuene and erthe and all has wroght,
Þat with þyne aungellis wolde vs call,
Oute of oure graues hidir to be broght.
Ofte haue we greued þe, grette and small,
Þer aftir lorde þou deme vs noght!
Ne suffir vs neuere to fendis to be thrall,
Þat ofte in erþe with synne vs soght.
15.
i An. mala.
Allas! allas! þat we were borne,
So may we synfull kaytiffis say,
I here wele be þis hydous horne
Itt drawes full nere to domesday.
Allas! we wrecchis þat ar for-lorne,
Þat never ȝitt serued God to paye,
But ofte we haue his flessh for-sworne,
Allas! allas! and welaway.
So may we synfull kaytiffis say,
I here wele be þis hydous horne
Itt drawes full nere to domesday.
Allas! we wrecchis þat ar for-lorne,
Þat never ȝitt serued God to paye,
But ofte we haue his flessh for-sworne,
Allas! allas! and welaway.
16.
What schall we wrecchis do for drede,
Or whedir for ferdnes may we flee?
When we may bringe forthe no goode dede,
Before hym þat oure juge schall be.
To aske mercy vs is no nede,
For wele I wotte dampned be we,
Allas! þat we swilke liffe schulde lede,
Þat dighte vs has þis destonye.
Or whedir for ferdnes may we flee?
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Before hym þat oure juge schall be.
To aske mercy vs is no nede,
For wele I wotte dampned be we,
Allas! þat we swilke liffe schulde lede,
Þat dighte vs has þis destonye.
17.
Oure wikkid werkis þei will vs wreye,
Þat we wende never schuld haue bene weten,
Þat we did ofte full pryuely,
Appertely may we se þem wreten.
Allas! wrecchis, dere mon we by,
Full smerte with helle fyre be we smetyn,
Nowe mon neuere saule ne body dye,
But with wikkid peynes euermore be betyne.
Þat we wende never schuld haue bene weten,
Þat we did ofte full pryuely,
Appertely may we se þem wreten.
Allas! wrecchis, dere mon we by,
Full smerte with helle fyre be we smetyn,
Nowe mon neuere saule ne body dye,
But with wikkid peynes euermore be betyne.
18.
Allas! for drede sore may we quake,
Oure dedis beis oure dampnacioune,
For oure mys-meuyng mon we make,
Helpe may none excusacioune.
We mon be sette for our synnes sake
For euere fro oure saluacioune,
In helle to dwelle with feendes blake,
Wher neuer schall be redempcioune.
Oure dedis beis oure dampnacioune,
For oure mys-meuyng mon we make,
Helpe may none excusacioune.
We mon be sette for our synnes sake
For euere fro oure saluacioune,
In helle to dwelle with feendes blake,
Wher neuer schall be redempcioune.
19.
ii An. mala.
Als carefull caitiffis may we ryse,
Sore may we ringe oure handis and wepe,
For cursidnesse and for covetise,
Dampned be we to helle full depe.
Rought we neuere of goddis seruise,
His comaundementis wolde we noȝt kepe,
But ofte þan made we sacrafise,
To Satanas, when othir slepe.
Sore may we ringe oure handis and wepe,
For cursidnesse and for covetise,
Dampned be we to helle full depe.
Rought we neuere of goddis seruise,
His comaundementis wolde we noȝt kepe,
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To Satanas, when othir slepe.
20.
Allas! now wakens all oure were,
Oure wikkid werkis may we not hide,
But on oure bakkis vs muste þem bere,
Thei wille vs wreye on ilke a side.
I see foule feendis þat wille vs feere,
And all for pompe of wikkid pride,
Wepe we may with many a teere,
Allas! þat we þis day schulde bide.
Oure wikkid werkis may we not hide,
But on oure bakkis vs muste þem bere,
Thei wille vs wreye on ilke a side.
I see foule feendis þat wille vs feere,
And all for pompe of wikkid pride,
Wepe we may with many a teere,
Allas! þat we þis day schulde bide.
21.
Before vs playnly bese fourth brought
Þe dedis þat vs schall dame be-dene,
Þat eres has herde, or harte has þoght,
Sen any tyme þat we may mene,
Þat fote has gone or hande has wroght,
That mouthe has spoken or ey has sene,
Þis day full dere þanne bese it boght.
Allas! vnborne and we hadde bene.
Þe dedis þat vs schall dame be-dene,
Þat eres has herde, or harte has þoght,
Sen any tyme þat we may mene,
Þat fote has gone or hande has wroght,
That mouthe has spoken or ey has sene,
Þis day full dere þanne bese it boght.
Allas! vnborne and we hadde bene.
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22.
iii Angel.Standis noght to-gedir, parte you in two,
All sam schall ȝe noght be in blisse,
Mi fadir of heuene woll it be soo,
For many of yowe has wroght amys.
Þe goode on his right hande ȝe goe,
Þe way till heuene he will you wisse;
Ȝe weryed wightis, ȝe flee hym froo,
On his lefte hande as none of his.
23.
Deus.Þis woffull worlde is brought till ende,
Mi fadir of heuene he woll it be,
Þerfore till erþe nowe will I wende,
Mi-selue to sitte in mageste.
To deme my domes I woll descende,
Þis body will I bere with me,
Howe it was dight, mannes mys to mende,
All mankynde þere schall it see.
[Descends to earth.]
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