Everyman
The opinion has been commonly accepted that the English version of the play was a translation from the Dutch version Elckerlyc ascribed to Dorlandus. The chief support of this view is the fact that the Dutch version was printed before the English. It may be safer to consider the question still open, for either may be the earlier, and both may go back to an earlier version now lost.
Here beginneth a treatise how the High Father of Heaven sendeth Death to summon every creature to come and give an account of their lives in this world, and is in manner of a moral play.
[The Messenger enters.
Messenger.
I pray you all give your audience,
And hear this matter with reverence,
In form a moral play.
The Summoning of Everyman it is called so,
That of our lives and ending maketh show(5)
How transitory we be every day.
This matter is wondrous precious,
But the meaning of it is more gracious
And sweet to bear away.
The story saith: Man, in the beginning(10)
Watch well, and take good heed of the ending,
Be you never so gay!
Ye think sin in the beginning full sweet,
Which, in the end, causeth the soul to weep,
When the body lieth in clay.(15)
Here shall you see how Fellowship and Jollity,
Both Strength, Pleasure, and Beauty,
Will fade from thee as flower in May,
For ye shall hear how our Heaven’s King
Calleth Everyman to a general reckoning.(20)
Give audience and hear what he doth say.
[The Messenger goes.
God speaketh:
I perceive, here in my majesty,
How that all creatures be to me unkind,
Living, without fear, in worldly prosperity.
In spiritual vision the people be so blind,(25)
Drowned in sin, they know me not for their God;
In worldly riches is all their mind.
They fear not my righteousness, the sharp rod.
My law that I disclosed, when I for them died,
They clean forget, and shedding of my blood red.(30)
I hung between two it cannot be denied,
To get them life I suffered to be dead,
I healed their feet, with thorns was hurt my head.
I could do no more than I did truly,
And now I see the people do clean forsake me;(35)
They use the seven deadly sins damnable
In such wise that pride, covetousness, wrath, and lechery,
Now in this world be made commendable,
And thus they leave of angels the heavenly company.
Every man liveth so after his own pleasure,(40)
And yet of their lives they be nothing sure.
The more I them forbear, I see
The worse from year to year they be;
All that live grow more evil apace;
Therefore I will, in briefest space,(45)
From every man in person have a reckoning shown.
For, if I leave the people thus alone
In their way of life and wicked passions to be,
They will become much worse than beasts, verily.
Now for envy would one eat up another, and tarry not(50)
Charity is by all clean forgot.
I hoped well that every man
In my glory should make his mansion,
And thereto I made them all elect,
But now I see, like traitors abject,(55)
They thank me not for the pleasure that I for them meant,
Nor yet for their being that I them have lent.
I proffered the people great multitude of mercy,
And few there be that ask it heartily.
They be so cumbered with worldly riches, thereto(60)
I must needs upon them justice do,—
On every man living without fear.
Where art thou, Death, thou mighty messenger?
[Death enters.
Death.
Almighty God, I am here at your will,
Your commandment to fulfil.(65)
God.
Go thou to Everyman,
And show him in my name
A pilgrimage he must on him take,
Which he in no wise may escape,
And that he bring with him a sure reckoning(70)
Without delay or any tarrying.
Lord, I will in the world go run over all,
And cruelly search out both great and small.
Every man will I beset that liveth beastly
Out of God’s law, and doth not dread folly.(75)
He that loveth riches I will strike with my dart
His sight to blind and him from heaven to part—
Except if Alms be his good friend—
In hell for to dwell, world without end.
Lo, yonder I see Everyman walking.(80)
Full little he thinketh on my coming!
His mind is on fleshly lusts and his treasure,
And great pain it shall cause him to endure
Before the Lord, of Heaven the King.
Everyman, stand still! Whither art thou going(85)
Thus gayly? Hast thou thy Maker forgot?
[Everyman enters.
Everyman.
Why askest thou?
Wouldest thou know? For what?
Yea, sir, I will show you now.
In great haste I am sent to thee(90)
From God, out of his majesty.
What, sent to me!
Yea, certainly.
Though thou hast forgot him here,
He thinketh on thee in the heavenly sphere,(95)
As, ere we part, thou shalt know.
What desireth God of me?
That shall I show thee.
A reckoning he will needs have
Without any longer respite.(100)
To give a reckoning longer leisure I crave.
This blind matter troubleth my wit.
Upon thee thou must take a long journey,
Therefore, do thou thine accounting-book with thee bring.
For turn again thou canst not by no way,(105)
And look thou be sure in thy reckoning,
For before God thou shalt answer, and show true
Thy many bad deeds and good but a few,
How thou hast spent thy life and in what wise
Before the Chief Lord of Paradise.(110)
Get thee prepared that we may be upon that journey,
For well thou knowest thou shalt make none for thee attorney.
Full unready I am such reckoning to give.
I know thee not. What messenger art thou?
I am Death that no man fear,(115)
For every man I arrest and no man spare,
For it is God’s commandment
That all to me should be obedient.
Death, thou comest when I had thee least in mind!
In thy power it lieth to save me yet ;—
Thereto of my goods will I give thee, if thou wilt be kind,—(120)
Yea, a thousand pounds shalt thou get!—
And defer this matter till another day.
Everyman, it may not be in any way.
I set no store by gold, silver, riches, or such gear,(125)
Nor by pope, emperor, king, prince, or peer.
For, if I would receive gifts great,
All the world I might get,
But my custom is clean the contrary way.
I give thee no respite. Come hence, nor delay!(130)
Alas, shall I have no longer respite!
I may say Death giveth no warning!
To think on thee, it maketh my heart sick,
For all unready is my book of reckoning.
But if I might have twelve years of waiting,(135)
My accounting-book I would make so clear
That my reckoning I should not need to fear.
Wherefore, Death, I pray thee, for God’s mercy,
Spare me till I be provided with a remedy!
It availeth thee not to cry, weep, and pray,(140)
But haste thee lightly, that thou mayest be on thy journey,
And make proof of thy friends, if thou can,
For, know thou well, time waiteth for no man,
And in the world each living creature
Because of Adam’s sin must die by nature.(145)
Death, if I should this pilgrimage take,
And my reckoning duly make,
Show me, for Saint Charity,
Should I not come again shortly?
No, Everyman, if once thou art there,(150)
Thou mayest nevermore come here,
Trust me, verily.
gracious God, in the high seat celestial,
Have mercy on me in this utmost need!
Shall I no company have from this vale terrestrial(155)
Of mine acquaintance that way me to lead?
Yea, if any be so hardy
As to go with thee and bear thee company.
Haste thee that thou mayest be gone to God’s magnificence,
Thy reckoning to give before his presence.(160)
What, thinkest thou thy life is given thee,
And thy worldly goods also?
I had thought so, verily.
Nay, nay, it was but lent to thee,
For, as soon as thou dost go,(165)
Another a while shall have it and then even so,
Go therefore as thou hast done.
Everyman, thou art mad! Thou hast thy wits five,
And here on earth will not amend thy life,
For suddenly I do come!(170)
O wretched caitiff, whither shall I flee
That I may escape this endless sorrow!
Nay, gentle Death, spare me until to-morrow
That I may amend me
With good avisement!(175)
Nay, thereto I will not consent,
Nor no man respite, if I might,
But to the heart suddenly I shall smite
Without any “advisement.”
And now out of thy sight I will me hie,(180)
See that thou make thee ready speedily,
For thou mayest say this is the day
Wherefrom no man living may escape away.
Alas, I may well weep with sighs deep!
Now have I no manner of company(185)
To help me on my journey and me to keep,
And also my writing is all unready.
What can I do that may excuse me!
I would to God I had never been begot!
To my soul a full great profit it would be,(190)
For now I fear pains huge and great, God wot!
The time passeth—help, Lord, that all things wrought!
For, though I mourn, yet it availeth naught.
The day passeth and is almost through,
I wot not well of aught that I may do.(195)
To whom were it best that I my plaint should make?
What if to Fellowship I thereof spake,
And what this sudden chance should mean disclosed?
For surely in him is all my trust reposed—
We have in the world so many a day(200)
Been good friends in sport and play.
I see him yonder certainly—
I trust that he will bear me company;
Therefore to him will I speak to ease my sorrow.
Well met, good Fellowship, and a good morrow!(205)
[Enter Fellowship.
Fellowship speaketh:
I wish thee good morrow, Everyman, by this day!
Sir, why lookest thou so piteously?
If anything be amiss, prithee to me it say
That I may help in remedy.
Yea, good Fellowship, yea,(210)
I am in great jeopardy!
Fellowship.
My true friend, show to me your mind.
I will not forsake thee to my live’s...
ankasz151