Everyman, with Other Interludes quotes

Lo, yonder I see Everyman walking; 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 Heaven King.

Everyman, stand still; whither art thou going Thus gaily? Hast thou thy Maker forget?

Everyman. Why askst thou? Wouldest thou wete?8

Everyman.

O Death, thou comest when I had thee least in mind;

In thy power it lieth me to save, Yet of my good will I give thee, if ye will be kind, Yea, a thousand pound shalt thou have, And defer this matter till another day.

Everyman. 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 twelve year and I might have abiding, My counting book I would make so clear, That my reckoning I should not need to fear.

Death. Thee availeth not to cry, weep, and pray: But haste thee lightly that you were gone the journey, And prove thy friends if thou can.

For, wete thou well, the tide abideth no man,

And in the world each living creature For Adam's sin must die of nature.

Death.

Nay, nay; it was but lent thee;

For as soon as thou art go, Another awhile shall have it, and then go therefro Even 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.

Fellowship.

Tush! by thy thanks I set not a straw.

Show me your grief, and say no more.

shall we thus depart indeed? Our Lady, help, without any more comfort, Lo, Fellowship forsaketh me in my most need: For help in this world whither shall I resort? Fellowship herebefore with me would merry make; And now little sorrow for me doth he take.

It is said, in prosperity men friends may find, Which in adversity be full unkind.

Now whither for succour shall I flee, Sith that Fellowship hath forsaken me? To my kinsmen I will truly, Praying them to help me in my necessity; I believe that they will do so, For kind will creep where it may not go.

Now whither for succour shall I flee, Sith that Fellowship hath forsaken me? To my kinsmen I will truly, Praying them to help me in my necessity; I believe that they will do so,

For kind will creep where it may not go.

I will go say, for yonder I see them go. Where be ye now, my friends and kinsmen?

Cousin.

No, by our Lady; I have the cramp in my toe.

Trust not to me, for, so God me speed, I will deceive you in your most need, Kindred. It availeth not us to tice. Ye shall have my maid with all my heart;

Everyman. Ah, Jesus, is all come hereto?

Lo, fair words maketh fools feign; They promise and nothing will do certain.

My kinsmen promised me faithfully For to abide with me steadfastly, And now fast away do they flee: Even so Fellowship promised me. What friend were best me of to provide? I lose my time here longer to abide.

Everyman.

O all thing faileth, save God alone;

Beauty, Strength, and Discretion; For when Death bloweth his blast, They all run from me full fast.

Good-Deeds.

All earthly things is but vanity:

Beauty, Strength, and Discretion, do man forsake, Foolish friends and kinsmen, that fair spake, All fleeth save Good-Deeds, and that am I.

Noah.

Lord, that women be crabbed aye! And never are meek, that I dare say.

This is well seen of me to-day In witness of you each one. Good wife, let be all this beere30 That thou makest in this place here, For they all ween thou art master; And so thou art, by St. John!

Wife. "

But so long goes the pot to the water," men says, "At last comes it home broken.

"

Wife. Now well is my day bright, That ever I was bred. This is a good guise and a far cast;

Yet a woman's advice helps at the last.

I care never who spies: again go thou fast.

1st Shepherd.

Hail, maid-mother, and wife so mild!

As the angel said, so have we found, I have nothing to present to thy child, But my pipe; hold, hold! take it in thy hand;

Abraham. I take upon me to speak here in thy presence, More than becomes me, lord, pardon my negligence:

I am but ashes and were loth thee to offend.

Pater Cœlestis. Say forth, good Abraham, for ill dost thou not intend.

Pater Cœlestis.

Thinkest thou that I will so soon change my decree?

No, no, friend Moses, so light thou shalt not find me. I will punish them all; Israel shall it see.

Pater Cœlestis. I brought up children from their first infancy, Who now despise all my godly instructions.

An ox knoweth its lord, an ass its master's duty,

But Israel will not know me, nor my conditions. Oh, froward people, given all to superstitions, Unnatural children, expert in blasphemies, Provoke me into hate, by their idolatries. Take heed to my words, ye tyrants of Sodoma, In vain ye offer your sacrifice to me.

Esaias. Well, yet blessed Lord, relieve them with thy mercy. Though they have been ill other princes' days, Yet good Hezekiah hath taught them goodly ways.

When the prince is good, the people are the better; And as he is nought, their vices are the greater.

Heavenly Lord, therefore send them the consolation, Which thou hast covenanted with every generation. Open thou the heavens, and let the lamb come hither, Who will deliver thy people altogether.

Pater Cœlestis.

May the wife forget the child of her own body?

Esaias. Nay, that she can not in any wise verily.