A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume I Part 18

Who calleth me? Everyman? what, hast thou haste?

I lie here in corners trussed and piled so high, And in chests I am locked so fast, Also sacked in bags, thou mayest see with thine eye, I cannot stir; in packs, lo, where I lie!

What would ye have, lightly me say.

EVERYMAN.

Come hither, Good, in all the haste thou may; For of counsel I must desire thee.

GOODS.

Sir, and ye in the world have sorrow or adversity, That can I help you to remedy shortly.

EVERYMAN.

It is another disease that grieveth me; In this world it is not, I tell thee so, I am sent for another way to go, To give a strait account general Before the highest Jupiter of all: And all my life I have had my pleasure in thee, Therefore I pray thee now go with me; For, peraventure, thou mayest before G.o.d Almighty My reckoning help to clean and purify, For it is said ever among, That money maketh all right that is wrong.

GOODS.

Nay, nay, Everyman, I sing another song; I follow no man in such voyages, For, and I went with thee, Thou shouldest fare much the worse for me: For because on me thou diddest set thy mind, Thy reckoning I have made blotted and blind, That thine account thou cannot make truly; And that hast thou for the love of me.

EVERYMAN.

That would grieve me full sore, When I should come to that fearful answer: Up, and let us go thither together.

GOODS.

Nay, not so; I am too brittle, I may not endure: I will follow no man one foot, be ye sure.

EVERYMAN.

Alas! I have thee loved, and had great pleasure All my life-days on my good and treasure.

GOODS.

That is to thy d.a.m.nation without lesing, For my love is contrary to the love everlasting; But if thou had me loved moderately during, As to the poor give part for the love of me, Then shouldest thou not in this dolour have be, Nor in this great sorrow and care.

EVERYMAN.

Lo, now was I deceived, ere I was ware, And all, I may wete, mis-spending of time.

GOODS.

What, wenest thou that I am thine?

EVERYMAN.

I had went[88] so.

GOODS.

Nay, Everyman, I say no: As for a while I was lent thee; A season thou hast had me in prosperity; My condition is man's soul to kill, If I save one, a thousand I do spill: Weenest thou that I will follow thee?

Nay, not fro this world, verily.

EVERYMAN.

I had weened otherwise.

GOODS.

Therefore to thy soul Good is a thief, For when thou art dead, this is my guise, Another to deceive in the same wise, As I have do thee, and all to his soul's reprefe.

EVERYMAN.

O false Good, cursed may thou be, Thou traitor to G.o.d, thou hast deceived me, And caught me in thy snare.

GOODS.

Marry, thou brought thyself in care, Whereof I am right glad: I must needs laugh, I cannot be sad.

EVERYMAN.

Ah, Good, thou hast had long my hearty love; I gave thee that which should be the Lord's above: But wilt thou not go with me indeed?

I pray thee truth to say.

GOODS.

No, so G.o.d me speed; Therefore farewell, and have good day.

EVERYMAN.

Oh, to whom shall I make my moan, For to go with me in that heavy journey?