A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume I Part 35

For to go toward heaven.

FREEWILL.

Marry, and you will me thither bring, I would do after you.[159]

PERSEVERANCE.

I pray you, remember my words now: Freewill, bethink thee that thou shalt die, And of the hour thou are uncertain, Yet by thy life thou mayest find a remedy; For, and thou die in sin, all labour is in vain, Then shall thy soul be still in pain.

Lost and d.a.m.ned for evermore; Help is past, though thou would fain, Then thou wilt curse the time that thou were bore.

FREEWILL.

Sir, if ye will undertake that I saved shall be, I will do all the penance that you will set me.

CONTEMPLATION.

If that thou for thy sins he sorry, Our Lord will forgive thee them.

FREEWILL.

Now of all my sins I axe G.o.d mercy; Here I forsake sin, and trust to amend: I beseech Jesu that is most mighty To forgive all that I have offend.

PERSEVERANCE.

Our Lord now will show thee His mercy, A new name thou need none have; For all that will to heaven high, By his own freewill he must forsake folly, Then is he sure and safe.

CONTEMPLATION.

Hold here a new garment, And hereafter live devoutly, And for thy sins do ever repent: Sorrow for thy sins is very remedy: And, Freewill, ever to virtue apply, Also to sadness[160] give ye attendance, Let him never out of remembrance.

FREEWILL.

I will never from you, sir Perseverance; With you will I abide both day and night, Of mind never to be variable, And G.o.d's commandments to keep them right, In deed and word, and ever full stable.

PERSEVERANCE.

Then heaven thou shalt have without fable, But look that thou be steadfast, And let thy mind with good will last.

IMAGINATION.

Huff, huff, huff! who sent after me?

I am Imagination, full of jollity, Lord, that my heart is light,[161]

When shall I perish? I trow, never; By Christ, I reck not a feather: Even now I was dubbed a knight, Where at Tyburn of the collar, And of the stews I am made controller-- Of all the houses of lechery; There shall no man play doccy[162] there, At the Bell, Hartshorn, ne elsewhere, Without they have leave of me.

But, sirs, wot ye why I am come hither?

By our lady, to gather good company together: Saw ye not of my fellow Freewill?

I am afraid lest he be searching on a hill; By G.o.d, then one of us is beguiled.

What fellow is this that in this coat is filed?

c.o.c.k's death, whom have we here?

What, Freewill, mine own fere?[163]

Art thou out of thy mind?

FREEWILL.

G.o.d grant the way to heaven that I may find; For I forsake thy company.

IMAGINATION.

G.o.d's arms, my company? and why?

FREEWILL.

For thou livest too sinfully.

IMAGINATION.

Alas, tell me how it is with thee.

FREEWILL.

Forsake thy sin for the love of me.

IMAGINATION.

c.o.c.k's heart, art thou waxed mad?

FREEWILL.

When I think on my sin, it makes me full sad.

IMAGINATION.