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XXII
THE LOCKSMITHS’ PLAY
DEVIL
Make room at once, and let me gang.
Who makes here all this crowd and throng?
Hie you all hence! High may you hang
All in a rope
I dread me that I stay too long
To do a jape.
For since the first time that I fell
For my high pride from heaven to hell.
It has been still my way to dwell
Among mankind.
To bring them to my dungeon fell,
There to be pined.
And sure all that have been since born
Have come to me, midday and morn;
I have arranged it all before;
None may defend,
But from all pleasure they're forlorn,
Without an end.
And now some men speak of a swain,
How he shall come and suffer pain,
Andby his death to bliss again
They should be bought.
But sure this tale is false and vain;
I trust it nought,
For I know everything, I ween,
Of this young fellow that men mean,
How he has in great trouble been,
Since he was born.
And suffered grief and trouble keen,
Both even and morn.
And now it is brought so about,
That lurdan that they love and lout,
To wilderness he is gone out;
Alone is he.
To hurt him now I have no doubt,
'Twixt him and me.
Before now he has been guarded so,
That I could get no glancing blow;
But now since he is gone alone,
I shall assay,
And make him some foul sin condone,
If that I may.
He has fasted, to mar his mood,
These forty days all without food;
If he be man of flesh and blood.
He hungers ill.
In gluttony then hold I good
To try his will.
For so it shall be known and clear,
If Godhead true be in him hid,
If he will do as I him bid,
When I come near.
And then no deed that ever he did
Shall grieve him more.
To Jesus
Thou man of wit and wise of thought,
If thou in Godhead canst do ought,
Bid now that these stones be made bread,
Between us two;
Then may they stand thyself in stead,
And others too.
For thou hast fasted long, I ween;
I would now that some meat were seen,
For old acquaintance us between,
As you know how.
There shall no man know what I mean,
But I and thou.
JESUS
My Father, that all pain mayst slake,
Ever to thee I honour make,
And gladly suffer for thy sake
Such villainy,
And thus temptation do I take
Of my enemy.
Thou cursed wight, why rave you so?
For written 'tis, as all may know,
A man lives not in might and mood
By bread alone;
But God's own words are ghostly food
To men each one.
If I have fasted with good will,
Know thou, I hunger not so ill,
That I work not my Father's will
In each degree.
Thy bidding will I not fulfil,
That warn I thee.
DEVIL
Such talking did I never hear.
He hungers not so much, I fear.
Then since thy Father helps thee here
By subtle sleight,
Let's see if thou to stand wilt dare
There on a height,
Alone, on pinnacle so high. Aha!
Now go we well thereby.
I shall assay in vain glory
To make him fall.
And if he be God's son mighty
I think I shall.
To Jesus
Now list to me a little space,
If thou be God's son full of Grace,
Show some affair here in this place,
To prove thy might,
Let's see—Fall down upon thy face
Here in my sight.
For it is written, as well you know,
How God shall angels to thee send,
And they shall keep thee in their hand.
Where'er thou go,
That you shall on no stone descend,
To hurt thy toe.
JESUS
Let be, warlock, thy words so vain
For it is writ, I say again.
Thy God thou shalt not tempt, with pain
Nor with discord;
Nor quarrel shalt thou more maintain
Against thy Lord.
And therefore know thou, clear and plain,
That all thy gauds shall nothing gain;
Be subject to thy sovereign,
Early and late.
DEVIL
Ha, what! This travail is in vain.
Defeat I hate,
He proves he is a mighty prize,
And so my plans will I revise;
And since I may not in this wise
Make him my thrall,
I will essay in covetise
To make him fall.
For sure I shall not leave him yet.
Who is my sovereign I would wit.
To Jesus
My self ordained thou there shouldst sit,
This know thou well.
And even as I ordained it,
So it befell.
Then mayst thou see, since it is so,
That I am sovereign of us two
And yet I grant thee, ere I go,
And without fail,
That if thou wilt assent thereto,
It shall avail.
Well have I all this world to wield.
In town and tower, forest and field;
If thou thine heart wilt to me yield.
And humbly bend.
Then will I straightway be thy shield
And faithful friend.
Behold thou, Sir, and thou shalt see
Many a kingdom and country
All this then will I give to thee,
For ever more,
If thou wilt fall and honour me,
As I said before.
JESUS
Cease from thy sayings, Sathanas.
I grant no thing that you may ask.
To pains of hell I bid thee pass
And quickly wend,
To dwell in woe for sore trespass
Without an end.
Thy portion is no other might;
For it is writ, if thou read right.
The Lord God shalt thou fear on height,
And honour aye;
And serve in word and deed aright,
Both night and day.
And since thou dost not as I tell,
No longer here I let thee dwell.
Now I command thee, hie to Hell,
And keep thee there,
With fellowship of fiends so fell
For ever more.
DEVIL
Out, out! I dare not look, alas!
It is far worse than ever it was.
He musters all the might he has.
High might he hang!
Now fall I fast, for I must pass
To torments strong.
ANGEL
Now mercy, Lord! What may this mean?
I marvel that you bear this pain
Of the foul wily fiend so keen,
Talking to you.
Who may his wickedness, I ween,
At will undo.
Methinks that ye were sore bested,
Lord, by this fiend that now is fled.
JESUS
Mine angel dear, be not adread;
He cannot grieve.
The Holy Ghost me still had led ;
This now believe,
For when the fiend mankind shall see
Them to assail in sore degree,
Their mirror may they make of me,
And so stand still.
For overcome they shall not be,
Unless they will,
My blessing have they with my hand.
Who tempted so are cheerful found,
And also who will stiffly stand
Against the fiend –
I know my time is near at hand;
Now will I wend. |
York Mystery Plays