Editing User:RHaworth/mystery/src/The York Plays: The Creation to the Fall of Man


<c>God

<i>Ego sum alpha et novissimus</i>

I am gracious and great, God without beginning, 
I am maker unmade, all might is in me; 
I am life and way unto wealth-winning, 
I am foremost and first, as I bid shall it be. 
Unto my dignity therefore shall be dight 
A place full of plenty as pleases my play 
And first, in faithfulness my thought to fullfill, 
Obedient to my blessing I bid that there be 
A beauteous bliss all about me; 
And in that bliss let there be in my sight 
Nine orders of angels full bright, 
My glory aye praising devoutly.
<d>[Angels appear
Here below me now a new place I fashion, 
That land shall be earth. ‘Tis done at my telling:
The fair earth, foul hell, and here, highest heaven; 
And power presiding shall dwell in this dwelling. 
This grant I to you, ministers mine, 
So you remain steadfast in thought -
But know that any that set me at nought 
Shall be put to my prison in pain. 
<d>[To Lucifer
Of all the might I have made, the next after me 
I make thee the master, and mirror of my might; 
Meekly and humbly in bliss for to be, 
I name thee as Lucifer, the bearer of light. 
All things that are here I grant unto thee; 
In this bliss shall you abide,
And have all power at your side
So you be obedient to me.

<c>Good Angel 1
Ah, merciful maker, most great is thy might, 
That all this work at a word worthily has wrought. 
Aye praised be that precious Lord in his light, 
That us mighty has made, that ere was right nought, 
In bliss to abide in his blessing. 
In love everlasting we laud him, 
And worship thus willingly about him, 
Our mirth nevermore shall be missing. 

<c>Lucifer
All the mirth that is made is markèd in me!   
The beams of my brightness are burning so bright, 
And I so seemly a sight myself now do see, 
For like a lord am I let to live in this light. 
More fairer by far than my fellows, 
In me is no point that may compare; 
I am well-favoured and fair, 
My power surpasses my peers. 

<c>Good Angel 2
Lord, with a lasting love we love thee alone, 
Thou most mighty maker that marked us and made us, 
And wrought us thus worthily for heavenly home, 
Where never foulness nor filth may besmirch us or fade us. 
All bliss is here beaming about us; 
Indeed we are steadfast in thought 
In the worship of him that us wrought, 
That we are obedient never doubt us. 

<c>Bad Angel 1
O, what! I am comely and fair and fashioned full fit!
The form of all fairness upon me is fast, 
All-puissant my power, I wot by my wit; 
The beams of my brightness are blazing with the best. 
My shape is all shimmering and shining, 
So boldly to bliss am I brought; 
I need bestir me right nought, 
I shall never fear pain or repining. 

<c>Good Angel 1
With all the wit that we wield we worship thy will, 
Thou glorious God that is ground of all grace; 
Aye steadfastly serving let us stand still, 
Lord, to be fed with the food of thy fair face. 
In life that is truly aye-lasting, 
Thy table aye sumptuously spread.
For whoso thy food may be tasting
And sees thy fair face, will not fast. 

<c>Lucifer
Ow, certes, what - I am worthily wrought with honour, iwis! 
For in a glorious glow I glitter and gleam; 
I am so mightily made, my joy may not fail -
Aye shall I bide in this bliss by the brightness of my beams. 
I need not seek troubles to fret me: 
I am Lord of all power; all bow at my name 
Above all you others boldly I set me, 
On height in the highest of heaven. 
There shall I seat myself full seemly to be seen, 
To reserve my reverence through right of renown; 
I shall be like unto him that is highest on high. 
Ow, what I am worthy and wise -
<d>[He sits on God’s throne; he and the bad angels are immediately transformed into devils
Ow! The Devil! All goes down! 
My might and my majesty are all marred! 
Help, fellows! In faith, I am fallen. 

<c>Bad Angel 2
From heaven are we hurled in a torrent, 
To woe are we wending, I warrant. 

<c>Lucifer
Out! Out! Harrow! Helpless, so hot it is here; 
This is a dungeon of dole to which I am dight. 
Where are my kin, that were comely and clear? 
Now am I most loathsome, that ere was light.
My brightness is blackness and blue now, 
My sin is aye searing and burning 
Where each one goes howling and hurling. 
Out! Ay welaway! I dwell ever in woe now. 

<c>Bad Angel/Devil 2
Out! Out! I go mad for woe, my wits are all marred now, 
All we find for our food is but filth, at our feet meanly tossed. 
We that were bathed in bliss, in pain are we burned now - 
Out on thee Lucifer, lurdan, our light has thou lost. 
Thy deeds to this dole now has brought us, 
It was thou who sped us to slaughter, 
For thou was our light and our leader, 
That thou wast the highest of heaven you taught us. 

<c>Lucifer
Welaway! Woe is me! Woe far worse than it was. 
You have no cause to chide me - I spoke but a thought. 

<c>Bad Angel/Devil 1
Wey, lurdan, thou lost us. 

<c>Lucifer
You lie! Out, alas!
I wist not this woe would be wrought. 
Out on you, lurdans, you smother me in smoke. 

<c>Bad Angel/Devil 2
This woe has thou done us. 

<c>Lucifer
You lie, you lie! 

<c>Bad Angel/Devil 1
You lie, and for that you shall pay: 
Wey, lurdan, have at you, take that!
<d>[They disappear into hell, fighting

<c>Good Angel 1
Ah, Lord, loved be thy name that us this light lent, 
Since Lucifer our leader is fallen so low, 
For his disobedience in hell to be burnt - 
Thy righteousness to reward with rue
Each work after is wrought-
Through grace of thy merciful might
The cause I see it in sight, 
Wherefore to bale he is brought. 

<c>God
Those fools for their beauty in fantasies fell, 
And had mock of my might that marked them and made them. 
Thus for their wicked works, in woe shall they dwell. 
For some are fallen into filth that shall ever befoul them, 
Never shall they have grace for to gird them. 
So puissant in power they thought them, 
They would not me worship that wrought them; 
Henceforth shall my wrath ever go with them.
And all that me worship shall dwell here, iwis; 
To bring forth more of my work, work now I will. 

<d>[Music/tableau of rest of creation

In heaven and earth duly by dint
Of five days work, even onto end, 
All is complete by courses clean; 
Methinks the space of them well spent. 
In heaven are angels fair and bright, 
Stars and planets their courses to go, 
The moon does service unto the night 
The sun to light the day also.
In earth is trees and grass to spring, 
Beasts and fowls, both great and small, 
Fishes in flood, all other thing 
Thrive and have my blessing all. 
This work is wrought now at my will, 
But yet can I here no beast see 
That accords by kind and skill, 
And for my work might worship me. 
A skilful beast then will I make 
After my shape and my likeness, 
The which shall worship to me take.
Of the simplest part of earth that is here
I shall make man.

Rise up, thou earth, in blood and bone, 
In shape of man, I command thee. 
A female shall thou have as friend, 
Her shall I make of thy left rib, 
Take now here the breath of life 
And receive both your souls of me; 
This female take thou to thy wife, 
Adam and Eve your names shall be. 

<c>Adam
Ah, lord, full mickle is thy might 
And that is seen in on every side
For now his here a joyful sight 
To see this world so large and wide. 
Many diverse things now here is, 
Of beasts and fowls, both wild and tame; 
Yet is none made to thy likeness 
But we alone - Ah, loved be thy name. 

<c>Eve 
To such a lord in all degree
Be evermore lasting praise, 
That to us such a dignity 
Has given before all other thing; 
And suchlike things may we see here 
Of this very world so large and broad, 
With beasts and fowls so many and more; 
Blessed be he that has us made. 

<c>Adam
Ah, blessed Lord, now by thy skill 
Since we were wrought, vouchsafe to tell
And also say to us thy will: 
What we shall do and where to dwell? 

<c>God
For this skill made I you this day, 
My name to worship ay-where; 
Love me, from hence, and love me ay 
For my making, I ask no more. 
Both wise and witty shall thou be, 
As man that I have made of nought; 
Lordship in earth then grant I thee, 
All things to serve thee that I have wrought.
In paradise shall you together go, 
Of earthly thing get you no need, 
Ill and good both shall you know, 
I shall you learn your life to lead. 

<c>Adam
Ah, lord, since we shall do no thing 
But love thee for thy great goodness, 
We shall aye bow to thy bidding 
And fulfil it, both more and less.

<c>Eve
His sign since he has on us set 
Before all other thing certain, 
Him for to love we shall not let 
And worship him with might and main. 

<c>God
At heaven and earth first I began 
And six days wrought ere I would rest; 
My work is ended now with man, 
All likes me well, but this is best. 
My blessing have they ever and aye. 
The seventh day shall my resting be, 
Thus will I cease, soothly to say, 
Of my doing in this degree. 
To bliss I shall you bring, 
Come forth, you two, with me; 
You shall live in liking 
My blessing with you be. Amen.
<d>[God leads Adam and Eve to Paradise

<c>God
Adam and Eve, this is the place
That I have granted you of my grace 
To have your dwelling in. 
Herbs, spice, fruit on tree, 
Beasts, fowls, all that ye see 
Shall bow to you, great and small. 
This place hight paradise, 
Here shall your joys begin; 
And if that ye be wise, 
From this place shall ye never part.
Adam

<c>O lord, loved be thy name, 
For now is this a joyful home 
That thou has brought us to, 
Full of mirth and solace sweet, 
Herbs and trees, fruit and meat, 
With spices many and more. 
Lo, Eve, now are we brought 
Both unto rest and rue, 
We need to take no thought, 
But look aye well to do.

<c>Eve
Loving be aye to such a lord, 
To us has given so great reward 
To govern both great and small, 
And made us after his own read, 
We love thee, most of might, 
Great God, that we on call. 

<c>God
Love my name with good intent 
And harken to my commandment, 
And do my bidding buxomly: 
Of all the fruit in paradise, 
Take ye thereof of your best wise 
And make you right merry. 

The tree of good and ill, 
What time you eat of this 
Thou speeds thyself to spill, 
And be brought out of bliss. 
In earth I make thee lord of all, 
And beast unto thee shall be thrall, 
Thy kind shall multiply. 
Therefore this tree alone, 
Adam, this out-take I; 
The fruit of it touch none,
For an ye do, then shall ye die. 

<c>Adam
Alas lord, that we should do so ill, 
Thy blessed bidding we shall fulfil 
Both in thought and deed; 
We shall not touch this tree,nor the bough,
Nor yet the fruit that thereon grows 
Therewith our flesh to feed. 

<c>Eve
We shall do thy bidding, 
We have no other need; 
This fruit full still shall hang, 
Lord, that thou has forbid. 

<c>God
Look that ye do as ye have said. 
Henceforth this tree that I out-take, 
Now keep it safely for my sake, 
That nothing comes it near; 
All other at your willl shall be, 
I out-take nothing but this tree, 
To fill you hearts with fear. 
Here shall ye lead your life 
With dainties that are dear; 
Adam, and Eve thy wife, 
My blessing have ye here.
<d>[God retires out of sight

<c>Lucifer
For woe my wit is in a war
That muffs me mickel in my mind; 
The Godhead that I saw so clear, 
Who promised that he should take kind 
Of a degree 
That he had wrought, and I disdained 
That angel kind should it not be; 
And we were fair and bright, 
Therefore me thought that he 
Our kind to him take might.
And it offended me 
The kind of man he thought to take, 
And therat had I great envy. 
But he has made to him a make, 
And hard to her I will me hie 
That ready way, 
That purpose prove to put it by, 
And make to pluck from him that prey. 
My travail were well set
Might I him so betray, 
His liking for to let, 
And soon I shall assay. 
In a worm's likeness will I wend, 
And falsely feign a wicked lie.
<d>[Tranforms into a serpent and appraoches Eve
Eve, Eve. 

<c>Eve
What is there? 

<c>Lucifer
I, a friend. 
And for thy good is to thee come 
I hither sought. 
Of all the fruit that ye see hang 
In paradise, why eat you not? 

<c>Eve
We may of them each one
Take all that we good thought, 
Save one tree out is taken, 
It would do harm to eat it ought. 

<c>Lucifer
And why that tree, that would I wot, 
Any more than all other by? 

<c>Eve
For our lord God forbids us it, 
The fruit thereof, Adam nor I 
To come it near; 
And if we did we both should die, 
He said, and cease our solace here. 

<c>Lucifer
Aha, Eve, to me take tent; 
Take heed and thou shalt hear 
What that the matter meant 
He moved on that manner. 
To eat thereof he you defends  
(I know it well, this was his skill)   
Because he would none other kenned 
These great virtues that are his still. 
For will thou see, 
Who eats the fruit of good and ill
Shall have knowing as well as he. 

<c>Eve
Why, what kind of thing art thou
That tells this tale to me? 

<c>Lucifer
A worm, that woteth well how 
That thou may worshipped be. 

<c>Eve
What worship should we win thereby? 
To eat thereof us needeth it nought, 
We have Lordship to have mastery
Of all thing that in earth is wrought. 

<c>Lucifer
Woman, do way! 
To greater state ye may be brought 
If ye will do as I shall say. 

<c>Eve
To do is us full loathe 
That should our God mis-pay.

<c>Lucifer
Nay, certes it is no lie, 
Eat it safely ye may. 
For peril right therein none lies, 
But worship and a great winning, 
For right as God ye shall be wise
And peer to him in everything. 
Ay, Gods shall ye be, 
Of ill and good to have knowing, 
For to be as wise as he. 
Eve
Is this sooth that thou says? 

<c>Lucifer
Ye, why trowest thou not me?
I tell naught but truth to thee. 

<c>Eve
Than will I to thy teaching trust 
And fetch this fruit unto our food. 

<c>Lucifer
Bite on boldly, be not abashed, 
And bid Adam to amende his mood 
And eke his bliss. 

<c>Eve
<d>[She eats and takes the apple to Adam
Adam, have here of fruit full good.

<c>Adam
Alas woman, why took thou this? 
Our Lord commanded us both
To tend that tree of his. 
Thy work will make him wrath - 
Alas, thou hast done amiss. 

<c>Eve
Nay Adam, grieve thee nought thus so, 
And I shall say the reason why.
A worm has done me for to know 
We shall be as Gods, thou and I, 
If that we eat 
Here of this tree; Adam, therefore 
Fear not that worship for to get.
For we shall be as wise
As God that is so great,
And as mickle of price; 
Therefore, eat of this meat. 

<c>Adam
To eat it would I not eschew 
Might I me trust in thy saying. 

<c>Eve
Bite on boldly, for it is true, 
We shall be Gods and know all-thing. 

<c>Adam
To win that name 
I shall it taste at thy teaching.
<d>[He eats the apple 
Alas, what have I done, for shame! 
Ill counsel, woe worth thee! 
Ah, Eve, thou art to blame, 
To this enticed thou me -
I am shamed at my body, 
For I am naked as methink. 

<c>Eve
Alas Adam, right so am I.

<c>Adam
And for sorrow sere why may not we sink, 
For we have grieved God almighty 
That made me man - 
Broken his bidding bitterly.
Alas that ever we it began. 
This work, Eve, hast thou wrought, 
And made this bad bargain. 

<c>Eve
Nay Adam, blame me not. 

<c>Adam
Do way, dear Eve, who then? 

<c>Eve
The worm to blame well worthy were, 
With tales untrue he me betrayed. 

<c>Adam
Alas, that I listened to thy lore
Or trowed the trifles that thou me said. 
Our bodies do me shame most sore, 
Wherewith they shall be hid. 

<c>Eve
Let us take these fig-leaves, 
Since it is thus betide. 

<c>Adam
Right as thou says so shall it be,
For we are naked and all bare; 
Full wonder fain I would hide me
From my Lord’s sight,

<c>God
Adam, Adam. 

<c>Adam
Lord. 

<c>God
Where art thou, there? 

<c>Adam
I hear thee Lord, and see thee not.

<c>God
Say, Adam tell me now, 
This work why hast thou wrought? 

<c>Adam
Lord, Eve led me do wrong 
And to that brag me brought. 

<c>God
Say, Eve, why hast thou made thy make 
Eat fruit I bad thee should hang still, 
And commanded none of it to take? 

<c>Eve
A worm, Lord, enticed me thereto; 
So welaway, 
That ever I did that deed so ill. 

<c>God
Ah, wicked worm, woe worth thee aye
For thou on this manner 
Hast made them such affray; 
My malediction have thou here 
With all the might I may. 
And on thy womb then shall thou glide,
And be aye full of enmity
To all mankind on every side, 
And earth it shall thy sustenance be 
To eat and drink. 
Adam and Eve also, yea 
In earth then shall ye sweat and swink, 
And travail for your food. 

<c>Adam
Alas, that we should sink, 
We that had all the world’s good 
Most wretched now us think. 

<c>God
Now Cherubin, my angel bright, 
To middle-earth straight go drive these two. 

<c>Angel
All ready lord, as it is right, 
Since thy will is that it be so, 
And thy liking. 
Adam and Eve, do you to go, 
For here may you make no dwelling; 
Go ye forth fast to fare, 
Of sorrow may ye sing.

<c>Adam
Alas, for sorrow and care 
Our hands may we wring.