From Stage to Page - Medieval and Renaissance Drama
The Towneley Cycle, Play 25 - The Deliverance of Souls (Extraccio Animarum)
001 Jesus. My fader me from blys has send
002 Till erth for mankynde sake,
003 Adam mys forto amend,
004 My deth nede must I take.
005 I dwellyd ther thryrty yeres and two,
006 And somdele more, the sothe to say;
007 In anger, pyne, and mekyll wo,
008 I dyde on cros this day.
009 Therfor till hell now Will I go,
010 To chalange that is myne;
011 Adam, eue, and othere mo,
012 Thay shall no longer dwell in pyne.
013 The feynde theym wan With trayn,
014 Thrugh fraude of earthly fode,
015 I haue theym boght agan
016 With shedyng of my blode.
017 And now I will that stede restore,
018 Which the feynde fell fro for syn;
019 Som tokyn will I send before,
020 With myrth to gar thare gammes begyn.
021 A light I will thay haue
022 To know I will com sone;
023 My body shall abyde in graue
024 Till all this dede be done.
025 Adam. My brether, herkyn vnto me here!
026 More hope of helth neuer we had;
027 Fower thowsand and sex hundreth yere
028 Haue we bene here in darknes stad;
029 Now se I tokyns of solace sere,
030 A gloryous gleme to make vs glad,
031 Wher thrugh I hope that help is nere,
032 That sone shall slake oure sorowes sad.
033 Eve. Adam, my husband heynd,
034 This menys solace certan;
035 Sich light can on vs leynd
036 In paradyse full playn.
037 Isaiah. Adam, thrugh thi syn
038 Here were we put to dwell,
039 This wykyd place within;
040 The name of it is hell;
041 Here paynes shall neuer blyn,
042 That wykyd ar and fell.
043 Loue that lord with wyn,
044 His lyfe for vs wold sell.
045 Adam, thou well vnderstand
046 I am Isaias, so crist me kende.
047 I spake of folke in darknes walkand,
048 I saide a light shuld, on theym lende;
049 This light is all from crist commande
050 That he till vs has hedir sende,
051 Thus is my poynt proved in hand,
052 As I before to fold, it kende.
053 Simeon. So may I tell of farlys feyll,
054 Ffor in the tempyll his freyndys me fande,
055 Me thoght daynteth with hym to deyll,
056 I halsid hym homely with my hand;
057 I saide, lord, let thi seruandys leyll
058 Pas in peasse to lyf lastande;
059 Now that myn eeyn has sene thyn hele
060 No longer lyst I lyf in lande.
061 This light thou has purvayde
062 Ffor theym that lyf in lede;
063 That I before of the haue saide
064 I se it is fulfillyd in dede.
065 John the Baptist. As a voce cryand I kend
066 The wayes of crist, as I well can;
067 I baptised hym with both myn hende
068 In the water of flume Iordan;
069 The holy gost from heuen discende
070 As a white dowfe downe on me than;
071 The fader voyce, oure myrthes to amende,
072 Was made to me lyke as a man;
073 "[yond is my son,"] he saide,
074 "[and which me pleasses full well,"]
075 His light is on vs layde,
076 And commys oure karys to kele.
077 Moyses. Now this same nyght lernyng haue I,
078 To me, moyses, he shewid his myght,
079 And also to anothere oone, hely,
080 Where we stud on a hill on hyght;
081 As whyte as snaw was his body,
082 His face was like the son for bright,
083 Noman on mold, was so myghty
084 Grathly durst loke agans that light;
085 And that same light here se I now
086 Shynyng on vs, certayn,
087 Where thrugh truly I trow
088 That we shall sone pas from this payn.
089 Ribald. Sen fyrst that hell was mayde / And I was put therin,
090 Sich sorow neuer ere I had, / nor hard I sich a dyn;
091 My hart begynnys to brade / my wytt waxys thyn,
092 I drede we can not be glad / thise saules mon fro vs twyn.
093 How, belsabub! bynde thise boys, / sich harow was neuer hard in hell.
094 Belzebub. Out, rybald! thou rores, / what is betyd? can thou oght tell?
095 Ribald. Whi, herys thou not this vgly noyse?
096 Thise lurdans that in lymbo dwell.
097 Thay make menyng of many Ioyse,
098 And Muster myrthes theym emell.
099 Belzebub. Myrth? nay, nay! that poynt is past,
100 More hope of helth shall thay neuer haue.
101 Ribald. They cry on crist full fast,
102 And says he shall theym saue.
103 Belzebub. Yee, though he do not, I shall,
104 Ffor they ar sparyd in specyall space;
105 Whils I am prynce and pryncypall
106 They shall neuer pas out of this place.
107 Call vp astarot and anaball
108 To gyf vs counsell in this case;
109 Bell, berith, and bellyall,
110 To mar theym that sich mastry mase.
111 Say to sir satan oure syre,
112 And byd hym bryng also
113 Sir lucyfer, lufly of lyre.
114 Ribald. All redy lord, I go.
115 Jesus. Attollite portas, principes, vestras & eleuamini porte eternales, &
116 Introibit rex glorie.
117 Ribald. Out, harro, out! what devill is he
118 That callys hym kyng ouer vs all?
119 Hark belzabub, com ne,
120 Ffor hedusly I hard hym call.
121 Belzebub. Go, spar the yates, yll mot thou the!
122 And, set the waches on the wall;
123 If that brodell com ne
124 With vs ay won he shall;
125 And if he more call or cry,
126 To make vs more debate,
127 Lay on hym hardely,
128 And make hym go his gate.
129 David. Nay, with hym may ye not fyght,
130 Ffor he is king and conqueroure,
131 And of so mekill myght,
132 And styf in euery stoure;
133 Of hym commys all this light
134 That shynys in this bowre;
135 He is full fers in fight,
136 Worthi to wyn honoure.
137 Belzebub. Honowre! harsto, harlot, for what dede?
138 Alle erthly men to me ar thrall;
139 That lad that thou callys lord, in lede
140 He had neuer harbor, house, ne hall.
141 How, sir sathanas! com nar
142 And hark this cursid rowte!
143 Sathanas. The devill you all to-har!
144 What ales the so to showte?
145 And me, if I com nar,
146 Thy brayn bot I bryst owte!
147 Belzebub. Thou must com help to spar,
148 We ar beseged, abowte.
149 Sathanas. Besegyd aboute! whi, who durst be so bold,
150 For drede to make on vs a fray?
151 Belzebub. It is the Iew that Iudas sold,
152 Ffor to be dede this othere day.
153 Sathanas. How! in tyme that tale was told,
154 That trature trauesses vs all-way;
155 He shalbe here full hard, in hold,
156 Bot loke he pas not, I the pray.
157 Belzebub. Pas! nay, nay, he will not weynde
158 Ffrom hens or it be war;
159 He shapys hym for to sheynd,
160 All hell or he go far.
161 Sathanas. Ffy, faturs! therof shall he fayll,
162 Ffor all his fare I hym defy;
163 I know his trantes fro top to tayll,
164 He lyffys by gawdys and, glory.
165 Therby he broght furth of oure bayll
166 The lath lazare of betany,
167 Bot to the Iues I gaf counsayll
168 That thay shuld, cause hym dy;
169 I enterd, ther into Iudas,
170 That forward to fulfyll,
171 Therfor his hyere he has,
172 All wayes to won here styll.
173 Ribald. Sir sathan, sen we here the say
174 Thou and the Iues were at assent,
175 And wote he wan the lazare away
176 That vnto vs was taken to tent,
177 Hopys thou that thou mar hym may
178 To Muster the malyce that he has ment?
179 Ffor and he refe vs now oure pray
180 We will ye witt or he is went.
181 Sathanas. I byd the noght abaste,
182 Bot boldly make you bowne,
183 With toyles that ye intraste,
184 And dyng that dastard downe.
185 Jesus. Attollite portas, principes, vestras, &c.
186 Ribald. Outt, harro! what harlot is he
187 That sayes his kyngdom shalbe cryde?
188 David. That may thou in sawter se,
189 For of this prynce thus ere I saide;
190 I saide that he shuld, breke
191 Youre barres and bandys by name,
192 And of youre warkys take wreke;
193 Now shall thou se the same.
194 Jesus. Ye prynces of hell open youre yate,
195 And let my folk furth gone;
196 A prynce of peasse shall enter therat
197 Wheder ye will or none.
198 Ribald. What art thou that spekys so?
199 Jesus. A kyng of blys that hight ihesus.
200 Ribald. Yee, hens fast I red thou go,
201 And mell the not with vs.
202 Belzebub. Oure yates I trow will last,
203 Thay ar so strong I weyn;
204 Bot if oure barres brast,
205 Ffor the they shall not twyn.
206 Jesus. This stede shall stand, no longer stokyn;
207 Open vp, and, let my pepill pas.
208 Ribald. Out, harro! oure bayll is brokyn,
209 And brusten ar all oure bandys of bras!
210 Belzebub. Harro! oure yates begyn to crak!
211 In sonder, I trow, they go,
212 And hell, I trow, will all to-shak;
213 Alas, what I am wo!
214 Ribald. Lymbo is lorne, alas!
215 Sir sathanas com vp;
216 This wark is wars then it was.
217 Sathanas. Yee, hangyd be thou on a cruke!
218 Thefys, I bad ye shuld, be bowne,
219 If he maide mastres more,
220 To dyng that dastard, downe,
221 Sett hym both sad and sore.
222 Belzebub. To sett hym sore, that is sone saide!
223 Com thou thi self and serue hym so;
224 We may not abyde his bytter brayde,
225 He wold vs mar and we were mo.
226 Sathanas. Ffy, fature! wherfor were ye flayd?
227 Haue ye no force to flyt hym fro?
228 Loke in haste my gere be grayd,
229 My self shall to that gadlyng go.
230 How! thou belamy, abyde,
231 With all thi boste and beyr!
232 And tell me in this tyde
233 What mastres thou makys here.
234 Jesus. I make no mastry bot for myne;
235 I will theym saue, that shall the sow;
236 Thou has no powere theym to pyne,
237 Bot in my pryson for thare prow
238 Here haue they soriornyd, noght as thyne,
239 Bot in this wayrd, thou wote as how.
240 Sathanas. Why, were has thou bene ay syn,
241 That neuer wold negh theym nere or now?. Jesus. Now is the tyme certan
242 My fader ordand her for,
243 That thay shuld, pas fro payn,
244 In blys to dwell for euermore.
245 Sathanas. Thy fader knew I well by syght,
246 He was a wright, his meett to wyn;
247 Mary, me mynnys, thi moder hight,
248 The vtmast ende of all thy kyn;
249 Say who made the so mekill of myght?
250 Jesus. Thou wykyd feynde, lett be thi dy[n]!
251 My fader wonnes in heuen on hight,
252 In blys that neuer shall blyn;
253 I am his oonly son, / his forward, to fulfyll,
254 Togeder will we won, / In sonder when we wyll.
255 Sathanas. Goddys son! nay, then myght thou be glad,
256 For no catell thurt the craue;
257 Bot thou has lyffyd ay lyke a lad,
258 In sorow, and as a sympill knaue.
259 Jesus. That was for the hartly luf I had
260 Vnto mans saull, it forto saue,
261 And forto make the masyd and mad,
262 And for that reson rufully to rafe.
263 My godhede here I hyd
264 In mary, moder myne,
265 Where it shall neuer by kyd
266 To the ne none of thyne.
267 Sathanas. How now? this wold I were told, in towne;
268 Thou says god is thi syre;
269 I shall the prove by good reson
270 Thou moyttys as man dos into myre.
271 To breke thi byddyng they were full bowne,
272 And soyn they wroght at my desyre;
273 Ffrom paradise thou putt theym downe,
274 In hell here to haue thare hyre;
275 And thou thy self, by day and nyght,
276 Taght euer all men emang,
277 Euer to do reson and right,
278 And here thou wyrkys all wrang.
279 Jesus. I wyrk no wrang, that shall thou wytt,
280 If I my men fro wo will wyn;
281 My prophetys playnly prechyd it,
282 All the noytys that I begyn;
283 They saide that I shuld be that ilke
284 In hell where I shuld intre in,
285 To saue my seruandys fro that pytt
286 Where dampnyd saullys shall syt for syn.
287 And ilke true prophete tayll
288 Shalbe fulfillid, in me;
289 I haue thaym boght fro bayll,
290 In blis now shall they be.
291 Sathanas. Now sen thou lyst to legge the lawes,
292 Thou shalbe tenyd or we twyn,
293 Ffor those that thou to witnes drawes
294 Ffull euen agans the shall begyn;
295 As salamon saide in his sawes,
296 Who that ones commys hell within
297 He shall neuer owte, as clerkys knawes,
298 Therfor, belamy, let be thy dyn.
299 Iob thi seruande also
300 In his tyme can tell
301 That nawder freynde nor fo
302 Shall fynde relese in hell.
303 Jesus. He sayde full soyth, that shall thou se,
304 In hell shalbe no relese,
305 Bot of that place then ment he
306 Where synfull care shall euer encrese.
307 In that bayll ay shall thou be,
308 Where sorowes seyr shall neuer sesse,
309 And my folke that were most fre
310 Shall pas vnto the place of peasse;
311 Ffor they were here with my will,
312 And so thay shall furth weynde;
313 Thou shall thiself fulfyll
314 Euer wo withoutten ende.
315 Sathanas. Whi, and will thou take theym all me fro?
316 Then thynk me thou art vnkynde;
317 Nay, I pray the do not so;
318 Vmthynke the better in thy mynde;
319 Or els let me with the go,
320 I pray the leyffe me not behynde!
321 Jesus. Nay, tratur, thou shall won in wo,
322 And till a stake I shall the bynde.
323 Sathanas. Now here I how thou menys emang,
324 With mesure and malyce forto mell;
325 Bot sen thou says it shalbe lang,
326 Yit som let all-wayes with vs dwell.
327 Jesus. Yis, wytt thou well, els were greatt wrang;
328 Thou shall haue caym that slo abell,
329 And all that hastys theym self to hang,
330 As dyd Iudas and architophell;
331 And daton and abaron / and all of thare assent,
332 Cursyd tyranttys euer ilkon / that me and myn tormente.
333 And all that will not lere my law,
334 That I haue left in land, for new,
335 That makys my commyng knaw,
336 And all my sacramentys persew;
337 My deth, my rysyng, red by raw,
338 Who trow thaym not thay ar vntrewe;
339 Vnto my dome I shall theym draw,
340 And Iuge theym wars then and Iew.
341 And thay that lyst to lere / my law, and lyf therby,
342 Shall neuer haue harmes here, / bot welth as is worthy.
343 Sathanas. Now here my hand, I hold, me payde,
344 Thise poyntys ar playnly for my prow;
345 If this be trew that thou has saide,
346 We shall haue mo then we haue now;
347 Thies lawes that thou has late here laide,
348 I shall theym lere not to alow;
349 If thay myn take thay ar betraide,
350 And I shall turne theym tytt I trow.
351 I shall walk eest, I shall walk west,
352 And gar theym wyrk well war.
353 Jesus. Nay feynde, thou shalbe feste,
354 That thou shall flyt no far.
355 Sathanas. Ffeste? fy! that were a wykyd treson!
356 Belamy, thou shalbe smytt.
357 Jesus. Devill, I commaunde the to go downe
358 Into thi sete where thou shall syt.
359 Sathanas. Alas, for doyll and care!
360 I synk into hell pyt!
361 Ribald. Sir sathanas, so saide I are,
362 Now shall thou haue a fytt.
363 Jesus. Com now furth, my childer all,
364 I forgyf you youre mys;
365 With me now go ye shall
366 To Ioy and endles blys.
367 Adam. Lord, thou art full mekyll of myght,
368 That mekys thiself on this manere,
369 To help vs all as thou had vs hight,
370 When both forfett I and my fere;
371 Here haue we dwelt withoutten light
372 Fower thousand and sex hundreth yere;
373 Now se we by this solempne sight
374 Now that thi mercy makys vs dere.
375 Eve. Lord, we were worthy / more tornamentys to tast;
376 Thou help vs lord with thy mercy / as thou of myght is mast.
377 John the Baptist. Lord, I loue the inwardly,
378 That me wold, make thi messyngere,
379 Thi commyng in erth to cry,
380 And tech thi fayth to folk in fere;
381 Sythen before the forto dy,
382 To bryng theym bodword that be here,
383 How thay shuld haue thi help in hy,
384 Now se I all those poyntys appere.
385 Moyses. Dauid, thi prophete trew,
386 Oft tymes told, vnto vs,
387 Of thi commyng he knew,
388 And saide it shuld, be thus.
389 David. As I saide ere yit say I so,
390 "[ne derelinquas, domine,
391 Animam meam in inferno;"]
392 "[leyfe neuer my saull, lord, after the,
393 In depe hell wheder dampned, shall go;
394 Suffre thou neuer thi sayntys to se
395 The sorow of thaym that won in wo,
396 Ay full of fylth, and may not fle."]
397 Moyses. Make myrth both more and les,
398 And loue oure lord we may,
399 That has broght vs fro bytternes
400 In blys to abyde for ay.
401 Isaiah. Thefor now let vs syng
402 To loue oure lord ihesus;
403 Vnto his blys he will vs bryng,
404 Te deum laudamus.
405
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Proper Citation: NeCastro, Gerard. The Towneley Cycle, Play 25 - The Deliverance of Souls (Extraccio Animarum). From Stage to Page - Medieval and Renaissance Drama. http://www.umm.maine.edu/faculty/necastro/drama. Date Visited.