Home > Navigation > Text Groups > Drama > Morality Plays > Pride of Life > Specimen
001 [Prolocutor.] Pees, and herkynt hal ifer,
002 <Ric> and por, yong and hold,
003 Men and wemen žat bet her,
004 Bot lerit and leut, stout and bold.
005 Lordinge[s] and ladiis žat beth hende,
006 Herkenith al with mylde mode
007 <How ou>re gam schal gyn and ende.
008 Lorde us wel spede žat sched his blode!
009 Now stondith stil and beth hende,
010 <And ter>yith al for že weder,
011 <And> 3e schal or 3e hennis wende
012 Be glad žat 3e com hidir.
013 Here 3e schullin here spelle
014 Of mirth and eke of kare;
015 Herkenith and I wol 3ou telle
016 <How žis our gam> schal fare.
017 <Of že Kyng of> Lif I wol 3ou telle;
018 <He stondith> first biffore
019 <All men žat beth> of flessch and fel
020 <And of woman i>bore.
021 <He is, forsoth, ful> stronge to stond,
022 <And is> bycomin of kinge,
023 <3iveth> lawis in eche a londe,
024 <And nis> dradd of no thinge.
025 <In> pride and likinge his lif he ledith,
026 Lordlich he lokith with eye;
027 <Prin>ce and dukis, he seith, him dredith,
028 <He> dredith no deth for to deye.
029 <He> hath a lady louelich al at likinge,
030 Ne may he of no mirth mene ne misse;
031 He seith in swetnisse he wol set his likinge
032 And bringe his bale boun into blisse.
033 Knytis he hat cumlic
034 In bred and in leint;
035 Not I neuir non suc
036 Of stotey ney off strynt.
037 Wat helpit to yilp mucil of his mit
038 Or bost to mucil of his blys?
039 <For> sorou may sit on is sit
040 <And> myrt<h m>ay he not miss.
041 <Her ek is že> ladi of lond,
042 <že fa>inist a lord for to led;
043 <Glad> may he fort to stond
044 <And b>ehold žat blisful bled.
045 <ža>t ladi is lettrit in lor
046 As cumli becomit for a quen,
047 And munit hir mac euirmor,
048 As a dar for dred him to ten.
049 Ho bid him bewar or he smert,
050 <F>or in his lond Det wol alend;
051 <As> ho louit him gostlic in hert
052 <Ho b>it him bewar of his hend.
053 <Ho> begynit to charp of char
054 žes wordis wytout lesing:
055 "Det dot not spar
056 Knytis, cayser, ne kyng.
057 Nou lord, leu ži likynd
058 Wyc bryngit že soul gret bal."
059 žis answer ho had of že kyng;
060 "3e, žis a wommanis tal."
061 že kyng hit ne toke not to hert
062 For hit was a womanis spec
063 <And y>et hit mad him to smert
064 <W>an him mit help no lec.
065 <že> quen yit can hir undirstond
066 Wat help žar mit be,
067 And sent aftir že bicop of že lond
068 For he chout mor žan he.
069 He cham and precit al žat he couže,
070 And warnit him hal of his hind;
071 <H>it saurit not in že kyngis mout,
072 Bot hom he bad him wynd.
073 Wan že bicop is žan wend
074 Fram žat k[e]ne stryf
075 <To Det a me>ssenger žan send
076 <Hat> že Kyng of Lif.
077 <For he> him wold do undirston[d]
078 ,žat al> he may del and dit:
079 <He> wold cum into his ouin lond
080 On him to kyt his mit.
081 Deth comith, he dremith a dredfful dreme--
082 Welle a3te al carye;
083 And slow fader and moder and žen heme:
084 He ne wold none sparye.
085 Sone after hit befel žat Deth and Life
086 Beth togeder itaken;
087 And ginnith and striuith a sterne strife
088 [že] King of Life to wrake.
089 With him driuith adoun to grounde,
090 He dredith nothing his kni3tis;
091 And delith him depe dežis wounde
092 And kith on him his mi3tis.
093 Qwhen že body is doun ibro3t
094 že soule sorow awakith;
095 že bodyis pride is dere abo3t,
096 že soule že fendis takith.
097 And throgh priere od Oure Lady mylde
098 že soule and body schul dispyte;
099 Scho wol prey her son so mylde,
100 Al godenisse scho wol qwyte.
101 že cors žat nere knewe of care,
102 No more žen stone in weye,
103 Achal wit of sorow and sore care
104 And žrawe betwene ham tweye.
105 že soule žeron schal be weye
106 žat že fendis haue ika3te;
107 And Oure Lady schal žerfor preye
108 So žat with her he schal be lafte.
109 Vou beith in pes and beith hende,
110 And distourbith no3t oure place,
111 For žis oure game schal gin and ende
112 Throgh Jhesu Cristis swete grace.
112a REX VIUUS INCIPIET SIC DICENDUM:
113 Pes, now, 3e princis of powere so prowde,
114 3e kingis, 3e kempis, 3e kni3tis ikorne,
115 3e barons bolde, žat beith me abowte;
116 <Sem> schal 3u my sawe, swaynis i[s]worne.
117 Sqwieris stoute, stondit now stille,
118 And lestenith to my hestis, I hote 3u now her,
119 Or [I] schal wirch 3u wo with werkis of wil
120 And doun schal 3e drive, be 3e neuer so dere.
121 King ic am, kinde of kingis ikorre,
122 Al že worlde wide to welde al my wil;
123 Nas žer neuer no man of woman iborre
124 O3ein me withstonde žat I nold him spille.
125 Lordis of lond beith at my ledinge,
126 Al men schal abow in hal and in bowr;
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
127 [Regina.] Baldli žou art mi bot,
128 Tristili and ful treu;
129 Of al mi rast žou art rot,
130 I nil chong fer no new.
131 REX. Al in wel ic am biwent,
132 May no grisful žing me grou;
133 Likyng is wyt me bilent,
134 Alyng is it mi behou.
135 Strent and Hel, knytis kete,
136 [Douti], derrist in ded,
137 Lok žat for no žing 3e let
138 Smartli to me sped.
139 Bringit wyt 3ou brit brondis,
140 Helmis brit and schen;
141 For ic am lord ofir al londis
142 And žat is uel isen.
143 PRIMUS MILES, FORTITUDO. Lord, in truže žou mit trist
144 Fežfuli to stond
145 žou mit liu as že list,
146 For wonschildis žu fond.
147 Ic am Strent, stif and strong,
148 Neuar is suc non,
149 In al žis world brod and long,
150 Imad of blod and bon.
151 Hau no dout of no žing
152 žat euir may befal;
153 Ic am Streynt ži derling
154 Flour of knitis al.
155 SECUNDUS MILES, SANITAS. King of Lif, žat berist že croun,
156 As hit is skil and ri3te
157 I am Hele icom to toun,
158 ži kind curteyse kni3te.
159 žou art lord of lim and life,
160 And king withouten ende;
161 Stif and strong and sterne in strif,
162 In londe qwher žou wende.
163 žou nast no nede to sike sore
164 For no thing on lyue;
165 žou schal lyue euermore:
166 Qwho dar with že striue?
167 REX. Striue? Nay, to me qwho is so gode?
168 Hit were bot folye;
169 žer is no man žat me dur bode
170 Any vileynye.
171 Qwherof schuld I drede
172 Qwhen I am King of Life?
173 Ful evil schuld he spede
174 To me žat wro3t striue.
175 I schal lyue evermo
176 And croun ber as kynge;
177 I ne may neuer wit of wo,
178 I lyue at my likinge.
179 REGINA. Sire, žou saist as že liste,
180 žou liuist at ži wille;
181 Bot somthing žou miste,
182 And žerfor hold že stille.
183 Thinke, žou haddist beginninge
184 Qwhen žou were ibore;
185 And bot žou mak god endinge
186 ži sowle is forlore.
187 Loue God and Holy Chirche,
188 And haue of him som eye;
189 Fonde his werkis for to wirch
190 And thinke žat žou schal deye.
191 REX. Douce dam, qwhi seistou so?
192 žou spekis no3t as že sleye.
193 I schal lyue euermo
194 For bože two žin eye.
195 Woldistou žat I were dede
196 žat žou mi3t haue a new?
197 Hore, že deuil gird of ži hede
198 Bot žat worde schal že rewe!
199 REGINA. Dede, sire? Nay, God wote my wil,
200 žat ne kepte I no3te;
201 Hit wolde like me full ille
202 Were hit žareto bro3te.
203 <3et> žogh žou be kinge
204 Nede schalt haue ende;
205 Deth ouercomith al thinge
206 Hou-so-euer we wende.
207 REX. 3e, dam, žou hast wordis fale,
208 Hit comith že of kinde;
209 žis nis bot women tale,
210 And žat I wol že finde.
211 I ne schal neuer deye
212 For I am King of Life;
213 Deth is vndir myne eye
214 And žerfor leue ži strife.
215 žou dost bot mak myn hert sore,
216 For hit nel no3t helpe;
217 I prey že spek of him no more.
218 Qwhat wolte of him 3elpe?
219 REGINA. 3ilpe, sire? Ney, so mot I the;
220 I sigge hit no3t therfore,
221 Bot kinde techith bože že and me,
222 First qwhen we were bore,
223 For dowte of Dethis maistri,
224 To wepe and make sorowe;
225 Holy writ and prophecye
226 žerof I take to borowe.
227 žerfor, qwhile 3e have mi3te
228 And že worlde at willw,
229 I rede 3e serue God Almi3te
230 Bože loude and stille.
231 žis world is bot fantasye
232 And ful of trechurye;
233 Gode sire, for 3oure curteysye
234 Take žis for no folye.
235 For, God wot že sože,
236 I ne sey hit for no fabil;
237 Deth wol smyte to že,
238 In feith loke žou be stabil.
239 REX. Qwhat prechistou of Dethis mi3t
240 And of his maistrye?
241 He ne durst onis with me fi3t
242 For his bože eye.
243 Streinth and Hele, qwhat say 3e,
244 My kinde korin kni3tis?
245 Schal Deth be lord ouer me
246 And reue me of mi3tis?
247 I Miles. Mi lord, so brouke I my bronde,
248 God žat me forbede
249 žat Deth schold do že wronge
250 Qwhile I am in ži žede.
251 I wol withstonde him with strife
252 And make his sidis blede,
253 And tel him žat žou art King of Life
254 And lorde of londe and lede.
255 II MILES. May I him onis mete
256 With žis longe launce,
257 In felde ožer in strete,
258 I wol him 3iue mischaunce.
259 REX. 3e, žes be kni3tis of curteisye
260 And doghti men of dede;
261 Of Deth ne of his maistrie
262 Ne have I no drede.
263 Qwher is Mirth my messager,
264 Swifte so lefe on lynde?
265 He is a nobil bachelere
266 žat rennis bi že wynde.
267 Mirth and solas he can make
268 And ren so že ro;
269 Li3tly lepe oure že lake
270 Qwher-so-euer he go.
271 Com and her my talente
272 Anone and hy že blyue:
273 Qwher any man, as žou has wente,
274 Dorst with me to striue?
275 NUNCIUS. King of Lif and lord of londe,
276 As žou sittis on ži se
277 And florresschist with ži bri3t bronde,
278 To že I sit on kne.
279 I am Mirth, wel žou wost,
280 ži mery messagere;
281 žat wostou wel, withoute bost
282 žer nas neuer my pere
283 Do3tely to done a dede
284 žat 3e haue for to done,
285 Hen to Berewik upon Twede
286 And com o3ein ful sone;
287 žer is nothing že iliche
288 In al žis worlde wide;
289 Of gold and siluer and robis riche
290 And hei hors on to ryde.
291 I haue ben bože fer and nere
292 In bataile and in strife;
293 Ocke žer was neuer žy pere,
294 For žou art King of Life.
295 REX. Aha! Solas, now žou seist so,
296 žou miriest me in my mode;
297 žou schal, boy, ar žou hennis go
298 Be auaunsyd, bi že rode.
299 žou schal haue for ži gode wil
300 To žin auauncemente,
301 že castel of Gailispire on že Hil,
302 And že erldom of Kente.
303 Draw že cord, Sire Streynth,
304 Rest I wol now take;
305 On erth in brede ne leynth
306 Ne was nere 3et my make.
306a Et tunc clauso tentorio dicet Regina secrete nuncio:
307 REGINA. Messager, I pray že nowe
308 For ži curteysye,
309 Go to že bisschop, for ži prowe,
310 And byd him hydir to hye.
311 Bid him be ware before,
312 Sey him žat he most preche;
313 My lord že King is ney lore
314 Bot he wol be his leche.
315 Sey him žat he wol leue no3t
316 žat euer he schal deye;
317 He is in siche errour bro3te
318 Of God stont him non eye.
319 NUNCIUS. Madam, I make no tarying
320 With softe wordis mo;
321 For I am Solas, I most singe
322 Oueral qwher I go.
322a Et cantat.
323 Sire Bisschop, žou sittist on ži se
324 With ži mitir on ži heuede;
325 My lady že Qwen preyith že
326 Hit schold no3t be bileuyd.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
327 [Episcopus] že world is nou, so wo-lo-wo,
328 In suc bal ibound
329 žat dred of God is al ago
330 And treut is go to ground.
331 Med is mad a demisma[n],
332 Streyint betit že lau;
333 Geyl is mad a cepman
334 And truyt is don of dau.
335 Wyt is nou al trecri,
336 Ožis fals and gret;
337 Lou is nou al lecuri
338 And corteysi is let.
339 Play is nou uileni,
340 Cildrin bet onlerit,
341 Halliday is glotuny--
342 žis lauis bet irerit.
343 Slet men bet bleynd
344 And lokit al amis;
345 He bicomit onkynd
346 And žat is reut, iuis.
347 Frend may no man find
348 Of fremit ne of sib;
349 že ded bet out of mind,
350 Gret soru it is to lib.
351 žes ricmen bet reužyles,
352 že por got to ground,
353 And fals men bet schamles,
354 že sot ic hau ifound.
355 It is wrong že ric knyt
356 Al žat že por dot;
357 Far žat is sen day and nit
358 Wosa wol sig sot.
359 Paraventur men halt me a fol
360 To sig žat sot tal;
361 žai farit as ficis in a pol--
362 že gret eteit že smal.
363 Ricmen spart for no žing
364 To do že por wrong;
365 žai žingit not on hir ending
366 Ne on Det žat is so strong.
367 Nožir žai louit God ne dredit
368 Nožer him no his lauis;
369 Touart hel fast him spedit
370 Ayeins har ending-daus.
371 Bot God of his godnis
372 Yif ham gras to amend,
373 Into že delful derknys
374 že got wytout hend.
375 žer is dred and sorow
376 And wo wytoutin wel;
377 No man may ožir borou
378 Be žer neuir so fel.
379 žer ne fallit no maynpris,
380 Ne supersidias;
381 žay he be kyng or iustis,
382 He passit not že pas.
383 Lord, žat for his manhed
384 And also for his god,
385 žat for lou and not for dred
386 Deit oppon že rod,
387 Yif ou gras or lif to led
388 žat be 3our soulis to bot;
389 God of Heuin for his godhed
390 Leu žat hit so mot. Amen.
390a Tunc dicet regi:
391 Schir Kyng, žing uppon žin end
392 And hou žat žou schalt dey,
393 Wat uey žat žou schalt wend
394 Bot žou be bisey.
395 And eke žat žou art lenust man,
396 And haddist begyning,
397 And euirmor hau žout opon
398 ži dredful ending.
399 žou schalt žing žanne--
400 And mac že euir yar--
401 žat Det is not že man
402 For nožing že uil spar.
403 žou schalt do dedis of rit
404 And lernen Cristis lor,
405 And lib in heuin-lit
406 To sauy ži soul fro sor.
407 REX. Wat! bissop, byssop babler,
408 Schold y of Det hau dred?
409 žou art bot a chagler--
410 Go hom ži wey, I red.
411 Wat! com žou žerfor hidir
412 Wit Dež me to afer?
413 žat žou and he bot togidir
414 Into že se scot uer.
415 Go hom, God yif že sorow,
416 žou ureist me in my mod.
417 War woltou prec tomorou?
418 žou nost ner, bi že rod!
419 Troust žou I uold be ded
420 In mi 3yng lif?
421 žou lisst, screu, bolhed;
422 Euil mot žou t[h]riwe.
423 Wat schold I do at churg, wat?
424 Schir bisop, wostou er?
425 Nay, churc nis no wyl cat,
426 Hit wol abid žer.
427 I wool let car away,
428 And go on mi pleying.
429 To hontyng and to o[ž]ir play
430 For al ži long prechyng.
431 I am 3yng, as žou mit se,
432 And hau no ned to char
433 že wyle že Quen and <mi me>iné
434 About me bet yar.
435 EPISCOPUS. Thynk, Schir Kyng, one ožir trist--
436 žat tyng misst son.
437 žot žou leu nou as že list,
438 Det wol cum rit son,
439 And 3iue že dethis wounde
440 For žin outrage;
441 Within a litil stounde
442 žen artou but a page.
443 Qwhen žou art grauen on grene,
444 žer metis fleys and molde,
445 žen helpith litil, I wene,
446 ži gay croun of golde.
447 Sire Kyng, haue goday,
448 Crist I 3ou beteche.
449 REX. Fare wel, bisschop, ži way,
450 And lerne bet to preche.
450a Hic adde
451 Nou, mafay, hit schal be sene,
452 I trow, 3it to-daye,
453 Qwher Deth me durst tene
454 And mete in že waye.
455 Qwher artou, my messagere,
456 Solas bi ži name?
457 Loke žat žou go fer and nere,
458 As žou wolt haue no blame,
459 My banis for to crye
460 By dayis and bi ni3te;
461 And loke žat žou aspye,
462 3e, bi al ži mi3te,
463 Of Deth and of his maistrye
464 Qwher he durst com in si3te,
465 O3eynis me and my meyné
466 With force and armis to fi3te.
467 Loke žat žou go both est and west
468 And com o3eyne anone;
469 NUNCIUS. Lorde, to wende I am prest,
470 Lo, now I am gone.
470a Et eat pla<team>
471 Pes and listenith to my sawe,
472 Bože 3onge and olde;
473 As 3e wol no3t ben aslawe
474 Be 3e neuer so bolde.
475 I am a messager isente
476 From že Kyng of Life;
477 žat 3e schal fulfil his talente
478 On peyne of lym and lif.
479 His hestis to hold and his lawe
480 Vche a man on honde;
481 Lest 3e be henge and todraw,
482 Or kast in hard bonde.
483 3e wittin wel žat he is king
484 And lord of al londis,
485 Kepere and maister of al thing
486 Within se and sondis.
487 I am sente for to enquer
488 Oboute ferre and nere,
489 3if any man dar werre arere
490 A3ein sucha bachelere.
491 To wrožer hele he was ibore
492 žat wold with hym stryue;
493 Be him sikir he is ilore
494 As here in žis lyue,
495 žegh hit wer že King of Deth
496 And he so hardy were;
497 Bot he ne hath mi3t ne meth
498 že King of Lif to afere;
499 Be he so hardy or so wode
500 In his londe to aryue,
501 He wol se his herte-blode
502 And he with hym stryue.
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