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EVERYMAN AMD MEDIEVAL MIRACLE PLAYS

Everyman. Good Deeds, your counsel I pray you give me.

Good Deeds. That shall I do verily;

Though that on my feet I may not go,

I have a sister that shall with you also,

Called Knowledge, which shall with you abide,

To help you to make that dreadful reckoning.

[Enter Knowledge]

Knowledge. Everyman, I will go with thee, and be thy guide,

In thy most nced to go by thy side.

Everytnan. In good condition I am now in every thing,

, And am wliolly content with this good thing,

Thanked be God my creator.

Good Deeds. And when she hath brought you thcre

Where thou shalt heal thee of thy smart,    pain

Then go you with your reckoning and your Good Deeds togcther,

a For to make you joyful at heart Before the blessed Trinity.

Everyman. My Good Deeds, gramercy!

I am well content, certainly,

With your words sweet.

5 Knowledge. Now go we together lovingly To Confession, that cleansing river.

Everyman. For joy I weep; I would we werc there!

But, I pray you, give mc cognition    knowledge

Where dwelleth that holy man, Confession. o Knowledge. In the house of salvation:

We shall find him in that place,

That shall us comfort, by God’s grace.

[Knowledge takes Everyman to Confession]

To, this is Confession. Knecl down and ask mercy,

For he is in good conceit with God Almighty.    esteent

520 The nicaning of Knowledge here is ‘acknowlcdgment or recognition of sins.’

340 i.e. in the church.

545 Everytnan. O glorious fountain, that all uncleanness doth clarify,

Wash from me the spots of vice unclean,

That on me no sin may be seen.

I come with Knowledge for my redemption,

Redempt with heart and fuli contrition;

550 For I am commanded a pilgrimage to take,

And great accounts before God to make.

Now I pray you, Shrift, mother of salvation, confession Help my Good Deeds for my piteous excIamation. Confession. I know your sorrow well, Evcryman.

555 Because with Knowledge ye come to me,

I will you comfort as well as I can,

And a precious jewel I will give thee,

Called penance, voider of adversity;    expeller

Therewith shall your body chastised be,

560 With abstinence and perseverance in God’s service.

Here shall you receive that scourge of me,

Which is penance strong that ye must endure,

To remember thy Saviour was scourged for thee With sharp scourges, and suffered it patiently;

565 So must thou, erc thou scape that painful pilgrimage. Knowledge, keep him in this voyage,

And by that time Good Deeds will be with thee.

But in any wise be siker of mercy,    surę

For your time draweth fast; and ye will saved be,    if

570 Ask God mercy, and he will grant truły.

When with the scourge of penance man doth him himself bind,

The oil of forgiveness then shall he find.

Everyman. Thanked be God for his gracious worki For now I will my penance begin;

575 This hath rejoiced and lighted my heart,    lightened

Though the knots be painful and hard within.

Knowledge. Everyman, look your penance that ye fulfil,

What paiu that ever it to you be;    ,

549 Rcdccmcd by heartfelt and fuli contrition.

553 In answer to my piteous ery.

5G9 Draws ąuickly to an cnd.

576 Though the knots [of the scourge] be painful and hard to my body.