The Deliverance of Souls

Jesus
My fader me from blys has send
Till erth for mankynde sake,
Adam mys forto amend,
My deth nede must I take.
I dwellyd ther thryrty yeres and two,
And somdele more, the sothe to say;
In anger, pyne, and mekyll wo,
I dyde on cros this day.
Therfor till hell now Will I go,
To chalange that is myne;
Adam, eue, and othere mo,
Thay shall no longer dwell in pyne.
The feynde theym wan With trayn,
Thrugh fraude of earthly fode,
I haue theym boght agan
With shedyng of my blode.
And now I will that stede restore,
which the feynde fell fro for syn;
Som tokyn will I send before,
with myrth to gar thare gammes begyn.
A light I will thay haue
To know I will com sone;
My body shall abyde in graue
Till all this dede be done.

Adam
My brether, herkyn vnto me here!
More hope of helth neuer we had;
Fower thowsand and sex hundreth yere
haue we bene here in darknes stad;
Now se I tokyns of solace sere,
A gloryous gleme to make vs glad,
Wher thrugh I hope that help is nere,
That sone shall slake oure sorowes sad.

Eve
Adam, my husband heynd,
This menys solace certan;
Sich light can on vs leynd
In paradyse full playn.

Isaiah
Adam, thrugh thi syn
here were we put to dwell,
This wykyd place within;
The name of it is hell;
here paynes shall neuer blyn,
That wykyd ar and fell.
loue that lord with wyn,
his lyfe for vs wold sell.
Adam, thou well vnderstand
I am Isaias, so crist me kende.
I spake of folke in darknes walkand,
I saide a light shuld, on theym lende;
This light is all from crist commande
That he till vs has hedir sende,
Thus is my poynt proved in hand,
as I before to fold, it kende.

Simeon
So may I tell of farlys feyll,
ffor in the tempyll his freyndys me fande,
Me thoght daynteth with hym to deyll,
I halsid hym homely with my hand;
I saide, lord, let thi seruandys leyll
pas in peasse to lyf lastande;
Now that myn eeyn has sene thyn hele
no longer lyst I lyf in lande.
This light thou has purvayde
ffor theym that lyf in lede;
That I before of the haue saide
I se it is fulfillyd in dede.

John the Baptist
As a voce cryand I kend
The wayes of crist, as I well can;
I baptised hym with both myn hende
in the water of flume Iordan;
The holy gost from heuen discende
As a white dowfe downe on me than;
The fader voyce, oure myrthes to amende,
Was made to me lyke as a man;
"yond is my son," he saide,
"and which me pleasses full well,"
his light is on vs layde,
and commys oure karys to kele.

Moyses
Now this same nyght lernyng haue I,
to me, moyses, he shewid his myght,
And also to anothere oone, hely,
where we stud on a hill on hyght;
As whyte as snaw was his body,
his face was like the son for bright,
Noman on mold, was so myghty
grathly durst loke agans that light;
And that same light here se I now
shynyng on vs, certayn,
where thrugh truly I trow
that we shall sone pas from this payn.

Ribald
Sen fyrst that hell was mayde / And I was put therin,
Sich sorow neuer ere I had, / nor hard I sich a dyn;
My hart begynnys to brade / my wytt waxys thyn,
I drede we can not be glad / thise saules mon fro vs twyn.
how, belsabub! bynde thise boys, / sich harow was neuer hard in hell.

Belzebub
Out, rybald,! thou rores, / what is betyd? can thou oght tell?

Ribald
whi, herys thou not this vgly noyse?
thise lurdans that in lymbo dwell.
Thay make menyng of many Ioyse,
and Muster myrthes theym emell.

Belzebub
Myrth? nay, nay! that poynt is past,
more hope of helth shall thay neuer haue.

Ribald
They cry on crist full fast,
And says he shall theym saue.

Belzebub
yee, though he do not, I shall,
ffor they ar sparyd in specyall space;
whils I am prynce and pryncypall
they shall neuer pas out of this place.
Call vp astarot and anaball
To gyf vs counsell in this case;
Bell, berith, and bellyall,
To mar theym that sich mastry mase.
Say to sir satan oure syre,
and byd hym bryng also
Sir lucyfer, lufly of lyre.

Ribald
All redy lord, I go.

Jesus
Attollite portas, principes, vestras &
eleuamini porte eternales, &
introibit rex glorie.

Ribald
out, harro, out! what devill is he
That callys hym kyng ouer vs all?
hark belzabub, com ne,
ffor hedusly I hard hym call.

Belzebub
Go, spar the yates, yll mot thou the!
And, set the waches on the wall;
If that brodell com ne
With vs ay won he shall;
And if he more call or cry,
To make vs more debate,
lay on hym hardely,
And make hym go his gate.

David
Nay, with hym may ye not fyght,
ffor he is king and conqueroure,
And of so mekill myght,
And styf in euery stoure;
Of hym commys all this light
that shynys in this bowre;
he is full fers in fight,
worthi to wyn honoure.

Belzebub
honowre! harsto, harlot, for what dede?
Alle erthly men to me ar thrall;
That lad that thou callys lord, in lede
he had neuer harbor, house, ne hall.
how, sir sathanas! com nar
And hark this cursid rowte!

Sathanas
The devill you all to-har!
What ales the so to showte?
And me, if I com nar,
thy brayn bot I bryst owte!

Belzebub
Thou must com help to spar,
we ar beseged, abowte.

Sathanas
Besegyd aboute! whi, who durst be so bold,
for drede to make on vs a fray?

Belzebub
It is the Iew that Iudas sold,
ffor to be dede this othere day.

Sathanas
how! in tyme that tale was told,
that trature trauesses vs all-way;
he shalbe here full hard, in hold,
bot loke he pas not, I the pray.

Belzebub
Pas! nay, nay, he will not weynde
ffrom hens or it be war;
he shapys hym for to sheynd,
All hell or he go far.

Sathanas
ffy, faturs! therof shall he fayll,
ffor all his fare I hym defy;
I know his trantes fro top to tayll,
he lyffys by gawdys and, glory.
Therby he broght furth of oure bayll
The lath lazare of betany,
Bot to the Iues I gaf counsayll
That thay shuld, cause hym dy;
I enterd, ther into Iudas,
that forward to fulfyll,
Therfor his hyere he has,
All wayes to won here styll.

Ribald
Sir sathan, sen we here the say
thou and the Iues were at assent,
And wote he wan the lazare away
that vnto vs was taken to tent,
hopys thou that thou mar hym may
to Muster the malyce that he has ment?
ffor and he refe vs now oure pray
we will ye witt or he is went.

Sathanas
I byd the noght abaste,
bot boldly make you bowne,
With toyles that ye intraste,
And dyng that dastard downe.

Jesus
Attollite portas, principes, vestras, &c.

Ribald
Outt, harro! what harlot is he
that sayes his kyngdom shalbe cryde?

David
That may thou in sawter se,
for of this prynce thus ere I saide;
I saide that he shuld, breke
youre barres and bandys by name,
And of youre warkys take wreke;
now shall thou se the same.

Jesus
ye prynces of hell open youre yate,
And let my folk furth gone;
A prynce of peasse shall enter therat
wheder ye will or none.

Ribald
What art thou that spekys so?

Jesus
A kyng of blys that hight ihesus.

Ribald
yee, hens fast I red thou go,
And mell the not with vs.

Belzebub
Oure yates I trow will last,
thay ar so strong I weyn;
Bot if oure barres brast,
ffor the they shall not twyn.

Jesus
This stede shall stand, no longer stokyn;
open vp, and, let my pepill pas.

Ribald
Out, harro! oure bayll is brokyn,
and brusten ar all oure bandys of bras!

Belzebub
harro! oure yates begyn to crak!
In sonder, I trow, they go,
And hell, I trow, will all to-shak;
Alas, what I am wo!

Ribald
lymbo is lorne, alas!
sir sathanas com vp;
This wark is wars then it was.

Sathanas
yee, hangyd be thou on a cruke!
Thefys, I bad ye shuld, be bowne,
If he maide mastres more,
To dyng that dastard, downe,
sett hym both sad and sore.

Belzebub
To sett hym sore, that is sone saide!
com thou thi self and serue hym so;
we may not abyde his bytter brayde,
he wold vs mar and we were mo.

Sathanas
ffy, fature! wherfor were ye flayd?
haue ye no force to flyt hym fro?
loke in haste my gere be grayd,
my self shall to that gadlyng go.
how! thou belamy, abyde,
with all thi boste and beyr!
And tell me in this tyde
what mastres thou makys here.

Jesus
I make no mastry bot for myne;
I will theym saue, that shall the sow;
Thou has no powere theym to pyne,
bot in my pryson for thare prow
here haue they soriornyd, noght as thyne,
bot in this wayrd, thou wote as how.

Sathanas
why, were has thou bene ay syn,
that neuer wold negh theym nere or now?

Jesus
Now is the tyme certan
My fader ordand her for,
That thay shuld, pas fro payn,
In blys to dwell for euermore.

Sathanas
Thy fader knew I well by syght,
he was a wright, his meett to wyn;
Mary, me mynnys, thi moder hight,
the vtmast ende of all thy kyn;
Say who made the so mekill of myght?

Jesus
Thou wykyd feynde, lett be thi dy[n]!
my fader wonnes in heuen on hight,
In blys that neuer shall blyn;
I am his oonly son, / his forward, to fulfyll,
Togeder will we won, / In sonder when we wyll.

Sathanas
Goddys son! nay, then myght thou be glad,
for no catell thurt the craue;
Bot thou has lyffyd ay lyke a lad,
In sorow, and as a sympill knaue.

Jesus
That was for the hartly luf I had
Vnto mans saull, it forto saue,
And forto make the masyd and mad,
And for that reson rufully to rafe.
My godhede here I hyd
In mary, moder myne,
where it shall neuer by kyd
to the ne none of thyne.

Sathanas
how now? this wold I were told, in towne;
thou says god is thi syre;
I shall the prove by good reson
thou moyttys as man dos into myre.
To breke thi byddyng they were full bowne,
And soyn they wroght at my desyre;
ffrom paradise thou putt theym downe,
In hell here to haue thare hyre;
And thou thy self, by day and nyght,
taght euer all men emang,
Euer to do reson and right,
And here thou wyrkys all wrang.

Jesus
I wyrk no wrang, that shall thou wytt,
if I my men fro wo will wyn;
My prophetys playnly prechyd it,
All the noytys that I begyn;
They saide that I shuld be that ilke
In hell where I shuld intre in,
To saue my seruandys fro that pytt
where dampnyd saullys shall syt for syn.
And ilke true prophete tayll
shalbe fulfillid, in me;
I haue thaym boght fro bayll,
in blis now shall they be.

Sathanas
Now sen thou lyst to legge the lawes,
thou shalbe tenyd or we twyn,
ffor those that thou to witnes drawes
ffull euen agans the shall begyn;
As salamon saide in his sawes,
who that ones commys hell within
he shall neuer owte, as clerkys knawes,
therfor, belamy, let be thy dyn.
Iob thi seruande also
In his tyme can tell
That nawder freynde nor fo
shall fynde relese in hell.

Jesus
he sayde full soyth, that shall thou se,
In hell shalbe no relese,
Bot of that place then ment he
where synfull care shall euer encrese.
In that bayll ay shall thou be,
where sorowes seyr shall neuer sesse,
And my folke that were most fre
shall pas vnto the place of peasse;
ffor they were here with my will,
And so thay shall furth weynde;
Thou shall thiself fulfyll
euer wo withoutten ende.

Sathanas
Whi, and will thou take theym all me fro?
then thynk me thou art vnkynde;
Nay, I pray the do not so;
Vmthynke the better in thy mynde;
Or els let me with the go,
I pray the leyffe me not behynde!

Jesus
Nay, tratur, thou shall won in wo,
and till a stake I shall the bynde.

Sathanas
Now here I how thou menys emang,
with mesure and malyce forto mell;
Bot sen thou says it shalbe lang,
yit som let all-wayes with vs dwell.

Jesus
Yis, wytt thou well, els were greatt wrang;
thou shall haue caym that slo abell,
And all that hastys theym self to hang,
As dyd Iudas and architophell;
And daton and abaron / and all of thare assent,
Cursyd tyranttys euer ilkon / that me and myn tormente.
And all that will not lere my law,
That I haue left in land, for new,
That makys my commyng knaw,
And all my sacramentys persew;
My deth, my rysyng, red by raw,
Who trow thaym not thay ar vntrewe;
vnto my dome I shall theym draw,
And Iuge theym wars then and Iew.
And thay that lyst to lere / my law, and lyf therby,
Shall neuer haue harmes here, / bot welth as is worthy.

Sathanas
Now here my hand, I hold, me payde,
thise poyntys ar playnly for my prow;
If this be trew that thou has saide,
we shall haue mo then we haue now;
Thies lawes that thou has late here laide,
I shall theym lere not to alow;
If thay myn take thay ar betraide,
and I shall turne theym tytt I trow.
I shall walk eest, I shall walk west,
and gar theym wyrk well war.

Jesus
Nay feynde, thou shalbe feste,
that thou shall flyt no far.

Sathanas
ffeste? fy! that were a wykyd treson!
belamy, thou shalbe smytt.

Jesus
Devill, I commaunde the to go downe
into thi sete where thou shall syt.

Sathanas
Alas, for doyll and care!
I synk into hell pyt!

Ribald
Sir sathanas, so saide I are,
now shall thou haue a fytt.

Jesus
Com now furth, my childer all,
I forgyf you youre mys;
With me now go ye shall
to Ioy and endles blys.

Adam
lord, thou art full mekyll of myght,
that mekys thiself on this manere,
To help vs all as thou had vs hight,
when both forfett I and my fere;
here haue we dwelt withoutten light
Fower thousand and sex hundreth yere;
Now se we by this solempne sight
now that thi mercy makys vs dere.

Eve
lord, we were worthy / more tornamentys to tast;
Thou help vs lord with thy mercy / as thou of myght is mast.

John the Baptist
lord, I loue the inwardly,
that me wold, make thi messyngere,
Thi commyng in erth to cry,
and tech thi fayth to folk in fere;
Sythen before the forto dy,
to bryng theym bodword that be here,
how thay shuld haue thi help in hy,
now se I all those poyntys appere.

Moyses
Dauid, thi prophete trew,
oft tymes told, vnto vs,
Of thi commyng he knew,
and saide it shuld, be thus.

David
As I saide ere yit say I so,
"ne derelinquas, domine,
Animam meam in inferno;"
"leyfe neuer my saull, lord, after the,
In depe hell wheder dampned, shall go;
suffre thou neuer thi sayntys to se
The sorow of thaym that won in wo,
ay full of fylth, and may not fle."

Moyses
Make myrth both more and les,
and loue oure lord we may,
That has broght vs fro bytternes
In blys to abyde for ay.

Isaiah
Thefor now let vs syng
to loue oure lord ihesus;
Vnto his blys he will vs bryng,
Te deum laudamus.