The Smiths' Play: The Temptation
Diabolus
Make rome belyve, and late me gang!1
Who makis here all this thrang?
High you hense, high myght yoou hang
Right with a roppe.
I drede me that I dwelle to lang
To do a jape.
For sithen the firste tyme that I fell7
For my pride fro heuen to hell,
Euere haue I mustered me emell
Emonge mannekynde,
How I in dole myght gar tham dwell
Ther to be pynde.
And certis, all that hath ben sithen borne13
Has comen to me, mydday and morne,
And I haue ordayned so tham forne
None may thame fende,
That fro all likyng ar they lorne
Withowten ende.
And nowe sum men spekis of a swayne,19
Howe he schall come and suffre payne
And with his dede to blisse agayne
Thei schulde be bought.
But certis this tale is but a trayne,
I trowe it noyot.
For I wotte ilke a dele bydene25
Of the mytyng that men of mene,
How he has in grete barett bene
Sithen he was borne,
And suffered mekill traye and tene
Bothe even and morne.
And nowe it is brought so aboute31
That lurdayne that thei loue and lowte
To wildirnesse he is wente owte,
Withowtyne moo;
To dere hym nowe haue I no doute,
Betwyxte vs two.
Before this tyme he has bene tent37
That I myght gete hym with no glent,
But now sen he allone is wente
I schall assay,
And garre hym to sum synne assente
If that I may.
He has fastid-that marris his mode-43
Ther fourty dayes withowten foode.
If he be man in bone and bloode
Hym hungris ill;
In glotonye than halde I gude
To witt his will.
For so it schall be knowen and kidde49
If Godhed be in hym hidde,
If he will do as I hym bidde
Whanne I come nare.
Ther was neuere dede that euere he dide
That greued hym warre.
Thou witty man and wise of rede,55
If thou can ought of Godhede
Byd nowe that ther stones be brede,
Betwyxte vs two;
Than may thei stande thyselfe in stede,
And othir moo.
For thou hast fastid longe I wene,61
I wolde now som mete wer sene
For olde acqueyntaunce vs bytwene,
Thyselue wote howe.
Ther sall no man witte what I mene
But I and thou.
Make rome belyve, and late me gang!1
Who makis here all this thrang?
High you hense, high myght yoou hang
Right with a roppe.
I drede me that I dwelle to lang
To do a jape.
For sithen the firste tyme that I fell7
For my pride fro heuen to hell,
Euere haue I mustered me emell
Emonge mannekynde,
How I in dole myght gar tham dwell
Ther to be pynde.
And certis, all that hath ben sithen borne13
Has comen to me, mydday and morne,
And I haue ordayned so tham forne
None may thame fende,
That fro all likyng ar they lorne
Withowten ende.
And nowe sum men spekis of a swayne,19
Howe he schall come and suffre payne
And with his dede to blisse agayne
Thei schulde be bought.
But certis this tale is but a trayne,
I trowe it noyot.
For I wotte ilke a dele bydene25
Of the mytyng that men of mene,
How he has in grete barett bene
Sithen he was borne,
And suffered mekill traye and tene
Bothe even and morne.
And nowe it is brought so aboute31
That lurdayne that thei loue and lowte
To wildirnesse he is wente owte,
Withowtyne moo;
To dere hym nowe haue I no doute,
Betwyxte vs two.
Before this tyme he has bene tent37
That I myght gete hym with no glent,
But now sen he allone is wente
I schall assay,
And garre hym to sum synne assente
If that I may.
He has fastid-that marris his mode-43
Ther fourty dayes withowten foode.
If he be man in bone and bloode
Hym hungris ill;
In glotonye than halde I gude
To witt his will.
For so it schall be knowen and kidde49
If Godhed be in hym hidde,
If he will do as I hym bidde
Whanne I come nare.
Ther was neuere dede that euere he dide
That greued hym warre.
Thou witty man and wise of rede,55
If thou can ought of Godhede
Byd nowe that ther stones be brede,
Betwyxte vs two;
Than may thei stande thyselfe in stede,
And othir moo.
For thou hast fastid longe I wene,61
I wolde now som mete wer sene
For olde acqueyntaunce vs bytwene,
Thyselue wote howe.
Ther sall no man witte what I mene
But I and thou.
Jesus
My fadir, that all cytte may slake,67
Honnoure eueremore to the I make
And gladly suffir I for thy sake
Swilk velany,
And thus temptacions for to take
Of myn enmy.
Thou weried wight, thi wittis are wode,73
For wrytyn it is, whoso vndirstode,
A man lyvis noght in mayne and mode
With brede allone,
But Goddis wordis are gostly fode
To men ilkone.
Iff I haue fastid oute of skill,79
Wytte thou me hungris not so ill
That I ne will wirke my fadirs will
In all degré;
Thi biddyng will I noyot fullfill,
That warne I the.
My fadir, that all cytte may slake,67
Honnoure eueremore to the I make
And gladly suffir I for thy sake
Swilk velany,
And thus temptacions for to take
Of myn enmy.
Thou weried wight, thi wittis are wode,73
For wrytyn it is, whoso vndirstode,
A man lyvis noght in mayne and mode
With brede allone,
But Goddis wordis are gostly fode
To men ilkone.
Iff I haue fastid oute of skill,79
Wytte thou me hungris not so ill
That I ne will wirke my fadirs will
In all degré;
Thi biddyng will I noyot fullfill,
That warne I the.
Diabolus
A, slyke carping neuere I kende,85
Hym hungres noyot, as I wende.
Nowe sen thy fadir may the fende
Be sotell sleghte,
Late se yf thou allone may lende
Ther vppon heghte,
Vppon the pynakill parfitely.91
Aha, nowe go we wele therby;
I schall assaye in vayne-glorie
To garre hym falle,
And if he be Goddis sone myghty,
Witte I schall.
Nowe liste to me a litill space:97
If thou be Goddis sone, full of grace,
Shew som poynte here in this place
To proue thi might.
Late se, falle doune vppon thi face
Here in my sight.
For it is wretyn, as wele is kende,103
How God schall aungellis to the sende,
And they schall kepe the in ther hende
Wherso thou gose,
That thou schall on no stones descende
To hurte thi tose.
And sen thou may withouten wathe109
Fall and do thyselffe no skathe,
Tumbill downe to ease vs bathe
Here to my fete;
And but thou do I will be wrothe,
That I the hette.
A, slyke carping neuere I kende,85
Hym hungres noyot, as I wende.
Nowe sen thy fadir may the fende
Be sotell sleghte,
Late se yf thou allone may lende
Ther vppon heghte,
Vppon the pynakill parfitely.91
Aha, nowe go we wele therby;
I schall assaye in vayne-glorie
To garre hym falle,
And if he be Goddis sone myghty,
Witte I schall.
Nowe liste to me a litill space:97
If thou be Goddis sone, full of grace,
Shew som poynte here in this place
To proue thi might.
Late se, falle doune vppon thi face
Here in my sight.
For it is wretyn, as wele is kende,103
How God schall aungellis to the sende,
And they schall kepe the in ther hende
Wherso thou gose,
That thou schall on no stones descende
To hurte thi tose.
And sen thou may withouten wathe109
Fall and do thyselffe no skathe,
Tumbill downe to ease vs bathe
Here to my fete;
And but thou do I will be wrothe,
That I the hette.
Jesus
Late be, warlowe, thy wordis kene,115
For wryten it is, withouten wene,
Thy God thou schall not tempte with tene
Nor with discorde,
Ne quarell schall thou none mayntene
Agaynste thi lorde.
And therfore trowe thou, withouten trayne,121
That all thi gaudes schall nothyng gayne;
Be subgette to thi souereyne
Arely and late.
Late be, warlowe, thy wordis kene,115
For wryten it is, withouten wene,
Thy God thou schall not tempte with tene
Nor with discorde,
Ne quarell schall thou none mayntene
Agaynste thi lorde.
And therfore trowe thou, withouten trayne,121
That all thi gaudes schall nothyng gayne;
Be subgette to thi souereyne
Arely and late.
Diabolus
What, this trauayle is in vayne125
Be ought I watte.
He proues that he is mekill of price,
Therfore it is goode I me avise,
And sen I may noyot on this wise
Make hym my thrall,
I will assaye in couetise131
To garre hym fall,
For certis I schall noyot leue hym yoitt.
Who is my souereyne, this wolde I witte?
Myselffe ordande the thore to sitte,
This wote thou wele,
And right euen as I ordande itt137
Is done ilke dele.
Than may thou se sen itt is soo
That I am souerayne of vs two,
And yoitt I graunte the or I goo
Withouten fayle,
That if thou woll assente me too143
It schall avayle.
For I haue all this worlde to welde,
Toure and toune, forest and felde;
If thou thyn herte will to me helde
With wordis hende,
Yitt will I baynly be thy belde149
And faithfull frende.
Behalde now ser, and thou schalt see
Sere kyngdomes and sere contré;
Alle this wile I giffe to the
For euermore,
And thou fall and honour me155
As I saide are.
What, this trauayle is in vayne125
Be ought I watte.
He proues that he is mekill of price,
Therfore it is goode I me avise,
And sen I may noyot on this wise
Make hym my thrall,
I will assaye in couetise131
To garre hym fall,
For certis I schall noyot leue hym yoitt.
Who is my souereyne, this wolde I witte?
Myselffe ordande the thore to sitte,
This wote thou wele,
And right euen as I ordande itt137
Is done ilke dele.
Than may thou se sen itt is soo
That I am souerayne of vs two,
And yoitt I graunte the or I goo
Withouten fayle,
That if thou woll assente me too143
It schall avayle.
For I haue all this worlde to welde,
Toure and toune, forest and felde;
If thou thyn herte will to me helde
With wordis hende,
Yitt will I baynly be thy belde149
And faithfull frende.
Behalde now ser, and thou schalt see
Sere kyngdomes and sere contré;
Alle this wile I giffe to the
For euermore,
And thou fall and honour me155
As I saide are.
Jesus
Sees of thy sawes, thou Sathanas,157
I graunte nothyng that thou me asse,
To pyne of helle I bide the passe
And wightely wende,
And wonne in woo, as thou are was,
Withouten ende.
Non othyr myght schal be thy mede,163
For wretyn it is, who right can rede,
Thy lord God the aught to drede
And honoure ay,
And serue hym in worde and dede
Both nyyot and day.
And sen thou dose not as I the tell169
No lenger liste me late the dwell,
I comaunde the thou hy to hell
And holde the thar,
With felawschip of fendis fell
For euermar.
Sees of thy sawes, thou Sathanas,157
I graunte nothyng that thou me asse,
To pyne of helle I bide the passe
And wightely wende,
And wonne in woo, as thou are was,
Withouten ende.
Non othyr myght schal be thy mede,163
For wretyn it is, who right can rede,
Thy lord God the aught to drede
And honoure ay,
And serue hym in worde and dede
Both nyyot and day.
And sen thou dose not as I the tell169
No lenger liste me late the dwell,
I comaunde the thou hy to hell
And holde the thar,
With felawschip of fendis fell
For euermar.
Diabolus
Owte! I dar noyot loke, allas,175
Itt is warre than euere it was.
He musteres what myght he has,
Hye mote he hang.
Folowes fast, for me bus pas
To paynes strang.
Owte! I dar noyot loke, allas,175
Itt is warre than euere it was.
He musteres what myght he has,
Hye mote he hang.
Folowes fast, for me bus pas
To paynes strang.
Angel 1
A, mercy lorde, what may this mene?181
Me merueyles that yoe thole this tene
Of this foule fende cant and kene
Carpand yoou till,
And yoe his wickidnesse, I wene,
May waste at will.
Methynke that yoe ware straytely stedde187
Lorde, with this fende that nowe is fledde.
A, mercy lorde, what may this mene?181
Me merueyles that yoe thole this tene
Of this foule fende cant and kene
Carpand yoou till,
And yoe his wickidnesse, I wene,
May waste at will.
Methynke that yoe ware straytely stedde187
Lorde, with this fende that nowe is fledde.
Jesus
Myn aungell dere, be noyot adred,189
He may not greue;
The haly goste me has ledde,
Thus schal thow leue.
For whan the fende schall folke see
And salus tham in sere degré,
Thare myrroure may thei make of me195
For to stande still,
For ouerecome schall thei noyot be
Bot yf thay will.
Myn aungell dere, be noyot adred,189
He may not greue;
The haly goste me has ledde,
Thus schal thow leue.
For whan the fende schall folke see
And salus tham in sere degré,
Thare myrroure may thei make of me195
For to stande still,
For ouerecome schall thei noyot be
Bot yf thay will.
Angel 2
A, lorde, this is a grete mekenesse199
In yow in whome al mercy is,
And at youre wille may deme or dresse
Als is worthy;
And thre temptacions takes expres,
Thus suffirrantly.
A, lorde, this is a grete mekenesse199
In yow in whome al mercy is,
And at youre wille may deme or dresse
Als is worthy;
And thre temptacions takes expres,
Thus suffirrantly.
Jesus
My blissing haue thei with my hande205
That with swilke greffe is noyot grucchand,
And also that will stiffely stande
Agaynste the fende.
I knawe my tyme is faste comand,
Now will I wende.
My blissing haue thei with my hande205
That with swilke greffe is noyot grucchand,
And also that will stiffely stande
Agaynste the fende.
I knawe my tyme is faste comand,
Now will I wende.
2018 Nov 25 22:07:40