THE WAKEFIELD PAGEANT OF THE HARROWING OF HELL

OR

EXTRACTION OF SOULS FROM HELL

CHARACTERS

Jesus

Adam

Eve

Simeon

John the Baptist

Moses

Esaias

David

Ribald

Beelzebub

Sathanas

THE HARROWING OF HELL

EXTRACTIO ANIMARUM

AB INFERNO

[The Extraction of Souls from Hell.]

Jesus. My fader⁴¹⁴ me from blys has send Till's erthe for mankynde sake, Adam mys⁴¹⁵ for to amend, My deth nede must I take:

I dwellyd ther thyrty yeres and two, And som dele more, the sothe to say,⁴¹⁶ In anger, pyne, and mekylle wo, I dyde on cros this day.

Therefor tille helle now wille I go, To chalange⁴¹⁷ that is myne, Adam, Eve, and othere mo, Thay shalle no longer dwelle in pyne;

The feynde⁴¹⁸ theym wan withe trayn,⁴¹⁹ Thrughe fraude of earthly fode,⁴²⁰ I have theym boght agan With shedyng of my blode.

And now I wille that stede⁴²¹ restore, Whiche the feynde felle from for syn, Som tokyn wille I send before, Withe myrthe to gar⁴²² thare gammes begyn.

A light I wille thay have, To know I wille com sone; My body shalle abyde in grave Tille alle this dede be done.

Adam. My brether, herkyn unto me here, More hope of helth never we had, Four thousand and six hundred yere Have we bene in darknes stad;⁴²³

Now se I tokyns of solace sere,⁴²⁴ A gloryous gleme to make us glad, Wherthrughe I hope that help is nere, That sone shalle slake⁴²⁵ oure sorrowes sad.

Eve. Adam, my husband heynd,⁴²⁶ This menys solace certan, Siche lighte can on us leynd⁴²⁷ In paradyse fulle playn.

Isaias. Adam, thrugh thi syn Here were we put to dwelle, This wykyd place within, The name of it is helle;

Here paynes shalle never blyn⁴²⁸ That wykyd ar and felle, Love, that lord, withe wyn His lyfe for us wold selle.

[Et cantent omnes "Salvator mundi" primum versum.⁴²⁹

Adam, thou welle understand, I am Isaias, so Crist me kende,⁴³⁰ I spake of folk in darknes walkand,⁴³¹ I saide a light shuld on them lende;

This light is alle from Crist commande, That he tille us has hethir sende, Thus is my poynt proved in hand, As I before to fold⁴³² it kende.

Simeon. So may I telle of farlys feylle,⁴³³ For in the tempylle his freyndes me fande, Me thoght dayntethe⁴³⁴ with hym to deylle, I halsyd⁴³⁵ hym homely with my hand,

I saide, Lord, let thi servandes leylle⁴³⁶ Pas in peasse to lyf lastande,⁴³⁷ Now that myn eeyn has sene thyn hele⁴³⁸ No longer lyst⁴³⁹ I lyf in lande.

This light thou has purvayde For theym that lyf in lede,⁴⁴⁰ That I before of the have saide I se it is fulfillyd in dede.

Johannes Baptista. As a voice cryand I kend⁴⁴¹ The wayes of Crist, as I welle can, I baptisid hym with bothe myn hende In the water of flume⁴⁴² Jordan;

The Holy Gost from heven discende As a white dowfe downe on me than, The Fader voyce, oure myrthes to amende, Was made to me lyke as a man;⁴⁴³

"Yond is my son," he saide, "And whiche pleasses me fulle welle," His light is on us layde, And commys oure karys to kele.⁴⁴⁴

Moyses. Now this same nyght lernyng have I, To me, Moyses, he shewid his myght, And also to another one, Hely,⁴⁴⁵ Where we stud on a hille on hyght,

As whyte as snaw was his body, His face was like the son for bright, No man on mold⁴⁴⁶ was so mighty Grathly⁴⁴⁷ durst loke agans⁴⁴⁸ that light, And that same lighte here se I now Shynyng on us, certayn, Wherethrughe truly I trow That we shalle sone pas fro this payn.

Rybald. Sen fyrst that helle was mayde and I was put therin Siche sorow never ere I had, nor hard I siche a dyn,⁴⁴⁹ My hart begynnys to brade,⁴⁵⁰ my wytt waxys thyn,⁴⁵¹ I drede we can not be glad, thise saules mon fro us twyn;⁴⁵²

How, Belsabub! bynde thise boys, siche "Harow"⁴⁵³ was never hard in helle.

Belzabub. Out, Rybald! thou rorest what is betyd? can thou oght telle?

Rybald. Whi, herys⁴⁵⁴ thou not this ugly noyse? Thise lurdans⁴⁵⁵ that in lymbo dwelle, They make menyng⁴⁵⁶ of many joyse, And muster myrthes theym emelle.⁴⁵⁷

Belzabub. Myrth? nay, nay! that poynt is past, More hope of helthe shalle they never have.

Rybald. They cry on Crist fulle fast, And says he shalle thaym save.

Belzabub. Yee, though he do not, I shalle, For thay ar sparyd⁴⁵⁸ in specyalle space, Whils I am prynce and pryncypalle, Thay shalle never pas out of this place;

Calle up Astarot⁴⁵⁹ and Anaballe, To gyf us counselle in this case; Belle, Berith and Bellyalle⁴⁶⁰ To mar theym that siche mastry mase;⁴⁶¹

Say to sir Satan oure syre, And byd hym bryng also Sir Lucyfer lufly of lyre.⁴⁶²

Rybald. Alle redy, lord, I go.

Jesus. Attolite portas, principes vestras, et elevamini portœ æternales, et introibit rex gloriæ.⁴⁶³

Rybald. Out, harro,⁴⁶⁴ out!--what deville is he That callys hym kyng over us alle? Hark Belzabub, com ne,⁴⁶⁵ For hedusly⁴⁶⁶ I hard hym calle.

Belzabub. Go spar the yates,⁴⁶⁷ ylle mot thou the!⁴⁶⁸ And set the waches⁴⁶⁹ on the walle, If that brodelle⁴⁷⁰ come ne With us ay won⁴⁷¹ he shalle:

And if he more calle or cry, To make us more debate, Lay on hym hardlly, And make hym go his gate.⁴⁷²

David. Nay, withe hym may ye not fyght, For he is king and conqueroure, And of so mekille myght, And styf in every stoure;⁴⁷³

Of hym commys alle this light That shynys in this bowre; He is fulle fers in fight, Worthi to wyn honoure.

Belzabub. Honoure! harsto,⁴⁷⁴ harlot, for what dede Alle erthly men to me ar thralle,⁴⁷⁵ That lad that thou callys lord in lede⁴⁷⁶ He had never harbor, house, ne halle;

How, sir Sathanas, com nar And hark this cursid rowte!

Sathanas. The dewille you alle to har!⁴⁷⁷ What ales the so to showte?⁴⁷⁸ And see, if I com nar, Thy brayn bot I bryst owte.⁴⁷⁹

Belzabub. Thou must com help to spar,⁴⁸⁰ We ar beseged abowte.

Sathanas. Besegyd aboute! whi, who durst be so bold For drede to make on us a fray?

Belzabub. It is the Jew that Judas sold For to be dede this othere day.

Sathanas. How, in tyme that tale was told, That trature travesses⁴⁸¹ us alle way; He shalle be here fulle hard in hold, Bot loke he pas not I the pray.

Belzabub. Pas! nay, nay, he wille not weynde⁴⁸² From hens or it be war,⁴⁸³ He shapys hym for to sheynd⁴⁸⁴ Alle helle e'er he go far.

Sathanas. Fy, faturs,⁴⁸⁵ therof shalle he faylle, For alle his fare⁴⁸⁶ I hym defy; I know his trantes⁴⁸⁷ fro top to taylle,⁴⁸⁸ He lyffes by gawdes⁴⁸⁹ and glory.

Therby he broght furthe of oure baylle⁴⁹⁰ The lathe⁴⁹¹ Lazare of Betany, Bot to the Jues I gaf counsaylle That thay shuld cause hym dy:

I entered there into Judas That forward⁴⁹² to fulfylle, Therfor his hyere⁴⁹³ he has Alle wayes to won here stylle.⁴⁹⁴

Rybald. Sir Sathan, sen we here the say⁴⁹⁵ Thou and the Jues were at assent, And wote,⁴⁹⁶ he wan the Lazare away That unto us was taken to tent,⁴⁹⁷ Hopys thou that thou mar hym may To muster⁴⁹⁸ the malyce that he has ment? For and he refe⁴⁹⁹ us now oure pray We wille ye witt e'er he is went.

Sathanas. I byd the noght abaste⁵⁰⁰ Bot boldly make you bowne,⁵⁰¹ Withe toyles that ye intraste,⁵⁰² And dyng⁵⁰³ that dastard downe.

Jesus. Attolite portas, principes vestras, et elevamini portæ æternales, et introibit rex gloriæ.⁵⁰⁴

Rybald. Outt, harro!⁵⁰⁵ what harlot is he That says his kyngdom shal be cryde?

David. That may thou in sawter se,⁵⁰⁶ For of this prynce thus err I saide;⁵⁰⁷

I saide that he shuld breke Youre barres and bandes by name,⁵⁰⁸ And of youre wareks take wreke;⁵⁰⁹ Now shall thou se the same.

Jesus. Ye prynces of helle open youre yate, And let my folk furthe gone, A prynce of peasse shalle enter therat Wheder ye wille or none.

Rybald. What art thou that spekys so?

Jesus. A kyng of blys that hight Jesus.

Rybald. Yee hens fast I red⁵¹⁰ thou go, And melle⁵¹¹ the not with us.

Belzabub. Oure yates⁵¹² I trow wille last, Thay ar so strong I weyn,⁵¹³ Bot if oure barres brast, For the, thay shalle not twyn.⁵¹⁴

Jesus. This stede⁵¹⁵ shalle stande no longer stokyn;⁵¹⁶ Open up and let my pepille pas.

Rybald. Out, harro!⁵¹⁷ oure baylle is brokyn,⁵¹⁸ And brusten ar alle oure bandes of bras.

Belzabub. Harro! oure yates begyn to crak, In sonder, I trow, thay go, And helle, I trow, wille all to-shak; Alas, what I am wo!⁵¹⁹

Rybald. Lymbo is lorn, alas! Sir Sathanas, com up! This wark is wars⁵²⁰ than it was.

Sathanas. Yee, hangyd be thou on a cruke;⁵²¹

Thefys, I bad ye shuld be bowne⁵²² If he maide mastres⁵²³ more To dyng⁵²⁴ that dastard downe, Sett⁵²⁵ hym bothe sad and sore.

Belzabub. "So sett hym sore" that is sone saide. Com thou thi self and serve hym so; We may not abyde his bytter bradye,⁵²⁶ He wold us mar and we were mo.⁵²⁷

Sathanas. Fy, fature!⁵²⁸ wherfore were ye flayd?⁵²⁹ Have ye no force to flyt hym fro? Loke in haste my gere be grayd,⁵³⁰ My self shalle to that gadlyng go.⁵³¹

How, thou belamy, abyde,⁵³² Withe alle thi boste and beyr,⁵³³ And telle me in this tyde What mastres⁵²³ thou makes here.

Jesus. I make no mastry bot for myne, I wille theym save, that shalle the sow, Thou has no powere theym to pyne,⁵³⁴ Bot in my pryson for thare prow⁵³⁵

Here have thay sojornyd,--not as thyne, Bot in thi wayrd,⁵³⁶ thou wote as how.

Sathanas. Why, where has thou hene ay syn⁵³⁷ That never wold neghe⁵³⁸ theym nere e'er now?

Jesus. Now is the tyme certan My Fader ordand herfor,⁵³⁹ That they shuld pas fro payn In blys to dwelle for ever more.

Sathanas. Thy fader knew I welle by syght, He was a wright his meett to wyn,⁵⁴⁰ Mary, me mynnys,⁵⁴¹ thi moder hight, The utmast ende of alle thy kyn:

Say who made the so mekille⁵⁴² of myght?

Jesus. Thou wykyd feynde lett be thi dy[n], My Fader wonnes⁵⁴³ in heven on hight, In blys that never more shalle blyn:⁵⁴⁴ I am his oonly son his forward⁵⁴⁵ to fulfylle, Togeder wille we won, in sonder when we wylle.

Sathanas. Goddes son! nay, then myght thou be glad For no catelle thurt the crave;⁵⁴⁶ Bot thou has lyffed ay lyke a lad, In sorow, and as a sympille⁵⁴⁷ knave.

Jesus. That was for the hartly⁵⁴⁸ luf I had Unto man's saulle, it for to save, And for to make thee masyd⁵⁴⁹ and mad, And for that reson rufully to rafe.⁵⁵⁰

My Godhede here I hyd In Mary, moder myne, Where it shalle never be kyd⁵⁵¹ To the, ne none of thyne.⁵⁵²

Sathanas. How now? this wold I were told in towne, Thou says God is thi syre; I shalle the prove by good reson Thou moyttes⁵⁵³ as man dos into myre.

To breke thi byddyng they were fulle bowne,⁵⁵⁴ And soon they wroght at my desyre, From paradise thou putt thym downe, In helle here to have thare hyre;⁵⁵⁵

And thou thi self, by day and nyght, Taght⁵⁵⁶ ever alle men emang, Ever to do reson and right, And here thou wyrkys⁵⁵⁷ alle wrang.

Jesus. I wyrk no wrang, that shalle thou wytt.⁵⁵⁸ If I my men fro wo wille wyn;⁵⁵⁹ My prophettes playnly prechyd it, Alle the noytys⁵⁶⁰ that I begyn;

They saide that I shud be that ilke In helle where I shud entre in, To save my servandes fro that pytt Where dampynyd saullys⁵⁶¹ shalle syt for syn.

And ilke true prophete taylle⁵⁶² Shalle be fulfillid in me; I have thaym boght fro baylle,⁵⁶³ In blis now shalle thay be.

Sathanas. Now since thou list to legge the lawes⁵⁶⁴ Thou shalbe tenyd or we twyn,⁵⁶⁵ For those that thou to witnes drawes Fulle even agans the shalle begyn;

As Salaman saide in his sawes,⁵⁶⁶ Who that ones commys helle within He shalle never owte, as clerkes knawes Therfor, belamy, let be thy dyn.⁵⁶⁷ Job thi servande also In his tyme can telle That nawder freynde nor fo Shalle fynde relese in helle.⁵⁶⁸

Jesus. He sayde fulle soythe, that shalle thou se, In helle shalbe no relese, Bot of that place then ment he Where synfulle care shalle ever encrese.

In that baylle ay shalle thou be, Where sorrowes seyr shalle never sesse⁵⁶⁹ And my folk that wer most fre⁵⁷⁰ Shalle pas unto the place of peasse;

For thay were here with my wille, And so thay shalle furthe weynde,⁵⁷¹ Thou shalle thi self fulfylle, Ever wo withoutten ende.

Sathanas. Whi, and wille thou take theym alle me fro?⁵⁷² Then thynk me⁵⁷³ thou ar unkynde; Nay, I pray the do not so, Umthynke⁵⁷⁴ the better in thy mynde,

Or els let me with the go; I pray the leyfe me not behynde.

Jesus. Nay, tratur, thou shalle won in wo,⁵⁷⁵ And tille a stake⁵⁷⁶ I shalle the bynde.

Sathanas. Now here I how thou menys⁵⁷⁷ emang With mesure and malyce for to melle,⁵⁷⁸ Bot sen thou says it shalbe lang, Yit som let alle wayes with us dwelle.

Jesus. Yis, witt thou welle, els were greatt wrang, Thou shalle have Caym⁵⁷⁹ that slo Abelle, And alle that hastes theym self to hang, As dyd Judas and Architophelle; And Daton and Abaron and alle of thare assent,⁵⁸⁰ Cursyd tyranttes ever ilkon⁵⁸¹ that me and myn tormente.

And alle that wille not lere⁵⁸² my law That I have left in land for new⁵⁸³ That makes my commyng knaw,⁵⁸⁴ And alle my sacramentes persew;

My deth, my rysyng, red by raw,⁵⁸⁵ Who trow thaym not thay ar untrewe, Unto my dome⁵⁸⁶ I shalle theym draw, And juge thaym wars⁵⁸⁷ then any Jew. And thay that lyst to lere my law and lyf therby Shalle never have harmes here, bot welth as is worthy.

Sathanas. Now here my hand, I hold me payde, Thise poyntes ar playnly for my prow,⁵⁸⁸ If this be trew as thou has saide We shalle have mo then we have now;

Thise lawes that thou has late here laide I shalle thym lere not to alow,⁵⁸⁹ If thay myn take⁵⁹⁰ thay ar betraide, And I shalle turne thym tytte I trow.⁵⁹¹

I shalle walk eest, I shalle walk west, And gar theym wyrk welle war.⁵⁹²

Jesus. Nay feynde, thou shalbe feste,⁵⁹³ That thou shalle flyt no far.⁵⁹⁴

Sathanas. Feste? fy! that were a wykyd treson! Belamy, thou shalle be smytt.⁵⁹⁵

Jesus. Deville, I commaunde the to go downe Into thi sete where thou shalle syt.

Sathanas. Alas! for doylle⁵⁹⁶ and care, I synk into helle pyt.

Rybald. Sir Sathanas, so saide I are,⁵⁹⁷ Now shalle thou have a fytt.

Jesus. Com now furthe, my childer alle, I forgyf you youre mys;⁵⁹⁸ Withe me now go ye shalle To joy and endles blys.

Adam. Lord, thou art fulle mekylle of myght,⁵⁹⁹ That mekys thi self on this manere, To help us alle as thou had us hight, When bothe frofett I and my fere;⁶⁰⁰

Here have we dwelt withoutten light Four thousand and six hundreth yere, Now se we by this solempne sight How that mercy makes us dere.

Eva. Lord, we were worthy more tornamentes⁶⁰¹ to tast,⁶⁰² Thou help us lord of thy mercy, as thou of myght is mast.⁶⁰³

Johannes. Lord, I love the inwardly, That me wold make thi messyngere, Thi commyng in erthe to cry, And teche thi fayth to folk in fere;⁶⁰⁴

Sythen before the forto dy,⁶⁰⁵ To bryng theym bodword⁶⁰⁶ that be here, How thay shuld have thi help in hy, Now se I alle those poyntes appere.

Moyses. David, thi prophette trew, Of tymes told unto us; Of thi commyng he knew, And saide it shuld be thus.

David. As I said ere yit say I so, Ne derelinquas, domine, Animam meam in inferno;⁶⁰⁷ Leyfe never my saulle, Lord, after the,

In depe helle whedur⁶⁰⁸ dampned shalle go Suffre thou never thi sayntes to se The sorrow of thaym that won in wo,⁶⁰⁹ Ay, fulle of fylthe, and may not fle.⁶¹⁰

Moyses. Make myrthe bothe more and les, And love oure lord we may, That has broght us fro bytternes In blys to abyde for ay.

Ysaias. Therfor now let us syng To love oure lord Jesus, Unto his blys he wille us bryng, Te Deum laudamus.