XVI THE YORK PLAY 'HARROWING OF HELL' British Museum MS. Addit. 35290 (about 1430-40), f. 193 b.
Reading edition
The miracle play Harrowing of Hell is assigned to the craft of Saddlers in the York cycle, edited by Miss L. Toulmin-Smith, Oxford 1885, pp. 372 ff. This is the text reproduced below. It is also found, though in a less perfect form, among the Towneley Plays, ed. England and Pollard, E.E.T.S., 1897, pp. 293 ff.
All the mediaeval stories of Christ's Descent into Hell are based on the gospel of Nicodemus, which seems to date from the fourth century, though the legend is referred to nearly two centuries earlier. This apocryphal narrative was popular throughout the Middle Ages. There is a prose translation in late Anglo-Saxon, and a Middle English verse rendering supplies some of the phrases in the play.
Two points deserve notice for their bearing on the development of miracles. A trace of their origin in the services of the Church is seen in the use made of the Scriptural passage 'Attollite portas, principes, vestras, et elevamini portae aeternales, et introibit rex gloriae', the dramatic possibilities of which were recognized in ritual from an early date. And the growing taste for comic scenes is met, without prejudice to the serious characters, by the rudimentary buffoonery of the Devil and his companions.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE. ADAME EUA ISAIAH SYMEON IESUS IOHANNES BAPTISTA MOYSES BELSABUB SATTAN DAUID BELLIALL MICHILL (Archangel) PRIMUS DIABOLUS SECUNDUS DIABOLUS
[SCENE I, outside the gates of Hell.] 1. <Iesus. M>anne on molde, be meke to me, And haue thy Maker in þi mynde, And thynke howe I haue tholid for þe With pereles paynes for to be pyned. The forward of my Fadir free 5 Haue I fulfillid, as folke may fynde, Þerfore aboute nowe woll I bee Þat I haue bought for to vnbynde. Þe feende þame wanne with trayne, Thurgh frewte of erthely foode; 10 I haue þame getyn agayne Thurgh bying with my bloode. 2. And so I schall þat steede restore Fro whilke þe feende fell for synne; Þare schalle mankynde wonne euermore 15 In blisse þat schall neuere blynne. All þat in werke my werkemen were, Owte of thare woo I wol þame wynne, And some signe schall I sende before Of grace, to garre þer gamys begynne. 20 A light I woll þei haue To schewe þame I schall come sone; My bodie bidis in graue Tille alle thes dedis be done. 3. My Fadir ordand on þis wise 25 Aftir His will þat I schulde wende, For to fulfille þe prophicye<s>, And als I spake my solace to spende. My frendis, þat in me faith affies, Nowe fro ther fois I schall þame fende, 30 And on the thirde day ryght vprise, And so tille heuen I schall assende. Sithen schall I come agayne To deme bothe goode and ill Tille endles ioie or peyne; 35 Þus is my Fadris will.
[SCENE II, Hell; at one side Limbo, enclosing the patriarchs and prophets; a light shines across.] 4. Adame. Mi bretheren, harkens to me here, Swilke hope of heele neuere are we hadde. Foure thowsande and sex hundereth ȝere Haue we bene heere in †þis stedde†. 40 Nowe see I signe of solace seere, A glorious gleme to make vs gladde, Wherfore I hope oure helpe is nere, And sone schall sesse oure sorowes sadde. Eua. Adame, my husband hende, 45 Þis menys solas certayne; Such light gune on vs lende In Paradise full playne. 5. Isaiah. Adame, we schall wele vndirstande; I, Ysaias, as God me kende, 50 I prechid in Neptalym þat lande, And Ȝabulon, even vntill ende. I spake of folke in mirke walkand, And saide a light schulde on þame lende; This lered I whils I was leuand, 55 Nowe se I God þis same hath sende. Þis light comes all of Criste, Þat seede, to saue vs nowe, Þus is my poynte puplisshid. But Symeon, what sais þou? 60 6. Symeon. Þhis, my tale of farleis feele, For in þis temple His frendis me fande; I hadde delite with Hym to dele, And halsed homely with my hande. I saide, 'Lorde, late thy seruaunt lele 65 Passe nowe in pesse to liffe lastand, For nowe myselfe has sene Thy hele, Me liste no lengar to liffe in lande.' Þis light Þou hast purueyed To folkes þat liffis in leede, 70 Þe same þat I þame saide, I see fulfillid in dede. 7. Iohan. Baptista. Als voyce criand to folke I kende Þe weyes of Criste, als I wele kanne; I baptiste Hym with bothe my hande 75 Euen in þe floode of flume Iordanne. Þe Holy Goste fro heuene discende Als a white dowue doune on Hym þanne; The Fadir voice, my mirthe to mende, Was made to me euen als manne, 80 'This is my Sone,' he saide, 'In whome me paies full wele.' His light is on vs laide, He comes oure cares to kele. 8. Moyses. Of þat same light lernyng haue I, 85 To me Moyses He mustered his myght, And also vnto anodir, Hely, Wher we were on an hille on hight. Whyte as snowe was His body, And His face like to þe sonne to sight: 90 No man on molde was so myghty Grathely to loke agaynste þat light; Þat same light se I nowe Shynyng on vs sarteyne, Wherfore trewly I trowe 95 We schalle sone passe fro payne. 9. i Diabolus. Helpe! Belsabub! to bynde þer boyes, Such harrowe was neuer are herde in helle. ii Diab. Why rooris þou soo, Rebalde? þou royis; What is betidde, canne þou ought telle? 100 i Diab. What! heris þou noȝt þis vggely noyse? Þes lurdans þat in Lymbo dwelle, Þei make menyng of many ioies, And musteres grete mirthe þame emell. ii Diab. Mirthe? nay, nay, þat poynte is paste, 105 More hele schall þei neuer haue. i Diab. Þei crie on Criste full faste, And sais he schal þame saue. 10. Belsabub. Ȝa, if he saue þame noght, we schall, For they are sperde in speciall space; 110 Whils I am prince and principall Schall þei neuer passe oute of þis place. Calle vppe Astrotte and Anaball To giffe þer counsaille in þis case, Bele-Berit and Belial, 115 To marre þame þat swilke maistries mase. Say to Satan oure sire, And bidde þame bringe also Lucifer louely of lyre. i Diab. Al redy, lorde, I goo. 120 11. Iesus [Without]. Attollite portas, principes, Oppen vppe, ȝe princes of paynes sere, Et eleuamini eternales, Youre yendles ȝatis þat ȝe haue here. Sattan. What page is þere þat makes prees, 125 And callis hym kyng of vs in fere? Dauid [in Limbo]. I lered leuand, withouten lees, He is a kyng of vertues clere. A! Lorde, mekill of myght, And stronge in ilke a stoure, 130 In batailes ferse to fight, And worthy to wynne honnoure. 12. Sattan. Honnoure! in þe deuel way, for what dede? All erthely men to me are thrall; Þe lady þat calles hym lorde in leede 135 Hadde neuer ȝitt herberowe, house, ne halle. i Diab. Harke, Belsabub! I haue grete drede, For hydously I herde hym calle. Belliall. We! spere oure ȝates, all ill mot þou spede! And sette furthe watches on þe wall. 140 And if he calle or crie To make vs more debate, Lay on hym þan hardely, And garre hym gang his gate. 13. Sattan. Telle me what boyes dare be so bolde 145 For drede to make so mekill draye. i Diab. Itt is þe Iewe þat Iudas solde For to be dede, þis othir daye. Sattan. O we! þis tale in tyme is tolde, Þis traytoure traues<es> vs alway; 150 He schall be here full harde in holde, Loke þat he passe noght, I þe praye. ii Diab. Nay, nay, he will noȝt wende Away or I be ware, He shappis hym for to schende 155 Alle helle, or he go ferre. 14. Sattan. Nay, faitour, þerof schall he faile, For alle his fare I hym deffie; I knowe his trantis fro toppe to taile, He leuys with gaudis and with gilery. 160 Þerby he brought oute of oure bale, Nowe late, Laȝar of Betannye, Þerfore I gaffe to þe Iewes counsaille Þat þei schulde alway garre hym dye. I entered in Iudas 165 Þat forwarde to fulfille, Þerfore his hire he has, Allway to wonne here stille. 15. Belsabub. Sir Sattanne, sen we here þe saie Þat þou and þe Iewes wer same assente, 170 And wotte he wanne Laȝar awaye, Þat tille vs was tane for to tente, Trowe þou þat þou marre hym maye To mustir myghtis, what he has mente? If he nowe depriue vs of oure praye, 175 We will ȝe witte whanne þei are wente. Sattan. I bidde ȝou be noȝt abasshed, But boldely make youe boune With toles þat ȝe on traste, And dynge þat dastard doune. 180 16. Iesus [Without]. Principes, portas tollite, Vndo youre ȝatis, ȝe princis of pryde, Et introibit rex glorie, Þe kyng of blisse comes in þis tyde. [Enters the gates of Hell. Sattan. Owte! harrowe <what harlot> is hee 185 Þat sais his kyngdome schall be cryed? Dauid [in Limbo]. Þat may þou in my Sawter see For þat poynte I prophicie<d>. I saide þat he schuld breke Youre barres and bandis by name, 190 And on youre werkis take wreke; Nowe schalle ȝe see þe same. 17. Iesus. Þis steede schall stonde no lenger stoken; Opynne vppe, and latte my pepul passe! Diabolus. Owte! beholdes, oure baill is brokynne, 195 And brosten are alle oure bandis of bras. Telle Lucifer alle is vnlokynne. Belsabub. What þanne, is Lymbus lorne? allas! Garre Satan helpe þat we wer wroken; Þis werke is werse þanne euere it was. 200 Sattan. I badde ȝe schulde be boune If he made maistries more; Do dynge þat dastard doune, And sette hym sadde and sore. 18. Belsabub. Ȝa, sette hym sore, þat is sone saide, 205 But come þiselffe and serue hym soo; We may not bide his bittir braide, He wille vs marre and we wer moo. Sattan. What! faitours, wherfore are ȝe ferde? Haue ȝe no force to flitte hym froo? 210 Belyue loke þat my gere be grathed, Miselffe schall to þat gedlyng goo. [To Iesus.] Howe! belamy, abide, With al thy booste and bere, And telle to me þis tyde, 215 What maistries makes þou here? 19. Iesus. I make no maistries but for myne, Þame wolle I saue, I telle þe nowe; Þou hadde no poure þame to pyne, But as my prisoune for þer prowe 220 Here haue þei soiorned, noght as thyne, But in thy warde, þou wote wele howe. Sattan. And what deuel haste þou done ay syne, Þat neuer wolde negh þame nere, or nowe? Iesus. Nowe is þe tyme certayne 225 Mi Fadir ordand before Þat they schulde passe fro payne, And wonne in mirthe euer more. 20. Sattan. Thy fadir knewe I wele be sight, He was a write his mette to wynne, 230 And Marie me menys þi modir hight, Þe vttiremeste ende of all þi kynne. Who made þe be so mekill of myght? Iesus. Þou wikid feende, latte be thy dynne! Mi Fadir wonnys in heuen on hight, 235 With blisse þat schall neuere blynne. I am His awne sone, His forward to fulfille; And same ay schall we wonne, And sundir whan we wolle. 240 21. Sattan. God<ys> sonne! þanne schulde þou be ful gladde, Aftir no catel neyd thowe craue! But þou has leued ay like a ladde, And in sorowe, as a symple knaue. Iesus. Þat was for hartely loue I hadde 245 Vnto mannis soule, it for to saue; And for to make þe mased and madde, And by þat resoune þus dewly to haue Mi godhede here, I hidde In Marie modir myne, 250 For it schulde noȝt be kidde To þe, nor to none of thyne. 22. Sattan. A! þis wolde I were tolde in ilke a toune. So, sen þou sais God is thy sire, I schall þe proue, be right resoune, 255 Þou motes His men into þe myre. To breke His bidding were þei boune, And, for they did at my desire, Fro Paradise He putte þame doune In helle here to haue þer hyre. 260 And thyselfe, day and nyght, Has taught al men emang To do resoune and right, And here werkis þou all wrang. 23. Iesus. I wirke noght wrang, þat schal þow witte, 265 If I my men fro woo will wynne; Mi prophetis playnly prechid it, All þis note þat nowe begynne. Þai saide þat I schulde be obitte, To hell þat I schulde entre in, 270 And saue my seruauntis fro þat pitte, Wher dampned saulis schall sitte for synne. And ilke trewe prophettis tale Muste be fulfillid in mee; I haue þame boughte with bale, 275 And in blisse schal þei be. 24. Sattan. Nowe sen þe liste allegge þe lawes, Þou schalte be atteynted, or we twynne, For þo þat þou to wittenesse drawes Full even agaynste þe will begynne. 280 Salamon saide in his sawes Þat whoso enteres helle withynne Shall neuer come oute, þus clerkis knawes, And þerfore, felowe, leue þi dynne. Iob, þi seruaunte, also 285 Þus in his tyme gune telle, Þat nowthir frende nor foo Shulde fynde reles in helle. 25. Iesus. He saide full soth, þat schall þou see, Þat in helle may be no reles, 290 But of þat place þan preched he Where synffull care schall euere encrees. And in þat bale ay schall þou be, Whare sorowes sere schall neuer sesse, And for my folke þerfro wer free, 295 Nowe schall þei passe to þe place of pees. Þai were here with my wille, And so schall þei fourthe wende, And þiselue schall fulfille Þer wooe withouten ende. 300 26. Sattan. O we! þanne se I howe þou menys emang Some mesure with malice to melle, Sen þou sais all schall noȝt gang, But some schalle alway with vs dwelle. Iesus. Ȝaa, witte þou wele, ellis were it wrang, 305 Als cursed Cayme þat slewe Abell, And all þat hastis hemselue to hange, Als Iudas and Archedefell, Datan and Abiron, And alle of þare assente; 310 Als tyrantis euerilkone Þat me and myne turmente. 27. And all þat liste noght to lere my lawe, Þat I haue lefte in lande nowe newe, Þat is my comyng for to knawe, 315 And to my sacramente pursewe, Mi dede, my rysing, rede be rawe, Who will noght trowe, þei are noght trewe, Vnto my dome I schall þame drawe, And iuge þame worse þanne any Iewe. 320 And all þat likis to leere My lawe, and leue þerbye, Shall neuere haue harmes heere, But welthe, as is worthy. 28. Sattan. Nowe here my hande, I halde me paied; 325 Þis poynte is playnly for oure prowe; If þis be soth þat þou hast saide, We schall haue moo þanne we haue nowe. Þis lawe þat þou nowe late has laide I schall lere men noȝt to allowe. 330 Iff þei it take, þei be betraied, For I schall turne þame tyte, I trowe. I schall walke este and weste, And garre þame werke wele werre. Iesus. Naye, feende, þou schall be feste, 335 Þat þou schalte flitte not ferre. 29. Sattan. Feste! þat were a foule reasoune, Nay, bellamy, þou bus be smytte. Iesus. Mighill! myne aungell, make þe boune, And feste yone fende, þat he noght flitte. 340 And Deuyll, I comaunde þe go doune Into thy selle where þou schalte sitte. [Satan sinks. Sattan. Owt, ay! herrowe! helpe Mahounde! Nowe wex I woode oute of my witte. Belsabub. Sattan, þis saide we are, 345 Nowe schall þou fele þi fitte. Sattan. Allas! for dole and care, I synke into helle pitte. [Falls into the pit. 30. Adame. A! Iesu Lorde, mekill is Þi myght, That mekis Þiselffe in þis manere, 350 Vs for to helpe, as Þou has hight, Whanne both forfette, I and my feere. Here haue we leuyd withouten light Foure thousand and six hundred ȝere; Now se I be þis solempne sight 355 Howe Thy mercy hath made vs clere. Eue. A! Lorde, we were worthy Mo turmentis for to taste, But mende vs with mercye, Als Þou of myght is moste. 360 31. Baptista. A! Lorde, I loue Þe inwardly, That me wolde make Þi messengere Thy comyng in erth for to crye, And teche Þi faith to folke in feere; And sithen before Þe for to dye, 365 And bringe boodworde to þame here, How þai schulde haue Thyne helpe in hye: Nowe se I all Þi poyntis appere. Als Dauid prophete trewe Ofte tymes tolde vntill vs, 370 Of þis comyng he knewe, And saide it schulde be þus. 32. Dauid. Als I haue saide, ȝitt saie I soo, Ne derelinquas, Domine, Animam meam <in> inferno, 375 Leffe noght my saule, Lorde, aftir Þe, In depe helle where dampned schall goo, Ne suffre neuere †saules fro Þe be† The sorowe of þame þat wonnes in woo Ay full of filthe, †þat may repleye†. 380 Adame. We thanke His grete goodnesse He fette vs fro þis place, Makes ioie nowe more and lesse; Omnis. We laude God of His grace. 33. Iesus. Adame and my frendis in feere, 385 Fro all youre fooes come fourth with me, Ȝe schalle be sette in solas seere, Wher ȝe schall neuere of sorowes see. And Mighill, myn aungell clere, Ressayue þes saules all vnto þe, 390 And lede þame als I schall þe lere To Paradise with playe and plenté. [They come out of Limbo. Mi graue I woll go till, Redy to rise vpperight, And so I schall fulfille 395 That I before haue highte. 34. Michill. Lorde, wende we schall aftir Þi sawe, To solace sere þai schall be sende, But þat þer deuelis no draught vs drawe, Lorde, blisse vs with Þi holy hende. 400 Iesus. Mi blissing haue ȝe all on rawe, I schall be with youe, wher ȝe wende, And all þat lelly luffes my lawe, Þai schall be blissid withowten ende. Adame. To Þe, Lorde, be louyng, 405 Þat vs has wonne fro waa, For solas will we syng, Laus Tibi cum gloria. [Exeunt.