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Michigan State
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This is to certify that the
thesis entitled
MARKED:
AN EITION OF THE FIRM-CMTURI MORALITY PLAY

presented by

Grosvenor Russell Fattio

has been accepted towards fulfillment
of the requirements for

___Eh._D.__degree in WIL—

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Major professor

 

That? October 16; 1972

 

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ABSTRACT
MANKIND:
AN EDITIW OF THE FIFTEENTH—CENTURY MORALI‘I‘Y PLAY
By

Grosvenor Russell Fattic

This edition of the Imique manuscript of Mankind (Folger MS.
V. a. 354). an East Anglian morality play written about 1166, is
the first to combine a reading of the text based on the original
muscript with a critical discussion of the play itself. It is
divided into four parts—Introduction, Text, Notes, and Glossary.

In the Introduction I have presented an evaluation of
previous editions, a description and history of the mmuscript,

a determination of the date and dialect, an examination of the
play's original production, an analysis of the personages, and a
discussion of sources and analogues.

Chiefly, however, I have evaluated the four negative
criticisms most frequently lodged against Mankind—first, the text
is corrupt; second, the language is obscene; third, greater
attention is paid to vice than to virtue; and fourth, the language
of Mercy, the leading proponent of virtue, is incredibly pompous
and boring—and in all cases I have reached conclusions directly
opposed to the prevailing Opinion:

1. A stanza—by—stanza examination of the entire play reveals
no evidence for significant cutting, addition, or emendation and
suggests strongly that the text we have today stands surprisingly

Grosvenor Russell Fattic

close to that written by the original playwright. Moreover, a
carefizl analysis of the poet's versification shows that he is a
skilled craftsman, utilizing contrasting meters and stanzaic forms
not only to characterize good and evil and to indicate current
siqaremacy in the struggle between right and wrong, but also to reveal
subtly the true and variable state of Mankind's soul-n-which often
contrasts markedly with the outward profession of his speech.

2. Past objections to the earthiness of a few passages in
Mankind have been rooted essentially in late—nineteenth_century
moralism and would not be considered valid by either the fifteenth
or the twentieth centuries.

3. Although the poet faced considerably greater difficulty in
portraying the abstract qualities of virtue than the more concrete
realities of vice, he did not allow his emphasis in the play to be
misplaced. The final and most powerful scene of the play, which
recreates the Spirit of the confessional. concludes this morality on
a solemn and spiritually triumphant note.

1%. The critic who reacts negatively to Marcy's flowery.
Latinate speech fails to consider the great pepularity of aureate
diction during the fifteenth century or to recognize that many words
in Mankind which he unhesitatingly accepts as natural today were as
novel and unusual at that time as other words which failed to become

part of the language and new sound artificial and strange.

MANKJND:
AN EDITION OF THE FIFTEENTH-CENTURI“MGRALITI PLAY

By

Grosvencr Russell Fattic

A THESIS

Submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements

for the degree of

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Department of English

1972

g" ‘ ACKNWLEIIEMTS

The preparation and writing of this dissertation would have been
impossible without the patient help and understanding guidance of
others. I would.like to express my deepest appreciation to Professor
Arnold.Williams for sharing unselfishly of his time, wisdom, and
enqaerience; to Professors John Iunck, William Heist, and John Alford
for their invaluable suggestions; to the Folger Library for permission
to examine the original manuscript of Mankind; and to Professor Frank
Knittel for introducing me to the matchless literature of the Middle

Ages.

ii

INTRODUCTION .

Previous Editions

The Manuscript
Dialect .

Form and Content

Production

Parsonages

Sources and Analogues

This Edition
TEIT . . .
NOTES . . .
GLOSSARI . .
LIST OF‘WORKS CITED

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I I I I I
I I I I I
I I I I I
I I -I I I
I I I I I
I I I I I
I I I I I
I I I I I
I I I I I
I I I I I
I I I I I
I I I I I
I I I I I

iii

Page

15
17
37

1+7

H5

113
122

INTRODUCTION

The formal study of literature in general extends back for
thousands of years; that of mglish literature in particular for
hundreds. Comparatively speaking, then, scholarly interest in the
drama of medieval England is relatively yomg. Until a few decades
ago, the literary surveyor, believing that uglish drama really
began with Marlowe and Shakespeare, prefaced his presentation of the
great fliubethans with a brief allusion to Sephocles and a light
reading of m, fully satisfied that he had thus adequately
discussed all significant developments in dramatic history before
1600. This presentation, so obviously incomplete today, becomes
understandable when we recognize that our present volume of research
in medieval drama has only recently been begun. For example, just
after the turn of this century, when he published his two-volume
Medieval 31:238. one of the earliest commentaries in the field, Sir
E. I. Chambers wrote that he had originally intended to produce

a little book . . . about Shakespeare and the conditions,

literary and dramatic, under which Shakespeare note. My

proper task would have begun with the middle of the six—
teenth century. But it seemed natural to put first some
short ascent of the origins of play-acting in Mgland and

of its development during the Middle Ages. Unfortmately,

it soon became apparent that the basis for such a narrative

was wanting . The history of the mediaeval theatre had
never, from an English point of view, been written.1

1(London: Oxford University Press, 1903), I, 111.
1

2

And even some 20 years later, when Joseph Quincy Adams compiled his
famous collection of early plays , he felt compelled to entitle it
9993!. Pro-Shake spearegn m. 2

Happily, though, the patient labor of these pioneer scholars and
two generations of followers has opened to us a centuries-long chapter
in the history of mglish drama. Now the peculiar notion that all
dramatic production before the sixteenth century existed merely as a
prologue to Shakespeare has been discarded. No longer does the
atypical morality of m stand alone as sole representative for
600 years of drama. At its side, full of vitality and strength, stand
the mysteries, moralities , and miracles of the Middle Ages which have
gained new life and papularity both within the classroom and without.

This new birth of interest in medieval drama, and indeed in all
medieval literature, has created a strong demand for reliable texts
upon which all sound scholarship must be firmly based. Responding
to this need, editors have continually prepared and revised definitive
editions for the literature of the period. Such textual scholarship

is important. As Richard D. Altick wrote in his guide for would—be
scholars:

Few of us may dedicate our energies to the patient unraveling
of the knotty textual history of a work; all of us. however,
have an inescapable obligation to base our scholarly and
critical activity upon the most authentic text that is
available and to reproduce it with the utmost fidelity in
whatever we publish for the use of others.3

2(Cambridge, Massachusetts: Boughton Hifflin, 1924).

3_'l‘h_g _A_rt__ 2; Litergz Research (New Iork: w. w. Norton,
1963)e Po 63o

3
The purpose of this thesis, then, is to supply such a text for the
play of Mankind.
Previous Editions

When I first studied Mgind, no satisfactory edition of this
late-fifteenth-century morality was readily available. Although it
had been published no less than five times between 1897 and 1921+, some
serious problems could be found in each edition. The first two, by
John M. Manly“ and Alois Brandl,5 both published before the turn of
the century, were based, not on the original manuscript, but on copies
of a transcript that had been made by Karl Marx' daughter Eleanor for
1". J. Fmivall and contained many errors. A similar problem existed
in John S. Farmer's 1907 edition,6 which was also second-hand. The
standard text, edited by F. J. Furnivall and Alfred W. Pollard for
the Early English Text Society in 19m,7 though closer to the original
manuscript, still contained numerous mis-readings and had long been
out of print. The most accessible text, edited by Joseph Quincy

Adams ,8 was heavily emu-gated and hence unsuitable for serious

“fiecimens 9;. the; Pre-Shakegperean Drama (Boston: Gian, 1897).

5mllen $12.3. veltlichen Dramas 1.3 mgland m Shakegeare, in
93211811 1131:; Porschggen, In (Strassburg: Trfibner, 1898).

6Recently Recovered 'Lost' Tudor Playg (London: Early hglish
Drama Society, 1907). Shortly afterward Farmer was able to publish
a facsimile edition of the original manuscript which was issued as
1h: Macro {1223, 113. 2;. Tudor Facsimile Tfis (London: T. C. and
EC C. J‘Ok' 19W)‘

7211.: Macro grim, Early Eiglish Text Society, ktra Series xcx
(London, 19%).

8thief Pre-Shakegearean Dramas.

1}
research. In short, Sister Mary Philippa Coogan's statement was as
true in 1969 as it had been in 191W, when she wrote that a new edition
of this play was certainly needed.9 And I hoped to fill that need.

Since I began this study, however, an excellent new edition of
all three Macro plays, edited by Professor Mark Eccles, with a more
scholarly introduction, improved notes, and a vastly superior text,
has been published by the EETS that will certainly become the
standard text for most studies of these plays in the near future.10
Perhaps, then, I should explain briefly why I feel another edition of
Mankind may still be helpful at this time.

First, Mankind has never been published alone. Manly, Farmer,
and Adams all included this play as just one text in a larger
anthology. As such, it received little critical attention by way of
an introduction and explanatory notes. Brand]. also published it as
part of m mthology; but even though he was more complete in his
introduction and notes, he wrote in German which, in spite of the
language examinations all graduate students of literature are required
to pass, limits his audience today; and he did so in 1898, before any
significant scholarship on this subject had been published. Both of
the ms texts by Furnivall and Eccles are limited to the Macro plays,
but aside from being bound together in the same volume, these three
plays have little in common; and in both of these editims the
editors' main concentration has been on _T1_1_g _C_a_§_tl_e_ g_f_ Perseverance
with its greater length, larger cast, and intriguing diagram for

93; Interpretation 2; £129. 112221.. 313;, Mankind (Washington: The
Catholic University of America Press, 19W). pp. 118—119.
1°(London: Oxford University Press, 1969).

5

staging and production rather than on Mankind. Eccles, in his edition
of the Macro plays, deals primarily with the text of Mankind and does
not attempt to present a critical discussion of the play itself.

Second, Mankind has regularly been described by critics as
degenerate both in its text and its content. The abuse which Hardin
Craig heaped upon this poor morality in his m Religious D_r_;_am_a_
3; Lb; _M_iad_dl_e_ $33 is a blunt statement expressing the cannon Opinion
held by most students of early drama since the beginning of this

century:

Mankind, in its present state at least, is a play of the
utmost ignorance and crudity, . . . The play is ignorant,
corrupt, probably degenerate, and vulgar to the point of
obscenity, and yet it is possible that it was a typical
English morality play, not perhaps of the fullest scope,
but a play with a bias toward social satire. It is
difficult to see it in its present form as an original
composition either of a rural poet or of a man with any
pretence to education.11

I feel that such criticism is wide of the mark and that careful
analysis of the play's form and content reveals, in the place of
Craig's patchwork monstrosity, a unified work of art, written by an
educated dramatist , confirming and supporting traditional Christian
morality. No edition of Mankind. has yet dealt fully and
satisfactorily with this issue.

Third, I find that my examination of the unique manuscript of
@3151 suggests a very few readings that differ from even the superb

u(I.cndon: University of Oxford Press, 1955). PP. 350-351..

6
version of Professor Eccles. For these three reasons, then, I feel
that another study of Mankind and a new edition of the text may be
useful at this time of growing interest in the drama of medieval

ligland.

2h; Manuscript

Description
Mankind is the first of three separate moralities, including

M95 and The 9.93;; 9; Perseverance, bound together in a single
black-leather volume and collectively titled _% M5933 Manuscript
after their earliest lmown owner, the Rev. Cox Macro (1683—1767),
physician, theologian. and antiquaI‘Y. Today as Folger MS. V. a. 354
it rests in the Folger Library at Washington, D. C.

Copied by two scribes on sheets of unlined paper approximately
220 mm. by 160 mm. and watemarked with an unattributed hand and star,
the manuscript is unfortunately incomplete. The first 9 of its 13
leaves were originally numbered (probably by the first scribe) at the
bottom m £113. These numbers--1, iij, 1113, v, v3, vij, viij,
ix, somehow that the original second leaf is missing, and indeed at
this point batman lines 71 and 72 there is a break in the continuity
of the passage. The present numbering of the leaves (ff. 122-134) does
not account for the missing leaf and reflects the position of the
manuscript in an earlier volume when the present Macro plays were
bound up with Juvenal, a treatise on alchemy, and other dissimilar
works.” The first leaf of the remaining 13 is separate; the other 12
are gathered in a quire.

”Rainer, Recently Recovered 'Lost' Tudor Playg, p. 426.

7
Although both scribes fill a writing block that is roughly 180 mm.

by 130 mm., there are distinct differences in the work of the two:

1. Whereas the first compresses from 31 to 46 lines on each
page, not counting additions, and averages nearly 140, the second
fills his pages with only 27 lines or less.

2. The lines of the first scribe are basically straight on each
page, but the lines of the second tend to slant uphill.

3. The formation of several letters--particularly the g,
initial 5 and capital §--is noticeably different.

lb. Most obviously, identical words are spelled differently:
The first scribe spells Mg with a medial y and a final 3; the
second prefers Mankend. The first scribe represents the initial
consonant in 3531;; and £1133 with an 5: the second prefers 39h.

5. Finally, cOpying errors made by the second scribe appear
more nmnerous than similar mistakes made by the first.

Histog
As with most precious ancient and medieval manuscripts, little

is known of Mankind'a early history, and its survival into the modern
age appears strictly accidental. Though the plays themselves are
not necessarily related, the present manuscripts of Mankind and
W have been connected through most of their history. Neither

is holograph, but the same scribe who copied all of W also
copied all but the last four pages of Mankind, and the two appear

to have remained together ever since. The first record of ownership
is a contemporary Latin verse very faintly inscribed at the end

of both plays:

8

O liber si quis qui constas forte queretur
Hynghamque monacho dices super omnia consto

0 book, if by chance anyone shall ask to whom you belong.
you will say, 'I belong above all to Hyngham, the monk.‘

Eccles has suggested three possible monks named Hyngham: first, a
Thomas Hyngham, using the same formula as in this distich, "wrote his
name as owner ('constat') in a fifteenth—century manuscript of
Boethius in kglish formerly at Bury St. Edmunds:" a second, Thomas
Hengham, of Norwich, owned two Latin manuscripts; and a third,
Richard Bengham, was abbot of Bury from 1474 to 1479.13 All three
names merit consideration, for chronologically they all lived during
and shortly after the date of Mankind's composition, md moreover
they all lived within the area where Mankind was probably written.
01' the three, however, Richard Hengham, the abbot of Bury, may be
the most likely.

Between the shadowy imprint of Hyngham and the clear title of
Macro, the record of ownership is blank. But to pique our curiosity
the margins of Mankind and W certainly are not. A nearly
obliterated inscription on f. 131+! claims "Robertus olyuer est verus
possessor hvius lybry." Additional marginaliauthe heads of men
(ff. 98V, 121’) and dragons (f. 98") and numerous names and
inscriptions both forwards and backwards in mirror image suggest that
these two manuscripts passed, quite literally, through the none-too-
respectful hands of schoolboys named John Thomas, Richard Cake of
Bury senior, and Thomas Wy‘ilym, who penned on r. nu" of m,

13Eccles , pp. xxvii-xxviii.

9
“K15 min arcs knave,” a sentiment inspired perhaps by Nowadays'
exclamation in 1. 1% of W, 'Osoulare fimdarnentmn.” In addition
to these, Eccles has deciphered the possible names of Thomas Gonnolld,
Rainold Wodles, and 101m Plandonfw all of whose identities are
unlmown.

No surviving record reveals where Macro found the manuscript of
Mankind or who inherited it after his death. However, the W
9; National Biography notes that ”Many of his manuscripts had belonged
to Sir Henry Spelman, others formed part of the library of Bury Abbey,
and several of them had been obtained through [Richard] Kurd.” Con-
sequently, it is possible that this manuscript copy of Mflind was
first acquired by Richard Hengham before he became abbot of Bury and
then later was added to the collection of the abbey library. The
community of 1&3 monks in this Benedictine monastery was dissolved in
1539 on the order of King Henry VIII.15 But the ZOOO-volume library,
including Mankind, may have remained in Bury St. Edmunds for many
decades during which numerous schoolboys at Bury Grammar School (where
Macro himself was a student) left their indelible impressions upon it
and two centuries later, along with the abbey's Great Register and
other valuable books, passed from thence into Macro's large collection
of numismatic, historic, artistic, and literary treasures. The where-
abouts of Mankind during the half-century following Macro's death are
unknown, but in 1319 it appeared in the possession of John Patteson,
M. P. for Norwich, who sold his share of Macro's books and manuscripts

lchcles , pp. miii—zxix.

15'Abbey of Buyst,-Edrmmds,' .1191 Catholic Ehgyclgpedia (1967),
II. 907-908.

10
for a mere 150 pounds to Richard Beatniff, a Norwich bookseller. In
turn, they were resold for him by Christie's to Dawson Turner and
Hudson Gurney for 700 pomds, with the Macro moralities going to
Gumey. At this time, 1820, the three plays were separated from their
earlier volume and rebound together in their present form—-a small
black-leather volume on which is imprinted a coat of arms and the name
of Hudson Gurney around it. The Folger Library purchased the plays
in 1936 at the Gurney sale at Sotheby's for M0 pounds.

gate;

Even to a casual reader, it is apparent that m was composed
sometime during the latter part of the fifteenth century. Handwriting
characteristics of the late 1400's, language that is still Middle
English but nearly as close to Shakespeare as to Chaucer, allusions to
King Edward IV, and references to a variety of late medieval coinage
all point to that critical time Just before the close of the Middle
Ages. Scholars, however, are seldom satisfied with approximate dates,
and several have attempted to fix the time of Mankind's composition as
precisely as possible. The handwriting of both scribes closely
resembles the representative selection M. B. Parkes has included in
his kglish Cursive Egg; §_an_d_s 22-229. as "a typical example of
late—fifteenth—century Anglicana. '16 And the language of the play
supports a similar approximate date.

Neither handmiting nor language, however, can establish the
exact year of «expositions. hence, it is to allusions within the play
that we must look for specific clues.

16(London: Oxford University Press, 1969), p. 21.

ll

One subject alluded to often is money; and as Donald C. Baker
has observed, "every piece of coin current in England in the second
half of the fifteenth century is mentioned in the play with a lone
exception."17 These include the noble, ryal, groat, half-great,
penny, half-penny, and rarthihg:18

A gold coin called the 32131.3 was first issued in 1412 during the
reign of Henry IV. It fluctuated in both weight and value, but in
1465 weighed 108 grains and was worth 85. “d. in silver. Nought
refers to this coin when he chides Nowadays, “Your potage xall be
forcolde, ser, when wyll go go dyn? / I haue son a man lost twenti
noblys in as lytyll tyme" (11. 269.270).

The 52“.]; or Rose-Noble, weighing 120 grains and valued at 108..
was first minted in 1465 by Edward IV to satisfy the desire for a
coin equal in weight to the old lZO-grain noble of Edward III and
Richard II. Nowadays asks for these when he cautions his audience
to pay well if they wish to see Tityvillus: “Gyf we rode reyallys yf
3e wyll se hys abhomynabull presens' (l. #65).

The 93355, a four-penny silver coin weighing 118 grains, and the
Half-Groat, 24 grains of silver worth 2d., are seemed by Nevadays

17"The Date of Mankind," Philological Quarterlz. 42 (1963). 90.

18hr discussions of hglish coinage and monetary problems during

the reign of Edward IV see Albert Feavearyear, Th3 22115.1. Sterling: _A_
History 2; English Min-61 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1931), pp. 39.45:
C. R. Josset, M31191 in Britain: 5 History 9!. _t_h_e_ Currencies 23: the
British .I_§_l_9_s_ (London: Frederick Name, 1962), p. 38: Charles Guam,
1h; Coinage p_f_ ggland (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1931), pp. 217-223:
Peter Seaby, The £15231 2; the Diglish Coinage (London: B. A. Seaby,
1952). pp. 42-16.

12
when he tells the audience that Tityvillus does not care for them:
”He louy'th no grotys, nor pens of [£39] to pens" (1. 464).
The 22931, weighing 12 grains, the gym, 6 grains, and
the Farthing, only 3 grains, are all mentioned in an exchange between
Tityvillus and the other vices as this devil attempts to borrow‘

money from them:

[TITIVIILUS] Ego probe sic. Bar New Gys, lende me a pony.
NW GISE. I haue a grett purse, ser, but I haue no money.
By be mess, I fayll to farthyngys of an halpeny:
3yt hade I ten pound bis nyght hat was
(11. 478Ji8l).

(he of these references is of particular interest. In 11. 461+-
#6 5 Nowadays tells the audience that Tityvillus ”louyth no grotys,
nor pens of to pens. / Gyf we rode reyallys yf 3e wy‘ll se hys
abhomabull presens. " This admonition probably reflects more than
Nowadays' natural preference for gold over silver. Under ordinary
circumstances it is doubtful that a man in Nowadays' station in life
ever saw much coined money at all, particularly gold, and would
hardly be inclined to reject a freshly minted silver penny or great.
But the circumstances at this time in England were not ordinary. In
1464 Edward IV ordered a drastic reduction in the weight of English
coinage in order to increase the supply of bullion to the mint. At
that time the weight of the silver penny, which had been steadily
reduced from 21+ grains in Anglo—Saxon and early Norman times, to 22
grains by Edward I, to 18 grains by Edward III, to 15 grains by
Henry IV, was once more reduced to only 12 grains by Edward IV. As

a result, the worker who received a penny for his wages was given only

13
one-half as much silver as he would have been given less than 200
years before or, more significantly. only 80 percent of what he would
have been given Just a few months earlier. Navradays is probably
expressing popular dissatisfaction with the king's new coinage. This
is no doubt the reason he asks for ”rede reyallys." Gold coins were
revalued, and the noble, weighing 108 grains and previously valued at
63. 8d. in silver was revalued upward to 85. 14d. The red ryal, or
rose noble, was minted to satisfy public demand for a heavier gold
coin weighing 120 grains, the weight of the noble between 1351 and
thI.. When Nowadays asks for one of these, he is indicating his
preference for the old money.-

The fact that English coinage was reduced in weight in 1% and
the red ryal, or rose noble, was not coined until 1165 is evidence
that Mankind could not have been written before that date. These
two events, then, establish a terminus a 333 of 1465.

Another passage which may help date this play contains the
nonsensical proclamation which Nought has written and which Myscheff

reads :

Carici tenta generalis
In a place her geode ale ys
Anne regni regitalis

Edwardi nullateni
Q1 3estern day in Feuerere. be 3ere passyth fully,
As Nought hath wrytyn. Here ys owr Tulli.
Anne regni regis nulli

(11. 687-693)-

Pollard was of the opinion that "By his use in 1. 683 [690:] of Edward

as an obvious name for a king, the playwright himself suggests to us

1#

that he wrote when Edward IV had been for some time firmly seated on
his throne, and.1475, the end of the third quarter of the fifteenth
century, seems as good a round date for the composition of the play
as we can take."19 However, Smart felt that the inscription at the
end of the play} in which a monk named Hyngham claimed ownership of
the mumscript, indicated a date no later than 111,714“ when Richard
Hengham became abbot of St. Edmundsbury Abbey, and ”would, therefore,
not designate himself as plain 'monk' after that date.‘I Smart then
suggested that the peculiar 'Edwardi.nullateni" date given.in the
proclamation and the “anno regni regis nulli" indicated that the time
represented was the period between October lh7O and April 1h71, when
Henry'VI was temporarily'restored to the throne and Edward IV was in
exile at the Burgundien court of Charles the Bold. In fact, because
of references to a "wyntur corn-threscher,“ to the "Crystemes songs,"
to the cold weather, to football, to breaking ground and sewing, he
concluded that it was a Shrovetide play ”written for performance in
Shrevetide in 1u71."2°

Since then, Eccles has demonstrated that the play could.not have
logically been written during Edward's exile because "Master
Alyngton of Botysam', mentioned in Slfi, was in exile with Edward from
September 1&70 to April 1&71."21 Moreover, as Baker has suggested,
it is very doubtful that the name Edward would have been used while

Henry was king and unlikely while there was any doubt as to who

19Pollard, p. xi.

ZOSmart, pp. u5.h7.

21Eocles, p. xxxviii.

15

would win out in the struggle.22

Finally, as has been noted already, all of the current coins of
Edward IV's time are referred to except one. This exception is the
angel, a gold coin weighing 80 grains and valued at 6s. 8d. use named
because it portrayed a picture of St. Michael spearing a dragon on the
obverse. The angel first appeared about 11469, basically replacing the
ryal, remained as the standard gold coin Imtil the reign of Henry VIII,
and was minted as late as Charles I. Baker feels that the reference
to the ryal, or rose-noble, in the absence of the angel eliminates the
second reign of Edward IV and perhaps also the last two years of his
first reign. Q1 this evidence, then, he has assigned “a tentative
date of 1466, being reasonably confident that the data could not be at
the most more than a year or two off either way."23

In sunnnary, then, recent studies of allusions in this play have
established a date of composition that is nearly a full decade earlier

than the 11:75 date generally accepted in the past.

Dialect
Fairly complete analyses of the language of Mankind have already
been published by both Brandl and Eccles.2’+ However, several out-
standing features are of special interest in determining the dialect
in which Mankind was written.

ZZBaker, p. 91.
23Baker, p. 91.

2I'I'Brandl, pp. mi-xxiy; Eccles, pp. mviii—xl.

16

212.22.: lanai

References to several towns in Norfolk, Suffolk ,. and Cambridge...
shire and to important men who lived there,25 together with the
preservation of this manuscript in the area of Bury St. Edmunds,
indicate that the probable dialect of Mankind should be East Midland.
An examination of orthography, vowel changes, and grammatical
inflections supports this assumption.
Orthography

For 31;: a; is used by the first scribe to represent the initial
unvoiced palate—alveolar fricative in gall and $93,
but §_c_h_ in other words and positions; ESP. is preferred
by the second scribe.

For _wh: 33 (m. 1. 795) and 1‘1 (31333). 1. 173) are both used
to represent the unvoiced labia-velar fricative.

For 1: both 1 (mg, 1. 1+19) and _w (rowelmge, 1. 85) are used
by the first scribe to represent the voiced labio—
dental fricative; but I! (Ea-131.33, l. 909) is preferred
by the second.

1916; Changes
OE a ) 5 (mgkygde), but sometimes 3 before lengthening
consonantal clusters (M, 1. 411; Lelia, l. 671).
OE g ) _a_ (5mg, 1. 618).
GE 2 > y (gm, me, but also mankend).

25See note to 11. 505-515; Brandl, p. xxvi; Pollard, pp. xi-acii,
19, W. K. wart, "Some Notes on Mankind,” Modem Philology, 11+ (1916),
148-55, 306-308; Eccles, p. 22.

17
GE 22 g (herte, 1. 2408).

News
The regular plural ending is -ys, sometimes spelled out but
more often indicated by the Latin abbreviation for -_i_._§_.

The genitive singular ending is the same, ~23.

Pronouns
The feminine singular forms are sche and 3195(2).
The second person plural forms are 2.: (ye), 3owr, and 101.

The third person plural forms are bei, 211;, and hem.

19.2322
The third person singular, present indicative ends in 4:11..
The present participle ends in --_y_n_g_e_.
The subjunctive ends in -_e_.
Other numbers and tenses are not regularly inflected,
including the past participle.

195m and. Content
Most commentators on medieval drama have discussed Mankind at
least briefly. But the reviews by these literary critics could
scarcely be called raves. In addition to the negative appraisal
already given by Hardin Craig, I". P. Wilson has called it ”a play in

which the comic scenes are vulgar but not fttnrxy."26

A. P. Rossiter
has described it as “extremely low in parts, and often just dirty:

written for inn-yard amusement and East Anglian-u-not to say

262123 E“ 11511 9.29.93 M. ed. G. H. Hunter (New Iork:

Oxford University Press, 1969), p. 5.

18
'Cambridge'.....bumpkins."27 W. Roy Mackenzie has dismissed it as
"remarkable mainly for the coarse jokes and vulgar antics of four
rascals.“

Outwardly, these objections to Mgind are moral ones', but
underlying each one of them is the belief that Mankind, in its present
form, is not the polished composition that once issued from a competent
playwright's pen, but rather the end product of numerous cuts,
insertions, and emendations imposed on the poet's original by a series
of insensitive strolling players. Joseph Quincy Adams caressed both

notions rather strongly in his denunciation of the play:

the moral element is reduced to a minimum, and even the
sole representative of good, Mercy, is deliberately made
fun of with his pondercus Latinistic diction and his
saccharine talk; the humor becomes at times exceedingly
vulgar; and the literary skill of the writer is unusually
poor. Possibly the author merely reworked an earlier and
more serious morality, eliminating the moral element, and
accentuating in his own way the comic features.29

Without attempting a phrase-by-phrase rebuttal of Adams or Craig or
any one of Mankind'e most vociferous critics, I would like to examine
both the form and the content of this play in order to demonstrate

that it is a unified work of art fully deserving to be classified as

a morality.

27m lish 251mg £5913 Early Times 29. the Elizabethans: I333 Back...

ground, Origins 933 DevelOpments (London: Hutchinson, 1958). p- 100.

28_l‘_h_e_ Eh lish ralities from £113 Point _o_f_ View of Allegogy

(Boaton: Gian, 191“). p. 65-
29Adams, p. 304.

19

Versification

Interestingly enough, no matter how often it has been stated or
how vehemently it has been expressed, the conclusion that the text of
Mankind is degenerate seems to be little more than a gut reaction,
drawn from evidence which is insufficient to support it. And indeed,
no scholar, Adams or Craig included, has yet attempted to present
before the literary tribunal sufficient evidence to warrant a
conviction. Such, if it existed, would not be hard to find. Mankind
is a play written in verse, and as Professor Arnold Williams has
noted, “Cuts and additions to a play in stanzaic verse are usually
easy to detecte—the stanzaic structure is interrupted and the prosody
betrays the revision.'30

Let us examine, then, the verse of Mankind. In the introduction
to his edition of Skelton's Magflycence (a work that I suspect has
not been much consulted by critics of Mankind), Robert L. Ramsay
discussed the versification of this play.31 Because he based his
conclusions on the EETS edition prepared by Fumivall and Pollard,
who did not include in their basic text seven lines (125—128, 130,
201-202) written in the margins or make certain obvious emendaticns,
Ramsay's observations must be revised. However, following his lead,
I have classified each line of Mankind according to the particular
stanza form in which it is used. An 5 in these represents a single
unrhymed line.

3"M'he English Moral Play before 1500.” Ann______uale Mw°fi°Vfl°v
1+ (1963), 16.

31 Early English Text Society, E 98 (London, 1906), pp. cxxxix-cxl.

20

3.12m. £21m: Lissa
1. a b a b 1-44,‘162-201, 205-244, 253-260,
277-308. 311-322. 734-753. 756-
771, 811-914
2. a a b 202-204
3. aaa b ccc b 45-52, 64-71, 74-121, 131-146,

154-161, 245-252, 261-276, 323-
330. 344-391. 405-444. 451-474.
495-502. 505-528. 541-604. 607-
630, 638-661, 671-686, 694-733,

779-810
4. xaa b ccc b 482-489
5. aaa b ccc 147-153
6. aaa b bbb 687-693
7. aaa ccc b 4754481, 772-778
8. aaa b cc b 631-637
9. aaa xb ccc b 662-670
10. he. b c b 415.450
11. aaa b ccc b ddd b 529-540
12. as bx ccc b ddd b 392-404
13. aaa bx cc d as d 53-63
14. aaa b c d as d 1224130
15. aa 309-310. 331-342. 490-491.
503-504. 605—606. 754-755
16. aaa 592-494
17. non-rhyming lines 72-73, 343

The use of 16 different stanzaic patterns in a play only 914
lines long could offer the metrical proof of textual chaos necessary

to confirm the allegation that Mankind is a greatly reworked and

2.1
revised play. However, even a casual glance at this list, or at the
play itself, will indicate that only two basic patterns are used
throughout the play and that all exceptions are either couplets or
variants of one of the two basic patterns:

1. A quatrain, rhyming a b a b, is used for most of the first
322 lines and the last 181 lines of the play. Variations do occur.
For example, the quatrains may stand alone, or they can be linked, as
in the first 44 lines, with the last line of one quatrain rhyming with
the first line of the next: abab bcbc cdcd, etc.

2. An eight-line tail-rhyme stanza, aaa b ccc b, is employed
for most of the remainder of the play. Twice this pattern is
expanded: aaa b ccc b ddd b. It is within this pattern that nearly
all variations are found.

Simificantly, however, an examination of each irregular or
varying stanza reveals little evidence of cutting, expanding, or
revision:

Stanza aab (11. 202-204) occurs in the middle of a long exchange
between Mercy and Mankind. Here, there is no distinct break in
thought, but it is possible that one line, rhyming with "dungehyll'
in l. 204, has been omitted by the scribe between 11. 202 and 203.

Stanza xaa b ccc b (11. 482-489), in which Tityvillus attempts
to borrow money from New Gyse, Nowadays, and Nought, is a full eight-
line stanza. But the first line, 482, ends with "felow" and does not
rhyme with 1. 483, "jentyllman," and 1. 484. "am." which would be
necessary for a perfect stanza. The exception may be a scribal
error or an intentional change made to eliminate the possible
original, "man,'I which rhymes neatly, though identically, with l. 483

22
and replace it with a more descriptive synonym.

Stanza aaa b ccc (11. 147-153) contains an exchange between
Mercy'and.New'Gyse in which.Mercy, objecting to the vices' language,
tells them to "get‘lost," and.NeW'Gyse, in an insolent manner, agrees.
Here, too, there is no break in sense either before or after this
stanza. But it is possible that a final line rhyming with l. 150,
”eloquence,“ may'have been emitted by the scribe,

Stanza aaa b bbb (11. 687-693) contains the nonsensical
proclamation, read by Myscheff, which Nought has written. As a
proclamation it could.naturally stand as an incomplete stanza.
Possibly'an original final line, following 1. 693 and rhyming with
1. 690, "Edwardi nullateni,' has been omitted. But in either case
it fits smoothly'into its context with.no break in sense either
before or after the proclamation.

The stanza form aaa ccc b is used twice. First, in 11. 475-481,
Tityvillus attempts to borrow'money'from.New'Gyse, and the expected
line after 477 (where the manuscript reads I'Loquitur ad New Gyse") and
which should rhyme with 1. 481, "was,“ is missing. Second, in 11.
772-778 Myscheff and New Gyse mock Mercy's call for Mankind. Here
there is no line after 774 to rhyme with.1. 778, "mynde." In neither
instance, however, is there a disruption of the thought either before
or after the stanza.

Stanza aaa b cc b (11. 631-637) is also missing a line. Here,
in a rapid exchange among all four vices that follows Mankind's
mistaken discovery that Mercy has been hanged for the stealing of a
horse, there is no line between lines 634 and 637 to rhyme with.ll.

635, “I,” and 636, |'by'.“ Although the passage is boisterous, there

23
is no evidence of addition or deletion beyond a single line.

Stanza aaa xb ccc b (11. 662-670), in which the vices set up a
Kangaroo Court, contains one extra line, “Nowadays, mak proclamacyon,"
which has been inserted as l. 665 between 11. 664 and 666. This
clarifies the “Oyyt! Oy3t£ Oyet!” etc. which follows and makes
perfect sense even though it creates an irregular stanza.

Stanza aaa b c b (11. 445-450), in which New Gyse and Nowadays
declare themselves miraculously healed, after Myscheff suggests he
can cure the pain in New Gyse's "jewellys" and Nowadays' head by
chopping them off, and then gather in a huddle to hear Nowadays'
plans to defeat Mankind, is missing two lines between 11. 448 and 450
which should rhyme with 1. 449, 'hethere." From the passage that
follows, it is evident these two omitted lines probably contained
Nowadays' decision to call upon Tityvillus for help in tricking
Mankind.

Stanza aaa bx ccc b ddd b (11. 392-404) is Mankind's prayer of
thanks for beating off his enemies and ’Nought's cursing response.

One extra line in this stanza contains Mankind's aside to the
audience eXplaining that the spade was not made for defense. But
this line fits smoothly into its context even though it creates an
irregular stanza.

Stanza aaa bx cc d as d (11. 53-63), though apparently irregular,
was probably written this way intentionally. In this passage Myscheff
mocks Marcy's sermonizing with a parody on the expository style
popular with preachers. The single non-rhyming line (57) is
Myscheff's theme text upon which his sermon is based, and the six

lines immediately following, rhyming cc d ee d, which ordinarily

24
would have been a full eight lines, contain Myscheff's abbreviated
exposition. The sixth of these lines, "And so forth, et cetera,"
suggests he had sufficient difficulty thinking of enough expository
content to fill the first five. Two more lines would have been
beyond him.

Stanza aaa b c d as d (ll. 122-130) includes five lines which
have been added.in the right-hand margin and have not been included
in the text proper by early editors. In this passage there is
obviously both addition (of the five lines) and omission (of up to
seven lines necessary to complete two full stanzas of aaa b ccc b).
However, this passage, in whicthercy identifies himself to New Guise,
Nowadays, and Nought, who make fun of his aureate language, follows
naturally after 11. 114-121 in which these three vices introduce
themselves to Mercy (and the audience) and leads smoothly into the
following passage (11. 131 ff.) in which the vices continue their
Jeking at.Mercy‘s expense. In fact, 1. 131 completes the thought
begun in l. 130.

In addition to these variations on the two basic stanza forms,
sinpassages contain couplets and one contains a triplet which do not
harmonize with either of the two dominant forms. However, none of
these passages indicates any'break in the thought of a line or the
structure of the play. One couplet (11. 309-310) serves as a kind
of benediction spoken byfiMercy’and‘Mankind to complete a scene.
Another series of couplets (11. 331-342) is used for the remarkable
'Crystemes songs" and its introduction sung by the vices. One more
couplet (11. 754-755) contains a Latin text, quoted by Marcy, that is

the logical extension and summation of the thought preceding it.

25
And the remaining three couplets and the triplet are special lines
spoken by Tityvillus, whose character appears distinguished from that
of the humbler vices by the use of a special stanza pattern almost
exclusively his own.

Only three remaining lines of Mankind are yet unaccounted for,
but none of these indicates the severe revisions we have been looking
for. Lines 72-73 are the first lines of the original third leaf of
the manuscript and conclude the last stanza of the preceding, and now
missing, second leaf. Line 343, in which llCantant MES. Hoylyke,
holyke, holyke,' etc., though it doesn't rhyme, provides a fitting
conclusion to their Christmas song.

However, it must be conceded that the entire uCrystemes songe"
and the two couplets used to introduce it do not mesh neatly, either
in rhymo—scheme or in content, with their context. In lines 327-330
Mankind, Speaking in tail—rhymw, determines to avoid New Gyse and
delve with his spade "to eschew ydullness" (l. 329). This is
followed immediately by Nowadays and Nought speaking in couplets:

NCWADAIS. Make rom, sers, for we haue be long.
We wyll cum gyf yow a Crystemes songe.

NOMHT. New I prey all be yemandry bat ys here
To synge wy‘th ws wyth a mery chere
(11' 331-334).

They are joined then by New Gyse in their vulgar song. There is
no specific word or phrase to link this episode to the previous
speech of Mankind. In fact, Navradays addresses himself to 'sers"
when Mankind is the only non-vice on stage. At the conclusion

of their song, New Gyse, retuming to tail-rhymes, taunts Mankind:

26

EW, Manky'nde, Gode spede yow wy'th yowr spade.
I xall tell yew of a maryage:
I wolde yowr mowth ande hys ars bat ys made
war maryede junctly together
(11. 344-347).

Again, there is no specific indication that the song of the vices is
an essential part of the scene in which it is placed. Perhaps, then,
this entire song is an insertion, added later by another ”poet” to
satisfy the peculiar demands of a single performance and retained,
for some unknown reason, in the manuscript which survives today.

The change in stanza pattern and the lack of any specific link with
preceding or following stanzas supports such a conclusion; but, of
course, does not prove it.

Except for this song, then, there are essentially only 12
irregular stanzas in Mankind. Of these 12, four were probably
written this way intentionally (53-63, 392-404, 662-670, 687-693);
three show evidence of probable scribal omission (122-130, 445-450,
631-637); four of possible scribal omission (147-153, 202-204,
475-481, 772-778); and one of possible scribal change (482-489).

But beyond these, there is no sign of significant change or
revision-«nothing, in fact, greater than the omission or insertion
of an occasional line or two. Because of this, I feel that the text
we read todw, save for one missing leaf and the possible addition
of one crude song, is surprisingly close to the text written by
the original poet some 500 years ago.

The use of contrasting metres in Mankind must be admired as an
example of the poet's artistic skill, for each of the two major

stanza patterns is neatly employed to characterize the speaker.

27
For example, Mercy speaks in quatrains rhyming abab. His lines are
long and florid, and this stanza pattern, finely balanced, permits
him to speak eloquently as a representative of God. When the stanzas
are linked, as they are in his formal prologue (11. 1-44), the
beginning of his warning semen (11. 277-281), or the first part of
his lament (11. 734-747), they add a special dignity to the thought
expressed.

But the vices, on the other hand, speak in eight-line tail-rhyme
stanzas rhyming aaa b ccc b. The apprOpriateness of this stanza
pattern to exemplify vice lies in its potential for humor. The
tail—rhymes provide endless Opportunities for surprise. Few of the
vices, however, speak a full sight lines without interruption, and
a new speaker may break in at any point in the stanza. But as long as
vice is portrayed, this particular stanza form is used.

It is possible, then, at all times to identify the character of
a speaker by noticing the stanza he uses for his speech. keept for
rapid exchanges between opposing forces, Mercy Speaks only in quatrains;
the vices use nothing but tail-rhymes. But Mankind, significantly, is
neither all virtue nor all vice, and the poet emphasizes his variable
nature by allowing him to speak in both. The stanzaic pattem which he
follows indicates whose side of the great controversy he is on. For
example, when Mankind first speaks, he is innocent and expresses him-
self in quatrains which are even linked (11. 186-208). And near the
end of the play, after he has received mercy and pardon and is once
more living in a state of grace, he again speaks in quatrains (11.

813 ff.)., But between 11. 327 and 810, while he is living in sin,
Mankind imitates the vices and speaks in tail-rhymes.

28

At two different points in the play, however, Mankind appears to
be leading a type of life inconsistent with the stanza pattern in
which he is speaking. I feel that at these two points the poet has
utilized an apparently inappropriate stanza to indicate to the
audience that Mankind's words and the true state of his soul are in
conflict. First, between 11. 327 and 412 Mankind professes to be
following Mercy's advice, yet he consistently speaks in tail-rhymes,
beginning with his vow to ignore New Gyse:

I her a felow spake; wyth hym I wyll not mall.

Thys erth wyth my spade I xall assay to delffe.
To eschew ydullnes, I do yt myn own selffe.

I prey Gode sende yt hys fusyon
(11. 327—330).

filly four lines earlier Mankind concluded his last quatrain, but now
he is speaking in tail-rhymes. This change should not have been made
if Mankind's soul were constant. However, it is apparent that he
is now liVing close to the vices. In fact, he is close enough to
strike them with his spade. A more appropriate defense would be to
ignore them completely or pray for divine aid. Instead, Mankind
attempts to solve his own problems ("I do yt nan own selffe"). In
the final stanza of this scene, Mankind gives a measure of credit to
God for his help. But it is apparent he is dangerously close to the
mortal sin of pride:

I xall cenvyct born, I hope, euerychon.

3st I say amysse; I do yt not alon.

Wyth he helps of be grace of Gods I resyst my fan

Ande per malycyuse herte.
Wyth av spade I wyll departs, my worschyppull souerence,

29

Ande lyue euer wyth my labure to corecte my insolence.
I xall go fett corn for my londe. I prey yow of pacyence.
Ryght son I xall reverte
(ll. 405.l|>12).

I feel that at this point the poet has used tail-rhymes to indicate
Mankind's proximity to sin-«both spiritually and physically, for not
only are the four vices close at hand, but the way has been paved
for Tityvillus to enter in the next scene. The pm in Mankind's
closing line, 'Ryght son I xall reverte," foreshadows only too
accurately his imminent fall.

The second inconsistency between Mankind's profession and the
stanza pattern in which he speaks heralds an upward, rather than a
downward, movement in his spiritual life. Between lines 813 and 832,

Mankind insists to Mercy that he is too gross a sinner to be saved:

The egall justyse of God wyll not permytte sych a synfull wrech
To be rewvryd ande restoryd ageyn. It were impossibyll
(11. 831.832).

Yet he speaks in quatrains that indicate, despite his words, a truly
humble and contrite heart. Operating subconsciously, the poet's use
of differing metres with contrasting tempos makes such subtle
distinctions possible, and even an uneducated, unSOphisticated
audience could have detected the difference.

Content
Negative evaluations of Mankind as a play usually emphasize one
or more of the following points: first, the text is corrupt, second,

the language is obscene; third, greater attention is given to vice

30
than to virtuea and fourth, Marcy's language is incredibly pompous
and boring. I have already demonstrated, satisfactorily I hope,
that the first of these conclusions is false. But I would also like
to discuss briefly the other three,

First, an examination of the vocabulary of Muwhich, oddly
enough, has been rejected as both too lofty and too base-—will not
support the notion of obscenity. Those few words which have offended
critics of a past generationughii (l. 131 and elsewhere), M
(l. 132), _a_r_s_ (l. 339 and elsewhere), and pigs- (l. 373” there are no
more-"mould scarcely qualify Mankind for removal from required high
school reading lists of today, let alone cause it to be banned as
obscene. Besides, I seriously doubt if any words, alone, would
justify a charge of obscenity without actions to back them up. And
it is significant, I think, that as a play Memkind is devoid of any
vulgar scenes. True, there is a tasteless reference to Pope
Pokett's 'wyffys sokett" (ll. 1114-th), and the Latin phrase 'osculare
hmdamentmn' (1. HR), md an allusion to its mghsh equivalent
(ll. 3116-3147), but nowhere do we find any action that is visually
objectionable from a puritanical point of view. A comparison between
Mankind and the fabliaux of Chaucer's Canterbm 212?. is illuminating.
In the .“Miller's Tale,” the "Reeve's Tale,“ and the rest we find
similar earthy language, $923.3 entendres, and allusions to sex, but
never, even in the “Merchant's Tale,“ do we find the author dwelling
in pathological detail on sexual activity. The vulgarity of the
"Crystemes songe' and the crudity of the vices' humor may offend the
puritan sensibilities of readers and critics, but I feel it is fair
to conclude that in neither the action of the play nor the language

31
in which it is written can one find sufficient evidence for rejecting

Mankind as obscene.

Second, even critics disposed to view Mankind favorably are
willing to concede that the actions and speeches of Myscheff, New Gyse,
Nowadays, and Nought completely overpower those of Mercy or Mankind

in his more sober moments. Nearly all feel, as Mackenzie did, that

the religious teaching of the play is stilted and unnatural
to the last degree, while the mad pranks of Mischeff and
his crew are pictured with a zest and unction which must
have gone far toward making the play a favorite with those
who loved a joke more than a sermon.32

Using Mankind as his prime example, A. S. Downer contends:

Although the Morality was conceived as a serious didactic
form and was intended to convey the highest principles of
Christian Ethics, it bore within it the seed of its own
cornmtion. Not only Christian virtue was portrayed, but
the reverse. The effective conflict demands that the two
Opponents must be fairly equally matched, and the pro-
fessional playwrights and actors dwelt with increasing
emphasis on the nature of the temptations which confronted
the hero. In some of the later examples there is a coarse
realism which reduces the I‘moral" to a formality; the
virtues are acknowledged with a perfunctory nod, the vices
treated _in_ extenso.33

In any personification of virtue and vice, virtue is admittedly

32Mackenzie, p. 65.

33332 W M: A Handbook §__n_d Brief Chronicle. (New York:
Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1950), p. 31:.

32
the more difficult and less interesting to portray. The explanation
for this is that virtue is often more abstract than vice. Swearing,
stealing, killing, fornicating can all. be presented vividly in print
or on stage. But abstinence from these sins can not. As many an
eXperience preacher has observed, if you preach on vice, you fill the
pews; preach on virtue, and you empty them. A quick glance at 1195:;
Plowman or Marlowe's 25. F ustus, both of which portray the seven
deadly sins, reveals that Gluttony, which is fairly concrete, is
displayed far more effectively than Pride, for instance, which is more
abstract but yet is generally conceded to be the more offensive sin.
As a result, the reader or play-goer finds the personification of
gluttony to be more memorable than that of pride; and pride, no doubt,
more memorable than humility. In Scripture itself the more fascinating
and unforgetable characters are usually the sinners. Of the disciples,
hasty and impetuous Peter is more interesting than faithful and loving
John; Doubting Thomas more than the ten who believed.

The situation is similar in Mankind. Myscheff, New Gyse, Nowadays,
Nought, Tityvillus, and Mankind himself can crack jokes, tell risque’
stories, recount tales of robbery, murder, and theft, and play tricks
at each others' expense. Mercy, by his very nature, must confine
himself to weeping, praying, remonstrating, and offering forgiveness.
But to assume, because of this, that the poet's emphasis was on the
corruption, rather than the redemption, of Mankind, is a serious
mistake. To the medieval playgoer for whom God and the Devil, sin
and salvation, Heaven and Hell were as real as the visible world
about him, Mercy may have been serious, but certainly no ridiculous

feel. The opposing vices may have been jolly clever fellows, much

33
like himself, but they were still villains. And most certainly he
heped to see Mankind and Mercy triumph in the end,

Moreover, the final scene of Mankind, which, theoretically,
should be its most powerful, certainly does not glorify vice to the
detriment of virtue. In this moving scene, Mankind gradually rises
from near despair to hope as he responds to Mercy's encouragement to
”Asks mercy and hawe” (l. 863). When, after his long absence, Mercy
again meets a thoroughly guilt-ridden Mankind in the company of the
vices, he urges him: "Aryse, my precyose redempt son" (1. 811). But
Mankind, with bowed head, replies, ”Alasse, I haue be so bestyally
dysposyde, I dare not apere" (l. 813). Undalmted, Mercy continues

to plead,

Iowr crymynose compleynt wondyth my hert as a lance,

Dyspose yowrsylff mekely to aske mercy, and I wyll assent.
Belde me nethyr golds nor tresure, but yowr hymbyll obeysyance,
The voluntary subjeccyon of yowr hert, ands I am content

(11, 815-818).

Mankind, however, is still ashamed:

What? Asks mercy 3st onys agayn? Alas, yt were a wyle petycyn.
Ewyr to offend ands euer to asks mercy, yt ys a puerilits.
It ys so abhominabyll to rehers my vterat transgression,
I am not worthy to hawe mercy, be no possibilite
(11. 819—822).

Through the final 100 lines of this play, Mankind is both admonished
and encouraged by Mercy until finally he yields his proud heart and
asks for mercy. The close of this scene re—creates for both Mankind

and the audience the spirit of the confessional. Though the rite of

31+
confession itself, which must remain private, is not enacted on
stage, the setting, words, and phrases utilized by the poet help to
establish an identical mood. For example, Mercy suggests that Mankind
”Aryse now ands go wyth me in thys deambulatorye" (l. 8143), a place
which, though not a formal confessional booth, is yet private and
secluded, When Mankind asks for Mercy's blessing, ”Syth I schall

departs, blysse me fader, her pen I go" (1. 899), Mercy replies with

Dominus custodit te ab omni malo
In nomine Patris st Filii et Spiritus Sancti. Amen
(no 9m-902)'

expressions which remind the audience of the priest's absolution:

Dominus noster Jesus Christus ts absolvat; st ego auctoritate
ipsius te absolve ab omni vinculo excommunicationis st inter-
dicti in quantum possum st tu indiges. Deinde ego ts absolvo
a pecoatis tuis in nomine Patris st Filii st Spiritus Sancti.
Amen}!+

Here Mankind exits. But Mercy's closing words, addressed to the

audience ,

Now for hys lowe bat for vs receywyd hys humanite,
Serge yowr condicyons wyth dew examinacion,
Thynke ands remembyr be world ys but a wanite,
As yt ys prowyd daly by diusrss transmutacysn.

Mankend ys wrechyd. He hath sufficyent prowe.
Therefore God grant 30w all per suam misericordiam
hat ye may be pleyferys wyth be angellys abowe
And hawe to 3owr porcyon vitam eternam. Amen
(11. 907—9110.

31+).lfrsd Wilson, Pardon 5513 Peace (New York: Sheed 8: Ward,
19h?)’ p0 2314'-

35
are, once again, much like the final blessing of the priest:

Passio Domini Nostri Jesu Christi, merita beatae Mariae
Virginis st omnium Sanctorum quid—quid boni feceris et
malo sustinueris, sint tibi in remissionem peccatorum,

augmentmn gratiae, st praemium vitae aetemae. Amen.35

Considering carefully the nature of drama and personification,
and examining thoughtfully the final scene of this play, I do not
feel that vice comes anywhere near to overwhelming virtue in the
play of Mankind.

Third, a similar failure to comprehend the medieval situation
accomts for twentieth-century objections to the flowery, Latinate
diction of Mercy and a preference for the direct, earthy language of
the vices. Mackenzie expresses such a preference when he comments,
“Mankind begins with a very stilted speech from Mercy on the
Redemption,” and then continues, “Presently relief appears in the
person of Mischeff."36 aEnglysch Laten,‘ as New Gyse calls it, or
I'aursate" language, the term by which it is better lmown today, has
been defined by John Cooper Mendenhall as "words designed to achieve
sententiousness and sonorous ornamentation of style principally
through their being new, rare, or Imcommon, and approved by the
critical Opinion of the time."37 Such aureate words fall heavily on

twentieth-century ears. Today they are in poor taste. But it appears

3SWilson, p. 231+.
36Mackenzie, p. 66.

3 711222129. Isms: A m .111 3.1.1.9. Miter “fiction 52‘. 12:12. ”Fifteenth
Contugy (Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Wickersham, 1919), p. 11+,

36
from early records that the late Middle Ages felt otherwise. As
evidence, Sister Philippa quotes one of John Wyclif's denunciations
of the friars:

.- o -. hey deprauen hem to per parischens bi flori3shid
wordis pat pey bringen yn; and no drede pey shapen per
ssrmouns by dyuy siouns and spare iapis pat they maken
moost plese be puple.38

The conclusion she draws from this is logical:

We may recall here that Wyclif' s condemnation of the friars'
use of flourished words was accompanied by a complaint that
their sermons pleased the pecple of his day. It appears
certain from our play that sermonizing of a similar kind
delighted English people of the late fifteenth century

as well.39

A distinguishing feature of the aureate style is novelty, and
Mankg d contains many words which are unrecorded in any earlier
manuscript.“O Some of these somad quaint today: allsctuose, m,
perversionatt, W, suavius. But in rejecting these words
because they strike his ears as stiff and unnatural, the critic will
accept readily and unwittingly others which were equally new and un-

usual at the time: corn—threscher, convicts, elegycall, inexcusab ll,
delusogy, dem call, incmsyderatt, W, sgpplicatorie , etc,

38English Works 2; 3m . 11: Hitherto U32 rinted, ed. F. 11. Matthew,

EETS 74 (London: Trflbner, 1880), p. ““5-
39Coogan, p. 103.
mEOCJ-BS’ Pl fl!

37
The first group of words never established themselves in the English
language; but the second group, equally novel in 11165,, did. Once more,
then, the objection to Mankind is based, not on a weakness within the
play. but on a mere change in popular taste and failure to understand
the spirit of the time in which it was written. Mendenhall' 3 final
statement concerning aureate language could also be applied to Mercy

and to Marcy's speech:

The aureate school was expressive as well as hpressive.
. .- . It aimed at setting forth its matter worthily,
according to a great tradition. If indeed it failed
and ceased,r it was not because its ideal was bad, but
because men get out of touch and out of sympathy with
the fifteenth century.41

In conclusion, then, I feel that all previous critics of Mankind
have failed to examine closely enough either the form or the content
of this play. Had they done so, they would have concluded as I have
that Mankind is not only a relatively uncorrupted morality but also
an effective and moving drama.

Production
No introduction to Mankind would be complete without some
discussion of its production; for, scattered throughout the play
are various clues concerning some of the circumstances under which

it was originally performed:

First, Mankind was probably written for presentation at

“Mendenhall, p. 72,

38
Shrovetide. W. K. Smartuz and Sister Mary Philippa Cooganu'3 have
advanced evidence to support this conclusion. This includes:

1. references in Nought's proclamation to “gestern day in
Feuerere“ (l. 691) , the month in which Lent often begins;

2. allusion to "Sent Davy" (l. 809), whose day, March 1, falls
at the same time of the year;

3. the call for a football (1. 732) used in games which were a
popular feature of Shrove Tuesday celebrations:

1+. quotation of the line "Memento, homo,r quod cinis es st in
cinerem reuertis" (1. 32.1), the central text of Ash Wednesday
services;

5. and numerous other "echoes from the Lenten 1iturgy."m
To these we might add:

6. the final scene of the play in which the spirit of the
confessional is re-created. As John B. Sheerin notes, the sinner
“must receive Communion between the first Sunday of Lent and Trinity
Sunday.“LI'5 But to prepare for this communion he must have made
confession at least once during the past year or since his last fall
into mortal sin. In practice, this confession is usually made at
the beginning of Lent.

7. And finally there is the boisterous Spirit found throughout

uZSmar‘ty pp. “'5-14'7.

tUCooganc pp- 7—21.
MCoogan, p. 10.

“53.92. W 2;, heedom: A Book 213. Confession (Milwuakee:
Bruce! 1961): P. 16.

39
most of the central. portion of the play. In his six-voltme 11M
2; Theatrical. Ar_t_ _i.p_ Ancient 913d _M_o_<_i_e_r_n_ Tings, Karl Mantzius discusses
the tradition of the Shrovetide play or Eastnachtspiele in France and
Gemany, particularly Bavaria, written by such masters as Hans Sachs,
whose dozens of gasmachtmele were composed only a few years after
Mankind.46 Although no documentary evidence for a similar tradition
of M 933‘s. plays exists in Ehgland, and although the Shrovetide
plays of Europe are basically secular farces whereas Mankind is a
morality, it meld not be surprising if plays with as much joking and
good humor as d were highly pepular in the gay season preceding
Lent.

Second. Mankind was probably performed in an iJm-yard. Although
presentation in the great hall of some noble residence is an
alternative possibility, references within the play suggest outdoor
performance in an inn—yard before an audience of both lower and
middle classes:

1. Mercy addresses "39 souerens bat sytt ande 3e brothern bat
stonde ryght wppe" (l. 29). a description of the "seating arrange.-
ments" available in ism-yards.

2. Mankind leaves the stage to go into the irm—yard to relieve
himself: "I wyll into pi Bards, souerens, ande cumm ageyn son" (1. 561)..

3. Mankind calls for a tapstera a regular inn employee, and
follows with a call probably used by carriers staying in the inn:

“A tapster, a tapster! Stow, statt, stow!‘I (1.». 729).

Mtr. Louise von Cossel, II (New York: Peter Smith, 1937), lBOff.

#7366 note to l. 29.

£an

1+. New Gyse calls for the hostler to lend him a football:
“What, hOW, ostlere, hostlere! Lends ws a football“ (1. 732%

An interesting sequel to the use of irm-yards for the presentation of
plays such as Mankind is noted by William J. Lawrence: ”the inn—yard
playing places, structurally considered, had a marked influence on
the physical characteristics of both the stage and the auditorium of
the first outlying public theatresflwa

Third, Mankind was probably performed by a small compm of
travelling players. Evidence for this is overwhelming:

I. The cast of the play is small. Unlike Th3 _C_a_s_t_l_e g;
gorseverance with its cast of 33, for example, only seven players are
required in Mankind; and, as D. M. Bevington observes, it is possible
for the parts of Mercy and Tityvillus to be doubled by one player
since the two prime Opposing forces in the struggle for Mankind's

soul never meet on stage:

Although it seems odd at first to assume without proof that
such an Imcongenial pair would have been yoked histrionically,
the Signpo sition is in fact entirely plausible; for in plays
where casting lists provide evidence, the players normally

double roles that are diametrically Opposed in the spiritual
comical-P9

After examining the scene in which Tityvillus appears, however,
I believe that doubling the roles of Tityvillus and Mercy is both

“aggqltestoration Stage Studies (Cambridge, Massachusetts:

Harvard University Press, 1927), p. 23.
W“Mankind" _tg Marlowe: Growth 3; Structure .13}. the Popular Drama
2;: Tudor England (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1962), p. 87.

1+1
unlikely and unnecessary, but that the parts of Tityvillus and
Myscheff, which are similar, could easily have been played by the
same actor. There are several reasons for my conclusion:

First, Myscheff and Tityvillus never appear on stage together.
Before Tityvillus enters, Myscheff Speaks to Nought, ”Blow a pass and
bou xall brynge him in wyth a flewte“ (l. 453); Tityvillus calls
from behind the curtain, “I com wyth my leggys wnder me" (1. 454);
Myscheff gathers New Gyse and Nowadays into a huddle, urging them to
“herke or I goo" (l, 455), and then gives instructions for the
collection they are to take from the audience. At this point he
exits, not to return until 30 lines after Tityvillus departs.

Second, Mecheff leaves just before the collection is taken, and
Tityvillus arrives as soon as it is finished. The collection should
normally take several minutes, especially since the dialogue of the
vices suggests that the audience is reluctant to part with its money.
even when promised the chance to meet Tityvillus, "a man wyth a hede
bat ys of grett omnipotens" (1. 1461). This collection would give
Myscheff plenty of time to chamge costumes, particularly if he had
little more to put on than a large head and some kind of net,

Third, the objection that has repeatedly been raised against
the doubling of Mys cheff and Tityvillus «that they Speak consecutively
in lines 4534565040” not accomt for the fact that Tityvillus is
off stage when his line is spoken. Under the circumstances, this
line could be Spoken by anyone who is also off stage at the moment...
Mercy, Mankind, or even a draftee from the audience. The line is

50Eccles, p. xlii.

42
brief, and the audience has not yet had an opportunity to hear and
become familiar with the voice of Tityvillus.
Fourth, when Myscheff returns, he is over.eager to explain the

cause of his absence and to recount tales of his adventures while gone:

0f murder ands manslawter I haue my bely fyll.

obit.coaotut‘ttcclltoc‘aco

I was chenyde by De armys, Lo, I haue pem here.
The chenys I brast asundyr ande kyllyde be jaylere,
36, ande hys fayer wyff halsyde in a corners.
A, how swetly I kyssyde be swete mowth of hers!
(11. 639. 642-645).

By establishing his alibi, Myscheff attempts to conceal from the
audience the true reason for his absence...he has really been on stage
nearly all the time playing the part of Tityvillus.

Opportunities for doubling, such as this, were necessary in
51

plays performed by travelling companies, and W. J. Lawrence and
T. W. Craiks2 have both discussed this feature in some detail.

2. There are virtually no demands for construction of a special
stage. Unlike the elaborate preparations needed to produce The
933113 9; Perseverance, requirements for Mankind consist of no more
than a small stage and a curtain behind which the players may chmge
costumes or make appropriate noises to signal the arrival of

Tityvillus. Craik describes such a stage:

ElLawrence, pp. 143-78.

521113 Tudor Interlud : Sta 6, Costume, and Acting (Leicester:
University Press,» 1958): PP. 40-41.

’43

There should now be mentioned an elementary form of stage
which is not known to have been used for miracle plays, but
which is well authenticated by the elder Pieter Bruegel and
other sixteenth-century artists. This is simply a platform
raised upon trestles, the front portion exposed to view and
serving as a stage, the back portion curtained off and serv-
ing as a dressing-room. It appears frequently in pictures
of actors performing in the street and at village .‘Z"e‘1‘.es.53

Here is an illustration of this simple stage from Oscar G. Brockett's
_T_h_e Theatre: :51; Introduction)“

 

   
 
 
 
 

0-“

”’5' It

i (‘2’:- a \ . . a "‘
game an: use as. at

A booth stmc su‘h a mi ht 1112's harm :1st b
r I r y trm :Iing Imus during the Mddl
Ages and Runs. 8 :.mcc \Hu 3 uh)" (1 dc: on m a filter nth {punury manuscs t. Firm:
LAncienne lrance: Le 'l'lu'dtrc . . . , 1587 ‘ p
53Craik, p. 8.

5“ (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1969), p. 120.

an

3. Stage preperties are few and, although highly portable,
most could easily have been borrowed. These include

a. for Mankind, a spade, seed, paper, and beads;

b. for Mercy, a Me, or scourge,

c. for Myscheff, a weapon (not specified), fetters, dish
and platter, rope, and some type of gallows to suspend the rope
from;

d. for Tityvillus, a large head with a devil's face on it,
a net, a board, and weeds;

6. and for the other vices, purses, pen, paper, items
representing church prOperty, a halter, and a flute.

f. In addition, Mercy is instantly recognized by Mankind as
a priest, even though he has not yet Spoken and is addressed as
“semely father” (1. 209). Most likely he is dressed in the long robe
of a friar or priest which Nought soon urges him to remove: uAnon, of
wyth yowr clothes, yf 3e wyll play“ (1. 88).

g. And finally, Mankind must have "a fresch jakett after be
new gyse" (l. 676). In addition to an obvious satire on the
pepular style of exceedingly short coats for men, Craik has noted
the symbolic use of this jacket:

Mankind also shows the hero's degeneration, this time
by the fate of his side—gown, a dress of unusual gravity
for a tiller of the soil such as Mankind is in this
play, and therefore to be understood as a symbol of his
moral respectability. The worldly buffoons, Newguise,
Nowadays, and Nought, who are his tempters, suggest that
it might fetch money if sold. Newguise takes it out and
returns with a trifling jacket, which Nought still

45

further shortens. Mankind is thus shown losing his

reputation because of the company he keeps.55

1+. Stage directions in the manuscript are few, suggesting that
the play could be easily adapted to a variety of locations. Those
that are included do not tie the play to any particular type of stage:
"Her poi daunce" (l. 81), “Cantent” (l. 161), “Cantant omnesu (l. 3143).
”Clement" (1. 421+), "Loquitur ad New Gyse" (l. 477), "Exist" (l. 561;),
“Here Titivillus goth out wyth be spade” (1. $9), ”Hic exit Myscheff"
(1. 798), ”Bic exit Mankend" (1. 902), etc.

5. The audience is involved in the performance, a typical
characteristic of travelling shows of all types:

a. They are often addressed directly, for example, as
”souerens" or ”wyrschepyll sofereyns,“ and Nowadays asks them
to ”Make rom, ears, for we haue be longe" (l. 331).

b. Nought enjoins them to sing along with his fellow vices:
"Now I prey all be yemandry pat ys here / To synge wyth ws wyth
a mery chere" (11. BBB-331+).

c. And they are forced, near the middle of the play, to pay
for the privilege of seeing Tityvillus, the most sensational
character of all, before he will appear on stage: "Gyf ws rede
reyallys yf 3e wyll se hys abhomynabull presens" (l. 465). And
the collection begins with the master of the inn or house: “At be
goode man of his house fyrst we wyll assay. / Gode blysse yew,
master. 39 say as yll, 3°t 3e wyll not say nay" (11. 1467-1468).

6. And finally, local references are made to various men and

SSCraik, pp. 83-8“.

’46

towns in two separate parts of East Anglia. One group of towns..-
Sawston, Hauxton, Trmnpington, Fulbourn, Bottisham, and Swaffam--are
all near Cambridge, and the other group—-East Walton, Gayton,
Massingham, and another Swaffham-u-are close to King's Lynn. Such
allusions suggest Mankind was performed by travelling players who
worked a certain area of the country--111 this case, two important
cities connected by the Can: and ones rivers, along which the company

travelled from one point to the other.

Personages

av,—

 

In most morality plays, the personages are usually given abstract
names. The cast of T33 gait-lg gf Perseverance, for example, includes
World, Flesh, Devil, Backbiter, Covetousness, the seven deadly sins,
the seven virtues, the four daughters of God. In Evegman we meet
Death, Good Deeds, Discretion, Five Wits. For the most part, these
characters are personifications of abstract virtues or vices, and on
stage each one acts and speaks just as differently from the others as
his name might suggest, In Eveman, the character of Death sounds
and acts deadly; that of Good Deeds, highly virtuous. Each is
distinct and separate.

In this respect, however, the personages of Mankind do not fit
the typical morality pattern. True, all of the seven characters
except Tityvillus have either an abstract name-.Mercy, Myscheff, New
Gyse, Nowadays, Nought-war a generic one—«Mankind. But they are not
all individually delineated. Mercy, of course, is merciful; Mankind
is variable; Tityvillus is diabolical. But the four vices are

indistinguishable one from another. Except for the one instance in

47

which New Gyse speaks to Mankind saying, "I promytt yew a fresch
jakett after be new gyse" (l. 676), they do not personify any specific
vice. Technically, such names are called ”cue names.fl

Apparently the author of Mankind did not intend for his vices
to personify anything more specific than vice in general. That
distinctions among the vices were not apparent to early readers may
be inferred from the speech headings in the original manuscript.
Between lines 555 and 682 several of Tityvillus' speeches have been
re-assigned, by a different but contemporary hand, to New Gyse; and
those of Myscheff to Nowadays and Nought. Perhaps such changes were
made because of a lack of actors, but the fact that they were made
at all indicates that no radical differences among the vices were
obvious at that time. Certainly such changes could not have been

made in a morality like The Castle o_f_ Perseverance .

Sources Eng Analogues

Near the beginning of this century, early editors and readers of
Mankind proposed various possible sources for this play: Brand]. sug-
gested that ”Mr die Quellenfrage sind die Uebereinstimmungen zwischen
'Mankind' und Lydgate's 'Assembly of Gods' wichtig."56 Mabel M. Keiller
insisted “there seems to be no escape from the conclusion that the plot
of Mankind depended for its central situation, its characters, its sur-
roundings and general trend of thought on the greatest of English
allegorical poems," Riggs Plowman.” In his rebuttal to Miss Keiller,

56Brandl, p. m.

57"The Influence of Piers Plowman on the Macro Play of Mankind,“
E93,. 25 (1911). 355.

#8

W} Roy'Mackenzie proposed instead the poem Merci PassithB.i3twisnes.58

 

 

 

And, several years later, Sister Philippa noted parallels with a
sermon in the fifteenth—century collection Jacob's 333;.59

It is unnecessary to examine and evaluate these claims individ-
ually. Each of these critics has weighed his predecessors in the
balance and found them wanting. I would do the same. As Sister
Philippa observed, they all "may'be criticised for a common weakness:
that of assuming that the presence of parallels is a proof of source.
This is an unwarranted simplification of the medieval situation."6o

Such parallels, of course, abound, But direct quotations in
Mankind are limited to a few well-known texts of scripture and.some
Ehglish and.Latin aphorisms. Beyond these, we must assume that the
play is the original composition of an unknown author who drew upon

the common experiences of his audience and the familiar and

traditional teachings of the church for the material of his play.

This Edition
Text

 

I have edited the text of Mankind from a photocOpy of the unique
manuscript. In addition, I have checked all doubtful readings against
the original manuscript itself at the Folger Library. Following the
"Rules for Transcription"which N. Denholm.loung has published in his

Handwriting 1:; England gag Wales,61 I have

58”ANewSource for Mankind," PMLA, 27 (1912), 98.105.
59Coogan, pp. 36-56.
60
Coogan, p. #7.
61(Cardiff, 1954): Pp. 8h.85.

#9
1. Silently extended all abbreviations according to the full
forms used by each of the two scribes.
2. Modernized punctuation, capitalization, and word division.
3. Retained the E and 2 wherever they appear in the original,
even though the .1: is written as a. y and the th appears regularly
alongside it. In making this decision, I have been guided by

Denholm-Young's observation that

The thorn, beginning in the eighth century, survives all
other Anglo—Saxon letters, occurring in vernacular docu-
ments until the sixteenth century, after which it was not
distinguished from y. But as early as the thirteenth
century there was much confusion with y owing to the

gradual diminution in length of the upper part of the

shank of the thorn, and the failure to dot the y.62

ll». Transcribed initial if. as f or 2:; used 3: for the vowel, i for
the consonant; and retained 3 and 1 as written in the manuscript.

In presenting the text of Mankind, I have made no attempt to
collate my version with any early edition of this play, even though
this has been standard practice in the past. There are two reasons
why I have not done this:

First, collatiOn is significant only when more than one original
manuscript is in existence, as is the case with 2113 Canterbury _T_a_1_e§_,
for example; or when subsequent damage to the original manuscript
obliterates passages that were clear to an earlier transcriber, as in

the case of Beowulf. Neither situation, however, is true of Mankind.

62Denholm—Ioung , p. 17.

50

Second, although the collation that has previously been done with
the published versions of Mankind has the outward appearance of careful
scholarship, it is worthless in helping to establish an accurate text.
Because the Manly, Brandl, and Farmer texts were admittedly'based on
second-hand.c0pies of a faulty transcription, and even the Furnivall-
Pollard text, as Farmer points out,63 is suspect, any collation with
these editions becomes merely the comparison of one person's poor
eyesight with.another's faulty vision, and as such it is more confusing
than helpful. Eccles' edition, however, was based on the original man-

uscript, and differences between his text and mine have been noted.

3.9.1222

It is impossible for any editor to provide an entirely original
set of explanatory notes for Mankind today. Because they were among
those items which immediately captured the attention of early editors
of this play, full and satisfying identification of most literary and
biblical allusions, popular aphorisms, and prOper names has already
been made. However, I feel that this information is still useful to
readers of this play. Therefore, I have included among my'own notes
many observations and comments that have already been made by
Furnivall, Pollard, Smart, Sister Philippa, and Eccles and have given
credit to each one as he deserves. In these notes all texts of
Scripture in English are from the DouayARheims version: those in
Latin from the Vulgate (Sixtus V-Clement VIII).

63Farmer, pp. h30-h37.

SCEIE I

MERCY. The very fownder ande begynner of owr fyrst creacyon f.
Amonge ws synfull wrechys he oweth to be mayxyfyede,
bat for owr dysobedyenc he hade non indygnacyon

To sende hys own son to be torn ande crycyfyede.

Owr obsequyouse seruyce to hym xulde be aplyede,
Where he was lords of all ends made all thynge of nought,
For he synnfull synnere to hade hym revyuyde

Ande for hys redempcyon sett hys own son at nought.

It may be seyde mde veryfyede, mankynde was dere bought.
By be pytuose deth of Jhesu he hade hys remedve.

He was purgyde of hys defawte pat wrechydly hade wrought

By hys gloryus passyon, bat blyssyde lauatorye.

O souerence, I beseche yew yowr condycyons to rectyfye
Ande wyth humylite ande reuerence, to haue a remocyon
To his blyssyde Prynce, bat owr nature doth gloryfye,

Pat 3e may be partycypable of hys retribucyon.

I haue be be very none for yowr restytucyon.

Mercy ys my name, bat mornyth for yowr offence.

5].

122

4:.-

CD'QChU‘

10
11
12

13
11+
15
16

17
18

52

Dyverte not yowrsy’lffs in tyme of temtaoyon, 19
Pat 3e may be acceptable to Gods at yowr goyng hence. 20
be grett mercy of Gods, bat ys of most presmmynence, 21
Be medyacyon of Oar Lady bat ys euer habundants 22
To be synfull creature pat wyll repent hys neclygence; 23
I prey Gods at yowr most nede bat Mercy be yowr defendavmte. 21+
In goods werkys I awyse yow, souerence, to be perssuerante, 25
To puryfye yowr sowlys bat psi be not corupte; 26
For yowr gostly enmy wyll make hys avaunte, 27
Iowr goods condycyons yf he may interrupts. 28
0 3e souersns pat sytt ands 3e brothern pat stonde ryght wppe, 29
Pryke not yowr felycytes in thyngys transytorye. 3O
Beholde not be erth, but lyfte yowr sy wpps. 31
Se how be hade be members day‘ly do magnyfye. 32
Who ys be hade? Forsoth, I mall yow certyfye: 33
I mene owr Sauyowr, hat was lyicynnyde to a lambs. 34
Ande hys sayntys be be members bat dayiy he doth satysfye f. 122Y
Wyth be precyose reuer bat runnyth from hys wombe. 36
Thar ys non such foods, be water nor by lands, 37
So precyouse, so gloryouse, so nedsfull to owr sntent; 38
For yt hath dys soluyde mankynde from be bytter bonds 39

21 be] To cancelled before he

22 medyaoyonj _lfi medytacyon changed _tg medyacyon

23 avalmte] _M§. avaunce

53

Of pe mortall enmye, bat vemynousse serpents, 140
From be wyohe Gods preserue yow all at be last jugemsnt. 41
For sekyrly per xall be a strsyt examynacyon: 1+2
The corn xall be sauyde, be chaffe n11 be brente. 1+3
I besech yew hertyly, haue bis premedytacyon. M
MISCBHFE. I beseche yow hertyly, leue yowr calcacyon. 45
Laue yowr chaffe, leue yowr corn, leue yowr dalyacyon. 46

Iowr wytt ys lytyll, yowr hede ys mekyll, 3e are full of predycacyon.

But, ear, I prey bis questyon to claryfye: “8
Mysse-masche, dryff-draff, 49
Sums was corn ands sums was chaffe, 50
My dame ssyde my name was Raffs; 51

(mechett yowr lokke ands take an halpenys. 52
MECI. Why com 39 hethyr, brober? 39 were not dysyrde. 53
mm. For a wynter corn—threscher, ear, I haue hyryde. 51F

Ande 3e sayde be corn xulde be sauyde, ands be chaff xulde be feryde;
Ande he prouyth nay as yt schewth be his worse: 56
“Corn seruit bredibus, chaffe horsibus, straw fyrybusque.”

Thys ye as mocha to say to yowr leude wndyrstondynge, 58
As he corn xall some to brsde at be nexte bakynge. 59
"Chaff horsybus et reliqua": 6O

42 Per] _M_S_ be _a_; possibly be
streytj ES- strerat

n9 Mysse-masche, duff-duff] 2E dryff draff mysse masche

54
The chaff to horse xall be goode prevents,
When a man ys forcolde be straw may be brent,

And so forth, et cetera.

MERCY. Avoyde, goods broper. 3e ben culpable
To interrupts thus my talkynge delectable.
MISCHEFT. Ser, I haue noper horse nor sady‘ll:

Therfor I may not ryde.
mm. Bye yow forth on fote, brother, in Godys name.
MISCHEFF. I say, ser, I am cumme hedyr to make yow game:
3st bade 3e me not go out in the Deullys name,

Ande I wyll abyde.

MEICI.

ND! GISE. Ande how, mynstrellys, play he comyn trace.
Lay on wyth bi ballys tyll hys bely breste.

NOUGHT. I putt case: I broke my neke, how than?
NM GISE. I gyff no force, by Sent Tanne.
NOWADAIS. Leppe about lyuely. bou art a wyght man.

61
62
63

61+

65
66

67

69
70

f. 123
73

74
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76

70 not added above the line in lighter ink but a similar hand

71—72 _A_ single 135;, containing perhaps 22 11323, 25.5. b_e_g_n_ 1253'...
2h; _1‘_i_;_r_s_t_ Leif, numbered 1 in. 5 contemporggz Land, gag gi_t_h_ Mergz's
gpeech headgg. '_1‘_k_1_e_ following le_a_f_, numbered iij, begins 11.3.1.1. 11$
12, _b_ut_ 1:23 gpeaker lg 5133 identified. Present numbering p_f_ the.

leaves is; n31. conteyoragz 3.5; does _ngt reflect this loss.

72 modems] may;

55
Lott ws be mery wyll we be here.
NOWHT. 11:11 I breke 1w neke to schew yow sports?
NWADAIS. Therfor euer be wars of pi reports.
NOTEBT. I beschrew ye all. Her ys a schrswde sorts.

Haue beratt, pen, wyth a mery chere.
Her bei daunce. MERCY ssyth:

Do my! Do way his reulll Sers, do way!
NWADAIS. Do wey, goods Adam? Do wey?
Thys ya no parts of pi play.-
NOUGHT. 3ys, mary, I prey you, for I loue not his rswelynge.
Cum forth, goods fader, I yow prey.
Be a lytyll 38 may assay.
Anon, of wyth yowr clothes, yf 3e wyll play.

Go to! for I haue hade a praty scottlynge.

MERCY. Nay, brother, I will not damcs.
NEH GISE. If 3e wyll, ser, 12w brother wyll make yow to prawnce.
NOWADAIS. Wyth all my herte, ser, yf I may yow avaunce.
3e may assay be a lytfll trace.
NOWHT. 3s, ser, wyll 36 do well,
Trace not wyth hem, be my oownssll,
For I haue tracyds sumwhat to fell.

I tell y't ys a narow space.

stage direction daunce] _M_S_ daunc

88 play] 1E pray
96 fell] fylde cancelled before fell

77
78
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80

81

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83

85
86
87
88
89

9O

92
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91+
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97

56

But, ssr, I trcw of we thrs I herds yew Spsks. 98
NM GISE. Crystys curse hade barter, for I was in slaps. 99
NWADAIS. Ande I hade be cuppa in my hands, rsdy to goo to met; 100
Therfor, ser, curtly, grett yew well. 101
MCI. Few wordys, few ands well sstt. 102
NM GISE. Ssr, yt ys be new gyss ands be new jett: 103
Many werdys ands schortely sett. 104
Thys ys be nswgyss, susry dsls. 105
Mm. Lady, helps! How wrschys dslyts in per sympull ways! 106
NWADAIS. Say not ageyn be new gyse nowadays. f. 123v
Pou n11 fynds ws schrswys at all assays. 108
Be ware! Be my son lyks a bofstt. 109
m. He was well occupyeds bat browts yow brethsrn. 110
NOMH'I‘. I hards yew call, “New Gyse, Nowadays, Nought," al hes
thrs togethers. 111
If 3s ssy hat I lye, I n11 make yew to slythsr. 112
Le, take yew here a trepsttl 113
MECI. Say no yewr namys; I know yew not. 1114»

NW GISE. New Gyse, I.
NOWADAIS. I, Nowadays.

NOUGHT. I, Nought.

100 cupps in] 1Q cuppa redy in
106 sympm] E. mm

108 schrewysj _M§_ schswys

109 1yksj I: cancelled 20% 1yks
115 NWADAIS, swam] 233 _15 _M_s_

57
MERCY. Be Jhesu Cryst, bat me dere bowte,
3s betray many men.
NW GISE. Betray? Nay nay, ser, nay nay!
We make them both fresch ands gay.
But of yowr name, ser, I yew prey,

That we may yew ken.

MERCI. Mercy ys my name ands my dencmynacyon.
I conseyue 3e haue but a 1yty11 fans in my commmycacyen.
NW GISE. Ey, ey! Iowr body ys full of Ehglysch Latent
I am afsrde yt wyll brast.
'Prauo ts,“ quod be bocher onto me
When I stale a leg a motun.
3e are a strange cunnyng clerks.
NWADAIS. I prey yaw hertyly, werschyppull clerks,
To haue bis Englysch mad in Laten:

"I haue stun a dyschmll of curdys,
Ands I have schstun yowr mowth full of turdys."
Now opyn yewr sachell wyth Latsn wordys

117 men] a man cancelled before men

122 ands my] this 3.1.29. been crossed 92.3 2.1.111. by has. been

written above it _i:_n_ lighter .125 by .4. different hand
123 fans] _E_ fauour

116
117
118
119
120
121

122
123
124
12 5
126
127

129
130

131
132

133

125—128, 130 added in. gm margin, followed by I pray cetera,

which Eccles sygests indicates their correct position. Line 119

precedes _11. 121-128 in the margin.
129 ncmnmj added 3;; left margin before 122

58
Ands ssy me his in clsrycall manere.
Also, I haue a wyf. Her name ys Rachell.
Betuyx her ands ms was a gret batsll;
Ande fayn of yew I welds hers tell

Who was be most master.

NOUGHT. Thy wyf Rachell, I dare ley twenti, lyse.
NWADAIS. Who spake to be, full? bou art not me!
Go ands do bat longy'th to pin offycs:

Osculare fundamentmnl

BOUGHT. Lo, master, lo. Hers ys a pardon be lymett.

It ys grawntyde of Pcpe Pokstt.
If 36 wyll putt yowr nose in hys wyffys sokett,
3s xall haue forty days of pardon.

MERCY. Thys ydyll language 3e xall repent.

Out of his place I welds 3e went.

NEAT GISE. Geo we hens all thrs wyth an assent.
My fadyr ys yrke of owr eloquence.

bsrfcr I wyll no longer tary.

Gods bryngs yew, master, ands blyssyde Mary

To be number of be demonycall frB-S’TY.

NOJADAIS. Cum wynde, cum reyn,
Thaw I cumme neusr ageyn.
be deull put out both yewr syn:

Felouss, go we hens tyght.

11.3 be lyme tt] 3; holy-me tt

134
135
136
137
138

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140
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142
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146

11.7
148
124
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152
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157

59
NOMHT. Go we hens, a dsull wey.
Here ys be dors, her ys be wey.
Farwell, antyll J affrey,

I prey Gods gyf yew goods nyght.
Endant sil. Cantent

MCI. Thankyds be Gods, we haue a faysr dylyusrancs
0f bes thrs onthry'fty gestys.
They know full lytyll what ys ber ordynancs.

I prsue by reson bei be were bsn bestys:

A best doth after hys natural]. instytucyen.

3e may conssyue by there dysports ands behauour,
Per joy ands dslyte ys in dsrysyen

Of her cwyn Crysts to hys dyshcnour.

Thys condycyon of lsuyng, yt ys prejudycyall.

Be wars bsrof; yt ys wsrs ban any felony or trescn.
How may yt be excusyds before be Justycs of all

When for eusry ydyll words we must 3s1ds a reson?

They haue grett ease; berfor, bei wyll take no thought.
But how bsn, when be angsll of hswyn xall blow be trunzps
Ande ssy to be transgresssrs bat wy'kkydly hath wrought,

"Cmn forth onto yowr Jugs ands 3s1ds yewr acownte"?

stage direction 811:] g simul.
Cantentj added 13 lighter _1n__15

169 dyshonourj g dyshcnur

158
159
160
161

162
163
164
165

166
167
168
169

170
171
172
173

172.
175
176
177

60

Then xall I, Mercy, begyn sore to weps. 178
Nobsr comfort nor cownsell bsr xall non be hade; 179
But such as bei haue sowyn, such xall bei reps. 180
bei be wanton new, but ban xall bei be sade. 181
The goods new gyse nowadays I wyll not dysalow; 182
I dyscomsnds be vycyouss gyse. I prey haue me excusyde. 183
I nede not to spake of yt; yewr reson wyll tell it yew: 184

Take bat ys to be takyn, ands leue bat ys to be rsfusyds. 185

MANKINDE. 0f be erth ands of be cley we haue owr prepagacyen 186
By be prouydens of Gods bus be we dsry'vatt, 187
To whos mercy I recommends bis hell congrygacyen. 188
I hepe onto hys blysse ye be all predestynatt. f. 124"
Eusry man for hys degrs I trust nll be partycypatt, 190
If we wyll mortyfys owr carnall ccndycyen, 191
Ande owr veluntarye dysyres bat euer be pervercyonatt, 192
To renunce bem ands yelds ws wndsr Godys provycyen. 193
My name ys Mankynds. I haue 11w compcsycyen 194
Of a body ands of a soull, of cendycyen contrarye. 195
Betwyx bem tweyn ys a grett mismr 196
Be bat xulde be subjects, now he hath be victory. 197
Thys ys to me a lamentable story 198
To so my flssch of my scull to haue gouernancs. 199
Wher be goodewyff ys master, be goodeman may be sory. 200

I may both syth and sobbs; bis ya a pytuose remembrance. 201

61
0 then my soull, so sotyll in thy substance,
Alasse, what was bi fortune ands bi chaunce
To be assocyat wyth my flssch bat stynkyng dlmgehyll?

Lady, helps! Sousrsns, yt doth my soull mychs yll

To se be flesch prosperouse ands be soull trodyn wndsr fete.
I n11 go to yondyr man ands asay hym I 11511.

I trust of gostly solace he wyll be my bots.

All hsyll, ssmely father! 3s be welcom to bis house.
01‘ be very wysdam 3e haue partycypacyen.
My body wyth my soull ys euer querulose.

I prey yew, for Sent Charyts, of yowr supportacyon.

I beseche yew hertyly of yowr gostly comforts.
I am onstedfast in lywyngs; my name ys Mankynde.
My gostly enmy, the Deull, wyll haue a grett dysporte

In sympull gydynge, yf he may se me ends.

MERCY. Cryst sende yew goods comforts. 39 be welcum, my fronds.
Stands me on yowr fete; I prey yow aryss.
My name ys Mercy. 3e be to me full hands.

To eschew vycs I wyll yew avyse.

MANKINDE. 0 Mercy, of all grace ands vsrtu 3e are be well,

201-202 added _i_n_ right margin
206 trodynj drod cancelled before trodyn
216 sympullj g synfull

221 and vertuj added above 213 line

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203
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206
207
208

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211
212

213
214
215
216

217
218
219
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221

62

I haue herds tell of ryght werschyppful clerkys. 222
3e be aproxymatt to Gods ands nere of hys censsll. 223
He hat instytut yew aboue all hys werkys. 224
0, yowr lonely werdys to my soull are swetere ben hony. 225

MCI. The temptacyon of be flssch 3e must resyst lyke a man,

For ber ys euer a batsll betwyx be soull ands be body: 227
”Vita hominis est milicia super terrain.“ 228
Oppresss yowr gostly enmy ands be Crystys own knyght. 229
Be nsuer a cowards agsyn yowr adusrsary. f. 125
If 3e wyll be crownyds, 39 must nedys fyght. 231
Intends well, ands Gods wyll be yowr adjutory. 232
Remember, my fronds, be tyme of contynuance. 233
So helps me Gods, yt ys but a chery tyme; 234
Spends it well. Some Gods wyth hertys affyance. 235
Dystempurs not yewr brayn wyth goods ale nor wyth wyn. 236
Mssure ys tresure. I forbyds yew not be vss. 237
Mesure yowrsslf; euer be wars of excesss. 238
be superfluouss gyse I wyll bat 3s refuse; 239
When nature ys suffysyds, anon bat 3e sass. 240
If a man haue an hers ands kspe hym not to hye, 241
He may then rsull hym at hys own dysysre. 214.2
If he be feds euer well, he wyll dysobsy 243

228 miliciaj Lg nnilicia

238 line added _i_1_1_ right margin _in same hand £15}. fl

63
Ande in happs cast hys master in be myre.

ND! GISE. 3s ssy trew, ser, 3e are no faytour.

I haue feds my wyff so well tyll sche ye my master.

I haue a grett wende on my hsde, lo, ands beron leyth a playstsr,
Ande anobsr bar I pysse my peson.

Ands my wyf were yowr hers, sche welds yew all to-banne.

3e feds yowr hers in mssure; 3e are a was man,

I trow; ands 3e were be kyngys pali‘rey man,

A goods horse xulds be gesunns.

MANKINDE. Wher spekys bis felow? Wyll he not come nere?
MERCY. All to son, my brother, I fere ms, for yew.
He was here ryght now, by hym bat bowte me dere,
Wyth ober of hys felouse; bei kan moche screw.

They wyll be here ryght sons, yf I ewt departs.
Thynke on my doctryns, yt xall be yowr defence.

Lorne wyll I am here, sstt my werdys in herte.
Wythin a schorte space I must nedys hens.

NOWADAIS. be sonnsr be leusr, ands yt be ewyn anon.
I trew yowr name ys Dc Lytyll, 3e be so longs fro hem.
If 3s welds go hens, we xall cum euerychon,

Mo ban a goods sorts.

252 gssunne] E gssumme
255 hym] us cancelled before hym

261-268 Nowadgzs' flssch is bracketed and Nevad. written _ip_
the. Eght margin in lighter _in_]§_ by 5 different hand.

244

245

247
248
249
250
251
252

253
254
255
2 56

257
258
259
260

261
262
263
264

64
3e haue lev, I dare well say,
When 3e wyll, go forth yowr wey.
Men haue lytyll dsynte of yewr plsy

Because 3s make no sports.

26 5
266
267
268

NOUGHT. Iowr potage xall be forcolde, ssr; when wyll 3e go dyn? 269

I haue son a man lost twenti noblys in as lytyll tyme,

3st yt was not I, by Sent wantyn,

270
271

For I was nsuer worth a pottfull a wortys sythyn I was born. 272

My name ys Nought. I loue well to make mery.
I haue be sethsn wyth be camyn tapster of Bury
finds pleyde so longs be fall bat I am swyn wery

3st xall I be bsr ageyn tomorn

MERCY. I haue mochs care for yew, my own frsnde.
Iowr enmys wyll be here anon; bei make ber avaunte.
Thynke well in yowr hert, yowr name ys Mankynds;

Be not wnkynds to Gods, I prey yaw; be hys ssruante.

Be stsdsfast in condycyen; se 3s be not varyant.
Loss not thorow foly bat ys bowte so dere.

Gods wyll proue yaw son; ands yf bat go be constant,
0f hys blysse perpetuall 3e xall be partener.

3s may not haue yowr intent at yowr fyrst dysysre.

Se be grett pacyence of Job ands tribulacyon:

275 swyn wary] _M§_ swyn wery wery

276 tomorn] _M§_ to marrow but note rhyme with l. 223.

r. 125’
274
275
276

277
278
279
280

281
282
283
284

285
286

65
Lyke as be smyth trieth em in be fears,

So was he triads by Godys vysytacyen.

He was of yowr nature ands of yewr fragylyte.
Folew be steppys of hym, my own swets son,

Ande say as he ssyde in yewr trobyll and adusrsyts:
“Dominus dedit, Dominus abstulit; sicut sibi placuit,

ita factum est; nomen Domini benedictum."

Moreouer, in spscyall I gyue yew in charge:
Be ware of New Gyse, Nowadays, ands Nought.
Nyss in bar aray, in language bei be large.

To perverts bar cancbrcyens all be menys xall be sowts.

Gods sen, intromytt not yowrsylff in bar cumpeny.
bei harde not a masse bis twelmanyth, I dare well say.

Gyff them nan audyencs; bei wyll tall yew many a lye.
Do truly yewr labure ands ksps yewr halyday.

Be wars of Tytivillus, for he lssyth no way,
Pat goth invysybull ands wyll not be sen.
He wyll rande in yowr ere ands cast a nett befor yowr sy.

He ys worst of bem all. Gods lstt hym neuer than!

296 be] M__S_ bar

287
288

289
290
291

292

293
294
295
296

297
298
299
300

301
302
303
304

297 intrcmytt not yawrsylff] intyrnryss yowr sylff not changed

32 intramytt not yewr sylff
298 pie] _M§_ In
301 for] yll-S- f0

303 eyj _M_S_ syn, 215. note rms with _1, 39;

66
If 3e dysples Gods, aske mercy anon,
Ellys Myschsff wyll be redy to brace yow in hys brydy‘ll.

Kysse me now, my dare darlynge. Gods schslde yew from yowr fan.

De truly yewr labure ands be neusr ydyll.

305
306
307
308

The blyssyngs of Gods be wyth yaw ands wyth a1 bss werschyppull men.

MANIINDE. Amen, for Sent Charyte, amen!

Now blyssyde be Jhssu. My soull ys well sacyatt
Wyth be mellyfluoss doctryne of bis werschyppfull man.

The rsbellyn of my flssch now y‘t ys superatt,

Thankyngs be Gods of be commynge bat I kam.

Her wyll I sytt ands tytyll in bis papyr
The incomparable astat of my pramycyen.
Worschypfull souerence, I haue wretyn here

The gloryuse remembrance of my nobyll condycyon.

To haue remos ands memory of mysylff bus wretyn yt ys,
To defends me from all superstycyus charms:
”Memento, homo, quad cinis as at in cinerem reuerteris."

Lo, I bar on my bryst be baggs of myn armys.

NE! GISE. The wether ys colds; Gods sends ws goods ferys

“Cum sancta sanctus sris st cum psruerso psruertsris.”
"Ecce quam banum at quam Jocundum," quad be Deull to be frsrys,

l'Habitars fratres in mm."

307 schelds] E scheds

323 goods] god cancelled before goods

310

311
312
f. 126
314

315
316
317
318

319
320
321
322

323
324
325
326

6?

MANKINDE. I her a felow spake; wyth hym I wyll not mall. 327
Thys erth wyth my spade I xall assay to dslffe. 328
To eschew ydullnes, I do yt myn own sslffe. 329
I pray Gods sende yt hys fusyon. 330
NWADAIS. Make rem, ears, for we haue be longs. 331
We wyll cum gyf yaw a Crystemss songs. 332
NOUGHT. New I pray all be yemandry bat ys here 333
To synge wyth ws wyth a mery chars: 334
It ys wretyn wyth a call, yt ys wretyn wyth a sale, 335
NEW GISE ands NOWADAIS. It ys wretyn wyth a cells,
yt ys wretyn wyth a calls, 336
NOUGHT. He bat schytyth wyth hys hoyll, he bat schytyth
wyth hys hoyll, 337
NW GISE ands NWADAIS. He bat schytyth wyth hys hoyll,
he bat schytyth wyth hys hoyll, 338

NOWHT. But he wyppe hys ars clen, but he wyppe hys ars clen, 339
NW GISE ands NCMADAYS. But he wype hys ars clan,
but he wyps hys ars clan, 34°
NOUGHT. 0n hys brechs yt xall be sen, an hys breche yt xall be sen,
NW GISE ands NWADAIS. 0n hys brschs yt xall be sen,

an hys brechs yt xall be sen. 342

327 hym] hym hym corrected 1:3 hym
328 erth] erth erth corrected _t_g erth

336, 338-342 rggetition indicated by cetera
338, 340. 342 ands] may, by; cogare 1- 2g.

68

Cantant GENES. Hoylyke, holyke, holyke, holyke, holyke, holyke. 343

ND! GISE. EU, Mankynds, Gods spade yew wyth yewr spade.

I xall tell yew of a maryage:
I welds yowr mowth ands hys ars bat ys made
War maryede junctly together.
MANKINDE. Hey yew hens, felouse, wyth bredynge.
Laue yewr derysyon ands yowr japynge.

I must nedys labure, yt ys my 1y‘vynge.
NONADAIS. What, ser, we cam but lat hethyr,

Xall all bis corn grow here
bat 3e xall haue be nexts 3er?
If yt be so, corn hade nede be dere,

Ellys 3s xall haue a pore lyffs

NOUGHT. Alasss, goods fadsre, bis labor frstyth yaw to be ban.

But for yewr cropps, I take grett mans.
3e n11 neusr spends yt alonne;

I xall assay to gsett yew a wyffe.

How many acres suppose 3e here by estymacyon?

NW GISE. Ey, haw 3e turns be erth wppe ands down!

I haue be in my days in many goods town,

3ett saw I neusr such anobsr ty‘llynge.

MANKINDE. Why stands ye ydyll? It ys psty bat 3e were born!

NOWADAIS. We xall bargen wyth yaw ands nober make nor scorns.

Take a goods carts in hsrwsst ands lode yt wyth yowr earns,

Ands what n11 we gyf yaw for be levynge?

345

347

349

350
r. 126"

352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359

360
361
362
363
364

365
366

367

69

NOMHT. He ya a goods starke laburrer; he welds fayn do well. 368
He hath mstt wyth be goods man Mercy in a schroude sell. 369
For all bis he may haue many a hungry male. 370

3yt well 3s se ha ys polytyke. 371
Here xall be goods corn; he may not mess yt. 372
If he wyll haue reyn, he may ousrpysse yt; 373
Ands yf he wyll haue compasss, he may ousrblysse yt 37’4

A lytyll wyth hys ars lyke. 375
MANIINDE. Go ands do yowr labur. Gods lstt yew neuer the! 376
0r wyth m spade I xall yaw dynge, by be Holy Trinyte! 377
Hans 3e non other man to make but euer me? 378

3a welds haue ms of yewr satt. 379
Eye yaw forth lyusly, for hens I wyll yaw dryff! 380
NW GISE. Alas, my jewellys! I xall be schent of my wyff. 381
NOWADAIS. Alasse! Ands I am like neuer for to thryue, 382

I haue such a buffstt. 383
MANKINDE. Hens, I say, Newgyse, Nowadays, ands Newte! 384
It was ssyde beforn, all be menys xuld be sought 385
To perverts my condycyons ands brynge ms to nought. 386

Hens, thevys! 36 haue made many a lesyngs. 387
NOUGHT. Marryde I was for colds, but now am I warms. 388
3a are ewyll avysyde, ear, for 3s haue don harms. 389
By cokkys body sakyrds, I haue such a peyn in my arms 390

I may not change a man a ferthynge. 391

385 xu1d] gs xall

70

MANKINDE. Now I thanks Gods, knelynge on my kne.
Blyssyde be hys name; he ys of hys degrs.
By be syds of hys grace bat he hath sent me

Thre of myn snmys I haue putt to flyght.

3yt bis instrument, souerens, ys not made to defends.

Dauide ssyth, "Nee in hasta nsc in gladio saluat Dominus."
NOII‘xHT. No, mary, I beschrew yaw; yt ya in Spadibus.
Therfor Crystys curse cum on yowr hedy’ous

To sende yaw lesss mght.

Exiant

MANKINDE. I promtt yaw, bes felauss wyll no more cum here,
For summe of bem csrtenly were smmswhat to. nere.
My fadyr Mercy avysyde me to be of a goods chars

Ande agayn my snmys manly for to fyght.

I xall convycte bem, I heps, euerychan.

3st I say amsse; I do yt not alon.

Wyth be helps of be grace of Gods I resyst my fan
Ande bar malycyuse herte.

Wyth m spade I wyll departs, my werschyppull souerence,

Ande lyue euer wyth m labure to corecte my insolence.

I xall go fett corn for my lands. I pray yew of pacysncs.
Ryght son I n11 reverte.

397 haste] gs hastu

404 Ande] Ad, _a_; possibly Aid, cancelled before Ande

392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399

402
403

405

407

410

411
412

71

SCENE II

MISCHEFF. Alas, alasse, bat euer I was wrought: 413
Alasse be whyll, I wers ban nought! 414
Sythyn I was here, by hym bat ms bought, 415

I am wtterly ondon! 416
I, Myscheff, was here at be begynnynge of be game 417
Ande argmde wyth Mercy, Gods gyff hym schame. 418
He hath taught Mankynde, wyll I haue be vane, 419

To fyght manly ageyn hys fen. 420
For wyth hys spade, bat was hys wepyn, 421
Neu Gyse, Nowadays, Nought hath all to-bston. 422
I haue grett pyte to se bem wepyn. 423

Wyll 39 lyst? I here bem crye.

Clamant 424

Alasse, alasse, cum hethsr. I xall be yewr borow. 425
Alac, alac, vsn, vsn, cum hethers wyth screws. 1‘. 127v
Passe, fayer babys, 3s xall haue a nappyll tomorow 427
Why grate 3s so, why? 428

NEU GISE. Alasse, master, alasse, my privyte! I429
HISCHEFF. A, wher'! Alake, fayer babe, ba me. 430
Abyds; to son I xall yt 56. 431
NWADAIS. Here, here, so my hade, goods master! 432
HISCHEF‘F. Lady, help. Sely darlynge, ven, ven. 433
I xall helps be of bi peyn; 434

426 van] .m_c are _with 1. £122 and _note mm as. a. 123-525

72
I xall smtt of bi hade ands sett yt on agayn.

NOIBHT. By owr Lady, ser, a fayer playster.

Wyll 39 of wyth hys hade? It ya a schroude charms.
As for me, I haue non harms.
I were lath to forbere m'n arms.

3e play in nomine patris, chappe!
NEU GISE. 3e Isll not chappe m jewellys, ands I may.
NOJADAIS. 3e, crystys crass, wyll 3e smght my hade away?
Thar wher on ands on. Outs! 3s xall not assay.

I mght wel be callyds a f0ppe .

MISCHEFF. I kan chappe yt of ands make yt agayn.
NM GISE. I hade a schroude recumbentibus, but I fsle no peyn.
NOWADAIS. Ande m hade ys all saue ands hall agayn.
Now, towchyngs be matter of Mankynde,
Lett ws haue an interlsccyon, sythen 3s be cum hethsrs.

It were goods to haue an ends.

MISCHEFF. How, how, a mynstrell! Know 3s any out?

NOUGHT. I kan pype in a Walsyngham wystyll, I, Nought, Nought.

MISCHEFF. Blow a pass, and ban xall bryngs hym in wyth a flewte.
TITIVIILUS. I com wyth m lsggys wndsr ms.

MISCEEFF. Haw, Nsu Gyse, Nowadays, harks or I goo.

When owr hedys war togethere, I spake of si dedsro.

NEU GISE. 36, go bi wey. We xall gather many onto, f.

442 Crystysj _M_S_ crastys
443 weer] _1; war

435
436

437
438
439

441
442
443

445
447

449
450 '

451
452
453
454
455
456
128

73
Ellys bar xall no man hym ss.

New gostly to owr purpos, werschypfull souerence,
We intends to gather many, yf yt plssse yowr naclygence,

For a man wyth a hade bat ys of grett omnipctsns

458

459
460
461

NOWADAIS. Kspe yewr tayll, in goodnes I pray yew, goods brober.

He ys a worschyppul man, ssrs, sauyinge yewr reuerens.
He leuyth no grotys, nor pens of topsns.
Gyf we rode reyallys yf 3e wyll ss hys abhomynabull presens.
NEW GISE. Not so. 36 bat new not pay be ten, pay be taber.

At be goods man of bis house fyrst we wyll assay.
Gods blysse yew, master. 3e say as yll, 3st 3e wyll not say nay.
Lett we go by ands by ands do them pay.
3s pay all alyke, well mut 3e fare.
NOUGHT. I say, New Gyse, Nowadays, estis vas pecuniatus‘?
I haue cryeds a fayer wyll, I beschrew yowr patus.
NOIIADAIS. Ita vars, magistsr. Cmume forth now yewr gatus.

He ya a goodly man, ssrs. Make space and be ware.

463
464
465
466

467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474

TITIVILLUS. Ego sum dominancium dominus , ands my name ys Titivillus.

3e bat haue goods here, to yew I say causatis.

Hers ys an abyll felyschypps to tryss hym out at yowr gatys.
Iaquitur ad New Gyse

Ego probe sic. Bar New Gyse, lends me a pony.

NW GISE. I haue a grett purse, ear, but I haue no monay.

By be masse, I fayll to farthyngys of an halpenya

461 ye] not gags

476
477

478
479
480

74

3yt hade I ten pateld bis nyght bat was. 481

TITIVIILUS, loquitur ad Nowadays. What ys in bi purse?

bu art a stout felow. 482

NOWADAIS. be Deull haue qu11. I am a clan antyllman. 483
I pray Gods I be neuer wars storyde bsn I am. 484
It xall be otherwyse, I heps, or bis nyght passe. 485

TI‘I‘I‘VIILUS, loquitur ad Nought. Berke now. I say bou

hast many a pony. 486

NOUGHT. Nan nobis, domino, non nobis, by Sent Deny. 487
be Deull may daunce in my purse for any pony; 488
It ys as clan as a byrdys ars. 489
TITIVILLUS. New I say 3st ageyn, causatis. 490
Bar ys an abyll felyschyppo to tryss hem out of yewr gatys. 491
New I say, New Gyse, Nowadays, ands Nought, 492
Go ands ssrche be centre, anon yt be sowgte, 493
Summe here, summe bar. What yf 3e may cache W3te? 494
If 36 fay’ll of hers, take what 3e may ellys. 495

NW GISE. Then spoke to Mankynds for be recumbentibus of my jawellys.
NOWADAIB. Remember my broken hade in be werschypps of

be fyve vewellys. r. 128v
NOUGHT. 36, goods ser, ands be sytyca in my arms. 498
11

481 ton pound] mg 3:
482 p1] bis cancelled before 151
487 Non] Mg No

490 Now I say ageyn causatis is repeated pit. crossed _a_up

75
TITIVIILUS. I know full well what Mankynde dyds to yaw.
Myschyff hat infost of all be matere thorow.
I xall vsngs yewr quarsll, I make gods avow

Forth, ands sspye were 36 may do harms.

Take Wyllyam Fyde, yf 36 wyll haue any me.

I say, New Gyse, wethers art bou avysyde to go?

NEW GISE. Fyrst I xall begyn at Master Huntyngton of Sauston;
Fro thens I xall go to Wyllyam Thurlay of Hauston,
Ande so forth to Pycharde of Trumpyngton.
I lel kepe me to bee thrs.
NWADAI‘S. I xall goo to Wy’leham Bakers of Waltom,
To Rycherde Bellman of Gayton.
I xall spare Master Woods of Fullburn;

He ys a mall me tangsre.

NOMHT. I xall gas to Wyllyam Patryks of Massyngham;
I xall spare Master Alyngton of Botysam
Ande Hamcnde of Soffeham,
For drede of in manus tuas qweke.
Felons, cum forth ands go we hens togethyr.
NEU GISE. Syth we xall go, lstt we be well ware ands wethers.
If we may be take, we com no more hethyr.

503 Wyllyam] EN

505 Master M_§_ M

512 Y5 a] .va. cancelled, ya a written £13333 phi-11mg
516-517 2132 _t_wp ling; trangposed _ip _M§_

499

501
502

503
504

505

507
508

SLO
511
512

513
514
515
516
$17
518
519

76

Lott ws can well owr neke-verse, bat we haue not a choke.

TITIVILLUS. Goo yowr way, a deull way, go yewr way all!
I blysse yaw wyth my lyfte hands: foull yew befall.
Cam agayn, I warns, as son as I yaw call,
Ande bryngs yewr avantago into bis place.
To Spoke wyth Mankynde I wyll tary here bis tyde
Ande assay hys goods purpose for to sett asyds.
be goods man Mercy Xall no longer be hys gydo.

I xall make hym to dawncs anobsr trace.

Euer I go invysybull; yt ys m jett.
Ande befor hys ey bus I wyll hangs m nett
To blench hys syght. I hepe to haue hys fate-mett.
To yrks hym of hys labur I xall make a frame.
Thys bards xall be hyde wndsr be erth prsusly;
Hys spade xall enter, I hepe, enrodyly,
Be bsn he hath assayde, he xall be very angry
Ande loss hys pacyens, poyn of schame.
I xall mange hys corne wyth drawke ands wyth durnell;
It xall not be lyke to sow nor to sell.
Yendyr he commyth. I pray of cownssll.

He xall wens grace were wane.

520 can] _I‘fi com
522 lyftej ryght cancelled before lyfte
525 tary] be cancelled before tary

540 wane] Mg wane veg: faintly cancelled and another word
(cum?) written after _l_t_

520

521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528

529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539

77

MANKIND: New Gods of hys mercy sende ws of hys sende. f. 129
I haue brought sods here to sow wyth m londe. 542
wa11 I ousrdy‘lew yt, here yt xall stands. 5’43
In nomine Patris at Filii et Spiritus Sancti new I wyll begyn.
Thys lands ys so hards yt makyth wnlusty ands yrke. 545
I xall saw my corn at wynter ands lstt Gods works. 546
Alasse, m corn ys lost! Hers ya a foull werke. 547
I so well, by tyllynge lytyll xall I wyn 548
Here I gyff wppe my spade for new ands for euer 549
Here Titivillus goth out wyth be spade
To occupys my body I wyll not put me in dsuer. 550
I wyll here my swynsonge here or I dysseuer. 551
Thys place I assyngs as for m kyrke. 552
Here in my kerks I knell an my knoys. 553
Pater naster, qui es in celis. 554
TITIVIJLUS. I promos yaw, I haue no lads on my hslys. 555
I am here ageyn to make bis felow yrke. 556
wast! Passe! I xall go to hys are ands tytyll borin. 557
A schorte prayers thyrlyth hswyn; of bi prayers blyn. 558
Pan art holysr ban euer was any of bi kyn. 559
Aryse ands avent be; nature compellys. 560
MANKINDE. I wyll into bi 3srde, souerens, ands cumm ageyn son. 561
For drede of be calyke ands eke of be stan 562

555. 565 TITIVELUS. TITWUS] Nev Gys _i_s_ written below both
§peech headings _ip' 322. right margin 1332 in lighter _ipkp, probably by 5

different hand.

78
I wyll go do bat nsdys must be don. 563

My bedys xall be here for whosummeuer wyll ellys. 561+
Exiat

TITI'UIIILUS. Mankynds was bssy in hys prayers, 3st I dyds hym aryss.

He ys convsyds, be Cryst, from hys dyvyn seruyce. 566
Wethers ys he, trow 3s? I wysss I am wonder wyss: 567

I haue sent hym forth to schyte lssynges. 568
Iff 3s haue ony sy‘lusr, in happs pure brasss, 569
Take a lytyll powder of Parysch ands cast ouer hys face, 570
Ande swyn 1n the howll-flyght let hym passe. 571

Titivillus kan lerne yow many praty thyngys. 572
I trow Mankynds wyll cum ageyn son, 573
O1- sllys I fsrs me swynsongs wyll be don. 57“
Eye bedys xall be trysyds asyds, ands bat anon. 575

Be xall a goods sport yf 3e wyll abyds. 576
Mankynds cummyth ageyn; well fare be. 577
I xall answers hym ad ominia quars. 578
Thsr xall be sett abroche a clsrycall mater. 579

I hcps of hys purpose to sett hym asyds. 580

MANIINDE. Ewynsongs hath be in be sayngs, I trow, a fayer wyll. 581

I am yrke of yt. It ys to longs be on myle. 582

56“ 11$: ling BE £1.23: 119321. _after I- 26.1. 21.115. _crossed 93.11.-

euysj pg summed, p33 sllys, which rhmes with l- 599,
lag originally written after _1_. 263;.

79
Do my! I wyll no more so oft ouer be chyrchs-styls.
Be as be may, I xall do anobsr.
Of labure ands preysr, I am nere yrke of both.
I wyll no more of yt, thow Mercy be wroth.
My hsde ys very heuy, I tell yow forsoth.

I xall slsps, full my bely, ands he wore my brober.

TITI'VIILUS. Ande euer 3e dyds for me, kepe now yowr sylsnce.
Not n words, I charge yow, peyn of forty pens.
A praty game xall be schsuds ycw or 3e go hens.

39 may here hym snore; he ys sads aslsps.
wast: Passe! be Deull ys dads: I xall goo ronds in hys ers.
Alasse, Mankynds, alassel Mercy stown a mere!
He ys runn away fro hys master, ber wot no man where.

Morsouer, he stale both a hors ands a note.

But 3st I herds ssy he brake hys neke as he rode in Frauncs;
But I thynks he rydyth ousr be galous, to lsrn for to daunce,
Bycauss of hys theft, bat ys hys gouernancs.

Trust no more on hym; hs ys a marryde man.
Mskyll sorow wyth bi spade beforn bou hast wrought.
Aryse ands asks mercy of Ken Gyse, Nevadays, and Nought.

Psi cun avyss be for be best. Lott bsr goods wyll be sought.

584-586 added at bottom of the leaf by the same hand

 

589 TITIVJILUS] Nev Gys ii written below

 

593 3'8] yd cancelled before ys
597 as] E ab

598 galous] galouf changed _t_._o_ galous

583
581}
585
586
587
588

589
590
591
592
593
591+
595
596

597
598
599
600
601
602
603

80

Ande bi own wyff brsthell, ands take be a lsmman.

Farwsll, euerychon, for I haue don my game;
For I haue brought Mankynds to myscheff ands to schame.

MANKINDE. Whope, who: Mercy hath brokyn hys neke-kychsr, avows.
Or he hangyth by be neke hys wpp on be gallouss.
Adsw, faysr masters. I wyll hast me to be ale-house
Ande spske wyth New Gyse, Nowadays, ands Nought
Ande gestt me a lemman wyth a smattryngs face.
NM GISE. Make space, for cokkys body sakyrds, make space:
A ha, well ouerron. Gods gyff hym ewyll grace.

We were nsrs Sent Patrykes way, by hym bat me bought.

I was twychyde by be neke; be game was begunns.
A grace was, be halter brast asunder: scce signuml

The halff ys abowts my neke; we hade a nere runs.

”Be wars,” quod be goodst when sche smot of hers husbandys

hsds, "be ware!"
Myschsff ya a convicts, for he couds hys neke—verse.
My body gaff a swyngs when I hynge wppon be casse.
Alasse, he wyll hangs such a lyghly man ends a fsrs,

For stelynge of an horse, I prey Gods gyf hym care.

Do wsy bis halter. What dsull doth Mankynds hers, wyth sorow?

Alasse, how my neke ys sore, I make avowe.

604

605
606

607
608
609
610
611
612
613
61h

615
616
617

618
619
620
621

622

623
621+

604 levs written 33 margin by another hand (perhaps _tp replace

brethsll? )

605 Fax-wan] ya For well

81

MANKIN‘DE. 3s be welcom, Nsu Gyse, ser. What chsrs wyth yaw? 625

NEW GYSE. Well, ssr, I haue no cause to mom. 626
MANXINDE. What was bsr abowte yowr neke, so Gods yow amends? 627
NEU GISE. In fsyth, Sent Audrys holy bands. 1'. 130
I haue a lytyll dyshes as yt plssss Gods to sende, 629

Wyth a runnyngs ryngewarms. 630
NOWADAIS. Stands aram, I prey be, brobsr min. 631
I haue laburryde all bis nyght. Wen xall we go dyn? 632
A chyrche her besyds xall pay for ale, brsde, ands wyn. 633

La, hers ys staff wyll same. 6314

NEU GISE. Now by be holy Mary, bou art better marchands bsn I. 635
NOUGHT. Avants, knawys, lstt me go by! 636

I kan not gest ands I xulde stsrus. 637

MISCHEFF. Hers oummyth a man of arrays. Why stands 3e so styll? 638
Of murder ands manslawter I haue my bely fyll. 639

NCNADAIS. What, Myscheff, haue 3e bsn in presun?

Ande yt be yowr wyll, 640

Me semyth 3s haue scaryde a peyr of fetters. 6141
MISCHEFF. I was chenyde by be arms. La, I haue bem here. 642
The chenys I brast asundyr ands kyllyde be jaylsrs, 6&3
3e, ands hys faysr wyff halsyds in a corners. 644
A, how swstly I kyssyde be swets mowth of hers! 645

When I hade do, I was myn aw3n bottler; 6’46

642, 661}, 670 MISCHEFF] The same hand that wrote Nsv Gys below

Tit lus' 22222 E21252 129. 1.1- .255. 2% £1.91 23.2 has “written
NOVadays (3;. fl, NWadays) after each pf these speech headings.

82
I brought awey wyth me both dysch ands dublsre.
Here ys anow for me. Be of goods chsre.

3st well fare be new chesancs.

MANKINDE. I asks mercy of Nsu Gyse, Nowadays, and Nought.
Onys wyth my spade I remember bat I taught.
I wyll make yaw amendys, yf I hurt yaw ought

Or dyds any grsvauncs.

NEW 6131?). What a dsull lykyth be to be of bis dysposycyon?

MANKINDE. I drsmpt Mercy was hangs, bis was my vysyan,

Ande bat to yaw thrs I xulds haue recors ands remocyon.
Now I prey yaw hertyly of yowr goods wyll.

I crye yaw mercy of all bat I dyds amysss.

NWADAIS. I say, New Gys, Nought, Tytivillus made all bis

As sskyr as Gods ya in hswyn, so yt ys.

NOUGHT. Stands wppe on yowr feet! Why stands 3s so styll?

NEU GISE. Master Myscheff, we wyll yaw sxart

Mankyndys name in yowr bok for to report.

MYSCHEFF. I wyll not so; I wyll sett a carts.
Nowadays, mak proclamacyan,

Ande do yt sub farms jurys, dasards.

NCMADAIS. Oyytl Oy3yt£ Cyst! All mansre of men and camun women

To be cart of Myschyff others cum or sen!
Mankynds zall return; he ys an of owr men.

MISCHEFF. Nought, cum forth bau xall be stswerds.

664 a] yt cancelled before a

647
6%
6&9

650
651
652
653

651*
655
656
657
658
659
660
661

662
663
661+
66 5
666

668
669
670

83
NEW GISE. Master Myscheff, hys syde gown may be solde.
He may haue a jakett berof, ands many tolde.
Nought scribit
MANKINDE. I wyll do for be best, so I haue no colds.
Holds, I pray yaw, ands take yt wyth yaw.

Ande let me haue yt ageyn in any wyse.

NEW GISE. I promytt yaw a fresch jakstt after be new gyse.

MANKINDE. Go ands do bat longyth to yowr offyce,

Ande spare bat 3s mow.

NOIBHT. Holds, master Myschsff, ands reds bis.
MISCHEFF. Hers ys “blattybus in blattis,
Blattarum blattibus istis."
I beschrew yowr srys, a faysr hands.
NWADAIS. 3s, yt ys a goods rsnnyngs fyst.
Such an hands may not be myst.
NOMHT. I xulde haue don better, hade I wyst.
MISCHEFF. Take hsde, ssrs, yt stands you on hands.

Carici tents. generalis

In a place bsr goods ale ys

Anna regni regitalis
Edwardi nullatsni

671 soldsj _M_S_, E tolds
678 mow] E may, by: note rhyme with _l_. £213;
680 msanrr] another hand has added Novght

683 rennyngs] Mg rennyge

671
672

673
674
675
676
677
678

679
680
681
682
683
684
68 5
686

687
688
689
690

 

84
On 3sstsrn day in Fsusrsre. be 3ers passyth fully,
As Nought hath wrytyn. Hers ys owr Tulli,
Anna regni regis nulli.

NGWADAIB. What, how, Nsu Gyse? bou makyst mocha taryynge.
Pat Jakett xall not be worth a ferthyngs.
NW GISE. Out of my way, sers, for drede of fyghtynge.

La, hers ys 3 feet tayll, lyght to lepps abowts.
NOII‘zHT. It ys not schapyn worth a morsell of brads.
Thar ys to mocha cloth; yt ways as any leds.
I xall goo ands msnde yt, ellys I wyll lose my hsds.

Make space, ssrs, lstt me go owte.

MISCHHF. Mankynds, cum hethsrs. Gods sende yaw be gawts.
3e xall goo to all be goods felouse in be cuntrs abowte,
Onto be goadswyff when be goodeman ys owte.
"I wyll," ssy 3e.
MANKINDE. I wyll, ser.

NEW GISE. There am but sex dedly synnys; lechery ys non,
As yt may be verefysds be we brethsllys suerychon.
3e all gas robbs, stall, ands kyll as fast as ye may gon.
"I wyll,u ssy 3e.
MANKINDE. I wyll, ssr,

NWADAIS. m Sundays an be morow srly betyme
3e xall wyth ws to be all—house srly to go dyn

694 taryyngsj ppb .i_.n_ _Mé bu_t_ spggssted by Manly

691
692
693

694
695
696
697
698
699
700
701

702
703

704

705

131
707

708

709

710
711

85

Ande forbere masse ands matsns, awrss ands prime. 712

"I wyll," 59y 36-

MANKIN‘DE. I wyll, ssr. 713
MISCHEFF. 36 must haue be yowr syde a longs da pacem, 714
As trsw men ryds be be way for to onbracs bem, 715
Take bsr monay, kytt bsr throtys, thus ouerface bem. 716
“I wyll,“ ssy 3s.
MANKINDE. I lel, ssr. 717
NOUGHT. Hers ys a jaly jakstt. How ssy 3s? 718
NM GISE. It ys a goods jake of fence for a mannys body. 719
Bay, daog, hay! Whoppe whoa: Go yowr wey lyghtly. 720
3a are well made for to rsn. 721
MISCHEFF. Tydyngys, tydyngys! I haue aSpysds an! 722
Hens wyth yowr stuff, fast we were gan. 723
I beschrew be last xall com to hys ham. 724
Dicant OMNES. Aman. 725

MCI. What, how, Mankynds? Fla bat felyschypps, I yaw prey. 726
MANKINDE. I xall speke wyth be anobsr tyme, to-morn, or be next day.

We xall goo forth together to kepe my fadsrs 3sr-day. 728
A tapster, a tapster! Stow, statt, stow! 729
MISCHEFF. A myscheff go wyth! Here I haue a foull fall. 730
Hens, awey fro ms, or I xall beschyte yaw all. 731
NM GISE. What, haw, ostlsre, hastlsre! Lends we a football 732
Whapps, whow. Anow, anow, anow, anow. 733

727 be] 9.9.2 is .113.

86
SCENE III

MERCY. My mynde ys dyspsrsyde; my body trymmslyth
as be aspen lsffs. 734
The terys xuld trekyll down by my chekys,
were not yowr rsusrrsncs. 735
It were to me solace, be cruell vysytacyon of deth. 736
Wythout rude behauer I kan not sxprssss bis inconvenyens. 737

Wepynge, sythyngs, and sobbynge were mr suffycysns. 738
A11 naturall nutriment to me as carsn ys odybull. 739
My inwards afflixcyon 3eldyth me tedyouss wnto yowr presens. 740
I kan not hers yt swynly bat Mankynde ya so flsxybull. 741

Man onkynde, whersuer bau be, for all bis world was not aprehensybls
To dyschargs bin orygynall offence, thraldam ands captyuyts, 743

Tyll Godys own welbelauyde son was obedient ands passybls. 744
Eusry drapps of hys bloods was schsd to purge bin iniquits. 745

I dyscomsnde ands dysalow bin aftyn mutabylyts. f. 131v
To euery creature bou art dyspectuass ands odybls. 747
Why art bou so oncurtess, so incansydsratt? Alass, who ya me. 748

As be fans bat turnyth wyth be wynde, so bu art conuertyble. 749

734 trymmslythj tri cancelled before trymmslyth
736 solace] LS; salalacs
737 not] pp: 11; Es.-

7% pin] _rg bis
mutabylyte] gs imutabylyte

87
In trust ys trssan. Pi promos ys not credyble. 750
Thy peruersyoss ingratytuds I can not rehers. 751
To Gods ands to all be holy carts of hewyn bou art dospectybls. 752

As a nobyll vsrsyfysr makyth msncyon in bis verse: 753
"Le: at nature, Cristus st amnia Jura 75“

Damant ingratum, lugent sum fore natum.” 755

O goods Lady ands Mobsr of mercy, haue pety ands oompassyon 756

Of be wrechydnos of Mankynde, bat ya so wanton ands so frayll.

Lott mercy excede Justyce, dere Mobsr, mtt bis supplycacyon, 758

Equyts to be loyde onparty ands mercy to prevayll. 759
To sensuall lyuyngs ys reprouable, bat yo nowadays, 760
As be be comprehsnco of bis mater yt may be specyfyeds. 761
New Gyse, Nowadays, Nought wyth bsr allsctuase ways 762

They haue pervertyds Mankynde, my swat sun, I haue well espyde.

A, wyth bee cursyde caytyfs, and I may, he xall not longs indure. 764
I, Mercy, hys father gostly, wyll precede forth

ands do my propyrte. 765

Lady helps. his manor of lyuynge ya a detestabull plesurs. 766
Vanitas vanitatmn, all ye but a mts. 767
Mercy xall neuer be convicts of hys anourtss condycyon. 768

750 p1] _M_S_ pm

751 Thy] 1?. Tbs/’8

752 Godande to] Layouts
754 et omnia] Mg sit amnia

76‘» overs] m cums

88
Wyth wepynge terys, be ny3te ands be day, I wyll goo
ands neuer sesse. 769
11.11 I not fynde hym? Yes, I hope. Now Gods be my protsccyon. 770
My prsdylects son, where be ye? Mankyndo, vbi es? 771

MISCHEFF. My prspotent fader, when 3s sowps, sowpe awt yowr masse.

3e are all to—gloryods in yowr termys. 3s make many a loose. 773
Wyll 3e hero? He cryoth euer, "Mankynde, vbd es?“ 774
NM GEE. His hyc, his his, his his, his his. 775
Pat ya to soy, here here here, my dads in be cryke. 776
If 3e wyll haue hym, goo ands syke, syks, syks. 777

Syke not ausrlong, for lesynge of yowr mynde. 773

RONADAIS. If 36 wyll haue Mankynde, haw domino, domino, dominus. 779

Be must spoke to be schryus for a cape corpus, 780
Ellys 3e must be foam to retom wyth non est inventus. 781

How sey 3e, car? My bolts ys schett 782
NOmHT. I am daynge of my nsdyngys. Be ware how 3s schattl 783
Fy, fy, fy, I haue fowl arayde my fatal 1'. 132
Be wyss for schotynge wyth yowr taky’Llys, for Gods watt; 785

My fate ys fawly ousrschstt. 786

MISCEEFF. A parlsment, a parlementl Cum forth, Nought, behynde. 787

A comssll belyusl I am aferde Mercy wyll hym fynds. 788
Howsey3e,andwhatsey3e1 HawxfllwsdowythMankyndeT 789
mm arse. Tyschs, a flyes mm: Wyll 3e do well? 790

776 nil _M_S;my

780 cape corpus] LE cope corpus

89
He wenyth Mercy were hangs for stslynge of a more.
Myschsff, go say to hym bat Mercy sskyth euerywhero.
He wyll hangs hymsslff, I wndyrtake, for fore.
MISCHEFF. I assent bsrto. It ys wytty‘ly ssyde, and well.

NOWADAIS. wapps yt in bi cote; anon, it were don.
Now Sent Gabryellys modyr saue be clobes of bi schon;
All be bokys in be worlds, yf bei hade be wndon,
Kawde not a cownsslde ws bett.
Hic exit Mys chaff
MISCHEFF. HOW, Mankynds! Comm ands spake wyth Mercy,
he ys here fast by.
MANIINDE. A rappe, a rape, a rape! I am not worthy.
MISCEHF. Anon, anon, anon; I haue yt here redy,
Wyth a trs also bat I haue gett.

Holds be tre, Nowadays. Nought, take hsds ands be wyss.
NEU 6188. Lo, Mankynds, do as I do. his ys bi new gyse.
Gyff be roppe Just to by neke. bis ye awn avyse.

MISCEEFF. Helps bisylff, Nought! La, Mercy ys here!
He skaryth we wyth a bales. We may no lengsre tary.
1m 0133. Quake, qweke. qweke.! Alass, my throttl

I beschrew yaw, nary!

A, Mercy, Crystys coppyde curse go wyth yow, ands Sent Dew!

Alasse, m wesantz 3e were sumwhat to nere.

Exiant

805 by] La py.

791
792
793
794

795
796
797
798

799
800
801
802

803
804
805

807

808
809
810

90
MERCI. Aryse, my precyose redempt son. 3e be to me full dere. 811
He ya so tymerouse, me semth hys vytall spryt doth exspyre. 812
MANKINDE. Alasse, I haue be so bestyally dysposyde, I dare not apere.

To so yowr solaycyose face I am not worthy to dysysre. 814

MCI. Iawr crymynoss camplsynt wondyth my hart as a lance. 815
Dyspose yowrsy'lff makely to aske mercy, and I wyll assent. 816
3e1do mo nethyr golds nor tresure, but yowr humbyll obeysyance, 817
The voluntary subjeccyon of yowr hert, ands I am content. 818

MANIINDE. What? Asks mercy 3st onys agayn?
Alas. yt were a me petycyn. f. 132‘r
Ewyr to offend ands our to aske mercy, yt ya a puerilits. 820
It ya so abhaminabyll to rehers my vterat transgrescion, 821
I am not worthy to hawe mercy, be no possibilite. 822

MERCI. 0 Mankend, aw singler solas, bis is a lamentabyll excuse. 823
The dolorus terys of 11w hart, how bei begyn to amamt. 824

0 pirssid Jhesu, help bou bis synfull synner to redauce. 825
Nam hec est mutacio dextre excelsi. Vertit impios et non sunt.

Aryse mde aske mercy, Manksnd, ands be associat to me. 827
Thy doth schall be my hewyness. Alas, tys pety yt schwld be bus.

812 ye] E ys ys

819 murmur] mathematwordggguyggrestgpg

unflattmmemm-
822 not] nto cancelled before not
825 pirssid] _M_S_ pirssie

9l
Thy abstinacy wyll exclude be fro be glorius perpetuits. 829
3st for my lofe, ops thy lyppys and soy, "Miserere moi, Deus.’l

WI). The egall Justyse of God wyll not permytte sych a
synfull wrech 831
To be rewywyd ande restoryd ageyn. It were impossibyll. 832
MECI. The justyce of God wyll as I wyll, as hymsylfe doth precyee:
Nola marten peccatoris, inquit, yff he wyll be redusyble. 834

HANKMD. ban mercy, good Mercy. What ya a man wythawte mercy? 835
Lytyll ys owr parts of paradyee were mercy ne were. 836

Good Mercy, excuse be insuytabyll objeccyon of my gostly my. 837
The prowsrbe ssyth, “be trswth tryith be sylfs.‘

Alas, I hawe mach care. 838

MRCI. God wyll not make 30w preuy onto hys last Jugement. 839
Justyce ands eqtite xall be fortyfyid, I wyll not denys. 840
Trowth may not so cruelly precede in hys streyt argument, 841

But bat Mercy schall rswle be mater wythowte cantrauersye. 842

Aryse now ands go wyth ms in thys deambulatorye. 843
Inclyne yowyr capacite. my doctrine ys conusnient. 844
Synne not in hope of mercy; bat ya a cryms notary. f. 133

829 exclude be] be 11.9.2 in. E

834 be rodusyhle] Lg reducy'lls with ducylle cancelled pg
redusyble added H another hand

83 5 ye] by cancelled before ys

844 ME My doctrine ye conuenient inclyne yowyr capacity, bat
clauses trMsed £95 age p; rbyps

92
To trust ouermoche in a prince, yt ys not eaqaedient. 846

In hope when 3o syn, 3e thynke to hawe mercy, be were of bat awenture.

The good Lord ssyd to be lecherus woman of Chanane, 848
The holy gospell ys be awtorite; as we rode in scrypture, 849
'Vade st Jam amplius nali peccars.“ 850
Cryst preserwyd bis synhfll woman takeyn in awowtry. 851
He ssyde to here beis werdys, "Ga ands syn no more.“ 852

So to 30w, go ands an no more. Be wars of wsyn confidsns of mercy.
Offend not a prince on trust of hys fauour, as I ssyd before. 854

If 3e fele 3owrsylfe trappyd in be snare of yowr gostly enmy, 855
Asks mercy anon. Be waro.of be cantynuancs. 356
Whyll a wand ys fresch, yt ys prawyd curabyll be surgery; 857

Pat yf yt precede ouyrlong, yt ys cawse of grst grewance. 858

mm. To aske mercy ands to hawe, bis ya a lyberall passescion.
Schall bis expedycius pstycian euer be alowyd,
as 3s hawe insyght? 860
MBCI. In bis present lyfe mercy ys plants, tyll doth makyth
hys dywysion. 861
But whm 3e be go, vsqus ad minimum quadrantem

3e schall rekyn yowr ryght. 862

854 I] pg he
858 grewanch grswenge ch__ag1_ged _t_o grewance
862 semi] Lg scha

93
Asks mercy ands hawe, whylle be body wyth be sowls hath hys anneudon.
If ye tary 1354.1 yowr dyscesss, 36 may hap of yowr
dssyre to mysse. 864
Be repentant here; trust not be owsr of deth. Thynke on bis lsssun:

"Ecce nunc tempus acceptabile, sccs nunc dies salutis.‘ 866
All be wertu in be word, y'f 3e nyght comprehend, 867
Iowr msrytys were not premyabyll to be blys abowe, 868

Not to the lest joy of hewyn, of Bowr prepyr efforts to ascend. 869
Wyth mercy 3e may. I tell 30w no fabyll; scrypture doth prswe.

MARKED, O Mercy, my suavius solas ands syngulsr rscreatory, 871
My predilecte spscyall, 3e are worthy to have my lows. r. .133!v

For wythowts deserts ands menys supplicatoris 873
3e be compaoient to my inexcus abyll reprows . 874
A, yt swemyth my hert to thynk how onwysely I have wroght. 875

Titiuillus, bat goth invisibsle, hyngs hys nett before my eye,

And by hys fantastical]. visionys sediciusly sowght, 877
To New Gyse, Nowadsyis, Nowght cansyd me to obey. 878
MCI. Hanksnd, 3s were obliuyows of nv doctrine manytorye. 879
I ssyd before, Titiuillus wold asay 30w a bronte. 880
Be were fro hensforth of hys fablys delusory. 881

863 sowlej 318‘ sows
ham] LE 378

865 thynkej y cancelled before thynke
869 lost] I: cancelled before lest

870 prove] _M§ pram

94

be prowerbe ssyth, 'Jacula prestita minus lsdunt." 882

Be hawe thrs adusrsaryis ands he ys mayster of hem all; 883
That ys to say, the Dewell, be World, be Flssch, ands be Fell.

The New Gyse, Nowaday'is, Nowgth: be World we may hem call. 885
And propyrly Titiuillus sygnyfyth the Fend of Bell. 886
The Flesch, bat ys be vnclens conctqaissens of 3owr body. 887

These be 3m thrs gostly enmis in whom 3e hawe put 3owr

confidsns. 888
bei browt 30w to Myschsffs to conclude 30w:- tempcrall glory, 889
As yt hath be schswyd before bis worcheppyll audiens. 890

Remembyr how redy I was to help 30w? Fro swheche I was not dangerus.

thrfore, good sunne, abstsyne fro syn suemore after bis. 892

3s may both saue ands spyll 3cwr sowls bat ys so precyus. 893
Libero wells, libero nolls God may not deny 1m. 894
Be wars of Titiuillus wyth his net made of all snmys will, 895

Of 3m synfull delectacion bat grswyth 3owr gostly substans. 896

301a body ys 3m snmy; let hym not haue hys wyll. 897
Take 3cm lewe whan 3s wyll. God send 3ow good perseusrans. 898

MARKED. Syth I schall departs, blysse me, fader, her ben I go. f.134

886 pmpyrlfl E5. prowl-1y

890 before] among w, before m 93991.9. _t_h_e_ &
892 fro] syro eeneegod m fro

894 libsrs nolls] g3; lisbers nolle

895 snmys] his impyss cancelled, snmys written above £113 line

95
God send we all plants of hys gret mercy.
m. Dominus custodit ts ab omni malo
In nomine Patris st Filii st Spiritus Sancti. Amen.

His exit Manksnd.

Wyrschepyll sofersyns, I hawe do my prOpirte.

Mankynd ys deliusryd by my faueraJl patrocynye.
God pressrue hym fro all wyckyd captiuite
And send hym grace hys sensual]. condicions to mortifye.

Now for hys lows bat for vs recsywyd hys hmnanits,
Serge yowr condicyons wyth dew examinacion.
Thynke amde remembyr be world ya but a wanite,
As yt ys prowyd daly by diusrss transmutacyon.

Mankend ys wreshyd. He hath sufficyent prows.
Therefore God grant 30w all per suam misericordiam
Pat ye may be pleyferys wyth be angellys abowe

And hawe to gowr porcyon vitam eternam. Amen.

Fynis

906 condicionsj _LE condocions

910 diusrss] _l‘fi duerse

912 grant] Eat _a_}; gig. bat. suggested by §_c_c_l_e_§
913 angellys] _H_S_ angell

900
901
902

903

905

907
908
909
910

EEE

9'14

29

NOTES

T. W. Craik, in Lbs; M Interlude: §_’§_ag_e-, Costume, 593593133
(Leicester: Leicester University Press, 1958), p. 20, observes
that "a social distinction appears to be drawn between the
'sovsreigns' who sit and the 'brethren' who stand up.” Iris G.
Caldsrhsad. "Morality Fragments from Norfolk,” 52.4.2132. Philolog
14 (May 1916), 1—9, notes that ”In a Commonplace Book compiled
by Robert Rsynys of Acle, Norfolk, toward the end of the
fifteenth century“ are two fragments of plays. ”The second of
the pieces . . . was clearly designed to be spoken as the
kilogus" to one of the parish plays which Rsynys presented
around 1474. It includes a similar reference:

Now wm-sheppful souersyns bat syttyn here in syth,

lordys and ladyes and frankelens in fay,

With alls manor of Abssyans we recematmde vs ryght

plssantly to 3ours persones that present ban in play
(11. 1.4).

32—34 This familiar comparison between the members of the church and

the members of the body is biblical. See I Corinthians :11.
12-27 3

For as the body is one, and hath many members; and

the members of the body. whereas they are many, yet
arsonsbody, soisChrist. . . . Nowyeuarsths

body of Christ, and members of member.

96

 

43

45

1+7

97
and Colossians i. 18: “And he is the head of the body,

the church."
Matthew iii. 12:

. . . he will thoroughly cleanse his floor and
gather his wheat into the barn; but the chaff
he will burn with unquenchabls fire.

Luke iii. 17:

. . . he will purge his floor, and will gather
the wheat into his barn; but the chaff he will
burn with unquenchabls fire.

myschsff parodies Marcy's allusion to these texts in 11. 54—63.

cgcagzgg: Ecclss, p. 217, defines as “trampling." a definition
not included in the LIE. From Latin oaloo, “tread."

William George Smith, 2113 952954 Dictionary 9; Eglish Proverbs,
and ed.. 1948, p. 422, cites "Nickle head, little wit" and
comments, ”A groundless reflection; an eminent instance to the
contrary was John, Duke of Lauderdale.“ J. Ray, A Cogpleat
Collection 3; M Proverbs, London, 1737, p. 117, records

“A great _h_e_a_c_l_ and a little wit.“ Smart, p. 56, notes a parallel
in the modern mumming plays: "the Fool, Beelzebub, or some other
character often enters with: 'Hsrs come I; ain't been yit, /

Big head and little wit. "'

gsse-maschs; Ecclss. p. 217, compares with the German

mischgsch, "hedge-opodge,a and suggests this “may be formed

51

98
from m, wrong, and mash, the mixture of malt and water used

in brewing."

Raff's: According to Smart, pp. 56-57, this is a form of Ralph

and is here used as a pun on the word raff, “trash" or “refuse.“

Chechett m l9_l_c_k_e_: One of several fixglish formulas meaning
simply "speak" or I'talk." Smart, p. 5?, compares with 11.
133.134: "Row spyn yowr sachell wyth Laten werdys / Ande ssy
ms bis in clsrycall runners“ and the Old English expression
“wordhord onlé'ac,‘ which occurs only in poetry (for example,
Beowulf, 1. 259; M. 1. 1).

54.63 Myscheff parodies the typical expository style of medieval

73

75

83

preaching. His mock-.Latin text is essentially the one Mercy
uses in 1. 43.

Smart. pp. 57-58, equates 13.3.3415. with "bellows“ and interprets
the line as ”flow till your bagpipe bursts,’l or "Play till the
dancer's belly bursts." However, Eccles' suggestion, p. 217.
that “25.1.11: may be the same word as 224.23 in MEmkindj 807,
'a rod or switch for flogging' (E, $313)," makes better
sense. I'Either New Guise or Nowadays tells his companion, not
the Minstrels (since he says bi, not B), to apply the rod
to make Nought dance."

Sent Tanne: ”Saint Anne." Compare with a nappyll, “an apple.“
in 1. 427.

goods Adam: a trope for any “good old man.”

85

88

100

103

124

99
Sister Mary Philippa Coogan, An- Integretation 9; 313 M £151,
Mankind (Washington: Catholic University of America Press, 1947),
p. 107, suggests that “this line would seem to belong properly to
Mercy” because ”Nought who, Speaking the lines following this one,
emressss himself in quite a different vein.“ Eccles, p. 217,
counters that "Nought, who had no wish to break his neck, may
mean that he has danced enough and that Mercy may take his place.”
The line is probably Nought's, addressed to Nowadays, but is

ironic, not straightforward, as Eccles indicates.

23.31: Smart, Eccles, and Sister Philippa all support this
emendation based on the similarity of manuscript g and 1 and
the better sense this reading makes.

£19. at the beginning of this line,- as well as 11. 275, 524,
611, 678, and 712, is written in the manuscript as _A_ or g.
Eccles, p. 218, notes that the “E. quotes nine instances of

_a. as a weak form of £13, but they may be scribal errors.“
However, I feel that these 3's ars abbreviations, the equivalent
of g, and have not indicated them in the textual notes. Also,

I have regularly amended g or a. as in_c_1_e_. Although both 313
(l. 14) and 93 (l. 63) occur as full forms, _a_n__d_g is the more

common.

b: fl jett: compare with Chaucer's Pardoner, "Hym thoughts
he reed al of the news Jet," Canterbury Tales, I. 682.

Elglysch Laten: see Sister Philippa, pp. 98-103; John Cooper
Hendsnhall, Aureate Terms; A Sing _in _t_hg Literary Diction a;

100
tbg Fifteenth Centlrz (Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Wickersham,

1919).

125.128, 130 These lines, emitted by the scribe, have been added
in the margin. However, as many as six or seven more lines
may have been left out also, for there are no lines to rhyme
with 3332.53 in 1. 125 or mg in 1. 126. Moreover, there are only
three lines in the stanza from 11. 128—130 instead of the usual
four. Among previous editors of Mankind, only Eccles includes
these lines in the text where they obviously belong.
Positioning them preperly is not too difficult. Line 125
logically completes the thought begun in 1. 124:

m, ey! Iowr body ys full of mglysch Laten; 124
I am afsrds yt wyll brest. 125

Although 1. 130 is written first in the margin, before the
other added lines, it fits smoothly and logically between 11.
129 and 131:

NONADAIS. I prey yow hertyly, worschyppull clerks, 129

To haue bis Eiglysch mad in Laton: 130
"I haue stun a dyschfull of curdys, 131
Ande I haue schetun yowr mowth full of turdys." 132

Line 128 is followed by the notation 'I prey cstera' to indicate
that it precedes 1. 129. Lines 126 and 127 are linked naturally
as part of one thought:

"Prauo to,“ quod be bochsr onto me 126
When I stole a leg a motun. 127

101
Because motun rhymes with Laten (unstressed syllables often

rhyme in Mankind), these lines should be placed just before
11. 128—130 as the first part of that stanza.

153 be demonycall frayry: Sister Philippa, pp. 4.6, 116-118, suggests

 

this line as evidence Mercy is not only a priest but also a
friar of the Dominican order. Eccles, p. 218, compares with
2119. M g; m by Skelton, which includes the phrase.
"ffryer Domynike And ffrysr Demonyke.“

154-155 Smart, p. 58, compares with similar lines in Mundus at
Infans, 11. 491—492, in which Manhods says to Conscience,

Tee, yes: To, come wynde and rayne,
God let hym neuer come here agaynel

159-160 _T_}_1_g Oxford Dictionfl 3;: English gavel-be, p. 191, cites
1. 159 for the expression Jentyll Jaffrey.

180 A widely quoted text of scripture, Galatians vi. 7-8:

Be not deceived, God is not mocked. For what things
a man shall sow, those also shall he reap. For he
that soweth in his flesh, of the flesh also shall
reap corruption. But he that soweth in the spirit,
of the spirit shall reap life everlasting.

_Th_s. Oxford Dictiongz 9; glglish Proverbs, p. 608, quotes this
line of Mankind as an example of the pepular quotation.

201-202 These lines are added in the margin. However, me more
line, rhyming with dgggeyfll, 1. 204, and coming between

228

229

234

237

102
these two has probably been omitted.

Job vii. l:
The life of man upon earth is a warfare.

Eccles, p. 219, compares with Mag; Magdalene, 1. 1952: “now are
3s be-cmn goddss own knygth.“

_a_ 939g m: a pepular comparison in Middle mglish literature
used to indicate the brevity of life and the fleeting nature of
temporal happiness. The usual expression is ”his world nis but
a chiris fairs.“

Mssurs LS. tresure: Lydgats wrote a poem with this title; and
the expression is recorded by Ray, p. 135. and 1h; Oxford.

Dictiongg 93: gglish Proverbs, p. 415.

241-244 Smart, p. 102, notes a similar comparison in A Treatise _a_;

252

261

262

Ghost]; Battle (Rolls, ii. 421-422), "where the horse (the body)
is to be restrained by the bridle of Abstinence.“ Sister
Philippa, pp. 29-30, cites several other references developing

the same comparison.

gssunne: Eccles, p. 219, defines as “scarce,“ just the opposite
of Fuznivall's definition, p. 10, as “plentiful.“

b2 sonner b: leuer: this usage is at least 10 years earlier

than any similar expression in the 99;.

EM‘ Smart, p. 101, links this line with 1. 160 and the

274

275

287

103

possible use of Jeffrey for any lazy procrastinator.

bem tapster of m: Smart, p. 102, observes, "The sermon
tapsters of other towns than Bury were also of doubtful reputa-
tion,” and quotes a 1465 ordinance given by the town council of
King's Lynn (one of the towns near which Mankind was probably

played) :

no man within the Towns of Lenne dwellyng fro hens
furthward shall ksps nor favour nor maytsyns any
common Tapster with in his house as servatmt or
tsnaunt. which is lcnowen for a misgoverned woman

. . . and also that all suiche comen Tapstres be
avoided out of this Towns by Cristemess even next

60mg-

Under —§t_e_£, the 9g notes that ”In OE. .9333: was freely used
to form fem. agent-name, in exactly the same manner in which
-_e;_rg (.ml) was used to fem masc. agent-nouns. Modern
examples, devoid of gender, include ygungster, jokester,
tackster, etc.

Previous editors have noted the eiqaression wegy may in this
line and commented on it as a Cockneyism. However, it is
no at likely an unintentional repetition made by the scribe .

The text upon which this allusion is based, Job niii. 10, refers
to gold, not iron:

Ipse vsro scit viam mean, at probabit me quasi aurum,
quod per ignem transit:

104

But he knowsth my way, and has tried me as gold that
passeth through the fire.

Smart suggests that

The version in our play may have been due to a careless
reading of some such passage as the one in the trans...
lations of the Duodecim Utilitates Tribulatinnis, by
Petrus Blesensis, of which there are a number in
Middle hglish: "Poe secunde maner of clsnsyng is
thorou whilk metals are clensid, as gold with fire,

8: ierne with file.“

292 Job 1. 21:

And [Job] said: Naked came I out of my mother's womb,
and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and
the Lord hath taken away: as it hath pleased the
Lord so is it done: blessed be the name of the Lord.

301 miflus: In 1. 886 Mercy eaglains to Mankind that “prepyrly
Titiuillus sygnyfyth the Fond of Hells." For discussicns of
this devil, consult G. R. Owst, Literature and m _i_n_ Medieval
mgland (Cambridge: The University Press, 1933). PP. 512—514, and
H. D. Anderson, REEL“. _a_n_d. Imagery _ig kglish Medieval Churches
(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1963), pp. 173-177.
Tityvillus also plays a significant role in the Towneley £3.23.

JLdgEent.

303 21: amended to rhyme with 161, l. 301.

315-322 Smart, p. 103, notes that "The wearing of verses of Scripture

as charms suspended around the neck was a common mediaeval

105
custom." and quotes a passage from the Dialogue 3f Dives and
Pauper, printed in 1493, censuring the abuse of this practice:

Or use any charmss in gathering of herbes, or hangynge
of scrowes abouts man or woman or childe or beest for
any seknesse, with any scripture or figures and
charscts, but if it be pater nester, ave, or the crede,
or holy wordes of the Gospel, or of Holy Wryt, for
devocion mat for curioustie, and only with the tokens
of the holy crosse.

Mankind refers to this cross (badge) when he says, “Lo I her on
my bryst 13°. bagge of myn armys" (l. 322). Eccles, p. 220,
compares with a stage direction in M331 Magdalene, l. 992:
''Here xall enter be iiJ mariss . . . with sygnis ofe be passion
pryntyde Vpone per breste." The text Mankind writes (I. 321)
is Job miv. 15:

All flesh shall perish together, and man shall return
into ashes.

321+ Psalm xvii. 26-27:
With the holy, thou wilt be holy; and with the innocent
man thou wilt be innocent. And with the elect thou
wilt be elect: and with the perverse thou wilt be
perverted.

325—326 Psalm 3:00:11. 1:

Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to
dwell together in unity.

332 5 mtsmes songs: Eccles, p. 220, notes that this is not a carol

343

397

435

452

456

106
since it is not in stanzas, has only four lines, repeated, and a

line sung in chorus. He quotes from "another preacher who wrote,
'bs well wars that 3e syng not the songes of fowle rebawdry and

of unclennes' at Christmas.“

Hozlzke, etc.: Probably a combination of hole and lick used as

a parody of holz.
I Kings (XJV, I Samuel) xvii. 1+7:

And 33.]. this assembly shall know, that the Lord saveth
not with sword and spear: for it is his battle, and he
will deliver you into our hands.

Smart, ”Mankind and the Mmmning Plays," mg, 32 (1917). 21-25,
compares with similar comical suggestions made in recent
mmmning plays and suggests they are rooted in primitive rituals.

3 Walgmgham flstzll: Farmer, p. #67, suggested this was a
reference to the Wishing Wells of Walsingham; however, he failed
to account for the m. Smart, p. 101+, preposed instead
flutes pepular with pilgrims to the shrine of Our Lady of
Walsingham in Norfolk. Claude Jones, "Walsyngham Wystyll,”
JEGP, 25 (1936), 139, offered a third alternative—_Walsyngham"

 

was the name of a popular tme young birds were taught to
whistle and ”Nought means that he can eat a bird with, of course,
a pun on 'pype." The reference is probably to a flute or a

tune or both, but certainly not to wishing wells or eating birds.

_si dederox Smart, p. 101+, observes this was a popular eaqaression

1487

497

107
for bribery or buying of favors of any sort and compares with
§_a_s_t_l_e_ 93 Perseverance, 11. 881—885 (878-882 in Eccles' edition)
in which Humanum Genus says:

Coueytyse, as pou wylt, I wyl do.

I O O I O t I C C O C O

of Mankynde, getyth no man no good,
but if he synge “si dedero.‘

Psalm cxiii. 9:
Not to us, 0 Lord, not to us: but to thy name give glory.
Nought gives the phrase an unusual twist.

he. Lyle vowellys: Smart, pp. 105—106, would amend as P: I.

Ell-E: representing the five wounds of Christ. Eccles, p. 222,
prefers the five vowels used as a cry of pain: “a! e! i! o! u!"
mart's suggestion is probably correct. Nowadays would add his

broken head as an extra wound.

505-515 For a full discussion and identification of the places named,

see Brandl, p. xxvi: Furnivall and Pollard, pp. xi—xii, 19:
Smart, pp. 148—55, 116-117: and Eccles, p. 222. For the men
named, see especially Smart. The towns referred to are all in
the vicinity of either Cambridge or King's Lynn, and the men
alluded to lived at that time in those two areas. Cambridge,
the university town, may have been the author's home; he knows
the area well.

108

”1‘.“ m0. . -- ”.‘h _-1._ M M-.-__-

 

, East Walton

,3 o Swaffham
1v 0 R F o L K

c A M B RfI n G. E
' . .,.’.SW&ff&m
A; . Bottish . , Bury St. was

Cambridge {‘ f),
filmpington for“ e Fulbourn

(9'5 I . Sawston

river _a.
M . '

   

SUFFOLK

.-
.. __ ...e.-¢~-'.‘

 

 

 

£2 a noli mg tangere: a touch-me-not.

516 in m _t_uég: Adams, p. 315, suggests “the allusion is to the
hands of the sheriff.“ mart, p. 107, notes that “the phrase 'in
manus tuas' was constantly heard at executions, and became a
slang term for the execution itself.‘ The original source, of

course, is Christ's final words on the cross: 'Et clamans vocs

520

52.2

537

552

109
magna Issus ait: Pater, in menus tuas commends Spiritum meum.

Et haec dicens expiravit" (Luke xxiii. 46).

qweke: Sister Philippa, p. 119, interprets this as "an onomatc-

 

poetic word to suggest the choking that accompanies hanging,”
and compares with New Gyse's exclamation, 'Qweke, qweke. qweke:
Alass, my thrott" in l. 808.

neke—verse: Psalm L. l:

Miserere mei, Deus, secundum magnam misericordiam tuam.
Et secundum multitudinem missrationum tuarum, dele
iniquitatem me am.

Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy.
And according to the multitude of thy tender mercies
blot out my iniquity.

Adams notes, p. 315, that by citing this verse "a person
condemned to death might claim right of clergy in order to
avoid the gallows."

”Devils and witches," says Adams, p. 315, “were smposed to use
the left hand, especially in incantations and 'blessings."
Sister Philippa, p. 1%, contrasts with Marcy's blessing in 1. 309.

drama, durnsll: various types of weeds, the Middle English

equivalent of biblical tares.

Eccles, p. 223, observes: “The Lollards believed, according to
the trial of William and Richard Sparks for heresy in 11457, that

'a prayer made in a field or other unconsecreated place is just

570

578

600

614

628

668

670

110

as efficacious as if it were made in a church. "'

powder 2; szsch: Smart, p. 108, suggests “Paris green," an
arsenic compound used by alchemists to turn copper or brass

into a white metal resembling silver.

3.21. omnia quare: Eccles, p. 224, translates as "perhaps 'with a

reason for everything. "'

Sister Philippa, p. it, observes, "Unless Mercy is indeed a
priest, and therefore bound to celibacy, the words of Titivillus

are meaningless.”

Sent Patgzkss 3131: Roles, p. 224, refers to T. Wright,
.53. Patrick‘s Purgatory, 18144, and G. P. happ, The, Lagend
2.1: EE- “Patrick's 1:15am. 19°0-

§_§_n_t_ M5}. 921.1 23113;: Ecclss, p. 221+, explains that ”silk
bands for the neck were hallowed at the shrine of St. Audrey
in Ely Cathedral.” Ely is one town the players would pass
through between Cambridge and King's 1mm. Smart, p. 109,
points out that 'St. Audry, or Etheldrsda, of Ely died of a
pestilence, one of the symptoms of which was a great swelling
of the neck.“ See 914.39, "tawdry lace."

Eccles states that "Tenants were bound either to attend the

manor court or to send excuses ('essoins')."

Adams, 1). 318, observes that the following scene ”is a parody on

the proceedings in a manor—court."

683

687

692

714

111
rennynge fyst: a humorous phrase used instead of the expected
“cursive hand." Nought may be illiterate, but Myscheff is not.

Carici: Eccles, p. 225, comments, "Nought should have written
Curia, but his Latin and his handwriting are both incorrigible.
'Curia tenta' [a court held] was the usual heading for a

manor roll."

Tulli: Marcus Tullius Cicero, whose Latin was a trifle better

than Nought' s.

2: pacem: a euphemism for a sword.

753—755 Recorded as No. 13700 in Hans Walther, Proverbia Senten-

767

780

781

785

tiaegus Latinitatis M 5.9.1.5; : Lateinische Sprichwfirter 3151
Sentenzen deg Mittelalters _ig alphabetischer Anordnung
(esttihgen; Vandenhoek a Ruprecht, 1963). Adams, p. 320,
translates as “Law and nature, Christ and all Justice condemn
the ingrate; he will be sorry that he was born."

Ecclesiastes i. 2:

Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes: vanity of
vanities, and all is vanity.

cape corpus: ”I have taken the body," a legal phrase for a

writ of arrest.

w 2E3: inventus: "he is not found,“ the sheriff's reply

after u: unsuccessful search for the defendant.

M: Adams, p. 321, suggests "possibly an obscene pun."

112
826 Psalm lmi. 11:

And I said, Now have I begun: this is the change of
the right hand of the most High.

Proverbs xii. 7:

Turn the wicked, and they shall not be: but the house
of the just shall stand firm.

834 Ezekiel xxxiii. 11:
Die ad eos: Vivo ego, dicit Dominus Deus: nolo mortem
impii, sed ut convertatur impius a via sua, et vivat.
Convertimini, convertimini a viis vestris pessimis:
st quare morismini, domus Israel?
Say to them: As I live, saith the Lord God, I desire
not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn
from his way, and live. Tum ye, turn ye from your
evil ways: and why will you die, 0 house of Israel?
8’45 Compare with Ecclesiasticus v. 1&7.

814-6 Psalm cxlv. 2-3:

Nolits oonfidsre in principibus: In filiis hominum,
in quibus non est salus:

Put not your trust in princes: in the children of men,
in whom there is no salvation.

850 John viii. ll:

. . . And Jesus said: Neither will I condemn thee.
Go, and now sin no more.

862

863

866

882

891+

901

113
Matthew v. 26:

Amen dico tibi, non exies inde donec reddas novissimum

quadrantem.

Amen I say to thee, thou shalt not go out from thence
till thou repay the last farthing.

Compare Matthew vii. 7:
Ask, and it shall be given you . . . .
II Corinthians vi. 2:

. . . Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold
now is the day of salvation.

p_e_ prowerbe: cited by Walther, No. 13019.
“A dart, announced beforehand, wounds less.“

Libere well [for vellej, libere nolle: ufreely to will,
freely not to will."

Psalm cxx. 7:

The Lord keepeth thee from all evil: may the Lord
keep thy soul.

custodit: The Latin requires a subjunctive, and the correct
form should probably be custodiat.

GLOSS ARI

This glossary is highly selective. In it I have included only a
few of those words which I feel might present the reader with Special
difficulty. They are alphabetized according to the spelling with
which they first appear. 2 follows E, and 3 follows 9;. I have also
given for each word the spelling under which it is found in either
the W English Dictionary, for words beginning with the letters _A
through g, or the m English Dictionary, for the rest of the
alphabet. If no second form is given, the word is either not listed
or the two forms are identical. I have also attempted to give for
each word its part of speech and to locate the line in which it is

first encountered. Occasionally, I have included a note on its origin.

ABROCHE 5‘79: adv. :53}. abroche: Opened up, begun. Compare Old
French man an. 1022.922.

ADJUTORI‘ 233 (adjutori): adj. aiding, helpful.

AFFIANCE 235 (affiaunce): n. assurance, confidence, trust.

ALLECTUOSE 762 (allectuos): adj. alluring, seductive.

AMITT 758 (admitten): v. agree or consent to, grant, submit to.

APASE 1453 (spas): adv. promptly, instantly. Compare 01d
bench phrase E 233.

APLIEDE 5 (applien): v. submit(ted).

APROXIMATT 233 (approximat): adj. near.

ARAIDE 781+ (arraien): v. to treat (either well or badly)

111+

115

303;; 322-I22: to mistreat.

ASSAYS 108 (assai): n. _a_E a_1_1_ m: at every trial, under
any circumstance, anyway; often used as a verse tag.

ASSING 552 (assignen): v. to designate or set apart for a
purpose, to assign.

AVAUNCE 92 (avauncen): v. to help, assist.

AVAUNTE 27 (avaunt): 11. MM: to boast.

AVENT 560 (aventen): v. to relieve oneself.

AVOIDE 61+ (avoiden): v. to depart or go away: as a command,
IGO away."

BA #30: to kiss. Ea. mg: ”kiss me.”

BAGGE 322: n. badge, insignia.

BALE 807 (baleis): n. a rod or switch for flogging.

BE: prep. by.

BE 17: used as past participle, been.

BEDIS 561+ (beds): n. act of praying, prayers; the rosary.

BEIUE 788 (blive): adv. immediately, promptly, at once.
From phrase bi; lilo.

BENDE 678 (bends): n. circle, withy, fetter. Compare
Pena. has

131mm 531 (blanchen): v. Plough sight: delude.

13mm 558 (blinnen): v. to cease, stop.

BOFETT 108 (buffet): n. a blow delivered with the fist, a slap.

BORON' (+25 (borwere): n. one who becomes surety for another.

BOTE 208: n. helper, protector.

BOTTLER 646 (beteler): n. butler.

333mm 60‘: (brothel): n. a worthless person. Compare Old

116

E breoban: degenerate

BRONTE 880 (brunt): :1. an attack, charge. Compare Old
Icelandic Em: move Speedily, rush.

CALCACIQNI 45 (calculacion): n. calculation.

CAPE CORPUS 780 (cepi corpus): phrase of law, a writ of
arrest. Latin “I have taken the body."

CHEKE 520 (chek): n. an adverse event, a stroke of misfortune.

CHEANCE 649 (chsvisauncs): n. the act of acquiring something,
acquisition.

CHIRCHE-STILE 583 (chirche..stile): n. a set of steps over the
wall or fence of the churchyard.

CHOPPE 440 (chappen): v. to take, to steal. used as a pun in
l. 441: "shoppe my jewellys."

CLERICALL 134 (clerical): adj. learned.

COMPASSE 374: n. compost, a mixture for fertilizing land.

CON 520 (cannon): v. to know, to have mastery of, to know
by heart.

CQ‘ICUPISSHGS 887 (conclqaiscence): n. desire, especially ardent
or carnal desire.

COPPIDE 809 (copped): past participle. heaped up, utmost.
From 5:32: summit, peak.

CRIKE 776 (crike): n. a small stream, creek. Compare Frisian
153359.. £133: winding brook.

(mm: 101 (courtli): adv. briefly, without delay.

DALIACION 46 (daliacion): n. idle talk.

omsmus 891 (daungsrous): adj. haughty, difficult to deal
with, aloof.

117

DASARDE 666 (dasard): n. a worthless person, a poor fellow.

DEAMBULATORIE 843 (deambulatorie): n. a covered walk, cloister.

DEFAWTE 11 (defaute): n. offense, sin: lack, insufficiency:
damage, disfigurement.

DEFEIDAWNTE 24 (defendaunt): n. a defender, protector.

13mm: 328 (delven): v. to dig, spade up, cultivate.

DENOMINACION 122 (denominacioun): n. a name or designation.

DEINTE 267 (deinte): n. pleasure, delight.

DEUER 550 (dever): n. 232 3.1.9.9131: make an effort to do
something, assume responsibility for something. Compare
French Q9193.

DUBLERE 647 (doubler): a plate or platter.

DISHES 629 (disese): 1:. disease, malady, ailment.

DISCOM'mDE 183 (discomenden): v. to find fault with, censure.

DISPECTUOSE 71:7 (despectuous): adj. contemptible.

DISSM 5E. (disseveren): v. to depart, go away.

MALL 831 (3gal): adj. impartial, just, fair.

WEI-DEL]! 105 (evsri—del): adv. entirely, wholly, in every way.

am 389 (ivel): adv. wickedly, unfavorably, evilly.

EXORT 662 (exhorten): v. to encourage), urge.

FAITOUR 245 (faitour): n. a deceiver, imposter, cheat.

FEET 696 (fat): adj. fat.

PM 482 (felaue): n. a man, especially a sociable one.

FEES 621 (fers): adj. fierce, bold.

FERIDE 55 (firen): v. set on fire, burned up.

FERIS 323 (fers): n. companions.

I'LME 453 (floute): n. a flute, shepherd's pipe.

118

FON 307 (foe): n. pl. foes.

FORCE 75 (force): :1. Mpg M: not care, doesn't matter.

FOTE-METT 531: n. he}; his. 333%: take his measure.

FRAME 532: n. device.

FRETITH 356 (fretsn): v. works, hurts.

FULL 588 (fill): adv. ill-1.91%: all I want.

FUSION 330: n. plenty.

GALOUS 598 (galwe): n. a gallows.

GATI'B 473 (gate): 11. way, street: gate.

GEEI' 637 (geten): v. to acquire, earn.

GESUNNE 252: adj. scarce.

GOODMAN 467 (god man): 1:. the male head of a household.

GOSTLI 208 (gostli): adj. spiritual, concerning the spirit.

GOUERNANCE 199 (governaunce): n. control, moral discipline,
conduct, behavior, way of life.

CRETE 428 (greten): v. weep, cry out, lament.

HADE 7 (haven): v. have.

HALIDAI 300 (halidai): :1. any holy day or Christian festival,
including Sunday.

.111 69 (hider): adv. hither, tcwud this place, here.

ms 219 (hands): adj. fins, pleasant.

amateur 571 : n. dusk , twilight.

INDIGNACION 3 (indignacioun): n. ham inmaczon: to scorn
to do something.

INSTITUCION 166 (institucioun): n. inherent disposition, nature.

DTTERLECCION 499 (interlsccion): n. a consultation.

mm 449 (intromitten): V. interfere, to deal illegally:

 

119
allow to enter.

JAKE or men: 719 (Jakke): n. 1&3 gm: 3. jacket
specifically designed for protection, with iron plates
inside the lining.

JAPING 349 (japinge): gerund. Joking, mockery, making sport.
Compare Old French 5.3.3335: to howl, chatter, gossip.

JUST 805 (Juste): adv. fittingly, snugly.

mom 347 (Junctli): adv. Jointly, together.

KAN 256 (kennen): v. know, be familiar with.

KEN 121 (kennen): v. become acquainted with.

LARGE 295: adj. unrestrained, gross, loose—tungued.

LAUATORI 12: n. a place for washing, cleansing place.

LESYNGES 568 (lozenge): n. lozenges; but also lies, used as
a pm.

LESYTH 301 (lessen): v. diminish.

LEUING 170 (living): n. living.

LIGHLI 621 (lightly): adj. contemptible.

LIKE 109 (like): v. take pleasure, delight in.

WGITH 141 (long): v. belongs, befits, pertains.

MARCHANDE 635: n. merchant, here used as a euphemism.

mm. 47 (mickle): adj. great, big.

mm. 327: v. mix, associate, meddle.

MEILIFLUOSE 312 (mellifluous): adj. sweet, eloquent. From
Latin 313;: honey 7L gage: to flow.

MENGE 537 (meng): v. mix, mingle.

MONITORYE 879: adj. conveying a warning, admonishing.

NAPP'ILL 427: n. a nappyll: an apple.

 

120

NISE 295 (nice): adj. extravagant, flaunting. From Old
French 2133.

OBSMUYOUSE 5 (obsequious): adj. compliant, obedient, dutiful.

ODIBLE 747: add. hateful, odious.

ONHIACE 715 (unbrace): v. to undo, to set free (perhaps the
soul from the body).

ONCURTE 768 (uncourteous): adj. discourteous.

WPART'I 7 59: adv. impartially.

(INTERIM 163: adj. profligate, prodigal.

OR. 551: conjunctive adverb. before, ere.

OTHERE 668 (other): adv. either.

omacs 716: v. overcome, abash.

WETH 2 (owe): v. to aolmowledge as belonging to one's self.
Compare with 9m.

PALmEYMAN 251: n. horse-man for a palfrey, or high-class
riding horse.

PARTICIPAEE l6 (participable): adj. entitled to participate
or share.

PATROCNIE 904 (patrociny): n. patronage, protection.

PET! 364 (pity): n. pity.

mm 913 (playfere): n. companions.

PRATI 89, 572 (pretty): adj. wily, artful, crafty: clever.

PRECXSE 833 (precise): v. define precisely.

PREDICACYW 47 (predication): n. preaching, proclamation.

moors 771 (predilect): adj. preferred, chosen, favored.

mm 170 (prejudicial): adj. detrimental, injurious.

WACION 44 (premeditation): the action of considering

121
mam. 868 (premiable): adj. deserving of reward.
PREPOTMT 772 (prepotent): adj. pro-eminent in power, most
powerful.
PREUEY 533 (privily) : adv. stealthily, craftily, secretly.
PROMICIQI 316 (promissicn): n. promise.
mm 401 (promise): v. promise.
PROVBITE 61 (prevent): n. provonder, food.
ME 820 (puerility): 11. an example of childishness.
QWYLL 543 (while): adv. while.
MT 557: interjection. whist, psst.
QUEULOSE 211 (quarrellous) : adj. quarrelsome.
RECREATORY 871: n. source of comfort or recreation.
REDUCE 825 (reduce): v. to come back, return.
11.3133 834 (reducible): adj. able to be brought back,
reclaimable.
mm 14 (remotion): 11. an inclination.
33405 319: n. remorse.
Rm 36 (river): 1:. river.
REULI. 82: n. revel.
RWDE 303 (round): v. whisper.
am: 617 (ruin): 1:. min.
enema: 311 (satiate): adj. m, satiated.
SADE 592 (and): adv. heavy, fast (asleep).
some: 381 (shent): v. disgraced (by). ruined.
SCHETI‘ 78?. (shot): ‘7. shot.
SCHEME 80 (shrewd): adj. wicked, mischievous.
SCHRIUE 780 (sheriff): n. sheriff.

122
SERGE 908 (search): v. scrutinize, examine thoroughly.
SMY 209 (seemly): adj. dignified, worthy.
SEN 668 (send): v. send.
am. 369 (cell): n. cell.
SCOTTIJNGE 89 (scuttle): v. to run with quick, hurried steps.
seasonal: 369 (shroud): adj. secret, hidden.
SEMI 42 (surely): adv. smly.
SINGLER 823 (singler): adj. singular.
am 112 (sligher): v. to slip, slide, fall.
SMA’I'I‘RINGE 611 (smattering): adj. 239;: “Ready for smacking or
kissing.” perhaps simply "pretty.'l
SPILL 893 (spill): v. to destroy or kill.
STOFF 634 (stuff): 11. stock or provisions of food.
STORIDE 484 (store): v. provided for, supplied.
am 594 (steal): v. stolen.
SUPERATT 313 (superate) : overcome, conquer.
SUAVIUS 871 (suavious): adj. pleasing, agreeable.
SWEMITH 875 (sweam): v. afflict, grieve.
THE 376 (thee): v. thrive, prosper. 93:10; lstt m 233333.333!
a curse.
mm 558 (thirl): v. pierce, penetrate.
TRACE 72 (trace): 1:. a series of dance steps.
TRACE 95 (trace): v. follow.
WANT 810 (weasand): n. the throat.
um 853 (Vain): adj. vain.
WEI. 257 (while): adv. while.
WING 790 (wing): n. wing.

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