York play: The Temptation

DEVIL:
Make room, I say, and let me gang!
Who makes here all this throng?
Get you gone, high may you hang
Upon a rope!
I ear I!"e #aited ar too long
$o do a %ape&
'or sin(e the irst time that I ell
'or my pride rom )ea"en to )ell,
E"er ha"e I made my po#er to s#ell
*mong mankind,
$hat I in dole might make them d#ell,
$here to +e pained&
*nd surely, all that ha"e (ome to light
)a"e (ome to me, +y day and night,
*nd as I!"e planned, against my might
-one may deend,
Misera+le is mankind!s plight
Without an end!
.ut o some man, some olk ha"e said
)o# he shall suer, and +e dead,
*nd #ith his death to )ea"en!s stead
$hey shall +e +rought//
* tale told +y an empty head:
I trust it not!
'or I kno# all, and I ha"e seen
$he no+ody that these men mean//
)o# he has in great trou+le +een
0in(e he #as +orn,
*nd suered trials hard and keen
.oth e"en and morn&
*nd no#, it is so +rought a+out:
$he o+%e(t o their lo"e, that lout,
$o #ilderness has #andered out,
*lone! It!s true,
$o mar him no# I ha"e no dou+t,
.et#een me and you&
Until no#, he!s prote(ted +een,
$hat +y no means might I get in
)is heart, no# he!s alone, I!ll #in
$hat heedless man,
*nd make him soon assent to sin,
I that I (an&
)e has asted, that mars his mood&
'orty days, and #ithout ood&
I he +e man o +one and +lood
)e hungers ill,
With gluttony I think it good
$o kno# his #ill&
'or thus #ill I o dou+ts +e rid,
I Godhead +e #ithin him hid,
I he #ill do as I him +id
When I (ome near&
-e"er a deed he e"er did
Would grie"e him more!
$hou! Wise man, and so #ell/read!
I thou possess, at all, Godhead,
.id no# that these stones +e +read,
)ere, on this ground&
$hen they may eed thee in this stead//
*nd those around!
'or thou hast asted long and lean,
I #ish no# that some ood #ere seen
'or auld a(1uaintan(e, us +et#een&
2oursel kno#s ho#!
$here shall no man kno# #hat I mean
.ut I and thou&
3E0U0:
My 'ather, #ho all sorro# (an slake,
)onour e"ermore to thee I make!
*nd gladly I suer, or thy sake,
0u(h "illainy//
*nd thus temptations or to take
'rom my enemy&
$hou (urs d #ight, thy #its are #ood&
It is #ritten, it is understood,
* man eeds not his health and mood
With +read alone,
God!s o#n #ords are spiritual ood
'or men, ea(h one&
I I ha"e asted long, yet still
I eel no hunger yet so ill
$hat I #ill +reak my 'ather!s #ill
In any degree&
$hy +idding I #ill not ulil,
$hat #arn I thee&
DEVIL:
*h! 0u(h #ords no de"il kno#s!
)e!s not hungry, I suppose&
Well, sin(e thy 'ather, against all oes
May guard thee 1uite,
Let!s see i thou alone may pose
Upon that height,
Upon that pinna(le pere(tly&
*ha! -o# #e go #ell, I see!
I shall try some "ainglory
$o make him all&
I indeed God!s son is he,
4no# I shall!
-o#, listen to me a little spa(e&
I thou +e God!s son, ull o gra(e,
0ho# some sign here, in this pla(e
$o pro"e thy might&
Let!s see! 'all do#n upon your a(e,
)ere in my sight!
'or it is #ritten, #e understand,
)o# God shall angels to thee send,
*nd they shall keep you in their hand
Where"er you go,
$hat thou shall on no stones des(end
$o hurt your toe&
*nd sin(e thou (an #ith peril lirt,
*nd all, and do thysel no hurt,
$hen tum+le do#n, here, to the dirt,
$o ease us +oth&
I #arn thee, this deed nought a"ert!
I shall +e #roth!
3E0U0:
Let +e, thou #arlo(k, thy #ords "ain&
'or it is #ritten, (lear and plain,
5$hy God to tempt take thou no pain,
Make no dis(ord,
-o 1uarrel shall you e"er maintain
*gainst thy Lord&5
*nd thereore, kno# thou yet again,
$hat all thy tri(ks shall nothing gain&
.e su+%e(t to thy so"ereign
.y night and day&
DEVIL:
What! $his eort is in "ain,
'or all I say!
)e pro"es to +e a no+le pri6e,
$hereore I must mysel ad"ise&
-o#, sin(e I may not in this #ise
Make him my thrall,
I #ill attempt in (o"etise
$o make him all&
'or sure, I shall not lea"e him yet&
Who is my master, that #ould I #it&
Mysel ordained thee there to sit,
*s thou kno#st #ell&
It is as I ha"e ordained it,
2ea, e"ery deal&
$hus may thou see, sin(e it is so,
$hat I am master o us t#o&
*nd yet, I grant thee, ere I go,
Without ail,
$hat i thou #ill assent me to,
It shall a"ail&
'or all this #orld is mine to o#n:
'orest and ield, to#er and to#n&
I thou to me #ill +ut +o# do#n
In #ord and heart//
*s riend and guide to thee alone,
I!ll take thy part&
.ehold no#, sir, and thou shalt see
Great kingdoms, and a great (ountry&
*ll this #ill I gi"e to thee
'or e"ermore,
I +ut thou all and honour me,
*s I said ere&
3E0U0:
7ease o thy sa#s, thou 0atanas!
I grant nothing that thou asks&
$o the pain o )ell I +id thee pass
'ore"er, so!
$hy misery shall e"er last,
0o s#itly, go!
-o other po#er shall +e thy meed,
'or #ritten it is, as all may read,
$hy Lord thou ought to dread indeed
*nd honour ay,
*nd ser"e )im in +oth #ord and deed
.y night and day&
*nd sin(e thou dost not as I tell,
I (hoose to let thee no more d#ell,
I (ommand thee, go to )ell
*nd keep thee there,
With ello#ship o de"ils ell,
'ore"er more!
DEVIL:
*h! I dare not look, alas!
It is #orse no# than it #as!
)e sho#s me no# #hat might he has,
)igh may he hang!
'ollo# 1ui(kly! I must pass
$o pains strong!
8 *-GEL:
*h, mer(y, Lord, #hat may this mean?
I mar"el you endure this iend,
$his oul a+user, +old and keen,
De(ei"ing still//
When you his #i(kedness, I #een,
May #aste at #ill!
I ear you are dis(omorted,
My Lord, +y this iend #ho has led&
3E0U0:
My angel dear, no#, ha"e no dread,
)e does not grie"e!
$he )oly Ghost, indeed, me led,
$hus no# +elie"e&
'or #hen the iend shall these olk see,
*ssailing them in ea(h degree,
$heir mirror may they make o me,
$o stand still&
'or o"er(ome they shall not +e,
Unless they #ill&
9 *-GEL:
*h, Lord, #hat great humility
In you, in #hom lies all mer(y!
'or e"il, +y your #ill #orthy,
2ou may redress,
2et three temptations patiently
2ou take e:press!
3E0U0:
My +lessing ha"e they, #ith my hand,
Who patiently su(h trials #ithstand,
*nd all those #ho reuse to +end
Unto their oe&
I kno# my time is soon at hand,
-o# I shall go&
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