For now shall I never be merry If that you forsake me.

_Kindred._ Ah, sir; what, ye be a merry man!

Take good heart to you, and make no moan.

But one thing I warn you, by Saint Anne, As for me, ye shall go alone.

_Everyman._ My _Cousin_, will you not with me go?

_Cousin._ No, by our Lady; I have the cramp in my toe.

Trust not to me, for, so G.o.d me speed, I will deceive you in your most need, _Kindred._ It availeth not us to tice.

Ye shall have my maid with all my heart; She loveth to go to feasts, there to be nice, And to dance, and abroad to start: I will give her leave to help you in that journey, If that you and she may agree.

_Everyman._ Now show me the very effect of your mind.

Will you go with me, or abide behind?

_Kindred._ Abide behind? yea, that I will and I may!

Therefore farewell until another day.

_Everyman._ How should I be merry or glad?

For fair promises to me make, But when I have most need, they me forsake.

I am deceived; that maketh me sad.

_Cousin._ Cousin _Everyman_, farewell now, For verily I will not go with you; Also of mine own an unready reckoning I have to account; therefore I make tarrying.

Now, G.o.d keep thee, for now I go.

_Everyman._ Ah, _Jesus_, is all come hereto?

Lo, fair words maketh fools feign; They promise and nothing will do certain.

My kinsmen promised me faithfully For to abide with me steadfastly, And now fast away do they flee: Even so _Fellowship_ promised me.

What friend were best me of to provide?

I lose my time here longer to abide.

Yet in my mind a thing there is;-- All my life I have loved riches; If that my good now help me might, He would make my heart full light.

I will speak to him in this distress.-- Where art thou, my _Goods_ and riches?

_Goods._ Who calleth me? _Everyman?_ what haste thou hast!

I lie here in corners, trussed and piled so high, And in chests I am locked so fast, Also sacked in bags, thou mayst see with thine eye, I cannot stir; in packs low I lie.

What would ye have, lightly me say.

_Everyman._ Come hither, _Good_, in all the haste thou may, For of counsel I must desire thee.

_Goods._ Sir, and ye in the world have trouble or adversity, That can I help you to remedy shortly.

_Everyman._ It is another disease that grieveth me; In this world it is not, I tell thee so.

I am sent for another way to go, To give a straight account general Before the highest _Jupiter_ of all; And all my life I have had joy and pleasure in thee.

Therefore I pray thee go with me, For, peradventure, thou mayst before G.o.d Almighty My reckoning help to clean and purify; For it is said ever among, That money maketh all right that is wrong.

_Goods._ Nay, _Everyman_, I sing another song, I follow no man in such voyages; For and I went with thee Thou shouldst fare much the worse for me; For because on me thou did set thy mind, Thy reckoning I have made blotted and blind, That thine account thou cannot make truly; And that hast thou for the love of me.

_Everyman._ That would grieve me full sore, When I should come to that fearful answer.

Up, let us go thither together.

_Goods._ Nay, not so, I am too brittle, I may not endure; I will follow no man one foot, be ye sure.

_Everyman._ Alas, I have thee loved, and had great pleasure All my life-days on good and treasure.

_Goods._ That is to thy d.a.m.nation without lesing, For my love is contrary to the love everlasting.

But if thou had me loved moderately during, As, to the poor give part of me, Then shouldst thou not in this dolour be, Nor in this great sorrow and care.

_Everyman._ Lo, now was I deceived or I was ware, And all I may wyte[13] my spending of time.

_Goods._ What, weenest thou that I am thine?

_Everyman._ I had wend so.

_Goods._ Nay, _Everyman,_ I say no; As for a while I was lent thee, A season thou hast had me in prosperity; My condition is man's soul to kill; If I save one, a thousand I do spill; Weenest thou that I will follow thee?

Nay, from this world, not verily.

_Everyman._ I had wend otherwise.

_Goods._ Therefore to thy soul _Good_ is a thief; For when thou art dead, this is my guise Another to deceive in the same wise As I have done thee, and all to his soul's reprief.

_Everyman._ O false _Good_, cursed thou be!

Thou traitor to G.o.d, that hast deceived me, And caught me in thy snare.

_Goods._ Marry, thou brought thyself in care, Whereof I am glad, I must needs laugh, I cannot be sad.

_Everyman._ Ah, _Good_, thou hast had long my heartly love; I gave thee that which should be the Lord's above.

But wilt thou not go with me in deed?

I pray thee truth to say.

_Goods._ No, so G.o.d me speed, Therefore farewell, and have good day.

_Everyman._ O, to whom shall I make my moan For to go with me in that heavy journey?

First _Fellowship_ said he would with me gone; His words were very pleasant and gay, But afterward he left me alone.

Then spake I to my kinsmen all in despair, And also they gave me words fair, They lacked no fair speaking, But all forsake me in the ending.

Then went I to my _Goods_ that I loved best, In hope to have comfort, but there had I least; For my _Goods_ sharply did me tell That he bringeth many into h.e.l.l.

Then of myself I was ashamed, And so I am worthy to be blamed; Thus may I well myself hate.

Of whom shall I now counsel take?

I think that I shall never speed Till that I go to my _Good-Deed_, But alas, she is so weak, That she can neither go nor speak; Yet will I venture on her now.-- My _Good-Deeds_, where be you?

_Good-Deeds._ Here I lie cold in the ground; Thy sins hath me sore bound, That I cannot stir.

_Everyman._ O, _Good-Deeds_, I stand in fear; I must you pray of counsel, For help now should come right well.

_Goods-Deeds._ _Everyman_, I have understanding That ye be summoned account to make Before _Messias_, of Jerusalem King; And you do by me[14] that journey what[15] you will I take.

_Everyman._ Therefore I come to you, my moan to make; I pray you, that ye will go with me.

_Good-Deeds._ I would full fain, but I cannot stand verily.

_Everyman._ Why, is there anything on you fall?