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Which God for our soul's medicine
Gave us out of his heart with great pain,
Here in this transitory life for thee and me:
The blessed sacraments seven there be,
Baptism, confirmation, with priesthood good,
And the sacrament of God's precious flesh and
blood,

Marriage, the holy extreme unction, and penance;

These seven be good to have in remembrance, Gracious sacraments of high divinity.

EVERYMAN

Fain would I receive that holy body,
And meekly to my ghostly father I will go.

FIVE WITS

Everyman, that is the best that ye can do;
God will you to salvation bring,

For good priesthood exceedeth all other thing;
To us holy scripture they do teach,

And converteth man fro sin heaven to reach ;
God hath to them more power given
Than to any angel that is in heaven:
With five words he may consecrate
God's body in flesh and blood to take,

And handleth his Maker between his hands.
The priest bindeth and unbindeth all bands
Both in earth and in heaven;

He ministers all the sacraments seven;
Though we kiss thy feet, thou wert worthy :
Thou art the surgeon that cureth sin deadly,
No remedy may we find under God,
But all only priesthood.

Everyman, God gave priest [s] that dignity,
And setteth them in His stead among us to be;
Thus be they above angels in degree.

KNOWLEDGE

If priests be good, it is so surely,

But when Jesu heng on the cross with great smart,

There he gave us out of his blessed heart
The same sacrament in great torment.

FIVE WITS

I trust to God, no such may we find :
Therefore let us priesthood honour,

And follow their doctrine for our soul's succour ;
We be their sheep, and they [our] shepherds be,
By whom we all be kept in surety.

Peace for yonder I see Everyman come,
Which hath made true satisfaction.

GOOD DEEDS

Methink it is he indeed.

EVERYMAN

Now Jesu Christ be your alder speed!

I have received the sacrament for my redemption,

And then mine extreme unction;

Blessed be all they that counselled me to take it:

And now, friends, let us go without longer respite;

I thank God that ye have tarried so long.
Now set each of you on this rod your hand,
And shortly follow me;

I go before, there I would be:
God be our guide.

STRENGTH

Everyman, we will not fro you go, Till ye have gone this voyage long.

DISCRETION

I, Discretion, will bide by you also.

KNOWLEDGE

And though this pilgrimage be never so strong,
I will never part you fro:

Everyman, I will be as sure by thee,
As ever I was by Judas Maccabee.

EVERYMAN

Alas! I am so faint I may not stand,
My limbs under me do fold:

Friends, let us not turn again to this land,
Not for all the world's gold;

For into this cave must I creep,

And turn to the earth, and there to sleep.

BEAUTY

What, into this grave? Alas!

EVERYMAN

Yea, there shall ye consume more and less. BEAUTY

And what, should I smother here ?

EVERYMAN

Yea, by my faith, and never more appear;
In this world live no more we shall,
But in heaven before the highest Lord of all.

BEAUTY

I cross out all this: adieu, by Saint John; I take my cap in my lap, and am gone.

EVERYMAN

What, Beauty? whither will ye?

BEAUTY

Peace! I am deaf, I look not behind me,

Not, and thou wouldst give me all the gold in thy chest.

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For I see my time is nigh spent away.
Take ensample, all ye that this do hear or see,
How they that I loved best now forsake me;
Except my Good Deeds, that bideth truly.

GOOD DEEDS

All earthly things is but vanity,

Beauty, Strength, and Discretion do man forsake,

Foolish friends and kinsmen, that fair spake ; All fleeth save Good Deeds, and that am I.

EVERYMAN

Have mercy on me, God most mighty,

And stand by me, thou mother and maid Mary.

GOOD DEEDS

Fear not, I will speak for thee.

EVERYMAN

Here I cry, God mercy!

GOOD DEEDS

Short our end and minish our pain: Let us go, and never come again.

EVERYMAN

Into thy hands, Lord, my soul I commend,
Receive it, Lord, that it be not lost;
As thou me boughtest, so me defend,
And save me fro the fiend's boast,
That I may appear with that blessed host

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But beware, for, and they be small,
Before God he hath no help at all;

None excuse may be there for Everyman :
Alas! how shall he do then?

For after death amends may no man make,
For then mercy and pity doth him forsake;
If his reckoning be not clear, when he doth come,
God will say, Ite, maledicti, in ignem æternum,
And he that hath his account whole and sound,
High in heaven he shall be crowned;

Unto which place God bring us all thither,
That we may live body and soul together;
Thereto help the Trinity:

Amen, say ye, for Saint Charity.

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