Every-man.
—into this cave must I crepe,
And tourne to erth, and there to slepe.
What, says Beauty; into this Grave?
—adewe by saynt Johan,
I take my tappe in my lappe and am gone.
Strength in like manner forsakes him; and Discretion says that “when Strength goeth before, he follows after ever more.” And Fyve-Wyttes, whom he took for his best friend, bid him, “farewell and then an end.”
Every-man.
O Jesu, helpe! all hath forsaken me!
Good Dedes.
Nay, Every-man, I wyll byde with the,
I wyll not forsake the in dede;
Thou shalt fynde me a good frende at nede.
Knowledge also abides him till the last; the song of the Angel who receives his spirit is heard, and a Doctour concludes the piece with an application to the audience.
This morall men may have in mynde,
—forsake Pryde for he deceyveth you in the ende,
And remembre Beaute, Fyve-Wyttes, Strength and Dyscrecyon
They all at the last do Every-man forsake,
Save his Good Dedes, these doth he take:
But be ware, an they be small,
Before God he hath no helpe at all!
CHAPTER CCXXVII.
SYSTEM OF PROGRESSION MARRED ONLY BY MAN'S INTERFERENCE.—THE DOCTOR SPEAKS SERIOUSLY AND HUMANELY AND QUOTES JUVENAL.