English Mystery Plays

1. The Fall of Lucifer

CHESTER 1: TANNERS

Though there is some evidence for the existence of liturgical plays dealing with Lucifer from the twelfth century in Germany, the subject probably reached the Chester cycle some time after the latter’s inception. Salter has suggested that it entered the cycle after 1410 and before 1540, and that the style of the play indicates an author and reviser working between 1467 and 1488. Previously the Tanners had assisted the Skinners and Shoemakers, and the story of Lucifer was probably one with the Creation performed by the Drapers. The subject appears in the other three cycles, though at York the surviving text is a later revision.

The inclusion of the story in the cycles at a relatively late date may be accounted for by the fact that it is not Scriptural. Moreover it does not relate directly to the Church calendar. Its inclusion and development rest rather on its relevance to theological and figurative objectives. The Fall of Lucifer gives a cosmic reference to the Fall of Adam because it takes place before time begins. The one anticipates the other as a kind of double – a technique apparent in many aspects of medieval art – and it provides a motive which is superhuman. The possible dramatic weakness which a repetition of the fall plot might contain is offset by making Lucifer, in common with other devils elsewhere in the cycles, a grotesque and unrepentant villain who thoroughly deserves his fate. This impression is intensified by his boastful and witless companion Lightborne. In the long term the Falls of Lucifer and Adam became types for tragedy.

[Scene: Heaven.]

(1)

DEUS PATER ¹: Ego sum alpha et ω,

Primus et nobilissimus²;

It is my will yt sholde be soe

Yt is, it was, yt shall be thus.

(2)

I am greate God gracious, which never had beginninge.

The holy foode of parentes is set in my [essentia³;]

I am the tryall ⁴ of the Trynitie that never shall be twynninge;

Peareles patron imperiall, and patris sapientia⁵.

My beames be all beatytude, all blisse is in my buyldinge;

10 All myrthe is in my mansuetude cum dei potentia⁶.

Bothe visible and eke invisible, all is my weldinge;

As God greatest and glorious, all lyeth in mea licentia⁷.

(3)

For all the mighte of the maiestye is magnified in me,

Prince principall proved in my perpetuall prudens.

I was never but one and ever one in three,

Sett in substantiall sothenes ⁸ within celestiall sapience.

These three tryalls in a trone and [true] Trynitie

Be grounded in my godhead, exalted by my excellence;

The mighte of my making is marked all in [me],

20 Dissolved under a dyademe by my divyne experyence ⁹.

(4)

Now sithe I am thus solemne and set in my solation,

A biglie blisse here will I builde, a heaven without ending,

And cast a comlye compasse by my comely creation:

3 yt it 7 twynninge dividing 8 Peareles without equal 10 mansuetude gentleness, mildness 11 eke also weldinge making (by means of heat) 16 sothenes reality, truth 17 trone throne 21 sithe since solemne ceremonial (adj.) solation ?pleasure 22 biglie firm 23 cast set up comlye, comely beautiful compasse boundary

Neene orders of angells ¹⁰ be ever to one attending.

Doe your endeavour, and doubte ye not under my domynacion

To sitt in celestyall safetye, all solace to your sending,

For all the lyking in this lordshipp be laude to my lawdation ¹¹;

Throughe the might of my most maiestye your mirth shall ever be mending.

(5)

LUCIFER: Lord, throughe thy grace and mighte thou hast us wrought:

30 Nyne orders of angelles here as you may see,

Cherubyn and Seraphyn throughe your thoughte,

Trones and Domynacions in blisse to bee,

(6)

With Principatus, that order brighte,

And Potestates in blissefull heighte,

Also Virtutes throughe your great mighte,

Angeli, also Archangeli.

(7)

Nyne orders here be full witterlye

That you have made here full brighte;

In thie blisse full righte [they] be,

40 And I the principall lord here in thie sighte.

(8)

DEUS: Here have I wrought with heavenlye might

Of angels nine orders of greate bewtye,

Eche one with other, as it is righte,

To walk about the Trynitie.

24 Neene nine 25 endeavour duty doubte fear 26 solace comfort sending request 28 mending improving 37 witterlye surely

(9)

Now Lucifer and Lightburne ¹², lookes lowlie you be attendinge ¹³!

The blessing of my benignitie I geve to my first operacion:

For crafte ne for cunninge cast never comprehendinge ¹⁴,

Exalte you not to exellency in no heighe exaltation.

Loke that you tende righte wislye, for hense I wilbe wendinge.

50 The worlde that is both voyde and vayne, I forme in this formation,

With a dungeon of darkenes that never shall have endinge.

These workes now well be done by my devyne formation.

(10)

[This work is nowe well i-wrought

That is so cleane and cleare.

As I you made of noughte,

My blessing I geve you here.]

(11)

ANGELI: Wee thanke the, Lorde, full soverayntlie

That us hath formed so cleane and cleare,

And in this blisse to abyde thee bye;

60 Graunt us thy grace aye to abyde here.

(12)

ARCHANGELI: Here for to abyde God graunt us grace,

And please this prince withoutten peere;

Hym for to thanke with somp solace,

A songe now let us singe in feare.

Tunc cantabunt¹⁵.

46 benignitie meekness geve give operacion labour 49 tende behave wendinge going 50 formation act of creation 52 devyne divine 53 i-wrought completed 57 the thee soverayntlie in the manner for a king 60 aye ever 63 somp ceremony 64 in feare together

DEUS: Now sithe I have formed you so fayre,

And exalted yow so exellent,

And here I see you next my chayre,

My love to you is so fervent;

Looke ye fall not in no dispayre;

70 Touche not my trone by non assent.

All your bewty I shall apayre

And pride fall ought in your intent.

(14)

LUCIFER: Nay, Lorde, that will not wee in dede,

For nothing trespas unto thee;

Thy great godhead ay will we dreade,

And never exalte ourselves so hye.

Thou hast marked us with great myrth and mayne

In thy blisse evermore to abyde and be,

In lasting life our life to leade,

80 And bearer of light thou hast made me.

(15)

LIGHTBORNE: And I am marked of the same mowld;

Loving be to our Creator,

That us hath made gaier then gould,

Under his diademe aye to endure.

(16)

DEUS: I have forbyd that yow ne sholde

But kepe yow well in this stature ¹⁶;

The same covenant, I charge yow, hold,

In payne of heaven ever forfeyture.

(17)

For I will wend and take my trace,

90 And se this blisse in every towre.

70 assent act of will 71 apayre spoil 72 And if intent will 77 mayne power 86 stature law 89 wend go trace way 90 towre tower

Eche one of you kepe well his place,

And, Lucifer, I make the governour.

Now I charge here the ground of grace

That it be set in my order.

Behold the beames of my bright face ¹⁷,

Which ever was and shall endure.

(18)

This is your health in every case,

For to behold your Creator;

Was never non like me under lace,

100 Ne never shalbe as my figure.

Here will I abyde now in this place,

For to be Angels Comfortour;

To be revisible in shorte space,

Yt is my will in this same hower.

Tunc cantabunt et recedet Deus¹⁸.

(19)

LUCIFER: Ah! Ah! That I am wonderous bright

Among yow all shyning so cleare!

Of all heaven I beare the light,

Thoughe God himself and he were here.

(20)

All in this trone if that I were

110 Then sholde I be as wise as he.

What say yow, Angells all that be here?

Some comforte sone now let me see.

(21)

VIRTUTES: We will not [as]sent unto your pryde,

Ne in our hartes take such a thought,

But that our Lord shall be our guyde,

And kepe to us that he hath wrought.

103 revisible seen again 104 hower hour 112 sone soon 115 But that unless

(22)

CHERUBYN: Our Lord comaunded all that be here

To kepe his hestes, both more and lesse;

Therfore I warne the, Lucifere,

120 This pride will turne to great distresse.

(23)

LUCIFERE: Distresse! I commaunde yow all to cease,

And se the bewtye that I beare;

All heaven shynes throughe my brightnes,

For God him-selfe shynes not so cleare.

(24)

DOMINATIONS: Of all Angells yow beare the pryce,

And most bewtye is yow befall.

My counsell is that yow be wise,

That yow bringe not your-selfe in thrall.

(25)

PRINCIPATUS: And if that yow in thrall yow bringe,

130 Then shall yow have a wicked fall,

And also all your ofspringe

Away withe yow they shall all.

(26)

[CERAPHINE:] Our brethrens counsell is good to heare,

To yow I say, Lucifer and Lightburne;

Wherfore beware yow of that chayre ¹⁹,

Lest that yow have a fowle spurne.

(27)

LIGHTBOURNE: In faithe, brother, but yet yow shall

Sit in this trone, bothe cleane and cleare,

That yow may be as wise withall

140 As God him self if he were here.

118 hestes commands 125 pryce highest esteem 128 thrall slavery 136 spurne kick

(28)

[Therefore ye shalbe sett here]

That all heaven may yow behold.

The brightnes of your body cleare

Is brighter then God a thowsand fould.

(29)

THRONES: Alas, that bewty will yow spill,

If yow kepe yt all in your thoughte;

Then will pryde have all his will

And bring your brightnes all to naught.

(30)

Let yt passe out of your thoughte,

150 And cast away all wicked pryde,

And kepe your brightnes that to you is wrought,

And let our Lord be all your guide.

(31)

POTESTATES: Alas, that pride is the wall of lewtye ²⁰,

That turnes your thought to great offence;

The great brightnes of your [fayer] bodye

Will make yow sone for to goe hence.

(32)

LUCIFER: Behould, seigniours, on every syde,

And unto me cast your eyne:

I charge yow, Angels, in this tyde,

160 Behold and se what I doe meane.

Above great God I will me guyde,

And set my-self here, as I wene:

I am pereles and prince of pryde,

For God him self shynes not so sheene.

144 then than 145 spill ruin 158 eyne eyes 159 tyde time 160 se see 162 wene think 164 sheene bright

(33)

Here will I sit now in this stid

To exalt my-selfe in this same sea.

Behold my body, both handes and head!

The might of God is marked in me.

All Angelles turne to me, I redd,

170 And to your soveraigne knele on your knee!

I am your comfort both lord and head,

The myrth and the might of the maiesty.

(34)

LIGHTBURNE: And I am next of the same degree,

Repleat all by experyence;

Me thinke if I might sit by the

All heaven shold doe me reverence.

All orders are assent to the and me;

Thou hast us turned by eloquence.

And here were now the Trynitie,

180 We sholde him pass by our fulgence.

(35)

DOMINATIONES: Alas! Why make yow this great offence?

Bothe Lucifer and Lightburne, to yow I say:

Our Soveraigne Lorde will have yow hence,

And he fynd yow in this aray.

Goe to your seates and wende hence!

Yow have begun a parlous playe.

Yow shall well wyt the subsequence;

This daunce will turne yow to teene and traye.

(36)

LUCIFER: I redd yow all, doe me reverence,

190 That am repleat with heavenly grace.

165 stid place 166 sea seat 169 redd command 174 Repleat full experyence knowledge 180 fulgence brightness 184 aray state 186 parlous perilous playe game, risk 187 wyt know subsequence consequence 188 teene pain traye grief

Thoughe God come here, I will not hence,

But sit right here before his face.

Et sedet²¹.

(37)

DEUS: Say, what aray doe yow make here?

Where is your prince and principall?

Tunc quatiunt et tremescunt²².

I made thee Angell and Lucifer,

And here thou would be lord over all!

Therfore I charge this order cleare

Fast from this place loke that ye fall.

Full sone I shall doe change your cheare,

200 For your foule pryde to hell yow shall.

(38)

Lucifer, who set thee here, when I was goe?

[What have I offended unto thee?]

I made thee my frende, thou arte my foe!

[Whie hast thou] trespassed thus to me?

Above all Angels there were no mo

That sate so nighe the maiestye.

I charge yow fall tyll I byd ‘Noe!’

To the pitt of hell, evermore to be!

Tunc cadent Lucifer et Lightburne²³.

(39)

I DEMON: Alas! That ever we were wrought!

210 That we shold come into this place!

We were in ioy, now we be nought.

Alas, we have forfeyted our grace.

II DEMON: And even hither thou hast us brought,

Into a dungeon to take our trace.

All this sorrow thou hast yt sought;

The devill may speede thy stinking face!²⁴

199 cheare gladness 204 Whie why 205 mo more 206 sate sat 211 ioy joy 214 trace way

(40)

I DEMON: My face, false fayture, for thy fare!

Thou hast us brought to teene and tray.

I comber, I canker, I kindle in care,

220 I sinke in sorrow; what shall I saye?

(41)

II DEMON: Thou hast us brought this wicked way,

Thorough thy might all and thy pryde,

Out of ioy that lastethe aye,

In sorrow evermore for to abyde.

(42)

I DEMON: Thy wytt it was as well as myne,

Of that pride that we did showe,

And now lyethe here in hell pyne,

Till the day of Dome that beames shall blowe.

(43)

II DEMON: Then shall we never care for woe,

230 But lye here lyke two feendes blacke.

Alas, that we did forfayt soe

The Lordes love, that did us forsake.

(44)

I DEMON: And therfore I shall for his sake

Showe mankind great envie;

As sone as ever he can him make

I shall send him for to destroye.

(45)

Some of my order shall he be,

To make mankinde to do amisse;

Ruffian ²⁵, my frend fayre and free,

240 Loke that thou kepe mankinde from bliss!

217 fayture impostor fare behaviour 219 comber become entangled canker rust 227 pyne pain 228 beames trumpets 231 forfayt forfeit 234 envie malice 230 free noble