CHESTER 2: DRAPERS
This play is known to have been in the cycle before 1467. It was originally joined with what is now the first pageant (the Tanners). The earliest date for the Drapers is 1461, though they had a pageant cart some years before this. If, as seems possible, the Tanners had an interest in the play at an earlier time, they would be able to provide white leather costumes for Adam and Eve. The play is written in the Chester stanza, and is typical of the plain style of the earliest plays in this cycle.
The content follows Genesis 1–3, which provides much of the detail. God’s initial speech is static, perhaps the only way to present an episode which was both solemn and of the highest theological importance.
Two locations are used: the place for God’s act of creation, and Paradise itself with the tree. In these two places the dramatic style of the episodes is very different. The first part is more ritualistic, whereas the temptation itself involves an impression of human nature.
The story of Cain, which follows the expulsion from Paradise, is omitted from this edition.
(1)
DEUS: I, God, most in maiestye,
In whom beginning none may be,
Now heaven and earth is made through me:
The earthe is voyde onely I see,
Through my crafte I will kever.
(2)
At my bydding now made be light!1
10 Light is good, I see in sighte;
Twynned shalbe throughe my mighte
Light daye I will be called aye,
And thesternes night, as I say;
Thus morrow and even the first day
(3)
In myddes the waters to be lent,
20 To twyne the waters aye;
Above the welkin, benethe also,
And heaven yt shall be called oo;
Thus commen is even and morrow also
Of the seacond daye.
(4)
Now will I waters everichone,
That under heaven be great won,
That they [gather] into one,
And drynes sone him showe.
That drynes earth men shall call;
30 The gathering of the waters all,
Seas to name have the shall,
Thereby men shall [them] knowe.
7 lee brightness 8 kever gain 12 thesternes darkness 16 expresse complete 17 fyrmament sky 18 myddes midst lent placed 19 divident dividing 21 welkin sky 22 oo always 23 commen come 26 won in existence
I will on earth that hearbes springe,
Each one in kinde seede gevinge,
Trees dyvers fruytes forth bringe,
After there kinde eache one,
The seede of which for aye shall be
Within the fruyte of each tree;
Thus morrow and even of dayes three
40 Is bothe comen and gone.
(6)
Now will I make through my might
Lightninge in the welken brighte,
To twyn the day from the nighte,
And lighten the earthe with lee.
Greate lightes also I will make twoo,
The sonne and eke the mone also;
The sonne for daye to serve for oo,
The mone for nighte to be.
(7)
I will make on the fyrmament
50 Starres also, throughe myne intent;
The earth to lighten there they be sent,
And knowne may be there-bye
Cowrses of planetts nothing amisse.
Now se I this worke good, i-wisse;
Thus morrow and even both made is
The fourthe daye fully.
(8)
Now will I in waters fishe forth bringe,
Fowles in the firmament flyinge,
Great whalles in the sea swymminge;
60 All make I with a thoughte.
33 hearbes plants 34 kinde nature 44 lee brightness 46 sonne sun mone moon 54 i-wisse indeed 59 whalles whales
Beastes, fowles, stone and tree,
These workes are good, well I see,
Therfore to blesse all lykes me
These workes that I have wroughte.
(9)
All beastes I byd yow multeply
In earth, in water, by and bye,
And fowles in ayre for to flye
The earth to fulfill.
Thus morrow and even, through my might,
70 Of the fifte daye and the night
Is made and ended well arighte,
All at myne owne will.
(10)
Now will I on earth forth bringe anone
All kindes of beastes, everichon,
That creepen, flye, or els gone,
Each one in his kinde.
Now is done all my biddinge,
Beastes going, flyinge and creeping,
And all my workes at my lyking
80 Fully now I finde.
Tunc recedet de illo loco ad locum ubi creavit Adamum, et faciet signum, quasi faceret ipsum2.
(11)
Now heaven and earth is made expresse,
Fishe, foule, beastes, more and lesse
To maister he shall have might3.
To our shape now make I thee;
Growe and multeply shall ye
And fulfill earth in height.
63 lykes pleases 75 gone move 82 lyckenes likeness 86 ther there
To helpe thee, thou shalt have here
90 Hearbes, trees, sede, fruite in feare;
All shalbe put in thy power,
And beastes eke also,
All that in earth be sterring,
And all that ghoste hath and lyking,
To sustayne yow from woe.
(13)
Now this is done, I see aright,
And all thinges made through my might,
The sixte daye here in my sight
100 Is made all of the beste.
Heaven and earth is wrought within,
And all that needes to be therin;
To-morrow, the seventh day, I will blyn,
And of worke take my reste.
(14)
But now this man that I have made
With ghoste of life I will him glade;
A man full of soule and life,
Et spiritum vitae efflavit in faciem eius4.
And come with me to Paradise,
110 A place of daynty and delice.
But it is good that thou be wise;
Bring not thy selfe in strife!
(15)
Here, Adam, I geve thee this place,
Thee to comforte and solace.
Kepe to yt while thou yt hase,
93 sterring stirring 94 ayer air 95 ghoste spirit 103 blyn stop 106 glade enliven 107 rade ready 110 daynty pleasure delice delight
Tunc Creator adducet eum in Paradisum ante lignum5.
Of all the trees that be here in
Thou shalt eate and nothing synne,
But of this tree for wayle or wynne
120 Thou eate not by no waye.
(16)
What tyme thou eats of this tree
Death thee behoves, leeve thou me6.
Therfore this fruite I will [thou] flee,
And be thou not so boulde.
Beastes and fowles that yow may see,
To thee obedyent aye shall be;
What name they be geven by thee,
That name the shall hould.
Tunc Creator capiens manum Adami et faciet ipsum iacere et capiet costam7.
(17)
Hit is not good man onely to be;
130 Helpe to him now make wee8.
But excite sleepe behoveth me
Anone in this man here.
Dormit9.
On sleape thou art now, well I see,
Therfore a bone I take of thee,
And fleshe also with hart free,
(18)
ADAM: O Lorde, where have I longe bene?
For, sithe I slepte, much have I seene;
119 wayle grief wynne joy 127 geven given 129 onely alone 136 feere companion 139 wene belief 140 wiste known
DEUS: Rise up, Adam, and awake!
Here have I formed thee a make.
Adam surgit.10
(19)
ADAM: I see well, Lord, through thy grace,
Bone of my bone thou her mase,
And fleshe of my flesh she hase,
Therefore shall she be called, i-wis,
For out of man taken she is,
(20)
Of earthe first thou madest me
Bothe bone and flesh, as nowe I see,
Thou hast her geven through thy posty
Of that I in me had.
Therfore man kindely shall forsake
Father and mother, and to wife take,
Twoo in one fleshe as thou can make,
Tunc Adam et Eva stabunt nudi et non verecundabunt, et veniet Serpens ad paradisum positum in specie Demonis et ambulando dicat11
(21)
DEMON: Out, out! What sorow is this
That I have lost so much blisse!
For once I thoughte to doe amisse,
142 make mate 143 Here her 144 list pleasure 146 mase made 147 hase has 148 saw command 150 Virago woman made like man (Genesis 2 23) 152 draw turn 157 kindely by nature 160 Ether each
The brightest angell I was ere this12
That ever was or yet is,
But pride cast me downe, i-wis,
From heaven right to hell.
(22)
170 But thence I fell through my sinne.
Of earthelie paradice now, as I myn,
A man is geven mastrye
By Belzabub13, shall I never blyn
Tyll I may make him by some synne
From that place for to twyn
And trespace, as did I.
(23)
Shold suche a caytife made of claye
Have suche blisse? Nay be my laye!14
For I shall teache his wife a playe;
180 And I maye have a while
For her deceave, I hope I maye,
And through her bringe them both awaye;
For she will doe as I her saye.
Her hope I to beguile.
(24)
That woman is forbyd to doe
For any thinge therto will shooe15;
Therefore that tree shall shee come to,
And assaye which it is.
190 And profer her of that ilke fruit;
So shall they both for ther delight
Be banished from the blisse.
169 Ghostelie spiritual 171 myn remember 177 caytife wretch 181 deceave deception 186 shooe she 189 tyte quickly 190 ilke same
A manner of an adder is in this place,
That wynges like a byrd she hase,
Feete as an adder, a maydens face16;
And of that tree of paradice
She shall eate through my coyntice,
200 That she will not forsake.
(26)
And eate she of it as witterly
They shall fare bothe as did I –
Be banished bouth of that baylie,
And their offspring for aye17.
Therefore as brocke I my [pane18],
My adders coate I will put on,
And into Paradice will I gone
As fast as ever I may.
Versus: Spinx volucris penna, serpens pede, fronte puella19.
(27)
SERPENS: Woman, why was God so nyce
210 To byd yow leve so your delyce,
And of ech tre of Paradyce
To forsake the meate?
EVA: Nay, of the fruite of ech tree
For to eat good leave have we,
Save the fruite of one we must flee;
Of it we may not eate.
(28)
This tree, that here in the middes is,
Eate we of it we do amisse20.
196 kindenes likeness 198 coyntice cunning 199 liccoris eager for dainties 201 And if witterly knowingly 203 baylie castle, court 209 nyce foolish 210 leve leave delyce pleasure
220 And we touched that tree.
SERPENS: Woman, I say, leeve not this!
For yt shall not lose yow blisse,
Ne no ioy that is his,
But be as wise as he.
(29)
God is coynt and wyse of wytt,
And wottes well, when yow eate hit,
Like goddes yow shall be
And knowe both good and evill also.
230 Therefore he counselled yow therfro,
Yow may well wyt he was your foe,
(30)
Take of this fruite and assaie.
It is good meate, I dare laye.
And but thou fynde yt to thy paye,
Say that I am false.
Eate thou on apple and no moe,
And yow shall knew both wayle and woe,
And be lyke to goddess, both twoo,
240 Thou and thy housband also.
(31)
EVA: Ah, lord, this tree is fayre and bright,
Greene and semelye in my sighte,
The fruyte swete and much of mighte,
That goddes it may us make.
An apple of it I will eate,
To assaye which is the meate;
225 coynt clever 226 wottes knows hit it 227 unknit untied, opened 232 dose do 234 laye bet 235 but unless paye advantage 237 on one 238 wayle grief 242 semelye beautiful
One morsell for to take.
(32)
Adam, husband, life and deere,
250 Eate some of this apple here –
It may thou not forsake.
ADAM: That is sooth, Eve, without weere.
The fruite is sweete and fayre in feere;
Therfore I will doe thy prayer,
One morsell I will take.
Tunc Adam comedit et statim nudi sunt, et lamentando dicat21
(33)
I am naked, well I see;
Woman, cursed must thou be
260 For bothe now we be shente.
I wotte not for shame whether to flee,
For this fruite was forbydden me;
Now have I broken, through red of the,
My Lordes commaundement.
(34)
EVA: Alas! This adder hath done me nye.
Alas! Her red why did I?
And of our shape ashamed.
ADAM: Yea, soothe said I in prophesie,
270 When thou wast taken of my body,
Mans woe thou woldest be witlie;
Therefore thou wast so named22.
249, 251 life, leeif dear 251 fere mate 253 weere doubt 257 eales ails 260 shente destroyed 263 red advice 265 nye harm 267 for-thye therefore 271 witlie knowingly
EVA: Adam, husband, I red we take
Thes figg-leaves, for shame sake,
And to our members a hillinge make
Of them for thee and me.
ADAM: Therewith my members I will hyde,
And under this tre I will abyde;
For sickerlie come God us beside
280 Owt of this place shall we23.
Tunc Adam et Eva cooperiant genitalia sua cum foliis et stabunt sub arbore, et venit Deus clamans cum alta voce24
(36)
DEUS: Adam, Adam, where art thou?
ADAM: Ah, Lord, I hard thy voyce right now;
I am naked, I make a vowe,
Therfore nowe I hyde me.
DEUS: Whoe tolde the, Adam, thou naked was,
Save onelie thyne owne trespasse,
That of the tree thou eaten hase
That I forbade thee?
(37)
ADAM: Lord, this woman that is here,
290 That thou gave me to my fere,
Gave me part: I did [att] her prayer;
Of it I did eate25.
DEUS: Woman, why hast thou done soe?
EVA: This adder, Lorde, shee was my foe,
And sothelie deceaved me thoe,
And made me to eate that meate.
(38)
DEUS: Adder, for that thou hast done this noye,
Among all beastes on earth the bye,
275 hillinge covering 279 sickerlie certainly 280 Owt out 295 sothelie certainly thoe then 297 noye harm 298 the thee bye near
Cursed shalt thou be for thye,
300 For this womans sake.
Upon thy breast thou shalt goe26,
And eate the earth to and froe;
And enmytie betwixt yow twoo
Hence forth I will make.
(39)
Betwixt thy seade and hers also,
I shall excyte sorrow and woe;
To breake thy heade and be thy foe
No beast on earth, I the behet,
310 That man so lyttle shall of let,
And troden be fowle under his feete,
For thy misdeede to-daye.
Tunc recedet serpens, vocem serpentinam faciens27.
(40)
And, woman, I warne thee wytterlie,
Thy mischeife I shall multeply;
With pennaunce, sorrow and great anoye
Thy children shalt thou beare.
And for thou hast done so to-daye28,
The man shall mayster thee alwaye,
And under his power thou shalt be aye,
320 Thee for to drive and deere.
(41)
And man, also, I say to the,
For thou hast not done after me,
Thy wifes counsell for to flee,
But done so her bydding,
To eate the fruite of this tree,
In thy worke waryed the earth shalbe,
308 maystry power 309 behet command 310 of let leave off 315 anoye grief 320 drive go deere suffer 326 waryed cursed
And in great traveyle behoveth the
On earth to get thy lyving.
(42)
When on the earthe traveyled thou hase,
330 Fruite shall not grow on that place,
But thornes and bryers for thy trespace
To the on earth shall spring.
Hearbes and rootes thou shalt eate,
And for thy sustenance sore sweate
With great mischeife to wyn thy meat,
Nothing to thy lyking.
(43)
Thus shalt thou lyve, soth to sayne,
For thou hast bene to me unbeyne,
Ever till tyme thou turne againe
340 To earthe there thou came froe.
For earth thou art, as well is seene,
And after this world wo and tene
To earth thou shalt, withoutten wene,
And all thy kinde also.
(44)
ADAM: Alas! In languor now I am lent!
Alas, now shamfullie I am shente!
For I was inobedyente,
Of wayle now I am wayved29.
Now all my kinde by me is kent
350 To flee womans intisement;
That trustes them in anye intent
Truly he is decayved.
(45)
My licorous wife hath bene my foe,
The devilles envye shent me also,
327 traveyle labour 338 unbeyne unkind 342 tene suffering 343 wene doubt 345 lent placed 349 kent advised 350 intisement enticement
They twayne together well may goe,
The sister and the brother.
His wrath hath done me much woe,
Her glottony30 greved me alsoe;
God let never man trust them twoo
360 The one more than the other!
(46)
DEUS: NOW shall ye parte from this lee.
Dead beastes skinnes, as thinketh me,
Is best yow on yow beare.
For deadlie31 bothe now bene yee,
And death no way may you flee;
Such clothes are best for your degree,
And such now ye shall weare.
Tunc Deus induet Adam et Eva tunicis pelliciis32.
(47)
Adam, now hast thou thy willing,
370 For thou desiredst over all thinge
Of good and evill to have knowing;
Now wrought is all thy will.
Thou woldest knowe bothe wayle and woe:
Now is yt fallen to thee soe.
Therefore hence thou must goe
And thy desire fulfill.
(48)
Now, lest thou covet [eate more],
And doe as thou hast done before,
Eate of this fruite, to lief evermore,
380 Here may thou not be.
To earth [theider] thou must gone,
With traveyle leade thy life thereon;
358 greved harmed 359 let allow 361 lee protection 362 Hilled covered 379 lief live 381 theider thither
For sicker ther is non other wone.
Goe forth, take Eve with thee!
Tunc Deus emittet eos de Paradiso33.
(49)
Now will I that there lenge within
The angells order Cherubyn,
To kepe this place of wayle and wyn34
With sharpe sworde on everye side
390 And flame of fyre here to abyde,
That never a earthlie man in glide,
For gright they bene that grace.
(50)
I ANGELUS: Lord, that order, as is righte,
Is ready set here in thy sight,
With flame of fyre ready to fight
Against mankinde, thy foe.
To whom grace cleane is gright
Shall none of them lenge in my sight,
Till wisdome, right, mercy, and might
400 By them and other moe.
(51)
II ANGELUS: I, Cherubyn, most here by choice,
To kepe this place of great price;
Sith that man was so unwise,
That he by crafte ne no coyntice
Shall not come in that was his,
[But deprived be of Paradice],
No more for to come there.
383 sicker certainly wone dwelling place 385 lenge linger, stay 388 lorne lost 391 glide go 392 gright forfeited 404 woning place weare guard
III ANGELUS: And in this heritage I will be,
That no man come in this cyttie,
Swordes of fyre have all we
To make man from this place to flee,
From his dwelling of great dayntie,
(53)
IV ANGELUS: Of this order I am made one,
From mankind to weare this won
That throughe his guilt he hath forgone,
420 For gright they bene that grace.
Therfore eschue they must ech one,
Or els sword shall be there bone,
To flame them in the face.
[With Adam and Eve banished from Paradise, the play continues with the story of Cain and Abel.]
410 Sleelie carefully 411 cyttie city 412 beheighte commanded 415 dayntie pleasure 416 dighte ordained 418 won place 419 forgone lost 422 bone payment 423 fone foes
