Location York

I

The Barkers' Play
GOD
Ego sum Alpha et O, Vita, Via,
Primus et Novissimus.

I am gracious and great, God without a beginning;
I am maker unmade, and all might is in me.
I am life and way unto weal winning;
I am foremost and first; as I bid shall it be.
I am maker unmade, and most high in might,
And aye shall be endless, and nought is but I.
Unto my dignity dear shall duly be dight
A place full of plenty at my pleasure to ply;
And therewith as I will shall be wrought
All good that I shape me to gain,
Which my work shall duly contain,
And all shall be made out of nought.
Here underneath me now a land do I name
Which land shall be Earth now; therefore is all
Earth here, and Hell, and this high place is Heaven.
All that well-being may wield shall dwell in this hall
This grant I you, ministers mine,
While steadfast in thought ye remain;
And also all them that are nought
Shall pine in Hell's prison in pain.

To Lucifer

Of all powers I have made most near after me
I make thee both master and mirror of my might
I set thee here by me in bliss for to be,
And name thee now Lucifer, Bearer of light.
Nought here shall make thee to fear;
Abiding bliss shall you retain; And take thou all wealth in thy care,
So long as you faithful remain.

ANGELS

Sanctus, Sanctus. Sanctus,  Dominus
Deus Sabaoth.

I ANGEL   SERAPH

O merciful maker, how high is thy might
Who all this work at a word worthily hast wrought
Ever loved be that lord beloved for his light
Who us so mighty has made who but now were nought.
In bliss let us bide by him blest,
Everlasting, in love low we bend,
Who sets us about him to go
And gives to us joy without end.

LUCIFER

O what!
I am glorious and great, and figured full fit;
The form of all fairness upon me lies fast;
All wealth I am wielding, so wise is my wit;
The beams of my brightness are built with the best.
My showing is shimmering and shining,
So bravely to bliss am I brought;
I need have annoyance at nought,
Here never shall pain bring me pining.

ANGEL

With all wit that we wield we worship thy will,
Thou glorious God that is ground of all grace;
With steadfast song let us ever stand still,
To be fed with the food of beholding thy face.

LUCIFER

Ay sure, what!
I am worthily wrought with worship, I wis.
In glorious glee my glittering it gleams;
I'm so mightily made ray mirth may not miss,
Ever biding in bliss through brightness of beams.
What need I annoyance to name?
All pride in my power is given;
Above all is builded my fame,
On high in the highest of heaven.
High there shall I set myself, seemly to sight,
Receiving great reverence by right of renown;
I shall be like unto him that Is highest in the height.
Ha! What! I am perfect and proud ———
     Out!  deuce!  all goes down!
My pride and my power—they die. Help, fellows! In faith, down I fall

DEVILS

On all sides from heaven we fly.
……
To woe we go down, one and all.
……

LUCIFER

Out out! I go mad for woe, my wit wanders wide.

I   DEVIL

All our food is but filth, we find no delight.
We that dwelt once in bliss now balefully bide.
Out on thee, Lucifer, lurdan, who robbed us of light,
Thy deeds in this dole now enthrall us,
To spoil us thou hast been our speeder,
For thou wast our light and our leader,
Who "highest in heaven" didst call us.

LUCIFER

Welaway! Woe!
Woe is me now. Now is it worse than it was.

To Devils

What comfort to chide me? I spake but a thought.

2  DEVIL
You, wretch, brought us ruin.

LUCIFER

Ye lie!  Out, alas!
I knew not this woe would be wrought.
Out on you, wretches!   With your smoke must I choke?

2 DEVIL
This woe is your working.

LUCIFER

Ye lie, I say!

2 DEVIL

The liar art thou. For that thou shalt pay.
Here, lurdans! Have at you! Let's look!

I  ANGEL SERAPH

Ah, Lord! loved be Thy name that this light has lent,
Since Lucifer our leader has fallen so low,
And for his disobedience to torment is sent,
Thy righteous rule in due order to show.
Each work even as it is wrought
Through Thy grace of merciful might,
The cause I now see it in sight,
And wherefore to bale he is brought.

GOD

Those fools from their fairness in fantasies fell
And thought scorn of might that marked them and made
them;
Therefore as their works were in woe shall they dwell;
They are fall'n into filth that shall ever befoul them,
And ne'er shall have grace to cover or shade them.
So passing in power they thought them,
They'ld give me no worship that wrought them.
So shall my wrath ever attend them,
And all that will worship shall dwell here, I wis.
So now in my work go forward I will.
Since their might is marred that meant all amiss.
Even in mine own image all bliss to fulfil,
Mankind out of earth will I make;
But first before him I create
All things that shall strengthen his state,
To which his own nature will take.