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V
THE COOPERS’ PLAY
SATAN
For woe my wit is troubled here.
Which moves me mightily in mind.
The godhead that I saw so clear.
And saw he would some creature find
For dignity;
And of them all, our angel kind
Should it not be,
Since we were fair and bright?
Therefore me thought to be
Shown favour in his sight——
Yet he disdained me.
But his new plaything man
He chose to raise on high;
And from that choice began
My bitter jealousy,
But he has made a mate for man,
And straight to her I will me hie,
(That ready way),
By guile to spoil that hateful plan
And craftily turn man away.
My travail were well set,
Might I him so betray,
God's liking to upset ——
And swift I shall essay.
In a worm's likeness will I wend,
And soon devise what lie to say,
Eve, Eve!
EVA
Who's there?
SATAN
A friend.
And for thy good is this coming,
That has me brought.
Of all the fruit that is hanging
In Paradise, why eat ye nought?
EVA
We may of them each one
Take all that we choose here,
Except of one alone,
Which harms them that draw near.
SATAN
And why that tree (that would I wit),
More than all other by?
EVA
Because Our Lord forbids us it.
The fruit thereof, Adam or I
If we did touch, we both should die,
He said, and cease our solace here.
SATAN
Aha!
Now, Eve, to me take tent;
Take heed, and thou shalt hear
What all the matter meant,
He moved in that manner.
To eat thereof He you forbid ——
I know it well; it was his wit ——
So that from others should be hid
The virtues great that dwell in it.
For will you see,
Who eats the fruit of good and ill
Shall have knowledge as great as he.
EVA
What kind of thing art thou,
That tells this tale to me?
SATAN
A worm that knows well how
Ye two may worshipt be.
EVA
What worship should we win thereby?
To eat thereof, we need it nought;
We have lordship and mastery
Of all that in this earth is wrought.
SATAN
Woman, away!
To greater state ye may be brought,
If ye will do as I shall say.
EVA
No: for our God we fear
To offend or disobey.
SATAN
Nay, sure! no danger's here,
Eat safely then ye may.
For peril, there none in it lies,
But worship and a great winning;
For even as God shall ye be wise,
And peers to him in everything.
Aye, gods shall ye both be.
Of ill and good to have knowing
Is even to be as wise as he.
EVA
Is this sooth that ye say?
SATAN
Yea; why believe not me ?
I would not any way
Tell ought but truth to thee.
EVA
Then will I by thy teaching hold.
And take this fruit unto our food.
SATAN
Be not abashed, bite and be bold;
Give Adam some to amend his mood
And all his bliss.
EVA
Adam, have here of fruit full good.
ADAM
Alas, woman! Why took you this?
Our Lord has bid us both
To tend this tree of his.
Thy work will make him wroth.
Alas! Thou'st done amiss.
EVA
Nay, Adam, grieve thee not at it,
And I shall say the reason why.
A worm has given me to wit
We shall be made Gods, thou and I,
If we do eat
Here of this tree. Adam, say I.
Fail not that worship for to get,
For we shall be as wise
As God that is so great,
And also proud of price.
Wherefore eat of this meat.
ADAM
To eat it would I not eschew,
Might I be sure in thy saying.
EVA
Bite boldly on, for it is true ;
We shall be Gods, and know all thing.
ADAM
To win that name I shall it taste,
At thy teaching.
Alas, what have I done? For shame!
Ill counsel! Woe worth thee!
Ah, Eve, thou art to blame;
To this enticed thou me,
My body does me shame,
For I am naked, as I think.
EVA
Alas, Adam, even so am I.
ADAM
For shame and sorrow we may sink.
For we have grieved God almighty
That made me man, Broken his bidding bitterly ——
Alas, that ever we began!
This work, Eva, thou hast wrought,
And made this bad bargain.
EVA
Nay, Adam, chide me not.
ADAM
Now, hold! Stay, Eve; whom then?
EVA
The worm is more to blame indeed;
With tales untrue he me betrayed.
ADAM
Alas that ever I gave heed
Or trusted trifles that you said.
Here woe's begun,
And I may curse that hasty deed
And wretched work that I have done.
Our shape shames me and grieves.
Wherewith may I me hide?
EVA
Let us take these fig leaves,
Since thus it did betide.
ADAM
Even as thou sayst so shall it be,
For we are naked and all bare.
Full sadly fain would I hide me
From my lord's sight, if I knew where ——
I care not where.
GOD
Adam, Adam!
ADAM
Lord?
GOD
Where art thou, there?
ADAM
I hear thee, lord, but see thee not.
GOD
To what does it belong,
This work; what hast thou wrought?
ADAM
Lord, Eve made me do wrong.
And to this breach has brought.
GOD
Say, Eve; why hast thou made thy mate
Eat fruit I bade thee should hang still,
Commanding none of it to take?
EVA
A worm, Lord, enticed me thereto.
Ah weladay!
That ever I did deed so ill.
GOD
Ah wicked worm, woe worth thee aye!
For thou in this manner
Hast put them to such fear.
My malison have thou here,
With all the might I may.
And on thy belly shalt thou go,
For ever full of enmity
To all mankind on every side,
And earth it shall thy sustenance be
To eat and drink.
Adam and Eva, also ye
In earth henceforth shall sweat and swink,
And labour for your food.
ADAM
Alas, would we might sink.
We that had all world's good ——
Full sorely may we think.
GOD
Now cherubin, mine angel bright,
To middle earth straight drive these two.
ANGELS
All ready, Lord, as it is right,
Since thy will is that it be so,
And thy liking,
Adam and Eve, set you to go,
For here may ye make no dwelling.
Go ye forth fast to fare,
Of sorrow may ye sing.
ADAM
Alas! for sorrow and care.
Our hands now may we wring. |
York Mystery Plays