A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 01
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 01
English drama
And also, masters, as I was about to tell--
FRIAR.
Which showeth that many a man so far-forth lacketh grace--
PARDONER.
Pope Julius the Sixth hath granted fair and well--
FRIAR.
That when to them God hath abundance sent--
PARDONER.
And doth twelve thousand years of pardon to them send--
FRIAR.
They would distribute none to the indigent--
PARDONER.
That ought to this holy chapel lend--
FRIAR.
Whereat God having great indignation--
PARDONER
Pope Boniface the Ninth also--
FRIAR.
Punished these men after a divers fashion--
PARDONER.
Pope Julius, Pope Innocent, with divers popes mo--
FRIAR.
As the gospel full nobly doth declare--
PARDONER.
Hath granted to the sustaining of the same--
FRIAR.
How dives Epulus reigning in welfare--
PARDONER.
Five thousand years of pardon to every of you by name--
FRIAR.
And on his board dishes delicate--
PARDONER.
And clean remission also of their sin--
FRIAR
Poor Lazarus came begging at his gate--
PARDONER.
As often times as you put in--
FRIAR.
Desiring some food his hunger to relieve--
PARDONER.
Any money into the Pardoner's coffer--
FRIAR.
But the rich man nothing would him give--
PARDONER.
Or any money up unto it offer--
FRIAR.
Not so much as a few crumbs of bread--
PARDONER.
Or he that offereth penny or groat--
FRIAR.
Wherefore poor Lazarus of famine straight was dead--
PARDONER.
Or he that giveth the Pardoner a new coat--
FRIAR
And angels his soul to heaven did carry--
PARDONER.
Or take of me other image or letter--
FRIAR.
But now the rich man, of the contrary--
PARDONER.
Whereby this poor chapel may fare the better--
FRIAR.
When he was dead, went to misery and pain.
PARDONER.
And (God wot) it is a full gracious deed--
FRIAR.
Wherefore evermore he shall remain--
PARDONER.
For which God shall quite you well your mede--
FRIAR.
In brenning fire, which shall never cease--
PARDONER.
Now help our poor chapel, if it be your will--
FRIAR.
But I say, thou Pardoner, I bid thee hold thy peace!--
PARDONER.
And I say, thou friar, hold thy tongue still!--
FRIAR.
What, standest thou there all the day smattering!--
PARDONER.
Marry, what standest thou there all the day clattering!--
FRIAR.
Marry, fellow, I come hither to preach the Word of God,
Which of no man may be forbode;
But heard with silence and good intent,
For why it teacheth them evident
The very way and path that shall them lead
Even to heaven's gates, as straight as any thread.
And he that letteth the Word of God of audience,
Standeth accursed in the great sentence;
And so art thou for interrupting me.
PARDONER.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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