_Cousin._ Cousin _Everyman_, farewell now, For verily I will not go with you; Also of mine own an unready reckoning I have to account; therefore I make tarrying. Now, God keep thee, for now I go. _Everyman._ Ah, _Jesus_, is all come hereto? Lo, fair words maketh fools feign; They promise and nothing will do certain. My kinsmen promised me faithfully For to abide with me steadfastly, And now fast away do they flee: Even so _Fellowship_ promised me. What friend were best me of to provide? I lose my time here longer to abide. Yet in my mind a thing there is;-- All my life I have loved riches; If that my good now help me might, He would make my heart full light. I will speak to him in this distress.-- Where art thou, my _Goods_ and riches? _Goods._ Who calleth me? _Everyman?_ what haste thou hast! I lie here in corners, trussed and piled so high, And in chests I am locked so fast, Also sacked in bags, thou mayst see with thine eye, I cannot stir; in packs low I lie. What would ye have, lightly me say. _Everyman._ Come hither, _Good_, in all the haste thou may, For of counsel I must desire thee. _Goods._ Sir, and ye in the world have trouble or adversity, That can I help you to remedy shortly. _Everyman._ It is another disease that grieveth me; In this world it is not, I tell thee so. I am sent for another way to go, To give a straight account general Before the highest _Jupiter_ of all; And all my life I have had joy and pleasure in thee. Therefore I pray thee go with me, For, peradventure, thou mayst before God Almighty My reckoning help to clean and purify; For it is said ever among, That money maketh all right that is wrong. _Goods._ Nay, _Everyman_, I sing another song, I follow no man in such voyages; For and I went with thee Thou shouldst fare much the worse for me; For because on me thou did set thy mind, Thy reckoning I have made blotted and blind, That thine account thou cannot make truly; And that hast thou for the love of me. _Everyman._ That would grieve me full sore, When I should come to that fearful answer. Up, let us go thither together. _Goods._ Nay, not so, I am too brittle, I may not endure; I will follow no man one foot, be ye sure. _Everyman._ Alas, I have thee loved, and had great pleasure All my life-days on good and treasure. _Goods._ That is to thy damnation without lesing, For my love is contrary to the love everlasting. But if thou had me loved moderately during, As, to the poor give part of me, Then shouldst thou not in this dolour be, Nor in this great sorrow and care. _Everyman._ Lo, now was I deceived or I was ware, And all I may wyte[13] my spending of time. _Goods._ What, weenest thou that I am thine? _Everyman._ I had wend so. _Goods._ Nay, _Everyman,_ I say no; As for a while I was lent thee, A season thou hast had me in prosperity; My condition is man's soul to kill; If I save one, a thousand I do spill; Weenest thou that I will follow thee? Nay, from this world, not verily.