Here begins the Last Judgment and Jesus descends with Michael and Gabriel the archangels and Michael says:
MICHAEL Surgite! All men arise Venite ad judicum! For now is set the high justice That hath assigned the day of doom. Hurry quickly to this great assize 5 Both great and small, all and some, And of your answers be now advised What ye shall say when that you come Your answer for to tell. For when that God shall you oppose, 10 There is no hope of any gloss. The truth full truly he will choose And send you to heaven or to hell. GABRIEL Both pope, priest and prince with crown, King and kaiser and knights keen 15 Quickly ye run, your reasons be found. For this shall be the day of tene. Neither poor nor rich of great reknown Nor all the devils of hell that be From this day you hide nor moan 20 For all your deeds here shall be seen Openly in sight. Who that is found in deadly guilt He were better to be hid. In endless hell be shall be spilt 25 His deeds his death shall dight.
All those rising cry under the earth Ahh... then as they rise they cry Ahh...
ALL THE RISING SOULS
Ah! cleave asunder the clouds of clay,
Asunder ye break and let us pass
Now may our song be well-a-way
That ever we sinned in deadly trespass. 30
ALL THE DEVILS
Harrow and out what shall we say?
Harrow we cry out and alas,
Alas, harrow, is this that day
To endless pain that we must pass?
Alas, harrow, and out we cry! 35
ALL THE RISING SOULS
Ah mercy,lord, for our misdeed
And let thy mercy spring and spread.
But, alas, we wait in dread,
It is too late to ask mercy.
GOD (IE JESUS)
Venite benedicti, my brothers all, 40
Patris mei ye children dear!
Come hither to me in my hall.
All these my suitors and servants be.
All these foul worms from you fall.
With my right hand I bless you here, 45
My blessing burnishes you as bright as beryl,
As crystal clean, it cleans you clear.
All filth from you fades.
Peter, to heaven's gates thou wend and go,
The locks ye loosen and them undo. 50
My blessed children thou bring me to
Their hearts to make full glad.
PETER
The gates of heaven I open this tide.
Now welcome, dear brethren, to heaven, iwis.
Come on and sit on God's right side 55
Where mirth and melody never may miss.
ALL THE SAVED
On knee we creep, we go, we glide
To worship our lord that merciful is.
For through his wounds that be so wide
He hath us brought to his bliss. 60
Holy lord, we worship thee.
GOD (IE THE FATHER)
Welcome ye be in heaven to sit.
Welcome, from me shall ye never flit
So sure of bliss ye shall be yet.
To mirth and joy welcome ye be. 65
DAMNED SOULS
Ah...Mercy we cry and crave!
Ah mercy, lord, for our misdeed!
Ah mercy, mercy, we writhe, we wave!
Ah, help us good lord in this need.
GOD (IE JESUS)
How would ye wretches any mercy have 70
Why ask ye mercy now in this need?
What have ye wrought, your soul to save?
To whom have ye done any merciful deed
Mercy for to win?
FIRST DEVIL
Mercy? Nay, nay they shall have the rack 75
And on their foreheads witness I take.
For there is written with letters black
Openly all their sin.
GOD (IE JESUS)
To hungry and thirsty that asked in my name
Meat and drink would ye give none. 80
Of naked men had ye no shame.
Ye would not visit men in prison.
Ye had no pity on the sick or lame.
Deeds of mercy have ye never done.
Unharboured men ye served the same. 85
To bury the poor dead man, would ye never do.
These deeds do you spill.
For your love I was rent on rood
And for your sake, I shed my blood.
When I was so merciful and so good, 90
Why have wrought against my will?
SECOND DEVIL
I find here written in thy forehead
Thou were so stout and set in pride
Thou wouldest not give a poor man bread
But from thy door thou wouldst him chide. 95
THIRD DEVIL
And in thy face, here, do I read
That if a thirsty man come any tide
For thirst though he should be dead
Drink from him thou wouldst ever hide.
On covetousness was all thy thought. 100
FIRST DEVIL
In wrath thy neighbours to backbite
Them for to anger was thy delight.
Thou were ever ready them to indight.
The sick man pitiest thou not.
SECOND DEVIL
Evermore on envy was all thy mind 105
Thou wouldst never visit a prisoner.
To all thy neighbours thou were unkind.
Thou wouldst never help man in danger.
THIRD DEVIL
The sin of sloth thy soul shall shend!
Mass nor matins wouldst thou not hear. 110
To bury the dead man thou wouldst not wend.
Therefore thou shalt to endless fire.
FIRST DEVIL
Thou didst rejoice in gluttony
In drunkeness and ribaldry
The unharboured, with villainy, 115
Thou puttest from their rest.
SECOND DEVIL
Sybil Slut, thou shalt sue
All your life was a lecherous lay.
To all your neighbours ye were a shrew,
All your pleasure was lecherous play. 120
God's men ye loved but few,
Naked man and feebly arrayed
Ye would not succour with a little stew,
Not with a scrap, the truth to say
When they asked in God's name. 125
ALL THE DAMNED
Ah mercy, Lord, much of might,
We ask thy mercy, and not thy right.
Not after our deed so us quite.
We have sinned, we be to blame. 129
GOD (IE JESUS)
...
[MS fragmentary at the end]
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