Here begins concerning the raising of Lazarus
LAZARUS God, that all things did make of nought And put each creature to his quittance, Save thine handiwork that thou hast wrought, As thou art Lord of high substance. Oh gracious God, at thy pleasance, 5 Of my disease now comfort me, Which through sickness has such penance Hardly for headache may I now see. Sister Martha, and Magdalen meek, With haste help me my bed to address. 10 For, truly, I am so wonderfully sick I may never escape this great sickness -- My death is now come, I guess. Help into the chamber that I be led. My great disease I hope shall less 15 If I were laid upon a bed. MARTHA Lazarus, brother, be of good cheer; I hope your sickness right well shall slake. Upon this bed rest you right here, And a good sleep do try to take. 20 MAGDALEN Now, gentle brother, for God's sake, Lift up your heart and be not faint. A heavy household with us you make If deadly sickness does you attaint. LAZARUS Forsooth, dear sisters, I may not sleep; 25 My sickness so sore doth ever increase. Of me I pray you good care do keep 'Til that my pain begins to release. MARTHA God grant grace that it may cease. Of sickness God make you sound, 30 Or else our joy will soon decrease, In such great pains if you lie bound. MAGDALEN Ah brother, brother, lift up your heart! Your heavy cheer does us grievance. If death from us should you part, 35 Then were we brought in cumberance. You are our brother, friend in alliance; If you were dead then had we none. You do us bring in distemperance When you tell us you shall hence be gone. 40 FIRST CONSOLER Dame Martha and Magdalen, How fares your brother? Let us him see. MARTHA He is right sick and has great pain -- I am afraid, dead he shall be. MAGDALEN A man may have right great pity, 45 The feverish heat of him to feel. SECOND CONSOLER Take you no thought in no degree; I hope that he shall fare full well. MARTHA He may not live, his colour doth change. Come to his bed, ye shall him see. 50 MAGDALEN If he long live it will be strange, But as God wills, so must it be. Cheer him, good friends, for charity. Comfort of him we cannot get. Alas, alas! What aileth me? 55 My heart for woe is wonder great! THIRD CONSOLER All hail, Sir Lazarus! How do you fare? How do you feel now in your heart? LAZARUS I am with sickness all wound in care And look when death should me depart. 60 FOURTH CONSOLER & MESSENGER You shall have health, good news impart If you will take to you good cheer. LAZARUS When death at me has shot his dart? I shall have health and lie on my bier? FIRST CONSOLER Be of good comfort and think not so, 65 Put out of heart that idle thought. Your own misdemeanours may work you woe And cause you sooner to death be brought. SECOND CONSOLER With great sickness though ye be sought, Upon yourself have no mistrust. 70 If that you have, I wonder right not Though you be dead and cast in dust. THIRD CONSOLER Many a one has had right great sickness And after has had his health again. And many a man, this is no less, 75 With his despair himself has slain. You be a man of right sad brain. Though that your sickness grieve you right ill, Pluck up your heart with might and main, And cheer yourself with all your will! 80 LAZARUS Against my sickness there is no ease But Jesus Christ, my master dear. If that he knew of my disease, Right soon, I trust, he would be here. FOURTH CONSOLER I shall go to him, without wait more, 85 And of your sickness tell him, certain. Look that you be of right good cheer While that I go and come again. MARTHA Now, gentle friend, tell him right thus: Him that he loveth hath great sickness. 90 Hither to come and comfort us, Say that we pray him of his goodness. MAGDALEN Recommend us unto his highness, And tell him all our hearts' woe. But he comfort our heaviness, 95 Our worldly joy away will go. FOURTH CONSOLER & MESSENGER The truth, forsooth, I shall him tell As you have told, so shall I say. Go to your bother and cherish him well, For I walk forth straight in my way. 100 MARTHA What cheer, good brother? Tell me I pray, What will you eat? What will you drink? Look we will do whatever you say; You shall have whatever you think. LAZARUS My wind is stopped! Gone is my breath, 105 And death is come to make my end. To God in heaven my soul I bequeath. Farewell, sisters, for hence I wend.
Here Lazarus dies, etc
MAGDALEN Alas! for woe my hair I rend! My own dear brother lies here now dead! 110 Now have we lost a trusty friend The closest blood of our kindred. MARTHA Alas, alas and well-a-way! Now be we twain both brotherless. For whom my heart is cold as clay! 115 Ah, who shall comfort our sadness? Never had women more dolefulness. Ah, sister Magdalen, what can be said? Who may help our heaviness Now that our brother is gone and dead? 120 MAGDALEN Alas, dear sister, I cannot tell. The best comfort that I can say, But some man do us slay as well, Let us lie down with him and die. Alas, why went he alone away? 125 If we had died with him also, Then had our care turned all to play When now all joy is turned to woe. FIRST CONSOLER Be of good comfort and thank God of all, For death is due to every man. 130 What time that death shall on us fall No earthly man the hour tell can. MARTHA We shall all die, that is certain. But yet it is in human nature, When in death a brother now is lain, 135 We must needs mourn at the sepulcre. SECOND CONSOLER Good friends, I pray you, hold your peace. All your weeping may not amend it. Of your sorrowing, therefore, now cease, And help him to bury in a clay pit 140 MAGDALEN Alas, that word mine heart doth slit, That now cold clay must be his grave. I would some man my throat would cut That I with him might lie in the cave. THIRD CONSOLER Both head and foot now is he wound 145 In sheet both fair and clean. Let us bear him straight to that ground Where that you think his grave shall be. MARTHA We are full loth that pit to see. But standing it may no better be, 150 The corpse take up you three between. With sorrowful hearts you follow shall we.
Here they carry the body to the sepulchre
MAGDALEN Alas, comfort, I see none other, But all of sorrow, and care, and woe! We doleful women must bury our brother -- 155 Alas, that death me will not slay! If I to the pit with him might go, Therein evermore with him to abide, Then were my care all gone me from, Where now great sorrow does wound me wide. 160 FIRST CONSOLER This corpse we bury here in this pit; Almighty God the soul must have. And with this stone this grave we shut, From ravenous beasts the body to save. MAGDALEN He is now brought into his cave. 165 My heart for woe this sight does kill! Let us sit down here by the grave, Ere we go hence, and weep our fill. MARTHA For us to weep no man may let, Before our face to see this sight. 170 Alas, why does death not us fetch, To bring us to this same plight? SECOND CONSOLER Arise! For shame, you do not right! Straight from this grave you shall go hence. Thus to complain against God's might, 175 Against high God you do offense. MAGDALEN Since I must needs with you be gone, My brother's grave let me first kiss. Alas, no man may help my moan. Farewell, my brother. Farewell, my bliss. 180 THIRD CONSOLER Home to your place we shall with you pass. For God's love, be of good cheer. Indeed, you do right sore amiss, So sore to weep as you do here. MARTHA Let us go home then to our place. 185 We pray you all with us to abide, Us to comfort with some solace 'Til that our sorrow doth slake and slide. FIRST CONSOLER To comfort you at every tide We shall dwell here both night and day. 190 And God, that made this world so wide, By your comfort, that best may.
Here the fourth consoler and messenger speaks to Jesus, saying,
FOURTH CONSOLER Hail, holy prophet, Jesus by name! Martha and Magdalen, those sisters two, Recommend them to your high fame, 195 And bad me say to you thus, lo: How that Lazarus, whom that you loved so, With great sickness is sore diseased. To him they pray that you would go, If that your highness therewith were pleased. 200 JESUS Deadly sickness Lazarus has none, But for to show God's great glory, For that sickness is ordained alone The Son of God to glorify. MESSENGER They be in doubt that he shall die -- 205 Great sickness him sore doth hold. For fervent heat his blood doth dry; His colour changes, as they me told. JESUS Go home again and tell them thus: I shall come to them when that I may. 210 MESSENGER At your commandment, O prophet Jesus, I shall then tell as you do say. JESUS Come forth, brothers, walk we our way, Into Jewry go we anon. I came not there full many a day; 215 Therefore thither now will I go. ALL DISCIPLES The Jews against thee were grim and shrill. When you were there they would thee have slain! With stones they sought thee for to kill, And wilt thou now go thither again? 220 JESUS Twelve hours the day has, in certain, In them to walk both clear and bright. He shall not stumble against hill nor plain That goeth the way while it is daylight. But if men walk when it is night, 225 Soon they offend in that darkness. Because they may hav no clear sight, They hurt their feet oft in such dimness. But for this, yet nevertheless, The cause therefore I thither will wend 230 Is for to raise from bed express Lazarus, that sleepeth, our common friend. ALL DISCIPLES Of his sickness he shall be saved. If that he sleeps, a good sign it is. JESUS Lazarus is dead and laid in grave; 235 Of his sleeping you judge amiss. I was not there, you know well this. To strengthen your faith I am full glad. Therefore I tell you the truth, iwis: Our friend is dead and under earth clad. 240 THOMAS Then go we all right even straight thither, Where our friend Lazarus is dead, And let us die with him together, Where as he lieth in the same stead. JESUS To die have thou no dread. 245 The way straight thither in haste we take. By the great might of my Godhead, Out of his sleep he shall awake. MESSENGER All hail, Martha and Mary eke, To Jesus I have your message said. 250 I told him that your brother was sick And with great pain in his bed laid. He bade you should not in sorrow sink. From all his sickness he will be freed He will be here within a wink; 255 As he told me, he comes with speed MAGDALEN That holy prophet doth come too late: Our brother is buried three days ere this. A great stone stoppeth the pit's gate Where our brother buried is. 260 MESSENGER Is Lazarus dead? God commend his soul to bliss. Yet look you take no heaviness. So long to weep you do amiss; It may not help your sorryness MARTHA Out of my heart all care to let, 265 All sorrow and woe to cast away, I shall go forth into the street To meet with Jesus if I may. SECOND CONSOLER God be your speed both ever and aye, For with your sister we will abide. 270 Here to comfort we shall assay, And all her care to cast aside THIRD CONSOLER Mary Magdalen, be of good heart, And well bethink you in your mind, Each creature hence must depart: 275 There is no man but hence must wend. Death to no man can be a friend. All things to earth he will down cast. When that God wills, all things shall end; Longer than He wills, nothing may last. 280 MAGDALEN I thank you, friends, for your good cheer. My head doth ache as it would burst. I pray you, therefore, while you be here, A little while that I may rest. FOURTH CONSOLER & MESSENGER That Lord that made both east and west 285 Grant you good grace such rest to take That unto him should please most best, As he this world of nought did make. MARTHA Ah, gracious Lord, had you been here, My brother Lazarus this time had lived. 290 But four days gone upon a bier We did him bury when he was dead. Yet now I know, without dread, What thing of God that thou do crave, Though shalt speed of the high Godhead: 295 Whatso thou ask, thou shalt it have. JESUS Thy brother Lazarus again shall rise, A living man again to be. MARTHA I know well that at the great last assize He shall arise, and also we. 300 JESUS Resurrection thou mayst in me see, And endless life I am also. That man that liveth and dyeth in me, From death to life again shall he go. Each man that in me faithful is, 305 And leads his life after my lore, Of endless life may he never miss: Ever he shall live and die nevermore. The body and soul I shall restore To endless joy. Do you believe this? 310 MARTHA I hope in thee, Christ, full sore. Thou art the Son of God in bliss. Thy father is God, of life endless; Thyself his son of life and grace. To end this world's wretchedness, 315 From heaven to earth thou took the pass. JESUS Of heavenly might right great solace Through me shall all this world soon see. Go call thy sister to this place: Bid Mary Magdalen come hither to me. 320 MARTHA At thy bidding I shall her call, In haste we were here you before. MAGDALEN Alas my mouth is bitter as gall. Great sorrow has burst my heart's core! Now my brother I see no more, 325 There may no mirth my care relieve. Alas the time that I was born! The sword of sorrow my heart doth cleave. FIRST CONSOLER For his dear love that all hath wrought, Cease some time of your weeping; 330 And put all things out of thought Into this care that thou doth bring. SECOND CONSOLER You do yourself right great hindering, And shorten your life unless you beware. For God's love, cease of your sorrowing, 335 And with good wisdom refrain your care. MARTHA Sister Magdalen, come out of hall. Our master is come, as I you say. He sent me hither you for to call. Come forth in haste, as I you pray. 340 MAGDALEN Ha! where has he been many a long day? Alas, why came he no sooner hither? In haste I follow you into the way. In seems so long ere I come thither. THIRD CONSOLER Hark, good friends, I you pray, 345 After this woman in haste we go! I am afraid, right in good faith, Herself for sorrow she shall hurt so. MESSENGER Her brother so sore is in her mind She may not eat, drink, nor sleep. 350 Straight to his grave she goes without end, As a mad woman there for to weep. MAGDALEN Ah, sovereign Lord and master dear, Had you been with us in presence, Then had my brother alive been here, 355 Not dead but quick, that now is hence. Against death is no resistance. Alas, my heart is wondrously low When that I think of his absence That you yourself in heart loved so. 360 FIRST CONSOLER When we have mind of his sore death, He was to us so gentle and good, The memory of him our hearts slayeth. The loss of him doth mar our mood. SECOND CONSOLER A better neighbour never man stood, 365 To every man he was right kind. Us he did refresh with drink and food, Now he is gone, gone is our friend. JESUS Your great weeping doth me constrain For my good friend to weep also. 370 I cannot myself for woe restrain, But I must weep just as you do.
Here Jesus weeps
THIRD CONSOLER Behold this prophet, how he does weep, lo! He loved Lazarus right wondrously sore. He would not otherwise for him weep so. 375 But if that his love were on him more. MESSENGER A straw for thy tale! What needs he to weep? A man born blind did he not give sight? Might he not then his friend living keep By the virtue of that same high might? 380 JESUS Where is he put? Tell me this right. Bring me the way straight to his grave. MARTHA Lord, at your will we shall bring you tight, Even to that place where he lies in a cave. MAGDALEN When that we had the messenger sent, 385 Ere he had fully half a mile gone, Died my brother and we took him at one consent Here to this grave and we buried him anon. JESUS The might of the Godhead shall glad you everyone, Such a sight shall you see hence ere you wend. 390 Set to your hands, take away the stone. A sight let me have of Lazarus my friend. MARTHA He stinketh right foul long before this. Four days gone, forsooth, he was dead. Let him lie still right even as he is. 395 The stink of his carrion might hurt us, I dread. JESUS As I have thee told, sight of the Godhead Thyself should have, faithful if thou be. Take off the stone, do as I bid. The glory of the Godhead anon shall you see. 400 FIRST CONSOLER Your bidding shall be done anon full swift. Set to your hands and help each one. I pray you, sirs, help me to lift; I may not raise it myself alone. SECOND CONSOLER In faith it is a heavy stone, 405 Right sad of weight and great heaviness Though it were twice as heavy grown, Among us four we shall it raise. MESSENGER Now is the stone taken from the cave. Here men may see a pitiful sight 410 Of this dead body that lyeth in the grave, Wrapped in a sorrowful state.
Jesus, raising his eyes to heaven says,
JESUS I thank thee, father, of thy high might, That thou hast heard my prayer this day. I know full well both day and night 415 Ever thou dost grant what I do say. But for these people that stand about And believe not the power of you and me, To bring them clean out of doubt, This day our might they all shall see. 420
Here Jesus cries with a loud voice saying,
Lazarus, Lazarus, my friend so free, From that deep pit come out anon! By the great might of the high majesty, Alive thou shalt on earth again go. LAZARUS At your commandment I rise up full right. 425 Heaven, hell, and earth your bidding must obey. For you are God and man, and Lord most of might. Of life and death you have both lock and key.
Here Lazarus rises bound hand and foot from that same sepulchre and Jesus says,
JESUS Go forth brethren and Lazarus untie, And all his bonds, loose them asunder. 430 Let him walk home with you in the way. Against God's might, this miracle is no wonder. PETER At your bidding his bonds we unbind. All things must bow to your majesty. By this great miracle openly we find 435 Very God and man in truth that you be. JOHN That thou art very God, every man may see By this miracle so great, such a marvel! All things uner heaven must needs obey thee. When against thee, though Death try, he may not prevail. 440 ALL CONSOLERS We all with one voice for God do thee know, And as our Saviour we do thee reverence. All our whole love now in thee doth grow, Oh sovereign Lord of most excellence. Help us of your grace when that we go hence, 445 For against death it helps us not to strive. But against your might is no resistance: Our death you may conquer and keep us still alive. JESUS Now I have showed in open sight Of my Godhead, the great glory. 450 Towards my Passion I will me dight: The time is near that I must die, For all mankind his soul to buy. A crown of thorns shall pierce my brain, And on the Mount of Calvary, Upon a cross I shall be slain.
Return to N-Town Pageant List.