236 ‘The Butchers |OSEPH: This Lord so good, 7°That shed his blood, ~ He mend your mood, | [And busk on his bliss for to bide. te his elie 415-16 May he give you joy, and hasten to bring you to his felicity ais THE SADDLERS The Harrowing of Hell The Harrowing of Hell is based upon legendary narratives associated from carly times with the Gospels, notbly the Gospel of Nizademus, purportedly an eye-witness account of Christ’s defeat of Satan in hell. The York diameter seems to have known a Middle English verse rendering ofthis text, and coed it in composing the play. He also drew on the liturgical associations of dhe Moses and Pharaoh, another copy of the Harrowing appears in the Towneley ‘manuscript, and both were therefore probably also in Wakefield's repertoire. Harrowing brings to a climax the conflict between God and the desl {2F possession of the souls of mankind. This is implicit in many episodes in the cycle, and is openly treated in the Fall of Man, the Tomptation and tne Dream of Pilates Wife. Though the Raising of Lacarss bas gone some way to establishing Christ's credentials with some of the lesser devils (ee lines 129. 76), Satan stl fails to grasp Chuist’s true nature. However, he is presented as 4 formidable debater, and his disputation with Christ over the justice of the Redemption senders the entire episode less fantastic and more immediate al passages involving the patriarchs and prophets, from their aeioes {aPectation of reunion with God to their serene jay as their ordeal is brought {he play has more than a passing resemblance tothe climactic Harrowing of Hell scene in Piers Plowman (B-Text, Passus XVII. For example, the dramatist does not appear to have called for special effects to demonstrat the fa effective dramatic realization of Langland’s memorable line ‘And with thar breath, Hell broke, with all Belia’s bars’. Though the siege of the benred hhell-mouth must have been visually spectacular, the dramatists approach to the subject was primarily restrained and cerebral, with lite in the way of Sauibs and scatology of the kind associated with the devils and hell in popwlar tradition,238 The Sadélers JESUS: Man on mould, be meek to me, ‘And have thy maker in thy mind, ‘And think how I have tholed for thee, ‘With peerless pains for to be pined. ‘The foreward of my father free Have | fulfilled, as folk may find, ‘Therefore about now will I be ‘That I have bought for to unbind. The fiend them won with train ‘Through fruit of earthly food; Thave them got again ‘Through buying with my blood. ‘And so I shall that stead restore From which the fiend fell for sin, ‘There shall mankind won evermore In bliss that shall never blin. Al that in world my workmen were, Out of their woe I will them win, ‘And some sign shall I send before Of grace, to gar their games begin. A light I will they have ‘To show them I shall come soon. ‘My body bides in grave Till all these deeds be done. ‘My Father ordained on this wise ~ After his will that I should wend, For to fulfil the prophecies, ‘And as I spoke my solace to spend. ‘My friends that in me faith affies, [Now from their foes I shall them fend, ‘And on the third day right uprise, ‘And so to heaven I shall ascend. 1 mould earth _meck obedient ‘ined made to suffer 5 foremard covenant 5 To release those whom I have redeemed 15 wonlive 16 blimcease. 18 min resoue 3 tholed endured 10 15 20 25 30 4 peas wneqaled ios ey tht by i‘gite 13 seal pace 50 gertake game Kling” 23 bdssiys 25 ordained decreed onin way Sime go 28 Ando dupense my comfor according omy word 29 /aih ‘fies puctrust 30 fend defend 31 right wpriverse upright The Harrowing of Hell Sithen shall I come again To deem both good and ill To endless joy or pain; ‘Thus is my father’s will. Then they shall sing ADAM: My brethren, harken to me here, ‘Swilk hope of heal never ere we had; Four thousand and six hundred year Have we been here in this stead. Now see I sign of solace sere, A glorious gleam to make us glad, Wherefore I hope our help is near And soon shall cease our sorrows sad, EVE: Adam, my husband hend, This means solace certain. ‘Such light gan on us lend In Paradise full plain. ISAIAH: Adam, we shall well understand— I, Isaiah, as God me kenned, I preached in Naphtali, that land, And Zebulun, even until end. T spoke of folk in murk walkand ‘And said a light should on them lend. ‘This lered I while I was livand, ‘Now see I God this same hath send. This light comes all of Christ, That died to save us now. ‘Thus is my point published— But Simeon, what says thou? SIMEON: This, my tale of ferlies fele, For in the temple his friends me fand. Thad delight with him to deal And halsed him homely with my hand, 33 Sithen Aferwards 34 deen judge Such hea conslaion ‘ew before quite openly "50 kennel directed 37 harken Hsten 4 solace sere special joy believe 45 fend worthy 47 gon did dnd descend 53. mark darkness 35 tered taught lioand alive 56 send ent "59 published shown Alemany marvels "62 fond ound 64 habedembaced 239 35 45 50 35 38 Swi 43 pe 48 full plain walking 61 fers240 The Saddlers 1 said, ‘Lord, let thy servant leal Pass now in peace to life lastand, +For now myself has seen thy heal Me list no longer to live in land.” ‘This light thou hast purveyed To folks that live in lede,. ‘The same that I them said I see fulfilled indeed. JOHN THE BAPTIST: As voice crying to folk I kenned ‘The ways of Christ as I well can. 1 baptised him with both my hend Even in the flood of flume Jordan, ‘The Holy Ghost from heaven descend As a white dove down on him then; ‘The Father's voice, my mirth to mend, ‘Was made to me even as man: “This is my Son,’ he said, ‘In whom me pays full well.” Hiis light is on us laid, He comes our cares to keel. ‘MOSES: Of that same light learning have I: ‘To me, Moses, he mustered his might, And also unto another, El, Where we were on an hill on height. White as snow was his body, ‘And his face like to the sun to sight; ~ No man on mould was so mighty Gradely to look against that light. ‘That same light see I now Shining on us certain, ‘Wherefore truly I trow ‘We shall soon pass from pain. RIBALD: Help, Beelzebub, to bind these boys— ‘Such harrow was never ere heard in hell. 65 eal loyal 66 ast (everlasting 69 pureged provided 70 lede place wwellas Pinew how 75 hnd ands 76 flame [the] River descended 79 to cheer me 82 me pays Tam pleased 86 mustered manifested 88 Acight high 92 Gradely Properly against at 95 tom trust 98 arrow uproar 65 0 6 80 8s 90 95 68 Thave no further desire to lve 73 berned made known 74-25, 17 decend 84 fee relieve ‘90 sight in appearance 97 boys fellows The Harrowing of Hell BEELZEBUB: Why roars thou so, Ribald? Thou roys— ‘What is betid oon thou aught opm RIBALD: What, hears thou not this ugly noise? ‘These lurdans that in Limbo dwell, ‘They make meaning of many joys And musters great mirth them amell, BEELZEBUB: Mirth? Nay, nay, that point is pas More heal shall hey never ave, RIBALD: They cry on Christ fall fast, ‘And say he shall them save. BEELZEBUB: Yea, if he save them not, we shall, For they are speared in special space. While Tam prince and principal Shall they never pass out of this place. Call up Astoreth and Anaball To give their counsel in this case, Baal-Berith and Belial, ‘To mar them that swilk masteries makes. Say to Satan our sire, And bid them bring also Lucifer, lovely of lyre. RIBALD: All ready, lord, I go. JESUS: Atllite portas, principes, Open up, ye princes of pains sere, Et elevamini eternales, ‘Your endless gates that ye have here, SATAN: What page is there that makes press ‘And calls him king of us in fere? DAVID: I lered living, without lease, He is a king of virtues clear, Allord mickle of might And strong in ilka stour, 99 ik noses 2 eds rete 7 105 pant qusion 107 flan non tea veep To spared led Nighchanded desde “G19 he fe fats ad be ye Bt wp, ye evearing dons an eens cera” TS peprlane et anton alain M127 Wait w Sie ugh orcs sue 129 mae ED deere a 241 100 los no 120 us 130 100 What has happened, have you anything to say? 104 anell among 109 save pun: (1) redeean 116 To obstruct those who perform such 121, 123 ‘Lift-up your heads, O ye 122 cere vatious 126 in ere 128 clear forme The Saddlers In battles fierce to fight And worthy to win honour. SATAN: Honour? In the devil's way! For what deed? All earthly men to me are thrall. The lad that thou calls lord in lede 135 Had never yet harbour, house, nor hall. RIBALD: Hark Beelzebub, have great dread, For hideously I heard him call BELIAL: We, spear our gates, al ill may thou speed, ‘And set forth watches on the wall— 140 And if he call or cry To make us more debate, Lay on him then hardily And gar him gang his gate. . SATAN: Tell me what boys dare be so bold 145 For dread to make so mickle deray. RIBALD: It is the Jew that Judas sold For to be dead this other day. SATAN: Ob, this tale in time is told, This traitor traverses us alway. 150 ‘He shall be here full hard in hold, Look that he pass not, I thee pray. BEELZEBUB: Nay, nay, he will not wend ‘Away ere I be ware, He shapes him for to shend 155 All hell ere he go far. SATAN: Nay, faitour, thereof shall he For all his fare I him defy. know his trants from top to tail, He lives with gauds and with guilery. 160 Thereby he brought out of our bail Now late Lazarus of Bethany; 134 thrall in subjection 136 harbur lodging 139 Weinejecon spear fasten all... speed core you 140 wate look-outs 142 dete dispute 143. Beat hin then ferely 144 gor male gong his gute go his way 146 deray clamour 148. To be kiled the other day 149 ir time opportanely 150 traverses crosses aloay continually 151 iv hold held in 152 Make sure that he docs notlesve 153 maudgo 154 mareavare 155 He plans to destoy 157 fetur iar tefin that 158 fare commotion 159 trans sategems 160 goud tricks guy deceit ‘161 ail apy 162 Now lee Just recenty The Harrowing of Hell Therefore I gave to the Jews counsel That they should always gar him die. Tentered in Judas ‘That foreward to fulél, ‘Therefore his hire he has Always to won here still BEELZEBUB: Sir Satan, since we hear thee say ‘That thou and the Jews were sam assent, And wot he won Lazarus away ‘That to us was ta’en for to tent, Trow thou that thou mar him may, To muster mights what he has meant? If he now deprive us of our prey, ‘We will ye wit when they are went. SATAN: [bid you be not abashed, But boldly make you boun ‘With tools that ye on traist, And ding that dastard down. JESUS: Principes, portastollite, ‘Undo your gates, ye princes of pride, Ex introibt rex glorie, The king of bliss comes in this tide, SATAN: Out, harrow! What harlot is he That says his kingdom shall be cried? DAVID: That may thou in my Psalter see, For that point I prophesied, I said that he should break Your bars and bands by name, And on your works take wreak— Now shall ye see the same. JESUS: This stead shall stand no longer stocken: Open up, and let my people pass. 166 alays by all means 167 hire recompense 170 sam assent together agreed a 171 or know 243 165 170 175 180 185 190 168 sill all the time 172 ta'o given tet have charge of" “173-4 Do you belive you can deo hin, and Spay the fae Kind! of] powers [as] he has? 178 mi info” “ITT abeaed pened 178 town ready" 179 toa weapons on rat have confdencein "ib ogg beat "“aatard wretch "TB, ES ‘Lif up your hea, O ye bees; .. nd oe ing of glory shall ome in? Psalm 24:7) "184 tdetime “188 Gus hares diabolical eis harlot scoundrel” 186 rd procaned190'ip‘taee Paricularly” 191 ayeabvengeance "193 sacor ht244 ‘The Saddlers ‘RIBALD: Out! Behold, our bail is broken, 195 And burst are all our bands of brass— ‘Tell Lucifer all is unlocken. BEELZEBUB: What then, is Limbo lom? Alas, Gar Satan help that we were wroken; This work is worse than.ever it was. 200 SATAN: I bad ye should be boun If he made masteries more. Do ding that dastard down And set him sad and sore. BEELZEBUB: Yea, set him sore—that is soon said, 205 But come thyself and serve him so. ‘We may not bide his bitter braid, He will us mar and we were mo. SATAN: What, faitours, wherefore are ye flayed? Have ye no force to ft him fro? 210 Belive look that my gear be graithed, ‘Myself shall to that gadling go. Ho, belamy, abide, With all thy boast and bere, And tell to me this tide 2s ‘What masteries makes thou here? JESUS: I make no masteries but for mine, ‘Them will I save, I tell thee now. ‘Thou had no power them to pine, But as my prisons for their prow 20 Here have they sojourned, not as thine, But in thy ward—thou wot well how. SATAN: And what devil hast thou done ay syne, ‘That never would nigh them near ere now? JESUS: Now is the time certain 2s ‘My Father ordained before, 195 ail outer fortification 197 unlocks unlocked 198 lom lost 199 Get Satan to help us be avenged 204 set him sad give him grief 206 seree eal with 207 bide endure raid assault 208 and even if mo more rumerous 209 flayed frightened 210 fi him fro expel him from [here] ZIT Belize Quickly greithed made ready 212 galing Scoundrel 213 belamy food friend 214 Bore commotion 220 prions prisoners prow benefit 222 ward (emporary) custody you are well aware of this 223 17 sme ever Since 224 nigh approach ‘The Harrowing of Hell ‘That they should pass from pai And won in mirth evermore. + SATAN: Thy father knew I well by sight, He was a wright his meat to win, And Mary me means thy mother hight— ‘The uttermost end of all thy kin. Who made thee be so mickle of might? JESUS: Thou wicked fiend, let be thy din. ‘My Father wons in heaven on height, ‘With bliss that shall never blin. 1 am his own son, His foreward to fulfil, And sam ay shall we won ‘And sunder when we will, SATAN: God’s son? ‘Then should thou be fall glad, After no chattels need thou crave! But thou has lived ay like a lad, And in sorrow as a simple knave. JESUS: That was for heartly love I had ‘Unto man’s soul, it for to save; And for to make thee mazed and mad, ‘And by that reason thus duly to have ‘My Godhead here, I hid In Mary, mother mine, For it should not be kid To thee nor to none of thine. SATAN: Ah, this would I were told in ilka town, So, since thou says God is thy sire, I shall thee prove by right reason ‘Thou moot his men into she mire ‘0 break his bidding were they boun, And, for they did at my desire, 28 won in mirth lve in bliss din be quiet 239 sam ay together always fhumble circumstances simple humble ‘means 251 hid known 254 sie people into a desperate plight Cond 258 forbecause 245 230 235 20 245 250 255 5 230-2 He eames i ing os cane believe your mother was called Mary—that’s all there is to your family ne tt ed elo wat anting" "2 Stina a 47 mat old 242 You 24 somo 248 reason 256 You are arguing his246 The Saddlers From Paradise he put them down In hell here to have their hire. And thyself, day and night, ‘Has taught all men among To do reason and right, ‘And here works thou all wrong. JESUS: I work not wrong, that shall thou wit, IFT my men from woe will win ‘My prophets plainly preached it, All this note that I now begin. ‘They said that I should be obit, ‘To hell that I should enter in, ‘And save my servants from that pit Where damned souls shall sit for sin. And ilk true prophet’ tale Must be fulfilled in me; T have them bought with bale, And in bliss shall they be. SATAN: Now since thee list allege the laws, “Thou shalt be attainted ere we twin, For tho that thou to witness draws Full even against thee will begin. Solomon said in his saws ‘That whoso enters hell within Shall never come out, thus clerks knows— And therefore, fellow, leave thy din. Job, thy servant, also "Thus in his time gan tell ‘That neither friend nor foe Should find release in hell. JESUS: He said full sooth, that shall thou see, ‘That in hell may be no release, But of that place then preached he Where sinful care shall ever increase. 263 reason [what is} reasonable 268 note business 215 bale suffering 277 shee fi allege you choose to cite 260 265 270 25 280 285 290 269 obit dead 278 tained ‘convicted min part 279-80 For those whom you cite as wimesses are equally ‘against you. 281 sams sayings 283 thus... Ams so wise men understand 289 ful otk very uly ‘The Harrowing of Hell And in that bail ay shall thou be Where sorrows sere shall never ‘cease, And for my folk therefrom were free, Now shall they pass to the place of peace, They were here with my will, And so shall they forth wend, And thyself shall fulfil Their woe without end. SATAN: Oh, then see I how thou means among Some measure with malice to mel, Since thou says all shall not gang, But some shall alway with us dwell, JESUS: Yea, wit thou well, else were it wrong, . As cursed Cain that slew Abel, And all that haste themselves to hang, As Judas and Achitophel, Dathan and Abiram, ‘And all of their assent, Als tyrants every one ‘That me and mine torment. ‘And all that list not to lere may law ‘That I have left in land now new— ‘That is my coming for to know, And to my sacrament pursue, ‘My death, my rising, read by row— Who will not trow, they are not true, Unto my doom I shall them draw, And judge them worse than any Jew. And all that likes to lere ‘My law, and leve thereby, Shall never have harms here, But wealth, as is worthy. SATAN: Now here my hand, I hold me paid, This point is plainly for our prow. 247 295 300 310 315 320 325 294 sere manifold 301-2 Ob, then I see how you intend to mingle some modera- tion with malice | 303 gunggo 310 of thar ast of like mind alll yramts 313 dir. lew do not cae to accept my law arth just recently 315 mm acknowledge 316 pure abide by ve sghiy understood” 39 som faigement init 324 wealth happiness 25 Tam content 311 Also 317 read 322 lee thereby believe248 The Saddlers If this be sooth that thou hast said ‘We shall have mo than we have now. ‘This law that thou now late has laid T shall lere men not to allow; 330 If they it take they are betrayed, For I shall turn them tite, I tow. I shall walk east and west, And gar them work well war. JESUS: Nay, fiend, thou shall be fast, 335 ‘That thou shalt flit not far. SATAN: Fast? That were a foul reason— Nay, belamy, thou bus be smit. JESUS: Michael, mine angel, make thee boun ‘And fast yon fiend, that he not flit. 340 ‘And, Devil, I command thee go down Into thy cell where thou shalt sit. SATAN: Out! Ay harrow! Help, Mahound! Now wax I wood out of my wit. BEELZEBUB: Satan, this said we ere, 345 ‘Now shall thou feel thy fit. SATAN: Alas for dole and care, 1 sink into hell’ pit. ADAM: Ah, Jesu, Lord, mickle is thy might, ‘That mecks thyself in this manner, 350 Us for to help as thou has hight, When both forfeit, I and my fere. Here have we lived without light Four thousand and six hundred years Now see I by this solemn sight 355 How thy mercy hath made us clear. EVE: Ab, Lord, we were worthy ‘Mo torments for to taste, 327 sooth the truth 328 mo more 329 late just lid established 330 few. allo teach men not wo accept 331 take approve 332 tum pervert ite quickly "334 well mor much worse 335 far chained 336 fc go 397 foul reason wicked intention 338 busmust sit struck down” 342 allprison cell 343 Mahond Muhammad 344 may ‘rocd I go mad 346 fel thy ft undergo your appoiated punishment 347 dale misery. 350 mers humbles S31 hight promised 352 fort rans fresed fee spouse 355 solemn awesome "356 dkarfree 358 fase undergo ‘The Harrowing of Hell 249 But mend us with mercy As thou of might is most. 360 JOHN THE BAPTIST: Ah, Lord, I love thee inwardly, That me would make thy messenger Thy coming on earth for to cry, And teach thy faith to folk in fere; And sithen before thee for to die 365 ‘And bring bodeword to them here, : How they should have thine help in hie, Now see I all thy points appear ‘As David, prophet true, Oft-times fold unto us; x0 Of this coming he knew, And said it should be thus. DAVID: As I have said, yet say I so, Ne derelinquas, domine, Animam meam in inferno, 375 Leave not my soul, Lord, after thee In deep hell where damned shall go; Nor suffer never thy saints to see, ‘The sorrow of them that wons in woe Ay fall of filth, and may not flee. 380 ADAM: We thank his great goodness He ferched us from this place. ‘Make joy now, more and less. ALL: We laud God of his grace. Then they shall sing. JESUS: Adam, and my friends in fere, 385 From all your foes come forth with me. ‘Ye shall be set in solace sere Where ye shall never of sorrows see. And Michael, mine angel clear, Receive these souls all unto thee 390 And lead them as I shall thee lere, To Paradise with play and plenty. He ole gah 2 peste soul in hell (Psalm I wa (Psalm 16:10) 384 laud praise 389 clear bright 392 play250 ‘The Saddlers My grave I will go tll, Ready to rise upright, ‘And so I shall fulfil ‘That I before have hight. MICHAEL: Lord, wend we shall after thy saw, To solace sere they shall be sent. But that these devils no draught us draw, Lord, bless us with thy holy hend. JESUS: My blessing have ye all on row, T shall be with you where ye wend, ‘And all that leally love my law, ‘They shall be blessed without end. ADAM: To thee, Lord, be lofing, ‘That us has won from woe. For solace will we sing Laus tibi cum gloria, 393 tito 399 play no trick on us 401 on rom in order loyally 405 long praising 408 “Prise to you with gory 403 lelly THE CARPENTERS The Resurrection By the time of the York plays there was already an anciently established tra~ dition of presenting the Resurrection in quasi-dramatic or dramatic form a3 part of the liturgy of Easter Sunday. The Visitatio Sepulcri of the medieval church drama contained a sung Latin dialogue between clerics representing the Angel and the three Marys at the empty tomb, the substance of which the York dramatist carefully incorporated into lines 235 to 252 of his play. The piece is also directly connected to the liturgy through the angelic singing of the Easter anthem ‘Christus resurgens? at the moment when Christ steps wordlessly from the tomb and goes his way. The pla presents the Resurrection ‘primarily ina ceremonial and numinous aspect, by drawing on the emotional associations of Easter in the audience's mind, with the lyrical laments and rejoicings ofthe three Marys acting asa powerful directive. Mrs M. Twycross has given an illuminating account of this and other aspects of the play in performance. ‘The presentation of Pilate the High Priests, and the solders is quite dif. ferent in style, and shows something of this dramatists range. Like other biblical episodes of major theological importance, the Resurrection became the object of considerable apocryphal elaboration, and the play owes a good deal to the Northem Passion and the Gospel of Nendemus, comtermporary northern verse narratives, inthe treatment of these characters. However, elements such as the sinister conspiratorial atmosphere surrounding Pilate and the High Priests, the Centurion’s powerful description of the upheavals caused in nature by the death of its Creator, and the human comedy of the soldiery were evidently the playwright’s own inventions. The dramatic fnction ofthe soldiers in relation to the audience is particularly well handled. ‘Their initial swagger- ing suggests that they are lite different from their villainous employers. But by the end, their frank incredulity at the disappearance of Jesus and their eventual decision to make a clean breast oftheir failure has elicited something akin to sympathy. Like Joseph in Joseph's Trouble, they are, with the audience, natural man in the presence ofa divine mystery. ‘There is a substantially similar copy of this play in the Toweley manu- script, which probably means that it was also seen at Wakefield. The Towneley copy helpfully identifies 1, 2, and 3 Mary as the Magdalene, Mary the ‘mother of James and Joses (Mark 16: 1), and Mary Selome, the sister of the Virgin (John 19: 25). The verse-form employed is the same as that found in the Temptation in this selection. Like several of the York craft-guilds, the Carpenters’ origins appear to lic in an early religious guil, in their case the