318 Elbert N. S. Thompson 
to the various classes of society was a favorite subject for the 
mural painters and. the didactic poets of all Europe. Hence the 
messenger who at this point introduces himself to. Mankind was 
a familiar figure to the audience, and his message. but repeated the 
oft-heard warning of the clergy: 
drery is my deth-drawth ; 
‘a-geynS me may no man stonde; 
I durke, & down I brynge to nowth, 
lordys & ladys in euery londe. 
whom-so I haue a lessun tawth, 
onethys sythen schal he mowe stonde; 
In my carful clothys he schal be cawth, 
ryché, poré, fre.& bonde:. - 
whanne I come, bei goo no more. 
where-so I wende in any lede, 
euery man of me hat drede; 
lette I wyl, for no mede, 
to smyté sadde & sore. (2792—2804) 
Just as familiar were the reproaches that Mankind’s soul at this 
crisis heaps upon him: 
body! bou dedyst brew a byttyr bale, 
to pi lustys whanne gannyst loute; 
pi sely sowle schal ben a-kale; 
I beye pi dedys with rewly rowte; 
& al it is for gyle. 
euere bou hast be coueytows, 
falsly to getyn londe & hows; 
to me pou hast brokyn a byttyr jows; 
so welaway be whyle! (3013—21) 
Again the play might have closed with this version of the Dance 
of Death, and this suggestion of the strife between the Body and 
the Soul; but yet another scene could be borrowed from ecclesi- 
astical literature to turn again the scales of fate. Mercy hears the 
appeal of Mankind’s soul, and is moved to pity. Justice, however, 
protests that Mankind should expect no pardon: 
& euery man pat wyl Fulfyll 
pe dedly synnys, & folw mysdede, 
to graunte hem mercy, me pynkyth is no skyl; 
& berfore, systyr, zou I rede, 
lete hym a-bye his mysdede. (3156—60) 
