From the morality play Mankind (c. 1465-70), translated into modern English

Titivillus:

Go your way; the Devil's way; get going all of you.  I bless you with my left hand, may foulness befall you.  Make sure you come quickly when I call you. And bring what your gained with you. I will wait here to speak with Mankind.  And test his abilities to resist temptation. The Good man Mercy is no longer his guide.  I shall make him dance to another tune.  Even as I go invisible, as is my fashion, I will hang my nets right before his eyes to corrupt his sight, I'll test him. I shall concoct a plan to interrupt his work.  I'll hide a board under the ground where he digs with his spade and hinder his progress.  Hopefully this will make him very angry, loose his patience, and behave shamefully.  I shall mix weeds in with his corn and this will make it difficult to cultivate and sell.  Here he comes now.  I hope this works and he begins to lose his holiness.

 

Mankind:

Now God of his mercy send us his message.  I have seed here to sow on my land. While I till it, it shall stay here. In the Name of the Father Son and Holy spirit I begin.  [He's having difficulty because of Titivillus's traps] This land is so hard it makes me unhappy and upset.  I shall sow my corn at winter and let God help me.  [Time is obviously passing] Alas my corn is lost here is ill fortune. I now see that I will gain little by farming. I give up using a spade now and forever.  [Titivillus picks up the discarded spade and takes it off stage]  I will no longer attempt to work as an occupation.  I will go and hear the evening prayers before I leave. This is the place that is my church I will kneel on my knees.  "Our father who art in heaven."

Titivillus:

I promise you I can move very quickly. I am back to annoy this fellow. Shush!  Peace! I shall go and whisper in his ear. "A short prayer is the most efficient"  "Now stop praying.  Get up and get going.  You've got to take a dump."

Mankind:

I will just sneak off into the yard for a moment and come right back.  I dread colic and kidney stones, so I will go do what must be done.  I leave my prayer beads here in case someone else can use them.

Titivillus:

Mankind was busy praying but I made him get up.  He is interrupted from his divine service, by Christ.  Where is he you might ask, and oddly enough I know.  I have sent him off to shit lies.  If you have some silver or perhaps some brass. Take a little powder of Paris and rub it on the brass and it will pass for silver at night. Titivillus can teach you many such things. I trust Mankind will come again soon or else the evening prayers will be over and his prayer beads will be lost as well. Mankind is coming back.  I hope everything came out all right. I shall have an answer for any question he might ask.  This way I can lead him away from his purpose.

Mankind:

Evening prayers have been going on for too long.  I'm tired of them they're too long by a mile.  I think I'll cut back on the Church going. I think I'll try doing something else.  Both labor and prayer are no fun.  Even if it will bother Mercy--I'm gonna give it up.  My head is so heavy I could sleep forever, even if my brother needed me.

Titivillus

If you've ever been quiet for me, be so now. Not a word I tell you or you'll owe me money. You shall see an amusing game before you leave here. Do you hear him snore--he is fast asleep. Shush, quiet!  "Don't fear the Devil" I'll whisper in his ear.  Alas, alas Mankind, Mercy has stolen a horse.  He is a runaway slave and he is on the lamb.  He stole a horse and an ox cart. And I heard that he broke his neck over in France,  but actually I think they hanged him. They taught him that swinging dance because he's a thief--he got what he deserved.  Don't trust someone like him.  He's a liar--remember how hard the work he ordered was? Arise and make friends with New Guise, Nowadays and Nought.  They can best tell you what's right, make amends with them.  You should also leave your wife and get a mistress."  Farewell all, my work here is done.  I have now brought Mankind to mischief and shame.

Mankind:

Hurray!  Mercy has broken his neck or is hanged by the neck high on a gallows.  Adieu fair masters I'm off to the nearest alehouse.  To speak with New Guise, Nowadays, and Nought and get me a floozy with a pretty face.