The Burial of Christ and the Guarding of the Sepulchre

Centurio
In trewth, now I knowe with ful opyn syght1
That Goddys dere sone is naylid on tre.
These wundyrful tokenys aprevyn ful ryght
Quod vere Filius Dei erat iste.
Alius Miles
The very childe of God I suppose þat he be,5
And so it semyth wele be his wundyrful werk:
þe erth sore qwakyth, and þat agresyth me;
With myst and grett wedyr it is woundyr dyrk.
Alius Miles
3 Soch merveylis shewe may non erthely man!9
þe eyr is ryght derke þat fyrst was ryght clere;
The erthqwave is grett, þe clowdys waxe whan.
These tokenys preue hym a lorde without any pere.
Centurio
His fadyr is pereles kyng of most empere,13
Bothe Lorde of þis World and Kynge of Hevyn hy3e.
3it out of all synne to brynge us owt of daungere,
He soferyth his dere sone for us all to dye.
Nichodemus
Alas, alas, what syght is this,17
To se þe Lorde and Kynge of Blys,
þat nevyr synnyd ne dede amys,
þus naylid vpon a rode!
Alas, 3ewys, what haue 3e wrought?
A, 3e wyckyd wytys, what was 3oure thought?
Why haue 3e bobbyd and þus betyn owth23
All his blyssyd blood?
Senturyo
A, now trewly telle weyl I kan25
þat þis was Goddys owyn sone.
I knowe he is both God and man
Be þis wark þat here is done.
þer was nevyr man but God þat cowde make þis werk
þat evyr was of woman born,
Were he nevyr so gret a clerk;
It passeth hem all, þow þei had sworn.
Hese lawe was trewe, I dare wel saye,33
þat he tawth us here amonge.
þerfore I rede 3e, turne 3oure faye,
And amende þat 3e han do wronge.
Joseph of Ara[mathie]
O good Lord Jesu, þat deyst now here on rode,
Haue mercy on me and forgyf me my mys.
I wold þe worchep here with my good,
þat I may come to þi blysse.
To Pylat now wole I goon41
And aske þe body of my Lord Jesu.
To bery þat now wold I soon
In my grave, þat is so new.
Heyl, Sere Pylat, þat syttyth in sete!45
Heyl, justyce of Jewys men do þe calle!
Heyl, with helthe I do þe grete!
I pray þe of a bone whatso befalle.
To bery Jesuis body I wole þe pray,49
þat he were out of mennys syth.
For tomorwyn xal be oure holy day;
þan wole no man hym bery, I þe plyth.
And yf we lete hym hange þer stylle,53
Some wolde seyn þerof anow.
þe pepyl þerof wold seyn ful ylle
þat nother xuld be 3oure worchep nor prow.
Pylat
Sere Joseph of Baramathie, I graunt þe;57
With Jesuis body do þin intent.
But fyrst I wole wete þat he ded be,
As it was his jugement.
Sere knytys, I comawnd 3ow þat 3e go61
In hast with Josepht of Baramathie;
And loke 3e take good hede þerto
þat Jesu suerly ded be.
Se þat þis comawndement 3e fulfylle65
Without wordys ony mo.
And þan lete Joseph do his wylle,
What þat he wyl with Jesu do.

Here come to knytys beforn Pylat atonys, þus seyng:


Primus Miles
Sere, we xal do oure dylygens,69
With Joseph goyng to Caluerye.
Be we out of þi presens,
Sone þe trewth we xal aspye.
Joseph [Aramathie]
Gramercy, Pylat, of 3oure jentylnesse,73
þat 3e han grawntyd me my lyst.
Anythyng in my province
3e xal haue at 3oure [request].
Pylat
Sere, all 3oure lest 3e xal haue.77
With Jesuis body do 3oure intent.
Whethyr 3e bery hym in pyt or grave,
þe powere I grawnt 3ow here present.

The ij knygtys go with Joseph to Jesus, and stande and heldyn hym in þe face.


Secundus Miles
Methynkyth Jesu is sewre anow —81
It is no ned his bonys to breke.
He is ded, how þinkyth 3ow?
He xal nevyr go nor speke.
Primus Miles
We wyl be sure or þan we go.85
Of a thyng I am bethowth;
3ondyr is a blynd knyth I xal go to,
And sone a whyle here xal be wrowth.

Here þe knyth goth to blynde Longeys and seyth:


Heyl, Sere Longeys, þu gentyl knyth.89
þe I prey now ryth hertyly
þat þu wylt wend with me ful wyth.
It xal be for þi prow, veryly.
Longeus
Sere, at 3oure comawndement with 3ow wyl I wende93
In what place 3e wyl me haue.
For I trost 3e be my frend;
Lede me forth, sere, oure Sabath 3ou save.
Primus Miles
Lo, Sere Longeys, here is a spere97
Bothe long and brood, and sharp anow.
Heve it up fast þat it wore þere,
For here is game. Show, man, show!

Here Longeys showyth þe spere warly; and þe blood comyth rennyng to his hand, and he auantotysly xal wype his eyn.


Longeys
O good Lord, how may þis be,101
þat I may se so bryth now?
þis thretty wyntyr I myth not se
And now I may se, I wote nevyr how!
But ho is þis þat hangyth here now?
I trowe it be be [maydonys] sone.
And þat he is. Now I knowe wel how107
þe jewys to hym þis velany han don.

Here he fallyth down on his knes.


Now, good Lord, forgyf me that109
þat I to þe now don have.
For I dede I wyst not what.
þe Jewys of myn ignorans dede me rave.
Mercy! Mercy! Mercy, I crye!

[þan] Joseph doth set up þe lederys, and Nychodemus comyth to help hym.


Nicodemus
Joseph ab Aramathy, blyssyd þu be,114
For þu dost a fol good dede.
I prey the, lete me help þe,
þat I may be partenere of þi mede.
Joseph
Nychodemus, welcome indede.118
I pray 3ow 3e wole help þerto.
He wole aqwyte us ryth weyl oure mede,
And I haue lysens for to do.

Here Joseph and Nychodemus takyn Cryst of þe cros, on on o ledyr and þe tother on another leddyr. And quan [he] is had down, Joseph leyth hym in oure Ladys lappe, seyng þe knytys turnyng hem, and Joseph seyth:


Joseph
Lo, Mary, modyr good and trewe,122
Here is þi son, blody and bloo.
For hym myn hert ful sore doth rewe.
Kysse hym now onys eer he go.
Maria Virgo
A, mercy! Mercy, myn owyn son so dere,126
þi blody face now I must kysse.
þi face is pale, withowtyn chere;
Of meche joy now xal I mysse.
þer was nevyr modyr þat sey this,
So here sone dyspoyled with so gret wo.
And my dere chylde nevyr dede amys.132
A, mercy, Fadyr of Hefne, it xulde be so.
Joseph
Mary, 3oure sone 3e take to me;134
Into his grave it xal be browth.
Maria
Joseph, blyssyd evyr mot þu be136
For þe good dede þat 3e han wrowth.

Here þei xal leyn Cryst in his grave.


Joseph
I gyf þe þis syndony þat I have bowth
To wynde þe in whyl it is new.
Nichodemus
Here is an onyment þat I haue browth140
To anoynt withall myn Lord Jhesu.
Joseph
Now Jesu is withinne his grave,142
Wheche I ordeyn somtyme for me.
On þe, Lord, I vowche it save;
I knowe my mede ful gret xal be.
Nichodem[us]
Now lete us leyn on þis ston ageyn,146
And Jesu in þis tombe stylle xal be.
And we wyl walke hom ful pleyn;
þe day passyth fast I se.
Farewel, Joseph, and wel 3e be;
No lengere teryeng here we make.
Joseph
Sere, almythy God be with þe;152
Into his blysse he mote 3ou take.
Maria
Farewel 3e jentyl princys kende.154
In joye evyr mote 3e be.
þe blysse of hefne withowtyn ende
I knowe veryly þat 3e xal se.

Here þe princys xal do reuerens to oure Lady and gon here way, and leve þe Maryes at þe sepulcre. Cayphas goth to Pylat, seyng þus:


Cayphas
Herk, Sere Pylat, lyst to me.158
I xal þe telle tydyngys new.
Of o thyng we must ware be,
Er ellys hereafter we myth it rewe.
þu wotyst weyl þat Jesu,162
He seyd to us with wordys pleyn,
He seyd we xuld fynd it trew,
þe thryd day he wold ryse agey[n].
Yf þat hese dyscyplys come, serteyn,166
And out of his graue stele hym away,
þei wyl go preche and pleyn seyn
þat he is reson þe thryd day.
þis is þe cowncel þat I gyf here:
Take men and gyf hem charge þerto
To weche þe grave with gret power
Tyl þe thryd day be go.
Pylat
Sere Cayphas, it xal be do,174
For as 3e say, þer is peryl in.
And it happend þat it were so,
It myth make oure lawys for to blyn.
3e xal se, sere, er þat 3e go,
How I xal þis mater saue,
And what I xal sey þerto,180
And what charge þei xal haue.
Come forth 3e, Sere Amorawnt182
And Sere Arphaxat; com ner also,
Sere Cosdram and Sere Affraunt,
And here þe charge þat 3e must do.
Serys, to Jesuis grave 3e xal go
Tyl þat þe thryd day be gon,
And lete nother frend nor fo188
In no wey to towche þe ston.
Yf ony of hese dyscipelys com þer190
To fech þe body fro 3ou away,
Bete hym down! Have 3e no fere —
With shamful deth do hym day!
In payn of 3oure godys and 3oure lyvys194
þat 3e lete hem nowth shape 3ou fro,
And of 3oure chyldere and 3oure wyfys —
For al 3e lese and 3e do so.
Primus Miles
Sere Pylat, we xal not ses.198
We xal kepe it strong anow.
Secundus Miles
3a, and an hunderyd put hem in pres,200
þei xal dey, I make avow!
Tercius Miles
And han honderyd? Fy on an C and an C þerto!202
þer is non of hem xal us withstonde.
Quartus Miles
3a, and þer com an hunderyd thowsand and mo,204
I xal hem kylle with myn honde!
Pylat
Wel, serys, þan 3oure part 3e do.206
And to 3oure charge loke 3e take hede,
Withowtyn wordys ony mo,
Wysly now þat 3e procede.

Here þe knytys gon out of þe place.


Lo, Sere Cayphas, how thynkyth 3ow?210
Is not þis wel browth abowth?
Cayphas
In feyth, sere, it is sure anow.212
Hardely, haue 3e no dowth.
Arfaxat
ij Let se, Ser Amaraunt, where wele 3e be?214
Wole 3e kepe þe feet or þe hed?
Ameraunt
At þe hed, so mote I the.216
And hoso come here, he is but ded.
Arfaxat
ij And I wole kepe þe feet þis tyde,218
þow þer come both Jakke and Gylle.
Cosdram
iij And I xal kepe þe ryth syde;220
And hoso come, I xal hym kylle.
Affraunt
4 And I wole on þe lefte hand ben,222
And hoso come here, he xal nevyr then.
Ful sekyrly his bane xal I ben
With dyntys of dowte.
Syr Pylat, haue good day!
We xul kepyn þe body in clay.
And we xul wakyn wele þe way,228
And wayten all abowte.
Pylatus
Now, jentyl serys, wele 3e vowchsaffe230
To go with me and sele þe graffe,
þat he ne ryse out of þe grave
þat is now ded?
Cayphas
We graunte wel; lete us now go.234
Whan it is selyd and kepte also,
Than be we sekyr, withowtyn wo,
And haue of hym no dred.

Tunc ibunt ad sepulcrum Pilatus, Cayphas, Annas, et omnes milites, et dicit:


Annas
Loo, here is wax ful redy dyght;238
Sett on 3oure sele anon ful ryght.
þan be 3e sekyr, I 3ow plyght,
He xal not rysyn agayn.
Pilatus
On þis corner my seal xal sytt,242
And with þis wax I sele þis pytt.
Now dare I ley he xal nevyr flytt
Out of þis grave, serteayn.
Annas
Here is more wax ful redy, loo.246
All þe cornerys 3e sele also,
And with a lokke loke it too.
Than lete us gon oure way.
And lete þese knytys abydyn þerby;
And yf hese dysciplys com preuyly
To stele awey þis ded body,252
To vs they hem brynge without delay.
Pilatas
On every corner now is sett my seale;254
Now is myn herte in welthe and wele.
Th[er] may no brybour awey now stele
þis body from vndyr ston.
Now, syr buschopp, I pray to the,
And Annas also, com on with me.
Evyn togedyr all we thre,260
Homward þe wey we gon.
As wynde wrothe,262
Knyghtys, now goht
Clappyd in cloth,
And kepyth hym well!
Loke 3e be bolde
With me for to holde.
3e xul haue gold268
And helme of stele.

Pylat, Annas, and Cayphas go to þer skaffaldys, and þe knyghtys sey[n]:


Affraunt
4 Now in þis grownnde270
He lyth bounde
þat tholyd wounde
For he was fals.
þis lefft cornere
I wyl kepe here,
Armyd clere,276
Bothe hed and hals.
Cosdram
3 I wyl haue þis syde278
Whatso betyde.
If any man ryde
To stele þe cors,
I xal hym chyde
With woundys wyde,
Amonge hem glyde284
With fyne fors.
Ameraunt/primus
The hed I take286
Hereby to wake.
A stele stake
I holde in honde
Maystryes to make.
Crownys I crake,
Schafftys to shake292
And schapyn schonde.
Arfaxat/secundus
I xal not lete294
To kepe þe fete;
They ar ful [wete],
Walterid in blood.
He þat wyll stalke
Be brook or balke
Hedyr to walke,300
þo wrecchis be wood.
Primus Miles
Myn heed dullyth,302
Myn herte fullyth
Of slepp.
Seynt Mahownd,
þis beryenge grownd
þu kepp!
Secundus Miles
I sey þe same;308
For any blame,
I falle.
Mahownd whelpe,
Aftyr þin helpe
I calle.
Tercius Miles
I am hevy as leed;314
For any dred,
I slepe.
Mahownd of myght,
þis ston tonyght
þu kepe!
Quartus Miles
I haue no foot320
To stonde on root
By brynke.
Here I aske
To go to taske
A wynke.


2024 Mar 19  14:56:36