The Conspiracy

Pilate
Peas, carles, I commaunde / vnconand I call you;
I say stynt and stande / or foull myght befall you.
ffro this burnyshyd brande / now when I behald, you,
I red ye be shunand / or els the dwill skald you,
At onys.
I am kyd, as men knawes,
leyf leder of lawes;
Seniours, seke to my sawes,
ffor bryssyng of youre bonys.
ye wote not wel, I weyn / what wat is commen to the towne,
So comly cled and cleyn / a rewler of great renowne;
In sight if I were seyn / the granser of great mahowne,
My name pylate has beyn / was neuer kyng with crowne
More wor[thy];
My wysdom and my wytt,
In sete here as I sytt,
was neuer more lyke it,
My dedys thus to dyscry.
ffor I am he that may / make or mar a man;
My self if I it say / as men of cowrte now can;
Supporte a man to day / to-morn agans hym than,
On both parties thus I play / And fenys me to ordan
The right;
Bot all fals indytars,
Quest mangers and Iurers,
And all thise fals out rydars,
Ar welcom to my sight.
More nede had I neuer / of sich seruand now, I say you,
So can I well consider / the trowth I most displeas you,
And therfor com I hedyr / of peas therfor I pray you;
Ther is a lurdan ledyr / I wold not shuld dysmay you,
A bowtt;
A prophete is he prasyd,
And great vnright has rasyd,
Bot, be my banys her blasid,
his deth is dight no dowtt.
he prechys the pepyll here / that fature fals ihesus,
That if he lyf a yere / dystroy oure law must vs;
And yit I stand in fere / so wyde he wyrkys vertus,
No fawt can on hym bere / no lyfand leyde tyll us;
Bot sleyghtys
Agans hym shall be soght,
that all this wo has wroght;
Bot on his bonys it shall be boght,
So shall I venge oure rightys.
That fatoure says that thre / shuld euer dwell in oone godhede,
That euer was and shall be / Sothfast in made hede;
he says of a madyn born was he / that neuer toke mans sede,
And that his self shall dy on tre / and mans sawll out of preson lede;
let hym alone,
If this be true in deyd,
his shech shall spryng and sprede,
And ouer com euer ylkone.
Cayphas
Syr pilate, prynce of mekyll price,
that preuyd is withoutten pere,
And lordyngys that oure laws in lyse,
on oure law now must vs lere,
And of oure warkys we must be wyse,
or els is all oure welthe in were,
Therfor say sadly youre auyse,
of hedus harmes that we haue here,
Towchyng that tratoure strang,
that makys this beleyf,
ffor if he may thus furth gang,
It will ouer greatly grefe.
Annas
Sir, oure folk ar so afrayd,
thrugh lesyns he losys oure lay;
Som remedy must be rayd,
so that he weynd, not thus away.
Pilate
Now certan, syrs, this was well sayd,
and I assent, right as ye say,
Som preuay poynt to be puruayd
To mar his myght if [that] we may;
And therfor, sirs, in this present,
What poynt so were to prase,
let all be at assent,
let se what ilk man says.
Cayphas
Sir, I haue sayde you here beforne
his soteltyes and, grefys to sare;
he turnes oure folk both euen & morne,
and ay makys mastres mare & mare.
Annas
Sir, if he skape it were great skorne;
to spyll hym tytt we will not spare,
ffor if oure lawes were thus-gatys lorne,
men wold say it were lake of lare.
Pilate
ffor certan, syrs, ye say right weyll
ffor to wyrk witterly;
Bot yit som fawt must we feyll,
wherfor that he shuld dy;
And therfor, sirs, let se youre saw,
ffor what thyng we shuld hym slo.
Cayphas
Sir, I can rekyn you on a raw
a thowsand wonders, and well moo,
Of crokyd men, that we well knaw,
how graythly that he gars them go,
And euer he legys agans oure law,
tempys oure folk and turnys vs fro.
Annas
lord, dom and defe in oure present
delyuers he, by downe & dayll;
what hurtys or ha[r]mes thay hent,
ffull hastely he makys theym hayll.
And for sich warkys as he is went
of ilk welth he may avayll,
And vnto vs he takys no tent,
bot ilk man trowes vnto his tayll.
Pilate
yei, dewill! and dos he thus
as ye well bere wytnes?
sich fawte fall to vs,
be oure dom, for to redres.
Cayphas
And also, sir, I haue hard say,
an other noy that neghys vs nere,
he will not kepe oure sabate day,
that holy shuld be haldyn here;
Bot forbedys far and nere
to wyrk at oure bydyng.
Pilate
Now, by mahowns bloode so dere,
he shall aby this bowrdyng!
what dewill will he be there?
this hold I great hethyng.
Annas
Nay, nay, well more is ther;
he callys hym self heuens kyng,
And says that he is so myghty
all rightwytnes to rewll and red.
Pilate
By mahowns blood, that shall he aby
with bytter baylls or I ett bred!
Primus Miles
lord, the loth lazare of betany
that lay stynkand in a sted,
vp he rasyd bodely
the fourt day after he was ded.
Secundus Miles
And for that he hym rasyd,
that had lyne dede so long a space,
The people hym full mekyll prasyd,
ouer all in euery place.
Annas
Emangys the folke has he the name
that he is godys son, and, none els,
And his self says the same
that his fader in heuen dwelles;
That he shall rewll both wyld, and tame;
of all sich maters thus he mels.
Pilate
This is the dwylls payn!
who trowys sich talys as he tels?
Cayphas
yis, lord, haue here my hand,
and ilk man beyldys hym as his brother;
Sich whaynt cantelys he can,
lord, ye knew neuer sich an othere.
Pilate
why, and wotys he not that I haue
bold men to be his bayn?
I commaunde both knyght and knaue
sesse not to that lad be slayn.
Primus Miles
Sir pylate, mefe you now no mare,
bot mese youre hart and mend youre mode;
ffor bot if that losell lere oure lare
and leyf his gawdys, he were as goode;
ffor in oure tempyll we will not spare
to take that losell, if he were woode.
Pilate
In oure tempyll? the dwill! what dyd he thare?
that shall he by, by mahouns blode!
Secundus Miles
lord, we wist not youre wyll;
with wrang ye vs wyte;
had ye so told vs tyll,
we shuld haue takyn hym tyte.
Pilate
The dwill, he hang you high to dry!
whi, wold ye lese oure lay?
Go bryng hym heder hastely,
so that he weynd not thus away.
Cayphas
Sir pilate, be not to hasty,
bot suffer ouer oure sabote day;
In the mene tyme to spyr and spy
mo of his meruels, if men may.
Annas
yei, sir, and when this feste is went,
then shall his craftys be kyd.
Pilate
Certys, syrs, and I assent
ffor to abyde then, as ye byd.
Judas
Masters, myrth be you emang,
and mensk be to this meneye!
Cayphas
Go! othere gatys thou has to gang
with sorow; who send after the?
Judas
Syrs, if I haue done any wrang,
at youre awne bydyng will I be.
Pilate
Go hence, harlot, hy mot thou hang!
where in the dwill hand had we the?
Judas
Goode sir, take it to no grefe;
for my menyng it may avayll.
Annas
we, lad, thou shuld ask lefe
to com in sich counsayll.
Judas
Sir, all youre counsell well I ken;
ye mene my master for to take.
Annas
A ha! here is oone of his men
that thus vnwynly gars vs wake.
Pilate
la hand on hym, and hurl hym then
emangys you, for his master sake;
ffor we haue maters mo then ten,
that well more myster were to make.
Cayphas
Set on hym buffettys sad,
Sen he sich mastrys mase,
And teche ye sich a lad
to profer hym in sich a place.
Judas
Sir, my profer may both pleas and pay
to all the lordys in this present.
Pilate
we! go hens in twenty dwill way!
we haue no tome the for to tent.
Judas
yis, the profete that has lost youre lay
by wonder warkys, as he is went,
If ye will sheynd hym as ye say,
to sell hym you I wyll assent.
Pilate
A, sir, hark! what says thou?
let se, and shew thi skyll.
Judas
Sir, a bargan bede I you,
by it if ye will.
Annas
what is thi name? do tell in hy,
if we may wit if thou do wrang.
Judas
Iudas scarioth, so hight I,
that with the profet has dwellyd lang.
Pilate
Sir, thou art welcom witterly!
say what thou will vs here emang.
Judas
Not els bot if ye will hym by;
do say me sadly or I gang.
Cayphas
yis, freynd, in fathe will we
noght els; bot hartely say
how that bargan may be,
and we shall make the pay.
Annas
Iudas, forto hold the hayll,
And for to fell all fowll defame,
looke that thou may avow thi sayll;
then may thou be withoutten blame.
Judas
Sir, of my teyn gyf ye neuer tayll,
so that ye haue hym here at hame;
his bowrdyng has me broght in bayll,
and certys his self shall haue the same.
Cayphas
Sir pylate, tentys here tyll,
and lightly leyf it noght,
Then may ye do youre wyll
of hym that ye haue boght.
Annas
yei, and then may we be bold
fro all the folk to hald hym fre;
And hald hym hard with vs in hold,
right as oone of youre meneye.
Pilate
Now, Iudas, sen he shalbe sold,
how lowfes thou hym? belyfe let se.
Judas
ffor thretty pennys truly told,
or els may not that bargan be;
So mych gart he me lose,
malycyusly and yll;
Therfor ye shall haue chose,
to by or let be styll.
Annas
Gart he the lose? I pray the, why?
tell vs now pertly or thou pas.
Judas
I shall you say, and that in hy,
euery word right as it was.
In symon house with hym sat I
with othere meneyoe that he has;
A woman cam to company,
callyng hym "lord"; saying, "alas!"
ffor synnes that she had wroght
she wepyd sore always;
And an oyntment she broght,
that precyus was to prayse.
She weshyd hym with hir terys weytt,
and sen dryed hym with hir hare;
This fare oyntment, hir bale to beytt,
apon his hede she put it thare,
That it ran all abowte his feytt;
I thoght it was a ferly fare,
The house was full of odowre sweytt;
then to speke myght I not spare,
ffor certys, I had not seyn
none oyntment half so fyne;
Ther-at my hart had teyn,
sich tresoure for to tyne.
I sayd it was worthy to sell
thre hundreth pens in oure present,
ffor to parte poore men emell;
bot will ye se wherby I ment?
The tent parte, truly to tell,
to take to me was myne intent;
ffor of the tresure that to vs fell,
the tent parte euer with me went;
And if thre hundreth be right told,
the tent parte is euen thryrty;
Right so he shalbe sold,
say if ye will hym by.
Pilate
Now for certan, sir, thou says right wele,
sen he wate the with sich a wrast,
ffor to shape hym som vncele,
and for his bost be not abast.
Annas
Sir, all thyn askyng euery dele
here shall thou hafe, therof be trast;
Bot looke that we no falshede fele.
Judas
sir, with a profe may ye frast;
All that I haue here hight
I shall fulfill in dede,
And well more at my myght,
In tyme when I se nede.
Pilate
Iudas, this spekyng must be spar,
and neuen it neuer, nyght ne day;
let no man wyt where that we war,
for ferdnes of a fowll enfray.
Cayphas
Sir, therof let vs moyte no mare;
we hold vs payde, take ther thi pay.
Judas
This gart he me lose lang are;
now ar we euen for onys and ay.
Annas
This forwarde will not fayll,
therof we may be glad;
Now were the best counsayll,
in hast that we hym had.
Pilate
we shall hym haue, and that in hy,
ffull hastely here in this hall.
Sir knyghtys, that ar of dede dughty,
stynt neuer in stede ne stall,
Bot looke ye bryng hym hastely,
that fatur fals, what so befall.
Primus Miles
Sir, be not abast therby,
ffor as ye byd wyrk we shall.
John
Sir, where will ye youre pask ette?
Say vs, let vs dight youre mete.
Jesus
Go furth, Iohn and peter, to yond cyte;
when ye com ther, ye shall then se
In the strete, as tyte, a man
beryng water in a can;
The house that he gose to grith,
ye shall folow and go hym with;
The lord of that house ye shall fynde,
A sympyll man of cely kynde;
To hym ye shall speke, and say
That I com here by the way;
Say I pray hym, if his will be,
A lytyll whyle to ese me,
That I an my dyscypyls all
myght rest a whyle in his hall,
That we may ete oure paske thore.
Peter
lord, we shall hy vs before,
To that we com to that cyte;
youre paske shall ordand be.
Sir, oure master the prophett
commys behynde in the strete;
And of a chamber he you prays,
To ete and drynk ther-in with easse.
.Pater Familias
Sirs, he is welcom vnto me,
and so is all his company;
with all my hart and all my will
is he welcom me vntyll.
lo, here a chambre fast by,
Ther-in to make youre mangery,
I shal warand fare strewed;
it shuld, not els to you be shewed.
John
Sir, youre mett is redy bowne,
will ye wesh and syt downe?
Jesus
yei, gyf vs water tyll oure hande,
take we the grace that god has send;
Commys furth, both oone and othere;
If I be master I will be brothere.
Iudas, what menys thou?
Judas
No thyng, lord, bot ett with you.
Jesus
Ett on, brether, hardely,
for oone of you shall [me] betray.
Peter
lord, who euer that be may,
lord, I shall neuer the betray;
Dere master, is it oght I?
Jesus
Nay thou, peter, certanly.
John
Master, is oght I he then?
Jesus
Nay, for trowth, Iohn, I the ken.
Annas
Master, am oght [I] that shrew?
Jesus
Nay, for sothe, thou andrew.
Simeon
Master, then is oght I?
Jesus
Nay, thou Simon, securly.
Philip
Is it oght I that shuld do that dede?
Jesus
Nay, philyp, withoutten drede.
Thadeus
was it oght I that hight thadee?
Jacobus
Or we two Iamys?
Jesus
Nay none of you is he;
Bot he that ett with me in dysh,
he shall my body betray, Iwys.
Judas
what then, wene ye that I it am?
Jesus
Thou says sothe, thou berys the blame;
Ichon of you shall this nyght
ffor sake me, and fayn he myght.
John
Nay certys, god forbeyd
that euer shuld we do that deyd!
Peter
If all, master, forsake the,
shall I neuer fro the fle.
Jesus
Peter, thou shall thryse apon a thraw
fforsake me, or the cok craw.
Take vp this clothe and let vs go,
ffor we haue othere thyngys at do.
Sit all downe, and here and sees,
ffor I shall wesh youre feet on knees.
Peter
lord, shuld thou wesh feytt myne?
thou art my lord, and I thy hyne.
Jesus
why I do it thou wote not yit,
peter, herafter shall thou wytt.
Peter
Nay, master, I the heytt,
thou shall neuer wesh my feytt.
Jesus
Bot I the wesh, thou mon mys
parte with me in heuens blys.
Peter
Nay, lord, or I that forgo,
wesh heede, handys, and feytt also.
Jesus
ye ar clene, bot not all;
that shall be sene when tyme shall fall;
who shall be weshyn as I weyn,
he thar not wesh his feytt clene;
And for sothe clene ar ye,
bot not all as ye shuld, be.
I shall you say take good hede
whi that I haue done the dede;
ye call me master and lord, by name;
ye say full well, for so I am;
Sen I, both lord and master, to you wold knele
to wesh youre fete, so must ye wele.
Now wote ye what I haue done;
Ensampyll haue I gyffen you to;
loke ye do so eft sone;
Ichon of you wesh othere fete, lo!
ffor he that seruand is,
for sothe, as I say you,
Not more then his lord, he is,
to whome he seruyce owe.
Or that this nyght be gone,
Alone will ye leyf me;
ffor in this nyght ilkon
ye shall fro me fle;
ffor when the hyrd is smeten,
the shepe shall fle away,
Be skaterd wyde and byten;
the prophetys thus can say.
Peter
lord, if that I shuld dy,
fforsake the shall I noght.
Jesus
ffor sothe, peter, I say to the,
In so great drede shall thou be broght,
That or the cok haue crowen twyse,
thou shall deny me tymes thre.
Peter
That shall I neuer, lord, Iwys;
ere shall I with the de.
Jesus
Now loke youre hartys be grefyd noght,
nawthere in drede ne in wo;
Bot trow in god, that you has wroght,
and in me trow ye also;
In my fader house, for sothe,
is many a wonnyng stede,
That men shall haue aftyr thare trowthe,
soyn after thay be dede.
And here may I no longer leynd,
bot I shall go before,
And yit if I before you weynd,
ffor you to ordan thore,
I shall com to you agane,
and take you to me,
That where so euer I am,
ye shall be with me.
And I am way, and sothe-fastnes,
and, lyfe that euer shalbe;
And to my fader commys none, Iwys,
bot oonly thorow me.
I will not leyf you all helples,
as men withoutten freynd,
As faderles and moderles,
thof all I fro you weynd;
I shall com eft to you agayn:
this warld, shall me not se,
Bot ye shall se me well certan,
and lyfand shall I be.
And ye shall lyf in heuen;
Then shall ye knaw, Iwys,
That I am in my fader euen,
and my fader in me is.
And I in you, and ye in me,
and ilka man therto,
My commaundement that kepys trule,
and after it will do.
Now haue ye hard what I haue sayde;
I go, and com agayn;
Therfor loke ye be payde,
and also glad and fayn;
ffor to my fader I weynd;
ffor more then I is he;
I let you wytt, as faythfull freynd,
or that it done be,
That ye may trow when it is done;
ffor certys, I may noght now
Many thyngys so soyn
at this tyme speake with you;
ffor the prynce of this warld is commyn,
and no powere has he in me,
Bot as that all the warld within
may both here and se,
That I owe luf my fader to,
Sen he me hyder sent,
And all thyngys I do
after his commaundement.
Ryse ye vp, ilkon,
and weynd we on oure way,
As fast as we may gone,
to olyuete, to pray.
Peter, Iamys, and thou Iohn,
ryse vp and folow me!
My tyme it commys anone;
Abyde styll here, ye thre.
Say youre prayers here by-neth,
that ye fall in no fowdyng;
My sawll is heuy agans the deth
and the sore pynyng.
ffader, let this great payn be styll,
And pas away fro me;
Bot not, fader, at my wyll,
bot thyn fulfyllyd be.
Symon, I say, slepys thou?
awake, I red you all!
The feynd ful fast salys you,
In wan-hope to gar you fall;
Bot I shall pray my fader so
that his myght shall not dere;
My goost is prest therto,
my flesh is seke for fere.
ffader, thi son I was,
of the I aske this boyn;
If This payn may not pas,
fader, thi will be doyn!
Ye slepe, brether, yit I see,
it is for sorow that ye do so;
Ye haue so long wepyd for me
that ye ar masyd and lappyd in wo.
Dere fader, thou here my wyll!
this passyon thou put fro me away;
And if I must nedys go ther-tyll,
I shall fulfill thi wyll to-day;
Therfor this bytter passyon
if I may not put by,
I am here redy at thi dom;
thou comforte me that am drery!
Trinityin
My comforte, son, I shall the tell,
of thyngys that fell by reson;
As lucyfer, for syn that fell,
betrayd, eue with his fals treson,
Adam assent his wyfe vntyll;
the wekyd goost then askyd a bone
which has hurt mankynde full yll;
this was the wordys he askyd soyn:
All that euer of adam com
holly to hym to take,
with hym to dwell, withoutten dome,
In payn that neuer shall slake,
To that a chyld, myght be borne
of a madyn, and she wemles,
As cleyn as that she was beforne,
as puryd syluer or shynand glas;
To tyme that childe to deth were dight,
and rasyd hym self apon the thryd, day,
And stenen to heuen thrugh his awne myght.
who may do that bot god veray?
Sen thou art man, and nedys must dee,
and go to hell as othere done,
Bot that were wrong, withoutten lee,
that godys son there shuld won
In payn with his vnder-lowte;
wytt ye well withoutten weyn,
when oone is borod, all shall owtt,
and borod be from teyn.
Jesus
Slepe ye now and take youre rest!
my tyme is nere command;
Awake a whyle, for he is next
that me shall gyf into synners hand.
Pilate
Peas! I commaunde you, carles vnkynde,
to stand as styll as any stone!
In donyon depe he shalbe pynde,
that will not sesse his tong anone;
ffor I am gouernowre of the law;
my name it is pilate!
I may lightly gar hang you or draw,
I stand in sich astate,
To do what so I will.
and therfor peas I byd you all!
And looke ye hold you still,
and with no brodels brall,
Tyll we haue done oure dede;
who so makys nose or cry,
his nek I shall gar blede,
with this I bere in hy.
To this tratoure be take,
that wold dystroy oure lawe,
Iudas, thou may it not forsake,
take hede vnto my sawe.
Thynk what thou has doyn,
that has thi master sold,
Performe thi bargan soyn;
thou has thi money takyn and told.
Judas
Ordan ye knyghtys to weynd with me,
Richly arayd, in rewyll and rowtt;
And all my couandys holden shall be,
So I haue felyship me abowte.
Pilate
wherby, Iudas, shuld we hym knaw,
If we shall wysely wyrk, Iwys?
ffor som of vs hym neuer saw.
Judas
lay hand on hym that I shall kys.
Pilate
haue done, sir knyghtys, and kythe youre strengthe,
And wap you wightly in youre wede;
Seke ouer all, both brede and lengthe!
Spare ye not, spende and spede!
We haue soght hym les and more,
And falyd ther we haue farn;
Malcus, thou shall weynd before,
And bere with the a light lantarne.
Malchus
Sir, this Iornay I vndertake
with all my myght and mayn.
If I shuld, for mahowns sake,
here in this place be slayn,
Crist that prophett for to take,
we may be all full fayn.
Oure weppyns redy loke ye make,
to bryng hym in mekyll grame
This nyght.
Go we now on oure way,
oure mastres for to may;
Oure lantarnes take with vs alsway,
And loke that thay be light!
Secundus Miles
Sir pilate, prynce pereles in pall,
of all men most myghty merked on mold,
we ar euer more redy to com at thi call,
and bow to thi bydyng as bachlers shold.
Bot that prynce of the apostyls pupplyshed beforne,
Men call hym crist, comen of dauid kyn,
his lyfe full sone shalbe forlorne,
If we haue hap hym forto wyn.
haue done!
ffor, as euer ete I breede,
or I styr in this stede
I wold stryke of his hede;
lord, I aske that boyne.
Primus Miles
That boyn, lord, thou vs bede,
and on hym wreke the sone we shall;
ffro we haue lade on hym good spede;
he shall no more hym godys son call.
we shall marke hym truly his mede;
by mahowne most, god of all,
Siche thre knyghtys had lytyll drede
To bynde the dwill that we on call,
In nede;
ffor if thay were a thowsand mo,
that prophete and his apostels also
with thise two handys for to slo,
had I lytyll drede.
Pilate
Now curtes kasers of kamys kyn,
most gentyll of Iure to me that I fynde,
My comforth from care may ye sone wyn,
if ye happely may hent that vnheynde.
Bot go ye hens spedely and loke ye not spare;
My frenship, my fortherans, shall euer with you be;
And mahowne that is myghfull he menske you euermare!
Bryng you safe and sownde with that brodell to me!
In place
where so euer ye weynd,
ye knyghtys so heynde,
Sir lucyfer the feynde
he lede you the trace!
Jesus
Ryse vp, peter, and go with me,
and folowe me withoutten stryfe;
Iudas wakys, and slepys not he;
he commys to betray me here belyfe.
wo be to hym that bryngys vp slaunder!
he were better his dethe to take;
Bot com furth, peter, and tary no langere:
lo, where thay com that will me take!
Judas
Rest well, master, ihesus fre!
I pray the that thou wold kys me enys;
I am commen to socoure the;
thou art aspyed, what so it menys.
Jesus
Iudas! whi makys thou sich a brayde?
trowys thou not I knowe thi will?
with kyssyng has thou me betrayd:
that shall thou rew som tyme ful yll.
whome seke ye, syrs, by name?
Secundus Miles
we seke ihesu of nazarene.
Jesus
I kepe not my name to layn;
lo, I am here, the same ye mene;
Bot whome seke ye with wepyns kene?
Primus Miles
To say the sothe, and not to ly,
we seke ihesu of nazarene.
Jesus
I told you ere that it was I.
Malchus
Dar no man on hym lay hand?
I shall cach hym, if I may;
A flateryng foyll has thou bene lang,
bot now is commen thyn endyng day.
Peter
I wold be dede within short space
or I shuld se this sight!
Go, pleyn the to sir cayphas,
and byd hym do the right!
Malchus
Alas, the tyme that I was borne,
or today com in this stede!
My right ere I haue forlorne!
help, alas, I blede to dede!
Jesus
Thou man, that menys thi hurt so sare,
com heder, let me thi wounde se;
Take me thi ere that he of share:
In nomine patris hole thou be!
Malchus
Now am I hole as I was ere,
My hurt is neuer the wars;
Therfor, felows, drawe me nere!
the dwill hym spede that hym spars!
Jesus
Therfor, peter, I say the this,
my will it is that all men witten:
Put vp thi swerde and do no mys,
for he that smytys, he shalbe smyten.
ye knyghtys that be commen now here,
thus assemblyd in a rowte,
As I were thefe, or thefys fere,
with wepyns com ye me abowte;
Me thynk, for sothe, ye do full yll
thus for to seke me in the nyght;
Bot what penance ye put me tyll,
ye let my felows go with gryth.
Secundus Miles
Lede hym furth fast by the gate!
hangyd be he that sparis hym oght!
Primus Miles
how thynk the, sir pilate,
bi this brodell that we haue broght?
Pilate
Is he the same and the self, I say,
that has wroght vs this care?
It has bene told, sen many a day,
sayngys of hym full sare.
It was tyll vs greatt woghe,
ffrom dede to lyfe thou rasyd lazare;
Sen stalkyd stylly bi the see swoghe;
both domb and defe thou salfyd from sare.
Thou passys cesar bi dede,
or sir herode oure kyng.
Secundus Miles
let deme hym fast to dede,
and let for no kyn thyng.
Primus Miles
Sen he has forfett agans oure lawe,
let vs deme hym in this stede.
Pilate
I will not assent vnto youre saw;
I can ordan well better red.
Malchus
Better red? yei dwill! how so?
then were oure sorow lastand ay;
And he thus furth shuld go,
he wold dystroy oure lay.
wold ye all assent to me,
this bargan shuld be strykyn anone;
By nyghtertayll dede shuld he be,
and till oure awnter stand ilkon.
Pilate
Peasse, harlottis, the dwill you spede!
wold ye thus preualy morder a man?
Malchus
when euery man has red his red,
let se who better say can.
Pilate
To cayphas hall loke fast ye wyrk,
And thider right ye shall hym lede;
he has the rewll of holy kyrk,
lett hym deme hym whyk or dede;
ffor he has wroght agans oure law,
ffor-thi most skyll can he ther on.
Secundus Miles
Sir, we assent vnto youre saw;
Com furth, bewshere, and lett vs gone.
Malchus
Step furth, in the wenyande!
wenys thou ay to stand styll?
Nay, luskand losell, lawes of the land
Shall fayll bot we haue oure will;
Out of my handis shall thou not pas
ffor all the craft thou can;
Till thou com to sir cayphas,
Saue the shall no man.


2022 Jan 21  20:05:23