University of Virginia Library

Now of sancte Iames spek will we,
þat set is in þe sexte degre
of þe apostolis, as we red,
of þare awne makine in þe cred,
suppose syndry men wald wene,
þat he þe thred man suld haf bene,
be-cause þat he of kyne wes nere
to Ihesu & his modir dere.
bot to declar quhy þat he
Is nocht set here in þat degre,
I tak na tym to tel It here,
for I ame ald & sumdele swere.
þar-for I sped me, as I cane,
to say furth of þis haly manne,
þat foure swrnamys had. & ane
of þame al wele firste ma be tane,
þat of alphey þe son wes he.
& þe tothir nexte þat mycht be,
þat he wes callit goddis bruthire,
& maste lyk hym be-for al vthyre;
for to Ihesu sa lyk wes he
of al fasone in al degre,
þat þar cuth na man sa, I trew,
quhilk wes Iames na ȝete Ihesu.
þar-fore, quhen Iudas Ihesu sald
to Iowis, a takine þam he ȝald,
sayand: “quham-euire ȝe se me kyse,
he is Ihesu, trewis wele þis!”
fore þat wekit tratore Iudas
familiare to Ihesu wes,
& sa parfytly k[n]ew hym, þat he
of hym mycht nocht dissawit be.
& goddis cvsinge callit alswa,
for of twa cisteris come þa twa.
& goddis bruthir callit he wes,
fore his excellent halynes.
þar-fore of Ierusalem he
wes mad byschope of heyest gre.
& callit als Iames þe lese
vthir-tyme his swrname wes,
sa [þ]at men mycht ken quhilk wes he,
& quhilk þe son of ȝebede;
& rychtwyse Iames, fore he wes
of maste excellent halynes;
fore al þe puple had hym þane
In maste reuerence as haly man,
sa þat þai stryfe wald, quha mycht fyrst
of his kirtil mycht nycht þe liste.
& of Ierusalem he wes
þe fyrste bischope fore halynes.
fore of his modir wame wes he
maste haly in-to al degre.
wyne & cesare drank he nocht,
na ȝet na flesche, na nocht wes brocht
rasoure of hevyd to schawe,
na [oil] til enoynte hym wald he hafe,
bot altyme he cuth forbere.
na claþs of sylk he wald nocht were,
bot lenyne clath he oysit ay;
& one his kneis sa of[t] can pray,
þat one þame grew hardnes,
as one helis mare & lese.
& men sa rychtwyis can hym cal,
þat he of þe apostolis all
In-to þe sanctwar [can] ga,
quhen-euir he wald his prayeris ma.
& of þame al þe fyrste he was
þat euire be-guth to sa messe;
for þai gafe hym reuerence
of halynes for excellence.
þane eftyre þe ascencione,
of Ierusalem in þe towne,
sic worschipe þai did till hym ay,
þat he wes fyrste þat mese can say
thru þame fore his gret dingnite.
& clene virgine als wes he.
& one gud fryday, quhen Ihesus
deit, as tellis Iosephus,
þis Iames mad a wou, þat he
but ony met ore drynk suld be,
til his lord criste þat he had sene
rysine to lyfe, þat ded had bene.
for-þi wes Iames fastand ay,
til eftyr one þe next sonday,
Ihesu, goddis sone, cane appere
til hyme and all þat with hym were,
& bad þame set þe burd alsone,
& set one bred wit[h]owtyne hone.
he brek þe bred, þat þare can stand,
& blissit it with his richt hand,
& fyrste gawe one-to Iames,
& sad: “dere bruthir, ete of þis,
for manis sonne fra þe ded
Is rysine, al synnys to remed.”

the sewynt ȝere of his bischophad,
to Ierusalem but abad,
þe appostolis sammyn gadderit ware,
þat scalyt fare war in landis sere.
and Iames to þame demand mad,
how in þe puple þai wrocht had,
& how þat god had fore þam wrocht
In þame þat to þe treutht þa brocht.
þane Ilkane to þam-selfe can tel
In-to þare trawel how þam befel.
& in þat towne al prechit þai
Ithandly to þe sewinte day,
In þe tempil, before caypha,
& be-for othir Iowis ma,
sa þat richt mony ware in wil
cristyne treutht for to cum till.
bot þane in þe tempil in hy,
a gret menȝe com swdanly,
& criyt faste, & lud canne ȝele:
“o ȝe fel folk of Israel,
quhat do ȝe now? quhare-for thol ȝe
ȝou thru þis folk dissawit be?”
& þe folk with a sowdane cry
þai mewit þan sa sodanly,
þat þai war in wil for to stane
þe apostollis euir-Ilkane.
bot ane of þame went vpe stepand,
quhare sancte Iames wes prechand,
& keste hym fra þe heast gre,
þat, til he lifyt, halt wes he.
& þis wes done þe sewinte ȝere
eftyr cristis ascencion, but were,
& þe thred ȝere, mare na lese,
of þat towne fra he bischope ves.
& ware þe Iowis wondir wa,
for þai mycht nocht sancte paule sla;
fore he apelyt had to rome,
to thole of þe empriour þe dome.
þar-fore þai wrekyt þar wodnes
In þis Iamis, callit þe les,
sekand faste occasione
to put hym to confusione.
for-þi þe Iowis but abade
of þare vysment a semble mad,
& com to Iamis, & cane say:
“þu, þat has bene rycht-wijs ay,
we pray þe þu agane call
þe puple, þat nere erris all,
as wenand þat It criste suld be
he þat Ihesus, [quham] one þe tre
before-tym we hangit beforne,
& for dyspyt crownyt with thorne;
bot criste, we wat wel, is to cum.
for-þi we pray þe, al & sum,
vith al þe instance þat we may,
þat þu wald now one pasch day,
quhen al þe puple gadderit are,
namely, to here þi suthfast lare,
say to þame, þat in ihesu
for ony prechinge þay [nocht] here trew;
for we sal al obeyse þe till,
& trew quhat-sa þu vs say will,
& al þe puple mare & lese
sal þane apprewe þi halynes.
for þou þat sais nocht bot resone,
of na man makis excepcione,
bot ewynly sais þe lawte,
gudman or ewil, quhethyr he be.”

syne þe next pasche day nere all
com to þe tempill, gret & small,
to her Iamis in his prechynge
of þus dowt say þe suthtfaste thinge;
& stabliste hym one þe maste heycht
of þe tempil, to schaw þe rycht,
& criand lowd sad: “rychtwyseste
of almen & þe halyaste,
sen we obey mon to þe ay,
þe suthfa[st]nes, we pray þe sa;
for nerhand all þe puple now
myskennand trowis in Ihesu,
þat deit one croice agane his will.
þar-fore þe suth þu say vs till,
quhat þe of [hym] think, sais ws to;
fore, as þu byddis, we sal do.”
þane Iames answert apon hycht:
“sen me ȝe charge to say þe rycht
of manis sonne, I sa ȝow ewyne
þat he is sittand in till hewyne,
of god, his faddyr, one þe rycht hand,
& sal cum þine, ȝe vndirstand,
þe quek & ded bath to deme
on domysday, as hym think queme.”
þe cristyne folk, þat þane ware þare,
quhen þai hard þus, full Ioyfull ware;
bot faraseis & wysmene
of Iowis lach mad answere þane:
“to here hym mare, we myse-do now,
þat beris sic witnes to Ihesu;
bot pase we vpe & caste hym donne,
sa þat al cristyne of þis towne
be rad to trew in hym mare.”
with þat all cryit þat ware þare:
“o, ȝet þis rychtwy[s] man erris
& now þane before fer war Is.”
þane vpe but mare til hym þa wan,
& ruschyt done þe Rychtwysman.
& þai, þat war þare don with-oute,
In gret fellouny com hym abowte,
& stanand hym sad on þis wyse:
“do stane we Iamis, þe richtwijs!”
bot ȝete he deit nocht with þat,
bot one [his] kneys & elbois gat,
& prayand fore þame Increly
& lovd, þat al hard þis, can cry:
“lord, remyt þis gilt þam to,
for þai myskene quhat þai do.”
þane of þe prestis ane can cry:
“are ȝe woude? cese of ȝour foly!
seis [ȝe] nocht al he prays ȝete
fore ȝow, & ma nocht stand one fete?”
þane ane, a walkare perk, hynt
& gafe sancte Iamis sic a dynte
þat he þe harne-pane brak in twyn,
& blud & harnys owte can ryne.
sic martirdome þar tholyt he
fore hym þat al had in pouste,
quhen nero regnyt in-to rome—
þat þane wes a man of fellon dome—
& nere þe tempil grawyn wes,
quhare he wes slane, in þe sammyn place.
þe mast part of þe puple sone,
þat þar wes, quhen þis wes done,
wald hafe rewengit his ded fane,
& sla þame al þat hym had slane;
bot of þe land sone þai wente,
þay þat to his ded gef consent.

Iosaphus, [þat] þat tyme wes
a Iow & saw [al] mare & les,
sais þat fore þis gudmanis ded
Ierusalem, þe fare stede,
In rewengeans dystroyt wes,
& al þe Iowis mare & les
In-to þe kynrike of Iuda
vare wyd schalit to & fra;
bot nocht all anerly because of ded
of Iamis tynt wes swa þat sted,
bot errar, for þai had slane
Ihesu criste with mekile mayne,
þat sad before ful dulfully
of þat place in his prophecy,
þat stane one stane in-to þat towne
suld nocht be lefit vncastyne done;
& þar-for rycht sare he cane gret,
sittand in þe monte of olywet.
bot, fore god is ay mercifull,
na wil nocht þe ded of synfull;
&, for þat þai men of þe towne
suld hafe nan excusacione
of þe gret sowne, þat þai don had,
he fowrty ȝere þame abad
or he wald tak rewengeance,
to se gyfe þai wald do pennance,
& be his appostolis commonly,
& be þis Iamis maste namely,
gert prechinge be to þame mad.
bot þai þe hartis sa hard had,
þat þai be na wa wald trew
þat goddis sonne wes swet Ihesu.
nocht-þane he bad þame, fore to se
gyfe þat þai wald repentand be
or twrne to hym, þocht It lat ware—
he mad þame red thru taknys sere
be-for þa fowrty ȝere war gane;
bot turne to hym wald ner-hand nane,
as Iosaphus recordis wele,
þat saw al þis euiri[l]ke dele,
þat sais: “a sterne brycht & clere,
a-beoufe þe citte can appere,
of a fyery swerd in þe lyknes,
till fal one þame al redy wes,
& in sik wyis as brynand clere,
as to fal al redy were.
and eftyre þat at þe mydnycht
of þar grete feste, þar com a lycht
þat wondryly wes brycht & clere,
þat to þe tempil & to þe awtere
enwyrent, þat, quha had sene,
suld trew þat It day-lycht had bene.
& in þat feste a kow in calf bare
a lame, þocht It ferly ware.
sone eftyr þe sone gayn-done
þare wes sene in þat regione,
In til mony placis, syndry
cartys & wanys opynly,
In-to þe ayre pase to & fra,
& mony armyt men alsa,
&, as men thocht þane but were,
fore til assege townys sere.
syne In a feste eftirwarte þat,
þat in oure led witsonday hat,
a nycht, quhen þe prestis went
to þe tempill, In till entente
þar-in þare service for to say,
a ferly sterynge sone feld þai,
rycht as þe ȝerde suld tremyl al,
& mak all werkis reddy to fall,
& hard a voyce sa sudandly
say: “sped vs hyne in all hy,
ore men to sege mak þam bone
of Ierusalem þe fare towne.”

fowre ȝere be-fore þat ewynly,
Ihesu, þe sonne of anany,
In til a gret solempnyte
sudandly þis cryit he:
“a voyce fra este & voice fra west,
& of foure wyndis fra þe blaste
a voice, & one Ierusalem,
a voyce one tempil & one men,
& a voyce sal be ha[r]d wele rath
one spowsit men & wemen bath,
& a voyce one þe puple all
sal be hard, bath gret & small.”
& þai þat herd þis man þis rare,
tuk hym, & band, & befte full sare,
to gere hym lefe; bot he alvay
þe sammyne wordys a-gane cuth say,
&, thocht þai dange hym, neuir-þe-lese
he mycht nocht say till þam ellis.
syne to þe Iuge þai hym brocht,
& to gere pyne hym wandyt nocht,
sa cruelly, þat men mycht se
of his wame þe preuete.
bot þar-ffor gret he nocht a tere,
na mad requeste in ony manere;
bot with gret doile & wordis ay
þai wordis as be-for wald say.
bot at þe laste þis ekyt he:
“Iervsalem, euir va þu be!”
bot, quhen þe Iowis for þe prechinge
of þe apostolis na maynyseynge,
na for na thinge [þat] thai had sene
wald mend þar wikit liffis vnclene,
bot in to durnes ay abad,
til fowrty ȝere þe cors had mad,
þane oure lord send vaspaciane
& his son tytus, or he fane,
of Ierusalem þe towne
to distroy & cast It done.
& þar-for þai þat town come til,
sic profycy till fulfill;
for thru þame þan wes þat citte
distroyt, as now men ma se.
bot quheþir þat þis be suth or nay,
I[n] lele treutht, I dare nocht say;
bot for in story I fynd It,
þar-fore I put It in þis wryt.

thane pylot, kennand þat but skill
he Ihesu criste condampnyt Ill,
& dred[and] þare-fore grettumly
þe blame of ceser tybary,
send abnen, his messyngere,
till hym, his lettir for to bere,
for til escuse hym of þe Ill,
þat he had don agannis skill.
In þat tyme waspaciane
þe ȝemsale of galyse had tane
of tybry, þe emprioure,
þat þan a man wes of gret honoure.
& tyd pilatis messyngere,
þat þis lettir oure sey suld bere,
quhare he þe emprioure mycht fynd,
to be dryfine with contrare wynd
In galise; and has hawyne tane,
& brocht son [wes] to waspaciane;
for þe custom wes oysit þare,
þat quhat schepe þat brokine ware
a-pone þat coste, suld rycht þane
be mad eschete, gud & man,
& þe men als þare wnwillis
suld to þe prince be brocht thrillis.
vaspaciane þane can hym frane,
quhyne he wes. & he agane
sad: “of Isrell but were,
& his pylatis messyngere,
& til hawe bene at rome I thocht,
bot fortune has me hyddir brocht.”
þane he sad: “of þat land Is þu,
quhare mony wysman dwellis now?
þare-for It ma be on na vyse,
þat na þu in medycyne suld be wise.
þar-fore I trew wele þu can,
thru sik crafte, helpe a sek man.
for-þi þi crafte þu keth one me,
& waryse myn Infyrmyte!”
fore of waspis waspaciane,
þat grew in his hed, nam had tane,
& at his nese flaw in & owte;
þare-fore of ded he had gret dowt;
for þat seknes ferlyfully,
he had of barnede ythandly.
þan swer abnen, þat he kend nocht
þe crafte, quhare-thru he helpit mocht.
þane sad to hym waspaciane:
“bot gyf þu helpe me on ane,
of ded now sal þou thole þe pane.”
þane abnen sad til hym agane:
“he þat kert blynd men clerly se,
& woud men in þar wit to be,
& þame þat ded war gaf lyf til,
he helpe þe, gyf it be his wil;
for I cane nocht of sic craft do.”
þane waspaciane sad hym to:
“quhat is þat, þu sa me now,
þat of sic ferlyse [sais] þu?”
quod he: “Ihesu of naȝarene,
a man of gud lyf & of clene,
quham þe Iowis fore Inwy,
but cause, to ded put felloun[l]y,
will þu In hym trew & be lele,
but dowt he sal gyf þe þi hele.”
þane sad waspaciane: “I trew
þat he þat wrocht sic [thinge] as þu
recordis now, ma wel hele me
of myn dulful Infyrmyte.”
þane with þat, but ony mare,
þe waspis þat in his hewid ware,
at his nese-thrillis flaw al owt,
& he is hele gat but dowt.
vaspaciane þan wes rycht blyith,
þat gottyne had his hele sa swith,
sayand: “goddis sone, I trew, Is he,
þis mychtely þat has heylit me.
for-þi I sal get lefe & pase
quhare þat Ihesu prechand wes,
with sa gret mycht, þat al þai
þat sclew dere Ihesu, I sal sla,
& far Ierusalem with-all
I sal mak playne but ony wale.”
& til abnen þan can he sa:
“with lyfe & gud pase hame þi wa.”

uaspaciane þane to rome went,
as before wes his entent,
& gat þe empriouris will,
hale his ȝarninge to fulfill.
þane he assemblyt in-to hy
of armyt men ane oste mychtty,
& to Ierusaleme but bad
com with þat oste he gadderit had,
& gret sege gert till It lay
one al syd, one þe pasche day,
quhen at þe maste part of þe land
wes cumyne þare to mak þar offerand.
bot befor a litill space
þat he to þe towne cumyne wes,
þe cristine, þat þare dwelling mad,
thru þe haly gaste sic warning had,
þat fra þe towne þai went ilkane,
our þe wattyre of Iordane,
til a smal town, callit pella,
& þare dwellynge þar can þa ma,
sa þat na lele man suld forfare
amange vnlele þat wekit ware.
þane in þe kynryk of Iude
þar wes a nothir gud citte,
þat Ionaparame had to name,
quhare dwelt a man of gret fame,
Iosaphus, prince wes & als ledare
of þat towne, bath in pese & vere.
þe quhilk before vaspaciane
prewit be fors for til haf tane
with alkyne Instrument of were,
as gyne, slonge, darte & spere.
bot Iosaphus, as worthy man,
þe towne rycht wele defendit þan.
bot I trew þat þis sad mycht be
of Ierusaleme þe citte;
for Iosaphus dwelt in þat towne
þat tyme, as man of maste renowne.
bot at þe laste he hyme bethocht,
þat in na maner þa mocht
lange hald þe towne na It suld be
tane be force; & þare-for he
Ilewyne Iowis of his consent
tuk with hym, & with þame went
In til a depe cawe & priue,
wenand þar sikkyr to be,
til þe parele suld pass by.
& þare wele foure dais can þai ley
but met & drink, & wald say
þat dee þare þam leware wes ay,
þane fore to thol subieccione
of hyme þat segyt þan þar towne.
þar-fore þai wald þam-self sla,
& þare blud sacrifice ma
to god; bot Iosaphus wald nocht
consent til It, þat þai had thocht;
bot of his gret slycht he wrocht sa,
þat he þe gret Iugment suld ta
one hym, þat quha fyrste slane suld be.
þane sad þai al It suld be he;
be-cause he wes þe worthyeste
of þame al, & þe mychttyest;
þare-fore suld god mare plesandis hafe
In til his blud þan al þe lafe.
þane Iosaphus, þat wes ȝape,
saw he mycht nocht sa eschape,
sad he bad no bettyr be
þane ane of þame in ony degre,
bot sad: “maste spedful is to caste,
quha slane sal be fyrste & laste;
cuttis ay be-twene twa & twa,
& chese quha sal vthire sla.”
& set þai al in payre twyne,
& cuttis caste quha suld begyne.
& þe cuttis þane serwit swa
til ilkane cane vthir sla,
ovtane Iosaphus & he
þat þare-in suld falow be.
þane Iosaphus, as a wicht man
& swepyr alswa, a swerd gat; þan
bad his falow suthly chece,
quethyre ware leware hyme, þe lif lese
or liff & serwe hym at his will,
þe tane of þa sone tuk hym til.
þane sad he, þat he wald haf þe life
& serwe hym al withoutyne strife.

thane Iosapus send til a frend,
þat with vaspaciane can leynd,
þat mekil with his lord mycht do;
& he sone Iosaphus com to,
& prayt hym for hym to trete
with his lord, & a souerens gete
þat he mycht cum to his presence,
to spek with hyme withoute offence.
& he þe erand did one ane,
& brocht hym to vaspaciane,
þat sad til hyme: “þu suld ded be,
na ware þi frend prayte for þe.”
& he sad: “I ma amend sone
þe myse, gyf I hafe ony done.”
& he for answer sad hyme to:
“he þat is vincuste, ma nocht do.”
“ȝeis,” quod he, “I ma sum thynge
do, þat may be lykyne;
for It sal ese gyf. I wil
tythandis rycht blyth to tel þe til.”
vaspaciane þane sum dele blyth
sad: “I pray þe, tel þame swyth!”
quod he: “our empriour is ded,
& þe to be in til his stede,
þe senate, þat of rome has cure,
vil þu be þar emprioure.”
quod he: “gyf þu be profyte,
quhy wald þu nocht lat þir men wyt,
þat þai suld wonyne be thru me,
& þat myn lykyne subiet be?”
quod Iosaphus: “I cane þame tel
fowrty dais, or þis befel,
þat It, þai now se, suld be;
bot for na thinge wald þai trew me.”
In þis sammyne tyme com legasy
to vaspaciane reuerently
fra rome, & tald how-gate,
þat he wes chosyne but debate
for to cum þare and resawe It,
makand hyme requeste be wryt,
for þai thoucht hyme be-for þe lafe
wel worthe þat honour til hafe.
& he til rome passyt but mare
vith þame þat for hym cumyne ware,
& tytum, his sone, lefyt þar still,
for to mak hend of al his wil.
& fra tytus persawit had
his faddir emprioure wes mad,
he had sa grete Ioy of It,
þat he tynte nere heile & wit;
for he fel in þe parlesy
& haltyte als in sum party.
& quhene Iosaphus hard tel
how þat to tytus It befel,
full besyly can he spere
of his seknes þe manere,
& of þe cause als of þe Ile,
& in quhat wyse it com hym till,
& how lange tyme he It had.
bot grathe answer cuth nan be mad,
for þai mysknew þe cause þat he
with sik seknes suld trawalyt be,
as how it come in-to þat oure,
þat his faddyre wes mad emprioure.
þane Iosaphus, þat wyse man,
In till hyme-selfe coniecturyt þan,
þat he for gret Ioy & blythnes,
In his lymmys sa drawyne wes;
& of his Il had sic persawyne
þat throu contrare contrare thynge
Is helpyne ofte; for it þat is
gottyne of blythnes & of blyse,
Is tynte richte of[t] be dowle & va
& of þis befel richt swa.

Iosaphus speryte þane,
gyffe þat tytus had ony man
In sic maugre þat he na wald se
one hyme, na thole by hym be,
na ȝete here nemmyne his name,
na þare-fore he suld mak blame.
& quhene þai tald hyme þat he
had a man in sic degre,
to titus cane he say in hy,
gyfe þat he ȝarnyte grettumly
to hawe his hele? & he sad: “ȝa.”
sad he þane: “wil þu vndirta
þat I and þai þat are with me,
In gud fath sal vnschait be?”
þane tytus sad: “I vndirta,
bathe þe & þame, sekyre to ma.”
þane Iosaphus þe met gert dycht,
& set vpe tytus, as wes rycht,
to þe bowrde as þare oure-mane,
& gerte ane vthire bord rycht þane
be sete ewyne anence hyme,
sa þat he mycht nochte yddyre wyne,
& sete a man at met rycht þare,
þat to tytus lathaste ware.
& quhene tytus þat man had sene,
þare-at þane he wox sa teyne,
þat nere he cane briste but abad,
syke yre in his harte he had;
& ay þe langare he sat sa,
þe mare grew his sorow & va,
fore þat he na mycht rewengit be
In þe contrare of his lawte.
& sa betyd hyme in þat place,
þat fyrste fore grete Ioy frosyne wes,
& syne his hart changyt fore yre,
þat hyme enflammyte as a fyre,
þat his senownys þat drawyn ware
to-gyddyre, lousyt rycht þare;
& so his hele gat sodandly.
þare-for his malancoly
to þat man he remyttyte þare.
& Iosaphus forowtyne mare
In til his frenschepe þar can ta;
& sa wox frend þat euire wes fa.

ande quhene tytus assegit had
þe towne twa ȝere, & trawal mad,
amange al vthyre skathis fel,
þat þai had, þat with-in canne dwel,
and prekyte þame maste sare,
wes fawte of met þai had þare.
fore þare wes na barne mycht gete
a morcele of þe faddyre mete,
na ȝe[te] þe modyr þat wald gyfe
til hyre barne mete to relyfe,
for þe grete hungyre þat þai had.
full hard in þat towne þai war sted;
fore nocht þe husbande to his wyfe
wald gyfe þe met to safe hyr lyfe.
fore It is sad in elderys saw:
“ful harde is hungyre in hale maw.”
bote ȝounge men, þat ware starck & vycht,
wald, bathe one days & one nycht,
In-to þe rewyse of þat sted
gange to & fra as halfe dede.
& þai gerte dalfe þame þat war ded,
quhylys wald fal done in þat sted.
sa wes þe stynke of dede man þan,
þat It confwndyt mony mane.
þar-fore of commowne coste þai bocht
a place quhare-in þai delfe þam mocht,
þat sa deyte in þat place.
& quhene sik coste þam falȝet wes,
& þe carione wox faste,
þane our þe wal þai vald þam cast,
til þe dykis nere full ware
of þe carione, þat castyn wes þare;
& of þame þane sa gret stink rase,
þat al þe ayre corrumpyt was.
þane tytus, þat þis oft has sene,
þare gret myschefe sare can mene;
howand his handis to þe hewyn,
cryit one god with hey stewyne:
“lord, þu wate þat I do nocht
þis ded, bot thru þe It is wrocht.”
for nothire wes lewit in þat towne
hwnde, na catte, na ȝet ratone,
hyde, na skyne, na ȝet ald s[ch]one
vnhetyne, be þis wes done.

a matrone þan in þe towne wes
mychty of kyne & of riches;
bot syke ȝunge men, as I sad ayre,
of al hyre gude mad hyr so bare,
þat þai lewyt hyre na thinge to ete
of al þat þai mycht with hyre get.
hyre sowkand sowne þane [cane] scho ta
with dowle be-twyne hir handis twa,
& sad: “vnhappy sone arte þu
of mare vnhappy modir now;
to þi modyre now mon þu be
met, þocht wa be me,
& to þe thefys horroure alvay,
& to þe warld in proverbe ay.”
& quhene scho had þis sad, but mare
hyre awne barne scho slew rycht þar,
& sethit hyme, & ȝete þe halfe
for hungyre, as it had bene a calfe,
& hyd þe tothire halfe, quhill scho
for hungyre suld þe sammyne do.
& thefys þane rane vpe & done
to refe met, in-[to] þe towne.
persawand prowd sawoure þare
of sottyne flesche, þai fand but mare,
& ruschyt in þe howse alsone,
& askyte quhare þe fles wes done.
þane scho, þat mycht na bettyre do,
þe tothire halfe brocht þame to,
& sad: “þe bettyre parte is þis
þat I brynge ȝow, so haf I blyse,”
& þar-with all vnhelyte It.
& quhene þai wele persawit It,
þat of a barne þe halfe It wes,
In harte þai had sike wgrines,
þat þai had no word for to say;
sa ware þare hartis in effray.
þane sad scho: “þis myn sowne wes,
& myne þe syne is mare & lese;
ettis þare-of now sawfly!
for all þe lawe ettyne hafe I
of hyme, þat I of body bare;
for-þi, me thynke, ȝe suld nocht spare.”
& quhene þai hard hyr þis say,
þai lewit þe howise, & ȝed þar wa.

twa ȝere fra vaspasyane
of þe empyre þe state had tane,
tytus Ierusalem cane wyne,
& tuk al þat he fand þare-In,
& bathe þe tempil & þe towne,
rycht to þe ȝerd he gert cast done.
& as þe Iowis criste cane by
of þare conȝe for pennyse thretty,
sa alsa tytus of Iowis sald
for a penny thretty, by quha wald.
for-þi þus Iosaphus cane tel:
tytus þare of þame cuth sel
fullely nynety & sewyne thowsand,
þat þane war had owte of þe land;
& a-lewyne thowsand were
be swerde & hungyre ded rycht þare.
þare mycht mene se, quha wald luke,
quhat rewengeance god tuke
fore þare gret & horrible syne,
þat þai lange tyme ware rutit In,
& of repentance had sic space
þat þai mycht wele haf gottyn grace,
& in-to les þane fowrty ȝere,
namely hafand sic taknys sere.

als now is red: quhene þat tytus
Ierusalem had wonone þus,
he saw a wal wes fow thyke;
& his mynowris þare gert he pyke,
In entent to caste it done,
as he þe lafe dyd of þe towne.
as þai ware faste wirkand,
a man in-to þe wal þai fand,
þat one his fete vpstannand wes,
fore he sa sted wes in þat place,
þat he mycht nothire syt no ly;
sa strate to hyme wes þat herbry.
& he wes clede þat al dewice,
furryt wele in wayre & grece,
& body had of fare stature,
& semyt man of gret honoure.
þane speryt þai quhat man [wes] he.
quod he: “Iosephe men callit me,
of aramathy in Iuda,
myn sorname I wes wonte to ta.
& quhene þe Iowis for invy
Ihesu criste cane crucify,
amange vthire I wes þare,
& beheld to þare fellone fare,
& fore me thocht It wes Ill done,
at pylat I purcheste licence sone,
to louse his body fra þe tre,
& in þat grawe, þat I fore me
had mad, lad hyme reuerently.
þare-fore þe Iowis fore Inwy
In til a cawe me closit faste,
lokit, & celyt at þe laste.
bot Ihesus, quhene he rase fra dede,
come bodyly in-to þat stede,
&, al vnsterynge þe stekyne
of þe presone & þe selynge,
owte of þe cawe þan can me ta,
& to myn awne howse gerte me ga.
bot quhene I þare a quhyle had bene,
& talde til al þat I had sene,
& bare leile witnes to Ihesu,
þane þe Iowis wald nocht me trew,
bot, for I na suld to vthire tele
þis tale, þe Iowis, þat ware fel,
In-to þis wall stekyte me,
In hope þat I here dede suld be.
bot fra þat tyme ay god me fed
with gaystely fude in-to þis sted,
& conforte me with gastely lycht,
sa þat me thocht I had clere sycht.
sa me thocht þis closyne
myssat me in na-kynd thynge.”
þane tytus bad hyme gange his way,
& þis marwele til almen say.

bot eftir þe lange processs,
fra tyme þat þis done wes,
þe Iowys, þat ware schalyte wyde,
assemblyt at a certane tyde,
& tald of consent commowne,
þat þai of new wald wal þare tone.
& in þe mornynge, quhen went þai
to do þis for til assay,
al þe feld, þat wes our-sprad
with fare quhyte dew a-bout þat sted,
full of fare croycis cane appere,
as þai be crafte wele payntyt were.
& fra þai þat sicht sene had,
þai fled away but maire a-bad.
& one þe morne þai thocht þat þai
to wal þe towne wald ȝet assay,
& assemblyt in þe mornynge;
& ilke man one his clethynge
a takine fand of new, fresche blud,
In al thinge lyk to cristis rud.
bot sa abaysit þane war þai,
þat þai lefte al & held þare way.
fore thire sygneis ȝet left þa nocht,
bot to þe byggynge-place þai socht,
& for þat cause beowte þe place
a multytud þare gadderit wes,
þat dewysit quhat wyis þai
vald þat wark mak but delay.
þane of þe erde sprange a fyre,
þat þame brynte, al bane & lyre.
for god wald nocht þat þai had grace
to byge þe towne quhare it her wes.
ȝet wald nocht god fore-euir þat þai
of þis warld ware done away,
bot erare in þe mynd of his name,
& for þare ay-lestand schame,
ay suld leste, to gere þam mone
quhat gud he has fore al done,
& ay abydis, gyfe þai will
lewe þare erroure & turne hym till.
& þat sal be but dowt, as It
Is recordyt in haly wryte,
þat men in þis hale world sal se
bot a hyrde & a hyresel be,
before þat god sal cum to deme
bath gud & Il as hym sal seme.
þare-fore, sancte Iames, helpe me þat tyd,
quhene I ma nocht myn synnis hyd,
sa throw þi helpe I ma hynne twyne
but schame, det, & dedly syne.