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[Pylatus was a luþer man ]

Pylatus was a luþer man & com of luþere more
Bitwene a kyng and a fol womman in spousbruche was ibore
Þe kyng Tyrus was greot man [] & of greote fame

698

Bi a milewardes [douȝter] he lay Pyle was hyre name
And biȝat on hire vnder þe quene þe luþer biern bi cas
Þe myleward þat was hire fader Atus ihote was
Þer vore þe douȝter þat het Pyle [] & þe fader Atus
Of ȝare beyre name hii made & clupede hym Pylatus
Þat chyld wax & wel iþeyȝ & þo hit was of þreo ȝer
Þe womman hyt sende to his fader vor he was of greot poer
Þe kyng hyt louede swyþe wel & lette hyt wel lere
Þe quene hadde bi hym anoþer chyld boþe hii were of one ȝere
Þat chyld þat was riȝt biȝute & Pilatus also
To norisy & to lere wel togadere hii were ido
As hii voxe hii toppede ofte þer nas wyþ ȝam no loue
Ak þat chyld riȝt biȝute euere hyt was aboue
Pylatus awaytede hys poynt & þouȝte ȝulde hys wule
He stal to a day stilleliche & slou þat chyld myd gyle
Þo þe kyng þis vnderȝet sory he was inouȝ
He nuste what do myd þe schrewe þat his ryȝte sone slouȝ
He þouȝte ȝef he slowe hym þat were double wo
& he ne miȝte blyþe beo wanne he him seye owar go
Þe emperour to him sende after truage of hys londe
Þe kyng þouȝte hou he miȝte best apaye hym of sonde
Pilatus he sende þuder as hyt were in hostage
Vor þe emperour him scholde sle whanne he fayllede of is truage
He sende him word þat he nadde chyldren bote him on
& for al þe good alyue his lyf he nolde forgon
& bote ȝef he at is daye sende hym hys truage
Bi his sone do what he wolde as hit riȝt was bi hostage
Þe emperour him louede ak of his schrewhede nuste he noȝt
Þe kynkes sone of Fraunce ek was in hostage þuder ibroȝt

699

He was bet biloued þan Pylatus felawes þey hii were
& for þe on was good & þe oþer was schrewe good neuere he nere
Þe schrewe awaytede wel is time vor he was fel ynouȝ
Bitwene hem sulue priuelyche hys felawe he slouȝ
Þe emperour him nom anon he nuste what mid him do
He wolde him sle ak his consayl ne ȝef him noȝt þerto
Ak sede þat he was toward suyþe hardi man mid alle
Of such man myȝte muche god in to al þe contreye biualle
Scholle we lete quaþ þe emperour a manquellere alyue go
Sire sire queþ þys oþere þou hast mony a fo
& such man ȝef he bileueþ forþ greot god he mai þe do
& ȝef lawe of londe nele þat þou lete him go so
Wel þou wost þat in þe yle of Pounce schrewen beoþ inowe
Þer ne com neuere no Iustise þat hii sone ne slowe
Þer vore þou myȝt him sende þuder to beo Iustise of þulke yle
& bote he beo queyntore þan eny oþer he ne scapeþ noȝt a gile
& ȝef he þat lond chasteþ wel & bryngeþ al vnder vote
He worþ mon wyþoute per ȝef he dury mote
Þo Pilatus was þuder isend wel he wuste þe gyle
& þe manere enquerede of þe lond þe he com into þe yle
He spak vayre & was mylde & was euere stille
Wyþ vayr speches & quoyntises he hadde of ȝham is wylle
Hii dude after hym al is wylle & huld hine þere Iustise
Þer ne miȝte so neuer non beo in none wyse
Þo þe emperour ihurde þat þat he miȝte þe luþere volk so þewe
He ne heold nowhar so quoynte man as he huld þe schrewe
Of his quoyntyse me spak wyde bi daye & by nyȝte
Hou he maystrede þe yle of Pounce so neuere non ne myȝte
Vor he amaystrede & chastede [] þe yle of Pounce so wel

700

Pounce Pylat me clupeþ him in crede & in gospel
Þe kyng He[re]des þat was þo kyng of þe londe of Iude
& also of Ierusalem & of Galyle
Of Pilatus he hurde ilome of is wyt and is quoyntise
Glad & prout he wolde beo to habbe a such Iustise
Noble ȝiftes he him ȝaf & fondede in alle wise
Ȝef he wolde out of is londe & bileue in his seruise
So þat Pilatus com to hym & such conseyl hii toke
Þat more þan half his kynedom he tok him to loke
To beo maister of Ierusalem & also of Iude
In is owe warde he athuld þe lond of Galile
Þo Pilatus hadde þer longe þe maystrye veor & neor
He gan to cuþe what he was þo he ysey is poer
Vor a schrewe wole abide his time to cuþe is felonye
He gaderede tresur & oþer god ynouȝ in hys baylye
& wende to Cesar þe emperour þat mayster was ouer þe kynge
Of tresour & of oþer good ynouȝ largeliche he gan him bringe
& ȝef him wyþ þat he moste þe baylye holde þere
Of him as he dude of He[re]des his kynedom as þey hyt were
Þe emperour þat was þe kynges louerd sone him biþouȝte
& gladliche nom þat tresour þat Pilatus him brouȝte
& graunted Pilatus al þat lond to holde bi maystrye
Þat he huld er of He[re]des þat was great trycherye
He wende aȝen to Ierusalem & to Iude also
Hys louerd he dude al his hesten þo he com þerto
He[re]des sende after hym to counti after wylle
Pilatus spak þoru þe emperour & ne ȝaf noȝt worþ a ville
Þo He[re]des isey þe tricherye & þe luþere valshede
He huld hym bitrayed þoru felonye he nuste what to rede
He sey þat he ne myȝte vndo þe emperoures dede
Pilatus he corsede ilome vor his luþere valshede

701

& þo he ne myȝte him oþer do bote wraþþe him bar wyþ ryȝte
So gret wraþþe hem was bitwene þat no mon telle ne myȝte
Þe wraþþe ilaste vorte oure Louerd [] to þe deþe scholde go
Ac vor ȝare eyþer to oþer sende acor[d]ed hii were þo
Þe whule Pilatus in is lond louerd & sire was
Iudas þat oure Louerd solde to him com bicas
His styward he hym made anon gode freondes hii were
Vor twei schrewen wolleþ beo freond þei noman elles nere
Iudas was þere hys stiward vorte he his fader slouȝ
& vorte he weddede is owe moder wyþ greot strengþe & wouȝ
Suþþe God was inome & scholde beo to deþe ido
Pilatus þorw þe Gywene wylle him dempnede þerto
Vor þe Gywes at Ierusalem in ȝare poer him nome
Þer vore hii ne myȝte him quelle noȝt bote þoru is dome
Longe after þat he was ded he repentede him ilome
He ne dorste noȝt vor þe emperour [] þer uore come at Rome
Ak euere huld him at Ierusalem [] among þe Gywes vaste
Ak sore he dradde þe emperour leste he him slowe attelaste
Longe hyt veol þer afterward þat þe emperour lay sore syk
In strong vuel & wel long þat he nas noman ylyk
Leches he let vecche wyde ak hym ne myȝte hele non
So þat his o messager to Ierusalem com goon
Longe & wyde he eȝste þer [] after som god leche
To a womman he com þat het Veronie þat ȝeo scholde him to some teche
Alas quaþ þe womman [] ȝef þou haddest hyder ygon
Þe wule þe prophete her was þy wylle hadde beo idon

702

A whare whare quaþ þe messager þe prophete beo bicome
Certes quaþ þis Veronye þe Gywes him habbet inome
To deþe hii brouȝte him in þe rode [] þoru Pilatus dome
Þer vore he ne dorste neuereft biuore ȝou come at Rome
Þe whule þe prophete her was gret ioye ich hadde wyþ alle
Hym to kome & neyȝ him beo ȝif hit miȝte so bivalle
& me myȝte neyȝ him beo ich him bad a bone
Þat ich myȝte his fourme ofte iseo & he me grauntede sone
Mi keuerchef ich him bitok & he wond hyt aboute his face
Þer echman myȝte wel iseo hys myȝte & hys grace
Vor þer bileuede his owe fourme þat in is face was
In ech poynt þo he hyt me bitok no defaute þer nas
Þulke fourme me is bileued þat ich miȝte igladed beo
Þorw þe siȝt þat is him so liche whanne y ne may hym elles iseo
Hadde þy louerd þe emperour þe fourme yseye ene
Ichot he were hol anon & of his vuel al clene
Dame merci quaþ þe messager wher þulke ymage myȝte ouȝt
Vor eny gold oþer seluer to þe emperour beo ibrouȝt
Þat nis nouȝt quaþ þis wyf vor al his gold ywys
Ne miȝte þe leste hurne bugge [] þat þer on ys
Ak ichulle to sauy þe emperour wyþ þe to him wende
Ȝif oure Louerd wole him bote þorw his fourme sende
Ȝeo vende vorþ wyþ þis messager & þo ȝeo com to Rome
Þe emperour hii tolde al þis þo hii to hym come
Anon so he þe ymage isey he was hol anon
He honurede wel Veronye ȝeo ne moste fram him gon
Þe ymage he huld vorþ hyt ne com neuere out of Rome
In sey[n]t Petres churche hyt is as men seyþ ilome

703

Þo eȝste he whar oure Louerd were & whar he suþþe bicom
Veronye sede hou þe Gywes [] to stronge deþe him nom
& hou Pilatus þe Iustise þe dom ȝaf þer to
A luþer mon quaþ þe emperour haþ he itake on so
Encentede he to þe Gywes whanne he nas noȝt of her lawe
Ichulle ȝef ich to him come anhonge oþer todrawe
Alas þulke holy mon he lette brynge of dawe
Ichot þe Giwes beoþ wel luþer hii wolde beo þer of vawe
In vaire manere he lette sende after Pilatus sone
Þat he com to him as to his louerd as riȝt was to done
Ac Pilatus sende an lettere to his louerd er
Þat he vorȝeue him his wraþþe þat he to him ber
& þat he was gulteles of þe deþ þat me vpe him sede
& þat þe Giwes him slowe al wyþoute his rede
Ak a strong tempest in þe se is messager gan dryue
Into [þ]e lond of Galile & þer he gan ariue
Ak Waspasion þat was þer mayster þe messager vaste nom
So þat neyȝ þe emperour þe messager neuere ne com
Þo þe emperoures messager to Pilatus was icome
& Pilatus hadde of him his erande ynome
He wende þat his owe messager to þe emperour hadde iwend
& þat he hadde vorȝiue him his wraþþe & after him isend
Oure Louerdes curtel he dude on þat he wuste euere wel
Þat vnsowe[d] was of þred as hit seyþ in þe gospel
Wyþ wel glade chere he wende to þe emperour
& grette him þo he com him to mid wel greot honour
So wroþ mid noman vnder sonne þe emperour nas biuore
As he wiþ Pilatus was vor his deþ he hadde iswore
Ak vor oure Louerdes curtel he hadde on þo he biuore him com
His heorte was al asuaged wyþ greot ioye he him nom
& mad myd him al þe ioye þat man myȝte myd oþer do

704

Vor vertue of þe holi curtel & al his men also
Anon so he was of his siȝt his oþ he suor anon
Þat to strong deþ he wolde him bringe ȝef he him myȝte ofgon
Ak greot ioye he made wyþ alle whanne he to him com
Ak euere whanne he fram him was he iugede him strong dom
Þis manere ilaste longe þat alle þat hurde þis cas
Wondrede much of þe emperour þat he vnstable was
So attelaste Pilatus as oure Louerd hyt wolde
His curtel strupte of bi cas as he neuere ne scholde
& com so biuore þe emperour & he anon him nom
& suor his more oþ anon þat he to wroþer hele þer euer com
Seye he seyde þou wrecche man what hauestou ido
Slowe þou þe holy prophete to wroþer hele dostou so
Certes sire quaþ Pilatus y ne dude him neuere to deþe
Beo iknowe quaþ þe emperour vor þou miȝt as eþe
Bote þe luþere Gywes quaþ Pilatus to þe deþe him brouȝte
Wyþoute þe quaþ þe emperour such þing neuere hii ne þouȝte
Certes sire quaþ Pilatus y ne may noȝt asake þis
Þat ich ne dempnede him to deþe ak ich moste nede ywys
Vor þe enqueste vpe him sede þat he struyde oure lawe
& lawe ȝef þat alle suche me scholde brynge of dawe
& ich þar þat þi Iustise was þorw þin heste & þi rede
Moste nede ȝiue þe dom whanne þe enqueste sede
Whanne þou vnderȝete quaþ þe emperour þe Gywene valshede
Why naddestou ispeke þer aȝen & destourbed þe luþere dede
God hyt wot quaþ Pilatus and Ierusalem also
Þat ich was þer aȝen myd my myȝte þat he nere to deþe ido
Ak hii were vp him so vaste þat me ne miȝte mid no lawe

705

Whanne þe queste passede bote he were ibrouȝt of dawe
Ȝef þou mid ryȝte ne myȝtest hym saue þe emperour þo sede
Hou dorstestou wyþþoute my red do such a greot dede
Certes sire quaþ Pilatus me ne may þe wyþsegge nouȝt
Þat ich þer of ne mysdude in gult icham ibrouȝt
& me schal bi þe quaþ þe emperour as bi a gulty man do
Þou schelt passi þoru iugement vor þou toke on so
In stronge prison & deork anon he lette hym caste
Þat he ne seyȝ vot ne hond & lette him bynde vaste
So longe he lay in prisoun in honger & in pyne
Þat his lymes clongge awey his body gan al vordwyne
He hadde leuere his deþ þan his lyf so he clonge to nouȝt
So hii dude alle byvore ȝare deþ þat oure Louerd to deþe brouȝt
A day as þe gayler in to prisoun com
Pilatus cryde so deoluolyche þat greot deol to him he nom
Haue ruþe of me sire he sede vor þyn owe gentrise
Wel þou wost knyȝt ich am & whule hey Iustise
& nou here ich clyngge awey & no syȝt ne seo wyþ eyȝe
Let me ene par charite iseo lyȝt ar ich deyȝe
Þe gayler hadde ruþe of him such man he hadde ibeo
& of prisoun he ladde hym out þe world vorto seo
Þo Pilatus com to lyȝte as þe bok vs haþ itold
& iseyȝ his bodi al vorswarted hys heorte veol wel cold
Alas he seyde þis day abide þat ich euere com in lyȝt
So vorswarted as ich am þat was whule a noble knyt
Sire gayler vor þi cortesy graunte me one bone
Ȝef me an appel to mete vor ich hyt may do sone
Þe gayler him tok an appel & he sede hyt ys vnriȝt
Vnpared eny appel to take heyȝ man oþer knyȝt
Such wrecche as ich nou am ich was wule hey Iustise
Len me a knyf þis appol to parye vor þi gentrise

706

Þo þe gayler him tok a knyf him sulf he slouȝ anon
& smot deope in to þe body & lay ded as a ston
Þo þe tiþingge com to þe emperour þat bodi he lette take
& caste hyt wyþoute þe toun amang olde walle[s] vorsake
Þer ne wende noman þer vorþ aboute in none side
Þat he nas lame oþer wod oþer som messauntre him gan bitide
Þer was þonder & lyȝtyngge & greot tempest þer aboute
Þat men were wytles & adrad þat hii ne dorste uour route
So þat þe emperour let take þe wrecche lycame atte laste
& bere hyt to þe watere of Tybre & þer inne hit caste
Þo com þer so greot tempest þat þer aboute wel wyde
Þe schipes dreynte þer monyon þer aboute in eche side
Þat þe contreye hadde þer of doute & nome ȝham to rede
& into a water al fram men [] þis lycame gonne lede
Bitwene hulle & wyldernesse & þer inne hii hyt caste
Þe þondre smot þer to anon & þe lyȝtyngge wel vaste
Þat body rollede vp & doun [] icast here & þere
Myd weder & tempest of watere þat echmon hadde fere
Amidde þe water was a roch & þo þe lycame was þer neyȝ
Þe roch toclef amydde atwo as al þat folk yseyȝ
& as an arwe schet of a bowe þat bodi schet þer inne
Þe roch smot togadere anon þo þe bodi was wyþinne
And þe wrecche licame þer lyþ ȝut to þysse day
Muche wo þer is of aboute as monimon ȝut ysay
Þus Pilatus endede hys lyf as he wel wourþe was
God schulde eche Cristineman fram so deoluol cas
Amen.