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The Tapiteres and Couchers

XXX. The Dream of Pilate's Wife : Jesus before Pilate
  
  

 1. 
 2. 
[Scene II
 3. 
 4. 

[Scene II

Chamber of dame Percula, Pilate's wife.]
18.
Dom.
Nowe are we at home, do helpe yf ye may,
For I will make me redye and rayke to my reste.

Anc.
Yhe are werie, madame, for-wente of youre way,
Do boune you to bedde, for þat holde I beste.

Fil.
Here is a bedde arayed of þe beste.

Dom.
Do happe me, and faste hense ye hye.

Anc.
Madame, anone all dewly is dressid.

Fil.
With no stalkyng nor no striffe be ye stressed.

Dom.
Nowe be yhe in pese, both youre carpyng and crye.


277

[All sleep, enter Satan.]
19.
Diab.
Owte! owte! harrowe! in-to bale am I brought,/This bargayne may I banne,
But yf y wirke some wile, in wo mon I wonne,
This gentilman Jesu of cursednesse he can
Be any syngne þat I see, þis same is goddis sonne.
And he be slone, oure solace will sese,
He will saue man saule fro oure sonde,
And refe vs þe remys þat are rounde.
I will on stiffely in þis stounde,
Vnto Sir Pilate wiffe, pertely, and putte me in prese.
[Whispers to Percula.
20.
O woman! be wise and ware, and wonne in þi witte,
Ther schall a gentilman, Jesu, vn-justely be juged
Byfore thy husband in haste, and with harlottis be hytte.
And þat doughty to-day to deth þus be dyghted,
Sir Pilate, for his prechyng, and þou,
With nede schalle ye namely be noyed,
Your striffe and youre strenghe schal be stroyed,
Youre richesse schal be refte you þat is rude,
With vengeaunce, and þat dare I auowe.

[Percula awakes, starting.
21.
Dom.
A! I am drecchid with a dreme full dredfully to dowte,
Say, childe! rise vppe radly, and reste for no roo,
Thow muste launce to my lorde and lowly hym lowte,
Comaunde me to his reuerence, as right will y doo.

Fil.
O! what! schall I trauayle þus tymely þis tyde?
Madame, for the drecchyng of heuen,
Slyke note is newsome to neven,
And it neghes vnto mydnyght full even.

Dom.
Go bette, boy, I bidde no lenger þou byde,
22.
And saie to my souereyne, þis same is soth þat I send hym.
All naked þis nyght as I napped,

278

With tene and with trayne was I trapped
With a sweuene, þat swiftely me swapped,
Of one Iesu, þe juste man þe Iewes will vndoo;
She prayes tente to þat trewe man, with tyne be noȝt trapped,
But als a domes man dewly to be dressand,
And lelye delyuere þat lede.

Fil.
Madame, I am dressid to þat dede;
But firste will I nappe in þis nede,
For he hase mystir of a morne slepe þat mydnyght is myssand.

[Sleeps.]