University of Virginia Library

[Scene, Pilate's Hall.]
Pil.

An.
Ȝe sall sytt hym full sore, what sege will assay ȝou,
If he like not youre lordshippe, þat ladde, sall ȝe lere hym,
As a pereles prince full prestly to pay ȝou,
Or as a derworth duke with dyntes sall ȝe dere hym.

Cay.
Ȝaa, in faythe ȝe haue force for to fere hym,
Thurgh youre manhede and myght bes he marred,
No chyualrus chiftan may chere hym,
Fro that churll with charge ȝe haue charred
[and chasted?]

Cay.
In pynyng payne bees he parred,

An.

Cay.
Elles were it pite we appered in þis prees,
But consayue how ȝoure knyghtes ere command.

An.
Ȝa, my lord, þat leve ȝe no lese
I can telle you, ȝou tydes sum tythandis
ful sadde.

Pil.
Se, they bring ȝoone brolle in a bande;
We sall here nowe, hastely at hand,
What vnhappe before Herowde he had.

i Mil.
Hayll! louelyest lorde þat euere lawe led ȝitt,
Hayll! semelyest vndre on euere ilka syde,
Hayll! stateliest on stede in strenghe þat is sted ȝitt,
Hayll! liberall, hayll! lusty to lordes allied.

Pil.
Welcome, what tydandis þis tyde,
Late no langgage lightly nowe lette ȝou.

ii Mil.
Sir Herowde, sir, it is not to hyde,
As his gud frende grathely he grete yowe
for euere,
In what manere þat euere he mete ȝou,
By hym-selfe full sone wille he sette you,
And sais þat ȝe sall not disseuer.

Pil.
I thanke hym full thraly, and sir, I saie hym þe same,
But what meruelous materes dyd þis myron þer mell?

i Mil.
For all þe lordis langage his lipps, sir, wer lame,
For any spirringes in þat space no speche walde he spell.
Bot domme as a dore gon he dwell,
Þus no faute in hym gon he fynde,
For his dedis to deme hym to qwell,
Nor in bandis hym brathely to bynde,
and þus
He sente hym to youre self, and assynde
Þat we, youre knyghtis, suld be clenly enclyned,
And tyte with hym to you to trus.

Pil.
Syrs, herkens! here ȝe not what we haue oppon hand,
Loo, howe þere knyghtes carpe þat to þe kyng cared!
Syr Herowde, þai say no faute in me fand,
He fest me to his frenschippe, so frendly he fared.
More-over sirs, he spake, and noght spared,
Full gentilly to Jesu þis iewe,
And sithen to ther knyghtis declared
How fawtes in hym fande he but fewe
To dye,
He taste hym, I telle ȝou for trewe,
For to dere hym he demed vndewe,
And sirs, þe sothly saie I.

Cai.
Sir Pilate oure prince, we prelatis nowe pray ȝou,
Sen Herowde fraysted no ferþer þis faitour to slaye,
Resayue in ȝour sall þer sawes þat I saie you,
Late bryng hym to barre, and at his berde sall we baye.

An.
Ȝa, for and he wende þus by wiles away,
I wate wele he wirke will vs wondre,
Oure menȝe he marres þat he may,
With his seggynges he settes þam in sondre,
With synne.
With his blure he bredis mekill blondre;
Whills ȝe haue hym, nowe haldes hym vndir,
We sall wery hym away yf he wynne.

Cay.
Sir, no tyme is to tarie þis traytour to taste,
Agayne Sir Cesar hym selfe he segges and saies,
All þe wightis in this world wirkis in waste,
Þat takis hym any tribute; þus his teching outrayes.
Ȝitt forther he feynes slik affraies,
And sais þat hym self is God son;
And sir, oure lawe leggis and layes
In what faytour falsed is fon
Suld be slayne.

Pil.
For no schame hym to shende will we shon.

An.
Sir, witnesse of þis wanes may be wonne,
Þat will tell þis with-owten any trayne.

Cayp.
I can reken a rable of renkes full right,
Of perte men in prese fro this place ar I pas,
Þat will witnesse, I warande, þe wordis of þis wight,
How wikkidly wrought þat þis wrecche has;
Simon, Ȝarus, and Judas,
Datan and Gamaliell,
Neptalim, Leui, and Lucas,
And Amys þis maters can mell
to-githere;
Þer tales for trewe can they telle,
Of this faytour þat false is and felle,
And in legyng of lawes ful lithre.

Pil.
Ȝa, tussch! for youre tales, þai touche not entente,
Þer witnesse I warande þat to witnesse ȝe wage,
Some hatred in ther hartis agaynes hym haue hent,
And purpose be this processe to putt down þis page.

Caip.
Sir, in faith vs fallith not to fage,
Þai are t[r]yst men and true þat we telle ȝou,

Pil.
Youre swering, seris, swiftely ȝe swage,
And no more in this maters ye mell ȝou,
I charge.

An.
Sir, dispise not þis speche þat we spell you,

Pil.
If ȝe feyne slike frawdis, I sall felle ȝou,
For me likis noght youre langage so large.

Cai.
Oure langage is to large, but ȝoure lordshipp releue vs,
Ȝitt we both beseke you, late brynge hym to barre,
What poyntes þat we putte forth, latt your presence appreue vs,
Ȝe sall here how þis harlott heldes out of herre.

Pil.
Ȝa, butt be wise, witty, and warre.

An.
Ȝis, sir, drede ȝou noȝt for no thyng we doute hym.
Fecche hym, he is noght right ferre,
Do bedell, buske þe abowte hym.

Preco.
[Goes to the soldiers.

i Mil.
Is þis thy messege?

[Præco]
Ȝa, sir.

[i Mil.]
Þan moue þe no mare,
For we ar light for to leppe and lede forthe þe ladd.

ii Mil.
[To Jesus.]
Do steppe furth, in striffe ert þou stadde,
I vphalde full euyll has þe happed.

i Mil.
O man, thy mynde is full madde,
In oure clukis to be clowted and clapped,
And closed.

ii Mil.
Þou bes lassched, lusschyd, and lapped.

i Mil.
Ȝa, rowted, russhed, and rapped,
Þus thy named with noye sall be noysed.

ii Mil.
[To Pilate.]
Loo, this sege her, my souerayne, þat ȝe for-sente.

Pil.
Wele, stirre noȝt fro þat stede, but stande stille þare;
Bot he schappe som shrewdnesse, with shame bese he shente,
And I will frayst in faith, to frayne of hir fare.

Caip.
[Starting.]
We, outte! stande may I noȝt, so I stare.

An.
Ȝa, harrowe, of this traytour with tene.

Pil.
Say, renkes, what rewth gars you rare?
Er ye woode, or wittles I wene,
What eyles ȝou?

Caip.
Out! slike a sight suld be sene.

An.
Ȝa! allas, conquered ar we clene.

Pil.
We! ere ȝe fonde, or youre force fayles ȝou?

Cai.
A! sir, saugh ȝe noȝt þis sight, how þat þer schaftes schuke,
And theȝ baneres to this brothell þai bowde all on brede?

An.
Ȝa, ther cursed knyghtes by crafte lete them croke,
To worshippe þis warlowe vnworthy in wede.

Pil.
Was it dewly done, þus in dede?

Caip.
Ȝa, ȝa, sir, oure selfe we it sawe.

Pil.
We! spitte on them, ill mott þai spede!
Say, dastard, þe deuyll mote ȝou drawe,
How dar ȝe
Þer baners on brede þat her blawe,
Lat lowte to þis lurdan so lawe?
O faytouris, with falshed how fare ȝe?

iii Mil.
We beseke you and tho seniouris beside ȝou, sir, sitte,
With none of oure gouernaunce to be greuous and gryll,
For it lay not in oure lott þer launces to lett,
And þis werke þat we haue wrought it was not oure will.

Pil.
Þou lise, harstow, lurdan? full ille,
Wele þou watte if þóu witnes it walde.

iv Mil.
Sir, oure strengh myght noȝt stabill þam stille,
They hilded for ought we couthe halde,
Oure vnwittyng.

v Mil.
For all oure fors, in faith, did þai folde,
As þis warlowe worschippe þai wolde;
And vs semid, forsoth, it vnsittyng.

Cai.
A! vnfrendly faytours, full fals is youre fable,
Þis segge with his suttelte to his seett haþ you sesid.

vi Mil.
Ȝe may say what you semes, sir, bot þer standerdes to stabill
What freyke hym enforces full foull sall he be fesid.

An.
Be þe deuyllis nese, ȝe ar doggydly diseasid,
A! henne-harte! ill happe mot ȝou hente.

Pil.
For a whapp so he whyned and whesid
And ȝitt no lasshe to þe lurdan was lente,
foul fall ȝou!

iii Mil.
Sir, i-wisse no wiles we haue wente,
Shamefully ȝou satt to be shente,
Here combred caystiffes, I call ȝou!

iv Mil.
Sen ȝou lykis not, my lord, oure langage to leve,
Latte bryng the biggest men þat abides in þis land,
Propirly in youre presence þer pouste to preve,
Be-holde þat they helde nott fro þei haue þaim in hand.

Pil.
Now ȝe er ferdest þat euere I fand,
Fy on youre faynte hertis in feere,
Stir þe, no langer þou stande,
Þou bedell, þis bodworde þou bere
Thurgh þis towne;—
Þe wyghtest men vn-to were,
And þe strangest þer standerdis to stere,
Hider blithely bid þam be bowne.

Preco.
My souerayne full sone sall be serued youre sawe,
I sall bryng to þer baneres right bigg men and strange,
A company of keuellis in this contre I knawe
That grete ere and grill, to þe gomes will I gange.
[Goes to two soldiers.
Say, ye ledis botht lusty and lange,
Ȝe most passe to sir Pilate a pace.

i Mil.
If we wirke not his wille it wer wrang,
We are redy to renne on a race,
And rayke.

Preco.
Then tarie not, but tryne on a trace,
And folow me fast to his face.

ii Mil.
Do lede vs, vs lykes wele þis lake.

[The Beadle returns with them to Pilate.
Pre.
Lorde, here are þe biggest bernes þat bildis in þis burgh,
Most stately and strange if with strenght þai be streyned,
Leve me, sir, I lie not, to loke þis lande thurgh,
Þai er myghtiest men with manhode demened.

Pil.
Wate þou wele, or ellis has þou wenyd.

Pre.
Sir, I wate wele, withoute wordis moo.

Caip.
In thy tale be not taynted nor tenyd.

Pre.
We! nay sir, why shuld I be soo?

Pil.
Wele þan,
We sall frayst er they founde vs fer fro,
To what game þai be-gynne for to go,
Sir Cayphas, declare þam ȝe can.

Caip.
Ȝe lusty ledis, nowe lith to my lare,
Schappe ȝou to þer schaftis þat so schenely her schyne,
If ȝou barnes bowe þe brede of an hare,
Platly ȝe be putte to perpetuell pyne.

i Mil.
I sall holde þis as even as a lyne.

An.
Who so schakis, with schames he shendes.

ii Mil.
I certayne, I saie as for myne,
Whan it sattles or sadly discendis
Whare I stande,
When it wryngis or wronge it wendis,
Outher bristis, barkis, or bendes,—
Hardly lat hakke of myn hande!

Pil.
Sirs, waites to þer wightis þat no wiles be wrought,
Þai are burely and brode, þare bost haue þai blowen.

An.
To neven of þat nowe, sir, it nedis right noght,
For who curstely hym quytes, he sone sall be knawen.

Cay.
Ȝa, þat dastard to dede sall be drawen,
Who so fautis, he fouly sall falle.

Pil.
Nowe knyghtis, sen þe cokkis has crowen,
Haue hym hense with hast fra this halle
His wayes;
Do stiffely steppe on þis stalle,
Make a crye, and cautely þou call,
Euene like as sir Annay þe sais.

An.
Jesu! þou rewe of gentill Jacob kynne,
Þou nerthrist of Nazareth, now neuend is þi name,
Alle creatures þe accuses, we commaunde þe comme in,
And aunswer to þin enemys, deffende now thy fame.
Et Preco, semper post Annam, recitabit, Judicatur Jesus.

[The banners bow, and Pilate rises.
Cay.
We! out, we are shente alle for shame,
Þis is wrasted all wrange, as I wene.

An.
For all þer boste, ȝone boyes are to blame.

Pil.
Slike a sight was neuere ȝit sene!
Come sytt;
My comforth was caught fro me clene,
I vpstritt! I me myght noȝt abstene
To wirschip hym in wark and in witte.

Cay.
Þer-of meruayled we mekill what moued ȝou in mynde,
In reuerence of þis ribald so rudely to ryse.

Pil.
I was past all my powre, þogh I payned me and pynd,
I wrought not as I wolde in no maner of wise.
Bot syrs, my spech wele aspise,
Wightly his wayes late hym wende,
Þus my dome will dewly deuyse,
For I am ferde hym in faith to offende,
In sightes.

An.
Þan oure lawe were laght till an ende
To his tales if ȝe treuly attende;
He enchaunted & charmed oure knyghtis.

Cay.
Be his sorcery, sir, youre selfe þe soth sawe,
He charmes oure chyualers & with myscheffe enchaunted,
To reuerence hym ryally we rase all on rowe,
Doutles we endure not of þis dastard be daunted.

Pil.
Why, what harmes has þis hatell here haunted?
I kenne to co[n]vyk hym no cause.

An.
To all gomes he God son hym graunted,
And liste not to leve on oure lawes.

Pil.
[To Jesus.]
Say, man
Consayues þou noȝt what comberous clause
Þat þis clargye accusyng þe knawse?
Speke, and excuse þe if þou can.

Jesus.
Euery man has a mouthe þat made is on molde,
In wele and in woo to welde at his will,
If he gouerne it gudly like as God wolde,
For his spirituale speche hym [thar] not to spill.
And what gome so gouerne it ill,
Full vnhendly and ill sall he happe,
Of ilk tale þou talkis vs vntill,
Þou accounte sall, þou can not escappe.

Pil.
Sirs myne,
Ȝe foune in faithe all ȝe frappe,
For in þis lede no lese can I lappe,
Nor no poynte to putt hym to pyne.

Cai.
With-oute cause, sir, we come not þis carle to accuse hym,
And þat will we ȝe witt, as wele is worthy.

Pil.
Now I recorde wele þe right, ȝe will no raþere refuse hym,
To he be dreuen to his dede and demed to dye;
But takes hym vn-to you forthy,
And like as youre lawe will you lere,
Deme ȝe his body to abye.

An.
O! sir Pilate, with-outen any pere,
Do way,
Ȝe wate wele with-outen any were,
Vs falles not, nor oure felowes in feere
To slo noman, youre self þe soth say.

Pil.
Why suld I deme to dede þan with-oute deseruyng in dede?
But I haue herde al haly why in hertes ȝe hym hate,
He is fautles in faith, and so god mote me spede,
I graunte hym my gud will to gang on his gate.

Cai.
Nought so, sir, for wele ȝe it wate,
To be kyng he claymeth with croune,
And who so stoutely will steppe to þat state,
Ȝe suld deme, sir, to be dong doune
And dede.

Pil.

i Mil.
He may banne þe tyme he was borne;
Sone sall he be serued as ȝe saide vs.

An.
Do wappe of his wedis þat are worne.

ii Mil.
All redy sir, we haue arayde vs,
Haue done.
To þis broll late vs buske vs and brayde vs,
As sir Pilate has propirly prayde vs.

iii Mil.
We sall sette to hym sadly sone.

[They take Jesus to another part of the Hall.
iv Mil.
Late vs gete of his gere, God giffe hym ille grace.

i Mil.
Þai ere tytt of tite, lo! take þer his trasshes.

iii Mil.
Nowe knytte hym in þis corde.

ii Mil.
I am caut in þis case.

iv Mil.
He is bun faste, nowe bete on with bittir brasshis.

i Mil.
Go on, lepis, har ȝe, lordyngis, with lasshes,
And enforce we þis faitour to flay hym.

ii Mil.
Late vs driffe to hym derfly with dasshes,
Alle rede with oure rowtes we aray hym
And rente hym.

iii Mil.
For my parte I am prest for to pay hym.

iv Mil.
Ȝa, sende hym sorow, assaye hym.

i Mil.
Take hym þat I haue tome for to tente hym.

ii Mil.
Swyng to this swyre, to swiftely he swete.

iii Mil.
Swete may þis swayne for sweght of our swappes!

iv Mil.
Russhe on this rebald and hym rathely rehete!

i Mil.
Rehete hym I rede you with rowtes and rappes!

ii Mil.
For all oure noy, þis nygard he nappes.

iii Mil.
We sall wakken hym with wynde of oure whippes.

iv Mil.
Nowe flynge to þis flaterer with flappes.

i Mil.
I sall hertely hitte on his hippes
and haunch.

ii Mil.
Fra oure skelpes not scatheles he skyppes.

iii Mil.
Ȝitt hym list not lyft vp his lippis,
And pray vs to haue pety on his paunch.

iv Mil.
To haue petie of his paunche he propheres no prayer.

i Mil.
Lorde, how likis thou þis lake and þis lare þat we lere ȝou?

ii Mil.
Lo, I pull at his pilche, I am prowd payer.

iii Mil.
Thus youre cloke sall we cloute to clence you and clere ȝou.

iv Mil.
I am straunge in striffe for to stere ȝou.

i Mil.
Þus with choppes þis churll sall we chastye.

ii Mil.
I trowe with þis trace we sall tere you.

iii Mil.
All þin vntrew techyngis þus taste I,
þou tarand.

iv Mil.
I hope I be hardy and hasty.

i Mil.
I wate wele my wepon not wast I.

ii Mil.
He swounes or sweltes, I swarand.

iii Mil.
Late vs louse hym lightyly, do lay on your handes.

iv Mil.
Ȝa, for and he dye for this dede, vndone ere we all.

i Mil.
Nowe vnboune is þis broll, and vnbraced his bandes.

ii Mil.
O fule, how faris þou now, foull mott þe fall!

iii Mil.
Nowe be-cause he oure kyng gon hym call,
We will kyndely hym croune with a brere.

iv Mil.
Ȝa, but first þis purpure and palle,
And þis worthy wede sall he were
for scorne.

i Mil.
I am prowd at þis poynte to appere.

ii Mil.
Latte vs clethe hym in þer clothes full clere,
As a lorde þat his lordshippe has lorne.

iii Mil.
Lange or þou mete slike a menȝe as þou mett with þis morne!

iv Mil.
Do sette hym in þis sete, as a semely in sales.

i Mil.
Now thryng to hym thrally with þis þikk þorne.

ii Mil.
Lo! it heldes to his hede, þat þe harnes out hales.

iii Mil.
Thus we teche hym to tempre his tales,
His brayne begynnes for to blede.

iv Mil.
Ȝa, his blondre has hym broght to þer bales.
Now reche hym and raught hym in a rede
so rounde,
For his septure it serues in dede.

i Mil.

iii Mil.
Hayll! lord with-out lande for to lende,
Hayll! kyng, hayll! knave vnconand.

iv Mil.
Hayll! freyke, without forse þe to fende.
Hayll! strang, þat may not wele stand
To stryve.

i Mil.
We! harlott, heve vp thy hande,
And vs all þat þe wirschip are wirkand
Thanke vs, þer ill mot þou þryve.

ii Mil.
So late lede hym be-lyve, and lenge her no lenger,
To Sir Pilate oure prince our pride will we prayse.

iii Mil.
Ȝa, he may synge or he slepe of sorowe and angir,
For many derfe dedes he has done in his dayes.

iv Mil.
Now wightly late wende on oure wayes,
Late vs trusse vs, no tyme is to tarie.

[They go to Pilate.
i Mil.
My lorde, will ȝe listen oure layes?
Here þis boy is, ȝe bade vs go bary
With battis.

ii Mil.
We ar combered his corpus for to cary,
Many wightis on hym wondres and wary;
Lo! his flesh al be be-flapped þat fat is.

Pil.
Wele, bringe hym be-fore vs; [They do so.]
A! he blisshes all bloo,
I suppose of his seggyng he will cese euermore.
Sirs, be-holde vpon hight and ecce homoo,
Þus bounden and bette and broght you be-fore.
Me semes þat it sewes hym full sore.
For his gilte on this grounde is he greuyd,
If ȝou like for to listen my lore,
[OMITTED]
In race.

[Pil.]
For propirly by þis processe will I preve
I had no force fro þís felawshippe þis freke for to lende.

Preco.
Here is all, sir, þat ȝe for sende,
Will ȝe wasshe whill þe watir is hote?

[Barabbas is brought in.
Pil.
Nowe þis Barabas bandes ȝe vnbende,
With grace late hym gange on his gate
Where ȝe will.

Bar.
Ȝe worthy men, þat I here wate,
God encrece all youre comely estate,
For þe grace ȝe haue graunt me vn-till.

Pil.
Here þe jugement of Jesu, all Jewes in þis stede,
Crucifie hym on a crosse and on Caluerye hym kill,
I dampne hym to-day to dy þis same dede,
Þerfore hyngis hym on hight vppon þat high hill.
And on aythir side hym I will,
Þat a harlott ȝe hyng in þis hast,
Me thynkith it both reasoune and skill
Emyddis, sen his malice is mast,
Ȝe hyng hym.
Þen hym turmente, som tene for to tast;
Mo wordis I will not nowe wast,
But blynne not to dede to ȝe bryng hym.

Cay.
Sir, vs semys in oure sight þat ȝe sadly has saide,
Now knyghtis þat are conant with þis catyf ȝe care,
The liffe of þis losell in youre list is it laide.

i Mil.
Late vs alone, my lorde, and lere vs na lare.
Siris, sette to hym sadly and sare,
All in cordis his coorse vmbycast.

ii Mil.
Late vs bynde hym in bandis all bare,

iii Mil.
Here is one, full lange will it laste.

iv Mil.
Lay on hande here.

v Mil.
I powll to my poure is past.
Nowe feste is he, felawes, ful fast,
Late vs stere vs, we may not long stand here.

An.
Drawe hym faste, hense delyuere ȝou, haue done.
Go, do se hym to dede withoute lenger delay.
For dede bus hym be nedlyng be none.
All myrthe bus vs move to-morne þat we may,
Itt is sothly oure grette Sabott day,
No dede bodis vnberid sall be.

vi Mil.
We see wele þe soth ȝe vs say.
We sall traylle hym tyte to his tree,
Þus talkand.

iv Mil.
Fare wele, now wightely wende we.

Pil.
Nowe certis, ȝe are a manly menȝe!
Furth in þe wylde wanyand be walkand.