Ludus Coventriæ

by Unknown

XXX. THE TRIAL OF CHRIST.

Here xal a massanger com into the place rennyng and criyng “Tydyngys! tydynges!” and so rownd abowth the place, “Jhesus of Naȝareth is take! Jhesus of Naȝareth is take!” and forthwith heylyng the prynces, thus seyng,

Massanger. Alle heyle, my lordys, princys of prestys!

Sere Cayphas and sere Annas, lordys of the lawe!

Tydynges I brynge ȝou, reseyve them in ȝour brestys;

Jhesus of Naȝareth is take, therof ȝe may be fawe!

He xal be browth hedyr to ȝou anon;

I telle ȝou trewly with a gret rowth,—

Whan he was take I was hem among,

And ther was I ner to kachyd a clowte.

Malcus bar a lanterne and put hym in pres,

Anoon he had a towche and of went his ere!

Jhesus bad his dyscyple put up his swerd and ces,

And sett Malcus ere ageyn as hool as it was ere!

So mot y the, methowut it was a strawnge syth!

Whan we cam fyrst to hym, he cam us ageyn,

And haskyd whom we sowth that tyme of nyth?

We seyd Jhesus of Naȝareth, we wolde have hym fayn.

And he seyd, “it is I that am here in ȝour syth;”

With that word we ovyrthrowyn bakward everychone,

And some on her bakkys lyeng upryth,

But standyng upon fote manly ther was not on.

Cryst stode on his fete as meke as a lom,

And we loyn stylle lyche ded men tyl he bad us ryse;

Whan we were up, fast handys we leyd hym upon,

But ȝet me thought I was not plesyd with the newe gyse.

Therfore takyth now ȝour cowncel and avyse ȝou ryth weyl,

And beth ryth ware that he make ȝou not amat;

ffor be my thryfte I dare sweryn at this seyl,

ȝe xal fynde hym a strawnge watt!

Here bryng thei Jhesus beforn Annas and Cayphas, and on xal seyn thus,

Lo! lo! lordys, here is the man

That ȝe sent us fore.

Annas. Therfore we cone ȝou thanke than,

And reward ȝe xal have the more.

Jhesus, thou art welcome hedyr to oure presens;

Ful oftyn tymes we han the besyly do sowth;

We payd to thi dyscyple for the thretty pens,

And as an ox or an hors we trewly the bowth.

Therfore now art oure as thou standyst us before;

Sey, why thou ast trobelyd us and subvertyd oure lawe?

Thou hast ofte concludyd us, and so thou hast do more,

Wherfore it were ful nedful to bryng the a dawe.

Cayphas. What arn thi dysciplys that folwyn the aboute?

And what is thi doctryne that thou dost preche?

Telle me now somewhath, and bryng us out of doute,

That we may to othere men thi prechyng forth teche.

Jhesus. Al tymes that I have prechyd, opyn it was don

In the synagog or in the temple, where that alle Jewys com:

Aske hem what I have seyd, and also what I have don;

Thei con telle the my wordys, aske hem everychone.

Primus Judeus. What thou, fela? to whom spekyst thou?

Xalt thou so speke to a buschop?

Thou xalt have on the cheke, I make a vow,

And ȝet therto a knok.

Here he xal smyte Jhesus on the cheke.

Jhesus. Yf I have seyd amys,

Therof wytnesse thou mayst bere;

And yf I have seyd but weyl in this,

Tho dost amys me to dere!

Annas. Serys, takyth hed now to this man,

That he dystroye not oure lawe;

And brynge ȝe wyttnesse aȝens hym that he can,

So that he may be browt of dawe.

Primus doctor. Sere, this I herd hym with his owyn mowth seyn,—

Brekyth down this temple without delay,

And I xal settynt up ageyn

As hool as it was, by the thrydde day.

Secundus doctor. ȝa, ser, and I herd hym seyn also

That he was the Sone of God;

And ȝet many a fole wenyth so,

I durst leyn theron myn hed.

ȝa! ȝa! and I herd hym preche meche thyng,

And aȝens oure lawe everydel;

Of wheche it were longe to make rekenyng,

To tellyn alle at this seel.

Cayphas. What seyst now, Jhesus? whi answeryst not?

Heryst not what is seyd aȝens the?

Spek man, spek! spek, thou fop!

Hast thou scorn to speke to me?

Heryst not in how many thynges thei the acuse?

Now I charge the and conjure, be the sonne and the mone,

That thou telle us and thou be Goddys sone!

Jhesus. Goddys sone I am, I sey not nay to the!

And that ȝe alle xal se domys-day,

Whan the sone xal come in gret powere and magesté,

And deme the qweke and dede, as I the say.

Cayphas. A! out! out! allas! what is this?

Heryth ȝe not how he blasfemyth God?

What nedyth us to have more wytness?

Here ȝe han herd alle his owyn word!

Thynk ȝe not he is worthy to dey?

Et clamabant omnes. “ȝys! ȝys! ȝys! alle we seye he is worthy to dey, ȝa! ȝa! ȝa!”

Annas. Takyth hym to ȝow and betyth hym som del,

ffor hese blasfemyng at this sel.

Here thei xal bete Jhesus about the hed and the body, and spyttyn in his face, and pullyn hym down, and settyn hym on a stol, and castyn a cloth ovyr his face; and the fyrst xal seyn,

Primus Judæus. A! felawys, beware what ȝe do to this man,

ffor he prophecye weyl kan.

Secundus Judæus. That xal be asayd be this batte,

What thou, Jhesus? ho ȝaff the that?

Et percuciet super caput.

Tertius Judæus. Whar? whar? now wole I

Wetyn how he can prophecy.

Ho was that?

Quartus Judæus. A! and now wole I a newe game begynne,

That we mon pley at alle that am hereinne;

Whele and pylle! whele and pylle!

Comyth to halle ho so wylle.

Ho was that?

Here xal the woman come to Jewys and seyn,

Prima ancilla. What, serys, how take ȝe on with this man?

Se ȝe not on of hese dysciplys how he beheldyth ȝou than.

Here xal the tother woman seyn to Peter,

Secunda ancilla. A! good man me semyth be the,

That thou on of hese dysciplys xulde be.

Petrus. A! woman, I sey nevyr er this man,

Syn that this werd fyrst began.

Et cantabit gallus.

Prima ancilla. What? thou mayst not sey nay, thou art on of hese men,

Be thi face wel we may the ken.

Petrus. Woman, thou seyst amys of me;

I know hym not; so mote I the.

Primus Judæus. A! fela myn, wel met,

For my cosynys ere thou of smet;

Whan we thi mayster in the ȝerd toke,

Than alle thi ffelawys hym forsoke;

And now thou mayst not hym forsake,

For thou art of Galylé, I undyrtake.

Petrus. Sere, I knowe hym not, be hym that made me!

And ȝe wole me beleve ffor an oth,

I take record of alle this compayné,

That I sey to ȝow is soth.

Et cantabit gallus. And than Jhesus xal lokyn on Petyr, and Petyr xal wepyn, and than he xal gon out and seyn,

A! weel away! weel away! fals hert, why wylt thou not brest,

Syn thi maystyr so cowardly thou hast forsake?

Alas! qwher xal I now on erthe rest,

Tyl he of his mercy to grace wole me take?

I have forsake my mayster and my lord Jhesu

Thre tymes, as he tolde me that I xuld do the same;

Wherfore I may not have sorwe anow,

I synful creature am so meche to blame.

Whan I herd the cok crowyn, he kest on me a loke,

As who seyth, “bethynke the what I seyd before?”

Alas, the tyme that I evyr hym forsoke!

And so wyl I thynkyn from hens evyrmore.

Cayphas. Massangere! Massangere!

Massangere. Here, lord, here!

Cayphas. Massanger, to Pylat in hast thou xalt gon,

And sey hym we comawnde us in word and in dede;

And prey hym that he be at the mot-halle anoon,

ffor we han gret matere that he must nedes spede.

In hast now go thi way,

And loke thou tery nowth.

Massanger. It xal be do, lord, be this day,

I am as whyt as thought.

Here Pylat syttyth in his skaffald, and the massanger knelyth to hym, thus seyng,

Al heyl! sere Pylat, that semly is to se!

Prynce of al this Juré, and kepere of the lawe!

My lord busshop Cayphas comawndyd hym to the,

And prayd the to be at the mot-halle by the day dawe.

Pylat. Go thi way, praty masanger, and comawnde me also;

I xal be there in hast, and so thou mayst say:

Be the oure of prime I xal comyn hem to,

I tery no lenger, no make no delay.

Here the massanger comit aȝen and bryngit an answere, thus seyng,

Massanger. Al heyl! myn lordys, and buschoppys, and princys of the lawe!

Ser Pylat comawndyth hym to ȝou, and bad me to ȝou say,

He wole be at the mot-halle in hast sone after the day dawe,

He wold ȝe xuld be ther be prime withouth lenger delay.

Cayphas. Now weyl mote thou fare, my good page;

Take thou this for thi massage.

Here enteryth Judas onto the Juwys thus seyng,

Judas. I Judas have synnyd and treson have don,

ffor I have betrayd this rythful blood;

Here is ȝour mony aȝen, alle and some,

ffor sorwe and thowth I am wax wood.

Annas. What is that to us? avyse the now,

Thou dedyst with us covnawnt make;

Thou seldyst hym us as hors or kow,

Therfore thin owyn dedys thou must take!

Than Judas castyth down the mony, and goth and hangyth hymself.

Cayphas. Now, serys, the nyth is passyd, the day is come;

It were tyme this man had his jewgement;

And Pylat abydyth in the mot-halle alone,

Tyl we xuld this man present;

And therfore go we now forth with hym in hast.

Primus Judæus. It xal be don and that in short spas.

Secundus Judæus. ȝa! but loke yf he be bownd ryth wel and fast.

Tertius Judæus. He is saff anow! go we ryth a good pas!

Here thei ledyn Jhesu abowt the place tyl thei come to the halle.

Cayphas. Sere Pylat, takyght hede to this thyng!

Jhesus we han beforn the browth,

Wheche owre lawe doth down bryng,

And mekyl schame he hath us wrowth.

Annas. ffrom this cetye into the lond of Galylé,

He hath browth oure lawys neyr into confusyon,

With hese craftys wrowth be nygramancye,

Shewyth to the pepyl be fals symulacyon.

Primus doctor. ȝa! ȝet, ser, another and werst of alle!

Aȝens Sesar, oure emperour that is so fre,

Kyng of Jewys he doth hym calle,

So oure emperoures power nowth xuld be!

Secundus doctor. Sere Pylat, we kannot telle half the blame

That Jhesus in oure countré hath wrowth;

Therfore we charge the in the emperores name,

That he to the deth in hast be browth!

Pylat. What seyst to these compleyntys, Jhesu?

These pepyl hath the sore acusyd,

Because thou bryngyst up lawys newe,

That in oure days were not usyd.

Jhesus. Of here accusyng me rowth nowth,

So that thei hurt not here soulys ne non mo.

I have nowth ȝet founde that I have sowth,

ffor my faderys wyl fforth must I go.

Pylat. Jhesus, be this than I trowe thou art a kyng,

And the sone of God thou art also,—

Lord of erth and of alle thing,—

Telle me the trowth, if it be so!

Jhesus. In hefne is knowyn my faderys intent,

And in this werlde I was born;

Be my fadyr I was hedyr sent,

For to seke that was forlorn.

Alle that me heryn and in me belevyn,

And kepyn here feyth stedfastly;

Thow thei weryn dede I xal them recuryn,

And xal them bryng to blysse endlesly.

Pilate. Lo! serys, now ȝe an erde this man, how thynk ȝe?

Thynke ȝe not alle be ȝoure reson?

But as he seyth it may wel be,

And that xulde be this incheson.

I fynde in hym non obecyon

Of errour, nor treson, ne of no maner gylt;

The lawe wele in no conclusyon

Withowte defawth he xuld be spylt.

Primus doctor. Sere Pylat, the lawe restyth in the,

And we knowe veryly his gret trespas;

To the emperour this mater told xal be,

Yf thou lete Jhesus thus from the pas!

Pylat. Serys, than telle me o thyng,

What xal be his acusyng?

Annas. Sere, we telle the altogedyr,

ffor his evyl werkys we browth hym hedyr;

And yf he had not an evyl doere be,

We xuld not a browth hym to the.

Pylat. Takyth hym than after ȝour sawe,

And demyth hym aftyr ȝour lawe.

Cayphas. It is not lefful to us, ȝe seyn,

No maner man for to slen;

The cawse why we bryng hym to the,

That he xuld not oure kyng be.

Weyl thou knowyst kyng we have non,

But oure Emperour alon.

Pylat. Jhesu, thou art kyng of Juré?

Jhesus. So thou seyst now to me.

Pylat. Tel me than, where is thi kyngham?

Jhesus. My kyngham is not in this werld,

I telle the at o word.

Yf my kyngham here had be,

I xuld not a be delyveryd to the.

Pylat. Seres, avyse ȝow as ȝe kan.

I can fynde no defawth in this man.

Annas. Sere, here is a gret record take hed therto,

And knowyng gret myschef in this man;

And not only in o day or to,

It is many ȝerys syn he began.

We kan telle the tyme where and whan,

That many a thowsand turnyd hath he,

As alle this pepylle record weyl kan,

From hens into the lond of Galylé.

Et clamabunt “ȝa! ȝa! ȝa!”

Pilat. Serys, of o thyng than gyf me relacyon,

If Jhesus were outborn in the lond of Galylye,

ffor we han no poer, ne no jurediccyon,

Of no man of that contré.

Therfore the trewth ȝe telle me,

And another wey I xal provyde,—

If Jhesus were born in that countré,

The jugement of Herowdys he must abyde.

Cayphas. Sere, as I am to the lawe trewly sworn,

To telle the trewth I have no fer;

In Galelye I know that he was born,

I can telle in what place and where.

Aȝens this no man may answere,

ffor he was born in Bedlem Judé;

And this ȝe knowe, now alle I have don here,

That it stant in the lond of Galelye.

Pylat. Weyl, serys, syn that I knowe that it is so,

The trewth of this I must nedys se:

I undyrstand ryth now what is to do,

The jugement of Jhesu lyth not to me.

Herowde is kyng of that countré,

To jewge that regyon in lenth and in brede;

The jurysdyecyon of Jhesu now han must he,

Therfore Jhesu in hast to hym ȝe lede;

In halle the hast that ȝe may spede,

Lede hym to the Herownde anon present,

And sey I comawnde me, with worde and dede,

And Jhesu to hym that I have sent.

Primus doctor. This erand in hast sped xal be,

In alle the hast that we can do;

We xal not tary in no degré,

Tyl the Herowdys presens we come to.

Here thei take Jhesu and lede hym in gret hast to the Herowde; and the Herowdys scafald xal unclose, shewyng Herowdes in astat, alle the Jewys knelyng, except Annas and Cayphas, thei xal stondyn, etc.

Primus doctor. Heyl, Herowde, most excyllent kyng!

We am comawndyd to thin presens, —

Pylat sendyth the be us gretyng,

And chargyth us, be oure obedyens,

Secundus doctor. That we xuld do oure dylygens

To bryng Jhesus of Naȝareth onto the,

And chargyth us to make no resystens,

Becawse he was born in this countré.

Annas. We knowe he hath wrowth gret folé

Ageyns the lawe shewyd present;

Therfore Pylat sent hym onto the,

That thou xuldyst gyf hym jugement.

Herowde Rex. Now, be Mahound my God of Grace!

Of Pylat this is a dede ful kende;

I forgyf hym now is gret trespace,

And schal be his frend withowtyn ende.

Jhesus to me that he wole sende,

I desyred ful sore hym for to se;

Gret ese in this Pylat xal fynde,

And, Jhesus, thou art welcome to me!

Primus Judæus. My sovereyn lord, this is the case,

The gret falsnesse of Jhesu is opynly knawe;

Ther was nevyr man dede so gret trespas,

ffor he hath almost destroyd oure lawe.

Secundus Judæus. ȝa! be fals crafte of soserye,

Wrowth opynly to the pepylle alle,

And be sotyl poyntes of nygramancye,

Many thowsandys fro oure lawe be falle.

Cayphas. Most excellent kyng, ȝe must take hede,

He wol dystroye alle this countré, bothe elde and ȝyng;

Yf he ten monthis more procede,

Be his meraclys and fals prechyng,

He bryngyth the pepyl in gret fonnyng,

And seyth dayly among hem alle,

That he is lord and of the Jewys kyng,

And the sone of God he doth hym calle.

Rex Herowde. Serys, alle these materys I have herd sayd,

And meche more than ȝe me telle;

Alletogedyr thei xal be layde,

And I wyl take thereon cowncelle.

Jhesus, thou art welcome to me;

I kan Pylat gret thank for his sendyng;

I have desyryd ful longe the to se,

And of thi meracles to have knowyng.

It is told me thou dost many a wondyr thyng,

Crokyd to gon and blynd men to sen,

And thei that ben dede gevyst hem levyng,

And makyst lepers fayre and hool to ben.

These arn wondyr werkys wrougth of the,

Be what wey I wolde knowe the trew sentens.

Now Jhesu, I pray the, lete me se

O meracle wrougth in my presens.

In hast now do thi dylygens,

And peraventure I wyl shew favour to the;

ffor now thou art in my presens,

Thyn lyf and deth here lyth in me.

And here Jhesus xal not speke no word to the Herowde.

Jhesus, why spekyst not to thi kyng?

What is the cawse thou standyst so stylle?

Thou nowyst I may deme alle thyng, —

Thyn lyf and deth lyth at my wylle!

What? spek Jhesus, and telle me why

This pepyl do the so here acuse?

Spare not, but telle me now on he,

How thou canst thiself excuse.

Cayphas. Loo! serys, this is of hym a false sotylté,

He wyl not speke but whan he lyst;

Thus he dysceyvyth the pepyl in eche degré;

He is ful fals, ȝe veryly tryst.

Rex Herowde. What, thou onhangyd harlot, why wylt thou not speke?

Hast thou skorne to speke onto thi kyng?

Becawse thou dost oure lawys breke,

I trowe thou art aferd of oure talkyng.

Annas. Nay, he is not aferde, but of a fals wyle,

Becawse we xuld not hym acuse;

If that he answerd ȝow ontylle,

He knowyth he kan not hymself excuse.

Rex Herowde. What? spek I say, thou foulyng, evyl mot thou fare!

Loke up, the devyl mote the cheke!

Seres, bete his body with scorges bare,

And asay to make hym for to speke!

Primus Judæus. It xal be do withoutyn teryeng, —

Come on, thou tretour, evyl mot thou the!

Whylt thou not speke onto oure kyng?

A new lesson we xal lere the!

Here thei pulle of Jhesus clothis, and betyn hym with whyppys.

Secundus Judæus. Jhesus, thi bonys we xal not breke,

But we xal make the to skyppe!

Thou hast lost thi tonge, thou mayst not speke,

Thou xalt asay now of this whippe.

Tertius Judæus. Serys, take these whyppys in ȝour honde,

And spare not whyl thei last;

And bete this tretoure that here doth stonde,

I trowe that he wyl speke in hast.

And qwhan thei han betyn hym tyl he is alle blody, than the Herownd seyth,

Sees, seres, I comawnde ȝou be name of the devyl of helle!

Jhesus, thynkyst this good game?

Thou art strong, to suffyr schame,

Thou haddyst levyr be betyn lame,

Than thi defawtys for to telle.

But I wyl not thi body alle spyl,

Nor put it here into more peyn;

Serys, takyth Jhesus at ȝour owyn wyl,

And lede hym to Pylat hom ageyn.

Grete hym weyl, and telle hym serteyn,

Alle my good frenchep xal he have;

I gyf hym powere of Jhesus, thus ȝe hym seyn,

Whether he wole hym dampne or save.

Primus doctor. Sere, at ȝour request it xal be do,

We xal lede Jhesus at ȝour demawde;

And delyvyr hym Pylat onto,

And telle hym alle as ȝe comawnde.

Here enteryth Satan into the place in the most orryble wyse, and qwyl that he pleyth, thei xal don on Jhesus clothis and overest a whyte clothe, and ledyn hym abowth the place, and than to Pylat, be the tyme that hese wyf hath pleyd.