fol. 71va Listneth alle that beth alyve, Bothe Cristen men and wyve; men and women I wil you telle a wonder cas miraculous event Hou Jesus Crist bihated was detestedline5 Of the Jewes felle and kene bitter and cruel That was on hem siththe isene. afterward Gospelles I drawe to witnesse Gospels Of this mater more and lesse, And the Passioun and Nichodeme, Gospel of Nicodemus line10 Who that taketh right good yeme, heed And the gestes of emperours deeds (tales) Of thise wonder aventours, events Hou Jesus was don to ded Thorough the Jewes fals red. adviceline15 First thai deden hym gret despyt disdain Er he died, I tell you it, I trowe that thai bilowen noughth, liked him For after that thai dere it boght. dearly paid for it As ye mowen forthward lere — learnline20 Listneth now and ye schull here. Ye witen wel, and soth it is, know true That many on giltles honged is; That many a guiltless person is hanged Also bifel of Jhesu Crist, it happened to Tho us scheweth th’ewangelist;line25 For oure trespas and noughth for his Suffred he al her schame, iwis. their indeed First thai weren wroth with hym angry Als thai weren ful of venym, For he preched everewhoreline30 Among the Jewes, lesse and more, And the more thai gunne hym greve anger For he had of hem no leve. permission And oft he tolde hem in his sawe speech Where thai trespassed ageins the lawe,line35 And that in fele manere, in worthy manner He rought never theigh thai it here cared hear And proved it hem by holy wright scripture That thai ne couthe againsaie it; could contradict Also he telde hem everywhoreline40 That thai ypocrites were, For thai maden swich cheire outward appearance As thai liveden in good manere, As if they lived Hou thai the povere robbe and reve plunder For al her lawe thai nolden leve would not stopline45 The grettest maisters werst it kepeth, kept it worst Her wrong with hem noght ne slepeth. Their Yut also he tolde her owen thoughth That thai ne mightten withseie it nought; deny That was no maistré to Crist, not difficultline50 Natheles thai wondred hou he it wist. knew Graceles thai were and dym of sight, To knowe the strengthe of God almight; Altheigh thai hym in manhode sowe Although saw His godhede might thai noght knowe.line55 Thai schewed after her mysdede Forth onon thai felle in drede For the wonders that thai sawghe, Of his godhede than had thai awghe; holiness awe For no man migth swich maistré kithe show such powerline60 As he dude for hem oft sithe, many times As Nichodemus hath witnessed rigth That com to Jhesu Crist by nigth And sede, “Jhesu, we witen wel That thu art maister of Israel,line65 That knowlechestow noughth to be you acknowledge For all the merveiles we sen of thee; wonders Among us ne coude we never fynde On so wirche by mannes kynde, One accomplish such things Neither lewed man ne clerk, unlearnedline70 Bot God were with hym in his werk. Unless Therfore, we wolde sum tokne see — Schewe yif thou God almightty be.” Tho seide Jhesus to Nichodeme, “Ye taken of me ful litel yeme. heedline75 Theigh I you all aventours telle, events Of this werlde ther ye inne duelle, That ben gon and schollen falle, have happened will happen Ye leven never a word of alle. believe Forthi of Heven yif I tolde, Thereforeline80 Of al that ye witen wolde, would knowfol. 71vb Hou schold ye therof trowe me ought, trust Whan ye trowen me therof nought? Natheles the aventours all That I saie you schullen bifalle.” will happenline85 Nichodemus hym trowed wel believed And prively held with hym uche del. secretly supported completely In the Gospel as men rede, The Jewes hym tempted oft in dede; Thai asked hym many a wonder sawe difficult questionline90 For to ateint hym bi her lawe, condemn That thai mightten bi juggement In sum manere have hym schent. harmed Agains hym thai wroughtten in vayn worked That al unbynt and byndeth agayn. unbinds and bindsline95 This werldes wytt is bot folie foolishness Ageins Goddes gret maistré. knowledge Ones thai asked hym, “Maister dere, To whom schul we yolde iche yere Al the trowage of oure londe?” truageline100 Hou he ansuerd now understonde: “Of whom youre moné hath ymage, money (coins) With name written, yold hym trowage.” This was of hym asked with scorne For the wordes he seid biforne,line105 That he was a Jewes kyng. Tho ansuered thai to this thing, “Oure moné, we maken the war, Is made after oure kyng Cesar.” Than seide he, “Yeldeth Cesar his rigth,line110 And that is Goddes to God almight.” what There thai were confounded onon For thai were concluded everichon. answered By a womman thai tempted hym yut That schulde be stoned, fair he quit acquittedline115 For avoutré, a foule synne, adultery Thai tolde hym thai fonde hire therinne. Jhesus stouped doun onon; Thise wordes he wrot the erth upon, The wrecched erthe that other wried coveredline120 Bot God forgiveth that mercy cried. Tho he had writen what he wolde, Hy gon the hens to biholde; They from there Whan thai had seighen it als he bad, Sore thai weren all adrad. afraidline125 “Take this womman that hath don mys. sin Who that withoute synne ys, Caste on hir the first ston.” Thai stale out tho sone onon, crept All bot the womman stode alone,line130 And he sat and loked hire on. “Where ben thise men, womman,” he seide, “That this blame on thee leide?” “Sir, I not sikerli.” I do not know, truly “Dame,” he seide, “no more wot I. neither do Iline135 Bot go now forth with joye and wynne, delight And kep thee forthward fro syn.” henceforth Alwey thus on hym thai soughth, Bot evere thai founde it halp hem nought; For Goddes might and mannes witline140 Mowen nought wel togidre sit.

Than thai gunne hym to defame began And leide on hym and dude hym schame slander Tho thai mighth spede with no resoun With falshede thai thought to bryng hym dounline145 Thei seiden, “Thu seist amys, we leven, Agayn the lawghe that is us yeven.” Against given Thai seiden, “Sith we have the lawes Since That Moises taught us by his dawes, in his days That he of Messias took, the Messiahline150 As we fyndeth by oure book. So held oure fader Abraham And hiderward that after hym cam. That we cunne wite we brake hit nought, can understand In werk, in word, ne in thought.”line155 He wist wel that thai mistolde, knew misspoke That maden the lawes newe and olde. Than spak Jhesu the Jewes to: “Moises and Abraham I seigh also. Moises the lawghe I bitought,line160 That fro me to you it brought. I seie Abraham and he me; He was ful glad me to se. Ye ben wel harder than the ston, That of you nyl knowgh me non. will not knowline165 Tueie doumbe bestes, oxe and asse, Two Thai knewe me and wist what I wasse, And bestes wilde under wood lynde — linden tree Me knowthe al bot mankynde.” All but mankind know me The Jewes seiden that he mistolde:line170 He nas nought fyfty wynter olde. “Moises ne Abraham thu nast noght seen; This may nought in no wise ben. Thu semest but a yonge man, Hou mighttestou have seyen hem than?” might you have seen themline175 “Forsothe,” he seide, “I you telle can. I was er the werlde bigan before And schal be withouten ende, Theigh al thing asondyr wende. go to pieces I am Jhesus, Goddes son:line180 I saigh Abraham and Salomon. saw I com the lawghe to fulfille, Nought o poynt therof to spille, one invalidate Ne the prophetes alle, That han yben, other ben to falle; have been, or will beline185 And also treuly I you telle, Youre michel temple I may felle greatfol. 72ra And areisen agein the thrid day.” “That might noght be,” thai swore ay. In all thise wordes he hem blent, befuddledline190 For by his owen body he it ment, That he scholde die and assaie strive To arisen the thrid day. For this word thai were neigh mad, For ever thai fond hym trew and sad. honest and solemnline195 Natheles thai ansuered tho right, “Er oure temple were al dight, made Yeres weren six and fourty fulle; Hou ever than we trowe schulle?” Right cursed folk men might hem calle,line200 For the miracles he schewed hem alle, Bot al that he wolde and thought Most sum tyme to ende be broght; Must be fulfilled That folk was loked to do that dede, Therfore thai mightten sore drede.line205 He blamed hem for her bileve, faith And seid it scholde hem sore greve. He might sone such thing han wroght, That made al the werld of noght; from nothing And for he held noght her Sabath dayline210 To don miracles alway, The seek to hele of yvel and synne, sick For her lawe nolde he noght blynne. stop Fendes werkes were thai none, Devil’s Bot God Almightties dedes alone.line215 Thai areden hym whi he wroght than. guessed He ansuerd as God and man: “Is there any of you alle, Yif youre beest were yfalle Ded doun in pyt oither in lake, As if dead orline220 Yif it schulde ben up ytake, Ar it were lorne ye wolden up drawe, lost On the Sabath day, for al youre lawe?” Thai holden hem abasshed everichon, perplexed That thai ne couthe ansuere hym non.line225 Onon thai axed hym with gret tene insult What his miracles wolden mene, That was whan he heled the seek Or seide or dude wondres eek. After tho thai comen hym toline230 And axeden whi he dude so. He ansuerd after her thought, That thai ne couthe withseie hym noght. The grettest of the princes bolde Ageins Jhesu wel hard thai holde,line235 And uche made to other present For to ben at on assent. But smale folk al aboute But common people Folowed hym with gret route; in great numbers Wonder thik thai fellen hym toline240 For the miracles thai seighen hym do That thei despyt do hym ne might would not harm him That made thai token hym by nighth. Whan Jesus seigh the tyme therto, That it most nedes be do,line245 He bad thai schulden hem amende Or stronge vengeaunce he wold hem sende; He hight to fordon hem alle promised to destroy And her cité schulde falle, Jerusalem that was stronge and heighe.line250 Tho gan to waxen her envie; increase While it stood thai had no doute, So riche it was and strong aboute, Natheles of this gret sawe promise All thai weren in michel awe.line255 For his prophecies thai hated hym sore, And for he was trewe wel the more, And for his wyt that was so gret, And for his ansuer and his thret, crowd And for he bare so noble fame, carriedline260 That men honoured hym al by name And clepeden hym Jesus verray prophete, called Bothe in toun and in strete. Oft thai waited hym to sle, Bot for drede thai lete hym be.line265 By day thai might hym noght hent seize For the folk that with hym went; Many a thousand for his sake Wolde have ben ded or he were take; before Yif thai hadden biforehonde wistline270 Thai scholde so foule have faren with Crist, The princes thai wolden have sleyn And al the cuntré brent ful feyn. burnt God wolde nought that it were so; Otherwise it most go.line275 Whan tyme and terme was ycome That he suffred to be ynome, taken Ful wel he had taken his merk taken note of What manere men scholde don this werk, kind of And sithen it scholde alway be do,line280 Sum manere folk most nedes therto; Yyt was it better thai hadden the gylt Than any other had ben spylt. For in the book so we it fynde, Thai were the outcast of al mankynde.line285 He praied for hem on Rode tree, Rood (i.e., the cross) “Forgeven hem that it scholde be.” In ensample of Cristen menne, That here in eny envye brenne, burn That we forgiven as he forgave,line290 Michel mede schull we have. Great reward For he is so gret of curteisie, mercy He wil no synful man dye, Bot grace and space he wil hym sende, And he wil hymself amende.line295 So mightten the Jewes have had grace Of her vileynous trespas;fol. 72rb Jesus suffred a longe stounde, for a long while Fourty yer, it is yfounde, For tokne ne for other sight signline300 Repented thai nevere day ne nighth. Bot in the Passioun as we rede There thai wore gadered in everich stede every place Oft bifore thai spaken his ded, Hou to don thai couthe no red. had no course of actionline305 Thai seiden, “Whan schull we us wreke avenge Of this prophete that hath thus speke? For yif we leten hym thus gon, He schal fordon us everychon; destroy Romeins and other schull comen us on, Romansline310 And alle oure lawes thai willen fordon.” undo Thai seiden sother than thei wende, more truly knew For thai were never in will to amende; Oft thai casten and wolden sonde discussed Hou thai might drivon hym out of londe, driveline315 Thorough her lawes by juggement, Oither thorough privé queintise to have hym schent. secret trickery killed Ones thai hadden hym hem bitwene, among Tho thoughtten thai have wreken her tene, anger At a stede on an heighe hyll placeline320 Thai wolde have sleyn hym withoute skill; for no (just) cause Thai wolde have done hym thereto stirt, have attacked him Bot quyt he went away from hirt. freely harm And ones thai wolde have stoned hym, And to drawe hym every lym;line325 Thai seiden he blasfemed hym than, He made hym God and was a man. And oft afterward thai lepen jumped For to take hym with her wepen, weapons Bot for men that yeden hym by, wentline330 There durst non leie honde hym neigh. They dared not lay a hand near him And ones atte Flum Jurdon, Jordan River There he baptized Seint Jon, John (the Baptist) There thai waited to have hym sleyn, Bot quyt he went with might and meyn. miraculous powerline335 Whan thai seieghen thai mightten noght spede, Thai thoughtten don a lither dede; wicked Thai maden there a conspiracie Among the poeple with felony That Messias ones seide —line340 That is Jesus on oure tunge leide — called Out of synagoge he schulde be do, And for cursed man holden also. This was to hym no vilenye, Al were it don with gret envieline345 Alway thus failed her cast, Tyl Jesus wolde it atte last That the certein day was sett, Thei hadden no might hym to get; Whan he wist it most nedes be,line350 Than wolde he hem nothing fle.

Caiphas prophecied there, Als in the Passioun we mowen here, That a man schulde deie hem bifore, That the poeple ne were noght ylore; lostline355 The Holi Gost had brought hym this, Bot he nas nevere the better, iwis. Theigh it were seid with good resoun, It turned hym al to confusioun, For thorough hym and his felonye,line360 Encreced fast the Jewes envie; Increased Fro that this word was seide on heighe In al manere he schulde dyghe. Her eighen were blynde and nought hym knewe, Their eyes That mowen thai evermore rewe. might regretline365 Therfore he went onon hem fro — Among hem more nolde he go. he would not He went a litel there biside, Out of her sight hym to hide; Nought for drede took he his waie,line370 Bot for to stable us in the faie, make us firm faith To abiden his tyme wel and faire. There he was us a good samplaire example To prelates and to other men clergy That in anguisch here ben, tormentline375 To kepen us out of her weie That oure enemyes us nought saie test Whan men hem seen the more thai synne; Yif thai ben fer the more thai blynne. fierce fail

Thus turned Jesus from hem the bake,line380 That thai nought mychel of hym spak; much In to desert he held the sty, path To a citee that ther was ney. The story seith it hat Effroem, Effrem A litel weie fro Jerusalem;line385 With his deciples he duelled there — Nought for dred thai might hym dere, hinder Bot for the poynt I seide biforne. And yut were summe forsworne, Tho seiden thai there thai yedeline390 That he was yfled for drede. Bot trewely they liyeden uchon, all lied Thai nysten nought whi he was gon; did not know Thai weren nought worthi his conseil to witte That thoughtten alday don hym despitte. injuryline395 Yut eft the schrewus weren forsuorne often villains (shrews) In leccherie thai helden hym borne. lechery There weren tuelve that herden thus; Thai tolden hem thai seiden amys That witnessed all with saweline400 That he was borne in tho right lawe. the right law (i.e., in wedlock) Thai seiden thai seighen Joseph wed Marie, that clene lyf lede, Thai helden hym Joseps son right, A wrighttes son he was iplight. carpenter’s sworn to beline405 His fader made al thing of nought; There is non other that so wrought.fol. 72va The tuelve namis tell I can That with Jhesu helden than: Lazar, Asterus, Antonius,line410 Ysaac, Finous, and Cripus, Jacob, Samuel, and Joras, Agripta, Amos, and Judas. Tweie riche men there weren also Two That helden with Jhesu tho,line415 Evere in word and dedes bothe, Wherfore the Jewes weren wrothe. angry For her wraththe thai nolden leve cease Ne for her love Jhesu greve. Nichodemus was that on,line420 Prince of the Jewes everychon, At his dom and at his ded command He praised hym in every stede. place Forthi thai prisoned hym sone, immediately And wolden hym to deth have done.line425 And so thai wolde his other felawe, For his werk and for his sawe; That was Joseph of Arimathie, A riche man and of kynde heighe. high rank Thise men thai thought to have sleyn,line430 As I schal here after seyn. Thise were the pointes of her envie, grounds Wherfore thai deden hym to dye Withouten any other thing: Assaies, upbraides, and cursyng. Ordeals, reproachesline435 Love brast Jesus Cristes hert, broke And non other pyne smert; sharp Love hym drofand love hym brought, drove For to fynde that he sought. Whan love thirled Heven kyng, piercedline440 Love passeth al thing. Love is hede and love is ende; head Loveth love as ye ben hende. gentle Whan that Jesus was broght of lyve, killed (i.e., brought out of life) There fel wondres als blithe. at once line445 Centurio biheld and seid thus: “This is sothfast Goddus son Jesus.” truly And so dude Longens the knight, Longinus After that he had his sight; The gret temple atwo toclef, cracked in twoline450 And beried men ded and def buried dead and deaf Arisen and walkeden al about From toun to toun in muchel route, That weren wel knowe out and in Of men that weren of her kyn.line455 Thai tolden whi thai risen thore, there For Jesus that dyed hem bifore. The sunne also les her light, lost And ston and tre loren her might, lost And everich thing in his kynde according to its natureline460 Of Jhesus deth had mynde, Outtake man that scholde be chief, Except And most scholde be Jhesu lef; Jesus should be dear Thai schewed hym most unkyndenesse Ageins al his gret godenesse; In contrast toline465 Al this was witnesse ageins man That he had ytrespassed than. Sithen al quok bot mannes hert, Since trembled Ne was he worthi than to smert. suffer Adam bigan first the game;line470 The Jewes ended it with schame; Bot Oure Lorde, that curteis is, gracious Dude it al for mannes blis; joy Also for the Jewes forthi, therefore Yif thai hadden sought his mercy.line475 This dede men bigunnen to telle Whi thai risen in flesch and felle skin And Jhesus wolde rise the thrid day. The Jewes weren in gret afray, dismay Bot thai dredden noght arightline480 As thai scholden; hem failed might.

Tho he was risen the thrid morne, third As his Passioun seith biforne, Aggeus, Phinees, and Escandas, Thise thre tolden hem hou it was;line485 Tueie clerkes witnessen this also, Two That Sent Mychel schewed it to, Saint Michael Carianus and Elyntheus Doumbe thai weren til swete Jhesus Fro that he rose and stighe to Heven rose and went upline490 And than tolden thai ful even Al that was don everych del entirely Of the lore of Seynt Mighel Michael In erthe and helle, in paradys, What Jhesus Crist had don, iwys.line495 Also it witnesseth in othere stede, There men of the story rede. Tho spak Nichodemus onon To the Jewes everychon, “Ye wycked men, wat have ye wroght? what have you doneline500 In muchel sorough ye han us brought. sorrow Al that Josep and I you sede, said to you It might stonde you in no stede.” Than gan Josep speke hem to, “Agein Jhesu ye han mysdo, done wrongline505 For giltles ye han hym slawe; guiltless slain Therfore ye mowen ben unfawe.” must be joyless Onon the Jewes on Josep borne charged That he was to Jhesu sworne. “Ye,” quoth Josep, “to hym I take,line510 All youre lawes I forsake. I wot wel ye ben wroth with me, For I beried his body fre; I ne recche, so Crist me save, do not care Theigh I youre wraththe have.line515 I warne you wel ye schullen abye, pay for it That ye duden hym such vilenye.”fol. 72vb Than weren the Jewes wel neigh wood, And though he seide for her good; He is nought my frende, ye han herd told,line520 That seith as myne hert wold. Josep withouten more sake strife Sone onon thai gonnen take; Thai putten hym in a strong prisoun, With dubble lok al for tresoun.line525 Annas and Cayphas, thise two Beren the keies the dore to undo. The hous was hole withouten hole, entirely For thai thoughtten so have hym stole spirited him away That never frende ne scholde have wistline530 Hou ne where he had ben myst. Bot Jhesus, that is curteis at nede, benevolent That night com hym out to lede. The Jewes soughtten hym on the morn; His deth thai holden among hem sworn.line535 Anna and Caiphas undeden the dore; They sought and cleped thai hadden hym lor. lost Thai wepden and weren sory men, shed tears Out of londe thai thoughtten flen, fled Body for body thai token hym, line540 To kepen hym uppon lyf and lym; And also thai hadden mychel care, Where thai wolden gon or fare, Among al this so comen the knighttes That woken Jhesu bi day and nighttes, watched overline545 Therwhiles that he in the toumbe lay Til it was on the thrid day That he out of the toumbe aros Thai weren neigh wood so hem agros trembled And tolden the Jewes he was arisenline550 And for an aungel they weren agrisen terrified That put doun the gret ston moved And set hymself there upon For dred thai seiden that thai had, Thai fellen doun as thai wore madline555 Also wymmen there comen thre That soughtten Jhesu for to see; The aungel taught hem where he is, In to Galilé gon, iwis. Than ansuerden the Jewes blake, wicked line560 “Whi nad ye tho wymmen ytake? didn’t seize Ne were ye armed swythe wel, very Alle foure in yrne and steel.” iron The knighttes seiden, “Ne witeth us noght; Do not blame us We hadden no myght hem to have brought.”line565 Than axed Pilate hem onon, “Whi lete ye than Jhesu gon?” Than ansuerden the knighttes bold, “Whi nadden ye Josep withholde? didn’t We han bothe failed of oure pay; satisfactionline570 Jesus and Josep ben gon away. Delivere us hider Joseph now, And we schull take Jhesu to you! He is risen as God ful of might: Evere we mowen dred hys right. authorityline575 There com no man hym to stele, Theigh he be risen with good hele; And yut we mowen drede the more, We schullen abie his deth ful sore.” pay for Than wexen the Jewes all mad grew distraughtline580 To maken her gre thai weren glad; To make peace with them Thai gaven hem michel tresore That thai scholden speke no more. Al halp nought that thai ne tolde Where thai comen with wordes bolde;line585 It might in no wise ben yhid: be hidden It most nedes alway be kyd. known

Than seiden the knighttes, “Secheth ye, Seek For Josep is now in his cité.” Than senten the Jewes Josep toline590 Letres of pes to come and go; Letters of peace Josep cam and spak hem with The Jewes all, in pes and grith. mercy Thai wente ageins hym with honour, greeted Thai kist and graunted hym her socour, kissed protectionline595 And thai axed hym the resoun, Hou he com out of prisoun. “Sires,” he seide, “I telle you right, Jesus me fet the first nigth. sought (fetched) Whan he com me thought that stounde at that timeline600 That the hous res fro the grounde, rose Up in to the eir ageins hym right, air For he is verray God Almight. Ful the hous me thought he sprad dispersed With gret light that he had;line605 For drede of hym I fel adoun As a man that was in swoun, swoon (i.e., a faint) Bot sone he me toke by the honde And bad me I scholde by hym stond. My face he wipte and siththe me kyst; wipedline610 What he was yit I nyst. did not know “Ne drede thee ich am Jesus,” he seide; “That thu beriedest in that stede; place Thu madest my grave in yone orchard: By that tokne be noght aferd.”line615 Onon he led me to the grave, Ful good mynde therof I have. “Josep, here thu beriedest me, And that I schal wel yelde thee.” reward Whan I had this grave seen,line620 I nyst nevere hou he com then. In myne owen hous he me set, That non of you might hym let; hinder In pes ho bad me duelle thore, dwell there And bad me come out no more,line625 Til fourti daies were comen and gon, And bad I ne schulde drede you non;fol. 1ra And at the fourty dayes ende Whider I wolde he bad me wende. He bid me to go where I wished Upon the Mount of Olyvete, Mount of Olivesline630 There my Lorde that is so swete blessed Steigh to hevene fair and wel, Ascended Almightty God in flesshe and fel; flesh and skin (i.e., the whole body) And efte shal comen at Domesday Doomsday To yelde bothe gode and wick her pay. give wicked rewardline635 There was a swete compaignye: Fyrst his dere moder Marie, His apostles and othere moo That weren ywoned with hym to goo, accustomed And summe that arisen thoo he aroos,line640 To beren witnesse biforne his foos. I hope yee han herd of this, And bot yee han, yee shullen, iwys!” Whan Joseph had al thus saide, Jhesus upon his heved laide, headline645 Er he up upsteigh, ich understonde, ascended Faire and wel his rigth honde. “He kissed me and blissed also And faire he took his leve to go, And bad me drede for no Jew —line650 By this I wist he was Jhesu. And thusgate I come you fro. in this manner Sires, what cone yee seie therto? what can you say By this me thenketh it may acorde That he is God Almighty Lorde,line655 And tyl the fourty dayes weren ywent I nolde have comen, theigh yee hadden sente.” Onon he thought hom to goo, And took his leve and dude also. Thoo Josep had tolde hem thisline660 Than thoughtten hem thai hadden don amys wrong Thai seiden, “What chaunce is this bifalle Of this prophete amonge us alle?” Josep went into his cuntree And preched and taughtte the Trinité;line665 Michel poeple he tourned and lerd converted and taught With the wordes thai of him herd. And whan the Jewes herden this, Thai weren sore agreved, iwys. Eftsones thai laughtten hym queyntlich Soon after caught slylyline670 And sperred hym up wel pryvelich; locked secretly In her toun wal thai shetten hym shut him up In a vaughtth that was ful dym, cell And there he duelled seven yere. Oure Lorde hym kepte ful leef and dere; cherishedline675 That nede was he had uche day What he needed Of Jhesu whiles he there lay. Bot wel I woot atte last, With mychel honoure he was out cast; And his foomen aboughtten it dere, enemies paid for itline680 As yee shullen hereafter here.

fol. 1rb Listneth you, ich wil you rede; I shal you telle a wonder dede, Hou curtes Jesus Crist was gracious To hem that duden hym that trespas,line685 And so he is yut uche day To us alle, I telle may. We wraththen hym with many a synne; Good it were sumtyme to blynne. cease Al that he may for us he doothe,line690 Al day yee mowen seen the sothe. In many manere he us fondeth; tests To wraththen hym therfore withstondeth, angered For in his honde he bereth the knyf bears the knife Of oure deth and of oure lyf.line695 Also we reden of this resoun Thre yere biforne his Passioun Three With his deciples hou he kem came Toward the cité of Jerusalem, And hou he weep yee shullen seeline700 And spaak thus toward the citee: “Yif thou wist als mychel as I, Thou mostest wepe, I seie thee whi. The day bigynneth fast to highe — to come quickly Bot al that is hyd from thine eighe — eyeline705 Swiche a day shal come thee on Thou shalt have enemyes many on, That al aboute shullen thee bicast And destroyen thee atte last. Muchel sorough mowen yee have;line710 You dar no mercy of hem crave. There shal no ston on othere leve, Bot doun thai shullen thee to-dreve.” drive Foure prophetes seiden righth thus, Longe biforne oure lorde Jhesus,line715 Bothe Moyses and Ysaye, Isaiah And Hosie and Jeremye. Hosea and Jeremiah He stood on the Mount of Olyvete Whan he toward the cité gan grete, Bot his deciples wenden ayline720 That he had speken of Domesday. Peter ansuered for hem alle: “Lorde,” he seide, “whan shal this falle?” And Jesus wyst what he wolde mene, And seide to hem, “Yee shullen seneline725 Mony a tokne upon heighe, Of sonne and mone in the skye; sun and moon Londe shal weren agenis londe, war The fader agenis the child shal stonde, The childe agenis kynde also;line730 Manqualme shal be, with hunger and woo, Death (from plague) Qualme of beestes and of othere kynde Illness Thorough every londe men shullen fynde; The fruyt shal on erthe faile, Men lyven in tene and in travaile. suffering afflictionfol. 1va Yee shullen ben drawen, more and lesse, broughtline736 Biforne tyrauntes in destresse, And fele for my love shullen plen, many complain And summe al quyk thai shullen flen. alive flay Grete tribulaciouns men shullen seeline740 Many on suffre for love of me; And I myself shal gon to dede, death Ybeten and bounden, bak and hede, And risen agein the thrid day To gladen myne, al that I may;line745 And many other toknes shullen fall I may noughth now seie you alle. Yut cometh noughth the day so sone That the grete dome shal be done. Heveth up youre heveden from slepe, Lift headsline750 And out of synne clene you kepe! The dome shal come with grete yre, As theef that steleth or wilde fyre, And alle thai shullen to joye wende That kepen hem trewely to the ende.line755 By toknes that han ben sen byfore, Dredeth that is to comen the more. Hevene and erthe shulle passe bothe, Al bot myne wordes that ben sothe.” Whan this was seide, to toun thai drough, goline760 And there he wraththed summe ynough; In the temple he gan biholde Hou the Jewes boughtten and solde; He wexe ful wrooth als yare completely Also thai solden there her chaffare, goods for tradeline765 Oxen, kyne, and other score, cows Withinne the temple and othere tresore, Golde and silven there thai solde silver To alle men that bygge wolde, buy And for usure to maken chaunce usuryline770 To men that comen out of Fraunce. Natheles thai solden non othere thing Bot that shulde to offryng To pilgrymes sekande that cité seeking That comen from dyverse cuntré.line775 Hym thoughth that thei gunnen apeire diminish Of holy chirche to maken a feire market “Lete chepyng,” he seide, “be there it is. trading This hous for bedes alone, iwys.” prayers A roop he laughth that he fonde, rope seizedline780 With many knottes ful his honde, And droof out alle that there stoode; Thai weren so drad thai weren ner wode. crazed Hem thoughtten his lokyng was as fyre, appearance And thus he seide to hem with yre:line785 “Yee maken myne hous a theves den, That first was sett for Cristen men. An hous of orisenus dighth it is, prayers made I wil non other it be, iwys.” Bestes for hym bigunnen to fleighe,fol. 1vb And felden boordes with monee, knocked down tablesline791 And othere thing that stood to selle, Ne durst abide ne lenge to duelle. There ful faire he hem teched, And sithen ful ofte hem preched,line795 Til thai token it with envie And bispeken his deth with felonye, agreed upon Wharfore siththe whan thai hym took Also we reden in the book, As Fyfty knighttes with Judas comenline800 With her meignee that hym nomen, troops took By the resoun that he uchone each one Out of the temple droof alone. Natheles whan thai hym took, For his word so sore thai quook, shookline805 That thai fellen all adoune As ded men oither men in swoughne. in a swoon He reised hem up as the hende, For that ded most be broughth to ende, For to saven al mankynde,line810 Als we in prophecies fynde.

Gode men understondeth now, And I shal telle you alle how The Jewes that duden Jhesu to ded, Thorough feble conseil and fals red. bad counsel treacherous adviceline815 Thai weren in so gret encombraunce; ensnarement Therfore thai hadden all meschaunce That had Jhesus byforne hem highth, And ay thai token it ful lighth; lightly Bot sithen it fel in her owen nek, on their own necksline820 Thai nolden non other who dar rek. should care Yut fourty yer he yaf hem space, a reprieve To see yif thai wolden seken his grace; To vengen hym wolde he noughth sende avenge Yif that thai wolden hem amende.line825 Thre thinges there weren in Israel, Whiche thai weren hereth hem wel, Als in storye we redeth and fynde That fellen on the Jewes kynde. The first was cleped pylrynage, called pilgrimageline830 That other thraldom and servage, Dispersioun the thrid was tolde, Dispersion (Diaspora) That is to-dreveyng of yonge and olde. scattering Thus began her pilrynage Thoo Jacob went with his lynage descendantsline835 Into Egipte for mychel nede Thai lyved there longe in mychel drede Thoo Jacob ne mighth no lenger lyven His kynde was out of londe ydryven, Thorough the Rede See as yee han herd, Red Sealine840 There Pharaou and his folk forferd. perished Moyses was her leder than Into the londe of Chanaan Canaan That was the londe that he hem highth promised And there he kepte hem wel aplighth. in faithfol. 2ra With aungels mete he fed hem, angel’s food (i.e., manna)line846 Her clothes lasted withouten wem flaw Fourty wynter in deserte — That was a miracle fair and aperte! plain And yut for al his curteisie,line850 Thai wroughtten ageins hym gret folye. Thai maden goddes of metal (i.e., idols) And honoured hem with worthschipp al; Than yolden thai Jhesu his godenesse rewarded With ful mychel unkyndenesse.

line855 Nou shal I touche of her servage, bondage That evere shal last the worldes age; Ne shullen thai nevere duelle in toun Withouten trowage or raunsoun. tax ransom In Babiloyne first this thraldom Babylon subjectionline860 On her former fadres com, forefathers There thai duelleden fifty yere Er than mosten gon quyt and skere. go free safe The fiftithe yer was her solace, fiftieth Forthi it is now the yer of grace;line865 Thai weren than leten out of prisoun, So is that oure yer of gret perdoun. pardon Dispersioun was the thrid thing, Diaspora Of Jewen kynde the to-drevyng, scattering That is now fallen in this cas.line870 Thorough Vaspasian and Titus it was. As Jhesus er seide thorough prophecie, “I schal delyver hem for her envie Under lordeschipp and swiche honde.” control There thai shullen duelle, ich understonde,line875 Withouten skapyng of prisoun, For golde, ne fee, ne raunsoun, For no mercy quyt shulde thai wende go freely Hethen to the werldes ende. From hence Mesure ne mercy was non in hem, Moderationline880 And swiche shullen thai have and her barnetem offspring For thai Maries son forsook That was rigth heire, so seith the book, true heir For Marie com of that lynage lineage That he shulde bere the heritage. inheritanceline885 Of this chaunce was spoken and founde Er than it fel a longe stounde. The noble clerk maistre Josephus Amonge the Jewes seide thus: “The day wil come this toun schall falleline890 And the Jewes ben confounded alle; This cité shal ben overthrowe, The heighe paleys shal lye ful lowe. Messias shal sende you amonge Sorough and shame and werre stronge. fierce warline895 Fro Rome shullen come princes two, The fader and the son also, And shullen destroye al that thai fynde, This toun with al the Jewes kynde. This shal falle by her werkes,fol. 2rb Taken thai nevere so wel her merkes, no matter how much they bewareline901 For thai slowghen Jhesu Crist, iwis, That God Almightty son is, And this is her rightful juggement, Bot thai comen to amendement.line905 The fader gate there swiche honoure That he shal ben emperoure. Another tyme witnesseth yee Whan that yee the sothe ysee.” truth Thus wroot he in the Jewes book,line910 There thai mightten it alway look.

After Jhesus deth fellen wondres thicke, many wonders Faire and foule, gode and wyk, evil Sithen thai slough the yonge Seint Jame, For he preched Cristes name.line915 Seven yer after Jhesus dede Dyed James in that stede, For whiche deth God was wrooth also. For to amende hem he was sent hem to, With conseil, bedes, and with prechyng, prayersline920 In tokne of the first warnyng To amende hem that thai deden hym dye. caused his death This me thinketh was a curteisie, For it was the heighest trespas greatest That evere in erthe yarked was. ordainedline925 Forthi it is no skyl reuthe to have it is not fitting to have pity Of hem ne kepten hemself to save; Forthi we owin make joye and game ought That hem bifel sorough and shame. Jesu it grauntte for his mercyline930 That uche synful be quyt therby! freed God sent this James to Jerusalem, As I seide er, to prechen hem, before To repenten of her synne That thei weren encoumbred inne, ensnaredline935 And so he dude alwaye; He ne spared noughth, the sothe to saye. He wexe of so gret renoun grew Thai maden hym bisshop of the toun; He was a man of grete penaunceline940 And dude his body grete grevaunce. injury He wered nevere wollen ne lynnen clooth, wore wool linen Ne brede ne fyssh ete, ne flesshe that gooth, live animals (i.e., meat) For chaungeyng, wasshyng na bathing, Bot a goune of heer to his clothing; hairshirtline945 And kneled so to God alway For the poeple nighth and day, With his knees bare upon the ston, That the hide wexe hard hem upon, skin So that thai semeden biforne seemedline950 As chamailes knees that ben of horne. camel’s horn This com hym of gret charité, Yif thai mightten the better have be; Wicked thai weren ay and wicked than That kidden than in that gode man. That was made knownfol. 2va It was upon a Paske Day, Passover line956 The Jewes gadered with grete deray noise And seiden thus to Seint Jame, Al on yrnest and with grame: earnest hatred “Out of this cuntree fer and hende, fairline960 Michel folk wil hider wende For to heren thi prechyng. We bidde thou speke non othere thing Agenis oure law with Jhesus, Yif thou wilt have thank of us.line965 For yif the folk after thi sawghe words Thorough thi prechyng from us drawghe, Michel pyne than shaltou have, Great pain The grete lorde shal thee noughth save.” Thai beden hym despise Jhesu orderedline970 Whan he preched of his vertu; And yif he preised hym wel byfore, He preised hym than mychel more. And also he preched upon a day In the temple ageins her pay, against their likingline975 On went to hym there he stood One And drough hym doune as he were wood; pulled mad Anothere laughtte a fullyng staf, seized And in the hevede therwith hym gaf. head struck He smoot hym ther with so gret mayn, strengthline980 That in the chirche shad his brayn. dashed out Thus thai yelden hym his mede gave him his reward For his travaile and his good dede! There risen up fele that loveden Jame, many To taken thise men and don hem shame;line985 Thoo that seighen thai flowen anon fled So that tyme quyt thai gon. free Bot thai abiden the grete vengeaunce For Cristes deth and for his chaunce. fate Alway they were ylich wyk, constantly wickedline990 Tyl the wreche com to the pryck, Until the point of vengeance For Goddes righth ne wil no wrong That dampned hem sithen to pyne stronge. condemned Thai that wolden James socoure aid Byriyeden his body with honoure. Buriedline995 The Jewes clepid hym on and other called Noughth bot Jhesus Cristes brother; Of body, of face, and of feet, He was liche hym evere yutt. For the first tokne he was sent signline1000 To tourne the poeple was his entent. convert

Listneth now, I wil you telle, Of wondres I may you spelle, explain That othere tokne that com there than That shewen amonge the Jewes gan.line1005 There weren gadred on a foest, feast Alle the Jewes, lest and mest, least and greatest That richest weren of that cité, And also fele of the cuntré, For at morne whan thai arise,fol. 2vb Thai duden her Goddes sacrifise,line1011 So that nothing shulde hem greve. So bifel hem as thai bileve For the pride that thai were inne And encombred weren of senne, sinline1015 At that fest aross swiche stryf strife That uche slough other with his knyf; Thritti thousande there weren sleyn, And that made many a Jew unfeyn. unhappy The thridd tokne next was this,line1020 Agenis kynde it fel, iwys, nature To the temple an helefer was broughth, heifer That to sacrifice was soughth And sodeynlich amonges hem alle, suddenly Er men wyst, it gan doun falle. knewline1025 There com out of the beestes wombe, In the stede of a calf, a lombe. place lamb That abaissht alle that there stood, perplexed So that thai weren alle wel neigh wood. insane The furthe tokne fel on a nyghthline1030 In the temple was swiche lighth such light That alle the Jewes that it say saw Wendeth it had ben lighth of day, Thought On Paske Day withinne the nigth It was the nynthe houre ful rigth. 3:00pm, the office of Nones (ninth hour after dawn)line1035 As ich rede of this cas This the fyfte tokne was: Anothere nighth fel at cokkes crowe (i.e., dawn) That alle the gatus gunne up blowe, gates blow That weren of yren ysperred fast lockedline1040 With suche a dyne that thai upbrast. din burst open Thorough the toun was swiche a dyne So that thai wenden that weren thereinne That her toun wal was fallen adoune That enclosed al tho toune.line1045 Tha sexte token was thai herden a cry sixth In the temple al on hygh Thai seide “go we hethen, go we hethen.” hence Alle thai it herd and noughth ne seighen. and saw nothing It was upon the Witsoneeday Whitsunday (Pentecost)line1050 Withinne the even, tellen I may; evening The preestes comen the temple unto Als thai weren ywoned to do, accustomed For to don her servise, Bot ful sone thai gonnen agrise; trembleline1055 For the cry that was bifore Thai flowen out alle that there wore. fled were The seventhe tokne after that cry Thai seighen a sterre lighth in the sky, Shapen als a swerd it henge, Shaped like hungline1060 The poynt doun righth as a strenge. like a string So it henge til it was daye That al the cité wel it saye; saw And so it honge there als yere And alway it semed yliche nere.fol. 3ra The eightteth tokne sithen there kem then there cameline1066 Over the cité of Jerusalem; Thai seighen in tho ayre hem above air Men on hors yarmed hove Armed men on horseback suspended in the air That sumtyme faughtte and sumtyme rest.line1070 What thai bitokned often thai kest; pondered Thai reden it tokneth werre stronge, serious war Manqualme oither hunger stronge. Plague famine Thai seiden sother than thai wende, truer knew Yut thoughtten thai noughth hem to amende.line1075 Hadden thai thoo turned to penaunce, Thai hadden ben from the vengeaunce. would have avoided The nynthe tokne after this, Ye shullen heren whiche it is, Chares and waynes also thai say Chariots wagons sawline1080 Comande in cloudes hem thoughtten ay; Coming Righth now thai alle it sowe, saw And or thai wist, away was blowe. The tenthe tokne was the last That made the Jewes sore agast:line1085 The fierthe yer ar the sege bigan, fourth before Of Jude there was borne a man Judea On James, Ananias sone, One For alle the Jewes he nolde shone. would not fear Ones on a Wytsonenday,line1090 Whan Jewes weren gadred in her lay, according to their religion For to maken joye mest great As bifel to the heighe fest, He stood up amonges hem alle And on this werlde he gan loud calle: worldline1095 “From est and overe al this worlde, South and north ich have herd, Fro the foure wyndes a voys kem voice came Upon the cité of Jerusalem, And on oure temple for grete synne,line1100 And on the poeple that were thereinne. Me thenkith that it bitokne may Us wil befalle a grete affray. attack Come whan it come shal, Ful sore I drede me of that fal! destructionline1105 Thus met me by a visioun dreamed That shal bifalle on this toun.” The Jewes token hym for this And beten hym and bounden hard, iwys. forcefully Biforne Pilate thai broughten this manline1110 And as he seide er, so seide he than. And thoo thai beten hym fele at ones, many at once That mon mightten seen his naked bones, people (men) Natheles he cryed for al this cas, “Jerusalem, allas, allas!”line1115 Of this mighth hym no man stynte stopped For betynge, thretynge, ne for dynte, beating, threatening, nor for striking Bot seide alwayes thus onon. And than thai suffred hym alle to gon, For they ne might hym noght at holde,fol. 3rb Bot alway seide as he arst tolde. firstline1121 Of thise toknes hadden thai non awghe awe Bot meynted forth her fals lawghe. upheld Of her synne thai nolden biknowe confess What so evere that thai sowe, sawline1125 In toun in felde oither in place, For thai hadden no better grace: Natheles her lawghe gan blynne cease And the niwe lawghe to bigynne. new Thoo Jhesus on rode his hede doun leide At that time on the crossline1130 And “consummatum est” seide; It is finished (Latin) This tokned “The elde lawghe is went, And the niwe I have you sent, And my purpose is broughth to ende, For man that is my dere frende.”line1135 Her owen bokes witnesseth this; Thai weren the more to blamen, iwis, For alle thinges that weren don, Pilate dude hem writen onon, And that was sithen agenis her kyndeline1140 As men in the storie fynde. Whan Seint Eleyne the croice fonde Helen cross Sithen in that ilche londe same land Longe ageins hir thai it forsook Til she overcom hem by her book.line1145 Whan God alle thise toknes sent, Yut nolden thai noughth hem repent, Ne ones of mercy hym bisoughth For that thai hym to deth broughth. Thai that willen no mercy craveline1150 Aren non worthi for to have. Thai duden folye to hurtlen with hym fight against That kepeth soule, liif, and lym; protects soul, life, and limb The erthen vessel ne lasteth noughth earthen To hurtlen with that of metal is wroughth.line1155 No more may mannes kende figth mankind Ageins the power of God almighth.

Lete we now the Jewes duelle; Here gynneth her wreche for to telle. vengeance Jhesus a messagere hath sentline1160 That swithe upon his erande wente swiftly To the kyng, Sir Vaspasian, That was a swithe noble man, very And in meselrie so depe hym cast leprosy That body and face foule to-brast burst stinkinglyline1165 And in his nose a cankre smoot tumor afflicted him That bothe his lyppes al to boot; stung And for no cost that he couthe bye He seighe non other bote bot dye. remedy but death Natheles in his nose woreline1170 Waspes sithen that he was bore; Wasps born Out of the holes thai hem fedden, Hevedes and wenges out thai spredden, Heads and wingsfol. 3va And of thise waspes thai cleped hym thus — His righth name Vaspasianus,line1175 For thoo was no name given Tyl men seighen the childe shulde lyven. Of thise waspes his name he took As we fyndeth ywriten in book. Swiche meselrie God hym sentline1180 That al his body it overwent; covered Fole yeres so on hym it left, Many years Tyl Jhesus wolde it were hym reft. taken from For yee witen ful wel alle Of alle thinges that shulden bifalle,line1185 Fro the bigynnyng to the dome, judgment He hath sette whan thai shullen come appointed In werkes, in wedres, in al kynde, weather Thorough holy wrytt as men fynde. The resoun I you telle canline1190 Whi God sent this on this man: God dooth nothing withouten skyl, reason Who so understonde it wil. Righth als the Jewes with fals red counsel Duden hym that is God to dedline1195 Of hevene, erthe, and of helle And weldeth alle that thereinne duelle, rules As God is lorde of alle thinges So is the emperour kyng of kynges, And alle londes thorough resounline1200 Ben at his subjeccioun. Forthi by skyl it was kest Therefore To wreken Jhesu bicom hym best it suited him The grettest lorde in erthe righth Bycom to wreken God almighth, It was properline1205 And so he dude faire and wel I shal you shewe uche a del. Yut had he noughth the empire in honde Bot after sone thorough Goddes sonde. sending The yvel was on hym so rank foulline1210 That on his folk so foule he stank; Fro amonge his men he fleigh, fled And helde his chaumbre biside neigh. near beside Unnethe hise men for the stynk Scarcely Mightten hym brynge mete or drynk;line1215 With a viis thai tourned in his mete winch Whan he shulde any ete. And thus in his bed he lay That he ne mighth out nyghth ne day, To the tyme come atte last Untilline1220 That Jesus Crist hym wolde out cast. Alle yvels comen of Goddes sonde, illnesses And so dude his, ich understonde.

Also the sept sages us tellen seven sages That clerkes in the storie spellenline1225 Whan Jhesus dyed amonges us Was emperour Sir Thiberius; Tiberius Of doughttynesse he had the fame, braveryfol. 3vb And therfore men writen his name. For in his tyme Jhesus dyed,line1230 As men it han wel aspyed. In the tyme of his eighttende yere eighteenth Jesus Crist took his deth here. Of Rome he bare the dignité; Thre and thritty yere regned he. reignedline1235 In his tyme the Jewes sent A lettre endited by on assent; written Thereinne thai biwrayed Sir Pilate, accused His grete pride to abate, destroy For hem thoughth in werk and sawghe deeds wordsline1240 That he trespassed ageins the lawghe. Of his mysberyng thai writen thus misconduct To the emperour Sir Thiberius: That he gaf conseil ageins the pes To slen the childer giltles, To slay the guiltless childrenline1245 And in the temple with grete rages madness Of fals goddes set up ymages, idols And of her temple the tresore That was of offryng the store offerings Withouten her aller assent all of theirline1250 In his owen nedes it spent. He made a conduyt merveillous conduit With pipe comande into his hous, coming And othere fele wicked outrages many wicked excesses He dude ageins her usages. customsline1255 And thorough this sonde and this pleynt message complaint In thise defautes he was ateynt defects convicted And was jugged to the exile For his trespas that was so vile. Of this Pilate herd telle,line1260 And that he mighth noughth there duelle; He ordeyned a riche present, arranged And with his lettre he hath it sent That was endited fel and hard, shrewdly and forcefully As yee mowen here afterward.

line1265 After hym regned Sir Gayus, And after hym Sir Claudyus, And sithen Nero, the cursed soule, then That slough bothe Peter and Poule, And after hym com Sir Vaspasyanline1270 That was an honourable man. God graunted hym thorough his sonde To wreken his deth with his honde; Of Galice and Gascoyne the kyngdome Galatia Gascony Was his ar he come to Rome, beforeline1275 And yut the storye telleth me thus, He had a son that highth Titus. In the cité of Burdeux on a day, Bordeaux Titus out at a wyndow lay, And as he loked in the strem, waterline1280 A shipp there com from Jerusalem. He sen where that the shipp went In the cee as Crist it sent; seafol. 4ra Anon he sent a messagere To come to hym that thereinne were.line1285 The maister com bifore his kne; (ship’s) master “Felawe,” quoth Titus, “wel thee be! Felawe,” he seide, “what hattestou? are you called And fro whethen comestou now?” from what place “Sir,” he seide, “I hatte Nathaan;line1290 Of Jude I am a borne man. Judea Leve sir,” he seide, “telleth me Dear Yif I now at Rome be.” “Nay,” quoth Titus, “withouten ensoyne; without delay This is Burdeaux in Gascoyne!line1295 From hethen to Rome, forsothe to seye, hence Men it holde a wel fer weye! Have ydo and telle me sone, What hastou at Rome to done?” “Sir, thider me sent Sir Pilate;line1300 A wynde me hath dryven another gate. path To Tiberius is his sonde, message To beren hym trowage of oure londe.” “Felawe,” he seide, “Tiberius is ded; There have ben two sithen in his stede.line1305 Natheles, my leve frende Nathaan, I shal do brynge thee to that man. Upon myne costagus I schal fonde At my expense That hath the empire in his honde. For us, I hope, and oure lettre,line1310 Thou shalt spede wel the bettre, fare In a covenaunt thou showe me an agreement Hou my fader migth hole be, whole (i.e., healed) Of a sekenesse that hym greveth; For we hopen here and bilevethline1315 That men that in the contré wonen go Of al maner yvel thai connen, all kinds of evil Oither with gras, oither with ston, herb stone And othere medicynes many on.” medicines “Sir,” he seide, “I am no leche, physicianline1320 Bot of on I can you teche, That highth Jhesus of Nazareth; The Jewes duden hym to the deth.” He tolde hym the despyt, aplighth harm, in faith That Jhesus tholed with unrighth: executedline1325 He was a prophete over alle, He seide alwayes as sooth is falle, as truly as it happens He clensed men of yvel and synne, purified With his word that bileved herinne; He arered Lazar the knighth, raised Lazarusline1330 That foure dayes lay yplighth. in danger Al he tolde hym of Jhesus dede, As men in the Godspell rede, And of his deth and his uprist; upraising And of his apostles that he wist; knewline1335 And hou the Holy Gost he hem sent After that fourty dayes weren went; “Ten and sexty langages I herdfol. 4rb That thai of her maister lerd, learned And bad hem gon into every londe,line1340 To prechen his name thorough his sonde. message Of alle yvels he gaf hem mighth, To helen the seke that bileved arighth, And tho that wil noughth to hem wende, Shulden ben lorne withouten ende. lostline1345 I woot wel fele of hem lyven, many In what londe so thai ben dryven, driven to And I am siker and bileve certain Non yvel shal thi fader greve That yif he wil bileven arighthline1350 I dar bihote hym hele, aplighth.” promise health, in faith His fader stiward Velocyan, steward That was a wel crafty man, Stood and herd her wordes alle, And fayn he wolde it mighth bifalle. gladlyline1355 Thai took and gaven hym his mede reward And to the emperour dude hym lede, Sir Nero that was a cursed man That slough hymselven sone than. Tho he had hymself ysleyn,line1360 The court of Rome was ful feyn. glad Onon thai chosen Vaspasian To ben her emperoure than, For the noblest man of the worlde, And heighest of blood, as yee han herd. highest rankingline1365 After that Nathaan was comen and gon, It was two yer er it were don Thus fel it hym for this wonder cas Righth as God wolde, so it was. Bot alle that knewen hym more and lesseline1370 Maden grete mon for his sekenesse, moan In aventure yif he shulde amende In case improve His empire for to defende, Bot thai hoped and wel thai kest, knew His son shulde don it atte best.line1375 Nathaan com to the emperoure; He shewed his nedes with honoure, He broughth hym trowage of fele yere many And Pilates letter, as yee mowen here:

“Sire, I grete thee also my frende. asline1380 Understonde that I thee sende, I have perceyved and proved wel Of Cristes deth uche a del, every bit What wondres han siththe bifalle since In Jerusalem among us alle.line1385 The elde Jewes kynde bihighth Jewish people promised That Crist shulde to the erthe alighth descend Into a mayden of her kynde, As we in oure bokes fynde That of a mayden he shulde be borneline1390 That the poeple ne were noughth lorne, And seide he shulde be kyng of hem And of alle her barnetem. offspringfol. 4va And so he com als thai sede; Ageins hym alle thai gonne plede argueline1395 The prophecies whan he seide hem to, As her elders hadden do. And for he withtook hem in her lawghe opposed Thai wraththed hem sore with his sawghe; angered Al that he seide thai token in vayn,line1400 Thus thai helden longe hym agayn, for a long time So that thai token hym atte last And beten hym and bounden hym fast, And comen and delyvered hym to me And demed hym to hangen on tree. judgedline1405 And agein hem ne durst I be, against them dared Bot yif I shulde of londe fleghe. flee I sat as justise in domes sted; judge I nad no gylt of his ded. had no Riche and povere gaf up the tale,line1410 And maden hym foul, bothe grete and smal. I dradde and loved the communaulté, feared people of the country And durst noughth ageins hem be; And though I fonde in hym no gylt Wharfore that he shulde ben spylt,line1415 In my pretorye, in my mete halle, praetorium dining hall The princes of the Jewes alle There thai gaven hym the dome. That tyme I wolde it had ben come For he dude non othere wik, evilline1420 Bot shewed wordes fele and thik, many and great Doumbe to speken, blynde to seen, Deef to heren, fendes to fleen demons drive away Fro wood men many on, mad And croked men also to gon crippled walkline1425 And fele miracles dude that man, Wel mo than I telle can. Wharfore, sir, by no resoun Haveth me in no suspecioun, That it was in none othere waye,line1430 What so evere the Jewes saye. For peraventure it may so be perhaps That thai wolden put this werke on me. And forthi sir, leveth hem noughth: It was her dede and her thoughth beliefline1435 It was her ded and nought myn! That wil I prove by al her kyn. Thai buriyed hym and did hym kepe guard With her knighttes that felen on slepe; On the thrid day he aroos,line1440 Almightty God among his foos. enemies The knightes comen hem onon And seiden he was arisen and gon; Thai gaven the knighttes mede thoo reward To saien that he was stolen hem froo,line1445 And thai ne mightten hem nougth withholde restrain Where thai comen that thai ne tolden Al the sothe and al the cas truthfol. 4vb Of the prophete als it was. I have done writen gret and smal,line1450 What this matere touches al, All that pertains to this matter So that of hym the storye Evere may last in memorie. Holdeth me excused, sir, herby, therefore For any tale, for any cry.”line1455 He was nevere the bettre excused than Ageins God ne ageins man, For his feith was al in wynde (i.e., in transitory things) And noughth in herte ne in mynde. He ne mighth excuse hym in none wiseline1460 Of that ilche fals juwyse, same false sentence For many faire myracles he say saw And hymself witnesseth ay; And Joseph hym warned of Aramathie And Nichodemus with curtesie,line1465 And so dude Centurio, Fele othere men and wymmen also, Many That al that Jhesus dude uche del, It was treuly don and wel. Natheles he took al to lighth all too lightlyline1470 That he shulde ben God almighth. He was warned also by his wyf, That he ne raste Jhesu his liif; take So bad hir the fende in a visioun, For to have letted Jhesus Passioun; hinderedline1475 Fende and man bothe God blent, blinded So that the prophecie forth went. Wostou whi he dude so? Do you know For that his deth shoulde forth goo: Elles the fende wolde have had alleline1480 That hadden ben in synne falle, Bot Jhesus er the deth wolde chese rather choose Than he shulde mannes soule lese. lose

And any man be that noughth hath herd Hou Pilate com into this word worldline1485 It was a kyng that highth Tyrus Of Spayne, ich understonde thus; A millers doughtter of his londe He knouleched, ich understonde. had intercourse with She highth Pila, her fader Atus;line1490 Her son was sithen merveillous. peculiar Pilatus thai cleped hym thoo, After hem bothe two. The kyng on his wiif dere Gate a son the self yere; Begat sameline1495 This Pila sithen broughth hem her sone With his fader the kyng to wone. live Thise children weren togedre longe Til thai weren bigge and stronge. In alle dedes thorough kynde, natureline1500 Pilate was alway byhynde, inferior And that agreved Pilate sore, And prively he slough hym therfore. secretly slewfol. 5ra The kyng it herd, sorough he made; To slen Pilate his men hym bade.line1505 The kyng wolde noughth don her rede, advice Bot sente Pilate on another stede, to another place For he shulde by lawghe and by dome law and judgment Uche yer a childe sende to Rome. Than thoughth the kyng, “by this sondeline1510 May I best delyver myne honde.” pledge In trowage he hym sent for this chaunce, And for trowage the kyng of Fraunce To Rome also sent his sone, And he and