Page:Ludus Coventriae (1841).djvu/321

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;