Cayphas goth to Pylat, seyng thus,
Cayphas. Herk, sere Pylat, lyst to me!
I xal the telle tydynges new;
Of o thyng we must ware be,
Or ellys hereafter we myth it rewe.
Thou wotyst weyl that Jhesu,
He seyd to us with wordys pleyn,
He seyd we xuld fynd it trew,—
The thryd day he wold ryse ageyn.
Yf that hese dyscyplys come serteyn,
And out of his grave stele hym away,
Thei wyl go preche and pleyn seyn
That he is reson the thryd day.
This is the cowncel that I gyf here,
Take men and gyf hem charge therto
To weche the grave with gret power,
Tyl the thryd day be go.
Pylat. Sere Cayphas, it xal be do,
For, as ȝe say, ther is peryl in;
And it happend that it were so,
It myth make our lawys for to blyn.
[Gh]e xal se, ser, er that ȝe go,
How I xal this mater save,
