And the comon pepyl aȝens the drawe,
In pes thou myth a be for me,—
This I telle the pleyn!
What seyst, Jhesus? whi spekest not me to?
Knowyst not I have power on the cros the to do,
And also I have power to lete the forth go!
What kanst thou here to seyn?
Jhesus. On me poer thou hast ryth non, But that my fadyr hath grawntyd beforn; I cam my faderys wyl to fullefylle, That mankynd xuld not spylle. He that hath betrayd me to the at this tyme, His trespas is more than is thine. Primus doctor. ȝe prynces and maysteres, takyth hed and se How Pylat in this matere is favorabyl; And thus oure lawys dystroyd myth be, And to us alle unrecurabyl!
Here Pylat letyth Jhesus alone and goth into the Jewys, and seyth,
Seres, what wole ȝe now with Jhesu do?
I can fynde in hym but good!
It is my cownce ȝe lete hym go, —
It is rewthe to spylle his blood!
Cayphas. Pylat, me thynkyth thou dost gret wrong,
Aȝens oure lawe thus to fortefye;
And the pepyl here is so strong,
Bryngyng the lawful testymonye.
Annas. ȝa! and thou lete Jhesu fro us pace,
This we welyn upholdyn alle;
Thou xalt answere for his trespas,
And tretour to the emperour we xal the kalle.
Pylat. Now than, syn ȝe wolne non other weye,
But in al wyse that Jhesus must deye,
