Anonymous. The York plays
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Pilate
1: Pees, bewscheres, I bidde you, that beldis here aboute me,
And loke that yoe stirre with no striffe but stande stone still,
Or by the lorde that me liffe lente I schall garre you lowte me,
And all schall byde in my bale that wirkis noyot my will.
Ye rebaldis that regnys in this rowte,
YOe stynte of youre steuenyng so stowte,
Or with this brande that dere is to doute
All to dede I schall dryue you this day.
For sir Pilate of Pounce as prince am Y preued,
As renke moste royall in richeste array,
THer is no berne in this burgh has me aboute heuyd,
But he sekis me for souereyne, in certayne Y saie,
To knawe.
Therfore take hede to youre lordis estate,
THat none jangill nor jolle at my yoate,
Nor no man to grath hym no gate
Tille I haue seggid and saide all my sawe.
For I ame the luffeliest lappid and laide,
With feetour full faire in my face,
My forhed both brente is and brade
And myne eyne thei glittir like the gleme in the glasse.
And the hore that hillis my heed
Is even like to the golde wyre,
My chekis are bothe ruddy and reede
And my coloure as cristall is cleere.
Ther is no prince preuyd vndir palle
But I ame moste myghty of all to behold,
Nor no kyng but he schall come to my call,
Nor grome that dare greue me for golde.
Sir Kayphas, thurgh counsaill thi clergy is kid,
For thy counsaille is knowyn for connand and clere;
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And sir Anna, thyn aunswer aught not to be hidde,
For thou is one and is abill and aught to be nere
In parlament playne.
And I am prince pereles youre poyntis to enquere:
How saie yoe Jues of Jesus, that swayne?
Haue done sirs, sais on youre sawis,
What tytill nowe haue yoe vntill hym
And lely yoe loke vppon youre lawes?
Saye, why sente yoe so sone for to spille hym? Anna
41: Sir, that is prince and lorde of oure laye,
That traitour vntrewe that ye of telle vs,
Nowe certayne and sone the soth schall I saie
It is Jesus that japer that Judas ganne selle vs.
He marres oure men in all that he may,
His merueylis full mekill is mustered emelle vs,
That faitoure so false.
He dois many derffe dedis on oure Sabotte day,
THat vnconnand conjeon he castis hym to quelle vs,
Fro man onto man he will compelle vs
And vndo you and ourselffe als.
Youreselffe he will fordo
And he halde furth this space,
And all this Jurie to
Yf that ye graunte hym grace. Pilate
56: Sir Anna, this aunswere allow I no thyng,
I halde it but hatereden, this artikill hale;
And therfore ser busshoppe, at my biddyng,
Do telle me nowe trewly the texte of this tale.
Do termyne it trewly and tyte
And lely yoe lede it by the lawe;
Felonye or falsed euyn here I defie it-
Saie me sadly the soth, for loue or for awe. Caiphas
64: Sir Pilate, the talis the traitoure has tolde,
It heuys vs in harte full haly to here tham.
THe warlowe with his wilis he wenys tham to wolde,
THe ladde with his lesyngis full lightly gan lere tham.
Full tyte will he take tham vntill hym
And he thus forth go with his gaudis,
Or speche ouersprede-yoa, bettir is to spille hym,
The faitoure is so felle with his false fraudis. Pilate
72: Youre aunsweres is hedouse and hatefull to here.
Hadde I not herde hym and myselfe had hym sene
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Yitt yoe myght haue made me to trowe you intere;
But faute in hym I fynde none, but conande and clene.
For conande and clene can I clere hym,
No faute can I fynde to reffuse hym,
I hope yitt in haste yoe schall here hym
Whanne he comys to racleyme-than may yoe cuse hym. Miles 1
80: Lorde, fele of his ferles in faith haue we fonne,
Yone harlotte heuys oure hartis full of hate ire.
He sais hymselffe that he is Goddis sone
And schall sitte on the right hande beside his awne sire. Miles 2
84: THer talis is full trewe that we telle.
On the raynebowe the rebalde it redis,
He sais he schall haue vs to heuene or to hell
To deme vs aday aftir oure dedis. Pilate
88: To deme vs, in the deuyll name? Say whedir? Saie whedir, to the deuyll?
What, dastardis, wene ye be wiser than we? Miles 1
90: Mi lorde, with youre leue, we neuen it for non ill,
He has mustered his mervayles to mo than to me.
Mi souerayne lorde, yone sauterell he sais
He schall caste doune oure tempill, noyot for to layne,
And dresse it vppe dewly within thre daies
Als wele as it was, full goodely agayne. Anna
96: YOa sir, and on oure awne Sabott day
THanne werkis he werkis full wele. Pilate
98: We, fye on hym, faitour, for ay,
For thei are darke dedis of the deuyll. Caiphas
100: Sir, a noysomemare note newly is noysed
THat greuis me more than any kynne thyng,
He claymes hym clerly till a kyngdome of Jewes
And callis hymselffe oure comeliest kyng. Pilate
104: Kyng, in the deuillis name? We, fye on hym, dastard.
What, wenys that woode warlowe ouere-wyn vs thus wightly?
A begger of Bedlem, borne as a bastard?
Nowe by Lucifer, lach I that ladde I leue hym not lightly. Anna
108: Sir, the harlotte is at Heroudes hall euyn her at your hande. Pilate
109: I sente to hym that warlowe, the deuyll myght hym wery.
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Caiphas
110: It langis to youre lordschippe be lawe of this land
As souerayne youreselffe to sitte of enquery. Anna
112: Sir, the traitoure has tolde vs mo trufullis truly
Wolde tene you full tyte and we you tham tolde. Pilate
114: Nowe be Beliall bonis that boy schall abie
And bring on his bak a burdeyne of golde. Filius 1
116: Mi lorde that is ledar of lawis of this lande,
YOe sente hym yourselfe to Herowde the kyng
And sais, `THe dome of that doge lies holy in your hande,
To deme hym or lose hym at youre likyng'.
And thus yoe comaunded youre knyghtis for to saie;
For sir Heroude will serche hym full sore,
So that he wende with no wilis away-
And therfore, my goode lorde, moue you no more. Caiphas
124: Nowe certis this was wele saide.
But sir, wille yoe sese nowe and we schall se syne? Pilate
126: Sir Kayphas and Anna, right so nowe I thynke.
Sittis, in Mahoundis blissing, and aske vs the wyne-
YOe knyghtis of my courte, comaundis vs to drynke. Judas
129: Allas for woo that I was wrought
Or euere I come be kynde or kynne,
I banne the bonys that me furth brought,
Woo worthe the wombe that I bredde ynne.
So may I bidde,
For I so falsely did to hym
THat vnto me grete kyndnesse kidde.
THe purse with his spens aboute I bare,
THer was none trowed so wele as I.
Of me he triste, no man mare,
And I betrayed hym traytourly
With a false trayne.
Sakles I solde his blessid body
Vnto Jues for to be slayne.
To slaa my souereyne assente I
And tolde them the tyme of his takyng,
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Shamously myselfe thus schente I
So sone for to sente to his slayng.
Nowe wiste I howe he myght passe that payne;
To loke that howe beste bote myght be
Vnto the Jues I will agayne
To saue hym-he myght passe free,
THis ware my will.
Lorde, welthe and worschippe mot with yow be. Pilate
153: What tythandis, Judas, tellis thou vs till? Judas
154: My tydyngis are tenefull, I telle yoou
Sir Pilate, therfore I you praye,
My maistir that I gune selle yoou,
Gode lorde, late hym wende on his way. Caiphas
158: Nay, nedelyngis Judas, that we denye.
What mynde or mater has moued the thus? Judas
160: Sir, I haue synned full greuously,
Betraied that rightwisse bloode, Jesus
And maistir myne. Caiphas
163: Bewscher, what is that till vs?
THe perill and the plight is thyne.
Thyne is the wronge, thou wroughte it.
THou hight vs full trulye to take hym,
And oures is the bargayne, we boughte it-
Loo, we are alle sente for to slee hym. Judas
169: Allas, that may me rewe full ill
Giffe yoe assente hym for to slaa. Pilate
171: Why, what wolde thou that we did thertill? Judas
172: I praie you goode lorde, late hym gaa,
And here is of me youre paymente playne. Caiphas
174: Naie, we will noght so,
We bought hym for he schulde be slayne.
To slee hym thiselffe thou assentit,
THis wate thou wondirly wele.
What right is nowe to repente it?
THou schapist thiselffe vnseele. Anna
180: Do waie Judas, thou dose for noght,
Thy wordis I warne the are in waste.
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Thyselffe to selle hym whanne thou vs sought,
THou was agaynste hym thanne the moste
Of vs ilkan. Caiphas
185: We schall be venged on hym in haste,
Whedir that euere he wille or none. Pilate
187: THer wordis that thou nenys noght nedis it,
THou onhanged harlott, harke what I saie;
Spare of thy spekyng, noght spedis it,
Or walke oute at the dore in the deuill way. Judas
191: Why will ye thanne noyot latte hym passe
And haue of me agayne youre paie? Pilate
193: I telle the traytoure, I wille it noght. Judas
194: Allas, thanne am I lorne
Bothe bone and bloode.
Allas the while so may I saie,
That euere I sente to spille his bloode.
To saue his bloode sirs, I saie youe,
And takes you thare youre payment hole.
Spare for to spille hym I praye youe,
Ellis brewe yoe me full mekill bale. Pilate
202: Nay, heriste thou Judas, thou schall agayne,
We will it nouyot. What deuyll art thou?
When thou vs sought thou was full fayne
Of this money. What aylis the nowe
For to repente? Judas
207: Agayne sirs here I giffe it you,
And saue hym that he be noyot schent. Pilate
209: To schende hym thyselfe has the schamed,
THou may lathe with thi liffe that thou ledis,
Fondely as a false foole thiselffe has famed,
Therfore the deuyll the droune for thy darfe dedis. Judas
213: I knawe my trespasse and my gilte,
It is so grete it garres me grise;
Me is full woo he schulde be spilte,
Might I hym saue of any wise
Wele were me than.
Saue hym sirs-to youre seruise
I will me bynde to be your man.
Youre bondeman, lorde, to be
Nowe euere will I bynde me.
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Sir Pilate, ye may trowe me,
Full faithfull schall yoe fynde me. Pilate
224: Fynde the faithfull? A, foule mot the falle
Or thou come in oure companye,
For by Mahoundes bloode thou wolde selle vs all.
Thi seruice will we noght, forthy
THou art vnknowen.
Fals tiraunte, for thi traitoury
THou art worthi to be hanged and drawen.
Hanged and drawen schulde thou be, knave,
And thou had right, by all goode reasoune.
Thi maistirs bloode thou biddist vs saue
And thou was firste that did hym treasoune. Judas
235: I cry yoou mercy lorde, on me rewe,
THis werryd wight that wronge has wrought.
Haue mercy on my maistir trewe
THat I haue in youre bandome brought
238: [... ...] Pilate
239: Goo jape the Judas, and neuen it noght,
Nor move vs of this matere more. Anna
241: No more of this matere thou move the,
THou momeland mytyng emell,
Oure poynte expresse her reproues the
Of felonye falsely and felle. Caiphas
245: He grucchis noyot to graunte his gilte,
Why schonnys thou noyot to shewe thi schame?
We bought hym for he schulde be spilte,
All same we were consente to the same
And thiselffe als.
THou feyned noyot for to defame,
THou saide he was a traytoure fals. Pilate
252: YOaa, and for a false faitoure
Thyselffe full fully gon file hym-
O that was a trante of a traytour,
So sone thou schulde goo to begile hym. Miles 1
256: What, wolde thou that we lete hym ga,
Yone weried wight that wrought such wronge?
We will noght lose oure bargayne swaa,
So lightely for to late hym gang.
And reson why?
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Latte we that lotterell liffe ought long
It will be fonde, in faith, foly. Miles 2
263: Yone folte, for no fooles schall he fynde vs.
We wotte all full wele howe it was
His maistir whanne he gune bringe vs,
He praied yow my goode lord late hym not passe. Pilate
267: Nay, sertis, he schalle noyot passe free
THat we for oure mony has paied. Judas
269: Take it agayne that yoe toke me
And saue hym fro that bittir braide,
THan were I fayne. Anna
272: Itt serues of noght that thou has saide,
And therfore takis it tyte agayne. Pilate
274: Tyte agayne, traytoure, thou take it,
We wille it noght welde within oure wolde.
YOitt schalte thou noyot, sawterell, thus sune forsake it,
For I schall sers hym myselffe sen thou has hym solde. Caiphas
278: Forsake it in faith, that he ne schall,
For we will halde hym that we haue.
The payment chenys the withall,
The thar no nodir comenaunte craue
281: [... ...] Judas
282: Sen yoe assente hym for to slaa,
Vengeaunce I crie on you ilkone.
Ilkane I crie, the deuill fordo youe,
And that myghte I both here and see.
Herde heuenyng here I wnto youe,
For sorowe onsought ye on me se. Caiphas
288: Whe, fye on the, traytoure attaynte, at this tyde,
Of treasoune thou tyxste hym that triste the for trewe.
Do buske the henne, brothell, no lenger thou abide,
For if thou do, all thi respouns sare schall the rewe.
Say, wote thou noght who is I?
Nowe be my nociens, myght I negh nere the,
In certayne, ladde, yitt schulde I lere the
To lordis to speke curtaisely. Pilate
296: Go thy gatis, geddlyng, and greue vs no more.
Leffe of thi talke, the deuill mot the hange.
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Judas
298: THat att yoe toke me, take it you there,
Ther with youre maistrie make yowe emange
And clayme it you clene,
Me lathes with my liff, so liffe I to lang,
My traitourfull torne he turment my tene.
Sen for my treasoune haue I tane vnto me,
Me thare aske no mercy, for none mon Y gete.
Therfore in haste myselffe schall fordo me,
Allas the harde while that euere ete I meete.
Thus schall I marke my mytyng meede
And wirke me wreke with harte and will,
To spille myselffe nowe wille I spede,
For sadly haue I seruyd thertill.
So walaway
THat euere I was in witte or wille
THat tristy trewe for to betraye.
Allas, who may I meue to,
Shall I me take non othir reede?
Miselffe in haste I schall fordoo
And take me nowe vnto my dede. Caiphas
318: Haue done nowe sir Pilate, late se what yoe saie
As touchyng this money that we here haue,
THat Judas in a wreth has wauyd away
And keste vs crabbidly, that cursed knave.
How saie yoe therby? Anna
323: Sir, sen he it slang we schall it saue. Caiphas
324: Tite truste it tille oure tresorie. Pilate
325: Nay sir, noght soo. Caiphas
325: Why sir, how than? Pilate
326: Sir, it schall nouyot combre vs nor come in oure corbonan. Caiphas
327: No, tille oure tresory certayne farther schall it nought. Pilate
328: And se youreselffe soth certayne and skill
It is price of the bloode that we with it boght,
Therfore some othir poynte I purpose it till,
And thus I deuyse:
A spotte of erthe for to by wayte nowe I will,
To berie in pilgrimes that by the wey dies.
Pilgrimes and palmeres to putte there-
Sir Kaiphas and Anna, assente yoe therto?-
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And othere false felons that we forfare. Anna
337: As yoe deme lorde, so wille we doo. Armiger
338: Hayle sir Pilate perles, and prince of this empire,
Haile the gaiest on grounde in golde ther yoe glide,
Haile the louffeliest lorde of lyme and of lyre,
And all the soferans semely that sittith the beside. Pilate
342: What wolde thou? Armiger
342: A worde lorde, and wende. Pilate
343: Nowe thou arte welcome iwisse.
But delyuere the lightly withouten any lette,
We haue no tome all day to tente onto the. Armiger
346: A place here-beside lorde wolde I wedde-sette. Pilate
347: What title has thou therto? Is it thyne awne free? Armiger
348: Lorde, fre be my fredome me fallis it,
THis tale is full trewe that I telle yoou,
And Caluary-locus men callis it.
I wolle it wedde-sette, but not for to selle yoou. Pilate
352: What wolde thou borowe, bewshire? Belyve late me se. Armiger
353: If it ware youre lekyng, my lorde, for to lene it,
xxxti pens I wolde yoe lente onto me. Caiphas
355: Yis bewshire, that schall thou haue. Pilate
356: Shewe vs thi dedis and haue here thi mony. Armiger
357: Haue her gode lord, but loke yoe thame saue. Pilate
358: YOis certis, we schall saue thame full soundely,
And ellis do we noght dewly oure deuere.
Faste, freke, for thy faith, on thy fote fonde the,
For fro this place, bewschere, I soile the foreuere. Armiger
362: Now sorowe on such socoure as I haue soght,
For all my tresoure thurgh tresoune I tyne.
I tyne it vntrewly by tresoune,
THerfore nowe my way will I wende,
For yoe do me no right nor no resoune
I betake you all to the fende. Pilate
368: Nowe certis we are serued att all,
THis place is purchesed full propirly.
The Felde of Bloode loke yoe it call,
I you comaunde ilkone forthy. Caiphas
372: Sir, as yoe comaunde vs call it schall we soo.
But my lorde, with youre leue, we may lende her no lengar,
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But faste late vs founde to fang on oure foo,
YOone gedlyng ongodly has brewed vs grete angir. Anna
376: Do way sir busshoppe, and be not abaste,
For loste is all oure lekyng, lepe he so light. Caiphas
378: Nay sir, he schall not trusse so tite, and that be yoe traste,
For it wynnes vs no worschippe the werkis of yone wight,
But grete angir.
Forthy late vs dresse vs his deth for to dite,
And late we this lotterell leue her no lengar. Pilate
383: Sir Kayphas, thurgh counsaile comaunde we our knyghtis
To wacche on yone warlowe what way that he wendis.
Do dresse yoou nowe dewly, to yone doderon yoou dightis
And lette noyot to laite hym in lande where he lendis,
Nor leuys hym noyot lightly. Miles 2
388: In faith we schall fette hym full farre fro his frendis. Pilate
389: Nowe walkis on in the wanyand and wende youre way wightely.