From Stage to Page - Medieval and Renaissance Drama
The Towneley Cycle, Play 20 - The Conspiracy (Conspiracio - et Capcio)
001 Pilate. Peas, carles, I commaunde / vnconand I call you;
002 I say stynt and stande / or foull myght befall you.
003 Ffro this burnyshyd brande / now when I behald, you,
004 I red ye be shunand / or els the dwill skald you,
005 At onys.
006 I am kyd, as men knawes,
007 Leyf leder of lawes;
008 Seniours, seke to my sawes,
009 Ffor bryssyng of youre bonys.
010 Ye wote not wel, I weyn / what wat is commen to the towne,
011 So comly cled and cleyn / a rewler of great renowne;
012 In sight if I were seyn / the granser of great mahowne,
013 My name pylate has beyn / was neuer kyng with crowne
014 More wor[thy];
015 My wysdom and my wytt,
016 In sete here as I sytt,
017 Was neuer more lyke it,
018 My dedys thus to dyscry.
019 Ffor I am he that may / make or mar a man;
020 My self if I it say / as men of cowrte now can;
021 Supporte a man to day / to-morn agans hym than,
022 On both parties thus I play / And fenys me to ordan
023 The right;
024 Bot all fals indytars,
025 Quest mangers and Iurers,
026 And all thise fals out rydars,
027 Ar welcom to my sight.
028 More nede had I neuer / of sich seruand now, I say you,
029 So can I well consider / the trowth I most displeas you,
030 And therfor com I hedyr / of peas therfor I pray you;
031 Ther is a lurdan ledyr / I wold not shuld dysmay you,
032 A bowtt;
033 A prophete is he prasyd,
034 And great vnright has rasyd,
035 Bot, be my banys her blasid,
036 His deth is dight no dowtt.
037 He prechys the pepyll here / that fature fals ihesus,
038 That if he lyf a yere / dystroy oure law must vs;
039 And yit I stand in fere / so wyde he wyrkys vertus,
040 No fawt can on hym bere / no lyfand leyde tyll us;
041 Bot sleyghtys
042 Agans hym shall be soght,
043 That all this wo has wroght;
044 Bot on his bonys it shall be boght,
045 So shall I venge oure rightys.
046 That fatoure says that thre / shuld euer dwell in oone godhede,
047 That euer was and shall be / Sothfast in made hede;
048 He says of a madyn born was he / that neuer toke mans sede,
049 And that his self shall dy on tre / and mans sawll out of preson lede;
050 Let hym alone,
051 If this be true in deyd,
052 His shech shall spryng and sprede,
053 And ouer com euer ylkone.
054 Cayphas. Syr pilate, prynce of mekyll price,
055 That preuyd is withoutten pere,
056 And lordyngys that oure laws in lyse,
057 On oure law now must vs lere,
058 And of oure warkys we must be wyse,
059 Or els is all oure welthe in were,
060 Therfor say sadly youre auyse,
061 Of hedus harmes that we haue here,
062 Towchyng that tratoure strang,
063 That makys this beleyf,
064 Ffor if he may thus furth gang,
065 It will ouer greatly grefe.
066 Annas. Sir, oure folk ar so afrayd,
067 Thrugh lesyns he losys oure lay;
068 Som remedy must be rayd,
069 So that he weynd, not thus away.
070 Pilate. Now certan, syrs, this was well sayd,
071 And I assent, right as ye say,
072 Som preuay poynt to be puruayd
073 To mar his myght if [that] we may;
074 And therfor, sirs, in this present,
075 What poynt so were to prase,
076 Let all be at assent,
077 Let se what ilk man says.
078 Cayphas. Sir, I haue sayde you here beforne
079 His soteltyes and, grefys to sare;
080 He turnes oure folk both euen & morne,
081 And ay makys mastres mare & mare.
082 Annas. Sir, if he skape it were great skorne;
083 To spyll hym tytt we will not spare,
084 Ffor if oure lawes were thus-gatys lorne,
085 Men wold say it were lake of lare.
086 Pilate. Ffor certan, syrs, ye say right weyll
087 Ffor to wyrk witterly;
088 Bot yit som fawt must we feyll,
089 Wherfor that he shuld dy;
090 And therfor, sirs, let se youre saw,
091 Ffor what thyng we shuld hym slo.
092 Cayphas. Sir, I can rekyn you on a raw
093 A thowsand wonders, and well moo,
094 Of crokyd men, that we well knaw,
095 How graythly that he gars them go,
096 And euer he legys agans oure law,
097 Tempys oure folk and turnys vs fro.
098 Annas. Lord, dom and defe in oure present
099 Delyuers he, by downe & dayll;
100 What hurtys or ha[r]mes thay hent,
101 Ffull hastely he makys theym hayll.
102 And for sich warkys as he is went
103 Of ilk welth he may avayll,
104 And vnto vs he takys no tent,
105 Bot ilk man trowes vnto his tayll.
106 Pilate. Yei, dewill! and dos he thus
107 As ye well bere wytnes?
108 Sich fawte fall to vs,
109 Be oure dom, for to redres.
110 Cayphas. And also, sir, I haue hard say,
111 An other noy that neghys vs nere,
112 He will not kepe oure sabate day,
113 That holy shuld be haldyn here;
114 Bot forbedys far and nere
115 To wyrk at oure bydyng.
116 Pilate. Now, by mahowns bloode so dere,
117 He shall aby this bowrdyng!
118 What dewill will he be there?
119 This hold I great hethyng.
120 Annas. Nay, nay, well more is ther;
121 He callys hym self heuens kyng,
122 And says that he is so myghty
123 All rightwytnes to rewll and red.
124 Pilate. By mahowns blood, that shall he aby
125 With bytter baylls or I ett bred!
126 Primus Miles. Lord, the loth lazare of betany
127 That lay stynkand in a sted,
128 Vp he rasyd bodely
129 The fourt day after he was ded.
130 Secundus Miles. And for that he hym rasyd,
131 That had lyne dede so long a space,
132 The people hym full mekyll prasyd,
133 Ouer all in euery place.
134 Annas. Emangys the folke has he the name
135 That he is godys son, and, none els,
136 And his self says the same
137 That his fader in heuen dwelles;
138 That he shall rewll both wyld, and tame;
139 Of all sich maters thus he mels.
140 Pilate. This is the dwylls payn!
141 Who trowys sich talys as he tels?
142 Cayphas. Yis, lord, haue here my hand,
143 And ilk man beyldys hym as his brother;
144 Sich whaynt cantelys he can,
145 Lord, ye knew neuer sich an othere.
146 Pilate. Why, and wotys he not that I haue
147 Bold men to be his bayn?
148 I commaunde both knyght and knaue
149 Sesse not to that lad be slayn.. Primus Miles. Sir pylate, mefe you now no
150 Mare,
151 Bot mese youre hart and mend youre mode;
152 Ffor bot if that losell lere oure lare
153 And leyf his gawdys, he were as goode;
154 Ffor in oure tempyll we will not spare
155 To take that losell, if he were woode.
156 Pilate. In oure tempyll? the dwill! what dyd he thare?
157 That shall he by, by mahouns blode!
158 Secundus Miles. Lord, we wist not youre wyll;
159 With wrang ye vs wyte;
160 Had ye so told vs tyll,
161 We shuld haue takyn hym tyte.
162 Pilate. The dwill, he hang you high to dry!
163 Whi, wold ye lese oure lay?
164 Go bryng hym heder hastely,
165 So that he weynd not thus away.
166 Cayphas. Sir pilate, be not to hasty,
167 Bot suffer ouer oure sabote day;
168 In the mene tyme to spyr and spy
169 Mo of his meruels, if men may.
170 Annas. Yei, sir, and when this feste is went,
171 Then shall his craftys be kyd.
172 Pilate. Certys, syrs, and I assent
173 Ffor to abyde then, as ye byd.
174 Judas. Masters, myrth be you emang,
175 And mensk be to this meneye!
176 Cayphas. Go! othere gatys thou has to gang
177 With sorow; who send after the?
178 Judas. Syrs, if I haue done any wrang,
179 At youre awne bydyng will I be.
180 Pilate. Go hence, harlot, hy mot thou hang!
181 Where in the dwill hand had we the?
182 Judas. Goode sir, take it to no grefe;
183 For my menyng it may avayll.
184 Annas. We, lad, thou shuld ask lefe
185 To com in sich counsayll.
186 Judas. Sir, all youre counsell well I ken;
187 Ye mene my master for to take.
188 Annas. A ha! here is oone of his men
189 That thus vnwynly gars vs wake.
190 Pilate. La hand on hym, and hurl hym then
191 Emangys you, for his master sake;
192 Ffor we haue maters mo then ten,
193 That well more myster were to make.
194 Cayphas. Set on hym buffettys sad,
195 Sen he sich mastrys mase,
196 And teche ye sich a lad
197 To profer hym in sich a place.
198 Judas. Sir, my profer may both pleas and pay
199 To all the lordys in this present.
200 Pilate. We! go hens in twenty dwill way!
201 We haue no tome the for to tent.
202 Judas. Yis, the profete that has lost youre lay
203 By wonder warkys, as he is went,
204 If ye will sheynd hym as ye say,
205 To sell hym you I wyll assent.
206 Pilate. A, sir, hark! what says thou?
207 Let se, and shew thi skyll.
208 Judas. Sir, a bargan bede I you,
209 By it if ye will.
210 Annas. What is thi name? do tell in hy,
211 If we may wit if thou do wrang.
212 Judas. Iudas scarioth, so hight I,
213 That with the profet has dwellyd lang.
214 Pilate. Sir, thou art welcom witterly!
215 Say what thou will vs here emang.
216 Judas. Not els bot if ye will hym by;
217 Do say me sadly or I gang.
218 Cayphas. Yis, freynd, in fathe will we
219 Noght els; bot hartely say
220 How that bargan may be,
221 And we shall make the pay.
222 Annas. Iudas, forto hold the hayll,
223 And for to fell all fowll defame,
224 Looke that thou may avow thi sayll;
225 Then may thou be withoutten blame.
226 Judas. Sir, of my teyn gyf ye neuer tayll,
227 So that ye haue hym here at hame;
228 His bowrdyng has me broght in bayll,
229 And certys his self shall haue the same.
230 Cayphas. Sir pylate, tentys here tyll,
231 And lightly leyf it noght,
232 Then may ye do youre wyll
233 Of hym that ye haue boght.
234 Annas. Yei, and then may we be bold
235 Fro all the folk to hald hym fre;
236 And hald hym hard with vs in hold,
237 Right as oone of youre meneye.
238 Pilate. Now, Iudas, sen he shalbe sold,
239 How lowfes thou hym? belyfe let se.
240 Judas. Ffor thretty pennys truly told,
241 Or els may not that bargan be;
242 So mych gart he me lose,
243 Malycyusly and yll;
244 Therfor ye shall haue chose,
245 To by or let be styll.
246 Annas. Gart he the lose? I pray the, why?
247 Tell vs now pertly or thou pas.
248 Judas. I shall you say, and that in hy,
249 Euery word right as it was.
250 In symon house with hym sat I
251 With othere meneyoe that he has;
252 A woman cam to company,
253 Callyng hym "[lord"]; saying, "[alas!"]
254 Ffor synnes that she had wroght
255 She wepyd sore always;
256 And an oyntment she broght,
257 That precyus was to prayse.
258 She weshyd hym with hir terys weytt,
259 And sen dryed hym with hir hare;
260 This fare oyntment, hir bale to beytt,
261 Apon his hede she put it thare,
262 That it ran all abowte his feytt;
263 I thoght it was a ferly fare,
264 The house was full of odowre sweytt;
265 Then to speke myght I not spare,
266 Ffor certys, I had not seyn
267 None oyntment half so fyne;
268 Ther-at my hart had teyn,
269 Sich tresoure for to tyne.
270 I sayd it was worthy to sell
271 Thre hundreth pens in oure present,
272 Ffor to parte poore men emell;
273 Bot will ye se wherby I ment?
274 The tent parte, truly to tell,
275 To take to me was myne intent;
276 Ffor of the tresure that to vs fell,
277 The tent parte euer with me went;
278 And if thre hundreth be right told,
279 The tent parte is euen thryrty;
280 Right so he shalbe sold;
281 Say if ye will hym by.
282 Pilate. Now for certan, sir, thou says right wele,
283 Sen he wate the with sich a wrast,
284 Ffor to shape hym som vncele,
285 And for his bost be not abast.
286 Annas. Sir, all thyn askyng euery dele
287 Here shall thou hafe, therof be trast;
288 Bot looke that we no falshede fele.
289 Judas. Sir, with a profe may ye frast;
290 All that I haue here hight
291 I shall fulfill in dede,
292 And well more at my myght,
293 In tyme when I se nede.
294 Pilate. Iudas, this spekyng must be spar,
295 And neuen it neuer, nyght ne day;
296 Let no man wyt where that we war,
297 For ferdnes of a fowll enfray.
298 Cayphas. Sir, therof let vs moyte no mare;
299 We hold vs payde, take ther thi pay.
300 Judas. This gart he me lose lang are;
301 Now ar we euen for onys and ay.
302 Annas. This forwarde will not fayll,
303 Therof we may be glad;
304 Now were the best counsayll,
305 In hast that we hym had.
306 Pilate. We shall hym haue, and that in hy,
307 Ffull hastely here in this hall.
308 Sir knyghtys, that ar of dede dughty,
309 Stynt neuer in stede ne stall,
310 Bot looke ye bryng hym hastely,
311 That fatur fals, what so befall.
312 Primus Miles. Sir, be not abast therby,
313 Ffor as ye byd wyrk we shall.
314 John. Sir, where will ye youre pask ette?
315 Say vs, let vs dight youre mete.
316 Jesus. Go furth, Iohn and peter, to yond cyte;
317 When ye com ther, ye shall then se
318 In the strete, as tyte, a man
319 Beryng water in a can;
320 The house that he gose to grith,
321 Ye shall folow and go hym with;
322 The lord of that house ye shall fynde,
323 A sympyll man of cely kynde;
324 To hym ye shall speke, and say
325 That I com here by the way;
326 Say I pray hym, if his will be,
327 A lytyll whyle to ese me,
328 That I an my dyscypyls all
329 Myght rest a whyle in his hall,
330 That we may ete oure paske thore.
331 Peter. Lord, we shall hy vs before,
332 To that we com to that cyte;
333 Youre paske shall ordand be.
334 Sir, oure master the prophett
335 Commys behynde in the strete;
336 And of a chamber he you prays,
337 To ete and drynk ther-in with easse.
338 Pater Familias. Sirs, he is welcom vnto me,
339 And so is all his company;
340 With all my hart and all my will
341 Is he welcom me vntyll.
342 Lo, here a chambre fast by,
343 Ther-in to make youre mangery,
344 I shal warand fare strewed;
345 It shuld, not els to you be shewed.
346 John. Sir, youre mett is redy bowne,
347 Will ye wesh and syt downe?
348 Jesus. Yei, gyf vs water tyll oure hande,
349 Take we the grace that god has send;
350 Commys furth, both oone and othere;
351 If I be master I will be brothere.
352 Iudas, what menys thou?
353 Judas. No thyng, lord, bot ett with you.
354 Jesus. Ett on, brether, hardely,
355 For oone of you shall [me] betray.
356 Peter. Lord, who euer that be may,
357 Lord, I shall neuer the betray;
358 Dere master, is it oght I?
359 Jesus. Nay thou, peter, certanly.
360 John. Master, is oght I he then?
361 Jesus. Nay, for trowth, Iohn, I the ken.
362 Annas. Master, am oght [I] that shrew?
363 Jesus. Nay, for sothe, thou andrew.
364 Simeon. Master, then is oght I?
365 Jesus. Nay, thou Simon, securly.
366 Philip. Is it oght I that shuld do that dede?
367 Jesus. Nay, philyp, withoutten drede.
368 Thadeus. Was it oght I that hight thadee?
369 Jacobus. Or we two Iamys?
370 Jesus. Nay none of you is he;
371 Bot he that ett with me in dysh,
372 He shall my body betray, Iwys.
373 Judas. What then, wene ye that I it am?
374 Jesus. Thou says sothe, thou berys the blame;
375 Ichon of you shall this nyght
376 Ffor sake me, and fayn he myght.
377 John. Nay certys, god forbeyd
378 That euer shuld we do that deyd!
379 Peter. If all, master, forsake the,
380 Shall I neuer fro the fle.
381 Jesus. Peter, thou shall thryse apon a thraw
382 Fforsake me, or the cok craw.
383 Take vp this clothe and let vs go,
384 Ffor we haue othere thyngys at do.
385 Sit all downe, and here and sees,
386 Ffor I shall wesh youre feet on knees.
387 Peter. Lord, shuld thou wesh feytt myne?
388 Thou art my lord, and I thy hyne.
389 Jesus. Why I do it thou wote not yit,
390 Peter, herafter shall thou wytt.
391 Peter. Nay, master, I the heytt,
392 Thou shall neuer wesh my feytt.
393 Jesus. Bot I the wesh, thou mon mys
394 Parte with me in heuens blys.
395 Peter. Nay, lord, or I that forgo,
396 Wesh heede, handys, and feytt also.
397 Jesus. Ye ar clene, bot not all;
398 That shall be sene when tyme shall fall;
399 Who shall be weshyn as I weyn,
400 He thar not wesh his feytt clene;
401 And for sothe clene ar ye,
402 Bot not all as ye shuld, be.
403 I shall you say take good hede
404 Whi that I haue done the dede;
405 Ye call me master and lord, by name;
406 Ye say full well, for so I am;
407 Sen I, both lord and master, to you wold knele
408 To wesh youre fete, so must ye wele.
409 Now wote ye what I haue done;
410 Ensampyll haue I gyffen you to;
411 Loke ye do so eft sone;
412 Ichon of you wesh othere fete, lo!
413 Ffor he that seruand is,
414 For sothe, as I say you,
415 Not more then his lord, he is,
416 To whome he seruyce owe.
417 Or that this nyght be gone,
418 Alone will ye leyf me;
419 Ffor in this nyght ilkon
420 Ye shall fro me fle;
421 Ffor when the hyrd is smeten,
422 The shepe shall fle away,
423 Be skaterd wyde and byten;
424 The prophetys thus can say.
425 Peter. Lord, if that I shuld dy,
426 Fforsake the shall I noght.
427 Jesus. Ffor sothe, peter, I say to the,
428 In so great drede shall thou be broght,
429 That or the cok haue crowen twyse,
430 Thou shall deny me tymes thre.
431 Peter. That shall I neuer, lord, Iwys;
432 Ere shall I with the de.
433 Jesus. Now loke youre hartys be grefyd noght,
434 Nawthere in drede ne in wo;
435 Bot trow in god, that you has wroght,
436 And in me trow ye also;
437 In my fader house, for sothe,
438 Is many a wonnyng stede,
439 That men shall haue aftyr thare trowthe,
440 Soyn after thay be dede.
441 And here may I no longer leynd,
442 Bot I shall go before,
443 And yit if I before you weynd,
444 Ffor you to ordan thore,
445 I shall com to you agane,
446 And take you to me,
447 That where so euer I am,
448 Ye shall be with me.
449 And I am way, and sothe-fastnes,
450 And, lyfe that euer shalbe;
451 And to my fader commys none, Iwys,
452 Bot oonly thorow me.
453 I will not leyf you all helples,
454 As men withoutten freynd,
455 As faderles and moderles,
456 Thof all I fro you weynd;
457 I shall com eft to you agayn:
458 This warld, shall me not se,
459 Bot ye shall se me well certan,
460 And lyfand shall I be.
461 And ye shall lyf in heuen;
462 Then shall ye knaw, Iwys,
463 That I am in my fader euen,
464 And my fader in me is.
465 And I in you, and ye in me,
466 And ilka man therto,
467 My commaundement that kepys trule,
468 And after it will do.
469 Now haue ye hard what I haue sayde;
470 I go, and com agayn;
471 Therfor loke ye be payde,
472 And also glad and fayn;
473 Ffor to my fader I weynd;
474 Ffor more then I is he;
475 I let you wytt, as faythfull freynd,
476 Or that it done be,
477 That ye may trow when it is done;
478 Ffor certys, I may noght now
479 Many thyngys so soyn
480 At this tyme speake with you;
481 Ffor the prynce of this warld is commyn,
482 And no powere has he in me,
483 Bot as that all the warld within
484 May both here and se,
485 That I owe luf my fader to,
486 Sen he me hyder sent,
487 And all thyngys I do
488 After his commaundement.
489 Ryse ye vp, ilkon,
490 And weynd we on oure way,
491 As fast as we may gone,
492 To olyuete, to pray.
493 Peter, Iamys, and thou Iohn,
494 Ryse vp and folow me!
495 My tyme it commys anone;
496 Abyde styll here, ye thre.
497 Say youre prayers here by-neth,
498 That ye fall in no fowdyng;
499 My sawll is heuy agans the deth
500 And the sore pynyng.
501 Ffader, let this great payn be styll,
502 And pas away fro me;
503 Bot not, fader, at my wyll,
504 Bot thyn fulfyllyd be.
505 Symon, I say, slepys thou?
506 Awake, I red you all!
507 The feynd ful fast salys you,
508 In wan-hope to gar you fall;
509 Bot I shall pray my fader so
510 That his myght shall not dere;
511 My goost is prest therto,
512 My flesh is seke for fere.
513 Ffader, thi son I was,
514 Of the I aske this boyn;
515 If This payn may not pas,
516 Fader, thi will be doyn!
517 Ye slepe, brether, yit I see,
518 It is for sorow that ye do so;
519 Ye haue so long wepyd for me
520 That ye ar masyd and lappyd in wo.
521 Dere fader, thou here my wyll!
522 This passyon thou put fro me away;
523 And if I must nedys go ther-tyll,
524 I shall fulfill thi wyll to-day;
525 Therfor this bytter passyon
526 If I may not put by,
527 I am here redy at thi dom;
528 Thou comforte me that am drery!
529 Trinityin. My comforte, son, I shall the tell,
530 Of thyngys that fell by reson;
531 As lucyfer, for syn that fell,
532 Betrayd, eue with his fals treson,
533 Adam assent his wyfe vntyll;
534 The wekyd goost then askyd a bone
535 Which has hurt mankynde full yll;
536 This was the wordys he askyd soyn:
537 All that euer of adam com
538 Holly to hym to take,
539 With hym to dwell, withoutten dome,
540 In payn that neuer shall slake,
541 To that a chyld, myght be borne
542 Of a madyn, and she wemles,
543 As cleyn as that she was beforne,
544 As puryd syluer or shynand glas;
545 To tyme that childe to deth were dight,
546 And rasyd hym self apon the thryd, day,
547 And stenen to heuen thrugh his awne myght.
548 Who may do that bot god veray?
549 Sen thou art man, and nedys must dee,
550 And go to hell as othere done,
551 Bot that were wrong, withoutten lee,
552 That godys son there shuld won
553 In payn with his vnder-lowte;
554 Wytt ye well withoutten weyn,
555 When oone is borod, all shall owtt,
556 And borod be from teyn.
557 Jesus. Slepe ye now and take youre rest!
558 My tyme is nere command;
559 Awake a whyle, for he is next
560 That me shall gyf into synners hand.
561 Pilate. Peas! I commaunde you, carles vnkynde,
562 To stand as styll as any stone!
563 In donyon depe he shalbe pynde,
564 That will not sesse his tong anone;
565 Ffor I am gouernowre of the law;
566 My name it is pilate!
567 I may lightly gar hang you or draw,
568 I stand in sich astate,
569 To do what so I will.
570 And therfor peas I byd you all!
571 And looke ye hold you still,
572 And with no brodels brall,
573 Tyll we haue done oure dede;
574 Who so makys nose or cry,
575 His nek I shall gar blede,
576 With this I bere in hy.
577 To this tratoure be take,
578 That wold dystroy oure lawe,
579 Iudas, thou may it not forsake,
580 Take hede vnto my sawe.
581 Thynk what thou has doyn,
582 That has thi master sold;
583 Performe thi bargan soyn;
584 Thou has thi money takyn and told.
585 Judas. Ordan ye knyghtys to weynd with me,
586 Richly arayd, in rewyll and rowtt;
587 And all my couandys holden shall be,
588 So I haue felyship me abowte.
589 Pilate. Wherby, Iudas, shuld we hym knaw,
590 If we shall wysely wyrk, Iwys?
591 Ffor som of vs hym neuer saw.
592 Judas. Lay hand on hym that I shall kys.
593 Pilate. Haue done, sir knyghtys, and kythe youre strengthe,
594 And wap you wightly in youre wede;
595 Seke ouer all, both brede and lengthe!
596 Spare ye not, spende and spede!
597 We haue soght hym les and more,
598 And falyd ther we haue farn;
599 Malcus, thou shall weynd before,
600 And bere with the a light lantarne.
601 Malchus. Sir, this Iornay I vndertake
602 With all my myght and mayn.
603 If I shuld, for mahowns sake,
604 Here in this place be slayn,
605 Crist that prophett for to take,
606 We may be all full fayn.
607 Oure weppyns redy loke ye make,
608 To bryng hym in mekyll grame
609 This nyght.
610 Go we now on oure way,
611 Oure mastres for to may;
612 Oure lantarnes take with vs alsway,
613 And loke that thay be light!
614 Secundus Miles. Sir pilate, prynce pereles in pall,
615 Of all men most myghty merked on mold,
616 We ar euer more redy to com at thi call,
617 And bow to thi bydyng as bachlers shold.
618 Bot that prynce of the apostyls pupplyshed beforne,
619 Men call hym crist, comen of dauid kyn,
620 His lyfe full sone shalbe forlorne,
621 If we haue hap hym forto wyn.
622 Haue done!
623 Ffor, as euer ete I breede,
624 Or I styr in this stede
625 I wold stryke of his hede;
626 Lord, I aske that boyne.
627 Primus Miles. That boyn, lord, thou vs bede,
628 And on hym wreke the sone we shall;
629 Ffro we haue lade on hym good spede;
630 He shall no more hym godys son call.
631 We shall marke hym truly his mede;
632 By mahowne most, god of all,
633 Siche thre knyghtys had lytyll drede
634 To bynde the dwill that we on call,
635 In nede;
636 Ffor if thay were a thowsand mo,
637 That prophete and his apostels also
638 With thise two handys for to slo,
639 Had I lytyll drede.
640 Pilate. Now curtes kasers of kamys kyn,
641 Most gentyll of Iure to me that I fynde,
642 My comforth from care may ye sone wyn,
643 If ye happely may hent that vnheynde.
644 Bot go ye hens spedely and loke ye not spare;
645 My frenship, my fortherans, shall euer with you be;
646 And mahowne that is myghfull he menske you euermare!
647 Bryng you safe and sownde with that brodell to me!
648 In place
649 Where so euer ye weynd,
650 Ye knyghtys so heynde,
651 Sir lucyfer the feynde
652 He lede you the trace!
653 Jesus. Ryse vp, peter, and go with me,
654 And folowe me withoutten stryfe;
655 Iudas wakys, and slepys not he;
656 He commys to betray me here belyfe.
657 Wo be to hym that bryngys vp slaunder!
658 He were better his dethe to take;
659 Bot com furth, peter, and tary no langere:
660 Lo, where thay com that will me take!
661 Judas. Rest well, master, ihesus fre!
662 I pray the that thou wold kys me enys;
663 I am commen to socoure the;
664 Thou art aspyed, what so it menys.
665 Jesus. Iudas! whi makys thou sich a brayde?
666 Trowys thou not I knowe thi will?
667 With kyssyng has thou me betrayd:
668 That shall thou rew som tyme ful yll.
669 Whome seke ye, syrs, by name?
670 Secundus Miles. We seke ihesu of nazarene.
671 Jesus. I kepe not my name to layn;
672 Lo, I am here, the same ye mene;
673 Bot whome seke ye with wepyns kene?
674 Primus Miles. To say the sothe, and not to ly,
675 We seke ihesu of nazarene.
676 Jesus. I told you ere that it was I.
677 Malchus. Dar no man on hym lay hand?
678 I shall cach hym, if I may;
679 A flateryng foyll has thou bene lang,
680 Bot now is commen thyn endyng day.
681 Peter. I wold be dede within short space
682 Or I shuld se this sight!
683 Go, pleyn the to sir cayphas,
684 And byd hym do the right!
685 Malchus. Alas, the tyme that I was borne,
686 Or today com in this stede!
687 My right ere I haue forlorne!
688 Help, alas, I blede to dede!
689 Jesus. Thou man, that menys thi hurt so sare,
690 Com heder, let me thi wounde se;
691 Take me thi ere that he of share:
692 In nomine patris hole thou be!
693 Malchus. Now am I hole as I was ere,
694 My hurt is neuer the wars;
695 Therfor, felows, drawe me nere!
696 The dwill hym spede that hym spars!
697 Jesus. Therfor, peter, I say the this,
698 My will it is that all men witten:
699 Put vp thi swerde and do no mys,
700 For he that smytys, he shalbe smyten.
701 Ye knyghtys that be commen now here,
702 Thus assemblyd in a rowte,
703 As I were thefe, or thefys fere,
704 With wepyns com ye me abowte;
705 Me thynk, for sothe, ye do full yll
706 Thus for to seke me in the nyght;
707 Bot what penance ye put me tyll,
708 Ye let my felows go with gryth.
709 Secundus Miles. Lede hym furth fast by the gate!
710 Hangyd be he that sparis hym oght!
711 Primus Miles. How thynk the, sir pilate,
712 Bi this brodell that we haue broght?
713 Pilate. Is he the same and the self, I say,
714 That has wroght vs this care?
715 It has bene told, sen many a day,
716 Sayngys of hym full sare.
717 It was tyll vs greatt woghe,
718 Ffrom dede to lyfe thou rasyd lazare;
719 Sen stalkyd stylly bi the see swoghe;
720 Both domb and defe thou salfyd from sare.
721 Thou passys cesar bi dede,
722 Or sir herode oure kyng.
723 Secundus Miles. Let deme hym fast to dede,
724 And let for no kyn thyng.
725 Primus Miles. Sen he has forfett agans oure lawe,
726 Let vs deme hym in this stede.
727 Pilate. I will not assent vnto youre saw;
728 I can ordan well better red.
729 Malchus. Better red? yei dwill! how so?
730 Then were oure sorow lastand ay;
731 And he thus furth shuld go,
732 He wold dystroy oure lay.
733 Wold ye all assent to me,
734 This bargan shuld be strykyn anone;
735 By nyghtertayll dede shuld he be,
736 And till oure awnter stand ilkon.
737 Pilate. Peasse, harlottis, the dwill you spede!
738 Wold ye thus preualy morder a man?
739 Malchus. When euery man has red his red,
740 Let se who better say can.
741 Pilate. To cayphas hall loke fast ye wyrk,
742 And thider right ye shall hym lede;
743 He has the rewll of holy kyrk,
744 Lett hym deme hym whyk or dede;
745 Ffor he has wroght agans oure law,
746 Ffor-thi most skyll can he ther on.
747 Secundus Miles. Sir, we assent vnto youre saw;
748 Com furth, bewshere, and lett vs gone.
749 Malchus. Step furth, in the wenyande!
750 Wenys thou ay to stand styll?
751 Nay, luskand losell, lawes of the land
752 Shall fayll bot we haue oure will;
753 Out of my handis shall thou not pas
754 Ffor all the craft thou can;
755 Till thou com to sir cayphas,
756 Saue the shall no man.
757
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Proper Citation: NeCastro, Gerard. The Towneley Cycle, Play 20 - The Conspiracy (Conspiracio - et Capcio). From Stage to Page - Medieval and Renaissance Drama. http:www.umm.maine.edu/faculty/necastro/drama. Date Visited.