From Stage to Page - Medieval and Renaissance Drama
The Towneley Cycle, Play 24 - The Talents (Processus Talentorum)
001 Pilate. Cernite qui statis / quod mire sim probitatis,
002 Hec cognoscatis / vos cedam ni taceatis,
003 Cuncti discatis / quasi sistam vir deitatis
004 Et maiestatis / michi fando ne neceatis,
005 Hoc modo mando;
006 Neue loquaces,
007 Siue dicaces,
008 Poscite paces,
009 Dum fero fando.
010 Stynt, I say! gyf men place / quia sum dominus dominorum!
011 He that agans me says / rapietur lux oculorum;
012 Therfor gyf ye me space / ne tendam vim brachiorum,
013 And then get ye no grace / contestor Iura polorum,
014 Caueatis;
015 Rewle I the Iure,
016 Maxime pure,
017 Towne quoque rure,
018 Me paueatis.
019 Stemate regali / kyng atus gate me of pila;
020 Tramite legali / Am I ordand to reyn apon Iuda,
021 Nomine wlgari / pownce pilate, that may ye well say,
022 Qui bene wlt fari / shuld call me fownder of all lay.
023 Iudeorum
024 Iura guberno,
025 Pleasse me and say so,
026 Omnia firmo
027 Sorte deorum.
028 Myghty lord of all / me Cesar magnificauit;
029 Downe on knees ye fall / greatt god me sanctificauit,
030 Me to obey ouer all / regi reliquo quasi dauid,
031 Hanged hy that he sall / hoc iussum qui reprobauit,
032 I swere now;
033 Bot ye youre hedis
034 Bare in thies stedis
035 Redy my swerde is
036 Of thaym to shere now.
037 Atrox armipotens / I graunt men girth by my good grace,
038 Atrox armipotens / most myghty callyd in ylk place,
039 Vir quasi cunctipotens / I graunt men girth by my good grace,
040 Tota refert huic gens / that none is worthier in face,
041 Quin eciam bona mens / doith trowth and right bi my trew lays,
042 Silete!
043 In generali,
044 Sic speciali,
045 Yit agane byd I
046 Iura tenete.
047 Loke that no boy be to bustus, blast here for to blaw,
048 Bot truly to my talkyng loke that ye be intendyng;
049 If here be any boy that will not loutt till oure law,
050 By myghty mahowne, hygh shall he hyng;
051 South, north, eest, west,
052 In all this warld, in lengthe and brede,
053 Is none so doughty as I, the best,
054 Doughtely dyntand, on mule and on stede.
055 Therfor I say,
056 Loke that ye lowte to my lykance,
057 Ffor dowte of dynt in greuaunce;
058 Dilygently ply to my plesance,
059 As prynce most myghty me pay,
060 And talke not a worde;
061 Ffor who so styrres or any dyn makys,
062 Deply in my daunger he rakys,
063 That as soferan me not takys
064 And as his awne lorde.
065 He has myster of nyghtys rest that nappys not in noynyng!
066 Boy, lay me downe softly and hap me well from cold;
067 Loke that no laddys noy me nawder with cryyng nor with cronyng,
068 Nor in my sight ones greue me so bold.
069 If ther be any boyes that make any cry,
070 Or els that will not obey me,
071 He were better be hanged, hy,
072 Then in my sight ones mefe me.
073 Primus Tortor. War, war! for now com I,
074 The most shrew in this cuntry;
075 I haue ron full fast in hy,
076 Hedir to this towne;
077 To this towne now comen am I
078 Ffrom the mownt of caluery;
079 Ther crist hang, and that full hy,
080 I swe[re] you, bi my crowne.
081 At caluery when he hanged was,
082 I spuyd and spyt right in his face,
083 When that it shoyn as any glas,
084 So semely to my sight;
085 Bot yit for all that fayr thyng,
086 I loghe hym vnto hethyng,
087 And rofe of his clethyng;
088 To me it was full light.
089 And when his clothes were of in fere,
090 Lord, so we loghe and maide good chere,
091 And crownyd that carle with a brere,
092 As he had bene a kyng;
093 And yit I did full propurly,
094 I clappyd his cors by and by,
095 I thoght I did, full curiously
096 In fayth hym for to hyng.
097 Bot to mahowne I make avowe,
098 Hedir haue I broght his clethyng now,
099 To try the trowthe before you,
100 Euen this same nyght;
101 Of me and of my felowse two
102 With whom this garmente shall go;
103 Bot sir pilate must go therto,
104 I swere you by this light.
105 Ffor whosoeuer may get thise close,
106 He ther neuer rek where he gose,
107 Ffor he semys nothyng to lose,
108 If so be he theym were.
109 Bot now, now, felose, stand on rowme,
110 Ffor he commes, shrewes, vnto this towne,
111 And we will all togeder rowne,
112 So semely in oure gere.
113 Secundus Tortor. War, war! and make rowme,
114 Ffor I will with my felose rowne,
115 And I shall knap hym on the crowne
116 That standys in my gate;
117 I will lepe and I will skyp
118 As I were now out of my wytt;
119 Almost my breke thay ar beshyt
120 Ffor drede I cam to late.
121 Bot, by mahowne! now am I here!
122 The most shrew, that dar I swere,
123 That ye shall fynde aw where,
124 Spyll-payn in fayth I hight.
125 I was at caluery this same day,
126 Where the kyng of Iues lay,
127 And ther I taght hym a newe play,
128 Truly, me thoght it right.
129 The play, in fayth, it was to rowne,
130 That he shuld, lay his hede downe,
131 And sone I bobyd hym on the crowne,
132 That gam me thoght was good.
133 When we had played with hym oure fyll,
134 Then led we him vnto an hyll,
135 And ther we wroght with hym oure will,
136 And hang hym on a rud.
137 Nomore now of this talkyng,
138 Bot the cause of my commyng;
139 Both on ernest and on hethyng
140 This cote I wold, I had;
141 Ffor if I myght this cote gett,
142 Then wold I both skyp and lepe,
143 And therto fast both drynke and ete,
144 In fayth, as I were mad.
145 Tercius Tortor. War, war! within thise wones,
146 Ffor I com rynyng all at ones!
147 I haue brysten both my balok stones,
148 So fast hyed I hedyr;
149 And ther is nothyng me so lefe
150 As murder a mycher and hang a thefe:
151 If here be any that doth me grefe
152 I shall them thresh togedir.
153 Ffor I may swere with mekill wyn
154 I am the most shrew in all myn kyn,
155 That is from this towne vnto lyn,
156 Lo, here my felowse two!
157 Now ar we thre commen in
158 A new gam forto begyn,
159 This same cote forto twyn,
160 Or that we farther go.
161 Bot to sir pilate prynce I red that we go hy,
162 And present hym the playnt how that we ar stad;
163 Bot this gowne that is here, I say you for-thy,
164 By myghty mahowne I wold not he had.
165 Primus Tortor. I assent to that sagh, by myghty mahowne!
166 Let vs Weynde to sir pilate withoutten any fabyll;
167 Bot syrs, bi my lewte, he gettys not this gowne;
168 Vnto vs thre it were right prophetabyll;
169 Spill-payn what says thou?
170 Secundus Tortor. Youre sawes craftely assent I vnto.
171 Primus Tortor. Then will I streght furth in this place,
172 And speke with sir pilate wordys oone or two,
173 Ffor I am right semely and fare in the face;
174 And now shall we se or we hence go.
175 Tercius Tortor. Sir, I say the, by my lewtee,
176 Where is sir pilate of pryce?
177 Consultus. Sir, I say the, as myght I the,
178 He lygys here in the dewyll seruyce.
179 Primus Tortor. With that prynce-fowll myght he fall-
180 Must we haue at do.
181 Consultus. I shall go to hym and call,
182 And loke what ye will say hym to.
183 My lord, my lorde!
184 Pilate. What, boy, art thou nyse?
185 Call nomore, thou has callid twyse.
186 Consultus. My lord!
187 Pilate. What mytyng is that that mevys me in my mynde?
188 Consultus. I, lord, youre counselloure, pight in youre saw.
189 Pilate. Say ar ther any catyffys combred that ar vnkynde?
190 Consultus. Nay, lord, none that I knawe.
191 Pilate. Then noy vs nomore of this noyse;
192 You carles vnkynde, who bad you call me?
193 By youre mad, maters I hald, you bot boyes,
194 And that shall ye aby, els fowll myght befall me.
195 I shall not dy in youre dett!
196 Bewshere, I byd, the vp thou take me,
197 And in my sete softly loke that thou se me sett.
198 Now shall we wytt, and that in hy,
199 If that saghe be trew that thou dyd say;
200 If I fynde the With lesyng, lad, thou shall aby,
201 Fforto mell in the maters that pertenyth agans the lay.
202 Consultus. Nay, sir, not so, withoutten delay,
203 The cause of my callyng is of that boy bold,
204 Ffor it is saide sothely now this same day,
205 That he shuld dulfully be dede,
206 Certayn;
207 Then may youre cares be full cold,
208 If he thus sakles be slayn.
209 Pilate. Ffare and softly, sir, and say not to far;
210 Sett the with sorow, then semys thou the les,
211 And of the law that thou leggys be wytty and war,
212 Lest I greue the greatly with dyntys expres;
213 Ffals fatur, in fayth I shall slay the!
214 Thy reson vnrad I red the redres,
215 Or els of thise maters loke thou nomore mell the.
216 Consultus. Why shuld I not mell of those maters that I haue you taght?
217 Thoug ye be prynce peerles withoutt any pere,
218 Were not my wyse wysdom youre wyttys were in waght;
219 And that is seen expresse and playnly right here,
220 And done in dede.
221 Pilate. Why, boy, bot has thou sayde?
222 Consultus. Yee, lorde.
223 Pilate. Therfor the devyll the spede, thou carle vnkynde
224 Sich felowse myght well be on rowme!
225 Ye knaw not the comon cowrs that longys to a kyng.
226 Primus Tortor. Mahowne most myghtfull, he mensk you with mayn,
227 Sir pilate pereles, prynce of this prese!
228 And saue you, sir, syttand semely suffrayn!
229 We haue soght to thy sayll no sayng to sesse,
230 Bot certyfie sone;
231 Ye wote that ye demyd this day apon desse,
232 We dowte not his doyng, for now is he done.
233 Pilate. Ye ar welcom, Iwys, ye ar worthy ay war;
234 Be it fon so of that fatur, in fayth then am I fayne.
235 Secundus Tortor. We haue markyd that mytyng, nomore shall he mar;
236 We prayed you, sir pilate, to put hym to payn,
237 And we thoght it well wroght.
238 Pilate. Lefe syrs, let be youre laytt and loke that ye layn;
239 Ffor nothyng that may be nevyn ye it noght.
240 Tercius Tortor. Make myrth of that mytyng full mekyll we may,
241 And haue lykyng of oure lyfe for los of that lad;
242 Bot, syr pilate peerles, a poynt I the pray;
243 Hope ye with hethyng that harnes he had
244 To hold that was hys?
245 Pilate. That appentys vnto me, mafa! art thou mad?
246 I ment that no mytyng shuld, mell hym of this.
247 Primus Tortor. Mefe the not, master, more if he mell,
248 Ffor thou shall parte from that pelfe, thar thou not pleyte.
249 Pilate. Yit styrt not farer for noght that ye fell;
250 I aske this gowne of youre gyfte, it is not so greatt,
251 And yit may it agayn you.
252 Secundus Tortor. How, all in fageyng? in fayth I know of youre featte,
253 Ffor it fallys to vs four fyrst will I frayn you.
254 Pilate. And I myster to no maner of mans bot myn.
255 Tercius Tortor. Yee, lord, let shere it in shredys.
256 Pilate. Now that hald I good skyll! take thou this, & thou that,
257 & this shall be thyne,
258 And by lefe and by law this may leyfe styll.
259 Primus Tortor. O lordyng! I weyn it is wrang,
260 To tymely I toke it, to take it the vntyll
261 The farest, and the fowllest thy felowse to fang.
262 Pilate. And thou art payed of thi parte full truly I trowe.
263 Primus Tortor. It is shame forto se, I am shapyn bot a shrede.
264 Secundus Tortor. The hole of this harnes is holdyn to you,
265 And I am leuerd a lap is lyke to no lede,
266 Ffor-tatyrd and torne.
267 Tercius Tortor. By myghty mahowne that mylde is of mode,
268 If he skap with this cote it were a great skorne.
269 Pilate. Now sen ye teyn so at this, take it to you
270 With all the mawgre of myn and myght of mahowne!
271 Primus Tortor. Drede you not doutles, for so Will we dow;
272 Grefe you not greatly ye gett not this gowne,
273 Bot in fower as it fallys.
274 Secundus Tortor. Had I a fawchon, then craftely to cutt it were I bowne.
275 Tercius Tortor. Lo it here that thou callys!
276 It is sharp with to shere, shere if thou may.
277 Secundus Tortor. Euen in the mydward to marke were mastre to me.
278 Primus Tortor. Most semely is in certan the seym to assay.
279 Secundus Tortor. I haue soght all this syde and none can I se,
280 Of greatt nor of small.
281 Pilate. Bewshers, abyd you, I byd you let be!
282 I commaunde not to cutt it, bot hold, it hole all.
283 Primus Tortor. Now ar we bon, for ye bad, withhald on youre hud.
284 Pilate. We! harlottys! go hang you, for hole shall it be.
285 Tercius Tortor. Grefe you not greatly, he saide it for gud.
286 Pilate. Wyst I that he spake it in spytyng of me
287 Tytt shuld I spede forto spyll hym.
288 Secundus Tortor. That were hym loth, lord, by my lewte,
289 Ffor-thi grauntt hym youre grace.
290 Pilate. No greuans I will hym.
291 Primus Tortor. Gramercy thi gudnes!
292 Pilate. Yee, bot greue me nomo;
293 Ffull dere beys it boght
294 In fayth, if ye do.
295 Primus Tortor. Shall I then saue it?
296 Pilate. Yee, so saide I, or to draw cutt is the lelyst,
297 And long cut, lo, this wede shall wyn.
298 Tercius Tortor. Sir, to youre saying yit assent we vnto;
299 Bot oone assay, let se who shall begyn.
300 Pilate. We! me falles all the fyrst, and forther shall ye.
301 Secundus Tortor. Nay, drede you not doutles, for that do ye not;
302 O, he sekys as he wold, dyssaue vs now we se.
303 Tercius Tortor. Bewshers, abyde you, heder haue I broght
304 Thre dyse vs emang.
305 Primus Tortor. That is a gam all the best, bi hym that me boght,
306 Ffor at the dysyng he dos vs no wrang.
307 Pilate. And I am glad of that gam; On assay, Who shall begyn?
308 Primus Tortor. Ffyrst shall ye, and sen after we all.
309 Haue the dyse and haue done,
310 And lefe all youre dyn,
311 Ffor who so has most this frog shall he fall,
312 And best of the bonys.
313 Pilate. I assent to youre sayng; assay now I shall,
314 As I wold, at a wap wyn all at ones.
315 Secundus Tortor. A, ha! how now! here ar a hepe.
316 Pilate. Haue mynde then emang you how many ther ar.
317 Tercius Tortor. Thretteen ar on thre, thar ye not threpe.
318 Pilate. Then shall I wyn or all men be war.
319 Primus Tortor. Truly lord, right so ye shall;
320 Bot grefe you not greatly, the next shall be nar
321 If I haue hap to my hand, haue here for all!
322 Pilate. And I haue sene as greatt a freke of his forward falyd.
323 Here ar bot Aght turnyd vp at ones.
324 Primus Tortor. Aght? a, his armes, that is yll! what so me alyd,
325 I was falsly begylyd with thise byched bones;
326 Ther cursyd thay be!
327 Secundus Tortor. Well I wote this wede bees won in thise wones,
328 I wold, be fayn of this frog myght it fall vnto me.
329 Pilate. It bees in waght, in fayth, and, thou wyn.
330 Secundus Tortor. No, bot war you away!
331 Tercius Tortor. Here is baddyst aboue, by mahownes bonys!
332 Seuen is bot the seconde, the sothe for to say.
333 Secundus Tortor
334 We, fy! that is shortt.
335 Tercius Tortor. Do shott at thi hud! now fallys me the fyrst,
336 And I haue hap to this gowne, go now on gud;
337 The byched bones that ye be I byd you go bett;
338 Ffelowse, in forward here haue I fefteen!
339 As ye wote I am worthi, won is this wede.
340 Pilate. What, whistyll ye in the wenyande! where haue ye beyn?
341 Thou shall abak, bewshere, that blast I forbede.
342 Tercius Tortor. Here ar men vs emang,
343 Lele in oure lay, will ly for no leyd,
344 And I wytnes at thaym if I wroght any wrang.
345 Primus Tortor. Thou wroght no dyssaytt, for sothe, that we saw,
346 Ffor-thi thou art worthi, and won is this weyd At thyn awne wyll.
347 Pilate. Yee, bot me pays not that playng to puf nor to blaw;
348 If he haue right I ne rek or reson thertyll,
349 I refe it hym noght.
350 Tercius Tortor. Haue gud day, sir, and grefe you not yll,
351 Ffor if it were duble full dere is it boght.
352 Pilate. Sir, sen thou has won this weyd. Say will thou vowche safe
353 Of thi great gudnes this garment on me?
354 Tercius Tortor. Sir, I say you certan this shall ye not haue.
355 Pilate. Thou shall forthynk it, in fayth;
356 Ffy, what thou art fre!. Vnbychid, vnbayn!
357 Tercius Tortor. Ffor ye thrett me so throle,
358 Were it sich thre
359 Here I gif you this gud.
360 Pilate. Now, gramercy agayn!
361 Mekill thank and myn and this shalbe ment.
362 Primus Tortor. Bot I had not left it so lightly, had play me it lent.
363 Pilate. No, bot he is faythfull and fre, and that shall be ment;
364 And more if I may,
365 If he myster to me,
366 Amend hym I mon.
367 Tercius Tortor. I vowche safe it be so, the sothe forto say.
368 Primus Tortor. Now thise dyse that ar vndughty / for los of this good,
369 Here I forswere hertely / by mahownes blood;
370 Ffor was I neuer so happy / by mayn nor by mode,
371 To wyn with sich sotelty / to my lyfys fode,
372 As ye ken;
373 Thise dysars and thise hullars,
374 Thise cokkers and thise bollars,
375 And all purs-cuttars,
376 Bese well war of thise men.
377 Secundus Tortor. Ffy, fy, on thise dyse / the devill I theym take!
378 Vnwytty, vnwyse / With thaym that Wold lake;
379 As fortune assyse / men wyll she make;
380 Hir maners ar nyse / she can downe and vptake;
381 And rych
382 She turnes vp-so-downe,
383 And vnder abone,
384 Most chefe of renowne
385 She castys in the dyche.
386 By hir meanes she makys / dysers to sell,
387 As thay sytt and lakys / thare corne and thare catell;
388 Then cry thay and crakkys / bowne vnto batell,
389 His hyppys then bakys / no symnell
390 Ffor hote.
391 Bot fare well, thryfte!
392 Is ther none other skyfte
393 Bot syfte, lady, syfte?
394 Thise dysars thay dote.
395 Tercius Tortor. What commys of dysyng / I pray you hark after,
396 Bot los of good, in lakyng / and oft tymes mens slaghter!
397 Thus sorow is at partyng / at metyng if ther be laghter;
398 I red leyf sich vayn thyng / and serue god herafter,
399 Ffor heuens blys;
400 That lord, is most myghty,
401 And gentyllyst of Iury,
402 We helde to hym holy;
403 How thynk ye by this?
404 Pilate. Well worth you all thre, most doughty in dede!
405 Of all the clerkys that I knaw, most conyng ye be,
406 By soteltes of youre sawes, youre lawes forto lede;
407 I graunt you playn powere and frenship frele,
408 I say;
409 Dew vows [garde], mon senyours!
410 Mahowne most myghty in castels and towres
411 He kepe you, lordyngys, and all youres,
412 And hauys all gud day.
413
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Proper Citation: NeCastro, Gerard. The Towneley Cycle, Play 24 - The Talents (Processus Talentorum). From Stage to Page - Medieval and Renaissance Drama. http://www.umm.maine.edu/faculty/necastro/drama. Date Visited.