Cursor mundi (The cursur o the world). A Northumbrian poem of the XIVth century in four versions. Ed. by the Rev. Richard Morris ...

[The Trial before Caiaphas and Pilate.]

¶ In þe bisshop caiphas court. helde þai þaire geddering Line 16018

Line 16018 agayne þaire lege lorde I-wis. to heued him or to hinge. Line 16020 alle þai gedderred of þe toun. baþ freman & dring. & sende to pilate þaire procuratour & did him þidder bringe. Line 16024 for he was keper of þe lagh. vnder cesar þe king

Sir pilate askid ham. in heþing as hit were. Line 16028 quar is ȝoure king ȝe do him bringe. forþ be-for vs here. þai stert ham forþ vn-sturenli. wiþ an ful baldeli chere. Line 16032 Parfai pilate þou him aȝt [folio 75a:1] to halde him ful wondere. þat king he him mas wiþ-out leue. of cesar þe emperere. Line 16036 herde þou neuer sa selcouþ þing as þou of him salle here. ¶ Sir caiphas þair bisshop was ful riche he was & ranke. Line 16040 alle þai geddered atte his court & þer þai sammyn sanke ihesus þat in prisoun lay. ful harde þai dide him hanke Line 16044 & bundyn broȝt him as a thefe þer wele him was ful wlanke.

Þai vmbi-þoȝt ham on quat wise atte þai muȝt him wreye. [[MS. wroye]] Line 16048 & wiþ quat þing þai tittest moȝt. to him for to dey. sir pilate on ham be-helde of skile was sumquat sley. Line 16052 he knew sumdel þaire felony & wiste atte þai walde ley.

¶ he be-helde þa cursed men. how þai saide þaire resoun. Line 16056 & wiste wele þai had him tane. wiþ-oute riȝt & wiþ tresoun. Pilate sette him a-boute. þe burges of þe toun. Line 16062 he loued na þing þat wikked folk Line 16059 for þai ware ay feloun. Line 16060 be-for ham ihesus as a lambe his heued droupande doun. Line 16064 on ham he loked noȝt with eye. bot bade þaire wille ay boun. ¶ Mani lesing þer þai made. a-gayne ihesu þat day. Line 16068 pilate did ham herkin & list alle þing atte þai walde say. bot he cowde finde na skil quar-fore gilt on him to lay. Line 16072 for oft siþ an saide ȝa. & ij. or iij. nay. ¶ vp þer stert ij. felouns in middis þat counsile. Line 16076 & saide on hey to sir pilate sir herkin vs a quile. he þis is man; & makis him god. to gere man traw his gyle. Line 16080 he is na god ne goddis sone of him we knaw þe stile. ¶ Gode men þai saide ȝet is þer mare herkin we sal ȝou telle. þat he vs saide in þe temple. Line 16085 quere we herde him spelle. he bad þat we þat temple sulde al to þe gronde hit felle & he sulde on þe þrid day. Line 16089 raise hit wiþ-outen dwelle.

Wiþ þis pilate vp him ras. ihesus wiþ him he led. Line 16092 & ȝode in-to þe precory. þat was a preuey stede. & in counsail asked him. quar-fore he was sa med. Line 16096 to þat folk him walde spille. þat ansquare nane he bedde. ¶ Seyse þou noȝt atte þai þe hate. þer iewes na-þing mare. bot þou help þi-self atte nede. Line 16101 ellis wil þai þe forfare. ne heris þou noȝt on ilka side how þai a-pon þe rare. Line 16104 a-gayne þaire saghes atte þai say quyne gyues þou ham ansquare. sin þou be-fore time has bene a man of witty lare. Line 16108 say ihesus quy dos þou þus to me na soþ þou spare.

Atte þer wordes come a man. rynnande faste in hye. Line 16112 & saide atte he walde speke anane wiþ pilate priuely. a messager him tiþande broȝt. fra his wife þat lauedi. Line 16116 ho grette him wele & tiþandis saide þe quilk he had redy. ¶ ȝour wife is sumdel euel atte ese. & þat is for a siȝt. Line 16120 þat ho in hir sleping sagh now þis ilk niȝt. of þis ihesu atte þis folk has tane wiþ-outen pliȝt Line 16124 worde ho sendis þe for-þi. if any way þou miȝt.

atte þou þole him noȝt to dey. for hit ware grete vn-riȝt. Line 16128 [folio 75b:1] ¶ quen pilate had þis tiþande herde. & wele hit vnderstode. he broȝt ihesu wiþ him a-gayne & to þe court he ȝode. Line 16132 gode men he saide I. can noȝt finde in þis man bot gode. for he is noȝt worþi to dey. as me þink in my mode Line 16136 bot skourges him & late him ga til ȝe se þe blode. ¶ Do way quoþ þai sir pilate quar-fore þen says þou squa. Line 16140 we wille noȝt grante on nankin wise atte he sulde escape vs fra. he mas him king & walde be calde & þou wate wele at qua. Line 16144 mas him king wiþ-outen leue. he is þe emperour fa. of galilee þen is he borne & bringis our folk in wa. Line 16148

Quen þat pilate herde ham say. he was of galilee. he þoȝt he walde haue saued him. to drede þen con he. Line 16152 for eraude was of [[MS. of of]] þat lande king in þat cuntree. Bundyn ihesu as he was. al-squa he lete him be. Line 16156 & wiþ his seriauntes he him sende. til herode for to se. ¶ for to wraþ sir herode mare. pilate þuȝt hit lath. Line 16160 for he & he had sammyn bene. be-fore selcouþ wraþ.

for to do his breþ to bogh of him þat was ful braþ. Line 16164 herode had ȝerned him to se. þer-fore many rath. ¶ herode ȝerned him to se. & of his come was fayne Line 16168 wiþ his kniȝtis vp he ras & went him þam a-gayne of him he wende haue signes sene for noȝt alle was in vayne Line 16172 ne walde he neuer on him be-hald for oȝt atte he muȝt frayne. ¶ Ne ȝet þe iewes fined noȝt to seke ihesu wiþ wrake Line 16176 þai be-soȝt herode atte he ne sulde na praier for him make. ne help him noȝt na mare he dede alle for þe iewes sake. Line 16180 ȝet I hope atte þai sal baþ grisli be-for him quake.

Þe quilest þat herode wiþ him spac & he ansquared him noȝt. Line 16184 for he had ȝerned him to se. many a time in þoȝt. for had he an anlapi signe. be-for herode wroȝt Line 16188 had noȝt þe iewes him done dede for þing þai cowde or moȝt. þen had þe prophecy bene fals & turned in-to noȝt. ¶ & alle saulis had be lorne þat þorou him was boȝt. he asked him alle priueli quy þai him squa wiþ soȝt. Line 16196 speke wiþ me & say me quy. & alle sal be for noȝt.

[ [[from Laud MS. 416]] And Iesus held hym stille Line 16199 in that ilk stound] a purpure claþ þai on him kest & gayne to pilate broȝt In takening he was bot a fole þat his witte litel doȝt. Line 16204

Apon sir herodes halfe þai grette wele sir pilate. & sir ȝe ar frendis made þe soþ þer-of we wate. Line 16208 he has þe sende þis man a-gayne riȝt in þe same state. a worde wiþ him he wil noȝt speke ne anis halde vp his late. Line 16212 ¶ he is þe selcouþest man quoþ þai. þat euer ȝette we seye for he wil nauþer chaunge his chere for lagh man ne for heye. Line 16216 nauþer ansquare for to giue ne lift anis vp his eye & herode þankis þe þi sande for-soþ we wille noȝt leye Line 16220 ¶ Godote saide pilate þan. þat þink me ful gode. for gif me counsaile if ȝe can. þat menged is in my mode. Line 16224 þis godeman is of mykil witte qua wele hit vnderstode. [ [[From Laud MS. 416, [folio 149b:1] . Several leaves missing in the Fairfax MS.]] But for he hath you wrathid with hym ye are so wood Line 16228 I rede ye chastice hym þus and bete hym to þe blood ¶ Good men what is youre dome sey me certainly Line 16232 Alle seid that he be don on cros and þat in hie

To turne that councele better it is þan done a more foly Line 16236 Better mote ye sey than so quod pilat so redy ¶ Pylat was full wrothe y-wis with hem þat ilk day Line 16240 Man he seid why dost þou þus that þou wilt no þyng say ayenst hem that sew on the nothir ye ne nay Line 16244 ffor thy state þou owest to speke to bryng thy-self away . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] Line 16248 ¶ why is the so lothe to speke answer hem I rede Seist þou not how that they the hatyn to þe dede Line 16252 O frend hast þou not of hem alle wille they the quede yf þou wilt not help thy-self I can no fyrre þe lede Line 16256 ¶ Sey me now whethir þou be goddes sonne or non That I may wyttirly yt wyt [folio 150a:1] tho answerd he allone Line 16260 I am his sonne as þou hast seid that shulle ye wyt echone hyt shalbe sene when sothefastnes shalle among you gone Line 16264 ¶ leve yt who-so that wille I telle you yt right To Clymb above the clowdis alle þe sonne shalle haue might Line 16268 And for his frendis afterward doun shalle he light

Not in previte I sey but ynne your aller sight Line 16272 ¶ Eville at that word was he herd of þat cursid lede vp rose they alle and yaf a cry right as they wold wede Line 16276 what nede haue we of wytnes agen hym vs to spede his owne mowthe hath hym demyd of wytnes is no nede Line 16280 ¶ dothe hym on rode with-outyn raun|som that no man for hym bede Anon a sergeaunt stert forth that stode among hem thor Line 16284 Wyth his hond a buffet he yaf Iesu full sore he seid Eft-sonys speke but skylle & wordis suche no mor Line 16288 ffor thy myssaw that þou hast seid take that to teche þe lor . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] Line 16292 ¶ Iesu lyftid vp his face and lokyd on that feloun ffrend he seid why smote þou me with-outyn eny reson Line 16296 Are þou mightist haue foundyn a skylfull encheson The man that dothe no vnright to smyte hym it is treson Line 16300 ¶ Pylat vp-ros and forth he yode out of þe pretory This fals folk Iesus lad folowyng hym with a cry Line 16304 Pylate hem defendid to do hym vilony

ffor what endyng þe mote wold take wyst he not wytterly Line 16308 ¶ Into a chambre preuyly went pilat his oon And Iesus by his byddyng In with hym was gon Line 16312 Pylat sone hym askyd with wordes in that won Good man why hatyn they the þus thise iewis euerychon Line 16316 ¶ The busshop and alle his men with þe bene vnsaught hir purpos is fully to deth to make thy drawght Line 16320 Art þou goddes sonne he seid þat her þus art cawght Sothe he seid why askyst þou hit is by-for the tawght Line 16324 ¶ Sey me sothe seid pilat why þou art her fo I wote that they wille not fyne tille þat they þe slo Line 16328 Wotyst þou not that power is myn to spille or let go Then seid Iesus to pilat me thynckyth it is not so Line 16332 ffor they þou pouste haue awhile þou shalt not haue it ay ¶ I haue it of god and am his sonne yf I sothe shall say Line 16336 Pylat saw that with no word ouer-come hym he may he vncled hym of his clothis & did on oþer þat day Line 16340 So he sent hym clad a-yen to his fois in place

A Crowne on his hed he set In scornyng alas Line 16344 Iesus thought muche shame þo he so scornyd was ffor cowde he nevir do the dede to come in suche a cas Line 16348 ¶ Iesus was sore agrevid and lowtid doun his chere This they seide is your kyng lo hym befor you here Line 16352 lowde bygon they to Cry that alle herd that þat bere Go now and take hym blyve we wold on rode he wer Line 16356 ¶ Alle they Cried with O mowth naile hym on þe tre Seith not so quod pilat that is not rede of me Line 16360 hym owith not die for no cause þat in hym yet I se Alle they seid but if this man by þe dampnyd be Line 16364 Thy frendship shalt þou lese by-twene zezar & þe ¶ Pilat seid lo her your kyng but her what I wille say Line 16368 To-morow is your moche fest that ye hold in your lay A presonar ar ye wont delyuyr for reuerens of þe day Line 16372 Asketh which that ye wille ye shull yt haue parfay And I rede you aske your kyng & I shalle not sey nay Line 16376 Wher-for seid they seist þou so leve sir that do wey

¶ Off this Iesus speke þou no more bot of anoþer man Line 16380 which we haue chosyn to vs his name is Abraham Of your kyng in hond he seid what thynck ye do þan Line 16384 To nayle on tre he is not worthy as ferre as I se can But this word more and more to cry they by-gan Line 16388 ¶ Wondir vs thynckyth of the pilat that mouyst þus þis skylle We han chosyn baraban alle-gate hym haue we wille Line 16392 Pilat thought her desire sone after to full-fille when he sey his tyme they toke in to grete ille Line 16396 Iesu that alle to-drawyn to scorge they toke hym tille ¶ When pilat sey no bote ayen hem long to stryve Line 16400 Of Iesus dethe he thought þe synne alle fro hym to dryve Vppe he rose his hondes weshe Among that folk full blyve Line 16404 Alle ye se he seid that I am giltles of his lyve ¶ Alle they cried on hie pilat dare ye no-thyng drede Line 16408 On vs mote his blode falle & on ours that we brede And so it did god it wote sene is on her side Line 16412 ffor now be they thrallis made vnder alle oþer lede

¶ Pilat stode vpon his fete Among that gederyng Line 16416 Pees he seid lo here now is delyuerd vp your kyng I here you sey ye wille hym do on rode tre to hyng Line 16420 do wey pilat vs they seid fallyþ not to do suche thyng ¶ We haue our law seid they [folio 151a:1] that we in leve in lond after the law shalle he die Line 16425 þus shalt þou vnderstond Pylat lothid hem to wreth he wold hem hold in hond To tho wilfull wode he toke Line 16429 þe lord then alle wendond ¶ Then was that swete sakeles flesh done to muche wrong Line 16432 To a pillour they hym bond and with scorges hym swong ffro the hed to the fote / ouer alle the blode out-sprong Line 16436 They Crownyd hym þo with sharp thorne that thorogh his hed throng And bytoke hym at her wille to her sargeantes to hong Line 16440 ¶ The manslear that berabas was take out of preson And our lord lad to sle with-outyn eny cheson Line 16444 Out of preson so they toke that thef the felon And gon so then to hong on tre the kyng of heuyn croun Line 16448 Wherefore they and her sede haue his maleson

¶ An euyll chaunge made they that fals feloun quede Line 16452 When they fyne gold forsoke and toke hem to þe lede They chese hem-self dampnacion thorogh her oun rede Line 16456 That was to vs savacion and to hem-self ded ¶ Iudas stode among the folk and beheld & sie Line 16460 how fondly they with hym dalt and what shame he gon dry When he sie ther was no bote but his lord shuld die Line 16464 Tho hym rewid of his rese and went hym-self to wry ¶ When he sie his master then suffer alle this care Line 16468 with his pens forth he lepe that he had resceyuyd there Then hym rewid his marchauntyse alas caytyf so bare Line 16472 he seid ye arn felon folk for ye canne neuer spare her I yeld you your mony yef me ayen my ware Line 16476 ¶ Wrothirhele to me by-hove haue I take this mony ffor the sakeles blode off hym betraied is by me Line 16480 Alas that euyr was I made to hym to prevy But with the Erthe at my byrth that I ne had swolowid be Line 16484 Takyth he seid your pens here A Cursid folk be ye

What is that to vs they seid thy-selvyn þou may se Line 16488 ¶ Alle for nought they seid Iudas the barge[n y]e made He left the pens on the flor and stale [ [[MS. torn: matter sup|plied from Trinity MS.]] awey wiþ þis] Line 16492 They wille he seid the rightwis sley [witþouten gilt i-wis] Alle this world shalle of me sp[eke] [my tresoun is so mys] Line 16496 ¶ I shalle [my-seluen on me wreke] [alas þat me is wo] ffor [þis riȝtwis þat shal deȝe] [bi my tresoun so] Line 16500 A strong rope gat he previly [folio 151b:1] and did hym fast to go He knyt it fast abowte his nek and hyng hym-self right þo Line 16504 He brast in ij^o his bowelles alle fellyn adoune hym fro The sory soule that wey he sent with weylyng alle in wo Line 16508 ¶ Out at his womb the soule brast at mowthe had it no wey ffor he kyssid Crystes mowthe as ye herd me say Line 16512 When he come as traytour fals his lord to be-tray So fals a dede was neuer herd by-for that ilk day Line 16516 ¶ Dede was caytyf Iudas tho that traytour had to name Of his Cursid Marchauntyse sprong alle þe world þe fame Line 16520 his knyghtes men may calle tho that dothe her lord suche shame

die shuld they for her seruyce and haue in helle her blame Line 16524 ¶ Then was Iudas ded with shame as ye herd me telle And to the fendis sonne bytawght that hurlyth hym to helle Line 16528 But when he had the mony cast among her fete so snelle Alle in wreth the iewis wer xxx pens ther felle Line 16532 ¶ But yet the covetous iewis that tresour forsoke nought With that same mony then a potters place they bought [[MS. brought]] Line 16536 To be done in tresour they seid it not mowth Acheldamach they callid the feld for yt with blode was broght Line 16540 ffor to bery ynne incouþe men that to that Cite sought ¶ Thus Iesus our sauyour was dampnyd to do of daw Line 16544 To by hanggid on a tre as tho was thevis law But suche a tre hem wantid as wretyn is in saw Line 16548 The kyngges tre thereto they seid they wolle of tempill draw . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] Line 16552 ¶ To the tempill sone they come and kut þis tre in ij^o As mekyll as hem nedid they toke with hem tho Line 16556 They fond yt good and esy to dele with also

What they wold ther-of shape there-to it was full thro Line 16560 ¶ With-outyn rotyng or eny euylle hit savourid wonder swete ffor to make this werk ther-of with-outyn let hit lete Line 16564 Byforn to ber yt out of chirche they fond it fulle vn-mete [ [[MS. torn: matter sup|plied from Trinity MS.]] For] they myght for no thyng yt ster oon fote in strete Line 16568 [¶ Two] hundird men sent Cayphas to fette awey that tre [þei] musty[n] euyr hew yt there or els let yt be Line 16572 [þe rode þei shop]e as hem lyst as we the tokyn se [Of cidre cipres & pa]lme as wretyn is of tho iij^e Line 16576 [¶ On þe heed of þat rode: to] set abrede was [bede And þer vpon lettres writen: of mony men to rede Line 16580 Whenne hit was done þei alle ne myȝt stir þe cros of þat] stede Bytwene hem our lord Cryst [folio 152a:1] was theder hym-self led Line 16584 When he come to that swete tre þe iewis to hym seid Take it vp þou seist wele it is for the purveide Line 16588 he lowtid doune and kyssid it sone and at þe first breide With-outyn eny help of man on his bak he it leid Line 16592 ¶ Thorogh the toune he it bar byfor that cursid lede

They met a bysen man tho and hym thei did nede Line 16596 To take the tone end off that tre to go the better spede iiij ellyn and an half the lengthe & oþer half ellen the brede Line 16600 ¶ To the mount of Calvery there-with so they yede vpon that mount sone anon they set this rode tre Line 16604 Many folowyd of that toun & many of that contre Som for good and som for euill comen hym to se Line 16608 Many wepe and many lowhyn of that grete semble ¶ Riche men scornyd hym in alle that they mought Line 16612 how they might do most dispyte on eche side they sought A Croune on his hed they set of sharp tre y-wrought That in an C stedis y-wys Line 16617 the blode out it brought ¶ They clad hym in a mantell rede toke of his oun wede Line 16620 And sethyn in his hond they set a mekyll grete rede And to hym pleidyn abobet and bad hym sey in dede Line 16624 Which of hem yaf the stroke sore might hym drede ¶ Sore they ought hym drede the folk that were so snell Line 16628 The dissease [[MS. dissecase]] that they hym did sore yt were to telle

They made hym syt as her kyng on kneis by-fore hym felle Line 16632 Alle haile our kyng in scorn thei seid thei did no-thyng welle They spyttyn in his louely face tho houndes alle of helle Line 16636 Many a buffet of hem he bar mo than I can telle ¶ Grete was that folk to se that gedirrid on that throng Line 16640 Yong and old man and wyff wepe and hondes wrong Ye foule myslevyng folk they seid wille ye alle-gate hong Line 16644 The manne that neuyr synne did as is on you along ¶ As they rewid Iesus þus women of that Cite Line 16648 Iesus turnyd hym abowte and þus to hem seid he Women do wey then he seid wepe ye not for me Line 16652 But on your childryn and your-self for yet þe day shalbe The barayne blessid shalle men calle forsothe þis shalle men se Line 16656 ¶ Blessid shalle men hold the womb þat neuyr child bar the pappis that ther wer sokyn for in that tyme of car Line 16660 [folio 152b:1] The hillis shalle they byd ouyr-falle vs hid fayne that thei ware When this in grene tre is done in drie shalle muche mare Line 16664