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 sir cayphas hous: þei helde her gederynge 16018

Page 917

                  
                    Line 16018 
                  
                    Aȝein her lege lord I wis:
                  
                    to hede him or to hynge
                    Line 16020 
                  
                    Mony gedered of þe toun:
                  
                    bi certeyn warnynge
                  
                    And senden aftir sir pilate:
                  
                    þidur him for to brynge
                    Line 16024 
                  
                    For he was Iustise ouer hem:
                  
                    vndir cesar þe kynge

                  
                    ¶ Pilat cam & asked hem:
                  
                    in scornyng as hit were
                    Line 16028 
                  
                    . . . . .
                  
                    . . . . . [no gap in Trinity & Laud MSS.] 
                  
                    þei stirten forþ sternely:
                  
                    wiþ a lodly chere
                    Line 16032 
                  
                     [folio 99b:1] Forsoþe pilate þou owe him holde:
                  
                    to vs & þe vndere
                  
                    þat kyng him calleþ wiþouten leue:
                  
                    of Cesar wiþouten pere
                    Line 16036 
                  
                    Herdestou neuer suche wondres:
                  
                    as he haþ don vs lere
                  
                    ¶ Caiphas þat her bisshop was:
                  
                    was ful riche of fee
                    Line 16040 
                  
                    Alle gedered at his court:
                  
                    þat ilke sory meyne
                  
                    Ihesus þat in prisoun lay:
                  
                    þei brouȝte forþ þat fre
                    Line 16044 
                  
                    Harde bounden as a þeof:
                  
                    was wont wiþ hem to be

                  
                    ¶ Þei biþouȝte hem on what wise:
                  
                    þat þei myȝte him wrye
                    Line 16048 
                  
                    And with what þing þei sonnest shulde:
                  
                    do him þenne to dye
                  
                    Sir pilat on hem bihelde:
                  
                    of skil was somdel slye
                    Line 16052 
                  
                    He knew somdel her tresoun:
                  
                    þat hem was leef to lye

Page 919

                  
                    ¶ He bihelde her bittur bere:
                  
                    How þei seide her resoun
                    Line 16056 
                  
                    And vndirstood þat þei him had:
                  
                    taken wiþ tresoun
                  
                    Pilate sat & him aboute:
                  
                    þe Burgeys of þe toun
                    Line 16060 
                  
                    He leued not to þat wicked folke:
                  
                    for þei were euer feloun
                  
                    Bifore hem ihesus stood as lomb:
                  
                    his heed droupyng doun
                    Line 16064 
                  
                    On hem he cast vp his eȝe:
                  
                    but bod her wille al boun
                  
                    ¶ Mony alesyng had þei made:
                  
                    aȝeyn ihesus þat day
                    Line 16068 
                  
                    Pilate herkened hem þo:
                  
                    of al þat þei wolde say
                  
                    But he coude fynde no cause whi:
                  
                    deþ on him to lay
                    Line 16072 
                  
                    For in her owne sawes:
                  
                    ofte chaunged þay
                  
                    ¶ vp þo stirte two pardoners:
                  
                    þat false were ful of gile
                    Line 16076 
                  
                    And seiden on heȝe to pilate:
                  
                    sir here vs a while
                  
                    He is mon & makeþ him god:
                  
                    to make men leue his wile
                    Line 16080 
                  
                    He is no god nor goddes son:
                  
                    of him knowe we þe stile
                  
                    ¶ Gode men þei seide ȝitt is þer more:
                  
                    here & we wol telle
                    Line 16084 
                  
                    In þe temple þis he seide:
                  
                    þere we herde him spelle
                  
                    he bad þat we þe temple shulde:
                  
                    al to ground felle
                    Line 16088 
                  
                    He wolde hit reise þe þridde day:
                  
                    no lenger tyme to dwelle

Page 921

                  
                    ¶ Anoon pilate vp he roos:
                  
                    ihesus wiþ him he ladde
                    Line 16092 
                  
                    And ȝede in to þe parlour:
                  
                    þat was a counsel hous badde
                  
                    Bitwene hem two he asked him:
                  
                    whi he was so madde
                    Line 16096 
                  
                    To þat folke him souȝte wiþ shome:
                  
                    noon vnswere þat he hadde
                  
                    ¶ Sestou not þat þei þe hate:
                  
                    þese iewes no þing more
                    Line 16100 
                  
                    Þei wol þe sle if þei may:
                  
                    & destrye þi lore
                  
                    Herestou not on euery syde:
                  
                    how þei on þe rore
                    Line 16104 
                  
                    Aȝeyn her sawes þat þei say:
                  
                    vnswerestou not wherfore
                  
                    Siþ men han seide þat þou art:
                  
                    wis of lernyng ȝore
                    Line 16108 
                  
                    ȝyue vnswere of þis ihesus:
                  
                    or elles þou smartes sore

                  
                    ¶ At þese wordes coom a man:
                  
                    rennynge faste in hiȝe
                    Line 16112 
                  
                    And seide he wolde speke anoon:
                  
                    wiþ pilate priuelye
                  
                    A messaugere him tiþing brouȝte:
                  
                    fro his wif þat ladye
                    Line 16116 
                  
                    She grette him ofte & tiþinge sende:
                  
                    to drede of þat folye
                  
                    ¶ þi wif he seide is ille at ese:
                  
                    & þat is for a siȝt
                    Line 16120 
                  
                    Þat she in hir slepyng say:
                  
                    þis ilke laste nyȝt
                  
                    Of þis ihesus þat now þis folk:
                  
                    han taken wiþouten pliȝt
                    Line 16124 
                  
                    Word she sendeþ þe if þat þou:
                  
                    on eny weye myȝt

Page 923

                  
                    þat þou suffre him not to deȝe:
                  
                    for hit were greet vnriȝt
                    Line 16128 
                  
                    ¶ whenne pilat had þis tiþing herd:
                  
                    & wel hit vndirstode
                  
                    He brouȝte wiþ him ihesus aȝeyn:
                  
                    & to þe court he ȝode
                    Line 16132 
                  
                    Gode men he seide I con not fynde:
                  
                    in þis mon but gode
                  
                    He is not worþi for to deye:
                  
                    me þinkeþ in my mode
                    Line 16136 
                  
                    But scourgeþ him & leteþ him go:
                  
                    whenne ȝe se þe blode
                  
                    ¶ Dowey þei seide sir pilate:
                  
                    whi seistou now so
                    Line 16140 
                  
                    We wol graunte on no wise:
                  
                    him to scape vs fro
                  
                    He makeþ him kyng & so calleþ:
                  
                    in mony cuntrees ful þro
                    Line 16144 
                  
                    who so calleþ him kyng wiþouten riȝt:
                  
                    is emperoures fo
                  
                    Of galile is he born:
                  
                    oure folke he doþ mys-go
                    Line 16148

                  
                    ¶ whenne þat pilate herde hem sey:
                  
                    he was of galile
                  
                    he þouȝte to haue saued him:
                  
                    to drede sore gon he
                    Line 16152 
                  
                    For heroudes was in þat tyme:
                  
                    kyng of þat cuntre
                  
                    Bounden ihesus as he was:
                  
                    also he lete him be
                    Line 16156 
                  
                    And wiþ seruauntis he him sende:
                  
                    to heroude him to se
                  
                    ¶ For to wraþþe heroude more:
                  
                    ful looþ was pilate
                    Line 16160 
                  
                    For he & he a litil biforn:
                  
                    had bene at debate

Page 925

                  
                    For to do his wraþþe to ceese:
                  
                    & saue his astate
                    Line 16164 
                  
                    To heroudes þo he him sent:
                  
                    euen þe heȝe gate
                  
                    ¶ Heroudes ȝerned him to se:
                  
                    & of his come was fayn
                    Line 16168 
                  
                    Wiþ his knyȝtis vp he roos:
                  
                    & went him aȝayn
                  
                    Of him he wende signes to seen:
                  
                    But hit was al in vayn
                    Line 16172 
                  
                    wolde he neuer on him biholde:
                  
                    for nouȝt þat he coude frayn.
                  
                    ¶ ȝitt þo iewes fyned not:
                  
                    to seke ihesus wiþ wrake
                    Line 16176 
                  
                    þei preied þat he shulde:
                  
                    no preyere for him make
                  
                    Ne helpe him not no more he dud:
                  
                    for þe iewes sake
                    Line 16180 
                  
                    ȝitt shul þei alle biforn him:
                  
                    ful grisly quake

                  
                    ¶ whil þat heroude wiþ him spake:
                  
                    he vnswered nouȝt
                    Line 16184 
                  
                    And he had ȝerned him to se:
                  
                    þerfore him for þouȝt
                  
                    For hadde he any maner signe:
                  
                    bifore heroude wrouȝt
                    Line 16188 
                  
                    þe iewes had not him slayn:
                  
                    for no þing þat þei mouȝt
                  
                    . . . . .
                  
                    . . . . .
                  
                    . . . . .
                  
                    . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] 
                  
                    ¶ He asked him priuely:
                  
                    whi þei had him bounde
                    Line 16196 
                  
                    Speke to me & telle me why: [folio 100b:1] 
                  
                    as hit shal be founde

Page 927

                  
                    And ihesus helde him stille:
                  
                    in þat ilke stounde
                    Line 16200 
                  
                    A purpur clooþ þei on him cast:
                  
                    þerin þei han him wounde
                  
                    In token of fool forþ him ladde:
                  
                    to pilate on þat grounde
                    Line 16204

                  
                    ¶ Sir heroude þe grett wel:
                  
                    we sey pilate to þe
                  
                    And now be ȝe frendes made:
                  
                    þe soþe þerof woot we
                    Line 16208 
                  
                    He haþ þe sende þis mon aȝeyn:
                  
                    riȝt in to þi se
                  
                    A worde wiþ him nolde he speke:
                  
                    for nouȝte þat myȝte be
                    Line 16212 
                  
                    ¶ He is þe selcouþest mon:
                  
                    þat euer ȝitt we seȝe
                  
                    For he chaunged no chere:
                  
                    for lowe ny for heȝe
                    Line 16216 
                  
                    Nouþer vnswere wolde he ȝyue:
                  
                    ny listen vp his eȝe
                  
                    But heroude þonked þe þi sonde:
                  
                    soþely wiþouten leȝe
                    Line 16220 
                  
                    ¶ Certis seide pilate þo:
                  
                    þat þinkeþ me ful gode
                  
                    But hereþ now my counsel:
                  
                    for menged is my mode
                    Line 16224 
                  
                    Þis gode mon is of greet witt:
                  
                    who so hit vndirstode
                  
                    But for he haþ ȝou wraþþed:
                  
                    wiþ him ȝe are so wode
                    Line 16228 
                  
                    I rede ȝe chastise him þus:
                  
                    & bete him to þe blode
                  
                    ¶ Gode men what is ȝoure doom:
                  
                    seiþ me certeynly
                    Line 16232 
                  
                    Alle seide þat he be don:
                  
                    on cros & þat in hy

Page 929

                  
                    To turne þat counsel bettur hit is:
                  
                    þen don a more foly
                    Line 16236 
                  
                    Better mot ȝe seye þen so:
                  
                    quod pilat so rede I.
                  
                    ¶ Pilate was ful wrooþ I wis:
                  
                    wiþ hem þat ilke day
                    Line 16240 
                  
                    Mon he seide whi dostou þus:
                  
                    þat þou wolt no þing say
                  
                    Aȝeines hem þat sewe on þe:
                  
                    nouþer ȝe nor nay
                    Line 16244 
                  
                    For þi state þou owest to speke:
                  
                    to bringe þi self away
                  
                    . . . . .
                  
                    . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] 
                  
                    ¶ whi is þe so looþ to speke:
                  
                    vnswere hem I rede
                  
                    Sestou not how þat þei:
                  
                    þe haten to þe dede
                    Line 16252 
                  
                    O frend hastou not of hem:
                  
                    alle wol þe þe quede
                  
                    If þou wolt not helpe þi self:
                  
                    I con no furre þe lede
                    Line 16256 
                  
                    ¶ Say me now wheþer þou be:
                  
                    goddes son or none
                  
                    Þat I may witerly hit wite:
                  
                    þo vnswered he alone
                    Line 16260 
                  
                    I am his son as þou hast seide:
                  
                    þat shul ȝe wite vchone
                  
                    Hit shal be sene whenne soþfastenes:
                  
                    shal among ȝou gone
                    Line 16264 
                  
                    ¶ Leue hit who so þat wol:
                  
                    I telle ȝou hit riȝt
                  
                    To clymbe aboue þe cloudes alle:
                  
                    þe son shal haue myȝt
                    Line 16268 
                  
                    And for his frendes aftirward:
                  
                    doun shal he liȝt

Page 931

                  
                    Not in priuete I sey:
                  
                    but in ȝoure aller siȝt
                    Line 16272 
                  
                    ¶ Euel at þat word was he herd:
                  
                    of þat cursed lede
                  
                    Vp ros þei alle & ȝaf a cry:
                  
                    riȝt as þei wolde wede
                    Line 16276 
                  
                    What nede haue we of witenes:
                  
                    aȝein him vs to spede
                  
                    His owne mouþ haþ him demed: [folio 101a:1] 
                  
                    of witenes is no nede
                    Line 16280 
                  
                    Doþ him on rode wiþouten raunsoun:
                  
                    þat no mon for him bede
                  
                    ¶ Anoon a sergeaunt sterte forþ:
                  
                    þat stode among hem þore
                    Line 16284 
                  
                    wiþ his hond a buffet:
                  
                    he ȝaf ihesus ful sore
                  
                    he seide eftesones speke but skil:
                  
                    & wordes suche no more
                    Line 16288 
                  
                    For þi mis sawe þat þou hast seide:
                  
                    take þat to teche þe lore
                  
                    . . . . .
                  
                    . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] 
                  
                    ¶ Ihesus lifted vp his face:
                  
                    & loked on þat feloun
                  
                    Frend he seide whi smot þou me:
                  
                    wiþoute any resoun
                    Line 16296 
                  
                    Are þou miȝtest haue founden:
                  
                    a skilful enchesoun
                  
                    Þe mon þat doþ no vnriȝt:
                  
                    to smyte hit is tresoun
                    Line 16300 
                  
                    ¶ Pilate vp ros & forþ he ȝede:
                  
                    out of þe pretory
                  
                    Þis fals folk ihesus ladde:
                  
                    folewyng him wiþ a cry
                    Line 16304 
                  
                    Pilate hem defendede:
                  
                    to do him vileny

Page 933

                  
                    For what endyng þe moot wolde take:
                  
                    wiste he not witturly
                    Line 16308 
                  
                    ¶ Into a chaumber priuely:
                  
                    went pilate his one
                  
                    And ihesus bi his biddyng:
                  
                    in wiþ him was gone
                    Line 16312 
                  
                    Pilate soone him asked:
                  
                    wiþ wordes in þat wone
                  
                    Gode mon whi haten þei þe þus:
                  
                    þese iewes euerychone
                    Line 16316 
                  
                    ¶ Þe bisshop & alle his men:
                  
                    wiþ þe ben vn sauȝt
                  
                    Her purpos is fully:
                  
                    to deþ to make þi drauȝt
                    Line 16320 
                  
                    Art þou goddes son he seide:
                  
                    þat here þus art cauȝt
                  
                    Soþ he seide whi askestou:
                  
                    hit is bifore þe tauȝt
                    Line 16324 
                  
                    ¶ Say me soþ seide pilate:
                  
                    whi þou art her fo
                  
                    I wot þat þei wol not fine:
                  
                    til þat þei þe slo
                    Line 16328 
                  
                    wostou not þat power is myn:
                  
                    to spille or lete þe go
                  
                    þenne seide ihesus to pilate:
                  
                    me þinkeþ hit is not so
                    Line 16332 
                  
                    ¶ For þei þou pouste haue a while:
                  
                    Þou shal not haue hit ay
                  
                    I haue hit of god & am his son:
                  
                    if I sooþ shal say
                    Line 16336 
                  
                    Pilat say þat wiþ no word:
                  
                    ouercom him he may
                  
                    He vncled him of his cloþes:
                  
                    & dud on oþer þat day
                    Line 16340 
                  
                    ¶ So he sende him clad aȝeyn:
                  
                    to his foos in plas

Page 935

                  
                    A crowne on his heed þei sett:
                  
                    in scornyng alas
                    Line 16344 
                  
                    Ihesus þouȝte muchel shame
                  
                    þo he so scorned was
                  
                    For coude he neuer do þe dede:
                  
                    to com in suche a cas
                    Line 16348 
                  
                    ¶ Ihesus was sore agreued:
                  
                    & louted doun his chere
                  
                    Þis þei seide is ȝoure kyng:
                  
                    lo him bifore ȝou here
                    Line 16352 
                  
                    Loude bigon þei to crie:
                  
                    þat alle herde þere þat bere
                  
                    Gooþ now & take him blyue:
                  
                    we wolde on rode he were
                    Line 16356 
                  
                    ¶ Alle þei cried wiþ a mouþ:
                  
                    naile him on rode tre
                  
                    Seiþ not so quod pilate:
                  
                    þat is not rede of me
                    Line 16360 
                  
                     [folio 101b:1] Him oweþ not deȝe for no cause:
                  
                    þat in him ȝit I se
                  
                    Alle þei seide but if þis mon:
                  
                    bi þe dampned be
                    Line 16364 
                  
                    þe frenshepe shaltou lese:
                  
                    bitwene cesar & þe.
                  
                    ¶ Pilate seide lo here ȝoure kyng:
                  
                    but here what I wol say
                    Line 16368 
                  
                    To morwe is ȝoure myche feest:
                  
                    þat ȝe holde in ȝoure lay
                  
                    A prison are ȝe wont delyuer:
                  
                    for reuerence of þe day
                    Line 16372 
                  
                    Askeþ whiche þat ȝe wol:
                  
                    ȝe shul hit haue parfay
                  
                    And I rede ȝe aske ȝoure kyng:
                  
                    & I shal not say nay
                    Line 16376 
                  
                    wherfore seide þei seistou so:
                  
                    leue sir þat doway

Page 937

                  
                    ¶ Of þis ihesus speke þou no more:
                  
                    but of anoþer man
                    Line 16380 
                  
                    Whiche we han chosen to vs:
                  
                    his nome is baraban
                  
                    Of ȝoure kyng in honde he seide:
                  
                    what þenke ȝe do þan
                    Line 16384 
                  
                    To naile on tre he is not worþi:
                  
                    as fer as I se can
                  
                    But efte þis word more & more:
                  
                    to criȝe þei bigan
                    Line 16388 
                  
                    ¶ wondir vs þinkeþ of þe pilate:
                  
                    þat mouest þus þis skille
                  
                    we haue chosen baraban:
                  
                    algate him haue we wille
                    Line 16392 
                  
                    Pilate þouȝte her desire:
                  
                    sone aftir to fulfille
                  
                    whenne he say his assoyne:
                  
                    þei toke in to greet ille
                    Line 16396 
                  
                    Ihesus þat alto drawen was:
                  
                    to scourge he toke hem tille
                  
                    ¶ whenne pilat say no bote:
                  
                    aȝeyn hem longe to stryue
                    Line 16400 
                  
                    Of ihesus deþ he þouȝte þe synne:
                  
                    al fro him to dryue
                  
                    vp he ros his hondes wesshe:
                  
                    among þat folke ful blyue
                    Line 16404 
                  
                    Alle ȝe se he seide þat I:
                  
                    am giltles of his lyue
                  
                    ¶ Alle þei cryed on heȝe pilate:
                  
                    þar þe no þing drede
                    Line 16408 
                  
                    On vs mot his blood falle:
                  
                    & on oure þat we brede
                  
                    And so hit dud god hit woot:
                  
                    sene is on her sede
                    Line 16412 
                  
                    For now be þei þralles made:
                  
                    vndir alle oþere lede

Page 939

                  
                    ¶ Pilate stode vp on his fete:
                  
                    among þat gederynge
                    Line 16416 
                  
                    Pees he seide lo here now is:
                  
                    delyuered vp ȝoure kynge
                  
                    I here ȝou saye ȝe wol him do:
                  
                    on rode tre to hinge
                    Line 16420 
                  
                    Dowey pilate vs þei seide:
                  
                    falleþ not to do suche þinge
                  
                    ¶ we haue oure lawe seide þei:
                  
                    þat we in lyue in londe
                    Line 16424 
                  
                    Aftir þe lawe shal he deȝe:
                  
                    Þis shal þou vndirstonde
                  
                    Pilate loþed hem to wraþþe:
                  
                    he wolde hem holde in honde
                    Line 16428 
                  
                    To þo wilful wode he toke:
                  
                    þe lorde þenne al weldonde
                  
                    ¶ þenne was þat swete sakles flesshe:
                  
                    don to myche wronge
                    Line 16432 
                  
                    To a piler þei him bonde:
                  
                    & wiþ scourgis him swonge
                  
                    Fro þe heed to þe foot:
                  
                    ouer al þe blood out spronge
                    Line 16436 
                  
                    þei crowned him þo wiþ sharpe þorn:
                  
                    þat þourȝe his heed þronge
                  
                    And bitoke him at her wille:
                  
                    to her sergeauntis to honge
                    Line 16440 
                  
                    ¶ þe monsleer þat barabas: [folio 102a:1] 
                  
                    was take out of prisoun
                  
                    And oure lord lad to sle:
                  
                    wiþouten any chesoun
                    Line 16444 
                  
                    Out of prisoun so þei toke;
                  
                    þe þef þat feloun
                  
                    And goon so þenne to honge on tre:
                  
                    þe kyng of heuen croun
                    Line 16448 
                  
                    þerfore þei & her sede:
                  
                    han his malisoun

Page 941

                  
                    ¶ An euel chaunge made þei:
                  
                    þat fals feloun quede
                    Line 16452 
                  
                    whenne þei fyn golde forsoke:
                  
                    & toke hem to þe lede
                  
                    þei chees hem self dampnacioun:
                  
                    þourȝe her owne rede
                    Line 16456 
                  
                    þat was to vs saluacioun:
                  
                    & to hem self dede
                  
                    ¶ Iudas stood among þo folk:
                  
                    & bihelde & seȝe
                    Line 16460 
                  
                    How foulely þei wiþ him dalt:
                  
                    & what shame he gon dreȝe
                  
                    Whenne he say þere was no bote:
                  
                    but his lord shulde deȝe
                    Line 16464 
                  
                    þo him rewed of his rees:
                  
                    & went him self to wreȝe
                  
                    ¶ whenne he say his maistir þen:
                  
                    suffre al þis care
                    Line 16468 
                  
                    wiþ his pens forþ he lep:
                  
                    þat he had receyued þare
                  
                    þenne he rewed his marchaundis:
                  
                    alas caitif so bare
                    Line 16472 
                  
                    He seide ȝe are feloun folke:
                  
                    for ȝe con neuer spare
                  
                    Here I ȝelde ȝou ȝoure mone:
                  
                    ȝyueþ me aȝeyn my ware
                    Line 16476 
                  
                    ¶ wroþerhele to my bihoue:
                  
                    haue I take þis mone
                  
                    For þe sakles blood of him:
                  
                    bitrayed is bi me
                    Line 16480 
                  
                    Alas þat euer was I made:
                  
                    to him so priue
                  
                    But wiþ þe erþe at my burþe:
                  
                    þat I nadde swolewed be
                    Line 16484 
                  
                    Takeþ he seide ȝoure pens here:
                  
                    a cursed folke be ȝe

Page 943

                  
                    What is þat to vs þei seide:
                  
                    þi seluen þou maist se
                    Line 16488 
                  
                    ¶ Al for nouȝt þei seide Iudas:
                  
                    þe bargan made hit is
                  
                    He laft þe pens on þe flore:
                  
                    & stale awey wiþ þis
                    Line 16492 
                  
                    þei wol he seide þe riȝtwis sle:
                  
                    wiþouten gilt I wis
                  
                    Al þis world shal of me speke:
                  
                    my tresoun is so mys
                    Line 16496 
                  
                    ¶ I shal my seluen on me wreke:
                  
                    Alas þat me is wo
                  
                    For þis riȝtwis þat shal deȝe:
                  
                    bi my tresoun so
                    Line 16500 
                  
                    A strong rope gat he priuely:
                  
                    & dud him faste to go
                  
                    He knyt hit faste aboute his nek:
                  
                    & heng him self riȝt þo
                    Line 16504 
                  
                    He brast in two his boweles alle:
                  
                    fellen adoun him fro
                  
                    þe sory soule þat wey he sent:
                  
                    wiþ weylyng al in wo
                    Line 16508 
                  
                    ¶ Out at his wombe þe soule brast:
                  
                    at mouþ had hit no way
                  
                    For he cust cristis mouþ:
                  
                    as ȝe herde me say
                    Line 16512 
                  
                    Whenne he coom as traitour fals:
                  
                    his lord to bitray
                  
                    So fals a dede was neuer herd:
                  
                    bifore þat ilke day
                    Line 16516 
                  
                    ¶ Ded was caitif Iudas þo:
                  
                    þat traitour had to name
                  
                    Of his cursed marchaundise:
                  
                    sprong al þe world þe fame
                    Line 16520 
                  
                    His knyȝtis men may calle þo: [folio 102b:1] 
                  
                    þat doþ her lord suche shame

Page 945

                  
                    Deȝe shulde þei for her seruyse:
                  
                    & haue in helle her blame
                    Line 16524 
                  
                    ¶ Þenne was Iudas ded wiþ shome:
                  
                    as ȝe herde me telle
                  
                    And to þe fend soone bitauȝt:
                  
                    þat hurleþ him in helle
                    Line 16528 
                  
                    But whenne he hadde þe mone cast:
                  
                    among her feet so snelle
                  
                    Alle in wraþþe þe iewes were:
                  
                    þritty pens þere felle
                    Line 16532 
                  
                    ¶ But ȝit þe couetouse iewes:
                  
                    þat tresour forsoke nouȝt
                  
                    wiþ þat same mone þenne:
                  
                    a potteres place þei bouȝt
                    Line 16536 
                  
                    To be done in tresorie:
                  
                    þei seide hit not mouȝt
                  
                    Acheldemach þei calde þe felde:
                  
                    for hit wiþ blood was brouȝt
                    Line 16540 
                  
                    For to burye in vncouþe men:
                  
                    þat to þat cite souȝt
                  
                    ¶ þus ihesu oure saueour:
                  
                    was dampned to do of dawe
                    Line 16544 
                  
                    To be honged on a tre:
                  
                    as þo was þeues lawe
                  
                    But suche a tre hem wantid:
                  
                    as writen is in sawe
                    Line 16548 
                  
                    þe kyngis tre þer to þei seide:
                  
                    þei wolde of temple drawe
                  
                    . . . . .
                  
                    . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] 
                    Line 16552 
                  
                    ¶ To þe temple soone þei coom:
                  
                    & cut þis tre in two
                  
                    As muchel as hem neded:
                  
                    þei toke wiþ hem þo
                    Line 16556 
                  
                    þei fond hit good and esy:
                  
                    to dele wiþ also

Page 947

                  
                    what þei wolde þerof shape:
                  
                    þerto hit was ful þro
                    Line 16560 
                  
                    ¶ Wiþouten rotyng or any euel:
                  
                    hit sauered wondir swete
                  
                    For to make þis werke þerof:
                  
                    wiþouten let hit lete
                    Line 16564 
                  
                    Biforen to bere hit out of chirche:
                  
                    þei fond hit ful vnmete
                  
                    For þei myȝt for no þing:
                  
                    hit stire a foot of strete
                    Line 16568 
                  
                    ¶ Two hundride men sent cayphas:
                  
                    to fet awey þat tre
                  
                    Þei mosten ouer hewe hit þere:
                  
                    or elles lete hit be
                    Line 16572 
                  
                    Þe rode þei shope as hem lust:
                  
                    as we þe tokene se
                  
                    Of cidre cipres & palme:
                  
                    as writen is of þo þre
                    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
                  
                    Bitwene & oure lord crist.
                  
                    was þider him self lede
                    Line 16584 
                  
                    ¶ whenne he coom to þat swete tre:
                  
                    þe iewes to him seide
                  
                    Take hit vp þou seest wel:
                  
                    Hit is to þe purueide
                    Line 16588 
                  
                    He louted doun & kust hit sone:
                  
                    & at þe furst breide
                  
                    Wiþouten any helpe of mon:
                  
                    on his bak he hit leide
                    Line 16592 
                  
                    ¶ Þourȝe þe toun he hit bare:
                  
                    bifore þat cursed lede

Page 949

                  
                    þei met abisen mon þo:
                  
                    & him þei duden nede
                    Line 16596 
                  
                    To take þat on ende of þat tre:
                  
                    to go þe better spede
                  
                    Foure ellen & an half þe lengþe:
                  
                    & oþer half ellen þe brede
                    Line 16600 
                  
                    To þe mount of caluory:
                  
                    þerwiþ so þei ȝede
                  
                    ¶ Vpon þat mount soone anoon: [folio 103a:1] 
                  
                    þei set þis rode tre
                    Line 16604 
                  
                    Mony folowed of þat toun:
                  
                    & mony of þat cuntre
                  
                    Somme for gode & somme for euel:
                  
                    comen him to se
                    Line 16608 
                  
                    Mony wept & mony lowen:
                  
                    of þat greet semble
                  
                    ¶ Riche men scorned him:
                  
                    in al þat þei mouȝt
                    Line 16612 
                  
                    How þei myȝte do moost despit:
                  
                    on vche side þei souȝt
                  
                    A croun on his heed þei sett:
                  
                    of sharpe tre I wrouȝt
                    Line 16616 
                  
                    Þat in an hundride studes I wis:
                  
                    þe blood out hit brouȝt
                  
                    ¶ þei clad him in a mantel reed:
                  
                    toke of his owne wede
                    Line 16620 
                  
                    And siþen in his honde þei sett:
                  
                    a muchel greet rede
                  
                    And to him pleiden a bobet:
                  
                    & bad him say in dede
                    Line 16624 
                  
                    Whiche of hem ȝaf þe stroke:
                  
                    sore auȝte him drede
                  
                    ¶ Sore þei auȝte him drede:
                  
                    Þe folke þat were so snelle
                    Line 16628 
                  
                    þe disese þat þei him dud:
                  
                    strong hit were to telle

Page 951

                  
                    þei made him sitte as her kyng:
                  
                    on knees to-fore him felle
                    Line 16632 
                  
                    Alheil oure kyng in scorne þei seide:
                  
                    dude þei no þing welle
                  
                    þei spitten on his louely face:
                  
                    þo houndes alle of helle
                    Line 16636 
                  
                    Mony buffet of hem he bare:
                  
                    moo þen I con telle
                  
                    ¶ Greet was þat folke to se:
                  
                    þat gedered to þat þronge
                    Line 16640 
                  
                    ȝonge & olde mon & wif:
                  
                    wepte & hondes wronge
                  
                    ȝe foule mis-leuyng folk þei seide:
                  
                    wol ȝe al gate honge
                    Line 16644 
                  
                    þe mon þat neuer synne did:
                  
                    al is on ȝou longe
                  
                    ¶ As þei rewed ihesus þus:
                  
                    wymmen of þat cite
                    Line 16648 
                  
                    Ihesus turned him aboute:
                  
                    & þus to hem seide he
                  
                    Wymmen dowey þenne he seide:
                  
                    wepe ȝe not for me
                    Line 16652 
                  
                    But on ȝoure childre & ȝoure self:
                  
                    for ȝitt þe day shal be
                  
                    þe bareyn blessed shal men calle:
                  
                    forsoþe þis shul men se
                    Line 16656 
                  
                    ¶ Blessed shul men holde þe wombe:
                  
                    þat neuer childe bare
                  
                    þe pappes þat neuer were soken:
                  
                    for in þat tyme of care
                    Line 16660 
                  
                    þe hilles shul þei bidde ouer falle vs:
                  
                    hud fayn þat þei ware
                  
                    whenne þis in grene tre is don:
                  
                    in driȝe shal myche mare

                    Line 16664

About this Item

Pages

[The Trial before Caiaphas and Pilate.]

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

About this Item

Pages

[The Trial before Caiaphas and Pilate.]

description Page 917

description Page 919

description Page 921

description Page 923

description Page 925

description Page 927

description Page 929

description Page 931

description Page 933

description Page 935

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