The Middle-English Harrowing of hell and Gospel of Nicodemus. Now first ed. from all the known manuscripts, with introduction and glossary, by William Henry Hulme.

Additional MS. TEXT A.

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[[leaf 116, bk] It betide þat tyme þat tyberyus Ruled all Rome with ryalte, And also theodosius Was prince in þe lande of galilee, þis story wrot nycodemus [ 5] In ebrewe for gret daynte; Sithen þe Emperoure teodocius Gart it translated be; [ 8] And sithen fro land to lande, For þes vnlettred ledes, To make þaime vndrestande, In Englische þus he redis: [ 12]

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Symeon, Cesar & Kayfas, Dathan & gamaliell, Neptalem, Leui and Iudas, þat were halden fals & felle, [ 16] Alexandire and Annas, Agayne ihesu gan þai spelle; Befor sir pilat gan þai passe [ 19] And on þis wyse þai gan hym telle: "Ihesu þat marres alle oure mene, Calles hym gods sone of heuene, His syre, his dame ryght wele we kene, þaire ryght names wele gan we neuene;

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We wot wele Iosep was a wryght, And for sothe he was his sire, [ 26] And Mary was his modire ryght, And what manere of goddes are þere? We are full sory of his syght, [ 29] ffor it egges vs ay till ire; Oure lawes he brekys with all his myght And þat is his most desyre." [ 32] Pilat sayde to þaime þan: "Say me what are ȝowre sawes, In what wyse at þat man Allegges agayne ȝoure lawes." [ 36]

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[leaf 117] "Vs oghe noȝt be oure lawe," quod a Iuwe, "On oure sabot to do no thynge; [38. to: above line in MS.] þen wyrkes he warkes wondre newe, Helys alle þat aske helynge, [ 40] Bothe blynde & lame þat we wele knewe, And þat vs thynk a wondre thynge;

Wylde & wode till his biddynge bowe All thurgh his fals charmynge." Pilat sayde to þaime alle: [ 45] "Howe may ȝhe blame his dedys?" þai answerd gret & smalle: "With wychecrafte he þaime ledes."

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"Nay," sayde Pilat, "ȝhe haue no ryght To blame hym be no manere of way; þos myracles he dos by myght, It is no thynge als ȝhe say; [ 52] Sen he to þe blynd has sent his sight And puttyd to lyfe þat ded lay, Who suld hym deme to ded be dyght þat dos þe gud all þat he may?" "Sire Pilat, we þe pray," [ 57] Sayd alle þe Iuwes þan, "Brynge hym to barre þis day, Accuse hym gif we kan." [ 60]

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A Messagere he gart go bidde Ihesu come vnto þat place; Romayne he hyght þat wele was kydde, And after ihesu forthe he gace [ 64] [64. gace: s written above c in later hand.] Withoutyn malice, with heued vn∣hidde, his speche he gan to sprede: "Lorde, þe to calle pilat me didde, I durst not ellis for drede." [ 68] þe Iuwes þere þai satte ffor angre wex all grene And sayd to sir pilat: "O, what may þis mene? [ 72]

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[lf. 117 bk.] Bedels sulde to þi biddynge bowe And smertly do þi commandment;

And he nowe knelis to ihesu Whiles þou þiselue es in present; Bot euere vs newes noyes newe, [ 77] We toke þereto full gud entent, Siche curtaysye neuere ere we knewe, With reuerence he to ihesu went." Pilat sayde: "whi did þou soo [ 81] Vnto ihesu siche curtaysy?" Romayne sayde: "þat I haue doo I hade gud enchesones whi; [ 84]

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To alexandre, wele ȝhe wate, A messagere þen was I made, Vnto Ierusalem come I late [ 87] And to þe morne þerein I bade; And thurghe þe toune als ihesu rode, ffolke before his fete all þe gate Riche clothes spradde on brode, Siche reuerence þere he hade, [ 92] Siche reuerence þere hade he; 'Osanna,' was þaire songe, 'þat nowe comes blessed mot be In gods name vs amonge.'" [ 96]

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þe Iuwes sayde: "Traytour vntrewe, With lesynges here has þou vs ledde, þaire langage neuere ȝit þou knewe, þat durst we lay oure life in wedde; Ierusalem langage is Ebrewe, [ 101] And þou farre þethen was fedde." He sayde: "I spyrde at men ynewe þat in þis same Cyte was bredde." "Osanna," quod pilatt, [ 105] "What is þat forto say?" "We construe it þusgate: 'Lorde, saue vs, we þe pray.'" [ 108]

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"Me thynke," quod pilat, "in my thoght, þat ȝhe with wrange þe bedel blame; Sen he sawe þere siche wyrschippes wroght, I wote hym thynke he suld do þe same; [leaf 118] Bot, bedell, to barre sen þou hym broght þiselue forto schilde fro schame, ffott forthe hym þat þou wyrschipp wroght, And loke þou calle hym in be name." Out of þat route Romayne [ 117] Ihesu, oure lorde, he ledes, And calles hym agayne, als man þat pilat dredes. [ 120]

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Of Emperours þat before had bene þis was eueremore þe lawȝ in landes: þat foure men at siche a Iugement kene Suld at þe barre halde in þaire handes Mens heuedes sett on stakes schene, All of fyne golde blasand as brande; [126. as: possibly es in MS.] And so þe Iuwes did þen, I wene, ffoure men with siche iiij heuedes gan stande; [ 128] Bot when he þat all sall welde Was broght into þe halle, þos heuedes of gold gan helde To wyrschippe crist withalle. [ 132]

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þen sayde þe Iuwes sturne & stoute: "þis is a skorne till oure semynge, þes boyes lat þaire schaftes lowte To do till ihesu wyrschippynge."

And pilat asked þaime alle abowte Whi þe schaftes made siche stoup∣ynge, [ 138] þai saide: "we dou ȝowe out of dowte, þai lowtyd noȝt at oure wyttynge, We toke no hede þereto, þat þes baners gan stoupe; What haue we forto do vnto ihesu to lowte?" [ 144]

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"We sawe þes baners stoupe wyterly," þe Iuwes sware to pilate. Quod pilat: "þai say apertely It was noȝt so nogate; [ 148] Bot take vs men more myghty, Stronge & stable of estate, To hlade þes baners sikirly, þis stryfe þus sall we bate." [ 152] And þen thurgh all Iury [leaf 118, bk.] Stronge men haue þai soght To halde þaime myghtily, ffoure men þereto þai broght, [ 156]

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þen saide pilat vnto þaime þore þat þe baners suld halde in hande: "If þai lowte ihesu any more, [ 159] ȝhe sall þerefore lose life & lande." And þai þat stronge & myghty wore Sayde: "To þi dome, sir, will we stande; Whas banere bowes for gods hore, Lat sle hym sone with hyngman hande." [ 164] "Lat haue hym out of þe halle," Sayde pilat for þis skille, "And eftesones in hym calle, On what wyse so ȝhe wille." [ 168]

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Þis messagere to ihesu knelid And clothes before his fete he spradde With alle þe wyrschippes þat he couth welde, And ihesu efte to pilat ladde; [ 172] þes baners sone gan helde And bowed to ihesu vnbedde; þe Iuwes þat þaime behelde ffor þat sight were all dredde. [ 176] When pilat sawe þis sight, howe þos baners gan bowe, ffor drede he ros vpryght Agayne oure lorde ihesu. [ 180]

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Sir pilat wife, so mot I go, Sent to pilat þus to say: [ 194] "Deme ihesu nouthire to ne fro, Bot wyrschip hym all þat þou may, I haue ben dreched with dremes so all þis nyght, þe sothe to say; [ 198] If þou hym deme to ded to go, Oure wele I wot sall wast away."

Pilat was all amayde And saide to þe Iuwes in hye: "I am noȝt wele apayde, Ȝhe blame hym wrangwisly; [ 204]

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[[lf. 119] My wife, ȝhe wote, scho is no Iuwe, Ȝhe knawe sho is a sarasyne; Scho biddis þat I no bargayne brewe To put ihesu to ded, ne pyne; [ 208] Sho says ihesu of treuth is trewe, Slepand scho sawe þis with hyreyne; If we hym deme, it sall vs rewe, ffor he of fayth is gud & fyne." þen sayde þe Iuwes belyue: [ 213] "þe sothe þou may wele see, he has bewyched þi wyfe, It may non outhire be." [ 216]

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Pilat saide: "me thynk selcouthe, Ihesu, whi þou standes so stille; To þis accusynge answere þou couthe þat þe Iuwes put þe vntille." [ 220] Ihesu saide: "ilke man has mouthe fforto welde it at his wille; þaire sawes to þe are knawen & kouthe Whethire þat þai speke gud or ille." "Ihesu, lat be þi dynne!" [ 225] Saide alle þe Iuwes on rawe, "A horcoppe borne in synne ffor sothe alle we þe knawe; [ 228]

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We wot wele for þi sake was slayne Alle þe childre in bedlem borne; To fle with þe þi frendes were fayne, And ellis þi life had bene forlorne;

When herode was ded, is noȝt to layne, þat bitterly þi ded had sworne, Into þi contre þou come agayne, ffro þen as þou was fled beforne." Pilate saide: "is þis he [ 237] þat herode pursewed soo?" "Ȝha," þai saide, "pardye, and ȝit he skappid hym fro." [ 240]

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When pilat wist þat he it was, Hit deryd hym þen mykill þe more; he chese a quest on hym to passe Of men þat trewe & sothfast wore, þai saide to pilat & cayphas: [lf. 119, bk.] "þe certayne sothe we will noȝt spare, Mary to Ioseph weddid was, ffor at þaire weddynge for sothe we ware." Pilat saide to þaime þanne [ 249] þat blamed hade hym beforne: "To wrange ȝe put þis man, In wedloyke was he borne." [ 252]

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Vp styrte a Iuwe bitter & bolde And þus he sayde to sire pilat: "þe tales þat we of hym haue tolde We will avowe erly & late; [ 256] By þis enquest no prisse I holde, þos caytifes sayne bot as þi wate, þai are comylnges, & fayne þai wolde Mayntene ihesu & his estate." [ 260] þis quest was trewe als stele And sayde: "takes outhire twelue, We are Iuwes, wit hit wele, Als trewe als ȝowreselue." [ 264]

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Pilat a boke to barre has broght þos two enquestes forto twynne: With swerynge sall þe sothe be soght, And badde þe trewe quest suld be∣gynne; [ 268] And þai saide þan: "it falles vs noȝt [269. it above line, vs erased beneath it.] To swere, for swerynge is a synne; Lat þaime swere þat wrange has wroght, ffor alle þai knewe wele ihesu kynne; Gif we be fonden gilty [ 273] In þes sawes þat we say, We obblische vs to dye Befor ȝowe here þis day." [ 276]

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þen spak annas & cayphas And þus þai saide to sire pilate: "We trowe wele mary weddid wase Vnto Ioseph þat so hym gate; [ 280] Bot to anothire poynt we passe: Mawgre alle þat mayntens his state We say a spirit inclose he hase, [leaf 120] þat tellis hym all thynge erly & late." Pilat gart voyde þame alle [ 285] þat were within þat house, And þat quest gart in calle Sayde ihesu was borne in spouse;

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he saide: "I fonde ȝowe trewe lange∣ore, And þerefore telle me nowe ȝoure rede, Whi hate þes Iuwes ihesu so sore, Be what skille walde þai haue hym dede?" [ 292]

þai saide: "his wittes passes þaire lore, fforþi to hym þai haue hatrede, And his myracles greues þaime sore, And ȝit þai stande þaime ofte in stede." "ffor sothe," saide pilat þan, "Me thynke þis is envye; Walde þai þus deme a man ffor his gude dedys to dye?" [ 300]

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Pilat hym hyede oute of þe halle And sadly saide þe Iuwes vntille: "Lo here wytnes befor ȝowe alle þat in hym can I fynde non ille." And þai answerde bothe gret & smalle And saide: "sir pilat, be þi wille, We gart hym noȝt come to þi calle, Wyt it wele wythoutyn skille." [ 308] Pilat saide: "he mon dye, I seȝ wele be ȝoure sawes; Takes hym to ȝowe forþi [ 311] And deme hym be ȝoure lawes."

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Þen saide þes Iuwes: "sir, wele ȝhe wate þat god biddes vs we sle no man." To þaime agayne saide sir pilate: "Biddes god þat I suld sle men þan? I wote full wele whi ȝhe hym hate And howe ȝoure wrathe till hym began; Be my wille sall he dye nogate ffor no crafte þat ȝhe alle cane; [ 320] It is alle for hatrede, [leaf 120, back] And þis were litill resone To deme a man to þe ded, Bot þere were more encheson." [ 324]

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Pilat ladde ihesu þe Iewes fro þat to hym had grete envye And saide till hym betwyx þaime two: "Ihesu, þou art kynge of Iury?" [ 328] Ihesu saide: "whethire was it saide þe soo, Or of þin awen outorytye?" Pilat said: "me were full wo þi folke suld þus deme þe to dye; þi folke has taght þe to me [ 333] fforto be dampned þis day; Kynge of Iuwes if þou be Answere to þis, I þe say." [ 336]

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Ihesu answerd mekly agayne: "Iwisse, my kyngdome is noȝt here; ffor if my kyngdome, sothe to sayne, Within þis wankill worlde nowe were, [ 340] Or I amonge þes Iuwes were slayne, My men þat are me leef & dere Wald stand & fyght with mode & mayne And brynge with þaime full grete powere." "Þen art þou kynge allgate?" [ 345] Pilat saide sikirly. Ihesu sayde to pilate: "Þowe says þat kynge am I; [ 348]

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I am come to þis contre And for þis skill þen was I borne, witnes of sothefastnes to be þat has bene saide full lange beforne, And forto make þe peple fre [ 353] þat suld haue bene with syne for∣lorne; All þat is sothfaste likes me And pleses me both euene & morne."

And pilat asked efte: "Say, what is sothefastnes?" With þat ihesu he lefte Als man þat stonyed wasse. [ 360]

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Pilat saide to þe Iuwes yfere: [leaf 121] "Lordynges, if it be ȝoure wille, I haue enquerd of ihesu here, And in hym can I fynde no ille." And þai answerde with herdy chere: "we blame hym noȝt withoutyn skille." Pilat saide withoutyn were: "Ȝhe will hym sle with paynes grille, Bot I am oute of gilte, Als clene as Innocent; His bloude sall noȝt be spilte, Noȝt als be myn assent." [ 372]

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Þen answerd þe Iuwes alle and made þaime wondre kene & wrothe, þai saide: "is bloude mot on vs falle and on alle oure chyldre bothe." [ 376] And pilat saide: "perchaunche it schalle, And þat me walde ȝit thynk full lothe; þerefore haue hym out of þe halle And do hym nouthire harme ne brothe." [ 380] Þe Iuwes saide: "wele ȝhe wate, we say bot skilfully; who presentes þe kynges estate, he is worthy to dye; [ 384]

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And he þat sklaundres þe godhede More syne it is þen siche seuene

He þat is made of pure manhede, þat he gods sone so walde hym neuene, [ 388] Says he sall haue his sittyngstede On gods ryght hand þat is in heuene, fforto deme both quike & dede After þat þaire dedes are euene." [ 392] Out of þat company Pilat ȝhede ihesu to And saide: "sir, sikirly, I ne wote what I sall do." [ 396]

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"Als it is gyfen to þe & me," Quod ihesu, "be it on alle wise." Pilat saide: "what?" & þen saide he: "Als trewely tellen þe prophecyes, Moyses, dauid & Iosue, [leaf 121, bk.] and mony outhire mo þen þes; þat þai saide most fulfilled be In me, for I sall dye & Ryse." [ 404] Pilat went out of þe halle Als man þat was amayde And tolde þe Iuwes alle how þat ihesu hade sayde. [ 408]

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þe Iuwes saide to pilat: "loo, Siche an errore þat he in dwelles, what suld we with more witness doo Bot ryghtals his awen tonge telles?" Pilat sayde: "take hym ȝowe too, Sen it is so iche man hym mellis, Deme forth als ȝhe began þis broo, ffor I can say to ȝowe noȝt elles." þai sayde: "who mellynge makys To man, þis fynde we wryten, 'No lesse þen fourty strakys Hym falles forto be strikyn;' [ 420]

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And he þat calles hym gods son, hym falles to be stoned to dede; He says hys fadre made sone & mone, Bot we knawe wele all his kynrede; He says þat he sall sitt in trone, [ 425] And for thi holy gif we þis rede: [426. holy: y above line. rede: jugemēt has been erased before rede.] þat he sall on a crosse be done Or þat he passe out of þis stede; [ 428] ffor if he regne þus sikirly, All sall leue vpon his lare; And beter is þat on man dye þen alle folke sulde þus mysfare."

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In come sire nichodemus þan, þat was prince of all Iuwery And sayde: "I rede ȝowe do þis man No more harme ne vilany; [ 436] ffor siche tokenes als he do kan And shewes till vs here opynly Was neuer sithen þis worlde began ffonden here be prophecye; [ 440] If he be fals or faynte, [leaf 122] It sall be knawen full sone; His sawes, his tokenes quaynt Sall dye & be fordone. [ 444]

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When tokenes were shewed thurgh moyses Vnto pharaho þe kynge, Two wycches, Iames & Membres, Did to moyses gret lettynge; Disprufed his signes & made þaime leese All thurgh þaire fals enchauntynge, [450. fals: s above line.] Als gods þaime helde all hethenes; Bot harkenes nowe þe last endynge;

ffor moyses dedes were sothfast And þaire bot sorcery; [454. sorcery: r is blotted.] Moyses signes gan last, And þaires gan falle & dye. [ 456]

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And so may be þis man is sent Als prophete trewe vs alle to lere; I not be wham þat moyses ment, Bot moyses sayde on þis manere: 'A prophete sall be to ȝowe sent þat sall be borne amonge ȝowe here;' And sayd þat alle þos sall be shent þat will noȝt of his techynge lere. þe Iuwes befor pilat Sayde vnto Nychodeme: "His trone be þin allgate, And his pece mot þe ȝheme." [ 468]

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And Nichodemus sayde "Amen," And þerewith helde vp both his hende, "Vnto his trone I me bekenne, I pray his pece myght with me lende." [ 472] Before pilat þere come forth tene þat sumtyme were for lazares kende: [lf. 122, bk.] "We were Lazares, als ȝhe wele kenne, And þus has ihesu vs amende." [ 476] In come anothire & sayde: "Lorde, blynde borne was I, His handes on me he layde, And I sawe sikirly." [ 480]

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Anothire saide: "bedrede I lay ffourty ȝhere fully sawe two;

I asked mercy, & he gan say: 'Anon take vp þi bedde & go!' [ 484] þus was I helde & went my way." And on þis wyse come mo & mo, þai saide: "it were to mych at say Howe mony þat ihesu helid so." All holy sayde þai þus: [ 489] "A gret prophet is he, Oure sauyoure ihesus, Euere blessed mot he be." [ 492]

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"To ȝoure prestes," quod pilate, "þes wordes whi shewe ȝhe noȝt?" And þai answerde: "sir, we ne wate, Bot all thus ihesu has wroght; A lazare þat was ded nowe late [ 497] And forth vnto his beryinge broght, He liffes agayne in full gud state, And þereof gret wondre vs thoght." Pilat hereof hade drede [ 501] And saide: "whi will ȝhe spille þat man þat helpes at nede Alle þat calles hym vntille?" [ 504]

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He called Nychodeme & þe quest þat he before fonde trewe allgate And saide; "lordynges, what hald ȝhe best? Alle þes folke are in gret bate." [ 508] And þai of answere were full preste And sayde ilk one; "sire, we ne wate; To þaire consayle, so haue we rest, [leaf 123] We will noȝt sent for drede ne hate; We pray god þat he sende Rightwis dome þaime amange, On þaire sawes mot it lende [ 515] Whethire þai do ryght or wrange."

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Þe Iuwes were wont euere at þe pace A man out of þaire prisone take, Withoutyn dome to lat hym passe And gif hym lyfe for þat fest sake. On was in prison hight Barabas [ 521] ffor manslaghter þat he did make; Pilat þe Iuwes asked in þat place whethire ihesu or hym þai wolde lat skape, And þai saide: "Baraban!" And pilat asked þaime alle: "What sall ihesu do þan?" þai saide: "on crosse he salle; [ 528]

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And bot he be þat it be sene, We say þou art noȝt Cesare frende; ffor whoso makis hym kynge, I wene, Agaynes Cesare lordschippe þai wende." [ 532] And pilat saide right þan for tene: "ȝhe fals felons full of þe fende, To ȝoure helpers euere haue ȝhe bene Grucchande & shrewes at ilk ane ende." þe Iuwes þen wex alle woude And saide: "whi says þou so? who did vs euere ȝhit gude, Bot we did hym siche two?" [ 540]

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"When þat god ȝowe fro egipte ledde Thurgh moyses þat was his prophete, ffro pharaho thurgh þe see ȝhe fledde [543. ȝe crased after ȝhe.] þat on of ȝowe wett noȝt ȝowre fete; In þe wildrenes he ȝowe fedde [ 545] with angeles foude gostly & swete, ffloure to ȝoure foude þat neuer was bredde And rayne fro heuene þat lorde ȝowe lete;

Oute of þe stone he sent [leaf 123, bk.] ȝhowe watre wondrely; Ȝhe brake his comaundement And leuyd in maumetry; [ 552]

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Bot at moyses gan for ȝowe pray, [553. MS. at for þat.] God had dredles fordone ȝowe þare; And nowe þis man þat ilka day Helis ȝowe alle bothe seke & sare, ffor I hym deme noȝt to ȝowre pay Bot wolde hym þat is gilteles spare; I am noȝt Cesar frende, ȝhe say, And þis me thynke a wondre fare." Þai saide: "We haue no kynge [ 561] Bot þe Emperour of Rome; Holde hym for his saynge Kynge Right Wise in dome. [ 564]

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Bot thre kynges here beforne ffro colayne vnto bethelem soght And sayde þe kynge of Iuwes was borne And gret offrynge to hym þai broght; When herode wist sone on þe morne what wyrschip þat þe kynges hym wroght, [ 570] Amonges outhire he sulde be lorne, And þus cast herode in his thoght; ffor ihesu sulde noȝt Bethelem welde, Alle childre gart he sloo Within two ȝhere of Elde, And ȝit he skappid þaime fro." [ 576]

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When pilat herde, he hade pyte And bad ilke man he sulde be stille, and askid gif þis ihesu be [ 579] þat herode hade so soght with ille.

þai saide: "ȝhae." þen watre asked he [581. water: was before watre erased.] To wasche his handes by þis skille, And saide: "giltles I am, ȝhe se, þis ryghtwise man þus forto spille." þen saide þes Iuwes alle: [leaf 124.] [585. This line written in lower margin of leaf 123, and repeated at top of follow∣ing page; but first three words of second line almost faded out.] "þereof haue þou no dowte, þe gilte on vs mot falle, Put vs in & þe oute." [ 588]

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Þen gart pilat to barre brynge Armed knyghtes gret plente, And sayde: "þes folke disprufes him kynge, And ȝit þis kyngedome claymes he; With skourges first ȝe sall hym swynge, þus þe lawȝ will þat it be, And þen on crosse ȝe sall hym hynge So heeȝ þat alle men may hym se; A thefe on aythir syde [ 597] ȝhe hange at my biddynge, As kynge of mykill pride Betwix þaim sall he hynge." [ 600]

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Þes knyghtes on ihesu layde þaire handes And hym þai led whare he sulde dye; þai bonde hym þare with bittere bandes And bobbed hym dispitusely; [ 604] [604. MS. possibly bebbed.] A purpull mantill þat þai fonde Vpon ihesu þai cast in hye; Hym to wemme þai walde noȝt wonde, Bot gaue hym buffetes full felly;

A corone of thorne full sore Þai cast vpon his heued, Þat felle & flesshe and hore Was all with blode beweued; [ 612]

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On rode þai raysed hym, as we rede, A theue þai honge on aythire side; Aysell & galle vpon a rede Within a sponge þai gan it hyde, Put to his mouthe, drynke þai him bede, [ 617] And þen sayde ihesu þus þat tyde: "ffadre, forgife þaim þis myssedede Þat þai to me do in þaire pride." Þe Iuwes þere þai stode [ 621] Sayde: "gods son if þou be, Come done nowe of þis rode, And we sall trowe on þe." [ 624]

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To longeus on betoke a spere, [lf. 124, bk.] A blynde knyght was in þat rowte; To ihesu herte he gon it bere, [ 627] And watre & blode anon went oute And sprent on longeus eghen þere, And sone he sawe withouten doute. Pilat a title withouten fere [ 631] Gart write þat men myght aboute, Latyn, grewe and ebrewe, Abouen gods hede he wrot: "Of nazaret þis is ihesu And kynge of Iuwes I wot." [ 636]

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On gods lefte hande honge Iesmas, To ihesu þus he saide be name: "If þou be gods son, lat vs passe, And also shilde þiselue fro shame!"

[On the right-hand margin of this page, the words "Francis Gris Francis" are scribbled in a much later hand.] And on his right hande hange Dismas, And fast his felawȝ gon he blame: "As þou erte worthy so þou has, And I also may say þe same; [ 644] ffull litill god þou dredes, ffull falsely was he spilte, He dyes for his gud dedes, And we dye for oure gilte." [ 648]

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Dismas gon to ihesu pray: "As þou arte kynge & hye iustice, In þi blisse when þou comest for ay, On me haue mynde, þou kynge ryghtwise." [ 652] Ihesu agayne to hym gon say And mekely answerde on þis wise: "Þou sall surely be þis ilke day In ioyfull place in paradise." [ 656] At vndre þis was done, Þe day as nyght wex darke, Siche erthe-dynne was þere sene, Þat it brake house & kirke. [ 660]

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And in þis story as we rede, Þere befelle a wondre thynge, An aungelle come vnto þis dede [lf. 125] And in his hande a swerde bren∣ynge; And ihesu saide in his manhede Vnto his fadre, heuene kynge: "ffadre þat all wrought in godhede, Here nowe at þis ilke endynge [ 668] Into þi handes I beteche, Þou fadre of myghtes most, Mi saule." & with þat speche Anon he ȝelde þe gost. [ 672]

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Centurio saide, whan he sulde dye And sawe þe son wex darke as nyght: "Þis man was gods son sikirly, [ 676] Þat on þis wise to dede is dight." And mony outhire þat stude hym bye Of Iuwes þat sawe þat sely syght ffell don to grounde & ast mercy And mened crist all þat þai myght. Of þis wondrefull dede [ 681] When pilat herde þus say ffor sorowe & for grete drede He ete no mete þat day. [ 684]

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Pilat ȝede to þe Iuwes alle And saide: "sires, what is ȝoure rede? Siche maruayles wiste we neuere falle As dos nowe here for ihesu dede." Þai saide: "þes clerkes þe clippes it calle [ 689] Þat makes þe son so blody rede." "Whi cleue þes stones þus of þis walle? Þere may no stone stande in his All shakes bothe heeȝ & lowe stede, Þat in þe temple honge; It is vengaunce I trowe, I drede I haue done wronge." [ 696]

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Centurio þare come forthe þan And alle þe folke þat with hym were; Till alle þe Iuwes þus he byganne To telle þe sight þat he sawe þere: " [[leaf 125, bk.] ffor sleynge of þis ryghtwise man I leue ȝhe shalle forthynke it sore; Þe sonne at his dede wex alle wanne And lasted a myle way so & more,

Ȝour walles asondre cleued, Þe erthe trembled & quaked, Many one salle be greuyd ffor þis fare þat is maked; [ 708]

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Ded men are rysen oute of þaire graue ffull openly here in ȝour sight; Wharefore we hope & trouthe we haue Certys þat he was gods son right." And as þai þus togidre straue, [ 713] Vnto pilat þere come a knyght, And ihesu body gan he craue Þat þus be dome to dethe was dight; Pilat graunt hym his bone, [ 717] Ioseph of aramathy; And fro crosse did sone Take of þat blissed body. [ 720]

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Sithen he hym wonde with gude en∣tent In clothes þat were fayre & clene And layde hym in a monument Þere neuere man before hade bene. Þe Iuwes ȝede by one assent [ 725] Þat in þaire folyes were full kene; A newe bargayne ȝit haue þai ment Þat sulde turne þaim to trye & tene. Þe quest þat ihesu gan deme As man in wedloke borne, [ 730] And also Nichodeme, Þaire ded þe Iuwes haue sworne;

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And forto sle þaim alle þai thought [733. þai above bydene which has been erased.] Þat thurgh ihesu helede wore; Bot þai were hidde, þai fonde þaim noȝt, Þerefore þe Iuwes forthought full sore.

Ȝit when þai were alle samen brought, Þe gret maistres of þe lore, [leaf 126.] To þe temple Nychodeme þai sought, And þus he saide & nolde noȝt spare: "Ȝhe felons wars þen wode, Howe dare ȝhe negh þis stede And ȝour handes full of blode Of rightwise ihesu dede?" [ 744]

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Þe Iuwes hym answerde alle yfere: "ffor ihesu þou myssays alle men, Howe dare þou come vnto vs here? Þou art his man, full wele we ken, His pees myght light on þe so dere." And Nichodeme answerde: "A∣men." [ 750] And þai for skorne sayd alle yfere: "Till hym platly we þe bekenne." And whan þai þus hade saide, [ 753] Ioseph of Aramathy Þat ihesu in graue hade layde Come forth apertly; [ 756]

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He saide: "sires, so god ȝowe saue, By what skille are ȝe wrothe with me? ffor I haue laide ihesu in graue Þat ȝe so hanged on a tre? [ 760] With gret wronge slayne hym ȝe haue, And þat hereafter sall men se; When ȝhe with pilat so gan raue, Ryght as ȝowe liste right so did ȝe; Whan pilat wasshe his hende Hymselue giltles to make, ȝhe saide on ȝowe descende [ 767] His blode, vengaunce & wrake."

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Þe Iuwes to Ioseph ran anon And in a depe prison hym cast, Þere nas wyndowe ne dore bot one, And þat þai speryd full wondre fast; ffast þai thrette Ioseph to slon [ 773] ffro tyme þat þaire sobot were past; To kepe þe dore þe knyghtes are gon, Metles þere gart þai Ioseph fast. ffor he ihesu gan graue, [leaf 126, bk.] Þai saide þat in þe felde No beriynge suld he haue, Bestes his bones sulde welde. [ 780]

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When þaire sabot was comen & gone, Ioseph to brynge forth þan þai thought; Deth þai demyd Ioseph apon ffor þe warke þat he hade wrought To þaire þrison þai went anon [ 785] And wend forthe Ioseph till haue brought; [786. brought above tane which has been erased.] Þai opned þe dore & made gret mone, Þai fonde noȝt Ioseph þat þai sought. Ilk on till outhire gan say: [ 789] "Þis is a wondre thynge, Howe he myght wyn away Þus in oure awen kepynge." [ 792]

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Þen come a knyght þat ihesu wooke When he was layde in monument: "Þe body," he saide, "þat ȝhe vs toke To kepe is resen & fro vs went; Þe erthe trembled & al toshouke, An aungell bright doune was þere sent, [ 798]

We dared for drede, we durst noȝt loke, We wende ilk one till haue bene shent; Þat ilke gret stone þat lay His rysynge forto lette Lyghtly he put away And þerevpon hym sette. [ 804]

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Þis angell vnto wymme saide Þat þidre were comen of ihesu meyne: "Loke þat ȝe be noȝt amayde; [807. An erasure before ȝe.] Ihesu is risen, come narre & see! Þis is þe place þere þai hym laide, Goo biddys his postles redy be, He sall be sene as he þaim saide Þis ilke same day in Galile." [ 812] Þes Iuwes gret wondre thought, "Lyues ihesu?" gon þai say, "Traytour, we trowe þe noȝt, ffor he is ded for ay." [ 816]

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[lf. 127] Þes knyghtes answerd þen full swythe And saide vnto þat company: "Siche wondre warkes gon he kythe Whil þat he was ȝow here fast by, And shiwed myracles mony sithe Vnto þe peple of Iuwery; [ 822] Howe sulde ȝe trowe or till vs lithe Þat mystrowed hym so pure lightly, Ihesu þat was in graue? Make ȝhe it neuere so hote, Shortly lost hym we haue, Where he is we ne wote. [ 828]

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Also we wote þat ȝistirday Howe þat Ioseph here prisoned was,

And howe ȝe kepid hym vndre kay Because he sulde noȝt fro ȝowe passe; [ 832] We wote not whethire he be away, [833. wh erased after we.] Bot one thynge aske we in þis case: Lat brynge forth Ioseph if ȝe may, He þat of Ioseph kepynge has, [ 836] And we sall brynge Iesus." And þai agayne gan threpe: "We graunt, brynge hym till vs, And we sall brynge Ioseph." [ 840]

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Þe knyghtes saide: "þis proue will we Here byfor all þis Iuwery Þat Ioseph is in his Cyte At home in pees in Aramathi, [ 844] And ihesus is in Galiley, Þis wote we wele alle witirly." When þe Iuwes wist it sulde so bee, Sore þai þam dred þai sulde abye; Ilk on till outhire gan say: [ 849] "Lat þes wordes done falle, Þis folke sall lefe oure lay And leue on ihesu alle." [ 852]

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[leaf 127 bk.] Þe Iuwes toke tresoure full gude wone Vnto þos knyghtes forto pay, And gart examyn one by one And þus þai bad þaim forto say: Þat when þai were to slepynge gon And whiles þai in þaire slepynge lay, His postles put away þe stone And stale þe body so away; [ 860] Of þe money were þai fayne And tolde it ilka dele, And quit þaim by þis trayne, [ 863] And alle men trowed þaim wele.

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To ierusalem come on a day Two prestes of þat ilke Iury, To þe temple þai toke þaire way And gedred alle þe folke in hye, Þai saide: "ihesu, shortly at say, Þat ȝhe to dede did wrongefully, On þe monte olyuete he sat þis day And his apostles ilk on hym by; We sawe alle in on route [ 873] Þat he was wont to teche, Þai satt hym alle aboute And þes wordes gan he preche: [ 876]

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'Thurgh alle þe worlde I bid ȝowe wende Ouereall my message forto make And baptise þat are gude & hende And truly trouthe of ȝowe will take; Whoso is trewe of cristen kynde [ 881] Saue & sure I sall hym make; And dampne alle þos withouten ende Þat no trouthe of ȝowe will take.' As he stoude þaim amange [ 885] he steghe to heuene vpright, And we loked after lange, Two cloudes refte vs þe sight." [ 888]

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[leaf 128] Þes Iuwes alle forwondred were And saide to þaim: "ȝhe shall noȝt blyn, If it be þus ȝhe sall it swere, Þe halydome be charged in." [ 892] Þai saide: "it may vs nothynge dere, Gladly ynowȝ we wille bygynne To say þe sothe withoutyn were [ 895] Of ihesu þat dyed for mans synne."

Handes on boke þai layde And sware alle with on voyce: "All is southe þat we sayde Of hym þat died on crose." [ 900]

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Þe Iuwes a boke in hande þai hent And þes men gart swere efte þisday: "Þat ȝhe haue saide in oure present ȝhe shall it heele & layne for ay." And fro þe Cyte þai þam sent, [ 905] ffor þai in toune suld no thynge say, And certayne men with þaim forthe went To teche þaim sikirly þe way. In drede þes Iuwes nowe duelle [ 909] And saide: "what may þis mene? In þe lande of israell [ 911] Siche sightes neuere were sene."

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Þen spake Annas and cayphas: "We will noȝt trowe for sothe," þai saide, "Þe knyghtes þat hym kepid has, I trowe þai haue vs alle betrayde; Þai saide howe þat he rysen was, [ 917] And þus þai made vs alle affrayde; Bot howe sone gan þai lat it passe ffro tyme þat we þaim siluer payde. His postles, wele may be, [ 921] His body away gan steele And made þe knyghtes gre And gaue þaim golde to hele." [ 924]

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Alle þe Iuwes þat þere wore [lf. 128, bk.] Anon right þai answerd þus: "Whethire were oure knyghtes holden more Till ihesu meyne or till vs?" [928. or erased before meyne.] Þen spake a Iuwe, was wise of lore, Þat called was Nichodemus: [ 930]

Þe apostles sawe oure men neuere ore And also oure men loued noȝt ihesus; And þos two men þat swore Þai sawe ihesu on lyue stande [ 934] And steghȝ to heuene þore With wronge are flemed of lande.

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We rede when þe prophet Elyas Vp onto heuene was tane, Eliseus þat his dissiple was [ 939] Men asked whidre he was gane; He saide: 'to heuene I sawe hym passe,' And men for hym þai made gret mone And saide: 'sum spirit ladde hym has Into þe montaynes, hym allone.' Þai gart seke northe & southe [ 945] Þe montans of Israell, Þai fonde no man þat couthe No tale of Ely telle. [ 948]

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Nowe, childre of Israell, listenes to me: Sen ȝhe ihesu sakelesse haue slayne, It may so happen þat he be, His spirit rauysshed to sum mon∣tane; fforþi I rede þat gret plente [ 953] Of men seke ihesu with þairemayne; He will forgyffe & haue pite Of ȝowe, if ȝhe hym fynde agayne." Þe Iuwes with on assent, [ 957] As Nychodeme gan telle, To seke ihesu þai sent Þe montes of Israell. [ 960]

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Thurgh israell haue þai sought þe montayns both farre & nere;

Þai come agayne & fonde hym noȝt [leaf 129] And sayd þai myght noȝt of hym here; "Botworde of Ioseph haue we brought Þat here was prisoned are to ȝere, In aramathy is wonynge is wrought Ryght as a lorde of gret powere." When þai wiste euereilk one [ 969] Þat Ioseph was in querte, Þai thanked god in trone And were ioyfull in herte. [ 972]

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And þen þai made a gret gadrynge And helde a consayle þaim bytwene Howe þai myght hym to þaim brynge, Ryght as he before hade bene. [ 976] A lettre þai wrote all of plesynge, And þusgates was it wryten I wene: "Pees, frensshippe & gud gretynge, Sir, on þe it mot be sene; [ 980] We wote wele & confesse Oure trespasse & oure gilte Þat we thurgh wykednesse [ 983] Walde fayne haue hade þe spilte;

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Bot nowe, Ioseph, þou comme vs tille, And ȝe vouchesaue, sir, we ȝowe pray, [ 986] And largely make amendys we will, Whatso ȝoureselue will deme or say; ffor mykill we maruayle by what skille And on what wise ȝhe went away, Bot god wolde þat ȝhe had non ille, ffor allē ȝour dedis were till his pay; Pees be to ȝowe with wirsshippynge, Ioseph of Aramathy." [ 994] Þai it enclosed & sithen gart hynge Þaire sealles full fast þereby. [ 996]

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Ioseph frendes euereilk one Were ordayned þis message to make; fforthe on þaire message are þai gon, Þai thought noȝt forto lat it slake; To aramathy þai come anon, [lf. 129, bk.] Ioyful ynoghe for Ioseph sake; Mekely þai haylsed hym euereilk on And sone þis lettre gan hym take. When Ioseph had it redde, [ 1005] He thanked crist of heuene, And kissed þaim & ledde Vnto his house full euene. [ 1008]

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Erly at morne when it was day, Ioseph to dight hym hade delite, With þes men he went his way, No langere made he þere respite. Of his come when þe Iuwes herde say, Þai made þaim redy more & lasse, [1014. lasse: effort to correct a to e.] With all þe wirsshippe þat þai may, To welcome hym as worthy wasse; Þai saide at his comynge: [ 1017] "Ioseph, haue pees & grithe." And he saide: "cristes blissynge Be all þis peple wythe." [ 1020]

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Nichodeme þat we ere of spake At his house gart Ioseph lye, And made gret festynge for his sake To certayne men of þat Iuwery; At morne a semble did þai make In myddes þaire temple oponly; A boke in hande Ioseph gan take And þere, I wote, he sware þereby

Þat he þe sothe sulde say; Depely þai gon hym charge Howe þat he wan away ffro prisoune to þe large. [ 1032]

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He saide: "at gud fryday at nyght When þat I to prisoune ȝode, To þe satreday aboute mydnyght In my prayers euere I stoude; I lokid vp & sawe a sight, [ 1037] Ihesu þat dyed here on þe rode; [leaf 130] Þe prisone depe in þe erthe was dight, Þat made me marred in my mode; To ihesu gud tent I toke, His visage shone so bright, I myght no lengere loke, ffor dred I fell don right. [ 1044]

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Bot vp he raysed me full smertly And streght he toke me by þe hande, Mi mouthe he kissed curtesly, And I sore adred gan stande, [ 1048] And I saide: 'my lorde haly, Whethire þou be noȝt ȝit lyfande?' And he said: 'nay, bot I am I, Ihesu, forþi be noȝt dredand; [ 1052] Of me no dred þou haue, Ioseph, I am þe same Þat þou laide in a graue [ 1055] And sithin for me bare blame.'

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And I said: 'if þou be he, Of one thynge þen I will þe pray, Þat monyment þou lat me se Þere þat þi body in with lay.'

Out of þat prisoune both went we, Bot on what wise can I noȝt say, Þe sepulcre þen shewed he me, Bot þe body was clene away; [ 1064] Þen trowed I stedfastly When I hade sene þis sight, And cryed of mercy [ 1067] And thanked hym þat I myght.

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In Aramathy he set me þo, And þere for sothe I sawe hym last; He bade I suld noȝt þethen go Till fourty dayes were come & past; He saide no man suld do me wo, Þowȝ þai prisounde me neuere so fast; [leaf 130, bk.] And þus ȝoure prisoune skapped I fro, Loke what ȝe hereof can cast." Þe Iuwes alle holy [ 1077] Gretly forwondred were And saide: "in þis Iury Siche thynge fell neuere ere."

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Þe Iuwes saide: "holly, wele we wate, All quike to heuene for sothe he ȝede, And moyses went þe same gate, Of his ded can we fully rede; [ 1084] Ihesu was don to ded nowe late And dampned here for his mysse∣dede, He may noȝt lyffe in ryghtfull state, Certes þereof vs thare noȝt drede." Quod Ioseph" "maruayle ȝhe, [ 1089] He rosse fro ded to lyue? He raysed men by pouste, Mor wondrely þen siche fyue. [ 1092]

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Of saynt symeon ȝhe alle may mene, Þat keppid here ȝour lawes right; His two sonnes bothe haue ȝe sene, Þat Caryn & Letyn hyght; [ 1096] Alle wote ȝe wele þai dyed bedene And also grauen in ȝour sight; Þaire bodys arne noȝt þare I wene, Rysyn þai are by gods myght; þai are bothe holle & fere [ 1101] Lyfand in Aramathy, Kneland in þaire prayere, Þai speke noȝt sikerly; [ 1104]

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Go we to þaim, if þat ȝhe rede, And pray þaim, if it be þaire wille, To shewe howe þai are risen fro ded And eftesones put þe life vntille; Perchaunse þai sall shewe in þat stede Sum sikire resonable skille, [ 1110] If þai were raised thurgh his godhede, And what thynge þat þai sall full∣fille." [leaf 131] Vnto þaire graues ȝhede þai, Whare þaire bodys ware layde, And fonde þaim bothe away, As Ioseph hade þaim sayde. [ 1116]

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Ioseph, Annas and cayphas, And Nichodemus eke also, Holly þaire consaile taken has To Aramathy ryght forto go, [ 1120] Þat þethen sexty myle was, And nouthire myle lesse ne mo; Sone on þe morne forthe gan þai passe On þaire iourney withouten hoo;

And when þai come to toune, Þai fonde þaim at þe laste On þe erthe kneland doune, Prayand to god full fast; [ 1128]

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Þai kiste þaim as men þat þai wele kende And of þaire lyues were full fayne, To Ierusalem þai praide þaim wende To þaire owen contrey agayne; In templum domini gon þai lende And þere þai gan þes two men frayne, A boke þai put vnto þaire hende To swere þe southe & noȝt to layne: "By god of Israelle [ 1137] And by god adonay, Þe sothe þat ȝhe vs telle Þat we aske, if ȝhe may; [ 1140]

(96)

By gret god swere sall ȝe nowe, þat sumtyme to ȝoure fadre spake, If it were ihesu þat raysed ȝowe; Þereof certayne ȝhe sall vs make, On what wise ȝhe were raysed & howe, Þat ȝe þe sadde truthe till vs take." Þes wordes made þaim forto bowe And bothe for drede tremble & quake; To heuene vp gan þai stare, And tokenynge of þe crosse [ 1150] Made on þaire tonges bare [leaf 131, bk.] And spake with symple voysse;

(97)

Þai saide: "lordynges, vnto þis plitte We pray ȝow for parchemyn & penne, [ 1154]

Þat we þes priuaytise may write Þat we trowe & sothefast kenne." And þai þaim gaue withoute respite Openly amonge alle men, And right þus þai gan endyte: "In þe name of god, Amen! [ 1160] Lorde ihesu, we þe pray, Rayser to lyfe fro dede, So late vs write þis day Þe myght of þi godhede; [ 1164]

(98)

Gif vs grace nowe forto telle, As þou art lorde so mykill of myght, Þe maruayles þat on þe befelle Sen þat þe Iuwes to dethe þe dight. All Adam kyn we were in helle, many a drery sorowefull wyght, Till on a tyme þat it befelle [ 1171] Þat of þe son we hade a sight; A lyghtnes shyned þere Ryght as a sonnes beme; When we in merkenes were, A light gan on vs leme. [ 1176]

(99)

Oure forme fadre þat was in wo And Eue also þat was his wife, Patriarkes, prophetes many moo, Alle at ones þai spake belyue: 'Þis son is comen oure sorowe to slo And done þis darknes forto dryfe, Als god hymselue shewed vs vnto Whill þat we were alle on lyue.' 'þis lyght,' sayd ysay, [ 1185] 'Is þe fadre son of heuene, Lyueand þis tolde I In my bokes full euene; [ 1188]

(100)

[lf. 132, bk.] I prophecyed by Neptalym lande And by zabulon alegged withall; And is þus myche to vndrestande, Þat on fre man sall bye alle thralle; Vnto folke in merkenes dwellande, To þaim þis lyght shyne ȝit it shalle; þat I saide whils I was lyfande, [ 1195] Nowe se I wele þat it sall falle; Right nowe fullfilled is In vs þe prophecye: "Lyght shynes in merkenes Oure thraldome forto bye."' [ 1200]

(101)

And we made gret solempnyte, When we sawe þat lyght shynynge. Oure fadre symeon þen come he And with hym brought a newe tithynge, [ 1204] He saide: 'loke ȝe make gam & gle, fful gude tithynges nowe I brynge, He is comen þat sall oure byere be To fetche vs fro þis foule wonynge; In þe temple ihesu I toke [ 1209] And helde hym in my handes, Myn eyne on hym gan loke [1211. Men on h erased at beginning of line.] Þat salle lawse alle oure bandes;

(102)

Þe holy gost þus gart me say: [ 1213] "Leue now here þi seruante lealle In pees & rest, lorde, I þe pray, ffor myn eyen haue sene þi hele Þat þowe ordand for euere & ay, And amonges mankynd gan dele Lyght to þe shewynge of þi folke, I say, And ioy to men of yraelle."'

Þe sayntes þat were in bandes Made gret solempnite ffor solace of þes sondes, Ilk one in þaire degre [ 1224]

(103)

Þen come on forth þat beliknes [lf. 132, bk.] Semed an hermyte of pore estate, What he was asked more & lesse, And he agayne answerd þusgate: 'A voysse cryand in wildrenes, Iohn Baptiste for sothe I hate, Of synnes I preched forgifnes [ 1231] Thurgh baptym þat is gyfen late; I sawe hym come me by Þat vs fro wo sall wynne, "Þis is gods lombe," saide I, "Þat dos away worldes synne;"

(104)

And I, Iohn, baptist hym with my hende In þe watre of flom iordane, Þe holy gost on hym gan lende In likenes of a doue anon, [ 1240] Þe fadres voysse done gan descende And þes wordes sayde he ilk one: "Þis is my dere son withouten ende, ffor whom sall made be mykill mone, In whome me likes best, No thynge is to me darre; [ 1246] I brynge bode of ȝour rest, Bes glad, he is noȝt farre."' [ 1248]

(105)

When Adam herde Iohn baptiste say And speke of þe flom baptisynge, He sayde: 'son, swithe I þe pray, Telle vs here a litille thynge; [ 1252]

In erthe lyueand seke I lay, To dye I had full gret longynge; My son to paradise went his way þe ole of mercy forto brynge; [ 1256] Come forthe my son so dere, Sum dele nowe þou vs telle Of saynt Michel answere, Þat þere was gods angelle.' [ 1260]

(106)

[leaf 133] Seth sayd: 'longe stoude I in prayere At þe ȝates of paradise; At þe last an Angell come me nere And said: "childe, þou art noȝt wise, [ 1264] Trauayle þe noȝt in þis manere, Þare may no helpe þereof arise, [1266. of above line.] Þe oleo of þe tre of mercy here Þou getis it noȝt in nonkyns wise; Bot it sall be at þe last, [ 1269] When þis nombre is filled, ffyue thousand ȝeres sall be past And fyue hondret ȝere þeretille,

(107)

Þen sall gods son to þe erthe come Ryght forto bye þi fadres myssse And be baptist in þe flome [ 1275] To brynge þi fadres bale to blisse Of þe ole of mercy þou sall haue som And alle þat ben holden as his, Alle þat here are in þis dongoune He sall þaim brynge to welthe I∣wisse."' Patriarke and prophete Alle thanked god at ones Þat comes, als he gan hete, [ 1283] To brynge þaim of þes wones.

(108)

Þan anon spak sathanas, Þat was maystre of alle helle, And saide to hym þat portere was þere as þe prisons were dressed to dwelle: [ 1288] 'Open þe ȝhates & lat in passe Ihesu crist of israelle! He þat gods son hym maked has, Hidre sall he com full snelle; [ 1292] He is man in pure manhede ffor all his frankishe fare; "Mi saule of þe dethe has drede," [1295. ha erased after saule.] þus sayde ihesu full ȝhare; [ 1296]

(109)

[[leaf 133, bk.] Ofte has he refte fro me my pray, And nowe full dere it sall be bought, Þos þat I turned till oure lay, Anon he gart þaim turne þaire thought, He has me tened & trauyst ay In alle þe workes þat I haue wrought, Saules fro vs he had away Þat I hade vnto vs brought.' [ 1304] [1304. bought erased before brought.] Þat outhire deuyl sayd: 'is þis he þat called lazare vs fra, Þat was put in oure pouste?' And sathanas sayde, 'ȝhay.' [ 1308]

(110)

'Lat be, sathan, I þe forbede In als mykill as I may, Brynge hym noȝt hidre for no nede, Bot fast þat he were hethen away; ffor come he hidre, I haue gret drede Þat we mon synge alle wele away!

Alle þes soules will he with hym lede, And þan sall we be pyned for ay; He is a myghty swayne, When we two myght noȝt halde Lazare saule agayne, And he did noȝt bot called. [ 1320]

(111)

Sen he did so þat was bot man, Þou wreched wyght, to þe I say, Who myght maistre hym nowe þan Þat is bothe man & god veray? Sen he his seruaunte fro vs wan [ 1325] Þat was dampned hidre for ay, Wenes þou, wreche, þat þou nowe can Holde hym he suld noȝt wynaway?' Þen sayde sir sathanas: [ 1329] 'ffelawe, haue þou no drede, I knowe wele what he was And what lyue he gan lede; [ 1332]

(112)

His fourty dayes þat he fast [leaf 134] I hym temped sikirly; I procurde alle þe Iuwes full fast Þat þai suld dresse hym forto dye; When Pilat wolde þat he had past, I stirde þe Iuwes full egrely, Till he was hanged at þe last Vpon þe rode full rufully; [ 1340] And þerefore I þe say, Ordayne for hym a stede, He comes till vs þis day, Be þis I holde hym dede.' [ 1344]

(113)

And whille þe fendys made all þis dray, Þere spake a voysse bothe loude & clere:

'Þou, prince, I bidde withouten nay, Vndo þes ȝates anon right here, Þe kynge of blisse comes in þis day.' And þen anon spake lucifere: 'Sathanas, sparre þe ȝates, I þe pray, Lat hym noȝt in be no manere.' Þe prince of helle þe ȝates he sparde And his felowes gan calle: [1354. Alle errased after And; gan above line.] 'Bot þes ȝates be wele bared, fforeuere we mon be thralle.' [ 1356]

(114)

Þan said Dauid þere he lay To þes sayntes gret & smalle: 'In erthe lyueand þen gan I say, Þat I saide þen nowe is befalle, It is befallen þis day; [ 1361] Makys myrthe noȝt one bot alle; ffor brasyn ȝhates god brake for ay And yrenen bandes brast withalle; ffro ways of wildrenes [ 1365] His seruantes has he taken; I see nowe sothe it is, He has vs noȝt forsaken.' [ 1368]

(115)

And after þis sayde ysay: [leaf 134, bk.] 'Whiles I lyueand was in land, Ryght on þis wyse prophecyde I, Whaso it kan vndrestand: [ 1372] "Dede men þat in þaire graues lye Rise þai sall & be lyueand, Alle shall make ioy & melody þat erthe thurgh ded þus has in hand." And ȝhitte I sayde also: "Ded, where is þi myght [ 1378] Sen þou lyue takes vs fro? To lyue þou ledes vs ryght."'

(116)

Þan spake a voysse full hydousely, Ryght as it were a thonor blast: 'Vndo ȝoure ȝates delyuerly, [ 1383] ffor certes no langre sall þai last, Þe kynge of blisse here comes in hye.' And helle a voysse agayne gan cast, 'What is þat kynge?' alle gan þai crye, 'Here he sall be sette full fast.' Dauid sayde withouten were: [ 1389] 'As I prophecyde ryght, "A lorde of gret powere, In batell mykill of myght;" [ 1392]

(117)

He is þat kynge þat I of telle, And at þes ȝhates nowe standes here, He behelde fro heuene till helle Þe sorowe of his seruantes dere. Vndo þes ȝates, þowe fende so felle, Go & vnbarre þe ȝates sere, [ 1398] Þe sorowe of blisse comes full snelle To lyuere vs thurgh his gret powere, With þe myght of his godhede.' Ihesu þaim helped so fast, Þe ȝates asondre ȝede And alle þe barres tobrast. [ 1404]

(118)

[leaf 135] He showed þat he was mykill of myght, Þe fendes poustye þere he felled, All lightened þat before laked light Þat with merkenesse before had melled. When alle þe sayntes sawe þat sight Þat in þat depe dongon duelled, Non durst speke on worde on hyght, Bot priuely þus ilk one þai spelled:

'Lorde, welcome till vs, ffull lange vs has þe thought; Blessed be þou, iesus, ffull dere þowe has vs bought.' [ 1416]

(119)

And he vndide þaire handes alle Þat þai bonden by hade bene, He made þaim fre þat ere were thralle, And of þaire kare þaim clensed clene; Þe fendes þat sawe hes workes alle Þat neuere byfore non siche had sene Sayde: 'we are venkesht gret & smalle With ȝond warlowȝ, as we wene.' Þen sayde þe fende þus nedys: [ 1425] 'What artowe shewes siche myght, Þat is so gret in dedes And comes so small in sight? [ 1428]

(120)

Þowe þat was man, in what manere Was godhede in þe hydde? Wastowe noght ded? what dos þou here? Neuere here siche maistry was kidde; We fendes were fayne alle yfere When þat þe Iuwes to dethe þe did; Howe artowe put to siche powere, And siche tene has to vs betidde? Was neuere saule till vs sent [ 1437] Þat þou ne hast fette away, Þou has vs shamely shent And priued vs of oure pray; [ 1440]

(121)

[lf. 135, bk.] And taken here sire sathanas, Þat ere þis tyme was lorde & sire, And in thraldame thrist hym þou has fforto brenne in endelesse fire.'

Þan spake fendes þat with hym was ffull of angire & full of ire: Sathan, whi didest þou þus? allas, Þou did right noȝt at oure desire; We bad þe lat hym go [ 1449] And noȝt to lat hym in; Alle has he fette vs fro, Þis courte waxes full thynne; [ 1452]

(122)

þowe duke of dethe, ledere fro lyue, Outcastynge of alle Angelles, Agaynes þat stronge whi woldestowe stryfe Þat with his myght vs alle þus felles? Þou saide he was þi pray full ryfe, It is no thynge as þou vs telles; ffor euere to dole he wille vs dryue And euereilk one þat with þe dwelles; When þou þe Iuwes gan stirre [ 1461] Þat þai suld gare hym dye, Þou suldest enquire and spirre If he had bene worthy; [ 1464]

(123)

And ȝif in hym were fonden non ille, Þou suldest a gart þaim to blynne; Traytour, whi hastowe brought vs tille Hym þat neuere was fonden in synne? Alle hastowe lost nowe by þis skille Þe saules þat were sumtyme herein, And nowe sall þou þaire paynes full∣fille [ 1471] In wo & neuere more oute to wynne; Þat we wan thurgh þe tre When Eue þe frute had eten, Euereilk a dele has he [ 1475] Thurgh þe rode-tre fro vs geten.'

(124)

[leaf 136] And þen said ihesu with voysse full clere To alle þe sayntes more and lesse: 'Comes to me, my children dere, Þat are made to my likenes; [ 1480] ȝhe þat for synne are prisoned here, Alle ȝhe sall haue nowe forgyfnes.' Alle þe sayntes þen drowȝ hym nere And thanked hym of his gudnes; On adam handes he layde, And he on knees gan falle, 'Pees be to þe,' he sayde, 'And to þin children alle.' [ 1488]

(125)

Adam sayde & for ioy gret: 'Lorde, gif me grace to worsshippe þe, ffro my foos þou has me fette [ 1491] Þat were aboute me gret plente; I cryed when I in payne was sette, And nowe lorde þou hast herde me; My saule þou lede withoutyn lette ffro þis dongon for þi pite; [ 1496] Kepe me þat I ne falle No more into þis place; Makes ioy, ȝhe sayntes alle, And thankes god of his grace.'

(126)

Þen many a patriake & prophete [1501. MS. prophetes, with s marked for erasure.] And also outhire sayntes alle [ 1502] ffelle don on knees befor his fete, Alle þat þere were bothe gret & smalle: 'And, lorde, oure bales to bete Þou art comen; nowe lyue we shalle, Þat þou in þrophecye gan hete, We thanke þe, lorde, nowe is it falle, [ 1508]

Dede with ded is distroyed; [ 1509] Lorde, louynge be to þe, Alle arne eysed þat were noyed, Thraldome is maked fre.' [ 1512]

(127)

[leaf 136, bk.] By þe ryght hand god gan Adam take And blissed hym withouten more, He ladde hym fro þat lothely lake And alle þat euere þere with hym wore. And þan dauyd full baldely spake, Als he fro hellewarde gan fare: [On margin to right in red: Cantate Domino canticum nouum quia mirabilia fecit.] 'A newe songe nowe sall we make To ihesu, as I prophecyd are; [ 1520] ffor he has ben wirkande Maruayles vnto vs here, He has saued his right hande [1523. saued: u corrected from y.] To hym and his powere; [ 1524]

(128)

Mekely has he shewed his myght Here vnto alle lyueand men, He has shewed to euere wyght Þat þai his ryghtwysenes suld ken.' Alle þe sayntes þanked hym right Þat siche a grace walde to paim lene: [ 1530] 'Blissed be he þat comes as he hight Nowe here in þe name of god, amen.' Ilke prophete þan gon telle In his awen prophecye Howe he suld herye helle And for mankynde to dye. [ 1536]

(129)

And as þai were to blisse wendand ffro þe foule fende, þaire faa,

Alle þe sayntes ȝede syngand [ 1539] A songe þat hyght 'Alleluya.' Ihesu toke Adam by þe hand And with saynt Michel gart him gay; And alle þe sayntes went folowand To paradise, for sothe to say. [ 1544] Michell receyued sone Alle þat were hym bekend, In blisse he has þaim done Þat lastes withouten ende. [ 1548]

(130)

[leaf 137] In endeles blisse þat has no fere When alle þes sayntes þere sette, Two grayhored men of face full clere Within paradise þai mette; [ 1552] Þes sayntes asked what þai were, Howe þat þai fro helle ware fette, Bothe body and saule: 'what don ȝe here? [ 1555] ffonde ȝe no thynge þat myght ȝow lette?' And þai agayne answerd: 'We are Enoc and Ely, We come fro mydillerthe As witnes wytirly; [ 1560]

(131)

Neuere dyed we ȝit, we ben alyue, With ancrist ȝitt shall we fyght, In ierusalem þere mon we stryue, And þere to ded we sall be dyght; And thre days after agayne to lyue We sall be raysed by gods myght, And stand as witnes when dome sall dryue Who þat has don wrange or ryght.' A pore man þan come þare, [ 1569] Whiles þai were spekand best; A crosse on his bake bare, A theffe he was likest. [ 1572]

(132)

'Leue frend, what may þou be?' With on voysse þai gan say. And he þaim answerd: 'I am he, A theffe, as ȝe se may; [ 1576] I dyed with crist vpon a tre, And þen of helpe I gan hym pray; He saide sothely þat I suld be In paradise þis same day; [ 1580] Þis crosse he gan me bede And in þis way me sette And sayd: "haue þou no dred, Þere sall no thynge þe lette." [ 1584]

(133)

[leaf 137, bk.] Anoþer worde of hym I hadde, He bad me haue no manere drede; "Michel," he said, "sall be full glad Þat þou sall come into þat stede, ffor þou sall say gods son þe badde, Þat ryght nowe was done to dede, Þat þou suld in þat stede be stad, To tyme hymselue come in god∣hede. To michel say þou þus, Þat he lette þe in fare."' And þai thanked ihesus Hereof bothe lesse & mare: [ 1596]

(134)

'God of godnes, grattest of grace, Blissed be þou euere and ay, Þat gyffes lyue in so litel a space [1599. Two or three letters effaced after litel.] To synfull saules nyght and day; ffolke þat will filowe þi trace [ 1601] And will amende þem whill þai may, In gud likynge þou will enlace And lede þaim in no wilsome way;

Þowe þat has brought vs alle. [ 1605] ffro pyne in ioy to lende, Wirsshippe þe ouere we shalle [1607. ouere: o for e in MS.] In worlde withouten ende.'" [ 1608]

(135)

"Caryn & letyn, þis sawe we, Whill þat we were with sayntes in helle, And mykill more ȝit gan we se [ 1611] Þat we darre to no mann telle; ffor it is bidden consayle to be Of Michel gods dere angelle; Þai saide þis is gods priuyte [ 1615] þat at þis tyme nowe þus befelle; Þe angell bad vs telle no thynge Bot þis þat wryten is; We rose for we of cristys rysynge Sulde þus bere wyttenes. [ 1620]

(136)

And ouþer with vs many ane Are rysen þat in erthe ded lay, And are beȝonde þe flom Iordane [leaf 138] In þaire prayers nyght and day; And when þes þre days are gon [ 1625] No langere duelle here we ne may, With hym to blisse we sall ilk one, Þere whare ioy is lastand ay; [ 1628] Þus are we to ȝowe sent To shewe ȝowe in þis stede Þat ȝhe may ȝowe repent Þat diden ihesu to dede." [ 1632]

(137)

Þat Caryn wrot he hit betoke To Nychodemus and Annas, And Letyn also gaue his boke Vnto Ioseph and Cayphas; [ 1636]

Þen togedre gan þai loke Þat sondrely so wryten was; Þat one wrot noȝt a letre noke [ 1639] More scripture þen þat outhire has. Whan þai þe Iuwes had tane in hye Þe bokes þat wryten ware, Þai vanysshed sodanly, Of paim sawe þai ne mare. [ 1644]

(138)

When þai had redde þes rolles, sone Holly alle þes Iuwes gan say: "Of gret god þat sittes in trone Þis wondre warke is wrought to∣day, Bot euere dele þat here is done Expressely is agaynes oure lay; þat ihesu criste is gods son ffull sore drede vs nowe we may." Gods forbode þen þai fende [ 1653] Þat euere it suld be so; And þus þaire ways þai wend, Ilk one parted outhire fro. [ 1656]

(139)

And when all þis was tolde pilat, Þan he drad hym wondre sore; And alle þes wordes þen he wrate fforto be witenes eueremore; To þe temple he toke his gate [lf. 138, bk.] And gart anon brynge to hym þore Bisshoppes and prestes, alle þat he wate [ 1663] Þat any thynge had witte of lore. Þe ȝates þen sparde he And sayd to alle at ones: "Þe bible lat me see Þat ȝhe haue in ȝoure wones." [ 1668]

(140)

ffoure prestes forthe þe bible brought, [1669. Sc. erased before prestes.] Þat was a boke of gret bonte; Annas & Cayphas sone þai sought, And pilat said to þaim: "lat se, All þat is wryten here wote ȝe noȝt?" And þai answered: "sir, ȝys parde." He saide: "a thynge is in my thought Þat I wolde of declared be." [ 1676] By þat boke þai sware þat day, Þai sulde noȝt layne for no drede Þaten þai þe sothe sulde say Outhire for loue or mede. [ 1680]

(141)

He saide: "by þe fayth to god ȝe awe, Hereof ȝhe most ȝowe wele avise; ffynde ȝhe ought wryten in ȝour lawe Anwhere amonge ȝour prophecyes, Or may ȝhe any witnes drawe [ 1685] By any castynge of clergys, Þat ihesu was as is þe sawe, Gods son in any wise? [ 1688] Hereof gif ȝhe ought ken, Also telle vs ȝe shalle, And in what ȝeres & when His comynge shulde befalle." [ 1692]

(142)

When þai were charged on þis man∣ere, Þan þai saide to sir pilat: "We will noȝt þat alle men here Of þis thynge, ne of þe state." [leaf 139] Þai gart voide alle þat þere were, And when þai had spard fast þe ȝate,

Þes foure prestes alle yfere Sayde to pilat ryght þusgate: [ 1700] "We wote withouten wene Þat gods son was here dyght; We wende wychecrafte hade bene All þat he did be myght; [ 1704]

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Bot nowe we wote by sere witnes Of men þat come of oure kynrede, Þat he agayne nowe lyueand es And rysen sen tyme þat he was ded. Two þat he raysed siche holynes Of hym haue tolde vs in þis stede, All þat ihesu did more & lesse [ 1711] Was don by pure myght of þe god∣hede; fforþi shortely to say, In oure bokes haue we fonde He was gods son verray Þat we gaffe dedys wounde." [ 1716]

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When pilat herde þe sothe declared, Þat fell of ihesu more & lesse, ffor gret drede full lowe he dared Þat he put ihesu to siche stres; And þen no langere he ne spared, Bot þen his awen errour confesse; Hym thought his witte was full ille wared, [ 1723] Þere he had gret heuynes; And of his wrongfull dome Belyue hym gan repent, [1726. Two letters erased after gan.] And hastily to Rome His lettres þan he sent; [ 1728]

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And in his lettre þus he sayde: "To claudy, was emperour þat tyde, [1730. tyme erased before tyde.] Nowe late fell vs a wondre brayde; Amonge vs Iuwes full of pride [leaf 139, bk.] Ihesu þat borne was of a mayde Was sent amonges vs forto bide; A lichire loose on hym we layde, And all for he wrought wondres wyde; [ 1736] ffor he went vs amonge And helpe bothe blynd & lame, We Iuwes all with wronge Diden hym dispite & shame; [ 1740]

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ffro ded to lyffe folke raysed he With gret miracle sothe to say; And on þe wawes of the see [ 1743] Drye fote walde he walke & play; He chased fendes & gart þaim fle ffro diuerse bodyes þere þai lay; Thurgh his witte & his pouste Siche myracles did he nyght & day, Þe Iuwes sone þaim bethought And plened þaim for envye, And said all þat he wrought Was done by sorcery; [ 1752]

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And I toke þaire tales for gude, I hade no grace ihesu to saue, Bot demed hym to be don on rode, Iwisse, þis gart I ihesu haue; [ 1756] Sithen when he shad his hert blode, His body bloudy was layd in graue;

Knyghtes aboute his tombe þai stode To kepe his body with swerde & staue; Knyghtes þere he lay Hym kepid with armour bryght, Bot ȝit on þe thirde day [ 1763] He rosse vp thurgh his myght;

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He rose vp þe thirde day Whill alle þe knyghtes lay & woke, As mased mysse my men þai lay, Was non of þaim durst speke ne loke; [ 1768] Ihesu rose and went his way, [leaf 140] All þis we fynde wele in oure boke. On my knyghtes felle siche a dray, As espyn leues þai lay & quoke; Bot whan þis was asspied [ 1773] Þat iesu rysen was, Þe Iuwes fast þidre hyed To wit þis wondre casse; [ 1776]

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And gaue siluer to ilka knyght And bad þaim say in þis manere: Þat his dissiples come by myght Mawgre alle þat euer þere were And toke his body so by nyght [ 1781] With armed men of gret powere; Mi knyghtes assented anon right And toke þe money alle yfere; Bot noȝt myght it availe, [ 1785] Þaire mede, as I suppose, Þai kept it noȝt consaile, Bot tolde ryght howe he rose.

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Þai hade no myght for all þaire mede, Þat nede my knyghtes þe truthe most telle [ 1790]

Ryght as it was sothely in dede; Þai sette on ende & gan to spelle Howe þat ihesu thurgh his godhede Þe thirde day ros in flesshe & felle, And howe þai lay in droupand drede And non so ȝhepe a worde to ȝelle; Mi knyghtes myght noȝt layne, [ 1797] Bot tolde bothe man & wife Þat crist with myght and mayne Þus rose fro ded to lyue. [ 1800]

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Sir Emperoure to ȝowe þerefore Þe sothe I sall nowe certifye, Þat ȝe leue in non Iuwes lore [ 1803] Þat in þis matere loude will lye; [At bottom of page words an̄o dn̄i 1650 (?), Elizabeth, appear in different hand.] Bot fro [Bot fro: these two words are almost illegible in MS.] nowe forthe leue eueremore And trowe it wele & stedfastly, Þat gods son sufferd full sore Vpon þe rode on caluery; [ 1808] He dyed & rose agayne, [leaf 140, back] Of þis bere I witenes; Þus fell it in certayne Of ihesu more and lesse." [ 1812]

Explicit Nichodemus de passione Xri