The Towneley plays

The Pilgrims

Cleophas

                     Almyghty god, ihesu! ihesu
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                    That borne was of a madyn fre,
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                    Thou was a lord and prophete trew,
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                    whyls thou had lyfe on lyfe to be
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                    Emangys thise men;
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                    yll was thou ded, so wo is me
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                    that I it ken! 
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                    I ken it well that thou was slayn
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                    Oonly for me and all mankynde;
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                    Therto thise Iues were full bayn.
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                    Alas! why was thou, man, so blynde
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                    Thi lord to slo?
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                    On hym why wold thou haue no mynde,
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                    bot bett hym blo?
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                    Blo thou bett hym bare / his brest thou maide all blak,
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                    his woundes all wete thay ware / Alas, withoutten lak!
                    Line 16

Lucas

                     That lord, alas, that leche / that was so meke and mylde,
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                    So well that couth vs preche / with syn was neuer fylde;
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                    he was full bayn to preche / vs all from warkes wylde,
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                    his ded it will me drech, / ffor thay hym so begylde
                    Line 20 
                  
                    This day;
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                    Alas, why dyd thay so
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                    To tug hym to and fro?
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                    ffrom hym wold thay not go
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                    To his lyfe was away.
                    Line 25 
                  

Cleophas

                     Thise cursyd Iues, euer worth thaym wo!
                    Line 26 
                  
                    Oure lord, oure master, to ded gart go,
                    Line 27 
                  
                    All sakles thay gart hym slo
                    Line 28 
                  
                    Apon the rode,
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                    And forto bete his body blo
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                    Thay thoght full good.
                    Line 31 
                  

Lucas

                     Thou says full sothe, thay dyd hym payn,
                    Line 32 
                  
                    And therto were thay euer fayn.
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                    Thay wold no leyf or he was slayn
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                    And done to ded;
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                    ffor-thi we mowrne with mode and mayn,
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                    with rufull red.
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Cleophas

yee, rufully may we it rew, 38 ffor hym that was so good and trew, 39 That thrugh the falshede of a Iew 40

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                    was thus betrayd;
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                    Therfor oure sorow is euer new,
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                    Oure ioy is layd.
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Lucas

                     Certys, it was a wonder thyng
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                    That thay wold for no tokynyng,
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                    Ne yit for his techyng,
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                    Trast in that trew;
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                    Thay myght haue sene in his doyng
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                    full great vertu.
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Cleophas

                     ffor all that thay to hym can say
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                    he answard neuer with yee, ne nay,
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                    Bot as a lam meke was he ay,
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                    ffor all thare threte;
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                    he spake neuer, by nyght ne day,
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                    No wordes greatte.
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Lucas

                     All if he wor withoutten plight,
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                    Vnto the ded yit thay hym dight;
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                    If he had neuer so mekill myght
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                    he suffred all;
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                    he stud as still, that bright,
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                    As stone in wall.
                    Line 61 
                  

Cleophas

                     Alas, for doyll! what was thare skyll
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                    That precyous lord so forto spill?
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                    And he seruyd neuer none yll
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                    In worde, ne dede;
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                    Bot prayd for theym his fader till
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                    To ded when that he yede.
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Lucas

                     When I thynk on his passyon,
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                    And on his moder how she can swoyn,
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                    To dy nere am I bowne,
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                    ffor sorow I sagh hir make;
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                    Vnder the crosse when she fell downe,
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                    ffor hir son sake.
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Cleophas

                     Me thynk my hart is full of wo
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                    when I sagh hym to ded go;
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                    Th[e] wekyd Iues thay were so thro
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                    To wyrk hym woghe,
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                    his fare body thay maide full blo
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                    with strokes enoghe.
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Lucas

                     Me thynk my hart droppys all in bloode
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                    when I sagh hym hyng on the roode,
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                    And askyd a drynk, with full mylde mode,
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                    Right than in hy;
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                    Asell and gall, that was not good,
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                    Thay broght hym then truly.
                    Line 85 
                  

Cleophas

                     was neuer man in no-kyns steede
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                    That suffred half so greatt mysdede
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                    As he, to ded or that he yede,
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                    Ne yit the care;
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                    ffor-thi full carefull is my red
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                    where soeuer I fare.
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Lucas

                     where so I fare he is my mynde,
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                    Bot when I thynk on hym so kynde,
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                    how sore gyltles that he was pyynde
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                    Apon a tre,
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                    Vnethes may I hold, my mynde,
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                    So sore myslykys me.
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Jesus

                     Pylgrymes, whi make ye this mone,
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                    And walk so rufully by the way?
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                    haue ye youre gates vngrathly gone?
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                    Or what you alys to me ye say.
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                    what wordes ar you two emange,
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                    That ye here so sadly gang?
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                    To here theym eft full sore I lang, 
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                    here of yow two;
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                    It semys ye ar in sorow strang,
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                    here as ye go.
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Cleophas

what way, for shame, man, has thou tayn 108 That thou wote not of this affray? 109 Thow art a man by the alane, 110 Thow may not pleasse me to my pay. 111

Jesus

                     I pray you, if it be youre will,
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                    Those Wordys ye wold, reherse me tyll;
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                    ye ar all heuy and lykys yll
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                    here in this way;
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                    If ye will now shew me youre [wyll]
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                    I wold you pray.
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Lucas

                     Art thou a pilgreme thi self alone,
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                    walkand in contry bi thyn oone,
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                    And wote not what is commen and gone
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                    within few dayes?
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                    Me thynk thou shuld make mone,
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                    And wepe here in thi wayes.
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Jesus

                     whi, what is done can ye me say
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                    In this land this ylk day?
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                    Is ther fallen any affray
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                    In land awre whare?
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                    If ye can, me tell I you pray,
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                    Or that I farthere fare.
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Cleophas

                     why, knowys thou not what thyng is done
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                    here at Ierusalem thus sone,
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                    Thrugh wykyd Iues, withoutten hone,
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                    And noght lang syn?
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                    flor the trewe prophete make we this mone,
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                    And for his pyne.
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Lucas

yee for ihesu of nazarene, 136 That was a prophete true and clene, 137 In word, in wark, full meke, I wene, 138

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                    And that fonde we;
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                    And so has he full long bene,
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                    As mot I the,
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                    To god and to the people bath;
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                    Therfor thise daies he has takyn skath,
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                    Vnto the ded, withoutten hagh,
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                    Thise Iues hym dight;
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                    ffor-thi for hym thus walk we wrath
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                    By day and nyght.
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Cleophas

                     Thise wykyd Iues trayed hym with gyle
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                    To thare high preestys within a whyle,
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                    And to thare prynces thay can hym fyle,
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                    withoutten drede;
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                    Apon a crosse, noght hens a myle,
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                    To ded he yede.
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Lucas

                     we trowyd that it was he truly
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                    his awne lyfe agane shuld by,
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                    As it is told in prophecy
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                    Of Cristys doyng;
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                    And, certys, thay will neuer ly
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                    ffor noykyns thyng.
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                    ffro he was of the crosse tayn
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                    he was layde full sone agane
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                    In a graue, vnder a stane,
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                    And that we saw;
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                    wheder he be rysen and gane
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                    yit we ne knaw.
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Jesus

                     Pilgremes, in speche ye are full awth,
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                    That shall I well declare you why,
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                    ye haue it hart, and that is rawth,
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                    ye can no better stand therby,
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                    Thyng that ye here;
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                    And prophetys told it openly
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                    On good manere. 
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                    Thay saide a childe there shuld be borne
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                    To by mankynde combryd in care;
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                    Thus saide dauid here beforne
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                    And othere prophetys wyse of lare,
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                    And daniell;
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                    Som saide he ded shuld be,
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                    And ly in erth by dayes thre,
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                    And sithen, thrugh his pauste,
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                    Ryse vp in flesh and fell.
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Cleophas

                     Now, sir, for sothe, as god me saue,
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                    women has flayed vs in oure thoght;
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                    Thay saide that thay were at his graue,
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                    And in that sted, thay faunde hym noght,
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                    Bot saide a light
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                    Com downe with angels, and vp hym broght
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                    Ther in thare sight.
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                    we wold not trow theym for nothyng,
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                    If thay were ther in the mornyng,
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                    we saide thay knew not his rysyng
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                    when it shuld be;
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                    Bot som of vs, without dwellyng,
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                    wentt theder to se.
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Lucas

                     yee, som of vs, sir, haue beyn thare,
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                    And faunde it as the women saide,
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                    Out of that sted that cors was fare,
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                    And also the graue stone put besyde,
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                    we se with ee;
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                    The teres outt of myn ees can glyde,
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                    ffor doyll I dre.
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Jesus

ye foyles, ye ar not stabyll! 202 where is youre witt, I say? 203 wilsom of hart ye ar vnabyll 204 And outt of the right way, 205

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                    ffor to trow it is no fabyll
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                    that at is fallen this same day.
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                    he wyst, when he sat at his tabill,
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                    that Iudas shuld, hym sone betray.
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                    Me thynk you all vntrist to trow,
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                    both in mode and mayn,
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                    All that the prophetys told to you
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                    before, it is no trane.
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                    Told, not thay what wyse and how
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                    That cryst shuld suffre payn?
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                    And so to his paske bow
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                    To entre till his ioy agane.
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                    Take tent to moyses and othere mo,
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                    that were prophetys trew and good;
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                    Thay saide ihesus to ded, shuld go,
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                    And pynde be on roode;
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                    Thrugh the Iues he maide full blo,
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                    his woundys rynyng on red blode;
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                    Sithen shuld he ryse and furth go
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                    before, right as he yode.
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                    Crist behovid to suffre this,
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                    fforsothe, right as I say,
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                    And sithen enter into his blys
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                    vnto his fader for ay,
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                    Euer to won with hym and his,
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                    where euer is gam and play;
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                    Of that myrth shall he neuer mys
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                    ffro he weynde hens away.
                    Line 233

Cleophas

Now, sir, we thank it full oft sythes, 234 the commyng of you heder; 235 To vs so kyndly kythes 236 the prophecy all to geder. 237

Jesus

By leyff now, sirs, for I must weynde, 238 ffor I haue far of my iornay. 239

Lucas

Now, sir, we pray you, as oure freynde, 240

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                    All nyght to abyde for charite,
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                    And take youre r[est];
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                    At morne more prest then may ye be
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                    to go full prest.
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Cleophas

                     Sir, we you pray, for godys sake,
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                    This nyght penance with vs to take,
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                    With sich chere as we can make,
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                    And that we pray;
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                    we may no farthere walk ne wake,
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                    Gone is the day.
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Lucas

                     Dwell with vs, sir, if ye myght,
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                    ffor now it waxes to the nyght,
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                    The day is gone that was so bright,
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                    No far thou shall;
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                    Mete and drynk, sir, we you hight
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                    ffor thi good tale.
                    Line 256 
                  

Jesus

                     I thank you both, for sothe, in fere,
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                    At this tyme I ne may dwell here,
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                    I haue to walk in wayes sere,
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                    where I haue hight;
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                    I may not be, withoutten were,
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                    With you all nyght.
                    Line 262 
                  

Cleophas

                     Now, as myght I lyf in qwarte,
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                    At this tyme will we not parte,
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                    Bot if that thou can more of arte
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                    Or yit of lare;
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                    Vnto this cyte, with good harte,
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                    Now let vs fare.
                    Line 268 
                  

Lucas

                     Thou art a pilgreme, as we ar,
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                    This nyght shall thou fare as we fare,
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                    Be it les or be it mare
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                    Thou shall assay;
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                    Then to-morne thou make the yare
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                    To weynde thi Way.
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Jesus

ffreyndys, forto fulfill youre will 275 I will abyde with you awhyle. 276

Cleophas

Sir, ye ar welcom, as is skyll, 277 To sich as we haue, bi sant gyle. 278

Lucas

                     Now ar we here at this towne,
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                    I red that we go sytt vs downe,
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                    And forto sowpe we make vs bowne,
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                    Now of oure fode;
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                    we haue enogh, sir, bi my crowne,
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                    Of godys goode.
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Cleophas

                     lo, here a borde and clothe laide,
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                    And breed, theron, all redy graide;
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                    Sit we downe, we shalbe paide,
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                    And make good chere;
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                    It is but penaunce, as we saide,
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                    That we haue here.
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Lucas

                     wemmow! where is this man becom,
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                    Right here that sat betwix vs two?
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                    he brake the breed and laide vs som;
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                    how myght he hens now fro vs go
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                    At his awne lyst?
                    Line 295 
                  
                    It was oure lorde, I trow right so,
                    Line 296 
                  
                    And we not wyst.
                    Line 297 
                  

Cleophas

                     When went he hens, whedir, and how,
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                    What I ne wote in warld so wyde,
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                    ffor had I wyten, I make a vowe,
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                    he shuld haue byden, what so betyde;
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                    Bot it were ihesus that with vs was,
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                    Selcowth me thynke, the sothe to say, 
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                    Thus preualy from vs to pas,
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                    I wist neuer when he went away.
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                    we were full blynde, euer alas!
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                    I tell vs now begylde for ay,
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                    ffor spech and bewte that he has
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                    Man myght hym knaw this day.
                    Line 309

Lucas

                     A, dere god, what may this be?
                    Line 310 
                  
                    Right now was he here by me;
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                    Now is this greatt vanyte,
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                    he is away;
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                    We ar begylyd, by my lewte,
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                    So may we say.
                    Line 315 
                  

Cleophas

                     where was oure hart, where was oure thoght,
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                    So far on gate as he vs broght,
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                    knawlege of hym that we had noght
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                    In all that tyme?
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                    So was he lyke, bi hym me wroght,
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                    Till oon pylgryme.
                    Line 321 
                  

Lucas

                     Dere god, why couth we hym not knawe?
                    Line 322 
                  
                    so openly all on a raw
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                    The tayles that he can till vs shaw,
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                    By oone and oon;
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                    And now from vs within a thraw
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                    Thus sone is gone.
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Cleophas

                     I had no knawlege it was he,
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                    Bot for he brake this brede in thre,
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                    And delt it here to the and me
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                    With his awne hande;
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                    When he passyd, hence we myght not se,
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                    here syttande.
                    Line 333 
                  

Lucas

Wee ar to blame, yee, veramente, 334 That we toke no better tente 335 whils we bi the way wente 336

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                    With hym that stownd,;
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                    knowlege of hym we myght haue hentt,
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                    Syttyng on grownd,.
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Cleophas

                     ffro he toke breede full well I wyst,
                    Line 340 
                  
                    And brake it here with his awne fyste,
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                    And laide it vs at his awne lyst,
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                    As we it hent;
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                    I knew hym then, and sone it kyst
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                    with good, intente.
                    Line 345 
                  

Lucas

                     That we hym knew wist he well enogh,
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                    Therfor all sone he hym with-drogh,
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                    ffro he saw that we hym knogh,
                    Line 348 
                  
                    with in this sted;
                    Line 349 
                  
                    I haue ferly what way and how
                    Line 350 
                  
                    Away that he shuld glyde.
                    Line 351 
                  

Cleophas

                     Alas, we war full myrk in thoght,
                    Line 352 
                  
                    bot we were both full will of red,;
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                    Man, for shame whi held, thou noght
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                    when he on borde brake vs this breede?
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                    he soght the prophecy more and les
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                    And told it vs right in this sted,,
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                    how that he hym self was
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                    With wykid Iues broght to ded,,
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                    And more;
                    Line 360 
                  
                    we will go seke that kyng
                    Line 361 
                  
                    That suffred woundes sore.
                    Line 362 
                  

Lucas

                     Ryse, go we hence from this place,
                    Line 363 
                  
                    To Ierusalem take we the pace,
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                    And tell oure brethere all the case,
                    Line 365 
                  
                    I red right thus;
                    Line 366 
                  
                    ffrom ded, to lyfe when that he rase
                    Line 367 
                  
                    he apperyd till vs.
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Cleophas

                     At Ierusalem I vnderstande,
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                    Ther hope I that they be dwelland,
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                    In that countre and in that land
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                    We shall theym mete.
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                    Weynd we furth, I dar warand,,
                    Line 373 
                  
                    Right in the strete.
                    Line 374 
                  

Lucas

                     let vs not tary ne mare,
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                    Bot on oure feete fast lett vs fare;
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                    I hope we shall be cachid fro care
                    Line 377 
                  
                    ffull sone, Iwys;
                    Line 378 
                  
                    That blyssid childe that marie bare
                    Line 379 
                  
                    Grauntt you his blys.
                    Line 380 
                  

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