PILATE: Lords who are limited to my allegiance, Handsome men all, and shining on show; I charge as your chief that you chat by no chance, But look to your lord here, and learn from my law. As a duke, I may damn you to draw. Many bold boys are about me; Any knight or knave I may know, That foolishly thinks he will flout me, I shall hear him, In name of the devil, that dastard, to doubt me, Yeah, he who works any works without me, I shall charge him in chains to cheer him. Therefore, you lusty folks in this place wrapped, Do stop all your stalking and talking forestall. Any traitor with tales on his tongue who is trapped, To the fiend, for his flattery, foully will fall. What overblown brats are brawling, Or un-softly are singing for sales, Those criminals carping and calling, Ungently will land my my jails. Therefore: Talk not, and treat of no tale. Any who groan, grimace, or wail, I myself shall hurt them full sore. ANNAS: You will make the case worse for what men disobey you; Any lad who likes not your lordship, you'll teach him, As prince without peer, full promptly to pay you, Or as doughtiest duke, with dents you will reach him. CAIAPHAS: Yeah, in faith, you've the force here to fear him; Through your manhood and might he'll be marred. No chivalrous chieftain may cheer him, If that churl, with a charge, you have charred. Wasted! He'll be painfully flayed by your guard. ANNAS: Yeah! With bruises from beatings, ill-scarred, From the time that your troubles he's tasted. PILATE: Now it seems to me certain, that who's seriously sought you, Will find your praise profitable, you prelates of peace. Thanks for your good words; to harm shall come not you, If you always tell truth, and for no traitor cease. CAIAPHAS: If not, it were pity to appear here on high. But look now, my lord - your knights have come in. ANNAS: Yes lord, by your leave, it's no lie; I can tell they bring news, by the sound of their din: Full sad. PILATE: See - they're bringing that brat in a band. We shall hastily hear it at hand, What mishap before Herod he's had. 1 SOLDIER: Hail, loveliest lord that ever law led yet; Hail, seemliest under silk, on every side; Hail, stateliest on steed in strength in this stead yet; Hail, liberal, hail, lusty, to all lords allied. PILATE: Welcome. What tidings this tide? Let no language now lightly defeat you. 2 SOLDIER: Sir Herod, sir, there's naught to hide: As his good friend, he graciously greets you, Forever. In what manner so ever, he meets you, Full soon, by himself, he will seat you, And says that you shall not dissever. PILATE: I thank him sincerely, and send him the same. But what marvelous matters this minion befell? 1 SOLDIER: For all the lord's language, his lips, sir, were lame. Despite all our questions, no speech would he spell, But dumb as a door did he dwell; Therefore no fault he could find, For his deeds, to deem him to quell, Nor in bondage severely to bind; And thus, He's sent Jesus back to yourself, and assigned, That we as your knights should be cleanly inclined, And tightly return him to you for to truss. PILATE: Sirs, hark: do you hear what we now have on hand? See how these knights carp for all the king cared? Sir Herod, they say, finds no fault in my land; He offers his friendship, so friendly he fared. Moreover sirs, he spoke - and not spared - Full gently to Jesus this Jew. And then, to these knights, he declared, That faults in him, he found but few, To die. He's been tested - I tell you it's true, And this death he has deemed quite undue. And so sirs, sincerely say I. CAIAPHAS: Sir Pilate, our prince, we prelates now pray you: Since Herod no further this liar would flay, Receive in your hall this advice I shall say you: Let us bring him to bar: at his beard we shall bray. ANNAS: Yeah - for if now he should wend by his wiles away, I'll wager he'll work us some wonder. Our many he'll mar, if he may; With his sayings he sets them asunder, With sin. From his bluster comes many a blunder; While you have him in hand, hold him under. We'll all curse today, if his freedom he win. CAIAPHAS: Sir, there's no time to tarry, this traitor to taste. He's set against Caesar himself, and he says That all men in this world, they work in waste, Who take him his tribute - he's taught this outrage! And further, he feigns such arrays, And says that himself, he's God's son! And our law alleges and lays: Any wretch in which falsehood is found, Must die. PILATE: Without guilt, execution we'll shun. ANNAS: Sir, witness of these ways may be won, That will tell of these things without guile. CAIAPHAS: I can rouse up a rabble, I reckon, full right; I'll press thirty men from this place, ere I pass, Who will witness, I warrant, the words of this wight: What wickedness ever this wretch wrought has. Simon, Yarus and Judas, Dathan and Gamaliel, Naphtahlim, Levi, and Lucas, And Amos, these matters can meddle well. They're picked. Truly these tales they can tell, Of this liar that false is and fell, And expound on his laws, which are wicked. PILATE: Yeah, tush for your tales, they touch not the intent. I warrant these witnesses walk in your wage. For hatred, against him their hearts they have bent, And propose by due process to put down this page. CAIAPHAS: Sir, in faith, it's not in us to craftily cage; These men are trustworthy and true; that we tell you. PILATE: Your swearing, sirs, swiftly assuage. No more on this matter will dwell you. I charge. ANNAS: Sir, despise not this speech that we spell you. PILATE: If you feign like frauds, I shall fell you, For I like not your language so large. CAIAPHAS: Our language is too large; your lordship relieve us. Yet, both of us beg you to bring him to bar. The points we put forth, in your presence, receive us; You'll hear how disordered this harlot's acts are. PILATE: Yeah, but mind that witty and wise your words are. ANNAS: Yes sir, dread you not; for nothing we doubt him. PILATE: Fetch him now forth; he's not very far. Go beadle, hasten about him. BEADLE: I'm willing, My lord, now to lead him, or lout him, Unclothe him, clap him, or clout him; What you bid me, I'm always fulfilling. Knights, you're commanded this caitiff to care for; Now bring him to bar, as my lord bidden had. 1 SOLDIER: Is this your message? BEADLE: Yes sir. 1 SOLDIER: Then move you no more. For lightly we'll leap now, and lead forth this lad. 2 SOLDIER: Step forth now; your case has gone bad. I warrant something evil's happed 1 SOLDIER: Oh man, your mind is full mad; Too bad in our clutches you're clouted and clapped. 2 SOLDIER: You'll be lashed, and lushed, and lapped. 1 SOLDIER: Yeah, routed, and rushed, and rapped, And your name with "oyays" shall be noised. 2 SOLDIER: Behold here, my sovereign, the man for whom you sent. PILATE: Well, stir not from that stead, but stand still there. If he's shaped any shrewdness, with shame he'll be shent. I'll endeavor with faith to find out this affair. CAIAPHAS: Aye! Ow! I cannot stand, so I stare! ANNAS: Yah! A curse on this treacherous fiend! PILATE: Gentlemen, what grief makes you roar? Are you mad, or witless, I mean? What ails you? CAIAPHAS: Ow, such a sight we've seen! ANNAS: Yay, alas, we're conquered clean! PILATE: Why, are you fond? Or your force fails you? CAIAPHAS: Ah, sir, did you not see this sight, how that the shafts shook, And those banners, to this wretch, they bowed down on each side? ANNAS: Yeah, right - those cursed knights, by craft let them crook, To worship this unworthy warlock they tried. PILATE: Was it duly done thus indeed? CAIAPHAS: Yes, yes sir, ourselves we just saw. PILATE: Why, spit on them, ill may they speed! Say dastards, may the devil you draw, How dare you? On all sides, these banners should blow; Yet, you let them laud this layman low? Oh, liars, with falsehood, how fare you? 3 SOLDIER: We beseech you and the seigneurs beside you who sit; Be not at our governance grievous and shrill. It lay not in our lot, these lances to let, And this work we have wrought - it was not of our will. PILATE: You're lying - you hear me? - full ill! You would know, if you'd just seen them fold! 4 SOLDIER: Sir, our strength could not stable them still. They hailed him despite our firm hold, We unwitting. 5 SOLDIER: Despite all our force, in faith, they did fold, With worship to this warlock bold; Though it seemed to us, truly, unfitting. CAIAPHAS: You unfriendly fakers, full false is your fable! To seat him, with subtleties, you have been seized. 4 SOLDIER: You may say what it seems, but those standards won't stable; Anyone who tries force will be hardly appeased. ANNAS: By the nose of the devil, you're accursed and diseased! You hen-heart, ill-hap to you ever be sent! PILATE: For one whack, you have whined and you've wheezed; Yet, not one lash to this wretch has been lent. Foul fall you! 3 SOLDIER: Sir, with no wiles we went. PILATE: With shame you should surely be bent, For faint-hearted cowards I call you! 4 SOLDIER: My lord, since you will not our language believe, Bring in all the biggest who bide in this land. Properly, in your presence, their power to perceive, And watch what they do, when they have them in hand. PILATE: You are the most frightened I've ever found. Fie on your faint hearts in fear! Stir now, no longer there stand. Go beadle, this message make clear, Through the town: The boldest men to face fear, And the strongest, these standards to steer; Bid these blithely here to be bound. BEADLE: My sovereign, full soon, with your saying I'll go. I shall bring to these banners, right big men and strong. There's a big band of bruisers in this place I know, That are great and gruff; to those goons I'll be going. Say all you laddies, both lusty and long, You must pass to Sir Pilate apace. 1 SOLDIER: To work not his will would be wrong. We are ready; we'll run in a race, For fame. BEADLE: Then tarry you not, but turn in a trace, And follow me fast to his face. 2 SOLDIER: Lead us there; we like this game. BEADLE: Lord, here are the biggest bairns that bide in this burg. Most stately and strong, if their strength should be strained. Believe me, I lie not, I've looked the land through, sir, These are the most-endowed men who remained. PILATE: You are certain? Your wits have not waned? BEADLE: Sir, I am certain. I say what I know. PILATE: In your tale, be not tainted or stained. BEADLE: Why, no sir. Why should I be so? PILATE: Well then, Let us try, before fear makes them go, To what game we have summoned them so. Sir Caiaphas, tell them, you can. CAIAPHAS: You lusty lads, now take good care. Take hold of these shafts that so brightly here shine. If yon banners should bow by the breadth of a hair, You'll be punctually put to perpetual pain. 1 SOLDIER: I shall hold this as even as a line. ANNAS: Any who rattle - he rends! 2 SOLDIER: I certainly say, as for mine, When it settles, or sadly descends, Where I stand; When it wobbles or wrongly it wends, If it bursts, or splinters, or bends; Forthwith, you may hack off my hand. PILATE: Sirs, watch now these ones, that no wiles be wrought. They are burly and broad; their boasts they have blown. ANNAS: To mention that now sir, in need we are not; He who cursedly quits himself, soon will be known. CAIAPHAS: Yeah, that wretch to the death will be drawn, If he faults, he will foully fall. PILATE: Now knights, since the cock has been crowing, Let us hasten him hence to this hall, His ways. Step solidly up on this stall; Make a cry, and keenly now call, Exactly as Annas there says. ANNAS: Oyay! Jesus, you Jew of gentle Jacob's kin: The lowest man in Nazareth, now summoned is your name. Each creature you accuses. We command you to come in, And answer to your enemies; defend now your fame. [And the beadle shall recite after Annas: "Let jesus be judged"] CAIAPHAS: Away, out! We are shaken with shame! Everything has gone wrong now I mean! ANNAS: For all their boast, yon boys are to blame! PILATE: Such a sight was never yet seen; Come sit. My comfort was caught from me clean; I stood up, I could not me abstain, From worshipping in work and wit! CAIAPHAS: Greatly we marveled, what move you in mind, So rudely in reverence of this one to rise. PILATE: I was past all my power, though I pained me and pined; I did not as I would, in no manner or wise. But sirs, hear my speech, I advise: Quickly on his way let him wend. This is the doom I devise. For in faith, I'm afraid to offend, In sights. ANNAS: Then our law has been brought to an end, If to his tales you truly attend. He enchanted and charmed our knights. CAIAPHAS: By his sorcery, sir - yourself the truth saw - He's charmed our chevaliers with mischief enchanted. To royally reverence him, we rose on row; Surely, we can't by this dastard be daunted? PILATE: Why? Tell me what harms this man here has haunted? I perceive to convict him, no cause. ANNAS: To all men, as God's son, himself he has granted, And he likes not to live by our laws. PILATE: Say man, Can you conceive how serious a clause This cleric accusing you now draws? Speak, and excuse yourself if you can. JESUS: A mouth has each man who is made on mould, In wealth and in woe to wield at his will. If he governs it well, as God has showed, For spiritual speech, he need never spill. And whatever man should govern it ill, Great misfortune he shall shape; From every tale that you me tell, You shall account, there's no escape. PILATE: Sirs mine, You are truly mad in your mind. In the defendant no fault I can find, And no reason to put him to pine. CAIAPHAS: We've not come without a good cause to accuse him; This you ought to know of, it's what we've come for. PILATE: Now I see clearly, you'd rather refuse him, Until he's been doomed and is sentenced to die. So take him yourself, therefore; And do as your laws allow here. Set his death by your store. ANNAS: Oh, Sir Pilate, without any peer, Do way. You know it yourself, without any fear, It falls not to us, nor our fellows in here, To slay any man - this you yourself say. PILATE: Why should I deem him to death, undeserving in deed? Wholly, I've heard why in hearts, you him hate. He's faultless, in faith, so God may me speed; I grant my good will, he may go through that gate. CAIAPHAS: No sir, you know well he did state, He is king, he has claimed, with a crown. Any man who steps stout to that state, You sir, ought to deem be dinged down, And dead. PILATE: Sir, truly, that touches on treason. Before I leave, he'll regret saying that reason, Before I stalk, or stir from this stead. Sir knights that are comely, take this criminal in keeping: Stripe him with scourges, and scathe him with scorn. Twist him and wring him, 'till for woe he is weeping Then bring him before us, as he was before. 1 SOLDIER: He may curse the day that he was born; Soon he shall be served as you've said us. ANNAS: And rip off those weeds that are worn. 2 SOLDIER: Already sir, we have arrayed us; Have done. Let us hasten to see this wretch flayedm, just As Pilate has properly prayed us. 3 SOLDIER: We shall seriously set to him, son. 4 SOLDIER: Let's gather his gear, God give him ill grace. 1 SOLDIER: They are quickly snatched off - you take care of his trashes. 3 SOLDIER: Now knot him with this cord. 2 SOLDIER: I'm keen on this case. 4 SOLDIER: He's bound fast - now beat him with bitter brashes. 1 SOLDIER: Go on, leap, harry harder, you lordlings, with lashes. We'll endeavor, this faker to flay him. 2 SOLDIER: Let's drive him to distraction with bashes. All in red, with our blows, we'll array him, And rend him. 3 SOLDIER: For my part, I am pressed to repay him. 4 SOLDIER: Yeah, send him sorrow, assay him. 1 SOLDIER: Hold him there, give me time to attend him. 2 SOLDIER: Swing on his neck, so that swiftly he'll sweat. 3 SOLDIER: Sweat may this swain, for the weight of our snaps. 4 SOLDIER: Rush on this ribald, attack fiercer yet. 1 SOLDIER: Attack him, I tell you, with routs and with raps. 2 SOLDIER: For all our annoyance, this lazy one naps. 3 SOLDIER: We have to awake him, with wind of our whips. 4 SOLDIER: Now fling on this flatterer with flaps. 1 SOLDIER: I shall heartily hit on his hip, And haunch. 2 SOLDIER: Unscathed from this scrape, he'll not skip. 3 SOLDIER: Yet still he won't lift up a lip, To pray us to pity his paunch. 4 SOLDIER: To pity his paunch, he proffers no prayer. 1 SOLDIER: Lord, how do you like this game, now that our lore must hear you? 2 SOLDIER: Lo, I pull at his pockets, now I'm a proud player. 3 SOLDIER: Thus, your cloak we shall clout, to cleanse you, and clear you. 4 SOLDIER: And strong in this strife I shall steer you. 1 SOLDIER: Thus, with chops, this churl we'll chastise. 2 SOLDIER: I trust that this trace it will tire you. 3 SOLDIER: All your untrue teachings, thus, taste I. You red herring! 4 SOLDIER: I hope I be hardy and hasty. 1 SOLDIER: I know better - no weapons will waste I. 2 SOLDIER: He swoons, or he swelters, I'm swearing. 3 SOLDIER: Let's loosen him lightly, now lay on your hands. 4 SOLDIER: If he dies for this deed, now undone are we all. 1 SOLDIER: Now the wretch is unbound and unbraced are his bands. 2 SOLDIER: Fool! How fare you now? May foul you befall! 3 SOLDIER: Now, since he once as our king, himself called, We shall crown him kindly with a briar, there. 4 SOLDIER: Aha! But first, this purple and pall, As his worthy weeds, he shall wear. For scorn! 1 SOLDIER: I am proud at this point to appear. 2 SOLDIER: Let us clothe him in this clothing clear, As a lord, who his lordship has lorn. 3 SOLDIER: It was long since you met with such men as you met this morn. 4 SOLDIER: Do set him on seat, now my courtesy fails! 1 SOLDIER: Now ring round, with respect we'll present this thick thorn. 2 SOLDIER: Look, it holds to his head so his brain out hales. 3 SOLDIER: Thus we'll teach him to temper his tales. His brain begins to bleed. 4 SOLDIER: Yeah, his blunder has brought him to these bales. Now reach out, and give to him this reed, So round. For his scepter it serves indeed. 1 SOLDIER: Yeah, this is good enough in this need; Let's graciously greet him on this ground. Ave, royal roy, and rex judeorum; Hail, comely king that no kingdom has kenned; Hail, un-doughty duke, your deeds are doom; Hail, man un-mighty your many to mend; 3 SOLDIER: Hail, lord without land in which to lend; Hail king, hail knave, incompetent man; 4 SOLDIER: Hail, freak without force to defend; Hail stranger, that can't even stand, To strive. 1 SOLDIER: Come on, harlot, heave up your hand, And we, who your worship are working with wand, Thank us, may ill you thrive. 2 SOLDIER: Let's lead him in lightly, and linger no longer; To Sir Pilate our prince, our pride we will praise. 3 SOLDIER: Yeah, he'll sing before sleep, of his sorrow and anger, For dishonest deeds he has done in his days. 4 SOLDIER: Now quickly, lets wend on our ways; We must carry, there's no time to tarry. 1 SOLDIER: My lord, will you listen to our lays? Here now the boy that you bade us go bury With bats, is. 2 SOLDIER: We're encumbered, his corpus to carry; Many watchers were wondering and wary. See - his flesh all be-flapped where the fat is. PILATE: Well, bring him before us - he's bruising all blue. I suppose now, his sayings he'll cease evermore. Sirs, behold now on high, and ecce homoo: He is bound and beaten and brought you before; Which, seems to me, still suits him full sore, For, in guilt on this ground, he is grieved. If you like, now please listen, I've lore: Pay heed to the plan I've perceived; It may move you to mercy the more, And grace. To doom him to death I deplore; According to custom therefore, I would see him set free from this place. CAIAPHAS: Barrabas the robber, in prison lies low. By custom we ask you, release him today. PILATE: Barrabas the robber? You would have it so? You want that foul rebel still raging to slay? Shouldn't I rather release This Jesus? ALL: Barrabas, we say! Barrabas! Barrabas! PILATE: Now cease! Nothing's heard when you're howling so loud. ALL: Not this man! Barrabas! PILATE: Peace, peace! You clamor and cry in a crowd. If this is your will, so it be. For Jesus now, what is your mind? His evil deeds done, show to me, For in him, no fault can I find. He has only done good for mankind. CAIAPHAS: Away with him now! Let him die! PILATE: Shall I scourge him again, and unbind? ALL: No! Crucify, crucify! If you loose him, you're not Caesar's friend! PILATE: On you is his blood then, say I. CAIAPHAS: His blood is on us. Make an end. ALL: Crucify! PILATE: Then properly by process I will prove, I've no force, from these fellows, this man to defend. BEADLE: Here is all, sir, for which you send. Will you wash while the water is hot? [Then he washes his hands] PILATE: Now the bonds of Barrabas, unbend; With grace, he is freed from this date; As you will. BARRABAS: You men I see, of high estate: May God increase your comely state, For grace you grant me of your will. PILATE: Hear the judgement of Jesus, all Jews in this stead: Crucify him on a cross, and on Calvary, him kill. I damn him today to die this same death. Therefore hang him on high, upon that great hill, And on each side of him, I will That a thief you will hang on each post; To my mind, this is reason and skill: That the midst, since his malice is most, You'll allot him. Give him torment; some pain he should taste. My words, I will no longer waste; But rest not, till to death you have brought him. CAIAPHAS: Sir, we see in our sight that this sadly you've said. Now, you knowledgeable knights, this man's in your care; The life of this loser, in your liking, is laid. 1 SOLDIER: Let us alone, my lord; learn us no lore. Sirs, set to him seriously and sore: See that his corpse all in cords is cast. 2 SOLDIER: Let's bind him in bands therefore. 3 SOLDIER: Here's one; full long will this last. 4 SOLDIER: Lend a hand here. 5 SOLDIER: I pull till my power is past. Now he is fettered full fast. Let's steer now, we may not long stand here. ANNAS: Draw him fast hence, deliver, have done! Go - see him to death without longer delay. For he must be dead, necessarily, by noon, So tomorrow mirth moves us, as much as it may. It is truly our great Sabbath day. No dead bodies, unburied should be. 6 SOLDIER: We can well see the truth that you say. We'll force him full fast to his tree, Thus talking. 4 SOLDIER: Farewell, now quickly wend we. PILATE: Now certainly, you are a manly company, Who forth in this wild evil waning are walking.
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