PILGRIM 1: Lord, who lent me this life now to lead, In my ways now guide me, distraught and alone. When others have mirth, comfort at need, Then, as in mourning, do I make my moan. For, doubtlessly, now may we dread us. Alas! They have stolen our guide; With pain made him suffer; he died, That lord, who alive used to lead us. PILGRIM 2: He led us full loyally, that lord. Now alas, My lord, for his loyalty, from life has been torn. PILGRIM 1: Say, who comes here chattering? PILGRIM 2: Sir, I, Cleophas. Await me, dear brother; great sorrow I've borne. But tell me now, where are you bound? PILGRIM 1: To Emmaus, this castle beside us. There may we both harbor and hide us. Therefore, let us not wait in town. PILGRIM 2: We shall not wait in town, but do as you would. But let us take time now to talk of some tales, And to speak of the soldiers, and Jesus so good, How they beat that body that is cure of all ills. With buffets they beat him. Then, gone To sir Caiaphas' hall, they did him call; Then, before Pilate, into his hall, On the morning then after, at dawn. PILGRIM 1: At dawn did the justices doom him to die; Both priests and prelates to Pilate made press, And like curséd, keen criminals, against Christ did cry; Against that loyal lord, they bore false witness. They spit in his face, thus to scorn him; To ruin him, nothing they spared; But stripping him, his back they bared, And with scourges fast flying they tore him. PILGRIM 2: They tore him so harshly; his blood vessels burst, That his hide was soon hidden in wounds that were grim. A crown of thorns on his head, they fiercely did thrust. It is sorrow to think of what they did to him, With merciless binding and beating. Than on his back, bear did he A cross, unto Calvary. That sweet one was drenched in his sweating. PILGRIM 1: For all the sweat that he sweated, they beat him in spite, And lashed him down, ruefully, with ropes, on a cross. Then they heaved him up high, to hang on a height, Though the man did no sin. They honoured him thus, Who was ever the truest in kind (I feel that my heart will soon surely break, Of these pitiful pains when we here do speak); Such a true friend in him did we find. PILGRIM 2: A true friend did we find him, faithful, and free Of his heart; he wished harm to no woman or man. It was sorrow, indeed, when we did see The malicious sharp spear, that into his heart ran. His body in pains thus was tied; Into his heart harshly they thrust; When his pitiful pains were past, That sweet thing--how swiftly he died! PILGRIM 1: He died swift in swooning, that sweet. Alas for that loved one that laid is so low. With grisly groaning on ground may we weep, For so comely a body I never did know. With dole unto death they did him For his wise works that for them he made; These false folk, when their plans they laid, That unnatural deed then they did him. PILGRIM 2: An unnatural deed they did, those criminals keen, And pained him like beasts, unreasoning, blind-- JESUS: What are these marvels that you two mean, Making such mourning with mouth and mind, Walking thus wild in these ways? [streets] PILGRIM 2: Why, are you a pilgrim who's been In Jerusalem? Have you not seen What dole has been done in these days? JESUS: In these days, sir? What dole was there done? Of that deed I would know, if it your will were, And therefore I pray you, tell me, now, soon, Were there riots at hand? Now, let me here! PILGRIM 1: Why? Heard you no cry, rumour, breath, At Jerusalem where you have been, When Jesus the Nazarene Was wretchedly done unto death? PILGRIM 2: To the death did they do him, who was to us dear, Through the plotting of princes that were in that place. And so, like wild creatures, we two thus walk here, Both breathless, like pilgrims that must hold their peace. In mourning our master, thus mourn we; Like beasts all bewildered, thus walk we; In speaking of Jesus, thus talk we; Away from our enemies, turn we. PILGRIM 1: We turn from our enemies, being attent How they murdered that man that we two have named. How ruefully with ropes, on a rood they him rent, And nailed him thereto; in a fit they him maimed. Then, upright, so crudely, they raised him, And then, greatly to pain him withal, In a mortise-hole fast let him fall. To pain him they put him and forced him! PILGRIM 2: They forced him to pain him, that peerless of peace. Thus on that man who was wise they worked such great wonder; And yet, with that sorrow they would not cease! They shook him, and shattered his limbs all asunder; His bones thus they broke; so they burst him. And a blind knight, when yet he'd not died, With a spear-point in at the side To the heart, full cruelly he thrust him! PILGRIM 1: They thrust him so cruelly, there then was no doubting; Thus with pain was that dear one done unto death. His back and his body were swollen with beating. A sorrowful sight. I tell you the truth. But...often enough we heard say--- And we believe as we've heard tell--- That he was to ransom Israel. But now, this is the third day. PILGRIM 2: These last days, our wits were all wild with fear; For, some women we know, with all certainty, said That they saw in their sight, a solace so dear; How all was a gleaming glow where he was laid. They called us (and long may they thrive), For surely they saw it in sight--- A vision of angels so bright, Who told them their Lord was alive. PILGRIM 1: Alive! And they said he was here, in this land. These women this told us, as fast as they might. Then some of us ran off, and soon did they find That true was what they had said, who'd had that sight. For when they looked there where he lay, They found there that that one had flown; His tomb was but bare bricks and stone. Then knew they that he was away. PILGRIM 2: Away is that one who once was our guide. JESUS: Ah, fools that are faulty, whose faith fails in strife, To place you in heaven, such must he abide. Unless you keep faith, what good is your life? To the prophets he proved it and preached; And to Moses also did he say That he must for our sake die one day. And Moses proclaimed this in speech, And spoke it and said it to all of this land. PILGRIM 1: Ah, more of this talking, we pray, tell to us. PILGRIM 2: Yes, sir, by your words do we well understand That you speak of our master whom we two discuss. PILGRIM 1: Yes, good sir, now hear what I say: Do you see this castle beside here? We have planned for this night to abide here; Abide with us, sir pilgrim, we pray. We pray you, sir pilgrim, to stay and not go. JESUS: Yes, sir, I must leave--- PILGRIM 1: No, sir, night is too near. JESUS: And I have far to walk. PILGRIM 2: I am sure that is so. PILGRIM 1: We pray you, sir, heartily, tonight stay you here. JESUS: Thank you for this kindness you did me. PILGRIM 1: Go in sir, seriously, soon PILGRIM 2: Sir, danger doubt not, have done. JESUS: Sir, I must needs do as you bid me. You bid me; obedient I'll bide as seems best. PILGRIM 1: Lo, here's a good seat sir, I say to you. PILGRIM 2: With such goods as we've got, we'll gladden our guest PILGRIM 1: Sir, of this poor pittance, partake now, we pray to you. PILGRIM 2: [If you please sir, a blessing is just what we need; We'll bow our heads now to the heavenly Lord.] JESUS: Now bless I this bread that is brought to the board; Find it in faith, my friends, you to feed. PILGRIM 1: [What the -- ? How?] Entirely were we intent - Oh, I trust that some trouble betides us! Say, where is that man? PILGRIM 2: Away he has went - Right now, he was sitting beside us. PILGRIM 1: Beside us both, we saw him sit, And I can't perceive by what point he could pass. PILGRIM 2: No, by the works that he wrought, it's well-shown to our wits, It was Jesus himself, I know who it was. PILGRIM 1: It was Jesus who wisely thus wrought, That raised was and ruefully rent on the rood. From bale and bitterness, he has us bought; He was bound and beaten and bursting with blood. PILGRIM 2: He was drenched in his blood, so sore did he get When the wicked Jews beat him (they wrathful were ever) With scourges attacking, and sharp thorns on his head; Such a tale of torment to tell I heard never. PILGRIM 1: I have never heard tell of such pitiful pain As our sovereign suffered, hanging on high. Now he has risen, with might and with main, I tell it for sure, I saw him with my eye. PILGRIM 2: We saw him in sight; this is our intent By the bread that between us we bade him to break: Such wonderful ways as we have went, For Jesus so gentle, was none like to take. PILGRIM 1: Never was seen such a wonderful deed By sea or by sand, in this world so wide; Let us remember, and duly take heed; Quick, let's go preach it on every side. PILGRIM 2: On every side quickly now preach we - We'll go to Jerusalem these tidings to tell, To our fellows from sorrows now reach we! More of this matter we can't stay to tell! PILGRIM 1: We cannot stay here to tell more at this tide, For the process of plays that presses tonight. May He bring to bliss all of those on each side, That Sovereign Lord, who most is in might.
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